Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Nature of Operations. Southwest Gas Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) consist of two segments: natural gas operations (“Southwest” or the “natural gas operations” segment) and construction services. Southwest is engaged in the business of purchasing, distributing, and transporting natural gas for customers in portions of Arizona, Nevada, and California. Public utility rates, practices, facilities, and service territories of Southwest are subject to regulatory oversight. The timing and amount of rate relief can materially impact results of operations. Natural gas purchases and the timing of related recoveries can materially impact liquidity. Results for the natural gas operations segment are lowest during late spring to early fall and improve during winter periods due to the seasonality incorporated in its regulatory rate structures. Centuri Construction Group, Inc. (“Centuri” or the “construction services” segment), a 96.6% owned subsidiary, is a full-service underground piping contractor that primarily provides utility companies with trenching and installation, replacement, and maintenance services for energy distribution systems, and industrial construction solutions. Centuri operations are generally conducted under the business names of NPL Construction Co. (“NPL”), Link-Line Contractors Ltd. (“Link-Line”), W.S. Nicholls Construction, Inc. and related companies (“W.S. Nicholls”), and Brigadier Pipelines Inc. (“Brigadier”). Typically, Centuri revenues are lowest during the first quarter of the year due to unfavorable winter weather conditions. Operating revenues typically improve as more favorable weather conditions occur during the summer and fall months.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation. The condensed consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. The preparation of the condensed 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 those estimates. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring items and estimates necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods, have been made. It is suggested that these condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the 2014 Annual Report to Shareholders, which is incorporated by reference into the 2014 Form 10-K, and the first and second quarter 2015 reports on Form 10-Q.

Centuri, through its subsidiaries, holds a 50% interest in W.S. Nicholls Western Construction LTD. (“Western”), a Canadian construction services company that is a variable interest entity. Centuri determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of the entity due to a shared-power structure; therefore, Centuri does not consolidate the entity and has recorded its investment, and results related thereto, using the equity method. The Company’s investment in Western is not significant in relation to its total assets included in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Prepaids and Other Current Assets

Prepaids and other current assets. Prepaids and other current assets includes gas pipe materials and supplies of $25 million at September 30, 2015 and $23 million at December 31, 2014.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents. For purposes of reporting consolidated cash flows, cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and financial instruments with a purchase-date maturity of three months or less. In general, cash and cash equivalents fall within Level 1 (quoted prices for identical financial instruments) of the three-level fair value hierarchy that ranks the inputs, used to measure fair value, by their reliability. However, cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 also include two money market fund investments totaling approximately $250,000 which fall within Level 2 (significant other observable inputs) of the fair value hierarchy, due to the asset valuation methods used by money market funds.

Significant non-cash investing and financing activities for the natural gas operations segment included the following: Upon contract expiration, customer advances of approximately $2.8 million and $7 million, during the first nine months of 2015 and 2014, respectively, were applied as contributions toward utility construction activity and represent non-cash investing activity.

Goodwill

Goodwill. Goodwill is assessed for impairment annually, as required by U.S. GAAP, or otherwise, if circumstances indicate impairment to the carrying value of goodwill. No impairment was recorded in the first nine months of 2015. The acquisition date adjustment shown in the table below was recorded in the first quarter of 2015. No acquisition date adjustments occurred subsequently. The business of Brigadier was acquired via asset purchase.

Therefore, goodwill assigned to Brigadier is expected to be deductible for tax purposes, resulting in an after-tax value of $4.9 million. All other goodwill associated with the acquisition is not deductible for tax purposes.


(In thousands of dollars)	Natural Gas Operations		Construction Services			Consolidated
December 31, 2014	$	10,095	$	133,065		$	143,160
Acquisition date adjustment		—		1,380			1,380
Foreign currency translation adjustment		—		(14,656	)		(14,656	)

September 30, 2015	$	10,095	$	119,789		$	129,884

Intercompany Transactions

Intercompany Transactions. Centuri recognizes revenues generated from contracts with Southwest (see Note 3—Segment Information below). Centuri’s accounts receivable for these services are presented in the table below (thousands of dollars):


	September 30, 2015		December 31, 2014
Centuri accounts receivable for services provided to Southwest	$	15,972	$	9,169

The accounts receivable balance, revenues, and associated profits are included in the condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company and were not eliminated during consolidation in accordance with accounting treatment for rate-regulated entities.

Other Property and Investments

Other Property and Investments. Other property and investments includes (millions of dollars):


	September 30, 2015			December 31, 2014
Centuri property and equipment	$	419		$	405
Centuri accumulated provision for depreciation and amortization		(209	)		(187	)
Net cash surrender value of COLI policies		97			99
Other property		12			10

Total	$	319		$	327

Other Income (Deductions)

Other Income (Deductions). The following table provides the composition of significant items included in Other income (deductions) in the condensed consolidated statements of income (thousands of dollars):


	Three Months Ended						Nine Months Ended					Twelve Months Ended
	September 30						September 30					September 30
	2015			2014			2015			2014		2015			2014
Change in COLI policies	$	(3,900	)	$	(300	)	$	(2,600	)	$	2,900	$	(200	)	$	7,200
Interest income		624			772			1,375			1,881		2,096			1,920
Foreign transaction gain (loss)		(302	)		—			(874	)		—		(1,052	)		—
Miscellaneous income and (expense)		(82	)		(32	)		873			134		122			(94	)

Total other income (deductions)	$	(3,660	)	$	440		$	(1,226	)	$	4,915	$	966		$	9,026

Included in the table above is the change in cash surrender values of company-owned life insurance (“COLI”) policies (including net death benefits recognized). These life insurance policies on members of management and other key employees are used by Southwest to indemnify itself against the loss of talent, expertise, and knowledge, as well as to provide indirect funding for certain nonqualified benefit plans. Current tax regulations provide for tax-free treatment of life insurance (death benefit) proceeds. Therefore, changes in the cash surrender values of COLI policies, as they progress towards the ultimate death benefits, are also recorded without tax consequences.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Updates

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Updates. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued the update “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” The update replaces much of the current guidance regarding revenue recognition including most industry-specific guidance. In accordance with the update, an entity will be required to identify the contract with a customer, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. In addition to the new revenue recognition requirements, entities will be required to disclose sufficient information to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Entities may choose between two retrospective transition methods when applying the update. In April 2015, the FASB voted to propose, and in July 2015 it approved, a one-year deferral of the effective date (annual periods ending after December 15, 2017), but to permit entities to adopt one year earlier if they choose (i.e., the original effective date). The FASB decided, based on its outreach to various stakeholders and the forthcoming exposure drafts, which amend the update, that a deferral is necessary to provide adequate time to effectively implement the update. The Company plans to adopt the update at the required adoption date, which is for interim and annual reporting periods commencing January 1, 2018. The Company is evaluating what impact this update might have on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In August 2014, the FASB issued the update “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” which requires management to assess a company’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures in certain circumstances. Under the update, disclosures are required when conditions give rise to substantial doubt about a company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the financial statement issuance date. The update is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and all annual and interim periods thereafter. This update is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s disclosures.

In April 2015, the FASB issued the update “Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.” To simplify presentation of debt issuance costs, the amendments in this update require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the amendments in this update. Retrospective application of the update is required. The amendments in this update are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption of the amendments in this update is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. This update is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures.