Fortis Reports First Quarter Earnings of $294 million - Part 12 - Canadian Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Features & Events

The fair value of long-term debt is calculated using quoted market prices when available. When quoted market prices are not available, as is the case with the Waneta Partnership promissory note and certain long-term debt, the fair value is determined by either: (i) discounting the future cash flows of the specific debt instrument at an estimated yield to maturity equivalent to benchmark government bonds or treasury bills with similar terms to maturity, plus a credit risk premium equal to that of issuers of similar credit quality; or (ii) obtaining from third parties indicative prices for the same or similarly rated issues of debt of the same remaining maturities. Since the Corporation does not intend to settle the long-term debt or promissory note prior to maturity, the excess of the estimated fair value above the carrying value does not represent an actual liability.

15. FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT

The Corporation is primarily exposed to credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk as a result of holding financial instruments in the normal course of business.

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Credit risk Risk that a counterparty to a financial instrument might fail to meet its obligations under the terms of the financial instrument. Liquidity risk Risk that an entity will encounter difficulty in raising funds to meet commitments associated with financial instruments. Market risk Risk that the fair value or future cash flows of a financial instrument will fluctuate due to changes in market prices. The Corporation is exposed to foreign exchange risk, interest rate risk and commodity price risk.

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Credit Risk

For cash equivalents, trade and other accounts receivable, and long-term other receivables, the Corporation's credit risk is generally limited to the carrying value on the consolidated balance sheet. The Corporation generally has a large and diversified customer base, which minimizes the concentration of credit risk. The Corporation and its subsidiaries have various policies to minimize credit risk, which include requiring customer deposits, prepayments and/or credit checks for certain customers and performing disconnections and/or using third-party collection agencies for overdue accounts.

ITC has a concentration of credit risk as a result of approximately 70% of its revenue being derived from three primary customers. Credit risk is limited as such customers have investment-grade credit ratings. ITC also reduces its exposure to credit risk by requiring a letter of credit or cash deposit equal to the credit exposure, which is determined by a credit-scoring model and other factors.

FortisAlberta has a concentration of credit risk as a result of its distribution service billings being to a relatively small group of retailers. As at March 31, 2017, FortisAlberta's gross credit risk exposure was approximately $127 million, representing the projected value of retailer billings over a 37-day period. The Company has reduced its exposure to $2 million by obtaining from the retailers either a cash deposit, bond, letter of credit, an investment-grade credit rating from a major rating agency, or a financial guarantee from an entity with an investment-grade credit rating.

UNS Energy, Central Hudson, FortisBC Energy and Aitken Creek may be exposed to credit risk in the event of non-performance by counterparties to derivative instruments. The Companies use netting arrangements to reduce credit risk and net settle payments with counterparties where net settlement provisions exist. They also limit credit risk by mostly dealing with counterparties that have investment-grade credit ratings. At UNS Energy, contractual arrangements also contain certain provisions requiring counterparties to derivative instruments to post collateral under certain circumstances.

Liquidity Risk

The Corporation's consolidated financial position could be adversely affected if it, or one of its subsidiaries, fails to arrange sufficient and cost-effective financing to fund, among other things, capital expenditures, acquisitions and the repayment of maturing debt. The ability to arrange sufficient and cost-effective financing is subject to numerous factors, including the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Corporation and its subsidiaries, conditions in capital and bank credit markets, ratings assigned by rating agencies and general economic conditions.

To help mitigate liquidity risk, the Corporation and its regulated utilities have secured committed credit facilities to support short-term financing of capital expenditures, seasonal working capital requirements, and for general corporate purposes. In addition to its credit facilities, ITC uses commercial paper to finance its short-term cash requirements, and may use credit facility borrowings, from time to time, to repay borrowings under its commercial paper program.

The Corporation's committed corporate credit facility is used for interim financing of acquisitions and for general corporate purposes. Depending on the timing of cash payments from subsidiaries, borrowings under the Corporation's committed corporate credit facility may be required from time to time to support the servicing of debt and payment of dividends. As at March 31, 2017, over the next five years, average annual consolidated fixed-term debt maturities and repayments are expected to be approximately $740 million. The combination of available credit facilities and reasonable annual debt maturities and repayments provides the Corporation and its subsidiaries with flexibility in the timing of access to capital markets.

As at March 31, 2017, the Corporation and its subsidiaries had consolidated credit facilities of approximately $5.4 billion, of which approximately $3.8 billion was unused, including $909 million unused under the Corporation's committed revolving corporate credit facility. The credit facilities are syndicated mostly with large banks in Canada and the United States, with no one bank holding more than 20% of these facilities. Approximately $5.0 billion of the total credit facilities are committed facilities with maturities ranging from 2017 through 2021.

The following summary outlines the credit facilities of the Corporation and its subsidiaries.

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As at December Regulated Corporate March 31, 31, ($ millions) Utilities and Other 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total credit facilities (1) 4,061 1,385 5,446 5,976 Credit facilities utilized: Short-term borrowings (1) (2) (543) (2) (545) (1,155) Long-term debt (Note 6) (3) (640) (390) (1,030) (973) Letters of credit outstanding (68) (51) (119) (119) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Credit facilities unused (1) 2,810 942 3,752 3,729 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Total credit facilities and short-term borrowings as at March 31, 2017 include $179 million (US$135 million) outstanding under ITC's commercial paper program (December 31, 2016 - $195 million (US$145 million)). Outstanding commercial paper does not reduce available capacity under the Corporation's consolidated credit facilities. (2) The weighted average interest rate on short-term borrowings was approximately 1.4% as at March 31, 2017 (December 31, 2016 - 1.7%). (3) As at March 31, 2017, credit facility borrowings classified as long-term debt included $123 million in current installments of long-term debt on the consolidated balance sheet (December 31, 2016 - $61 million). The weighted average interest rate on credit facility borrowings classified as long-term debt was approximately 2.0% as at March 31, 2017 (December 31, 2016 - 1.8%).

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As at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, certain borrowings under the Corporation's and subsidiaries' long-term committed credit facilities were classified as long-term debt. It is management's intention to refinance these borrowings with long-term permanent financing during future periods. The only significant change in credit facilities from that disclosed in the Corporation's 2016 annual audited consolidated financial statements is as follows.

In March 2017 the Corporation repaid short-term borrowings using net proceeds from the issuance of common shares (Note 7).

The Corporation and its currently rated utilities target investment-grade credit ratings to maintain capital market access at reasonable interest rates. As at March 31, 2017, the Corporation's credit ratings were as follows.

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Rating Agency Credit Rating Type of Rating Outlook ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Standard & Poor's A- Corporate Stable BBB+ Unsecured debt Stable DBRS BBB (high) Unsecured debt Stable Moody's Investor Service Baa3 Issuer Stable Baa3 Unsecured debt Stable

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The above-noted credit ratings reflect the Corporation's low business-risk profile and diversity of its operations, the stand-alone nature and financial separation of each of the regulated subsidiaries of Fortis, and the level of debt at the holding company.

Market Risk

Foreign Exchange Risk

The reporting currency of ITC, UNS Energy, Central Hudson, Caribbean Utilities, Fortis Turks and Caicos and BECOL is the US dollar. The Corporation's earnings from, and net investments in, foreign subsidiaries are exposed to fluctuations in the US dollar-to-Canadian dollar exchange rate. The Corporation has decreased the above-noted exposure through the use of US dollar-denominated borrowings at the corporate level. The foreign exchange gain or loss on the translation of US dollar-denominated interest expense partially offsets the foreign exchange gain or loss on the translation of the Corporation's foreign subsidiaries' earnings.

As at March 31, 2017, the Corporation's corporately issued US$3,496 million (December 31, 2016 - US$3,511 million) long-term debt had been designated as an effective hedge of a portion of the Corporation's foreign net investments. As at March 31, 2017, the Corporation had approximately US$7,386 million (December 31, 2016 - US$7,250 million) in foreign net investments that were unhedged. Foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations associated with the translation of the Corporation's corporately issued US dollar-denominated borrowings designated as effective hedges are recorded on the consolidated balance sheet in accumulated other comprehensive income and serve to help offset unrealized foreign currency exchange gains and losses on the net investments in foreign subsidiaries, which gains and losses are also recorded on the consolidated balance sheet in accumulated other comprehensive income.

As a result of the acquisition of ITC, consolidated earnings and cash flows of Fortis are impacted to a greater extent by fluctuations in the US dollar-to-Canadian dollar exchange rate. On an annual basis, it is estimated that a 5 cent increase or decrease in the US dollar relative to the Canadian dollar exchange rate of US$1.00=CAD$1.33 as at March 31, 2017 would increase or decrease earnings per common share of Fortis by approximately 7 cents. Management will continue to hedge future exchange rate fluctuations related to the Corporation's foreign net investments and US dollar-denominated earnings streams, where appropriate, through future US dollar-denominated borrowings, and will continue to monitor the Corporation's exposure to foreign currency fluctuations on a regular basis.

Interest Rate Risk

The Corporation and most of its subsidiaries are exposed to interest rate risk associated with borrowings under variable-rate credit facilities, variable-rate long-term debt and the refinancing of long-term debt. The Corporation and its subsidiaries may enter into interest rate swap agreements to help reduce this risk (Note 14).

Commodity Price Risk

UNS Energy is exposed to commodity price risk associated with changes in the market price of gas, purchased power and coal. Central Hudson is exposed to commodity price risk associated with changes in the market price of electricity and gas. FortisBC Energy is exposed to commodity price risk associated with changes in the market price of gas. The risks have been reduced by entering into derivative contracts that effectively fix the price of natural gas, power and electricity purchases. Aitken Creek is exposed to commodity price risk associated with changes in the market price of gas and enters into derivative contracts to manage the financial risk posed by physical transactions. These derivative instruments are recorded on the consolidated balance sheet at fair value and any change in the fair value is deferred as a regulatory asset or liability, as permitted by the regulators, for recovery from, or refund to, customers in future rates, except at Aitken Creek where the changes in fair value are recorded in earnings (Note 14).

16. BUSINESS ACQUISITIONS

As at March 31, 2017, the purchase price allocation related to ITC, acquired on October 14, 2016, remains preliminary pending final assessment of fair value estimates, income taxes, consideration transferred, and identification of assets and liabilities.

During the first quarter of 2017, the purchase price allocation related to Aitken Creek, acquired on April 1, 2016, was finalized with no material adjustments.

17. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

There were no material changes in the nature and amount of the Corporation's commitments from those disclosed in the Corporation's 2016 annual audited consolidated financial statements.

The Corporation and its subsidiaries are subject to various legal proceedings and claims associated with the ordinary course of business operations. The following describes the nature of the Corporation's contingencies.

Central Hudson

Prior to and after its acquisition by Fortis, various asbestos lawsuits have been brought against Central Hudson. While a total of 3,364 asbestos cases have been raised, 1,175 remained pending as at March 31, 2017. Of the cases no longer pending against Central Hudson, 2,033 have been dismissed or discontinued without payment by the Company, and Central Hudson has settled the remaining 156 cases. The Company is presently unable to assess the validity of the outstanding asbestos lawsuits; however, based on information known to Central Hudson at this time, including the Company's experience in the settlement and/or dismissal of asbestos cases, Central Hudson believes that the costs that may be incurred in connection with the remaining lawsuits will not have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows and, accordingly, no amount has been accrued in the consolidated financial statements.

FHI

In April 2013 FHI and Fortis were named as defendants in an action in the B.C. Supreme Court by the Coldwater Indian Band ("Band"). The claim is in regard to interests in a pipeline right of way on reserve lands. The pipeline on the right of way was transferred by FHI (then Terasen Inc.) to Kinder Morgan Inc. in April 2007. The Band seeks orders cancelling the right of way and claims damages for wrongful interference with the Band's use and enjoyment of reserve lands. In May 2016 the Federal Court entered a decision dismissing the Coldwater Band's application for judicial review of the ministerial consent. The Band has appealed that decision. The outcome cannot be reasonably determined and estimated at this time and, accordingly, no amount has been accrued in the consolidated financial statements.

Fortis and ITC

Following announcement of the acquisition of ITC in February 2016, complaints which named Fortis and other defendants were filed in the Oakland County Circuit Court in the State of Michigan ("Superior Court") and the United States District Court in and for the Eastern District of Michigan. The complaints generally allege, among other things, that the directors of ITC breached their fiduciary duties in connection with the merger agreement and that ITC, Fortis, FortisUS Inc. and Element Acquisition Sub Inc. aided and abetted those purported breaches. The complaints seek class action certification and a variety of relief including, among other things, unspecified damages, and costs, including attorneys' fees and expenses. In July 2016 the federal actions were voluntarily dismissed by the federal plaintiffs. The federal plaintiffs reserved the right to make certain other claims, and ITC and the individual members of the ITC board of directors reserved the right to oppose any such claim. In June 2016 the Superior Court granted a motion for summary disposition dismissing the aiding and abetting claims asserted against Fortis, FortisUS Inc. and Element Acquisition Sub Inc. In January 2017 the Superior Court issued a revised scheduling order, which, among other things, requires the parties, including ITC, to complete discovery by May 2017, and set a trial date for September 2017. A hearing on the plaintiff's motion for class certification was held in February 2017.