XML 22 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1
Nature of Business
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Nature of Business  
Nature of Business

Note 1—Nature of Business

 

Organization and operationsPrimoris Services Corporation is a holding company of various construction and product engineering subsidiaries. Our underground and directional drilling operations install, replace and repair natural gas, petroleum, telecommunications and water pipeline systems, including large diameter pipeline systems. Our industrial, civil and engineering operations build and provide maintenance services to industrial facilities including power plants, petrochemical facilities, and other processing plants; construct multi-level parking structures; and engage in the construction of highways, bridges and other environmental construction activities. Our transmission and distribution operations install, replace and repair gas and electric utility systems. We are incorporated in the State of Delaware, and our corporate headquarters are located at 2300 Field Street, Suite 1900, Dallas, Texas 75201. Unless specifically noted otherwise, as used throughout these consolidated financial statements, “Primoris”, “the Company”, “we”, “our”, “us” or “its” refers to the business, operations and financial results of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries.

 

Reportable Segments — We segregate our business into five reportable segments: the Power, Industrial and Engineering (“Power”) segment, the Pipeline and Underground (“Pipeline”) segment, the Utilities and Distribution (“Utilities”) segment, the Transmission and Distribution (“Transmission”) segment, which is a new reportable segment created in connection with the acquisition of Willbros Group, Inc. (“Willbros”), and the Civil segment.  See Note 13 – “Reportable Segments” for a brief description of the reportable segments and their operations.

 

The classification of revenue and gross profit for segment reporting purposes can at times require judgment on the part of management. Our segments may perform services across industries or perform joint services for customers in multiple industries. To determine reportable segment gross profit, certain allocations, including allocations of shared and indirect costs, such as facility costs, equipment costs and indirect operating expenses were made.

 

Acquisition of Willbros Group, Inc. — On June 1, 2018, we completed our acquisition of Willbros for approximately $110.6 million, net of cash and restricted cash acquired. Willbros is a specialty energy infrastructure contractor serving the oil and gas and power industries through its utility transmission and distribution, oil and gas, and Canadian operations, which principally executes industrial and power projects. The utility transmission and distribution operations formed the Transmission segment, the oil and gas operations are included in the Pipeline segment, and the Canadian operations are included in the Power segment. See Note 4 — “Business Combinations”.

 

Other Acquisitions —  On May 26, 2017, we acquired the net assets of Florida Gas Contractors (“FGC”) for $37.7 million; on May 30, 2017, we acquired certain engineering assets for approximately $2.3 million; and on June 16, 2017, we acquired the net assets of Coastal Field Services (“Coastal”) for $27.5 million. FGC operations are included in the Utilities segment, the engineering assets are included in the Power segment, and Coastal operations are included in the Pipeline segment.  On January 29, 2016, we acquired the net assets of Mueller Concrete Construction Company (“Mueller”) for $4.1 million and on November 18, 2016, we acquired the net assets of Northern Energy & Power (“Northern”) for $6.9 million. On June 24, 2016, we purchased property, plant and equipment from Pipe Jacking Unlimited, Inc. (“Pipe Jacking”), consisting of specialty directional drilling and tunneling equipment for $13.4 million. We determined this purchase did not meet the definition of a business as defined under ASC 805,  “Business Combinations”.  Mueller operations are included in the Utilities segment, Northern operations are included in the Power segment, and Pipe Jacking operations are included in the Pipeline segment. See Note 4 — “Business Combinations”.

 

Joint Ventures —  We own a 50% interest in two separate joint ventures, both formed in 2015.  The Carlsbad Power Constructors joint venture (“Carlsbad”) is engineering and constructing a gas-fired power generation facility, and the “ARB Inc. & B&M Engineering Co.” joint venture (“Wilmington”) is also engineering and constructing a gas-fired power generation facility.  Both projects are located in Southern California.  The joint venture operations are included as part of the Power segment.  As a result of determining that we are the primary beneficiary of the two variable interest entities (“VIEs”), the results of the Carlsbad and Wilmington joint ventures are consolidated in our financial statements.  The Wilmington project was substantially complete as of December 31, 2017, and the Carlsbad project was substantially complete as of December 31, 2018. Financial information for the joint ventures is presented in Note 11—  “Noncontrolling Interests”.

 

Seasonality  Our results of operations are subject to quarterly variations. Some of the variation is the result of weather, particularly rain, ice and snow, which can impact our ability to perform construction services. While the majority of our work is in the southern half of the United States, these seasonal impacts can affect revenue and profitability in all of our businesses since utilities defer routine replacement and repair during their period of peak demand. Any quarter can be affected either negatively or positively by atypical weather patterns in any part of the country.  In addition, demand for new projects tends to be lower during the early part of the year due to clients’ internal budget cycles.  As a result, we usually experience higher revenue and earnings in the third and fourth quarters of the year as compared to the first two quarters.

 

Variability —In addition to seasonality, we are also dependent on large construction projects which tend not to be seasonal, but can fluctuate from year to year based on general economic conditions.  Our business may be affected by declines or delays in new projects or by client project schedules.  Because of the cyclical nature of our business, the financial results for any period may fluctuate from prior periods, and our financial condition and operating results may vary from quarter to quarter.  Results from one quarter may not be indicative of financial condition or operating results for any other quarter or for an entire year.