ITEM 1. Business
ExlService Holdings, Inc. (“EXL”, “we”, “us", "our" or the "Company"), incorporated in Delaware in 2002, is an operations management and analytics company that helps businesses enhance revenue growth and improve profitability. Using proprietary platforms, methodologies, and our full range of digital capabilities, we look deeper to help companies transform their businesses, functions and operations, to help them deliver better customer experience and business outcomes, while managing risk and compliance. We serve our customers in the insurance, healthcare, travel, transportation and logistics, banking and financial services and utilities industries, among others. Headquartered in New York, we have approximately 27,800 professionals in locations throughout the United States, Europe, Asia (primarily India and the Philippines), Latin America, Australia and South Africa.
We operate in the business process management (“BPM”) industry, and we provide operations management and analytics services. Our eight operating segments are strategic business units that align our products and services with how we manage our business, approach our key markets and interact with our clients. Six of those operating segments provide BPM or “operations management” services, which we organize into industry-focused operating segments (Insurance, Healthcare, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Banking and Financial Services, and Utilities) and one “capability” operating segment (Finance and Accounting) that provides services to clients in our industry-focused segments as well as clients across other industries. In each of these six operating segments we provide operations management services, which typically involve transfer to the Company of business operations of a client, after which we administer and manage those operations for our client on an ongoing basis. Our remaining two operating segments are Consulting, which provides industry-specific digital transformational services related to operations management services, and our Analytics operating segment, which provides services that focus on driving improved business outcomes for clients by generating data-driven insights across all parts of their business.
We present information for the following reportable segments:
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Insurance,
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Healthcare,
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Travel, Transportation and Logistics,
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Finance and Accounting,
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Analytics, and
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All Other (consisting of our remaining operating segments including our Banking and Financial services, Utilities and Consulting operating segments).
For the year ended December 31, 2015, we reported and presented two reportable segments: Operations Management (which included our Insurance, Healthcare, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Finance and Accounting, Banking and Financial services, Utilities and Consulting operating segments) and Analytics.
Segment information for all prior periods presented herein have been changed to conform to the current presentation. This change in segment presentation does not affect our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income, balance sheets or statements of cash flows. We do not allocate assets by operating segment, although our operating segments do manage and control certain assets. For further descriptions of our segments, including financial information and revenues and cost of revenues, see Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements.
The December 2017 acquisition of substantially all of the assets, and assumption of certain liabilities related thereto, of Health Integrated, Inc. (“Health Integrated”) is included in the Healthcare reportable segment.
Operations Management Services
Our operations management services, which we provide from our Insurance, Healthcare, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Finance and Accounting, Banking and Financial Services, Utilities and Consulting operating segments, typically involve the transfer to EXL business operations of a client such as claims processing, clinical operations, or financial transaction processing, after which we administer and manage those operations for our client on an ongoing basis, or in case of consulting, consulting services related to transformation services. We use a focused industry vertical approach to manage our business and to provide a suite of integrated BPM services to organizations in the insurance, healthcare, travel transportation and logistics, banking and financial services and utilities industries in addition to providing finance and accounting and consulting services across these industries as well as to clients in other industries like manufacturing and media among others.
The key differentiators and salient features of our BPM services include our agile operating and delivery model utilizing domain expertise and process excellence, the Business EXLerator FrameworkTM, our ability to deploy a Business Process-as-a-Service (“BPaaS”) delivery model, business process automation (including robotics), consulting-driven digital transformation and our industry vertical focused approach. The Business EXLerator FrameworkTM is our integrated approach to operations management which enables us to drive better customer outcomes by using advanced automation (such as robotics), lean six-sigma, workflow management, data visualization and embedded analytics.
While the majority of our operations management services are provided to clients using client-owned or licensed technology platforms, we also deliver our services across clients and industries using a BPaaS delivery model. The BPaaS delivery model includes the provision of a technology platform along with process management services. The service offering typically requires lower capital outlay, is faster to implement and is priced based on the number of transactions or usage by the client. These services may use standardized and shared technology and operational delivery infrastructure enabling us to leverage technology and infrastructure investments across multiple clients.
The operating segments providing operations management services are described below:
Our Insurance operating segment serves property and casualty insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, annuity and retirement services companies. We provide BPM services related to business processes in the insurance industry such as claims processing, subrogation, premium and benefit administration, agency management, account reconciliation, policy research, underwriting support, new business processing, policy servicing, premium audit, surveys, billing and collection, commercial and residential survey, and customer service using the Business EXLerator FrameworkTM, robotics and advanced automation. We provide insurance policy administration & digital customer acquisition services using a BPaaS delivery model through our LifePRO ® and Liss platforms in order to help clients administer life insurance, health insurance, annuities and credit life and disability insurance policies. We also provide subrogation services to property and casualty insurers using a BPaaS delivery model and our proprietary Subrosource ® software platform, the largest commercial end-to-end subrogation platform. Subrosource ® integrates with client systems, manages recovery workflow, increases recoveries and reduces costs.
Our Healthcare operating segment primarily serves U.S.-based healthcare payers and providers. We provide BPM services related to Care Management and population health, multi-chronic case management (“MCCM”), dual eligible special needs plans (D-SNP), payment integrity, revenue optimization and customer engagement directly addressing the market need for improved healthcare outcomes, reduced claims and administrative costs, and improved access to the healthcare system in the healthcare market. We offer BPaaS, SaaS and platform BPM services designed to serve the healthcare industry as well as proprietary technology platforms, robotics and advanced analytics. EXL’s CareRadius® and MaxMC® applications connect payors, providers and members with critical clinical information, and automates a payor's operations to increase efficiencies across all aspects of care management including behavioral health.
On December 22, 2017, we acquired substantially all of the assets, and assumed certain liabilities related thereto, of Health Integrated, a Florida based care management company that provides end-to-end analytics- and behavioral IP-enabled care management services including case management, utilization management, disease management, special needs programs, and MCCM on behalf of health plans. Health Integrated serves millions of lives in the Medicaid, Medicare, and dual eligible populations.
Our Healthcare business also provides Program Integrity services to payors. Our current work is mainly in special investigations and claims overpayment. In addition, we provide Customer Experience solutions for both customer acquisition and customer service.
Our Travel, Transportation and Logistics operating segment primarily serves clients in the travel & leisure and transportation and logistics industries, including less-than-truckload (LTL), truckload and intermodal logistics sectors. We provide BPM services related to business processes in corporate and leisure travel such as reservations, customer service, fulfillment and finance and accounting. In addition, we have expertise in processing transportation and logistics transactions, including supply chain management, warehousing, transportation management and international logistics services using advanced automation including robotics process automation. For companies in the transportation and logistics sector, we provide sales, billing, collection, claims management, revenue management, accounting freight audit and payment and logistics engineering services.
Our Finance and Accounting (“F&A”) operating segment provides finance and accounting BPM services across an array of F&A processes including procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, hire-to-retire, record-to-report, regulatory reporting, financial planning and analysis, audit and assurance, treasury and tax processes. This operating segment provides services across the five industry verticals within operations management as well as to clients in other industries like manufacturing, media and retail among others. We also provide “Operations-as-a-Service” offerings in the procure to pay, order to cash and
record to report areas by integrating proprietary analytics, advanced automation including robotics process automation, and F&A technology platforms, both proprietary as well as those from leading third party technology platform providers.
Our Banking and Financial Services operating segment offers a comprehensive range of BPM services across the spectrum of the banking and financial services industry including residential mortgage lending, retail banking and credit cards, commercial banking and investment management. We have also assisted global banking and financial institutions with improving their operations by enabling clients to identify regulatory and compliance gaps, develop remediation plans and services, and track ongoing performance. EXL uses robotics process automation and proprietary business intelligence tools to innovate workflow management, transaction monitoring, and management information and reporting to enhance transparency in regulatory and management reporting.
Our Utilities operating segment services offers BPM services related to enhancing operating models, improving customer experience, reducing costs, shortening turnaround time and simplifying compliance for our clients. By leveraging our “Operations-as-a-Service” model, we combine domain expertise, customer-centric operations management practices, robotics and advanced analytics capabilities with cloud-based billing and customer relationship management platform, digital services (Customer and Field Mobility Solutions), industry-specific products, business process automation and robotics.
Our Consulting operating segment provides industry-specific digital transformational services, targeting select industries and functions (primarily Insurance, Healthcare, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Banking and Financial Services and Finance and Accounting), where we have developed broad and deep core competencies. Our services are designed to address contemporary problems across the aforementioned domains, embracing the digital and analytics revolution, to deliver business models that help our clients realize their business and innovation goals and improve their strategic competitive position. Our digital consulting offerings include leveraging design thinking to help improve customer experience, using lean models to drive process excellence and using agile delivery models to implement digital technologies and interventions like advanced automation and robotics. We also offer a full range of finance transformation services to the CFO suite, including finance platform modernization and implementation, finance process transformation and digitization as well as governance, risk and compliance support.
Analytics
Our Analytics services focus on driving improved business outcomes for our customers by generating data-driven insights across all parts of our customers’ businesses. Our teams deliver predictive and prescriptive analytics in the areas of customer acquisition and lifecycle management, risk underwriting and pricing, operational effectiveness, credit and operational risk monitoring and governance, regulatory reporting, and data management. Our Analytics team comprises over 3,000 professionals.
We help our customers leverage internal and external data sources, enhance their data assets, identify and visualize data patterns, and utilize data-driven insights to improve their effectiveness. Our Analytics services for our customers include:
•Identification, cleansing, matching and use of structured, semi-structured and unstructured data available both internally to our customer’s organization and externally;
•Deployment of analytics professionals and data scientists who utilize analytics tools, cutting edge statistical techniques and methodologies in ways designed to help customers better understand their data to generate actionable business insights;
•Design and implementation of services enabling data visualization and management reporting enabling business users to segment, drill-down, and filter data; and
•Integration of data insights and predictive models in the real-time decision making processes to drive measurable business impact.
Our Analytics engagements span both project work and longer-term arrangements where EXL provides ongoing analytics modeling and services for a year or more. We utilize domain and industry knowledge related to the business problem being considered to support these Analytics engagements.
Our Analytics services support: (1) retail banking, commercial banking and investment banking and management for the banking and financial services industry; (2) actuarial, claims, informatics, CRM and marketing analysis, medical cost and care management, payment integrity and operational effectiveness in the healthcare industry; (3) marketing and agency management, actuarial, servicing and operations, customer management, and claims and money movement in the insurance industry; and (4) marketing analytics in the retail and media industries.
Geographic and Segment Information
Please see the disclosures in Note 3 to our consolidated financial statements for segment and geographic information regarding our business.
Business Strategy
We are a business process management company providing operations management and analytics services that help businesses enhance revenue growth and enhance profitability. Specific elements of our strategy include:
Deploying our Business EXLerator FrameworkTM in Operations Management
In servicing our operations management clients, we differentiate ourselves by using our proprietary Business EXLerator FrameworkTM, described above. Business EXLeratorTM has helped EXL win new clients as well as increase satisfaction with existing clients. Advanced automation is another key element where we leverage proprietary and partner technologies to drive operational efficiencies and provide a step-change in the degrees of automation (such as robotics) embedded within the process.
Developing Business Process-as-a-Service (“BPaaS”) Solutions to distinguish our BPM Solutions
We continue to invest and focus in developing BPaaS and technology-enabled product solutions including updated and enhanced LifePRO®, Auditstream and Express Survey products. We are shifting part of our servicing model in niche operations management services from our current model to a BPaaS servicing model that offers an integrated technology platform with operations management services. BPaaS services are typically delivered using a transaction-based or outcome-based pricing model and can minimize a client’s initial capital investment on technology. In addition to existing solutions, we intend to enter into additional partnerships to develop and take-to-market new BPaaS solutions.
Building Additional Analytics Capabilities and Solution Offerings
We continue to invest in our Analytics capabilities by expanding our digital solution offerings, enhancing the skill sets and training of our team, and developing reusable intellectual property that can be incorporated into our analytics services. We intend to further increase our investment in our proprietary methodologies and algorithms that help us improve our ability to predict outcomes for our clients to help them capture data signals in a more efficient manner. In order to optimize the way in which we deliver analytics services to clients and source the highest quality global talent, we intend to continue expanding
our multi-shore delivery capabilities by adding to our team of professionals in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, India, Singapore, the Philippines, South Africa and Colombia. In addition to hiring directly from educational institutions, we actively look to hire additional experienced senior team members in order to deepen our industry expertise and thought leadership.
Extending Our Industry Expertise
We intend to further extend our knowledge and capabilities in the industry verticals we serve in order to enhance our reputation as a provider of business process services. By focusing on transitioning, managing and digitizing more complex and value-enhancing services, we augment our capability to serve our clients, including helping our clients evolve their digital transformation efforts. In order to market our base of experience externally, we intend to continue to produce additional primary research and technical papers in order to enhance our reputation as industry thought leaders.
Recruiting, Training, and Retaining the Most Talented Professionals
We have instituted an integrated talent management framework through active collaboration between our recruitment, capability development and business human resource functions. We deploy innovative methods to recruit, train and retain our skilled employees. We intend to focus on recruiting the right talent and develop them further on relevant competencies through our learning academies, rigorous promotion standards, client and industry specific training and competitive compensation packages that include incentive-based compensation. We are able to leverage shared resources across our services, particularly those in operations management, including as a result of our personnel having skillsets applicable to a wide variety of BPM services. We supplement our scope of operations experience with several industry-specific domain academies to enhance the specialization quotient of our employees.
Cultivating Long-term Relationships and Expanding our Client Base
We continue to maintain our focus on cultivating long-term client relationships as well as attracting new clients. We believe there are significant opportunities for additional growth within our existing clients, and we seek to expand these relationships by:
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Increasing the depth and breadth of the services we provide across new client business, functions and geographies;
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Offering the full suite of EXL services that includes operations management (including consulting; digital transformation) and analytics; and
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Supporting our clients’ geographic expansion leveraging our global footprint.
We intend to continue building a portfolio of Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies in our focus industries that have the most complex and diverse processes and, accordingly, stand to benefit significantly from our services. We also intend to cultivate long-term relationships with medium-sized companies in our focus industries leveraging our BPaaS and technology offerings.
Expanding our Global Delivery Footprint and Operational Infrastructure
We intend to further expand and invest in our network of delivery centers to service our clients. In 2017, we expanded our operations centers in India and in the United States. In 2017, our acquisition of the Health Integrated business added an operating facility in Tampa, Florida.
Pursuing Strategic Relationships and Acquisitions
We intend to continue making selective acquisitions in our focus industry verticals as well as to add to our capabilities. We consider selective strategic relationships with industry leaders that add new long-term client relationships, enhance the depth and breadth of our services and complement our business strategy. We also pursue select partnerships, alliances or investments that will expand the scope and effectiveness of our services by adding proprietary technology assets and intellectual property, adding new clients or allowing us to enter new geographic markets.
Our Industry
Operations Management
BPM service providers work with clients to transfer their key business processes to reduce costs, improve process quality, handle increased transaction volumes and reduce redundancy. BPM providers can enable organizations to enhance profitability and increase efficiency and reliability, permitting them to concentrate on their core areas of competence. BPM is a long-term strategic commitment for a company that, once implemented, is generally not subject to cyclical spending or information technology budget fluctuations. Increased global demand, cost improvements in international communications and the automation of many business services have created a significant opportunity for BPM providers with offshore delivery capabilities, and many companies are moving select office processes to providers with the capacity to perform these functions from overseas locations. We believe the demand for BPM services will be primarily led by industries that are transaction-driven and that require significant customer interactions.
According to India’s National Association of Software and Service Companies, an industry trade organization, exports from India in the information technology and BPM industry are expected to grow 7%-8% year over year in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018.
Analytics
Companies are increasingly looking to BPM service providers to provide a suite of analytics services including statistical tools, models and techniques to clean, organize and examine structured and unstructured corporate data. This data is then used by companies to generate specific business-related analysis and insights into their business and prospects. The enhanced generation of business data across multiple formats, substantial reduction in data storage costs, growing enterprise demand for data-driven and real-time decision making and availability of sophisticated analytics tools have enabled companies to overcome a local shortage of specialized analytics talent and benefit from global labor markets. BPM service providers who can develop industry-specific analytics expertise are especially well poised to benefit from this global trend.
Sales, Marketing and Client Management
We market our services to our existing and prospective clients through our sales and client management teams, which are aligned by industry verticals and cross-industry domains such as finance and accounting and consulting. Our sales and client management teams operate from the U.S., Europe, Australia and South Africa are supported by our business development teams.
Our sales, marketing and business development teams are responsible for new client acquisitions, public relations, relations with outsourcing advisory companies, analyst relations and rankings, lead generation, knowledge management, content development, campaign management, digital/web presence, brand awareness and participation in industry forums and conferences. As of December 31, 2017, we employed approximately 120 sales, marketing, business development and client management professionals with the majority of them based in either the U.S. or Europe. Our professionals generally have significant experience in business process services, technology, operations, analytics and consulting.
Clients
EXL generated revenues from approximately 415 and 400 clients in 2017 and 2016, respectively (with annual revenue exceeding $50,000 per client). We have won 42 and 40 new clients during 2017 and 2016, respectively.
Our top three, five and ten clients generated 17.1%, 24.6% and 38.6% of our revenues, respectively, in 2017. Our top three, five and ten clients generated 16.8%, 25.4% and 40.1% of our revenues, respectively, in 2016. We have a limited number of clients in our Utilities and Banking and Financial services operating segments. However, no client accounted for more than 10% of our total revenues in 2017 or 2016. Our revenue concentration with our top clients remains consistent year-over-year and we continue to develop relationships with new clients to diversify our client base. We believe that the loss of any of our ten largest clients could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance. See “Item 1A.
ITEM 1A. Risk Factors
Risks Related to Our Business
We derive a substantial portion of our revenues from a limited number of clients.
We have derived and believe that we will continue to derive a substantial portion of our total revenues from a limited number of large clients. The loss of or financial difficulties at any of our large clients could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Moreover, the loss of a major customer could also impact our reputation in the market, making it more difficult to attract and retain customers more generally.
Our results of operations could be adversely affected by economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on our clients’ businesses and levels of business activity.
Global economic and political conditions affect our clients’ businesses and the markets they serve. The domestic and international capital and credit markets have been experiencing volatility and disruption for the past several years, resulting in uncertainty in the financial markets in general, which includes companies in the banking, financial services and insurance industries to which we provide services. Although there has been recent improvement in general economic conditions in these industries, there can be no assurance that the economic environment will continue to improve. Our business largely depends on continued demand for our services from clients and potential clients in these industries. Adverse developments in these industries or any other select industries to which we provide services could further unfavorably affect our business. In particular, we currently derive, and are likely to continue to derive, a significant portion of our revenues from clients located in the U.S. Any future decreases in the general level of economic activity, such as decreases in business and consumer spending, could result in a decrease in demand for our services, particularly our analytics and consulting services, thus reducing our revenues. Weakness in the U.S. labor market could also adversely affect the demand for our services. Other developments in response to economic events, such as consolidations, restructurings or reorganizations, particularly involving our clients, could also cause the demand for our services to decline.
Market disruptions may limit our ability to access financing or increase our cost of financing to meet liquidity needs, and affect the ability of our customers to use credit to purchase our services or to make timely payments to us, resulting in adverse effects on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our client contracts contain certain termination and other provisions that could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Consistent with industry practice, most of our client contracts may be terminated by our clients without cause and do not commit our clients to provide us with a specific volume of business. Any failure to meet a client’s expectations could result in a cancellation or non-renewal of a contract or a decrease in business provided to us. We may not be able to replace any client that elects to terminate or not renew its contract with us, which would reduce our revenues. The loss of or financial difficulties at any of our large clients would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
A number of our contracts allow the client, in certain limited circumstances, to request a benchmark study comparing our pricing and performance with that of an agreed list of other service providers for comparable services. Based on the results of the study and depending on the reasons for any unfavorable variance, we may be required to make improvements in the services we provide or reduce the pricing for services on a prospective basis to be performed under the remaining term of the contract or our client could elect to terminate the contract, which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Many of our contracts contain provisions that would require us to pay penalties to our clients and/or provide our clients with the right to terminate the contract if we do not meet pre-agreed service level requirements or if we do not provide certain productivity benefits. Failure to meet these requirements or accurately estimate the productivity benefits could result in the payment of significant penalties to our clients which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Some of our contracts with clients specify that if a change of control of our company occurs during the term of the contract, the client has the right to terminate the contract. These provisions may result in our contracts being terminated if there is such a change in control, resulting in a potential loss of revenues. In addition, these provisions may act as a deterrent to any attempt by a third party to acquire our company.
We may fail to attract and retain enough sufficiently trained employees to support our operations, as competition for highly skilled personnel is intense and we experience significant employee turnover rates.
Our success depends to a significant extent on our ability to attract, hire, train and retain qualified employees, including our ability to attract employees with needed skills in the geographic areas in which we operate. Our industry, including us, experiences high employee turnover. There is significant competition for professionals with skills necessary to perform the services we offer to our clients. Increased competition for these professionals could have an adverse effect on us. A significant increase in the turnover rate among our employees, particularly among our higher skilled workforce, would increase our recruiting and training costs and decrease our operating efficiency, productivity and profit margins, and could lead to a decline in demand for our services. High turnover rates generally do not impact our revenues as we factor the attrition rate into our pricing models by maintaining additional employees for each process. However, high turnover rates do increase our cost of revenues and therefore impact our profit margins due to higher recruitment, training and retention costs. High employee turnover increases training, recruitment and retention costs because we must maintain larger hiring, training and human resources departments and it also increases our operating costs due to having to reallocate certain business processes among our operations centers where we have access to the skilled workforce needed for our business. These additional costs could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and cash flows.
If we are unable to attract and retain highly-skilled technical personnel, our ability to effectively lead our current projects and develop new business could be jeopardized, and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
We often have a long selling cycle for our operations management services that requires significant funds and management resources and a long implementation cycle that requires significant resource commitments.
We often have a long selling cycle for our operations management services, which requires significant investment of capital, resources and time by both our clients and us. Before committing to use our services, potential clients require us to expend substantial time and resources educating them as to the value of our services, including testing our services for a limited period of time, and assessing the feasibility of integrating our systems and processes with theirs. Our clients then evaluate our services before deciding whether to use them. Therefore, our selling cycle, which generally ranges from six to eighteen months, is subject to many risks and delays over which we have little or no control, including our clients’ decision to choose alternatives to our services (such as other providers or in-house offshore resources) and the timing of our clients’ budget cycles and approval processes. In addition, we may not be able to successfully conclude a contract after the selling cycle is complete.
Implementing our services involves a significant commitment of resources over an extended period of time from both our clients and us. Our clients may also experience delays in obtaining internal approvals or delays associated with technology or system implementations, thereby delaying further the implementation process. Our clients and future clients may not be willing or able to invest the time and resources necessary to implement our services, and we may fail to close sales with potential clients to which we have devoted significant time and resources. These factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Once we are engaged by a client, it may take us several months before we start to recognize significant revenues.
When we are engaged by a client after the selling process for our operations management services, it takes from four to six weeks to integrate the client’s systems with ours, and from three months to six months thereafter to build our services to the client’s requirements and perform any necessary transformation initiatives. Depending on the complexity of the processes being implemented, these time periods may be significantly longer. Implementing processes can be subject to potential delays similar to certain of those affecting the selling cycle. Therefore, we do not recognize significant revenues until after we have completed the implementation phase.
We typically enter into long-term contracts and fixed price contracts with our clients, and our failure to accurately estimate the resources and time required for our contracts may negatively affect our revenues, cash flows and profitability.
The initial terms of our operations management contracts typically range from three to five years. In many of our operations management contracts we commit to long-term pricing with our clients and therefore bear the risk of cost overruns, completion delays, wage inflation and adverse movements in exchange rates in connection with these contracts. If we fail to estimate accurately the resources and time required for a contract, potential productivity benefits over time, future wage inflation rates or currency exchange rates (or fail to accurately hedge our currency exchange rate exposure) or if we fail to complete our contractual obligations within the contracted timeframe, our revenues, cash flows and profitability may be negatively affected.
Consistency in our revenues from period to period depends in part on our ability to reflect the changing demands and needs of our existing and potential clients. If we are unable to adjust our pricing terms or the mix of products and services we provide to meet the changing demands of our clients and potential clients, our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows may be adversely affected.
A significant portion of our contracts use a pricing model that provides for hourly or annual billing rates. Industry pricing models are evolving, however, and we anticipate that clients may increasingly request transaction-based, outcome-based or other pricing models. If we make inaccurate assumptions for contracts with such alternative pricing models, our profitability may be negatively affected. If we are unable to adapt our operations to evolving pricing protocols, our results of operations may be adversely affected or we may not be able to offer pricing that is attractive relative to our competitors.
In addition, for the services we provide to our clients, the revenues and income from such services may decline or vary as the type and volume of services we provide under those contracts changes over time, including as a result of a shift in the mix of products and services we provide. Furthermore, our clients, some of which have experienced significant and adverse changes in their prospects, substantial price competition and pressures on their profitability, have in the past and may in the future demand price reductions, automate some or all of their processes or change their operations management strategy by moving more work in-house or to other providers, any of which could reduce our profitability. Any significant reduction in or the elimination of the use of the services we provide to any of our clients, or any requirement to lower our prices, would harm our business.
Our profitability will suffer if we are not able to price our services appropriately or manage our asset utilization levels.
Our profitability is largely a function of the efficiency with which we utilize our assets, in particular our people and our operations centers, and the pricing that we are able to obtain for our services. Our asset utilization levels are affected by a number of factors, including our ability to transition employees from completed projects to new assignments, attract, train and retain employees, forecast demand for our services and maintain an appropriate headcount in each of our locations, as well as our need to dedicate resources to employee training and development and other typically non-chargeable activities. The prices we are able to charge for our services are affected by a number of factors, including our clients’ perceptions of our ability to add value through our services, substantial price competition, introduction of new services or products by us or our competitors, our ability to accurately estimate, attain and sustain revenues from client engagements, our ability to estimate resources for long-term pricing, margins and cash flows for long-term contracts and general economic and political conditions. Therefore, if we are unable to appropriately price our services or manage our asset utilization levels, there could be a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
Our analytics and consulting services are cyclical and based on specific projects involving short-term contracts.
Our analytics and consulting services are cyclical and can be significantly affected by variations in business cycles. Changes in the deadlines or the scope of work required for compliance with the requirements of legislation applicable to our clients could curtail significantly those service offerings.
In addition, our project based analytics and consulting services consists of contracts with terms generally not exceeding one year and may not produce ongoing or recurring business for us once the project is completed. These contracts also usually contain provisions permitting termination of the contract after a short notice period. The short-term nature and specificity of these projects could lead to material fluctuations and uncertainties in the revenues generated from providing analytics and consulting services.
Our operating results may experience significant variability and as a result it may be difficult for us to make accurate financial forecasts.
Our operating results may vary significantly from period to period. Although our existing agreements with original terms of three or more years provide us with a relatively predictable revenue base for a substantial portion of our business, the long selling cycle for our services and the budget and approval processes of prospective clients make it difficult to predict the timing of entering into definitive agreements with new clients. The timing of revenue recognition under new client agreements also varies depending on when we complete the implementation phase with new clients. The completion of implementation varies significantly based upon the complexity of the processes being implemented.
Our period-to-period results have in the past and may also in the future fluctuate due to other factors, including client losses, delays or failure by our clients to provide anticipated business, variations in employee utilization rates resulting from changes in our clients’ operations, delays or difficulties in expanding our operations centers and infrastructure (including hiring new employees or constructing new operations centers), changes to our pricing structure or that of our competitors, currency fluctuations, seasonal
changes in the operations of our clients and other events identified in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our revenues are also affected by changes in pricing under our contracts at the time of renewal or by pricing under new contracts. In addition, most of our contracts do not commit our clients to provide us with a specific volume of business. Further, as we increase our capabilities utilizing technology service platforms and other software-based services, we expect that revenues from such services will continue to grow in proportion to our total revenues. Revenues from annual maintenance and support contracts for our software platforms provide us with a relatively predictable revenue base whereas revenues from new license sales and implementation projects have a long selling cycle and it is difficult to predict the timing of when such new contracts will be signed which may lead to fluctuations in our short term revenues. All these factors may make it difficult to make accurate financial forecasts or replace anticipated revenues that we do not receive as a result of delays in implementing our services or client losses. If our actual results do not meet any estimated results that we announce, or if we underperform market expectations as a result of such factors, trading prices for our common stock could be adversely affected.
Our senior management team is critical to our continued success and the loss of one or more members of our senior management team could harm our business.
Our future success substantially depends on the continued services and performance of the members of our management team and other key employees possessing technical and business capabilities, including industry expertise, that are difficult to replace. Specifically, the loss of the services of our Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer could seriously impair our ability to continue to manage and expand our business. There is intense competition for experienced senior management and personnel with technical and industry expertise in the industry in which we operate, and we may not be able to retain these officers or key employees. Although we have entered into employment and non-competition agreements with all of our executive officers, certain terms of those agreements may not be enforceable and in any event these agreements do not ensure the continued service of these executive officers.
In addition, we currently do not maintain “key person” insurance covering any member of our management team. The loss of any of our key employees, particularly to competitors, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Our inability to manage our rapid infrastructure and personnel growth effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Since we were founded in April 1999, we have experienced rapid growth and significantly expanded our operations, and that growth has continued in recent years as well. We have several operations centers in India, the U.S., the Philippines and an operations center in each of South Africa, Colombia, Bulgaria, Romania, and the Czech Republic. Further, we have acquired multiple regional offices in the U.S. as part of our acquisitions. Our headcount has increased significantly over the past several years. We expect to develop and improve our internal systems in the locations where we operate in order to address the anticipated continued growth of our business. We are also continuing to look for operations centers at additional locations outside of our current operating geographies. We believe expanding our geographic base of operations will provide higher value to our clients by decreasing the risks of operating from a single country (including potential shortages of skilled employees, increases in wage costs during strong economic times and currency fluctuations), while also giving our clients access to a wider talent pool and establishing a base in countries that may be competitive in the future. However, we may not be able to effectively manage our infrastructure and employee expansion, open additional operations centers or hire additional skilled employees as and when they are required to meet the ongoing needs of our clients, and we may not be able to develop and improve our internal systems. We also need to manage cultural differences between our employee populations and that may create a risk for employment law claims. Our inability to execute our growth strategy, to ensure the continued adequacy of our current systems or to manage our expansion effectively could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We may engage in strategic acquisitions or transactions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
As part of our business strategy, we intend to continue to selectively consider acquisitions or investments, some of which may be material. Through the acquisitions we pursue, we may seek opportunities to expand the scope of our existing services, add new clients or enter new geographic markets. There can be no assurance that we will successfully identify suitable candidates in the future for strategic transactions at acceptable prices, have sufficient capital resources to finance potential acquisitions or be able to consummate any desired transactions. Our failure to close transactions with potential acquisition targets for which we have invested significant time and resources could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and cash flows.
Acquisitions, including completed acquisitions, involve a number of risks, including diversion of management’s attention, ability to finance the acquisition on attractive terms, failure to retain key personnel or valuable customers, legal liabilities and the need to amortize acquired intangible assets, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. Future acquisitions may also result in the incurrence of indebtedness or the issuance of additional equity securities.
The intellectual property of an acquired business may be an important component of the value that we agree to pay for such a business. Although we conduct due diligence in connection with each of our acquisitions, such acquisitions are subject to the risks that the acquired business may not own the intellectual property that we believe we are acquiring, that the intellectual property is dependent upon licenses from third parties, that the acquired business infringes upon the intellectual property rights of others or that the technology does not have the acceptance in the marketplace that we anticipated.
We could also experience financial or other setbacks if transactions encounter unanticipated problems, including problems related to execution, integration or underperformance relative to prior expectations. Our management may not be able to successfully integrate any acquired business into our operations or maintain our standards, controls and policies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Consequently, any acquisition we complete may not result in long-term benefits to us or we may not be able to further develop the acquired business in the manner we anticipated.
Following the completion of some acquisitions, we may have to rely on the seller to provide administrative and other support, including financial reporting and internal controls, and other transition services to the acquired business for a period of time. There can be no assurance that the seller will do so in a manner that is acceptable to us.
We may not be able to realize the entire book value of goodwill and other intangible assets from acquisitions.
We periodically assess our goodwill and intangible assets to determine if they are impaired and we monitor for impairment of goodwill relating to all acquisitions. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least once on an annual basis as of October 1 of each year, based on a number of factors including operating results, business plans and future cash flows. Impairment testing of goodwill may also be performed between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of goodwill below its carrying amount. We perform a quantitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. In the event that the carrying amount of goodwill is impaired, any such impairment would be charged to earnings in the period of impairment. Since this involves use of critical accounting estimates, we cannot assure you that future impairment of goodwill will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
If we are unable to collect our receivables from, or bill our unbilled services to, our clients, our results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected.
Our business depends on our ability to successfully obtain payment from our clients for work performed. We evaluate the financial condition of our clients and usually bill and collect on relatively short cycles. We maintain allowances against receivables and unbilled services. Actual losses on client balances could differ from those that we currently anticipate and, as a result, we might need to adjust our allowances. We might not accurately assess the creditworthiness of our clients. Macroeconomic conditions, such as any domestic or global credit crisis and disruption or the global financial system, could also result in financial difficulties for our clients, including limited access to the credit markets, insolvency or bankruptcy, and, as a result, could cause clients to delay payments to us, request modifications to their payment arrangements that could increase our receivables balance, or default on their payment obligations to us. Timely collection of client balances also depends on our ability to complete our contractual commitments and bill and collect our contracted revenues. If we are unable to meet our contractual requirements, we might experience delays in collection of and/or be unable to collect our client balances, and if this occurs, our results of operations and cash flows could be adversely affected. In addition, if we experience an increase in the time to bill and collect for our services, our cash flows could be adversely affected.
Employee wage increases may prevent us from sustaining our competitive advantage and may reduce our profit margin.
Our most significant costs are the salaries and related benefits of our operations staff and other employees. For example, wage costs in India have historically been significantly lower than wage costs in the U.S. and Europe for comparably skilled professionals, which has been one of our competitive advantages. However, because of rapid economic growth in India, increased demand for outsourcing services from India and increased competition for skilled employees in India, wages for comparably skilled employees in India are increasing at a faster rate than in the U.S. and Europe, which may reduce this competitive advantage. We may need to increase the levels of employee compensation more rapidly than in the past to remain competitive in attracting
and retaining the quality and number of employees that our business requires. Wages are generally higher for employees performing analytics and consulting services than for employees performing operations management services. As the scale of our analytics and consulting services increases, wages as a percentage of revenues will likely increase. To the extent that we are not able to control or share wage increases with our clients, wage increases may reduce our margins and cash flows. We will attempt to control such costs by our efforts to add capacity in locations where we consider wage levels of skilled personnel to be satisfactory, but we may not be successful in doing so.
We face significant competition from U.S.-based and non-U.S.-based BPM and IT companies and from our clients, who may build shared services centers to perform these services themselves, either in-house, in the U.S. or through offshore groups or other arrangements.
The market for outsourcing services is highly competitive, and we expect competition to intensify and increase from a number of sources. We believe that the principal competitive factors in our markets are breadth and depth of process expertise, knowledge of industries served, service quality, the ability to attract, train and retain qualified people, compliance rigor, global delivery capabilities, price and sales and client management capabilities. We also face competition from non-U.S.-based outsourcing and IT companies (including those in the U.K. and India) and U.S.-based outsourcing and IT companies. Further, a client may choose to use its own internal resources rather than engage an outside firm to perform the types of services we provide. In addition, the trend toward offshore outsourcing, international expansion by foreign and domestic competitors and continuing technological changes, such as cloud computing, will result in new and different competition for our services.
These competitors may include entrants from the communications, software and data networking industries or entrants in geographic locations with lower costs than those in which we operate. Some of these existing and future competitors have greater financial, personnel and other resources, a broader range of service offerings, greater technological expertise, more recognizable brand names and more established relationships in industries that we currently serve or may serve in the future. In addition, some of our competitors may enter into strategic relationships or mergers or acquisitions with larger, more established companies in order to increase their ability to address client needs, or enter into similar arrangements with potential clients. The trend in multi-vendor relationships has been growing, which could reduce our revenues to the extent that we are required to modify the terms of our relationship with clients or that clients obtain services from other vendors. Increased competition, our inability to compete successfully against competitors, pricing pressures or loss of market share could result in reduced gross margins, which could harm our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We expect competition to intensify in the future as more companies enter our markets. Increased competition may result in lower prices and volumes, higher costs for resources, especially people, and lower profitability. We may not be able to supply clients with services that they deem superior and at competitive prices and we may lose business to our competitors. Any inability to compete effectively would adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We may disrupt our clients’ operations as a result of inadequate service or other factors, including telecommunications or technology downtime or interruptions.
The services we provide are often critical to our clients’ businesses, and any failure to provide those services could result in a reduction in revenues or a claim for substantial damages against us, regardless of whether we are responsible for that failure. Most of our agreements with clients contain service level and performance requirements, including requirements relating to the quality of our services. Failure to consistently meet service requirements of a client or errors made by our employees in the course of delivering services to our clients could disrupt the client’s business and result in a reduction in revenues or a claim for damages against us. Additionally, we could incur certain liabilities if a process we manage for a client were to result in internal control failures or processing errors, or impair our client’s ability to comply with its own internal control requirements.
Our dependence on our offshore operations centers requires us to maintain active voice and data communications among our operations centers, our international technology hubs and our clients’ offices. Although we maintain redundant facilities and communications links, disruptions could result from, among other things, technical breakdowns, computer glitches and viruses and weather conditions. We also depend on certain significant vendors for facility storage and related maintenance of our main technology equipment and data at those technology hubs, as well as for some of the third party technology and platforms we sometimes use to deliver our services. Any failure by these vendors to perform those services, any temporary or permanent loss of our equipment or systems, or any disruptions to basic infrastructure like power and telecommunications could impede our ability to provide services to our clients, have a negative impact on our reputation, cause us to lose clients, reduce our revenues and cash flows and harm our business.
Our contractual limitations on liability with our clients and third parties may not be enforceable.
Under most of our agreements with our clients, our liability for breach of certain of our obligations is generally limited to actual damages suffered by the client and is typically capped at the fees paid or payable to us for a period of time under the relevant agreement. These limitations and caps on liability may be unenforceable or otherwise may not protect us from liability for damages. In addition, certain liabilities, such as claims of third parties for which we may be required to indemnify our clients, including intellectual property infringement claims, or liability for fraud or breaches of confidentiality, are generally not limited under those agreements. Because our agreements are governed by laws of multiple jurisdictions, the interpretation of certain provisions, and the availability of certain defenses to us, may vary, which, in certain circumstances, may contribute to uncertainty as to the scope of our potential liability.
Our business could be negatively affected if we incur legal liability, including with respect to our contractual obligations, in connection with providing our solutions and services.
If we fail to meet our contractual obligations or otherwise breach obligations to our clients, we could be subject to legal liability. We may enter into non-standard agreements because we perceive an important economic opportunity by doing so or because our personnel did not adequately adhere to our guidelines. In addition, the contracting practices of our competitors may cause contract terms and conditions that are unfavorable to us to become standard in the marketplace. If we cannot or do not perform our obligations, we could face legal liability and our contracts might not always protect us adequately through limitations on the scope and/or amount of our potential liability. If we cannot, or do not, meet our contractual obligations to provide solutions and services, and if our exposure is not adequately limited through the enforceable terms of our agreements, we might face significant legal liability and our business could be adversely affected.
Our business could be materially and adversely affected if we do not protect our intellectual property or if our services are found to infringe on the intellectual property of others.
Our success depends in part on certain methodologies, practices, tools and technical expertise we utilize in providing our services. We engage in designing, developing, implementing and maintaining applications and other proprietary materials. In order to protect our rights in these various materials, we may seek protection under trade secret, patent, copyright and trademark laws. We also generally enter into confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements with our clients and potential clients, and third party vendors, and seek to limit access to and distribution of our proprietary information. For our employees and independent contractors, we generally require confidentiality and work-for-hire agreements. These measures may not prevent misappropriation or infringement of our intellectual property or proprietary information and a resulting loss of competitive advantage. Additionally, we may not be successful in obtaining or maintaining patents or trademarks for which we have applied.
We may be unable to protect our intellectual property and proprietary technology effectively, which may allow competitors to duplicate our technology and products and may adversely affect our ability to compete with them. To the extent that we do not protect our intellectual property effectively through patents or other means, other parties, including former employees, with knowledge of our intellectual property may leave and seek to exploit our intellectual property for their own or others’ advantage. We may not be able to detect unauthorized use and take appropriate steps to enforce our rights, and any such steps may not be successful. Infringement by others of our intellectual property, including the costs of enforcing our intellectual property rights, may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
In addition, competitors or others may allege that our systems, processes, marketing or technologies infringe on their intellectual property rights, including patents. Non-practicing entities may also bring baseless, but nonetheless costly to defend, infringement claims. We could be required to indemnify our clients if they are sued by a third party for intellectual property infringement arising from materials that we have provided to the clients in connection with our services and deliverables. We may not be successful in defending against any intellectual property claims or in obtaining licenses or an agreement to resolve any intellectual property disputes. Given the complex, rapidly changing and competitive technological and business environment in which we operate, and the potential risks and uncertainties of intellectual property-related litigation, we cannot provide assurances that a future assertion of an infringement claim against us or our clients will not cause us to alter our business practices, lose significant revenues, incur significant license, royalty or technology development expenses, or pay significant monetary damages. Any such claim for intellectual property infringement may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We may not be fully insured for all losses we may incur.
We could be sued directly for claims that could be significant, such as claims related to breaches of privacy or network security, infringement of intellectual property rights, violation of wage and hour laws, or systemic discrimination, and our liability under our contracts may not fully limit or insulate us from those liabilities. Although we have general liability insurance coverage, including coverage for errors or omissions, cyber security incidents, property damage or loss and breaches of privacy and network security, that coverage may not continue to be available on reasonable terms or in sufficient amounts to cover one or more large claims, and our insurers may disclaim coverage as to any future claim. Insurance is not available for certain types of claims, including patent infringement, violation of wage and hour laws, failure to provide equal pay in the U.S., and our indemnification obligations to our clients based on employment law. The successful assertion of one or more large claims against us that are excluded from our insurance coverage or exceed available insurance coverage, or changes in our insurance policies (including premium increases, the imposition of large deductible or co-insurance requirements, or our insurers’ disclaimer of coverage as to future claims), could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
New and changing laws, corporate governance and public disclosure requirements add uncertainty to our compliance policies and increase our costs of compliance.
Changing laws, regulations and standards relating to accounting, corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (“Dodd Frank”), other SEC regulations, rules and regulations of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and the NASDAQ Global Select Market, and generally accepted accounting principles issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board can create uncertainty for companies like ours. These laws, regulations and standards may lack specificity and are subject to varying interpretations. Their application in practice may evolve over time, as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs of compliance as a result of ongoing revisions to such corporate governance standards.
In particular, our efforts to comply with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the related regulations regarding our required assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting and our external auditors’ audit of that assessment requires the commitment of significant financial and managerial resources. We consistently assess the adequacy of our internal controls over financial reporting, remediate any control deficiencies that may be identified, and validate through testing that our controls are functioning as documented. Internal control over financial reporting has inherent limitations, including human error, sample-based testing, the possibility that controls could be circumvented or become inadequate because of changed conditions, and fraud. Because of these inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting might not prevent or detect all misstatements or fraud. While we do not anticipate any internal control failures, if we cannot maintain effective internal controls or if management or our independent auditor fail in the future to provide us with an unqualified report as to the adequacy and effectiveness, respectively, of our internal controls over financial reporting for future year ends, it could result in adverse consequences to us, including, but not limited to, a loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements, which could cause the market price of our stock to decline.
We are committed to maintaining high standards of corporate governance and public disclosure, and our efforts to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards in this regard have resulted in, and are likely to continue to result in, increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. In addition, the laws, regulations and standards regarding corporate governance may make it more difficult for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance. Further, our board members, chief executive officer and chief financial officer could face an increased risk of personal liability in connection with their performance of duties. As a result, we may face difficulties attracting and retaining qualified board members and executive officers, which could harm our business. If we fail to comply with new or changed laws, regulations or standards of corporate governance, our business and reputation may be harmed.
Failure to adhere to the regulations or accreditation or licensing standards that govern our business could have an adverse impact on our operations.
Our clients’ business operations are often subject to regulation and accreditation and licensing standards, and our clients may require that we perform our services in a manner that will enable them to comply with applicable regulations or accreditations or licensing standards. Our clients are located around the world, and the laws and regulations that apply include, among others, United States federal laws such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, state laws on third party administration services, utilization review services, telemarketing services or state laws on debt collection in the United States and the Financial Services Act in the United Kingdom as well as similar consumer protection laws in other countries in which our clients’ customers are based. Failure to perform our services in a manner that complies with any such requirements could result in breaches of contracts with our clients.
In addition, we are required under various laws to obtain and maintain accreditations, permits and/or licenses for the conduct of our business in all jurisdictions in which we have operations, including India, and, in some cases, where our clients receive our services, including the United States and Europe. If we do not maintain our accreditations, licenses or other qualifications to provide our services or if we do not adapt to changes in legislation or regulation, we may have to cease operations in the relevant jurisdictions and may not be able to provide services to existing clients or be able to attract new clients. In addition, we may be required to expend significant resources in order to comply with laws and regulations in the jurisdictions mentioned above. Any failure to abide by regulations relating either to our business or our clients’ businesses may also, in some limited circumstances, result in civil fines and criminal penalties for us. Any such ceasing of operations or civil or criminal actions may have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
We may face difficulties in delivering complex and large projects for our clients that could cause clients to discontinue their work with us, which in turn could harm our business.
We have been expanding the nature and scope of our engagements. Our ability to effectively offer a wider breadth of end-to-end business services depends on our ability to attract existing or new clients to these expanded service offerings. To obtain engagements for such complex and large projects, we also are more likely to compete with large, well-established international consulting firms, resulting in increased competition and marketing costs. Accordingly, we cannot be certain that our new service offerings will effectively meet client needs or that we will be able to attract existing and new clients to these expanded service offerings. The increased breadth of our service offerings may result in larger and more complex projects with our clients. This will require us to establish closer relationships with our clients and a thorough understanding of their operations. Our ability to establish such relationships will depend on a number of factors, including the proficiency of our employees and management. Our failure to deliver services that meet the requirements specified by our clients could result in termination of client contracts, and we could be liable to our clients for significant penalties or damages. Larger projects may involve multiple engagements or stages, and there is a risk that a client may choose not to retain us for additional stages or may cancel or delay additional planned engagements. These terminations, cancellations or delays may result from factors that have little or nothing to do with the quality of our services, such as the business or financial condition of our clients or the economy generally. Such cancellations or delays make it difficult to plan for project resource requirements and inaccuracies in such resource planning and allocation may have a negative impact on our profitability and cash flows.
We may be unable to service our debt or obtain additional financing on competitive terms.
Our credit agreement contains covenants which require, among other things, maintenance of certain financial ratios, indebtedness and also, under certain conditions, restrict our ability to pay dividends, repurchase common shares and make other restricted payments as defined in the credit agreement. The credit agreement provides for a $200 million revolving credit facility including a letter of credit sub-facility. Our credit facility has a maturity date of November 21, 2022 and is voluntarily payable from time to time without premium or penalty. Our cash flow from operations provides the primary source of funds for our debt service payments. If our cash flow from operations declines, we may be unable to service or refinance our current debt which could adversely affect our business and financial condition. In addition, we have limited ability to increase our borrowings under our existing credit agreement. We may in the future require additional financing to fund one or more acquisitions and may not be able to obtain such additional financing on competitive terms or at all, which could restrict our ability to complete such transactions, or could impose financial or operational restrictions on our business.
Uncertainties in the interpretation and application of the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 could materially affect our tax obligations and effective tax rate.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Reform Act”) was enacted on December 22, 2017, and significantly affected U.S. tax law by changing how the U.S. imposes income tax on multinational corporations. The U.S. Department of Treasury has broad authority to issue regulations and interpretative guidance that may significantly impact how we will apply the law and impact our results of operations in the period issued. The Tax Reform Act requires complex computations not previously provided in U.S. tax law. As such, the application of accounting guidance for such items is currently uncertain. Further, compliance with the Tax Reform Act and the accounting for such provisions require accumulation of information not previously required or regularly produced. As a result, we have provided a provisional estimate on the effect of the Tax Reform Act in our financial statements. As additional regulatory guidance is issued by the applicable taxing authorities, as accounting treatment is clarified, as we perform additional analysis on the application of the law, and as we refine estimates in calculating the effect, our final analysis, which will be recorded in the period completed, may be different from our current provisional amounts, which could materially affect our tax obligations and effective tax rate.
Risks Related to the International Nature of Our Business
We may choose to expand operations to additional countries and may not be successful in maintaining our current profit margins in our new locations due to factors beyond our control.
We have offices and operations in various countries around the world and provide services to customers globally. We continually evaluate additional locations outside our current operating geographies in which to invest in operations centers, in order to maintain an appropriate cost structure for our clients’ needs. In recent years we have opened new operations centers in countries outside of the U.S. We cannot predict the extent of government support, availability of qualified workers, or monetary and economic conditions in other countries. Additionally, we may expand into less developed countries that have less political, social or economic stability and less developed infrastructure and legal systems. Although some of these factors will influence our decision to establish operations in another country, there are inherent risks beyond our control, including exposure to currency fluctuations, political uncertainties, foreign exchange restrictions and foreign regulatory restrictions. We may also face difficulties integrating new facilities in different countries into our existing operations. One or more of these factors or other factors relating to expanded international operations could result in increased operating expenses and make it more difficult for us to manage our costs and operations, which could harm our business and negatively impact our operating results and cash flows.
If more stringent labor laws become applicable to us or if our employees unionize, our profitability may be adversely affected.
India has stringent labor legislation that protects employee interests, including legislation that sets forth detailed procedures for dispute resolution and employee removal and legislation that imposes financial obligations on employers upon retrenchment. Though we are exempt from some of these labor laws at present under exceptions in some states for providers of IT-enabled services, there can be no assurance that such laws will not become applicable to us in the future. If these labor laws become applicable to our employees, it may become difficult for us to maintain flexible human resource policies and attract and employ the numbers of sufficiently qualified candidates that we need or discharge employees, and our compensation expenses may increase significantly. Regulations in other countries in which we operate also regulate our relations with our employees.
In addition, our employees may in the future form unions. If employees at any of our operations centers become eligible for union membership, we may be required to raise wage levels or grant other benefits that could result in an increase in our compensation expenses, in which case our profitability and cash flows may be adversely affected.
The Government of India in the past few years has focused on the occupational health and safety concerns experienced by workers in the outsourcing industry. The introduction of legislation imposing restrictions on working hours or conditions of professionals in the outsourcing industry could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.
Our financial condition could be negatively affected if foreign governments introduces new legislation, reduce or withdraw tax benefits and other incentives currently provided to companies within our industry or if we are not eligible for these benefits.
We are subject to income taxes in the United States and other foreign jurisdictions. Our tax expense and cash tax liability in the future could be adversely affected by various factors, including, but not limited to, changes in tax laws, regulations, accounting principles or interpretations and the potential adverse outcome of tax examinations. Changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, which may result from a decline in our profitability or changes in tax rates or legislation, could have a material adverse effect on our tax expense.
Under the Indian Income Tax Act, 1961, our operations centers in India, from which we derive a significant portion of our revenues, benefited up to March 31, 2011, from a ten-year holiday from Indian corporate income taxes in respect of their export profits under the Software Technology Parks of India (“STPI”) Scheme. In the absence of this tax holiday, income derived from our Indian operations is taxed up to the maximum tax rate generally applicable to Indian enterprises.
During the last several years, we either established or acquired new centers that are eligible for tax benefits under the SEZ Act. The SEZ Act introduced a 15-year tax holiday scheme for operations established in designated SEZs. Under the SEZ Act, qualifying operations are eligible for a deduction from taxable income equal to (i) 100% of their export profits derived for the first five years from the commencement of operations; (ii) 50% of such export profits for the next five years; and (iii) 50% of the export profits for a further five years, subject to satisfying certain capital investment requirements. The SEZ Act provides, among other restrictions, that this holiday is not available to operations formed by splitting up or reconstructing existing operations or transferring existing plant and equipment (beyond a prescribed limit) to new SEZ locations. We anticipate establishing additional operations centers in SEZs or other tax advantaged locations in the future.
As our SEZ legislation benefits are phasing out, our Indian tax expense may materially increase and our after-tax profitability may be materially reduced, unless we can obtain comparable benefits under new legislation or otherwise reduce our tax liability. Similarly, alternative minimum taxes are imposed by certain jurisdictions on otherwise exempt income, which may increase our tax expense in future years.
We also benefit from a corporate tax holiday in the Philippines for our operations centers established there over the last several years. The tax holiday already expired for few of our centers and will expire in the future for the other centers, which may lead to an increase in our overall tax rate. Following the expiry of the tax exemption, income generated from centers in the Philippines will be taxed at the prevailing annual tax rate.
As a result of the foregoing, our overall effective tax rate may increase in future years and such increase may be material and may have impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
If the transfer pricing arrangements we have among our subsidiaries are determined to be inappropriate, our tax liability may increase.
U.S. and Indian transfer pricing regulations, as well as regulations applicable in other countries in which we operate, require that any international transaction involving associated enterprises be at an arm’s-length price. Transactions among the Company’s subsidiaries and the Company may be required to satisfy such requirements. Accordingly, the Company determines the pricing among its associated enterprises on the basis of detailed functional and economic analysis involving benchmarking against transactions among entities that are not under common control. The tax authorities have jurisdiction to review this arrangement and in the event that they determine that the transfer price applied was not appropriate, the Company may incur increased tax liability, including accrued interest and penalties, which would cause our tax expense to increase, possibly materially, thereby reducing our profitability and cash flows. The Company is currently involved in disputes with the Indian tax authorities over the application of some of its transfer pricing policies for past years. Please see Note 23 to our consolidated financial statements for details.
Introduction of tax legislation and disputes with tax authorities may have an adverse effect on our operations and our overall effective tax rate.
Governments in countries in which we operate or provide services could enact new tax legislation, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. In addition, our ability to repatriate surplus earnings from our operations centers in a tax-efficient manner is dependent upon interpretations of local laws, possible changes in such laws and the renegotiation of existing double tax avoidance treaties. Changes to any of these may adversely affect our overall tax rate, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
The Company’s legal entity rationalization project is an ongoing endeavor to simplify our global legal entity structure, remove redundancies and reduce compliance risks and costs. Furthermore, we also strive to optimize the tax and financial efficiencies of the group structure. As a result, we may carry out certain re-organizations under the tax laws of various jurisdictions in which we operate and take certain positions to qualify for tax neutrality for such internal re-organization. However, we cannot assure you that any of these projects will be fully implemented or implemented in a manner satisfactory to the Company, or, if it is implemented, that there will not be any adverse actions brought by the tax authorities of certain jurisdictions if this re-organization is implemented.
Our earnings may be adversely affected if we repatriate funds held by our foreign subsidiaries.
We earn a significant amount of our earnings outside of the United States. We have not determined the extent, if any, to which we may repatriate funds held by our foreign subsidiaries in light of the current regulatory environment (including under the Tax Reform Act) and because our future growth depends in part upon continued infrastructure and technology investments, geographical expansions and acquisitions outside of the U.S. Not all of the undistributed earnings may be available for repatriation due to foreign legal restrictions that require minimum reserves to be maintained in those countries. However, in light of the Tax Reform Act, such earnings have been subject to U.S. federal tax as a result of the mandatory repatriation provision described in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Income Taxes” and in Note 20 to our consolidated financial statements contained herein. If we decide to repatriate such earnings, we may have to accrue further taxes associated with such earnings in accordance with local tax laws, rules and regulations in the relevant jurisdictions. All of these risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Our global operations expose us to numerous and sometimes conflicting legal and regulatory requirements, and violations of these regulations could harm our business.
We provide services to clients throughout the world, therefore we are subject to numerous, and sometimes conflicting, legal rules on matters as diverse as import/export controls, content requirements, trade restrictions, tariffs, taxation, sanctions, government affairs, internal and disclosure control obligations, data privacy and labor relations. The global nature of our operations increases the difficulty of compliance. Compliance with diverse legal requirements is costly, time-consuming and requires significant resources. Violations of these laws or regulations in the conduct of our business could result in fines, criminal sanctions against us or our officers, prohibitions on doing business, damage to our reputation and other unintended consequences such as liability for monetary damages, fines and/or criminal prosecution, unfavorable publicity, restrictions on our ability to process information and allegations by our clients that we have not performed our contractual obligations. Due to the varying degrees of development of the legal systems of the countries in which we operate, local laws might be insufficient to protect our rights. Our failure to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
In addition, it may be difficult to enforce our intellectual property rights both within and outside of the U.S. India is a member of the Berne Convention, an international intellectual property treaty, and has agreed to recognize protections on intellectual property rights conferred under the laws of other foreign countries, including the laws of the U.S. There can be no assurance, however, that the laws, rules, regulations and treaties in effect in the U.S., India and the other jurisdictions in which we operate and the contractual and other protective measures we take, are adequate to protect us from misappropriation or unauthorized use of our intellectual property, or that such laws will not change.
Among other anti-corruption laws and regulations, including the U.K. Bribery Act, we are subject to the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, which prohibits improper payments or offers of improper payments to foreign officials to obtain business or any other benefit. The FCPA also requires covered companies to make and keep books and records that accurately and fairly reflect the transactions of the company and to devise and maintain an adequate system of internal accounting controls. In many parts of the world, including countries in which we operate, practices in the local business community might not conform to international business standards and could violate these anti-corruption laws or regulations. Although we have policies and procedures in place that are designed to promote legal and regulatory compliance, our employees, subcontractors and agents could take actions that violate these policies or procedures or applicable anti-corruption laws or regulations. Furthermore, the U.S. government may seek to hold us liable for successor liability FCPA violations committed by companies in which we invest or that we acquire. Violations of these laws or regulations could subject us to criminal or civil enforcement actions, including fines and suspension or disqualification from government contracting or contracting with private entities in certain highly regulated industries, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business.
Currency exchange rate fluctuations in the various currencies in which we do business, especially the Indian rupee and the U.S. dollar, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
Although we report our operating results in U.S. dollars, a portion of our revenues and expenses are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can have a number of adverse effects on us. Because our consolidated financial statements are presented in U.S. dollars, we must translate revenues, expenses and income, as well as assets and liabilities, into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect during or at the end of each reporting period. The exchange rates among the Indian rupee, Philippine peso and other currencies in which we incur costs or receive revenues and the U.S. dollar have changed substantially in recent years and may fluctuate substantially in the future. See Item 7A - “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.” Additionally, because a majority of our employees are based in India and the Philippines and paid in Indian rupees or Philippine peso while our revenues are primarily reported in U.S. dollars and U.K. pounds sterling, our employee costs as a percentage of revenues may increase or decrease significantly if the exchange rates among the Indian rupee, Philippine peso and the U.S. dollar fluctuate significantly.
Our results of operations could be adversely affected over time by certain movements in exchange rates, particularly if the Indian rupee or other currencies in which we incur expenses or receive revenues, change substantially against the U.S. dollar. Although we take steps to hedge a substantial portion of our Indian rupee/U.S. dollar, U.K pounds sterling/U.S. dollar and Philippine peso/U.S. dollar foreign currency exposures, there is no assurance that our hedging strategy will be successful or that the hedging markets will have sufficient liquidity or depth to allow us to implement our hedging strategy in a cost-effective manner. Any failure by our hedging counterparties to meet their contractual obligations could materially and adversely affect our profitability. We are subject to legal restrictions on hedging activities as well as the convertibility of currencies in India. This could limit our ability to use cash generated in one country in another country and could limit our ability to hedge our exposures.
During June 2016, the U.K. held a referendum in which British citizens approved an exit from the European Union ("EU"), commonly referred to as “Brexit.” As a result of the referendum, the global markets and currencies have been adversely impacted, including experiencing a decline in the value of the U.K. pound sterling as compared to the U.S. dollar. Volatility in exchange rates is expected to continue in the short term as the U.K. negotiates its exit from the EU. Although it is unknown what the result of those negotiations will be, it is possible that new terms may adversely affect our financial results, operations and cash flows.
Terrorist attacks and other acts of violence involving India, the Philippines, the U.S. or other countries could adversely affect the financial markets, result in a loss of client confidence and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Terrorist attacks and other acts of violence or war, including those involving India, the Philippines, the U.S. or other countries, may adversely affect worldwide financial markets and could lead to economic recession, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. These events could adversely affect our clients’ levels of business activity and precipitate sudden significant changes in regional and global economic conditions and cycles. These events also pose significant risks to our people and to our operations centers. South Asia has, from time to time, experienced instances of civil unrest and hostilities among neighboring countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and China. In recent years there have been several instances of military confrontations along the Indo-Pakistani border. There continues to be potential for hostilities between India and Pakistan due to recent terrorist activities and the geopolitical climate along the border. Although this has not been the case to date, such political tensions could create a perception that there is a risk of disruption of services provided by companies with operations in India, which could have a material adverse effect on the market for our services. Furthermore, if India were to become engaged in armed hostilities, particularly hostilities that were protracted or involved the threat or use of nuclear weapons, we might not be able to continue our operations in India. Our insurance policies may not insure us against losses and interruptions caused by terrorist attacks and other acts of violence or war.
A substantial portion of our assets and operations are located in India, and we are subject to regulatory, economic and political uncertainties in India.
Many of our operating subsidiaries are incorporated in India, and a substantial portion of our assets and our professionals are located in India. We intend to continue to develop and expand our offshore facilities in India. In the past, India experienced significant inflation, low growth in gross domestic product and shortages of foreign currency reserves. The Indian government, however, has exercised and continues to exercise significant influence over many aspects of the Indian economy. India’s government has provided significant tax incentives and relaxed certain regulatory restrictions in order to encourage foreign investment in specified sectors of the economy, including our industry. Certain of those programs, which have benefited us, include tax holidays, liberalized import and export duties and preferential rules on foreign investment and repatriation. We cannot assure you that liberalization policies will continue or that any other changes made by the Indian government will be favorable to our operations or business. Recent changes in the leadership of the Indian government, could result in the modification of India’s economic liberalization, deregulation and other policies and disrupt business and economic conditions in India generally and our business in particular. Any such actions could remove benefits currently received by us or impose additional taxes or other obligations on us and therefore negatively impact our business.
The choice of India as an outsourcing destination and our financial performance may be adversely affected by general economic conditions and economic and fiscal policy in India, including changes in exchange rates and controls, interest rates and taxation policies, as well as social stability and political, economic or diplomatic developments affecting India in the future. In particular, India has experienced significant economic growth over the last several years, but faces major challenges in sustaining that growth in the years ahead. These challenges include the need for substantial infrastructure development and improving access to healthcare and education. Our ability to recruit, train and retain qualified employees, develop and operate our operations centers, and attract and retain clients could be adversely affected if India does not successfully meet these challenges.
Restrictions on visas and work permits may affect our ability to compete for and provide services to clients in the U.S. and other jurisdictions, which could make it more difficult to staff engagements and could increase our costs, which could have an adverse effect on our net income.
Immigration and work permit laws and regulations in the countries in which we have customers are subject to legislative and administrative changes as well as changes in the application of standards and enforcement. For example, the U.S. Congress has been actively considering various proposals that would make extensive changes to U.S. immigration laws regarding the admission of high-skilled temporary and permanent workers.
The ability of some of our executives and employees based in India and other foreign locations to work with and meet clients in the U.S. and other jurisdictions depends on their ability to obtain the necessary visas and work permits. In recent years, immigration authorities, in the U.S. as well as other jurisdictions in which our clients are based, have increased the level of scrutiny in granting such visas and work permits. In addition, immigration laws are subject to legislative change and varying standards of application and enforcement due to political forces, economic conditions or other events, including terrorist attacks. We cannot predict the political or economic events that could affect immigration laws or any restrictive impact those events could have on obtaining or monitoring visas or work permits for our professionals. The ability to move our employees around the world as necessary to meet client demands is important to our business. If we are unable to efficiently deploy talent because of increased regulation of immigration or work visas, including limitations placed on the number of visas granted, limitations on the type of work performed or location in which the work can be performed, and new or higher minimum salary requirements, it could be more difficult to staff our employees on client engagements and could increase our costs and have an adverse effect on our net income and cash flows.
We are vulnerable to natural disasters, technical disruptions and man-made events that could severely disrupt the normal operation of our business and adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Our operations centers and our data and voice communications, particularly in India and the Philippines, may be damaged or disrupted as a result of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, heavy rains, epidemics, tsunamis and cyclones, technical disruptions such as electricity or infrastructure breakdowns, including damage to telecommunications cables, computer glitches and electronic viruses or man-made events such as protests, riots and labor unrest. Such events may lead to the disruption of information systems and telecommunication services for sustained periods. They also may make it difficult or impossible for employees to reach our business locations. Damage or destruction that interrupts our provision of services could adversely affect our reputation, our relationships with our clients, our leadership team’s ability to administer and supervise our business or it may cause us to incur substantial additional expenditure to repair or replace damaged equipment or delivery centers. We may also be liable to our clients for disruption in service resulting from such damage or destruction. While we currently have commercial liability insurance, our insurance coverage may not be sufficient. Furthermore, we may be unable to secure such insurance coverage at premiums acceptable to us in the future or at all. Prolonged disruption of our services would also entitle our clients to terminate their contracts with us. Any of the above factors may adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
Investors may have difficulty effecting service of process or enforcing judgments obtained in the U.S. against our subsidiaries in India or our executive officers.
Our primary operating subsidiaries are organized outside the U.S. and some of our executive officers may reside outside of the U.S. A substantial portion of our assets are located in India. As a result, you may be unable to effect service of process upon our affiliates who reside in India outside their jurisdiction of residence. In addition, you may be unable to enforce against these persons outside the jurisdiction of their residence judgments obtained in courts of the U.S., including judgments predicated solely upon the federal securities laws of the U.S.
Sections 44A and Section 13 of the Indian Civil Procedure Code, 1908 (the “Civil Code”) govern recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. Section 44A of the Civil Code provides for recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgment without having to file an original suit in India, provided such judgments have been rendered by courts in a country or territory outside India which the Government of India has declared to be a reciprocating territory. We have been advised by our Indian counsel that the U.S. and India do not currently have a treaty providing for reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments (other than certain arbitration awards) in civil and commercial matters. Therefore, a final judgment for the payment of money rendered by any federal or state court in the U.S. based on civil liability, whether or not it is predicated upon the federal securities laws of the U.S., would not be enforceable in India as such.
However, if the party in whose favor such final judgment is rendered brings a new suit in a competent court in India based on a final judgment that has been obtained in the U.S., Section 13 of the Civil Code provides that the foreign judgment will be conclusive as to certain matters. The suit must be brought in India within three years of the date of the foreign judgment. It is unlikely, however, that a court in India would award damages on the same basis as a court in the U.S. if an action is brought in India. It is also unlikely that an Indian court would enforce judgments obtained in the U.S. if it viewed the amount of damages awarded as excessive or inconsistent with Indian practice.
Risks Related to our Common Stock
Delaware law and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and by-laws contain certain anti-takeover provisions that could delay or discourage business combinations and takeover attempts that stockholders may consider favorable.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and by-laws contain provisions that may make it more difficult, expensive or otherwise discourage a tender offer or a change in control or takeover attempt by a third-party that is opposed by our board of directors. These provisions include classified board provisions, provisions permitting the board of directors to fill vacancies created by its expansion, provisions permitting the removal of directors only for cause and with the vote of holders of two thirds of our common stock, provisions requiring the vote of holders of two thirds of our common stock for certain amendments to our organizational documents, provisions barring stockholders from calling a special meeting of stockholders or requiring one to be called or from taking action by written consent and provisions that set forth advance notice procedures for stockholders’ nominations of directors and proposals for consideration at meetings of stockholders. These provisions may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control or changes in management that stockholders consider favorable. Additionally, because we are incorporated in Delaware, we are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Section 203 may prohibit large stockholders, in particular those owning 15.0% or more of our outstanding voting stock, from merging or combining with us. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, by-laws and Delaware law could discourage potential takeover attempts and reduce the price that investors might be willing to pay for shares of our common stock in the future which could reduce the market price of our stock.
We do not intend to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, and, because we are also a holding company, we may be unable to pay dividends.
For the foreseeable future, we intend to retain any earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent on then-existing conditions, including our financial condition and results of operations, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, including restrictions under our credit agreement, business prospects and other factors that our board of directors considers relevant. Furthermore, because we are also a holding company, any dividend payments would also depend on the cash flow from our subsidiaries. Accordingly, under certain circumstances, we may not be able to pay dividends even if our board of directors would otherwise deem it appropriate.
Our stock price continues to be volatile.
Our stock has at times experienced substantial price volatility as a result of, among other reasons, variations between our actual and anticipated financial results, announcements by us and our competitors, projections or speculation about our business or that of our competitors by the media or investment analysts or uncertainty about current global economic conditions. The stock market, as a whole, experiences extreme price and volume fluctuations that affect the market price of many companies, including technology companies, in ways that may have been unrelated to these companies’ operating performance. Furthermore, we believe our stock price should reflect future growth and profitability expectations and, if we fail to meet these expectations, this may have a materially adverse effect on the trading price of our common stock.
Risks Related to our Industry
Our industry is subject to rapid technological change, and we may not be successful in addressing these changes.
Our industry is characterized by rapid technological change, evolving industry standards, changing client preferences and new product introductions. The success of our business depends, in part, upon our ability to develop services that keep pace with changes in the industry. We may not be successful in addressing these changes on a timely basis, or at all, or successfully marketing any changes that we implement. In addition, products or technologies developed by others may render our services uncompetitive or obsolete. If we do not sufficiently invest in new technology and industry developments or if we do not make the right strategic investments to respond to these developments and successfully drive innovation, our services and solutions, our results of operations, and our ability to develop and maintain a competitive advantage and continue to grow could be negatively affected.
Our industry may not develop in ways that we currently anticipate due to negative public reaction in the U.S. and elsewhere to offshore outsourcing, recently proposed legislation or otherwise.
We have based our strategy of future growth on certain assumptions regarding our industry and future developments in the market for outsourcing services. For example, we believe that there will continue to be changes in product and service requirements,
and investments in the products offered by our clients will continue to increase. However, the trend to outsource business processes may not continue and could reverse. Offshore outsourcing is a politically sensitive topic in the U.S. and elsewhere, and many organizations and public figures have publicly expressed concern about a perceived association between offshore outsourcing providers and the loss of jobs in the U.S. and elsewhere. In the past year there have been high-profile movements among activists as well as executive and legislative leadership in the U.S. with the potential to restrict or reduce the use of offshore resources. In addition, there has been limited publicity about the negative experience of certain companies that use offshore outsourcing, particularly in India. Current or prospective clients may elect to perform such services themselves or may be discouraged from transferring these services to offshore providers to avoid any negative perception that may be associated with using an offshore provider. Any slowdown or reversal of existing industry trends would harm our ability to compete effectively with competitors that operate out of facilities located in the U.S. and elsewhere.
A variety of U.S. federal and state legislation has been proposed that, if enacted, could restrict or discourage U.S. companies from outsourcing their services to companies with facilities outside the U.S. For example, legislation has been proposed that would require offshore providers to identify where they are located and that would require notice to individuals whose personal information is disclosed to non-U.S. companies. In addition, bills have been proposed that would provide tax and other economic incentives for companies that create employment in the U.S. by reducing their offshore outsourcing. Other bills have proposed requiring call centers to disclose their geographic locations, requiring notice to individuals whose personal information is disclosed to non-U.S. affiliates or subcontractors, requiring disclosures of companies’ foreign outsourcing practices or restricting U.S. private sector companies that have federal government contracts, federal grants or guaranteed loan programs from outsourcing their services to offshore service providers. Because most of our clients are located in the U.S., any expansion of existing laws or the enactment of new legislation restricting offshore outsourcing could adversely impact our ability to do business with U.S. clients and have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
In other countries, such as the U.K., there has also been some negative publicity and concern expressed regarding the possible effect of job losses caused by outsourcing. Legislation enacted in the U.K. as well as other European jurisdictions provides that if a company transfers or outsources its business or a part of its business to a transferee or a service provider, the employees who were employed in such business are entitled to become employed by the transferee or service provider on the same terms and conditions as they had been employed before the transfer. The dismissal of such employees as a result of such transfer of business is deemed unfair dismissal and entitles the employees to compensation. As a result, we may become liable for redundancy payments to the employees of our clients who outsource business to us from those jurisdictions. We are generally indemnified in our existing contracts with clients in those jurisdictions to the extent we incur losses or additional costs due to the application of this legislation to us, and we intend to obtain indemnification in future contracts with clients. However, if we are unable to obtain indemnification in future contracts with clients or if the existing indemnification is not enforceable or available, we may be liable under those agreements we enter into with clients in the U.K. and other European jurisdictions.
Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client and customer data, whether through breach of our computer systems or otherwise, could expose us to protracted and costly litigation and cause us to lose clients.
We are typically required to process, and sometimes collect and/or store sensitive data, including data regulated by the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended, of our clients’ end customers in connection with our services, including names, addresses, social security numbers, personal health information, credit card account numbers, checking and savings account numbers and payment history records, such as account closures and returned checks. In addition, we collect and store data regarding our employees. As a result, we are subject to various data protection and privacy laws, including the GDPR, in the countries in which we operate, and the failure to comply could result in significant fines and penalties. In addition, many of our agreements with our clients do not include any limitation on our liability to them with respect to breaches of our obligation to keep the information we receive from them confidential.
Although we devote substantial resources to protect our information assets and our clients' confidential information, any network infrastructure are subject to be vulnerable to rapidly evolving cyber-attacks, and our user data and corporate systems and security measures may be breached due to the actions of outside parties (including cyber-attacks), employee error, malfeasance, a combination of these, or otherwise, allowing an unauthorized party to obtain access to our data or our users’ or customers’ data. Additionally, outside parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees, users, or customers to disclose sensitive information in order to gain access to our data or our users’ or customers’ data. Because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently or may be designed to remain dormant until a predetermined event and often are not recognized until launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventative measures. If an actual or perceived breach of our security occurs (or a breach of a customer’s security that can be attributed to our fault or is perceived to be our fault), the market perception of the effectiveness of our security measures
could be harmed and we could lose users and customers. Security breaches expose us to a risk of loss of this information, litigation, remediation costs, increased costs for security measures, loss of revenue, damage to our reputation, and potential liability.
If any person, including any of our employees, negligently disregards or intentionally breaches controls or procedures with which we are responsible for complying with respect to such data or otherwise mismanages or misappropriates that data, or if unauthorized access to or disclosure of data in our possession or control occurs, we could be subject to significant liability to our clients or our clients’ customers for breaching contractual confidentiality and security provisions or privacy laws, as well as liability and penalties in connection with any violation of applicable privacy laws or criminal prosecution. Unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client or employee data, whether through breach of computer systems, systems failure, employee negligence, fraud or misappropriation, or otherwise, could damage our reputation and cause us to lose clients. Similarly, unauthorized access to or through our information systems and networks or those we develop or manage for our clients, whether by our employees or third parties, could result in negative publicity, legal liability and damage to our reputation.
If any person, including any of our employees, is able to penetrate our perimeter or internal network security, computing infrastructure or otherwise mismanages or misappropriates sensitive data, discloses or distributes any such data in an unauthorized manner, we could be subject to significant liability and lawsuits from our clients or their customers for breaching contractual confidentiality provisions or privacy laws, or investigations and penalties from regulators. Under some of our client contracts, we have agreed to pay for the costs of remediation or notice to end users or credit monitoring, as well as other costs.
Cyber-attacks penetrating the network security of our data centers or any unauthorized disclosure or access to confidential information and data of our clients or their end customers could also have a negative impact on our reputation and client confidence, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.
ITEM 1B.
ITEM 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments
None.
ITEM 2.
ITEM 2. Properties
Our corporate headquarters are located in New York, New York. We have 26 operations centers in India, six operations centers in the Philippines and one operations center in each of Bulgaria, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Romania and South Africa with an aggregate area of approximately 1,850,000 square feet and a current installed capacity of approximately 27,700 workstations, including workstations for training and our employees in enabling functions. We also have multiple operations centers and regional offices in the U.S. and an operation center in the U.K.
Our corporate headquarters and all of our operations centers are leased under long-term leases with varying expiration dates, except for an operations center in Pune, India with an area of 86,361 sq. ft. and containing approximately 1,600 agent workstations, which we own. Substantially all of our owned and leased property is used to service all of our reporting segments. We believe that our current facilities are adequate to support our existing operations. We also believe that we will be able to obtain suitable additional facilities on commercially reasonable terms on an “as needed basis.”
ITEM 3.
ITEM 3. Legal Proceedings
In the course of our normal business activities, various lawsuits, claims and proceedings may be instituted or asserted against us. Although there can be no assurance, we believe that the disposition of matters currently instituted or asserted will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Please see Note 23 to our consolidated financial statements contained herein for details regarding our tax proceedings.
ITEM 4.
ITEM 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
Not applicable.
PART II.
ITEM 5.
ITEM 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Our common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “EXLS.”
As of February 21, 2018, there were 24 holders of record of our outstanding common stock. A substantially greater number of holders of our common stock are “street name” or beneficial holders, whose shares of record are held by banks, brokers, and other financial institutions.
We have not paid or declared any cash dividends on our common stock. We currently expect to retain all of our earnings for use in developing our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Future cash dividends, if any, will be paid at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend, among other things, upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus, general financial condition, contractual restrictions and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant.
Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities
None.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
On December 30, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a common stock repurchase program (the “2014 Repurchase Program”), under which shares were authorized to be purchased by the Company from time to time from the open market and through private transactions during each of the fiscal years 2015 through 2017 up to an annual amount of $20 million.
On February 28, 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized an additional common stock repurchase program (the “2017 Repurchase Program”), under which shares may be purchased by the Company from time to time from the open market and through private transactions during each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2019 up to an aggregate additional amount of $100 million. The approval increases the 2017 authorization from $20 million to $40 million and authorizes stock repurchases of up to $40 million in each of 2018 and 2019.
The Company has structured open market purchases under the 2014 Repurchase Program and 2017 Repurchase Program to comply with Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act. Repurchases may be discontinued at any time by management.
Repurchased shares under these programs are recorded as treasury shares and are held until our Board of Directors designates that these shares be retired or used for other purposes.
The following table provides information regarding the purchase of equity securities by the Company during the three months ended December 31, 2017:
(1) Includes 4,151 shares of the Company’s common stock acquired by the Company at the price of $60.45 in connection with satisfaction of tax withholding obligations on vested restricted stock. Price paid per share for the restricted stock was the average of high and low price of common stock on the trading day prior to the vesting date of the restricted stock units.
During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company purchased 761,154 shares of its common stock under the “2014 Repurchase Program” and “2017 Repurchase Program”, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $40.19 million including commissions, representing an average purchase price per share of $52.80.
During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company acquired 69,154 shares from employees in connection with withholding tax payments related to the vesting of restricted stock for a total consideration of $3.27 million. The weighted average purchase price of $47.24 was the average of the high and low price of the Company’s shares of common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the trading day prior to the vesting date of the shares of restricted stock.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table provides information as of December 31, 2017 with respect to the shares of our common stock that may be issued under our existing equity compensation plans. For a description of our equity compensation plans, please see Note 21 to our consolidated financial statements.
*
This includes outstanding options and unvested Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units and Performance Restricted Stock Units. Refer to Note 21 to our consolidated financial statements for further details.
Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock with the cumulative total return of the Nasdaq 100 Index (capitalization weighted) and our peer group of companies for the period beginning December 31, 2012. Our peer group of companies is comprised of two companies that we believe are our closest reporting issuer competitors: Genpact Limited and WNS (Holdings) Limited. The returns of the component entities of our peer group index are weighted according to the market capitalization of each company as of the beginning of each period for which a return is presented. The returns assume that $100 was invested on December 31, 2012 and that all dividends were reinvested. The stock performance shown on the graph below is not indicative of future price performance.
This graph will not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise subject to the liability of that section. This graph will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any prior or subsequent filing under the Securities Act, or the Exchange Act.
ITEM 6.
ITEM 6. Selected Financial Data
The following table sets forth our selected consolidated historical financial data as of the dates and for the periods indicated. Our selected consolidated financial data set forth below as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 and for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017 has been derived from our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our selected consolidated financial data set forth below as of December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 and for years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 is derived from our audited financial statements, which are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our selected consolidated financial information for 2017, 2016 and 2015 should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto and “Item 7.
ITEM 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
You should read the following discussion in connection with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Some of the statements in the following discussion are forward looking statements. See “-Forward-Looking Statements.” Dollar amounts within Item 7 are presented as actual dollar amounts.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on these statements because they are subject to numerous uncertainties and factors relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. These statements often include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “estimate” or similar expressions. These statements are based on assumptions that we have made in light of our experience in the industry as well as our perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors we believe are appropriate under the circumstances. As you read and consider this Annual Report on Form 10-K, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although we believe that these forward looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, you should be aware that many factors could affect our actual financial results or results of operations and could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to:
•our dependence on a limited number of clients in a limited number of industries;
•
worldwide political, economic or business conditions;
•
negative public reaction in the U.S. or elsewhere to offshore outsourcing;
•
fluctuations in our earnings;
•
our ability to attract and retain clients including in a timely manner;
•
our ability to successfully consummate or integrate strategic acquisitions;
•
restrictions on immigration;
•
our ability to hire and retain enough sufficiently trained employees to support our operations;
•
our ability to grow our business or effectively manage growth and international operations;
•
any changes in the senior management team;
•
increasing competition in our industry;
•
telecommunications or technology disruptions;
•
our ability to withstand the loss of a significant customer;
•
regulatory, legislative and judicial developments, including changes to or the withdrawal of governmental fiscal incentives;
•
changes in tax laws or decisions regarding repatriation of funds held abroad;
•
ability to service debt or obtain additional financing on favorable terms;
•
legal liability arising out of customer contracts;
•
technological innovation;
•
political or economic instability in the geographies in which we operate;
•
cyber security incidents, data breaches, or other unauthorized disclosure of sensitive or confidential client and customer data; and
•
adverse outcome of our disputes with the Indian tax authorities.
These and other factors are more fully discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. These and other risks could cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The forward-looking statements made by us in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, or elsewhere, speaks only as of the date on which they were made. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect us. We have no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, except as required by federal securities laws.
Executive Overview
We are an operations management and analytics company that helps businesses enhance revenue growth and improve profitability. Using proprietary platforms, methodologies, and our full range of digital capabilities, we look deeper to help companies transform their businesses, functions and operations, to help them deliver better customer experience and business outcomes, while managing risk and compliance. We serve our customers in the insurance, healthcare, travel, transportation and logistics, banking and financial services and utilities industries, among others.
We operate in the business process management (“BPM”) industry and we provide operations management and analytics services. Our eight operating segments are strategic business units that align our products and services with how we manage our business, approach our key markets and interact with our clients. Six of those operating segments provide BPM or “operations management” services, which we organize into industry focused operating segments (Insurance, Healthcare, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Banking and Financial Services, and Utilities) and one “capability” operating segment (finance and accounting) that provides services to clients in our industry-focused segments as well as clients across other industries. In each of these six operating segments we provide operations management services, which typically involve transfer to the Company business operations of a client, after which we administer and manage those operations for our client on an ongoing basis. Our remaining two operating segments are Consulting, which provides industry-specific digital transformational services related to operations management services, and our Analytics operating segment, which provides services that focus on driving improved business outcomes for clients by generating data-driven insights across all parts of their business.
We present information for the following reportable segments:
•
Insurance,
•
Healthcare,
•
Travel, Transportation and Logistics,
•
Finance and Accounting,
•
Analytics, and
•
All Other (consisting of our remaining operating segments including our banking and financial services, utilities and consulting operating segments).
For further information on our operating segments, please see “Item 1. Business.”
Our global delivery network, which includes highly trained industry and process specialists across the United States, Latin America, South Africa, Europe and Asia (primarily India and the Philippines), is a key asset. We have operations centers in India, the U.S., the Philippines, Bulgaria, Colombia, South Africa, Romania and the Czech Republic.
Consistent with our growth strategy, on December 22, 2017, we acquired substantially all of the assets and assumed certain liabilities related thereto of Health Integrated, Inc. (“Health Integrated”).
The acquisition of Health Integrated is included in the Healthcare reportable segment. Health Integrated is a Florida-based care management company that provides end-to-end analytics- and behavioral IP-enabled care management services including case management, utilization management, disease management, special needs programs, and multi-chronic care management on behalf of health plans. Health Integrated serves millions of lives in the Medicaid, Medicare, and dual eligible populations.
Revenues
For the year ended December 31, 2017, we had revenues of $762.3 million compared to revenues of $686.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, an increase of $76.3 million or 11.1%.
We serve clients mainly in the U.S. and the U.K., with these two regions generating approximately 82.2% and 14.3%, respectively, of our total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 and approximately 80.9% and 16.0%, respectively, of our revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016.
For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, our total revenues from our top ten clients accounted for 38.6% and 40.1% of our total revenues, respectively. Our revenue concentration with our top clients remains consistent year-over-year and we continue to develop relationships with new clients to diversify our client base. We believe that the loss of any of our ten largest clients could have a material adverse effect on our financial performance.
Our Business
We provide operations management and analytics services. We market our services to our existing and prospective clients through our sales and client management teams, which are aligned by key industry verticals and cross-industry domains such as finance and accounting. Our sales and client management teams operate from the U.S., Europe and Australia.
Operations Management Services: We provide our clients with a range of operations management services principally in the insurance, healthcare, travel, transportation and logistics, banking and financial services and utilities sectors, among others, as well as cross-industry operations management services, such as finance and accounting services. We also provide services related to operations management, through our Consulting services that provide advice regarding transformational initiatives.
Our operations management services typically involve the transfer to the Company business operations of a client such as claims processing, clinical operations, or financial transaction processing, after which we administer and manage the operations for our client on an ongoing basis. As part of this transfer, we hire and train employees to work at our operations centers on the relevant business operations, implement a process migration to these operations centers and then provide services either to the client or directly to the client’s customers. Each client contract has different terms based on the scope, deliverables and complexity of the engagement.
We have been observing a shift in industry pricing models toward transaction-based pricing, outcome-based pricing and other pricing models. We believe this trend will continue and we have begun to use such alternative pricing models with some of our current clients and are seeking to move certain other clients from a billing rate model to a transaction-based or other pricing model. These pricing models place the focus on operating efficiency in order to maintain our gross margins. In addition, we have also observed that prospective larger clients are entering into multi-vendor relationships with regard to their outsourcing needs. We believe that the trend toward multi-vendor relationships will continue. A multi-vendor relationship allows a client to seek more favorable pricing and other contract terms from each vendor, which can result in significantly reduced gross margins from the provision of services to such client for each vendor. To the extent our large clients expand their use of multi-vendor relationships and are able to extract more favorable contract terms from other vendors, our gross margins and revenues may be reduced with regard to such clients if we are required to modify the terms of our relationships with such clients to meet competition.
Our existing agreements with original terms of three or more years provide us with a relatively predictable revenue base for a substantial portion of our operations management business, however, we have a long selling cycle for our services and the budget and approval processes of prospective clients make it difficult to predict the timing of entering into definitive agreements with new clients. Similarly, new license sales and implementation projects for our technology service platforms and other software-based services have a long selling cycle, however ongoing annual maintenance and support contracts for existing arrangements provide us with a relatively predictable revenue base.
Analytics: Our Analytics services focus on driving improved business outcomes for our customers by generating data-driven insights across all parts of our customers’ business. Our teams deliver predictive and prescriptive analytics in the areas of customer acquisition and lifecycle management, risk underwriting and pricing, operational effectiveness, credit and operational risk monitoring and governance, regulatory reporting, and data management. We actively cross-sell and, where appropriate, integrate our Analytics services with other operations management services as part of a comprehensive offering set for our clients.
We anticipate that revenues from our Analytics services will grow as we expand our service offerings and client base, both organically and through acquisitions.
Expenses
Cost of Revenues
Our cost of revenues primarily consists of:
•
employee costs, which include salary, bonus and other compensation expenses; recruitment and training costs; employee insurance; transport and meals; rewards and recognition for certain employees; and non-cash stock compensation expense; and
•
costs relating to our facilities and communications network, which include telecommunication and IT costs; facilities and customer management support; operational expenses for our outsourcing centers; rent expenses; and
•
travel and other billable costs to our clients.
The most significant components of our cost of revenues are salaries and benefits (including stock based compensation), recruitment, training, transport, meals, rewards and recognition and employee insurance. Salary levels, employee turnover rates and our ability to efficiently manage and utilize our employees significantly affect our cost of revenues. Salary increases for most of our operations personnel are generally awarded each year effective April 1. Accordingly, employee costs are generally lower in the first quarter of each year compared to the rest of the year. We make every effort to manage employee and capacity utilization and continuously monitor service levels and staffing requirements. Although we generally have been able to reallocate our employees as client demand has fluctuated, a contract termination or significant reduction in work assigned to us by a major client could cause us to experience a higher-than-expected number of unassigned employees, which would increase our cost of revenues as a percentage of revenues until we are able to reduce or reallocate our headcount. A significant increase in the turnover rate among our employees, particularly among the highly skilled workforce needed to execute certain services, would increase our recruiting and training costs and decrease our operating efficiency, productivity and profit margins. In addition, cost of revenues also includes non-cash amortization of stock compensation expense relating to our issuance of equity awards to employees directly involved in providing services to our clients.
We expect our cost of revenues to continue to increase as we continue to add professionals in our operating centers globally to service additional business and as wages continue to increase globally. In particular, we expect training costs to continue to increase as we continue to add staff to service new clients and provide existing staff with additional skill sets. There is significant competition for professionals with skills necessary to perform the services we offer to our clients. As our existing competitors continue to grow, and as new competitors enter the market, we expect competition for skilled professionals in each of these areas to continue to increase, with corresponding increases in our cost of revenues to reflect increased compensation levels for such professionals. However, a significant portion of our client contracts include inflation-based adjustments to our billing rates year over year which partially offset such increase in cost of revenues. See Item 1A - “Risk Factors-Employee wage increases may prevent us from sustaining our competitive advantage and may reduce our profit margin.”
We generally experience a higher cost of revenues as a percentage of revenues during the initial 12 months to 18 months in a long-term BPM contract due to upfront investments in infrastructure, resource hiring and training during migration. The cost of revenues as a percentage of revenues improve as we scale up, achieve operational efficiencies and complete the migration.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses ("SG&A")
Our general and administrative expenses are comprised of expenses relating to salaries and benefits (including stock based compensation) as well as costs related to recruitment, training and retention of senior management and other support personnel in enabling functions, telecommunications, utilities, travel and other miscellaneous administrative costs. General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses also include acquisition-related costs, legal and professional fees (which represent the costs of third party legal, tax, accounting and other advisors), investment in product development, digital technology, advanced automation and robotics, bad debt allowance and non-cash amortization of stock compensation expenses related to our issuance of equity awards to members of our board of directors. We expect our G&A costs to increase as we continue to strengthen our support and enabling functions and invest in leadership development, performance management and training programs.
Selling and marketing expenses primarily consist of salaries and benefits (including stock based compensation) and other compensation expenses of sales and marketing and client management personnel, sales commission, travel and brand building, client events and conferences. We expect that sales and marketing expenses will continue to increase as we invest in our sales and client management functions to better serve our clients and in our branding.
Depreciation and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization pertains to depreciation of our tangible assets, including network equipment, cabling, computers, office furniture and equipment, motor vehicles and leasehold improvements and amortization of intangible assets. As we add new facilities and expand our existing operations centers, we expect that depreciation expense will increase, reflecting additional investments in equipment such as desktop computers, servers and other infrastructure. We expect amortization of intangible assets to increase further as we pursue strategic relationships and acquisitions.
Foreign Exchange
We report our financial results in U.S. dollars. However, a significant portion of our total revenues are earned in U.K. pounds sterling (14.3% and 16.0%, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016), while a significant portion of our expenses are incurred and paid in Indian rupees (29.6% and 33.6%, respectively, of our total costs for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016) and the Philippine peso (8.4% and 11.0%, of our total costs for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016). The exchange rates among the Indian rupee, the Philippine peso, the U.K. pound sterling and the U.S. dollar have changed substantially in recent years and may fluctuate substantially in the future as well. The results of our operations could be substantially impacted as the Indian rupee, the Philippine peso and the U.K. pound sterling appreciate or depreciate against the U.S. dollar. We early adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivative and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. Pursuant to this adoption, effective January 1, 2017, we recorded the resultant foreign exchange gain/(loss) upon settlement of cash flow hedges to cost of revenues and operating expenses, as applicable, in the consolidated statements of income. See Notes 2 and 15 to our consolidated financial statements and Item 7A
ITEM 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
General
Market risk is the loss of future earnings, fair values or future cash flows that may result from a change in the price of a financial instrument. The value of a financial instrument may change as a result of changes in the interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates, commodity prices, equity prices and other market changes that affect market risk sensitive instruments. Market risk is attributable to all market sensitive financial instruments including foreign currency receivables and payables.
Our exposure to market risk is a function of our expenses and revenue generating activities in foreign currencies. The objective of market risk management is to avoid excessive exposure of our earnings and equity to loss. We manage market risk through our treasury operations. Our senior management and our Board of Directors approve our treasury operations’ objectives and policies. The responsibilities of our treasury operations include management of cash resources, implementing hedging strategies for foreign currency exposures, borrowing strategies and ensuring compliance with market risk limits and policies.
Components of Market Risk
Foreign Currency Risk. Our exposure to market risk arises principally from exchange rate risk. Although substantially all of our revenues are denominated in U.S. dollars 82.2% in the year ended December 31, 2017) or U.K. pounds sterling 14.3% in the year ended December 31, 2017), a substantial portion of our expenses were incurred and paid in Indian rupees and Philippine peso 29.6% and 8.4% respectively, in the year ended December 31, 2017). We also incur expenses in U.S. dollars, and currencies of the other countries in which we have operations. The exchange rates among the Indian rupee, the Philippine peso and the U.S. dollar have changed substantially in recent years and may fluctuate substantially in the future.
Our exchange rate risk primarily arises from our foreign currency revenues, expenses incurred by our foreign subsidiaries and foreign currency accounts receivable and payable. The average exchange rate of the Indian rupee against the U.S. dollar decreased from 67.25 during the year ended December 31, 2016 to 64.93 during the year ended December 31, 2017, representing an appreciation of 3.5%. The average exchange rate of the Philippine peso against the U.S. dollar increased from 47.67 during the year ended December 31, 2016 to 50.38 during the year ended December 31, 2017, representing a depreciation of 5.7%. Based upon our level of operations during the year ended December 31, 2017 and excluding any hedging arrangements that we had in place during that period, a 10% appreciation/depreciation in the Indian rupee against the U.S. dollar would have increased/decreased our revenues by approximately $8.9 million and increased/decreased our expenses incurred and paid in Indian rupees by approximately $19.5 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, respectively. Similarly, a 10% appreciation/depreciation in the Philippine Peso against the U.S. dollar would have increased/decreased our revenues by approximately $1.5 million and increased/decreased our expenses incurred and paid in Philippine Peso by approximately $5.6 million in the year ended December 31, 2017, respectively.
In order to mitigate our exposure to foreign currency fluctuation risks and minimize the earnings and cash flow volatility associated with forecasted transactions denominated in certain foreign currencies, we enter into foreign currency forward contracts that are designated as cash flow hedges. These contracts must be settled on the day of maturity or may be canceled subject to the receipts or payments of any gains or losses respectively, equal to the difference between the contract exchange rate and the market exchange rate on the date of cancellation. We do not enter into foreign currency forward contracts for speculative or trading purposes. As such, we may not purchase adequate contracts to insulate ourselves from Indian rupee and Philippine peso foreign exchange currency risks. In addition, any such contracts may not perform adequately as a hedging mechanism. We may, in the future, adopt more active hedging policies, and have done so in the past.
The impact on earnings and/or cash flows related to these foreign currency forward contracts is immaterial as the impact of the maturing cash flow hedges in respective periods are intended to offset the foreign currency impact on the related expenses. Further, a significant number of our customer contracts include protection against foreign exchange rate fluctuations which minimizes the impact of volatility in the exchange rates on our operating results.
Cash flow hedges with notional amounts of $300.8 million and $218.5 million were outstanding as at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, with maturity periods of one to forty five-months. The fair value of these cash flow hedges as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $17.5 million and $3.9 million, respectively and is included in Accumulated Other Comprehensive loss on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. During the year ended December 31, 2017 we recognized $8.0 million as a foreign exchange gain from the maturing cash flow hedges, which was largely offset by the foreign exchange loss on the related expenses of $7.9 million. The net impact on earnings for the year ended December 31, 2017 from the maturing cash flow hedges was insignificant, offset by an insignificant foreign currency impact on the related expenses.
We also enter into foreign currency forward contracts to economically hedge our intercompany balances and other monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than functional currencies. These derivatives do not qualify as fair value hedges under ASC topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging” (“ASC No. 815”). Changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recognized in the consolidated statements of income and are included in foreign exchange gain/(loss). These derivative instruments do not subject us to material balance sheet risk due to exchange rate movements because gains and losses on the settlement of these derivatives are intended to offset revaluation losses and gains on the assets and liabilities being hedged. Forward exchange contracts with notional amounts of $98.5 million, GBP 17.9 million and EUR 0.8 million were outstanding at December 31, 2017 compared to $71.3 million and GBP 11.2 million outstanding at December 31, 2016. The fair values of these derivative instruments as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 were nil and $0.1 million, respectively and are included in the "foreign exchange gain/(loss)" in our Consolidated Statements of Income. At December 31, 2017, the outstanding derivative instruments had maturities of 31 days or less.
Interest Rate Risk. As described in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” on November 21, 2017 we entered into the New Credit Agreement that provides for a $200.0 million revolving credit facility and a letter of credit sub-facility. We have an option to increase the commitments under the New Credit Facility by up to an additional $100.0 million. The New Credit Facility has a maturity date of November 21, 2022 and is voluntarily pre-payable from time to time without premium or penalty.
Depending on the type of borrowing, loans under the New Credit Facility bear interest at a rate equal to the specified prime rate (alternate base rate) or adjusted LIBO rate, plus, in each case, an applicable margin. The applicable margin is tied to the Company’s total net leverage ratio and ranges from 0.00% to 0.75% per annum with respect to loans (“ABR Loans”) pegged to the specified prime rate, and 1.00% to 1.75% per annum on loans (“Eurodollar Loans”) pegged to the adjusted LIBO rate (such applicable margin, the “Applicable Rate”). The revolving credit commitments under the New Credit Agreement are subject to a commitment fee. The commitment fee is also tied to the Company’s leverage ratio, and ranges from 0.15% to 0.30% per annum on the average daily amount by which the aggregate revolving commitments exceed the sum of outstanding revolving loans and letter of credit obligations.
We had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments totaling $265.3 million and $226.6 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. These amounts were invested principally in a short-term investment portfolio primarily comprised of highly-rated debt mutual funds, money market accounts and time deposits. The cash and cash equivalents are held for potential acquisitions of complementary businesses or assets, working capital requirements and general corporate purposes. We do not enter into these investments for trading or speculative purposes. We believe that we have no material exposure to changes in the fair value of our investment portfolio as a result of changes in interest rates. The interest income from these funds is subject to fluctuations due to changes in interest rates. Declines in interest rates would reduce future investment income. A 50 basis point increase or decrease in short term rates may impact our net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2017 by approximately $0.7 million.
Credit Risk. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, we have accounts receivable of $135.7 million and $113.1 million, respectively. We believe that our credit policies reflect normal industry terms and business risk. We do not anticipate non-performance by the counterparties and, accordingly, do not require collateral. Credit losses and write-offs of accounts receivable balances historically have not been material. No single client owed more than 10% of accounts receivable balance as on December 31, 2017 and 2016.
ITEM 8.
ITEM 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
The financial statements required to be filed pursuant to this Item 8 are appended to this Annual Report on Form 10-K. A list of the financial statements filed herewith is found at Item 15. "Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.”
ITEM 9.
ITEM 9. Changes in and Disagreement with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
None.
ITEM 9A.
ITEM 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports the Company files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In connection with the preparation of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, the Company’s management carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of the CEO and CFO, of the effectiveness and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2017. Based upon that evaluation, the CEO and CFO have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as of December 31, 2017, were effective.
Management’s Responsibility for Financial Statements
Responsibility for the objectivity, integrity and presentation of the accompanying financial statements and other financial information presented in this report rests with our management. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“US GAAP”). The financial statements include amounts that are based on estimates and judgments which management believes are reasonable under the circumstances.
Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, is retained to audit the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Its accompanying reports are based on audits conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
The Audit Committee of the board of directors is composed solely of independent directors and is responsible for recommending to the Board of Directors the independent public accounting firm to be retained for the coming year. The Audit Committee meets regularly and privately with the independent public accountants, with the Company’s internal auditors and with management to review accounting, auditing, internal control and financial reporting matters.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) or 15d-15(f) promulgated under the Exchange Act. Those rules define internal control over financial reporting as a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
•
pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect our transactions and dispositions of our assets;
•
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S.;
•
provide reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with the authorization of our management and our board of directors; and
•
provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Our management, under the supervision and with the participation of the CEO and CFO, assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017. In making this assessment, management used the criteria described in “Internal Control-Integrated Framework” issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 Framework). Management’s assessment included an evaluation of the design of our internal control over financial reporting and testing of the operational effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Management reviewed the results of its assessment with the Audit Committee of the board of directors. Based on this assessment and those criteria, management concluded that we maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017. See Ernst & Young LLP’s accompanying report on their audit of our internal controls over financial reporting.
In making its assessment of the changes in internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, our management excluded an evaluation of the disclosure controls and procedures of Health Integrated, Inc. substantially all of whose assets, and certain liabilities related thereto, were acquired by us on December 22, 2017. Health Integrated’s total and net assets were $31,331 thousands and $22,647 thousands, respectively as of December 31, 2017 and insignificant revenues for the year then ended.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
During the three months ended December 31, 2017, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 9B.
ITEM 9B. Other Information
None.
PART III.
ITEM 10.
ITEM 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Code of Ethics.
We have adopted a code of conduct and ethics that applies to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer and persons performing similar functions. Our code of conduct and ethics can be found posted in the investor relations section on our website at http://ir.exlservice.com/governance.cfm. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirement under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding an amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of our code of conduct and ethics by posting such information on our website at the address and the location specified above.
The additional information required by this Item 10 will be set forth in the definitive proxy statement for our 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Proxy Statement”), including under the headings “Our Board of Directors”, “Our Executive Officers” and “Corporate Governance - Committees - Audit Committee”, “- Committees - Nominating and Governance Committee” and “- Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance”, and is incorporated herein by reference. We intend to file the Proxy Statement with the SEC within 120 days after the fiscal year end of December 31, 2017.
ITEM 11.
ITEM 11. Executive Compensation
We incorporate by reference the information responsive to this Item appearing in our Proxy Statement, including under the headings “Executive Compensation - Compensation Discussion and Analysis”, “- Compensation Committee Report”, “- Summary Compensation Table for Fiscal Year 2017”, “- Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table for Fiscal Year 2017”, “Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal 2017 Year-End”, “Option Exercises and Stock Vested During Fiscal Year 2017”, “- Pension Benefits for Fiscal Year 2017”, “- Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control at Fiscal 2017 Year-End”, “- Director Compensation for Fiscal Year 2017”, “- Risk and Compensation Policies” and “Corporate Governance -Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation”.
ITEM 12.
ITEM 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
We incorporate by reference the information responsive to this Item appearing in our Proxy Statement, including under the heading “Principal Stockholders”.
ITEM 13.
ITEM 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
We incorporate by reference the information responsive to this Item appearing in our Proxy Statement, including under the headings “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions” and “Corporate Governance - Director Independence”.
ITEM 14.
ITEM 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
We incorporate by reference the information responsive to this Item appearing in our Proxy Statement, including under the heading “Ratification of the Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm - Audit and Non-Audit Fees.”
PART IV.
ITEM 15.
ITEM 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a)
1. Financial Statements.
The consolidated financial statements are listed under “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
2.
Financial Statement Schedules.
Financial statement schedules as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, have been omitted since they are either not required, not material or the information is otherwise included in our consolidated financial statements or the notes to our consolidated financial statements.
3.
Exhibits.
The Exhibits filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are listed on the Exhibit Index immediately preceding such Exhibits, which Exhibit Index is incorporated in this Annual Report on Form 10-K by reference.
(b)
Exhibits. See Item 15(a)(3) above.
(c)
Financial Statement Schedules. See Item 15(a)(2) above.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Annual Report on Form 10-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: February 27, 2018
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
By:
/S/ VISHAL CHHIBBAR
Vishal Chhibbar
Chief Financial Officer
(Duly Authorized Signatory, Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, this Annual Report on Form 10-K has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
The following exhibits are being filed as part of this report or incorporated by reference as indicated therein:
*Pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC, certain schedules to this agreement have been omitted. The Company hereby agrees to furnish supplementally to the SEC, upon its request, any or all of such omitted schedules.
**This exhibit will not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section. Such exhibit will not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference.
+ Indicates management contract or compensatory plan required to be filed as an Exhibit.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of ExlService Holdings, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of ExlService Holdings, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company at December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated February 27, 2018 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2002.
New York, New York
February 27, 2018
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Stockholders and the Board of Directors of ExlService Holdings, Inc.
Opinion on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited ExlService Holdings, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework), (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, ExlService Holdings, Inc. (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2017, based on the COSO criteria.
As indicated in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting, management’s assessment of and conclusion on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting did not include the internal controls of Health Integrated Inc., which is included in the 2017 consolidated financial statements of the Company and constituted 3.8% each of total and net assets, as of December 31, 2017 and 0.1% of revenues, for the year then ended. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting of the Company also did not include an evaluation of the internal control over financial reporting of Health Integrated Inc.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of ExlService Holdings, Inc. as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2017, and the related notes and our report dated February 27, 2018 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
February 27, 2018
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
(In thousands)
(1)
These are reclassified to net income and are included either in cost of revenue, operating expenses, foreign exchange gain, as applicable in the consolidated statements of income. See Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements.
(2)
These are reclassified to net income and are included in the computation of net periodic pension costs in the consolidated statements of income. See Note 18 to the consolidated financial statements.
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
* Refer note 2(o) to consolidated financial statements for details.
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(In thousands)
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
1. Nature of operation and organization
ExlService Holdings, Inc. (“ExlService Holdings”) is organized as a corporation under the laws of the state of Delaware. ExlService Holdings, together with its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), operates in Business Process Management ("BPM") industry providing operations management services and analytics services that helps businesses enhance revenue growth and improve profitability. Using its proprietary platforms, methodologies and tools, the Company looks deeper to help companies improve global operations, enhance data-driven insights, increase customer satisfaction, and manage risk and compliance. The Company’s clients are located principally in the U.S. and the U.K.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
(a)
Basis of Preparation and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“US GAAP”). The accompanying financial statements have been prepared on a consolidated basis and reflect the financial statements of ExlService Holdings and all of its subsidiaries and includes the Company's share in the results of its associates.
Accounting policies of the respective individual subsidiary and associate are aligned wherever necessary, so as to ensure consistency with the accounting policies that are adopted by the Company under US GAAP.
The standalone financial statements of subsidiaries are fully consolidated on a line-by-line basis. Intragroup balances and transactions, and income and expenses arising from intra-group transactions, are eliminated while preparing the said financial statements. The un-realized gains resulting from intra-group transactions are also eliminated. Similarly, the un-realized losses are eliminated, unless the transaction provides evidence as to impairment of the asset transferred.
The Company’s investments in equity affiliate are initially recorded at cost and any excess cost over proportionate share of the fair value of the net assets of the investee at the acquisition date is recognized as goodwill. The proportionate share of net income or loss of the investee is recognized in the consolidated statements of income.
Non-controlling interest is the equity in a subsidiary not attributable, directly or indirectly, to the parent and it represents the minority partner’s interest in the operation of ExlService Colombia S.A.S. Non-controlling interest consists of the amount of such interest at the date of obtaining control over the subsidiary, and the non-controlling interest's share of changes in equity since that date. The non-controlling interest in the operations for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was insignificant and are included under general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income.
(b)
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management 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 consolidated financial statements and the related amount of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Although these estimates are based on management’s best assessment of the current business environment, actual results may be different from those estimates. The significant estimates and assumptions that affect the financial statements include, but are not limited to, allowance for doubtful account receivables, recoverability of service tax receivables, assets and obligations related to employee benefit plans, deferred tax valuation allowances, income-tax uncertainties and other contingencies, valuation of derivative financial instruments, assumptions used to calculate stock-based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization periods, purchase price allocation, recoverability of long-term assets including goodwill and intangibles, and estimates to complete fixed price contracts.
In accordance with its policy, the Company reviews the estimated useful lives of its property and equipment on an ongoing basis.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
(c)
Foreign Currency Translation
The functional currency of each entity in the Company is its respective local country currency which is also the currency of the primary economic environment in which it operates except for the entities in Mauritius which use the U.S. dollar as its functional currency. Transactions in foreign currencies are initially recorded into functional currency at the rates of exchange prevailing on the date of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are remeasured into functional currency at the rates of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet date. Non-monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured to the functional currency of the subsidiary at historical exchange rates. All transaction foreign exchange gains and losses are recorded in the accompanying consolidated statements of income.
The assets and liabilities of the subsidiaries for which the functional currency is other than the U.S. dollar are translated into U.S. dollars, the reporting currency, at the rate of exchange prevailing on the balance sheet date. Revenues and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates prevailing on the last business day of each month, which approximates the average monthly exchange rate. Resulting translation adjustments are included in accumulated other comprehensive loss in the consolidated balance sheet.
(d)
Revenue Recognition
The Company derives its revenues from operations management and analytics services. Revenues from operations management services are recognized primarily on a time-and-material based, transaction-based, outcome-based, cost-plus and fixed-price basis; revenues from analytics services are recognized primarily on a time-and-material and fixed price basis. The services provided by the Company under its contracts with the customer generally contain one unit of accounting except for the software and related services contracts involving implementation services and post contract maintenance services. In such multiple element arrangements, revenue is allocated to maintenance based on the price charged when that element is sold separately (vendor specific objective evidence or “VSOE”). Revenues are recognized when the four basic criteria are met; persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the sales price is fixed or determinable, services have been performed and collection of amounts billed is reasonably assured.
Revenues under time-and-material, transaction and outcome-based contracts are recognized as the services are performed. When the terms of the client contract specify service level parameters that must be met (such as turnaround time or accuracy), the Company monitors such service level parameters to determine if any service credits or penalties have been incurred. Revenues are recognized net of any penalties or service credits that are due to a client.
Revenue from Analytics services including modeling, targeting and designing of campaigns and mail marketing including email marketing and other digital solutions is typically recognized on delivery of such campaigns. In respect of arrangements involving subcontracting, in part or whole, of the assigned work, the Company evaluates revenues to be recognized under Accounting Standard Codification ("ASC") topic 605-45, “Revenue recognition - Principal agent considerations”.
Revenues for Company’s fixed-price contracts are recognized using the proportional performance method when the pattern of performance under the contracts can be reasonably determined. The Company estimates the proportional performance of a contract by comparing the actual number of hours or days worked to the estimated total number of hours or days required to complete each engagement. The use of the proportional performance method requires significant judgment relative to estimating the number of hours or days required to complete the contracted scope of work, including assumptions and estimates relative to the length of time to complete the project and the nature and complexity of the work to be performed. The Company regularly monitors its estimates for completion of a project and record changes in the period in which a change in an estimate is determined. If a change in an estimate results in a projected loss on a project, such loss is recognized in the period in which it is first identified.
Revenues from the Company's software and related services contracts, which are not significant, are primarily related to maintenance renewals or incremental license fees for additional users. Maintenance revenues are generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the annual contract term. Fees for incremental license fees without any associated services are recognized upon delivery of the related incremental license. To a lesser extent, software and related services contracts may contain software license, related services and maintenance elements as a multiple element arrangement. In such cases, revenue is allocated to maintenance based on the price charged when that element is sold separately (vendor specific objective evidence or “VSOE”). Services related to software licenses are evaluated to determine whether those services are significant or essential to the functionality of the software. When services are significant or considered essential, revenues related to license fee and services are recognized as the services
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
are performed using the percentage of completion method of accounting, under which the total value of revenue is recognized on the basis of the percentage that each contract’s total labor hours to date bears to the total expected labor hours (input method).
The Company accrues revenues for services rendered between the last billing date and the balance sheet date. Accordingly, its accounts receivable include amounts for services, as unbilled accounts receivables, that the Company has performed and for which an invoice has not yet been issued to the client.
The Company defers the revenues and related cost of revenue while a process is under migration and recognizes such revenues and costs ratably over the period during which the related services are expected to be performed. The deferred costs are limited to the amounts of the deferred revenues. Deferred revenue also includes the amount for which the services have been rendered but the other conditions of revenue recognition are not met, for example where the Company does not have the persuasive evidence of the arrangements.
Reimbursements of out-of-pocket expenses received from clients are included as part of revenues. Reimbursements of out-of-pocket expenses included in revenues were $17,982, $21,812 and $18,848 for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
(e)
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of ninety days or less to be cash equivalents. Pursuant to the Company’s investment policy, surplus funds are invested in highly-rated debt mutual funds, money market accounts and time deposits to reduce its exposure to market risk with regard to these funds.
Restricted cash represents amounts on deposit with banks against bank guarantees issued through banks for equipment imports and for demands against pending income tax assessments (see Note 23 for details). These deposits with banks have maturity dates before and after December 31, 2018. Restricted cash also includes client funds held in dedicated bank accounts.
(f)
Investments
The Company’s investments consist of time deposits with financial institutions which are valued at cost and approximate fair value. Interest earned on such investments is included in interest income. Investments with original maturities greater than ninety days but less than twelve months are classified as short-term investments. Investments with maturities greater than twelve months from the balance sheet date are classified as long-term investments.
The Company's mutual fund investments are in debt and money market funds which invest in instruments of various maturities in India. These investments are accounted for in accordance with the fair value option under ASC topic 825-10 and change in fair value is included in interest and other income. The fair value is represented by original cost on the acquisition date and the net asset value (“NAV”) as quoted, at each reporting period. Gain or loss on the disposal of these investments is calculated using the weighted average cost of the investments sold or disposed and is included in interest and other income.
(g)
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable are recorded net of allowances for doubtful accounts. Allowances for doubtful accounts are established through the evaluation of the accounts receivable aging and prior collection experience, current market conditions, clients’ financial condition and the amount of receivables in dispute to ascertain the ultimate collectability of these receivables. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had $2,923 and $241 of allowance for doubtful accounts, respectively.
Accounts receivable include unbilled accounts receivable which represent revenues on contracts to be billed, in subsequent periods, as per the terms of the related contracts. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had $49,125 and $34,785 of unbilled accounts receivable, respectively.
(h)
Property and equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment. Equipment held under capital leases are capitalized at the commencement of the lease at the lower of present value of minimum lease payments at the inception of the
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
leases or its fair value. Advances paid towards acquisition of property and equipment and the cost of property and equipment not yet placed in service before the end of the reporting period are classified as capital work in progress.
Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Depreciation and amortization on equipment held under capital leases and leasehold improvements are computed using the straight-line method over the shorter of the assets’ estimated useful lives or the lease term.
(i)
Software Development Costs
Costs incurred for developing software or enhancements to the existing software products to be sold and/or used for internal use are capitalized once preliminary project stage is complete and technological feasibility, as defined in ASC 985 and ASC 350, has been established, i.e., it is probable that the software will be used as intended. Technological feasibility is established upon completion of a detailed design program or, in its absence, completion of a working model. Costs that qualify as software development costs include (i) external direct costs of materials and services utilized in developing or obtaining computer software, (ii) compensation and related benefits for employees who are directly associated with the software project, and (iii) interest costs (if any) incurred while developing the computer software. The capitalized costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life. Costs associated with preliminary project stage activities, training, maintenance and all post-implementation stage activities are expensed as incurred.
(j)
Business Combinations, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
ASC topic 805, “Business Combinations”, requires that the purchase method of accounting be used for all business combinations. The guidance specifies criteria as to intangible assets acquired in a business combination that must be recognized and reported separately from goodwill. Contingent consideration is recognized at its fair value on the acquisition date. A liability resulting from contingent consideration is re-measured to fair value as of each reporting date until the contingency is resolved. Changes in fair value are recognized in earnings. These fair value measurements represent Level 3 measurements as they are based on significant inputs not observable in the market. Under ASC topic 350, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other”, all assets and liabilities of the acquired businesses, including goodwill, are assigned to reporting units. Acquisition related costs are expensed as incurred under general and administrative expenses.
Goodwill represents the cost of the acquired businesses in excess of the fair value of identifiable tangible and intangible net assets purchased. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least on an annual basis, relying on a number of factors including operating results, business plans and estimated future cash flows of the reporting units to which it is assigned. Recoverability of goodwill is evaluated using a two-step process.
The first step involves a comparison of the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying value. The fair value of the reporting unit is measured by discounting estimated future cash flows. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the goodwill impairment test is performed to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. The second step of the process involves a comparison of the implied fair value and carrying value of the goodwill of that reporting unit. If the carrying value of the goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of the goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to the excess. Goodwill of a reporting unit is tested for impairment annually or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit below its carrying amount.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Intangible assets acquired in a business combination are initially valued and recognized at fair market value using generally accepted valuation methods appropriate for the type of intangible asset. Intangible assets with definite lives are amortized over the estimated useful lives and are reviewed for impairment, if indicators of impairment arise. The evaluation of impairment is based upon a comparison of the carrying amount of the intangible asset to its fair value, which is calculated using the estimated future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the fair value of the intangible assets is less than the carrying amount of the asset, the asset is considered impaired and an impairment expense is recognized equal to any shortfall in the current period.
The Company’s definite lived intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives as listed below using a straight-line method:
(k)
Investment in equity affiliate
Investments in equity affiliate are initially recorded at cost and any excess cost over proportionate share of the fair value of the net assets of the investee at the acquisition date is recognized as goodwill. The proportionate share of net income or loss of the investee is recognized in the consolidated statements of income. The Company periodically reviews the carrying value of its investment to determine if there has been any other than temporary decline in carrying value. The investment balance is increased or decreased for cash contribution and distributions to or from, respectively, these investee.
(l)
Impairment of long-lived assets
Long-lived assets, including intangible assets, to be held and used are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. Such assets are required to be tested for impairment if the carrying amount of the assets is higher than the future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated from the assets. The impairment amount to be recognized is measured as the amount by which the carrying value of the assets exceeds their fair value. The Company determines fair value by using a discounted cash flow approach.
(m)
Derivative Financial Instruments
In the normal course of business, the Company uses derivative instruments for the purpose of mitigating the exposure from foreign currency fluctuation risks associated with forecasted transactions denominated in certain foreign currencies and to minimize earnings and cash flow volatility associated with changes in foreign currency exchange rates, and not for speculative trading purposes. These derivative contracts are purchased within the Company’s policy and are with counterparties that are highly rated financial institutions.
The Company hedges forecasted transactions that are subject to foreign exchange exposure with foreign currency exchange contracts that qualify as cash flow hedges. Changes in the fair value of these cash flow hedges are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss), net of tax, until the hedged transactions occurs. The Company early adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivative and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. Pursuant to this adoption, effective January 1, 2017, the resultant foreign exchange gain/(loss) upon settlement of cash flow hedges are recorded in the consolidated statements of income along with the underlying hedged item in the same income statement line as either part of “Cost of revenue”, “General and administrative expenses”, “Selling and marketing expenses”, “Depreciation and amortization”, as applicable.
Prior to January 1, 2017, the resultant foreign exchange gain/(loss) on settlement of cash flow hedges and changes in the fair value of cash flow hedges deemed ineffective have been recorded in “Foreign exchange gain, net” in the consolidated statements of income.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
The Company also uses derivatives instruments consisting of foreign currency exchange contracts to economically hedge intercompany balances and other monetary assets or liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency. Changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recognized in the consolidated statements of income and are included in foreign exchange gain/(loss).
The Company evaluates hedge effectiveness of cash flow hedges at the time a contract is entered into as well as on an ongoing basis. For hedge relationships that are discontinued because the forecasted transaction is not expected to occur by the end of the originally specified period, any related derivative amounts recorded in equity are reclassified to earnings.
(n)
Employee Benefits
Contributions to defined contribution plans are charged to the consolidated statements of income in the period in which services are rendered by the covered employees. Current service costs for defined benefit plans are accrued in the period to which they relate. The liability in respect of defined benefit plans is calculated annually by the Company using the projected unit credit method. Prior service cost, if any, resulting from an amendment to a plan is recognized and amortized over the remaining period of service of the covered employees.
The Company recognizes its liabilities for compensated absences dependent on whether the obligation is attributable to employee services already rendered, relates to rights that vest or accumulate and payment is probable and estimable.
(o)
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense in the consolidated financial statements for awards of equity instruments to employees and non-employee directors based on the grant-date fair value of those awards. The Company recognizes these compensation costs over the requisite service period of the award. Forfeitures are accounted when the actual forfeitures occur.
Under the Company’s 2015 Amendment and Restatement of the 2006 Omnibus Award Plan (the “2015 Plan”), the Company grants performance-based restricted stock units (“PRSUs”) to executive officers and other specified employees. 50% of the PRSUs cliff vest based on a revenue target ("PU") at the end of a three-year period. The remaining 50% vest based on a market condition (“MUs”) that is contingent on meeting or exceeding the total shareholder return relative to a group of peer companies specified under the program, measured over a three-year performance period. The award recipient may earn up to two hundred percent (200%) of the PRSUs granted based on the actual achievement of both targets.
The fair value of each PU was determined based on the market price of one common share of the Company on the date of grant, and the associated compensation expense was calculated on the basis that performance targets to receive 100% of the PUs is probable of being achieved. The compensation expense for the PUs is recognized on a straight-line basis over the service period, which is through the end of the third year. Over this period, the number of shares that will be issued will be adjusted upward or downward based upon the probability of achievement of the performance targets. The ultimate number of shares issued and the related compensation cost recognized as an expense will be based on a comparison of the final performance metrics to the specified targets. The expense related to the unvested PUs as of December 31, 2017 was based on the Company's assessment that the performance criteria for these grants would be met at the 100% performance target level during the respective years of vesting.
The grant date fair value for the MUs was determined using a Monte Carlo simulation model and the related compensation expense is expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. All compensation expense related to the MUs will be recognized if the requisite performance period is fulfilled, even if the market condition is not achieved.
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718). ASU No. 2016-09 identifies areas for simplification involving several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, an option to recognize gross stock compensation expense with actual forfeitures recognized as they occur, as well as certain classifications on the Statement of Cash Flows. The amendments are effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2017. The following summarizes the effects of the adoption on the Company's consolidated financial statements:
Income taxes - Upon adoption of this standard, all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies are recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement. The tax effects of exercised or vested awards are treated as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. The Company also recognizes excess tax benefits regardless of whether the benefit reduces taxes
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
payable in the current period. As a result, the Company recognized discrete adjustments to income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2017 in the amount of $9,797 related to excess tax benefits. No adjustment is recorded for any windfall benefits previously recorded in Additional Paid-In Capital.
Forfeitures - Prior to adoption, stock-based compensation expense was recognized on a straight line basis, net of estimated forfeitures, such that expense was recognized only for stock-based awards that are expected to vest. A forfeiture rate was estimated annually and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differed from initial estimates. Upon adoption, the Company will no longer apply a forfeiture rate and instead will account for forfeitures as they occur. The Company has applied the modified retrospective adoption approach as of January 1, 2017 and has recognized a cumulative-effect adjustment to reduce additional paid-in-capital of $5,999 and retained earnings of $4,546 (net of deferred tax effect of $1,453).
Statements of Cash Flows - The Company historically accounted for excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows as a financing activity. Upon adoption of this standard, excess tax benefits are classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity. The Company has elected to adopt this portion of the standard on a prospective basis beginning in 2017 and accordingly prior periods have not been adjusted.
Earnings Per Share - The Company uses the treasury stock method to compute diluted earnings per share, unless the effect would be anti-dilutive. The Company excluded the excess tax benefits from the assumed proceeds available to repurchase shares in the computation of diluted earnings per share.
(p)
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. The Company calculates and provides for income taxes in each of the tax jurisdictions in which it operates. The deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying values of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and all operating losses carried forward, if any. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which the applicable temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates or tax status is recognized in the statement of income in the period in which the change is identified. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
The Company establishes provisions for uncertain tax provisions and related interest and penalties when the Company believes those tax positions are not more likely than not of being sustained, if challenged.
(q)
Financial Instruments and Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial Instruments. For certain financial instruments, including cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other current liabilities, recorded amounts approximate fair value due to the relatively short maturity periods of such instruments.
Concentration of Credit Risk. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, mutual fund investments, accounts receivable and derivative financial instruments. By their nature, all such financial instruments involve risks including the credit risks of non-performance by counterparties. Pursuant to the Company’s investment policy, its surplus funds are maintained as cash or cash equivalents and are invested in highly-rated mutual funds, money market accounts and time deposits, placed with highly rated financial institutions to reduce its exposure to market risk with regard to these funds. The Company’s exposure to credit risk on account receivable is influenced mainly by the individual characteristic of each customer and the concentration of risk from the top few customers. To mitigate this risk the Company evaluates the creditworthiness of its clients in conjunction with its revenue recognition processes as well as through its ongoing collectability assessment processes for accounts receivable. The Company does not enter into or trade financial instruments, including derivative financial instruments, for speculative purposes.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
(r)
Lease Obligations
Leases under which the Company assumes substantially all risks and rewards of the ownership are classified as capital lease. When acquired, such assets are capitalized at fair value or present value of minimum committed lease payments at the inception of the lease, whichever is lower.
The Company leases its office facilities under non-cancellable operating lease agreements. Office facilities subject to an operating lease and the related lease payments are not recorded on the Company’s balance sheet. Lease payments under operating lease are recognized as an expense on a straight line basis in the consolidated statement of income over the lease term.
(s)
Government Grants
Government grants related to income are recognized as a reduction of expenses in the consolidated statement of income when there is a reasonable assurance that the entity will comply with the conditions attached to the grant and that the grants will be received.
(t)
Earnings per share
Basic earnings per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed using the weighted average number of common and dilutive common equivalent shares outstanding during the period. For the purposes of calculating diluted earnings per share, the treasury stock method is used for stock-based awards except where the results would be anti-dilutive.
(u)
Commitments and contingencies
Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines and penalties, and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the assessment and/or remediation can be reasonably estimated. Legal costs incurred in connection with such liabilities are expensed as incurred.
(v)
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (Topic 606). This standard replaces existing revenue recognition guidance with a comprehensive revenue measurement and recognition standard and expanded disclosure requirements. The ASU also includes guidance regarding the accounting for contract acquisition costs, including sales commissions. The Company will adopt the new standard as of January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method, applied to those contracts which were not completed as of that date. Upon adoption, the Company will recognize the cumulative effect of adopting this guidance as an adjustment to our opening balance of retained earnings. Prior periods will not be retrospectively adjusted.
During the year the Company has worked to assess all potential impacts of the new standard and prepare for adoption. As part of this process, the Company closely monitored FASB activity and other relevant information on specific interpretative issues. During the adoption process, findings and progress of the project were regularly reported to senior management and the Audit Committee. We expect that adoption of Topic 606 will not have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements, including the presentation of revenues in our consolidated statements of income.
The key area impacted upon adoption of the new standard relates to the accounting for commissions costs. Specifically, under the new standard a portion of sales commissions cost will be recorded as an asset and recognized as an operating expense over the time period that the Company expects to recover the costs. Currently, the Company expenses sales commission costs as incurred.
Additionally, some contracts contain provisions with regard to “service levels” to be achieved by the Company, failing which or exceeding which the Company is liable to make payments to the customer or receive performance bonuses from the customers. Such service level payment or bonuses need to be estimated at contract inception and accounted for in revenue. Based on an evaluation of the service levels penalties for past periods, the Company believes that the impact of this clause will not be significant.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
We have identified changes to the Company systems processes and internal control to meet the standard reporting and disclosure requirement.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). ASU No. 2016-02 requires the identification of arrangements that should be accounted for as leases by lessees. In general, for lease arrangements exceeding a twelve month term, these arrangements must now be recognized as assets and liabilities on the balance sheet of the lessee. Under ASU No. 2016-02, a right-of-use asset and lease obligation will be recorded for all leases, whether operating or financing, while the income statement will reflect lease expense for operating leases and amortization/interest expense for financing leases. The balance sheet amount recorded for existing leases at the date of adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 must be calculated using the applicable incremental borrowing rate at the date of adoption. In addition, ASU No. 2016-02 requires the use of the modified retrospective method, which will require adjustment to all comparative periods presented in the consolidated financial statements. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and the implementation approach to be used.
In June 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, which require a financial asset (or a group of financial assets) measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The allowance for credit losses is a valuation account that is to be deducted from the amortized cost basis of the financial asset(s) to present the net carrying value at the amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendment should be applied through a modified retrospective approach. Early adoption as of the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 is permitted. The adoption of ASU No. 2016-13 is not expected to have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
In August 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The amendments apply to all entities that are required to present a statement of cash flows under Topic 230. The amendments are an improvement to GAAP because they provide guidance for each of the eight issues, thereby reducing the current and potential future diversity in practice. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those annual periods and should be applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. The Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations.
In November 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of cash flows - Restricted cash. The amendments apply to all entities that have restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents and are required to present a statement of cash flows under Topic 230. The amendments in this update require that a statement of cash flows should explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted with an adjustment reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the amendment is adoption. The Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material effect on the presentation of its statement of cash flows.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (Topic 350), which eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value, however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017 and should be applied prospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In March, 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-07, Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Post-retirement Benefit Cost. The ASU amends ASC 715, Compensation - Retirement Benefits, to require employers that present a measure of operating income in their statement of income to include only the service cost component of net periodic pension cost and net periodic post-retirement benefit cost in operating expenses (together with other employee compensation costs). The other components of net benefit cost, including amortization of prior service cost/credit, and settlement and curtailment effects, are to be included in non-operating expenses. The update also stipulates that only the service cost component of net benefit cost is eligible for capitalization. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual period. The Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In May 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. This ASU provides guidance on the types of changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
would be required to apply modification accounting. Modification accounting is required only if the fair value, the vesting conditions, or the classification of the award changes as a result of the change in terms or conditions. The amendments in this ASU are effective for all entities for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for public business entities for reporting periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The amendments in this ASU should be applied prospectively to an award modified on or after the adoption date. The Company will adopt this guidance for modification that occur after January 1, 2018.
In August 2017, FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. This ASU amends and simplifies existing guidance in order to allow companies to more accurately present the economic effects of risk management activities in their financial statements. This includes simplifying how hedge results are presented and disclosed both on the face of the financial statements and in the footnotes, and provides relief around the documentation and assessment requirements. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption being permitted. The Company has early adopted the guidance beginning January 1, 2017. The amendments of this ASU have an impact on the way the Company has been presenting the impact of hedge ineffectiveness and the settlement gain or loss for cash flow hedges in the prior years. The amended presentation have been applied prospectively from the date of adoption, whereby the entire change in the fair value of the hedging instrument included in the assessment of hedge effectiveness is recorded in other comprehensive income. Such amount, upon settlement of cash flow hedges, are presented to earnings in the same income statement line item that is used to present the earnings effect of the hedged item when the hedged item affects earnings. See Note 15 to consolidated financial statements for details.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
3. Segment & Geographical Information
The Company operates in the BPM industry and is a provider of operations management and analytics services. The Company has eight operating segments which are strategic business units that align its products and services with how it manages its business, approaches its key markets and interacts with its clients. Six of those operating segments provide BPM or “operations management” services, which the company organizes into industry-focused operating segments (Insurance, Healthcare, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Banking and Financial Services, and Utilities) and one “capability” operating segment (Finance and Accounting) that provides services to clients in our industry-focused segments as well as clients across other industries. In each of these six operating segments, the Company provides operations management services, which typically involve transfer to the Company of business operations of a client, after which it administers and manages those operations for its client on an ongoing basis. The remaining two operating segments are Consulting, which provides industry-specific transformational services related to operations management services, and the Analytics operating segment, which provides services that focus on driving improved business outcomes for clients by generating data-driven insights across all parts of their business.
The Company presents information for the following reportable segments:
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Insurance
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Healthcare
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Travel, Transportation and Logistics (“TT&L”)
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Finance and Accounting (“F&A”),
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Analytics, and
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All Other (consisting of the Company's remaining operating segments which includes the Banking and Financial services, Utilities and Consulting operating segments).
For the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company previously reported and presented two reportable segments: Operations Management (which included Insurance, Healthcare, Travel, Transportation and Logistics, Finance and Accounting, Banking and Financial services, Utilities and Consulting operating segments) and Analytics.
Segment information for all prior period presented herein has been changed to conform to the current presentation. This change in segment presentation does not affect the Company's consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income, balance sheets or statements of cash flows.
The chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) generally reviews financial information such as revenues, cost of revenues and gross profit, disaggregated by the operating segments to allocate an overall budget among the operating segments.
The Company does not allocate and therefore the CODM does not evaluate other operating expenses, interest expense or income taxes by segment. Many of the Company’s assets are shared by multiple operating segments. The Company manages these assets on a total Company basis, not by operating segment, and therefore asset information and capital expenditures by operating segment are not presented.
The Company early adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivative and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. Pursuant to this adoption, effective January 1, 2017, the resultant foreign exchange gain/(loss) upon settlement of cash flow hedges are recorded along with the underlying hedged item in the same income statement line as either part of “Cost of revenue”, “General and administrative expenses”, “Selling and marketing expenses”, "Depreciation and Amortization”, as applicable.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Revenues and cost of revenues for each of the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, for each of the reportable segments, are as follows:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Net revenues of the Company by service type, were as follows:
(1) BPM and related services include revenues of the Company's five industry-focused operating segments, one capability operating segment and the consulting operating segment, which provides services related to operations management services.
The Company attributes the revenues to regions based upon the location of its customers.
Property and equipment, net by geographic area, are as follows:
For a discussion of risks attendant to foreign operations, see “Item 1A. Risk Factors - Risks Related to the International Nature of Our Business”.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
4. Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
Summarized quarterly results for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:
* Total of quarterly basic and diluted earnings per share and weighted average number of shares used in computing earnings per share will not be equal to year end basic and diluted earnings per share and weighted average number of shares used in computing earnings per share, respectively. For the quarter ended December 31, 2017, 1,206,335 weighted average common shares were considered anti-dilutive and not included in computing diluted earnings per share.
**During the quarter ended December 31, 2017, the Company early adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivative and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. Pursuant to this adoption effective January 1, 2017, the Company recorded settlement gain/(loss) on cash flow hedges in cost of revenues and operating expenses, as applicable, in the consolidated statements of income for each of the quarters of 2017. See Note 15 for further details.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
5. Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each period. Diluted earnings per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares plus the potentially dilutive effect of common stock equivalents issued and outstanding at the reporting date, using the treasury stock method. Stock options, restricted stock and restricted stock units that are anti-dilutive are excluded from the computation of weighted average shares outstanding.
The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share:
6. Other Income, net
Other Income, net consists of the following:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
7. Property and Equipment
Property and equipment consist of the following:
Capital work in progress represents advances paid towards acquisition of property and equipment and cost of property and equipment and internally generated software costs not yet ready to be placed in service.
The depreciation and amortization expense excluding amortization of acquisition-related intangibles recognized in the consolidated statements of income was as follows:
Effective January 1, 2017, the depreciation and amortization expenses set forth above includes the effect of the foreign exchange gain/(loss) upon settlement of cash flow hedges, amounting to $435 for the year ended December 31, 2017 (see Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements for further details).
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Internally developed software costs, included under Software, was as follows:
During the year ended December 31, 2017, there were no changes in estimated useful lives of property and equipment.
8. Business Combinations, Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Health Integrated, Inc.
On December 22, 2017, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire substantially all the assets and assumed certain liabilities of Health Integrated, Inc. (“Health Integrated”), a company based in Tampa, Florida. The initial purchase consideration consisted of $22,577 in cash including working capital adjustment. The purchase agreement allows sellers the ability to earn up to $5,000 as earn-out, based on the achievement of certain performance goals by Health Integrated during the 2018 calendar year. The earn-out has an estimated fair value of $920.
A portion of the purchase consideration otherwise payable was placed into escrow as security for the post-closing working capital adjustments and the indemnification obligations under the Asset Purchase Agreement.
Health Integrated is a Florida-based care management company that provides end-to-end analytics- and behavioral IP-enabled care management services including case management, utilization management, disease management, special needs programs, and multichronic care management on behalf of health plans. Health Integrated serves millions of lives in the Medicaid, Medicare, and dual eligible populations. It is known for its strong capabilities in improving member health status through behavioral change. Accordingly, the Company paid a premium for the acquisition, which is reflected in the goodwill recognized from the purchase price allocation. The acquisition of Health Integrated is included in the Healthcare reportable segment.
The Company has preliminary allocated the purchase price to the net tangible and intangible assets based on their fair values as set forth below:
The amount of goodwill recognized from the Health Integrated acquisition is deductible for tax purposes.
The customer relationships from the Health Integrated acquisition are being amortized over the weighted average useful life of 7.0 years and developed technology and trademarks are being amortized over the useful life of 1.0 year and 2.0 years, respectively.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Under ASC topic 805, "Business Combination", the preliminary allocation of the purchase price to the tangible and intangible assets and liabilities acquired may change for a period of up to one year from the date of the acquisition. The Company's purchase accounting for Health Integrated as of December 31, 2017 was incomplete and the Company expects to complete the working capital adjustment and valuation of the tangible assets, intangible assets and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date during the first quarter of 2018. Accordingly, the Company may adjust the amounts recorded as of December 31, 2017 to reflect the final valuations of assets acquired or liabilities assumed.
During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized $795 as acquisition related costs. Such amounts are included in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of income. The Company’s results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2017 includes insignificant amount of revenues and net income from its Health Integrated acquisition from December 22, 2017 through December 31, 2017.
Subsequent to December 31, 2017, the Company also issued 4,444 shares of restricted stock units with an aggregate fair value of $275 to certain key employees of Health Integrated, each of whom accepted employment positions with the Company upon consummation of the combination. The restricted stock units vest proportionally over four years and the fair value of these grants will be recognized as compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting term.
Unaudited Pro Forma Financial Information
The following unaudited pro forma results of operations have been prepared using the acquisition method of accounting to give effect to the Health Integrated acquisition as though it occurred on January 1, 2016. The Company completed its acquisition of Health Integrated on December 22, 2017 and accordingly Health Integrated’s operations for the period from December 22, 2017 to December 31, 2017 are included in the Company’s consolidated statement of income. The pro forma amounts reflect certain adjustments, such as depreciation and amortization on assets acquired, interest expense related to liabilities not assumed by the Company and facility costs for certain facilities not acquired. The unaudited pro forma financial information is presented for illustrative purposes only, is based on a preliminary purchase price allocation, and is not necessarily indicative of the results of operations that would have actually been reported had the acquisitions occurred on January 1, 2016, nor is it necessarily indicative of the future results of operations of the combined company.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Goodwill
The following table sets forth details of the Company’s goodwill balance as of December 31, 2017:
Based on the results of the impairment testing performed during the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company’s goodwill was not impaired. The Company makes every reasonable effort to ensure that it accurately estimates the fair value of the reporting units. However, future changes in the assumptions used to make these estimates could result in an impairment loss.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Intangible Assets
Information regarding the Company’s intangible assets is set forth below:
The amortization expenses is as follows:
The remaining weighted average life of intangible assets is as follows:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
9. Investment in equity affiliate
On December 12, 2017, the Company acquired preferred stock in Corridor Platform Inc. (“Corridor”), a big data credit risk management platform for $3,000. The Company has determined that based on its ownership interest and other rights, Corridor is an equity affiliate. The Company has the right and option to acquire additional preferred stock from Corridor as per the terms of the agreement. The Company's proportionate share of net loss of Corridor for the period December 12, 2017 to December 31, 2017 was insignificant.
10. Other current assets
Other current assets consists of the following:
11. Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consists of the following:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
12. Non-current liabilities
Non-current liabilities consists of the following:
13. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Accumulated other comprehensive loss consists of amortization of actuarial gain/(loss) on retirement benefits and changes in the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments. In addition, the Company enters into foreign currency exchange contracts, which are designated as cash flow hedges in accordance with ASC No. 815. Changes in the fair values of contracts are recognized in other comprehensive income on the Company's consolidated balance sheet until the settlement of those contracts. The balances as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
14. Fair Value Measurements
ASC topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures ” ("ASC No. 820") defines fair value as the price that would be received upon sale of an asset or paid upon transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date and in the principal or most advantageous market for that asset or liability. The fair value should be calculated based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, not on assumptions specific to the entity. In addition, the fair value of liabilities should include consideration of non-performance risk, including the Company’s own credit risk.
ASC No. 820 establishes a three-level hierarchy of fair value measurements based on whether the inputs to those measurements are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s market assumptions. The fair-value hierarchy requires the use of observable market data when available and consists of the following levels:
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Level 1-Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets;
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Level 2-Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable in active markets; and
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Level 3-Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable.
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value
The following table sets forth the Company’s assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value as of December 31, 2017 and 2016. The table excludes accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses for which fair values approximate their carrying amounts.
* Represents short-term investments carried on fair value option under ASC 825 "Financial Instruments" as of December 31, 2017
Derivative Financial Instruments: The Company’s derivative financial instruments consist of foreign currency forward exchange contracts. Fair values for derivative financial instruments are based on independent sources including highly rated financial institutions and are classified as Level 2. See Note 15 for further details.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Fair value of earn-out consideration: The fair value measurement of earn-out consideration is determined using Level 3 inputs. The Company’s earn-out consideration represents a component of the total purchase consideration for its acquisition of Health Integrated. The measurement is calculated using unobservable inputs based on the Company’s own assessment of achievement of certain performance goals by Health Integrated during the 2018 calendar year. The Company estimated the fair value of the earn-out consideration to be $920, based on expected probability method.
15. Derivatives and Hedge Accounting
The Company uses derivative instruments and hedging transactions to mitigate exposure to foreign currency fluctuation risks associated with forecasted transactions denominated in certain foreign currencies and to minimize earnings and cash flow volatility associated with changes in foreign currency exchanges rates. The Company’s derivative financial instruments are largely forward foreign exchange contracts that are designated as effective hedges and that qualify as cash flow hedges under ASC No. 815. The Company had outstanding cash flow hedges totaling $300,757 as of December 31, 2017 and $218,545 as of December 31, 2016.
Changes in the fair value of these cash flow hedges are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income / (loss), net of tax, until the hedged transactions occurs. The Company early adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivative and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. Pursuant to this adoption, effective January 1, 2017, the resultant foreign exchange gain/(loss) are recorded along with the underlying hedged item in the same line of consolidated statements of income as either part of “Cost of revenue”, “General and administrative expenses”, “Selling and marketing expenses”, Depreciation and amortization”, as applicable.
Prior to January 1, 2017, the resultant foreign exchange gain/(loss) on settlement of cash flow hedges and changes in the fair value of cash flow hedges deemed ineffective were recorded in “Foreign exchange gain, net” in the consolidated statements of income.
The Company also enters into foreign currency forward contracts to economically hedge its intercompany balances and other monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than functional currency. These derivatives do not qualify as fair value hedges under ASC No. 815. Changes in the fair value of these derivatives are recognized in the consolidated statement of income and are included in foreign exchange gain/(loss). The Company’s primary exchange rate exposure is with the Indian Rupee, the U.K. pound sterling and the Philippine peso. The Company also has exposure to Colombian pesos, Czech Koruna, the Euro, South African ZAR and other local currencies in which it operates. Outstanding foreign currency forward contracts amounted to $98,967 and GBP 17,947 as of December 31, 2017 and amounted to $63,980 and GBP 17,974 as of December 31, 2016.
The Company estimates that approximately $10,411 of net derivative gains included in accumulated other comprehensive loss (“AOCI”) could be reclassified into earnings within the next twelve months based on exchange rates prevailing as of December 31, 2017. At December 31, 2017, the maximum outstanding term of the cash flow hedges was 45 months.
The Company evaluates hedge effectiveness at the time a contract is entered into as well as on an ongoing basis. For hedging positions that are discontinued because the forecasted transaction is not expected to occur by the end of the originally specified period, any related amounts recorded in equity are reclassified to earnings.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
The following tables set forth the fair value of the foreign currency exchange contracts and their location on the consolidated financial statements:
The following table set forth the effect of foreign currency exchange contracts in the consolidated statements of income and accumulated other comprehensive loss for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
* The Company early adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. Pursuant to this adoption, effective January 1, 2017, the Company recorded settlement gain/(loss) on cash flow hedges in cost of revenues and operating expenses, as applicable, in the consolidated statements of income. In prior periods, such gain/loss were included under "Foreign exchange gain, net" line in the consolidated statements of income.
16. Borrowings
On October 24, 2014, the Company entered into a credit agreement that provided for a $50,000 revolving credit facility (the “Credit Facility”). On February 23, 2015, the Company increased the commitments under the Credit Facility by up to an additional $50,000. The Credit Facility had a maturity date of October 24, 2019 and was voluntarily pre-payable from time to time without premium or penalty. On November 21, 2017, the Company prepaid all outstanding amounts, including accrued interest and fees, and terminated all commitments, under the Credit Agreement. The Credit Facility carried an effective interest rate of 2.99% per annum during the year ended December 31, 2017.
On November 21, 2017, the Company and each of the Company’s wholly owned material domestic subsidiaries entered into a Credit Agreement with certain lenders, and Citibank, N.A. as Administrative Agent (the “New Credit Agreement”). The New Credit Agreement provides for a $200,000 revolving credit facility (the “New Credit Facility”) with an option to increase the commitments by up to $100,000, subject to certain approvals and conditions as set forth in the New Credit Agreement. The New Credit Agreement also includes a letter of credit sub facility. The New Credit Facility has a maturity date of November 21, 2022 and is voluntarily pre-payable from time to time without premium or penalty. Borrowings under the New Credit Agreement were
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
used to repay amounts outstanding under the Credit Facility and may otherwise be used for working capital and general corporate purposes, including permitted acquisitions.
Depending on the type of borrowing, loans under the New Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate equal to the specified prime rate (alternate base rate) or adjusted LIBO rate, plus, in each case, an applicable margin. The applicable margin is tied to the Company’s total net leverage ratio and ranges from 0.00% to 0.75% per annum with respect to loans pegged to the specified prime rate, and 1.00% to 1.75% per annum on loans pegged to the adjusted LIBO rate. The revolving credit commitments under the New Credit Agreement are subject to a commitment fee which is also tied to the Company’s total net leverage ratio, and ranges from 0.15% to 0.30% per annum on the average daily amount by which the aggregate revolving commitments exceed the sum of outstanding revolving loans and letter of credit obligations. The New Credit Facility carried an effective interest rate of 3.5% per annum during the year ended December 31, 2017.
Obligations under the New Credit Agreement are guaranteed by the Company’s material domestic subsidiaries and are secured by all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and our material domestic subsidiaries. The New Credit Agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants, including, but not limited to, restrictions on the ability to incur indebtedness, create liens, make certain investments, make certain dividends and related distributions, enter into, or undertake, certain liquidations, mergers, consolidations or acquisitions and dispose of assets or subsidiaries. In addition, the New Credit Agreement contains a covenant to not permit the interest coverage ratio or the total net leverage ratio, both as defined for the four consecutive quarter period ending on the last day of each fiscal quarter, to be less than 3.5 to 1.0 or more than 3.0 to 1.0, respectively. At December 31, 2017, the Company was in compliance with all financial and non - financial covenants listed under the New Credit Agreement.
As of December 31, 2017, we had an outstanding debt of $60,000 of which $10,000 is expected to be repaid within the next twelve months and is included under "current portion of long-term borrowings" and the balance of $50,000 is included under "long-term borrowings" in the consolidated balance sheets.
In connection with the New Credit Agreement, the Company incurred issuance cost of $790 which are deferred and amortized as an adjustment to interest expense over the term of the New Credit Facility. The unamortized debt issuance costs as of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 was $773 and $272, respectively and is included under "other current assets" and “other assets” in the consolidated balance sheets.
Borrowings also includes structured payables which are in the nature of debt, amounting to $709, of which $318 and $391 is included under "current portion of long-term borrowings" and "long-term borrowings", respectively in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017.
17. Capital Structure
Common Stock
The Company has one class of common stock outstanding.
During the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company acquired 69,154 and 17,676 shares of common stock, respectively from employees in connection with withholding tax payments related to the vesting of restricted stock for a total consideration of $3,267 and $807, respectively. The weighted average purchase price per share of $47.24 and $45.65, respectively, was the average of the high and low price of the Company’s share of common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on the trading day prior to the vesting date of the shares of restricted stock.
On December 30, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a common stock repurchase program (the “2014 Repurchase Program”), under which shares were authorized to be purchased by the Company from time to time from the open market and through private transactions during each of the fiscal years 2015 through 2017 up to an annual amount of $20,000.
On February 28, 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized an additional common stock repurchase program (the “2017 Repurchase Program”), under which shares may be purchased by the Company from time to time from the open market and through private transactions during each of the fiscal years 2017 through 2019 up to an aggregate additional amount of $100,000. The approval increases the 2017 authorization from $20,000 to $40,000 and authorizes stock repurchases of up to $40,000 in each of 2018 and 2019.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
During the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company purchased 761,154 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $40,187, including commissions, representing an average purchase price per share of $52.80 under the 2014 and 2017 Repurchase program.
During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company purchased 364,056 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $17,396, including commissions, representing an average purchase price per share of $47.78 under the 2014 Repurchase program.
Repurchased shares have been recorded as treasury shares and will be held until the Board of Directors designates that these shares be retired or used for other purposes.
18. Employee Benefit Plans
The Company’s Gratuity Plans in India ("Gratuity Plan") provide for lump sum payment to vested employees on retirement or upon termination of employment in an amount based on the respective employee’s salary and years of employment with the Company. Liabilities with regard to the Gratuity Plans are determined by actuarial valuation using the projected unit credit method. Current service costs for the Gratuity Plan are accrued in the year to which they relate. Actuarial gains or losses or prior service costs, if any, resulting from amendments to the plans are recognized and amortized over the remaining period of service of the employees.
In addition, the Company’s subsidiary operating in the Philippines conforms to the minimum regulatory benefit which provide for lump sum payment to vested employees on retirement from employment in an amount based on the respective employee’s salary and years of employment with the Company (the "Philippines Plan"). The benefit costs of the Philippines Plan for the year are calculated on an actuarial basis.
The benefit obligation has been measured as of December 31, 2017. The following table sets forth the activity and the funded status of the Gratuity Plans and the amounts recognized in the Company’s consolidated financial statements at the end of the relevant periods:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Net gratuity cost includes the following components:
The components of accumulated other comprehensive gain/(loss) (net of tax) that have not been recognized as components of net gratuity cost in the statement of income as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:
The amount in accumulated other comprehensive gain that is expected to be recognized as a component of net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year is $161.
The weighted average actuarial assumptions used to determine benefit obligations and net periodic gratuity cost are:
The Company evaluates these assumptions annually based on its long-term plans of growth and industry standards. The discount rates are based on current market yields on government securities adjusted for a suitable risk premium.
The gratuity plan in India is partially funded and the Philippines Plan is unfunded. The Company makes annual contributions to the employees’ gratuity fund established with Life Insurance Corporation of India and HDFC Standard Life Insurance Company. They calculate the annual contribution required to be made by the Company and manage the Gratuity Plans, including any required payouts. Fund managers manage these funds on a cash accumulation basis and declare interest retrospectively on March 31 of each year. The company earned a return of approximately 7.9% on these Gratuity Plans for the period ended December 31, 2017.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
* All benefits payments were made through the plan assets during the year ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.
The Company maintains several 401(k) Plans (the “401(k) Plans”) under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”), covering all eligible employees, as defined in the Code is a defined contribution plan. The Company may make discretionary contributions of up to a maximum of 4% of employee compensation within certain limits. Contributions to the 401(k) Plans amounted to $2,709, $2,383 and $1,907 during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
During the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, the Company contributed $7,115, $6,306 and $5,753 respectively, for various defined contribution plans on behalf of its employees in India, the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Colombia, and Singapore.
19. Leases
The Company finances its use of certain motor vehicles and other equipment under various lease arrangements provided by financial institutions. Future minimum lease payments under these capital leases as of December 31, 2017 are as follows:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
The Company conducts its operations using facilities leased under operating lease agreements that expire at various dates. Future minimum lease payments under such agreements expiring after December 31, 2017 are set forth below:
Rent expense
The operating leases are subject to renewal periodically and have scheduled rent increases. The company recognizes rent on such leases on a straight-line basis over cancelable and non-cancelable lease period determined under ASC topic 840, "Leases":
Deferred rent
Deferred rent is included under "Accrued expenses and other current liabilities" and "Non-current liabilities" in the consolidated balance sheets.
20. Income Taxes
The components of income before income taxes consist of the following:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
The income tax expense consists of the following:
The effective income tax rate differs from the amount computed by applying the U.S. federal statutory income tax rate to income before income taxes approximately as follows:
The effective income tax rate was 42.5% and 26.4% during the year ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2017 was significantly impacted by recording the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Reform Act”), enacted on December 22, 2017 by the U.S. government. The Tax Reform Act makes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code that has affected our fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, including, but not limited to (1) reducing the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35.0% to 21.0% effective January 1, 2018 and (2) implementing a modified territorial tax system that includes a one-time transition tax on the mandatory deemed repatriation of accumulated earnings and profits (“E&P”) of foreign subsidiaries that is payable over eight years.
The Company has re-measured its net deferred tax assets and liabilities using the enacted Federal Tax Rate that will apply when these amounts are expected to reverse. The effect of the re-measurement of $1,949 is reflected entirely in the current period that includes the enactment date and is allocated directly to income tax expense from continuing operations.
The Deemed Repatriation Transition Tax (the “Transition Tax”) is a tax on previously untaxed accumulated E&P of certain of our foreign subsidiaries. To determine the amount of the Transition Tax, the Company must determine, in addition to other factors, the amount of post-1986 E&P of the relevant subsidiaries, as well as the amount of non-U.S. income taxes paid on such earnings. The Company was able to make a reasonable estimate and recorded a provisional Transition Tax obligation of $27,236.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
On December 22, 2017, the SEC issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB 118”), which provides guidance on accounting for tax effects of the Tax Reform Act. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the Tax Reform Act enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under ASC 740. In accordance with SAB 118, a company must reflect the income tax effects of those aspects of the Tax Reform Act for which the accounting under ASC 740 is complete. To the extent that a company’s accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act is incomplete but it is able to determine a reasonable estimate, it must record a provisional estimate to be included in the financial statements. If a company cannot determine a provisional estimate to be included in the financial statements, it should continue to apply ASC 740 on the basis of the provision of the tax laws that were in effect immediately before the enactment of the Tax Reform Act. While the Company was able to make reasonable estimates of the impact of the reduction in corporate rate and the deemed repatriation transition tax, the final impact of the Tax Reform Act may differ from these estimates, due to, among other things, changes in our interpretations and assumptions, additional guidance that may be issued by the I.R.S., and actions the Company may take. The Company continues to gather additional information to determine the final impact.
Company also derive benefit from a corporate tax holiday in the Philippines for our operations centers established there over the last several years. The tax holiday expired for two of our centers in 2014 and in 2016 and will expire over the next few years for other centers, which may lead to an increase in our overall tax rate. Following the expiry of the tax exemption, income generated from centers in the Philippines will be taxed at the prevailing annual tax rate, which is currently 5.0% on gross income.
Certain operations centers in India, which were established in Special Economic Zones (“SEZs”), are eligible for tax incentives until 2025. These operations centers are eligible for a 100% income tax exemption for first five years of operations and 50% exemption for a period of five years thereafter.
The diluted earnings per share effect of the tax holiday is $0.13, $0.12 and $0.09 for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
The components of the deferred tax balances as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying values of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss carry forwards. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company performed an analysis of the deferred tax asset valuation allowance for net operating loss carry forward for its domestic entities. Based on this analysis, the Company continues to carry a valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets on certain net operating loss carry forwards. Accordingly, the Company had recorded a valuation allowance of $20 and $351 as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The Company also recorded a valuation allowance of $88 and $103 related to tax credit carry forward as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
As a result of the multiple acquisitions over the last few years, the Company acquired federal and state net operating losses in the United States. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company has federal net operating loss carry forwards of approximately of $1,554 and $4,052, respectively, which expire through various years until 2032. The Company’s federal net operating loss carry forwards are subject to certain annual utilization limitations under Section 382 of the United States Internal Revenue Code. The Company also has state and local net operating loss carry forwards of varying amounts, which are subject to limitations under the applicable rules and regulations of those taxing jurisdictions. The Company estimates that it will be able to utilize all of the losses before their expiration.
At December 31, 2017, undistributed earnings of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries amounted to approximately $376,649. Not all of the undistributed earnings may be available for repatriation due to foreign legal restrictions that require minimum reserves to be maintained in those Countries and additional taxes that could be imposed on the distribution of those earnings. U.S. federal deferred income taxes on these earnings are not required because under the Tax Reform Act such earnings have been subject to U.S. federal tax as a result of the mandatory repatriation provision. Additionally, such earnings will not be subject to U.S. federal tax when actually distributed as provided in the Tax Reform Act, except that certain foreign jurisdictions may impose a tax on such distributions.
The Company’s income tax expense also includes the impact of provisions established for uncertain income tax positions determined in accordance with ASC topic 740, “Income Taxes”, as well as the related net interest. Tax exposures can involve complex issues and may require an extended resolution period. Although the Company believes that it has adequately reserved for its uncertain tax positions, no assurance can be given that the final tax outcome of these matters will not be different. The Company adjusts these reserves in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the closing of a tax audit or the refinement
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
of an estimate. To the extent that the final tax outcome of these matters differs from the amounts recorded, such differences will impact the income tax expense in the period in which such determination is made.
The following table summarizes the activity related to the gross unrecognized tax benefits from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017
The unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2017 of $824, if recognized, would impact the effective tax rate.
The Company has recognized interest of nil and $315 during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, which is included in the income tax expense in the consolidated statements of income. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company has accrued interest and penalties of $68 and $1,553 relating to unrecognized tax benefits.
21. Stock Based Compensation
On June 19, 2015, at the Company’s 2015 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Company's stockholders approved the 2015 Plan, which amended and restated the 2006 Omnibus Award Plan to, among other things, increased the total number of shares reserved for grants of awards under the 2015 Plan by 1,700,000 shares. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had 1,509,976 shares available for grant under the 2015 Plan (includes 145,193 shares against vested performance-based restricted stock units for which the underlying common stock was issued subsequent to December 31, 2017).
Under the 2015 Plan, the Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) may grant awards of non-qualified stock options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock bonus awards, performance based compensation awards (including cash bonus awards and market condition based awards) or any combination of the foregoing.
The Committee determines which employees are eligible to receive the equity awards, the number of equity awards to be granted, the exercise price, the vesting period and the exercise period. The vesting period for the equity award issued is determined on the date of the grant and is non-transferable during the life of the equity award. The majority of options expire ten years from the date of grant. The equity awards generally vest proportionally over a period of four years from the date of grant, unless specified otherwise.
The Company applies the provisions of ASC 718, to account for its stock based compensation, using the modified prospective method of transition. Under the provisions of this guidance, the estimated fair value of stock-based awards granted under stock incentive plans is recognized as compensation expense over the vesting period.
The following costs related to the Company’s stock-based compensation plan are included in the consolidated statements of income:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Stock Options
The fair value of each stock option granted to employees is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model.
The Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future and therefore uses an expected dividend yield of zero in the option valuation model. All stock-based payment awards are amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service periods of the awards, which are generally the vesting periods. The Company accounts for the forfeitures as and when the actual forfeitures occur.
Stock option activity under the Company’s stock plans is shown below:
The unrecognized compensation cost for unvested options as of December 31, 2017 is nil. The Company did not grant any options during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015. The total grant date fair value of options vested during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was nil, $706 and $1,228, respectively. The aggregate intrinsic value of options exercised during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $23,027, $12,911 and $4,413, respectively.
The following table summarizes the status of the Company’s stock options outstanding, vested and exercisable at December 31, 2017:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units
An award of restricted stock is a grant of shares subject to conditions and restrictions set by the Committee. The grant or the vesting of an award of restricted stock may be conditioned upon service to the Company or its affiliates or upon the attainment of performance goals or other factors, as determined in the discretion of the Committee. The Committee may also, in its discretion, provide for the lapse of restrictions imposed upon an award of restricted stock. Holders of an award of restricted stock may have, with respect to the restricted stock granted, all of the rights of a stockholder, including the right to vote and to receive dividends.
The Committee is authorized to award restricted stock units to participants. The Committee establishes the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to each award of restricted stock units, including the time or times at which restricted stock units will be granted or vested and the number of units to be covered by each award. The terms and conditions of each restricted stock award will be reflected in a restricted stock unit agreement.
Any cash or in-kind dividends paid with respect to unvested shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units are withheld by the Company and paid to the holder of such shares of restricted stock, without interest, only if and when such shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units vest. Any unvested shares of restricted stock and restricted stock units are immediately forfeited without consideration upon the termination of holder’s employment with the Company or its affiliates. Accordingly, the Company’s unvested restricted stock and restricted stock units do not include non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents and are therefore not considered as participating securities for purposes of earnings per share calculations pursuant to the two-class method.
Restricted stock and restricted stock unit activity under the Company’s stock plans is shown below:
(1) Excludes 11,058 and 19,874 restricted stock units vested during the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016 restricted stock units vested for which the underlying common stock is yet to be issued are 146,112 and 135,054, respectively.
The fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock units is generally the market price of the Company’s shares on the date of grant. As of December 31, 2017, unrecognized compensation cost of $34,463 is expected to be expensed over a weighted average period of 2.47 years. The weighted-average fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock units granted during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $48.02, $48.97 and $35.18, respectively. The total grant date fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock units vested during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $19,430, $10,761 and $12,620, respectively.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Performance Based Stock Awards
Under the 2015 Plan, the Company grants performance-based restricted stock units (“PRSUs”) to executive officers and other specified employees. 50% of the PRSUs cliff vest at the end of a three-year period based on a revenue target for the third year (“PUs”). However, for PUs granted in 2015, up to one-third of the PUs may be earned based on the Company’s revenue performance in each of the first two years against annual revenue targets in those years. The total amount of PUs that the recipient earns based on these performance criteria will be the greater of (i) the PUs earned in the year of vesting and (ii) the sum of the earned PUs during the first two years. The remaining 50% is based on a market condition (“MUs”) that is contingent on the Company meeting or exceeding the total shareholder return relative to a group of peer companies specified under the program measured over a three-year performance period. The award recipient may earn up to two hundred percent (200%) of the PRSUs granted based on the actual achievement of targets.
The fair value of each PU was determined based on the market price of one common share on the date of grant, and the associated compensation expense was calculated on the basis that performance targets at 100% of the PUs is probable of being achieved. The compensation expense for the PUs is recognized on a straight-line basis over the service period, which is through the end of the third year. Over this period, the number of shares that will be issued will be adjusted upward or downward based upon the probability of achievement of the performance targets. The ultimate number of shares issued and the related compensation cost recognized as an expense will be based on a comparison of the final performance metrics to the specified targets.
The grant date fair value for the MUs was determined using a Monte Carlo simulation model and the related compensation expense will be expensed on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. All compensation expense related to the MUs will be recognized if the requisite performance period is fulfilled, even if the market condition is not achieved.
The Monte Carlo simulation model simulates a range of possible future stock prices and estimates the probabilities of the potential payouts. This model also incorporates the following ranges of assumptions:
•
The historical volatilities are used over the most recent three-year period for the components of the peer group.
•
The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury rate assumption commensurate with the three-year performance period
•
Since the plan stipulates that the awards are based upon the TSR of the Company and the components of the peer group, it is assumed that the dividends get reinvested in the issuing entity on a continuous basis.
•
The correlation coefficients are used to model the way in which each entity tends to move in relation to each other are based upon the price data used to calculate the historical volatilities.
The fair value of each MU granted to employees is estimated on the date of grant using the following weighted average assumptions:
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Performance restricted stock unit activity under the Company’s stock plans is shown below:
* Represents adjustment of shares issued in respect of PUs and MUs granted in February 2015 and MUs granted in April 2015 upon certification of the level of achievement of the performance targets for such awards for which the underlying common stock was issued subsequent to December 31, 2017.
As of December 31, 2017, unrecognized compensation cost of $6,810 is expected to be expensed over a weighted average period of 1.76 years.
Subsequent to December 31, 2017, the Company granted approximately 458,000 PRSUs and restricted stock units to its employees.
22. Related Party Disclosures
The Company provides consulting services to PharmaCord, LLC. One of the Company’s directors, Nitin Sahney, is the member-manager and chief executive officer of PharmaCord, LLC. The Company recognized revenue of approximately $1,748 for the year ended December 31, 2017 for services provided.
At December 31, 2017, the Company had an account receivable of $140 related to these services.
23. Commitments and Contingencies
Fixed Asset Commitments
At December 31, 2017, the Company has committed to spend approximately $9,500 under agreements to purchase fixed assets. This amount is net of capital advances paid in respect of these purchases.
Other Commitments
Certain units of the Company’s Indian subsidiaries were established as 100% Export-Oriented units or under the Software Technology Parks of India (“STPI”) scheme promulgated by the Government of India. These units are exempt from customs, central excise duties, and levies on imported and indigenous capital goods, stores, and spares. The Company has undertaken to pay custom duties, service taxes, levies, and liquidated damages payable, if any, in respect of imported and indigenous capital goods, stores and spares consumed duty free, in the event that certain terms and conditions are not fulfilled. The Company’s management believes, however, that these units have in the past satisfied and will continue to satisfy the required conditions.
The Company’s operations centers in the Philippines are registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (“PEZA”). The registration provides the Company with certain fiscal incentives on the import of capital goods and requires Exl Philippines to meet certain performance and investment criteria. The Company’s management believes that these centers have in the past satisfied and will continue to satisfy the required criteria.
EXLSERVICE HOLDINGS, INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS-(continued)
December 31, 2017
(In thousands, except share and per share amounts)
Contingencies
U.S. and Indian transfer pricing regulations require that any international transaction involving associated enterprises be at an arm’s-length price. Accordingly, the Company determines the appropriate pricing for the international transactions among its associated enterprises on the basis of a detailed functional and economic analysis involving benchmarking against transactions among entities that are not under common control. The tax authorities have jurisdiction to review this arrangement and in the event that they determine that the transfer price applied was not appropriate, the Company may incur increased tax liability, including accrued interest and penalties. The Company is currently involved in disputes with the Indian tax authorities over the application of certain of its transfer pricing policies for some of its subsidiaries. Further, the Company and a U.S. subsidiary are engaged in tax litigation with the income-tax authorities in India on the issue of permanent establishment.
The aggregate amount demanded by Income tax authorities (net of advance payments, if any) from the Company related to its transfer pricing issues for tax years 2003 to 2014 and its permanent establishment issues for tax years 2003 to 2007 as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 is $18,065 and $17,963, respectively, of which the Company has made payments or provided bank guarantee to the extent $8,573 and $8,640, respectively. Amounts paid as deposits in respect of such assessments aggregating to $6,499 and $6,690 as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, are included in “Other assets” and amounts deposited for bank guarantees aggregating to $2,074 and $1,950 as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, are included in “Restricted cash” in the non-current assets section of the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.
Based on advice from its Indian tax advisors, the facts underlying the Company’s position and its experience with these types of assessments, the Company believes that the probability that it will ultimately be found liable for these assessments is remote and accordingly has not accrued any amount with respect to these matters in its consolidated financial statements. The Company does not expect any impact from these assessments on its future income tax expense. It is possible that the Company might receive similar orders or assessments from tax authorities for subsequent years. Accordingly even if these disputes are resolved, the Indian tax authorities may still serve additional orders or assessments.