XML 24 R9.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.4.0.3
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared by NJR in accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Accounting Standards Generally Accepted in the United States of America. The September 30, 2015, Balance Sheet data is derived from the audited financial statements of the Company. These Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in NJR's 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of NJR and its subsidiaries. In the opinion of management, the accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all adjustments necessary, for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods presented. These adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. Because of the seasonal nature of NJR's utility and wholesale energy services operations, in addition to other factors, the financial results for the interim periods presented are not indicative of the results that are to be expected for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016. Intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

Gas in Storage

The following table summarizes gas in storage, at average cost by company as of:
 
March 31,
2016
September 30,
2015
($ in thousands)
Gas in Storage
 
Bcf
Gas in Storage
 
Bcf
NJRES
 
$
89,514

52.3

 
$
93,696

44.6

NJNG
 
27,976

9.3

 
70,209

21.4

Total
 
$
117,490

61.6

 
$
163,905

66.0



Sales Tax Accounting

Sales tax, that is collected from customers and presented in both operating revenues and operating expenses on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, was $20.7 million and $34 million during the six months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
Available for Sale Securities

Included in available for sale securities on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets are investments in two publicly traded energy companies. Total unrealized gains associated with these investments are included as a part of accumulated other comprehensive income, a component of common stock equity. Reclassifications of realized gains out of other comprehensive income into income are determined based on average cost.

The Company's available for sale securities had a fair value of $73.4 million and $59.5 million as of March 31, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively. Total unrealized gains associated with these equity securities were $24.8 million, $14.6 million after tax, and $10.8 million, $6.4 million after tax, as of March 31, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively.

Customer Accounts Receivable

Customer accounts receivable include outstanding billings from the following subsidiaries as of:
(Thousands)
March 31,
2016
 
September 30,
2015
NJRES
$
75,691

51
%
 
$
107,461

69
%
NJNG (1)
67,080

45

 
41,130

26

NJRCEV
1,975

1

 
1,084

1

NJRHS and other
4,076

3

 
5,598

4

Total
$
148,822

100
%
 
$
155,273

100
%
(1)
Does not include unbilled revenues of $27.1 million and $6.4 million as of March 31, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively.

Loan Receivable

NJNG provides loans, with terms ranging from two to 10 years, to customers that elect to purchase and install certain energy efficient equipment in accordance with its BPU-approved SAVEGREEN program. The loans are recognized at net present value on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company has recorded $7.5 million and $6.2 million in other current assets and $40.2 million and $36.2 million in other noncurrent assets as of March 31, 2016 and September 30, 2015, respectively, on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, related to the loans.

NJR's policy is to establish an allowance for doubtful accounts when loan balances are in arrears for more than 60 days. As of March 31, 2016 and September 30, 2015, there was no allowance for doubtful accounts established for the SAVEGREEN loans.

Recent Updates to the Accounting Standards Codification

Revenue

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, and added Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, to the ASC. ASC 606 supersedes ASC 605, Revenue Recognition, as well as most industry-specific guidance, and prescribes a single, comprehensive revenue recognition model designed to improve financial reporting comparability across entities, industries, jurisdictions and capital markets. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, which defers the implementation of the new guidance for one year. The new guidance will become effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Upon adoption, the guidance will be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the provisions of ASC 606 to understand the impact, if any, to its financial position, results of operations and cash flows upon adoption.

Stock Compensation

In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-12, an amendment to ASC 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, which clarifies the accounting for performance awards when the terms of the award provide that a performance target could be achieved after the requisite service period. The new guidance will become effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Upon adoption, the amendment will be applied on a prospective or retrospective basis. The Company does not expect this standard to have any impact to its financial position, results of operations and cash flows upon adoption.
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-9, an amendment to ASC 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures and statutory tax withholding requirements. The update also addresses the related classification of transactions within the statement of cash flows. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016 with early adoption permitted. Upon adoption, the amendments will be applied on a prospective or retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the amendment to understand the impact on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows upon adoption.

Consolidation

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, an amendment to ASC 810, Consolidation, which changes the consolidation analysis required under GAAP and reevaluates whether limited partnerships and similar entities must be consolidated. The new guidance will become effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Upon adoption, the amendment will be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the provisions of ASU No. 2015-02 to understand the impact, if any, on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows upon adoption.

Interest

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, an amendment to ASC 835, Interest - Imputation of Interest, which simplifies the presentation of debt issuance costs by requiring them to be presented in the balance sheet as a deduction from the carrying amount of the liability. The amendments do not affect the recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-15, which clarified that the amendments contained within ASU No. 2015-03 do not require companies to modify their accounting for costs incurred in obtaining revolving credit facilities. The amended guidance becomes effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Upon adoption, the amendment will be applied on a retrospective basis. The Company does not expect this standard to have a material impact to its financial position, results of operations or cash flows upon adoption.

Intangibles

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-05, an amendment to ASC 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software, which clarifies the accounting for fees in a cloud computing arrangement. The amendments provide guidance on how an entity should evaluate the accounting for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement to determine whether an arrangement includes the sale or license of software. The amended guidance becomes effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Upon adoption, the amendment can be applied on a prospective or retrospective basis. The Company plans to adopt the guidance on a prospective basis and does not expect this standard to have a material impact to its financial position, results of operations or cash flows upon adoption.

Inventory

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, an amendment to ASC 330, Inventory, which requires entities to measure most inventory “at the lower of cost and net realizable value,” thereby simplifying the current guidance under which an entity must measure inventory at the lower of cost or market. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016. Upon adoption, the amendments will be applied on a prospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the amendment to understand the impact on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows upon adoption.

Income Taxes

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, an amendment to ASC 740, Income Taxes, to simplify the balance sheet presentation of deferred income taxes. The update requires entities to present all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent. The Company elected to early adopt the amended guidance effective October 1, 2015, and applied the new provisions retrospectively.

Accordingly, the following amounts on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, as of September 30, 2015, have been adjusted:
(Thousands)
As Previously Reported
 
Effect of Change
 
As Adjusted
Assets
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred taxes (current)
$
56,296

 
$
(56,296
)
 
$

Total current assets
$
544,511

 
$
(56,296
)
 
$
488,215

Other noncurrent assets
$
60,300

 
$
1,615

 
$
61,915

Total noncurrent assets
$
666,266

 
$
1,615

 
$
667,881

Total assets
$
3,339,038

 
$
(54,681
)
 
$
3,284,357

Capitalization and Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred income taxes
$
499,616

 
$
(54,681
)
 
$
444,935

Total noncurrent liabilities
$
952,387

 
$
(54,681
)
 
$
897,706

Total capitalization and liabilities
$
3,339,038

 
$
(54,681
)
 
$
3,284,357



There was no additional impact to the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations or the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Financial Instruments

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-1, an amendment to ASC 825, Financial Instruments, to address certain aspects of the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. The standard affects investments in equity securities that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method and the presentation of certain fair value changes for financial liabilities measured at fair value. It also simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without a readily determinable fair value by requiring a qualitative assessment. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Upon adoption, the amendments will be applied on a modified-retrospective basis. The Company has evaluated the amendments and noted that, upon adoption, subsequent changes to the fair value of the Company’s available for sale securities will be recorded in the statement of operations as opposed to other comprehensive income. The Company does not expect any other material impacts to its financial position, results of operations or cash flows upon adoption.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-2, an amendment to ASC 842, Leases, which provides for a comprehensive overhaul of the lease accounting model and changes the definition of a lease within the accounting literature. Under the new standard, all leases with a term greater than one year will be recorded on the balance sheet. Amortization of the related asset will be accounted for using one of two approaches prescribed by the guidance. Additional disclosures will be required to allow the user to assess the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leasing activities. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for leases existing at the time of adoption. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the amendments to understand the impact on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows upon adoption.