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Capitalization | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2022
Capitalization [Abstract] |
Capitalization | Note 6 - Capitalization All the transactions discussed below related to the issuance of securities were approved by either the NJBPU or DEPSC, except where otherwise noted. Common Stock The Company issues shares of its common stock in connection with its Middlesex Water Company Investment Plan (the Investment Plan), a direct share purchase and dividend reinvestment plan for the Company’s common stock. The Company raised approximately $10.3 million under the Investment Plan during 2022. On March 1, 2023, the Company will begin offering shares of its common stock for purchase at a 3% discount to participants in the Investment Plan. The discount offering will continue until 200,000 shares are purchased at the discounted price or December 1, 2023, whichever event occurs first. The discount applies to all common stock purchases made under the Investment Plan, whether by optional cash payment or by dividend reinvestment. Since the inception of the Investment Plan and its predecessor plan, the Company has periodically replenished the level of authorized shares in the plans. Currently, 0.2 million shares remain registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for the Investment Plan and available for potential issuance to participants. Middlesex has filed a petition with the NJBPU seeking to increase the number of authorized shares under the Investment Plan by 0.7 million shares. The Company issues common shares under a restricted stock plan for certain management employees, which is described in Note 7 – Employee Benefit Plans. The Company maintains a stock plan for its independent Directors as a component of outside members of the Board of Directors compensation. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, 2,664, 3,444 and 4,074 shares, respectively, of Middlesex common stock were granted and issued to the Company’s independent Directors under the plan. The maximum number of shares authorized for grant under the plan is 100,000, of which 46,461 shares remain available for future awards. In the event dividends on the preferred stock are in arrears, no dividends may be declared or paid on the common stock of the Company. Preferred Stock At December 31, 2022 and 2021, there were 120,000 shares of preferred stock authorized and less than 21,000 shares of preferred stock outstanding. There were no preferred stock dividends in arrears. The Company may not pay any dividends on its common stock unless full cumulative dividends to the preceding dividend date for all outstanding shares of preferred stock have been paid or set aside for payment. If four or more quarterly dividends are in arrears, the preferred shareholders, as a class, are entitled to elect two members to the Board of Directors in addition to Directors elected by holders of the common stock. In addition, if Middlesex were to liquidate, holders of preferred stock would be paid back the stated value of their preferred shares before any distributions could be made to common stockholders. The conversion feature of the no par $7.00 Series Cumulative and Convertible Preferred Stock allows the security holders to exchange one convertible preferred share for twelve shares of the Company's common stock. In addition, the Company may redeem up to 10% of the outstanding convertible stock in any calendar year at a price equal to the fair value of twelve shares of the Company's common stock for each share of convertible stock redeemed. Long-term Debt Subject to regulatory approval, the Company periodically issues long-term debt to fund its investments in utility plant. To the extent possible and fiscally prudent, the Company finances qualifying capital projects under State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan programs in New Jersey and Delaware. These government programs provide financing at interest rates typically below rates available in the broader financial markets. A portion of the borrowings under the New Jersey SRF is interest-free. Under the New Jersey SRF program, borrowers first enter into a construction loan agreement with the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank (NJIB) at a below market interest rate. The interest rate on the Company’s current construction loan borrowings is zero percent (0%). When construction on the qualifying project is substantially complete, NJIB will coordinate the conversion of the construction loan into a long-term securitized loan with a portion of the principal balance having a stated interest rate of zero percent (0%) and a portion of the principal balance at a market interest rate at the time of closing using the credit rating of the State of New Jersey. The term of the long-term loans currently offered through the NJIB is up to thirty years. In May 2022, Middlesex repaid two outstanding NJIB construction loans by issuing First Mortgage Bonds (FMBs) to the NJIB under two loan agreements. The total amount of FMBs issued is $52.2 million and designated as Series 2022A ($16.2 million) and Series 2022B ($36.0 million). The interest rate on the Series 2022A bond is zero and the interest rate on the Series 2022B bond ranges between 2.7% and 3.0%. The final maturity date for both FMBs is August 1, 2056, with scheduled debt service payments over the life of these loans. The NJIB has changed the SRF program for project funding priority ranking, the proportions of interest free loans and market interest rate loans and overall loan limits on interest free loan balances to investor-owned water utilities. These changes affect SRF projects for which the construction loan closes after September 2018. Under the new guidelines, the principal balance having a stated interest rate of zero percent (0%) is 25% of the loan balance with the remaining portion of 75% having a market based interest rate. This is limited to the first $10.0 million of the loan. Loan amounts above $10.0 million do not participate in the 0% rate program, but do participate at the market based interest rate. As a result of all these changes, the Company’s future capital funding plan currently does not include participating in the NJIB SRF program. In June 2021, Middlesex received approval from the NJBPU to redeem up to $45.5 million of outstanding FMBs, specifically Series RR ($22.5 million) and Series SS ($23.0 million), and issue replacement FMBs at an overall lower cost of debt. In November 2021, Middlesex closed on a $45.5 million, 2.90% private placement of FMBs, designated as Series 2021B with a 2051 maturity date to effectuate the redemptions. In May 2020, Middlesex received approval from the NJBPU to borrow up to $100 million, in one or more private placement transactions through December 31, 2023 to help fund Middlesex’s multi-year capital construction program. In connection with this approval:
| ● | In November 2021, Middlesex closed on a $19.5 million, 2.79% private placement of FMBs with a 2041 maturity date designated as Series 2021A. Proceeds were used to reduce the Company’s outstanding balances under its lines of credit.; and
| ● | In November 2020, Middlesex closed on a $40.0 million, 2.90% private placement of FMBs with a 2050 maturity date designated as Series 2020A. Proceeds were used to reduce the Company’s outstanding balances under its lines of credit and for the Company’s 2020 capital program.
In December 2021, Tidewater closed on the DEPSC approved $5.0 million Delaware SRF Program loan and began receiving disbursements in January 2022. Tidewater has borrowed $2.6 million under this loan with borrowing expected to continue through mid-2023. The final maturity date on the loan is 2044. In September 2021, Tidewater completed its $20 million secured borrowing with CoBank, at an interest rate of 3.94% with a 2046 maturity date. Proceeds from the loan were used to pay off its outstanding balances under its lines of credit. The aggregate annual principal repayment obligations for all long-term debt over the next five years and thereafter are shown below:
Year |  | (Millions of Dollars) Annual Maturities |
2023 |  | $ | 17.5 |
2024 |  | $ | 7.4 |
2025 |  | $ | 6.9 |
2026 |  | $ | 6.7 |
2027 |  | $ | 6.4 |
Thereafter |  | $ | 261.5 |
The weighted average interest rate on all long-term debt at December 31, 2022 and 2021 was 2.98% and 2.83%, respectively. Except for the FMB Series 2020 ($40.0 million), FMB Series 2021 ($65.0 million) and Amortizing Secured Notes ($44.9 million), all of the Company’s outstanding long-term debt has been issued through the NJEDA ($63.6 million), the NJIB SRF program ($83.7 million) and the Delaware SRF program ($9.2 million). Substantially all of the utility plant of the Company is subject to the lien of its mortgage, which includes debt service and capital ratio covenants. The Company is in compliance with all of its mortgage covenants and restrictions. Earnings Per Share The following table presents the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020. Basic EPS is computed on the basis of the weighted average number of shares outstanding. Diluted EPS assumes the conversion of the Convertible Preferred Stock $7.00 Series.
|  | (In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts) |
|  | 2022 |  |  | 2021 |  |  | 2020 |  |  |  |
Basic: |  | Income |  |  | Shares |  |  | Income |  |  | Shares |  |  | Income |  |  | Shares |
Net Income |  | $ | 42,429 |  |  |  | 17,597 |  |  | $ | 36,543 |  |  |  | 17,492 |  |  | $ | 38,425 |  |  |  | 17,459 |
Preferred Dividend |  |  | (120 | ) |  |  |  |  |  |  | (120 | ) |  |  |  |  |  |  | (120 | ) |  |  |  |
Earnings Applicable to Common Stock |  | $ | 42,309 |  |  |  | 17,597 |  |  | $ | 36,423 |  |  |  | 17,492 |  |  | $ | 38,305 |  |  |  | 17,459 |
Basic EPS |  | $ | 2.40 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 2.08 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 2.19 |  |  |  |  |
Diluted: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Earnings Applicable to Common Stock |  | $ | 42,309 |  |  |  | 17,597 |  |  | $ | 36,423 |  |  |  | 17,492 |  |  | $ | 38,305 |  |  |  | 17,459 |
$7.00 Series Dividend |  |  | 67 |  |  |  | 115 |  |  |  | 67 |  |  |  | 115 |  |  |  | 67 |  |  |  | 115 |
Adjusted Earnings Applicable to Common Stock |  | $ | 42,376 |  |  |  | 17,712 |  |  | $ | 36,490 |  |  |  | 17,607 |  |  | $ | 38,372 |  |  |  | 17,574 |
Diluted EPS |  | $ | 2.39 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 2.07 |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ | 2.18 |  |  |  |  |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating its fair value disclosure for financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value. The carrying amounts reflected in the consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and notes payable approximate their respective fair values due to the short-term maturities of these instruments. The fair value of FMBs and SRF Bonds (collectively, the Bonds) issued by Middlesex is based on quoted market prices for similar issues. Under the fair value hierarchy, the fair value of cash and cash equivalents is classified as a Level 1 measurement and the fair value of notes payable and the Bonds in the table below are classified as Level 2 measurements. The carrying amount and fair value of the Bonds were as follows:
|  | (Thousands of Dollars) |
|  | At December 31, |
|  | 2022 |  |  | 2021 |
|  | Carrying |  |  | Fair |  |  | Carrying |  |  | Fair |
|  | Amount |  |  | Value |  |  | Amount |  |  | Value |
FMBs |  | $ | 147,269 |  |  | $ | 138,756 |  |  | $ | 98,828 |  |  | $ | 107,781 |
It was not practicable to estimate their fair value on our outstanding long-term debt for which there is no quoted market price and there is not an active trading market. For details, including carrying value, interest rate and due date on these series of long-term debt, please refer to those series of long-term debt titled “Amortizing Secured Notes”, “State Revolving Trust Notes”, “State Revolving Fund Bond” and “Construction Loans” on the Consolidated Statements of Capital Stock and Long-Term Debt. The carrying amount of these instruments was $159.1 million and $212.3 million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Customer advances for construction have carrying amounts of $21.4 million and $23.5 million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Their relative fair values cannot be accurately estimated since future refund payments depend on several variables, including new customer connections, customer consumption levels and future rate increases.

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