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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

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FY2013 Annual Report · Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated
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corporate

profile

SykeS is a global leader in providing comprehensive customer 

contact management solutions and services in the business 

process outsourcing (BPO) arena. SykeS provides an array of sophisticated customer contact 

management solutions to Fortune 1000 companies around the world, primarily in the  

communications, financial services, healthcare, technology and transportation and leisure  

industries. SykeS specializes in providing flexible, high quality customer support outsourcing 

solutions with an emphasis on inbound technical support and customer service. Headquartered 

in Tampa, Florida, with customer contact management centers throughout the world, SykeS  

provides its services through multiple communication channels encompassing phone, e-mail, 

web, chat and social media. Utilizing its integrated onshore/offshore global delivery model, 

along with a virtual at-home agent platform, SykeS serves its clients through two geographic 

operating segments: the Americas (United States, Canada, Latin America, India and the Asia 

Pacific region), and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). SykeS also provides various  

enterprise support services in the Americas and fulfillment services in EMEA, which include 

multi-lingual sales order processing, payment processing, inventory control, product delivery 

and product returns handling. For additional information please visit www.sykes.com.

 
 
Dear Shareholders,

Continuing on our steady path of calculated 

change and refinement, SyKES made healthy 

gains in 2013. The steps we took to restore 

our growth engine bore fruit, with consistent 

revenue acceleration throughout the year and 

subsequent ongoing upward revisions of our 

revenue forecast. At the same time, we made 

measurable progress on key initiatives, including 

platform integration, as well as capacity and 

cost-structure optimization. Although much 

work remains to be done, we believe the actions 

we took in 2013 have positioned us favorably 

to reach our much-discussed objective —mid-

single-digit revenue growth, accompanied by 

strong operating leverage, for sustainable, long-

term operating margins of 8% to 10%. 

In this letter, we will discuss the financial  

highlights of 2013, provide an operational 

update on various initiatives, assess the Alpine 

Access acquisition, provide insights into the 

industry, and outline our priorities for 2014. 

   financial performance

recap

We made healthy progress on the financial front. 

Comparable organic and constant currency  

revenue growth in 2013 was 5.9%*. This was a 

positive swing of 12.0% when compared to a 

6.1%** revenue decline on a similar basis in 

2012. The gains were even more impressive by 

CHArLES E. SyKES 
President and Chief Executive Officer

W. MICHAEL KIPPHUT  
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

negative revenue growth at the start of the year to 

positive double- digit growth at the end of the year. 

segment. The EMEA (Europe, Middle East and 

As pleased as we were with the growth overall, 

Africa) segment led the way, up sharply by 

the considerable improvement in the revenue 

15.3%*** on a constant currency basis. The 

picture did leave a short-term mark. The level 

Americas segment also performed well on a 

of previously discussed organic growth, the  

constant currency basis, up 4.0%****. This was 

accompanying ramp costs (recruiting and training 

the best pace of revenue growth for both regions 

of agents and indirect support staff) and the 

since 2009. At a broader level, and in terms of 

significant capacity investments, coupled with 

secular industry drivers, demand was equally 

volatile foreign exchange rates, masked the  

split between an on-going shift to outsourcing 

underlying operating margin profile of the  

and vendor consolidation. Further helping the 

business. As we cycle through these investments 

overall growth picture was a normalization of 

and better control our revenue growth trajectory — 

revenue attrition. As a result, we revised up-

now that we are in a better position to do so — 

ward our 2013 revenue forecast meaningfully 

we believe we are on a journey to restore our 

throughout the year, turning single-digit  

margin profile.

1

SYKES.ANNUAL REPORT.2013Out-FrOnt FrOm At-HOmE.

more than a convenient work option for our agents, SYKES Home is a  

game-changing business model that represents an unparalleled advantage 

for our clients. not only can we recruit customer-service pros from literally 

anywhere, we can specifically target agents who are active users and  

“uber-fans” of the products or services they support. Importantly, SYKES 

Home also enhances our ability to support enthusiastic but often-hindered 

workers such as stay-at-home parents, retirees, veterans and military 

spouses, students and the mobility-impaired.

update on operations

We had a very productive year operationally, 

juggling many tasks simultaneously — and 

successfully. We completed the Alpine-SyKES 

platform integration in the U.S. This allowed  

us to successfully port one of our marquee  

clients over to Alpine’s at-home platform.  

Even more critically, we leveraged this early 

success story to make the winning case to 

select clients in our underutilized brick and 

mortar facilities to go virtual — and several did. 

gross-seat additions in 2012. This was the largest 

number of gross seat additions ever. But the net 

seat count was up by only 2,900, helping us make 

good ground in driving facility consolidation 

and rationalization. Thanks to this, we facilitated 

With success on the integration front, we made 

the transfer of several client programs from  

substantial inroads in other areas, too. We made 

underutilized facilities to either a new, more- 

the client-centric model fully operational, with 

utilized facility or the Alpine at-home platform. 

everything from alignment of key performing 

And the results speak for themselves: For every 

indicators (KPIs) to compensation calibration. 

one client that opted to be moved to another 

And we are extremely pleased with the results it 

brick-and-mortar facility, five clients opted for 

is already generating in terms of faster decision 

the at-home platform, helping us lay the 

making and greater accountability. We also added 

groundwork for lower capital intensity and a 

7,600 seats on a gross basis, eclipsing the 4,500 

more flexible cost structure over time. 

All told, we powered through 2013 with  

significant operational momentum for 2014.

For every one client that opted to be moved to 

another brick-and-mortar facility, five clients 

opted for the at-home platform, helping us lay 

the groundwork for lower capital intensity and 

a more flexible cost structure over time.

2

SYKES.ANNUAL REPORT.2013assessment of the
alpine access acquisition –

one year out

hub-and-spoke at-home agent models. For these 

reasons and many others, we are pleased to 

shine the spotlight on the anniversary of our  

Alpine acquisition, and we look forward to  

leveraging its power in the marketplace.

Our belief in the strategic value of the Alpine 

Access acquisition was unwavering. One year 

later, it is even stronger. Alpine’s pure-play  

virtual model has resonated with clients,  

particularly its flexibility, scalability and reach 

when it comes to sourcing scarce skill sets. In 

2013, Alpine’s revenue growth on a stand-alone 

basis over the previous year was impressive —

up approximately 19.2%*****. Even with a more 

than threefold increase in growth relative to our 

brick-and-mortar operation, Alpine was able to 

sustain healthy operating margins. 

industry

view

When discussing the customer contact  

management industry, we always strive to  

educate our audience. In the process, we aim to 

focus on the substance and hope to avoid 

getting caught up in the latest hype or trend 

hitting the industry. Sometimes that can be  

easier said. So what are we seeing? Adoption 

of live chat, omni-channel customer support, 

From a marketing perspective, Alpine is viewed 

up-sell cross-sell capabilities and mergers and 

as a significant differentiator in the eyes of  

our existing clients — a fact that has been 

acquisition (M&A) activity are just some of the 

trends that continue to play out in our industry. 

underscored by the ratio of brick-and-mortar 

In our 2012 shareholder letter, we discussed at 

clients opting for Alpine’s virtual solution. 

length the trend toward vendor consolidation, 

Similarly, on the new-client front, we are able 

which is being driven by numerous factors, among 

to draw a sharp contrast between our business 

them, secular shifts in our clients’ businesses 

model and those of our competitors, both brick-

or upstream M&A activities among clients  

and-mortar and virtual, effectively edging out 

themselves. In fact, we stated how the trend  

many existing and emerging challengers.

toward vendor consolidation has been afoot 

In just one example, we recently won a potentially 

significant piece of business within the auto- 

parts retail and auto-repair service space.  

The requirements around the program were 

over the last few years. 

Another trend that has been around for a while 

but is now starting to generate more interest 

is live chat support. It is a medium that can 

demanding, revolving around domain expertise 

address inquiries that are simple (track a lost 

and specific language attributes, both of which 

shipment with an e-commerce retailer) to 

had to be furnished in sufficient scale. Thanks 

moderately complex (trouble shooting technical 

to our pure-play virtual model, we were able  

computer issues) in nature because of the  

to provide a highly targeted solution that  

transcended the physical and operational  

limitations of both brick-and-mortar and  

synchronous mode of communication between 

a consumer and a customer support agent. In 

fact, live chat’s early adopters were e-commerce 

* reported revenues in 2013 compared to 2012 increased 12.0%
** reported revenues in 2012 compared to 2011 decreased 3.6%
*** reported revenues in the EmEA region in 2013 compared to 2012 increased 17.8%
**** reported revenues in the Americas region in 2013 compared to 2012 increased 10.9%

  ***** Alpine Access’ reported revenues in 2013 compared to 2012 increased 38.5%, which includes  

 revenues ported over from SYKES’ legacy at-home agent and brick-and-mortar platforms over  
 to Alpine.

3

SYKES.ANNUAL REPORT.2013 
 
 
 
 
 
BuIlDIng A PrESEnCE WOrlDWIDE.

With more than 70 call centers in 20 countries around 

the world, no one is better positioned than SYKES to  

answer the call.  Even our network of agents and  

potential recruits extends across borders, enabling  

us to establish brick-and-mortar facilities and hire 

locally wherever we’re needed. But our building efforts 

don’t end there. In all of our locations worldwide,  

we go the extra mile to make a positive difference, by  

investing in the regional economy and giving back to 

the communities where we live and work.

retailers in the late 1990s, many who saw it 

a brick-and-mortar or a virtual model. Very few 

as a proactive way to help a customer navigate 

clients at present serve their end customers  

a website for either informational purposes 

holistically across channels due to organizational 

or to expedite a purchase or reduce the rate of 

and systems constraints. When that day comes, 

shopping cart abandonment. Now live chat is 

however, we remain well positioned with the 

expanding beyond the sphere of just e-commerce 

suite of delivery services and an added advantage 

retailers and is increasingly being viewed by 

few pure-play brick-and-mortar players can lay 

clients in the communications, technology and 

claim to: our pure-play best-of-breed virtual  

financial services verticals as a medium that 

at-home agent platform. 

facilitates a high quality, high-touch and real-time 

customer experience relative to email support. 

This broader adoption positions us well given 

our domain expertise with various types of 

customer transactions and innovative workflow 

designs over this medium. 

Up-sell and cross-sell capabilities are becoming 

more embedded in traditional customer service. 

Whether purchasing a new Smartphone or  

upgrading to a new Smartphone plan or activating 

a new credit card or purchasing a vacation 

package, our clients are looking to increase 

The word “Omni-Channel Support” has gained 

customer lifetime value (driving stickiness and 

some currency in our industry in the last  

greater wallet share) of their end customers. 

couple of years. The term simply means being 

As such, having subject matter expertise and 

service delivery agnostic by providing  

demonstrable client reference can be a significant 

customers multiple touch points of seamless 

differentiator. Thanks to the acquisition of ICT 

and interconnected support through chat, email, 

Group, which had a strong heritage in upsell 

voice and social media support whether through 

and cross-sell capabilities, we are able to  

“Omni-Channel Support” has gained some currency in our 

industry in the last couple of years. The term simply means 

being service delivery agnostic by providing customers  

multiple touch points of seamless and interconnected  

support through chat, email, voice and social media support 

whether through a brick-and-mortar or a virtual model.

4

SYKES.ANNUAL REPORT.2013showcase the disciplines and processes in  

delivering tangible results. In fact, we have a 

center of excellence around this capability and 

have rolled this out to other geographies. 

road map for

2014

As we look to 2014, the global economic  

environment appears to be healing. Because we 

Turning to M&A activity, although it is nothing 

have had a few false dawns, we are looking 

new, it is worth commenting on from time to 

ahead with guarded optimism. After all, we are 

time as it can either reinforce or telegraph a 

heading into midyear congressional elections, 

major shift in our industry. Broadly speaking, 

which could potentially extend sales cycles or 

when it comes to M&A activity, there are  

impact client decision making. That said, 2014 

several drivers at work. In some cases, M&A is 

has some beneficial tailwinds to carry us forward. 

being driven by strategic imperatives on the 

Once again, we are targeting growth from clients 

part of certain sellers to divest non-core customer 

within the communications, financial services, 

care businesses. Or in the case of strategic buyers, 

technology and healthcare verticals, with most 

the motivation is to drive scale in a fragmented 

of the growth coming from existing clients. As 

industry. Or to improve their business mix, 

companies continue to streamline their supply 

which includes, among other things, becoming 

chain through further vendor consolidation and 

more global, adding new geographies and markets, 

seek trusted partners who can deliver consistent 

While M&A activity in our industry is a  

constant, and there have not been any new  

entrants in the marketplace, we believe  

performance, we believe we are extremely well 

positioned to win additional market share,  

particularly given our at-home agent capabilities. 

With the bulk of our major facility upgrades and 

transfers behind us, we will be focused on  

the current spate of M&A does bring greater 

further integrating and optimizing our assets 

operating discipline to the industry.  

and our full spectrum of business processes, 

augmenting client and vertical market portfolios 

and adding a new suite of services. This recent 

round of M&A activity confirms more than it  

from client engagement to service delivery.  

At the same time, we anticipate expansion into 

new geographies even as we take steps to  

introduce new service offerings and further 

monetize our capabilities in the marketplace. 

signals anything new. For the non-core sellers, 

We believe that our industry and our business 

it underscores the discipline required to  

model are solid. As our clients’ customers  

successfully manage the customer contact  

continue to gravitate toward brands that they 

business. Moreover, it suggests that the  

perceive as being synonymous with quality and 

competitive threat posed by systems integrators 

value — and do so at a time when switching costs 

who also offer customer contact services had 

are negligible — the industry’s value proposition 

been overstated. From the view of strategic  

of delivering a great customer experience every 

acquirers, it illuminates the health and the 

time makes our responsibility to serve as  

growth opportunities still present in the industry. 

While M&A activity in our industry is a constant, 

and there have not been any new entrants in 

the marketplace, we believe the current spate 

of M&A does bring greater operating discipline 

to the industry. It further reinforces the impor-

tance of staying focused on our core business. 

And it also underscores making the right and 

on-going investments to differentiate ourselves 

in the marketplace.

5

SYKES.ANNUAL REPORT.2013exemplary brand ambassadors for our clients 

have taken over the last two years, we believe 

even more central. The building blocks of our 

we are strengthening our ability to capitalize on 

business strategy directly address this dynamic, 

opportunities in the marketplace and deliver on 

including a relentless focus on a superior breadth 

our long-term margin potential. 

and depth of service offerings, a diverse vertical 

mix and comprehensive delivery capability — 

all delivered with operational excellence  

reinforced by our low risk profile and solid  

balance sheet. We believe that the steps we have 

taken to further bolster our foundation, including 

the acquisition of Alpine Access, have put us on 

We would like to thank you — our shareholders, 

clients, employees and Board members — for 

your enduring trust and support.

a reliable, long-term path toward sustainable 

Charles E. Sykes

revenue growth, better margins and a significant 

President and Chief Executive Officer

competitive advantage. We also believe that the 

management realignment we announced shortly 

after the close of the Alpine acquisition represents 

a subtle but important enhancement of our  

W. Michael Kipphut 

operating model. In short, with the actions we 

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

6

SYKES.ANNUAL REPORT.2013UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION  
Washington, D.C. 20549  
FORM 10-K  

[X]  Annual Report Pursuant To Section 13 Or 15(d) Of The Securities Exchange Act Of 1934 
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013  
Or 
[  ]  Transition Report Pursuant To Section 13 Or 15(d) Of The Securities Exchange Act Of 1934 
For The Transition Period From           To            

Commission File Number 0-28274  
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated  
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)  

Florida  
(State or other jurisdiction of  
incorporation or organization)  

400 N. Ashley Drive, Suite 2800, Tampa, Florida  
(Address of principal executive offices)  

56-1383460  
(IRS Employer  
Identification No.)  

33602  
(Zip Code)  

(813) 274-1000  
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)  

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

Title of Each Class  
Common Stock $.01 Par Value

Name of each exchange on which registered 
NASDAQ Stock Market, LLC 

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

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  

Yes [  ]                           No [X] 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.  

Yes [  ]                           No [X] 

Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  the  registrant  (1) has  filed  all  reports  required  to  be  filed  by  Section 13  or  15  (d) of  the  Securities 
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), 
and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  

Yes [X]                           No [  ] 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive 
Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 
months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). 

Yes [X]                           No [  ] 

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

Indicate  by  check  mark  whether  the  registrant  is  a  large  accelerated  filer,  an  accelerated  filer,  a  non-accelerated  filer  or  a  smaller 
reporting company. See the definitions of “accelerated filer,”  “large accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of 
the Exchange Act (Check one):  
    Large accelerated filer   [X]          Accelerated filer   [ ]          Non-accelerated filer   [  ]          Smaller reporting company   [  ] 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  

Yes [  ]                           No [X] 

The aggregate market value of the shares of voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant computed by reference to the 
closing sales price of such shares on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on June 28, 2013, the last business day of the Registrant’s most 
recently completed second fiscal quarter, was $668,308,805. 

As of February 12, 2014, there were 43,996,834 outstanding shares of common stock. 

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE: 

Documents .............................................................................................................. 
Portions of the Proxy Statement for the year 2014                                        
Annual Meeting of Shareholders .............................................................................

Form 10-K Reference 

Part III Items 10–14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Business ………………………………………………………………………………………. 
Risk Factors …………………………………………………………………………………... 
Unresolved Staff Comments ………………………………………………………………….. 
Properties ……………………………………………………………………………………... 
Legal Proceedings ……………………………………………………………………………. 
Mine Safety Disclosures …………………………………………………………………....... 

Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer  
     Purchases of Equity Securities ……………………………………………………………. 
Selected Financial Data ………………………………………………………………………. 
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations .. 
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk ……………………………….. 
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data ………………………………………………. 
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure .. 
Controls and Procedures ……………………………………………………………………… 
Other Information …………………………………………………………………………….. 

Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance …………………………………… 
Executive Compensation ……………………………………………………………………... 
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related  
    Shareholder Matters ……………………………………………………………………….. 
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence ………………. 
Principal Accountant Fees and Services ……………………………………………………… 

Page 

3 
12 
19 
20 
21 
21 

22 
24 
25 
43 
45 
45 
45 
47 

47 
47 

47 
47 
47 

Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules …………………………………………………. 

48 

PART I 
Item 1  
Item 1A 
Item 1B 
Item 2 
Item 3 
Item 4 

PART II 
Item 5 

Item 6 
Item 7 
Item 7A 
Item 8 
Item 9 
Item 9A 
Item 9B 

PART III 
Item 10 
Item 11 
Item 12 

Item 13 
Item 14 

PART IV 
Item 15 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 1. Business 

General  

PART I  

Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and consolidated subsidiaries (“SYKES,” “our,” “us” or “we”) is a global leader in 
providing comprehensive outsourced customer contact management solutions and services in the business process 
outsourcing (“BPO”) arena. We provide an array of sophisticated customer contact management solutions to a wide 
range  of  clients  including  Fortune  1000  companies,  medium-sized  businesses  and  public  institutions  around  the 
world,  primarily  in  the  communications,  financial  services,  technology/consumer,  transportation  and  leisure, 
healthcare and other verticals. We serve our clients through two geographic operating regions: the Americas (United 
States,  Canada,  Latin  America,  Australia  and  the  Asia  Pacific  Rim)  and  EMEA  (Europe,  the  Middle  East  and 
Africa).  Our  Americas  and  EMEA  groups  primarily  provide  customer  contact  management  services  (with  an 
emphasis on inbound technical support and customer service), which includes customer assistance, healthcare and 
roadside  assistance,  technical  support  and  product  sales  to  our  clients’  customers.  These  services  are  delivered 
through multiple communication channels including phone, e-mail, social media, text messaging and chat. We also 
provide various enterprise support services in the United States that include services for our clients’ internal support 
operations, from technical staffing services to outsourced corporate help desk services. In Europe, we also provide 
fulfillment  services  including  multilingual  sales  order  processing  via  the  Internet  and  phone,  inventory  control, 
product  delivery  and  product  returns  handling.  (See  Note  27,  Segments  and  Geographic  Information,  of  the 
accompanying  “Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements”  for  further  information  on  our  segments.)  Our 
complete  service  offering  helps  our  clients  acquire,  retain  and  increase  the  lifetime  value  of  their  customer 
relationships. We have developed an extensive global reach with customer contact management centers across six 
continents, including North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. We deliver cost-effective 
solutions that enhance the customer service experience, promote stronger brand loyalty, and bring about high levels 
of performance and profitability. 

SYKES was founded in 1977 in North Carolina and we moved our headquarters to Florida in 1993. In March 1996, 
we changed our state of incorporation from North Carolina to Florida. Our headquarters are located at 400 North 
Ashley Drive, Suite 2800, Tampa, Florida 33602, and our telephone number is (813) 274-1000.  

Our  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K,  Quarterly  Reports  on  Form  10-Q,  Current  Reports  on  Form  8-K,  and 
amendments to those reports, as well as our proxy statements and other materials which are filed with, or furnished 
to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) are made available, free of charge, on or through our Internet 
website  at  www.sykes.com  (click  on  “Investor  Relations”  and  then  “SEC  Filings”  under  the  heading  “Financial 
Information”) as soon as reasonably practicable after they are filed with, or furnished to, the SEC.  

Industry Overview  

The  customer  contact  management  industry  is  highly  fragmented  and  significant  in  size.  According  to  Ovum,  an 
industry research firm, the total number of individuals, or agent positions (“APs”), working in the customer contact 
management  industry  worldwide  was  estimated  at  roughly  9.2  million  in  2013.  With  approximately  80%  of  the 
customer  contact  work  done  by  in-house  contact  centers,  the  number  of  APs  working  for  outsourcers  such  as 
SYKES, was estimated at 1.9 million in 2013. Both the outsourced and total APs are forecasted by Ovum to grow at 
compound  annual  growth  rate  of  5.2%  and  3.1%,  respectively,  from  2013  to  2018.  It  is  estimated  that  no  single 
outsourcer  has  more  than  five  percent  of  the  total  APs  worldwide.  Measured  in  dollar  terms,  the  size  of  the 
outsourced portion of the customer contact management industry worldwide was estimated at $58 billion in 2012, 
according  to  International  Data  Corporation  (“IDC”),  an  industry  research  firm.  IDC  also  estimates  that  the 
outsourced  portion  of  the  customer  contact  industry  is  expected  to  grow  to  $76.8  billion  by  2017,  a  compound 
annual growth rate of 5.8% from 2012 to 2017. 

We believe that growth for outsourced customer contact management solutions and services will be fueled by the 
trend of global Fortune 1000 companies and medium-sized businesses utilizing outsourcers. In today’s marketplace, 
companies  require  innovative  customer  contact  management  solutions  that  allow  them  to  enhance  the  end  user’s 
experience  with  their products  and  services,  strengthen  and  enhance  their  company  brands,  maximize  the  lifetime 
value  of  their  customers,  efficiently  and  effectively  deliver  human  interaction  when  customers  value  it  most,  and 
deploy  best-in-class  customer  management  strategies,  processes  and  technologies.  However,  a  myriad  of  factors, 
among  them  intense  global  competition,  pricing  pressures,  softness  in  the  global  economy  and  rapid  changes  in 
3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
technology, continue to make it difficult for companies to cost-effectively maintain the in-house personnel necessary 
to handle all of their customer contact management needs.  

To address these needs, we offer comprehensive global customer contact management solutions that leverage both 
brick-and-mortar  and  virtual  delivery  infrastructure.    We  provide  consistent  high-value  support  for  our  clients’ 
customers  across  the  globe  in  a  multitude  of  languages,  leveraging  our  dynamic,  secure  communications 
infrastructure  and  our  global  footprint  that  reaches  across  20  countries.  This  global  footprint  includes  established 
brick-and-mortar operations in both onshore and offshore geographic markets where companies have access to high-
quality customer contact management solutions at lower costs compared to other markets.  We further complement 
our  brick-and-mortar  global  delivery  model  with  a  highly  differentiated  and  ready-made  best-in-class  virtual  at-
home agent delivery model, which we acquired through the Alpine acquisition in August of 2012.  By working in 
partnership  with  outsourcers,  companies  can  ensure  that  the  crucial  task  of  retaining  and  growing  their  customer 
base is addressed while creating operating flexibility, enabling focus on their core competencies, ensuring service 
excellence and execution, achieving cost savings through a variable cost structure, leveraging scale, entering niche 
markets speedily, and efficiently allocating capital within their organizations. 

Business Strategy 

Our goal is to provide enhanced and value-added customer contact management solutions and services, acting as a 
partner in our clients’ business. We seek to anticipate trends and deliver new ways of growing our clients’ customer 
satisfaction and retention rates, and thus profit, through timely, insightful and proven solutions. 

Our  business  strategy  encompasses  building  long-term  client  relationships,  capitalizing  on  our  expert  worldwide 
response  team,  leveraging  our  depth  of  relevant  experience  and  expanding  both  organically  and  through 
acquisitions. The principles of this strategy include the following:  

Build  Long-Term  Client  Relationships  Through  Customer  Service  Excellence.  We  believe  that  providing  high-
value, high-quality service is critical in our clients’ decisions to outsource and in building long-term relationships 
with  our  clients.  To  ensure  service  excellence  and  consistency  across  each  of  our  centers  globally,  we  leverage  a 
portfolio of techniques, including SYKES Science of Service®. This standard is a compilation of more than 30 years 
of experience and best practices. Every customer contact management center strives to meet or exceed the standard, 
which addresses leadership, hiring and training, performance management down to the agent level, forecasting and 
scheduling, and the client relationship including continuous improvement, disaster recovery plans and feedback.  

Capitalize on Our Worldwide Response Team. Companies are demanding a customer contact management solution 
that  is  global  in  nature  —  one  of  our  key  strengths.  In  addition  to  our  network  of  customer  contact  management 
centers  throughout  North  America,  Australia  and  Europe,  we  continue  to  develop  our  global  delivery  model  with 
offshore  and  near-shore  operations  in  The  Philippines,  the  People’s  Republic  of  China,  India,  Costa  Rica,  El 
Salvador,  Mexico,  Brazil,  Egypt  and  Romania,  offering  our  clients  a  secure,  high-quality  solution  tailored  to  the 
needs  of  their diverse  and global  markets.   Furthermore, we  are  leveraging our  expansive  virtual  infrastructure  to 
deliver home-based agent solutions to our clients across North America. 

Maintain  a  Competitive  Advantage  Through  Technology  Solutions.  For  more  than  30  years,  we  have  been  an 
innovative  pioneer  in  delivering  customer  contact  management  solutions.  We  seek  to  maintain  a  competitive 
advantage and differentiation by utilizing technology to consistently deliver innovative service solutions, ultimately 
enhancing  the  client’s  relationship  with  its  customers  and  generating  revenue  growth.    This  includes  knowledge 
solutions  for  agents  and  end  customers,  automatic  call  distributors,  interactive  voice  response  systems,  intelligent 
call  routing  and  workforce  management  capabilities  based  on  agent  skill  and  availability,  call  tracking  software, 
quality  management  systems  and  computer-telephony  integration  (“CTI”).  CTI enables  our  customer  contact 
management centers to serve as transparent extensions of our clients, receive telephone calls and data directly from 
our  clients’  systems,  and  report  detailed  information  concerning  the  status  and  results  of  our  services  on  a  daily 
basis.   

Through  strategic  technology  relationships,  we  are  able  to  provide  fully  integrated  communication  services 
encompassing  e-mail,  chat,  text  messaging  and  social  media  platforms.  In  addition,  we  utilize  Global  Direct,  our 
customer  relationship  management  (“CRM”)/e-commerce  application  for  our  European  fulfillment  operations. 
Global Direct establishes a platform whereby our clients can manage all customer profile and contact information 
from every communication channel, making it a viable customer-facing infrastructure solution to support their CRM 
initiatives. 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We are also continuing to capitalize on sophisticated technological capabilities, including our digital private network 
that  provides  us  the  ability  to  manage  call  volumes  more  efficiently  by  load  balancing  calls  and  data  between 
customer contact management centers over the same network. Our converged voice and data digital communications 
network  provides  a  high-quality,  fault-tolerant  global  network  for  the  transport  of  Voice  Over  Internet  Protocol 
communications and fully integrates with emergent Internet Protocol telephony systems as well as traditional Time 
Domain  Multiplexing  telephony  systems.  Our  flexible,  secure  and  scalable  network  infrastructure  allows  us  to 
rapidly  respond  to  changes  in  client  voice  and  data  traffic  and  quickly  establish  support  operations  for  new  and 
existing clients.  

Continue  to  Grow  Our  Business  Organically  and  through  Acquisitions.  We  have  grown  our  customer  contact 
management outsourcing operations utilizing a strategy of both internal organic growth and external acquisitions.  

Our organic growth  strategy is  to  target  markets,  clients, verticals, delivery  geographies  and service mix  that  will 
expand our addressable market opportunity, and thus drive our organic growth.  Entry into Brazil, Romania, Egypt 
and El Salvador are examples of how we leveraged these delivery geographies to further penetrate our base of both 
existing and new clients, verticals and service mix in order to drive organic growth.   

Strategic Rationale for the Alpine Acquisition 

We completed the acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc. (“Alpine”) in August 2012. The Alpine acquisition, through 
use of at-home agents rather than agents who work at brick-and-mortar centers: 

•  Creates significant competitive differentiation for quality, speed to market, scalability and flexibility driven 
by  proprietary,  internally-developed  software,  systems,  processes  and  other  intellectual  property  which 
uniquely overcome the challenges of the at-home delivery model; 

•  Dramatically  strengthens  the  Company’s  current  service  portfolio  and  go-to-market  offering  while 

expanding the breadth of clients with minimal client overlap;  

•  Broadens the addressable market opportunity within existing and new verticals as well as clients; 
•  Expands the addressable pool of skilled labor; 
•  Allows  SYKES  to  leverage  operational  best  practices  across  its  global  platform,  with  the  potential  to 

convert more of the fixed cost to variable cost; and 

•  Further enhances the growth profile of SYKES to drive shareholder value. 

Growth Strategy 

Applying the key principles of our business strategy, we execute our growth strategy by focusing on the following 
levers.  

Maximizing Capacity Utilization Rates and Strategically Adding Seat Capacity. Revenues and profitability growth 
is driven by increasing the capacity utilization rate in conjunction with seat capacity additions. We plan to sustain 
our focus on increasing the capacity utilization rate by further penetrating existing clients, adding new clients and 
rationalizing underutilized seat capacity as deemed necessary.  With greater operating flexibility resulting from the 
Alpine acquisition, we can rationalize underutilized capacity more efficiently and drive capacity utilization rates.   

Broadening Global Delivery Footprint. Just as increased capacity utilization rates and increased seat capacity are 
key  drivers  of  our  revenues  and  profitability  growth,  where  we  deploy  the  seat  capacity  geographically  is  also 
important.  By  broadening  and  continuously  strengthening  our  brick-and-mortar  global  delivery  footprint,  we  are 
able  to  meet  both  our  existing  and  new  clients’  customer  contact  management  needs  globally  as  they  enter  new 
markets.  At  the  end  of  2013,  our  global  delivery  footprint  spanned  20  countries.  As  a  multi-channel  provider  of 
phone,  e-mail,  social  media,  text  messaging  and  chat  customer  contact  management  services,  we  provide 
comprehensive customer contact management solutions through our recently acquired best-in-class virtual at-home 
agent  offering,  which  further  augments  and  strengthens  our  existing  brick-and-mortar  global  delivery  footprint. 
Additionally,  with  the  rapid  emergence  of  on-line  communities,  Facebook  and  Twitter,  we  continue  to  make  on-
going investments in our social media service offerings, which can be leveraged across both our brick-and-mortar 
and at-home agent delivery platforms. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Increasing  Share  of  Seats  Within  Existing  Clients  and  Winning  New  Clients.  We  provide  customer  contact 
management support to numerous multinational companies. With this client list, we have the opportunity to grow 
our client base. We strive to achieve this by winning a greater share of our clients’ in-house seats as well as gaining 
share  from  our  competitors  by  providing  consistently  high-quality  service  as  clients  continue  to  consolidate  their 
vendor  base.  In  addition,  as  we  further  leverage  our  highly  differentiated  virtual  customer  contact  delivery 
capability, along with the knowledge of verticals and business lines, we plan to win new clients as a way to broaden 
our base of growth. 

Diversifying Verticals and Expanding Service Lines.  To mitigate the impact of any negative economic and product 
cycles  on  our  growth  rate,  we  continue  to  seek  ways  to  diversify  into  verticals  and  service  lines  that  have 
countercyclical  features  and  healthy  growth  rates.   We  are  targeting  the  following  verticals  for  growth:  
communications, financial services, technology/consumer, healthcare and transportation and leisure.  These verticals 
cover  various  business  lines,  including  wireless  services,  broadband,  retail  banking,  credit  card/consumer  fraud 
protection, content moderation, telemedicine and travel portals.  

Creating Value-Added Service Enhancements.  To improve both revenue and margin expansion, we will continue 
to introduce new service offerings and add-on enhancements.  Bilingual customer support and back office services 
are examples of horizontal service offerings, while data analytics and process improvement products are examples 
of add-on enhancements. 

Continuing  to  Focus  on  Expanding  the  Addressable  Market  Opportunities.    As  part  of our  growth strategy,  we 
continually seek to expand the number of markets we serve. The United States, Canada and Germany, for instance, 
are  markets  which  are  served  by  in-country  centers,  centers  in  offshore  regions  or  a  combination  thereof.    We 
continually  seek  ways  to  broaden  the  addressable  market  for  our  customer  contact  management  services.    We 
currently operate in 15 markets. 

Services 

We  specialize  in  providing  inbound  outsourced  customer  contact  management  solutions  in  the  BPO  arena  on  a 
global  basis.  Our  customer  contact  management  services  are  provided  through  two  reportable  segments  —  the 
Americas  and  EMEA.  The  Americas  region,  representing  83.2%  of  consolidated  revenues  in  2013,  includes  the 
United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia and the Asia Pacific Rim. The sites within Latin America and the 
Asia Pacific Rim are included in the Americas region as they provide a significant service delivery vehicle for U.S.-
based  companies  that  are  utilizing  our  customer  contact  management  solutions  in  these  locations  to  support  their 
customer  care  needs.  In  addition,  the  Americas  region  also  includes  revenues  from  our  virtual  customer  contact 
solution, which serves markets in both the U.S. and Canada. The EMEA region, representing 16.8% of consolidated 
revenues in 2013, includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa. See Note 27, Segments and Geographic Information, 
of  the  accompanying  “Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements”  for  further  information  on  our  segments.  The 
following is a description of our customer contact management solutions:  

Outsourced  Customer  Contact  Management  Services.  Our  outsourced  customer  contact  management  services 
represented approximately 98.2% of total 2013 consolidated revenues. Each year since 2008, we have handled over 
250  million  customer  contacts  including  phone,  e-mail,  social  media,  text  messaging  and  chat  throughout  the 
Americas and EMEA regions. We provide these services utilizing our advanced technology infrastructure, human 
resource management skills and industry experience. These services include:  

•  Customer  care  —  Customer  care  contacts  primarily  include  product  information  requests,  describing 
product  features,  activating  customer  accounts,  resolving  complaints,  cross-selling/up-selling,  handling 
billing inquiries, changing addresses, claims handling, ordering/reservations, prequalification and warranty 
management, providing health information and roadside assistance; 

•  Technical support — Technical support contacts primarily include handling inquiries regarding hardware, 
software,  communications  services,  communications  equipment,  Internet  access  technology  and  Internet 
portal usage; and 

•  Customer acquisition — Our customer acquisition services are primarily focused on inbound up-selling of 

our clients’ products and services. 

6 

 
    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We  provide  these  services,  primarily  inbound  customer  calls,  through  our  extensive  global  network  of  customer 
contact management centers in many languages. Our technology infrastructure and managed service solutions allow 
for effective distribution of calls to one or more centers. These technology offerings provide our clients and us with 
the leading edge tools needed to maximize quality and customer satisfaction while controlling and minimizing costs. 

Fulfillment  Services.  In  Europe,  we  offer  fulfillment  services  that  are  integrated  with  our  customer  care  and 
technical support services. Our fulfillment solutions include multilingual sales order processing via the Internet and 
phone, payment processing, inventory control, product delivery and product returns handling.  

Enterprise  Support  Services.  In  the  United  States,  we  provide  a  range  of  enterprise  support  services  including 
technical staffing services and outsourced corporate help desk solutions.     

Operations  

Customer  Contact  Management  Centers.  We  operate  across  20  countries  in  72  customer  contact  management 
centers,  which  breakdown  as  follows:  18  centers  across  Europe  and  Egypt,  22  centers  in  the  United  States,  10 
centers  in  Canada,  4  centers  in  Australia  and  18  centers  offshore,  including  the  People’s  Republic  of  China,  The 
Philippines,  Costa  Rica,  El  Salvador,  India,  Mexico  and  Brazil.  In  addition  to  our  customer  contact  management 
centers, we employ approximately 7,500 virtual customer contact agents across 40 states in the U.S. and across eight 
provinces in Canada. 

We  utilize  a  sophisticated  workforce  management  system  to  provide  efficient  scheduling  of  personnel.  Our 
internally developed digital private communications network complements our workforce by allowing for effective 
call  volume  management  and  disaster  recovery  backup.  Through  this  network  and  our  dynamic  intelligent  call 
routing capabilities, we can rapidly respond to changes in client call volumes and move call volume traffic based on 
agent availability and skill throughout our network of centers, improving the responsiveness and productivity of our 
agents. We also can offer cost competitive solutions for taking calls to our offshore locations.  

Our  data  warehouse  captures  and  downloads  customer  contact  information  for  reporting  on  a  daily,  real-time  and 
historical basis. This data provides our clients with direct visibility into the services that we are providing for them. 
The data warehouse supplies information for our performance management systems such as our agent scorecarding 
application, which provides us with the information required for effective management of our operations.  

Our  customer  contact  management  centers  are  protected  by  a  fire  extinguishing  system,  backup  generators  with 
significant capacity and 24 hour refueling contracts and short-term battery backups in the event of a power outage, 
reduced voltage or a power surge. Rerouting of call volumes to other customer contact management centers is also 
available in the event of a telecommunications failure, natural disaster or other emergency. Security measures are 
imposed to prevent unauthorized physical access. Software and related data files are backed up daily and stored off 
site  at  multiple  locations.  We  carry  business  interruption  insurance  covering  interruptions  that  might  occur  as  a 
result of certain types of damage to our business.  

Fulfillment  Centers.  We  currently  have  two  fulfillment  centers  located  in  Europe.  We  provide  our  fulfillment 
services primarily to certain clients operating in Europe who desire this complementary service in connection with 
outsourced customer contact management services.  

Enterprise  Support  Services  Offices.  Our  enterprise  support  services  office,  located  in  a  metropolitan  area  in  the 
United States, provides a recruiting platform for high-end knowledge workers and to establish a local presence to 
service major accounts.  

7 

 
 
 
     
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Quality Assurance  

We  believe  that  providing  consistent  high-quality  service  is  critical  in  our  clients’  decision  to  outsource  and  in 
building  long-term  relationships  with  our  clients.  It  is  also  our  belief  and  commitment  that  quality  is  the 
responsibility  of  each  individual  at  every  level  of  the  organization.  To  ensure  service  excellence  and  continuity 
across  our  organization,  we  have  developed  an  integrated  Quality  Assurance  program  consisting  of  three  major 
components:  

•  The  certification  of  client  accounts  and  customer  contact  management  centers  to  the  SYKES  Science  of 

Service®  program; 

•  The application of continuous improvement through application of our Data Analytics techniques; and 
•  The application of process audits to all work procedures. 

The SYKES Science of Service® is a standard that was developed based on our more than 30 years of experience, 
and  best  practices  from  industry  standards  such  as  the  Malcolm  Baldrige  National  Quality  Award  and  Customer 
Operations  Performance  Center.  It  specifies  the  requirements  that  must  be  met  in  each  of  our  customer  contact 
management  centers  including  measured  performance  against  our  standard  operating  procedures.  It  has  a  well-
defined auditing process that ensures compliance with the SYKES’ standards. Our focus is on quality, predictability 
and consistency over time, not just point in time certification. 

The application of continuous improvement is based upon our suite of data analytics techniques that we have fine-
tuned to apply specifically to our service industry. All managers are responsible for continuous improvement in their 
operations.  

Process audits are used to verify that processes and procedures are consistently executed as required by established 
documentation. Process audits are applicable to services being provided for the client and internal procedures.  

Sales and Marketing  

Our  sales  and  marketing  objective  is  to  leverage  our  expertise  and  global  presence  to  develop  long-term 
relationships with existing and future clients. Our customer contact management solutions have been developed to 
help our clients acquire, retain and increase the value of their customer relationships. Our plans for increasing our 
visibility  include  market-focused  advertising,  consultative  personal  visits,  participation  in  market-specific  trade 
shows and seminars, speaking engagements, articles and white papers, and our website. 

Our sales force is composed of business development managers who pursue new business opportunities and strategic 
account managers who manage and grow relationships with existing accounts. We emphasize account development 
to strengthen relationships with existing clients. Business development management and strategic account managers 
are  assigned  to  markets  in  their  area  of  expertise  in  order  to  develop  a  complete  understanding  of  each  client’s 
particular needs, to form strong client relationships and encourage cross-selling of our other service offerings. We 
have  inside  customer  sales  representatives  who  receive  customer  inquiries  and  who  provide  outbound  lead 
generation  for  the  business  development  managers.  We  also  have  relationships  with  channel  partners  including 
systems  integrators,  software  and  hardware  vendors  and  value-added  resellers,  where  we  pair  our  solutions  and 
services with their product offering or focus. We plan to maintain and expand these relationships as part of our sales 
and marketing strategy. 

As  part  of  our  marketing  efforts,  we  invite  existing  and  potential  clients  to  experience  our  customer  contact 
management centers and virtual delivery operations, where we can demonstrate the expertise of our skilled staff in 
partnering to deliver new ways of growing clients’ customer satisfaction and retention rates, and thus profit, through 
timely,  insightful  and  proven  solutions.  During  these  experiences,  we  demonstrate  our  ability  to  quickly  and 
effectively support a new client or scale business from an existing client by emphasizing our systematic approach to 
implementing customer contact solutions throughout the world.  

Clients 

We provide service to clients from our locations in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Australia, the Asia 
Pacific Rim, Europe and Africa. These clients are Fortune 1000 corporations, medium-sized businesses and public 
institutions,  which  span  the  communications,  financial  services,  technology/consumer,  transportation  and  leisure, 
healthcare and other industries. Revenue by vertical market for 2013, as a percentage of our consolidated revenues, 
8 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
was 35% for communications, 28% for financial services, 16% for technology/consumer, 8% for transportation and 
leisure, 6% for healthcare, 2% for retail and 5% for all other vertical markets, including government and utilities. 
We believe our globally recognized client base presents opportunities for further cross marketing of our services. 

Total  revenues  by  segment  from  AT&T  Corporation,  a  major  provider  of  communication  services  for  which  we 
provide various customer support services, were as follows (in thousands): 

Amount

Americas……………
EM EA………………

$        

162,888
3,513
166,401

$        

2013

% of Revenues
12.9%
0.3%
13.2%

Years Ended December 31,
2012

Amount

$        

$        

130,072
3,018
133,090

% of Revenues
11.5%
0.3%
11.8%

Amount

$        

$        

129,331
3,343
132,674

2011

% of Revenues
11.1%
0.2%
11.3%

We  have  multiple  distinct  contracts  with  AT&T  spread  across  multiple  lines  of  businesses,  including  a  master 
services agreement that expires in 2017 and various statements of work, which expire at varying dates between 2014 
and 2015. We have historically renewed most of these contracts. However, there is no assurance that these contracts 
will  be  renewed,  or  if  renewed,  will  be  on  terms  as  favorable  as  the  existing  contracts.  Each  line  of  business  is 
governed  by  separate  business  terms,  conditions  and  metrics.  Each  line  of  business  also  has  a  separate  decision 
maker  such  that  a  loss  of  one  line  of  business  would  not  necessarily  impact  our  relationship  with  the  client  and 
decision makers on other lines of business. The loss of (or the failure to retain a significant amount of business with) 
any  of  our  key  clients,  including  AT&T,  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  performance.  Many  of  our 
contracts contain penalty provisions for failure to meet minimum service levels and are cancelable by the client at 
any  time  or  on  short  notice.  Also,  clients  may  unilaterally  reduce  their  use  of  our  services  under  our  contracts 
without penalty. 

Total revenues from our next largest client, which was in the financial services vertical market, were as follows (in 
thousands): 

2013

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

Next largest client …

$          

73,226

Amount

% of Revenues
5.8%

Amount

$          

70,311

% of Revenues
6.2%

Amount

$          

65,783

% of Revenues
5.6%

Our top ten clients accounted for approximately 45.9%, 47.8% and 45.4% of our consolidated revenues during the 
years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. 

Competition  

The  industry  in  which  we  operate  is  global  and,  therefore,  highly  fragmented  and  extremely  competitive.  While 
many  companies  provide  customer  contact  management  solutions  and  services,  we  believe  no  one  company  is 
dominant in the industry.  

In  most  cases,  our  principal  competition  stems  from  our  existing  and  potential  clients’  in-house  customer  contact 
management operations. When it is not the in-house operations of a client or potential client, our public and private 
direct competition includes TeleTech, Sitel, Convergys, iQor, Concentrix, Alorica, West Corporation, Aegis Global, 
Sutherland,  24/7  Customer,  StarTek,  Atento,  Teleperformance,  Transcom,  Expert  Global  Solutions,  LiveOps, 
Working  Solutions  and  Arise,  as  well  as  the  customer  care  arm  of  such  companies  as  Accenture,  Xerox,  Wipro, 
Infosys  and  Mahindra  Satyam,  among  others.  There  are  other  numerous  and  varied  providers  of  such  services, 
including firms specializing in various CRM consulting, other customer management solutions providers, niche or 
large market companies, as well as product distribution companies that provide fulfillment services. Some of these 
companies possess substantially greater resources, greater name recognition and a more established customer base 
than we do.  

We  believe  that  the  most  significant  competitive  factors  in  the  sale  of  outsourced  customer  contact  management 
services include service quality, tailored value-added service offerings, industry experience, advanced technological 
capabilities,  global  coverage,  reliability,  scalability,  security,  price  and  financial  strength.  As  a  result  of  intense 
competition,  outsourced  customer  contact  management  solutions  and  services  frequently  are  subject  to  pricing 
9 

 
 
 
              
              
              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
pressure.  Clients  also  require  outsourcers  to  be  able  to  provide  services  in  multiple  locations.  Competition  for 
contracts for many of our services takes the form of competitive bidding in response to requests for proposal.  

Intellectual Property 

The success of our business depends, in part, on our proprietary technology and intellectual property. We rely on a 
combination of intellectual property laws and contractual arrangements to protect our intellectual property. We and 
our subsidiaries have registered various trademarks and service marks in the U.S. and/or other countries, including 
SYKES®,  REAL  PEOPLE. REAL  SOLUTIONS®,  SYKES HOME®,  SYKES HOME  POWERED  BY  ALPINE 
ACCESS®, SCIENCE OF SERVICE®, ICT®, SOUND OF SERVICE®, ONEVIEW®, ALPINE ACCESS® and 
ALPINE ACCESS UNIVERSITY®. The duration of trademark and service mark registrations varies from country 
to  country  but  may  generally  be  renewed  indefinitely  as  long  as  the  marks  are  in  use  and  their  registrations  are 
properly  maintained.  Our  subsidiary,  Alpine,  was  issued  U.S.  Patent  No.  8,565,413  in  2013  which  relates  to  a 
system and method for establishment and management of a remote agent call center.  Alpine has several additional 
pending U.S. patent applications. 

Employees 

As  of  January  31,  2014,  we  had  approximately  47,900  employees  worldwide,  including  37,200  customer  contact 
agents  handling  technical  and  customer  support  inquiries  at  our  centers,  7,500  at-home  customer  contact  agents 
handling  technical  and  customer  support  inquiries,  3,000  in  management,  administration,  information  technology, 
finance,  sales  and  marketing  roles,  100  in  enterprise  support  services  and  100  in  fulfillment  services.  Our 
employees, with the exception of approximately 700 employees in Brazil and various European countries, are not 
union  members  and  we  have  never  suffered  a  material  interruption  of  business  as  a  result  of  a  labor  dispute.  We 
consider our relations with our employees worldwide to be satisfactory.  

We employ personnel through a continually updated recruiting network. This network includes a seasoned team of 
recruiters, competency-based selection standards and the sharing of global best practices in order to advertise and 
source qualified candidates through proven recruiting techniques. Nonetheless, demand for qualified professionals 
with  the  required  language  and  technical  skills  may  still  exceed  supply  at  times  as  new  skills  are  needed  to  keep 
pace  with  the  requirements  of  customer  engagements.  As  such,  competition  for  such  personnel  is  intense.  
Additionally, employee turnover in our industry is high. 

Executive Officers  

The following table provides the names and ages of our executive officers, and the positions and offices currently 
held by each of them:   

Name 
Charles E. Sykes  
W. Michael Kipphut   
Christopher M. Carrington 
Lawrence R. Zingale 
Jenna R. Nelson  
Daniel L. Hernandez  
David L. Pearson 
James T. Holder 
William N. Rocktoff   

Age           Principal Position
51  
60 
52 
58 
50  
47 
55 
55 
51  

President and Chief Executive Officer and Director 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer  
Executive Vice President, Global Delivery  
Executive Vice President, General Manager of Major Markets 
Executive Vice President, Human Resources 
Executive Vice President, Global Strategy  
Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer 
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary 
Global Vice President and Corporate Controller  

Charles  E.  Sykes  joined  SYKES  in  1986  and  was  named  President  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Director  in 
August 2004.  From July 2003 to August 2004, Mr. Sykes was the Chief Operating Officer. From March 2000 to 
June 2001, Mr. Sykes was Senior Vice President, Marketing, and in June 2001, he was appointed to the position of 
General Manager, Senior Vice President — the Americas. From December 1996 to March 2000, he served as Vice 
President, Sales, and held the position of Regional Manager of the Midwest Region for Professional Services from 
1992 until 1996.  

10 

 
 
   
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
W. Michael Kipphut, C.P.A., joined SYKES in March 2000 as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and was 
named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in June 2001. In May 2010, he was named Executive Vice 
President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer.  From  September 1998  to  February  2000,  Mr. Kipphut  held  the  position  of 
Vice  President  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  for  USA  Floral  Products,  Inc.,  a  publicly-held,  worldwide,  perishable 
products distributor. From September 1994 until September 1998, Mr. Kipphut held the position of Vice President 
and  Treasurer  for  Spalding  &  Evenflo  Companies,  Inc.,  a  global  manufacturer  of  consumer  products.  Previously, 
Mr. Kipphut  held  various  financial  positions,  including  Vice  President  and  Treasurer,  in  his  17 years  at  Tyler 
Corporation, a publicly-held, diversified holding company.  

Christopher  M. Carrington  joined  SYKES  in  August  2012  and  assumed  the  post  of  Executive  Vice  President, 
Global  Delivery  in  September  2012.  Prior  to  his  role  at  SYKES,  Mr.  Carrington  served  as  a  board  member  and 
President  and  CEO  of  Alpine  Access,  a  market  leader  in  the  virtual  contact  center  solutions  and  services  market. 
Prior  to  joining  Alpine  Access,  Mr.  Carrington  served  as  President  of  Americas  Outsourcing  Services  for 
Capgemini, President and CEO of the Interlink Group and President of the Americas E-business consulting practice 
for EDS.  

Lawrence  R.  Zingale  joined  SYKES  in  January  2006  as  Senior  Vice  President,  Global  Sales  and  Client 
Management. In May 2010, he was named Executive Vice President, Global Sales and Client Management and in 
September 2012, he was named Executive Vice President and General Manager of Major Markets. Prior to joining 
SYKES, Mr. Zingale served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of StarTek, Inc. since 2002. 
From  December  1999  until  November  2001,  Mr.  Zingale  served  as  President  of  the  Americas  at  Stonehenge 
Telecom, Inc. From May 1997 until November 1999, Mr. Zingale served as President and Chief Operating Officer 
of International Community Marketing. From February 1980 until May 1997, Mr. Zingale held various senior level 
positions at AT&T.  

Jenna  R.  Nelson  joined  SYKES  in  August 1993  and  was  named  Senior  Vice  President,  Human  Resources,  in 
July 2001. In May 2010, she was named Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources. From January 2001 
until July 2001, Ms. Nelson held the position of Vice President, Human Resources. In August 1998, Ms. Nelson was 
appointed  Vice  President,  Human  Resources,  and  held  the  position  of  Director,  Human  Resources  and 
Administration, from August 1996 to July 1998. From August 1993 until July 1996, Ms. Nelson served in various 
management positions within SYKES, including Director of Administration.  

Daniel  L.  Hernandez  joined  SYKES  in  October 2003  as  Senior  Vice  President,  Global  Strategy  overseeing 
marketing, public relations, operational strategy and corporate development efforts worldwide. In May 2010, he was 
named Executive Vice President, Global Strategy. Prior to joining SYKES, Mr. Hernandez served as President and 
Chief Executive Officer of SBC Internet Services, a division of SBC Communications Inc., since March 2000. From 
February 1998  to  March 2000,  Mr. Hernandez  held  the  position  of  Vice  President/General  Manager,  Internet  and 
System Operations, at Ameritech Interactive Media Services. Prior to February 1998, Mr. Hernandez held various 
management positions at US West Communications since joining the telecommunications provider in 1990.  

David L. Pearson joined SYKES in February 1997 as Vice President, Engineering, and was named Vice President, 
Technology  Systems  Management,  in  2000  and  Senior  Vice  President  and  Chief  Information  Officer  in  August 
2004.  In May 2010, he was named Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer. Prior to SYKES, Mr. 
Pearson held various engineering and technical management roles over a fifteen year period, including eight years at 
Compaq Computer Corporation and five years at Texas Instruments.  

James T. Holder, J.D., joined SYKES in December 2000 as General Counsel and was named Corporate Secretary 
in January 2001, Vice President in January 2004 and Senior Vice President in December 2006. In May 2010, he was 
named  Executive  Vice  President.  From  November  1999  until  November  2000,  Mr.  Holder  served  in  a  consulting 
capacity  as  Special  Counsel  to  Checkers  Drive-In  Restaurants,  Inc.,  a  publicly  held  restaurant  operator  and 
franchisor.  From  November  1993  until  November  1999,  Mr.  Holder  served  in  various  capacities  at  Checkers 
including Corporate Secretary, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President and General Counsel.  

William N. Rocktoff, C.P.A., joined SYKES in August 1997 as Corporate Controller and was named Treasurer and 
Corporate  Controller  in  December  1999  and  Vice  President  and  Corporate  Controller  in  March  2002.  In  January 
2011, he was named Global Vice President and Corporate Controller. From November 1989 to August 1997, Mr. 
Rocktoff held various financial positions, including Corporate Controller, at Kimmins Corporation, a publicly-held 
contracting company.  

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 1A. Risk Factors 

Factors Influencing Future Results and Accuracy of Forward-Looking Statements 

This  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K  contains  forward-looking  statements  (within  the  meaning  of  the  Private 
Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995)  that  are  based  on  current  expectations,  estimates,  forecasts,  and 
projections  about  us,  our  beliefs,  and  assumptions  made  by  us.  In  addition,  we  may  make  other  written  or  oral 
statements,  which  constitute  forward-looking  statements,  from  time  to  time.  Words  such  as  “may,”  “expects,” 
“projects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words, and similar 
expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Similarly, statements that describe our future 
plans,  objectives  or  goals  also  are  forward-looking  statements.  These  statements  are  not  guarantees  of  future 
performance and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and elsewhere 
in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our actual results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted 
in  such  forward-looking  statements,  and  undue  reliance  should  not  be  placed  on  such  statements.  All  forward-
looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking 
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.  

Factors  that  could  cause  actual  results  to  differ  materially  from  what  is  expressed  or  forecasted  in  such  forward-
looking statements include, but are not limited to: the marketplace’s continued receptivity to our terms and elements 
of services offered under our standardized contract for future bundled service offerings; our ability to continue the 
growth  of  our  service  revenues  through  additional  customer  contact  management  centers;  our  ability  to  further 
penetrate into vertically integrated markets; our ability to expand revenues within the global markets; our ability to 
continue to establish a competitive advantage through sophisticated technological capabilities, and the following risk 
factors:  

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry 

Unfavorable general economic conditions could negatively impact our operating results and financial condition. 

Unfavorable general economic conditions could negatively affect our business. While it is often difficult to predict 
the impact of general economic conditions on our business, these conditions could adversely affect the demand for 
some of our clients’ products and services and, in turn, could cause a decline in the demand for our services. Also, 
our  clients  may  not  be  able  to  obtain  adequate  access  to  credit,  which  could  affect  their  ability  to  make  timely 
payments to us. If that were to occur, we could be required to increase our allowance for doubtful accounts, and the 
number of days outstanding for our accounts receivable could increase. In addition, we may not be able to renew our 
revolving credit facility at terms that are as favorable as those terms available under our current credit facility. Also, 
the  group  of  lenders  under  our  credit  facility  may  not  be  able  to  fulfill  their  funding  obligations,  which  could 
adversely  impact  our  liquidity.  For  these  reasons,  among  others,  if  unfavorable  economic  conditions  persist  or 
decline, this could adversely affect our revenues, operating results and financial condition, as well as our ability to 
access debt under comparable terms and conditions.  

Our business is dependent on key clients, and the loss of a key client could adversely affect our business and 
results of operations.  

We  derive  a  substantial  portion  of  our  revenues  from  a  few  key  clients.  Our  top  ten  clients  accounted  for 
approximately 45.9% of our consolidated revenues in 2013.  The loss of (or the failure to retain a significant amount 
of business with) any of our key clients could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and 
results of operations. Many of our contracts contain penalty provisions for failure to meet minimum service levels 
and are cancelable by the client at any time or on short-term notice. Also, clients may unilaterally reduce their use of 
our services under these contracts without penalty. Thus, our contracts with our clients do not ensure that we will 
generate a minimum level of revenues.  

Cyber-attacks as well as improper disclosure or control of personal information could result in liability and harm 
our reputation, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations.  

Our business is heavily dependent upon our computer and voice technologies, systems and platforms.  Internal or 
external  attacks  on  any  of  those  could disrupt  the normal  operations of our  call  centers  and  impede our  ability  to 
provide  critical  services  to  our  clients,  thereby  subjecting  us  to  liability  under  our  contracts.    Additionally,  our 
business involves the use, storage and transmission of information about our employees, our clients and customers 
12 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
of our clients. While we take measures to protect the security of, and unauthorized access to our systems, as well as 
the privacy of personal and proprietary information, it is possible that our security controls over our systems, as well 
as other security practices we follow, may not prevent the improper access to or disclosure of personally identifiable 
or proprietary information. Such disclosure could harm our reputation and subject us to liability under our contracts 
and laws that protect personal data, resulting in increased costs or loss of revenue. Further, data privacy is subject to 
frequently changing rules and regulations, which sometimes conflict among the various jurisdictions and countries 
in which we provide services. Our failure to adhere to or successfully implement processes in response to changing 
regulatory requirements in this area could result in legal liability or impairment to our reputation in the marketplace, 
which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. 

Our business is subject to substantial competition. 

The markets for many of our services operate on a commoditized basis and are highly competitive and subject to 
rapid change. While many companies provide outsourced customer contact management services, we believe no one 
company  is  dominant  in  the  industry.  There  are  numerous  and  varied  providers  of  our  services,  including  firms 
specializing in call center operations, temporary staffing and personnel placement, consulting and integration firms, 
and niche providers of outsourced customer contact management services, many of whom compete in only certain 
markets. Our competitors include both companies who possess greater resources and name recognition than we do, 
as  well  as  small  niche  providers  that  have  few  assets  and  regionalized  (local)  name  recognition  instead  of  global 
name recognition. In addition to our competitors, many companies who might utilize our services or the services of 
one of our competitors may utilize in-house personnel to perform such services. Increased competition, our failure to 
compete successfully, pricing pressures, loss of market share and loss of clients could have a material adverse effect 
on our business, financial condition and results of operations.  

Many  of  our  large  clients  purchase  outsourced  customer  contact  management  services  from  multiple  preferred 
vendors. We have experienced and continue to anticipate significant pricing pressure from these clients in order to 
remain  a  preferred  vendor.  These  companies  also  require  vendors  to  be  able  to  provide  services  in  multiple 
locations. Although we believe we can effectively meet our clients’ demands, there can be no assurance that we will 
be  able  to  compete  effectively  with  other  outsourced  customer  contact  management  services  companies  on  price. 
We  believe  that  the  most  significant  competitive  factors  in  the  sale  of  our  core  services  include  the  standard 
requirements of service quality, tailored value-added service offerings, industry experience, advanced technological 
capabilities, global coverage, reliability, scalability, security, price and financial strength. 

The concentration of customer support centers in certain geographies poses risks to our operations which could 
adversely affect our financial condition. 

Although we have call centers in many locations throughout the world, we have a concentration of centers in certain 
geographies outside of the U.S. and Canada, specifically The Philippines and Latin America.  Our concentration of 
operations  in  those  geographies  is  a  result  of  our  ability  to  access  significant  numbers  of  employees  with  certain 
language and other skills at costs that are advantageous.  However, the concentration of business activities in any 
geographical  area  creates  risks  which  could  harm  operations  and  our  financial  condition.    Certain  risks,  such  as 
natural disasters, armed conflict and military or civil unrest, political instability and disease transmission, as well as 
the risk of interruption to our delivery systems, is magnified when the realization of these, or any other risks, would 
effect a large portion of our business at once, which may result in a disproportionate increase in operating costs.     

Our business is dependent on the trend toward outsourcing.  

Our  business  and  growth  depend  in  large  part  on  the  industry  trend  toward  outsourced  customer  contact 
management services. Outsourcing means that an entity contracts with a third party, such as us, to provide customer 
contact services rather than perform such services in-house. There can be no assurance that this trend will continue, 
as  organizations  may  elect  to  perform  such  services  themselves.  A  significant  change  in  this  trend  could  have  a 
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Additionally, there can be no 
assurance that our cross-selling efforts will cause clients to purchase additional services from us or adopt a single-
source outsourcing approach.  

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We are subject to various uncertainties relating to future litigation.  

We  cannot  predict  whether  any  material  suits,  claims,  or investigations may  arise  in  the  future.  Regardless of  the 
outcome  of  any  future  actions,  claims,  or  investigations,  we  may  incur  substantial  defense  costs  and  such  actions 
may  cause  a  diversion  of  management  time  and  attention.  Also,  it  is  possible  that  we  may  be  required  to  pay 
substantial damages or settlement costs which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and 
results of operations.  

Our industry is subject to rapid technological change which could affect our business and results of operations.   

Rapid  technological  advances,  frequent  new  product  introductions  and  enhancements,  and  changes  in  client 
requirements  characterize  the  market  for  outsourced  customer  contact  management  services.  Technological 
advancements  in  voice  recognition  software,  as  well  as  self-provisioning  and  self-help  software,  along  with  call 
avoidance  technologies,  have  the  potential  to  adversely  impact  call  volume  growth  and,  therefore,  revenues.  Our 
future  success  will  depend  in  large  part  on  our  ability  to  service  new  products,  platforms  and  rapidly  changing 
technology.  These  factors  will  require  us  to  provide  adequately  trained  personnel  to  address  the  increasingly 
sophisticated, complex  and  evolving  needs of our  clients. In  addition, our  ability  to  capitalize  on  our acquisitions 
will depend on our ability to continually enhance software and services and adapt such software to new hardware 
and  operating  system  requirements.  Any  failure  by  us  to  anticipate  or  respond  rapidly  to  technological  advances, 
new  products  and  enhancements,  or  changes  in  client  requirements  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our 
business, financial condition and results of operations.  

Our business relies heavily on technology and computer systems, which subjects us to various uncertainties.  

We have invested significantly in sophisticated and specialized communications and computer technology and have 
focused on the application of this technology to meet our clients’ needs. We anticipate that it will be necessary to 
continue to invest in and develop new and enhanced technology on a timely basis to maintain our competitiveness. 
Significant capital expenditures may be required to keep our technology up-to-date. There can be no assurance that 
any of our information systems will be adequate to meet our future needs or that we will be able to incorporate new 
technology  to  enhance  and  develop  our  existing  services.  Moreover,  investments  in  technology,  including  future 
investments  in  upgrades  and  enhancements  to  software,  may  not  necessarily  maintain  our  competitiveness.  Our 
future success will also depend in part on our ability to anticipate and develop information technology solutions that 
keep pace with evolving industry standards and changing client demands.  

Emergency interruption of customer contact management center operations could affect our business and results 
of operations.  

Our  operations  are  dependent  upon  our  ability  to  protect  our  customer  contact  management  centers  and  our 
information databases against damage that may be caused by fire, earthquakes, severe weather and other disasters, 
power  failure,  telecommunications  failures,  unauthorized  intrusion,  computer  viruses  and  other  emergencies.  The 
temporary  or  permanent  loss  of  such  systems  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial 
condition and results of operations. Notwithstanding precautions taken to protect us and our clients from events that 
could interrupt delivery of services, there can be no assurance that a fire, natural disaster, human error, equipment 
malfunction  or  inadequacy,  or  other  event  would  not  result  in  a  prolonged  interruption  in  our  ability  to  provide 
services to our clients. Such an event could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and 
results of operations.  

Our operating results will be adversely affected if we are unable to maximize our facility capacity utilization. 

Our  profitability  is  significantly  influenced  by  our  ability  to  effectively  manage  our  contact  center  capacity 
utilization.  The  majority  of  our  business  involves  technical  support  and  customer  care  services  initiated  by  our 
clients’ customers and, as a result, our capacity utilization varies and demands on our capacity are, to some degree, 
beyond  our  control.    In  order  to  create  the  additional  capacity  necessary  to  accommodate  new  or  expanded 
outsourcing projects, we may need to open new contact centers.  The opening or expansion of a contact center may 
result,  at  least  in  the  short  term,  in  idle  capacity  until  we  fully  implement  the  new  or  expanded  program.  
Additionally, the occasional need to open customer contact centers fully, or primarily, dedicated to a single client, 
instead of spreading the work among existing facilities with idle capacity, negatively affects capacity utilization. We 
periodically assess the expected long-term capacity utilization of our contact centers. As a result, we may, if deemed 
necessary,  consolidate,  close  or  partially  close  under-performing  contact  centers  to  maintain  or  improve  targeted 
14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
utilization and margins. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to achieve or maintain optimal utilization of 
our contact center capacity. 

As part of our effort to consolidate our facilities, we may seek to sell or sublease a portion of our surplus contact 
center space, if any, and recover certain costs associated with it. Failure to sell or sublease such surplus space will 
negatively impact results of operations. 

Increases in the cost of telephone and data services or significant interruptions in such services could adversely 
affect our business. 

Our business is significantly dependent on telephone and data service provided by various local and long distance 
telephone companies. Accordingly, any disruption of these services could adversely affect our business.  We have 
taken steps to mitigate our exposure to service disruptions by investing in redundant circuits, although there is no 
assurance  that  the  redundant  circuits  would  not  also  suffer  disruption.    Any  inability  to  obtain  telephone  or  data 
services at favorable rates could negatively affect our business results.  Where possible, we have entered into long-
term contracts with various providers to mitigate short term rate increases and fluctuations.  There is no obligation, 
however, for the vendors to renew their contracts with us, or to offer the same or lower rates in the future, and such 
contracts are subject to termination or modification for various reasons outside of our control. A significant increase 
in  the  cost  of  telephone  services  that  is  not  recoverable  through  an  increase  in  the  price  of  our  services  could 
adversely affect our business. 

Our  profitability  may  be  adversely  affected  if  we  are  unable  to  maintain  and  find  new  locations  for  customer 
contact centers in countries with stable wage rates. 

Our business is labor-intensive and therefore wages, employee benefits and employment taxes constitute the largest 
component of our operating expenses. As a result, expansion of our business is dependent upon our ability to find 
cost-effective  locations  in  which  to  operate,  both  domestically  and  internationally.  Some  of  our  customer  contact 
management  centers  are  located  in  countries  that  have  experienced  inflation  and  rising  standards  of  living,  which 
requires us to increase employee wages. In addition, collective bargaining is being utilized in an increasing number 
of  countries  in  which  we  currently,  or  may  in  the  future,  desire  to  operate.    Collective  bargaining  may  result  in 
material  wage  and  benefit  increases.    If  wage  rates  and  benefits  increase  significantly  in  a  country  where  we 
maintain customer contact management centers, we may not be able to pass those increased labor costs on to our 
clients, requiring us to search for other cost effective delivery locations.  There is no assurance that we will be able 
to  find  such  cost-effective  locations,  and  even  if  we  do,  the  costs  of  closing  delivery  locations  and  opening  new 
customer contact management centers can adversely affect our financial results. 

The adoption and implementation of new statutory and regulatory requirements for derivative transactions could 
have an adverse impact on our ability to hedge risks associated with our business. 

We  enter  into  forward  and  option  contracts  to  hedge  against  the  effect  of  foreign  currency  exchange  rate 
fluctuations.  The United States Congress has passed, and the President has signed into law, the Dodd-Frank Wall 
Street  Reform  and  Consumer  Protection  Act  (the  “Dodd-Frank  Act”).  The  Dodd-Frank  Act  provides  for  new 
statutory  and  regulatory  requirements  for  derivative  transactions,  including  foreign  currency  and  interest  rate 
hedging  transactions.    The  Dodd-Frank  Act  requires  the  Commodities  Futures  and  Trading  Commission  to 
promulgate rules relating to the Dodd-Frank Act.  Until the rules relating to the Dodd-Frank Act are established, we 
cannot  know  how  these  regulations  will  affect  us.    The  rules  adopted  by  the  Commodities  Futures  and  Trading 
Commission  may  in  the  future  impact  our  flexibility  to  execute  strategic  hedges  to  reduce  foreign  exchange  and 
interest rate uncertainty and thus protect cash flows.  In addition, the banks and other derivatives dealers who are our 
contractual counterparties will be required to comply with the Dodd-Frank Act’s new requirements.  It is possible 
that the costs of such compliance will be passed on to customers such as us. 

Risks Related to Our International Operations 

Our international operations and expansion involve various risks.  

We intend to continue to pursue growth opportunities in markets outside the United States. At December 31, 2013, 
our  international  operations  were  conducted  from  33  customer  contact  management  centers  located  in  Sweden, 
Finland, Germany, Egypt, Scotland, Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, The Philippines, the 
People’s Republic of China, India and Australia. Revenues from these international operations for the years ended 
15 

 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
December 31,  2013,  2012,  and  2011,  were  38.7%,  40.2%,  and  42.8%  of  consolidated  revenues,  respectively.  We 
also conduct business from 17 customer contact  management centers located in Canada, Costa Rica, El Salvador, 
Mexico and Brazil. International operations are subject to certain risks common to international activities, such as 
changes in foreign governmental regulations, tariffs and taxes, import/export license requirements, the imposition of 
trade barriers, difficulties in staffing and managing international operations, political uncertainties, longer payment 
cycles,  possible  greater  difficulties  in  accounts  receivable  collection,  economic  instability  as  well  as  political  and 
country-specific risks.   

Additionally, we have been granted tax holidays in The Philippines, Colombia, Costa Rica and El Salvador which 
expire  at  varying  dates  from  2014  through  2028.  In  some  cases,  the  tax  holidays  expire  without  possibility  of 
renewal.  In  other  cases,  we  expect  to  renew  these  tax  holidays,  but  there  are  no  assurances  from  the  respective 
foreign governments that they will renew them. This could potentially result in adverse tax consequences. Any one 
or  more  of  these  factors  could  have  an  adverse  effect  on  our  international  operations  and,  consequently,  on  our 
business, financial condition and results of operations. 

As of December 31, 2013, we had cash balances of approximately $195.0 million held in international operations, 
most  of  which  would  be  subject  to  additional  taxes  if  repatriated  to  the  United  States.    Determination  of  any 
unrecognized deferred tax liability for temporary differences related to investments in foreign subsidiaries that are 
essentially  permanent  in  nature  is  not  practicable  due  to  the  inherent  complexity  of  the  multi-national  tax 
environment in which we operate.   

The U.S. Department of the Treasury released the “General Explanations of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2014 
Revenue Proposals” in April 2013. These proposals represent a significant shift in international tax policy, which 
may  materially  impact  U.S.  taxation  of  international  earnings.    We  continue  to  monitor  these  proposals  and  are 
currently evaluating their potential impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.  

The  American  Taxpayer  Relief  Act  of  2012  was  enacted  on  January  2,  2013,  with  many  provisions  retroactively 
effective  to  January  1,  2012.    This  Act,  which  extended  the  tax  provisions  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Code  Section 
954(c)(6)  through  the  end  of  2013,  permits  continued  tax  deferral  on  cash  movements  that  would  otherwise  be 
taxable  immediately  in  the  U.S.    While  these  cash  movements  are  not  taxable  in  the  U.S.,  related  foreign 
withholding taxes of $3.5 million were included in the provision for income taxes in the accompanying Consolidated 
Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2013. 

We conduct business in various foreign currencies and are therefore exposed to market risk from changes in foreign 
currency exchange rates and interest rates, which could impact our results of operations and financial condition. We 
are  also  subject  to  certain  exposures  arising  from  the  translation  and  consolidation  of  the  financial  results  of  our 
foreign  subsidiaries.  We  enter  into  foreign  currency  forward  and  option  contracts  to  hedge  against  the  effect  of 
certain  foreign  currency  exchange  exposures.  However,  there  can  be  no  assurance  that  we  can  take  actions  to 
mitigate  such  exposure  in  the  future,  and  if  taken,  that  such  actions  will  be  successful  or  that  future  changes  in 
currency exchange rates will not have a material adverse impact on our future operating results. A significant change 
in the value of the U.S. Dollar against the currency of one or more countries where we operate may have a material 
adverse  effect  on  our  financial  condition  and  results  of  operations.  Additionally,  our  hedging  exposure  to 
counterparty  credit  risks  is  not  secured  by  any  collateral.  Although  each  of  the  counterparty  financial  institutions 
with which we place hedging contracts are investment grade rated by the national rating agencies as of the time of 
the  placement,  we  can  provide  no  assurances  as  to  the  financial  stability  of  any  of  our  counterparties.    If  a 
counterparty to one or more of our hedge transactions were to become insolvent, we would be an unsecured creditor 
and our exposure at the time would depend on foreign exchange rate movements relative to the contracted foreign 
exchange rate and whether any gains result that are not realized due to a counterparty default. 

The fundamental shift in our industry toward global service delivery markets presents various risks to our 
business. 

Clients  continue  to  require  blended  delivery  models  using  a  combination  of  onshore  and  offshore  support.    Our 
offshore delivery locations include The Philippines, the People’s Republic of China, India, Costa Rica, El Salvador, 
Mexico and Brazil, and while we have operated in global delivery markets since 1996, there can be no assurance 
that we will be able to successfully conduct and expand such operations, and a failure to do so could have a material 
adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations. The success of our offshore operations 
will be subject to numerous factors, some of which are beyond our control, including general and regional economic 
conditions, prices for our services, competition, changes in regulation and other risks. In addition, as with all of our 
16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
operations  outside  of  the  United  States,  we  are  subject  to  various  additional  political,  economic  and  market 
uncertainties (see “Our international operations and expansion involve various risks”). Additionally, a change in the 
political environment in the United States or the adoption and enforcement of legislation and regulations curbing the 
use  of  offshore  customer  contact  management  solutions  and  services  could  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our 
business, financial condition and results of operations.  

Our global operations expose us to numerous legal and regulatory requirements. 

We  provide  services  to  our  clients’  customers  in  20  countries  around  the  world.    Accordingly,  we  are  subject  to 
numerous legal regimes on matters such as taxation, government sanctions, content requirements, licensing, tariffs, 
government affairs, data privacy and immigration as well as internal and disclosure control obligations. In the U.S., 
as well as several of the other countries in which we operate, some of our services must comply with various laws 
and regulations regarding the method and timing of placing outbound telephone calls.  Violations of these various 
laws  and  regulations  could  result  in  liability  for  monetary  damages,  fines  and/or  criminal  prosecution  and 
unfavorable  publicity.  Changes  in  U.S. federal,  state  and  international  laws  and  regulations,  specifically  those 
relating  to  the  outsourcing  of  jobs  to  foreign  countries  as  well  as  recently  enacted  statutory  and  regulatory 
requirements  related  to  derivative  transactions,  may  adversely  affect  our  ability  to  perform  our  services  at  our 
overseas facilities or could result in additional taxes on such services, or impact our flexibility to execute strategic 
hedges,  thereby  threatening  or  limiting  our  ability  or  the  financial  benefit  to  continue  to  serve  certain  markets  at 
offshore locations, or the risks associated therewith. 

Risks Related to Our Employees 

Our operations are substantially dependent on our senior management. 

Our  success  is  largely  dependent upon  the efforts,  direction  and guidance  of  our  senior  management.  Our growth 
and success also depend in part on our ability to attract and retain skilled employees and managers and on the ability 
of  our  executive  officers  and  key  employees  to  manage  our  operations  successfully.  We  have  entered  into 
employment and non-competition agreements with our executive officers. The loss of any of our senior management 
or key personnel, or the inability to attract, retain or replace key management personnel in the future, could have a 
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.   

Our inability to attract and retain experienced personnel may adversely impact our business.  

Our business is labor intensive and places significant importance on our ability to recruit, train, and retain qualified 
technical and consultative professional personnel. We generally experience high turnover of our personnel and are 
continuously required to recruit and train replacement personnel as a result of a changing and expanding work force. 
Additionally,  demand  for  qualified  technical  professionals  conversant  in  multiple  languages,  including  English, 
and/or certain technologies may exceed supply, as new and additional skills are required to keep pace with evolving 
computer  technology.  Our  ability  to  locate  and  train  employees  is  critical  to  achieving  our  growth  objective.  Our 
inability  to  attract  and  retain  qualified  personnel  or  an  increase  in  wages  or  other  costs  of  attracting,  training,  or 
retaining qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of 
operations.   

Health epidemics could disrupt our business and adversely affect our financial results. 

Our customer contact centers typically seat hundreds of employees in one location.  Accordingly, an outbreak of a 
contagious  infection  in  one  or  more  of  the  markets  in  which  we  do  business  may  result  in  significant  worker 
absenteeism, lower asset utilization rates, voluntary or mandatory closure of our offices and delivery centers, travel 
restrictions on our employees, and other disruptions to our business. Any prolonged or widespread health epidemic 
could  severely  disrupt  our  business  operations  and  have  a  material  adverse  effect  on  our  business,  financial 
condition and results of operations. 

17 

 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Risks Related to Our Growth Strategy 

Our strategy of growing through selective acquisitions and mergers involves potential risks.  

We evaluate opportunities to expand the scope of our services through acquisitions and mergers. We may be unable 
to  identify  companies  that  complement  our  strategies,  and  even  if  we  identify  a  company  that  complements  our 
strategies, we may be unable to acquire or merge with the company. Also, a decrease in the price of our common 
stock could hinder our growth strategy by limiting growth through acquisitions funded with SYKES’ stock.  

The  actual  integration  of  the  company  may  result  in  additional  and  unforeseen  expenses,  and  the  full  amount  of 
anticipated  benefits  of  the  integration  plan  may  not  be  realized.  If  we  are  not  able  to  adequately  address  these 
challenges, we may be unable to fully integrate the acquired operations into our own, or to realize the full amount of 
anticipated benefits of the integration of the companies.  

Our acquisition strategy involves other potential risks. These risks include:  

• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

the inability to obtain the capital required to finance potential acquisitions on satisfactory terms; 
the diversion of our attention to the integration of the businesses to be acquired; 
the risk that the acquired businesses will fail to maintain the quality of services that we have historically 
provided; 
the need to implement financial and other systems and add management resources; 
the risk that key employees of the acquired business will leave after the acquisition; 
potential liabilities of the acquired business; 
unforeseen difficulties in the acquired operations; 
adverse short-term effects on our operating results; 
lack of success in assimilating or integrating the operations of acquired businesses within our business; 
the dilutive effect of the issuance of additional equity securities; 
the impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets involved in any acquisitions; 
the businesses we acquire not proving profitable; and 
incurring additional indebtedness. 

We  may  incur  significant  cash  and  non-cash  costs  in  connection  with  the  continued  rationalization  of  assets 
resulting from acquisitions. 

We may incur a number of non-recurring cash and non-cash costs associated with the continued rationalization of 
assets resulting from acquisitions relating to the closing of facilities and disposition of assets.   

We have substantial goodwill and if it becomes impaired, then our profits would be significantly reduced or 
eliminated and shareholders’ equity would be reduced.  

We recorded goodwill as a result of the ICT and Alpine acquisitions. On at least an annual basis, we assess whether 
there has been an impairment in the value of goodwill. If the carrying value of goodwill exceeds its estimated fair 
value, impairment is deemed to have occurred and the carrying value of goodwill is written down to fair value. This 
would result in a charge to our operating earnings. 

Risks Related to Our Common Stock 

Our organizational documents contain provisions that could impede a change in control.   

Our  Board  of  Directors  is  divided  into  three  classes  serving  staggered  three-year  terms.  The  staggered  Board  of 
Directors and the anti-takeover effects of certain provisions contained in the Florida Business Corporation Act and 
in  our  Articles  of  Incorporation  and  Bylaws,  including  the  ability  of  the  Board  of  Directors  to  issue  shares  of 
preferred  stock  and  to  fix  the  rights  and  preferences  of  those  shares  without  shareholder  approval,  may  have  the 
effect of delaying, deferring or preventing an unsolicited change in control. This may  adversely affect the  market 
price of our common stock or the ability of shareholders to participate in a transaction in which they might otherwise 
receive a premium for their shares.  

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The volatility of our stock price may result in loss of investment.  

The trading price of our common stock has been and may continue to be subject to wide fluctuations over short and 
long periods of time. We believe that market prices of outsourced customer contact management services stocks in 
general  have  experienced  volatility,  which  could  affect  the  market  price  of  our  common  stock  regardless  of  our 
financial  results  or  performance.  We  further  believe  that  various  factors  such  as  general  economic  conditions, 
changes  or  volatility  in  the  financial  markets,  changing  market  conditions  in  the  outsourced  customer  contact 
management  services  industry,  quarterly  variations  in  our  financial  results,  the  announcement  of  acquisitions, 
strategic  partnerships,  or  new  product  offerings,  and  changes  in  financial  estimates  and  recommendations  by 
securities analysts could cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate substantially in the future.  

Failure to adhere to laws, rules and regulations applicable to public companies operating in the U.S. may have 
an adverse effect on our stock price. 

Because we are a publicly traded company, we are subject to certain evolving and expensive federal, state and other 
rules and regulations relating to, among other things, assessment and maintenance of internal controls and corporate 
governance.    Section 404  of  the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act  of  2002,  together  with  rules  and  regulations  issued  by  the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) require us to furnish, on an annual basis, a report by our management 
(included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K) regarding the effectiveness of our internal control over 
financial  reporting.  The  report  includes,  among  other  things,  an  assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  our  internal 
controls over financial reporting as of the end of our fiscal year and a statement as to whether or not our internal 
controls  over  financial  reporting  are  effective.  We  must  include  a  disclosure  of  any  material  weaknesses  in  our 
internal  control  over  financial  reporting  identified  by  management  during  the  annual  assessment.  We  have  in  the 
past discovered, and may potentially in the future discover, areas of internal control over financial reporting which 
may require improvement. If at any time we are unable to assert that our internal controls over financial reporting 
are  effective, or  if  our  auditors are unable  to  express  an opinion on  the  effectiveness of our  internal  controls,  our 
investors could lose confidence in the accuracy and/or completeness of our financial reports, which could have an 
adverse effect on our stock price. 

Additionally,  the  Dodd-Frank  Wall  Street  Reform  and  Consumer  Protection  Act  enacted  in  2010  subjects  us  to 
significant  additional  executive  compensation  and  corporate  governance  requirements  and  disclosures,  some  of 
which have yet to be implemented by the SEC. Compliance with these requirements may be costly and adversely 
affect our business.   

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments  

There are no material unresolved written comments that were received from the SEC staff 180 days or more before 
the year ended December 31, 2013 relating to our periodic or current reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934.  

19 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Item 2. Properties  

Our principal executive offices are located in Tampa, Florida, which consists of approximately 68,000 square feet of 
leased  office  space.  This  facility  currently  serves  as  the  headquarters  for  senior  management  and  the  financial, 
information technology and administrative departments.  In addition to our headquarters and the customer contact 
management centers (“centers”) used by our Americas and EMEA segments discussed below, we also have offices 
in several countries around the world which support our Americas and EMEA segments. 

As of December 31, 2013, excluding centers we have exited, we operated 75 centers that are classified as follows: 

•  Multi-Client Centers — We own or lease space for these centers and serve multiple clients in each facility;  
•  Managed Centers — These facilities are owned or leased by our clients and we staff and manage these sites on 

behalf of our clients in accordance with facility management contracts; and 

•  Fulfillment Centers — We own or lease space for these centers and serve multiple clients in each facility. 

As of December 31, 2013, our centers were located in the following countries: 

Multi-Client 
Centers

Managed 
Centers

Fulfillment 
Centers

Total Number of 
Centers

Americas

Australia
Brazil
Canada
Costa Rica
El Salvador
India
Mexico
People's Republic of China
The Philippines
United States of America
  Total Americas centers

EMEA

Denmark
Egypt
Finland
Germany
Hungary
Netherlands
Norway
Romania
Scotland
Slovakia
Sweden
  Total EMEA centers
    Total centers

4
1
10
4
1
1
1
3
7
22
54

1
1
1
4
1
-
2
1
2
1
4
18
72

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

-
-
-
-
-
1
-
-
-
-
-
1
1

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1
-
1
2
2

4
1
10
4
1
1
1
3
7
22
54

1
1
1
4
1
1
2
1
3
1
5
21
75

The  leases  for  our  centers  have  remaining  terms  ranging  from  one  to  twenty years  and  generally  contain  renewal 
options. We believe our existing facilities are suitable and adequate to meet current requirements, and that suitable 
additional  or  substitute  space  will  be  available  as  needed  to  accommodate  any  physical  expansion  or  any  space 
required due to expiring leases not renewed.  We operate from time to time in temporary facilities to accommodate 
growth  before  new  centers  are  available.  During  2013,  our  centers,  taken  as  a  whole,  were  utilized  at  average 
capacities of approximately 73% and were capable of supporting a higher level of market demand. 

20 

 
 
  
  
  
 
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
                           
 
 
 
 
Item 3. Legal Proceedings  

From time to time, we are involved in legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. With respect to these 
matters,  we  believe  that  we  have  adequate  legal  defenses  and/or  when  possible  and  appropriate,  have  provided 
adequate accruals related to those matters such that the ultimate outcome will not have a material adverse effect on 
our future financial position or results of operations. 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures 

Not Applicable.  

21 

 
 
 
 
 
      
 
 
 
 
PART II  

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

Our common stock is quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol SYKE. The following table 
sets forth, for the periods indicated, certain information as to the high and low sale prices per share of our common 
stock as quoted on the NASDAQ Global Select Market.  

High

Low

Year Ended December 31, 2013:
Fourth Quarter ……………………………… 23.29
Third Quarter ……………………………… 18.27
Second Quarter ……………………………… 16.58
First Quarter ………………………………… 16.48

$     

$     

17.08
15.59
13.95
14.45

Year Ended December 31, 2012:
Fourth Quarter ……………………………… 16.39
Third Quarter ……………………………… 16.52
Second Quarter ……………………………… 16.52
First Quarter ………………………………… 18.61

$     

$     

12.87
12.81
14.28
13.62  

Holders  of  our  common  stock  are  entitled  to  receive  dividends  out  of  the  funds  legally  available  when  and  if 
declared by the Board of Directors. We have not declared or paid any cash dividends on our common stock in the 
past and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.  

As  of  February  12,  2014,  there  were  871  holders  of  record  of  the  common  stock.  We  estimate  there  were 
approximately 9,900 beneficial owners of our common stock.  

Below is a summary of stock repurchases for the quarter ended December 31, 2013 (in thousands, except average 
price per share). 

Period

October 1, 2013 - October 31, 2013 …………

Total 
Number of 
S hares 
Purchased (1)
-

November 1, 2013 - November 30, 2013 ………

December 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013 ………

Total …………………………………………

-

-

-

Average 
Price 
Paid Per 
S hare

$       
-

$       
-

$       
-

Total Number of 
S hares Purchased 
as Part of Publicly 
Announced Plans 
or Programs

Maximum Number 
of S hares That May 
Yet Be Purchased 
Under Plans or 
Programs

-

-

-

-

1,629

1,629

1,629

1,629

(1)

All shares purchased as part of the repurchase plan publicly announced on August 18, 2011. T otal number of shares 
approved for repurchase under the 2011 Share Repurchase Plan was 5.0 million with no expiration date.  All of the shares 
available under the repurchase plan publicly announced on August 5, 2002 have been repurchased.  

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                   
                           
                         
                   
                           
                         
                   
                           
                         
                   
                           
                         
 
 
 
 
Five-Year Stock Performance Graph 

The  following  graph  presents  a  comparison  of  the  cumulative  shareholder  return  on  the  common  stock  with  the 
cumulative  total  return  on  the  NASDAQ  Computer  and  Data  Processing  Services  Index,  the  NASDAQ 
Telecommunications Index, the Russell 2000 Index, the S&P Small Cap 600 and the SYKES Peer Group (as defined 
below). The SYKES Peer Group is comprised of publicly traded companies that derive a substantial portion of their 
revenues  from  call  center,  customer  care  business,  have  similar  business  models  to  SYKES,  and  are  those  most 
commonly  compared  to  SYKES  by  industry  analysts  following  SYKES.  SYKES  has  updated  its  Peer  Group  to 
include  Telepeformance,  a  publicly-traded  France-based  global  customer  care  company,  which  increasingly 
competes with SYKES in the marketplace. SYKES further added Teleperformance in order for investors to have a 
broader  set  of  data  points  from  which  to  better  gauge  the  Peer’s  share  price  performance  and  to  substitute  for 
publicly-traded competitors that have either gone private or have been acquired through strategic acquisitions over 
the past few years. This graph assumes that $100 was invested on December 31, 2008 in SYKES common stock, the 
NASDAQ  Computer  and  Data  Processing  Services  Index,  the  NASDAQ  Telecommunications  Index,  the  Russell 
2000 Index, the S&P Small Cap 600 and SYKES Peer Group, including reinvestment of dividends.  

Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return (in dollars) 

New SYKES Peer Group 
Convergys Corp. 
StarTek, Inc. 
TeleTech Holdings, Inc. 
Teleperformance 

Exchange & Ticker Symbol 
NYSE: CVG 
NYSE: SRT 
Nasdaq: TTEC 
NYSE Euronext: RCF 

Old SYKES Peer Group 
Convergys Corp. 
StarTek, Inc. 
TeleTech Holdings, Inc. 

Exchange & Ticker Symbol 
NYSE: CVG 
NYSE: SRT 
Nasdaq: TTEC 

There can be no assurance that SYKES’ stock performance will continue into the future with the same or similar 
trends  depicted  in  the  graph  above.  SYKES  does  not  make  or  endorse  any  predictions  as  to  the  future  stock 
performance. 

The information contained in the Stock Performance Graph section shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” 
or “filed” or incorporated by reference in future filings with the SEC, or subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the 
Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  except  to  the  extent  that  we  specifically  incorporate  it  by  reference  into  a 
document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 
23 

 
 
 
 
 
        
 
 
Item 6. Selected Financial Data  

Selected Financial Data  

The following selected financial data has been derived from our consolidated financial statements.  

We sold our operations in Spain during 2012 and Argentina in 2010. Accordingly, we have reclassified the selected 
financial  data  for  all  periods  presented  to  reflect  these  results  as  discontinued  operations  in  accordance  with 
Accounting Standards Codification 205-20 “Discontinued Operations”.  

The  information  below  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  “Management’s  Discussion  and  Analysis  of  Financial 
Condition and Results of Operations,” and the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements and related notes 
thereto.  

(in thousands, except per share data)
Income S tatement Data: (1)

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

Years Ended December 31,

Revenues ………………………………………………………… 1,263,460
Income from continuing operations (2,3,4,6,8,9,10,11) …………………
53,527
Income from continuing operations, net of taxes (2,3,4,6,8,9,10,11) ……
37,260
(Loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes (5) ……..….….
-
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of taxes (7) ……
-
Net income (loss) …………………………………..……………
37,260

$      

$      

1,127,698
47,779
39,950
(820)
(10,707)
28,423

$      

1,169,267
65,535
52,314
(4,532)
559
48,341

$      

1,121,911
37,981
26,115
(12,893)
(23,495)
(10,273)

$         

769,353
71,172
44,667
(1,456)
-
43,211

Net Income (Loss) Per Common S hare: (1)

Basic:

Continuing operations (2,3,4,6,8,9,10,11)……………………………
Discontinued operations (5,7) …………………………………
Net income (loss) per common share …………………………

$               

0.87

$               

-
0.87

$               

0.93

$               

1.15

$               

0.57

$               

1.10

(0.27)
0.66

$               

(0.09)
1.06

$               

(0.79)
(0.22)

$             

(0.04)
1.06

$               

Diluted:  

Continuing operations (2,3,4,6,8,9,10,11)……………………………
Discontinued operations (5,7) …………………………………
Net income (loss) per common share …………………………

0.87
-
0.87

$               

$               

$               

$               

$               

0.93
(0.27)
0.66

1.15
(0.09)
1.06

0.57
(0.79)
(0.22)

1.09
(0.04)
1.05

$               

$               

$               

$             

$               

Weighted Average Common S hares: (1)

Basic ………………………………………………………………

Diluted ……………………………………………………………

42,877

42,925

43,105

43,148

45,506

45,607

46,030

46,133

40,707

41,026

Balance S heet Data: (1,12)

Total assets ………………………………………………………
Long-term debt ………………………………………………..
Shareholders' equity ………………………………………………

$         

950,261
98,000
635,704

$         

908,689
91,000
606,264

$         

769,130
-
573,566

$         

794,600
-
583,195

$         

672,471
-
450,674

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

(11)

T he amounts for 2013 and 2012 include the Alpine acquisition completed on August 20, 2012.  See Note 2, Acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc., for further 
information.  T he amounts for 2011 and 2010 include the ICT  acquisition completed on February 2, 2010.  

T he amounts for 2013 include $2.1 million in Alpine acquisition-related costs and a $0.2 million net loss on disposal of property and equipment.

T he amounts for 2012 include $4.8 million in Alpine acquisition-related costs, a $0.4 million net loss on the disposal of property and equipment, a $0.1 
million gain on insurance settlement and a $0.4 million impairment of long-lived assets.

T he amounts for 2011 include $11.8 million in ICT  acquisition-related costs, a $3.7 million net gain on the sale of the land and building in Minot, North 
Dakota, a $0.5 million net gain on insurance settlement and a $1.7 million impairment of long-lived assets.

T he amounts for all periods presented include the operations in Spain and Argentina, which were sold in 2012 and 2010, respectively.  See Note 3, 
Discontinued Operations, for futher information.

T he amounts for 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010 include $0.3 million, $1.8 million, $5.3 million and $11.0 million, respectively, related to the exit plans.  See 
Note 4, Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities, for further information.

T he amounts include the gain (loss) on sale of the operations in Spain in 2012 and Argentina in 2011 and 2010.  See Note 3, Discontinued Operations, for 
futher information.

T he amounts for 2011 and 2010 each include a $0.4 million recovery of regulatory penalties.

T he amounts for 2010 include $46.3 million in ICT  acquisition-related costs, a $3.3 million impairment of long-lived assets, a $2.0 million net gain on 
insurance settlement and a $0.4 million impairment of goodwill and intangibles.

T he amounts for 2009 include $3.3 million in  ICT  acquisition-related costs and a $1.9 million impairment of goodwill and intangibles.

T he amounts for 2009 include a $14.7 million charge to provision for income taxes related to our change of intent in the fourth quarter of 2009 regarding 
the permanent reinvestment of foreign subsidiaries' accumulated and undistributed earnings and a $2.1 million impairment loss on our investment in SHPS.  

(12) T he Company has not declared cash dividends per common share for any of the five years presented.

24 

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

This discussion  should be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements  and  the 
notes  thereto  that  appear  elsewhere  in  this  Annual  Report  on  Form  10-K.  The  following  discussion  and  analysis 
compares the year ended December 31, 2013 (“2013”) to the year ended December 31, 2012 (“2012”), and 2012 to 
the year ended December 31, 2011 (“2011”).  

The following discussion and analysis and other sections of this document contain forward-looking statements that 
involve  risks  and uncertainties.  Words  such  as  “may,”  “expects,”  “projects,”  “anticipates,”  “intends,”  “plans,” 
“believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” variations of such words, and similar expressions are intended to identify such 
forward-looking  statements.  Similarly,  statements  that  describe  our  future  plans,  objectives,  or  goals  also  are 
forward-looking  statements.  Future  events  and  actual  results  could  differ  materially  from  the  results  reflected  in 
these forward-looking statements, as a result of certain of the factors set forth below and elsewhere in this analysis 
and in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 in Item 1.A., “Risk Factors.”  

Executive Summary 

We provide comprehensive customer contact management solutions and services to a wide range of clients including 
Fortune  1000  companies,  medium-sized  businesses  and  public  institutions  around  the  world,  primarily  in  the 
communications, financial services, technology/consumer, transportation and leisure and healthcare industries. We 
serve our clients through two geographic operating regions: the Americas (United States, Canada, Latin America, 
Australia  and  the Asia  Pacific  Rim)  and  EMEA (Europe, the  Middle  East  and Africa). Our Americas  and  EMEA 
groups  primarily  provide  customer  contact  management  services  (with  an  emphasis  on  inbound  technical  support 
and customer service), which include customer assistance, healthcare and roadside assistance, technical support and 
product sales to our clients’ customers. These services, which represented 98.2% of consolidated revenues in 2013, 
are delivered through multiple communication channels encompassing phone, e-mail, social media, text messaging 
and chat. We also provide various enterprise support services in the United States (“U.S.”) that include services for 
our clients’ internal support operations, from technical staffing services to outsourced corporate help desk services. 
In  Europe,  we  also  provide  fulfillment  services  including  multilingual  sales  order  processing  via  the  Internet  and 
phone, payment processing, inventory control, product delivery, and product returns handling. Our complete service 
offering  helps  our  clients  acquire,  retain  and  increase  the  lifetime  value  of  their  customer  relationships.  We  have 
developed  an  extensive  global  reach  with  customer  contact  management  centers  throughout  the  United  States, 
Canada, Europe, Latin America, Australia, the Asia Pacific Rim and Africa.  

Revenues from these services is recognized as the services are performed, which is based on either a per minute, per 
hour, per call, per transaction or per time and material basis, under a fully executed contractual agreement, and we 
record  reductions  to  revenues  for  contractual  penalties  and  holdbacks  for  a  failure  to  meet  specified  minimum 
service levels and other performance based contingencies. Revenue recognition is limited to the amount that is not 
contingent  upon  delivery  of  any  future  product  or  service  or  meeting  other  specified  performance  conditions. 
Product  sales,  accounted  for  within  our  fulfillment  services,  are  recognized  upon  shipment  to  the  customer  and 
satisfaction of all obligations. 

Direct  salaries  and  related  costs  include  direct  personnel  compensation,  severance,  statutory  and  other  benefits 
associated with such personnel and other direct costs associated with providing services to customers.  

General and administrative costs include administrative, sales and marketing, occupancy and other costs.  

Depreciation,  net  represents  depreciation on  property  and  equipment,  net  of  the  amortization  of  deferred property 
grants. 

Amortization of intangibles represents amortization of finite-lived intangible assets. 

The net gain (loss) on disposal of property and equipment represents the difference between the amount of proceeds 
received, if any, and the carrying value of the asset. 

The  impairment  of  long-lived  assets  represents  the  amount  by  which  the  carrying  value  of  the  asset  exceeds  the 
estimated fair value.   

25 

 
 
 
 
     
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest income primarily relates to interest earned on cash and cash equivalents.   

Interest (expense) includes interest on outstanding borrowings and commitment fees charged on the unused portion 
of our revolving credit facility, as more fully described in this Item 7, under “Liquidity and Capital Resources.” 

Other  (expense)  includes  gains  and  losses  on  foreign  currency  derivative  instruments  not  designated  as  hedges, 
foreign currency transaction gains and losses, gains and losses on the liquidation of foreign subsidiaries and other 
miscellaneous income (expense). 

Our effective tax rate for the periods presented includes the effects of state income taxes, net of federal tax benefit, 
tax  holidays,  valuation  allowance  changes,  foreign  rate  differentials,  foreign  withholding  and  other  taxes,  and 
permanent differences.  

Acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc. 

On August 20, 2012, we completed the acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc. (“Alpine”), a Delaware corporation and an 
industry leader in the at-home agent space – recruiting, training, managing and delivering award-winning customer 
contact management services through a secured and proprietary virtual call center environment with its operations 
located in the United States and Canada. We refer to such acquisition herein as the “Alpine acquisition.” 

The  Company  acquired  Alpine  to:  create  significant  competitive  differentiation  for  quality,  speed  to  market, 
scalability  and  flexibility  driven  by  proprietary,  internally-developed  software,  systems,  processes  and  other 
intellectual  property  which  uniquely  overcome  the  challenges  of  the  at-home  delivery  model;  strengthen  the 
Company’s current service portfolio and go-to-market offering while expanding the breadth of clients with minimal 
client  overlap;  broaden  the  addressable  market  opportunity  within  existing  and  new  verticals  as  well  as  clients; 
expand  the  addressable  pool  of  skilled  labor;  leverage  operational  best  practices  across  the  Company’s  global 
platform, with the potential to convert more of its fixed cost to variable cost; and further enhance the growth and 
margin  profile  of  the  Company  to  drive  shareholder  value.  This  resulted  in  the  Company  paying  a  substantial 
premium for Alpine resulting in the recognition of goodwill. 

The  total  purchase  price  of  $149.0 million  was  funded  by  $41.0  million  in  cash  on  hand  and  borrowings  of 
$108.0 million under our credit agreement  with KeyBank National Association (“KeyBank”), dated May 3, 2012. 
See  “Liquidity  &  Capital  Resources”  later  in  this  Item  7  and  Note  20,  Borrowings,  of  “Notes  to  Consolidated 
Financial Statements” for further information.   

The results of operations of Alpine have been reflected in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations 
since August 20, 2012. 

Discontinued Operations 

In March 2012, we sold our operations in Spain (the “Spanish operations”), pursuant to an asset purchase agreement 
dated  March  29,  2012  and  a  stock  purchase  agreement  dated  March  30,  2012.    We  have  reflected  the  operating 
results related to the operations in Spain as discontinued operations in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of 
Operations for all periods presented.  This business was historically reported as part of the EMEA segment.  

See “Results of Operations – Discontinued Operations” later in this Item 7 for more information.  Unless otherwise 
noted, discussions below pertain only to our continuing operations. 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Results of Operations  

The  following  table  sets  forth,  for  the  years  indicated,  the  amounts  reflected  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated 
Statements of Operations as well as the changes between the respective years:  

(in thousands)

2013

2012

Years Ended December 31,

2013
$ Change

2011

2012
$ Change

Revenues ………………………………………………………… 1,263,460

$       

$       

1,127,698

$          

135,762

$       

1,169,267

$           

(41,569)

Operating expenses:

Direct salaries and related costs ………………………………

General and administrative ……………………………………

Depreciation, net ………………………………………………

Amortization of intangibles ……………………………………

Net (gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment ………

Impairment of long-lived assets ………………………………

855,266

297,519

42,084

14,863

201

-

Total operating expenses …………………………………… 1,209,933

Income from continuing operations ……………………………

53,527

Other income (expense):

Interest income ………………………………………………

Interest (expense) ……………………………………………

Other (expense) ………………………………………………

Total other income (expense) ………………………………

Income from continuing operations before income taxes …………

Income taxes ……………………………………………………

Income from continuing operations, net of taxes  ………………

(Loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes ………………

Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of taxes ……

866

(2,307)

(761)

(2,202)

51,325

14,065

37,260

-

-

737,952

290,373

40,369

10,479

391

355

1,079,919

47,779

1,458

(1,547)

(2,533)

(2,622)

45,157

5,207

39,950

(820)

(10,707)

117,314

7,146

1,715

4,384

(190)

(355)

130,014

5,748

(592)

(760)

1,772

420

6,168

8,858

(2,690)

820

10,707

763,930

287,033

46,111

7,961

(3,021)

1,718

1,103,732

65,535

1,352

(1,132)

(2,099)

(1,879)

63,656

11,342

52,314

(4,532)

559

(25,978)

3,340

(5,742)

2,518

3,412

(1,363)

(23,813)

(17,756)

106

(415)

(434)

(743)

(18,499)

(6,135)

(12,364)

3,712

(11,266)

Net income ………………………………………………………

$            

37,260

$            

28,423

$              

8,837

$            

48,341

$           

(19,918)

The  following  table  sets  forth,  for  the  years  indicated,  the  amounts  presented  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated 
Statements of Operations as a percentage of revenues:  

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013

2011

Percentage of Revenue:

Revenues ……………………………………………………
Direct salaries and related costs ………………………………
General and administrative ……………………………………
Depreciation, net ……………………………………………
Amortization of intangibles …………………………………
Net (gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment ……
Impairment of long-lived assets ………………………………
Income from continuing operations …………………………
Interest income ………………………………………………
Interest (expense) ……………………………………………
Other (expense) ………………………………………………
Income from continuing operations before income taxes ……
Income taxes …………………………………………………
Income from continuing operations, net of taxes ……………
(Loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes ……………
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of taxes …
Net income (loss) ……………………………………………

100.0%
67.7
23.5
3.3
1.2
0.0
-
4.3
0.1
(0.2)
(0.1)
4.1
1.1
3.0
-
-
3.0%

100.0%
65.4
25.8
3.6
0.9
0.0
0.0
4.3
0.1
(0.1)
(0.2)
4.1
0.5
3.6
(0.1)
(0.9)
2.6%

100.0%
65.3
24.6
3.9
0.7
(0.3)
0.1
5.7
0.1
(0.1)
(0.2)
5.5
1.0
4.5
(0.3)
0.0
4.2%

27 

 
 
 
           
             
               
             
              
             
               
               
               
                  
                 
              
               
                     
                  
                 
               
              
                  
               
                 
               
                  
              
              
                 
              
                 
                 
              
               
              
                 
               
             
             
              
             
            
 
 
 
 
             
             
             
             
             
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
                   
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
            
            
            
            
            
            
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
                   
            
            
                   
            
               
 
 
 
 
2013 Compared to 2012 

Revenues  

(in thousands)
Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

Amount

$         

$         

1,050,813
212,647
1,263,460

% of 
Revenues
83.2%
16.8%
100.0%

Amount

$         

947,147
180,551
1,127,698

$      

% of 
Revenues
84.0%
16.0%
100.0%

$ Change

$       

$       

103,666
32,096
135,762

Consolidated revenues increased $135.8 million, or 12.0%, in 2013 from 2012. 

The increase in Americas’ revenues was primarily due to new contract sales of $80.3 million and Alpine acquisition 
revenues  of  $68.6  million,  partially  offset  by  end-of-life  client  programs  of  $25.4  million,  lower  volumes  from 
existing  contracts  of  $5.9  million  and  the  negative  foreign  currency  impact  of  $13.9  million.  Revenues  from  our 
offshore operations represented 43.0% of Americas’ revenues, compared to 47.1% in 2012. While operating margins 
generated  offshore  are  generally  comparable  to  those  in  the  United  States,  our  ability  to  maintain  these  offshore 
operating  margins  longer  term  is  difficult  to  predict  due  to  potential  increased  competition  for  the  available 
workforce,  the  trend  of  higher  occupancy  costs  and  costs  of  functional  currency  fluctuations  in  offshore  markets.  
We weight these factors in our continual focus to re-price or replace certain sub-profitable target client programs. 

The increase in EMEA’s revenues was primarily due to new contract sales of $28.0 million, higher volumes from 
existing contracts of $6.3 million and the positive foreign currency impact of $4.5 million, partially offset by end-of-
life client programs of $6.7 million.  

On a consolidated basis, we had 42,200 brick-and-mortar seats as of December 31, 2013, an increase of 2,900 seats 
from 2012. The capacity utilization rate on a combined basis was 73% compared to 75% in 2012. This decrease was 
due partly to a delay in the timing of capacity rationalization, coupled with the increase in seats driven by facility 
upgrades and transfers, and growth in new and existing client programs that are in the process of ramping up.  

On a geographic segment basis, 36,100 seats were located in the Americas, an increase of 2,100 seats from 2012, 
and 6,100 seats were located in EMEA, an increase of 800 seats from 2012. The consolidated offshore seat count as 
of December 31, 2013 was 23,400, or 55%, of our total seats, an increase of 1,400 seats, or 6%, from 2012. The 
capacity utilization rate for the Americas as of December 31, 2013 was 70%, compared to 74% as of December 31, 
2012, down primarily due to a delay in the timing of capacity rationalization, coupled with the increase in seats as 
previously  mentioned.    The  capacity  utilization  rate  for  EMEA  as  of  December  31,  2013  was  87%,  compared  to 
82% as of December 31, 2012, up primarily due to an increase in demand from new and existing clients.  We strive 
to attain an 85% capacity utilization metric at each of our locations. 

The Company plans to add approximately 1,200 seats on a gross basis in 2014.  Approximately 50% of the new seat 
count is expected to be added in the first half of 2014, with the remainder in the second half.  Total seat count on a 
net  basis  for  the  full  year,  however,  is  expected  to  decrease  by  approximately  1,200  seats  as  we  continue  to 
rationalize excess capacity. 

Direct Salaries and Related Costs  

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

(in thousands)
Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

Amount

$            

699,797
155,469
855,266

$            

% of 
Revenues
66.6%
73.1%
67.7%

Amount

$         

$         

609,836
128,116
737,952

% of 
Revenues
64.4%
71.0%
65.4%

$ Change

$         

89,961
27,353
117,314

$       

Change in % of 
Revenues
2.2%
2.1%
2.3%

The increase of $117.3 million in direct salaries and related costs included a positive foreign currency impact of $6.4 
million in the Americas and a negative foreign currency impact of $3.3 million in EMEA.   

28 

 
 
 
             
         
          
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
 
             
         
          
 
 
The increase in Americas’ direct salaries and related costs, as a percentage of revenues, was primarily attributable to 
higher compensation costs of 1.9% driven by the ramp up for new and existing client programs principally in the 
communications  vertical,  partially  offset  by  lower  demand  within  the  financial  services  and  healthcare  verticals 
without  a  commensurate  reduction  in  labor  costs,  higher  auto  tow  claim  costs  of  0.1%  due  to  an  increase  in  the 
average length of tows without a commensurate increase in fees at our Canadian roadside assistance operations and 
higher other costs of 0.2%.   

The increase in EMEA’s direct salaries and related costs, as a percentage of revenues, was primarily attributable to 
higher compensation costs of 4.4% driven by the ramp up for new and existing client programs principally in the 
communications vertical, partially offset by lower fulfillment materials costs of 0.7%, lower billable supply costs of 
0.5%, lower severance-related costs of 0.4% due to the closure of certain sites in connection with the Fourth Quarter 
2011 Exit Plan, lower recruiting costs of 0.2%, lower communications costs of 0.2%, lower travel costs of 0.2% and 
lower other costs of 0.1%. 

General and Administrative 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

(in thousands)
Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Corporate ……………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

Amount

$            

204,321
46,667
46,531
297,519

$            

% of 
Revenues
19.4%
21.9%
-
23.5%

Amount

$         

196,080
43,004
51,289
290,373

$         

% of 
Revenues
20.7%
23.8%
-
25.7%

$ Change

$           

8,241
3,663
(4,758)
7,146

$           

Change in % of 
Revenues
-1.3%
-1.9%
-
-2.2%

The increase of $7.1 million in general and administrative expenses included a positive foreign currency impact of 
$1.5 million in the Americas and a negative foreign currency impact of $0.8 million in EMEA.  

The  decrease  in  Americas’  general  and  administrative  expenses,  as  a  percentage  of  revenues,  was  primarily 
attributable  to  lower  compensation  costs  of  0.6%,  lower  facility-related  costs  of  0.4%  due  to  rationalization  of 
facilities, lower equipment and maintenance costs of 0.2% and lower other costs of 0.1%. 

The  decrease  in  EMEA’s  general  and  administrative  expenses,  as  a  percentage  of  revenues,  was  primarily 
attributable to lower compensation costs of 0.9%, lower facility-related costs of 0.3%, lower communications costs 
of 0.3%, lower severance-related costs of 0.2% principally all due to the closure of certain sites in connection with 
the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan and lower other costs of 0.2%. 

The decrease of $4.8 million in Corporate’s general and administrative expenses was primarily attributable to lower 
merger  and  integration  costs  of  $3.5  million,  lower  consulting  costs  of  $1.7  million,  lower  legal  and  professional 
fees  of  $1.0  million,  lower  travel  costs  of  $0.3  million,  lower  equipment  and  maintenance  costs  of  $0.3  million, 
lower  communications  costs  of  $0.2  million,  lower  training  costs  of  $0.2  million  and  lower  other  costs  of  $0.3 
million,  partially  offset  by  higher  compensation  costs  of  $2.1  million  and  higher  facility-related  costs  of  $0.6 
million. 

Depreciation and Amortization 

(in thousands)
Depreciation, net:

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

Amount

% of 
Revenues

Amount

% of 
Revenues

$ Change

Change in % of 
Revenues

Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

$              

$              

37,818
4,266
42,084

Amortization of intangibles:

Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

$              

14,863

-

$              

14,863

3.6%
2.0%
3.3%

1.4%
0.0%
1.2%

$           

$           

36,494
3,875
40,369

$           

$           

10,479
-
10,479

3.9%
2.1%
3.6%

1.1%
0.0%
0.9%

29 

$           

$           

$           

$           

1,324
391
1,715

4,384
-
4,384

-0.3%
-0.1%
-0.3%

0.3%
0.0%
0.3%

 
 
 
 
 
               
           
            
               
           
           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
             
               
                      
                   
                  
 
 
 
The  increase  in  depreciation  was  primarily  due  to  capital  expenditures  for  new  seat  additions,  maintenance  and 
systems infrastructure. 

The increase in amortization was primarily due to the August 2012 Alpine acquisition. 

Net (Gain) Loss on Disposal of Property and Equipment and Impairment of Long-Lived Assets 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

(in thousands)

Amount

Net (gain) loss on disposal of property 
and equipment:

Americas ……………………………

$                       
8

EM EA …………………………

193

Consolidated ……………………..

$                   

201

Impairment of long-lived assets:

Americas ……………………………

$                      

-  

EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

-
$                      
-  

% of 
Revenues

Amount

% of 
Revenues

$ Change

Change in % of 
Revenues

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%
0.0%

$                

323

68

$                

391

$                

355

$                

-
355

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%
0.0%

$             

(315)

125

$             

(190)

$             

(355)

-
(355)

$             

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%
0.0%

See Note 5, Fair Value, of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” for further information regarding the 
impairment of long-lived assets. 

Other Income (Expense) 

(in thousands)
Interest income ………………………………………………………………..………………

Years Ended December 31,
2013
2012

$ Change

$                           

866

$                        

1,458

$                 

(592)

Interest (expense) ……………………………………………...……………………………

$                       

(2,307)

$                       

(1,547)

$                 

(760)

Other (expense):

Foreign currency transaction gains (losses) ………………………………………………
Gains (losses) on foreign currency derivative instruments not designated as hedges ……
Gains (losses) on liquidation of foreign subsidiaries ………………………………………
Other miscellaneous income (expense) ……………...……………………………………

$                       

$                       

$              

(5,962)
4,216
-
985
(761)

(2,856)
(295)
(582)
1,200
(2,533)

(3,106)
4,511
582
(215)
1,772

Total other (expense) ……………………………………………………………………

$                          

$                       

$               

The decrease in interest income reflects lower average invested balances of interest bearing investments in cash and 
cash equivalents in 2013 compared to 2012. 

The  increase  in  interest  (expense)  reflects  higher  average  outstanding  borrowings  primarily  related  to  the  August 
2012 Alpine acquisition. 

Other  (expense) excludes  the  cumulative  translation  effects  and  unrealized  gains  (losses) on  financial  derivatives 
that  are  included  in  “Accumulated  other  comprehensive  income”  in  shareholders'  equity  in  the  accompanying 
Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

Income Taxes  

(in thousands)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes ……………………………………
Income taxes …………………………………………………………..………………………

Years Ended December 31,
2013
2012
$                      
$                        

51,325
14,065

$                      
$                      

45,157
5,207

$ Change

$               
$               

6,168
8,858

% Change

Effective tax rate …………………………………………………………..…………………

27.4%

11.5%

15.9%

The increase in the effective tax rate in 2013 compared to 2012 is primarily due to withholding taxes on offshore 
cash  movements,  U.S.  taxation  of  offshore  gains  on  derivatives  and  foreign  exchange,  tax  benefits  recognized  in 

30 

 
 
 
 
                    
                  
               
                      
                   
                  
 
 
 
 
                         
                           
                
                               
                           
                   
                            
                         
                 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
2012 as a result of the Alpine acquisition and the fluctuations in earnings among the various jurisdictions in which 
we operate.  

In 2013, we executed offshore cash movements to take advantage of The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 
(the “Act”) enacted on January 2, 2013, with retroactive application to January 1, 2012.  This Act, which extended 
the tax provisions of the Internal Revenue Code Section 954(c)(6) through the end of 2013, permits continued tax 
deferral on such movements that would otherwise be taxable immediately in the U.S.  While these cash movements 
are  not  taxable  in  the  U.S.,  related  foreign  withholding  taxes  of  $3.5  million  were  included  in  the  provision  for 
income taxes in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2013.   

Prior to the passage of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010, we 
determined that we intended to distribute all of the current year and future years’ earnings of a non-U.S. subsidiary 
to its foreign parent.  Withholding taxes of $0.6 million and $0.8 million related to this distribution are included in 
the  provision  for  income  taxes  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  for  the  years  ended 
December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. 

Gain (Loss) from Discontinued Operations 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

(in thousands)

Amount

(Loss) from discontinued operations, 
net of taxes

Americas ……………………………

$                      

-  

EM EA …………………………

-

Consolidated ……………………..

$                      

-  

Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued 
operations, net of taxes

Americas ……………………………

$                      

-  

EM EA …………………………

-

Consolidated ……………………..

$                      

-  

% of 
Revenues

Amount

% of 
Revenues

$ Change

Change in % of 
Revenues

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

$                  

-  

(820)

$              

(820)

$         

(10,707)

-

$         

(10,707)

0.0%

-0.5%

-0.1%

-1.1%

0.0%

-0.9%

$                   
-

820

$              

820

$         

10,707

-

$         

10,707

0.0%

0.5%

0.1%

1.1%

0.0%

0.9%

In 2012, (loss) from discontinued operations and the (loss) on sale of discontinued operations related to the sale of 
our operations in Spain in March 2012.  There was no tax impact on either the (loss) from discontinued operations or 
the (loss) on sale of discontinued operations. 

2012 Compared to 2011 

Revenues  

Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

(in thousands)
Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

Amount

$            

947,147
180,551
1,127,698

$         

% of 
Revenues
84.0%
16.0%
100.0%

Amount

$         

963,142
206,125
1,169,267

$      

% of 
Revenues
82.4%
17.6%
100.0%

$ Change

$        

$        

(15,995)
(25,574)
(41,569)

Consolidated revenues decreased $41.6 million, or 3.6%, in 2012 from 2011. 

The  decrease  in  Americas’  revenues  was  primarily  due  to  end-of-life  client  programs  of  $85.9  million  and  lower 
volumes  from  existing  contracts  of  $35.7  million,  partially  offset  by  new  contract  sales  of  $64.5  million,  Alpine 
acquisition revenues of $40.6 million and the positive foreign currency impact of $0.5 million. Revenues from our 
offshore operations represented 47.1% of Americas’ revenues, compared to 47.8% in 2011. While operating margins 
generated  offshore  are  generally  comparable  to  those  in  the  United  States,  our  ability  to  maintain  these  offshore 
operating  margins  longer  term  is  difficult  to  predict  due  to  potential  increased  competition  for  the  available 

31 

 
 
 
 
 
                      
               
               
                      
                   
                  
 
 
 
 
 
             
         
         
 
 
 
workforce,  the  trend  of  higher  occupancy  costs  and  costs  of  functional  currency  fluctuations  in  offshore  markets.  
We weight these factors in our continual focus to re-price or replace certain sub-profitable target client programs. 

The decrease in EMEA’s revenues was primarily due to end-of-life client programs of $32.7 million, lower volumes 
from existing contracts of $0.5 million and the negative foreign currency impact of $11.7 million, partially offset by 
new contract sales of $19.3 million.  

Direct Salaries and Related Costs  

Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

(in thousands)
Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

Amount

$            

609,836
128,116
737,952

$            

% of 
Revenues
64.4%
71.0%
65.4%

Amount

$         

$         

611,783
152,147
763,930

% of 
Revenues
63.5%
73.8%
65.3%

$ Change

$          

(1,947)
(24,031)
(25,978)

$        

Change in % of 
Revenues
0.9%
-2.8%
0.1%

The decrease of $26.0 million in direct salaries and related costs included a negative foreign currency impact of $1.1 
million in the Americas and a positive foreign currency impact of $8.2 million in EMEA.   

The increase in Americas’ direct salaries and related costs, as a percentage of revenues, was primarily attributable to 
higher compensation costs of 0.8%, higher travel costs of 0.1% and higher other costs of 0.2%, partially offset by 
lower communication costs of 0.2%.  

The decrease in EMEA’s direct salaries and related costs, as a percentage of revenues, was primarily attributable to 
lower severance-related and compensation costs of 2.6% due to a workforce reduction in connection with the Fourth 
Quarter 2011 Exit Plan, lower billable supply costs of 0.3% and lower other costs of 0.4%, partially offset by higher 
fulfillment materials costs of 0.5%. 

General and Administrative 

Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

(in thousands)
Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Corporate ……………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

Amount

$            

196,080
43,004
51,289
290,373

$            

% of 
Revenues
20.7%
23.8%
-
25.7%

Amount

$         

188,398
52,189
46,446
287,033

$         

% of 
Revenues
19.6%
25.3%
-
24.5%

$ Change

$           

7,682
(9,185)
4,843
3,340

$           

Change in % of 
Revenues
1.1%
-1.5%
-
1.2%

The increase of $3.3 million in general and administrative expenses included a negative foreign currency impact of 
$0.3 million in the Americas and a positive foreign currency impact of $2.7 million in EMEA.  

The  increase  in  Americas’  general  and  administrative  expenses,  as  a  percentage  of  revenues,  was  primarily 
attributable  to  higher  compensation  costs  of  0.4%  principally  related  to  higher  wage  rates,  higher  facility-related 
costs  of 0.2%  principally  from  the  expansion of  U.S.  facilities  and  lease  termination  costs  in  connection  with  the 
Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan, higher software maintenance of 0.2%, higher legal and professional fees of 0.1%, 
higher taxes of 0.1% and higher other costs of 0.3%, partially offset by lower equipment and maintenance costs of 
0.2%. 

The  decrease  in  EMEA’s  general  and  administrative  expenses,  as  a  percentage  of  revenues,  was  primarily 
attributable to lower severance-related costs of 0.8% and lower facility-related costs of 0.5% due to the closure of 
certain sites in connection with the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan, lower equipment and maintenance costs of 0.2%, 
lower legal and professional fees of 0.2% and lower other costs of 0.1%, partially offset by higher communications 
costs of 0.2% and higher compensation costs of 0.1%. 

The increase of $4.8 million in Corporate’s general and administrative expenses was primarily attributable to higher 
merger  and  integration  costs  of  $2.9  million,  higher  compensation  costs  of  $1.5  million,  higher  legal  and 

32 

 
    
 
 
             
         
         
 
 
 
  
 
 
               
           
           
               
           
            
 
 
 
 
 
professional fees of $1.1 million, higher software maintenance costs of $0.3 million and higher other costs of $0.2 
million, partially offset by lower charitable contributions of $1.2 million. 

Depreciation and Amortization 

(in thousands)
Depreciation, net:

Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

Amount

% of 
Revenues

Amount

% of 
Revenues

$ Change

Change in % of 
Revenues

Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

$              

$              

36,494
3,875
40,369

Amortization of intangibles:

Americas ……………………………
EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

$              

10,479

-

$              

10,479

3.9%
2.1%
3.6%

1.1%
0.0%
0.9%

$           

$           

41,059
5,052
46,111

$             

$             

7,961
-
7,961

4.3%
2.5%
3.9%

0.8%
0.0%
0.7%

$          

$          

(4,565)
(1,177)
(5,742)

$           

$           

2,518
-
2,518

-0.4%
-0.4%
-0.3%

0.3%
0.0%
0.2%

The decrease in depreciation was primarily due to the continued use of fully depreciated assets and the closure of 
certain sites in connection with the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan.   

The increase in amortization was primarily due to the August 2012 Alpine acquisition. 

Net (Gain) Loss on Disposal of Property and Equipment and Impairment of Long-Lived Assets 

Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

(in thousands)

Amount

Net (gain) loss on disposal of property 
and equipment:

Americas ……………………………

$                   

323

EM EA …………………………

68

Consolidated ……………………..

$                   

391

Impairment of long-lived assets:

Americas ……………………………

$                   

355

EM EA ………………………………
Consolidated ……………………..

$                   

-
355

% of 
Revenues

Amount

% of 
Revenues

$ Change

Change in % of 
Revenues

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%
0.0%

$           

(3,030)

9

$           

(3,021)

$             

1,244

474
1,718

$             

-0.3%

0.0%

-0.3%

0.1%

0.2%
0.1%

$           

3,353

59

$           

3,412

$             

(889)

(474)
(1,363)

$          

0.3%

0.0%

0.3%

-0.1%

-0.2%
-0.1%

The net (gain) on disposal of property and equipment in 2011 primarily related to the sale of land and a building 
located in Minot, North Dakota. 

See  Note  5,  Fair  Value,  of  the  “Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial  Statements”  for  further  information  regarding 
impairment of long-lived assets. 

Other Income (Expense) 

(in thousands)
Interest income ………………………………………………………………..………………

Years Ended December 31,
2012
2011

$                        

1,458

$                        

1,352

$ Change
$                  

106

Interest (expense) ……………………………………………...……………………………

$                       

(1,547)

$                       

(1,132)

$                 

(415)

Other (expense):

Foreign currency transaction gains (losses) ………………………………………………
Gains (losses) on foreign currency derivative instruments not designated as hedges ……
Gains (losses) on liquidation of foreign subsidiaries ………………………………………
Other miscellaneous income (expense) ……………...……………………………………

$                       

$                          

$              

(2,856)
(295)
(582)
1,200
(2,533)

(749)
(1,444)
-
94
(2,099)

(2,107)
1,149
(582)
1,106
(434)

Total other (expense) ……………………………………………………………………

$                       

$                       

$                 

Interest income remained relatively unchanged in 2012 from 2011. 

33 

 
 
 
 
                 
             
           
                      
                   
                  
 
 
 
 
 
                      
                    
                 
                      
                
              
 
 
 
 
 
 
                           
                        
                
                           
                               
                 
                         
                              
                
 
 
The  increase  in  interest  (expense)  reflects  higher  average  outstanding  borrowings  primarily  related  to  the  August 
2012 Alpine acquisition. 

Other  (expense)  excludes  the  cumulative  translation  effects  and  unrealized  gains  (losses) on  financial  derivatives 
that  are  included  in  “Accumulated  other  comprehensive  income”  in  shareholders'  equity  in  the  accompanying 
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

Income Taxes  

(in thousands)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes ……………………………………
Income taxes …………………………………………………………..………………………

Years Ended December 31,
2012
2011
$                      
$                        

$                      
$                      

45,157
5,207

63,656
11,342

$ Change

$            
$              

(18,499)
(6,135)

% Change

Effective tax rate …………………………………………………………..…………………

11.5%

17.8%

-6.3%

The decrease in the effective tax rate resulted primarily from integration and transaction costs related to the Alpine 
acquisition, which lowered income in a high tax jurisdiction.  

Prior to the passage of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010, we 
determined that we intended to distribute all of the current year and future years’ earnings of a non-U.S. subsidiary 
to its foreign parent.  Withholding taxes of $0.8 million and $0.9 million related to this distribution are included in 
the  provision  for  income  taxes  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Statement  of  Operations  for  2012  and  2011, 
respectively. 

Gain (Loss) from Discontinued Operations 

Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

(in thousands)

Amount

(Loss) from discontinued operations, 
net of taxes

Americas ……………………………

$                      

-  

EM EA …………………………

(820)

Consolidated ……………………..

$                  

(820)

Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued 
operations, net of taxes

Americas ……………………………

$             

(10,707)

EM EA …………………………

-

Consolidated ……………………..

$             

(10,707)

% of 
Revenues

Amount

% of 
Revenues

$ Change

Change in % of 
Revenues

0.0%

-0.5%

-0.1%

-1.1%

0.0%

-0.9%

$                  

-  

(4,532)

$           

(4,532)

$                

559

-

$                

559

0.0%

-2.2%

-0.4%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

$                   
-

3,712

$           

3,712

$        

(11,266)

-

$        

(11,266)

0.0%

1.7%

0.3%

-1.2%

0.0%

-0.9%

In 2012, the (loss) from discontinued operations and the (loss) on sale of discontinued operations related to the sale 
of our operations in Spain in March 2012.  In 2011, the net gain on sale of discontinued operations related to the sale 
of  our  operations  in  Argentina  resulted  from  the  reversal  of  the  accrued  liability  related  to  the  expiration  of  the 
indemnification to the purchaser for the possible loss of a specific client business. There was no tax impact on either 
the (loss) from discontinued operations or the (loss) on sale of discontinued operations. 

34 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                  
            
            
                      
                   
                  
 
 
 
 
Quarterly Results  

The following information presents our unaudited quarterly operating results from continuing operations for 2013 
and 2012. During 2012, we sold our operations in Spain. Accordingly, we have reclassified the selected financial 
data  for  all  periods  presented  to  reflect  these  results  as  discontinued  operations  in  accordance  with  Accounting 
Standards Codification 205-20 “Discontinued Operations”. The data has been prepared on a basis consistent with 
the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and 
includes all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, that we consider necessary for a fair presentation 
thereof.  

(in thousands, except per share data)

12/31/2013

9/30/2013

6/30/2013

3/31/2013

12/31/2012

9/30/2012

6/30/2012

3/31/2012

Revenues (1) …………………………………………………… 335,338
Operating expenses:

$    

$   

322,143

$   

304,735

$   

301,244

$    

304,272

$   

280,526

$   

264,802

$   

278,098

Direct salaries and related costs (1,2,3) ………………………… 226,418
General and administrative (1,4,5) ……………………………… 74,612
Depreciation, net (1) …………………………………………
11,221
Amortization of intangibles (1) ………………………………
Net (gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment ……

3,692

141

Impairment of long-lived assets ………………………………

-

Total operating expenses ………………………………… 316,084

Income from continuing operations …………………………

19,254

Other income (expense):

Interest income ………………………………………………

Interest (expense) ……………………………………………

Other income (expense) ………………………………………

218

(591)

(903)

Total other income (expense) ……………………………… (1,276)

Income from continuing operations before income taxes ……..

Income taxes ……………………………………………………

17,978

6,978

Income from continuing operations, net of taxes  ……………… 11,000
(Loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes (6) ……………
(Loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of taxes (7) ………
Net income (loss) ………………………………………………

11,000

$      

-

-

215,001

210,141

203,706

201,194

73,910

10,677

3,699

77

-

303,364

18,779

216

(630)

356

(58)

18,721

4,575

14,146

-

-

75,273

10,017

3,713

(26)

-

73,724

10,169

3,759

9

-

299,118

291,367

5,617

9,877

208

(578)

(339)

(709)

4,908

(688)

5,596

-

-

224

(508)

125

(159)

9,718

3,200

6,518

-

-

72,803

10,336

3,835

308

84

288,560

15,712

443

(498)

(729)

(784)

14,928

1,638

13,290

-

-

183,628

75,548

9,583

2,774

199

122

174,630

69,708

9,816

2,009

(66)

-

178,500

72,314

10,634

1,861

(50)

149

271,854

256,097

8,672

8,705

263,408

14,690

297

(421)

(715)

(839)

7,833

(309)

8,142

-

-

354

(312)

(488)

(446)

8,259

511

7,748

-

-

364

(316)

(601)

(553)

14,137

3,367

10,770

(820)

(10,707)

$     

14,146

$       

5,596

$       

6,518

$      

13,290

$       

8,142

$       

7,748

$         

(757)

Net income (loss) per common share (8) :

Basic:

Continuing operations ……………………………………

$          

0.26

$         

0.33

$         

0.13

$         

0.15

$          

0.31

$         

0.19

$         

0.18

$         

0.25

Discontinued operations …………………………………

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(0.27)

Net income (loss) per common share ………………………

$          

0.26

$         

0.33

$         

0.13

$         

0.15

$          

0.31

$         

0.19

$         

0.18

$        

(0.02)

Diluted:

Continuing operations ……………………………………

$          

0.26

$         

0.33

$         

0.13

$         

0.15

$          

0.31

$         

0.19

$         

0.18

$         

0.25

Discontinued operations …………………………………

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

(0.27)

Net income (loss) per common share ………………………

$          

0.26

$         

0.33

$         

0.13

$         

0.15

$          

0.31

$         

0.19

$         

0.18

$        

(0.02)

Weighted average shares:

Basic ……………………………………………………… 42,759

Diluted ……………………………………………………

42,880

42,785

42,836

42,936

42,954

43,036

43,052

43,057

43,081

43,014

43,031

43,094

43,103

43,309

43,409

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

Each of the quarters for 2013 and the quarters ended December 31, 2012 and September 30, 2012 include the results of Alpine, as a result of the acquisition completed on
August 20, 2012.

The quarter ended M arch 31, 2012 includes $0.7 million related to the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan.

The quarter ended June 30, 2013 includes $0.5 million, respectively, in Alpine acquisition-related costs.

The quarters ended December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2013 include $0.3 million and $(0.1) million, respectively, related to the exit plans. The quarters ended
December 31, 2012, September 30, 2012, June 30, 2012 and M arch 31, 2012 include $(0.4) million, $0.6 million, $0.7 million and $0.3 million, respectively, related to the
exit plans.  See Note 4, Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities, for further information.

The quarters ended September 30, 2013, June 30, 2013, M arch 31, 2013, December 31, 2012, September 30, 2012 and June 30, 2012 include $0.1 million, $0.8 million,
$0.7 million, $1.0 million, $3.7 million and $0.1 million, respectively, in Alpine acquisition-related costs.

The amount for the quarter ended M arch 31, 2012 includes the results of our operations in Spain, which was sold in M arch 2012.

The quarter ended M arch 31, 2012 includes the loss on the sale of our operations in Spain, which was sold in M arch 2012.

(8) Net income (loss) per basic and diluted common share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented and, therefore, may not sum to the total for the year.

35 

 
 
 
     
    
    
     
    
    
    
       
      
      
      
       
      
      
      
       
      
      
       
        
        
      
         
        
        
         
        
        
        
            
             
               
            
           
            
            
               
              
              
              
              
           
              
           
            
           
           
           
            
           
           
           
           
          
          
          
           
          
          
          
           
           
          
           
           
          
          
          
       
         
        
        
         
          
           
        
      
        
       
        
        
      
               
              
              
              
               
              
              
          
               
              
              
              
               
              
              
     
               
              
              
              
               
              
              
         
               
              
              
              
               
              
              
         
       
      
      
      
       
      
      
      
       
      
      
      
       
      
      
      
 
 
 
Business Outlook 

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2014, we anticipate the following financial results:  

•  Revenues in the range of $1,315.0 million to $1,335.0 million; 
•  Effective tax rate of approximately 24.8%;  
•  Fully diluted share count of approximately 43.1 million; 
•  Diluted earnings per share in the range of $1.20 to $1.30; and 
•  Capital expenditures in the range of $45.0 million to $50.0 million   

Not included in this guidance is the impact of any future acquisitions or share repurchase activities. 

Liquidity and Capital Resources  

Our  primary  sources  of  liquidity  are  generally  cash  flows  generated  by  operating  activities  and  from  available 
borrowings  under  our  revolving  credit  facility.  We  utilize  these  capital  resources  to  make  capital  expenditures 
associated primarily with our customer contact management services, invest in technology applications and tools to 
further  develop  our  service  offerings  and  for  working  capital  and  other  general  corporate  purposes,  including 
repurchase of our common stock in the open market and to fund acquisitions. In future periods, we intend similar 
uses of these funds. 

On August 18, 2011, the Board authorized us to purchase up to 5.0 million shares of our outstanding common stock 
(the “2011 Share Repurchase Program”). A total of 3.4 million shares have been repurchased under the 2011 Share 
Repurchase Program since inception. The shares are purchased, from time to time, through open market purchases 
or in negotiated private transactions, and the purchases are based on factors, including but not limited to, the stock 
price, management discretion and general market conditions. The 2011 Share Repurchase Program has no expiration 
date.  Our Board previously authorized us on August 5, 2002 to purchase up to 3.0 million shares of our outstanding 
common stock, the last of which were repurchased during 2011. 

The  shares  repurchased  under  our  share  repurchase  programs  were  as  follows  (in  thousands,  except  per  share 
amounts): 

For the Years Ended

December 31, 2013 ……………………
December 31, 2012 ……………………
December 31, 2011 ……………………

Total Number 
of S hares 
Repurchased
341
537
3,292

Range of Prices Paid Per S hare

Low
$               
$               
$               

15.61
13.85
12.46

High
$               
$               
$               

16.99
15.00
18.53

Total Cost of 
S hares 
Repurchased
5,479
$               
$               
7,908
$             
49,993

During  2013,  cash  increased  $86.2 million  from  operating  activities,  $32.0  million  due  to  proceeds  from  the 
issuance of long-term debt, $0.4 million from the proceeds from sale of property and equipment, $0.2 million from 
the proceeds from grants and $0.1 million of other. Further, we used $59.2 million for capital expenditures, $25.0 
million to repay long-term debt, $5.5 million to repurchase our stock, $0.6 million for investment in restricted cash 
and $0.2  million  to repurchase  stock  for  minimum  tax  withholding  on  equity  awards, resulting  in  a  $24.7 million 
increase  in  available  cash  (including  the  unfavorable  effects  of  foreign  currency  exchange  rates  on  cash  of 
$3.7 million). 

Net  cash  flows  provided  by operating  activities  for  2013 were $86.2  million,  compared  to  $86.5  million  in 2012.  
The $0.3 million decrease in net cash flows from operating activities was due to a net decrease of $14.2 million in 
cash flows from assets and liabilities, partially offset by an $8.8 million increase in net income and a $5.1 million 
increase in non-cash reconciling items such as depreciation and amortization, (gain) loss on the sale of discontinued 
operations, net (gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment, impairment losses and unrealized foreign currency 
transaction (gains) losses, net. The $14.2 million decrease in cash flows from assets and liabilities was principally a 
result  of  a  $15.3  million  increase  in  accounts  receivable,  a  $9.3  million  decrease  in  other  liabilities  and  a  $0.7 
million  decrease  in  taxes  payable,  partially  offset  by  an  $8.1  million  decrease  in  other  assets  and  a  $3.0  million 
increase in deferred revenue.  The increase in accounts receivable is primarily due to additional billings related to 
higher volumes within certain clients in 2013 over 2012.  The decrease in other liabilities is primarily related to a 
decrease in deposits received from clients for future services. 
36 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                    
                    
                 
 
 
 
We  sold  our  operations  in  Spain  (the  “Spanish  operations”)  in  2012.    Cash  flows  from  discontinued  operations, 
which are included in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, were as follows (in thousands):  

Cash (used for) operating activities of discontinued operations ……………………
Cash (used for) investing activities of discontinued operations ……………………

(4,530)
(8,887)

(4,656)
(311)

Years Ended December 31,
2012
2011
$                   
$                   

Cash (used for) operating activities of discontinued operations represents the cash used by the Spanish operations in 
2012 and 2011 (none in 2013).  Cash (used for) investing activities of discontinued operations for 2012 primarily 
represents  the  cash  divested  upon  the  sale  of  the  Spanish  operations.  Cash  (used  for)  investing  activities  of 
discontinued  operations  represents  capital  expenditures  in  2011.    The  sale  of  the  Spanish  operations  resulted  in  a 
loss of $10.7 million.  We do not expect the absence of the cash flows from our discontinued operations in Spain and 
to materially affect our future liquidity and capital resources. 

Capital  expenditures,  which  are  generally  funded  by  cash  generated  from  operating  activities,  available  cash 
balances  and  borrowings  available  under  our  credit  facilities,  were  $59.2  million  for  2013,  compared  to  $38.6 
million  for  2012,  an  increase  of  $20.6  million.  In  2014,  we  anticipate  capital  expenditures  in  the  range  of  $45.0 
million to $50.0 million, primarily for new seat additions, facility upgrades, maintenance and systems infrastructure. 

On  May  3,  2012,  we  entered  into  a  $245  million  revolving  credit  facility  (the  “2012  Credit  Agreement”)  with  a 
group  of  lenders  and  KeyBank  National  Association,  as  Lead  Arranger,  Sole  Book  Runner  and  Administrative 
Agent (“KeyBank”). The 2012 Credit Agreement replaced our previous $75 million revolving credit facility dated 
February  2,  2010,  as  amended,  which  agreement  was  terminated  simultaneous  with  entering  into  the  2012  Credit 
Agreement. The 2012 Credit Agreement is subject to certain borrowing limitations and includes certain customary 
financial and restrictive covenants.  At December 31, 2013, we were in compliance with all loan requirements of the 
2012  Credit  Agreement  and  had  $98.0  million  and  $91.0  million  of  outstanding  borrowings  as  of  December  31, 
2013 and 2012, respectively, with an average daily utilization of $102.5 million during 2013 and $96.8 million for 
the  outstanding  period  during  2012  (none  in  2011).    During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2013  and  2012,  the 
related interest expense, excluding amortization of deferred loan fees, under our credit agreements was $1.5 million 
and  $0.5  million,  respectively,  which  represented  weighted  average  interest  rates  of  1.5%  and  1.5%,  respectively 
(none in 2011). 

The  2012  Credit  Agreement  includes  a  $184 million  alternate-currency  sub-facility,  a  $10 million  swingline  sub-
facility  and  a  $35 million  letter  of  credit  sub-facility,  and  may  be  used  for  general  corporate  purposes  including 
acquisitions, share repurchases, working capital support and letters of credit, subject to certain limitations.  We are 
not currently aware of any inability of our lenders to provide access to the full commitment of funds that exist under 
the 2012 Credit Agreement, if necessary.  However, there can be no assurance that such facility will be available to 
us, even though it is a binding commitment of the financial institutions.  The 2012 Credit Agreement will mature on 
May 2, 2017. 

Borrowings  under  the  2012  Credit  Agreement  will  bear  interest  at  the  rates  set  forth  in  the  Credit  Agreement.  In 
addition,  we  are  required  to  pay  certain  customary  fees,  including  a  commitment  fee  of  0.175%,  which  is  due 
quarterly in arrears and calculated on the average unused amount of the 2012 Credit Agreement.    

The  2012  Credit  Agreement  is  guaranteed  by  all  of  our  existing  and  future  direct  and  indirect  material  U.S. 
subsidiaries and secured by a pledge of 100% of the non-voting and 65% of the voting capital stock of all of our 
direct foreign subsidiaries and those of the guarantors. 

We are currently under audit in several tax jurisdictions. In April 2012, we received an assessment for the Canadian 
2003-2006  audit  for  which  we  filed  a  Notice  of  Objection  in  July  2012  and  paid  a  mandatory  security  deposit. 
Requests  for  Competent  Authority  Assistance  were  filed  with  both  the  Canadian  Revenue  Agency  and  the  U.S. 
Internal Revenue Service for this audit cycle. In July and October 2013, we received reassessments for the 2007-
2009 audit, which resulted in additional payments.  These payments bring the total amount of deposits for both audit 
cycles  to  $17.3  million  and  $15.0  million  as  of  December  31,  2013  and  2012,  respectively,  and  are  included  in 
“Deferred charges and other assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. In December 2013, we filed 
a Notice of Objection to the 2007-2009 reassessment.  Although the outcome of examinations by taxing authorities 
is  always  uncertain,  we believe  we  are  adequately  reserved  for  these  audits  and  that resolution  is  not  expected  to 
have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations. 

37 

 
 
                     
                        
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
On August 20, 2012, we completed the acquisition of Alpine, a Delaware corporation, pursuant to the Agreement 
and Plan of Merger, dated July 27, 2012. The purchase price of $149.0 million was funded through cash on hand of 
$41.0 million and borrowings of $108.0 million under our 2012 Credit Agreement, dated May 3, 2012. 

As of December 31, 2013, we had $212.0 million in cash and cash equivalents, of which approximately 92.0% or 
$195.0  million,  was  held  in  international  operations  and  is  deemed  to  be  indefinitely  reinvested  offshore.    These 
funds may be subject to additional taxes if repatriated to the United States, including withholding tax applied by the 
country of origin and an incremental U.S. income tax, net of allowable foreign tax credits. There are circumstances 
where we may be unable to repatriate some of the cash and cash equivalents held by our international operations due 
to  country  restrictions.  We  do  not  intend  nor  currently  foresee  a  need  to  repatriate  these  funds.    We  expect  our 
current  domestic  cash  levels  and  cash  flows  from  operations  to  be  adequate  to  meet  our  domestic  anticipated 
working capital needs, including investment activities such as capital expenditures and debt repayment for the next 
twelve months and the foreseeable future.  However, from time to time, we may borrow funds under our 2012 Credit 
Agreement as a result of the timing of our working capital needs, including capital expenditures. Additionally, we 
expect our  current  foreign  cash  levels  and cash  flows  from  foreign operations  to  be adequate  to  meet  our  foreign 
anticipated working capital needs, including investment activities such as capital expenditures for the next twelve 
months and the foreseeable future. 

If we should require more cash in the U.S. than is provided by our domestic operations for significant discretionary 
unforeseen  activities  such  as  acquisitions  of  businesses  and  share  repurchases,  we  could  elect  to  repatriate  future 
foreign  earnings  and/or  raise  capital  in  the  U.S  through  additional  borrowings  or  debt/equity  issuances.    These 
alternatives  could  result  in  higher  effective  tax  rates,  interest  expense  and/or  dilution  of  earnings.    We  have 
borrowed funds domestically and continue to have the ability to borrow additional funds domestically at reasonable 
interest rates.    

Our cash resources could also be affected by various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the risks 
detailed in Item 1A, Risk Factors.  

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Other  

At  December 31,  2013,  we  did  not  have  any  material  commercial  commitments,  including  guarantees  or  standby 
repurchase obligations, or any relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, including entities 
often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities or variable interest entities, which would have been 
established  for  the  purpose  of  facilitating  off-balance  sheet  arrangements  or  other  contractually  narrow  or  limited 
purposes.  

From  time  to  time,  during  the  normal  course  of  business,  we  may  make  certain  indemnities,  commitments  and 
guarantees under which we may be required to make payments in relation to certain transactions. These include, but 
are not limited to: (i) indemnities to clients, vendors and service providers pertaining to claims based on negligence 
or  willful  misconduct  and  (ii)  indemnities  involving  breach  of  contract,  the  accuracy  of  representations  and 
warranties, or other liabilities assumed by us in certain contracts. In addition, we have agreements whereby we will 
indemnify  certain  officers  and  directors  for  certain  events  or  occurrences  while  the  officer  or  director  is,  or  was, 
serving  at  our  request  in  such  capacity.  The  indemnification  period  covers  all  pertinent  events  and  occurrences 
during the officer’s or director’s lifetime. The maximum potential amount of future payments we could be required 
to  make  under  these  indemnification  agreements  is  unlimited;  however,  we  have  director  and  officer  insurance 
coverage that limits our exposure and enables us to recover a portion of any future amounts paid. We believe the 
applicable  insurance  coverage  is  generally  adequate  to  cover  any  estimated  potential  liability  under  these 
indemnification agreements. The majority of these indemnities, commitments and guarantees do not provide for any 
limitation of the maximum potential for future payments we could be obligated to make. We have not recorded any 
liability  for  these  indemnities,  commitments  and  other  guarantees  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Balance 
Sheets.  In addition, we have some client contracts that do not contain contractual provisions for the limitation of 
liability,  and  other  client  contracts  that  contain  agreed  upon  exceptions  to  limitation  of  liability.  We  have  not 
recorded any liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets with respect to any client contracts under 
which we have or may have unlimited liability. 

38 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Contractual Obligations  

The  following  table  summarizes  our  contractual  cash  obligations  at  December 31,  2013,  and  the  effect  these 
obligations are expected to have on liquidity and cash flow in future periods (in thousands):  

$     

Operating leases(1) ………………………………………… 149,201
Purchase obligations(2) ……………………………………… 31,304
Accounts payable (3) ………………………………………
25,540
Accrued employee compensation and benefits (3) …………
81,047
Income taxes payable (4) ……………………………………
1,274
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities (5) …………… 30,241
Long-term debt (6) …………………………………………… 98,000
Long-term tax liabilities (7) …………………………………
7,330
Other long-term liabilities (8) ………………………………… 4,333
428,270

$     

Total

Less Than 
1 Year

$       

Payments Due By Period

1 - 3 Years
48,060
$       
7,983
-
-
-
-
-
-
1,895
57,938

$       

3 - 5 Years
31,895
$       
234
-
-
-
-
98,000
-
236
130,365

$     

35,808
23,087
25,540
81,047
1,274
30,241
-
-
-
196,997

After 5 
Years

$       

33,438
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,202
35,640

Other
-
$                 
-
-
-
-
-
-
7,330
-
7,330

$         

$     

$       

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

Amounts represent the expected cash payments under our operating leases.

Amounts represent the expected cash payments under our purchase obligations, which include agreements to purchase goods or services that are
enforceable and legally binding on us and that specify all significant terms, including: fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum
or variable price provisions; and the approximate timing of the transaction. Purchase obligations exclude agreements that are cancelable without
penalty. 
Accounts payable and accrued employee compensation and benefits, which represent amounts due vendors and employees payable within one
year.
Income taxes payable, which represents amounts due taxing authorities payable within one year.
Other accrued expenses and current liabilties, which exclude deferred grants, include amounts primarily related to restructuring costs, legal and
professional fees, telephone charges, rent, derivative contracts and other accruals.

Amount represents total outstanding borrowings. See Note 20, Borrowings, to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

to the
Long-term tax liabilities include uncertain tax positions and related penalties and interest as discussed in Note 22, Income Taxes,
accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements. The amount in the table has been reduced by Canadian mandatory security deposits of $17.3
million, which are included in "Deferred charges and other assets" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. We cannot make reasonably
reliable estimates of the cash settlement of $7.3 million of the long-term liabilities with the taxing authority; therefore, amounts have been excluded
from payments due by period.
Other long-term liabilities, which exclude deferred income taxes and other non-cash long-term liabilities, represent the expected cash payments due
under restructuring accruals (primarily lease obligations) and pension obligations. See Notes 4, Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities,
and 25, Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Postretirement Benefits, to the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

Critical Accounting Estimates  

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in 
the United States requires estimations and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and 
the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of 
revenues  and  expenses  during  the  reporting  period.  These  estimates  and  assumptions  are  based  on  historical 
experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could 
differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.  

We believe the following accounting policies are the most critical since these policies require significant judgment 
or involve complex estimations that are important to the portrayal of our financial condition and operating results.  
Unless we need to clarify a point to readers, we will refrain from citing specific section references when discussing 
the application of accounting principles or addressing new or pending accounting rule changes.  

Recognition of Revenue 

We recognize revenue in accordance with ASC 605 “Revenue Recognition”.  We primarily recognize revenues from 
services as the services are performed, which is based on either a per minute, per call, per transaction or per time and 
material  basis,  under  a  fully  executed  contractual  agreement  and  record  reductions  to  revenues  for  contractual 
penalties  and  holdbacks  for  failure  to  meet  specified  minimum  service  levels  and  other  performance  based 
contingencies.  Revenue  recognition  is  limited  to  the  amount  that  is  not  contingent  upon  delivery  of  any  future 
product  or  service  or  meeting  other  specified  performance  conditions.    Product  sales,  accounted  for  within  our 
fulfillment services, are recognized upon shipment to the customer and satisfaction of all obligations.  

39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues from fulfillment services account for 1.3%, 1.5% and 1.4% of total consolidated revenues for the years 
ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, some of which contain multiple-deliverables. The service 
offerings  for  these  fulfillment  service  contracts  typically  include  pick-pack-and-ship,  warehousing,  process 
management,  finished  goods  assembly  and  pass-through  costs.    In  accordance  with  ASC  605-25  “Revenue 
Recognition  —  Multiple-Element  Arrangements”  (“ASC  605-25”)  (as  amended  by  Accounting  Standards  Update 
(“ASU”) 2009-13 “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605): Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements—a consensus of 
the  FASB  Emerging  Issues  Task  Force”)  (“ASU  2009-13”),  we  determine  if  the  services  provided  under  these 
contracts with multiple-deliverables represent separate units of accounting.   A deliverable constitutes a separate unit 
of  accounting  when  it  has  standalone  value,  and  where  return  rights  exist,  delivery  or  performance  of  the 
undelivered items is considered probable and substantially within our control. If those deliverables are determined to 
be separate units of accounting, revenues from these services are recognized as the services are performed under a 
fully  executed  contractual  agreement.  If  those  deliverables  are  not  determined  to  be  separate  units  of  accounting, 
revenue for the delivered services are bundled into a single unit of accounting and recognized on the proportional 
performance method using the straight-line basis over the contract period, or the actual number of operational seats 
used to serve the client, as appropriate.   

As a result of the adoption of ASU 2009-13, the Company allocates revenue to each of the deliverables based on a 
selling  price  hierarchy  of  vendor  specific  objective  evidence  (“VSOE”),  third-party  evidence,  and  then  estimated 
selling price. VSOE is based on the price charged when the deliverable is sold separately. Third-party evidence is 
based on largely interchangeable competitor services in standalone sales to similarly situated customers. Estimated 
selling  price  is  based  on  our  best  estimate  of  what  the  selling  prices  of  deliverables  would  be  if  they  were  sold 
regularly on a standalone basis. Estimated selling price is established considering multiple factors including, but not 
limited  to,  pricing  practices  in  different  geographies,  service  offerings,  and  customer  classifications.  Once  we 
allocate  revenue  to  each  deliverable,  we  recognize  revenue  when  all  revenue  recognition  criteria  are  met.  As  of 
December  31,  2013,  our  fulfillment  contracts  with  multiple-deliverables  met  the  separation  criteria  as  outlined  in 
ASC  605-25  and  the  revenue  was  accounted  for  accordingly.   Other  than  these  fulfillment  contracts,  we  have  no 
other contracts that contain multiple-deliverables as of December 31, 2013. 

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 

We  maintain  allowances  for  doubtful  accounts,  $5.0  million  as  of  December 31,  2013,  or  1.9%  of  trade  account 
receivables,  for  estimated  losses  arising  from  the  inability  of  our  customers  to  make  required  payments.  Our 
estimate  is  based  on  qualitative  and  quantitative  analyses,  including  credit  risk  measurement  tools  and 
methodologies using the publicly available credit and capital market information, a review of the current status of 
our  trade  accounts receivable  and historical  collection  experience of our clients.  It  is  reasonably  possible  that  our 
estimate  of  the  allowance  for  doubtful  accounts  will  change  if  the  financial  condition  of  our  customers  were  to 
deteriorate, resulting in a reduced ability to make payments. 

Income Taxes 

We reduce deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of available evidence, both positive 
and negative, for each respective tax jurisdiction, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of such deferred 
tax assets will not be realized. The valuation allowance for a particular tax jurisdiction is allocated between current 
and noncurrent deferred tax assets for that jurisdiction on a pro rata basis. Available evidence which is considered in 
determining the amount of valuation allowance required includes, but is not limited to, our estimate of future taxable 
income  and  any  applicable  tax-planning  strategies.  Establishment  or  reversal  of  certain  valuation  allowances  may 
have a significant impact on both current and future results. 

As of December 31, 2013, we determined that a total valuation allowance of $42.7 million was necessary to reduce 
U.S. deferred tax assets by $3.0 million and foreign deferred tax assets by $39.7 million, where it was more likely 
than not that some portion or all of such deferred tax assets will not be realized.  The recoverability of the remaining 
net deferred tax asset of $18.2 million as of December 31, 2013 is dependent upon future profitability within each 
tax jurisdiction. As of December 31, 2013, based on our estimates of future taxable income and any applicable tax-
planning strategies within various tax jurisdictions, we believe that it is more likely than not that the remaining net 
deferred tax assets will be realized. 

40 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A  provision  for  income  taxes  has  not  been  made  for  the  undistributed  earnings  of  foreign  subsidiaries  of 
approximately  $376.8  million  as  of  December 31,  2013,  as  the  earnings  are  indefinitely  reinvested  in  foreign 
business operations.  If these earnings are repatriated or otherwise become taxable in the U.S, we would be subject 
to  an  incremental  U.S.  tax  expense  net  of  any  allowable foreign  tax  credits,  in  addition  to  any  applicable  foreign 
withholding tax expense.  Determination of any unrecognized deferred tax liability for temporary differences related 
to investments in foreign subsidiaries that are essentially permanent in nature is not practicable due to the inherent 
complexity of the multi-national tax environment in which we operate.   

The U.S. Department of the Treasury released the “General Explanations of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2014 
Revenue Proposals” in April 2013.  These proposals represent a significant shift in international tax policy, which 
may  materially  impact  U.S.  taxation  of  international  earnings.    We  continue  to  monitor  these  proposals  and  are 
currently evaluating their potential impact on our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.  

In  addition,  The  American  Taxpayer  Relief  Act  of  2012  was  enacted  on  January  2,  2013,  with  many  provisions 
retroactively  effective  to  January  1,  2012.    This  Act,  which  extended  the  tax  provisions  of  the  Internal  Revenue 
Code  Section  954(c)(6)  through  the  end  of  2013,  permits  continued  tax  deferral  on  such  movements  that  would 
otherwise  be  taxable  immediately  in  the  U.S.    While  these  cash  movements  are  not  taxable  in  the  U.S.,  related 
foreign  withholding  taxes  of  $3.5  million  were  included  in  the  provision  for  income  taxes  in  the  accompanying 
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2013. 

We evaluate tax positions that have been taken or are expected to be taken in our tax returns, and record a liability 
for uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740. The calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with 
uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations. ASC 740 contains a two-step approach to recognizing 
and  measuring  uncertain  tax  positions.  First,  tax  positions  are  recognized  if  the  weight  of  available  evidence 
indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of 
related  appeals  or  litigation  processes,  if  any.    Second,  the  tax  position  is  measured  as  the  largest  amount  of  tax 
benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. We reevaluate these uncertain tax 
positions on a quarterly basis. This evaluation is based on factors including, but not limited to, changes in facts or 
circumstances, changes in tax law, effectively settled issues under audit, and new audit activity. Such a change in 
recognition  or  measurement  would  result  in  the  recognition  of  a  tax  benefit  or  an  additional  charge  to  the  tax 
provision.  

As of December 31, 2013, we had $15.0 million of unrecognized tax benefits, a net decrease of $1.9 million from 
$16.9  million  as  of  December  31,  2012.  Had  we  recognized  these  tax  benefits,  approximately  $15.0  million  and 
$16.9 million and the related interest and penalties would favorably impact the effective tax rate in 2013 and 2012, 
respectively. We do not anticipate that our unrecognized tax benefits will change in the next twelve months. 

Our provision for income taxes is subject to volatility and is impacted by the distribution of earnings in the various 
domestic and international jurisdictions in which we operate. Our effective tax rate could be impacted by earnings 
being  either  proportionally  lower  or  higher  in  foreign  countries  where  we  have  tax  rates  lower  than  the  U.S.  tax 
rates.  In  addition,  we  have  been  granted  tax  holidays  in  several  foreign  tax  jurisdictions,  which  have  various 
expiration  dates  ranging  from  2014  through  2028.  If  we  are  unable  to  renew  a  tax  holiday  in  any  of  these 
jurisdictions,  our  effective  tax  rate  could  be  adversely  impacted.  In  some  cases,  the  tax  holidays  expire  without 
possibility of renewal. In other cases, we expect to renew these tax holidays, but there are no assurances from the 
respective  foreign  governments  that  they  will  permit  a  renewal.  Our  effective  tax  rate  could  also  be  affected  by 
several  additional  factors,  including  changes  in  the  valuation  of  our  deferred  tax  assets  or  liabilities,  changing 
legislation,  regulations,  and  court  interpretations  that  impact  tax  law  in  multiple  tax  jurisdictions  in  which  we 
operate,  as  well  as  new  requirements,  pronouncements  and  rulings  of  certain  tax,  regulatory  and  accounting 
organizations. 

41 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets 

We evaluate the carrying value of property and equipment and definite-lived intangible assets, which had a carrying 
value  of  $193.6  million  as  of  December  31,  2013,  for  impairment  whenever  events  or  changes  in  circumstances 
indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. An asset is considered to be impaired when the forecasted 
undiscounted  cash  flows  of  an  asset  group  are  estimated  to  be  less  than  its  carrying  value.  The  amount  of 
impairment recognized is the difference between the carrying value of the asset group and its fair value. Fair value 
estimates are based on assumptions concerning the amount and timing of estimated future cash flows and assumed 
discount rates. Future adverse changes in market conditions or poor operating results of the underlying investment 
could result in losses or an inability to recover the carrying value of the investment and, therefore, might require an 
impairment  charge  in  the  future.    See  Note  5,  Fair  Value,  of  the  accompanying  “Notes  to  Consolidated  Financial 
Statements” for details of impairment losses related to nonrecurring fair value measurements. 

Impairment of Goodwill 

We evaluate goodwill, which had a carrying value of $199.8 million as of December 31, 2013, for impairment at 
least annually, during the third quarter of each year, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that 
the  carrying  amount  of  such  assets  may  not  be  recoverable.  To  assess  the  realizability  of  goodwill,  we  have  the 
option  to  first  assess  qualitative  factors  to  determine  whether  the  existence  of  events  or  circumstances  leads  to  a 
determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. We 
may elect to forgo this option and proceed to the annual two-step goodwill impairment test.   

If we elect to perform the qualitative assessment and it indicates that a significant decline to fair value of a reporting 
unit is more likely than not, or if a reporting unit’s fair value has historically been closer to its carrying value, or we 
elect to forgo this qualitative assessment, we will proceed to Step 1 testing where we calculate the fair value of a 
reporting unit based on discounted future probability-weighted cash flows. If Step 1 indicates that the carrying value 
of a reporting unit is in excess of its fair value, we will proceed to Step 2 where the fair value of the reporting unit 
will be allocated to assets and liabilities as it would in a business combination. Impairment occurs when the carrying 
amount of goodwill exceeds its estimated fair value calculated in Step 2. 

We estimate fair value using discounted cash flows of the reporting units. The most significant assumptions used in 
these  analyses  are  those  made  in  estimating  future  cash  flows.  In  estimating  future  cash  flows,  we  use  financial 
assumptions in our internal forecasting model such as projected capacity utilization, projected changes in the prices 
we  charge  for  our  services,  projected  labor  costs,  as  well  as  contract  negotiation  status.  The  financial  and  credit 
market volatility directly impacts our fair value measurement through our weighted average cost of capital that we 
use  to  determine  our  discount  rate.  We  use  a  discount  rate  we  consider  appropriate  for  the  country  where  the 
services  are  being  provided.  As  of  July 31,  2013,  our  assessment  of  goodwill  impairment  indicated  that  the  fair 
values of our reporting units were substantially in excess of their estimated carrying values, and therefore goodwill 
in  these  reporting  units  was  not  impaired.  If  actual  results  differ  substantially  from  the  assumptions  used  in 
performing the impairment test, the fair value of the reporting units may be significantly lower, causing the carrying 
value to exceed the fair value and indicating an impairment has occurred. 

Contingencies 

We  record  a  liability  for  pending  litigation  and  claims  where  losses  are  both  probable  and  reasonably  estimable. 
Each quarter, management reviews all litigation and claims on a case-by-case basis and assigns probability of loss 
and range of loss. 

Other 

We  have  made  certain  other  estimates  that,  while  not  involving  the  same  degree  of  judgment,  are  important  to 
understanding our financial statements. These estimates are in the areas of measuring our obligations related to our 
defined benefit plans and self-insurance accruals. 

42 

 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted 

In  March  2013,  the  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board  (“FASB”)  issued  ASU  2013-05  “Foreign  Currency 
Matters  (Topic  830)  –  Parent’s  Accounting  for  the  Cumulative  Translation  Adjustment  upon  Derecognition  of 
Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity” (“ASU 
2013-05”).  The amendments in ASU 2013-05 indicate that a cumulative translation adjustment (“CTA”) is attached 
to the parent’s investment in a foreign entity and should be released in a manner consistent with the derecognition 
guidance on investments in entities. Thus, the entire amount of the CTA associated with the foreign entity would be 
released  when  there  has  been  a  sale  of  a  subsidiary  or  group  of  net  assets  within  a  foreign  entity  and  the  sale 
represents  the  substantially  complete  liquidation  of  the  investment  in  the  foreign  entity,  a  loss  of  a  controlling 
financial interest in an investment in a foreign entity (i.e., the foreign entity is deconsolidated), or a step acquisition 
for a foreign entity (i.e., when an entity has changed from applying the equity method for an investment in a foreign 
entity  to  consolidating  the  foreign  entity).    ASU  2013-05  does  not  change  the  requirement  to  release  a  pro  rata 
portion of the CTA of the foreign entity into earnings for a partial sale of an equity method investment in a foreign 
entity.  The amendments in ASU 2013-05 are effective prospectively for fiscal years (and interim reporting periods 
within  those  years)  beginning  after  December  15,  2013.  The  amendments  should  be  applied  prospectively  to 
derecognition events occurring after the effective date. The adoption of ASU 2013-05 on January 1, 2014 did not 
have a material impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. 

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11 “Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax 
Benefit  When  a  Net  Operating  Loss  Carryforward,  a  Similar  Tax  Loss,  or  a  Tax  Credit  Carryforward  Exists” 
(“ASU 2013-11”).  The amendments in ASU 2013-11 indicate that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an 
unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a 
net  operating  loss  carryforward,  a  similar  tax  loss,  or  a  tax  credit  carryforward  if  such  settlement  is  required  or 
expected in the event the uncertain tax position is disallowed. In situations where a net operating loss carryforward, 
a  similar  tax  loss,  or  a  tax  credit  carryforward  is  not  available  at  the  reporting  date  under  the  tax  law  of  the 
applicable jurisdiction or the tax law of the jurisdiction does not require, and the entity does not intend to use, the 
deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a 
liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets.  The amendments in ASU 2013-11 are effective for 
fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The amendments should be 
applied  prospectively  to  all  unrecognized  tax  benefits  that  exist  at  the  effective  date.  Retrospective  application  is 
permitted.  The  adoption  of  ASU  2013-11  on  January  1,  2014  did  not  have  a  material  impact  on  our  financial 
condition, results of operations and cash flows. 

U.S. Healthcare Reform Acts 

In March 2010, the President of the United States signed into law comprehensive healthcare reform legislation under 
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (the "Acts"). 
The Acts contain provisions that could materially impact our healthcare costs in the future, thus adversely affecting 
our  profitability.    The  Internal  Revenue  Service  recently  announced  that  the  employer  mandate  provisions  of  the 
Acts will be delayed until 2015 and the promised additional guidance has yet to be issued. As a result of the delay, 
the Company’s cost to provide benefits to employees in 2014 are expected to be comparable to our costs in 2013. 
Once the guidance is finalized, we will evaluate the potential impact of the Acts on our financial condition, results of 
operations and cash flows for 2015. 

Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk  

Foreign Currency Risk  

Our earnings and cash flows are subject to fluctuations due to changes in currency exchange rates.  We are exposed 
to  foreign  currency  exchange  rate  fluctuations  when  subsidiaries  with  functional  currencies  other  than  the  U.S. 
Dollar (“USD”) are translated into our USD consolidated financial statements. As exchange rates vary, those results, 
when translated, may vary from expectations and adversely impact profitability. The cumulative translation effects 
for  subsidiaries  using  functional  currencies  other  than  the  U.S.  Dollar  are  included  in  “Accumulated  other 
comprehensive income (loss)” in shareholders’ equity. Movements in non-U.S. Dollar currency exchange rates may 
negatively  or  positively  affect  our  competitive  position,  as  exchange  rate  changes  may  affect  business  practices 
and/or pricing strategies of non-U.S. based competitors.  

43 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We employ a foreign currency risk management program that periodically utilizes derivative instruments to protect 
against  unanticipated  fluctuations  in  certain  earnings  and  cash  flows  caused  by  volatility  in  foreign  currency 
exchange  (“FX”)  rates.  Option  and  forward  derivative  contracts  are  used  to  hedge  intercompany  receivables  and 
payables,  and  other  transactions  initiated  in  the  United  States,  that  are  denominated  in  a  foreign  currency. 
Additionally, we employ FX contracts to hedge net investments in foreign operations.   

We  serve  a number  of U.S.-based  clients using  customer  contact  management  center  capacity  in  The  Philippines, 
Canada and Costa Rica, which are within our Americas segment. Although the contracts with these clients are priced 
in  USDs,  a  substantial  portion  of  the  costs  incurred  to  render  services  under  these  contracts  are  denominated  in 
Philippine  Pesos  (“PHP”),  Canadian  Dollars,  and  Costa  Rican  Colones  (“CRC”),  which  represent  FX  exposures. 
Additionally, our EMEA segment services clients in Hungary and Romania where the contracts are priced in Euros 
(“EUR”),  with  a  substantial  portion  of  the  costs  incurred  to  render  services  under  these  contracts  denominated  in 
Hungarian Forints (“HUF”) and Romanian Leis (“RON”).  

In order to hedge a portion of our anticipated cash flow requirements denominated in PHP, CRC, HUF and RON we 
had outstanding forward contracts and options as of December 31, 2013 with counterparties through December 2014 
with  notional  amounts  totaling  $165.1  million.  As  of  December  31,  2013,  we  had  net  total  derivative  liabilities 
associated with these contracts with a fair value of $2.1 million, which will settle within the next 12 months. If the 
USD was to weaken against the PHP and CRC and the EUR was to weaken against the HUF and RON by 10% from 
current period-end levels, we would incur a loss of approximately $13.8 million on the underlying exposures of the 
derivative instruments. However, this loss would be mitigated by corresponding gains on the underlying exposures. 

We entered into forward exchange contracts with notional amounts totaling $32.7 million to hedge net investments 
in our foreign operations. The purpose of these derivative instruments is to protect against the risk that the net assets 
of  certain  foreign  subsidiaries  will  be  adversely  affected  by  changes  in  exchange  rates  and  economic  exposures 
related to our foreign currency-based investments in these subsidiaries.  As of December 31, 2013, the fair value of 
these derivatives was a net liability of $1.7 million.  The potential loss in fair value at December 31, 2013, for these 
contracts resulting from a hypothetical 10% adverse change in the foreign currency exchange rates is approximately 
$3.4 million. However, this loss would be mitigated by corresponding gains on the underlying exposures. 

We  also  entered  into  forward  exchange  contracts  with  notional  amounts  totaling  $59.2  million  that  are  not 
designated as hedges. The purpose of these derivative instruments is  to protect against FX volatility pertaining to 
intercompany receivables and payables, and other assets and liabilities that are denominated in currencies other than 
our  subsidiaries’  functional  currencies.    As  of  December  31,  2013,  the  fair  value  of  these  derivatives  was  a  net 
receivable of $1.0 million.  The potential loss in fair value at December 31, 2013, for these contracts resulting from 
a hypothetical 10% adverse change in the foreign currency exchange rates is approximately $5.3 million. However, 
this loss would be mitigated by corresponding gains on the underlying exposures. 

We evaluate the credit quality of potential counterparties to derivative transactions and only enter into contracts with 
those considered to have minimal credit risk. We periodically monitor changes to counterparty credit quality as well 
as our concentration of credit exposure to individual counterparties. 

We  do  not  use  derivative  financial  instruments  for  speculative  trading  purposes,  nor  do  we  hedge  our  foreign 
currency exposure in a manner that entirely offsets the effects of changes in foreign exchange rates.  

As a general rule, we do not use financial instruments to hedge local currency denominated operating expenses in 
countries  where  a natural  hedge  exists.  For  example,  in many  countries,  revenue  from  the  local  currency  services 
substantially offsets the local currency denominated operating expenses.  

Interest Rate Risk 

Our exposure to interest rate risk results from variable debt outstanding under our revolving credit facility. We pay 
interest  on outstanding borrowings  at  interest  rates  that  fluctuate based upon  changes in  various base  rates. As of 
December 31, 2013, we had $98.0 million in borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility.  Based on 
our  level  of  variable  rate  debt  outstanding  during  the  year  ended  December  31,  2013,  a  one-point  increase  in  the 
weighted average interest rate, which generally equals the LIBOR rate plus an applicable margin, would have had a 
$1.0 million impact on our results of operations. 

We have not historically used derivative instruments to manage exposure to changes in interest rates.  

44 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data  

The financial statements and supplementary data required by this item are located beginning on page 53 and page 35 
of this report, respectively.  

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure  

None.  

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures  

Disclosure Controls and Procedures 

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated 
the  effectiveness  of  our  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  as  defined  in  Rules 13a-15(e)  and  15d-15(e)  of  the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as of December 31, 2013. Based on that evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer 
and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of December 31, 
2013.  

Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

Management  is  responsible  for  establishing  and  maintaining  adequate  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  (as 
defined  in  Rule 13a-15(f)  under  the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended).  Because  of  its  inherent 
limitations,  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  may  not  prevent  or  detect  misstatements.  Projections  of  any 
evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of 
changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

We assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2013. In making 
this assessment, we used the criteria established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee 
of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.  Based on our assessment, management believes that, as 
of December 31, 2013, our internal control over financial reporting was effective.  

Attestation Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

Our  independent  registered  public  accounting  firm  has  issued  an  attestation  report  on  our  internal  control  over 
financial reporting. This report appears on page 46. 

Changes to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting 

There were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 2013 
that  have  materially  affected,  or  are  reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect,  our  internal  controls  over  financial 
reporting. 

45 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated 
Tampa, Florida  

We  have  audited  the  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  of  Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated  and  subsidiaries 
(the  "Company")  as  of  December  31,  2013,  based  on  criteria  established  in  Internal  Control  —  Integrated 
Framework  (1992)  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring  Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission.    The 
Company's management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its 
assessment  of  the  effectiveness  of  internal  control  over  financial  reporting,  included  in  the  accompanying 
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion on 
the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. 

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

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

Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion 
or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may not be prevented or 
detected  on  a  timely  basis.  Also,  projections  of  any  evaluation  of  the  effectiveness  of  the  internal  control  over 
financial  reporting  to  future  periods  are  subject  to  the  risk  that  the  controls  may  become  inadequate  because  of 
changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. 

In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting 
as  of  December  31,  2013,  based  on  the  criteria  established  in  Internal  Control  —  Integrated  Framework    (1992) 
issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States),  the  consolidated  financial  statements  and  financial  statement  schedules  as  of  and  for  the  year  ended 
December 31, 2013 of the Company and our report dated February 20, 2014 expressed an unqualified opinion on 
those financial statements and financial statement schedules. 

Certified Public Accountants 
Tampa, Florida 

February 20, 2014

46 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Item 9B. Other Information  

None.  

Items 10. through 14.  

PART III 

All  information  required  by  Items  10  through  14,  with  the  exception  of  information  on  Executive  Officers  which 
appears  in  this  report  in  Item  1  under  the  caption  “Executive  Officers”,  is  incorporated  by  reference  to  SYKES’ 
Proxy Statement for the 2014 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.  

47 

 
 
 
 
 
PART IV 

Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules 

The following documents are filed as part of this report: 

Consolidated Financial Statements 

The Index to Consolidated Financial Statements is set forth on page 53 of this report.  

Financial Statements Schedule 

Schedule II — Valuation and Qualifying Accounts is set forth on page 108 of this report. 

Other schedules have been omitted because they are not required or applicable or the information is included in the 
Consolidated Financial Statements or notes thereto. 

Exhibits:  

Exhibit 
Number 

Exhibit Description 

2.1 

2.2 

2.3 

3.1 

3.2 

3.3 

4.1 

10.1 

10.2 

10.3 

10.4 

10.5 

10.6 

10.7 

10.8 

10.9 

Articles  of  Merger  between Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated,  a  North  Carolina  Corporation, 
and Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, a Florida Corporation, dated March 1, 1996. (1) 

Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of October 5, 2009, among ICT Group, Inc., Sykes 
Enterprises, Incorporated, SH Merger Subsidiary I, Inc., and SH Merger Subsidiary II, LLC 
(15) 

Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 27, 2012, by and among Sykes Enterprises, 
Incorporated,  Sykes  Acquisition  Subsidiary  II,  Inc.,  Alpine  Access,  Inc.,  and  Shareholder 
Representative Services LLC. (24) 

Articles of Incorporation of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, as amended. (2) 

Articles  of  Amendment  to  Articles  of  Incorporation  of  Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated,  as 
amended. (3) 

Bylaws of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated, as amended. (7) 

Specimen certificate for the Common Stock of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated. (1) 

2004 Non-Employee Directors’ Fee Plan. (5)* 

First Amended and Restated 2004 Non-Employee Director’s Fee Plan. (12)* 

Second Amended and Restated 2004 Non-Employee Director’s Fee Plan. (14)* 

Third Amended and Restated 2004 Non-Employee Director’s Fee Plan. (16)* 

Fourth Amended and Restated 2004 Non-Employee Director Fee Plan. (20)* 

Fifth Amended and Restated 2004 Non-Employee Director Fee Plan. (26)* 

Form of Split Dollar Plan Documents. (1)* 

Form of Split Dollar Agreement. (1)* 

Form  of  Indemnity  Agreement  between  Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated  and  directors  & 
executive officers. (1) 

48 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Exhibit 
Number 
10.10 

10.11 

10.12 

10.13 

10.14 

10.15 

10.16 

10.17 

10.18 

10.19 

10.20 

10.21 

10.22 

10.23 

10.24 

10.25 

10.26 

10.27 

10.28 

10.29 

10.30 

Exhibit Description 
2001 Equity Incentive Plan. (4)* 

Deferred Compensation Plan. (7)* 

First Amendment to Deferred Compensation Plan. (27)* 

Form of Restricted Share And Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement dated as of March 
29, 2006. (8)* 

Form of Restricted Share And Bonus Award Agreement dated as of March 29, 2006. (8)* 

Form of Restricted Share Award Agreement dated as of May 24, 2006. (9)* 

Form  of  Restricted  Share  And  Stock  Appreciation  Right  Award  Agreement  dated  as  of 
January 2, 2007. (10)* 

Form of Restricted Share Award Agreement dated as of January 2, 2007. (10)* 

Form of Restricted Share and Stock Appreciation Right Award Agreement dated as of January 
2, 2008. (11)* 

2011 Equity Incentive Plan. (21)* 

Founder’s  Retirement  and  Consulting  Agreement  dated  December  10,  2004  between  Sykes 
Enterprises, Incorporated and John H. Sykes. (6)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  30,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and Charles E. Sykes. (17)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  30,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and W. Michael Kipphut. (17)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  29,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and Jenna R. Nelson. (17)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  29,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and James T. Holder. (17)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  29,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and William N. Rocktoff. (17)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  29,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and James Hobby, Jr. (17)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  29,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and Daniel L. Hernandez. (17)* 

Amended  and  Restated  Employment  Agreement  dated  as  of  December  29,  2008  between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and David L. Pearson. (17)* 

Lease  Agreement,  dated  January 25,  2008,  Lease  Amendment  Number  One  and  Lease 
Amendment  Number  Two  dated  February 12,  2008  and  May 28,  2008 respectively, between 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and Kingstree Office One, LLC. (13) 

Stock  Purchase  Agreement  between  Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated  (not  as  a  Seller),  SEI 
International  Services  S.a.r.l.  (as  Seller),  Sykes  Enterprises  Incorporated  Holdings,  BV  (as 
Seller)  and  Antonio  Marcelo  Cid,  Humberto  Daniel  Sahade  as  Buyers,  dated  December  13, 
2010. (18) 

49 

 
 
 
 
Exhibit 
Number 
10.31 

10.32 

10.33 

10.34 

10.35 

10.36 

14.1 

21.1 

23.1 

24.1 

31.1 

31.2 

32.1 

32.2 

Exhibit Description 
Stock  Purchase  Agreement  between  Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated  (not  as  a  Seller),  ICT 
Group  Netherlands  B.V.  (as  Seller),  ICT  Group  Netherlands  Holdings,  B.V.  (as  Seller)  and 
Carolina  Gaito,  Claudio  Martin,  Fernando  A.  Berrondo,  Gustavo  Rosetti  as  Buyers,  dated 
December 24, 2010. (19) 

Credit  Agreement,  dated  May  3,  2012,  between  Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated,  the  lenders 
party  thereto  and  KeyBank  National  Association,  as  Lead  Arranger,  Sole  Book  Runner  and 
Administrative Agent. (22) 

Business  Sale  and  Purchase  Agreement,  dated  as  of  March  29,  2012,  between  Sykes 
Enterprises, Incorporated and Iberphone, S.A.U. (23) 

Stock  Purchase  Agreement,  dated  as  of  March  30,  2012,  by  and  among  Sykes  Enterprises, 
Incorporated (not as a Seller), SEI International Services S.a.r.l. (as Seller) and Eugenio Arceu 
Garcia as Buyer. (23) 

Employment  Agreement,  dated  as  of  September  13,  2012,  between  Sykes  Enterprises, 
Incorporated and Lawrence R. Zingale. (25)* 

Employment  Agreement,  dated  as  of  September  13,  2012,  between  Sykes  Enterprises, 
Incorporated and Christopher Carrington. (25)* 

Code of Ethics. (28) 

List of subsidiaries of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated. 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. 

Power of Attorney relating to subsequent amendments (included on the signature page of this 
report). 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a). 

Certification of Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a). 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to Section 1350. 

Certification of Chief Financial Officer, pursuant to Section 1350. 

101.INS 

XBRL Instance Document 

101.SCH 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document 

101.CAL 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document 

101.LAB 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document 

101.PRE 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document  

101.DEF 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document  

* 
(1) 

(2) 

(3) 

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement. 
Filed  as  an  Exhibit  to  the  Registrant’s  Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-1  (Registration 
No. 333-2324) and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed  as  Exhibit 3.1  to  the  Registrant’s  Registration  Statement  on  Form  S-3  filed  with  the 
Commission on October 23, 1997, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed  as  Exhibit 3.2  to  the  Registrant’s  Form  10-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on  March 29, 
1999, and incorporated herein by reference. 

50 

 
 
 
 
 
(4) 

(5) 

(6) 

(7) 

(8) 

(9) 

(10) 

(11) 

(12) 

(13) 

(14) 

(15) 

(16) 

(17) 

(18) 

(19) 

(20) 

(21) 

(22) 

(23) 

(24) 

(25) 

(26) 

(27) 

(28) 

Filed as Exhibit 10.32 to Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 7, 2001, and 
incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on August 9, 2004, and 
incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
December 16, 2004, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed  as  an  Exhibit  to  Registrant’s  Form  10-K  filed  with  the  Commission  on  March 22,  2005, 
and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
April 4, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
May 31, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
December 28, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
January 8, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on May 7, 2008, 
and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
May 29, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Form 10-Q filed with the Commission on November 5, 
2008, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
October 9, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2009 annual meeting of 
shareholders filed with the Commission on April 22, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Commission 
on March 10, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
December 22, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on 
December 30, 2010, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the 
Commission on August 9, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the 
Commission on November 8, 2011, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the Commission on May 7, 2012, and 
incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the Commission on April 4, 2012, and 
incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the Commission on July 30, 2012, 
and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Form 8-K filed with the Commission on September 19, 
2012, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2012 annual meeting of 
shareholders filed with the Commission on April 14, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Filed as an Exhibit to the Registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2006 annual meeting of 
shareholders filed with the Commission on April 21, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference. 
Available on the Registrant’s website at www.sykes.com, by clicking on “Investor Relations” and 
then “Corporate Governance” under the heading “Corporate Governance.” 

51 

 
 
 
 
 
Signatures  

    Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this 
report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Tampa, and State of Florida, on this 
20th day of February 2014.  

SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED 
(Registrant) 

By: 

/s/ W. Michael Kipphut 
W. Michael Kipphut, 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on 
behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and 
appoints W. Michael Kipphut his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and revocation, for him 
and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this report and to file the same, with 
all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said 
attorney-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and 
necessary  to  be  done  in  connection  therewith,  as  fully  to  all  intents  and  purposes  as  he  might  or  should  do  in  person,  thereby 
ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue 
hereof.  

Signature  

  Title  

  Date  

/s/ Paul L. Whiting 
Paul L. Whiting 

/s/ Charles E. Sykes 
Charles E. Sykes 

  Chairman of the Board  

  February 20, 2014

  President and Chief Executive Officer and  
  Director (Principal Executive Officer) 

  February 20, 2014

/s/ Lt. Gen. Michael P. Delong (Ret.)  
Lt. Gen. Michael P. Delong (Ret.) 

  Director  

/s/ H. Parks Helms  
H. Parks Helms 

/s/ Iain A. Macdonald  
Iain A. Macdonald  

/s/ James S. MacLeod  
James S. MacLeod 

  Director  

  Director  

  Director  

/s/ Linda F. McClintock-Greco M.D.  
Linda F. McClintock-Greco M.D. 

  Director  

/s/ William J. Meurer  
William J. Meurer 

/s/ James K. Murray, Jr.  
James K. Murray, Jr. 

/s/ W. Michael Kipphut 
W. Michael Kipphut 

  Director  

  Director  

  February 20, 2014

  February 20, 2014

  February 20, 2014

  February 20, 2014

  February 20, 2014

  February 20, 2014

  February 20, 2014

  Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer   February 20, 2014
  (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) 

52 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table of Contents 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm  ........................................................................... .. 

Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2013 and 2012  ...................................................................  

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011  .................  

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the Years Ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 
2011  ..................................................................................................................................................................  

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2013, 2012 
and 2011 ............................................................................................................................................................  

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011  ................  

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements  ....................................................................................................  

Page No.

54 

55 

56 

57 

58 

59 

61 

53 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated 
Tampa, Florida  

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and subsidiaries 
(the  "Company")  as  of  December  31,  2013  and  2012,  and  the  related  consolidated  statements  of  operations, 
comprehensive  income  (loss),  changes  in  shareholders’  equity,  and  cash  flows  for  each  of  the  three  years  in  the 
period ended December 31, 2013.  Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at 
Item  15.  These  financial  statements  and  financial  statement  schedule  are  the  responsibility  of  the  Company's 
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial statements and financial statement schedule 
based on our audits. 

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  the  standards  of  the  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board 
(United  States).  Those  standards  require  that  we  plan  and  perform  the  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  about 
whether  the  financial  statements  are  free  of  material  misstatement.  An  audit  includes  examining,  on  a  test  basis, 
evidence  supporting  the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  statements.  An  audit  also  includes  assessing  the 
accounting  principles  used  and  significant  estimates  made  by  management,  as  well  as  evaluating  the  overall 
financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion. 

In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of 
Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated  and  subsidiaries  as  of  December  31,  2013  and  2012  and  the  results  of  their 
operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2013, in conformity 
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also, in our opinion, such financial 
statement  schedule,  when  considered  in  relation  to  the  basic  consolidated  financial  statements  taken  as  a  whole, 
present fairly, in all material respects, the information set forth therein. 

We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United 
States),  the  Company's  internal  control  over  financial  reporting  as  of  December  31,  2013,  based  on  the  criteria 
established  in  Internal  Control—Integrated  Framework  (1992)  issued  by  the  Committee  of  Sponsoring 
Organizations  of  the  Treadway  Commission  and  our  report  dated  February  20,  2014  expressed  an  unqualified 
opinion on the Company's internal control over financial reporting. 

Certified Public Accountants 
Tampa, Florida  

February 20, 2014 

54 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES 

Consolidated Balance Sheets 

(in thousands, except per share data)

December 31, 2013

December 31, 2012

Assets
Current assets:

$                   

$                   

Cash and cash equivalents ………………………………………………………
Receivables, net …………………………………………………………………
Prepaid expenses …………………………………………………………………
Other current assets ………………………………………………………………
Total current assets ……………………………………………………………
Property and equipment, net ………………………………………………………
Goodwill, net ………………………………………………………………………
Intangibles, net ………………………………………………………………………
Deferred charges and other assets …………………………………………………

Liabilities and S hareholders' Equity
Current liabilities:

Accounts payable  ………………………………………………………………
Accrued employee compensation and benefits …………………………………
Current deferred income tax liabilities ……………………………………………
Income taxes payable ……………………………………………………………
Deferred revenue …………………………………………………………………
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities ……………………………………
Total current liabilities…………………………………………………………

Deferred grants ……………………………………………………………………
Long-term debt ……………………………………………………………………
Long-term income tax liabilities ……………………………………………………
Other long-term liabilities …………………………………………………………
Total liabilities…………………………………………………………………

Commitments and loss contingency (Note 24)

Shareholders' equity:

Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 10,000 shares

$                   

$                   

$                     

211,985
264,916
15,710
20,672
513,283
117,549
199,802
76,055
43,572
950,261

25,540
81,064
84
1,274
35,025
30,393
173,380
6,637
98,000
24,647
11,893
314,557

187,322
247,633
12,370
20,017
467,342
101,295
204,231
92,037
43,784
908,689

$                     

24,985
73,103
92
800
34,283
31,320
164,583
7,607
91,000
26,162
13,073
302,425

authorized; no shares issued and outstanding …………………………………

-

-

Common stock, $0.01 par value, 200,000 shares authorized;

43,997 and 43,790 shares issued, respectively ………………………………
Additional paid-in capital ………………………………………………………
Retained earnings …………………………………………………………………
Accumulated other comprehensive income ………………………………………
Treasury stock at cost: 122 shares and 108 shares, respectively ………………
Total shareholders' equity ……………………………………………………

440
279,513
349,366
7,997
(1,612)
635,704
950,261

438
277,192
315,187
14,856
(1,409)
606,264
908,689

$                   

$                   

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

55 

 
 
 
                   
                   
                     
                     
                   
                   
                     
                     
                   
                   
                   
                   
                       
                     
                   
                   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES 

Consolidated Statements of Operations 

(in thousands, except per share data)

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Revenues ………………………………………………………………

$          

1,263,460

$     

1,127,698

$     

1,169,267

Operating expenses:

Direct salaries and related costs ……………………………………

General and administrative …………………………………………

Depreciation, net ……………………………………………………

Amortization of intangibles …………………………………………

Net (gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment ……………

Impairment of long-lived assets ……………………………………

855,266

297,519

42,084

14,863

201

-

737,952

290,373

40,369

10,479

391

355

763,930

287,033

46,111

7,961

(3,021)

1,718

Total operating expenses …………………………………………

1,209,933

1,079,919

1,103,732

Income from continuing operations …………………………………

53,527

47,779

65,535

Other income (expense):

Interest income ………………………………………………………

Interest (expense) ……………………………………………………

Other (expense) ………………………………………………………

Total other income (expense) ……………………………………

Income from continuing operations before income taxes ………………

Income taxes ……………………………………………………………

Income from continuing operations, net of taxes  ………………………

(Loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes ……………………

Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of taxes ……………

866

(2,307)

(761)

(2,202)

51,325

14,065

37,260

-

-

1,458

(1,547)

(2,533)

(2,622)

45,157

5,207

39,950

(820)

(10,707)

1,352

(1,132)

(2,099)

(1,879)

63,656

11,342

52,314

(4,532)

559

Net income ……………………………………………………………

$               

37,260

$          

28,423

$          

48,341

Net income (loss) per common share:

Basic:

Continuing operations …………………………………………

$                   

0.87

$              

0.93

$              

1.15

Discontinued operations ………………………………………

-

(0.27)

(0.09)

Net income (loss) per common share …………………………

$                   

0.87

$              

0.66

$              

1.06

Diluted:

Continuing operations …………………………………………

$                   

0.87

$              

0.93

$              

1.15

Discontinued operations ………………………………………

-

(0.27)

(0.09)

Net income (loss) per common share …………………………

$                   

0.87

$              

0.66

$              

1.06

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

Basic ……………………………………………………………

Diluted …………………………………………………………

42,877

42,925

43,105

43,148

45,506

45,607

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

56 

 
 
 
         
           
           
           
             
                
            
                       
                
             
                     
             
             
                
            
            
                   
            
            
             
                
           
           
                       
              
              
                       
              
              
                
           
           
                
           
           
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES 

Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) 

(in thousands)

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013

2011

Net income ……………………………………………………………………………

$          

37,260

$          

28,423

$          

48,341

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes:

Foreign currency translation gain (loss), net of taxes ……………….……………
Unrealized gain (loss) on net investment hedge, net of taxes ………………………
Unrealized actuarial gain (loss) related to pension liability, net of taxes …………
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedging instruments, net of taxes ……………
Unrealized gain (loss) on postretirement obligation, net of taxes …………………
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes ………………………………

(3,332)
(1,118)
(263)
(1,965)
(181)
(6,859)

10,088
-
428
(132)
36
10,420

(7,997)
-
(204)
(2,584)
113
(10,672)

Comprehensive income (loss) ………………………………………………...………

$          

30,401

$          

38,843

$          

37,669

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

57 

 
 
 
            
           
            
            
                     
                     
               
                
               
            
               
            
               
                  
                
            
           
          
 
 
 
 
 
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity 

S hares 
(in thousands)
Issued
Balance at January 1, 2011 ………… 47,066

Amount
$       
471

Common S tock

Additional
Paid-in 
Capital
$  
302,911

Retained 
Earnings
$    
265,676

Accumulated 
Other
Comprehensive 
Income (Loss)
$              
15,108

Treasury 
S tock
$           

(971)

Total
583,195

$      

Issuance of common stock  ……………
Stock-based compensation expense  …
Excess tax benefit (deficiency) from

stock-based compensation  …………

Vesting of common stock and

33
-

-

restricted stock under equity award
plans, net of forfeitures  ……………
Repurchase of common stock …………
Retirement of treasury stock ………… (3,086)
Comprehensive income (loss) …………

293
-

-

-
-

-

3

-
(31)
-

311
3,582

(8)

(979)
-

(24,660)

-

-
-

-

-
-

(22,214)
48,341

-
-

-

-
-
-

(10,672)

-
-

-

(214)
(49,993)
46,905
-

311
3,582

(8)

(1,190)
(49,993)

-

37,669

Balance at December 31, 2011 ……… 44,306

443

281,157

291,803

4,436

(4,273)

573,566

Stock-based compensation expense  …
Excess tax benefit (deficiency) from

stock-based compensation  …………

Vesting of common stock and

restricted stock under equity award
plans, net of forfeitures  ……………
Repurchase of common stock …………
Retirement of treasury stock …………
Comprehensive income (loss) …………

-

-

229
-
(745)
-

-

-

3

-
(8)
-

3,467

(292)

(1,195)
-
(5,945)
-

-

-

-
-
(5,039)
28,423

Balance at December 31, 2012 ……… 43,790

438

277,192

315,187

Issuance of common stock  ……………
Stock-based compensation expense  …
Excess tax benefit (deficiency) from

stock-based compensation  …………

Vesting of common stock and

restricted stock under equity award
plans, net of forfeitures  ……………
Repurchase of common stock …………
Retirement of treasury stock …………
Comprehensive income (loss) …………

10
-

-

538
-
(341)
-

-
-

-

5

-
(3)
-

59
4,873

(187)

(29)
-
(2,395)
-

-
-

-

-
-
(3,081)
37,260

-

-

-
-
-
10,420

14,856

-
-

-

-
-
-
(6,859)

-

-

(220)
(7,908)
10,992
-

(1,409)

-
-

-

(203)
(5,479)
5,479
-

3,467

(292)

(1,412)
(7,908)
-

38,843

606,264

59
4,873

(187)

(227)
(5,479)
-

30,401

Balance at December 31, 2013 ……… 43,997

$       

440

$  

279,513

$    

349,366

$                

7,997

$        

(1,612)

$      

635,704

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. 

58 

 
 
 
    
           
            
           
                
                       
                 
               
            
            
        
                
                       
                 
            
            
            
              
                
                       
                 
                 
         
             
          
                
                       
             
          
            
            
              
                
                       
        
        
     
          
     
       
                       
          
                 
            
            
              
        
              
                 
          
    
         
    
      
                  
          
        
            
            
        
                
                       
                 
            
            
            
          
                
                       
                 
             
         
             
       
                
                       
             
          
            
            
              
                
                       
          
          
        
            
       
         
                       
          
                 
            
            
              
        
                
                 
          
    
         
    
      
                
          
        
           
            
             
                
                       
                 
                 
            
            
        
                
                       
                 
            
            
            
          
                
                       
                 
             
         
             
            
                
                       
             
             
            
            
              
                
                       
          
          
        
            
       
         
                       
            
                 
            
            
              
        
                
                 
          
    
 
 
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 

(in thousands)
Cash flows from operating activities:

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013

2011

Net income …………………………………………………………………………
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating 
activities:

$            

37,260

Depreciation  ……………………………………………………………………
Amortization of intangibles  ……………………………………………………
Amortization of deferred grants  ………………………………………………
Impairment losses ………………………………………………………………
Unrealized foreign currency transaction (gains) losses, net  ………………
Stock-based compensation expense  …………………………………………
Deferred income tax provision (benefit) ………………………………………
Net (gain) loss on disposal of property and equipment ……………………
Bad debt expense ………………………………………………………………
Unrealized (gains) losses on financial instruments, net  ……………………
(Recovery) of regulatory penalties ……………………………………………
Amortization of deferred loan fees ……………………………………………
(Gain) loss on sale of discontinued operations ………………………………
Other ………………………………………………………………………………

Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisition:

Receivables  ………………………………………………………………………
Prepaid expenses  ………………………………………………………………
Other current assets  ……………………………………………………………
Deferred charges and other assets  ……………………………………………
Accounts payable  ………………………………………………………………
Income taxes receivable / payable ……………………………………………
Accrued employee compensation and benefits  ……………………………
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities  ………………………………
Deferred revenue  ………………………………………………………………
Other long-term liabilities  ………………………………………………………

Net cash provided by operating activities  …………………………………

Cash flows from investing activities:

Capital expenditures  ………………………………………………………………
Cash paid for business acquisition, net of cash acquired  ……………………
Proceeds from sale of property and equipment  ………………………………
Investment in restricted cash  ……………………………………………………
Release of restricted cash  …………………………………………………………
Cash divested on sale of discontinued operations ……………………………
Proceeds from insurance settlement ……………………………………………

43,094
14,863
(1,148)
-
6,302
4,873
(362)
201
483
(15)
-
259
-
(56)

(22,062)
(3,931)
(1,177)
(2,754)
(1,282)
804
9,140

(2,025)
2,826
925

86,218

(59,193)
-
388
(562)
-
-
-

Net cash (used for) investing activities  ……………………………………

(59,367)

59 

$           

28,423

$          

48,341

41,570
10,479
(1,201)
355
2,131
3,467
(4,867)
391
1,115
(1,361)
-
368
10,707
294

(6,771)
694
1,705
(18,388)
(1,589)
1,555
4,872

11,476
(163)
1,252

47,806
7,961
(2,300)
2,561
1,216
3,582
(3,955)
(3,035)
532
4,138
(407)
585
(559)
300

8,927
(1,042)
(3,442)
1,630
(6,898)
(4,529)
2,450

(2,855)
4,243
(2,636)

86,514

102,614

(38,647)
(147,094)
240
(67)
356
(9,100)
228

(194,084)

(29,890)
-
3,973
(494)
396
-
1,654

(24,361)

 
 
 
                     
                    
               
         
         
             
          
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows 
(Continued) 

(in thousands)
Cash flows from financing activities:

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013

2011

Payments of long-term debt  ………………………………………………………
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt  ……………………………………
Proceeds from issuance of common stock  ………………………………………
Cash paid for repurchase of common stock  ……………………………………
Proceeds from grants  ……………………………………………………………
Shares repurchased for minimum tax withholding on equity awards …………
Cash paid for loan fees related to long-term debt ………………………………
Other  ……………………………………………………………………...…………

(25,000)
32,000
59
(5,479)
201
(227)
-
-

Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities  ……………………

1,554

Effects of exchange rates on cash  …………………………………………………

(3,742)

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents  …………………………

Cash and cash equivalents – beginning  …………………………………………

24,663

187,322

Cash and cash equivalents – ending  ………………………………………………

$          

211,985

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:

Cash paid during period for interest ……………………………………………
Cash paid during period for income taxes ………………………………………

$              
$            

2,149
16,889

Non-cash transactions:

Property and equipment additions in accounts payable ………………………
Unrealized gain on postretirement obligation in accumulated other

$              

6,002

(22,000)
113,000
-
(7,908)
88
(1,412)
(857)
-

80,911

2,859

(23,800)

211,122

-
-
311
(49,993)
(225)
(1,190)
-
(8)

(51,105)

(5,855)

21,293

189,829

$         

187,322

$        

211,122

$             
$           

2,239
28,822

$            
$          

1,065
24,631

$             

3,782

$            

2,434

comprehensive income (loss) …………………………………………………

$                

(181)

$                  

36

$               

113

See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.  

60 

 
 
 
           
          
                    
                
          
           
 
 
 
SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARIES 

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements 

Note 1. Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies  

Business — Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated and consolidated subsidiaries (“SYKES” or the “Company”) provides 
comprehensive outsourced customer contact management solutions and services in the business process outsourcing 
arena  to  companies,  primarily  within  the  communications,  financial  services,  technology/consumer,  transportation 
and  leisure,  and  healthcare  industries.  SYKES  provides  flexible,  high-quality  outsourced  customer  contact 
management  services  (with  an  emphasis  on  inbound  technical  support  and  customer  service),  which  includes 
customer assistance, healthcare and roadside assistance, technical support and product sales to its clients’ customers. 
Utilizing SYKES’ integrated onshore/offshore global delivery model, SYKES provides its services through multiple 
communication channels encompassing phone, e-mail, social media, text messaging and chat. SYKES complements 
its outsourced customer contact management services with various enterprise support services in the United States 
that encompass services for a company’s internal support operations, from technical staffing services to outsourced 
corporate help desk services. In Europe, SYKES also provides fulfillment services including multilingual sales order 
processing via the Internet and phone, payment processing, inventory control, product delivery and product returns 
handling.  The  Company  has  operations  in  two  reportable  segments  entitled  (1) the  Americas,  which  includes  the 
United  States,  Canada,  Latin  America,  Australia  and  the  Asia  Pacific  Rim,  in  which  the  client  base  is  primarily 
companies in the United States that are using the Company’s services to support their customer management needs; 
and (2) EMEA, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa. 

Acquisition  —  In  August  2012,  the  Company  completed  the  acquisition  of  Alpine  Access,  Inc.  (“Alpine”),  a 
Delaware  corporation,  pursuant  to  the  Agreement  and  Plan  of  Merger,  dated  July  27,  2012.  The  Company  has 
reflected  the  operating  results  in  the  Consolidated  Statement  of  Operations  since  August  20,  2012.  See  Note 2, 
Acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc., for additional information on the acquisition of this business.  

Discontinued Operations — In March 2012, the Company sold its operations in Spain (the “Spanish operations”), 
pursuant  to  an  asset  purchase  agreement  dated  March  29,  2012  and  a  stock  purchase  agreement  dated  March  30, 
2012.  The Company reflected the operating results related to the Spanish operations as discontinued operations in 
the  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  for  the  years  ended  December  31,  2012  and  2011.  Cash  flows  from 
discontinued operations are included in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 
31,  2012  and  2011.    See  Note 3,  Discontinued  Operations,  for  additional  information  on  the  sale  of  the  Spanish 
operations.   

Principles  of  Consolidation  —  The  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the  accounts  of  SYKES  and  its 
wholly-owned  subsidiaries  and  controlled  majority-owned  subsidiaries.  All  significant  intercompany  transactions 
and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.   

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles 
generally accepted in the United States of America (“generally accepted accounting principles” or “U.S. GAAP”)  
requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities 
and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of 
revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.  

Subsequent Events — Subsequent events or transactions have been evaluated through the date and time of issuance 
of  the  consolidated  financial  statements.  There  were  no  material  subsequent  events  that  required  recognition  or 
disclosure in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. 

Recognition  of  Revenue  —  The  Company  recognizes  revenue  in  accordance  with  Accounting  Standards 
Codification (“ASC”) 605 “Revenue Recognition” (“ASC 605”).  The Company primarily recognizes revenues from 
services as the services are performed, which is based on either a per minute, per call, per transaction or per time and 
material  basis,  under  a  fully  executed  contractual  agreement  and  record  reductions  to  revenues  for  contractual 
penalties  and  holdbacks  for  failure  to  meet  specified  minimum  service  levels  and  other  performance  based 
contingencies.  Revenue  recognition  is  limited  to  the  amount  that  is  not  contingent  upon  delivery  of  any  future 

61 

 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
product  or  service  or  meeting  other  specified  performance  conditions.    Product  sales,  accounted  for  within  our 
fulfillment services, are recognized upon shipment to the customer and satisfaction of all obligations.  

Revenues from fulfillment services account for 1.3%, 1.5% and 1.4% of total consolidated revenues for the years 
ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, some of which contain multiple-deliverables. The service 
offerings  for  these  fulfillment  service  contracts  typically  include  pick-pack-and-ship,  warehousing,  process 
management,  finished  goods  assembly  and  pass-through  costs.    In  accordance  with  ASC  605-25  “Revenue 
Recognition  —  Multiple-Element  Arrangements”  (“ASC  605-25”)  [as  amended  by  Accounting  Standards  Update 
(“ASU”) 2009-13 “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605): Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements — a consensus 
of  the  FASB  Emerging  Issues  Task  Force”  (“ASU  2009-13”)],  the  Company  determines  if  the  services  provided 
under these contracts with multiple-deliverables represent separate units of accounting. A deliverable constitutes a 
separate unit of accounting when it has standalone value, and where return rights exist, delivery or performance of 
the  undelivered  items  is  considered  probable  and  substantially  within  our  control.  If  those  deliverables  are 
determined  to  be  separate  units  of  accounting,  revenues  from  these  services  are  recognized  as  the  services  are 
performed under a fully executed contractual agreement. If those deliverables are not determined to be separate units 
of accounting, revenue for the delivered services are bundled into a single unit of accounting and recognized on the 
proportional  performance  method  using  the  straight-line  basis  over  the  contract  period,  or  the  actual  number  of 
operational seats used to serve the client, as appropriate.   

As a result of the adoption of ASU 2009-13, the Company allocates revenue to each of the deliverables based on a 
selling  price  hierarchy  of  vendor  specific  objective  evidence  (“VSOE”),  third-party  evidence,  and  then  estimated 
selling price. VSOE is based on the price charged when the deliverable is sold separately. Third-party evidence is 
based on largely interchangeable competitor services in standalone sales to similarly situated customers. Estimated 
selling  price  is  based  on  the  Company’s  best  estimate  of  what  the  selling  prices  of  deliverables  would  be  if  they 
were  sold  regularly  on  a  standalone  basis.  Estimated  selling  price  is  established  considering  multiple  factors 
including,  but  not  limited  to,  pricing  practices  in  different  geographies,  service  offerings,  and  customer 
classifications. Once the Company allocates revenue to each deliverable, the Company recognizes revenue when all 
revenue recognition criteria are met. As of December 31, 2013, the Company’s fulfillment contracts with multiple-
deliverables met the separation criteria as outlined in ASC 605-25 and the revenue was accounted for accordingly.  
Other than these fulfillment contracts, the Company had no other contracts that contain multiple-deliverables as of 
December 31, 2013. 

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and highly liquid short-term investments. 
Cash  in  the  amount  of  $212.0 million  and  $187.3 million  at  December 31,  2013  and  2012,  respectively,  was 
primarily held in interest bearing investments, which have original maturities of less than 90 days. Cash and cash 
equivalents  of  $195.0  million  and  $182.9  million  at  December 31,  2013  and  2012,  respectively,  were  held  in 
international operations and may be subject to additional taxes if repatriated to the United States (“U.S.”).  

Restricted  Cash  —  Restricted  cash  includes  cash  whereby  the  Company’s  ability  to  use  the  funds  at  any  time  is 
contractually  limited  or  is  generally  designated  for  specific  purposes  arising  out  of  certain  contractual  or  other 
obligations.    Restricted  cash  is  included  in  “Other  current  assets”  and  “Deferred  charges  and  other  assets”  in  the 
accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts — The Company  maintains allowances for doubtful accounts on trade account 
receivables  for  estimated  losses  arising  from  the  inability  of  its  customers  to  make  required  payments.  The 
Company’s estimate is based on qualitative and quantitative analyses, including credit risk measurement tools and 
methodologies using the publicly available credit and capital market information, a review of the current status of 
the  Company’s  trade  accounts  receivable  and  historical  collection  experience  of  the  Company’s  clients.  It  is 
reasonably possible that the Company’s estimate of the allowance for doubtful accounts will change if the financial 
condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in a reduced ability to make payments.  

Property  and  Equipment  —  Property  and  equipment  is  recorded  at  cost  and  depreciated  using  the  straight-line 
method over the estimated useful lives of the respective assets. Improvements to leased premises are amortized over 
the shorter of the related lease term or the estimated useful lives of the improvements. Cost and related accumulated 
depreciation on  assets  retired  or disposed  of  are  removed  from  the  accounts  and  any resulting  gains  or  losses  are 
credited  or  charged  to  income.    The  Company  capitalizes  certain  costs  incurred,  if  any,  to  internally  develop 
software  upon  the  establishment  of  technological  feasibility.  Costs  incurred  prior  to  the  establishment  of 
technological feasibility are expensed as incurred.   

62 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The carrying value of property and equipment to be held and used is evaluated for impairment whenever events or 
changes  in  circumstances  indicate  that  the  carrying  amount  may  not  be  recoverable  in  accordance  with  ASC  360 
“Property, Plant and Equipment.” For purposes of recognition and measurement of an impairment loss, assets are 
grouped at the lowest levels for which there are identifiable cash flows (the “reporting unit”).  An asset is considered 
to be impaired when the sum of the undiscounted future net cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset 
and  its  eventual  disposition  does  not  exceed  its  carrying  amount.  The  amount  of  the  impairment  loss,  if  any,  is 
measured as the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its estimated fair value, which is generally 
determined based on appraisals or sales prices of comparable assets or independent third party offers. Occasionally, 
the Company redeploys property and equipment from under-utilized centers to other locations to improve capacity 
utilization if it is determined that the related undiscounted future cash flows in the under-utilized centers would not 
be sufficient to recover the carrying amount of these assets. Except as discussed in Note 5, Fair Value, the Company 
determined that its property and equipment were not impaired as of December 31, 2013. 

Rent Expense — The Company has entered into operating lease agreements, some of which contain provisions for 
future rent increases, rent free periods, or periods in which rent payments are reduced. The total amount of the rental 
payments due over the lease term is being charged to rent expense on the straight-line method over the term of the 
lease in accordance with ASC 840 “Leases.” 

Goodwill  —  The  Company  accounts  for  goodwill  and  other  intangible  assets  under  ASC  350  “Intangibles  — 
Goodwill  and  Other”  (“ASC  350”).  The  Company  expects  to  receive  future  benefits  from  previously  acquired 
goodwill over an indefinite period of time.  For goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives not subject 
to amortization, the Company reviews goodwill and intangible assets for impairment at least annually in the third 
quarter, and more frequently in the presence of certain circumstances. The Company has the option to first assess 
qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is 
more  likely  than  not  that  the  fair  value  of  a  reporting  unit  is  less  than  its  carrying  amount.  If,  after  assessing  the 
totality of events or circumstances, the Company determines it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a 
reporting  unit  is  less  than  its  carrying  amount,  then  performing  the  two-step  impairment  test  is  unnecessary. 
However,  if  the  Company  concludes  otherwise,  then  it  is  required  to  perform  the  first  step  of  the  two-step 
impairment  test  by  calculating  the  fair  value  of  the  reporting  unit  and  comparing  the  fair  value  with  the  carrying 
amount of the reporting unit. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, then the Company is 
required to perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if 
any.  

The  Company  elected  to  forgo  the  option  to  first  assess  qualitative  factors  and  completed  its  annual  two-step 
goodwill impairment test during the three months ended September 30, 2013.  Under ASC 350, the carrying value of 
assets  is  calculated  at  the  reporting  unit  level.  The  quantitative  assessment  of  goodwill  includes  comparing  a 
reporting  unit’s  calculated  fair  value  to  its  carrying  value.  The  calculation  of  fair  value  requires  significant 
judgments  including  estimation  of  future  cash  flows,  which  is  dependent  on  internal  forecasts,  estimation  of  the 
long-term  rate  of  growth,  the  useful  life  over  which  cash  flows  will  occur  and  determination  of  the  Company’s 
weighted  average  cost  of  capital.  Changes  in  these  estimates  and  assumptions  could  materially  affect  the 
determination of fair value and/or conclusions on goodwill impairment for each reporting unit. If the fair value of 
the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, goodwill is considered impaired and an impairment loss is recorded 
to the extent that the fair value of the goodwill within the reporting unit is less than its carrying value.  As of July 31, 
2013, the Company concluded that the fair value of each reporting unit was substantially in excess of its carrying 
value and goodwill was not impaired.  

Intangible  Assets  —  Intangible  assets,  primarily  customer  relationships  and  trade  names,  are  amortized  using  the 
straight-line method over their estimated useful lives which approximate the pattern in which the economic benefits 
of  the  assets  are  consumed.  The  Company  periodically  evaluates  the  recoverability  of  intangible  assets  and  takes 
into account events or changes in circumstances that warrant revised estimates of useful lives or that indicate that 
impairment  exists.  Fair  value  for  intangible  assets  is  based  on  discounted  cash  flows,  market  multiples  and/or 
appraised values, as appropriate.  

Value Added Tax Receivables — The Philippine operations are subject to value added tax (“VAT”) which is usually 
applied  to  all  goods  and  services  purchased  throughout  The  Philippines.    Upon  validation  and  certification  of  the 
VAT  receivables  by  the  Philippine  government,  the  resulting  value  added  tax  certificates  (“certificates”)  can  be 
either  used  to  offset  current  tax  obligations  or  offered  for  sale  to  the  Philippine  government.    The  Philippine 
government  previously  allowed  companies  to  sell  the  certificates  to  third  parties,  but  this  option  was  eliminated 

63 

 
 
 
 
 
   
during the three months ended September 30, 2011.  The VAT receivables balance is recorded at its net realizable 
value. 

Income  Taxes  —  The  Company  accounts  for  income  taxes  under  ASC  740  “Income  Taxes”  (“ASC  740”)  which 
requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities to reflect tax consequences of differences between the tax 
bases  of  assets  and  liabilities  and  their  reported  amounts  in  the  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements. 
Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of available evidence, both positive 
and negative, for each respective tax jurisdiction, it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be 
realized in accordance with the criteria of ASC 740. Valuation allowances are established against deferred tax assets 
due  to  an  uncertainty  of  realization.  Valuation  allowances  are  reviewed  each  period  on  a  tax  jurisdiction  by  tax 
jurisdiction basis to analyze whether there is sufficient positive or negative evidence, in accordance with criteria of 
ASC 740, to support a change in judgment about the ability to realize the related deferred tax assets. Uncertainties 
regarding expected future income in certain jurisdictions could affect the realization of deferred tax assets in those 
jurisdictions.    

The Company evaluates tax positions that have been taken or are expected to be taken in its tax returns, and records 
a  liability  for  uncertain  tax  positions  in  accordance  with  ASC  740.  ASC  740  contains  a  two-step  approach  to 
recognizing  and  measuring  uncertain  tax  positions.  First,  tax  positions  are  recognized  if  the  weight  of  available 
evidence  indicates  that  it  is  more  likely  than  not  that  the  position  will  be  sustained  upon  examination,  including 
resolution  of  related  appeals  or  litigation  processes,  if  any.  Second,  the  tax  position  is  measured  as  the  largest 
amount  of  tax  benefit  that  has  a  greater  than  50%  likelihood  of  being  realized  upon  settlement.  The  Company 
recognizes  interest  and  penalties  related  to  unrecognized  tax  benefits  in  the  provision  for  income  taxes  in  the 
accompanying consolidated financial statements.  

Self-Insurance  Programs  —  The  Company  self-insures  for  certain  levels  of  workers'  compensation  and,  as  of 
January  1,  2011,  began  self-funding  the  medical,  prescription  drug  and  dental  benefit  plans  in  the  United  States.  
Estimated costs are accrued at the projected settlements for known and anticipated claims. Amounts related to these 
self-insurance  programs  are  included  in  “Accrued  employee  compensation  and  benefits”  and  “Other  long-term 
liabilities” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

Deferred Grants — Recognition of income associated with grants for land and the acquisition of property, buildings 
and equipment (together, “property grants”) is deferred until after the completion and occupancy of the building and 
title has passed to the Company, and the funds have been released from escrow. The deferred amounts for both land 
and  building  are  amortized  and  recognized  as  a  reduction  of  depreciation  expense  over  the  corresponding  useful 
lives  of  the  related  assets.  Amounts  received  in  excess  of  the  cost  of  the  building  are  allocated  to  the  cost  of 
equipment  and,  only  after  the  grants  are  released from escrow, recognized  as  a reduction of  depreciation  expense 
over  the  weighted  average  useful  life  of  the  related  equipment,  which  approximates  five  years.  Upon  sale  of  the 
related facilities, any deferred grant balance is recognized in full and is included in the gain on sale of property and 
equipment. 

The  Company  receives  government  employment  grants  as  an  incentive  to  create  and  maintain  permanent 
employment positions for a specified time period. The grants are repayable, under certain terms and conditions, if 
the  Company's  relevant  employment  levels  do  not  meet  or  exceed  the  employment  levels  set  forth  in  the  grant 
agreements.  Accordingly,  grant  monies  received  are  deferred  and  amortized  primarily  as  a  reduction  to  “Direct 
salaries and related costs” using the proportionate performance model over the required employment period.   

Deferred  Revenue  —  The  Company  receives  up-front  fees  in  connection  with  certain  contracts.  The  deferred 
revenue  is  earned  over  the  service  periods  of  the  respective  contracts,  which  range  from  30  days  to  seven  years. 
Deferred revenue included in current liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets includes the up-
front fees associated with services to be provided over the next ensuing twelve month period and the up-front fees 
associated  with  services  to  be  provided  over  multiple  years  in  connection  with  contracts  that  contain  cancellation 
and  refund  provisions,  whereby  the  manufacturers  or  customers  can  terminate  the  contracts  and  demand  pro-rata 
refunds of the up-front fees with short notice. Deferred revenue included in current liabilities in the accompanying 
Consolidated Balance Sheets also includes estimated penalties and holdbacks for failure to meet specified minimum 
service levels in certain contracts and other performance based contingencies.  

64 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stock-Based Compensation — The Company has three stock-based compensation plans: the 2011 Equity Incentive 
Plan  (for  employees  and  certain  non-employees),  the  2004  Non-Employee  Director  Fee  Plan  (for  non-employee 
directors), both approved by the shareholders, and the Deferred Compensation Plan (for certain eligible employees). 
All of these plans are discussed more fully in Note 26, Stock-Based Compensation. Stock-based awards under these 
plans may consist of common stock, stock options, cash-settled or stock-settled stock appreciation rights, restricted 
stock  and  other  stock-based  awards.  The  Company  issues  common  stock  and  uses  treasury  stock  to  satisfy  stock 
option exercises or vesting of stock awards. 

In accordance with ASC 718 “Compensation — Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”), the Company recognizes in its 
accompanying  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  the  grant-date  fair  value  of  stock  options  and  other  equity-
based  compensation  issued  to  employees  and  directors.  Compensation  expense  for  equity-based  awards  is 
recognized over  the  requisite  service period, usually  the vesting period,  while  compensation  expense  for  liability-
based awards (those usually settled in cash rather than stock) is re-measured to fair value at each balance sheet date 
until the awards are settled.   

Fair  Value  of  Financial  Instruments  —  The  following  methods  and  assumptions  were  used  to  estimate  the  fair 
value of each class of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value:  

•  Cash, Short-Term and Other Investments, Investments Held in Rabbi Trust and Accounts Payable — The 
carrying  values  for  cash,  short-term  and  other  investments,  investments  held  in  rabbi  trust  and  accounts 
payable approximate their fair values. 

•  Foreign  Currency  Forward  Contracts  and  Options  —  Foreign  currency  forward  contracts  and  options, 
including  premiums  paid  on  options,  are  recognized  at  fair  value  based  on  quoted  market  prices  of 
comparable instruments or, if none are available, on pricing models or formulas using current market and 
model assumptions, including adjustments for credit risk. 

•  Long-Term  Debt  —  The  carrying  value  of  long-term  debt  approximates  its  estimated  fair  value  as  it  re-

prices at varying interest rates. 

Fair  Value  Measurements  —  ASC  820  “Fair  Value  Measurements  and  Disclosures”  (“ASC  820”)  defines  fair 
value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles 
and  expands  disclosures  about  fair  value  measurements.  ASC  820-10-20  clarifies  that  fair  value  is  an  exit  price, 
representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction 
between market participants.  

ASC 825 “Financial Instruments” (“ASC 825”) permits an entity to measure certain financial assets and financial 
liabilities at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in earnings each period. The Company has not elected 
to use the fair value option permitted under ASC 825 for any of its financial assets and financial liabilities that are 
not already recorded at fair value.   

A description of the Company’s policies regarding fair value measurement is summarized below.  

Fair  Value  Hierarchy  —  ASC  820-10-35  requires  disclosure  about  how  fair  value  is  determined  for  assets  and 
liabilities  and  establishes  a  hierarchy  for  which  these  assets  and  liabilities  must  be  grouped,  based  on  significant 
levels  of  observable  or  unobservable  inputs.  Observable  inputs  reflect  market  data  obtained  from  independent 
sources,  while  unobservable  inputs  reflect  the  Company’s  market  assumptions.  This  hierarchy  requires  the  use  of 
observable market data when available. These two types of inputs have created the following fair value hierarchy:  

•  Level 1 — Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets. 
•  Level  2  — Quoted prices for  similar  instruments  in  active  markets;  quoted  prices  for  identical  or  similar 
instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and 
significant value drivers are observable in active markets. 

•  Level  3  —  Valuations  derived  from  valuation  techniques  in  which  one  or  more  significant  inputs  or 

significant value drivers are unobservable.  

65 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Determination of Fair Value — The Company generally uses quoted market prices (unadjusted) in active markets 
for  identical  assets  or  liabilities  that  the  Company  has  the  ability  to  access  to  determine  fair  value,  and  classifies 
such  items  in  Level  1.  Fair  values  determined  by  Level  2  inputs  utilize  inputs  other  than  quoted  market  prices 
included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs include 
quoted market prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities,  and inputs other than quoted  market prices 
that  are  observable  for  the  asset  or  liability.  Level  3  inputs  are  unobservable  inputs  for  the  asset  or  liability,  and 
include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability.  

If quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed valuation techniques that use, 
where possible, current market-based or independently sourced market parameters, such as interest rates, currency 
rates, etc. Assets or liabilities valued using such internally generated valuation techniques are classified according to 
the lowest level input or value driver that is significant to the valuation. Thus, an item may be classified in Level 3 
even though there may be some significant inputs that are readily observable.  

The following section describes the valuation methodologies used by the Company to measure assets and liabilities 
at fair value on a recurring basis, including an indication of the level in the fair value hierarchy in which each asset 
or liability is generally classified.  

Money  Market  and  Open-End  Mutual  Funds  —  The  Company  uses  quoted  market  prices  in  active  markets  to 
determine  the  fair  value  of  money  market  and  open-end  mutual  funds,  which  are  classified  in  Level  1  of  the  fair 
value hierarchy.  

Foreign Currency Forward Contracts and Options — The Company enters into foreign currency forward contracts 
and options over the counter and values such contracts using quoted market prices of comparable instruments or, if 
none  are  available,  on  pricing  models  or  formulas  using  current  market  and  model  assumptions,  including 
adjustments for credit risk. The key inputs include forward or option foreign currency exchange rates and interest 
rates. These items are classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.  

Investments Held in Rabbi Trust — The investment assets of the rabbi trust are valued using quoted market prices in 
active  markets,  which  are  classified  in  Level  1  of  the  fair  value  hierarchy.  For  additional  information  about  the 
deferred  compensation  plan,  refer  to  Note  13,  Investments  Held  in  Rabbi  Trust,  and  Note  26,  Stock-Based 
Compensation. 

Guaranteed Investment Certificates — Guaranteed investment certificates, with variable interest rates linked to the 
prime rate, approximate fair value due to the automatic ability to re-price with changes in the market; such items are 
classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. 

Foreign Currency Translation — The assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries, whose functional 
currency is other than the U.S. Dollar, are translated at the exchange rates in effect on the reporting date, and income 
and expenses are translated at the weighted average exchange rate during the period. The net effect of translation 
gains and losses is not included in determining net income, but is included in “Accumulated other comprehensive 
income (loss)” (“AOCI”), which is reflected as a separate component of shareholders’ equity until the sale or until 
the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the net investment in the foreign subsidiary. Foreign currency 
transactional  gains  and  losses  are  included  in  “Other  income  (expense)” in  the  accompanying  Consolidated 
Statements of Operations.  

Foreign Currency and Derivative Instruments — The Company accounts for financial derivative instruments under 
ASC  815  “Derivatives  and  Hedging”  (“ASC  815”).    The  Company  generally  utilizes  non-deliverable  forward 
contracts and options expiring within one to 24 months to reduce its foreign currency exposure due to exchange rate 
fluctuations  on  forecasted  cash  flows  denominated  in  non-functional  foreign  currencies  and  net  investments  in 
foreign operations. In using derivative financial instruments to hedge exposures to changes in exchange rates, the 
Company exposes itself to counterparty credit risk.  

The Company designates derivatives as either (1) a hedge of a forecasted transaction or of the variability of cash 
flows  to  be  received  or  paid  related  to  a  recognized  asset  or  liability  (“cash  flow”  hedge);  (2)  a  hedge  of  a  net 
investment  in  a  foreign  operation;  or  (3)  a  derivative  that  does  not  qualify  for  hedge  accounting.    To  qualify  for 
hedge  accounting  treatment,  a  derivative  must  be  highly  effective  in  mitigating  the  designated  risk  of  the  hedged 
item. Effectiveness of the hedge is formally assessed at inception and throughout the life of the hedging relationship. 

66 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Even  if  a  derivative  qualifies  for  hedge  accounting  treatment,  there  may  be  an  element  of  ineffectiveness  of  the 
hedge. 

Changes in the fair value of derivatives that are highly effective and designated as cash flow hedges are recorded in 
AOCI, until the forecasted underlying transactions occur. Any realized gains or losses resulting from the cash flow 
hedges  are  recognized  together  with  the  hedged  transaction  within  “Revenues”.    Changes  in  the  fair  value  of 
derivatives that are highly effective and designated as a net investment hedge are recorded in cumulative translation 
adjustment in AOCI, offsetting the change in cumulative translation adjustment attributable to the hedged portion of 
the Company’s net investment in the foreign operation.  Any realized gains and losses from settlements of the net 
investment  hedge  remain  in  AOCI  until  partial  or  complete  liquidation  of  the  net  investment.    Ineffectiveness  is 
measured  based  on  the  change  in  fair  value  of  the  forward  contracts  and  options  and  the  fair  value  of  the 
hypothetical derivatives with terms that match the critical terms of the risk being hedged. Hedge ineffectiveness is 
recognized  within  “Revenues”  for  cash  flow  hedges  and  within  “Other  income  (expense)”  for  net  investment 
hedges.  Cash  flows  from  the  derivative  contracts  are  classified  within  the  operating  section  in  the  accompanying 
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.  

The Company formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as its 
risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedging activities. This process includes linking all 
derivatives  that  are  designated  as  cash  flow  hedges  to  forecasted  transactions.  Hedges  of  a  net  investment  in  a 
foreign  operation  are  linked  to  the  specific  foreign  operation.    The  Company  also  formally  assesses,  both  at  the 
hedge’s inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions are highly 
effective on a prospective and retrospective basis. When it is determined that a derivative is not highly effective as a 
hedge or that it has ceased to be a highly effective hedge or if a forecasted hedge is no longer probable of occurring, 
or if the Company de-designates a derivative as a hedge, the Company discontinues hedge accounting prospectively. 
At December 31, 2013 and 2012, all hedges were determined to be highly effective.  

The Company also periodically enters into forward contracts that are not designated as hedges as defined under ASC 
815. The purpose of  these derivative  instruments  is  to  reduce  the  effects  from  fluctuations  caused by  volatility  in 
currency  exchange  rates  on  the  Company’s  operating  results  and  cash  flows.  All  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  the 
derivative  instruments  are  included  in  “Other  income  (expense)”.    See  Note  12,  Financial  Derivatives,  for  further 
information on financial derivative instruments. 

Reclassifications — Certain balances in prior years have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.   

New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted 

In  March  2013,  the  Financial  Accounting  Standards  Board  (“FASB”)  issued  ASU  2013-05  “Foreign  Currency 
Matters  (Topic  830)  –  Parent’s  Accounting  for  the  Cumulative  Translation  Adjustment  upon  Derecognition  of 
Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity” (“ASU 
2013-05”).  The amendments in ASU 2013-05 indicate that a cumulative translation adjustment (“CTA”) is attached 
to the parent’s investment in a foreign entity and should be released in a manner consistent with the derecognition 
guidance on investments in entities. Thus, the entire amount of the CTA associated with the foreign entity would be 
released  when  there  has  been  a  sale  of  a  subsidiary  or  group  of  net  assets  within  a  foreign  entity  and  the  sale 
represents  the  substantially  complete  liquidation  of  the  investment  in  the  foreign  entity,  a  loss  of  a  controlling 
financial interest in an investment in a foreign entity (i.e., the foreign entity is deconsolidated), or a step acquisition 
for a foreign entity (i.e., when an entity has changed from applying the equity method for an investment in a foreign 
entity  to  consolidating  the  foreign  entity).    ASU  2013-05  does  not  change  the  requirement  to  release  a  pro  rata 
portion of the CTA of the foreign entity into earnings for a partial sale of an equity method investment in a foreign 
entity.  The amendments in ASU 2013-05 are effective prospectively for fiscal years (and interim reporting periods 
within  those  years)  beginning  after  December  15,  2013.  The  amendments  should  be  applied  prospectively  to 
derecognition events occurring after the effective date. The adoption of ASU 2013-05 on January 1, 2014 did not 
have a material impact on the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company. 

67 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-11 “Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax 
Benefit  When  a  Net  Operating  Loss  Carryforward,  a  Similar  Tax  Loss,  or  a  Tax  Credit  Carryforward  Exists” 
(“ASU 2013-11”).  The amendments in ASU 2013-11 indicate that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an 
unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a 
net  operating  loss  carryforward,  a  similar  tax  loss,  or  a  tax  credit  carryforward  if  such  settlement  is  required  or 
expected in the event the uncertain tax position is disallowed. In situations where a net operating loss carryforward, 
a  similar  tax  loss,  or  a  tax  credit  carryforward  is  not  available  at  the  reporting  date  under  the  tax  law  of  the 
applicable jurisdiction or the tax law of the jurisdiction does not require, and the entity does not intend to use, the 
deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a 
liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets.  The amendments in ASU 2013-11 are effective for 
fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. The amendments should be 
applied  prospectively  to  all  unrecognized  tax  benefits  that  exist  at  the  effective  date.  Retrospective  application  is 
permitted.  The  adoption  of  ASU  2013-11  on  January  1,  2014  did  not  have  a  material  impact  on  the  financial 
condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company. 

New Accounting Standards Recently Adopted 

In  December  2011,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2011-11  “Balance  Sheet  (Topic  210)  –  Disclosures  about  Offsetting 
Assets  and  Liabilities”  (“ASU  2011-11”).    The  amendments  in  ASU  2011-11  enhanced  disclosures  by  requiring 
improved  information  about  financial  and  derivative  instruments  that  are  either  1)  offset  (netting  assets  and 
liabilities)  in  accordance  with  Section 210-20-45  or  Section 815-10-45  of  the  FASB  Accounting  Standards 
Codification  (“ASC”)  or  2)  subject  to  an  enforceable  master  netting  arrangement  or  similar  agreement.    The 
amendments  in  ASU  2011-11  are  effective  for  fiscal  years  beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2013,  and  interim 
periods within those years. An entity should provide the disclosures required by those amendments retrospectively 
for all comparative periods presented. The adoption of ASU 2011-11 as of January 1, 2013 did not have a material 
impact  on  the  financial  condition,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  of  the  Company.  See  Note  12,  Financial 
Derivatives, for further information.   

In  July  2012,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2012-02  “Intangibles  –  Goodwill  and  Other  (Topic  350)  Testing  Indefinite-
Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment” (“ASU 2012-02”).  The amendments in ASU 2012-02 provide entities with 
the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicates 
that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If, after assessing the totality of 
events and circumstances, an entity concludes that it is not more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible 
asset is impaired, then the entity is not required to take further action. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, 
then  it  is  required  to  determine  the  fair  value  of  the  indefinite-lived  intangible  asset  and  perform  the  quantitative 
impairment test by comparing the fair value with the carrying amount. Under the amendments in ASU 2012-02, an 
entity also has the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any indefinite-lived intangible asset in any period 
and proceed directly to performing the quantitative impairment test. An entity will be able to resume performing the 
qualitative  assessment  in  any  subsequent  period.    The  amendments  in  ASU  2012-02  are  effective  for  annual  and 
interim  impairment  tests  performed  for  fiscal  years  beginning  after  September  15,  2012.    The  adoption  of  ASU 
2012-02 on January 1, 2013 did not have a material impact on the financial condition, results of operations and cash 
flows of the Company.  See “Goodwill” in this Note 1 for further information.   

In January 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-01 “Balance Sheet (Topic 210) Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures 
about  Offsetting  Assets  and  Liabilities”  (“ASU  2013-01”).    The  amendments  in  ASU  2013-01  clarify  which 
instruments  and  transactions  are  subject  to  the  offsetting  disclosure  requirements  established  by  ASU  2011-
11.  ASU  2013-01  addresses  preparer  concerns  that  the  scope  of  the  disclosure  requirements  under  ASU  2011-11 
was overly broad and imposed unintended costs that were not commensurate with estimated benefits to the financial 
statement users.  In choosing to narrow the scope of the offsetting disclosures, the FASB determined that it could 
make  them  more  operable  and  cost  effective  for  preparers  while  still  giving  financial  statement  users  sufficient 
information  to  analyze  the  most  significant  presentation  differences  between  financial  statements  prepared  in 
accordance with U.S. GAAP and those prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).  The 
amendments  in  ASU  2013-01  are  effective  for  fiscal  years  beginning  on  or  after  January  1,  2013.    Retrospective 
application  is  required  for  any  period  presented  that  begins  before  the  entity’s  initial  application  of  the  new 
requirements.   The adoption of ASU 2013-01 as of January 1, 2013 did not have a material impact on the financial 
condition,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  of  the  Company.  See  Note  12,  Financial  Derivatives,  for  further 
information.   

68 

 
 
 
 
 
 
In  February  2013,  the  FASB  issued  ASU  2013-02  “Comprehensive  Income  (Topic  220)  Reporting  of  Amounts 
Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income” (“ASU 2013-02”).  The amendments in ASU 2013-
02  do  not  change  the  current  requirements  for  reporting  net  income  or  other  comprehensive  income  in  financial 
statements. However, the amendments require an entity to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of 
accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either on the 
face  of  the  statement  where  net  income  is  presented  or  in  the  notes,  significant  amounts  reclassified  out  of 
accumulated  other  comprehensive  income  by  the  respective  line  items  of  net  income  but  only  if  the  amount 
reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. 
For other amounts that are not required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity 
is  required  to  cross-reference  to  other  disclosures  required  under  U.S.  GAAP  that  provide  additional  detail  about 
those amounts. The amendments in ASU 2013-02 are effective prospectively for reporting periods beginning after 
December 15, 2012.  The adoption of ASU 2013-02 as of January 1, 2013 did not have a  material impact on the 
financial  condition,  results  of  operations  and  cash  flows  of  the  Company.    See  Note  21,  Accumulated  Other 
Comprehensive Income (Loss), for further information.   

Note 2. Acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc.  

On August 20, 2012, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding common shares and voting interest of Alpine, 
pursuant  to  the  terms  of  the  merger  agreement.    Alpine,  an  industry  leader  in  the  at-home  agent  space,  provides 
award-winning  customer  contact  management  services  through  a  secured  and  proprietary  virtual  call  center 
environment  with  its  operations  located  in  the  United  States  and  Canada.  The results of  Alpine’s operations have 
been  included  in  the  Company’s  consolidated  financial  statements  since  its  acquisition  on  August 20,  2012.  The 
Company acquired Alpine to: create significant competitive differentiation for quality, speed to market, scalability 
and  flexibility  driven  by  proprietary,  internally-developed  software,  systems,  processes  and  other  intellectual 
property, which uniquely overcome the challenges of the at-home delivery model; strengthen the Company’s current 
service  portfolio  and  go-to-market  offering  while  expanding  the  breadth  of  clients  with  minimal  client  overlap; 
broaden  the  addressable  market  opportunity  within  existing  and  new  verticals  as  well  as  clients;  expand  the 
addressable pool of skilled labor; leverage operational best practices across the Company’s global platform, with the 
potential to convert more of its fixed costs to variable costs; and further enhance the growth and margin profile of 
the  Company  to  drive  shareholder  value.  This  resulted  in  the  Company  paying  a  substantial  premium  for  Alpine 
resulting in the recognition of goodwill. 

The  acquisition  date  fair  value  of  the  consideration  transferred  totaled  $149.0 million,  which  was  funded  through 
cash on hand of $41.0 million and borrowings of $108.0 million under the Company’s credit agreement, dated May 
3, 2012. See Note 20, Borrowings, for further information. 

The  Company  accounted  for  the  acquisition  in  accordance  with  ASC 805  “Business  Combinations”,  whereby  the 
purchase price paid was allocated to the tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed 
from Alpine based on their estimated fair values as of the closing date. During the three months ended December 31, 
2012, the final working capital adjustment was approved by the authorized representative of Alpine’s shareholders. 
The Company finalized its purchase price allocation during the three months ended December 31, 2012, resulting in 
no changes from the estimated acquisition date fair values previously reported. 

69 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  following  table  summarizes  the  final  purchase  price  allocation  of  the  fair  values  of  the  assets  acquired  and 
liabilities assumed, all included in the Americas segment (in thousands): 

Cash and cash equivalents   ………………………………………
Receivables ………………………………………………………
Prepaid expenses …………………………………………………

Amount
$                         

1,859
11,831
617

Total current assets ……………………………………………
Property and equipment …………………………………………
Goodwill …………………………………………………………
Intangibles …………………………………………………………
Deferred charges and other assets …………………………………

Accounts payable …………………………………………………
Accrued employee compensation and benefits ……………………
Income taxes payable ……………………………………………
Deferred revenue …………………………………………………
Other accrued expenses and current liabilities ……………………

Total current liabilities…………………………………………
Other long-term liabilities (1) ………………………………………

14,307
11,326
80,766
57,720
916

(880)
(3,774)
(141)
(94)
(601)

(5,490)
(10,592)

(1) Primarily includes long-term deferred tax liabilities.

$                     

148,953

Fair values were based on management’s estimates and assumptions including variations of the income approach, 
the cost approach and the market approach.  

The following table presents the Company’s purchased intangibles assets as of August 20, 2012, the acquisition date 
(in thousands): 

Customer relationships ……………………………………………
Trade names ………………………………………………………
Non-compete agreements …………………………………………
Favorable lease agreement …………………………………………

$                       

Amount Assigned
46,000
10,600
670
450
57,720

$                       

Weighted Average 
Amortization Period 
(years)

8
8
2
2
8

The  $80.8 million  of  goodwill  was  assigned  to  the  Company’s  Americas  operating  segment.  Pursuant  to  Federal 
income  tax  regulations,  no  amount  of  intangibles  or  goodwill  from  this  acquisition  will  be  deductible  for  tax 
purposes. 

The fair value of receivables purchased was $11.8 million, with the gross contractual amount of $11.8 million. 

70 

 
 
                        
                             
                        
                        
                        
                        
                             
                           
                        
                           
                             
                           
                        
                      
 
 
 
 
                                 
                        
                                 
                             
                                 
                             
                                 
                                 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  amount  of  Alpine’s  revenues  and  net  loss  since  the  August  20,  2012  acquisition  date,  included  in  the 
Company’s  accompanying  Consolidated  Statement  of  Operations  for  the  year  ended  December 31,  2012  were  as 
follows (in thousands): 

Revenues …………………………………………………………

From August 20, 
2012 Through 
December 31, 2012
40,635

$                       

(Loss) from continuing operations before income taxes …………

$                        

(3,201)

(Loss) from continuing operations, net of taxes …………………

$                        

(2,166)

The loss from continuing operations before income taxes of $3.2 million includes $3.6 million in severance costs, 
depreciation resulting from the adjustment to fair value of the acquired property and equipment, and amortization of 
the fair values of the acquired intangibles. 

The  following  table  presents  the  unaudited  pro  forma  combined  revenues  and  net  earnings  as  if  Alpine  had  been 
included in the consolidated results of the Company for the entire year for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 
2011.  The  pro  forma  financial  information  is  not  indicative  of  the  results  of  operations  that  would  have  been 
achieved if the acquisition and related borrowings had taken place on January 1, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands): 

Revenues …………………………………………………………

$                  

1,190,150

$                  

1,272,890

Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

Income from continuing operations, net of taxes …………………

$                       

37,352

Income from continuing operations per common share:

Basic ……………………………………………………………

$                           

0.87

Diluted …………………………………………………………

$                           

0.87

$                       

46,324

$                           

1.06

$                           

1.06

These  amounts  have  been  calculated  to  reflect  the  additional  depreciation,  amortization  and  interest  expense  that 
would  have  been  incurred  assuming  the  fair  value  adjustments  and  borrowings  occurred  on  January 1,  2012  and 
January 1, 2011, together with the consequential tax effects. In addition, these amounts exclude costs incurred which 
are directly attributable to the acquisition, and which do not have a continuing impact on the combined companies’ 
operating results. Included in these costs are severance, advisory and legal costs, net of the tax effects. 

71 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Merger and integration costs associated with Alpine were as follows (none in 2011) (in thousands): 

Severance costs: (1)

Years Ended December 31,
2013
2012

Americas …………………………………………………

$                     

526
526

Severance costs: (2)

Americas …………………………………………………
Corporate ………………………………………………

Transaction and integration costs: (2)

Corporate ………………………………………………

985
159
1,144

444
444

-
$                       
-

591
377
968

3,793
3,793

Total merger and integration costs …………………………

$                  

2,114

$                  

4,761

(1)

(2)

Included in “Direct salaries and related costs” in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of 
Operations.
Included in “General and administrative” costs in the accompanying Consolidated Statements 
of Operations.

Note 3. Discontinued Operations 

The  results  of  discontinued  operations,  which  consist  of  the  operations  in  Spain  and  Argentina,  were  as  follows 
(none in 2013) (in thousands): 

Revenues ………………………………………………………………………………

$                       

10,102

$                        

39,341

 Years Ended December 31, 

 2012 

 2011 

(Loss) from discontinued operations before income taxes ……………….……….
Income taxes (1) …………………………………………………………..……………
(Loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes ……………………………………

$                          

(820)

$                       

(4,532)

-

-

$                          

(820)

$                       

(4,532)

(Loss) on sale of discontinued operations before income taxes ……………….………
Income taxes (1) …………………………………………………………..……………
(Loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of taxes ………………………………

$                     

(10,707)

$                           

559

-

-

$                     

(10,707)

$                           

559

(1) There were no income taxes as any tax benefit from the losses would be offset by a valuation allowance.

Sale of Spanish Operations in 2012 

In November 2011, the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company approved a plan 
to sell its Spanish operations, which were operated through its Spanish subsidiary, Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated 
S.L.  ("Sykes  Spain").  Sykes  Spain  operated  customer  contact  management  centers,  with  annual  revenues  of 
approximately  $39.3  million  in  2011,  providing  contact  center  services  through  a  total  of  three  customer  contact 
management centers in Spain to clients in Spain. The decision to sell the Spanish operations was made in 2011 after 
management  completed  a  strategic  review  of  the  Spanish  market  and  determined  the  operations  were  no  longer 
consistent with the Company's strategic direction. 

On  March 29,  2012,  Sykes  Spain  entered  into  the  asset  purchase  agreement,  by  and  between  Sykes  Spain  and 
Iberphone,  S.A.U.,  and  pursuant  thereto,  on  March 29,  2012,  Sykes  Spain  sold  the  fixed  assets  located  in 
Ponferrada,  Spain,  which  were  previously  written  down  to  zero,  cash  of  $4.1  million,  and  certain  contracts  and 
licenses  relating  to  the  business  of  Sykes  Spain,  to  Iberphone,  S.A.U.  Under  the  asset  purchase  agreement, 
Ponferrada, Spain employees were transferred to Iberphone S.A.U. which assumed certain payroll liabilities in the 
approximate amount of $1.7 million, and paid a nominal purchase price for the assets. 

72 

 
 
                       
                         
                       
                       
                       
                       
                    
                       
                       
                    
                       
                    
 
 
 
 
                                  
                                
                                  
                                
 
 
 
 
On March 30, 2012, the Company entered into a stock purchase agreement with a former member of Sykes Spain’s 
management, and pursuant thereto, on March 30, 2012, the Company sold all of the shares of capital stock of Sykes 
Spain to the purchaser for a nominal price. Pursuant to the stock purchase agreement, immediately prior to closing, 
the Company made a cash capital contribution of $8.6 million to Sykes Spain to cover a portion of Sykes Spain's 
liabilities and to fund the $4.1 million of cash transferred and sold pursuant to the asset purchase agreement with 
Iberphone, S.A.U. discussed above. As this was a stock transaction, the Company anticipates no future obligation 
with regard to Sykes Spain and there are no material post-closing obligations. 

During  2011,  the  Company  recorded  an  impairment  of  $0.8  million  related  to  the  write-down  of  property  and 
equipment,  primarily  leasehold  improvements  and  software,  in  conjunction  with  the  classification  of  the  Spanish 
operations as held for sale. The impairment charges represented the amount by which the carrying value exceeded 
the  fair  value  of  these  assets,  as  defined  in  ASC  820,  and  are  included  in  discontinued  operations  in  the 
accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2011. 

The  Company  reflected  the  operating  results  related  to  the  Spanish  operations  as  discontinued  operations  in  the 
accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011. Cash flows 
from  discontinued  operations  are  included  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Statements  of  Cash  Flows  for  the 
years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011. This business was historically reported by the Company as part of the 
EMEA segment. 

Sale of Argentine Operations in 2010 

In December 2010, the Board, upon the recommendation of its Finance Committee, sold its operations in Argentina 
(the “Argentine operations”). During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company reversed the accrued liability 
related to the expiration of the indemnification to the purchaser for the possible loss of a specific client business, 
which  reduced  the  net  loss  on  sale  of  the Argentine  operations  by  $0.6  million.  There  was  no  related  income  tax 
effect. 

Note 4. Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities 

Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan 

During 2011, the Company announced a plan to rationalize seats in certain U.S. sites and close certain locations in 
EMEA (the “Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan”).  The details are described below, by segment. 

Americas 

During 2011, as part of an on-going effort to streamline excess capacity related to the integration of the ICT Group, 
Inc.  (“ICT”)  acquisition  and  align  it  with  the  needs  of  the  market,  the  Company  announced  a  plan  to  rationalize 
approximately 900 seats in the U.S., some of which were revenue generating, with plans to migrate the associated 
revenues  to  other  locations  within  the  U.S.  Approximately  300  employees  were  affected  and  the  Company  has 
completed the actions associated with the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan in the Americas.  

The  major  costs  incurred  as  a  result  of  these  actions  are  program  transfer  costs,  facility-related  costs  (primarily 
consisting  of  those  costs  associated  with  the  real  estate  leases),  and  impairments  of  long-lived  assets  (primarily 
leasehold  improvements  and  equipment)  estimated  at  $1.9  million  as  of  December  31,  2013  ($1.9  million  as  of 
December  31,  2012).  The  Company  recorded  $0.5  million  of  the  costs  associated  with  these  actions  as  non-cash 
impairment charges included in “Impairment of long-lived assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of 
Operations for the year ended December 31, 2011, while approximately $1.4 million represents cash expenditures 
for  program  transfer  and  facility-related  costs,  including  obligations  under  the  leases,  the  last  of  which  ends  in 
February 2017.  The Company has paid $0.9 million in cash through December 31, 2013 under the Fourth Quarter 
2011 Exit Plan in the Americas. 

73 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following tables summarize the accrued liability associated with the Americas Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan’s 
exit or disposal activities and related charges for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012 (none in 2011) (in 
thousands): 

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2013
$                          
682

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2013
-    

$                               

Cash Payments

Other Non-Cash 
Changes

$                       

(170)

$                            

-    

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2013
$                        
512

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2012
$                           
-    

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2012 (1)
$                           
1,365

Cash Payments

Other Non-Cash 
Changes

$                       

(683)

$                            

-    

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2012
$                        
682

During 2012, the Company recorded lease obligations and facility exit costs, which are included in "General and administrative" costs in the accompanying 
Consolidated Statement of Operations.

(1)

EMEA 

During 2011, to improve the Company’s overall profitability in the EMEA region, the Company committed to close 
a  customer  contact  management  center  in  South  Africa  and  a  customer  contact  management  center  in  Ireland,  as 
well  as  some  capacity  rationalization  in  the  Netherlands,  all  components  of  the  EMEA  segment.  Through  these 
actions,  the  Company  expects  to  improve  its  cost  structure  in  the  EMEA  region  by  optimizing  its  capacity 
utilization.    While  the  Company  migrated  approximately  $3.2  million  of  annualized  call  volumes  of  the  Ireland 
facility to other facilities within EMEA, the Company did not migrate the remaining call volume in Ireland or any of 
the annualized revenue from the Netherlands or South Africa facilities, which was $18.8 million for 2011, to other 
facilities  within  the  region.  The  number  of  seats  rationalized  across  the  EMEA  region  approximated  900  with 
approximately  500  employees  affected  by  the  actions.    The  Company  closed  these  facilities  and  substantially 
completed the actions associated with the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan in EMEA on September 30, 2012.   

The  major  costs  incurred  as  a  result  of  these  actions  are  facility-related  costs  (primarily  consisting  of  those  costs 
associated  with  the  real  estate  leases),  impairments  of  long-lived  assets  (primarily  leasehold  improvements  and 
equipment)  and  severance-related  costs  estimated  at  $6.7  million  as  of  December  31,  2013  ($6.7  million  as  of 
December  31, 2012).    The  Company  recorded  $0.5  million  of  the costs associated with  these  actions  as  non-cash 
impairment charges included in “Impairment of long-lived assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of 
Operations for the year ended December 31, 2011, while approximately $6.2 million represents cash expenditures 
for severance and related costs and facility-related costs, primarily rent obligations paid through the remainder of the 
noncancelable term of the leases, the last of which ended in March 2013.  The Company has paid $5.9 million in 
cash through December 31, 2013 under the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan in EMEA. 

74 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following tables summarize the accrued liability associated with EMEA’s Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan’s exit 
or disposal activities and related charges (in thousands): 

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….
Severance and related costs …………….....……..
Legal-related costs …………….....……………….

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….
Severance and related costs  …………….....…..
Legal-related costs …………….....……………….

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2013
-    
$                           
187
10
197

$                          

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2013 (1)
-    
$                               
(56)
-
(56)

$                               

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2012
$                          
577
4,470
13
5,060

$                       

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2012 (1)
(568)
$                             
857
89
378

$                              

$                         

Cash Payments
-    
(8)
(10)
(18)

$                         

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)
$                            

-    
8
-
$                               
8

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2013
-
$                            
131
-
131

$                        

Cash Payments
$                           

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)
$                              

(6)
(5,134)
(91)
(5,231)

$                    

$                            

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2012
-    
$                         
187
10
197

$                        

(3)
(6)
(1)
(10)

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2011

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2011 (1)

Cash Payments

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2011

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

$                             
-

$                              

587

$                         

-    

$                            

(10)

$                        

577

Severance and related costs  …………….....…..

-

5,185

(653)

(62)

4,470

Legal-related costs …………….....……………….

-
$                             
-

$                           

21
5,793

$                       

(8)
(661)

$                            

-
(72)

$                     

13
5,060

(1)

(2)

During 2013, the Company reversed accruals related to the final settlement of severance and related costs and legal-related costs for the Netherlands site, which 
reduced "General and administrative" costs in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations.  During 2012, the Company reversed accruals related to 
the final settlement of lease obligations and facility exit costs for the Ireland site, which reduced "General and administrative" costs in the accompanying 
Consolidated Statement of Operations.  Additionally, during 2012, the Company recorded additional severance and related costs and legal-related costs subsequent 
to the charges recorded in 2011 as part of the initiation of the Fourth Quarter 2011 Exit Plan in EM EA.
Effect of foreign currency translation.

The Company charged $0.7 million to "Direct salaries and related costs" for severance and related costs and $(0.3) 
million to "General and administrative" costs for lease obligations and facility exit costs, severance and related costs 
and legal-related costs in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 
2012. The Company charged $3.5 million to "Direct salaries and related costs" for severance and related costs and 
$2.3 million to "General and administrative" costs for lease obligations and facility exit costs, severance and related 
costs  and  legal-related  costs  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Statement  of  Operations  for  the  year  ended 
December 31, 2011.  

Fourth Quarter 2010 Exit Plan 

During  2010,  in  furtherance  of  the  Company’s  long-term  goals  to  manage  and  optimize  capacity  utilization,  the 
Company committed to and closed a customer contact management center in the United Kingdom and a customer 
contact  management  center  in  Ireland,  both  components  of  the  EMEA  segment  (the  "Fourth  Quarter  2010  Exit 
Plan"). These actions were substantially completed by January 31, 2011.  

The major costs incurred as a result of these actions were facility-related costs (primarily consisting of those costs 
associated  with  the  real  estate  leases),  impairments  of  long-lived  assets  (primarily  leasehold  improvements  and 
equipment) and severance-related costs totaling $2.5 million as of December 31, 2013 ($2.2 million as of December 
31, 2012). The Company recorded $0.2 million of the costs associated with these actions as non-cash impairment 
charges,  while  approximately  $2.1 million  represents  cash  expenditures  for  facility-related  costs,  primarily  rent 
obligations  to  be  paid  through  the  remainder  of  the  lease  terms,  the  last  of  which  ends  in  March 2014,  and 
$0.2 million represents cash expenditures for severance-related costs. The Company has paid $1.7 million in cash 
through December 31, 2013 under the Fourth Quarter 2010 Exit Plan. 

75 

 
 
                           
                               
                           
                                
                         
                             
                                   
                         
                                 
                              
 
                        
                               
                    
                               
                         
                             
                                 
                         
                               
                           
 
                               
                            
                       
                             
                      
                               
                                 
                           
                                 
                           
 
 
 
 
 
The  following  tables  summarize  the  accrued  liability  associated  with  the  Fourth  Quarter  2010  Exit  Plan’s  exit  or 
disposal activities and related charges (in thousands): 

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

$                          

539

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2013

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2013 (1)
$                              
318

Cash 
Payments

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)

Ending Accrual 
at December 
31, 2013

$                 

(339)

$                             

20

$                  

538

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

$                          

835

$                               

-    

$                 

(300)

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2012

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2012

Cash 
Payments

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)
$                               
4

Ending Accrual 
at December 
31, 2012

$                  

539

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

$                       

1,711

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2011

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2011 (1)
$                                
70

Cash 
Payments

$                 

(886)

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)
$                            

(60)

Ending Accrual 
at December 
31, 2011

$                  

835

(1)

During 2013, the Company recorded additional lease obligations and facility exit costs for the Ireland site's lease restoration.  During 2011, the Company 
recorded additional lease obligations and facility exit costs.  These costs are included in "General and administrative" costs in the accompanying 
Consolidated Statements of Operations.

(2)

Effect of foreign currency translation.

Third Quarter 2010 Exit Plan 

During  2010,  consistent  with  the  Company’s  long-term  goals  to  manage  and  optimize  capacity  utilization,  the 
Company  closed  or  committed  to  close  four  customer  contact  management  centers  in  The  Philippines  and 
consolidated  or  committed  to  consolidate  leased  space  in  our  Wilmington,  Delaware  and  Newtown,  Pennsylvania 
locations (the "Third Quarter 2010 Exit Plan"). These actions were substantially completed by January 31, 2011.  

The  major  costs  incurred  as  a  result  of  these  actions  were  impairments  of  long-lived  assets  (primarily  leasehold 
improvements) and facility-related costs (primarily consisting of those costs associated with the real estate leases) 
estimated at $10.5 million as of December 31, 2013 ($10.5 million as of December 31, 2012), all of which are in the 
Americas  segment.  The  Company  recorded  $3.8  million  of  the  costs  associated  with  these  actions  as  non-cash 
impairment  charges,  while  approximately  $6.7  million  represents  cash  expenditures  for  facility-related  costs, 
primarily rent obligations to be paid through the remainder of the lease terms, the last  of which ends in February 
2017.  The Company has paid $4.9 million in cash through December 31, 2013 under the Third Quarter 2010 Exit 
Plan. 

76 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  following  tables  summarize  the  accrued  liability  associated  with  the  Third  Quarter  2010  Exit  Plan’s  exit  or 
disposal activities and related charges (in thousands): 

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2013
$                       
2,551

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2013
-    

$                               

Cash Payments

$                      

(755)

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)
$                              

(3)

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2013
$                     
1,793

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2012
$                       
3,427

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2012 (1)
$                                
61

Cash Payments

Other Non-Cash 
Changes

$                      

(937)

$                            

-    

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2012
$                     
2,551

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

Beginning Accrual 
at January 1, 2011
$                       
6,141

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2011 (1)
$                             
(276)

Cash Payments

$                   

(2,443)

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)
$                               
5

Ending Accrual at 
December 31, 2011
$                     
3,427

(1)

During 2012, the Company recorded additional lease obligations due to an unanticipated lease termination penalty, which are included in "General and 
administrative" costs in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations.  During 2011, the Company reversed accruals related to lease termination costs 
due to an unanticipated sublease at one of the sites, which reduced "General and administrative" costs in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of 
Operations.  This amount was partially offset by additional lease termination costs for one of the sites.

(2)

Effect of foreign currency translation.

ICT Restructuring Plan 

As  of  February  2,  2010,  the Company  assumed  the  liabilities  of  ICT Group, Inc.  (“ICT”),  including restructuring 
accruals  in  connection  with  ICT’s  plans  to  reduce  its  overall  cost  structure  and  adapt  to  changing  economic 
conditions by closing various customer contact management centers in Europe and Canada prior to the end of their 
existing  lease  terms  (the  “ICT  Restructuring  Plan”).  These  remaining  restructuring  accruals,  which  related  to 
ongoing  lease  and  other  contractual  obligations,  were  paid  in  December  2011.  Since  acquiring  ICT  in  February 
2010,  the  Company  has  paid  $1.9  million  in  cash  through  December  31,  2011,  the  date  at  which  the  ICT 
Restructuring Plan concluded. 

The following table summarizes the accrued liability associated with the ICT Restructuring Plan’s exit or disposal 
activities (none in 2013 and 2012) (in thousands):  

Lease obligations and facility exit costs ……….

Beginning 
Accrual at 
January 1, 
2011
$               

1,462

Charges (Reversals) 
for the Year Ended 
December 31, 2011 (1)
$                             
(276)

Cash Payments

$                       

(1,139)

Other Non-Cash 
Changes (2)
$                           

(47)

Ending Accrual 
at December 
31, 2011
$                   

-    

(1)

(2)

During 2011, the Company reversed accruals related to the final settlement of termination costs, which reduced "General and administrative" costs in the 
accompanying Consolidated Statement of Operations.  

Effect of foreign currency translation.

77 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Restructuring Liability Classification 

The following table summarizes the Company’s short-term and long-term accrued liabilities associated with its exit 
and disposal activities, by plan, as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands): 

Americas 
Fourth 
Quarter 2011 
Exit Plan

EMEA 
Fourth 
Quarter 2011 
Exit Plan

Fourth 
Quarter 
2010 Exit 
Plan

Third 
Quarter 
2010 Exit 
Plan

December 31, 2013
    Short-term accrued restructuring liability (1) ……
    Long-term accrued restructuring liability (2) ………
      Ending accrual at December 31, 2013 ……………

136
376
512

$             

$             

$             

$             

131
-
131

538
-
538

440
1,353
1,793

$             

$             

$             

$          

ICT 
Restructuring 
Plan

$                   
-
-
$                   
-

Total

$          

$          

1,245
1,729
2,974

December 31, 2012
    Short-term accrued restructuring liability (1) ……
    Long-term accrued restructuring liability (2) ………
      Ending accrual at December 31, 2012 ……………

$             

138

544
682

$             

$             

197

$             

448

$             

618

$                   
-

$          

1,401

-
197

$             

91
539

$             

1,933
2,551

$          

-
$                   
-

2,568
3,969

$          

(1)

(2)

Included in "Other accrued expenses and current liabilities" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Included in "Other long-term liabilities" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Note 5. Fair Value  

The Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the requirements of ASC 
820 consist of the following (in thousands):  

Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2013 Using:

Quoted Prices 
in Active 
Markets For 
Identical Assets
Level (1)

S ignificant 
Other 
Observable 
Inputs
Level (2)

S ignificant 
Unobservable 
Inputs
Level (3)

 Balance at 
December 31, 2013

Assets:

M oney market funds and open-end mutual

funds included in "Cash and cash equivalents" ……(1)

$                     

50,627

$               

50,627

$                     

-    

$                    

-    

M oney market funds and open-end mutual

funds in "Deferred charges and other assets" ………(1)
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ………(2)
Equity investments held in a rabbi trust 

for the Deferred Compensation Plan ………………(3)

Debt investments held in a rabbi trust 

for the Deferred Compensation Plan ………………(3)
Guaranteed investment certificates ……………………(4)

Liabilities:

Long-term debt ……………………………………… (5)
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ………(6)

11
2,240

5,251

11

-

5,251

1,170
80
59,379

$                     

1,170
-
57,059

$               

-
2,240

-

-

$                 

80
2,320

$                     

$                  

98,000
5,063
103,063

$                    
-    
-
-

$                   

$               

$            

98,000
5,063
103,063

-
-

-

-
-
$                    
-

$                    
-    
-
$                    
-

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

In the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  
Included in “Other current assets”  in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  See Note 12, Financial Derivatives.
Included in “Other current assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  See Note 13, Investments Held in Rabbi T rust.
Included in “Deferred charges and other assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet. 
T he carrying value of long-term debt approximates its estimated fair value as it re-prices at varying interest rates.  See Note 20, Borrowings.

Included in “Other accrued expenses and current liabilities” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  See Note 12, Financial Derivatives.

78 

 
 
 
               
                    
                    
            
                     
            
               
                    
                 
            
                     
            
 
 
     
 
                             
                      
                     
                     
                        
                     
                  
                     
                        
                 
                     
                     
                        
                 
                     
                     
                             
                     
                       
                     
                      
                   
                
                     
 
 
 
 
 
The Company's assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis subject to the requirements of ASC 
820 consist of the following (in thousands):    

Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2012 Using:

Quoted Prices 
in Active 
Markets For 
Identical Assets
Level (1)

S ignificant 
Other 
Observable 
Inputs
Level (2)

S ignificant 
Unobservable 
Inputs
Level (3)

 Balance at 
December 31, 2012

Assets:

M oney market funds and open-end mutual

funds included in "Cash and cash equivalents" ……(1)

$                       

7,598

$                 

7,598

$                     

-    

$                    

-    

M oney market funds and open-end mutual

funds in "Deferred charges and other assets" ………(1)
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ………(2)
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ………(3)
Equity investments held in a rabbi trust 

for the Deferred Compensation Plan ………………(4)

Debt investments held in a rabbi trust 

for the Deferred Compensation Plan ………………(4)
Guaranteed investment certificates ……………………(5)

Liabilities:

Long-term debt ……………………………………… (6)
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ………(7)

11
1,994
14

3,212

11
-
-

3,212

2,049
80
14,958

$                     

2,049
-
12,870

$               

-
1,994
14

-

-

$                 

80
2,088

$                     

$                    

91,000
974
91,974

-    
$                    
-
-

$                   

$               

$              

91,000
974
91,974

-
-
-

-

-
-
$                    
-

-    
$                    
-
$                    
-

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

(6)

(7)

In the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  
Included in “ Other current assets”  in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  See Note 12, Financial Derivatives.
Included in “ Deferred charges and other assets”  in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  See Note 12, Financial Derivatives.
Included in “ Other current assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  See Note 13, Investments Held in Rabbi T rust.
Included in “ Deferred charges and other assets” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet. 
T he carrying value of long-term debt approximates its estimated fair value as it re-prices at varying interest rates.  See Note 20, Borrowings.

Included in “ Other accrued expenses and current liabilities” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet.  See Note 12, Financial Derivatives.

Certain assets, under certain conditions, are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis utilizing Level 3 inputs as 
described in Note 1, Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, like those associated with acquired 
businesses, including goodwill, other intangible assets and other long-lived assets. For these assets, measurement at 
fair value in periods subsequent to their initial recognition would be applicable if these assets were determined to be 
impaired.    The  adjusted  carrying  values  for  assets  measured  at  fair  value  on  a  nonrecurring  basis  (no  liabilities) 
subject to the requirements of ASC 820 were not material at December 31, 2012 (none in 2013). 

The  following  table  summarizes  the  total  impairment  losses  related  to  nonrecurring  fair  value  measurements  of 
certain assets (no liabilities) subject to the requirements of ASC 820 (in thousands) (none in 2013): 

Americas:

Total Impairment (Loss)
Years Ended December 31,

2012

2011

Property and equipment, net (1) …..………………………

$                 

(355)

$              

(1,244)

EM EA:

Property and equipment, net (1) …..………………………

Discontinued Operations:

EM EA - Property and equipment, net (1), (2) …..…………

-
(355)

(474)
(1,718)

$                 

-
(355)

(843)
(2,561)

$              

(1)

See Note 1, Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,
information regarding the fair value measurement as outlined in Property and Equipment.

for additional

(2) See Note 3, Discontinued Operations, for additional information regarding the impairments

related to discontinued operations.

79 

 
 
                             
                      
                     
                     
                        
                     
                  
                     
                             
                     
                       
                     
                        
                 
                     
                     
                        
                 
                     
                     
                             
                     
                       
                     
                         
                   
                    
                     
 
 
 
 
 
 
                    
                  
                  
               
                    
                  
 
 
 
During 2012, the Company determined that certain long-lived assets were no longer being used and were disposed 
of resulting in an impairment charge of $0.4 million.  

During  2011,  in  connection  with  the  closure  of  certain  customer  contact  management  centers  under  the  Third 
Quarter 2010 and the Fourth Quarter 2010 Exit Plans as discussed more fully in Note 4, Costs Associated with Exit 
or Disposal Activities, the Company recorded impairment charges of $1.7 million.  

Note 6.  Goodwill and Intangible Assets  

The following table presents the Company’s purchased intangible assets as of December 31, 2013 (in thousands): 

Customer relationships ……………………………
Trade name ………………………………………
Non-compete agreements …………………………
Proprietary software ………………………………
Favorable lease agreement …………………………

Gross Intangibles
$                
102,774
11,600
1,220
850
449
116,893

$                

Accumulated 
Amortization

$               

(35,873)
(2,803)
(1,009)
(847)
(306)
(40,838)

$               

Weighted 
Average 
Amortization 
Period (years)
8
8
2
2
2
8

Net Intangibles
$                 
66,901
8,797
211
3
143
76,055

$                 

The following table presents the Company’s purchased intangible assets as of December 31, 2012 (in thousands): 

Customer relationships ……………………………
Trade name ………………………………………
Non-compete agreements …………………………
Proprietary software ………………………………
Favorable lease agreement …………………………

Gross Intangibles
104,483
$                
11,600
1,229
850
450
118,612

$                

Accumulated 
Amortization

$               

(23,552)
(1,451)
(681)
(810)
(81)
(26,575)

$               

Weighted 
Average 
Amortization 
Period (years)
8
8
2
2
2
8

Net Intangibles
80,931
$                 
10,149
548
40
369
92,037

$                 

The Company’s estimated future amortization expense for the succeeding years relating to the purchased intangible 
assets resulting from acquisitions completed prior to December 31, 2013, is as follows (in thousands): 

Years Ending December 31,
2014 ………………………………………………………………………………
2015 ………………………………………………………………………………
2016 ………………………………………………………………………………
2017 ………………………………………………………………………………
2018 ………………………………………………………………………………
2019 and thereafter …………………………………………………………………

Amount

$                 

14,495
14,138
14,138
14,138
7,640
11,506

80 

 
 
 
   
 
                          
                   
                  
                   
                          
                     
                  
                      
                          
                        
                     
                          
                          
                        
                     
                      
                          
                          
 
 
 
                          
                   
                  
                 
                          
                     
                     
                      
                          
                        
                     
                        
                          
                        
                       
                      
                          
                          
 
 
 
                 
                 
                 
                   
                 
 
 
 
 
Changes in goodwill for the year ended December 31, 2013 consist of the following (in thousands): 

Americas ……………
EM EA ………………

January 1, 2013
204,231
$               
-
204,231

$               

Acquisitions
-    
$                      
-
$                      
-    

Impairments

-    
$                      
-
$                      
-    

Effect of Foreign 
Currency

December 31, 
2013

$                 

$               

(4,429)
-
(4,429)

199,802
-
199,802

$                 

$               

Changes in goodwill for the year ended December 31, 2012 consist of the following (in thousands): 

Americas ……………
EM EA ………………

January 1, 2012
121,342
$               
-
121,342

$               

Acquisitions (1)
80,766
$                 
-
80,766

$                 

Impairments

-    
$                      
-
$                      
-    

(1) See Note 2, Acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc., for further information.

Note 7. Concentrations of Credit Risk  

Effect of Foreign 
Currency

December 31, 
2012

$                   

$               

2,123
-
2,123

204,231
-
204,231

$                   

$               

Financial  instruments  that  potentially  subject  the  Company  to  concentrations  of  credit  risk  consist  principally  of 
trade receivables. The Company’s credit concentrations are limited due to the wide variety of customers and markets 
in which the Company’s services are sold. See Note 12, Financial Derivatives, for a discussion of the Company’s 
credit  risk  relating  to  financial  derivative  instruments,  and  Note  27,  Segments  and  Geographic  Information,  for  a 
discussion of the Company’s customer concentration. 

Note 8. Receivables, Net 

Receivables, net consist of the following (in thousands):  

Trade accounts receivable ……………………………………………
Income taxes receivable ………………………………………………
Other …………………………………………………………………

Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts ………………………………

 December 31,  

2013
$                 

2012
$                 

266,048
1,377
2,478
269,903
4,987
264,916

248,281
2,143
2,290
252,714
5,081
247,633

$                 

$                 

Allowance for doubtful accounts as a percent of trade receivables …

1.9%

2.0%

Note 9. Prepaid Expenses  

Prepaid expenses consist of the following (in thousands): 

 December 31,  

Prepaid maintenance …………………………
Prepaid rent ……………………………………
Prepaid insurance ……………………………
Prepaid other …………………………………

2013
$                

2012
$                

5,852
3,009
2,631
4,218
15,710

4,625
2,306
1,402
4,037
12,370

$              

$              

81 

 
 
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
 
 
                       
                       
                       
                       
                       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 10. Other Current Assets 

Other current assets consist of the following (in thousands): 

 December 31,  

Deferred tax assets (Note 22)…………………
Financial derivatives (Note 12)………………
Investments held in rabbi trust (Note 13)……
Value added tax certificates (Note 11)…………
Other current assets …………………………

2013
$                

2012
$                

7,961
2,240
6,421
2,066
1,984
20,672

8,143
1,994
5,261
2,548
2,071
20,017

$              

$              

Note 11. Value Added Tax Receivables 

The VAT receivables balances, and the respective locations in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets, are 
presented below (in thousands): 

VAT included in:

 December 31,  

2013

2012

Other current assets (Note 10)…………………
Deferred charges and other assets (Note 15)……

$                

$                

2,066
5,406
7,472

2,548
7,214
9,762

$                

$                

During  the  years  ended  December  31,  2013,  2012  and  2011,  the  Company  wrote  down  the  VAT  receivables 
balances by the following amounts, which are reflected in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations 
(in thousands): 

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013

2011

Write-down of value added tax receivables………

$                   

143

$                   

546

$                   

504

Note 12. Financial Derivatives 

Cash Flow Hedges – The Company has derivative assets and liabilities relating to outstanding forward contracts and 
options,  designated  as  cash  flow  hedges,  as  defined  under  ASC  815  “Derivatives  and  Hedging”  (“ASC 815”), 
consisting of Philippine Peso, Costa Rican Colon, Hungarian Forint and Romanian Leu contracts. These contracts 
are  entered  into  to  protect  against  the  risk  that  the  eventual  cash  flows  resulting  from  such  transactions  will  be 
adversely affected by changes in exchange rates. 

The deferred gains (losses) and related taxes on the Company’s cash flow hedges recorded in “Accumulated other 
comprehensive  income  (loss)”  (“AOCI”)  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Balance  Sheets  are  as  follows  (in 
thousands): 

December 31, 2013

December 31, 2012

Deferred gains (losses) in AOCI …………………………………
Tax on deferred gains (losses) in AOCI ………………...………
Deferred gains (losses) in AOCI, net of taxes ……….…………

(2,704)
169
(2,535)

$                      

$                       

$                      

$                       

(512)
(58)
(570)

Deferred gains (losses) expected to be reclassified to 
"Revenues" from AOCI during the next twelve months ………

$                      

(2,704)

82 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                
                
 
 
  
 
 
     
 
 
                             
                           
 
 
Deferred  gains  (losses)  and  other  future  reclassifications  from  AOCI  will  fluctuate  with  movements  in  the 
underlying market price of the forward contracts and options. 

Net Investment Hedge – During 2013, the Company entered into foreign exchange forward contracts to hedge its 
net investment in a foreign operation, as defined under ASC 815.  The Company did not hedge net investments in 
foreign operations during 2012 and 2011.  The purpose of these derivative instruments is to protect the Company’s 
interests against the risk that the net assets of certain foreign subsidiaries will be adversely affected by changes in 
exchange  rates  and  economic  exposures  related  to  the  Company’s  foreign  currency-based  investments  in  these 
subsidiaries.   

Non-Designated Hedges – The Company also periodically enters into foreign currency hedge contracts that are not 
designated  as  hedges  as  defined  under  ASC  815.  The  purpose  of  these  derivative  instruments  is  to  protect  the 
Company’s interests against adverse foreign currency moves pertaining to intercompany receivables and payables, 
and other assets and liabilities that are denominated in currencies other than the Company’s subsidiaries’ functional 
currencies. These contracts generally do not exceed 180 days in duration. 

The Company had the following outstanding foreign currency forward contracts and options (in thousands):  

Contract Type
Cash flow hedges: (1)
Options:

Philippine Pesos

Forwards:

Philippine Pesos
Costa Rican Colones 
Hungarian Forints
Romanian Leis

Net investment hedges: (2)
Forwards:
Euros

Non-designated hedges: (3)
Forwards

As of December 31, 2013

As of December 31, 2012

Notional 
Amount in 
US D

S ettle Through 
Date

Notional 
Amount in 
US D

S ettle Through 
Date

 $            59,000  December 2014

 $            71,000 

September 2013

July 2014

               63,300 
               41,600  October 2014
January 2014
                    550 
January 2014
                    619 

                 5,000  August 2013
               60,750  December 2013
                 4,744 
                 6,895 

January 2014
January 2014

               32,657 

S eptember 2014

                        - 

 - 

               59,207 

June 2014

               41,799 

June 2013

(1)

(2)

(3)

Cash flow hedge as defined under ASC 815.  Purpose is to protect against the risk that eventual cash flows resulting from 
such transactions will be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates.

Net investment hedge as defined under ASC 815.  Purpose is to protect against the risk that the net assets of certain of 
our international subsidiaries will be adversely affected by changes in exchange rates and economic exposures related to our 
foreign currency-based investments in these subsidiaries. 

Foreign currency hedge contract not designated as a hedge as defined under ASC 815.  Purpose is to reduce the effects on 
the Company's operating results and cash flows from fluctuations caused by volatility in currency exchange rates, 
primarily related to intercompany loan payments and cash held in non-functional currencies.

See  Note  1,  Overview  and  Summary  of  Significant  Accounting  Policies,  for  additional  information  on  the 
Company's  purpose  for  entering  into  derivatives  not  designated  as  hedging  instruments  and  its  overall  risk 
management strategies. 

As of December 31, 2013, the maximum amount of loss due to credit risk that the Company would incur if parties to 
the  financial  instruments  that  make  up  the concentration failed  to perform  according  to  the  terms  of  the  contracts 
was $2.2 million, based on the gross fair value of the financial instruments. 

83 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Master  netting  agreements  exist  with  each  respective  counterparty  used  to  transact  foreign  exchange  derivatives. 
These agreements allow the Company to net settle transactions of the same currency in a single transaction. In the 
event of default by the Company or one of its counterparties, these agreements include a set-off clause that provides 
the non-defaulting party the right to net settle all derivative transactions, regardless of the currency and settlement 
date. However, the Company has elected to present the derivative assets and derivative liabilities on a gross basis in 
the  accompanying  Consolidated  Balance  Sheets.  Additionally,  the  Company  is  not  required  to  pledge  nor  is  it 
entitled to receive cash collateral related to these derivative transactions. 

The following tables present the fair value of the Company’s derivative instruments included in the accompanying 
Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands): 

Derivative Assets

December 31, 2013
Fair  Value

December 31, 2012
Fair Value

Derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments 
under AS C 815:
Foreign currency forward and option contracts (1) ……………
Foreign currency forward and option contracts (2) ……………

Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments under 
AS C 815:
Foreign currency forward contracts(1) …………………………

$                                      

862

$                                   

1,080

-
862

1,378

14
1,094

914

Total derivative assets ………………………………………

$                                   

2,240

$                                   

2,008

Derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments 
under AS C 815:
Foreign currency forward and option contracts (3) ……………
Foreign currency forward and option contracts (4) ……………

Derivatives designated as a net investment hedge under  
AS C 815:

Derivative Liabilities

December 31, 2013
Fair  Value

December 31, 2012
Fair Value

$                                 

2,997
-

$                                      

904
8

2,997

912

Foreign currency forward  contracts (3) …………………………

$                                   

1,720
4,717

$                                      

-    
912

Derivatives not designated as hedging instruments under 
AS C 815:
Foreign currency forward contracts (3) …………………………

346

62

    Total derivative liabilities …………………………………

$                                   

5,063

$                                      

974

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

Included in "Other current assets" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Included in "Deferred charges and other assets" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Included in "Other accrued expenses and current liabilities" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Included in "Other long-term liabilities" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

84 

 
 
 
                                       
                                        
                                      
                                   
                                   
                                      
                                       
                                          
                                   
                                      
                                   
                                      
                                      
                                        
 
 
The  following  tables  present  the  effect  of  the  Company’s  derivative  instruments  included  in  the  accompanying 
Consolidated Financial Statements for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 (in thousands): 

Gain (Loss) Recognized in AOCI 
on Derivatives (Effective Portion)

Gain (Loss) Reclassified From 
Accumulated AOCI Into 
"Revenues" (Effective Portion)

Gain (Loss) Recognized in 
"Revenues" on Derivatives 
(Ineffective Portion)

December 31, 

December 31, 

December 31, 

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

2013

2012

2011

Derivatives designated as cash flow hedging 
instruments under AS C 815:
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ……… (2,823)

$   

$    

4,400

$   

(1,483)

$      

(666)

$    

4,156

$    

1,853

$       

119

$         

17

$           
2

Derivatives designated as net investment hedging 
instruments under AS C 815:
Foreign currency forward contracts 

(1,720)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Foreign currency forward and option contracts ……… (4,543)

$   

$    

4,400

$   

(1,483)

$      

(666)

$    

4,156

$    

1,853

$       

119

$         

17

$           
2

Gain (Loss) Recognized in "Other 
income and (expense)" on Derivatives

December 31, 
2012

2013

2011

Derivatives not designated as hedging 
instruments under AS C 815:
Foreign currency forward contracts …………………… 4,216

$        

$          

(295)

$       

(1,444)

Note 13.  Investments Held in Rabbi Trust 

The Company’s investments held in rabbi trust, classified as trading securities and included in “Other current assets” 
in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets, at fair value, consist of the following (in thousands): 

M utual funds ……………………………………………

$            

4,749

Cost

Fair Value
6,421

$            

Cost 

$            

4,812

Fair Value
5,261

$            

December 31, 2013

December 31, 2012

The mutual funds held in the rabbi trust were 82% equity-based and 18% debt-based as of December 31, 2013. Net 
investment income (losses), included in “Other income (expense)” in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of 
Operations for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 consists of the following (in thousands): 

2013
$               

Years Ended December 31,
2012
$               

2011
$               

Gross realized gains from sale of trading securities ………
Gross realized (losses) from sale of trading securities ……
Dividend and interest income ……………………………
Net unrealized holding gains (losses) ……………………
Net investment income (losses) …………………………

160
(10)
279
568
997

163
(1)
129
312
603

201
(20)
69
(383)
(133)

$               

$               

$              

85 

 
 
    
         
         
             
         
         
             
             
         
 
 
 
     
 
 
 
 
                 
                   
                 
                
                
                  
                
                
               
 
 
 
 
Note 14. Property and Equipment 

Property and equipment consist of the following (in thousands):  

 December 31,  

Land …………...……………………………………….
Buildings and leasehold improvements …………………
Equipment, furniture and fixtures ………………………
Capitalized software development costs ………………
Transportation equipment ………………………………
Construction in progress ………………………………

Less: Accumulated depreciation …………………………

2013
$                

2012
$                

4,144
92,652
287,728
7,752
624
1,909
394,809
277,260
117,549

4,217
75,002
269,069
7,274
698
4,035
360,295
259,000
101,295

$            

$            

Capitalized  internally  developed  software,  net  of  depreciation,  included  in  “Property  and  equipment,  net”  in  the 
accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 was as follows (in thousands): 

December 31, 

Capitalized internally developed software costs, net ……

2013
$                

2,599

2012
$                

1,361

Sale of Land and Building Located in Minot, North Dakota 

In June 2011, the Company sold the land and building located in Minot, North Dakota, which were held for sale, for 
cash of $3.9 million (net of selling costs of $0.2 million) resulting in a net gain on sale of $3.7 million. The carrying 
value of these assets of $0.8 million was offset by the related deferred grants of $0.6 million. The net gain on the 
sale  of  $3.7  million  is  included  in  “Net  gain  on  disposal  of  property  and  equipment”  in  the  accompanying 
Consolidated Statement of Operations for 2011.   

Note 15. Deferred Charges and Other Assets 

Deferred charges and other assets consist of the following (in thousands):  

 December 31,  

Non-current deferred tax assets (Note 22)……………………
Non-current mandatory tax security deposits (Note 22)……
Non-current value added tax certificates (Note 11)……………
Deposits ……………………………………………………..
Other …………………………………………………………

2013
$              

2012
$              

13,048
17,317
5,406
3,169
4,632
43,572

13,923
14,989
7,214
3,408
4,250
43,784

$              

$              

86 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 16. Accrued Employee Compensation and Benefits 

Accrued employee compensation and benefits consist of the following (in thousands):  

 December 31,  

Accrued compensation ………………………
Accrued vacation ……………………………
Accrued bonus and commissions ……………
Accrued employment taxes …………………
Other …………………………………………

2013
$              

2012
$              

32,003
17,055
14,265
12,448
5,293
81,064

25,258
14,709
16,374
10,225
6,537
73,103

$              

$              

Note 17. Deferred Revenue  

The components of deferred revenue consist of the following (in thousands): 

December 31, 

2013

2012

Future service ……………………………………
Estimated potential penalties and holdbacks ……

$                      

$                      

25,102
9,923
35,025

25,074
9,209
34,283

$                      

$                      

Note 18. Other Accrued Expenses and Current Liabilities 

Other accrued expenses and current liabilities consist of the following (in thousands):  

 December 31,  

Customer deposits ………………………………………………………
Accrued restructuring (Note 4) …………………………………………
Accrued legal and professional fees ……………………………………
Accrued telephone charges ………………………………………………
Accrued roadside assistance claim costs ………………………………
Accrued rent ……………………………………………………………
Foreign currency forward and option contracts (Note 12) ……………
Other ……………………………………………………………………

2013
$              

2012
$              

2,418
1,245
3,220
1,475
2,341
2,057
5,063
12,574
30,393

7,350
1,401
4,231
1,943
2,288
1,367
966
11,774
31,320

$              

$              

87 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        
                        
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 19. Deferred Grants 

The components of deferred grants consist of the following (in thousands): 

 December 31,  

2013

2012

$          

Property grants ………...………………………
Employment grants ………...……………………
Total deferred grants ………………………
Less: Property grants - short-term (1) ………...…
Less: Employment grants - short-term (1) ………
Total long-term deferred grants (2) ………...

$          

6,637

6,643
146
6,789

(6)

(146)

$              

7,270
337
7,607

-

-

$              

7,607

liabilities"

in the

Included in "Other accrued expenses and current
accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Included in "Deferred grants" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance
Sheets.

(1)

(2)

Note 20. Borrowings  

On May 3, 2012, the Company entered into a $245 million revolving credit facility (the “2012 Credit Agreement”) 
with  a  group  of  lenders  and  KeyBank  National  Association,  as  Lead  Arranger,  Sole  Book  Runner  and 
Administrative  Agent  (“KeyBank”).  The  2012  Credit  Agreement  replaced  the  Company’s  previous  $75  million 
revolving credit facility (the “2010 Credit Agreement”) dated February 2, 2010, as amended, which agreement was 
terminated  simultaneous  with  entering  into  the  2012  Credit  Agreement.  The  2012  Credit  Agreement  is  subject  to 
certain  borrowing  limitations  and  includes  certain  customary  financial  and  restrictive  covenants.    The  Company 
borrowed  $108.0  million  under  the  2012  Credit  Agreement’s  revolving  credit  facility  on  August 20,  2012  in 
connection with the acquisition of Alpine on such date. See Note 2, Acquisition of Alpine Access, Inc., for further 
information. 

The  2012  Credit  Agreement  includes  a  $184 million  alternate-currency  sub-facility,  a  $10 million  swingline  sub-
facility  and  a  $35 million  letter  of  credit  sub-facility,  and  may  be  used  for  general  corporate  purposes  including 
acquisitions,  share  repurchases,  working  capital  support  and  letters  of  credit,  subject  to  certain  limitations.    The 
Company is not currently aware of any inability of its lenders to provide access to the full commitment of funds that 
exist under the revolving credit facility, if necessary.  However, there can be no assurance that such facility will be 
available to the Company, even though it is a binding commitment of the financial institutions.  

Borrowings consist of the following (in thousands): 

December 31, 

2013

2012

Revolving credit facility ……………………………
Less: Current portion ……………………………
Total long-term debt ………………………………

$                       

98,000

$                        

$                       

98,000

$                        

-

91,000
-
91,000

The 2012 Credit Agreement matures on May 2, 2017 and has no varying installments due. 

Borrowings  under  the  2012  Credit  Agreement  will  bear  interest  at  the  rates  set  forth  in  the  Credit  Agreement.  In 
addition, the Company is required to pay certain customary fees, including a commitment fee of 0.175%, which is 
due quarterly in arrears and calculated on the average unused amount of the 2012 Credit Agreement.    

The 2012 Credit Agreement is guaranteed by all of the Company’s existing and future direct and indirect material 
U.S. subsidiaries and secured by a pledge of 100% of the non-voting and 65% of the voting capital stock of all the 
direct foreign subsidiaries of the Company and those of the guarantors. 

88 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                               
                                 
 
 
 
 
 
In  May  2012,  the  Company  paid  an  underwriting  fee  of  $0.9  million  for  the  2012  Credit  Agreement,  which  is 
deferred and amortized over the term of the loan.  In addition, the Company pays a quarterly commitment fee on the 
2012 Credit Agreement. 

The 2012 Credit Agreement had an average daily utilization of $102.5 million during 2013 and $96.8 million for the 
outstanding period during 2012 (none in 2011).  During the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, the related 
interest  expense,  excluding  amortization  of  deferred  loan  fees,  under  our  credit  agreements  was  $1.5  million  and 
$0.5 million, respectively, which represented weighted average interest rates of 1.5% and 1.5%, respectively (none 
in 2011). 

Note 21. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 

The Company presents data in the Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity in accordance with 
ASC  220  “Comprehensive  Income”  (“ASC  220”).    ASC  220  establishes  rules  for  the  reporting  of  comprehensive 
income (loss) and its components.  The components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) consist of 
the following (in thousands): 

Balance at January 1, 2011 ………………………
Pre-tax amount ………………………………..
Tax (provision) benefit …………………………
Reclassification of (gain) loss to net income ……
Foreign currency translation ……………………
Balance at December 31, 2011 ……………………
Pre-tax amount ………………………………..
Tax (provision) benefit …………………………
Reclassification of (gain) loss to net income ……
Foreign currency translation ……………………
Balance at December 31, 2012 ……………………
Pre-tax amount ………………………………..
Tax (provision) benefit …………………………
Reclassification of (gain) loss to net income ……
Foreign currency translation ……………………
Balance at December 31, 2013……………………

Foreign 
Currency 
Translation 
Gain (Loss)
13,992
$           
(7,613)
-
(389)
5
5,995
9,516
-
570
2
16,083
(3,465)
-
-
133
12,751

Unrealized 
(Loss) on Net 
Investment 
Hedge

Unrealized 
Actuarial Gain 
(Loss) Related 
to Pension 
Liability

$            

$             

Unrealized 
Gain (Loss) on 
Post 
Retirement 
Obligation

Total

$                

Unrealized 
Gain (Loss) on 
Cash Flow 
Hedging 
Instruments
2,146
$             
(1,482)
759
(1,855)
(6)
(438)
4,417
(306)
(4,174)
(69)
(570)
(2,704)
449
321
(31)
(2,535)

$             

1,189
(184)
34
(55)
1
985
499
(90)
(48)
67
1,413
(136)
16
(41)
(102)
1,150

346
153
-
(40)
-
459
92
-
(56)
-
495
(127)
-
(54)
-
314

$           

15,108
(9,126)
793
(2,339)
-
4,436
14,524
(396)
(3,708)
-

14,856
(8,152)
1,067
226
-
7,997

$              

$            

$             

$              

$                 

(2,565)
-
-
-
-
(2,565)
-
-
-
-
(2,565)
(1,720)
602
-
-
(3,683)

89 

 
 
 
     
              
                     
                 
              
                  
              
                     
                     
                    
                  
                     
                  
                 
                     
                   
              
                   
              
                      
                     
                      
                     
                     
                     
               
              
                  
                 
                  
               
               
                     
                  
               
                    
             
                     
                     
                   
                 
                     
                 
                  
                     
                   
              
                   
              
                      
                     
                    
                   
                     
                     
             
              
               
                 
                  
             
              
              
                 
              
                 
              
                     
                  
                    
                  
                     
               
                     
                     
                   
                  
                   
                  
                  
                     
                 
                   
                     
                     
 
 
 
 
The  following  table  summarizes  the  amounts  reclassified  to  net  income  from  accumulated  other  comprehensive 
income  (loss)  and  the  associated  line  item  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Statement  of  Operations  (in 
thousands): 

Actuarial Gain (Loss) Related to Pension Liability: (1)
  Pre-tax amount …………………………………………………………
  Tax (provision) benefit …………………………………………………
  Reclassification to net income …………………………………………

Gain (Loss) on Cash Flow Hedging Instruments: (2)
  Pre-tax amount …………………………………………………………
  Tax (provision) benefit …………………………………………………
  Reclassification to net income …………………………………………

Gain (Loss) on Post Retirement Obligation: (1)
  Pre-tax amount …………………………………………………………
  Tax (provision) benefit …………………………………………………
  Reclassification to net income …………………………………………

Year Ended 
December 31, 2013

$                          

60
(19)
41

S tatement of Operations Location

Direct salaries and related costs
Income taxes

Revenues
Income taxes

General and administrative
Income taxes

(547)
226
(321)

54
-
54

Total reclassification of gain (loss) to net income ………………

$                      

(226)

(1) See Note 25, Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Postretirement Benefits, for further information.
(2) See Note 12, Financial Derivatives, for further information.

Except  as  discussed  in  Note  22,  Income  Taxes,  earnings  associated  with  the  Company’s  investments  in  its 
subsidiaries  are  considered  to  be  indefinitely  invested  and  no  provision  for  income  taxes  on  those  earnings  or 
translation adjustments have been provided.  

Note 22. Income Taxes  

The income from continuing operations before income taxes includes the following components (in thousands):  

Domestic (U.S., state and local) ………………………………………
Foreign ………………………………………………………………
Total income from continuing operations before income taxes ……

5,544
45,781
51,325

(10,430)
55,587
45,157

(14,170)
77,826
63,656

$              

$              

$              

2013
$                

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

$            

$            

Significant components of the income tax provision are as follows (in thousands):  

Current:

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013

2011

U.S. federal ………………………………………………...……….
State and local …………………………………………...………….
Foreign ………………………………………………………………
Total current provision for income taxes …………………………

$                   

881
82
13,464
14,427

$                   

236
(61)
9,899
10,074

$              

(3,446)
-
18,743
15,297

Deferred:

U.S. federal …………………...…………………………………….
State and local ……………...……………………………………….
Foreign ………………………………………………………………
Total deferred provision (benefit) for income taxes ………………

866
-
(1,228)
(362)

(2,846)
-
(2,021)
(4,867)

148
143
(4,246)
(3,955)

Total provision for income taxes …………………………………

$              

14,065

$                

5,207

$              

11,342

90 

 
                           
                            
                         
                          
                         
                            
                               
                            
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax provision (benefit) are as 
follows (in thousands): 

2013

$                   

Years Ended December 31,
2012
$              

2011

$            

Accrued expenses/liabilities …………………………………………
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards ……………………
Depreciation and amortization ………………………………………
Deferred statutory income ……………………………………………
Valuation allowance …………………………………………………
Other …………………………………………………………………
Total deferred provision (benefit) for income taxes ………………

The  reconciliation  of  the  income  tax  provision  computed  at  the  U.S.  federal  statutory  tax  rate  to  the  Company’s 
effective income tax provision is as follows (in thousands):  

$                 

$              

$              

2013
$              

Years Ended December 31,
2012
$              

2011
$              

(1,274)
(4,113)
(5,684)
2,084
4,120
-
(4,867)

15,805
(61)
(6,450)
(538)
(7,078)
(613)
3,531
1,263
47
(699)
5,207

(31,111)
47,849
(2,083)
(839)
(17,779)
8
(3,955)

22,280
143
(7,532)
610
(5,765)
(2,748)
915
4,546
(255)
(852)
11,342

954
8,029
(5,030)
(2,425)
(1,887)
(3)
(362)

17,964
82
(4,686)
1,354
(9,319)
(4)
9,051
4,643
-
(5,020)
14,065

Tax at U.S. federal statutory tax rate …………………………………
State income taxes, net of federal tax benefit ………………………..
Tax holidays …………………………………………………………
Change in valuation allowance, net of related adjustments …………
Foreign rate differential ………………………………………………
Changes in uncertain tax positions ……………………………………
Permanent differences ………………………………………………
Foreign withholding and other taxes …………………………………
Change of assertion related to foreign earnings distribution…………
Tax credits ……………………………………………………………
Total provision for income taxes …………………………………

$              

$                

$              

The  Company  changed  its  intent  to  distribute  current  earnings  from  various  foreign  operations  to  their  foreign 
parents  to  take  advantage  of  the  December  2011  extension  of  tax  provisions  of  Internal  Revenue  Code  Section 
954(c)(6).  These tax provisions permit continued tax deferral on such distributions that would otherwise be taxable 
immediately in the United States. While the distributions are not taxable in the United States, related withholding 
taxes of $2.7 million are included in the provision for income taxes in the Consolidated Statement of Operations for 
2011.  

In 2013, the Company executed offshore cash movements to take advantage of The American Taxpayer Relief Act 
of 2012 (the “Act”) enacted on January 2, 2013, with retroactive application to January 1, 2012.  This Act, which 
extended  the  tax  provisions  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Code  Section  954(c)(6)  through  the  end  of  2013,  permits 
continued  tax  deferral  on  such  movements  that  would  otherwise  be  taxable  immediately  in  the  U.S.    While  these 
cash movements are not taxable in the U.S., related foreign withholding taxes of $3.5 million were included in the 
provision  for  income  taxes  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  for  the  year  ended 
December 31, 2013.  

In 2010, the Company changed its intent to distribute all of the current year and future years’ earnings of a certain 
non-U.S.  subsidiary  to  its  foreign  parent.  Withholding  taxes  of  $0.6  million,  $0.8  million  and  $0.9  million  are 
included in the provision for income taxes in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for 2013, 2012 and 2011, 
respectively. 

Except as previously mentioned, a provision for income taxes has not been made for the undistributed earnings of 
foreign  subsidiaries  of  approximately  $376.8  million  at  December 31,  2013,  as  the  earnings  are  permanently 
reinvested  in  foreign  business  operations.  Determination  of  any  unrecognized  deferred  tax  liability  for  temporary 
differences related to investments in foreign subsidiaries that are essentially permanent in nature is not practicable.   

91 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
The  Company  has  been  granted  tax  holidays  in  The  Philippines,  Colombia,  Costa  Rica  and  El  Salvador.  The  tax 
holidays  have  various  expiration  dates  ranging  from  2014  through  2028.  In  some  cases,  the  tax  holidays  expire 
without possibility  of renewal.  In  other  cases,  the  Company  expects  to renew  these  tax holidays, but  there  are no 
assurances from the respective foreign governments that they will renew them. This could potentially result in future 
adverse tax consequences. The Company’s tax holidays decreased the provision for income taxes by $4.7 million 
($0.11 per diluted share), $6.5 million ($0.15 per diluted share) and $7.5 million ($0.17 per diluted share) for the 
years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. 

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amount of assets and 
liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income taxes.  The temporary differences that 
give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and liabilities are presented below (in thousands):  

Deferred tax assets:

December 31, 

2013

2012

Accrued expenses ……………………………………………………
Net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards ……………………
Depreciation and amortization ………………………………………
Deferred revenue ……………………………………………………
Valuation allowance ………………...………………………………
Other …………………………………………………………………

$              

Deferred tax liabilities:

Accrued liabilities ……………………………………………………
Depreciation and amortization ………………………………………
Deferred statutory income ……………………………………………
Other …………………………………………………………………

Net deferred tax assets …………………………………………..

$             

$              

22,773
68,586
735
2,809
(43,298)
5
51,610

(164)
(31,815)
(2,219)
(117)
(34,315)
17,295

$              

Classified as follows:

December 31, 

2013

2012

$                

$                

Other current assets (Note 10) ………………………………………
Deferred charges and other assets (Note 15)…………………………
Current deferred income tax liabilities ………………………………
Other long-term liabilities ………………………………………..

Net deferred tax assets …………………………………………

$              

$              

8,143
13,923
(92)
(4,679)
17,295

21,305
61,626
559
4,045
(42,664)
104
44,975

(79)
(26,379)
(241)
(114)
(26,813)
18,162

7,961
13,048
(84)
(2,763)
18,162

There  are  approximately  $344.1 million  of  income  tax  loss  carryforwards  as  of  December 31,  2013,  with  varying 
expiration dates, approximately $160.1 million relating to foreign operations, $8.9 million relating to U.S. federal 
operations  and  $175.1  million  relating  to  U.S.  state  operations.  For  U.S.  federal  purposes,  $13.1  million  of  tax 
credits  are  available  for  carryforward  as  of  December  31,  2013,  with  the  latest  expiration  date  ending 
December 2034. With respect to foreign operations, $135.4 million of the net operating loss carryforwards have an 
indefinite expiration date and the remaining $24.7 million net operating loss carryforwards have varying expiration 
dates  through  December  2022.    Regarding  the  U.S.  state  and  foreign  aforementioned  tax  loss  carryforwards,  no 
benefit has been recognized for $175.1 million and $146.2 million, respectively, as it is  more likely than not that 
these losses will expire without realization of tax benefits. 

As  of  December  31,  2013,  the  Company  had  $15.0  million  of  unrecognized  tax  benefits,  a  net  decrease  of  $1.9 
million  from  $16.9  million  as  of  December  31,  2012.  Had  the  Company  recognized  these  tax  benefits, 
approximately  $15.0  million  and  $16.9  million  and  the  related  interest  and  penalties  would  favorably  impact  the 
effective tax rate in 2013 and 2012, respectively. The Company does not anticipate that its unrecognized tax benefits 
will change in the next twelve months. 

92 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  Company  recognizes  interest  and  penalties  related  to  unrecognized  tax  benefits  in  the  provision  for  income 
taxes. The Company had $10.5 million and $10.1 million accrued for interest and penalties as of December 31, 2013 
and 2012, respectively. Of the accrued interest and penalties at December 31, 2013 and 2012, $3.8 million and $3.7 
million,  respectively,  relate  to  statutory  penalties.  The  amount  of  interest  and  penalties,  net,  recognized  in  the 
accompanying  Consolidated  Statement  of  Operations  for  2013  and  2012  was  $(0.4)  million  and  $(0.1)  million, 
respectively (none in 2011). 

The tabular reconciliation of the amounts of unrecognized net tax benefits is presented below (in thousands): 

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

2013
$              

$            

Gross unrecognized tax benefits as of January 1, …………………
Prior period tax position increases (decreases) (1) ……………………
Decreases from settlements with tax authorities ……………………
Decreases due to lapse in applicable statute of limitations …………
Foreign currency translation increases (decreases) …………………
Gross unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, ...……………

16,897
-
-
(390)
(1,516)
14,991

$              

$              

17,136
321
(426)
(561)
427
16,897

$            

21,036

-
(3,076)
(346)
(478)
17,136

$              

(1)

Includes amounts assumed upon acquisition of Alpine on August 20, 2012.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury released the “General Explanations of the Administration’s Fiscal Year 2014 
Revenue Proposals” in April 2013.  These proposals represent a significant shift in international tax policy, which 
may materially impact U.S. taxation of international earnings.  The Company continues to monitor these proposals 
and is currently evaluating the potential impact on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. 

The  Company  is  currently  under  audit  in  several  tax  jurisdictions.  In  April  2012,  the  Company  received  an 
assessment for the Canadian 2003-2006 audit for which the Company filed a Notice of Objection in July 2012 and 
paid a mandatory security deposit. Requests for Competent Authority Assistance were filed with both the Canadian 
Revenue Agency and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for this audit cycle. In July and October 2013, the Company 
received reassessments for the 2007-2009 audit, which resulted in additional payments.  These payments bring the 
total amount of deposits for both audit cycles to $17.3 million and $15.0 million as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, 
respectively,  and  are  included  in  “Deferred  charges  and  other  assets”  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated  Balance 
Sheets. In December 2013, the Company filed a Notice of Objection to the 2007-2009 reassessment.  Although the 
outcome of examinations by taxing authorities is always uncertain, the Company believes it is adequately reserved 
for these audits and that resolution is not expected to have a material impact on its financial condition and results of 
operations. 

The significant tax jurisdictions currently under audit are as follows: 

Tax Jurisdiction
Canada ……………………………………………………………...…2003 to 2009
The Philippines ………………………………………………………2007, 2009 and 2010
United States …………………………………………………………2011

Tax Year Ended

The  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  file  federal,  state  and  local  income  tax  returns  as  required  in  the  U.S.  and  in 
various foreign tax jurisdictions. The following table presents the major tax jurisdictions and tax years that are open 
and subject to examination by the respective tax authorities as of December 31, 2013:   

Tax Jurisdiction
Canada ……………………………………………………………...…
The Philippines ………………………………………………………
United States …………………………………………………………

Tax Year Ended

2003 to present
2007, 2009 to present
1997 to 1999 (1), 2002-2009 (1) and 2010 to present

(1)

These tax years are open to the extent of the net operating loss and tax credit carryforward amounts. 

93 

 
 
 
                      
                   
                      
                      
                  
               
                  
                  
                  
               
                   
                  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 23. Earnings Per Share  

Basic  earnings  per  share  are  based  on  the  weighted  average  number  of  common  shares  outstanding  during  the 
periods. Diluted earnings per share includes the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the 
respective  periods  and  the  further  dilutive  effect,  if  any,  from  stock  options,  stock  appreciation  rights,  restricted 
stock, restricted stock units and shares held in a rabbi trust using the treasury stock method.  

The numbers of shares used in the earnings per share computation are as follows (in thousands):  

Basic:

Weighted average common shares outstanding  ……………

42,877

43,105

45,506

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

2013

Diluted:

Dilutive effect of stock options, stock appreciation
rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units and 
shares held in a rabbi trust ………………………………
Total weighted average diluted shares outstanding  ……………

Anti-dilutive shares excluded from the diluted earnings per 
share calculation …………………………….………………

48
42,925

43
43,148

101
45,607

42

-

1

On  August  18,  2011,  the  Company’s  Board  authorized  the  Company  to  purchase  up  to  5.0  million  shares  of  its 
outstanding  common  stock  (the  “2011  Share  Repurchase  Program”).  A  total  of  3.4  million  shares  have  been 
repurchased  under  the  2011  Share  Repurchase  Program  since  inception.  The  shares  are  purchased,  from  time  to 
time, through open market purchases or in negotiated private transactions, and the purchases are based on factors, 
including but not limited to, the stock price, management discretion and general market conditions. The 2011 Share 
Repurchase Program has no expiration date.  The Company’s Board previously authorized the Company on August 
5, 2002 to purchase up to 3.0 million shares of its outstanding common stock, the last of which were repurchased 
during 2011. 

The shares repurchased under the Company’s share repurchase programs were as follows (in thousands, except per 
share amounts): 

For the Years Ended

December 31, 2013 ……………………
December 31, 2012 ……………………
December 31, 2011 ……………………

Total Number 
of S hares 
Repurchased
341
537
3,292

Range of Prices Paid Per S hare

Low
$               
$               
$               

15.61
13.85
12.46

High
$               
$               
$               

16.99
15.00
18.53

Total Cost of 
S hares 
Repurchased
5,479
$               
$               
7,908
$             
49,993

Note 24. Commitments and Loss Contingency 

Lease and Purchase Commitments 

The Company leases certain equipment and buildings under operating leases having original terms ranging from one 
to twenty years, many with options to cancel at varying points during the lease. The building leases can contain up 
to three five-year renewal options. Rental expense under operating leases was as follows (in thousands):  

Rental expense ……………………………………………

2013
$              

47,365

 Years Ended December 31, 
2012
$              

43,626

2011
$              

43,147

94 

 
 
 
 
           
           
           
                  
                  
                
           
           
           
                  
                  
                    
 
 
 
 
                    
                    
                 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  following  is  a  schedule  of  future  minimum  rental  payments  required  under  operating  leases  that  have 
noncancelable lease terms as of December 31, 2013 (in thousands): 

Amount

2014 ………………………………………………………
2015 ………………………………………………………
2016 ………………………………………………………
2017 ………………………………………………………
2018 ………………………………………………………
2019 and thereafter ………………………………………
Total minimum payments required ……………………

$            

35,808
27,850
20,210
17,553
14,342
33,438
149,201

The  Company  enters  into  agreements  with  third-party  vendors  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business  whereby  the 
Company commits to purchase goods and services used in its normal operations. These agreements, which are not 
cancelable,  generally  range  from  one  to  five  year  periods  and  contain  fixed  or  minimum  annual  commitments. 
Certain  of  these  agreements  allow  for  renegotiation  of  the  minimum  annual  commitments  based  on  certain 
conditions.  

The following is a schedule of future minimum purchases remaining under the agreements as of December 31, 2013 
(in thousands):  

Amount

$              

2014 ………………………………………………………
2015 ………………………………………………………
2016 ………………………………………………………
2017 ………………………………………………………
2018 ………………………………………………………
2019 and thereafter ………………………………………
Total minimum payments required ……………………

$              

23,087
5,242
2,741
226
8
-
31,304

Indemnities, Commitments and Guarantees 

From time to time, during the normal course of business, the Company may make certain indemnities, commitments 
and guarantees under which it may be required to make payments in relation to certain transactions. These include, 
but  are  not  limited  to:  (i)  indemnities  to  clients,  vendors  and  service  providers  pertaining  to  claims  based  on 
negligence or willful misconduct of the Company and (ii) indemnities involving breach of contract, the accuracy of 
representations and warranties of the Company, or other liabilities assumed by the Company in certain contracts. In 
addition, the Company has agreements whereby it will indemnify certain officers and directors for certain events or 
occurrences  while  the  officer  or  director  is,  or  was,  serving  at  the  Company’s  request  in  such  capacity.  The 
indemnification  period  covers  all  pertinent  events  and  occurrences  during  the  officer’s  or  director’s  lifetime.  The 
maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification 
agreements is unlimited; however, the Company has director and officer insurance coverage that limits its exposure 
and  enables  it  to  recover  a  portion  of  any  future  amounts  paid.  The  Company  believes  the  applicable  insurance 
coverage  is  generally  adequate  to  cover  any  estimated  potential  liability  under  these  indemnification  agreements. 
The majority of these indemnities, commitments and guarantees do not provide for any limitation of the maximum 
potential for future payments the Company could be obligated to make. The Company has not recorded any liability 
for these indemnities, commitments and guarantees in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.  In addition, 
the Company has some client contracts that do not contain contractual provisions for the limitation of liability, and 
other client contracts that contain agreed upon exceptions to limitation of liability.  The Company has not recorded 
any liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets with respect to any client contracts under which the 
Company has or may have unlimited liability. 

95 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Loss Contingency 

The Company from time to time is involved in legal actions arising in the ordinary course of business. With respect 
to  these  matters,  management  believes  that  it  has  adequate  legal  defenses  and/or  when  possible  and  appropriate, 
provided adequate accruals related to those matters such that the ultimate outcome will not have a material adverse 
effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.  

Note 25. Defined Benefit Pension Plan and Postretirement Benefits 

Defined Benefit Pension Plans 

The Company sponsors three non-contributory defined benefit pension plans (the “Pension Plans”) for its covered 
employees in The Philippines. The Pension Plans provide defined benefits based on years of service and final salary. 
All permanent employees meeting the minimum service requirement are eligible to participate in the Pension Plans. 
As of December 31, 2013, the Pension Plans were unfunded. The Company expects to make cash contributions to its 
Pension Plans during 2014 of less than $0.1 million. 

The following tables provide a reconciliation of the change in the benefit obligation for the Pension Plans and the 
net amount recognized, included in “Other long-term liabilities”,  in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets 
(in thousands): 

December 31,

2013
$                

2012
$                

Beginning benefit obligation ……………………………
Service cost ………………………………………………
Interest cost ………………………………………………
Actuarial (gains) losses  …………………………………
Effect of foreign currency translation ……………………
Ending benefit obligation ……………………………

1,997
392
137
136
(181)
2,481

$                

$                

1,860
372
120
(499)
144
1,997

Unfunded status …………………………………………
Net amount recognized ……………………………

$              

(2,481)
(2,481)

(1,997)
(1,997)

$              

The  actuarial  assumptions  used  to  determine  the  benefit  obligations  and  net  periodic  benefit  cost  for  the  Pension 
Plans were as follows:  

Discount rate ……………………………………………
Rate of compensation increase …………………………

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013
4.3 - 5.2%
2.0%

5.9%
2.0%

2011

6.3%
3.2%

The Company evaluates these assumptions on a periodic basis taking into consideration current market conditions 
and historical market data. The discount rate is used to calculate expected future cash flows at a present value on the 
measurement  date,  which  is  December  31.  This  rate  represents  the  market  rate  for  high-quality  fixed  income 
investments.  A  lower  discount  rate  would  increase  the  present  value  of  benefit  obligations.  Other  assumptions 
include demographic factors such as retirement, mortality and turnover. 

96 

 
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The following table provides information about the net periodic benefit cost and other accumulated comprehensive 
income for the Pension Plans (in thousands): 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Service cost …………………………………………………

$                   

392

$                   

372

$                   

237

Interest cost …………………………………………………

Recognized actuarial (gains) ………………………………

Net periodic benefit cost ……………………………………

137

(60)

469

120

(46)

446

Unrealized net actuarial (gains), net of tax …………………
Total amount recognized in net periodic benefit cost
  and other accumulated comprehensive income (loss) ……

(1,150)

(1,413)

$                

(681)

$                

(967)

$                

(701)

102

(55)

284

(985)

The  estimated  future  benefit  payments,  which  reflect  expected  future  service,  as  appropriate,  are  as  follows  (in 
thousands): 

Years Ending December 31, 
2014 …………………………………………………
2015 …………………………………………………
2016 …………………………………………………
2017 …………………………………………………
2018 …………………………………………………
2019 - 2023 …………………………………………

Amount
$                   

10
14
137
69
64
1,048  

The  Company  expects  to  recognize  less  than  $0.1  million  of  net  actuarial  gains  as  a  component  of  net  periodic 
benefit cost in 2014. 

Employee Retirement Savings Plans 

The Company maintains a 401(k) plan covering defined employees who meet established eligibility requirements. 
Under the plan provisions, the Company matches 50% of participant contributions to a maximum matching amount 
of  2%  of  participant  compensation.  The  Company’s  contributions  included  in  the  accompanying  Consolidated 
Statements of Operations were as follows (in thousands): 

 Years Ended December 31, 

2013

2012

2011

401(k) plan contributions ………………………………

$                            

895

$                     

1,221

$                    

953

Split-Dollar Life Insurance Arrangement 

In  1996,  the  Company  entered  into  a  split-dollar  life  insurance  arrangement  to  benefit  the  former  Chairman  and 
Chief  Executive  Officer  of  the  Company.  Under  the  terms  of  the  arrangement,  the  Company  retained  a  collateral 
interest  in  the  policy  to  the  extent  of  the  premiums  paid  by  the  Company.  The  postretirement  benefit  obligation 
included  in  “Other  long-term  liabilities”  and  the  unrealized  gains  (losses)  included  in  “Accumulated  other 
comprehensive income” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets were as follows (in thousands): 

 December 31,  

2013

2012

Postretirement benefit obligation ………………………
Unrealized gains (losses) in AOCI (1) …………………

$                              

81

$                          

72

314

495

(1)

Unrealized gains (losses) are due to changes in discount rates related to the postretirement 
obligation.

97 

 
 
                   
                   
                   
                    
                    
                    
                   
                   
                   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                            
                         
 
 
 
Post-Retirement Defined Contribution Healthcare Plan 

On January 1, 2005, the Company established a Post-Retirement Defined Contribution Healthcare Plan for eligible 
employees  meeting  certain  service  and  age  requirements.  The  plan  is  fully  funded  by  the  participants  and 
accordingly, the Company does not recognize expense relating to the plan.  

Note 26. Stock-Based Compensation 

The Company’s stock-based compensation plans include the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, the 2004 Non-Employee 
Director  Fee  Plan  and  the  Deferred  Compensation  Plan.    The  following  table  summarizes  the  stock-based 
compensation expense (primarily in the Americas), income tax benefits related to the stock-based compensation and 
excess tax benefits (deficiencies) (in thousands): 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Stock-based compensation (expense) (1) ……………………………………
Income tax benefit (2) ………………………………………………………
Excess tax benefit (deficiency) from stock-based compensation (3) ………

$          

(4,873)

$           

(3,467)

$           

(3,582)

1,706

(187)

1,213

(292)

1,397

(8)

(1)

Included in "General and administrative" costs in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

(2)

Included in "Income taxes" in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

(3)

Included in "Additional paid-in capital" in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity.

There were no capitalized stock-based compensation costs at December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011. 

2011  Equity  Incentive  Plan  —  The  Company’s  Board  adopted  the  Sykes  Enterprises,  Incorporated  2011  Equity 
Incentive Plan (the "2011 Plan”) on March 23, 2011, as amended on May 11, 2011 to reduce the number of shares of 
common stock available to 4.0 million shares.  The 2011 Plan was approved by the shareholders at the May 2011 
annual shareholders meeting.  The 2011 Plan replaced and superseded the Company’s 2001 Equity Incentive Plan 
(the  “2001  Plan”),  which  expired  on  March  14,  2011.    The  outstanding  awards  granted  under  the  2001  Plan  will 
remain in effect until their exercise, expiration or termination. The 2011 Plan permits the grant of restricted stock, 
stock  appreciation  rights,  stock  options  and  other  stock-based  awards  to  certain  employees  of  the  Company,  and 
certain  non-employees  who  provide  services  to  the  Company  in  order  to  encourage  them  to  remain  in  the 
employment  of,  or  to  faithfully  provide  services  to,  the  Company  and  to  increase  their  interest  in  the  Company’s 
success.   

Stock  Appreciation  Rights  –  The  Board,  at  the  recommendation  of  the  Compensation  and  Human  Resource 
Development  Committee  (the  “Committee”),  has  approved  in  the  past,  and  may  approve  in  the  future,  awards  of 
stock-settled  stock  appreciation  rights  (“SARs”)  for  eligible  participants.  SARs  represent  the  right  to  receive, 
without payment to the Company, a certain number of shares of common stock, as determined by the Committee, 
equal to the amount by which the fair market value of a share of common stock at the time of exercise exceeds the 
grant price. 

SARs are granted at the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of the grant and vest one-
third  on  each  of  the  first  three  anniversaries  of  the  date  of  grant,  provided  the  participant  is  employed  by  the 
Company  on  such  date.  The  SARs  have  a  term  of  10  years  from  the  date  of  grant.    In  the  event  of  a  change  in 
control, the SARs will vest on the date of the change in control, provided that the participant is employed by the 
Company on the date of the change in control.  

All  currently  outstanding  SARs  are  exercisable  within  three  months  after  the  death,  disability,  retirement  or 
termination  of  the  participant’s  employment  with  the  Company,  if  and  to  the  extent  the  SARs  were  exercisable 
immediately prior to such termination.  If the participant’s employment is terminated for cause, or the participant 
terminates his or her own employment with the Company, any portion of the SARs not yet exercised (whether or not 
vested) terminates immediately on the date of termination of employment.  

The  fair  value  of  each  SAR  is  estimated  on  the  date  of  grant  using  the  Black-Scholes  valuation  model  that  uses 
various  assumptions.  The  fair  value  of  the  SARs  is  expensed  on  a  straight-line  basis  over  the  requisite  service 
98 

 
 
 
    
 
             
              
              
               
                
                    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
period. Expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company’s stock. The risk-free rate for periods 
within the contractual life of the award is based on the yield curve of a zero-coupon U.S. Treasury bond on the date 
the award is granted with a maturity equal to the expected term of the award. Exercises and forfeitures are estimated 
within  the valuation  model using  employee  termination and other  historical  data.  The  expected  term  of  the  SARs 
granted represents the period of time the SARs are expected to be outstanding.  

The following table summarizes the assumptions used to estimate the fair value of SARs granted: 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Expected volatility …………………………..……………………………

Weighted-average volatility …………………………………………….…

Expected dividend rate ……………………………………………………

Expected term (in years) ……………………………………………………

Risk-free rate ………………………………………………………………

45.2%

45.2%

0.0%

5.0

0.8%

47.1%

47.1%

0.0%

4.7

0.8%

44.3%

44.3%

0.0%

4.6

2.0%

The following table summarizes SARs activity as of December 31, 2013 and for the year then ended:  

S tock Appreciation Rights

S hares (000s)

Outstanding at January 1, 2013………………………………………..……

Granted ……………………………………..………………….…………

865

318

Weighted 
Average 
Remaining 
Contractual 
Term (in 
years)

Aggregate 
Intrinsic 
Value (000s)

Weighted 
Average 
Exercise Price

$                   

-  

$                   

-  

Exercised …………………………...………………………………………

(154)

$                   

-  

Forfeited or expired ……………………………………………………….

(66)

$                   

-  

Outstanding at December 31, 2013 ……………………………………

Vested or expected to vest at December 31, 2013 ………………………

Exercisable at December 31, 2013 ………………………………….……

963

963

428

$                   

-  

$                   

-  

$                   

-  

7.5

7.5

6.0

$            

4,408

$            

4,408

$            

1,109

The following table summarizes information regarding SARs granted and exercised (in thousands, except per SAR 
amounts): 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Number of SARs granted …………………………………………………

318

259

215

Weighted average grant-date fair value per SAR ……………………………

$             

6.08

$              

5.97

$              

7.10

Intrinsic value of SARs exercised …………………………………………

$              

488

$                
-

$                
-

Fair value of SARs vested …………………………………………………

$           

1,298

$            

1,388

$            

1,198

The following table summarizes nonvested SARs activity as of December 31, 2013 and for the year then ended:  

Nonvested S tock Appreciation Rights

S hares (000s)

Weighted 
Average Grant-
Date Fair 
Value

Nonvested at January 1, 2013 …………………………………………..…………………..…

Granted …………………………………………………………..…………………………

395

318

$                

6.74

$                

6.08

Vested ……………………………………………………………..…………………………

(178)

$                

7.28

Forfeited or expired ……………………………………………..…………………………

-

$                     
-

Nonvested at December 31, 2013 ………………………………………………...…………

535

$                

6.17

99 

 
 
 
                 
                  
                  
 
 
 
                
                
               
                 
                
                  
                
                  
                
                  
 
 
                
                 
                 
 
 
 
                 
                 
                
                    
                 
 
As  of  December  31,  2013,  there  was  $2.1  million  of  total  unrecognized  compensation  cost,  net  of  estimated 
forfeitures,  related  to  nonvested  SARs  granted  under  the  2011  Plan  and  2001  Plan.  This  cost  is  expected  to  be 
recognized over a weighted average period of 1.4 years. 

Restricted Shares – The Board, at the recommendation of the Committee, has approved in the past, and may approve 
in  the  future,  awards  of  performance  and  employment-based  restricted  shares  (“restricted  shares”)  for  eligible 
participants. In some instances, where the issuance of restricted shares has adverse tax consequences to the recipient, 
the  Board  may  instead  issue  restricted  stock  units  (“RSUs”).    The  restricted  shares  are  shares  of  the  Company’s 
common stock (or in the case of RSUs, represent an equivalent number of shares of the Company’s common stock) 
which are issued to the participant subject to (a) restrictions on transfer for a period of time and (b) forfeiture under 
certain conditions.  The performance goals, including revenue growth and income from operations targets, provide a 
range of vesting possibilities from 0% to 100% and will be measured at the end of the performance period. If the 
performance conditions are met for the performance period, the shares will vest and all restrictions on the transfer of 
the restricted shares will lapse (or in the case of RSUs, an equivalent number of shares of the Company’s common 
stock  will  be  issued  to  the  recipient).  The  Company  recognizes  compensation  cost,  net  of  estimated  forfeitures, 
based on the fair value (which approximates the current market price) of the restricted shares (and RSUs) on the date 
of grant ratably over the requisite service period based on the probability of achieving the performance goals.  

Changes  in  the  probability  of  achieving  the  performance  goals  from  period  to  period  will  result  in  corresponding 
changes in compensation expense. The employment-based restricted shares currently outstanding vest one-third on 
each of the first three anniversaries of the date of grant, provided the participant is employed by the Company on 
such  date.  In  the  event  of  a  change  in  control  (as  defined  in  the  2011  Plan  and  2001  Plan)  prior  to  the  date  the 
restricted shares vest, all of the restricted shares will vest and the restrictions on transfer will lapse with respect to 
such vested shares on the date of the change in control, provided that participant is employed by the Company on the 
date of the change in control. 

If  the  participant’s  employment  with  the  Company  is  terminated  for  any  reason,  either  by  the  Company  or 
participant, prior to the date on which the restricted shares have vested and the restrictions have lapsed with respect 
to such vested shares, any restricted shares remaining subject to the restrictions (together with any dividends paid 
thereon) will be forfeited, unless there has been a change in control prior to such date.   

The following table summarizes nonvested restricted shares/RSUs activity as of December 31, 2013 and for the year 
then ended:  

Nonvested Restricted S hares and RS Us

S hares (000s)

Weighted 
Average Grant-
Date Fair 
Value

Nonvested at January 1, 2013 …………………………………………..…………………..…

Granted …………………………………………………………..…………………………

872

706

$              

18.25

$              

15.25

Vested ……………………………………………………………..…………………………

(20)

$              

18.11

Forfeited or expired ……………………………………………..…………………………

(191)

$              

23.55

Nonvested at December 31, 2013 ………………………………………………...…………

1,367

$              

15.96

The  following  table  summarizes  information  regarding  restricted  shares/RSUs  granted  and  vested  (in  thousands, 
except per restricted share/RSU amounts): 

Years Ended December 31,

2013

2012

2011

Number of restricted shares/RSUs granted …………………………………

706

420

339

Weighted average grant-date fair value per restricted share/RSU …………

$           

15.25

$            

15.21

$            

18.68

Fair value of restricted shares/RSUs vested ………………………………

$              

366

$            

3,845

$            

4,392

As of December 31, 2013, based on the probability of achieving the performance goals, there was $19.0 million of 
total  unrecognized  compensation  cost,  net  of  estimated  forfeitures,  related  to  nonvested  restricted  shares/RSUs 

100 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
                 
                  
                
              
 
 
                
                 
                 
 
 
granted under the 2011 Plan and 2001 Plan. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period 
of 1.4 years.  

2004 Non-Employee Director Fee Plan — The Company’s 2004 Non-Employee Director Fee Plan (the “2004 Fee 
Plan”),  as  last  amended  on  May  17,  2012,  provides  that  all  new  non-employee  directors  joining  the  Board  will 
receive an initial grant of shares of common stock on the date the new director is elected or appointed, the number of 
which will be determined by dividing $60,000 by the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the trading 
day immediately preceding the date a new director is elected or appointed, rounded to the nearest whole number of 
shares.  The initial grant of shares vests in twelve equal quarterly installments, one-twelfth on the date of grant and 
an additional one-twelfth on each successive third monthly anniversary of the date of grant.  The award lapses with 
respect to all unvested shares in the event the non-employee director ceases to be a director of the Company, and any 
unvested shares are forfeited. 

The  2004  Fee  Plan  also  provides  that  each  non-employee  director  will  receive,  on  the  day  after  the  annual 
shareholders meeting, an annual retainer for service as a non-employee director (the “Annual Retainer”).  Prior to 
May 17, 2012, the Annual Retainer was $95,000, of which $50,000 was payable in cash, and the remainder was paid 
in stock.  The annual grant of cash vests in four equal quarterly installments, one-fourth on the day following the 
annual meeting of shareholders, and an additional one-fourth on each successive third monthly anniversary of the 
date of grant.  The annual grant of shares paid to non-employee directors prior to May 17, 2012 vests in eight equal 
quarterly installments, one-eighth on the day following the annual meeting of shareholders, and an additional one-
eighth  on  each  successive  third  monthly  anniversary  of  the  date  of  grant.  On  May  17,  2012,  upon  the 
recommendation of the Compensation and Human Resource Development Committee, the Board adopted the Fifth 
Amended and Restated Non-Employee Director Fee Plan (the “Amendment”), which increased the common stock 
component of the Annual Retainer by $30,000, resulting in a total Annual Retainer of $125,000, of which $50,000 is 
payable in cash and the remainder paid in stock.  In addition, the Amendment also changed the vesting period for the 
annual equity award, from a two-year vesting period, to a one-year vesting period (consisting of four equal quarterly 
installments,  one-fourth  on  the  date  of  grant  and  an  additional  one-fourth  on  each  successive  third  monthly 
anniversary of the date of grant). The award lapses with respect to all unpaid cash and unvested shares in the event 
the  non-employee  director  ceases  to  be  a  director  of  the  Company,  and  any  unvested  shares  and  unpaid  cash  are 
forfeited. 

In addition to the Annual Retainer award, the 2004 Fee Plan also provides for any non-employee Chairman of the 
Board  to  receive  an  additional  annual  cash  award  of  $100,000,  and  each  non-employee  director  serving  on  a 
committee  of  the  Board  to  receive  an  additional  annual  cash  award.  The  additional  annual  cash  award  for  the 
Chairperson  of  the  Audit  Committee  is  $20,000  and  Audit  Committee  members’  are  entitled  to  an  annual  cash 
award of $10,000.  Prior to May 20, 2011, the annual cash awards for the Chairpersons of the Compensation and 
Human  Resource  Development  Committee,  Finance  Committee  and  Nominating  and  Corporate  Governance 
Committee were $12,500 and the members of such committees were entitled to an annual cash award of $7,500.  On 
May 20, 2011, the Board increased the additional annual cash award to the Chairperson of the Compensation and 
Human Resource Development Committee to $15,000.  All other additional cash awards remained unchanged. 

The Board may pay additional cash compensation to any non-employee director for services on behalf of the Board 
over and above those typically expected of directors, including but not limited to service on a special committee of 
the Board. 

The following table summarizes nonvested common stock share award activity as of December 31, 2013 and for the 
year then ended:  

Nonvested Common S tock S hare Awards

S hares (000s)

Weighted 
Average Grant-
Date Fair 
Value

Nonvested at January 1, 2013 …………………………………………..…………………..…

Granted …………………………………………………………..…………………………

13

37

$              

17.18

$              

16.01

Vested ……………………………………………………………..…………………………

(41)

$              

16.38

Forfeited or expired ……………………………………………..…………………………

Nonvested at December 31, 2013 ………………………………………………...…………

-

9

$                     
-

$              

16.01

101 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                   
                   
                  
                    
                     
 
The  following  table  summarizes  information  regarding  common  stock  share  awards  granted  and  vested  (in 
thousands, except per share award amounts): 

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

2013

Number of share awards granted ……………………………………………
Weighted average grant-date fair value per share award ……………………
Fair value of share awards vested …………………………………………

37
16.01
669

$           
$              

42
16.15
771

$            
$               

21
21.83
407

$            
$               

As  of  December  31,  2013,  there  was  $0.1  million  of  total  unrecognized  compensation  costs,  net  of  estimated 
forfeitures, related  to nonvested  common  stock  share  awards granted  since  March 2008 under  the 2004  Fee  Plan. 
This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 0.2 years.  

Deferred  Compensation  Plan  —  The  Company’s  non-qualified  Deferred  Compensation  Plan  (the  “Deferred 
Compensation Plan”), which is not shareholder-approved, was adopted by the Board effective December 17, 1998 
and amended on March 29, 2006 and May 23, 2006. It provides certain eligible employees the ability to defer any 
portion  of  their  compensation  until  the  participant’s  retirement,  termination,  disability  or  death,  or  a  change  in 
control of the Company. Using the Company’s common stock, the Company matches 50% of the amounts deferred 
by certain senior management participants on a quarterly basis up to a total of $12,000 per year for the president, 
executive vice presidents and senior vice presidents and $7,500 per year for vice presidents (participants below the 
level  of  vice  president  are  not  eligible  to  receive  matching  contributions  from  the  Company).    Matching 
contributions  and  the  associated  earnings  vest  over  a  seven  year  service  period.  Deferred  compensation  amounts 
used to pay benefits, which are held in a rabbi trust, include investments in various mutual funds and shares of the 
Company’s  common  stock (See  Note 13, Investments  Held  in  Rabbi  Trust).  As of  December 31, 2013  and  2012, 
liabilities  of  $6.4  million  and  $5.3  million,  respectively,  of  the  Deferred  Compensation  Plan  were  recorded  in 
“Accrued employee compensation and benefits” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.  

Additionally, the Company’s common stock match associated with the Deferred Compensation Plan, with a carrying 
value of approximately $1.6 million and $1.4 million at December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, is included in 
“Treasury stock” in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. 

The following table summarizes nonvested common stock activity as of December 31, 2013 and for the year then 
ended: 

Nonvested Common S tock

S hares (000s)

Weighted 
Average Grant-
Date Fair 
Value

Nonvested at January 1, 2013 …………………………………………..…………………..…

Granted …………………………………………………………..…………………………

8

13

$              

16.98

$              

16.76

Vested ……………………………………………………………..…………………………

(15)

$              

16.82

Forfeited or expired ……………………………………………..…………………………

Nonvested at December 31, 2013 ………………………………………………...…………

-

6

$                     
-

$              

16.89

The following table summarizes information regarding shares of common stock granted and vested (in thousands, 
except per common stock amounts): 

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

2013

Number of shares of common stock granted ………………………………
Weighted average grant-date fair value per common stock …………………
Fair value of common stock vested …………………………………………
Cash used to settle the obligation …………………………………………

13
16.76
257
1,014

$           
$              
$           

15
15.27
195
459

$            
$               
$               

11
$            
18.93
$               
169
$                   
2

102 

 
 
                  
                   
                   
 
 
 
 
 
 
                     
                   
                  
                    
                     
 
 
                  
                   
                   
 
 
As  of  December  31,  2013,  there  was  $0.1  million  of  total  unrecognized  compensation  cost,  net  of  estimated 
forfeitures, related to nonvested common stock granted under the Deferred Compensation Plan. This cost is expected 
to be recognized over a weighted average period of 2.8 years.  

Note 27. Segments and Geographic Information 

The Company operates within two regions, the Americas and EMEA. Each region represents a reportable segment 
comprised  of  aggregated  regional  operating  segments,  which  portray  similar  economic  characteristics.  The 
Company  aligns  its  business  into  two segments  to  effectively  manage the  business  and  support  the  customer  care 
needs of every client and to respond to the demands of the Company’s global customers.  

The  reportable  segments  consist  of  (1) the  Americas,  which  includes  the  United  States,  Canada,  Latin  America, 
Australia  and  the  Asia  Pacific  Rim,  and  provides  outsourced  customer  contact  management  solutions  (with  an 
emphasis on technical support and customer service) and technical staffing and (2) EMEA, which includes Europe, 
the Middle East and Africa, and provides outsourced customer contact management solutions (with an emphasis on 
technical support and customer service) and fulfillment services. The sites within Latin America, Australia and the 
Asia Pacific Rim are included in the Americas segment given the nature of the business and client profile, which is 
primarily made up of U.S.-based companies that are using the Company’s services in these locations to support their 
customer contact management needs.  

103 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Information about the Company’s reportable segments is as follows (in thousands): 

Americas

EMEA

Other (1)

Consolidated

Year Ended December 31, 2013:
Revenues (2) ………………………………………………………… 1,050,813
Percentage of revenues ………………………………………………
83.2%

$       

Depreciation, net (2) …………………………………………………
Amortization of intangibles (2) ………………………………………

$            
$            

37,818
14,863

Income (loss) from continuing operations …………………………
Other (expense), net ………………………………………………… 
Income taxes ………………………………………………………… 
Income from continuing operations, net of taxes …………………… 
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes (3) ………
Net income …………………………………………………………

$            

94,006

$                      
-

$        

212,647
16.8%

4,266
$            
$                    
-

$            

6,052

$                    
-

$            

(46,531)
(2,202)
(14,065)

$     

1,263,460
100.0%

$          
$          

42,084
14,863

$          

53,527
(2,202)
(14,065)
37,260

-

$         

37,260

Total assets as of December 31, 2013 …………………………… 1,097,788

$      

$    

1,409,185

$       

(1,556,712)

$       

950,261

Year Ended December 31, 2012:
Revenues (2) …………………………………………………………
Percentage of revenues ………………………………………………

$          

947,147
84.0%

Depreciation, net (2) …………………………………………………
Amortization of intangibles (2) ………………………………………

$            
$            

36,494
10,479

Income (loss) from continuing operations …………………………
Other (expense), net ………………………………………………… 
Income taxes ………………………………………………………… 
Income from continuing operations, net of taxes …………………… 
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes (3) ………
Net income …………………………………………………………

$            

93,580

$           

(10,707)

$        

180,551
16.0%

$            
3,875
$                    
-

$            

5,488

$            

(51,289)
(2,622)
(5,207)

$              

(820)

-

$     

1,127,698
100.0%

$          
$          

40,369
10,479

$          

47,779
(2,622)
(5,207)
39,950
(11,527)
28,423

$         

Total assets as of December 31, 2012………………………………

$      

1,265,119

$    

1,100,938

$       

(1,457,368)

$       

908,689

Year Ended December 31, 2011:
Revenues (2) …………………………………………………………
Percentage of revenues ………………………………………………

$          

963,142
82.4%

Depreciation, net (2) …………………………………………………
Amortization of intangibles (2) ………………………………………

$            
$              

41,059
7,961

$        

206,125
17.6%

5,052
$            
$                    
-

$     

1,169,267
100.0%

$          
$            

46,111
7,961

Income (loss) from continuing operations …………………………
Other (expense), net …………………………………………………
Income taxes …………………………………………………………
Income from continuing operations, net of taxes ……………………
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes (3) ………
Net income …………………………………………………………

$         

115,727

$          

(3,746)

$            

(46,446)
(1,879)
(11,342)

$         

$                

559

$          

(4,532)

-

65,535
(1,879)
(11,342)
52,314
(3,973)
48,341

$         

Total assets as of December 31, 2011………………………………

$      

1,112,252

$    

1,131,719

$       

(1,474,841)

$       

769,130

(1)

(2)

(3)

impairment costs, other income and expense, and income taxes) are shown for purposes of
Other items (including corporate costs,
reconciling to the Company’s consolidated totals as shown in the tables above for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011. T he
accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in Note 1 to the accompanying Consolidated Financial
Statements.  Inter-segment revenues are not material to the Americas and EMEA segment results.  T he Company evaluates the performance 
of its geographic segments based on revenue and income (loss) from operations, and does not include segment assets or other income and
expense items for management reporting purposes.
Revenues, depreciation and amortization include results from continuing operations only.
Includes the (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes, as well as the gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of taxes, if
any.

104 

 
 
              
            
            
          
           
                   
              
            
              
            
           
                     
          
             
           
           
         
          
                    
           
 
Total  revenues  by  segment  from  AT&T  Corporation,  a  major  provider  of  communication  services  for  which  the 
Company provides various customer support services, were as follows (in thousands): 

Amount

Americas……………
EM EA………………

$        

162,888
3,513
166,401

$        

2013

% of Revenues
12.9%
0.3%
13.2%

Years Ended December 31,
2012

Amount

$        

$        

130,072
3,018
133,090

% of Revenues
11.5%
0.3%
11.8%

Amount

$        

$        

129,331
3,343
132,674

2011

% of Revenues
11.1%
0.2%
11.3%

The  Company  has  multiple  distinct  contracts  with  AT&T  spread  across  multiple  lines  of  businesses,  including  a 
master  services  agreement  that  expires  in  2017  and  various  statements  of  work,  which  expire  at  varying  dates 
between  2014  and  2015.  The  Company  has  historically  renewed  most  of  these  contracts.  However,  there  is  no 
assurance that these contracts will be renewed, or if renewed, will be on terms as favorable as the existing contracts. 
Each line of business is governed by separate business terms, conditions and metrics. Each line of business also has 
a  separate  decision  maker  such  that  a  loss  of  one  line  of  business  would  not  necessarily  impact  the  Company’s 
relationship  with  the  client  and  decision  makers  on  other  lines  of  business.  The  loss  of  (or  the  failure  to  retain  a 
significant  amount  of  business  with)  any  of  the  Company’s  key  clients,  including  AT&T,  could  have  a  material 
adverse effect on its performance. Many of the Company’s contracts contain penalty provisions for failure to meet 
minimum service levels and are cancelable by the client at any time or on short notice. Also, clients may unilaterally 
reduce their use of the Company’s services under its contracts without penalty. 

Total revenues from the Company’s next largest client, which was in the financial services vertical market in each of 
the years, were as follows (in thousands): 

2013

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2011

Next largest client …

$          

73,226

Amount

% of Revenues
5.8%

Amount

$          

70,311

% of Revenues
6.2%

Amount

$          

65,783

% of Revenues
5.6%

The Company’s top ten clients accounted for approximately 45.9%, 47.8% and 45.4% of its consolidated revenues 
during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively. 

105 

 
 
              
              
              
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Information about the Company’s operations by geographic location is as follows (in thousands): 

Years Ended December 31,
2012

2013

2011

Revenues: (1)

United States  …………………………………………
The Philippines ………………………………………
Canada …………………………………………………
Costa Rica ……………………………………………
El Salvador ……………………………………………
Australia ………………………………………………
China …………………………………………………
M exico …………………………………………………
Other …………………………………………………
Total Americas ……………………………………
Germany ………………………………………………
Sweden ………………………………………………
United Kingdom ………………………………………
Romania ………………………………………………
Hungary ………………………………………………
Netherlands ……………………………………………
Other …………………………………………………
Total EM EA ………………………………………

$        

388,775
213,132
210,463
101,888
46,301
36,725
25,478
23,701
4,350
1,050,813
77,950
49,953
33,750
14,856
8,525
3,073
24,540
212,647
1,263,460

302,046
225,629
198,585
100,101
46,910
24,633
21,614
23,315
4,314
947,147
73,380
22,229
35,833
10,773
7,619
6,511
24,206
180,551
1,127,698

$        

299,606
244,936
203,313
94,133
43,016
25,892
21,688
23,133
7,425
963,142
76,362
30,072
41,476
9,038
6,695
14,268
28,214
206,125
1,169,267

$         

(1)

Revenues are attributed to countries based on location of customer, except for revenues for Costa Rica, The
Philippines, China and India which are primarily comprised of customers located in the U.S., but serviced by
centers in those respective geographic locations.

December 31, 

2013

2012

Long-Lived Assets: (1)

United States  …………………………………………
Canada …………………………………………………
The Philippines ………………………………………
Costa Rica ……………………………………………
Australia ………………………………………………
El Salvador ……………………………………………
M exico …………………………………………………
Other …………………………………………………
Total Americas ……………………………………
United Kingdom ………………………………………
Sweden ………………………………………………
Germany ………………………………………………
Romania ………………………………………………
Slovakia ………………………………………………
Norway ………………………………………………
Hungary ………………………………………………
Other …………………………………………………
Total EM EA ………………………………………

$           

120,759
23,164
17,197
4,759
3,799
2,552
1,902
6,695
180,827
4,158
3,676
2,097
679
666
603
564
334
12,777
193,604

127,010
27,497
11,298
5,355
2,185
2,978
2,511
4,011
182,845
4,712
682
2,556
638
568
442
360
529
10,487
193,332

$            

(1)

Long-lived assets include property and equipment, net, and intangibles, net.

106 

 
  
 
 
 
 
Goodwill:

December 31, 

2013

2012

Americas ……………………………………………
EM EA ………………………………………………

$            

199,802
-
199,802

$            

204,231
-
204,231

$            

$            

Revenues for the Company’s products and services are as follows (in thousands):  

Outsourced customer contract management services  … 1,240,328
Fulfillment services ……………………………………
16,953
Enterprise support services …………………………
6,179
1,263,460

$         

$         

2013

$         

Years Ended December 31,
2012
1,104,442
16,357
6,899
1,127,698

$         

$         

$         

2011
1,145,002
16,717
7,548
1,169,267

Note 28. Other (Expense)  

Gains  and  losses  resulting  from  foreign  currency  transactions  are  recorded  in  “Other  (expense)”  in  the 
accompanying  Consolidated  Statements  of  Operations  during  the  period  in  which  they  occur.    Other  (expense) 
consists of the following (in thousands): 

Foreign currency transaction gains (losses) ………………………………………………
Gains (losses) on foreign currency derivative instruments not designated as hedges ……
Gains (losses) on liquidation of foreign subsidiaries ……………………………………
Other miscellaneous income (expense) ……………...……………………………………

2013
$               

Years Ended December 31,
2012
$               

2011
$                  

(5,962)
4,216
-
985
(761)

(2,856)
(295)
(582)
1,200
(2,533)

(749)
(1,444)
-
94
(2,099)

$                  

$               

$               

Note 29. Related Party Transactions  

In January 2008, the Company entered into a lease for a customer contact management center located in Kingstree, 
South  Carolina.  The  landlord,  Kingstree  Office  One,  LLC,  is  an  entity  controlled  by  John  H.  Sykes,  the  founder, 
former  Chairman  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  the  father  of  Charles  Sykes,  President  and  Chief  Executive 
Officer of the Company. The lease payments on the 20 year lease were negotiated at or below market rates, and the 
lease  is  cancellable  at  the  option  of  the  Company.    There  are  significant  penalties  for  early  cancellation  which 
decrease over time.  The Company paid $0.4 million to the landlord during each of the years ended December 31, 
2013, 2012 and 2011 under the terms of the lease.  

107 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                 
                   
                
                       
                   
                       
                    
                 
                      
 
 
 
 
Schedule II — Valuation and Qualifying Accounts  

Years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011: 

(in thousands)
Allowance for doubtful accounts:

Charged 
(Credited) 
to Costs 
and 
Expenses

Balance at 
Beginning 
of Period

Additions 
(Deductions) (1)

Balance at 
End of 
Period

Year ended December 31, 2013 ……………………
Year ended December 31, 2012 ………………………
Year ended December 31, 2011 ………………………

$         

5,081
4,304
3,939

483
1,115
450

$                   

(577)
(338)
(85)

$         

4,987
5,081
4,304

Valuation allowance for net deferred tax assets:

Year ended December 31, 2013 …………………… 43,298
Year ended December 31, 2012 ……………………… 38,544
Year ended December 31, 2011 ……………………… 60,091

$       

$           

(634)
4,754
(17,758)

-    
$                     
-
(3,789)

$       

42,664
43,298
38,544

Reserves for value added tax receivables:

Year ended December 31, 2013 ……………………
Year ended December 31, 2012 ………………………
Year ended December 31, 2011 ………………………

$         

3,076
2,355
2,338

$            

143
546
504

$                   

(689)
175
(487)

$         

2,530
3,076
2,355

(1) Net write-offs and recoveries, including the effect of foreign currency translation. 2011 includes the impact of the

reclassification of the Company's Spanish operations to assets held for sale.

108 

 
 
 
             
          
          
                   
          
          
             
                     
          
        
          
                     
        
        
      
                
        
          
             
                     
          
          
             
                   
          
 
 
board of

directors

PAUL L. WHITING 
Chairman of the Board 
President 
Seabreeze Holdings, Inc. 
Chief Executive Officer (retired) 
Spalding & Evenflo  
  Companies, Inc.

CHArLES E. SyKES 
Director  
(Principal Executive Officer) 
President and  
  Chief Executive Officer 
Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

LT. GEN. MICHAEL P. DELONG 
(retired)  
Director 
President and CEO  
Gulf to Gulf Consultants  
   International LLC   
Consultant 
The Boeing Company  
  for The Middle East and Africa

H. PArKS HELMS, ESq.  
Director 
President and Manager 
Helms, Henderson  
  & Associates, P.A.

IAIN A. MACDONALD 
Director 
Chairman and Director 
yakara plc

JAMES S. MACLEOD 
Director 
Chairman and CEO  
CoastalSouth Bancshares, Inc.

Dr. LINDA F. MCCLINTOCK-
GrECO 
Director 
President and  
  Chief Executive Officer                                     
Age-Less Medicine LLC                                                            
President 
Age-Less Vitamin & Nutrients 

WILLIAM J. MEUrEr 
Director 
Private Financial Consultant 
Director of Eagle Family of Funds 
Director of Walter Investment 
   Management Corporation 
Managing Partner (retired) 
  for Arthur Andersen’s Central   
Florida Operations

JAMES (JACK) K. MUrrAy, Jr.  
Director 
Chairman 
Murray Corporation 
Chairman 
Murray Advisors, Inc.  
Chairman, Advisory Board 
HealthEdge Investment  
  Fund II, L.P.

principal

officers

CHArLES E. SyKES 
President and Chief Executive 
Officer

W. MICHAEL KIPPHUT 
Executive Vice President and  
Chief Financial Officer

DAVID L. PEArSON  
Executive Vice President and  
Chief Information Officer

JENNA r. NELSON 
Executive Vice President,  
Human resources

LAWrENCE (LANCE) r. ZINGALE  
Executive Vice President,  
global Sales and Client 
management

CHrISTOPHEr M. CArrINGTON 
Executive Vice President,  
global Delivery

JAMES T. HOLDEr 
Executive Vice President,  
general Counsel and  
Corporate Secretary   

DANIEL L. HErNANDEZ     
Executive Vice President,  
global Strategy

7

SYKES.ANNUAL REPORT.2013Corporate Headquarters 400 North Ashley Drive, Suite 2800, Tampa, FL USA 33602 // pHone: (813) 274-1000 // fax: (813) 273-0148 www.sykes.comIndependent audItors Deloitte & Touche LLP // 201 E. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1200 // Tampa, FL USA 33602regIstrar and transfer agent Computershare // P.O. Box 43078, Providence, RI 02940-3078 // (800) 962-4284 SYKES’ shares trade on The NasdaqGS Stock Market under the symbol “SYKE”annual MeetIng SYKES’ annual meeting of shareholders will be held at 8:00 a.m. (EST) // Tuesday, May 20, 2014 The meeting will be held at: Florida Museum of Photographic Arts // The Cube at Rivergate Plaza 400 N. Ashley Drive, Cube 200, Tampa, Florida 33602 // pHone: (813) 221-2222Investor InforMatIon Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the Form 10-K Annual Report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission are available on the Company’s website at: http://investor.sykes.com or upon written request to SYKES’ Investor Relations department in Tampa, Florida, or by contacting: subhaash Kumar // Global Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations // pHone: (813) 274-1000 Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated // 400 North Ashley Drive, Suite 2800, Tampa Florida 33602-5089

USA 1(800) 867-9537 // International +1(813) 274-1000

www.sykes.com