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NextDecade Corp. - Quarter Report: 2020 March (Form 10-Q)

next20200331_10q.htm
 

 

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UNITED STATES

 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(MARK ONE)

 

      QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2020

 

      TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from                    to                    

 

Commission File No. 001-36842

 

NEXTDECADE CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

    

 

46-5723951

(State or other jurisdiction of

   

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation or organization)

   

Identification No.)

 

1000 Louisiana Street, Suite 3900, Houston, Texas 77002

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

(713) 574-1880

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class:

    

Trading Symbol

    

Name of each exchange on which registered:

Common Stock, $0.0001 par value

 

NEXT

 

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

 


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 ☒  No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒   No ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

☐    

Smaller reporting company

 

Emerging growth company

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.    ☒

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐  No ☒

 

As of May 13, 2020, the issuer had 120,623,534 shares of common stock outstanding.



 

 

 

NEXTDECADE CORPORATION

 

FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED March 31, 2020

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

Organizational Structure

 
   

Part I. Financial Information

1

Item 1. Consolidated Financial Statements

1

Consolidated Balance Sheets

1

Consolidated Statements of Operations

2

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity, Series A and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

3

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

4

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

5

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

11

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

16

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

16

Part II. Other Information

17

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

17

Item 1A. Risk Factors

17

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

18

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities

18

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

18

Item 5. Other Information

18

Item 6. Exhibits

19

Signatures

20

 

 

 

 

Organizational Structure

 

The following diagram depicts our abbreviated organizational structure as of March 31, 2020 with references to the names of certain entities discussed in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

 

 

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “NextDecade,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to NextDecade Corporation (NASDAQ: NEXT) and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

 
 

 

PART I – FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Financial Statements.

 

NextDecade Corporation

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Assets

               

Current assets

               

Cash and cash equivalents

  $ 58,279     $ 15,736  

Investment securities

          62,207  

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

    1,079       859  

Total current assets

    59,358       78,802  

Property, plant and equipment, net

    146,012       134,591  

Operating lease right-of-use assets, net

    730       1,054  

Other non-current assets, net

    12,677       6,748  

Total assets

  $ 218,777     $ 221,195  
                 

Liabilities, Series A and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders’ Equity

               

Current liabilities

               

Accounts payable

  $ 3,873     $ 11,912  

Share-based compensation liability

    182       182  

Accrued liabilities and other current liabilities

    8,749       8,751  

Current operating lease liabilities

    430       698  

Total current liabilities

    13,234       21,543  

Non-current Common Stock Warrant liabilities

    3,696       12,034  

Non-current operating lease liabilities

          3  
Other non-current liabilities     15,000        

Total liabilities

    31,930       33,580  
                 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 13)

               
                 

Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, $1,000 per share liquidation preference Issued and outstanding: 59,954 shares and 58,197 shares at March 31, 2020 and Balance at December 31, 2019, respectively

    49,917       48,084  

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, $1,000 per share liquidation preference Issued and outstanding: 57,318 shares and 55,645 shares at March 31, 2020 and Balance at December 31, 2019, respectively

    51,487       49,814  
                 

Stockholders’ equity

               

Common stock, $0.0001 par value Authorized: 480.0 million shares at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 Issued and outstanding: 117.4 million shares and 117.3 million shares at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively

    12       12  

Treasury stock: 149,167 shares and 137,860 shares at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, at cost

    (742 )     (685 )

Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value Authorized: 0.9 million, after designation of the Series A and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock Issued and outstanding: none at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019

           

Additional paid-in-capital

    218,972       224,091  

Accumulated deficit

    (132,799 )     (133,701 )

Total stockholders’ equity

    85,443       89,717  

Total liabilities, Series A and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock and stockholders’ equity

  $ 218,777     $ 221,195  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

NextDecade Corporation

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

 

   

Three Months Ended

 
   

March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Revenues

  $     $  

Operating Expenses

               

General and administrative expenses

    6,814       12,019  

Land option and lease expenses

    411       428  

Depreciation expense

    16       41  

Total operating expenses

    7,241       12,488  

Total operating loss

    (7,241 )     (12,488 )

Other income (expense)

               

Gain (loss) on Common Stock Warrant liabilities

    8,339       (197 )
Loss on redemption of investment securities     (412 )      

Interest income, net

    233       466  

Other

    (17 )     176  

Total other income

    8,143       445  

Net income (loss) attributable to NextDecade Corporation

    902       (12,043 )

Preferred stock dividends

    (3,443 )     (4,972 )

Deemed dividends on Series A Convertible Preferred Stock

    (76 )     (551 )

Net loss attributable to common stockholders

  $ (2,617 )   $ (17,566 )
                 

Net loss per common share - basic and diluted

  $ (0.02 )   $ (0.16 )
                 

Weighted average shares outstanding - basic and diluted

    117,353       106,940  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

NextDecade Corporation

Consolidated Statement of Stockholders Equity, Series A and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

 
   

Common Stock

   

Treasury Stock

                   

Accumulated

           

Series A

   

Series B

 
           

Par

                   

Additional

           

Other

   

Total

   

Convertible

   

Convertible

 
           

Value

                   

Paid-in

   

Accumulated

   

Comprehensive

   

Stockholders’

   

Preferred

   

Preferred

 
   

Shares

   

Amount

   

Shares

   

Amount

   

Capital

   

Deficit

   

Loss

   

Equity

   

Stock

   

Stock

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

    117,329     $ 12       137     $ (685 )   $ 224,091     $ (133,701 )   $     $ 89,717     $ 48,084     $ 49,814  

Share-based compensation

                            (1,600 )                 (1,600 )            

Restricted stock vesting

    70                                                        

Shares repurchased related to share-based compensation

    (11 )           11       (57 )                       (57 )            

Preferred stock dividends

                            (3,443 )                 (3,443 )     1,757       1,673  

Deemed dividends - accretion of beneficial conversion feature

                            (76 )                 (76 )     76        

Net income

                                  902             902              

Balance at March 31, 2020

    117,388     $ 12       148     $ (742 )   $ 218,972     $ (132,799 )   $     $ 85,443     $ 49,917     $ 51,487  

 

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019

 
   

Common Stock

   

Treasury Stock

                   

Accumulated

           

Series A

   

Series B

 
           

Par

                   

Additional

           

Other

   

Total

   

Convertible

   

Convertible

 
           

Value

                   

Paid-in

   

Accumulated

   

Comprehensive

   

Stockholders’

   

Preferred

   

Preferred

 
   

Shares

   

Amount

   

Shares

   

Amount

   

Capital

   

Deficit

   

Loss

   

Equity

   

Stock

   

Stock

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

    106,856     $ 11       6     $ (35 )   $ 180,862     $ (97,617 )   $     $ 83,221     $ 40,091     $ 26,159  

Adoption of ASC Topic 842

                                  (213 )           (213 )            

Adoption of ASU 2018-07

                            2,116                   2,116              

Share-based compensation

                            5,884                   5,884              

Restricted stock vesting

    180                         495                   495              

Shares repurchased related to share-based compensation

    (65 )           65       (260 )                       (260 )            

Preferred stock dividends

                            (4,972 )                 (4,972 )     3,133       1,819  

Deemed dividends - accretion of beneficial conversion feature

                            (551 )                 (551 )     551        

Net loss

                                  (12,043 )           (12,043 )            

Balance at March 31, 2019

    106,971     $ 11       71     $ (295 )   $ 183,834     $ (109,873 )   $     $ 73,677     $ 43,775     $ 27,978  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

NextDecade Corporation.

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

 

   

Three Months Ended

 
   

March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Operating activities:

               

Net income (loss) attributable to NextDecade Corporation

  $ 902     $ (12,043 )

Adjustment to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities

               

Depreciation

   

16

      41  

Share-based compensation expense (forfeiture)

    (1,860 )     5,338  

Gain (loss) on Common Stock Warrant liabilities

    (8,339 )     197  

Gain on investment securities

          (184 )

Realized loss (gain) on investment securities

    423       (11 )

Amortization of right-of-use assets

    324       184  

Amortization of other non-current assets

    177        

Changes in operating assets and liabilities:

               

Prepaid expenses

    (218 )     (471 )

Accounts payable

    (28 )     295  

Operating lease liabilities

    (271 )     (205 )

Accrued expenses and other liabilities

    (5,364 )     (1,148 )

Net cash used in operating activities

    (14,238 )     (8,007 )

Investing activities:

               

Acquisition of property, plant and equipment

    (13,826 )     (5,883 )

Acquisition of other non-current assets

    (6,107 )      

Proceeds from sale of investment securities

    61,972       17,000  

Purchase of investment securities

    (188 )     (439 )

Net cash provided by investing activities

    41,851       10,678  

Financing activities:

               

Proceeds from sale of Rio Bravo

    15,000        

Preferred stock dividends

    (13 )     (11 )

Shares repurchased related to share-based compensation

    (57 )     (260 )

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    14,930       (271 )

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

    42,543       2,400  

Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period

    15,736       3,169  

Cash and cash equivalents – end of period

  $ 58,279     $ 5,569  
                 

Non-cash investing activities:

               

Accounts payable for acquisition of property, plant and equipment

  $ 3,341     $ 864  

Accrued liabilities for acquisition of property, plant and equipment

    7,862       1,091  

Non-cash financing activities:

               

Paid-in-kind dividends on Series A and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

    3,430       2,491  

Dividends payable on Series A and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock charged to additional paid-in capital

          2,481  

Accretion of deemed dividends on Series A Convertible Preferred Stock

    76       551  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

 

 

NextDecade Corporation

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(unaudited)

 

 

Note 1 — Background and Basis of Presentation

 

NextDecade Corporation engages in development activities related to the liquefaction and sale of liquefied natural gas (“LNG”). We have focused and continue to focus our development activities on the Rio Grande LNG terminal facility at the Port of Brownsville in southern Texas (the “Terminal”). We also have executed surface lease agreements with the City of Texas City and the State of Texas for a 994-acre site for another potential LNG terminal (the “Galveston Bay Terminal”).

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. In our opinion, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring items, which are considered necessary for a fair presentation of the unaudited consolidated financial statements, have been included. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year.

 

Certain reclassifications have been made to conform prior period information to the current presentation.  The reclassifications did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

 

Note 2 — Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets

 

Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Prepaid subscriptions

  $ 238     $ 161  

Prepaid insurance

    162       292  

Prepaid marketing and sponsorships

    194       25  

Other

    485       381  

Total prepaid expenses and other current assets

  $ 1,079     $ 859  

 

 

Note 3 — Investment Securities

 

We previously invested in Class L shares of the JPMorgan Managed Income Fund. The JPMorgan Managed Income Fund has an average maturity of approximately one year, duration of approximately six months, and approximately 24% of such fund’s holdings are AAA-rated with 0% non-investment grade rated.  In March 2020, we redeemed the balance of the JPMorgan Managed Income Fund and realized a loss of $0.4 million.

 

Investment securities consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 
   

Fair value

   

Cost

   

Fair value

   

Cost

 

JPMorgan Managed Income Fund

  $     $     $ 62,207     $ 62,178  

 

 

 

 

 

Note 4 — Sale of Equity Interests in Rio Bravo

 

On March 2, 2020, NextDecade LLC closed the transactions (the Closing”) contemplated by that certain Omnibus Agreement, dated February 13, 2020, with Spectra Energy Transmission II, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. (“Buyer”), pursuant to which NextDecade LLC sold one hundred percent of the equity interests (the “Equity Interests”) in Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC (“Rio Bravo”) to Buyer in consideration of (i) approximately $17.4 million plus (ii) the amount of direct and indirect costs incurred by Rio Bravo, the Company or any of its other affiliates in respect of the proposed Rio Bravo Pipeline, the 137-mile interstate natural gas pipeline (the “Pipeline”) being developed by Rio Bravo to supply natural gas to the Terminal, from October 1, 2019 through the Closing (the “Purchase Price”); provided, that the Purchase Price may not exceed $25 million. Buyer paid $15.0 million of the Purchase Price to NextDecade LLC at the Closing and the remainder will be paid within five business days after the date that Rio Grande has received, after a final positive investment decision, the initial funding of financing for the development, construction and operation of the Terminal. In connection with the Closing, Rio Grande LNG Gas Supply LLC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company ("Rio Grande Gas Supply"), entered into (i) a Precedent Agreement for Firm Natural Gas Transportation Service for the Rio Bravo Pipeline (the “RBPL Precedent Agreement”) with Rio Bravo and (ii) a Precedent Agreement for Natural Gas Transportation Service (the “VCP Precedent Agreement”) with Valley Crossing Pipeline, LLC (“VCP”). VCP and, as of the Closing, Rio Bravo are wholly owned subsidiaries of Enbridge Inc. The Valley Crossing Pipeline is owned and operated by VCP.

 

Pursuant to the RBPL Precedent Agreement, Rio Bravo agreed to provide Rio Grande Gas Supply with firm natural gas transportation services on the Pipeline in a quantity sufficient to match the full operational capacity of each proposed liquefaction train of the Terminal. Rio Bravo’s obligation to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the Pipeline is conditioned on its receipt, no later than December 31, 2023, of notice that Rio Grande Gas Supply or its affiliate has issued a full notice to proceed to the engineering, procurement and construction contractor (the “EPC Contractor”) for the construction of the Terminal. Under the RBPL Precedent Agreement, in consideration for the provision of such firm transportation services, Rio Bravo will be remunerated on a dollar-per-dekatherm, take-or-pay basis, subject to certain adjustments, over a term of at least twenty years, all in compliance with the federal and state authorizations associated with the Pipeline.

 

Pursuant to the VCP Precedent Agreement, VCP agreed to provide Rio Grande Gas Supply with natural gas transportation services on the Valley Crossing Pipeline in a quantity sufficient to match the commissioning requirements of each proposed liquefaction train of the Terminal. VCP’s obligation to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the necessary interconnection to the Terminal and the Pipeline is conditioned on its receipt, no later than December 31, 2023, of notice that Rio Grande Gas Supply or its affiliate has issued a full notice to proceed to the EPC Contractor for the construction of the Terminal. VCP will be responsible, at its sole cost and expense, to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the tap, riser and valve facilities (the “VCP Transporter Facilities”), which shall connect to Rio Grande Gas Supply’s custody transfer meter and such other facilities as necessary in order for the Terminal to receive gas from the VCP Transporter Facilities (the “Rio Grande Gas Supply Facilities”). Rio Grande Gas Supply will be responsible, at its sole cost and expense, to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the Rio Grande Gas Supply Facilities. Under the VCP Precedent Agreement, in consideration for the provision of the commissioning transportation services, VCP will be remunerated on the same dollar-per-dekatherm, take-or-pay basis as set forth in the RBPL Precedent Agreement for the duration of such commissioning services, all in compliance with the federal and state authorizations associated with the Valley Crossing Pipeline.

 

If Rio Grande or its affiliate fail to issue a full notice to proceed to the EPC Contractor on or prior to December 31, 2023, Buyer has the right to sell the Equity Interests back to NextDecade LLC and NextDecade LLC has the right to repurchase the Equity Interests from Buyer, in each case at a price not to exceed $23 million. Accordingly, the proceeds from the sale of the Equity Interests are presented as a non-current liability and the assets of Rio Bravo have not been de-recognized in the consolidated balance sheets at March 31, 2020.

 

 

Note 5 — Property, Plant and Equipment

 

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Fixed Assets

               

Computers

  $ 487     $ 487  

Furniture, fixtures, and equipment

    464       471  

Leasehold improvements

    429       547  

Total fixed assets

    1,380       1,505  

Less: accumulated depreciation

    (808 )     (793 )

Total fixed assets, net

    572       712  

Project Assets (not placed in service)

               

Terminal

    132,339       121,081  

Pipeline

    13,101       12,798  

Total Terminal and Pipeline assets

    145,440       133,879  

Total property, plant and equipment, net

  $ 146,012     $ 134,591  

 

Depreciation expense for each of the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was $16 thousand and $41 thousand, respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note 6 — Leases

 

Our leased assets primarily consist of office space and land sites. 

 

Operating lease right-of-use assets are as follows (in thousands):

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Office leases

  $ 393     $ 610  

Land leases

    337       444  

Total operating lease right-of-use assets, net

  $ 730     $ 1,054  

 

 

Operating lease liabilities are as follows (in thousands):

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Office leases

  $ 430     $ 698  

Land leases

           

Total current lease liabilities

    430       698  

Non-current office leases

          3  

Non-current land leases

           

Total lease liabilities

  $ 430     $ 701  

 

Operating lease expense is as follows (in thousands):

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Office leases

  $ 205     $ 116  

Land leases

    107       120  

Total operating lease expense

    312       236  

Short-term lease expense

    91       32  

Land option expense

    8       160  

Total land option and lease expense

  $ 411     $ 428  

 

Maturity of operating lease liabilities as of March 31, 2020 are as follows (in thousands, except lease term and discount rate):

 

2020 (remaining)

  $ 448  

2021

     

2022

     

2023

     

2024

     

Thereafter

     

Total undiscounted lease payments

    448  

Discount to present value

    (18 )

Present value of lease liabilities

  $ 430  
         

Weighted average discount rate - percent

    12  

 

Other information related to our operating leases is as follows (in thousands):

 

   

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of operating lease liabilities:

               

Cash flows from operating activities

  $ 259     $ 258  

Noncash right-of-use assets recorded for operating lease liabilities:

               
Adoption of Topic 842           1,562  

 

 

 

Note 7 — Other Non-Current Assets

 

Other non-current assets consisted of the following (in thousands)

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Permitting costs(1)

  $ 7,315     $ 2,621  

Enterprise resource planning system, net

    2,861       3,181  

Rio Grande Site Lease initial direct costs

    2,501       946  

Total other non-current assets, net

  $ 12,677     $ 6,748  

 

(1)

Permitting costs primarily represent costs incurred in connection with permit applications to the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for mitigation measures for potential impacts to wetlands and habitat that may be caused by the construction of the Terminal and the Pipeline.

 

 

Note 8 — Accrued Liabilities and Other Current Liabilities

 

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Employee compensation expense

  $ 242     $ 4,221  

Project asset costs

    7,862       2,503  

Accrued legal services

    307       1,060  

Other accrued liabilities

    338       967  

Total accrued liabilities and other current liabilities

  $ 8,749     $ 8,751  

 

 

Note 9 – Preferred Stock and Common Stock Warrants

 

Preferred Stock

 

In August 2018, we sold an aggregate of 50,000 shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock), at $1,000 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $50 million and we issued an additional 1,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock in aggregate as origination fees to the purchasers of the Series A Preferred Stock.  In September 2018, we sold an aggregate of 29,055 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Series B Preferred Stock” and, together with the Series A Preferred Stock, the “Convertible Preferred Stock”), at $1,000 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $29.055 million and we issued an additional 581 shares of Series B Preferred Stock in aggregate as origination fees to the purchasers of the Series B Preferred Stock. Warrants were issued together with the shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the Series B Preferred Stock (collectively, “Common Stock Warrants”).

 

 In May 2019, we sold an aggregate of 20,945 shares of Series B Preferred Stock, at $1,000 per share for an aggregate purchase price of $20.945 million and we issued an additional 418 shares of Series B Preferred Stock in aggregate as origination fees to the purchase of such “Series B Preferred Stock. Warrants were issued together with such shares of Series B Preferred Stock.

 

The shares of Convertible Preferred Stock bear dividends at a rate of 12% per annum, which are cumulative and accrue daily from the date of issuance on the $1,000 stated value. Such dividends are payable quarterly and may be paid in cash or in-kind. During the three months ended  March 31, 2020 and 2019, the Company paid-in-kind $3.4 million and $11.2 million of dividends, respectively, to the holders of the Convertible Preferred Stock. On January 9, 2020, the Company declared dividends to the holders of the Convertible Preferred Stock as of the close of business on December 15, 2019. On January 15, 2020, the Company paid-in-kind $3.4 million of dividends to the holders of the Convertible Preferred Stock.

 

Common Stock Warrants

 

The Company revalues the Common Stock Warrants at each balance sheet date and recognized a gain of $8.3 million and a loss of $0.2 million as of March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Common Stock Warrant liabilities are included in Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

The Company used a Monte Carlo simulation model to estimate the fair value of the Common Stock Warrants using the following assumptions:

 

   

March 31,

   

December 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Stock price

  $ 1.88     $ 6.14  

Exercise price

  $ 0.01     $ 0.01  

Risk-free rate

    0.2 %     1.6 %

Volatility

    48.8 %     27.6 %

Term (years)

    1.6       1.8  

 

Beneficial Conversion Feature

 

ASC 470-20-20 – Debt – Debt with conversion and Other Options (“ASC 470-20”) defines a beneficial conversion feature (“BCF”) as a nondetachable conversion feature that is in the money at the issuance date. The Company was required by ASC 470-20 to allocate a portion of the proceeds from the Series A Preferred Stock equal to the intrinsic value of the BCF to additional paid-in capital. We are recording the accretion of the $2.5 million Series A Preferred Stock discount attributable to the BCF as a deemed dividend using the effective yield method over the period prior to the expected conversion date. Deemed dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock for each of the three months ended March 31, 2020 and March 31, 2019 was $0.1 million and $0.6 million, respectively.

 

 

 

 

Note 10 — Net Loss Per Share

 

The following table (in thousands, except for loss per share) reconciles basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding for each of the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:

 

   

Three Months Ended

 
   

March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

               

Basic

    117,353       106,940  

Dilutive unvested stock, convertible preferred stock, Common Stock Warrants and IPO Warrants

           

Diluted

    117,353       106,940  
                 

Basic and diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders

  $ (0.02 )   $ (0.16 )

 

Potentially dilutive securities not included in the diluted net loss per share computations because their effect would have been anti-dilutive were as follows (in thousands):

 

   

Three Months Ended

 
   

March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Unvested stock (1)

    1,160       490  

Convertible preferred stock

    15,905       11,127  

Common Stock Warrants

    1,964       1,376  

IPO Warrants(2)

    12,082       12,082  

Total potentially dilutive common shares

    31,111       25,075  

 


(1)

Does not include 2.8 million shares and 10.8 million shares for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, of unvested stock because the performance conditions had not yet been satisfied.

 

(2)

The IPO Warrants were issued in connection with our initial public offering in 2015. The IPO Warrants are exercisable at a price of $11.50 per share and expire on July 24, 2022. The Company may redeem the IPO Warrants at a price of $0.01 per IPO Warrant upon 30 days’ notice only if the last sale price of our common stock is at least $17.50 per share for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period. If the Company redeems the IPO Warrants in this manner, the Company will have the option to do so on a cashless basis with the issuance of an economically equivalent number of shares of Company common stock.

 

 

 

Note 11 — Share-based Compensation

 

We have granted shares of Company common stock and restricted Company common stock to employees, consultants and non-employee directors under our 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”) and in connection with our special meeting of stockholders held on July 24, 2017.

 

Total share-based compensation consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

   

Three Months Ended

 
   

March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Share-based compensation:

               

Equity awards

  $ (1,600 )   $ 5,884  

Liability awards

           

Total share-based compensation

    (1,600 )     5,884  

Capitalized share-based compensation

    (260 )     (546 )

Total share-based compensation expense

  $ (1,860 )   $ 5,338  

 

 

 

 

 

Note 12 — Income Taxes

 

Due to our cumulative loss position, we have established a full valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. Due to our full valuation allowance, we have not recorded a provision for federal or state income taxes during each of the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

In response to the global pandemic related to COVID-19, the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) on March 27, 2020.  The CARES Act provides numerous relief provisions for corporate tax payers, including modification of the utilization limitations on net operating losses, favorable expansions of the deduction for business interest expense under Internal Revenue Code Section 163(j), and the ability to accelerate timing of refundable AMT credits.  For the three months ended March 31, 2020, there were no material tax impacts to our consolidated financial statements as it relates to the CARES Act or other COVID-19 measures.  The Company continues to monitor additional guidance issued by the U.S. Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service and others.

 

 

Note 13 — Commitments and Contingencies

 

Obligation under LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement

 

In March 2019, we entered into a 20-year sale and purchase agreement (the “SPA”) with Shell NA LNG LLC (“Shell”) for the supply of approximately two million tonnes per annum of liquefied natural gas from the Terminal. Pursuant to the SPA, Shell will purchase LNG on a free-on-board (“FOB”) basis starting from the date the first liquefaction train of the Terminal that is commercially operable, with approximately three-quarters of the purchased LNG volume indexed to Brent and the remaining volume indexed to domestic United States gas indices, including Henry Hub.

 

In the first quarter of 2020, pursuant to the terms of the SPA, the SPA became effective upon the conditions precedent in the SPA being satisfied or waived.  The SPA obligates Rio Grande to deliver the contracted volumes of LNG to Shell at the FOB delivery point, subject to the first liquefaction train at the Terminal being commercially operable.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

From time to time the Company may be subject to various claims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of business. As of March 31, 2020, management is not aware of any claims or legal actions that, separately or in the aggregate, are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, although the Company cannot guarantee that a material adverse effect will not occur.

 

 

Note 14 — Subsequent Events

 

Extension of Contract Price Validity of Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contracts

 

On May 24, 2019, Rio Grande entered into two lump-sum separated turnkey engineering, procurement and construction agreements with Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals, Inc. (“Bechtel”) for the construction of (i) two LNG trains with expected aggregate production capacity up to approximately 11.74 million tonnes per annum (“mtpa”), two 180,000m3 full containment LNG tanks, one marine loading berth, related utilities and facilities, and all related appurtenances thereto, together with certain additional work options (the “Trains 1 and 2 EPC Agreement”) and (ii) a LNG train with expected production capacity of up to approximately 5.87 mtpa, related utilities and facilities, and all related appurtenances  thereto (the “Train 3 EPC Agreement”).

 

By amendment dated April 22, 2020, Rio Grande and Bechtel amended the Trains 1 and 2 EPC Agreement to extend the contract price validity to July 31, 2020.  By amendment dated April 22, 2020, Rio Grande and Bechtel amended the Train 3 EPC Agreement to extend the contract price validity to July 31, 2020.

 

Rio Grande Site Lease

 

On March 6, 2019, Rio Grande entered into a lease agreement (the “Rio Grande Site Lease”) with the Brownsville Navigation District of Cameron County, Texas (“BND”) for the lease by Rio Grande of approximately 984 acres of land situated in Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas for the purposes of constructing, operating, and maintaining (i) a liquefied natural gas facility and export terminal and (ii) gas treatment and gas pipeline facilities.

 

On April 30, 2020, Rio Grande and the BND amended the Rio Grande Site Lease (the “Rio Grande Site Lease Amendment”) to extend the effective date for commencing the Rio Grande Site Lease to May 6, 2021 (the “Effective Date”).  The Rio Grande Site Lease Amendment further provides that Rio Grande has the right, exercisable in its sole discretion, to extend the Effective Date to May 6, 2022 by providing the BND with written notice of its election no later than the close of business on the Effective Date.

 

In connection with the Rio Grande Site Lease Amendment, Rio Grande is committed to pay approximately $1.5 million per quarter to the BND through the earlier of the Effective Date and lease commencement.

 

We have evaluated subsequent events through May 18, 2020, the date the financial statements were issued.  Any material subsequent events that occurred during this time have been properly recognized and/or disclosed in these financial statements.

 

 

 

 

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, including statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, strategy and plans, and our expectations for future operations, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “contemplate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “can have,” “likely,” “continue,” “design” and other words and terms of similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

 

We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives and financial needs.

 

Although we believe that the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, actual results could differ from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Our future financial position and results of operations, as well as any forward-looking statements are subject to change and inherent risks and uncertainties, including those described in the section titled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. You should consider our forward-looking statements in light of a number of factors that may cause actual results to vary from our forward-looking statements including, but not limited to:

 

 

our progress in the development of our liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) liquefaction and export projects and the timing of that progress;

 

 

our final investment decision (“FID”) in the construction and operation of a LNG terminal at the Port of Brownsville in southern Texas (the “Terminal”) and the timing of that decision;

 

 

the successful completion of the Terminal by third-party contractors and an approximately 137-mile pipeline to supply gas to the Terminal being developed by a third-party (the “Pipeline”) ;

 

 

our ability to secure additional debt and equity financing in the future to complete the Terminal;

 

 

the accuracy of estimated costs for the Terminal;

 

 

statements that the Terminal, when completed, will have certain characteristics, including amounts of liquefaction capacities;

 

 

the development risks, operational hazards, regulatory approvals applicable to the Terminal’s and the third-party pipeline's construction and operations activities;

 

 

our anticipated competitive advantage and technological innovation which may render our anticipated competitive advantage obsolete;

 

 

the global demand for and price of natural gas (versus the price of imported LNG);

 

 

the availability of LNG vessels worldwide;

 

 

changes in legislation and regulations relating to the LNG industry, including environmental laws and regulations that impose significant compliance costs and liabilities;

 

 

the 2019 novel coronavirus ("COVID-19") pandemic and its impact on our business and operating results, including any disruptions in our operations or development of the Terminal and the health and safety of our employees, and on our customers, the global economy and the demand for LNG; 

 

 

risks related to doing business in and having counterparties in foreign countries;

 

 

our ability to maintain the listing of our securities on a securities exchange or quotation medium;

 

 

changes adversely affecting the business in which we are engage;

 

 

management of growth;

 

 

 

general economic conditions;

 

 

our ability to generate cash;

 

 

compliance with environmental laws and regulations; and

 

 

the result of future financing efforts and applications for customary tax incentives.

 

Should one or more of the foregoing risks or uncertainties materialize in a way that negatively impacts us, or should the underlying assumptions prove incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements, and our business, financial condition, and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

 

The forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q are made as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. In addition, neither we nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements.

 

Except as required by applicable law, we do not undertake any obligation to publicly correct or update any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements as well as others made in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as other filings we have made and will make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and our public communications. You should evaluate all forward-looking statements made by us in the context of these risks and uncertainties.

 

Overview

 

NextDecade Corporation is a LNG development company focused on LNG export projects in the State of Texas. We have focused and continue to focus our development activities on the Terminal and have undertaken and continue to undertake various initiatives to evaluate, design and engineer the Terminal that we expect will result in demand for LNG supply at the Terminal, which would enable us to seek construction financing to develop the Terminal. We believe the Terminal possesses competitive advantages in several important areas, including, engineering, design, commercial, regulatory, and gas supply. We submitted a pre-filing request for the Terminal and the Pipeline to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “FERC”) in March 2015 and filed a formal application with the FERC in May 2016. In November 2019, the FERC issued an order authorizing the siting, construction and operation of the Terminal and the Pipeline.  We also believe we have robust commercial offtake and gas supply strategies.

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, references to “NextDecade,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to NextDecade Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries.

 

Recent Developments

 

FERC Order for Terminal

 

On November 22, 2019, the FERC issued an order authorizing the siting, construction and operation of the Terminal (the “FERC Order”).  Following receipt of the FERC Order two requests for re-hearing were filed. One of those requests for rehearing also requested that the FERC stay the FERC Order. On January 22, 2020, the FERC issued an order extending the time by which it would respond to these requests for rehearing. On January 23, 2020, the FERC issued its Order on Rehearing and Stay, by which FERC denied all re-hearings and requests for stay.  The parties who filed the requests for re-hearing have petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to review the FERC Order and the FERC order denying rehearing, and that appeal is still pending. Similar appeals are also pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, in respect of other permits issued by the Texas Commission on Environment Quality, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

 

Sale of Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC

 

On March 2, 2020, NextDecade LLC closed the transactions (the Closing”) contemplated by that certain Omnibus Agreement, dated February 13, 2020, with Spectra Energy Transmission II, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Enbridge Inc. (“Buyer”), pursuant to which NextDecade LLC sold one hundred percent of the equity interests (the “Equity Interests”) in Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC (“Rio Bravo”) to Buyer in consideration of (i) approximately $17.4 million plus (ii) the amount of direct and indirect costs incurred by Rio Bravo, the Company or any of its other affiliates in respect of the proposed Rio Bravo Pipeline, the 137-mile interstate natural gas pipeline (the “Pipeline”) being developed by Rio Bravo to supply natural gas to the Terminal, from October 1, 2019 through the Closing (the “Purchase Price”); provided, that the Purchase Price may not exceed $25 million. Buyer paid $15.0 million of the Purchase Price to NextDecade LLC at the Closing and the remainder will be paid within five business days after the date that Rio Grande has received, after a final positive investment decision, the initial funding of financing for the development, construction and operation of the Terminal. In connection with the Closing, Rio Grande LNG Gas Supply LLC, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company ("Rio Grande Gas Supply"), entered into (i) a Precedent Agreement for Firm Natural Gas Transportation Service for the Rio Bravo Pipeline (the “RBPL Precedent Agreement”) with Rio Bravo and (ii) a Precedent Agreement for Natural Gas Transportation Service (the “VCP Precedent Agreement”) with Valley Crossing Pipeline, LLC (“VCP”). VCP and, as of the Closing, Rio Bravo are wholly owned subsidiaries of Enbridge Inc. The Valley Crossing Pipeline is owned and operated by VCP.

 

 

12

 

Pursuant to the RBPL Precedent Agreement, Rio Bravo agreed to provide Rio Grande Gas Supply with firm natural gas transportation services on the Pipeline in a quantity sufficient to match the full operational capacity of each proposed liquefaction train of the Terminal. Rio Bravo’s obligation to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the Pipeline is conditioned on its receipt, no later than December 31, 2023, of notice that Rio Grande Gas Supply or its affiliate has issued a full notice to proceed to the engineering, procurement and construction contractor (the “EPC Contractor”) for the construction of the Terminal. Under the RBPL Precedent Agreement, in consideration for the provision of such firm transportation services, Rio Bravo will be remunerated on a dollar-per-dekatherm, take-or-pay basis, subject to certain adjustments, over a term of at least twenty years, all in compliance with the federal and state authorizations associated with the Pipeline.

 

Pursuant to the VCP Precedent Agreement, VCP agreed to provide Rio Grande Gas Supply with natural gas transportation services on the Valley Crossing Pipeline in a quantity sufficient to match the commissioning requirements of each proposed liquefaction train of the Terminal. VCP’s obligation to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the necessary interconnection to the Terminal and the Pipeline is conditioned on its receipt, no later than December 31, 2023, of notice that Rio Grande Gas Supply or its affiliate has issued a full notice to proceed to the EPC Contractor for the construction of the Terminal. VCP will be responsible, at its sole cost and expense, to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the tap, riser and valve facilities (the “VCP Transporter Facilities”), which shall connect to Rio Grande Gas Supply’s custody transfer meter and such other facilities as necessary in order for the Terminal to receive gas from the VCP Transporter Facilities (the “Rio Grande Gas Supply Facilities”). Rio Grande Gas Supply will be responsible, at its sole cost and expense, to construct, install, own, operate and maintain the Rio Grande Gas Supply Facilities. Under the VCP Precedent Agreement, in consideration for the provision of the commissioning transportation services, VCP will be remunerated on the same dollar-per-dekatherm, take-or-pay basis as set forth in the RBPL Precedent Agreement for the duration of such commissioning services, all in compliance with the federal and state authorizations associated with the Valley Crossing Pipeline.

 

If Rio Grande or its affiliate fail to issue a full notice to proceed to the EPC Contractor on or prior to December 31, 2023, Buyer has the right to sell the Equity Interests back to NextDecade LLC and NextDecade LLC has the right to repurchase the Equity Interests from Buyer, in each case at a price not to exceed $23 million.

 

Rio Grande Site Lease

 

On March 6, 2019, Rio Grande entered into a lease agreement (the “Rio Grande Site Lease”) with the Brownsville Navigation District of Cameron County, Texas (the "BND") for the lease by Rio Grande of approximately 984 acres of land situated in Brownsville, Cameron County, Texas for the purposes of constructing, operating, and maintaining (i) a liquefied natural gas facility and export terminal and (ii) gas treatment and gas pipeline facilities.

 

On April 30, 2020, Rio Grande and the BND amended the Rio Grande Site Lease (the “Rio Grande Site Lease Amendment”) to extend the effective date for commencing the Rio Grande Site Lease to May 6, 2021 (the “Effective Date”).  The Rio Grande Site Lease Amendment further provides that Rio Grande has the right, exercisable in its sole discretion, to extend the Effective Date to May 6, 2022 by providing the BND with written notice of its election no later than the close of business on the Effective Date.

 

On January 27, 2020, the City of Port Isabel, Texas and other parties filed a lawsuit in state court in Cameron County against the BND seeking to enjoin the federally-authorized siting, construction, and operation of LNG terminals on land owned by the BND.

 

COVID-19 Pandemic and its Effect on our Business

 

The business environment in which we operate has been impacted by the recent downturn in the energy market as well as the outbreak of COVID-19 and its progression into a pandemic in March 2020.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 25, 2020, the SEC issued an order under Section 36 of the Exchange Act, Modifying Exemptions From the Reporting and Proxy Delivery Requirements for Public Companies (Release No. 34-88465) (the "Order"), which allows registrants to delay the filing of certain reports under Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act by up to 45 days after the original filing deadline if a registrant is unable to meet such original filing deadline due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

We relied on the Order to delay the filing of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q due to the circumstances related to COVID-19.  In particular, COVID-19 has caused disruptions in our business and operations, including, among other things, the closing of our offices and requiring our staff to work from home beginning in March 2020.  Additionally, resources involved in our financial reporting have been and continue to be involved in actions taken to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

We have modified and continue to modify certain business and workforce practices to protect the safety and welfare of our employees.  Furthermore, we have implemented and continue to implement certain mitigation efforts to ensure business continuity. As stated above, in March 2020, we implemented social distancing and work from home policies among other things.

 

On May 18, 2020 we reopened our offices.  We will continue to actively monitor the situation and may take further actions altering our business operations that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers, partners, suppliers, and stakeholders, or as required by federal, state, or local authorities. It is not clear what the potential effects any such alterations or modifications may have on our business, including the effects on our customers, employees, and prospects, or on our financial results for the remainder of fiscal year 2020 or beyond.

 

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

Capital Resources

 

We have funded and continue to fund the development of the Terminal and general working capital needs through our cash on hand and proceeds from the issuances of equity and equity-based securities. Our capital resources consisted of approximately $58.3 million of cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2020.

 

Sources and Uses of Cash

 

The following table summarizes the sources and uses of our cash for the periods presented (in thousands):

 

   

Three Months Ended

 
   

March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

 

Operating cash flows

  $ (14,238 )   $ (8,007 )

Investing cash flows

    41,851       10,678  

Financing cash flows

    14,930       (271 )
                 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

    42,543       2,400  

Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period

    15,736       3,169  

Cash and cash equivalents – end of period

  $ 58,279     $ 5,569  

 

Operating Cash Flows

 

Operating cash outflows during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were $14.2 million and $8.0 million, respectively. The increase in operating cash outflows during the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019 was primarily related to additional employees and an increase in professional fees.

 

Investing Cash Flows

 

Investing cash inflows during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were $41.9 million and $10.7 million, respectively. The investing cash inflows during the three months ended March 31, 2020 were primarily the result of the sale of $62.0 million of investment securities partially offset by cash used in the development of the Terminal of $19.9 million. The investing cash inflows during the three months ended March 31, 2019 were primarily the result of the sale of $17.0 million of investment securities partially offset by cash used in the development of the Terminal.

 

Financing Cash Flows

 

Financing cash inflows (outflows) during the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 were $14.9 million and $(0.3) million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 financing cash inflows were primarily the result of $15.0 million of proceeds from the sale of Rio Bravo.

 

Pre-FID Liquidity

 

In 2020, we expect to incur $72 million on pre-FID development activities in support of the Terminal. Approximately $46 million of these costs were incurred in the first quarter of 2020, including: (i) approximately $23 million in engineering, procurement and permitting activities in support of the FERC process, including the approval to commence full site preparation activities; (ii) approximately $6 million for the acquisition of required environmental mitigation land, and (iii) approximately $6 million for the payment of 2019 bonus compensation and one-time information technology costs.

 

To preserve pre-FID liquidity, we have implemented certain measures to manage costs:

 

 

Since December 31, 2019, full-time headcount has decreased by 18 percent. Additionally, in May 2020, we furloughed 14 percent of our full-time headcount until we have better clarity on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the current global LNG market.

 

Our Chief Executive Officer and certain other members of our executive team have voluntarily reduced their base salaries by ten percent for the remainder of 2020.

 

We and Bechtel have agreed to a limited scope of ongoing work which will provide for continued engineering progress for the Terminal.

 

Over the next few months, we will reduce our office space under lease and defer additional information technology spending until FID is achieved.

 

We believe that the above-listed measures will ensure that we can sustain pre-FID development activities through year-end 2021. Beginning in the second quarter of 2020, we expect pre-FID development spending to average just over $2 million per month.  We believe that the measures taken to manage costs will not negatively affect our ability to successfully deliver the Terminal and will create value for stockholders.

 

14

 

Capital Development Activities

 

We are primarily engaged in developing the Terminal, which may require additional capital to support further project development, engineering, regulatory approvals and compliance, and commercial activities in advance of a FID made to finance and construct the Terminal. Even if successfully completed, the Terminal will not begin to operate and generate significant cash flows until at least several years from now. Construction of the Terminal would not begin until, among other requirements for project financing, all required federal, state and local permits have been obtained. As a result, our business success will depend, to a significant extent, upon our ability to obtain the funding necessary to construct the Terminal, to bring it into operation on a commercially viable basis and to finance our staffing, operating and expansion costs during that process.

 

We have engaged Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc. to advise and assist us in raising capital for post-FID construction activities.

 

We currently expect that the long-term capital requirements for the Terminal will be financed predominately through project financing and proceeds from future debt and equity offerings by us. There can be no assurance that we will succeed in securing additional debt and/or equity financing in the future to complete the Terminal or, if successful, that the capital we raise will not be expensive or dilutive to stockholders. Additionally, if these types of financing are not available, we will be required to seek alternative sources of financing, which may not be available on terms acceptable to us, if at all.

 

Contractual Obligations

 

There have been no material changes to our contractual obligations from those disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

 

 

Results of Operations

 

The following table summarizes costs, expenses and other income for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

   

For the Three Months Ended

 
   

March 31,

 
   

2020

   

2019

   

Change

 

Revenues

  $     $     $  

General and administrative expenses

    6,814       12,019       (5,205 )

Land option and lease expenses

    411       428       (17 )

Depreciation expense

    16       41       (25 )

Operating loss

    (7,241 )     (12,488 )     5,247  

Gain (loss) on Common Stock Warrant liabilities

    8,339       (197 )     8,536  
Loss on redemption of investment securities     (412 )           (412 )

Interest income (loss), net

    233       466       (233 )

Other

    (17 )     176       (193 )

Net income (loss) attributable to NextDecade Corporation

    902       (12,043 )     12,945  

Preferred stock dividends

    (3,443 )     (4,972 )     1,529  

Deemed dividends on Series A Convertible Preferred Stock

    (76 )     (551 )     475  

Net loss attributable to common stockholders

  $ (2,617 )   $ (17,566 )   $ 14,949  

 

Our consolidated net income was $0.9 million, or $0.02 per share (basic and diluted), for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to a net loss of $12.0 million, or $0.16 per share (basic and diluted), for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The $13.0 million decrease in net loss was primarily a result of decreased general and administrative expenses and a gain on Common Stock Warrant liabilities discussed separately below.

 

General and administrative expenses during the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased $5.2 million compared to the same period in 2019 primarily due to a decrease in share-based compensation expense of $7.2 million partially offset by an increase in expenses related to additional employees, increased professional fees and travel costs, and increased marketing and conference sponsorship costs.  The decrease in share-based compensation expense is primarily a result of forfeitures of restricted stock during the three months ended March 31, 2020.

 

Gain on Common Stock Warrant liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2020 is primarily due to a decrease in the share price of Company common stock from December 31, 2019 to the re-measurement date at March 31, 2020. Loss on Common Stock Warrant liabilities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 is primarily due to an increase in the share price of Company common stock from December 31, 2018 to the re-measurement date at March 31, 2019.

 

Interest income (loss), net during the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased $0.2 million, compared to the same period in 2019 due to lower average balances maintained in our cash, cash equivalent and investment securities accounts and a realized loss on sale of investment securities of $0.4 million during the three months ended March 31, 2020.

 

Preferred stock dividends of $3.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were paid-in-kind with the issuances of 1,757 additional shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”), and 1,673 additional shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Series B Preferred Stock”), compared to preferred stock dividends of $5.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 of which $2.5 million were paid-in-kind with the issuances of 1,561 additional shares of Series A Preferred Stock and 919 additional shares of Series B Preferred Stock. The $2.5 million of dividends were declared on March 22, 2019.

 

Deemed dividends on the Series A Preferred Stock for the three months ended March 31, 2020 represents the accretion of the beneficial conversion feature associated with the Series A Preferred Stock issued in the third quarter of 2018. Due to the price of our common stock as of the closing date of the Series B Preferred Stock, the Series B Preferred Stock does not have a beneficial conversion feature.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

We did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as of March 31, 2020.

 

 

Summary of Critical Accounting Estimates

 

The preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and the accompanying notes. There have been no significant changes to our critical accounting estimates from those disclosed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

 

Disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

 

Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of “our disclosure controls and procedures,” as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as of the end of the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2020. Based on this evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that, as of March 31, 2020, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

 

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

 

During the most recent fiscal quarter, there were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1.   Legal Proceedings

 

None.

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

 

The information presented below updates, and should be read in conjunction with, the risk factors disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.  Except as presented below, there were no changes to the risk factors previously disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

 

The outbreak of COVID-19 and volatility in the energy markets may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, operating results, cash flow, liquidity and prospects, including our efforts to reach a final investment decision with respect to the Rio Grande LNG Terminal.

 

The outbreak of COVID-19 and its development into a pandemic in March 2020 have resulted in significant disruption globally. Actions taken by various governmental authorities, individuals and companies around the world to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have restricted travel, business operations, and the overall level of individual movement and in-person interaction across the globe. Furthermore, the impact of the pandemic, including a resulting reduction in demand for natural gas, coupled with the sharp decline in commodity prices following the announcement of price reductions and production increases in March 2020 by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”)  has led to significant global economic contraction generally and in our industry in particular. While an agreement to cut production has since been announced by OPEC and its allies, the situation, coupled with the impact of COVID-19, has continued to result in a significant downturn in the oil and gas industry. Prospects for the development and financing of the Terminal are based in part on factors including global economic conditions that have been, and are likely to continue to be, adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused us to modify our business practices, including by restricting employee travel, requiring employees to work remotely and cancelling physical participation in meetings, events and conferences, and we may take further actions as may be required by government authorities or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers and business partners. There is no certainty that such measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19 or otherwise be satisfactory to government authorities. If a number of our employees were to contract COVID-19 at the same time, our operations could be adversely affected.

 

A sustained disruption in the capital markets from the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically with respect to the energy industry, could negatively impact our ability to raise capital. In the past, we have financed our operations by the issuance of equity securities. However, we cannot predict when the macro-economic disruption stemming from COVID-19 will ebb or when the economy will return to pre-COVID-19 levels, if at all. This macro-economic disruption may disrupt our ability to raise additional capital to finance our operations in the future, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and prospects, and could ultimately cause our business to fail.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, such as risks related to the development of the Terminal, postponement in making a positive FID, doing business in foreign countries, obtaining governmental approvals, and exported LNG remaining a competitive source of energy for international markets, global demand for and price of natural gas, and fluctuation in the price of our common stock.

 

The extent to which COVID-19 ultimately impacts our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on future developments, which are uncertain and cannot be predicted, including, but not limited to, the duration and spread of COVID-19, its severity, the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, and how quickly and to what extent normal economic and operating conditions can resume. Even after COVID-19 has subsided, we may continue to experience materially adverse impacts to our business as a result of its global economic impact, including any recession that has occurred or may occur in the future, and lasting effects on the price of natural gas.

 

 

 

 

Item 2.   Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

 

Purchase of Equity Securities by the Issuer

 

The following table summarizes stock repurchases for the three months ended March 31, 2020:

 

Period

 

Total Number of Shares Purchased (1)

   

Average Price Paid Per Share (2)

   

Total Number of Shares Purchased as a Part of Publicly Announced Plans

   

Maximum Number of Units That May Yet Be Purchased Under the Plans

 

January 2020

    9,824     $ 5.46              

February 2020

                       

March 2020

    1,483       1.95              

 

(1)

Represents shares of Company common stock surrendered to us by participants in our 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “2017 Plan”) to settle the participants’ personal tax liabilities that resulted from the lapsing of restrictions on shares awarded to the participants under the 2017 Plan.

 

(2)

The price paid per share of Company common stock was based on the closing trading price of such stock on the dates on which we repurchased shares of Company common stock from the participants under the 2017 Plan.

 

Item 3.   Defaults Upon Senior Securities

 

None.

 

Item 4.   Mine Safety Disclosures

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 5.   Other Information

 

None.

 

 

Item 6. Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

    

Description

3.1(1)

 

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of NextDecade Corporation, dated July 24, 2017.

3.2(2)

 

Amended and Restated Bylaws of NextDecade Corporation, dated July 24, 2017.

3.3(3)

 

Certificate of Designations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, dated August 9, 2018.

3.4(4)

 

Certificate of Designations of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, dated September 28, 2018.

3.5(5)   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Designations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, dated July 12, 2019
3.6(6)   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Designations of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock, dated July 12, 2019
3.7(7)   Certificate of Increase to Certificate of Designations of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of NextDecade Corporation, dated July 15, 2019
3.8(8)   Certificate of Increase to Certificate of Designations of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock of NextDecade Corporation, dated July 15, 2019

4.1(9)

 

Specimen Common Share Certificate.

4.2(10)

 

Specimen Unit Certificate.

4.3(11)

 

Specimen Warrant Certificate.

4.4(12)

 

Form of Warrant Agreement between Harmony Merger Corp. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.

4.5(13)

 

Form of Warrant Agreement for the Series A Warrants.

4.6(14)

 

Form of Warrant Agreement for the Series B Warrants.

10.1*+¥   Omnibus Agreement, entered into as of February 13, 2020, between NextDecade LNG, LLC and Spectra Energy Transmission II, LLC.

10.2*+

 

Precedent Agreement for Firm Natural Gas Transportation Service, made and entered into as of March 2, 2020, by and between Rio Grande LNG Gas Supply LLC and Rio Bravo Pipeline Company, LLC.

10.3*+

 

Precedent Agreement for Natural Gas Transportation Service, made and entered into as of March 2, 2020, by and between Rio Grande LNG Gas Supply LLC and Valley Crossing Pipeline, LLC.

10.4(15)   First Amendment to Lease Agreement, made and entered into as of April 30, 2020, by and between Brownsville Navigation District of Cameron County, Texas and Rio Grande LNG, LLC.

31.1*

 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

31.2*

 

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

32.1**

 

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

32.2**

 

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

101.INS*

 

XBRL Instance Document.

101.SCH*

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document.

101.CAL*

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document.

101.LAB*

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document.

101.PRE*

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document.

101.DEF*

 

XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.

 


(1)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed July 28, 2017.

(2)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed July 28, 2017.

(3)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-3, filed December 20, 2018.

(4)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.4 of the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed November 9, 2018.

(5) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed July 15, 2019.
(6) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed July 15, 2019.
(7) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.7 of the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed August 6, 2019.
(8) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.8 of the Registrant's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, filed August 6, 2019.

(9)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Amendment No. 2 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed October 10, 2014.

(10)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed March 13, 2015.

(11)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 of the Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed March 13, 2015.

(12)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 of the Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form S-1, filed March 13, 2015.

(13)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed August 7, 2018.

(14)

Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed August 24, 2018.

(15) Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K, filed May 4, 2020.

 

*

Filed herewith.

**

Furnished herewith.

Indicates management contract or compensatory plan.

+

Certain portions of this exhibit have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K. The registrant agrees to furnish a supplementary copy of such exhibit to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.

¥ Certain schedules and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted in accordance with Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 

 

NEXTDECADE CORPORATION

 

 

Date:  May  18, 2020

By:

/s/ Matthew K. Schatzman  

 

 

Matthew K. Schatzman

 

 

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

(Principal Executive Officer)

 

 

     

Date:  May  18, 2020

By:

/s/ Benjamin A. Atkins  

 

 

Benjamin A. Atkins

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

 

 

 

21