Commitment and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

May 01, 2021

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

On December 17, 2018 and May 8, 2020, shareholder derivative actions were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against the Company, as nominal defendant, and the members of its Board of Directors (and, in the second action, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer), alleging that the defendants breached fiduciary duties owed to the Company and violated the securities laws by causing the Company to issue false and misleading statements regarding the Company’s financial condition and business operations, including those related to the Company’s dependency on, and uncertainties related to, the permitting necessary for its large projects. On November 16, 2020, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint in which the plaintiffs alleged the same breaches of fiduciary duty and violations of the securities laws as were alleged in the two consolidated lawsuits when they were initially filed. The consolidated amended complaint names the Company as nominal defendant and asserts claims against seven current members of its Board of Directors and two former members of the Board. The parties to this suit have reached a preliminary agreement to settle these claims. This preliminary agreement is subject to finalization by the parties and approval by the Court. Due to the early stage of this litigation, it is not possible to estimate a range of loss that could occur if this preliminary settlement is not finalized.

On December 1, 2017, one of the Company’s subsidiaries was named in a lawsuit alleging that its nonexempt employees performing utility locating services in California were not paid appropriate minimum and overtime wages, provided required breaks, reimbursed for necessary business expenses, provided with accurate wage statements, and timely pay all wages at termination of employment. The plaintiff seeks to pursue these allegations as a class action under the California Private Attorney General Act of 2004. Although the Company believes these claims are without merit it has engaged in early settlement discussions and has reached a preliminary agreement to settle these claims on a class-wide basis for an aggregate settlement value of $2.1 million. This preliminary agreement is subject to finalization by the parties and approval by the Court. Due to the early stage of this litigation, it is not possible to estimate a range of loss that could occur if this preliminary settlement is not finalized.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, one of the Company’s subsidiaries ceased operations. This subsidiary contributed to a multiemployer pension plan, the Pension, Hospitalization and Benefit Plan of the Electrical Industry - Pension Trust Fund (the “Plan”). In October 2016, the Plan demanded payment for a claimed withdrawal liability of approximately $13.0 million. In December 2016, the subsidiary submitted a formal request to the Plan seeking review of the Plan’s withdrawal liability determination. The subsidiary disputes the claim that it is required to make payment of a withdrawal liability as demanded by the Plan as it believes that a statutory exemption under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) applies to its activities. The Plan has taken the position that the work at issue does not qualify for that statutory exemption. The subsidiary has submitted this dispute to arbitration, as required by ERISA. There can be no assurance that the Company’s subsidiary will be successful in asserting the statutory exemption as a defense in the arbitration proceeding. As required by ERISA, in November 2016, this subsidiary began making payments of a withdrawal liability to the Plan in the amount of approximately $0.1 million per month. If the subsidiary prevails in disputing the withdrawal liability, all such payments are expected to be refunded. Given the early stage of this action, it is not possible to estimate a range of loss that could result from either an adverse judgment or a settlement of this matter.

From time to time, we are party to other various claims and legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. While the resolution of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, it is the opinion of management, based on information available at this time, that the ultimate resolution of any such claims or legal proceedings will not, after considering applicable insurance coverage or other indemnities to which we may be entitled, have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flow.

Commitments

Performance and Payment Bonds and Guarantees. We have obligations under performance and other surety contract bonds related to certain of our customer contracts. Performance bonds generally provide a customer with the right to obtain payment and/or performance from the issuer of the bond if we fail to perform our contractual obligations. As of May 1, 2021 and January 30, 2021, we had $247.2 million and $208.7 million, respectively, of outstanding performance and other surety contract bonds. In addition to performance and other surety contract bonds, as part of our insurance program we also provide surety bonds that collateralize our obligations to our insurance carriers. As of May 1, 2021 and January 30, 2021, we had $20.9 million and $20.9 million, respectively, of outstanding surety bonds related to our insurance obligations. Additionally, we periodically guarantee certain obligations of our subsidiaries, including obligations in connection with obtaining state contractor licenses and leasing real property and equipment.

Letters of Credit. We have issued standby letters of credit under our Credit Agreement that collateralize our obligations to our insurance carriers. As of May 1, 2021 and January 30, 2021, we had $46.3 million and $52.2 million, respectively, of outstanding standby letters of credit issued under the Credit Agreement.