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ACQUISITION OF AQUARION AND GOODWILL
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
ACQUISITION OF AQUARION AND GOODWILL
ACQUISITION OF AQUARION AND GOODWILL

A.    Acquisition of Aquarion
On December 4, 2017, Eversource acquired Aquarion for a purchase price of $1.675 billion, consisting of approximately $880 million in cash and $795 million of assumed Aquarion debt. Aquarion is a holding company that owns three separate regulated water utility subsidiaries engaged in the water collection, treatment and distribution business that operate in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. These regulated utilities collect, treat and distribute water to residential, commercial and industrial customers, to other utilities for resale, and for private and municipal fire protection. Aquarion and its subsidiaries became wholly-owned subsidiaries of Eversource, and Eversource's consolidated financial information includes Aquarion and its subsidiaries' activity beginning December 4, 2017. The approximate $880 million cash purchase price included the $745 million equity purchase price plus a $135 million shareholder loan that was repaid at closing.

Purchase Price Allocation: The purchase price allocation reflects a measurement period adjustment recorded in the first quarter of 2018 to revise the fair value of Aquarion's regulated debt. The $7.9 million increase to the fair value of Long-Term Debt (including the current portion) and corresponding increase to Regulatory Assets, included within Other Noncurrent Assets, excluding Goodwill in the table below, will be amortized over the life of the related debt. The allocation of the cash purchase price was as follows:
(Millions of Dollars)
 
Current Assets
$
41.2

PP&E
1,034.9

Goodwill
907.9

Other Noncurrent Assets, excluding Goodwill
215.5

Current Liabilities
(121.9
)
Noncurrent Liabilities
(421.6
)
Long-Term Debt
(778.3
)
Total Cash Purchase Price
$
877.7



Pro Forma Financial Information: The following unaudited pro forma financial information reflects the pro forma combined results of operations of Eversource and Aquarion and reflects the amortization of purchase price adjustments assuming the acquisition had taken place on January 1, 2016. The unaudited pro forma financial information has been presented for illustrative purposes only and is not necessarily indicative of the consolidated results of operations that would have been achieved or the future consolidated results of operations of Eversource.
 
For the Years Ended December 31,
(Pro forma amounts in millions, except share amounts)
2017
 
2016
Operating Revenues
$
7,947.7

 
$
7,849.0

Net Income Attributable to Common Shareholders
1,019.1

 
969.3

Basic EPS
3.21

 
3.05

Diluted EPS
3.20

 
3.04



Aquarion Revenues and Pre-Tax Income: The impact of Aquarion on Eversource's accompanying consolidated statement of income included operating revenues of $15.9 million and pre-tax income of $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2017.

B.    Goodwill
In a business combination, the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed
is recognized as goodwill. Goodwill is evaluated for impairment at least annually and more frequently if indicators of impairment arise. In accordance with the accounting standards, if the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value (including goodwill), the goodwill is tested for impairment. Goodwill is not subject to amortization, however is subject to a fair value based assessment for impairment at least annually and whenever facts or circumstances indicate that there may be an impairment.  A resulting write-down, if any, would be charged to Operating Expenses.   

Eversource completed the acquisition of Aquarion on December 4, 2017, resulting in the addition of $0.9 billion of goodwill. Upon completion of the acquisition, Eversource determined that the reporting units for the purpose of testing goodwill are Electric Distribution, Electric Transmission, Natural Gas Distribution and Water Distribution. The goodwill resulting from the Aquarion acquisition has been entirely allocated to the Water Distribution reporting unit. These reporting units are consistent with the operating segments underlying the reportable segments identified in Note 23, "Segment Information," to the financial statements.

Eversource completed its annual goodwill impairment test for Electric Distribution, Electric Transmission, Natural Gas Distribution and Water Distribution reporting units as of October 1, 2018 and determined that no impairment existed. There were no events subsequent to October 1, 2018 that indicated impairment of goodwill. The annual goodwill assessment included an evaluation of the Company's share price and credit ratings, analyst reports, financial performance, cost and risk factors, long-term strategy, growth and future projections, as well as macroeconomic, industry and market conditions.  This evaluation required the consideration of several factors that impact the fair value of the reporting units, including conditions and assumptions that affect the future cash flows of the reporting units. Key considerations include discount rates, utility sector market performance and merger transaction multiples, and internal estimates of future cash flows and net income.  

 The following table presents goodwill by reportable segment as of December 31, 2018 and 2017:
(Billions of Dollars)
Electric
Distribution
 
Electric
Transmission
 
Natural Gas
Distribution
 
Water Distribution
 
Total
Goodwill
$
2.5

 
$
0.6

 
$
0.4

 
$
0.9

 
$
4.4