Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Star and its subsidiaries. All material intercompany items and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The financial information included herein is unaudited; however, such information reflects all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments), which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair statement of financial condition and results for the interim periods. Due to the seasonal nature of the Company’s business, the results of operations and cash flows for the six-month period ended March 31, 2022 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

These interim financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and should be read in conjunction with the financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is comprised of Net income and Other comprehensive income (loss). Other comprehensive income (loss) consists of the unrealized gain on amortization on the Company’s pension plan obligation for its two frozen defined benefit pension plans, unrealized loss on available-for-sale investments, unrealized gain on interest rate hedges and the corresponding tax effects.

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. At March 31, 2022, the $17.9 million of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows is composed of $17.7 million of cash and cash equivalents and $0.3 million of restricted cash. At September 30, 2021, the $5.0 million of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows is composed of $4.8 million of cash and cash equivalents and $0.3 million of restricted cash. Restricted cash represents deposits held by our captive insurance company that are required by state insurance regulations to remain in the captive insurance company as cash.

Fair Value Valuation Approach

Fair Value Valuation Approach

The Company uses valuation approaches that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible. The Company determines fair value based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability in the principal or most advantageous market. When considering market participant assumptions in fair value measurements, the following fair value hierarchy distinguishes between observable and unobservable inputs, which are categorized in one of the following levels:

• Level 1 inputs: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities accessible to the reporting entity at the measurement date.

• Level 2 inputs: Other than quoted prices included in Level 1 inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

• Level 3 inputs: Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability used to measure fair value to the extent that observable inputs are not available, thereby allowing for situations in which there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability at measurement date.

Captive Insurance Collateral

Captive Insurance Collateral

The captive insurance collateral is held by our captive insurance company in an irrevocable trust as collateral for certain workers’ compensation and automobile liability claims.  The collateral is required by a third party insurance carrier that insures per claim amounts above a set deductible. If we did not deposit cash into the trust, the third party carrier would require that we issue an equal amount of letters of credit.  Due to the expected timing of claim payments, the nature of the collateral agreement with the carrier, and our captive insurance company’s source of other operating cash, the collateral is not expected to be used to pay obligations within the next twelve months.

Unrealized gains and losses, net of related income taxes, are reported as accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), except for losses from impairments which are determined to be other-than-temporary. Realized gains and losses, and declines in value judged to be other-than-temporary on available-for-sale securities are included in the determination of net income and are included in Interest expense, net, at which time the average cost basis of these securities are adjusted to fair value.

Weather Hedge Contract

Weather Hedge Contract

To partially mitigate the adverse effect of warm weather on cash flows, the Company has used weather hedge contracts for a number of years. Weather hedge contracts are recorded in accordance with the intrinsic value method defined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815-45-15 Derivatives and Hedging, Weather Derivatives (EITF 99-2). The premium paid is included in the caption “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” in the accompanying balance sheets and amortized over the life of the contract, with the intrinsic value method applied at each interim period.

The Company entered into weather hedge contracts for fiscal year 2023.  Under these contracts, we are entitled to receive a payment if the total number of degree days within the hedge period is less than the prior ten year average. The hedge period runs from November 1 through March 31, taken as a whole, for each respective fiscal year. The “Payment Thresholds,” or strikes, are set at various levels. The maximum that the Company can receive is $12.5 million per year. In addition, we are obligated to make an annual payment capped at $5.0 million if degree days exceed the Payment Threshold.  For fiscal 2022 and 2021, we had weather hedge contracts with similar payment thresholds and terms.  The temperatures experienced during the six months ended March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021 were warmer than the strikes in the weather hedge contracts. As a result at March 31, 2022 and March 31, 2021, the Company reduced delivery and branch expenses and recorded receivable under those contracts of $1.1 million and $3.4 million, respectively. The amounts were received in full in April 2022 and April 2021, respectively.

New England Teamsters and Trucking Industry Pension Fund ("the NETTI Fund") Liability

New England Teamsters and Trucking Industry Pension Fund (“the NETTI Fund”) Liability

As of March 31, 2022, we had $0.2 million and $16.4 million balances included in the captions “Accrued expenses and other current liabilities” and “Other long-term liabilities,” on our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet representing the remaining balance of the NETTI Fund withdrawal liability.  As of September 30, 2021, we had $0.2 million and $16.5 million balances reflected in these categories respectively. Based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Company for long-term financing of a similar maturity, the fair value of the NETTI Fund withdrawal liability as of March 31, 2022 and September 30, 2021 was $23.5 million and $25.8 million, respectively. We utilized Level 2 inputs in the fair value hierarchy of valuation techniques to determine the fair value of this liability.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

The Company did not adopt new standards in the first six months of fiscal 2022 that have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers, which requires accounting for contract assets and liabilities from contracts with customers in a business combination to be accounted for in accordance with ASC No. 606.  The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022.  The Company has not determined the timing of adoption, but does not expect ASU 2021-08 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.