Ameresco, Inc. Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its subsidiaries in which the Company has a controlling financial interest and four investment funds formed to fund the purchase and operation of solar energy systems, which are consolidated with the Company as variable interest entities (“VIE”). The Company uses a qualitative approach in assessing the consolidation requirement for VIEs. This approach focuses on determining whether the Company has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly affect the VIE’s economic performance and whether the Company has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE. For all periods presented, the Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary in all of its operational VIEs. The Company evaluates its relationships with the VIEs on an ongoing basis to ensure that it continues to be the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Gains and losses from the translation of all foreign currency financial statements are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net, within stockholders’ equity. The Company prepares its consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP.

Use of Estimates

GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates and assumptions used in these consolidated financial statements relate to management’s estimates of final construction contract profit in accordance with accounting for long-term contracts, allowance for doubtful accounts, inventory reserves, realization of project development costs, fair value of derivative financial instruments, accounting for business acquisitions, stock-based awards, impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets, asset retirement obligations (“AROs”), income taxes, self insurance reserves and potential liability in conjunction with certain commitments and contingencies. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The Company is self-insured for employee health insurance. The maximum exposure in fiscal year 2018 under the plan was $100 per covered participant, after which reinsurance takes effect. The liability for unpaid claims and associated expenses, including incurred but not reported claims, is determined by management and reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets in accrued expenses and other current liabilities. The liability is calculated based on historical data, which considers both the frequency and settlement amount of claims. The Company’s estimated accrual for this liability could be different than its ultimate obligation if variables such as the frequency or amount of future claims differ significantly from management’s assumptions.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents includes cash on deposit, overnight repurchase agreements and amounts invested in highly liquid money market funds. Cash equivalents consist of short term investments with original maturities of three months or less. The Company maintains accounts with financial institutions and the balances in such accounts, at times, exceed federally insured limits. This credit risk is divided among a number of financial institutions that management believes to be of high quality. The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents approximates its fair value measured using level 1 inputs per the fair value hierarchy as defined in Note 17.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of cash and cash equivalents held in an escrow account in association with construction draws for energy savings performance contracts (“ESPC”), construction of energy assets, operations and maintenance (“O&M”) reserve accounts, cash collateralized letters of credit as well as cash required under term loans to be maintained in debt service reserve accounts until all obligations have been indefeasibly paid in full. These accounts are primarily invested in highly liquid money market funds. The carrying amount of the cash and cash equivalents in these accounts approximates its fair value measured using level 1 inputs per the fair value hierarchy as defined in Note 17. Restricted cash also includes funds held for clients, which represent assets that, based upon the Company’s intent, are restricted for use solely for the purposes of satisfying the obligations to remit funds to third parties, primarily utility service providers, relating to the Company’s enterprise energy management services. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company classified the non-current portion of restricted cash of $19,637 and $20,092, respectively, in other assets on its consolidated balance sheets.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are stated at the amount management expects to collect from outstanding balances. An allowance for doubtful accounts is provided for those accounts receivable considered to be uncollectible based upon historical experience and management’s evaluation of outstanding accounts receivable. Bad debts are written off against the allowance when identified.

Accounts Receivable Retainage

Accounts receivable retainage represents amounts due from customers, but where payments are withheld contractually until certain construction milestones are met. Amounts retained typically range from 5% to 10% of the total invoice. The Company classifies as a current asset those retainages that are expected to be billed in the next twelve months.

Inventory

Inventories, which consist primarily of PV solar panels, batteries and related accessories, are stated at the lower of cost (“first-in, first-out” method) or net realizable value (determined as the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation). Provisions have been made to reduce the carrying value of inventory to the net realizable value.

Prepaid Expenses

Prepaid expenses consist primarily of short-term prepaid expenditures that will amortize within one year.

Federal ESPC Receivable

Federal ESPC receivable represents the amount to be paid by various federal government agencies for work performed and earned by the Company under specific ESPCs. The Company assigns certain of its rights to receive those payments to third-parties that provide construction and permanent financing for such contracts. Upon completion and acceptance of the project by the government, typically within 24 to 36 months of construction commencement, the assigned ESPC receivable from the government and corresponding ESPC liability are eliminated from the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Project Development Costs

The Company capitalizes as project development costs only those costs incurred in connection with the development of energy projects, primarily direct labor, interest costs, outside contractor services, consulting fees, legal fees and travel, if incurred after a point in time where the realization of related revenue becomes probable. Project development costs incurred prior to the probable realization of revenue are expensed as incurred. The Company classifies as a current asset those project development efforts that are expected to proceed to construction activity in the twelve months that follow. The Company periodically reviews these balances and writes off any amounts where the realization of the related revenue is no longer probable. Project development costs of $639 and $2,355 were included in other long-term assets as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment consists primarily of office and computer equipment, and is recorded at cost. Major additions and improvements are capitalized as additions to the property and equipment accounts, while replacements, maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the life of the respective assets, are expensed as incurred. Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment are computed on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives:



Asset Classification		Estimated Useful Life
Furniture and office equipment		Five years
Computer equipment and software costs		Three to five years
Leasehold improvements		Lesser of term of lease or five years
Automobiles		Five years
Land		Unlimited

Gains or losses on disposal of property and equipment are reflected in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income (loss).

Energy Assets

Energy assets consist of costs of materials, direct labor, interest costs, outside contract services, deposits and project development costs incurred in connection with the construction of small-scale renewable energy plants that the Company owns. These amounts are capitalized and amortized to cost of revenues in the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss) on a straight line basis over the lives of the related assets or the terms of the related contracts.

The Company capitalizes interest costs relating to construction financing during the period of construction. Capitalized interest is included in energy assets, net, in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Capitalized interest is amortized to cost of revenues in the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss) on a straight line basis over the useful life of the associated energy asset. The amount of interest capitalized for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 was $3,817, $4,256 and $1,253, respectively.

Routine maintenance costs are expensed in the current year’s consolidated statements of income (loss) to the extent that they do not extend the life of the asset. Major maintenance, upgrades and overhauls are required for certain components of the Company’s assets. In these instances, the costs associated with these upgrades are capitalized and are depreciated over the shorter of the remaining life of the asset or the period until the next required major maintenance or overhaul.

Included in energy assets are capital lease assets and accumulated depreciation of capital lease assets. For additional information see the Sale-Leaseback section below and Note 7.

The Company evaluates its long-lived assets for impairment as events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value of these assets may not be fully recoverable. Examples of such triggering events applicable to the Company’s assets include a significant decrease in the market price of a long-lived asset or asset group or a current-period operating or cash flow loss combined with a history of operating or cash flow losses or a projection or forecast that demonstrates continuing losses associated with the use of a long-lived asset or asset group.

The Company evaluates recoverability of long-lived assets to be held and used by estimating the undiscounted future cash flows before interest associated with the expected uses and eventual disposition of those assets. When these comparisons indicate that the carrying value of those assets is greater than the undiscounted cash flows, the Company recognizes an impairment loss for the amount that the carrying value exceeds the fair value.

From time to time, the Company has applied for and received cash grant awards from the U.S. Treasury Department (the “Treasury”) under Section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Act”). The Act authorized the Treasury to make payments to eligible persons who place in service qualifying renewable energy projects. The grants are paid in lieu of investment tax credits. All of the cash proceeds from the grants were used and recorded as a reduction in the cost basis of the applicable energy assets. If the Company disposes of the property, or the property ceases to qualify as specified energy property, within five years from the date the property is placed in service, then a prorated portion of the Section 1603 payment must be repaid.

The Company last received a Section 1603 grant during the year ended December 31, 2014. No further Section 1603 grant payments are expected to be received as the program has expired.

For tax purposes, the Section 1603 payments are not included in federal and certain state taxable income and the basis of the property is reduced by 50% of the payment received. Deferred grant income of $6,637 and $7,188 in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, represents the benefit of the basis difference to be amortized to income tax expense over the life of the related property.

The Company has historically received cash rebates from utility companies, which were accounted for as reductions in the book value of the related energy assets. The rebates were one-time payments based on the cost and efficiency of the installed units, and are earned upon installation and inspection by the utility. The payments are not related to, or subject to adjustment based on, future operating performance. The rebates were payable from the utility to the Company and are applied against the cost of construction, thereby reducing the book value of the corresponding energy assets and have been treated as an investing activity in the accompanying consolidated statements of cash flows.

Deferred Financing Fees

Deferred financing fees relate to the external costs incurred to obtain financing for the Company. Deferred financing fees are amortized over the respective term of the financing using the effective interest method, with the exception of the Company’s revolving credit facility and construction loans, as discussed in Note 8, for which deferred financing fees are amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the agreement. Deferred financing fees are presented on the consolidated balance sheets as a reduction to long-term debt and capital lease liabilities.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

The Company has classified as goodwill the amounts paid in excess of fair value of the net assets (including tax attributes) of companies acquired in purchase transactions. The Company has recorded intangible assets related to customer contracts, customer relationships, non-compete agreements, trade names and technology, each with defined useful lives. The Company assesses the impairment of goodwill and intangible assets that have indefinite lives on an annual basis (December 31st) and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable.

Goodwill is reviewed for impairment annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. The process of evaluating the potential impairment of goodwill requires significant judgment. The Company regularly monitors current business conditions and other factors including, but not limited to, adverse industry or economic trends, restructuring actions and projections of future results. The Company estimates the reporting units fair value and compares it with the carrying value of the reporting unit, including goodwill. If the fair value is greater than the carrying value of its reporting unit, no impairment is recorded. Fair value is determined using both an income approach and a market approach. The estimates and assumptions used in the Company’s calculations include revenue growth rates, expense growth rates, expected capital expenditures to determine projected cash flows, expected tax rates and an estimated discount rate to determine present value of expected cash flows. These estimates are based on historical experiences, the Company’s projections of future operating activity and its weighted-average cost of capital. If the fair value is less than the carrying value, an impairment loss is recognized for the amount that the carrying amount of a reporting unit, including goodwill, exceeds its fair value, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The impairment charge would be recorded to earnings in the consolidated statements of income (loss). Judgment is required in determining whether an event has occurred that may impair the value of goodwill or identifiable intangible assets.

Acquired intangible assets other than goodwill that are subject to amortization include customer contracts and customer relationships, as well as software/technology, trade names and non-compete agreements. The intangible assets are amortized over periods ranging from one to fifteen years from their respective acquisition dates. The Company evaluates its intangible assets for impairment consistent with, and part of, their long-lived assets evaluation, as discussed in Energy Assets above.

See Notes 4 and 5 for additional disclosures.

Other Assets

Other assets consist primarily of notes and contracts receivable due to the Company from various customers and non-current restricted cash. Other assets also include, the fair value of derivatives determined to be assets, the non-current portion of project development costs, accounts receivable retainages, sale-leaseback deferred loss and deferred contract costs.

Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company recognizes a liability for the fair value of required asset retirement obligations (“AROs”) when such obligations are incurred. The Company records, as liabilities, the fair value of the AROs on a discounted basis when incurred and reasonably estimated which is typically at the time the assets are installed or operating. Over time, the liabilities increase due to the change in present value, and initial capitalized costs are depreciated over the useful life of the related assets. Upon satisfaction of the ARO conditions, any difference between the recorded ARO liability and the actual retirement cost incurred is recognized as an operating gain or loss in the consolidated statements of income (loss). See Note 7 for additional disclosures on the Company’s AROs.

Federal ESPC Liabilities

Federal ESPC liabilities, for both projects and energy assets, represent the advances received from third-parties under agreements to finance certain ESPC projects with various federal government agencies. For projects related to the construction or installation of certain energy savings equipment or facilities developed for the government customer, upon completion and acceptance of the project by the government, typically within 24 to 36 months of construction commencement, the ESPC receivable from the government and corresponding ESPC liability is eliminated from the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. Until recourse to the Company ceases for the ESPC receivables transferred to the investor, upon final acceptance of the work by the government customer, the Company remains the primary obligor for financing received.

For small-scale energy assets developed for a government customer that the Company owns and operates, upon final acceptance of the work by the government customer, the Company remains the primary obligor for financing received until the liability is eliminated from the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as contract payments assigned by the customer are transferred to the investor.

Sale-Leaseback

During the first quarter of 2015, the Company entered into an agreement with an investor which gives the Company the option to sell and contemporaneously lease back solar photovoltaic (“solar PV”) projects. In September 2016, the Company amended this agreement to increase the investor’s commitment up to a maximum combined funding amount of $100,000 through June 30, 2017 on certain projects. In May 2017, the Company amended this agreement to extend the end date of the agreement to June 30, 2018. This agreement was not extended further and expired on June 30, 2018. Additionally, the Company sold and contemporaneously leased back one solar PV project to another investor, not a party to the master lease agreement, under a new agreement during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. During August 2018, the Company entered into an agreement with an investor which gives the Company the option to sell and contemporaneously lease back solar photovoltaic (“solar PV”) projects through August 2019 up to a maximum funding amount of $100,000. During August 2018, the Company sold and contemporaneously leased back two solar PV projects. See below for a summary of solar PV project sales by fiscal year:



Year Ended	# Solar PV Projects Sold (actual #’s)	Sale Price		Deferred Gain Recorded		Deferred Loss Recorded		Capital Lease Asset/Liability Recorded		Initial Lease Term (years)	Minimum Lease Payment		Maximum Lease Payment
Year-ended December 31, 2016	6	$	17,045	$	906	$	145	$	8,830	20-25	$	2	$	397
Year-ended December 31, 2017	13	$	51,204	$	4,625	$	1,204	$	22,934	10-20	$	4	$	510
Year-ended December 31, 2018	2	$	5,145	$	574	$	—	$	2,625	20	$	3	$	144

As part of these agreements, the Company is a party to a master lease agreement that provides for the sale of solar PV projects to a third-party investor and the simultaneous leaseback of the projects, which the Company then operates and maintains, recognizing revenue through the sale of the electricity and solar renewable energy credits generated by these projects. In sale-leaseback arrangements, the Company first determines whether the solar PV project under the sale-leaseback arrangement is “integral equipment.” A solar PV project is determined to be integral equipment when the cost to remove the project from its existing location, including the shipping and reinstallation costs of the solar PV project at the new site, including any diminution in fair value, exceeds 10% of the fair value of the solar PV project at the time of its original installation. When the leaseback arrangement expires, the Company has the option to purchase the solar PV project for the then fair market value or, in certain circumstances, renew the lease for an extended term. All solar PV projects sold to date under the sale-leaseback program have been determined by the Company not to be integral equipment as the cost to remove the project from its existing location would not exceed 10% of its original fair value.

For solar PV projects that the Company has determined not to be integral equipment, the Company then determines if the leaseback should be classified as a capital lease or an operating lease. All solar PV projects sold to date under the sale-leaseback program have been determined by the Company to be capital leases. For leasebacks classified as capital leases, the Company initially records a capital lease asset and capital lease obligation in its consolidated balance sheet equal to the lower of the present value of the Company’s future minimum leaseback payments or the fair value of the solar PV project. For capital leasebacks, the Company defers any gain or loss, representing the excess or shortfall of cash received from the investor compared to the net book value of the asset in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at the time of the sale. The Company records the long term portion of any deferred gain or loss in other liabilities and other assets, respectively, and the current portion of any deferred gain and loss in accrued expenses and other current liabilities and prepaid expenses and other current assets, respectively, in its consolidated balance sheet and amortizes the deferred amounts over the lease term in cost of revenues in its consolidated statements of income (loss). Net amortization expense in cost of revenues related to deferred gains and losses was $213 and $79 of net gains for the year ended December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

Other Liabilities

Other liabilities consist primarily of deferred revenue related to multi-year operation and maintenance contracts which expire at various dates through 2033. Other liabilities also include the fair value of derivatives and the long term portion of sale-leaseback deferred gains. See Note 18 for additional disclosures.

Revenue Recognition

The Company derives revenues from energy efficiency and renewable energy products and services. Energy efficiency products and services include the design, engineering, and installation of equipment and other measures to improve the efficiency, and control the operation, of a facility’s energy infrastructure. Renewable energy products and services include the construction of small-scale plants that produce electricity, gas, heat or cooling from renewable sources of energy, the sale of such electricity, gas, heat or cooling from plants that the Company owns, and the sale and installation of solar energy products and systems. Below is a description of the Company’s primary lines of business.

Projects - The Company’s principal service relates to energy efficiency projects, which entails the design, engineering and installation of, and assisting with the arranging of financing for an ever-increasing array of innovative technologies and techniques to improve the energy efficiency, and control the operation, of a building’s energy- and water- consuming systems. In certain projects, the Company also designs and constructs for a customer a central plant or cogeneration system providing power, heat and/or cooling to a building, or a small-scale plant that produces electricity, gas, heat or cooling from renewable sources of energy.

Under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) the Company recognizes revenue from the installation or construction of projects over time using the cost-based input method. The Company uses the total costs incurred on the the project relative to the total expected costs to satisfy the performance obligation.

When the estimate on a contract indicates a loss, or claims against costs incurred reduce the likelihood of recoverability of such costs, the Company records the entire estimated loss in the period the loss becomes known.

Operations & Maintenance (“O&M”) - After an energy efficiency or renewable energy project is completed, the Company often provides ongoing O&M services under a multi-year contract. These services include operating, maintaining and repairing facility energy systems such as boilers, chillers and building controls, as well as central power and other small-scale plants. For larger projects, the Company frequently maintains staff on-site to perform these services.

Maintenance revenue is recognized using the input method to recognize revenue. In most cases, O&M fees are fixed annual fees. Because the Company is on-site to perform O&M services, the services are typically a distinct series of promises, and those services have the same pattern of transfer to the customer (i.e., evenly over time), the Company records the revenue on a straight-line basis. Some O&M service contract fees are billed on time expended. In those cases, revenue is recorded based on the time expended in that month.

Energy Assets - The Company’s service offerings also includes the sale of electricity, processed renewable gas fuel, heat or cooling from the portfolio of assets that the Company owns and operates. The Company has constructed and is currently designing and constructing a wide range of renewable energy plants using landfill gas (“LFG”), wastewater treatment biogas, solar, biomass, other bio-derived fuels, wind and hydro sources of energy. Most of the Company’s renewable energy projects to date have involved the generation of electricity from solar PV and LFG or the sale of processed LFG. The Company purchases the LFG that otherwise would be combusted or vented, processes it, and either sells it or uses it in its energy plants. The Company has also designed and built, as well as owns, operates and maintains, plants that take biogas generated in the anaerobic digesters of wastewater treatment plants and turns it into renewable natural gas that is either used to generate energy on-site or that can be sold through the nation’s natural gas pipeline grid. Where the Company owns and operates energy producing assets, the Company typically enters into a long-term power purchase agreement (“PPA”) for the sale of the energy. Many of the Company’s energy assets also produce environmental attributes, including renewable energy credits (“RECs”) and Renewable Identification Numbers (“RINs”). In most cases, the Company sells these attributes under separate agreements with third parties other than the PPA customer.

The Company recognizes revenues from the sale and delivery of the energy output from renewable energy plants, over time as produced and delivered to the customer, in accordance with specific PPA contract terms. Environmental attributes revenue is recognized at a point in time, when the environmental attributes are transferred to the customer in accordance with the transfer protocols of the environmental attributes market that the Company operates in. In those cases where environmental attributes are sold to the same customer as the energy output, the Company records revenue monthly for both the energy output and the environmental attribute output, as generated and delivered to the customer. The Company has determined that certain power purchase agreements contain a lease component in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 840, leases. The Company recognized $7,238, $3,409 and $3,162 of operating lease revenue under these agreements during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Other - The Company’s service and product offerings also include integrated-PV and consulting and enterprise energy management services.

The Company recognizes revenues from delivery of engineering, consulting services and enterprise energy management services over time. For the sale of solar materials, revenue is recognized at a point in time when the Company has transferred physical control of the asset to the customer upon shipment.

To the extent a contract is deemed to have multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the transaction price of the contract to each performance obligation using its best estimate of the standalone selling price of each distinct good or service in the contract.

Billings in excess of cost and estimated earnings represents advanced billings on certain construction contracts. Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings represent certain amounts under customer contracts that were earned and billable but not invoiced.

Results for reporting periods beginning January 1, 2018 are presented under Topic 606, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported under ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.

Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues include the cost of labor, materials, equipment, subcontracting and outside engineering that are required for the development and installation of projects, as well as preconstruction costs, sales incentives, associated travel, inventory obsolescence charges, amortization of intangible assets related to customer contracts, and, if applicable, costs of procuring financing. A majority of the Company’s contracts have fixed price terms; however, in some cases the Company negotiates protections, such as a cost-plus structure, to mitigate the risk of rising prices for materials, services and equipment.

Cost of revenues also include the costs of maintaining and operating the small-scale renewable energy plants that the Company owns, including the cost of fuel (if any) and depreciation charges.

Income Taxes

The Company provides for income taxes based on the liability method. The Company provides for deferred income taxes based on the expected future tax consequences of differences between the financial statement basis and the tax basis of assets and liabilities calculated using the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to be reflected in the tax return.

The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions using a “more-likely-than-not” threshold for recognizing and resolving uncertain tax positions. The evaluation of uncertain tax positions is based on factors that include, but are not limited to, changes in tax law, the measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in tax returns, the effective settlement of matters subject to audit, new audit activity and changes in facts or circumstances related to a tax position. The Company evaluates uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis and adjusts the level of the liability to reflect any subsequent changes in the relevant facts surrounding the uncertain positions.

The Company’s liabilities for uncertain tax positions can be relieved only if the contingency becomes legally extinguished through either payment to the taxing authority or the expiration of the statute of limitations, the recognition of the benefits associated with the position meet the “more-likely-than-not” threshold or the liability becomes effectively settled through the examination process.

The Company considers matters to be effectively settled once the taxing authority has completed all of its required or expected examination procedures, including all appeals and administrative reviews; the Company has no plans to appeal or litigate any aspect of the tax position; and the Company believes that it is highly unlikely that the taxing authority would examine or re-examine the related tax position. The Company also accrues for potential interest and penalties, related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense.

The Company has presented all deferred tax assets and liabilities as net and noncurrent on its consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

See Note 9 for additional information on the Company’s income taxes.

Foreign Currency

The local currency of the Company’s foreign operations is considered the functional currency of such operations. All assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars at year-end exchange rates. Income and expense items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the year. Translation adjustments are accumulated as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. Foreign currency translation gains and losses are reported in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are reported in the consolidated statements of income (loss).

Financial Instruments

Financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts and notes receivable, long-term contract receivables, accounts payable, accrued expenses, capital lease assets and liabilities, contingent considerations, short- and long-term borrowings, interest rate swaps, and commodity swaps. Because of their short maturity, the carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable, and accrued expenses approximate fair value.

Share-Based Compensation Expense

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

Stock-based compensation expense results from the issuance of shares of restricted common stock and grants of stock options to employees, directors, outside consultants and others. The Company recognizes the costs associated with restricted stock option grants, and employee stock purchases made via the Company’s Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”) using the fair value recognition provisions of accounting standards codification (“ASC”) 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”) on a straight-line basis over the vesting period of the awards. Certain option grants have performance conditions that must be achieved prior to vesting and are expensed based on the expected achievement at each reporting period. Stock-based compensation expense is also recognized in association with employee stock purchases related to the Company’s ESPP.

Stock-based compensation expense is recognized based on the grant-date fair value. The Company estimates the fair value of the stock-based awards, including stock options, using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. Determining the fair value of stock-based awards requires the use of highly subjective assumptions, including the fair value of the common stock underlying the award, the expected term of the award and expected stock price volatility.

The assumptions used in determining the fair value of stock-based awards represent management’s estimates, which involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management judgment. As a result, if factors change, and different assumptions are employed, the stock-based compensation could be materially different in the future. The risk-free interest rates are based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant, with maturities approximating the expected life of the stock options.

The Company has no history of paying dividends. Additionally, as of each of the grant dates, there was no expectation that the Company would pay dividends over the expected life of the options. The expected life of the awards is estimated using historical data and management’s expectations. The Company uses historical volatility as the expected volatility assumption required in the Black-Scholes model.

The Company recognizes compensation expense for only the portion of options that are expected to vest. If there are any modifications or cancellations of the underlying invested securities or the terms of the stock option, it may be necessary to accelerate, increase or cancel any remaining unamortized stock-based compensation expense. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-09, during fiscal year 2017, no significant changes were made to the Company’s accounting for forfeitures. Upon adoption the Company recorded a $4,000 deferred tax asset and corresponding credit to retained earnings for excess tax benefits that had not previously been recognized because the related tax deductions had not reduced taxes payable.

The Company also accounts for equity instruments issued to non-employee directors and consultants at fair value. All transactions in which goods or services are the consideration received for the issuance of equity instruments are accounted for based on the fair value of the equity instruments to be issued. The measurement date of the fair value of the equity instrument issued is the grant date, which is the date that the Company and the grantee reach a mutual understanding of the key terms and conditions of the award.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company follows the guidance related to fair value measurements for all of its non-financial assets and non-financial liabilities, except for those recognized at fair value in the financial statements at least annually. These assets include goodwill and long-lived assets measured at fair value for impairment assessments, and non-financial assets and liabilities initially measured at fair value in a business combination.

The Company’s financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts and notes receivable, long-term contract receivables, accounts payable, accrued expenses, capital lease assets and liabilities, contingent considerations, short- and long-term borrowings, interest rate swaps, and commodity swaps. Because of their short maturity, the carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable, and accrued expenses approximate fair value. The carrying value of long-term variable-rate debt approximates fair value. As of December 31, 2018, the carrying value of the Company’s long-term debt exceeds its fair value of $211,823 by approximately $864. Fair value of the Company’s debt is based on quoted market prices or on rates available to the Company for debt with similar terms and maturities, which are level two inputs of the fair value hierarchy, as defined in Note 17.

The Company accounts for its interest rate swaps and commodity swaps as derivative financial instruments in accordance with the related guidance. Under this guidance, derivatives are carried on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets at fair value. The fair value of the Company’s interest rate and commodity swaps are determined based on observable market data in combination with expected cash flows for each instrument. The Company accounts for its make-whole provision features as embedded derivatives in accordance with related guidance. Under this guidance, the derivative is bifurcated from its host contract and recorded on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets at fair value. The fair value of the Company’s make-whole provisions are determined based on observable market data and a with and without model.

The consideration for the Company’s acquisitions often includes future payments that are contingent upon the occurrence of a particular event. The Company records a contingent consideration obligation for such contingent consideration payments at fair value on the acquisition date. The Company estimates the acquisition date fair value of contingent consideration obligations through valuation models that incorporate probability adjusted assumptions related to the achievement of the milestones and the likelihood of making related payments. Each period the Company revalues the contingent consideration obligations associated with the acquisition to fair value and records changes in the fair value as contingent consideration expense within the selling, general and administrative expenses line in our consolidated statements of income (loss). Increases or decreases in the fair value of the contingent consideration obligations can result from changes in assumed discount periods and rates, changes in the assumed timing and amount of revenue and expense estimates and changes in assumed probability with respect to the attainment of certain financial and operational metrics, among others. Significant judgment is employed in determining these assumptions as of the acquisition date and for each subsequent period. Accordingly, future business and economic conditions, as well as changes in any of the assumptions described above, can materially impact the amount of contingent consideration expense recorded in any given period. However, deferred consideration related to certain holdbacks and completion payments are considered short-term in nature. These amounts are recorded at full value and are only revalued if one of those underlying assumptions changes.

See Note 17 for additional information related to fair value measurements.

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT

The Company recognizes its financial assets and liabilities at fair value on a recurring basis (at least annually). Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for 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. Three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value are as follows:

Level 1: Inputs are based upon unadjusted quoted prices for identical instruments traded in active markets.

Level 2: Inputs are based upon quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active, and model based valuation techniques for which all significant assumptions are observable in the market or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3: Inputs are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimates of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The fair values are therefore determined using model-based techniques that include option pricing models, discounted cash flow models, and similar techniques.

Derivative Financial Instruments

In the normal course of business, the Company utilizes derivatives contracts as part of its risk management strategy to manage exposure to market fluctuations in interest and commodity rates. These instruments are subject to various credit and market risks. Controls and monitoring procedures for these instruments have been established and are routinely reevaluated. Credit risk represents the potential loss that may occur because a party to a transaction fails to perform according to the terms of the contract. The measure of credit exposure is the replacement cost of contracts with a positive fair value. The Company seeks to manage credit risk by entering into financial instrument transactions only through counterparties that the Company believes to be creditworthy.

Market risk represents the potential loss due to the decrease in the value of a financial instrument caused primarily by changes in interest rates and commodity prices. The Company seeks to manage market risk by establishing and monitoring limits on the types and degree of risk that may be undertaken. As a matter of policy, the Company does not use derivatives for speculative purposes. The Company considers the use of derivatives with all financing transactions to mitigate risk.

The Company recognizes cash flows from derivative instruments as operating activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows. The effective portion of changes in fair value on interest rate swaps designated as cash flow hedges are recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). Changes in fair value on derivatives not designated as hedges are recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss).

In July 2018, the Company had an early prepayment on one of its term loans that had a related interest rate swap that was designated as a hedging instrument, which was canceled and de-designated as a hedge instrument. The Company does not have a history of prepaying its loans and notes that another prepayment is not probable and a forced prepayment of any of its hedged term or construction loans is remote. See Note 18 for additional information concerning the de-designation of this interest rate swap.

In June 2018, the Company entered into a term loan agreement, discussed in Note 8, that contained an interest make-whole provision. In August 2018, the Company signed a joinder to the above agreement, which added another series of notes to the term loan that also contained an interest make-whole provision. The Company determined that these provisions fulfill the requirements of an embedded derivative instrument that were required to be bifurcated from its host agreement. The instrument is revalued periodically and the changes in fair value are recognized as either gains or losses in earnings in the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss).

See Notes 17 and 18 for additional information on the Company’s derivative instruments.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is calculated using the Company’s weighted-average outstanding common shares, including vested restricted shares. When the effects are not anti-dilutive, diluted earnings per share is calculated using the weighted-average outstanding common shares; the dilutive effect of convertible preferred stock, under the “if converted” method; and the treasury stock method with regard to warrants and stock options; all as determined under the treasury stock method.

Variable Interest Entities

Certain contracts are executed jointly through partnership and joint venture arrangements with unrelated third parties. The arrangements are often formed for the single business purpose of executing a specific project and allow the Company to share risks and/or secure specialty skills required for project execution.

The Company evaluates each partnership and joint venture at inception to determine if it qualifies as a VIE under ASC 810, Consolidation. A variable interest entity is an entity used for business purposes that either (a) does not have equity investors with voting rights or (b) has equity investors who are not required to provide sufficient financial resources for the entity to support its activities without additional subordinated financial support. Upon the occurrence of certain events outlined in ASC 810, the Company reassesses its initial determination of whether the partnership or joint venture is a VIE.

The Company also evaluates whether it is the primary beneficiary of each VIE and consolidates the VIE if the Company has both (a) the power to direct the economically significant activities of the entity and (b) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The Company considers the contractual agreements that define the ownership structure, distribution of profits and losses, risks, responsibilities, indebtedness, voting rights and board representation of the respective parties in determining whether it qualifies as the primary beneficiary. The Company also considers all parties that have direct or implicit variable interests when determining whether it is the primary beneficiary. When the Company is determined to be the primary beneficiary, the VIE is consolidated. As required by ASC 810, management's assessment of whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of a VIE is continuously performed.

The Company generally aggregates the disclosures of its VIEs based on certain qualitative and quantitative factors including the purpose and design of the underlying VIEs, the nature of the assets in the VIE, and the type of involvement the Company has with the VIE including its role and type of interest held in the VIE. As of December 31, 2018, all the VIEs that make up the Company’s investment funds are similar in purpose, design, and the Company’s involvement and, as such, are aggregated in one disclosure. See Note 10 for additional disclosures.

Redeemable Non-Controlling Interests

In each of September 2015, June 2017, June 2018 and October 2018, the Company formed an investment fund with a different third party investor which granted the applicable investor ownership interests in the net assets of certain of the Company’s renewable energy project subsidiaries. The Company currently has four such investment funds each with a different third party investor.

The Company entered into these agreements in order to finance the costs of constructing energy assets which are under long-term customer contracts. The Company has determined that these entities qualify as VIEs and that it is the primary beneficiary in the operational partnerships for accounting purposes. Accordingly, the Company will consolidate the assets and liabilities and operating results of the entities in its consolidated financial statements. The Company will recognize the investors’ share of the net assets of the subsidiaries as redeemable non-controlling interests in its consolidated balance sheet.

The Company has determined that the provisions in the contractual arrangements represent substantive profit-sharing arrangements. The Company has further determined that the appropriate methodology for attributing income and loss to the redeemable non-controlling interests each period is a balance sheet approach referred to as the hypothetical liquidation at book value (“HLBV”) method. Under the HLBV method, the amounts of income and loss attributed to the redeemable non-controlling interests in the consolidated statements of income (loss) reflect changes in the amounts the investors would hypothetically receive at each balance sheet date under the liquidation provisions of the contractual agreements, assuming the net assets of this funding structure were liquidated at recorded amounts. The investors’ non-controlling interest in the results of operations of this funding structure is determined as the difference in the non-controlling interest’s claim under the HLBV method at the start and end of each reporting period, after taking into account any capital transactions, such as contributions or distributions, between the Company’s subsidiaries and the investors. The use of the HLBV methodology to allocate income to the redeemable non-controlling interest holders may create volatility in the Company’s consolidated statements of income (loss) as the application of HLBV can drive changes in net income available and loss attributable to the redeemable non-controlling interests from quarter to quarter.

The Company classified the non-controlling interests with redemption features that are not solely within the control of the Company outside of permanent equity on its consolidated balance sheets. The redeemable non-controlling interests will be reported using the greater of their carrying value at each reporting date as determined by the HLBV method or the estimated redemption values in each reporting period.

See Notes 10 and 11 for additional disclosures.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Revenue Recognition

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), using the modified retrospective method applied to those contracts which were not completed as of December 31, 2017. Results for reporting periods beginning January 1, 2018 are presented under Topic 606, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for the prior period. The Company recorded an adjustment of $4,454 to retained earnings on January 1, 2018 due to the cumulative impact of adopting Topic 606. See Note 3 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" for the required disclosures related to the impact of adopting this standard and a discussion of the Company's updated policies related to revenue recognition discussed below.

The Company derives revenues from energy efficiency and renewable energy products and services. Energy efficiency products and services include the design, engineering, and installation of equipment and other measures to improve the efficiency, and control the operation, of a facility’s energy infrastructure. Renewable energy products and services include the construction of small-scale plants that produce electricity, gas, heat or cooling from renewable sources of energy, the sale of such electricity, gas, heat or cooling from plants that the Company owns, and the sale and installation of solar energy products and systems. For a description of the Company’s primary lines of business, see Revenue Recognition above.

Intangibles-Goodwill and Other

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use-Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract, which clarifies the accounting for implementation, setup, and upfront costs and aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The new standard is effective interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted, and can be applied either retrospectively or prospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the impact ASU 2018-13 on its consolidated financial statements, but does not expect that the adoption of this guidance will have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Derivatives and Hedging

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, which improves the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity's risk management activities in its financial statements. ASU 2017-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2017-12 during the third quarter of 2018. Upon adoption, the Company recognized an increase to retained earnings and an accumulated other comprehensive loss of $432 to remove the cumulative effect of hedging ineffectiveness previously recognized in earnings, as of January 1, 2018, for contracts designated as hedging instruments that were outstanding at the beginning of the third quarter 2018. The Company also recognized a decrease in other expenses, net and an increase in accumulated other comprehensive loss of $54 to remove the cumulative effect of hedging ineffectiveness previously recognized in earnings through 2018.

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-16 Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) Overnight Index Swap (“OIS”) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes, which permits the use of the OIS rate as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes. The Company adopted ASU 2018-16 in the fourth quarter of 2018. The adoption had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurement

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13 Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact ASU 2018-13 on its consolidated financial statements, but does not expect that the adoption of this guidance will have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The guidance in this ASU supersedes the leasing guidance in Topic 840, Leases. Under the new guidance, the Company is electing to only recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company has completed its evaluation on the impact on the consolidated financial statements of the adoption of ASU 2016-02, and is adopting the standard as of January 1, 2019.

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02 using the modified retrospective approach of applying the new standard at the adoption date. The Company also elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things, allowed the Company to carry forward the historical lease classification. The Company is also choosing to apply the policy election under ASC 842 that allows the Company to not include its short-term leases in its calculation of right-of-use asset or liability and instead continue to recognize expense on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term for these leases.

As a result of the adoption of ASC 842, the Company expects to recognize an increase in net lease assets between $30.6 million and $33.8 million and an increase in net lease liabilities between $32.4 million and $35.7 million related to the recognition of a right-of-use asset and the associated liability. The Company is in the process of evaluating if there was an impairment of the previously unrecognized right-of-use assets effective January 1, 2019. The Company is currently working to complete the implementation of new processes and information technology tools to assist in our ongoing lease data collection and analysis as well as updating our accounting policies and internal controls in connection with the adoption of the new standard.

Stock Based Compensation Expense

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. This new guidance amends the scope of modification accounting for share-based payment awards. ASU 2017-09 provide guidance on the types of changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity would be required to apply modification accounting under ASC 718. ASU 2017-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted these requirements on January 1, 2018. The adoption had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which expands the scope of current stock compensation recognition standards to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. ASU 2018-07 will become effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than an entity's adoption date of ASU 2014-09 (Topic 606), which the Company adopted on January 1, 2018. The Company adopted ASU 2018-07 during the second quarter of 2018. The adoption had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, as the Company currently has no issued share-payments to non-employees.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 eliminates diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the consolidated statements of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted these requirements on January 1, 2018. The adoption had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230), Restricted Cash. ASU 2016-18 requires restricted cash and cash equivalents to be included with cash and cash equivalents on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The guidance should be applied using a retrospective transition method for each period presented. The Company has adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2018 and the consolidated statement of cash flow has been prepared to conform with ASU 2016-18 for all periods presented.

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) – Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, to allow entities to reclassify the income tax effects of tax reform legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) on items within accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. ASU 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2018, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact ASU 2018-02 on its consolidated financial statements.

Business Combinations

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which provides guidance to entities to assist with evaluating when a set of transferred assets and activities (collectively, the “set”) is a business and provides a screen to determine when a set is not a business. Under the new guidance, when substantially all of the fair value of gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset, or group of similar assets, the assets acquired would not represent a business. Also, to be considered a business, an acquisition would have to include an input and a substantive process that together significantly contribute to the ability to produce outputs. The new standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017, and should be applied on a prospective basis to any transactions occurring within the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual periods in which the financial statements have not been issued. The Company adopted the guidance effective January 1, 2018, and its adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company’s financial position or financial statement disclosures.