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SPIRE INC - Quarter Report: 2020 March (Form 10-Q)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

Name of Registrant, Address of Principal

Executive Offices and Telephone Number

 

State of Incorporation

 

I.R.S. Employer Identification Number

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1-16681

 

Spire Inc.

700 Market Street

St. Louis, MO 63101

314-342-0500

 

Missouri

 

74-2976504

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1-1822

 

Spire Missouri Inc.

700 Market Street

St. Louis, MO 63101

314-342-0500

 

Missouri

 

43-0368139

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2-38960

 

Spire Alabama Inc.

2101 6th Avenue North

Birmingham, AL 35203

205-326-8100

 

Alabama

 

63-0022000

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) (only applicable for Spire Inc.):

Title of each class

 

Trading Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange on which registered

 

 

 

 

 

Common Stock $1.00 par value

 

SR

 

New York Stock Exchange LLC

 

 

 

 

 

Depositary Shares, each representing a 1/1,000th interest in a share of 5.90% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, par value $25.00 per share

 

SR.PRA

 

New York Stock Exchange LLC

 

Indicate by check mark whether each registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such report) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

Spire Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

 

Indicate by check mark whether each registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

Spire Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

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

Spire Inc.

 

X

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

X

 

 

 

 

 


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.

Spire Inc.

 

      

 

 

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

      

 

 

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

      

 

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether each registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Spire Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

Yes

 

No

 

The number of shares outstanding of each registrant’s common stock as of May 5, 2020, was as follows:

Spire Inc.

 

Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share

 

51,235,146

 

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share (all owned by Spire Inc.)

 

24,577

 

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (all owned by Spire Inc.)

 

1,972,052

 

 

Spire Missouri Inc. and Spire Alabama Inc. meet the conditions set forth in General Instructions H(1)(a) and (b) to Form 10-Q and are therefore filing this Form 10-Q with the reduced disclosure format specified in General Instructions H(2) to Form 10-Q.

 

This combined Form 10-Q represents separate filings by Spire Inc., Spire Missouri Inc., and Spire Alabama Inc. Information contained herein relating to an individual registrant is filed by that registrant on its own behalf. Each registrant makes no representation as to information relating to the other registrants, except that information relating to Spire Missouri Inc. and Spire Alabama Inc. are also attributed to Spire Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Page No.

 

 

 

GLOSSARY

2

 

 

 

 

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1

Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

 

Spire Inc.

 

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

4

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

5

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

6

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity

8

 

 

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

10

 

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

 

 

Condensed Statements of Comprehensive Income

11

 

 

Condensed Balance Sheets

12

 

 

Condensed Statements of Shareholder’s Equity

14

 

 

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

15

 

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

 

 

Condensed Statements of Income

16

 

 

Condensed Balance Sheets

17

 

 

Condensed Statements of Shareholder’s Equity

19

 

 

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

20

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

 

 

Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

21

 

 

Note 2. Revenue

24

 

 

Note 3. Earnings Per Common Share

25

 

 

Note 4. Regulatory Matters

25

 

 

Note 5. Financing Arrangements and Long-term Debt

30

 

 

Note 6. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

31

 

 

Note 7. Fair Value Measurements

33

 

 

Note 8. Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits

35

 

 

Note 9. Information by Operating Segment

38

 

 

Note 10. Commitments and Contingencies

40

 

 

Note 11. Leases

43

Item 2

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

45

Item 3

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

64

Item 4

Controls and Procedures

64

 

 

 

 

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1

Legal Proceedings

65

Item 1A

Risk Factors

65

Item 2

Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

66

Item 3

Defaults upon Senior Securities

66

Item 4

Mine Safety Disclosures

66

Item 5

Other Information

66

Item 6

Exhibits

67

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

68

 

1


 

GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

 

APSC

Alabama Public Service Commission

 

PGA

Purchased Gas Adjustment

ASC

Accounting Standards Codification

 

RSE

Rate Stabilization and Equalization

Company

Spire Inc.

 

SEC

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Degree days

The average of a day’s high and low temperature below 65, subtracted from 65, multiplied by the number of days impacted

 

Spire

Spire Inc.

FASB

Financial Accounting Standards Board

 

Spire Alabama

Spire Alabama Inc.

FERC

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

 

Spire EnergySouth

Spire EnergySouth Inc., the parent of Spire Gulf and Spire Mississippi

GAAP

Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America

 

Spire Gulf

Spire Gulf Inc.

Gas Marketing

Segment including Spire Marketing, which is engaged in the non-regulated marketing of natural gas and related activities

 

Spire Marketing

Spire Marketing Inc.

Gas Utility

Segment including the regulated operations of the Utilities

 

Spire Mississippi

Spire Mississippi Inc.

GSA

Gas Supply Adjustment

 

Spire Missouri

Spire Missouri Inc.

ISRS

Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge

 

Spire Missouri East

Spire Missouri’s eastern service territory

Missouri Utilities

Spire Missouri, including Spire Missouri East and Spire Missouri West, the utilities serving Missouri

 

Spire Missouri West

Spire Missouri’s western service territory

MMBtu

Million British thermal units

 

Spire STL Pipeline

Spire STL Pipeline LLC

MoPSC

Missouri Public Service Commission

 

Spire Storage

Spire’s physical natural gas storage operations at two facilities in Wyoming

MSPSC

Mississippi Public Service Commission

 

U.S.

United States

O&M

Operation and maintenance expense

 

Utilities

Spire Missouri, Spire Alabama and the subsidiaries of Spire EnergySouth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2


 

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

The interim financial statements included herein have been prepared by three separate registrants — Spire Inc. (“Spire” or the “Company”), Spire Missouri Inc. (“Spire Missouri” or the “Missouri Utilities”) and Spire Alabama Inc. (“Spire Alabama”) — without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the registrants’ combined Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

The Financial Information in this Part I includes separate financial statements (i.e., statements of income and comprehensive income, balance sheets, statements of shareholders’ equity and statements of cash flows) for Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama. The Notes to Financial Statements and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations are also included and presented herein on a combined basis for Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama.

3


 

Item 1. Financial Statements

SPIRE INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

(In millions, except per share amounts)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

$

679.1

 

 

$

776.7

 

 

$

1,209.7

 

 

$

1,350.5

 

Gas Marketing and other

 

 

36.4

 

 

 

26.8

 

 

 

72.7

 

 

 

55.0

 

Total Operating Revenues

 

 

715.5

 

 

 

803.5

 

 

 

1,282.4

 

 

 

1,405.5

 

Operating Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural and propane gas

 

 

249.0

 

 

 

337.4

 

 

 

463.6

 

 

 

589.1

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

93.1

 

 

 

109.5

 

 

 

199.1

 

 

 

212.0

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

47.0

 

 

 

44.4

 

 

 

93.4

 

 

 

88.1

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

51.7

 

 

 

57.4

 

 

 

89.6

 

 

 

96.6

 

Total Gas Utility Operating Expenses

 

 

440.8

 

 

 

548.7

 

 

 

845.7

 

 

 

985.8

 

Gas Marketing and other

 

 

64.2

 

 

 

45.3

 

 

 

123.9

 

 

 

105.1

 

Total Operating Expenses

 

 

505.0

 

 

 

594.0

 

 

 

969.6

 

 

 

1,090.9

 

Operating Income

 

 

210.5

 

 

 

209.5

 

 

 

312.8

 

 

 

314.6

 

Interest Expense, Net

 

 

27.2

 

 

 

27.6

 

 

 

53.9

 

 

 

53.5

 

Other (Expense) Income, Net

 

 

(19.5

)

 

 

6.1

 

 

 

(13.8

)

 

 

8.9

 

Income Before Income Taxes

 

 

163.8

 

 

 

188.0

 

 

 

245.1

 

 

 

270.0

 

Income Tax Expense

 

 

30.2

 

 

 

33.4

 

 

 

44.5

 

 

 

48.1

 

Net Income

 

 

133.6

 

 

 

154.6

 

 

 

200.6

 

 

 

221.9

 

Provision for preferred dividends

 

 

3.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.4

 

 

 

 

Income allocated to participating securities

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.5

 

Net Income Available to Common Shareholders

 

$

129.7

 

 

$

154.3

 

 

$

192.9

 

 

$

221.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted Average Number of Common Shares Outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

 

51.0

 

 

 

50.6

 

 

 

51.0

 

 

 

50.6

 

Diluted

 

 

51.1

 

 

 

50.8

 

 

 

51.1

 

 

 

50.8

 

Basic Earnings Per Common Share

 

$

2.55

 

 

$

3.05

 

 

$

3.78

 

 

$

4.37

 

Diluted Earnings Per Common Share

 

$

2.54

 

 

$

3.04

 

 

$

3.77

 

 

$

4.36

 

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

4


 

SPIRE INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

(In millions)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Net Income

 

$

133.6

 

 

$

154.6

 

 

$

200.6

 

 

$

221.9

 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Before Tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash flow hedging derivative instruments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net hedging loss arising during the period

 

 

(41.1

)

 

 

(7.7

)

 

 

(22.2

)

 

 

(18.1

)

Amounts reclassified into net income

 

 

(2.2

)

 

 

(0.4

)

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

(0.7

)

Net loss on cash flow hedging derivative instruments

 

 

(43.3

)

 

 

(8.1

)

 

 

(24.7

)

 

 

(18.8

)

Net (loss) gain on defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

0.1

 

Net unrealized gain on available for sale securities

 

 

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.1

 

Other Comprehensive Loss, Before Tax

 

 

(43.4

)

 

 

(7.9

)

 

 

(24.8

)

 

 

(18.6

)

Income Tax Benefit Related to Items of Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 

 

(9.7

)

 

 

(1.9

)

 

 

(5.5

)

 

 

(4.4

)

Other Comprehensive Loss, Net of Tax

 

 

(33.7

)

 

 

(6.0

)

 

 

(19.3

)

 

 

(14.2

)

Comprehensive Income

 

$

99.9

 

 

$

148.6

 

 

$

181.3

 

 

$

207.7

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

5


 

SPIRE INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility Plant

 

$

6,369.4

 

 

$

6,146.5

 

 

$

5,856.8

 

Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

 

1,848.4

 

 

 

1,794.5

 

 

 

1,738.5

 

Net Utility Plant

 

 

4,521.0

 

 

 

4,352.0

 

 

 

4,118.3

 

Non-utility Property (net of accumulated depreciation and

   amortization of $17.5, $12.7 and $11.9 at March 31, 2020,

   September 30, 2019, and March 31, 2019, respectively)

 

 

547.4

 

 

 

477.8

 

 

 

329.1

 

Other Investments

 

 

68.1

 

 

 

72.3

 

 

 

68.4

 

Total Other Property and Investments

 

 

615.5

 

 

 

550.1

 

 

 

397.5

 

Current Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

 

108.4

 

 

 

5.8

 

 

 

11.1

 

Accounts receivable:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

 

248.2

 

 

 

139.8

 

 

 

318.6

 

Other

 

 

132.8

 

 

 

172.8

 

 

 

196.5

 

Allowance for doubtful accounts

 

 

(28.0

)

 

 

(23.0

)

 

 

(28.1

)

Delayed customer billings

 

 

16.9

 

 

 

4.3

 

 

 

43.8

 

Inventories:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural gas

 

 

90.3

 

 

 

162.6

 

 

 

91.3

 

Propane gas

 

 

10.7

 

 

 

10.7

 

 

 

10.7

 

Materials and supplies

 

 

26.1

 

 

 

23.3

 

 

 

24.3

 

Regulatory assets

 

 

68.0

 

 

 

78.6

 

 

 

75.3

 

Prepayments

 

 

27.9

 

 

 

29.1

 

 

 

21.0

 

Other

 

 

17.5

 

 

 

10.5

 

 

 

29.1

 

Total Current Assets

 

 

718.8

 

 

 

614.5

 

 

 

793.6

 

Deferred Charges and Other Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

 

1,171.6

 

 

 

1,171.6

 

 

 

1,171.6

 

Regulatory assets

 

 

770.7

 

 

 

767.6

 

 

 

659.9

 

Other

 

 

220.4

 

 

 

163.4

 

 

 

132.7

 

Total Deferred Charges and Other Assets

 

 

2,162.7

 

 

 

2,102.6

 

 

 

1,964.2

 

Total Assets

 

$

8,018.0

 

 

$

7,619.2

 

 

$

7,273.6

 

 

6


 

SPIRE INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Continued)

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capitalization:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock ($25.00 par value per share; 10.0 million depositary shares authorized, issued and outstanding at March 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019)

 

$

242.0

 

 

$

242.0

 

 

$

 

Common stock (par value $1.00 per share; 70.0 million shares authorized; 51.2 million, 51.0 million, and 50.7 million shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2020, September 30, 2019, and March 31, 2019, respectively)

 

 

51.2

 

 

 

51.0

 

 

 

50.7

 

Paid-in capital

 

 

1,520.7

 

 

 

1,505.8

 

 

 

1,485.6

 

Retained earnings

 

 

902.3

 

 

 

775.5

 

 

 

877.5

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

 

(50.6

)

 

 

(31.3

)

 

 

(7.8

)

Total Shareholders' Equity

 

 

2,665.6

 

 

 

2,543.0

 

 

 

2,406.0

 

Temporary equity

 

 

3.9

 

 

 

3.4

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt (less current portion)

 

 

2,484.8

 

 

 

2,082.6

 

 

 

2,041.9

 

Total Capitalization

 

 

5,154.3

 

 

 

4,629.0

 

 

 

4,447.9

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current portion of long-term debt

 

 

5.4

 

 

 

40.0

 

 

 

215.0

 

Notes payable

 

 

560.6

 

 

 

743.2

 

 

 

512.0

 

Accounts payable

 

 

221.4

 

 

 

301.5

 

 

 

324.8

 

Advance customer billings

 

 

11.6

 

 

 

32.6

 

 

 

6.5

 

Wages and compensation accrued

 

 

34.0

 

 

 

45.7

 

 

 

32.2

 

Customer deposits

 

 

35.9

 

 

 

35.6

 

 

 

36.7

 

Taxes accrued

 

 

55.1

 

 

 

68.5

 

 

 

50.9

 

Regulatory liabilities

 

 

31.8

 

 

 

60.8

 

 

 

35.3

 

Other

 

 

196.7

 

 

 

140.9

 

 

 

123.3

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

 

1,152.5

 

 

 

1,468.8

 

 

 

1,336.7

 

Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

498.1

 

 

 

451.4

 

 

 

490.2

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

272.1

 

 

 

264.8

 

 

 

178.3

 

Asset retirement obligations

 

 

344.7

 

 

 

337.6

 

 

 

325.5

 

Regulatory liabilities

 

 

472.3

 

 

 

399.0

 

 

 

431.3

 

Other

 

 

124.0

 

 

 

68.6

 

 

 

63.7

 

Total Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities

 

 

1,711.2

 

 

 

1,521.4

 

 

 

1,489.0

 

Commitments and Contingencies (Note 10)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Capitalization and Liabilities

 

$

8,018.0

 

 

$

7,619.2

 

 

$

7,273.6

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

7


 

SPIRE INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

Preferred

 

 

Paid-in

 

 

Retained

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Dollars in millions)

 

Shares

 

 

Par

 

 

Stock

 

 

Capital

 

 

Earnings

 

 

AOCI*

 

 

Total

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

 

 

51,063,460

 

 

$

51.1

 

 

$

242.0

 

 

$

1,506.7

 

 

$

803.1

 

 

$

(16.9

)

 

$

2,586.0

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

133.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

133.6

 

Common stock issued

 

 

112,758

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.5

 

Dividend reinvestment plan

 

 

45,119

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.3

 

Stock-based compensation costs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.5

 

Stock issued under stock-based compensation

   plans

 

 

9,626

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employees’ tax withholding for stock-based

   compensation

 

 

(1,902

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.2

)

Temporary equity adjustment

   to redemption value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.2

 

Dividends declared:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock ($0.6225 per share)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(31.9

)

 

 

 

 

 

(31.9

)

Preferred stock ($0.36875 per depositary share)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3.7

)

 

 

 

 

 

(3.7

)

Other comprehensive loss, net of tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(33.7

)

 

 

(33.7

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

 

 

51,229,061

 

 

$

51.2

 

 

$

242.0

 

 

$

1,520.7

 

 

$

902.3

 

 

$

(50.6

)

 

$

2,665.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2019

 

 

50,973,515

 

 

$

51.0

 

 

$

242.0

 

 

$

1,505.8

 

 

$

775.5

 

 

$

(31.3

)

 

$

2,543.0

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

200.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

200.6

 

Common stock issued

 

 

112,758

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.5

 

Dividend reinvestment plan

 

 

73,883

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.6

 

Stock-based compensation costs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.1

 

Stock issued under stock-based compensation

   plans

 

 

108,752

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employees’ tax withholding for stock-based

   compensation

 

 

(39,847

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3.1

)

Temporary equity adjustment

   to redemption value

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.1

 

Dividends declared:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock ($1.245 per share)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(63.8

)

 

 

 

 

 

(63.8

)

Preferred stock ($1.10625 per depositary share)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(11.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

(11.1

)

Other comprehensive loss, net of tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(19.3

)

 

 

(19.3

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

 

 

51,229,061

 

 

$

51.2

 

 

$

242.0

 

 

$

1,520.7

 

 

$

902.3

 

 

$

(50.6

)

 

$

2,665.6

 

 

 

8


 

SPIRE INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY (Continued)

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

Preferred

 

 

Paid-in

 

 

Retained

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

Par

 

 

Stock

 

 

Capital

 

 

Earnings

 

 

AOCI*

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

 

 

50,724,168

 

 

$

50.7

 

 

$

 

 

$

1,482.8

 

 

$

752.9

 

 

$

(1.8

)

 

$

2,284.6

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

154.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

154.6

 

Dividend reinvestment plan

 

 

6,204

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.4

 

Stock-based compensation costs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.4

 

Stock issued under stock-based compensation

   plans

 

 

12,633

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employees’ tax withholding for stock-based

   compensation

 

 

(368

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends declared:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock ($0.5925 per share)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(30.0

)

 

 

 

 

 

(30.0

)

Other comprehensive loss, net of tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6.0

)

 

 

(6.0

)

Balance at March 31, 2019

 

 

50,742,637

 

 

$

50.7

 

 

$

 

 

$

1,485.6

 

 

$

877.5

 

 

$

(7.8

)

 

$

2,406.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2018

 

 

50,671,903

 

 

$

50.7

 

 

$

 

 

$

1,482.7

 

 

$

715.6

 

 

$

6.4

 

 

$

2,255.4

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

221.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

221.9

 

Dividend reinvestment plan

 

 

11,267

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.8

 

Stock-based compensation costs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.4

 

Stock issued under stock-based compensation

   plans

 

 

87,468

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employees’ tax withholding for stock-based

   compensation

 

 

(28,001

)

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

(2.2

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2.3

)

Dividends declared:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock ($1.185 per share)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(60.0

)

 

 

 

 

 

(60.0

)

Other comprehensive loss, net of tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(14.2

)

 

 

(14.2

)

Balance at March 31, 2019

 

 

50,742,637

 

 

$

50.7

 

 

$

 

 

$

1,485.6

 

 

$

877.5

 

 

$

(7.8

)

 

$

2,406.0

 

 

* Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

9


 

SPIRE INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

(In millions)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income

 

$

200.6

 

 

$

221.9

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

96.7

 

 

 

89.1

 

Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits

 

 

42.8

 

 

 

45.5

 

Changes in assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

(64.4

)

 

 

(194.3

)

Inventories

 

 

69.5

 

 

 

83.9

 

Regulatory assets and liabilities

 

 

74.7

 

 

 

105.9

 

Accounts payable

 

 

(50.5

)

 

 

33.6

 

Delayed/advance customer billings, net

 

 

(33.6

)

 

 

(53.2

)

Taxes accrued

 

 

(14.1

)

 

 

(12.9

)

Other assets and liabilities

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

(20.6

)

Other

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

(1.4

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

321.7

 

 

 

297.5

 

Investing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

 

(346.1

)

 

 

(376.8

)

Business acquisitions

 

 

 

 

 

(7.9

)

Other

 

 

1.5

 

 

 

(1.9

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(344.6

)

 

 

(386.6

)

Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of long-term debt

 

 

510.0

 

 

 

190.0

 

Repayment of long-term debt

 

 

(140.0

)

 

 

(9.1

)

Repayment of short-term debt, net

 

 

(182.6

)

 

 

(41.6

)

Issuance of common stock

 

 

15.2

 

 

 

1.0

 

Dividends paid on common stock

 

 

(63.8

)

 

 

(58.8

)

Dividends paid on preferred stock

 

 

(7.4

)

 

 

 

Other

 

 

(5.9

)

 

 

(2.7

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

125.5

 

 

 

78.8

 

Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash

 

 

102.6

 

 

 

(10.3

)

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash at Beginning of Period

 

 

5.8

 

 

 

21.4

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

 

$

108.4

 

 

$

11.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosure of cash paid for:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest, net of amounts capitalized

 

$

(46.7

)

 

$

(49.0

)

Income taxes

 

 

(1.7

)

 

 

(2.0

)

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

10


 

SPIRE MISSOURI INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

(In millions)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

$

457.5

 

 

$

556.6

 

 

$

831.5

 

 

$

969.8

 

Total Operating Revenues

 

 

457.5

 

 

 

556.6

 

 

 

831.5

 

 

 

969.8

 

Operating Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural and propane gas

 

 

223.6

 

 

 

313.8

 

 

 

409.4

 

 

 

537.2

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

50.8

 

 

 

70.7

 

 

 

116.3

 

 

 

133.8

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

29.3

 

 

 

27.8

 

 

 

58.3

 

 

 

55.0

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

36.1

 

 

 

41.9

 

 

 

62.8

 

 

 

70.0

 

Total Operating Expenses

 

 

339.8

 

 

 

454.2

 

 

 

646.8

 

 

 

796.0

 

Operating Income

 

 

117.7

 

 

 

102.4

 

 

 

184.7

 

 

 

173.8

 

Interest Expense, Net

 

 

12.7

 

 

 

13.2

 

 

 

25.9

 

 

 

25.3

 

Other (Expense) Income, Net

 

 

(20.9

)

 

 

2.5

 

 

 

(19.9

)

 

 

1.8

 

Income Before Income Taxes

 

 

84.1

 

 

 

91.7

 

 

 

138.9

 

 

 

150.3

 

Income Tax Expense

 

 

9.6

 

 

 

11.7

 

 

 

16.4

 

 

 

19.1

 

Net Income

 

 

74.5

 

 

 

80.0

 

 

 

122.5

 

 

 

131.2

 

Other Comprehensive Loss, Net of Tax

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

Comprehensive Income

 

$

74.3

 

 

$

80.0

 

 

$

122.4

 

 

$

131.2

 

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

11


 

SPIRE MISSOURI INC.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility Plant

 

$

3,790.8

 

 

$

3,643.2

 

 

$

3,460.1

 

Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

 

795.2

 

 

 

764.1

 

 

 

736.7

 

Net Utility Plant

 

 

2,995.6

 

 

 

2,879.1

 

 

 

2,723.4

 

Other Property and Investments

 

 

53.5

 

 

 

53.3

 

 

 

52.8

 

Current Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

 

5.1

 

 

 

2.6

 

 

 

6.9

 

Accounts receivable:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

 

169.2

 

 

 

94.6

 

 

 

231.8

 

Associated companies

 

 

3.7

 

 

 

1.4

 

 

 

2.4

 

Other

 

 

22.4

 

 

 

26.5

 

 

 

18.5

 

Allowance for doubtful accounts

 

 

(20.2

)

 

 

(14.9

)

 

 

(21.9

)

Delayed customer billings

 

 

16.9

 

 

 

4.3

 

 

 

43.8

 

Inventories:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural gas

 

 

58.5

 

 

 

100.1

 

 

 

53.1

 

Propane gas

 

 

10.7

 

 

 

10.7

 

 

 

10.7

 

Materials and supplies

 

 

15.6

 

 

 

13.3

 

 

 

14.4

 

Regulatory assets

 

 

29.4

 

 

 

29.4

 

 

 

30.0

 

Prepayments

 

 

15.9

 

 

 

18.2

 

 

 

11.1

 

Total Current Assets

 

 

327.2

 

 

 

286.2

 

 

 

400.8

 

Deferred Charges and Other Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

 

210.2

 

 

 

210.2

 

 

 

210.2

 

Regulatory assets

 

 

512.1

 

 

 

507.5

 

 

 

433.6

 

Other

 

 

83.4

 

 

 

85.6

 

 

 

53.0

 

Total Deferred Charges and Other Assets

 

 

805.7

 

 

 

803.3

 

 

 

696.8

 

Total Assets

 

$

4,182.0

 

 

$

4,021.9

 

 

$

3,873.8

 

 

12


 

SPIRE MISSOURI INC.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS (Continued)

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capitalization:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paid-in capital and common stock (par value $1.00 per share;

   50.0 million shares authorized; 24,577 shares issued and

   outstanding)

 

$

765.1

 

 

$

765.1

 

 

$

762.8

 

Retained earnings

 

 

676.5

 

 

 

576.6

 

 

 

612.8

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

(2.4

)

 

 

(1.6

)

Total Shareholder's Equity

 

 

1,439.1

 

 

 

1,339.3

 

 

 

1,374.0

 

Long-term debt (less current portion)

 

 

1,098.7

 

 

 

925.0

 

 

 

924.7

 

Total Capitalization

 

 

2,537.8

 

 

 

2,264.3

 

 

 

2,298.7

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current portion of long-term debt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

50.0

 

Notes payable

 

 

185.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes payable – associated companies

 

 

39.6

 

 

 

386.4

 

 

 

232.9

 

Accounts payable

 

 

63.8

 

 

 

75.7

 

 

 

72.6

 

Accounts payable – associated companies

 

 

5.2

 

 

 

5.5

 

 

 

8.1

 

Advance customer billings

 

 

5.4

 

 

 

20.8

 

 

 

 

Wages and compensation accrued

 

 

24.1

 

 

 

34.5

 

 

 

24.5

 

Customer deposits

 

 

13.2

 

 

 

13.4

 

 

 

13.0

 

Taxes accrued

 

 

26.6

 

 

 

36.4

 

 

 

27.2

 

Regulatory liabilities

 

 

24.3

 

 

 

52.3

 

 

 

24.2

 

Other

 

 

32.7

 

 

 

26.4

 

 

 

31.0

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

 

420.0

 

 

 

651.4

 

 

 

483.5

 

Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

390.6

 

 

 

364.6

 

 

 

390.5

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

205.0

 

 

 

192.4

 

 

 

132.7

 

Asset retirement obligations

 

 

177.1

 

 

 

173.5

 

 

 

177.8

 

Regulatory liabilities

 

 

400.4

 

 

 

326.5

 

 

 

345.1

 

Other

 

 

51.1

 

 

 

49.2

 

 

 

45.5

 

Total Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities

 

 

1,224.2

 

 

 

1,106.2

 

 

 

1,091.6

 

Commitments and Contingencies (Note 10)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Capitalization and Liabilities

 

$

4,182.0

 

 

$

4,021.9

 

 

$

3,873.8

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

13


 

SPIRE MISSOURI INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

Paid-in

 

 

Retained

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Dollars in millions)

 

Shares

 

 

Par

 

 

Capital

 

 

Earnings

 

 

AOCI*

 

 

Total

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

765.0

 

 

$

613.3

 

 

$

(2.3

)

 

$

1,376.1

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

74.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

74.5

 

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(11.3

)

 

 

 

 

 

(11.3

)

Other comprehensive loss, net of tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

(0.2

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

765.0

 

 

$

676.5

 

 

$

(2.5

)

 

$

1,439.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2019

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

765.0

 

 

$

576.6

 

 

$

(2.4

)

 

$

1,339.3

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

122.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

122.5

 

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(22.6

)

 

 

 

 

 

(22.6

)

Other comprehensive loss, net of tax

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

(0.1

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

765.0

 

 

$

676.5

 

 

$

(2.5

)

 

$

1,439.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

761.5

 

 

$

542.5

 

 

$

(1.6

)

 

$

1,302.5

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

80.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

80.0

 

Stock-based compensation costs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.2

 

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(9.7

)

 

 

 

 

 

(9.7

)

Balance at March 31, 2019

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

762.7

 

 

$

612.8

 

 

$

(1.6

)

 

$

1,374.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2018

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

760.3

 

 

$

501.1

 

 

$

(1.6

)

 

$

1,259.9

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

131.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

131.2

 

Stock-based compensation costs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.4

 

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(19.5

)

 

 

 

 

 

(19.5

)

Balance at March 31, 2019

 

 

24,577

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

762.7

 

 

$

612.8

 

 

$

(1.6

)

 

$

1,374.0

 

 

* Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

14


 

SPIRE MISSOURI INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

(In millions)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income

 

$

122.5

 

 

$

131.2

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

58.3

 

 

 

55.0

 

Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits

 

 

16.4

 

 

 

19.1

 

Changes in assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

(67.6

)

 

 

(123.5

)

Inventories

 

 

39.3

 

 

 

74.9

 

Regulatory assets and liabilities

 

 

59.8

 

 

 

107.3

 

Accounts payable

 

 

6.8

 

 

 

11.1

 

Delayed/advance customer billings, net

 

 

(27.9

)

 

 

(46.4

)

Taxes accrued

 

 

(9.8

)

 

 

(4.8

)

Other assets and liabilities

 

 

(1.9

)

 

 

(14.4

)

Other

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

2.6

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

196.2

 

 

 

212.1

 

Investing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

 

(183.2

)

 

 

(167.1

)

Other

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.8

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(182.9

)

 

 

(166.3

)

Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of long-term debt

 

 

275.0

 

 

 

100.0

 

Repayment of long-term debt

 

 

(100.0

)

 

 

 

Issuance of short-term debt, net

 

 

185.1

 

 

 

 

Repayments to Spire, net

 

 

(346.8

)

 

 

(112.4

)

Dividends paid

 

 

(22.6

)

 

 

(28.5

)

Other

 

 

(1.5

)

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

 

 

(10.8

)

 

 

(40.9

)

Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

 

2.5

 

 

 

4.9

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period

 

 

2.6

 

 

 

2.0

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

 

$

5.1

 

 

$

6.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosure of cash paid for:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest, net of amounts capitalized

 

$

(21.6

)

 

$

(23.8

)

Income taxes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

15


 

SPIRE ALABAMA INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

(In millions)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

$

185.5

 

 

$

180.4

 

 

$

311.7

 

 

$

313.9

 

Total Operating Revenues

 

 

185.5

 

 

 

180.4

 

 

 

311.7

 

 

 

313.9

 

Operating Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural gas

 

 

39.4

 

 

 

41.1

 

 

 

86.4

 

 

 

100.6

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

37.1

 

 

 

33.4

 

 

 

72.3

 

 

 

67.8

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

14.6

 

 

 

13.7

 

 

 

28.9

 

 

 

27.3

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

13.2

 

 

 

12.6

 

 

 

22.0

 

 

 

21.5

 

Total Operating Expenses

 

 

104.3

 

 

 

100.8

 

 

 

209.6

 

 

 

217.2

 

Operating Income

 

 

81.2

 

 

 

79.6

 

 

 

102.1

 

 

 

96.7

 

Interest Expense, Net

 

 

5.3

 

 

 

5.4

 

 

 

10.7

 

 

 

10.5

 

Other Income, Net

 

 

1.2

 

 

 

1.5

 

 

 

3.4

 

 

 

3.3

 

Income Before Income Taxes

 

 

77.1

 

 

 

75.7

 

 

 

94.8

 

 

 

89.5

 

Income Tax Expense

 

 

19.3

 

 

 

19.0

 

 

 

23.8

 

 

 

22.5

 

Net Income

 

$

57.8

 

 

$

56.7

 

 

$

71.0

 

 

$

67.0

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

16


 

SPIRE ALABAMA INC.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility Plant

 

$

2,217.0

 

 

$

2,138.0

 

 

$

2,032.5

 

Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization

 

 

904.7

 

 

 

882.1

 

 

 

852.8

 

Net Utility Plant

 

 

1,312.3

 

 

 

1,255.9

 

 

 

1,179.7

 

Current Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.1

 

Accounts receivable:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Utility

 

 

65.6

 

 

 

37.5

 

 

 

69.8

 

Associated companies

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.1

 

Other

 

 

7.8

 

 

 

8.5

 

 

 

8.4

 

Allowance for doubtful accounts

 

 

(6.8

)

 

 

(6.3

)

 

 

(3.8

)

Inventories:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural gas

 

 

16.3

 

 

 

35.1

 

 

 

30.1

 

Materials and supplies

 

 

8.3

 

 

 

7.8

 

 

 

7.8

 

Regulatory assets

 

 

23.3

 

 

 

33.9

 

 

 

30.4

 

Prepayments

 

 

5.7

 

 

 

5.3

 

 

 

3.9

 

Other

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

0.2

 

Total Current Assets

 

 

120.7

 

 

 

122.2

 

 

 

147.0

 

Deferred Charges and Other Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regulatory assets

 

 

230.1

 

 

 

231.2

 

 

 

198.9

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

57.4

 

 

 

81.3

 

 

 

79.3

 

Other

 

 

61.0

 

 

 

53.0

 

 

 

58.9

 

Total Deferred Charges and Other Assets

 

 

348.5

 

 

 

365.5

 

 

 

337.1

 

Total Assets

 

$

1,781.5

 

 

$

1,743.6

 

 

$

1,663.8

 

 

17


 

SPIRE ALABAMA INC.

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS (Continued)

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capitalization:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paid-in capital and common stock (par value $0.01 per share;

   3.0 million shares authorized; 2.0 million shares issued and

   outstanding)

 

$

350.9

 

 

$

370.9

 

 

$

370.9

 

Retained earnings

 

 

518.1

 

 

 

459.1

 

 

 

467.8

 

Total Shareholder's Equity

 

 

869.0

 

 

 

830.0

 

 

 

838.7

 

Long-term debt (less current portion)

 

 

471.7

 

 

 

372.2

 

 

 

372.1

 

Total Capitalization

 

 

1,340.7

 

 

 

1,202.2

 

 

 

1,210.8

 

Current Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current portion of long-term debt

 

 

 

 

 

40.0

 

 

 

40.0

 

Notes payable

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes payable – associated companies

 

 

33.0

 

 

 

128.7

 

 

 

73.7

 

Accounts payable

 

 

48.0

 

 

 

56.2

 

 

 

54.6

 

Accounts payable – associated companies

 

 

4.8

 

 

 

1.6

 

 

 

3.1

 

Advance customer billings

 

 

5.3

 

 

 

10.6

 

 

 

5.3

 

Wages and compensation accrued

 

 

5.9

 

 

 

8.0

 

 

 

5.3

 

Customer deposits

 

 

19.9

 

 

 

19.5

 

 

 

20.5

 

Taxes accrued

 

 

23.0

 

 

 

27.4

 

 

 

21.2

 

Regulatory liabilities

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

3.4

 

 

 

6.1

 

Other

 

 

9.7

 

 

 

9.2

 

 

 

10.0

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

 

202.0

 

 

 

304.6

 

 

 

239.8

 

Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

54.6

 

 

 

59.2

 

 

 

37.4

 

Asset retirement obligations

 

 

151.7

 

 

 

148.7

 

 

 

138.6

 

Regulatory liabilities

 

 

21.6

 

 

 

23.0

 

 

 

30.5

 

Other

 

 

10.9

 

 

 

5.9

 

 

 

6.7

 

Total Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities

 

 

238.8

 

 

 

236.8

 

 

 

213.2

 

Commitments and Contingencies (Note 10)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Capitalization and Liabilities

 

$

1,781.5

 

 

$

1,743.6

 

 

$

1,663.8

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

18


 

SPIRE ALABAMA INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Common Stock

 

 

Paid-in

 

 

Retained

 

 

 

 

 

(Dollars in millions)

 

Shares

 

 

Par

 

 

Capital

 

 

Earnings

 

 

Total

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2019

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

370.9

 

 

$

466.3

 

 

$

837.2

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

57.8

 

 

 

57.8

 

Return of capital to Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6.0

)

 

 

(6.0

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

350.9

 

 

$

518.1

 

 

$

869.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2019

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

370.9

 

 

$

459.1

 

 

$

830.0

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

71.0

 

 

 

71.0

 

Return of capital to Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(12.0

)

 

 

(12.0

)

Balance at March 31, 2020

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

350.9

 

 

$

518.1

 

 

$

869.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at December 31, 2018

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

390.9

 

 

$

419.6

 

 

$

810.5

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

56.7

 

 

 

56.7

 

Return of capital to Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(8.5

)

 

 

(8.5

)

Balance at March 31, 2019

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

370.9

 

 

$

467.8

 

 

$

838.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance at September 30, 2018

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

390.9

 

 

$

417.8

 

 

$

808.7

 

Net income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

67.0

 

 

 

67.0

 

Return of capital to Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

 

 

 

 

 

(20.0

)

Dividends declared

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(17.0

)

 

 

(17.0

)

Balance at March 31, 2019

 

 

1,972,052

 

 

$

 

 

$

370.9

 

 

$

467.8

 

 

$

838.7

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

19


 

SPIRE ALABAMA INC.

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(UNAUDITED)

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

(In millions)

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income

 

$

71.0

 

 

$

67.0

 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

28.9

 

 

 

27.3

 

Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits

 

 

23.9

 

 

 

22.5

 

Changes in assets and liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

 

(27.9

)

 

 

(33.5

)

Inventories

 

 

18.3

 

 

 

3.7

 

Regulatory assets and liabilities

 

 

13.7

 

 

 

0.6

 

Accounts payable

 

 

(10.8

)

 

 

4.0

 

Advance customer billings

 

 

(5.3

)

 

 

(7.8

)

Taxes accrued

 

 

(4.4

)

 

 

(7.1

)

Other assets and liabilities

 

 

(7.8

)

 

 

8.9

 

Other

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

(2.4

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

 

97.1

 

 

 

83.2

 

Investing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital expenditures

 

 

(75.8

)

 

 

(65.7

)

Other

 

 

(3.0

)

 

 

(1.1

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(78.8

)

 

 

(66.8

)

Financing Activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issuance of long-term debt

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

90.0

 

Repayment of long-term debt

 

 

(40.0

)

 

 

 

Issuance of short-term debt – net

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

 

Repayments to Spire, net

 

 

(95.7

)

 

 

(68.8

)

Return of capital to Spire

 

 

(20.0

)

 

 

(20.0

)

Dividends paid

 

 

(12.0

)

 

 

(17.0

)

Other

 

 

(0.5

)

 

 

(0.5

)

Net cash used in financing activities

 

 

(18.2

)

 

 

(16.3

)

Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.1

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosure of cash paid for:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest, net of amounts capitalized

 

$

(9.5

)

 

$

(8.7

)

Income taxes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the accompanying Notes to Financial Statements.

 

20


 

SPIRE INC., SPIRE MISSOURI INC. AND SPIRE ALABAMA INC.

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts)

1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PRESENTATION  These notes are an integral part of the accompanying unaudited financial statements of Spire Inc. (“Spire” or the “Company”) presented on a consolidated basis, Spire Missouri Inc. (“Spire Missouri” or the “Missouri Utilities”) and Spire Alabama Inc. (“Spire Alabama”). Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama are wholly owned subsidiaries of Spire. Spire Missouri, Spire Alabama and the subsidiaries of Spire EnergySouth Inc. (“Spire EnergySouth”) are collectively referred to as the “Utilities.” The subsidiaries of Spire EnergySouth are Spire Gulf Inc. and Spire Mississippi Inc.

The accompanying unaudited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) for interim financial information with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S‑X. Accordingly, they do not include all the disclosures required for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring adjustments) necessary for the fair presentation of the results of operations for the periods presented. This Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the Notes to Financial Statements contained in Spire’s, Spire Missouri’s and Spire Alabama’s combined Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

The consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of Spire include the accounts of the Company and all its subsidiaries. Transactions and balances between consolidated entities have been eliminated from the consolidated financial statements of Spire. In compliance with GAAP, transactions between Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama and their affiliates, as well as intercompany balances on their balance sheets, have not been eliminated from their separate financial statements.

NATURE OF OPERATIONS – Spire has two reportable segments: Gas Utility and Gas Marketing. The Gas Utility segment consists of the regulated natural gas distribution operations of the Company and is the core business segment of Spire in terms of revenue and earnings. The Gas Utility segment is comprised of the operations of: the Missouri Utilities, serving St. Louis and eastern Missouri (“Spire Missouri East”) and Kansas City and western Missouri (“Spire Missouri West”); Spire Alabama, serving central and northern Alabama; and the subsidiaries of Spire EnergySouth, serving southern Alabama and south-central Mississippi. The Gas Marketing segment includes Spire’s primary gas-related business, Spire Marketing Inc. (“Spire Marketing”), which provides non-regulated natural gas services, primarily in the central and southern United States (U.S.). The activities of other subsidiaries are reported as Other and are described in Note 9, Information by Operating Segment. Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama each have a single reportable segment.

Nearly all the Company’s earnings are derived from its Gas Utility segment. Due to the seasonal nature of the Utilities’ business and the Spire Missouri rate design, earnings are typically concentrated during the heating season of November through April each fiscal year. As a result, the interim statements of income for Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama are not necessarily indicative of annual results or representative of succeeding quarters of the fiscal year.

21


 

DERIVATIVES – In the course of their business, certain subsidiaries of Spire enter into commitments associated with the purchase or sale of natural gas. Certain of their derivative natural gas contracts are designated as normal purchases or normal sales and, as such, are excluded from the scope of Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. Those contracts are accounted for as executory contracts and recorded on an accrual basis. Revenues and expenses from such contracts are recorded gross. Contracts not designated as normal purchases or normal sales are recorded as derivatives with changes in fair value recognized in earnings in the periods prior to physical delivery. Certain of Spire Marketing’s wholesale purchase and sale transactions are classified as trading activities for financial reporting purposes. Under GAAP, revenues and expenses associated with trading activities are presented on a net basis in Gas Marketing operating revenues (or expenses, if negative) in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. This net presentation has no effect on operating income or net income.

REGULATED OPERATIONS The Utilities account for their regulated operations in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 980, Regulated Operations. This topic sets forth the application of GAAP for those companies whose rates are established by or are subject to approval by an independent third-party regulator. The provisions of this accounting guidance require, among other things, that financial statements of a regulated enterprise reflect the actions of regulators, where appropriate. These actions may result in the recognition of revenues and expenses in time periods that are different than non-regulated enterprises. When this occurs, costs are deferred as assets in the balance sheet (regulatory assets) and recorded as expenses when those amounts are reflected in rates. In addition, regulators can impose liabilities upon a regulated company for amounts previously collected from customers and for recovery of costs that are expected to be incurred in the future (regulatory liabilities). Management believes that the current regulatory environment supports the continued use of these regulatory accounting principles and that all regulatory assets and regulatory liabilities are recoverable or refundable through the regulatory process.

As authorized by the Missouri Public Service Commission (MoPSC), the Mississippi Public Service Commission (MSPSC) and the Alabama Public Service Commission (APSC), the Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA) clauses and Gas Supply Adjustment (GSA) riders allow the Utilities to pass through to customers the cost of purchased gas supplies. Regulatory assets and liabilities related to the PGA clauses and the GSA riders are both labeled Unamortized Purchased Gas Adjustments herein. See additional information about regulatory assets and liabilities in Note 4, Regulatory Matters.

TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES Transactions between affiliates of the Company have been eliminated from the consolidated financial statements of Spire. Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama borrowed funds from the Company and incurred related interest, as reflected in their separate financial statements, and they participated in normal intercompany shared services transactions. In addition, Spire Missouri’s other transactions with affiliates are presented in the table below:

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Purchases of natural gas from Spire Marketing Inc.

 

$

13.3

 

 

$

29.2

 

 

$

32.8

 

 

$

69.0

 

Transportation services received from Spire STL Pipeline LLC

 

 

7.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.8

 

 

 

 

Sales of natural gas to Spire Marketing Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.4

 

Transportation services received from Spire NGL Inc.

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

0.5

 

 

In the three and six months ended March 31, 2020, Spire Alabama had purchases of natural gas from Spire Marketing totaling $1.0 and $4.3, respectively.

 

22


 

ACCRUED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES – Accrued capital expenditures, shown in the following table, are excluded from capital expenditures in the statements of cash flows until paid.

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

Spire

 

$

51.4

 

 

$

80.6

 

 

$

63.6

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

21.5

 

 

 

40.1

 

 

 

19.0

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

17.6

 

 

 

11.9

 

 

 

12.1

 

 

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS – Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama adopted Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-02, Leases, along with related ASU Nos. 2018-01, 2018-10, 2018-11, 2018-20 and 2019-01 (collectively, “ASC 842”) using a modified retrospective transition method for leases existing at, or entered into after, October 1, 2019. Under the selected transition method, comparative periods in the financial statements are presented under ASC 840 (previous lease accounting guidance). ASC 842 requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for almost all lease contracts based on the present value of lease payments. It provides new guidelines for identifying and classifying a lease, and classification affects the pattern and income statement line item for the related expense. The Company and its subsidiaries elected a package of three practical expedients permitted by the standard, allowing them not to reassess existing contracts for (1) whether it is or contains a lease, (2) lease classification and (3) initial direct costs. They also elected to use the benefit of hindsight in determining both the lease term and impairments associated with any existing leases, which resulted in lease terms that best represent management’s expectations with respect to use of the underlying asset but did not result in recognition of any impairment. Finally, they elected not to assess whether existing land easements are leases under ASC 842. The adoption of ASC 842 impacted the balance sheets through recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases but did not result in a cumulative effect adjustment or significant impacts to income or cash flows. For other lease policy elections and disclosures about leases, see Note 11, Leases.

Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama adopted the guidance in ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging: Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, and related ASU Nos. 2018-16, 2019-04, and 2019-10 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. The amendments in this ASU more closely align the results of hedge accounting with risk management activities through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results in the financial statements. They did not have a significant impact on the financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses: Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which was later supplemented by ASU Nos. 2018-19, 2019-04, 2019-05 and 2019-11. The standard introduces new guidance for the accounting for credit losses on instruments within its scope, including trade receivables. It is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The new guidance will be initially applied through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama are currently assessing the impacts of adopting this standard, which must be adopted by the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

23


 

2. REVENUE

The following tables show revenue disaggregated by source and customer type.

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

$

471.9

 

 

$

551.3

 

 

$

840.3

 

 

$

944.9

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

156.8

 

 

 

185.9

 

 

 

279.3

 

 

 

316.2

 

Transportation

 

 

32.5

 

 

 

31.3

 

 

 

63.5

 

 

 

60.8

 

Off-system & other incentive

 

 

9.3

 

 

 

11.5

 

 

 

18.7

 

 

 

26.4

 

Other customer revenue

 

 

3.2

 

 

 

10.9

 

 

 

5.6

 

 

 

23.6

 

Total revenue from contracts with customers

 

 

673.7

 

 

 

790.9

 

 

 

1,207.4

 

 

 

1,371.9

 

Changes in accrued revenue under alternative revenue programs

 

 

5.3

 

 

 

(14.1

)

 

 

2.3

 

 

 

(19.9

)

Total Gas Utility operating revenues

 

 

679.0

 

 

 

776.8

 

 

 

1,209.7

 

 

 

1,352.0

 

Gas Marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue from contracts with retail customers

 

 

33.3

 

 

 

25.5

 

 

 

65.6

 

 

 

51.3

 

Revenue from wholesale derivative contracts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Gas Marketing operating revenues

 

 

33.3

 

 

 

25.5

 

 

 

65.6

 

 

 

51.3

 

Other

 

 

14.7

 

 

 

4.3

 

 

 

25.8

 

 

 

9.7

 

Total before eliminations

 

 

727.0

 

 

 

806.6

 

 

 

1,301.1

 

 

 

1,413.0

 

Intersegment eliminations (see Note 9, Information by Operating Segment)

 

 

(11.5

)

 

 

(3.1

)

 

 

(18.7

)

 

 

(7.5

)

Total Operating Revenues

 

$

715.5

 

 

$

803.5

 

 

$

1,282.4

 

 

$

1,405.5

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

$

331.1

 

 

$

410.9

 

 

$

607.0

 

 

$

713.0

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

99.2

 

 

 

129.2

 

 

 

180.0

 

 

 

218.3

 

Transportation

 

 

9.7

 

 

 

9.9

 

 

 

18.7

 

 

 

18.9

 

Off-system & other incentive

 

 

9.3

 

 

 

11.5

 

 

 

18.7

 

 

 

26.4

 

Other customer revenue

 

 

0.9

 

 

 

4.2

 

 

 

1.4

 

 

 

6.8

 

Total revenue from contracts with customers

 

 

450.2

 

 

 

565.7

 

 

 

825.8

 

 

 

983.4

 

Changes in accrued revenue under alternative revenue programs

 

 

7.3

 

 

 

(9.1

)

 

 

5.7

 

 

 

(13.6

)

Total Operating Revenues

 

$

457.5

 

 

$

556.6

 

 

$

831.5

 

 

$

969.8

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential

 

$

120.5

 

 

$

116.9

 

 

$

194.8

 

 

$

192.3

 

Commercial & industrial

 

 

46.2

 

 

 

44.1

 

 

 

77.5

 

 

 

75.5

 

Transportation

 

 

19.9

 

 

 

18.8

 

 

 

39.5

 

 

 

37.0

 

Other customer revenue

 

 

1.7

 

 

 

5.3

 

 

 

3.3

 

 

 

14.9

 

Total revenue from contracts with customers

 

 

188.3

 

 

 

185.1

 

 

 

315.1

 

 

 

319.7

 

Changes in accrued revenue under alternative revenue programs

 

 

(2.8

)

 

 

(4.7

)

 

 

(3.4

)

 

 

(5.8

)

Total Operating Revenues

 

$

185.5

 

 

$

180.4

 

 

$

311.7

 

 

$

313.9

 

Gross receipts taxes associated with the Company’s natural gas utility services are imposed on the Company, Spire Missouri, and Spire Alabama and billed to its customers. The expense amounts (shown in the table below) are reported gross in the “Taxes, other than income taxes” line in the statements of income, and corresponding revenues are reported in “Operating Revenues.”

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Spire

 

$

37.9

 

 

$

43.5

 

 

$

62.5

 

 

$

69.4

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

26.2

 

 

 

32.1

 

 

 

43.4

 

 

 

50.6

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

9.9

 

 

 

9.6

 

 

 

16.1

 

 

 

15.9

 

 

24


 

3. EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Basic Earnings Per Common Share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income

 

$

133.6

 

 

$

154.6

 

 

$

200.6

 

 

$

221.9

 

Less: Provision for preferred dividends

 

 

3.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.4

 

 

 

 

Income allocated to participating securities

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.5

 

Income Available to Common Shareholders

 

$

129.7

 

 

$

154.3

 

 

$

192.9

 

 

$

221.4

 

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding (in millions)

 

 

51.0

 

 

 

50.6

 

 

 

51.0

 

 

 

50.6

 

Basic Earnings Per Common Share

 

$

2.55

 

 

$

3.05

 

 

$

3.78

 

 

$

4.37

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diluted Earnings Per Common Share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income

 

$

133.6

 

 

$

154.6

 

 

$

200.6

 

 

$

221.9

 

Less: Provision for preferred dividends

 

 

3.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.4

 

 

 

 

Income allocated to participating securities

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.5

 

Income Available to Common Shareholders

 

$

129.7

 

 

$

154.3

 

 

$

192.9

 

 

$

221.4

 

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding (in millions)

 

 

51.0

 

 

 

50.6

 

 

 

51.0

 

 

 

50.6

 

Dilutive Effect of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units (in millions)*

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.2

 

Weighted Average Diluted Common Shares (in millions)

 

 

51.1

 

 

 

50.8

 

 

 

51.1

 

 

 

50.8

 

Diluted Earnings Per Common Share

 

$

2.54

 

 

$

3.04

 

 

$

3.77

 

 

$

4.36

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* Calculation excludes certain outstanding common shares (shown in millions by

   period at the right) attributable to stock units subject to performance or market

   conditions and restricted stock, which could have a dilutive effect in the future

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

4. REGULATORY MATTERS

As explained in Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, the Utilities account for regulated operations in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 980, Regulated Operations. The following regulatory assets and regulatory liabilities were reflected in the balance sheets of the Company, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama as of March 31, 2020, September 30, 2019, and March 31, 2019.

 

25


 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

Spire

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

Regulatory Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

30.1

 

 

$

30.1

 

 

$

30.2

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

10.4

 

 

 

18.2

 

 

 

19.3

 

Other

 

 

27.5

 

 

 

30.3

 

 

 

25.8

 

Total Current Regulatory Assets

 

 

68.0

 

 

 

78.6

 

 

 

75.3

 

Noncurrent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

415.6

 

 

 

416.6

 

 

 

345.8

 

Cost of removal

 

 

154.3

 

 

 

150.9

 

 

 

134.6

 

Future income taxes due from customers

 

 

113.5

 

 

 

108.8

 

 

 

102.2

 

Energy efficiency

 

 

37.7

 

 

 

35.0

 

 

 

32.0

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

9.1

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

49.6

 

 

 

47.2

 

 

 

45.3

 

Total Noncurrent Regulatory Assets

 

 

770.7

 

 

 

767.6

 

 

 

659.9

 

Total Regulatory Assets

 

$

838.7

 

 

$

846.2

 

 

$

735.2

 

Regulatory Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

5.8

 

 

$

5.8

 

 

$

5.8

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

8.0

 

 

 

26.2

 

 

 

3.4

 

Other

 

 

18.0

 

 

 

28.8

 

 

 

26.1

 

Total Current Regulatory Liabilities

 

 

31.8

 

 

 

60.8

 

 

 

35.3

 

Noncurrent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred taxes due to customers

 

 

174.2

 

 

 

179.8

 

 

 

155.7

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

152.5

 

 

 

142.3

 

 

 

115.3

 

Accrued cost of removal

 

 

31.7

 

 

 

41.6

 

 

 

53.7

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

82.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

75.7

 

Other

 

 

31.3

 

 

 

35.3

 

 

 

30.9

 

Total Noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities

 

 

472.3

 

 

 

399.0

 

 

 

431.3

 

Total Regulatory Liabilities

 

$

504.1

 

 

$

459.8

 

 

$

466.6

 

26


 

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

Spire Missouri

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

Regulatory Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

21.9

 

 

$

21.9

 

 

$

21.9

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.6

 

Other

 

 

7.5

 

 

 

7.5

 

 

 

7.5

 

Total Current Regulatory Assets

 

 

29.4

 

 

 

29.4

 

 

 

30.0

 

Noncurrent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Future income taxes due from customers

 

 

106.8

 

 

 

102.9

 

 

 

99.0

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

337.5

 

 

 

333.3

 

 

 

277.9

 

Energy efficiency

 

 

37.7

 

 

 

35.0

 

 

 

32.0

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

 

 

 

9.1

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

30.1

 

 

 

27.2

 

 

 

24.7

 

Total Noncurrent Regulatory Assets

 

 

512.1

 

 

 

507.5

 

 

 

433.6

 

Total Regulatory Assets

 

$

541.5

 

 

$

536.9

 

 

$

463.6

 

Regulatory Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

3.6

 

 

$

3.6

 

 

$

3.6

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

7.1

 

 

 

25.4

 

 

 

2.7

 

Other

 

 

13.6

 

 

 

23.3

 

 

 

17.9

 

Total Current Regulatory Liabilities

 

 

24.3

 

 

 

52.3

 

 

 

24.2

 

Noncurrent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deferred taxes due to customers

 

 

156.8

 

 

 

162.5

 

 

 

138.3

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

130.7

 

 

 

119.1

 

 

 

79.4

 

Accrued cost of removal

 

 

4.8

 

 

 

15.7

 

 

 

26.8

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

82.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

75.7

 

Other

 

 

25.5

 

 

 

29.2

 

 

 

24.9

 

Total Noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities

 

 

400.4

 

 

 

326.5

 

 

 

345.1

 

Total Regulatory Liabilities

 

$

424.7

 

 

$

378.8

 

 

$

369.3

 

 

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

Spire Alabama

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

Regulatory Assets:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

7.2

 

 

$

7.3

 

 

$

7.3

 

Unamortized purchased gas adjustments

 

 

10.4

 

 

 

17.7

 

 

 

18.0

 

Other

 

 

5.7

 

 

 

8.9

 

 

 

5.1

 

Total Current Regulatory Assets

 

 

23.3

 

 

 

33.9

 

 

 

30.4

 

Noncurrent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

72.6

 

 

 

77.2

 

 

 

61.1

 

Cost of removal

 

 

154.3

 

 

 

150.9

 

 

 

134.6

 

Other

 

 

3.2

 

 

 

3.1

 

 

 

3.2

 

Total Noncurrent Regulatory Assets

 

 

230.1

 

 

 

231.2

 

 

 

198.9

 

Total Regulatory Assets

 

$

253.4

 

 

$

265.1

 

 

$

229.3

 

Regulatory Liabilities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

2.2

 

 

$

2.2

 

 

$

2.2

 

Other

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

1.2

 

 

 

3.9

 

Total Current Regulatory Liabilities

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

3.4

 

 

 

6.1

 

Noncurrent:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

 

17.8

 

 

 

19.1

 

 

 

26.5

 

Other

 

 

3.8

 

 

 

3.9

 

 

 

4.0

 

Total Noncurrent Regulatory Liabilities

 

 

21.6

 

 

 

23.0

 

 

 

30.5

 

Total Regulatory Liabilities

 

$

24.0

 

 

$

26.4

 

 

$

36.6

 

 

27


 

A portion of the Company’s and Spire Missouri’s regulatory assets are not earning a return, as shown in the table below:

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

226.2

 

 

$

211.1

 

 

$

144.7

 

Future income taxes due from customers

 

 

113.5

 

 

 

108.8

 

 

 

102.2

 

Other

 

 

13.7

 

 

 

14.3

 

 

 

14.8

 

Total Regulatory Assets Not Earning a Return

 

$

353.4

 

 

$

334.2

 

 

$

261.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pension and postretirement benefit costs

 

$

226.2

 

 

$

211.1

 

 

$

144.7

 

Future income taxes due from customers

 

 

106.8

 

 

 

102.9

 

 

 

99.0

 

Other

 

 

13.7

 

 

 

14.3

 

 

 

14.8

 

Total Regulatory Assets Not Earning a Return

 

$

346.7

 

 

$

328.3

 

 

$

258.5

 

 

Like all the Company’s regulatory assets, these regulatory assets are expected to be recovered from customers in future rates. The recovery period for the future income taxes due from customers and pension and other postretirement benefit costs could be 20 years or longer, based on current Internal Revenue Service guidelines and average remaining service life of active participants, respectively. The other items not earning a return are expected to be recovered over a period not to exceed 15 years, consistent with precedent set by the MoPSC. Spire Alabama does not have any regulatory assets that are not earning a return.

Spire Missouri

On March 7, 2018, the MoPSC issued its order in two general rate cases (docketed as GR-2017-0215 and GR-2017-0216), approving new tariffs that became effective on April 19, 2018. Certain provisions of the order allow less future recovery of certain deferred or capitalized costs than estimated based upon previous rate proceedings, and management determined that the related regulatory assets should be written down or off in connection with the preparation of the financial statements for the second quarter of 2018. The charges totaled $38.4 for the year ended September 30, 2018 and are included primarily in operation and maintenance expense on the statements of income and in other cash flows from operating activities on the statements of cash flows. The after-tax reduction to net income and earnings per share was $23.6 and $0.49, respectively. On April 25, 2018, Spire Missouri filed an appeal of the MoPSC’s order related to the disallowance of certain pension costs incurred prior to 1997 ($28.8), real estate sold in 2014 ($1.8), and rate case expenses ($0.9) to Missouri’s Southern District Court of Appeals. On March 15, 2019, the appeal was denied by the Southern District Court of Appeals, and Spire Missouri requested review by the Missouri Supreme Court, which agreed to take the case. Oral arguments were made before the Missouri Supreme Court on January 29, 2020. The case is awaiting a decision. The charges related to the long-standing pension and real estate assets, totaling $30.6, were excluded in the determination of 2018 net economic earnings.

Spire Missouri filed Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge (ISRS) applications which were approved by the MoPSC and the costs associated therewith were included in new tariffs that went into effect from our last general rate cases on April 19, 2018. Since the Company’s last rate cases, ISRS filings became effective on October 8, 2018, May 25, 2019 and November 16, 2019, bringing total authorized future annualized ISRS revenues for Spire Missouri to $29.2. On February 3, 2020, Spire Missouri filed new ISRS applications with the MoPSC. Spire, MoPSC Staff, and the Office of Public Counsel (OPC) have entered into a Unanimous Stipulation and Agreement to resolve the February 2020 ISRS filings by increasing annualized ISRS revenue by $11.1. A portion of that revenue, representing replacement of bare steel facilities to which cathodic protection was later added, is subject to a potential refund based on the Court of Appeals’ decision on the ISRS eligibility of such materials for replacement in the appeal of the July 2019 ISRS case, discussed below. The MoPSC has not yet approved the Unanimous Stipulation and Agreement but has suspended the procedural schedule in the case in light of the parties’ filed agreement. Spire Missouri expects the MoPSC to issue a final order regarding the Unanimous Stipulation and Agreement no later than May 23, 2020.

28


 

As reported last year, on November 19, 2019, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals issued rulings (“ISRS rulings”) that determined certain capital investments in 2016 through 2018 were not eligible for recovery under the ISRS. The ISRS rulings upheld appeals by the OPC that contested recovery of portions of Spire Missouri’s ISRS and overturned the three prior MoPSC decisions.

On January 2, 2020, Spire Missouri submitted Applications for Transfer to the Missouri Supreme Court. The MoPSC also submitted Applications for Transfer to the Missouri Supreme Court that advanced similar positions as Spire Missouri. On March 17, 2020, the Missouri Supreme Court denied the Applications for Transfer of all three ISRS rulings, and they have been remanded to the MoPSC to determine the appropriate refund, if any, that may be required. Spire Missouri is participating in the remand proceedings. The MoPSC must issue its decisions regarding the appropriate amount of refunds, if any, by July 16, 2020.

Spire Missouri has recorded an estimate of the maximum impact of the ISRS rulings based on its interpretation of the rulings and evidence available. As of September 30, 2019, Spire Missouri recorded an estimated $12.2 regulatory liability for this matter by reducing revenue for fiscal year 2019. There were two components of this provision. The first related to a $4.2 refund ordered by the ISRS rulings for amounts collected prior to the last rate case, after which recoveries of related authorized revenues became part of base rates that went into effect in April 2018. The second component related to an estimate of $8.0 for revenues associated with the June 2018 ISRS filing that was approved by the MoPSC effective October 8, 2018. During the first six months of fiscal 2020, additional provisions totaling $4.2 were recorded to the regulatory liability for ISRS revenues related to customer billings recorded during this period under the June 2018 ISRS filing, along with a $0.6 provision for interest due on the entirety of the ISRS revenues in dispute if refunded. The after-tax impact of the six-month period provisions reduced net income by $3.7, which is excluded for the net economic earnings financial measure. Additional ISRS revenues are currently under appeal related to the January 2019 ISRS filings with annual authorized revenue of $12.4, as approved by the MoPSC effective May 25, 2019, and the July 2019 ISRS filings with annual authorized revenue totaling $8.8, which was approved by the MoPSC effective November 16, 2019. Those cases are in various stages of briefing, and no decisions have yet been rendered by the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals. In future periods, Spire Missouri will evaluate the need for any additional adjustment to the provisions based upon new information and further developments.

In January 2020, legislation was introduced in both the Missouri House and Senate to clarify language in the statute governing ISRS mechanism. Specifically, the bills seek to ensure that we can continue to upgrade our infrastructure, enhance its safety and reliability, and secure timely recovery of costs incurred. Senate Bill 618 was passed by the Missouri Senate, with amendments, passed required House committees and is awaiting House floor debate. House Bill 1992 was passed by the Utilities Committee of the Missouri House and is on the House calendar. Our government affairs team continues to evaluate other avenues to achieve final passage of the initiative.

Spire Alabama

As part of their annual updates for RSE, on November 25, 2019, Spire Alabama and Spire Gulf filed an increase for rate year 2020 of $5.9 and $1.6, respectively, which became effective December 1, 2019. In addition, Spire Alabama was granted authority to begin an off-system sales and capacity release sharing program similar to the program currently in place at Spire Missouri.

Spire Alabama filed a Gas Supply Adjustment (GSA) rate decrease effective February 1, 2020, of approximately $13.9 (on an annual basis) primarily attributable to lower natural gas prices and results of the recently approved off-system sale and capacity release share program.

On March 24, 2020, the APSC approved an application for up to $150.0 of long-term debt financing for Spire Alabama.

29


 

Other

On November 21, 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an Order on Rehearing of its August 3, 2018 order issuing a certificate of public convenience and necessity to Spire STL Pipeline LLC. In the Order on Rehearing, the FERC dismissed or denied the outstanding requests for rehearing filed by several parties, dismissed the request for stay filed by one party and noted the withdrawal of the request for rehearing by another party. On January 21, 2020, two of the rehearing parties timely filed petitions for review of the FERC’s orders with the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Spire and Spire Missouri have intervened in this matter.

5. FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS AND LONG-TERM DEBT

Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama have a syndicated revolving credit facility pursuant to a loan agreement with 11 banks, expiring October 31, 2023. The loan agreement has an aggregate credit commitment of $975.0, including sublimits of $300.0 for Spire, $475.0 for Spire Missouri, and $200.0 for Spire Alabama. These sublimits may be reallocated from time to time among the three borrowers within the $975.0 aggregate commitment, with commitments fees applied for each borrower relative to its credit rating. Spire may use its line to provide for the funding needs of various subsidiaries. The agreement also contains financial covenants limiting each borrower’s consolidated total debt, including short-term debt, to no more than 70% of its total capitalization. As defined in the line of credit, on March 31, 2020, total debt was 54% of total capitalization for the consolidated Company, 45% for Spire Missouri, and 34% for Spire Alabama.

Spire has a commercial paper program (“CP Program”) pursuant to which Spire may issue short-term, unsecured commercial paper notes. Amounts available under the CP Program may be borrowed, repaid and re-borrowed from time to time, with the aggregate face or principal amount of the notes outstanding under the CP Program at any time not to exceed $975.0. The notes may have maturities of up to 365 days from date of issue.

On March 26, 2020, Spire entered into a new loan agreement with two banks providing for a term loan of $150.0, which was immediately fully funded and matures on March 25, 2021, subject to optional prepayment by Spire. The term loan bears interest at the LIBOR Rate (as defined in the loan agreement) plus 0.85% per annum. Proceeds were used for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Information about Spire’s consolidated short-term borrowings and about Spire Missouri’s and Spire Alabama’s borrowings from Spire is presented in the following table. As of March 31, 2020, $91.7 of Spire’s short-term borrowings were used to support lending to the Utilities.

 

 

Spire (Parent Only)

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

Spire

 

 

 

Credit

 

 

Term

 

 

CP

 

 

Credit

 

 

Spire

 

 

Credit

 

 

Spire

 

 

Consol-

 

 

 

Facility

 

 

Loan

 

 

Program

 

 

Facility

 

 

Note

 

 

Facility

 

 

Note

 

 

idated

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weighted average borrowings outstanding

 

$

0.2

 

 

$

5.7

 

 

$

615.6

 

 

$

12.0

 

 

$

283.9

 

 

$

2.9

 

 

$

97.4

 

 

$

636.4

 

Lowest borrowings outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

175.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

39.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

18.5

 

 

 

436.1

 

Highest borrowings outstanding

 

 

23.1

 

 

 

150.0

 

 

 

856.6

 

 

 

185.1

 

 

 

429.5

 

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

161.3

 

 

 

856.6

 

Weighted average interest rate

 

 

1.9

%

 

 

2.1

%

 

 

2.1

%

 

 

1.8

%

 

 

2.1

%

 

 

1.8

%

 

 

2.1

%

 

 

2.1

%

As of March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowings outstanding

 

$

 

 

$

150.0

 

 

$

175.5

 

 

$

185.1

 

 

$

39.6

 

 

$

50.0

 

 

$

33.0

 

 

$

560.6

 

Weighted average interest rate

 

n/a

 

 

 

2.1

%

 

 

1.8

%

 

 

1.8

%

 

 

1.9

%

 

 

1.9

%

 

 

1.9

%

 

 

1.9

%

As of September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowings outstanding

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

743.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

386.4

 

 

$

 

 

$

128.7

 

 

$

743.2

 

Weighted average interest rate

 

n/a

 

 

n/a

 

 

 

2.3

%

 

n/a

 

 

 

2.3

%

 

n/a

 

 

 

2.3

%

 

 

2.3

%

As of March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowings outstanding

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

512.0

 

 

$

 

 

$

232.9

 

 

$

 

 

$

73.7

 

 

$

512.0

 

Weighted average interest rate

 

n/a

 

 

n/a

 

 

 

2.8

%

 

n/a

 

 

 

2.8

%

 

n/a

 

 

 

2.8

%

 

 

2.8

%

The long-term debt agreements of Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama contain customary covenants and default provisions. As of March 31, 2020, there were no events of default under these covenants.

30


 

Interest expense shown on Spire’s consolidated statements of income and Spire Missouri’s statements of comprehensive income is net of the capitalized interest amounts shown in the following table.

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Spire

 

$

1.4

 

 

$

1.4

 

 

$

3.6

 

 

$

2.6

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

0.6

 

 

 

0.9

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.0

 

 

 

 

On November 12, 2019, Spire Missouri issued and sold to certain institutional purchasers in a private placement $275.0 of 2.84% first mortgage bonds due November 15, 2029. Interest is payable semi-annually. The bonds are secured by a mortgage and deed of trust and rank equal in right to payment with all Spire Missouri’s other first mortgage bonds. Spire Missouri used the proceeds to repay its $100.0 floating-rate note and for other general corporate purposes.

On December 2, 2019, Spire Alabama issued and sold to certain institutional investors in a private placement $100.0 of 2.88% Series 2019B Senior Notes due December 1, 2029. Interest is payable semi-annually. The notes are senior unsecured obligations of Spire Alabama and rank equal in right to payment with all its other senior unsecured indebtedness. Spire Alabama used the proceeds to repay short-term debt and for general corporate purposes.

On December 23, 2019, Spire STL Pipeline issued and sold notes to certain institutional investors in a $135.0 private placement. Interest is payable semi-annually at 2.95%, and principal repayment is scheduled annually in accordance with a 15-year amortization schedule with an average life of 9.2 years. Proceeds were used to repay short-term debt.

6. FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents and short-term debt approximate fair value due to the short maturity of these instruments. The fair values of long-term debt are estimated based on market prices for similar issues. Refer to Note 7, Fair Value Measurements, for information on financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis.

31


 

The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of financial instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis are shown in the following tables, classified according to the fair value hierarchy. There were no such instruments classified as Level 3 (significant unobservable inputs) as of March 31, 2020, September 30, 2019, and March 31, 2019.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classification of Estimated

Fair Value

 

 

 

Carrying

Amount

 

 

Fair

Value

 

 

Quoted

Prices in

Active Markets

(Level 1)

 

 

Significant Observable Inputs

(Level 2)

 

Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

108.4

 

 

$

108.4

 

 

$

108.4

 

 

$

 

Notes payable

 

 

560.6

 

 

 

560.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

560.6

 

Long-term debt, including current portion

 

 

2,490.2

 

 

 

2,671.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,671.0

 

As of September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

5.8

 

 

$

5.8

 

 

$

5.8

 

 

$

 

Notes payable

 

 

743.2

 

 

 

743.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

743.2

 

Long-term debt, including current portion

 

 

2,122.6

 

 

 

2,373.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,373.4

 

As of March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

11.1

 

 

$

11.1

 

 

$

11.1

 

 

$

 

Notes payable

 

 

512.0

 

 

 

512.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

512.0

 

Long-term debt, including current portion

 

 

2,256.9

 

 

 

2,319.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

2,319.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

5.1

 

 

$

5.1

 

 

$

5.1

 

 

$

 

Notes payable

 

 

185.1

 

 

 

185.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

185.1

 

Notes payable – associated companies

 

 

39.6

 

 

 

39.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

39.6

 

Long-term debt

 

 

1,098.7

 

 

 

1,231.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,231.2

 

As of September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

2.6

 

 

$

2.6

 

 

$

2.6

 

 

$

 

Notes payable associated companies

 

 

386.4

 

 

 

386.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

386.4

 

Long-term debt

 

 

925.0

 

 

 

1,065.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,065.2

 

As of March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

6.9

 

 

$

6.9

 

 

$

6.9

 

 

$

 

Notes payable associated companies

 

 

232.9

 

 

 

232.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

232.9

 

Long-term debt, including current portion

 

 

974.7

 

 

 

1,036.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,036.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

 

Notes payable

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

50.0

 

Notes payable associated companies

 

 

33.0

 

 

 

33.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

33.0

 

Long-term debt

 

 

471.7

 

 

 

535.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

535.1

 

As of September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes payable associated companies

 

$

128.7

 

 

$

128.7

 

 

$

 

 

$

128.7

 

Long-term debt, including current portion

 

 

412.2

 

 

 

474.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

474.8

 

As of March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

 

Notes payable associated companies

 

 

73.7

 

 

 

73.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

73.7

 

Long-term debt, including current portion

 

 

412.1

 

 

 

423.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

423.8

 

 

32


 

7. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The information presented below categorizes the assets and liabilities in the balance sheets that are accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis in periods subsequent to initial recognition.

The mutual funds included in Level 1 are valued based on exchange-quoted market prices of individual securities.

Derivative instruments included in Level 1 are valued using quoted market prices on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) or the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). Derivative instruments classified in Level 2 include physical commodity derivatives that are valued using broker or dealer quotation services whose prices are derived principally from, or are corroborated by, observable market inputs. Also included in Level 2 are certain derivative instruments that have values that are similar to, and correlate with, quoted prices for exchange-traded instruments in active markets. Derivative instruments included in Level 3 are valued using generally unobservable inputs that are based upon the best information available and reflect management’s assumptions about how market participants would price the asset or liability. The Level 3 balances as of March 31, 2020, September 30, 2019, and March 31, 2019, consisted of gas commodity contracts. The Company’s and the Utilities’ policy is to recognize transfers between the levels of the fair value hierarchy, if any, as of the beginning of the interim reporting period in which circumstances change or events occur to cause the transfer.

The mutual funds are included in “Other Investments” on the Company’s balance sheets and in “Other Property and Investments” on Spire Missouri’s balance sheets. Derivative assets and liabilities, including receivables and payables associated with cash margin requirements, are presented net in the balance sheets when a legally enforceable netting agreement exists between the Company, Spire Missouri, or Spire Alabama and the counterparty to a derivative contract.

Spire

 

 

Quoted

Prices in

Active

Markets

(Level 1)

 

 

Significant

Observable

Inputs

(Level 2)

 

 

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

(Level 3)

 

 

Effects of

Netting and

Cash Margin

Receivables

/Payables

 

 

Total

 

As of March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

$

18.1

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

18.1

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

Gas Marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

6.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

(7.0

)

 

 

 

Natural gas commodity contracts

 

 

 

 

 

17.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4.8

)

 

 

12.7

 

Other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

 

17.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17.6

 

Total

 

$

36.0

 

 

$

24.3

 

 

$

 

 

$

(11.9

)

 

$

48.4

 

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

$

12.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

(12.2

)

 

$

 

Gasoline and heating oil contracts

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.4

)

 

 

 

Gas Marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

8.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

(8.9

)

 

 

 

Natural gas commodity contracts

 

 

 

 

 

27.7

 

 

 

1.1

 

 

 

(4.8

)

 

 

24.0

 

Other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest rate swaps

 

 

 

 

 

66.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

66.9

 

Total

 

$

13.1

 

 

$

103.0

 

 

$

1.1

 

 

$

(26.3

)

 

$

90.9

 

33


 

 

 

 

Quoted

Prices in

Active

Markets

(Level 1)

 

 

Significant

Observable

Inputs

(Level 2)

 

 

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

(Level 3)

 

 

Effects of

Netting and

Cash Margin

Receivables

/Payables

 

 

Total

 

As of September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

$

20.5

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

20.5

 

Gas Marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

0.9

 

 

 

6.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

(6.9

)

 

 

0.5

 

Natural gas commodity contracts

 

 

 

 

 

16.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

14.3

 

Other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

 

15.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15.5

 

Total

 

$

36.9

 

 

$

23.3

 

 

$

 

 

$

(9.4

)

 

$

50.8

 

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

$

12.3

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

(12.3

)

 

$

 

Gas Marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

8.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

(8.9

)

 

 

 

Natural gas commodity contracts

 

 

 

 

 

13.8

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

11.4

 

Other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest rate swaps

 

 

 

 

 

43.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

43.4

 

Total

 

$

12.7

 

 

$

65.7

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

(23.7

)

 

$

54.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

$

19.7

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

19.7

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

2.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

 

Gas Marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

7.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4.3

)

 

 

3.0

 

Natural gas commodity contracts

 

 

 

 

 

30.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

(3.4

)

 

 

27.0

 

Other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

 

11.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.9

 

Total

 

$

34.3

 

 

$

37.5

 

 

$

 

 

$

(10.2

)

 

$

61.6

 

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Marketing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

$

0.4

 

 

$

4.1

 

 

$

 

 

$

(4.5

)

 

$

 

Natural gas commodity contracts

 

 

 

 

 

18.9

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

(3.5

)

 

 

15.6

 

Other:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest rate swaps

 

 

 

 

 

15.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15.2

 

Total

 

$

0.4

 

 

$

38.2

 

 

$

0.2

 

 

$

(8.0

)

 

$

30.8

 

 

34


 

Spire Missouri

 

 

Quoted

Prices in

Active

Markets

(Level 1)

 

 

Significant

Observable

Inputs

(Level 2)

 

 

Significant

Unobservable

Inputs

(Level 3)

 

 

Effects of

Netting and

Cash Margin

Receivables

/Payables

 

 

Total

 

As of March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

$

18.1

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

18.1

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

Total

 

$

18.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

(0.1

)

 

$

18.1

 

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

$

12.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

(12.2

)

 

$

 

Gasoline and heating oil contracts

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.4

)

 

 

 

Total

 

$

12.6

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

(12.6

)

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of September 30, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

$

20.5

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

20.5

 

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

$

12.3

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

(12.3

)

 

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. stock/bond mutual funds

 

$

19.7

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

19.7

 

NYMEX/ICE natural gas contracts

 

 

2.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

 

Total

 

$

22.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

 

 

$

(2.5

)

 

$

19.7

 

 

Spire Alabama

Spire Alabama occasionally utilizes a gasoline derivative program to stabilize the cost of fuel used in operations but had no outstanding derivative contracts as of March 31, 2020, September 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019. 

8. PENSION PLANS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS

Pension Plans

Spire and the Utilities maintain pension plans for their employees.

The Missouri Utilities have non-contributory, defined benefit, trusteed forms of pension plans covering the majority of their employees. Plan assets consist primarily of corporate and U.S. government obligations and a growth segment consisting of exposure to equity markets, commodities, real estate and inflation-indexed securities, achieved through derivative instruments.

Spire Alabama has non-contributory, defined benefit, trusteed forms of pension plans covering the majority of its employees. Qualified plan assets are comprised of mutual and commingled funds consisting of U.S. equities with varying strategies, global equities, alternative investments, and fixed income investments.

35


 

The net periodic pension cost included the following components:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost – benefits earned during the period

 

$

5.6

 

 

$

4.9

 

 

$

11.1

 

 

$

9.7

 

Interest cost on projected benefit obligation*

 

 

5.8

 

 

 

7.0

 

 

 

11.7

 

 

 

14.1

 

Expected return on plan assets*

 

 

(9.0

)

 

 

(8.9

)

 

 

(18.2

)

 

 

(18.0

)

Amortization of prior service credit*

 

 

(0.6

)

 

 

(0.3

)

 

 

(1.2

)

 

 

(0.6

)

Amortization of actuarial loss*

 

 

3.9

 

 

 

2.3

 

 

 

7.6

 

 

 

4.6

 

Loss on lump-sum settlements*

 

 

21.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

21.0

 

 

 

 

Subtotal

 

 

26.7

 

 

 

5.0

 

 

 

32.0

 

 

 

9.8

 

Regulatory adjustment

 

 

(11.3

)

 

 

9.8

 

 

 

(1.7

)

 

 

19.7

 

Net pension cost

 

$

15.4

 

 

$

14.8

 

 

$

30.3

 

 

$

29.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost – benefits earned during the period

 

$

3.9

 

 

$

3.1

 

 

$

7.7

 

 

$

6.2

 

Interest cost on projected benefit obligation*

 

 

4.0

 

 

 

4.9

 

 

 

8.2

 

 

 

9.9

 

Expected return on plan assets*

 

 

(6.3

)

 

 

(6.3

)

 

 

(12.9

)

 

 

(12.7

)

Amortization of prior service cost*

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.4

 

Amortization of actuarial loss*

 

 

3.1

 

 

 

2.2

 

 

 

6.0

 

 

 

4.3

 

Loss on lump-sum settlements*

 

 

21.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

21.0

 

 

 

 

Subtotal

 

 

25.8

 

 

 

4.1

 

 

 

30.1

 

 

 

8.1

 

Regulatory adjustment

 

 

(13.2

)

 

 

7.9

 

 

 

(5.5

)

 

 

15.9

 

Net pension cost

 

$

12.6

 

 

$

12.0

 

 

$

24.6

 

 

$

24.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost – benefits earned during the period

 

$

1.5

 

 

$

1.6

 

 

$

3.0

 

 

$

3.1

 

Interest cost on projected benefit obligation*

 

 

1.3

 

 

 

1.5

 

 

 

2.5

 

 

 

3.0

 

Expected return on plan assets*

 

 

(1.8

)

 

 

(1.8

)

 

 

(3.5

)

 

 

(3.6

)

Amortization of prior service credit*

 

 

(0.6

)

 

 

(0.5

)

 

 

(1.2

)

 

 

(0.9

)

Amortization of actuarial loss*

 

 

0.8

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

1.6

 

 

 

0.4

 

Subtotal

 

 

1.2

 

 

 

1.0

 

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

2.0

 

Regulatory adjustment

 

 

1.7

 

 

 

1.7

 

 

 

3.4

 

 

 

3.4

 

Net pension cost

 

$

2.9

 

 

$

2.7

 

 

$

5.8

 

 

$

5.4

 

* Denotes pension expense line items that are recorded below the operating income line in the income statements, in the line item “Other Income (Expense), Net.”

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the Missouri Utilities’ and Spire Alabama’s pension plans, pension obligations may be satisfied by monthly annuities, lump-sum cash payments, or special termination benefits. Lump-sum payments are recognized as settlements (which can result in gains or losses) only if the total of such payments exceeds the sum of service and interest costs in a specific year. Special termination benefits, when offered, are also recognized as settlements which can result in gains or losses. In the quarter ended March 31, 2020, two Spire Missouri plans met the criteria for settlement recognition. The lump-sum payments recognized as settlements for the remeasurement were $59.1. The lump-sum settlement resulted in a loss of $21.0. For the remeasurements, the discount rates for the Missouri plans were updated to 2.85% from 3.2% at September 30, 2019. For the three and six months ended March 31, 2019, no pension plans met the criteria for settlement recognition.

The funding policy of the Utilities is to contribute an amount not less than the minimum required by government funding standards, nor more than the maximum deductible amount for federal income tax purposes. Fiscal 2020 contributions to Spire Missouri’s pension plans through March 31, 2020 were $10.9 to the qualified trusts and none to non-qualified plans. There were $6.6 of fiscal 2020 contributions to the Spire Alabama pension plans through March 31, 2020.

36


 

Contributions to the qualified trusts of the Missouri Utilities’ pension plans for the remainder of fiscal 2020 are anticipated to be $18.1. Contributions to Spire Alabama’s pension plans for the remainder of fiscal 2020 are anticipated to be $6.5.

Other Postretirement Benefits

Spire and the Utilities provide certain life insurance benefits at retirement. Spire Missouri plans provide for medical insurance after early retirement until age 65. For retirements prior to January 1, 2015, the Spire Missouri West plans provided medical insurance after retirement until death. The Spire Alabama plans provide medical insurance upon retirement until death for certain retirees depending on the type of employee and the date the employee was originally hired.

Net periodic postretirement benefit costs consisted of the following components:

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Spire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost – benefits earned during the period

 

$

1.5

 

 

$

1.8

 

 

$

2.9

 

 

$

3.7

 

Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation*

 

 

1.5

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

 

3.1

 

 

 

4.4

 

Expected return on plan assets*

 

 

(4.1

)

 

 

(3.9

)

 

 

(8.2

)

 

 

(8.0

)

Amortization of prior service credit*

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

(0.3

)

 

 

(0.1

)

Amortization of actuarial gain*

 

 

(0.5

)

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

(1.0

)

 

 

(0.3

)

Subtotal

 

 

(1.7

)

 

 

(0.3

)

 

 

(3.5

)

 

 

(0.3

)

Regulatory adjustment

 

 

4.0

 

 

 

2.6

 

 

 

8.0

 

 

 

5.0

 

Net postretirement benefit cost

 

$

2.3

 

 

$

2.3

 

 

$

4.5

 

 

$

4.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost – benefits earned during the period

 

$

1.3

 

 

$

1.7

 

 

$

2.6

 

 

$

3.4

 

Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation*

 

 

1.1

 

 

 

1.7

 

 

 

2.3

 

 

 

3.4

 

Expected return on plan assets*

 

 

(2.9

)

 

 

(2.7

)

 

 

(5.7

)

 

 

(5.5

)

Amortization of prior service (credit) cost*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

0.1

 

Amortization of actuarial gain*

 

 

(0.5

)

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

(1.0

)

 

 

(0.3

)

Subtotal

 

 

(1.0

)

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

(1.9

)

 

 

1.1

 

Regulatory adjustment

 

 

4.5

 

 

 

3.0

 

 

 

8.9

 

 

 

5.9

 

Net postretirement benefit cost

 

$

3.5

 

 

$

3.5

 

 

$

7.0

 

 

$

7.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost – benefits earned during the period

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

0.2

 

 

$

0.2

 

Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation*

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

0.7

 

 

 

0.9

 

Expected return on plan assets*

 

 

(1.2

)

 

 

(1.2

)

 

 

(2.4

)

 

 

(2.4

)

Amortization of prior service credit*

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

(0.2

)

Subtotal

 

 

(0.8

)

 

 

(0.8

)

 

 

(1.7

)

 

 

(1.5

)

Regulatory adjustment

 

 

(0.5

)

 

 

(0.4

)

 

 

(0.9

)

 

 

(0.9

)

Net postretirement benefit income

 

$

(1.3

)

 

$

(1.2

)

 

$

(2.6

)

 

$

(2.4

)

 

* Denotes other postretirement expense line items that are recorded below the operating income line in the income statements, in the line item “Other Income (Expense), Net.”

 

Missouri and Alabama state laws provide for the recovery in rates of costs accrued pursuant to GAAP provided that such costs are funded through an independent, external funding mechanism. The Utilities have established Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) and Rabbi Trusts as external funding mechanisms. The assets of the VEBA and Rabbi Trusts consist primarily of money market securities and mutual funds invested in stocks and bonds.

37


 

The Utilities’ funding policy is to contribute amounts to the trusts equal to the periodic benefit cost calculated pursuant to GAAP as recovered in rates. There have been no contributions to the postretirement plans through March 31, 2020 for the Missouri Utilities or Spire Alabama, and none are expected to be required for the remainder of the fiscal year.

9. INFORMATION BY OPERATING SEGMENT

The Company has two reportable segments: Gas Utility and Gas Marketing. The Gas Utility segment is the aggregation of the operations of the Utilities. The Gas Marketing segment includes the results of Spire Marketing, a subsidiary engaged in the non-regulated marketing of natural gas and related activities, including utilizing natural gas storage contracts for providing natural gas sales. Other components of the Company’s consolidated information include:

 

unallocated corporate items, including certain debt and associated interest costs;

 

Spire STL Pipeline, a subsidiary of Spire which has constructed and, as of November 2019, operates a 65-mile FERC-regulated pipeline to deliver natural gas into eastern Missouri;

 

Spire Storage, a subsidiary of Spire providing physical natural gas storage services; and

 

Spire’s subsidiaries engaged in the operation of a propane pipeline, the compression of natural gas, and risk management, among other activities.

Accounting policies are described in Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies. Intersegment transactions include sales of natural gas from Spire Marketing to Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama, sales of natural gas from Spire Missouri to Spire Marketing, propane transportation services provided by Spire NGL Inc. to Spire Missouri, and propane storage services provided by Spire Missouri to Spire NGL Inc.

Management evaluates the performance of the operating segments based on the computation of net economic earnings. Net economic earnings exclude from reported net income the after-tax impacts of fair value accounting and timing adjustments associated with energy-related transactions, the impacts of acquisition, divestiture and restructuring activities, and the largely non-cash impacts of other non-recurring or unusual items such as certain regulatory, legislative, or GAAP standard-setting actions. In fiscal 2020, this includes provisions for the ISRS rulings discussed in Note 4, Regulatory Matters.

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

Consolidated

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

$

679.1

 

 

$

33.3

 

 

$

3.1

 

 

$

 

 

$

715.5

 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

11.6

 

 

 

(11.5

)

 

 

 

Total Operating Revenues

 

 

679.0

 

 

 

33.3

 

 

 

14.7

 

 

 

(11.5

)

 

 

715.5

 

Operating Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural and propane gas

 

 

271.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(22.6

)

 

 

249.0

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

95.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2.7

)

 

 

93.1

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

47.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

47.0

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

51.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

51.7

 

Total Gas Utility Operating Expenses

 

 

466.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(25.3

)

 

 

440.8

 

Gas Marketing and Other

 

 

 

 

 

37.7

 

 

 

12.7

 

 

 

13.8

 

 

 

64.2

 

Total Operating Expenses

 

 

466.1

 

 

 

37.7

 

 

 

12.7

 

 

 

(11.5

)

 

 

505.0

 

Operating Income

 

$

212.9

 

 

$

(4.4

)

 

$

2.0

 

 

$

 

 

$

210.5

 

Net Economic Earnings (Loss)

 

$

144.3

 

 

$

5.1

 

 

$

(5.4

)

 

$

 

 

$

144.0

 

 

38


 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

Consolidated

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

$

776.7

 

 

$

25.4

 

 

$

1.4

 

 

$

 

 

$

803.5

 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

2.9

 

 

 

(3.1

)

 

 

 

Total Operating Revenues

 

 

776.8

 

 

 

25.5

 

 

 

4.3

 

 

 

(3.1

)

 

 

803.5

 

Operating Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural and propane gas

 

 

366.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(29.3

)

 

 

337.4

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

112.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(2.5

)

 

 

109.5

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

44.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

44.4

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

57.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

57.4

 

Total Gas Utility Operating Expenses

 

 

580.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(31.8

)

 

 

548.7

 

Gas Marketing and Other

 

 

 

 

 

8.7

 

 

 

7.9

 

 

 

28.7

 

 

 

45.3

 

Total Operating Expenses

 

 

580.5

 

 

 

8.7

 

 

 

7.9

 

 

 

(3.1

)

 

 

594.0

 

Operating Income (Loss)

 

$

196.3

 

 

$

16.8

 

 

$

(3.6

)

 

$

 

 

$

209.5

 

Net Economic Earnings (Loss)

 

$

146.7

 

 

$

6.2

 

 

$

(5.0

)

 

$

 

 

$

147.9

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

Consolidated

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

$

1,209.7

 

 

$

65.6

 

 

$

7.1

 

 

$

 

 

$

1,282.4

 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18.7

 

 

 

(18.7

)

 

 

 

Total Operating Revenues

 

 

1,209.7

 

 

 

65.6

 

 

 

25.8

 

 

 

(18.7

)

 

 

1,282.4

 

Operating Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural and propane gas

 

 

513.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(49.5

)

 

 

463.6

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

204.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(5.3

)

 

 

199.1

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

93.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

93.4

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

89.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

89.6

 

Total Gas Utility Operating Expenses

 

 

900.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(54.8

)

 

 

845.7

 

Gas Marketing and Other

 

 

 

 

 

65.6

 

 

 

22.2

 

 

 

36.1

 

 

 

123.9

 

Total Operating Expenses

 

 

900.5

 

 

 

65.6

 

 

 

22.2

 

 

 

(18.7

)

 

 

969.6

 

Operating Income (Loss)

 

$

309.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

3.6

 

 

$

 

 

$

312.8

 

Net Economic Earnings (Loss)

 

$

213.4

 

 

$

11.2

 

 

$

(8.8

)

 

$

 

 

$

215.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

Consolidated

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

$

1,350.5

 

 

$

51.2

 

 

$

3.8

 

 

$

 

 

$

1,405.5

 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

1.5

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

5.9

 

 

 

(7.5

)

 

 

 

Total Operating Revenues

 

 

1,352.0

 

 

 

51.3

 

 

 

9.7

 

 

 

(7.5

)

 

 

1,405.5

 

Operating Expenses:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural and propane gas

 

 

658.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(69.4

)

 

 

589.1

 

Operation and maintenance

 

 

216.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(4.9

)

 

 

212.0

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

88.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

88.1

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

96.6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

96.6

 

Total Gas Utility Operating Expenses

 

 

1,060.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(74.3

)

 

 

985.8

 

Gas Marketing and Other

 

 

 

 

 

22.0

 

 

 

16.3

 

 

 

66.8

 

 

 

105.1

 

Total Operating Expenses

 

 

1,060.1

 

 

 

22.0

 

 

 

16.3

 

 

 

(7.5

)

 

 

1,090.9

 

Operating Income (Loss)

 

$

291.9

 

 

$

29.3

 

 

$

(6.6

)

 

$

 

 

$

314.6

 

Net Economic Earnings (Loss)

 

$

213.1

 

 

$

14.5

 

 

$

(13.8

)

 

$

 

 

$

213.8

 

39


 

The Company’s total assets by segment were as follows:

 

 

March 31,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2019

 

Total Assets:

 

 

 

Gas Utility

 

$

6,311.6

 

 

$

6,094.6

 

 

$

5,850.1

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

159.3

 

 

 

212.3

 

 

 

366.7

 

Other

 

 

2,214.7

 

 

 

2,692.7

 

 

 

2,396.8

 

Eliminations

 

 

(667.6

)

 

 

(1,380.4

)

 

 

(1,340.0

)

Total Assets

 

$

8,018.0

 

 

$

7,619.2

 

 

$

7,273.6

 

 

The following table reconciles the Company’s net economic earnings to net income.

 

 

Three Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Net Income

 

$

133.6

 

 

$

154.6

 

 

$

200.6

 

 

$

221.9

 

Adjustments, pre-tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for ISRS rulings

 

 

2.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.8

 

 

 

 

Unrealized loss (gain) on energy-related derivatives

 

 

11.6

 

 

 

(9.1

)

 

 

15.3

 

 

 

(11.3

)

Acquisition, divestiture and restructuring activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.4

 

Income tax effect of adjustments

 

 

(3.4

)

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

(4.9

)

 

 

2.8

 

Net Economic Earnings

 

$

144.0

 

 

$

147.9

 

 

$

215.8

 

 

$

213.8

 

 

10. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Commitments

The Company and the Utilities have entered into contracts with various counterparties, expiring on dates through 2032, for the storage, transportation, and supply of natural gas. Minimum payments required under the contracts in place at March 31, 2020, are estimated at $1,558.7, $760.3, and $189.2 for the Company, Spire Missouri, and Spire Alabama, respectively. Additional contracts are generally entered into prior to or during the heating season of November through April. The Utilities recover their costs from customers in accordance with their PGA clauses or GSA riders.

Contingencies

The Company and the Utilities account for contingencies, including environmental liabilities, in accordance with accounting standards under the loss contingency guidance of ASC Topic 450, Contingencies, when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated.

In addition to matters noted below, the Company and the Utilities are involved in other litigation, claims, and investigations arising in the normal course of business. Management, after discussion with counsel, believes the final outcome will not have a material effect on the statements of income, balance sheets, and statements of cash flows of the Company, Spire Missouri, or Spire Alabama. However, there is uncertainty in the valuation of pending claims and prediction of litigation results.

The Company and the Utilities own and operate natural gas distribution, transmission, and storage facilities, the operations of which are subject to various environmental laws, regulations, and interpretations. While environmental issues resulting from such operations arise in the ordinary course of business, such issues have not materially affected the Company’s or Utilities’ financial position and results of operations. As environmental laws, regulations, and their interpretations change, the Company or the Utilities may incur additional environmental liabilities that may result in additional costs, which may be material.

40


 

In the natural gas industry, many gas distribution companies have incurred environmental liabilities associated with sites they or their predecessor companies formerly owned or operated where manufactured gas operations took place. The Utilities each have former manufactured gas plant (MGP) operations in their respective service territories. To the extent costs are incurred associated with environmental remediation activities, the Utilities would request authority from their respective regulators to defer such costs (less any amounts received from insurance proceeds or as contributions from other potentially responsible parties (PRPs)) and collect them through future rates.

Spire Missouri

Spire Missouri has identified three former MGP sites in the city of St. Louis, Missouri (the “City”) where costs have been incurred and claims have been asserted. Spire Missouri has enrolled two of the sites in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Brownfields/Voluntary Cleanup Program (BVCP). The third site is the result of a relatively new claim assertion by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In conjunction with redevelopment of one of the sites, Spire Missouri and another former owner of the site entered into an agreement (the “Remediation Agreement”) with the City development agencies, the developer, and an environmental consultant that obligates one of the City agencies and the environmental consultant to remediate the site and obtain a No Further Action letter from the MDNR. The Remediation Agreement also provides for a release of Spire Missouri and the other former site owner from certain liabilities related to the past and current environmental condition of the site and requires the developer and the environmental consultant to maintain certain insurance coverage, including remediation cost containment, premises pollution liability, and professional liability. The operative provisions of the Remediation Agreement were triggered on December 20, 2010, on which date Spire Missouri and the other former site owner, as full consideration under the Remediation Agreement, paid a small percentage of the cost of remediation of the site. The amount paid by Spire Missouri did not materially impact the financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows of the Company.

Spire Missouri has not owned the second site for many years. In a letter dated June 29, 2011, the Attorney General for the State of Missouri informed Spire Missouri that the MDNR had completed an investigation of the site. The Attorney General requested that Spire Missouri participate in the follow up investigations of the site. In a letter dated January 10, 2012, Spire Missouri stated that it would participate in future environmental response activities at the site in conjunction with other PRPs that are willing to contribute to such efforts in a meaningful and equitable fashion. Accordingly, Spire Missouri entered into a cost sharing agreement for remedial investigation with other PRPs. To date, MDNR has not approved the agreement, so remedial investigation has not yet occurred.

Additionally, in correspondence dated November 30, 2016, Region 7 of the EPA has asserted that Spire Missouri is liable under Section 107(a) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for alleged coal gas waste contamination at a third site in the northern portion of the City on which Spire Missouri operated a MGP. Spire Missouri has not owned or operated the site (also known as Station “B”) for over 70 years. Spire Missouri and the site owner have met with the EPA and reviewed its assertions. Both Spire Missouri and the site owner have notified the EPA that information and data provided by the EPA to date does not rise to the level of documenting a threat to the public health or environment. As such, Spire Missouri requested more information from the EPA, some of which would also be utilized to identify other former owners and operators of the site that could be added as PRPs. To date, Spire Missouri has not received a response from the EPA.

Spire Missouri has notified its insurers that it seeks reimbursement for costs incurred in the past and future potential liabilities associated with these MGP sites. While some of the insurers have denied coverage and reserved their rights, Spire Missouri retains the right to seek potential reimbursements from them.

On March 10, 2015, Spire Missouri received a Section 104(e) information request under CERCLA from EPA Region 7 regarding the former Thompson Chemical/Superior Solvents site in the City. In turn, Spire Missouri issued a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the EPA on April 3, 2015, in an effort to identify the basis of the inquiry. The FOIA response from the EPA was received on July 15, 2015 and a response was provided to the EPA on August 15, 2015. Spire Missouri has received no further inquiry from the EPA regarding this matter.

41


 

In its western service area, Spire Missouri has seven owned MGP sites enrolled in the BVCP, including Joplin MGP #1, St. Joseph MGP #1, Kansas City Coal Gas Station B, Kansas City Station A Railroad area, Kansas City Coal Gas Station A North, Kansas City Coal Gas Station A South, and Independence MGP #2. Source removal has been conducted at all of the owned sites since 2003 with the exception of Joplin. On September 15, 2016, a request was made with the MDNR for a restrictive covenant use limitation with respect to Joplin. Remediation efforts at the seven sites are at various stages of completion, ranging from groundwater monitoring and sampling following source removal activities to the aforementioned request in respect to Joplin. As part of its participation in the BVCP, Spire Missouri communicates regularly with the MDNR with respect to its remediation efforts and monitoring activities at these sites. On May 11, 2015, MDNR approved the next phase of investigation at the Kansas City Station A North and Railroad areas.

To date, costs incurred for all Missouri Utilities’ MGP sites for investigation, remediation and monitoring these sites have not been material. However, the amount of costs relative to future remedial actions at these and other sites is unknown and may be material. The actual future costs that Spire Missouri may incur could be materially higher or lower depending upon several factors, including whether remediation actions will be required, final selection and regulatory approval of any remedial actions, changing technologies and government regulations, the ultimate ability of other PRPs to pay, and any insurance recoveries.

In 2013, Spire Missouri retained an outside consultant to conduct probabilistic cost modeling of 19 former MGP sites owned or operated by Spire Missouri. The purpose of this analysis was to develop an estimated range of probabilistic future liability for each site. That analysis, completed in August 2014, provided a range of demonstrated possible future expenditures to investigate, monitor and remediate all 19 MGP sites. Spire Missouri has recorded its best estimate of the probable expenditures that relate to these matters. The amount is not material.

Spire Missouri and the Company do not expect potential liabilities that may arise from remediating these sites to have a material impact on their future financial condition or results of operations.

Spire Alabama

Spire Alabama is in the chain of title of nine former MGP sites, four of which it still owns, and five former manufactured gas distribution sites, one of which it still owns. Spire Alabama does not foresee a probable or reasonably estimable loss associated with these sites. Spire Alabama and the Company do not expect potential liabilities that may arise from remediating these sites to have a material impact on their future financial condition or results of operations.

In 2012, Spire Alabama responded to an EPA Request for Information Pursuant to Section 104 of CERCLA relating to the 35th Avenue Superfund Site located in North Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. Spire Alabama was identified as a PRP under CERCLA for the cleanup of the site or costs the EPA incurs in cleaning up the site. At this point, Spire Alabama has not been provided information that would allow it to determine the extent, if any, of its potential liability with respect to the 35th Avenue Superfund Site and vigorously denies its inclusion as a PRP.

Spire

In addition to those discussed above for Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama, Spire is aware of the following contingent matter.

In February 2018, the Company was made aware of a complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by the South Alabama Center for Fair Housing and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. The complaint alleges that the Company discriminated against unspecified residents of Eight Mile, Alabama, on the basis of race in violation of the Fair Housing Act by failing to adequately address the odorant release that occurred in 2008. The Company believes there is no basis for the complaint, HUD has no jurisdiction in the matter, and there will be no material impact on its future financial condition or results of operations.

42


 

11. LEASES

The lease agreement covering the Company’s primary office space in St. Louis extends through February 2035, with an option to renew for an additional five years. Spire Alabama currently has leased office space in two buildings in Birmingham; one lease expires in 2020 and the other extends through January 2024. The lease agreement covering Spire Marketing and Spire Storage office space in Houston extends through December 2028, with options to terminate three years earlier or to renew for an additional five years. The renewal options in the St. Louis and Houston leases are reasonably certain to be exercised and are included in the lease term used to determine the right-of use assets and lease liabilities. The Company and its subsidiaries have other relatively minor rental arrangements for real estate and equipment with remaining terms of up to eleven years.

Operating lease cost, cash flow and noncash information for the three and six months ended March 31, 2020 are shown in the following tables.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

Spire

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

Operating lease cost, including amounts capitalized

 

$

2.4

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

1.1

 

Cash flow and noncash information about operating leases:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating cash flows representing cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities

 

 

2.2

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

0.9

 

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

Spire

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

Operating lease cost, including amounts capitalized

 

$

4.8

 

 

$

0.3

 

 

$

2.1

 

Cash flow and noncash information about operating leases:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating cash flows representing cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities

 

 

4.5

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

1.9

 

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease liabilities

 

 

71.1

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

 

10.0

 

The following table shows balance sheet and weighted-average information about operating leases as of March 31, 2020.

 

Balance sheet classification

 

Spire

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

Right-of-use assets

Deferred Charges and Other Assets: Other

 

$

67.7

 

 

$

1.9

 

 

$

8.0

 

Lease liabilities, current

Current Liabilities, Other

 

 

6.9

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

2.3

 

Lease liabilities, noncurrent

Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities: Other

 

 

60.6

 

 

 

1.5

 

 

 

5.6

 

Weighted-average remaining lease term

 

 

16.1 years

 

 

5.8 years

 

 

3.7 years

 

Weighted-average discount rate

 

 

 

4.1

%

 

 

2.5

%

 

 

2.2

%

Following is a maturity analysis by fiscal year for operating lease liabilities as of March 31, 2020.

 

 

 

Spire

 

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

Spire Alabama

 

Remainder of 2020

 

$

3.4

 

 

$

0.1

 

 

$

1.2

 

2021

 

 

7.2

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

2.1

 

2022

 

 

7.2

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

2.1

 

2023

 

 

7.2

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

2.1

 

2024

 

 

5.8

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.7

 

2025

 

 

5.1

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

 

Thereafter

 

 

58.4

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

 

Total undiscounted lease payments

 

 

94.3

 

 

 

2.0

 

 

 

8.2

 

Less present value discount

 

 

(26.8

)

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

(0.3

)

Total current and noncurrent lease liabilities

 

$

67.5

 

 

$

1.8

 

 

$

7.9

 

43


 

As of September 30, 2019, the annual minimum rental commitments for operating leases (under ASC 840) were as follows.

 

 

2020

 

 

2021

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2024

 

 

Later

 

 

Total

 

Spire

 

$

8.2

 

 

$

7.0

 

 

$

6.8

 

 

$

6.1

 

 

$

4.8

 

 

$

36.5

 

 

$

69.4

 

Spire Missouri

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.7

 

Spire Alabama

 

 

2.9

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

 

0.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.9

 

There are no significant finance leases, short-term leases, subleases, variable lease payments, residual value guarantees, restrictions or covenants pertaining to leases.

The Company elected, for all asset classes, not to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for short-term leases. Instead, the lease payments are recognized in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term and variable lease payments are recognized in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred. The Company elected, for all asset classes, not to separate nonlease components from lease components and instead to account for each separate lease component and the nonlease components associated with that lease component as a single lease component.

The discount rate used for all the leases is the applicable incremental borrowing rate, which is the rate of interest that a lessee would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment. For a subsidiary lessee, the rate applicable to the subsidiary is used unless the lease terms are influenced by parent credit.

44


 

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

(Dollars in millions, except per unit and per share amounts)

This section analyzes the financial condition and results of operations of Spire Inc. (the “Company”), Spire Missouri Inc., and Spire Alabama Inc. Spire Missouri, Spire Alabama and Spire EnergySouth are wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. Spire Missouri, Spire Alabama and the subsidiaries of Spire EnergySouth are collectively referred to as the “Utilities.” The subsidiaries of Spire EnergySouth are Spire Gulf and Spire Mississippi. This section includes management’s view of factors that affect the respective businesses of the Company, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama, explanations of financial results including changes in earnings and costs from the prior periods, and the effects of such factors on the Company’s, Spire Missouri’s and Spire Alabama’s overall financial condition and liquidity.

Certain matters discussed in this report, excluding historical information, include forward-looking statements. Certain words, such as “may,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “seek,” “target,” and similar words and expressions identify forward-looking statements that involve uncertainties and risks. Future developments may not be in accordance with our current expectations or beliefs and the effect of future developments may not be those anticipated. Among the factors that may cause results or outcomes to differ materially from those contemplated in any forward-looking statement are:

 

Weather conditions and catastrophic events, particularly severe weather in the natural gas producing areas of the country;

 

Impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainties as to the continuing duration and severity of those impacts;

 

Volatility in gas prices, particularly sudden and sustained changes in natural gas prices, including the related impact on margin deposits associated with the use of natural gas derivative instruments, and the impact on our competitive position in relation to suppliers of alternative heating sources, such as electricity;

 

Changes in gas supply and pipeline availability, including decisions by natural gas producers to reduce production or shut in producing natural gas wells, expiration of existing supply and transportation arrangements that are not replaced with contracts with similar terms and pricing, as well as other changes that impact supply for and access to the markets in which our subsidiaries transact business;

 

Acquisitions may not achieve their intended results;

 

Legislative, regulatory and judicial mandates and decisions, some of which may be retroactive, including those affecting:

 

allowed rates of return,

 

incentive regulation,

 

industry structure,

 

purchased gas adjustment provisions,

 

rate design structure and implementation,

 

capital structures established for rate-setting purposes,

 

regulatory assets,

 

non-regulated and affiliate transactions,

 

franchise renewals,

 

environmental or safety matters, including the potential impact of legislative and regulatory actions related to climate change and pipeline safety,

 

taxes,

 

pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities and funding obligations, or

 

accounting standards;

 

The results of litigation;

 

The availability of and access to, in general, funds to meet our debt obligations prior to or when they become due and to fund our operations and necessary capital expenditures, either through (i) cash on hand, (ii) operating cash flow, or (iii) access to the capital markets;

45


 

 

Retention of, ability to attract, ability to collect from, and conservation efforts of, customers;

 

Our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and credit facilities any violations of which, if not cured in a timely manner, could trigger a default of our obligation;

 

Energy commodity market conditions;

 

Discovery of material weakness in internal controls;

 

The disruption, failure or malfunction of our operational and information technology systems, including due to cyberattacks; and

 

Employee workforce issues, including but not limited to labor disputes, the inability to attract and retain key talent, and future wage and employee benefit costs, including costs resulting from changes in discount rates and returns on benefit plan assets.

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, Spire Missouri’s and Spire Alabama’s Condensed Financial Statements, and the notes thereto.

OVERVIEW

The Company has two reportable segments: Gas Utility and Gas Marketing. Nearly all of Spire’s earnings are derived from its Gas Utility segment, which reflects the regulated activities of the Utilities. Due to the seasonal nature of the Utilities’ business and the Spire Missouri rate design, earnings of Spire and each of the Utilities are typically concentrated during the heating season of November through April each fiscal year.

Gas Utility - Spire Missouri

Spire Missouri is Missouri’s largest natural gas distribution utility and is regulated by the MoPSC. Spire Missouri serves St. Louis and eastern Missouri through Spire Missouri East and serves Kansas City and western Missouri through Spire Missouri West. Spire Missouri purchases natural gas in the wholesale market from producers and marketers and ships the gas through interstate pipelines into its own distribution facilities for sale to residential, commercial and industrial customers. Spire Missouri also transports gas through its distribution system for certain larger customers who buy their own gas on the wholesale market. Spire Missouri delivers natural gas to customers at rates and in accordance with tariffs authorized by the MoPSC. The earnings of Spire Missouri are primarily generated by the sale of heating energy. The rate design for each service territory serves to lessen the impact of weather volatility on its customers during cold winters and stabilize Spire Missouri’s earnings.

Gas Utility - Spire Alabama

Spire Alabama is the largest natural gas distribution utility in the state of Alabama and is regulated by the APSC. Spire Alabama’s service territory is located in central and northern Alabama. Among the cities served by Spire Alabama are Birmingham, the center of the largest metropolitan area in the state, and Montgomery, the state capital. Spire Alabama purchases natural gas through interstate and intrastate suppliers and distributes the purchased gas through its distribution facilities for sale to residential, commercial and industrial customers, and other end-users of natural gas. Spire Alabama also provides transportation services to large industrial and commercial customers located on its distribution system. These transportation customers, using Spire Alabama as their agent or acting on their own, purchase gas directly from marketers or suppliers and arrange for delivery of the gas into the Spire Alabama distribution system. Spire Alabama charges a fee to transport such customer-owned gas through its distribution system to the customers’ facilities.

Gas Utility - Spire EnergySouth

Spire Gulf and Spire Mississippi are utilities engaged in the purchase, retail distribution and sale of natural gas to approximately 100,000 customers in southern Alabama and south-central Mississippi. Spire Gulf is regulated by the APSC, and Spire Mississippi is regulated by the MSPSC.

46


 

Gas Marketing

Spire Marketing is engaged in the marketing of natural gas and related activities on a non-regulated basis and is reported in the Gas Marketing segment. Spire Marketing markets natural gas across the central and southern U.S. It holds firm transportation and storage contracts in order to effectively manage its transactions with counterparties, which primarily include producers, municipalities, electric and gas utility companies, and large commercial and industrial customers.

Other

Other components of the Company’s consolidated information include:

 

unallocated corporate items, including certain debt and associated interest costs;

 

Spire STL Pipeline LLC (“Spire STL Pipeline”) and Spire Storage West LLC (“Spire Storage”), described below; and

 

Spire’s subsidiaries engaged in the operation of a propane pipeline, the compression of natural gas, and risk management, among other activities.

Spire STL Pipeline is a wholly owned subsidiary of Spire which owns and operates a 65-mile pipeline connecting the Rockies Express Pipeline in Scott County, Illinois, to delivery points in St. Louis County, Missouri, including Spire Missouri’s storage facility. The pipeline is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and is capable of delivering up to 4 million therms per day of natural gas into eastern Missouri. Spire Missouri is the foundation shipper with a contractual commitment of 3.5 million therms per day. The pipeline was primarily constructed during fiscal 2019. In November 2019, Spire STL Pipeline received final authorization from the FERC and placed the pipeline into service.

Spire Storage is engaged in the storage of natural gas in the Western region of the United States. The facility consists of two storage fields operating under one FERC market-based rate tariff. We continue to analyze the fields’ capacity and injection/withdrawal capabilities as we invest to ensure reliable operations for this winter and improve profitability. Future development of Spire Storage would entail additional investments to increase injection, withdrawal and storage capacity and enhance connectivity within the facilities and with interconnected interstate pipelines.

COVID-19

The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a rapidly developing situation that has adversely impacted economic activity and conditions worldwide. We are continuing to assess the developments involving our workforce, customers and suppliers, as well as the developing response of federal and state authorities, our regulators and other business and community leaders. To date, the Company has implemented what the Company believes to be appropriate procedures and protocols to ensure the safety of our customers, suppliers and employees. These actions include activating incident management procedures, sheltering-at-home for a portion of our employees, limiting direct contact with our customers, and suspending disconnections and charging late payments to our utility customers. At March 31, 2020, the Company has not recorded any regulatory assets or cost deferrals related to COVID-19. An extended slowdown of the United States' economy, changes in commodity costs and/or significant changes in policy and regulation could result in lower demand for natural gas as well as negatively impact the ability of our customers, contractors, suppliers and other business partners to remain in business or return to operating health. These could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and prospects. During the period ending March 31, 2020, we have experienced limited impact on our results of operations. While the full extent of future developments is unknown, we do not currently believe there will be a material impact to our business, results of operations, financial condition, liquidity or cash flows.

The Company will participate in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provisions allowing for a payroll tax deferral which will not have an impact on our results of operations but will defer the payment of the Company portion of certain payroll taxes until fiscal 2021 and 2022. Although the Company does not currently expect to seek relief under any other CARES Act provisions, we will continue to monitor all pending and

47


 

future federal, state and local efforts related to the COVID-19 health crisis and assess our need and, as applicable, eligibility for any such relief.

NON-GAAP MEASURES

Net income, earnings per share and operating income reported by Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama are determined in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama also provide the non-GAAP financial measures of net economic earnings, net economic earnings per share and contribution margin. Management and the Board of Directors use non-GAAP financial measures, in addition to GAAP financial measures, to understand and compare operating results across accounting periods, for financial and operational decision making, for planning and forecasting, to determine incentive compensation and to evaluate financial performance. These non-GAAP operating metrics should not be considered as alternatives to, or more meaningful than, the related GAAP measures. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures are provided on the following pages.

Net Economic Earnings and Net Economic Earnings Per Share

Net economic earnings and net economic earnings per share are non-GAAP measures that exclude from net income the impacts of fair value accounting and timing adjustments associated with energy-related transactions, the impacts of acquisition, divestiture and restructuring activities, and the largely non-cash impacts of other non-recurring or unusual items such as certain regulatory, legislative or GAAP standard-setting actions. Beginning with the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, this included a provision for refunds to customers of amounts collected under MoPSC-approved orders as a result of the November 2019 Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge (ISRS) rulings discussed in Note 4, Regulatory Matters, of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1. In addition, net economic earnings per share excludes the impact, in the fiscal year of issuance, of shares issued to finance acquisitions that have yet to be included in net economic earnings.

The fair value and timing adjustments are made in instances where the accounting treatment differs from what management considers the economic substance of the underlying transaction, including the following:

 

Net unrealized gains and losses on energy-related derivatives that are required by GAAP fair value accounting associated with current changes in the fair value of financial and physical transactions prior to their completion and settlement. These unrealized gains and losses result primarily from two sources:

 

1)

changes in the fair values of physical and/or financial derivatives prior to the period of settlement; and

 

2)

ineffective portions of accounting hedges, required to be recorded in earnings prior to settlement, due to differences in commodity price changes between the locations of the forecasted physical purchase or sale transactions and the locations of the underlying hedge instruments;

 

Lower of cost or market adjustments to the carrying value of commodity inventories resulting when the net realizable value of the commodity falls below its original cost, to the extent that those commodities are economically hedged; and

 

Realized gains and losses resulting from the settlement of economic hedges prior to the sale of the physical commodity.

These adjustments eliminate the impact of timing differences and the impact of current changes in the fair value of financial and physical transactions prior to their completion and settlement. Unrealized gains or losses are recorded in each period until being replaced with the actual gains or losses realized when the associated physical transactions occur. Management believes that excluding the earnings volatility caused by recognizing changes in fair value prior to settlement and other timing differences associated with related purchase and sale transactions provides a useful representation of the economic effects of only the actual settled transactions and their effects on results of operations. While management uses these non-GAAP measures to evaluate both Spire’s Utilities and its other gas-related businesses, the net effect of these fair value and timing adjustments on the Utilities’ earnings is minimal because gains or losses on their natural gas derivative instruments are deferred pursuant to state regulation.

48


 

Contribution Margin

In addition to operating revenues and operating expenses, management also uses the non-GAAP measure of contribution margin when evaluating results of operations. Contribution margin is defined as operating revenues less natural and propane gas costs and gross receipts tax expense. The Utilities pass to their customers (subject to prudence review by, as applicable, the MoPSC, APSC or MSPSC) increases and decreases in the wholesale cost of natural gas in accordance with their PGA clauses or GSA riders. The volatility of the wholesale natural gas market results in fluctuations from period to period in the recorded levels of, among other items, revenues and natural gas cost expense. Nevertheless, increases and decreases in the cost of gas associated with system gas sales volumes and gross receipts tax expense (which are calculated as a percentage of revenues), with the same amount (excluding immaterial timing differences) included in revenues, have no direct effect on operating income. Therefore, management believes that contribution margin is a useful supplemental measure, along with the remaining operating expenses, for assessing the Company’s and the Utilities’ performance.

EARNINGS – THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020

Spire

Net Income and Net Economic Earnings

The following tables reconcile the Company’s net economic earnings to the most comparable GAAP number, net income.

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Total

 

 

Per Diluted Common Share**

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income (Loss) [GAAP]

 

$

142.3

 

 

$

(3.3

)

 

$

(5.4

)

 

$

133.6

 

 

$

2.54

 

Adjustments, pre-tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for ISRS rulings

 

 

2.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.2

 

 

 

0.04

 

Unrealized loss on energy-related derivatives

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

11.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.6

 

 

 

0.23

 

Income tax effect of adjustments*

 

 

(0.6

)

 

 

(2.8

)

 

 

 

 

 

(3.4

)

 

 

(0.06

)

Net Economic Earnings (Loss) [Non-GAAP]

 

$

144.3

 

 

$

5.1

 

 

$

(5.4

)

 

$

144.0

 

 

$

2.75

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income (Loss) [GAAP]

 

$

146.7

 

 

$

12.9

 

 

$

(5.0

)

 

$

154.6

 

 

$

3.04

 

Adjustments, pre-tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized gain on energy-related derivatives

 

 

 

 

 

(9.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

(9.1

)

 

 

(0.18

)

Income tax effect of adjustments*

 

 

 

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.4

 

 

 

0.04

 

Net Economic Earnings (Loss) [Non-GAAP]

 

$

146.7

 

 

$

6.2

 

 

$

(5.0

)

 

$

147.9

 

 

$

2.90

 

 

*

Income tax effect is calculated by applying federal, state, and local income tax rates applicable to ordinary income to the amounts of the pre-tax reconciling items and then adding any estimated effects of enacted state or local income tax laws for periods before the related effective date.

**

Net economic earnings per share is calculated by replacing consolidated net income with consolidated net economic earnings in the GAAP diluted earnings per share calculation, which includes reductions for cumulative preferred dividends and participating shares.

Note: In the following discussion, all references to earnings (loss) per share and net economic earnings per share refer to earnings (loss) per common share and net economic earnings per common share.

49


 

Consolidated

Spire had net income of $133.6 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared with net income of $154.6 for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Diluted earnings per share of $2.54 for the current year quarter compared to $3.04 diluted earnings per share for the prior year quarter. The reduction of net income reflects a $16.2 decrease in the Gas Marketing segment, combined with a $4.4 reduction of earnings in the Gas Utility segment. The Gas Marketing decrease represents a $20.3 ($15.1 after-tax) decline related to derivative activity and fair value measurements, combined with lower contribution margin. Gas Utility net income growth was negatively impacted by warmer weather in the current quarter, combined with the $2.2 ($1.7 after-tax) provision recorded for the ISRS rulings provision in the current quarter.

Spire’s net economic earnings were $144.0 ($2.75 per diluted share) for the three months ended March 31, 2020, a decrease of $3.9 from the $147.9 ($2.90 per diluted share) reported for the same period in the prior year. For the current quarter both net income per share and net economic earnings per share were reduced by approximately $0.08 per share due to dividends earned from the $250.0 in preferred shares that were issued in May 2019 and issuance of common stock. Dividends on cumulative preferred shares are deducted from net income in the calculation of earnings per common share.

The principal drivers of the decrease in net economic earnings were the $2.4 and $1.1 decreases from the Gas Utility and Gas Marketing segments, respectively, as reflected in the table. These impacts are described in further detail below.

Gas Utility

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, net economic earnings for the Gas Utility segment decreased $2.4 from the second quarter of the prior fiscal year, primarily due to a $3.5 decrease at Spire Missouri that was only partly offset by a $1.1 increase at Spire Alabama. The decrease at Spire Missouri was driven by $3.0 lower contribution margin net of weather mitigation, combined with $1.5 higher depreciation expense. Other expense increased primarily due to a $3.6 decrease in the value of investments associated with non-qualified employee benefit plans. Spire Alabama benefited from higher contribution margin that was only partly offset by higher O&M and depreciation expenses, which both trended higher in the current year. These impacts are discussed in further detail below.

Gas Marketing

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, net economic earnings for the Gas Marketing segment were $5.1, a decrease of $1.1 compared with the second quarter of the prior fiscal year. The decrease in the current-year period was primarily driven by the increased costs of incremental transportation capacity and less favorable market conditions, partly offset by the higher volumes from our continued business expansion.

Other

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, net economic loss for Other increased $0.4 compared with the second quarter last year. The variance reflects higher earnings from STL Pipeline, a smaller loss from Spire Storage, and lower interest expense that were more than offset by higher insurance claims and higher charitable contributions.

50


 

Operating Revenues and Expenses and Contribution Margin

Reconciliations of the Company’s contribution margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure are shown below.

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

Consolidated

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Income (Loss) [GAAP]

 

$

212.9

 

 

$

(4.4

)

 

$

2.0

 

 

$

 

 

$

210.5

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

95.8

 

 

 

3.6

 

 

 

9.6

 

 

 

(3.3

)

 

 

105.7

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

47.0

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

2.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

49.2

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

51.7

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

0.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

53.0

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(37.6

)

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

(37.9

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

369.8

 

 

 

(0.5

)

 

 

14.5

 

 

 

(3.3

)

 

 

380.5

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

271.6

 

 

 

33.6

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

(8.2

)

 

 

297.1

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

37.6

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

37.9

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

679.0

 

 

$

33.3

 

 

$

14.7

 

 

$

(11.5

)

 

$

715.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Income (Loss) [GAAP]

 

$

196.3

 

 

$

16.8

 

 

$

(3.6

)

 

$

 

 

$

209.5

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

112.0

 

 

 

2.7

 

 

 

6.5

 

 

 

(2.9

)

 

 

118.3

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

44.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

44.9

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

57.4

 

 

 

0.3

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

58.1

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(43.4

)

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(43.5

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

366.7

 

 

 

19.7

 

 

 

3.8

 

 

 

(2.9

)

 

 

387.3

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

366.7

 

 

 

5.7

 

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

372.7

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

43.4

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

43.5

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

776.8

 

 

$

25.5

 

 

$

4.3

 

 

$

(3.1

)

 

$

803.5

 

Consolidated

As shown in the table above, Spire reported operating revenue of $715.5 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, a decrease of $88.0 compared with the same period in the prior year. This decrease was due to a $97.8 reduction in the Gas Utility segment, which was partly offset by a $7.8 increase in Gas Marketing and a $10.4 increase in Other. Spire’s contribution margin decreased $6.8 compared with last year, as increases of $10.7 for Other from STL Pipeline and Spire Storage and $3.1 for the Gas Utility segment were offset by a $20.2 decrease in the Gas Marketing segment. Depreciation and amortization expenses were up $2.6 in the Gas Utility segment, reflecting the higher overall capital investments across all utilities. Gas Utility O&M expenses of $95.8 for the quarter were down $16.2 from last year, including a $19.1 year-over-year net decrease in postretirement benefit costs recorded in O&M primarily due to a $21.0 settlement loss in a Spire Missouri pension plan that is transferred from O&M to other expense below the operating income line (the “Postretirement Nonservice Cost Transfer”). Excluding this impact, O&M expenses were up $2.9 driven by higher operations and employee related costs. These impacts are described in further detail below.

Gas Utility

Operating Revenues Gas Utility operating revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2020, were $679.0, or $97.8 lower than the same period in the prior year. The decrease in Gas Utility operating revenues was attributable to the following factors:

 

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Lower PGA/GSA costs

 

$

(58.0

)

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Volumetric usage (net of weather mitigation)

 

 

(33.7

)

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Gross receipt taxes

 

 

(5.6

)

Spire Missouri – ISRS, net of ISRS rulings provision

 

 

3.7

 

Spire Alabama – RSE: Annual rate renewal

 

 

3.2

 

All other factors

 

 

(7.4

)

Total Variation

 

$

(97.8

)

51


 

 

The decrease in revenues was primarily driven by lower gas costs, lower volumetric usage resulting from warmer weather, and lower gross-receipt taxes, consistent with the lower billings. These negative impacts were only partly offset by Spire Missouri’s $3.7 net ISRS revenue increase (after recording provision for ISRS rulings) and the favorable $3.2 RSE adjustment at Spire Alabama.

Contribution Margin – Gas Utility contribution margin was $369.8 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, a $3.1 increase over the same period in the prior year. The increase was attributable to the following factors:

 

Spire Missouri – ISRS, net of ISRS rulings provision

 

$

3.7

 

Spire Alabama – RSE: Annual rate renewal

 

 

2.7

 

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Volumetric usage (net of weather mitigation)

 

 

(1.8

)

All other factors

 

 

(1.5

)

Total Variation

 

$

3.1

 

The increase in contribution margin was primarily attributable to Spire Missouri’s net ISRS amounts (after recording provision for ISRS rulings) of $3.7, in conjunction with a $2.7 increase by the RSE annual rate renewal at Spire Alabama, partly offset by lower volumetric usage resulting from warmer weather. In Missouri, degree days were 19% warmer than last year and 11% warmer than normal, negatively impacting contribution margin by $5.9, net of weather mitigation.

Operating Expenses – O&M expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $16.2 lower than the same period in the prior year, including the $19.1 year-over-year net decrease due to Postretirement Nonservice Cost Transfer to other expense below the operating income line. Excluding this impact, O&M expenses were $2.9 higher due to increased operations and employee-related costs. Depreciation and amortization expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 were $2.6 higher than the same period in the prior year primarily driven by higher levels of capital expenditures across all the Utilities.

Gas Marketing

Operating Revenues – Operating revenues increased $7.8 versus the prior-year period as higher volumetric gas sales were partly offset by the impact of lower general pricing this quarter versus the prior year quarter. Average pricing for the three months ended March 31, 2020, was approximately $1.895/MMBtu versus approximately $2.956/MMBtu for the quarter ended March 31, 2019.

Contribution Margin – Gas Marketing contribution margin during the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased $20.2 from the same period in the prior year, largely reflecting a $20.3 decline in derivative activity and fair value measurements excluded from net economic earnings. Excluding these losses, margins were flat compared with the prior year, as higher volumes associated with the segment’s business expansion were offset by the costs of incremental transportation capacity and the impact of lower basis differentials.

Interest Charges

Consolidated interest charges during the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased by $0.4 from the same period in the prior year. The decrease was primarily driven by net long-term debt issuances at the Gas Utilities and Spire STL Pipeline being offset by lower average levels of short-term borrowings and lower short-term rates. For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, average short-term borrowings were $544.2 and $622.9, respectively, and the average interest rates on these borrowings were 2.1% and 2.7%, respectively.

Income Taxes

Consolidated income tax for the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased $3.2 versus the same period in the prior year. The variance is the result of the lower pre-tax book income in the current year, partially offset by a slightly higher effective tax rate in the current year.

52


 

Spire Missouri

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Income [GAAP]

 

$

117.7

 

 

$

102.4

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

50.8

 

 

 

70.7

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

29.3

 

 

 

27.8

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

36.1

 

 

 

41.9

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(26.2

)

 

 

(32.1

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

207.7

 

 

 

210.7

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

223.6

 

 

 

313.8

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

26.2

 

 

 

32.1

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

457.5

 

 

$

556.6

 

Net Income

 

$

74.5

 

 

$

80.0

 

Operating revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2020, decreased $99.1 from the same period in the prior year primarily due to $59.9 lower gas costs and an $33.7 decrease in volumetric usage (net of weather mitigation) resulting from warmer weather in the current year quarter. A further $5.8 reduction was attributable to lower gross-receipt taxes in the current year versus the prior-year quarter. A net increase (after ISRS ruling provision of $2.2) of ISRS revenues totaling $3.7 only partly offset these negative impacts. Contribution margin for the three months ended March 31, 2020, decreased $3.0 from the same period in the prior year, largely due to the lower volumetric usage of $5.9. As previously discussed, degree days were 19% warmer than last year and 11% warmer than normal, and as a result margins for commercial and industrial customers were down $5.3. Residential margins on a net basis were down $0.6 including the benefit of the weather normalization adjustment rider (WNAR). These negative impacts were partly offset by ISRS amounts mentioned above.

O&M expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased $19.9, including a $20.5 year-over-year net decrease due to the transfer of mix of service and nonservice postretirement benefit costs to other expense below the operating income line. Excluding this impact, expenses were $0.6 higher than the prior year quarter. Depreciation and amortization increased $1.5 in the current quarter versus the prior-year quarter due to higher capital investments.

Other expense was up $23.4 including the transfer of postretirement costs of $20.5 explained above. Excluding this impact other expense increased $2.9 primarily due to a $3.6 decrease in the value of investments associated with non-qualified employee benefit plans.

Degree days in Spire Missouri’s service areas during the three months ended March 31, 2020, were 11% warmer than normal and 19% warmer than the same period last year, resulting in lower usage on a year-over-year comparative basis. The Missouri Utilities’ total system therms sold and transported were 695.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared with 829.0 million for the same period in the prior year. Total off-system therms sold and transported were 9.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared with 11.7 million for the same period last year.

Resulting net income for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 decreased $5.5 versus the prior-year quarter.

53


 

Spire Alabama

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Income [GAAP]

 

$

81.2

 

 

$

79.6

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

37.1

 

 

 

33.4

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

14.6

 

 

 

13.7

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

13.2

 

 

 

12.6

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(9.9

)

 

 

(9.6

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

136.2

 

 

 

129.7

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

39.4

 

 

 

41.1

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

9.9

 

 

 

9.6

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

185.5

 

 

$

180.4

 

Net Income

 

$

57.8

 

 

$

56.7

 

Operating revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2020, increased $5.1 from the same period in the prior year. The change in operating revenue was driven principally due to the RSE annual rate renewal of $3.2 and a $1.9 increase in gas costs versus the prior year. Contribution margin increased $6.5, primarily due to weather-mitigated usage impacts of $4.1, and $2.7 attributable to the RSE adjustment.

O&M expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020 increased $3.7 versus the prior-year quarter, primarily due to higher field distribution and maintenance expenses. Depreciation and amortization expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2020, were $0.9 higher than the same period last year, the result of continued infrastructure upgrade investment.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2020 resulting net income increased $1.1 versus the prior-year quarter.

As measured in degree days, temperatures in Spire Alabama’s service area during the three months ended March 31, 2020 were 26% warmer than normal and 6% warmer than a year ago. Spire Alabama’s total system therms sold and transported were 320.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared with 316.5 million for the same period in the prior year.

54


 

EARNINGS – SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020

Spire

Net Income and Net Economic Earnings

The following tables reconcile the Company’s net economic earnings to the most comparable GAAP number, net income.

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Total

 

 

Per Diluted Common Share**

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income (Loss) [GAAP]

 

$

209.4

 

 

$

 

 

$

(8.8

)

 

$

200.6

 

 

$

3.77

 

Adjustments, pre-tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for ISRS rulings

 

 

4.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.8

 

 

 

0.09

 

Unrealized loss on energy-related derivatives

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

14.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

15.3

 

 

 

0.30

 

Income tax effect of adjustments*

 

 

(1.2

)

 

 

(3.7

)

 

 

 

 

 

(4.9

)

 

 

(0.10

)

Net Economic Earnings (Loss) [Non-GAAP]

 

$

213.4

 

 

$

11.2

 

 

$

(8.8

)

 

$

215.8

 

 

$

4.06

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Income (Loss) [GAAP]

 

$

213.1

 

 

$

22.9

 

 

$

(14.1

)

 

$

221.9

 

 

$

4.36

 

Adjustments, pre-tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized gain on energy-related derivatives

 

 

 

 

 

(11.3

)

 

 

 

 

 

(11.3

)

 

 

(0.22

)

Acquisition, divestiture and restructuring activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

0.4

 

 

 

0.01

 

Income tax effect of adjustments*

 

 

 

 

 

2.9

 

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

2.8

 

 

 

0.05

 

Net Economic Earnings (Loss) [Non-GAAP]

 

$

213.1

 

 

$

14.5

 

 

$

(13.8

)

 

$

213.8

 

 

$

4.20

 

*

Income tax effect is calculated by applying federal, state, and local income tax rates applicable to ordinary income to the amounts of the pre-tax reconciling items and then adding any estimated effects of enacted state or local income tax laws for periods before the related effective date.

**

Net economic earnings per share is calculated by replacing consolidated net income with consolidated net economic earnings in the GAAP diluted earnings per share calculation, which includes reductions for cumulative preferred dividends and participating shares.

Note: In the following discussion, all references to earnings (loss) per share and net economic earnings per share refer to earnings (loss) per common share and net economic earnings per diluted common share.

Consolidated

Spire’s net income was $200.6 for the six months ended March 31, 2020, compared with $221.9 for the six months ended March 31, 2019. Basic and diluted earnings per share for the six months ended March 31, 2020, were $3.78 and $3.77, respectively, compared with basic and diluted earnings per share of $4.37 and $4.36, respectively, for the six months ended March 31, 2019. For the current year, both net income per share and net economic earnings per share were reduced by approximately $0.14 per share due to dividends earned from the $250.0 in preferred shares that were issued in May 2019. Dividends on cumulative preferred shares are deducted from net income in the calculation of earnings per common share. Results were also impacted by $0.03 per share due to an increase in common shares outstanding.

The decrease in net income of $21.3 reflects a $22.9 reduction in net income from the Gas Marketing segment, and a $3.7 reduction in net income from the Gas Utility segment that were only partly offset by a positive net change of $5.3 in Other.

55


 

The Gas Marketing segment was negatively impacted by $26.2 ($19.6 after-tax) in unfavorable fair value mark-to-market adjustments, and less favorable market conditions. The Gas Utility segment is lower due principally to $8.7 lower net income from Spire Missouri, the result of $4.8 ($3.7 after-tax) in ISRS ruling provisions in the current year and $8.6 lower contribution margin due to the impacts of warmer weather.

Net economic earnings were $215.8 ($4.06 per diluted share) for the six months ended March 31, 2020, compared to $213.8 ($4.20 per diluted share) for the same period last year, reflecting earnings improvements in both the Spire STL Pipeline and Spire Storage, partially offset by lower Gas Marketing earnings. These fluctuations are discussed in further detail below.

Gas Utility

Gas Utility net income decreased by $3.7 from the prior year, reflecting the impact of the $3.7 after-tax expense for ISRS ruling provisions. Net economic earnings increased $0.3 compared with last year due to increased margins of $10.2, lower than expected due to warmer weather impacts of $5.6, combined with $6.0 higher operating expenses, after removing the impact of the current year $18.5 transfer of mix of service and nonservice postretirement benefit costs to other expense below the operating income line (the “Year-To-Date Postretirement Nonservice Cost Transfer”). Higher depreciation and amortization reflecting increased capital investment also impacted results.

Gas Marketing

The Gas Marketing segment reported no net income for the six months ended March 31, 2020, versus net income of $22.9 during the same period last year, principally reflecting $19.6 in after-tax unfavorable fair value mark-to-market valuations in the current year. Net economic earnings for the current year were $11.2, a decrease of $3.3 from the same period last year as higher volumes were more than offset by lower pricing, less favorable market conditions and higher operating costs.

Other

For the six months ended March 31, 2020, net economic loss for Other was $8.8, an improvement from $13.8 in the prior-year period. Included in those results was a $3.1 increase in net economic earnings from the STL Pipeline which entered service in late calendar 2019 and a $2.2 reduction in the operating loss from Spire Storage.

56


 

Operating Revenues and Expenses and Contribution Margin

Reconciliations of the Company’s contribution margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure are shown in the table below:

 

 

Gas Utility

 

 

Gas Marketing

 

 

Other

 

 

Eliminations

 

 

Consolidated

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Income [GAAP]

 

$

309.2

 

 

$

 

 

$

3.6

 

 

$

 

 

$

312.8

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

204.4

 

 

 

6.7

 

 

 

17.5

 

 

 

(6.3

)

 

 

222.3

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

93.4

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

3.2

 

 

 

 

 

 

96.7

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

89.6

 

 

 

0.7

 

 

 

1.3

 

 

 

 

 

 

91.6

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(62.2

)

 

 

(0.2

)

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

(62.5

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

634.4

 

 

 

7.3

 

 

 

25.5

 

 

 

(6.3

)

 

 

660.9

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

513.1

 

 

 

58.1

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

(12.4

)

 

 

559.0

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

62.2

 

 

 

0.2

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

62.5

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

1,209.7

 

 

$

65.6

 

 

$

25.8

 

 

$

(18.7

)

 

$

1,282.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2019

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Income (Loss) [GAAP]

 

$

291.9

 

 

$

29.3

 

 

$

(6.6

)

 

$

 

 

$

314.6

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

216.9

 

 

 

5.3

 

 

 

13.9

 

 

 

(5.6

)

 

 

230.5

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

88.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

89.1

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

96.6

 

 

 

0.5

 

 

 

0.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

97.9

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(69.3

)

 

 

(0.1

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(69.4

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

624.2

 

 

 

35.0

 

 

 

9.1

 

 

 

(5.6

)

 

 

662.7

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

658.5

 

 

 

16.2

 

 

 

0.6

 

 

 

(1.9

)

 

 

673.4

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

69.3

 

 

 

0.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

69.4

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

1,352.0

 

 

$

51.3

 

 

$

9.7

 

 

$

(7.5

)

 

$

1,405.5

 

Consolidated

Spire’s operating revenues decreased by $142.3 at the Gas Utility segment and were $14.3 and $16.1 higher in the Gas Marketing segment and Other, respectively. The Gas Utility decrease was due principally to $84.2 lower gas costs, and a $57.1 reduction due to weather/volumetric impacts (net of weather mitigation). The Gas Marketing increase was due to higher volumes offsetting lower prices, while Other reflects an added $11.8 from STL Pipeline which entered service in late calendar 2019 and $3.6 higher revenues at Spire Storage.

Spire’s contribution margin decreased $1.8 compared with the same six-month period last year, as higher margins from Gas Utility and other businesses were offset by lower margins in Gas Marketing. The Gas Utility contribution margin increased $10.2, primarily driven by the $11.8 increase from Spire Alabama and increases at the utilities of Spire EnergySouth, which more than offset the $3.3 reduction with the Missouri Utilities. Higher contribution margins at the STL Pipeline are consistent with its in-service date earlier this year, and Spire Storage’s improvement reflects higher utilization of its storage capacity. The $27.7 decrease in Gas Marketing reflects a $26.2 year-over-year reduction in fair value mark-to-market adjustments, combined with less favorable market conditions and higher transportation costs.

Depreciation and amortization expenses were higher in the Gas Utility segment, due to higher capital investments in both the Missouri Utilities and Spire Alabama. Gas Utility O&M expenses were lower in the current year driven primarily by the Year-To-Date Postretirement Nonservice Cost Transfer described above. Excluding this adjustment, O&M expenses were higher by $6.0 largely due to due to increased operations and employee related costs. These fluctuations are described in more detail below.

57


 

Gas Utility

Operating Revenues – Gas Utility operating revenues for the six months ended March 31, 2020, were $1,209.7, or $142.3 lower than the same period last year. The decrease in Gas Utility operating revenues was attributable to the following factors:

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Lower PGA/GSA costs

 

$

(84.2

)

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Volumetric usage (net of weather mitigation)

 

 

(57.1

)

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Off -system sales and capacity release

 

 

(7.0

)

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Gross receipt taxes

 

 

(7.1

)

Spire Missouri – ISRS, net of ISRS rulings provision

 

 

5.9

 

Spire Alabama – RSE: Annual rate renewal

 

 

6.0

 

All other factors

 

 

1.2

 

Total Variation

 

$

(142.3

)

The decrease in revenues was driven primarily by a $84.2 decrease in gas costs, lower weather/volumetric impacts of $57.1, a $7.0 reduction in off-system sales and $7.1 lower gross tax receipts. These negative impacts were only partially offset by a $6.0 increase due to Spire Alabama’s RSE rate renewal and a $5.9 increase of Spire Missouri ISRS (net of ISRS ruling provision).

Contribution Margin – Gas Utility contribution margin was $634.4 for the six months ended March 31, 2020, a $10.2 increase over the same period last year. The increase was attributable to the following factors:

Spire Missouri – ISRS, net of ISRS rulings provision

 

$

5.9

 

Spire Alabama – RSE: Annual rate renewal

 

 

5.2

 

Spire Alabama – RSE: net giveback

 

 

3.1

 

Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama – Volumetric usage (net of weather mitigation)

 

 

(5.6

)

All other factors

 

 

1.6

 

Total Variation

 

$

10.2

 

The contribution margin increase resulted primarily from Missouri ISRS (net of ISRS ruling provisions) and Spire Alabama RSE adjustment impacts. These positive factors were partially offset by lower volumetric margins at Spire Missouri of $8.6, net of weather mitigation. Degree days were 13% warmer than last year and 5% warmer than normal.

Operating Expenses – Gas Utility O&M expenses, decreased $12.5 from last year. Removing the Year-To-Date Postretirement Nonservice Cost Transfer, the year-over-year increase in O&M was $6.0. The $6.0 increase is due to higher operations and employee-related costs. Depreciation and amortization expenses for the six months ended March 31, 2020, increased $5.3 from the same period last year as a result of higher levels of capital investment over the past year.

Gas Marketing

Operating Revenues – Gas Marketing operating revenues increased $14.3 from the same period last year, principally due to higher total volumes that were only partly offset by lower pricing levels. Overall commodity pricing in the current year was $1.146/MMBtu lower than the prior year.

Contribution Margin – Gas Marketing contribution margin during the six months ended March 31, 2020, decreased $27.7 from the same period last year, negatively impacted by a net $26.2 year-over-year swing in derivative activity and mark-to-market valuations. The remaining decrease reflects the benefits of geographic expansion more than offset by less favorable market conditions (principally lower basis differentials and commodity costs) and higher transportation costs.

58


 

Interest Charges

Consolidated interest charges during the six months ended March 31, 2020, were $0.4 higher than the same period last year. The increase was primarily driven by net long-term debt issuances and higher levels of short-term borrowings, offset by slightly lower average short-term interest rates in the current period. For the six months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, average short-term borrowings were $636.4 and $598.3, respectively, and the average interest rates on these borrowings were 2.1% and 2.8%, respectively.

Income Taxes

Consolidated income tax expense during the six months ended March 31, 2020 decreased $3.6 versus the prior year. The variance is the result of the lower pre-tax book income in the current year, offset partly by a slightly higher effective tax rate in the current year.

Spire Missouri

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Income [GAAP]

 

$

184.7

 

 

$

173.8

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

116.3

 

 

 

133.8

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

58.3

 

 

 

55.0

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

62.8

 

 

 

70.0

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(43.4

)

 

 

(50.6

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

378.7

 

 

 

382.0

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

409.4

 

 

 

537.2

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

43.4

 

 

 

50.6

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

831.5

 

 

$

969.8

 

Net Income

 

$

122.5

 

 

$

131.2

 

Operating revenues during the six months ended March 31, 2020, decreased $138.3 from the same period last year primarily due to a $83.2 decrease attributable to lower gas costs, a $45.4 decrease in volumetric impacts (net of weather mitigation) relating to warmer weather conditions in the current year, an $8.0 reduction due to lower off-system sales and a $7.2 reduction due to lower gross receipts taxes. These negative impacts were only slightly offset by $5.9 higher ISRS (net of ISRS ruling provisions).

Contribution margin decreased $3.3 versus the same period in the prior year. A $5.9 increase in ISRS (net of ISRS rulings provision) was more than offset by $8.6 lower volumetric margins, primarily the result of warmer weather. As previously discussed, degree days were 13% warmer than last year and 5% warmer than normal, and as a result, commercial and industrial customers were down $5.7. Residential margins, on a net basis, were down $2.9 including the benefit of WNAR.

O&M expenses during the six months ended March 31, 2020, decreased $17.5 from the same period last year. Excluding the Year-To-Date Postretirement Nonservice Cost Transfer of $19.8, the year-over-year increase in O&M was $2.3 higher in the current year versus the prior-year period. This increase is the result of increased operations and employee-related costs. Depreciation increased by $3.3 as a result of continuing increases in the levels of capital investment.

During the second fiscal quarter of 2020 Spire Missouri also experienced decreases in value of investments associated with non-qualified pensions.

Temperatures in Spire Missouri’s service areas during the six months ended March 31, 2020, were 13% warmer than the same period last year and 5% warmer than normal. The Missouri Utilities’ total system therms sold and transported were 1,251.4 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020, compared with 1,418.1 million for the same period last year. Total off-system therms sold and transported were 18.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020, compared with 34.8 million for the same period last year.

59


 

Resulting net income for the six months ended March 31, 2020 decreased $8.7 versus the same period in the prior-year.

Spire Alabama

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Operating Income [GAAP]

 

$

102.1

 

 

$

96.7

 

Operation and maintenance expenses

 

 

72.3

 

 

 

67.8

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

28.9

 

 

 

27.3

 

Taxes, other than income taxes

 

 

22.0

 

 

 

21.5

 

Less: Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

(16.1

)

 

 

(15.9

)

Contribution Margin [Non-GAAP]

 

 

209.2

 

 

 

197.4

 

Natural and propane gas costs

 

 

86.4

 

 

 

100.6

 

Gross receipts tax expense

 

 

16.1

 

 

 

15.9

 

Operating Revenues

 

$

311.7

 

 

$

313.9

 

Net Income

 

$

71.0

 

 

$

67.0

 

Operating revenues for the six months ended March 31, 2020, decreased $2.2 from the same period last year. The change was principally driven by a $11.7 decrease in weather and usage impacts (net of weather mitigation) and $1.0 lower gas costs. These negative impacts were offset by net RSE adjustments (reset and giveback) of $9.3. Contribution margin increased $11.8, principally as a result of the RSE adjustments of $8.3 (mentioned above) and $3.0 of weather and usage. O&M expenses for the six months ended March 31, 2020, increased $4.5 from the same period last year, primarily driven by increased operations and employee related costs.

Temperatures in Spire Alabama’s service area during the six months ended March 31, 2020, were 9% warmer than the same period last year and 16% warmer than normal. Spire Alabama’s total system therms sold and transported were 603.7 million for the six months ended March 31, 2020, compared with 604.6 million for the same period last year.

REGULATORY MATTERS

For discussions of regulatory matters for Spire, Spire Missouri, and Spire Alabama, see Note 4, Regulatory Matters, of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

Our discussion and analysis of our financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and capital resources are based upon our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. GAAP requires that we make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We evaluate our estimates on an ongoing basis. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates. Our critical accounting estimates used in the preparation of our financial statements are described in Item 7 of the Company’s, Spire Missouri’s, and Spire Alabama’s combined Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019, and include regulatory accounting, employee benefits and postretirement obligations, and income taxes. While accounting estimates related to these and other items such as goodwill and allowance for doubtful accounts were considered in light of the COVID-19 health crisis, there were no significant changes to critical accounting estimates during the six months ended March 31, 2020.

For discussion of other significant accounting policies, see Note 1 of the Notes to Financial Statements included in this Form 10-Q as well as Note 1 of the Notes to Financial Statements included in the Company’s, Spire Missouri’s, and Spire Alabama’s combined Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

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ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

The Company, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama have evaluated or are in the process of evaluating the impact that recently issued accounting standards will have on the companies’ financial position or results of operations upon adoption. For disclosures related to the adoption of new accounting standards, see the New Accounting Pronouncements section in Note 1 of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1.

LIQUIDITY

The Company’s short-term borrowing requirements typically peak during colder months when the Utilities borrow money to cover the lag between when they purchase natural gas and when their customers pay for that gas. Changes in the wholesale cost of natural gas (including cash payments for margin deposits associated with Spire Missouri’s use of natural gas derivative instruments), variations in the timing of collections of gas cost under the Utilities’ PGA clauses and GSA riders, the seasonality of accounts receivable balances, and the utilization of storage gas inventories cause short-term cash requirements to vary during the year and from year to year, and may cause significant variations in the Company’s cash provided by or used in operating activities.

 

 

Six Months Ended

March 31,

 

Cash Flow Summary

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

$

321.7

 

 

$

297.5

 

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(344.6

)

 

 

(386.6

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

125.5

 

 

 

78.8

 

 

For the six months ended March 31, 2020, net cash provided by operating activities increased $24.2 from the corresponding period of fiscal 2019. The change was due principally to the timing of accounts payable and fluctuations in working capital items, as discussed above.

For the six months ended March 31, 2020, net cash used in investing activities was $42.0 less than for the same period in the prior year, driven by a $30.7 decrease in capital expenditures and $7.9 less outflows relating to acquisition-related activity. The lower capital spending in the current year is consistent with the Company’s capital expenditure expectations and reflects more infrastructure upgrades at the Utilities, support of customer growth, new business development initiatives which increased by $23.4, more than offset by $54.8 in lower expenditures related to Spire Storage and Spire STL Pipeline, which was completed in the first quarter of this fiscal year. Total capital expenditures for the full fiscal year 2020 are expected to be approximately $640.

Lastly, for the six months ended March 31, 2020, net cash provided by financing activities was $125.5, versus net cash provided of $78.8 for the six months ended March 31, 2019. This change primarily reflects issuance of long-term debt of $510.0 this year versus $190.0 in the prior year combined with an increase in proceeds from common stock issuances of $14.2, principally through the “at-the-market” program (discussed below), offset by a combined $271.9 higher short- and long-term borrowing repayments in the current year, and an increase in common stock and preferred stock dividends paid of $5.0 and $7.4, respectively, in the current year.

61


 

CAPITAL RESOURCES

The Company’s, Spire Missouri’s and Spire Alabama’s access to capital markets, including the commercial paper market, and their respective financing costs, may depend on the credit rating of the entity that is accessing the capital markets. Our debt is rated by two rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Corporation (“S&P”) and Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”). As of March 31, 2020, the debt ratings of the Company, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama, shown in the following table, remain at investment grade with a stable outlook.

 

S&P

Moody’s

Spire Inc. senior unsecured long-term debt

BBB+

Baa2

Spire Inc. preferred stock

BBB

Ba1

Spire Inc. short-term debt

A-2

P-2

Spire Missouri senior secured long-term debt

A

A1

Spire Alabama senior unsecured long-term debt

A-

A2

It is management’s view that the Company, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama have adequate access to capital markets and will have sufficient capital resources, both internal and external, to meet anticipated capital requirements, which primarily include capital expenditures, interest payments on long-term debt, scheduled maturities of long-term debt, short-term seasonal needs and dividends.

The effects of COVID-19 on the U.S. capital markets may significantly impact Spire. We rely on access to the capital markets to fund our capital requirements. These uncertain economic conditions may also result in the inability of our customers to pay for services and could have an impact on our liquidity. Still, considering our financing as described in Note 5, Financing Arrangements and Long-term Debt, of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1, along with our temporary cash investments, we believe we have sufficient access to cash to meet our needs.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Bank deposits were used to support working capital needs of the business. Spire had $96.0 of temporary cash investments as of March 31, 2020.

Short-term Debt

The Utilities’ short-term borrowing requirements typically peak during the colder months, while most of the Company’s other needs are less seasonal. These short-term cash requirements can be met through the sale of commercial paper or through the use of a revolving credit facility. For information about these resources, see Note 5, Financing Arrangements and Long-term Debt, of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1.

Long-term Debt and Equity

At March 31, 2020, including the current portion but excluding unamortized discounts and debt issuance costs, Spire had long-term debt totaling $2,507.0, of which $1,105.0 was issued by Spire Missouri, $475.0 was issued by Spire Alabama, and $237.0 was issued by other subsidiaries. For more information about long-term debt, see Note 5 of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1.

Spire Missouri was authorized by the MoPSC to issue registered securities (first mortgage bonds, unsecured debt and preferred stock), common stock, and private placement debt in an aggregate amount of up to $500.0 for financings placed any time before September 30, 2021. As of March 31, 2020, $125.0 remained available under this authorization. Spire Alabama has no standing authority to issue long-term debt and must petition the APSC for each planned issuance. On July 9, 2019, the APSC approved $100.0 of long-term financing, which was ultimately issued by Spire Alabama on December 2, 2019, and on March 24, 2020, the APSC approved an application for up to $150.0 of additional long-term debt financing for Spire Alabama.

Spire has a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the issuance and sale of up to 250,000 shares of common stock under its Dividend Reinvestment and

62


 

Direct Stock Purchase Plan. There were 84,490 and 78,683 shares at March 31, 2020 and May 5, 2020, respectively, remaining available for issuance under this Form S-3. Spire and Spire Missouri also have a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 on file with the SEC for the issuance of various equity and debt securities, which expires on May 14, 2022.

On February 6, 2019, Spire entered into an “at-the-market” equity distribution agreement, supplemented as of May 14, 2019, pursuant to which the Company may offer and sell, from time to time, shares of its common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $150.0. Those shares are issued pursuant to Spire’s universal shelf registration statement referenced above and a prospectus supplement dated May 14, 2019. Under this program, for the year ended September 30, 2019, Spire issued 179,630 shares, generating $14.4 of proceeds net of issuance costs, and for the six months ended March 31, 2020, Spire issued 112,758 shares, generating $9.5 of proceeds net of issuance costs.

Including the current portion of long-term debt, the Company’s long-term consolidated capitalization at March 31, 2020 consisted of 52% equity, compared to 55% equity at September 30, 2019.

CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS

During the six months ended March 31, 2020, there were no material changes outside the ordinary course of business to the estimated contractual obligations from the disclosure provided in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019.

MARKET RISK

There were no material changes in the Company’s commodity price risk or counterparty credit risk as of March 31, 2020, relative to the corresponding information provided in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as of September 30, 2019. During the first quarter of fiscal 2019, the Company entered into a three-year interest rate swap with a fixed interest rate of 3.250% and a notional amount of $100.0 to protect itself against adverse movements in interest rates on future interest rate payments. The Company recorded a $60.7 mark-to-market loss on this swap for the six months ended March 31, 2020. In the second quarter of 2020, the Company entered into multiple three-year interest rate swaps with fixed interest rates ranging from 0.921% to 1.3105% for a total notional amount of $150.0 to protect itself against adverse movements in interest rates on future interest rate payments. The Company recorded a $6.2 mark-to-market loss on these swaps for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

The Utilities and other Spire subsidiaries own and operate natural gas distribution, transmission and storage facilities, the operations of which are subject to various environmental laws and regulations, along with their interpretations. While environmental issues resulting from such operations arise in the ordinary course of business, such issues have not materially affected the Company’s, Spire Missouri’s, or Spire Alabama’s financial position and results of operations. As environmental laws, regulations, and interpretations change, however, the Company and the Utilities may be required to incur additional costs. For information relative to environmental matters, see Contingencies in Note 10 of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1.

OFF-BALANCE SHEET ARRANGEMENTS

At March 31, 2020, the Company had no off-balance-sheet financing arrangements other than operating leases, surety bonds, and letters of credit entered into in the ordinary course of business. The Company does not expect to engage in any significant off-balance-sheet financing arrangements in the near future.

63


 

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

For this discussion, see Part I, Item 2, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Market Risk.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

Spire

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based upon such evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

Change in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2020, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Spire Missouri

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2020, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Spire Alabama

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this report, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with participation of our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Based upon that evaluation, the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended March 31, 2020, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

64


 

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

 

For a description of legal proceedings, environmental matters and regulatory matters, see Note 10, Commitments and Contingencies, and Note 4, Regulatory Matters, of the Notes to Financial Statements in Item 1 of Part I.

The registrants are involved in litigation, claims and investigations arising in the normal course of business. Management, after discussion with counsel, believes that the final outcomes of these matters will not have a material effect on any registrant’s financial position or results of operations reflected in the financial statements presented herein.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

The following represents a material change in our risk factors from those disclosed in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019 (our “Form 10-K”). The following risk factor disclosure should be read in conjunction with the other risk factors set out in our Form 10-K.

We face risks related to the recent coronavirus outbreak.

The recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a rapidly developing situation that has adversely impacted economic activity and conditions worldwide. In particular, efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 have led to shutdowns of customer operations, as well as disrupted financial markets and supply chains. To date, the Company has implemented what the Company believes to be appropriate procedures and protocols to ensure the safety of our customers, suppliers and employees. These actions include activating incident management procedures, sheltering-at-home for a portion of our employees, limiting direct contact with our customers, and suspending disconnections and charging late payments to our utility customers. During the period ending March 31, 2020, we have seen limited impact of these and other actions, many of which took effect during the month of March. We are continuing to assess the developments involving our workforce, customers and suppliers, as well as the developing response of federal and state authorities, our regulators and other business and community leaders. An extended slowdown of the United States' economy or demand for commodities and/or material changes in policy could result in lower demand for natural gas, particularly among our commercial and industrial customers, as well as negatively impact the ability of our customers, contractors, suppliers and other business partners to remain in business or return to reasonable business activity in the near future. The impacts of this crisis continue to unfold, and the full extent of future developments are not known at this time and may have a material impact on our results of operations, financial condition, liquidity and prospects. We have identified the following potential categories of risks for Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama outside of those already experienced in March 2020:

 

The health, safety and productivity of our workforce, including in a physically dispersed environment;

 

Decreases in non-essential operational functions and/or capital investment;

 

Supply chain impacts due to decreased production and imports of materials and supplies;

 

The impact on operating results due to increased costs, lower demand in Spire’s service territories and/or lower fees associated with suspending service disconnections and other billing practices or other moratoriums that are in place, or may be put in place;

 

The impact of new regulatory actions that could increase costs or provide for future regulatory recovery of those costs;

 

Spire’s continued ability to access normal functioning capital markets in prolonged economic downturn;

 

Adverse investment performance for postretirement benefit plan assets or the failure to maintain sustained growth in these investments over time could increase our plan costs and funding requirements related to the plans; and

 

Cybersecurity risks associated with a portion of our workforce working remotely.

65


 

To mitigate some of these risks, Spire has implemented additional health and safety precautions while continuing to service utility customers. Spire is an essential business and continues to operate, while adhering to precautionary safety measures, to ensure that critical infrastructure improvements continue and to maintain the safety of the gas distribution network. Further, we have modified certain business and workforce practices (including employee travel, employee work locations, and cancellation of physical participation in meetings, events, and conferences) to conform to government restrictions and best practices encouraged by government and regulatory authorities. We are monitoring impacts on our operations, costs and rate bases of our businesses, and continue to explore alternative approaches to ensure the viability of our businesses and continued service to our customers.

The actual or perceived effects of a disease outbreak, epidemic, pandemic or similar widespread public health concern, such as COVID-19, will likely negatively affect our operations, liquidity, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations. To the extent the COVID-19 health crisis adversely affects our business, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in Part I, Item 1A of our Form 10-K.

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

The only repurchases of Spire’s common stock in the quarter were pursuant to elections by employees to have shares of stock withheld to cover employee tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of performance-based and time-vested restricted stock and stock units. The following table provides information on those repurchases.

Period

 

(a)

Total Number of

Shares Purchased

 

 

(b)

Average Price Paid

Per Share

 

 

(c)

Total Number of

Shares Purchased as

Part of Publicly

Announced Plans

or Programs

 

 

(d)

Maximum Number

of Shares That May

Yet be Purchased

Under the Plans

or Programs

 

January 1, 2020 –

January 31, 2020

 

 

536

 

 

$

82.92

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 1, 2020 –

February 29, 2020

 

 

1,228

 

 

 

85.07

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 1, 2020 –

March 31, 2020

 

 

138

 

 

 

77.29

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

1,902

 

 

 

83.90

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spire Missouri’s outstanding first mortgage bonds contain restrictions on its ability to pay cash dividends on its common stock. As of March 31, 2020, all of Spire Missouri’s retained earnings were free from such restrictions.

Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities

None.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures

Not Applicable.

Item 5. Other Information

None.

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Item 6. Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

  10.1*

 

Loan Agreement, dated March 26, 2020, by and among Spire Inc., as the Borrower, the lenders from time to time party thereto, as Banks, including U.S. Bank National Association, as the Administrative Agent, and TD Bank, N.A., as Documentation Agent; filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 27, 2020.

31.1

 

CEO and CFO Certifications under Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a) of Spire Inc.

31.2

 

CEO and CFO Certifications under Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a) of Spire Missouri Inc.

31.3

 

CEO and CFO Certifications under Exchange Act Rule 13a-14(a) of Spire Alabama Inc.

32.1

 

CEO and CFO Section 1350 Certifications of Spire Inc.

32.2

 

CEO and CFO Section 1350 Certifications of Spire Missouri Inc.

32.3

 

CEO and CFO Section 1350 Certifications of Spire Alabama Inc.

101

 

Interactive Data Files including the following information from the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2020, formatted in inline extensible business reporting language (“Inline XBRL”): (i) Cover Page Interactive Data and (ii) the Financial Statements included in Item 1.

104

 

Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted in Inline XBRL and included in the Interactive Data Files submitted under Exhibit 101).

 

*  Incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. Spire Inc. File No. 1-16681.

67


 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

 

 

 

Spire Inc.

 

 

 

 

Date:

May 8, 2020

 

By:

/s/ Steven P. Rasche

 

 

 

 

Steven P. Rasche

 

 

 

 

Executive Vice President,

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

(Authorized Signatory and

Principal Financial Officer)

 

 

 

 

Spire Missouri Inc.

 

 

 

 

Date:

May 8, 2020

 

By:

/s/ Timothy W. Krick

 

 

 

 

Timothy W. Krick

 

 

 

 

Controller and Chief Accounting Officer

 

 

 

 

(Authorized Signatory and

Chief Accounting Officer)

 

 

 

 

Spire Alabama Inc.

 

 

 

 

Date:

May 8, 2020

 

By:

/s/ Timothy W. Krick

 

 

 

 

Timothy W. Krick

 

 

 

 

Chief Accounting Officer

 

 

 

 

(Authorized Signatory and

Chief Accounting Officer)

 

68