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Correspondence 0001104659-23-118349 from Exela Technologies, Inc. (XELA, XELAP) (CIK 0001620179)

Exela Technologies, Inc. (XELA, XELAP) (CIK 0001620179)
Date: Nov. 15, 2023 · CIK: 0001620179 · Accession: 0001104659-23-118349

AI Filing Summary & Sentiment

File numbers found in text: 001-36788

Referenced dates: October 16, 2023, October 4, 2023, September 6, 2023

Date
November 14, 2023
Author
/s/ Matthew Brown
Form
CORRESP
Company
Exela Technologies, Inc. (XELA, XELAP) (CIK 0001620179)

Letter

Re: Exela Technologies, Inc.

November 14, 2023

VIA EDGAR

Securities and Exchange Commission

Division of Corporation Finance

100 F Street NE

Washington, D.C. 20549

Attn. Office of Trade & Services

Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022 Filed April 3, 2023

Form 8-K Filed August 14, 2023

Response dated October 4, 2023

File No. 001-36788

Greetings:

We hereby respond to the comments made by the Division of Corporation Finance, Office of Trade & Services (the “Staff”) in your letter dated October 16, 2023 (responding to our letter dated October 4, 2023 (written in response to the Staff’s letter dated September 6, 2023)), in each case related to the above-referenced filings of Exela Technologies, Inc. (the “Company” or “Exela”). We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your further inquiries. For ease of reference, the Staff’s comment is repeated in bold, italicized text below, immediately followed by the Company’s response. Unless otherwise noted, any references to prior comments are to comments raised in your September 6, 2023 letter (reproduced in our letter dated October 4, 2023).

Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022

Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures, page 51

1. We note your response to comment 1. Please quantify for us the amount for each of the categories included in this adjustment for the years provided. Please distinguish for us the amounts that represent optimization costs from amounts for restructuring costs. Please further explain why contract costs, productivity improvement initiatives in process transformation and customer transformation costs are not critical to your operations, revenue generating activities and business strategy and thus represent normal, recurring, cash operating expenses necessary to operate your business. Also, please explain to us the difference in post-merger or acquisition integration costs included in this line item from transaction and integration costs included in the line item related to endnote (2). Refer to Question 100.01 of the Non-GAAP Financial Measures Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations.

Below we have quantified the amount for each of the categories included in this adjustment for the years provided, and have distinguished the amounts that represent optimization costs from amounts for restructuring costs.

(in thousands of United States dollars) Year Ended December 31,

Optimization $ 21,138 $ 17,722 $ 41,688

Restructuring 4,191 4,524 3,928

Optimization and restructuring expenses $ 25,329 $ 22,246 $ 45,616

These adjustments primarily reflect a fundamental change in our business model due to the implementation of technology and artificial intelligence over the past few years reducing our reliance on labor and through the implementation of our Work From Anywhere Model (since the unfortunate onset of the COVID-19 pandemic), we were able to dramatically reduce our real estate and facility costs. We do not consider these to be “normal, recurring, cash operating expenses” but rather the manifestation of a one-time significant shift in how we do business. The Company’s management believes that, by excluding these costs, investors are provided with a measure that enhances the comparability of the Company’s underlying operating results period over period.

The Company’s management also believes that using non-GAAP measures that exclude these costs is a useful supplement for investors to GAAP disclosures because they enhance the understanding of trends in operating the business without the effect of costs for these significant changes to the business. We further note that these changes have now largely been implemented, thus we also believe the impact of these adjustments will be less significant in the future, and we may consider phasing out this disclosure or replacing it with a different measure we believe to be useful to investors in future filings.

Finally, regarding your question with respect to the difference in post-merger or acquisition integration costs included in the line item related to endnote (1) on page 52 of the 10-K from the transaction and integration costs included in the line item related to endnote (2); we note that there is no duplication between those line items, and such costs are entirely addressed in the line item related to endnote (2). In the future we will remove “post-merger or acquisition integration” from the description of endnote (1).

2. We note your response to comment 2. Please reconcile for us the amount of network outage costs included in your adjustment to the amount disclosed on page 82 for network outage. Please tell us your consideration of reducing the costs included in your adjustment by the insurance recoveries for those costs. Refer to Question 100.03 of the Non-GAAP Financial Measures Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations. In addition, for amounts related to relocation and all other costs, please tell us how you determined that these costs are not normal, recurring, cash operating expenses. Refer to Question 100.01 of the Non-GAAP Financial Measures Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations

Below we have reconciled the amount of network outage costs included in the adjustment to the amount disclosed on page 82.

For the Year Ended December 31,

(in thousands of United States dollars)

Net amount included in other expense, net in the consolidated statements of operations (as reported on page 82) 3,727

Reduction in revenue by the settlement of claims paid to customers amount less insurance recovery (as reported on page 82)

Reduction in revenue by the estimated settlement amount of claims payable to customers (as reported on page 82) 5,068

Total direct network outage costs disclosed on page 82 8,846

Network outage incidence related indirect costs:

IT impact, technology and other administrative costs 10,890

Idle costs due to revenue loss 2,609

Total network outage costs included in other charges including non-cash used in Adjusted EBITDA computation $ 22,345

With respect to your question regarding our consideration of reducing the costs included in our adjustment “by the insurance recoveries for those costs,” we confirm that the adjustment is net of costs for which we had at that time received recoveries. The adjustment does not, however include potential insurance recoveries; for example with respect to the approximately $5.1 million estimated for settlement of customer claims, because recovery was not certain at the time of recording the adjustment, and the Company had not received payment in respect of those claims (which is consistent with our disclosure on page 82 of the 10-K); nor does the adjustment take into account the amount of any potential business interruption claim, which had not been filed at the time of recording the adjustment.

Finally, with respect your question regarding “amounts related to relocation and all other costs,” we note that this adjustment is similar to the adjustments described in our previous response, i.e., they are extraordinary and relating to our fundamental business transformation, and for that reason we continue to believe that such presentation is useful to investors.

Form 8-K Filed August 14, 2023 Exhibit 99.1, page 99

3. We note your response to comment 4. The most directly comparable corresponding GAAP measure to Contribution Margin is GAAP Gross Profit. Please revise future filings accordingly.

We acknowledge and agree with the Staff’s comment that the most directly comparable corresponding GAAP measure to Contribution Margin is GAAP Gross Profit. Accordingly, in our future filings, if we disclose Contribution Margin, we will include a disclosure to reconcile Contribution Margin to GAAP Gross Profit.

We hope that the foregoing has been responsive to the Staff’s comments. If you have any questions related to this letter, please feel free to contact the undersigned at (310)-740-9717.

Sincerely,
/s/ Matthew Brown

Show Raw Text
CORRESP
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filename1.htm

November 14, 2023

VIA EDGAR

Securities and Exchange Commission

Division of Corporation Finance

100 F Street NE

Washington, D.C. 20549

Attn. Office of Trade & Services

Re: Exela Technologies, Inc.

Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31,
2022 Filed April 3, 2023

Form 8-K Filed August 14, 2023

Response dated October 4, 2023

File No. 001-36788

Greetings:

We hereby respond to the comments made by the Division of Corporation
Finance, Office of Trade & Services (the “Staff”) in your letter dated October 16, 2023 (responding to our letter
dated October 4, 2023 (written in response to the Staff’s letter dated September 6, 2023)), in each case related to the
above-referenced filings of Exela Technologies, Inc. (the “Company” or “Exela”). We appreciate the opportunity
to respond to your further inquiries. For ease of reference, the Staff’s comment is repeated in bold, italicized text below, immediately
followed by the Company’s response. Unless otherwise noted, any references to prior comments are to comments raised in your September 6,
2023 letter (reproduced in our letter dated October 4, 2023).

Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022

Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations Note Regarding Non-GAAP Financial Measures, page 51

 1. We note your response to comment 1. Please quantify for us the amount for each of the categories included in this adjustment
for the years provided. Please distinguish for us the amounts that represent optimization costs from amounts for restructuring costs.
Please further explain why contract costs, productivity improvement initiatives in process transformation and customer transformation
costs are not critical to your operations, revenue generating activities and business strategy and thus represent normal, recurring, cash
operating expenses necessary to operate your business. Also, please explain to us the difference in post-merger or acquisition integration
costs included in this line item from transaction and integration costs included in the line item related to endnote (2). Refer to Question
100.01 of the Non-GAAP Financial Measures Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations.

Below we have quantified the amount for each of the categories
included in this adjustment for the years provided, and have distinguished the amounts that represent optimization costs from amounts
for restructuring costs.

    (in thousands of United States dollars)
    Year Ended December 31,

    2022
    2021
    2020

    Optimization
    $ 21,138
    $ 17,722
    $ 41,688

    Restructuring
      4,191
      4,524
      3,928

    Optimization and restructuring expenses
    $ 25,329
    $ 22,246
    $ 45,616

These adjustments primarily reflect a fundamental change
in our business model due to the implementation of technology and artificial intelligence over the past few years reducing our reliance
on labor and through the implementation of our Work From Anywhere Model (since the unfortunate onset of the COVID-19 pandemic), we were
able to dramatically reduce our real estate and facility costs. We do not consider these to be “normal, recurring, cash operating
expenses” but rather the manifestation of a one-time significant shift in how we do business. The Company’s management believes
that, by excluding these costs, investors are provided with a measure that enhances the comparability of the Company’s underlying
operating results period over period.

The Company’s management also believes that using non-GAAP
measures that exclude these costs is a useful supplement for investors to GAAP disclosures because they enhance the understanding of trends
in operating the business without the effect of costs for these significant changes to the business. We further note that these changes
have now largely been implemented, thus we also believe the impact of these adjustments will be less significant in the future, and we
may consider phasing out this disclosure or replacing it with a different measure we believe to be useful to investors in future filings.

Finally, regarding your question with respect to the difference
in post-merger or acquisition integration costs included in the line item related to endnote (1) on page 52 of the 10-K from
the transaction and integration costs included in the line item related to endnote (2); we note that there is no duplication between those
line items, and such costs are entirely addressed in the line item related to endnote (2). In the future we will remove “post-merger
or acquisition integration” from the description of endnote (1).

 2. We note your response to comment 2. Please reconcile for us the amount of network outage costs included in your adjustment to
the amount disclosed on page 82 for network outage. Please tell us your consideration of reducing the costs included in your adjustment
by the insurance recoveries for those costs. Refer to Question 100.03 of the Non-GAAP Financial Measures Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations.
In addition, for amounts related to relocation and all other costs, please tell us how you determined that these costs are not normal,
recurring, cash operating expenses. Refer to Question 100.01 of the Non-GAAP Financial Measures Compliance and Disclosure Interpretations

Below we have reconciled the amount of network outage costs
included in the adjustment to the amount disclosed on page 82.

    For the Year Ended December 31,

    (in thousands of United States dollars)
    2022

    Net amount included in other expense, net in the consolidated statements of operations (as reported on page 82)
      3,727

    Reduction in revenue by the settlement of claims paid to customers amount less insurance recovery (as reported on page 82)
      51

    Reduction in revenue by the estimated settlement amount of claims payable to customers (as reported on page 82)
      5,068

    Total direct network outage costs disclosed on page 82
      8,846

    Network outage incidence related indirect costs:

    IT impact, technology and other administrative costs
      10,890

    Idle costs due to revenue loss
      2,609

    Total network outage costs included in other charges including non-cash used in Adjusted EBITDA computation
    $ 22,345

With respect to your question regarding our consideration
of reducing the costs included in our adjustment “by the insurance recoveries for those costs,” we confirm that the adjustment
is net of costs for which we had at that time received recoveries. The adjustment does not, however include potential insurance recoveries;
for example with respect to the approximately $5.1 million estimated for settlement of customer claims, because recovery was not certain
at the time of recording the adjustment, and the Company had not received payment in respect of those claims (which is consistent with
our disclosure on page 82 of the 10-K); nor does the adjustment take into account the amount of any potential business interruption
claim, which had not been filed at the time of recording the adjustment.

Finally, with respect your question regarding “amounts
related to relocation and all other costs,” we note that this adjustment is similar to the adjustments described in our previous
response, i.e., they are extraordinary and relating to our fundamental business transformation, and for that reason we continue
to believe that such presentation is useful to investors.

Form 8-K Filed August 14, 2023 Exhibit 99.1,
page 99

 3. We note your response to comment 4. The most directly comparable corresponding GAAP measure to Contribution Margin is GAAP Gross
Profit. Please revise future filings accordingly.

We acknowledge and agree with the Staff’s comment that
the most directly comparable corresponding GAAP measure to Contribution Margin is GAAP Gross Profit. Accordingly, in our future filings,
if we disclose Contribution Margin, we will include a disclosure to reconcile Contribution Margin to GAAP Gross Profit.

We hope that the foregoing has been responsive to the Staff’s
comments. If you have any questions related to this letter, please feel free to contact the undersigned at (310)-740-9717.

    Sincerely,

    /s/ Matthew Brown

    Matthew Brown

    Interim Chief Financial Officer