UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington,  D.C. 20549

______________________

 

FORM 10-Q

 

Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the


the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the Quarterly Period Ended March 31,June 30, 2012

Commission File Number 001-32924

 

GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC.Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Iowa84-1652107

Iowa

84-1652107

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

450 Regency Parkway, Suite 400, Omaha, NE 68114

(402) 884-8700

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

xS Yes   ¨£ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

xS Yes   ¨£ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer¨Accelerated filerx
Non-accelerated filer¨  Smaller reporting company¨

Large accelerated filer£      Accelerated filer T      Non-accelerated filer £     Smaller reporting company £

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). 

¨£ Yes   xS No

The number of shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, outstanding as of AprilJuly 27, 2012 was 29,583,90229,655,466 shares.

 

 


 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

1


GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(in thousands, except share amounts)

 

   March 31,  December 31, 
   2012  2011 
   (unaudited)    

ASSETS

  

Current assets

   

Cash and cash equivalents

  $134,989   $174,988  

Restricted cash

   24,823    19,619  

Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $309 and $263, respectively

   92,702    106,198  

Inventories

   250,925    229,070  

Prepaid expenses and other

   5,715    8,610  

Deferred income taxes

   25,634    14,828  

Deposits

   3,665    5,679  

Derivative financial instruments

   28,363    17,428  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total current assets

   566,816    576,420  

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $138,809 and $125,798, respectively

   770,298    776,789  

Goodwill

   40,877    40,877  

Other assets

   25,695    26,742  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total assets

  $1,403,686   $1,420,828  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

   

Current liabilities

   

Accounts payable

  $96,852   $172,328  

Accrued and other liabilities

   24,685    29,825  

Unearned revenue

   18,198    15,453  

Short-term borrowings

   169,603    69,599  

Current maturities of long-term debt

   83,787    73,760  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

   393,125    360,965  

Long-term debt

   486,319    493,407  

Deferred income taxes

   60,294    55,970  

Other liabilities

   4,948    5,129  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total liabilities

   944,686    915,471  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity

   

Common stock, $0.001 par value; 75,000,000 shares authorized; 36,790,315 and 36,413,611 shares issued, and 29,590,315 and 32,913,611 shares outstanding, respectively

   37    36  

Additional paid-in capital

   441,781    440,469  

Retained earnings

   83,069    95,761  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

   (320  (2,953

Treasury stock, 7,200,000 and 3,500,000 shares, respectively

   (65,808  (28,201
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total Green Plains stockholders’ equity

   458,759    505,112  

Noncontrolling interests

   241    245  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

   459,000    505,357  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

  $1,403,686   $1,420,828  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30,

 

December 31,

 

2012

 

2011

 

(unaudited)

 

 

 

ASSETS

Current assets

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$

120,683 

 

$

174,988 

Restricted cash

 

16,159 

 

 

19,619 

Accounts receivable, net of allowances of $358 and $263, respectively

 

115,002 

 

 

106,198 

Inventories

 

186,253 

 

 

229,070 

Prepaid expenses and other

 

4,053 

 

 

8,610 

Deferred income taxes

 

2,418 

 

 

14,828 

Deposits

 

3,283 

 

 

5,679 

Derivative financial instruments

 

40,045 

 

 

17,428 

Total current assets

 

487,896 

 

 

576,420 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of

 

 

 

 

 

$152,206 and $125,798, respectively

 

765,784 

 

 

776,789 

Goodwill

 

40,877 

 

 

40,877 

Other assets

 

28,192 

 

 

26,742 

Total assets

$

1,322,749 

 

$

1,420,828 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

Current liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable

$

105,210 

 

$

172,328 

Accrued and other liabilities

 

27,891 

 

 

29,825 

Unearned revenue

 

5,893 

 

 

15,453 

Short-term notes payable and other borrowings

 

133,237 

 

 

69,599 

Current maturities of long-term debt

 

75,032 

 

 

73,760 

Total current liabilities

 

347,263 

 

 

360,965 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt

 

470,519 

 

 

493,407 

Deferred income taxes

 

37,376 

 

 

55,970 

Other liabilities

 

4,777 

 

 

5,129 

Total liabilities

 

859,935 

 

 

915,471 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders' equity

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.001 par value; 75,000,000 shares authorized;

 

 

 

 

 

36,855,466 and 36,413,611 shares issued, and 29,655,466

 

 

 

 

 

and 32,913,611 shares outstanding, respectively

 

37 

 

 

36 

Additional paid-in capital

 

442,722 

 

 

440,469 

Retained earnings

 

75,519 

 

 

95,761 

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

 

10,107 

 

 

(2,953)

Treasury stock, 7,200,000 and 3,500,000 shares, respectively

 

(65,808)

 

 

(28,201)

Total Green Plains stockholders' equity

 

462,577 

 

 

505,112 

Noncontrolling interests

 

237 

 

 

245 

Total stockholders' equity

 

462,814 

 

 

505,357 

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$

1,322,749 

 

$

1,420,828 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

2


GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited and in thousands, except per share amounts)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues

$

870,356 

 

$

861,576 

 

$

1,645,750 

 

$

1,673,903 

Cost of goods sold

 

852,222 

 

 

826,314 

 

 

1,618,846 

 

 

1,601,018 

Gross profit

 

18,134 

 

 

35,262 

 

 

26,904 

 

 

72,885 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

19,217 

 

 

17,474 

 

 

39,078 

 

 

35,102 

Operating income (loss)

 

(1,083)

 

 

17,788 

 

 

(12,174)

 

 

37,783 

Other income (expense)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest income

 

58 

 

 

72 

 

 

99 

 

 

164 

Interest expense

 

(9,842)

 

 

(9,867)

 

 

(18,909)

 

 

(17,999)

Other, net

 

(832)

 

 

(122)

 

 

(1,411)

 

 

(186)

Total other expense

 

(10,616)

 

 

(9,917)

 

 

(20,221)

 

 

(18,021)

Income (loss) before income taxes

 

(11,699)

 

 

7,871 

 

 

(32,395)

 

 

19,762 

Income tax expense (benefit)

 

(4,145)

 

 

2,852 

 

 

(12,145)

 

 

7,212 

Net income (loss)

 

(7,554)

 

 

5,019 

 

 

(20,250)

 

 

12,550 

Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

(37)

 

 

 

 

172 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

$

(7,550)

 

$

4,982 

 

$

(20,242)

 

$

12,722 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - basic

$

(0.25)

 

$

0.14 

 

$

(0.65)

 

$

0.35 

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - diluted

$

(0.25)

 

$

0.14 

 

$

(0.65)

 

$

0.34 

Weighted average shares outstanding:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Basic

 

29,614 

 

 

36,415 

 

 

30,926 

 

 

36,308 

Diluted

 

29,614 

 

 

42,953 

 

 

30,926 

 

 

42,858 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

3


GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(unaudited and in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

$

(7,554)

 

$

5,019 

 

$

(20,250)

 

$

12,550 

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives arising during period, net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of tax (expense) benefit of $(7,116), $3,193, $(7,106) and $6,264, respectively

 

11,857 

 

 

(5,479)

 

 

11,935 

 

 

(9,961)

Reclassification of realized losses on derivatives included in net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

income (loss), net of tax benefit of $(858), $2,425, $669 and $2,895 respectively

 

(1,430)

 

 

4,161 

 

 

1,125 

 

 

4,603 

Other comprehensive income (loss)

 

10,427 

 

 

(1,318)

 

 

13,060 

 

 

(5,358)

Comprehensive income (loss)

 

2,873 

 

 

3,701 

 

 

(7,190)

 

 

7,192 

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

 

(37)

 

 

 

 

172 

Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

$

2,877 

 

$

3,664 

 

$

(7,182)

 

$

7,364 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

4


GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited and in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

2012

 

2011

Cash flows from operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

$

(20,250)

 

$

12,550 

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash

 

 

 

 

 

used by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

26,417 

 

 

24,037 

Amortization of debt issuance costs

 

1,553 

 

 

1,188 

Deferred income taxes

 

(10,627)

 

 

1,260 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

2,112 

 

 

1,829 

Undistributed equity in loss of affiliates

 

1,411 

 

 

186 

Allowance for doubtful accounts

 

95 

 

 

91 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities before

 

 

 

 

 

effects of business combinations:

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

(8,815)

 

 

(296)

Inventories

 

43,195 

 

 

30,592 

Deposits

 

2,396 

 

 

1,009 

Derivative financial instruments

 

(3,325)

 

 

(18,613)

Prepaid expenses and other assets

 

4,557 

 

 

(1,259)

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

(69,152)

 

 

(61,302)

Unearned revenues

 

(9,559)

 

 

(10,664)

Other

 

(424)

 

 

(203)

Net cash used by operating activities

 

(40,416)

 

 

(19,595)

Cash flows from investing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Purchases of property and equipment

 

(14,404)

 

 

(27,045)

Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired

 

(1,490)

 

 

(8,418)

Other

 

(5,771)

 

 

(797)

Net cash used by investing activities

 

(21,665)

 

 

(36,260)

Cash flows from financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt

 

34,000 

 

 

95,239 

Payments of principal on long-term debt

 

(55,680)

 

 

(133,434)

Proceeds from short-term borrowings

 

1,538,854 

 

 

1,687,275 

Payments on short-term borrowings

 

(1,501,905)

 

 

(1,689,456)

Payments for repurchase of common stock

 

(10,445)

 

 

 -

Change in restricted cash

 

3,460 

 

 

(1)

Payments of loan fees

 

(301)

 

 

(674)

Other

 

(207)

 

 

104 

Net cash provided (used) by financing activities

 

7,776 

 

 

(40,947)

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

 

(54,305)

 

 

(96,802)

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

 

174,988 

 

 

233,205 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

$

120,683 

 

$

136,403 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continued on the following page

 

 

 

 

 

5


GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited and in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continued from the previous page

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

2012

 

2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow:

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid for income taxes

$

457 

 

$

52 

Cash paid for interest

$

17,085 

 

$

18,105 

Supplemental noncash investing and financing activities:

 

 

 

 

 

Assets acquired in acquisitions and mergers

$

1,590 

 

$

63,452 

Less: liabilities assumed

 

(100)

 

 

(55,034)

Net assets acquired

$

1,490 

 

$

8,418 

Short-term note payable issued to repurchase common stock

$

27,162 

 

$

 -

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

6


GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(unaudited and in thousands, except per share amounts)

   Three Months Ended
March  31,
 
   2012  2011 

Revenues

  $775,395   $812,327  

Cost of goods sold

   766,625    774,703  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Gross profit

   8,770    37,624  

Selling, general and administrative expenses

   19,861    17,628  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

   (11,091  19,996  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Other income (expense)

   

Interest income

   39    91  

Interest expense

   (9,067  (8,132

Other, net

   (578  (63
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total other expense

   (9,606  (8,104
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

   (20,697  11,892  

Income tax expense (benefit)

   (8,001  4,361  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

   (12,696  7,531  

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

   4    210  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

  $(12,692 $7,741  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Earnings per share:

   

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - basic

  $(0.39 $0.21  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - diluted

  $(0.39 $0.20  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding:

   

Basic

   32,238    36,199  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Diluted

   32,238    42,764  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(unaudited and in thousands)

   Three Months Ended
March  31,
 
   2012  2011 

Net income (loss)

  $(12,696 $7,531  

Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:

   

Unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives arising during period, net of tax (expense) benefit of $(25) and $2,964, respectively

   43    (4,589

Reclassification of realized losses on derivatives included in net income (loss), net of tax benefit of $1,491 and $364 respectively

   2,590    549  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss)

   2,633    (4,040
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   (10,063  3,491  

Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

   4    210  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

  $(10,059 $3,701  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited and in thousands)

   Three Months Ended
March  31,
 
   2012  2011 

Cash flows from operating activities:

   

Net income (loss)

  $(12,696 $7,531  

Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used by operating activities:

   

Depreciation and amortization

   13,158    12,003  

Amortization of debt issuance costs

   775    578  

Deferred income taxes

   (6,482  1,617  

Stock-based compensation expense

   1,171    1,101  

Undistributed equity in loss of affiliates

   578    63  

Allowance for doubtful accounts

   46    14  

Changes in operating assets and liabilities before effects of business combinations:

   

Accounts receivable

   13,534    (226

Inventories

   (21,477  (26,454

Deposits

   2,014    (2,549

Derivative financial instruments

   (8,264  (7,797

Prepaid expenses and other assets

   2,895    (3,559

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

   (80,716  (77,751

Unearned revenues

   2,745    4,326  

Other

   (172  (92
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net cash used by operating activities

   (92,891  (91,195
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities:

   

Purchases of property and equipment

   (5,660  (11,570

Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired

   (1,490  (6,106

Other

   —      (468
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net cash used by investing activities

   (7,150  (18,144
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities:

   

Proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt

   16,000    67,004  

Payments of principal on long-term debt

   (13,080  (91,226

Proceeds from short-term borrowings

   782,086    853,205  

Payments on short-term borrowings

   (710,653  (818,237

Payments for repurchase of common stock

   (10,445  —    

Change in restricted cash

   (5,204  17,628  

Payments of loan fees

   (292  (402

Other

   1,630    45  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net cash provided by financing activities

   60,042    28,017  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net change in cash and cash equivalents

   (39,999  (81,322

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

   174,988    233,205  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

  $134,989   $151,883  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Continued on the following page

GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited and in thousands)

Continued from the previous page

   Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
   2012  2011 

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow:

   

Cash paid for income taxes

  $457   $441  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Cash paid for interest

  $7,032   $7,884  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Supplemental noncash investing and financing activities:

   

Assets acquired in acquisitions and mergers

  $1,590   $61,015  

Less: liabilities assumed

   (100  (54,909
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net assets acquired

  $1,490   $6,106  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Short-term note payable issued to repurchase common stock

  $27,162   $—    
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(unaudited)

 

1.BASIS OF PRESENTATION, DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(unaudited)

1.  BASIS OF PRESENTATION, DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

References to the Company

References to “Green Plains” or the “Company” in the consolidated financial statements and in these notes to the consolidated financial statements refer to Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc., an Iowa corporation, and its subsidiaries.

Consolidated Financial Statements

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiaries and entities which it controls. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated on a consolidated basis for reporting purposes. Unconsolidated entities are included in the financial statements on an equity basis. Certain amounts previously reported have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the entire year.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP, for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s annual report filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

The unaudited financial information reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented. The adjustments are of a normal recurring nature, except as otherwise noted.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Consolidated Financial Statements

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Description of Business

Green Plains is North America’s fourth largest ethanol producer. The Company markets and distributes approximately one billion gallons of ethanol on an annual basis, including 740 million gallons per year, or mmgy, of production capacity from its nine ethanol plants. The Company also markets corn oil and distillers grains produced at its ethanol plants. Additionally, the Company owns and operates grain handling and storage assets and provides complementary agronomy services to local grain producers through its agribusiness segment. The Company owns and operates nine blending and terminaling facilities with approximately 625 million gallons per year, or mmgy, of total throughput capacity. The Company is a partner in a joint venture that was formed to commercialize advanced photo-bioreactor technologies for the growing and harvesting of algal biomass.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue when all of the following criteria are satisfied: persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; risk of loss and title transfer to the customer; the price is fixed and determinable; and collectability is reasonably assured.

For sales of ethanol, and distillers grains and other commodities by the Company’s marketing business, revenue is recognized when title to the product and risk of loss transfer to an external customer. Revenues related to marketing operations for third parties are recorded on a gross basis in the consolidated financial statements as Green Plains Tradethe Company takes title to the product and assumes risk of loss. Unearned revenue is reflected on the consolidated balance sheets for goods in transit for which the Company has received payment and title has not been transferred to the customer. Revenues from BlendStar’sthe Company’s biofuel terminal operations, which include ethanol transload and splash blending services, are recognized as these services

7


are rendered.

The Company routinely enters into fixed-price, physical-delivery ethanol sales agreements. In certain instances, the Company intends to settle the transaction by open market purchases of ethanol rather than by delivery from its own production. These transactions are reported net as a component of revenues. Revenues also include realized gains and losses on related derivative financial instruments, ineffectiveness on cash flow hedges, and reclassifications of realized gains and losses on effective cash flow hedges from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Sales of agricultural commodities, fertilizers and other similar products are recognized when title to the product and risk of loss transfer to the customer, which is dependent on the agreed upon sales terms with the customer. These sales terms provide for passage of title either at the time shipment is made or at the time the commodity has been delivered to its destination and final weights, grades and settlement prices have been agreed upon with the customer. Shipping and handling costsRevenues related to grain merchandising are presented gross in the statements of operations with amounts billed for shipping and handling included in revenues and also as a component of cost of goods sold.Revenues from grain storage are recognized as services are rendered. Revenues related to grain merchandising are presented gross.

Cost of Goods Sold

Cost of goods sold includes costs for direct labor, materials and certain plant overhead costs. Direct labor includes all compensation and related benefits of non-management personnel involved in the operation of the Company’s ethanol plants. Grain purchasing and receiving costs, other than labor costs for grain buyers and scale operators, are also included in cost of goods sold. Direct materials consist of the costs of corn feedstock, denaturant, and process chemicals. Corn feedstock costs include unrealized gains and losses on related derivative financial instruments not designated as cash flow hedges, inbound freight charges, inspection costs and transfer costs. Corn feedstock costs also include realized gains and losses on related derivative financial instruments, ineffectiveness on cash flow hedges, and reclassifications of realized gains and losses on effective cash flow hedges from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Plant overhead costs primarily consist of plant utilities, plant depreciation and outbound freight charges. Shipping costs incurred directly by the Company, including railcar lease costs, are also reflected in cost of goods sold.

The Company uses exchange-traded futures and options contracts to minimize the effects of changes in the prices of agricultural commodities on its agribusiness segment’s grain inventories and forward purchase and sales contracts. Exchange-traded futures and options contracts are valued at quoted market prices. CommodityGrain inventories, forward purchase contracts and forward sale contracts in the agribusiness segment are valued at market prices, where available, or other market quotes adjusted for differences, primarily transportation, between the exchange-traded market and the local markets on which the terms of the contracts are based. Changes in the marketfair value of grain inventories, forward purchase and sale contracts, and exchange-traded futures and options contracts in the agribusiness segment, are recognized in earnings as a component of cost of goods sold. These contracts are predominantly settled in cash. The Company is exposed to loss in the event of non-performance by the counter-party to forward purchase and forward sales contracts.

Derivative Financial Instruments

To minimize the risk and the effects of the volatility of commodity price changes primarily related to corn, ethanol and natural gas, the Company uses various derivative financial instruments, including exchange-traded futures, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter options contracts. The Company monitors and manages this exposure as part of its overall risk management policy. As such, the Company seeks to reduce the potentially adverse effects that the volatility of these markets may have on its operating results. The Company may take hedging positions in these commodities as one way to mitigate risk. While the Company attempts to link its hedging activities to purchase and sales activities, there are situations wherein which these hedging activities can themselves result in losses.

By using derivatives to hedge exposures to changes in commodity prices, the Company has exposures on these derivatives to credit and market risk. The Company is exposed to credit risk that the counterparty might fail to fulfill its performance obligations under the terms of the derivative contract. The Company minimizes its credit risk by entering into transactions with high quality counterparties, limiting the amount of financial exposure it has with each counterparty and monitoring the financial condition of its counterparties. Market risk is the risk that the value of the financial instrument might be adversely affected by a change in commodity prices or interest rates. The Company manages market risk by incorporating monitoring parameters within its risk management strategy that limit the types of derivative instruments and derivative strategies the Company uses, and the degree of market risk that may be undertaken by the use of derivative instruments.

8


The Company evaluates its contracts that involve physical delivery to determine whether they may qualify for the normal purchases or normal sales exemption and are expected to be used or sold over a reasonable period in the normal course of business. Any contracts that do not meet the normal purchase or sales criteria are recorded at fair value with the change in fair value recorded in operating income unless the contracts qualify for, and the Company elects, hedge accounting treatment.

Certain qualifying derivatives within the ethanol production segment are designated as cash flow hedges. Prior to entering into cash flow hedges, the Company evaluates the derivative instrument to ascertain its effectiveness. For cash flow hedges, any ineffectiveness is recognized in current period results, while other unrealized gains and losses are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive income until gains and losses from the underlying hedged transaction are realized. In the event that it becomes probable that a forecasted transaction will not occur, the Company would discontinue cash flow hedge treatment, which would affect earnings. These derivative financial instruments are recognized in current assets or other current liabilities at fair value.

The Company hedges its exposures to changes in the value of ethanol inventory and designates certain qualifying derivatives as fair value hedges. The carrying amount of the hedged inventory is adjusted through current period results for changes in the fair value arising from changes in ethanol prices.  Any ineffectiveness is recognized in current period results to the extent that the change in the fair value of the inventory is not offset by the change in the fair value of the derivative.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Effective January 1, 2012, the Company adopted the third phase of amended guidance in ASC Topic 820,Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures.The amended guidance clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement requirements and requires additional disclosure for Level 3 measurements regarding the sensitivity of fair value to changes in unobservable inputs and any interrelationships between those inputs. The Company currently is not impacted by the additional disclosure requirements as it does not have any recurring Level 3 measurements.

Effective January 1, 2012, the Company adopted the amended guidance in ASC Topic 220,Comprehensive Income. This accounting standards update is aimed at increasing the prominence of other comprehensive income in the financial statements by eliminating the option to present other comprehensive income in the statement of stockholders’ equity. The Company has elected to present net income and other comprehensive income in two separate but consecutive statements. The updated presentation, which has been implemented retroactively for all comparable periods presented, did not impact the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

Effective January 1, 2012, the Company adopted the amended guidance in ASC Topic 350,Intangibles – Goodwill and Other. The amended guidance permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. The Company has determined that the changes to the accounting standards doamended guidance did not impact itsthe Company’s disclosure or reporting requirements.

2.  FAIR VALUE DISCLOSURES

The following methods, assumptions and valuation techniques were used in estimating the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments:

Level 1 – unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 1 unrealized gains and losses on commodity derivatives relate to exchange-traded open trade equity and option values in the Company’s brokerage accounts.

Level 2 – directly or indirectly observable inputs such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets other than quoted prices included within Level 1; quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active; and other inputs that are observable or can be substantially corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means. Grain inventories held for sale in the agribusiness segment are valued at nearby futures values, plus or minus nearby basis levels.

Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are a significant component of the fair value of the assets or liabilities. The Company currently does not have any recurring Level 3 financial instruments.

9


There have been no changes in valuation techniques and inputs used in measuring fair value. The following tables set forth the Company’s assets and liabilities by level that were accounted for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

   Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2012 
   Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
   Significant Other
Observable Inputs
   Reclassification for
Balance Sheet
    
   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   Presentation  Total 

Assets

       

Cash and cash equivalents

  $134,989    $—      $—     $134,989  

Restricted cash

   27,023     —       —      27,023  

Margin deposits

   22,783     —       —      22,783  

Inventories carried at market

   —       96,454     —      96,454  

Unrealized gains on derivatives

   3,225     11,079     (8,724  5,580  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total assets measured at fair value

  $188,020    $107,533    $(8,724 $286,829  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

Liabilities

       

Unrealized losses on derivatives

  $8,951    $7,231    $(8,724 $7,458  

Inventory financing arrangements

   —       26,582     —      26,582  

Other

   96     —       —      96  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total liabilities measured at fair value

  $9,047    $33,813    $(8,724 $34,136  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 
   Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2011 
   Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
   Significant Other
Observable Inputs
   Reclassification for
Balance Sheet
    
   (Level 1)   (Level 2)   Presentation  Total 

Assets

       

Cash and cash equivalents

  $174,988    $—      $—     $174,988  

Restricted cash

   21,820     —       —      21,820  

Inventories carried at market

   —       112,948     —      112,948  

Unrealized gains on derivatives

   15,710     6,010     (4,292  17,428  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total assets measured at fair value

  $212,518    $118,958    $(4,292 $327,184  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

Liabilities

       

Unrealized losses on derivatives

  $2,828    $5,287    $(2,698 $5,417  

Margin deposits

   1,594     —       (1,594  —    

Inventory financing arrangements

   —       8,894     —      8,894  

Other

   71     —       —      71  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total liabilities measured at fair value

  $4,493    $14,181    $(4,292 $14,382  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Value Measurements at June 30, 2012

 

Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets

 

Significant Other Observable Inputs

 

Reclassification for Balance Sheet

 

 

 

 

(Level 1)

 

(Level 2)

 

Presentation

 

Total

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$

120,683 

 

$

 -

 

$

 -

 

$

120,683 

Restricted cash

 

18,359 

 

 

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

18,359 

Margin deposits

 

18,594 

 

 

 -

 

 

(18,594)

 

 

 -

Inventories carried at market

 

 -

 

 

61,985 

 

 

 -

 

 

61,985 

Unrealized gains on derivatives

 

31,596 

 

 

13,862 

 

 

(5,413)

 

 

40,045 

Total assets measured at fair value

$

189,232 

 

$

75,847 

 

$

(24,007)

 

$

241,072 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized losses on derivatives

$

24,095 

 

$

10,075 

 

$

(24,007)

 

$

10,163 

Other

 

65 

 

 

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

65 

Total liabilities measured at fair value

$

24,160 

 

$

10,075 

 

$

(24,007)

 

$

10,228 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fair Value Measurements at December 31, 2011

 

Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets

 

Significant Other Observable Inputs

 

Reclassification for Balance Sheet

 

 

 

 

(Level 1)

 

(Level 2)

 

Presentation

 

Total

Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

$

174,988 

 

$

 -

 

$

 -

 

$

174,988 

Restricted cash

 

21,820 

 

 

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

21,820 

Inventories carried at market

 

 -

 

 

112,948 

 

 

 -

 

 

112,948 

Unrealized gains on derivatives

 

15,710 

 

 

6,010 

 

 

(4,292)

 

 

17,428 

Total assets measured at fair value

$

212,518 

 

$

118,958 

 

$

(4,292)

 

$

327,184 

Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unrealized losses on derivatives

$

2,828 

 

$

5,287 

 

$

(2,698)

 

$

5,417 

Margin deposits

 

1,594 

 

 

 -

 

 

(1,594)

 

 

 -

Inventory financing arrangements

 

 -

 

 

8,894 

 

 

 -

 

 

8,894 

Other

 

71 

 

 

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

71 

Total liabilities measured at fair value

$

4,493 

 

$

14,181 

 

$

(4,292)

 

$

14,382 

The Company believes the fair value of its debt approximates book value, which was $739.7$678.8 million and $636.8 million at March 31,June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The Company also believes the fair value of its accounts receivable and accounts payable approximate book value, which were $92.7$115.0 million and $96.9$105.2 million, respectively, at March 31,June 30, 2012 and $106.2 million and $172.3 million, respectively, at December 31, 2011.

Although the Company currently does not have any Level 3 financial measurements, the fair values of the tangible assets and goodwill acquired in previous reporting periods represent Level 3 measurements and were derived using a combination of the income approach, the market approach and the cost approach as considered appropriate for the specific assets being valued.

3.  SEGMENT INFORMATION

Company management reviews financial and operating performance in the following four separate operating segments: (1) production of ethanol and distillers grains, collectively referred to as ethanol production, (2) corn oil production, (3) grain warehousing and marketing, as well as sales and related services of agronomy and petroleum products, collectively referred

10


to as agribusiness, and (4) marketing and distribution of Company-produced and third-party ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil, and the operation of blending and terminaling facilities, collectively referred to as marketing and distribution. Selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily consisting of compensation of corporate employees, professional fees and overhead costs not directly related to a specific operating segment, are reflected in the table below as corporate activities.

During the normal course of business, the Company enters into transactions between segments. Examples of these intersegment transactions include, but are not limited to, the ethanol production segment selling ethanol to the marketing and distribution segment and the agribusiness segment selling grain to the ethanol production segment. These intersegment activities are recorded by each segment at prices approximating market and treated as if they are third-party transactions. Consequently, these transactions impact segment performance. However, revenues and corresponding costs are eliminated in consolidation and do not impact the Company’s consolidated results.

The following are certain financial data for the Company’s operating segments for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

  2012 2011 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenues:

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol production

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

  $45,358   $35,119  

 

$

50,776 

 

$

27,181 

 

$

96,133 

 

$

62,301 

Intersegment revenues

   412,819    432,684  

 

 

416,114 

 

 

516,360 

 

 

828,934 

 

 

949,043 
  

 

  

 

 

Total segment revenues

   458,177    467,803  

 

 

466,890 

 

 

543,541 

 

 

925,067 

 

 

1,011,344 

Corn oil production

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

   508    1,071  

 

 

 

 

 -

 

 

516 

 

 

1,071 

Intersegment revenues

   13,011    3,251  

 

 

15,463 

 

 

10,520 

 

 

28,474 

 

 

13,771 
  

 

  

 

 

Total segment revenues

   13,519    4,322  

 

 

15,470 

 

 

10,520 

 

 

28,990 

 

 

14,842 

Agribusiness

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

   72,825    63,854  

 

 

101,782 

 

 

75,040 

 

 

174,606 

 

 

138,894 

Intersegment revenues

   45,402    50,264  

 

 

39,068 

 

 

50,549 

 

 

84,470 

 

 

100,813 
  

 

  

 

 

Total segment revenues

   118,227    114,118  

 

 

140,850 

 

 

125,589 

 

 

259,076 

 

 

239,707 

Marketing and distribution

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

   656,704    712,283  

 

 

717,791 

 

 

759,355 

 

 

1,374,495 

 

 

1,471,637 

Intersegment revenues

   67    112  

 

 

124 

 

 

164 

 

 

191 

 

 

276 
  

 

  

 

 

Total segment revenues

   656,771    712,395  

 

 

717,915 

 

 

759,519 

 

 

1,374,686 

 

 

1,471,913 

Revenues including intersegment activity

   1,246,694    1,298,638  

 

 

1,341,125 

 

 

1,439,169 

 

 

2,587,819 

 

 

2,737,806 

Intersegment eliminations

   (471,299  (486,311

 

 

(470,769)

 

 

(577,593)

 

 

(942,069)

 

 

(1,063,903)
  

 

  

 

 

Revenues as reported

  $775,395   $812,327  

 

$

870,356 

 

$

861,576 

 

$

1,645,750 

 

$

1,673,903 
  

 

  

 

 

   Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
   2012  2011 

Gross profit (loss):

   

Ethanol production

  $(10,035 $23,314  

Corn oil production

   7,936    2,091  

Agribusiness

   6,246    6,016  

Marketing and distribution

   4,186    6,674  

Intersegment eliminations

   437    (471
  

 

 

  

 

 

 
  $8,770   $37,624  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Operating income (loss):

   

Ethanol production

  $(13,880 $19,535  

Corn oil production

   7,848    2,069  

Agribusiness

   669    972  

Marketing and distribution

   510    2,639  

Intersegment eliminations

   471    (456

Corporate activities

   (6,709  (4,763
  

 

 

  

 

 

 
  $(11,091 $19,996  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

11


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Gross profit (loss):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol production

 

$

(6,875)

 

$

15,721 

 

$

(16,910)

 

$

39,034 

Corn oil production

 

 

9,405 

 

 

6,365 

 

 

17,340 

 

 

8,456 

Agribusiness

 

 

8,599 

 

 

6,187 

 

 

14,845 

 

 

12,203 

Marketing and distribution

 

 

6,603 

 

 

5,589 

 

 

10,790 

 

 

12,263 

Intersegment eliminations

 

 

402 

 

 

1,400 

 

 

839 

 

 

929 

 

 

$

18,134 

 

$

35,262 

 

$

26,904 

 

$

72,885 

Operating income (loss):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol production

 

$

(11,034)

 

$

11,708 

 

$

(24,914)

 

$

31,243 

Corn oil production

 

 

9,351 

 

 

6,339 

 

 

17,200 

 

 

8,408 

Agribusiness

 

 

2,398 

 

 

812 

 

 

3,067 

 

 

1,783 

Marketing and distribution

 

 

2,874 

 

 

2,517 

 

 

3,384 

 

 

5,156 

Intersegment eliminations

 

 

402 

 

 

1,410 

 

 

873 

 

 

954 

Corporate activities

 

 

(5,074)

 

 

(4,998)

 

 

(11,784)

 

 

(9,761)

 

 

$

(1,083)

 

$

17,788 

 

$

(12,174)

 

$

37,783 

The following table sets forth revenues by product line for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

   Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
   2012   2011 

Revenues:

    

Ethanol

  $583,535    $654,484  

Corn oil

   13,155     4,322  

Distillers grains

   100,604     87,274  

Grain

   64,219     55,287  

Agronomy products

   7,118     7,457  

Other

   6,764     3,503  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
  $775,395    $812,327  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol

 

$

632,088 

 

$

664,138 

 

$

1,215,057 

 

$

1,318,622 

Corn oil

 

 

15,632 

 

 

10,520 

 

 

28,786 

 

 

14,843 

Distillers grains

 

 

98,936 

 

 

105,952 

 

 

199,531 

 

 

193,225 

Grain

 

 

74,704 

 

 

49,700 

 

 

138,923 

 

 

104,988 

Agronomy products

 

 

25,200 

 

 

23,690 

 

 

32,318 

 

 

31,147 

Other

 

 

23,796 

 

 

7,576 

 

 

31,135 

 

 

11,078 

 

 

$

870,356 

 

$

861,576 

 

$

1,645,750 

 

$

1,673,903 

The following are total assets for our operating segments for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30,

 

December 31,

  March 31,
2012
 December 31,
2011
 

 

2012

 

2011

Total assets:

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol production

  $876,160   $879,500  

 

$

842,722 

 

$

879,500 

Corn oil production

   26,916    24,601  

 

 

25,005 

 

 

24,601 

Agribusiness

   225,925    233,201  

 

 

169,139 

 

 

233,201 

Marketing and distribution

   189,425    181,466  

 

 

213,743 

 

 

181,466 

Corporate assets

   105,583    121,429  

 

 

94,881 

 

 

121,429 

Intersegement eliminations

   (20,323  (19,369

 

 

(22,741)

 

 

(19,369)
  

 

  

 

 

 

$

1,322,749 

 

$

1,420,828 
  $1,403,686   $1,420,828  
  

 

  

 

 

12


4.  INVENTORIES

Inventories are carried at the lower of cost or market, except grain held for sale, which is valued at market value. During the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, the Company recorded a $0.8$0.2 million lower of cost or market adjustment in cost of goods sold within the ethanol production segment. The components of inventories are as follows (in thousands):

 

   March 31,
2012
   December 31,
2011
 

Finished goods

  $83,655    $57,882  

Grain held for sale

   95,236     112,948  

Raw materials

   29,810     23,215  

Petroleum & agronomy items held for sale

   18,860     14,206  

Work-in-process

   13,447     11,418  

Supplies and parts

   9,917     9,401  
  

 

 

   

 

 

��
  $250,925    $229,070  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30,

 

December 31,

 

2012

 

2011

Finished goods

$

72,195 

 

$

57,882 

Grain held for sale

 

61,985 

 

 

112,948 

Raw materials

 

23,988 

 

 

23,215 

Petroleum & agronomy items held for sale

 

6,931 

 

 

14,206 

Work-in-process

 

11,312 

 

 

11,418 

Supplies and parts

 

9,842 

 

 

9,401 

 

$

186,253 

 

$

229,070 

5.  GOODWILL

The Company did not have any changes in the total carrying amount of goodwill during the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, which was $40.9 million. Goodwill of $30.3 million is attributable to the ethanol production segment and $10.6 million is attributable to the marketing and distribution segment.

6.  DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

At March 31,June 30, 2012, the Company’s consolidated balance sheet reflects deferred losses,gains, net of tax, of $0.3$10.1 million in accumulated other comprehensive loss.income. The Company expects all of the deferred lossesgains at March 31,June 30, 2012 will be reclassified into income over the next 12 months as a result of hedged transactions that are forecasted to occur. The amount ultimately realized in income, however, will differ as commodity prices change.

Fair Values of Derivative Instruments

The following table provides information about the fair values of our derivative financial instruments and the line items in the consolidated balance sheets in which the fair values are reflected:

 

   Asset Derivatives’
Fair Value
  Liability Derivatives’
Fair Value
 

Derivative Instruments

  March 31,  December 31,  March 31,   December 31, 

Consolidated Balance Sheet Location

  2012  2011  2012   2011 

Derivative financial instruments (1)

  $5,508(2)  $19,022(3)  $—      $—    

Accrued and other liabilities

   —      —      7,271     5,280  

Other liabilities

   —      —      115     137  
  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

  $5,508   $19,022   $7,386    $5,417  
  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asset Derivatives'

 

Liability Derivatives'

 

Fair Value

 

Fair Value

 

June 30,

 

December 31,

 

June 30,

 

December 31,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Derivative financial instruments (1)

$

21,451 
(2)

$

19,022 
(3)

$

 -

 

$

 -

Accrued and other liabilities

 

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

10,074 

 

 

5,280 

Other liabilities

 

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

89 

 

 

137 

Total

$

21,451 

 

$

19,022 

 

$

10,163 

 

$

5,417 

(1)

Derivative financial instruments as reflected on the balance sheet include a margin deposit asset of $22.8$18.6 million and a margin deposit liability of $1.6 million at March 31,June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively.

(2)

Balance at March 31,June 30, 2012, includes $0.1 million and $1.2$19.1 million of net deferred losses on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedging instruments and fair value hedging instruments, respectively.

(3)Balance at December 31, 2011, includes $12.2 million of net deferredunrealized gains on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedging instruments.

(3)

Balance at December 31, 2011, includes $12.2 million of net unrealized gains on derivative financial instruments designated as cash flow hedging instruments.

Refer toNote 2 - Fair Value Disclosures, which also contains fair value information related to derivative financial instruments.

13


Effect of Derivative Instruments on Consolidated Statements of Operations and Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity and Comprehensive Income

The following tables provide information about the gain or loss recognized in income and other comprehensive income on our derivative financial instruments and the line items in the financial statements in which such gains and losses are reflected:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gains (Losses) on Derivative Instruments Not

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

Designated in a Hedging Relationship

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenue

 

$

1,605 

 

$

(1,533)

 

$

(1,280)

 

$

(918)

Cost of goods sold

 

 

(5,510)

 

 

5,128 

 

 

(4,325)

 

 

(20,112)

Net increase (decrease) recognized in earnings before tax

 

$

(3,905)

 

$

3,595 

 

$

(5,605)

 

$

(21,030)

 

Gains (Losses) on Derivative Instruments Not

Designated in a Hedging Relationship

  Three Months Ended
March 31,
 

Consolidated Statements of Operations Location

  2012  2011 

Revenue

  $(2,885 $615  

Cost of goods sold

   1,185    (25,240
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net decrease recognized in earnings

  $(1,700 $(24,625
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Locations of Gain (Loss) Due to Ineffectiveness

of Cash Flow Hedges

  Three Months Ended
March  31,
 

Consolidated Statements of Operations Location

  2012  2011 

Revenue

  $5   $(118

Cost of goods sold

   (64  20  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net decrease recognized in earnings

  $(59 $(98
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gain (Loss) Due to Ineffectiveness

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

of Cash Flow Hedges

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenue

 

$

 

$

99 

 

$

12 

 

$

(19)

Cost of goods sold

 

 

439 

 

 

(675)

 

 

376 

 

 

(656)

Net increase (decrease) recognized in earnings before tax

 

$

446 

 

$

(576)

 

$

388 

 

$

(675)

 

Location of Gains (Losses) Reclassified from

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

(Loss) into Net Income (Loss)

  Three Months Ended
March  31,
 

Consolidated Statements of Operations Location

  2012  2011 

Revenue

  $617   $(4,457

Cost of goods sold

   (4,698  3,544  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net decrease recognized in earnings

  $(4,081 $(913
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Effective Portion of Cash Flow Hedges

Recognized in

  Three Months Ended
March  31,
 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

  2012   2011 

Commodity Contracts

  $68    $(7,553
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

Locations of Gain (Loss) from Fair Value Hedges

of Ethanol Inventory

  Three Months Ended
March  31,
 

Consolidated Statements of Operations Location

  2012  2011 

Revenue (effect of change in inventory value)

  $1,218   $—    

Revenue (effect of fair value hedge)

   (1,218  —    
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Ineffectiveness recognized in earnings

  $—     $—    
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gains (Losses) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

into Net Income (Loss)

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenue

 

$

2,941 

 

$

(17,033)

 

$

3,558 

 

$

(21,489)

Cost of goods sold

 

 

(653)

 

 

10,447 

 

 

(5,352)

 

 

13,991 

Net increase (decrease) recognized in earnings before tax

 

$

2,288 

 

$

(6,586)

 

$

(1,794)

 

$

(7,498)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Effective Portion of Cash Flow

Hedges Recognized in

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Commodity Contracts

 

$

18,973 

 

$

(8,672)

 

$

19,041 

 

$

(16,225)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gain (Loss) from Fair Value

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

Hedges of Ethanol Inventory

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenue (effect of change in inventory value)

 

$

(1,218)

 

$

 -

 

$

 -

 

$

 -

Revenue (effect of fair value hedge)

 

 

1,218 

 

 

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

 -

Ineffectiveness recognized in earnings before tax

 

$

 -

 

$

 -

 

$

 -

 

$

 -

14


There were no gains or losses due to the discontinuance of cash flow hedge treatment during the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012.

The table below summarizes the volumes of open commodity derivative positions as of March 31,June 30, 2012 (in thousands):

 

March 31, 2012

   Exchange Traded  Non-Exchange Traded      

Derivative

Instruments

  Net Long &
(Short) (1)
  Long (2)   (Short) (2)  Unit of
Measure
  Commodity

Futures

   (17,211    Bushels  Corn, Soybeans and Wheat

Futures

   14,425(3)     Bushels  Corn

Futures

   (41,531    Gallons  Ethanol

Futures

   (53,844)(3)     Gallons  Ethanol

Futures

   (8,400)(4)     Gallons  Ethanol

Options

   4,797      Bushels  Corn

Options

   1,754      Gallons  Ethanol

Forwards

    19,030     (7,817 Bushels  Corn, Soybeans, Wheat and Milo

Forwards

    144,780     (235,765 Gallons  Ethanol

Forwards

    16     (125 Tons  Distillers Grains

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30, 2012

 

 

Exchange Traded

 

Non-Exchange Traded

 

 

 

 

Derivative Instruments

 

Net Long & (Short) (1)

 

Long (2)

 

(Short) (2)

 

Unit of Measure

 

Commodity

Futures

 

(18,355)

 

 

 

 

 

Bushels

 

Corn, Soybeans and Wheat

Futures

 

29,920 

(3)

 

 

 

 

Bushels

 

Corn

Futures

 

(32,720)

 

 

 

 

 

Gallons

 

Ethanol

Futures

 

(100,800)

(3)

 

 

 

 

Gallons

 

Ethanol

Futures

 

(30)

 

 

 

 

 

Barrels

 

Crude Oil

Options

 

(2,004)

 

 

 

 

 

Bushels

 

Corn and Soybeans

Options

 

(9,889)

 

 

 

 

 

Gallons

 

Ethanol

Options

 

(35)

 

 

 

 

 

Barrels

 

Crude Oil

Forwards

 

 

 

19,263 

 

(8,768)

 

Bushels

 

Corn, Soybeans, Wheat and Milo

Forwards

 

 

 

52,420 

 

(202,806)

 

Gallons

 

Ethanol

Forwards

 

 

 

17 

 

(142)

 

Tons

 

Distillers Grains

Forwards

 

 

 

30 

 

 -

 

Barrels

 

Crude Oil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

Exchange traded futures and options are presented on a net long and (short) position basis. Options are presented on a delta-adjusted basis.

(2)

Non-exchange traded forwards are presented on a gross long and (short) position basis.

(3)

Futures used for cash flow hedges.

(4)Futures used for fair value hedges.

Energy trading contracts that do not involve physical delivery are presented net in revenues on the consolidated statements of operations. Revenues and cost of goods sold under such contracts are summarized in the table below for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

   Three Months Ended
March  31,
 
   2012   2011 

Revenue

  $6,575    $11,274  

Cost of goods sold

  $6,485    $10,872  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenue

$

5,988 

 

$

12,538 

 

$

12,563 

 

$

23,812 

Cost of goods sold

 

6,008 

 

 

11,927 

 

 

12,493 

 

 

22,799 

15


7.  DEBT

The principal balances of the components of debt are as follows (in thousands):

 

   March 31,
2012
   December 31,
2011
 

Green Plains Bluffton:

    

$70.0 million term loan

  $46,268    $48,018  

$20.0 million revolving term loan

   20,000     20,000  

$22.0 million revenue bond

   18,330     19,120  

Green Plains Central City:

    

$55.0 million term loan

   45,312     46,558  

$30.5 million revolving term loan

   28,645     24,739  

$11.0 million revolver

   10,094     —    

Equipment financing loan

   154     170  

Green Plains Holdings II:

    

$34.1 million term loan

   —       27,914  

$42.6 million revolving term loan

   —       35,679  

$15.0 million revolver

   —       15,000  

$26.4 million term loan

   26,414     —    

$51.1 million revolving term loan

   50,680     —    

Other

   194     194  

Green Plains Obion:

    

$60.0 million term loan

   23,270     25,670  

$37.4 million revolving term loan

   36,200     36,200  

Note payable

   75     85  

Equipment financing loan

   407     445  

Economic development grant

   1,402     1,424  

Green Plains Ord:

    

$25.0 million term loan

   20,730     21,300  

$13.0 million revolving term loan

   12,151     12,151  

$5.0 million revolver

   3,349     3,349  

Green Plains Otter Tail:

    

$30.3 million term loan

   26,259     27,386  

$4.7 million revolver

   4,675     4,675  

$19.2 million note payable

   18,915     18,883  

Capital lease payable

   138     166  

Green Plains Shenandoah:

    

$30.0 million term loan

   4,868     6,068  

$17.0 million revolving term loan

   17,000     17,000  

Green Plains Superior:

    

$23.5 million term loan

   19,375     20,750  

$10.0 million revolving term loan

   10,000     10,000  

Equipment financing loan

   139     156  

Continued on the following page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30,

2012

 

December 31,

2011

Green Plains Bluffton:

 

 

 

 

 

$70.0 million term loan

$

44,518 

 

$

48,018 

$20.0 million revolving term loan

 

20,000 

 

 

20,000 

$22.0 million revenue bond

 

18,330 

 

 

19,120 

Green Plains Central City:

 

 

 

 

 

$55.0 million term loan

 

41,291 

 

 

46,558 

$30.5 million revolving term loan

 

28,081 

 

 

24,739 

$11.0 million revolving line of credit

 

10,658 

 

 

 -

Equipment financing loan

 

138 

 

 

170 

Green Plains Holdings II:

 

 

 

 

 

$34.1 million term loan

 

 -

 

 

27,914 

$42.6 million revolving term loan

 

 -

 

 

35,679 

$15.0 million revolver

 

 -

 

 

15,000 

$26.4 million term loan

 

24,914 

 

 

 -

$51.1 million revolving term loan

 

48,000 

 

 

 -

Other

 

194 

 

 

194 

Green Plains Obion:

 

 

 

 

 

$60.0 million term loan

 

18,280 

 

 

25,670 

$37.4 million revolving term loan

 

36,200 

 

 

36,200 

Note payable

 

65 

 

 

85 

Equipment financing loan

 

368 

 

 

445 

Economic development grant

 

1,379 

 

 

1,424 

Green Plains Ord:

 

 

 

 

 

$25.0 million term loan

 

18,890 

 

 

21,300 

$13.0 million revolving term loan

 

12,151 

 

 

12,151 

$5.0 million revolving line of credit

 

3,349 

 

 

3,349 

Green Plains Otter Tail:

 

 

 

 

 

$30.3 million term loan

 

25,117 

 

 

27,386 

$4.7 million revolver

 

4,675 

 

 

4,675 

$19.2 million note payable

 

18,948 

 

 

18,883 

Capital lease payable

 

110 

 

 

166 

Green Plains Shenandoah:

 

 

 

 

 

$30.0 million term loan

 

1,600 

 

 

6,068 

$17.0 million revolving term loan

 

17,000 

 

 

17,000 

Green Plains Superior:

 

 

 

 

 

$23.5 million term loan

 

18,000 

 

 

20,750 

$10.0 million revolving term loan

 

10,000 

 

 

10,000 

Equipment financing loan

 

123 

 

 

156 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continued on the following page

Continued from the previous page

 

  
   March 31,
2012
  December 31,
2011
 

Green Plains Grain:

   

$30.0 million term loan

   29,333    27,833  

$195.0 revolving loan

   62,000    27,000  

Inventory financing arrangements

   26,582    8,894  

Equipment financing loans

   156    311  

Notes payable

   2,000    2,000  

Green Plains Trade:

   

$70.0 million revolving loan

   53,859    33,705  

Corporate:

   

$90.0 million convertible notes

   90,000    90,000  

Notes Payable

   28,787    1,625  

Capital Lease

   557    606  

Other

   1,391    1,692  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total debt

   739,709    636,766  

Less: current portion of long-term debt

   (83,787  (73,760

Less: short-term notes payable and other

   (169,603  (69,599
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Long-term debt

  $486,319   $493,407  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

16


 

 

 

 

 

 

Continued from the previous page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 30,

2012

 

December 31,

2011

Green Plains Grain:

 

 

 

 

 

$30.0 million term loan

 

28,833 

 

 

27,833 

$195.0 revolving loan

 

55,000 

 

 

27,000 

Inventory financing arrangements

 

 -

 

 

8,894 

Equipment financing loans

 

142 

 

 

311 

Notes payable

 

1,000 

 

 

2,000 

Green Plains Trade:

 

 

 

 

 

$70.0 million revolving loan

 

51,076 

 

 

33,705 

Corporate:

 

 

 

 

 

$90.0 million convertible notes

 

90,000 

 

 

90,000 

Notes Payable

 

28,787 

 

 

1,625 

Capital Lease

 

506 

 

 

606 

Other

 

1,065 

 

 

1,692 

Total debt

 

678,788 

 

 

636,766 

Less: current portion of long-term debt

 

(75,032)

 

 

(73,760)

Less: short-term notes payable and other

 

(133,237)

 

 

(69,599)

Long-term debt

$

470,519 

 

$

493,407 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol Production Segment

 

·

Term Loans

 

Scheduled principal payments are as follows:

oScheduled principal payments are as follows:

 

•  

Green Plains Bluffton

$0.6 million per month

•  

Green Plains Central City

$0.4 million per month

•  

Green Plains Holdings II

$1.5 million per quarter

•  

Green Plains Obion

$2.4 million per quarter

•  

Green Plains Ord

$0.2 million per month

•  

Green Plains Otter Tail

$0.4 million per month

•  

Green Plains Shenandoah

$1.2 million per quarter

•  

Green Plains Superior

$1.4 million per quarter

 

Final maturity dates (at the latest) are as follows:

oFinal maturity dates (at the latest) are as follows:

 

•  

Green Plains Bluffton

November 19, 2013

•  

Green Plains Central City

July 1, 2016

•  

Green Plains Holdings II

July1,

July 1, 2016

•  

Green Plains Obion

August 20, 2014

•  

Green Plains Ord

July 1, 2016

•  

Green Plains Otter Tail

September 1, 2018

•  

Green Plains Shenandoah

May 20, 2013

•  

Green Plains Superior

July 20, 2015

·

Revolving Term Loans – The revolving term loans are generally available for advances throughout the life of the commitment, subject, in certain cases, to borrowing base restrictions. Allowable advances under the Green Plains Shenandoah loan agreement are reduced by $2.4 million each six-month period commencing on the first day of the month beginning approximately six months after repayment of the term loan, but in no event later than NovemberJune 1, 2014. 2013.  

17


Allowable advances under the Green Plains Superior loan agreement are reduced by $2.5 million each six-month period commencing on the first day of the month beginning approximately six months after repayment of the term loan, but in no event later than January 1, 2016. Allowable advances under the Green Plains Obion loan agreement are reduced by $4.7 million on a semi-annual basis commencing on March 1, 2015. Allowable advances under the Green Plains Holdings II loan agreement are reduced by $2.7 million on a semi-annual basis commencing on April 1, 2012 and are reduced by $5.7 million on a semi-annual basis commencing on October 1, 2016. Interest-only payments are due each month on all revolving term loans until the final maturity date for the Green Plains Bluffton, Green Plains Central City, Green Plains Ord, Green Plains Otter Tail, Green Plains Shenandoah, and Green Plains Superior loan agreements.

term loan, but in no event later than January 1, 2016. Allowable advances underFinal maturity dates (at the Green Plains Obion loan agreementlatest) are reduced by $4.7 million on a semi-annual basis commencing on March 1, 2015. Allowable advances under the Green Plains Holdings II loan agreement are reduced by $2.7 million on a semi-annual basis commencing on April 1, 2012. Interest-only payments are due each month on all revolving term loans until the final maturity date for the Green Plains Bluffton, Green Plains Central City, Green Plains Ord, Green Plains Otter Tail, Green Plains Shenandoah, and Green Plains Superior loan agreements.as follows:

 

oFinal maturity dates (at the latest) are as follows:

 

•  

Green Plains Bluffton

November 19, 2013

•  

Green Plains Central City

July 1, 2016

•  

Green Plains Holdings II

October 1, 2018

•  

Green Plains Obion

September 1, 2018

•  

Green Plains Ord

July 1, 2016

•  

Green Plains Otter Tail

March 19, 2013

•  

Green Plains Shenandoah

November 1, 2016

•  

Green Plains Superior

July 1, 2017

Green Plains Bluffton also received $22.0 million in Subordinate Solid Waste Disposal Facility Revenue Bond funds from the City of Bluffton, Indiana. The revenue bond requires: (1) semi-annual principal and interest payments of approximately $1.5 million through March 1, 2019, and (2) a final principal and interest payment of $3.745 million on September 1, 2019. At March 31,June 30, 2012, Green Plains Bluffton had $2.5$3.2 million of cash that was restricted as to use for payment towards the current maturity and interest of the revenue bond. Such cash is presented as restricted cash on the consolidated balance sheet.

All of

The subsidiaries within the Company’s ethanol production subsidiariessegment were in compliance with theirits respective debt covenants as of March 31,June 30, 2012.

Agribusiness Segment

The Green Plains Grain loans, executed on October 28, 2011, are comprised of a $30.0 million amortizing term loan and a $195.0 million revolving credit facility with various lenders. The term loan and revolving credit facility mature on November 1, 2021 and October 28, 2013, respectively.

The $30.0 million amortizing term loan was disbursed in an initial advance in the amount of $28.0 million on October 31, 2011. The remaining $2.0 million amount was advanced on February 7, 2012. Equalrequires equal monthly payments of principal sufficient to amortize the loan in full over a 15-year period, plus interest, are due on the first day of every month with the remaining outstanding balance and all accrued interest due on November 1, 2021, the loan maturity date. The loan bears interest at a fixed rate of 6.00%6.0% per annum. As security for the loan, the lender received a first priority lien on certain real estate and other property owned by the subsidiaries within the agribusiness segment.

The revolving credit facility includes total revolving credit commitments of $195.0 million and an accordion feature whereby amounts available under the facility may be increased by up to $55.0 million of new lender commitments upon agent approval. As security for the revolving credit facility, the lender received a first priority lien on certain cash, inventory, machinery, accounts receivable and other assets owned by subsidiaries of the agribusiness segment. Advances are subject to interest charges at a rate per annum equal to the LIBOR rate for the outstanding period plus the applicable margin or a rate per annum equal to the base rate plus the applicable margin. The principal balance of each advance shall be due and payable on the respective maturity date but no later than October 28, 2013.

The subsidiaries within the agribusiness segment waswere in compliance with its respective debt covenants at March 31,June 30, 2012.

Inventory Financing Arrangements

The Company has entered into short-term inventory financing arrangements with a financial institution. At March 31, 2012, 3.0 million bushels of corn and 0.5 million bushels of soybeans had been designated as collateral under these contracts at initial values totaling $24.7 million. The Company has accounted for the agreements as short-term notes, rather than sales, and has elected the fair value option to offset fluctuations in market prices of the inventory. At March 31, 2012, grain inventory and the short-term note payable were valued at $26.6 million and were measured using Level 2 inputs.

18


Marketing and Distribution Segment

The Green Plains Trade loan is comprised of a senior secured revolving credit facility. Under the loan agreement, as amended, the lender will loan up to $70.0 million, subject to a borrowing base equal to 85% of eligible receivables. The balance is subject to interest charges of either: (1) Base Ratebase rate (lender’s commercial floating rate plus 2.5%); or, (2) LIBOR plus 3.5%. At March 31,June 30, 2012, Green Plains Trade had $24.5$15.1 million in cash that was restricted as to use for payment towards the loan agreement. Such cash is presented in restricted cash on the consolidated balance sheets. The amended revolving credit facility expires on March 31, 2014. As of March 31, 2012, Green Plains Trade was

The subsidiaries within the marketing and distribution segment were in compliance with allits respective debt covenants.covenants at June 30, 2012.

Corporate Activities

In November 2010, the Company issued $90.0 million of 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2015, or Notes.2015. The Notes represent senior, unsecured obligations of the Company, with interest payable on May 1 and November 1 of each year. The Notes may be converted into shares of the Company’s common stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares of the common stock based on a conversion rate initially equal to 69.7788 shares of the common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which is equal to an initial conversion price of $14.33 per share. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of specified events. The Company may redeem for cash all, but not less than all, of the Notes at any time on and after November 1, 2013, if the last reported sale price of the Company’s common stock equals or exceeds 140% of the applicable conversion price for a specified time period, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

In conjunction with athe March 9, 2012 repurchase of its common stock from a subsidiary of NTR plc, which was previously the Company’s largest shareholder, the Company signed a one-year promissory note bearing 5% interest per annum in the amount of $27.2 million to a subsidiary of NTR plc, which was previously the largest shareholder of the Company.million. The $27.2 million note is secured by the shares repurchased and the Company’s interest in Green Plains Shenandoah LLC.

Capitalized Interest

The Company had $38$78 thousand and $116 thousand in capitalized interest during the quarterly periodthree and six months ended March 31, 2012.June 30, 2012, respectively.

Restricted Net Assets

At March 31,June 30, 2012, there were approximately $541.5$475.6 million of net assets at the Company’s subsidiaries that were not available to be transferred to the parent company in the form of dividends, loans or advances due to restrictions contained in the credit facilities of these subsidiaries.

Other Information

For further information on the debt obligations of the Company, refer toNote 10, Debt, in the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

8.  STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

The Company has equity incentive plans which reserve a combined total of 3.5 million shares of common stock for issuance pursuant to their terms. The plans provide for the granting of shares of stock, including options to purchase shares of common stock, stock appreciation rights tied to the value of common stock, non-vested stock and non-vested stock unit awards to eligible employees, non-employee directors and consultants. The Company measures share-based compensation grants at fair value on the grant date, adjusted for estimated forfeitures. The Company records noncash compensation expense related to equity awards in its financial statements over the requisite service period on a straight-line basis. All of the Company’s existing share-based compensation awards have been determined to be equity awards.

19


A summary of stock option activity for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 is as follows:

 

   Shares  Weighted-
Average
Exercise
Price
   Weighted-Average
Remaining
Contractual Term
(in years)
   Aggregate
Intrinsic Value
(in thousands)
 

Outstanding at December 31, 2011

   1,122,499   $15.68     3.8    $1,374  

Granted

   —      —        

Exercised

   (16,332  8.71       45  

Forfeited

   —      —        

Expired

   —      —        
  

 

 

      

Outstanding at March 31, 2012

   1,106,167   $15.78     3.6    $1,865  
  

 

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Exercisable at March 31, 2012 (1)

   1,045,167   $16.00     3.3    $1,832  
  

 

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 
       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shares

 

Weighted-Average Exercise Price

 

Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years)

 

Aggregate Intrinsic Value (in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding at December 31, 2011

1,122,499 

 

$

15.68 

 

3.8

 

$

1,374 

Granted

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

 

 

 

Exercised

(16,332)

 

 

8.71 

 

 

 

 

45 

Forfeited

 -

 

 

 -

 

 

 

 

 

Expired

(325,000)

 

 

30.00 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding at June 30, 2012

781,167 

 

$

9.86 

 

4.5

 

$

216 

Exercisable at June 30, 2012 (1)

720,167 

 

$

9.67 

 

4.3

 

$

216 
(1)

Includes in-the-money options totaling 518,667312,500 shares at a weighted-average exercise price of $7.26.$5.55.

The Company’s option awards allow employees to exercise options through cash payment to the Company for the shares of common stock or through a simultaneous broker-assisted cashless exercise of a share option, through which the employee authorizes the exercise of an option and the immediate sale of the option shares in the open market. The Company uses newly-issued shares of common stock to satisfy its share-based payment obligations.

The following table summarizes non-vested stock award and deferred stock unit or DSU, activity for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012:

 

   Non-Vested
Shares and
DSU’s
  Weighted-
Average
Grant-Date
Fair Value
   Weighted-Average
Remaining Vesting
Term

(in years)
 

Nonvested at December 31, 2011

   486,012   $11.81    

Granted

   453,859    11.20    

Forfeited

   —      —      

Vested

   (269,070  11.93    
  

 

 

    

Nonvested at March 31, 2012

   670,801   $11.35     2.3  
  

 

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Non-Vested Shares and Deferred Stock Units

 

Weighted-Average Grant-Date Fair Value

 

Weighted-Average Remaining Vesting Term

(in years)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nonvested at December 31, 2011

486,012 

 

$

11.81 

 

 

Granted

550,011 

 

 

10.57 

 

 

Forfeited

(8,928)

 

 

12.15 

 

 

Vested

(370,082)

 

 

10.59 

 

 

Nonvested at June 30, 2012

657,013 

 

$

11.46 

 

2.1

Compensation costs expensed for share-based payment plans described above were approximately $2.2 million and $1.7 million during the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 were approximately $1.0 million and 2011,$3.3 million, respectively, and during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011were approximately $0.9 million and $2.6 million, respectively. At March 31,June 30, 2012, there were $6.9$6.5 million of unrecognized compensation costs from share-based compensation arrangements, which isare related to non-vested awards. This compensation is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.2 2.0years. The potential tax benefit realizable for the anticipated tax deductions of the exercise of share-based payment arrangements generally would approximate 38% of these expense amounts.

9.  EARNINGS PER SHARE

Basic earnings per common shares, or EPS, is calculated by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS is computed by dividing net income on an as-if-converted basis available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period, adjusted for the dilutive effect of any outstanding dilutive securities. Adjusting net income to net income on an as-if-converted basis and adjusting the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the effect of any outstanding dilutive securities is antidilutive when a net loss has been realized. The reconciliations of net income to net income on an as-if-converted basis and basic and diluted earnings per share are as follows (in thousands):

   Three Months Ended 
   March 31, 
   2012  2011 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

  $(12,692 $7,741  

Weighted average shares outstanding - basic

   32,238    36,199  

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - basic

  $(0.39 $0.21  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

  $(12,692 $7,741  

Interest and amortization on convertible debt

   —      1,440  

Tax effect of interest on convertible debt

   —      (518
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains on an as-if-converted basis

  $(12,692 $8,663  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Weighted average shares outstanding - basic

   32,238    36,199  

Effect of dilutive convertible debt

   —      6,280  

Effect of dilutive stock-based compensation awards

   —      285  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total potential shares outstanding

   32,238    42,764  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - diluted

  $(0.39 $0.20  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

20


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

 

Six Months Ended

 

June 30,

 

June 30,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

$

(7,550)

 

$

4,982 

 

$

(20,242)

 

$

12,722 

Weighted average shares outstanding - basic

 

29,614 

 

 

36,415 

 

 

30,926 

 

 

36,308 

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - basic

$

(0.25)

 

$

0.14 

 

$

(0.65)

 

$

0.35 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

$

(7,550)

 

$

4,982 

 

$

(20,242)

 

$

12,722 

Interest and amortization on convertible debt, net of tax effect

 

 -

 

 

924 

 

 

 -

 

 

1,846 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains on an as-if-converted basis

$

(7,550)

 

$

5,906 

 

$

(20,242)

 

$

14,568 

Weighted average shares outstanding - basic

 

29,614 

 

 

36,415 

 

 

30,926 

 

 

36,308 

Effect of dilutive convertible debt

 

 -

 

 

6,280 

 

 

 -

 

 

6,280 

Effect of dilutive stock-based compensation awards

 

 -

 

 

258 

 

 

 -

 

 

270 

Total potential shares outstanding

 

29,614 

 

 

42,953 

 

 

30,926 

 

 

42,858 

Income (loss) attributable to Green Plains stockholders - diluted

$

(0.25)

 

$

0.14 

 

$

(0.65)

 

$

0.34 

Excluded from the computations of diluted EPS for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 were stock-based compensation awards totaling 0.81.3 million and 0.71.0 million shares, respectively and for the three and six months ended March 31, 2012June 30, 2011 were stock-based compensation awards totaling 0.7 million and 2011,0.9 million shares, respectively, because the exercise prices or the grant-date fair value, as applicable, of the corresponding awards were greater than the average market price of the Company’s common stock during the respective periods. For the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, 0.36.4 million and 6.5 million shares, respectively, related to stock-based compensation awards and 6.3 million shares related to convertible debt were also excluded from the computation of diluted EPS as the inclusion of these shares would have been antidilutive. As consideration for the acquisition of the Lakota and Riga ethanol plants in October 2010, the Company issued warrants for 700,000 shares of its stock at a price of $14.00 per share.share exercisable for a period of three years from the closing date. The warrants are excluded from the computations of diluted EPS as the exercise price is greater than the average market price of the Company’s common stock for the three and six months ended March 31, 2012.June 30, 2012 and 2011.

10.  STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Components of stockholders’ equity are as follows (in thousands):

 

                  Accum.                 
              Other     Total       
       Additional      Comp     Green Plains  Non-  Total 
   Common Stock   Paid-in   Retained  Income  Treasury Stock  Stockholders’  Controlling  Stockholders’ 
   Shares   Amount   Capital   Earnings  (Loss)  Shares   Amount  Equity  Interest  Equity 

Balance, December 31, 2011

   36,414    $36    $440,469    $95,761   $(2,953  3,500    $(28,201 $505,112   $245   $505,357  

Net loss

   —       —       —       (12,692  —      —       —      (12,692  (4  (12,696

Unrealized gain on derivatives,net of tax effect of $1,516

   —       —       —       —      2,633    —       —      2,633    —      2,633  

Repurchase of common stock

   —       —       —       —      —      3,700     (37,607  (37,607  —      (37,607

Stock-based compensation

   360     1     1,170     —      —      —       —      1,171    —      1,171  

Stock options exercised

   16     —       142     —      —      —       —      142    —      142  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Balance, March 31, 2012

   36,790    $37    $441,781    $83,069   $(320  7,200    $(65,808 $458,759   $241   $459,000  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

   

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional

 

 

Comp

 

Green Plains

Non-

Total

 

Common Stock

Paid-in

Retained

Income

Treasury Stock

Stockholders'

Controlling

Stockholders'

 

Shares

Amount

Capital

Earnings

(Loss)

Shares

Amount

Equity

Interest

Equity

Balance, December 31, 2011

36,414 

$

36 

$

440,469 

$

95,761 

$

(2,953)
3,500 

$

(28,201)

$

505,112 

$

245 

$

505,357 

Net loss

 -

 

 -

 

 -

 

(20,242)

 

 -

 -

 

 -

 

(20,242)

 

(8)

 

(20,250)

Other comprehensive income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

net of tax effect of $7,775

 -

 

 -

 

 -

 

 -

 

13,060 

 -

 

 -

 

13,060 

 

 -

 

13,060 

Repurchase of common stock

 -

 

 -

 

 -

 

 -

 

 -

3,700 

 

(37,607)

 

(37,607)

 

 -

 

(37,607)

Stock-based compensation

425 

 

 

2,111 

 

 -

 

 -

 -

 

 -

 

2,112 

 

 -

 

2,112 

Stock options exercised

16 

 

 -

 

142 

 

 -

 

 -

 -

 

 -

 

142 

 

 -

 

142 

Balance, June 30, 2012

36,855 

$

37 

$

442,722 

$

75,519 

$

10,107 
7,200 

$

(65,808)

$

462,577 

$

237 

$

462,814 

On March 9, 2012, the Company repurchased 3.7 million shares of its common stock for $37.2 million. Shares of repurchased common stock repurchased by the Company are recorded at cost as treasury stock and result in a reduction of stockholders’ equity in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. When shares are reissued, the Company will use the weighted average cost method for determining the cost basis. The difference between the cost of the shares and the issuance price will be added or deducted from additional paid-in capital. The Company does not have a share repurchase program and does not intend to retire the repurchased shares.

21


11.  INCOME TAXES

The Company records income tax expense or benefit during interim periods based on its best estimate of the annual effective tax rate. Certain items are given discrete period treatment and, as a result, the tax effects of such items are reported in full in the relevant interim period.

Income taxes

The income tax benefit for the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 was a benefit of $8.0$4.1 million and $12.1 million, respectively, compared to an expense of $4.4$2.9 million and $7.2 million, respectively, for the same periodperiods in 2011.The effective tax rate (calculated as the ratio of income tax expense to income before income taxes) was approximately 39%37.5% and 37%36.5% for the first threesix months of 2012 and 2011, respectively. The effective tax rate for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2011, reflects the release of a portion of valuation allowances provided against certain of the Company’s deferred tax assets, primarily federal and state net operating losses and tax credits due to anticipated income in future periods.

The Company’s unrecognized tax benefits at March 31,June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011 were $0.1 million.immaterial. There was no change in the Company’s liabilities related to unrecognized tax benefits during the first threesix months of 2012.

The 2012 annual effective tax rate can be affected as a result of variances among the estimates and amounts of full-year sources of taxable income (among the various states), the realization of tax credits, adjustments that may arise from the resolution of tax matters under review, variances in the release of valuation allowances and the Company’s assessment of its liability for uncertain tax positions.

12.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating Leases

The Company leases certain facilities and parcels of land under agreements that expire at various dates. For accounting purposes, rent expense is based on a straight-line amortization of the total payments required over the lease term. The Company incurred lease expenses of $4.4 million and $3.7$8.9 million during the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, respectively, and $3.8 million and $7.5 million during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively. Aggregate minimum lease payments under these agreements for the remainder of 2012 and in future fiscal years are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year Ending December 31,

  Amount 

 

Amount

2012

  $12,424  

 

$

9,760 

2013

   14,829  

 

 

18,616 

2014

   8,261  

 

 

12,170 

2015

   6,589  

 

 

10,104 

2016

   5,376  

 

 

7,914 

Thereafter

   2,980  

 

 

6,048 
  

 

 

Total

  $50,459  

 

$

64,612 
  

 

 

Commodities

As of March 31,June 30, 2012 the Company had contracted for future purchases of grain, deliveriesnatural gas, ethanol and distillers grains valued at approximately $392.2$263.2 million, natural gas deliveries valued at approximately $2.1$2.6 million, ethanol product deliveries valued at approximately $21.6$29.0 million and distillers grains product deliveries valued at approximately $1.0 million.$3.3 million, respectively. 

Legal

In April 2011, Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc. filed a complaint in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in connection with its Chapter 11 bankruptcy naming as defendants Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc., Green Plains Obion LLC, Green Plains Bluffton LLC, Green Plains VBV LLC and Green Plains Trade Group LLC. This action alleged $24.4 million of damages from preferential transfers or, in the alternative, $28.4 million of damages from fraudulent

transfers under an ethanol marketing agreement and an unspecified amount of damages for a continuing breach of a termination agreement related to rail cars. In April 2012, the parties mutually agreed to a negotiated settlement whereby the Company agreed to a cash payment and the purchase of 20 million gallons of ethanol from Aventine over a four-month period beginning in May 2012. An after-tax charge of $2.4 million for the settlement was reflected in operations for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012.

22


In addition to the above-described proceeding, the Company is currently involved in other litigation that has arisen in the ordinary course of business, but it does not believe that any other pending litigation will have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

13.  RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

Short-Term Note Payable

On March 9, 2012, the Company repurchased 3.7 million shares of its Common Stockcommon stock from a subsidiary of NTR plc, which was previously the largest shareholder of the Company, for $37.2 million. The Company paid $10.1$10.0 million in cash and issued a secured note bearing 5% interest per annum for $27.2 million that is due on March 9, 2013. The $27.2 million note is secured by the shares repurchased and the Company’s interest in Green Plains Shenandoah LLC. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $27.2 million was outstanding on the note payable.

Commercial Contracts

Three subsidiaries of the Company have executed separate financing agreements for equipment with AXIS Capital Inc. Gordon F. Glade, President and Chief Executive Officer of AXIS Capital, is a member of our Board of Directors. Totals of $0.3 million and $0.5 million were included in debt at March 31,June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, under these financing arrangements. Payments, including principal and interest, totaled $0.2 million$37 thousand and $0.2 million during the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, respectively, and $0.2 million and $0.3 million during the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, respectively. The highest amount outstanding during the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 was $0.4 million, and the weighted average interest rate for all financing agreements with AXIS Capital was 6.1%.

The Company has entered into ethanol purchase, sale and throughput agreements with Center Oil Company. Gary R. Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer of Center Oil, is a member of our Board of Directors. During the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, cash receipts from Center Oil totaled $1.5 million and $3.7 million, respectively, and cash payments to Center Oil totaled $40 thousand and $1.1 million for the same periods, respectively, on these contracts. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2011, cash receipts from Center Oil totaled $2.2$22.1 million and $43.1$65.3 million, respectively, and cash payments to Center Oil totaled $1.0 million and $1.0$2.1 million for the same periods, respectively, on these contracts.  In October 2011, the Company also entered into an operating lease agreement with Center Oil in which the Company will pay $42 thousand per month for the lease of 35 railcars. The agreement is effective through September 30, 2013. The Company had no outstanding receivables from Center Oil at March 31, 2012$46 thousand and $1.0 million included in outstanding receivables from Center Oil at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011.2011, respectively. The Company had no outstanding payables at March 31,June 30, 2012 and $69 thousand in outstanding payables at December 31, 2011 under these purchase and sale agreements.

Aircraft Lease

The Company has entered into an agreement with Hoovestol Inc. for the lease of an aircraft. Wayne B. Hoovestol, President of Hoovestol Inc., is Chairman of our Board of Directors. The Company has agreed to pay $6,667 per month for use of up to 100 hours per year of the aircraft. Any flight time in excess of 100 hours per year will incur additional hourly-based charges. During the three and six months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, payments related to this agreement totaled $32 thousand and $65 thousand, respectively, and for the same periods in 2011 payments related to this agreement totaled $33$41 thousand and $20$71 thousand, respectively. The Company did not have any receivables from or payables to Hoovestol Inc. at March 31,June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011.

23


Item 2.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

General

The following discussion and analysis provides information which management believes is relevant to an assessment and understanding of our consolidated financial condition and results of operations. This discussion should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included herewith and notes to the consolidated financial statements thereto and our annual report filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 including the consolidated financial statements, accompanying notes and the risk factors contained therein.

Cautionary Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This report contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements generally do not relate strictly to historical or current facts, but rather to plans and objectives for future operations based upon management’s reasonable estimates of future results or trends, and include statements preceded by, followed by, or that include words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “continue,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “outlook,” “plans,” “predicts,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” and words and phrases of similar impact, and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding future operating or financial performance, business strategy, business environment, key trends, and benefits of actual or planned acquisitions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although we believe that our expectations regarding future events are based on reasonable assumptions, any or all forward-looking statements in this report may turn out to be incorrect. They may be based on inaccurate assumptions or may not account for known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Consequently, no forward-looking statement is guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially from the results expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements. The cautionary statements in this report expressly qualify all of our forward-looking statements. In addition, we are not obligated, and do not intend, to update any of our forward-looking statements at any time unless an update is required by applicable securities laws. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those discussed in Part I, Item 1A – Risk Factors of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and in Item 1A of Part II of this Quarterly Report for the quarter ended March 31,June 30, 2012. Specifically, we may experience significant fluctuations in future operating results due to a number of economic conditions, including, but not limited to, competition in the ethanol and other industries in which we compete, commodity market risks, financial market risks, counter-party risks, risks associated with changes to federal policy or regulation, expected corn oil recovery rates and operating expenses, risks related to closing and achieving anticipated results from acquisitions, and other risk factors detailed in our reports filed with the SEC. Actual results may differ from projected results due, but not limited, to unforeseen developments.

In light of these assumptions, risks and uncertainties, the results and events discussed in the forward-looking statements contained in this report or in any document incorporated by reference might not occur. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this report or the date of the document incorporated by reference in this report. We are not under any obligation, and we expressly disclaim any obligation, to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Overview

We are a leading, vertically-integrated producer, marketer and distributer of ethanol. We focus on generating stable operating margins through our diversified business segments and our risk management strategy. We believe that owning and operating assets throughout the ethanol value chain enables us to mitigate changes in commodity prices and differentiates us from companies focused only on ethanol production. Today, we have operations throughout the ethanol value chain, beginning upstream with our agronomy and grain handling operations, continuing through our approximately 740 million gallons per year, or mmgy, of ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil production capacityoperations and ending downstream with our ethanol marketing, distribution and blending facilities.

Management reviews our operations in the following four separate operating segments:

 

·

Ethanol Production.  We are North America’s fourth largest ethanol producer. We operate a total of nine ethanol plants in Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Tennessee, with approximately 740 million gallons per year, or mmgy, of total ethanol production capacity. At capacity, these plants collectively will consume approximately 265 million bushels of corn and produce approximately 2.1 million tons of distillers grains annually.

24


·

Corn Oil Production.  We operate corn oil extraction systems at all nine of our ethanol plants, with the capacity to produce approximately 130145 million pounds annually. The corn oil systems are designed to extract non-edible corn oil from the whole stillage process immediately prior to production of distillers grains. Industrial uses for corn oil include feedstock for biodiesel, livestock feed additives, rubber substitutes, rust preventatives, inks, textiles, soaps and insecticides.

·

Agribusiness.We operate three lines of business within our agribusiness segment: bulk grain, agronomy and petroleum. In our bulk grain business, we have 15 grain elevators with approximately 39.1 million bushels of total storage capacity. We sell fertilizer and other agricultural inputs and provide application services to area producers, through our agronomy business. Additionally, we sell petroleum products including diesel, soydiesel, blended gasoline and propane, primarily to agricultural producers and consumers. We believe our bulk grain business provides synergies with our ethanol production segment as it supplies a portion of the feedstock for our ethanol plants.

·

Marketing and Distribution.  Our in-house marketing business is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of all ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil produced at our nine ethanol plants. We also market and distribute ethanol for third-party ethanol producers with production capacity totaling approximately 260210 mmgy. Additionally, our wholly-owned subsidiary, BlendStar LLC, operates nine blending or terminaling facilities with approximately 625 mmgy of total throughput capacity in seven states in the south central United States.

We intend to continue to take a disciplined approach in evaluating new opportunities related to potential acquisition of additional ethanol plants by considering whether the plants fit within the design, engineering and geographic criteria we have developed. In our marketing and distribution segment, our strategy is to renew existing marketing contracts, as well as enter new contracts with other ethanol producers. We also intend to pursue opportunities to develop or acquire additional grain elevators and agronomy businesses, specifically those located near our ethanol plants. We believe that owning additional agribusiness operations in close proximity to our ethanol plants enables us to strengthen relationships with local corn producers, allowing us to source corn more effectively and at a lower average cost. We also plan to continue to grow our downstream access to customers and are actively seeking new marketing opportunities with other ethanol producers.

We continue our support of the BioProcess Algae joint venture, which is focused on developing technology to grow and harvest algae, which consume carbon dioxide, in commercially viable quantities. Construction of Phase II was completed and the Grower Harvesters™ bioreactors were successfully started up in January 2011. Phase II allowsallowed for verification of growth rates, energy balances and operating expenses, which are considered to be some of the key steps to commercialization. The cost of the Phase II project was shared by the joint venture partners. As part of the Phase II funding, we increased our ownership in BioProcess Algae to 35%. Effective April 23, 2012, our ownership of BioProcess Algae increased to 49% pursuant to our purchase of ownership interests previously held by NTR plc.

During the third quarter of 2011, BioProcess Algae constructed an outdoor Grower Harvester system next to our Shenandoah ethanol plant, which is successfully producing algae. BioProcess Algae successfully completed its first round of algae-based poultry feed trials, in conjunction with the University of Illinois. The algae strains produced by the Grower Harvester system for the feed trials demonstrated high energy and protein content that was readily available, similar to other high value feed products used in the feeding of poultry today. BioProcess Algae initiated Phase III and broke ground on a five acrefive-acre algae farm in the first quarter of 2012 at the same location. If we and the other BioProcess Algae members determine that the venture can achieve the desired economic performance from the five acre farm,Phase III, a build-out of 200 to 400 acres of Grower Harvester reactors will be considered. The cost of such a build-out is estimated at $40$50 million to $60$80 million and could take up to a year to complete. Funding for BioProcess Algae for such a project would come from a variety of sources including current partners, new equity investors, debt financing or a combination thereof. If a decision was made to replicate such a 400 acreconstruct large-scale algae farm at alleach of our ethanol plants, we estimate that the total required investment could range from $300$500 million to $500$800 million.

On June 28, 2012, BioProcess Algae currently is exploringand KD-Pharma Bexbach GmbH, part of the Fat and Lipids Division of Bioseutica BV, a leading producer of highly purified pharmaceutical-grade Omega-3 fatty acids, entered into a commercial supply agreement for the production of EPA-rich Omega-3 oils for use in concentrated EPA products for nutritional or pharmaceutical applications. Under the agreement, BioProcess Algae will supply microalgal oils which will be refined to produce highly-concentrated vegetable sourced EPA oils. BioProcess Algae continues to explore additional potential algae markets including animal feeds, nutraceuticals and biofuels.

25


Industry Factors Affecting our Results of Operations

Variability of Commodity Prices.  Our operations and our industry are highly dependent on commodity prices, especially prices for corn, ethanol, distillers grains and natural gas. Because the market prices of these commodities are not always correlated, at times ethanol production may be unprofitable. As commodity price volatility poses a significant threat to our margin structure, we have developed a risk management strategy focused on locking in favorable operating margins when available. We continually monitor market prices of corn, natural gas and other input costs relative to the prices for ethanol and distillers grains at each of our production facilities. We create offsetting positions by using a combination of derivative instruments, fixed-price purchases and sales contracts, or a combination of strategies within strict limits. Our primary focus is not to manage general price movements of individual commodities, for example to minimize the cost of corn consumed, but rather to lock in favorable profit margins whenever possible. By using a variety of risk management tools and hedging strategies, including our internally-developed real-time margin management system, we believe we are able to maintain a disciplined approach to price risks.

 

The ethanol industry increased production in the fourth quarter of 2011 to meet demand from ethanol blenders in order to take advantage of the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, or VEETC, prior to its expiration on December 31, 2011. As a result, ethanol stocks at the end of 2011 exceeded normal market levels which have caused ethanol margins to compress to near break-even levels since the end of 2011. According to the Energy Information Administration, as an industry, ethanol producers have responded by reducing weekly production rates by approximately 10%11% by the end of the second quarter of 2012 compared to the fourth quarter of 2011. We believe that U.S. ethanol production levels will continue to adjust with marginally efficient plants reducing output until supply and demand return to equilibrium.

Further, we believe that the price of corn may be affected by reduced ethanol production levels, although weather, world-wide demand, and other market forces may impact corn prices as well. During July 2012, corn prices have traded to all-time highs due to drought conditions in the midwestern region of the U.S. Estimates of supply and demand provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasted lower production levels and corresponding reduced demand levels as a result of higher prices as consumers of corn are competing for potentially reduced domestic supplies. These factors, in combination with reduced demand for motor fuels in the U.S. resulting from higher gasoline prices and more fuel-efficient vehicles, have adversely affected the margin environment in the first quarterhalf of 2012. The margin environment in the second quarterhalf of 2012, although improving, is alsoexpected to improve in the fourth quarter, will likely be affected by these factors.factors as well. We continue to monitor the current margin environment’s impact on our future projected cash flows, our market capitalization and market prices for similar assets or businesses to evaluate potential impairment of assets, including goodwill.

There may be periods of time that, due to the variability of commodity prices and compressed margins, identified by our risk management system, we reduce or cease ethanol production operations at certain of our ethanol plants. In the first quarterhalf of 2012, we reduced production volumes at two of our ethanol plants by approximately 30%, or about 5%7% of our total production, in direct response to unfavorable operating margins. Additionally, we started building ethanol inventory levels duringIn the first quarter of 2012, to hold for salewe increased our ethanol inventory levels while the market provided a reasonable return on storage capacity. In the second quarter of 2012, we liquidated the additional ethanol inventory. To optimize the value of our assets, we began utilizing a portion of our railcar fleet in the first quarterhalf of 2012 to transport crude oil for third parties from North Dakotaand to various markets. We planlease railcars to continue to pursue this strategy inother users. At the end of the second quarter.quarter of 2012, we had 284 railcars deployed in crude oil transportation or leased to other users and have subsequently increased that number to more than 500 railcars.

Reduced Availability of Capital.  Some ethanol producers have faced financial distress over the past few years, culminating with bankruptcy filings by several companies. This, in combination with continued volatility in the capital markets, has resulted in reduced availability of capital for the ethanol industry in general. In this market environment, we may experience limited access to incremental financing.

Legislation.  Federal and state governments have enacted numerous policies, incentives and subsidies to encourage the usage of domestically-produced alternative fuel solutions. Passed in 2007 as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act, athe federal Renewable Fuels Standard II, or RFS II, has been, and we expect will continue to be, a driving factor in the growth of ethanol usage. The RFS Flexibility Act was introduced on October 5, 2011 in the U.S. House of Representatives to reduce or eliminate the volumes of renewable fuel use required by RFS II based upon corn stocks-to-use ratios. The Domestic Alternative Fuels Act of 2012 was introduced on January 18, 2012 in the U.S. House of Representatives to modify the RFS II to include ethanol and other fuels produced from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Due to drought conditions, the possibility of further legislation aimed at reducing or eliminating the renewable fuel use required by RFS II may also be heightened. 

Under the provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act, the EPA has the authority to waive the mandated RFS II requirements in whole or in part. To grant the waiver, the EPA administrator must determine, in consultation with the

26


Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy, that one of two conditions has been met; there is inadequate domestic renewable fuel supply or implementation of the requirement would severely harm the economy or environment of a state, a region, or the U.S. On Monday July 30, 2012, a number of livestock groups filed a waiver request with the EPA based on drought conditions.  The EPA administrator, as well as the Secretary of Agriculture, have both recently indicated they do not see a reason for the administration to waive the RFS II requirements due to the drought. As a result, we believe it is unlikely the EPA will grant the requested waiver.

To further drive growth in the increased adoption of ethanol, Growth Energy, an ethanol industry trade association, and a number of ethanol producers requested a waiver from the EPA to increase the allowable amount of ethanol blended into gasoline from the current 10% level, or E10, to a 15% level, or E15. In October 2010, the EPA granted a partial waiver for E15 for use in model year 2007 and newer model passenger vehicles, including cars, SUVs, and light pickup truck. In January 2011, the EPA granted a second partial waiver for E15 for use in model year 2001 to 2006 passenger vehicles. On February 17, 2012, the EPA announced that evaluation of the health effects tests of E15 are complete and that fuel manufacturers are now able to register E15 with the EPA to sell. OneTo meet one of the final requirements byof the EPA prior to introducing E15 into the marketplace, was a survey to verify that E15 met federal fueling specifications. Inin April 2012, a group of ethanol industry members funded a national survey to meet the EPA’s requirement for a fuel survey on E15. In June 2012, the EPA gave final approval for the sale and use of E15 ethanol blends in light duty vehicles made since 2001, representing nearly two-thirds of all vehicles on the road. The nation’s first retail E15 ethanol blends were sold in July  2012. As of April 9,June 5, 2012, 2660 fuel manufacturers were registered to sell E15.

On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the Reform Act, which, among other things, aims to improve transparency and accountability in derivative markets. While the Reform Act increases the regulatory authority of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, or CFTC, regarding over-the-counter derivatives, there is uncertainty on several issues related to market clearing, definitions of market participants, reporting, and capital requirements. While many details remain to be addressed in CFTC rulemaking proceedings, at this time we do not anticipate any material impact to our risk management strategy.

Industry Fundamentals. The ethanol industry is supported by a number of market fundamentals that drive its long-term outlook and extend beyond the short-term margin environment. Following the EPA’s completion of health effects testing, the industry is working to broadly introduce E15 into the retail fuel market. Another driving factor is the RFS mandate, which continues to increase each year through 2015. The mandate increased to 13.2 billion gallons for 2012, 600 million gallons

over the mandated volume in 2011. The makeup of the domestic gasoline market continues to evolve as refiners are producing more CBOB, a sub-grade (84 octane) gasoline, which requires ethanol or other octane sources to meet the minimum octane rating requirements for the U.S. gasoline market. In addition, ethanol export markets are expected to remain active in 2012. Overall, the industry is operating at the mandated levels and ethanol prices have continued to remain at a large discount to gasoline, providing blenders and refiners with a strong economic incentive to blend.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

This disclosure is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires that we make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on historical experience and other assumptions that we believe are proper and reasonable under the circumstances. We continually evaluate the appropriateness of estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Key accounting policies, including but not limited to those relating to revenue recognition, property and equipment, impairment of long-lived assets and goodwill, derivative financial instruments, and accounting for income taxes, are impacted significantly by judgments, assumptions and estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements. See further discussion of our critical accounting policies and estimates, as well as significant accounting policies, in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Effective January 1, 2012, we adopted the third phase of amended guidance in ASC Topic 820,Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures.The amended guidance clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement requirements and requires additional disclosure for Level 3 measurements regarding the sensitivity of fair value to changes in unobservable inputs and any interrelationships between those inputs. We currently are not impacted by the additional disclosure requirements as we do not have any recurring Level 3 measurements.

27


Effective January 1, 2012, we adopted the amended guidance in ASC Topic 220,Comprehensive Income. The amended guidance is aimed at increasing the prominence of other comprehensive income in the financial statements by eliminating the option to present other comprehensive income in the statement of stockholders’ equity.equity. We elected to present net income and other comprehensive income in two separate but consecutive statements.statements. The updated presentation, which has been implemented retroactively for all comparable periods presented, did not impact our financial position or results of operations.

Effective January 1, 2012, we adopted the amended guidance in ASC Topic 350,Intangibles – Goodwill and Other. The amended guidance permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. The more-likely-than-not threshold is defined as having a likelihood of more than 50 percent. We have determined that the amended guidance doesdid not impact our disclosure or reporting requirements.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

Components of Revenues and Expenses

Revenues.  In our ethanol production segment, our revenues are derived primarily from the sale of ethanol and distillers grains, which is a co-product of the ethanol production process. In our corn oil production segment, our revenues are derived from the sale of corn oil, which is extracted from the whole stillage process immediately prior to the production of distillers grains. In our agribusiness segment, the sale of grain, fertilizer and petroleum products are our primary sources of revenue. In our marketing and distribution segment, the sale of ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil that we market for our nine ethanol plants, and the sale of ethanol we market for thethird-party ethanol plants owned by third partiesand the sale of other commodities purchased in the open market represent our primary sources of revenue. Revenues also include net gains or losses from derivatives.

Cost of Goods Sold.    Cost of goods sold in our ethanol production and corn oil production segments includes costs for direct labor, materials and certain plant overhead costs. Direct labor includes all compensation and related benefits of non-management personnel involved in the operation of our ethanol plants. Plant overhead costs primarily consist of plant utilities, plant depreciation and outbound freight charges. Our cost of goods sold is mainly affected by the cost of ethanol, corn, natural gas and transportation. In these segments, corn is our most significant raw material cost. We purchase natural gas to power steam generation in our ethanol production process and to dry our distillers grains. Natural gas represents our second largest cost in this business segment. Cost of goods sold also includes net gains or losses from derivatives.

Grain, fertilizer and petroleum acquisition costs represent the primary components of cost of goods sold in our agribusiness segment. Grain inventories, forward purchase contracts and forward sale contracts are valued at market prices, where available, or other market quotes adjusted for differences, primarily transportation, between the exchange-traded market and the local markets on which the terms of the contracts are based. Changes in the market value of grain inventories, forward purchase and sale contracts, and exchange-traded futures and options contracts are recognized in earnings as a component of cost of goods sold.

In our marketing and distribution segment, purchases of ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil represent the largest components of cost of goods sold. Transportation expense represents an additional major component of our cost of goods sold in this segment. Transportation expense includes rail car leases, freight and shipping of our ethanol and co-products, as well as costs incurred in storing ethanol at destination terminals.

Selling, General and Administrative Expenses.Selling, general and administrative expenses are recognized at the operating segment level, as well as at the corporate level. These expenses consist of employee salaries, incentives and benefits; office expenses; board fees; and professional fees for accounting, legal, consulting, and investor relations activities. Personnel costs, which include employee salaries, incentives and benefits, are the largest single category of expenditures in selling, general and administrative expenses. We refer to selling, general and administrative expenses that are not allocable to a segment as corporate activities.

Other Income (Expense).    Other income (expense) includes interest earned, interest expense and other non-operating items.

28


Results of Operations

Segment Results

Our operations fall within the following four segments: (1) production of ethanol and related distillers grains, collectively referred to as ethanol production, (2) corn oil production, (3) grain warehousing and marketing, as well as sales and related services of agronomy and petroleum products, collectively referred to as agribusiness, and (4) marketing and distribution of Company-produced and third-party ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil, and the operation of blending and terminaling facilities, collectively referred to as marketing and distribution. Selling, general and administrative expenses, primarily consisting of compensation of corporate employees, professional fees and overhead costs not directly related to a specific operating segment, are reflected in the table below as corporate activities. When the Company’s management evaluates segment performance, they review the information provided below, as well as segment earnings before interest, income taxes, noncontrolling interest, depreciation and amortization.

During the normal course of business, our operating segments enter into transactions with one another. For example, our ethanol production and corn oil production segments sell ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil to our marketing and distribution segment and our agribusiness segment sells grain to our ethanol production segment. These intersegment activities are recorded by each segment at prices approximating market and treated as if they are third-party transactions. Consequently, these transactions impact segment performance. However, intersegment revenues and corresponding costs are eliminated in consolidation, and do not impact our consolidated results.

The table below reflects selected operating segment financial information for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Revenues:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol production

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

$

50,776 

 

$

27,181 

 

$

96,133 

 

$

62,301 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

416,114 

 

 

516,360 

 

 

828,934 

 

 

949,043 

Total segment revenues

 

 

466,890 

 

 

543,541 

 

 

925,067 

 

 

1,011,344 

Corn oil production

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

 

 

 

 -

 

 

516 

 

 

1,071 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

15,463 

 

 

10,520 

 

 

28,474 

 

 

13,771 

Total segment revenues

��

 

15,470 

 

 

10,520 

 

 

28,990 

 

 

14,842 

Agribusiness

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

 

101,782 

 

 

75,040 

 

 

174,606 

 

 

138,894 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

39,068 

 

 

50,549 

 

 

84,470 

 

 

100,813 

Total segment revenues

 

 

140,850 

 

 

125,589 

 

 

259,076 

 

 

239,707 

Marketing and distribution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenues from external customers

 

 

717,791 

 

 

759,355 

 

 

1,374,495 

 

 

1,471,637 

Intersegment revenues

 

 

124 

 

 

164 

 

 

191 

 

 

276 

Total segment revenues

 

 

717,915 

 

 

759,519 

 

 

1,374,686 

 

 

1,471,913 

Revenues including intersegment activity

 

 

1,341,125 

 

 

1,439,169 

 

 

2,587,819 

 

 

2,737,806 

Intersegment eliminations

 

 

(470,769)

 

 

(577,593)

 

 

(942,069)

 

 

(1,063,903)

Revenues as reported

 

$

870,356 

 

$

861,576 

 

$

1,645,750 

 

$

1,673,903 

 

   Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
   2012  2011 

Revenues:

   

Ethanol production

   

Revenues from external customers

  $45,358   $35,119  

Intersegment revenues

   412,819    432,684  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total segment revenues

   458,177    467,803  

Corn oil production

   

Revenues from external customers

   508    1,071  

Intersegment revenues

   13,011    3,251  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total segment revenues

   13,519    4,322  

Agribusiness

   

Revenues from external customers

   72,825    63,854  

Intersegment revenues

   45,402    50,264  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total segment revenues

   118,227    114,118  

Marketing and distribution

   

Revenues from external customers

   656,704    712,283  

Intersegment revenues

   67    112  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Total segment revenues

   656,771    712,395  

Revenues including intersegment activity

   1,246,694    1,298,638  

Intersegment eliminations

   (471,299  (486,311
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Revenues as reported

  $775,395   $812,327  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Gross profit (loss):

   

Ethanol production

  $(10,035 $23,314  

Corn oil production

   7,936    2,091  

Agribusiness

   6,246    6,016  

Marketing and distribution

   4,186    6,674  

Intersegment eliminations

   437    (471
  

 

 

  

 

 

 
  $8,770   $37,624  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Operating income (loss):

   

Ethanol production

  $(13,880 $19,535  

Corn oil production

   7,848    2,069  

Agribusiness

   669    972  

Marketing and distribution

   510    2,639  

Intersegment eliminations

   471    (456

Corporate activities

   (6,709  (4,763
  

 

 

  

 

 

 
  $(11,091 $19,996  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

29


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Gross profit (loss):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol production

 

$

(6,875)

 

$

15,721 

 

$

(16,910)

 

$

39,034 

Corn oil production

 

 

9,405 

 

 

6,365 

 

 

17,340 

 

 

8,456 

Agribusiness

 

 

8,599 

 

 

6,187 

 

 

14,845 

 

 

12,203 

Marketing and distribution

 

 

6,603 

 

 

5,589 

 

 

10,790 

 

 

12,263 

Intersegment eliminations

 

 

402 

 

 

1,400 

 

 

839 

 

 

929 

 

 

$

18,134 

 

$

35,262 

 

$

26,904 

 

$

72,885 

Operating income (loss):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ethanol production

 

$

(11,034)

 

$

11,708 

 

$

(24,914)

 

$

31,243 

Corn oil production

 

 

9,351 

 

 

6,339 

 

 

17,200 

 

 

8,408 

Agribusiness

 

 

2,398 

 

 

812 

 

 

3,067 

 

 

1,783 

Marketing and distribution

 

 

2,874 

 

 

2,517 

 

 

3,384 

 

 

5,156 

Intersegment eliminations

 

 

402 

 

 

1,410 

 

 

873 

 

 

954 

Corporate activities

 

 

(5,074)

 

 

(4,998)

 

 

(11,784)

 

 

(9,761)

 

 

$

(1,083)

 

$

17,788 

 

$

(12,174)

 

$

37,783 

Three Months Ended March 31,June 30, 2012 Compared to the Three Months Ended March 31,June 30, 2011

Consolidated Results

Revenues decreased $36.9increased $8.8 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, as a resultprimarily due to higher revenues in our corn oil production and agribusiness segments. During the three months ended June 30, 2012, we sold 38.6 million pounds of a reductioncorn oil produced by our corn oil production segment compared to 21.5 million pounds in ethanol volumesthe same period of 2011. Agribusiness revenues increased primarily due to additional volume of grain sold at certain of our ethanol plants, a decrease in activity within our marketing and distribution segmenthigher unit margins for grain and unfavorable changes in commodity prices.fertilizer. In the first quarterhalf of 2012, we made a decision, in direct response to unfavorable operating margins, to reduce ethanolreduced production volumes at two of our ethanol plants by approximately 30%, or about 5%7% of our total production.production capability, in direct response to unfavorable operating margins. In addition,the first quarter of 2012, we increased our ethanol inventory levels during the first quarter of 2012 to hold ethanol for sale while the market provided a reasonable return on storage capacity. The decrease in revenues was offset partially by additional production from our Otter Tail ethanol plant, acquired in March 2011, and an increase in corn oil production. DuringIn the three months ended March 31,second quarter of 2012, we were extracting corn oil at all nine of ourliquidated the additional ethanol plants compared to six of our ethanol plants during the three months ended March 31, 2011, two of which were deployed during that period.inventory. Gross profit decreased $28.9$17.1 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 primarily as a result of unfavorable operating margins within the ethanol production segment. Operating income decreased $31.1$18.9 million in the first quarter of 2012 to an operating loss of $1.1 million in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the firstsecond quarter of 2011 as a result of the factors discussed above. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $2.2$1.7 million higher for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to the expanded scope of our operations. Interest expense increased by $0.9 million in the first three months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to debt issued to finance the acquisition of our Otter Tail ethanol plant in March 2011 and higher balances on grain company term loans. As a result of our net loss, we recorded an income tax benefit of $8.0$4.1 million compared to an income tax expense of $4.4$2.9 million for three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

The following discussion of segment results provides greater detail on period to period results.

Ethanol Production Segment

The table below presents key operating data within our ethanol production segment for the periods indicated:

 

   Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
   2012   2011 

Ethanol sold

    

(thousands of gallons)

   169,620     172,093  

Ethanol produced

    

(thousands of gallons)

   175,771     171,104  

Distillers grains sold

    

(thousands of equivalent dried tons)

   487     505  

Corn consumed

    

(thousands of bushels)

   61,873     60,371  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

Ethanol sold

 

 

 

 

(thousands of gallons)

 

176,729 

 

183,925 

Ethanol produced

 

 

 

 

(thousands of gallons)

 

171,755 

 

183,638 

Distillers grains sold

 

 

 

 

(thousands of equivalent dried tons)

 

472 

 

514 

Corn consumed

 

 

 

 

(thousands of bushels)

 

60,323 

 

64,804 

30


Revenues in the ethanol production segment decreased by $9.6$76.7 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The decrease in revenue was due to the decision, in direct response to unfavorable operating margins, to temporarily reduce ethanol production volumes at two of our ethanol plants by approximately 30% or about 5% of our total production and to lower average prices for ethanol during the quarter compared to the same period in 2011.ethanol. Our expected operating capacity per quarter is 185 million gallons of ethanol. However, the ethanol production segment produced 176171.8 million and sold 170176.7 million gallons of ethanol during the firstsecond quarter of 2012. We started building ethanol inventory levels duringIn the first quarter of 2012, to hold for sale. Revenues forwe increased our ethanol inventory levels while the three months ended March 31,market provided a reasonable return on storage capacity. In the second quarter of 2012, included production from our Otter Tailwe liquidated the additional ethanol plant, which was acquired in March 2011. The Otter Tail plant contributed an additional $25.2 million in revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.inventory.

Cost of goods sold in the ethanol production segment increaseddecreased by $23.7$54.1 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The increase was due primarily to the additional consumptionConsumption of 1.5corn decreased by 4.5 million bushels of corn and a 4.5% increase in the average cost per bushel decreased by 8.7% during the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Cost of goods sold also included a one-time charge related to the settlement of a legal claim. Gross profit for the ethanol production segment decreased by $33.3$22.6 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to the factors listed above.

 

Operating income in the ethanol production segment decreased by $33.4$22.7 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, compared to the same period in 2011, to a loss of $10.0$11.0 million, due in large part to the factors discussed above. Depreciation and amortization expense for the ethanol production segment was $11.0$11.1 million during the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to $10.7$10.4 million during the same period in 2011.

Corn Oil Production Segment

Revenues in the corn oil production segment increased by $9.2$5.0 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in the prior year. During the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, we sold 33.538.6 million pounds of corn oil compared to 10.121.5 million pounds in the same period of 2011. We began extracting corn oil in the fourth quarter of 2010 and had deployed corn oil extraction technology at four of our ethanol plants by December 31, 2010. In 2011, we began extracting corn oil at our other five ethanol plants with the last implementation at our Otter Tail plant completed during the third quarter of 2011. As of March 31,June 30, 2011, we had deployed corn oil extraction technology at sixeight of our ethanol plants.

Gross profit and operating income in the corn oil production segment increased by $5.8$3.0 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The increase isincreases are primarily attributable to the increase in production volumes discussed above.

Agribusiness Segment

The table below presents key operating data within our agribusiness segment for the periods indicated:

 

   Three Months Ended
March  31,
 
   2012   2011 

Grain sold

    

(thousands of bushels)

   14,385     13,954  

Fertilizer sold

    

(tons)

   2,357     3,108  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

Grain sold

 

 

 

 

(thousands of bushels)

 

15,118 

 

13,558 

Fertilizer sold

 

 

 

 

(tons)

 

29,685 

 

34,902 

Our agribusiness segment had an increaseincreases of $4.1$15.3 million in revenues, an increase of $0.2$2.4 million in gross profit and a decrease$1.6 in operating income of $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Revenues, and gross profit and operating income increased primarily due to additional volume of grain sold and higher unit margins for grain and fertilizer. The decrease in operatingOperating income was affected by an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses due to the expanded scope of our agribusiness operations, through construction of grain storage capacity and the acquisition of two grain elevators in June 2011 and January 2012, respectively.2012. The agribusiness segment’s quarterly performance fluctuates on a seasonal basis with generally stronger results expected in the second and fourth quarters each year.

Marketing and Distribution Segment

Revenues in our marketing and distribution segment decreased by $55.6$41.6 million for the three months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The decrease in revenues was primarily due to lower average prices of ethanol sold. Ethanol and distillers grains revenues decreased by $54.9 million and $9.4 million, respectively, partially offset by an increase corn oil revenues of $5.1 million. We sold 285.6 million gallons of ethanol within the marketing and distribution

31


segment during the quarter ended June 30, 2012 compared to 256.1 million gallons sold during the same period in 2011. Ethanol volumes increased due to an increase in ethanol purchases and sales made in the open market. However, the decrease in average prices of ethanol offset the increase in volumes resulting in a decrease in quantities of ethanol revenues. During the quarter ended June 30, 2012, we sold 38.6 million pounds of corn oil produced by our corn oil production segment compared to 21.5 million pounds in the same period of 2011. In the second quarter of 2012, the marketing and distribution segment also entered into purchases and sales of crude oil. Crude oil revenue in the second quarter of 2012 was $17.5 million.

Gross profit and operating income for the marketing and distribution segment increased by $1.0 million and $0.4 million, respectively, for the three months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The increase in gross profit  and operating income was due primarily to profits realized from ethanol, distillers grains and crude oil trading positions.

Intersegment Eliminations

Intersegment eliminations of revenues decreased $106.8 million for the three months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to decreases of $96.9 million and $3.4 million in ethanol and distillers grains, respectively, partially offset by an increase of $4.9 million in corn oil sold from our ethanol production and corn oil segments to our marketing and distribution segment. In addition, corn sales from our agribusiness segment decreased $11.5 million between the periods.

Corporate Activities

Operating expenses for corporate activities were consistent when comparing the three months ended June 30, 2012 to the same period in 2011. No significant changes were made to the scope of our operations that affected these periods.

Income Taxes

We record an income tax expense or benefit during interim periods based on our best estimate of the annual effective tax rate. We recorded an income tax benefit of $4.1 million for the three months ended June 30, 2012 compared to an income tax expense of $2.9 million for the same period in 2011. The effective tax rate (calculated as the ratio of income tax expense to income before income taxes) was slightly lower in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the second quarter of 2011. 

Six Months Ended June 30, 2012 Compared to the Six Months Ended June 30, 2011

Consolidated Results

Revenues decreased $28.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 as a result of a reduction in ethanol volumes sold and lower averagecommodity prices. In the first half of 2012, we reduced production volumes at two of our ethanol plants by approximately 30%, or about 7% of our total production, in direct response to unfavorable operating margins. The decrease in revenues was offset partially by additional production from our Otter Tail ethanol plant, acquired in March 2011, an increase in corn oil production and expanded operations within our agribusiness segment. During the six months ended June 30, 2012, we were extracting corn oil at all nine of our ethanol plants compared to eight of our ethanol plants at June 30, 2011. Gross profit decreased $46.0 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 primarily as a result of unfavorable operating margins within the ethanol production segment. Operating income decreased $50.0 million to an operating loss of $12.2 million in the first half of 2012 compared to the first half of 2011 as a result of the factors discussed above. Selling, general and administrative expenses were $4.0 million higher for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to the expanded scope of our operations. Interest expense increased by $0.9 million in the first six months of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to debt issued to finance the acquisition of our Otter Tail ethanol plant in March 2011. As a result of our net loss, we recorded an income tax benefit of $12.1 million compared to an income tax expense of $7.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

The following discussion of segment results provides greater detail on period to period results.

32


Ethanol revenues, including revenues from third party marketing agreements,Production Segment

The table below presents key operating data within our ethanol production segment for the periods indicated:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

Ethanol sold

 

 

 

 

(thousands of gallons)

 

346,349 

 

356,019 

Ethanol produced

 

 

 

 

(thousands of gallons)

 

347,526 

 

354,816 

Distillers grains sold

 

 

 

 

(thousands of equivalent dried tons)

 

959 

 

1,001 

Corn consumed

 

 

 

 

(thousands of bushels)

 

122,195 

 

125,175 

Revenues in the ethanol production segment decreased by $74.9$86.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The decrease in revenue was due to the decision, in direct response to unfavorable operating margins, to temporarily reduce ethanol production volumes at two of our ethanol plants and lower average prices for ethanol during the six-month period ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. For the first six months of 2012, our operating capacity was 370 million gallons of ethanol. However, the ethanol production segment produced 347.5 million and sold 346.3 million gallons of ethanol during the first half of 2012. Revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2012, included production from our Otter Tail ethanol plant, which was acquired in March 2011. The Otter Tail plant contributed an additional $15.5 million in revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011.

Cost of goods sold in the ethanol production segment decreased by $30.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Consumption of corn decreased by 3.0 million bushels and the average cost per bushel decreased by 2.8%  during the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. Cost of goods sold also included a one-time charge related to the settlement of a legal claim in the first quarter of 2012. Gross profit for the ethanol production segment decreased by $55.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to the factors listed above.

Operating income in the ethanol production segment decreased by $56.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012, compared to the same period in 2011, to a loss of $24.9 million, due in large part to the factors discussed above. Depreciation and amortization expense for the ethanol production segment was $22.1 million during the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to $21.0 million during the same period in 2011.

Corn Oil Production Segment

Revenues in the corn oil production segment increased by $14.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in the prior year. During the six months ended June 30, 2012, we sold 72.1 million pounds of corn oil compared to 31.6 million pounds in the same period of 2011. We began extracting corn oil in the fourth quarter of 2010 and had deployed corn oil extraction technology at four of our ethanol plants by December 31, 2010. In 2011, we began extracting corn oil at our other five ethanol plants with the last implementation at our Otter Tail plant completed during the third quarter of 2011. As of June 30, 2011, we had deployed corn oil extraction technology at eight of our nine ethanol plants.

Gross profit and operating income in the corn oil production segment increased by $8.9 million and $8.8 million, respectively, for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The increases are primarily attributable to the increase in production volumes discussed above.

33


Agribusiness Segment

The table below presents key operating data within our agribusiness segment for the periods indicated:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

 

2012

 

2011

Grain sold

 

 

 

 

(thousands of bushels)

 

29,503 

 

27,319 

Fertilizer sold

 

 

 

 

(tons)

 

32,042 

 

38,010 

Our agribusiness segment had increases of $19.4 million in revenues, $2.6 million in gross profit, and $1.3 million in operating income for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The increases were primarily due to additional volume of grain sold and higher unit margins for grain and fertilizer. Operating income was affected by an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses due to the expanded scope of our agribusiness operations, through construction of grain storage capacity and the acquisition of two grain elevators in June 2011 and January 2012. The agribusiness segment’s quarterly performance fluctuates on a seasonal basis with generally stronger results expected in the second and fourth quarters each year.

Marketing and Distribution Segment

Revenues in our marketing and distribution segment decreased by $97.2 million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The decrease in revenues was primarily due to lower average prices of ethanol sold. Ethanol and distillers grains revenues decreased by $130.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively, partially offset by an increase in distillers grains and corn oil revenues of $8.3 million and $9.8 million, respectively. During the quarter ended March 31, 2012, we sold 33.5 million pounds of corn oil.$14.9 million. We sold 251.4537.0 million gallons of ethanol within the marketing and distribution segment during the quartersix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to 277.5539.1 million gallons sold during the same period in 2011. Ethanol volumes decreased due to a decrease in volumes marketed under third-party marketing agreements and from our ethanol production segment. Marketing and distribution for third-party ethanol producers decreased by 46.8 million gallons forDuring the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, we sold 72.1 million pounds of corn oil produced by our corn oil production segment compared to 31.6 million in the same period of 2011. In the first half of 2012, the marketing and distribution segment also entered into purchases and sales of crude oil. Crude oil revenue in 2011.the first half of 2012 was $18.1 million.

Gross profit and operating income for the marketing and distribution segment decreased $2.5$1.5 million and $2.1$1.8 million, respectively, for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011. The decreases in gross profit and operating income were due primarily to lower profits realized from ethanol, and distillers grains and crude oil trading positions.

Intersegment Eliminations

Intersegment eliminations of revenues decreased $15.0$121.8 million for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011 due to a decrease of $26.7$123.6 million in ethanol and increases of $6.8$3.4 million and $9.8$14.7 million in distillers grains and corn oil, respectively, sold from our ethanol production and corn oil segments to our marketing and distribution segment. In addition, corn sales from our agribusiness segment decreased $4.9$16.4 million between the periods.

Corporate Activities

Operating income was impacted by an increase in operating expenses for corporate activities of $1.9$2.0 million for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, primarily due to an increase in general and administrative expenses and personnel costs related to expanded operations.

Income Taxes

We record an income tax expense or benefit during interim periods based on our best estimate of the annual effective tax rate. We recorded an income tax benefit of $8.0$12.1 million for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to an income tax expense of $4.4$7.2 million for the same period in 2011. The effective tax rate (calculated as the ratio of income tax expense to income before income taxes) was approximately 39%37.5% and 36%36.5% for the first quarterssix months of 2012 and 2011, respectively. The effective tax rate for the first quarterhalf of 2011 reflects the release of a portion of valuation allowances provided against certain of our deferred tax assets, primarily federal and state net operating losses and tax credits.

34


EBITDA

Management uses earnings before interest, income taxes, noncontrolling interests, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, to measure our financial performance and to internally manage our businesses. Management believes that EBITDA provides useful information to investors as a measure of comparison with peer and other companies. EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income or cash flow as determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. EBITDA calculations may vary from company to company. Accordingly, our computation of EBITDA may not be comparable with a similarly titled measure of another company. The following sets forth the reconciliation of net income (loss) to EBITDA for the periods indicated (in thousands):

 

   Three Months Ended March 31, 
   2012  2011 

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

  $(12,692 $7,741  

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

   (4  (210

Interest expense

   9,067    8,132  

Income taxes

   (8,001  4,361  

Depreciation and amortization

   13,158    12,003  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

EBITDA

  $1,528   $32,027  
  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended

June 30,

 

Six Months Ended

June 30,

 

2012

 

2011

 

2012

 

2011

Net income (loss) attributable to Green Plains

$

(7,550)

 

$

4,982 

 

$

(20,242)

 

$

12,722 

Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

(4)

 

 

37 

 

 

(8)

 

 

(172)

Interest expense

 

9,842 

 

 

9,867 

 

 

18,909 

 

 

17,999 

Income taxes

 

(4,145)

 

 

2,852 

 

 

(12,145)

 

 

7,212 

Depreciation and amortization

 

13,259 

 

 

12,034 

 

 

26,417 

 

 

24,037 

EBITDA

$

11,402 

 

$

29,772 

 

$

12,931 

 

$

61,798 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

On March 31,June 30, 2012, we had $135.0$120.7 million in cash and equivalents, comprised of $44.4$51.1 million held at our parent company and the remainder at our subsidiaries. We also had up to an additional $152.4$161.6 million available under revolving credit agreements at our subsidiaries, some of which was subject to borrowing base restrictions or other specified lending conditions at March 31,June 30, 2012. Funds held at our subsidiaries are generally required for their ongoing operational needs and distributions from our subsidiaries are restricted pursuant to these loan agreements. At March 31,June 30, 2012, there were approximately $541.5$475.6 million of net assets at our subsidiaries that were not available to be transferred to the parent company in the form of dividends, loans or advances due to restrictions contained in the credit facilities of these subsidiaries.

We incurred capital expenditures of $5.7$14.4 million in the first threesix months of 2012 primarily for various projects including the construction of a new unit train terminal in Birmingham, Alabama.Alabama, which is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2012. Capital spending for the remainder of 2012 is expected to be approximately $25.6 million primarily for the construction of the unit train terminal, expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2012.$16.7 million. The remainder of our capital spending primarily relatesis expected to other recurring capital expenditures in the ordinary course of business. We believebe financed with available borrowings under our credit facilities and cash provided by operating activities will be sufficient to support our working capital, capital expenditures and debt service requirements for the foreseeable future.activities.

 

We have entered into short-term inventory financing arrangements with a financial institution. At March 31, 2012, 3.0 million bushels of corn and 0.5 million bushels of soybeans had been designated as collateral under these contracts at initial values totaling $24.7 million. We have accounted for the agreements as short-term notes, rather than sales, and have elected the fair value option to offset fluctuations in market prices of the inventory. At March 31, 2012, grain inventories and the short-term note payable were valued at $26.6 million.

Net cash used by operating activities was $92.9$40.4 million for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 compared to $91.2$19.6 million for the same period in 2011. Cash used by operating activities for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 and 2011 included significant cash outflows for deferred grain contract payables within our agribusiness segment. Additional factors affecting the net cash used by operating activities during the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 included a net loss of $12.7 million and cash outflows related to the increase in inventories with partially offsetting cash inflows related to the reduction in accounts receivable.$20.3 million. Net cash used by investing activities was $7.2$21.7 million for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, due primarily to capital expenditures and the constructionincrease of a new unit train terminal.our ownership interest in BioProcess Algae from 35% to 49%. Net cash provided by financing activities was $60.0$7.8 million for the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012 due to ana net increase in short-term notes payable and inventory financing arrangements of $36.9 million, used to finance grain contract settlements and inventory purchases, partially offset by $10.4 million in cash outflows for the repurchase of treasury stock and scheduled principal proceeds and repayments ofon long-term debt of $34.0 million and $55.7 million, respectively, in the first quarterhalf of 2012. Green Plains Trade and Green Plains Grain utilize revolving credit facilities to finance working capital requirements. These facilities are frequently drawn upon and repaid resulting in significant cash movements that are reflected on a gross basis within financing activities as proceeds from and payments on short-term borrowings. We made scheduled principal payments of $13.1 million in debt reduction on our term debt facilities and long-term revolving credit facilities, offset by advances of $16.0 million from long-term revolving credit facilities, during the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Our business is highly impacted by commodity prices, including prices for corn, ethanol, distillers grains and natural gas. We attempt to reduce the market risk associated with fluctuations in commodity prices through the use of derivative financial instruments. Sudden changes in commodity prices may require cash deposits with brokers, or margin calls. Depending on our open derivative positions, we may require significant liquidity with little advanced notice to meet margin calls. We continuously monitor our exposure to margin calls and believe that we will continue to maintain adequate liquidity to cover such margin calls from operating results and borrowings. Recent increases in grain prices and our expanded grain handling capacity have led to more frequent and larger margin calls.

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We were in compliance with our debt covenants at March 31,June 30, 2012. Based upon our forecasts and the current forecasts,margin environment, we believe certain ethanol production subsidiaries will require capital injections from the parent company at times to maintain compliance with certain covenants during the remainder of 2012. We believe we will maintain compliance with our debt covenants at each of our subsidiaries for the upcoming twelve months, or if necessary have sufficient liquidity available on a consolidated basisat the parent company to resolve a subsidiary’s noncompliance; however, no obligation exists to provide such liquidity for a subsidiary’s compliance. No assurance can be provided that actual operating results will approximate our forecasts or that we will inject the necessary capital into a subsidiary to maintain compliance with its respective covenants. In the event actual results differ significantly from our forecasts and a subsidiary is unable to comply with its respective debt covenants, the subsidiary’s lenders may determine that an event of default has occurred. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, and following notice, the lenders may terminate any commitment and declare the entire unpaid balance due and payable.

We believe that we have sufficient working capital for our existing operations. However, we can provide no assurance that we will be able to secure additional funding for our future operations. A sustained period of unprofitable operations may strain our liquidity and make it difficult to maintain compliance with our financing arrangements. While we may seek additional sources of working capital in response, we can provide no assurance that we will be able to secure this funding if necessary. We may sell additional equity or borrow additional amounts to improve or preserve our liquidity; expand our ethanol plants; build additional or acquire existing ethanol plants;businesses; or build additional or acquire existing agribusiness and ethanol distribution facilities.businesses. We can provide no assurance that we will be able to secure the funding necessary for these additional projects or for additional working capital needs at reasonable terms, if at all.

Debt

For additional information related to our debt, seeNote 7 – Debt included herein as part of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.Statements and Note 10 – Debt included as part of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Ethanol Production Segment

Each of our ethanol production segment subsidiaries have credit facilities with lender groups that provide for term and revolving term loans to finance construction and operation of the production facilities.

The Green Plains Bluffton loan is comprised of a $70.0 million amortizing term loan and a $20.0 million revolving term loan. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $46.3$44.5 million related to the term loan was outstanding, along with the entire revolving term loan. The term loan requires monthly principal payments of approximately $0.6 million. The loans mature on November 19, 2013.2013 with expected outstanding balances upon maturity of $34.6 million and $20.0 million on the amortizing term loan and revolving term loan, respectively. We expect to refinance this facility prior to its maturity.

The Green Plains Central City loan is comprised of a $55.0 million amortizing term loan and a $30.5 million revolving term loan as well as a revolving line of credit supplement of up to $11.0 million. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $45.3$41.3 million related to the term loan was outstanding, along with $28.6$28.1 million on the revolving term loan and $10.1$10.7 million on the revolving credit supplement.line of credit. The term loan requires monthly principal payments of $0.4 million. The term loan and the revolving term loan mature on July 1, 2016 with expected outstanding balances upon maturity of $17.9 million and $28.1 million, respectively, and the revolverrevolving line of credit matures on June 29, 2012.27, 2013. We expect to renew this revolver beforeextend or refinance the revolving credit facility prior to its maturity date.maturity.

The Green Plains Holdings II loan is comprised of a $26.4 million amortizing term loan and a $51.1 million revolving term loan. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $26.4$24.9 million was outstanding on the amortizing term loan, along with $50.7$48.0 million on the revolving term loan. The term loan requires quarterly principal payments of $1.5 million. The revolving term loan requires semi-annual principal payments of approximately $2.7 million. The maturity dates of the amortizing term loan and revolving term loan are July 1, 2016 and October 1, 2018, respectively.respectively, with no outstanding balance expected upon maturity on the amortizing term loan and an expected outstanding balance upon maturity of $15.8 million on the revolving term loan.

The Green Plains Obion loan is comprised of a $60.0 million amortizing term loan and a revolving term loan of $37.4 million. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $23.3$18.3 million related to the term loan and $36.2 million on the revolving term loan was outstanding. The term loan requires quarterly principal payments of $2.4 million. The term loan matures on August 20, 2014 and the revolving term loan matures on September 1, 2018.2018 with no expected outstanding balances upon maturity on the term loan or the revolving term loan.

36


The Green Plains Ord loan is comprised of a $25.0 million amortizing term loan and a $13.0 million revolving term loan as well as a statused revolving line of credit supplement of up to $5.0 million. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $20.7$18.9 million related to the term loan was outstanding, $12.2 million on the revolving term loan, along with $3.3 million on the revolver.revolving line of credit. The term loan requires monthly principal payments of $0.2 million. The term loan and the revolving term loan mature on July 1, 2016 with expected outstanding balances upon maturity of $8.2 million and $12.2 million, respectively, and the revolverrevolving line of credit matures on June 29, 2012.27, 2013. We expect to renew this revolver beforeextend or refinance the revolving credit facility prior to its maturity date.maturity.

The Green Plains Otter Tail loan is comprised of a $30.3 million amortizing term loan, a $4.7 million revolver and a $19.2 million note payable. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $26.3$25.1 million related to the term loan, $4.7 million on the revolver and $18.9 million on the note payable were outstanding. The term loan requires monthly principal payments of $0.4 million and the note payable requires monthly principal payments of $0.3 million beginning October 1, 2014. The term loan matures on September 1, 2018 and the revolver matures on March 19, 2013.2013 with expected outstanding balances upon maturity of $4.8 million and $4.7 million, respectively. We expect to renew thisextend or refinance the revolver on or before its maturity date.

The Green Plains Shenandoah loan is comprised of a $30.0 million amortizing term loan and a $17.0 million revolving term loan. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $4.9$1.6 million related to the term loan was outstanding along with the entire $17.0 million on the revolving term loan. The term loan requires quarterly principal payments of $1.2 million. The term loan matures on May 20, 2013 and the revolving term loan matures on November 1, 2016.2016 with no expected outstanding balances upon maturity.

The Green Plains Superior loan is comprised of a $23.5 million amortizing term loan and a $10.0 million revolving term loan. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $19.4$18.0 million related to the term loan was outstanding, along with the entire $10.0 million on the revolving term loan. The term loan requires quarterly principal payments of $1.4 million. The term loan matures on July 20, 2015 and the revolving term loan matures on July 1, 2017.2017 with an expected outstanding balance upon maturity of $1.5 million on the term loan and no expected outstanding balance upon maturity on the revolving term loan.

Each term loan, except for the Green Plains Holdings II and Green Plains Otter Tail agreements, has a provision that requires us to make annual special payments equal to a percentage ranging from 65% to 75% of the available free cash flow from the related entity’s operations (as defined in the respective loan agreements), subject to certain limitations. With certain exceptions, the revolving term loans within this segment are generally available for advances throughout the life of the commitment. Interest-only payments are due each month on all revolving term facilities until the final maturity date, with the exception of the Green Plains Obion loan, which requires additional semi-annual payments of $4.675$4.7 million beginning March 1, 2015.

The term loans and revolving term loans bear interest at LIBOR plus 3.00% to 4.50% or lender-established prime rates. Some have established a floor on the underlying LIBOR index. In some cases, the lender may allow us to elect to pay interest at a fixed interest rate to be determined. As security for the loans, the lenders received a first-position lien on all personal property and real estate owned by the respective entity borrowing the funds, including an assignment of all contracts and rights pertinent to construction and on-going operations of the plant. Additionally, debt facilities of Green Plains Central City and Green Plains Ord are cross-collateralized. These borrowing entities are also required to maintain certain combined financial and non-financial covenants during the terms of the loans.

Green Plains Bluffton also received $22.0 million in Subordinate Solid Waste Disposal Facility Revenue Bond funds from the city of Bluffton, Indiana, of which $18.3 million remained outstanding at March 31,June 30, 2012. The revenue bond requires: semi-annual principal and interest payments of approximately $1.5 million through March 1, 2019; and a final principal and interest payment of $3.745 million on September 1, 2019. The revenue bond bears interest at 7.50% per annum.

Agribusiness Segment

The Green Plains Grain loans executed on October 28, 2011, are comprised of a $30.0 million amortizing term loan and a $195.0 million revolving credit facility with various lenders to provide the agribusiness segment with additional term and working capital funding. The term loan and revolving credit facility mature on November 1, 2021 and October 28, 2013, respectively. Equal payments of principal sufficient to amortize the term loan in full over a 15-year period, plus interest, are due on the first day of every month with the remaining outstanding balance and all accrued interest due on the loan maturity date. The principal balance of each advance of the revolving credit facility shall be due and payable on the respective maturity date but no later than October 28, 2013. The term loan bears interest at a fixed rate of 6.00%6.0% per annum. Advances of the revolving credit facility are subject to interest charges at a rate per annum equal to the LIBOR rate for the outstanding period, or the base rate, plus the respective applicable margin. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $29.3$28.8 million on the term loan and $62.0$55.0 million on the various revolving loansloan were outstanding. As security for the amortizing term loan the lender received a first priority lien on certain real estate and other property owned by the subsidiaries within the agribusiness segment. As security for the revolving credit facility, the

37


lender received a first priority lien on certain cash, inventory, machinery, accounts receivable and other assets owned by subsidiaries of the agribusiness segment.

We have entered into short-term inventory financing arrangements with a financial institution. At March 31, 2012, 3.0 million bushels of corn and 0.5 million bushels of soybeans had been designated as collateral under these contracts at an initial value of $24.7 million. We have accounted for the agreements as short-term notes, rather than sales, and have recorded our repurchase obligation at fair value at the end of each period. At March 31, 2012, grain inventory and the short-term notes payable were valued at $26.6 million.

Marketing and Distribution Segment

The Green Plains Trade loan is comprised of a senior secured revolving credit facility of up to $70.0 million, subject to a borrowing base of 85% of eligible receivables. At March 31,June 30, 2012, $53.9$51.1 million was outstanding on the revolving credit facility. The revolving credit facility expires on March 31, 2014 and bears interest at the lender’s commercial floating rate plus 2.5% or LIBOR plus 3.5%. As security for the loan, the lender received a first-position lien on accounts receivable, inventory and other collateral owned by Green Plains Trade.

Corporate Activities

We also have $90.0 million of 5.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2015. The Notes represent senior, unsecured obligations, with interest payable on May 1 and November 1 of each year. The Notes may be converted into shares of common stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares of the common stock based on a conversion rate initially equal to 69.7788 shares of the common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Notes, which is equal to an initial conversion price of $14.33 per share. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of specified events. We may redeem for cash all, but not less than all, of the Notes at any time on and after November 1, 2013, if the last reported sale price of our common stock equals or exceeds 140% of the applicable conversion price for a specified time period, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. Default with respect to any loan in excess of $10.0 million constitutes an event of default under the convertible senior notes, which could result in the convertible senior notes being declared due and payable.

In conjunction with the repurchase of common stock on March 9, 2012, the Company signed a one-year promissory note bearing 5% interest per annum in the amount of $27.2 million towith a subsidiary of NTR plc.

Contractual Obligations

Our contractual obligations as of March 31,June 30, 2012 were as follows (in thousands):

 

   Payments Due By Period 

Contractual Obligations

  Total   Less than 1
year
   1-3 years   3-5 years   More than 5
years
 

Long-term and short-term debt obligations (1)

  $739,709   $253,390   $148,509   $181,263   $156,547 

Interest and fees on debt obligations (2)

   105,622     31,081     42,348     23,101     9,092  

Operating lease obligations (3)

   50,459     16,294     20,919     11,061     2,185  

Deferred tax liabilities

   60,294     —       —       —       60,294  

Purchase obligations

          

Forward grain purchase contracts (4)

   392,176     391,176     1,000     —       —    

Other commodity purchase contracts (5)

   24,761     24,761     —       —       —    

Other

   3,509     3,203     306     —       —    
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total contractual obligations

  $1,376,530   $719,905   $213,082   $215,425   $228,118 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)Includes the current portion of long-term debt and excludes the discount on long-term debt of $260 thousand.
(2)Interest amounts are calculated over the terms of the loans using current interest rates, assuming scheduled principle and interest amounts are paid pursuant to the debt agreements. Includes administrative and/or commitment fees on debt obligations.
(3)Operating lease costs are primarily for railcars and office space.
(4)Purchase contracts represent index-priced and fixed-price contracts. Index purchase contracts are valued at current quarter-end prices.
(5)Includes fixed-price ethanol, dried distillers grains and natural gas purchase contracts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Payments Due By Period

Contractual Obligations

 

Total

 

Less than 1 year

 

1-3 years

 

3-5 years

 

More than 5 years

Long-term and short-term debt obligations (1)

 

$       678,788 

 

$       208,269 

 

$       144,955 

 

$       238,031 

 

$         87,533 

Interest and fees on debt obligations (2)

 

98,683 

 

29,621 

 

40,357 

 

20,106 

 

8,599 

Operating lease obligations (3)

 

64,611 

 

18,931 

 

26,740 

 

15,112 

 

3,828 

Deferred tax liabilities

 

37,376 

 

 -

 

 -

 

 -

 

37,376 

Purchase obligations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forward grain purchase contracts (4)

 

263,194 

 

262,194 

 

1,000 

 

 -

 

 -

Other commodity purchase contracts (5)

 

34,893 

 

34,893 

 

 -

 

 -

 

 -

Other

 

5,444 

 

5,161 

 

283 

 

 -

 

 -

Total contractual obligations

 

$    1,182,989 

 

$       559,069 

 

$       213,335 

 

$       273,249 

 

$       137,336 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1) Includes the current portion of long-term debt and excludes the discount on long-term debt of $227 thousand.

(2) Interest amounts are calculated over the terms of the loans using current interest rates, assuming scheduled principle and interest amounts are

paid pursuant to the debt agreements.  Includes administrative and/or commitment fees on debt obligations.

(3) Operating lease costs are primarily for railcars and office space.

(4) Purchase contracts represent index-priced and fixed-price contracts. Index purchase contracts are valued at current quarter-end prices.

(5) Includes fixed-price ethanol, dried distillers grains and natural gas purchase contracts.

Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

We are exposed to various market risks, including changes in commodity prices and interest rates. Market risk is the potential loss arising from adverse changes in market rates and prices. In the ordinary course of business, we enter into various types of transactions involving financial instruments to manage and reduce the impact of changes in commodity prices and interest rates. At this time, we do not expect to have exposure to foreign currency risk as we expect to conduct all of our business in U.S. dollars.

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Interest Rate Risk

We are exposed to market risk from changes in interest rates. Exposure to interest rate risk results primarily from holding term and revolving loans that bear variable interest rates. Specifically, we have $739.7$678.8 million outstanding in debt as of March 31,June 30, 2012, $460.6$434.9 million of which is variable-rate in nature. Interest rates on our variable-rate debt are determined based upon the market interest rate of either the lender’s prime rate or LIBOR, as applicable. A 10% change in interest rates would affect our interest cost on such debt by approximately $2.0$1.6 million per year in the aggregate. Other details of our outstanding debt are discussed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements included as a part of this report.

Commodity Price Risk

We produce ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil from corn and our business is sensitive to changes in the prices of each of these commodities. The price of corn is subject to fluctuations due to unpredictable factors such as weather; corn planted and harvested acreage; changes in national and global supply and demand; and government programs and policies. We use natural gas in the ethanol production process and, as a result, our business is also sensitive to changes in the price of natural gas. The price of natural gas is influenced by such weather factors as extreme heat or cold in the summer and winter, or other natural events like hurricanes in the spring, summer and fall. Other natural gas price factors include North American exploration and production, and the amount of natural gas in underground storage during both the injection and withdrawal seasons. Ethanol prices are sensitive to world crude-oil supply and demand; crude-oil refining capacity and utilization; government regulation; and consumer demand for alternative fuels. Distillers grains prices are sensitive to various demand factors such as numbers of livestock on feed, prices for feed alternatives, and supply factors, primarily production by ethanol plants and other sources.

We attempt to reduce the market risk associated with fluctuations in the price of corn, natural gas, ethanol, distillers grains and corn oil by employing a variety of risk management and economic hedging strategies. Strategies include the use of forward fixed-price physical contracts and derivative financial instruments, such as futures and options executed on the Chicago Board of Trade and the New York Mercantile Exchange.

We focus on locking in operating margins based on a model that continually monitors market prices of corn, natural gas and other input costs against prices for ethanol and distillers grains at each of our production facilities. We create offsetting positions by using a combination of forward fixed-price physical purchases and sales contracts and derivative financial instruments. As a result of this approach, we frequently have gains on derivative financial instruments that are conversely offset by losses on forward fixed-price physical contracts or inventories and vice versa. In our ethanol production segment, gains and losses on derivative financial instruments are recognized each period in operating results, unless designated as cash flow hedges, while corresponding gains and losses on physical contracts are generally designated as normal purchases or normal sales contracts and are not recognized until quantities are delivered or utilized in production. For cash flow hedges, any ineffectiveness is recognized in current period results, while other unrealized gains and losses are deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income until gains and losses from the underlying hedged transaction are realized. In the event that it becomes probable that a forecasted transaction will not occur, we would discontinue cash flow hedge treatment, which would affect earnings. During the threesix months ended March 31,June 30, 2012, revenues and cost of goods sold included a net lossesgain of $2.3 million and a net loss of $9.3 million from derivative financial instruments, of $2.3 million and $3.6 million respectively. To the extent the net gains or losses from settled derivative instruments are related to hedging current period production, they are generally offset by physical commodity purchases or sales resulting in the realization of the intended operating margins. However, our results of operations are impacted when there is a mismatch of gains or losses associated with the change in fair value of derivative instruments at the reporting period when the physical commodity purchase or sales has not yet occurred since they are designated as a normal purchase or normal sale.

In our agribusiness segment, inventory positions, physical purchase and sale contracts, and financial derivatives are marked to market with gains and losses included in results of operations.  The market value of derivative financial instruments such as exchange-traded futures and options has a high, but not perfect, correlation to the underlying market value of grain inventories and related purchase and sale contracts.

Ethanol Production Segment

A sensitivity analysis has been prepared to estimate our ethanol production segment exposure to ethanol, corn, distillers grains and natural gas price risk. Market risk related to these factors is estimated as the potential change in net income resulting from hypothetical 10% changes in prices of our expected corn and natural gas requirements, and ethanol and distillers grains output for a one-year period from March 31,June 30, 2012. This analysis includes the impact of risk management

39


activities that result from our use of fixed-price purchase and sale contracts and derivatives. The results of this analysis, which may differ from actual results, are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commodity

  Estimated Total
Volume Requirements
for the Next 12
Months
   Unit of Measure Net Income Effect of
Approximate 10%
Change

in Price
 

 

Estimated Total Volume Requirements for the Next 12 Months

 

Unit of Measure

 

Net Income Effect of Approximate 10% Change

in Price

Ethanol

   740,000    Gallons $84,878  

 

740,000

 

Gallons

 

$

87,961

Corn

   265,000    Bushels $84,769  

 

265,000

 

Bushels

 

$

92,632

Distillers grains

   2,100    Tons (1) $19,601  

 

2,100

 

Tons (1)

 

$

22,439

Natural gas

   20,300    MMBTU (2) $3,203  

 

20,300

 

MMBTU (2)

 

$

3,854

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1) Distillers grains quantities are stated on an equivalent dried ton basis.

(1) Distillers grains quantities are stated on an equivalent dried ton basis.

 

 

(2) Millions of British Thermal Units

(2) Millions of British Thermal Units

 

 

 

 

(1)Distillers grains quantities are stated on an equivalent dried ton basis.
(2)Millions of British Thermal Units

Corn Oil Production Segment

A sensitivity analysis has been prepared to estimate our corn oil production segment exposure to corn oil price risk. Market risk related to these factors is estimated as the potential change in net income resulting from hypothetical 10% changes in prices of our expected corn oil output for a one-year period from March 31,June 30, 2012. This analysis includes the impact of risk management activities that result from our use of fixed-price sale contracts. Market risk at March 31,June 30, 2012, based on the estimated net income effect resulting from a hypothetical 10% change in such prices, was approximately $1.3$1.6 million.

Agribusiness Segment

The availability and price of agricultural commodities are subject to wide fluctuations due to unpredictable factors such as weather, plantings, foreign and domestic government farm programs and policies, changes in global demand created by population changes and changes in standards of living, and global production of similar and competitive crops. To reduce price risk caused by market fluctuations in purchase and sale commitments for grain and grain held in inventory, we enter into exchange-traded futures and options contracts that function as economic hedges. The market value of exchange-traded futures and options used for economic hedging has a high, but not perfect correlation, to the underlying market value of grain inventories and related purchase and sale contracts. The less correlated portion of inventory and purchase and sale contract market value, known as basis, is much less volatile than the overall market value of exchange-traded futures and tends to follow historical patterns. We manage this less volatile risk by constantly monitoring our position relative to the price changes in the market. In addition, inventory values are affected by the month-to-month spread relationships in the regulated futures markets, as we carry inventories over time. These spread relationships are also less volatile than the overall market value and tend to follow historical patterns, but also represent a risk that cannot be directly offset. Our accounting policy for our futures and options, as well as the underlying inventory positions and purchase and sale contracts, is to mark them to the market and include gains and losses in the consolidated statement of operations in sales and merchandising revenues.

A sensitivity analysis has been prepared to estimate agribusiness segment exposure to market risk of our commodity position (exclusive of basis risk). Our daily net commodity position consists of inventories related to purchase and sale contracts and exchange-traded contracts. The fair value of our position, which is a summation of the fair values calculated for each commodity by valuing each net position at quoted futures market prices, is approximately $158.9$58 thousand at March 31,June 30, 2012. Market risk at that date, based on the estimated net income effect resulting from a hypothetical 10% change in such prices, was approximately $22.0$4 thousand.

Item 4.  Controls and Procedures.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required financial disclosure.

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As of the end of the period covered by this report, our management carried out an evaluation, under the supervision of and with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act). Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms. These disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required financial disclosure. Based upon that evaluation, our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer, concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of our consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. In the first quarter of 2012, we implemented a process and information system enhancement, principally related to contract and risk management activities, in our trade operations that are reported as a part of the marketing and distribution segment. The process and information system resulted in modification to internal controls over the purchases, sales, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash receipts and inventory management of ethanol. Refinement of related process changes and enhancements over reporting features were ongoing during the second quarter of 2012. There were no other material changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this quarterly report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings.

In April 2011, Aventine Renewable Energy, Inc. filed a complaint in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in connection with its Chapter 11 bankruptcy naming as defendants Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc., Green Plains Obion LLC, Green Plains Bluffton LLC, Green Plains VBV LLC and Green Plains Trade Group LLC. This action alleges $24.4 million of damages from preferential transfers or, in the alternative, $28.4 million of damages from fraudulent transfers under an ethanol marketing agreement and an unspecified amount of damages for a continuing breach of a termination agreement related to rail cars. In April 2012, the parties mutually agreed to a negotiated settlement whereby we agreed to a cash payment and the purchase of 20 million gallons of ethanol from Aventine over a four-month period beginning in May 2012. An after-tax charge of $2.4 million for the settlement was reflected in operations for the three months ended March 31, 2012.

Green Plains Bluffton LLC was issued a notice of violation under Section 113(a)(1) of the Clean Air Act by the EPA on July 1, 2011 for violations of the Indiana State Implementation Plan for exceeding NOx emission limits per hour and for operation of the thermal oxidizer below the required average temperature pursuant to the Federally Enforceable State Operating Permit issued to the facility by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Initially, the EPA proposed an initial fine of approximately $197 thousand. The matter was resolved with the payment of a fine significantly less than the initial proposal.

In addition to the above-described proceedings, weWe are currently involved in other litigation that has arisen in the ordinary course of business; however, we do not believe that any of this other litigation will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Item 1A.  Risk Factors.

Our investors should consider the risks that could affect us and our business as set forth in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” of our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. Although we have attempted to discuss key factors, our investors need to be aware that other risks may prove to be important in the future. New risks may emerge at any time and we cannot predict such risks or estimate the extent to which they may affect our financial performance. Investors should also consider the discussion of risks and the other information included in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q, including Cautionary Information Regarding Forward-Looking Information, which is included in Part I, Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

The following risk factors, which modifies risk factors set forth in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, to include information related to potential price volatility of crude oil and an update regarding regulation of greenhouse gasses, should be considered in conjunction with the other information included in, or incorporated by reference in, this quarterly report on Form 10-Q.

Price volatility of each commodity that we buy and sell could each adversely affect our results of operations and our ability to operate at a profit.

Corn.  Because ethanol competes with non-corn derived fuels, we generally are unable to pass along increases in corn costs to our customers. At certain levels, corn prices may make ethanol uneconomical to produce. There is significant price pressure on local corn markets caused by nearby ethanol plants, livestock industries and other corn consuming enterprises. Additionally, local corn supplies and prices could be adversely affected by rising prices for alternative crops, increasing input costs, changes in government policies, shifts in global markets, or damaging growing conditions such as plant disease or adverse weather.weather, including but not limited to drought.

Natural Gas.  The prices for and availability of natural gas are subject to volatile market conditions. These market conditions often are affected by factors beyond our control, such as weather conditions, overall economic conditions, and foreign and domestic governmental regulation and relations. Significant disruptions in the supply of natural gas could impair

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our ability to manufacture ethanol for our customers. Furthermore, increases in natural gas prices or changes in our natural gas costs relative to natural gas costs paid by competitors may adversely affect our results of operations and financial position.

Ethanol.  Our revenues are dependent on market prices for ethanol. These market prices can be volatile as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the availability and price of competing fuels, the overall supply and demand for ethanol and corn, the price of gasoline and corn, and the level of government support.

Ethanol is marketed as a fuel additive to reduce vehicle emissions from gasoline, as an octane enhancer to improve the octane rating of the gasoline with which it is blended and, to a lesser extent, as a gasoline substitute. As a result, ethanol prices are influenced by the supply of and demand for gasoline. Our results of operations may be materially harmed if the demand for, or the price of, gasoline decreases. Conversely, a prolonged increase in the price of, or demand for, gasoline could lead the U.S. government to avoid limiting imported ethanol; the import tariff of $0.54 per gallon was allowed to expire on December 31, 2011.

Distillers Grains.  Distillers grains compete with other protein-based animal feed products. The price of distillers grains may decrease when the prices of competing feed products decrease. The prices of competing animal feed products are based in part on the prices of the commodities from which these products are derived. Downward pressure on commodity prices, such as soybeans, will generally cause the price of competing animal feed products to decline, resulting in downward pressure on the price of distillers grains.

Historically, sales prices for distillers grains has tracked alonghave been correlated with the priceprices of corn. However, there have been occasions when the price increase for this co-product has lagged behind increases in corn prices. In addition, our distillers grains co-product competes with products made from other feedstocks, the cost of which may not have risen as corn prices have risen. Consequently, the price we may receive for distillers grains may not rise as corn prices rise, thereby lowering our cost recovery percentage relative to corn.

Due to industry increases in U.S. dry mill ethanol production, the production of distillers grains in the United States has increased dramatically, and this trend may continue. This may cause distillers grains prices to fall in the United States, unless demand increases or other market sources are found. To date, demand for distillers grains in the United States has increased roughly in proportion to supply. We believe this is because U.S. farmers use distillers grains as a feedstock, and distillers grains are slightly less expensive than corn, for which it is a substitute. However, if prices for distillers grains in the United States fall, it may have an adverse effect on our business.

Corn Oil.  Industrial uses for corn oil include feedstock for biodiesel, livestock feed additives, rubber substitutes, rust preventatives, inks, textiles, soaps and insecticides. Corn oil is generally marketed as a feedstock for biodiesel and, therefore, the price of corn oil is affected by demand for biodiesel. In general, corn oil prices follow the same price trends as heating oil and soybean oil. Corn oil revenues historically have not been significant to our business; however, our business may be materially affected by price volatility of corn oil in the future as we expand our corn oil production.

Crude Oil. In addition to the commodities that we produce, buy and sell related to ethanol production, we purchasebuy and sell crude oil to increaseoptimize the utilization of our railcar fleet. Crude oil revenues historically have not been significant to our business; however, our business may be materially affected by price volatility of crude oil in the future as we may increase the volume of our crude oil purchasestransactions.

The ethanol industry is highly dependent on government usage mandates affecting ethanol production and sales.favorable tax benefits for ethanol blending and any changes to such regulation could adversely affect the market for ethanol and our results of operations.

The domestic market for ethanol is largely dictated by federal mandates for blending ethanol with gasoline. The RFS II mandate level for conventional biofuels for 2012 of 13.2 billion gallons approximates current domestic production levels. Future demand will be largely dependent upon the economic incentives to blend based upon the relative value of gasoline versus ethanol, taking into consideration the relative octane value of ethanol, environmental requirements and the RFS II mandate. Any significant increase in production capacity beyond the RFS II mandated level might have an adverse impact on ethanol prices.

Additionally, under the provisions of the Energy Independence and Security Act, the EPA has the authority to waive the mandated RFS II requirements in whole or in part. To grant the waiver, the EPA administrator must determine, in consultation with the Secretaries of Agriculture and Energy, that one of two conditions has been met; there is inadequate

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domestic renewable fuel supply or implementation of the requirement would severely harm the economy or environment of a state, a region or the U.S. On Monday, July 30, 2012, a number of livestock groups filed a waiver request with the EPA based on drought conditions. The EPA administrator, as well as the Secretary of Agriculture, have both recently indicated they do not see a reason for the administrator to waive the RFS II requirement due to the drought. However, a reduction or waiver of the RFS II mandate could adversely affect the prices of ethanol and our future performance.

The RFS Flexibility Act was introduced on October 5, 2011 in the U.S. House of Representatives to reduce or eliminate the volumes of renewable fuel use required by the RFS II mandate based upon corn stocks-to-use ratios. The Domestic Alternative Fuels Act of 2012 was introduced on January 18, 2012 in the U.S. House of Representatives to modify the RFS II mandate to include ethanol and other fuels produced from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Due to current drought conditions, the possibility of further legislation aimed at reducing or eliminating the renewable fuel use required by the RFS II mandate may also be heightened. We believe the RFS II mandate is a significant component of national energy policy that reduces dependence on foreign oil by the United States. Our operations could be adversely impacted if a waiver is granted or the RFS Flexibility Act or the Domestic Alternative Fuels Act of 2012 are enacted.

Referred to as the blender’s credit, the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, or VEETC, provided companies with a tax credit to blend ethanol with gasoline. The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, or the 2008 Farm Bill, amended the amount of tax credit provided under VEETC to 45 cents per gallon of pure ethanol and 38 cents per gallon for E85, a blended motor fuel containing 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. The blender’s credit expired on December 31, 2011.

Federal law mandates the use of oxygenated gasoline. If these mandates are repealed, the market for domestic ethanol would be diminished significantly. Additionally, flexible-fuel vehicles receive preferential treatment in meeting corporate average fuel economy, or CAFE, standards. However, high blend ethanol fuels such as E85 result in lower fuel efficiencies. Absent the CAFE preferences, it may be unlikely that auto manufacturers would build flexible-fuel vehicles. Any change in these CAFE preferences could reduce the growth of E85 markets and result in lower ethanol prices, which could adversely impact our operating results.

To the extent that such federal or state laws or regulations are modified, the demand for ethanol may be reduced, which could negatively and materially affect our ability to operate profitably.

Our business is affected by the regulation of greenhouse gases, or GHG, and climate change. New climate change regulations could impede our ability to successfully operate our business.

Our plants emit carbon dioxide as a by-product of the ethanol production process. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court classified carbon dioxide as an air pollutant under the Clean Air Act in a case seeking to require the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide in vehicle emissions. On February 3, 2010, the EPA released its final regulations on RFS 2. We believe these final regulations grandfather our plants at their current operating capacity, though expansion of our plants will need to meet a threshold of a 20% reduction in GHG emissions from a 2005 baseline measurement for the ethanol over current capacity to be eligible for the RFS 2 mandate. The EPA issued its final rule on GHG emissions from stationary sources under the Clean Air Act in May 2010. These final rules may require us to apply for additional permits for our ethanol plants. In order to expand capacity at our plants, we may have to apply for additional permits, install advanced technology, or reduce drying of certain amounts of distillers grains. We may also be required to install carbon dioxide mitigation equipment or take other steps unknown to us at this time in order to comply with other future law or regulation. Compliance with future law or regulation of carbon dioxide, or if we choose to expand capacity at certain of our plants, compliance with then-current regulation of carbon dioxide, could be costly and may prevent us from operating our plants as profitably, which may have an adverse impact on our operations, cash flows and financial position.

The California Air Resources Board, or CARB, has adopted a Low Carbon Fuel Standard, or LCFS, requiring a 10% reduction in GHG emissions from transportation fuels by 2020. Additionally, an Indirect Land Use Change, or ILUC, component is included in the lifecycle GHG emissions calculation. On December 29, 2011, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued several rulings in federal lawsuits challenging the LCFS. One of the rulings preliminarily prevents CARB from enforcing these regulations during the pending litigation. On January 23, 2012, CARB unsuccessfully attempted to appeal these rulings in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California and on January 26, 2012 filed another appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. On April 22, 2012, the Court of Appeals granted the request to put a hold on the December 29, 2011 ruling, which was to have taken effect on January 1, 2012. The decision allows CARB to continue implementation and resume enforcement of the LCFS. While this standard may continue to be challenged, implementation of such a standard may have an adverse impact on our market for corn-based ethanol in California if it is determined that corn-based ethanol fails to achieve lifecycle GHG emission reductions.

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Item 2.  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

Employees surrender shares upon the vesting of restricted stock grants to satisfy payroll tax withholding obligations. The following table sets forth the shares that were surrendered by month during the firstsecond quarter of 2012.

 

Month

  Total Number of
Shares Withheld
   Average Price Paid
per Share
 

January

   —      $—    

February

   58,162     11.27  

March

   35,325     10.56  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   93,487    $11.00  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Month

 

Total Number of Shares Withheld

 

Average Price Paid per Share

April

 

6,681 

 

$                   10.10

May

 

10,900 

 

7.18 

June

 

 -

 

 -

Total

 

17,581 

 

$                     8.29

On March 9, 2012, we repurchased 3.7 million shares of common stock for $37.2 million from a subsidiary of NTR plc, which was previously our largest shareholder. We do not have a share repurchase program and do not intend to retire the repurchased shares.

Item 3.  Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

None.

Item 4.  Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

Item 5.  Other Information.

None.

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Item 6.  Exhibits.

Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit

No.

Description

10.1

Exhibit No.

First

Description

10.1

Fourth Amendment dated June 28, 2012 to Amended and Restated Master Loanthe Credit Agreement, as amended, dated February 16, 2012,June 2, 2009 by and among Green Plains BlufftonCentral City LLC, andGreen Plains Holdings LLC, AgStar Financial Services, PCA (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5(c) ofas Administrative Agent and the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 17, 2012)Banks named therein

10.2

10.2First

Third Amendment dated June 28, 2012 to the Credit Agreement, as amended, dated January 6, 2012June 2, 2009 by and among Green Plains Grain CompanyOrd LLC, Green Plains Grain Company TNHoldings LLC, Green Plains Essex Inc., BNP Paribas and the Required Lenders (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.26(k) of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 17, 2012)

10.3(a)Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated February 9, 2012 by and among Green Plains Holdings II, various lenders and CoBank, ACB (as Administrative Agent, Syndication Agent and Lead Arranger) (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.27(a) of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 17, 2012)
10.3(b)Amended and Restated Support and Subordination Agreement, dated February 9, 2012 by and among Green Plains Holdings II, as Borrower, Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc., as Parent, and CoBank, ACB,AgStar Financial Services, PCA as Administrative Agent (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.27(b) ofand the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 17, 2012)Banks named therein

31.1

10.3(c)Security Agreement, dated February 9, 2012 by and among Green Plains Holdings II (the Grantor) and CoBank, ACB (the Secured Party) (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.27(c) of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 17, 2012)
10.3(d)Second Amendment to Mortgage, dated February 9, 2012 by and among, Green Plains Holdings II and CoBank ACB (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.27(d) of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 17, 2012)
10.3(e)Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Real Estate Mortgage, dated February 9, 2012 by and among Green Plains Holdings II and CoBank, ACB (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.27(e) of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 17, 2012)
10.4Stock Repurchase Agreement dated February 28, 2012 between Greenstar Investments LLC, Greenstar North America Holdings, Inc. and Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. (Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 2, 2012)
31.1

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

31.2

31.2

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

32.1

32.1

Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

32.2

32.2

Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

101

101

The following information from Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31,June 30, 2012, formatted in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL): (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets, (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations, (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss), (iv) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, and (v) the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (tagged as blocks of text)

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 





Date: July 31, 2012

GREEN PLAINS RENEWABLE ENERGY, INC.

(Registrant)

Date: May 1, 2012

By:

/s/ Todd A. Becker
_    

Todd A. Becker


President and Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

 




Date: July 31, 2012

Date: May 1, 2012

By:

/s/ Jerry L. Peters
_

Jerry L. Peters


Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial Officer)

 

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