Note 17. Earnings Per Share

The Company calculates earnings per share in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings Per Share. For purposes of calculating earnings (loss) per share (“EPS”), a company that has participating security holders (for example, holders of unvested restricted stock that have non-forfeitable dividend rights and the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock) is required to utilize the two-class method for calculating EPS unless the treasury stock method results in lower EPS. The two-class method is an allocation of earnings/(loss) between the holders of common stock and a company’s participating security holders. Under the two-class method, earnings/(loss) for the reporting period is calculated by taking the net income (loss) for the period, less both the dividends declared in the period on participating securities (whether or not paid) and the dividends accumulated for the period on cumulative preferred stock (whether or not earned) for the period. Our common shares outstanding are comprised of shareholder owned common stock and shares of unvested restricted stock held by participating security holders. Basic EPS is calculated by dividing income or loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, excluding participating shares. To calculate diluted EPS, basic EPS is further adjusted to include the effect of potentially dilutive stock options outstanding and Series A Preferred Stock outstanding as of the beginning of the period. 

At October 31, 2022, the Company had outstanding (1) 13.0 million warrants to purchase shares of common stock at an exercise price of $11.50, (2) 2.4 million outstanding unvested restricted stock awards, (3) 1.1 million outstanding unexercised incentive stock options, (4) 0.4 million outstanding unexercised non-qualified stock options, and (5) 2.5 million shares of Series A Preferred Stock, all of which could potentially be dilutive. The dilutive effect of the 13.0 million warrants and the 2.5 million shares of preferred stock were excluded from the calculation of the diluted net income per share for the year ended October 31, 2022 as its impact would have been anti-dilutive. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2021, the Company realized a net loss and as such, the weighted-average dilutive impact of any shares was excluded from the calculation of diluted EPS because they were antidilutive.

The table below shows our basic and diluted EPS calculations for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2022 and October 31, 2021: