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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
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12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Nov. 30, 2012
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| Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Use of Estimates |
A. Use of Estimates – The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, recognition of distribution income and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. |
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| Investment Securities |
B. Investment Securities – The Company’s investments in securities are classified as either trading or other equity securities:
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| Security Transactions and Fair Value |
C. Security Transactions and Fair Value – Security transactions are accounted for on the date the securities are purchased or sold (trade date). Realized gains and losses are reported on an identified cost basis. For equity securities that are freely tradable and listed on a securities exchange or over-the-counter market, the Company fair values those securities at their last sale price on that exchange or over-the-counter market on the valuation date. If the security is listed on more than one exchange, the Company will use the price from the exchange that it considers to be the principal exchange on which the security is traded. Securities listed on the NASDAQ will be valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price, which may not necessarily represent the last sale price. If there has been no sale on such exchange or over-the-counter market on such day, the security will be valued at the mean between the last bid price and last ask price on such day. An equity security of a publicly traded company acquired in a private placement transaction without registration is subject to restrictions on resale that can affect the security’s liquidity and fair value. Such securities that are convertible into or otherwise will become freely tradable will be valued based on the market value of the freely tradable security less an applicable discount. Generally, the discount will initially be equal to the discount at which the Company purchased the securities. To the extent that such securities are convertible or otherwise become freely tradable within a time frame that may be reasonably determined, an amortization schedule may be used to determine the discount. The major components of net realized and unrealized gain on trading securities for the years ended November 30, 2012, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:
The Company holds investments in illiquid securities including debt and equity securities of privately-held companies. These investments generally are subject to restrictions on resale, have no established trading market and are fair valued on a quarterly basis. Because of the inherent uncertainty of valuation, the fair values of such investments, which are determined in accordance with procedures approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, may differ materially from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for the investments. The Company’s Board of Directors may consider other methods of valuing investments as appropriate and in conformity with GAAP. The Company determines fair value to be the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company has determined the principal market, or the market in which the Company exits its private portfolio investments with the greatest volume and level of activity, to be the private secondary market. Typically, private companies are bought and sold based on multiples of EBITDA, cash flows, net income, revenues, or in limited cases, book value. For private company investments, value is often realized through a liquidity event of the entire company. Therefore, the value of the company as a whole (enterprise value) at the reporting date often provides the best evidence of the value of the investment and is the initial step for valuing the Company’s privately issued securities. For any one company, enterprise value may best be expressed as a range of fair values, from which a single estimate of fair value will be derived. In determining the enterprise value of a portfolio company, an analysis is prepared consisting of traditional valuation methodologies including market and income approaches. The Company considers some or all of the traditional valuation methods based on the individual circumstances of the portfolio company in order to derive its estimate of enterprise value. The fair value of investments in private portfolio companies is determined based on various factors, including enterprise value, observable market transactions, such as recent offers to purchase a company, recent transactions involving the purchase or sale of the equity securities of the company, or other liquidation events. The determined equity values may be discounted when the Company has a minority position, or is subject to restrictions on resale, has specific concerns about the receptivity of the capital markets to a specific company at a certain time, or other comparable factors exist. The Company undertakes a multi-step valuation process each quarter in connection with determining the fair value of private investments. An independent valuation firm has been engaged by the Company to provide independent, third-party valuation consulting services based on procedures that the Company has identified and may ask them to perform from time to time on all or a selection of private investments as determined by the Company. The multi-step valuation process is specific to the level of assurance that the Company requests from the independent valuation firm. For positive assurance, the process is as follows:
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| Cash and Cash Equivalents |
D. Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company maintains cash balances at financial institutions in amounts that regularly exceed FDIC insured limits. The Company’s cash equivalents are comprised of short-term, liquid money market instruments. |
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| Accounts Receivable |
E. Accounts Receivable – Accounts receivable are presented at face value net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Accounts are considered past due based on the terms of sale with the customers. The Company reviews accounts for collectability based on an analysis of specific outstanding receivables, current economic conditions and past collection experience. At November 30, 2012, Management determined that an allowance for doubtful accounts related to our leases was not required. Lease payments by our Major Tenant, as defined within Note 9, have remained timely and without lapse. |
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| Revenue and Other Income Recognition |
F. Revenue and Other Income Recognition – Specific policies for the Company’s revenue and other income items are as follows:
Upon the November 1, 2012 execution of the Asset Purchase Agreement related to our leased property (see Note 7 for further information), rental payments on the leased property are to be received in advance and are classified as unearned income and included in liabilities within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Unearned income is amortized ratably over the lease period as revenue recognition criteria are met.
For the year ended November 30, 2012, the Company estimated the allocation of investment income and distributions received from investment securities for the distributions received during the period from its portfolio companies within the Consolidated Statements of Income. For this period, the Company has estimated approximately 3 percent as investment income and approximately 97 percent distributions received from investment securities. The return of capital portions of the distributions are reflected on the Consolidated Cash Flow Statements as “distributions received from investment securities.”
During the year ended November 30, 2012, the Company reallocated the amount of 2011 investment income and return of capital it recognized based on the 2011 tax reporting information received from individual portfolio companies. This reclassification amounted to a decrease in net distributions and dividend income on securities of approximately $448,000 or $.05 per share ($281,000 or $0.03 per share, net of deferred tax benefit); an increase in net realized and unrealized gains on trading and other equity securities of $448,000 or $.05 per share ($281,000 or $0.03 per share, net of deferred tax expense) for the year ended November 30, 2011. |
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| Cost of Sales |
G. Cost of Sales – Included in the Company’s cost of sales are the amounts paid for gas and propane, along with related transportation, which are delivered to customers, as well as the cost of material and labor related to the expansion of the natural gas distribution system. |
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| Distributions to Stockholders |
H. Distributions to Stockholders – The amount of any quarterly distributions to stockholders will be determined by the Board of Directors. Distributions to stockholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. The character of distributions made during the year may differ from their ultimate characterization for federal income tax purposes. For the years ended November 30, 2012, November 30, 2011 and November 30, 2010, the source of the Company’s distributions for book purposes was primarily received from investment securities. For the year ended November 30, 2012, the Company’s distributions for tax purposes were comprised of 100 percent return of capital. For the year ended November 30, 2011, the Company’s distributions for tax purposes were comprised of 100 percent qualified dividend income. For the year ended November 30, 2010, the Company’s distributions for tax purposes were comprised of 100 percent return of capital. |
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| Federal and State Income Taxation |
I. Federal and State Income Taxation – The Company, as a corporation, is obligated to pay federal and state income tax on its taxable income. Currently, the highest regular marginal federal income tax rate for a corporation is 35 percent. The Company may be subject to a 20 percent federal alternative minimum tax on its federal alternative minimum taxable income to the extent that its alternative minimum tax exceeds its regular federal income tax. The Company’s trading securities and other equity securities are limited partnerships or limited liability companies which are treated as partnerships for federal and state income tax purposes. As a limited partner, the Company reports its allocable share of taxable income in computing its own taxable income. The Company’s tax expense or benefit is included in the Consolidated Statement of Income based on the component of income or gains (losses) to which such expense or benefit relates. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. A valuation allowance is recognized if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred income tax asset will not be realized. |
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| Leases |
J. Leases – The Company includes assets subject to lease arrangements within Leased property, net of accumulated depreciation in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Lease payments received are reflected in lease income on the Consolidated Statements of Income, net of amortization of any off market adjustments. Certain initial direct costs incurred related to a lease are capitalized and amortized over the lease term. As of November 30, 2012, approximately $754,000 of deferred lease costs related to probable leases are included in Other Assets within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The deferred costs will be amortized over the anticipated 15 year life of the new lease and will be included in Amortization expense within the Consolidated Income Statement. See Footnote 15 for further discussion. |
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| Long-Lived Assets and Intangibles |
K. Long-Lived Assets and Intangibles – Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets ranging from five to twenty years. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to operations as incurred, and improvements, which extend the useful lives of assets, are capitalized and depreciated over the remaining estimated useful life of the asset. The Company initially records long-lived assets at their acquisition cost, unless the transaction is accounted for as a business combination. If the transaction is accounted for as a business combination, the Company allocates the purchase price to the acquired tangible and intangible assets and liabilities based on their estimated fair values. The Company determines the fair values of assets and liabilities based on discounted cash flow models using current market assumptions, appraisals, recent transactions involving similar assets or liabilities and/or other objective evidence, and depreciates the asset values over the estimated remaining useful lives. In connection with these transactions, the Company may acquire long-lived assets that are subject to an existing lease contract with the seller or other lessee party and the Company may assume outstanding debt of the seller as part of the consideration paid. If, at the time of acquisition, the existing lease or debt contract is not at current market terms, the Company will record an asset or liability at the time of acquisition representing the amount by which the fair value of the lease or debt contract differs from its contractual value. Such amount is then amortized over the remaining contract term as an adjustment to the related lease revenue or interest expense. The Company periodically reviews its long-lived assets, primarily real estate, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. The Company’s review involves comparing current and future operating performance of the assets, the most significant of which is undiscounted operating cash flows, to the carrying value of the assets. Based on this analysis, a provision for possible loss is recognized, if any. No impairment write-downs were recognized during the year ended November 30, 2012 and 2011. Costs in connection with the direct acquisition of a new asset are capitalized and amortized over the life of the asset. As of November 30, 2012, approximately $189,000 in asset acquisition costs related to the Pinedale LGS acquisition is included in Other Assets within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The asset acquisition costs will be depreciated over the anticipated 26 year life of the newly acquired asset and will be included in Depreciation expense within the Consolidated Income Statement. See Footnote 15 for further discussion. |
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| Asset Acquisition Expenses |
L. Asset Acquisition Expenses – Costs in connection with the research of real property acquisitions are expensed as incurred until determination that the acquisition of the real property is probable. Upon the determination, costs in connection with the acquisition of the property are capitalized as per above. |
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| Offering Costs |
M. Offering Costs – Offering costs related to the issuance of common stock are charged to additional paid-in capital when the stock is issued. As of November 30, 2012, approximately $617,000 in offering costs is included in Prepaid Expenses and Other Assets within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. |
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| Debt Issuance Costs |
N. Debt Issuance Costs – Costs in connection with the issuance of new debt are capitalized and amortized over the debt term. As of November 30, 2012, approximately $437,000 in debt issuance costs is included in Other Assets on the Balance Sheets. The deferred costs will be amortized over the anticipated 3 year term of the newly acquired debt and will be included in Interest Expense within the Consolidated Income Statement. See Footnote 15 for further discussion. |
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| Recent Accounting Pronouncement |
O. Recent Accounting Pronouncement – In May 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-04 “Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements” in GAAP and the International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRSs”). ASU No. 2011-04 amends FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, to establish common requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosing information about fair value measurements in accordance with GAAP and IFRSs. ASU No. 2011-04 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. |
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