Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

v3.19.3.a.u2
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with GAAP and include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries and the variable interest entities (“VIE”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. All material intercompany accounts and transactions between the entities within the Company have been eliminated.

Variable Interest Entities
The Company consolidates a VIE when it is determined to be the primary beneficiary, which is the party that has both (i) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and (ii) through its interests in the VIE, the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. See Note 12 for more information on the Company's VIEs.

Use of Estimates     
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the 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. Significant estimates include, but are not limited to, the Company's sand reserves and their impact on calculating depletion expense, allowance for doubtful accounts, asset retirement obligations, reserves for self-insurance, depreciation and amortization of property and equipment, business combination valuations, amortization of intangible assets and future cash flows, fair values used to assess recoverability and impairment of long-lived assets, including goodwill and estimates of income taxes.

Reclassifications    
Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period amounts to conform to the current period financial statement presentation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents
All highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less are considered cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash accounts in financial institutions that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, with the exception of cash held by Sand Tiger in a Canadian financial institution. At December 31, 2019, we had $3.5 million, in Canadian dollars, of cash in Canadian accounts. Cash balances from time to time may exceed the insured amounts; however, the Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risks on such accounts.

Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable include amounts due from customers for services performed or goods sold. The Company grants credit to customers in the ordinary course of business and generally does not require collateral. Most areas in the continental United States in which the Company operates provide for a mineral lien or mechanic’s lien against the property on which the service is performed if the lien is filed within the statutorily specified time frame. Customer balances are generally considered delinquent if unpaid by the 30th day following the invoice date and credit privileges may be revoked if balances remain unpaid. Interest on delinquent accounts receivable is recognized in other income when chargeable and collectability is reasonably assured.

During certain of the periods presented, the Company provided infrastructure services in Puerto Rico under master services agreements entered into by Cobra, one of the Company's subsidiaries, with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (“PREPA”) to perform repairs to PREPA’s electrical grid as a result of Hurricane Maria. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company charged interest on delinquent accounts receivable pursuant to the terms of its agreements with PREPA totaling $42.0 million. These amounts are included in other, net on the consolidated statement of comprehensive (loss) income.

The Company regularly reviews receivables and provides for estimated losses through an allowance for doubtful accounts. In evaluating the level of established reserves, the Company makes judgments regarding its customers’ ability to make required payments, economic events and other factors. As the financial conditions of customers change, circumstances develop or additional information becomes available, adjustments to the allowance for doubtful accounts may be required. In the event the Company was to determine that a customer may not be able to make required payments, the Company would increase the allowance through a charge to income in the period in which that determination is made. If it is determined that previously reserved amounts are collectible, the Company would decrease the allowance through a credit to income in the period in which that determination is made. Uncollectible accounts receivable are periodically charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts once final determination is made of their uncollectability.

Following is a roll forward of the allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):
Balance, December 31, 2016
 
$
5,377

Additions charged to expense
 
16,206

Additions - other
 
179

Deductions for uncollectible receivables written off
 
(25
)
Balance, December 31, 2017
 
21,737

Additions charged to expense
 
(14,589
)
Deductions for uncollectible receivables written off
 
(1,950
)
Balance, December 31, 2018
 
5,198

Additions charged to expense
 
1,434

Deductions for uncollectible receivables written off
 
(1,478
)
Balance, December 31, 2019
 
$
5,154



At December 31, 2017, the Company reviewed receivables due from PREPA and made specific reserves consistent with Company policy which resulted in additions to allowance for doubtful accounts totaling $16.0 million. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company received payment from PREPA for the amount reserved at December 31, 2017. As a result, the Company reversed the 2017 additions to the allowance for doubtful accounts from PREPA in 2018.
Additionally, the Company has made specific reserves consistent with Company policy which resulted in additions to allowance for doubtful accounts totaling $1.4 million, $1.4 million and $0.2 million, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. The Company will continue to pursue collection until such time as final determination is made consistent with Company policy.

As of December 31, 2019, PREPA owed the Company approximately $227.0 million for services performed, excluding $42.0 million of interest charged on these delinquent balances as of December 31, 2019. The Company believes these receivables are collectible. PREPA, however, is currently subject to bankruptcy proceedings, which were filed in July 2017 and are currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. As a result, PREPA's ability to meet its payment obligations is largely dependent upon funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency or other sources. On September 30, 2019, the Company filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico seeking recovery of the amounts owed to the Company by PREPA. PREPA filed a motion to stay the Company's motion on the ground that the ongoing criminal proceedings described in Note 20 below against the former president of Cobra and two other individuals may affect the recovery of those amounts. On October 17, 2019, the court granted PREPA’s request to stay the Company's motion and, on February 3, 2020, extended the stay until a status conference to be held on June 17, 2020. In the event PREPA (i) does not have or does not obtain the funds necessary to satisfy its obligations to Cobra under the contracts, (ii) obtains the necessary funds but refuses to pay the amounts owed to the Company or (iii) otherwise does not pay amounts owed to the Company for services performed, the receivable may not be collectible.

Inventory
Inventory consists of raw sand and processed sand available for sale, raw materials, chemicals and other products sold as a bi-product of completion and production operations and supplies used in performing services. Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market (net realizable value) on an average cost basis. The Company assesses the valuation of its inventories based upon specific usage, future utility, obsolescence and other factors.

Inventory manufactured at the Company’s sand production facilities includes direct excavation costs, processing costs and overhead allocation. Stockpile tonnages are calculated by measuring the number of tons added and removed from the stockpile. Costs are calculated on a per ton basis and are applied to the stockpiles based on the number of tons in the stockpile. Inventory transported for sale at the Company’s terminal facility includes the cost of purchased or manufactured sand, plus transportation related charges.

Coil tubing strings of various widths, diameters and lengths are included in inventory. The strings are used in providing specialized services to customers who are primarily operators of oil or gas wells and are used at various rates based on factors such as well conditions (i.e. pressure and friction), vertical and horizontal length of the well, running speed of the string in the well and total running feet accumulated to the string. The Company obtains usage information from data acquisition software and other established assessment methods and attempts to amortize the strings over their estimated useful life. In no event will a string be amortized over a period longer than 12 months. Amortization of coil strings is included in services cost of revenue in the consolidated statements of comprehensive (loss) income and totaled $1.6 million, $2.2 million and $2.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

See Note 5 for additional disclosure related to inventory.

Prepaid Expenses
Prepaid expenses primarily consist of insurance costs and rail car freight and lease expense. These costs are expensed over the periods that they benefit.

Property and Equipment
Property and equipment, including renewals and betterments, are capitalized and stated at cost, while maintenance and repairs that do not increase the capacity, improve the efficiency or safety, or improve or extend the useful life are charged to operations as incurred. Disposals are removed at cost, less accumulated depreciation, and any resulting gain or loss is recorded in operations. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful life, or the remaining lease term, as applicable. Depreciation does not begin until property and equipment is placed in service. Once placed in service, depreciation on property and equipment continues while being repaired, refurbished, or between periods of deployment.

Sand Reserves
Sand reserve costs include engineering, mineralogical studies and other related costs to develop the mine, the removal of overburden to initially expose the mineral and building access ways. Exploration costs are expensed as incurred and classified as product cost of revenue. Capitalization of mine development project costs begins once the deposit is classified as proven and probable reserves. Drilling and related costs are capitalized for deposits where proven and probable reserves exist and the activities are directed at obtaining additional information on the deposit or converting non-reserve minerals to proven and probable reserves and the benefit is to be realized over a period greater than one year. Mining property and development costs are amortized using the units-of-production method on estimated measured tons in in-place reserves. The impact of revisions to reserve estimates is recognized on a prospective basis.

Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews long-lived assets for recoverability in accordance with the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) 360, Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, which requires that long-lived assets be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. These evaluations for impairment are significantly impacted by estimates of revenues, costs and expenses and other factors. If long-lived assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount in which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. See Note 7 for additional disclosure related to impairment of long-lived assets.

Goodwill
Goodwill is tested for impairment annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that goodwill might be impaired. If it is determined that an impairment exists, an impairment charge is recognized for the excess of carrying value over implied fair value. The fair value is determined using a combination of the income and market approaches. See Notes 7 and 8 for additional disclosure related to goodwill.

Other Non-Current Assets
Other non-current assets primarily consist of deferred financing costs on our credit facility (see Note 11), sales tax receivables and our equity method investment (see Note 9). Investments are accounted for under the equity method in circumstances where the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and investing policies of the investee, but does not have control. Under the equity method, the Company recognizes its share of the investee's earnings in its consolidated statements of comprehensive (loss) income. Investments are evaluated for impairment and a charge to earnings is recognized when any identified impairment is determined to be other than temporary.

Asset Retirement Obligations
Mine reclamation costs, future remediation costs for inactive mines and other contractual site remediation costs are accrued based on management’s best estimate at the end of each period of the costs expected to be incurred at a site. Such cost estimates include, where applicable, ongoing care, maintenance and monitoring costs. Changes in estimates are reflected in earnings in the period an estimate is revised.

Following is a roll forward of the Company's asset retirement obligations for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in thousands):
 
 
December 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
Balance as of beginning of period
 
$
3,164

 
$
2,123

Additions
 
952

 
989

Accretion expense
 
120

 
60

Foreign currency translation adjustment
 
5

 
(8
)
Asset retirement obligation as of end of period
 
$
4,241

 
$
3,164



Business Combinations
The Company accounts for its business acquisitions under the acquisition method of accounting as indicated in FASB ASC 805, Business Combinations, which requires the acquiring entity in a business combination to recognize the fair value of all assets acquired, liabilities assumed and any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree and establishes the acquisition date as the fair value measurement point. Accordingly, the Company recognizes assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations, including contingent assets and liabilities and noncontrolling interest in the acquiree, based on fair value estimates as of the date of acquisition. In accordance with FASB ASC 805, the Company recognizes and measures goodwill, if any, as of the acquisition date, as the excess of the fair value of the consideration paid over the fair value of the identified net assets acquired.

When the Company acquires a business from an entity under common control, whereby the companies are ultimately controlled by the same party or parties both before and after the transaction, it is treated for accounting purposes in a manner similar to the pooling of interest method of accounting. The assets and liabilities are recorded at the transferring entity’s historical cost instead of reflecting the fair market value of assets and liabilities.

Amortizable Intangible Assets
Intangible assets subject to amortization include customer relationships and trade names. Customer relationships are amortized based on an estimated attrition factor and trade names are amortized over their estimated useful lives. See Notes 7 and 8 for additional disclosure related to intangible assets.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The Company's financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, trade payables, amounts receivable or payable to related parties and long-term debt. The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, trade payables and receivables and payables from related parties approximates fair value because of the short-term nature of the instruments. The fair value of long-term debt approximates its carrying value because the cost of borrowing fluctuates based upon market conditions.

Revenue Recognition
On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09 and its related amendments (collectively, “ASC 606”) using the modified retrospective method applied to contracts which were not completed as of January 1, 2018. Revenues for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under ASC 606, while prior period amounts continue to be reported under previous revenue recognition guidance. See Note 3 for additional discussion of the Company's revenue.

The timing of revenue recognition may differ from contract billing or payment schedules, resulting in revenues that have been earned but not billed (“unbilled revenue”) or amounts that have been billed, but not earned (“deferred revenue”). The Company had $42.1 million and $56.2 million, respectively, of unbilled revenue included in accounts receivable, net in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2019 and 2018. The Company had $1.3 million and $4.1 million, respectively, of unbilled revenue included in receivables from related parties in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2019 and 2018. The Company had $7.2 million and $4.3 million, respectively, of deferred revenue included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2019 and 2018.

Earnings (Loss) per Share
Earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of outstanding shares. See Note 16.

Equity-based Compensation
The Company measures equity-based payments at fair value on the date of grant and expenses the value of these equity-based payments in compensation expense over the applicable vesting periods. See Note 17.

Stock-based Compensation
The Company's stock-based compensation program consists of restricted stock units granted to employees and restricted stock units granted to non-employee directors under the Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. 2016 Incentive Plan (the “2016 Plan”). The Company recognizes in its financial statements the cost of employee services received in exchange for restricted stock based on the fair value of the equity instruments as of the grant date. In general, this value is amortized over the vesting period; for grants with a non-substantive service condition, this value is recognized immediately. Amounts are recognized in cost of revenue and selling, general and administrative expenses. See Note 18.

Income Taxes
The Company's operations are included in a consolidated federal income tax return and other state returns. Accordingly, the Company has recognized deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases for all our subsidiaries as if each entity were a corporation, regardless of its actual characterization for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Under FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using statutory tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect of deferred tax assets and liabilities as a result of a change in tax rate are recognized in the period that includes the statutory enactment date. A valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is recognized when it is more likely than not that the benefit of deferred tax assets will not be realized. To assess that likelihood, the Company uses estimates and judgments regarding future taxable income, as well as the jurisdiction in which such taxable income is generated, to determine whether a valuation allowance is required. Certain income from our infrastructure services segment and income from our remote accommodations business is subject to foreign income taxes, and such taxes are provided in the financial statements pursuant to FASB ASC 740.

On December 22, 2017, the United States enacted the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act significantly changed US corporate income tax laws by, among other things, reducing the US corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21% starting in 2018 and creating a territorial tax system with a one-time mandatory tax on previously deferred foreign earnings of US subsidiaries. As a result, the Company recorded a one-time reduction to income tax expense of $31.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2017, which is included in provision for income taxes in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss). See Note 14 for further information.

The Company evaluates tax positions taken or expected to be taken in preparation of its tax returns and disallows the recognition of tax positions that do not meet a “more likely than not” threshold of being sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities. During the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, no uncertain tax positions existed. Penalties and interest, if any, are recognized in selling, general and administrative expense and interest expense, respectively.

Foreign Currency Translation
For foreign operations, assets and liabilities are translated at the period-end exchange rate and income statement items are translated at the average exchange rate for the period. Resulting translation adjustments are recorded within accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, if any, are re-measured at the balance sheet date. Transaction gains or losses are included as a component of current period earnings.

Environmental Matters
The Company is subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment. Management has established procedures for the ongoing evaluation of the Company’s operations, to identify potential environmental exposures and to comply with regulatory policies and procedures. Environmental expenditures that relate to current operations are expensed or capitalized as appropriate. Expenditures that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations and do not contribute to current or future revenue generation are expensed as incurred. Liabilities are recorded when environmental costs are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. The Company maintains insurance which may cover in whole or in part certain environmental expenditures. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were no probable environmental matters.

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Comprehensive income (loss) consists of net income (loss) and other comprehensive income (loss). Other comprehensive income (loss) included certain changes in equity that are excluded from net income (loss). Specifically, cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Concentrations of Credit Risk and Significant Customers
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash and cash equivalents in excess of federally insured limits and trade receivables. Following is a summary of our significant customers based on accounts receivable balances at December 31, 2019 and 2018 and revenues derived for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017:
 
REVENUES
 
ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE
 
Years Ended December 31,
 
At December 31,
 
2019
2018
2017
 
2019
2018
Customer A(a)
15
%
60
%
29
%
 
73
%
65
%
Customer B(b)
20
%
8
%
30
%
 
2
%
3
%
a.
Customer A is a third-party customer. Revenues and the related accounts receivable balances earned from Customer A were derived from the Company's infrastructure services segment. Accounts receivable for Customer A also includes receivables due for interest charged on delinquent accounts receivable.
b.
Customer B is a related party customer. Revenues and the related accounts receivable balances earned from Customer B were derived from the Company's pressure pumping services segment, natural sand proppant services segment and other businesses.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted
In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02 “Leases (Topic 842)” amending the current accounting for leases. Under the new provisions, all lessees will report a right of use asset and lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with a term longer than one year, while maintaining substantially similar classifications for financing and operating leases. Lessor accounting remains substantially unchanged with the exception that no leases entered into after the effective date will be classified as leveraged leases. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within that fiscal year. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2019 utilizing the transition method permitted by ASU No. 2018-11 “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements”, issued in August 2018, which permits an entity to recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption with no adjustment made to the comparative periods presented in the consolidated financial statements. See Note 15 for the impact the adoption of this standard had on the Company's financial statements.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Non-employee Share-Based Accounting,” which simplifies the accounting for share-based payments granted to non-employees by aligning the accounting with requirements for employee share-based compensation. Upon transition, this ASU requires non-employee awards to be measured at fair value as of the adoption date. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within that fiscal year. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2019 and estimates the fair value of its non-employee awards (see Note 17) was approximately $18.9 million as of this date.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” which amends current guidance on reporting credit losses on financial instruments. This ASU requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial instruments held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable supportable forecasts. This replaces the existing incurred loss model and is applicable to the measurement of credit losses on financial assets, including trade accounts receivable. The Company will adopt this standard effective January 1, 2020. This standard will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.