v3.7.0.1
Segment Information
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment Information
SEGMENT INFORMATION
PHI is primarily a provider of helicopter transport services, including helicopter maintenance and repair services. We report our financial results through the three reportable segments further described below.

A segment’s operating profit or loss is its operating revenues less its direct expenses and selling, general and administrative expenses. A portion of our total selling, general and administrative expenses is charged directly to each segment, and a small portion is allocated to that segment. Direct charges represent the vast majority of segment selling, general and administrative expenses. Allocated selling, general and administrative expenses are based primarily on total segment costs as a percentage of total operating costs.
Oil and Gas Segment - Our Oil and Gas segment, headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana, provides helicopter services primarily for the major integrated and independent oil and gas production companies transporting personnel or equipment to offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Our customers include Shell Oil Company, BP America Production Company, ExxonMobil Production Company, and ConocoPhillips Company, with whom we have worked for 30 or more years, and ENI Petroleum, with whom we have worked for more than 15 years. At June 30, 2017, we had available for use 128 aircraft in this segment.

Operating revenue from our Oil and Gas segment is derived mainly from contracts that include a fixed monthly rate for a particular model of aircraft, plus a variable payments based on the amount of flight time. Operating costs for the Oil and Gas segment are primarily aircraft operation costs, including costs for pilots and maintenance personnel. We typically operate under fixed-term contracts with our customers, a substantial portion of which are competitively bid.

Our fixed-term contracts have terms of one to seven years (subject to provisions permitting early termination by the customers), with payment in U.S. dollars. For the quarters ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, approximately 51% and 52% of our total operating revenues were generated by our Oil and Gas segment, with approximately 88% and 92% of these revenues from fixed-term customer contracts. For the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, approximately 52% of our total operating revenues were generated by our Oil and Gas segment, with approximately 88% and 92% of these revenues from fixed-term customer contracts. The remaining 12% and 8% of these revenues were attributable to work in the spot market and ad hoc flights for contracted customers.
Air Medical Segment - The operations of our Air Medical segment are headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, where we maintain significant separate facilities and administrative staff dedicated to this segment.

We provide Air Medical transportation services for hospitals and emergency service agencies throughout the U.S. As of June 30, 2017, our Air Medical segment operated approximately 104 aircraft in 18 states at 72 separate locations.

Our Air Medical segment operates primarily under the independent provider model and, to a lesser extent, under the traditional provider model. Under the independent provider model, we have no fixed revenue stream and compete for transport referrals on a daily basis with other independent operators in the area. Under the traditional provider model, we contract directly with the customer to provide their transportation services, with the contracts typically awarded or renewed through competitive bidding. For the quarter ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, approximately 46% and 45% of our total operating revenues were generated by our Air Medical segment, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, approximately 44% of our total operating revenues were generated by our Air Medical segment.

As an independent provider, we bill for our services on the basis of a flat rate plus a variable charge per patient-loaded mile, regardless of aircraft model, and are typically compensated by private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare, or directly by transported patients who self-pay. As further described in Note 3, revenues are recorded net of contractual allowances under agreements with third party payors and estimated uncompensated care at the time the services are provided. Contractual allowances and uncompensated care are estimated based on historical collection experience by payor category (consisting mainly of insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and self-pay). Estimates regarding the payor mix and changes in reimbursement rates are the factors most subject to sensitivity and variability in calculating our allowances. We compute a historical payment analysis of accounts fully closed, by category.
Provisions for contractual discounts and estimated uncompensated care for our Air Medical segment (expressed as a percentage of gross segment billings) were as follows: 
 
 
Quarter Ended  
 June 30,
 
Quarter Ended  
 June 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
2017
 
2016
Provision for contractual discounts
 
63
%
 
65
%
 
66
%
 
69
%
Provision for uncompensated care
 
10
%
 
7
%
 
7
%
 
4
%


These percentages are affected by various factors, including rate increases and changes in the number of transports by payor mix.

Net reimbursement per transport from commercial payors generally increases when a rate increase is implemented. Net reimbursement from certain commercial payors, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, generally does not increase proportionately with rate increases.

Net revenue attributable to Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and Self-Pay (expressed as a percentage of net Air Medical revenues) were as follows: 
 
 
Quarter Ended  
 June 30,
 
Quarter Ended  
 June 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
2017
 
2016
Insurance
 
72
%
 
69
%
 
71
%
 
70
%
Medicare
 
18
%
 
18
%
 
18
%
 
18
%
Medicaid
 
8
%
 
9
%
 
9
%
 
10
%
Self-Pay
 
2
%
 
4
%
 
2
%
 
2
%


We also have a limited number of contracts with hospitals under which we receive a fixed fee component for aircraft availability and a variable fee component for flight time. Most of our contracts with hospitals contain provisions permitting early termination by the hospital, typically with 180 days’ notice for any reason and generally with penalty. Those contracts generated approximately 18% and 29% of the segment’s revenues for the quarters ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, these contracts generated approximately 30% of the segment's revenues.
Technical Services Segment - Our Technical Services segment provides helicopter repair and overhaul services for flight operations customers that own their aircraft. Costs associated with these services are primarily labor, and customers are generally billed at a percentage above our service costs. We also periodically provide flight services to governmental customers under this segment, including our agreement to operate six aircraft for the National Science Foundation in Antarctica, typically in the first and fourth quarters each year. Also included in this segment is our proprietary Helipass operations, which provides software as a service to certain of our Oil and Gas customers for the purpose of passenger check-in and compliance verification.
For the quarters ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, approximately 3% and 5%, respectively, of our total operating revenues were generated by our Technical Services segment. For the six month period ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, approximately 4%, respectively, of our total operating revenues were generated by our Technical Services segment.

Summarized financial information concerning our reportable operating segments for the quarters and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 is as follows: 
 
 
Quarter Ended  
 June 30,
 
Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
(Thousands of dollars)
Segment operating revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil and Gas
 
$
74,668

 
$
83,185

 
$
146,399

 
$
171,622

Air Medical
 
67,222

 
75,547

 
122,559

 
145,607

Technical Services
 
4,534

 
8,404

 
12,084

 
13,923

Total operating revenues, net
 
146,424

 
167,136

 
281,042

 
331,152

Segment direct expenses (1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil and Gas (2)
 
73,681

 
87,400

 
155,410

 
179,316

Air Medical
 
50,402

 
58,997

 
101,243

 
116,041

Technical Services
 
3,858

 
6,096

 
8,804

 
9,690

Total segment direct expenses
 
127,941

 
152,493

 
265,457

 
305,047

Segment selling, general and administrative expenses
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil and Gas
 
1,635

 
1,605

 
3,354

 
3,132

Air Medical
 
3,263

 
2,642

 
6,144

 
5,237

Technical Services
 
356

 
273

 
694

 
497

Total segment selling, general and administrative expenses
 
5,254

 
4,520

 
10,192

 
8,866

Total segment expenses
 
133,195

 
157,013

 
275,649

 
313,913

Net segment (loss) profit
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil and Gas
 
(648
)
 
(5,820
)
 
(12,365
)
 
(10,826
)
Air Medical
 
13,557

 
13,908

 
15,172

 
24,329

Technical Services
 
320

 
2,035

 
2,586

 
3,736

Total net segment profit
 
13,229

 
10,123

 
5,393

 
17,239

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other, net (3)
 
697

 
4,792

 
1,761

 
5,048

Unallocated selling, general and administrative costs (1)
 
(8,993
)
 
(7,258
)
 
(17,099
)
 
(14,585
)
Interest expense
 
(8,083
)
 
(7,540
)
 
(16,278
)
 
(15,073
)
(Loss) earnings before income taxes
 
$
(3,150
)
 
$
117

 
$
(26,223
)
 
$
(7,371
)
(1)
 Included in direct expenses and unallocated selling, general, and administrative costs are the depreciation and amortization expense amounts below:
 
 
Depreciation and Amortization Expense
 
 
Quarter Ended  
 June 30,
 
Six Months Ended 
 June 30,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
(Thousands of dollars)
Segment Direct Expense:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oil and Gas
 
$
9,824

 
$
10,024

 
$
19,686

 
$
19,942

Air Medical
 
5,219

 
5,132

 
10,696

 
9,387

Technical Services
 
148

 
157

 
294

 
285

Total
 
$
15,191

 
$
15,313

 
$
30,676

 
$
29,614

Unallocated SG&A
 
$
622

 
$
2,476

 
$
3,335

 
$
5,147


(2)
 Includes Equity in loss of unconsolidated affiliates, net.
(3)
Consists of gains on disposition of property and equipment and other income.