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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Principles of Consolidation—RGC Resources, Inc. is an energy services company primarily engaged in the sale and distribution of natural gas. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Resources and its wholly owned subsidiaries: Roanoke Gas, Diversified Energy and Midstream. Roanoke Gas is a natural gas utility, which distributes and sells natural gas to approximately 62,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers within its service areas in Roanoke, Virginia and the surrounding localities. The Company’s business is seasonal in nature as a majority of natural gas sales are for space heating during the winter season. Roanoke Gas is regulated by the SCC. Midstream is a wholly-owned subsidiary created primarily to invest in the Mountain Valley Pipeline project. Diversified Energy is inactive.
The Company follows accounting and reporting standards established by the FASB and the SEC.
Under the rules for smaller reporting companies, certain disclosures previously required are reduced or eliminated. As it has met the qualifications under the definition of smaller reporting company, the Company has used the smaller reporting company exceptions.
Rate Regulated Basis of Accounting—The Company’s regulated operations follow the accounting and reporting requirements of FASB ASC No. 980, Regulated Operations. The economic effects of regulation can result in a regulated company deferring costs that have been or are expected to be recovered from customers in a period different from the period in which the costs would be charged to expense by an unregulated enterprise. When this situation occurs, costs are deferred as assets in the consolidated balance sheet (regulatory assets) and recorded as expenses when such amounts are reflected in rates. Additionally, regulators can impose liabilities upon a regulated company for amounts previously collected from customers and for current collection in rates of costs that are expected to be incurred in the future (regulatory liabilities). In the event the provisions of FASB ASC No. 980 no longer apply to any or all regulatory assets or liabilities, the Company would write off such amounts and include them in the consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income in the period which FASB ASC No. 980 no longer applied.
Regulatory assets and liabilities included in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2020 and 2019 are as follows: 
 September 30
 20202019
Assets:
Current Assets:
Regulatory assets:
Accrued WNA revenues$— $569,558 
Under-recovery of gas costs1,733,718 — 
     Under-recovery of SAVE Plan revenues108,550 — 
ESAC assets— 265,392 
Accrued pension and postretirement medical576,731 602,674 
Other deferred expenses84,315 84,315 
Total current2,503,314 1,521,939 
Utility Property:
In service:
Other11,945 11,945 
Construction work in progress:
AFUDC330,208 — 
Other Assets:
Regulatory assets:
Premium on early retirement of debt1,598,620 1,712,808 
Accrued pension and postretirement medical9,156,546 9,414,695 
ESAC assets— 756,803 
Other deferred expenses214,928 294,547 
Total non-current10,970,094 12,178,853 
Total regulatory assets$13,815,561 $13,712,737 
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:
Current Liabilities:
Regulatory liabilities:
Over-recovery of gas costs$— $161,837 
WNA601,784 — 
            Over-recovery of SAVE Plan revenues— 574,181 
       Rate refund— 3,827,588 
Excess deferred income taxes205,353 205,353 
Other deferred liabilities83,176 108,644 
Total current890,313 4,877,603 
Deferred Credits and Other Liabilities:
Asset retirement obligations7,180,982 6,788,683 
Regulatory cost of retirement obligations12,678,043 11,892,352 
Regulatory liabilities:
Excess deferred income taxes10,729,082 10,934,434 
Total non-current$30,588,107 $29,615,469 
Total regulatory liabilities$31,478,420 $34,493,072 

Amortization of regulatory assets of $1,106,511 and $368,011 for the years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, is included in operations and maintenance expense on the consolidated statements of income. See Note 3 for information on accelerated ESAC amortization.

As of September 30, 2020, the Company had regulatory assets in the amount of $13,803,616 on which the Company did not earn a return during the recovery period.
Utility Plant and Depreciation—Utility plant is stated at original cost and includes direct labor and materials, contractor costs, and all allocable overhead charges. The Company applies the group method of accounting, where the costs of like assets are aggregated and depreciated by applying a rate based on the average expected useful life of the assets. In accordance with Company policy, expenditures for depreciable assets with a life greater than one year are capitalized, along with any upgrades or improvements to existing assets, when they significantly improve or extend the original expected useful life of an asset. Expenditures for maintenance, repairs, and minor renewals and betterments are expensed as incurred. The original cost of depreciable property retired is removed from utility plant and charged to accumulated depreciation. The cost of asset removals, less salvage, is charged to “regulatory cost of retirement obligations” or “asset retirement obligations” as explained under Asset Retirement Obligations below.

Utility plant is composed of the following major classes of assets:
 September 30
 20202019
Distribution and transmission$227,753,620 $209,171,339 
LNG storage14,798,453 13,417,077 
General and miscellaneous15,790,299 15,198,548 
Total utility plant in service$258,342,372 $237,786,964 

Provisions for depreciation are computed principally at composite straight-line rates over a range of periods. Rates are determined by depreciation studies which are required to be performed at least every 5 years on the regulated utility assets of Roanoke Gas. In September 2019, the SCC staff approved the Company's most recent depreciation study. The SCC directed the Company to implement the new rates retroactive to October 1, 2018. As a result of the new rates, the composite weighted-average depreciation rate was 3.30% and 3.31% for the years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The implementation of the new depreciation rates reduced total depreciation expense by $32,570 for fiscal 2019 and increased net income by $24,187 or less than $0.01 per share.

The composite rates are composed of two components, one based on average service life and one based on cost of retirement. As a result, the Company accrues the estimated cost of retirement of long-lived assets through depreciation expense. These retirement costs are not a legal obligation but rather the result of cost-based regulation and are accounted for under the provisions of FASB ASC No. 980. Such amounts are classified as a regulatory liability.

The Company reviews long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. These reviews have not identified any impairments which would have a material effect on the results of operations or financial condition.

In fiscal 2020, Roanoke Gas implemented the application of AFUDC related to infrastructure investments associated with two gate stations that will interconnect with the MVP. This treatment allows capitalizing both the equity and debt financing costs during the construction phases. For the year ended September 30, 2020, the Company capitalized $81,629 of debt financing costs and $248,579 of equity financing costs, thereby affecting the interest expense and other income, net lines, respectively, of the related consolidated statements of income. See Note 3 for further information.

Asset Retirement Obligations—FASB ASC No. 410, Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations, requires entities to record the fair value of a liability for an ARO when there exists a legal obligation for the retirement of the asset. When the liability is initially recorded, the entity capitalizes the cost, thereby increasing the carrying amount of the underlying asset. In subsequent periods, the liability is accreted, and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the underlying asset. The Company has recorded AROs for its future legal obligations related to purging and capping its distribution mains and services upon retirement, although the timing of such retirements is uncertain.

The Company’s composite depreciation rates include a component to provide for the cost of retirement of assets. As a result, the Company accrues the estimated cost of retirement of its utility plant through depreciation expense and creates a corresponding regulatory liability. The costs of retirement considered in the development of the depreciation component include those costs associated with the legal liability. Therefore, the ARO is reclassified from the regulatory cost of retirement obligation. If the legal obligations were to exceed the regulatory liability provided for in the depreciation rates, the Company would establish a regulatory asset for such difference with the anticipation of future recovery through rates charged to customers.
The following is a summary of the AROs:
 Years Ended September 30
 20202019
Beginning balance$6,788,683 $6,417,948 
Liabilities incurred165,524 177,646 
Liabilities settled(150,345)(177,755)
Accretion377,120 370,844 
Ending balance$7,180,982 $6,788,683 

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments—From time to time, the Company will have balances on deposit at banks in excess of the amount insured by the FDIC. The Company has not experienced any losses on these accounts and does not consider these amounts to be at credit risk. As of September 30, 2020, the Company did not have any bank deposits in excess of the FDIC insurance limits. For purposes of the consolidated statements of cash flows, the Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Customer Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts—Accounts receivable include amounts billed to customers for natural gas sales and related services and gas sales occurring subsequent to normal billing cycles but before the end of the period. The Company provides an estimate for losses on these receivables by utilizing historical information, current account balances, account aging and current economic conditions. Customer accounts are charged off annually when deemed uncollectible or when turned over to a collection agency for action.

A reconciliation of changes in the allowance for doubtful accounts is as follows: 

 Years Ended September 30
 20202019
Beginning balance$110,743 $103,573 
Provision for doubtful accounts556,112 220,039 
Recoveries of accounts written off139,113 96,614 
Accounts written off(102,828)(309,483)
Ending balance$703,140 $110,743 

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on businesses and individuals, both bad debt expense and associated allowance for doubtful accounts increased significantly over prior years. See Note 3 for additional information, including regulatory restrictions, that contributed to the increase.

Financing Receivables—Financing receivables represent a contractual right to receive money either on demand, or on fixed or determinable dates, and are recognized as assets on the entity’s balance sheet. Trade receivables, resulting from the sale of natural gas and other services to customers, are the Company's primary type of financing receivables. These receivables are short-term in nature with a provision for uncollectible balances included in the consolidated financial statements.

Inventories—Natural gas in storage and materials and supplies inventories are recorded at average cost. Natural gas storage injections are priced at the purchase cost at the time of injection and storage withdrawals are priced at the weighted average cost of gas in storage. Materials and supplies are removed from inventory at average cost.

Unbilled Revenues—The Company bills its natural gas customers on a monthly cycle; however, the billing cycle period for most customers does not coincide with the accounting periods used for financial reporting. As the Company recognizes revenue when gas is delivered, an accrual is made to estimate revenues for natural gas delivered to customers but not billed during the accounting period. The amounts of unbilled revenue receivable included in accounts receivable on the consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2020 and 2019 were $1,041,518 and $1,236,384, respectively.
Income Taxes—Income taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method. Under the asset and liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance against deferred tax assets is provided if it is more likely than not the deferred tax asset will not be realized. The Company and its subsidiaries file state and federal consolidated income tax returns.
Debt Expenses—Debt issuance expenses are deferred and amortized over the lives of the debt instruments. The unamortized balances are offset against the carrying value of long-term debt.
Over/Under-Recovery of Natural Gas Costs—Pursuant to the provisions of the Company’s PGA clause, the SCC provides the Company with a method of passing along to its customers increases or decreases in natural gas costs incurred by its regulated operations, including gains and losses on natural gas derivative hedging instruments. On at least a quarterly basis, the Company files a PGA rate adjustment request with the SCC to increase or decrease the gas cost component of its rates, based on projected price and activity. Once administrative approval is received, the Company adjusts the gas cost component of its rates to reflect the approved amount. As actual costs will differ from the projections used in establishing the PGA rate, the Company may either over-recover or under-recover its actual gas costs during the period. Any difference between actual costs incurred and costs recovered through the application of the PGA is recorded as a regulatory asset or liability. At the end of the deferral period, the balance of the net deferred charge or credit is amortized over an ensuing 12-month period as amounts are reflected in customer bills.
Fair Value—Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between willing market participants at the measurement date. The Company determines fair value based on the following fair value hierarchy which prioritizes each input to the valuation methods into one of the following three broad levels:
Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.
Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices in Level 1 that are either for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, or inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability where there is little, if any, market activity which require the Company to develop its own assumptions.
The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). All fair value disclosures are categorized within one of the three categories in the hierarchy. See fair value disclosures below and in Notes 9 and 13.
Use of Estimates—The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Excise and Sales Taxes—Certain excise and sales taxes imposed by the state and local governments in the Company’s service territory are collected by the Company from its customers. These taxes are accounted for on a net basis and therefore are not included as revenues in the Company’s consolidated income statements.
Earnings Per Share—Basic EPS and diluted EPS are calculated by dividing net income by the weighted-average common shares outstanding during the period and the weighted-average common shares outstanding during the period plus dilutive potential common shares, respectively. Dilutive potential common shares are calculated in accordance with the treasury stock method, which assumes that proceeds from the exercise of all options are used to repurchase common stock at market value. The amount of shares remaining after the proceeds are exhausted represents the potentially dilutive effect of the securities. A reconciliation of basic and diluted EPS is presented below: 
 Years Ended September 30
 20202019
Net Income$10,564,534 $8,698,412 
Weighted-average common shares8,125,938 8,039,484 
Effect of dilutive securities:
Options to purchase common stock20,728 39,466 
Diluted average common shares8,146,666 8,078,950 
Earnings Per Share of Common Stock:
       Basic$1.30 $1.08 
       Diluted$1.30 $1.08 

Business and Credit ConcentrationsThe primary business of the Company is the distribution of natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial customers in its service territories.
No sales to individual customers accounted for more than 5% of total revenue in any period or amounted to more than 5% of total accounts receivable.
Roanoke Gas currently holds the only franchises and CPCNs to distribute natural gas in its service area. These franchises are effective through January 1, 2036. The Company's current CPCNs in Virginia are exclusive and are intended for perpetual duration.
Roanoke Gas is served directly by two primary pipelines that provide all of the natural gas supplied to the Company’s customers. Depending upon weather conditions and the level of customer demand, failure of one or both of these transmission pipelines could have a major adverse impact on the Company.
Derivative and Hedging Activities—FASB ASC No. 815, Derivatives and Hedging, requires the recognition of all derivative instruments as assets or liabilities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet and measurement of those instruments at fair value.
The Company’s hedging and derivatives policy allows management to enter into derivatives for the purpose of managing the commodity and financial market risks of its business operations. The Company’s hedging and derivatives policy specifically prohibits the use of derivatives for speculative purposes. The key market risks that the Company may hedge against include the price of natural gas and the cost of borrowed funds.
The Company historically has entered into collars, swaps and caps for the purpose of hedging the price of natural gas in order to provide price stability during the winter months. The fair value of these instruments is recorded in the consolidated balance sheets with the offsetting entry to either under- or over-recovery of gas costs. Net income and other comprehensive income are not affected by the change in market value as any cost incurred or benefit received from these instruments is recoverable or refunded through the PGA as the SCC allows for full recovery of prudent costs associated with natural gas purchases. At September 30, 2020 and 2019, the Company had no outstanding derivative instruments for the purchase of natural gas.
The Company has three interest rate swaps associated with its variable rate debt. Roanoke Gas has a swap on its $7,000,000 term note that effectively converts the variable interest rate into a 2.30% fixed interest rate. In June 2019, Midstream entered into two variable-rate term notes in the amount of $14,000,000 and $10,000,000 with corresponding swap agreements to convert the variable interest rates into fixed rates of 3.24% and 3.14%, respectively. All swaps qualify as a cash flow hedge with changes in fair value reported in other comprehensive income. Any cash flows from interest rate swaps are classified as interest expense. No portion of the swaps were deemed ineffective during the period.
See Notes 7 and 13 for additional information on the swaps and fair value.
Non-Cash Activity A non-cash decrease in unconsolidated affiliate and corresponding decrease in capital contributions payable of $2,512,387 and $5,117,942 occurred for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)A summary of other comprehensive income is provided below:
 
Before Tax
Amount
Tax
(Expense)
or Benefit
Net of Tax
Amount
Year Ended September 30, 2020:
Interest rate swaps:
       Unrealized losses$(1,594,126)$410,328 $(1,183,798)
       Transfer of realized losses to interest expense264,911 (68,189)196,722 
Net interest rate swaps(1,329,215)342,139 (987,076)
Defined benefit plans:
       Net loss arising during period$(52,669)$13,557 $(39,112)
       Amortization of actuarial losses90,441 (23,280)67,161 
Net defined benefit plans37,772 (9,723)28,049 
Other comprehensive loss$(1,291,443)$332,416 $(959,027)
Year Ended September 30, 2019:
Interest rate swaps:
       Unrealized losses$(1,117,595)$287,669 $(829,926)
       Transfer of realized gains to interest expense(87,309)22,474 (64,835)
Net interest rate swaps(1,204,904)310,143 (894,761)
Defined benefit plans:
       Net loss arising during period$(962,612)$247,777 $(714,835)
       Amortization of actuarial gains(10,305)2,652 (7,653)
Net defined benefit plans(972,917)250,429 (722,488)
Other comprehensive loss$(2,177,821)$560,572 $(1,617,249)

The amortization of actuarial gains or losses are included as a component of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs under other income, net.

Composition of AOCI: 
Interest Rate
Swaps
Defined Benefit
Plans
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
Balance September 30, 2018230,624 (1,102,292)(871,668)
Other comprehensive loss(894,761)(722,488)(1,617,249)
Balance September 30, 2019(664,137)(1,824,780)(2,488,917)
Other comprehensive income (loss)(987,076)28,049 (959,027)
Balance September 30, 2020$(1,651,213)$(1,796,731)$(3,447,944)

The reclassification related to the interest rate swap was charged to regulatory liability to offset the adjustment made when revaluing the deferred tax liability of the interest rate swap for the reduction in corporate income tax rates.
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases. This ASU leaves the accounting for leases mostly unchanged for lessors, with the exception of targeted improvements for consistency; however, the new guidance requires lessees to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with terms of more than 12 months. The ASU also revises the definition of a lease as a contract, or part of a contract, that conveys the right to control the use of identified property, plant or equipment for a period of time in exchange for consideration. Under prior GAAP, the presentation and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily depended on its classification as a finance or operating lease. The new ASU requires both types of leases to be recognized on the balance sheet. In addition, the new guidance includes quantitative and qualitative disclosure requirements to aid financial statement users in better understanding the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. In January 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-01, which provides a practical expedient that allows entities the option of not evaluating existing land easements under the new lease standard for those easements that were entered into prior to adoption. New or modified land easements will require evaluation on a prospective basis. The new guidance is effective for the Company for the annual reporting period ending September 30, 2020 and interim periods within that annual period.

The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 and related guidance effective October 1, 2019. At the time of adoption, the Company had one operating lease. This lease calls for quarterly payments in the amount of $3,240 and is set to expire in September 2021. As the value of this lease obligation was determined to be de minimis and the Company has not entered into any additional lease obligations, this new guidance does not have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging: Targeted Improvements to Accounting For Hedging Activities. The ASU is meant to simplify recognition and presentation guidance in an effort to improve financial reporting of cash flow and fair value hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity's risk management activities. This is achieved through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships, as well as changes to the presentation of hedge results. The Company adopted the new guidance effective October 1, 2019. As the Company currently has only cash flow hedges and no portion of these hedges were deemed ineffective during the periods presented, this new guidance does not have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract. This ASU reduces the complexity of accounting for costs of implementing a cloud computing service arrangement and aligns the following requirements to capitalize implementation costs: 1) those incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract, and 2) those incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software, including hosting arrangements that include an internal software license. The Company adopted the new guidance effective October 1, 2019. The new guidance did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General (Subtopic 715-20) - Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. This ASU modifies disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. The new guidance is effective for the Company for the annual reporting period ending September 30, 2021. Early adoption is permitted. Management has not completed its evaluation of the new guidance; however, the ASU only modifies disclosure requirements and will not affect financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) - Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. This ASU provides temporary optional guidance to ease the potential burden in accounting for and recognizing the effects of reference rate change on financial reporting. The new guidance applies specifically to contracts and hedging relationships that reference LIBOR, or any other referenced rate that is expected to be discontinued due to reference rate reform. The new guidance is effective for the Company through December 31, 2022. Management has not yet completed its evaluation of the new guidance; however, as the Company has several contracts and hedging relationships that currently reference LIBOR, this new guidance could impact the Company's financial position, results of operations, or cash flows for the period through which the ASU is effective.
Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by the FASB or other standard–setting bodies are not currently applicable to the Company or are not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.