Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Nature of Operations

Nature of Operations: American States Water Company (“AWR”) is the parent company of Golden State Water Company (“GSWC”) and American States Utility Services, Inc. (“ASUS”) (and its subsidiaries, Fort Bliss Water Services Company (“FBWS”), Terrapin Utility Services, Inc. (“TUS”), Old Dominion Utility Services, Inc. (“ODUS”), Palmetto State Utility Services, Inc. (“PSUS”) and Old North Utility Services, Inc. (“ONUS”)).  The subsidiaries of ASUS are collectively referred to as the “Military Utility Privatization Subsidiaries.”

GSWC is a public utility engaged principally in the purchase, production, distribution and sale of water in California serving approximately 260,000 customers. GSWC also distributes electricity in several San Bernardino County mountain communities in California serving approximately 24,000 customers through its Bear Valley Electric Service (“BVES”) division. Although Registrant has a diversified base of residential, industrial and other customers, revenues derived from commercial and residential water customers accounted for approximately 90% of total water revenues during the three months ended March 31,2016 and 2015. The California Public Utilities Commission (“CPUC”) regulates GSWC’s water and electric businesses in matters including properties, rates, services, facilities and transactions by GSWC with its affiliates.  AWR’s assets and operating income are primarily those of GSWC.

ASUS, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, operates, maintains and performs construction activities (including renewal and replacement capital work) on water and/or wastewater systems at various United States military bases pursuant to 50-year firm fixed-price contracts. These contracts are subject to periodic price redeterminations or economic price adjustments and modifications for changes in circumstances, changes in laws and regulations and additions to the contract value for new construction of facilities at the military bases.

There is no direct regulatory oversight by the CPUC over AWR or the operations, rates or services provided by ASUS or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Basis of Presentation: The consolidated financial statements and notes thereto are presented in a combined report filed by two separate Registrants: AWR and GSWC. References in this report to “Registrant” are to AWR and GSWC, collectively, unless otherwise specified.

AWR owns all of the outstanding Common Shares of GSWC and ASUS. ASUS owns all of the outstanding Common Shares of the Military Utility Privatization Subsidiaries. The consolidated financial statements of AWR include the accounts of AWR and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. These financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Inter-company transactions and balances have been eliminated in the AWR consolidated financial statements.

The consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by Registrant, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).  The December 31, 2015 condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in the United States of America. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates. In the opinion of management, all adjustments consisting of normal, recurring items and estimates necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods have been made. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 filed with the SEC.

GSWC's Related Party Transactions

GSWC's Related Party Transactions: GSWC and ASUS provide and/or receive various support services to and from their parent, AWR, and among themselves. GSWC also allocates certain corporate office administrative and general costs to its affiliate, ASUS, using allocation factors approved by the CPUC. During the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, GSWC allocated to ASUS approximately $1.0 million and $707,000, respectively, of corporate office administrative and general costs. In addition, AWR has a $100.0 million syndicated credit facility. AWR borrows under this facility and provides funds to its subsidiaries, including GSWC, in support of their operations.  The interest rate charged to GSWC and ASUS is sufficient to cover AWR’s interest cost under the credit facility.

In October 2015, AWR issued interest bearing promissory notes (the "Notes") to GSWC and ASUS for $40 million and $10 million, respectively, which expire on May 23, 2018. Under the terms of these Notes, AWR may borrow from GSWC and ASUS amounts up to $40 million and $10 million, respectively, for working capital purposes. AWR agrees to pay any unpaid principal amounts outstanding under these notes, plus accrued interest. As of March 31, 2016, there were no amounts outstanding under these Notes.

Sales and Use Taxes

Sales and Use Taxes:  GSWC bills certain sales and use taxes levied by state or local governments to its customers. Included in these sales and use taxes are franchise fees, which GSWC pays to various municipalities (based on ordinances adopted by these municipalities) in order to use public rights of way for utility purposes. GSWC bills these franchise fees to its customers based on a CPUC-authorized rate for each rate-making area as applicable. These franchise fees, which are required to be paid regardless of GSWC’s ability to collect them from its customer, are accounted for on a gross basis. GSWC’s franchise fees billed to customers and recorded as operating revenue were approximately $867,000 and $871,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. When GSWC acts as an agent, and the tax is not required to be remitted if it is not collected from the customer, the taxes are accounted for on a net basis.

Depending on the states in which their operations are conducted, the Military Utility Privatization Subsidiaries are also subject to certain state non-income tax assessments generally computed on a “gross receipts” or “gross revenues” basis.  These non-income tax assessments are required to be paid regardless of whether the U.S. government reimburses these assessments under the 50-year contracts.  The non-income tax assessments are accounted for on a gross basis and totaled $62,000 and $32,000 during the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements: In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued updated accounting guidance on revenue recognition. The guidance will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective. Under this guidance, an entity will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects what the entity expects in exchange for the goods or services. The guidance also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017, and adoption is not permitted earlier than the original effective date, that is, no earlier than 2017. The guidance allows entities to select one of two methods of adoption, either the full retrospective approach, meaning the guidance would be applied to all periods presented, or modified retrospective approach, meaning the cumulative effect of applying the guidance would be recognized as an adjustment to opening retained earnings at January 1, 2018, along with providing certain additional disclosures. Registrant will adopt this guidance in the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018. Management has not yet selected a transition method nor has it determined the effect of the standard on the Company's ongoing financial reporting.

In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the associated debt liability, rather than as an asset. The standard does not affect the recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs. This guidance was adopted January 1, 2016. Accordingly, as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, Registrant had debt issuance costs, excluding credit facility costs, of $4.5 million and $4.6 million, respectively, reflected in "Long-term debt." Prior to the adoption of this new guidance, debt issuance costs, excluding credit facility costs, of $4.6 million as of December 31, 2015 were reported in noncurrent "Other Assets."

On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued a new lease accounting standard, Leases (ASC 842). Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all of their leases (other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease). Extensive quantitative and qualitative disclosures, including significant judgments made by management, will be required in order to provide greater insight into the extent of revenue and expense recognized, and expected to be recognized, from existing contracts. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Management has not yet determined the effect of the standard on the Company's ongoing financial reporting.

On March 30, 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which amends ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. Under the new guidance, the tax effects related to share-based payments at settlement (or expiration) will be required to be recorded through the income statement rather than through equity, further increasing the volatility of income tax expense. The new standard also removes the requirement to delay recognition of a windfall tax benefit until an employer reduces its current taxes payable. It also permits entities to make an accounting policy election for the impact of forfeitures on the recognition of expense for shared-based payment awards. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016. Management has not yet determined the effect of the standard on the Company's ongoing financial reporting.