ROLLINS INC - Annual Report: 2018 (Form 10-K)

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018

Commission file No. 1-4422

ROLLINS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (404) 888-2000

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 x No o

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 o No x

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 x No o

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

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

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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

The aggregate market value of Rollins, Inc. Common Stock held by non-affiliates on June 30, 2018 was $5,080,852 based on the reported last sale price of common stock on June 30, 2018, which is the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter.

Rollins, Inc. had 327,532,811 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of January 31, 2019.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Portions of the Proxy Statement for the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Rollins, Inc. are incorporated by reference into Part III, Items 10-14.

PART I

Item 1. Business

General

Rollins, Inc. (the “Company”) was originally incorporated in 1948 under the laws of the state of Delaware as Rollins Broadcasting, Inc.

The Company is an international service company with headquarters located in Atlanta, Georgia, providing pest and termite control services through its wholly-owned subsidiaries to both residential and commercial customers in North America, Australia, and Europe with international franchises in Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, Africa, Canada, Australia, and Mexico. Services are performed through a contract that specifies the pricing arrangement with the customer.

For a listing of the Company’s Subsidiaries, see Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to the Financial Statements (Part II, Item 8, of this Form 10-K).

The Company has only one reportable segment, its pest and termite control business. Revenue, operating profit and identifiable assets for this segment, which includes the United States, Canada, Australia, Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, Africa, and Mexico are included in Item 8 of this document, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” on pages 26 and 27. The Company’s results of operations and its financial condition are not reliant upon any single customer or a few customers or the Company’s foreign operations.

Three-for-Two Stock Split

All share and per share data presented have been adjusted to account for the three-for-two stock split effective December 10, 2018.

Common Stock Repurchase Program

At the July 24, 2012 Quarterly Board of Directors’ meeting, the Board authorized the purchase of 11.3 million shares of the Company’s common stock. During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company did not repurchase shares on the open market. In total, there are 7.6 million additional shares authorized to be repurchased under prior Board approval. The repurchase program does not have an expiration date.

Backlog

Backlog services and orders are usually provided within the month following the month of order receipt, except in the area of prepaid pest control and bait monitoring services, which are usually provided within twelve months of order receipt. The Company does not have a material portion of its business that may be subject to renegotiation of profits or termination of contracts at the election of a governmental entity.

Franchising Programs

Orkin Franchises

The Company continues to expand its growth through Orkin’s franchise program. This program is primarily used in smaller markets where it is currently not economically feasible to locate a conventional Orkin branch. Domestic franchisees are subject to a contractual buyback provision at Orkin’s option with a pre-determined purchase price using a formula applied to revenues of the franchise. International franchise agreements also contain an optional buyback provision; however, the franchisee has the prior right of renewal of agreement. The Company, through its wholly-owned Orkin subsidiary, began its Orkin franchise program in the U.S. in 1994, and established its first international franchise in 2000. It has since been expanded to Central America, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, Africa, and Mexico.

Critter Control Franchises

The Company expands its animal control growth through Critter Control’s franchise program. The Company has purchased several Critter Control locations from its franchise owners while renaming and converting several Trutech locations to Critter Control. The majority of Critter Control’s locations are franchised. Critter Control has franchises in the United States and two in Canada as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Orkin Australia Franchises

The Company has Australian franchises through Orkin Australia’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Murray Pest Control and Scientific Pest Management.

Seasonality

The business of the Company is affected by the seasonal nature of the Company’s pest and termite control services. The increase in pest presence and activity, as well as the metamorphosis of termites in the spring and summer (the occurrence of which is determined by the timing of the change in seasons), has historically resulted in an increase in the revenue of the Company’s pest and termite control operations during such periods as evidenced by the following chart.

Inventories

The Company has relationships with a national pest control product distributor and other vendors for pest and termite control treatment products. The Company maintains a sufficient level of chemicals, materials and other supplies to fulfill its immediate servicing needs and to alleviate any potential short-term shortage in availability from its national network of suppliers.

Competition

The Company believes that Rollins, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Orkin, Orkin Canada, HomeTeam Pest Defense, Western Pest Services, The Industrial Fumigant Company, Crane Pest Control, Waltham Services, Trutech, PermaTreat, Orkin Australia, Critter Control, Safeguard Pest Control, Northwest Pest Control, OPC Services, and Aardwolf Pestkare competes favorably with competitors as the world’s largest pest and termite control company. The Company’s competitors include Terminix, Ecolab, Rentokil and Anticimex.

The principal methods of competition in the Company’s pest and termite control markets are quality of service, customer proximity and guarantee terms, reputation for safety, technical proficiency, and price.

Research and Development

Expenditures by the Company on research activities relating to the development of new products or services are not significant. Some of the new and improved service methods and products are researched, developed and produced by unaffiliated universities and companies. Also, a portion of these methods and products are produced to the specifications provided by the Company.

The Company maintains a close relationship with several universities for research and validation of treatment procedures and material selection.

The Company conducts tests of new products with the specific manufacturers of such products. The Company also works closely with leading scientists, educators, industry consultants and suppliers to improve service protocols and materials.

Environmental and Regulatory Considerations

The Company’s pest control business is subject to various legislative and regulatory enactments that are designed to protect the environment, public health and consumers. Compliance with these requirements has not had a material negative impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (“FIFRA”)

This federal law (as amended) grants to the states the responsibility to be the primary agent in enforcement and conditions under which pest control companies operate. Each state must meet certain guidelines of the Environmental Protection Agency in regulating the following: licensing, record keeping, contracts, standards of application, training and registration of products. This allows each state to institute certain features that set their regulatory programs in keeping with special interests of the citizens’ wishes in each state. The pest control industry is impacted by these federal and state regulations.

Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 (“FQPA”)

The FQPA governs the manufacture, labeling, handling and use of pesticides and does not have a direct impact on how the Company conducts its business.

Environmental Remediation

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (“CERCLA”), also known as Superfund, is the primary Federal statute regulating the cleanup of inactive hazardous substance sites and imposing liability for cleanup on the responsible parties. Responsibilities governed by this statute include the management of hazardous substances, reporting releases of hazardous substances, and establishing the necessary contracts and agreements to conduct cleanup. Customarily, the parties involved will work with the EPA and under the direction of the responsible state agency to agree and implement a plan for site remediation. Consistent with the Company’s responsibilities under these regulations, the Company undertakes environmental assessments and remediation of hazardous substances from time to time as the Company determines its responsibilities for these purposes. As these situations arise, the Company accrues management’s best estimate of future costs for these activities. Based on management’s current estimates of these costs, management does not believe these costs are material to the Company’s financial condition or operating results.

Employees

The number of persons employed by the Company as of January 31, 2019 was approximately 14,000.

Available Information

Our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports, are available free of charge on our website at www.rollins.com, under the heading “Investor Relations – Filings and Reports – SEC Filings,” as soon as reasonably practicable after those reports are electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Item 1.A.    Risk Factors

Our business depends on our strong brands, and failing to maintain and enhance our brands could hurt our ability to retain and expand our base of customers.

Our strong brands, Rollins, Orkin, HomeTeam Pest Defense, Western Pest Services, Northwest Pest Control, The Industrial Fumigant Company, Crane Pest Control, Waltham Services, Trutech, PermaTreat, Critter Control, Allpest, Safeguard Pest Control, Aardwolf Pestkare, OPC Services, and other strong brands have significantly contributed to the success of our business. Maintaining and enhancing our brands increases our ability to enter new markets and launch new and innovative services that better serve the needs of our customers. Our brands may be negatively impacted by a number of factors, including, among others, reputational issues and product/technical failures. Further, if our brands are significantly damaged, our business, operating results, and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected. Maintaining and enhancing our brands will depend largely on our ability to remain a service leader and continue to provide high-quality, pest control products and services that are truly useful and play a meaningful role in people’s lives.

Economic conditions may adversely affect our business.

Pest and termite services represent discretionary expenditures to many of our residential customers. As consumers restrict their discretionary expenditures, we may suffer a decline in revenues from our residential service lines. Economic downturns can also adversely affect our commercial customers, including food service, hospitality and food processing industries whose business levels are particularly sensitive to adverse economies. For example, we may lose commercial customers and related revenues because of consolidation or cessation of commercial businesses or because these businesses switch to a lower cost provider.

Expanding into international markets presents unique challenges and our expansion efforts with respect to international operations may not be successful.

An element of our strategy includes further expansion into international markets. Our ability to successfully operate in international markets may be adversely affected by political, economic and social conditions beyond our control, local laws and customs, and legal and regulatory constraints, including compliance with applicable anti-corruption and currency laws and regulations, of the countries or regions in which we currently operate or intend to operate in the future. Risks inherent in our existing and future international operations also include, among others, the costs and difficulties of managing international operations, difficulties in identifying and gaining access to local suppliers, suffering possible adverse tax consequences from changes in tax laws or the unfavorable resolution of tax assessments or audits, maintaining product quality and greater difficulty in enforcing intellectual property rights. Additionally, foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations thereof may have an adverse effect on the financial results of our international operations.

Our inability to attract and retain skilled workers may impair growth potential and profitability.

Our ability to remain productive and profitable will depend substantially on our ability to attract and retain skilled workers. Our ability to expand our operations is in part impacted by our ability to increase our labor force. The demand for skilled employees is high, and the supply is very limited. A significant increase in the wages paid by competing employers could result in a reduction in our skilled labor force, increases in wage rates paid by us, or both. If either of these events occurred, our capacity and profitability could be diminished, and our growth potential could be impaired.

We may not be able to maintain our competitive position in the pest control industry in the future.

We operate in a highly competitive industry. Our revenues and earnings may be affected by changes in competitors’ prices, and general economic issues. We compete with other large pest control companies, as well as numerous smaller pest control companies, for a finite number of customers. We believe that the principal competitive factors in the market areas that we serve are service quality, and product availability, terms of guarantees, reputation for safety, technical proficiency and price. Although we believe that our experience and reputation for safety and quality service are excellent, we cannot assure investors that we will be able to maintain our competitive position.

Our operations could be affected by pending and ongoing litigation.

In the normal course of business, some of the Company’s subsidiaries are defendants in a number of lawsuits or arbitrations, which allege that plaintiffs have been damaged. The Company does not believe that any pending claim, proceeding or litigation, either alone or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position; however, it is possible that an unfavorable outcome of some or all of the matters, however unlikely, could result in a charge that might be material to the results of an individual year.

Our operations could be affected if there is unauthorized access of personal, financial, or other data or information about our customers, employees, third parties, or of Company’s proprietary of confidential information. We could be subject to interruption of our business operations, private litigation, reputational damage and costly penalties.

Our information technology systems, as well as the information technology systems of our third party business partners and service providers, can contain personal, financial, health, or other information that is entrusted to us by our customers and employees. Our information technology systems also contain Company’s and its wholly-owned subsidiaries’ proprietary and other confidential information related to our business, such as business plans and product development initiatives. We rely on, among other things, commercially available vendors, cyber protection systems, software, tools and monitoring to provide security for processing, transmission and storage of this information and data. The systems currently used for transmission and approval of payment card transactions, and the technology utilized in payment cards themselves, all of which can put payment card data at risk, meet standards set by the payment card industry (“PCI”). We continue to evaluate and modify our systems and protocols for data security compliance purposes, and such standards may change from time to time. Activities by third parties, advances in computer and software capabilities and encryption technology, new tools and discoveries and other events or developments may facilitate or result in a compromise or breach of our systems. Any compromises, breaches or errors in applications related to our systems or failures to comply with applicable standards could cause damage to our reputation and interruptions in our operations, including our customers’ ability to pay for our services and products by credit card or their willingness to purchase our services and products and could result in a violation of applicable laws, regulations, orders, industry standards or agreements and subject us to costs, penalties and liabilities which could have a material adverse impact on our reputation, business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Also, a breach of data security could expose us to customer litigation and costs related to the reporting and handling of such a breach.

Our operations may be adversely affected if we are unable to comply with regulatory and environmental laws.

Our business is significantly affected by environmental laws and other regulations relating to the pest control industry and by changes in such laws and the level of enforcement of such laws. We are unable to predict the level of enforcement of existing laws and regulations, how such laws and regulations may be interpreted by enforcement agencies or court rulings, or whether additional laws and regulations will be adopted. We believe our present operations substantially comply with applicable federal and state environmental laws and regulations. We also believe that compliance with such laws has had no material adverse effect on our operations to date. However, such environmental laws are changed frequently. We are unable to predict whether environmental laws will, in the future, materially affect our operations and financial condition. Penalties for noncompliance with these laws may include cancellation of licenses, fines, and other corrective actions, which would negatively affect our future financial results.

We may not be able to identify, complete or successfully integrate acquisitions.

Acquisitions have been and may continue to be an important element of our business strategy. We cannot assure investors that we will be able to identify and acquire acceptable acquisition candidates on terms favorable to us in the future. We cannot assure investors that we will be able to integrate successfully the operations and assets of any acquired business with our own business. Any inability on our part to integrate and manage the growth from acquired businesses could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Our operations are affected by adverse weather conditions.

Our operations are directly impacted by the weather conditions worldwide. The business of the Company is affected by the seasonal nature of the Company’s pest and termite control services. The increase in pest presence and activity, as well as the metamorphosis of termites in the spring and summer (the occurrence of which is determined by the timing of the change in seasons), has historically resulted in an increase in the revenue and income of the Company’s pest and termite control operations during such periods. The business of the Company is also affected by extreme weather such as drought which can greatly reduce the pest population for extended periods.

Our franchisees, subcontractors, and vendors could take actions that could harm our business.

Our franchisees, subcontractors, and vendors are contractually obligated to operate their businesses in accordance with the standards set forth in our agreements with them. Each franchising brand also provides training and support to franchisees. However, franchisees, subcontractors, and vendors are independent third parties that we do not control, and who own, operate and oversee the daily operations of their businesses. As a result, the ultimate success of any franchise operation rests with the franchisee. If franchisees do not successfully operate their businesses in a manner consistent with required standards, royalty payments to us will be adversely affected and our brands’ image and reputation could be harmed. This could adversely impact our business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Similarly, if subcontractors, vendors and franchisees do not successfully operate their businesses in a manner consistent with required laws, standards and regulations, we could be subject to claims from regulators or legal claims for the actions or omissions of such third-party distributors, subcontractors, vendors and franchisees. In addition, our relationship with our franchisees, subcontractors, and vendors could become strained (including resulting in litigation) as we impose new standards or assert more rigorous enforcement practices of the existing required standards. These strains in our relationships or claims could have a material adverse impact on our reputation, business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

From time to time, we receive communications from our franchisees regarding complaints, disputes or questions about our practices and standards in relation to our franchised operations and certain economic terms of our franchise arrangements. If franchisees or groups representing franchisees were to bring legal proceedings against us, we would vigorously defend against the claims in any such proceeding. Our reputation, business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows could be materially adversely impacted and the price of our common stock could decline.

Our brand recognition could be impacted if we are not able to adequately protect our intellectual property and other proprietary rights that are material to our business.

Our ability to compete effectively depends in part on our rights to service marks, trademarks, trade names and other intellectual property rights we own or license, particularly our registered brand names and service marks, Orkin^®, Orkin Canada^®, Acurid^SM, Western Pest Services^®, the Industrial Fumigant Company^®, HomeTeam Pest Defense^®, TAEXX^®, Critter Control^®, Northwest Pest Control^®, Allpest^®, Murray^®, Safeguard^® and others. We have not sought to register or protect every one of our marks either in the United States or in every country in which they are or may be used. Furthermore, because of the differences in foreign trademark, patent and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws, we may not receive the same protection in other countries as we would in the United States. If we are unable to protect our proprietary information and brand names, we could suffer a material adverse impact on our reputation, business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Litigation may be necessary to enforce our intellectual property rights and protect our proprietary information, or to defend against claims by third parties that our products, services or activities infringe their intellectual property rights.

The Company’s management has a substantial ownership interest; public stockholders may have no effective voice in the Company’s management.

The Company has elected the “Controlled Company” exemption under Section 303A of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Listed Company Manual. The Company is a “Controlled Company” because a group that includes the Company’s Chairman of the Board, R. Randall Rollins, and his brother, Gary W. Rollins, who is the Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and a director of the Company, and certain companies under their control, controls in excess of fifty percent of the Company’s voting power. As a “Controlled Company,” the Company need not comply with certain NYSE rules.

Rollins, Inc.’s executive officers, directors and their affiliates hold directly, or through indirect beneficial ownership, in the aggregate, approximately 56 percent of the Company’s outstanding shares of common stock. As a result, these persons will effectively control the operations of the Company, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions such as acquisitions and approval of matters requiring stockholder approval. This concentration of ownership could also have the effect of delaying or preventing a third party from acquiring control of the Company at a premium.

Our management has a substantial ownership interest, and the availability of the Company’s common stock to the investing public may be limited.

The availability of Rollins’ common stock to the investing public would be limited to those shares not held by the executive officers, directors and their affiliates, which could negatively impact Rollins’ stock trading prices and affect the ability of minority stockholders to sell their shares. Future sales by executive officers, directors and their affiliates of all or a portion of their shares could also negatively affect the trading price of our common stock.

Provisions in Rollins, Inc.’s certificate of incorporation and bylaws may inhibit a takeover of the Company.

Rollins, Inc.’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws and other documents contain provisions including advance notice requirements for stockholder proposals and staggered terms for the Board of Directors. These provisions may make a tender offer, change in control or takeover attempt that is opposed by the Company’s Board of Directors more difficult or expensive.

Item 1.B.    Unresolved Staff Comments

None

Item 2.    Properties.

The Company’s administrative headquarters are owned by the Company, and are located at 2170 Piedmont Road, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia 30324. The Company owns or leases over 500 branch offices and operating facilities used in its business as well as the Rollins Training Center located in Atlanta, Georgia, the Rollins Customer Service Center located in Covington, Georgia, and the Pacific Division Administration and Training Center in Riverside, California. None of the branch offices, individually considered, represents a materially important physical property of the Company. The facilities are suitable and adequate to meet the current and reasonably anticipated future needs of the Company.

Item 3.    Legal Proceedings.

In the normal course of business, certain of the Company’s subsidiaries are defendants in a number of lawsuits, claims or arbitrations which allege that the subsidiaries’ services caused damage. In addition, the Company defends employment related cases and claims from time to time. We are involved in certain environmental matters primarily arising in the normal course of business. We are actively contesting each of these matters.

Management does not believe that any pending claim, proceeding or litigation, either alone or in the aggregate will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity; however, it is possible that an unfavorable outcome of some or all of the matters, however unlikely, could result in a charge that might be material to the results of an individual quarter or year.

Item 4.     Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

Item 4.A.    Executive Officers of the Registrant.

Each of the executive officers of the Company was elected by the Board of Directors to serve until the Board of Directors’ meeting immediately following the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until his or her earlier removal by the Board of Directors or his or her resignation. The following table lists the executive officers of the Company and their ages, offices within the Company, and the dates from which they have continually served in their present offices with the Company.

PART II

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

The Common Stock of the Company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded on the Philadelphia, Chicago and Boston Exchanges under the symbol ROL.

As of January 31, 2019, there were 3,502 holders of record of the Company’s common stock. However, a large number of our shareholders hold their shares in “street name” in brokerage accounts and, therefore, do not appear on the shareholder list maintained by our transfer agent.

Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company did not repurchase shares on the open market. In total, there remain 7.6 million additional shares authorized to be repurchased under prior Board approval. The repurchase program does not have an expiration date.

PERFORMANCE GRAPH

The following graph sets forth a five year comparison of the cumulative total stockholder return based on the performance of the stock of the Company as compared with both a broad equity market index and an industry index. The indices included in the following graph are the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Commercial Services Index.

COMPARISON OF FIVE YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN*

Rollins, Inc., S&P 500 Index and S&P 500 Commercial Services & Supplies composite index            

ASSUMES INITIAL INVESTMENT OF $100

*TOTAL RETURN ASSUMES REINVESTMENT OF DIVIDENDS

NOTE: TOTAL RETURNS BASED ON MARKET CAPITALIZATION

Item 6.    Selected Financial Data

The following summary financial data of Rollins highlights selected financial data and should be read in conjunction with the financial statements included elsewhere in this document.

All share and per share data presented in the following table have been adjusted for the three-for-two stock splits effective March 10, 2015 and December 10, 2018.

FIVE-YEAR FINANCIAL SUMMARY

Rollins, Inc. and Subsidiaries

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

Presentation

This discussion should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this document. The following discussion (as well as other discussions in this document) contains forward-looking statements. Please see “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for a discussion of uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these statements.

The Company

Rollins, Inc. (the “Company”) was originally incorporated in 1948 under the laws of the state of Delaware as Rollins Broadcasting, Inc. The Company is an international service company with headquarters located in Atlanta, Georgia, providing pest and termite control services through its wholly-owned subsidiaries to both residential and commercial customers in North America, Australia, and Europe with international franchises in Central America, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean, Europe, Africa, and Mexico. Services are performed through a contract that specifies the treatment and the pricing arrangement with the customer.

The Company has only one reportable segment, its pest and termite control business. The Company’s results of operations and its financial condition are not reliant upon any single customer or a few customers or the Company’s foreign operations.

Overview

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

General Operating Comments

2018 marked the Company’s 21st consecutive year of improved revenues and profits. Revenues for the year rose 8.8 percent to $1.822 billion compared to $1.674 billion for the prior year. Income before income taxes increased 5.5% to $310.7 million compared to $294.5 million the prior year. Net income increased 29.3% to $231.7 million, with earnings per diluted share of $0.71 compared to $179.1 million, or $0.55 per diluted share for the prior year.

All of the Company’s business lines experienced growth for the year, with residential pest control revenues up 9.1%, commercial pest control revenues up 6.0% and termite and ancillary services revenues up 12.8%, each compared to 2017.

Results of Operations—2018 Versus 2017

Overview

The Company’s revenues increased to $1.822 billion in 2018, an 8.8% increase compared to 2017. Gross margin decreased to 50.9% for 2018 from 51.0% in 2017. Sales, general and administrative expense were 30.2% of revenues in 2018 compared to 30.1% in 2017. The Company’s depreciation and amortization margin increased 0.3 percentage points to 3.7% in 2018 compared to 3.4% in 2017. Rollins’ net income of $231.7 million in 2018 was an increase of $52.5 million or 29.3% over $179.1 million in 2017. Net profit margin improved to 12.7% in 2018 from 10.7% in 2017. Rollins continued to expand our global brand recognition with acquisitions in the United States, Canada, Singapore, and Australia as well as expanding our Orkin international franchise program in numerous countries around the globe. The Company is now in 57 countries and continues to seek new international opportunities.

Revenues

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018 were $1.822 billion, an increase of $147.6 million or 8.8% from 2017 revenues of $1.674 billion. Growth occurred across all service lines with our Canadian and Australian companies being hindered by unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates. Growth and pricing accounted for approximately 5.3% of our increase and our acquisitions contributed the remaining revenue growth. Commercial pest control represented approximately 39% of the Company’s revenue in 2018 and grew 6.0%. Acquisitions from foreign companies, which are primarily commercial, contributed to the increase, as well as increases in sales, an emphasis on closing leads, and better cancellation rates. Commercial pest control was negatively impacted by foreign currency exchange rates as our foreign companies are heavily commercial. Residential pest control, which represented approximately 42% of the Company’s revenue, increased 9.1% driven by an increase in sold units, lead closure, a better cancellation rate, and pricing, as well as increased TAEXX^® homebuilder installations, and acquisitions. The Company’s termite business, which represented approximately 18% of the Company’s revenue, grew 12.8% in 2018 due to acquisitions, increases in termite baiting and pretreatments, and ancillary service sales (such as moisture control, insulation and deck and gutter work).

The Company implemented its traditional price increase program in June 2018. Around 1% of the Company’s revenue increase is attributable to pricing actions. Approximately 80% of the Company’s pest control revenue was recurring in 2018, as well as 2017.

The Company’s foreign operations accounted for approximately 8% of total revenues for each of the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company established new franchises in several international countries around the globe in 2018 for a total of 86 Orkin international franchises, two Canadian Critter Control franchises, and ten Orkin Australia franchises at December 31, 2018, compared to 81 Orkin international franchises, two Canadian Critter Control franchises and eleven Orkin Australia Franchises at December 31, 2017.

International and domestic franchising revenue was less than 1% of the Company’s revenues for 2018. Orkin had 133 and 128 franchises (domestic and international) at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company had 80 Critter Control franchises at December 31, 2018, down 9 from 2017. Critter Control Operations, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, has begun the process of purchasing Critter Control franchises. Revenue from franchising was up 30.4% in 2018 compared to 2017 as we expand Orkin’s international footprint and recognition of initial franchise fees, partially offset by the decreases associated with acquired franchises from Critter Control.

Cost of Services Provided

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, cost of services provided increased $74.5 million or 9.1%, compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. Gross margin for the year decreased to 50.9% for 2018 compared to 51.0% for 2017 due to unfavorable personnel related costs as we increased our 401k match to employees and experienced an increase in group insurance premiums in 2018 and an increase in payroll taxes and FICA taxes. Administrative Salaries were up due to increased office wages as well as an increase in restricted share amortization as we granted our long-term employees time-lapse restricted stock which is amortized over one year. The Company experienced higher fleet costs as gasoline prices per gallon rose and miles driven increased with acquisitions and additional work, which was partially offset by the usage of our routing and scheduling system. Leased vehicle costs increased as we added to our fleet and leased vehicle prices increased. Professional services and Maintenance and repairs increased due to outside consultants and maintenance contracts on various IT projects and equipment.

Depreciation and Amortization

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, depreciation and amortization increased $10.2 million, or 18.0% compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. The dollar increase was primarily due to depreciation increasing $3.0 million or 10.9% as we depreciate acquired and purchased assets and depreciation from various IT related projects. Amortization of intangible assets increased $7.2 million or 24.8% for 2018 due to the additional amortization of customer contracts of several acquisitions over the last year including a full year of Northwest Pest Control, acquired late 2017, and the 2018 acquisition of OPC Services as well as several smaller foreign and domestic companies.

Sales, General and Administrative

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, sales, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased $47.3 million, or 9.4% compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. SG&A increased to 30.2% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to 30.1% in 2017. The Company increased its 401k match to employees and granted a one-time vested stock grant during the year which increased personnel related costs and administrative salaries, respectively. Group insurance premiums were up for the year as well as payroll taxes. The company’s acquisitions and rising gasoline costs and lease expenses raised our fleet costs and the Company had increased use of outside professional services in IT projects as well as other projects.

Gain on Sales of assets, Net

Gain on sales of assets, net increased to $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 compared to $0.2 million in 2017. The Company recognized gains from the sale of owned vehicles and owned property in 2018 and 2017.

Interest Income, Net

Interest income, net for each of the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively. Interest income for each year is due to interest received on cash balances in the Company’s various cash accounts.

Taxes

The Company’s 2018 net income was positively affected by the TCJA which was signed in to law on December 22, 2017. The estimated positive impact of the enactment of the TCJA was a $38.4 million decrease to tax expense, which was a direct increase to net income. 2017 had an $11.6 million increase in tax as follows: $8.0 million from transition tax on foreign earnings, $2.9 million from the revaluation of deferred tax assets, and $0.7 million from reductions in tax benefits on stock compensation. This resulted in a $0.05 per diluted share decrease in net income for the 2018 fiscal year.

Results of Operations—2017 Versus 2016

Overview

The Company’s revenues increased to $1.674 billion in 2017, a 6.4% increase compared to 2016. Gross margin increased to 51.0% for 2017 from 50.9% in 2016. Sales, general and administrative expense were 30.1% of revenues in 2017 compared to 31.2% in 2016. The Company’s depreciation and amortization margin increased 0.2 percentage points to 3.4% in 2017 compared to 3.2% in 2016. Rollins’ net income of $179.1 million in 2017 was an increase of $11.7 million or 7.0% over $167.4 million in 2016. Net profit margin improved to 10.7% in 2017 from 10.6% in 2016. Rollins continued to expand our global brand recognition with acquisitions in the United States and Canada as well as expanding our Orkin international franchise program in numerous countries around the globe. The Company was in 53 countries at the end of 2017 and continues to seek new international opportunities.

Revenues

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 were $1.674 billion, an increase of $100.5 million or 6.4% from 2016 revenues of $1.573 billion. Growth occurred across all service lines and brands with our Canadian and Australian companies being hindered by unfavorable foreign currency exchange rates. Organic growth and pricing accounted for approximately 4.5% of our increase and our acquisitions contributed the remaining revenue growth. Commercial pest control represented approximately 40% of the Company’s revenue in 2017 and grew 5.1% due to increases in sales, an emphasis on closing leads, increased bed bug revenue, and acquisitions. Commercial pest control was negatively impacted by foreign currency exchange as Orkin Canada and Rollins Australia are heavily commercial. Residential pest control, which represented approximately 42% of the Company’s revenue, increased 6.4% driven by an increase in lead closure, pricing, as well as increased TAEXX^® homebuilder installations, and acquisitions. The Company’s termite business, which represented approximately 18% of the Company’s revenue, grew 9.7% in 2017 due to acquisitions, increases in drywood fumigations and ancillary service sales (such as moisture control and insulation).

The Company implemented its traditional price increase program in June 2017. Less than 2% of the Company’s revenue increase is attributable to pricing actions. Approximately 80% of the Company’s pest control revenue was recurring in 2017 as well as 2016.

The Company’s foreign operations accounted for approximately 8% and 7% of total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The Company established new franchises in several international countries around the globe in 2017 for a total of 81 Orkin international franchises, two Canadian Critter Control franchises, and eleven Australian franchises operated by Murray Pest Control and Scientific Pest Management at December 31, 2017, compared to 70 Orkin international franchises, two Canadian Critter Control franchises and seven Australian Franchises at December 31, 2016.

International and domestic franchising revenue was less than 1% of the Company’s revenues for 2017. Orkin had 128 and 120 franchises (domestic and international) at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The Company had 89 Critter Control franchises at December 31, 2017, down 5 from 2016. Critter Control Operations, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, has begun the process of purchasing Critter Control franchises. Revenue from franchises was down 2.9% in 2017 compared to 2016 as we acquire franchises from Critter Control.

Cost of Services Provided

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 cost of services provided increased $47.6 million or 6.2%, compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2016. Gross margin for the year increased to 51.0% for 2017 compared to 50.9% for 2016 due to favorable service salary cost as we utilize BOSS, our CRM and operating system and VRM to improve our customer routing and scheduling to maximize efficiencies. We had lower administrative salaries as we maximize our efficiencies and lower insurance and claims as we saw reductions in our actuarial calculations on future losses and lower vehicle loss expenses. The favorable margins were partially offset by higher fleet costs as gasoline prices rose and leased vehicle costs as we replace our fleet and materials and supplies as we increase termite treatments. We experienced good cost controls across most spending categories during 2017 compared to 2016.

Depreciation and Amortization

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2017, depreciation and amortization increased $5.7 million, or 11.2% compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2016. The dollar increase was primarily due to depreciation increasing $2.7 million or 10.7% as we continue to depreciate our CRM software BOSS, while amortization of intangible assets increased $3.0 million or 11.5% for 2017 due to the additional amortization of customer contracts of Northwest Pest Control, as well as several other acquisitions over the last year.

Sales, General and Administrative

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2017, sales, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased $12.9 million, or 2.6% compared to the twelve months ended December 31, 2016. SG&A decreased to 30.1% of revenues for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to 31.2% in 2016. The Company had a one-time tax event to dissolve its subsidiary, Kinro Investment Inc. in 2016. This increased SG&A expense $9.1 million or 0.6 percentage points due to the one-time tax event that was offset as a credit in income tax expense. Administrative salaries were relatively flat to prior year as we reduced the number of temporary personnel working on the BOSS system. Personnel related costs were marginally lower as we experienced leveling of our premiums. Gains in these areas were partially offset by higher sales salaries, fleet expense, and contractor expenses for various projects as well as the aforementioned 2016 foreign tax withholding expense.

Gain on Sales of assets, Net

Gain on sales of assets, net decreased to $0.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2017 compared to $0.8 million in 2016. The Company recognized gains from the sale of owned vehicles and owned property in 2017 and 2016.

Interest Income, Net

Interest income, net for each of the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 was $0.3 million and $0.2 million, respectively. Interest income for each year is due to interest received on cash balances in the Company’s various cash accounts.

Taxes

The Company’s effective tax rate increased to 39.2% in 2017 compared to 35.8% in 2016, due primarily to the effects of the TCJA in 2017, a one-time tax event in 2016 and differences in state and foreign income taxes. The estimated impact of the enactment of the TCJA was an $11.6 million increase to tax expense, which was a direct decrease to net income. The $11.6 million increase in tax was as follows: $8.0 million from transition tax on foreign earnings, $2.9 million from the revaluation of deferred tax assets, and $0.7 million from reductions in tax benefits on stock compensation. The increase due to the TCJA was partially offset by a reduction related to the implementation of ASU 2016-09 that was a $4.0 million benefit.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash and Cash Flow

Cash from operating activities is the principal source of cash generation for our businesses.

The most significant source of cash in Rollins’ cash flow from operations is customer-related activities, the largest of which is collecting cash resulting from services sales. The most significant operating use of cash is to pay our suppliers, employees, tax authorities and others for a wide range of material and services.

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 were $115.5 million, $107.1 million, and $142.8 million, respectively.

Cash Provided by Operating Activities

The Company’s operations generated cash of $286.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2018 primarily from net income of $231.7 million, compared with cash provided by operating activities of $235.4 million in 2017 and $226.5 million in 2016. The Company believes its current cash and cash equivalents balances, future cash flows expected to be generated from operating activities, available borrowings under its $175.0 million credit facility, and access to additional financing as needed, will be sufficient to finance its current operations and obligations, and fund expansion of the business for the foreseeable future.

The Company’s made no contributions to the Rollins, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries’ defined benefit retirement plans (the “Plans”) during the year ended December 31, 2018. The Plans were fully-funded with a prepaid balance. No contributions were made in 2017 and $3.3 million was made during 2016, respectively, as a result of the Plans’ funding status. The Company’s management is not expecting to make a contribution during fiscal year 2019. In the opinion of management, additional Plan contributions, if any, will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or liquidity.

The Company has initiated the process to transition its Pension Plan to an Insurance provider. The timeline will take approximately 6-9 months from December 31, 2018. The Company’s Pension Plan is currently more than 100% funded.

Cash Used in Investing Activities

The Company used $101.4 million on investing activities for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to $154.2 million and $76.8 million during 2017 and 2016, respectively, and of that, invested approximately $27.2 million in capital expenditures during 2018 compared to $24.7 million and $33.1 million during 2017 and 2016, respectively. Capital expenditures for the year consisted primarily of property purchases, equipment replacements and technology related projects. The Company expects to invest between $25 million and $30 million in 2019 in capital expenditures. During 2018, the Company and its subsidiaries acquired several small to mid-sized companies for a total of $76.8 million compared to $130.2 million and $46.3 million in acquisitions during 2017 and 2016, respectively. The expenditures for the Company’s acquisitions were funded with cash on hand. The Company continues to seek new acquisitions.

Cash Used in Financing Activities

The Company used cash of $162.3 million on financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2018, compared to $130.3 million and $136.4 million during 2017 and 2016, respectively. A total of $152.7 million was paid in cash dividends ($0.47 per share) during the year ended December 31, 2018 including a special dividend paid in December 2018 of $0.09 per share, compared to $122.0 million in cash dividends paid ($0.37 per share) during the year ended December 31, 2017, including a special dividend paid in December 2017 of $0.07 per share and $109.0 million paid in cash dividends ($0.33 per share) during the year ended December 31, 2016, including a special dividend paid in December 2016 of $0.07 per share.

The Company did not purchase shares on the open market during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 while using $22.7 million to repurchase 1.3 million shares of its common stock at a weighted average price of $18.13 per share during 2016. There remain 7.6 million shares, adjusted for the December 10, 2018 three-for-two stock split, authorized to be repurchased under prior Board approval. The Company repurchased $9.5 million, $8.2 million, and $8.4 million of common stock for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively, from employees for the payment of taxes on vesting restricted shares.

The Company’s $115.5 million of total cash at December 31, 2018 is primarily cash held at various banking institutions. Approximately $53.6 million is held in cash accounts at international bank institutions and the remaining $61.9 million is primarily held in Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insured non-interest-bearing accounts at various domestic banks which at times may exceed federally insured amounts.

The Company’s international business is expanding and we intend to continue to grow the business in foreign markets in the future through reinvestment of foreign deposits and future earnings as well as acquisitions of unrelated companies. Repatriation of cash from the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is not a part of the Company’s current business plan.

The Company maintains a large cash position in the United States while having no third-party debt to service. Rollins maintains adequate liquidity and capital resources, without regard to its foreign deposits, that are directed to finance domestic operations and obligations and to fund expansion of its domestic business.

The Company expects to close on the acquisition of Clark Pest Control of Stockton, Inc. during the first or second quarters of 2019. The Company intends to fund purchase of the acquisition with a combination of cash on hand, use of its revolving credit agreement and a new term loan. The Closing of the acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions, including the truth and accuracy of the representations and warranties of the sellers, the performance of the obligations of the sellers and the receipt of regulatory clearance.

For Information regarding our Revolving Credit Agreement see Note 4 – Debt of the Notes to Financial Statements (Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K).

Litigation

For discussion on the Company’s legal contingencies, see 15 – Commitments and Contingencies to the accompanying financial statements.

Off Balance Sheet Arrangements, Contractual Obligations and Contingent Liabilities and Commitments

Other than the operating leases disclosed in the table that follows, the Company has no material off balance sheet arrangements.

The impact that the Company’s contractual obligations as of December 31, 2018 are expected to have on our liquidity and cash flow in future periods is as follows:

Critical Accounting Policies

The Company views critical accounting policies to be those policies that are very important to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, and that require management’s most difficult, complex or subjective judgments. The circumstances that make these judgments difficult or complex relate to the need for management to make estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. We believe our critical accounting policies to be as follows:

Accrual for Termite Contracts—The Company maintains an accrual for termite claims representing the estimated costs of reapplications, repairs and associated labor and chemicals, settlements, awards and other costs relative to termite control services. Factors that may impact future cost include termiticide life expectancy and government regulation. It is significant that the actual number of claims has decreased in recent years due to changes in the Company’s business practices. However, it is not possible to precisely predict future significant claims. Accruals for termite contracts are included in other current liabilities and long-term accrued liabilities on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial position.

Accrued Insurance—The Company retains, up to specified limits, certain risks related to general liability, workers’ compensation and vehicle liability. The estimated costs of existing and future claims under the retained loss program are accrued based upon historical trends as incidents occur, whether reported or unreported (although actual settlement of the claims may not be made until future periods) and may be subsequently revised based on developments relating to such claims. The Company contracts with an independent third party actuary on a semi-annual basis to provide the Company an estimated liability based upon historical claims information. The actuarial study is a major consideration in establishing the reserve, along with management’s knowledge of changes in business practice and existing claims compared to current balances. Management’s judgment is inherently subjective and a number of factors are outside management’s knowledge and control. Additionally, historical information is not always an accurate indication of future events. The Company continues to be proactive in risk management to develop and maintain ongoing programs to reduce claims. Initiatives that have been implemented include pre-employment screening and an annual motor vehicle report required on all its drivers, post-offer physicals for new employees, pre-hire, random and post-accident drug testing, increased driver training and a post-injury nurse triage program for employees.

Revenue Recognition— the Company’s Revenue recognition policy is to recognize revenue upon transfer of control of promised products or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those products or services. We enter into contracts that can include various combinations of products and services, each of which are distinct and accounted for as separate performance obligations. Revenue is recognized net of allowances for returns and any taxes collected from customers, which are subsequently remitted to governmental authorities.

More on the Company’s revenue recognition policy can be found in the Company’s Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 1., Summary of Significant Accounting Policies with the heading Revenue Recognition.

Contingency Accruals—The Company is a party to legal proceedings with respect to matters in the ordinary course of business. In accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 450 “Contingencies,” Management estimates and accrues for its liability and costs associated with the litigation. Estimates and accruals are determined in consultation with outside counsel. Because it is not possible to accurately predict the ultimate result of the litigation, judgments concerning accruals for liabilities and costs associated with litigation are inherently uncertain and actual liabilities may vary from amounts estimated or accrued. However, in the opinion of management, the outcome of the litigation will not have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations. Contingency accruals are included in other current liabilities and long-term accrued liabilities on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial position.

Defined benefit pension plans — In 2005, the Company ceased all future benefit accruals under the Rollins, Inc. defined benefit plan, although the Company remains obligated to provide employees benefits earned through June 2005. The Company also includes the Waltham Services, LLC Hourly Employee Pension Plan to the Company’s financial statements. Waltham Services, LLC Hourly Employees Pension Plan was amended, effective September 1, 2018, to freeze future benefit accruals for all participants. The Company accounts for these defined benefit plans in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 715 “Compensation- Retirement Benefits”, and engages an outside actuary to calculate its obligations and costs. With the assistance of the actuary, the Company evaluates the significant assumptions used on a periodic basis including the estimated future return on plan assets, the discount rate, and other factors, and makes adjustments to these liabilities as necessary.

The Company chooses an expected rate of return on plan assets based on historical results for similar allocations among asset classes, the investments strategy, and the views of our investment adviser. Differences between the expected long-term return on plan assets and the actual return are amortized over future years. Therefore, the net deferral of past asset gains or losses ultimately affects future pension expense. The Company’s assumption for the expected return on plan assets is 7.0% which is unchanged from the prior year.

In regards to the Rollins, Inc. Defined Benefit plan the company utilizes a termination liability approach. This approach reflects the estimated impact of the distribution of benefits due to a standard termination. Plan liabilities will be settled through the purchase of annuities from an insurance provider or through the distribution of lump sum payments to eligible participants that elect to receive such a form of payment. Discount rates of 3.90% per year for participants in pay status and 4.11% per year for participants with deferred benefits were selected by the Plan Sponsor to determine the benefit obligation resulting from plan termination annuity purchases. The discount rates reflect the single effective interest rate that produces the same present value as that produced when the expected future cash flows for participants expected to elect an annuity are discounted with the FTSE Yield Curve (formerly Citigroup) as of the measurement date. To determine the benefit obligation resulting from plan termination lump sum payments, the expected future cash flows for lump sum eligible participants, determined with the IRC 417(e) Mortality Table for 2019, were discounted with the IRC 417(e) segment interest rates for the month of November 2018 (3.43%, 4.46%, and 4.88%). Only 50% of active, 30% of deferred vested, and 25% of retired participants that will be eligible to receive a lump sum distribution of their pension benefit upon plan termination, are assumed to elect this form of payment.

The discount rate of 4.00% as of December 31, 2017 was updated as of December 31, 2018 to:

Waltham Services, LLC Hourly Employees Pension Plan utilizes a yield curve approach. The approach utilizes an economic model whereby the Company’s expected benefit payments over the life of the plans is forecast and then compared to a portfolio of corporate bonds that will mature at the same time that the benefit payments are due in any given year. The economic model then calculates the one discount rate to apply to all benefit payments over the life of the plan which will result in the same total lump sum as the payments from the corporate bonds. The discount rate was 4.05% as of December 31, 2018 compared to 4.05% in 2017 and 4.35% in 2016. A lower discount rate increases the present value of benefit obligation.

As set forth in Note 16 to the Company’s financial statements, included among the asset categories for the Plan’s investments are real estate, and alternative investments comprised of investments in real estate and hedge funds. These investments are categorized as investments at net asset value (“NAV”) and are valued using significant non-observable inputs which do not have a readily determinable fair value. In accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2009-12 “Investments In Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (Or Its Equivalent),” these investments are valued based on the net asset value per share calculated by the funds in which the plan has invested. These valuations are subject to judgments and assumptions of the funds which may prove to be incorrect, resulting in risks of incorrect valuation of these investments. The Company seeks to mitigate against these risks by evaluating the appropriateness of the funds’ judgments and assumptions by reviewing the financial data included in the funds’ financial statements for reasonableness.

As of December 31, 2018, the defined benefit plans were fully-funded and the recorded change within accumulated other comprehensive income increased stockholders’ equity by $14.8 million before tax and $11.0 million after tax.

Recent Accounting Guidance

See Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting policies of the Notes to Financial Statements (Part II, Item 8 of this Form 10-K) for further discussion.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding (i) management's belief that the Company competes favorably with competitors; (ii) the expectation for the Company's corporate tax rate for 2018; (iii) the Company's maintenance of sufficient supplies to fulfill its immediate needs and to alleviate potential short-term shortages in such supplies; (iv) any environmental remediation costs estimated to be incurred are not material to the Company's financial condition or operating results, (v) the adequacy of the Company's facilities to meet its future needs; (vi) the outcome of litigation, as discussed in the Legal Proceedings section and elsewhere and the Company's belief that such litigation will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or liquidity; (vii) the belief that the Company has adequate liquid assets, funding sources and insurance accruals to satisfy any claims; (viii) the Company's expectation to continue its payment of cash dividends; (ix) plans regarding acquisitions and franchise expansion; (x) the adequacy of the Company's resources and borrowings to fund operations, obligations, and expansions; (xi) management's belief that the Company is not expected to make a contribution to the Pension Plans or amortize net loss in 2019, and that the Company expects to transition its Pension Plan to an Insurance provider approximately 6-9 months from December 31, 2018; (xii) the Company's projected 2019 capital expenditures; (xiii) the plans to grow the business in foreign markets through reinvestment of foreign deposits and future earnings and through acquisitions of unrelated companies with no expectation of repatriation of cash from the Company’s foreign subsidiaries; (xiv) the Company's expectation to maintain compliance with the covenants contained in its Revolving Credit Agreement throughout 2019; (xv) the impact and amount of the Company's contractual obligations; (xvi) management's expectations regarding termite claims and factors that impact future costs from those claims; (xvii) the expected cost of termite renewals; (xviii) the expected collectability of accounts receivable; (xix) the expected tax consequences and the impact of the TCJA; (xx) expectations and plans regarding any losses from franchisees; (xxi) the impact of recent accounting pronouncements; (xxii) and interest rate risks and foreign exchange currency risk on the Company's financial position, results of operations and liquidity; (xxiii) the ability of the Company to utilize all of its foreign net operating losses and the possibility that the Company's unrecognized tax benefits will increase in the next 12 months; (xxiv) expectation that the Company’s proposed acquisition of Clark will close in the first or second quarter of 2019, be funded with a combination of cash on hand, proceeds from its revolving credit agreement and a new term loan and receive appropriate regulatory approvals, including the expiration of the applicable waiting period under the HSR Act; (xxv) the Company’s intention to complete the Clark acquisition as soon as practicable following receipt of regulatory clearance from the FTC; and (xxvi) expectation that subject to post-closing adjustments, the final purchase of the proposed Clark acquisition is expected to be in the area of $400 million, including the real estate assets. The actual results of the Company could differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements because of various risks, timing and uncertainties including, without limitation, the possibility of an adverse ruling against the Company in pending litigation; general economic conditions; market risk; changes in industry practices or technologies; the degree of success of the Company's termite process reforms and pest control selling and treatment methods; the Company's ability to identify and integrate potential acquisitions; climate and weather trends; competitive factors and pricing practices; potential increases in labor costs; changes in various government laws and regulations, including environmental regulations; the timing to consummate the proposed Clark acquisition; the risk that the regulatory clearance required for the proposed Clark acquisition may be delayed, not obtained or obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; and the risk that a condition to the closing of the proposed Clark acquisition may not be satisfied. All of the foregoing risks and uncertainties are beyond the ability of the Company to control, and in many cases the Company cannot predict the risks and uncertainties that could cause its actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements.

Item 7A.    Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

Market Risk

On October 31, 2012, the Company entered into a Revolving Credit Agreement with SunTrust Bank and Bank of America, N.A. for an unsecured line of credit of up to $175.0 million, which includes a $75.0 million letter of credit subfacility, and a $25.0 million swingline subfacility. The Credit Agreement was amended on October 30, 2014 to extend the maturity date to October 31, 2018 and add three optional one year extensions. On October 27, 2015 the Company exercised a one year extension option to extend the maturity date to October 31, 2019. As of December 31, 2018, no borrowings were outstanding under the line of credit or under the swingline subfacility. The Company maintains approximately $32.9 million in letters of credit. These letters of credit are required by the Company’s fronting insurance companies and/or certain states, due to the Company’s self-insured status, to secure various workers’ compensation and casualty insurance contracts coverage. The Company believes that it has adequate liquid assets, funding sources and insurance accruals to accommodate such claims.

MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROLS OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

To the Stockholders of Rollins, Inc.:

The management of Rollins, Inc. is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting for the Company. Rollins, Inc. maintains a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance, at a reasonable cost, that assets are safeguarded against loss or unauthorized use and that the financial records are adequate and can be relied upon to produce financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The internal control system is augmented by written policies and procedures, an internal audit program and the selection and training of qualified personnel. This system includes policies that require adherence to ethical business standards and compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of internal controls over financial reporting, as of December 31, 2018 based on criteria established in the 2013 Internal Control—Integrated framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, management’s assessment is that Rollins, Inc. maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018.

The independent registered public accounting firm, Grant Thornton LLP has audited the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, and has also issued their report on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, included in this report on page 24.

Atlanta, Georgia

March 1, 2019

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING

Board of Directors and Stockholders’

Rollins, Inc.

Opinion on internal control over financial reporting

We have audited the internal control over financial reporting of Rollins, Inc. (a Delaware corporation) and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in the 2013 Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”). In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in the 2013 Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by COSO.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, and our report dated March 1, 2019 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

Basis for opinion

The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Controls over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

Definition and limitations of internal control over financial reporting

A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

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

/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP

Atlanta, Georgia

March 1, 2019

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM ON CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULE

Board of Directors and Stockholders’

Rollins, Inc.

Opinion on the financial statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statements of financial position of Rollins, Inc. (a Delaware corporation) and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive earnings, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018, and the related notes and financial statement schedule included under item 15(a) (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2018, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, based on criteria established in the 2013 Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”), and our report dated March 1, 2019 expressed an unqualified opinion.

Basis for opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP

We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2004.

Atlanta, Georgia

March 1, 2019

Item 8.    Financial Statements and Supplementary Data

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

Rollins, Inc. and Subsidiaries

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

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

Rollins, Inc. and Subsidiaries

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

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE EARNINGS

Rollins, Inc. and Subsidiaries

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

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Rollins, Inc. and Subsidiaries