A real estate investment partnership in which we have a general partner interest has obtained senior lien financing with respect to five properties it acquired. The senior liens are with recourse only to the properties securing them subject to certain standard exceptions, which we have guaranteed. These guarantees expire as the related indebtedness is paid down over the next ten years. In addition, property owners have obtained senior lien financing with respect to five of our real estate investments. The senior liens are with recourse only to the properties securing them subject to certain standard exceptions, which we have guaranteed. These guarantees expire as the related indebtedness is paid down over the next five years. Critical Accounting Policies The discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of our assets, liabilities, revenues and cost and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an on-going basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to provision for possible losses, deferred tax assets and liabilities, goodwill and identifiable intangible assets, and certain accrued liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. 40
For a detailed discussion on the application of policies critical to our business operations and other accounting policies, see Note 2 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A. Recently Issued Financial Accounting Standards In December 2003, the Financial Accounting Standards Board or FASB, revised SFAS 132, “Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and other Postretirement Benefits,” establishing additional annual disclosures about plan assets, investment strategy, measurement date, plan obligations and cash flows. In addition, the revised standard established interim disclosure requirements related to the net periodic benefit cost recognized and contributions paid or expected to be paid during the current fiscal year. The new annual disclosures are effective for financial statements with fiscal years ending after December 15, 2003 and the interim-period disclosures are effective for interim periods beginning after December 15, 2003. The adoption of the revised SFAS No. 132 had no impact on our results of operations or our financial position. In April 2003, the FASB issued SFAS 149, “Amendment of Statement 133 on Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activates.” SFAS 149 is effective for contracts entered into or modified after December 31, 2003 and amends and clarifies financial accounting and reporting for derivative instruments. The adoption of SFAS 149 did not have a material effect on our financial position or our results of operations. In January 2003, FASB issued FIN 46. In December 2003, FASB issued a revised interpretation of FIN 46, which supersedes FIN 46 and clarifies and expands current accounting guidance for Variable Interest Entities or VIE’s. We refer to this interpretation throughout this document as FIN 46 or FIN 46-R. FIN 46 clarifies when a company should consolidate in its financial statements the assets, liabilities and activities of a VIE. FIN 46 provides general guidance as to the definition of a VIE and requires it to be consolidated if a party with an ownership, contractual or other financial interest absorbs the majority of the VIE’s expected losses, or is entitled to receive a majority of the residual returns, or both. A variable interest holder that consolidated the VIE is the primary beneficiary, and is required to consolidate the VIE’s assets, liabilities and non-controlling interests at fair value at the date the interest holder first becomes the primary beneficiary of the VIE. FIN 46 and FIN 46-R are effective immediately for all VIEs created after January 31, 2003 and for VIEs created prior to February 1, 2003, no later than the end of the first reporting period after March 15, 2004. We early adopted FIN 46 on July 1, 2003. Pending Acquisition In September 2003, Atlas Pipeline entered into a purchase and sale agreement with SEMCO Energy, Inc. (“SEMCO”) pursuant to which Atlas Pipeline or its designee will purchase substantially all of the assets of SEMCO’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Alaska Pipeline Company, which owns an intrastate natural gas transmission pipeline that delivers gas to metropolitan Anchorage (the “Acquisition”). The total consideration, payable in cash at closing, will be approximately $95.0 million, subject to an adjustment based on the amount of working capital that Alaska Pipeline has at closing. Consummation of the Acquisition is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of governmental and non-governmental consents and approvals and the absence of a material adverse change in Alaska Pipeline’s business. The purchase and sale agreement may be terminated by either Atlas Pipeline or SEMCO if the transaction is not consummated by June 16, 2004. Among the required governmental authorizations are approval of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska and expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. Atlas Pipeline received an early termination of the waiting period in January 2004 and approval by the Regulatory Commission in April 2004. On April 20, 2004, the Regulatory Commission issued an “Order Accepting Stipulation Approving Transfer of Control, Finding Motion for Expedited Consideration Moot, and Requiring Filing” finding that approval of the transaction is in the public interest and consistent with controlling law. A 30-day appeal period commenced with the issuance of the Regulatory Commission’s order. We believe that the Regulatory Commission order meets the regulatory approval requirements recited in the purchase and sale agreement, and that the acquisition can be completed within the agreed upon timeframe. SEMCO Energy has informed us that it believes the Regulatory Commission order does not comply with the regulatory approval requirements and that it may seek clarification of the order. If the parties cannot agree, or resolve through agreed upon dispute resolution procedures, that the Regulatory Commission order is sufficient, the acquisition could be delayed or prevented. 41
As part of the Acquisition, at closing, Alaska Pipeline and ENSTAR Natural Gas Company (“ENSTAR”), a division of SEMCO which conducts its gas distribution business in Alaska, will enter into a Special Contract for Gas Transportation pursuant to which ENSTAR will pay a reservation fee of $943,000 per month for the use of all of the pipeline’s transportation capacity plus $.075 per thousand cubic feet, or mcf, of gas transported, for 10 years. During 2003, total gas volumes delivered through the Alaska Pipeline system averaged approximately 147.0 million cubic feet per day. SEMCO will execute a gas transmission agreement with Alaska Pipeline pursuant to which SEMCO will be obligated to make up any difference if the Regulatory Commission of Alaska reduces the transportation rates payable by ENSTAR pursuant to the Special Contract. Further, Alaska Pipeline will enter into an Operation and Maintenance and Administrative Services Agreement with ENSTAR under which ENSTAR will continue to operate and maintain the pipeline for at least 5 years for a fee of $334,000 per month for the first three years. Thereafter, ENSTAR’s fee will be adjusted for inflation. ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK The primary objective of the following information is to provide forward-looking quantitative and qualitative information about our potential exposure to market risks. The term “market risk” refers to the risk of loss arising from adverse changes in interest rates and oil and gas prices. The disclosures are not meant to be precise indicators of expected future losses, but rather indicators of reasonable possible losses. This forward-looking information provides indicators of how we view and manage our ongoing market risk exposures. All of our market risk sensitive instruments were entered into for purposes other than trading. General We are exposed to various market risks, principally fluctuating interest rates and changes in commodity prices. These risks can impact our results of operations, cash flows and financial position. We manage these risks through regular operating and financing activities and periodically use derivative financial instruments. The following analysis presents the effects on our earnings, cash flows and financial position as if the hypothetical changes in market risk factors occurred on March 31, 2004. Only the potential impacts of hypothetical assumptions are analyzed. The analysis does not consider other possible effects that could impact our business. Energy Interest Rate Risk.At March 31, 2004, the amount outstanding under a revolving loan attributable to our energy operations had increased to $40.5 million from $31.0 million at September 30, 2003. The weighted average interest rate for this facility increased from 2.9% at September 30, 2003 to 3.3% at March 31, 2004 due to a larger portion of our borrowings being at the bank’s prime rate at March 31, 2004. Holding all other variables constant, if interest rates hypothetically increased or decreased by 10%, our net annual income would change by approximately $87,000. We have a $20.0 million revolving credit facility to fund the expansion of Atlas Pipeline Partners’ existing gathering systems and the acquisitions of other gas gathering systems. In the six months ended March 31, 2004, we had no borrowings under this facility. Commodity Price Risk. Our major market risk exposure in commodities is fluctuations in the pricing of our gas and oil production. Realized pricing is primarily driven by the prevailing worldwide prices for crude oil and spot market prices applicable to United States natural gas production. Pricing for gas and oil production has been volatile and unpredictable for many years. To limit our exposure to changing natural gas prices, we use hedges. Through our hedges, we seek to provide a measure of stability in the volatile environment of natural gas prices. Our risk management objective is to lock in a range of pricing for expected production volumes. 42
We do not hold or issue derivative instruments for trading purposes. Historically, we have entered into financial hedging activities for a portion of our projected natural gas production. We recognize gains and losses from the settlement of these hedges in gas revenues when the associated production occurs. The gains and losses realized as a result of hedging are substantially offset in the market when we deliver the associated natural gas. We determine gains or losses on open and closed hedging transactions as the difference between the contract price and a reference price, generally closing prices on NYMEX. We did not settle any contracts during the six months ended March 31, 2004. We recognized losses of $544,000 on settled contracts during the six months ended March 31, 2003. We recognized no gains or losses during the six months ended March 31, 2004 or 2003 for hedge ineffectiveness or as a result of the discontinuance of cash flow hedges. In addition, FirstEnergy Solutions and other third party marketers to which we sell gas, also use financial hedges to hedge their pricing exposure and make price hedging opportunities available to us. These transactions are similar to NYMEX-based futures contracts, swaps and options, but also require firm delivery of the hedged quantity. Thus, we limit these arrangements to much smaller quantities than those projected to be available at any delivery point. For the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, we estimate in excess of 50% of our produced natural gas volumes will be sold in this manner, leaving our remaining production to be sold at contract prices in the month produced or at spot market prices. We also negotiate with certain purchasers for delivery of a portion of natural gas we will produce for the upcoming twelve months. The prices under most of our gas sales contracts are negotiated on an annual basis and are index-based. Considering those volumes already designated for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2004, and current indices, a theoretical 10% upward or downward change in the price of natural gas would result in approximately a 5% change in our projected natural gas revenues. Real Estate Portfolio Loans and Related Senior Liens. We believe that none of the loans held in our portfolio as of March 31, 2004 (including loans treated in our consolidated financial statements as FIN 46 assets and liabilities) are sensitive to changes in interest rates since: |