| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies a) Principles of Consolidation The Company maintains its accounting records on the accrual basis of accounting and its Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, which include voting interest entities (“VOEs”) in which the Company has determined it has a controlling financial interest in accordance with the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 810, Consolidations . All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. When applying principles of consolidation, management will identify whether an investee entity is a variable interest entity (“VIE”) or a VOE. For VOEs, the Company consolidates the entity when it controls it through majority ownership and voting rights. The Company has determined that it does not have any material interests in VIEs. The Consolidated Financial Statements are presented in U.S. dollars. Entities in which the Company has significant influence over the entity’s financial and operating policies, but does not control, are accounted for using the equity method. The Consolidated Financial Statements include the Company’s share of the income and expenses and equity movements of investees accounted for under the equity method, after adjustments to align the accounting policies with those of the Company, from the date that significant influence or joint control commences until the date that significant influence ceases. When the Company’s share of losses exceeds its interest in an investee, the carrying amount of that interest (including any long-term loans) is reduced to zero and the recognition of further losses is discontinued, except to the extent that the Company has an obligation to make or has made payments on behalf of the investee. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company had investments classified under the equity method of accounting of $114.9 million and $7.9 million, respectively. The Company also holds investments in privately-held companies that are classified as equity securities which are not required to be consolidated. Investments in which the Company does not exert significant influence and for which readily determinable fair values are not available, are accounted for at cost less any impairment in value. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, investments in equity securities without readily determinable fair values had a carrying value of approximately $35.4 million and $19.3 million, respectively, and were included in Other non-current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company did not recognize any investment related impairment losses during the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019. b) Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant items subject to estimates and assumptions include, but are not limited to, the valuation of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations, including earn-out consideration; the fair value of derivative instruments; the fair value of the Company’s defined benefit plan assets and obligations; the fair value of awards granted under stock-based compensation plans; valuation allowances for income taxes; self-insurance program liabilities; uncertain tax positions; probability of meeting performance conditions in share-based awards; impairment assessments related to goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets and variable consideration subject to accelerated revenue recognition. Although these estimates and assumptions are based on management’s judgment and best knowledge of current events and actions that the Company may undertake in the future, actual results may differ from these estimates. Estimates and underlying assumptions are evaluated on an ongoing basis and adjusted, as needed, using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment. Market factors, such as illiquid credit markets, volatile equity markets and foreign currency fluctuations can increase the uncertainty in such estimates and assumptions. The effects of such adjustments are reflected in the Consolidated Financial Statements in the periods in which they are determined. c) Revenue Recognition Since January 1, 2018, under current revenue recognition Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("Topic 606") , revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised services to clients in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those services. The Company enters into contracts and earns revenue from its Property, facilities and project management, Leasing, Capital markets and Valuation and other service lines. Revenue is recognized net of any taxes collected from customers. A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct service or a series of distinct services to the client and is the unit of account. A contract’s transaction price is allocated to each performance obligation and recognized as revenue when, or as, the performance obligation is satisfied. The Company allocates the contract’s transaction price to each performance obligation using the best estimate of the standalone selling price of each distinct service in the contract. Nature of Services Property, facilities and project management Fees earned from the delivery of the Company’s Property, facilities and project management services are recognized over time when earned under the provisions of the related agreements and are generally based on a fixed recurring fee or a variable fee, which may be based on hours incurred, a percentage mark-up on actual costs incurred or a percentage of monthly gross receipts. The Company may also earn additional revenue based on certain qualitative and quantitative performance measures, which can be based on certain key performance indicators. This additional revenue is recognized over time when earned as the performance obligation is satisfied and the fees are not deemed probable of significant reversal in future periods. When accounting for reimbursements of third-party expenses incurred on a client’s behalf, the Company determines whether it is acting as a principal or an agent in the arrangement. When the Company is acting as a principal, the Company’s revenue is reported on a gross basis and comprises the entire amount billed to the client and reported cost of services includes all expenses associated with the client. When the Company is acting as an agent, the Company’s fee is reported on a net basis as revenue for reimbursed amounts is netted against the related expenses. Within Topic 606, control of the service before transfer to the customer is the focal point of the principal versus agent assessments. The Company is a principal if it controls the services before they are transferred to the client. The presentation of revenues and expenses pursuant to these arrangements under either a gross or net basis has no impact on service line fee revenue, net income or cash flows. Leasing and Capital markets The Company records commission revenue on real estate leases and sales at the point in time when the performance obligation is satisfied, which is generally upon lease execution or transaction closing. Terms and conditions of a commission agreement may include, but are not limited to, execution of a signed lease agreement and future contingencies, including tenant’s occupancy, payment of a deposit or payment of first month’s rent (or a combination thereof). The adoption of Topic 606 resulted in an acceleration of some revenues that are based, in part, on future contingent events. For the revenues related to Leasing services, the Company’s performance obligation will typically be satisfied upon execution of a lease and the portion of the commission that is contingent on a future event will likely be recognized if deemed not subject to significant reversal, based on the Company’s estimates and judgments. The acceleration of the timing of revenue recognition also results in the acceleration of expense relating to the Company’s commission expense. Valuation and other services Valuation and advisory fees are earned upon completion of the service, which is generally upon delivery of a preliminary or final appraisal report. Consulting fees are recognized when earned under the provisions of the client contracts, which is generally upon completion of services. If the Company has multiple contracts with the same customer, the Company assesses whether the contracts are linked or are separate arrangements. The Company considers several factors in this assessment, including the timing of negotiation, interdependence with other contracts or elements and pricing and payment terms. The Company and its customers typically view each contract as a separate arrangement, as each service has standalone value, selling prices of the separate services exist and are negotiated independently and performance of the services is distinct. d) Advertising Costs Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, advertising costs of $35.4 million, $49.8 million and $52.7 million respectively, were included in Operating, administrative and other expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. e) Debt Issuance Costs, Premiums and Discounts Debt issuance costs, premiums and discounts are amortized into Interest expense over the terms of the related loan agreements using the effective interest method. Debt issuance costs, premiums and discounts related to non-revolving debt are presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the associated debt liability. Debt issuance costs related to revolving credit facilities are presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as Other non-current assets. Refer to Note 9: Long-term Debt and Other Borrowings for additional information on debt issuance costs. f) Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences attributable to differences between carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that the new rate is enacted. A valuation allowance is established against deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized in the future. In determining the amount of current and deferred tax, the Company takes into account the impact of uncertain tax positions and whether additional taxes and interest may be due. New information may become available that causes the Company to change its judgment regarding the adequacy of existing tax liabilities; such changes to tax liabilities will impact tax expense in the period that such a determination is made. The provision for income taxes comprises current and deferred income tax expense and is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. To the extent that the income taxes are for items recognized directly in equity, the related income tax effects are recognized in equity. Refer to Note 11: Income Taxes for additional information on income taxes. g) Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash balances and highly-liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. The carrying amount of cash equivalents approximates fair value. Checks issued but not presented to banks may result in book overdraft balances for accounting purposes, which are classified within short-term borrowings and the change as a component of financing cash flows. The Company also manages certain cash and cash equivalents as an agent for its property and facilities management clients. These amounts are not included in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Restricted cash Included in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets within Other current assets is restricted cash of $89.3 million and $59.1 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. These balances primarily consist of legally restricted deposits related to contracts entered with others, including clients, in the normal course of business. h) Trade and Other Receivables Trade and other receivables are presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheets net of estimated uncollectible amounts. On a periodic basis, the Company evaluates its receivables and establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical experience and other currently available information. The allowance reflects the Company’s best estimate of collectability risks on outstanding receivables. Accounts Receivable Securitization Program In March 2017, the Company entered into a revolving trade accounts receivables securitization program, which it has been amended periodically (“A/R Securitization“). The Company records the transactions as sales of receivables, derecognizes such receivables from its Consolidated Financial Statements and records a receivable for the deferred purchase price of such receivables. Refer to Note 17: Fair Value Measurements and Note 18: Accounts Receivable Securitization for additional information about the A/R Securitization. i) Property and Equipment Property and equipment is recorded at cost, net of accumulated depreciation, or in the case of finance leases, at the present value of the future minimum lease payments. Costs include expenditures that are directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset and costs incurred to prepare the asset for its intended use. Direct costs for internally developed software are capitalized during the application development stage. All costs during the preliminary project stage are expensed as incurred. The costs capitalized include consulting, licensing and direct labor costs and are amortized upon implementation of the software in production over the useful life of the software. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Depreciation of property and equipment is computed on a straight-line basis over the asset’s estimated useful life. Assets held under finance leases are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term or their useful lives unless it is reasonably certain that the Company will obtain ownership by the end of the lease term. The Company’s estimated useful lives are as follows: Furniture and equipment 1 to 15 years Leasehold improvements 1 to 20 years Equipment under finance lease Shorter of lease term or asset useful life Software 1 to 10 years The Company evaluates the reasonableness of the useful lives of property and equipment at least annually. In addition, the Company reviews property and equipment for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If this review indicates that such assets are impaired, the impairment is recognized in the period the changes occur and represent the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value. j) Business Combinations, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Acquired identifiable assets, liabilities and any non-controlling interests are recorded at fair value at the date of acquisition. Any excess of the cost of the business combination over the fair value of those assets and liabilities is recognized as goodwill on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized and are stated at cost. Definite-lived intangible assets are stated at cost less accumulated amortization. Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the intangible assets. The Company evaluates the reasonableness of the useful lives of these intangibles at least annually. Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are tested for impairment annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that they may be impaired. The Company records an impairment loss for other definite and indefinite-lived intangible assets if the fair value of the asset is less than the asset’s carrying amount. No material impairments of intangible assets were recognized during any of the periods presented. On an annual basis, the Company assesses whether the fair value of a reporting unit (“RU”) is less than its carrying amount by performing a qualitative assessment ("step zero") or quantitative assessment. The Company can either elect to perform the step zero assessment first and then proceed with the quantitative impairment test if it is more likely than not that the fair value of the RU is less than its carrying amount, or the Company can perform just the quantitative assessment. If the Company determines the quantitative impairment test is required, the estimated fair value of the RU is compared to its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the estimated fair value of a RU exceeds its carrying value, goodwill is not considered to be impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the estimated fair value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to that excess. The loss recognized cannot exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The Company has elected an annual goodwill impairment assessment date of October 1, and for the impairment test performed on October 1, 2020, the Company concluded that there were no indications of impairment. Refer to Note 6: Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for additional information regarding the Company's intangible assets. k) Accrued Claims and Settlements The Company is subject to various claims and contingencies related to lawsuits. A liability is recorded for claims and legal costs when risk of loss is probable and estimable. The Company self-insures for various risks, including workers’ compensation, general liability and medical in some jurisdictions. A liability is recorded for the Company’s obligations for both reported and incurred but not reported ("IBNR") insurance claims through assessments based on prior claims history. In addition, in the U.S., U.K. and Australia, the Company is self-insured against errors and omissions (“E&O”) claims through a primary insurance layer provided by its 100%-owned, consolidated, captive insurance subsidiary, Nottingham Indemnity, Inc., and an excess layer provided through a third-party insurance carrier. See Note 15: Commitments and Contingencies for additional information. l) Derivatives and Hedging Activities From time to time, the Company enters into derivative financial instruments, including foreign exchange forward contracts and interest rate swap or cap agreements, to manage its exposure to foreign exchange rate and interest rate risks. The Company views derivative financial instruments as a risk management tool and, accordingly, does not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. Derivatives are initially recognized at fair value at the date the derivative contracts are executed and are subsequently remeasured to their fair value at the end of each reporting period. The resulting gain or loss is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations immediately unless the derivative is designated and effective as a hedging instrument, in which case hedge accounting is applied. Hedge accounting generally provides for the matching of the timing of gain or loss recognition on the hedging instrument with the recognition of the changes in the fair value of the hedged asset or liability that are attributable to the hedged risk in a fair value hedge or the earnings effect of the hedged forecasted transactions in a cash flow hedge. Hedge accounting is discontinued when the Company revokes the hedging relationship, when the hedging instrument expires or is sold, terminated or exercised, or when it no longer qualifies for hedge accounting. Any gain or loss recognized in Other comprehensive income/(loss), net of applicable income taxes and accumulated in equity at that time, remains in equity and is recognized when the forecasted transaction is ultimately recognized in earnings. When a forecasted transaction is no longer expected to occur, the gain or loss accumulated in equity is recognized immediately in earnings. Refer to Note 8: Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities for additional information on derivative instruments. m) Foreign Currency Transactions Foreign currency transactions are recorded in the functional currency at the exchange rate at the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the reporting date are recorded in the functional currency at the foreign exchange rate at that date, which may result in a foreign currency gain or loss. Foreign currency gains or losses are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, except for differences arising on the retranslation of a financial liability designated as a hedge of the net investment in a foreign operation, or qualifying cash flow hedges, which are recognized in Other comprehensive income/(loss) and accumulated within equity. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, foreign currency transactions resulted in loss of $0.5 million, gain of $5.9 million, and a loss of $5.6 million, respectively, and were recognized within Cost of services and Operating, administrative, and other expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Foreign Currency Translation The assets and liabilities of foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars at the balance sheet date. Income and expense items are translated at the monthly average rates. Translation adjustments are included in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). n) Leases The Company enters into operating leases for real estate and equipment such as, motor vehicles and IT equipment. Leases are initially assessed at contract inception for whether the Company has the right to control the asset and are measured based on the present value of future minimum lease payments over the lease term beginning at the commencement date. The future minimum lease payments are typically discounted using an incremental borrowing rate derived from information available at the lease commencement date as our leases generally do not include implicit rates. The incremental borrowing rate is calculated based on our collateralized borrowing rate adjusted for jurisdictional considerations. The Non-current operating lease assets also include any lease payments made prior to the commencement date and are recorded net of any lease incentives. Leases typically have limited restrictions and covenants on the Company for incurring additional financial obligations. Rental payments are generally fixed, with no special terms or conditions; however, certain operating leases also include variable lease payments such as insurance, real estate taxes, and annual changes in the consumer price index (“CPI”). Additionally, the Company’s office leases may have options to extend or terminate the lease, the terms of which vary by lease; however, these options are not reasonably certain of being exercised, and the option periods are not considered in the calculation of the Non-current operating lease asset or the operating lease liability. The Company generally only enters into subleases for its real estate leases, with the terms of the subleases consistent with those of the underlying lease. Lease expense for operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term in Operating, administrative and other in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Operating lease assets are included in Non-current operating lease assets, and operating lease liabilities are included in Other current liabilities and Non-current operating lease liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Finance lease assets and liabilities are immaterial and included in Property and Equipment, net, and in Short-term borrowings, current portion of long-term debt, and Long-term debt in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively. The Company has lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, but as the Company has elected the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for all asset classes, they are not accounted for separately. Instead, consideration for the lease is allocated to a single lease component. Further, the Company has elected the practical expedient for the short-term lease exemption for all asset classes and therefore does not recognize operating lease assets or operating lease liabilities for leases with a term of 12 months or less. The impact of off-balance sheet accounting for short-term leases is immaterial. For certain equipment leases, the Company applies a portfolio approach to account for the operating lease assets and liabilities. The Company assesses lease assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the lease asset may not be recoverable. If this assessment indicates that such assets are impaired, the impairment is recognized in the period the changes occur and represent the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value. Refer to Note 14: Leases for additional information on leases. o) Share-based Payments The Company grants stock options and restricted stock awards to employees and non-employees under either the Management Equity Investment and Incentive Plan ("MEIP") or the 2018 Omnibus Plans. For the time-based awards, the grant date fair value is recognized as compensation expense using the straight-line vesting method over the vesting period, with a corresponding increase in equity or liabilities, depending on the balance sheet classification. For the performance-based awards, the grant date fair value is recognized as compensation expense as the awards vest based on the achievement of performance and market conditions, with a corresponding increase in equity or liabilities, depending on the balance sheet classification. Refer to Note 12: Stock-based Payments for additional information on the Company's stock-based compensation plans. p) Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements The Company has adopted the following new accounting standards that have been recently issued: Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (together with all subsequent amendments, (Topic 326)), which replaces the current U.S. GAAP that requires an incurred loss methodology for recognizing credit losses and delays recognition until it is probable a loss has been incurred. Topic 326 replaces the incurred loss methodology with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of reasonable and supportable information to estimate credit losses. Trade and other receivables are presented on the Consolidated Balance Sheets net of estimated expected credit losses. Upon initial recognition of a receivable, the Company estimates credit losses over the contractual term of the receivable and establishes an allowance based on historical experience, current available information and expectations of future economic conditions. The Company mitigates credit loss risk from its trade receivables by assessing customers for creditworthiness, including review of credit ratings, financial position, and historical experience with similar customers within similar geographic regions, where available. Credit risk is limited due to ongoing monitoring, high geographic customer distribution and low concentration of risk. As the risk of loss is determined to be similar based on the credit risk factors, the Company aggregates its trade receivables on a collective basis when assessing estimated credit losses. The Company adopted Topic 326 on January 1, 2020 in accordance with the modified retrospective approach, which resulted in an immaterial cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of Accumulated deficit. Leases In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (together with all subsequent amendments, Topic 842 ), which replaced most existing lease guidance under U.S. GAAP when it became effective on January 1, 2019. The new guidance requires a lessee to record a Non-current operating lease asset and a corresponding lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. The Company elected to use the optional transition method upon adoption and did not revise comparative financial statements or disclosures. Adoption of Topic 842 did not have an impact on the opening balance of Accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2019. Refer to Note 14: Leases for additional information on leases. Stock Compensation In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation - Stock Compensation: Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718) . The ASU supersedes ASC 505-50, Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees and expands the scope of Topic 718 to include stock-based payments granted to non-employees. Under the new guidance, the measurement date and performance and vesting conditions for stock-based payments to non-employees are aligned with those of employees, most notably aligning the award measurement date with the grant date of an award. The new guidance is required to be adopted using the modified retrospective transition approach. The Company adopted the new guidance effective January 1, 2019, with an immaterial impact on its financial statements and related disclosures. Derivatives and Hedging In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities (Topic 815) . The new guidance eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and is intended to reduce the complexity of applying hedge accounting by simplifying the designation and measurement of hedging instruments. The ASU is required to be applied retrospectively to eliminate the separate measurement of ineffectiveness through a cumulative-effect adjustment to Accumulated other comprehensive income with a corresponding adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. The new guidance is required to be adopted using the retrospective approach. The Company adopted the new guidance effective January 1, 2019 with an immaterial impact on its financial statements and related disclosures. In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848 ): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. This ASU provides temporary optional practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts and is effective through December 31, 2022. In the second quarter of 2020, the Company elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability of forecasted transactions and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. The application of these expedients preserves the presentation of the derivatives with no impact to the financial statements and related disclosures. In January 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-01, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848), which, among other changes, amends the scope of the recent reference rate reform guidance (ASC 848). New optional expedients allow derivative instruments impacted by changes in the interest rate used for margining, discounting, or contract price alignment (i.e., discount transition) to qualify for certain optional relief. The guidance was effective immediately and the Company appli |
