Income Taxes

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

13.Income Taxes

The following table presents the components of our income from operations before income taxes (in thousands):

	2024		2023		2022
United States earnings	$	256,210	$	179,522	$	77,110
Foreign earnings		111,441		84,531		89,112
	$	367,651	$	264,053	$	166,222

The income tax expense (benefit) attributable to income from operations for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022 consists of the following (in thousands):

	2024		2023			2022
Current
Federal	$	37,713	$	37,699		$	21,323
State		13,441		13,340			9,946
Foreign		19,731		14,013			9,232
Total current income tax expense		70,885		65,052			40,501
Deferred
Federal		1,397		(5,974	)		(2,902	)
State		3,941		(590	)		(623	)
Foreign		763		(2,350	)		2,681
Total deferred tax benefit		6,101		(8,914	)		(844	)
Total income tax expense	$	76,986	$	56,138		$	39,657

Income tax expense (benefit) was different from the amount computed by applying the United States federal statutory rate to pre-tax income from continuing operations as a result of the following (in thousands):

	2024					2023					2022
Income before income tax expense	$	367,651				$	264,053				$	166,222
Tax at federal statutory tax rate		77,207		21.0	%		55,451		21.0	%		34,907		21.0	%
State taxes, net of federal tax benefit		11,852		3.2	%		9,807		3.7	%		7,530		4.5	%
Change in valuation allowance		11,111		3.0	%		5,773		2.2	%		1,363		0.8	%
Change in uncertain tax positions		3,584		1.0	%		3,530		1.3	%		1,688		1.0	%
Foreign tax rate differential		(6,078	)	-1.7	%		(6,258	)	-2.4	%		(1,787	)	-1.1	%
Tax cost of foreign operations, net of credits		1,842		0.5	%		3,085		1.2	%		777		0.5	%
Foreign-derived intangible income deduction		(14,794	)	-4.0	%		(4,736	)	-1.8	%		(76	)	0.0	%
Noncontrolling interests		(11,679	)	-3.2	%		(9,821	)	-3.7	%		(6,279	)	-3.8	%
Federal business credits		(2,932	)	-0.8	%		(2,731	)	-1.0	%		(1,926	)	-1.2	%
Executive compensation		7,351		2.0	%		1,636		0.6	%		1,921		1.2	%
Equity compensation		(7,170	)	-2.0	%		(158	)	-0.1	%		10		0.0	%
Other, net		6,692		1.8	%		560		0.2	%		1,529		0.9	%
Total income tax expense	$	76,986		20.9	%	$	56,138		21.3	%	$	39,657		23.9	%

The effective tax rate in 2024 decreased to 20.9% from 21.3% in 2023. The change in the effective tax rate was due primarily to tax benefits related to increases in the foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) deduction and increased equity-based compensation deductions, partially offset by an increase in valuation allowance on NOLs and non-deductible executive compensation subject to Section 162(m).

The effective tax rate in 2023 decreased to 21.3% from 23.9% in 2022. The change in the effective tax rate was due primarily to tax benefits related to increases in the foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) deduction and a change in jurisdictional mix of earnings, partially offset by an increase in valuation allowance on foreign tax credits originating from foreign withholding taxes.

The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2024 differs from the federal statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to state income taxes, valuation allowance and executive compensation subject to Section 162(m), offset by benefits related to untaxed income attributable to noncontrolling interests, earnings in lower tax jurisdictions, the FDII deduction, and equity-based compensation deductions.

The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2023 differs from the federal statutory tax rate primarily due to state income taxes, valuation allowance on foreign tax credit carryovers originating from foreign taxes, partially offset by benefits related to untaxed income attributable to noncontrolling interests, earnings in lower tax jurisdictions, the FDII deduction, and federal business tax credits.

The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2022 differs from the federal statutory tax rate primarily due to state income taxes and a recorded valuation allowance on foreign tax credit carryovers, partially offset by benefits related to income attributable to noncontrolling interests, earnings in lower tax jurisdictions and federal business tax credits.

The components of deferred tax assets and liabilities consist of the following at December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 (in thousands):

	2024			2023
Deferred tax assets
Project and non-project reserves	$	23,184		$	23,555
Employee compensation and benefits		76,944			69,726
Revenue and cost recognition		46,250			37,616
Insurance accruals		12,424			14,081
Net operating losses		17,640			8,663
Lease liabilities		42,572			44,626
Tax credit carryforwards		35,845			31,727
Other		17,432			3,285
Total deferred tax assets		272,291			233,279
Valuation allowance		(45,318	)		(34,779	)
Total deferred tax assets		226,973			198,500
Deferred tax liabilities
Intangible assets		(57,361	)		(18,783	)
Right-of-use assets		(38,605	)		(40,131	)
Profit remittance tax		(6,842	)		(5,822	)
Other		(1,758	)		(3,378	)
Total deferred tax liabilities		(104,566	)		(68,114	)
Net deferred tax asset	$	122,407		$	130,386

The Company is not asserting that any of the earnings of the foreign subsidiaries will be permanently reinvested. Therefore, the Company has recorded a deferred tax liability for the undistributed earnings net of applicable foreign tax credits.

The Company assesses the realizability of its deferred tax assets each reporting period through an analysis of potential sources of taxable income, including prior year taxable income available to absorb carryback of tax losses, reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, tax planning strategies, and forecasts of taxable income. The Company considers all negative and positive evidence, including the weight of the evidence, to determine if a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets is required. A valuation allowance is recorded against deferred tax assets to reflect the amount of deferred tax assets that is determined to be more-likely-than-not to be realized.

As of December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, the Company’s valuation allowance against deferred tax assets was $45.3 million and $34.8 million, respectively. The Company has recorded a valuation allowance against certain tax attributes that the Company has determined are not more-likely-than-not to be realized, including certain foreign net operating loss carryforwards, foreign tax credit carryforwards, and capital loss carryforwards. From December 31, 2023 to December 31, 2024, the Company’s valuation allowance increased by $10.5 million. This increase relates to deferred tax assets recorded for net operating loss carryforwards and foreign tax credit carryforwards. The valuation allowance is recorded because the Company does not expect to have sufficient taxable income and

foreign source income to utilize the net operating loss carryforwards and the foreign tax credit carryforwards before they expire.

As of December 31, 2024, the Company has Net Operating Losses ("NOLs") of $1.7 million, $20.3 million, and $74.2 million for U.S. Federal, U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions, respectively. The utilization of the U.S. federal and U.S. state NOLs are subject to certain annual limitations. Of these NOL amounts, $1.7 million, $8.0 million and $12.9 million in U.S. Federal, U.S. states and foreign jurisdictions, respectively, do not expire. The remaining amounts of NOLs in U.S. states and in foreign jurisdictions will expire if not used between 2025 and 2045.

As of December 31, 2024, the Company has foreign tax credit carryforwards of $33.5 million. The Company has provided a valuation allowance of $33.5 million as the Company considers it is not more likely than not that these credits will be realized. These foreign tax credits start expiring in the year 2029.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in thousands):

	2024			2023			2022
Beginning of year	$	25,497		$	22,798		$	21,181
Increases—current year tax positions		1,058			3,220			4,666
Increases—prior year tax positions		7,488			2,458			2,254
Decreases—prior year tax positions		(1,826	)		(1,589	)		(3,537	)
Settlements		(1,334	)		(1,026	)		(1,447	)
Lapse of statute of limitations		(1,345	)		(364	)		(319	)
End of year	$	29,538		$	25,497		$	22,798

At December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, there are $28.6 million and $25.1 million of unrecognized tax benefits that if recognized would affect the Company’s effective tax rate.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as part of its income tax expense. During the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022, the Company recognized approximately $1 million, $0.5 million, and $0.7 million in interest and penalties, respectively, in the consolidated statements of income. The total amount of interest and penalties accrued in the consolidated balance sheets was $5.6 million, $4.6 million, and $4.1 million as of December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022, respectively.

The Company conducts business globally and, as a result, the Company or one or more of its subsidiaries files income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction, various U.S. states, and foreign jurisdictions. The Company is subject to examination by tax authorities in several jurisdictions, including jurisdictions where the Company has significant activities, such as Canada, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United States. As of December 31, 2024, the Company’s U.S. federal income tax returns for tax years 2021 and forward remain subject to examination. U.S. states and foreign income tax returns remain subject to examination based on varying local statutes of limitations.

The Company estimates that, within 12 months, it may decrease its uncertain tax positions by approximately $7.2 million as a result of concluding various tax audits and closing tax years.

Although the Company believes its reserves for its tax positions are reasonable, the final outcome of tax audits could be significantly different, both favorably and unfavorably. It is reasonably possible that these audits may conclude in the next 12 months and that the unrecognized tax benefits the Company has recorded in relation to these tax years may change compared to the liabilities recorded for these periods. However, it is not currently possible to estimate the amount, if any, of such change.