PARSONS CORP (PSN)

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

The following discussion and analysis is intended to help investors understand our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and capital resources. You should read this discussion together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain amounts may not foot due to rounding.

The statements in this discussion regarding industry outlook, our expectations regarding our future performance, liquidity and capital resources and other non-historical statements in this discussion are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described in “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

PARSONS CORPORATION Enabling a safer, smarter, and more interconnected world. Federal Solutions Technology-driven solutions for defense and intelligence customers SEGMENTS Critical Infrastructure Engineered solutions for complex physical and digital infrastructure challenges FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT $4B FY 2019 Revenue Critical Infrastructure52% Federal Solutions48% $4.3BFY 2019 Contract Awards Critical Infrastructure41% Federal Solutions59% KEY FACTS AND FIGURES 75Years of History ~ 16KEmployees 11%Revenue Growth (FY 2019) 1.1XTTM Book-to-Bill $8.0BBacklog as of 12/31/2019

z

Overview

We are a leading provider of the integrated solutions and services required in today’s complex security environment and a world of digital transformation. We deliver innovative technology-driven solutions to customers worldwide. We have developed significant expertise and differentiated capabilities in key areas of cyber and intelligence, space and missile defense, critical infrastructure protection, transportation, environmental remediation and urban development. By combining our talented team of professionals and advanced technology, we solve complex technical challenges to enable a safer, smarter, more secure and more connected world.

57

We operate in two reporting segments, Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure. Our Federal Solutions business is an advanced technology provider to the U.S. government. Our Critical Infrastructure business provides integrated design and engineering services for complex physical and digital infrastructure around the globe.

Our employees provide services pursuant to contracts that we are awarded by the customer and specific task orders relating to such contracts. These contracts are often multi-year, which provides us backlog and visibility on our revenues for future periods. Many of our contracts and task orders are subject to renewal and rebidding at the end of their term, and some are subject to the exercise of contract options and issuance of task orders by the applicable government entity. In addition to focusing on increasing our revenues through increased contract awards and backlog, we focus our financial performance on margin expansion and cash flow.

Key Metrics

We manage and assess the performance of our business by evaluating a variety of metrics. The following table sets forth selected key metrics (in thousands, except Book-to-Bill):

(1)
Difference between our backlog of $8.9 billion and our remaining unsatisfied performance obligations, or RUPO, of $6.7 billion, each as of December 31, 2024, is due to (i) unissued task orders and unexercised option years, to the extent their issuance or exercise is probable, as well as (ii) contract awards, to the extent we believe contract execution and funding is probable.

Awards

Awards generally represent the amount of revenue expected to be earned in the future from funded and unfunded contract awards received during the period. Contract awards include both new and re-compete contracts and task orders. Given that new contract awards generate growth, we closely track our new awards each year.

The following table summarizes the total value of new awards for the periods presented below (in thousands):

The change in new awards from year to year is primarily due to ordinary course fluctuations in our business. The volume of contract awards can fluctuate in any given period due to win rate and the timing and size of the awards issued by our customers.

The change in new awards in both our Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments for the year ended December 31, 2024 when compared to the corresponding period last year was primarily due to significant option period awards in our Federal Solutions segment and three large transportation awards and a mining award in our Critical Infrastructure segment.

58

Backlog

We define backlog to include the following two components:

•
Funded—Funded backlog represents the revenue value of orders for services under existing contracts for which funding is appropriated or otherwise authorized less revenue previously recognized on these contracts.

•
Unfunded—Unfunded backlog represents the revenue value of orders for services under existing contracts for which funding has not been appropriated or otherwise authorized less revenue previously recognized on these contracts. Unfunded backlog does not include potential task orders expected to be awarded under multiple awards IDIQ contract vehicles, where task orders are competitively awarded and separately priced.

Backlog includes (i) unissued task orders and unexercised option years, to the extent their issuance or exercise is probable, as well as (ii) contract awards, to the extent we believe contract execution and funding is probable.

The following table summarizes the value of our backlog at the respective dates presented (in thousands):

(1)
Difference between our backlog of $8.9 billion and our RUPO of $6.7 billion, each as of December 31, 2024, is due to (i) unissued task orders and unexercised option years, to the extent their issuance or exercise is probable, as well as (ii) contract awards, to the extent we believe contract execution and funding is probable.

Our backlog includes orders under contracts that in some cases extend for several years. For example, the U.S. Congress generally appropriates funds for our U.S. federal government customers on a yearly basis, even though their contracts with us may call for performance that is expected to take a number of years to complete. As a result, our federal contracts typically are only partially funded at any point during their term. All or some of the work to be performed under the contracts may remain unfunded unless and until the U.S. Congress makes subsequent appropriations and the procuring agency allocates funding to the contract.

We expect to recognize $3.9 billion of our funded backlog at December 31, 2024 as revenues in the following twelve months. However, our U.S. federal government customers may cancel their contracts with us at any time through a termination for convenience or may elect to not exercise option periods under such contracts. In the case of a termination for convenience, we would not receive anticipated future revenues, but would generally be permitted to recover all or a portion of our incurred costs and fees for work performed. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—We may not realize the full value of our backlog, which may result in lower than expected revenue.”

59

The changes in backlog in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments were primarily from ordinary course fluctuations in our business and the impacts related to the Company’s awards discussed above. Our backlog will fluctuate in any given period based on the volume of awards issued and the rate of revenue generated from our existing contracts.

Book-to-Bill

Book-to-bill is the ratio of total awards to total revenue recorded in the same period. Our management believes our book-to-bill ratio is a useful indicator of our potential future revenue growth in that it measures the rate at which we are generating new awards compared to the Company’s current revenue. To drive future revenue growth, our goal is for the level of awards in a given period to exceed the revenue booked. A book-to-bill ratio greater than 1.0 indicates that awards generated in a given period exceeded the revenue recognized in the same period, while a book-to-bill ratio of less than 1.0 indicates that awards generated in such period were less than the revenue recognized in such period. The following table sets forth the book-to-bill ratio for the periods presented below:

Factors and Trends Affecting Our Results of Operations

We believe that the financial performance of our business and our future success are dependent upon many factors, including those highlighted in this section. Our operating performance will depend upon many variables, including the success of our growth strategies and the timing and size of investments and expenditures that we choose to undertake, as well as market growth and other factors that are not within our control.

Government Spending

Changes in the relative mix of government spending and areas of spending growth, with shifts in priorities on homeland security, intelligence, defense-related programs, infrastructure and urbanization, and continued increased spending on technology and innovation, including cyber, artificial intelligence, connected communities and physical infrastructure, could impact our business and results of operations. Cost-cutting and efficiency initiatives, current and future budget restrictions, spending cuts and other efforts to reduce government spending could cause our government customers to reduce or delay funding or invest appropriated funds on a less consistent basis or not at all, and demand for our solutions or services could diminish. Furthermore, any disruption in the functioning of government agencies, including as a result of government closures and shutdowns, could have a negative impact on our operations and cause us to lose revenue or incur additional costs due to, among other things, our inability to deploy our staff to customer locations or facilities as a result of such disruptions.

Federal Budget Uncertainty

There is uncertainty around the timing, extent, nature and effect of Congressional and other U.S. government actions to address budgetary constraints, caps on the discretionary budget for defense and non-defense departments and agencies, and the ability of Congress to determine how to allocate the available budget authority and pass appropriations bills to fund both U.S. government departments and agencies that are, and those that are not, subject to the caps. Additionally, budget deficits and the growing U.S. national debt increase pressure on the U.S. government to reduce federal spending across all federal agencies, with uncertainty about the size and timing of those reductions. Furthermore, delays in the completion of future U.S. government budgets could in the future delay procurement of the federal

60

government services we provide. A reduction in the amount of, or delays, or cancellations of funding for, services that we are contracted to provide to the U.S. government as a result of any of these impacts or related initiatives, legislation or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Regulations

Increased audit, review, investigation and general scrutiny by government agencies of performance under government contracts and compliance with the terms of those contracts and applicable laws could affect our operating results. Negative publicity and increased scrutiny of government contractors in general, including us, relating to government expenditures for contractor services and incidents involving the mishandling of sensitive or classified information, as well as the increasingly complex requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. intelligence community, including those related to cybersecurity, could impact our ability to perform in the markets we serve.

Competitive Markets

The industries we operate in consist of a large number of enterprises ranging from small, niche-oriented companies to multi-billion-dollar corporations that serve many government and commercial customers. We compete on the basis of our technical expertise, technological innovation, our ability to deliver cost-effective multi-faceted services in a timely manner, our reputation and relationships with our customers, qualified and/or security-clearance personnel, and pricing. We believe that we are well positioned to take advantage of the markets in which we operate because of our proven track record, long-term customer relationships, technology innovation, scalable and agile business offerings and world class talent. Our ability to effectively deliver on project engagements and successfully assist our customers affects our ability to win new contracts and drives our financial performance.

Acquired Operations

BCC Engineering, LLC

On November 1, 2024, the Company acquired a 100% ownership interest in BCC Engineering, LLC ("BCC") a privately owned company, for $232.7 million. BCC is a full-service engineering firm that provides planning, design, and management services for transportation, civil and structural engineering projects in Florida, Georgia, Texas, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico. This acquisition strengthens Parsons’ position as an infrastructure leader while expanding the company’s reach in the southeastern United States. The financial results of BCC have been included in our consolidated results of operations from October 18, 2024 onward.

BlackSignal Technologies, LLC

On August 16, 2024, the Company acquired a 100% ownership interest in BlackSignal Technologies, LLC, ("BlackSignal") a privately-owned company, for $203.7 million. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, BlackSignal is a next-generation digital signal processing, electronic warfare, and cyber security provider built to counter near peer threats. Parsons believes that the acquisition will expand Parsons' customer base across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community and significantly strengthen Parsons' positioning within cyber warfare, while adding new capabilities in the counterspace radio frequency domain. The financial results of BlackSignal have been included in our consolidated results of operations from August 16, 2024 onward.

I.S. Engineers, LLC

On October 31, 2023, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement to acquire a 100% ownership interest in I.S. Engineers, LLC, a privately-owned company, for $12.2 million, subject to certain adjustments. Headquartered in Texas, I.S. Engineers, LLC provides full-service consulting specializing in transportation engineering, including roads and highways, and program management. The financial results of I.S. Engineers have been included in our consolidated results of operations from October 31, 2023 onward.

61

Sealing Technologies, Inc.

On August 23, 2023, the Company acquired a 100% ownership interest in Sealing Technologies, Inc (“SealingTech”), a privately-owned company, for $176.0 million and up to an additional $25 million in the event an earn out revenue target is exceeded. Headquartered in Maryland, SealingTech expands Parsons’ customer base across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, and further enhances the company’s capabilities in defensive cyber operations; integrated mission-solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML); edge computing and edge access modernization; critical infrastructure protection; and secure data management. The financial results of SealingTech have been included in our consolidated results of operations from August 23, 2023 onward.

IPKeys Power Partners

On April 13, 2023, the Company entered into a merger agreement to acquire a 100% ownership interest in IPKeys Power Partners (“IPKeys”), a privately-owned company, for $43.0 million. The merger brings IPKeys' established customer base, expanding Parsons' presence in two rapidly growing end markets: grid modernization and cyber resiliency for critical infrastructure. Headquartered in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, IPKeys is a trusted provider of enterprise software platform solutions that is actively delivering cyber and operational security to hundreds of electric, water, and gas utilities across North America. The financial results of IPKeys have been included in our consolidated results of operations from April 13, 2023 onward.

Xator Corporation

On May 31, 2022, the Company acquired Xator Corporation for $387.5 million. This strategic acquisition expands Parsons’ presence within the U.S. Special Operations Command, the Intelligence Community, Federal Civilian customers, and global critical infrastructure markets, while providing new customer access at the Department of State. Xator also expands Parsons’ customer base and brings differentiated technical capabilities in critical infrastructure protection, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (cUAS), intelligence and cyber solutions, biometrics, and global threat assessment and operations, increasing our addressable market in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments. The financial results of Xator have been included in our consolidated results of operations from May 31, 2022 onward.

Seasonality

Our results may be affected by variances as a result of weather conditions and contract award seasonality impacts that we experience across our businesses. The latter issue is typically driven by the U.S. federal government fiscal year-end, September 30. While not certain, it is not uncommon for U.S. government agencies to award task orders or complete other contract actions in the weeks before the end of the U.S. federal government fiscal year in order to avoid the loss of unexpended U.S. federal government fiscal year funds. In addition, we have also historically experienced higher bid and proposal costs in the months leading up to the U.S. federal government fiscal year-end as we pursue new contract opportunities expected to be awarded early in the following U.S. federal government fiscal year as a result of funding appropriated for that U.S. federal government fiscal year. Furthermore, many U.S. state governments with fiscal years ending on June 30 tend to accelerate spending during their first quarter, when new funding becomes available. We may continue to experience this seasonality in future periods, and our results of operations may be affected by it.

Results of Operations

Revenue

Our revenue consists of both services provided by our employees and pass-through fees from subcontractors and other direct costs. Our Federal Solutions segment derives revenue primarily from the U.S. federal government and our Critical Infrastructure segment derives revenue primarily from government and commercial customers.

62

We enter into the following types of contracts with our customers:

•
Under cost-plus contracts, we are reimbursed for allowable or otherwise defined costs incurred, plus a fee. The contracts may also include incentives for various performance criteria, including quality, timeliness, safety and cost-effectiveness. In addition, costs are generally subject to review by clients and regulatory audit agencies, and such reviews could result in costs being disputed as non-reimbursable under the terms of the contract.

•
Under time-and-materials contracts, hourly billing rates are negotiated and charged to clients based on the actual time spent on a project. In addition, clients reimburse actual out-of-pocket costs for other direct costs and expenses that are incurred in connection with the performance under the contract.

•
Under fixed-price contracts, clients pay an agreed fixed-amount negotiated in advance for a specified scope of work.

Refer to “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” and “Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Polices” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a description of our policies on revenue recognition applicable to each type of contract.

The table below presents the percentage of total revenue for each type of contract.

The amount of risk and potential reward varies under each type of contract. Under cost-plus contracts, there is limited financial risk, because we are reimbursed for all allowable costs up to a ceiling. However, profit margins on this type of contract tend to be lower than on time-and-materials and fixed-price contracts. Under time-and-materials contracts, we are reimbursed for the hours worked using the predetermined hourly rates for each labor category. In addition, we are typically reimbursed for other direct contract costs and expenses at cost. We assume financial risk on time-and-materials contracts because our labor costs may exceed the negotiated billing rates. Profit margins on well-managed time-and-materials contracts tend to be higher than profit margins on cost-plus contracts as long as we are able to staff those contracts with people who have an appropriate skill set. Under fixed-price contracts, we are required to deliver the objectives under the contract for a pre-determined price. Compared to time-and-materials and cost-plus contracts, fixed-price contracts generally offer higher profit margin opportunities because we receive the full benefit of any cost savings, but they also generally involve greater financial risk because we bear the risk of any cost overruns. In the aggregate, the contract type mix in our revenue for any given period will affect that period’s profitability. Over time, we have experienced a relatively stable contract mix.

The significant change in the contract mix for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the corresponding period last year relates to increased business volume from a significant fixed price contract in our Federal Solutions segment.

Our recognition of profit on long-term contracts requires the use of assumptions related to transaction price and total cost of completion. Estimates are continually evaluated as work progresses and are revised when necessary. When a change in estimated cost or transaction price is determined to have an impact on contract profit, we record a positive or negative adjustment to revenue.

The Company is involved in a significant volume of contracts with the United States federal government and state and local governments. Approximately 59%, 55%, and 53% of consolidated revenues for the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022,

63

respectively were derived from contracts with the United States federal government. No other customers represented 10% or more of consolidated revenues or accounts receivable in any of the periods presented.

Joint Ventures

We conduct a portion of our business through joint ventures or similar partnership arrangements. For the joint ventures we control, we consolidate all the revenues and expenses in our consolidated statements of income (including revenues and expenses attributable to noncontrolling interests). For the joint ventures we do not control, we recognize equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated joint ventures. Our revenues included $182.6 million in 2024, $213.8 million in 2023, and $217.4 million in 2022 related to services we provided to our unconsolidated joint ventures.

Operating costs and expenses

Operating costs and expenses primarily include direct costs of contracts and selling, general and administrative expenses. Costs associated with compensation-related expenses for our people and facilities, which includes ESOP contribution expenses, are the most significant component of our operating expenses. In 2024, 2023 and 2022, we made annual contributions to the ESOP in the amount of 8% of the participants’ cash compensation for the applicable year. Total ESOP contribution expense was $59.8 million for 2024, $58.2 million for 2023, and $54.7 million for fiscal 2022, and is recorded in “Direct cost of contracts” and “Selling, general and administrative expenses.” We expect operating expenses to increase due to our anticipated growth. However, on a forward-looking basis, we generally expect these costs to decline as a percentage of our total revenue as we realize the benefits of scale.

Direct costs of contracts consist of direct labor and associated fringe benefits, indirect overhead, subcontractor and materials (“pass-through costs”), travel expenses and other expenses incurred to perform on contracts.

Selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) include salaries and wages and fringe benefits of our employees not performing work directly for customers, facility costs and other costs related to these indirect functions.

Other income and expenses

Other income and expenses primarily consist of interest income, interest expense, and other income, net.

Interest income primarily consists of interest earned on U.S. government money market funds.

Interest expense consists of interest expense incurred under our Convertible Senior Notes, Credit Agreement and Delayed Draw Term Loan.

Other income, net primarily consists of gain or loss on sale of assets, sublease income. transaction gain or loss related to movements in foreign currency exchange rates, contingent consideration and convertible debt repurchase loss.

64

Year ended December 31, 2024 compared to year ended December 31, 2023

The following table sets forth our results of operations for fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2023 as a percentage of revenue.

Revenue

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year increased $1.3 billion. Revenue increased in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments by $986.4 million and $321.4 million, respectively. See “—Segment Results” below for further discussion.

Direct costs of contracts

Direct cost of contracts for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year increased $1.1 billion. Direct cost of contracts increased in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments by $812.5 million and $294.9 million, respectively. The increase in direct costs of contracts in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments was primarily related to increased volume from new and existing contracts.

Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures

65

Equity in losses of unconsolidated joint ventures for the year ended December 31, 2024 improved by $24.4 million compared to the prior year. Impacting equity in losses of unconsolidated joint ventures for the year ended December 31, 2024 were write-downs of $51.7 million related to Parsons' participation in a design build joint venture. For the year ended December 31, 2023 the Company had write-downs of $83.4 million, inclusive of $57.9 million related to the design build joint venture referenced above. Results for the year ended December 31, 2023 also included earnings on higher margin change orders which did not reoccur for the year ended December 31, 2024. Joint venture volume has decreased year-over-year as we move away from our participation in construction joint ventures.

Selling, general and administrative expenses

As a percentage of revenue, SG&A decreased by 1.9% to 14.1% for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to16.0% for the corresponding period last year.

Total other income (expense)

Interest income is related to interest earned on investments in government money funds. Interest income increased for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the corresponding period last year is due to higher cash balances held and increased interest rates compared to the corresponding period last year.

Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 is primarily due to debt related to our Convertible Senior Notes and Delayed Draw Term Loan. The increase in Interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the corresponding period last year is primarily related to an increase in debt balances and a $3.2 million charge from the acceleration of the amortization of debt issuance costs associated with the partial repurchase of the 0.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 discussed below.

During the year ended December 31, 2024, we paid $495.6 million in cash to repurchase $284.6 million aggregate principal amount of our Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the "Repurchase Transaction") concurrently with the offering of 2.625% Convertible Senior Notes due 2029. As a result of the Repurchase Transaction, we incurred an $18.4 convertible debt repurchase loss1. The Repurchase Transaction is a partial repurchase of our Convertible Senior Notes due 2025. See “Note 11 – Debt and Credit Facilities,” for a further discussion of this transaction.

1During the first quarter of 2024, prior to the early adoption of ASU 2024-04, the Company recorded a $211.0 million loss on debt extinguishment associated with the 0.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025. Please see "Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—New Accounting Pronouncements" for a discussion of the Company's adoption of ASU 2024-04. As a result of the early adoption, the extinguishment charge was reversed from the

66

Company's consolidated financial statements and a convertible debt repurchase loss was recorded as described above.

The amounts in other income (expense), net, are primarily related to transaction gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, sublease income, and a change in the fair value of contingent consideration.

Income tax expense

Income tax expense increased in fiscal 2024 primarily due to an increase in overall pre-tax income, increases in current year foreign Net Operating Losses (NOLs) subject to valuation allowances and an increase in non-deductible executive compensation subject to Section 162(m), partially offset by increases in the foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) deduction, and increased equity based-compensation deductions.

Our effective tax rate was 20.9% and 21.3% for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The difference between the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% and the effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily relates to state income taxes, valuation allowance and executive compensations subject to Section 162(m) offset by benefits related to untaxed income attributable to noncontrolling interests, earnings in lower tax jurisdictions, the FDII deduction, and equity-based compensation.

In 2021 the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) announced an inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) including Pillar Two Model Rules defining the global minimum tax, also known as the Global Anti-Base Erosion (GloBE), which aims to ensure that multinational enterprises (MNEs) pay a 15% minimum level of tax regardless of where the MNE operates. The OECD released additional administrative guidance in June 2024 and January 2025. Many non-US tax jurisdictions have either recently enacted legislation to adopt components of the Pillar Two Model Rules beginning in 2024 and/or have announced their plans to enact legislation in future years. The Company has evaluated the implementation of Pillar Two on its 2024 income tax position based on currently enacted legislation and has determined there is no material impact. We are continuing to evaluate the potential impact on future periods of the Pillar Two Framework, pending enactment of legislation by individual countries.

67

Year ended December 31, 2023 compared to year ended December 31, 2022

The following table sets forth our results of operations for fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022 as a percentage of revenue.

Revenue

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the prior year increased $1.2 billion. Revenue increased in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments by $807.7 million and $439.8 million, respectively. See “—Segment Results” below for further discussion.

Direct costs of contracts

Direct cost of contracts for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the prior year increased $988.2 million. Direct cost of contracts increased in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments by $672.1 million and $316.1 million, respectively. The increases were primarily due to an increase in business volume and from business acquisitions offset by a decrease of $37.9 million in the Critical Infrastructure segment related to a legal matter on a previously completed contract.

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures

68

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures for the year ended December 31, 2023 decreased by $64.1 million compared to the prior year. The decrease was primarily related to write-downs on joint ventures of $83.4 million. $57.9 million of the joint venture write-downs related to Parsons’ participation in a design build joint venture.

Selling, general and administrative expenses

As a percentage of revenue, SG&A decreased by 2.5% to 16.0% for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 18.5% for the corresponding period last year.

Total other (expense) income

Interest income is related to interest earned on investments in government money funds. Interest income increased for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year primarily due to an increase in interest rates compared to the prior year on investments in government money funds.

Interest expense is primarily due to debt related to our Convertible Senior Notes and Delayed Draw Term Loan. Interest expense increased for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year primarily due to higher interest rates on borrowings.

The amounts in other income (expense), net, are primarily related to transaction gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, sublease income, and a change in the estimated fair value of contingent consideration.

Income tax expense

Income tax expense increased in fiscal 2023 primarily due to an increase in overall earnings and an increase in foreign withholding taxes partially offset by increases in the foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) deduction and earnings in lower tax jurisdictions.

Our effective tax rate was 21.3% and 23.9% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The difference between the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% and the effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily relates to state income taxes, valuation allowance on foreign tax credit carryovers originating from foreign withholding taxes offset in part by

69

benefits related to income attributable to noncontrolling interests, earnings in lower tax jurisdictions, the FDII deduction, and federal business tax credits.

Effective for tax year 2022, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated the option to currently deduct research and development expenditures in the year incurred and requires taxpayers to amortize such expenditures over five years for tax purposes (15 years for foreign research and development expenditures). This provision resulted in additional cash tax liability for the 2023 tax year of approximately $12 million. To date, there has been no enacted legislation that would change the tax treatment of these research and development expenditures and the Company continues to capitalize and amortize these expenses in accordance with the law.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures:

(1)
A reconciliation of net income attributable to Parsons Corporation to Adjusted EBITDA is set forth below (in thousands).

(2)
Net Income Margin is calculated as net income including noncontrolling interest divided by revenue in the applicable period.

(3)
Adjusted EBITDA Margin is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue in the applicable period.

(a)
Reflects costs incurred in connection with acquisitions, and other non-recurring transaction costs, primarily fees paid for professional services and employee retention.

(b)
Reflects costs associated with and related to our corporate restructuring initiatives.

(c)
Includes a combination of gain/loss related to sale of fixed assets, software implementation costs, and other individually insignificant items that are non-recurring in nature.

Adjusted EBITDA is a supplemental measure of our operating performance included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K because it is used by management and our board of directors to assess our financial performance both on a segment and on a consolidated basis. We discuss Adjusted EBITDA because our management uses this measure for business planning purposes, including to manage the business against internal projected results of operations and to measure the performance of the business generally. Adjusted EBITDA is frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry.

Adjusted EBITDA is not a U.S. GAAP measure of our financial performance or liquidity and should not be considered as an alternative to net income as a measure of financial performance or cash flows from operations as measures of liquidity, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income attributable to Parsons Corporation, adjusted to include net income attributable to noncontrolling interests and to exclude interest expense (net of interest income), provision for income taxes, depreciation and amortization and certain other items that we do not consider in our evaluation of ongoing operating performance. These other items include, among other

70

things, impairment of goodwill, intangible and other assets, interest and other expenses recognized on litigation matters, expenses incurred in connection with acquisitions and other non-recurring transaction costs, equity-based compensation, and expenses related to our corporate restructuring initiatives. Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Additionally, Adjusted EBITDA is not intended to be a measure of free cash flow for management’s discretionary use, as it does not reflect tax payments, debt service requirements, capital expenditures and certain other cash costs that may recur in the future, including, among other things, cash requirements for working capital needs and cash costs to replace assets being depreciated and amortized. Management compensates for these limitations by relying on our U.S. GAAP results in addition to using Adjusted EBITDA supplementally. Our measure of Adjusted EBITDA is not necessarily comparable to similarly titled captions of other companies due to different methods of calculation.

See “Segment Results” below and "Note 20—Segments Information” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further discussion regarding our segment Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons Corporation

Segment Results

We evaluate segment operating performance using segment revenue and segment Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons Corporation. Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons Corporation is Adjusted EBITDA excluding Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests.

The following table shows Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons Corporation for each of our reportable segments and Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests:

Year ended December 31, 2024 compared to year ended December 31, 2023

Federal Solutions

The increase in Federal Solutions revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the corresponding period last year was primarily related to organic growth of 30% and $73.6 million from business acquisitions. Organic growth was primarily due to the ramp up of recent awards including growth on a significant contract, growth of existing contracts, partially offset by the winding down of certain contracts. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 included incentive fees on two contracts of approximately $20 million that did not reoccur for the year ended December 31, 2024.

71

The increase in Federal Solutions Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons Corporation for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the prior year was primarily due to the factors impacting revenue discussed above.

Critical Infrastructure

The increase in Critical Infrastructure revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the corresponding period last year was primarily related to organic growth of 12% and $29.9 million from business acquisitions. Organic growth was primarily due to an increase in business volume from existing contracts and ramping up of recent awards offset by the winding down of certain contracts and contract write-downs of $44.5 million.

The increase in Critical Infrastructure Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the corresponding period last year was primarily due to the increase in organic revenue. This increase was offset by the contract write-downs discussed above along with a write-down in equity in losses from unconsolidated joint ventures of $51.7 million compared to write-downs of $83.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Also impacting Adjusted EBITDA were higher margin change orders on an unconsolidated joint venture for the year ended December 31, 2023 which did not reoccur for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Year ended December 31, 2023 compared to year ended December 31, 2022

Federal Solutions

The increase in Federal Solutions revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year was primarily due to organic growth of 25% and increases from business acquisitions of $264.1 million.

The increase in Federal Solutions Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons Corporation for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the prior year was primarily due to the factors impacting revenue discussed above and non-recurring incentive fees of approximately $20 million. These increases were offset by higher selling general and administrative costs from business acquisitions, business development and sales activities, and incentive compensation costs as a result of the company's strong operating performance and growing employee base.

72

Critical Infrastructure

The increase in Critical Infrastructure revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year was substantially due to organic growth.

The increase in Critical Infrastructure Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parsons for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year was primarily due to increases in business volume and a decrease in direct cost of contracts of $38 million related to a legal matter on a previously completed contract, offset by write-downs on joint ventures discussed above and higher selling general and administrative costs from business development and sales activities and higher incentive compensation costs as a result of the company's strong operating performance and growing employee base.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We currently finance our operations and capital expenditures through a combination of internally generated cash from operations, our Convertible Senior Notes, Delayed Draw Term Loan and periodic borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facility.

Generally, cash provided by operating activities has been adequate to fund our operations. Due to fluctuations in our cash flows and growth in our operations, it may be necessary from time to time in the future to borrow under our Credit Agreement to meet cash demands. Our management regularly monitors certain liquidity measures to monitor performance. We calculate our available liquidity as a sum of cash and cash equivalents from our consolidated balance sheet plus the amount available and unutilized on our Revolving Credit Facility.

As of December 31, 2024, we believe we have adequate liquidity and capital resources to fund our operations, support our debt service and support our ongoing acquisition strategy for at least the next twelve months based on the liquidity from cash provided by our operating activities, cash and cash equivalents on-hand and our borrowing capacity under our Revolving Credit Facility. Management continually monitors debt maturities to strategically execute optimal terms and ensure appropriate levels of working capital liquidity are maintained for the company.

Cash Flows

Cash received from customers, either from the payment of invoices for work performed or for advances in excess of revenue recognized, is our primary source of cash. We generally do not begin work on contracts until funding is appropriated by the customers. Billing timetables and payment terms on our contracts vary based on a number of factors, including whether the contract type is cost-plus, time-and-materials, or fixed-price. We generally bill and collect cash more frequently under cost-plus and time-and-materials contracts, as we are authorized to bill as the costs are incurred or work is performed. In contrast, we may be limited to bill certain fixed-price contracts only when specified milestones, including deliveries, are achieved. A number of our contracts may provide for performance-based payments, which allow us to bill and collect cash prior to completing the work.

Billed accounts receivable represents amounts billed to clients that have not been collected. Unbilled accounts receivable represents amounts where the Company has a present contractual right to bill but an invoice has not been issued to the customer at the period-end date.

73

Accounts receivable is the principal component of our working capital and is generally driven by revenue growth. Accounts receivable includes billed and unbilled amounts. The total amount of our accounts receivable can vary significantly over time but is generally sensitive to revenue levels. We experience delays in collections from time to time from Middle East customers. Net days sales outstanding, which we refer to as net DSO, is calculated by dividing (i) accounts receivable (net of project accruals, billings in excess of revenue and accounts payable) by (ii) average revenue per day (calculated by dividing trailing twelve months revenue by the number of days in that period). We focus on collecting outstanding receivables to reduce net DSO and improve working capital. Net DSO was 55 days at December 31, 2024, down from 59 days at December 31, 2023 and 69 days at December 31, 2022. Our working capital (current assets less current liabilities) was $546.8 million at December 31, 2024, $726.6 million at December 31, 2023 and $611.7 million at December 31, 2022.

Our cash and cash equivalents increased by $180.6 million to $453.5 million at December 31, 2024 from $272.9 million at December 31, 2023. This compares to an increase in cash and cash equivalents of $10.4 million to $272.9 million at December 31, 2023 from $262.5 million at December 31, 2022.

The following table summarizes our sources and uses of cash over the periods presented (in thousands):

Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities consists primarily of net income adjusted for noncash items, such as: equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures, contributions of treasury stock, depreciation and amortization of property and equipment and intangible assets, provisions for doubtful accounts, amortization of deferred gains, and impairment charges. The timing between the conversion of our billed and unbilled receivables into cash from our customers and disbursements to our employees and vendors is the primary driver of changes in our working capital. Our operating cash flows are primarily affected by our ability to invoice and collect from our clients in a timely manner, our ability to manage our vendor payments and the overall profitability of our contracts.

Net cash provided by operating activities increased $115.9 million to $523.6 million during 2024 compared to $407.7 million during 2023. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities is primarily due to a $98.4 million change in net income after adjusting for non-cash items and convertible debt settlement and from changes in our working capital accounts of $46.4 million (primarily from contract assets and prepaid expenses and other assets offset by accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and contract liabilities). These increase were offset by a $29.0 million change in cash used for other long-term liabilities.

Net cash provided by operating activities increased $170.2 million to $407.7 million during 2023 compared to $237.5 million during 2022. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities is primarily due to a $170.1 million change in net income after adjusting for non-cash items and the 10-day improvement in DSO. This increase was offset, in part, from changes in our working capital accounts of $6.3 million. The changes in the Company's various working capital accounts were driven primarily by the significant increase in business volume during the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year.

74

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities consists primarily of cash flows associated with capital expenditures and business acquisitions.

Net cash used in investing activities increased $180.7 million to $556.7 million during 2024 compared to $376.0 million during 2023. The change was primarily driven by a $206.8 million increase in payments for acquisitions, $14.3 million from investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, and $8.8 million from capital expenditures offset by a $49.9 million increase in return of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures.

Net cash used in investing activities decreased $41.5 million to $376.0 million during 2023 compared to $417.5 million during 2022. The change was primarily driven by a $157.5 million reduction in payments for acquisitions offset in part by a $102.0 million increase in investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, a $9.8 million increase in capital expenditures (primarily from computer systems and equipment) and a change from return of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures of $4.4 million.

Financing Activities

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities is primarily associated with proceeds from debt, the repayment thereof, transactions related to the Company’s common stock, and contributions by and distributions to noncontrolling interests.

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities increased by $240.6 million to $218.7 million in 2024 compared to $(21.9) million in 2023. The change in cash flows from financing activities is primarily driven by net cash inflows from our convertible bond transactions which generated $285.4 million in cash. See “Note 11 – Debt and Credit Facilities,” for a further discussion of these transactions. This increase was offset in part by distributions to noncontrolling interests of $16.7 million, taxes paid on vested stock of $15.3 million and $14.0 million from repurchases of common stock.

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities changed by $122.2 million to $(21.9) million in 2023 compared to $100.4 million in 2022. This change was primarily due to a decrease of $150.0 million from net borrowing related activities and a $7.4 million change in contributions by noncontrolling interests offset by a decrease in distributions to noncontrolling interests of $11.6 billion, a decrease in cash used to repurchase common stock of $11.0 million and from $11.2 million of payments in warrants for the year ended December 31, 2022 that did not reoccur in 2023.

Letters of Credit

We also have in place several secondary bank credit lines for issuing letters of credit, principally for foreign contracts, to support performance and completion guarantees. Letters of credit commitments outstanding under these bank lines aggregated $328.4 million as of December 31, 2024. Letters of credit outstanding under the Credit Agreement total $43.0 million.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our significant accounting policies are described in “Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Management makes estimates and judgments in preparing our consolidated financial statements. These estimates and judgments affect the reported amounts of certain assets and liabilities and the revenues and expenses reported for the periods presented in the consolidated financial statements. Although such estimates and assumptions are based on information available through the date of the issuance of our consolidated financial statements, actual results could differ significantly from those estimates and assumptions. Our estimates, judgments and assumptions are evaluated periodically and adjusted accordingly.

We believe that the following items are the most critical accounting policies and estimates that involved significant judgment as we prepared our financial statements. We consider an accounting policy

75

or estimate to be critical if the policy or estimate requires assumptions to be made that were uncertain at the time they were made and if changes in these assumptions could have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.

Revenue Recognition and Cost Estimation

In our industry, recognition of revenue and profit on long-term contracts requires the use of assumptions and estimates related to total contract revenue, total cost at completion, and the measurement of progress towards completion. Estimates are continually evaluated as work progresses and are revised when necessary. When a change in estimate is determined to have an impact on contract revenue or profit, we record a positive or negative adjustment to the consolidated statements of income.

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. The transaction price of a contract is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenue when, or as, the performance obligation is satisfied. To the extent a contract is deemed to have multiple performance obligations, we allocate the transaction price of the contract to each performance obligation using our best estimate of the standalone selling price of each distinct good or service in the contract. We determine the relative standalone selling price utilizing observable prices for the sale of the underlying goods or services. Contracts are considered to have a single performance obligation if the promise to transfer the individual goods or services is not separately identifiable from other promises in the contracts or is not distinct in the context of the contract, which is mainly because we provide a significant service of integrating a complex set of tasks and components into a single project or capability. Engineering and construction contracts are generally accounted for as a single performance obligation, while our engineering and construction supervision contracts are accounted for as two separate performance obligations. When providing construction supervision services, we are not liable for the construction of the asset, but have an overall responsibility to oversee, coordinate, measure, and evaluate the quality of construction work and the performance of the construction contractor on behalf of the customer. Customers are generally billed as we satisfy our performance obligations and payment terms typically range from 30 to 120 days from the invoice date. Billings under certain fixed-price contracts may be based upon the achievement of specified milestones, while some arrangements may require advance customer payment. Our contracts generally do not include a significant financing component.

The transaction price for our contracts may include variable consideration, which includes award and incentive fees, increases to the transaction price for approved and unpriced change orders, claims, and reductions to transaction price for liquidated damages. We recognize adjustments in estimated profit on contracts under the cumulative catch-up method. Under this method, the impact of the adjustment on profit recorded to-date is recognized in the period the adjustment is identified. If at any time the estimate of contract profitability indicates an anticipated loss on the contract, we recognize the total loss in the quarter it is identified.

Claims revenue is related to amounts in excess of agreed contract price that we seek to collect from clients or others for customer-caused delays, errors in specifications and designs, contract terminations, change orders that are either in dispute or are unapproved as to both price and scope, or other causes of unanticipated additional contract costs, including factors outside of our control, where we therefore believe we are entitled to additional compensation. Claims revenue, when recorded, is only recorded to the extent it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur. We include certain unapproved claims in the transaction price when the claims are legally enforceable, we consider collection to be probable and believe we can reliably estimate the ultimate value. We continue to engage in negotiations with our customers on our outstanding claims. However, these claims may be resolved at amounts that differ from our current estimates, which could result in increases or decreases in future estimated contract profits or losses. Costs related to claims are recognized when they are incurred.

Change orders, which are a normal and recurring part of our business, are generally not distinct and are accounted for as part of the existing contract. The effect of a change order that is not distinct on the transaction price and our measure of progress for the performance obligation to which it relates is

76

recognized on a cumulative catch-up basis. To the extent change orders included in the transaction price are not resolved in our favor, there could be reductions in, or reversals of previously reported amounts of, revenues and profits, and charges against current earnings. Costs relating to change orders are recognized when they are incurred.

We recognize revenue for most of our contracts over time as performance obligations are satisfied, as we are continuously transferring control to the customer. Typically, revenue is recognized over time using an input measure (i.e., costs incurred to date relative to total estimated costs at completion) to measure progress.

We often enter into contracts in which the amount billed to the customer corresponds directly with the amount of work performed. These contract types qualify for the “right to invoice” practical expedient method of measuring progress, in which the right to consideration corresponds directly with the value to the customer of our performance to date. For these contracts, revenue is recognized in the amount that we have the right to invoice.

Provisions for anticipated losses on contracts, including those arising from disputes and other contingencies, are recorded in the period such loss becomes known; provisions not ultimately required are released as disputes or contingencies are resolved.

Contract costs include labor and materials, amounts payable to subcontractors, direct overhead costs and equipment expense (primarily depreciation, fuel, maintenance and repairs). All contract costs are recorded as incurred. Changes to estimated contract costs, either due to unexpected events or revisions to management’s initial estimates, for a given project are recognized in the period in which they are determined.

Leases

We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (ROU) assets and current and long-term operating lease liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. Finance leases are included in other noncurrent assets, accrued expenses and other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit interest rate, incremental borrowing rates are used based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The operating lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for operating lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

We have lease agreements with lease and non-lease components, which are generally accounted for separately. For certain equipment leases, such as vehicles, we account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component. Additionally, for certain equipment leases, we apply a portfolio approach to effectively account for the operating lease ROU assets and liabilities.

77

We have operating and finance leases for corporate and project office spaces, vehicles, heavy machinery and office equipment. Our leases have remaining lease terms of one year to eleven years, some of which may include options to extend the leases for up to five years, and some of which may include options to terminate the leases up to the third year.

Business Combinations

The cost of an acquired company is assigned to the tangible and intangible assets purchased and the liabilities assumed on the basis of their fair values at the date of acquisition. The determination of fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires us to make estimates and use valuation techniques when a market value is not readily available. Any excess of purchase price over the fair value of tangible and intangible assets acquired and obligations assumed is allocated to goodwill. Goodwill typically represents the value paid for the assembled workforce and enhancement of our service offerings. Transaction costs associated with business combinations are expensed as incurred. The determination of fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires the Company to make estimates and use valuation techniques when a market value is not readily available. The Company adjusts the preliminary purchase prices allocation, as necessary, during the measurement period of up to one year after the acquisition closing date as the Company obtains more information as to facts and circumstances existing at the acquisition date.

Certain business acquisitions include contingent earn-out arrangements, which are generally based on meeting a revenue target. The fair value of this contingent consideration is included as part of the purchase price of the acquired company on the acquisition date and recorded at its fair value within other liabilities or other long-term liabilities, as appropriate on the consolidated balance sheets.

We measure our contingent consideration at fair value on a recurring basis using significant unobservable inputs classified within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of contingent consideration is determined using the option pricing method prescribed in the earnout valuation guide published by The Appraisal Foundation. We consider three major risks associated with earnout, i.e. risk in the underlying metric, risk in the earnout structure, and counterparty credit risk. Our valuation model is based on the Black Scholes option pricing formula and major assumptions including projected revenue, the revenue discount rate, the revenue volatility, and the Company's credit adjusted discount rate. Subsequent adjustments to these assumptions can cause changes to the measure of contingent consideration.

The Company reassess the estimated fair value of contingent consideration on a quarterly basis with any change in the fair value recorded to selling, general and administrative expense in the current quarter. The updated fair value could differ materially from the acquisition date fair value. The amount of contingent consideration ultimately paid that is less than or equal to the liability on the acquisition date is reflected as cash used in financing activities in our consolidated statements of cash flows. Any amounts paid in excess of the liability on the acquisition date is reflected as cash used in operating activities in our consolidated statements of cash flows.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill is not amortized but is subject to an annual impairment test. Interim testing for impairment is performed if indicators of potential impairment exist. For purposes of impairment testing, goodwill is allocated to the applicable reporting units based on the current reporting structure. When evaluating goodwill for impairment, we may decide to first perform a qualitative assessment, or “step zero” impairment test, to determine whether it is more likely than not that impairment has occurred. If we do not perform a qualitative assessment, or if we determine that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting units exceeds their carrying amounts, we perform a quantitative assessment and calculate the estimated fair value of the respective reporting unit. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds the fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized.

Our decision to perform a qualitative impairment assessment in a given year is influenced by a number of factors, including the significance of the excess of our estimated fair value over carrying value

78

at the last quantitative assessment date, the amount of time in between quantitative fair value assessments, and the date of the applicable acquisitions, if any.

We perform a goodwill impairment test annually, on October 1st of each year, for each reporting unit that requires certain assumptions and estimates be made regarding industry economic factors and future profitability. For the years ended December 31, 2024, December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, we performed a quantitative analysis for all of our reporting units. It was determined that the fair value of each of our reporting units substantially exceeded their carrying values. As a result, no goodwill impairments were identified for those periods.

The goodwill impairment test involves determination of the fair value of our reporting units. This process requires significant judgments and estimates, including assumptions about our strategic plans for operations as well as the interpretation of current economic indicators. Development of the present value of future cash flow projections includes assumptions and estimates derived from a review of our expected revenue growth rates, profit margins, business plans, cost of capital and tax rates. We also make certain assumptions about future market conditions, market prices, interest rates and changes in business strategies. Changes in assumptions or estimates could materially affect the determination of the fair value of a reporting unit. This could eliminate the excess of fair value over carrying value of a reporting unit entirely and, in some cases, result in impairment. Such changes in assumptions could be caused by a loss of one or more significant contracts, reductions in government or commercial client spending, or a decline in the demand for our services due to changing economic conditions. In the event that we determine that our goodwill is impaired, we would be required to record a non-cash charge that could result in a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial position.

We use the Income Approach and Market Approach (Guideline Transaction and Guideline Company Method) to determine the fair value of reporting units. The Income Approach utilizes the discounted cash flow method, which focuses on the expected cash flow of the reporting unit. In applying this approach, the cash flow is calculated for a finite period of years. Beyond the finite period, a terminal value is developed using a sustainable long-term annual growth rate estimate. Then the finite period cash flows and the terminal value are discounted to present value to arrive at an indication of fair value. We utilized internal financial projections through fiscal 2029. The Market Approach utilizes market comparable transactions and comparable companies to calculate the estimated fair value. The guideline company approach focuses on comparing the reporting unit to select reasonably similar (or ”guideline”) publicly traded companies. Under this method, valuation multiples are derived from the median of the operating data of selected guideline companies and applied to the operating data of the reporting unit to arrive at an indicative value. In the similar transactions approach, consideration is given to prices paid in recent transactions that have occurred in the reporting unit's industry or in related industries. For the Federal Solutions reporting unit, only the Guideline Company Method is used as the Federal Solutions reporting unit has gone through multiple acquisitions during the past two years, thus making Guideline Transaction Method difficult to apply. For the Critical Infrastructure reporting unit, both the Guideline Transaction Method and Guideline Company Method are utilized to calculate the estimated fair value. Equal weighing is given to each of the methods used to estimate the fair value of reporting units. Our last review at October 1, 2024 (i.e., the first day of our fourth quarter in fiscal 2024), indicated that we had no impairment of goodwill, and all of our reporting units had estimated fair values that were in excess of their carrying values, including goodwill.

Intangible assets with finite lives arise from business acquisitions and are amortized based on the period over which the contractual or economic benefit of the intangible assets are expected to be realized or on a straight-line basis over the useful lives of the underlying assets, ranging from one to ten years. These primarily consist of customer relationships, backlog, and covenants not to compete. We assess the recoverability of the unamortized balance of our intangible assets when indicators of impairment are present based on expected future profitability and undiscounted expected cash flows and their contribution to overall operations. Should the review indicate that the carrying value is not fully recoverable, the excess of the carrying value over the fair value of the intangible assets would be recognized as an impairment loss.

79

Consolidation of Joint Ventures and Variable Interest Entities

We participate in joint ventures, which include partnerships and partially owned limited liability corporations, to bid, negotiate and complete specific projects. We are required to consolidate these joint ventures if we hold the majority voting interest or if we meet the criteria under the consolidation model as described below.

A variable interest entity, or “VIE”, is an entity with one or more of the following characteristics: (a) the total equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional financial support; (b) as a group, the holders of the equity investment at risk lack the ability to make certain decisions, the obligation to absorb expected losses or the right to receive expected residual returns; or (c) an equity investor has voting rights that are disproportionate to its economic interest and substantially all of the entity’s activities are on behalf of the investor with disproportionately low voting rights. Our VIEs may be funded through contributions, loans and/or advances from the joint venture partners or by advances and/or letters of credit provided by clients. Certain VIEs are directly governed, managed, operated and administered by the joint venture partners. Others have no employees and, although these entities own and hold the contracts with the clients, the services required by the contracts are typically performed by the joint venture partners or by other subcontractors.

We are required to perform an analysis to determine whether we are the primary beneficiary of our VIEs. We are deemed to be the primary beneficiary of a VIE if we have (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance; and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

Many of the joint ventures we enter into are deemed to be VIEs because they lack sufficient equity to finance the activities of the joint venture. We use a qualitative approach to determine if we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE, which considers factors that indicate a party has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the joint venture’s economic performance. In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE, significant assumptions and judgments include the following: (1) identifying the significant activities and the parties that have the power to direct them; (2) reviewing the governing board composition and participation ratio; (3) determining the equity, profit and loss ratio; (4) determining the management-sharing ratio; (5) reviewing employment terms, including which joint venture partner provides the project manager; and (6) reviewing the funding and operating agreements. We analyze each joint venture initially to determine if it should be consolidated or unconsolidated into our financial statements:

•
A joint venture is consolidated into our financial statements if we are the primary beneficiary of a VIE or hold the majority of voting interests of a non-VIE (and no significant participative rights are available to the other partners).

•
A joint venture is not consolidated into our financial statements if we are not the primary beneficiary of a VIE, or do not hold the majority of voting interest of a non-VIE.

We account for our unconsolidated joint ventures using the equity method of accounting. Under this method, we recognize our proportionate share of the net earnings of these joint ventures as “Equity in earnings (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures”. Our maximum exposure to loss as a result of our investments in unconsolidated variable interest entities is typically limited to the aggregate of the carrying value of the investment and future funding commitments in these entities.

ESOP

Throughout the year, as employee services are rendered, we record compensation expense based on salaries of eligible employees. Contributions of our common stock to the ESOP are made annually in amounts determined by our board of directors and are held in trust for the sole benefit of the participants. Shares allocated to a participant’s account are fully vested after three years of credited service, or in the event(s) of reaching age 65, death or disability while an active employee, whichever occurs first.

80

A participant’s interest in their ESOP account is redeemable upon certain events, including retirement, death, termination due to permanent disability, a severe financial hardship following termination of employment, certain conflicts of interest following termination of employment, or the exercise of diversification rights Distributions from the ESOP of participants’ interests are made in our common stock based on quoted prices of a share of our common stock on the NYSE. A participant will be able to sell such shares of common stock in the market, subject to any requirements of the federal securities laws.

Equity-Based Compensation

We measure the value of services received from employees and directors in exchange for an equity-based award based on the grant date fair value. We issue equity-based awards that settle in shares of our common stock. Awards containing performance measures are adjusted at each reporting period for the number of shares expected to be earned. Compensation cost for performance awards are trued-up at each reporting period for changes in expected shares pro-rated for the portion of the requisite service period rendered. We recognize compensation costs for these awards on either a straight-line or accelerated basis over the vesting period of the award in “Selling, general and administrative expenses” in the consolidated statements of income. For awards that include market conditions, the grant date fair value is determined using a Monte Carlo simulation.

Self-Insurance

We are self-insured for a portion of our losses and liabilities primarily associated with workers’ compensation, general, professional, automobile, employee matters, certain medical plans, and project specific liability claims. Losses are accrued based upon our estimates of the aggregate liability for claims incurred using historical experience and certain actuarial assumptions, as provided by an independent actuary. The estimate of self-insurance liability includes an estimate of incurred but not reported claims, based on data compiled from historical experience. Actual losses and related expenses may deviate, perhaps substantially, from the self-insurance liability estimates reflected in our financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See the information set forth in “Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies—Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

As of December 31, 2024, we have no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a material current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenue or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.

Commitments and Contingencies

We are subject to certain claims and assessments that arise in the ordinary course of business. Additionally, Parsons has been named as a defendant in lawsuits alleging personal injuries as a result of contact with asbestos products at various project sites. We believe that any significant costs relating to these claims will be reimbursed by applicable insurance and do not expect any of these claims to have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. We record a liability when we believe that it is both probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Management judgment is required to determine the outcome and the estimated amount of a loss related to such matters. Management believes that there are no claims or assessments outstanding which would materially affect our consolidated results of operations or our financial position.

81

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

The following discussion and analysis is intended to help investors understand our business, financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and capital resources. You should read this discussion together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain amounts may not foot due to rounding.

The statements in this discussion regarding industry outlook, our expectations regarding our future performance, liquidity and capital resources and other non-historical statements in this discussion are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described in “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Actual results may differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements.

PARSONS CORPORATION Enabling a safer, smarter, and more interconnected world. Federal Solutions Technology-driven solutions for defense and intelligence customers SEGMENTS Critical Infrastructure Engineered solutions for complex physical and digital infrastructure challenges FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT $4B FY 2019 Revenue Critical Infrastructure52% Federal Solutions48% $4.3BFY 2019 Contract Awards Critical Infrastructure41% Federal Solutions59% KEY FACTS AND FIGURES 75Years of History ~ 16KEmployees 11%Revenue Growth (FY 2019) 1.1XTTM Book-to-Bill $8.0BBacklog as of 12/31/2019

z

Overview

We are a leading provider of the integrated solutions and services required in today’s complex security environment and a world of digital transformation. We deliver innovative technology-driven solutions to customers worldwide. We have developed significant expertise and differentiated capabilities in key areas of cybersecurity and intelligence, space and missile defense, critical infrastructure protection, transportation, environmental remediation and urban development. By combining our talented team of professionals and advanced technology, we solve complex technical challenges to enable a safer, smarter, more secure and more connected world.

56

We operate in two reporting segments, Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure. Our Federal Solutions business is an advanced technology provider to the U.S. government. Our Critical Infrastructure business provides integrated design and engineering services for complex physical and digital infrastructure around the globe.

Our employees provide services pursuant to contracts that we are awarded by the customer and specific task orders relating to such contracts. These contracts are often multi-year, which provides us backlog and visibility on our revenues for future periods. Many of our contracts and task orders are subject to renewal and rebidding at the end of their term, and some are subject to the exercise of contract options and issuance of task orders by the applicable government entity. In addition to focusing on increasing our revenues through increased contract awards and backlog, we focus our financial performance on margin expansion and cash flow.

Key Metrics

We manage and assess the performance of our business by evaluating a variety of metrics. The following table sets forth selected key metrics (in thousands, except Book-to-Bill):

(1)
Difference between our backlog of $8.6 billion and our remaining unsatisfied performance obligations, or RUPO, of $6.4 billion, each as of December 31, 2023, is due to (i) unissued task orders and unexercised option years, to the extent their issuance or exercise is probable, as well as (ii) contract awards, to the extent we believe contract execution and funding is probable.

Awards

Awards generally represent the amount of revenue expected to be earned in the future from funded and unfunded contract awards received during the period. Contract awards include both new and re-compete contracts and task orders. Given that new contract awards generate growth, we closely track our new awards each year.

The following table summarizes the total value of new awards for the periods presented below (in thousands):

The change in new awards from year to year is primarily due to ordinary course fluctuations in our business. The volume of contract awards can fluctuate in any given period due to win rate and the timing and size of the awards issued by our customers. The change in new awards in both our Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments for the year ended December 31, 2023 when compared to the corresponding period last year was primarily driven by an overall increase in the number of large contract awards.

57

Backlog

We define backlog to include the following two components:

•
Funded—Funded backlog represents the revenue value of orders for services under existing contracts for which funding is appropriated or otherwise authorized less revenue previously recognized on these contracts.

•
Unfunded—Unfunded backlog represents the revenue value of orders for services under existing contracts for which funding has not been appropriated or otherwise authorized less revenue previously recognized on these contracts. Unfunded backlog does not include potential task orders expected to be awarded under multiple awards IDIQ contract vehicles, where task orders are competitively awarded and separately priced.

Backlog includes (i) unissued task orders and unexercised option years, to the extent their issuance or exercise is probable, as well as (ii) contract awards, to the extent we believe contract execution and funding is probable.

The following table summarizes the value of our backlog at the respective dates presented (in thousands):

(1)
Difference between our backlog of $8.6 billion and our RUPO of $6.4 billion, each as of December 31, 2023, is due to (i) unissued task orders and unexercised option years, to the extent their issuance or exercise is probable, as well as (ii) contract awards, to the extent we believe contract execution and funding is probable.

Our backlog includes orders under contracts that in some cases extend for several years. For example, the U.S. Congress generally appropriates funds for our U.S. federal government customers on a yearly basis, even though their contracts with us may call for performance that is expected to take a number of years to complete. As a result, our federal contracts typically are only partially funded at any point during their term. All or some of the work to be performed under the contracts may remain unfunded unless and until the U.S. Congress makes subsequent appropriations and the procuring agency allocates funding to the contract.

We expect to recognize $3.8 billion of our funded backlog at December 31, 2023 as revenues in the following twelve months. However, our U.S. federal government customers may cancel their contracts with us at any time through a termination for convenience or may elect to not exercise option periods under such contracts. In the case of a termination for convenience, we would not receive anticipated future revenues, but would generally be permitted to recover all or a portion of our incurred costs and fees for work performed. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Business—We may not realize the full value of our backlog, which may result in lower than expected revenue.”

58

The changes in backlog in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments were primarily from ordinary course fluctuations in our business and the impacts related to the Company’s awards discussed above. Our backlog will fluctuate in any given period based on the volume of awards issued and the rate of revenue generated from our existing contracts.

Book-to-Bill

Book-to-bill is the ratio of total awards to total revenue recorded in the same period. Our management believes our book-to-bill ratio is a useful indicator of our potential future revenue growth in that it measures the rate at which we are generating new awards compared to the Company’s current revenue. To drive future revenue growth, our goal is for the level of awards in a given period to exceed the revenue booked. A book-to-bill ratio greater than 1.0 indicates that awards generated in a given period exceeded the revenue recognized in the same period, while a book-to-bill ratio of less than 1.0 indicates that awards generated in such period were less than the revenue recognized in such period. The following table sets forth the book-to-bill ratio for the periods presented below:

Factors and Trends Affecting Our Results of Operations

We believe that the financial performance of our business and our future success are dependent upon many factors, including those highlighted in this section. Our operating performance will depend upon many variables, including the success of our growth strategies and the timing and size of investments and expenditures that we choose to undertake, as well as market growth and other factors that are not within our control.

Government Spending

Changes in the relative mix of government spending and areas of spending growth, with shifts in priorities on homeland security, intelligence, defense-related programs, infrastructure and urbanization, and continued increased spending on technology and innovation, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, connected communities and physical infrastructure, could impact our business and results of operations. Cost-cutting and efficiency initiatives, current and future budget restrictions, spending cuts and other efforts to reduce government spending could cause our government customers to reduce or delay funding or invest appropriated funds on a less consistent basis or not at all, and demand for our solutions or services could diminish. Furthermore, any disruption in the functioning of government agencies, including as a result of government closures and shutdowns, could have a negative impact on our operations and cause us to lose revenue or incur additional costs due to, among other things, our inability to deploy our staff to customer locations or facilities as a result of such disruptions.

Federal Budget Uncertainty

There is uncertainty around the timing, extent, nature and effect of Congressional and other U.S. government actions to address budgetary constraints, caps on the discretionary budget for defense and non-defense departments and agencies, and the ability of Congress to determine how to allocate the available budget authority and pass appropriations bills to fund both U.S. government departments and agencies that are, and those that are not, subject to the caps. Additionally, budget deficits and the growing U.S. national debt increase pressure on the U.S. government to reduce federal spending across all federal agencies, with uncertainty about the size and timing of those reductions. Furthermore, delays in the completion of future U.S. government budgets could in the future delay procurement of the federal government services we provide. A reduction in the amount of, or delays, or cancellations of funding for,

59

services that we are contracted to provide to the U.S. government as a result of any of these impacts or related initiatives, legislation or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.

Regulations

Increased audit, review, investigation and general scrutiny by government agencies of performance under government contracts and compliance with the terms of those contracts and applicable laws could affect our operating results. Negative publicity and increased scrutiny of government contractors in general, including us, relating to government expenditures for contractor services and incidents involving the mishandling of sensitive or classified information, as well as the increasingly complex requirements of the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. intelligence community, including those related to cybersecurity, could impact our ability to perform in the markets we serve.

Competitive Markets

The industries we operate in consist of a large number of enterprises ranging from small, niche-oriented companies to multi-billion-dollar corporations that serve many government and commercial customers. We compete on the basis of our technical expertise, technological innovation, our ability to deliver cost-effective multi-faceted services in a timely manner, our reputation and relationships with our customers, qualified and/or security-clearance personnel, and pricing. We believe that we are well positioned to take advantage of the markets in which we operate because of our proven track record, long-term customer relationships, technology innovation, scalable and agile business offerings and world class talent. Our ability to effectively deliver on project engagements and successfully assist our customers affects our ability to win new contracts and drives our financial performance.

Acquired Operations

I.S. Engineers, LLC

On October 31, 2023, the Company entered into a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement to acquire a 100% ownership interest in I.S. Engineers, LLC, a privately-owned company, for $12.2 million, subject to certain adjustments. Headquartered in Texas, I.S. Engineers, LLC provides full-service consulting specializing in transportation engineering, including roads and highways, and program management. The financial results of I.S. Engineers have been included in our consolidated results of operations from October 31, 2023 onward.

Sealing Technologies, Inc.

On August 23, 2023, the Company acquired a 100% ownership interest in Sealing Technologies, Inc (“SealingTech”), a privately-owned company, for $179.3 million and up to an additional $25 million in the event an earn out revenue target is exceeded. Headquartered in Maryland, SealingTech expands Parsons’ customer base across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, and further enhances the company’s capabilities in defensive cyber operations; integrated mission-solutions powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML); edge computing and edge access modernization; critical infrastructure protection; and secure data management. The financial results of SealingTech have been included in our consolidated results of operations from August 23, 2023 onward.

IPKeys Power Partners

On April 13, 2023, the Company entered into a merger agreement to acquire a 100% ownership interest in IPKeys Power Partners (“IPKeys”), a privately-owned company, for $43.0 million. The merger brings IPKeys' established customer base, expanding Parsons' presence in two rapidly growing end markets: grid modernization and cyber resiliency for critical infrastructure. Headquartered in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, IPKeys is a trusted provider of enterprise software platform solutions that is actively delivering cyber and operational security to hundreds of electric, water, and gas utilities across North America. The financial results of IPKeys have been included in our consolidated results of operations from April 13, 2023 onward.

60

Xator Corporation

On May 31, 2022, the Company acquired Xator Corporation for $387.5 million. This strategic acquisition expands Parsons’ presence within the U.S. Special Operations Command, the Intelligence Community, Federal Civilian customers, and global critical infrastructure markets, while providing new customer access at the Department of State. Xator also expands Parsons’ customer base and brings differentiated technical capabilities in critical infrastructure protection, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (cUAS), intelligence and cyber solutions, biometrics, and global threat assessment and operations, increasing our addressable market in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments. The financial results of Xator have been included in our consolidated results of operations from May 31, 2022 onward.

BlackHorse Solutions, Inc.

On July 6, 2021, the Company acquired BlackHorse for $205.0 million. BlackHorse expands Parsons’ capabilities and products in next-generation military, intelligence, and space operations, specifically in cyber electronic warfare and information dominance. The acquisition was entirely funded by cash on-hand. The financial results of BlackHorse have been included in our consolidated results of operations from July 6, 2021 onward.

Echo Ridge LLC

On July 30, 2021, the Company acquired Echo Ridge for $9.0 million. Echo Ridge adds position, navigation, and timing devices; modeling, simulation, test, and measurement tools; and deployable software defined radio products and signal processing services to Parsons’ space portfolio. The acquisition was entirely funded by cash on-hand. The financial results of Echo Ridge have been included in our consolidated results of operations from July 30, 2021 onward.

Seasonality

Our results may be affected by variances as a result of weather conditions and contract award seasonality impacts that we experience across our businesses. The latter issue is typically driven by the U.S. federal government fiscal year-end, September 30. While not certain, it is not uncommon for U.S. government agencies to award task orders or complete other contract actions in the weeks before the end of the U.S. federal government fiscal year in order to avoid the loss of unexpended U.S. federal government fiscal year funds. In addition, we have also historically experienced higher bid and proposal costs in the months leading up to the U.S. federal government fiscal year-end as we pursue new contract opportunities expected to be awarded early in the following U.S. federal government fiscal year as a result of funding appropriated for that U.S. federal government fiscal year. Furthermore, many U.S. state governments with fiscal years ending on June 30 tend to accelerate spending during their first quarter, when new funding becomes available. We may continue to experience this seasonality in future periods, and our results of operations may be affected by it.

Results of Operations

Revenue

Our revenue consists of both services provided by our employees and pass-through fees from subcontractors and other direct costs. Our Federal Solutions segment derives revenue primarily from the U.S. federal government and our Critical Infrastructure segment derives revenue primarily from government and commercial customers.

We enter into the following types of contracts with our customers:

•
Under cost-plus contracts, we are reimbursed for allowable or otherwise defined costs incurred, plus a fee. The contracts may also include incentives for various performance criteria, including quality, timeliness, safety and cost-effectiveness. In addition, costs are generally subject to review by clients and regulatory audit agencies, and such reviews could result in costs being disputed as non-reimbursable under the terms of the contract.

61

•
Under time-and-materials contracts, hourly billing rates are negotiated and charged to clients based on the actual time spent on a project. In addition, clients reimburse actual out-of-pocket costs for other direct costs and expenses that are incurred in connection with the performance under the contract.

•
Under fixed-price contracts, clients pay an agreed fixed-amount negotiated in advance for a specified scope of work.

Refer to “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” and “Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Polices” in the notes to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a description of our policies on revenue recognition applicable to each type of contract.

The table below presents the percentage of total revenue for each type of contract.

The amount of risk and potential reward varies under each type of contract. Under cost-plus contracts, there is limited financial risk, because we are reimbursed for all allowable costs up to a ceiling. However, profit margins on this type of contract tend to be lower than on time-and-materials and fixed-price contracts. Under time-and-materials contracts, we are reimbursed for the hours worked using the predetermined hourly rates for each labor category. In addition, we are typically reimbursed for other direct contract costs and expenses at cost. We assume financial risk on time-and-materials contracts because our labor costs may exceed the negotiated billing rates. Profit margins on well-managed time-and-materials contracts tend to be higher than profit margins on cost-plus contracts as long as we are able to staff those contracts with people who have an appropriate skill set. Under fixed-price contracts, we are required to deliver the objectives under the contract for a pre-determined price. Compared to time-and-materials and cost-plus contracts, fixed-price contracts generally offer higher profit margin opportunities because we receive the full benefit of any cost savings, but they also generally involve greater financial risk because we bear the risk of any cost overruns. In the aggregate, the contract type mix in our revenue for any given period will affect that period’s profitability. Over time, we have experienced a relatively stable contract mix.

Our recognition of profit on long-term contracts requires the use of assumptions related to transaction price and total cost of completion. Estimates are continually evaluated as work progresses and are revised when necessary. When a change in estimated cost or transaction price is determined to have an impact on contract profit, we record a positive or negative adjustment to revenue.

The Company is involved in a significant volume of contracts with the United States federal government and state and local governments. Approximately 55%, 53%, and 52% of consolidated revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023, December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively were derived from contracts with the United States federal government. No other customers represented 10% or more of consolidated revenues or accounts receivable in any of the periods presented.

Joint Ventures

We conduct a portion of our business through joint ventures or similar partnership arrangements. For the joint ventures we control, we consolidate all the revenues and expenses in our consolidated statements of income (including revenues and expenses attributable to noncontrolling interests). For the joint ventures we do not control, we recognize equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated joint

62

ventures. Our revenues included $213.8 million in 2023, $217.4 million in 2022, and $204.7 million in 2021 related to services we provided to our unconsolidated joint ventures.

Operating costs and expenses

Operating costs and expenses primarily include direct costs of contracts and selling, general and administrative expenses. Costs associated with compensation-related expenses for our people and facilities, which includes ESOP contribution expenses, are the most significant component of our operating expenses. In 2023, 2022 and 2021, we made annual contributions to the ESOP in the amount of 8% of the participants’ cash compensation for the applicable year. Total ESOP contribution expense was $58.2 million for 2023, $54.7 million for 2022, and $54.9 million for fiscal 2021, and is recorded in “Direct cost of contracts” and “Selling, general and administrative expenses.” We expect operating expenses to increase due to our anticipated growth. However, on a forward-looking basis, we generally expect these costs to decline as a percentage of our total revenue as we realize the benefits of scale.

Direct costs of contracts consist of direct labor and associated fringe benefits, indirect overhead, subcontractor and materials (“pass-through costs”), travel expenses and other expenses incurred to perform on contracts.

Selling, general and administrative expenses (“SG&A”) include salaries and wages and fringe benefits of our employees not performing work directly for customers, facility costs and other costs related to these indirect functions.

Other income and expenses

Other income and expenses primarily consist of interest income, interest expense, and other income, net.

Interest income primarily consists of interest earned on U.S. government money market funds.

Interest expense consists of interest expense incurred under our Convertible Senior Notes, Credit Agreement and Delayed Draw Term Loan.

Other income, net primarily consists of gain or loss on sale of assets, sublease income. transaction gain or loss related to movements in foreign currency exchange rates, and contingent consideration.

63

Year ended December 31, 2023 compared to year ended December 31, 2022

The following table sets forth our results of operations for fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022 as a percentage of revenue.

Revenue

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the prior year increased $1.2 billion. Revenue increased in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments by $807.7 million and $439.8 million, respectively. See “—Segment Results” below for further discussion.

Direct costs of contracts

Direct cost of contracts for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the prior year increased $988.2 million. Direct cost of contracts increased in both the Federal Solutions and Critical Infrastructure segments by $672.1 million and $316.1 million, respectively. The increases were primarily due to an increase in business volume and from business acquisitions offset by a decrease of $37.9 million in the Critical Infrastructure segment related to a legal matter on a previously completed contract.

Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures

64

Equity in (losses) earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures for the year ended December 31, 2023 decreased by $64.1 million compared to the prior year. The decrease was primarily related to write-downs on joint ventures of $83.4 million.

$57.9 million of the joint venture write-downs related to Parsons’ participation in a design build joint venture. The write-down relates to supply chain challenges identified during the procurement of materials which impacted the estimate to complete the project.

Selling, general and administrative expenses

SG&A expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased by $92.5 million compared to the prior year. The increase in SG&A was primarily due to an increase of $35.9 million related to employee incentive programs, a $23.7 million increase from business acquisitions, a $17.0 million increase primarily related to business development and sales activities, and a $7.3 million increase in general liability insurance costs. As a percent of revenue, our SG&A declined from 18.5% in 2022 to 16.0% in 2023.

Total other income (expense)

Interest income increased for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year primarily due to an increase in interest rates compared to the prior year on investments in government money funds.

Interest expense increased for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the corresponding period last year primarily due to higher interest rates on borrowings.

The amounts in other income (expense), net, are primarily related to transaction gains and losses on foreign currency transactions, sublease income, and contingent consideration.

Income tax expense

Income tax expense increased in fiscal 2023 primarily due to an increase in overall earnings and an increase in foreign withholding taxes partially offset by increases in the foreign-derived intangible income (FDII) deduction and earnings in lower tax jurisdictions.

65

Our effective tax rate was 21.3% and 23.9% for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The difference between the statutory U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% and the effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily relates to state income taxes, valuation allowance on foreign tax credit carryovers originating from foreign withholding taxes offset in part by benefits related to income attributable to noncontrolling interests, earnings in lower tax jurisdictions, the FDII deduction, and federal business tax credits.

Effective for tax year 2022, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 eliminated the option to currently deduct research and development expenditures in the year incurred and requires taxpayers to amortize such expenditures over five years for tax purposes (15 years for foreign research and development expenditures). This provision resulted in additional cash tax liability for the 2023 tax year of approximately $12 million. On January 31, 2024, the House of Representatives passed a tax relief package (the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024). The key tax proposal that would impact our tax position is a deferral of the mandatory capitalization of research expenditures for domestic expenditures, retroactive to expenses paid or incurred after December 31, 2021 and before January 1, 2026. If this tax proposal is enacted, we would expect a $15 million and a $12 million decrease to our cash tax liabilities for tax years 2022 and 2023, respectively. We would recognize any changes in our financial results in the period of enactment.

Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to year ended December 31, 2021

The following table sets forth our results of operations for fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2021 as a percentage of revenue.

Revenue

Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the prior year increased $534.5 million. This increase was primarily due to an increase in revenue in our Federal Solutions segment of $324.9 million and an increase in our Critical Infrastructure segment of $209.6 million. See “—Segment Results” below for further discussion.

66

Direct costs of contracts

Direct cost of contracts for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the prior year increased $440.6 million. This increase was primarily due to an increase in direct cost of contracts in our Federal Solutions segment of $272.6 million and an increase in our Critical Infrastructure segment of $168.0 million. The increases were primarily due to an increase in business volume from recent contract awards and business acquisitions.

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures

Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures for the year ended December 31, 2022 decreased by $20.5 million compared to the prior year. The decrease was primarily related to change orders which delayed joint venture profits to future periods and a reduction in activity.

Selling, general and administrative expenses