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Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: Investments in Affiliates and Other Entities As described in Note 8, Quanta holds investments in various entities, including joint venture entities that provide infrastructure services under specific customer contracts and partially owned entities that own and operate certain infrastructure assets constructed by Quanta. Losses incurred by these entities are generally shared ratably based on the percentage ownership of the participants in these structures. However, in Quanta’s joint venture structures that provide infrastructure services, each participant is typically jointly and severally liable for all of the obligations of the joint venture entity pursuant to the contract with the customer, as a general partner or through a parent guarantee and, therefore, can be liable for full performance of the contract with the customer. In circumstances where Quanta’s participation in a joint venture qualifies as a general partnership, the joint venture partners are jointly and severally liable for all of the obligations of the joint venture, including obligations owed to the customer or any other person or entity. Quanta is not aware of circumstances that would lead to future claims against it for material amounts in connection with these joint and several liabilities. Additionally, in the joint venture structures entered into by Quanta, typically each party indemnifies the other party for any liabilities incurred in excess of the liabilities such other party is obligated to bear under the respective joint venture agreement or in accordance with the scope of work subcontracted to each party. It is possible, however, that Quanta could be required to pay or perform obligations in excess of its share if the other party is unable or refuses to pay or perform its share of the obligations. Quanta is not aware of circumstances that would lead to future claims against it for material amounts that would not be indemnified. As described in Note 2, Quanta has also formed a partnership with select infrastructure investors that provides up to $1.0 billion of capital, including approximately $80.0 million from Quanta, available to invest in certain specified infrastructure projects through August 2024. Additionally, as of September 30, 2018, Quanta had outstanding capital commitments associated with investments in unconsolidated affiliates related to planned oil and gas infrastructure projects of $14.8 million, of which $14.0 million is expected to be paid in 2018. The remaining $0.8 million of these capital commitments is anticipated to be paid by May 31, 2022. During 2014, a limited partnership in which Quanta is a partner was selected for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) electric transmission project in Canada to construct approximately 500 kilometers of transmission line and two 500 kV substations. A subsidiary of Quanta, engaged by the limited partnership, is contracted to provide turnkey EPC services for the entire project. As of September 30, 2018, Quanta made aggregate contributions to this unconsolidated affiliate of $65.0 million, received $62.7 million as a return of capital and had outstanding additional capital commitments associated with this project of $24.5 million, which are anticipated to be paid in 2019. Leases Quanta leases certain land, buildings and equipment under non-cancelable lease agreements, including related party leases. The terms of these agreements vary from lease to lease, and certain leases include renewal options and escalation clauses. The following schedule shows the future minimum lease payments under these leases as of September 30, 2018 (in thousands):
|  | Operating Leases
Year Ending December 31 — |  |  |
Remainder of 2018 |  | $ | 36,728 |
2019 |  | 108,640 |
2020 |  | 73,024 |
2021 |  | 48,174 |
2022 |  | 28,395 |
Thereafter |  | 47,479 |
Total minimum lease payments |  | $ | 342,440 |
Rent expense related to operating leases was $77.4 million and $67.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 and $229.2 million and $200.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017. Quanta has guaranteed the residual value on certain of its equipment operating leases, agreeing to pay any difference between this residual value and the fair market value of the underlying asset at the date of termination of such leases. At September 30, 2018, the maximum guaranteed residual value was $668.2 million. Quanta believes that no significant payments will be made as a result of the difference between the fair market value of the leased equipment and the guaranteed residual value; however, there can be no assurance that significant payments will not be required in the future. Contingent Consideration Liabilities As discussed in further detail in Note 2, Quanta is obligated to pay contingent consideration amounts to the former owners of certain acquired businesses in the event that such acquired businesses achieve specified performance objectives. As of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the estimated fair value of Quanta’s contingent consideration liabilities totaled $74.3 million and $65.7 million. Committed Expenditures Quanta has capital commitments for the expansion of its vehicle fleet in order to accommodate manufacturer lead times on certain types of vehicles. As of September 30, 2018, $30.2 million of production orders were issued with expected delivery dates in 2018, and $1.3 million of production orders were issued with expected delivery dates in 2019. Although Quanta has committed to purchase these vehicles at the time of their delivery, Quanta anticipates that the majority of these orders will be assigned to third party leasing companies and made available to Quanta under certain of its master equipment lease agreements, thereby releasing Quanta from its capital commitments. Legal Proceedings Quanta is from time to time party to various lawsuits, claims and other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. These actions typically seek, among other things, compensation for alleged personal injury, breach of contract and/or property damages, employment-related damages, punitive damages, civil penalties or other losses, or injunctive or declaratory relief. With respect to all such lawsuits, claims and proceedings, Quanta records a reserve when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. In addition, Quanta discloses matters for which management believes a material loss is at least reasonably possible. Except as otherwise stated below, none of these proceedings are expected to have a material adverse effect on Quanta’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In all instances, management has assessed the matter based on current information and made a judgment concerning its potential outcome, giving due consideration to the nature of the claim, the amount and nature of damages sought and the probability of success. Management’s judgment may prove materially inaccurate, and such judgment is made subject to the known uncertainties of litigation. Maurepas Project Dispute. During the third quarter of 2017, Maurepas Pipeline, LLC (Maurepas) notified QPS Engineering, LLC (QPS), a subsidiary of Quanta, of Maurepas’ assertion of a claim for liquidated damages allegedly arising from delay in mechanical completion of a project in Louisiana. Quanta disputes the claim and believes that QPS is not responsible for liquidated damages under the contract terms. The matter remains subject to contractual dispute resolution measures; however, either party may choose to institute a formal legal proceeding upon completion of such measures. If, upon final resolution of this matter, Quanta is unsuccessful, any such liquidated damages would be recorded by QPS as additional costs on the project, and Quanta believes the range of reasonably possible loss could be up to $22.0 million, which is the maximum liability for liquidated damages pursuant to the contract terms. In July and August 2018, Quanta received notice from Maurepas claiming certain warranty defects on the project. Quanta is evaluating the claimed defects, and based on the information currently available, no estimate of possible loss related to these claims can be determined. Lorenzo Benton v. Telecom Network Specialists, Inc., et al. In June 2006, plaintiff Lorenzo Benton filed a class action complaint in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, alleging various wage and hour violations against Telecom Network Specialists (TNS), a former subsidiary of Quanta. Quanta retained liability associated with this matter pursuant to the terms of Quanta’s sale of TNS in December 2012. Benton represents a class of workers that includes all persons who worked on certain TNS projects, including individuals that TNS retained through numerous staffing agencies. The plaintiff class in this matter is seeking damages for unpaid wages, penalties associated with the failure to provide meal and rest periods and overtime wages, interest and attorneys’ fees. In January 2017, the trial court granted a summary judgment motion filed by the plaintiff class and found that TNS was a joint employer of the class members and that it failed to provide adequate meal and rest breaks and failed to pay overtime wages. In February 2018, a hearing was held on a final motion for summary judgment on damages filed by the plaintiff class seeking approximately $11.1 million for its claims; however, a final determination regarding the amount of damages was not made. Quanta believes the court’s decision on liability is not supported by controlling law and continues to contest its liability and the damage calculation asserted by the plaintiff class in this matter. Additionally, in November 2007, TNS filed cross complaints for indemnity and breach of contract against the staffing agencies, which employed many of the individuals in question. In December 2012, the trial court heard cross-motions for summary judgment filed by TNS and the staffing agencies pertaining to TNS’s demand for indemnity. The court denied TNS’s motion and granted the motions filed by the staffing agencies; however, the California Appellate Court reversed the trial court’s decision in part and instructed the trial court to reconsider its ruling. In February 2017, the court denied a new motion for summary judgment filed by the staffing companies and has since stated that the staffing companies would be liable to TNS for any damages owed to the class members that the staffing companies employed. The final amount of liability, if any, payable in connection with this matter remains the subject of pending litigation and will ultimately depend on various factors, including the outcome of Quanta’s appeal of the trial court’s ruling on liability, the final determination with respect to any damages owed by Quanta, and the solvency of the staffing agencies. Based on review and analysis of the trial court’s rulings on liability, Quanta does not believe, at this time, that it is probable this matter will result in a material loss. However, if Quanta is unsuccessful in this litigation and the staffing agencies are unable to fund damages owed to class members, Quanta believes the range of reasonably possible loss to Quanta upon final resolution of this matter could be up to approximately $11.1 million, plus attorneys’ fees and expenses of the plaintiff class. Concentrations of Credit Risk Quanta is subject to concentrations of credit risk related primarily to its cash and cash equivalents and its net receivable position with customers, which includes amounts related to billed and unbilled accounts receivable and contract assets net of advanced billings with the same customer. Substantially all of Quanta’s cash and cash equivalents are managed by what it believes to be high credit quality financial institutions. In accordance with Quanta’s investment policies, these institutions are authorized to invest cash and cash equivalents in a diversified portfolio of what Quanta believes to be high quality cash and cash equivalent investments, which consist primarily of interest-bearing demand deposits, money market investments, money market mutual funds and investment grade commercial paper with original maturities of three months or less. Although Quanta does not currently believe the principal amount of these cash and cash equivalents is subject to any material risk of loss, changes in economic conditions could impact the interest income Quanta receives from these investments. In addition, Quanta grants credit under normal payment terms, generally without collateral, to its customers, which include electric power and oil and gas companies, governmental entities, general contractors, and builders, owners and managers of commercial and industrial properties located primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia and Latin America. Consequently, Quanta is subject to potential credit risk related to changes in business and economic factors throughout these locations, which may be heightened as a result of uncertain economic and financial market conditions that have existed in recent years. However, Quanta generally has certain statutory lien rights with respect to services provided. Some of Quanta’s customers have experienced significant financial difficulties in the past, and customers may experience financial difficulties in the future. These difficulties expose Quanta to increased risk related to collectability of billed and unbilled receivables and contract assets for services Quanta has performed. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, no customer represented 10% or more of Quanta’s consolidated net receivable position. No customer represented 10% or more of Quanta’s consolidated revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, and one customer within Quanta’s Oil and Gas Infrastructure Services segment accounted for approximately 10% of Quanta’s consolidated revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017. Insurance As discussed in Note 2, Quanta is insured for employer’s liability, workers’ compensation, auto liability, general liability and group health claims. As of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the gross amount accrued for insurance claims totaled $245.5 million and $254.7 million, with $186.9 million and $200.0 million considered to be long-term and included in “Insurance and other non-current liabilities.” Related insurance recoveries/receivables as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017 were $36.9 million and $50.4 million, of which $0.3 million and $0.4 million were included in “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” and $36.6 million and $50.0 million were included in “Other assets, net.” Project Insurance Claim. While performing a horizontal directional drill and installing an underground gas pipeline, a subsidiary of Quanta experienced a partial collapse of a borehole. Quanta is working with its customer to mitigate the impact of the incident and develop a plan to complete the project. The customer agreed to obtain and has procured insurance coverage for the project, with the Quanta subsidiary as an additional insured. Quanta believes the incident is covered under such insurance and is working collaboratively with the customer to prepare and submit an insurance claim to the customer’s insurance carrier. To the extent such claim is not successful, Quanta could pursue contractual relief from the customer or seek recovery under its own insurance policies. As of September 30, 2018, Quanta had recorded an insurance receivable of $11.3 million, which represents management’s estimate of the amount of costs incurred through such date that are probable of recovery. Quanta anticipates recording additional insurance recovery in future periods as additional mitigation costs are incurred. The plan to mitigate the incident is not final, may change and will be subject to the inherent risks associated with underground pipeline installation, which could cause the estimated costs to mitigate the incident to increase materially. To the extent Quanta is unsuccessful in realizing insurance or contractual recoveries, additional charges would be required. See Revenue Recognition - Contract Estimates in Note 2 for additional information. Letters of Credit Certain of Quanta’s vendors require letters of credit to ensure reimbursement for amounts they are disbursing on Quanta’s behalf, such as to beneficiaries under its insurance programs. In addition, from time to time, certain customers require Quanta to post letters of credit to ensure payment of subcontractors and vendors and guarantee performance under contracts. Such letters of credit are generally issued by a bank or similar financial institution, typically pursuant to Quanta’s senior secured credit facility. Each letter of credit commits the issuer to pay specified amounts to the holder of the letter of credit if the holder claims that Quanta has failed to perform specified actions. If this were to occur, Quanta would be required to reimburse the issuer of the letter of credit. Depending on the circumstances of such a reimbursement, Quanta may also be required to record a charge to earnings for the reimbursement. Quanta does not believe it is likely that any material claims will be made under a letter of credit in the foreseeable future. As of September 30, 2018, Quanta had $449.9 million in outstanding letters of credit and bank guarantees under its senior secured credit facility securing its casualty insurance program and various contractual commitments. These are irrevocable stand-by letters of credit with maturities generally expiring at various times throughout 2018 and 2019. Quanta expects to renew the majority of the letters of credit related to the casualty insurance program for subsequent one-year periods upon maturity. Performance Bonds and Parent Guarantees In certain circumstances, Quanta is required to provide performance bonds in connection with its contractual commitments. Quanta has indemnified its sureties for any expenses paid out under these performance bonds. These performance bonds expire at various times ranging from mechanical completion of the related projects to a period extending beyond contract completion in certain circumstances, and as such a determination of maximum potential amounts outstanding requires the use of certain estimates and assumptions. Such amounts can also fluctuate from period to period based upon the mix and level of Quanta’s bonded operating activity. As of September 30, 2018, the total amount of the outstanding performance bonds was estimated to be approximately $3.1 billion. Quanta’s estimated maximum exposure as it relates to the value of the performance bonds outstanding is lowered on each bonded project as the cost to complete is reduced, and each of its commitments under the performance bonds generally extinguishes concurrently with the expiration of its related contractual obligation. The estimated cost to complete these bonded projects was approximately $791 million as of September 30, 2018. Additionally, from time to time, Quanta guarantees the obligations of its wholly owned subsidiaries, including obligations in connection with certain contracts with customers, lease obligations, joint venture arrangements and, in some states, contractors’ licenses. Quanta is not aware of any material obligations for performance or payment asserted against it under any of these guarantees. Employment Agreements Quanta has various employment agreements with certain executives and other employees, which provide for compensation, other benefits and, under certain circumstances, severance payments and post-termination equity-related benefits. Certain employment agreements also contain clauses that become effective upon a change in control of Quanta, and Quanta may be obligated to pay certain amounts to such employees upon the occurrence of any of the defined change in control events. Collective Bargaining Agreements Some of Quanta’s operating units are parties to various collective bargaining agreements with unions that represent certain of their employees. The collective bargaining agreements expire at various times and have typically been renegotiated and renewed on terms similar to those in the expiring agreements. From time to time, Quanta is a party to grievance actions based on claims arising out of the collective bargaining agreements. The agreements require the operating units to pay specified wages, provide certain benefits to their union employees and contribute certain amounts to multiemployer pension plans and employee benefit trusts. Quanta’s multiemployer pension plan contribution rates generally are specified in the collective bargaining agreements (usually on an annual basis), and contributions are made to the plans on a “pay-as-you-go” basis based on its union employee payrolls. The location and number of union employees that Quanta employs at any given time and the plans in which they may participate vary depending on the projects Quanta has ongoing at any time and the need for union resources in connection with those projects. Therefore, Quanta is unable to accurately predict its union employee payroll and the amount of the resulting multiemployer pension plan contribution obligations for future periods. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 also added special funding and operational rules generally applicable to plan years beginning after 2007 for multiemployer plans that are classified as “endangered,” “seriously endangered” or “critical” status based on multiple factors (including, for example, the plan’s funded percentage, cash flow position and whether it is projected to experience a minimum funding deficiency). Plans in these classifications must adopt measures to improve their funded status through a funding improvement or rehabilitation plan, as applicable, which may require additional contributions from employers (which may take the form of a surcharge on benefit contributions) and/or modifications to retiree benefits. Certain plans to which Quanta contributes or may contribute in the future are in “endangered,” “seriously endangered” or “critical” status. The amount of additional funds, if any, that Quanta may be obligated to contribute to these plans in the future cannot be reasonably estimated due to uncertainty of the future levels of work that require the specific use of union employees covered by these plans, as well as the future contribution levels and possible surcharges on contributions applicable to these plans. Quanta may be subject to additional liabilities imposed by law as a result of its participation in multiemployer defined benefit pension plans. For example, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended by the Multiemployer Pension Plan Amendments Act of 1980, imposes certain liabilities upon an employer who is a contributor to a multiemployer pension plan if the employer withdraws from the plan or the plan is terminated or experiences a mass withdrawal. These liabilities include an allocable share of the unfunded vested benefits in the plan for all plan participants, not merely the benefits payable to a contributing employer’s own retirees. As a result, participating employers may bear a higher proportion of liability for unfunded vested benefits if other participating employers cease to contribute or withdraw, with the reallocation of liability being more acute in cases when a withdrawn employer is insolvent or otherwise fails to pay its withdrawal liability. Quanta is not aware of any material amounts of withdrawal liability that have been incurred or asserted and that remain outstanding as a result of a withdrawal by Quanta from a multiemployer defined benefit pension plan. Indemnities Quanta generally indemnifies its customers for the services it provides under its contracts, as well as other specified liabilities, which may subject Quanta to indemnity claims and liabilities and related litigation. Additionally, in connection with certain acquisitions and dispositions, Quanta has indemnified various parties against specified liabilities that those parties might incur in the future. The indemnities under acquisition or disposition agreements are usually contingent upon the other party incurring liabilities that reach specified thresholds. As of September 30, 2018, except as otherwise set forth above in Legal Proceedings, Quanta does not believe any material liabilities for claims exist against it in connection with any of these indemnity obligations. In the normal course of Quanta’s acquisition transactions, Quanta obtains rights to indemnification from the sellers or former owners of acquired businesses for certain risks, liabilities and obligations arising from their prior operations, such as performance, operational, safety, workforce or tax issues, some of which Quanta may not have discovered during due diligence. However, the indemnities may not cover all of Quanta’s exposure for such pre-acquisition matters, and the indemnitors may be unwilling or unable to pay the amounts owed to Quanta. Accordingly, Quanta may incur expenses for which it is not reimbursed. Quanta is currently in the process of negotiating certain pre-acquisition obligations associated with non-U.S. payroll taxes that may be due from a business acquired by Quanta in 2013. As of September 30, 2018, Quanta had recorded $11.4 million as its estimate of the pre-acquisition tax obligations and a corresponding indemnification asset, as management expects to recover from the indemnity counterparties any amounts that Quanta may be required to pay in connection with any such obligations.

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