Note 3 - Impairment Charges and Other Costs	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Notes to Financial Statements
Asset Impairment Charges [Text Block]	3. Impairment Charges and Other Costs *Goodwill* We perform our goodwill impairment tests annually as of November 1 and more frequently when events and circumstances occur that indicate a possible impairment of goodwill. There were no events or circumstances during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 that would indicate a possible goodwill impairment. We performed an interim goodwill impairment test on the March 31, 2020 balances of our Water and Mineral Services Group Materials and Water and Mineral Services Group Specialty reporting units due to an adverse change in the business climate for these reporting units, including a modified relationship with a business partner, increased competition and market consolidation during the three months ended March 31, 2020, exacerbated by economic disruption and market conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors led to reductions in the revenue and margin growth rates used in our quantitative goodwill tests. The goodwill impairment test resulted in a $14.8 million impairment charge during the three months ended March 31, 2020 associated with our Water and Mineral Services Group Materials reporting unit and no impairment charge associated with our Water and Minerals Services Group Specialty reporting unit as its estimated fair value exceeded its net book value (i.e., headroom) by over 15%. Interim goodwill impairment tests were not performed on our remaining reporting units as there was no indication of a possible goodwill impairment. We performed a second interim goodwill impairment test on the September 30, 2020 balances of our Midwest Group Specialty, Water and Mineral Services Group Water and Water and Mineral Services Group Materials reporting units due to the continued impact from an adverse change in the business climate, including reduced market share due to loss of strategic personnel during the three months ended September 30, 2020. These factors led to reductions in the revenue and margin growth rates, and delays in the timing of future cash flows used in our quantitative goodwill tests. The goodwill impairment test resulted in a non-cash impairment charge of an additional $117.9 million and $14.4 million associated with our Water and Mineral Services Group Water and Water and Mineral Services Group Materials reporting units, respectively, during the three months ended September 30, 2020. The goodwill impairment test for the Midwest Group Specialty reporting unit indicated that its estimated fair value exceeded its net book value (i.e., headroom) by over 15%; therefore, no impairment charge was recorded. Interim goodwill impairment tests were not performed on our remaining reporting units as there was no indication of a possible goodwill impairment. Consistent with our annual impairment test, we calculated the estimated fair values of the Water and Mineral Services Group Materials and Water and Mineral Services Group Specialty reporting units using the discounted cash flows and market multiple methods. Judgments inherent in these methods included the determination of appropriate discount rates, the amount and timing of expected future cash flows, revenue and margin growth rates, and appropriate benchmark companies. The cash flows used in our discounted cash flow model were based on five-year financial forecasts developed internally by management adjusted for market participant-based assumptions. Our discount rate assumptions were based on an assessment of the equity cost of capital and appropriate capital structure for our reporting units. Future developments that we are unable to anticipate may require us to further revise the estimated future cash flows, which could adversely affect the fair value of our reporting units in future periods and result in additional impairment charges. The assumptions used in the goodwill impairment tests are classified as Level 3 inputs. *Investments in Affiliates* Investments in affiliates are evaluated for impairment using the other-than-temporary impairment model, which requires an impairment charge to be recognized if our investments’ carrying amounts exceed their fair value, and the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary. There were no events or changes in circumstances which would cause us to assess our investments for impairment during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 or during the three months ended September 30, 2020. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, operating costs increased in certain of our foreign entity investments in affiliates which resulted in price increases and therefore a decrease in demand. The effect of this change in business climate on certain investments’ expected future operating cash flows resulted in other than temporary declines in fair value below the carrying values. Therefore, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $9.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 using assumptions classified as Level 3 inputs. Other Costs Other costs included on the condensed consolidated statements of operations primarily consisted of $66.0 million in net settlement charges for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 as further described in Note 16. Other costs also included $3.5 million and $16.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, and $9.7 million and $28.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively, of legal, accounting and investigation fees related to the lawsuits discussed in Note 16 and to the independent investigation undertaken by the Audit/Compliance Committee. The remaining Other costs were primarily related to restructuring in the Heavy Civil operating group and integration expenses related to the Layne Christensen Company (“Layne”) acquisition.

Note 3 - Impairment Charges and Other Costs

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

3. Impairment Charges and Other Costs

Goodwill

We perform our goodwill impairment tests annually as of November 1 and more frequently when events and circumstances occur that indicate a possible impairment of goodwill. There were no events or circumstances during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 that would indicate a possible goodwill impairment.

We performed an interim goodwill impairment test on the March 31, 2020 balances of our Water and Mineral Services Group Materials and Water and Mineral Services Group Specialty reporting units due to an adverse change in the business climate for these reporting units, including a modified relationship with a business partner, increased competition and market consolidation during the three months ended March 31, 2020, exacerbated by economic disruption and market conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors led to reductions in the revenue and margin growth rates used in our quantitative goodwill tests. The goodwill impairment test resulted in a $14.8 million impairment charge during the three months ended March 31, 2020 associated with our Water and Mineral Services Group Materials reporting unit and no impairment charge associated with our Water and Minerals Services Group Specialty reporting unit as its estimated fair value exceeded its net book value (i.e., headroom) by over 15%. Interim goodwill impairment tests were not performed on our remaining reporting units as there was no indication of a possible goodwill impairment.

We performed a second interim goodwill impairment test on the September 30, 2020 balances of our Midwest Group Specialty, Water and Mineral Services Group Water and Water and Mineral Services Group Materials reporting units due to the continued impact from an adverse change in the business climate, including reduced market share due to loss of strategic personnel during the three months ended September 30, 2020. These factors led to reductions in the revenue and margin growth rates, and delays in the timing of future cash flows used in our quantitative goodwill tests. The goodwill impairment test resulted in a non-cash impairment charge of an additional $117.9 million and $14.4 million associated with our Water and Mineral Services Group Water and Water and Mineral Services Group Materials reporting units, respectively, during the three months ended September 30, 2020. The goodwill impairment test for the Midwest Group Specialty reporting unit indicated that its estimated fair value exceeded its net book value (i.e., headroom) by over 15%; therefore, no impairment charge was recorded. Interim goodwill impairment tests were not performed on our remaining reporting units as there was no indication of a possible goodwill impairment.

Consistent with our annual impairment test, we calculated the estimated fair values of the Water and Mineral Services Group Materials and Water and Mineral Services Group Specialty reporting units using the discounted cash flows and market multiple methods. Judgments inherent in these methods included the determination of appropriate discount rates, the amount and timing of expected future cash flows, revenue and margin growth rates, and appropriate benchmark companies. The cash flows used in our discounted cash flow model were based on five-year financial forecasts developed internally by management adjusted for market participant-based assumptions. Our discount rate assumptions were based on an assessment of the equity cost of capital and appropriate capital structure for our reporting units.

Future developments that we are unable to anticipate may require us to further revise the estimated future cash flows, which could adversely affect the fair value of our reporting units in future periods and result in additional impairment charges. The assumptions used in the goodwill impairment tests are classified as Level 3 inputs.

Investments in Affiliates

Investments in affiliates are evaluated for impairment using the other-than-temporary impairment model, which requires an impairment charge to be recognized if our investments’ carrying amounts exceed their fair value, and the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary. There were no events or changes in circumstances which would cause us to assess our investments for impairment during the nine months ended September 30, 2021 or during the three months ended September 30, 2020.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, operating costs increased in certain of our foreign entity investments in affiliates which resulted in price increases and therefore a decrease in demand. The effect of this change in business climate on certain investments’ expected future operating cash flows resulted in other than temporary declines in fair value below the carrying values. Therefore, we recorded a non-cash impairment charge of $9.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2020 using assumptions classified as Level 3 inputs.

Other Costs

Other costs included on the condensed consolidated statements of operations primarily consisted of $66.0 million in net settlement charges for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 as further described in Note 16. Other costs also included $3.5 million and $16.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively, and $9.7 million and $28.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020, respectively, of legal, accounting and investigation fees related to the lawsuits discussed in Note 16 and to the independent investigation undertaken by the Audit/Compliance Committee. The remaining Other costs were primarily related to restructuring in the Heavy Civil operating group and integration expenses related to the Layne Christensen Company (“Layne”) acquisition.