Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation—The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation and its majority-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The equity method of accounting is used for investments in unconsolidated investees in which the Company has significant influence, but not control. Other investments, if any, are carried at cost.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates—The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect certain reported amounts and disclosures. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue and Cost Recognition on Contracts

Revenue and Cost Recognition on Contracts— Prior to January 1, 2018, the Company measured completion based on engineering estimates of the physical percentage completed for dredging contracts. Under the new accounting principle, revenue is recognized using contract fulfillment costs incurred to date compared to total estimated costs at completion, also known as cost-to-cost, to measure progress towards completion. Additionally, the Company capitalizes certain pre-contract and pre-construction costs, and defers recognition over the life of the contract. Fixed-price contracts, which comprise substantially all of the Company’s revenue, will most often represent a single performance obligation as the promise to transfer the individual services is not separately identifiable from other promises in the contracts and, therefore, not distinct. The Company’s performance obligations are satisfied over time and revenue is recognized using the cost-to-cost method, described above. Contract modifications are changes in the scope or price (or both) of a contract that are approved by the parties to the contract. The Company recognizes a contract modification when the parties to a contract approve a modification that either creates new, or changes existing, enforceable rights and obligations of the parties to the contract. Contract modifications are included in the transaction price only if it is probable that the modification estimate will not result in a significant reversal of revenue. Revisions in estimated gross profit percentages are recorded in the period during which the change in circumstances is experienced or becomes known. As the duration of most of the Company’s contracts is one year or less, the cumulative net impact of these revisions in estimates, individually and in the aggregate across our projects, does not significantly affect our results across annual reporting periods. Provisions for estimated losses on contracts in progress are made in the period in which such losses are determined.

The components of costs of contract revenues include labor, equipment (including depreciation, maintenance, insurance and long-term rentals), subcontracts, fuel, supplies, short-term rentals and project overhead.  Hourly labor generally is hired on a project-by-project basis. The Company is a party to numerous collective bargaining agreements in the U.S. that govern its relationships with its unionized hourly workforce.

Effective beginning the first quarter of 2018, the Company changed the method of accounting for allocated fixed equipment costs for interim periods such that fixed equipment costs are now recognized as incurred. The Company adopted this change as a result of management’s belief that the new method is preferable and results in a more objective measure of quarterly expense that will better support planning and resource allocation decisions by management. The change has been applied retrospectively. The Company’s cost structure includes significant annual equipment-related costs, including depreciation, maintenance, insurance and long-term rentals. Previously, the Company allocated fixed equipment costs to interim periods in proportion to revenues recognized over the year. Specifically, at each interim reporting date the Company compared actual revenues earned to date on its dredging contracts to expected annual revenues and recognized equipment costs on the same proportionate basis. In the fourth quarter, any over or under allocated equipment costs were recognized such that the expense for the year equals actual equipment costs incurred during the year.

Classification of Current Assets and Liabilities

Classification of Current Assets and Liabilities—The Company includes in current assets and liabilities amounts realizable and payable in the normal course of contract completion, unless completion of such contracts extends significantly beyond one year.

Cash Equivalents

Cash Equivalents—The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity at purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable—Accounts receivable represent amounts due or billable under the terms of contracts with customers, including amounts related to retainage. The Company anticipates collection of retainage generally within one year, and accordingly presents retainage as a current asset. The Company provides an allowance for estimated uncollectible accounts receivable when events or conditions indicate that amounts outstanding are not recoverable.

Inventories

Inventories—Inventories consist of pipe and spare parts used in the Company’s dredging operations. Pipe and spare parts are purchased in large quantities; therefore, a certain amount of pipe and spare part inventories is not anticipated to be used within the current year and is classified as long-term. Spare part inventories are stated at weighted average historical cost, and are charged to expense when used in operations.  Pipe inventory is recorded at cost and amortized to expense over the period of its use.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property and Equipment—Capital additions, improvements, and major renewals are classified as property and equipment and are carried at depreciated cost. Maintenance and repairs that do not significantly extend the useful lives of the assets or enhance the capabilities of such assets are charged to expenses as incurred. Depreciation is recorded over the estimated useful lives of property and equipment using the straight-line method and the mid-year depreciation convention. The estimated useful lives by class of assets are:

Class	Useful Life (years)
Buildings and improvements	10
Furniture and fixtures	5-10
Vehicles, dozers, and other light operating equipment and systems	3-5
Heavy operating equipment (dredges and barges)	10-30

Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their remaining useful lives or the remaining terms of the leases.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets—Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over fair value of the net assets acquired. Other identifiable intangible assets may represent developed technology and databases, customer relationships, and customer contracts acquired in business combinations. Goodwill is tested annually for impairment in the third quarter of each year, or more frequently should circumstances dictate. GAAP requires that goodwill of a reporting unit be tested for impairment between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.

The Company assesses the fair values of its reporting unit using both a market-based approach and an income-based approach. Under the income approach, the fair value of the reporting unit is based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. The income approach is dependent on a number of factors, including estimates of future market growth trends, forecasted revenues and expenses, appropriate discount rates and other variables. The estimates are based on assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable, but such assumptions are subject to unpredictability and uncertainty. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value, and may result in the impairment of goodwill in the event that actual results differ from those estimates.

The market approach measures the value of a reporting unit through comparison to comparable companies. Under the market approach, the Company uses the guideline public company method by applying estimated market-based enterprise value multiples to the reporting unit’s estimated revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. The Company analyzes companies that performed similar services or are considered peers. Due to the fact that there are no public companies that are direct competitors, the Company weighs the results of this approach less than the income approach.

The Company has one operating segment which is also the Company’s one reportable segment and reporting unit of which the Company tests goodwill for impairment. The historical environmental & infrastructure segment has been retrospectively presented as discontinued operations and assets and liabilities held for sale and is no longer reflected in continuing operations. The Company performed its most recent annual test of impairment as of July 1, 2018 with no indication of impairment as of the test date. The Company will perform its next scheduled annual test of goodwill in the third quarter of 2019 should no triggering events occur which would require a test prior to the next annual test.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets—Long-lived assets are comprised of property and equipment and intangible assets subject to amortization. Long-lived assets to be held and used are reviewed for possible impairment whenever events indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable by comparing the undiscounted cash flows associated with the assets to their carrying amounts. If such a review indicates an impairment, the carrying amount would be reduced to fair value. No triggering events were identified in 2018 or 2017. If long-lived assets are to be disposed, depreciation is discontinued, if applicable, and the assets are reclassified as held for sale at the lower of their carrying amounts or fair values less estimated costs to sell.

Self-insurance Reserves

Self-insurance Reserves—The Company self-insures costs associated with its seagoing employees covered by the provisions of Jones Act, workers’ compensation claims, hull and equipment liability, and general business liabilities up to certain limits. Insurance reserves are established for estimates of the loss that the Company may ultimately incur on reported claims, as well as estimates of claims that have been incurred but not yet reported. In determining its estimates, the Company considers historical loss experience and judgments about the present and expected levels of cost per claim. Trends in actual experience are a significant factor in the determination of such reserves.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes—The provision for income taxes includes federal, foreign, and state income taxes currently payable and those deferred because of temporary differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities. Recorded deferred income tax assets and liabilities are based on the estimated future tax effects of differences between the financial and tax basis of assets and liabilities, given the effect of currently enacted tax laws. In 2017, the U.S. government enacted comprehensive tax legislation referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Refer to Note 7, Income Taxes.

Hedging Instruments

Hedging Instruments—At times, the Company designates certain derivative contracts as a cash flow hedge as defined by GAAP. Accordingly, the Company formally documents, at the inception of each hedge, all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as our risk-management objective and strategy for undertaking hedge transactions. This process includes linking all derivatives to highly-probable forecasted transactions.

The Company formally assesses, at inception and on an ongoing basis, the effectiveness of hedges in offsetting changes in the cash flows of hedged items. Hedge accounting treatment may be discontinued when (1) it is determined that the derivative is no longer highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows of a hedged item (including hedged items for forecasted future transactions), (2) the derivative expires or is sold, terminated or exercised, (3) it is no longer probable that the forecasted transaction will occur or (4) management determines that designating the derivative as a hedging instrument is no longer appropriate. If management elects to stop hedge accounting, it would be on a prospective basis and any hedges in place would be recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) until all the related forecasted transactions are completed or are probable of not occurring.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation—The financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries where the operations are primarily denominated in the foreign currency are translated into U.S. dollars for reporting. Balance sheet accounts are translated at the current foreign exchange rate at the end of each period and income statement accounts are translated at the average foreign exchange rate for each period. Gains and losses on foreign currency translations are reflected as a currency translation adjustment, net of tax, in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in other income (expense). During 2018, the Company substantially completed the liquidation of the investment in its Brazil and Australia operations. Refer to Note 6, Fair Value Measurements, for further discussion of the closeout.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements—The Company adopted Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), and subsequently issued other Accounting Standard Updates related to Accounting Standards Codification Topic 606 (collectively, “ASC 606”) on January 1, 2018 under the modified retrospective method such that the cumulative effect is recognized at the date of initial application. The adoption of ASC 606 resulted in a change in the timing of recognition of both contract revenue and costs from our prior practices. Upon the adoption of ASC 606, the Company recorded a cumulative net adjustment of $1,950 to the beginning retained earnings balance. Refer to Note 9, Revenue, for further discussion of the adoption of ASC 606.

The Company adopted Accounting Standard Update No. 2016-18 (“ASU 2016-18”), Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash on January 1, 2018. The amendments require that the statement of cash flows explain the changes during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents should be included with the cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-18 has been applied retrospectively and the prior periods presented have been recast.

In February 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2018-02 (“ASU 2018-02”), Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The new guidance allows entities to reclassify from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cut and Jobs Act. The Company elected to early adopt ASU 2018-02 during the quarter ended March 31, 2018.

In January 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2017-04 (“ASU 2017-04”), Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The amendment removes the requirement to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company does not anticipate that the adoption of ASU 2017-04 will have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2016-02 (“ASU 2016-02”), Leases (Topic 842) and subsequently issued other Accounting Standard Updates related to the Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842 (collectively, “ASC 842”). The FASB issued ASC 842 to increase the transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those annual periods. The Company adopted ASC 842 as of January 1, 2019 using the package of practical expedients that allow entities to retain the classification of lease contracts existing as of the date of adoption. Further, the Company adopted ASC 842 using the transition method under which entities initially apply ASC 842 at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. Under this method, the comparative periods presented in the financial statements prior to the adoption date would not be adjusted to apply ASC 842.The Company expects the adoption of ASC 842 to result in a material increase of approximately $80,000 to $90,000 to assets and liabilities on its consolidated balance sheets. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of ASC 842 to have a material effect on its consolidated statements of operations and statements of cash flows.