Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

PRESENTATION OF INTERIM INFORMATION (Policies)

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PRESENTATION OF INTERIM INFORMATION (Policies)
 6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2014
Presentation Of Interim Information Policies  
Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid debt instruments with original maturities of three months or less. The Company’s cash equivalents are comprised entirely of money market funds maintained at a high quality financial institution in an account which at various times during the six months ended February 28, 2013, exceeded federally insured limits. There were no cash equivalents during the six months ended February 28, 2014. At various times during the six months ended February 28, 2014, the Company’s main operating accounts exceeded federally insured limits.
Financial Instruments - Concentration of Credit Risk and Fair Value

Financial Instruments – Concentration of Credit Risk and Fair Value

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash equivalents. The Company places its cash equivalents and investments with high quality financial institutions. The Company invests its cash primarily in certificates of deposits, money market instruments, and U.S. government treasury obligations. To date, the Company has not experienced significant losses on any of these investments.

 

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are reported using the values as reported by the financial institution where the funds are held. These securities primarily include balances in the Company’s operating and savings accounts. The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents approximate fair value.

 

Accounts Receivable, Receivable Held in Escrow, and Accounts Payable – The carrying amounts of accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate fair value due to the relatively short period to maturity for these instruments.

 

Long-term Financial Liabilities – The Comprehensive Amendment Agreement No. 1 the “CAA” is comprised of a recorded balance and an off-balance sheet or “contingent” obligation associated with the Company’s acquisition of its “Rangeview Water Supply” (defined in Note 4 below). The amount payable is a fixed amount but is repayable only upon the sale of “Export Water” (defined in Note 4 below). Because of the uncertainty of the sale of Export Water, the Company has determined that the contingent portion of the CAA does not have a determinable fair value. The CAA is described further in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease – Participating Interests in Export Water.

 

The recorded balance of the “Tap Participation Fee” liability (as described below) is its estimated fair value determined by projecting new home development in the Company’s targeted service area over an estimated development period.

 

Notes Receivable and Construction Proceeds Receivable – The carrying amounts of the Company’s notes receivable and construction proceeds receivable approximate fair value as they bear interest at rates which are comparable to current market rates.

 

Receivable from HP A&M – In conjunction with HP A&M defaulting on certain promissory notes, the Company has the right to collect from HP A&M any amounts the Company spends to cure the defaulted notes. Accordingly the Company has recorded the entire amount of the HP A&M notes as a receivable from HP A&M. Due to the fact that HP A&M was a related party the fair value of the accounts receivable is not practical to determine.

 

Mortgages Payable – During fiscal 2013, the Company began acquiring the defaulted and non-defaulted promissory notes that are payable by HP A&M. The majority of the notes issued by the Company have a five-year term, bear interest at an annual rate of five percent (5%) and require semi-annual payments with a straight-line amortization schedule. The carrying value of the notes payable approximate the fair value as the rates are comparable to market rates.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Instruments – The Company’s off-balance sheet instruments consist entirely of the contingent portion of the CAA. Because repayment of this portion of the CAA is contingent on the sale of Export Water, which is not reasonably estimable, the Company has determined that the contingent portion of the CAA does not have a determinable fair value. See further discussion in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease – Participating Interests In Export Water
Tap Participation Fee

Tap Participation Fee

 

This note should be read in conjunction with Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease below.

 

Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Arkansas River Agreement”) dated May 10, 2006, the Company is obligated to pay HP A&M a defined percentage of a defined number of water tap fees the Company receives after the date of the Arkansas River Agreement. A Tap Participation Fee (“TPF”) is due and payable once the Company has sold a water tap and received the consideration due for such water tap. The Company did not sell any water taps during the three or six months ended February 28, 2014 or 2013.

 

The Company imputes interest expense on the unpaid TPF using the effective interest method over an estimated period which is utilized in the valuation of the liability. The Company imputed interest of $403,000 and $650,100 during the three months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company imputed interest of $1,060,200 and $1,544,800 during the six months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

At February 28, 2014, there remain 7,126 water taps subject to the TPF.
Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

 

Tap and Construction Fees – In August 2005, the Company entered into the Water Service Agreement (the “County Agreement”) with Arapahoe County (the “County”). In fiscal 2006, the Company began recognizing water tap fees as revenue ratably over the estimated service period upon completion of the “Wholesale Facilities” (defined in the 2013 Annual Report) constructed to provide service to the County. The Company recognized $3,600 of water tap fee revenues during each of the three months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company recognized $7,100 of water tap fee revenues during each of the six months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The water tap fees to be recognized over this period are net of the royalty payments to the State of Colorado Board of Land Commissioners (the “Land Board”) and amounts paid to third parties pursuant to the CAA as further described in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease below.

 

The Company recognized $10,400 of “Special Facilities” (defined in the 2013 Annual Report) funding as revenue during each of the three months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company recognized $20,800 of Special Facilities funding as revenue during each of the six months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, respectively. This is the ratable portion of the Special Facilities funding proceeds received from the County pursuant to the County Agreement as more fully described in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the 2013 Annual Report.

 

As of February 28, 2014 and August 31, 2013, the Company has deferred recognition of approximately $1,264,900 and $1,297,600, respectively of water tap and construction fee revenue from the County, which will be recognized as revenue ratably over the estimated useful accounting life of the assets constructed with the construction proceeds as described above.

 

Farm Operations – The Company leases its Arkansas River water and land to area farmers who actively farm the properties. The Company records farm lease income ratably each month based on estimated annual lease income the Company anticipates collecting from its land and water leases. The Company recorded these amounts as receivables, less an estimated allowance for uncollectible accounts. The allowance as of February 28, 2014 and August 31, 2013, was determined by the Company’s specific review of all past due accounts. The Company has recorded allowances for doubtful accounts totaling $41,100 as of February 28, 2014 and August 31, 2013. As of August 31, 2013 the Company has recorded deferred revenue of $122,000, on its farm income related to billings for future periods. The Company manages the farm lease business as a separate line of business from the wholesale water and wastewater business.

 

Royalty and other obligations – Revenues from the sale of Export Water are shown net of royalties payable to the Land Board. Revenues from the sale of water on the “Lowry Range” (described in Note 4 – Water Assets to the 2013 Annual Report) are shown net of the royalties to the Land Board and the amounts retained by the District.

 

Oil and Gas Lease Payments – As further described in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the 2013 Annual Report, on March 10, 2011, the Company entered into a Paid-Up Oil and Gas Lease (the “O&G Lease”) and a Surface Use and Damage Agreement (the “Surface Use Agreement”) with Anadarko E&P Company, L.P. (“Anadarko”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Anadarko Petroleum Company. In December of 2012 the O&G Lease was purchased by a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Company. Pursuant to the O&G Lease, during the year ended August 31, 2011, the Company received up-front payments of $1,243,400 for the purpose of exploring for, developing, producing and marketing oil and gas on approximately 634 acres of mineral estate owned by the Company at its “Sky Ranch” property (described in Note 4 – Water Assets to the 2013 Annual Report). The Company began recognizing the up-front payments as income on a straight-line basis over three years (the initial term of the O&G Lease) on March 10, 2011. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2013, the Company received an up-front payment of $12,540 for the purpose of exploring for, developing, producing, and marketing oil and gas on 40 acres of mineral estate the Company owns adjacent to the Lowry Range (the “Rangeview Lease”). The Company received an additional payment of $1,243,400 during February 2014 to extend the O&G Lease an additional two years through February 2016. During the three months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, the Company recognized $106,800 and $103,600, respectively, of income and royalty related to the up-front payments received pursuant to the O&G Lease and the Rangeview Lease. During the six months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013, the Company recognized $213,500 and $207,200, respectively, of income and royalty related to the up-front payments received pursuant to the O&G Lease and the Rangeview Lease.

 

As of February 28, 2014 and August 31, 2013, the Company has deferred recognition of $1,265,400 and $431,800, respectively of income related to the O&G Lease and the Rangeview Lease, which will be recognized into income ratably through February 2016.
Capitalized Costs of Water and Wastewater Systems and Depletion and Depreciation of Water Assets

Capitalized Costs of Water and Wastewater Systems and Depletion and Depreciation of Water Assets

 

Costs to construct water and wastewater systems that meet the Company’s capitalization criteria are capitalized as incurred, including interest, and depreciated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of up to thirty years. The Company capitalizes design and construction costs related to construction activities, and it capitalizes certain legal, engineering and permitting costs relating to the adjudication and improvement of its water assets. The Company depletes its groundwater assets that are being utilized on the basis of units produced (i.e. thousands of gallons sold) divided by the total volume of water adjudicated in the water decrees.
Share-based Compensation

Share-based Compensation

 

The Company maintains a stock option plan for the benefit of its employees and non-employee directors. The Company records share-based compensation costs as expense over the applicable vesting period of the stock award using the straight-line method. The compensation costs to be expensed are measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award. The Company has adopted the alternative transition method for calculating the tax effects of share-based compensation, which allows for a simplified method of calculating the tax effects of employee share-based compensation. Because the Company has a full valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets, the granting and exercise of stock options has no impact on the income tax provisions.
Income taxes

Income taxes

 

The Company uses a “more-likely-than-not” threshold for the recognition and de-recognition of tax positions, including any potential interest and penalties relating to tax positions taken by the Company. The Company did not have any significant unrecognized tax benefits as of February 28, 2014.

 

The Company files income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Colorado. The tax years that remain subject to examination are fiscal 2011 through fiscal 2013. The Company does not believe there will be any material changes in its unrecognized tax positions over the next twelve months.

 

The Company’s policy is to recognize interest and penalties accrued on any unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense. At February 28, 2014, the Company did not have any accrued interest or penalties associated with any unrecognized tax benefits, nor was any interest expense recognized during the three or six months ended February 28, 2014 and 2013.
Loss per Common Share

Loss per Common Share

 

Loss per common share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. Common stock options and warrants aggregating 380,100 and 247,600 common share equivalents were outstanding as of February 28, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and have been excluded from the calculation of loss per common share as their effect is anti-dilutive.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

 

The Company continually assesses any new accounting pronouncements to determine their applicability. When it is determined that a new accounting pronouncement affects the Company’s financial reporting, the Company undertakes a study to determine the consequence of the change to its consolidated financial statements and assures that there are proper controls in place to ascertain that the Company’s consolidated financial statements properly reflect the change. During the current period there were no new accounting pronouncements issued that will impact the Company’s financial reporting.