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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

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For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019

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For the transition period from                to               

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Commission file number: 001-36870

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(386) 304-2200

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

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Securities registered pursuant to section 12(g) of the Act:

None

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

⌧ Yes            ◻ No

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  

◻ Yes            ⌧ No

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

⌧ Yes           ◻ No

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

⌧ Yes           ◻ No

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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or emerging growth company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.  

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Large accelerated filer   ⌧      Accelerated filer   ◻      Smaller reporting company   ☐      Non-accelerated filer ◻      Emerging growth company ☐

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If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ◻

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

☐Yes            ⌧ No

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The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant based on the closing price of $82.76 per share as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on June 28, 2019, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was approximately $2.8 billion.

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Number of shares of common stock outstanding as of February 13, 2020: 33,486,521

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DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

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Portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement for its 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after December 31, 2019, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K.

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TOPBUILD CORP.

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

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Statements contained in this Annual Report that reflect our views about future periods, including our future plans and performance, constitute “forward-looking statements” under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “will,” “would,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “believe,” “designed,” “plan,” or “intend,” the negative of these terms, and similar references to future periods.  These views involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and, accordingly, our actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in our forward-looking statements.  We caution you against unduly relying on any of these forward-looking statements.  Our future performance may be affected by our reliance on residential new construction, residential repair/remodel, and commercial construction; our reliance on third-party suppliers and manufacturers; our ability to attract, develop, and retain talented personnel and our sales and labor force; our ability to maintain consistent practices across our locations; our ability to maintain our competitive position; and our ability to realize the expected benefits of our acquisitions.  We discuss the material risks we face under the caption entitled “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of this Annual Report.  Our forward-looking statements in this Annual Report speak only as of the date of this Annual Report.  Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to predict all of them.  Unless required by law, we undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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In addition to insulation products, which represented 72% of our Installation segment’s sales during the year ended December 31, 2019, we also install other building products including rain gutters, glass and windows, afterpaint products, fireproofing, garage doors, fireplaces, shower enclosures, and closet shelving.  

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We handle every stage of the installation process including material procurement supplied by leading manufacturers, project scheduling and logistics, multi-phase professional installation, and installation quality assurance.  The amount of insulation installed in a new home is regulated by various building and energy codes.  

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Our TruTeam customer base includes the largest single-family homebuilders in the U.S. as well as local/single-family custom builders, multi-family builders, commercial general contractors, remodelers, and individual homeowners.  

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Through our Home Services subsidiary and our Environments for Living^® program, we offer a number of services and tools designed to assist builders with applying the principles of building science to new home construction.  We offer pre-construction plan reviews using industry-standard home-energy analysis software, various inspection services, and diagnostic testing.  We believe our Home Services subsidiary is one of the largest Home Energy Rating System Index (HERS) raters in the U.S.

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Distribution (Service Partners)

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We distribute insulation and other building products including rain gutters, fireplaces, closet shelving, and roofing materials through our Service Partners business, which has approximately 75 distribution centers located across the United States.

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Our Service Partners customer base consists of thousands of insulation contractors of all sizes, gutter contractors, weatherization contractors, other contractors, dealers, metal building erectors, and modular home builders.  

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For further information on our segments, see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Note 8. Segment Information.

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Demand for Our Products and Services

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Demand for our insulation products and services is driven by new single-family residential and multi-family home construction, commercial construction, remodeling and repair activity, revised building codes that require additional insulation, and the growing need for energy efficiency.  Being a leader in both installation and distribution allows us to reach a broader set of customers more effectively, regardless of their size or geographic location within the U.S.  We recognize that competition for the installation and sale of insulation and other building products occurs in localized geographic markets throughout the country, and, as such, our operating model is based on our geographically diverse branches building and maintaining local customer relationships.  At the same time, our local operations benefit from centralized functions such as purchasing, information technology, sales support, and credit and collections.

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Activity in the construction industry is seasonal, typically peaking in the summer months.  Because installation of insulation historically lags housing starts by several months, we generally see a corresponding benefit in our operating results during the third and fourth quarters.

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Competitive Advantages

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The market for the distribution and installation of building products is highly fragmented and competitive.  Barriers to entry for local competitors are relatively low, increasing the risk that additional competitors will emerge.  Our ability to maintain our competitive position in our industry depends on a number of factors including our national scale, sales channels, diversified product lines, strong local presence, reduced exposure to residential housing cyclicality and strong cash flows.

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National scale.  With our national footprint, we provide products and services to each major construction line of business in the U.S.  Our national scale, together with our centralized TopBuild executive management team, allows us to compete locally by:

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Two avenues to reach the builder.  We believe that having both installation and distribution businesses provides a number of advantages to reaching our customers and driving share gains.  Our installation business customer base includes builders of all sizes.  Our branches go to market with the local brands that small builders recognize and value, and our national footprint is appealing to large builders who value consistency across a broad geography.  Our distribution business focuses on selling to small contractors who are particularly adept at cultivating local relationships with small custom builders.  Being a leader in both installation and distribution allows us to more effectively reach a broader set of builder customers, regardless of their size or geographic location within the U.S., and leverage new construction housing growth wherever it occurs.

Diversified lines of business.  In response to the housing downturn in prior years and to mitigate the cyclicality of residential new home construction, we expanded and enhanced our ability to serve the commercial construction line of business.  This included expanding our commercial operations and sales capacity, adding commercial product offerings, developing relationships with commercial general contractors and building our expertise and reputation for quality service for both light and heavy commercial construction projects. Although commercial construction is affected by many of the same macroeconomic and local economic factors that drive residential new construction, commercial construction has historically followed different cycles than residential new construction. 

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Strong local presence.  Competition for the installation and sale of insulation and other building products to builders occurs in localized geographic markets throughout the country.  Builders and contractors in each local market have different options in terms of choosing among insulation installers and distributors for their projects, and value local relationships, quality, and timeliness.  Our installation branches are locally branded businesses that are recognized within the communities in which they operate.  Our distribution centers service primarily local contractors, lumberyards, retail stores and others who, in turn, service local homebuilders and other customers.  Our operating model, in which individual branches and distribution centers maintain local customer relationships, enables us to develop local, long-tenured relationships with these customers, build local reputations for quality, service and timeliness, and provide specialized products and personalized services tailored to a geographic region.  At the same time, our local operations benefit from centralized functions, such as purchasing, information technology, sales support, and credit and collections, and the resources and scale efficiencies of an installation and distribution business that has a presence across the U.S.

Reduced exposure to residential housing cyclicality.  During industry downturns many insulation contractors, who buy directly from manufacturers during industry peaks, return to purchasing through distributors for small, “Less Than Full Truckload” shipments, reduce warehousing needs, and purchase on credit.  This drives incremental customers to Service Partners during these points in the business cycle, offsetting decreases in demand for installation services at

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TruTeam as a result of a downturn.  We believe that our leadership position in both installation and distribution helps to reduce exposure to cyclical swings in our lines of business.

Strong cash flow, low capital investment, and favorable working capital fund organic growth.  Over the last several years, we have reduced fixed costs and improved our labor utilization.  As a result, we can achieve profitability at lower levels of demand as compared to historical periods.  For further discussion on our cash flows and liquidity, see Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Liquidity and Capital Resources.

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Major Customers

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We have a diversified portfolio of customers and no single customer accounted for three percent or more of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019.  Our top ten customers accounted for approximately 9 percent of our total sales in 2019.  

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Backlog

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Due to our customers’ need for timely installation of our products, our installation jobs are scheduled and completed within a short timeframe.  We do not consider backlog material to our business.

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Suppliers

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Our businesses depend on our ability to obtain an adequate supply of high quality products and components from manufacturers and other suppliers.  We rely heavily on third-party suppliers for our products and key components.  We source the majority of our fiberglass building products from four primary U.S.-based residential fiberglass insulation manufacturers: Knauf, CertainTeed, Johns Manville, and Owens Corning.  Failure by our suppliers to provide us with an adequate supply of high quality products on commercially reasonable terms, or to comply with applicable legal requirements, could have a material, adverse effect on our financial condition or operating results.  We believe we generally have positive relationships with our suppliers.

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Employees

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As of December 31, 2019, we had approximately 10,400 employees.  Approximately 915 of our employees are currently covered by collective bargaining or other similar labor agreements.

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Executive Management

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See Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance.

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Legislation and Regulation

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We are subject to U.S. federal, state, and local regulations, particularly those pertaining to health and safety (including protection of employees and consumers), labor standards/regulations, contractor licensing, and environmental issues.  In addition to complying with current effective requirements and requirements that will become effective at a future date, even more stringent requirements could eventually be imposed on our industries.  Additionally, some of our products and services may require certification by industry or other organizations.  Compliance with these regulations and industry standards may require us to alter our distribution and installation processes and our sourcing, which could adversely impact our competitive position.  Further, if we do not effectively and timely comply with such regulations and industry standards, our operating results could be negatively affected.

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Additional Information

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We provide our Annual Reports, Quarterly Reports, Current Reports and amendments to those reports free of charge on our website, www.topbuild.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after these reports are filed with or furnished to the SEC.  Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this Form 10-K, and you should

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not consider information contained on our website to be part of this Form 10-K or in deciding whether to purchase shares of our common stock.

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Use of our Website to Distribute Material Company Information

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We use our website as a channel of distribution for important Company information. We routinely post on our website important information, including press releases, investor presentations and financial information, which may be accessed by clicking on the Investors section of www.topbuild.com. We may also use our website to expedite public access to time-critical information regarding our Company in advance of or in lieu of distributing a press release or a filing with the SEC disclosing the same information. Therefore, investors should look to the Investors subpage of our website for important and time-critical information.  Visitors to our website can also register to receive automatic e-mail and other notifications alerting them when new information is made available on the Investor Resources subpage of our website.

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Our ability to successfully implement our business plan and achieve targeted financial results is dependent on our ability to successfully integrate acquired businesses.  The process of integrating acquired businesses, may expose us to operational challenges and risks, including, but not limited to:

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Failure to successfully integrate any acquired businesses may result in reduced levels of revenue, earnings, or operating efficiency than might have been achieved if we had not acquired such businesses.  In addition, our past acquisitions resulted, and any future acquisitions could result in the incurrence of additional debt and related interest expense, contingent liabilities, and amortization expenses related to intangible assets, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results, and cash flow.  

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We may not be able to achieve the benefits that we expect to realize as a result of future acquisitions.  Failure to achieve such benefits could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

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We may not be able to realize anticipated cost savings, revenue enhancements, or other synergies from future acquisitions, either in the amount or within the time frame that we expect.  In addition, the costs of achieving these benefits may be higher than, and the timing may differ from, what we expect.  Our ability to realize anticipated cost savings, synergies, and revenue enhancements may be affected by a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the following:

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Specifically, while we expect future acquisitions to create opportunities to reduce our combined operating costs, these cost savings reflect estimates and assumptions made by our management, and it is possible that our actual results will not reflect these estimates and assumptions within our anticipated timeframe or at all.  

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If we fail to realize anticipated cost savings, synergies, or revenue enhancements, our financial results may be adversely affected, and we may not generate the cash flow from operations that we anticipate.  

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We are dependent on third-party suppliers and manufacturers to provide us with an adequate supply of quality products, and the loss of a large supplier or manufacturer could negatively affect our operating results.

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Failure by our suppliers to provide us with an adequate supply of quality products on commercially reasonable terms, or to comply with applicable legal requirements, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or operating results.  While we believe that we have generally positive relationships with our suppliers, the fiberglass insulation industry has encountered both shortages and periods of significant oversupply during past housing market cycles, leading to volatility in prices and allocations of supply, which affect our results.  While we do not believe we depend on any sole or limited source of supply, we source the majority of our building products, primarily insulation, from a limited number of large suppliers.  The loss of a large supplier, or a substantial decrease in the availability of products or components from our suppliers, could disrupt our business and adversely affect our operating results.

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The long-term performance of our businesses relies on our ability to attract, develop, and retain talented personnel, including sales representatives, branch managers, installers, and truck drivers, while controlling our labor costs.

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We are highly dependent on the skills and experience of our senior management team and other skilled and experienced personnel.  The failure to attract and retain key employees could negatively affect our competitive position and operating results.

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Our business results also depend upon our branch managers and sales personnel, including those of businesses acquired.  Our ability to control labor costs and attract qualified labor is subject to numerous external factors including prevailing wage rates, the labor market, the demand environment, the impact of legislation or regulations governing wages and hours, labor relations, immigration, healthcare benefits, and insurance costs.  In addition, we compete with other companies to recruit and retain qualified installers and truck drivers in a tight labor market, and we invest significant resources in training and motivating them to maintain a high level of job satisfaction.  These positions generally have high turnover rates, which can lead to increased training and retention costs. If we fail to attract qualified labor on favorable terms, we may not be able to meet the demand of our customers, which could adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Because we operate our business through highly dispersed locations across the U.S., our operations may be materially adversely affected by inconsistent local practices, and the operating results of individual branches and distribution centers may vary.

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We operate our business through a network of highly dispersed locations throughout the United States, supported by executives and services at our Branch Support Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, with local branch management retaining responsibility for day-to-day operations and adherence to applicable local laws.  Our operating structure can make it difficult for us to coordinate procedures across our operations.  In addition, our branches and distribution facilities may require significant oversight and coordination from headquarters to support their growth.  Inconsistent implementation of corporate strategy and policies at the local or regional level could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

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Our profit margins could decrease due to changes in the costs of the products we install and/or distribute.

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The principal building products that we install and distribute have been subject to price changes in the past, some of which have been significant.  Our results of operations for individual quarters can be, and have been, hurt by a delay

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between the time building product cost increases are implemented and the time we are able to increase prices for our installation or distribution services, if at all.  Our supplier purchase prices may depend on our purchasing volume or other arrangements with any given supplier. While we have been able to achieve cost savings through volume purchasing or other arrangements with suppliers in the past, we may not be able to consistently continue to receive advantageous pricing for the products we distribute and install.  If we are unable to maintain purchase pricing consistent with prior periods or unable to pass on price increases, our costs could increase and our margins may be adversely affected.

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We face significant competition, and increased competitive pressure may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

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The market for the distribution and installation of building products is highly fragmented and competitive, and barriers to entry are relatively low.  Our installation competitors include national contractors, regional contractors, and local contractors, and we face many or all of these competitors for each project on which we bid.  Our insulation distribution competitors include specialty insulation distributors (one multi regional, several regional, and numerous local).  In some instances, our insulation distribution business sells products to companies that may compete directly with our installation service business.  We also compete with broad line building products distributors, big box retailers, and insulation manufacturers.  In addition to price, we believe that competition in our industry is based largely on customer service and the quality and timeliness of installation services and distribution product deliveries in each local market.

In the event that increased demand leads to higher prices for the products we sell and install, we may have limited ability to pass on price increases in a timely manner or at all due to the fragmented and competitive nature of our industry.

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Our business is seasonal and is susceptible to adverse weather conditions and natural disasters.  We also may be adversely affected by any natural or man-made disruptions to our facilities.

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We normally experience stronger sales during the third and fourth calendar quarters, corresponding with the peak season for residential new construction and residential repair/remodel activity.  Sales during the winter weather months are seasonally slower due to the lower construction activity.  Historically, the installation of insulation lags housing starts by several months.  

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In addition, to the extent that hurricanes, severe storms, earthquakes, droughts, floods, fires, other natural disasters, or similar events occur in the geographic areas in which we operate, our business may be adversely affected.  

Any widespread disruption to our facilities resulting from a natural disaster, an act of terrorism, or any other cause could damage a significant portion of our inventory, and could materially impair our ability to provide installation and/or distribution services for our customers.  

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Claims and litigation could be costly.

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We are, from time to time, involved in various claims, litigation matters, and regulatory proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of our business and which could have a material adverse effect on us.  These matters may include contract disputes, automobile liability and other personal injury claims, warranty disputes, environmental claims or proceedings, other tort claims, employment and tax matters, the quality of products sourced from our suppliers, and other proceedings and litigation, including class actions.  In addition, we are exposed to potential claims by our employees or others based on job related hazards.  

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We may also be subject to claims or liabilities arising from our acquisitions for the periods prior to our acquisition of them, including environmental, employee-related and other liabilities and claims not covered by insurance. Our ability to seek indemnification from the former owners of our acquired businesses for these claims or liabilities may be limited by the respective acquisition agreements and the financial ability of the former owners to satisfy our indemnification claims.

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Our builder and contractor customers are subject to product liability, casualty, negligence, construction defect, breach of contract, warranty and other claims in the ordinary course of their business. Our contractual arrangements with our builder and contractor customers may include our agreement to defend and indemnify them against various liabilities.  

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We rely on manufacturers and other suppliers to provide us with most of the products we install.  Because we do not have direct control over the quality of such products manufactured or supplied by such third-party suppliers, we are exposed to risks relating to the quality of such products.  In addition, we are exposed to potential claims arising from the conduct of our employees, homebuilders and other subcontractors, for which we may be liable contractually or otherwise.

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Product liability, workmanship warranty, casualty, negligence, construction defect, breach of contract and other claims and legal proceedings can be expensive to defend and can divert the attention of management and other personnel for significant periods of time, regardless of fault or the ultimate outcome.  In addition, lawsuits relating to construction defects typically have statutes of limitations that can run as long as ten years.  Claims of this nature could also have a negative impact on customer confidence in us and our services.  

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Although we intend to defend all claims and litigation matters vigorously, given the inherently unpredictable nature of claims and litigation, we cannot predict with certainty the outcome or effect of any claim or litigation matter.

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We expect to maintain insurance against some, but not all, of these risks of loss resulting from claims and litigation.  We may elect not to obtain insurance if we believe the cost of available insurance is excessive relative to the risks presented.  The levels of insurance we maintain may not be adequate to fully cover any and all losses or liabilities.  If any significant accident, judgment, claim, or other event is not fully insured or indemnified against, it could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

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New product innovations or new product introductions could negatively impact our business. 

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New product innovations or new product introductions could negatively impact demand for the products we currently install and distribute.

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We may not be able to identify new products or new product lines and integrate them into our distribution network, which may impact our ability to compete.  Our expansion into new markets may present competitive, distribution, and regulatory challenges that differ from current ones.

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Our business depends in part on our ability to identify future products and product lines that complement existing products and product lines and that respond to our customers’ needs.

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We may not be able to compete effectively unless our product selection keeps up with trends in the markets in which we compete, or trends in new products, which could cause us to lose market share. Our expansion into new markets, new products or new product lines may present competitive, distribution and regulatory challenges, as well as divert management attention away from our core business. In addition, our ability to integrate new products and product lines into our distribution network could affect our ability to compete.

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We are subject to competitive pricing pressure from our customers.

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Residential homebuilders historically have exerted significant pressure on their outside suppliers to keep prices low in the highly fragmented building products supply and services industry.  In addition, consolidation among homebuilders and changes in homebuilders’ purchasing policies or payment practices could result in additional pricing pressure.

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The development of alternatives to distributors in the supply chain could cause a decrease in our sales and operating results and limit our ability to grow our business.

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Our distribution customers could begin purchasing more of their products directly from manufacturers, which would result in decreases in our net sales and earnings.  Our suppliers could invest in infrastructure to expand their own local sales force and sell more products directly to our distribution customers, which also would negatively impact our business.

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If we are required to take significant non-cash charges, our financial resources could be reduced, and our financial flexibility may be negatively affected.

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We have significant goodwill and other intangible assets related to business combinations on our balance sheet.  The valuation of these assets is largely dependent upon the expectations for future performance of our businesses.  Expectations about the growth of residential new construction, commercial construction, and residential repair/remodel activity may impact whether we are required to recognize non cash, pretax impairment charges for goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets or other long-lived assets.  If the value of our goodwill, other intangible assets, or long-lived assets is further impaired, our earnings and stockholders’ equity would be adversely affected and may impact our ability to raise capital in the future.

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Compliance with government regulation and industry standards could impact our operating results.

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We are subject to federal, state, and local government regulations, particularly those pertaining to health and safety, including protection of employees and consumers; employment laws, including immigration and wage and hour regulations; contractor licensing; data privacy; and environmental issues.  In addition to complying with current requirements, even more stringent requirements could be imposed in the future.  Compliance with these regulations and industry standards is costly and may require us to alter our installation and distribution processes, product sourcing, or business practices, and makes recruiting and retaining labor in a tight labor market more challenging.  Compliance with these regulations and industry standards could also divert our attention and resources to compliance activities, and could cause us to incur higher costs.  Further, if we do not effectively and timely comply with such regulations and industry standards, our results of operations could be negatively affected, and we could become subject to substantial penalties or other legal liability.

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We are subject to environmental regulation and potential exposure to environmental liabilities.

We are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. Although we believe that we operate our business, including each of our locations, in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and maintain all material permits required under such laws and regulations to operate our business, we may be held liable or incur fines or penalties in connection with such requirements. In addition, environmental laws and regulations, including those related to energy use and climate change, may become more stringent over time, and any future laws and regulations could have a material impact on our operations or require us to incur material additional expenses to comply with any such future laws and regulations.

Changes in employment and immigration laws may adversely affect our business.

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Various federal and state labor laws govern the relationship with our employees and impact operating costs.  These laws include:

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We have a significant exposure to changes in laws governing our relationships with our employees, including wage and hour laws and regulations, fair labor standards, minimum wage requirements, overtime pay, unemployment tax rates, workers’ compensation rates, citizenship requirements and payroll taxes, which changes would have a direct

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impact on our operating costs.  Significant additional government-imposed increases in the preceding areas could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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In addition, various states in which we operate are considering or have already adopted new immigration laws or enforcement programs, and the U.S. Congress and Department of Homeland Security from time to time consider and implement changes to federal immigration laws, regulations or enforcement programs.  These changes may increase our compliance and oversight obligations, which could subject us to additional costs and make our hiring process more cumbersome, or reduce the availability of potential employees. Although we verify the employment eligibility status of all our employees, including through participation in the “E-Verify” program where required, some of our employees may, without our knowledge, be unauthorized workers.  Use of the “E-Verify” program does not guarantee that we will properly identify all applicants who are ineligible for employment.  Unauthorized workers are subject to deportation and may subject us to fines or penalties and, if any of our workers are found to be unauthorized, we could experience adverse publicity that negatively impacts our brand and may make it more difficult to hire and retain qualified employees, which could disrupt our operations.  We could also become subject to fines, penalties and other costs related to claims that we did not fully comply with all recordkeeping obligations of federal and state immigration laws. These factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Union organizing activity and work stoppages could delay or reduce availability of products that we install and increase our costs.

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Approximately 915 of our employees are currently covered by collective bargaining or other similar labor agreements that expire on various dates from 2020 through 2027.  Any inability by us to negotiate collective bargaining arrangements could cause strikes or other work stoppages, and new contracts could result in increased operating costs.  If any such strikes or other work stoppages occur, or if other employees become represented by a union, we could experience a disruption of our operations and higher labor costs.  Further, if a significant number of additional employees were to unionize, including in the wake of any future legislation that makes it easier for employees to unionize, these risks would increase.  In addition, certain of our suppliers have unionized work forces, and certain of the products we install and/or distribute are transported by unionized truckers.  Strikes, work stoppages, or slowdowns could result in slowdowns or closures of facilities where the products that we install and/or distribute are manufactured, or could affect the ability of our suppliers to deliver such products to us.  Any interruption in the production or delivery of these products could delay or reduce availability of these products and increase our costs.

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We rely on information technology systems, and in the event of a disruption or security incident, we could experience problems with customer service, inventory, collections, and cost control and incur substantial costs to address related issues.

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Our operations are dependent upon our information technology systems, including systems run by third-party vendors which we do not control, to manage customer orders on a timely basis, to coordinate our installation and distribution activities across locations, and to manage invoicing.  If we experience problems with our information technology systems, we could experience, among other things, delays in receiving customer orders, placing orders with suppliers, and scheduling production, installation services, or shipments.

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A substantial disruption in our information technology systems could have an adverse impact on revenue, harm our reputation, and cause us to incur legal liability and costs, which could be significant, to address and remediate such events and related security concerns.

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In addition, we could be adversely affected if any of our significant customers or suppliers experienced any similar events that disrupted their respective business operations or damaged their reputations.

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In the event of a cybersecurity incident, we could experience operational interruptions, incur substantial additional costs, become subject to legal or regulatory proceedings or suffer damage to our reputation.

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In addition to the disruptions that may occur from interruptions in our information technology systems, cybersecurity threats and sophisticated and targeted cyberattacks pose a risk to our information technology systems.  We have established security policies, processes and defenses designed to help identify and protect against intentional and unintentional misappropriation or corruption of our information technology systems and disruption of our operations.  

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Despite these efforts, our information technology systems may be damaged, disrupted or shut down due to attacks by unauthorized access, malicious software, computer viruses, undetected intrusion, hardware failures or other events, and in these circumstances our disaster recovery plans may be ineffective or inadequate.  These breaches or intrusions could lead to business interruption, exposure of proprietary or confidential information, data corruption, damage to our reputation, exposure to legal and regulatory proceedings and other costs.  Such events could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.  In addition, we could be adversely affected if any of our significant customers or suppliers experience any similar events that disrupt their business operations or damage their reputation.

We maintain monitoring practices and protections of our information technology to reduce these risks and test our systems on an ongoing basis for potential threats.  We carry cybersecurity insurance to help mitigate the financial exposure and related notification procedures in the event of intentional intrusion.  There can be no assurance, however, that our efforts will prevent the risk of a security breach of our databases or systems that could adversely affect our business.

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Our business relies significantly on the expertise of our employees and we generally do not have intellectual property that is protected by patents.

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Our business is significantly dependent upon our expertise in installation and distribution logistics, including significant expertise in the application of building science through our Environments for Living® program.  We rely on a combination of trade secrets and contractual confidentiality provisions and, to a much lesser extent, copyrights and trademarks, to protect our proprietary rights.  Accordingly, our intellectual property is more vulnerable than it would be if it were protected primarily by patents.  We may be required to spend significant resources to monitor and protect our proprietary rights, and in the event a misappropriation or breach of our proprietary rights occurs, our competitive position in the market may be harmed.  In addition, competitors may develop competing technologies and expertise that renders our expertise obsolete or less valuable.

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Changes in building codes and consumer preferences could affect our ability to market our service offerings and our profitability.  Moreover, if we do not respond to evolving customer preferences or changes in building standards, or if we do not maintain or expand our leadership in building science, our business, results of operation, financial condition, and cash flow would be adversely affected.

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Each of our lines of business is impacted by local and state building codes and consumer preferences, including a growing focus on energy efficiency.  Our competitive advantage is due, in part, to our ability to respond to changes in consumer preferences and building codes.  However, if our installation and distribution services and our leadership in building sciences do not adequately or quickly adapt to changing preferences and building standards, we may lose market share to competitors, which would adversely affect our business, results of operation, financial condition, and cash flows.  Further, our growth prospects could be harmed if consumer preferences and building standards evolve more slowly than we anticipate towards energy efficient service offerings, which are more profitable than minimum code service offerings.  

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We may have future capital needs and may not be able to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms.

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Our future capital requirements will depend on many factors, including industry and market conditions, our ability to successfully complete future business combinations and the expansion of our existing operations.  We anticipate that we may need to raise additional funds in order to grow our business and implement our business strategy.  Economic and credit market conditions, the performance of the construction industry, and our financial performance, as well as other factors may constrain our financing abilities.  Our ability to secure additional financing and to satisfy our financial obligations will depend upon our future operating performance; the availability of credit; economic conditions; and financial, business, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control.  Any financing, if available, may be on terms that are not favorable to us and will be subject to changes in interest rates and the capital markets environment.  If we cannot obtain adequate capital, we may not be able to fully implement our business strategy and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

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Our indebtedness and restrictions in our existing credit facility, Senior Notes or any other indebtedness we may incur in the future, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, ability to make distributions to shareholders, and the value of our common stock.

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Our indebtedness could have significant consequences on our future operations, including:

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Any of the above-listed factors could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations and our ability to meet our payment obligations. If we are not able to generate sufficient cash flow to service our debt obligations, we may need to refinance or restructure our debt, sell assets, reduce or delay capital investments, or seek to raise additional capital, and some of these activities may be on terms that are unfavorable or highly dilutive.  Our ability to refinance our indebtedness will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time.  If we are unable to implement one or more of these alternatives, we may not be able to meet our payment obligations.

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Certain of our variable rate indebtedness uses LIBOR as a benchmark for establishing the rate of interest. LIBOR is the subject of recent national, international and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform.  These reforms and other pressures may cause LIBOR to be replaced with a new benchmark or to perform differently than in the past. The consequences of these developments cannot be entirely predicted, but could include an increase in the cost of our variable rate indebtedness.

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Our existing term loan, revolving credit facility and the indenture governing our Senior Notes limit, and any future credit facility or other indebtedness we enter into may limit our ability to, among other things:

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Our revolving credit facility contains, and any future credit facility or other debt instrument we may enter into will also likely contain, covenants requiring us to maintain certain financial ratios and meet certain tests, such as a fixed charge coverage ratio, a leverage ratio, and a minimum test.  Our ability to comply with those financial ratios and tests can be affected by events beyond our control, and we may not be able to comply with those ratios and tests when required to do so under the applicable debt instruments.  For additional information regarding our outstanding debt see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Note 6. Long-Term Debt.

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Adverse credit ratings could increase our costs of borrowing money and limit our access to capital markets and commercial credit.

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Moody’s Investor Service and Standard & Poor’s routinely evaluate our credit ratings related to our Senior Notes.  If these rating agencies downgrade any of our current credit ratings, our borrowing costs could increase and our access to the capital and commercial credit markets could be adversely affected.

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In connection with the Separation, Masco indemnified us for certain liabilities, and we indemnified Masco for certain liabilities.  If we are required to act under these indemnities to Masco, we may need to divert cash to meet those obligations, which could adversely affect our financial results.  Moreover, the Masco indemnity may not be sufficient to compensate us for the full amount of liabilities for which it may be liable, and Masco may not be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations to us in the future.

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Indemnities that we may be required to provide Masco are not subject to any cap, may be significant, and could negatively affect our business, particularly indemnities relating to our actions that could affect the tax-free nature of the Separation.  Third parties could also seek to hold us responsible for any of the liabilities that Masco has agreed to retain, and under certain circumstances, we may be subject to continuing contingent liabilities of Masco following the Separation, such as certain shareholder litigation claims.  Further, Masco may not be able to fully satisfy its indemnification obligations, or such indemnity obligations may not be sufficient to cover our liabilities.  Moreover, even if we ultimately succeed in recovering from Masco any amounts for which we are held liable, we may be temporarily required to bear these losses ourselves.  Each of these risks could negatively affect our business, results of operations, liquidity, and financial condition.

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Compliance with and changes in tax laws could adversely affect our performance.

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We are subject to extensive tax liabilities imposed by multiple jurisdictions including income taxes; indirect taxes which include excise and duty, sales and use, and gross receipts taxes; payroll taxes; franchise taxes; withholding taxes; and ad valorem taxes.  New tax laws and regulations, and changes in existing tax laws and regulations, are continuously being enacted or proposed which could result in increased expenditures for tax liabilities in the future.  Many of these liabilities are subject to periodic audits by the respective taxing authority.  Subsequent changes to our tax liabilities as a result of these audits may subject us to interest and penalties.

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Risks Relating to Our Common Stock

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The price of our common stock may fluctuate substantially, and the value of your investment may decline.

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The market price of our common stock could fluctuate significantly due to a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:

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Provisions in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and certain provisions of Delaware law, could delay or prevent a change in control.

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The existence of some provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law could discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control that a stockholder may consider favorable.  These include provisions:

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In addition, we are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which may have an anti-takeover effect with respect to transactions not approved in advance by our board of directors, including discouraging takeover attempts that could have resulted in a premium over the market price for shares of our common stock.

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These provisions apply even if a takeover offer is considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our board of directors determines is not in our and our stockholders’ best interests.

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Our bylaws designate the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a preferred judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees.

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Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, or other employee to us or our stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of Delaware General Corporation Law, our certificate of incorporation (including any certificate of designations for any class or series of our preferred stock), or our bylaws, in each case, as amended from time to time, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, shall be the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (provided, however, that in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks subject matter jurisdiction over such proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware), in all cases subject to the court having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants.  Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock is deemed to have received notice of, and consented to, the foregoing provision.  This forum selection provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable or cost effective for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers, and employees.

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Performance Graph and Table.  The following graph and table compare the cumulative total return of our common stock from July 1, 2015, the date on which our common stock began trading on the NYSE, through December 31, 2019, with the total cumulative return of the Russell 2000 Index and the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.  The graph and table assume an initial investment of $100 in our common stock and each of the two indices at the close of business on July 1, 2015, and reinvestment of dividends.

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Strategy

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Our long-term strategy is to grow net sales, net income, and operating cash flows and remain the leading insulation installer and distributor by revenue.  In order to achieve these goals, we plan to:

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Our operating results depend heavily on residential new construction activity and, to a lesser extent, on commercial construction and residential repair/remodel activity, all of which are cyclical.  We are also dependent on third-party suppliers and manufacturers providing us with an adequate supply of high-quality products.  

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Material Trends in Our Business

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Housing starts (as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau) were lower than prior year in the first half of 2019.  However, in the 3^rd quarter housing starts outpaced prior year by 3.9% and in the fourth quarter housing starts were 19.6% higher than prior year.  This positive uptick in starts, combined with the current low interest rate environment, is driving optimism for the housing market for the year 2020.  We expect this industry tailwind in new residential construction to be slightly tempered by a lower revenue per housing unit.  This lower revenue per unit is being driven by higher multifamily starts vs. single-family starts, and by the shift by homebuilders toward smaller, more affordable, single-family units. 

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In 2019, we experienced strong growth vs. prior year in our sales to commercial construction markets.  We expect these markets, both light and heavy commercial, to remain strong in near-term with revenue in heavy commercial uneven due to timing and the nature of these larger construction projects.   

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Seasonality

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We normally experience stronger sales during the third and fourth calendar quarters, corresponding with the peak season for residential new construction and residential repair/remodel activity.  Sales during the winter weather months are typically slower due to lower construction activity.  Historically, the installation of insulation lags housing starts by several months.

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Income Tax Expense

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Our effective tax rate decreased from 25.5 percent in 2018 to 24.7 percent in 2019.  The lower 2019 rate was primarily related to an increased benefit from share-based compensation partially offset by an increase in the state and local taxes.  The state and local tax increase was due to a revaluation of deferred tax assets & liabilities resulting from state filing position changes, with some offsetting benefit for the state return to provision adjustment and other miscellaneous state adjustments.

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2019 and 2018 Business Segment Results Discussion

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Changes in operating profit margins in the following business segment results discussion exclude general corporate expense, net in 2019 and 2018, as applicable.

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Installation

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Sales

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Sales increased $225.8 million, or 13.4 percent, in 2019 compared to 2018.  Sales increased 7.1 percent from acquisitions, 3.8 percent due to increased selling prices, and 2.5 percent due to increased sales volume, primarily in our commercial markets.  

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Operating Results

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Operating margins in the Installation segment were 13.3 percent and 11.7 percent for 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The increase in operating margins related to increased selling prices, increased sales volume, operational efficiencies, and synergies from the USI acquisition, partially offset by higher material costs.

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Distribution

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Sales

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Sales increased $41.8 million, or 5.1 percent, in 2019 compared to 2018.  Sales increased 4.6 percent due to increased selling prices, 1.3 percent from acquisitions, and decreased 0.8 percent due to volume.  Volume decreased primarily due to deliberate decisions with respect to price and volume, as well as the decision to exit some low margin business.

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Operating Results

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Operating margins in the Distribution segment were 10.5 percent and 9.6 percent for 2019 and 2018, respectively.  The increase in operating margins related to increased selling prices and operational efficiencies, which were partially offset by increased material costs.

Commitments and Contingencies

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Litigation

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We are subject to certain claims, charges, litigation, and other proceedings in the ordinary course of our business, including those arising from or related to contractual matters, intellectual property, personal injury, environmental matters, product liability, product recalls, construction defects, insurance coverage, personnel and employment disputes, antitrust, and other matters, including class actions. We believe we have adequate defenses in these matters, and we do not believe that the ultimate outcome of these matters will have a material adverse effect on us.  However, there is no assurance that we will prevail in any of these pending matters, and we could in the future incur judgments, enter into settlements of claims, or revise our expectations regarding the outcome of these matters, which could materially impact our liquidity and our results of operations.

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Other Commitments

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We enter into contracts which include customary indemnities that are standard for the industries in which we operate.  Such indemnities include, among other things, customer claims against builders for issues relating to our products and workmanship.  In conjunction with divestitures and other transactions, we occasionally provide customary indemnities relating to various items including, among others: the enforceability of trademarks; legal and environmental issues; and asset valuations.  We evaluate the probability that we may incur liabilities under these customary indemnities and appropriately record an estimated liability when deemed probable.

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We also maintain indemnification agreements with our directors and officers that may require us to indemnify them against liabilities that arise by reason of their status or service as directors or officers, except as prohibited by applicable law.

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We occasionally use performance bonds to ensure completion of our work on certain larger customer contracts that can span multiple accounting periods.  Performance bonds generally do not have stated expiration dates; rather, we are released from the bonds as the contractual performance is completed.  We also have bonds outstanding for license and insurance.  For additional information see Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Note 11. Other Commitments and Contingencies.

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Net cash used in financing activities was $137.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2019. We used $110.9 million for common stock repurchases related to our share repurchase programs, including $50.0 million under the 2019 ASR Agreement, $21.9 million for payments on our term loan, $13.0 million for purchases of common stock for tax withholding obligations related to the vesting and exercise of share-based incentive awards, $5.9 million for payments on our equipment financing notes, and $1.1 million for payments of contingent consideration for EcoFoam and Santa Rosa. We received $15.0 million of proceeds from equipment financing notes.  Net cash provided by financing activities was $429.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2018. In 2018, we received $400.0 million from the issuance of our Senior Notes and $100.0 million from the delayed draw on our term loan which we used to fund our acquisition of USI. We received $26.6 million of proceeds from equipment financing notes related to our decision to begin purchasing rather than leasing vehicles. We used $65.0 million for common stock repurchases related to our share repurchase programs, including $50.0 million under the 2018 ASR Agreement, $16.3 million for payments on our term loan, $7.8 million for payment of debt issuance costs related to our Amended Credit Agreement and our Senior Notes, $5.5 million for purchases of common stock for tax withholding obligations related to the vesting and exercise of share-based incentive awards, and $2.1 million for payments on our equipment financing notes. We also made a payment of $0.8 million of contingent consideration for EcoFoam. We drew $90.0 million on our Revolving Facility and repaid $90.0 million

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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

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We prepare our Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP.  The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates. 

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Our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.  However, certain of our accounting policies considered critical are those we believe are both most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and operating results and require our most difficult, subjective, or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain.  Judgments and uncertainties affecting the application of those policies may result in materially different amounts being reported under different conditions or using different assumptions.  We consider the following policies to be most critical in understanding the judgments that are involved in preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements. 

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Revenue Recognition and Receivables

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We recognize revenue for our Installation segment over time as the related performance obligation is satisfied with respect to each particular order within a given customer’s contract. Progress toward complete satisfaction of the performance obligation is measured using a cost-to-cost measure of progress method. The cost input is based on the amount of material installed at that customer’s location and the associated labor costs, as compared to the total expected cost for the particular order.   Revenue is recognized as the customer is able to receive and utilize the benefits provided by our services. Each contract contains one or more individual orders, which are based on services delivered. When a contract modification is made, typically the remaining goods or services are considered distinct and we recognize revenue for the modification as a separate performance obligation. When material and installation services are bundled in a contract, we combine these items into one performance obligation as the overall promise is to transfer the combined item.

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Revenue from our Distribution segment is recognized when title to products and risk of loss transfers to our customers.  This represents the point in time when the customer is able to direct the use of and obtain substantially all the benefits from the product. The determination of when control is deemed transferred depends on the shipping terms that are agreed upon in the contract.

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At time of sale, we record estimated reductions to revenue for customer programs and incentive offerings, including special pricing and other volume-based incentives based on historical experience, which is continuously adjusted. The duration of our contracts with customers is relatively short, generally less than a 90-day period, and therefore there is not a significant financing component when considering the determination of the transaction price which gets allocated to the individual performance obligations, generally based on standalone selling prices. Additionally, we consider shipping costs charged to a customer as a fulfillment cost rather than a promised service and expense as incurred. Sales taxes, when incurred, are recorded as a liability and excluded from revenue on a net basis.

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We record a contract asset when we have satisfied our performance obligation prior to billing and a contract liability when a customer payment is received prior to the satisfaction of our performance obligation. The difference between the beginning and ending balances of our contract assets and liabilities primarily results from the timing of our performance and the customer’s payment.

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We maintain allowances for doubtful accounts receivable for estimated losses resulting from the inability of customers to make required payments.  In addition, we monitor our customer receivable balances and the credit worthiness of our customers on an on-going basis.  During downturns in our markets, declines in the financial condition and creditworthiness of customers impact the credit risk of the receivables involved and we have incurred additional bad debt expense related to customer defaults.

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Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

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We have two reporting units, which are also our operating and reporting segments: Installation and Distribution.  Both reporting units contain goodwill.  Assets acquired and liabilities assumed are assigned to the applicable reporting unit based on whether the acquired assets and liabilities relate to the operations of and determination of the fair value of such unit.  Goodwill assigned to the reporting unit is the excess of the fair value of the acquired business over the fair value of the individual assets acquired and liabilities assumed for the reporting unit.

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We perform our annual impairment testing of goodwill in the fourth quarter of each year, or as events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.  When assessing goodwill for impairment, we have the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount.  If, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, we determine it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then we perform a two-step impairment test.  If we conclude otherwise, then no further action is taken.

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We also have the option to bypass the qualitative assessment and only perform a quantitative assessment, which is the first step of the two-step impairment test.  In completing the two-step impairment test, we complete the impairment testing utilizing a discounted cash flow method.  We selected this methodology because we believe that it is comparable to what would be used by other market participants.  Our operating segments are reporting units that engage in business activities for which discrete financial information, including long range forecasts, is available.  We have identified our segments as our reporting units and complete the impairment testing of goodwill at the operating segment level, as defined by accounting guidance.  Fair value for our reporting units is determined using a discounted cash flow method which includes significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 inputs).

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Determining market values using a discounted cash flow method requires us to make significant estimates and assumptions, including long term projections of cash flows, market conditions, and appropriate discount rates.  Our judgments are based on historical experience, current market trends, consultations with external valuation specialists, and other information.  While we believe that the estimates and assumptions underlying the valuation methodology are reasonable, changes to estimates and assumptions could result in different outcomes.  In estimating future cash flows, we rely on internally generated long range forecasts for sales and operating profits, and generally a one to three percent long term assumed annual growth rate of cash flows for periods after the long range forecast.  We generally develop these forecasts based upon, among other things, recent sales data for existing products, and estimated U.S. housing starts.

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When necessary, an impairment loss is recognized to the extent that a reporting unit’s recorded goodwill exceeds its implied fair value.  We did not recognize any impairment charges for goodwill for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017.  As of December 31, 2019, net goodwill reflected $762.0 million of accumulated impairment losses, relating primarily to impairment charges taken in 2008-2010 following the substantial decrease in U.S. housing starts after the financial crisis of 2007-2008.

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In the fourth quarter of 2019, we performed an assessment on our goodwill and determined that the estimated fair value of each reporting unit substantially exceeded its carrying value at December 31, 2019, and therefore the goodwill was not impaired.  In the fourth quarter of 2018, we performed an assessment on our goodwill and concluded that it was more-likely-than-not that goodwill was not impaired.

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Intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives.  We evaluate the remaining useful lives of amortizable identifiable intangible assets at each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining periods of amortization.

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Income Taxes

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If, based upon all available evidence, both positive and negative, it is more likely than not (more than 50 percent likely) such deferred tax assets will not be realized, a valuation allowance is recorded.  Significant weight is given to positive and negative evidence that is objectively verifiable.  A company’s three year cumulative loss position is significant negative evidence in considering whether deferred tax assets are realizable and the accounting guidance restricts the amount of reliance we can place on projected taxable income to support the recovery of deferred tax assets.

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Current accounting guidance allows the recognition of only those income tax positions that have a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being sustained upon examination by taxing authorities.  We believe that there is an increased potential for volatility in our effective tax rate because this threshold allows changes in the income tax environment and the inherent complexities of income tax law in a substantial number of jurisdictions to affect the computation of the liability for uncertain tax positions to a greater extent.

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While we believe we have adequately assessed for our uncertain tax positions, amounts asserted by taxing authorities could vary from our assessment of uncertain tax positions.  Accordingly, provisions for tax-related matters, including interest and penalties, could be recorded in income tax expense in the period revised assessments are made.

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Business Combinations

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The purchase price for business combinations is allocated to the estimated fair values of acquired tangible and intangible assets, including goodwill, and assumed liabilities, where applicable.  Management uses significant judgments involving estimates and assumptions when determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed. These estimates include, but are not limited to, discount rates, projected future revenue growth, cost synergies and expected cash flows, customer attrition rates, useful lives, and other prospective financial information. Additionally, we recognize customer relationships, trademarks and trade names, and non-competition agreements as identifiable intangible assets, which are recorded at fair value as of the transaction date.  The fair value of these intangible assets is determined primarily using the income approach and using current industry information.  Goodwill is recorded when consideration transferred exceeds the fair value of identifiable assets and liabilities.  Measurement-period adjustments to assets acquired and liabilities assumed with a corresponding offset to goodwill are recorded in the period they occur, which may include up to one year from the acquisition date.  Contingent consideration is recorded at fair value at the acquisition date.

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Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

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Recently issued accounting pronouncements and their expected or actual effect on our reported results of operations are addressed in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data – Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

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As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, other than short-term leases, letters of credit, and performance and license bonds, we had no material off-balance sheet arrangements.

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with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (ii) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Revenue Recognition – Total Expected Costs for Performance Obligations Satisfied Over Time

As described in Notes 1 and 3 to the consolidated financial statements, $1,906.7 million of the Company’s total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2019 was generated from the Installation segment. Revenue is recognized for the Installation segment over time as the related performance obligation is satisfied with respect to each particular order within a given customer’s contract. Progress toward complete satisfaction of the performance obligation is measured using a cost-to-cost measure of progress method. The cost input is based on the amount of material installed at that customer’s location and the associated labor costs, as compared to the total expected cost for the particular order. Revenue is recognized over time as the customer is able to receive and utilize the benefits provided.  

The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to revenue recognition – total expected costs for performance obligations satisfied over time is a critical audit matter are there was significant auditor judgment and effort in performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence obtained relating to the total expected costs for performance obligations satisfied over time.    

Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. These procedures included testing the effectiveness of controls relating to the revenue recognition process, including controls over estimating the total expected costs for performance obligations satisfied over time. The procedures also included, among others, evaluating and testing management’s process for determining the total expected costs for a sample of orders, which included evaluating the reasonableness of significant assumptions, including the estimated amount of material to be installed and the associated labor costs used by management and considering the factors that can affect the accuracy of those estimates. Evaluating the reasonableness of significant assumptions used involved assessing management’s ability to reasonably estimate total expected costs for particular orders within customer contracts by (i) performing a comparison of the originally estimated and actual costs incurred on completed orders and (ii) evaluating the timely identification of circumstances that may warrant a modification to total expected cost, including actual costs in excess of estimates.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Orlando, Florida

February 25, 2020

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2015.

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See notes to our consolidated financial statements.

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