12. Commitments and Contingencies

Purchase Commitments

As of March 31, 2021, the Company had firm commitments to purchase inventories of approximately $40.1 million through Fiscal 2023. Certain inventory delivery dates and related payments are not scheduled; therefore amounts under these firm purchase commitments will be payable upon the receipt of the related inventories.

Lease Commitments

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), requiring lessees to recognize most leases on the balance sheet, while recognition on the statements of operations will remain similar to current lease accounting. The ASU requires lessees to recognize a liability for lease obligations, which represents the discounted obligation to make future lease payments, and a corresponding right-of-use (ROU) asset on the balance sheet. The guidance requires disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements that is intended to give financial statement users the ability to assess the amount, timing and potential uncertainty of cash flows related to leases. The ASU also eliminates real estate-specific provisions and modifies certain aspects of lessor accounting.

The Company adopted the new standard on April 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective approach. The Company elected to apply the transition method allowing companies to continue applying the guidance under the lease standard in effect at that time in the comparative periods presented in the consolidated financial statements and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings on the date of adoption. The Company also elected the “package of practical expedients;” which permits the Company not to reassess under the new standard the Company’s prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs; the use of hindsight in order to calculate the lease term of existing assets and the use of the portfolio approach on similar assets; and the Company has elected not to separate lease and non-lease assets.

Upon adoption of the new lease standard on April 1, 2019, the Company recorded approximately $5.5 million of right-of-use assets, adjusted for the reclassification of deferred rent and lease incentive of approximately $0.3 million, and $5.8 million of operating lease liabilities, within the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets upon adoption. The adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations or cash flows and did not result in a cumulative catch-up adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. Financed leases are not material to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and are therefore not included in the footnote disclosures.

In June 2019, the Company entered into a new lease of approximately 9,216 square feet of warehouse space at 16701 Stagg Street in Van Nuys, California. Upon the lease commencement date in July 2019, the Company recorded $0.5 million of right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities.

The Company leases offices and manufacturing facilities under various non-cancelable operating leases expiring at various times through Fiscal 2025. All of the leases require the Company to pay maintenance, insurance and property taxes. The lease agreements for primary office and manufacturing facilities provide for rent escalation over the lease term and renewal options for five-year periods. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

The components of lease expense were as follows (in thousands):

Supplemental balance sheet information related to the leases was as follows (in thousands):

The Company records its right-of-use assets within other assets (non-current) and its operating lease liabilities within current and long-term portion of notes payable and lease obligations.

Supplemental cash flow information related to the leases was as follows (in thousands):

Other supplemental operating lease information consists of the following:

At March 31, 2021, the Company’s minimum commitments under non-cancelable operating leases were as follows (in thousands):

Other Commitments

The Company has agreements with certain of its distributors requiring that, if the Company renders parts obsolete in inventories the distributors own and hold in support of their obligations to serve fielded microturbines, then the Company is required to replace the affected stock at no cost to the distributors. While the Company has never incurred costs or obligations for these types of replacements, it is possible that future changes in the Company’s product technology could result and yield costs to the Company if significant amounts of inventory are held at distributors. As of March 31, 2021, no significant inventories were held at distributors.

Legal Matters

Capstone Turbine Corporation v. Turbine International, LLC.

On February 3, 2020, Capstone Turbine Corporation filed suit against its former distributor, Turbine International, LLC (“Turbine Intl.”), in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles under the following caption: Capstone Turbine Corporation v. Turbine International, LLC; Case No. 20STCV04372 (“Capstone-Turbine Intl. Litigation”). We have alleged claims against Turbine Intl. for breach of contract and for injunctive relief relating to the parties’ prior distributor relationship, which terminated at the end of March of 2018, and Turbine Intl.’s failure to satisfy its payment obligations under certain financial agreements, namely an accounts receivable agreement and promissory note in favor of Capstone. As remedies for these claims, we are seeking compensatory, consequential, along with injunctive relief and attorney’s fees, interest, and costs. 

On March 18, 2020, Turbine Intl. filed its answer and cross-claims in the Capstone-Turbine Intl. Litigation. In its cross-claims, Turbine Intl. has asserted claims against Capstone, and individually against Mr. James Crouse, Capstone’s Chief Revenue Officer, for breach of contract under the distributor agreement, accounts receivable agreement and promissory note, fraud, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unjust enrichment and constructive trust, negligent misrepresentation, violation of the unfair practices act, violation of racketeer influenced corrupt organizations act, and conspiracy to commit fraud. As remedies for these alleged claims, Turbine Intl. are seeking compensatory, consequential, and punitive damages along with attorney’s fees, interest, and costs. Capstone answered the cross-claims on May 7, 2020.

On June 29, 2020, Capstone filed a motion to file a First Amended Complaint that would add, among other things, a claim for enforcement of a personal guaranty signed by an entity related to Turbine Intl., Hispania Petroleum, S.A., and personal claims against the principals of Turbine Intl. and Hispania. That motion was granted on August 19, 2020, and the First Amended Complaint (“FAC”) is now on file. All of the new defendants have been served and have filed answers. A case management conference is set in the matter for June 21, 2021. Discovery is ongoing. We have not recorded any liability as of March 31, 2021, as the matter is too early to estimate.