Accounting Policies

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for financial reporting and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regulations.

Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and revenues and expenses in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost. Cash equivalents consist of highly-liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased.

Restricted cash

Restricted cash represents cash collateral supporting letters of credit issued under the Company’s accounts receivable securitization program.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are recorded at amounts that are expected to be collected, based on past collection history, the economic environment and specified risks identified in the receivables portfolio.

Inventories

Coal and supplies inventories are valued at the lower of average cost or market. Coal inventory costs include labor, supplies, equipment costs, transportation costs incurred prior to the transfer of title to customers and operating overhead. The costs of removing overburden, called stripping costs, incurred during the production phase of the mine are considered variable production costs and are included in the cost of the coal extracted during the period the stripping costs are incurred.

Investments and Membership Interests in Joint Ventures

Investments and membership interests in joint ventures are accounted for under the equity method of accounting if the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the entity. The Company’s share of the entity’s income or loss is reflected in “Other operating income, net” in the Consolidated Income Statements. Information about investment activity is provided in Note 9 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, “Equity Method Investments and Membership Interests in Joint Ventures.”

Investments in debt securities and marketable equity securities that do not qualify for equity method accounting are classified as available-for-sale and are recorded at their fair values. Unrealized gains and losses on these investments are recorded in other comprehensive income or loss. A decline in the value of an investment that is considered other-than-temporary would be recognized in operating expenses.

Sales Contracts

Coal supply agreements (sales contracts) valued during fresh start accounting or acquired in a business combination are capitalized at their fair value and amortized over the tons of coal shipped during the term of the contract. The fair value of a sales contract is determined by discounting the cash flows attributable to the difference between the contract price and the prevailing forward prices for the tons under contract at the date of acquisition. See Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, “Sales Contracts” for further information related to the Company’s sales contracts.

Exploration Costs

Costs to acquire permits for exploration activities are capitalized. Drilling and other costs related to locating coal deposits and evaluating the economic viability of such deposits are expensed as incurred.

Prepaid Royalties

Leased mineral rights are often acquired through royalty payments. When royalty payments represent prepayments recoupable against royalties owed on future revenues from the underlying coal, they are recorded as a prepaid asset, with amounts expected to be recouped within one year classified as current. When coal from these leases is sold, the royalties owed are recouped against the prepayment and charged to cost of sales. An impairment charge is recognized for prepaid royalties that are not expected to be recouped.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Plant and Equipment

Plant and equipment were recorded at fair value at emergence during fresh start accounting; subsequent purchases of property, plant and equipment have been recorded at cost. Interest costs incurred during the construction period for major asset additions are capitalized. The Company capitalized an immaterial amount of interest costs during years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Expenditures that extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment or increase the productivity of the asset are capitalized. The cost of maintenance and repairs that do not extend the useful life or increase the productivity of the asset is expensed as incurred.

Preparation plants and loadouts are depreciated using the units-of-production method over the estimated recoverable reserves, subject to a minimum level of depreciation. Other plant and equipment are depreciated principally using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, limited by the remaining life of the mine. The useful lives of mining equipment, including longwalls, draglines and shovels, range from 1 to 18 years. The useful lives of buildings and leasehold improvements generally range from 1 to 20 years.

Deferred Mine Development

Costs of developing new mines or significantly expanding the capacity of existing mines are capitalized and amortized using the units-of-production method over the estimated recoverable reserves that are associated with the property being benefited. Costs may include construction permits and licenses; mine design; construction of access roads, shafts, slopes and main entries; and removing overburden to access reserves in a new pit. Additionally, deferred mine development includes the asset cost associated with asset retirement obligations. Coal sales revenue related to incidental production during the development phase will be recorded as coal sales revenue with an offset to cost of coal sales based on the estimated cost per ton sold for the mine when the asset is in place for its intended use.

Coal Lands and Mineral Rights

Rights to coal reserves may be acquired directly through governmental or private entities. A significant portion of the Company’s coal reserves are controlled through leasing arrangements. Lease agreements are generally long-term in nature (original terms range from 10 to 50 years), and substantially all of the leases contain provisions that allow for automatic extension of the lease term providing certain requirements are met.

The net book value of the Company’s coal interests was $338.1 million and $361.2 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Payments to acquire royalty lease agreements and lease bonus payments are capitalized as a cost of the underlying mineral reserves and depleted over the life of proven and probable reserves. Coal lease rights are depleted using the units-of-production method, and the rights are assumed to have no residual value.

The Company currently does not have any future lease bonus payments.

Depreciation, depletion and amortization

The depreciation, depletion and amortization related to long-lived assets is reflected in the income statement as a separate line item. No depreciation, depletion or amortization is included in any other operating cost categories.

Impairment

If facts and circumstances suggest that the carrying value of a long-lived asset or asset group may not be recoverable, the asset or asset group is reviewed for potential impairment. If this review indicates that the carrying amount of the asset will not be recoverable through projected undiscounted cash flows generated by the asset and its related asset group over its remaining life, then an impairment loss is recognized by reducing the carrying value of the asset to its fair value. The Company may, under certain circumstances, idle mining operations in response to market conditions or other factors. Because an idling is not a permanent closure, it is not considered an automatic indicator of impairment. See additional discussion in Note 6 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, “Impairment Charges and Mine Closure Costs.”

Deferred Financing Costs

The Company capitalizes costs incurred in connection with new borrowings, the establishment or enhancement of credit facilities and the issuance of debt securities. These costs are amortized as an adjustment to interest expense over the life of the borrowing or term of the credit facility using the interest method. Debt issuance costs related to a recognized liability are presented in the balance sheet as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of that liability whereas debt issuance costs related to a credit facility with no balance outstanding are shown as an asset. The unamortized balance of deferred financing costs shown as an asset was $4.7 million at December 31, 2018, with $2.2 million classified as current; the unamortized balance of deferred financing costs shown as an asset at December 31, 2017 was $5.7 million with $2.6 million classified as current. The current amounts are classified within “Other current assets” and the noncurrent amounts are classified within “Other noncurrent assets.” For information on the unamortized balance of deferred financing fees related to outstanding debt, see Note 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, “Debt and Financing Arrangements.”

Revenue Recognition

Revenues include sales to customers of coal produced at Company operations and coal purchased from third parties. The Company recognizes revenue at the time risk of loss passes to the customer at contracted amounts. Transportation costs are included in cost of sales and amounts billed by the Company to its customers for transportation are included in revenues.

Other Operating Income, net

Other operating income, net in the accompanying Consolidated Income Statements reflects income and expense from sources other than physical coal sales, including: bookouts, or the practice of offsetting purchase and sale contracts for shipping convenience purposes; contract settlements; liquidated damage charges related to unused terminal and port capacity; royalties earned from properties leased to third parties; income from equity investments (Note 9, “Equity Method Investments and Membership Interests in Joint Ventures”); non-material gains and losses from divestitures and dispositions of assets; and realized gains and losses on derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting and are not held for trading purposes (Note 11, “Derivatives”); and land management expenses.

Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company’s legal obligations associated with the retirement of long-lived assets are recognized at fair value at the time the obligations are incurred. Accretion expense is recognized through the expected settlement date of the obligation. Obligations are incurred at the time development of a mine commences for underground and surface mines or construction begins for support facilities, refuse areas and slurry ponds. The obligation’s fair value is determined using a discounted cash flow technique and is based upon permit requirements and various estimates and assumptions that would be used by market participants, including estimates of disturbed acreage, reclamation costs and assumptions regarding equipment productivity. Upon initial recognition of a liability, a corresponding amount is capitalized as part of the carrying value of the related long-lived asset.

The Company reviews its asset retirement obligation at least annually and makes necessary adjustments for permit changes as granted by state authorities and for revisions of estimates of the amount and timing of costs. For ongoing operations, adjustments to the liability result in an adjustment to the corresponding asset. For idle operations, adjustments to the liability are recognized as income or expense in the period the adjustment is recorded. Any difference between the recorded obligation and the actual cost of reclamation is recorded in profit or loss in the period the obligation is settled. See additional discussion in Note 15, “Asset Retirement Obligations.”

Loss Contingencies

The Company accrues for cost related to contingencies when a loss is probable and the amount is reasonably determinable. Disclosure of contingencies is included in the financial statements when it is at least reasonably possible that a material loss or an additional material loss in excess of amounts already accrued may be incurred. The amount accrued represents the Company’s best estimate of the loss, or, if no best estimate within a range of outcomes exists, the minimum amount in the range.

Derivative Instruments

The Company generally utilizes derivative instruments to manage exposures to commodity prices and interest rate risk on long-term debt. Additionally, the Company may hold certain coal derivative instruments for trading purposes. Derivative financial instruments are recognized on the balance sheet at fair value. Certain coal contracts may meet the definition of a derivative instrument, but because they provide for the physical purchase or sale of coal in quantities expected to be used or sold by the Company over a reasonable period in the normal course of business, they are not recognized on the balance sheet.

Certain derivative instruments are designated as the hedge instrument in a hedging relationship. In a fair value hedge, the Company hedges the risk of changes in the fair value of a firm commitment, typically a fixed-price coal sales contract. Changes in both the hedged firm commitment and the fair value of a derivative used as a hedge instrument in a fair value hedge are recorded in earnings. In a cash flow hedge, the Company hedges the risk of changes in future cash flows related to the underlying item being hedged. Changes in the fair value of the derivative instrument used as a hedge instrument in a cash flow hedge are recorded in other comprehensive income or loss. Amounts in other comprehensive income or loss are reclassified to earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings and are classified in a manner consistent with the transaction being hedged. The Company formally documents the relationships between hedging instruments and the respective hedged items, as well as its risk management objectives for hedge transactions.

The Company evaluates the effectiveness of its hedging relationships both at the hedge’s inception and on an ongoing basis. Any ineffective portion of the change in fair value of a derivative instrument used as a hedge instrument in a fair value or cash flow hedge is recognized immediately in earnings. The ineffective portion is based on the extent to which exact offset is not achieved between the change in fair value of the hedge instrument and the cumulative change in expected future cash flows on the hedged transaction from inception of the hedge in a cash flow hedge or the change in the fair value. Ineffectiveness was insignificant for the periods disclosed within.

See Note 11, “Derivatives” for further disclosures related to the Company’s derivative instruments.

Fair Value

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly hypothetical transaction between market participants at a given measurement date. Valuation techniques used must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. See Note 16, “Fair Value Measurements” for further disclosures related to the Company’s recurring fair value estimates.

Income Taxes

Deferred income taxes are provided for temporary differences arising from differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities existing at each balance sheet date using enacted tax rates anticipated to be in effect when the related taxes are expected to be paid or recovered. A valuation allowance is established if it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be realized. Management reassesses the ability to realize its deferred tax assets annually in the fourth quarter or when circumstances indicate that the ability to realize deferred tax assets has changed. In determining the need for a valuation allowance, the Company considers projected realization of tax benefits based on expected levels of future taxable income, available tax planning strategies and the reversal of temporary differences.

Benefits from tax positions that are uncertain are not recognized unless the Company concludes that it is more likely than not that the position would be sustained in a dispute with taxing authorities, should the dispute be taken to the court of last resort. The Company would measure any such benefit at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with taxing authorities.

See Note 14, “Taxes” for further disclosures about income taxes.

Benefit Plans

The Company has non-contributory defined benefit pension plans covering most of its salaried and hourly employees. On January 1, 2015 the Company’s cash balance and excess pension plans were amended to freeze new service credits for any new or active employee. The Company also currently provides certain postretirement medical and life insurance coverage for eligible employees. The cost of providing these benefits is determined on an actuarial basis and accrued over the employee’s period of active service.

The Company recognizes the overfunded or underfunded status of these plans as determined on an actuarial basis on the balance sheet and the changes in the funded status are recognized in other comprehensive income. The Company amortizes actuarial gains and losses over the remaining service attribution periods of the employees using the corridor method. See Note 20, “Employee Benefit Plans” for additional disclosures relating to these obligations.

Stock-Based Compensation

The compensation cost of all stock-based awards is determined based on the grant-date fair value of the award, and is recognized over the requisite service period. The grant-date fair value of option awards and restricted stock awards with a market condition is determined using a Monte Carlo simulation. Compensation cost for an award with performance conditions is accrued if it is probable that the conditions will be met. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. See further discussion in Note 18, “Stock-Based Compensation and Other Incentive Plans.”

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive revenue recognition standard that has superseded nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under current U.S GAAP and replaced it with a principle based approach for determining revenue recognition. ASU 2014-09 requires that companies recognize revenue based on the value of transferred goods or services as they occur in the contract. The ASU also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company’s primary source of revenue is from the sale of coal through both short-term and long-term contracts with utilities, industrial customers and steel producers whereby revenue is currently recognized when risk of loss has passed to the customer. During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company finalized its assessment related to the new standard by analyzing certain contracts representative of the majority of the Company’s coal sales and determined that the timing of revenue recognition related to the Company’s coal sales will remain consistent between the new standard and the previous standard. The Company also reviewed other sources of revenue, and concluded the current basis of accounting for these items is in accordance with the new standard. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method, and there was no cumulative adjustment to retained earnings. The Company also reviewed the disclosure requirements under the new standard and has compiled information needed for the expanded disclosures which are included within Note 24, “Revenue Recognition” in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” The amendment requires the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows to reduce diversity in practice. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and the interim periods therein, with early adoption permitted. The amendments in the classification should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented, unless deemed impracticable, in which case, the prospective application is permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2016-15 effective January 1, 2018 with no impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash.” The ASU applies to all entities that have restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents and are required to present a statement of cash flows. The ASU requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. As a result, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning of period and end of period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The ASU should be adopted using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. The Company adopted ASU 2016-18 effective January 1, 2018 and applied the ASU retrospectively to the periods presented in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow. As a result, net cash used in investing activities for the periods presented below was adjusted to exclude the change in restricted cash as follows:



	Successor					Predecessor
(in thousands)	Year Ended December 31, 2017			October 2 through December 31, 2016		January 1 through October 1, 2016
Cash provided by (used in) investing activities previously reported	$	(59,802	)	$	17,984	$	15,134
Less: Withdrawals of restricted cash	70,836			10,512		15,979

Cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$	(130,638	)	$	7,472	$	(845	)

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, “Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715) Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost.” ASU 2017-07 changes the income statement presentation of defined benefit plan expense by requiring separation between operating expense (service cost component) and non-operating expense (all other components, including interest cost, amortization of prior service cost, curtailments and settlements, etc.). The operating expense component is reported with similar compensation costs while the non-operating components are reported in Nonoperating expense. In addition, only the service cost component is eligible for capitalization as part of an asset such as inventory or property, plant and equipment. The ASU is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods therein. The ASU should be adopted using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. The Company adopted ASU 2017-07 effective January 1, 2018 and applied the ASU retrospectively to the periods presented in the Company's Consolidated Income Statements. The retrospective application resulted in the following changes detailed in the table below:



	Successor						Predecessor
(in thousands)	Year Ended December 31, 2017			October 2 through December 31, 2016			January 1 through October 1, 2016
Cost of sales previously reported	$	1,843,093		$	470,644		$	1,264,464
Reclassification	(3,100		)	(325		)	(2,290		)

Cost of sales	$	1,839,993		$	470,319		$	1,262,174

Selling, general and administrative expenses previously reported	$	86,821		$	22,836		$	59,343
Reclassification	1,131			357			575

Selling, general and administrative expenses	$	87,952		$	23,193		$	59,918

Other operating income, net previously reported	$	(30,270	)	$	(5,340	)	$	(15,257	)
Reclassification	29			—			—

Other operating income, net	$	(30,241	)	$	(5,340	)	$	(15,257	)

Recent Accounting Guidance Issued Not Yet Effective

In February 2016, the FASB established Topic 842, Leases, by issuing ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases” which requires lessees to recognize leases on-balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. The ASU was subsequently amended by ASU 2018-01, “Land Easements Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842;” ASU 2018-10, “Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases;” and ASU 2018-11, “Targeted Improvements.” The new standard establishes a right-of-use (ROU) model that requires a lessee to recognize an ROU asset and lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with a term longer than 12 months. The standard also requires a lessee to recognize a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the term of the lease, on a generally straight line basis. Leases of mineral reserves and related land lease have been exempted from the standard. The Company will elect the “package of practical expedients” within the standard which permits the Company not to reassess its prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs. Additionally, the Company will make an election to not separate lease and non-lease components for all leases, and will not use hindsight. Finally, the Company will continue its current policy for accounting for land easements as executory contracts. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years; early adoption is permitted. The Company expects the adoption of this standard to result in the recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities ranging between $15 million to $20 million not currently recorded on the Company’s financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 requires an entity to assess impairment of its financial instruments based on its estimate of expected credit losses. ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years; early adoption is permitted. The Company anticipates adopting the standard in the first quarter of 2020, although it does not expect a significant impact to the Company’s financial results.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, “Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities.” The new guidance provides targeted improvements to the accounting for hedging activities to better align an entity’s risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedging results. ASU 2017-12 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years; early adoption is permitted. The Company anticipates adopting the standard in the first quarter of 2019, although it does not expect a significant impact to the Company’s financial results.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, “Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220)

Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.” ASU 2018-02 provides an option to

reclassify stranded tax effects within accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings due to the change in the U.S. federal tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The ASU is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of

analyzing the standard, but does not expect a significant impact to the Company’s financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosures for fair value measurements by requiring public entities to disclose certain new information while modifying some existing disclosure requirements. The FASB issued this ASU as part of its broader disclosure framework project, which aims to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements by focusing on requirements that clearly communicate the most important information to users of the financial statements. The ASU is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of analyzing the standard, but does not expect a significant impact to the Company’s financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, “Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General (Subtopic 715-20), Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans.” ASU 2018-14 makes minor changes to the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plants. The new guidance eliminates requirements for certain disclosures that are no longer considered cost beneficial and adds new ones that the FASB considers pertinent. The FASB issued this ASU as part of its broader disclosure framework project, which aims to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements by focusing on requirements that clearly communicate the most important information to users of the financial statements. The ASU is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of analyzing the standard, but does not expect a significant impact to the Company’s financial statements.