Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. They include all adjustments that we consider necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods presented. Such adjustments consisted only of normal recurring items unless otherwise disclosed. The September 30, 2022, Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all footnote disclosures from the annual financial statements.

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s 2022 Annual Report. Due to the seasonal nature of our businesses, the results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for a full year.

Restricted Cash. Restricted cash principally represents those cash balances in our commodity futures brokerage accounts that are restricted from withdrawal. The following table provides a reconciliation of the total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets to the corresponding amounts reported on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

	December 31, 2022		December 31, 2021
Cash and cash equivalents	$	317	$	334
Restricted cash	227		24
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	544	$	358

Earnings Per Common Share. Basic earnings per share attributable to UGI stockholders reflect the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share attributable to UGI stockholders include the effects of dilutive stock options, common stock awards and Equity Units. Shares used in computing basic and diluted earnings per share are as follows: 

	Three Months Ended December 31,
	2022	2021
Denominator (thousands of shares):
Weighted-average common shares outstanding — basic	209,934	209,673
Incremental shares issuable for stock options, common stock awards and Equity Units (a)	—	—
Weighted-average common shares outstanding — diluted	209,934	209,673

(a)For the three months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, 6,431 and 6,486, respectively, of such shares have been excluded as these incremental shares would be antidilutive due to the net losses for the periods presented. At December 31, 2022 and 2021, these incremental shares exclude the effects of 6,625 and 3,347 shares, respectively, associated with outstanding stock option awards because their effect was antidilutive.

Equity Method Investments. We account for privately held equity securities of entities without readily determinable fair values in which we do not have control, but have significant influence over operating and financial policies, under the equity method. These are included in "Other assets" on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Equity method earnings are included in "Income from equity method investees" on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Our equity method investments primarily comprise Pine Run and other equity method investments in biomass and other renewable energy projects.

Pine Run. The Company has an approximately 49% interest in Pine Run, a company jointly owned by Stonehenge Energy Resources and UGI Pine Run LLC. Pine Run owns Pine Run Midstream which operates dry gas gathering pipelines and compression assets in western Pennsylvania. Pine Run is accounted for as an equity method investment as we have the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the entity. The carrying value of our investment in Pine Run at December 31, 2022 and 2021 was $71 and $62, respectively.

At December 31, 2021, the carrying value of our investment in Pennant was $99. During Fiscal 2022, UGI through its wholly owned indirect subsidiary, Energy Services, completed the Pennant Acquisition in which Energy Services acquired the remaining 53% of the equity interests in Pennant. The acquisition of the remaining interests was accounted for as an acquisition of assets, and the purchase price of approximately $61 was primarily allocated to property, plant and equipment.

Our other equity method investments totaled $104 and $22 at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, and principally comprise of a number of investments in biomass and other renewable energy projects at Midstream & Marketing and a renewable energy joint venture at UGI International. Our maximum exposure to loss related to these investments is limited to the amount invested.

Derivative Instruments. Derivative instruments are reported on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets at their fair values, unless the NPNS exception is elected. The accounting for changes in fair value depends upon the purpose of the derivative instrument, whether it is subject to regulatory ratemaking mechanisms or if it qualifies and is designated as a hedge for accounting purposes.

Certain of our derivative instruments qualify and are designated as cash flow hedges. For cash flow hedges, changes in the fair values of the derivative instruments are recorded in AOCI, to the extent effective at offsetting changes in the hedged item, until earnings are affected by the hedged item. We discontinue cash flow hedge accounting if occurrence of the forecasted transaction is determined to be no longer probable. Hedge accounting is also discontinued for derivatives that cease to be highly effective. We do not designate our commodity and certain foreign currency derivative instruments as hedges under GAAP. Changes in the fair values of these derivative instruments are reflected in net income. Gains and losses on substantially all of the commodity derivative instruments used by Utilities are included in regulatory assets or liabilities because it is probable such gains or losses will be recoverable from, or refundable to, customers. From time to time, we also enter into net investment hedges. Gains and losses on net investment hedges that relate to our foreign operations are included in the cumulative translation adjustment component in AOCI until such foreign net investment is substantially sold or liquidated.

Cash flows from derivative instruments, other than certain cross-currency swaps and net investment hedges, if any, are included in cash flows from operating activities on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Cash flows from the interest portion of our cross-currency hedges, if any, are included in cash flows from operating activities while cash flows from the currency portion of such hedges, if any, are included in cash flows from financing activities. Cash flows from net investment hedges, if any, are included in cash flows from investing activities on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

For a more detailed description of the derivative instruments we use, our accounting for derivatives, our objectives for using them and other information, see Note 12.

Use of Estimates. The preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and costs. These estimates are based on management’s knowledge of current events, historical experience and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Accordingly, actual results may be different from these estimates and assumptions.

Goodwill. We do not amortize goodwill, but test it at least annually for impairment at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is an operating segment, or one level below an operating segment (a component) if it constitutes a business for which discrete financial information is available and regularly reviewed by segment management. Components are aggregated into a single reporting unit if they have similar economic characteristics. Each of our reporting units with goodwill is required to perform impairment tests annually or whenever events or circumstances indicate that the value of goodwill may be impaired.

With respect to the AmeriGas Propane reporting unit’s Fiscal 2022 impairment test, we determined that AmeriGas Propane’s fair value exceeded its carrying value by approximately 30%. While the Company believes that its judgments used in the quantitative assessment of AmeriGas Propane’s fair value are reasonable based upon currently available facts and circumstances, if AmeriGas Propane were not able to achieve its anticipated results and/or if its weighted average cost of capital were to increase, its fair value would be adversely affected, which may result in an impairment. There were no changes in facts and circumstances that would indicate that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the AmeriGas Propane reporting unit may not be in excess of its book value at December 31, 2022. There is approximately $2 billion of goodwill in this reporting unit as of December 31, 2022. The Company will continue to monitor its reporting units and related goodwill for any possible future non-cash impairment charges.