Jacobs Engineering - 10-Q quarterly report FY2015 Q3

Indicate by check-mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). 

 

 

 

Unless the context otherwise requires:

Our interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year.

Certain amounts included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements are presented at "fair value". Fair value is defined as the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants as of the date fair value is determined (the "measurement date"). When determining fair value, we consider the principal or most advantageous market in which we would transact, and we consider only those assumptions we believe a typical market participant would consider when pricing an asset or liability. In measuring fair value, we use the following inputs in the order of priority indicated:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets included in Level 1, such as (i) quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; (ii) quoted prices in markets that have insufficient volume or infrequent transactions (i.e., less active markets); and (iii) model-driven valuations in which all significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from, or corroborated with, observable market data for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the fair value measurement.

Claims receivable are included in "Receivables" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets and represent certain costs incurred on contracts to the extent it is probable that such claims will result in additional contract revenue and the amount of such additional revenue can be reliably estimated.

 

Certain cost-reimbursable contracts include incentive-fee arrangements. The incentive fees in such contracts can be based on a variety of factors but the most common are the achievement of target completion dates, target costs, and/or other performance criteria. Failure to meet these targets can result in unrealized incentive fees. We recognize incentive fees based on expected results using the percentage-of-completion method of accounting. As the contract progresses and more information becomes available, the estimate of the anticipated incentive fee that will be earned is revised as necessary. We bill incentive fees based on the terms and conditions of the individual contracts. In certain situations, we are allowed to bill a portion of the incentive fees over the performance period of the contract. In other situations, we are allowed to bill incentive fees only after the target criterion has been achieved. Incentive fees which have been recognized but not billed are included in Receivables in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Certain cost-reimbursable contracts with government customers as well as certain commercial clients provide that contract costs are subject to audit and adjustment. In this situation, revenues are recorded at the time services are performed based upon the amounts we expect to realize upon completion of the contracts. Revenues are not recognized for non-recoverable costs. In those situations where an audit indicates that we may have billed a client for costs not allowable under the terms of the contract, we estimate the amount of such nonbillable costs and adjust our revenues accordingly.

When we are directly responsible for subcontractor labor or third-party materials and equipment, we reflect the costs of such items in both revenues and costs. On those projects where the client elects to pay for such items directly and we have no associated responsibility for such items, these amounts are not reflected in either revenues or costs.

As is common to the industry, we execute certain contracts jointly with third parties through various forms of joint ventures and consortiums. Although the joint ventures own and hold the contracts with the clients, the services required by the contracts are typically performed by us and our joint venture partners, or by other subcontractors under subcontracting agreements with the joint ventures. The assets of our joint ventures, therefore, consist almost entirely of cash and receivables (representing amounts due from clients), and the liabilities of our joint ventures consist almost entirely of amounts due to the joint venture partners (for services provided by the partners to the joint ventures under their individual subcontracts) and other subcontractors. In general, at any given time, the equity of our joint ventures represents the undistributed profits earned on contracts the joint ventures hold with clients. Very few of our joint ventures have employees. None of our joint ventures have third-party debt or credit facilities. Our joint ventures, therefore, are simply mechanisms used to deliver engineering and construction services to clients. Rarely do they, in and of themselves, present any risk of loss to us or to our partners separate from those that we would carry if we were performing the contract on our own. Under U.S. GAAP, our share of losses associated with the contracts held by the joint ventures, if and when they occur, has always been reflected in our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Certain of our joint ventures meet the definition of a "variable interest entity" ("VIE"). As defined in U.S. GAAP, a VIE is a legal entity in which equity investors do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or, as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk lack any one of the following three characteristics: (i) the power, through voting rights or similar rights, to direct the activities of a legal entity that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance; (ii) the obligation to absorb the expected losses of the legal entity; or (iii) the right to receive the expected residual returns of the legal entity. Accordingly, entities issuing consolidated financial statements (i.e., a "reporting entity") shall consolidate a VIE if the reporting entity has a "controlling financial interest" in the VIE, as demonstrated by the reporting entity having both (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance; and (ii) the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

In evaluating our VIEs for possible consolidation, we perform a qualitative analysis to determine whether or not we have a "controlling financial interest" in the VIE as defined by U.S. GAAP. We consolidate only those VIEs over which we have a controlling financial interest. For the Company’s unconsolidated joint ventures, we use the equity method of accounting. The Company does not currently participate in any significant VIEs in which it has a controlling financial interest.

Included in the above table are amounts relating to a U.S. pension plan, the participating employees of which are assigned to, and work exclusively on, a specific operating contract with the U.S. federal government. It is the expectation of the parties to this contract that the cost of this pension plan will be fully reimbursed by the U.S. federal government pursuant to applicable

Other Comprehensive Income

Share Repurchases

In the normal course of business, we are subject to certain contractual guarantees, claims and litigation. The guarantees to which we are a party generally relate to project schedules and plant performance. Most of the claims and litigation in which we are involved has us as a defendant in workers' compensation; personal injury; environmental; employment/labor; professional liability; and other similar matters.

We maintain insurance coverage for various aspects of our business and operations. Our insurance programs have varying coverage limits and maximums, and insurance companies may and increasingly do seek to not pay any claims we might make. We have also elected to retain a portion of losses that occur through the use of various deductibles, limits, and retentions under our insurance programs. As a result, we may be subject to future liability for which we are only partially insured or completely uninsured. We intend to mitigate any such future liability by continuing to exercise prudent business judgment in negotiating the terms and conditions of our contracts. Our insurers are also subject to business risk and, as a result, one or more of them may be unable to fulfill their insurance obligations due to insolvency or otherwise.

Additionally, as a contractor providing services to the U.S. federal government and several of its agencies, we are subject to many levels of audits, investigations, and claims by, or on behalf of, the U.S. federal government with respect to our contract performance, pricing, costs, cost allocations, and procurement practices. Furthermore, our income, franchise, and similar tax returns and filings are also subject to audit and investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, most states within the U.S. as well as by various government agencies representing jurisdictions outside the U.S.

We record in our Consolidated Balance Sheets amounts representing our estimated liability relating to such claims, guarantees, litigation, and audits and investigations. We perform an analysis to determine the level of reserves to establish for claims that may be insured that are known and have been asserted against us, and for claims that may be insured that are believed to have been incurred based on actuarial analysis, but have not yet been reported to our claims administrators as of the respective balance sheet dates. We include any adjustments to such insurance reserves in our consolidated results of operations.

Management believes, after consultation with counsel, that such guarantees, litigation, U.S. government contract-related audits, investigations and claims, and income tax audits and investigations should not have any material adverse effect on our consolidated financial statements.

On August 9, 2014, the Company received a Notice of Arbitration from Motiva Enterprises LLC. The arbitration is

pending in Houston, Texas before the International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution. In 2006, Motiva contracted

with Bechtel-Jacobs CEP Port Arthur Joint Venture (“BJJV”), a joint venture between Bechtel Corporation and Jacobs

Engineering Group, Inc. to perform professional services in connection with the expansion project at the Motiva Port Arthur,

TX refinery. In the Notice of Arbitration, Motiva asserts various causes of action and alleges entitlement to equitable and

General

The purpose of this Management’s Discussion and Analysis ("MD&A") is to provide a narrative analysis explaining the reasons for material changes in the Company’s (i) financial condition since the most recent fiscal year-end, and (ii) results of operations during the current fiscal period(s) as compared to the corresponding period(s) of the preceding fiscal year. In order to better understand such changes, readers of this MD&A should also read:

In addition to the 2014 Restructuring and the acquisition of SKM, the Company's consolidated results of operations for fiscal 2014 were affected by the following discrete events:

Business Combinations Completed During Fiscal 2014

 

  

 

Backlog Information

We include in backlog the total dollar amount of revenues we expect to record in the future as a result of performing work under contracts that have been awarded to us. Our policy with respect to O&M contracts, however, is to include in backlog the amount of revenues we expect to receive for one succeeding year, regardless of the remaining life of the contract. For national government programs (other than national government O&M contracts), our policy is to include in backlog the full contract award, whether funded or unfunded, excluding option periods. Because of the nature, size, expected duration, funding commitments, and the scope of services required by our contracts, the timing of when backlog will be recognized as revenues can vary greatly between individual contracts.

 

Consistent with industry practice, substantially all of our contracts are subject to cancellation or termination at the option of the client. In a situation where a client terminates a contract, we typically are entitled to receive payment for work performed up to the date of termination, and in certain instances, we may be entitled to allowable termination and cancellation costs. While management uses all information available to it to determine backlog, our backlog at any given time is subject to changes in the scope of services to be provided as well as increases or decreases in costs relating to the contracts included therein.

Because certain contracts (for example, contracts relating to large engineering, procurement, and construction projects as well as national government programs) can cause large increases to backlog in the fiscal period in which we recognize the award, and because many of our contracts require us to provide services that span over a number of fiscal quarters (and sometimes over fiscal years), we evaluate our backlog on a year-over-year basis, rather than on a sequential, quarter-over-quarter basis.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

With respect to the Company's working capital accounts, the Company's cash flows from operations are greatly affected by the cost-plus nature of our customer contracts. Because such a high percentage of our revenues is earned on cost-plus type contracts, and due to the significance of revenues relating to pass-through costs, most of the costs we incur are included in invoices we send to clients. Although we continually monitor our accounts receivable, we manage the operating cash flows of the Company by managing the working capital accounts in total, rather than by the individual elements. The primary elements of the Company’s working capital accounts are accounts receivable, accounts payable, and billings in excess of cost. Accounts payable consist of obligations to third parties relating primarily to costs incurred for projects which are generally billable to clients. Accounts receivable consist of amounts due from our clients — a substantial portion of which is for project-related costs. Billings in excess of cost consist of billings to and payments from our clients for costs yet to be incurred.

Also contributing to the decrease in cash flows relating to our working capital accounts were the fiscal 2015 payments of liabilities accrued as part of the 2014 Restructuring and the timing of income tax payments in the U.S. and Europe.

With respect to the Company's trade accounts receivable, we believe, in general, that our credit risk is not significant in spite of the fact we provide services to clients in a number of countries outside the U.S. Our private sector customers include large, well-known, and well-established multi-national companies, and our government customers consist of national, state, and local agencies located principally in the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. We have not historically experienced significant collection issues with either of our governmental or non-governmental customers.

    

We do not enter into derivative financial instruments for trading, speculation or other purposes that would expose the Company to market risk. In the normal course of business, our results of operations are exposed to risks associated with fluctuations in interest rates and currency exchange rates.

Interest Rate Risk

On August 19, 2014, the Board of Directors approved a program to repurchase up to $500 million of the Company's common stock over the next three years. Share repurchases may be executed through various means including, without limitation, open market transactions, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The share repurchase program does not oblige the Company to purchase any shares. The authorization for the share repurchase program may be terminated, increased, or decreased by the Company's Board of Directors in its discretion at any time. The timing of our share repurchases may depend upon market conditions, other uses of capital, and other factors.

On July 23, 2015, the Board of Directors approved a program to purchase up to an additional $500 million of the Company's common stock over the next three years. This approval is in addition to the capacity remaining under the Company's August 2014 $500 million share repurchase authorization, which was $48.7 million as of June 26, 2015. The new share repurchase authorization is subject to the same general terms and conditions as the prior share repurchase authorization summarized above.

Section 1503 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) requires domestic mine operators to disclose violations and orders issued under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the “Mine Act”) by the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. Under the Mine Act, an independent contractor, such as Jacobs, that performs services or construction of a mine is included within the definition of a mining operator. We do not act as the owner of any mines.

Information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K is included in Exhibit 95.