Builders FirstSource, Inc. - Annual Report: 2019 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019

OR

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission File Number: 0-51357

BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(214) 880-3500

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.    Yes  ☑    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.    Yes  ☐    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.    Yes  ☑    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (Section 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☑    No  ☐

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.

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. ☐

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

The aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2019 was approximately $1,920.7 million based on the closing price per share on that date of $16.86 as reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC.

The number of shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0.01, outstanding as of February 19, 2020 was 116,130,284.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the registrant’s definitive proxy statement for its annual meeting of stockholders to be held on May 21, 2020 are incorporated by reference into Part II and Part III of this Form 10-K.

BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE, INC.

Table of Contents to Form 10-K

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PART I

Item 1. Business

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT

Statements in this report and the schedules hereto that are not purely historical facts or that necessarily depend upon future events, including statements about expected market share gains, forecasted financial performance or other statements about anticipations, beliefs, expectations, hopes, intentions or strategies for the future, may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. In addition, oral statements made by our directors, officers and employees to the investor and analyst communities, media representatives and others, depending upon their nature, may also constitute forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based upon currently available information and the Company’s current assumptions, expectations and projections about future events.  Forward-looking statements are by nature inherently uncertain, and actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events described in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors.  The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Any forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control or may be currently unknown to the Company, that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from the events or results described in the forward-looking statements, including risks or uncertainties related to the Company’s growth strategies, including gaining market share, or the Company’s revenues and operating results being highly dependent on, among other things, the homebuilding industry, lumber prices and the economy.  The Company may not succeed in addressing these and other risks. Further information regarding the risk factors that could affect our financial and other results are included as Item 1A of this annual report on Form 10-K and may also be described from time to time in the other reports the Company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  Consequently, all forward-looking statements in this report are qualified by the factors, risks and uncertainties contained therein.

OVERVIEW

In this annual report, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires, references to the “company,” “we,” “our,” “ours” or “us” refer to Builders FirstSource, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries.

We are a leading supplier and manufacturer of building materials, manufactured components and construction services to professional homebuilders, sub-contractors, remodelers and consumers. The Company operates approximately 400 locations in 40 states across the United States. We offer an integrated solution to our customers by providing manufacturing, supply and installation of a full range of structural and related building products. Our manufactured products include our factory-built roof and floor trusses, wall panels and stairs, vinyl windows, custom millwork and trim, as well as engineered wood that we design, cut, and assemble specifically for each home. We also assemble interior and exterior doors into pre-hung units. Additionally, we supply our customers with a broad offering of professional grade building products not manufactured by us, such as dimensional lumber and lumber sheet goods and various window, door and millwork lines. Our full range of construction-related services include professional installation, turn-key framing and shell construction, spanning all of our product categories.

Builders FirstSource, Inc. is a Delaware corporation formed in 1998 as BSL Holdings, Inc. On October 13, 1999, our name changed to Builders FirstSource, Inc. Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC under the ticker symbol “BLDR”.

OUR INDUSTRY

We compete in the professional segment (“Pro Segment”) of the U.S. residential building products supply market. Suppliers in the Pro Segment primarily focus on serving professional customers such as homebuilders and remodeling contractors. The Pro Segment consists predominantly of small, privately owned suppliers, including framing and shell construction contractors, local and regional materials distributors, single or multi-site lumberyards, and truss manufacturing and millwork operations. Because of the predominance of smaller privately owned companies and the overall size and diversity of the target customer market, the Pro Segment remains fragmented. There were only eight building product suppliers with manufacturing capabilities in the Pro Segment that generated more than $500 million in sales, according to ProSales magazine’s 2019 ProSales 100 list. We were the largest building product supplier with manufacturing capabilities on this list.

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The residential building products industry is driven by the level of activity in both the U.S. residential new construction market and the U.S. residential repair and remodeling market. Growth within these markets is linked to a number of key factors, including demographic trends, housing demand, interest rates, employment levels, availability of credit, foreclosure rates, consumer confidence, the availability of qualified tradesmen, and the state of the economy in general.  

The residential building products industry is characterized by several key trends, including greater utilization of manufactured components, an expanding role of the distributor in providing turn-key services and a consolidation of suppliers by homebuilders.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the single-family residential construction market was an estimated $289.3 billion in 2019, which was 5.2% higher than 2018, and still down significantly from the historical high of $413.2 billion in 2006. Further, according to the Home Improvement Research Institute (“HIRI”) in its September 2019 semi-annual forecast, the professional repair and remodel end market was an estimated $124.6 billion in 2019, which was 4.5% higher than 2018.

OUR CUSTOMERS

We serve a broad customer base across the United States. We have a diverse geographic footprint as we have operations in 77 of the top 100 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas (“MSAs”), as ranked by single family housing permits based on available 2019 U.S. Census data. In addition, approximately 86% of U.S. single-family housing permits in 2019 were issued in MSAs in which we operate. Given the local nature of our business, we have historically and will continue to locate our facilities in close proximity to our key customers and co-locate multiple operations in one facility to improve efficiency.

We have a diversified customer base, ranging from large production builders to small custom homebuilders, as well as multi-family builders, repair and remodeling contractors and light commercial contractors. For the year ended December 31, 2019, our top 10 customers accounted for approximately 15.3% of net sales, and no single customer accounted for more than 5% of net sales. Our top 10 customers are comprised primarily of the largest production homebuilders, including publicly traded companies such as D.R. Horton, Inc., Pulte Homes, Inc., Lennar Corporation, Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc., and Taylor Morrison Home Corporation.

In addition to the largest production homebuilders, we also service and supply regional production and local custom homebuilders as well as repair and remodeling contractors and multi-family builders. These customers require high levels of service and a broad product offering. Our sales team expects to work very closely with the designers on a day-to-day basis in order to ensure the appropriate products are identified, ordered or produced and delivered on time to the building site. To account for these increased service costs, pricing in the industry is tied to the level of service provided and the volumes purchased.

OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

We group our building products and services into six product categories:

Lumber & Lumber Sheet Goods. Lumber & lumber sheet goods include dimensional lumber, plywood and oriented strand board (“OSB”) products used in on-site house framing. Lumber & lumber sheet goods are our largest sales volume product category. The products in this category are highly sensitive to fluctuations in market prices for such commodities.

Manufactured Products. Manufactured products are factory-built substitutes for job-site framing and include wood floor and roof trusses, steel roof trusses, wall panels, stairs, and engineered wood that we design, cut, and assemble for each home. Our manufactured products allow builders to build higher quality homes more efficiently. Roof trusses, floor trusses, wall panels and stair units are built in a factory controlled environment. Engineered floors and beams are cut to the required size and packaged for the given application at many of our locations. Without manufactured products, builders construct these items on site, where weather and variable labor quality can negatively impact construction cost, quality and installation time. In addition, engineered wood beams have greater structural strength than conventional framing materials, allowing builders to frame houses with more open space creating a wider variety of house designs. Engineered wood floors are also stronger and straighter than conventionally framed floors.

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Windows, Doors & Millwork. Windows & doors are comprised of the manufacturing, assembly and distribution of windows, and the assembly and distribution of interior and exterior door units. We manufacture a portion of the vinyl windows that we distribute in our plant in Houston, Texas which allows us to supply builders, primarily in the Texas market, with cost-competitive products. Our pre-hung interior and exterior doors consist of a door slab with hinges and door jambs attached, reducing on-site installation time and providing higher quality finished door units than those constructed on site. These products typically require a high degree of product knowledge and training to sell. Millwork includes interior trim and custom features, including those that we manufacture under the Synboard ^® brand name. Synboard is produced from extruded PVC and offers several advantages over traditional wood features, such as greater durability and no ongoing maintenance such as periodic caulking and painting.

Gypsum, Roofing & Insulation. Gypsum, roofing, and insulation include wallboard, ceilings, joint treatment and finishes.

Siding, Metal, and Concrete. Siding, metal, and concrete includes vinyl, composite, and wood siding, exterior trim, other exteriors, metal studs and cement.

Other Building Products & Services. Other building products & services consist of various products, including cabinets and hardware. This category also includes services such as turn-key framing, shell construction, design assistance and professional installation of products spanning all of our product categories. We provide professional installation and turn-key services as a solution for our homebuilder customers. Through our installation services program, we help homebuilders realize efficiencies through improved scheduling, resulting in reduced cycle time and better cost controls. By utilizing an energy efficiency software program, we also assist homebuilders in designing energy efficient homes in order to meet increasingly stringent energy rating requirements. Upgrading to our premium windows, doors, and insulating products reduces overall cost to the homebuilder by minimizing costs of the required heating/cooling system. We work closely with the homebuilder to select the appropriate mix of our products in order to meet current and forthcoming energy codes. We believe these services require scale, capital and sophistication that smaller competitors do not possess. We will continue to pursue profitable business in this category.

We compete in a fragmented marketplace. We believe our integrated approach and scale allow us to compete effectively through our comprehensive product lines, prefabricated components, and value-added services combined with the knowledge of our integrated sales forces to enable our homebuilder customers to complete construction more quickly, with higher quality and at a lower cost. While we expect these benefits to be particularly valuable to our customers in market environments characterized by labor shortages, sourcing challenges or sharply rising demand for new homes, we expect such benefits will also be increasingly valued and demanded by our customers operating under normal market conditions.

MANUFACTURING

Our manufacturing facilities utilize the latest industry leading technology and high quality materials to improve product quality, increase efficiency, reduce lead times and minimize production errors. We manufacture products within two of our product categories: manufactured products, and windows, doors & millwork.

Manufactured Products — Trusses and Wall Panels. Truss and wall panel production has two steps — design and fabrication. Each house requires its own set of designed shop drawings, which vary by builder type: production versus custom builders. Production builders use prototype house plans as they replicate houses. These house plans may be minimally modified to suit individual customer demand. We maintain an electronic master file of trusses and wall panels for each builder’s prototype houses. For custom builders, the components are designed individually for each house. We download the shop drawings from our design department to computerized saws. We assemble the cut lumber to form roof trusses, floor trusses or wall panels, and store the finished components by house awaiting shipment to the job site.

Manufactured Products — Engineered Wood. As with trusses and wall panels, engineered wood components have a design and fabrication step. We design engineered wood floors using a master filing system similar to the truss and wall panel system. Engineered wood beams are designed to ensure the beam will be structurally sound in the given application. After the design phase, a printed layout is generated. We use this layout to cut the engineered wood to the required length and assemble all of the components into a house package. We design and fabricate engineered wood at many of our distribution locations.

Manufactured Products — Stairs. We manufacture box stairs at some of our locations. After a house is framed, our salesman takes measurements at the job site prior to manufacturing to account for any variation between the blueprints and the actual framed house. We fabricate box stairs based on these measurements.

Custom Millwork. Our manufactured custom millwork consists primarily of exterior trim, interior and exterior doors, custom windows, features and box columns. In addition, we sell many of these custom millwork products in a synthetic material under our Synboard brand name. We sand, cut, and shape sheets of 4 foot by 18 or 20 foot Celuka-blown, extruded PVC, or Synboard, to produce the desired product.

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Windows. We manufacture a full line of traditional vinyl windows at an approximately 200,000 square foot manufacturing facility located in Houston, Texas. The process begins by purchasing vinyl lineal extrusions. We cut these extrusions to size and join them together to form the window frame and sash. We then purchase sheet glass and cut it to size. We combine two pieces of identically shaped glass with a sealing compound to create a glass unit with improved insulating capability. We then insert the sealed glass unit and glaze it into the window frame and sash. The unit is completed when we install a balance to operate the window and add a lock to secure the window in a closed position.

Pre-hung Doors. We pre-hang interior and exterior doors at many of our locations. We insert door slabs and pre-cut door jambs into a door machine, which bores holes into the doors for the door hardware and applies the jambs and hinges to the door slab. We then apply the casing that frames interior doors at a separate station. Exterior doors do not have a casing, and instead may have sidelights applied to the sides of the door, a transom attached over the top of the door unit and a door sill applied to the threshold.

OUR STRATEGY

By pursuing the following strategies, we intend to build on our advantaged market position to create value for our shareholders by increasing profits and net cash flow generation, while making us a more valuable partner to our customers.  The resulting cash flow should provide meaningful opportunities for debt reduction and increased investment in organic and acquisitive growth.

Leverage our competitive strengths to capitalize on housing market growth 

As the U.S. housing market returns to a historically normalized level, we intend to leverage our core business strengths including size, national footprint, unmatched scale in manufacturing capability, breadth of product portfolio, and end market exposure to expand our sales and profit margins. Our customers continue to emphasize the importance of competitive pricing, a broad product portfolio, sales force knowledge, labor-saving manufactured products, on-site services and overall “ease of use” with their building products suppliers. Our comprehensive product offering, experienced sales force, strong strategic vendor relationships, and tenured senior management team position us well to capitalize on strong demand in the new home construction market and the repair and remodel segment. Our large delivery fleet, professional drivers, and comprehensive inventory management enable us to provide “just-in-time” product delivery, ensuring a smoother and faster production cycle for the homebuilder. Our comprehensive network of products, services and facilities provides a strategically advantaged service model which enhances our value to our customers and provides a strong platform to drive growth.

Maximize our share of wallet by capturing above-market growth in our higher margin value added products

We believe our national manufacturing footprint and differentiated capabilities will allow us to capture growth in our higher margin value-added products. We believe our value-added products address the growing demand for ways to build homes more efficiently, addressing labor constraints and rising costs.  We plan to accelerate this growth by further expansion of our national manufacturing footprint to serve locations that do not currently have adequate access to these high margin products. By focusing on our differentiated platform and broad product mix, we are able to offer a complete array of products and services that would otherwise need to be sourced from various distributors, providing us an opportunity to capture a greater share of wallet. This operational platform often will make us a preferred distributor for large scale national homebuilders as well as local and custom homebuilders looking for more efficient ways to build a home. We believe that customers continue to place an increased value on these capabilities, which further differentiates us from our competitors.  

Optimize our highly scalable cost structure with operational excellence initiatives

We continue to focus on standardizing processes and technology-based workflows to minimize costs, streamline our operations and enhance working capital efficiency. We are implementing operational excellence initiatives that are designed to further improve efficiency as well as customer service.  These initiatives, including distribution and logistics, pricing and margin management, back office efficiencies, customer integration and systems-enabled process improvements, should yield significant cost savings.  The scope and scale of our existing infrastructure, customer base, and logistical capabilities mean that improvements in efficiency, when replicated across our network, can yield substantial profit margin expansion.

Environmental, social and governance strategy

We are committed to making informed choices that improve our corporate governance, financial strength, operational efficiency, environmental stewardship, community engagement and resource management. Consistent with our core values, our goal is to be recognized by our customers as the preferred supplier, by our employees as a safe, diverse and inclusive workforce, by the industry as being at the forefront of innovation and by our stakeholders as an ethical company. We are working towards identifying, measuring and mapping the environmental, social and governance impacts of our business in an effort to be a good corporate citizen and proactively manage the impacts on the communities in which we serve. Helping homebuilders become more productive and efficient is fundamental to what we do and we are passionate about building this future together.

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SALES AND MARKETING

We seek to attract and retain customers through exceptional customer service, leading product quality, broad product and service offerings, and competitive pricing. This strategy is centered on building and maintaining strong customer relationships rather than traditional marketing and advertising. We strive to add value for the homebuilders through shorter lead times, lower project costs, faster project completion and higher quality. By executing this strategy, we believe we will continue to generate new business.

Our experienced, locally focused sales force is at the core of our sales effort. This sales effort involves deploying salespeople who are skilled in housing construction to meet with a homebuilder’s construction superintendent, local purchasing agent, or local executive with the goal of becoming their primary product supplier. If selected by the homebuilder, the salesperson and his or her team review blueprints for the contracted homes and advise the homebuilder in areas such as opportunities for cost reduction, increased energy efficiencies, and regional aesthetic preferences. Next, the team determines the specific package of products that are needed to complete the project and schedules a sequence of site deliveries. Our large delivery fleet and comprehensive inventory management systems enable us to provide “just-in-time” product delivery, ensuring a smoother and faster production cycle for the homebuilder. Throughout the construction process, the salesperson makes frequent site visits to ensure timely delivery and proper installation, and to make suggestions for efficiency improvements. We believe this level of service is highly valued by our customers and generates significant customer loyalty. At December 31, 2019, we employed approximately 1,900 sales representatives, who are paid a commission based on gross margin dollars collected and worked with approximately 1,600 sales coordinators and product specialists.

BACKLOG

Due to the nature of our business, backlog information is not meaningful. While our customers may provide an estimate of their future needs, in most cases we do not receive a firm order from them until just prior to the anticipated delivery dates. Accordingly, in many cases the time frame from receipt of a firm order to shipment does not exceed a few days.

MATERIALS AND SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS

We purchase inventory primarily for distribution, some of which is also utilized in our manufacturing plants. The key materials we purchase include dimensional OSB, lumber and plywood along with engineered wood, windows, doors, millwork, gypsum and roofing. Our largest suppliers are national companies such as Boise Cascade Company, Weyerhaeuser Company, Canfor Corporation, Norbord, Inc., James Hardie Industries plc, National Gypsum Company, PlyGem Holdings, Inc., M I Windows and Doors, Inc., Andersen Corporation, Masonite International Corporation and JELD-WEN Inc. We believe there is sufficient supply in the marketplace to competitively source most of our requirements without reliance on any particular supplier and that our diversity of suppliers affords us purchasing flexibility. Due to our centralized procurement platform for commodity wood products and corporate oversight of purchasing programs we believe we are better able to maximize the advantages of both our and our suppliers’ broad geographic footprints and negotiate purchases across multiple markets to achieve more favorable contracts with respect to price, terms of sale, and supply than our regional competitors. Additionally, for certain customers, we institute purchasing programs on commodity wood products such as OSB and lumber to align portions of our procurement costs with our customer pricing commitments. We balance our OSB and lumber purchases with a mix of contract and spot market purchases to ensure consistent supply of product necessary to fulfill customer contracts, to source products at the lowest possible cost, and to minimize our exposure to the volatility of commodity lumber prices.

We currently source products from thousands of suppliers in order to reduce our dependence on any single company and to maximize purchasing leverage. Although no purchases from any single supplier represented more than 8% of our total materials purchases for the year ended December 31, 2019, we believe we are one of the largest customers for many suppliers, and therefore have significant purchasing leverage. We have found that using multiple suppliers ensures a stable source of products and the best purchasing terms as the suppliers compete to gain and maintain our business.

We maintain strong relationships with our suppliers, and we believe opportunities exist to improve purchasing terms in the future, including inventory storage or “just-in-time” delivery to reduce our inventory carrying costs. We will continue to pursue additional procurement cost savings which would further enhance our margins and cash flow.

COMPETITION

We compete in the Pro Segment of the U.S. residential building products supply market. We have and will continue to experience competition for homebuilder business due to the highly fragmented nature of the Pro Segment. Most of our competitors in the Pro Segment are small, privately held local businesses. Most of these companies have limited access to capital and lack sophisticated information technology systems and large-scale procurement capabilities. We believe we have substantial competitive advantages over these smaller competitors due to our long-standing customer relationships, local market knowledge and competitive pricing. Our largest competitors in our markets include 84 Lumber Co., which is privately held, as well as BMC Stock Holdings, Inc., which is publicly held.

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Our customers primarily consist of professional homebuilders and those that provide construction services to them, with whom we focus on developing strong relationships. The principal methods of competition in the Pro Segment are the development of long-term relationships with professional builders and retaining such customers by (i) delivering a full range of high-quality products on time, and (ii) offering trade credit, competitive pricing and integrated service and product packages, such as turn-key framing and shell construction, as well as manufactured components and installation. Our leading market positions in the highly competitive Pro Segment create economies of scale that allow us to cost-effectively supply our customers, which both enhances profitability and reduces the risk of losing customers to competitors.

EMPLOYEES

At December 31, 2019, we had approximately 15,800 employees. Less than 2% of the workforce at our company are members of eight different unions. We believe that we have good relations with our employees, as evidenced by our recent Forbes “America’s Best Large Employers” awards.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

Our operations are dependent upon our information technology systems, which encompass all of our major business functions. Our primary enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system, which we currently use for operations representing the majority of our sales, is a proprietary system that has been highly customized by our computer programmers. The materials required for thousands of standard builder plans are stored by the system for rapid quoting or order entry. Hundreds of price lists are maintained on hundreds of thousands of SKUs, facilitating rapid price changes in a changing product cost environment. A customer’s order can be tracked at each stage of the process and billing can be customized to reduce a customer’s administrative costs and speed payment.

We have a customized financial reporting system which consolidates financial, sales and workforce data from our ERP systems and our human resource information system (“HRIS”). This technology platform provides management with robust corporate and location level performance management by leveraging standardized metrics and analytics allowing us to plan, track and report performance and compensation measures.

We have developed a proprietary program for use in our component plants. This software reviews product designs for errors, schedules the plants and provides the data used to measure plant efficiency. In addition, we have purchased several software products that have been integrated with our primary ERP system. These programs assist in various aspects of our business such as analyzing blueprints to generate material lists, purchasing lumber products at the lowest cost, delivery management and resource planning and scheduling.

SEASONALITY AND OTHER FACTORS

Our first and fourth quarters have historically been, and are generally expected to continue to be, adversely affected by weather causing reduced construction activity during these quarters. In addition, quarterly results historically have reflected, and are expected to continue to reflect, fluctuations from period to period arising from the following:

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The composition and level of working capital typically change during periods of increasing sales as we carry more inventory and receivables. Working capital levels typically increase in the first and second quarters of the year due to higher sales during the peak residential construction season. These increases may result in negative operating cash flows during this peak season, which historically have been financed through available cash and borrowing availability under credit facilities. Generally, collection of receivables and reduction in inventory levels following the peak building and construction season positively impact cash flow.

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and in accordance therewith, we file reports, proxy and information statements and other information with the SEC. Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, proxy and information statements and other information and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are available through the investor relations section of our website under the links to “Financial Information.” Our Internet address is www.bldr.com. Reports are available on our website free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file them with, or furnish them to, the SEC. In addition, our officers and directors file with the SEC initial statements of beneficial ownership and statements of change in beneficial ownership of our securities, which are also available on our website at the same location. We are not including this or any other information on our website as a part of, nor incorporating it by reference into, this Form 10-K or any of our other SEC filings.

In addition to our website, the SEC maintains an Internet site that contains our reports, proxy and information statements, and other information that we electronically file with, or furnish to, the SEC at www.sec.gov.

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

M. Chad Crow, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director, age 51. Mr. Crow joined the Company in September 1999, and has held several roles of increasing responsibility. Mr. Crow became a director in 2017 and President and CEO on December 29, 2017. In 2009, Mr. Crow was named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and in 2014 he was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer.  Prior to joining Builders FirstSource, he served in a variety of positions at Pier One Imports and Price Waterhouse LLP. Mr. Crow received his B.B.A. degree from Texas Tech University.  

Peter M. Jackson, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, age 47. Mr. Jackson joined the Company on November 4, 2016 as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Jackson was employed by Lennox International, Inc. (“Lennox”).  Since July 2014, Mr. Jackson had served as Vice President and CFO of Lennox’s Refrigeration Segment.  His previous positions at Lennox also included Vice President, Finance - Financial Planning and Analysis and Mergers and Acquisitions as well as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Lennox’s Residential Heating and Cooling Segment.  Before joining Lennox, Mr. Jackson served in multiple financial leadership positions at SPX Corporation, General Electric, and Gerber Scientific.  Mr. Jackson is a certified public accountant and a graduate of General Electric’s Experienced Financial Leadership program.  He holds an M.B.A. degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a B.S. from Bryant University.

Donald F. McAleenan, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, age 65. Mr. McAleenan has served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company since 1998. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. McAleenan served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Fibreboard Corporation from 1992 to 1997. Mr. McAleenan was also Assistant General Counsel of AT&E Corporation and spent nine years as a securities lawyer at two New York City law firms. Mr. McAleenan has a B.S. from Georgetown University and a J.D. from New York University Law School.

Scott L. Robins, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – West, age 52.  Mr. Robins was appointed to his current position on February 20, 2018.  He had been a Senior Vice President – Operations of the Company since the acquisition of ProBuild Holdings LLC by the Company in July 2015 and with ProBuild prior to that since 2007.  At the time of his promotion, he had supervisory responsibility for 93 locations in eight states.  Mr. Robins joined Hope Lumber Company in 2004 as a Vice President of Operations, overseeing numerous operations in a three-state area, and continued in that role when Hope was acquired by ProBuild Holdings LLC in 2007.  Before then, he had worked in various operational and supply chain management positions with Andersen Lumber and Stock Building Supply since 1988.  Mr. Robins has 30 years of experience in the building products industry.  He holds a B.A. in Finance from Weber State University.

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David E. Rush, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer – East, age 57.  Mr. Rush was appointed to his current position on November 29, 2018.  Mr. Rush previously served as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Business Development of the Company since August 2017.  Prior to that, Mr. Rush served as Senior Vice President of Integration after the acquisition of ProBuild Holdings LLC in July 2015.  From 2003 to 2015, Mr. Rush was an Area Vice President, with responsibility for more than 18 Company locations in three states.  He joined the Company as Vice President of Finance of the Southeast Group in 1999.  Before joining Builders FirstSource, Mr. Rush worked in various accounting and finance positions, primarily with multi-location distribution companies, including as Chief Financial Officer of the Bojangles Restaurant chain.  He holds a B.A. in accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

Risks associated with our business, an investment in our securities, and with achieving the forward-looking statements contained in this report or in our news releases, websites, public filings, investor and analyst conferences or elsewhere, include, but are not limited to, the risk factors described below. Any of the risk factors described below could cause our actual results to differ materially from expectations and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results. We may not succeed in addressing these challenges and risks.

The industry in which we operate is dependent upon the residential homebuilding industry, as well as the U.S. economy, the credit markets and other important factors.

The building products industry is highly dependent on new home and multifamily construction, which in turn are dependent upon a number of factors, including interest rates, consumer confidence, employment rates, foreclosure rates, housing inventory levels and occupancy, housing demand and the health of the U.S. economy and mortgage markets. Unfavorable changes in demographics, credit markets, consumer confidence, housing affordability, or housing inventory levels and occupancy, or a weakening of the U.S. economy or of any regional or local economy in which we operate could adversely affect consumer spending, result in decreased demand for our products, and adversely affect our business. Production of new homes and multifamily buildings may also decline because of shortages of qualified tradesmen, reliance on inadequately capitalized builders and sub-contractors, and shortages of suitable building lots and material. The homebuilding industry is currently experiencing a shortage of qualified, trained labor in many areas, including those served by us. In addition, the building industry is subject to various local, state, and federal statutes, ordinances, and regulations concerning zoning, building design and safety, construction, energy and water conservation and similar matters, including regulations that impose restrictive zoning and density requirements in order to limit the number of homes that can be built within the boundaries of a particular area or in order to maintain certain areas as primarily or exclusively residential. Regulatory restrictions may increase our operating expenses and limit the availability of suitable building lots for our customers, which could negatively affect our sales and earnings. Because we have substantial fixed costs, relatively modest declines in our customers’ production levels could have a significant adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, annual U.S. total and single-family housing starts were 1.3 million and 0.9 million, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2019. However, both total and single-family housing starts remain below the normalized historical averages (from 1959 through 2019) of 1.5 million and 1.1 million, respectively. Due to the lower levels in housing starts, increased competition for homebuilder business, and cyclical fluctuations in commodity prices, we have seen, and may continue to experience pressure on our gross margins.

The building supply industry is subject to cyclical market pressures.

Prices of building products are subject to fluctuations arising from changes in supply and demand, national and international economic conditions, labor costs, competition, market speculation, government regulation, and trade policies, as well as from periodic delays in the delivery of lumber and other products. For example, prices of wood products, including lumber and panel products, are subject to significant volatility and directly affect our sales and earnings. In particular, low prices for wood products over a sustained period can adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows, as can excessive spikes in prices. Our lumber and lumber sheet goods product category represented 30.9% of total net sales for the year ended December 31, 2019. We have limited ability to manage the timing and amount of pricing changes for building products. In addition, the supply of building products fluctuates based on available manufacturing capacity. A shortage of capacity or excess capacity in the industry can result in significant increases or declines in prices for those building products, often within a short period of time. Such price fluctuations can adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

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In addition, the building products industry is cyclical in nature. The homebuilding industry has experienced growth in recent years and industry forecasters expect to see continued growth in the housing market over the next year. However, it is likely, based on historical experience, that we will face future downturns in the homebuilding industry which could have an adverse effect on our operating results, financial condition or cash flows. We are not able to predict the timing, severity or duration of any future downturns in the housing market.

The building supply industry is seasonal.

Although weather patterns affect our operating results throughout the year, adverse weather historically has reduced construction activity in the first and fourth quarters in the regions where we operate. To the extent that hurricanes, severe storms, floods, other natural disasters or similar events occur in the regions in which we operate, our business may be adversely affected. We anticipate that fluctuations from period to period will continue in the future.

Homebuyer demand may shift towards smaller homes creating fluctuations in demand for our products.

Home affordability can be a key driver in demand for our products. Home affordability is influenced by a number of economic factors, such as the level of employment, consumer confidence, consumer income, supply of houses, the availability of financing and interest rates. Changes in the inventory of available homes as well as economic factors relative to home prices may result in homes becoming less affordable. This could cause homebuyer demand to shift towards smaller homes which could have an adverse impact on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.  

Our industry is highly fragmented and competitive, and increased competitive pressure may adversely affect our results.

The building products supply industry is highly fragmented and competitive. We face, and will continue to face, significant competition from local and regional building materials chains, as well as from privately-owned single site enterprises. Any of these competitors may (1) foresee the course of market development more accurately than we do, (2) develop products that are superior to our products, (3) have the ability to produce or supply similar products at a lower cost, (4) develop stronger relationships with local homebuilders or commercial builders, (5) adapt more quickly to new technologies or evolving customer requirements than we do, or (6) have access to financing on more favorable terms than we can obtain in the market. As a result, we may not be able to compete successfully with them. In addition, home center retailers, which have historically concentrated their sales efforts on retail consumers and small contractors, have intensified their marketing efforts to professional homebuilders in recent years and may continue to intensify these efforts in the future. Furthermore, certain product manufacturers sell and distribute their products directly to production homebuilders or commercial builders. The volume of such direct sales could increase in the future. Additionally, manufacturers of products distributed by us may elect to sell and distribute directly to homebuilders or commercial builders in the future or enter into exclusive supplier arrangements with other distributors. Consolidation of production homebuilders or commercial builders may result in increased competition for their business. Finally, we may not be able to maintain our operating costs or product prices at a level sufficiently low for us to compete effectively. If we are unable to compete effectively, our financial condition, operating results and cash flows may be adversely affected.

We are subject to competitive pricing pressure from our customers.

Production homebuilders and multi-family builders historically have exerted and will continue to exert significant pressure on their outside suppliers to keep prices low because of their market share and their ability to leverage such market share in the highly fragmented building products supply industry. The housing industry downturn and its aftermath resulted in significantly increased pricing pressures from production homebuilders and other customers. Over the past several years, these pricing pressures have adversely affected our operating results and cash flows. In addition, continued consolidation among production homebuilders or multi-family and commercial builders, or changes in such builders’ purchasing policies or payment practices, could result in additional pricing pressure, and our financial condition, operating results and cash flows may be adversely affected.

The loss of any of our significant customers or a reduction in the quantity of products they purchase could affect our financial health.

Our ten largest customers generated approximately 15.3% of our net sales for the year ended December 31, 2019. We cannot guarantee that we will maintain or improve our relationships with these customers or that we will supply these customers at historical levels. Moreover, during the downturn and in subsequent years, some of our homebuilder customers exited or severely curtailed building activity in certain of our regions.

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In addition, production homebuilders, multi-family builders and other customers may: (1) seek to purchase some of the products that we currently sell directly from manufacturers, (2) elect to establish their own building products manufacturing and distribution facilities or (3) give advantages to manufacturing or distribution intermediaries in which they have an economic stake. Continued consolidation among production homebuilders could also result in a loss of some of our present customers to our competitors. The loss of one or more of our significant customers or deterioration in our relations with any of them could significantly affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Furthermore, our customers are not required to purchase any minimum amount of products from us. The contracts into which we have entered with most of our professional customers typically provide that we supply particular products or services for a certain period of time when and if ordered by the customer. Should our customers purchase our products in significantly lower quantities than they have in the past, such decreased purchases could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

Our level of indebtedness could adversely affect our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, limit our ability to react to changes in the economy or our industry, and prevent us from meeting our obligations under our debt instruments.

As of December 31, 2019, our debt totaled $1,300.0 million, which includes $242.1 million of finance lease and other finance obligations. We also have a $900.0 million revolving credit facility (“2023 facility”), under which we had $27.0 million of outstanding borrowings and $82.2 million of letters of credit outstanding as of December 31, 2019. In addition, we also have $298.6 million in obligations under operating leases.

Our substantial debt could have important consequences to us, including:

In addition, our debt instruments contain cross-default provisions that could result in our debt being declared immediately due and payable under a number of debt instruments, even if we default on only one debt instrument. In such event, it is possible that we would not be able to satisfy our obligations under all of such accelerated indebtedness simultaneously.

Our financial condition and operating performance, including that of our subsidiaries, are also subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business and other factors beyond our control. There are no assurances that we will maintain a level of liquidity sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium and interest on our indebtedness.

If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets, seek additional capital, or restructure or refinance our indebtedness. These alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. In the absence of such operating results and resources, we could face substantial liquidity problems and might be required to dispose of material assets or operations in an effort to meet our debt service and other obligations. The agreements governing our debt instruments restrict our ability to dispose of assets and to use the proceeds from such dispositions. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or be able to obtain the proceeds that we could realize from them, and these proceeds may not be adequate to meet any debt service obligations then due.

We may have future capital needs and may not be able to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms.

We are substantially reliant on cash on hand and borrowing availability under the 2023 facility, which totaled $695.3 million at December 31, 2019, to provide working capital and fund our operations. Our working capital requirements are likely to grow assuming the housing industry continues to grow. Our inability to renew, amend or replace our debt instruments when required or when business conditions warrant could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Economic and credit market conditions, the performance of our industry, and our financial performance, as well as other factors, may constrain our financing abilities. Our ability to secure additional financing, if available, and to satisfy our financial obligations under indebtedness outstanding from time to time will depend upon our future operating performance, the availability of credit, economic conditions and financial, business and other factors, many of which are beyond our control. Significant worsening of current housing market conditions or the macroeconomic factors that affect our industry could require us to seek additional capital and have a material adverse effect on our ability to secure such capital on favorable terms, if at all.

We may be unable to secure additional financing, financing on favorable terms or our operating cash flow may be insufficient to satisfy our financial obligations under indebtedness outstanding from time to time. The agreements governing our debt instruments, moreover, restrict the amount of permitted indebtedness allowed. In addition, if financing is not available when needed, or is available on unfavorable terms, we may be unable to take advantage of business opportunities, including potential acquisitions, or respond to competitive pressures, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. If additional funds are raised through the issuance of additional equity or convertible debt securities, our stockholders may experience significant dilution.

We may incur additional indebtedness.

We may incur additional indebtedness in the future, including collateralized debt, subject to the restrictions contained in the agreements governing our debt instruments. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we now face could intensify.

Our debt instruments contain various covenants that limit our ability to operate our business.

Our financing arrangements, including the agreements governing our debt instruments, contain various provisions that limit our ability to, among other things:

The agreement governing the 2023 facility contains a financial covenant requiring the satisfaction of a minimum fixed charge ratio of 1.00 to 1.00 if our excess availability falls below the greater of $80.0 million or 10% of the maximum borrowing amount, which was $80.0 million as of December 31, 2019.

These provisions may restrict our ability to expand or fully pursue our business strategies. Our ability to comply with the agreements governing our debt instruments may be affected by changes in our operating and financial performance, changes in general business and economic conditions, adverse regulatory developments, a change in control or other events beyond our control. The breach of any of these provisions could result in a default under our indebtedness, which could cause those and other obligations to become due and payable. If any of our indebtedness is accelerated, we may not be able to repay it.

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

Interest rates may increase in the future. As a result, interest rates on our 2023 facility and our 2024 term loan could be higher or lower than current levels.  As of December 31, 2019, we had approximately $79.0 million, or 6.1%, of our outstanding debt at variable interest rates.  If interest rates increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness would increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, would correspondingly decrease. Further, an increase in interest rates could also trigger a limitation on the deductibility of those interest costs, increasing our tax expense and further decreasing our net income and cash flows. In recent years, the Company has executed several debt transactions designed to reduce debt, extend maturities or lower our interest rates. The Company is likely to execute similar debt transactions in the future. However, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in anticipating the direction of interest rates or changes in market conditions, which could result in future debt transactions having a material adverse impact on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

A 1.0% increase in interest rates on the 2023 facility would result in approximately $0.3 million in additional interest expense annually as we had $27.0 million in outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 2019. The 2023 facility also assesses variable commitment and outstanding letter of credit fees based on quarterly average loan utilization. A 1.0% increase in interest rates on the 2024 term loan outstanding as of December 31, 2019 would result in approximately $0.5 million in additional interest expense annually.

The interest rates on our 2023 facility and 2024 term loan may be impacted by the phase out of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”)

Interest rates on borrowings under our 2023 facility and 2024 term loan can, at our option, be based on LIBOR. In July 2017, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority announced the desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in conjunction with the Alternative Rates Reference Committee, is considering various alternatives, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), to replace LIBOR. The phase out of LIBOR may have an adverse impact on the cost of our borrowings under our 2023 facility and 2024 term loan.

The agreements that govern our indebtedness contain various covenants that impose restrictions on us and certain of our subsidiaries that may affect our ability to operate our businesses.

The agreements that govern our indebtedness contain various affirmative and negative covenants that may, subject to certain significant exceptions, restrict the ability of us and certain of our subsidiaries to, among other things, have liens on our property, and/or merge or consolidate with any other person or sell or convey certain of our assets to any one person. The ability of us and our subsidiaries to comply with these provisions may be affected by events beyond our control. Failure to comply with these covenants could result in an event of default, which, if not cured or waived, could accelerate our repayment obligations.

A range of factors may make our quarterly revenues, earnings and cash flows variable.

We have historically experienced, and in the future will continue to experience, variability in revenues, earnings and cash flows on a quarterly basis. The factors expected to contribute to this variability include, among others: (1) the volatility of prices of lumber, wood products and other building products, (2) the cyclical nature of the homebuilding industry, (3) general economic conditions in the various areas that we serve, (4) the intense competition in the industry, including expansion and growth strategies by competitors, (5) the production schedules of our customers, and (6) the effects of the weather. These factors, among others, make it difficult to project our operating results and cash flows on a consistent basis, which may affect the price of our stock.

Our continued success will depend on our ability to retain our key employees and to attract and retain new qualified employees.

Our success depends in part on our ability to attract, hire, train and retain qualified managerial, operational, sales and other personnel. We face significant competition for these types of employees in our industry and from other industries. We may be unsuccessful in attracting and retaining the personnel we require to conduct and expand our operations successfully. In addition, key personnel may leave us and compete against us. Our success also depends to a significant extent on the continued service of our senior management team. We may be unsuccessful in replacing key managers who either resign or retire. The loss of any member of our senior management team or other experienced senior employees could impair our ability to execute our business plan, cause us to lose customers and reduce our net sales, or lead to employee morale problems and/or the loss of other key employees. In any such event, our financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be adversely affected.

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Product shortages, loss of key suppliers, and our dependence on third-party suppliers and manufacturers could affect our financial health.

Our ability to offer a wide variety of products to our customers is dependent upon our ability to obtain adequate product supply from manufacturers and other suppliers. Generally, our products are obtainable from various sources and in sufficient quantities. However, the loss of, or a substantial decrease in the availability of, products from our suppliers or the loss of key supplier arrangements could adversely impact our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows.

Although in many instances we have agreements with our suppliers, these agreements are generally terminable by either party on limited notice. Failure by our suppliers to continue to supply us with products on commercially reasonable terms, or at all, could put pressure on our operating margins or have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Short-term changes in the cost of these materials, some of which are subject to significant fluctuations, are oftentimes, but not always passed on to our customers. Our delayed ability to pass on material price increases to our customers could adversely impact our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

If the housing market declines, we may be required to take impairment charges relating to our operations or temporarily idle or permanently close under-performing locations.

If conditions in the housing industry deteriorate we may need to take goodwill and/or asset impairment charges relating to certain of our reporting units. Any such non-cash charges would have an adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, in response to industry conditions, we may have to temporarily idle or permanently close certain facilities in under-performing regions. Any such facility closures could have a significant adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

The nature of our business exposes us to product liability, product warranty, casualty, construction defect, asbestos, vehicle and other claims and legal proceedings.

We are involved in product liability, product warranty, casualty, construction defect, asbestos, vehicle and other claims relating to the products we manufacture and distribute, and services we provide or have provided that, if adversely determined, could adversely affect our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows. We rely on manufacturers and other suppliers to provide us with many of the products we sell and distribute. Because we have no direct control over the quality of such products manufactured or supplied by such third-party suppliers, we are exposed to risks relating to the quality of such products. The Company has a number of known and threatened construction defect legal claims. We are also involved in several asbestos personal injury suits due to the alleged sale of asbestos-containing products by legacy businesses that we acquired.  In addition, we are exposed to potential claims arising from the conduct of our respective employees and subcontractors, and builders and their subcontractors, for which we may be contractually liable. Although we currently maintain what we believe to be suitable and adequate insurance in excess of our self-insured amounts, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain such insurance on acceptable terms or that such insurance will provide adequate protection against potential liabilities. Product liability, product warranty, casualty, construction defect, asbestos, vehicle, and other claims can be expensive to defend and can divert the attention of management and other personnel for significant periods, regardless of the ultimate outcome. Claims of this nature could also have a negative impact on customer confidence in our products and our company. In addition, we are involved on an ongoing basis in other types of legal proceedings. We cannot assure you that any current or future claims against us will not adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

We occupy most of our facilities under long-term non-cancelable leases. We may be unable to renew leases at the end of their terms. If we close a facility, we are still obligated under the applicable lease.

Most of our facilities are leased. Many of our leases are non-cancelable, typically have initial expiration terms ranging from five to 15 years and most provide options to renew for specified periods of time. We believe that leases we enter into in the future will likely be for similar terms (five to 15 years), will be non-cancelable and will feature similar renewal options. If we close or idle a facility we would remain committed to perform our obligations under the applicable lease, which would include, among other things, payment of the base rent, insurance, taxes and other expenses on the leased property for the balance of the lease term. Management may explore offsets to remaining obligations such as subleasing opportunities or negotiated lease terminations. We have closed or idled a number of facilities for which we continue to remain liable. Our obligation to continue making rental payments with respect to leases for closed or idled facilities could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. At the end of a lease term, for those locations where we have no renewal options remaining, we may be unable to renew the lease without additional cost, if at all. If we are unable to renew our facility leases, we may close or, if possible, relocate the facility, which could subject us to additional costs and risks which could have a material adverse effect on our business. Additionally, the revenue and profit generated at a relocated facility may not equal the revenue and profit generated at the former operation.

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We are a holding company and conduct all of our operations through our subsidiaries.

We are a holding company that derives all of our operating income from our subsidiaries. All of our assets are held by our direct and indirect subsidiaries. We rely on the earnings and cash flows of our subsidiaries, which are paid to us by our subsidiaries in the form of dividends and other payments or distributions, to meet our debt service obligations. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends or make other payments or distributions to us will depend on their respective operating results and may be restricted by, among other things, the laws of their jurisdiction of organization (which may limit the amount of funds available for the payment of dividends and other distributions to us), the terms of existing and future indebtedness and other agreements of our subsidiaries, as well as the covenants of any future outstanding indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur.

We may be adversely affected by any disruption in our respective information technology systems.

Our operations are dependent upon our information technology systems, which encompass all of our major business functions. Our primary ERP system is a proprietary system that has been highly customized by our computer programmers. Our centralized financial reporting system currently draws data from our ERP systems. We rely upon our information technology systems to run critical accounting and financial information systems, process receivables, manage and replenish inventory, fill and ship customer orders on a timely basis, and coordinate our sales activities across all products and services. A substantial disruption in our information technology systems for any prolonged time period (arising from, for example, system capacity limits from unexpected increases in our volume of business, outages, natural or other disasters, or disruptions in our service) could result in problems and delays in generating critical financial and operational information, processing receivables, receiving inventory and supplies and filling customer orders. These disruptions could adversely affect our operating results as well as our customer service and relationships. Our systems, or those of our significant customers or suppliers, might be damaged or interrupted by natural or man-made events or by computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins, or similar disruptions affecting the global Internet. In addition, we rely on a number of third-party service providers to execute certain business processes and maintain certain information technology systems and infrastructure, and any breach of security or disruption in their systems could impair our ability to operate effectively. There can be no assurance that such disruptions, delays, problems, or associated costs relating to our systems or those of our significant customers, suppliers or third-party providers would not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

We are subject to cybersecurity risks and expect to incur increasing costs in an effort to minimize those risks.

Our business employs systems that allow for the secure storage and transmission of customers’, vendors’ and employees’ proprietary information. Security breaches could expose us to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, litigation and potential liability. We may not have the resources or technical sophistication to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber-attacks. Any compromise of our security could result in a violation of applicable privacy and other laws, significant legal and financial exposure, damage to our reputation and a loss of confidence in our security measures, which could harm our business. The regulatory environment related to information security and privacy is increasingly rigorous, with new and constantly changing requirements applicable to our business, and compliance with those requirements could result in additional costs. Our computer systems have been, and will likely continue to be, subjected to computer viruses or other malicious codes, unauthorized access attempts and cyber- or phishing-attacks. These events could compromise ours’ and our customers’ and suppliers’ confidential information, impede or interrupt our business operations, and could result in other negative consequences, including remediation costs, loss of revenue, litigation and reputational damage. To our knowledge, we have not experienced a material cybersecurity breach to date. As cyber-attacks become more sophisticated, we expect to incur increasing costs to strengthen our systems from outside intrusions. While we have implemented administrative and technical controls and have taken other preventive actions to reduce the risk of cyber incidents and protect our information technology, they may be insufficient to prevent physical and electronic break-ins, cyber-attacks or other security breaches to our computer systems.

We are subject to payments-related risks that could increase our operating costs, expose us to fraud, subject us to potential liability and potentially disrupt our business.

We accept payments using a variety of methods, including credit card, debit card, direct debit from a customer’s bank account, consumer invoicing, and physical bank checks, and we may offer different payment options over time. These payment options subject us to many compliance requirements, including, but not limited to, compliance with payment card association operating rules, including data security rules, certification requirements, rules governing electronic funds transfers and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards. They also subject us to potential fraud by criminal elements seeking to discover and take advantage of security vulnerabilities that may exist in some of these payment systems. For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time and raise our operating costs and lower profitability. We rely on third parties to provide payment processing services, including the processing of credit and debit cards, and it could disrupt our business if these companies become unwilling or unable to provide these services to us. If we fail to comply with these rules or requirements, or if our data security systems are breached or compromised, we may be liable for card issuing banks’ costs, subject to fines and higher transaction fees, and lose our ability to accept credit and debit card payments from our customers, process electronic funds transfers, or facilitate other types of online payments, and our business and operating results could be adversely affected.

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We may be adversely affected by any natural or man-made disruptions to our distribution and manufacturing facilities.

We currently maintain a broad network of distribution and manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. Any widespread disruption to our operations resulting from fire, earthquake, weather-related events, an act of terrorism or any other cause could damage multiple facilities and a significant portion of our inventory and could materially impair our ability to distribute our products to customers. Moreover, we could incur significantly higher costs and longer lead times associated with distributing our products to our customers during the time that it takes for us to reopen or replace a damaged facility. In addition, any shortages of fuel or significant fuel cost increases could disrupt our ability to distribute products to our customers. If any of these events were to occur, our financial condition, operating results and cash flows could be materially adversely affected.

We may be unable to successfully implement our growth strategy, which includes increasing sales of our prefabricated components and other value-added products, pursuing strategic acquisitions, opening new facilities and reducing our outstanding debt.

Our long-term strategy depends in part on growing our sales of prefabricated components and other value-added products and increasing our market share. If any of these initiatives are not successful, or require extensive investment, our growth may be limited, and we may be unable to achieve or maintain expected levels of growth and profitability.

Our long-term business plan also provides for continued growth through strategic acquisitions and organic growth through the construction of new facilities or the expansion of existing facilities. Failure to identify and acquire suitable acquisition candidates on appropriate terms could have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy. Moreover, our liquidity position, or the requirements of or debt instruments could prevent us from obtaining the capital required to effect new acquisitions or expand our existing facilities. Our failure to make successful acquisitions or to build or expand needed facilities, including manufacturing facilities, produce saleable product, or meet customer demand in a timely manner could adversely affect our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows. A negative impact on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows, or our decision to invest in strategic acquisitions or new facilities, could adversely affect our ability to reduce our substantial outstanding debt.

In addition, although we have been successful in the past with the integration of numerous acquisitions, we may not be able to fully integrate the operations of any future acquired businesses with our own in an efficient and cost-effective manner or without significant disruption to our or the acquired companies’ existing operations. Moreover, acquisitions involve significant risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties as to the future financial performance of the acquired business, the achievement of expected synergies, difficulties integrating acquired personnel and corporate cultures into our business, the potential loss of key employees, customers or suppliers, difficulties in integrating different computer and accounting systems, exposure to unforeseen liabilities of acquired companies and the diversion of management attention and resources from existing operations. We may be unable to successfully complete potential acquisitions due to multiple factors, such as issues related to regulatory review of the proposed transactions. We may also be required to incur additional debt or issue additional shares of our common stock in order to consummate acquisitions in the future. Potential new debt may be substantial and may limit our flexibility in using our cash flow from operations. The issuance of new shares of our common stock could dilute the equity value of our existing shareholders. Our failure to fully integrate future acquired businesses effectively or to manage other consequences of our acquisitions, including increased indebtedness, could prevent us from remaining competitive and, ultimately, could adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

Federal, state, local and other regulations could impose substantial costs and/or restrictions on our operations that would reduce our net income.

We are subject to various federal, state, local and other regulations, including, among other things, regulations promulgated by the Department of Transportation and applicable to our fleet of delivery trucks, work safety regulations promulgated by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employment regulations promulgated by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, tariff regulations on imported products promulgated by the Federal government, accounting standards issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or similar entities, state and local regulations relating to our escrow business, and state and local zoning restrictions and building codes. More burdensome regulatory requirements in these or other areas may increase our general and administrative costs and adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows. Moreover, failure to comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to our business could expose us to substantial penalties that could adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

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Future changes to tax laws and regulations could have an adverse impact on our business.

On December 22, 2017, legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“the 2017 Tax Act”) substantially changed several aspects of the Internal Revenue Code, some of which may have an adverse impact on our business over time. Certain aspects of the 2017 Tax Act may make purchasing a home less attractive and therefore could have an adverse impact on our business. The 2017 Tax Act contains limitations on the ability of homeowners to deduct property taxes and mortgage interest as well as limitations on an individual taxpayer’s ability to deduct state and local income taxes. The 2017 Tax Act also raises the standard deduction. These changes could reduce the perceived affordability of homeownership, and therefore the demand for homes, and/or have a moderating impact on home sales prices in areas with relatively high housing prices and/or high state and local income taxes and real estate taxes, including in certain of our served markets such as California and New York. As a result, some communities in those locations could experience lower net orders and/or a tempering of average sales prices in future periods depending on how homebuyers react to the tax law changes under the 2017 Tax Act. Further, there can be no assurance that any future changes in federal and state tax laws and regulations will not have an adverse impact on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.    

We are subject to potential exposure to environmental liabilities and are subject to environmental regulation.

We are subject to various federal, state and local environmental laws, ordinances and regulations. Although we believe that our facilities are in material compliance with such laws, ordinances, and regulations, as owners and lessees of real property, we can be held liable for the investigation or remediation of contamination on such properties, in some circumstances, without regard to whether we knew of or were responsible for such contamination. No assurance can be provided that remediation may not be required in the future as a result of spills or releases of petroleum products or hazardous substances, the discovery of unknown environmental conditions, more stringent standards regarding existing residual contamination, or changes in legislation, laws, rules or regulations. More burdensome environmental regulatory requirements may increase our general and administrative costs and adversely affect our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

We may be adversely affected by uncertainty in the economy and financial markets, including as a result of terrorism or unrest.

Instability in the economy and financial markets, including as a result of terrorism or unrest, may result in a decrease in housing starts, which would adversely affect our business. In addition, such unrest or related adverse developments, including a retaliatory military strike or terrorist attack, may cause unpredictable or unfavorable economic conditions and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results, and cash flows. Any shortages of fuel or significant fuel cost increases related to geopolitical conditions could seriously disrupt our ability to distribute products to our customers. In addition, domestic terrorist attacks may affect our ability to keep our operations and services functioning properly and could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, operating results and cash flows.

Some Company Employees are Unionized.

Less than 2% of the workforce at our company are members of eight different unions. There can be no assurance that additional employees of our company will not conduct union organization campaigns or become union members in the future.  

The trading price of our common stock has been and may continue to be subject to wide fluctuations.

Between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019, the price of our common stock on the NASDAQ ranged from $10.56 to $26.07 per share. Our stock price may fluctuate in response to a number of events and factors, including those described in this “Risk Factors” section. Additionally, our substantial indebtedness may hinder the demand for our common stock, which could have a material adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.

The price of our common stock is volatile and may decline.

The market price of our common stock historically has experienced and may continue to experience significant price fluctuations similar to those experienced by the broader stock market in recent years. In addition, the price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to various factors, including:

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Broad market and industry factors may materially harm the market price of our common stock, regardless of our operating performance. In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against that company.

If we were involved in any similar litigation we could incur substantial costs and our management’s attention and resources could be diverted, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. As a result, it may be difficult for you to resell your shares of common stock in the future.

Significant sales of our common stock, or the perception that significant sales may occur in the future, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

The sale of substantial amounts of our common stock could adversely affect the price of our common stock. Sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, and the availability of shares for future sale, including 0.4 million shares of our common stock issuable as of December 31, 2019 upon exercise of outstanding vested and unvested options to acquire shares of our common stock, and through the conversion of 2.1 million restricted stock units under our stock incentive plans, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock and could cause the market price of our common stock to remain low for a substantial time. Additional stock grants may also be made under our incentive plans, including our 2014 Incentive Plan, as it may be amended. The potential for future stock grants could have a negative effect on the market for our common stock and our ability to raise additional capital.

We do not have any current plan to pay, and are restricted in our ability to pay, any dividends on our common stock, and as a result, your only opportunity to achieve a return on your investment in our common stock is if the price of our common stock increases.

We anticipate that we will retain all future earnings and other cash resources for the future operation and development of our business, including potential debt reduction. Accordingly, we do not intend to declare or pay regular cash dividends on our common stock in the near future. Payment of any future dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors after taking into account many factors, including our operating results, financial condition, current and anticipated cash needs and plans for expansion. The declaration and payment of any dividends on our common stock is also restricted by the terms of our outstanding indebtedness.

Item  1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

We have a broad network of distribution and manufacturing facilities in 40 states throughout the U.S. Based on available 2018 U.S. Census data, we have operations in 77 of the top 100 U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas, as ranked by single family housing permits in 2018.

Distribution centers typically include 10 to 15 acres of outside storage, a 45,000 square foot warehouse, 4,000 square feet of office space, and 15,000 square feet of covered storage. The outside area provides space for lumber storage and a staging area for delivery while the warehouse stores millwork, windows and doors. The distribution centers are usually located in industrial areas with low cost real estate and easy access to freeways to maximize distribution efficiency and convenience. Many of our distribution centers are situated on rail lines for efficient receipt of goods.

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Our manufacturing facilities produce trusses, wall panels, engineered wood, stairs, windows, pre-hung doors and custom millwork. In many cases, they are located on the same premises as our distribution facilities. Truss and panel manufacturing facilities vary in size from 30,000 square feet to 60,000 square feet with 8 to 10 acres of outside storage for lumber and for finished goods. Our window manufacturing facility in Houston, Texas has approximately 200,000 square feet.

We contractually lease approximately 310 facilities and own approximately 90 facilities. These leases typically have an initial lease term of 5 to 15 years and most provide options to renew for specified periods of time. A majority of our leases provide for fixed annual rentals. Certain of our leases include provisions for escalating rent, as an example, based on changes in the consumer price index. Most of the leases require us to pay taxes, insurance and common area maintenance expenses associated with the properties. As described in Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K, 139 of our leased facilities are subject to a sales-lease back transaction that is accounted for in our financial statements as owned assets with offsetting financing obligations.

We operate a fleet of approximately 11,000 rolling stock units, which includes approximately 4,500 trucks and 4,500 forklifts as well as trailers to deliver products from our distribution and manufacturing centers to our customers’ job sites. Through our emphasis on local market flexibility and strategically placed locations, we minimize shipping and freight costs while maintaining a high degree of local market expertise. Through knowledge of local homebuilder needs, customer coordination and rapid restocking ability, we reduce working capital requirements and guard against out-of-stock products. We believe that this reliability is highly valued by our customers and reinforces customer relationships.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

The Company has a number of known and threatened construction defect legal claims. While these claims are generally covered under the Company’s existing insurance programs to the extent any loss exceeds the deductible, there is a reasonable possibility of loss that is not able to be estimated at this time because (i) many of the proceedings are in the discovery stage, (ii) the outcome of future litigation is uncertain, and/or (iii) the complex nature of the claims.  Although the Company cannot estimate a reasonable range of loss based on currently available information, the resolution of these matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In addition, we are involved in various other claims and lawsuits incidental to the conduct of our business in the ordinary course. We carry insurance coverage in such amounts in excess of our self-insured retention as we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances and that may or may not cover any or all of our liabilities in respect of such claims and lawsuits. Although the ultimate disposition of these other proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes the outcome of any such claims that are pending or threatened, either individually or on a combined basis, will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position, cash flows or results of operations.  However, there can be no assurances that future adverse judgments and costs would not be material to our results of operations or liquidity for a particular period.

Although our business and facilities are subject to federal, state and local environmental regulation, environmental regulation does not have a material impact on our operations. We believe that our facilities are in material compliance with such laws and regulations. As owners and lessees of real property, we can be held liable for the investigation or remediation of contamination on such properties, in some circumstances without regard to whether we knew of or were responsible for such contamination. Our current expenditures with respect to environmental investigation and remediation at our facilities are minimal, although no assurance can be provided that more significant remediation may not be required in the future as a result of spills or releases of petroleum products or hazardous substances or the discovery of unknown environmental conditions.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not applicable.

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PART II

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

Our common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC under the symbol “BLDR”. The approximate number of stockholders of record of our common stock as of February 19, 2020 was 70.

We currently have no intention to pay dividends. Any future determination relating to dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on a number of factors, including restrictions in our debt instruments, as well as our future earnings, capital requirements, financial condition, prospects and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Our debt agreements currently restrict our ability to pay dividends. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources” contained in Item 7 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

The graph below matches the cumulative 5-Year total return of holders of Builders FirstSource, Inc.’s common stock with the cumulative total returns of the Russell 2000 index and the S&P 600 Building Products index. The graph assumes that the value of the investment in our common stock, in each index, and in the peer group (including reinvestment of dividends) was $100 on 12/31/2014 and tracks it through 12/31/2019.

The stock price performance included in this graph is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.

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The information regarding securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans appears in our definitive proxy statement for our annual meeting of stockholders to be held on May 21, 2020 under the caption “Equity Compensation Plan Information,” which information is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

The following selected consolidated financial data for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 and as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 were derived from our consolidated financial statements which are included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K. Selected consolidated financial data as of December 31, 2017 and as of and for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 were derived from our consolidated financial statements, but are not included herein.

The following data should be read in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” contained in Item 7 of this annual report on Form 10-K and with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

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Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the selected financial data and the consolidated financial statements and related notes contained in Item 6. Selected Financial Data and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this annual report on Form 10-K, respectively. See “Risk Factors” contained in Item 1A. Risk Factors of this annual report on Form 10-K and “Cautionary Statement” contained in Item 1. Business of this annual report on Form 10-K for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these statements.

OVERVIEW

We are a leading supplier and manufacturer of building materials, manufactured components and construction services to professional contractors, sub-contractors and consumers. The Company operates approximately 400 locations in 40 states across the United States. Given the span and depth of our geographical reach, our locations are organized into nine geographical regions (Regions 1 through 9), which are also our operating segments, and these are further aggregated into four reportable segments: Northeast, Southeast, South and West. All of our segments have similar customers, products and services, and distribution methods. Our financial statements contain additional information regarding segment performance which is discussed in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

We offer an integrated solution to our customers providing manufacturing, supply and installation of a full range of structural and related building products. Our manufactured products include our factory-built roof and floor trusses, wall panels and stairs, vinyl windows, custom millwork and trim, as well as engineered wood that we design, cut, and assemble for each home. We also assemble interior and exterior doors into pre-hung units. Additionally, we supply our customers with a broad offering of professional grade building products not manufactured by us, such as dimensional lumber and lumber sheet goods and various window, door and millwork lines. Our full range of construction-related services includes professional installation, turn-key framing and shell construction, and spans all our product categories.

We group our building products into six product categories:

Our operating results are dependent on the following trends, strategies, events and uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control:

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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Debt Transactions

During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company executed several debt transactions, including extending the maturity of our $900.0 million revolving credit facility (“2023 facility”), redemption and repurchase of $192.4 million in aggregate principal amount of our 5.625% senior secured notes due 2024 (“2024 notes”), and repayment of $406.3 million of our senior secured term loan facility due 2024 (“2024 term loan”). The repayments of our 2024 notes and 2024 term loan were funded with the proceeds from the issuance of $475.0 million in aggregate principal amount of our 6.75% senior secured notes due 2027 (“2027 notes”) and cash on hand.

In February 2020, we completed a private offering of $550.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 5.0% unsecured senior notes due 2030 (“2030 notes”) at an issue price equal to 100% of their par value. The proceeds from this offering were used together with borrowing under our 2023 facility to redeem the remaining $503.9 million in aggregate principal amount of 2024 notes outstanding at a redemption price of 104.2% of their par value and $47.5 million in aggregate principal amount of 2027 notes at a redemption price of 103.0% of their par value.

These transactions are described in Notes 9 and 18 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K. Collectively, these transactions have extended our debt maturity profile and reduced the amount of long-term debt outstanding. From time to time, based on market conditions and other factors and subject to compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the Company may repurchase or call our notes, repay debt, repurchase shares of our common stock or otherwise enter into transactions regarding its capital structure.

Business Combinations

On July 1, 2019, we acquired certain assets and the operations of Sun State Components (“Sun State”) for $42.5 million in cash. Sun State is comprised of three truss locations, which are located in Las Vegas, Nevada; Surprise, Arizona; and Kingman, Arizona. Sun State manufactures roof trusses and floor trusses and distributes lumber and related products to residential homebuilders and commercial contractors.

On December 9, 2019, we acquired certain assets and the operations of Raney Components, LLC and Raney Construction, Inc. (collectively “Raney”) for $59.0 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. Located in Groveland, Florida, Raney is a vertically-integrated manufacturer and installer of residential structures for production builder customers. Raney combines sub-contractor labor and material supply to place concrete slabs, install masonry block for exterior walls, set wall panels and roof trusses, frame interior walls and install roof decking.

On January 9, 2020, we acquired certain assets and the operations of Bianchi & Company, Inc. (“Bianchi”) for $17.2 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bianchi is a supplier and installer of interior and exterior doors, crown moldings, open stair rail, chair rail, wainscoting, commercial hollow metal frames and doors and other custom millwork.

These acquisitions are described in Notes 5 and 18 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

Retirement of President and Chief Executive Officer

On January 10, 2020, Mr. Crow notified our Board of his decision to retire as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company during 2020 after assisting the Board in hiring his replacement. Mr. Crow has agreed to continue with the Company in a consulting capacity for a period of time following the appointment of a new Chief Executive Officer to assist in the transition. The Board has retained a leading global executive search firm to help identify a successor.

CURRENT OPERATING CONDITIONS AND OUTLOOK

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, actual U.S. total housing starts for the year ended December 31, 2019 were 1.3 million, an increase of 3.3% compared to the year ended December 31, 2018. Actual U.S. single-family housing starts for the year ended December 31, 2019 were 0.9 million, an increase of 1.4% compared to the year ended December 31 2018.  A composite of third party sources, including the NAHB, are forecasting 1.3 million U.S. total housing starts and 0.9 million U.S. single-family housing starts for 2020, which are increases of 1.0% and 5.8%, respectively, from 2019. In addition, in its September 2019 semi-annual forecast, the Home Improvement Research Institute (“HIRI”) forecasted sales in the professional repair and remodel end market to increase approximately 0.9% in 2020 compared to 2019.

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Our net sales for the year ended December 31, 2019 decreased 5.8% over the same period last year. Commodity price deflation decreased our net sales in 2019 by an estimated 12.3%. Excluding the impact of commodity price deflation, we achieved 6.5% net sales growth in the single-family, multi-family and repair and remodel/other end markets, primarily as a result of sales volume growth in our manufactured products and windows, doors & millwork categories. Our gross margin percentage increased by 2.3% during the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018. This increase in gross margin percentage is primarily attributable to an improved product mix, the decline in the cost of commodities relative to our customer pricing commitments and continued pricing discipline. In addition, sales growth in our value-add higher margin product categories, primarily our manufactured products and windows, doors & millwork categories, contributed to increased gross profit dollars and percentage compared to the year ended December 31, 2018. Our selling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales, were 21.8% in 2019, a 1.7% increase from 20.1% in 2018. This increase was largely due to the effects of commodity price deflation on our net sales and an increase in variable compensation related to increased sales volume and gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018.

We believe the long-term outlook for the housing industry is positive due to growth in the underlying demographics. We feel we are well-positioned to take advantage of the construction activity in our markets and to increase our market share, which may include strategic acquisitions. We will continue to focus on working capital by closely monitoring the credit exposure of our customers, remaining focused on maintaining the right level of inventory and by working with our vendors to improve payment terms and pricing on our products. We strive to achieve the appropriate balance of short-term expense control while maintaining the expertise and capacity to grow the business as market conditions warrant. In addition, optimization of our capital structure will continue to be a key area of focus for the Company.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

A discussion regarding our financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018 is presented below. A discussion regarding our financial condition and results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to the year ended December 31, 2017 can be found under Item 7 of Part II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2019.

2019 Compared with 2018

The following table sets forth the percentage relationship to net sales of certain costs, expenses and income items for the years ended December 31:

Net Sales. Net sales for the year ended December 31, 2019 were $7,280.4 million, a 5.8% decrease from net sales of $7,724.8 million for 2018.  Commodity price deflation decreased our net sales in 2019 by an estimated 12.3%. Excluding the impact of commodity price deflation, we achieved 6.5% sales growth in the single-family, multi-family and repair and remodel/other end markets, primarily as a result of sales volume growth in our manufactured products and windows, doors & millwork categories.

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The following table shows net sales classified by major product category for the years ended December 31, (dollars in millions):

The decrease in net sales in our lumber and lumber sheet goods category resulted from the impact of commodity price deflation in 2019 compared to the prior year, which offset increased volume in the category. We achieved increased net sales in our remaining product categories due to higher sales volume.

Gross Margin. Gross margin increased $53.9 million to $1,976.8 million. Our gross margin percentage increased to 27.2% in 2019 from 24.9% in 2018, a 2.3% increase. Our gross margin percentage increase was primarily attributable to an improved product mix, the decline in the cost of commodities relative to our customer pricing commitments and continued pricing discipline. In addition, sales growth in our value-add higher margin product categories, primarily our manufactured products and windows, doors & millwork categories, contributed to increased gross profit dollars and percentage compared to the year ended December 31, 2018.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $30.6 million, or 2.0%, and as a percentage of net sales increased to 21.8% from 20.1% in 2018. This increase was primarily due to increases in variable compensation related to increased sales volume and gross margin. The increase as a percentage of net sales was also attributable to the effect of commodity price deflation on our net sales.  

Interest Expense, net. Interest expense was $109.6 million in 2019, a decrease of $1.3 million from 2018. This decrease in interest expense is primarily due to lower outstanding debt balances in 2019 compared to 2018. However, offsetting the overall decrease were one-time charges of $10.2 million in 2019 related to the debt transactions executed in that period. In addition, interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2018 included a $3.2 million gain on debt extinguishment.

Income Tax Expense. We recorded income tax expense of $60.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to income tax expense of $55.6 million during the year ended December 31, 2018. Our effective tax rate was 21.6% for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to 21.3% for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Results by Reportable Segment

The following tables show net sales and income before income taxes by reportable segment excluding the “All Other” caption as shown in Note 15 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K (dollars in thousands):

We have four reportable segments based on an aggregation of the geographic regions in which we operate. While there is some geographic similarity between our reportable segments and the regions as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, our reportable segments do not necessarily fully align with any single U.S. Census Bureau region.  

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, actual single-family housing starts during the year ended December 31, 2019 decreased 11.6%, 2.6% and 3.8% in the Northeast region, Midwest region and West region, respectively. Actual single-family starts increased 6.8% in the South region during the same period. For the year ended December 31, 2019, our net sales declined in all of our reportable segments primarily due to the impact of commodity price deflation. We achieved increased profitability in our Northeast, Southeast and South reportable segments largely due to an improved product mix, the decline in the cost of commodities relative to our customer pricing commitments and continued pricing discipline. However, profitability declined in our West reportable segment largely due the impact of commodity price deflation offsetting the improvement in gross margin percentage.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

Our primary capital requirements are to fund working capital needs and operating expenses, meet required interest and principal payments, and to fund capital expenditures and potential future growth opportunities. Our capital resources at December 31, 2019 consist of cash on hand and borrowing availability under our 2023 facility.

Our 2023 facility will be primarily used for working capital, general corporate purposes, and funding capital expenditures and growth opportunities. In addition, we may use the 2023 facility to facilitate debt consolidation. Availability under the 2023 facility is determined by a borrowing base. Our borrowing base consists of trade accounts receivable, inventory, other receivables which include progress billings and credit card receivables, and qualified cash that all meet specific criteria contained within the credit agreement, minus agent specified reserves. Net excess borrowing availability is equal to the maximum borrowing amount minus outstanding borrowings and letters of credit.

The following table shows our borrowing base and excess availability as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 (in millions):

As of December 31, 2019, we had $27.0 million in outstanding borrowings under our 2023 facility and our net excess borrowing availability was $681.2 million after being reduced by outstanding letters of credit of approximately $82.2 million. We are required to meet a fixed charge coverage ratio of 1:00 to 1:00 if our excess availability falls below the greater of $80.0 million or 10% of the maximum borrowing amount, which was $80.0 million as of December 31, 2019. We were not in violation of any covenants or restrictions imposed by any of our debt agreements at December 31, 2019.

Liquidity

Our liquidity at December 31, 2019 was $695.3 million, which consists of net borrowing availability under the 2023 facility and cash on hand.

We have substantial indebtedness, which results in significant interest expense and could have the effect of, among other things, reducing our flexibility to respond to changing business and economic conditions. From time to time, based on market conditions and other factors and subject to compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the Company may repurchase or call our notes, repay debt, or otherwise enter into transactions regarding its capital structure.

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Should the current industry conditions deteriorate or we pursue additional acquisitions, we may be required to raise additional funds through the sale of capital stock or debt in the public capital markets or in privately negotiated transactions. There can be no assurance that any of these financing options would be available on favorable terms, if at all. Alternatives to help supplement our liquidity position could include, but are not limited to, idling or permanently closing additional facilities, adjusting our headcount in response to current business conditions, attempts to renegotiate leases, managing our working capital and/or divesting of non-core businesses. There are no assurances that these steps would prove successful or materially improve our liquidity position.

Consolidated Cash Flows

A discussion regarding our consolidated cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019 compared to the year ended December 31, 2018 is presented below. A discussion regarding our consolidated cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to the year ended December 31, 2017 can be found under Item 7 of Part II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2019.

2019 Compared with 2018

Cash provided by operating activities was $504.0 million and $282.8 million in 2019 and 2018, respectively. The $221.2 million increase in cash provided by operations was largely the result of a working capital decrease of $106.2 million in 2019 compared to a working capital increase of $92.2 million in 2018. This change in working capital was primarily due to the timing and impact of changes in commodity prices on the value of cash received from customers, inventory purchases and cash paid to vendors during the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to the year ended December 31, 2019.

Cash used in investing activities was $199.2 million and $96.7 million in 2019 and 2018, respectively. This increase in cash used in investing activities was primarily due to $92.9 million in cash used for our acquisitions of Sun State and Raney in 2019. In addition, our capital expenditures increased $11.5 million in 2019 compared to 2018. This increase in capital expenditures was largely due to the Company’s decision to purchase, rather than lease, more of its machinery and rolling stock units in 2019 compared to 2018.

Cash used in financing activities was $300.9 million and $233.6 million in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 was primarily due to $610.8 million in long-term debt repayments, largely consisting of $406.3 million in repayments of the 2024 term loan and $191.5 million in cash repayments of our 2024 notes. In addition, we had $152.0 million in net repayments on our 2023 facility in 2019. These payments were offset by $478.4 million in proceeds received from the issuance of 2027 notes. In connection with our debt transactions executed in 2019 we paid $10.9 million in debt issuance and extinguishment costs. Further, in 2019 we paid $7.9 million to repurchase and retire 460,000 shares of our common stock pursuant to a repurchase program authorized by our board of directors. Cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2018 was primarily due to $171.0 million in net repayments on the 2023 facility as well as $61.5 million in net payments on long-term debt arrangements largely associated with repurchases of our 2024 notes.

Capital Expenditures

Capital expenditures vary depending on prevailing business factors, including current and anticipated market conditions. Historically, capital expenditures have for the most part remained at relatively low levels in comparison to the operating cash flows generated during the corresponding periods. We expect our 2020 capital expenditures to be in the range of approximately $110 million to $130 million primarily related to rolling stock, equipment and facility improvements to support our operations.

DISCLOSURES OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS AND COMMERCIAL COMMITMENTS

The following summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2019 (in thousands):

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Purchase orders entered into in the ordinary course of business are excluded from the above table because they are payable within one year. Amounts for which we are liable under purchase orders are reflected on our consolidated balance sheet as accounts payable. Where it makes economic sense to do so, we plan to lease certain equipment during 2020 to support anticipated sales growth.

OTHER CASH OBLIGATIONS NOT REFLECTED IN THE BALANCE SHEET

In addition to the lease obligations included in the above table, we have residual value guarantees on certain equipment leases. Under these leases we have the option of (1) purchasing the equipment at the end of the lease term, (2) arranging for the sale of the equipment to a third party, or (3) returning the equipment to the lessor to sell the equipment. If the sales proceeds in either case are less than the residual value, then we are required to reimburse the lessor for the deficiency up to a specified level as stated in each lease agreement. The guarantees under these leases for the residual values of equipment at the end of the respective operating lease periods approximated $4.8 million as of December 31, 2019.

Based upon the expectation that none of these leased assets will have a residual value at the end of the lease term that is materially less than the value specified in the related operating lease agreement or that we will purchase the equipment at the end of the lease term, we do not believe it is probable that we will be required to fund any amounts under the terms of these guarantee arrangements. Accordingly, no accruals have been recognized for these guarantees.

In addition, the Company is party to certain agreements related to its other finance obligations which commit the Company to perform certain repairs and maintenance obligations under the leases in a specified manner and timeframe. As of December 31, 2019 our obligations under these agreements have largely been completed with the remainder expected to be completed within the next year.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES

Critical accounting policies are those that both are important to the accurate portrayal of a company’s financial condition and results, and require subjective or complex judgments, often as a result of the need to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain.

In order to prepare financial statements that conform to GAAP, we make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in our financial statements and accompanying notes. Certain estimates are particularly sensitive due to their significance to the financial statements and the possibility that future events may be significantly different from our expectations.

We have identified the following accounting policy that requires us to make the most subjective or complex judgments in order to fairly present our consolidated financial position and results of operations.

Goodwill. Goodwill represents the excess of the amount we paid to acquire businesses over the estimated fair value of tangible assets and identifiable intangible assets acquired, less liabilities assumed. At December 31, 2019, our goodwill balance was $769.0 million, representing 23.7% of our total assets.

We test goodwill for impairment in the fourth quarter of each year or at any other time when impairment indicators exist. Examples of such indicators that could cause us to test goodwill for impairment between annual tests include a significant change in the business climate, unexpected competition or a significant deterioration in market share. We may also consider market capitalization relative to our net assets. Housing starts are a significant sales driver for us. If there is a significant decline or an expected decline in housing starts, this could adversely affect our expectations for a reporting unit and the value of that reporting unit.

The process of evaluating goodwill for impairment involves the determination of the fair value of our reporting units. Our reporting units are aligned with our nine geographic regions which are also determined to be our operating segments. In evaluating goodwill for impairment, the Company first assesses qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If it is concluded that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is not less than its carrying amount, then no further testing of the goodwill is required.

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However, if we determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, we perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test. This test identifies both the existence of and the amount of goodwill impairment by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount goodwill is not impaired. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value an impairment loss is recognized in amount equal to that excess, limited to the amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

In performing our annual goodwill impairment tests at December 31, 2019, we first assessed qualitative factors relative to each of our reporting units to determine if it was more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting units were less than their carrying amounts. Examples of such factors we considered in this assessment included the amount of cushion from prior quantitative goodwill impairment tests, significant changes in the goodwill balance, the presence of any known or forecasted declines in operating performance, market conditions, market share or any other negative factors.  

For reporting units where we determined that it was more likely than not that the fair values were less than their carrying amounts, we performed a quantitative goodwill impairment test. In evaluating our goodwill for impairment at December 31, 2019, $77.1 million of our goodwill balance was assessed utilizing a quantitative assessment. In performing the quantitative impairment test at December 31, 2019, we developed a range of fair values using a five-year discounted cash flow methodology. Inherent in such fair value determinations are significant assumptions relating to future cash flows, expected future revenues, expected future profitability, the discount rate, the terminal value, and our interpretation of current economic indicators and market conditions and their impact on our strategic plans and operations. Due to the uncertainties associated with such estimates, interpretations and assumptions, actual results could differ from projected results, which could result in impairment of goodwill being recorded.

Significant information and assumptions utilized in estimating future cash flows for quantitative goodwill impairment analyses include projections of revenue growth utilizing publicly available industry information such as lumber commodity prices and housing start forecasts developed by industry forecasters, including the NAHB. Expected future profitability reflects current headcount levels and cost structure and are flexed in future years based upon historical trends at various revenue levels. Long-term growth was based upon terminal value earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) multiples of 6.0x to reflect the relevant expected acquisition price. A discount rate of 11.0% was used and is intended to reflect the weighted average cost of capital for a potential market participant and includes all risks of ownership and the associated risks of realizing the stream of projected future cash flows. Decreasing the long-term growth to an EBITDA multiple of 5.0x, or increasing the discount rate by 1.0% to 12.0%, would not have changed the results of our impairment testing.

At December 31, 2019, the fair values of each of our reporting units were substantially in excess of their respective carrying amounts. Factors that could negatively impact the estimated fair value of our reporting units and potentially trigger additional impairment include, but are not limited to, unexpected competition, lower than expected housing starts, an increase in market participant weighted average cost of capital, increases in material or labor cost, and significant declines in our market capitalization. Future impairment of goodwill would have the effect of decreasing our earnings or increasing our losses in such period, but would not impact our current outstanding debt obligations or compliance with covenants contained in the related debt agreements. We did not have any goodwill impairments in 2019, 2018 or 2017.

RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

Information regarding recent accounting pronouncements is discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this annual report on Form 10-K.

Item  7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

We may experience changes in interest expense if changes in our debt occur. Changes in market interest rates could also affect our interest expense. Our 2024 notes and 2027 notes bear interest at a fixed rate, therefore, our interest expense related to these notes would not be affected by an increase in market interest rates. Borrowings under the 2023 facility and the 2024 term loan bear interest at either a base rate or eurodollar rate, plus, in each case, an applicable margin. A 1.0% increase in interest rates on the 2023 facility would result in approximately $0.3 million in additional interest expense annually as we had $27.0 million in outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 2019. The 2023 facility also assesses variable commitment and outstanding letter of credit fees based on quarterly average loan utilization. A 1.0% increase in interest rates on the 2024 term loan would result in approximately $0.5 million in additional interest expense annually as of December 31, 2019.

We purchase certain materials, including lumber products, which are then sold to customers as well as used as direct production inputs for our manufactured products that we deliver. Short-term changes in the cost of these materials and the related in-bound freight costs, some of which are subject to significant fluctuations, are oftentimes, but not always, passed on to our customers. Delays in our ability to pass on material price increases to our customers can adversely impact our operating results.

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Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm  

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Builders FirstSource, Inc.

Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Builders FirstSource, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the related consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income, of changes in stockholders’ equity and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019, including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).

In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2019 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.

Change in Accounting Principle

As discussed in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company changed the manner in which it accounts for leases in 2019.  

Basis for Opinions

The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 9A. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.

Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audits also included performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

Definition and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

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Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Critical Audit Matters

The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (ii) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.

Goodwill Quantitative Impairment Test

As described in Notes 2 and 6 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company’s consolidated goodwill balance was $769.0 million as of December 31, 2019, and $77.1 million of the goodwill balance was assessed utilizing a quantitative assessment. Goodwill is tested for impairment on an annual basis and between annual tests whenever impairment is indicated.  This annual test takes place as of December 31 each year. Impairment losses are recognized whenever the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. In performing the quantitative impairment test, management developed a range of fair values using a five-year discounted cash flow methodology. The significant assumptions used in the discounted cash flow methodology are the discount rate, the terminal value and the expected future revenues and profitability.

The principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to the goodwill quantitative impairment test is a critical audit matter are there was significant judgment by management when determining the fair value of any reporting unit where a goodwill quantitative impairment test was performed. This in turn led to a high degree of auditor judgment, subjectivity and effort in performing procedures and evaluating management’s future cash flows, including the significant assumptions for the terminal value, expected future revenues and profitability. In addition, the audit effort involved the use of professionals with specialized skill and knowledge to assist in performing these procedures and evaluating audit evidence obtained.

Addressing the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated financial statements. These procedures included testing the effectiveness of controls relating to management’s goodwill impairment test, including management’s controls over the goodwill quantitative impairment test.  These procedures also included, among others, testing management’s process for determining the fair value of any reporting unit where a goodwill quantitative impairment test was performed, evaluating the appropriateness of the discounted cash flow methodology, testing the completeness, accuracy, and relevance of underlying data used in the valuation methodology, and evaluating the significant assumptions used by management, including the terminal value, expected future revenues and profitability. Evaluating management’s assumptions related to the expected future revenues and profitability involved evaluating whether the assumptions used were reasonable considering the past performance of the reporting unit and whether these assumptions were consistent with evidence obtained in other areas of the audit. Professionals with specialized skill and knowledge were used to assist in evaluating the appropriateness of the valuation method used and the reasonableness of certain significant assumptions, including the terminal value.

/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Dallas, Texas

February 21, 2020

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1999.

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BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME  

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash activities

For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company retired assets subject to other finance obligations of $0.6 million, $0.6 million and $14.0 million and extinguished the related other finance obligations of $0.6 million, $0.7 million and $11.7 million, respectively.

The Company purchased equipment which was financed through finance lease obligations of $16.5 million, and capital lease obligations of $10.2 million and $14.2 million in the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. In addition, purchases of property, plant and equipment included in accounts payable were $3.4 million, $2.4 million and $3.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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BUILDERS FIRSTSOURCE, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. Description of the Business

Builders FirstSource, Inc., a Delaware corporation formed in 1998, is a leading supplier of building materials, manufactured components and construction services to professional contractors, sub-contractors, and consumers. The company operates approximately 400 locations in 40 states across the United States.

In this annual report, references to the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “ours” or “us” refer to Builders FirstSource, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires.

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements present the results of operations, financial position, and cash flows of Builders FirstSource, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Estimates are used when accounting for items such as revenue, vendor rebates, allowance for returns, discounts and doubtful accounts, employee compensation programs, depreciation and amortization periods, income taxes, inventory values, insurance programs, goodwill, other intangible assets and long-lived assets.

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue as performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control of a promised good or service to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. We generally classify our revenues into two types: (i) distribution sales; or (ii) sales related to contracts with service elements. 

Distribution sales typically consist of the sale of building products we manufacture and the resale of purchased building products. We recognize revenue related to distribution sales at a point in time upon delivery of the ordered goods to our customers. Payment terms related to distribution sales are not significant as payment is generally received shortly after the point of sale.

Our contracts with service elements primarily relate to installation and construction services. We evaluate whether multiple contracts should be combined and accounted for as a single contract and whether a single or combined contract should be accounted for as a single performance obligation or multiple performance obligations. If a contract is separated into more than one performance obligation, we allocate the transaction price to each performance obligation generally based on observable standalone selling prices of the underlying goods or services. Revenue related to contracts with service elements is generally recognized over time based on the extent of progress towards completion of the performance obligation because of continuous transfer of control to the customer. We consider costs incurred to be indicative of goods and services delivered to the customer. As such, we use a cost based input method to recognize revenue on our contracts with service elements as it best depicts the transfer of assets to our customers. Payment terms related to sales for contracts with service elements are specific to each customer and contract. However, they are considered to be short-term in nature as payments are normally received either throughout the life of the contract or shortly after the contract is complete.

Contract costs include all direct material and labor, equipment costs and those indirect costs related to contract performance. Provisions for estimated losses on uncompleted contracts are recognized in the period in which such losses are determinable. Prepayments for materials or services are deferred until such materials have been delivered or services have been provided. All sales recognized are net of allowances for discounts and estimated returns, based on historical experience. The Company records sales incentives provided to customers as a reduction of revenue. We present all sales tax on a net basis in our consolidated financial statements.

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Costs to obtain contracts are expensed as incurred as our contracts are typically completed in one year or less, and where applicable, we generally would incur these costs whether or not we ultimately obtain the contract. We do not disclose the value of our remaining performance obligations on uncompleted contracts as our contracts generally have a duration of one year or less.

Cash and Cash Equivalents & Checks Outstanding

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and all highly liquid investments with an original maturity date of three months or less. Also included in cash and cash equivalents are proceeds due from credit card transactions that generally settle within two business days. We maintain cash at financial institutions in excess of federally insured limits. Further, we maintain various banking relationships with different financial institutions.  Accordingly, when there is a negative net book cash balance resulting from outstanding checks that had not yet been paid by any single financial institution, they are reflected in accounts payable on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Accounts Receivable

We extend credit to qualified professional homebuilders and contractors, in many cases on a non-collateralized basis. Accounts receivable potentially expose us to concentrations of credit risk. Because our customers are dispersed among our various markets, our credit risk to any one customer or geographic economy is not significant. Other receivables consist primarily of vendor rebates receivable.

Our customer mix is a balance of large national homebuilders, regional homebuilders, local and custom homebuilders and repair and remodeling contractors as well as multi-family builders. For the year ended December 31, 2019, our top 10 customers accounted for approximately 15.3% of our net sales, and no single customer accounted for more than 5% of net sales.

The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on management’s assessment of the amount which may become uncollectible in the future and is estimated using specific review of problem accounts, overall portfolio quality, current economic conditions that may affect the customer’s ability to pay, and historical experience. Accounts receivable are written off when deemed uncollectible.  

We also establish reserves for credit memos and customer returns. The reserve balance was $7.6 million and $6.9 million at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The activity in this reserve was not significant for each year presented.

Accounts receivable consisted of the following at December 31:

The following table shows the changes in our allowance for doubtful accounts:

Inventories

Inventories consist principally of materials purchased for resale, including lumber, lumber sheet goods, windows, doors and millwork, as well as certain manufactured products and are stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Cost is determined using the weighted average method, the use of which approximates the first-in, first-out method. We accrue for shrink based on the actual historical shrink results of our most recent physical inventories adjusted, if necessary, for current economic conditions. These estimates are compared with actual results as physical inventory counts are taken and reconciled to the general ledger.

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During the year, we monitor our inventory levels by market and record provisions for excess inventories based on slower moving inventory. We define potential excess inventory as the amount of inventory on hand in excess of the historical usage, excluding special order items purchased in the last six months. We then apply our judgment as to forecasted demand and other factors, including liquidation value, to determine the required adjustments to net realizable value. Our inventories are generally not susceptible to technological obsolescence.

Our arrangements with vendors provide for rebates of a specified amount of consideration, payable when certain measures, generally related to a stipulated level of purchases, have been achieved. We account for estimated rebates as a reduction of the prices of the vendor’s inventory until the product is sold, at which time such rebates reduce cost of sales in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income. Throughout the year we estimate the amount of the rebates based upon the expected level of purchases. We continually evaluate and revise these estimates as necessary based on actual purchase levels.

We source products from a large number of suppliers. No materials purchased from any single supplier represented more than 8% of our total materials purchased in 2019.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Handling costs incurred in manufacturing activities are included in cost of sales. All other shipping and handling costs are included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income and totaled $332.5 million, $322.9 million and $296.2 million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes utilizing the liability method described in the Income Taxes topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“Codification”). Deferred income taxes are recorded to reflect consequences on future years of differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts at each year-end based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which differences are expected to affect taxable earnings. We record a valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

Warranty Expense

We have warranty obligations with respect to most manufactured products; however, the liability for the warranty obligations is not significant as a result of third-party inspection and acceptance processes.

Debt Issuance Costs and Debt Discount/Premium

Loan costs are capitalized upon the issuance of long-term debt and amortized over the life of the related debt. Debt issuance costs associated with term debt are presented as a reduction to long-term debt. Debt issuance costs associated with revolving debt arrangements are presented as a component of other assets. Debt issuance costs incurred in connection with revolving debt arrangements are amortized using the straight-line method. Debt issuance costs incurred in connection with term debt are amortized using the effective interest method. Debt discounts and premiums are amortized over the life of the related debt using the effective interest method. Amortization of debt issuance costs, discounts and premiums are included in interest expense. Upon changes to our debt structure, we evaluate debt issuance costs, discounts and premiums in accordance with the Debt topic of the Codification. We adjust debt issuance costs, discounts and premiums as necessary based on the results of this evaluation, as discussed in Note 9.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The estimated lives of the various classes of assets are as follows: