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Capitalization | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Capitalization, Long-term Debt and Equity [Abstract] |
Capitalization | CAPITALIZATION COMMON STOCK Retained Earnings and Dividends As of December 31, 2019, FirstEnergy had an accumulated deficit of $4.0 billion. Dividends declared in 2019 and 2018 were $1.53 and $1.82 per share, respectively. Dividends of $0.38 per share and $0.36 per share were paid in the first, second, third and fourth quarters in 2019 and 2018, respectively. On November 8, 2019, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share to be paid from OPIC in the first quarter of 2020. The amount and timing of all dividend declarations are subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and its consideration of business conditions, results of operations, financial condition and other factors. In addition to paying dividends from retained earnings, OE, CEI, TE, Penn, JCP&L, ME and PN have authorization from FERC to pay cash dividends to FirstEnergy from paid-in capital accounts, as long as their FERC-defined equity-to-total-capitalization ratio remains above 35%. In addition, AGC has authorization from FERC to pay cash dividends to its parent from paid-in capital accounts, as long as its FERC-defined equity-to-total-capitalization ratio remains above 45%. The articles of incorporation, indentures, regulatory limitations and various other agreements relating to the long-term debt of certain FirstEnergy subsidiaries contain provisions that could further restrict the payment of dividends on their common stock. None of these provisions materially restricted FirstEnergy’s subsidiaries’ abilities to pay cash dividends to FE as of December 31, 2019. Common Stock Issuance Additionally, FE issued approximately 3 million shares of common stock in 2019, 3.2 million shares of common stock in 2018 and 3.0 million shares of common stock in 2017 to registered shareholders and its directors and the employees of its subsidiaries under its Stock Investment Plan and certain share-based benefit plans. On January 22, 2018, FE entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement for the private placement of 30,120,482 shares of FE’s common stock, par value $0.10 per share, representing an investment of $850 million ($3 million of common shares and $847 million of OPIC). Please see below for information on preferred stock converted into shares of common stock during 2018 and 2019. PREFERRED AND PREFERENCE STOCK FirstEnergy and the Utilities were authorized to issue preferred stock and preference stock as of December 31, 2019, as follows:
|  | Preferred Stock |  | Preference Stock
|  | Shares Authorized |  | Par Value |  | Shares Authorized |  | Par Value
FE |  | 5,000,000 |  |  | $ | 100 |  |  |  |  |
OE |  | 6,000,000 |  |  | $ | 100 |  |  | 8,000,000 |  |  | no par
OE |  | 8,000,000 |  |  | $ | 25 |  |  |  |  |
Penn |  | 1,200,000 |  |  | $ | 100 |  |  |  |  |
CEI |  | 4,000,000 |  |  | no par |  | 3,000,000 |  |  | no par
TE |  | 3,000,000 |  |  | $ | 100 |  |  | 5,000,000 |  |  | $ | 25 |
TE |  | 12,000,000 |  |  | $ | 25 |  |  |  |  |
JCP&L |  | 15,600,000 |  |  | no par |  |  |  |
ME |  | 10,000,000 |  |  | no par |  |  |  |
PN |  | 11,435,000 |  |  | no par |  |  |  |
MP |  | 940,000 |  |  | $ | 100 |  |  |  |  |
PE |  | 10,000,000 |  |  | $ | 0.01 |  |  |  |  |
WP |  | 32,000,000 |  |  | no par |  |  |  |
As of December 31, 2019, there were no preferred stock outstanding. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were no preference stock outstanding. Preferred Stock Issuance FE entered into a Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement for the private placement of 1,616,000 shares of mandatorily convertible preferred stock, designated as the Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $100 per share, representing an investment of nearly $1.62 billion ($162 million of mandatorily convertible preferred stock and $1.46 billion of OPIC). The preferred stock participated in dividends on the common stock on an as-converted basis based on the number of shares of common stock a holder of preferred stock would have received if its shares of preferred stock were converted on the dividend record date at the conversion price in effect at that time. Such dividends were paid at the same time that the dividends on common stock were paid. During 2018, 911,411 shares of preferred stock were converted into 33,238,910 shares of common stock at the option of the preferred stockholders. Also, at the option of the preferred stockholders, 494,767 shares of preferred stock were converted into 18,044,018 shares of common stock in January 2019. On July 22, 2019, 28,302 shares of preferred stock automatically converted into 1,032,165 shares of common stock, and 181,520 shares of preferred stock remained unconverted as the holder reached the 4.9% cap as outlined in the terms of the preferred stock. The remaining 181,520 preferred stock shares were converted on August 1, 2019, into 6,619,985 shares of common stock. As of December 31, 2019, 1,616,000 shares of preferred stock were converted into 58,935,078 shares of common stock and as a result, there are no preferred shares outstanding. The preferred stock included an embedded conversion option at a price that was below the fair value of the common stock on the commitment date. This beneficial conversion feature, which was approximately $296 million, represents the difference between the fair value per share of the common stock and the conversion price, multiplied by the number of common shares issuable upon conversion. The beneficial conversion feature was amortized as a deemed dividend over the period from the issue date to the first allowable conversion date (July 22, 2018) as a charge to OPIC, since FE is in an accumulated deficit position with no retained earnings to declare a dividend. As noted above, for EPS reporting purposes, this beneficial conversion feature was reflected in net income attributable to common stockholders as a deemed dividend. The beneficial conversion feature ($296 million) was fully amortized during the third quarter of 2018. Each share of preferred stock was convertible at the holder’s option into a number of shares of common stock equal to the $1,000 liquidation preference, divided by the conversion price then in effect ($27.42 per share). The conversion price was subject to anti-dilution adjustments and adjustments for subdivisions and combinations of the common stock, as well as dividends on the common stock paid in common stock and for certain equity issuances below the conversion price then in effect. LONG-TERM DEBT AND OTHER LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS The following tables present outstanding long-term debt and finance lease obligations for FirstEnergy as of December 31, 2019 and 2018:
|  | As of December 31, 2019 |  | As of December 31,
(Dollar amounts in millions) |  | Maturity Date |  | Interest Rate |  | 2019 |  | 2018
FMBs and secured notes - fixed rate |  | 2020-2059 |  | 1.726% - 8.250% |  | $ | 4,741 |  |  | $ | 4,355 |
Unsecured notes - fixed rate |  | 2020-2049 |  | 2.850% - 7.375% |  | 14,575 |  |  | 13,450 |
Unsecured notes - variable rate |  | 2021 |  | 2.480% |  | 750 |  |  | 500 |
Finance lease obligations |  |  |  |  |  | 60 |  |  | 73 |
Unamortized debt discounts |  |  |  |  |  | (33) |  |  | (39) |
Unamortized debt issuance costs |  |  |  |  |  | (103) |  |  | (95) |
Unamortized fair value adjustments |  |  |  |  |  | 8 |  |  | 10 |
Currently payable long-term debt |  |  |  |  |  | (380) |  |  | (503) |
Total long-term debt and other long-term obligations |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 19,618 |  |  | $ | 17,751 |
On January 10, 2019, ME issued $500 million of 4.30% senior notes due 2029. Proceeds from the issuance of senior notes were primarily used to refinance existing indebtedness, including ME’s $300 million of 7.70% senior notes due 2019, and borrowings outstanding under the FE regulated utility money pool and the FE Facility, to fund capital expenditures, and for other general corporate purposes. On February 8, 2019, JCP&L issued $400 million of 4.30% senior notes due 2026. Proceeds from the issuance of the senior notes were primarily used to refinance existing indebtedness, including amounts outstanding under the FE regulated utility money pool incurred in connection with the repayment at maturity of JCP&L’s $300 million of 7.35% senior notes due 2019 and the funding of storm recovery and restoration costs and expenses, to fund capital expenditures and working capital requirements and for other general corporate purposes. On March 28, 2019, FET issued $500 million of 4.55% senior notes due 2049. Proceeds from the issuance of the senior notes were used primarily to support FET’s capital structure, to repay short-term borrowings outstanding under the FE unregulated money pool, to finance capital improvements, and for other general corporate purposes, including funding working capital needs and day-to-day operations. On April 15, 2019, ATSI issued $100 million of 4.38% senior notes due 2031. Proceeds from the issuance of the senior notes were used primarily to repay short-term borrowings, to fund capital expenditures and working capital needs, and for other general corporate purposes. On May 21, 2019, WP issued $100 million of 4.22% FMBs due 2059. Proceeds from the issuance of the FMBs were or are, as the case may be, used to refinance existing indebtedness, to fund capital expenditures, and for other general corporate purposes. On June 3, 2019, PN issued $300 million of 3.60% senior notes due 2029. Proceeds from the issuance of the senior notes were used to refinance existing indebtedness, including amounts outstanding under the FE regulated companies’ money pool incurred in connection with the repayment at maturity of PN’s $125 million of 6.63% senior notes due 2019, to fund capital expenditures, and for other general corporate purposes. On June 5, 2019, AGC issued $50 million of 4.47% senior unsecured notes due 2029. Proceeds from the issuance of the senior notes were used to improve liquidity, re-establish the debt component within its capital structure following the recent redemption of all of its existing long-term debt, and satisfy working capital requirements and other general corporate purposes. On August 15, 2019, WP issued $150 million of 4.22% FMBs due 2059. Proceeds were used to refinance existing indebtedness, fund capital expenditures and for other general corporate purposes. On November 14, 2019, MP issued $155 million of 3.23% FMBs due 2029 and $45 million of 3.93% FMBs due 2049. Proceeds were used to refinance existing debt, to fund capital expenditures, and for other general corporate purposes. See Note 8, "Leases," for additional information related to finance leases. Securitized Bonds Environmental Control Bonds The consolidated financial statements of FirstEnergy include environmental control bonds issued by two bankruptcy remote, special purpose limited liability companies that are indirect subsidiaries of MP and PE. Proceeds from the bonds were used to construct environmental control facilities. Principal and interest owed on the environmental control bonds is secured by, and payable solely from, the proceeds of the environmental control charges. Creditors of FirstEnergy, other than the limited liability company SPEs, have no recourse to any assets or revenues of the special purpose limited liability companies. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, $333 million and $358 million of environmental control bonds were outstanding, respectively. Transition Bonds In August 2006, JCP&L Transition Funding II sold transition bonds to securitize the recovery of deferred costs associated with JCP&L’s supply of BGS. JCP&L did not purchase and does not own any of the transition bonds, which are included as long-term debt on FirstEnergy’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The transition bonds are the sole obligations of JCP&L Transition Funding II and are collateralized by its equity and assets, which consist primarily of bondable transition property. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, $25 million and $41 million of the transition bonds were outstanding, respectively. Phase-In Recovery Bonds In June 2013, the SPEs formed by the Ohio Companies issued approximately $445 million of pass-through trust certificates supported by phase-in recovery bonds to securitize the recovery of certain all electric customer heating discounts, fuel and purchased power regulatory assets. The phase-in recovery bonds are payable only from, and secured by, phase in recovery property owned by the SPEs. The bondholder has no recourse to the general credit of FirstEnergy or any of the Ohio Companies. Each of the Ohio Companies, as servicer of its respective SPE, manages and administers the phase in recovery property including the billing, collection and remittance of usage-based charges payable by retail electric customers. In the aggregate, the Ohio Companies are entitled to annual servicing fees of $445 thousand that are recoverable through the usage-based charges. The SPEs are considered VIEs and each one is consolidated into its applicable utility. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, $268 million and $292 million of the phase-in recovery bonds were outstanding, respectively. Other Long-term Debt The Ohio Companies and Penn each have a first mortgage indenture under which they can issue FMBs secured by a direct first mortgage lien on substantially all of their property and franchises, other than specifically excepted property. Based on the amount of FMBs authenticated by the respective mortgage bond trustees as of December 31, 2019, the sinking fund requirement for all FMBs issued under the various mortgage indentures was zero. The following table presents scheduled debt repayments for outstanding long-term debt, excluding finance leases, fair value purchase accounting adjustments and unamortized debt discounts and premiums, for the next five years as of December 31, 2019. PCRBs that are scheduled to be tendered for mandatory purchase prior to maturity are reflected in the applicable year in which such PCRBs are scheduled to be tendered.
Year |  |  |  |
|  | (In millions) |  |
2020 |  | $ | 364 |  |  |
2021 |  | $ | 882 |  |  |
2022 |  | $ | 1,142 |  |  |
2023 |  | $ | 1,194 |  |  |
2024 |  | $ | 1,246 |  |  |
Certain PCRBs allow bondholders to tender their PCRBs for mandatory purchase prior to maturity. As of December 31, 2019, MP has a $73.5 million PCRB classified as long-term debt, which the debt holders may exercise their right to tender in 2021. Debt Covenant Default Provisions FirstEnergy has various debt covenants under certain financing arrangements, including its revolving credit facilities and term loans. The most restrictive of the debt covenants relate to the nonpayment of interest and/or principal on such debt and the maintenance of certain financial ratios. The failure by FirstEnergy to comply with the covenants contained in its financing arrangements could result in an event of default, which may have an adverse effect on its financial condition. As of December 31, 2019, FirstEnergy remains in compliance with all debt covenant provisions. Additionally, there are cross-default provisions in a number of the financing arrangements. These provisions generally trigger a default in the applicable financing arrangement of an entity if it or any of its significant subsidiaries, excluding AE Supply, default under another financing arrangement in excess of a certain principal amount, typically $100 million. Although such defaults by any of the Utilities, ATSI, TrAIL or MAIT would generally cross-default FE financing arrangements containing these provisions, defaults by AE Supply would generally not cross-default to applicable financing arrangements of FE. Also, defaults by FE would generally not cross-default applicable financing arrangements of any of FE’s subsidiaries. Cross-default provisions are not typically found in any of the senior notes or FMBs of FE or the Utilities.

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