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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  
Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

These interim statements should be read in conjunction with the historical Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes of Comfort Systems included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the year ended December 31, 2018 (the “Form 10-K”).

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements were prepared using generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and applicable rules of Regulation S-X of the SEC. Accordingly, these financial statements do not include all the footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the Form 10-K. We believe all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of these interim statements have been included and are of a normal and recurring nature. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full fiscal year.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenue and expenses and disclosures regarding contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant estimates used in our financial statements affect revenue and cost recognition for construction contracts, the allowance for doubtful accounts, self-insurance accruals, deferred tax assets, warranty accruals, fair value accounting for acquisitions and the quantification of fair value for reporting units in connection with our goodwill impairment testing.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)”. The standard requires substantially all leases (with the exception of leases with a term of one year or less) to be recorded on the Balance Sheet using a method referred to as the right-of-use (“ROU”) asset approach. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those years. Full retrospective application is prohibited. We adopted ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), on January 1, 2019, using the transition method allowed by ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements” in which lessees apply the new lease standard on the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. We adopted the practical expedient allowing us to not include leases with an initial term of 12 months or less on the Balance Sheet. Furthermore, we elected to apply the practical expedient allowing an entity to forgo reassessing (1) whether expired or existing contracts contain a lease, (2) classification of expired or existing leases, and (3) whether capitalized costs associated with expired or existing leases should be

classified as “initial direct costs” under Topic 842. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 did not have a significant impact to our Statement of Operations or Cash Flows. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 resulted in the recording of right-of-use asset and lease liabilities of $75.9 million on our Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2019 but did not result in a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326).” The standard requires companies to consider historical experiences, current market conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts in the measurement of expected credit losses. ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this authoritative guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” This standard removes certain disclosure requirements including the valuation processes for Level 3 fair value measurements, the policy for timing of transfers between levels and the amount of and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The standard requires certain additional disclosures for public entities, including disclosure of the changes in unrealized gains and losses included in Other Comprehensive Income for Level 3 fair value measurements and the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those years. Certain amendments, including the amendment on changes in unrealized gains and losses and the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs, should be applied prospectively while other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this authoritative guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration to which we expect to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Sales-based taxes are excluded from revenue.

We provide comprehensive mechanical and electrical contracting services, which principally includes HVAC, plumbing, electrical, piping and controls, as well as off-site construction, monitoring and fire protection. We install, maintain, repair and replace products and systems throughout the United States. All of our revenue is recognized over time as we deliver goods and services to our customers. Revenue can be earned based on an agreed upon fixed price or based on actual costs incurred marked up at an agreed upon percentage.

For fixed price agreements, we use the percentage of completion method of accounting under which contract revenue recognizable at any time during the life of a contract is determined by multiplying expected total contract revenue by the percentage of contract costs incurred at any time to total estimated contract costs. More specifically, as part of the negotiation and bidding process to obtain installation contracts, we estimate our contract costs, which include all direct materials, labor and subcontract costs and indirect costs related to contract performance, such as indirect labor, supplies, tools, repairs and depreciation costs. These contract costs are included in our results of operations under the caption “Cost of Services.” Then, as we perform under those contracts, we measure costs incurred, compare them to total estimated costs to complete the contract and recognize a corresponding proportion of contract revenue. Labor costs are considered to be incurred as the work is performed. Subcontractor labor is recognized as the work is performed. Non-labor project costs consist of purchased equipment, prefabricated materials and other materials. Purchased equipment on our projects is substantially produced to job specifications and is a value-added element to our work. The costs are considered to be incurred when title is transferred to us, which typically is upon delivery to the work site. Prefabricated materials, such as ductwork and piping, are generally performed at our shops and recognized as contract costs when fabricated for the unique specifications of the job. Other materials costs are generally recorded when delivered to the work site. This measurement and comparison process requires updates to the estimate of total costs to complete the contract, and these updates may include subjective assessments and judgments.

We account for a contract when: (i) it has approval and commitment from both parties, (ii) the rights of the parties are identified, (iii) payment terms are identified, (iv) the contract has commercial substance, and (v) collectability

of consideration is probable. We consider the start of a project to be when the above criteria have been met and we either have written authorization from the customer to proceed or an executed contract.

Selling, marketing and estimation costs incurred in relation to selling contracts are expensed as incurred. On rare occasions, we may incur significant expenses related to selling a contract that we only incurred because we sold that contract. If this occurs, we capitalize that cost and amortize it on a percentage of completion basis over the life of the contract. We do not currently have any capitalized selling, marketing, or estimation costs on our Balance Sheet and did not incur any impairment loss in the current year.

We generally do not incur significant incremental costs related to obtaining or fulfilling a contract prior to the start of a project. On rare occasions, when significant pre-contract costs are incurred, they are capitalized and amortized on a percentage of completion basis over the life of the contract. We do not currently have any capitalized obtaining or fulfillment costs on our Balance Sheet and did not incur any impairment loss on such costs in the current year.

Project contracts typically provide for a schedule of billings or invoices to the customer based on our job-to-date percentage of completion of specific tasks inherent in the fulfillment of our performance obligation(s). The schedules for such billings usually do not precisely match the schedule on which costs are incurred. As a result, contract revenue recognized in the Statement of Operations can and usually does differ from amounts that can be billed or invoiced to the customer at any point during the contract. Amounts by which cumulative contract revenue recognized on a contract as of a given date exceed cumulative billings and unbilled receivables to the customer under the contract are reflected as a current asset in our Balance Sheet under the caption “Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings.” Amounts by which cumulative billings to the customer under a contract as of a given date exceed cumulative contract revenue recognized on the contract are reflected as a current liability in our Balance Sheet under the caption “Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings.”

We typically invoice our customers with payment terms of net due in 30 days. It is common in the construction industry for a contract to specify more lenient payment terms allowing the customer 45 to 60 days to make their payment. It is also common for the contract in the construction industry to specify that a general contractor is not required to submit payments to a subcontractor until it has received those funds from the owner or funding source. In most instances, we receive payment of our invoices between 30 to 90 days of the date of the invoice.

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer and is the unit of account in ASC Topic 606. A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when, or as, the performance obligation is satisfied.

To determine the proper revenue recognition method for contracts, we evaluate whether two or more contracts should be combined and accounted for as one performance obligation and whether the combined or single contract should be accounted for as more than one performance obligation. This evaluation requires significant judgment and the decision to combine a group of contracts or separate the combined or single contract into multiple performance obligations could change the amount of revenue and profit recorded in a given period. For most of our contracts, the customer contracts with us to provide a significant service of integrating a complex set of tasks and components into a single project or capability (even if that single project results in the delivery of multiple units). Hence, the entire contract is accounted for as one performance obligation. Less commonly, however, we may promise to provide distinct goods or services within a contract, in which case we separate the contract into more than one performance obligation. If a contract is separated into more than one performance obligation, we allocate the total transaction price to each performance obligation in an amount based on the estimated relative standalone selling prices of the promised goods or services underlying each performance obligation. We infrequently sell standard products with observable standalone sales. In such cases, the observable standalone sales are used to determine the standalone selling price. More frequently, we sell a customized, customer-specific solution, and, in these cases, we typically use the expected cost plus a margin approach to estimate the standalone selling price of each performance obligation.

We recognize revenue over time for all of our services as we perform them because (i) control continuously transfers to that customer as work progresses, and (ii) we have the right to bill the customer as costs are incurred. The customer typically controls the work in process as evidenced either by contractual termination clauses or by our rights to

payment for work performed to date plus a reasonable profit to deliver products or services that do not have an alternative use to the Company.

For the reasons listed above, revenue is recognized based on the extent of progress towards completion of the performance obligation. The selection of the method to measure progress towards completion requires judgment and is based on the nature of the products or services to be provided. We generally use the cost to cost measure of progress for our contracts, as it best depicts the transfer of assets to the customer that occurs as we incur costs on our contracts. Under the cost to cost measure of progress, the extent of progress towards completion is measured based on the ratio of costs incurred to date to the total estimated costs at completion of the performance obligation. Revenue, including estimated fees or profits, is recorded proportionally as costs are incurred. Costs to fulfill include labor, materials and subcontractors’ costs, other direct costs and an allocation of indirect costs.

For a small portion of our business in which our services are delivered in the form of service maintenance agreements for existing systems to be repaired and maintained, as opposed to constructed, our performance obligation is to maintain the customer’s mechanical system for a specific period of time. Similar to jobs, we recognize revenue over time; however, for service maintenance agreements in which the full cost to provide services may not be known, we generally use an input method to recognize revenue, which is based on the amount of time we have provided our services out of the total time we have been contracted to perform those services.

Due to the nature of the work required to be performed on many of our performance obligations, the estimation of total revenue and cost at completion (the process described below in more detail) is complex, subject to many variables and requires significant judgment. The consideration to which we are entitled on our long-term contracts may include both fixed and variable amounts. Variable amounts can either increase or decrease the transaction price. A common example of variable amounts that can either increase or decrease contract value are pending change orders that represent contract modifications for which a change in scope has been authorized or acknowledged by our customer, but the final adjustment to contract price is yet to be negotiated. Other examples of positive variable revenue include amounts awarded upon achievement of certain performance metrics, program milestones or cost of completion date targets and can be based upon customer discretion. Variable amounts can result in a deduction from contract revenue if we fail to meet stated performance requirements, such as complying with the construction schedule.

Contracts are often modified to account for changes in contract specifications and requirements. We consider contract modifications to exist when the modification either creates new or changes the existing enforceable rights and obligations. Most of our contract modifications are for goods or services that are not distinct from the existing performance obligation(s). The effect of a contract modification on the transaction price, and our measure of progress for the performance obligation to which it relates, is recognized as an adjustment to revenue (either as an increase or decrease) on a cumulative catchup basis.

We have a Company-wide policy requiring periodic review of the Estimate at Completion in which management reviews the progress and execution of our performance obligations and estimated remaining obligations. As part of this process, management reviews information including, but not limited to, any outstanding key contract matters, progress towards completion and the related program schedule, identified risks and opportunities and the related changes in estimates of revenue and costs. The risks and opportunities include management's judgment about the ability and cost to achieve the schedule (e.g., the number and type of milestone events), technical requirements (e.g., a newly developed product versus a mature product) and other contract requirements. Management must make assumptions and estimates regarding labor productivity and availability, the complexity of the work to be performed, the availability of materials, the length of time to complete the performance obligation (e.g., to estimate increases in wages and prices for materials and related support cost allocations), execution by our subcontractors, the availability and timing of funding from our customer, and overhead cost rates, among other variables.

Based on this analysis, any adjustments to revenue, cost of services, and the related impact to operating income are recognized as necessary in the quarter in which they become known. These adjustments may result from positive program performance if we determine we will be successful in mitigating risks surrounding the technical, schedule and cost aspects of those performance obligations or realizing related opportunities and may result in an increase in operating income during the performance of individual performance obligations. Likewise, if we determine we will not be successful in mitigating these risks or realizing related opportunities, these adjustments may result in a decrease in

operating income. Changes in estimates of revenue, cost of services and the related impact to operating income are recognized quarterly on a cumulative catchup basis, meaning we recognize in the current period the cumulative effect of the changes on current and prior periods based on a performance obligation's percentage of completion. A significant change in one or more of these estimates could affect the profitability of one or more of our performance obligations. For projects in which estimates of total costs to be incurred on a performance obligation exceed total estimates of revenue to be earned, a provision for the entire loss on the performance obligation is recognized in the period the loss is determined.

The Company typically does not incur any returns, refunds, or similar obligations after the completion of the performance obligation since any deficiencies are corrected during the course of the work or are included as a modification to revenue. The Company does offer an industry standard warranty on our work, which is most commonly for a one-year period. The vendors providing the equipment and materials are responsible for any failures in their product unless installed incorrectly. We include an estimated amount to cover estimated warranty expense in our Cost of Services and record a liability on our Balance Sheet to cover our current estimated outstanding warranty obligations.

Prior to implementing ASC 606 on January 1, 2018, our methods for recognizing revenue were very similar to our current method under ASC 606. We used the actual cost as a percent of total expected cost at completion to estimate our percentage complete on fixed price jobs, a mark-up of costs for jobs in which revenue was based on time and materials incurred and elapsed time for those service maintenance contracts in which the full cost to provide the services cannot be reasonably estimated. Furthermore, our process for allocating transaction price to performance obligations is also substantially similar to prior years in which, in most cases, a contract is one performance obligation. In those cases in which a contract is determined to have more than one performance obligation, the contract price is allocated to each performance obligation based on its standalone sales price.

In the first nine months of 2018 and 2019, net revenue recognized from our performance obligations satisfied in previous periods was not material.

Disaggregation of Revenue

Our consolidated 2019 revenue was derived from contracts to provide service activities in the mechanical and electrical services segments we serve. Refer to Note 9 – Segment Information for additional information on our reportable segments. We disaggregate our revenue from contracts with customers by activity, customer type and contract type, as we believe it best depicts how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of our revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. See details in the following tables (dollars in thousands):

Three Months Ended September 30,

Nine Months Ended September 30,

Revenue by Service Provided

   

2019

   

2018

   

2019

   

2018

HVAC and Plumbing

$

545,088

   

77.1

%

$

540,733

   

91.0

%

$

1,531,331

   

80.8

%

$

1,448,761

   

90.9

%

Electrical Services

116,902

16.5

%

1,611

0.3

%

218,061

11.5

%

1,611

0.1

%

Building Automation Control Systems

24,540

3.5

%

25,822

4.3

%

73,816

3.9

%

72,128

4.5

%

Other

20,388

2.9

%

26,370

4.4

%

72,485

3.8

%

72,020

4.5

%

Total

$

706,918

100.0

%

$

594,536

100.0

%

$

1,895,693

100.0

%

$

1,594,520

100.0

%

Three Months Ended September 30,

Nine Months Ended September 30,

Revenue by Type of Customer

2019

2018

 

2019

2018

 

Industrial

$

222,156

31.4

%

$

184,174

31.0

%

$

588,818

31.1

%

$

398,351

25.0

%

Education

125,836

17.8

%

115,202

19.4

%

292,799

15.4

%

312,852

19.6

%

Office Buildings

83,271

11.8

%

75,871

12.8

%

254,966

13.5

%

224,300

14.1

%

Healthcare

126,909

18.0

%

79,424

13.3

%

306,810

16.2

%

214,537

13.4

%

Government

41,502

5.9

%

32,633

5.5

%

118,224

6.2

%

106,065

6.6

%

Retail, Restaurants and Entertainment

67,141

9.5

%

60,908

10.2

%

184,618

9.7

%

169,899

10.7

%

Multi-Family and Residential

24,121

3.4

%

33,903

5.7

%

83,417

4.4

%

102,995

6.5

%

Other

15,982

2.2

%

12,421

2.1

%

66,041

3.5

%

65,521

4.1

%

Total

$

706,918

100.0

%

$

594,536

100.0

%

$

1,895,693

100.0

%

$

1,594,520

100.0

%

Three Months Ended September 30,

Nine Months Ended September 30,

Revenue by Activity Type

2019

2018

 

2019

2018

 

New Construction

$

312,279

44.2

%

$

227,715

38.3

%

$

827,718

43.7

%

$

606,208

38.0

%

Existing Building Construction

224,125

31.6

%

216,010

36.3

%

605,819

31.9

%

572,808

35.9

%

Service Projects

62,668

8.9

%

56,557

9.5

%

171,860

9.1

%

150,890

9.5

%

Service Calls, Maintenance and Monitoring

107,846

15.3

%

94,254

15.9

%

290,296

15.3

%

264,614

16.6

%

Total

$

706,918

100.0

%

$

594,536

100.0

%

$

1,895,693

100.0

%

$

1,594,520

100.0

%

Contract Assets and Liabilities

Contract assets include unbilled amounts typically resulting from sales under long term contracts when the cost to cost method of revenue recognition is used, revenue recognized exceeds the amount billed to the customer and right to payment is conditional, subject to completing a milestone, such as a phase of the project. Contract assets are generally classified as current.

Contract liabilities consist of advance payments and billings in excess of revenue recognized. Our contract assets and liabilities are reported in a net position on a contract by contract basis at the end of each reporting period. We classify advance payments and billings in excess of revenue recognized as current. It is very unusual for us to have advanced payments with a term of greater than one year; therefore, our contract assets are usually all current. If we have advanced payments with a term greater than one year, the noncurrent portion of advanced payments would be included in other long-term liabilities in our consolidated Balance Sheets.

The following table presents the changes in contract assets and contract liabilities (in thousands):

Nine Months Ended

Year Ended

September 30, 2019

December 31, 2018

Contract

    

Contract

Contract

    

Contract

Assets

Liabilities

Assets

Liabilities

Balance at beginning of period

$

10,213

$

130,986

$

30,116

$

106,005

Change due to acquisitions / disposals

6,573

31,556

2,833

8,195

Change due to conditional versus unconditional

(10,665)

6,244

Reclassified to unbilled accounts receivable

(28,980)

Change in timing for performance obligation to be satisfied

4,555

16,786

Balance at end of period

$

6,121

$

167,097

$

10,213

 

$

130,986

In the first nine months of 2019 and 2018, we recognized revenue of $123.3 million and $99.8 million related to our contract liabilities at January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2018, respectively.

We did not have any impairment losses recognized on our receivables or contract assets in the first nine months of 2019 and 2018.

Remaining Performance Obligations

Remaining construction performance obligations represent the remaining transaction price of firm orders for which work has not been performed and excludes unexercised contract options. As of September 30, 2019, the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to remaining performance obligations was $1.61 billion. The Company expects to recognize revenue on approximately 80-85% of the remaining performance obligations over the

next 12 months, with the remaining recognized thereafter. Our service maintenance agreements are generally one-year renewable agreements. We have adopted the practical expedient that allows us to not include service maintenance contracts one year or less, therefore we do not report unfulfilled performance obligations for service maintenance agreements.

Leases

Leases

We lease certain facilities, vehicles and equipment under noncancelable operating leases. The most significant portion of these noncancelable operating leases are for the facilities occupied by our corporate office and our operating locations. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the Balance Sheet. We account for lease components separately from the non-lease components. We have certain leases with variable payments based on an index as well as some short-term leases on equipment and facilities. Variable lease expense and short-term lease expense were not material to our financial statements and aggregated to $6.2 million in the first nine months of 2019. Lease right-of-use assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we generally use our incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The weighted average discount rate as of September 30, 2019 was 4.0%. We recognize lease expense, including escalating lease payments and lease incentives, on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Lease expense for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was $6.5 million and $6.1 million, respectively. Lease expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was $18.3 million and $17.2 million, respectively.

The lease terms generally range from three to ten years. Some leases include one or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term. Our lease terms may include the exercise of lease renewal options when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise the option and it is at our sole discretion. The weighted average remaining lease term was 8.1 years at September 30, 2019.

A majority of the Company’s real property leases are with individuals or entities with whom we have no other business relationship. However, in certain instances the Company enters into real property leases with current or former employees. Rent paid to related parties for the three months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was approximately $0.7 million and $1.3 million, respectively. Rent paid to related parties for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 was approximately $2.7 million and $3.5 million, respectively.

If we decide to cancel or terminate a lease before the end of its term, we would typically owe the lessor the remaining lease payments under the term of the lease. Our lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. On rare occasions we rent or sublease certain real estate assets that we no longer use to third parties.

The following table summarizes the lease asset and liabilities included in the consolidated Balance Sheet as follows (in thousands):

September 30, 2019

Lease right-of-use assets

$

84,281

Lease liabilities:

Other current liabilities

13,549

Long-term lease liabilities

73,213

Total lease liabilities

$

86,762

The maturities of lease liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

Year ending December 31—

2019 (excluding the nine months ended September 30, 2019)

$

4,326

2020

16,288

2021

14,477

2022

12,291

2023

10,328

Thereafter

44,617

Total Lease Payments

102,327

Less—Present Value Discount

(15,565)

Present Value of Lease Liabilities

$

86,762

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

Three Months Ended

Nine Months Ended

September 30, 2019

    

September 30, 2019

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities

$

6,466

$

18,426

Lease right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities

$

7,050

$

10,768

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable include amounts from work completed in which we have billed or have an unconditional right to bill our customers. The amounts due are stated at their net estimated realizable value. We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts to provide for the estimated amount of receivables that will not be collected. The allowance is based upon an assessment of customer creditworthiness, historical payment experience, the age of outstanding receivables and collateral to the extent applicable.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

We conduct business throughout the United States in virtually all fifty states. Our effective tax rate changes based upon our relative profitability, or lack thereof, in states with varying tax rates and rules. In addition, discrete items, such as tax law changes, judgments and legal structures, can impact our effective tax rate. These items can also include the tax treatment for impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, changes in fair value of acquisition-related assets and liabilities, tax reserves for uncertain tax positions, accounting for losses associated with underperforming operations and noncontrolling interests.

In the third quarter of 2019, we filed an amended federal return for 2015 to claim the credit for increasing research activities (“R&D tax credits”) and recorded a $4.6 million tax benefit that was fully offset by an increase in unrecognized tax benefits. We previously filed an amended federal return for 2014 to claim R&D tax credits during 2018 and recorded a $2.7 million tax benefit that was also fully offset by an increase in unrecognized tax benefits. These tax benefits were fully offset by increases in unrecognized tax benefits due to the uncertainty of the outcome from examinations opened by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). As a result, the R&D tax credits claimed have had no impact on our effective tax rates.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2019, our provision for income taxes was reduced by $2.0 million due to benefits from the filing, and expected filing, of amended returns to claim the energy efficient commercial buildings deduction (the “179D deduction”) allocated to us.

Our provision for income taxes was reduced by $2.8 million in the first quarter of 2018 due to a decrease in unrecognized tax benefits from the filing of a federal income tax automatic accounting method change application.

Other Income

Other Income

In April 2018, we entered into settlement agreements with British Petroleum (“BP”) related to two claims from one of our subsidiaries regarding the April 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. We recorded a gain of $4.0 million in the second quarter of 2018 as a result of these settlements.

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments

Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, other receivables, accounts payable, life insurance policies, notes to former owners, leases and a revolving credit facility. We believe that the carrying values of these instruments on the accompanying Balance Sheets approximate their fair values.