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Financial Instruments
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Financial Instruments

7:     FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The carrying amounts of CMS Energy's and Consumers' cash, cash equivalents, current accounts and notes receivable, short-term investments, and current liabilities approximate their fair values because of their short-term nature. Presented in the following table are the cost or carrying amounts and fair values, by level within the fair value hierarchy, of CMS Energy's and Consumers' long-term financial instruments. For additional details regarding the fair value hierarchy, see Note 2: Fair Value Measurements.

 

Notes receivable consist of EnerBank's fixed-rate installment loans. EnerBank estimates the fair value of these loans using a discounted cash flows technique that incorporates market interest rates as well as assumptions about the remaining life of the loans and credit risk.

CMS Energy and Consumers estimate the fair value of their long-term debt using quoted prices from market trades of the debt, if available. In the absence of quoted prices, CMS Energy and Consumers calculate market yields and prices for the debt using a matrix method that incorporates market data for similarly rated debt. Depending on the information available, other valuation techniques may be used that rely on internal assumptions and models. CMS Energy includes the value of the conversion features in estimating the fair value of its convertible debt, and incorporates, as appropriate, information on the market prices of CMS Energy common stock.

The effects of third-party credit enhancements are excluded from the fair value measurements of long-term debt. At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, CMS Energy's long-term debt included $103 million principal amount that was supported by third-party credit enhancements. This entire principal amount was at Consumers.

Presented in the following table are CMS Energy's and Consumers' investment securities:

 

In Millions  
     June 30, 2012               December 31, 2011  
      Cost      Unrealized
Gains
     Unrealized
Losses
    

Fair

Value

           Cost      Unrealized
Gains
     Unrealized
Losses
    

Fair

Value

 

CMS Energy, including Consumers

           

Available for sale

                          

SERP

                          

Mutual funds

     $  125         $      2         $        -         $    127            $    113         $      -         $        -         $    113   

Held to maturity

                          

Debt securities

     8         1         -         9            7         -         -         7   
                                            

Consumers

           

Available for sale

                          

SERP

                          

Mutual funds

     $    84         $      2         $        -         $      86            $      74         $      -         $        -         $      74   

CMS Energy common stock

     6         24         -         30            7         28         -         35   
                                            

The mutual funds classified as available for sale hold primarily fixed-income instruments of varying maturities. During the six months ended June 30, 2012, CMS Energy contributed $13 million to the SERP, which included a contribution of $9 million by Consumers. The contributions were used to acquire additional shares in the mutual funds. Debt securities classified as held to maturity consist primarily of mortgage-backed securities held by EnerBank, as well as state and municipal bonds held by EnerBank.

Sales activity for CMS Energy's and Consumers' investment securities was insignificant for each of the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2012 and 2011. In January 2012, based on a donation commitment made in 2011, Consumers transferred shares of CMS Energy common stock to a related charitable foundation and recognized a gain of $5 million in income to reflect the excess of fair value over cost of the stock donated. In January 2011, based on a donation commitment made in 2010, Consumers transferred shares of CMS Energy common stock to a related charitable foundation and recognized a gain of $4 million in income to reflect the excess of fair value over cost of the stock donated.

Consumers Energy Company [Member]
 
Financial Instruments

7:     FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The carrying amounts of CMS Energy's and Consumers' cash, cash equivalents, current accounts and notes receivable, short-term investments, and current liabilities approximate their fair values because of their short-term nature. Presented in the following table are the cost or carrying amounts and fair values, by level within the fair value hierarchy, of CMS Energy's and Consumers' long-term financial instruments. For additional details regarding the fair value hierarchy, see Note 2: Fair Value Measurements.

 

Notes receivable consist of EnerBank's fixed-rate installment loans. EnerBank estimates the fair value of these loans using a discounted cash flows technique that incorporates market interest rates as well as assumptions about the remaining life of the loans and credit risk.

CMS Energy and Consumers estimate the fair value of their long-term debt using quoted prices from market trades of the debt, if available. In the absence of quoted prices, CMS Energy and Consumers calculate market yields and prices for the debt using a matrix method that incorporates market data for similarly rated debt. Depending on the information available, other valuation techniques may be used that rely on internal assumptions and models. CMS Energy includes the value of the conversion features in estimating the fair value of its convertible debt, and incorporates, as appropriate, information on the market prices of CMS Energy common stock.

The effects of third-party credit enhancements are excluded from the fair value measurements of long-term debt. At June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, CMS Energy's long-term debt included $103 million principal amount that was supported by third-party credit enhancements. This entire principal amount was at Consumers.

Presented in the following table are CMS Energy's and Consumers' investment securities:

 

In Millions  
     June 30, 2012               December 31, 2011  
      Cost      Unrealized
Gains
     Unrealized
Losses
    

Fair

Value

           Cost      Unrealized
Gains
     Unrealized
Losses
    

Fair

Value

 

CMS Energy, including Consumers

           

Available for sale

                          

SERP

                          

Mutual funds

     $  125         $      2         $        -         $    127            $    113         $      -         $        -         $    113   

Held to maturity

                          

Debt securities

     8         1         -         9            7         -         -         7   
                                            

Consumers

           

Available for sale

                          

SERP

                          

Mutual funds

     $    84         $      2         $        -         $      86            $      74         $      -         $        -         $      74   

CMS Energy common stock

     6         24         -         30            7         28         -         35   
                                            

The mutual funds classified as available for sale hold primarily fixed-income instruments of varying maturities. During the six months ended June 30, 2012, CMS Energy contributed $13 million to the SERP, which included a contribution of $9 million by Consumers. The contributions were used to acquire additional shares in the mutual funds. Debt securities classified as held to maturity consist primarily of mortgage-backed securities held by EnerBank, as well as state and municipal bonds held by EnerBank.

Sales activity for CMS Energy's and Consumers' investment securities was insignificant for each of the three-month and six-month periods ended June 30, 2012 and 2011. In January 2012, based on a donation commitment made in 2011, Consumers transferred shares of CMS Energy common stock to a related charitable foundation and recognized a gain of $5 million in income to reflect the excess of fair value over cost of the stock donated. In January 2011, based on a donation commitment made in 2010, Consumers transferred shares of CMS Energy common stock to a related charitable foundation and recognized a gain of $4 million in income to reflect the excess of fair value over cost of the stock donated.