XML 111 R15.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Capitalization
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Capitalization

Note C — Capitalization

Common Stock

At December 31, 2011 and 2010, Con Edison owned all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Utilities and the competitive energy businesses. CECONY owns 21,976,200 shares of Con Edison stock, which it purchased prior to 2001 in connection with Con Edison's stock repurchase plan. CECONY presents in the financial statements the cost of the Con Edison stock it owns as a reduction of common shareholder's equity.

Capitalization of Con Edison

The outstanding capitalization for each of the Companies is shown on its Consolidated Statement of Capitalization, and for Con Edison includes the Utilities' outstanding preferred stock and debt.

Preferred Stock of CECONY

As of December 31, 2011, 1,915,319 shares of CECONY's $5 Cumulative Preferred Stock (the "$5 Preferred") and 375,626 shares of its Cumulative Preferred Stock ($100 par value) were outstanding.

Dividends on the $5 Preferred Stock are $5 per share per annum, payable quarterly, and dividends on the Cumulative Preferred Stock are $4.65 per share per annum, payable quarterly. The preferred dividends must be declared by CECONY's Board of Trustees to become payable. See "Dividends" below.

With respect to any corporate action to be taken by a vote of shareholders of CECONY, Con Edison (which owns all of the 235,488,094 shares of CECONY's common stock that are outstanding) and the holders of the $5 Preferred are each entitled to one vote for each share held. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock have no right to vote; provided, however, that if the $5 Preferred is no longer outstanding, the holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock are entitled to one vote for each share with respect to any corporate action to be taken by a vote of the shareholders of CECONY. In addition, if dividends are in arrears for certain periods, the holders are entitled to certain rights with respect to the election of CECONY's Trustees. Without the consent of the holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock, CECONY may not create or authorize any kind of stock ranking prior to the Cumulative Preferred Stock or, if such actions would affect the holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock adversely, be a party to any consolidation or merger, create or amend the terms of the Cumulative Preferred Stock or reclassify the Cumulative Preferred Stock. CECONY may redeem the $5 Preferred at a redemption price of $105 per share and the Cumulative Preferred Stock at a redemption price of $101 per share (in each case, plus accrued and unpaid dividends). In the event of the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of CECONY, before any distribution of capital assets could be made to the holders of the company's common stock, the holders of the $5 Preferred and the Cumulative Preferred Stock would each be entitled to receive $100 per share, in the case of an involuntary liquidation, or an amount equal to the redemption price per share, in the case of a voluntary liquidation, in each case together with all accrued and unpaid dividends.

Dividends

In accordance with NYSPSC requirements, the dividends that the Utilities generally pay are limited to not more than 100 percent of their respective income available for dividends calculated on a two-year rolling average basis. Excluded from the calculation of "income available for dividends" are non-cash charges to income resulting from accounting changes or charges to income resulting from significant unanticipated events. The restriction also does not apply to dividends paid in order to transfer to Con Edison proceeds from major transactions, such as asset sales, or to dividends reducing each utility subsidiary's equity ratio to a level appropriate to its business risk.

In addition, no dividends may be paid, or funds set apart for payment, on CECONY's common stock until all dividends accrued on the $5 Preferred Stock and Cumulative Preferred Stock have been paid, or declared and set apart for payment.

Long-term Debt

Long-term debt maturing in the period 2012-2016 is as follows:

 

(millions of dollars)   Con Edison     CECONY  

2012

  $ 530      $ 525   

2013

    705        700   

2014

    481        475   

2015

    495        350   

2016

    731        650   

The Utilities have issued $269 million of tax-exempt debt through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) that currently bear interest at a rate determined weekly and is subject to tender by bondholders for purchase by the Utilities. In 2010, CECONY issued $225 million of tax-exempt debt that is subject to mandatory tender in 2012.

The carrying amounts and fair values of long-term debt are:

 

     December 31,  
(millions of dollars)  

2011

   

2010

 

Long-Term Debt

(including current portion)

 

Carrying

Amount

   

Fair

Value

   

Carrying

Amount

   

Fair

Value

 

Con Edison

  $  10,673      $  12,744      $  10,676      $  11,761   

CECONY

  $ 9,745      $ 11,593      $ 9,743      $ 10,680   

Fair values of long-term debt have been estimated primarily using available market information.

At December 31, 2011 and 2010, long-term debt of Con Edison included $29 million and $32 million, respectively, of Transition Bonds issued in 2004 by O&R's New Jersey utility subsidiary through a special purpose entity.

Significant Debt Covenants

The significant debt covenants under the financing arrangements for the notes of Con Edison and the debentures of CECONY are obligations to pay principal and interest when due, covenants not to consolidate with or merge into any other corporation unless certain conditions are met and, for Con Edison's notes, covenants that Con Edison shall continue its utility business in New York City and shall not permit Con Edison's ratio of consolidated debt to consolidated capital to exceed 0.675 to 1. Con Edison's notes are also subject to cross default provisions with respect to other indebtedness of Con Edison or its material subsidiaries having a then outstanding principal balance in excess of $100 million. CECONY's debentures have no cross default provisions. The tax-exempt financing arrangements of the Utilities are subject to covenants for the CECONY debentures discussed above and the covenants discussed below. The Companies believe

that they were in compliance with their significant debt covenants at December 31, 2011.

The tax-exempt financing arrangements involved the issuance of uncollateralized promissory notes of the Utilities to NYSERDA in exchange for the net proceeds of a like amount of tax-exempt bonds with substantially the same terms sold to the public by NYSERDA. The tax-exempt financing arrangements include covenants with respect to the tax-exempt status of the financing, including covenants with respect to the use of the facilities financed. The arrangements include provisions for the maintenance of liquidity and credit facilities, the failure to comply with which would, except as otherwise provided, constitute an event of default with respect to the debt to which such provisions applied.

The failure to comply with debt covenants would, except as otherwise provided, constitute an event of default with respect to the debt to which such provisions applied. If an event of default were to occur, the principal and accrued interest on the debt to which such event of default applied and, in the case of the Con Edison notes, a make-whole premium might and, in the case of certain events of default would, become due and payable immediately.

The liquidity and credit facilities currently in effect for the tax-exempt financing include covenants that the ratio of debt to total capital of the obligated utility will not at any time exceed 0.65 to 1 and that, subject to certain exceptions, the utility will not mortgage, lien, pledge or otherwise encumber its assets. Certain of the facilities also include as events of default, defaults in payments of other debt obligations in excess of specified levels ($100 million for CECONY).

CECONY [Member]
 
Capitalization

Note C — Capitalization

Common Stock

At December 31, 2011 and 2010, Con Edison owned all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Utilities and the competitive energy businesses. CECONY owns 21,976,200 shares of Con Edison stock, which it purchased prior to 2001 in connection with Con Edison's stock repurchase plan. CECONY presents in the financial statements the cost of the Con Edison stock it owns as a reduction of common shareholder's equity.

Capitalization of Con Edison

The outstanding capitalization for each of the Companies is shown on its Consolidated Statement of Capitalization, and for Con Edison includes the Utilities' outstanding preferred stock and debt.

Preferred Stock of CECONY

As of December 31, 2011, 1,915,319 shares of CECONY's $5 Cumulative Preferred Stock (the "$5 Preferred") and 375,626 shares of its Cumulative Preferred Stock ($100 par value) were outstanding.

Dividends on the $5 Preferred Stock are $5 per share per annum, payable quarterly, and dividends on the Cumulative Preferred Stock are $4.65 per share per annum, payable quarterly. The preferred dividends must be declared by CECONY's Board of Trustees to become payable. See "Dividends" below.

With respect to any corporate action to be taken by a vote of shareholders of CECONY, Con Edison (which owns all of the 235,488,094 shares of CECONY's common stock that are outstanding) and the holders of the $5 Preferred are each entitled to one vote for each share held. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock have no right to vote; provided, however, that if the $5 Preferred is no longer outstanding, the holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock are entitled to one vote for each share with respect to any corporate action to be taken by a vote of the shareholders of CECONY. In addition, if dividends are in arrears for certain periods, the holders are entitled to certain rights with respect to the election of CECONY's Trustees. Without the consent of the holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock, CECONY may not create or authorize any kind of stock ranking prior to the Cumulative Preferred Stock or, if such actions would affect the holders of the Cumulative Preferred Stock adversely, be a party to any consolidation or merger, create or amend the terms of the Cumulative Preferred Stock or reclassify the Cumulative Preferred Stock. CECONY may redeem the $5 Preferred at a redemption price of $105 per share and the Cumulative Preferred Stock at a redemption price of $101 per share (in each case, plus accrued and unpaid dividends). In the event of the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of CECONY, before any distribution of capital assets could be made to the holders of the company's common stock, the holders of the $5 Preferred and the Cumulative Preferred Stock would each be entitled to receive $100 per share, in the case of an involuntary liquidation, or an amount equal to the redemption price per share, in the case of a voluntary liquidation, in each case together with all accrued and unpaid dividends.

Dividends

In accordance with NYSPSC requirements, the dividends that the Utilities generally pay are limited to not more than 100 percent of their respective income available for dividends calculated on a two-year rolling average basis. Excluded from the calculation of "income available for dividends" are non-cash charges to income resulting from accounting changes or charges to income resulting from significant unanticipated events. The restriction also does not apply to dividends paid in order to transfer to Con Edison proceeds from major transactions, such as asset sales, or to dividends reducing each utility subsidiary's equity ratio to a level appropriate to its business risk.

In addition, no dividends may be paid, or funds set apart for payment, on CECONY's common stock until all dividends accrued on the $5 Preferred Stock and Cumulative Preferred Stock have been paid, or declared and set apart for payment.

Long-term Debt

Long-term debt maturing in the period 2012-2016 is as follows:

 

(millions of dollars)   Con Edison     CECONY  

2012

  $ 530      $ 525   

2013

    705        700   

2014

    481        475   

2015

    495        350   

2016

    731        650   

The Utilities have issued $269 million of tax-exempt debt through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) that currently bear interest at a rate determined weekly and is subject to tender by bondholders for purchase by the Utilities. In 2010, CECONY issued $225 million of tax-exempt debt that is subject to mandatory tender in 2012.

The carrying amounts and fair values of long-term debt are:

 

     December 31,  
(millions of dollars)  

2011

   

2010

 

Long-Term Debt

(including current portion)

 

Carrying

Amount

   

Fair

Value

   

Carrying

Amount

   

Fair

Value

 

Con Edison

  $  10,673      $  12,744      $  10,676      $  11,761   

CECONY

  $ 9,745      $ 11,593      $ 9,743      $ 10,680   

Fair values of long-term debt have been estimated primarily using available market information.

At December 31, 2011 and 2010, long-term debt of Con Edison included $29 million and $32 million, respectively, of Transition Bonds issued in 2004 by O&R's New Jersey utility subsidiary through a special purpose entity.

Significant Debt Covenants

The significant debt covenants under the financing arrangements for the notes of Con Edison and the debentures of CECONY are obligations to pay principal and interest when due, covenants not to consolidate with or merge into any other corporation unless certain conditions are met and, for Con Edison's notes, covenants that Con Edison shall continue its utility business in New York City and shall not permit Con Edison's ratio of consolidated debt to consolidated capital to exceed 0.675 to 1. Con Edison's notes are also subject to cross default provisions with respect to other indebtedness of Con Edison or its material subsidiaries having a then outstanding principal balance in excess of $100 million. CECONY's debentures have no cross default provisions. The tax-exempt financing arrangements of the Utilities are subject to covenants for the CECONY debentures discussed above and the covenants discussed below. The Companies believe

that they were in compliance with their significant debt covenants at December 31, 2011.

The tax-exempt financing arrangements involved the issuance of uncollateralized promissory notes of the Utilities to NYSERDA in exchange for the net proceeds of a like amount of tax-exempt bonds with substantially the same terms sold to the public by NYSERDA. The tax-exempt financing arrangements include covenants with respect to the tax-exempt status of the financing, including covenants with respect to the use of the facilities financed. The arrangements include provisions for the maintenance of liquidity and credit facilities, the failure to comply with which would, except as otherwise provided, constitute an event of default with respect to the debt to which such provisions applied.

The failure to comply with debt covenants would, except as otherwise provided, constitute an event of default with respect to the debt to which such provisions applied. If an event of default were to occur, the principal and accrued interest on the debt to which such event of default applied and, in the case of the Con Edison notes, a make-whole premium might and, in the case of certain events of default would, become due and payable immediately.

The liquidity and credit facilities currently in effect for the tax-exempt financing include covenants that the ratio of debt to total capital of the obligated utility will not at any time exceed 0.65 to 1 and that, subject to certain exceptions, the utility will not mortgage, lien, pledge or otherwise encumber its assets. Certain of the facilities also include as events of default, defaults in payments of other debt obligations in excess of specified levels ($100 million for CECONY).