Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of business

Nature of business— CECO Environmental Corp. and its consolidated subsidiaries (“CECO,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a global leader in industrial air quality and fluid handling serving the energy, industrial and other niche markets through an attractive asset-light business model.  CECO provides innovative technology and application expertise that helps companies grow their businesses with safe, clean, and more efficient solutions to help protect our shared environment. CECO serves both established and emerging industries in regions around the world working to improve air quality, optimize the energy value chain, and provide customized engineered solutions in multiple applications that include power generation, petrochemical processing, general industrial, refining, oil & gas, electric vehicle production, poly silicon fabrication, battery recycling, and wastewater treatment, along with a wide range of other industries.

COVID-19

On January 30, 2020, the WHO announced a global health emergency because of a new strain of coronavirus (“COVID-19”) originating in Wuhan, China and the risks to the international community as the virus spreads globally beyond its point of origin. On March 11, 2020, the WHO characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. As of March 3, 2021, the virus continues to spread and has had a significant impact on worldwide economic activity and on macroeconomic conditions and the end markets of our business.  Vaccine administration is underway, however new variants of COVID-19 continue to emerge. There is uncertainty regarding the efficacy of vaccines and current tests and treatments with regard to the new variants. The Company has instituted some and may take additional temporary precautionary measures to comply with government directives and guidelines and minimize business disruption.

On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law. The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer side social security payments, net operating loss carryback periods, alternative minimum tax credit refunds, modifications to the net interest deduction limitations and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. The CARES act did not have a material impact on the Company.

The outbreak and a continued spread of COVID-19 has resulted in a substantial curtailment of business activities worldwide and has caused weakened economic conditions, both in the United States and abroad. COVID-19 has had, and may continue to have, a negative impact on the Company's ongoing operations and the end markets in which it serves.  However, the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve as of the date of this filing, and as such, it is uncertain as to the full magnitude that the pandemic will have on the Company’s financial condition, liquidity, and future results of operations. Management is actively monitoring the impact of the pandemic on its financial condition, liquidity, operations, suppliers, industry, and workforce.

Principles of consolidation

Principles of consolidation—Our consolidated financial statements include the Company and its controlled subsidiaries.  All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

In 2020, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement (the “JV agreement”) with Mader Holding L.P. (“Mader”). Under the terms of the JV agreement, CECO holds 70% of the equity in the joint venture. The noncontrolling interest in Mader is reported as a separate component on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on the joint venture.

Unless indicated, all balances within tables are in thousands except per share amounts.

Use of estimates

Use of estimates—The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and 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.

Cash equivalents

Cash equivalents—We consider all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. At December 31, 2020 and 2019, Restricted Cash is cash in support of letters of credit issued by various foreign subsidiaries of the Company.  The Company occasionally enters into letters of credit with durations in excess of one year.

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

	December 31,
	2020		2019
Cash and cash equivalents	$	35,992	$	35,602
Restricted cash		1,819	$	1,356
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	37,811	$	36,958

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable—Receivables are generally uncollateralized customer obligations due under normal terms requiring payment generally within 30 days from the invoice date unless otherwise determined by specific contract terms, generally due to retainage provisions. The Company’s estimate of the allowance for doubtful accounts for trade receivables is primarily determined based upon the length of time that the receivables are past due. In addition, management estimates are used to determine probable losses based upon an analysis of prior collection experience, specific account risks and economic conditions. Accounts are deemed uncollectible based on past account experience and the current financial condition of the account.

Inventories

Inventories—The Company’s inventory is valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, using the first-in, first-out inventory costing method. Inventory quantities are regularly reviewed and provisions for excess or obsolete inventory are recorded based on the Company’s forecast of future demand and market conditions. Significant unanticipated changes to the Company’s forecasts could require a change in the provision for excess or obsolete inventory.

Assets Held for Sale

Assets Held for Sale—The Company classifies properties as held for sale when certain criteria are met.  At such time, the properties, including significant assets that are expected to be transferred as part of a sale transaction, are presented separately on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at the lower of carrying value or estimated fair value less costs to sell and depreciation is no longer recognized. Assets classified as held for sale at December 31, 2020 include one building.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment—Property, plant and equipment are carried at the cost of acquisition or construction and depreciated over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Depreciation and amortization are provided using the straight-line method in amounts sufficient to amortize the cost of the assets over their estimated useful lives (buildings and improvements—generally five to 40 years; machinery and equipment—generally two to 15 years). Upon sale or disposal of property, plant and equipment, the applicable amounts of asset cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and the net amount, less any proceeds from sale, is recorded in income.

Intangible assets

Intangible assets— Indefinite life intangible assets are comprised of tradenames, while finite life intangible assets are comprised of technology, customer lists, and tradenames. Finite life intangible assets are amortized on a straight line or accelerated basis over their estimated useful lives of seven to 10 years for technology, five to 20 years for customer lists, and 10 years for tradenames.

Long-lived assets

Long-lived assets—Property, plant and equipment and finite life intangible assets are reviewed whenever events or changes in circumstances occur that indicate possible impairment. If events or changes in circumstances occur that indicate possible impairment, our impairment review is based on an undiscounted cash flow analysis at the lowest level at which cash flows of the long-lived assets are largely independent of other groups of our assets and liabilities. This analysis requires management judgment with respect to changes in technology, the continued success of product lines, and future volume, revenue and expense growth rates. We conduct annual reviews for idle and underutilized equipment, and review business plans for possible impairment. Impairment occurs when the carrying value of the assets exceeds the future undiscounted cash flows expected to be earned by the use of the asset or asset group. When impairment is indicated, the estimated future cash flows are then discounted to determine the estimated fair value of the asset or asset group and an impairment charge is recorded for the difference between the carrying value and the estimated fair value.

Additionally, the Company evaluates the remaining useful life each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining period of depreciation or amortization. If the estimate of a long-lived asset’s remaining useful life is changed, the remaining carrying amount of the asset is amortized prospectively over that revised remaining useful life.

The Company completes an annual (or more often if circumstances require) impairment assessment on October 1 of its indefinite life intangible assets. As a part of its annual assessment, typically, the Company first qualitatively assesses whether current events or changes in circumstances lead to a determination that it is more likely than not (defined as a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of an asset is less than its carrying amount. If there is a qualitative determination that the fair value of a particular asset is more likely than not greater than its carrying value, we do not need to proceed to the quantitative estimated fair value test for that asset. If this qualitative assessment indicates a more likely than not potential that the asset may be impaired, the estimated fair value is

determined by the relief from royalty method. If the estimated fair value of an asset is less than its carrying value, an impairment charge is recorded for the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its estimated fair value.

During 2020, our annual impairment test indicated that one of our indefinite-lived tradenames was impaired. Accordingly, we recognized impairment charges in our financial results of $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. There was no impairment recorded during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. For additional information on impairment testing results, see Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Goodwill

Goodwill—The Company completes an annual (or more often if circumstances require) impairment assessment on October 1 of its goodwill on a reporting unit level, at or below the operating segment level.  As a part of its annual assessment, the Company first qualitatively assesses whether current events or changes in circumstances lead to a determination that it is more likely than not (defined as a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If there is a qualitative determination that the fair value of a particular reporting unit is more likely than not greater than its carrying value, the Company does not need to quantitatively test for goodwill impairment for that reporting unit. If this qualitative assessment indicates a more likely than not potential that the asset may be impaired, the estimated fair value is determined using a weighting of the income method and the market method. If the estimated fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, an impairment charge is recorded.

Deferred charges

Deferred charges—Deferred charges include deferred financing costs, which are amortized to interest expense over the life of the related loan. In fiscal 2019, the Company entered into a Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Credit Facility”). The Credit Facility amended the Company’s existing amended and restated agreement. In connection with the Credit Facility, the Company incurred $1.1 million in customary closing fees in 2019 that were capitalized and classified as a debt discount. Additionally, in fiscal 2019, $0.4 million of existing debt discount related to the 2017 long-term debt modification was expensed, and classified as interest expense, as a result of the Credit Facility (see Note 8 for further details on the Credit Facility). Amortization expense was $0.4 million, $1.1 million and $1.1 million for 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, and 2019, remaining capitalized deferred financing costs of $1.3 million and $1.7 million, respectively, are included as a discount to debt in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Revenue recognition

Revenue recognition

Energy Solutions and Industrial Solutions Segments—Within the Energy Solutions and Industrial Solutions segments, a significant portion of our revenue is derived from fixed-price contracts. We account for a contract after it has been approved by all parties to the arrangement, the rights of the parties are identified, payment terms are identified, the contract has commercial substance and collectability of consideration is probable.

For each contract, we assess the goods and services promised to a customer and identify a performance obligation for each distinct promised good or service. The typical life of our contracts is generally less than 12 months and each contract generally contains only one performance obligation, to provide goods or services to the customer. We determine the transaction price for each contract based on the consideration we expect to receive for the products or services being provided under the contract.

We recognize revenue as performance obligations are satisfied and the customer obtains control of the products and services.  A significant amount of our revenue within the Energy Solutions and Industrial Solutions segments is recognized over a period of time as we perform under the contract because control of the work in process transfers continuously to the customer. For performance obligations to deliver products with continuous transfer of control to the customer, revenue is recognized based on the extent of progress towards completion of the performance obligation. Progress is measured based on the ratio of costs incurred to date to the total estimated costs to complete the performance obligation. For these contracts, the cost-to-cost measure best depicts the continuous transfer of goods or services to the customer.

For contracts where the duration is short, total contract revenue is insignificant, or control does not continuously transfer to the customer, revenues are recognized at the point in time control passes to the customer, which occurs generally upon shipment of product.  

Progress payments are generally made over the duration of the contract. Shipping and handling activities after control of the products has transferred to the customer are considered fulfillment activities.  Sales taxes are recorded on a net basis.

Fluid Handling Solutions Segments—Within the Fluid Handling Solutions segment, a significant portion of our revenue is primarily derived from sales of inventory product and is recognized at the point in time control passes to the customer, which occurs generally upon shipment of the product.

Payments vary by customer but are typically due within 30 days. Shipping and handling activities after control of the products has transferred to the customer are considered fulfillment activities.  Sales taxes are recorded on a net basis.

Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities — Contract assets consist of costs and earnings in excess of billings, costs incurred for contracts recognized at a point in time, and retainage.  Costs and earnings in excess of billings represent the estimated value of unbilled work for contracts with performance obligations recognized over time and are separately classified as current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  Costs incurred for contracts recognized at a point in time are classified within inventories as work-in-process.  Retainage represents a portion of the contract billings that have been billed, but for which the contract allows the customer to retain a portion of the billed amount until final settlement.  Retainage is not considered to be a significant financing component because the intent is to protect the customer.  Retainage is classified within accounts receivable and deferred charges and other assets depending on when it is due.  Almost all of the Company’s contract assets are classified as current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  

Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings on uncompleted contracts are current liabilities, which relate to fixed-price contracts recognized over time, and represents payments in advance of performing the related contract work. Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings on uncompleted contracts is not considered to be a significant financing component because it is generally used to meet working capital demands that can be higher in the early stages of a contract. Contract liabilities, classified in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, include advance payments received from customers for which revenue has not been recognized for contracts where revenue is recognized at a point in time. Contract liabilities are reduced when the associated revenue from the contract is recognized, which is generally within one year.

The revenue streams within the Company are consistent with those disclosed for our reportable segments. See Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information on product offerings and segments.  

Provisions for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts are made in the period in which such losses are determined. Changes to job performance, job conditions, and estimated profitability may result in revisions to contract revenue and costs and are recognized in the period in which the revisions are made.   There was no provision for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Cost of sales

Cost of sales—Cost of sales amounts include materials, subcontract costs, direct labor and associated benefits, inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving, inspection, warehousing, and depreciation.

Claims

Claims—Change orders arise when the scope of the original project is modified for any of a variety of reasons. The Company will negotiate the extent of the modifications, its expected costs and recovery with the customer. Costs related to change orders are added to the expected total cost of the project. In cases where contract revenues are assured beyond a reasonable doubt to be increased in excess of the expected costs of the change order, incremental profit also is recognized on the contract. Such assurance is generally only achieved when the customer approves in writing the scope and pricing of the change order. Change orders that are in dispute are effectively handled as claims.

Claims are amounts in excess of the agreed contract price that the Company seeks to collect from customers or others for customer-caused delays, errors in specifications and designs, contract terminations, change orders in dispute or unapproved as to both scope and price. Costs attributable to claims are treated as contract costs as incurred.

The Company recognizes certain significant claims for recovery of incurred costs when it is probable that the claim will result in additional contract revenue and when the amount of the claim can be reliably estimated. When the customer or other parties agree in writing to the amount of the claim to be recovered by the Company, the amount of the claim becomes contractual and is accounted for as an increase in the contract’s total estimated revenue and estimated cost. As actual costs are incurred and revenues are recognized over time, a corresponding percentage of the revised total estimated profit will therefore be recognized.

Should it become probable that the claim will not result in additional contract revenue, the Company removes the related contract revenues from its previous estimate of total revenues, which effectively reduces the estimated profit margin on the job and negatively impacts profit for the period.

Pre-contract costs

Pre-contract costs—Pre-contract costs are not significant and are primarily internal costs. As most of the Company’s contracts are one year or less, the Company expenses all pre-contract costs as incurred regardless of whether or not the bids are successful. A majority of our business is obtained through a bidding process and this activity is on-going with multiple bids in process at any one time. These costs consist primarily of engineering, sales and project manager wages, fringes and general corporate overhead and it is deemed impractical to track activities related to any one specific contract.

Selling and administrative expenses

Selling and administrative expenses—Selling and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations include sales and administrative wages and associated benefits, selling and office expenses, professional fees, bad debt expense and depreciation. Selling and administrative expenses are charged to expense as incurred.

Acquisition and integration expenses

Acquisition and integration expenses—Acquisition and integration expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations are related to acquisition activities, which include, legal, accounting, and other expenses.

Amortization and earnout expenses

Amortization and earnout expenses—Amortization and earnout expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations include amortization of intangible assets, and changes to earnout and contingent compensation amounts related to acquisitions.

Restructuring expenses

Restructuring expenses—Restructuring expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations include expenses related to an ongoing restructuring program to reduce operating costs in the future. Within restructuring expenses are charges related to severance, facility exit, legal and property, plant and equipment impairment.  The Company’s policy is to recognize restructuring expenses in accordance with the accounting rules related to exit or disposal activities.

Executive transition expenses

Executive transition expenses—Executive transition expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations include expenses related to the severance for the Company’s former Chief Executive Officer, as well as fees and expenses incurred in the search for, and hiring of, a new Chief Executive Officer.

Product Warranties

Product Warranties—The Company’s warranty reserve is to cover the products sold. The warranty accrual is based on historical claims information. The warranty reserve is reviewed and adjusted as necessary on a quarterly basis and is presented within Note 7.

Research and Development

Research and Development—Although not technically defined as research and development, a significant amount of time, effort and expense is devoted to (a) custom engineering which qualifies products for specific customer applications, (b) developing proprietary process technology and (c) partnering with customers to develop new products.

Income taxes

Income taxes - Income taxes are determined using the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 740, “Income Taxes”. Income tax expense includes federal, state and foreign income taxes.

Deferred income taxes are provided using the asset and liability method whereby deferred tax assets are recognized for deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carry-forwards and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax bases and are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.   Tax credits and other incentives reduce income tax expense in the year the credits are claimed.

Management must assess the need to accrue or disclose uncertain tax positions for proposed potential adjustments from various federal, state and foreign tax authorities who regularly audit the Company in the normal course of business. In making these assessments, management must often analyze complex tax laws of multiple jurisdictions, including many foreign jurisdictions. The accounting guidance prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company records the related interest expense and penalties, if any, as tax expense in the tax provision.

Management must assess the realizability of the Company’s deferred tax assets. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities (including the impact of available carryback and carry forward periods), projected future taxable income, and tax-planning strategies in making this assessment. The amount of the deferred tax assets considered realizable, however, could be reduced in the near term if estimates of future taxable income during the carryforward period are reduced.  

The company has made an accounting policy election to record the U.S. income tax effect of future global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) inclusions in the period in which they arise, rather than establishing deferred taxes with respect to the expected future tax liabilities associated with future GILTI inclusion.

Certain of the Company’s undistributed earnings of its foreign subsidiaries are not permanently reinvested. A liability has been recorded for the deferred taxes on such undistributed foreign earnings. The amount is attributable primarily to the foreign withholding taxes that would become payable should the Company repatriate cash held in its foreign operations.

Earnings per share

Earnings per share—The following table reconciles the numerators and denominators used to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share for 2020, 2019 and 2018. 

	For the Year Ended December 31
	2020		2019		2018
(table only in thousands)
Numerator (for basic and diluted earnings per share)
Net income (loss)	$	8,211	$	17,707	$	(7,121	)
Denominator
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding		35,290		34,988		34,714
Common stock equivalents arising from stock options and restricted stock awards		231		496		—
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding		35,521		35,484		34,714

Options and unvested restricted stock units are included in the computation of diluted earnings per share using the treasury stock method. For 2020, 2019 and 2018, outstanding options and unvested restricted stock units of 1.0 million, 0.4 million and 0.8 million, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share due to their having an anti-dilutive effect.

Once a restricted stock award vests, it is included in the computation of weighted average shares outstanding for purposes of basic and diluted earnings per share.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation—The functional currencies of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are their local currencies and their books and records are maintained in the local currency. The assets and liabilities of these foreign subsidiaries are translated into United States Dollars (“USD”) based on the end-of period exchange rates and the resultant translation adjustments are reported in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss in Shareholders’ equity on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Income and expenses are translated into USD at average exchange rates in effect during the period.

Transactions denominated in other than the local currency are remeasured into the local currency and the resulting exchange gains or losses are included in “Other income (expense), net” line of the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Transaction gains were $1.3 million, $0.9 million and $0.7 million in 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications —Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified in order to conform to the current year presentation.

New Financial Accounting Pronouncements

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, “Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans,” that makes minor changes to the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and/or other postretirement benefit plans. The new guidance eliminates requirements for certain disclosures that are no longer considered cost beneficial and requires new ones that the FASB considers pertinent. ASU 2018-14 is effective for us December 15, 2020. The adoption of the standard did not have a material impact on our statement of operations or liquidity. See Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional details on the Company’s pension plans.

Recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes" ("ASU 2019-12"), which is intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and also clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application. ASU 2019-12 is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2021. We do not expect ASU 2019-12 to have a material impact on our financial statements