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Risk Factors - IESC

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Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those experienced previously or those expressed in such forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any information, including information concerning our controlling shareholder, net operating losses, borrowing availability or cash

position, or any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this report. Forward-looking statements are provided in this Annual Report on Form 10-K pursuant to the safe harbor established under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and should be evaluated in the context of the estimates, assumptions, uncertainties and risks described herein.

Item 1. Business

OVERVIEW

IES Holdings, Inc. designs and installs integrated electrical and technology systems and provides infrastructure products and services to a variety of end markets, including data centers, residential housing and commercial and industrial facilities. Our operations are organized into four business segments, based upon the nature of our services:

•Communications – Nationwide provider of technology infrastructure services, including the design, build, and maintenance of the communications infrastructure within data centers for co-location and managed hosting customers, for both large corporations and independent businesses.

•Residential – Regional provider of electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes, as well as heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and plumbing installation services in certain markets.

•Infrastructure Solutions – Provider of electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations, including apparatus repair and custom-engineered products, such as generator enclosures used in data centers and other industrial applications.

•Commercial & Industrial – Provider of electrical and mechanical design, construction, and maintenance services to the commercial and industrial markets in various regional markets and nationwide in certain areas of expertise, such as the power infrastructure market and data centers.

While sharing common goals and values, each of the Company’s segments manages its own day-to-day operations. Our corporate office is focused on significant capital allocation decisions, investment activities and selection of segment leadership. The corporate office also assists with strategic and operational improvement initiatives, talent development, sharing of best practices across the organization and the establishment and monitoring of risk management practices within our segments.

IES Holdings, Inc. is a Delaware corporation established in 1997 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, with an executive office in Greenwich, Connecticut.

CORPORATE STRATEGY

We seek to create shareholder value by growing our business through increasing our market share, geographic and market expansion and adding to our capabilities, as well as improving operating margins and generating free cash flow, by investing in our existing businesses and completing acquisitions. We primarily seek to acquire businesses that strategically complement our existing business segments. In addition, we may seek to acquire or invest in stand-alone platform companies based in North America. In evaluating potential acquisition candidates, we seek to invest in businesses with, among other characteristics:

•proven management with a willingness to continue post-acquisition;

•low technological and/or product obsolescence risk;

•established market position and sustainable competitive advantages; and

•strong cash flow characteristics.

We believe that acquisitions provide an opportunity to expand into new or related services, products, end markets or geographic areas and diversify our revenue and profit streams. While we may use acquisitions to build our presence in the industries we serve, we will also consider potential acquisitions in other industries, which could result in changes in our operations from those historically conducted by us.

OPERATING SEGMENTS

The Company’s reportable segments consist of the consolidated business segments identified above, which offer different services and are managed separately. The table below describes the percentage of our total revenues attributable to each of our four segments over

each of the last three years (percentage columns may not add due to rounding):

For additional financial information by segment, see Note 11, “Operating Segments” in the notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Communications

Business Description

Originally established in 1984, our Communications segment is a leading provider of network infrastructure solutions for data centers and other mission critical environments. Our services include the design, installation and maintenance of network infrastructure for leading and recognizable global technology, social networking and e-commerce brands, including many Fortune 100 and 500 corporations. We serve a variety of industries and end markets, including data centers for co-location and managed hosting customers; corporate, educational, financial, hospitality and healthcare buildings; e-commerce distribution centers; and high-tech manufacturing facilities. We also provide the design and installation of audio/visual, telephone, fire, wireless access and intrusion alarm systems, as well as design/build, service and maintenance of data network systems. We perform services across the United States from our 19 offices, which includes the segment headquarters located in Tempe, Arizona, and also provide dedicated onsite teams at our customers’ sites.

Industry Overview

Our Communications segment is driven by demand for computing and storage resources as a result of technology advancements and obsolescence and changes in data consumption patterns. Demand in the data center market remains strong, and we continue to provide structured cabling services for applications such as data centers, distribution centers, and high-tech manufacturing facilities. As technology evolves, we are focused on expanding our capabilities as an integrator of audio-visual and other building technology offerings, which continue to experience strong demand. At September 30, 2023, our Communications business has a record level of backlog. However, if customers in our end markets reduce their capital budgets due to economic, technological or other factors, this could result in a decrease in activity for our Communications segment.

Sales and Marketing

Our sales strategy relies on a concentrated business development effort, with centralized marketing programs and direct end-customer communications and relationships. Due to the mission critical nature of the facilities we service, our end-customers significantly rely upon our past performance record, technical expertise and specialized knowledge. A significant portion of our Communications business volume is generated from long-term, repeat customers, some of whom use IES as a preferred provider for major projects.

Our long-term strategy is to improve our position as a preferred solutions and services provider to large national corporations and strategic local companies. Key elements of our long-term strategy include continued investment in our employees’ technical expertise and expansion of our on-site maintenance and recurring revenue model, as well as opportunistic acquisitions of businesses that serve our markets, consistent with our stated corporate strategy.

Competition

Our competition consists of both large national or regional competitors and small, privately owned contractors who generally have limited access to capital. We compete on quality of service and/or price and seek to emphasize our financial capabilities and long history of delivering high quality solutions to our customers.

Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations

The effects of seasonality on our Communications business are not significant, as work generally is performed inside structures protected from the weather. Our service and maintenance business is also generally not affected by seasonality. However, communications infrastructure spending has historically been highly cyclical. Our volume of business may be adversely affected by declines in projects resulting from adverse regional or national economic conditions. Quarterly results may also be materially affected by the timing of new construction projects. Accordingly, operating results for any fiscal period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for any subsequent fiscal period.

Residential

Business Description

Originally established in 1973, our Residential segment is a leading provider of electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes, as well as HVAC and plumbing installation services in certain markets, and cable television installations for residential and light commercial applications. The Residential segment also provides services for the installation of residential solar power, both for new construction and existing residences. The Residential segment is made up of 80 total locations, which include the segment headquarters in Houston, Texas. These locations geographically cover the Sun-Belt, Western, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.

Industry Overview

Our Residential business is closely correlated to the single and multi-family housing market. Although demand for both single-family and multi-family housing has increased in recent years, due to economic, technological or other factors, there can be no assurance that overall construction and demand will continue to increase in the future. Entering fiscal 2024, we are cautious about demand for single-family housing, as higher interest rates on mortgages and the impacts of inflation on materials and labor costs have resulted in a decline in housing affordability. We also expect a slowing in multi-family housing starts, as changing credit conditions have made it more difficult and more expensive to finance new projects. Although we expect fiscal 2024 multi-family revenues will be supported by our current backlog, the anticipated reduction in multi-family housing starts may impact our ability to maintain current levels of backlog.

Sales and Marketing

Demand for our Residential services is highly dependent on the number of single-family and multi-family home starts in the markets we serve. Although we operate in multiple states, the majority of our single-family revenues are derived from services provided in Texas and Florida. The Texas market also remains an important part of our multi-family business; however, the majority of our multi-family revenue is earned across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast. Our sales efforts include a variety of strategies, including a concentrated focus on national and regional homebuilders and multi-family developers and a local sales strategy for single and multi-family housing projects. Our cable and solar revenues are typically generated through third parties specializing in these industries who select us as a preferred provider of installation services. A significant portion of our Residential business volume is generated from long-term, repeat customers, some of whom use IES as a preferred provider for major projects.

Our long-term strategy is to continue to be a leading provider of electrical services to the residential market, and to continue to expand our offerings of plumbing and HVAC services. The key elements of our long-term strategy include a continued focus on maintaining a low and variable cost structure and cash generation, allowing us to effectively scale according to the housing cycle, and to opportunistically increase our market share.

Competition

Our competition primarily consists of small, privately owned contractors who generally have limited access to capital. We believe that we have a competitive advantage over these smaller competitors due to our key employees’ long-standing customer relationships, our financial capabilities, our employee training program, and our local market knowledge and competitive pricing. There are few barriers to entry for electrical contracting services in the residential markets.

Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations

Results of operations from our Residential segment can be seasonal, depending on weather trends, with typically higher revenues generated during spring and summer and lower revenues during fall and winter. In addition, the construction industry has historically been highly cyclical. Our volume of business may be adversely affected by declines in multi-family occupancy rates as well as single-family housing starts within our operational footprint. Quarterly results may also be materially affected by the timing of new construction projects. Accordingly, operating results for any fiscal period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for any subsequent fiscal period.

Infrastructure Solutions

Business Description

Our Infrastructure Solutions segment provides electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations to domestic and international customers. Our Custom Power Solutions business includes the manufacture of custom commercial and industrial generator enclosures and the manufacture of custom-engineered power distribution equipment, including metal enclosed bus duct solutions used in power distribution. Our Industrial Services business includes the maintenance and repair of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electric motors and generators, as well as power generating and distribution equipment; the manufacture, re-manufacture, and repair of industrial lifting magnets; and maintenance and repair of railroad main and auxiliary generators, main alternators, and traction motors.

This segment serves the steel, railroad, marine, petrochemical, pipeline, pulp and paper, wind energy, mining, automotive, power generation, scrap yards, data center, and utility industries. Our Infrastructure Solutions segment is comprised of 12 locations in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and West Virginia, and is headquartered in Massillon, Ohio.

Industry Overview

Given the diverse end-markets of Infrastructure Solutions’ customers, we are subject to many economic trends. In general, demand for our services has been driven by growth in industries, such as data centers, in-house maintenance departments continuing to outsource maintenance and repair work, output levels and equipment utilization at heavy industrial facilities, railroad companies’ and mass transit authorities’ capital investments and repair needs, investment in the United States’ aging energy and industrial infrastructure, demand for critical power applications that have high power demands and require dependable power supplies, the need for electrical or pipeline infrastructure improvements and the overall health of the economy.

Sales and Marketing

Our sales efforts are primarily driven by personnel based at our operating locations, as well as independent sales representatives. Our custom-engineered power distribution, bus system and generator enclosure products and services are principally sold in partnership with an original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) or to an engineering, procurement and construction firm on behalf of the end-user. Regarding our apparatus repair services, the majority of our customers are located within a 200-mile radius of our facilities, and we believe that the locations of our facilities allow us to rapidly address and respond to the needs of our customers. Our long-term strategy is to be a leader in custom-engineered metal enclosed bus systems and generator enclosures and the preferred solutions provider of outsourced electro-mechanical services, repairs, and manufacturing to our select markets.

Competition

Our competition ranges from small, single location service centers to large, multi-national companies. Our Custom Power Solutions business competes with domestic and international manufacturers and distributors. We believe that we have a competitive advantage due to our specific product offerings, geographic proximity to customer sites, and our ability to design high quality products to meet each customer's unique requirements. Our Industrial Services business competes with small, specialized manufacturing and repair shops, a limited number of other multi-location providers of electric motor repair, engineering and maintenance services, and various OEMs. Participants in this industry compete primarily on the basis of capabilities, service, quality, timeliness and price. We believe that we have a competitive advantage due to our breadth of capabilities, focus on quality, technical support, customer service, and financial resources.

Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations

Infrastructure Solutions’ revenues from its custom-engineered bus systems and generator enclosures are affected by the timing of customers' capital spending projects. Revenues from industrial services may be affected by the timing of scheduled outages at its industrial customers’ facilities and by weather conditions with respect to projects conducted outdoors, but the effects of seasonality on revenues in its industrial services business are not significant. Infrastructure Solutions’ quarterly results may fluctuate, and the results of one fiscal quarter may not be representative of the results of any other quarter or of the full fiscal year.

Commercial & Industrial

Business Description

Our Commercial & Industrial segment provides electrical and mechanical design, service, and construction services to commercial and industrial markets. Our construction services range from the initial planning and procurement to installation and start-up and are offered to a variety of new and remodel construction projects, ranging from the construction of office buildings and industrial facilities to transmission and distribution projects. Our design services range from budget assistance to providing design-build and LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) solutions to our end customers. Our maintenance and emergency services include critical plant shutdown, troubleshooting, emergency testing, preventative maintenance, and constant presence. We also provide

mechanical services such as maintenance agreements, installation, or replacement of mechanical equipment for commercial and industrial facilities.

This segment provides services for a variety of project types, including office buildings, manufacturing facilities, data centers, wind farms, solar facilities, municipal infrastructure and health care facilities. The Commercial & Industrial segment consists of 16 locations, which includes the segment headquarters in Houston, Texas. Geographically, these locations cover Texas, Nebraska, Oregon, Wisconsin, and the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Industry Overview

Given the diverse end markets of our Commercial & Industrial customers, which include both commercial buildings, such as offices, healthcare facilities and schools, and industrial projects, such as power, agricultural and food processing, and heavy manufacturing facilities, we are subject to many trends within the construction industry. In general, demand for our Commercial & Industrial services is driven by construction and renovation activity levels, economic growth, and availability of bank or other financing. Due to economic, technological or other factors, there can be no assurance that construction and demand will increase.

Sales and Marketing

Our sales focus varies by location, but is primarily based upon regional and local relationships and a demonstrated expertise in certain areas, such as heavy industrial, design-build, agricultural, or transmission and distribution. Our maintenance and certain renovation and upgrade work tends to be either recurring or experience lower sensitivity to economic cycles, or both. A significant portion of our larger projects is awarded from long-term, repeat customers. From time to time, we are contracted on projects with completion times extending beyond one year or over several years, which are generally more complex and difficult to estimate.

Competition

The electrical and mechanical contracting services industry is generally highly competitive and includes a number of regional or small privately-held local firms. Traditionally, competitors in certain parts of this market have faced few barriers to entry. Therefore, we seek to pursue projects where our access to capital and expertise provide a competitive advantage.

Industry expertise, project size, location and past performance determine our bidding strategy, the level of involvement from competitors and our level of success in bidding for new work. Our primary advantages vary by location and market, but mostly are based upon local individual relationships with key customers or a demonstrated industry expertise. Additionally, due to the size of many of our projects, our financial resources help us compete effectively against local competitors.

Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations

The effects of seasonality on our Commercial & Industrial business are not significant, as most of our work generally is performed inside structures protected from the weather. However, we do perform some work outdoors, which can be affected by the weather. Most of our service and maintenance business is also generally not affected by seasonality. However, the construction industry has historically been highly cyclical. Our volume of business may be adversely affected by declines in construction projects resulting from adverse regional or national economic conditions. Quarterly results may also be materially affected by the timing of new construction projects. Accordingly, operating results for any fiscal period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for any subsequent fiscal period.

SOURCES OF SUPPLY

The raw materials and components we use within our segments include, but are not limited to, electrical fixtures and system components, copper, aluminum, raw steel, and certain plastics. These raw materials and components are generally available from a variety of domestic suppliers at competitive prices. Delivery times are typically short for most raw materials and standard components, but during periods of peak demand, may extend to one month or more. However, during fiscal 2021 and 2022, supply chain interruptions became increasingly common, primarily as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. Although supply of most raw materials normalized during fiscal 2023, we continue to experience longer lead times in sourcing certain components. Such delays may lead to project inefficiencies resulting from schedule extensions. We are also exposed to increases in the prices of certain commodities. Our strategy to reduce commodity cost exposure includes early buying of commodities for particular projects or general inventory, as well as including escalation and escape provisions in project bids, quotes and contracts wherever possible. However, such protections are not included in every contract or project, and in such cases, we may not be fully reimbursed for increases in commodity prices by our customers and may be exposed to commodity price volatility on longer-term projects where we have prepaid for commodities.

RISK MANAGEMENT

The primary risks in our existing operations include project bidding and management, bodily injury, property and environmental damage, and construction defects. We monitor project bidding and management practices at various levels within the Company. We maintain automobile, general liability and construction defect insurance for third-party health, bodily injury and property damage, as well as pollution coverage and workers’ compensation coverage, which we consider appropriate to insure against these risks. Our third-party insurance is subject to deductibles for which we establish reserves. In light of these risks, we are also committed to a strong safety and environmental compliance culture. We have a robust safety program, and seek to maintain standardized safety and environmental policies and procedures. We are also subject to cyber security and information theft risks in our operations, which we seek to manage through a cyber and information security program, training and insurance coverage. Given the dynamic and evolving nature of cyber threats, we cannot be assured that we are protected against all such threats.

In the electrical contracting industry, our ability to post surety bonds provides us with an advantage over competitors that are smaller or have fewer financial resources. We believe that the strength of our balance sheet, as well as a good relationship with our bonding providers, enhances our ability to obtain adequate financing and surety bonds, although there can be no assurance that surety bonding coverage will be available when we need it. For a further discussion of our risks, please refer to Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

CUSTOMERS

We have a diverse customer base. During the year ended September 30, 2023, one customer accounted for 12.0% of our consolidated revenues and no other customer accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated revenues. No single customer accounted for more than 10% of our consolidated revenues during each of the years ended September 30, 2022 and 2021. We emphasize developing and maintaining relationships with our customers by providing superior, high-quality service. Management at each of our segments is responsible for determining sales strategies and sales activities.

CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER

A majority of our outstanding common stock is owned by Tontine Associates, L.L.C. ("Tontine Associates") and its affiliates (collectively, “Tontine”). Tontine owns approximately 58 percent of our outstanding common stock based on Amendment No. Most of Tontine’s shares are registered for resale on a shelf registration statement filed by the Company with the SEC. Tontine’s sale of all or any portion of its shares could result in a change of control of the Company, which would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our credit agreement, bonding agreements with our sureties and our executive severance plan. For more information, see Note 3, “Controlling Shareholder” in the notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

REMAINING PERFORMANCE OBLIGATIONS AND BACKLOG

Remaining performance obligations represent the unrecognized revenue value of our contract commitments. While backlog is not a defined term under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP"), it is a common measurement used in our industry, and we believe it improves our ability to forecast future results and identify operating trends that may not otherwise be apparent. Backlog is a measure of revenue that we expect to recognize from work that has yet to be performed on uncompleted contracts and from work that has been contracted but has not started, exclusive of short-term projects. While all of our backlog is supported by documentation from customers, backlog is not a guarantee of future revenues, as contractual commitments may change and our performance may vary. Not all of our work is performed under contracts included in backlog; for example, most of the apparatus repair work that is completed by our Infrastructure Solutions segment is performed under master service agreements on an as-needed basis. Additionally, electrical installation services for single-family housing at our Residential segment are completed on a short-term basis and are therefore excluded from backlog. The table below summarizes our remaining performance obligations and backlog by segment:

(1) Our backlog includes signed agreements and letters of intent that we do not have a legal right to enforce prior to beginning work. These agreements are excluded from remaining performance obligations until work begins.

The increase in our backlog year over year was primarily driven by strong demand and increased market share within our all segments.

REGULATIONS

Our operations are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations, including:

•licensing requirements applicable to electricians, plumbers, and mechanical service technicians;

•building and electrical codes;

•regulations relating to worker safety, labor relations and protection of the environment;

•regulations relating to consumer protection, including those governing residential service agreements; and

•qualifications of our business legal structure in the jurisdictions where we do business.

Many state and local regulations governing electricians and mechanical services require permits and licenses to be held by individuals. In some cases, a required permit or license held by a single individual may be sufficient to authorize specified activities for all our electricians or mechanical service technicians who work in the state or county that issued the permit or license. While we seek permits or licenses, where available, that may be material to our operations in a particular geographic area to be held by multiple employees within that area, given the large number of permits and licenses required, we are unable to ensure that multiple employees hold such required permits and licenses.

We believe that we have all licenses required to conduct our operations and are in material compliance with applicable regulatory requirements. Failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in substantial fines or revocation of our operating licenses or an inability to perform government work.

CAPITAL FACILITIES

During fiscal year 2023, the Company maintained a revolving credit facility, as further described in Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. For a discussion of the Company’s capital resources, see Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

For the Company’s financial information by segment, see Note 11, “Operating Segments” in the notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

At IES, we believe that attracting and retaining highly qualified and motivated employees at all levels is a key driver of our continued growth and success. Our human capital management objectives include recruiting, retaining, developing, incentivizing and integrating our current and prospective employees as well as prioritizing and protecting their safety.

Our Employees

At September 30, 2023, we had 8,427 employees, of which 8,357 were full-time employees. We are party to two collective bargaining agreements covering fewer than 40 employees within our Infrastructure Solutions segment. We have not experienced, and do not expect, any work stoppage, and we believe that our relationship with our employees is strong.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and our policies prohibit discrimination based on race, color, creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin, disability, protected veteran status and relatives of protected veterans and any other status protected by local, state or federal law. This commitment applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, training, compensation, job assignment, advancement, performance feedback and separation.

We strive to support our employees’ and their families’ health by offering comprehensive benefits programs, including medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance. We also offer our employees a 401(k) plan, and life and disability insurance plans.

Recruiting and Training

A key factor in IES’s long-term strategy is the recruitment and retention of high-quality employees. We use both internal and external resources to recruit employees, including monitoring competitive compensation levels in the markets in which we operate. Our Communications segment has entered into a partnership with the U.S. Army to guarantee job interviews to those who have completed Army Reserve training or a first term of active duty service, and we value the leadership and work ethic military veterans bring to the Company.

We have invested significant resources in development opportunities for employees. For example, our Residential segment has established the IES Residential Education Center, a dedicated facility that trains employees from around the country in the technical skills necessary for a successful career in residential electrical contracting. At all of our segments, partly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we expanded online training offerings to help meet the needs of our changing workplaces. We believe our investment in training supports employee motivation and retention at the same time that it improves productivity and performance.

Safety

We are committed to fostering a strong safety culture that supports the health, safety and wellness of our employees, and this commitment is reflected in our track record of workplace safety that exceeds industry averages. Our regional safety managers, under the supervision of our Senior Vice President of Safety, seek to maintain standardized safety and environmental policies, programs and procedures and provide personal protective equipment relevant to each segment, including programs to train new employees. Our safety leadership continuously monitors and addresses safety performance, provides regular training and educational programs on safety and participates in numerous industry safety organizations.

LOCATIONS

As of September 30, 2023, we have 129 domestic locations. In addition to our 2 executive and corporate offices, as of September 30, 2023, we have 19 locations within our Communications business, 80 locations within our Residential business, 12 locations within our

Infrastructure Solutions business and 16 locations within our Commercial & Industrial business. This geographic diversity helps to reduce our exposure to unfavorable economic developments in any given region.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

Certain information with respect to each executive officer is as follows:

Jeffrey, L. Gendell, 64, has served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company since October 1, 2020; he previously served as Interim Chief Executive Officer from July 31, 2020 to September 30, 2020. Mr. Gendell has also served as a director and as Chairman of the Board since November 2016. Mr. Gendell is the founder and managing member of Tontine, the majority stockholder of the Company. Mr. Gendell formed Tontine in 1995 and manages all of the investment decisions at the firm. Prior to forming Tontine, Mr. Gendell held senior investment management positions at several other private investment firms, including Odyssey Partners, L.P., and began his career in investment banking over 35 years ago at Smith Barney, Harris Upham & Co., where he was involved in capital markets, corporate finance and M&A activity.

Matthew J. Simmes, 48, was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company effective December 7, 2023; he previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the Company from December 3, 2021 to December 6, 2023. Mr. Simmes has spent 30 years at IES and its predecessors in a variety of roles. He served as President of IES Communications from January 2017 to December 2021 and as Vice President of Operations of the segment from March 2007 to December 2016.

Tracy A. McLauchlin, 54, has served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Company since May 2015. She previously served as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of the Company since February 2014. Prior to joining IES, Ms. McLauchlin served as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of Rockwater Energy Solutions, Inc. from June 2011 to November 2013. From June 2004 to June 2011, Ms. McLauchlin was with Dynegy Inc., where she served as Senior Vice President and Controller from March 2009 to June 2011 and from June 2004 to March 2009 served in various other capacities in finance and accounting. She began her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP after receiving her Master of Accounting from Rice University. Ms. McLauchlin is a Certified Public Accountant.

Mary K. Newman, 43, has served as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of the Company since December 2019. Prior to joining IES, Ms. Newman was a Partner with the law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP from January 2017 to November 2019 and was an Associate from September 2011 to December 2016, where her practice focused on representing public and private companies in corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions and dispositions. She began her legal career with the law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP after receiving her J.D. from Harvard Law School and B.A. from Duke University.

We have adopted a Code of Ethics for Financial Executives that applies to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. The Code of Ethics may be found on our website at www.ies-corporate.com/governance-documents. If we make any substantive amendments to the Code of Ethics or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Ethics to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on that website or in a Current Report on Form 8-K. Paper copies of these documents are also available free of charge upon written request to us.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

General information about us can be found on our website at www.ies-co.com under “Investor Relations.” We file our interim and annual financial reports, as well as other reports required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with the SEC.

Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as any amendments and exhibits to those reports are available free of charge through our website as soon as it is reasonably practicable after we file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC. You may also contact our Investor Relations department which will provide you with a copy of these reports, or you may find them at www.ies-corporate.com/financial-information/sec-filings. The materials that we file with the SEC are also available free of charge through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

In addition to the Code of Ethics for Financial Executives, we have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics for directors, officers and employees (the Legal Compliance and Corporate Policy Manual), and established Corporate Governance Guidelines and adopted charters outlining the duties of our Audit, Human Resources and Compensation and Nominating/Governance Committees, copies of which may be found on our website. Paper copies of these documents are also available free of charge upon written request to us.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

You should consider carefully the risks described below, as well as the other information included in this document before making an investment decision. Our business, results of operations or financial condition could be materially and adversely affected by any of these risks, and the value of your investment may decrease due to any of these risks.

Risks Relating to the Operations of our Business

Demand for our services is cyclical and vulnerable to economic downturns affecting the industries we serve.

Demand for our services has been, and will likely continue to be, cyclical in nature and vulnerable to downturns in the general economy, as well as in the construction industry and the housing market. Many of our customers depend on the availability of credit to purchase our services or electrical and mechanical products. In the past, when the general level of economic activity has been reduced from historical levels, certain of our customers have delayed or cancelled projects or capital spending, thereby reducing our revenues and profitability. General concerns about the fundamental soundness of the economy may cause customers to defer projects, even if they have credit available to them. Prolonged uncertainties in the credit market, or the return of constrained credit market conditions, including the impact of rising interest rates on the housing markets, could have adverse effects on our customers, which would adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

The highly competitive nature of our industries could affect our profitability by reducing our revenues or profit margins.

The industries in which we compete are highly fragmented and are generally served by many small, owner-operated private companies. There are also several large private regional companies and a small number of large public companies from which we face competition in these industries. In the future, we could also face competition from new competitors entering these markets because certain segments, such as our electrical contracting services, have a relatively low barrier for entry while other segments, such as our services and custom engineered electro-mechanical products for mission critical infrastructure, have attractive growth and profitability characteristics. Some of our competitors in certain markets may offer a greater range of services than we offer in those markets, including mechanical construction and facilities management. Competition in our markets depends on a number of factors, including price. Some of our competitors may have lower overhead cost structures and may, therefore, be able to provide services comparable to ours at lower rates than we do. If we are unable to offer our services at competitive prices or if we have to reduce our prices to remain competitive, our profitability would be impaired.

We generate a significant portion of our revenues under fixed price contracts. The estimates we use in placing bids and changes in commodity and labor costs could have an adverse effect on our ability to maintain our profitability.

We currently generate, and expect to continue to generate, a significant portion of our revenues under fixed price contracts. The cost of fuel, labor and materials, including copper wire or other commodities, may vary significantly from the costs we originally estimate. Variations from estimated contract costs along with other risks inherent in performing fixed price contracts, including our ability to successfully manage projects, may result in actual revenue and gross profits for a project differing from those we originally estimated and could result in losses on projects. Depending upon the size of a particular project, variations from estimated contract costs can have a significant impact on our operating results.

If the costs associated with labor and commodities, such as copper, aluminum, steel, electrical components, fuel, and certain plastics, increase due to low supply, inflation, general market conditions, supply chain disruptions and delays, or other forces, losses may be incurred. Some of our materials have been and may continue to be subject to sudden and significant price increases, and continued high demand and low supply for those resources may lead to additional price increases. We are also exposed to volatility in energy prices, particularly as they relate to fuel prices for our fleet vehicles. Depending on competitive pressures and the fixed price nature of many of our contracts, we may not be able to pass on these cost increases to our customers, which would reduce our gross profit margins and, in turn, make it more difficult for us to maintain our profitability. We have a work force of over 8,000 employees, and our labor costs may fluctuate based on availability of and demand for workers as well as other labor related risks, including risks related to collective bargaining agreements, benefits arrangements, wage and hour claims and other compensation arrangements.

A failure to secure new contracts may adversely affect our cash flows and financial results.

Much of our revenue is derived from projects that are awarded through a competitive bid process. Contract bidding and negotiations are affected by a number of factors, including our own cost structure and bidding policies. It is not possible for us to predict the future level of demand for our services by these customers, and if one or more of them were to significantly delay, reduce or curtail activity, or stop accepting bids from us, it could have a material impact on our operating results. In addition, our ability to secure new contracts depends on our ability to maintain all required electrical, construction, mechanical and business licenses. If we fail to successfully transfer, renew or obtain such licenses where applicable, we

may be unable to compete for new business. The failure to bid and be awarded projects, cancellations of projects or delays in project start dates could affect our ability to deploy our assets profitably. Further, when we are awarded contracts, we face additional risks that could affect whether, or when, work will begin. We could experience a decrease in profitability if we are unable to replace canceled, completed or expired contracts with new work.

Our inability to carry out plans and strategies as expected, including our inability to identify and complete acquisitions and investments that meet our investment criteria in furtherance of our corporate strategy or the subsequent underperformance of those acquisitions and investments, may adversely impact our future growth and profitability.

Our corporate strategy includes creating shareholder value through acquiring businesses that we believe will strategically complement our existing business segments or acquiring or investing in stand-alone platform companies based in North America. While we believe that acquisitions will provide an opportunity to expand into new or related services, products, end-markets or geographic areas and diversify our revenue and profit streams, potential acquisitions could result in changes in our operations from those historically conducted by us and introduce the requirement for new controls. Alternatively, our failure to diversify from existing markets may limit our future growth. In addition, we have made, and may continue to make, strategic investments in debt or equity securities of publicly traded and privately held companies, including early-stage companies and more established companies. We are subject to risks associated with these investments. Some of our past acquisitions and investments have not performed as expected, and there is no assurance that future acquisitions and investments will perform as expected or generate a positive return on investment due to factors we could not predict prior to the acquisition or due to incorrect investment assumptions.

Acquisitions, dispositions and other strategic transactions that we may pursue could have a negative effect on our results of operations.

We are actively seeking to engage in acquisitions of operations, assets and investments, or to develop new types of work or processes, and we may seek to engage in dispositions of certain operations, assets or investments from time to time. If we are unable to successfully integrate newly acquired assets or operations or if we make untimely or unfavorable investments or dispositions, it could negatively impact our financial condition, results of operations and the market value of our common stock. Additionally, any future acquisition, investment or disposition may result in significant changes in the composition of our assets and liabilities, and as a result, our financial condition, results of operations and the market value of our common stock following any such acquisition, investment or disposition may be affected by factors different from those currently affecting our financial condition, results of operations and market value of our common stock.

The difficulties of integrating a business, assets or operations may include, among other things:

•geographically separated organizations and possible differences in corporate cultures and management philosophies;

•significant demands on management resources, which may distract management’s attention from day-to-day business;

•differences in the disclosure systems, compliance requirements, accounting systems, and accounting controls and procedures of the acquired company, which may interfere with our ability to make timely and accurate public disclosure; and

•the demands of managing new locations, new personnel and new lines of business acquired.

Backlog may not be realized or may not result in profits.

Customers often have no obligation under our contracts to assign or release work to us, and many contracts may be terminated on short notice. Reductions in backlog due to cancellation of one or more contracts by a customer or for other reasons could significantly reduce the revenue and profit we actually receive from contracts included in backlog. In the event of a project cancellation, we may be reimbursed for certain costs, but typically have no contractual right to the total revenues reflected in our backlog.

We may fail to adequately recover on contract change orders.

From time to time, we may pursue claims against our customers to recover costs incurred on a project in excess of the original contract amount. Such additional costs may be incurred in connection with project delays caused by our customers or third parties, including other trades, or changes in project scope or specifications. While we generally negotiate with the customer for additional compensation, we may be unable to obtain, through negotiation, arbitration, litigation or otherwise, adequate compensation for the additional work performed or expenses incurred. The process of pursuing a claim may be lengthy, result in significant legal fees, and negatively impact our relationships with customers. Furthermore, we may be required to invest significant working capital to fund cost overruns while the resolution of a claim is pending, and our additional costs may not be recovered until the claim is resolved, if at all. When appropriate, we establish provisions against possible exposures, and we adjust these provisions from time to time, but our

assumptions and estimates related to these exposures might prove to be inadequate or inaccurate. Unfavorable resolution of these matters can result in a reduction of revenues and profit recognized in prior periods or the recognition of a loss, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

We may incur significant charges or be adversely impacted by the closure or sale of facilities or assets.

In the past, we incurred significant costs associated with the closure or disposition of facilities, and we expect from time to time to evaluate the need for future facility closures or dispositions of assets. If we were to elect to dispose of a substantial portion of any of our segments, facilities, or assets, the realized values of such assets could be substantially less than current book values, which would likely result in a material adverse impact on our financial results. In addition, we may have warranty claims, costs pursuant to obligations to indemnify buyers after assets are sold, or other unexpected liabilities from closed facilities beyond the closing date, and if we dispose of a segment or business, we may continue to be subject to certain prior liabilities of that business after its disposition and may not be able to negotiate for limitations on those liabilities, all of which could adversely impact our financial returns.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted our business, and this pandemic, along with other potential public health emergencies, could have a future materially adverse impact on our business, including our financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on markets, the supply chain, and availability of labor has had a number of adverse impacts on our results of operations, and it continues to influence trends affecting our business. Although supply of most raw materials normalized during fiscal 2023, we may continue to experience increased prices or longer delivery times for certain materials necessary for our projects.

The availability and cost of surety bonds affect our ability to enter into new contracts and our margins on those engagements.

Many of our customers require us to post performance and payment bonds issued by a surety. Those bonds guarantee the customer that we will perform under the terms of a contract and that we will pay subcontractors and vendors. We obtain surety bonds from two primary surety providers; however, there is no commitment from these providers to guarantee our ability to issue bonds for projects as they are required. Our ability to access this bonding capacity is at the sole discretion of our surety providers. Accordingly, if we were to experience an interruption or reduction in our availability of bonding capacity, or if we are unable to obtain bonds at a reasonable cost, we may be unable to compete for, or work on, certain projects.

We are subject to risks associated with seasonality, adverse weather conditions, and climate change.

Our business is subject to seasonal variations in operations and demand that affect the construction business, particularly in the Residential and Commercial & Industrial segments. Adverse weather conditions, including rain, heat, ice, cold or snow may not only delay our work and contribute to project inefficiency, but may negatively impact our schedules and profitability by delaying the work of other trades on a construction site. Extreme weather conditions (such as hurricanes or other storms, droughts, extreme heat or cold, wildfires and floods) may limit the availability of resources, increase our costs, damage property, disrupt our workforce, or may cause projects to be cancelled. As we have expanded our operations in coastal areas, particularly Florida, these risks have increased. To the extent climate change results in an increase in extreme weather events and adverse weather conditions, the likelihood of a negative impact on our results of operations may increase.

Due to differing regional economic conditions, our results may fluctuate from period to period.

Our quarterly results may also be affected by regional economic conditions that affect the construction market. In particular, a prolonged period of weak demand in the oil and gas industry or increased regulatory restrictions on the industry could dampen the housing market in certain regions, resulting in reduced demand for the services provided by our Residential segment. Infrastructure Solutions’ revenues from industrial services may be affected by the timing of scheduled outages or capital projects at its industrial customers’ facilities, by demand for design, construction and site support of data centers, and by changes in spending in public infrastructure, power and steel markets. Industrial and rail customers may also be affected by volatility in oil prices. Accordingly, our performance in any particular quarter may not be indicative of the results that can be expected for any other quarter or for the entire year.

We may experience difficulties in managing our billings and collections.

Our billings under fixed price contracts in our contracting business are generally based upon achieving certain milestones and will only be accepted by the customer once we demonstrate those milestones have been met. If we are unable to demonstrate compliance with billing requests, or if we fail to issue a project billing, our likelihood of collection could be delayed or impaired, which, if experienced across several large projects, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Further, some of our customers may be highly leveraged or may be subject to their own operating and regulatory risks, which may also limit their ability to pay.

Our operations are subject to numerous physical hazards. If an accident occurs, it could result in an adverse effect on our business.

Hazards related to our industry include, but are not limited to, electrocutions, fires, injuries involving ladders, machinery-caused injuries, mechanical failures and transportation accidents. These hazards can cause personal injury and loss of life, severe damage to or destruction of property and equipment, and suspension of operations. While we have taken what we believe are appropriate precautions to minimize safety risks, we have experienced serious accidents in the past and may experience additional accidents in the future. Serious accidents may subject us to penalties, civil litigation or criminal prosecution. Our insurance does not cover all types or amounts of liabilities. In addition, if our safety record were to substantially deteriorate over time, our customers could cancel our contracts or not award us future business.

Our current insurance coverage may not be adequate, and we may not be able to obtain insurance at acceptable rates, or at all.

We maintain insurance coverage in part because some of our contracts require us to carry certain levels of insurance coverage, which is common in the industries in which we operate. Our third-party insurance is subject to deductibles for which we establish reserves. No assurance can be given that our insurance or our provisions for incurred claims and incurred but not reported claims will be adequate to cover all losses or liabilities we may incur in our operations; nor can we provide assurance that we will be able to maintain adequate insurance at reasonable rates.

Litigation and claims can cause unexpected losses.

In all of our businesses, we are subject to potential claims and litigation, including contractual disputes, warranty claims, and claims related to our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. We have in the past been, and may in the future be, named as a defendant in lawsuits, claims and other legal proceedings; such claims and litigation are common in the construction and electrical and mechanical maintenance businesses and may be related to contract delays, changes in the scope of work or alleged defects. There are also inherent claims and litigation risks associated with the number of people that work on construction sites and the fleet of vehicles on the road every day. In our Infrastructure Solutions businesses, we also may be subject to product liability litigation. We also have in the past been, and may in the future be, subject to employment-related claims including workers' compensation, employment discrimination, and wage and hour claims. Claims are sometimes made and lawsuits filed for amounts in excess of their value or in excess of the amounts for which they are eventually resolved. Claims and litigation normally follow a predictable course of time to resolution. However, there may be periods of time in which a disproportionate amount of our claims and litigation are concluded in the same quarter or year. If multiple matters are resolved during a given period, then the cumulative effect of these matters may be higher than the ordinary level in any one reporting period. In addition, due to the inherent uncertainties of litigation, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate outcome of any such actions or proceedings, which could result in significant expense, damage to our reputation and diversion of management’s attention from our business.

Latent defect litigation is normal for residential home builders in some parts of the country, as well as in certain areas of the commercial market. Any increases in our latent defect claims and litigation could place pressure on the profitability of the Residential and Commercial & Industrial segments of our business.

Regulatory requirements could result in significant compliance costs and liabilities.

We have operations throughout the United States and are subject to multiple state and local regulations. In addition, our segments, particularly our Commercial & Industrial segment, may be subject to federal laws and requirements applicable to government contractors. These laws and regulations govern many aspects of our business, and there are often different standards and requirements in different locations. Changes in law, regulations or requirements, or a material failure to comply with any of them, could increase our costs and have other negative impacts on our business by, among other things, increasing costs, harming our reputation and, in some instances, causing us to be in violation of our contractual obligations.

Disruptions to the proper functioning of our information technology systems or security breaches of our critical data, sensitive information or information technology systems could disrupt operations and cause increases in costs, decreases in revenues and/or harm to our reputation.

Our Company continues to increase its dependence on information technology systems, networks, and infrastructure to conduct our day-to-day operations and manage the way we provide services to our customers. Disruptions to our information technology systems or our failure to adequately protect critical data, sensitive information, and information technology systems could materially affect our business or result in harm to our reputation. Our critical accounting, project management, estimating, and financial information systems, some of which are third-party platforms, all rely on the proper functioning and security of our information technology environment and are critical to the successful operation of our business. We also collect and retain information about our customers, stockholders, vendors, and employees, with the expectation by such third parties being that we will adequately protect such information. Although our information technology systems, networks and infrastructure are protected through our policies, procedures and physical and software safeguards, our information technology environment is still vulnerable to natural disasters, power losses, telecommunication failures, deliberate intrusions, inadvertent user misuse or error, computer viruses, malicious code, ransomware attacks, acts of terrorism and other cyber security risks, which could cause a loss of critical data, or release of sensitive information. If critical information systems fail or are otherwise unavailable, or if sensitive information is released, we could experience reputational harm, loss of customers and revenue, loss of proprietary data, regulatory actions and scrutiny, statutory penalties, and litigation.

We have from time to time experienced cybersecurity incidents, such as ransomware attacks or unauthorized parties gaining access to our information technology systems, and privacy incidents, such as potential exposure of data. While to date such incidents have not had a material impact on our business, there can be no assurance that future incidents would not have an adverse effect on our business or reputation. Additionally, the process of integrating the information systems of the businesses we acquire is complex and exposes us to additional risk as we might not adequately identify weaknesses in the acquired business’s information systems or information handling, privacy and security policies and protocols, which could expose us to unexpected liabilities or make our own systems and data more vulnerable to attack. In addition, data privacy laws and regulations governing the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information may pose compliance challenges and result in additional costs for our businesses. A failure to comply with such laws and regulations could result in penalties or fines, legal liabilities or reputational harm.

We are subject to a number of environmental laws and regulations, including those concerning the handling, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials. These laws predominantly affect our Infrastructure Solutions business but may impact our other businesses. These environmental laws generally impose liability on current and former owners and operators, transporters and generators of hazardous materials for remediation of contaminated properties. We could be held liable for such contamination created not only from our own activities but also from the historical activities of companies we have acquired, or the activities of others on properties that we own or lease. There can be no assurance that the discovery of currently unknown problems or conditions will not require substantial additional expenditures. In addition, if we do not comply with these laws and regulations, we could be subject to material administrative, civil or criminal penalties, or other substantial liabilities.

Compliance with future changes in environmental laws and regulations, including those relating to climate change, could require significant expenditures.

Increasing concerns about climate change and other environmental issues may result in additional environmental regulations and restrictions, and we cannot predict the nature, scope or effect of legislation or regulatory requirements that could be imposed, or how existing or future laws or regulations will be administered or interpreted. Compliance with more stringent laws or regulations, as well as more vigorous enforcement policies of the regulatory agencies, could increase the costs of projects for us or our customers, potentially resulting in reduced profitability or a reduced demand for our services, or require us to incur substantial costs of compliance.

The loss of a group or several key personnel, either at the corporate or operating level, or general labor constraints could adversely affect our business.

The loss of key personnel or the inability to hire and retain qualified employees could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Our operations depend on the continued efforts of our executive officers, senior management and management personnel at our segments. As a service organization, relationships with significant customers can be dependent on certain employees within our organization, and our ability to meet our contractual obligations to our customers and support our growth strategy may be limited by our ability to retain and train necessary personnel. We cannot guarantee that any member of management at the corporate or operating segment level will continue in their capacity for any particular period of time, and there is significant

competition in our industry for managerial personnel. We have a severance plan in place that covers certain of our senior leaders; however, this plan can neither guarantee that we will not lose key employees, nor prevent them from competing against us. If we lose a group of key personnel or even one key person at a segment, we may not be able to recruit suitable replacements at comparable salaries or at all, which could adversely affect our operations. Additionally, we generally do not maintain key man life insurance for members of our management.

Our business is labor intensive, and many of our operations experience a high rate of employee turnover. We also may be constrained in hiring and retaining sufficient qualified employees to support our growth strategy due to general labor shortages in our industries. In addition, a lack of skilled labor or increased turnover rates within our employee base could lead to increased costs, such as increased overtime to meet demand and increased wage rates to attract and retain employees. Continued labor constraints may limit our ability to grow and may limit our profitability due to the impact of rising wages.

Risks Relating to our Financial Results, Financing and Liquidity

Negative conditions in the credit and capital markets may adversely impact our ability to operate our business.

In the past, the level of demand from our customers for our services has been adversely impacted by slowdowns in our customers' industries as well as in the economy in general. A number of economic factors, including financing conditions for our customers' industries, have, in the past, adversely affected our customers and their ability or willingness to fund expenditures. Many of our customers depend on the availability of credit to help finance their capital and maintenance projects. At times, tightened availability of credit and changes in interest rates that affect the cost of construction financing and mortgages have negatively impacted the ability of existing and prospective customers to obtain sufficient financing and fund projects we might otherwise perform. As a result, our customers may defer such projects for an unknown, and perhaps lengthy, period. Any such deferrals would inhibit our growth and would adversely affect our results of operations.

In a weak economic environment, particularly in a period of restrictive credit markets, we may experience greater difficulties in collecting payments from, and negotiating change orders and/or claims with, our customers due to, among other reasons, a diminution in our ultimate customers’ access to the credit markets. If clients delay in paying or fail to pay a significant amount of our outstanding receivables, or we fail to successfully negotiate a significant portion of our change orders and/or claims with customers, it could have an adverse effect on our liquidity, results of operations, and financial position.

We have adopted tax positions that a taxing authority may view differently. If a taxing authority differs with our tax positions, our results may be adversely affected.

Taxing authorities may not always agree with the positions we have taken. We have established reserves for tax positions that we have determined to be less than likely to be sustained by taxing authorities. However, there can be no assurance that our results of operations will not be adversely affected in the event that disagreement over our tax positions does arise.

To fund our working capital requirements, complete acquisitions and service any debt we may incur, we may require a significant amount of cash. Our ability to generate cash depends on many factors that are beyond our control.

Our ability to continue to grow our business, including through acquisitions and the funding of working capital requirements, as well as our ability to make payments on or refinance any indebtedness we may incur, will depend on our ability to generate cash in the future. This is subject to our operational performance, as well as general economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control.

We cannot provide assurance that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations or asset sales or that future borrowings will be available to us under our credit facility in an amount sufficient to enable us to complete acquisitions, to service any debt we may incur or to fund our other liquidity needs. We may need to refinance our credit facility on or before maturity. We cannot provide assurance that we will be able to refinance our credit facility on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Our inability to access capital on commercially reasonable terms could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We have restrictions and covenants under our credit agreement and the failure to meet these covenants, including liquidity and other financial requirements, could result in a default under our credit agreement.

We may not be able to remain in compliance with the covenants in our credit agreement, including financial covenants which, among other things, require minimum levels of liquidity and require us to maintain a specified fixed charge coverage ratio as defined under our credit agreement. Other covenants, among other things, limit our ability to provide liens, restrict fundamental changes, limit transactions with affiliates and subsidiaries, restrict changes to our organization documents, limit asset dispositions, limit investments,

limit the ability to incur debt, restrict certain payments to shareholders, limit our ability to repurchase our stock, and limit the ability to change the nature of our business. A failure to fulfill the terms and requirements of our credit agreement may result in a default under our credit agreement and acceleration of any indebtedness we may incur, as well as a default under one or more of our material agreements, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our operations and our financial condition.

Our use of percentage-of-completion accounting could result in a reduction or elimination of previously reported profits, and we may be adversely impacted by new accounting, control and operating procedures.

A significant portion of our revenue is recognized using the percentage-of-completion method of accounting, utilizing the cost-to-cost method, which results in our recognizing contract revenues and earnings ratably over the contract term in proportion to contract costs incurred. The earnings or losses recognized on individual contracts are based on estimates of contract revenues, costs and profitability. We review our estimates of contract revenue, costs and profitability on an ongoing basis. Prior to contract completion, we may adjust our estimates on one or more occasions as a result of change orders to the original contract, collection disputes with the customer on amounts invoiced or claims against the customer for increased costs incurred by us due to customer-induced delays and other factors. Contract losses are recognized in full when determined to be probable and reasonably estimable. Although we have historically made reasonably reliable estimates of the progress towards completion of our construction contracts, the uncertainties inherent in the estimating process make it possible for actual costs to vary materially from estimates, including reductions or reversals of previously recorded revenues and profits. In addition, we may be adversely impacted by new accounting pronouncements which change our revenue recognition or other accounting practices or otherwise alter how we report our financial results, or which require that we change our control and operating procedures, which we may be unable to do in a timely manner.

Our reported operating results could be adversely affected as a result of goodwill impairment charges.

GAAP accounting requires that goodwill attributable to each of our reporting units be tested at least annually, or when changes in circumstance indicate the carrying value of our reporting units may not be recoverable. At September 30, 2023, we had recorded $92.4 million of goodwill on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Factors that could lead to impairment of current goodwill in the future include significant adverse changes in the business climate, declines in the financial condition of our business, and actual or projected future operating results affecting the Company as a whole or affecting any particular reporting unit. On an ongoing basis, we expect to perform impairment tests at least annually as of September 30. Impairment adjustments, if any, are required to be recognized as operating expenses. We cannot assure that we will not have future impairment adjustments to our recorded goodwill.

Risks Relating to Our Common Stock

Existence of a controlling shareholder.

A majority of our outstanding common stock is owned by Tontine, and Jeffrey Gendell, founder and managing member of Tontine, serves as our Chief Executive Officer and as Chairman of our Board of Directors. Tontine owns approximately 58 percent of the Company’s outstanding common stock based on Amendment No. This control also gives Tontine the ability to bring matters to a shareholder vote that may not be in the best interest of our other shareholders or stakeholders. Additionally, Tontine is in the business of investing in companies and may, from time to time, acquire and hold interests in businesses that compete directly or indirectly with us or act as suppliers or customers of the Company. Pursuant to a resale shelf registration statement filed by the Company, Tontine has the ability to resell any or all of its registered shares from time to time in one or more offerings as long as the registration statement remains effective and the Company remains eligible to use it, as described further in the registration statement and in any prospectus supplement filed in connection with an offering pursuant to the shelf registration statement. Tontine’s sale of all or any portion of its shares could result in a change of control of the Company, which would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our credit agreement, bonding agreements with our sureties, and our executive severance plan.

Our common stock has less liquidity than many other stocks listed on the Nasdaq Global Market.

Historically, the trading volume of our common stock has been relatively low when compared to other companies listed on the Nasdaq Global Market or other stock exchanges. While we have experienced increased liquidity in our stock during recent years compared with historical levels, we cannot say with certainty that a more active and liquid trading market for our common stock will continue to develop. Because of this, it may be more difficult for shareholders to sell a substantial number of shares for the same price at which shareholders could sell a smaller number of shares.

We may issue additional shares of common stock, preferred stock or convertible securities that will dilute the percentage ownership interest of existing stockholders and may dilute the book value per share of our common stock.

Our authorized capital includes 100,000,000 shares of common stock and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock. As of September 30, 2023, we had 22,049,529 shares of common stock issued, 20,194,218 shares of common stock outstanding and no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding. As of September 30, 2023, we had the ability to issue 619,735 shares of common stock, including upon the exercise of options, as future grants under our existing equity compensation plans.

Although we currently do not have any intention of issuing additional common stock (other than pursuant to our equity compensation plans) or preferred stock, we may do so in the future in order to meet our capital needs. Subject to applicable Nasdaq Listing Rules, our Board of Directors generally has the authority, without action by or vote of the stockholders, to issue all or part of any authorized but unissued shares of common stock or preferred stock for any corporate purpose. We may seek additional equity capital in the future as we develop our business and expand our operations. Any issuance of additional shares of common stock, preferred stock, or convertible securities will dilute the percentage ownership interest of our stockholders and may dilute the book value per share of our common stock.

Substantial sales of our common stock could adversely affect our stock price.

Most of Tontine's shares are registered for resale on a resale shelf registration statement filed by the Company with the SEC. Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock by holders of our common stock, including Tontine, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock by introducing a large number of shares into the market. Such sales, or the perception that such sales could occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. We cannot predict whether future sales of our common stock, or the availability of our common stock for sale, will adversely affect the market price for our common stock or our ability to raise capital by offering equity securities.

Increasing scrutiny and changing expectations from investors and customers with respect to our environmental, social and governance practices may impose additional costs on us or expose us to reputational or other risks.

Investors have increased their emphasis on the environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) practices of companies across all industries, including the environmental impact of operations and human capital management. In addition, our customers may evaluate our ESG practices or require that we adopt certain ESG policies as a condition of awarding contracts.

A failure to comply with investor or customer expectations and standards, which are evolving and vary considerably, or the perception that we have not responded appropriately to the growing concern for ESG issues, could result in reputational harm to our business and could have an adverse effect on us.

In addition, organizations that provide ratings information to investors on ESG matters may assign unfavorable ratings to IES or our industries, which may lead to negative investor sentiment and the diversion of investment capital to other companies or industries, which could have a negative impact on our stock price and our costs of capital.

Our bylaws designate the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our shareholders, which could increase the costs for our shareholders to bring claims, discourage our shareholders from bringing claims, or limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our current or former directors, officers, employees or shareholders in such capacity.

Our bylaws provide that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the sole and exclusive forum for claims, including derivative claims that are based upon a violation of a duty by a current or former director, officer, employee or shareholder in such capacity or as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law confers jurisdiction upon the Court of Chancery. The exclusive forum provision may increase the costs for a shareholder to bring a claim or limit a shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that the shareholder finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or shareholders in such capacity, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and such persons. Alternatively, if a court were to find these provisions of our bylaws inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, the claims as to which they are intended to apply, then we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial position or results of operations. While the exclusive forum provision applies to state and federal law claims, our shareholders will not be deemed to have waived our compliance with, and the exclusive forum provision will not preclude or contract the scope of exclusive federal or concurrent jurisdiction for actions brought under, the federal securities laws, including the Exchange Act, or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

General Risks

Our internal controls over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures may not prevent all possible errors that could occur. Internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objective will be met.

On a quarterly basis, we evaluate our internal controls over financial reporting and our disclosure controls and procedures, which include a review of the objectives, design, implementation and effectiveness of the controls and the information generated for use in our periodic reports. In the course of our controls evaluation, we sought (and seek) to identify data errors, control problems and to confirm that appropriate corrective actions, including process improvements, are being undertaken. This type of evaluation is conducted on a quarterly basis so that the conclusions concerning the effectiveness of our controls can be reported in our periodic reports.

A control system, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the control system’s objectives will be satisfied. Internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures are designed to give reasonable assurance that they are effective and achieve their objectives. We cannot provide absolute assurance that all possible future control issues have been detected. These inherent limitations include the possibility that our judgments can be faulty and that isolated breakdowns can occur because of human error or mistake. The design of our system of controls is based in part upon certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed absolutely in achieving our stated goals under all potential future or unforeseeable conditions.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

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CARV	1 week, 3 days ago
FOMC	1 week, 3 days ago
KRFG	1 week, 3 days ago
GHMP	1 week, 3 days ago
GWTI	1 week, 3 days ago
VEII	1 week, 3 days ago
ZEST	1 week, 4 days ago
KITL	1 week, 4 days ago
ADMT	1 week, 4 days ago
ATAK	1 week, 4 days ago
BOTY	1 week, 4 days ago
DPLS	1 week, 4 days ago
FDX	1 week, 4 days ago
ECIA	1 week, 4 days ago
ATXG	1 week, 4 days ago
CRMT	1 week, 4 days ago
ELRE	1 week, 4 days ago
CAG	2 weeks, 1 day ago
KALV	2 weeks, 1 day ago
PAYX	2 weeks, 1 day ago
MEI	2 weeks, 1 day ago
BCRD	2 weeks, 1 day ago
FMHS	2 weeks, 2 days ago
ASPA	2 weeks, 2 days ago
STEK	2 weeks, 2 days ago
LEAI	2 weeks, 4 days ago
AIDG	3 weeks ago

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