YORK WATER CO - Quarter Report: 2015 March (Form 10-Q)

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The interim financial statements are unaudited but, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation of results for such periods.  Because the financial statements cover an interim period, they do not include all disclosures and notes normally provided in annual financial statements, and therefore, should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

 

Operating results for the three month period ended March 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015.

Basic earnings per share for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014 were based on weighted average shares outstanding of 12,836,368 and 12,991,478, respectively.

Since the Company has no common stock equivalents outstanding, there are no diluted earnings per share.

On March 11, 2013, the Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program granting the Company authority to repurchase up to 1,200,000 shares of the Company's common stock from time to time.  Under the stock repurchase program, the Company may repurchase shares in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions.  The Company may suspend or discontinue the repurchase program at any time.  During the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company repurchased and retired 0 and 27,980 shares, respectively.  As of March 31, 2015, 823,016 shares remain available for repurchase.

 

 

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The Company is exposed to certain risks relating to its ongoing business operations.  The primary risk managed by using derivative instruments is interest rate risk.  The Company utilizes an interest rate swap agreement to effectively convert the Company's $12,000 variable-rate debt issue to a fixed rate.  Interest rate swaps are contracts in which a series of interest rate cash flows are exchanged over a prescribed period.  The notional amount on which the interest payments are based ($12,000) is not exchanged.  The interest rate swap provides that the Company pays the counterparty a fixed interest rate of 3.16% on the notional amount of $12,000.  In exchange, the counterparty pays the Company a variable interest rate based on 59% of LIBOR on the notional amount.  The intent is for the variable rate received from the swap counterparty to approximate the variable rate the Company pays to bondholders on its variable rate debt issue, resulting in a fixed rate being paid to the swap counterparty and reducing the Company's interest rate risk.  The Company's net payment rate on the swap was 2.98% and 2.99% during the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

The interest rate swap agreement is classified as a financial derivative used for non-trading activities.  The accounting standards regarding accounting for derivatives and hedging activities require companies to recognize all derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities at fair value on the balance sheet.  In accordance with the standards, the interest rate swap is recorded on the balance sheet in other deferred credits at fair value (see Note 5).

The Company uses regulatory accounting treatment rather than hedge accounting to defer the unrealized gains and losses on its interest rate swap.  Instead of the effective portion being recorded as other comprehensive income and the ineffective portion being recognized in earnings using the cash flow hedge accounting rules provided by the derivative accounting standards, the entire unrealized swap value is recorded as a regulatory asset.  Based on current ratemaking treatment, the Company expects the unrealized gains and losses to be recognized in rates as a component of interest expense as the swap settlements occur.  Swap settlements are recorded in the income statement with the hedged item as interest expense.  During the three months ended March 31, 2015, $91 was reclassified from regulatory assets to interest expense as a result of swap settlements.  The overall swap result was a loss of $343 and $385 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.  The Company expects to reclassify $354 from regulatory assets to interest expense as a result of swap settlements over the next 12 months.

The interest rate swap agreement contains provisions that require the Company to maintain a credit rating of at least BBB- with Standard & Poor's.  If the Company's rating were to fall below this rating, it would be in violation of these provisions, and the counterparty to the derivative could request immediate payment if the derivative was in a liability position.  On March 20, 2015, Standard & Poor's affirmed the Company's credit rating at A-, with a stable outlook and adequate liquidity.  The Company's interest rate swap was in a liability position as of March 31, 2015.  If a violation due to credit rating, or some other default provision, were triggered on March 31, 2015, the Company would have been required to pay the counterparty approximately $2,934.

The interest rate swap will expire on October 1, 2029.  Other than the interest rate swap, the Company has no other derivative instruments.

 

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The accounting standards regarding fair value measurements establish a fair value hierarchy which indicates the extent to which inputs used in measuring fair value are observable in the market.  Level 1 inputs include quoted prices for identical instruments and are the most observable.  Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets and observable inputs such as interest rates, commodity rates and yield curves.  Level 3 inputs are not observable in the market and include management's own judgments about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The Company has recorded its interest rate swap liability at fair value in accordance with the standards.  The liability is recorded under the caption "Other deferred credits" on the balance sheet.  The table below illustrates the fair value of the interest rate swap as of the end of the reporting period.

Fair values are measured as the present value of all expected future cash flows based on the LIBOR-based swap yield curve as of the date of the valuation.  These inputs to this calculation are deemed to be Level 2 inputs.  The balance sheet carrying value reflects the Company's credit quality as of March 31, 2015.  The rate used in discounting all prospective cash flows anticipated to be made under this swap reflects a representation of the yield to maturity for 30-year debt on utilities rated A- as of March 31, 2015.  The use of the Company's credit rating resulted in a reduction in the fair value of the swap liability of $90 as of March 31, 2015.  The fair value of the swap reflecting the Company's credit quality as of December 31, 2014 is shown in the table below.

The carrying amount of current assets and liabilities that are considered financial instruments approximates fair value as of the dates presented.  The Company's long-term debt (including current maturities), with a carrying value of $84,874 at March 31, 2015, and $84,885 at December 31, 2014, had an estimated fair value of approximately $100,000 as of each of the dates presented.  The estimated fair value of debt was calculated using a discounted cash flow technique that incorporates a market interest yield curve with adjustments for duration and risk profile.  These inputs to this calculation are deemed to be Level 2 inputs.  The Company recognized its credit rating in determining the yield curve, and did not factor in third party credit enhancements including bond insurance on the 2004 Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, or PEDFA, Series A and 2006 Industrial Development Authority issues, and the letter of credit on the 2008 PEDFA Series A issue.

Customers' advances for construction and notes receivable have carrying values at March 31, 2015 of $10,696 and $260, respectively.  At December 31, 2014, customers' advances for construction and notes receivable had carrying values of $10,712 and $266, respectively.  The relative fair values of these amounts cannot be accurately estimated since the timing of future payment streams is dependent upon several factors, including new customer connections, customer consumption levels and future rate increases.

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6.

Debt

The PEDFA Series 2004A bonds are subject to optional redemption provisions that allow the Company to redeem all or a portion of the bonds on or after April 1, 2014.  The Company expects to refinance these bonds to take advantage of continued low interest rates in 2015.

In anticipation of filing for a change in accounting method under the Internal Revenue Service tangible property regulations when the 2014 income tax return is filed, the Company began adjusting its income tax provision for the effects of this change during the fourth quarter of 2014.  Under the change in accounting method, the Company is permitted to deduct the costs of certain asset improvements that were previously being capitalized and depreciated for tax purposes as an expense on its income tax return.  This ongoing deduction results in a reduction in the effective income tax rate, a net reduction in income tax expense, and a reduction in the amount of income taxes currently payable.  It also results in increases to deferred tax liabilities and regulatory assets representing the appropriate book and tax basis difference on capital additions.  As a result, the Company's effective tax rate was 32.8% for the first quarter of 2015 and 37.5% the first quarter of 2014.  The benefit for the full year of 2014 was recorded in the fourth quarter.

 

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On November 20, 2014, the Company completed the acquisition of the water assets of Lincoln Estates Mobile Home Park in Adams County, Pennsylvania.  The Company began operating the existing system as a satellite location on November 24, 2014.  The acquisition resulted in the addition of approximately 200 new water customers with purchase price and acquisition costs of approximately $70, which is less than depreciated original cost of the assets.  In 2015, the Company recorded a negative acquisition adjustment of approximately $77 and will seek approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Company, or PPUC, to amortize the negative acquisition adjustment over the remaining life of the acquired assets.

The result of this acquisition has been immaterial to total Company results.

 

 

From time to time, the Company files applications for rate increases with the PPUC and is granted rate relief as a result of such requests.  The most recent rate request was filed by the Company on May 29, 2013 and sought an increase in rates designed to produce additional annual water revenues of $7,116 and additional annual wastewater revenues of $28.  Effective February 28, 2014, the PPUC authorized an increase in water rates designed to produce approximately $4,972 in additional annual revenues, and an increase in wastewater rates for the Asbury Pointe subdivision to produce approximately $28 in additional annual revenues.

The PPUC permits water utilities to collect a distribution system improvement charge (DSIC).  The DSIC allows the Company to add a charge to customers' bills for qualified replacement costs of certain infrastructure without submitting a rate filing.  This surcharge mechanism typically adjusts periodically based on additional qualified capital expenditures completed or anticipated in a future period.  The DSIC is capped at 5% of base rates, and is reset to zero when new base rates that reflect the costs of those additions become effective or when a utility's earnings exceed a regulatory benchmark. The surcharge reset to zero when the new base rates took effect on February 28, 2014.  The DSIC provided revenues of $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and $283 during the three months ended March 31, 2014.

 

 

In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.  This ASU clarifies the required presentation of debt issuance costs.  The standard requires that debt issuance costs be presented on the balance sheet as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of the recognized debt liability, consistent with the treatment of debt discounts.  Amortization of debt issuance costs is to be reported as interest expense.  The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the standard.  This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015.  Early adoption is permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have any impact on its results of operations or cash flows, but will result in debt issuance costs being presented as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of debt liabilities on the balance sheet.

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General Information

The primary business of the Company is to impound, purify to meet or exceed safe drinking water standards and distribute water.  The Company also owns and operates two wastewater collection and treatment systems.  The Company operates within its franchised water territory, which covers 39 municipalities within York County, Pennsylvania and nine municipalities within Adams County, Pennsylvania.  The Company's wastewater operations include portions of three municipalities in York County, Pennsylvania.  The Company is regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, or PPUC, in the areas of billing, payment procedures, dispute processing, terminations, service territory, debt and equity financing and rate setting.  The Company must obtain PPUC approval before changing any practices associated with the aforementioned areas.

Water service is supplied through the Company's own distribution system.  The Company obtains the bulk of its water supply from both the South Branch and East Branch of the Codorus Creek, which together have an average daily flow of 73.0 million gallons.  This combined watershed area is approximately 117 square miles.  The Company has two reservoirs, Lake Williams and Lake Redman, which together hold up to approximately 2.2 billion gallons of water.  The Company has a 15-mile pipeline from the Susquehanna River to Lake Redman which provides access to an additional supply of 12.0 million gallons of untreated water per day.  The Company also owns seven wells which are capable of providing a safe yield of approximately 366,000 gallons per day to supply water to its customers in Carroll Valley Borough and Cumberland Township, Adams County.  As of March 31, 2015, the Company's average daily availability was 35.4 million gallons, and average daily consumption was approximately 17.8 million gallons.  The Company's service territory had an estimated population of 192,000 as of December 31, 2014.  Industry within the Company's service territory is diversified, manufacturing such items as fixtures and furniture, electrical machinery, food products, paper, ordnance units, textile products, injectable drug delivery systems, air conditioning systems, laundry detergent, barbells and motorcycles.

The Company's water business is somewhat dependent on weather conditions, particularly the amount and timing of rainfall.  Revenues are particularly vulnerable to weather conditions in the summer months.  Prolonged periods of hot and dry weather generally cause increased water usage for watering lawns, washing cars, and keeping golf courses and sports fields irrigated.  Conversely, prolonged periods of dry weather could lead to drought restrictions from governmental authorities.  Despite the Company's adequate water supply, customers may be required to cut back water usage under such drought restrictions which would negatively impact revenues.  The Company has addressed some of this vulnerability by instituting minimum customer charges which are intended to cover fixed costs of operations under all likely weather conditions.

The Company's business does not require large amounts of working capital and is not dependent on any single customer or a very few customers for a material portion of its business.  Increases in revenues are generally dependent on the Company's ability to obtain rate increases from the PPUC in a timely manner and in adequate amounts and to increase volumes of water sold through increased consumption and increases in the number of customers served.  The Company continuously looks for water and wastewater acquisition and expansion opportunities both within and outside its current service territory as well as additional opportunities to enter into bulk water contracts with municipalities and other entities to supply water.

The Company has agreements with several municipalities to provide sewer billing services.  The Company also has a service line protection program on a targeted basis in order to further diversify its business.  Under this optional program, customers pay a fixed monthly fee, and the Company will repair or replace damaged customer service lines, as needed, subject to an annual maximum dollar amount.  Opportunities to expand both initiatives are being pursued.

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Results of Operations

Three Months Ended March 31, 2015 Compared

With Three Months Ended March 31, 2014

Net income for the first quarter of 2015 was $2,528, an increase of $417, or 19.8%, from net income of $2,111 for the same period of 2014.  The primary contributing factors to the increase were higher operating revenues and lower income taxes which were partially offset by higher operating expenses.

Operating revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2015 increased $638, or 6.0%, from $10,571 for the three months ended March 31, 2014 to $11,209 for the corresponding 2015 period.  The primary reason for the increase was a rate increase effective February 28, 2014.  Total per capita consumption for the first quarter of 2015 was 1.8% lower than the same period of last year.  The average number of water customers served in 2015 increased as compared to 2014 by 616 customers, from 63,984 to 64,600 customers.  The average number of wastewater customers served in 2015 increased as compared to 2014 by 268 customers, from 365 to 633 customers, due to the East Prospect acquisition.  For the remainder of the year, the Company expects revenues to increase slightly due to higher summer demand and an increase in the number of water and wastewater customers due to recently completed acquisitions.  Other regulatory actions and weather patterns could impact results.

Operating expenses for the first quarter of 2015 increased $262, or 4.5%, from $5,813 for the first quarter of 2014 to $6,075 for the corresponding 2015 period.  The increase was primarily due to higher pension expense of approximately $118 and higher depreciation expense of approximately $72.  Also adding to the increase were $28 for pumping station maintenance, higher chemical usage of $26 due to additional treatment during heavy storm water runoff events, increased distribution system maintenance of $25 and rate case expenses of $23.  Other expenses increased by a net of $61.  The increased expenses were partially offset by reduced expenses for technology upgrades of $38, lower health insurance of $32 and reduced fuel expense of $21 due to the conversion to natural gas at a pumping facility.  For the remainder of the year, the Company expects depreciation expense to continue to rise due to additional investment in utility plant, and other expenses to increase at a moderate rate as costs to maintain and extend the distribution system continue to rise and as additional water and wastewater systems are acquired.

Interest expense on debt for the first quarter of 2015 decreased $55, or 4.2%, from $1,308 for the first quarter of 2014 to $1,253 for the corresponding 2015 period.  The decrease was due to the bond refinancing in 2014 at a lower interest rate. Interest expense for the remainder of the year is expected to increase slightly due to projected line of credit borrowings, but will decrease if eligible bonds are refinanced at lower rates.

Allowance for funds used during construction increased $12, from $43 in the first quarter of 2014 to $55 in the 2015 period, due to a higher volume of eligible construction.  Allowance for funds used during construction for the remainder of the year is expected to show a modest decrease based on a projected decrease in the amount of eligible construction.

Other income (expenses), net for the first quarter of 2015 reflects increased expenses of $58 as compared to the same period of 2014.  The net change was primarily due to higher contributions of $35 made for the 2015 Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program and lower earnings on life insurance policies of approximately $9.  Other expenses aggregating approximately $14 increased as compared to the same period of 2014.  For the remainder of the year, other income (expenses) will be largely determined by the change in market returns and discount rates for retirement programs and related assets.

Income taxes for the first quarter of 2015 decreased $32, or 2.5%, compared to the same period of 2014 due to the tax benefit of the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, tangible property regulations, or TPR.  The benefit for the full year of 2014 was recorded in the fourth quarter.  The Company's effective tax rate was 32.8% for the first quarter of 2015 and 37.5% the first quarter of 2014.  The Company expects the effective tax rate to be approximately 30% to 33% for the remainder of the year due to the continued expensing of asset improvements that would have been capitalized for tax purposes prior to the implementation of the TPR.

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Rate Matters

See Note 9 to the financial statements included herein for a discussion of rate developments.

The Company does not expect to collect a distribution system improvement charge or file a rate increase request in 2015.

Acquisitions

See Note 8 to the financial statements included herein for a discussion of completed acquisitions included in financial results.

On October 8, 2013, the Company signed an agreement to purchase the wastewater assets of SYC WWTP, L.P. in Shrewsbury and Springfield Townships, York County, Pennsylvania.  Completion of the acquisition is contingent upon receiving approval from all required regulatory authorities.  Closing is expected in the first quarter of 2016 at which time the Company will add approximately 30 commercial and industrial wastewater customers.

On September 22, 2014, the Company signed an agreement to purchase the Newberry Farms Mobile Home Park water assets of WTS Properties, LLC in York County, Pennsylvania.  Completion of this acquisition is contingent upon receiving approval from all required regulatory authorities.  The Company expects to begin serving approximately 160 new customers through an interconnection with its current distribution system in 2015.

On February 26, 2015, the Company signed an agreement to purchase the water assets of Margaretta Mobile Home Park in York County, Pennsylvania.  Completion of this acquisition is contingent upon receiving approval from all required regulatory authorities.  The Company expects to begin serving approximately 65 new customers through an interconnection with its current distribution system in 2015.

On April 9, 2015, the Company completed the acquisition of the water assets of The Meadows community in Adams County, Pennsylvania.  The Company began operating the existing system as a satellite location on April 13, 2015.  The acquisition resulted in the addition of approximately 80 new water customers.

On April 22, 2015, the Company completed the acquisition of the water assets of the Paradise Homes Community in York County, Pennsylvania.  The Company began operating the existing system through an interconnection with its current distribution system on April 27, 2015.  The acquisition resulted in the addition of approximately 90 new water customers.

In total, these acquisitions are expected to be immaterial to Company results.  The Company is also pursuing other bulk water contracts and acquisitions in and around its service territory to help offset any further declines in per capita water consumption and to grow its business.

Capital Expenditures

For the three months ended March 31, 2015, the Company invested $2,920 in construction expenditures for routine items and further upgrades to water treatment facilities as well as various replacements of infrastructure.  The Company was able to fund construction expenditures using internally-generated funds and proceeds from its stock purchase plans.

The Company anticipates construction expenditures for the remainder of 2015 of approximately $11,200 exclusive of any potential acquisitions.  In addition to routine transmission and distribution projects, a portion of the anticipated expenditures will be for additional main extensions, further upgrades to water and wastewater treatment facilities, an additional pumping station, and various replacements and improvements to infrastructure.  The Company intends to use primarily internally-generated funds for its anticipated construction and fund the remainder through line of credit borrowings, proceeds from its stock purchase plans and customer advances and contributions.  Customer advances and contributions are expected to account for less than 5% of funding requirements in 2015.  The Company believes it will have adequate credit facilities and access to the capital markets, if necessary, to meet its anticipated capital needs in 2015.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash

The Company manages its cash through a cash management account that is directly connected to a line of credit.  Excess cash generated automatically pays down outstanding borrowings under the line of credit arrangement.  If there are no outstanding borrowings, the cash is used as an earnings credit to reduce banking fees.  Likewise, if additional funds are needed beyond what is generated internally for payroll, to pay suppliers, to fund capital expenditures, or to pay debt service, funds are automatically borrowed under the line of credit.  The Company fully utilized its cash on hand after making a $2,300 contribution to its pension trusts and was borrowing under the line of credit for a portion of the first three months of 2015.  The Company was able to repay the borrowings and accumulate a cash balance of $468 as of March 31, 2015 primarily due to lower cash required for income taxes as a result of the implementation of the IRS TPR.  The Company expects the cash balance to be fully utilized in 2015, after which the cash management facility is expected to provide the necessary liquidity and funding for the Company's operations, capital expenditures, acquisitions and potential buybacks of stock.

Accounts Receivable

The accounts receivable balance tends to follow the change in revenues but is also affected by the timeliness of payments by customers and the level of the reserve for doubtful accounts.  A reserve is maintained at a level considered adequate to provide for losses that can be reasonably anticipated based on inactive accounts with outstanding balances.  Management periodically evaluates the adequacy of the reserve based on past experience, agings of the receivables, adverse situations that may affect a customer's ability to pay, current economic conditions, and other relevant factors.  If the status of these factors deteriorates, the Company may incur additional expenses for uncollectible accounts and experience a reduction in its internally-generated funds.

Internally-generated Funds

The amount of internally-generated funds available for operations and construction depends on the Company's ability to obtain timely and adequate rate relief, changes in regulations, customers' water usage, weather conditions, customer growth and controlled expenses.  In the first three months of 2015, the Company generated $3,232 internally from operations as compared to the $2,187 it generated in the first three months of 2014 due to lower income taxes paid as a result of the implementation of the IRS TPR.

Credit Lines

Historically, the Company has borrowed $15,000 to $20,000 under its lines of credit before refinancing with long-term debt or equity capital.  As of March 31, 2015, the Company maintained unsecured lines of credit aggregating $29,000 with three banks at interest rates ranging from LIBOR plus 1.20% to LIBOR plus 1.50%.  The Company had no outstanding borrowings under any of its lines of credit as of March 31, 2015.  The Company plans to renew its $5,000 committed line of credit that expires in June 2015 for an additional year, as well as extend the maturity of its $13,000 and $11,000 committed lines of credit into 2017, under similar terms and conditions.

The Company has taken steps to manage the risk of reduced credit availability by maintaining committed lines of credit that cannot be called on demand and obtaining a 2-year revolving maturity on its larger facilities.  There is no guarantee that the Company will be able to obtain sufficient lines of credit with favorable terms in the future.  In addition, if the Company is unable to refinance its line of credit borrowings with long-term debt or equity when necessary, it may have to eliminate or postpone capital expenditures.  Management believes the Company will have adequate capacity under its current lines of credit to meet anticipated financing needs throughout 2015.

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Long-term Debt

The Company's loan agreements contain various covenants and restrictions.  Management believes it is currently in compliance with all of these restrictions.  See Note 4 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 for additional information regarding these restrictions.

The Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, or PEDFA, Series 2004A bonds are subject to optional redemption provisions that allow the Company to redeem all or a portion of the bonds on or after April 1, 2014.  The Company expects to refinance these bonds to take advantage of continued low interest rates in 2015.

The Company's debt (long-term debt plus current portion of long-term debt) as a percentage of the total capitalization, defined as total common stockholders' equity plus long-term debt (including current portion of long-term debt), was 44.5% as of March 31, 2015, compared with 44.8% as of December 31, 2014.  The Company will likely allow the debt percentage to trend upward until it approaches fifty percent before matching increasing debt with additional equity.  A debt to total capitalization ratio between forty-six and fifty percent has historically been acceptable to the PPUC in rate filings.  Due to its recent ability to generate and retain cash internally, the Company has been able to keep its ratio below fifty percent.

Income Taxes, Deferred Income Taxes and Uncertain Tax Positions

The Company has a substantial deferred income tax asset primarily due to the differences between the book and tax balances of the pension and deferred compensation plans.  The Company does not believe a valuation allowance is required due to the expected generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible.

The Company has seen an increase in its deferred income tax liability amounts as a result of the accelerated and bonus depreciation deduction available for federal tax purposes which creates differences between book and tax depreciation expense and the implementation of the IRS TPR.  Despite the expiration of bonus depreciation, the Company expects this trend to continue as it makes significant investments in capital expenditures.

In anticipation of filing for a change in accounting method under the IRS TPR when the 2014 income tax return is filed, the Company began adjusting its income tax provision for the effects of this change during the fourth quarter of 2014.  Under the change in accounting method, the Company is permitted to deduct the costs of certain asset improvements that were previously being capitalized and depreciated for tax purposes as an expense on its income tax return.  This ongoing deduction results in a reduction in the effective income tax rate, a net reduction in income tax expense, and a reduction in the amount of income taxes currently payable.  It also results in increases to deferred tax liabilities and regulatory assets representing the appropriate book and tax basis difference on capital additions.  The Company expects an effective tax rate of 30% to 33% each year based on current asset improvement estimates.  The effective tax rate will vary depending on the level of eligible assets improvements that are placed in service each period.

The Company has determined there are no uncertain tax positions that require recognition as of March 31, 2015.

Common Stock

Common stockholders' equity as a percent of the total capitalization was 55.5% as of March 31, 2015, compared with 55.2% as of December 31, 2014.  The volume of share repurchases, among other things, could reduce this percentage in the future.  It is the Company's intent to target a ratio between fifty and fifty-four percent.

Credit Rating

On March 20, 2015, Standard & Poor's affirmed the Company's credit rating at A-, with a stable outlook and adequate liquidity.  The Company's ability to maintain its credit rating depends, among other things, on adequate and timely rate relief, which it has been successful in obtaining, its ability to fund capital expenditures in a balanced manner using both debt and equity and its ability to generate cash flow.  The Company's objectives are to continue to maximize its funds provided by operations and maintain a strong capital structure in order to be able to attract capital.

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Critical Accounting Estimates

The methods, estimates and judgments the Company used in applying its accounting policies have a significant impact on the results reported in its financial statements.  The Company's accounting policies require management to make subjective judgments because of the need to make estimates of matters that are inherently uncertain.  The Company's most critical accounting estimates include regulatory assets and liabilities, revenue recognition and accounting for its pension plans.  There has been no significant change in accounting estimates or the method of estimation during the quarter ended March 31, 2015.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

The Company does not use off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements or obligations that may have a material current or future effect on financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources or significant components of revenues or expenses.  The Company does not use securitization of receivables or unconsolidated entities. The Company uses a derivative financial instrument, an interest rate swap agreement discussed in Note 4 to the financial statements included herein, for risk management purposes.  The Company does not engage in trading or other risk management activities, does not use other derivative financial instruments for any purpose, has no material lease obligations, no guarantees and does not have material transactions involving related parties.

The Company's operations are exposed to market risks primarily as a result of changes in interest rates under its lines of credit.  The Company has unsecured lines of credit with three banks having a combined maximum availability of $29,000.  The first line of credit, in the amount of $13,000, is a committed line of credit with a revolving 2-year maturity (currently May 2016), and carries an interest rate of LIBOR plus 1.20%.  The second line of credit, in the amount of $11,000, is a committed line of credit, which currently matures in May 2016 and carries an interest rate of LIBOR plus 1.25%.  The third line of credit, in the amount of $5,000, is a committed line of credit, which matures in June 2015 and carries an interest rate of LIBOR plus 1.50%.  The Company had no outstanding borrowings under any of its lines of credit as of March 31, 2015.  Other than lines of credit, the Company has long-term fixed rate debt obligations that are not subject to interest rate risk as shown in Note 6 to the financial statements included herein, and a variable rate PEDFA loan agreement, which is subject to minimal market risk, described below.

In May 2008, the PEDFA issued $12,000 aggregate principal amount of PEDFA Exempt Facilities Revenue Bonds, Series A (the "Bonds").  The proceeds of this bond issue were used to refund the $12,000 PEDFA Exempt Facilities Revenue Bonds, Series B of 2004 which were refunded due to bond insurer downgrading issues.  The PEDFA then loaned the proceeds to the Company pursuant to a variable interest rate loan agreement with a maturity date of October 1, 2029.  The interest rate under this loan agreement averaged 0.04% during the three months ended March 31, 2015.  In connection with the loan agreement, the Company retained its interest rate swap agreement whereby the Company exchanged its floating rate obligation for a fixed rate obligation.  The purpose of the interest rate swap is to manage the Company's exposure to fluctuations in the interest rate.  If the interest rate swap agreement works as intended, the receive rate on the swap should approximate the variable rate the Company pays on the PEDFA Series A Bond Issue, thereby minimizing its risk.  See Note 4 to the financial statements included herein for additional information regarding the interest rate swap.

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In addition to the interest rate swap agreement, the Company entered into a Reimbursement, Credit and Security Agreement with PNC Bank, National Association ("the Bank"), dated as of May 1, 2008, in order to enhance the marketability of and to minimize the interest rate on the Bonds.  This agreement provides for a direct pay letter of credit issued by the Bank to the trustee for the Bonds.  The current expiration date of the letter of credit is June 30, 2017.  It is reviewed annually for a potential extension of the expiration date.  The Company's responsibility under this agreement is to reimburse the Bank on a timely basis for interest payments made to the bondholders and for any tendered Bonds that could not be remarketed.  The Company has fourteen months from the time Bonds are tendered to reimburse the Bank.  If the direct pay letter of credit is not renewed, the Company would be required to pay the Bank immediately for any tendered Bonds and reclassify a portion of the Bonds as current liabilities.  In addition, the interest rate swap agreement would terminate causing a potential payment by the Company to the counterparty.  Both the letter of credit and the swap agreement can potentially be transferred upon this type of event.

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company's management, with the participation of the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of the Company's disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report.  Based upon this evaluation, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer along with the Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company's disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this report are effective such that the information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is (i) recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC's rules and forms and (ii) accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including the President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding disclosure.  A controls system cannot provide absolute assurance, however, that the objectives of the controls system are met, and no evaluation of controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud, if any, within a company have been detected.

No change in the Company's internal control over financial reporting occurred during the Company's most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company's internal control over financial reporting.

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