2.4.0.82107100 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Compensationtruefalsefalse1false falsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000073020duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true 1nwn_DisclosureStockBasedCompensationAbstractnwn_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Disclosure Stock Based Compensation [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_DisclosureOfCompensationRelatedCostsShareBasedPaymentsTextBlockus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">5. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;"><hr></hr></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">Our stock-based compensation plans include a Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) under which various types of equity awards may be granted, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and a Restated Stock Option Plan (Restated SOP). These plans are designed to promote stock ownership in NW Natural by employees and officers. For additional information on our stock-based compensation plans, see Note 6 in the </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">2012</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> Form 10-K and updates provided below.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Long-Term Incentive Plan</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">Performance-Based Stock Awards</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;">  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">LTIP performance shares incorporate market, performance, and service-based factors. On </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">February 27, 2013</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">, </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">37,300</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> performance-based shares were granted under the LTIP based on target-level awards and a weighted-average grant date fair value of </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">$38.96</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> per share. Fair value was estimated as of the date of grant using a </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">Monte-Carlo option pricing model</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> based on the following assumptions:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><div style="padding-left:0px;text-indent:0px;line-height:normal;padding-top:10px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman;font-size:10pt;width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:left;"><tr><td colspan="4" rowspan="1"></td></tr><tr><td width="82%" rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td><td width="1%" rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td><td width="16%" rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td><td width="1%" rowspan="1" colspan="1"></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;border-top:1px solid #000000;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">Stock price on valuation date</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1px solid #000000;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">$</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;border-top:1px solid #000000;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">45.38</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1px solid #000000;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">Performance term (in years)</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;" rowspan="1"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">3.0</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">Quarterly dividends paid per share</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;background-color:#cceeff;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">$</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">0.455</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;background-color:#cceeff;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">Expected dividend yield</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;" rowspan="1"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">3.9</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;padding-right:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">%</font></div></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;padding-right:2px;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">Dividend discount factor</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;background-color:#cceeff;padding-left:2px;padding-top:2px;padding-bottom:2px;" rowspan="1"><div style="text-align:right;font-size:9pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9pt;">0.8943</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:bottom;border-bottom:1px solid #000000;background-color:#cceeff;" rowspan="1" colspan="1"><div style="text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div></td></tr></table></div><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">On </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">February 27, 2013</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">, </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">25,748</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> performance-based RSUs were granted under the LTIP with a grant date fair value of $</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">45.38</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> per share. As of </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">June 30, 2013</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">, there was </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">$1.9 million</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> of unrecognized compensation cost from grants of RSUs, which is expected to be recognized over a period extending </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;">through 2017</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">. The RSUs awarded include a performance-based threshold and a vesting period of four years from the grant date. An RSU obligates the Company upon vesting to issue the RSU holder one share of common stock plus a cash payment equal to the total amount of dividends paid per share between the grant date and vesting date of that portion of the RSU.  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;"><br clear="none"/></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Restated Stock Option Plan</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">As of </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">June 30, 2013</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">, there was </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">$0.3 million</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"> of unrecognized compensation cost from grants of stock options issued in prior years, which is expected to be recognized over a period extending </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">through 2014</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">. The Restated SOP was terminated for new option grants in 2012; however, options that had been granted before the Restated SOP was terminated will remain outstanding until the earlier of their expiration, forfeiture, or exercise. Any new grants of stock options would be made under the LTIP. No stock options were granted in the </font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;color:#000000;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none;">six months ended June 30, 2013</font><font style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;">.</font></div></div>falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure for compensation-related costs for equity-based compensation, which may include disclosure of policies, compensation plan details, allocation of equity compensation, incentive distributions, equity-based arrangements to obtain goods and services, deferred compensation arrangements, employee stock ownership plan details and employee stock purchase plan details.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 50 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6406099&loc=d3e25284-112666 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6418621&loc=d3e17540-113929 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5444-113901 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 14 false0Stock Based Compensation [Text Block]falseStock-Based CompensationUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.nwnatural.com/role/StockBasedCompensation12