| Organization and Significant Accounting Policies | 1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Advanced BioEnergy, LLC (“ABE” or the “Company”) and its wholly owned subsidiaries, ABE Fairmont, LLC (“ABE Fairmont”) and ABE South Dakota, LLC (“ABE South Dakota”). Substantially all of the assets of ABE Fairmont were sold in December 2012 and the subsidiary is now inactive. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2016. The financial information as of March 31, 2017 and the results of operations for the three and six months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2017. In the opinion of management, the interim financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary for fair presentation. The Company currently owns two ethanol production facilities in Aberdeen and Huron, South Dakota with a combined production capacity of 80 million gallons per year. Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company’s cash balances are maintained in bank depositories and periodically exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced losses in these accounts. Restricted cash at September 30, 2016 and March 31, 2017 included a deposit for a rail car sublease. Fair Value of Financial Instruments Financial instruments include cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses, and long-term debt. We estimate the fair value of the long-term debt based on level 3 inputs, including the current anticipated interest rate that management believes would be available to the Company for similar debt, considering the current credit risk of the Company and other market factors. Based on these factors, the fair value of the long-term debt is currently estimated to approximate carrying value. Excluding cash and cash equivalents, the fair value of the other financial instruments are estimated to approximate carrying value due to the short-term nature of these instruments, and are considered to be Level 3 inputs. Receivables Credit sales are made to a relatively small numbers of customers with no collateral required. Trade receivables are carried at original invoice amount less an estimate made for doubtful receivables based on a review of all outstanding amounts on a monthly basis. Management determines the allowance for doubtful accounts by regularly evaluating individual receivables and considering a customer’s financial condition, credit history and current economic conditions. Receivables are written off if deemed uncollectible. Recoveries of receivables previously written off are recorded when received. There was no allowance for doubtful accounts recorded at March 31, 2017 or September 30, 2016. Inventories Ethanol inventory, raw materials, work-in-process and parts inventory are valued using methods that approximate the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or net realizable value (NRV). Distillers grains and related products are stated at NRV. In the valuation of inventories and purchase and sale commitments, the Company determines NRV by estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. Property and Equipment Property and equipment is carried at cost less accumulated depreciation computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives:
Office equipment
3-7 Years
Other equipment
1-5 Years
Process equipment
15 Years
Buildings
40 Years Prior to June 30, 2016, the Company used an estimated useful life of 10 years for process equipment. Based on a re-evaluation of the useful lives of process equipment it conducted in the fiscal 2016 fourth quarter, the Company determined a change in estimate was necessary. Accordingly, the Company increased the estimated useful life for process equipment from 10 to 15 years in the fiscal 2016 fourth quarter. As a result of this change in estimate, depreciation expense was lower by approximately $3.5 million, or $0.14 per unit, in the six months ended March 2017 than in the six months ended March 2016. Depreciation in future periods will be lower than in the past, reflecting the longer estimated useful life. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred; major improvements and betterments are capitalized. Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset group may not be recoverable. An impairment loss would be recognized when estimated undiscounted future cash flows from operations are less than the carrying value of the asset group. An impairment loss would be measured by the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds the estimated fair value on that date. Commodity Sales and Purchase Contracts, Derivative Instruments The Company enters into forward sales contracts for ethanol, distillers and corn oil, and purchase contracts for corn and natural gas. The Company classifies these sales and purchase contracts as normal sales and purchase contracts and accordingly these contracts are not marked to market. These contracts provide for the sale or purchase of an item other than a financial instrument or derivative instrument that will be delivered in quantities expected to be sold or used over a reasonable period in the normal course of business. In addition, certain derivative financial instruments that meet the criteria for derivative accounting treatment also qualify for a scope exception to derivative accounting, as they are considered normal purchases and sales. The availability of this exception is based on the assumption that the Company has the ability and it is probable that it will deliver or take delivery of the underlying item. Derivatives that are considered to be normal purchases and sales are exempt from derivative accounting treatment, and are accounted for under accrual accounting. Revenue Recognition Ethanol revenue is recognized when product title and all risk of ownership is transferred to the customer as specified in the contractual agreements with the marketers. Under the terms of the marketing agreements, revenue is recognized when product is loaded into rail cars or trucks for shipment. Revenue from the sale of co-products is recorded when title and all risk of ownership transfers to customers. Co-products are normally shipped free on board (“FOB”) shipping point. In accordance with the Company’s agreements for the marketing and sale of ethanol and related products, commissions due to the marketers are deducted from the gross sale price at the time of payment. Interest income is recognized as earned. Income per Unit Basic and diluted income per unit is computed using the weighted-average number of units outstanding during each period presented. Accounting Estimates Management uses estimates and assumptions in preparing these financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. Those estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Income Taxes The Company has elected to be treated as a partnership for tax purposes and generally does not incur income taxes. Instead, the Company’s earnings and losses are included in the income tax returns of the members. Therefore, no provision or liability for federal or state income taxes has been included in these financial statements. The Company files income tax returns in the U.S. federal and various state jurisdictions. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Effective October 1, 2018, the Company will adopt the amended guidance in ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, which requires revenue recognition to reflect the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The updated standard permits either the retrospective prior period reporting or cumulative effect transition method. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In February 2016, the ASC was amended and a new accounting standard, ASC Topic 842, “Leases,” was issued to increase the transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. To meet that objective, the new standard requires recognition of the assets and liabilities that arise from leases. Accordingly, a lessee will recognize a right-of-use (ROU) asset for its right to use the underlying asset and a lease liability for the corresponding lease obligation. The lease liability will initially be measured at the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term. The ROU asset will initially be measured as the sum of the initial lease liability, initial costs directly attributable to negotiating and arranging the lease, and payments made by a lessee to the lessor at or before the lease commencement date less any lease incentives received. Lessees can make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize a ROU asset and corresponding lease liability for leases with a term of 12 months or less. Accounting by lessors will remain largely unchanged from current U.S. GAAP. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. The modified retrospective approach includes a number of optional practical expedients that companies may elect to apply. These practical expedients relate to the identification and classification of leases that commenced before the effective date, initial direct costs for leases that commenced before the effective date, and the ability to use hindsight in evaluating lessee options to extend or terminate a lease or to purchase the underlying asset. The transition guidance also provides specific guidance for sale-and-leaseback transactions, build-to-suit leases, leveraged leases, and amounts previously recognized in accordance with the business combinations guidance for leases. The new standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the potential effect of this new accounting standard |
