Back to GetFilings.com



Table of Contents



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


FORM 10-Q

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarter ended June 30, 2002

Commission file number 1-7310

The registrant meets the conditions set forth in General Instructions H (1) (a) and (b) of Form 10-Q and is, therefore, filing this Form with the reduced disclosure format.

MICHIGAN CONSOLIDATED GAS COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

     
Michigan   38-0478040
(State or other jurisdiction of   (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)   Identification No.)
 
2000 2nd Avenue, Detroit, Michigan   48226-1279
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

313-965-2430
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 X IN BALLOT BOX                    No OPEN BALLOT BOX



 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

DEFINITIONS
Item 2. Management’s Narrative Analysis of the Results of Operations
PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements
Consolidated Statement of Operations
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
Consolidated Statement of Retained Earnings
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Independent Accountants' report
PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
SIGNATURE
EX-15.4 Awareness Letter of Deloitte & Touche LLP
Certification of CEO
Certification of CFO


Table of Contents

MICHIGAN CONSOLIDATED GAS COMPANY

QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
QUARTER ENDED JUNE 30, 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS

           
      PAGE  
      NUMBER  
     
 
DEFINITIONS
    1  
PART I — FINANCIAL INFORMATION
       
Item 1. Financial Statements
       
 
Consolidated Statement of Operations
    8  
 
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
    9  
 
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
    10  
 
Consolidated Statement of Retained Earnings
    11  
 
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
    12  
 
Independent Accountants’ Report
    17  
Item 2. Management’s Narrative Analysis of Results of Operations
    3  
PART II — OTHER INFORMATION
       
Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K
    18  
SIGNATURE
    19  

 


Table of Contents

DEFINITIONS

     
Customer Choice   The choice program is a statewide initiative giving customers in Michigan the option to choose alternative suppliers for gas.
 
DTE Energy   DTE Energy Company and its subsidiaries.
 
End User Transportation   A gas delivery service historically provided to large-volume commercial and industrial customers who purchase natural gas directly from producers or brokerage companies. Under MichCon’s Customer Choice Program that began in 1999, this service is also provided to residential customers and small-volume commercial and industrial customers.
 
Enterprises   DTE Enterprises Inc. (formerly MCN Energy), a wholly owned subsidiary of DTE Energy.
 
Gas Sales Program   A three-year program that ended in December 2001 under which MichCon’s gas sales rate included a gas commodity component that was fixed at $2.95 per Mcf.
 
Gas Storage   For MichCon, the process of injecting, storing and withdrawing natural gas from a depleted underground natural gas field.
 
GCR   A gas cost recovery mechanism that was reinstated by MichCon in January 2002 that permits MichCon to pass on the cost of natural gas to its customers.
 
Intermediate Transportation   A gas delivery service provided to producers, brokers and other gas companies that own the natural gas, but are not the ultimate consumers.
 
MCN Energy   MCN Energy Group Inc. and its subsidiaries.
 
MichCon   Michigan Consolidated Gas Company; an indirect, wholly owned natural gas distribution and intrastate transmission subsidiary of Enterprises.

1


Table of Contents

DEFINITIONS

     
Normal Weather   The average daily temperature within MichCon’s service area during a recent 30-year period.
 
Units of Measurement:    
 
Bcf   Billion cubic feet of gas.
 
Mcf   Thousand cubic feet of gas.
 
MMcf   Million cubic feet of gas.

2


Table of Contents

MICHIGAN CONSOLIDATED GAS COMPANY

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain information presented herein includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future results to differ materially from those contemplated, projected, estimated or budgeted in such forward-looking statements. Factors that may impact forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the following: the effects of weather; the effects of competition, including the gas Customer Choice Program; the capital intensive nature of MichCon’s business; the economic climate and growth in the geographic areas in which MichCon does business; the uncertainty of gas reserve estimates; the timing and extent of changes in commodity prices for natural gas, electricity and crude oil; access to capital and equity markets; the effects of changes in governmental policies and regulatory actions, including income taxes, environmental compliance and authorized rates; and the timing of the accretive effects of DTE Energy’s merger with MCN Energy.

MANAGEMENT’S NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The Results of Operations discussion for MichCon is presented in accordance with General Instruction H(2)(a) of Form 10-Q.

MichCon reported losses of $33.6 million and earnings of $20.5 million for the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively, compared with losses of $120.1 million and $22.8 million for the comparable 2001 periods. Earnings comparability is affected by $100.9 million ($65.6 million net of taxes) of merger and restructuring charges that were recorded in the second quarter of 2001. The earnings comparison also reflects negative margins in the 2001 second quarter and six-month period from selling gas under MichCon’s Gas Sales Program, which ended in December 2001. In 2002, MichCon had no profit or loss on the sale of gas to customers compared to $74 million ($48 million net of tax) and $29 million ($19 million net of tax) in margin losses in the 2001 second quarter and six-month period, respectively.

                 
Increase (Decrease) in Income Compared to Prior Year        
(in Millions)   Quarter     6 Months  
   
   
 
Operating revenues
  $ 53.0     $ 166.6  
Cost of gas
    28.4       (147.4 )
 
 
   
 
Gross margin
    81.4       19.2  
Operation and maintenance
    (7.4 )     (9.1 )
Depreciation and depletion
          (.2 )
Taxes other than income
    (.2 )     (.6 )
Merger and restructuring costs
    100.9       102.0  
Property write-down and contract losses
    (47.8 )     (47.8 )
Other income and deductions
    6.1       4.2  
Income tax provision
    (46.4 )     (24.4 )
 
 
   
 
Net income
  $ 86.6     $ 43.3  
 
 
   
 

3


Table of Contents

MANAGEMENT’S NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Operating revenues increased $53 million and $166.6 million in the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively. As subsequently discussed, the variance is due to higher revenues from gas sales customers reflecting an increase in the gas commodity component of sales rates. During 2001, MichCon operated under the Gas Sales Program in which the gas commodity component of its sales rates was fixed at $2.95 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf). In January 2002, the Gas Sales Program ended and MichCon returned to a gas cost recovery mechanism (GCR) that allows for the recovery of reasonably and prudently incurred gas costs. MichCon’s sales rates included a gas commodity component of $3.62 per Mcf for January 2002 and $4.38 per Mcf for the remainder of the 2002 six-month period compared to $2.95 per Mcf in 2001. Operating revenues were also impacted by weather which was 22.6% colder in the 2002 second quarter and .8% warmer in the 2002 six-month period as compared to the same 2001 periods.

                           
    Quarter   6 Months  
   
 
 
    2002   2001   2002   2001  
   
 
 
 
 
Gas Markets (in Millions)
 
Gas Sales
  184.8   134.7   711.1   543.0  
End User Transportation
    26.0     21.7     57.6     59.0  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    210.8     156.4     768.7     602.0  
Intermediate Transportation
    11.7     11.3     23.8     23.8  
Other
    12.4     14.2     32.5     32.6  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  234.9   181.9     825.0     658.4  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gas Markets (in Bcf)
Gas Sales
    29.5     23.7     105.8     108.7  
End User Transportation
    37.9     31.9     86.0     78.5  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    67.4     55.6     191.8     187.2  
Intermediate Transportation
    110.8     148.3     248.1     320.2  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    178.2     203.9     439.9     507.4  
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                   
      Quarter     6 Months  
     
   
 
      2002     2001     2002     2001  
Percentage Colder (Warmer) Than Normal
    .9 %     (21.7) %     (9.6) %     (8.8) %
Increase (Decrease) From Normal in:
                               
 
Gas markets (in Bcf)
    .5       (5.9 )     (13.8 )     (12.2 )
 
Net income (in Millions)
  $ .5     $ (5.8 )   $ (12.2 )   $ (10.7 )

Gas sales and end user transportation revenues in total increased $54.4 million and $166.7 million in the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively, due primarily to an increase in the gas commodity component of sales rates. Gas sales and end user transportation revenues also reflect sales associated with a varying number of customers participating in the gas Customer Choice program. Customers participating in this program purchase gas from suppliers other than MichCon, while MichCon continues to deliver the gas to their premises. Customer Choice participants are

4


Table of Contents

MANAGEMENT’S NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

classified as end user transportation customers rather than gas sales customers. The impact of weather also affected sales and transportation revenues and related volumes.

Intermediate transportation revenues increased $0.4 million in the 2002 second quarter and intermediate transportation deliveries decreased 37.5 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the same period. Intermediate transportation revenues remained unchanged in the 2002 six-month period and intermediate transportation deliveries decreased 72.1 Bcf. A significant portion of the volume decrease was due to lower storage requirements offset by a volume increase attributable to customers who pay a fixed fee for intermediate transportation capacity regardless of actual usage. Although volumes associated with these fixed-fee customers may vary, the related revenues are not affected.

Cost of gas is affected by variations in sales volumes, cost of purchased gas and related transportation costs, and the effects of any permanent liquidation of inventory gas. Cost of gas sold decreased by $28.4 million and increased $147.4 million in the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively, primarily due to prices paid for fixed-price supply and the impact in 2001 of a reduction in inventory gas. The average cost of gas sold decreased $2.29 per Mcf (38%) and increased $1.43 per Mcf (44%) for the 2002 second quarter and six month period, respectively, from the comparable 2001 periods. MichCon recorded the benefits of a 25 Bcf inventory liquidation in the 2001 first quarter which was subsequently adjusted to 17.5 Bcf in the 2001 second quarter due to warmer than normal weather. The inventory liquidation was priced at $.38 per Mcf compared to an average gas purchase rate in 2001 of $3.64 per Mcf. Cost of gas was also affected by variations in sales volumes due to weather and the number of customers who have chosen to purchase gas from MichCon rather than other suppliers under the gas Customer Choice program.

Operation and maintenance expenses increased $7.4 million and $9.1 million for the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively, primarily due to allocated expenses from DTE Energy. Additionally, the second quarter comparison was affected by abnormally higher levels of lost gas from storage fields resulting in a $5 million charge in the 2002 second quarter.

Merger and restructuring costs were not incurred in the 2002 second quarter and six- month period compared to $100.9 million and $102 million incurred in the comparable 2001 periods. Merger costs associated with the DTE Energy acquisition of MCN Energy consist primarily of system integration, relocation, legal, accounting and consulting costs. Restructuring charges were primarily associated with a work force reduction plan.

Property write-down and contract loss were $47.8 million for the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively, due to a $33.2 million loss from the expected sale of MichCon’s former headquarters and a $14.6 million charge related to termination of a contract for computer services with an unrelated third party.

5


Table of Contents

MANAGEMENT’S NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Other income and deductions decreased $6.1 million and $4.2 million for the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively, primarily due to a $6.7 million loss in the 2001 second quarter from the expected sale of 33% to 50% interests in a series of partnerships that own a residential community on the Detroit riverfront (Harbortown). Partially offsetting the decreases for the 2002 six-month period were higher interest costs.

Income taxes increased $46.4 million and $24.4 million for the 2002 second quarter and six-month period, respectively, due to an increase in pre-tax earnings.

CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY

                   
      Six Months  
      June 30  
     
 
      2002     2001  
     
   
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents
(in Millions)
               
Cash Flow From (Used For)
 
 
Operating activities
  $ 153     $ 225  
 
Investing activities
    (35 )     (39 )
 
Financing activities
    (120 )     (193 )
 
 
   
 
Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents
  $ (2 )   $ (7 )
 
 
   
 

Operating Activities

Net cash from operating activities decreased $72 million due to higher working capital requirements offset by higher net income, after adjusting for noncash items (depreciation, amortization, property write-down and contract losses and deferred taxes). The working capital requirements reflect an overall decrease in accounts payable. Lower accounts payable levels represent the internal focus on managing external payments. The decline in cash flow is also due to the under-recovery of gas costs incurred totaling $38 million. With the implementation of the gas cost recovery mechanism in January 2002, MichCon is allowed to recover its actual gas costs from gas customers. Over the balance of 2002 this amount is expected to reverse with a small remaining under-recovery balance by year-end that will be trued-up as part of 2002’s GCR reconciliation process.

Investing Activities

Net cash used for investing activities declined $4 million reflecting declines in plant and equipment expenditures, partially offset by proceeds received in 2001 associated with MichCon’s Grantor Trust.

6


Table of Contents

MANAGEMENT’S NARRATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Financing Activities

Net cash used for financing activities declined $73 million during the 2002 six-month period reflecting the payment of $75 million in dividends in 2001.

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

During 2001, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued new accounting pronouncements concerning goodwill and other intangible assets, asset retirement obligations and impairment or disposal of long-lived assets. See Note 8 for a discussion of MichCon’s evaluation of the adoption of these new accounting pronouncements.

7


Table of Contents

MICHIGAN CONSOLIDATED GAS COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited)

                                     
        Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended  
        June 30     June 30  
       
   
 
        2002     2001     2002     2001  
       
   
   
   
 
(in Thousands)
                               
Operating Revenues
  $ 234,916     $ 181,931     $ 824,978     $ 658,390  
 
 
   
   
   
 
Operating Expenses
                               
 
Cost of gas
    116,425       144,785       500,517       353,102  
 
Operation and maintenance
    73,410       66,059       139,639       130,579  
 
Depreciation and depletion
    26,540       26,532       53,061       52,871  
 
Taxes other than income
    10,674       10,467       27,244       26,617  
 
Merger and restructuring costs
          100,935             101,964  
 
Property write-down and contract losses
    47,844             47,844        
 
 
   
   
   
 
   
Total operating expenses
    274,893       348,778       768,305       665,133  
 
 
   
   
   
 
Operating Income (Loss)
    (39,977 )     (166,847 )     56,673       (6,743 )
 
 
   
   
   
 
Other Income and (Deductions)
                               
 
Interest income
    2,365       2,401       5,808       4,934  
 
Interest on long-term debt
    (11,873 )     (10,971 )     (25,505 )     (21,165 )
 
Other interest expense
    (3,904 )     (2,275 )     (5,855 )     (6,455 )
 
Loss on investment in joint venture
          (6,702 )           (6,702 )
 
Equity in earnings of joint ventures
    491       615       1,102       1,328  
 
Other
    1,312       (743 )     716       (30 )
 
 
   
   
   
 
   
Total other income and (deductions)
    (11,609 )     (17,675 )     (23,734 )     (28,090 )
 
 
   
   
   
 
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes
    (51,586 )     (184,522 )     32,939       (34,833 )
Income Tax Provision (Benefit)
    (17,993 )     (64,378 )     12,403       (12,039 )
 
 
   
   
   
 
Net Income (Loss)
  $ (33,593 )   $ (120,144 )   $ 20,536     $ (22,794 )
 
 
   
   
   
 

See Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)

8


Table of Contents

MICHIGAN CONSOLIDATED GAS COMPANY
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

                       
          June 30          
          2002     December 31  
          (Unaudited)     2001  
         
   
 
(in Thousands)
               
ASSETS
               
 
Current Assets
               
   
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 1,891     $ 3,929  
   
Accounts receivable
               
     
Customer (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $17,667 and $21,428, respectively)
    216,178       243,118  
     
Accrued unbilled revenues
    32,514       110,300  
   
Property taxes assessed applicable to future periods
    35,055       52,289  
   
Accrued gas cost recovery
    52,397       14,401  
   
Other
    34,400       35,584  
 
 
   
 
 
    372,435       459,621  
 
 
   
 
 
Property, Plant and Equipment
    3,061,503       3,065,415  
   
Less accumulated depreciation and depletion
    1,675,180       1,626,015  
 
 
   
 
 
    1,386,323       1,439,400  
 
 
   
 
 
Other Assets
               
   
Investment in and advances to joint ventures
    8,568       8,835  
   
Long-term investments
    70,750       68,526  
   
Investment in capital lease
    83,275       83,740  
   
Deferred environmental costs
    26,955       26,920  
   
Prepaid benefit costs and due from affiliate
    259,830       229,530  
   
Other
    58,754       46,929  
 
 
   
 
 
    508,132       464,480  
 
 
   
 
 
  $ 2,266,890     $ 2,363,501  
 
 
   
 
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER’S EQUITY
               
 
Current Liabilities
               
   
Accounts payable
  $ 112,968     $ 137,104  
   
Short-term borrowings
    157,242       256,862  
   
Gas inventory equalization
    22,277        
   
Federal income, property and other taxes payable
    36,944       52,461  
   
Other
    105,487       95,124