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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Aug. 31, 2013
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Organization CHS Inc. (CHS, we, us, our) is one of the nation’s leading integrated agricultural companies. As a cooperative, CHS is owned by farmers and ranchers and their member cooperatives (members) across the United States. We also have preferred stockholders that own shares of our 8% Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (8% Preferred Stock), which is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (NASDAQ) under the symbol CHSCP. On August 31, 2013, we had 12,272,003 shares of our 8% Preferred Stock outstanding. During September 2013, we issued 11,319,175 shares of Class B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Class B Preferred Stock), which is listed on the NASDAQ under the symbol CHSCO. We buy commodities from and provide products and services to patrons (including member and other non-member customers), both domestic and international. We provide a wide variety of products and services, from initial agricultural inputs such as fuels, farm supplies, crop nutrients and crop protection products, to agricultural outputs that include grains and oilseeds, grain and oilseed processing and food products. A portion of our operations are conducted through equity investments and joint ventures whose operating results are not fully consolidated with our results; rather, a proportionate share of the income or loss from those entities is included as a component in our net income under the equity method of accounting. Basis of Presentation and Revisions The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of CHS and all of our wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries and limited liability companies, which is primarily National Cooperative Refinery Association (NCRA), included in our Energy segment. The effects of all significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated. We previously reported certain derivatives assets and liabilities on a net basis on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We have determined that such derivatives should have been reported on a gross basis and have revised our fiscal 2012 Consolidated Balance Sheet, which resulted in an increase in derivative assets of $221.9 million, an increase in derivatives liabilities of $340.8 million and a decrease of Accounts Payable of $118.9 million. The fiscal 2012 and 2011 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have also been revised for these changes with no impact to net operating, investing or financing cash flows. We do not believe these revisions are material. The related amounts in our fiscal 2013 interim financial statements will be revised when our 2014 interim financial statements are issued. As of September 1, 2011, we changed the expected useful lives of certain fixed assets in our Energy segment. We increased the expected useful lives of refining and asphalt assets from 16 years to 20 years, which reduced depreciation expense by approximately $27.0 million in fiscal 2012. In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income.” ASU No. 2011-05 eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of stockholders’ equity. ASU 2011-05 requires an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU No. 2011-05 became effective for us during fiscal 2013. The required disclosures of this update are included in our Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. Cash Equivalents Cash equivalents includes short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less at the date of acquisition. Inventories Grain, processed grain, oilseed and processed oilseed are stated at net realizable values which approximate market values. All other inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Costs for inventories produced or modified by us through a manufacturing process include fixed and variable production and raw material costs, and in-bound freight costs for raw materials. Costs for inventories purchased for resale include the cost of products and freight incurred to place the products at our points of sale. The costs of certain energy inventories (wholesale refined products, crude oil and asphalt) are determined on the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method; all other inventories of non-grain products purchased for resale are valued on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) and average cost methods. Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities Our derivative instruments primarily consist of commodity and freight futures and forward contracts and, to a minor degree, may include foreign currency and interest rate swap contracts. These contracts are economic hedges of price risk, but are not designated or accounted for as hedging instruments for accounting purposes, with the exception of certain interest rate swap contracts which are accounted for as cash flow hedges. Derivative instruments are recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair values as described in Note 12, Fair Value Measurements. Even though we have netting arrangements for our exchange-traded futures and options contracts and certain over-the-counter (OTC) contracts, we report our derivative on a gross basis on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our associated margin deposits are also reported on a gross basis. As of August 31, 2013 and 2012, we had the following outstanding purchase and sale contracts:
| 2013 |  | 2012
| Purchase Contracts |  | Sale Contracts |  | Purchase Contracts |  | Sale Contracts
| (Units in thousands)
Grain and oilseed - bushels | 521,979 |  | 806,295 |  | 722,895 |  | 1,074,535
Energy products - barrels | 12,626 |  | 21,312 |  | 9,047 |  | 19,561
Soy products - tons | 24 |  | 847 |  | 15 |  | 215
Crop nutrients - tons | 968 |  | 1,050 |  | 600 |  | 725
Ocean and barge freight - metric tons | 1,225 |  | 151 |  | 1,018 |  | 183
Rail freight - rail cars | 220 |  | 43 |  | 184 |  | 34
Livestock - pounds |  |  | 17,280 |  | 2,560 |  | 3,440
As of August 31, 2013 and 2012, with the exception of our interest rate swaps described below, our derivative assets and liabilities are not designated as hedging instruments. The following table sets forth the pretax gains (losses) on derivatives not designated as hedging instruments that have been included in our Consolidated Statements of Operations during fiscal 2013 and 2012.
| Location of Gain (Loss) |  | 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
|  |  | (Dollars in thousands)
Commodity and freight derivatives | Cost of goods sold |  | $ | (482,352 | ) |  | $ | 311,167 |  |  | $ | 186,265 |
Foreign exchange derivatives | Cost of goods sold |  | (452 | ) |  | (5,219 | ) |  | 3,363 |
Interest rate derivatives | Interest, net |  | 300 |  |  | 206 |  |  | 522 |
|  |  | $ | (482,504 | ) |  | $ | 306,154 |  |  | $ | 190,150 |
As of August 31, 2013 and 2012, the gross fair values of derivative assets and liabilities as cash flow hedging instruments were as follows:
| 2013 |  | 2012
| (Dollars in thousands)
Derivative Assets: |  |  |
Interest rate swaps | $ | 24,135 |  |  |
During the year ended August 31, 2013, we entered into derivative contracts designated as cash flow hedging instruments which expire during fiscal 2014, with $0.9 million expected to be included in earnings during the next 12 months. As of August 31, 2013 and 2012, the unrealized gains deferred to accumulated other comprehensive loss were as follows:
| 2013 |  | 2012
| (Dollars in thousands)
Gains included in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax expense of $9.2 million in 2013 | $ | 14,930 |  |  |
Commodity and Freight Contracts: When we enter into a commodity or freight purchase or sales contract, we incur risks related to price changes and performance (including delivery, quality, quantity, and counterparty credit). We are exposed to risk of loss in the market value of positions held, consisting of inventory and purchase contracts at a fixed or partially fixed price in the event market prices decrease. We are also exposed to risk of loss on fixed or partially fixed price sales contracts in the event market prices increase. Our commodity contracts primarily relate to grain, oilseed, energy (crude, refined products and propane) and fertilizer commodities. Our freight contracts primarily relate to rail, barge and ocean freight transactions. Our use of commodity and freight contracts reduces the effects of price volatility, thereby protecting us against adverse short-term price movements, while limiting the benefits of short-term price movements. To reduce the price change risks associated with holding fixed price commitments, we generally take opposite and offsetting positions by entering into commodity futures contracts or options in order to arrive at a net commodity position within the formal position limits we have established and deemed prudent for each commodity. These contracts are purchased and sold through regulated commodity futures exchanges for grain, and regulated mercantile exchanges for refined products and crude oil. We also use OTC instruments to hedge our exposure to price fluctuations on commodities and fixed price arrangements. The price risk we encounter for crude oil and most of the grain and oilseed volumes we handle can be hedged. Price risk associated with fertilizer and certain grains cannot be hedged with futures because there are no futures for these commodities and, as a result, risk is managed through the use of forward sales contracts and other pricing arrangements and, to some extent, cross-commodity futures hedging. Certain fertilizer and propane contracts are accounted for as normal purchase and normal sales transactions. We expect all normal purchase and normal sales transactions to result in physical settlement. When a futures contract is entered into, an initial margin deposit must be sent to the applicable exchange or broker. The amount of the deposit is set by the exchange and varies by commodity. If the market price of a short futures contract increases, then an additional maintenance margin deposit would be required. Similarly, if the price of a long futures contract decreases, a maintenance margin deposit would be required and sent to the applicable exchange. Subsequent price changes could require additional maintenance margins or could result in the return of maintenance margins. Our policy is to primarily maintain hedged positions in grain and oilseed. Our profitability from operations is primarily derived from margins on products sold and grain merchandised, not from hedging transactions. At any one time, inventory and purchase contracts for delivery to us may be substantial. Our risk management policies and procedures include net position limits. These limits are defined for each commodity and include both trader and management limits. The policy and procedures in our grain marketing operations require a review by operations management when any trader is outside of position limits and also a review by senior management if operating areas are outside of position limits. A similar process is used in energy and wholesale crop nutrients operations. Position limits are reviewed, at least annually, with management and the Board of Directors. We monitor current market conditions and may expand or reduce our net position limits or procedures in response to changes in conditions. In addition, all purchase and sales contracts are subject to credit approvals and appropriate terms and conditions. Hedging arrangements do not protect against nonperformance by counterparties to contracts. We primarily use exchange traded instruments which minimize exposure to counterparties' nonperformance. We evaluate exposure by reviewing contracts and adjusting the values to reflect potential nonperformance. Risk of nonperformance by counterparties includes the inability to perform because of the counterparty’s financial condition and also the risk that the counterparty will refuse to perform on a contract during periods of price fluctuations where contract prices are significantly different than current market prices. We manage risks by entering into fixed price purchase and sales contracts with preapproved producers and by establishing appropriate limits for individual suppliers. Fixed price contracts are entered into with customers of acceptable creditworthiness, as internally evaluated. Historically, we have not experienced significant events of nonperformance on open contracts. Accordingly, we only adjust the estimated fair values of specifically identified contracts for nonperformance. Although we have established policies and procedures, we make no assurances that historical nonperformance experience will carry forward to future periods. Interest Rate Contracts: Short-term debt used to finance inventories and receivables is represented by notes payable with maturities of 30 days or less, so that our blended interest rate for all such notes approximates current market rates. During our year ended August 31, 2013, we entered into interest rate swaps to secure the interest rates related to our private placement debt anticipated to be issued in April 2014 with combined notional amounts of $300.0 million. These derivative instruments are designated as cash flow hedges for accounting purposes and, accordingly, the net gain associated with these contracts of $24.1 million as of August 31, 2013 was recorded as a component of other comprehensive loss. CHS Capital, LLC (CHS Capital), our wholly-owned finance subsidiary, has interest rate swaps that lock the interest rates of the underlying loans with a combined notional amount of $8.6 million expiring at various times through fiscal 2018, with $0.3 million of the notional amount expiring during fiscal 2014. None of CHS Capital’s interest rate swaps qualify for hedge accounting and as a result, changes in fair value are recorded in earnings within interest, net in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Long-term debt used to finance non-current assets carries various fixed interest rates and is payable at various dates to minimize the effects of market interest rate changes. The weighted-average interest rate on fixed rate debt outstanding on August 31, 2013 was approximately 5.0%. Foreign Exchange Contracts: We conduct essentially all of our business in U.S. dollars, except for grain marketing operations primarily in South America and Europe, and purchases of products from Canada. We had minimal risk regarding foreign currency fluctuations during fiscal 2013 and in prior years, as substantially all international sales were denominated in U.S. dollars. From time to time, we enter into foreign currency futures contracts to mitigate currency fluctuations. Foreign currency fluctuations do, however, impact the ability of foreign buyers to purchase U.S. agricultural products and the competitiveness of U.S. agricultural products compared to the same products offered by alternative sources of world supply. As of August 31, 2013, we had $7.1 million included in derivative assets and $5.9 million included in derivative liabilities associated with foreign currency contracts. Margin Deposits Many of our derivative contracts with futures and options brokers require us to make both initial margin deposits of cash or other assets and subsequent deposits, depending on changes in commodity prices, in order to comply with applicable regulations. Our margin deposit assets are held by external brokers in segregated accounts and will be used to settle the associated derivative contracts on their specified settlement dates. Investments Joint ventures and other investments, in which we have significant ownership and influence, but not control, are accounted for in our consolidated financial statements using the equity method of accounting. Investments in other cooperatives are stated at cost, plus patronage dividends received in the form of capital stock and other equities. Patronage dividends are recorded as a reduction to cost of goods sold at the time qualified written notices of allocation are received. Investments in other debt and equity securities are considered available for sale financial instruments and are stated at fair value, with unrealized amounts included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Investments in debt and equity instruments are carried at amounts that approximate fair values. Investments in joint ventures and cooperatives have no quoted market prices. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are provided on the straight-line method by charges to operations at rates based upon the expected useful lives of individual or groups of assets (15 to 20 years for land and land improvements; 20 to 40 years for buildings; 5 to 20 years for machinery and equipment; and 3 to 10 years for office and other). The cost and related accumulated depreciation and amortization of assets sold or otherwise disposed of are removed from the related accounts and resulting gains or losses are reflected in operations. Expenditures for maintenance and minor repairs and renewals are expensed, while costs of major repairs and betterments are capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis over the period of time estimated to lapse until the next major repair occurs. Property, plant and equipment and other long-lived assets are reviewed in order to assess recoverability based on projected income and related cash flows on an undiscounted basis when triggering events occur. Should the sum of the expected future net cash flows be less than the carrying value, an impairment loss would be recognized. An impairment loss would be measured by the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. We have asset retirement obligations with respect to certain of our refineries and related assets due to various legal obligations to clean and/or dispose of various component parts at the time they are retired. However, these assets can be used for extended and indeterminate periods of time, as long as they are properly maintained and/or upgraded. It is our practice and current intent to maintain refineries and related assets and to continue making improvements to those assets based on technological advances. As a result, we believe our refineries and related assets have indeterminate lives for purposes of estimating asset retirement obligations because dates or ranges of dates upon which we would retire a refinery and related assets cannot reasonably be estimated at this time. When a date or range of dates can reasonably be estimated for the retirement of any component part of a refinery or related asset, we will estimate the cost of performing the retirement activities and record a liability for the fair value of that cost using established present value techniques. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill and other intangible assets are reviewed for impairment annually or more frequently if impairment conditions arise, and those that are impaired are written down to fair value. For goodwill, annual impairment testing occurs in the third quarter. Other intangible assets consist primarily of customer lists, trademarks and agreements not to compete. Intangible assets subject to amortization are expensed over their respective useful lives (ranging from 2 to 30 years). We have no material intangible assets with indefinite useful lives. We made various acquisitions during the three years ended August 31, 2013, which were accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting. Operating results of the acquisitions were included in our consolidated financial statements since the respective acquisition dates. The respective purchase prices were allocated to the assets, liabilities and identifiable intangible assets acquired based upon the estimated fair values. The excess purchase prices over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired have been reported as goodwill. In our Energy segment, major maintenance activities (turnarounds) at the two refineries are accounted for under the deferral method. Turnarounds are the scheduled and required shutdowns of refinery processing units. The costs related to the significant overhaul and refurbishment activities include materials and direct labor costs. The costs of turnarounds are deferred when incurred and amortized on a straight-line basis over the period of time estimated to lapse until the next turnaround occurs, which is generally 2 to 4 years. Amortization expense related to turnaround costs is included in cost of goods sold in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. The selection of the deferral method, as opposed to expensing the turnaround costs when incurred, results in deferring recognition of the turnaround expenditures. The deferral method also results in the classification of the related cash outflows as investing activities in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, whereas expensing these costs as incurred, would result in classifying the cash outflows as operating activities. Revenue Recognition We provide a wide variety of products and services, from production agricultural inputs such as fuels, farm supplies and crop nutrients, to agricultural outputs that include grain and oilseed, processed grains and oilseeds and food products. We recognize revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable, and collection is probable. Grain and oilseed sales are recorded after the commodity has been delivered to its destination and final weights, grades and settlement prices have been agreed upon. All other sales are recognized upon transfer of title, which could occur either upon shipment to or receipt by the customer, depending upon the terms of the transaction. Amounts billed to a customer as part of a sales transaction related to shipping and handling are included in revenues. Environmental Expenditures Liabilities, including legal costs, related to remediation of contaminated properties are recognized when the related costs are considered probable and can be reasonably estimated. Estimates of environmental costs are based on current available facts, existing technology, undiscounted site-specific costs and currently enacted laws and regulations. Recoveries, if any, are recorded in the period in which recovery is received. Liabilities are monitored and adjusted as new facts or changes in law or technology occur. Environmental expenditures are capitalized when such costs provide future economic benefits. Income Taxes CHS is a nonexempt agricultural cooperative and files a consolidated federal income tax return with our 80% or more owned subsidiaries. We are subject to tax on income from nonpatronage sources, non-qualified patronage distributions and undistributed patronage-sourced income. Income tax expense is primarily the current tax payable for the period and the change during the period in certain deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred income taxes reflect the impact of temporary differences between the amounts of assets and liabilities recognized for financial reporting purposes and such amounts recognized for federal and state income tax purposes, based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. 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 financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In December 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-11, “Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.” ASU No. 2011-11 creates new disclosure requirements about the nature of an entity’s rights of setoff and related arrangements associated with its financial instruments and derivative instruments. The disclosure requirements in this update are effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods within those years, beginning on or after January 1, 2013. We are currently evaluating the impact that the adoption will have on our consolidated financial statements in fiscal 2014. In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02, "Comprehensive Income." ASU No. 2013-02 requires an entity to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. In addition, an entity is required to present, either in the consolidated statements of operations or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income, but only if the amount reclassified is required to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures required that provide additional detail about those amounts. These amendments are only disclosure related and will not have an impact on our financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income or cash flows. ASU No. 2013-02 will become effective for us in fiscal 2014. In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-04, "Liabilities." ASU No. 2013-04 requires an entity to measure obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this guidance is fixed at the reporting date, as the sum of the amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among its co-obligors and any additional amount the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The guidance in this ASU also requires an entity to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information about those obligations. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. We are currently evaluating the impact that the adoption will have on our consolidated financial statements in fiscal 2015. In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740) — Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists.” ASU No. 2013-11 provides guidance on the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits that will better reflect the manner in which an entity would settle at the reporting date any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position when net operating loss carryforwards, similar tax losses, or tax credit carryforwards exist. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013 and early adoption is permitted. This will be effective for us in fiscal 2015 and we do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

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