Sale of METALfx Sale of METALfx (Notes)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block]

SALE OF METALfx

In April 2019, Bay Area Manufacturing, Inc., a non-regulated subsidiary of Avista Corp., entered into a definitive agreement to sell its interest in METALfx to an independent third party. The transaction was a stock sale for a total cash purchase price of $17.5 million, plus cash on-hand, subject to customary closing adjustments. The transaction closed on April 18, 2019, and as of that date the Company has no further involvement with METALfx.

The purchase price of $17.5 million, as adjusted, was divided among the security holders of METALfx, including the minority shareholder, pro-rata based on ownership (Avista Corp. owned 89.2 percent of the equity of METALfx). As required under the purchase agreement, $1.2 million (7 percent of the purchase price) will be held in escrow for 24 months from the closing of the transaction to satisfy certain indemnification obligations.

When all escrow amounts are released, the sales transaction is expected to provide cash proceeds to Avista Corp., net of payments to the minority holder, contractually obligated compensation payments and other transaction expenses, of $16.5 million and result in a net gain after-tax of $3.3 million. The Company expects to receive the full amount of its portion of the escrow accounts; therefore, the full amounts are included in the gain calculation. The gross gain is included in "Other income," the transaction expenses paid are included in "Non-utility Other operating expenses" and any taxes associated with the sale are included in "Income tax expense" on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Prior to the completion of the sales transaction, METALfx was not a reportable business segment and was included in other in the business segment footnote at Note 23. This transaction does not meet the criteria for discontinued operations as it does not represent a strategic shift that will have a major effect on the Company's ongoing operations,