AECOM - Annual Report: 2017 (Form 10-K)

Use these links to rapidly review the document
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Table of Contents

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

Commission file number 0-52423

AECOM
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 2600
Los Angeles, California 90067
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(213) 593-8000
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. ý Yes    o No

         Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. o Yes    ý No

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. ý Yes    o No

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). ý Yes    o No

         Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

         If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. Yes    o No o

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). o Yes    ý No

         The aggregate market value of registrant's common stock held by non-affiliates on March 31, 2017 (the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter), based upon the closing price of a share of the registrant's common stock on such date as reported on the New York Stock Exchange was approximately $5.3 billion.

         Number of shares of the registrant's common stock outstanding as of November 3, 2017: 157,624,270

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

         Part III incorporates information by reference from the registrant's definitive proxy statement for the 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed within 120 days of the registrant's fiscal 2017 year end.

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1

Table of Contents

PART I

ITEM 1.    BUSINESS

        In this report, we use the terms "the Company," "we," "us" and "our" to refer to AECOM and its consolidated subsidiaries. Unless otherwise noted, references to years are for fiscal years. Our fiscal year consists of 52 or 53 weeks, ending on the Friday closest to September 30. For clarity of presentation, we present all periods as if the year ended on September 30. We refer to the fiscal year ended September 30, 2016 as "fiscal 2016" and the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 as "fiscal 2017."

Overview

        We are a leading fully integrated firm positioned to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations in more than 150 countries. We provide planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design services to commercial and government clients worldwide in major end markets such as transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government markets. We also provide construction services, including building construction and energy, infrastructure and industrial construction. In addition, we provide program and facilities management and maintenance, training, logistics, consulting, technical assistance, and systems integration and information technology services, primarily for agencies of the U.S. government and also for national governments around the world. According to Engineering News-Record's (ENR's) 2017 Design Survey, we are the largest general architectural and engineering design firm in the world, ranked by 2016 design revenue. In addition, we are ranked by ENR as the leading firm in a number of design end markets, including transportation and general building.

        We were formed in 1980 as Ashland Technology Company, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ashland, Inc., an oil and gas refining and distribution company. Since becoming independent of Ashland Inc., we have grown by a combination of organic growth and strategic mergers and acquisitions from approximately 3,300 employees and $387 million in revenue in fiscal 1991, the first full fiscal year of independent operations, to approximately 87,000 employees at September 30, 2017 and $18.2 billion in revenue for fiscal 2017. We completed the initial public offering of our common stock in May 2007 and these shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

        As mentioned above, we have grown in part by strategic mergers and acquisitions. These acquisitions have included URS Corporation, a leading provider of engineering, construction, and technical services for public agencies and private sector companies around the world, acquired in October 2014; Hunt Construction Group, a leading commercial construction firm, acquired in July 2014; and Shimmick Construction Company, Inc., a leading heavy civil construction firm in California and the Western U.S., acquired in July 2017.

        Our business strategy focuses on leveraging our competitive strengths, leadership positions in our core markets, and client relationships across all major geographies. We have created an integrated delivery platform with superior capabilities to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets around the world. By integrating and providing a broad range of services, we deliver maximum value to our clients at competitive costs. Also, by coordinating and consolidating our knowledge base, we believe we have the ability to export our leading edge technical skills to any region in the world in which our clients may need them.

        Our operations are organized into four reportable segments, each of which is described in further detail below: Design and Consulting Services (DCS), Construction Services (CS), Management Services (MS), and AECOM Capital (ACAP). During the third quarter of fiscal 2017, operating activities of ACAP achieved a level of significance sufficient to warrant disclosure as a separate reportable segment. Prior to the third quarter of fiscal 2017, ACAP's operating results were included in the corporate segment, and comparable periods have been reclassified to reflect the change. These reportable segments are

2

Table of Contents

organized by the types of services provided, the differing specialized needs of the respective clients, and how the Company manages its businesses. We have aggregated various operating segments into reportable segments based on their similar characteristics, including similar long term financial performance, the nature of services provided, internal processes for delivering those services, and types of customers.

•

Design and Consulting Services (DCS):  Planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design services to commercial and government clients worldwide in major end markets such as transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government.



•

Construction Services (CS):  Construction services, including building construction and energy, infrastructure and industrial construction, primarily in the Americas.



•

Management Services (MS):  Program and facilities management and maintenance, training, logistics, consulting, technical assistance, and systems integration and information technology services, primarily for agencies of the U.S. government and other national governments around the world.



•

AECOM Capital (ACAP):  Investing in real estate, public-private partnership (P3) and infrastructure projects.

Our Design and Consulting Services Segment

        Our DCS segment comprises a broad array of services, generally provided on a fee-for-service basis. These services include planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design, program management and construction management for industrial, commercial, institutional and government clients worldwide. For each of these services, our technical expertise includes civil, structural, process, mechanical, geotechnical systems and electrical engineering, architectural, landscape and interior design, urban and regional planning, project economics, cost consulting and environmental, health and safety work.

        With our technical and management expertise, we are able to provide our clients a broad spectrum of services. For example, within our environmental management service offerings, we provide remediation, regulatory compliance planning and management, environmental modeling, environmental impact assessment and environmental permitting for major capital/infrastructure projects.

        Our services may be sequenced over multiple phases. For example, in the area of program management and construction management services, our work for a client may begin with a small consulting or planning contract, and may later develop into an overall management role for the project or a series of projects, which we refer to as a program. Program and construction management contracts may employ a staff of 10 to more than 100 and, in many cases, operate as an outsourcing arrangement with our staff located at the project site.

        We provide the services in our DCS segment both directly and through joint ventures or similar partner arrangements to the following end markets or business sectors:

Transportation.

•

Transit and Rail.  Light rail, heavy rail (including high-speed, commuter and freight) and multimodal transit projects.



•

Marine, Ports and Harbors.  Wharf facilities and container port facilities for private and public port operators.



•

Highways, Bridges and Tunnels.  Interstate, primary and secondary urban and rural highway systems and bridge projects.



•

Aviation.  Landside terminal and airside facilities, runways and taxiways.

3

Table of Contents

Facilities.

•

Government.  Emergency response services for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and engineering and program management services for agencies of the Department of Defense and Department of Energy.



•

Industrial.  Industrial facilities for a variety of niche end markets such as manufacturing, distribution, aviation, aerospace, communications, media, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, chemical, and food and beverage facilities.



•

Urban Master Planning/Design.  Strategic planning and master planning services for new cities and major mixed use developments in India, China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.



•

Commercial and Leisure Facilities.  Corporate headquarters, high-rise office towers, historic buildings, hotels, leisure, sports and entertainment facilities and corporate campuses.



•

Educational.  College and university campuses.



•

Health Care.  Private and public health facilities.



•

Correctional.  Detention and correction facilities throughout the world.

Environmental.

•

Water and Wastewater.  Treatment facilities as well as supply, distribution and collection systems, stormwater management, desalinization, and other water re-use technologies.



•

Environmental Management.  Remediation, waste handling, testing and monitoring of environmental conditions and environmental construction management.



•

Water Resources.  Regional-scale floodplain mapping and analysis for public agencies, along with the analysis and development of protected groundwater resources for companies in the bottled water industry.

Energy/Power.

•

Demand Side Management.  Public K-12 schools and universities, health care facilities, and courthouses and other public buildings, as well as energy conservation systems for utilities.



•

Transmission and Distribution.  Power stations and electric transmissions and distribution and co-generation systems.



•

Alternative/Renewable Energy.  Production facilities such as ethanol plants, wind farms and micro hydropower and geothermal subsections of regional power grids.



•

Hydropower/Dams.  Hydroelectric power stations, dams, spillways, and flood control systems.



•

Solar.  Solar photovoltaic projects and environmental permitting services.

Our Construction Services Segment

        Through our CS segment, we provide construction, program and construction management services, including building construction and energy, infrastructure and industrial construction, primarily in the Americas.

4

Table of Contents

        We provide the services in our CS segment both directly and through joint ventures or similar partner arrangements, to the following end markets and business sectors:

        Building.    We provide construction, program and construction management services for large scale building and facility construction projects around the world including:

•

Sports arenas;



•

Modern office towers;



•

Hotel and gaming facilities;



•

Meeting and exhibition spaces;



•

Performance venues;



•

Education facilities;



•

Mass transit terminals; and



•

Data centers.

        Energy.    We plan, design, engineer, construct, retrofit and maintain a wide range of power-generating facilities, as well as the systems that transmit and distribute electricity. We provide these services to utilities, industrial co-generators, independent power producers, original equipment manufacturers and government utilities including:

•

Fossil fuel power generating facilities;



•

Nuclear power generating facilities and decommissioning;



•

Hydroelectric power generating facilities;



•

Alternative and renewable energy sources, including biomass, geothermal, solar energy and wind systems;



•

Transmission and distribution systems; and



•

Emissions control systems.

        We also provide a wide range of planning, design, engineering, construction, production, and operations and maintenance services across the oil and gas upstream, midstream and downstream supply chain. For downstream refining and processing operations, we design and construct gas treatment and processing, refining and petrochemical facilities, and provide asset management and maintenance services for oil sands production facilities, oil refineries and related chemical, energy, power and processing plants. For oil and gas exploration and production, we provide transportation, engineering, construction, fabrication and installation, commissioning and maintenance services for drilling and well site facilities, equipment and process modules, site infrastructure and off-site support facilities including:

•

Construction of access roads and well pads, and field production facilities;



•

Pipeline planning, design, construction, installation, maintenance and repair;



•

Oil field services; and



•

Equipment and process module fabrication, installation and maintenance.

        Infrastructure and Industrial.    We provide construction, program and construction management services for large scale infrastructure projects around the world. We also provide a wide range of engineering, procurement and construction services for industrial and process facilities and the expansion,

5

Table of Contents

modification and upgrade of existing facilities. We provide these services to local, state, federal and national governments as well as corporations including:

•

Highways, airports, rail and other transit projects;



•

Maritime and terminal facilities;



•

Dams, water and waste water projects;



•

Biotechnology and pharmaceutical research laboratories, pilot plants and production facilities;



•

Petrochemical, specialty chemical and polymer facilities;



•

Consumer products and food and beverage production facilities;



•

Automotive and other manufacturing facilities; and



•

Mines and mining facilities.

Our Management Services Segment

        Through our MS segment, we are a major contractor to the U.S. federal government and we serve a wide variety of government departments and agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy (DOE) and other U.S. federal agencies. We also serve departments and agencies of other national governments, such as the U.K. Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and the U.K. Ministry of Defense. Our services range from program and facilities management, training, logistics, consulting, systems engineering and technical assistance, and systems integration and information technology.

        We provide a wide array of classified and unclassified services in our MS segment, both directly and through joint ventures or similar partner arrangements, including:

•

Operation and maintenance of complex government installations, including military bases and test ranges;



•

Network and communications engineering, software engineering, IT infrastructure design and implementation, cyber defense and cloud computing technologies;



•

Deactivation, decommissioning and disposal of nuclear weapons stockpiles and other nuclear waste;



•

Management and operations and maintenance services for complex DOE and NDA programs and facilities;



•

Testing and development of new components and platforms, as well as engineering and technical support for the modernization of aging weapon systems;



•

Logistics support for government supply and distribution networks, including warehousing, packaging, delivery and traffic management;



•

Acquisition support for new weapons platforms;



•

Maintenance planning to extend the service life of weapons systems and other military equipment;



•

Maintenance, modification and overhaul of military aircraft and ground vehicles;



•

Safety analyses for high-hazard facilities and licensing for DOE sites;



•

Threat assessments of public facilities and the development of force protection and security systems;



•

Planning and conducting emergency preparedness exercises;

6

Table of Contents

•

First responder training for the military and other government agencies;



•

Management and operations and maintenance of chemical agent and chemical weapon disposal facilities;



•

Installation of monitoring technology to detect the movement of nuclear and radiological materials across national borders;



•

Planning, design and construction of aircraft hangars, barracks, military hospitals and other government buildings; and



•

Environmental remediation and restoration for the redevelopment of military bases and other government installations.

Our AECOM Capital Segment

        ACAP was formed in 2013 and invests in and develops real estate, public-private partnership (P3) and infrastructure projects. ACAP typically partners with investors and experienced developers in the United States and Europe as co-general partners. ACAP may but is not required to enter into contracts with our other AECOM affiliates to provide design, engineering, construction management, development and operations and maintenance services for ACAP funded projects. ACAP development activity is conducted through joint ventures or subsidiaries that may be consolidated or unconsolidated for financial reporting purposes depending on the extent and nature of our ownership interest. In addition, in connection with the investment activities of ACAP, AECOM provides guarantees of certain obligations, including guarantees for completion of projects, repayment of debt, environmental indemnity obligations and other lender required guarantees. ACAP manages a diverse portfolio that includes numerous active investments and $230 million of committed capital.

Financial Information by Segment

        The following table sets forth the revenue attributable to our business segments for the periods indicated:

7

Table of Contents

Our Clients

        Our clients consist primarily of national, state, regional and local governments, public and private institutions and major corporations. The following table sets forth our total revenue attributable to these categories of clients for each of the periods indicated:

        Other than the U.S. federal government, no single client accounted for 10% or more of our revenue in any of the past five fiscal years. Approximately 22%, 23% and 24% of our revenue was derived through direct contracts with agencies of the U.S. federal government in the years ended September 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. One of these contracts accounted for approximately 3%, 3% and 2% of our revenue in the years ended September 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The work attributed to the U.S. federal government includes our work for the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.

Contracts

        The price provisions of the contracts we undertake can be grouped into several broad categories: cost-reimbursable contracts, guaranteed maximum price contracts, and fixed-price contracts.

Cost-Reimbursable Contracts

        Cost-reimbursable contracts consist of two similar contract types: (1) cost-plus contracts and (2) time and material price contracts.

        Cost-Plus Contracts.    We enter into two major types of cost-plus contracts:

        Cost-Plus Fixed Fee.    Under cost-plus fixed fee contracts, we charge clients for our costs, including both direct and indirect costs, plus a fixed negotiated fee. The total estimated cost plus the fixed negotiated fee represents the total contract value. We recognize revenue based on the actual labor and other direct costs incurred, plus the portion of the fixed fee earned to date.

        Cost-Plus Fixed Rate.    Under cost-plus fixed rate contracts, we charge clients for our direct and indirect costs based upon a negotiated rate. We recognize revenue based on the actual total costs expended and the applicable fixed rate.

        Some cost-plus contracts provide for award fees or a penalty based on performance criteria in lieu of a fixed fee or fixed rate. Other contracts include a base fee component plus a performance-based award fee. In addition, we may share award fees with subcontractors. We record accruals for fee-sharing as fees are earned. We generally recognize revenue to the extent of costs actually incurred plus a proportionate

8

Table of Contents

amount of the fee expected to be earned. We take the award fee or penalty on contracts into consideration when estimating revenue and profit rates, and record revenue related to the award fees when there is sufficient information to assess anticipated contract performance. On contracts that represent higher than normal risk or technical difficulty, we may defer all award fees until an award fee letter is received. Once an award fee letter is received, the estimated or accrued fees are adjusted to the actual award amount.

        Some cost-plus contracts provide for incentive fees based on performance against contractual milestones. The amount of the incentive fees varies, depending on whether we achieve above, at, or below target results. We originally recognize revenue on these contracts based upon expected results. These estimates are revised when necessary based upon additional information that becomes available as the contract progresses.

        Time and Material Price Contracts.    Time and material contracts are common for smaller scale engineering and consulting services. Under these types of contracts, we negotiate hourly billing rates and charge our clients based upon actual hours expended on a project. Unlike cost-plus contracts, however, there is no predetermined fee. In addition, any direct project expenditures are passed through to the client and are reimbursed. These contracts may also have a fixed-price element in the form of not-to-exceed or guaranteed maximum price provisions.

Guaranteed Maximum Price Contracts

        Guaranteed maximum price contracts (GMP) are common for design-build and commercial and residential projects. GMP contracts share many of the same contract provisions as cost-plus and fixed-price contracts. A contractor performing work pursuant to a cost-plus, GMP or fixed-price contract will enter into trade contracts directly. Both cost-plus and GMP contracts generally include an agreed lump sum or percentage fee which is called out and separately identified and the contracts are considered 'open' book providing the owner with full disclosure of the project costs. A fixed-price contract provides the owner with a single lump sum amount without specifically identifying the breakdown of fee or costs and is typically 'closed' book thereby providing the owner with little detail as to the project costs. In a GMP contract, unlike the cost-plus contract, we provide the owner with a guaranteed price for the overall construction (adjusted for change orders issued by the owner) and with a schedule which includes a completion date for the project. In addition, cost overruns in a GMP contract would generally be our responsibility and in the event our actions or inactions result in delays to the project, we may be responsible to the owner for costs associated with such delay. For many of our commercial and residential GMP contracts, the final price is generally not established until we have awarded a substantial percentage of the trade contracts and we have negotiated additional contractual limitations, such as mutual waivers of consequential damages as well as aggregate caps on liabilities and liquidated damages.

Fixed-Price Contracts

        There are typically two types of fixed-price contracts. Lump sum contracts involve performing all of the work under the contract for a specified lump sum fee and are typically subject to price adjustments if the scope of the project changes or unforeseen conditions arise. In such cases, we will submit formal requests for adjustment of the lump sum via formal change orders or contract amendments. The second type, fixed-unit price, involves performing an estimated number of units of work at an agreed price per unit, with the total payment under the contract determined by the actual number of units delivered.

        Our fixed-price contracts are typically negotiated and arise in the design or construction of a project with a specified scope rather than hard bid where the client primarily selects the lowest qualified bidder. Fixed-price contracts often arise in the areas of construction management and design-build services. Construction management services are typically in the form of general administrative oversight (in which we do not assume responsibility for construction means and methods). Under our design-build projects, we are typically responsible for the design or construction of a project with the fixed contract price negotiated

9

Table of Contents

after we have had the opportunity to secure specific bids from various subcontractors including a contingency fee. We may use our own design or a third party design.

        Some of our fixed-price contracts require us to provide surety bonds or parent company guarantees to assure our clients that their project will be completed in accordance with the terms of the contracts as further disclosed in Note 18—Commitments and Contingencies. In such cases, we may require our primary subcontractors to provide similar performance bonds and guarantees and to be adequately insured, and we may flow down the terms and conditions set forth in our agreement on to our subcontractors. There may be risks associated with completing these projects profitably if we are not able to perform our services within the fixed-price contract terms.

        At September 30, 2017, our contracted backlog was comprised of 42%, 30%, and 28% cost-reimbursable, guaranteed maximum price, and fixed-price contracts, respectively.

Joint Ventures

        Some of our larger contracts may operate under joint ventures or other arrangements under which we team with other reputable companies, typically companies with which we have worked for many years. This is often done where the scale of the project dictates such an arrangement or when we want to strengthen either our market position or our technical skills.

Backlog

        Backlog represents revenue we expect to realize for work completed by our consolidated subsidiaries and our proportionate share of work to be performed by unconsolidated joint ventures. Backlog is expressed in terms of gross revenue and therefore may include significant estimated amounts of third party or pass-through costs to subcontractors and other parties. Backlog for our consolidated subsidiaries is comprised of contracted backlog and awarded backlog. Our contracted backlog includes revenue we expect to record in the future from signed contracts, and in the case of a public client, where the project has been funded. Our awarded backlog includes revenue we expect to record in the future where we have been awarded the work, but the contractual agreement has not yet been signed. The net results of our unconsolidated joint ventures are recognized as equity earnings, and awarded and contracted backlog representing our proportionate share of work to be performed by unconsolidated joint ventures is not presented as revenue in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. For non-government contracts, our backlog includes future revenue at contract rates, excluding contract renewals or extensions that are at the discretion of the client. For contracts with a not-to-exceed maximum amount, we include revenue from such contracts in backlog to the extent of the remaining estimated amount. We calculate backlog without regard to possible project reductions or expansions or potential cancellations until such changes or cancellations occur. No assurance can be given that we will ultimately realize our full backlog. Backlog fluctuates due to the timing of when contracts are awarded and contracted and when contract revenue is recognized. Many of our contracts require us to provide services over more than one year. Our backlog for the year ended September 30, 2017 increased $4.7 billion, or 11.0%, to $47.5 billion as compared to $42.8 billion for the corresponding period last year, primarily due to the increase in our MS segment.

10

Table of Contents

        The following summarizes contracted and awarded backlog (in billions):

Competition

        The markets we serve are highly fragmented and we compete with a large number of regional, national and international companies. We have numerous competitors, ranging from small private firms to multi-billion dollar companies, some of which have greater financial resources or that are more specialized and concentrate their resources in particular areas of expertise. The extent of our competition varies according to the particular markets and geographic area. The degree and type of competition we face is also influenced by the type and scope of a particular project. The technical and professional aspects of our services generally do not require large upfront capital expenditures and, therefore, provide limited barriers against new competitors.

        We believe that we are well positioned to compete in our markets because of our reputation, our cost effectiveness, our long-term client relationships, our extensive network of offices, our employee expertise, and our broad range of services. In addition, as a result of our extensive national and international network, we are able to offer our clients localized knowledge and expertise, as well as the support of our worldwide professional staff.

Seasonality

        We experience seasonal trends in our business. Our revenue is typically higher in the last half of the fiscal year. The fourth quarter of our fiscal year (July 1 to September 30) is typically our strongest quarter. We find that the U.S. federal government tends to authorize more work during the period preceding the end of our fiscal year, September 30. In addition, many U.S. state governments with fiscal years ending on June 30 tend to accelerate spending during their first quarter, when new funding becomes available. Further, our construction management revenue typically increases during the high construction season of

11

Table of Contents

the summer months. Within the United States, as well as other parts of the world, our business generally benefits from milder weather conditions in our fiscal fourth quarter, which allows for more productivity from our on-site civil services. Our construction and project management services also typically expand during the high construction season of the summer months. The first quarter of our fiscal year (October 1 to December 31) is typically our weakest quarter. The harsher weather conditions impact our ability to complete work in parts of North America and the holiday season schedule affects our productivity during this period. For these reasons, coupled with the number and significance of client contracts commenced and completed during a particular period, as well as the timing of expenses incurred for corporate initiatives, it is not unusual for us to experience seasonal changes or fluctuations in our quarterly operating results.

Risk Management and Insurance

        Risk management is an integral part of our project management approach and our project execution process. We have an Office of Risk Management that reviews and oversees the risk profile of our operations. Also, pursuant to our internal delegations of authority, we have an internal process whereby a group of senior members of our risk management team evaluate risk through internal risk analyses of higher-risk projects, contracts or other business decisions. We maintain insurance covering professional liability and claims involving bodily injury and property damage. Wherever possible, we endeavor to eliminate or reduce the risk of loss on a project through the use of quality assurance/control, risk management, workplace safety and similar methods.

Regulations

        Our business is impacted by environmental, health and safety, government procurement, anti-bribery and other government regulations and requirements. Below is a summary of some of the significant regulations that impact our business.

        Environmental, Health and Safety.    Our business involves the planning, design, program management, construction and construction management, and operations and maintenance at various project sites, including but not limited to pollution control systems, nuclear facilities, hazardous waste and Superfund sites, contract mining sites, hydrocarbon production, distribution and transport sites, military bases and other infrastructure-related facilities. We also regularly perform work, including oil field and pipeline construction services in and around sensitive environmental areas, such as rivers, lakes and wetlands. In addition, we have contracts with U.S. federal government entities to destroy hazardous materials, including chemical agents and weapons stockpiles, as well as to decontaminate and decommission nuclear facilities. These activities may require us to manage, handle, remove, treat, transport and dispose of toxic or hazardous substances.

        Significant fines, penalties and other sanctions may be imposed for non-compliance with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations, and some laws provide for joint and several strict liabilities for remediation of releases of hazardous substances, rendering a person liable for environmental damage, without regard to negligence or fault on the part of such person. These laws and regulations may expose us to liability arising out of the conduct of operations or conditions caused by others, or for our acts that were in compliance with all applicable laws at the time these acts were performed. For example, there are a number of governmental laws that strictly regulate the handling, removal, treatment, transportation and disposal of toxic and hazardous substances, such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, and comparable national and state laws, that impose strict, joint and several liabilities for the entire cost of cleanup, without regard to whether a company knew of or caused the release of hazardous substances. In addition, some environmental regulations can impose liability for the entire clean-up upon owners, operators, generators, transporters and other persons arranging for the treatment or disposal of such hazardous substances related to contaminated facilities or project sites. Other federal environmental, health and safety laws

12

Table of Contents

affecting us include, but are not limited to, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Air Mercury Rule, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, as well as other comparable national and state laws. Liabilities related to environmental contamination or human exposure to hazardous substances, comparable national and state laws or a failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in substantial costs to us, including cleanup costs, fines and civil or criminal sanctions, third-party claims for property damage or personal injury, or cessation of remediation activities.

        Some of our business operations are covered by Public Law 85-804, which provides for indemnification by the U.S federal government against claims and damages arising out of unusually hazardous or nuclear activities performed at the request of the U.S. federal government. Should public policies and laws change, however, U.S. federal government indemnification may not be available in the case of any future claims or liabilities relating to hazardous activities that we undertake to perform.

        Government Procurement.    The services we provide to the U.S. federal government are subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Truth in Negotiations Act, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), the Services Contract Act, export controls rules and Department of Defense (DOD) security regulations, as well as many other laws and regulations. These laws and regulations affect how we transact business with our clients and, in some instances, impose additional costs on our business operations. A violation of specific laws and regulations could lead to fines, contract termination or suspension of future contracts. Our government clients can also terminate, renegotiate, or modify any of their contracts with us at their convenience; and many of our government contracts are subject to renewal or extension annually.

        Anti-Bribery and other regulations.    We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar anti-bribery laws, which generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to foreign government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. The U.K. Bribery Act of 2010 prohibits both domestic and international bribery, as well as bribery across both private and public sectors. In addition, an organization that "fails to prevent bribery" committed by anyone associated with the organization can be charged under the U.K. Bribery Act unless the organization can establish the defense of having implemented "adequate procedures" to prevent bribery. To the extent we export technical services, data and products outside of the U.S., we are subject to U.S. and international laws and regulations governing international trade and exports, including but not limited to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the Export Administration Regulations and trade sanctions against embargoed countries. We provide services to the DOD and other defense-related entities that often require specialized professional qualifications and security clearances. In addition, as engineering design services professionals, we are subject to a variety of local, state, federal and foreign licensing and permit requirements and ethics rules.

Personnel

        Our principal asset is our employees and large percentages of our employees have technical and professional backgrounds and undergraduate and/or advanced degrees. At the end of our fiscal 2017, we employed approximately 87,000 persons, of whom approximately 45,000 were employed in the United States. Over 10,000 of our domestic employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements or by specific labor agreements, which expire upon completion of the relevant project.

Geographic Information

        For financial geographic information, please refer to Note 19 to the notes to our consolidated financial statements found elsewhere in this Form 10-K.

13

Table of Contents

Raw Materials

        We purchase most of the raw materials and components necessary to operate our business from numerous sources. However, the price and availability of raw materials and components may vary from year to year due to customer demand, production capacity, market conditions and material shortages. While we do not currently foresee the lack of availability of any particular raw materials in the near term, prolonged unavailability of raw materials necessary to our projects and services or significant price increases for those raw materials could have a material adverse effect on our business in the near term.

Government Contracts

        Generally, our government contracts are subject to renegotiation or termination of contracts or subcontracts at the discretion of the U.S. federal, state or local governments, and national governments of other countries.

Trade Secrets and Other Intellectual Property

        We rely principally on trade secrets, confidentiality policies and other contractual arrangements to protect much of our intellectual property.

Available Information

        The reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and proxy materials, including any amendments, are available free of charge on our website at www.aecom.com as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to the SEC. You may read and copy any materials filed with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information about the public reference room. The SEC also maintains a web site (www.sec.gov) containing reports, proxy, and other information that we file with the SEC. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines and our Code of Ethics are available on our website at www.aecom.com under the "Investors" section. Copies of the information identified above may be obtained without charge from us by writing to AECOM, 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 2600, Los Angeles, California 90067, Attention: Corporate Secretary.

ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS

        We operate in a changing environment that involves numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could materially adversely affect our operations. The risks described below highlight some of the factors that have affected, and in the future could affect our operations. Additional risks we do not yet know of or that we currently think are immaterial may also affect our business operations. If any of the events or circumstances described in the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

Demand for our services is cyclical and may be vulnerable to sudden economic downturns and reductions in government and private industry spending. If economic conditions remain uncertain and/or weaken, our revenue and profitability could be adversely affected.

        Demand for our services is cyclical and may be vulnerable to sudden economic downturns and reductions in government and private industry spending that result in clients delaying, curtailing or canceling proposed and existing projects. For example, commodity price volatility has negatively impacted our oil and gas business and business regions whose economies are substantially dependent on commodities prices such as the Middle East and has also impacted North American oil and gas clients' investment decisions. In addition, our clients may find it more difficult to raise capital in the future to fund their projects due to uncertainty in the municipal and general credit markets.

14

Table of Contents

        Where economies are weakening, our clients may demand more favorable pricing or other terms while their ability to pay our invoices or to pay them in a timely manner may be adversely affected. Our government clients may face budget deficits that prohibit them from funding proposed and existing projects. If economic conditions remain uncertain and/or weaken and/or government spending is reduced, our revenue and profitability could be adversely affected.

We depend on long-term government contracts, some of which are only funded on an annual basis. If appropriations for funding are not made in subsequent years of a multiple-year contract, we may not be able to realize all of our anticipated revenue and profits from that project.

        A substantial majority of our revenue is derived from contracts with agencies and departments of national, state and local governments. During fiscal 2017 and 2016, approximately 48% and 47%, respectively, of our revenue was derived from contracts with government entities.

        Most government contracts are subject to the government's budgetary approval process. Legislatures typically appropriate funds for a given program on a year-by-year basis, even though contract performance may take more than one year. In addition, public-supported financing such as state and local municipal bonds may be only partially raised to support existing infrastructure projects. As a result, at the beginning of a program, the related contract is only partially funded, and additional funding is normally committed only as appropriations are made in each fiscal year. These appropriations, and the timing of payment of appropriated amounts, may be influenced by, among other things, the state of the economy, competing priorities for appropriation, changes in administration or control of legislatures and the timing and amount of tax receipts and the overall level of government expenditures. Similarly, the impact of an economic downturn on state and local governments may make it more difficult for them to fund infrastructure projects. If appropriations are not made in subsequent years on our government contracts, then we will not realize all of our potential revenue and profit from that contract.

If we are unable to win or renew government contracts during regulated procurement processes, our operations and financial results would be harmed.

        Government contracts are awarded through a regulated procurement process. The federal government has awarded multi-year contracts with pre-established terms and conditions, such as indefinite delivery contracts, that generally require those contractors that have previously been awarded the indefinite delivery contract to engage in an additional competitive bidding process before a task order is issued. In addition, the federal government has also awarded federal contracts based on a low-price, technically acceptable criteria emphasizing price over qualitative factors, such as past performance. As a result of these competitive pricing pressures, our profit margins on future federal contracts may be reduced and may require us to make sustained efforts to reduce costs in order to realize revenues and profits under government contracts. If we are not successful in reducing the amount of costs we incur, our profitability on government contracts will be negatively impacted. In addition, we may not be awarded government contracts because of existing government policies designed to protect small businesses and under-represented minority contractors. Our inability to win or renew government contracts during regulated procurement processes could harm our operations and reduce our profits and revenues.

Governmental agencies may modify, curtail or terminate our contracts at any time prior to their completion and, if we do not replace them, we may suffer a decline in revenue.

        Most government contracts may be modified, curtailed or terminated by the government either at its discretion or upon the default of the contractor. If the government terminates a contract at its discretion, then we typically are able to recover only costs incurred or committed, settlement expenses and profit on work completed prior to termination, which could prevent us from recognizing all of our potential revenue and profits from that contract. In addition, for certain assignments, the U.S. government may attempt to "insource" the services to government employees rather than outsource to a contractor. If a government

15

Table of Contents

terminates a contract due to our default, we could be liable for excess costs incurred by the government in obtaining services from another source.

Our contracts with governmental agencies are subject to audit, which could result in adjustments to reimbursable contract costs or, if we are charged with wrongdoing, possible temporary or permanent suspension from participating in government programs.

        Our books and records are subject to audit by the various governmental agencies we serve and their representatives. These audits can result in adjustments to the amount of contract costs we believe are reimbursable by the agencies and the amount of our overhead costs allocated to the agencies. If such matters are not resolved in our favor, they could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, if one of our subsidiaries is charged with wrongdoing as a result of an audit, that subsidiary, and possibly our company as a whole, could be temporarily suspended or could be prohibited from bidding on and receiving future government contracts for a period of time. Furthermore, as a government contractor, we are subject to an increased risk of investigations, criminal prosecution, civil fraud actions, whistleblower lawsuits and other legal actions and liabilities to which purely private sector companies are not, the results of which could materially adversely impact our business. For example, a qui tam lawsuit related to our affiliate, URS Energy and Construction, was unsealed in 2016. Qui tam lawsuits typically allege that we have made false statements or certifications in connection with claims for payment, or improperly retained overpayments, from the government. These suits may remain under seal (and hence, be unknown to us) for some time while the government decides whether to intervene on behalf of the qui tam plaintiff.

Our substantial leverage and significant debt service obligations could adversely affect our financial condition and our ability to fulfill our obligations and operate our business.

        We had approximately $3.9 billion of indebtedness (excluding intercompany indebtedness) outstanding as of September 30, 2017, of which $1.0 billion was secured obligations (exclusive of $58.1 million of outstanding undrawn letters of credit) and we have an additional $991.9 million of availability under our Credit Agreement (after giving effect to outstanding letters of credit), all of which would be secured debt, if drawn. Our financial performance could be adversely affected by our substantial leverage. We may also incur significant additional indebtedness in the future, subject to certain conditions.

        This high level of indebtedness could have important negative consequences to us, including, but not limited to:

•

we may have difficulty satisfying our obligations with respect to outstanding debt obligations;



•

we may have difficulty obtaining financing in the future for working capital, acquisitions, capital expenditures or other purposes;



•

we may need to use all, or a substantial portion, of our available excess cash flow to pay interest and principal on our debt, which will reduce the amount of money available to finance our operations and other business activities, including, but not limited to, working capital requirements, acquisitions, capital expenditures or other general corporate or business activities;



•

our debt level increases our vulnerability to general economic downturns and adverse industry conditions;



•

our debt level could limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and in our industry in general;



•

our substantial amount of debt and the amount we must pay to service our debt obligations could place us at a competitive disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less debt;



•

we may have increased borrowing costs;

16

Table of Contents

•

our clients, surety providers or insurance carriers may react adversely to our significant debt level;



•

we may have insufficient funds, and our debt level may also restrict us from raising the funds necessary, to retire certain of our debt instruments tendered to us upon maturity of our debt or the occurrence of a change of control, which would constitute an event of default under certain of our debt instruments; and



•

our failure to comply with the financial and other restrictive covenants in our debt instruments which, among other things, require us to maintain specified financial ratios and limit our ability to incur debt and sell assets, could result in an event of default that, if not cured or waived, could have a material adverse effect on our business or prospects.

        Our high level of indebtedness requires that we use a substantial portion of our cash flow from operations to pay principal of, and interest on, our indebtedness, which will reduce the availability of cash to fund working capital requirements, future acquisitions, capital expenditures or other general corporate or business activities.

        In addition, a portion of our indebtedness bears interest at variable rates, including borrowings under our Credit Agreement. If market interest rates increase, debt service on our variable-rate debt will rise, which could adversely affect our cash flow, results of operations and financial position. Although we may employ hedging strategies such that a portion of the aggregate principal amount of our term loans carries a fixed rate of interest, any hedging arrangement put in place may not offer complete protection from this risk. Additionally, the remaining portion of borrowings under our Credit Agreement that is not hedged will be subject to changes in interest rates.

The Budget Control Act of 2011 could significantly reduce U.S. government spending for the services we provide.

        Under the Budget Control Act of 2011, an automatic sequestration process, or across-the-board budget cuts (half of which were defense-related), was triggered when the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, a committee of twelve members of Congress, failed to agree on a deficit reduction plan for the U.S. federal budget. Although the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 provides some sequester relief until the end of 2017, absent additional legislative or other remedial action, the sequestration requires reduced U.S. federal government spending from fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2025. A significant reduction in federal government spending or a change in budgetary priorities could reduce demand for our services, cancel or delay federal projects, and result in the closure of federal facilities and significant personnel reductions, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Our operations worldwide expose us to legal, political and economic risks in different countries as well as currency exchange rate fluctuations that could harm our business and financial results.

        During fiscal 2017, revenue attributable to our services provided outside of the United States to non-U.S. clients was approximately 28% of our total revenue. There are risks inherent in doing business internationally, including:

•

imposition of governmental controls and changes in laws, regulations or policies;



•

political and economic instability, such as in the Middle East and Africa;



•

civil unrest, acts of terrorism, force majeure, war, or other armed conflict;



•

changes in U.S. and other national government trade policies affecting the markets for our services;



•

changes in regulatory practices, tariffs and taxes;



•

potential non-compliance with a wide variety of laws and regulations, including anti-corruption, export control and anti-boycott laws and similar non-U.S. laws and regulations;

17

Table of Contents

•

changes in labor conditions;



•

logistical and communication challenges; and



•

currency exchange rate fluctuations, devaluations and other conversion restrictions.

        Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations or financial condition.

        In addition, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt have cut diplomatic ties and restricted business with Qatar by closing off access to that country with an air, sea and land traffic embargo. During the economic embargo, products cannot be shipped directly to Qatar from the UAE, Saudi Arabia or Bahrain and financial services may be limited. Our Qatarian business is a significant part of our Middle East operations with approximately one thousand employees. The economic embargo may make it difficult to complete ongoing Qatarian projects and could reduce future demand for our services.

We operate in many different jurisdictions and we could be adversely affected by violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar worldwide anti-corruption laws.

        The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and similar worldwide anti-corruption laws, including the U.K. Bribery Act of 2010, generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making improper payments to non-U.S. officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. Our internal policies mandate compliance with these anti-corruption laws, including the requirements to maintain accurate information and internal controls which may fall within the purview of the FCPA, its books and records provisions or its anti-bribery provisions. We operate in many parts of the world that have experienced governmental corruption to some degree; and, in certain circumstances, strict compliance with anti-corruption laws may conflict with local customs and practices. Despite our training and compliance programs, we cannot assure that our internal control policies and procedures always will protect us from reckless or criminal acts committed by our employees or agents. Our continued expansion outside the U.S., including in developing countries, could increase the risk of such violations in the future. In addition, from time to time, government investigations of corruption in construction-related industries affect us and our peers. Violations of these laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

We work in international locations where there are high security risks, which could result in harm to our employees and contractors or material costs to us.

        Some of our services are performed in high-risk locations, such as the Middle East, Africa, and Southwest Asia, where the country or location is suffering from political, social or economic problems, or war or civil unrest. In those locations where we have employees or operations, we may incur material costs to maintain the safety of our personnel. Despite these precautions, the safety of our personnel in these locations may continue to be at risk. Acts of terrorism and threats of armed conflicts in or around various areas in which we operate could limit or disrupt markets and our operations, including disruptions resulting from the evacuation of personnel, cancellation of contracts, or the loss of key employees, contractors or assets.

Many of our project sites are inherently dangerous workplaces. Failure to maintain safe work sites and equipment could result in environmental disasters, employee deaths or injuries, reduced profitability, the loss of projects or clients and possible exposure to litigation.

        Our project sites often put our employees and others in close proximity with mechanized equipment, moving vehicles, chemical and manufacturing processes, and highly regulated materials. On some project sites, we may be responsible for safety and, accordingly, we have an obligation to implement effective safety procedures. If we fail to implement these procedures or if the procedures we implement are

18

Table of Contents

ineffective, we may suffer the loss of or injury to our employees, as well as expose ourselves to possible litigation. As a result, our failure to maintain adequate safety standards and equipment could result in reduced profitability or the loss of projects or clients, and could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.

Cyber security breaches of our systems and information technology could adversely impact our ability to operate.

        We develop, install and maintain information technology systems for ourselves, as well as for customers. Client contracts for the performance of information technology services, as well as various privacy and securities laws, require us to manage and protect sensitive and confidential information, including federal and other government information, from disclosure. We also need to protect our own internal trade secrets and other business confidential information from disclosure. We face the threat to our computer systems of unauthorized access, computer hackers, computer viruses, malicious code, organized cyber-attacks and other security problems and system disruptions, including possible unauthorized access to our and our clients' proprietary or classified information. We rely on industry-accepted security measures and technology to securely maintain all confidential and proprietary information on our information systems. We have devoted and will continue to devote significant resources to the security of our computer systems; but they may still be vulnerable to these threats. A user who circumvents security measures could misappropriate confidential or proprietary information, including information regarding us, our personnel and/or our clients, or cause interruptions or malfunctions in operations. As a result, we may be required to expend significant resources to protect against the threat of these system disruptions and security breaches or to alleviate problems caused by these disruptions and breaches. Any of these events could damage our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

An impairment charge of goodwill could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

        Because we have grown in part through acquisitions, goodwill and intangible assets-net represent a substantial portion of our assets. Under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP), we are required to test goodwill carried in our Consolidated Balance Sheets for possible impairment on an annual basis based upon a fair value approach and whenever events occur that indicate impairment could exist. These events or circumstances could include a significant change in the business climate, including a significant sustained decline in a reporting unit's market value, legal factors, operating performance indicators, competition, sale or disposition of a significant portion of our business, a significant sustained decline in our market capitalization and other factors.

        In addition, if we experience a decrease in our stock price and market capitalization over a sustained period, we would have to record an impairment charge in the future. The amount of any impairment could be significant and could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations for the period in which the charge is taken.

Our business and operating results could be adversely affected by losses under fixed-price or guaranteed maximum price contracts.

        Fixed-price contracts require us to either perform all work under the contract for a specified lump-sum or to perform an estimated number of units of work at an agreed price per unit, with the total payment determined by the actual number of units performed. In addition, we may enter guaranteed maximum price contracts where we guarantee a price or delivery date. Fixed-price contracts expose us to a number of risks not inherent in cost-plus and time and material price contracts, including underestimation of costs, ambiguities in specifications, unforeseen costs or difficulties, problems with new technologies, delays beyond our control, fluctuations in profit margins, failures of subcontractors to perform and economic or other changes that may occur during the contract period. In addition, our exposure to

19

Table of Contents

construction cost overruns may increase over time as we increase our construction services. Losses under fixed-price or guaranteed contracts could be substantial and adversely impact our results of operations.

Our failure to meet contractual schedule or performance requirements that we have guaranteed could adversely affect our operating results.

        In certain circumstances, we can incur liquidated or other damages if we do not achieve project completion by a scheduled date. If we or an entity for which we have provided a guarantee subsequently fails to complete the project as scheduled and the matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved with the client, we may be responsible for cost impacts to the client resulting from any delay or the cost to complete the project. Our costs generally increase from schedule delays and/or could exceed our projections for a particular project. In addition, project performance can be affected by a number of factors beyond our control, including unavoidable delays from governmental inaction, public opposition, inability to obtain financing, weather conditions, unavailability of vendor materials, changes in the project scope of services requested by our clients, industrial accidents, environmental hazards, labor disruptions and other factors. Material performance problems for existing and future contracts could cause actual results of operations to differ from those anticipated by us and also could cause us to suffer damage to our reputation within our industry and client base.

We may not be able to maintain adequate surety and financial capacity necessary for us to successfully bid on and win contracts.

        In line with industry practice, we are often required to provide surety bonds, standby letters of credit or corporate guarantees to our clients that indemnify the customer should our affiliate fail to perform its obligations under the terms of a contract. As of September 30, 2017 and 2016, we were contingently liable for $5.7 billion and $3.3 billion, respectively, in issued surety bonds primarily to support project execution. A surety may issue a performance or payment bond to guarantee to the client that our affiliate will perform under the terms of a contract. If our affiliate fails to perform under the terms of the contract, then the client may demand that the surety provide the contracted services under the performance or payment bond. In addition, we would typically have obligations to indemnify the surety for any loss incurred in connection with the bond. If a surety bond or a letter of credit is required for a particular project and we are unable to obtain an appropriate surety bond or letter of credit, we may not be able to pursue that project, which in turn could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.

We conduct a portion of our operations through joint venture entities, over which we may have limited control.

        Approximately 13% of our fiscal 2017 revenue was derived from our operations through joint ventures or similar partnership arrangements, where control may be shared with unaffiliated third parties. As with most joint venture arrangements, differences in views among the joint venture participants may result in delayed decisions or disputes. We also cannot control the actions of our joint venture partners and we typically have joint and several liability with our joint venture partners under the applicable contracts for joint venture projects. These factors could potentially adversely impact the business and operations of a joint venture and, in turn, our business and operations.

        Operating through joint ventures in which we are minority holders results in us having limited control over many decisions made with respect to projects and internal controls relating to projects. Sales of our services provided to our unconsolidated joint ventures were approximately 2% of our fiscal 2017 revenue. We generally do not have control of these unconsolidated joint ventures. These joint ventures may not be subject to the same requirements regarding internal controls and internal control over financial reporting that we follow. As a result, internal control problems may arise with respect to these joint ventures, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations and could also affect our reputation in the industries we serve.

20

Table of Contents

We participate in certain joint ventures where we provide guarantees and may be adversely impacted by the failure of the joint venture or its participants to fulfill their obligations.

        We have investments in and commitments to certain joint ventures with unrelated parties, including in connection with construction services, government services, and the investment activities of ACAP. Real estate and infrastructure joint ventures are inherently risky and may result in future losses since real estate markets are impacted by economic trends and government policies that we do not control. These joint ventures from time to time may borrow money to help finance their activities and in certain circumstances, we are required to provide guarantees of certain obligations of our affiliated entities. In addition, in connection with the investment activities of ACAP, the Company provides guarantees of certain obligations, including guarantees for completion of projects, repayment of debt, environmental indemnity obligations and other lender required guarantees. If these entities are not able to honor their obligations under the guarantees, we may be required to expend additional resources or suffer losses, which could be significant.

Systems and information technology interruption and unexpected data or vendor loss could adversely impact our ability to operate.

        We rely heavily on computer, information and communications technology and related systems to properly operate. From time to time, we experience occasional system interruptions and delays. If we are unable to effectively upgrade our systems and network infrastructure and take other steps to protect our systems, the operation of our systems could be interrupted or delayed. Our computer and communications systems and operations could be damaged or interrupted by natural disasters, telecommunications failures, acts of war or terrorism and similar events or disruptions. Any of these or other events could cause system interruption, delays and loss of critical data, or delay or prevent operations, and adversely affect our operating results.

        We also rely in part on third-party software and information technology vendors to run our critical accounting, project management and financial information systems. We depend on our software and information technology vendors to provide long-term software and hardware support for our information systems. Our software and information technology vendors may decide to discontinue further development, integration or long-term software and hardware support for our information systems; in which case, we may need to abandon one or more of our current information systems and migrate some or all of our accounting, project management and financial information to other systems, thus increasing our operational expense as well as disrupting the management of our business operations.

Misconduct by our employees, partners or consultants or our failure to comply with laws or regulations applicable to our business could cause us to lose customers or lose our ability to contract with government agencies.

        As a government contractor, misconduct, fraud or other improper activities caused by our employees', partners' or consultants' failure to comply with laws or regulations could have a significant negative impact on our business and reputation. Such misconduct could include the failure to comply with procurement regulations, environmental regulations, regulations regarding the protection of sensitive government information, legislation regarding the pricing of labor and other costs in government contracts, regulations on lobbying or similar activities, and anti-corruption, anti-competition, export control and other applicable laws or regulations. Our failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, misconduct by any of our employees or consultants or our failure to make timely and accurate certifications to government agencies regarding misconduct or potential misconduct could subject us to fines and penalties, loss of government granted eligibility, cancellation of contracts and suspension or debarment from contracting with government agencies, any of which may adversely affect our business.

21

Table of Contents

We may be required to contribute additional cash to meet our significant underfunded benefit obligations associated with pension benefit plans we manage or multiemployer pension plans in which we participate.

        We have defined benefit pension plans for employees in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. At September 30, 2017, our defined benefit pension plans had an aggregate deficit (the excess of projected benefit obligations over the fair value of plan assets) of approximately $553.0 million. In the future, our pension deficits may increase or decrease depending on changes in the levels of interest rates, pension plan performance and other factors that may require us to make additional cash contributions to our pension plans and recognize further increases in our net pension cost to satisfy our funding requirements. If we are forced or elect to make up all or a portion of the deficit for unfunded benefit plans, our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

        A multiemployer pension plan is typically established under a collective bargaining agreement with a union to cover the union-represented workers of various unrelated companies. Our collective bargaining agreements with unions will require us to contribute to various multiemployer pension plans; however, we do not control or manage these plans. For the year ended September 30, 2017, we contributed $48.8 million to multiemployer pension plans. Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, an employer who contributes to a multiemployer pension plan, absent an applicable exemption, may also be liable, upon termination or withdrawal from the plan, for its proportionate share of the multiemployer pension plan's unfunded vested benefit. If we terminate or withdraw from a multiemployer plan, absent an applicable exemption (such as for some plans in the building and construction industry), we could be required to contribute a significant amount of cash to fund the multiemployer plan's unfunded vested benefit, which could materially and adversely affect our financial results; however, since we do not control the multiemployer plans, we are unable to estimate any potential contributions that could be required.

New legal requirements could adversely affect our operating results.

        Our business and results of operations could be adversely affected by the passage of new climate change, defense, environmental, infrastructure and other laws, policies and regulations. Growing concerns about climate change and greenhouse gases, such as those adopted under the United Nations COP-21 Paris Agreement or the EPA Clean Power Plan, may result in the imposition of additional environmental regulations for our clients' fossil fuel projects. For example, legislation, international protocols, regulation or other restrictions on emissions regulations could increase the costs of projects for our clients or, in some cases, prevent a project from going forward, thereby potentially reducing the need for our services. In addition, relaxation or repeal of laws and regulations, or changes in governmental policies regarding environmental, defense, infrastructure or other industries we serve could result in a decline in demand for our services, which could in turn negatively impact our revenues. We cannot predict when or whether any of these various proposals may be enacted or what their effect will be on us or on our customers.

We may be subject to substantial liabilities under environmental laws and regulations.

        Our services are subject to numerous environmental protection laws and regulations that are complex and stringent. Our business involves in part the planning, design, program management, construction and construction management, and operations and maintenance at various sites, including but not limited to, pollution control systems, nuclear facilities, hazardous waste and Superfund sites, contract mining sites, hydrocarbon production, distribution and transport sites, military bases and other infrastructure-related facilities. We also regularly perform work, including oil field and pipeline construction services in and around sensitive environmental areas, such as rivers, lakes and wetlands. In addition, we have contracts with U.S. federal government entities to destroy hazardous materials, including chemical agents and weapons stockpiles, as well as to decontaminate and decommission nuclear facilities. These activities may require us to manage, handle, remove, treat, transport and dispose of toxic or hazardous substances. We also own and operate several properties in the U.S. and Canada that have been used for the storage and maintenance of equipment and upon which hydrocarbons or other wastes may have been disposed or

22

Table of Contents

released. Past business practices at companies that we have acquired may also expose us to future unknown environmental liabilities.

        Significant fines, penalties and other sanctions may be imposed for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and some environmental laws provide for joint and several strict liabilities for remediation of releases of hazardous substances, rendering a person liable for environmental damage, without regard to negligence or fault on the part of such person. These laws and regulations may expose us to liability arising out of the conduct of operations or conditions caused by others, or for our acts that were in compliance with all applicable laws at the time these acts were performed. For example, there are a number of governmental laws that strictly regulate the handling, removal, treatment, transportation and disposal of toxic and hazardous substances, such as Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, and comparable state laws, that impose strict, joint and several liabilities for the entire cost of cleanup, without regard to whether a company knew of or caused the release of hazardous substances. In addition, some environmental regulations can impose liability for the entire cleanup upon owners, operators, generators, transporters and other persons arranging for the treatment or disposal of such hazardous substances related to contaminated facilities or project sites. Other federal environmental, health and safety laws affecting us include, but are not limited to, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Air Mercury Rule, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act and the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act and the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as well as other comparable national and state laws. Liabilities related to environmental contamination or human exposure to hazardous substances, or a failure to comply with applicable regulations could result in substantial costs to us, including cleanup costs, fines and civil or criminal sanctions, third-party claims for property damage or personal injury or cessation of remediation activities. Our continuing work in the areas governed by these laws and regulations exposes us to the risk of substantial liability.

Demand for our oil and gas services fluctuates.

        Demand for our oil and natural gas services fluctuates, and we depend on our customers' willingness to make future expenditures to explore for, develop and produce oil and natural gas in the U.S. and Canada. For example, the past volatility in the price of oil and natural gas has significantly decreased existing and future projects. Our customers' willingness to undertake future projects depends largely upon prevailing industry conditions that are influenced by numerous factors over which we have no control, such as the anticipated future prices for natural gas and crude oil. The multi-year decline in oil and natural gas prices has decreased spending and drilling activity, which has caused declines in demand for our services and in the prices we are able to charge for our services.

Failure to successfully integrate acquisitions could harm our operating results.

        We have grown in part as a result of acquisitions. For example, in July 2017 we acquired Shimmick Construction Company, Inc. We cannot assure that suitable acquisitions or investment opportunities will continue to be identified or that any of these transactions can be consummated on favorable terms or at all. Any future acquisitions will involve various inherent risks, such as:

•

our ability to accurately assess the value, strengths, weaknesses, liabilities and potential profitability of acquisition candidates;



•

the potential loss of key personnel of an acquired business;



•

increased burdens on our staff and on our administrative, internal control and operating systems, which may hinder our legal and regulatory compliance activities;



•

liabilities related to pre-acquisition activities of an acquired business and the burdens on our staff and resources to comply with, conduct or resolve investigations into such activities;

23

Table of Contents

•

post-acquisition integration challenges; and



•

post-acquisition deterioration in an acquired business that could result in lower or negative earnings contribution and/or goodwill impairment charges.

        Furthermore, during the acquisition process and thereafter, our management may need to assume significant transaction-related responsibilities, which may cause them to divert their attention from our existing operations. If our management is unable to successfully integrate acquired companies, our operating results could be harmed. In addition, even if the operations of an acquisition are integrated successfully, we may not realize the full benefits of the acquisition, including the synergies, cost savings, or sales or growth opportunities that we expect. These benefits may not be achieved within the anticipated time frame, or at all.

Although we expect to realize certain benefits as a result of our acquisitions, there is the possibility that we may be unable to successfully integrate our businesses in order to realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions or do so within the intended timeframe.

        We have been, and will continue to be, required to devote significant management attention and resources to integrating the business practices and operations of the acquired companies with our business. Difficulties we may encounter as part of the integration process include the following:

•

the consequences of a change in tax treatment, including the costs of integration and compliance and the possibility that the full benefits anticipated from the acquisition will not be realized;



•

any delay in the integration of management teams, strategies, operations, products and services;



•

diversion of the attention of each company's management as a result of the acquisition;



•

differences in business backgrounds, corporate cultures and management philosophies that may delay successful integration;



•

the ability to retain key employees;



•

the ability to create and enforce uniform standards, controls, procedures, policies and information systems;



•

the challenge of integrating complex systems, technology, networks and other assets into those of ours in a seamless manner that minimizes any adverse impact on customers, suppliers, employees and other constituencies;



•

potential unknown liabilities and unforeseen increased expenses or delays associated with the acquisition, including costs to integrate beyond current estimates;



•

the ability to deduct or claim certain tax attributes or benefits such as operating losses, business or foreign tax credits; and



•

the disruption of, or the loss of momentum in, each company's ongoing businesses or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures and policies.

        Any of these factors could adversely affect each company's ability to maintain relationships with customers, suppliers, employees and other constituencies or our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the acquisition or could reduce each company's earnings or otherwise adversely affect our business and financial results.

24

Table of Contents

The agreements governing our debt contain a number of restrictive covenants which will limit our ability to finance future operations, acquisitions or capital needs or engage in other business activities that may be in our interest.

        The Credit Agreement and the indentures governing our debt contain a number of significant covenants that impose operating and other restrictions on us and our subsidiaries. Such restrictions affect or will affect, and in many respects limit or prohibit, among other things, our ability and the ability of certain of our subsidiaries to:

•

incur additional indebtedness;



•

create liens;



•

pay dividends and make other distributions in respect of our equity securities;



•

redeem our equity securities;



•

distribute excess cash flow from foreign to domestic subsidiaries;



•

make certain investments or certain other restricted payments;



•

sell certain kinds of assets;



•

enter into certain types of transactions with affiliates; and



•

effect mergers or consolidations.

        In addition, our Credit Agreement also requires us to comply with a consolidated interest coverage ratio and consolidated leverage ratio. Our ability to comply with these ratios may be affected by events beyond our control.

        These restrictions could limit our ability to plan for or react to market or economic conditions or meet capital needs or otherwise restrict our activities or business plans, and could adversely affect our ability to finance our operations, acquisitions, investments or strategic alliances or other capital needs or to engage in other business activities that would be in our interest.

        A breach of any of these covenants or our inability to comply with the required financial ratios could result in a default under all or certain of our debt instruments. If an event of default occurs, our creditors could elect to:

•

declare all borrowings outstanding, together with accrued and unpaid interest, to be immediately due and payable;



•

require us to apply all of our available cash to repay the borrowings; or



•

prevent us from making debt service payments on certain of our borrowings.

        If we were unable to repay or otherwise refinance these borrowings when due, the applicable creditors could sell the collateral securing certain of our debt instruments, which constitutes substantially all of our domestic and foreign, wholly owned subsidiaries' assets.

Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.

        Borrowings under our Credit Agreement are at variable rates of interest and expose us to interest rate risk. If interest rates increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness will increase even though the amount borrowed remains the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, will correspondingly decrease. A 1.00% increase in such interest rates would increase total interest expense under our Credit Agreement for the year ended September 30, 2017 by $13.4 million, including the effect of our interest rate swaps. We may, from time to time, enter into additional interest rate swaps that involve the exchange of floating for fixed rate interest payments in order

25

Table of Contents

to reduce interest rate volatility. However, we may not maintain interest rate swaps with respect to all of our variable rate indebtedness, and any swaps we enter into may not fully mitigate our interest rate risk and could be subject to credit risk themselves.

If we are unable to continue to access credit on acceptable terms, our business may be adversely affected.

        The changing nature of the global credit markets could make it more difficult for us to access funds, refinance our existing indebtedness, enter into agreements for uncommitted bond facilities and new indebtedness, replace our existing revolving and term credit agreements or obtain funding through the issuance of our securities. We use credit facilities to support our working capital and acquisition needs. There is no guarantee that we can continue to renew our credit facility on terms as favorable as those in our existing credit facility and, if we are unable to do so, our costs of borrowing and our business may be adversely affected.

Our ability to grow and to compete in our industry will be harmed if we do not retain the continued services of our key technical and management personnel and identify, hire, and retain additional qualified personnel.

        There is strong competition for qualified technical and management personnel in the sectors in which we compete. We may not be able to continue to attract and retain qualified technical and management personnel, such as engineers, architects and project managers, who are necessary for the development of our business or to replace qualified personnel in the timeframe demanded by our clients. Our planned growth may place increased demands on our resources and will likely require the addition of technical and management personnel and the development of additional expertise by existing personnel. In addition, we may occasionally enter into contracts before we have hired or retained appropriate staffing for that project. Also, some of our personnel hold government granted eligibility that may be required to obtain certain government projects. If we were to lose some or all of these personnel, they would be difficult to replace. In addition, we rely heavily upon the expertise and leadership of our senior management. If we are unable to retain executives and other key personnel, the roles and responsibilities of those employees will need to be filled, which may require that we devote time and resources to identify, hire and integrate new employees. Loss of the services of, or failure to recruit, key technical and management personnel could limit our ability to successfully complete existing projects and compete for new projects.

Our revenue and growth prospects may be harmed if we or our employees are unable to obtain government granted eligibility or other qualifications we and they need to perform services for our customers.

        A number of government programs require contractors to have certain kinds of government granted eligibility, such as security clearance credentials. Depending on the project, eligibility can be difficult and time-consuming to obtain. If we or our employees are unable to obtain or retain the necessary eligibility, including local ownership requirements, we may not be able to win new business, and our existing customers could terminate their contracts with us or decide not to renew them. To the extent we cannot obtain or maintain the required security clearances for our employees working on a particular contract, we may not derive the revenue or profit anticipated from such contract.

Our industry is highly competitive and we may be unable to compete effectively, which could result in reduced revenue, profitability and market share.

        We are engaged in a highly competitive business. The markets we serve are highly fragmented and we compete with a large number of regional, national and international companies. Certain of these competitors have greater financial and other resources than we do. Others are smaller and more specialized, and concentrate their resources in particular areas of expertise. The extent of our competition varies according to the particular markets and geographic area. In addition, the technical and professional aspects of some of our services generally do not require large upfront capital expenditures and provide limited barriers against new competitors.

26

Table of Contents

        The degree and type of competition we face is also influenced by the type and scope of a particular project. Our clients make competitive determinations based upon qualifications, experience, performance, reputation, technology, customer relationships and ability to provide the relevant services in a timely, safe and cost-efficient manner. Increased competition may result in our inability to win bids for future projects and loss of revenue, profitability and market share.

If we extend a significant portion of our credit to clients in a specific geographic area or industry, we may experience disproportionately high levels of collection risk and nonpayment if those clients are adversely affected by factors particular to their geographic area or industry.

        Our clients include public and private entities that have been, and may continue to be, negatively impacted by the changing landscape in the global economy. While outside of the U.S. federal government, no one client accounted for over 10% of our revenue for fiscal 2017, we face collection risk as a normal part of our business where we perform services and subsequently bill our clients for such services, or when we make equity investments in majority or minority controlled large-scale client projects and other long-term capital projects before the project completes operational status or completes its project financing. In the event that we have concentrated credit risk from clients in a specific geographic area or industry, continuing negative trends or a worsening in the financial condition of that specific geographic area or industry could make us susceptible to disproportionately high levels of default by those clients. Such defaults could materially adversely impact our revenues and our results of operations.

Our services expose us to significant risks of liability and our insurance policies may not provide adequate coverage.

        Our services involve significant risks of professional and other liabilities that may substantially exceed the fees that we derive from our services. In addition, we sometimes contractually assume liability to clients on projects under indemnification agreements. We cannot predict the magnitude of potential liabilities from the operation of our business. In addition, in the ordinary course of our business, we frequently make professional judgments and recommendations about environmental and engineering conditions of project sites for our clients. We may be deemed to be responsible for these judgments and recommendations if such judgments and recommendations are later determined to be inaccurate. Any unfavorable legal ruling against us could result in substantial monetary damages or even criminal violations.

        Our professional liability policies cover only claims made during the term of the policy. Additionally, our insurance policies may not protect us against potential liability due to various exclusions in the policies and self-insured retention amounts. Partially or completely uninsured claims, if successful and of significant magnitude, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Unavailability or cancellation of third-party insurance coverage would increase our overall risk exposure as well as disrupt the management of our business operations.

        We maintain insurance coverage from third-party insurers as part of our overall risk management strategy and because some of our contracts require us to maintain specific insurance coverage limits. If any of our third-party insurers fail, suddenly cancel our coverage or otherwise are unable to provide us with adequate insurance coverage, then our overall risk exposure and our operational expenses would increase and the management of our business operations would be disrupted. In addition, there can be no assurance that any of our existing insurance coverage will be renewable upon the expiration of the coverage period or that future coverage will be affordable at the required limits.

If we do not have adequate indemnification for our services related to nuclear materials, it could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

        We provide services to the Department of Energy and the nuclear energy industry in the ongoing maintenance and modification, as well as the decontamination and decommissioning, of nuclear energy

27

Table of Contents

plants. Indemnification provisions under the Price-Anderson Act available to nuclear energy plant operators and Department of Energy contractors do not apply to all liabilities that we might incur while performing services as a radioactive materials cleanup contractor for the Department of Energy and the nuclear energy industry. If the Price-Anderson Act's indemnification protection does not apply to our services or if our exposure occurs outside the U.S., our business and financial condition could be adversely affected either by our client's refusal to retain us, by our inability to obtain commercially adequate insurance and indemnification, or by potentially significant monetary damages we may incur.

        We also provide services to the United Kingdom's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) relating to clean-up and decommissioning of the United Kingdom's public sector nuclear sites. Indemnification provisions under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 available to nuclear site licensees, the Atomic Energy Authority, and the Crown, and contractual indemnification from the NDA do not apply to all liabilities that we might incur while performing services as a clean-up and decommissioning contractor for the NDA. If the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 and contractual indemnification protection does not apply to our services or if our exposure occurs outside the United Kingdom, our business and financial condition could be adversely affected either by our client's refusal to retain us, by our inability to obtain commercially adequate insurance and indemnification, or by potentially significant monetary damages we may incur.

Our backlog of uncompleted projects under contract is subject to unexpected adjustments and cancellations and, thus may not accurately reflect future revenue and profits.

        At September 30, 2017, our contracted backlog was approximately $24.2 billion, our awarded backlog was approximately $20.0 billion and our unconsolidated joint venture backlog was approximately $3.3 billion for a total backlog of $47.5 billion. Our contracted backlog includes revenue we expect to record in the future from signed contracts and, in the case of a public sector client, where the project has been funded. Our awarded backlog includes revenue we expect to record in the future where we have been awarded the work, but the contractual agreement has not yet been signed. We cannot guarantee that future revenue will be realized from either category of backlog or, if realized, will result in profits. Many projects may remain in our backlog for an extended period of time because of the size or long-term nature of the contract. In addition, from time to time, projects are delayed, scaled back or canceled. These types of backlog reductions adversely affect the revenue and profits that we ultimately receive from contracts reflected in our backlog.

We have submitted claims to clients for work we performed beyond the initial scope of some of our contracts. If these clients do not approve these claims, our results of operations could be adversely impacted.

        We typically have pending claims submitted under some of our contracts for payment of work performed beyond the initial contractual requirements for which we have already recorded revenue. In general, we cannot guarantee that such claims will be approved in whole, in part, or at all. Often, these claims can be the subject of lengthy arbitration or litigation proceedings, and it is difficult to accurately predict when these claims will be fully resolved. When these types of events occur and unresolved claims are pending, we have used working capital in projects to cover cost overruns pending the resolution of the relevant claims. If these claims are not approved, our revenue may be reduced in future periods.

In conducting our business, we depend on other contractors, subcontractors and equipment and material providers. If these parties fail to satisfy their obligations to us or other parties or if we are unable to maintain these relationships, our revenue, profitability and growth prospects could be adversely affected.

        We depend on contractors, subcontractors and equipment and material providers in conducting our business. There is a risk that we may have disputes with our subcontractors arising from, among other things, the quality and timeliness of work performed by the subcontractor, customer concerns about the subcontractor, or our failure to extend existing task orders or issue new task orders under a subcontract.

28

Table of Contents

Also, to the extent that we cannot acquire equipment and materials at reasonable costs, or if the amount we are required to pay exceeds our estimates, our ability to complete a project in a timely fashion or at a profit may be impaired. In addition, if any of our subcontractors fail to deliver on a timely basis the agreed-upon supplies and/or perform the agreed-upon services, our ability to fulfill our obligations as a prime contractor may be jeopardized; we could be held responsible for such failures and/or we may be required to purchase the supplies or services from another source at a higher price. This may reduce the profit to be realized or result in a loss on a project for which the supplies or services are needed.

        We also rely on relationships with other contractors when we act as their subcontractor or joint venture partner. Our future revenue and growth prospects could be adversely affected if other contractors eliminate or reduce their subcontracts or joint venture relationships with us, or if a government agency terminates or reduces these other contractors' programs, does not award them new contracts or refuses to pay under a contract. In addition, due to "pay when paid" provisions that are common in subcontracts in certain countries, including the U.S., we could experience delays in receiving payment if the prime contractor experiences payment delays.

If clients use our reports or other work product without appropriate disclaimers or in a misleading or incomplete manner, or if our reports or other work product are not in compliance with professional standards and other regulations, our business could be adversely affected.

        The reports and other work product we produce for clients sometimes include projections, forecasts and other forward-looking statements. Such information by its nature is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, any of which could cause the information produced by us to ultimately prove inaccurate. While we include appropriate disclaimers in the reports that we prepare for our clients, once we produce such written work product, we do not always have the ability to control the manner in which our clients use such information. As a result, if our clients reproduce such information to solicit funds from investors for projects without appropriate disclaimers and the information proves to be incorrect, or if our clients reproduce such information for potential investors in a misleading or incomplete manner, our clients or such investors may threaten to or file suit against us for, among other things, securities law violations. For example, in August 2016, AECOM Australia and other parties entered into a settlement related to, among other things, alleged deficiencies in AECOM Australia's traffic forecast. If we were found to be liable for any claims related to our client work product, our business could be adversely affected.

        In addition, our reports and other work product may need to comply with professional standards, licensing requirements, securities regulations and other laws and rules governing the performance of professional services in the jurisdiction where the services are performed. We could be liable to third parties who use or rely upon our reports and other work product even if we are not contractually bound to those third parties. These events could in turn result in monetary damages and penalties.

Failure to adequately protect, maintain, or enforce our rights in our intellectual property may adversely limit our competitive position.

        Our success depends, in part, upon our ability to protect our intellectual property. We rely on a combination of intellectual property policies and other contractual arrangements to protect much of our intellectual property where we do not believe that trademark, patent or copyright protection is appropriate or obtainable. Trade secrets are generally difficult to protect. Although our employees are subject to confidentiality obligations, this protection may be inadequate to deter or prevent misappropriation of our confidential information and/or the infringement of our patents and copyrights. Further, we may be unable to detect unauthorized use of our intellectual property or otherwise take appropriate steps to enforce our rights. Failure to adequately protect, maintain, or enforce our intellectual property rights may adversely limit our competitive position.

29

Table of Contents

Negotiations with labor unions and possible work actions could divert management attention and disrupt operations. In addition, new collective bargaining agreements or amendments to agreements could increase our labor costs and operating expenses.

        We regularly negotiate with labor unions and enter into collective bargaining agreements. The outcome of any future negotiations relating to union representation or collective bargaining agreements may not be favorable to us. We may reach agreements in collective bargaining that increase our operating expenses and lower our net income as a result of higher wages or benefit expenses. In addition, negotiations with unions could divert management attention and disrupt operations, which may adversely affect our results of operations. If we are unable to negotiate acceptable collective bargaining agreements, we may have to address the threat of union-initiated work actions, including strikes. Depending on the nature of the threat or the type and duration of any work action, these actions could disrupt our operations and adversely affect our operating results.

Our charter documents contain provisions that may delay, defer or prevent a change of control.

        Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire control of us, even if the change in control would be beneficial to stockholders. These provisions include the following:

•

ability of our Board of Directors to authorize the issuance of preferred stock in series without stockholder approval;



•

vesting of exclusive authority in our Board of Directors to determine the size of the board (subject to limited exceptions) and to fill vacancies;



•

advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and nominations for election to our Board of Directors; and



•

prohibitions on our stockholders from acting by written consent.

Changes in tax laws could increase our worldwide tax rate and materially affect our results of operations.

        Many international legislative and regulatory bodies have proposed and/or enacted legislation and begun investigations of the tax practices of multinational companies and, in the European Union (EU), the tax policies of certain EU member states. Since 2013, the European Commission (EC) has been investigating tax rulings granted by tax authorities in a number of EU member states with respect to specific multinational corporations to determine whether such rulings comply with EU rules on state aid, as well as more recent investigations of the tax regimes of certain EU member states. If the EC determines that a tax ruling or tax regime violates the state aid restrictions, the tax authorities of the affected EU member state may be required to collect back taxes for the period of time covered by the ruling. Due to the large scale of our U.S. and international business activities, many of these proposed and enacted changes to the taxation of our activities could increase our worldwide effective tax rate and harm results of operations. Tax changes including limitations on the ability to defer U.S. taxation on earnings outside of the U.S. could increase our worldwide effective tax rate and harm results of operations.

ITEM 1B.    UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS

        None.

ITEM 2.    PROPERTIES

        Our corporate offices are located in approximately 31,500 square feet of space at 1999 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, California. Our other offices, including smaller administrative or project offices, consist of an aggregate of approximately 11.7 million square feet worldwide. Virtually all of our offices are leased.

30

Table of Contents

See Note 11 in the notes to our consolidated financial statements for information regarding our lease obligations. We believe our current properties are adequate for our business operations and are not currently underutilized. We may add additional facilities from time to time in the future as the need arises.

ITEM 3.    LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

        As a government contractor, we are subject to various laws and regulations that are more restrictive than those applicable to non-government contractors. Intense government scrutiny of contractors' compliance with those laws and regulations through audits and investigations is inherent in government contracting and, from time to time, we receive inquiries, subpoenas, and similar demands related to our ongoing business with government entities. Violations can result in civil or criminal liability as well as suspension or debarment from eligibility for awards of new government contracts or option renewals.

        We are involved in various investigations, claims and lawsuits in the normal conduct of our business. We are not always aware if we or our affiliates are under investigation or the status of such matters. Although the outcome of our legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty and no assurances can be provided, in the opinion of our management, based upon current information and discussions with counsel, with the exception of the matters noted in Note 18, Commitments and Contingencies, to the financial statements contained in this report to the extent stated therein, none of the investigations, claims and lawsuits in which we are involved is expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows or our ability to conduct business. See Note 18, "Commitments and Contingencies," to the financial statements contained in this report for a discussion of certain matters to which we are a party. The information set forth in such note is incorporated by reference into this Item 3. From time to time, we establish reserves for litigation when we consider it probable that a loss will occur.

ITEM 4.    MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

        The Company does not act as the owner of any mines, but we may act as a mining operator as defined under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 where we may be a lessee of a mine, a person who operates, controls or supervises such mine, or an independent contractor performing services or construction of such mine. Information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K is included in Exhibit 95.

PART II

ITEM 5.    MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

        Our common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). According to the records of our transfer agent, there were 2,472 stockholders of record as of November 3, 2017. The following table sets forth the low and high closing sales prices of a share of our common stock during each of the fiscal quarters presented, based upon quotations on the NYSE consolidated reporting system:

31

Table of Contents

        We have not paid a cash dividend since our inception and our Credit Agreement restricts the Company's ability to pay cash dividends.

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities

        On July 28, 2017, the Company acquired Shimmick Construction Company, Inc. (Shimmick), and committed to issue 1,159,322 shares of AECOM common stock to certain accredited shareholders of Shimmick in a private placement exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(2) and Rule 506 of Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Equity Compensation Plans

        The following table presents certain information about shares of AECOM common stock that may be issued under our equity compensation plans as of September 30, 2017:

32

Table of Contents

Performance Measurement Comparison(1)

        The following chart compares the cumulative total stockholder return of AECOM stock (ACM) with the cumulative total return of the S&P MidCap 400, the S&P Composite 1500 Construction & Engineering, the S&P 500 Aerospace & Defense and the PHLX Oil Service Sector indices from September 28, 2012 to September 29, 2017. We added the S&P 500 Aerospace & Defense and the PHLX Oil Service Sector indices to provide additional third party published industry indices reflecting our defense and oil and gas services.

        We believe the S&P MidCap 400, on which we are listed, is an appropriate independent broad market index, since it measures the performance of similar mid-sized companies in numerous sectors. In addition, we believe the S&P Composite 1500 Construction & Engineering, the S&P 500 Aerospace & Defense and the PHLX Oil Service Sector indices are appropriate third party published industry indices since they measure the performance of engineering and construction, defense and oil and gas services.

Stock Repurchase Program

        On September 21, 2017, the Company's Board of Directors announced a new capital allocation policy that authorized the repurchase of up to $1.0 billion in AECOM common stock. Stock repurchases can be made through open market purchases or other methods, including pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 plan. Since August 2011, the Company has purchased a total of 27.4 million shares at an average price of $24.10 per share, for a total cost of $660.1 million under a previous stock repurchase program. No stock repurchases were made under the new or the previous stock repurchase program in fiscal 2017.

(1)

This section is not "soliciting material," is not deemed "filed" with the SEC and is not incorporated by reference in any of our filings under the Securities Act or Exchange Act whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any such filing.

33

Table of Contents

ITEM 6.    SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

        You should read the following selected consolidated financial data along with "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes, which are included in this Form 10-K. We derived the selected consolidated financial data from our audited consolidated financial statements.

34

Table of Contents

35

Table of Contents

ITEM 7.    MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

        This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are not limited to historical facts, but reflect the Company's current beliefs, expectations or intentions regarding future events. These statements include forward-looking statements with respect to the Company, including the Company's business and operations, and the engineering and construction industry. Statements that are not historical facts, without limitation, including statements that use terms such as "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "estimates," "intends," "may," "plans," "potential," "projects," and "will" and that relate to our future revenues, expenditures and business trends; future accounting estimates; future conversions of backlog; future capital allocation priorities including share repurchases, trade receivables, debt pay downs; future post-retirement expenses; future tax benefits and expenses; future compliance with regulations; future legal claims and insurance coverage; future effectiveness of our disclosure and internal controls over financial reporting; and other future economic and industry conditions, are forward-looking statements. In light of the risks and uncertainties inherent in all forward-looking statements, the inclusion of such statements in this Annual Report should not be considered as a representation by us or any other person that our objectives or plans will be achieved. Although management believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements are reasonable, these assumptions and the forward-looking statements are subject to various factors, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, including, but not limited to, the fact that our business is cyclical and vulnerable to economic downturns and client spending reductions; we are dependent on long-term government contracts and subject to uncertainties related to government contract appropriations; governmental agencies may modify, curtail or terminate our contracts; government contracts are subject to audits and adjustments of contractual terms; we may experience losses under fixed-price contracts; we have limited control over operations run through our joint venture entities; we may be liable for misconduct by our employees or consultants or our failure to comply with laws or regulations applicable to our business; we may not maintain adequate surety and financial capacity; we are highly leveraged and may not be able to service our debt and guarantees; we have exposure to political and economic risks in different countries where we operate as well as currency exchange rate fluctuations; we may not be able to retain and recruit key technical and management personnel; we may be subject to legal claims; we may have inadequate insurance coverage; we are subject to environmental law compliance and may not have adequate nuclear indemnification; there may be unexpected adjustments and cancellations related to our backlog; we are dependent on partners and third parties who may fail to satisfy their obligations; we may not be able to manage pension costs; we may face cybersecurity issues and data loss; as well as other additional risks and factors discussed in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent reports we file with the SEC. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by any forward-looking statement.

        All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning the Company or other matters attributable to the Company or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only to the date they are made. The Company is under no obligation (and expressly disclaims any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. Please review "Part I, Item 1A—Risk Factors" in this Annual Report for a discussion of the factors, risks and uncertainties that could affect our future results.

        Our fiscal year consists of 52 or 53 weeks, ending on the Friday closest to September 30. For clarity of presentation, we present all periods as if the year ended on September 30. We refer to the fiscal year ended September 30, 2016 as "fiscal 2016" and the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 as "fiscal 2017."

36

Table of Contents

Overview

        We are a leading fully integrated firm positioned to design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations in more than 150 countries. We provide planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design services to commercial and government clients worldwide in major end markets such as transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government markets. We also provide construction services, including building construction and energy, infrastructure and industrial construction. In addition, we provide program and facilities management and maintenance, training, logistics, consulting, technical assistance, and systems integration and information technology services, primarily for agencies of the U.S. government and also for national governments around the world.

        Our business focuses primarily on providing fee-based planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design services and, therefore, our business is labor intensive. We primarily derive income from our ability to generate revenue and collect cash from our clients through the billing of our employees' time spent on client projects and our ability to manage our costs. AECOM Capital primarily derives its income from real estate development sales.

        We report our business through four segments: Design and Consulting Services (DCS), Construction Services (CS), Management Services (MS), and AECOM Capital (ACAP). Such segments are organized by the types of services provided, the differing specialized needs of the respective clients, and how we manage the business. We have aggregated various operating segments into our reportable segments based on their similar characteristics, including similar long-term financial performance, the nature of services provided, internal processes for delivering those services, and types of customers.

        Our DCS segment delivers planning, consulting, architectural and engineering design services to commercial and government clients worldwide in major end markets such as transportation, facilities, environmental, energy, water and government. DCS revenue is primarily derived from fees from services that we provide, as opposed to pass-through costs from subcontractors.

        Our CS segment provides construction services, including building construction and energy, infrastructure and industrial construction, primarily in the Americas. CS revenue typically includes a significant amount of pass-through costs from subcontractors.

        Our MS segment provides program and facilities management and maintenance, training, logistics, consulting, technical assistance, and systems integration and information technology services, primarily for agencies of the U.S. government and also for national governments around the world. MS revenue typically includes a significant amount of pass-through costs from subcontractors.

        Our ACAP segment invests in real estate, public-private partnership (P3) and infrastructure projects. ACAP typically partners with investors and experienced developers in the United States and Europe as co-general partners. In addition, ACAP may, but is not required to, enter into contracts with our other AECOM affiliates to provide design, engineering, construction management, development and operations and maintenance services for ACAP funded projects.

        In April 2017, ACAP completed a transaction to sell its 50% equity interest in Provost Square I LLC, an unconsolidated joint venture which invested in a real estate development in New Jersey, for $133 million, which resulted in net cash proceeds of $77 million and a gain of $52 million in our fiscal year 2017. Accordingly, we begain reporting ACAP as a separate segment beginning in the third quarter of fiscal 2017. Results of operations for ACAP were not material in prior periods.

        During the first quarter of fiscal year 2017, an operation and maintenance related entity previously reported within our CS segment was realigned within our MS segment to reflect present management oversight. Accordingly, approximately $130 million and $137 million of revenue and $124 million and

37

Table of Contents

$130 million of cost of revenue for the years ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, were reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

        Our revenue is dependent on our ability to attract and retain qualified and productive employees, identify business opportunities, integrate and maximize the value of our recent acquisitions, allocate our labor resources to profitable and high growth markets, secure new contracts and renew existing client agreements. Demand for our services is cyclical and may be vulnerable to sudden economic downturns and reductions in government and private industry spending, which may result in clients delaying, curtailing or canceling proposed and existing projects. Moreover, as a professional services company, maintaining the high quality of the work generated by our employees is integral to our revenue generation and profitability.

        Our costs consist primarily of the compensation we pay to our employees, including salaries, fringe benefits, the costs of hiring subcontractors, other project-related expenses and sales, general and administrative costs.

        We define revenue provided by acquired companies as revenue included in the current period up to twelve months subsequent to their acquisition date. Throughout this section, we refer to companies we acquired in the last twelve months as "acquired companies."

        Commodity price volatility has negatively impacted our oil and gas business especially in North American and other petro-dollar funded markets and we expect that existing and future projects will be deferred, suspended or terminated.

        In December 2015, the federal legislation referred to as the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (the FAST Act) was authorized. The FAST Act is a five-year federal program expected to provide infrastructure spending on roads, bridges, and public transit and rail systems. While client spending patterns are likely to remain uneven, we expect that the passage of the FAST Act will positively impact our transportation services business in the next several years.

        Our MS segment fiscal 2016 results benefited from favorable project, pension and legal resolutions, which did not repeat in fiscal 2017. Also, the MS segment wound down several government projects in fiscal 2016, such as our contract to manage the Sellafield nuclear site in the United Kingdom, which impacted 2017 performance.

        In 2017, the U.S. federal government proposed significant legislative and executive infrastructure initiatives that, if enacted, could have a positive impact to our infrastructure business.

        In September 2017, we announced our plan to allocate free cash from operations to reduce our long-term debt and lower our overall leverage ratio. After significantly reducing our leverage ratio, we plan to allocate free cash from operations to engage in a stock repurchase program.

        We cannot determine if future climate change and greenhouse gas laws and policies, such as the United Nation's COP-21 Paris Agreement, will have a material impact on our business or our clients' business; however, we expect future environmental laws and policies could negatively impact demand for our services related to fossil fuel projects and positively impact demand for our services related to environmental, infrastructure, nuclear and alternative energy projects.

Acquisitions

        The aggregate value of all consideration for our acquisitions consummated during the years ended September 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $166.6 million, $5.5 million, and $5,147.9 million, respectively.

        All of our acquisitions have been accounted for as business combinations and the results of operations of the acquired companies have been included in our consolidated results since the dates of the acquisitions.

38

Table of Contents

Components of Income and Expense