Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
This management’s discussion and analysis provides a narrative on the Company’s financial performance and condition that should be read in conjunction with the other sections of this report, including the Financial Statements and related notes contained in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from management’s expectations. Factors that could cause such differences are discussed in “Forward-Looking Statements” and “Risk Factors.” We assume no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements.
Presentation of Information
The discussion that follows includes a comparison of our results of operations and liquidity and capital resources for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022. For a discussion of changes from the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, refer to Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (filed February 23, 2022).
Overview-Introduction
We are a holding company of specialty electrical construction service providers that was established in 1995 through the merger of long-standing specialty contractors. Through our subsidiaries, we serve the electric utility infrastructure, commercial and industrial construction markets. We manage and report our operations through two electrical contracting service segments: Transmission and Distribution (“T&D”) and Commercial and Industrial (“C&I”).
We have operated in the transmission and distribution industry since 1891. We are one of the largest U.S. contractors servicing the T&D sector of the electric utility industry and provide T&D services throughout the United States and in Ontario, Canada. Our T&D customers include many of the leading companies in the electric utility industry. We have provided electrical contracting services for commercial and industrial construction since 1912. Our C&I segment provides services in the United States and in western Canada. Our C&I customers include facility owners and general contractors.
We believe that we have a number of competitive advantages in both of our segments, including our skilled workforce, extensive centralized fleet, proven safety performance and reputation for timely completion of quality work that allows us to compete favorably in our markets. In addition, we believe that we are better capitalized than some of our competitors, which provides us with valuable flexibility to take on additional and more complex projects.
We had revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 of $3.01 billion compared to $2.50 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021. For the year ended December 31, 2022, net income was $83.4 million compared to $85.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Overview-Segments
Transmission and Distribution segment . Our T&D segment provides comprehensive solutions to providers in the electric utility industry. Our T&D segment generally serves the electric utility industry as a prime contractor to customers such as investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, private developers, government-funded utilities, independent power producers, independent transmission companies, industrial facility owners and other contractors. We have long-standing relationships with many of our T&D customers who rely on us to construct and maintain reliable electric and other utility infrastructure. Our T&D segment provides a broad range of services on electric transmission and distribution networks, substation facilities and clean energy projects, which include design, engineering, procurement, construction, upgrade and maintenance and repair services. Our T&D services include the construction and maintenance of high voltage transmission lines, substations, lower voltage underground and overhead distribution systems, clean energy facilities and limited gas construction services. We also provide many services to our customers under multi-year master service agreements (“MSAs”) and other variable-term service agreements.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, our T&D revenues were $1.75 billion, or 58.0%, of our revenue, compared to $1.30 billion, or 52.1%, of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021 and $1.15 billion, or 51.4%, of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020. Revenues from transmission projects represented 62.1%, 62.0%, and 64.6% of T&D segment revenue for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Our T&D segment also provides restoration services in response to hurricanes, ice storms or other storm related events, which accounted for less than 5% of our annual revenues in 2022, 2021 and 2020.
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Measured by revenues in our T&D segment, we provided 47.8%, 43.0% and 44.0% of our T&D services under fixed-price contracts during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Commercial and Industrial segment . Our C&I segment provides a wide range of services including design, installation, maintenance and repair of commercial and industrial wiring, the installation of intelligent transportation systems, roadway lighting and signalization. In our C&I segment, we generally provide our electric construction and maintenance services as a subcontractor to general contractors in the C&I industry as well as directly to facility owners. We have a diverse customer base with many long-standing relationships. We concentrate our efforts on projects where our technical and project management expertise are critical to successful and timely execution. The majority of C&I contracts cover electrical contracting services for airports, hospitals, data centers, hotels, stadiums, commercial and industrial facilities, clean energy projects, manufacturing plants, processing facilities, water/waste-water treatment facilities, mining facilities and transportation control and management systems.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, our C&I revenues were $1.26 billion, or 42.0%, of our revenue, compared to $1.20 billion, or 47.9%, of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2021 and $1.09 billion, or 48.6%, of our revenue for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Measured by revenues in our C&I segment, we provided 83.3%, 80.5% and 82.7% of our services under fixed-price contracts for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Overview-Revenue and Gross Margins
Revenue Recognition. We recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that we expect to be entitled to in exchange for goods or services provided. Revenue associated with contracts with customers is recognized over time as our performance creates or enhances customer controlled assets or creates or enhances an asset with no alternative use, for which we have an enforceable right to receive compensation as defined under the contract. To determine the amount of revenue to recognize over time, we utilize the cost-to-cost method as we believe cost incurred best represents the amount of work completed and remaining on our projects, and is the most common basis for computing percentage of completion in our industry. As the cost-to-cost method is driven by incurred cost, we calculate the percentage of completion by dividing costs incurred to date by the total estimated cost. The percentage of completion is then multiplied by estimated revenues to determine inception-to-date revenue. Revenue recognized for the period is the current inception-to-date recognized revenue less the prior period inception-to-date recognized revenue. If a contract is projected to result in a loss, the entire contract loss is recognized in the period when the loss was first determined and the amount of the loss is updated in subsequent reporting periods. Additionally, contract costs incurred to date and expected total contract costs are continuously monitored during the term of the contract. Changes in the job performance, job conditions and final contract settlements are factors that influence management’s assessment of total contract value and the total estimated costs to complete those contracts, and therefore, profit and revenue recognition.
Gross Margins. Our gross margin can vary between periods as a result of many factors, some of which are beyond our control. These factors include: the mix of revenue derived from the industries we serve, the size and duration of our projects, the mix of business conducted in different parts of the United States and Canada, the mix of service and maintenance work compared to new construction work, the amount of work that we subcontract, the amount of material we supply, changes in labor, equipment or insurance costs, seasonal weather patterns, changes in fleet utilization, pricing pressures due to competition, efficiency of work performance, fluctuations in commodity prices of materials, delays in the timing of projects and other factors. The gross margins we record in the current period may not be indicative of margins in future periods.
Overview-Economic, Industry and Market Factors
We operate in competitive markets, which can result in pricing pressures for the services we provide. Work is often awarded through a bidding and selection process, where price is always a principal factor. We generally focus on managing our profitability by: selecting projects that we believe will provide attractive margins; actively monitoring the costs of completing our projects; holding customers accountable for costs related to changes to contract specifications and rewarding our employees for controlling costs.
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The demand for construction and maintenance services from our customers has been, and will likely continue to be, cyclical in nature and vulnerable to downturns in the markets we serve as well as the economy in general. The financial condition of our customers and their access to capital, variations in the margins of projects performed during any particular period, and regional and national economic conditions in the United States and Canada may materially affect results. Project schedules, particularly in connection with larger, multi-year projects, can also create fluctuations in our revenues. Other market and industry factors, such as changes to our customers’ capital spending plans or delays in regulatory approvals can affect project schedules. Changes in technology, tax and other incentives and new or changing regulatory requirements affecting the industries we serve can impact demand for our services. While we actively monitor economic, industry and market factors affecting our business, we cannot predict the impact such factors may have on our future results of operations, liquidity and cash flows. As a result of economic, industry and market factors, our operating results in any particular period or year may not be indicative of the results that can be expected for any other period or for any other year.
Overview-Seasonality and Nature of Our Work Environment
Although our revenues are primarily driven by spending patterns in our customers’ industries, our revenues and results of operations, particularly those derived from our T&D segment, can be subject to seasonal variations. These variations are influenced by weather, daylight hours, availability of system outages from utilities, and holidays. During the winter months, demand for our T&D work may be high, but our work can be delayed due to inclement weather. During the summer months, the demand for our T&D work may be affected by fewer available system outages, due to peak electrical demands caused by warmer weather, which limits our ability to perform electrical line service work. During the spring and fall months, the demand for our T&D work may increase due to improved weather conditions and system availability; however, extended periods of rain and other severe weather can affect the deployment of our crews and efficiency of operations. Furthermore, our work is performed under a variety of conditions in different locations, including but not limited to, difficult terrain, sites which may have been exposed to harsh and hazardous conditions, and in large urban centers where delivery of materials and availability of labor may be impacted.
We also provide storm restoration services to our T&D customers. These services tend to have a higher profit margin. However, storm restoration service work that is performed under an MSA typically has similar rates to other work under the agreement. In addition, deploying employees on storm restoration work may, at times, delay work on other transmission and distribution work. Storm restoration service work is unpredictable and can affect results of operations.
Outlook
Our business is directly impacted by the level of spending on T&D infrastructure and the level of C&I electrical construction activity across the United States and Canada. We are optimistic about infrastructure spending and believe that industry activity will continue in both our transmission and distribution market segments and the drivers for utility investment will remain intact. We believe that regulatory reform, state clean energy portfolio standards, the aging of the electric grid, and potential overall improvement of the economy will positively impact the level of spending by our customers in all of the markets we serve. Although competition remains strong, we see these trends as positive factors for us in the future.
We believe legislative actions aimed at supporting infrastructure improvements in the United States may positively impact long-term demand, particularly in connection with electric power infrastructure, transportation and clean energy spending. We believe the legislative actions are likely to provide greater long-term opportunity in both of our reporting segments. However both of our segments and supporting operations may be subject to delays and cost volatility due to supply chain disruptions, inflationary pressures, tariffs and regulatory slowdowns which may result in decelerations in project opportunities and awards.
We believe there is an ongoing need for utilities to sustain investment in their transmission systems to improve reliability, reduce congestion and connect to new clean energy sources. Consequently, we believe we will continue to see significant bidding activity on large transmission projects going forward. The timing of multi-year transmission project awards and substantial construction activity is difficult to predict due to regulatory requirements and the permitting needed to commence construction. Significant construction on any large, multi-year projects awarded in 2023 will not likely have a large impact on our 2023 results. Bidding and construction activity for small to medium-size transmission projects and upgrades remain active, and we expect this trend to continue.
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As a result of reduced spending by United States utilities on their distribution systems for several years, we believe there is a need for sustained investment by utilities on their distribution systems to properly maintain or meet reliability requirements. In 2022, we continued to see increased bidding activity in some of our electric distribution markets, as economic conditions improved in those areas. We believe the increased storm activity and destruction caused by wildfires will cause a push to strengthen utility distribution systems against catastrophic damage. Several industry and market trends are also prompting customers in the electric utility industry to seek outsourcing partners rather than performing projects internally. These trends include an aging electric utility workforce, increasing costs and staffing constraints. We believe electric utility employee retirements could increase with further economic recovery, which may result in an increase in outsourcing opportunities.
Our C&I bidding opportunities could be impacted by market disruptions, and as a result, the growth of our C&I market will be heavily dependent on the timing and pace of the overall market recovery. We believe that the primary markets we serve, such as health care, transportation, data centers, warehousing, clean energy and water/waste-water projects, may be somewhat less vulnerable to economic slowing.
In addition, the United States has experienced decades of underfunded economic expansion and aging infrastructure which has challenged the capacity of public water and transportation infrastructure forcing states and municipalities to seek creative means to fund needed expansion and repair. We believe the need for expanding public infrastructure will offer opportunity in our C&I segment for several years. We expect the long-term growth in our C&I segment to generally track the overall growth of the regions we serve.
We strive to maintain our status as a preferred provider to our T&D and C&I customers. We continued to implement strategies that further expand our capabilities and effectively allocate capital. We have focused on strengthening our balance sheet by reducing our variable rate outstanding debt in the current higher interest rate environment, which has increased our liquidity and allows us to take advantage of future opportunities as they arise. Additionally, on January 4, 2022, we acquired all issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Powerline Plus Ltd. and its affiliate (collectively, the “Powerline Plus Companies"), which expanded our distribution operations in Ontario, Canada. During 2022, the Company repurchased 442,167 shares of its common stock under repurchase programs at a weighted-average price of $ 83.64 per share. As of December 31, 2022, we had $ 75.0 million of remaining availability to purchase shares under our current program, which continues in effect until May 8, 2023, or until the authorized funds are exhausted.
We continue to manage our increasing operating costs, including increasing insurance, equipment, labor and material costs. We believe that our financial position, positive cash flows and other operational strengths will enable us to manage our markets and give us the flexibility to successfully execute our strategies. We continue to invest in developing key management and craft personnel in both our T&D and C&I markets and in procuring the specific specialty equipment and tooling needed to win and execute projects of all sizes and complexity. In 2022 and 2021, we invested in capital expenditures of approximately $77.1 million and $52.4 million, respectively. Most of our capital expenditures supported opportunities in our T&D business. We plan to continue to evaluate our needs for additional equipment and tooling.
Understanding Backlog
We define backlog as our estimated revenue on uncompleted contracts, including the amount of revenue on contracts for which work has not begun, less the revenue we have recognized under such contracts. Backlog may not accurately represent the revenues that we expect to realize during any particular period. Several factors, such as the timing of contract awards, the type and duration of contracts, and the mix of subcontractor and material costs in our projects, can impact our backlog at any point in time. Some of our revenue does not appear in our periodic backlog reporting because the award of the project, as well as the execution of the work, can all take place within the period. For many of our unit-price, time-and-equipment, time-and-materials and cost-plus contracts, we only include projected revenue for a three-month period in the calculation of backlog, although these types of contracts are generally awarded as part of MSAs that typically have a one- to three-year duration from execution. Additionally, the difference between our backlog and remaining performance obligations is due to the exclusion of a portion of our MSAs under certain contract types from our remaining performance obligations as these contracts can be canceled for convenience at any time by us or the customer without considerable cost incurred by the customer. Our backlog includes projects that have a written award, a letter of intent, a notice to proceed or an agreed upon work order to perform work on mutually accepted terms and conditions. Our estimated backlog also includes our proportionate share of our unconsolidated joint venture contracts.
Changes in backlog from period to period are primarily the result of fluctuations in the timing of awards and revenue recognition of contracts. Backlog should not be relied upon as a stand-alone indicator of future events.
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Understanding Gross Margins
Our gross margin is gross profit expressed as a percentage of revenues. Gross profit is calculated by subtracting contract costs from revenue. Contract costs consist primarily of salaries, wages and benefits to employees, depreciation, fuel and other equipment expenses, equipment rentals, subcontracted services, insurance, facilities expenses, materials and parts and supplies. Various factors affect our gross margins on a quarterly or annual basis, including those listed below.
Performance Risk. Margins may fluctuate because of the volume of work and the impacts of pricing and job productivity, which can be impacted both favorably and negatively by customer decisions and crew productivity, as well as other factors. When comparing a service contract between periods, factors affecting the gross margins associated with the revenues generated by the contract may include pricing under the contract, the volume of work performed under the contract, the mix of the type of work specifically being performed, the availability of labor resources at expected labor rates and the productivity of the crews performing the work. Productivity can be influenced by many factors including the experience level of the crew, whether the work is on an open or encumbered right of way, weather conditions, geographical conditions, trade stacking, performance of other sub-trades, schedule changes, effects of environmental restrictions, equipment availability and regulatory and permitting delays.
Revenue Mix and Contract Terms. The mix of revenue derived from the industries we serve will impact gross margins. Changes in our customers’ spending patterns in each of the industries we serve can cause an imbalance in supply and demand and, therefore, affect margins and mix of revenue by industry served. Storm restoration services typically command higher profit margins than other maintenance services. Seasonal and weather factors, as noted below, can impact the timing at which customers perform maintenance and repairs, which can cause a shift in the revenue mix. Some of our time-and-equipment, time-and-materials and cost-plus contracts include shared savings clauses, in which the contract includes a target price and we agree to share savings from that target price with our customer. Additionally, new construction work has a higher gross margin than maintenance and repair work. New construction work is often obtained on a fixed-price basis, which carries a higher risk than other types of pricing arrangements because a contractor can bear the risk of increased expenses. As such, we generally bid fixed-price contracts with higher profit margins. We typically derive approximately 25% to 45% of our revenue from maintenance and repair work that is performed under pre-established or negotiated prices or cost-plus pricing arrangements which generally allow us a set margin above our costs. Thus, the mix between new construction work, at fixed-price, and maintenance and repair work, at cost-plus, in a given period will impact gross margin in that period. The timing of accounting recognition of such savings can impact our margins. In addition, change orders and claims can impact our margins. Costs related to change orders and claims are recognized in contract costs when incurred, but revenue related to change orders is only recognized when it is probable that the change order will result in an addition to contract value and can be reliably estimated, whereas revenue related to claims is recognized only to the extent that contract costs related to the claim have been incurred and when it is probable that the claim will result in an addition to contract value which can be reliably estimated. Generally, no profit is recognized on a claim until final settlement occurs.
Seasonal, Weather and Geographical. Seasonal patterns, primarily related to weather conditions and the availability of system outages, can have a significant impact on gross margins in a given period. It is typical during the winter months that parts of the country may experience snow or rainfall, which can affect our crews’ ability to work efficiently. Additionally, our T&D customers often cannot remove their T&D lines from service during the summer months, when consumer demand for electricity is at its peak, delaying maintenance and repair services. In both cases, projects may be delayed or temporarily placed on hold. Conversely, in periods when weather remains dry and temperatures are moderate, more work can be done, sometimes with less cost, which would have a favorable impact on gross margins. The mix of business conducted in different parts of the country could also affect margins, as some parts of the country offer the opportunity for higher margins than others due to the geographic characteristics associated with the location where the work is being performed. Such characteristics include whether the project is performed in an urban versus a rural setting; in a mountainous area or in open terrain; or in normal soil conditions or rocky terrain. Site conditions, including unforeseen underground conditions, can also impact margins.
Depreciation and Amortization. We include depreciation on equipment and finance lease amortization in contract costs. This is common practice in our industry, but can make comparability to other companies difficult. We spend a significant amount of capital on property, facilities and equipment, with the majority of such expenditures being used to purchase additional specialized equipment to enhance our fleet and to reduce our reliance on lease arrangements and short term equipment rentals. We believe the investment in specialized equipment helps to reduce our costs, improve our margins and provide us with valuable flexibility to take on additional and complex projects.
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Material and Subcontract Costs. Projects that include a greater amount of material or subcontractor costs can experience lower overall project gross margins as we typically add a lower mark-up to material and subcontractor costs in our bids than what we would to our labor and equipment cost. In addition, successful completion of our contracts may depend on whether our subcontractors successfully fulfill their contractual obligations. If our subcontractors fail to satisfactorily perform their contractual obligations as a result of financial or other difficulties, we may be required to incur additional costs and provide additional services in order to make up for such shortfalls. Additionally, we are required to allocate more working capital to projects when we are required to provide materials.
Insurance. Gross margins could be impacted by fluctuations in insurance accruals related to our deductibles and loss history in the period in which such adjustments are made. We carry insurance policies, which are subject to high deductibles, for workers’ compensation, general liability, automobile liability and other coverages. Losses up to the deductible amounts are accrued based upon estimates of the ultimate liability for claims reported and an estimate of claims incurred but not yet reported.
Fleet Availability, Cost, Utilization, Estimation, and Bidding. We operate a centrally-managed fleet in the United States in an effort to control rising costs and achieve efficient equipment utilization. We also develop internal equipment rates which provide our business units with appropriate cost information to estimate bids for new projects. Availability of equipment for a particular contract is determined by our internal fleet ordering process which is designed to optimize the use of internal fleet assets and allocate equipment costs to individual contracts. We believe these processes allow us to utilize our equipment efficiently, which leads to improved gross margins. Transmission and distribution projects can require different types of equipment. A significant shift in project mix or timing could impact fleet utilization, causing gross margins to vary.
Cost of Material. On fixed-price contracts where we are required to provide materials, our overall gross margin may be affected if we experience increases in the quantity or costs of materials. Projects that include a greater amount of material cost can experience lower overall project gross margins as we typically add a lower mark-up to material cost in our bids than what we would add to our labor and equipment cost.
Our team of trained estimators helps us to determine potential costs and revenues and make informed decisions on whether to bid for a project and, if bid, the rates to use in estimating the costs for that bid. The ability to accurately estimate labor, equipment, subcontracting and material costs in connection with a new project may affect the gross margins achieved for the project.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) consist primarily of compensation, related benefits and employee costs for management and administrative personnel, office rent and utilities, stock compensation, communications, professional fees, depreciation, IT expenses, marketing costs and bad debt expense.
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Consolidated Results of Operations
The following table sets forth selected statements of operations data and such data as a percentage of revenues for the years indicated:
Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2021
For the year ended December 31,
(dollars in thousands) 2022 2021
Contract revenues $ 3,008,542 100.0 % $ 2,498,289 100.0 %
Contract costs 2,664,580 88.6 2,173,308 87.0
Gross profit 343,962 11.4 324,981 13.0
Selling, general and administrative expenses 222,424 7.4 207,208 8.3
Amortization of intangible assets 9,009 0.3 2,311 0.1
Gain on sale of property and equipment (2,378) (0.1) (3,098) (0.1)
Income from operations 114,907 3.8 118,560 4.7
Other income (expense):
Interest income 187 — 70 —
Interest expense (3,563) (0.1) (1,799) (0.1)
Other income (expense), net 2,673 0.1 (525) —
Income before provision for income taxes 114,204 3.8 116,306 4.6
Income tax expense 30,823 1.0 31,300 1.2
Net income 83,381 2.8 85,006 3.4
Less: net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest — — (4) —
Net income attributable to MYR Group Inc. $ 83,381 2.8 % $ 85,010 3.4 %
Revenues. Revenues increased $510.2 million, or 20.4%, to $3.01 billion for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $2.50 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily due to an increase in revenue on transmission projects, an increase in revenues on distribution projects, including incremental distribution revenues from the Powerline Plus Companies, and an increase in C&I revenue in certain geographical areas.
Gross margin. Gross margin decreased to 11.4% for the year ended December 31, 2022 from 13.0% for the year ended December 31, 2021. The decrease in gross margin was primarily due to overall cost increases mainly associated with supply chain disruptions and inflation. Gross margin was also negatively impacted by labor and equipment inefficiencies, unfavorable change order adjustments and inclement weather experienced on certain projects. These margin decreases were partially offset by favorable job close outs, better-than-anticipated productivity on certain projects and favorable change order adjustments on certain projects. Changes in estimates of gross profit on certain projects resulted in a gross margin decrease of 0.4% and an increase of 0.4% for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Gross profit. Gross profit increased $19.0 million, or 5.8%, to $344.0 million for year ended December 31, 2022 from $325.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to higher revenues, partially offset by lower margins.
Selling, general and administrative expenses. SG&A, was $222.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, an increase of $15.2 million from $207.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to the acquisition of the Powerline Plus Companies and an increase in employee-related expenses to support the growth in our operations, partially offset by a decrease in employee incentive compensation costs.
Amortization of intangible assets . Amortization of intangible assets was $9.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $2.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The period-over-period increase of $6.7 million was primarily due to amortization related to certain intangibles acquired with the Powerline Plus Companies.
Gain on sale of property and equipment. Gains from the sale of property and equipment in the year ended December 31, 2022 were $2.4 million compared to $3.1 million in the year ended December 31, 2021. Gains from the sale of property and equipment are attributable to routine sales of property and equipment that is no longer useful or valuable to our ongoing operations.
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Interest expense. Interest expense was $3.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $1.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. This increase was primarily attributable to higher outstanding debt and interest rates during the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021.
Other income (expense), net . Other income was $2.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to other expense of $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The change was largely due to funds received under the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy program, which were attributable to a C&I segment company. Other income was also positively impacted by an adjustment to contingent earn-out consideration related to the acquisition of the Powerline Plus Companies.
Income tax expense. Income tax expense was $30.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, with an effective tax rate of 27.0%, compared to $31.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, with an effective tax rate of 26.9%. The increase in the tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily due to adjustments associated with the prior year global intangible low tax income (“GILTI”), partially offset by a favorable impact from stock compensation excess tax benefits.
Net income. Net income decreased to $83.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $85.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The decrease was primarily for the reasons stated above.
Segment Results
The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, statements of operations data by segment, segment net sales as a percentage of total net sales and segment operating income as a percentage of segment net sales:
For the Year Ended December 31,
2022 2021
(dollars in thousands) Amount Percent Amount Percent
Contract revenues:
Transmission & Distribution $ 1,745,792 58.0 % $ 1,301,587 52.1 %
Commercial & Industrial 1,262,750 42.0 1,196,702 47.9
Total $ 3,008,542 100.0 $ 2,498,289 100.0
Operating income (loss):
Transmission & Distribution $ 138,886 8.0 $ 132,738 10.2
Commercial & Industrial 43,159 3.4 54,418 4.5
Total 182,045 6.0 187,156 7.5
Corporate (67,138) (2.2) (68,596) (2.7)
Consolidated $ 114,907 3.8 % $ 118,560 4.8 %
Transmission & Distribution
Revenues for our T&D segment for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $1.75 billion compared to $1.30 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $444.2 million, or 34.1%. The increase in revenue was primarily related to an increase in revenue on transmission projects, and an increase in revenues on distribution projects, including incremental distribution revenues from the Powerline Plus Companies.
Operating income for our T&D segment for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $138.9 million compared to $132.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $6.2 million, or 4.6%. The increase in T&D operating income from the prior year was primarily due to higher revenues and a favorable job close-out. These increases were partially offset by the additional $6.7 million of amortization related to certain intangibles acquired with the Powerline Plus Companies and an unfavorable change order adjustment on a project. Operating income was also negatively impacted by overall cost increases from supply chain disruptions, labor inefficiencies, inflation and inclement weather experienced on certain projects. Operating income, as a percentage of revenues, for our T&D segment decreased to 8.0% for the year ended December 31, 2022 from 10.2% for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Commercial & Industrial
Revenues for our C&I segment for the year ended December 31, 2022 were $1.26 billion compared to $1.20 billion for the year ended December 31, 2021, an increase of $66.1 million, or 5.5%, primarily due to an increase in revenue in certain geographic areas.
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Operating income for our C&I segment for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $43.2 million compared to $54.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, a decrease of $11.2 million, or 20.7%. The year-over-year decrease in operating income was primarily due to overall cost increases mainly associated with supply chain disruptions and inflation. Operating income was also negatively impacted by labor inefficiencies on certain projects and an unfavorable change order adjustment on a project. The decrease in operating income was partially offset by better-than-anticipated productivity on various projects, favorable change order adjustments on certain projects and a favorable job close out. Operating income, as a percentage of revenues, for our C&I segment decreased to 3.4% for the year ended December 31, 2022 from 4.5% for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Corporate
The decrease in corporate expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 was primarily attributable to a decrease in employee incentive compensation costs, partially offset by an increase in employee-related expenses to support the growth in our operations.
Non-GAAP Measures
EBITDA
EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure used by management that we define as net income attributable to MYR Group Inc. plus net income from noncontrolling interests, interest expense net of interest income, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization, as shown in the following table. EBITDA does not purport to be an alternative to net income attributable to MYR Group Inc. as a measure of operating performance or to net cash flows provided by operating activities as a measure of liquidity. We believe that EBITDA is useful to investors and other external users of our Consolidated Financial Statements in evaluating our operating performance and cash flow because EBITDA is widely used by investors to measure a company’s operating performance without regard to items such as interest expense, taxes, depreciation and amortization, which can vary substantially from company to company depending upon accounting methods, book value of assets, useful lives placed on assets, capital structure and the method by which assets were acquired. Because not all companies define EBITDA as we do, this presentation of EBITDA may not be comparable to other similarly-titled measures of other companies. We use, and we believe investors benefit from, the presentation of EBITDA in evaluating our operating performance because it provides us and our investors with an additional tool to compare our operating performance on a consistent basis by removing the impact of certain items that management believes do not directly reflect our core operations.
Using EBITDA as a performance measure has material limitations as compared to net income, or other financial measures as defined under GAAP, as it excludes certain recurring items, which may be meaningful to investors. EBITDA excludes interest expense net of interest income; however, as we have borrowed money to finance transactions and operations, or invested available cash to generate interest income, interest expense and interest income are elements of our cost structure and can affect our ability to generate revenue and returns for our shareholders. Further, EBITDA excludes depreciation and amortization; however, as we use capital and intangible assets to generate revenues, depreciation and amortization are necessary elements of our costs and ability to generate revenue. Finally, EBITDA excludes income taxes; however, as we are organized as a corporation, the payment of taxes is a necessary element of our operations. As a result of these exclusions from EBITDA, any measure that excludes interest expense net of interest income, depreciation and amortization and income taxes has material limitations as compared to net income. When using EBITDA as a performance measure, management compensates for these limitations by comparing EBITDA to net income in each period, to allow for the comparison of the performance of the underlying core operations with the overall performance of the company on a full-cost, after-tax basis. Using both EBITDA and net income to evaluate the business allows management and investors to (a) assess our relative performance against our competitors and (b) monitor our capacity to generate returns for our shareholders.
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The following table provides a reconciliation of net income attributable to MYR Group Inc. to EBITDA:
For the year ended December 31,
(in thousands) 2022 2021 2020
Net income attributable to MYR Group Inc. $ 83,381 $ 85,010 $ 58,759
Net loss - noncontrolling interests — (4) —
Net income 83,381 85,006 58,759
Interest expense, net 3,376 1,729 4,554
Income tax expense 30,823 31,300 22,626
Depreciation and amortization 58,170 46,205 46,453
EBITDA $ 175,750 $ 164,240 $ 132,392
We also use EBITDA as a liquidity measure. Certain material covenants contained within our credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) are based on EBITDA with certain additional adjustments as defined in the Credit Agreement. Non-compliance with these financial covenants under the Credit Agreement — our interest coverage ratio which is defined in the Credit Agreement as Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement) divided by interest expense (as defined in the Credit Agreement) and our leverage ratio, which is defined in the Credit Agreement as Consolidated Total Indebtedness (as defined in the Credit Agreement), divided by Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement) — could result in our lenders requiring us to immediately repay all amounts borrowed. If we anticipated a potential covenant violation, we would seek relief from our lenders, likely causing us to incur additional cost, and such relief might not be available, or if available, might not be on terms as favorable as those in the Credit Agreement. In addition, if we cannot satisfy these financial covenants, we would be prohibited under the Credit Agreement from engaging in certain activities, such as incurring additional indebtedness, making certain payments, and acquiring or disposing of assets. Based on the information above, management believes that the presentation of EBITDA as a liquidity measure is useful to investors and relevant to their assessment of our capacity to service or incur debt, fund capital expenditures, finance acquisitions and expand our operations.
The following table provides a reconciliation of net cash flows provided by operating activities to EBITDA:
For the year ended December 31,
(in thousands) 2022 2021 2020
Net cash flows provided by operating activities $ 167,484 $ 137,228 $ 175,167
Add/(subtract)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities (8,522) 6,554 (67,770)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows provided by operating activities (75,581) (58,776) (48,638)
Depreciation and amortization 58,170 46,205 46,453
Income tax expense 30,823 31,300 22,626
Interest expense, net 3,376 1,729 4,554
EBITDA $ 175,750 $ 164,240 $ 132,392
Working Capital
Working capital is a non-GAAP measure. We believe working capital is useful to investors and other external users of our Consolidated Financial Statements in evaluating our operating performance. The Company defines working capital as total current assets less total current liabilities. The following table provides the Company’s calculation of working capital:
As of December 31,
(in thousands) 2022 2021 2020
Total current assets $ 890,291 $ 748,390 $ 636,684
Less: total current liabilities (666,960) (498,599) (443,400)
Working capital $ 223,331 $ 249,791 $ 193,284
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Liquidity, Capital Resources and Material Cash Requirements
As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had working capital of $223.3 million and $249.8 million, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2022, our operating activities provided cash of $167.5 million, compared to $137.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Cash flow from operations is primarily influenced by demand for our services, operating margins, timing of contract performance and the type of services we provide to our customers. The $30.3 million year-over-year increase in cash provided by operating activities was primarily due to favorable net changes in operating assets and liabilities of $15.1 million, partially offset by a $1.6 million decrease in net income. The favorable change in operating assets and liabilities was primarily due to the favorable change of $27.0 million in prepaid expenses and other assets, partially offset by the net unfavorable changes of $16.6 million in other liabilities. The favorable change in prepaid expenses and other assets was primarily due to the timing of insurance payments and the prepayment of materials required for certain projects. The unfavorable change in other liabilities was primarily due to lower bonus and profit sharing accruals, and payments related to our deferral under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act") partially offset by the timing of other employee related wage and tax payments. In addition, the net favorable year-over-year changes in various working capital accounts that relate primarily to the timing of costs incurred on work performed that does not coincide with the billing terms (accounts receivable, contract assets, accounts payable and contract liabilities) was $0.3 million.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we used net cash of $185.7 million and $49.3 million, respectively, in investing activities. The $185.7 million of cash used in investing activities in the year ended December 31, 2022 consisted of $110.7 million to acquire the Powerline Plus Companies, $77.1 million for capital expenditures, partially offset by $2.0 million of proceeds from the sale of equipment. The $49.3 million of cash used in investing activities in the year ended December 31, 2021 consisted of $52.4 million for capital expenditures, partially offset by $3.1 million of proceeds from the sale of equipment.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, we used cash of $9.3 million, and $28.1 million, respectively in financing activities. The $9.3 million of cash used in financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2022 consisted primarily of $37.0 million of shares repurchases under our share repurchase program, $6.8 million of shares repurchased to satisfy tax obligations under our stock compensation programs, $1.6 million of repayments of finance lease obligations and $1.0 million of net repayments under our master equipment loan agreements. These uses of cash during the year ended December 31, 2022, were partially offset by $24.2 million of borrowing under our equipment notes and $12.9 million of net borrowing under our revolving line of credit. The $28.1 million of cash used in financing activities in the year ended December 31, 2021 consisted primarily of $24.9 million of net repayments under our master equipment loan agreements, and $3.4 million of cash used to purchase shares surrendered by employees to satisfy tax obligations under our stock compensation programs.
We believe our $349.3 million borrowing availability under our revolving line of credit at December 31, 2022, future cash flow from operations and our ability to utilize short-term and long-term leases will provide sufficient liquidity for our short-tern and long-term needs. Our primary short-term liquidity needs include cash for operations, debt service requirements, capital expenditures, acquisition and joint venture opportunities. We believe we have adequate sources of liquidity to meet our long-term liquidity needs and foreseeable material cash requirements, including those associated with funding future acquisition opportunities. We continue to invest in developing key management and craft personnel in both our T&D and C&I markets and in procuring the specific specialty equipment and tooling needed to win and execute projects of all sizes and complexity.
We have not historically paid dividends and currently do not expect to pay dividends.
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Debt Instruments
Credit Agreement
On September 13, 2019, we entered into a five-year amended and restated credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Bank of America, N.A. The Credit Agreement provides for a facility of $375 million (the “Facility”), subject to certain financial covenants as defined in the Credit Agreement, that may be used for revolving loans of which $150 million may be used for letters of credit. The Facility also allows for revolving loans and letters of credit in Canadian dollars and other currencies, up to the U.S. dollar equivalent of $75 million. We have an expansion option to increase the commitments under the Facility or enter into incremental term loans, subject to certain conditions, by up to an additional $200 million upon receipt of additional commitments from new or existing lenders. Subject to certain exceptions, the Facility is secured by substantially all of our assets and the assets of our domestic subsidiaries and by a pledge of substantially all of the capital stock of our domestic subsidiaries and 65% of the capital stock of our direct foreign subsidiaries. Additionally, subject to certain exceptions, our domestic subsidiaries also guarantee the repayment of all amounts due under the Credit Agreement. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Credit Agreement, amounts outstanding under the Facility may be accelerated and may become or be declared immediately due and payable. Borrowings under the Facility are used for refinancing existing debt, working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions, share repurchases and other general corporate purposes.
Amounts borrowed under the Credit Agreement bear interest, at our option, at a rate equal to either (1) the Alternate Base Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement), plus an applicable margin ranging from 0.00% to 0.75%; or (2) Adjusted LIBO Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.00% to 1.75%. Once LIBOR is no longer available, we will amend the Credit Agreement to transition from LIBOR to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) or will elect the Alternate Base Rate. The applicable margin is determined based on our consolidated leverage ratio (“Leverage Ratio”) which is defined in the Credit Agreement as Consolidated Total Indebtedness (as defined in the Credit Agreement) divided by Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement). Letters of credit issued under the Facility are subject to a letter of credit fee of 1.00% to 1.75% for non-performance letters of credit or 0.50% to 0.875% for performance letters of credit, based on our consolidated Leverage Ratio. We are subject to a commitment fee of 0.15% to 0.25%, based on our consolidated Leverage Ratio, on any unused portion of the Facility. The Credit Agreement restricts certain types of payments when our consolidated Leverage Ratio exceeds 2.50 or our consolidated Liquidity (as defined in the Credit Agreement) is less than $50 million.
Under the Credit Agreement, we are subject to certain financial covenants and are limited to a maximum consolidated Leverage Ratio of 3.0 and a minimum interest coverage ratio of 3.0. The minimum interest coverage ratio is defined in the Credit Agreement as Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement) divided by interest expense (as defined in the Credit Agreement). The Credit Agreement also contains a number of covenants, including limitations on asset sales, investments, indebtedness and liens. We were in compliance with all of the financial covenants under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2022.
As of December 31, 2022 we had $12.9 million debt outstanding under the Facility. We had no debt outstanding under the Facility as of December 31, 2021.
Letters of Credit
Some of our vendors require letters of credit to ensure reimbursement for amounts they are disbursing on our behalf, such as to beneficiaries under our insurance programs. In addition, from time to time certain customers require us to post letters of credit to ensure payment to our subcontractors and vendors and guarantee performance under our contracts. Such letters of credit are generally issued by a bank or similar financial institution typically pursuant to our senior credit facility. Each letter of credit commits the issuer to pay specified amounts to the holder of the letter of credit if the holder claims that we have failed to perform specified actions. If this were to occur, we would be required to reimburse the issuer of the letter of credit. Depending on the circumstances of such a reimbursement, we may also have to record a charge to earnings for the reimbursement.
As of December 31, 2022, and 2021 we had $12.8 million and $12.3 million, respectively, in nonperformance letters of credit outstanding under our Credit Agreement which were almost entirely related to the Company's payment obligation under its insurance programs. These are irrevocable, standby letters of credit with maturities expiring at various times throughout 2023. We expect to renew the letters of credit related to the insurance programs for subsequent one-year periods upon their maturity. We are not aware of any claims currently asserted or threatened under any of these letters of credit that are material, individually or in the aggregate. However, to the extent payment is required for any of such claims, the amount paid could be material and could adversely affect cash flows.
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Equipment Notes
We have entered into multiple Master Loan Agreements with multiple banks. The Master Loan Agreements may be used for financing of equipment between us and the lenders pursuant to one or more equipment notes (“Equipment Notes”). Each Equipment Note constitutes a separate, distinct and independent financing of equipment and contractual obligation.
As of December 31, 2022, we had two outstanding Equipment Notes collateralized by equipment and vehicles owned by us. As of December 31, 2022, we also had one other equipment note outstanding collateralized by a vehicle owned by us. The outstanding balance of all Equipment Notes was $27.6 million as of December 31, 2022, of which $5.1 million was due in the next twelve months. As of December 31, 2021, we had one outstanding Equipment Note collateralized by equipment and vehicles owned by us. The outstanding balance of these Equipment Notes was $4.5 million as of December 31, 2021, of which $1.0 million was due in the next twelve months.
Lease Obligations
From time to time, the Company enters into non-cancelable leases for some of our facility, vehicle and equipment needs. These leases allow the Company to conserve cash by paying a monthly lease rental fee for the use of facilities, vehicles and equipment rather than purchasing them. The Company’s leases have remaining terms ranging from one to seven years, some of which may include options to extend the leases for up to five years, and some of which may include options to terminate the leases within one year. Typically, the Company has purchase options on the equipment underlying its long-term leases and many of its short-term rental arrangements. The Company may exercise some of these purchase options when the need for equipment is ongoing and the purchase option price is attractive.
The outstanding balance of operating lease obligations was $30.5 million as of December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, we had outstanding short-term and long-term operating lease obligations of approximately $9.7 million and $20.8 million, respectively. The outstanding balance of operating lease obligations was $21.0 million as of December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, we had outstanding short-term and long-term operating lease obligations of approximately $7.8 million and $13.2 million, respectively.
As of December 31, 2022, we had $3.4 million outstanding finance lease obligations, consisting of short-term and long-term finance lease obligations of approximately $1.1 million and $2.3 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, we had no outstanding finance lease obligations.
Purchase Commitments for Construction Equipment
As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $14.1 million in outstanding purchase obligations for certain construction equipment to be paid with cash outlays scheduled to occur over the first four months of 2023.
Performance and Payment Bonds and Parent Guarantees
Many customers, particularly in connection with new construction, require us to post performance and payment bonds issued by a financial institution known as a surety. These bonds provide a guarantee to the customer that we will perform under the terms of a contract and that we will pay subcontractors and vendors. If we fail to perform under a contract or to pay subcontractors and vendors, the customer may demand that the surety make payments or provide services under the bond. We must reimburse our sureties for any expenses or outlays they incur. Under our continuing indemnity and security agreements with our sureties, with the consent of our lenders under the Credit Agreement, we have granted security interests in certain of our assets to collateralize our obligations to the surety. We may be required to post letters of credit or other collateral in favor of the surety or our customers. Posting letters of credit in favor of the surety or our customers reduces the borrowing availability under the Credit Agreement. To date, we have not been required to make any reimbursements to any of our sureties for bond-related costs. We believe that it is unlikely that we will have to fund significant claims under our surety arrangements. As of December 31, 2022, an aggregate of approximately $1.97 billion in original face amount of bonds issued by our sureties were outstanding. Our estimated remaining cost to complete these bonded projects was approximately $880.2 million as of December 31, 2022.
From time to time we guarantee the obligations of our wholly-owned subsidiaries, including obligations under certain contracts with customers, certain lease agreements, and, in some states, obligations in connection with obtaining contractors’ licenses. Additionally, from time to time we are required to post letters of credit to guarantee the obligations of our wholly-owned subsidiaries, which reduces the borrowing availability under our credit facility.
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Concentration of Credit Risk
We grant trade credit under contractual payment terms, generally without collateral, to our customers, which include high credit quality electric utilities, governmental entities, general contractors and builders, owners and managers of commercial and industrial properties. Consequently, we are subject to potential credit risk related to changes in business and economic factors. However, we generally have certain statutory lien rights with respect to services provided. Under certain circumstances such as foreclosures or negotiated settlements, we may take title to the underlying assets in lieu of cash in settlement of receivables. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, none of our customers individually exceeded 10.0% of our accounts receivable.
New Accounting Pronouncements
For a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements, see Note 1 — Organization, Business and Significant Accounting Policies in the Notes to our Financial Statements.
Critical Accounting Policies
The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our Financial Statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these Financial Statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities known to exist at the date of the Financial Statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis, based on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. There can be no assurance that actual results will not differ from those estimates. We believe the following accounting policies affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our Financial Statements:
Revenue Recognition. We recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that we expect to be entitled to in exchange for goods or services provided. Revenue associated with contracts with customers is recognized over time as our performance creates or enhances customer-controlled assets or creates or enhances an asset with no alternative use, for which we have an enforceable right to receive compensation as defined under the contract. To determine the amount of revenue to recognize over time, we estimate profit by determining the difference between total estimated revenue and total estimated cost of a contract. In addition, we estimate a cost accrual every quarter that represents unbilled invoicing activity for services performed by subcontractors and suppliers during the quarter, and estimate revenue from the contract cost portion of this accrual based on current gross margin rates to be consistent with our cost method of revenue recognition. The estimated value of unbilled amounts are determined using a regression analysis that estimates value based on our historical experience, and is adjusted for large individual projects. The profit and corresponding revenue is recognized over the contract term based on costs incurred under the cost-to-cost method. We utilized the cost-to-cost method as we believe cost incurred best represents the amount of work completed and remaining on our projects, and is the most common basis for computing percentage of completion in our industry. For purposes of recognizing revenue, we follow the five-step approach outlined in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606-10-25.
As the cost-to-cost method is driven by incurred cost, we calculate the percentage of completion by dividing costs incurred to date by the total estimated cost. The percentage of completion is then multiplied by estimated revenues to determine inception-to-date revenue. Revenue recognized for the period is the current inception-to-date recognized revenue less the prior period inception-to-date recognized revenue. If a contract is projected to result in a loss, the entire contract loss is recognized in the period when the loss was first determined and the amount of the loss is updated in subsequent reporting periods. Because our billings are based on contract terms and do not coincide with our progress in a project, revenue recognition also includes an amount related to our contract asset or contract liability. If the recognized revenue is greater than the amount billed to the customer, a contract asset is recorded. Additionally, the contract asset includes retainage billed to the customer that cannot be collected until the contract work has been completed and approved. Conversely, if the amount billed to the customer is greater than the recognized revenue, a contract liability is recorded. Additionally, the contract liability includes a liability for the excess of costs over revenues for all contracts that are in a loss position.
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Contract costs incurred to date and expected total contract costs are continuously monitored during the term of the contract. Changes in the job performance, job conditions and final contract settlements are factors that influence management’s assessment of total contract value and the total estimated costs to complete those contracts, and therefore, profit and revenue recognition. Additionally, we estimate costs to complete on fixed price contracts which are determined on an individual contract basis by evaluating each project’s status as of the balance sheet date, and using our historical experience with the level of effort required to complete the underlying project. Claims and change orders are also measured based on our historical experience with individual customers and similar contracts, and are evaluated by management individually. A change order is a modification to a contract that changes the provisions of the contract, typically resulting from changes in scope, specifications, design, manner of performance, facilities, equipment, materials, sites, or period of completion of the work under the contract. A claim is an amount in excess of the agreed-upon contract price that we seek to collect from our clients or others for client-caused delays, errors in specifications and designs, contract terminations, change orders that are either in dispute or are unapproved as to both scope and price, or other causes. We include these estimated amounts of variable consideration to the extent that it is probable there will not be a significant reversal of revenue. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we recognized revenues of $19.6 million and $2.4 million, respectively, related to significant change orders and/or claims that had been included as contract price adjustments on certain contracts, some of which are multi-year projects.
Some of our contracts may have contract terms that include variable consideration such as safety or performance bonuses or liquidated damages. In accordance with ASC 606-10-32, we estimate the variable consideration using one of two methods. In contracts in which there is a binary outcome, the most likely amount method is used. In instances in which there is a range of possible outcomes, the expected value method is used. In accordance with ASC 606-10-32-11, we include the estimated amount of variable consideration in the transaction price only to the extent that it is probable that a significant reversal in the amount of cumulative recognized revenue will not occur when the final outcome of the variable consideration is determined. In contracts in which a significant reversal may occur, we use constraint in recognizing revenue on variable consideration. Although we often enter into contracts that contain liquidated damage clauses, we rarely incur them, and as such, we do not include amounts associated with liquidated damage clauses until it is probable that liquidated damages will occur. These items are continually monitored by multiple levels of management throughout the reporting period.
A portion of the work we perform requires financial assurances in the form of performance and payment bonds or letters of credit at the time of execution of the contract. Many of our contracts include retention provisions of up to 10%, which are generally withheld from each progress payment as retainage until the contract work has been completed and approved.
The accuracy of our revenue and profit recognition in a given period is dependent on the accuracy of our estimates of the cost to complete each project. Cost estimates for all of our significant projects use a detailed “bottoms up” approach and we believe our experience typically allows us to provide materially reliable estimates. There are a number of factors that can contribute to changes in estimates of contract cost and profitability. The most significant of these include, among others:
• the completeness and accuracy of the original bid;
• costs associated with scope changes, change orders or claims;
• costs of labor and/or materials;
• extended overhead due to owner, weather and other delays;
• subcontractor performance issues;
• changes in productivity expectations;
• site conditions that differ from those assumed in the original bid (to the extent contract remedies are unavailable);
• the availability and skill level of workers in the geographic location of the project; and
• a change in the availability and proximity of equipment and materials.
The foregoing factors as well as the stage of completion of contracts in process and the mix of contracts at different margins may cause fluctuations in gross profit between periods. During the year ended December 31, 2022, changes in estimates pertaining to certain projects decreased consolidated gross margin by 0.4%. During the year ended December 31, 2021, changes in estimates pertaining to certain projects increased consolidated gross margin by 0.4%. During the year ended December 31, 2020, changes in estimates pertaining to certain projects decreased consolidated gross margin by 0.8%.
We provide warranties to customers on a basis customary to the industry; however, the warranty period does not typically exceed one year. Historically, warranty claims have not been material.
Total revenues do not include sales tax as we consider ourselves a pass-through conduit for collecting and remitting sales taxes. Sales tax and value added tax collected from customers is included in other current liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets.
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Insurance. We carry insurance policies, which are subject to certain deductibles, for workers’ compensation, general liability, automobile liability and other coverages. Our deductible for each line of coverage is up to $1.0 million, except for wildfire coverage which has a deductible of $2.0 million. Certain health benefit plans are subject to stop-loss limits of up to $0.2 million, for qualified individuals. Losses up to the deductible and stop-loss amounts are accrued based upon our estimates of the ultimate liability for claims reported and an estimate of claims incurred but not yet reported.
The insurance and claims accruals are based on known facts, actuarial estimates and historical trends. While recorded accruals are based on the ultimate liability, which includes amounts in excess of the deductible, a corresponding receivable for amounts in excess of the deductible is included in current assets on our consolidated balance sheets.
Stock-Based Compensation. We determine compensation expense for stock-based awards based on the estimated fair values at the grant date and recognize the related compensation expense ratably over the vesting period. We use the straight-line amortization method to recognize compensation expense related to stock-based awards, such as restricted stock and restricted stock units, that have only service conditions. This method recognizes stock compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. We recognize compensation expense related to performance awards that vest based on internal performance metrics and service conditions on a straight-line basis over the service period, but adjust inception-to-date expense based upon our determination of the expected achievement of the performance target at each reporting date which may vary from zero to 200% of the target performance awards. We recognize compensation expense related to performance awards with market-based performance metrics on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. We recognize forfeitures as they occur. Shares issued under the Company’s stock-based compensation program are taken out of authorized but unissued shares.
Goodwill and Intangibles. Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. We perform either a qualitative or quantitative assessment to review goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives for impairment on an annual basis. This assessment is performed at the beginning of the fourth quarter, or when circumstances change, such as a significant adverse change in the business climate or the decision to sell a business, both of which would indicate that impairment may have occurred. Intangible assets with finite lives are also reviewed for impairment and tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.
A qualitative assessment considers financial, industry, segment and macroeconomic factors, if the qualitative assessment indicates a potential for impairment, a quantitative assessment is performed to determine if impairment exists. The quantitative assessment begins with a comparison of the fair value of the reporting unit or intangible asset with its carrying value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit or intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to that excess, limited to the total amount of the goodwill allocated to the reporting unit or intangible asset. If the carrying value of goodwill or other indefinite lived assets exceeds its implied fair value, an impairment charge would be recorded in the statement of operations.
As a result of the annual qualitative review process in 2022 and 2020, we determined it was not necessary to perform a qualitative assessment. In 2021, we performed a quantitative assessment on our goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives, this assessment did not indicate that our goodwill or indefinite lived intangible assets were impaired.
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. We do not generally charge interest to our customers, and we carry our customer receivables at their face amounts, less an allowance for doubtful accounts. Based on our experience in recent years, the majority of customer balances at each balance sheet date are collected within twelve months. As is common practice in the industry, we classify all accounts receivable as current assets. The allowance for doubtful accounts associated with account receivables was $2.1 million as of December 31, 2022 and $2.4 million as of December 31, 2021.
We grant trade credit, on a non-collateralized basis (with the exception of lien rights against the property in certain cases) to our customers, and we are subject to potential credit risk related to changes in business and overall economic activity. We analyze specific accounts receivable balances, historical bad debts, customer credit-worthiness, current economic trends and changes in customer payment terms when evaluating the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts. In the event that a customer balance is deemed to be uncollectible the account balance is written-off against the allowance for doubtful accounts.
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