Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Information

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Information

Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Information

We provide a wide range of arboriculture, horticulture, environmental and consulting services to residential, utility, commercial and government entities throughout the United States and Canada. We have two reportable operating segments organized by type or class of customer: Residential and Commercial Services, and Utility Services.

Residential and Commercial Services--Residential and Commercial Services provides services to our residential and commercial customers including: the treatment, preservation, maintenance, removal, planting of trees, shrubs and other plant life; the practice of landscaping, grounds maintenance, tree surgery, tree feeding and tree spraying; the application of fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides; and, natural resource management and consulting, forestry research and development, and environmental planning.

Utility Services--Utility Services is principally engaged in providing services to our utility customers--investor-owned, municipal utilities, and rural electric cooperatives--including: the practice of line-clearing and vegetation management around power lines, rights-of-way and chemical brush control; and, natural resource management and consulting, forestry research and development and environmental planning.

All other operating activities, including research, technical support and laboratory diagnostic facilities, are included in “All Other.”

During the fourth quarter 2013, the Company realigned its reporting to more closely reflect the manner in which performance is assessed and decisions are made in allocating resources to the segments. The amounts in the table below for 2012 and 2011 have been conformed to the 2013 reporting.

Measurement of Segment Profit and Loss and Segment Assets--We evaluate performance and allocate resources based primarily on operating income and also actively manage business unit operating assets. The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies except that (a) we compute and recognize depreciation expense for our segments only by the straight-line method and (b) state income taxes are

S. Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Information (continued)

allocated to the segments. Corporate expenses are substantially allocated among the operating segments, but the nature of expenses allocated may differ from year-to-year. There are no intersegment revenues.

Segment assets are those generated or directly used by each segment, and include accounts receivable, operating supplies, and property and equipment.

S. Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Information (continued)

Information on reportable segments and reconciliation to the consolidated financial statements follows: 

	Utility Services		Residential Commercial Services		All Other			Reconciling  Adjustments				Consolidated
Fiscal Year 2013
Revenues	$	376,520	$	334,878	$	2,450		$	—			$	713,848
Income (loss) from operations	16,070		33,566		(2,869		)	(5,978		)	(a)	40,789
Interest expense								(2,708		)		(2,708		)
Interest income								311				311
Other income (expense), net								(2,827		)		(2,827		)
Income before income taxes												$	35,565
Depreciation	$	22,261	$	13,286	$	—		$	2,684		(b)	$	38,231
Amortization	359		1,440		—			181				1,980
Capital expenditures	21,642		17,577		—			5,986				45,205
Segment assets, total	145,021		122,542		—			65,815			(c)	333,378
Fiscal Year 2012
Revenues	$	375,300	$	303,420	$	1,433		$	—			$	680,153
Income (loss) from operations	20,107		30,787		(1,366		)	(3,761		)	(a)	45,767
Interest expense								(2,698		)		(2,698		)
Interest income								200				200
Other income (expense), net								(2,611		)		(2,611		)
Income before income taxes												$	40,658
Depreciation	$	22,844	$	12,236	$	—		$	2,285		(b)	$	37,365
Amortization	465		1,058		—			219				1,742
Capital expenditures	15,737		10,266		—			3,731				29,734
Segment assets, total	150,294		122,298		—			58,340			(c)	330,932
Fiscal Year 2011
Revenues	$	363,365	$	280,938	$	1,731		$	—			$	646,034
Income (loss) from operations	13,541		24,243		1,342			(6,325		)	(a)	32,801
Interest expense								(3,794		)		(3,794		)
Interest income								43				43
Litigation settlement								(2,900		)		(2,900		)
Other income (expense), net								(2,850		)		(2,850		)
Income before income taxes												$	23,300
Depreciation	$	23,734	$	12,157	$	—		$	1,927		(b)	$	37,818
Amortization	466		1,039		—			403				1,908
Capital expenditures	17,241		13,362		—			4,098				34,701
Segment assets, total	137,689		105,552		—			60,493			(c)	303,734

S. Operations by Business Segment and Geographic Information (continued)

Reconciling adjustments from segment reporting to consolidated external financial reporting include unallocated corporate items:

(a) Reconciling adjustments from segment reporting to consolidated external financial reporting include reclassification of depreciation expense and allocation of corporate expenses.

(b) Adjustments to declining-balance method depreciation expense from straight-line method and depreciation and amortization of corporate assets.

(c) Corporate assets include cash, prepaid expenses, corporate facilities, enterprise-wide information systems and other nonoperating assets.

Geographic Information--The following presents revenues and long-lived assets by geographic territory:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2013		2012		2011
Revenues
United States	$	637,524	$	607,339	$	577,613
Canada	76,324		72,814		68,421
	$	713,848	$	680,153	$	646,034
	December 31,
	2013		2012		2011
Long-lived assets, net
United States	$	166,598	$	153,946	$	141,108
Canada	14,764		15,237		16,121
	$	181,362	$	169,183	$	157,229