Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of PresentationThe accompanying financial statements are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In our opinion, the financial statements include all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary in order to make the financial statements not misleading.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Upon our Financial Condition and Results of Operations

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Upon our Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The global steelmaking industry's demand for met coal is affected by pandemics, epidemics or other public health emergencies, such as the recent outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 ("COVID-19"), which has spread from China to many other countries including the United States. In March 2020, the World Health Organization ("WHO") declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, and the President of the United States declared the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency. The outbreak has resulted in governments around the world implementing increasingly stringent measures to help control the spread of the virus, including quarantines, "shelter in place" and "stay at home" orders, travel restrictions, business curtailments, school closures, and other measures. In addition, governments and central banks in several parts of the world have enacted fiscal and monetary stimulus measures to counteract the impacts of COVID-19.

The Company operates in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. As such, the Company continues to operate its mines in a safe manner under the guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Alabama State Health Department. In response to these measures and for the protection of employees, the Company has taken steps to ensure our employees remain safe. As of the filing of this Form 10-Q, the Company has not had to idle or temporarily idle its mines.

Notwithstanding our continued operations, COVID-19 has begun to have and may continue to have further negative impacts on our two operating mines, supply chain, transportation networks and customers, which may continue to compress our margins, and reduce demand for the met coal that we produce. The COVID-19 outbreak is a widespread public health crisis that is adversely affecting the economies and financial markets of many countries, including those of our customers, which are primarily located in Europe, South America and Asia. A prolonged economic downturn could adversely affect demand for our met coal and contribute to volatile supply and demand conditions affecting prices and volumes. The progression of COVID-19 could also negatively impact our business or results of operations through the temporary closure of one of our mines, customers or critical suppliers, or the McDuffie Coal Terminal at the Port of Mobile, Alabama, or a disruption to our rail and barge carriers, which would delay or prevent deliveries to our customers, among others.

In addition, the ability of our employees and our suppliers' and customers' employees to work may be significantly impacted by individuals contracting or being exposed to COVID-19, or as a result of the control measures noted above, which may significantly affect the demand for met coal. Our customers may be directly impacted by business curtailments or weak market conditions and may not be willing or able to fulfill their contractual obligations or open letters of credit. We may also experience delays in obtaining letters of credit or processing letter of credit payments due to the impacts of COVID-19 on foreign issuing and U.S. intermediary banks. Furthermore, the progression of, and global response to, the COVID-19 outbreak has begun to cause, and increases the risk of, further delays in construction activities and equipment deliveries related to our

capital projects, including potential delays in obtaining permits from government agencies. The extent of such delays and other effects of COVID-19 on our capital projects, certain of which are outside of our control, is unknown, but they may impact or delay the timing of anticipated benefits of capital projects.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include short-term deposits and highly liquid investments that have original maturities of three months or less when purchased and are stated at cost, which approximates fair value.

Short-Term Investments

Short-Term Investments

Instruments with maturities greater than three months, but less than twelve months, are included in short-term investments. The Company purchases United States Treasury ("Treasury") bills with maturities ranging from six to twelve months which are classified as held to maturity and are carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. The Company also purchases fixed income securities and certificates of deposits with varying maturities that are classified as available for sale and are carried at fair value. Securities classified as held to maturity are those securities that management has the intent and ability to hold to maturity.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition    Revenue is recognized when performance obligations under the terms of a contract with the Company's customers are satisfied; for all contracts this occurs when control of the promised goods have been transferred to its customers. For coal shipments to domestic customers via rail, control is transferred when the railcar is loaded. For coal shipments to international customers via ocean vessel, control is transferred when the vessel is loaded at the Port of Mobile, Alabama. For natural gas sales, control is transferred when the gas has been transferred to the pipeline. Revenue is disaggregated between coal sales within the Company's mining segment and natural gas sales which is included in all other revenues, as disclosed in Note 13.

Trade Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses

Trade Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Credit Losses

    Trade accounts receivable represent customer obligations that are derived from revenue recognized from contracts with customers. Credit is extended based on an evaluation of the individual customer's financial condition. The Company maintains trade credit insurance on the majority of its customers and the geographic regions of coal shipments to these customers. In some instances, the Company requires letters of credit, cash collateral or prepayments from its customers on or before shipment to mitigate the risk of loss. These efforts have consistently resulted in the Company recognizing no historical credit losses. The Company also has never had to have a claim against its trade credit insurance policy.

In order to estimate the allowance for credit losses on trade accounts receivable, the Company utilizes an aging approach in which potential impairment is calculated based on how long a receivable has been outstanding (e.g., current, 1-31, 31-60, etc.). The Company calculates an expected credit loss rate based on the Company’s historical credit loss rate, the risk characteristics of our customers, and the current metallurgical coal and steel market environments. As of September 30, 2020, the estimated allowance for credit losses was immaterial and did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

The Company adopted Accounting Standards Update 2016-13, "Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments" as of January 1, 2020 using the modified retrospective approach. The ASU requires the use of an “expected loss” model for instruments measured at amortized cost, in which companies will be required to estimate the lifetime expected credit loss and record an allowance to offset the amortized cost basis, resulting in a net presentation of the amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. The adoption of the new standard did not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements, including accounting policies, processes and systems.