Business	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	1. BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES Description of the Business IES Holdings, Inc. is a holding company that owns and manages operating subsidiaries that design and install integrated electrical and technology systems and provide infrastructure products and services across a variety of end-markets, including data centers, residential housing and commercial and industrial facilities. Our operations are organized into four principal business segments, based upon the nature of our services: •Communications – Nationwide provider of technology infrastructure services, including the design, build, and maintenance of the communications infrastructure within data centers for co-location and managed hosting customers, for both large corporations and independent businesses. •Residential – Regional provider of electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes. •Infrastructure Solutions – Provider of electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations, including apparatus repair and custom-engineered products, such as generator enclosures, to be used in data centers and other industrial applications. •Commercial & Industrial – Provider of electrical and mechanical design, construction, and maintenance services to the commercial and industrial markets in various regional markets and nationwide in certain areas of expertise, such as the power infrastructure market and data centers. The words “IES”, the “Company”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to IES Holdings, Inc. and, except as otherwise specified herein, to our consolidated subsidiaries. Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations Results of operations from our Residential segment can be seasonal, depending on weather trends, with typically higher revenues generated during spring and summer and lower revenues generated during fall and winter. The Commercial & Industrial, Communications and Infrastructure Solutions segments of our business are less subject to seasonal trends, as work in these segments generally is performed inside structures protected from the weather, although weather can still impact these businesses, especially in the early stages of projects. From quarter to quarter, results for our Communications, Residential, and Commercial & Industrial segments may be materially affected by the timing of new construction projects, and our volume of business may be adversely affected by declines in construction projects resulting from adverse regional or national economic conditions. Quarterly results for our Infrastructure Solutions segment may be affected by the timing of outages at our customers’ facilities. Accordingly, operating results for any fiscal period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for any subsequent fiscal period. Basis of Financial Statement Preparation The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of IES, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and entities that we control due to ownership of a majority of voting interest and have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to interim financial reporting as prescribed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. These interim financial statements do not include all disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto filed with the SEC in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. In the opinion of management, the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in this report include all known accruals and adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods reported herein. Any such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Noncontrolling Interest In connection with our acquisitions of Bayonet Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning, LLC (“Bayonet”) in fiscal 2021, NEXT Electric, LLC in fiscal 2017, and STR Mechanical, LLC in fiscal 2016, we acquired an 80 percent interest in each of the entities, with the remaining 20 percent interest in each such entity being retained by the respective third party seller. The interests retained by those third party sellers are identified on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as noncontrolling interest, classified outside of permanent equity. Under the terms of each entity’s operating agreement, after five years from the date of the acquisition, we may elect to purchase, or the third party seller may require us to purchase, part or all of the remaining 20 percent interest in the applicable entity. The purchase price is variable, based on a multiple of earnings as defined in the operating agreements. Therefore, this noncontrolling interest is carried at the greater of the balance determined under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810 and the redemption amounts assuming the noncontrolling interests were redeemable at the balance sheet date. If all of these interests had been redeemable at March 31, 2021, the redemption amount would have been $12,874. During the three and six months ended March 31, 2021, we recorded a valuation adjustment to the balance sheet carrying value of noncontrolling interest of $621 and $503, respectively. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates are primarily used in our revenue recognition of construction in progress, fair value assumptions in accounting for business combinations and analyzing goodwill, investments, intangible assets and long-lived asset impairments and adjustments, allowance for credit losses, stock-based compensation, reserves for legal matters, realizability of deferred tax assets, unrecognized tax benefits and self-insured claims liabilities and related reserves. Restricted Cash Cash and cash equivalents subject to contractual restrictions and not readily available are classified as restricted cash. As of March 31, 2021, the Company's restricted cash balances of $4,813 represents cash in escrow for the repayment of a Paycheck Protection Program loan assumed in connection with a business combination completed during the six months ended March 31, 2021. Pending the outcome of an application for loan forgiveness, the cash in escrow will either be used to repay the loan or, if forgiveness is approved, will be paid to the selling shareholders of the acquired entity. Accounting Standards Recently Adopted In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (“ASU 2016-13”), which requires companies to consider historical experiences, current market conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts in the measurement of expected credit losses, with further clarifications made in April 2019 and May 2019 with the issuances of Accounting Standard Updates No. 2019-04 and 2019-05. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. We adopted this standard on October 1, 2020, using a modified retrospective transition method through a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings in the period of adoption. As a result, we recorded an increase in the Allowance for Credit Losses of $284, an increase to Deferred Tax Assets of $70, and an increase of $214 to retained earnings. ASU 2016-13 requires the recognition of expected credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost basis. In calculating our expected credit losses, we considered trade receivables, retainage, and costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings, all of which constitute a homogenous portfolio, and therefore, to measure the expected credit loss, they have been grouped together. We have elected to calculate an expected credit loss based on loss rates from historical data. Each segment groups financial assets with similar risk characteristics and collectively assesses the expected credit losses. If an individual asset experiences credit deterioration to the extent the credit risk is no longer characteristic of the other assets in the group, it will be analyzed individually. The loss rates for our portfolios include our history of credit loss expense, the aging of our receivables, our expectation of payments and adjustment for forward-looking factors specific to the macroeconomic trends in the U.S. construction market. Other than trade receivables due in one year or less, we do not have any other financial assets that are past due or are on non-accrual status. In August 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement Disclosure Framework (“ASU 2018-13”), to modify certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. Under the new guidance, registrants will need to disclose weighted average information for significant unobservable inputs for all Level 3 fair value measurements. The guidance does not specify how entities should calculate the weighted average, but requires them to explain their calculation. The new guidance also requires disclosing the changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements of instruments held at the end of the reporting period. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. We adopted this standard on October 1, 2020, with no impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted In December 2019, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 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. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within that year. Early adoption is permitted. We expect to adopt this standard on October 1, 2021, and do not expect it to have a material impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

IES Holdings, Inc. is a holding company that owns and manages operating subsidiaries that design and install integrated electrical and technology systems and provide infrastructure products and services across a variety of end-markets, including data centers, residential housing and commercial and industrial facilities. Our operations are organized into four principal business segments, based upon the nature of our services:

•Communications – Nationwide provider of technology infrastructure services, including the design, build, and maintenance of the communications infrastructure within data centers for co-location and managed hosting customers, for both large corporations and independent businesses.

•Infrastructure Solutions – Provider of electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations, including apparatus repair and custom-engineered products, such as generator enclosures, to be used in data centers and other industrial applications.

•Commercial & Industrial – Provider of electrical and mechanical design, construction, and maintenance services to the commercial and industrial markets in various regional markets and nationwide in certain areas of expertise, such as the power infrastructure market and data centers.

Results of operations from our Residential segment can be seasonal, depending on weather trends, with typically higher revenues generated during spring and summer and lower revenues generated during fall and winter. The Commercial & Industrial, Communications and Infrastructure Solutions segments of our business are less subject to seasonal trends, as work in these segments generally is performed inside structures protected from the weather, although weather can still impact these businesses, especially in the early stages of projects. From quarter to quarter, results for our Communications, Residential, and Commercial & Industrial segments may be materially affected by the timing of new construction projects, and our volume of business may be adversely affected by declines in construction projects resulting from adverse regional or national economic conditions. Quarterly results for our Infrastructure Solutions segment may be affected by the timing of outages at our customers’ facilities. Accordingly, operating results for any fiscal period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for any subsequent fiscal period.

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of IES, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and entities that we control due to ownership of a majority of voting interest and have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to interim financial reporting as prescribed by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. These interim financial statements do not include all disclosures required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto filed with the SEC in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2020. In the opinion of management, the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contained in this report include all known accruals and adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods reported herein. Any such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature.

In connection with our acquisitions of Bayonet Plumbing, Heating and Air-Conditioning, LLC (“Bayonet”) in fiscal 2021, NEXT Electric, LLC in fiscal 2017, and STR Mechanical, LLC in fiscal 2016, we acquired an 80 percent interest in each of the entities, with the remaining 20 percent interest in each such entity being retained by the respective third party seller. The interests retained by those third party sellers are identified on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as noncontrolling interest, classified outside of permanent equity. Under the terms of each entity’s operating agreement, after five years from the date of the acquisition, we may elect to purchase, or the third party seller may require us to purchase, part or all of the remaining 20 percent interest in the applicable entity. The purchase price is variable, based on a multiple of earnings as defined in the operating agreements. Therefore, this noncontrolling

interest is carried at the greater of the balance determined under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810 and the redemption amounts assuming the noncontrolling interests were redeemable at the balance sheet date. If all of these interests had been redeemable at March 31, 2021, the redemption amount would have been $12,874. During the three and six months ended March 31, 2021, we recorded a valuation adjustment to the balance sheet carrying value of noncontrolling interest of $621 and $503, respectively.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates are primarily used in our revenue recognition of construction in progress, fair value assumptions in accounting for business combinations and analyzing goodwill, investments, intangible assets and long-lived asset impairments and adjustments, allowance for credit losses, stock-based compensation, reserves for legal matters, realizability of deferred tax assets, unrecognized tax benefits and self-insured claims liabilities and related reserves.

Cash and cash equivalents subject to contractual restrictions and not readily available are classified as restricted cash. As of March 31, 2021, the Company's restricted cash balances of $4,813 represents cash in escrow for the repayment of a Paycheck Protection Program loan assumed in connection with a business combination completed during the six months ended March 31, 2021. Pending the outcome of an application for loan forgiveness, the cash in escrow will either be used to repay the loan or, if forgiveness is approved, will be paid to the selling shareholders of the acquired entity.

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (“ASU 2016-13”), which requires companies to consider historical experiences, current market conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts in the measurement of expected credit losses, with further clarifications made in April 2019 and May 2019 with the issuances of Accounting Standard Updates No. 2019-04 and 2019-05. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. We adopted this standard on October 1, 2020, using a modified retrospective transition method through a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings in the period of adoption. As a result, we recorded an increase in the Allowance for Credit Losses of $284, an increase to Deferred Tax Assets of $70, and an increase of $214 to retained earnings.

ASU 2016-13 requires the recognition of expected credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost basis. In calculating our expected credit losses, we considered trade receivables, retainage, and costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings, all of which constitute a homogenous portfolio, and therefore, to measure the expected credit loss, they have been grouped together.

We have elected to calculate an expected credit loss based on loss rates from historical data. Each segment groups financial assets with similar risk characteristics and collectively assesses the expected credit losses. If an individual asset experiences credit deterioration to the extent the credit risk is no longer characteristic of the other assets in the group, it will be analyzed individually. The loss rates for our portfolios include our history of credit loss expense, the aging of our receivables, our expectation of payments and adjustment for forward-looking factors specific to the macroeconomic trends in the U.S. construction market.

In August 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement Disclosure Framework (“ASU 2018-13”), to modify certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. Under the new guidance, registrants will need to disclose weighted average information for significant unobservable inputs for all Level 3 fair value measurements. The guidance does not specify how entities should calculate the weighted average, but requires them to explain their calculation. The new guidance also requires disclosing the changes in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in other comprehensive income for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements of instruments held at the end of the reporting period. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. We adopted this standard on October 1, 2020, with no impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 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. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within that year. Early adoption is permitted. We expect to adopt this standard on October 1, 2021, and do not expect it to have a material impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.