| Significant Accounting Policies | Significant Accounting Policies The following is a summary of the significant accounting policies and principles used in the preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements: Emerging Growth Company Section 102(b)(1) of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (“JOBS Act”) exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company that is either not an emerging growth company or, an emerging growth company that has opted out of using the extended transition period, difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used. Revenue Recognition As discussed in Note 1, the Company provides a variety of engineering and related professional services to customers located throughout the United States. The Company enters into agreements with clients that create enforceable rights and obligations and for which it is probable that the Company will collect the consideration to which it will be entitled as services transfer to the customer. It is customary practice for the Company to have written agreements with its customers and revenue on oral or implied arrangements is generally not recognized. The Company recognizes revenue based on the consideration specified in the applicable agreement. Excluded from the transaction price are amounts collected on behalf of third parties for sales and similar taxes. Long-term contracts typically contain billing terms that provide for invoicing once a month and payment on a net 30-day basis. Exceptions to monthly billing terms are to ensure that the Company performs satisfactorily rather than representing a significant financing component. For example, fixed price contracts may provide for milestone billings based upon the attainment of specific project objectives to ensure the Company meets its contractual requirements rather than having billing monthly. Additionally, contracts may include retentions or holdbacks paid at the end of a project to ensure that Company meets the contract requirements. The Company does not assess whether a contract contains a significant financing component if the Company expects, at contract inception, that the period between payment by the customer and the transfer of promised services to the customer will be less than one year. As a professional services engineering firm, the Company generally recognizes revenue over time as control transfers to a customer based upon the extent of progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligation. For services delivered under fixed price contracts, the Company uses the ratio of actual costs incurred to total estimated costs since costs incurred (an input method) which represents a reasonable measure of progress towards the satisfaction of a performance in order to estimate the portion of revenue earned. This method faithfully depicts the transfer of value to the customer when the Company is satisfying a performance obligation that entails a number of interrelated tasks or activities for a combined output that requires the Company to coordinate the work of employees and sub-consultants. Contract costs typically include direct labor, subcontract and consultant costs, materials and indirect costs related to contract performance. Changes in estimated costs to complete these obligations result in adjustments to revenue on a cumulative catch-up basis, which causes the effect of revised estimates to be recognized in the current period. Changes in estimates can routinely occur over the contract term for a variety of reasons including, changes in scope, unanticipated costs, delays or favorable or unfavorable progress than original expectations. In situations where the estimated costs to perform exceeds the consideration to be received, the Company accrues the entire estimated loss during the period the loss becomes known. When a performance obligation is billed using a time-and-material type contract, the Company measures its progress to complete based upon the hours incurred for the period times contractually agreed upon billing rates plus any materials delivered or consumed in the project. When applicable, the Company will recognize revenue under these contracts as invoiced under the practical expedient. In certain situations, it is possible that two or more contracts should be combined and accounted for as a single contract, or a single contract should be accounted for as multiple performance obligations. This requires significant judgment and could impact the amount and timing of revenue recognition. Such determinations are made using management’s best estimate and knowledge of contracts and related performance obligations. The Company’s contracts may contain variable consideration in the form of unpriced or pending change orders or claims that either increase or decrease the contract price. Variable consideration is generally estimated using the expected value method but may from time to time be estimated using the most likely amount method depending on the circumstance. Estimated amounts are included in the transaction price to the extent it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur or when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is resolved. Estimates of variable consideration are based upon historical experience and known trends. The Company recognizes claims against vendors, sub-consultants, and others as a reduction in costs when the contract establishes enforceability, and the amounts of recovery are reasonably estimable and probable. Reduction in costs are recognized at the lesser of the amount management expects to recover or costs incurred. Contract related assets and liabilities are classified as current assets and current liabilities. Significant balance sheet accounts related to the revenue cycle are as follows: Accounts receivables, net: Accounts receivable, net (contract receivables) includes amounts billed under the contract terms. The amounts are stated at their net realizable value. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to provide for the estimated number of receivables that will not be collected. The Company considers several factors in its estimated expected credit losses including knowledge of a client’s financial condition, its historical collection experience, and other factors relevant to assessing the collectability of such receivables. No single client accounted for more than 10% of the Company's outstanding receivables at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023. Contract Assets: Contract Assets are recorded when progress to completion revenue earned on contracts exceeds amounts billed under the contract. It may also include contract retainages that can be billed once contract stipulations are satisfied. Contract Liabilities: Contract Liabilities are recorded when amounts billed under a contract exceeds the progress to completion revenue earned under the contract. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Expected Credit Losses The Company records accounts receivable net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance is determined based upon management’s review of the estimated collectability of the specific accounts receivable, client type, client credit worthiness, plus a general provision based upon the historical loss experience and existing economic conditions. The Company charges off uncollectible amounts against the allowance for doubtful accounts once management determines the amount, or a portion thereof, to be worthless. Upon determination that a specific receivable is uncollectible, the receivable is written off against the allowance for expected credit losses. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the balance in the allowance for expected credit losses was $2.5 million an d $2.2 million, respectively. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could vary from the estimates and assumptions that were used. Concentration of Credit Risk and other Concentrations The Company’s financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash and accounts receivable. Cash balances at various times during the year may exceed the amount insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Company’s cash deposits are held in institutions whose credit ratings are monitored by management, and the Company has not incurred any losses related to such deposits. The Company can, at times, be subject to a concentration of credit risk with respect to outstanding accounts receivable. However, the Company believes no such concentration existed during the three months ended March 31, 2024, or the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company’s customers are located throughout the United States. Although the Company generally grants credit without collateral, management believes that its contract acceptance, billing, and collection policies are adequate to minimize material credit risk. Also, for non-governmental customers, the Company can often place mechanics liens against the real property associated with the contract in the event of non-payment. Fair Value Measurements Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC Topic 820”) provides the framework for measuring and reporting financial assets and liabilities at fair value. ASC Topic 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The codification establishes a three-level disclosure hierarchy to indicate the level of judgment used to estimate fair value measurements: Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date; Level 2: Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; and inputs other than quoted prices (such as interest rate and yield curves); Level 3: Uses inputs that are unobservable, supported by little or no market activity and reflect significant management judgment. As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023: • The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate their fair value due to the relatively short duration of these instruments; • The carrying amounts of debt obligations approximate their fair values as the terms are comparable to terms currently offered by local financial institutions for arrangements with similar terms to industry peers with comparable credit characteristics. Accordingly, the debt obligations involve Level 3 fair value inputs; Fair value measurements relating to our business combinations are made primarily using Level 3 inputs including discounted cash flow and to the extent applicable, Monte Carlo simulation techniques. Fair value for the identified intangible assets is generally estimated using inputs primarily for the income approach using the multiple period excess earnings method. The significant assumptions used in estimating fair value include (i) revenue projections of the business, including profitability, (ii) attrition rates and (iii) the estimated discount rate that reflects the level of risk associated with receiving future cash flows. Other personal property assets, such as property, plant and equipment, are valued using the cost approach, which is based on replacement or reproduction costs of the asset less depreciation. The fair value of the contingent consideration is estimated using published treasury rates in the Wall St. Journal and discounting the present value along with other significant assumptions which include projections of revenue, and probabilities of meeting those projections, as well as Monte Carlo simulation techniques. The following is a summary of change in contingent consideration: (in thousands) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 For the Year Ended December 31, 2023 Balance at beginning of period $ 10,567 $ 487 Fair value of contingent consideration issuances 174 10,379 Change in fair value of contingent consideration (96) (299) Settlement of contingent consideration – – Balance at end of period $ 10,645 $ 10,567 The change in fair value consideration is included in Other Expense in the Condensed Consolidated Income Statement. Income Taxes The Company recognizes deferred income tax assets or liabilities for expected future tax consequences of events recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred income tax assets or liabilities are determined based upon the difference between the financial statement and income tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to apply when the differences settle or become realized. Valuation allowances are provided when it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset is not realizable or recoverable in the future. As of March 31, 2024, no valuation allowances are required, and all deferred tax assets are realizable. The Company assesses uncertain tax positions to determine whether the position will more likely than not be sustained upon examination by the Internal Revenue Service or other taxing authorities. If the Company cannot reach a more-likely-than-not determination, no benefit is recorded. If the Company determines that the tax position is more likely than not to be sustained, the Company records the largest amount of benefit that is more likely than not to be realized when the tax position is settled. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. Beginning January 1, 2022, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 eliminated the option to deduct research and development expenditures in the current year and now requires taxpayers to capitalize and amortize research and development costs pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 174. The capitalized expenses are amortized over a 5-year period for domestic expenses and a 15-year period for foreign expenses. As a result of this provision of the TCJA, we have established a $47.9 million uncertain tax position related to capitalized and amortizable research and development ("R&D") costs as of the three-month period ended March 31, 2024. The Company recognizes the effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023 was 68.9% and (65.9)%, respectively. The change in the Company’s effective tax rate is predominantly due to changes in the estimated annual effective tax rate. The most prominent factors include a decrease in projected R&D credits generated for 2024, a change in the projected limitations of the deductible executive compensation for 2024, and an overall reduction in forecasted income for 2024 relative to 2023. With respect to the projected R&D credit, the Company anticipates the 2024 generated R&D credit to be $3.0 million as of March 31, 2024, as compared to the projected R&D credit to be generated of $3.8 million as of March 31, 2023. Similarly, the Company anticipates the annual projected limitation on the deductibility of executive compensation to be $13.8 million for 2024 as compared to $2.4 million for 2023. These factors as well as the forecasted change in book income predominantly resulted in the change in the estimated annual effective tax rate. Further, the Company also recognized net discrete benefits of $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, as compared to net discrete benefit of $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The net discrete benefits are predominantly the result of a windfall tax benefit for restricted stock awards, penalties and interest recorded for uncertain tax positions, and other non-recurring adjustments. More specifically, the windfall tax adjustment for restricted stock awards recognized at a value higher than the grant date fair value is $2.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. Penalties and interest accrued for uncertain tax positions is $1.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2023. These factors increased the rate by 24.2% for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and reduced the rate by 11.6% for the three months ended March 31, 2023. The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and certain states in which it operates. Based on the timing of the filing of certain tax returns, the Company’s federal income tax returns for tax years 2020 and thereafter remain subject to examination by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The statute of limitations on the Company’s state income tax returns generally conforms to the federal three-year statute of limitations. Segments The Company operates in one segment based upon the financial information used by its chief operating decision maker in evaluating the financial performance of its business and allocating resources. The single segment represents the Company’s core business of providing engineering and related professional services to its customers. Recently Issued Accounting Guidance Accounting guidance recently adopted In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) to replace the incurred loss impairment methodology under U.S. GAAP. This ASU introduces a new accounting model, the Current Expected Credit Losses model (CECL), which could result in earlier recognition of credit losses and additional disclosures related to credit risk. The CECL model will require the Company to use a forward-looking expected credit loss impairment methodology for the recognition of credit losses for financial instruments at the time the financial asset is originated or acquired, and require a loss be incurred before it is recognized. The expected credit losses are adjusted each period for changes in expected lifetime credit losses. The new standard will apply to accounts receivable, loans, and other financial instruments. This standard is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2023. Adoption of ASU 2016-13 has been applied using a modified retrospective approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the effective date. The Company adopted the new guidance starting January 1, 2023. The impact of this ASU is reflected in the condensed consolidated financial statements and was not material. Accounting guidance not yet adopted In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures , which requires disclosure of significant segment expenses and other segment items in annual and interim periods. ASU 2023-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, and requires retrospective application to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. We are currently evaluating the impacts of the new standard. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures , which requires disaggregated information about an entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, and should be applied prospectively. Retrospective application is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impacts of the new standard. The Company does not believe that any recently issued standards would have a material effect on its condensed consolidated financial statements. |
