MIDDLESEX WATER CO - Quarter Report: 2010 June (Form 10-Q)
UNITED
STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
DC 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
|
|
þ
|
QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
|
For
the quarterly period ended June 30, 2010
OR
¨
|
TRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
1934
|
For the
transition period from _________________ to______________________
Commission
File Number 0-422
MIDDLESEX
WATER COMPANY
(Exact
name of registrant as specified in its charter)
New
Jersey
(State
of incorporation)
|
22-1114430
(IRS
employer identification no.)
|
1500
Ronson Road, Iselin, NJ 08830
(Address
of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(732)
634-1500
(Registrant's
telephone number, including area code)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be
filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required
to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for
the past 90 days.
Yes þ No
¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on
its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be
submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding
12 months (or such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and
post files).
Yes ¨ No
¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an
accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting
company.
Large
accelerated filer ¨ Accelerated
filer þ Non-accelerated
filer ¨ Smaller
reporting company ¨
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule
12b-2 of the Act).
Yes ¨ No
þ
The
number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant's classes of common
stock, as of July 30, 2010: Common Stock, No Par Value: 15,511,414 shares
outstanding.
INDEX
PART
I.
|
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
|
PAGE
|
Item
1.
|
Financial
Statements:
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Income
|
1
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated Balance Sheets
|
2
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
|
3
|
|
Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Capital Stock and Long-term
Debt
|
4
|
|
Notes
to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
|
5
|
|
Item
2.
|
Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations
|
13
|
Item
3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures of Market Risk
|
21
|
Item
4.
|
Controls
and Procedures
|
21
|
PART
II.
|
OTHER
INFORMATION
|
|
Item
1.
|
Legal
Proceedings
|
23
|
Item
1A.
|
Risk
Factors
|
23
|
Item
2.
|
Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
|
23
|
Item
3.
|
Defaults
upon Senior Securities
|
23
|
Item
4.
|
Removed
and Reserved
|
23
|
Item
5.
|
Other
Information
|
23
|
Item
6.
|
Exhibits
|
23
|
SIGNATURES
|
24
|
|
MIDDLESEX
WATER COMPANY
|
|||||||||
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
|
|||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||||
(In
thousands except per share amounts)
|
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Operating
Revenues
|
$ | 26,538 | $ | 23,083 | $ | 48,184 | $ | 43,665 | ||||||||
Operating
Expenses:
|
||||||||||||||||
Operations
and Maintenance
|
13,576 | 12,893 | 27,170 | 25,936 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation
|
2,236 | 2,111 | 4,439 | 4,196 | ||||||||||||
Other
Taxes
|
2,832 | 2,532 | 5,391 | 4,984 | ||||||||||||
Total
Operating Expenses
|
18,644 | 17,536 | 37,000 | 35,116 | ||||||||||||
Operating
Income
|
7,894 | 5,547 | 11,184 | 8,549 | ||||||||||||
Other
Income (Expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Allowance
for Funds Used During Construction
|
348 | 241 | 642 | 482 | ||||||||||||
Other
Income
|
189 | 150 | 360 | 328 | ||||||||||||
Other
Expense
|
(33 | ) | (7 | ) | (53 | ) | (18 | ) | ||||||||
Total
Other Income, net
|
504 | 384 | 949 | 792 | ||||||||||||
Interest
Charges
|
1,882 | 1,766 | 3,306 | 3,158 | ||||||||||||
Income
before Income Taxes
|
6,516 | 4,165 | 8,827 | 6,183 | ||||||||||||
Income
Taxes
|
2,092 | 1,319 | 2,843 | 1,976 | ||||||||||||
Net
Income
|
4,424 | 2,846 | 5,984 | 4,207 | ||||||||||||
Preferred
Stock Dividend Requirements
|
52 | 52 | 104 | 104 | ||||||||||||
Earnings
Applicable to Common Stock
|
$ | 4,372 | $ | 2,794 | $ | 5,880 | $ | 4,103 | ||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Earnings
per share of Common Stock:
|
||||||||||||||||
Basic
|
$ | 0.31 | $ | 0.21 | $ | 0.43 | $ | 0.31 | ||||||||
Diluted
|
$ | 0.31 | $ | 0.21 | $ | 0.42 | $ | 0.31 | ||||||||
Average
Number of
|
||||||||||||||||
Common
Shares Outstanding :
|
||||||||||||||||
Basic
|
13,972 | 13,434 | 13,756 | 13,424 | ||||||||||||
Diluted
|
14,235 | 13,697 | 14,019 | 13,687 | ||||||||||||
Cash
Dividends Paid per Common Share
|
$ | 0.1800 | $ | 0.1775 | $ | 0.3600 | $ | 0.3550 | ||||||||
See
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
1
MIDDLESEX
WATER COMPANY
|
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
|
(Unaudited
)
|
(In
thousands)
|
June
30,
|
December
31,
|
||||||||
ASSETS
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||
UTILITY
PLANT:
|
Water
Production
|
$ | 115,896 | $ | 113,124 | ||||
Transmission
and Distribution
|
301,839 | 293,269 | |||||||
General
|
42,461 | 29,631 | |||||||
Construction
Work in Progress
|
9,970 | 17,547 | |||||||
TOTAL
|
470,166 | 453,571 | |||||||
Less
Accumulated Depreciation
|
80,675 | 77,027 | |||||||
UTILITY
PLANT - NET
|
389,491 | 376,544 | |||||||
CURRENT
ASSETS:
|
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
|
4,038 | 4,278 | ||||||
Accounts
Receivable, net
|
11,082 | 10,616 | |||||||
Unbilled
Revenues
|
6,785 | 4,424 | |||||||
Materials
and Supplies (at average cost)
|
1,795 | 1,618 | |||||||
Prepayments
|
1,567 | 1,109 | |||||||
TOTAL
CURRENT ASSETS
|
25,267 | 22,045 | |||||||
DEFERRED
CHARGES
|
Unamortized
Debt Expense
|
2,777 | 2,856 | ||||||
AND
OTHER ASSETS:
|
Preliminary
Survey and Investigation Charges
|
7,074 | 6,999 | ||||||
Regulatory
Assets
|
32,636 | 33,081 | |||||||
Operations
Contracts Fees Receivable
|
3,715 | 3,715 | |||||||
Restricted
Cash
|
4,916 | 5,266 | |||||||
Non-utility
Assets - Net
|
7,016 | 7,134 | |||||||
Other
|
419 | 446 | |||||||
TOTAL
DEFERRED CHARGES AND OTHER ASSETS
|
58,553 | 59,497 | |||||||
TOTAL
ASSETS
|
$ | 473,311 | $ | 458,086 | |||||
CAPITALIZATION
AND LIABILITIES
|
|||||||||
CAPITALIZATION:
|
Common
Stock, No Par Value
|
$ | 138,660 | $ | 109,366 | ||||
Retained
Earnings
|
31,154 | 30,265 | |||||||
TOTAL
COMMON EQUITY
|
169,814 | 139,631 | |||||||
Preferred
Stock
|
3,373 | 3,373 | |||||||
Long-term
Debt
|
132,892 | 124,910 | |||||||
TOTAL
CAPITALIZATION
|
306,079 | 267,914 | |||||||
CURRENT
|
Current
Portion of Long-term Debt
|
4,243 | 3,710 | ||||||
LIABILITIES:
|
Notes
Payable
|
13,500 | 42,850 | ||||||
Accounts
Payable
|
5,224 | 4,348 | |||||||
Accrued
Taxes
|
9,059 | 5,686 | |||||||
Accrued
Interest
|
1,607 | 1,861 | |||||||
Unearned
Revenues and Advanced Service Fees
|
889 | 861 | |||||||
Other
|
1,344 | 1,352 | |||||||
TOTAL
CURRENT LIABILITIES
|
35,866 | 60,668 | |||||||
COMMITMENTS
AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES (Note 7)
|
|||||||||
DEFERRED
CREDITS
|
Customer
Advances for Construction
|
20,999 | 20,806 | ||||||
AND
OTHER LIABILITIES:
|
Accumulated
Deferred Investment Tax Credits
|
1,264 | 1,303 | ||||||
Accumulated
Deferred Income Taxes
|
28,570 | 27,788 | |||||||
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
25,412 | 25,723 | |||||||
Regulatory
Liability - Cost of Utility Plant Removal
|
7,045 | 6,738 | |||||||
Other
|
211 | 275 | |||||||
TOTAL
DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER LIABILITIES
|
83,501 | 82,633 | |||||||
CONTRIBUTIONS
IN AID OF CONSTRUCTION
|
47,865 | 46,871 | |||||||
TOTAL
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
|
$ | 473,311 | $ | 458,086 | |||||
See
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
2
MIDDLESEX
WATER COMPANY
|
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
|
(Unaudited)
|
(In
thousands)
|
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||
CASH
FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
|
||||||||
Net
Income
|
$ | 5,984 | $ | 4,207 | ||||
Adjustments
to Reconcile Net Income to
|
||||||||
Net
Cash Provided by Operating Activities:
|
||||||||
Depreciation
and Amortization
|
4,828 | 4,396 | ||||||
Provision
for Deferred Income Taxes and ITC
|
579 | 405 | ||||||
Equity
Portion of AFUDC
|
(396 | ) | (264 | ) | ||||
Cash
Surrender Value of Life Insurance
|
219 | 116 | ||||||
Stock
Compensation Expense
|
193 | 154 | ||||||
Changes
in Assets and Liabilities:
|
||||||||
Accounts
Receivable
|
(466 | ) | 571 | |||||
Unbilled
Revenues
|
(2,361 | ) | (740 | ) | ||||
Materials
& Supplies
|
(177 | ) | (82 | ) | ||||
Prepayments
|
(458 | ) | (237 | ) | ||||
Other
Assets
|
(399 | ) | (638 | ) | ||||
Accounts
Payable
|
875 | (1,258 | ) | |||||
Accrued
Taxes
|
3,373 | 620 | ||||||
Accrued
Interest
|
(254 | ) | (301 | ) | ||||
Employee
Benefit Plans
|
250 | 871 | ||||||
Unearned
Revenue & Advanced Service Fees
|
28 | 3 | ||||||
Other
Liabilities
|
(36 | ) | (462 | ) | ||||
NET
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES
|
11,782 | 7,361 | ||||||
CASH
FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
|
||||||||
Utility
Plant Expenditures, Including AFUDC of $246 in 2010, $218 in
2009
|
(15,981 | ) | (11,943 | ) | ||||
Restricted
Cash
|
349 | 456 | ||||||
NET
CASH USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES
|
(15,632 | ) | (11,487 | ) | ||||
CASH
FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
|
||||||||
Redemption
of Long-term Debt
|
(1,485 | ) | (15,908 | ) | ||||
Proceeds
from Issuance of Long-term Debt
|
10,000 | 12,014 | ||||||
Net
Short-term Bank (Payments)/Borrowings
|
(29,350 | ) | 13,133 | |||||
Deferred
Debt Issuance Expenses
|
- | (116 | ) | |||||
Common
Stock Issuance Expense
|
(111 | ) | - | |||||
Restricted
Cash
|
- | (22 | ) | |||||
Proceeds
from Issuance of Common Stock
|
29,102 | 762 | ||||||
Payment
of Common Dividends
|
(4,879 | ) | (4,763 | ) | ||||
Payment
of Preferred Dividends
|
(104 | ) | (104 | ) | ||||
Construction
Advances and Contributions-Net
|
437 | (702 | ) | |||||
NET
CASH PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES
|
3,610 | 4,294 | ||||||
NET
CHANGES IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
|
(240 | ) | 168 | |||||
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD
|
4,278 | 3,288 | ||||||
CASH
AND CASH EQUIVALENTS AT END OF PERIOD
|
$ | 4,038 | $ | 3,456 | ||||
SUPPLEMENTAL
DISCLOSURE OF NON-CASH ACTIVITY:
|
||||||||
Utility
Plant received as Construction Advances and Contributions
|
$ | 750 | $ | 993 | ||||
SUPPLEMENTAL
DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOWS INFORMATION:
|
||||||||
Cash
Paid During the Year for:
|
||||||||
Interest
|
$ | 3,608 | $ | 3,484 | ||||
Interest
Capitalized
|
$ | (246 | ) | $ | (218 | ) | ||
Income
Taxes
|
$ | 79 | $ | 1,367 | ||||
See
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
3
MIDDLESEX
WATER COMPANY
|
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CAPITAL STOCK
|
AND
LONG-TERM DEBT
|
(Unaudited)
(In
thousands)
|
|
June
30,
|
December
31,
|
||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||
Common
Stock, No Par Value
|
||||||||||
Shares
Authorized -
|
40,000 | |||||||||
Shares
Outstanding -
|
2010 - 15,508 | $ | 138,660 | $ | 109,366 | |||||
2009 - 13,519 | ||||||||||
Retained
Earnings
|
31,154 | 30,265 | ||||||||
TOTAL
COMMON EQUITY
|
$ | 169,814 | $ | 139,631 | ||||||
Cumulative
Preferred Stock, No Par Value:
|
||||||||||
Shares
Authorized -
|
134 | |||||||||
Shares
Outstanding -
|
32 | |||||||||
Convertible:
|
||||||||||
Shares
Outstanding, $7.00 Series - 14
|
$ | 1,457 | $ | 1,457 | ||||||
Shares
Outstanding, $8.00 Series - 7
|
816 | 816 | ||||||||
Nonredeemable:
|
||||||||||
Shares
Outstanding, $7.00 Series - 1
|
100 | 100 | ||||||||
Shares
Outstanding, $4.75 Series - 10
|
1,000 | 1,000 | ||||||||
TOTAL
PREFERRED STOCK
|
$ | 3,373 | $ | 3,373 | ||||||
Long-term
Debt:
|
||||||||||
8.05%,
Amortizing Secured Note, due December 20, 2021
|
$ | 2,520 | $ | 2,581 | ||||||
6.25%,
Amortizing Secured Note, due May 19, 2028
|
7,525 | 7,735 | ||||||||
6.44%,
Amortizing Secured Note, due August 25, 2030
|
5,647 | 5,787 | ||||||||
6.46%,
Amortizing Secured Note, due September 19, 2031
|
5,927 | 6,067 | ||||||||
4.22%,
State Revolving Trust Note, due December 31, 2022
|
603 | 622 | ||||||||
3.30%
to 3.60%, State Revolving Trust Note, due May 1, 2025
|
3,671 | 3,687 | ||||||||
3.49%,
State Revolving Trust Note, due January 25, 2027
|
678 | 678 | ||||||||
4.03%,
State Revolving Trust Note, due December 1, 2026
|
884 | 903 | ||||||||
4.00% to 5.00%, Statte Revolving Trust Bond, due September 1, 2021 | 564 | 625 | ||||||||
0.00%,
State Revolving Fund Bond, due September 1, 2021
|
428 | 436 | ||||||||
3.64%,
State Revolving Trust Note, due July 1, 2028
|
387 | 395 | ||||||||
3.64%,
State Revolving Trust Note, due January 1, 2028
|
130 | 132 | ||||||||
6.59%,
Amortizing Secured Note, due April 20, 2029
|
6,569 | 6,743 | ||||||||
7.05%,
Amortizing Secured Note, due January 20, 2030
|
4,896 | 5,000 | ||||||||
5.69%,
Amortizing Secured Note, due January 20, 2030
|
10,000 | - | ||||||||
First
Mortgage Bonds:
|
||||||||||
5.20%,
Series S, due October 1, 2022
|
12,000 | 12,000 | ||||||||
5.25%,
Series T, due October 1, 2023
|
6,500 | 6,500 | ||||||||
5.25%,
Series V, due February 1, 2029
|
10,000 | 10,000 | ||||||||
5.35%,
Series W, due February 1, 2038
|
23,000 | 23,000 | ||||||||
0.00%,
Series X, due September 1, 2018
|
474 | 483 | ||||||||
4.25%
to 4.63%, Series Y, due September 1, 2018
|
650 | 650 | ||||||||
0.00%,
Series Z, due September 1, 2019
|
1,097 | 1,118 | ||||||||
5.25%
to 5.75%, Series AA, due September 1, 2019
|
1,560 | 1,560 | ||||||||
0.00%,
Series BB, due September 1, 2021
|
1,420 | 1,447 | ||||||||
4.00%
to 5.00%, Series CC, due September 1, 2021
|
1,790 | 1,790 | ||||||||
5.10%,
Series DD, due January 1, 2032
|
6,000 | 6,000 | ||||||||
0.00%,
Series EE, due September 1, 2024
|
5,540 | 5,642 | ||||||||
3.00%
to 5.50%, Series FF, due September 1, 2024
|
6,935 | 6,935 | ||||||||
0.00%,
Series GG, due August 1, 2026
|
1,507 | 1,530 | ||||||||
4.00%
to 5.00%, Series HH, due August 1, 2026
|
1,810 | 1,810 | ||||||||
0.00%,
Series II, due August 1, 2024
|
1,306 | 1,619 | ||||||||
3.40%
to 5.00%, Series JJ, due August 1, 2027
|
1,690 | 1,690 | ||||||||
0.00%,
Series KK, due August 1, 2028
|
1,677 | 1,705 | ||||||||
5.00%
to 5.50%, Series LL, due August 1, 2028
|
1,750 | 1,750 | ||||||||
SUBTOTAL LONG-TERM DEBT | 137,135 | 128,620 | ||||||||
Less: Current Portion of Long-term Debt | (4,243 | ) | (3,710 | ) | ||||||
TOTAL LONG-TERM DEBT | $ | 132,892 | $ | 124,910 |
See
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
|
4
MIDDLESEX
WATER COMPANY
NOTES
TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Note
1 – Basis of Presentation and Recent Matters
Middlesex
Water Company (Middlesex or the Company) is the parent company and sole
shareholder of Tidewater Utilities, Inc. (Tidewater), Tidewater Environmental
Services, Inc. (TESI), Pinelands Water Company (Pinelands Water) and Pinelands
Wastewater Company (Pinelands Wastewater) (collectively, Pinelands), Utility
Service Affiliates, Inc. (USA), Utility Service Affiliates (Perth
Amboy) Inc. (USA-PA), and Twin Lakes Utilities, Inc. (Twin
Lakes). Southern Shores Water Company, LLC (Southern Shores) and
White Marsh Environmental Systems, Inc. (White Marsh) are wholly-owned
subsidiaries of Tidewater. The financial statements for Middlesex and its
wholly-owned subsidiaries (the Company) are reported on a consolidated
basis. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been
eliminated.
The
consolidated notes within the 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the 2009 Form
10-K) are applicable to these financial statements and, in the opinion of the
Company, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements
contain all adjustments necessary (including normal recurring accruals) to
present fairly the financial position as of June 30, 2010, the results of
operations for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2010 and 2009 and
cash flows for the six month periods ended June 30, 2010 and 2009. Information
included in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2009,
has been derived from the Company’s audited financial statements for the year
ended December 31, 2009 included in the 2009 Form 10-K.
Certain
reclassifications have been made to the prior year financial statements to
conform with the current period presentation.
Recent
Accounting Guidance
Topic
855, Subsequent Events - In February 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards
Board (the FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2010-09,
which amends Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 855, Subsequent Events to address
certain implementation issues related to an entity’s requirement to perform and
disclose subsequent-events procedures. ASU 2010-09 requires United States
Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) filers to evaluate subsequent
events through the date the financial statements are issued. All other entities
are required to evaluate subsequent events through the date the financial
statements are available to be issued. ASU 2010-09 exempts SEC filers from
disclosing the date through which subsequent events have been evaluated.
Adoption of ASU 2010-09 had no impact on the Company’s results of operations,
cash flows or financial position.
Topic
820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures - In January 2010, the FASB issued
ASU 2010-06, which amends ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and
Disclosures, to add new requirements for disclosures about transfers into
and out of Levels 1 and 2 and separate disclosures about purchases, sales,
issuances, and settlements relating to Level 3 measurements. The ASU also
clarifies existing fair value disclosures about the level of disaggregation and
about inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value. Further, the
ASU amends guidance on employers’ disclosures about postretirement benefit plan
assets under ASC 715 to require that disclosures be provided by classes of
assets instead of by major categories of assets. However, unlike the proposed
ASU, the final ASU does not require entities to provide sensitivity disclosures.
The FASB will consider whether to require sensitivity disclosures jointly with
the International Accounting Standards Board as part of a new convergence
project on fair value measurement and disclosures. Adoption of ASU
2010-06 had no impact on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or
financial position.
5
Note 2 – Rate Matters
In March
2010, Middlesex’s application with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
(NJBPU) seeking permission to increase its base water rates was partially
approved, granting an increase in annual operating revenues of 13.57%, or $7.8
million. The base water rate increase request was made to seek
recovery of increased costs of operations, chemicals and fuel, electricity,
taxes, labor and benefits, decreases in industrial and commercial customer
demand patterns, as well as capital investment. The new base water
rates are designed to recover these increased costs, as well as a return on
invested capital in rate base of $180.3 million based on a return on equity of
10.30%.
Effective
January 1, 2010, Tidewater’s Distribution System Improvement Charge (DSIC) was
established at 1.11%. As of July 1, 2010, Tidewater’s DSIC was
reduced to 1.07%. DSIC is a Delaware Public Service Commission (DEPSC) approved
rate-mechanism that allows water utilities to recover investment in non-revenue
producing capital improvements to the water system between base rate
proceedings.
Note
3 – Capitalization
Common
Stock
In June
2010, the Company sold and issued 1,915,000 shares of common stock in a public
offering that was priced at $15.21 per share. The net proceeds of
approximately $27.8 million were used to repay certain of the Company’s
short-term debt outstanding.
During
the six months ended June 30, 2010, there were 72,281 common shares
(approximately $1.2 million) issued under the Company’s Amended and Restated
Dividend Reinvestment and Common Stock Purchase Plan (DRP).
Long-term
Debt
In
February 2010, Tidewater closed on a $1.1 million loan with the Delaware State
Revolving Fund (SRF). This loan allows, but does not obligate,
Tidewater to draw down against a General Obligation Note for a specific project
no later than July 31, 2011. The interest rate on any draw-down will be set at
3.45% with a final maturity of August 1, 2031 on the amount actually
borrowed.
In March
2009, Tidewater closed on a $22.0 million DEPSC approved loan. In
2009, Tidewater borrowed $12.0 million under this loan. In March
2010, Tidewater borrowed the remaining $10.0 million at a rate of 5.69% with a
final maturity in January 2030.
Fair
Value of Financial Instruments
The
following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating its
fair value disclosure for financial instruments for which it is practicable to
estimate that value. The carrying amounts reflected in the consolidated balance
sheets for cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables, accounts payable and
notes payable approximate their respective fair values due to the short-term
maturities of these instruments. The fair value of the Company’s
long-term debt relating to First Mortgage and SRF Bonds is based on quoted
market prices for similar issues. The carrying amount and fair value
of the Company’s bonds were as follows:
6
(Thousands
of Dollars)
|
||||||||||||||||
June
30, 2010
|
December
31, 2009
|
|||||||||||||||
Carrying
|
Fair
|
Carrying
|
Fair
|
|||||||||||||
Amount
|
Value
|
Amount
|
Value
|
|||||||||||||
First
Mortgage Bonds
|
$ | 86,707 | $ | 85,105 | $ | 87,230 | $ | 84,429 | ||||||||
SRF
Bonds
|
$ | 991 | $ | 1,015 | $ | 1,061 | $ | 1,091 |
For other
long-term debt for which there was no quoted market price, it was not
practicable to estimate their fair value. The carrying amount of these
instruments was $49.4 million at June 30, 2010 and $40.3 million at December 31,
2009. Customer advances for construction have a carrying amount of $21.0 million
at June 30, 2010 and $20.8 million at December 31, 2009. Their relative fair
values cannot be accurately estimated since future refund payments depend on
several variables, including new customer connections, customer consumption
levels and future rate increases.
Note
4 – Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share (EPS) are
computed on the basis of the weighted average number of shares outstanding
during the period presented. Diluted EPS assumes the conversion of
both the Convertible Preferred Stock $7.00 Series and the Convertible Preferred
Stock $8.00 Series.
(In
Thousands Except per Share Amounts)
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
Basic:
|
2010
|
Shares
|
2009
|
Shares
|
||||||||||||
Net
Income
|
$ | 4,424 | 13,972 | $ | 2,846 | 13,434 | ||||||||||
Preferred
Dividend
|
(52 | ) | (52 | ) | ||||||||||||
Earnings
Applicable to Common Stock
|
$ | 4,372 | 13,972 | $ | 2,794 | 13,434 | ||||||||||
Basic
EPS
|
$ | 0.31 | $ | 0.21 | ||||||||||||
Diluted:
|
||||||||||||||||
Earnings
Applicable to Common Stock
|
$ | 4,372 | 13,972 | $ | 2,794 | 13,434 | ||||||||||
$7.00
Series Preferred Dividend
|
24 | 167 | 24 | 167 | ||||||||||||
$8.00
Series Preferred Dividend
|
14 | 96 | 14 | 96 | ||||||||||||
Adjusted
Earnings Applicable to Common Stock
|
$ | 4,410 | 14,235 | $ | 2,832 | 13,697 | ||||||||||
Diluted
EPS
|
$ | 0.31 | $ | 0.21 |
7
(In
Thousands Except per Share Amounts) Six Months Ended June
30, |
||||||||||||||||
Basic:
|
2010
|
Shares
|
2009
|
Shares
|
||||||||||||
Net
Income
|
$ | 5,984 | 13,756 | $ | 4,207 | 13,424 | ||||||||||
Preferred
Dividend
|
(104 | ) | (104 | ) | ||||||||||||
Earnings
Applicable to Common Stock
|
$ | 5,880 | 13,756 | $ | 4,103 | 13,424 | ||||||||||
Basic
EPS
|
$ | 0.43 | $ | 0.31 | ||||||||||||
Diluted:
|
||||||||||||||||
Earnings
Applicable to Common Stock
|
$ | 5,880 | 13,756 | $ | 4,103 | 13,424 | ||||||||||
$7.00
Series Preferred Dividend
|
49 | 167 | 49 | 167 | ||||||||||||
$8.00
Series Preferred Dividend
|
28 | 96 | 28 | 96 | ||||||||||||
Adjusted
Earnings Applicable to Common Stock
|
$ | 5,957 | 14,019 | $ | 4,180 | 13,687 | ||||||||||
Diluted
EPS
|
$ | 0.42 | $ | 0.31 |
Note
5 – Business Segment Data
The
Company has identified two reportable segments. One is the regulated business of
collecting, treating and distributing water on a retail and wholesale basis to
residential, commercial, industrial and fire protection customers in parts of
New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania. This segment also includes regulated
wastewater systems in New Jersey and Delaware. The Company is subject to
regulations as to its rates, services and other matters by New Jersey, Delaware
and Pennsylvania with respect to utility services within these states. The other
segment is primarily comprised of non-regulated contract services for the
operation and maintenance of municipal and private water and wastewater systems
in New Jersey and Delaware. Inter-segment transactions relating to
operational costs are treated as pass-through expenses. Finance charges on
inter-segment loan activities are based on interest rates that are below what
would normally be charged by a third party lender.
(In
Thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
June
30,
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
Operations
by Segments:
|
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||
Regulated
|
$ | 23,920 | $ | 20,489 | $ | 43,022 | $ | 38,465 | ||||||||
Non
– Regulated
|
2,729 | 2,724 | 5,355 | 5,390 | ||||||||||||
Inter-segment
Elimination
|
(111 | ) | (130 | ) | (193 | ) | (190 | ) | ||||||||
Consolidated
Revenues
|
$ | 26,538 | $ | 23,083 | $ | 48,184 | $ | 43,665 | ||||||||
Operating
Income:
|
||||||||||||||||
Regulated
|
$ | 7,390 | $ | 5,042 | $ | 10,222 | $ | 7,641 | ||||||||
Non
– Regulated
|
504 | 505 | 962 | 908 | ||||||||||||
Consolidated
Operating Income
|
$ | 7,894 | $ | 5,547 | $ | 11,184 | $ | 8,549 | ||||||||
Net
Income:
|
||||||||||||||||
Regulated
|
$ | 4,101 | $ | 2,514 | $ | 5,367 | $ | 3,600 | ||||||||
Non
– Regulated
|
323 | 332 | 617 | 607 | ||||||||||||
Consolidated
Net Income
|
$ | 4,424 | $ | 2,846 | $ | 5,984 | $ | 4,207 | ||||||||
8
(In
Thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
June
30,
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Capital
Expenditures:
|
||||||||||||||||
Regulated
|
$ | 10,500 | $ | 5,910 | $ | 15,910 | $ | 11,934 | ||||||||
Non
– Regulated
|
32 | 57 | 71 | 9 | ||||||||||||
Total
Capital Expenditures
|
$ | 10,532 | $ | 5,967 | $ | 15,981 | $ | 11,943 | ||||||||
Assets:
|
As
of
June
30,
2010
|
As
of
December
31,
2009
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||
Regulated
|
$ | 467,529 | $ | 451,734 | ||||||||||||
Non
– Regulated
|
11,070 | 11,022 | ||||||||||||||
Inter-segment
Elimination
|
(5,288 | ) | (4,670 | ) | ||||||||||||
Consolidated
Assets
|
$ | 473,311 | $ | 458,086 |
Note 6 – Short-term
Borrowings
As of
June 30, 2010, the Company has established lines of credit aggregating $58.0
million. At June 30, 2010, the outstanding borrowings under these credit lines
were $13.5 million at a weighted average interest rate of 1.45%.
The
weighted average daily amounts of borrowings outstanding under the Company’s
credit lines and the weighted average interest rates on those amounts were as
follows:
($
In Thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
June
30,
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Average
Daily Amounts Outstanding
|
$ | 31,555 | $ | 39,203 | $ | 36,614 | $ | 37,707 | ||||||||
Weighted
Average Interest Rates
|
1.69 | % | 1.67 | % | 1.61 | % | 1.85 | % |
The
maturity dates for the $13.5 million outstanding as of June 30, 2010 are as
follows: $2.0 million in July 2010 and $11.5 million in August
2010.
Interest
rates for short-term borrowings under the lines of credit are below the prime
rate with no requirement for compensating balances.
Note
7 – Commitments and Contingent Liabilities
Guarantees
USA-PA
operates the City of Perth Amboy’s (Perth Amboy) water and wastewater systems
under a service contract agreement (the Agreement) through June 30, 2018. Under
the Agreement, USA-PA receives a fixed fee and a variable fee based on increased
system billing. Scheduled fixed fee payments for 2010 are $8.4
million. The fixed fees will increase over the term of the contract
to $10.2 million.
9
In
connection with the Agreement, Perth Amboy, through the Middlesex County
Improvement Authority, issued approximately $68.0 million in three series of
bonds. In 1998, as part of Agreement negotiations, Middlesex agreed to guarantee
debt service payments on one of those series of bonds, designated the Series C
Serial Bonds, in the principal amount of approximately $26.3 million. Perth
Amboy guaranteed the two other series of bonds. The Series C Serial Bonds have
various maturity dates with the final maturity date on September 1, 2015. As of
June 30, 2010, approximately $19.7 million of the Series C Serial Bonds remained
outstanding. To date, Middlesex has not had to fund any debt service obligations
as guarantor.
We are
obligated to perform under the guarantee in the event notice is received from
the Series C Serial Bonds trustee of an impending debt service deficiency. Our
obligation in that case would be to pay scheduled debt service payments as they
come due. If Middlesex funds any debt service obligations as guarantor, there is
a provision in the agreement that requires Perth Amboy to reimburse us. There
are other provisions in the agreement that we believe make it unlikely that we
will be required to perform under the guarantee, such as scheduled annual rate
increases for water and wastewater services as well as rate increases due to
unforeseen circumstances. In the event revenues from customers could not satisfy
the reimbursement requirements, Perth Amboy has Ad Valorem taxing powers, which
could be used to raise the needed amount.
Water
Supply
Middlesex
has an agreement with the New Jersey Water Supply Authority (NJWSA) for the
purchase of untreated water through November 30, 2023, which provides for an
average purchase of 27 million gallons a day (mgd). Pricing is set annually by
the NJWSA through a public rate making process. The agreement has provisions for
additional pricing in the event Middlesex overdrafts or exceeds certain monthly
and annual thresholds.
Middlesex
also has an agreement with a non-affiliated regulated water utility for the
purchase of treated water. This agreement, which expires February 27, 2011,
provides for the minimum purchase of 3 mgd of treated water with provisions for
additional purchases.
Purchased
water costs are shown below:
(In
Thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
June
30,
|
Six
Months Ended
June
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Treated
|
$ | 712 | $ | 566 | $ | 1,431 | $ | 1,107 | ||||||||
Untreated
|
522 | 513 | 1,135 | 1,111 | ||||||||||||
Total
Costs
|
$ | 1,234 | $ | 1,079 | $ | 2,566 | $ | 2,218 |
Construction
The
Company expects to spend approximately $33.2 million on its construction program
in 2010. The actual amount and timing of capital expenditures is
dependent on customer growth, residential new home construction and sales and
project scheduling. There is no assurance that projected customer growth and
residential new home construction and sales will occur.
10
Litigation
The
Company is a defendant in lawsuits in the normal course of business. We believe
the resolution of pending claims and legal proceedings will not have a material
adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
Change in Control
Agreements
The
Company has Change in Control Agreements with certain of its officers that
provide compensation and benefits in the event of termination of employment in
connection with a change in control of the Company.
Note
8 – Employee Benefit Plans
Pension
Benefits
The
Company’s noncontributory defined benefit pension plan (the Pension Plan) covers
substantially all employees with more than 1,000 hours of service and who were
hired prior to March 31, 2007. Employees hired after March 31, 2007 are not
eligible to participate in this plan, but do participate in a defined
contribution plan that provides an annual contribution at the discretion of the
Company, based upon a percentage of the participants’ compensation. For the
three months ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, the Company made Pension Plan cash
contributions of $0.3 million and $0.6 million, respectively. For the
six months ended June 30, 2010 and 2009, the Company made Pension Plan cash
contributions of $0.6 million and $1.1 million, respectively. The
Company expects to make additional Pension Plan cash contributions of
approximately $2.4 million over the remainder of the current year. The Company
also maintains an unfunded supplemental retirement benefit plan for certain
active and retired Company Officers and currently pays $0.3 million in annual
benefits to the retired participants.
Postretirement
Benefits Other Than Pensions
The
Company’s postretirement plan other than pensions (the Other Benefits Plan)
covers substantially all of its retired employees. Employees hired after March
31, 2007 are not eligible to participate in this plan. Coverage includes
healthcare and life insurance. For the three months ended June 30, 2010 and
2009, the Company made Other Benefits Plan cash contributions of $0.4 million
and $0.2 million, respectively. For the six months ended June 30,
2010 and 2009, the Company made Other Benefits Plan cash contributions of $0.9
million and $0.5 million, respectively. The Company expects to make
additional Other Benefits Plan cash contributions of approximately $1.1 million
to the plan over the remainder of the current year.
11
The
following table sets forth information relating to the Company’s periodic costs
for its employee retirement benefit plans:
(In
Thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||
Pension Plan
|
Other Benefits Plan
|
|||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Service
Cost
|
$ | 349 | $ | 343 | $ | 256 | $ | 223 | ||||||||
Interest
Cost
|
557 | 525 | 334 | 272 | ||||||||||||
Expected
Return on Assets
|
(505 | ) | (401 | ) | (190 | ) | (149 | ) | ||||||||
Amortization
of Unrecognized Losses
|
127 | 154 | 133 | 123 | ||||||||||||
Amortization
of Unrecognized Prior Service Cost
|
2 | 2 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Amortization
of Transition Obligation
|
- | - | 34 | 34 | ||||||||||||
Net
Periodic Benefit Cost
|
$ | 530 | $ | 623 | $ | 567 | $ | 503 |
Six
Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||
Service
Cost
|
$ | 698 | $ | 686 | $ | 512 | $ | 445 | ||||||||
Interest
Cost
|
1,114 | 1,050 | 669 | 543 | ||||||||||||
Expected
Return on Assets
|
(1,010 | ) | (801 | ) | (379 | ) | (298 | ) | ||||||||
Amortization
of Unrecognized Losses
|
253 | 308 | 266 | 247 | ||||||||||||
Amortization
of Unrecognized Prior Service Cost
|
5 | 5 | - | - | ||||||||||||
Amortization
of Transition Obligation
|
- | - | 68 | 68 | ||||||||||||
Net
Periodic Benefit Cost
|
$ | 1,060 | $ | 1,248 | $ | 1,136 | $ | 1,005 |
12
The
following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company included
elsewhere herein and with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.
Forward-Looking
Statements
Certain
statements contained in this periodic report and in the documents incorporated
by reference constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933. The Company intends that these statements be covered by
the safe harbors created under those laws. These statements include,
but are not limited to:
|
-
|
statements
as to expected financial condition, performance, prospects and earnings of
the Company;
|
|
-
|
statements
regarding strategic plans for
growth;
|
|
-
|
statements
regarding the amount and timing of rate increases and other regulatory
matters, including the recovery of certain costs recorded as regulatory
assets;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to the Company’s expected liquidity needs during the upcoming fiscal
year and beyond and statements as to the sources and availability of funds
to meet its liquidity needs;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to expected rates, consumption volumes, service fees, revenues,
margins, expenses and operating
results;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to the Company’s compliance with environmental laws and regulations and
estimations of the materiality of any related
costs;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to the safety and reliability of the Company’s equipment, facilities
and operations;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to financial projections;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to the ability of the Company to pay
dividends;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to the Company’s plans to renew municipal franchises and consents in
the territories it serves;
|
|
-
|
expectations
as to the amount of cash contributions to fund the Company’s retirement
benefit plans, including statements as to anticipated discount rates and
rates of return on plan assets;
|
|
-
|
statements
as to trends; and
|
|
-
|
statements
regarding the availability and quality of our water
supply.
|
These
forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results and
outcomes include, but are not limited to:
|
-
|
the
effects of general economic
conditions;
|
|
-
|
increases
in competition in the markets served by the
Company;
|
|
-
|
the
ability of the Company to control operating expenses and to achieve
efficiencies in its operations;
|
|
-
|
the
availability of adequate supplies of
water;
|
|
-
|
actions
taken by government regulators, including decisions on rate increase
requests;
|
|
-
|
new
or additional water quality
standards;
|
|
-
|
weather
variations and other natural
phenomena;
|
|
-
|
the
existence of financially attractive acquisition candidates and the risks
involved in pursuing those
acquisitions;
|
|
-
|
acts
of war or terrorism;
|
|
-
|
significant
changes in the housing starts in
Delaware;
|
|
-
|
the
availability and cost of capital
resources;
|
|
-
|
the
ability to translate Preliminary Survey & Investigation charges into
viable projects; and
|
|
-
|
other
factors discussed elsewhere in this quarterly
report.
|
13
Many of
these factors are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict. Given
these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statements, which only speak to the Company’s understanding as
of the date of this report. The Company does not undertake any obligation to
release publicly any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances after the date of this report or to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable
securities laws.
For an
additional discussion of factors that may affect the Company’s business and
results of operations, see Item 1A. - Risk Factors in the Company’s Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009.
Overview
Middlesex
has operated as a water utility in New Jersey since 1897, in Delaware, through
our wholly-owned subsidiary, Tidewater, since 1992 and in Pennsylvania, through
our wholly-owned subsidiary, Twin Lakes, since 2009. We are in the business of
collecting, treating, distributing and selling water for domestic, commercial,
municipal, industrial and fire protection purposes. We also operate a New Jersey
municipal water and wastewater system under contract and provide wastewater
services in New Jersey and Delaware through our subsidiaries. We are regulated
as to the rates charged to customers for water and wastewater services, as to
the quality of water service we provide and as to certain other
matters. We are regulated in New Jersey by the New NJBPU, in Delaware
by the DEPSC, and in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Public Utilities
Commission. Only our USA, USA-PA and White Marsh subsidiaries are not
regulated utilities.
Our
Middlesex System provides water services to approximately 59,800 retail
customers, primarily in central New Jersey. The Middlesex System also provides
water service under contract to municipalities in central New Jersey with a
total population of approximately 303,000. Through our subsidiary, USA-PA, we
operate the water supply system and wastewater system for the City of Perth
Amboy, New Jersey. Our other New Jersey subsidiaries, Pinelands Water and
Pinelands Wastewater, provide water and wastewater services to residents in
Southampton Township, New Jersey. Our USA subsidiary offers
residential customers in New Jersey and Delaware a service line maintenance
program called LineCareSM.
Our
Delaware subsidiaries, Tidewater and Southern Shores, provide water services to
approximately 33,200 retail customers in New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties,
Delaware. Our TESI subsidiary provides regulated wastewater service to
approximately 1,900 residential retail customers in Delaware. Our White Marsh
subsidiary serves an additional 7,200 customers under unregulated operating
contracts with various owners of small water and wastewater systems in Kent and
Sussex Counties.
Our Twin Lakes subsidiary provides
water system services to 120 retail customers in Shohola,
Pennsylvania.
The
majority of our revenue is generated from retail and contract water services to
customers in our service areas. We record water service revenue as
such service is rendered and include estimates for amounts unbilled at the end
of the period for services provided after the last billing cycle. Fixed service
charges are billed in advance by our subsidiary, Tidewater, and are recognized
in revenue as the service is provided.
Our
ability to increase operating income and net income is based significantly on
four factors: weather, adequate and timely rate relief, effective cost
management, and customer growth. These factors are evident in the discussions
below which compare our results of operations with prior
periods.
14
Recent
Developments
In June
2010, the Company sold and issued 1,915,000 shares of its common stock in a
public offering priced at $15.21 per share. The net proceeds of
approximately $27.8 million were used to repay certain of the Company’s
short-term debt outstanding.
In March
2010, Middlesex’s application with the NJBPU seeking permission to increase its
base water rates was partially approved, granting an increase in annual
operating revenues of 13.57%, or $7.8 million. The base water rate
increase request was made to seek recovery of increased costs of operations,
chemicals and fuel, electricity, taxes, labor and benefits, decreases in
industrial and commercial customer demand patterns, as well as capital
investment. The new base water rates are designed to recover these
increased costs, as well as a return on invested capital in rate base of $180.3
million, based on a return on common equity of 10.30%.
Effective
July 1, 2010, Tidewater’s DSIC was reduced to 1.07% from 1.11%. DSIC
is a DEPSC approved rate-mechanism that allows water utilities to recover
investment in non-revenue producing capital improvements to the water system
between base rate proceedings.
Outlook
Our
revenues are expected to increase in 2010 as compared to 2009 from the full
year’s effect of base water rate increases granted to Tidewater during 2009, the
current year implementation of a DSIC in our Tidewater system and the March 2010
base water rate increase granted to Middlesex.
In
addition to changes in rates we charge our customers, revenues and, ultimately,
earnings may also be influenced by weather. These changes, as well as increases
in capital expenditures and operating costs, are the primary factors in
determining the need for future rate increase requests. We continue
to implement plans to streamline operations and reduce operating
costs.
Ongoing
economic conditions continue to negatively impact our customers’ water
consumption, particularly the level of water usage by our commercial and
industrial customers in our Middlesex system. We are unable to
determine when these customers’ aggregate water demands may return to previous
levels, or if a reduced level of demand will continue
indefinitely. The decrease in demand by our commercial and industrial
customers in our Middlesex system was one of the factors that precipitated our
Middlesex rate request. Middlesex was given recognition in that
proceeding for the decrease in demand.
As a
result of ongoing challenging economic conditions impacting the pace of new
residential home construction, there may be an increase in the amount of
Preliminary Survey & Investigation costs that will not be currently
recoverable in rates. In addition, the impact of the depressed
national and local economies on the residential housing market had resulted in
the suspension of construction activities on the North Carolina water and
wastewater facility we had intended to own and operate. We are not obligated to
assume ownership of the facilities until completion of construction by the
present owner and until homes are occupied and customers are connected. We
entered into this agreement in 2008 and have invested approximately $0.7
million. Given the continued effect of the economy on the pace of new housing
construction, we did not expect construction on this project to resume in a
timeframe acceptable to us. We therefore elected to exercise our
rights under the agreement to seek recovery of our investment.
As a
result of the sale of common stock in June 2010, the Company expects its average
level of short term borrowing to be lower in 2010 as compared to
2009.
15
The
return on assets held in our retirement benefit plans during 2009 resulted in an
increase in the amount available to fund current and future obligations and has
helped stabilize retirement plan benefit expenses and retirement plan cash
contributions in 2010.
Our
strategy includes continued revenue growth through acquisitions, internal
expansion, contract operations and when necessary, rate relief. We will continue
to pursue opportunities in both the regulated and non-regulated sectors that we
believe complement existing capabilities and ultimately increase shareholder
value.
Operating
Results by Segment
The
discussion of the Company’s operating results is on a consolidated basis and
includes significant factors by subsidiary. The Company has two operating
segments, Regulated and Non-Regulated.
The
segments in the tables included below consist of the following companies:
Regulated-Middlesex, Tidewater, Pinelands, Southern Shores, TESI and Twin Lakes;
Non-Regulated- USA, USA-PA, and White Marsh.
Results
of Operations – Three Months Ended June 30, 2010
(In
Thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Three Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Regulated
|
Non-
Regulated
|
Total
|
Regulated
|
Non-
Regulated
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 23,809 | $ | 2,729 | $ | 26,538 | $ | 20,489 | $ | 2,594 | $ | 23,083 | ||||||||||||
Operations
and maintenance expenses
|
11,452 | 2,124 | 13,576 | 10,898 | 1,995 | 12,893 | ||||||||||||||||||
Depreciation
expense
|
2,199 | 37 | 2,236 | 2,076 | 35 | 2,111 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other
taxes
|
2,768 | 64 | 2,832 | 2,473 | 59 | 2,532 | ||||||||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
7,390 | 504 | 7,894 | 5,042 | 505 | 5,547 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other
income, net
|
430 | 74 | 504 | 293 | 91 | 384 | ||||||||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
1,844 | 38 | 1,882 | 1,713 | 53 | 1,766 | ||||||||||||||||||
Income
taxes
|
1,875 | 217 | 2,092 | 1,108 | 211 | 1,319 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 4,101 | $ | 323 | $ | 4,424 | $ | 2,514 | $ | 332 | $ | 2,846 |
Operating
Revenues
Operating
revenues for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased $3.5 million from
the same period in 2009. This increase was primarily related to the
following factors:
|
·
|
Revenues
in our Middlesex System increased $2.3 million, primarily as a result of
the following:
|
|
§
|
Contract
Sales to Municipalities increased by $0.9 million from higher demand and
the March 2010 base rate increase;
|
|
§
|
Sales
to General Metered Service (GMS) customers, which includes residential,
commercial and industrial classes of customers increased by $0.7 million,
primarily from the effects of the March 2010 base water rate increase
($1.0 million) offset by decreased consumption ($0.3
million). Water consumption by our industrial customer class
was below the historical average. We are unable to determine when these
customers’ water demands may return to previous levels, or if the decline
in demand will continue indefinitely;
and
|
16
|
§
|
Facilities
Charges increased by $0.7 million, primarily from the March 2010 rate
increase.
|
|
·
|
Revenues
from our Tidewater system increased $1.1 million, primarily as a result of
the following:
|
|
§
|
Higher
demand by our GMS customers ($0.9
million);
|
|
§
|
A
contract to temporarily provide water to the Dover Air Force Base ($0.2
million);
|
|
§
|
New
customer growth and connection fees added $0.1 million of revenue;
and
|
§
|
All
other revenue categories decreased $0.1
million.
|
|
·
|
Additional
services provided by White Marsh under our non-regulated contracts
increased revenues by $0.1 million.
|
Operation
and Maintenance Expense
Operation
and maintenance expenses for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.7
million from the same period in 2009. This increase was primarily related to the
following factors:
|
·
|
Increased
materials and supply and outside contractor costs of $0.1 million due to
residual costs related to the higher incidence of winter weather-related
water main breaks in our Middlesex
system;
|
|
·
|
Increased
purchased water costs of $0.2 million in our Middlesex system, primarily
from the aforementioned increased customer
demands;
|
|
·
|
Increased
licensing and service costs of $0.2 million from the implementation of a
Company-wide enterprise resource planning system in 2010;
and
|
|
·
|
All
other operating and maintenance expense categories increased $0.2
million.
|
Depreciation
Depreciation
expense for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.1 million from the
same period in 2009 due to a higher level of utility plant in
service.
Other Taxes
Other
taxes for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.3 million from the
same period in 2009, primarily due to increased gross receipts and franchise
taxes on higher taxable gross revenues in our Middlesex system.
Other
Income, net
Other
Income, net for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.1 million
from the same
period in 2009, due mostly to an increase in Allowance for Funds Used During
Construction (AFUDC) on longer term projects that were actively under
construction during the current year period.
Interest
Charges
Interest
charges for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.1 million
from the same
period in 2009, primarily due to increased average levels of debt outstanding in
the second quarter of 2010 as compared to the second quarter of
2009.
17
Income
Taxes
Income
taxes for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.8 million from the same period in 2009,
as a result of higher taxable income for the three months ended June 30, 2010 as
compared to the same period in 2009.
Net
Income and Earnings Per Share
Favorable
results for the three months ended June 30, 2010 increased net income by $1.6
million when compared to the same period in 2009. Basic and diluted earnings per
share increased to $0.31 for the three months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to
$0.21 for the three months ended June 30, 2009. The increase in
earnings per share for the three months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to the
same period in 2009 was tempered by an increase in the average number of common
shares outstanding after the Company’s sale of 1.9 million shares of common
stock in June 2010.
Results
of Operations – Six Months Ended June 30, 2010
(In
Thousands)
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010
|
2009
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Regulated
|
Non-
Regulated
|
Total
|
Regulated
|
Non-
Regulated
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 42,829 | $ | 5,355 | $ | 48,184 | $ | 38,465 | $ | 5,200 | $ | 43,665 | ||||||||||||
Operations
and maintenance expenses
|
22,991 | 4,179 | 27,170 | 21,835 | 4,101 | 25,936 | ||||||||||||||||||
Depreciation
expense
|
4,361 | 78 | 4,439 | 4,125 | 71 | 4,196 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other
taxes
|
5,254 | 137 | 5,391 | 4,864 | 120 | 4,984 | ||||||||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
10,223 | 961 | 11,184 | 7,641 | 908 | 8,549 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other
income, net
|
800 | 149 | 949 | 604 | 188 | 792 | ||||||||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
3,227 | 79 | 3,306 | 3,049 | 109 | 3,158 | ||||||||||||||||||
Income
taxes
|
2,429 | 414 | 2,843 | 1,596 | 380 | 1,976 | ||||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 5,367 | $ | 617 | $ | 5,984 | $ | 3,600 | $ | 607 | $ | 4,207 |
Operating
Revenues
Operating
revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased $4.5 million from the
same period in 2009. This increase was primarily related to the
following factors:
|
·
|
Revenues
in our Middlesex System increased $2.7 million, primarily as a result of
the following:
|
|
§
|
Contract
Sales to Municipalities increased by $1.2 million due to higher demand and
the March 2010 rate increase;
|
|
§
|
Sales
to GMS Customers increased by $0.3 million from the implementation of the
March 2010 base water rate increase ($1.0 million), offset by decreased
consumption ($0.7 million). Water consumption in our commercial
and industrial customer classes were below the historical average. We are
unable to determine when these customers’ water demands may return to
previous levels, or if the decline in demand will continue
indefinitely;
|
|
§
|
Facilities
Charges increased by $1.1 million from the March 2010 rate increase;
|
18
|
§
|
Revenues
of $0.2 million were recorded from a NJBPU approved purchased water
adjustment clause (PWAC). The PWAC was in effect from July 2009
through March 2010; and
|
§
|
All
other revenue categories decreased $0.1
million.
|
|
·
|
Revenues
in our Tidewater system increased $1.7 million primarily from the
following:
|
§ Higher
demand by our GMS customers ($1.0 million);
|
§
|
Increased
base water rates that went into effect during 2009 ($0.4
million);
|
|
§
|
A
contract to temporarily provide water to the Dover Air Force Base ($0.2
million); and
|
|
§
|
New
customer growth and connection fees added $0.1 million of
revenue.
|
|
·
|
Additional
services provided by White Marsh under our non-regulated contracts
increased revenues by $0.1 million.
|
Operation
and Maintenance Expense
Operation
and maintenance expenses for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased $1.2
million from the same period in 2009. This increase was primarily related to the
following factors:
|
·
|
Increased
materials and supply and outside contractor costs of $0.4 million due to
costs related to the higher incidence of winter weather-related water main
breaks in our Middlesex system;
|
|
·
|
Increased
purchased water costs of $0.4 million in our Middlesex system, primarily
from the aforementioned increased customer
demand;
|
|
·
|
Increased
licensing and service costs of $0.2 million from the implementation of a
Company-wide enterprise resource planning system in 2010;
and
|
|
·
|
All
other operating and maintenance expense categories increased $0.2
million.
|
Depreciation
Depreciation
expense for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.2 million from the
same period in 2009 due to a higher level of utility plant in
service.
Other Taxes
Other
taxes for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.4 million from the
same period in 2009, primarily due to increased gross receipts and franchise
taxes on higher taxable gross revenues in our Middlesex system.
Interest
Charges
Interest
charges for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.1 million from the same period in
2009, primarily due to increased average levels of debt outstanding in 2010 as
compared to 2009.
Other
Income, net
Other
Income, net for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.2 million
from the same
period in 2009, due mostly to an increase in AFUDC on longer term projects that
were actively under construction during the current year.
19
Income
Taxes
Income
taxes for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased $0.9 million from the same period in 2009,
as a result of higher taxable income in 2010 as compared to 2009.
Net
Income and Earnings Per Share
Favorable
results for the six months ended June 30, 2010 increased net income by $1.8
million from the same period in 2009. Basic earnings per share increased to
$0.43 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to $0.31 for the six
months ended June 30, 2009. Diluted earnings per share increased to
$0.42 for the six months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to $0.31 for the six
months ended June 30, 2009. The increase in earnings per share for
the six months ended June 30, 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009 was
tempered by an increase in the average number of common shares outstanding after
the Company’s sale of 1.9 million shares of common stock in June
2010.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Operating
Cash Flows
Cash
flows from operations are largely based on four factors: weather, adequate and
timely rate increases, effective cost management and customer growth. The effect
of those factors on net income is discussed in results of
operations.
For the
six months ended June 30, 2010, cash flows from operating activities increased
$4.4 million to $11.8 million. Increased earnings and the timing of certain tax
and operating payments were the primary reasons for the increase in cash
flow. The $11.8 million of net cash flow from operations enabled us
to fund approximately 74% of our utility plant expenditures internally for the
period.
Capital
Expenditures and Commitments
To fund
our capital program, we use internally generated funds, short-term and long-term
debt borrowings and, when market conditions are favorable, proceeds from sales
of common stock under our DRP and common stock offerings. See below
for a more detailed discussion regarding the funding of our capital
program.
The
capital spending program for 2010 is currently estimated to be $33.2
million. Through June 30, 2010, we have expended $15.9 million and
expect to incur approximately $17.3 million for capital projects for the
remainder of 2010.
We
currently project that we may be required to expend approximately $55.0 million
for capital projects in 2011 and 2012. The exact amount is dependent on customer
growth, residential housing sales, project scheduling and refinement of
engineering estimates for certain capital projects.
To fund
our capital program for the remainder of 2010, we plan on
utilizing:
|
·
|
Internally
generated funds
|
|
·
|
Proceeds
from the sale of common stock through the
DRP
|
|
·
|
Funds
available and held in trust under existing New Jersey SRF loans
(currently, $3.5 million) and Delaware SRF loans (currently, $2.4
million). The SRF programs provide low cost financing for projects that
meet certain water quality and system improvement
benchmarks.
|
20
|
·
|
Short-term
borrowings, if necessary, through $58.0 million of available lines of
credit with several financial institutions. At June 30, 2010,
the outstanding borrowings under these credit lines had been reduced to
$13.5 million as a result of using the $27.8 million of proceeds from the
June 2010 common stock offering and sale of 1.9 million shares of our
common stock.
|
Recent Accounting
Pronouncements – See Note 1 of the Notes to Unaudited Condensed
Consolidated Financial Statements for a discussion of recent accounting
pronouncements.
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures of Market
Risk
The
Company is subject to the risk of fluctuating interest rates in the normal
course of business. Our policy is to manage interest rates through
the use of fixed rate long-term debt and, to a lesser extent, short-term
debt. The Company’s interest rate risk related to existing fixed
rate, long-term debt is not material due to the term of the majority of our
First Mortgage Bonds, which have final maturity dates ranging from 2018 to
2038. Over the next twelve months, approximately $1.9 million of the
current portion of 29 existing long-term debt instruments will mature. Applying
a hypothetical change in the rate of interest charged by 10% on those
borrowings, would not have a material effect on our earnings.
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
As
required by Rule 13a-15 under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the
Exchange Act), an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of
the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures was conducted by the Company’s
Chief Executive Officer along with the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. Based
upon that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s
Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and
procedures are effective as of the end of the period covered by this
Report.
Disclosure
controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to
ensure that information required to be disclosed in Company reports filed or
submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported, within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange
Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include,
without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed in Company reports filed under the Exchange Act is
accumulated and communicated to management, including the Company’s Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer as appropriate, to allow timely
decisions regarding disclosure.
Material
Change in Internal Controls
In the
second quarter of 2010, the Company implemented the fixed asset, inventory,
procurement, billing and customer information modules of an enterprise resource
planning (ERP) system. As previously disclosed, the Company had
implemented the general ledger and human resources modules of the ERP system in
the first quarter of 2010.
21
The
implementation of the fixed asset, inventory, procurement, billing and customer
information modules and the related workflow changes have resulted in material
changes to the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting (as that
term is defined in Rule 13(a)-15 under the Exchange Act). In
connection with the implementation of the fixed asset, inventory, procurement,
billing and customer information modules, the Company is continuing to replace
and supplement existing internal controls over financial reporting, as
appropriate. The decision to implement the ERP system was made to
improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our management and financial
reporting systems and was not made in response to any actual or perceived
deficiencies in the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting.
We
continually review our disclosure controls and procedures and make changes, as
necessary, to ensure the quality of our financial reporting. Other
than the changes made related to the implementation of the fixed asset,
inventory, procurement, billing and customer information modules and the related
work flow changes, there have been no changes in internal control over financial
reporting that occurred in the second quarter of 2010 that have materially
affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s internal
control over financial reporting.
22
PART
II. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
The
information about risk factors does not differ materially from those set forth
in Part I, Item 1A. of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2009.
None.
None.
Item
4.
|
Removed
and Reserved
|
None.
|
|
Item
6.
|
Exhibits |
4.10 | By-laws of the Company, as amended. |
31.1
|
Section
302 Certification by Dennis W. Doll pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 of
the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
|
31.2
|
Section
302 Certification by A. Bruce O’Connor pursuant to Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14
of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
|
32.1
|
Section
906 Certification by Dennis W. Doll pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
32.2
|
Section
906 Certification by A. Bruce O’Connor pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as
adopted pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002.
|
23
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
MIDDLESEX
WATER COMPANY
|
||
By:
|
/s/A. Bruce O’Connor
|
|
A.
Bruce O’Connor
|
||
Vice
President and
|
||
Chief
Financial Officer
|
||
(Principal
Accounting Officer)
|
Date: July 30, 2010
24