Financial Instruments

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The stated value of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, trade receivables (net of allowance), and short-term debt approximates fair value due to the short maturity of the instruments. The fair value of Energen’s long-term debt, including the current portion, was approximately $1,421.2 million and $1,420.7 million and had a carrying value of $1,388.9 million and $1,403.9 million at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. The fair value of Alagasco’s fixed-rate long-term debt, including the current portion, was approximately $263.5 million and $258.8 million and had a carrying value of $249.9 million at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively. The fair values are based on market prices of similar debt issues having the same remaining maturities, redemption terms and credit rating. Short-term debt is classified as Level 1 fair value and long-term debt is classified as Level 2 fair value.

At March 31, 2014, the Company had interest rate swap agreements with a notional of $200 million. The interest rate swaps exchange a variable interest rate for a fixed interest rate of 2.6675 percent. The fair value of the Company’s interest rate swap was a $1.6 million and a $1.8 million liability at March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively, and is classified as Level 2 fair value liability. The fair value of the Company’s interest rate swap is recognized on a gross basis on the consolidated balance sheet.

Finance Receivables: Alagasco finances third-party contractor sales of merchandise including gas furnaces and appliances. At March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, Alagasco’s finance receivable totaled $10.5 million and $10.8 million, respectively. These finance receivables currently have an average balance of approximately $3,000 with terms of up to 84 months. Financing is available only to qualified customers who meet creditworthiness thresholds for customer payment history and external agency credit reports. Alagasco relies upon ongoing payments as the primary indicator of credit quality during the term of each contract. The allowance for credit losses is recognized using an estimate of write-off percentages based on historical experience applied to an aging of the finance receivable balance. Delinquent accounts are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and, absent evidence of debt repayment after 90 days, are due in full and assigned to a third-party collection agency. The remaining finance receivable is written off approximately 12 months after being assigned to a third-party collection agency. Alagasco had finance receivables past due 90 days or more of $0.3 million and $0.4 million as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

The following table sets forth a summary of changes in the allowance for credit losses as follows:



(in thousands)
Allowance for credit losses as of December 31, 2013	$	423
Provision	(124		)
Allowance for credit losses as of March 31, 2014	$	299

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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