| Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies | BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes (the “Financial Statements”) have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), specifically Regulation S-X and the instructions to Form 10-K. Unless otherwise indicated, all references to years are to our fiscal year, which ends on October 31 . The Financial Statements include the accounts of ABM and all of our consolidated subsidiaries. We account for ABM’s investments in unconsolidated affiliates under the equity method of accounting. We include the results of acquired businesses in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income from their respective acquisition dates. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires our management to make certain estimates that affect the reported amounts. We base our estimates on historical experience, known or expected trends, independent valuations, and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. We round amounts in the Financial Statements to millions and calculate all percentages and per-share data from the underlying whole-dollar amounts. Thus, certain amounts may not foot, crossfoot, or recalculate based on reported numbers due to rounding. Acquisition of GCA Services Group On September 1, 2017 (the “Acquisition Date”), we completed the acquisition of GCA Services Group (“GCA”). Accordingly, our consolidated statements of comprehensive income and statements of cash flows include GCA’s results of operations in 2018, but exclude GCA’s results of operations in the comparative years prior to the Acquisition Date. See Note 3 , “Acquisitions,” for further information on the acquisition of GCA. Government Services At October 31, 2016, the assets and liabilities of our former Government Services business were classified as held for sale, at which time we wrote down goodwill and long-lived assets of this business by $22.5 million to reflect our best estimate of fair value less costs to sell, using all information available at that time. During the second quarter of 2017, we received an offer from a strategic buyer to purchase this business for approximately $35.0 million , which was higher than our previous estimate of fair value less costs to sell. As a result, we recorded a $17.4 million impairment recovery to adjust the fair value of certain previously impaired assets to the valuation of the assets as implied by the agreed-upon sales price, less estimated costs to sell. We sold this business on May 31, 2017 for $35.5 million and recorded a pre-tax gain of $1.2 million . The impairment charges, subsequent recovery, and gain on sale are reflected in impairment loss (recovery) in the accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The reported results for this business are through the date of sale and future results could include run-off costs. Prior Year Reclassifications Effective November 1, 2017, we made changes to our operating structure as a result of the GCA acquisition. To reflect these changes, certain prior year amounts, including operating segment data, have been reclassified to conform with our fiscal 2018 presentation. These changes had no impact on our previously reported consolidated balance sheets, statements of comprehensive income, or statements of cash flows. See Note 18 , “Segment and Geographic Information,” for further details. Cash and Cash Equivalents We consider all highly liquid securities with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash and cash equivalents. As part of our cash management system, we use “zero balance” accounts to fund our disbursements. Under this system, at the end of each day the bank balance is zero, while the book balance is usually a negative amount due to reconciling items, such as outstanding checks. We report the changes in these book cash overdrafts as cash flows from financing activities. Trade Accounts Receivable Trade accounts receivable arise from services provided to our clients and are usually due and payable on varying terms from receipt of the invoice to net ninety days, with the exception of certain Technical Solutions project receivables that may have longer collection periods. These receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and normally do not bear interest. In addition, our trade accounts receivable include unbilled receivables that can include costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts, as well as invoices for services that have been provided but are not yet billed. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts We determine the allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical write-offs, known or expected trends, and the identification of specific balances deemed uncollectible. For the specifically identified balances, we establish the reserve upon the earlier of a client’s inability to meet its financial obligations or after a period of twelve months, unless our management believes such amounts will ultimately be collectible. Sales Allowance In connection with our service contracts, we periodically issue credit memos to our clients that are recorded as a reduction in revenues and an increase to the allowance for billing adjustments. These credits can result from client vacancy discounts, job cancellations, property damage, and other items. We estimate our potential future losses on these client receivables based on an analysis of the historical rate of sales adjustments (credit memos, net of re-bills) and known or expected trends. Other Current Assets At October 31, 2018 and 2017 , other current assets primarily consisted of other receivables and short-term insurance recoverables. Other Investments At October 31, 2018 and 2017 , other investments primarily consisted of investments in unconsolidated affiliates and in auction rate securities. Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates We own non-controlling interests (generally 20% to 50% ) in certain affiliated entities that predominantly provide facility solutions to governmental and commercial clients, primarily in the United States and the Middle East. We account for such investments under the equity method of accounting. We evaluate our equity method investments for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of such investments may not be recoverable. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the estimated fair value of the investment is less than its carrying amount and we determine that the impairment is other-than-temporary. At October 31, 2018 , 2017 , and 2016 , our investments in unconsolidated affiliates were $11.3 million , $9.3 million , and $17.1 million , respectively. At October 31, 2016, a portion of these investments were classified as held for sale, as they related to our Government Services business. In connection with the held-for-sale classification, we recognized an impairment charge of $5.0 million to write down these investments to their estimated fair value in 2016, which we subsequently recovered in 2017. We did not recognize any impairment charges on these investments in 2018 or 2017. Investments in Auction Rate Securities Our investments in auction rate securities are classified as available-for-sale. Accordingly, auction rate securities are presented at fair value with unrealized gains and losses recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes (“AOCI”). On a quarterly basis, we analyze all auction rate securities that have unrealized losses for impairment consideration and assess the intent to sell such securities. If such intent exists, impaired securities are considered other-than-temporarily impaired and we recognize the entire difference between the auction rate security’s amortized cost and its fair value in earnings. We also consider if we may be required to sell the securities prior to the recovery of amortized cost, which may trigger an impairment charge. If these securities are considered impaired, we assess whether the amortized costs of the securities can be recovered by reviewing several factors, including credit risks associated with the issuer. If we do not expect to recover the entire amortized cost of the security, we consider the security to be other-than-temporarily impaired, and record the difference between the security’s amortized costs and its recoverable amount in earnings and the difference between the security’s amortized cost and fair value in AOCI. Property, Plant and Equipment We record property, plant and equipment at cost. Repairs and maintenance expenditures are expensed as incurred. In contrast, we capitalize major renewals or replacements that substantially extend the useful life of an asset. We determine depreciation for financial reporting purposes using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives: Category Years Computer equipment and software 3–5 Machinery and other equipment 3–5 Transportation equipment 1.5–10 Buildings 10–40 Furniture and fixtures 5 In addition, we depreciate assets under capital leases and leasehold improvements over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the remaining lease term. Upon retirement or sale of an asset, we remove the cost and accumulated depreciation from our consolidated balance sheets. When applicable, we record corresponding gains or losses within the accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income. Leases We enter into various noncancelable lease agreements for premises and equipment used in the normal course of business. We evaluate the lease agreement at the inception of the lease to determine whether the lease is an operating lease or capital lease. We account for rent expense under noncancelable operating leases with escalation clauses on a straight-line basis over the initial lease term. A deferred liability is recorded for the amount of the excess of straight-line rent expense over scheduled payments. We do not assume renewals in our determination of the lease term unless the renewals are deemed to be reasonably assured at lease inception. We may also be required to make additional payments to reimburse the lessors for operating expenses such as real estate taxes, maintenance, utilities, and insurance, which are expensed as incurred. We enter into leases of parking lots and garages that contain contingent payment provisions. Under these provisions, we pay contingent amounts in addition to base rent, primarily based on percentages of the gross receipts or other financial parameters attributable to the related facilities. We record contingent rent as it becomes probable that specified targets will be met. We record each capital lease as an asset and an obligation at an amount that is equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments over the lease term. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill represents the excess purchase price of acquired businesses over the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. We have elected to make the first day of our fourth quarter, August 1st, the annual impairment assessment date for goodwill. However, we could be required to evaluate the recoverability of goodwill more often if impairment indicators exist. Goodwill is tested for impairment at a “reporting unit” level by performing either a qualitative evaluation or a quantitative test. The qualitative evaluation is an assessment of factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. We may elect not to perform the qualitative assessment for some or all reporting units and perform a quantitative test instead, under which fair value is determined based on discounted cash flow analyses. The discounted estimates of future cash flows include significant management assumptions, such as revenue growth rates, operating margins, weighted average cost of capital, and future economic and market conditions. In 2017, we adopted Accounting Standards Update 2017-04, which allows us to test goodwill for impairment by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying amount. If the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, an impairment charge will be recorded for the difference between the fair value and carrying value, but it is limited to the carrying value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. Other intangible assets primarily consist of acquired customer contracts and relationships that are amortized using the sum-of-the-years-digits method over their useful lives, consistent with the estimated useful life considerations used in the determination of their fair values. This accelerated method of amortization reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits from the intangible assets of customer contracts and relationships are expected to be realized. We amortize other non-customer acquired intangibles using a straight-line method of amortization. We evaluate other intangible assets, as well as our long-lived assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. When this occurs, a recoverability test is performed that compares the projected undiscounted cash flows from the use and eventual disposition of an asset or asset group to its carrying amount. If the projected undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount, we calculate an impairment loss. The impairment loss calculation compares the fair value, which is based on projected discounted cash flows, to the carrying value. See Note 10 , “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets,” for further information on goodwill, other intangible assets, and impairment charges. Other Noncurrent Assets At October 31, 2018 and 2017 , other noncurrent assets primarily consisted of long-term insurance recoverables, deferred charges, insurance and other long-term deposits, prepayments to carriers for future insurance claims, and federal energy savings performance contract receivables. Federal Energy Savings Performance Contract Receivables As part of our Technical Solutions business, we enter into energy savings performance contracts (“ESPCs”) with the federal government pursuant to which we agree to develop, design, engineer, and construct a project and guarantee that the project will satisfy agreed-upon performance standards. ESPC receivables represent the amount to be paid by various federal government agencies for work we have satisfactorily performed under specific ESPCs. We assign certain of our rights to receive those payments to unaffiliated third parties that provide construction financing, which we record as a liability, for such contracts. This construction financing is recorded as cash flows from financing activities, while the use of the cash received under these arrangements to pay project costs is classified as operating cash flows. The ESPC receivable is recognized as revenue as each project is constructed. Upon completion and acceptance of the project by the government and upon satisfaction of true sale criteria, the assigned ESPC receivable from the government and corresponding ESPC liability are eliminated from our consolidated financial statements. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Fair value is the price we would receive to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction with a market participant at the measurement date. In the absence of active markets for the identical assets or liabilities, such measurements involve developing assumptions based on market observable data and, in the absence of such data, internal information that is consistent with what market participants would use in a hypothetical transaction that occurs at the measurement date. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect our market assumptions. Preference is given to observable inputs. These two types of inputs create the following fair value hierarchy: Level 1 – Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets; Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable; and Level 3 – Significant inputs to the valuation model are unobservable. We evaluate assets and liabilities subject to fair value measurements on a recurring and non-recurring basis to determine the appropriate level at which to classify them for each reporting period. Some non-financial assets are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis only in certain circumstances, including the event of impairment. See Note 7 , “Fair Value of Financial Instruments,” for the fair value hierarchy table and for details on how we measure fair value for our assets and liabilities. Acquisitions We expense acquisition-related costs as incurred. On the date of the acquisition, we allocate the purchase price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their estimated fair values. Goodwill on the acquisition date is measured as the excess of the purchase price over the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. While we use our best estimates and assumptions to accurately value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date as well as contingent consideration, where applicable, our estimates are subject to refinement. As a result, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, we record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed with corresponding adjustments to goodwill. We recognize subsequent changes in the estimate of the amount to be paid under contingent consideration arrangements in the accompanying consolidated statements of comprehensive income. Discontinued Operations In order to be reported within discontinued operations, our disposal of a component or a group of components must represent a strategic shift that will have a major effect on our operations and financial results. We aggregate the results of operations for discontinued operations within a single line item on the income statement. General corporate overhead is not allocated to discontinued operations. We disclose any gain or loss that is recognized upon the disposition of a discontinued operation. Prior to disposition, we aggregate the assets and liabilities of discontinued operations and report the amounts on separate line items within the balance sheet. Assets and Liabilities Held for Sale Upon a business being classified as held for sale, we cease all depreciation and amortization related to the assets of the business and record them at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less estimated costs to sell. The assets and related liabilities of the business are separately presented on the consolidated balance sheets. We review all assets held for sale each reporting period to determine whether the existing carrying amounts are fully recoverable in comparison to estimated fair values. Insurance Reserves We use a combination of insured and self-insurance programs to cover workers’ compensation, general liability, automobile liability, property damage, and other insurable risks. Insurance claim liabilities represent our estimate of retained risks without regard to insurance coverage. We retain a substantial portion of the risk related to certain workers’ compensation and medical claims. Liabilities associated with these losses include estimates of both claims filed and claims incurred but not reported (“IBNR Claims”). With the assistance of third-party actuaries, we periodically review our estimate of ultimate losses for IBNR Claims and adjust our required self-insurance reserves as appropriate. As part of this evaluation, we review the status of existing and new claim reserves as established by third-party claims administrators. The third-party claims administrators establish the case reserves based upon known factors related to the type and severity of the claims, demographic factors, legislative matters, and case law, as appropriate. We compare actual trends to expected trends and monitor claims developments. The specific case reserves estimated by the third-party administrators are provided to an actuary who assists us in projecting an actuarial estimate of the overall ultimate losses for our self-insured or high deductible programs, which includes the case reserves plus an actuarial estimate of reserves required for additional developments, such as IBNR Claims. We utilize the results of actuarial studies to estimate our insurance rates and insurance reserves for future periods and to adjust reserves, if appropriate, for prior years. In general, our insurance reserves are recorded on an undiscounted basis. We allocate current-year insurance expense to our operating segments based upon their underlying exposures, while actuarial adjustments related to prior year claims are recorded within Corporate expenses. We classify claims as current or long-term based on the expected settlement date. Estimated insurance recoveries related to recorded liabilities are reflected as assets in our consolidated balance sheets when we believe that the receipt of such amounts is probable. Other Accrued Liabilities At October 31, 2018 and 2017 , other accrued liabilities primarily consisted of employee benefits, deferred revenue, progress billings in excess of costs, legal fees and settlements, dividends payable, current capital leases, insurance claims, interest, rent payable, severance, and other accrued expenses. Other Noncurrent Liabilities At October 31, 2018 and 2017 , other noncurrent liabilities primarily consisted of deferred rent, retirement plan liabilities, deferred compensation, long-term capital leases, and ESPC liabilities. Revenue Recognition We earn revenue under various types of service contracts. In all forms of service we provide, revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, services have been rendered, the fee is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. The various types of service contracts are described below. Contract Type Description Monthly Fixed-Price These arrangements are contracts in which the client agrees to pay a fixed fee every month over a specified contract term. A variation of a fixed-price arrangement is a square-foot arrangement, under which monthly billings are based on the actual square footage serviced. Cost-Plus These arrangements are contracts in which the clients reimburse us for the agreed-upon amount of wages and benefits, payroll taxes, insurance charges, and other expenses associated with the contracted work, plus a profit margin. Tag Services Tag work generally consists of supplemental services requested by clients outside of the standard service specification and includes cleanup after tenant moves, construction cleanup, flood cleanup, and snow removal. Transaction-Price These are agreements in which the clients are billed for each transaction performed on a monthly basis (e.g., wheelchair passengers served or planes cleaned). Hourly These arrangements are contracts in which the client is billed a set hourly rate for each labor hour provided. Management Reimbursement Under these parking arrangements, we manage a parking facility for a management fee and pass through the revenue and expenses associated with the facility to the owner. These revenues and expenses are reported in equal amounts as costs reimbursed from our managed locations. Leased Location Under these parking arrangements, we generally pay to the property owner a fixed amount of rent plus a percentage of revenues derived from monthly and transient parkers. We retain all revenues and we are responsible for most operating expenses incurred. Allowance Under these parking arrangements, we are paid a fixed or hourly fee to provide parking services, and we are responsible for certain operating expenses, as specified in the contract. Energy Savings Contracts and Fixed-Price Repair and Refurbishment Under these arrangements, we agree to develop, design, engineer, and construct a project and guarantee that the project will satisfy agreed-upon performance standards. We recognize revenue under certain of these contracts using the percentage-of-completion method of accounting, most often based on the cost-to-cost method, under which revenues are recognized as the work progresses. Franchise We franchise certain engineering services through individual and area franchises under the Linc Service and TEGG brands, which are part of ABM Technical Solutions. Impact of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). Since the release of ASU 2014-09, the FASB issued the following additional ASUs further updating Topic 606: • In August 2015, ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date • In March 2016, ASU 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net) • In April 2016, ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing • In May 2016, ASU 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients • In December 2016, ASU 2016-20, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers Additionally, in May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-10, Service Concession Arrangements (Topic 853): Determining the Customer of the Operation Services , which clarifies how operating entities should determine the customer of operation services for transactions within the scope of this guidance. US GAAP does not currently address how an operating entity should determine the customer of the operation services for transactions within the scope of Topic 853. The amendment eliminates diversity in practice by clarifying that the grantor is the customer of the operation services in all cases for those arrangements. We determined that revenue we generate from service concession arrangements, primarily from certain parking arrangements, will be accounted for under this guidance. We adopted the amendments in this update in conjunction with the adoption of Topic 606, as discussed below, and prior period financial statements will not be adjusted. Collectively these ASUs introduce a new principles-based framework for revenue recognition and disclosure. The core principle of the standard is when an entity transfers goods or services to customers it will recognize revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to be entitled to for those goods or services. The standard also expands the required disclosures to include the disaggregation of revenue from contracts with customers into categories that depict how the nature, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors. We adopted this standard on November 1, 2018 and are using a modified retrospective adoption approach with a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of 2019; prior period financial statements will not be adjusted. The standard will be applied to contracts that have not been completed at November 1, 2018 and will not be applied to contracts that were modified before the beginning of the earliest reporting period presented. Effect on the Financial Statements To assess the impact of this standard, we established a cross-functional implementation team consisting of representatives from all of our operating segments. The implementation team has completed analyzing our contract portfolio to identify potential differences that result from applying the requirements of this new standard. In addition, we have identified the appropriate changes to our business processes and controls to support revenue recognition and disclosure under this new standard. We expect adoption of this standard will have an impact on the timing of revenue recognition related to certain lines of business and our financial statement line item reporting of certain items. Additionally, the accounting for certain direct and incremental contract costs is significantly different from our current capitalization policy. Our process for implementing Topic 606 included, but was not limited to, identifying contracts within the scope of the standard, identifying distinct performance obligations within each contract, and applying the new guidance for measuring and recognizing revenue to each performance obligation. We are finalizing our analysis of adopting Topics 606 and 853 and do not believe there are any remaining significant implementation matters that have not yet been addressed. We do not expect adopting Topic 606 will materially impact our consolidated balance sheets and do not anticipate an impact on our consolidated statements of cash flows. We anticipate a pre-tax net increase of $9.1 million to our opening retained earnings as a result of adopting Topic 606, primarily related to changes in accounting for commission costs and project type contracts. Specific impacts include: • $15.1 million of commission costs incremental to successful sales will be deferred and recognized over the expected customer relationship period. Currently, commission costs are expensed as incurred. • Historically, we have recognized revenue and margin on uninstalled materials associated with project type contracts, generally energy savings performance contracts and fixed-price repair and refurbishment projects, consistent with other project costs under the percentage-of-completion method. Under the new standard, uninstalled materials will be excluded from the measure of progress, revenue for uninstalled materials is recognized at cost, and the associated margin is deferred until installation is substantially complete. Accordingly, we expect a reduction of $4.4 million to previously recognized revenue and related margin for uninstalled materials. • Initial fees from sales of franchise licenses, currently recognized in the year of sale, of $1.6 million will be deferred and recognized over the terms of the initial franchise agreements. In accordance with Topic 853, rent expense related to service concession arrangements of approximately $48 million , which was previously classified as operating expenses, will be classified as a reduction of revenues. Management Reimbursement Revenue by Segment Years Ended October 31, (in millions) 2018 2017 2016 Business & Industry $ 257.1 $ 234.1 $ 227.8 Aviation 99.9 80.4 78.2 Healthcare 19.5 18.7 17.6 Total $ 376.4 $ 333.2 $ 323.4 Restructuring and Related Expenses Restructuring and related expenses include employee severance, lease exit costs, external support fees, and other costs. Our methodology to record these costs is described below. Severance As we do not have a past history of consistently providing severance benefits, we recognize severance costs for employees who do not have formal employment agreements when management has committed to a restructuring plan and communicated those actions to impacted employees, such that the employee is able to determine the type and amount of benefits that they will receive upon termination. In addition, if the employees are required to render service beyond the minimum retention period until they are terminated in order to receive the benefits, a liability is recognized ratably over the future service period. For employees with employment agreements, we accrue for these severance liabilities when it is probable that the impacted employee will be entitled to the benefits and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Noncancelable Leases and Contractual Obligations We record liabilities when we terminate a contract in accordance with the contract terms or when we exit the leased space. The expense for noncancelable leases is determined |
