UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
(Mark One)
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended
OR
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission file number
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
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(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act:
Title of Each Class | Trading Symbol | Name of Exchange on Which Registered | ||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Large accelerated filer ☐ | Smaller reporting company | Emerging growth company | |
Non-accelerated filer ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each class of the issuer’s common stock as of the latest practicable date.
Class | Number of Shares Outstanding | |||
Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value | ||||
Class B Common Stock, $0.0001 par value | ||||
Class C Capital Stock, $0.0001 par value |
BLUE APRON HOLDINGS, INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 21 | ||||
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NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans, and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue,” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are only predictions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions described in the “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Because forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The events and circumstances reflected in our forward-looking statements may not be achieved or occur and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ from our expectations include:
● | our ability, including the timing and extent, to sufficiently manage costs and to fund investments in our operations from cash from operations and additional equity and/or debt financings in amounts necessary to maintain compliance with financial and other covenants under our indebtedness while continuing to support the execution of our growth strategy; |
● | our expectations regarding our expenses and net revenue and our ability to grow adjusted EBITDA and to achieve or maintain profitability; |
● | our ability, including the timing and extent, to successfully execute our growth strategy, cost-effectively attract new customers and retain existing customers, including our ability to sustain any increase in demand resulting from both our growth strategy and the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, and our ability to continue to expand our direct-to-consumer product offerings, and to continue to benefit from the implementation of operational efficiency practices; |
● | changes in consumer behaviors that could lead to declines in demand, both as the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on consumer behavior tapers, particularly as a result of fewer restrictions on dining options, and as COVID-19 vaccines become widely available in the United States, and/or if consumer spending habits are negatively impacted by worsening economic conditions; |
● | our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and key personnel in sufficient numbers; |
● | our ability to effectively compete; |
● | our ability to maintain and grow the value of our brand and reputation; |
● | any material and adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our operations and results, including as a result of our inability to meet demand due to insufficient labor, whether as a result of heightened absenteeism or challenges in recruiting and retention or otherwise, prolonged closures, or series of temporary closures, of one or more fulfillment centers, or supply chain or carrier interruptions or delays; |
● | our expectations regarding, and the stability of, our supply chain, including potential shortages or interruptions in the supply or delivery of ingredients, as a result of COVID-19 or otherwise; |
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● | our ability to maintain food safety and prevent food-borne illness incidents and our susceptibility to supplier-initiated recalls; |
● | general changes in consumer tastes and preferences or in consumer spending; |
● | our ability to comply with modified or new laws and regulations applying to our business; |
● | our vulnerability to adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, and public health crises, including pandemics; and |
● | our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection. |
While we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, whether as a result of any new information, future events, or otherwise, we have no current intention of doing so except to the extent required by applicable law.
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PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
BLUE APRON HOLDINGS, INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share and per-share data)
(Unaudited)
March 31, | December 31, | ||||
2021 | 2020 | ||||
ASSETS |
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CURRENT ASSETS: |
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Cash and cash equivalents | $ | | $ | | |
Accounts receivable, net |
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Inventories, net |
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
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Total current assets |
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Property and equipment, net |
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Other noncurrent assets |
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TOTAL ASSETS | $ | | $ | | |
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
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CURRENT LIABILITIES: |
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Accounts payable | $ | | $ | | |
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities |
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Current portion of long-term debt | | | |||
Deferred revenue |
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Total current liabilities |
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Long-term debt | | | |||
Facility financing obligation | | | |||
Other noncurrent liabilities |
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TOTAL LIABILITIES |
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Commitments and contingencies (Note 10) |
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STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY: |
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Class A common stock, par value of $ | | | |||
Class B common stock, par value of $ |
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Class C capital stock, par value of $ | — | — | |||
Additional paid-in capital |
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Accumulated deficit |
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TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |
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TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | $ | | $ | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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BLUE APRON HOLDINGS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except share and per-share data)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended | |||||
March 31, | |||||
2021 |
| 2020 | |||
Net revenue | $ | | $ | | |
Operating expenses: | |||||
Cost of goods sold, excluding depreciation and amortization |
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Marketing |
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Product, technology, general and administrative |
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Depreciation and amortization | | | |||
Other operating expense | — | | |||
Total operating expenses |
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Income (loss) from operations |
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Interest income (expense), net | ( | ( | |||
Income (loss) before income taxes |
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Benefit (provision) for income taxes |
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Net income (loss) | $ | ( | $ | ( | |
Net income (loss) per share attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders: | |||||
Basic | $ | ( | $ | ( | |
Diluted | $ | ( | $ | ( | |
Weighted-average shares used to compute net income (loss) per share attributable to Class A and Class B common stockholders: | |||||
Basic | | | |||
Diluted | | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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BLUE APRON HOLDINGS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity
(In thousands, except share data)
(Unaudited)
Class A | Class B | Additional | Total | ||||||||||||||||
Common Stock | Common Stock | Paid-In | Accumulated | Stockholders' | |||||||||||||||
| Shares |
| Amount |
| Shares |
| Amount |
| Capital |
| Deficit |
| Equity | ||||||
2021 | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance — December 31, 2020 |
| | $ | | | $ | | $ | | $ | ( | $ | | ||||||
Conversion from Class B to Class A common stock | | ( | ( | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock, net of tax withholdings | | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||
Share-based compensation | — | — | — | — | | — | | ||||||||||||
Net income (loss) | — | — | — | — | — | ( | ( | ||||||||||||
Balance — March 31, 2021 |
| | $ | | | $ | | $ | | $ | ( | $ | | ||||||
2020 | |||||||||||||||||||
Balance — December 31, 2019 |
| | $ | | | $ | | $ | | $ | ( | $ | | ||||||
Conversion from Class B to Class A common stock | | ( | ( | — | — | — | |||||||||||||
Issuance of common stock upon exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock, net of tax withholdings | | | | — | | ||||||||||||||
Share-based compensation | — | — | — | — | | — | | ||||||||||||
Net income (loss) | — | — | — | — | — | ( | ( | ||||||||||||
Balance — March 31, 2020 |
| | $ | | | $ | | $ | | $ | ( | $ | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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BLUE APRON HOLDINGS, INC.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended | ||||||
March 31, | ||||||
2021 |
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CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||
Net income (loss) | $ | ( | $ | ( | ||
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash from (used in) operating activities: | ||||||
Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment |
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Loss (gain) on build-to-suit accounting derecognition | — | ( | ||||
Loss on impairment | — | | ||||
Changes in reserves and allowances |
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Share-based compensation |
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Non-cash interest expense | | | ||||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||
Accounts receivable |
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Inventories |
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets |
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Accounts payable |
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Accrued expenses and other current liabilities |
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Deferred revenue |
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Other noncurrent assets and liabilities |
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Net cash from (used in) operating activities |
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CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||
Purchases of property and equipment |
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Proceeds from sale of property and equipment | | | ||||
Net cash from (used in) investing activities |
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CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: | ||||||
Repayments of debt | ( | — | ||||
Payments of debt issuance costs | ( | — | ||||
Proceeds from exercise of stock options |
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Principal payments on capital lease obligations |
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Net cash from (used in) financing activities |
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NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND RESTRICTED CASH |
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CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND RESTRICTED CASH — Beginning of period |
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CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND RESTRICTED CASH — End of period | $ | | $ | | ||
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION: | ||||||
Cash paid for interest | $ | | $ | | ||
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING INFORMATION: | ||||||
Acquisition (disposal) of property and equipment financed under capital lease obligations | $ | — | $ | | ||
Non-cash additions to property and equipment | $ | | $ | | ||
Purchases of property and equipment in Accounts payable and Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | $ | | $ | |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
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BLUE APRON HOLDINGS, INC.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
1. Organization and Description of Business
When used in these notes, Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries are collectively referred to as the “Company.”
The Company designs original recipes with fresh, seasonally-inspired produce and high-quality ingredients, which are sent directly to customers for them to prepare, cook, and enjoy. The Company creates meal experiences around original recipes every week based on what’s in-season with farming partners and other suppliers. Customers can choose which recipes they would like to receive in a given week, and the Company delivers those recipes to their doorsteps along with the pre-portioned ingredients required to cook those recipes.
In addition to meals, the Company sells wine through Blue Apron Wine, a direct-to-consumer wine delivery service. The Company also sells a curated selection of cooking tools, utensils, pantry items, and add-on products for different culinary occasions through Blue Apron Market, its e-commerce market.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
The unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared on the same basis as the audited Consolidated Financial Statements, and in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company’s financial position as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020. These unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited Consolidated Financial Statements and the notes thereto for the year ended December 31, 2020 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 23, 2021 (the “Annual Report”). There have been no material changes in the Company's significant accounting policies from those that were disclosed in Note 2, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, included in the Annual Report.
The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company prepares its Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).
Liquidity and Going Concern Evaluation
As of March 31, 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $
As of March 31, 2021, the 2020 Term Loan bore interest at a rate equal to LIBOR (subject to a
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The 2020 Term Loan and the 2021 Term Loan (defined below)(together, the “Senior Secured Term Loan”) contain restrictive covenants, financial covenants, and affirmative and financial reporting covenants restricting the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries’ activities. As of March 31, 2021, the financial covenants in the 2020 Term Loan include a requirement to maintain a minimum aggregate liquidity balance of $
On March 18, 2021, the Company’s aggregate liquidity balance, as calculated under the terms of the 2020 Term Loan, fell below the required $
As of March 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants under the 2020 Term Loan.
On May 5, 2021 (the “Closing Date”), the Company amended the financing agreement relating to the 2020 Term Loan (the “Amendment”). Among other things, the Amendment:
(i) | provides a new $ |
(ii) | increases the interest rate margin on the 2020 Term Loan by |
(iii) | waives the requirement that the borrower prepay the 2020 Term Loan with |
(iv) | requires that the borrower prepay the 2021 Term Loan with |
(v) | reduces the minimum liquidity covenant from $ |
(vi) | charges a $ |
The proceeds of the 2021 Term Loan will be held in an escrow account for the benefit of the agent and the proceeds of the 2021 Term Loan will qualify as qualified cash for purposes of the minimum liquidity covenant, such that, in combination, the funding of the 2021 Term Loan and the reduction in the minimum liquidity covenant will provide the Company with an aggregate of $
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In connection with the Amendment, the Company agreed to grant warrants (the “Warrants”) to the Lenders. Under the terms of the Amendment, so long as the 2020 Term Loan or 2021 Term Loan remain outstanding, on the first day of each quarter beginning on or after July 1, 2021, the Company will issue a Warrant to the Lenders to purchase at an exercise price of $
The Company has a history of net losses and negative operating cash flows. In addition, the Company has experienced significant negative trends in its net revenue. While year-over-year trends in net revenue, net losses and operating cash flows have improved during the three months ended March 31, 2021, that improvement is, in part, due to changes in consumer behaviors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and by the continued execution of the Company’s growth strategy. These positive trends on the Company’s operating results may not continue at current levels, and could decline in future periods as COVID-19 restrictions begin to be lifted and as vaccines become more widely available throughout the United States or if the Company is unable to continue to sustain the revenue growth resulting from its growth strategy.
The Company is continuing to pursue its growth strategy to drive customer and revenue growth through product innovation. The Company’s ability, including the timing and extent, to successfully execute its growth strategy is inherently uncertain and is dependent on continued sufficiency of cash resources, and its ability to implement the initiatives and deliver the results as forecasted, among other factors. Due to this uncertainty, if the Company is unable to sufficiently deliver results from its growth strategy, manage liquidity and/or to cost effectively attract new customers and retain existing customers, the Company may not be able to maintain compliance with the minimum liquidity and minimum subscription count covenants which may result in an event of default under the Company’s Senior Secured Term Loan. Given the Company’s liquidity position, upon an event of default, if the Company were unable to obtain a waiver or successfully renegotiate the terms of its Senior Secured Term Loan with its lenders, and the lenders enforced one or more of their rights upon default, the Company would be unable to meet its current obligations.
If the Company is unable to sufficiently execute its growth strategy, it believes it has plans to effectively manage liquidity and customer acquisition and retention in order to maintain compliance with its debt covenants. This includes implementing operational process driven changes to more cost-effectively source the products the Company offers, potential significant expense reductions in areas identified by the Company in product, technology, general and administrative costs and capital expenditures to achieve savings and reinvest in the business. This further includes modifying and balancing its marketing investments, as needed, to maintain the minimum subscription covenant, while also maintaining sufficient cash to meet the minimum liquidity covenant.
A significant portion of the Company’s costs are discretionary in nature and, if needed, the Company has the ability to reduce or delay spending in order to reduce expenses and improve liquidity. While reductions in spending, particularly in marketing and capital expenditures, may negatively impact net revenue, the Company plans to execute such reductions to the extent needed to comply with its debt covenants. The Company has previously demonstrated an ability to implement various cost reduction initiatives, including workforce reductions and other cost optimizing initiatives. As a result of these initiatives, the Company’s year-over-year product, technology, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net revenue, were reduced by approximately
Based on the current facts and circumstances, the additional financial flexibility provided through the Amendment discussed above, the Company’s financial planning process, and its historical ability to implement cost reductions and adjust marketing strategies, the Company believes it is probable it can effectively manage liquidity and subscription count in order to maintain compliance with the financial covenants under its Senior Secured Term Loan for at least the next 12 months. As a result, the Company has concluded that, after consideration of management’s plans, it
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has sufficient liquidity to meet its obligations within one year after the issuance date of the Consolidated Financial Statements, and it does not have substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern.
Use of Estimates
In preparing its Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP, the Company is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, costs, and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities which are reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying disclosures. The accounting estimates that require the most difficult and subjective judgments include revenue recognition, inventory valuation, leases, recoverability of long-lived assets, and the recognition and measurement of contingencies. The Company evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors and adjusts those estimates and assumptions when facts and circumstances dictate. Actual results could materially differ from the Company’s estimates and assumptions.
Emerging Growth Company Status
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “JOBS Act”), and may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. The Company may take advantage of these exemptions until the Company is no longer an emerging growth company. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period afforded by the JOBS Act for the implementation of new or revised accounting standards. The Company has elected to use the extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, and as a result of this election, its financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates. The Company may take advantage of these exemptions up until December 31, 2022 (the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the initial public offering, or the “IPO”), or such earlier time that it is no longer an emerging growth company. The Company would cease to be an emerging growth company if it has more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue, has more than $700.0 million in market value of its stock held by non-affiliates, or it issues more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt securities over a three-year period.
Smaller Reporting Company Status
The Company is a “smaller reporting company,” as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and therefore qualifies for reduced disclosure requirements for smaller reporting companies.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued its standard on lease accounting, Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes Topic 840, Leases. Subsequent to February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-13, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to the Staff Announcement at the July 20, 2017 EITF Meeting and Rescission of Prior SEC Staff Announcements and Observer Comments, ASU No. 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases, ASU No. 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, ASU No. 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements, ASU 2019-10, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), and Leases (Topic 842): Effective Dates, and ASU No. 2020-05, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) and Leases (Topic 842): Effective Dates for Certain Entities, to improve and clarify certain aspects of ASU No. 2016-02, as well as to defer its effective date for certain entities. For the Company, the new standard is effective for annual periods beginning January 1, 2022, and interim periods beginning January 1, 2023. Upon adoption of this standard, the Company expects to recognize, on a discounted basis, its minimum commitments under non-cancelable operating leases on the Consolidated Balance Sheets resulting in the recording of right-of-use assets and lease obligations. The Company is currently evaluating any additional impacts this guidance will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.
In August 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-15 (“ASU 2018-15”), Intangibles — Goodwill and Other — Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs
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Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. The standard is intended to clarify the accounting for implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract. For the Company, the amendments in ASU 2018-15 are effective for annual periods beginning January 1, 2021, and interim periods beginning January 1, 2022. The Company is evaluating the impact this new guidance may have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.
In December 2019, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2019-12 (“ASU 2019-12”), Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The standard is intended to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740, as well as improve consistent application of and simplify GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. For the Company, the amendments in ASU 2019-12 are effective for annual periods beginning January 1, 2022, and interim periods beginning January 1, 2023. The Company is evaluating the impact this new guidance may have on its Consolidated Financial Statements.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In March 2020, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2020-04 (“ASU 2020-04”), Reference Rate Reform (“ASC 848”): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The standard is intended to provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contract modifications and hedging relationships, subject to meeting certain criteria, that reference LIBOR or another rate that is expected to be discontinued. The guidance was effective upon issuance, and may be applied prospectively through December 31, 2022. The application of the guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
3. Inventories, Net
Inventories, net consist of the following:
March 31, | December 31, | ||||
2021 |
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(In thousands) | |||||
Fulfillment | $ | | $ | | |
Product |
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Inventories, net | $ | | $ | |
Product inventory primarily consists of bulk and prepped food, containers, products available for resale, and wine products. Fulfillment inventory consists of packaging used for shipping and handling. Product and fulfillment inventories are recognized as components of Cost of goods sold, excluding depreciation and amortization in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations when sold.
4. Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets
Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of the following:
March 31, | December 31, | ||||
2021 |
| 2020 | |||
(In thousands) | |||||
Insurance proceeds receivable | $ | | $ | | |
Prepaid insurance | | | |||
Other current assets |
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Prepaid expenses and other current assets | $ | | $ | |
Estimated insurance proceeds recoveries related to accrued legal settlements in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities are reflected as assets in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets when it is determined that the recovery of such amounts is probable, and the amount can be reasonably determined. See Note 10 for further discussion of the insurance proceeds receivable.
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5. Restricted Cash
Restricted cash reflects pledged cash deposited into savings accounts that is used as security primarily for fulfillment centers and office space leases, and as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, cash held in escrow related to a pending legal judgment that was returned to the Company in the second quarter of 2020 following final resolution of the case.
The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the Consolidated Balance Sheets that sum to the total of the same amounts reported in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:
March 31, | December 31, | ||||
2021 |
| 2020 | |||
(in thousands) | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | | $ | | |
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Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | $ | | $ | | |
March 31, | December 31, | ||||
2020 |
| 2019 | |||
(in thousands) | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | | $ | | |
| — | ||||
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Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | $ | | $ | |
6. Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment, net consists of the following:
March 31, | December 31, | |||||
2021 |
| 2020 |
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(In thousands) | ||||||
Computer equipment | $ | |
| $ | |
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Capitalized software | |
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Fulfillment equipment | |
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Furniture and fixtures | |
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Leasehold improvements | |
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Buildings(1) | | | ||||
Construction in process | |
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Property and equipment, gross | |
| |
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Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization | ( |
| ( |
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Property and equipment, net | $ | | $ | |
(1) | Buildings includes a build-to-suit lease arrangement in Linden, New Jersey where the Company is considered the owner for accounting purposes, and as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, contains $ |
Fairfield Lease Termination
In October 2017, the Company performed a review of its real estate needs and decided to no longer pursue its planned build-out of the Fairfield facility and as a result, pursued potential alternatives for the leased Fairfield property. On March 30, 2020 (the “termination date”), the Company terminated the lease, effective immediately, for its Fairfield facility (the “Fairfield lease termination”). In connection with the Fairfield lease termination, the Company agreed to a
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termination fee in the amount of $
For accounting purposes, the Company had been deemed to be the owner of this arrangement and followed build-to-suit accounting. Therefore, the Company had capitalized the fair value of the building and direct construction costs incurred and recorded a corresponding facility financing obligation. Prior to the lease termination, the net carrying value of the build-to-suit assets totaled $
Impairment Charges on Long-Lived Assets
In February 2020, the Company announced the closure of its fulfillment center in Arlington, Texas and the consolidation of production volume from the Arlington, Texas fulfillment center to the Company’s fulfillment centers in Linden, New Jersey and Richmond, California in order to more efficiently continue to service the Company’s national footprint while also enabling the Company to redirect financial resources into other parts of the business, including growth initiatives.
The Company concluded that this change in operations represented a triggering event with respect to its long-lived assets at the Arlington fulfillment center and therefore performed an impairment test in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC 360”), Property, Plant, and Equipment. The carrying amount of the Company’s long-lived assets at the Arlington fulfillment center was $
In May 2020, the transition of production volume to the Linden and Richmond fulfillment centers was completed, with the Company’s Arlington fulfillment center equipment primarily having been relocated to the Company’s other fulfillment centers. The Company temporarily reopened its Arlington fulfillment center beginning in January 2021 to leverage existing assets to meet forecasted demand while continuing to implement operating efficiencies at its other fulfillment centers. In April 2021, the Company closed down the temporary Arlington fulfillment center, with all production volume consolidated at its other fulfillment centers. The closure of the Arlington fulfillment center after its temporary reopening did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. In addition, the Company has future non-cancelable minimum lease payments of approximately $
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7. Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consist of the following:
March 31, | December 31, | |||||
2021 |
| 2020 |
| |||
(In thousands) | ||||||
Accrued compensation | $ | | $ | | ||
Accrued credits and refunds reserve |
| |
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Accrued legal settlements | | | ||||
Accrued marketing expenses | | | ||||
Accrued shipping expenses |
| |
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Other current liabilities |
| |
| | ||
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | $ | | $ | |
Accrued legal settlements reflect contingencies for which the Company has concluded the loss is probable and reasonably estimable. The Company determined that insurance recovery was probable related to $
8. Deferred Revenue
Deferred revenue consists of the following:
March 31, | December 31, |
| ||||
2021 | 2020 |
| ||||
(In thousands) | ||||||
Cash received prior to fulfillment | $ | | $ | | ||
Gift cards, prepaid orders, and other | | | ||||
Deferred revenue | $ | | $ | |
Under ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, the Company has
Contractual liabilities included in Deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets were $
9. Debt
In August 2016, the Company entered into the revolving credit facility with a maximum amount available to borrow of $
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On October 16, 2020 (the “effective date”), the Company entered into a financing agreement which provided for the 2020 Term Loan. The proceeds of the 2020 Term Loan were used, together with cash on hand, to repay in full the outstanding indebtedness of $
As of March 31, 2021, the 2020 Term Loan bore interest at a rate equal to LIBOR (subject to a
In connection with entering into the financing agreement that provided for the 2020 Term Loan, the Company incurred and capitalized $
March 31, | December 31, | ||||
2021 |
| 2020 | |||
(In thousands) | |||||
Senior secured term loan | | | |||
Deferred financing costs, net | ( | ( | |||
Total debt outstanding, net of debt issuance costs | | | |||
Less: current portion of long-term debt | | | |||
Long-term debt | $ | | $ | |
The borrower under the 2020 Term Loan is the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Blue Apron, LLC. The obligations under the 2020 Term Loan are guaranteed by Blue Apron Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries other than the borrower, and secured by substantially all of the assets of the borrower and the guarantors. The 2020 Term Loan contains certain restrictive covenants, financial covenants, and affirmative and financial reporting covenants restricting the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries’ activities. Restrictive covenants include limitations on the incurrence of indebtedness and liens, restrictions on affiliate transactions, restrictions on the sale or other disposition of collateral, and limitations on dividends and stock repurchases. The Company will be required to make mandatory prepayments under certain circumstances, and will have the option to make prepayments under the 2020 Term Loan subject to certain prepayment premiums through the first anniversary of the effective date. As of March 31, 2021, financial covenants included a requirement to maintain a minimum aggregate liquidity balance of $
Non-compliance with the covenants under the 2020 Term Loan would result in an event of default upon which the lender could declare all outstanding principal and interest to be due and payable immediately and foreclose against the assets securing the borrowings. On March 18, 2021, the Company’s aggregate liquidity balance, as calculated under the terms of the 2020 Term Loan, fell below the required $
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Facility Financing Obligation
As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company had a facility financing obligation of $
10. Commitments and Contingencies
Legal Proceedings
The Company records accruals for loss contingencies associated with legal matters when it is probable that a liability will be incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. If the Company determines that a loss is reasonably possible, the Company discloses the matter, and, if estimable, the amount or range of the possible loss in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Company is subject to a consolidated putative class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging federal securities law violations in connection with the Company’s IPO. The amended complaint alleges that the Company and certain current and former officers and directors made material misstatements or omissions in the Company’s registration statement and prospectus that caused the stock price to drop. Pursuant to a stipulated schedule entered by the parties, defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on May 21, 2018. Plaintiffs filed a response on July 12, 2018 and defendants filed a reply on August 13, 2018. On April 22, 2020, the Court entered an order (i) denying the motion to dismiss insofar as Plaintiffs’ allegations pertained to certain of the disclosures in the registration statement and prospectus claimed by plaintiff, and (ii) narrowing the factual issues in the case. On August 11, 2020, the parties held a mediation after which they entered into a memorandum of understanding on August 14, 2020 regarding a proposed settlement. Discovery has been stayed since August 14, 2020. The Company entered into a stipulation and agreement of settlement to resolve the class action litigation on October 28, 2020, which was subsequently amended on November 12, 2020. Under the terms of the settlement, a payment of $
In June 2020, certain of the Company’s current and former officers and directors were named as defendants in a shareholder derivative action filed in the Eastern District of New York, captioned Jeffrey Peters v. Matthew B. Salzberg, et al., 1:20-cv-02627. The complaint seeks contribution from the officer and director defendants for any damages that the Company may incur as a result of the above-referenced class action lawsuit, attorneys’ fees, and other costs, as well as an order directing the Company to reform and improve its corporate governance and internal procedures to comply with applicable laws. On September 11, 2020, this case was stayed pending resolution of the federal securities case. The Company is unable to provide any assurances as to the ultimate outcome of this lawsuit or that an adverse resolution of this lawsuit would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.
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Although the Company believes that it is reasonably possible that it may incur losses in these cases, the Company is currently unable to estimate the amount of such losses, except as noted above, due to the early stages of certain of the litigations, among other factors.
In addition, from time to time the Company may become involved in legal proceedings or be subject to claims arising in the ordinary course of its business. Although the results of such litigation and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, the Company currently believes that the final outcome of these ordinary course matters will not have a material adverse effect on its business, operating results, financial condition or cash flows.
11. Share-based Compensation
The Company recognized share-based compensation for share-based awards in Cost of goods sold, excluding depreciation and amortization, and Product, technology, general and administrative expenses as follows:
Three Months Ended | |||||
March 31, | |||||
2021 |
| 2020 | |||
(In thousands) | |||||
Cost of goods sold, excluding depreciation and amortization | $ | | $ | | |
Product, technology, general and administrative | | | |||
Total share-based compensation | $ | | $ | |
12. Earnings per Share
Basic net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing the net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period.
Diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by dividing the diluted net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares, including potential dilutive common shares assuming the dilutive effect of outstanding common stock options and restricted stock units. For periods in which the Company has reported net loss, diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is the same as basic net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, because dilutive common shares are not assumed to have been issued if their effect is anti-dilutive.
The rights, including the liquidation and dividend rights, of the Class A common stock, Class B common stock, and Class C capital stock are substantially the same, other than voting rights. For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company did not have any outstanding shares of Class C capital stock.
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Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||
2021 | 2020 | ||||||||||
Class A |
| Class B | Class A | Class B | |||||||
(In thousands, except share and per-share data) | |||||||||||
Numerator: |
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Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ( | |||
Denominator: |
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Weighted-average shares used to compute net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders—basic |
| |
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Effect of dilutive securities |
| — |
| — |
| — |
| — | |||
Weighted-average shares used to compute net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders—diluted |
| |
| |
| |
| | |||
Net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders—basic (1) | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ( | |||
Net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders—diluted (1) | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ( | $ | ( |
(1) | Net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders — basic and net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders — diluted may not recalculate due to rounding. |
The following have been excluded from the computation of diluted net income (loss) per share attributable to common stockholders as their effect would have been antidilutive:
Three Months Ended March 31, | ||||||||
2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Class A |
| Class B |
| Class A |
| Class B | |
Stock options | — | | | | ||||
Restricted stock units | | — | | — | ||||
Total anti-dilutive securities | | | | |
13. Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of financial instruments is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use when pricing an asset or liability at the balance sheet date. Certain assets are categorized based on the following fair value hierarchy of market participant assumptions:
Level 1 — Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2 — Inputs, other than quoted prices in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 — Prices or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value of the asset or liability and supported by little or no market activity.
The Company uses observable market data when available, and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs when determining fair value.
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The following are the major categories of assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1), significant other observable inputs (Level 2) and significant unobservable inputs (Level 3):
March 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||
| Level 1 |
| Level 2 |
| Level 3 |
| Total | |||||
(In thousands) | ||||||||||||
Financial Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| ||||
Money market accounts | $ | | $ | — | $ | — | $ | | ||||
Total financial assets | $ | | $ | — | $ | — | $ | |
December 31, 2020 | ||||||||||||
| Level 1 |
| Level 2 |
| Level 3 |
| Total | |||||
(In thousands) | ||||||||||||
Financial Assets: |
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Money market accounts | $ | | $ | — | $ | — | $ | | ||||
Total financial assets | $ | | $ | — | $ | — | $ | |
As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company has $
As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company did not have any assets or liabilities classified as Level 2 or Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.
14. Restructuring Costs
In February 2020, the Company announced the closure of its fulfillment center in Arlington, Texas and the consolidation of production volume from the Arlington, Texas fulfillment center to the Company’s fulfillment centers in Linden, New Jersey and Richmond, California in order to more efficiently continue to service the Company’s national footprint while also enabling the Company to redirect financial resources into other parts of the business, including growth initiatives.
As a result of the action, which was completed in May 2020, the Company recorded $
The Company temporarily reopened its Arlington fulfillment center beginning in January 2021 to leverage existing assets to meet forecasted demand while continuing to implement operating efficiencies at its other fulfillment centers. In April 2021, the Company closed down the temporary Arlington fulfillment center, with all production volume consolidated at its other fulfillment centers. The closure of the Arlington fulfillment center after its temporary reopening did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
15. Subsequent Events
On May 5, 2021, the Company amended the financing agreement relating to the 2020 Term Loan to amend certain provisions and to provide for a new $
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Item 2.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 23, 2021. The following discussion contains forward-looking statements that reflect our plans, estimates, and beliefs. Our actual results could differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to these differences include those discussed below and elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, particularly in the section titled “Risk Factors” under Part II, Item 1A, below. In this discussion, we use financial measures that are considered non-GAAP financial measures under Securities and Exchange Commission rules. These rules require supplemental explanation and reconciliation, which is included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. Investors should not consider non-GAAP financial measures in isolation from or in substitution for financial information presented in compliance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. In the below discussion, we use the term basis points to refer to units of one-hundredth of one percent.
Overview
Blue Apron’s vision is “better living through better food.” Founded in 2012, we are on a mission to spark discovery, connection, and joy through cooking. We offer fresh, chef-designed recipes that empower our customers to embrace their culinary curiosity and challenge their abilities to see what a difference cooking quality food can make in their lives.
Our core product is the meal experience we help our customers create. These experiences extend from discovering new recipes, ingredients, and cooking techniques to preparing meals with families and loved ones to sharing photos and stories of culinary triumphs. Central to these experiences are the original recipes we design with fresh, seasonally-inspired produce and high-quality ingredients sent directly to our customers. We do this by employing technology and expertise across many disciplines – demand planning, recipe creation, procurement, recipe merchandising, fulfillment operations, distribution, customer service, and marketing – to drive our end-to-end value chain. We offer our customers three weekly meal plans—a Two-Serving Plan, a Four-Serving Plan, and Meal Prep Plan. We also sell wine, which can be paired with our meals, through Blue Apron Wine, our direct-to-consumer wine delivery service. Through Blue Apron Market, our e-commerce market, we sell a curated selection of cooking tools, utensils, pantry items, add-on products for different culinary occasions, which are tested and recommended by our culinary team, and à la carte wine offerings.
Key Financial and Operating Metrics
We use the following key financial and operating metrics to evaluate our business and operations, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, project our future performance, and make strategic decisions. You should read the key financial and operating metrics in conjunction with the following discussion of our results of operations and financial condition together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and other financial information included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.
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Three Months Ended | |||||
March 31, | |||||
2021 |
| 2020 | |||
(In thousands) | |||||
Net revenue | $ | 129,706 |
| $ | 101,857 |
Adjusted EBITDA | $ | (6,058) | $ | (5,790) | |
Net cash from (used in) operating activities | $ | (11,951) | $ | (12,604) | |
Free cash flow | $ | (13,697) | $ | (14,215) |
Three Months Ended | ||||||||||||||
March 31, | June 30, | September 30, | December 31, | March 31, | ||||||||||
2020 |
| 2020 |
| 2020 |
| 2020 |
| 2021 | ||||||
Orders (in thousands) | 1,763 |
| 2,152 |
| 1,917 |
| 1,879 |
| 2,104 | |||||
Customers (in thousands) | 376 |
| 396 |
| 357 |
| 353 |
| 391 | |||||
Average Order Value | $ | 57.68 | $ | 60.88 | $ | 58.56 | $ | 61.43 | $ | 61.63 | ||||
Orders per Customer |
| 4.7 |
| 5.4 |
| 5.4 |
| 5.3 |
| 5.4 | ||||
Average Revenue per Customer | $ | 271 | $ | 331 | $ | 314 | $ | 327 | $ | 331 |
Orders
We define Orders as the number of paid orders by our Customers across our meal, wine, and market products sold on our e-commerce platforms in any reporting period, inclusive of orders that may have eventually been refunded or credited to customers. Orders, together with Average Order Value, is an indicator of the net revenue we expect to recognize in a given period. We view Orders delivered as a key indicator of our scale and financial performance. Orders has limitations as a financial and operating metric as it does not reflect the product mix chosen by our customers or the purchasing behavior of our customers. Because of these and other limitations, we consider, and you should consider, Orders in conjunction with our other metrics, including net revenue, net income (loss), adjusted EBITDA, net cash from (used in) operating activities, free cash flow, Average Order Value, and Orders per Customer.
Customers
We determine our number of Customers by counting the total number of individual customers who have paid for at least one Order from Blue Apron across our meal, wine, or market products sold on our e-commerce platforms in a given reporting period. For example, the number of Customers in the three months ended March 31, 2021 was determined based on the total number of individual customers who paid for at least one Order across our meal, wine, or market products in the quarter ended March 31, 2021. We view the number of Customers as a key indicator of our scale and financial performance. Customers has limitations as a financial and operating metric as it does not reflect the product mix chosen by our customers, Order frequency, or the purchasing behavior of our customers. Because of these and other limitations, we consider, and you should consider, Customers in conjunction with our other metrics, including net revenue, net income (loss), adjusted EBITDA, net cash from (used in) operating activities, free cash flow, Orders per Customer, and Average Revenue per Customer.
Average Order Value
We define Average Order Value as our net revenue from our meal, wine, and market products sold on our e-commerce platforms in a given reporting period divided by the number of Orders in that period. We view Average Order Value as a key indicator of the mix of our product offerings chosen by our customers, the mix of promotional discounts, and the purchasing behavior of our customers.
Orders per Customer
We define Orders per Customer as the number of Orders in a given reporting period divided by the number of Customers in that period. We view Orders per Customer as a key indicator of our customers’ purchasing patterns, including their repeat purchase behavior.
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Average Revenue per Customer
We define Average Revenue per Customer as our net revenue from our meal, wine, and market products sold on our e-commerce platforms in a given reporting period divided by the number of Customers in that period. We view Average Revenue per Customer as a key indicator of our customers’ purchasing patterns, including their repeat purchase behavior.
Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure defined by us as net income (loss) before interest income (expense), net, other operating expense, benefit (provision) for income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and share-based compensation expense. We have presented adjusted EBITDA in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q because it is a key measure used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate our operating performance, generate future operating plans, and make strategic decisions regarding the allocation of capital. In particular, we believe that the exclusion of certain items in calculating adjusted EBITDA can produce a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our business. Accordingly, we believe that adjusted EBITDA provides useful information in understanding and evaluating our operating results. Please see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a discussion of the use of non-GAAP financial measures and for a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA to net income (loss), the most directly comparable measure calculated in accordance with GAAP.
Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that is calculated as net cash from (used in) operating activities less purchases of property and equipment. We have presented free cash flow in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q because it is used by our management and board of directors as an indicator of the amount of cash we generate or use and to evaluate our ability to satisfy current and future obligations and to fund future business opportunities. Accordingly, we believe that free cash flow provides useful information to investors and others in understanding and evaluating our operating results, enhancing the overall understanding of our ability to satisfy our financial obligations and pursue business opportunities, and allowing for greater transparency with respect to a key financial metric used by our management in their financial and operational decision-making. Free cash flow is not a measure of cash available for discretionary expenditures since we have certain non-discretionary obligations such as debt repayments or capital lease obligations that are not deducted from the measure. Additionally, other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate free cash flow differently, which reduces its usefulness as a comparative measure. Please see “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for a discussion of the use of non-GAAP financial measures and for a reconciliation of free cash flow to net cash from (used in) operating activities, the most directly comparable measure calculated in accordance with GAAP.
Impact of COVID-19 on our Business
Since late in the first quarter of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted, and is expected to continue to result for at least the near and immediate term, in significant economic disruptions and changes to consumer behaviors in the United States, which has impacted and is expected to continue to impact our business, at least to some degree.
In particular, since late March 2020, we have experienced an increase in demand due in part, as a result of changes to consumer behaviors resulting from the various restrictions that have been enacted throughout much of the United States in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As these restrictions begin to be lifted and as vaccines become more widely available in the United States, this increased demand may not be sustained.
In 2020, in response to increased demand, we took action to manage and increase capacity at our fulfillment centers, including continuing to hire new personnel, temporarily reducing variety in menu options, closing some weekly offering cycles early, and delaying certain new product offerings. In addition, in January 2021, we temporarily reopened our fulfillment center in Arlington, Texas. At the same time, we have taken a variety of safety and sanitation measures following federal, state, and local guidelines at our fulfillment centers’ operations. Furthermore, in response to the increased demand, we intentionally reduced marketing spend for portions of 2020 to manage capacity, but we increased
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our marketing spend at the end of the second quarter of 2020 and we have reengaged, and expect to continue to reengage, in additional marketing spend in 2021 as part of our growth strategy to retain existing and attract new customers.
The COVID-19 pandemic may have other adverse effects on our business, operations, and financial results and condition, including, among other things, as a result of adverse impacts on labor availability, our fulfillment center operations, consumer behaviors, and on the overall economy. Significant uncertainty exists regarding the magnitude and duration of the economic and social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore we cannot predict the full extent of the positive or negative impacts the pandemic will have on our business, operations, and financial results and condition in future periods. In particular, the positive trends on our operating results relating to changes in consumer behaviors relating to the pandemic that we saw in the three months ended March 31, 2021 may not continue at current levels, and could decline in future periods.
Please see “Risk Factors” under Part II, Item 1A for further discussion regarding risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Components of Our Results of Operations
Net Revenue
We generate net revenue primarily from the sale of meals to customers through our Two-Serving, Four-Serving, and Meal Prep Plans. We also generate net revenue through sales of Blue Apron Wine, and through sales on Blue Apron Market. For each of the three months ending March 31, 2021 and 2020, we derived substantially all of our net revenue from sales of our meals through our direct-to-consumer platform. We deduct promotional discounts, actual customer credits and refunds as well as customer credits and refunds expected to be issued to determine net revenue. Customers who receive a damaged meal or wine order or are dissatisfied with a meal or wine order and contact us within seven days of receipt of the order may receive a full or partial refund, full or partial credit against future purchase, or replacement, at our sole discretion. Credits only remain available for customers who maintain a valid account with us. Customers who return an unused, undamaged Blue Apron Market product within 30 days of receipt receive a full refund.
Our business is seasonal in nature and, as a result, our revenue and expenses and associated revenue trends fluctuate from quarter to quarter. We anticipate that the first quarter of each year will generally represent our strongest quarter in terms of customer engagement. Conversely, during the summer months and the end of year holidays, when people are vacationing more often or have less predictable weekly routines, we generally anticipate lower customer engagement. In 2020 the economic and social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic masked, in part, the seasonal fluctuations in our operating results as we saw our strongest quarter in the second quarter of 2020. We believe that historical seasonal trends have affected and will continue to affect our quarterly results in the future, however, we cannot predict the ongoing impact, if any, that the COVID-19 pandemic may have on seasonality. We also anticipate that our net revenue will be impacted by the timing and success of our ongoing product expansion initiatives.
In addition, our net revenue is impacted by our marketing strategies, including the timing and amount of paid advertising and promotional activity. For example, prior to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on demand for our products, our deliberate reduction in marketing expenses to focus on the marketing channels we believe to be the most efficient and target consumers that we believe will exhibit higher affinity and retention negatively impacted our net revenue. In addition, in order to manage heightened demand, we made a decision to temporarily cut back on certain existing product offerings and delay certain future new product offerings to meet increased demand relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, which may impact net revenue in future periods.
Credit card charges are recorded in deferred revenue until the criteria for revenue recognition have been met. Because we generally charge credit cards in advance of shipment and, historically, customers have most frequently requested delivery of their meals earlier in the week, our deferred revenue balance at the end of a financial reporting period may fluctuate significantly based on the day of the week on which that period ends. Consequently, large changes in deferred revenue at any particular time are not meaningful indicators of our financial results or future revenue trends.
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Cost of Goods Sold, excluding Depreciation and Amortization
Cost of goods sold, excluding depreciation and amortization, consists of product and fulfillment costs. Product costs include the cost of food, packaging for food that is portioned prior to delivery to customers, labor and related personnel costs incurred to portion food for our meals, inbound shipping costs, and cost of products sold through Blue Apron Wine and Blue Apron Market. Fulfillment costs consist of costs incurred in the shipping and handling of inventory including the shipping costs to our customers, labor and related personnel costs related to receiving, inspecting, warehousing, picking inventory, and preparing customer orders for shipment, and the cost of packaging materials and shipping supplies. In the near-term we expect that these expenses will be higher because of the various actions taken to increase capacity in our fulfillment centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as due to ongoing investments in product innovation to provide product variety, flexibility, and additional choice for our customers. Over time, we expect such expenses to decrease as a percentage of net revenue as we continue to focus on operational improvements and optimizing our fulfillment center operations.
Marketing
Our marketing expenses consist primarily of costs incurred to acquire new customers, retain existing customers, and build our brand awareness through various online and offline paid channels, including digital and social media, television, direct mail, radio and podcasts, email, brand activations, and certain variable and fixed payments to strategic brand partnerships. Also included in marketing expenses are the costs of orders through our customer referral program, in which certain existing customers may invite others to receive a complimentary meal kit, as well as costs paid to third parties to market our products. The cost of the customer referral program is based on our costs incurred for fulfilling a complimentary meal delivery, including product and fulfillment costs.
We expect marketing expenses to continue to comprise a significant portion of our operating expenses in support of our growth strategy, while also continuing to focus on efficiency and our customer acquisition strategy to target consumers that we believe will exhibit high affinity and retention through marketing channels we believe to be the most efficient. We anticipate that our marketing strategies, including the timing and extent of our marketing investments, will be informed by our strategic priorities, including our ability to implement our growth strategy, the sufficiency of our cash resources, the seasonal trends in our business, and the competitive landscape of our market, and will fluctuate from quarter-to-quarter and have a significant impact on our quarterly results of operations. We currently expect that our quarterly marketing expense for each of the remaining three quarters of 2021 will be slightly lower than the seasonally-high level in the first quarter of 2021, as a percentage of net revenue and on an absolute basis, but higher than in each of the quarters in 2020. We also anticipate that our near-term marketing strategies and investments may continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and we may reduce or increase marketing expenditures in future periods to continue to help us manage demand to alleviate future capacity constraints. Additionally, we may reduce or adjust our marketing investments, as needed, to manage liquidity and remain in compliance with the minimum liquidity covenant in our senior secured term loan, or to further increase customer acquisition in order to maintain compliance with the minimum subscription count covenant. See Note 2 and Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion on the senior secured term loan.
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Product, Technology, General and Administrative
Product, technology, general and administrative expenses consist of costs related to the development of our products and technology, general and administrative expenses, and overhead expenses, which include: payroll and related expenses for employees involved in the application, production, and maintenance of our platform and other technology infrastructure costs; payroll and related expenses for employees performing corporate and other managerial functions; facilities’ costs such as occupancy and rent costs for our corporate offices and fulfillment centers; and payment processing fees, professional fees, and other general corporate and administrative costs. Over time, we expect such expenses to decrease as a percentage of net revenue reflecting our continued focus on expense management and as we continue to scale our business.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization consists of depreciation expense for our property and equipment and amortization expense for capitalized software development costs.
Other Operating Expense
Other operating expense includes charges related to the Arlington fulfillment center closure announced in February 2020 partially offset by a non-cash gain, net of a termination fee, on the Fairfield lease termination in March 2020.
Interest Income (Expense), Net
Interest income and expense consists primarily of interest expense on our outstanding borrowings, capital lease financings, and build-to-suit lease financings partially offset by interest income on cash and cash equivalents balances.
Benefit (Provision) for Income Taxes
Our benefit (provision) for income taxes and our effective tax rates are affected by permanent differences between GAAP and statutory tax laws, certain one-time items, and the impact of valuation allowances. For the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, we recorded nominal tax expense, resulting in an effective tax rate of (0.1)% and (0.0)%, respectively. We continue to maintain a valuation allowance for federal and state tax jurisdictions. Our tax provision results from state taxes in a jurisdiction in which net operating losses were not available to offset our tax obligation.
As of December 31, 2020, we had U.S. federal and state net operating loss carryforwards of $397.5 million and $153.2 million, respectively. Of the $397.5 million of federal net operating loss carryforwards, $221.5 million was generated before January 1, 2018 and is subject to a 20-year carryforward period. The remaining $176.0 million can be carried forward indefinitely, but is subject to an 80% taxable income limitation in any future taxable year. The pre-2018 federal and all state net operating losses will begin to expire in 2032 and 2033, respectively, if not utilized.
26
Results of Operations
The following sets forth our consolidated statements of operations data for each of the periods indicated:
Three Months Ended | ||||||
March 31, | ||||||
2021 |
| 2020 | ||||
(In thousands) | ||||||
Net revenue | $ | 129,706 | $ | 101,857 | ||
Operating expenses: | ||||||
Cost of goods sold, excluding depreciation and amortization |
| 81,592 |
| 60,638 | ||
Marketing |
| 19,940 |
| 15,032 | ||
Product, technology, general and administrative |
| 36,551 |
| 34,217 | ||
Depreciation and amortization |
| 5,620 |
| 6,753 | ||
Other operating expense | — | 3,198 | ||||
Total operating expenses |
| 143,703 |
| 119,838 | ||
Income (loss) from operations |
| (13,997) |