Operations by Business Segment

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Operations by business segment [Text Block]

Operations by Business Segment

We provide a wide range of arboricultural, horticultural, 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, and Utility.

Residential and Commercial--Residential and Commercial provides services to our residential and commercial customers including: the treatment, preservation, maintenance, removal and 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--Utility 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.”

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. Segment information, including reconciling adjustments, is presented consistent with the basis described in our 2017 Annual Report.    

L. Operations by Business Segment (continued)

Segment information reconciled to consolidated external reporting information follows:

	Utility		Residential and Commercial			All Other			Reconciling Adjustments				Consolidated
Three Months Ended March 31, 2018
Revenues	$	118,687	$	89,345		$	619		$	—			$	208,651
Income (loss) from operations	1,814		(3,105		)	(3,792		)	(583		)	(a)	(5,666		)
Interest expense									(1,401		)		(1,401		)
Interest income									78				78
Other income (expense), net									(1,662		)		(1,662		)
Loss before income taxes													$	(8,651	)
Segment assets, total	$	200,201	$	188,789		$	—		$	85,210		(b)	$	474,200
Three Months Ended April 1, 2017
Revenues	$	112,478	$	79,587		$	748		$	—			$	192,813
Income (loss) from operations	2,658		(3,582		)	(2,228		)	(843		)	(a)	(3,995		)
Interest expense									(1,257		)		(1,257		)
Interest income									70				70
Other income (expense), net									(1,139		)		(1,139		)
Loss before income taxes													$	(6,321	)
Segment assets, total	$	176,504	$	171,777		$	—		$	99,808		(b)	$	448,089

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

(a) Reclassification of depreciation expense and allocation of corporate expenses.

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