Business — Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and consolidated subsidiaries (“SYKES” or the “Company”) is a leading provider of multichannel demand generation and global customer engagement services. SYKES provides differentiated full lifecycle customer engagement solutions and services primarily to Global 2000 companies and their end customers within the financial services, communications, technology, transportation & leisure, healthcare and other industries. SYKES primarily provides customer engagement solutions and services with an emphasis on inbound multichannel demand generation, customer service and technical support to its clients’ customers. Utilizing SYKES’ integrated onshore/offshore global delivery model, SYKES provides its services through multiple communication channels including phone, e-mail, social media, text messaging, chat and digital self-service. SYKES also provides various enterprise support services in the United States that include services for its clients’ internal support operations, from technical staffing services to outsourced corporate help desk services. In Europe, SYKES also provides fulfillment services, which include order processing, payment processing, inventory control, product delivery and product returns handling. Additionally, through the Company’s acquisition of robotic processing automation (“RPA”) provider Symphony Ventures Ltd (“Symphony”) coupled with its investment in artificial intelligence (“AI”) through XSell Technologies, Inc. (“XSell”), the Company also provides a suite of solutions such as consulting, implementation, hosting and managed services that optimizes its differentiated full lifecycle management services platform. The Company has operations in two reportable segments entitled (1) the Americas, in which the client base is primarily companies in the United States that are using the Company’s services to support their customer management needs, which includes the United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia and the Asia Pacific Rim; and (2) EMEA, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Basis of Presentation — The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“generally accepted accounting principles” or “U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information, the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for any future quarters or the year ending December 31, 2020. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on February 27, 2020.

Principles of Consolidation — The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SYKES and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and controlled majority-owned subsidiaries. Investments in less than majority-owned subsidiaries in which the Company does not have a controlling interest, but does have significant influence, are accounted for as equity method investments. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates — The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the Company 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 revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Due to the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, there has been uncertainty and disruption in the global economy and financial markets. Other than where noted, the Company is not aware of any specific event or circumstance that would require an update to its estimates or judgments or a revision of the carrying value of its assets or liabilities as of the date and time of issuance of the condensed consolidated financial statements. These estimates may change, as new events occur and additional information is obtained. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Subsequent Events — Subsequent events or transactions have been evaluated through the date and time of issuance of the condensed consolidated financial statements. On April 5, 2020, the Company experienced a cyber incident that affected specific back office systems. See Note 18, Subsequent Event, for further information. There were no

other material subsequent events that required recognition or disclosure in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash — Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and highly liquid short-term investments, primarily held in non-interest-bearing investments which have original maturities of less than 90 days. Restricted cash includes cash whereby the Company’s ability to use the funds at any time is contractually limited or is generally designated for specific purposes arising out of certain contractual or other obligations.

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets that sum to the amounts reported in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands):

	March 31, 2020		December 31, 2019		March 31, 2019		December 31, 2018
Cash and cash equivalents	$	118,422	$	127,246	$	148,242	$	128,697
Restricted cash included in "Other current assets"		438		568		1,960		149
Restricted cash included in "Deferred charges and other assets"		1,223		1,371		1,373		1,385
	$	120,083	$	129,185	$	151,575	$	130,231

Customer-Acquisition Advertising Costs — The Company’s advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Total advertising costs included in “Direct salaries and related costs” in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations were as follows (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2020		2019
Customer-acquisition advertising costs	$	10,182	$	12,104

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU 2019-12”). These amendments simplify the accounting for income taxes by eliminating certain exceptions and also clarifying and amending certain aspects of existing guidance. These amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020. Most of the amendments are required to be applied on a prospective basis, while certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The Company is currently evaluating the amendments in ASU 2019-12 but does not expect a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or disclosures. The Company does not anticipate early adoption of ASU 2019-12.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Compensation – Retirement Benefits – Defined Benefit Plans - General (Subtopic 715-20) – Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans (“ASU 2018-14”). These amendments remove, modify or add certain disclosure requirements for defined benefit plans. These amendments are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect its adoption of ASU 2018-14 to have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or disclosures and does not expect to early adopt the standard.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) – Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (“ASU 2016-13”). These amendments require measurement and recognition of expected versus incurred credit losses for financial assets held. Entities are required to measure all expected credit losses for most financial assets held at the reporting date based on an expected loss model which includes historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Subsequently, the FASB issued ASU 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses in November 2018 and

ASU 2019-05, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) Targeted Transition Relief in May 2019 (together, “subsequent amendments”). ASU 2016-13 and the subsequent amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted.

The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective transition method, which resulted in no cumulative-effect adjustment to be recognized to the opening balance of retained earnings. The prior period was not restated. The Company’s adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations or cash flows as the credit losses associated with the Company’s trade receivables have historically been insignificant. See the description of the Company’s “Allowance for Doubtful Accounts” accounting policy in the “Significant Accounting Policies” section below.

Codification Improvements – Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, Derivatives and Hedging, and Financial Instruments

In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments (“ASU 2019-04”). These amendments clarify new standards on credit losses, hedging and recognizing and measuring financial instruments and address implementation issues stakeholders have raised. The credit losses and hedging amendments have the same effective dates as the respective standards, unless an entity has already adopted the standards. The amendments related to recognizing and measuring financial instruments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company’s adoption of ASU 2019-04 on January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or disclosures.

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) – Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). These amendments remove, modify or add certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. These amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Certain of the amendments will be applied prospectively in the initial year of adoption while the remainder are required to be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. Early adoption is permitted. The Company’s adoption of ASU 2018-03 on January 1, 2020 did not have a material impact on its disclosures.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40) – Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract (“ASU 2018-15”). These amendments align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. These amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early application permitted in any interim period after issuance of this update. The amendments should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The Company’s adoption of ASU 2018-15 on January 1, 2020 on a prospective basis did not have a material impact on its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or disclosures.

With the exception of the change for the accounting of credit losses as a result of the adoption of ASU 2016-13, there have been no new or material changes to the significant accounting policies discussed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts on trade accounts receivables for estimated losses arising from the inability of its clients to make contractual payments, applying a probability of default method. The Company’s estimate is based on qualitative and quantitative analyses, applying credit risk measurement tools and methodologies using publicly available credit and capital market information, a review of the current status of the Company’s trade accounts receivable and its historical experience. It is reasonably possible that the Company’s estimate of the allowance for credit losses will increase if the financial condition of the Company’s clients were to deteriorate, resulting in a reduced ability to make payments.

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded a $0.6 million increase to the allowance for credit losses related to its short-term trade receivables primarily as a result of deterioration in certain clients’ credit ratings reflecting current and expected economic conditions, and wrote off $0.3 million of the allowance for credit losses related to certain short-term trade receivables deemed to be uncollectible. There was no change to the Company’s allowance for credit losses of less than $0.1 million on its long-term trade receivables balance during the three months ended March 31, 2020.