this transaction complements and expands our service offerings in georgia , south carolina and florida with 3 granite quarries and 16 rail distribution yards . the integration is proceeding as planned . a lthough full synergy capture will require at least 18 to 24 months , we still expect this acquisition to be accretive to 2018 e arnings ( $ 50 million of ebitda ) . for the full year , capital expenditures were $ 4 64.2 million . this amount included $ 296.5 million of core operating and maintenance capital investments to improve or replace existing property , plant & equipment , in line with expectations . in addition , we invested $ 167.7 million in internal growth projects to secure new aggregates reserves , develo p n ew production sites , enhance our distribution capabilities and support the targeted growth of our asphalt and concrete operations . at the end of the fourth quarter , total debt was $ 2,854.9 million and cas h a nd cash equivalents was $ 141.6 million . in 2017 , we early retired $ 1,087.4 million of notes due in 2021 and 2018 for $ 1,228.2 million . one-time interest charges related to these early debt retirements were $ 148.0 million . i n december , we also entered into a 6-month $ 350.0 million term loan that we refinanced on a long-term basis in february 2018 . our record safety performance in 2017 reinforces our confidence that our core operating disciplines remain strong . 2017 acquisitions we continue to pursue opportunities for value-creating acquisitions , swaps and greenfield investments . we completed a number of important bolt-on acquisitions , making attractive additions to our coast-to-coast footprint in states ranging from georgia to california and up to illinois and virginia . of particular note was the acquisition of aggregates usa , which added approximately 460 million tons of proven and probable reserves to our leading reserve base and further strengthened our best-in-class distribution network , adding 16 new rail distribution yards in our florida , georgia and south carolina markets . we will continue to make disciplined investments in organic and acquisition-led growth , while continuing to emphasize capital returns and cost control . we are completely focused on actions that improve returns to our shareholders . we seek continuous , compounding improvement , generating big results through small actions . our capital allocation priorities remain unchanged : § deploying operating capital to sustain our franchise § maintaining the financial strength and flexibility needed through the cycle § strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions and internal development § returning excess cash to shareholders through a healthy mix of sustainable dividend growth and stock repurchases for a detailed discussion of our acquisitions and divestitures , see note 19 “ acquisitions and divestitures ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data . ” estimated impact of tax reform whil e t he full impact of the tcja continues to be assessed , we expect our earnings and cash flows will benefit meaningfully going forward . on a net basis , and leaving all other factors unchanged , o ur total effective tax rate should decline from approximately 28 % to 20 % . we continue to evaluate other aspect s of the tcja including immediate deductibility of certain qualified capital spending . w e expect core capital spending ( necessary to support an increased level of shipments and further improve production costs and operating efficiencies ) of approximately $ 250 million . we also plan for over $ 3 50 million in internal growth capital expenditures during 2018 , including the development of strategic quarry sites in california and texas . at this time , we do not know how much of this $ 600 million of capital spending will qualify for immediate deductibility . part i i 29 market developments and outlook we expect strong earnings growth in 2018. leading indicators , such as the pre-construction pipeline and construction starts in our markets , as well as our own order backlogs , point towar d g rowth . private demand continues to grow and public demand is strengthening after relative weakness in 2016 and part of 2017. these positive trends provide greater visibility into demand and indicate the continuation of a favorabl e p ricing environment . recent acquisitions are performing well and should make meaningful contributions to our earnings growth in 2018 and beyon d . private demand in vulcan-served markets continues to recover , and public demand appears to be firming up after a disappointing 2017. the pricing climate for our materials remains positive , supported by solid demand visibility , rising diesel prices , rising cement prices , and expanding contractor margins . for 2018 we expect same-store aggregates shipment growth of 4 % to 6 % and aggregates pricing growth of 3 % to 5 % , albeit with significant variability across individual markets . we also expect our margin performance to return to its longer-term trend of continuous , compounding improvement s . w eather-related cost pressures faced in 2017 are not anticipated , and rising diesel and distribution costs should flow-through to pricing , although with a lag . tax reform and the acquisition of aggregates usa will also support growth in earnings and in cash flow . management expectations for 2018 include : § same-store aggregates shipments growth of 4 % to 6 % § inclusive of aggregates usa operations ( ~ 7 million tons ) , total aggregates shipments in the range of 200 million tons § same-store aggregates freight-adjusted price increase of 3 % to 5 % § high single-digit gross profit growth in asphalt , concrete and calcium segments , collectively § sag expenses of approximately $ 33 5 million , including $ 5 million related to aggregates usa § net earnings of $ 5 85 to $ 6 3 5 million § adjusted ebitda of $ 1.150 to $ 1.250 story_separator_special_tag these results were lower than 2016 due in large part to the afor ementioned weather events which , while difficult to quantify , negatively impacted segment gross profit . a dditionally , a 22 % increase in the unit cost of diesel fuel , costs related to the transition to two new , more efficient ships to transport aggregates from our quarry in mexico and certain expenses related to acquired operations negatively impacted segment gross prof it in comparison to 2016. part i i 39 2 . asphalt our year-over-year asphalt mix shipments : § increased 11 % in 201 7 1 § increased 3 % in 201 6 § increased 30 % in 201 5 2 ﻿ 1 the 11 % increase in asphalt mix shipments in 2017 was largely attributable to a january 2017 acquisition of asphalt mix operations and a construction paving business in tennessee . 2 the 30 % increase in asphalt mix shipments in 2015 was largely attributable to the january 2015 swap of our concrete operations in california for asphalt mix operations , primarily in arizona . ﻿ asphalt s hipments were 10.4 million tons in total and 9.4 million tons on a same-store basis . same-store shipments increased 1 % versus the prior year , as volumes in arizona and new mexico accounted for t he year-over-year increase . a sphalt segment gross profit de creased 6 % to $ 91.9 millio n . a 10 % increase in liquid asphalt unit cost negatively affected materials margins by $ 14.2 million . ﻿ asphalt segment sales asphalt gross profit and cash gross profit in millions in millions ﻿ part i i 40 3 . concrete our year-over-year ready-mixed concrete shipments : § in creased 19 % in 201 7 1 § in creased 7 % in 201 6 § de creased 2 5 % in 201 5 2 ﻿ 1 of the 19 % increase in ready-mixed concrete shipments in 2017 , 9 % was attributable to a march 2017 acquisition of ready-mixed concrete facilities in california . 2 the 25 % de crease in ready-mixed concrete shipments in 2015 was largely attributable to the aforementioned january 2015 swap of our concrete oper a tions in california . concrete segment gross profit in creased 74 % and gross profit margin increased three percentage points ( 300 basis points ) versus the prior year driven by increased shipments and improved materials margins . shipments increased 19 % versus the prior year . on a same-store basis , shipments increased 9 % . materials margins per cubic yard improved 3 % v ersus the prior year . ﻿ concrete segment sales concrete gross profit and cash gross profit in millions in millions 4. calcium our calcium segment volumes and sales w ere negatively impacted by the aforementioned hurricanes and tropical storm resulting in a $ 1.0 million decrease in segment gross profi t . ﻿ calcium segment sales calcium gross profit and cash gross profit in millions in millions ﻿ in total , the 201 7 gross profit contributions from our three non-aggregates ( asphalt , concrete and calcium ) segments was $ 140.5 million , a 10 % increase over 201 6 , and a 38 % increase over 201 5 . part i i 41 selling , administrative and general expenses in millions ﻿ ﻿ as a percentage of total revenues , sag expense was : § 8.3 % in 201 7 — de creased 0 . 4 5 percentage points ( 4 5 basis points ) § 8 . 8 % in 201 6 — in creased 0 . 4 percentage points ( 4 0 basis points ) § 8.4 % in 201 5 — decreased 0 . 7 percentage points ( 7 0 basis points ) our comparative total company employment levels at year end : § in creased 15 % in 201 7 § increased 4 % in 201 6 § increased 4 % in 201 5 we work continuously to improve our organizational support of operations and create a more scalable and efficient overhead structure . subsequently , i n january 2018 , we reorganized several of our staff functions for the purpose of more effectively and efficiently supporting long-term growth and margin improvement . gain on sale of property , plant & equipment and businesses in millions ﻿ ﻿ the 201 7 gain on sale of property , plant & equipment and businesses of $ 17.8 million includes $ 8.0 million of pretax gain from a swap of ready-mixed concrete operations for an asphalt operation ( all in arizona ) and $ 2.5 million of pretax gain related to a property donation . the 2016 gain includes $ 11.9 million of pretax gain from surplus land sales in virginia and california . the 2015 gain includes a $ 5.9 million pretax gain from the previously mentioned asset exchange ( we exited the ready-mixed concrete business in california and added thirteen asphalt plant locations , primarily in arizona ) . see note 19 `` acquisitions and divestitures `` in item 8 `` financial statements and supplementary data . `` part i i 42 other operating expense , net other operating expense , which has an approximate run-rate of $ 16.0 million a year ( exclusive of discrete items ) , i s composed of various operating items not specifically presented in the accompanying consolidated statement s of comprehensive income . the total other operating expense , net and significant items included in the total were : § $ 47.4 million in 201 7 — includes discrete items as follows : § $ 3.1 million of business development charges , net of a termination fee . these net charges were composed of $ 11.1 million of non-routine business development charges partially offset by an $ 8.0 million credit related to an asset purchase agreement termination fee § $ 18.1 million of charges associated with divested operations includ ing $ 16.6

cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash balance s of $ 14 6 .6 million is $ 54.4 million of cash held at our foreign subsidiaries . all of this $ 54.4 million of cash relates to earnings that are indefinitely reinvested offshore . use of this cash is currently limited to our foreign operations . part i i 45 cash from operating activities in millions ﻿ net cash provided by operating activities is derived primarily from net earnings befor e n oncash deductions for depreciation , depletion , accretion and amortization . ﻿ replace_table_token_18_th ﻿ ﻿ ﻿ 1 primarily reflects changes to working capital balances . the increase from 2016 to 2017 reflects a $ 301.6 million reduction of our net deferred income liabilities as a result of the tcja . ﻿ 2017 versus 2016 — net cash provided by operating activities was $ 644 . 7 million during 201 7 and $ 644.6 during 2016 . although net earnings increased by $ 181.7 million compared to 2016 , 2017 earnings included discrete deferred tax benefits of $ 301.6 million referable to the tcja ( see note 9 “ income taxes ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data ” ) partially offset by cost of debt purchases of $ 140.8 million ( see note 6 “ debt ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data ” ) . cash paid for debt purchases is presented as a component of financing activities . 201 6 versus 201 5 — net cash provided by operating activities was $ 644.6 million during 2016 , a $ 125.1 million increase compared to 2015. this increase was primarily attributable to the $ 198.3 million increase in net earnings , $ 67.1 million of which was due to the 2015 charges associated with debt purchases ( see note 6 “ debt ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data ” ) . cash paid for this debt purchase is presented as a component of financing activities .


 Write a concise suspicious activity report of the following text delimited by triple backquotes. Return your response as a formal report which covers the key points highlighting the location,dates,entity names and account holder information in chronological order of the text.
     ```cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash balance s of $ 14 6 .6 million is $ 54.4 million of cash held at our foreign subsidiaries . all of this $ 54.4 million of cash relates to earnings that are indefinitely reinvested offshore . use of this cash is currently limited to our foreign operations . part i i 45 cash from operating activities in millions ﻿ net cash provided by operating activities is derived primarily from net earnings befor e n oncash deductions for depreciation , depletion , accretion and amortization . ﻿ replace_table_token_18_th ﻿ ﻿ ﻿ 1 primarily reflects changes to working capital balances . the increase from 2016 to 2017 reflects a $ 301.6 million reduction of our net deferred income liabilities as a result of the tcja . ﻿ 2017 versus 2016 — net cash provided by operating activities was $ 644 . 7 million during 201 7 and $ 644.6 during 2016 . although net earnings increased by $ 181.7 million compared to 2016 , 2017 earnings included discrete deferred tax benefits of $ 301.6 million referable to the tcja ( see note 9 “ income taxes ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data ” ) partially offset by cost of debt purchases of $ 140.8 million ( see note 6 “ debt ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data ” ) . cash paid for debt purchases is presented as a component of financing activities . 201 6 versus 201 5 — net cash provided by operating activities was $ 644.6 million during 2016 , a $ 125.1 million increase compared to 2015. this increase was primarily attributable to the $ 198.3 million increase in net earnings , $ 67.1 million of which was due to the 2015 charges associated with debt purchases ( see note 6 “ debt ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data ” ) . cash paid for this debt purchase is presented as a component of financing activities .
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 Suspicious Activity Report : this transaction complements and expands our service offerings in georgia , south carolina and florida with 3 granite quarries and 16 rail distribution yards . the integration is proceeding as planned . a lthough full synergy capture will require at least 18 to 24 months , we still expect this acquisition to be accretive to 2018 e arnings ( $ 50 million of ebitda ) . for the full year , capital expenditures were $ 4 64.2 million . this amount included $ 296.5 million of core operating and maintenance capital investments to improve or replace existing property , plant & equipment , in line with expectations . in addition , we invested $ 167.7 million in internal growth projects to secure new aggregates reserves , develo p n ew production sites , enhance our distribution capabilities and support the targeted growth of our asphalt and concrete operations . at the end of the fourth quarter , total debt was $ 2,854.9 million and cas h a nd cash equivalents was $ 141.6 million . in 2017 , we early retired $ 1,087.4 million of notes due in 2021 and 2018 for $ 1,228.2 million . one-time interest charges related to these early debt retirements were $ 148.0 million . i n december , we also entered into a 6-month $ 350.0 million term loan that we refinanced on a long-term basis in february 2018 . our record safety performance in 2017 reinforces our confidence that our core operating disciplines remain strong . 2017 acquisitions we continue to pursue opportunities for value-creating acquisitions , swaps and greenfield investments . we completed a number of important bolt-on acquisitions , making attractive additions to our coast-to-coast footprint in states ranging from georgia to california and up to illinois and virginia . of particular note was the acquisition of aggregates usa , which added approximately 460 million tons of proven and probable reserves to our leading reserve base and further strengthened our best-in-class distribution network , adding 16 new rail distribution yards in our florida , georgia and south carolina markets . we will continue to make disciplined investments in organic and acquisition-led growth , while continuing to emphasize capital returns and cost control . we are completely focused on actions that improve returns to our shareholders . we seek continuous , compounding improvement , generating big results through small actions . our capital allocation priorities remain unchanged : § deploying operating capital to sustain our franchise § maintaining the financial strength and flexibility needed through the cycle § strategic growth through mergers and acquisitions and internal development § returning excess cash to shareholders through a healthy mix of sustainable dividend growth and stock repurchases for a detailed discussion of our acquisitions and divestitures , see note 19 “ acquisitions and divestitures ” in item 8 “ financial statements and supplementary data . ” estimated impact of tax reform whil e t he full impact of the tcja continues to be assessed , we expect our earnings and cash flows will benefit meaningfully going forward . on a net basis , and leaving all other factors unchanged , o ur total effective tax rate should decline from approximately 28 % to 20 % . we continue to evaluate other aspect s of the tcja including immediate deductibility of certain qualified capital spending . w e expect core capital spending ( necessary to support an increased level of shipments and further improve production costs and operating efficiencies ) of approximately $ 250 million . we also plan for over $ 3 50 million in internal growth capital expenditures during 2018 , including the development of strategic quarry sites in california and texas . at this time , we do not know how much of this $ 600 million of capital spending will qualify for immediate deductibility . part i i 29 market developments and outlook we expect strong earnings growth in 2018. leading indicators , such as the pre-construction pipeline and construction starts in our markets , as well as our own order backlogs , point towar d g rowth . private demand continues to grow and public demand is strengthening after relative weakness in 2016 and part of 2017. these positive trends provide greater visibility into demand and indicate the continuation of a favorabl e p ricing environment . recent acquisitions are performing well and should make meaningful contributions to our earnings growth in 2018 and beyon d . private demand in vulcan-served markets continues to recover , and public demand appears to be firming up after a disappointing 2017. the pricing climate for our materials remains positive , supported by solid demand visibility , rising diesel prices , rising cement prices , and expanding contractor margins . for 2018 we expect same-store aggregates shipment growth of 4 % to 6 % and aggregates pricing growth of 3 % to 5 % , albeit with significant variability across individual markets . we also expect our margin performance to return to its longer-term trend of continuous , compounding improvement s . w eather-related cost pressures faced in 2017 are not anticipated , and rising diesel and distribution costs should flow-through to pricing , although with a lag . tax reform and the acquisition of aggregates usa will also support growth in earnings and in cash flow . management expectations for 2018 include : § same-store aggregates shipments growth of 4 % to 6 % § inclusive of aggregates usa operations ( ~ 7 million tons ) , total aggregates shipments in the range of 200 million tons § same-store aggregates freight-adjusted price increase of 3 % to 5 % § high single-digit gross profit growth in asphalt , concrete and calcium segments , collectively § sag expenses of approximately $ 33 5 million , including $ 5 million related to aggregates usa § net earnings of $ 5 85 to $ 6 3 5 million § adjusted ebitda of $ 1.150 to $ 1.250 story_separator_special_tag these results were lower than 2016 due in large part to the afor ementioned weather events which , while difficult to quantify , negatively impacted segment gross profit . a dditionally , a 22 % increase in the unit cost of diesel fuel , costs related to the transition to two new , more efficient ships to transport aggregates from our quarry in mexico and certain expenses related to acquired operations negatively impacted segment gross prof it in comparison to 2016. part i i 39 2 . asphalt our year-over-year asphalt mix shipments : § increased 11 % in 201 7 1 § increased 3 % in 201 6 § increased 30 % in 201 5 2 ﻿ 1 the 11 % increase in asphalt mix shipments in 2017 was largely attributable to a january 2017 acquisition of asphalt mix operations and a construction paving business in tennessee . 2 the 30 % increase in asphalt mix shipments in 2015 was largely attributable to the january 2015 swap of our concrete operations in california for asphalt mix operations , primarily in arizona . ﻿ asphalt s hipments were 10.4 million tons in total and 9.4 million tons on a same-store basis . same-store shipments increased 1 % versus the prior year , as volumes in arizona and new mexico accounted for t he year-over-year increase . a sphalt segment gross profit de creased 6 % to $ 91.9 millio n . a 10 % increase in liquid asphalt unit cost negatively affected materials margins by $ 14.2 million . ﻿ asphalt segment sales asphalt gross profit and cash gross profit in millions in millions ﻿ part i i 40 3 . concrete our year-over-year ready-mixed concrete shipments : § in creased 19 % in 201 7 1 § in creased 7 % in 201 6 § de creased 2 5 % in 201 5 2 ﻿ 1 of the 19 % increase in ready-mixed concrete shipments in 2017 , 9 % was attributable to a march 2017 acquisition of ready-mixed concrete facilities in california . 2 the 25 % de crease in ready-mixed concrete shipments in 2015 was largely attributable to the aforementioned january 2015 swap of our concrete oper a tions in california . concrete segment gross profit in creased 74 % and gross profit margin increased three percentage points ( 300 basis points ) versus the prior year driven by increased shipments and improved materials margins . shipments increased 19 % versus the prior year . on a same-store basis , shipments increased 9 % . materials margins per cubic yard improved 3 % v ersus the prior year . ﻿ concrete segment sales concrete gross profit and cash gross profit in millions in millions 4. calcium our calcium segment volumes and sales w ere negatively impacted by the aforementioned hurricanes and tropical storm resulting in a $ 1.0 million decrease in segment gross profi t . ﻿ calcium segment sales calcium gross profit and cash gross profit in millions in millions ﻿ in total , the 201 7 gross profit contributions from our three non-aggregates ( asphalt , concrete and calcium ) segments was $ 140.5 million , a 10 % increase over 201 6 , and a 38 % increase over 201 5 . part i i 41 selling , administrative and general expenses in millions ﻿ ﻿ as a percentage of total revenues , sag expense was : § 8.3 % in 201 7 — de creased 0 . 4 5 percentage points ( 4 5 basis points ) § 8 . 8 % in 201 6 — in creased 0 . 4 percentage points ( 4 0 basis points ) § 8.4 % in 201 5 — decreased 0 . 7 percentage points ( 7 0 basis points ) our comparative total company employment levels at year end : § in creased 15 % in 201 7 § increased 4 % in 201 6 § increased 4 % in 201 5 we work continuously to improve our organizational support of operations and create a more scalable and efficient overhead structure . subsequently , i n january 2018 , we reorganized several of our staff functions for the purpose of more effectively and efficiently supporting long-term growth and margin improvement . gain on sale of property , plant & equipment and businesses in millions ﻿ ﻿ the 201 7 gain on sale of property , plant & equipment and businesses of $ 17.8 million includes $ 8.0 million of pretax gain from a swap of ready-mixed concrete operations for an asphalt operation ( all in arizona ) and $ 2.5 million of pretax gain related to a property donation . the 2016 gain includes $ 11.9 million of pretax gain from surplus land sales in virginia and california . the 2015 gain includes a $ 5.9 million pretax gain from the previously mentioned asset exchange ( we exited the ready-mixed concrete business in california and added thirteen asphalt plant locations , primarily in arizona ) . see note 19 `` acquisitions and divestitures `` in item 8 `` financial statements and supplementary data . `` part i i 42 other operating expense , net other operating expense , which has an approximate run-rate of $ 16.0 million a year ( exclusive of discrete items ) , i s composed of various operating items not specifically presented in the accompanying consolidated statement s of comprehensive income . the total other operating expense , net and significant items included in the total were : § $ 47.4 million in 201 7 — includes discrete items as follows : § $ 3.1 million of business development charges , net of a termination fee . these net charges were composed of $ 11.1 million of non-routine business development charges partially offset by an $ 8.0 million credit related to an asset purchase agreement termination fee § $ 18.1 million of charges associated with divested operations includ ing $ 16.6

