<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-18-055359.txt : 20181018
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-18-055359.hdr.sgml : 20181018
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20180905164100
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-18-055359
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20180905

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Helmerich & Payne, Inc.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000046765
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	DRILLING OIL & GAS WELLS [1381]
		IRS NUMBER:				730679879
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1437 S. BOULDER AVE., SUITE 1400
		CITY:			TULSA
		STATE:			OK
		ZIP:			74119
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9187425531

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1437 S. BOULDER AVE., SUITE 1400
		CITY:			TULSA
		STATE:			OK
		ZIP:			74119

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	HELMERICH & PAYNE INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">BY EDGAR</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">September&nbsp;5, 2018</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mr.&nbsp;Ethan Horowitz</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Accounting Branch Chief</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Securities and Exchange Commission</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Division of Corporation Finance</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mail Stop 4628</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">100 F Street N.E.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt 45.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">RE:</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><b>Helmerich&nbsp;&amp; Payne,&nbsp;Inc.</b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 81.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Form&nbsp;10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended September&nbsp;30, 2017</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 81.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Filed November&nbsp;22, 2017</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 81.0pt;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">File No.&nbsp;001-04221</font></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Dear Mr.&nbsp;Horowitz:</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Helmerich&nbsp;&amp; Payne,&nbsp;Inc., a Delaware company (the &#147;Company&#148;), hereby responds to the comment (the &#147;Comment&#148;) of the staff (the &#147;Staff&#148;) set forth in the Staff&#146;s letter dated August&nbsp;24, 2018 (the &#147;Comment Letter&#148;) in relation to the above-referenced Form&nbsp;10-K. Set forth below in this letter is the Company&#146;s response to the Comment raised in the Comment Letter. For the convenience of the Staff, the Company has restated in this letter the Comment. All references to page&nbsp;numbers correspond to the page&nbsp;numbers in the Company&#146;s above-referenced Form&nbsp;10-K.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Form&nbsp;10-K for Fiscal Year Ended September&nbsp;30, 2017</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Management&#146;s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, page&nbsp;31</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates, page&nbsp;41</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Impairment of Long-lived Assets and Finite-lived Intangibles, page&nbsp;41</font></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-indent:-.5in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">1.</font></i><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i>Based on the information provided in your responses to prior comments 2 and 3, it appears that the estimates and assumptions made in connection with the impairment recoverability test for your Domestic FlexRig 4 asset group may be material due to the levels of subjectivity and judgment associated with the estimates and assumptions, the susceptibility of such matters to change, and the impact of the estimates and assumptions on your financial condition or operating performance. Accordingly, additional disclosure regarding</i><i> estimates and assumptions, such as those related to rig utilization levels and rig margins, may be necessary to comply with the requirements of Item 303(a)(3)(ii)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K, which requires a description of a known uncertainty. Additional guidance appears in Section&nbsp;V of Release 33-8350, which states that MD&amp;A should address the material implications of uncertainties associated with the methods, assumptions, and estimates underlying critical accounting measurements.</i></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><i><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-style:italic;">Examples of additional disclosures include:</font></i></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .75in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i>The carrying value of the assets subject to impairment testing;</i></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .75in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i>A description of the methods and key assumptions used and how the key assumptions were determined;</i></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .75in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i>A discussion of the degree of uncertainty associated with the key assumptions; and,</i></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .75in;text-indent:-.25in;"><font size="2" face="Symbol" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&#183;</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><i>A description of potential events and/or changes in circumstances that could reasonably be expected to negatively affect the key assumptions.</i></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">We acknowledge the Staff&#146;s comment regarding our impairment recoverability testing of our long</font><font face="Times New Roman">-</font>lived assets and finite-lived intangibles and are aware both that Item 303(a)(3)(ii)&nbsp;of Regulation S-K (&#147;Item 303&#148;) requires disclosures related to known uncertainties and that Section&nbsp;V of SEC Release 33-8350 (&#147;Release 33-8350&#148;) requires disclosure of the material implications of uncertainties associated with the methods, assumptions and estimates underlying a company&#146;s critical accounting measurements.</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">In future filings with the Commission, we will include expanded disclosure related to the significant estimates and assumptions utilized in our impairment recoverability testing as necessary to comply with Item 303 and Release 33-8350.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Please contact the undersigned at (918) 588-5190 should you require further information or have any questions.</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Very truly yours,</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ </font>Mark W. Smith</p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mark W. Smith</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chief Financial Officer</font></p>    </td>   </tr>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Helmerich&nbsp;&amp; Payne,&nbsp;Inc.</font></p>    </td>   </tr>  </table>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">cc:</font><font size="1" style="font-size:3.0pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Pankaj Sinha</p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher&nbsp;&amp; Flom, LLP</font></p>
<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;">2<a name="PB_2_201630_4003"></a></p>
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