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Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:
A summary of the significant accounting policies of CONSOL Energy Inc. and its subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” “us,” “our Company,” “the Company” and “CONSOL Energy”) is presented below. These, together with the other notes that follow, are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Basis of Consolidation
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 asset retirement obligations, income taxes and impairment of long-lived assets. However, the consolidated financial statements contain additional estimates, including, but not limited to, other postretirement benefits, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, workers' compensation, salary retirement benefits, stock-based compensation, 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 includes the unused proceeds of tax-exempt bonds issued by the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority (“PEDFA”). Restricted cash also represents cash collateral supporting the Company's surety bond portfolio and letters of credit issued under the Company's accounts receivable securitization program. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had $53,882 in restricted cash. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $48,293 in restricted cash.
Trade Receivables and Allowance for Credit Losses
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. See Note 7 - Credit Losses for additional information regarding the Company's measurement of expected credit losses. There were no material financing receivables with a contractual maturity greater than one year at December 31, 2022 and 2021.
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, including advance mining royalties and leased coal interests, for impairment indicators whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Any revisions are accounted for prospectively as changes in accounting estimates
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 nonrecoverable 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.
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 improvementsLife 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. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, capitalized interest totaled $5,425, $2,425 and $1,911, respectively.
Impairment of Long-lived Assets
Impairment of long-lived assets or asset groups 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' or asset groups' 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. There were no indicators of impairment and, therefore, no impairment losses were recorded during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
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 Income (Loss). 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 Financial Accounting Standards Board (“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 Income (Loss).
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 until the reclamation obligations are satisfied. 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 water treatment 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.
Subsidence
Subsidence occurs when there is sinking or shifting of the ground surface due to the removal of underlying coal. Areas affected may include, although are not limited to, streams, property, roads, pipelines and other land and surface structures. Total estimated subsidence claims are recognized in the period when the related coal has been extracted and are included in Operating and Other Costs on the Consolidated Statements of Income and Other Accrued Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. On occasion, CONSOL Energy prepays the estimated damages prior to undermining the property, in return for a release of liability. Prepayments are included as assets and are either recognized as Prepaid Expenses or in Other Assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets if the payment is made less than or greater than one year, respectively, prior to undermining the property.
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 costs 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 Income (Loss).
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. See Note 18 - Stock-Based Compensation for additional information.
Revenue Recognition
Revenues are recognized when the performance obligation has been satisfied, and the corresponding transaction price has been determined. Generally, title passes when coal is loaded at the coal preparation facility, at terminal locations or other customer destinations. The Company's coal contract revenue per ton is fixed and determinable based upon either fixed forward pricing or pricing derived from established indices and adjusted for nominal quality characteristics. Some coal contracts also contain positive electric power price-related adjustments, which represent market-driven price adjustments, wherein no additional value is exchanged, in addition to a fixed base price per ton. The Company’s coal contracts generally do not allow for retroactive adjustments to pricing after title to the coal has passed and typically do not have significant financing components. See Note 3 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers for additional information.
Freight Revenue and Expense
Shipping and handling costs invoiced to coal customers and paid to third-party carriers are recorded as Freight Revenue and Freight Expense, respectively.
Contingencies
From time to time, CONSOL Energy, or its subsidiaries, may be 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 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. The Company may, from time to time, also utilize derivative instruments to manage exposure to the risk of fluctuating coal prices related to forecasted or index-priced sales of coal or to the risk of changes in the fair value of a fixed price physical sales contract. The Company may sell or purchase forward contracts, swaps and options in the over-the-counter coal market in order to manage its exposure to coal prices. The Company does not seek cash flow hedge accounting treatment for its coal-related derivative financial instruments and therefore, changes in fair value are reflected in current earnings (see Note 21 - Derivatives and Note 22 - 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 (loss) attributable to CONSOL Energy Inc. stockholders by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the reporting period. Dilutive earnings per share are computed similarly to basic earnings per share, except that the weighted average number of shares outstanding is 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, as applicable, were used to acquire shares of common stock at the average market price during the reporting period.
The table below sets forth the share-based awards that have been excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share because their effect would be anti-dilutive:
For the Years Ended
December 31,
202220212020
Anti-Dilutive Restricted Stock Units94245,6531,400,950
Anti-Dilutive Performance Share Units110,470
94245,6531,511,420
The computations for basic and dilutive earnings (loss) per share are as follows:
Dollars in thousands, except per share dataFor the Years Ended
December 31,
202220212020
Numerator:
Net Income (Loss)$466,979 $34,110 $(13,214)
Less: Net Loss Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest— — (3,459)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to CONSOL Energy Inc. Stockholders$466,979 $34,110 $(9,755)
Denominator:
Weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding34,811,90634,404,36026,066,971
Effect of dilutive shares *906,349984,198— 
Weighted-average diluted shares of common stock outstanding35,718,25535,388,55826,066,971
Earnings (Loss) per Share:
Basic$13.41 $0.99 $(0.37)
Dilutive$13.07 $0.96 $(0.37)
* During periods in which the Company incurs a net loss, diluted weighted average shares outstanding are equal to basic weighted average shares outstanding because the effect of all equity awards is anti-dilutive.
As of December 31, 2022, CONSOL Energy has 500,000 shares of preferred stock authorized, none of which are issued or outstanding.
Shares of common stock outstanding were as follows:
202220212020
Balance, Beginning of Year34,480,18134,031,37425,932,618
Issuance Related to CCR Merger (1)
7,967,690
Retirement Related to Stock Repurchase (2)
(124,454)
Issuance Related to Stock-Based Compensation (3)
391,177448,807131,066
Balance, End of Year34,746,90434,480,18134,031,374
(1) See Note 2 - Major Transactions for additional information.
(2) See Note 5 - Stock and Debt Repurchases for additional information.
(3) See Note 18 - Stock-Based Compensation for additional information.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In March 2022, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2022-02 - Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326). The amendments in this update eliminate the accounting guidance for troubled debt restructurings by creditors in Subtopic 310-40, Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors, while enhancing disclosure requirements for certain loan refinancings and restructurings by creditors when a borrower is experiencing financial difficulty. The amendments in this update require that an entity disclose current-period gross writeoffs by year of origination for financing receivables and net investments in leases within the scope of Subtopic 326-20, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses—Measured at Amortized Cost. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Management is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance, but does not expect this update to have a material impact on the Company's financial statements.
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-08 - Business Combinations (Topic 805). The amendments in this update apply to all entities that enter into a business combination within the scope of Subtopic 805-10, Business Combinations—Overall. The amendments in this update require that an entity (acquirer) recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with Topic 606. The amendments in this update do not affect the accounting for other assets or liabilities that may arise from revenue contracts with customers in accordance with Topic 606. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Management is currently evaluating the impact of this guidance, but does not expect this update 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 (1) the reclassification of the current portion of the Company's commodity derivatives liability, previously included in Other Accrued Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets; (2) the reclassification of accrued income taxes to Other Accrued Liabilities, previously included in Accounts Payable on the Consolidated Balance Sheets; and (3) the reclassification of certain expenses to Operating and Other Costs, previously included in General and Administrative Costs on the Consolidated Statements of Income. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported total assets, stockholders' equity, net income or cash flows from operating activities.