UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Form 10-Q

 

 

 

(972) 934-9227

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes  þ      No  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large Accelerated Filer  þ           Accelerated Filer  o           Non-Accelerated Filer  o

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act)  Yes  o       No  þ

 

Number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of April 25, 2007.

 

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

ultimately delivering the gas to our utility service areas at competitive prices. Effective January 1, 2007, our shared services function began providing these services to our utility operations. AES continues to provide limited services to our utility division, and the revenues AES receives are equal to the costs incurred to provide those services. Through Atmos Power Systems, Inc., we have constructed electric peaking power-generating plants and associated facilities and lease these plants through sales-type lease agreements.

 

 

In the opinion of management, all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation have been made to the unaudited consolidated interim-period financial statements. These consolidated interim-period financial statements are condensed as permitted by the instructions to Form 10-Q and should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of Atmos Energy Corporation included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006. Because of seasonal and other factors, the results of operations for the three and six-month periods ended March 31, 2007 are not indicative of expected results of operations for the full 2007 fiscal year, which ends September 30, 2007.

 

Significant accounting policies

 

Our accounting policies are described in Note 2 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2006. There were no significant changes to those accounting policies during the six months ended March 31, 2007.

 

Additionally, during the second quarter of fiscal 2007, we completed our annual goodwill impairment assessment. Based on the assessment performed, our goodwill was not impaired.

 

Regulatory assets and liabilities

 

We record certain costs as regulatory assets in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) 71, Accounting for the Effects of Certain Types of Regulation , when future recovery through customer rates is considered probable. Regulatory liabilities are recorded when it is probable that revenues will be reduced for amounts that will be credited to customers through the ratemaking process. Substantially all of our regulatory assets are recorded as a component of deferred charges and other assets and substantially all of our regulatory liabilities are recorded as a component of deferred credits and other liabilities. Deferred gas costs are recorded either in other current assets or liabilities and the regulatory cost of removal obligation is separately reported.

 

 

Currently, our authorized rates do not include a return on certain of our merger and integration costs; however, we recover the amortization of these costs. Merger and integration costs, net, are generally amortized on a straight-line basis over estimated useful lives ranging up to 20 years. Environmental costs have been deferred to be included in future rate filings in accordance with rulings received from various state regulatory commissions.

 

 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, as of March 31, 2007 and September 30, 2006 consisted of the following unrealized gains (losses):

 

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

Recent accounting pronouncements

 

In February 2007, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Statement No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities — Including an amendment of FASB Statement No. 115. The new standard permits an entity to measure certain financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value. The objective of the standard is to improve financial reporting by allowing entities to mitigate volatility in reported earnings caused by measuring related assets and liabilities differently without having to apply complex hedge accounting provisions. Entities that elect the fair value option will report unrealized gains and losses in earnings at each subsequent reporting date. The fair value option may be elected on an instrument-by-instrument basis. The fair value option is irrevocable, unless a new election date occurs. The provisions of this standard will be effective October 1, 2008. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard may have on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

 

In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS 158, Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106, and 132(R). The new standard represents a significant change to the existing rules by requiring recognition in the balance sheet of the overfunded or underfunded positions of defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans based upon the projected benefit obligation, along with a corresponding noncash, after-tax adjustment to stockholders’ equity. Additionally, this standard requires that the measurement date must correspond to the fiscal year end balance sheet date but it does not change how net periodic pension and postretirement cost or the projected benefit obligation is determined. The balance sheet recognition guidance of this standard will be effective as of September 30, 2007, while the measurement date provisions of this guidance can be adopted as late as fiscal 2008 for the Company.

 

In June 2006, the FASB issued Interpretation No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109 (FIN 48). FIN 48 clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes by establishing standards for measurement and recognition in financial statements of positions taken by an entity in its income tax returns. This interpretation also provides guidance on derecognition of income tax assets and liabilities, classification of current and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, accounting for interest and penalties, accounting for income taxes in interim periods and income tax disclosures. We will be required to apply the provisions of FIN 48 beginning October 1, 2007. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard may have on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

 

 

We conduct risk management activities through both our utility and natural gas marketing segments. We record our derivatives as a component of risk management assets and liabilities, which are classified as current or noncurrent other assets or liabilities based upon the anticipated settlement date of the underlying derivative. Our determination of the fair value of these derivative financial instruments reflects the estimated amounts that we would receive or pay to terminate or close the contracts at the reporting date, taking into account the current unrealized gains and losses on open contracts. In our determination of fair value, we consider various factors, including closing exchange and over-the-counter quotations, time value and volatility factors underlying the contracts. These risk management assets and liabilities are subject to continuing market risk until the underlying derivative contracts are settled.

 

 

Utility Hedging Activities

 

We use a combination of storage, fixed physical contracts and fixed financial contracts to partially insulate us and our customers against gas price volatility during the winter heating season. Because the gains or losses of financial derivatives used in our utility segment ultimately will be recovered through our rates, current period changes in the assets and liabilities from these risk management activities are recorded as a component of deferred gas costs in accordance with SFAS 71, Accounting for the Effects of Certain Types of Regulation. Accordingly, there is no earnings impact to our utility segment as a result of the use of these financial derivatives.

 

Nonutility Hedging Activities

 

Our nonutility hedging activities are subject to various market risks, including risks known as flat price risk, time spread risk and basis risk.

 

Flat price risk arises from maintaining unhedged open positions. Time spread risk arises when we enter into transactions to buy and sell natural gas that over a period of months offset one another but do not offset in any particular month within the overall time period. This risk arises even when we have no unhedged open positions for the overall time period. Finally, basis risk arises when the pricing of a physical contract is based on a pricing location that differs from the Henry Hub, the NYMEX clearing location.

 

We seek to mitigate these risks by continually monitoring our positions to maximize our gains. Additionally, under our risk management policies, we seek to match our financial derivative positions to our physical storage positions as well as our expected current and future sales and purchase obligations to maintain no open positions at the end of each trading day. The determination of our net open position as of any day, however, requires us to make assumptions as to future circumstances, including the use of gas by our customers in relation to our anticipated storage and market positions. Because the flat price risk associated with any net open position at the end of each day may increase if the assumptions are not realized, we review these assumptions as part of our daily monitoring activities. We may also be affected by intraday fluctuations of gas prices, since the price of natural gas purchased or sold for future delivery earlier in the day may not be

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

hedged until later in the day. At times, limited net open positions related to our existing and anticipated commitments may occur. At the close of business on March 31, 2007, AEH had a net open position (including existing storage) of 0.2 Bcf.

 

Finally, AEM manages its exposure to the risk of natural gas price changes through a combination of storage and financial derivatives, including futures, over-the-counter and exchange-traded options and swap contracts with counterparties. Our financial derivative activities include fair value hedges to offset changes in the fair value of our natural gas inventory and cash flow hedges to offset anticipated purchases and sales of gas in the future. AEM also utilizes basis swaps and other non-hedge derivative instruments to manage its exposure to market volatility.

 

For the three and six-month periods ended March 31, 2007, the change in the deferred hedging position in accumulated other comprehensive loss was attributable to decreases in future natural gas prices relative to the natural gas prices stipulated in the derivative contracts. The recognition in net income for the six months ended March 31, 2007 of $27.2 million in net deferred hedging losses ($6.2 million being attributable to the three months ended March 31, 2007) was the result of the maturing of derivative contracts. The net deferred hedging loss associated with open cash flow hedges remains subject to market price fluctuations until the positions are either settled under the terms of the hedge contracts or terminated prior to settlement. The majority of the deferred hedging balance as of March 31, 2007 is expected to be recognized in net income during fiscal 2008 along with the corresponding hedged purchases and sales of natural gas.

 

Gains and losses recognized in the income statement from hedge ineffectiveness primarily result from basis risk and from differences between the timing of the settlement of physical contracts and the settlement of the related hedge, that is referred to below as timing ineffectiveness. The following summarizes the gains and losses recognized in the income statement for the three and six months ended March 31, 2007.

 

 

Treasury Activities

 

Effective March 2, 2007, we entered into a Treasury lock agreement to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with $100 million of an anticipated financing to repay long-term debt maturing in October 2007. The Treasury lock is scheduled to terminate on June 29, 2007.

 

We have designated this Treasury lock as a cash flow hedge of an anticipated transaction. Accordingly, to the extent effective, unrealized gains and losses associated with the Treasury lock will be recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Generally, unrealized gains will be recorded when interest rates increase and unrealized losses will be recorded when interest rates decline relative to the interest rate stipulated in the Treasury lock agreement. Upon termination of the Treasury lock agreement, the unrealized gain or loss will be recognized over the life of the related financing arrangement. Any gains or losses arising from ineffectiveness will be recognized in earnings as incurred. At March 31, 2007, we recorded

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

a deferred hedging gain of $0.7 million, net of tax, as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income related to this treasury lock due to an increase in the 10 year Treasury rates between inception of the Treasury lock and March 31, 2007.

 

 

Long-term debt

 

Long-term debt at March 31, 2007 and September 30, 2006 consisted of the following:

 

 

Our unsecured floating rate debt bears interest at a rate equal to the three-month LIBOR rate plus 0.375 percent per year. At March 31, 2007, the interest rate on our floating rate debt was 5.735 percent.

 

Short-term debt

 

At March 31, 2007, there were no borrowings outstanding under our commercial paper program or bank credit facilities. At September 30, 2006, there was $379.3 million outstanding under our commercial paper program and $3.1 million outstanding under our bank credit facilities.

 

Shelf Registration

 

On December 4, 2006, we filed a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue, from time to time, up to $900 million in new common stock and/or debt securities available for issuance, including approximately $401.5 million of capacity carried over from our prior shelf registration statement filed with the SEC in August 2004. As discussed in Note 5, in December 2006, we sold approximately 6.3 million shares of common stock under the new registration statement, the net proceeds of

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

which were used to reduce short-term debt. As of March 31, 2007, we had approximately $701 million of availability remaining under the registration statement. However, due to certain restrictions placed by one state regulatory commission on our ability to issue securities under the registration statement, we now have remaining and available for issuance a total of approximately $100 million of equity securities, $300 million of senior debt securities and $300 million of subordinated debt securities. In addition, due to restrictions imposed by another state regulatory commission, if the credit ratings on our senior unsecured debt were to fall below investment grade from either Standard & Poor’s Corporation (BBB-), Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (Baa3) or Fitch Ratings, Ltd. (BBB-), our ability to issue any type of debt securities under the registration statement would be suspended until an investment grade rating from any of the three credit rating agencies was achieved.

 

Credit facilities

 

We maintain both committed and uncommitted credit facilities. Borrowings under our uncommitted credit facilities are made on a when-and-as-needed basis at the discretion of the banks. Our credit capacity and the amount of unused borrowing capacity are affected by the seasonal nature of the natural gas business and our short-term borrowing requirements, which are typically highest during colder winter months. Our working capital needs can vary significantly due to changes in the price of natural gas and the increased gas supplies required to meet customers’ needs during periods of cold weather.

 

Committed credit facilities

 

As of March 31, 2007, we had three short-term committed revolving credit facilities totaling $918 million. The first facility is a five-year unsecured facility for $600 million that we entered into in December 2006, which replaced our previously existing $600 million three-year revolving credit facility. The new facility, expiring December 2011, bears interest at a base rate or at the LIBOR rate plus from 0.30 percent to 0.75 percent, based on the Company’s credit ratings, and serves as a backup liquidity facility for our $600 million commercial paper program. At March 31, 2007, there were no borrowings outstanding under our commercial paper program.

 

The second facility is a $300 million unsecured 364-day facility expiring November 2007, that bears interest at a base rate or at the LIBOR rate plus from 0.30 percent to 0.75 percent, based on the Company’s credit ratings. At March 31, 2007, there were no borrowings under this facility.

 

The third facility is an $18 million unsecured facility that bears interest at the Federal Funds rate plus 0.5 percent. This facility expired on March 31, 2007 and was renewed effective April 1, 2007 for one year with no material changes to the terms and pricing. At March 31, 2007, there were no borrowings under this facility.

 

The availability of funds under our credit facilities is subject to conditions specified in the respective credit agreements, all of which we currently satisfy. These conditions include our compliance with financial covenants and the continued accuracy of representations and warranties contained in these agreements. We are required by the financial covenants in both our $600 million and $300 million credit facilities to maintain, at the end of each fiscal quarter, a ratio of total debt to total capitalization of no greater than 70 percent. At March 31, 2007, our total-debt-to-total-capitalization ratio, as defined, was 55 percent. In addition, the fees that we pay on unused amounts under both the $600 million and $300 million credit facilities are subject to adjustment depending upon our credit ratings.

 

Uncommitted credit facilities

 

AEM has a $580 million uncommitted demand working capital credit facility. On March 30, 2007, AEM and the banks in the facility amended the facility, primarily to extend it to March 31, 2008. Borrowings under

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

the credit facility can be made either as revolving loans or offshore rate loans. Revolving loan borrowings will bear interest at a floating rate equal to a base rate defined as the higher of (i) 0.50 percent per annum above the Federal Funds rate or (ii) the lender’s prime rate plus 0.25 percent. Offshore rate loan borrowings will bear interest at a floating rate equal to a base rate based upon LIBOR plus an applicable margin, ranging from 1.25 percent to 1.625 percent per annum, depending on the excess tangible net worth of AEM, as defined in the credit facility. Borrowings drawn down under letters of credit issued by the banks will bear interest at a floating rate equal to the base rate, as defined above, plus an applicable margin, which will range from 1.00 percent to 1.875 percent per annum, depending on the excess tangible net worth of AEM and whether the letters of credit are swap-related standby letters of credit.

 

AEM is required by the financial covenants in the credit facility to maintain a maximum ratio of total liabilities to tangible net worth of 5 to 1, along with minimum levels of net working capital ranging from $20 million to $120 million. Additionally, AEM must maintain a minimum tangible net worth ranging from $21 million to $121 million, and must not have a maximum cumulative loss for the most recent 12 month reporting period exceeding $4 million to $23 million, depending on the total amount of borrowing elected from time to time by AEM. At March 31, 2007, AEM’s ratio of total liabilities to tangible net worth, as defined, was 1.61 to 1.

 

At March 31, 2007, there were no borrowings outstanding under this credit facility. However, at March 31, 2007, AEM letters of credit totaling $130.9 million had been issued under the facility, which reduced the amount available by a corresponding amount. The amount available under this credit facility is also limited by various covenants, including covenants based on working capital. Under the most restrictive covenant, the amount available to AEM under this credit facility was $19.1 million at March 31, 2007. This line of credit is collateralized by substantially all of the assets of AEM and is guaranteed by AEH.

 

The Company also has an unsecured short-term uncommitted credit line of $25 million that is used for working-capital and letter-of-credit purposes. There were no borrowings under this uncommitted credit facility at March 31, 2007, but letters of credit reduced the amount available by $5.4 million. This uncommitted line is renewed or renegotiated at least annually with varying terms, and we pay no fee for the availability of the line. Borrowings under this line are made on a when-and-as-available basis at the discretion of the bank.

 

AEH, the parent company of AEM, has a $100 million intercompany uncommitted demand credit facility with the Company which bears interest at LIBOR plus 2.75 percent. State regulators have approved this facility through December 31, 2007 and have authorized an increase in the intercompany facility to $200 million. At March 31, 2007, there were no borrowings under this facility.

 

In addition, to supplement its $580 million credit facility, AEM has a $120 million intercompany uncommitted demand credit facility with AEH, which bears interest at LIBOR plus 2.75 percent. Any outstanding amounts under this facility are subordinated to AEM’s $580 million uncommitted demand credit facility. At March 31, 2007, there were no borrowings under this facility.

 

Debt Covenants

 

We have other covenants in addition to those described above. Our Series P First Mortgage Bonds contain provisions that allow us to prepay the outstanding balance in whole at any time, after November 2007, subject to a prepayment premium. The First Mortgage Bonds provide for certain cash flow requirements and restrictions on additional indebtedness, sale of assets and payment of dividends. Under the most restrictive of such covenants, cumulative cash dividends paid after December 31, 1985 may not exceed the sum of accumulated net income for periods after that date plus $9 million. At March 31, 2007, approximately $336.5 million of retained earnings was unrestricted with respect to the payment of dividends.

 

We were in compliance with all of our debt covenants as of March 31, 2007. If we were unable to comply with our debt covenants, we could be required to repay our outstanding balances on demand, provide

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

additional collateral or take other corrective actions. Our two public debt indentures relating to our senior notes and debentures, as well as our $600 million and $300 million revolving credit agreements, each contain a default provision that is triggered if outstanding indebtedness arising out of any other credit agreements in amounts ranging from in excess of $15 million to in excess of $100 million becomes due by acceleration or is not paid at maturity. In addition, AEM’s credit agreement contains a cross-default provision whereby AEM would be in default if it defaults on other indebtedness, as defined, by at least $250 thousand in the aggregate. Additionally, this agreement contains a provision that would limit the amount of credit available if Atmos were downgraded below an S&P rating of BBB and a Moody’s rating of Baa2.

 

Except as described above, we have no triggering events in our debt instruments that are tied to changes in specified credit ratings or stock price, nor have we entered into any transactions that would require us to issue equity, based on our credit rating or other triggering events.

 

 

On December 13, 2006, we completed the public offering of 6,325,000 shares of our common stock including the underwriters’ exercise of their overallotment option of 825,000 shares. The offering was priced at $31.50 per share and generated net proceeds of approximately $192 million. We used the net proceeds from this offering to reduce short-term debt.

 

 

Basic and diluted earnings per share for the three and six months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 are calculated as follows:

 

 

There were no out-of-the-money options excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the three and six months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 as their exercise price was less than the average market price of the common stock during that period.

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

 

 

The components of our net periodic pension cost for our pension and other postretirement benefit plans for the three and six months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 are presented in the following tables. All of these costs are recoverable through our gas utility rates; however, a portion of these costs is capitalized into our utility rate base. The remaining costs are recorded as a component of operation and maintenance expense.

 

 

 

The assumptions used to develop our net periodic pension cost for the three and six months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 are as follows:

 

 

The discount rate used to compute the present value of a plan’s liabilities generally is based on rates of high-grade corporate bonds with maturities similar to the average period over which the benefits will be paid. Generally, our funding policy is to contribute annually an amount in accordance with the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. However, additional voluntary contributions are made to satisfy regulatory requirements in certain of our jurisdictions. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, we contributed $6.0 million to our other postretirement plans, and we expect to contribute a total of approximately $12 million to these plans during fiscal 2007.

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

 

 

Litigation and Environmental Matters

 

With respect to the specific litigation and environmental-related matters or claims that were disclosed in Note 13 to our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2006, there were no material changes in the status of such litigation and environmental-related matters or claims during the six months ended March 31, 2007. We continue to believe that the final outcome of such litigation and environmental-related matters or claims will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

 

In addition, we are involved in other litigation and environmental-related matters or claims that arise in the ordinary course of our business. While the ultimate results of such litigation and response actions to such environmental-related matters or claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe the final outcome of such litigation and response actions will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

 

Purchase Commitments

 

AEM has commitments to purchase physical quantities of natural gas under contracts indexed to the forward NYMEX strip or fixed price contracts. At March 31, 2007, AEM was committed to purchase 99.7 Bcf within one year and 49.4 Bcf within one to three years under indexed contracts. AEM is committed to purchase 2.2 Bcf within one year and less than 0.1 Bcf within one to three years under fixed price contracts with prices ranging from $6.27 to $9.96. Purchases under these contracts totaled $563.0 million and $531.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006 and $983.4 million and $1,319.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2007 and 2006.

 

Our utility operations, other than the Mid-Tex Division, maintain supply contracts with several vendors that generally cover a period of up to one year. Commitments for estimated base gas volumes are established under these contracts on a monthly basis at contractually negotiated prices. Commitments for incremental daily purchases are made as necessary during the month in accordance with the terms of the individual contract.

 

Our Mid-Tex Division maintains long-term supply contracts to ensure a reliable source of gas for our customers in its service area which obligate it to purchase specified volumes at market prices. The estimated fiscal year commitments under these contracts as of March 31, 2007 are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

Regulatory Matters

 

At March 31, 2007, we were involved in a number of “show cause” proceedings filed by cities in several of our jurisdictions. We are currently providing information to and addressing questions raised by the respective regulatory commissions. We believe we will be able to demonstrate to these regulators that our rates are just and reasonable. Additionally, we have a rate case in progress in our Kentucky service area. These regulatory proceedings are discussed in further detail in Management’s Discussion and Analysis — Recent Ratemaking Developments.

 

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

 

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)

Other

 

In May 2006, we announced plans to form a joint venture and construct a natural gas gathering system in Eastern Kentucky, referred to as the Straight Creek Project. In an attempt to better serve the needs of the local producers in the area and to meet the Company’s economic requirements, we are currently redesigning the original project, which will likely be marginally smaller in both size and scope. Accordingly, the in-service date is expected to be delayed into the second half of fiscal 2008.

 

 

Information regarding our concentration of credit risk is disclosed in Note 15 to our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2006. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, there were no material changes in our concentration of credit risk.

 

 

Atmos Energy Corporation and our subsidiaries are engaged primarily in the natural gas utility business as well as certain nonutility businesses. We distribute natural gas through sales and transportation arrangements to approximately 3.2 million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers throughout our six regulated utility divisions, which cover service areas located in 12 states. In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system.

 

Through our nonutility businesses we provide natural gas management and marketing services to industrial customers, municipalities and other local distribution companies located in 22 states. Additionally, we provide natural gas transportation and storage services to certain of our utility operations and to third parties.

 

Our operations are divided into four segments:

 

 

Our determination of reportable segments considers the strategic operating units under which we manage sales of various products and services to customers in differing regulatory environments. Although our utility segment operations are geographically dispersed, they are reported as a single segment as each utility division has similar economic characteristics. The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies found in our annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006. We evaluate performance based on net income or loss of the respective operating units.