Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates

Principles of Consolidation

These financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our subsidiaries in which we have a controlling interest. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Certain amounts in prior periods may have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. The effects of the reclassifications were not material to the consolidated financial statements.

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, self-insurance accruals, deferred tax assets, fair value accounting for acquisitions and the quantification of fair value for reporting units in connection with our goodwill impairment testing.

Cash Flow Information

We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Cash paid (in thousands) for:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
Interest	$	6,052	$	7,684	$	8,817
Income taxes, net of refunds	$	52,204	$	51,286	$	45,288

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.” This standard simplifies the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions to the guidance in Topic 740 related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The standard also simplifies aspects of the accounting for franchise taxes and enacted changes in tax laws or rates and

clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. ASU No. 2019-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within that year. We adopted ASU No. 2019-12 on January 1, 2021, and the impact was not material to our overall financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848).” The pronouncement provides temporary optional expedients and exceptions to the current guidance on contract modifications and hedge accounting to ease the financial reporting burden related to the expected market transition from the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and other interbank offered rates to alternative reference rates. The guidance was effective upon issuance and generally can be applied to applicable contract modifications through December 31, 2022. Our current debt facility (as further described in Note 9) includes a Eurodollar Rate Loan Option with an interest rate that is determined based on the one- to six-month LIBOR rates, which will cease to be published on June 30, 2023. We are currently evaluating the impact of the transition from LIBOR to alternative reference rates but do not expect a significant impact to our consolidated financial statements.

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers.” This standard requires an acquirer to apply Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606 to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities in a business combination. ASU 2021-08 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022 and interim periods within that year. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential impact of this authoritative guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition

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, for delivery of 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, 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 construction 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. Our revenue recognition policy is further discussed in Note 3 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.”

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses

We are required to estimate and record the expected credit losses over the contractual life of our financial assets measured at amortized cost, including billed and unbilled accounts receivable, other receivables and costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings. Accounts receivable include amounts from work completed in which we have billed or have an unconditional right to bill our customers. Our trade receivables are contractually due in less than a year.

We estimate our credit losses using a loss-rate method for each of our identified portfolio segments. Our portfolio segments are construction, service and other. While our construction and service financial assets are often with

the same subset of customers and industries, our construction financial assets will generally have a lower loss-rate than service financial assets due to lien rights, which we are more likely to have on construction jobs. These lien rights result in lower credit loss expenses on average compared to receivables that do not have lien rights. Financial assets classified as Other include receivables that are not related to our core revenue producing activities, such as receivables related to our acquisition activity from former owners, our vendor rebate program or receivables for estimated losses in excess of our insurance deductible, which are accrued with a corresponding accrued insurance liability.

Loss rates for our portfolios are based on numerous factors, including our history of credit loss expense by portfolio, the financial strength of our customers and counterparties in each portfolio, the aging of our receivables, our expectation of likelihood of payment, macroeconomic trends in the U.S. and the current and forecasted non-residential construction market trends in the U.S.

In addition to the loss-rate calculations discussed above, we also record allowance for credit losses for specific receivables that are deemed to have a higher risk profile than the rest of the respective pool of receivables (e.g., when we hold concerns about a specific customer going bankrupt and no longer being able to pay the receivables due to us).

Starting in March 2020, we experienced negative impacts to our business due to the disruption caused by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”). In March 2020, the World Health Organization categorized COVID-19 as a pandemic, and the President of the United States declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency. The Company considered the impact of COVID-19 on the assumptions and estimates used to determine the results reported and asset valuations as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.

In 2020, we increased our loss rates and increased our specific reserves primarily due to the economic disruption caused by COVID-19, which was reflected in our bad debt expense in the prior year. This increase was primarily, but not exclusively, due to concern over collectability of receivables from customers more directly impacted by COVID-19. In 2021, we collected some of these reserve amounts and reduced our assessed risk on collectability as business impacts relating to COVID-19 have stabilized.

Activity in our allowance for credit losses consisted of the following (in thousands):

	Year Ended December 31,								Year Ended December 31,
	2021								2020
	Service		Construction		Other		Total		Service		Construction		Other		Total
Balance at beginning of year	$	4,637	$	6,028	$	44	$	10,709	$	3,192	$	3,400	$	315	$	6,907
Impact of new accounting standard		—		—		—		—		310		331		54		695
Bad debt expense (benefit)		(970)		(496)		14		(1,452)		2,566		2,697		(10)		5,253
Deductions for uncollectible receivables written off, net of recoveries		(742)		(244)		—		(986)		(1,431)		(735)		—		(2,166)
Credit allowance of acquired receivables on the acquisition date		369		1,470		—		1,839		—		335		—		335
Reclass to other current liabilities		—		—		—		—		—		—		(315)		(315)
Balance at end of period	$	3,294	$	6,758	$	58	$	10,110	$	4,637	$	6,028	$	44	$	10,709

Inventories

Inventories consist of parts and supplies that we purchase and hold for use in the ordinary course of business and are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the average-cost method.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost, and depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Leasehold improvements are capitalized and amortized over the lesser of the expected life of the lease or the estimated useful life of the asset.

Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense when incurred. Expenditures for major renewals and betterments, which extend the useful lives of existing equipment, are capitalized and depreciated over the remaining useful life of the equipment. Upon retirement or disposition of property and equipment, the cost and related

accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is recognized in “Gain on sale of assets” in the Statement of Operations.

Recoverability of Goodwill and Identifiable Intangible Assets

Goodwill is the excess of purchase price over the fair value of the net assets of acquired businesses. We assess goodwill for impairment each year, and more frequently if circumstances suggest an impairment may have occurred.

When the carrying value of a given reporting unit exceeds its fair value, a goodwill impairment loss is recorded for this difference, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The requirements for assessing whether goodwill has been impaired involve market-based information. This information, and its use in assessing goodwill, entails some degree of subjective assessment.

We perform our annual impairment testing as of October 1, and any impairment charges resulting from this process are reported in the fourth quarter. We segregate our operations into reporting units based on the degree of operating and financial independence of each unit and our related management of them. We perform our annual goodwill impairment testing at the reporting unit level. We perform a goodwill impairment review for each of our operating units, as we have determined that each of our operating units are reporting units.

In the evaluation of goodwill for impairment, we have the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances lead to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of one of our reporting units is greater than its carrying value. If, after completing such assessment, we determine it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, then there is no need to perform any further testing. If we conclude otherwise, or if we elect to perform a quantitative assessment, then we calculate the fair value of the reporting unit and compare the fair value with the carrying value of the reporting unit.

We estimate the fair value of the reporting unit based on a market approach and an income approach, which utilizes discounted future cash flows. Assumptions critical to the fair value estimates under the discounted cash flow model include discount rates, cash flow projections, projected long-term growth rates and the determination of terminal values. The market approach utilizes market multiples of invested capital from comparable publicly traded companies (“public company approach”). The market multiples from invested capital include revenue, book equity plus debt and earnings before interest, provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”).

We amortize identifiable intangible assets with finite lives over their useful lives. Changes in strategy and/or market condition may result in adjustments to recorded intangible asset balances or their useful lives.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets are comprised principally of identifiable intangible assets, property and equipment, lease right-of-use assets and deferred tax assets. We periodically evaluate whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate that the remaining balances of these assets may not be recoverable. We use estimates of future undiscounted cash flows, as well as other economic and business factors, to assess the recoverability of these assets.

Acquisitions

We recognize assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations, including contingent assets and liabilities, based on fair value estimates as of the date of acquisition.

Contingent Consideration—In certain acquisitions, we agree to pay additional amounts to sellers contingent upon achievement by the acquired businesses of certain predetermined profitability targets. We have recognized liabilities for these contingent obligations based on their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition with any differences between the acquisition date fair value and the ultimate settlement of the obligations being recognized in income in the period of the change.

Contingent Assets and Liabilities—Assets and liabilities arising from contingencies are recognized at their acquisition date fair value when their respective fair values are determinable. Acquisition date fair value estimates are

revised as necessary if, and when, additional information regarding these contingencies becomes available to further define and quantify assets acquired and liabilities assumed.

Self-Insurance Liabilities

We are substantially self-insured for workers’ compensation, employer’s liability, auto liability, general liability and employee group health claims, in view of the relatively high per-incident deductibles we absorb under our insurance arrangements for these risks. Losses are estimated and accrued based upon known facts, historical trends and industry averages. Estimated losses in excess of our deductible, which have not already been paid, are included in our accrual with a corresponding receivable from our insurance carrier. Loss estimates associated with the larger and longer-developing risks, such as workers’ compensation, auto liability and general liability, are reviewed by a third-party actuary quarterly. Our self-insurance arrangements are further discussed in Note 13 “Commitments and Contingencies.”

Warranty Costs

We typically warrant labor for the first year after installation on new MEP systems that we build and install, and we pass through to the customer manufacturers’ warranties on equipment. We generally warrant labor for thirty days after servicing existing MEP systems. A reserve for warranty costs is estimated and recorded based upon the historical level of warranty claims and management’s estimate of future costs.

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, uncertain tax positions, and accounting for losses associated with underperforming operations.

Income taxes are provided for under the liability method, which takes into account differences between financial statement treatment and tax treatment of certain transactions. Deferred taxes are based on the difference between the financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities. The deferred tax provision represents the change during the reporting period in the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities, net of the effect of acquisitions and dispositions. Deferred tax assets include tax loss and credit carryforwards and are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

We regularly evaluate valuation allowances established for deferred tax assets for which future realization is uncertain. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, we must consider whether it is more-likely-than-not some portion, or all, of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. We consider all available evidence, both positive and negative, in determining whether a valuation allowance is required. Such evidence includes the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, taxable income in prior carryback years and tax planning strategies in making this assessment, and judgment is required in considering the relative weight of negative and positive evidence.

Significant judgment is required in assessing the timing and amounts of deductible and taxable items. We record unrecognized tax benefits as liabilities when, despite our belief that our tax return positions are supportable, we believe that some portion of our uncertain tax positions may be disallowed. When facts and circumstances change, we adjust these liabilities through our provision for income taxes.

To the extent interest and penalties may be assessed by taxing authorities on any underpayment of income tax, such amounts are accrued and classified as a component in the provision for income taxes in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

We provide services in a broad range of geographic regions. Our credit risk primarily consists of receivables from a variety of customers including general contractors, property owners and developers, and commercial and industrial companies. We are subject to potential credit risk related to changes in business and economic factors

throughout the United States within the nonresidential construction industry. However, we are entitled to payment for work performed and have certain lien rights related to that work. Further, we believe that our contract acceptance, billing and collection policies are adequate to manage potential credit risk. We regularly review our accounts receivable and estimate an allowance for credit losses. We have a diverse customer base, with our top customer representing 9% of consolidated 2021 revenue.

Financial Instruments

Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, other receivables, accounts payable, interest rate swaps and life insurance policies, for which we deem the carrying values approximate their fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments, as well as notes to former owners, a revolving credit facility and a term loan. We believe the carrying value of our debt associated with our senior credit facility approximates its fair value due to the variable rate on such debt.

Insurance Recovery

We recorded a $4.8 million gain in the fourth quarter of 2019 due to insurance proceeds we received in the fourth quarter. Approximately $1.6 million of the gain was recorded as a reduction in SG&A, and the remainder was recorded as a reduction in Cost of Services expense. These proceeds related to recoverable costs that were primarily incurred prior to the fourth quarter in 2019.