Basis of Presentation and General Information (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 25, 2020

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of The Hackett Group, Inc. (“Hackett” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the Company’s accounts and those of its wholly-owned subsidiaries which the Company is required to consolidate. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments which are necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows as of the dates and for the periods presented. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regarding interim financial reporting. Accordingly, these statements do not include all the disclosures normally required by U.S. GAAP for annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the year ended December 27, 2019, included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the Company with the SEC on March 5, 2020. The consolidated results of operations for the quarter and nine months ended September 25, 2020, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period or for the full fiscal year.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenue is substantially generated from providing professional services to its clients. The Company also generates revenue from software licenses, software support, maintenance and subscriptions to its executive and best practices advisory programs. A single contract could include one or multiple performance obligations. For those contracts that have multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the total transaction price to each performance obligation based on its relative standalone selling price.  The Company determines the standalone selling price based on the respective selling price of the individual elements when they are sold separately.  

Revenue is recognized when control of the goods and services provided are transferred to the Company’s customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods and services using the following steps: 1) identify the contract, 2) identify the performance obligations, 3) determine the transaction price, 4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and 5) recognize revenue as or when we satisfy the performance obligations.  

The Company typically satisfies its performance obligations for professional services over time as the related services are provided. The performance obligations related to software support, maintenance and subscriptions to our executive and best practice advisory programs are typically satisfied evenly over the course of the service period. Other performance obligations, such as software licenses, are satisfied at a point in time.

The Company generates its revenue under four types of billing arrangements: fixed-fee (including software license revenue); time-and-materials; executive and best practice advisory services; and software sales, maintenance and support.

In fixed-fee billing arrangements, which would also include contracts with capped fees, the Company agrees to a pre-established fee or fee cap in exchange for a predetermined set of professional services. The Company sets the fees based on its estimates of the costs and timing for completing the engagements. The Company generally recognizes revenue under fixed-fee or capped fee arrangements using a proportionate performance approach, which is based on work completed to-date as compared to estimates of the total services to be provided under the engagement. Estimates of total engagement revenue and cost of services are monitored regularly during the term of the engagement. If the Company’s estimates indicate a potential loss, such loss is recognized in the period in which the loss first becomes probable and reasonably estimable. The customer is invoiced based on the contractual agreement between the parties, typically bi-weekly, monthly or milestone driven, with net thirty-day terms.

Time-and-material billing arrangements require the client to pay based on the number of hours worked by the Company’s consultants at agreed upon hourly rates. The Company recognizes revenue under time-and-material arrangements as the related services or goods are provided, using the right to invoice practical expedient which allows us to recognize revenue in the amount based on the number of hours worked and the agreed upon hourly rates.  The customer is invoiced based on the contractual agreement between the parties, typically bi-weekly, monthly or milestone driven, with net thirty-day terms.

1. Basis of Presentation and General Information (continued)

Advisory services contracts are typically in the form of a subscription agreement which allows the customer access to the Company’s executive and best practice advisory programs.  There is typically a single performance obligation and the transaction price is the contractual amount of the subscription agreement.  Revenue from advisory service contracts is recognized ratably over the life of the agreements.  Customers are typically invoiced at the inception of the contract, with net thirty-day terms.

The resale of software and maintenance contracts are in the form of SAP America software license or maintenance agreements provided by SAP America.  SAP is the principal and the Company is the agent in these transactions as the Company does not obtain title to the software and the software and maintenance are sold simultaneously.  The transaction price is the Company’s agreed-upon percentage of the software license or maintenance amount in the contract with the vendor.  Revenue for the resale of on-premise software licenses is recognized upon contract execution and customer’s receipt of the software. Revenue for the resale of cloud software licenses is recognized upon contract execution. Revenue from maintenance contracts is recognized ratably over the life of the agreements.  The customer is typically invoiced at contract inception, with net thirty-day terms.

Expense reimbursements that are billable to clients are included in total revenue and are substantially all billed as time-and-material billing arrangements.  Therefore, the Company recognizes all reimbursable expenses as revenue as the related services are provided, using the right to invoice practical expedient. Reimbursable expenses are recognized as expenses in the period in which the expense is incurred.  Any expense reimbursements that are billable to clients under fixed-fee billing arrangements are recognized in line with the proportionate performance approach.  

The payment terms and conditions in our customer contracts vary. The agreements entered into in connection with a project, whether time-and-materials, fixed-fee or capped-fee based, typically allow clients to terminate early due to breach or for convenience with a 30 days’ notice. In the event of termination, the client is contractually required to pay for all time, materials and expenses incurred by the Company through the effective date of the termination. In addition, from time to time the Company enters into agreements with its clients that limit its right to enter into business relationships with specific competitors of that client for a specific time period. These provisions typically prohibit the Company from performing a defined range of services which it might otherwise be willing to perform for potential clients. These provisions are generally limited to six to twelve months and usually apply only to specific employees or the specific project team.

Sales tax collected from customers and remitted to the applicable taxing authorities is accounted for on a net basis, with no impact to revenue.

Differences between the timing of billings and the recognition of revenue are recognized as either unbilled services or deferred revenue in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Revenue recognized for services performed but not yet billed to clients are recorded as unbilled services. Revenue recognized, but for which are not yet entitled to bill because certain events, such as the completion of the measurement period, are recorded as contract assets and included within unbilled services. Client prepayments are classified as deferred revenue and recognized over future periods as earned in accordance with the applicable engagement agreement. See Note 3 for the accounts receivable and contract asset balances and see Note 4 for the deferred revenue balances. During the quarter and nine months ended September 25, 2020, the Company recognized $6.0 million and $15.8 million, respectively, of revenue as a result of changes in deferred revenue liability balance, as compared to $3.8 million and $12.0 million for the quarter and nine months ended September 27, 2019, respectively. 

The following table reflects the Company’s disaggregation of total revenue including reimbursable expenses for the quarters and nine months ended September 25, 2020 and September 27, 2019:

	Quarter Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 25,		September 27,		September 25,		September 27,
	2020		2019		2020		2019
Consulting	$	56,865	$	65,971	$	171,140	$	194,710
Software License Sales		904		784		4,447		2,391
Revenue before reimbursements from continuing operations	$	57,769	$	66,755	$	175,587	$	197,101

Capitalized Sales Commissions

Sales commissions earned by the Company’s sales force are considered incremental and recoverable costs of obtaining a contract with a customer. These costs are deferred and then amortized as project revenue is recognized.  The Company determined the period of amortization by taking into consideration the customer contract period, which are generally less than 12 months. Commission expense is included in Selling, General and Administrative Costs in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. As of December 27, 2019, and December 28, 2018, the Company had $1.6 million and $1.2 million, respectively, of deferred commissions, of which $0.3 million and $1.2 million was amortized during the quarter and nine months ended September 25, 2020, and  $0.4 million and $0.9 million for the same periods in 2019.  No impairment loss was recognized relating to the capitalization of deferred commission.

1. Basis of Presentation and General Information (continued)

Practical Expedients

The Company does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less.  The Company does not assess whether a contract has a significant financing component if the expectation at contract inception is such that the period between payment by the customer and the transfer of the promised goods or services to the customer will be less than one year.

Fair Value

Fair Value

The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash, accounts receivable and contract assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses and other liabilities. As of September 25, 2020 and December 27, 2019, the carrying amount of each financial instrument approximated the instrument’s respective fair value due to the short-term nature and maturity of these instruments.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

During the third quarter and first nine months of 2020, the Company recorded an income tax expense of $1.4 million and $2.3 million, respectively, related to certain federal, foreign and state taxes which reflected an effective tax rate benefit of 30% and expense of 33%, respectively. In the third quarter and first nine months of 2019, the Company recorded $2.4 million and $6.5 million, respectively, of income tax expense related to certain federal, foreign and state taxes which reflected an effective tax rate of 26% and 24%, respectively.  The decrease in the nine months ending September 25, 2020 GAAP income tax rate was primarily due to lower tax benefit related to share based compensation when compared to the same period in the prior year, restructuring charges in the current quarter in countries with lower statutory income tax rates and changes in the Company’s overall profitability due to the COVID-19 economic effects.

Discontinued Operations

The discontinued operations related to the settlement of an employment matter in connection with the discontinuance of the Company’s European REL Working Capital group in 2018.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Company’s Business

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on the Company’s Business

The level of revenue the Company can achieve is based on the Company’s ability to deliver market leading services and solutions and to deploy skilled teams of professionals quickly. The Company’s results of operations are affected by economic conditions, including macroeconomic conditions and levels of business confidence. In spite of some disruption in March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations during the first quarter of 2020, however, it did negatively impact net revenue and dilutive earnings per share during the second and third quarter of 2020, and the Company expects for negative impacts to continue until economic conditions improve. A substantial or prolonged economic downturn as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, weak or uncertain economic conditions or similar factors could adversely affect our clients’ financial condition which may further reduce the Company’s clients’ demand for its services.  

1. Basis of Presentation and General Information (continued)

The Company is actively managing its business to respond to the impact of COVID-19. The Company has reduced employee travel to only essential business needs and most of its employees have been working from home. The Company is generally following the requirements and protocols published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, and state and local governments. The Company cannot predict when or how it will begin to lift the actions put in place.

As a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has implemented plans to manage its costs and preserve cash. The Company has significantly limited the addition of new employees and third party contracted services, eliminated all travel except where necessary to meet customer needs, and limited discretionary spending. In addition, at the end of June 2020, the Company reduced its global workforce by approximately 10% and recorded a $5.0 million restructuring cost. All client concessions and accounts receivable allowances have been appropriately reflected in the Company’s financial statements. To the extent the business disruption continues for an extended period, additional cost management actions will be considered. Any future asset impairment charges, increases in allowance for doubtful accounts, or restructuring charges will be dependent on the severity and duration of the pandemic.

In light of the evolving health, social, economic and business environment, governmental regulations or mandates, and business disruptions that could occur, the potential impact that COVID-19 could have on the Company’s financial condition and operating results remains highly uncertain.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, which eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. For public companies, this update was effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for interim and annual goodwill impairment test with a measurement date after January 1, 2017. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In January 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13 which changes how entities measure credit losses for most financial assets, including trade accounts receivable. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications

Certain prior period amounts in the consolidated financial statements, and notes thereto, have been reclassified to conform to current period presentation.