Contract Assets and Liabilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Contract with Customer, Contract Asset, Contract Liability, and Receivable [Abstract]

The Company classifies contract assets and liabilities that may be settled beyond one year from the balance sheet date as current, consistent with the length of time of the Company’s project operating cycle.

Contract assets include amounts due under retention provisions, costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings and capitalized contract costs. The amounts as included on the Consolidated Balance Sheets consisted of the following:


	As of December 31,
(in thousands)	2023		2022
Retention receivable	$	580,926	$	585,556
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings:
Claims	562,646		677,367
Unapproved change orders	512,831		601,681
Other unbilled costs and profits	68,369		98,480
Total costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings	1,143,846		1,377,528
Capitalized contract costs	117,913		49,441
Total contract assets	$	1,842,685	$	2,012,525

Retention receivable represents amounts invoiced to customers where payments have been partially withheld pending the completion of certain milestones, satisfaction of other contractual conditions or the completion of the project. Retention agreements vary from project to project, and balances could be outstanding for several months or years depending on a number of circumstances, such as contract-specific terms, project performance and other variables that may arise as the Company makes progress toward completion. As of December 31, 2023, the amount of retention receivable estimated by management to be collected beyond one year is approximately 54% of the balance.

Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings represent the excess of contract costs and profits (or contract revenue) over the amount of contract billings to date and are classified as a current asset. Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings result when either: (1) the appropriate contract revenue amount has been recognized over time in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”), but a portion of the revenue recorded cannot be billed currently due to the billing terms defined in the contract, or (2) costs are incurred related to certain claims and unapproved change orders. Claims occur when there is a dispute regarding both a change in the scope of work and the price associated with that change. Unapproved change orders occur when a change in the scope of work results in additional work being performed before the parties have agreed on the corresponding change in the contract price. The Company routinely estimates recovery related to claims and unapproved change orders as a form of variable consideration at the most likely amount it expects to receive and to the extent it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is resolved. Claims and unapproved change orders are billable upon the agreement and resolution between the contractual parties and after the execution of contractual amendments. Increases in claims and unapproved change orders typically result from costs being incurred against existing or new positions; decreases normally result from resolutions and subsequent billings. As discussed in Note 8, the resolution of these claims and unapproved change orders may require litigation or other forms of dispute resolution proceedings. Other unbilled costs and profits are billable in accordance with the billing terms of each of the existing contractual arrangements and, as such, the timing of contract billing cycles can cause fluctuations in the balance of unbilled costs and profits. Ultimate resolution of other unbilled costs and profits typically involves incremental progress toward contractual requirements or milestones. The amount of costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings as of December 31, 2023 estimated by management to be collected beyond one year is approximately $549.0 million.

Capitalized contract costs are included in other current assets and primarily represent costs to fulfill a contract that (1) directly relate to an existing or anticipated contract, (2) generate or enhance resources that will be used in satisfying performance obligations in the future and (3) are expected to be recovered through the contract. Capitalized contract costs are generally expensed to the associated contract over the period of anticipated use on the project. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, $56.9 million, $57.1 million and $47.3 million, respectively, of previously capitalized contract costs were amortized and recognized as expense on the related contracts.

Contract liabilities include amounts owed under retention provisions and billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings. The amount as reported on the Consolidated Balance Sheets consisted of the following:


	As of December 31,
(in thousands)	2023		2022
Retention payable	$	223,138	$	246,562
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings	1,103,530		975,812
Total contract liabilities	$	1,326,668	$	1,222,374

Retention payable represents amounts invoiced to the Company by subcontractors where payments have been partially withheld pending the completion of certain milestones, other contractual conditions or upon the completion of the project. Generally, retention payable is not remitted to subcontractors until the associated retention receivable from customers is collected. As of December 31, 2023, the amount of retention payable estimated by management to be remitted beyond one year is approximately 46% of the balance.

Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings represent the excess of contract billings to date over the amount of contract costs and profits (or contract revenue) recognized to date. The balance may fluctuate depending on the timing of contract billings and the recognition of contract revenue. Revenue recognized during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 and included in the opening billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings balances for each period totaled $740.3 million, $533.5 million and $638.7 million, respectively.