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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of CONSOL Energy Inc. and its wholly owned and majority-owned and/or controlled subsidiaries. The portion of these entities that is not owned by the Company is presented as non-controlling interest. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, as well as various disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant estimates included in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements are related to other postretirement benefits, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, workers' compensation, salary retirement benefits, stock-based compensation, asset retirement obligations, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, contingencies and the values of coal properties.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and on deposit at banking institutions as well as all highly liquid short-term securities with original maturities of three months or less.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash represents cash collateral supporting the Company's surety bond portfolio and letters of credit issued under the Company's accounts receivable securitization program.

Trade Receivables and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Trade receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. Trade credit is extended based upon evaluations of each customer's ability to perform its obligations, which is assessed regularly. An allowance for doubtful accounts is determined based upon an aging of customer accounts and a review for collectibility of specific accounts. Amounts are written off against the allowance in the period in which the receivable is deemed uncollectible.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The cost of coal inventories is determined by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Coal inventory costs include labor, supplies, equipment costs, operating overhead, depreciation, depletion, amortization, and other related costs. The cost of supplies inventory is determined by the average cost method and includes operating and maintenance supplies to be used in the Company's coal operations.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment is recorded at cost upon acquisition. Expenditures which extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment are capitalized. Interest costs applicable to major asset additions are capitalized during the construction period. Costs of additional mine facilities required to maintain production after a mine reaches the production stage, generally referred to as “receding face costs,” are expensed as incurred; however, the costs of additional airshafts and new portals are capitalized. Planned major maintenance costs which do not extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment are expensed as incurred.

Coal exploration costs are expensed as incurred. Coal exploration costs include those incurred to ascertain existence, location, extent or quality of ore or minerals before beginning the development stage of the mine. Costs of developing new underground mines and certain underground expansion projects are capitalized. Underground development costs, which are costs incurred to make the mineral physically accessible, include costs to prepare property for shafts, driving main entries for ventilation, haulage, personnel, construction of airshafts, roof protection and other facilities.

Airshafts and capitalized mine development associated with a coal reserve are amortized on a units-of-production basis as the coal is produced so that each ton of coal is assigned a portion of the unamortized costs. The Company employs this method to match costs with the related revenues realized in a particular period. Rates are updated when revisions to coal reserve estimates are made. Coal reserve estimates are reviewed when information becomes available that indicates a reserve change is needed, or at a minimum once a year. Any material effect from changes in estimates is disclosed in the period the change occurs. Amortization of development costs begins when the development phase is complete and the production phase begins. At an underground mine, the end of the development phase and the beginning of the production phase takes place when construction of the mine for economic extraction is substantially complete. Coal extracted during the development phase is incidental to the mine’s production capacity and is not considered to shift the mine into the production phase.

Coal reserves are either owned in fee or controlled by lease. The duration of the leases vary; however, the lease terms are generally extended automatically to the exhaustion of economically recoverable reserves, as long as active mining continues. Coal interests held by lease provide the same rights as fee ownership for mineral extraction and are legally considered real property interests. Depletion of leased coal interests is computed using the units-of-production method over recoverable coal reserves. The Company also makes advance payments (advanced mining royalties) to lessors under certain lease agreements that are recoupable against future production, and it makes payments that are generally based upon a specified rate per ton or a percentage of gross realization from the sale of the coal. The Company evaluates its properties for impairment issues whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Costs to obtain coal lands are capitalized based on the cost at acquisition and are amortized using the units-of-production method over all estimated recoverable reserve tons assigned and accessible to the mine. Recoverable coal reserves are estimated on a clean coal ton equivalent, which excludes non-recoverable coal reserves and anticipated central preparation plant processing refuse. Rates are updated when revisions to coal reserve estimates are made. Coal reserve estimates are reviewed when events and circumstances indicate a reserve change is needed, or at a minimum once a year. Amortization of coal interests begins when the coal reserve is produced. At an underground mine, a ton is considered produced once it reaches the surface area of the mine. Any material effect from changes in estimates is disclosed in the period the change occurs.

Advance mining royalties are advance payments made to lessors under terms of mineral lease agreements that are recoupable against future production using the units-of-production method. Depletion of leased coal interests is computed using the units-of-production method over recoverable coal reserves. Advance mining royalties and leased coal interests are evaluated for impairment issues whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Any revisions are accounted for prospectively as changes in accounting estimates.

When properties are retired or otherwise disposed, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and any profit or loss on disposition is recognized in Gain on Sale of Assets in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Depreciation of plant and equipment is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives or lease terms, generally as follows:



	Years
Buildings and improvements	10 to 45
Machinery and equipment	3 to 25
Leasehold improvements	Life of Lease

Capitalization of Interest

Interest costs associated with the development of significant properties and projects are capitalized until the project is substantially complete and ready for its intended use. A weighted average cost of borrowing rate is used.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

Impairment of long-lived assets is recorded when indicators of impairment are present and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the assets' carrying value. The carrying value of the assets is then reduced to its estimated fair value which is usually measured based on an estimate of future discounted cash flows.

Income Taxes

The Company files a consolidated federal income tax return and utilizes the asset and liability method to account for income taxes. The provision for income taxes represents amounts paid or estimated to be payable, net of amounts refunded or estimated to be refunded, for the current year and the change in deferred taxes, exclusive of amounts recorded in Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income. Any refinements to prior years’ taxes made due to subsequent information are reflected as adjustments in the current period.

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are recognized using enacted tax rates for the effect of such temporary differences. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

In accounting for uncertainty in income taxes of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return, the Company utilizes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement. The recognition threshold requires the Company to determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position in order to record any financial statement benefit. If it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained, then the Company must measure the tax position to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The tax position is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions

Postretirement benefit obligations established by the Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act of 1992 (the Coal Act) are treated as a multi-employer plan which requires expense to be recorded for the associated obligations as payments are made. Postretirement benefits other than pensions, except for those established pursuant to the Coal Act, are accounted for in accordance with the Retirement Benefits Compensation and Non-retirement Postemployment Benefits Compensation Topics of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, which requires employers to accrue the cost of such retirement benefits for the employees' active service periods. Such liabilities are determined on an actuarial basis and CONSOL Energy administers these liabilities through a combination of self-insured and fully insured agreements. Differences between actual and expected results or changes in the value of obligations are recognized through Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income.

Pneumoconiosis Benefits and Workers' Compensation

CONSOL Energy is required by federal and state statutes to provide benefits to certain current and former totally disabled employees or their dependents for awards related to coal workers' pneumoconiosis. CONSOL Energy is also required by various state statutes to provide workers' compensation benefits for employees who sustain employment-related physical injuries or some types of occupational disease. Workers' compensation benefits include compensation for disability, medical costs, and on some occasions, the cost of rehabilitation. CONSOL Energy is primarily self-insured for these benefits. Provisions for estimated benefits are determined on an actuarial basis.

Asset Retirement Obligations

Mine closing costs and costs associated with dismantling and removing de-gasification facilities are accrued using the accounting treatment prescribed by the Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. This topic requires the fair value of an asset retirement obligation be recognized in the period in which it is incurred if a reasonable estimate of fair value can be made. For active locations, the present value of the estimated asset retirement obligation is capitalized as part of the carrying amount of the long-lived asset. For locations that have been fully depleted or closed, the present value of the change is recorded directly to the consolidated statements of income. Generally, the capitalized asset retirement obligation is depreciated on a units-of-production basis. Accretion of the asset retirement obligation is recognized over time and generally will escalate over the life of the producing asset. Accretion is included in Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Asset retirement obligations primarily relate to the closure of mines, which includes treatment of water and the reclamation of land upon exhaustion of coal reserves. Accrued mine closing costs, perpetual care costs, reclamation and costs associated with dismantling and removing de-gasification facilities are regularly reviewed by management and are revised for changes in future estimated costs and regulatory requirements.

Retirement Plans

CONSOL Energy has non-contributory defined benefit retirement plans. Effective December 31, 2015, CONSOL's qualified defined benefit retirement plan was frozen. The benefits for these plans are based primarily on years of service and employees' pay. These plans are accounted for using the guidance outlined in the Compensation - Retirement Benefits Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. The cost of these retiree benefits are recognized over the employees' service periods. CONSOL Energy uses actuarial methods and assumptions in the valuation of defined benefit obligations and the determination of expense. Differences between actual and expected results or changes in the value of obligations and plan assets are recognized through Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income.

Stock-Based Compensation

Eligible CONSOL Energy employees have historically participated in equity-based compensation plans. CONSOL Energy recognizes compensation expense for all stock-based compensation awards based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of the Stock Compensation Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. CONSOL Energy recognizes these compensation costs on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is generally the award's vesting term. The compensation expense recorded by CONSOL Energy, in all periods presented, includes the expense associated with employees historically attributable to CONSOL Energy operations as well as the operations of its predecessor.

Under the CCR 2015 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “LTIP”), the General Partner issued long-term equity based awards intended to compensate the recipients thereof based on the performance of CCR’s common units and the recipients' continued service during the vesting period, as well as to align CCR’s long-term interests with those of the unitholders. The LTIP limits the number of units that may be delivered pursuant to vested awards to 2,300,000 common units, subject to proportionate adjustment in the event of unit splits and similar events. Common units subject to awards that are canceled, forfeited, withheld to satisfy exercise prices or tax withholding obligations or otherwise terminated without delivery of the common units will be available for delivery pursuant to other awards.

The General Partner has also granted equity-based phantom units that vest over a period of a director’s continued service. The phantom units will be paid in common units or an amount of cash equal to the fair market value of a unit based on the vesting date. The awards may accelerate upon a change in control of CCR. Compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting term.

Revenue Recognition

Revenues are generally recognized when title passes to the customers and the price is fixed and determinable. Generally, title passes when coal is loaded at the central preparation facility and, on occasion, at terminal locations or other customer destinations. The Company's coal contract revenue per ton is fixed and determinable and adjusted for nominal quality adjustments. Some coal contracts also contain positive electric power price-related adjustments in addition to a fixed base price per ton. None of the Company’s coal contracts allow for retroactive adjustments to pricing after title to the coal has passed. See Note 3 - Revenue for additional information.

CONSOL Energy's coal revenue is recognized when title passes to the customer and the price is fixed and determinable. The Company has determined that each ton of coal represents a separate and distinct performance obligation. The Company's coal supply contracts and other sales and operating revenue contracts vary in length from short-term to long-term contracts and do not typically have significant financing components.

The estimated transaction price from each of the Company's contracts is based on the total amount of consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled under the contract. Included in the transaction price for certain coal supply contracts is the impact of variable consideration, including quality price adjustments, handling services, per ton price fluctuations based on certain coal sales price indices and anticipated payments in lieu of shipments. The estimated transaction price for each contract is allocated to the Company's performance obligations based on relative stand-alone selling prices determined at contract inception.

Coal Revenue

Some of the Company's contracts span multiple years and have annual pricing modifications, based upon market-driven or inflationary adjustments, where no additional value is exchanged. Also, some of the Company's contracts contain favorable electric power price-related adjustments, which represent market-driven price adjustments, wherein no additional value is exchanged. Management believes that the invoice price is the most appropriate rate at which to recognize revenue.

While CONSOL Energy does, from time to time, experience costs of obtaining coal customer contracts with amortization periods greater than one year, those costs are immaterial to the Company's net income. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company did not have any capitalized costs to obtain customer contracts on its Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company has not recognized any amortization of previously existing capitalized costs of obtaining customer contracts. Further, the Company has not recognized any revenue in the current period that is not a result of current period performance.

Terminal Revenue

Terminal revenues are attributable to the Company's CONSOL Marine Terminal and include revenues earned from providing receipt and unloading of coal from rail cars, transporting coal from the receipt point to temporary storage or stockpile facilities located at the Terminal, stockpiling, blending, weighing, sampling, redelivery, and loading of coal onto vessels. Revenues for these services are generally earned on a rateable basis, and performance obligations are considered fulfilled as the services are performed.

The CONSOL Marine Terminal does not normally experience material costs of obtaining customer contracts with amortization periods greater than one year. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company did not have any capitalized costs to obtain customer contracts on its Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of and for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company has not recognized any amortization of previously existing capitalized costs of obtaining Terminal customer contracts. Further, the Company has not recognized any revenue in the current period that is not a result of current period performance.

Freight Revenue

Some of CONSOL Energy's coal contracts require that the Company sell its coal at locations other than its central preparation plant. The cost to transport the Company's coal to the ultimate sales point is passed through to the Company's customers and CONSOL Energy recognizes the freight revenue equal to the transportation costs when title of the coal passes to the customer.

Contingencies

From time to time, CONSOL Energy, or its subsidiaries, is subject to various lawsuits and claims with respect to such matters as personal injury, wrongful death, damage to property, exposure to hazardous substances, governmental regulations (including environmental remediation), employment and contract disputes, and other claims and actions arising out of the normal course of business. Liabilities are recorded when it is probable that obligations have been incurred and the amounts can be reasonably estimated. Estimates are developed through consultation with legal counsel involved in the defense of these matters and are based upon the nature of the lawsuit, progress of the case in court, view of legal counsel, prior experience in similar matters and management's intended response. Environmental liabilities are not discounted or reduced by possible recoveries from third-parties. Legal fees associated with defending these various lawsuits and claims are expensed when incurred.

Derivative Instruments

The Company generally utilizes derivative instruments to manage exposures to interest rate risk on long-term debt. The Company enters into interest rate swaps in order to achieve a mix of fixed and variable rate debt that it deems appropriate. These interest rate swaps have been designated as cash flow hedges of future variable interest payments and are accounted for as an asset or a liability in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets at their fair value (see Note 20 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments for additional information).

In a cash flow hedge, the Company hedges the risk of changes in future cash flows related to the underlying item being hedged. Changes in the fair value of the derivative instrument used as a hedge instrument in a cash flow hedge are recorded in other comprehensive income or loss. Amounts in other comprehensive income or loss are reclassified to earnings when the hedged transaction affects earnings and are classified in a manner consistent with the transaction being hedged. The Company evaluates the effectiveness of its hedging relationships both at the hedge's inception and on an ongoing basis. Any ineffective portion of the change in fair value of a derivative instrument used as a hedge instrument in a cash flow hedge is recognized immediately in earnings.

Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per share are computed by dividing net income attributable to CONSOL Energy Inc. shareholders by the weighted average shares outstanding during the reporting period. Dilutive earnings per share are computed similarly to basic earnings per share, except that the weighted average shares outstanding are increased to include additional shares from restricted stock units and performance share units, if dilutive. The number of additional shares is calculated by assuming that outstanding restricted stock units and performance share units were released, and that the proceeds from such activities were used to acquire shares of common stock at the average market price during the reporting period.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2020-01 - Investments - Equity Securities (Topic 321), Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323), and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) to clarify certain interactions between the guidance to account for certain equity securities under Topic 321, the guidance to account for investments under the equity method of accounting in Topic 323, and the guidance in Topic 815, which could change how an entity accounts for an equity security under the measurement alternative or a forward contract or purchased option to purchase securities that, upon settlement of the forward contract or exercise of the purchased option, would be accounted for under the equity method of accounting or the fair value option in accordance with Topic 825, Financial Instruments. These amendments improve current GAAP by reducing diversity in practice and increasing comparability of the accounting for these interactions. These changes will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. Management does not expect this update to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12 - Income Taxes (Topic 740) to reduce the complexity of accounting for income taxes while maintaining or improving the usefulness of the information provided to users of financial statements. The amendments in Update 2019-12 will remove the following exceptions: (1) the exception to the incremental approach for intra-period tax allocation; (2) exceptions to accounting for basis differences when there are ownership changes in foreign investments; and (3) the exception to the general methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period when a year-to-date loss exceeds the anticipated loss for the year. The amendments in Update 2019-12 will also simplify the accounting for income taxes in the areas of franchise tax, step up in the tax basis of goodwill associated with a business combination, allocation of current and deferred tax expense to a legal entity that is not subject to tax in its separate financial statements, and presentation of the effect of an enacted change in tax laws or rates in the annual effective tax rate computation in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The update adds minor codification improvements for income taxes related to employee stock ownership plans and investments in qualified affordable housing projects accounted for using the equity method. These changes will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. Management does not expect this update to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15 - Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal Use Software (Subtopic 350-40) to help entities evaluate the accounting for fees paid by a customer in a cloud computing arrangement (hosting arrangement) by providing guidance for determining when the arrangement includes a software license. The amendments in Update 2018-15 align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements of capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. These changes will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Management does not expect this update to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14 - Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General (Subtopic 715-20) to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements by facilitating clear communication of the information required by GAAP. The amendments modify the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. These changes will be effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Management is currently evaluating the impact this guidance may have on the Company’s financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13 - Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820) to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to the financial statements by facilitating clear communication of the information required by GAAP. The amendments modify the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements including the consideration of costs and benefits. These changes will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Management does not expect this update to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 - Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which provides financial statement users with more decision-useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. To achieve this, the amendments in this Update replace the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. The measurement of expected credit losses will be based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. In May 2019, the FASB updated Topic 326 by issuing ASU 2019-05, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief, which provides entities that have certain instruments within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses - Measured at Amortized Cost, with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option in Subtopic 825-10, Financial Instruments-Overall, applied on an instrument-by-instrument basis for eligible instruments, upon adoption of Topic 326. The amendments in these Updates will be applied using a modified-retrospective approach and, for public entities, are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years. CONSOL Energy's exposure to credit losses is concentrated on trade and other receivables arising from contractual agreements. Additional disclosures will be required to describe the nature and amount of the Company's credit losses, including the significant assumptions and judgments required to value the losses, and the accounting policy elections taken. The Company is implementing processes and controls to review the credit losses for appropriate accounting treatment in the context of the standards and to generate disclosures required under the standards, which the Company expects to disclose in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2020. As of the filing date of this Form 10-K, based on the Company's historical collection efforts, current industry trends in the markets the Company serves and the financial health of the Company's counterparties, the expected credit losses recognized upon adoption of this guidance are not expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the report classifications of the current period, including the reclassification of restricted cash, previously included in Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, as well as the reclassification of amortization of debt issuance costs and loss on debt extinguishment within the Operating Activities section of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported total assets, net income, stockholders' equity or cash flow from operating activities.