Organization and Business

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization and Business

1. Organization and Business

HC2 Holdings, Inc. ("HC2" and, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the "Company", "we" and "our") is a diversified holding company which seeks to acquire and grow attractive businesses that we believe can generate long-term sustainable free cash flow and attractive returns. While the Company generally intends to acquire controlling equity interests in its operating subsidiaries, the Company may invest to a limited extent in a variety of debt instruments or noncontrolling equity interest positions. The Company’s shares of common stock trade on the NYSE under the symbol "HCHC".

The Company currently has eight reportable segments based on management’s organization of the enterprise - Construction, Marine Services, Energy, Telecommunications, Insurance, Life Sciences, Broadcasting, and Other, which includes businesses that do not meet the separately reportable segment thresholds.

1.Our Construction segment is comprised of DBM Global Inc. ("DBMG") and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. DBMG is a fully integrated Building Information Modelling modeler, detailer, fabricator and erector of structural steel and heavy steel plate. DBMG models, details, fabricates and erects structural steel for commercial and industrial construction projects such as high- and low-rise buildings and office complexes, hotels and casinos, convention centers, sports arenas, shopping malls, hospitals, dams, bridges, mines and power plants. DBMG also fabricates trusses and girders and specializes in the fabrication and erection of large-diameter water pipe and water storage tanks. Through GrayWolf, DBMG provides services including maintenance, repair, and installation to a diverse range of end markets in order to provide high-quality outage, turnaround, and new installation services to customers. Through Aitken Manufacturing, DBMG manufactures pollution control scrubbers, tunnel liners, pressure vessels, strainers, filters, separators and a variety of customized products. The Company maintains an approximately 92% controlling interest in DBMG.

2.Our Marine Services segment is comprised of Global Marine Systems Limited ("GMSL"). GMSL is a leading provider of engineering and underwater services on submarine cables and operates under the Global Marine Group brand. GMSL aims to maintain its leading market position in the telecommunications maintenance segment and seeks opportunities to grow its installation activities in the three market sectors (telecommunications, offshore power, and oil and gas) while capitalizing on high market growth in the offshore power sector through expansion of its installation and maintenance services in that sector. The Company maintains an approximately 73% controlling interest in GMSL.

3.Our Energy segment is comprised of American Natural Energy Corp. (f/k/a American Natural Gas, Inc.) ("ANG"). ANG is a premier distributor of natural gas motor fuel. ANG designs, builds, owns, acquires, operates and maintains compressed natural gas fueling stations for transportation vehicles. The Company maintains an approximately 69% controlling interest in ANG.

4.Our Telecommunications segment is comprised of PTGi International Carrier Services, Inc. ("ICS"). ICS operates a telecommunications business including a network of direct routes and provides premium voice communication services for national telecommunications operators, mobile operators, wholesale carriers, prepaid operators, voice over internet protocol service operators and internet service providers. ICS provides a quality service via direct routes and by forming strong relationships with carefully selected partners. The Company maintains a 100% interest in ICS.

5.Our Insurance segment is comprised of Continental Insurance Group Ltd. ("CIG") and its wholly-owned subsidiary Continental General Insurance Company ("CGI"). CGI provides long-term care, life, annuity, and other accident and health coverage that help protect policy and certificate holders from the financial hardships associated with illness, injury, loss of life, or income continuation. The Company maintains a 100% interest in CIG.

6.Our Life Sciences segment is comprised of Pansend Life Sciences, LLC ("Pansend"). Pansend maintains controlling interests of approximately 80% in Genovel Orthopedics, Inc. ("Genovel"), which seeks to develop products to treat early osteoarthritis of the knee and approximately 64% in R2 Technologies, Inc. ("R2"), which develops develops aesthetic and medical technologies for the skin . Pansend also invests in other early stage or developmental stage healthcare companies including an approximately 47% interest in MediBeacon Inc., and an investment in Triple Ring Technologies, Inc.

7.Our Broadcasting segment is comprised of HC2 Broadcasting Holdings Inc. ("HC2 Broadcasting") and its subsidiaries. HC2 Broadcasting strategically acquires and operates over-the-air broadcasting stations across the United States. In addition, HC2 Broadcasting, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, HC2 Network Inc. ("Network"), operates Azteca America, a Spanish-language broadcast network offering high quality Hispanic content to a diverse demographic across the United States. The Company maintains an approximately 98% controlling interest in HC2 Broadcasting and an approximately 50% controlling interest in DTV America Corporation ("DTV") as well as approximately 10% proxy and voting rights from minority holders.

8.Our Other segment represents all other businesses or investments we believe have significant growth potential, that do not meet the definition of a segment individually or in the aggregate.