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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

The Consolidated Financial Statements of Westmoreland Coal Company include the accounts of the Company and its controlled subsidiaries. The Company provides for noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries in which the Company’s ownership is less than 100%. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Investments in unconsolidated affiliates that the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence over, but not control, are accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Under the equity method of accounting, the Company records its proportionate share of the entity’s net income or loss at each reporting period in Income from equity affiliates on the Consolidated Statements of Operations with a corresponding entry to increase or decrease the carrying value of the investment.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximate fair value. Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Trade Receivables

Trade receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and generally do not bear interest. The Company evaluates the need for an allowance for doubtful accounts based on a review of collectability.

Loan and Lease Receivables

The Company periodically executes loans and finance leases at the Genesee Mine with its only customer for purposes of funding capital expenditures and working capital requirements. Finance lease and loan receivables are measured at the present value of the future lease payments at the inception of the arrangement. Lease payments received are comprised of a repayment of principal and finance income. Finance income is recognized based on the interest rate implicit in the finance lease. We recognize finance income over periods between three and twenty-seven years, which reflect a constant periodic return on our net investment in the finance lease. Initial direct costs are included in the initial measurement of the finance lease receivables and reduce the amount of income recognized over the lease term.

Inventories

Inventories include materials and supplies, which are carried at historical cost less an obsolescence reserve when necessary, and raw coal, which is carried at the lower of cost or market. Cost of coal is determined using the average cost method and includes labor, supplies, equipment, depreciation, depletion, amortization, operating overhead and other related costs.

Exploration and Mine Development

Exploration expenditures are charged to Cost of sales as incurred, including costs related to drilling and study costs incurred to convert or upgrade mineral resources to reserves.

At existing surface operations, additional pits may be added to increase production capacity in order to meet customer requirements. These expansions may require significant capital to purchase additional equipment, relocate equipment, build or improve existing haul roads and create the initial pre-production box cut to remove overburden for new pits at existing operations. If these pits operate in a separate and distinct area of the mine, the costs associated with initially uncovering coal for production are capitalized and amortized over the life of the developed pit consistent with coal industry practices. Once production has begun, mining costs are then expensed as incurred.

Where new pits are routinely developed as part of a contiguous mining sequence, the Company expenses such costs as incurred. The development of a contiguous pit typically reflects the planned progression of an existing pit, thus maintaining production levels from the same mining area utilizing the same employee group and equipment.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost and includes long-term spare parts inventory. Expenditures that extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment or increase productivity of the assets are capitalized. Maintenance and repair costs that do not extend the useful life or increase productivity of the asset are expensed as incurred. Coal reserves are recorded at cost, or at fair value originally in the case of acquired businesses.

Coal reserves, mineral rights and mine development costs are depleted based upon estimated recoverable proven and probable reserves. Long-term spare parts inventory begins depreciation when placed in service. Plant and equipment are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the assets’ estimated useful lives as follows:



	Years
Buildings and improvements	5 to 40
Machinery and equipment	1 to 36

When an asset is retired or sold, its cost and related accumulated depreciation and depletion are removed from the accounts. The difference between the net book value of the asset and proceeds on disposition is recorded as a gain or loss. Fully depreciated plant and equipment still in use is not eliminated from the accounts.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company evaluates its long-lived assets held and used in operations for impairment as events and changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets might not be recoverable. Factors that would indicate potential impairment to be present include, but are not limited to, a sustained history of operating or cash flow losses, an unfavorable change in earnings and cash flow outlook, prolonged adverse industry or economic trends and a significant adverse change in the extent or manner in which a long-lived asset is being used or in its physical condition.

Assets are grouped at the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. Coal mining assets are generally grouped at the mine level, and our ROVA operations also constitute an asset group.

When indicators of impairment are present, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets for recoverability by comparing the estimated undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by those assets under various assumptions to their carrying amounts. If such undiscounted cash flows indicate that the carrying value of the asset group is not recoverable, impairment losses are measured by comparing the estimated fair value of the asset group to its carrying amount. Fair value is generally determined through the use of an expected present value technique based on the income approach. The estimated future cash flows and underlying assumptions used to assess recoverability and, if necessary, measure the fair value of the Company's long-lived asset groups are derived from those developed in connection with the Company's planning and budgeting process. Our estimated future cash flows for our ROVA asset group also utilize projected power prices in addition to the estimated cash flows developed by our planning and budgeting process. The Company believes its assumptions to be consistent with those a market participant would use for valuation purposes.

Reclamation Deposits and Contractual Third-Party Reclamation Receivables

Certain of the Company’s customers have either agreed to reimburse the Company for reclamation expenditures as they are incurred or have pre-funded a portion of the expected reclamation costs. Amounts received from customers and held on deposit are recorded as reclamation deposits. Amounts that are reimbursable by customers are recorded as third-party reclamation receivables when the related reclamation obligation is recorded.

Derivatives and Financial Instruments

The Company enters into financial derivatives to manage exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and power prices. The Company does not utilize derivative financial instruments for trading purposes or for speculative purposes.

The Company’s derivative instruments are recorded at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations at the end of each period in Gain (loss) on foreign exchange or Derivative loss.

The Company evaluates all of its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives, derivatives that qualify for the normal purchase normal sale exception or instruments that contain features that qualify them as embedded derivatives. Except for derivatives that qualify for the normal purchase normal sale exception, all derivative financial instruments are recognized in the balance sheet at fair value. Changes in fair value are recognized in earnings if they are not eligible for hedge accounting or Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) if they qualify for cash flow hedge accounting.

Held-to-maturity financial instruments consist of non-derivative financial assets with fixed or determinable payments and a fixed term, which the Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity, and, therefore, accounts for them as held-to-maturity securities. Held-to-maturity securities are recorded at amortized cost, adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts calculated on the effective interest method. Interest income is recognized when earned.

The Company has securities classified as available-for-sale, which are recorded at fair value. The changes in fair values are recorded as unrealized gains (losses) as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in shareholders’ deficit.

The Company reviews its securities routinely for other-than-temporary impairment. The primary factors used to determine if an impairment charge must be recorded because a decline in value of the security is other than temporary include (i) whether the fair value of the investment is significantly below its cost basis, (ii) the financial condition of the issuer of the security, (iii) the length of time that the cost of the security has exceeded its fair value and (iv) the Company’s intent and ability to retain the investment for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value. Other-than-temporary impairments are recorded as a component of Other income.

Fair Value

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at a given measurement date. Valuation techniques used must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

The fair value hierarchy prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value and is defined as:


•	Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. Level 1 assets include available-for-sale equity securities generally valued based on independent third-party market prices.


•	Level 2, defined as observable inputs other than Level 1 prices. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in an active market, quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.


•	Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

Intangible Assets and Liabilities

Identifiable intangible assets or liabilities acquired in a business combination are recognized and reported separately from goodwill.

Compensation Related Costs

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

The Company is self-insured for workers’ compensation claims incurred prior to 1996. The liabilities for workers’ compensation claims are actuarially determined estimates of the ultimate losses incurred based on the Company’s experience. Adjustments to the actuarially determined liability are made annually based on subsequent developments and experience and are included in operations at the time of the revised estimate.

The Company insures its current employees through third-party insurance providers and state arrangements.

Pneumoconiosis (Black Lung) Benefits

The Company is self-insured for federal and state black lung benefits for former heritage employees and has established an independent trust to pay these benefits. The Company accounts for these benefits on the accrual basis. An independent actuary annually calculates the present value of the accumulated black lung obligation. The underfunded status in 2015 and 2014 of the Company’s obligation is included as Excess of black lung benefit obligation over trust assets
in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Actuarial gains and losses are recognized in the period in which they arise.

The Company insures its current represented employees through arrangements with its unions and its current non-represented employees are insured through third-party insurance providers. The Company maintains actuarially determined accruals to account for estimates of the ultimate losses incurred.

Postretirement Health Care Benefits

The Company accrues the cost to provide the benefits over the employees’ period of active service for postretirement benefits other than pensions. These costs are determined on an actuarial basis. The Company’s consolidated balance sheet reflects the unfunded status of postretirement benefit obligations.

Pension and SERP Plans

The Company accrues the cost to provide the benefits over the employees’ period of active service for the non-contributory defined benefit pension and SERP plans it sponsors. These costs are determined on an actuarial basis. The Company’s consolidated balance sheet reflects the unfunded status of the defined benefit pension and SERP plans.

Deferred Revenue

Deferred revenues represent funding received in advance of meeting the criteria for revenue recognition. Deferred revenue is recognized as the underlying revenue recognition criteria are met, which often occurs as deliveries of coal or power are made in accordance with long-term contacts.

Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company’s asset retirement obligation, or ARO, liabilities primarily consist of estimated costs to reclaim surface land and support facilities at its mines and power plants in accordance with federal and state reclamation laws as established by each mining permit.

The Company estimates its ARO liabilities for final reclamation and mine closure based upon detailed engineering calculations of the amount and timing of the future costs for a third party to perform the required work. These estimates are based on projected pit configurations and are escalated for inflation, and then discounted at a credit-adjusted risk-free rate. The Company records mineral rights associated with the initial recorded liability. Mineral rights are amortized based on the units of production method over the estimated recoverable, proven and probable reserves at the related mine, and the ARO liability is accreted to the projected settlement date. Changes in estimates could occur due to revisions of mine plans, changes in estimated costs, and changes in timing of the performance of reclamation activities.

Income Taxes

The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. (including federal and state) and certain foreign jurisdictions. Deferred income taxes are provided for temporary differences arising from differences between the financial statement amount and tax basis of assets and liabilities existing at each balance sheet date using enacted tax rates anticipated to be in effect when the related taxes are expected to be paid or recovered. A valuation allowance is established if it is more likely than not (greater than 50%) that a deferred tax asset will not be realized. In determining the need for a valuation allowance at each reporting period, the Company considers projected realization of tax benefits based on expected levels of future taxable income, the duration of statutory carryforward periods, experience with operating loss and tax credit carryforwards not expiring and availability of tax planning strategies.

Accounting guidance prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Under this guidance, a company can recognize the benefit of an income tax position only if it is more likely than not (greater than 50%) that the tax position will be sustained upon tax examination, based solely on the technical merits of the tax position. Guidance is also provided on the derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition.

The Company includes interest and penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are classified as noncurrent in the statement of financial position.

The tax effect of pretax income or loss from continuing operations is generally determined by a computation that does not consider the tax effects of items that are not included in continuing operations. The exception to that incremental approach is that all items (for example, items recorded in other comprehensive income, extraordinary items, and discontinued operations) be considered in determining the amount of tax benefit that results from a loss from continuing operations and that shall be allocated to continuing operations.

Deferred Financing Costs

The Company capitalizes costs incurred in connection with borrowings or establishment of credit facilities and issuance of debt securities. These costs are amortized as an adjustment to interest expense over the life of the borrowing or term of the credit facility using the effective interest method. These amounts are recorded in Other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Revenue Recognition

Coal Revenues

The Company recognizes coal sales revenue at the time title passes to the customer in accordance with the terms of the underlying sales agreements and after any contingent performance obligations have been satisfied. Coal sales revenue is recognized based on the pricing contained in the contracts in place at the time that title passes.

Power Revenues

ROVA supplies power it produces and generates revenues from such sales, as well as through the settlement of related purchased power arrangements. A portion of the payment under the power sales agreement is considered to be an operating lease. The Company is recognizing amounts previously invoiced as revenue on a pro rata basis over the remaining term of the power sales agreement.

Other Operating Income (Loss)

Other operating income in the accompanying Consolidated Results of Operations reflects income from sources other than coal or power revenues. Income from the Company’s Indian Coal Tax Credit monetization transaction is recorded as Other operating income. The Company recognizes other operating income when business interruption losses have been incurred and reimbursement is realized or realizable. Insurance proceeds are included in Net cash provided by operating activities

Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation expense is generally measured at the grant date and recognized as expense over the vesting period of the entire award. These costs are recorded in Cost of sales and Selling and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated results of operations.

Earnings (Loss) per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share have been computed by dividing the net income (loss) applicable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each period. Net income (loss) applicable to common shareholders includes the adjustment for net income or loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed by including the dilutive effect of common stock that would be issued assuming conversion or exercise of outstanding convertible notes, stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and warrants. No such items were included in the computation of diluted loss per share for the years ended 2015, 2014 or 2013 because the Company incurred a loss from operations in each of these periods and the effect of inclusion would have been anti-dilutive.

The table below shows the number of shares that were excluded from the calculation of diluted loss per share because their inclusion would be anti-dilutive to the calculation:



	Years Ended December 31,
	2015	2014	2013
	(In thousands)
Convertible notes and securities	—	626	1,093
Restricted stock units, stock options, and SARs	482	537	805
Total shares excluded from diluted shares calculation	482	1,163	1,898

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations

Amounts held and transactions denominated in foreign currencies other than the operating unit’s functional currency give rise to foreign exchange gains and losses which are included within Gain (loss) on foreign exchange.

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional currency of the Company’s Canadian operations is the Canadian dollar. The Company’s Canadian operations’ assets and liabilities are translated at period end exchange rates, and revenues and costs are translated using average exchange rates for the period. Foreign currency translation adjustments are reported in Other comprehensive income (loss).

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the presentation of 2015, with no effect on previously reported net loss, cash flows or shareholders’ deficit.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments. ASU 2015-16 eliminates the requirement that an acquirer in a business combination account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Instead, an acquirer will recognize a measurement-period adjustment during the period in which it determines the amount of the adjustment. The guidance is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after 15 December 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We early adopted this guidance during 2015, with no material impact to our financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. ASU 2015-17 simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes by requiring that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The guidance is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods with early adoption permitted. We elected to early adopt this standard on December 31, 2015 and retrospectively apply the guidance to prior periods to allow for better comparison. This change in accounting principle had the effect of reducing the non-current liability Deferred income taxes by $13.1 million and $5.4 million as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The current asset Deferred income taxes was also reduced to zero for each year by the same amounts.

Accounting Pronouncements Effective in the Future

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue From Contracts With Customers, which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The ASU is based on the principle that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The ASU also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to fulfill a contract. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach for the adoption of the new standard. In April 2015, the FASB agreed to propose a one-year deferral of the revenue recognition standard's effective date. The new guidance is now effective for the interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017; early application is permitted, but not before the original effective date (annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016). We are currently assessing the impact that this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements and plan to adopt the guidance by its effective date.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements-Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern, which is intended to define management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an organization’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. The new guidance is effective for the interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016; early adoption is permitted for annual or interim reporting periods for which the financial statements have not previously been issued. We anticipate expanded going concern related disclosures to address this guidance in the year it becomes effective.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The new guidance should be applied on a retrospective basis and is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Management projects the impact to the financial statements resulting in balance sheet reclassification reducing the Long-term debt, less current installments balance for each of the respective periods upon adoption.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-05, Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement, which provides guidance for determining whether a cloud computing arrangement (also referred to as a hosting arrangement) has a software license element and provides guidance on the appropriate accounting treatment. The new guidance should be applied on a retrospective basis. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that adopting this new accounting guidance will have on its consolidated results of operations, cash flows and financial position and does not believe its impact will be material.