UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

(Mark One)

 

[X]QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020

 

OR

 

[  ]TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

For the transition period from ________ to ________

 

Commission file number 001-34892

 

RHINO RESOURCE PARTNERS LP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

27-2377517

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

27-2377517

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

424 Lewis Hargett Circle, Suite 250

Lexington, KY

40503
(Address of principal executive offices)

 

40503

(Zip Code)

 

(859) 389-6500

(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. [X] 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). [X] Yes [  ] No

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each Exchange on which registered
n/an/an/a

 

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

 

Large accelerated filer [  ]Accelerated filer [  ]
  
Non-accelerated filer [  ] (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)Smaller reporting company [X]
  
Emerging growth company [  ] 

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Act. [  ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). [  ] Yes [X] No

 

As of November 3, 2017, 12,993,869May 15, 2020, 13,078,668 common units, 1,143,171 subordinated units and 1,235,534 subordinated1,500,000 Series A preferred units were outstanding.

 

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements3
Part I.—Financial Information (Unaudited)4
ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS4
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position as of September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and December 31, 201620194
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income for the Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and 201620195
Consolidated Statements of Partners’ Capital for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 and 20196
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the NineThree Months Ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and 2016201967
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements78
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations2526
Item 4. Controls and Procedures5642
PART II—Other Information5643
Item 1. Legal Proceedings5643
Item 1A. Risk Factors5644
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds5745
Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities5745
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosure5745
Item 5. Other Information5745
Item 6. Exhibits5745
SIGNATURES5846

 

2

 

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains certain “forward-looking statements.” Statements included in this report that are not historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that we expect or anticipate will or may occur in the future, including things such as statements regarding our future financial position, expectations with respect to our liquidity, capital resources, and ability to continue as a going concern, plans for growth of the business, future capital expenditures, references to future goals or intentions or other such references are forward-looking statements. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including “may,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” or similar words. These statements are made by us based on our experience and our perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments as well as other considerations we believe are reasonable as and when made. Whether actual results and developments in the future will conform to our expectations is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Therefore, actual outcomes and results could materially differ from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in these statements.

 

Any differences could be caused by a number of factors, including, but not limited to: our ability to maintain adequate cash flow and to obtain financing necessary to fund our capital expenditures, meet working capital needs and maintain and grow our operations or our ability to obtain alternative financing upon the expiration of our amended and restated senior secured credit facility and our related ability to continue as a going concern;operations; our future levels of indebtedness and compliance with debt covenants; sustained depressed levels of or further decline in coal prices, which depend upon several factors such as the supply of domestic and foreign coal, the demand for domestic and foreign coal, governmental regulations, price and availability of alternative fuels for electricity generation and prevailing economic conditions; our ability to comply with the qualifying income requirement necessary to maintain our status as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes; declines in demand for electricity and coal; the consummation of the acquisition of Armstrong Energy, Inc. from, and the transfer of 50% of our general partner to, Yorktown Partners LLC; our ability to realize the expected benefits of an acquisition of Armstrong Energy, Inc.; current and future environmental laws and regulations, which could materially increase operating costs or limit our ability to produce and sell coal; extensive government regulation of mine operations, especially with respect to mine safety and health, which imposes significant actual and potential costs; difficulties in obtaining and/or renewing permits necessary for operations; a variety of operating risks, such as unfavorable geologic conditions, adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, mining and processing equipment unavailability, failures and unexpected maintenance problems and accidents, including fire and explosions from methane; poor mining conditions resulting from the effects of prior mining; the availability and costs of key supplies and commodities such as steel, diesel fuel and explosives; fluctuations in transportation costs or disruptions in transportation services, which could increase competition or impair our ability to supply coal; a shortage of skilled labor, increased labor costs or work stoppages; our ability to secure or acquire new or replacement high-quality coal reserves that are economically recoverable; material inaccuracies in our estimates of coal reserves and non-reserve coal deposits; existing and future laws and regulations regulating the emission of sulfur dioxide and other compounds, which could affect coal consumers and reduce demand for coal; federal and state laws restricting the emissions of greenhouse gases; our ability to acquire or failure to maintain, obtain or renew surety bonds used to secure obligations to reclaim mined property; our dependence on a few customers and our ability to find and retain customers under favorable supply contracts; changes in consumption patterns by utilities away from the use of coal, such as changes resulting from low natural gas prices; changes in governmental regulation of the electric utility industry; defects in title in properties that we own or losses of any of our leasehold interests; our ability to retain and attract senior management and other key personnel; material inaccuracy of assumptions underlying reclamation and mine closure obligations; and weakness in global economic conditions.conditions; and our current liquidity constraints, which may require us to sell assets, restructure our debt, or seek protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code (“Chapter 11”). Other factors that could cause our actual results to differ from our projected results are described elsewhere in (1) this Form 10-Q, (2) our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016,2019, (3) our reports and registration statements filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission and (4) other announcements we make from time to time. In addition, we may be subject to unforeseen risks that may have a materially adverse effect on us. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that the actual events and results will not be materially different from the anticipated results described in the forward-looking statements.

 

The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and, other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

3

PART I.—FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Financial Statements (Unaudited)

 

RHINO RESOURCE PARTNERS LP

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

(inIn thousands)

 

 March 31, December 31, 
 September 30, 2017 December 31, 2016  2020 2019 
ASSETS                
CURRENT ASSETS:                
Cash and cash equivalents $27  $47  $1,281  $112 
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts ($-0- as ofSeptember 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016)  18,467   13,893 
Restricted cash  475  $- 
Accounts receivable  10,703   14,149 
Receivable-other  -   2,800 
Inventories  11,334   8,050   15,607   15,664 
Advance royalties, current portion  653   898   1   3 
Investment in available for sale securities  9,590   3,532 
Prepaid expenses and other  4,676   5,133   1,919   2,169 
Total current assets  44,747   31,553   29,986   34,897 
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:                
At cost, including coal properties, mine development and construction costs  459,469   449,181   361,511   353,809 
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization  (280,027)  (266,874)  (260,575)  (251,466)
Net property, plant and equipment  179,442   182,307   100,936   102,343 
Operating lease right-of-use assets (net)  10,341   11,145 
Advance royalties, net of current portion  7,847   7,652   262   119 
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates  130   5,121 
Intangible purchase option  21,750   21,750 
Note receivable-related party  -   2,040 
Deposits - Workers’ Compensation and Surety Programs  7,943   7,943 
Other non-current assets  27,667   27,018   31,941   31,590 
Non-current assets held for sale  -   6,510 
TOTAL $281,583  $277,441  $181,409  $194,547 
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY                
CURRENT LIABILITIES:                
Accounts payable $11,954  $10,420  $30,270  $28,627 
Accrued expenses and other  11,749   10,063   11,369   13,207 
Accrued preferred distributions  4,118   -   1,500   1,200 
Current portion of long-term debt  9,940   10,040 
Current portion of operating lease liabilities  3,195   3,267 
Current portion of long-term debt-net of unamortized debt issuance costs (NOTE 10)  36,781   34,244 
Current portion of asset retirement obligations  917   917   420   420 
Current liabilities held for sale  -   4,827 
Total current liabilities  38,678   31,440   83,535   85,792 
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES:                
Long-term debt, net  855   1,160 
Asset retirement obligations, net of current portion  23,749   22,361   20,560   20,171 
Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion  6,741   7,465 
Other non-current liabilities  45,908   45,371   44,293   44,244 
Total non-current liabilities  69,657   67,732   72,449   73,040 
Total liabilities  108,335   99,172   155,984   158,832 
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 12)        
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (NOTE 15)        
PARTNERS’ CAPITAL:                
Limited partners  150,787   154,696   4,958   15,205 
Subscription receivable from limited partners  -   (2,000)
General partner  8,942   8,959   8,329   8,372 
Preferred partners  19,118   15,000   15,000   15,000 
Preferred partner distribution earned  (4,118)  - 
Investment in Royal common stock (NOTE 11)  (4,126)  - 
Accumulated other comprehensive income  2,645   1,614 
Investment in Royal common stock (NOTE 13)  (4,126)  (4,126)
Common unit warrants  1,264   1,264 
Total partners’ capital  173,248   178,269   25,425   35,715 
TOTAL $281,583  $277,441  $181,409  $194,547 

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

4

RHINO RESOURCE PARTNERS LP

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(inIn thousands, except per unit data)

 

  Three Months  Nine Months 
  Ended September 30,  Ended September 30, 
  2017  2016  2017  2016 
REVENUES:                
Coal sales $56,460  $40,992  $162,951  $116,777 
Freight and handling revenues  220   424   537   1,634 
Other revenues  1,666   1,999   4,944   5,947 
Total revenues  58,346   43,415   168,432   124,358 
COSTS AND EXPENSES:                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  46,455   35,249   138,066   98,105 
Freight and handling costs  1,518   385   2,515   1,451 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  5,188   6,489   16,495   18,341 
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately above)  2,671   4,305   8,454   12,248 
Gain on sale/disposal of assets—net  (83)  (125)  (40)  (420)
Total costs and expenses  55,749   46,303   165,490   129,725 
INCOME/(LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS  2,597   (2,888)  2,942   (5,367)
INTEREST AND OTHER (EXPENSE)/INCOME:                
Interest expense  (1,011)  (1,904)  (3,131)  (5,195)
Interest income and other  86   (54)  86   11 
Gain on extinguishment of debt  -   1,663   -   1,663 
Equity in net (loss)/income of unconsolidated affiliates  -   (27)  36   (132)
Total interest and other (expense)  (925)  (322)  (3,009)  (3,653)
NET INCOME/(LOSS) BEFORE INCOME TAXES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS  1,672   (3,210)  (67)  (9,020)
INCOME TAXES  -   -   -   - 
NET INCOME/(LOSS) FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS  1,672   (3,210)  (67)  (9,020)
DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (NOTE 3)                
Loss from discontinued operations  -   (575)  -   (117,940)
NET INCOME/(LOSS)  1,672   (3,785)  (67)  (126,960)
Other comprehensive income:                
Fair market value adjustment for available-for-sale investment  (990)  -   1,030   - 
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME/(LOSS) $682  $(3,785) $963  $(126,960)
                 
General partner’s interest in net income/(loss):                
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations $1  $(21) $(18) $(87)
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  -   (4)  -   (750)
General partner’s interest in net income/(loss) $1  $(25) $(18) $(837)
Common unitholders’ interest in net income/(loss):                
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations $25  $(2,758) $(3,803) $(7,144)
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  -   (494)  -   (93,734)
Common unitholders’ interest in net income/(loss) $25  $(3,252) $(3,803) $(100,878)
Subordinated unitholders’ interest in net income/(loss):                
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations $2  $(431) $(364) $(1,788)
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  -   (77)  -   (23,456)
Subordinated unitholders’ interest in net income/(loss) $2  $(508) $(364) $(25,244)
Preferred unitholders’ interest in net income:                
Net income from continuing operations $1,644   n/a  $4,118   n/a 
Net income from discontinued operations  -   n/a   -   n/a 
Preferred unitholders’ interest in net income $1,644   n/a  $4,118  $- 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, basic:                
  Three Months Ended March 31, 
  2020  2019 
REVENUES:        
Coal sales $37,314  $44,863 
Other revenues  182   874 
Total revenues  37,496   45,737 
COSTS AND EXPENSES:        
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  36,123   40,213 
Freight and handling costs  1,040   1,155 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  3,949   3,491 

Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately above)

  4,160   2,722 
(Gain) on sale/disposal of assets, net  63   222 
Total costs and expenses  45,335   47,803 
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS  (7,839)  (2,066)
INTEREST AND OTHER (EXPENSE)/INCOME:        
Interest expense and other  (2,072)  (1,701)
Total interest and other (expense)  (2,072)  (1,701)
NET LOSS BEFORE INCOME TAXES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS  (9,911)  (3,767)
INCOME TAXES  -   - 
NET LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS  (9,911)  (3,767)
DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (NOTE 4)        
Loss from discontinued operations  (79)  (3,512)
NET LOSS $(9,990) $(7,279)
         
General partner’s interest in net (loss):        
Net loss from continuing operations $(43) $(17)
Net loss from discontinued operations  -   (15)
General partner’s interest in net loss $(43) $(32)
Common unitholders’ interest in net (loss):        
Net loss from continuing operations $(9,351) $(3,725)
Net loss from discontinued operations  (72)  (3,216)
Common unitholders’ interest in net loss: $(9,423) $(6,941)
Subordinated unitholders’ interest in net loss:        
Net (loss) from continuing operations $(817) $(325)
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  (7)  (281)
Subordinated unitholders’ interest in net loss: $(824) $(606)
Preferred unitholders’ interest in net income:        
Net income from continuing operations $300  $300 
Net income from discontinued operations  -   - 
Preferred unitholders’ interest in net income $300  $300 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, basic:        
Common units:        
Net loss per unit from continuing operations $(0.72) $(0.28)
Net loss per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.25)
Net loss per common unit, basic $(0.72) $(0.53)
Subordinated units        
Net loss per unit from continuing operations $(0.72) $(0.28)
Net loss per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.25)
Net loss per subordinated unit, basic $(0.72) $(0.53)
Preferred units        
Net income per unit from continuing operations $0.20  $0.20 
Net income per unit from discontinued operations  -   - 
Net income per preferred unit, basic $0.20  $0.20 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, diluted:        
Common units        
Net loss per unit from continuing operations $(0.72) $(0.28)
Net loss per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.25)
Net loss per common unit, diluted $(0.72) $(0.53)
Subordinated units        
Net loss per unit from continuing operations $(0.72) $(0.28)
Net loss per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.25)
Net loss per subordinated unit, diluted $(0.72) $(0.53)
Preferred units        
Net income per unit from continuing operations $0.20  $0.20 
Net income per unit from discontinued operations  -   - 
Net income per preferred unit, diluted $0.20  $0.20 
         
Weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding, basic:        
Common units  13,078   13,098 
Subordinated units  1,143   1,144 
Preferred units  1,500   1,500 
Weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding, diluted:        
Common units  13,078   13,098 
Subordinated units  1,143   1,144 
Preferred units  1,500   1,500 

Common units:                
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations $-  $(0.35) $(0.29) $(1.45)
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.06)  -   (18.98)
Net (loss) per common unit, basic $-  $(0.41) $(0.29) $(20.43)
Subordinated units                
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations $-  $(0.35) $(0.29) $(1.45)
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.06)  -   (18.98)
Net (loss) per subordinated unit, basic $-  $(0.41) $(0.29) $(20.43)
Preferred units                
Net income per unit from continuing operations $1.10   n/a  $2.75   n/a 
Net income per unit from discontinued operations  -   n/a   -   n/a 
Net income per preferred unit, basic $1.10   n/a  $2.75   n/a 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, diluted:                
Common units                
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations $-  $(0.35) $(0.29) $(1.45)
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.06)  -   (18.98)
Net (loss) per common unit, diluted $-  $(0.41) $(0.29) $(20.43)
Subordinated units                
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations $-  $(0.35) $(0.29) $(1.45)
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  -   (0.06)  -   (18.98)
Net (loss) per subordinated unit, diluted $-  $(0.41) $(0.29) $(20.43)
Preferred units                
Net income per unit from continuing operations $1.10   n/a  $2.75   n/a 
Net income per unit from discontinued operations  -   n/a   -   n/a 
Net income per preferred unit, diluted $1.10   n/a  $2.75   n/a 
Distributions paid per limited partner unit (1) $-  $-  $-  $- 

Weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding, basic:                
Common units  12,994   7,906   12,942   4,937 
Subordinated units  1,236   1,236   1,236   1,236 
Preferred units  1,500   n/a   1,500   n/a 
Weighted average number of limited partner units outstanding, diluted:                
Common units  12,994   7,906   12,942   4,937 
Subordinated units  1,236   1,236   1,236   1,236 
Preferred units  1,500   n/a   1,500   n/a 

(1) No distributions were paid for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016.

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

5

RHINO RESOURCE PARTNERS LP

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWSPARTNERS’ CAPITAL

FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 2020 and 2019

(inIn thousands)

 

  Nine Months Ended September 30, 
  2017  2016 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:        
Net loss $(67) $(126,960)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:        
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  16,495   18,753 
Accretion on asset retirement obligations  1,422   1,141 
Amortization of deferred revenue  -   (1,337)
Amortization of advance royalties  876   773 
Amortization of debt issuance costs  1,068   1,976 
Amortization of actuarial gain  -   (4,796)
Loss on impairment of asset  -   2,000 
Equity in net loss/(income) of unconsolidated affiliates  (36)  132 
Loss on retirement of advance royalties  136   144 
Loss on disposal of business  -   119,160 
(Gain) on sale/disposal of assets—net  (40)  (420)
Equity-based compensation  260   528 
Changes in assets and liabilities:        
Accounts receivable  (4,820)  (54)
Inventories  (3,285)  (237)
Advance royalties  (962)  (1,782)
Prepaid expenses and other assets  (1,923)  21 
Accounts payable  1,239   (78)
Accrued expenses and other liabilities  2,888   (3,649)
Asset retirement obligations  (34)  (161)
Postretirement benefits  -   (45)
Net cash provided by operating activities  13,217   5,109 
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:        
Additions to property, plant, and equipment  (14,306)  (5,892)
Proceeds from sales of property, plant, and equipment  506   348 
Proceeds from business disposal  890   10,650 
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities  (12,910)  5,106 
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:        
Borrowings on line of credit  98,350   80,450 
Repayments on line of credit  (98,450)  (91,300)
Restricted cash from Royal contribution  -   (2,000)
Repayments on long-term debt  -   (1,210)
Gain on debt extinguishment  -   (1,663)
Distributions to unitholders  -   (24)
Payments on debt issuance costs  (227)  (1,510)
Limited partner contributions  -   7,000 
Net cash used in financing activities  (327)  (10,257)
NET DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS  (20)  (42)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—Beginning of period  47   78 
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS—End of period $27  $36 
  Limited Partners  General  Preferred     Total 
  Common  Subordinated  Partner  Partner     Partners’ 
  Units  Capital  Units  Capital  Capital  Capital  Other  Capital 
                         
BALANCE - December 31, 2019  13,078  $(52,921)  1,143  $68,126  $8,372  $15,000  $(2,862) $35,715 
Net (loss)/income  -   (9,423)  -   (824)  (43)  300   -   (9,990)
Preferred partner distribution earned  -   -   -   -   -   (300)  -   (300)
BALANCE - March 31, 2020  13,078  $(62,344)  1,143  $67,302  $8,329  $15,000  $(2,862) $25,425 

   Limited Partners   General  Preferred     Total 
  Common  Subordinated  Partner  Partner     Partners’ 
  Units  Capital  Units  Capital  Capital  Capital  Other  Capital 
BALANCE - December 31, 2018  13,098  $39,324   1,144  $76,181  $8,792  $15,000  $(2,862) $136,435 
Net (loss)/income  -   (6,941)  -   (606)  (32)  300   -   (7,279)
Preferred distribution earned  -   -   -   -   -   (300)  -   (300)
BALANCE - March 31, 2019  13,098  $32,383   1,144  $75,575  $8,760  $15,000  $(2,862) $128,856 

 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

6

 

RHINO RESOURCE PARTNERS LP

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

  Three Months Ended March 31, 
  2020  2019 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:        
Net (loss) $(9,990) $(7,279)
Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) to net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities:        
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  3,949   5,549 
Accretion on asset retirement obligations  389   319 
Amortization of advance royalties  3   407 
Amortization of debt issuance costs  755   516 
Amortization of debt discount  35   105 
Loss on retirement of advance royalties  -   112 
Loss on sale/disposal of assets—net  63   655 
(Gain) on sale of Mammoth shares  -   (433)
Asset impairment adjustment  (343)  - 
Changes in assets and liabilities:        
Accounts receivable  4,110   (1,855)
Inventories  56   (4,847)
Advance royalties  (144)  (677)
Prepaid expenses and other assets  196   537 
Accounts payable  (962)  6,463 
Accrued expenses and other liabilities  (1,090)  977 
Asset retirement obligations  -   (15)
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities  (2,973)  534 
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:        
Additions to property, plant, and equipment  (1,623)  (2,001)
Proceeds from sales of property, plant, and equipment  -   1,401 
Proceeds from pipeline settlement  2,800   - 
Proceeds from sale of Pennyrile assets  3,000   - 
Proceeds from sale of Mammoth shares  -   2,304 
Net cash provided by investing activities  4,177   1,704 
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:        
Repayments on long-term debt  (375)  (375)
Repayments on other debt  (1,034)  (522)
Repayments on finance leases  (1)  (1)
Proceeds from financing agreement  3,000   - 
Payments of debt issuance costs  (1,150)  (101)
Preferred distributions paid  -   (3,210)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities  440   (4,209)
NET (DECREASE) IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS  1,644   (1,971)
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH—Beginning of period  112   6,172 
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH—End of period $1,756  $4,201 
         
Summary Statement of Financial Position:        
Cash and cash equivalents $1,281  $4,201 
Restricted cash  475   - 
  $1,756  $4,201 

See notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

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RHINO RESOURCE PARTNERS LP

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2017MARCH 31, 2020 AND DECEMBER 31, 20162019 AND FOR THE THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2017MARCH 31, 2020 AND 20162019

 

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND ORGANIZATION

 

Basis of Presentation and Principles of ConsolidationConsolidation.The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements include the accounts of Rhino Resource Partners LP and its subsidiaries (the “Partnership”). Intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Upon an evaluation of the effects on the Partnership from the weakness of the metallurgical and steam coal markets, which have been further negatively impacted from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Partnership determined that it may not have sufficient liquidity to operate its business over the next twelve months from the date of filing this Form 10-Q. Thus, substantial doubt is raised about the Partnership’s ability to continue as a going concern. Our independent registered public accounting firm included an emphasis paragraph with respect to our ability to continue as a going concern in its report on the Partnership’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019. The financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of asset carrying amounts or the amount of and classification of liabilities that may result should the Partnership be unable to continue as a going concern. Failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations could cause us to further curtail our operations and reduce spending and alter our business plan. We may also be required to consider other options, such as selling additional assets or seeking merger opportunities, and depending on the urgency of our liquidity constraints, we may be required to pursue such an option at an inopportune time.

The Partnership continues to take measures, including the suspension of cash distributions on its common and subordinated units and cost and productivity improvements, to enhance and preserve our liquidity in order to fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures to meet our financial commitments and debt service obligations.

The Partnership is currently exploring alternatives for other sources of capital for ongoing liquidity needs and transactions to enhance its ability to comply with its financial covenants. As disclosed on the Partnership’s Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 27, 2020, the Partnership has engaged legal and financial advisors to assist it in evaluating its strategic options. The Partnership is working to improve its operating performance and its cash, liquidity and financial position. This includes pursuing the sale of non-strategic surplus assets, continuing to drive cost improvements across the company, continuing to negotiate alternative payment terms with creditors, and obtaining waivers of going concern and financial covenant violations under our financing agreement, or alternatively, pursuing a court-supervised reorganization under Chapter 11 and related financing needs.

Debt Classification— The Partnership evaluated its financing agreement at March 31, 2020 to determine whether the debt liability should be classified as a long-term or current liability on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. The Partnership determined that it was in violation of certain debt covenants in the financing agreement as of March 31, 2020 and the lenders were unwilling to grant a waiver to the Partnership for these events of default as of the filing date of this Form 10-Q. The financing agreement contains negative covenants that restrict the Partnership’s ability to, among other things, permit the trailing nine month fixed charge coverage ratio of the Partnership and its subsidiaries to be less than 1.20 to 1.00. The financing agreement also requires the Partnership to receive an annual unqualified audit opinion from its external audit firm that does not include an emphasis paragraph on the Partnership’s ability to continue as a going concern. As of March 31, 2020, Rhino’s fixed charge coverage ratio was less than 1.20 to 1.00 and the Partnership’s annual report on Form 10-K for 2019 included an audit opinion from its external auditors that included an emphasis paragraph regarding the Partnership’s ability to continue as a going concern. Based upon these covenant violations, the Partnership’s debt liability is currently callable by the lenders and is classified as current as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019.

Debt issuance costs related to the debt liability are also classified as current. However, since the Partnership is currently in negotiations with its lender, the Partnership has not changed the amortization period of these costs. Included in debt costs are the exit fees described further in Note 10, which absent a waiver, are also callable with the accompanying debt as of March 31, 2020. (Please read Note 10 for additional discussion of the Partnership’s financing agreement).

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Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash. The Partnership considers all highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Restricted cash is combined with cash and cash equivalents on the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of cash flows.

Unaudited Interim Financial InformationInformation.The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information. The condensed consolidated statement of financial position as of September 30, 2017,March 31, 2020, condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and 20162019, consolidated statements of partners’ capital for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and 20162019 include all adjustments that the Partnership considers necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, partners’ capital, operating results and cash flows for the periods presented. The condensed consolidated statement of financial position as of December 31, 20162019 was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S.”). The Partnership filed its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20162019 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which included all information and notes necessary for such presentation. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year or any future period. These unaudited interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements included in the Partnership’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20162019 filed with the SEC.

 

Reclassifications.Organization.Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to discontinued operations on the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income related to the disposal of the Elk Horn coal leasing business during 2016. See Note 3 for further information on the Elk Horn disposal.

Debt Classification— The Partnership evaluated its amended and restated senior secured credit facility at September 30, 2017 to determine whether this debt liability should be classified as a long-term or current liability on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. On May 13, 2016, the Partnership entered into a fifth amendment (the “Fifth Amendment”) of its amended and restated agreement that initially extended the term of the senior secured credit facility to July 31, 2017. Per the Fifth Amendment, the term of the credit facility automatically extended to December 31, 2017 when the revolving credit commitments were reduced to $55 million or less as of December 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2016, the Partnership had met the requirements to extend the maturity date of the credit facility to December 31, 2017. Since the credit facility has an expiration date of December 2017, the Partnership determined that its credit facility debt liability at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 of $9.9 million and $10.0 million, respectively, should be classified as a current liability on its consolidated statements of financial position. The classification of the credit facility balance as a current liability raises substantial doubt of the Partnership’s ability to continue as a going concern for the next twelve months. The Partnership is considering alternative financing options that could result in a new long-term credit facility. Since the credit facility has an expiration date of December 31, 2017, the Partnership will have to secure alternative financing to replace its credit facility by the expiration date of December 31, 2017 in order to continue its normal business operations and meet its obligations as they come due. The financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of assets carrying amounts or the amount of and classification of liabilities that may result should the Partnership be unable to continue as a going concern.

OrganizationRhino Resource Partners LP is a Delaware limited partnership formed on April 19, 2010 to acquire Rhino Energy LLC (the “Operating Company”). The Operating Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries produce and market coal from surface and underground mines in Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Utah. The majority of sales are made to electric utilities, coal brokers, domestic and non-U.S. steel producers and other coal-related organizations in the United States. In addition, the Partnership continues its sales focus to U.S. export customers through brokers and direct end-user relationships.

 

Reverse Unit Split

On April 18,Through a series of transactions completed in the first quarter of 2016, the Partnership completed a 1-for-10 reverse split on its common units and subordinated units. Pursuant to the reverse split, common unitholders received one common unit for every 10 common units owned on April 18, 2016 and subordinated unitholders received one subordinated unit for every 10 subordinated units owned on April 18, 2016. All common and subordinated units, net income (loss) per unit and distribution per unit references included herein have been adjusted as if the change took place before the date of the earliest transaction reported. Any fractional units resulting from the reverse unit split were rounded to the nearest whole unit.

Royal Energy Resources, Inc. Acquisition

On January 21, 2016, a definitive agreement (“Definitive Agreement”) was completed between Royal Energy Resources, Inc. (“Royal”) acquired a majority ownership and Wexford Capital LP (“Wexford Capital”) whereby Royal acquired 676,911 issued and outstanding common unitscontrol of the Partnership and 100% ownership of the Partnership’s general partner. The Partnership’s common units trade on the OTCQB Marketplace under the ticker symbol “RHNO.”

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND GENERAL

Revenue Recognition. Most of the Partnership’s revenues are generated under coal sales contracts with electric utilities, coal brokers, domestic and non-U.S. steel producers, industrial companies or other coal-related organizations. Revenue is recognized and recorded when shipment or delivery to the customer has occurred, prices are fixed or determinable, control has passed in accordance with the terms of the sales agreement and collectability is reasonably assured. Under the typical terms of these agreements, control transfers to the customers at the mine or port, when the coal is loaded on the rail, barge, truck or other transportation source that delivers coal to its destination. Advance payments received are deferred and recognized in revenue as coal is shipped and title passes.

Freight and handling costs paid directly to third-party carriers and invoiced separately to coal customers are recorded as freight and handling costs and freight and handling revenues, respectively. Freight and handling costs billed to customers as part of the contractual per ton revenue of customer contracts is included in coal sales revenue.

Other revenues generally consist of coal royalty revenues, coal handling and processing revenues, rebates and rental income. With respect to other revenues recognized in situations unrelated to the shipment of coal, the Partnership carefully reviews the facts and circumstances of each transaction and does not recognize revenue until the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the seller’s price to the buyer is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured.

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Debt Issuance Costs. Debt issuance costs reflect fees incurred to obtain financing and are amortized (included in interest expense) using the straight-line method over the life of the related debt, which approximates the effective interest method. Debt issuance costs are presented as a direct deduction from Wexford Capitallong-term debt as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The effective interest rate for $3.5 million. the three months ended March 31, 2020 was 20.58% and 21.93% for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards.On March 12, 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (“ASC 848”):Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.The Definitiveamendments in ASC 848 provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments in ASC 848 apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The expedients and exceptions provided by the amendments do not apply to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022, except for hedging relationships existing as of December 31, 2022 that an entity has elected certain optional expedients for and that are retained through the end of the hedging relationship. The Partnership is currently evaluating this guidance.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820),Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The amendments in ASU 2018-13 revise the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. These changes are to be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period present in the year of adoption. The Partnership adopted ASU 2018-13 during the first quarter of 2020. The adoption of ASU 2018-13 did not have a material impact on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11,“Earnings Per Share (Topic 260): Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480), I. Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Down Round Features and II. Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests with a Scope Exception.”Part I of ASU 2017-11 will result in freestanding equity-linked financial instruments, such as warrants, and conversion options in convertible debt or preferred stock to no longer be accounted for as a derivative liability at fair value as a result of the existence of a down round feature. For freestanding equity-classified financial instruments, the amendments require entities that present earnings per share (EPS) in accordance with Topic 260 to recognize the effect of the down round feature when it is triggered. That effect is treated as a dividend and as a reduction of income available to common shareholders in basic EPS. The amendments in Part II recharacterize the indefinite deferral of certain provisions of Topic 480 that now are presented as pending content in the Codification. The amendments in Part II do not require any transition guidance as the amendments do not have an accounting effect. The amendments in ASU 2017-11 were effective on January 1, 2020, and the Part I amendments must be applied retrospectively. Early application is permitted. The Partnership early adopted ASU 2017-11, which did not have any material impact.

3. ACQUISITION

Blackjewel Assignment Agreement also included

On August 14, 2019, Jewell Valley Mining LLC (“Jewell Valley”), a wholly owned subsidiary of the committed acquisition by RoyalPartnership, entered into a general assignment and assumption agreement and bill of sale (the “Assignment Agreement”) with Blackjewel L.L.C., Blackjewel Holdings L.L.C., Revelation Energy Holdings, LLC, Revelation Management Corp., Revelation Energy, LLC, Dominion Coal Corporation, Harold Keene Coal Co. LLC, Vansant Coal Corporation, Lone Mountain Processing LLC, Powell Mountain Energy, LLC, and Cumberland River Coal LLC (together, “Blackjewel”) to purchase certain assets from Blackjewel for cash consideration of $850,000 plus an additional royalty of $250,000 that is payable within sixty daysone year from the date of the Definitive Agreement of all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Rhino GP LLC, the general partner of the Partnership (the “General Partner”), as well as 945,525 issued and outstanding subordinated units of the Partnership from Wexford Capital for $1.0 million.

On March 17, 2016, Royal completed the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of the General Partnerpurchase, as well as the 945,525 issued and outstanding subordinated units from Wexford Capital. Royal obtained controlassumption of and a majority limited partner interest, in the Partnershipassociated reclamation obligations. The transaction costs associated with the completionAssignment Agreement were $103,577. The assets that are subject of the Assignment Agreement consist of three underground mines in Virginia that were actively producing coal prior to Blackjewel’s filing for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, along with a preparation plant, rail loadout facility, related mineral and surface rights and infrastructure and certain purchase contracts to be assumed at Jewell Valley’s option.

10

The Partnership resumed mining at two of the three Jewell Valley mines during the fourth quarter of 2019. The operating results for Jewell Valley is reported as part of the Partnership’s Central Appalachia business segment. The Partnership reviewed the appropriate guidance within ASU 2017-01,Business Combinations (Topic 805)and determined that this transaction.transaction was an asset purchase.

The Assignment Agreement was funded by borrowings from the Partnership’s delayed draw feature of the financing agreement. Please refer to Note 10 for additional details of the financing agreement. The following table summarizes the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the acquisition date:

  (in thousands) 
Property, plant and equipment $3,853 
Land  378 
Asset retirement obligation  (2,596)
Net assets acquired $1,635 
Initial cash consideration $850 
Mineral cure payments  431 
Transaction costs  104 
Cash consideration  1,385 
Royalty payable  250 
Total consideration $1,635 

4. DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

Pennyrile Asset Purchase Agreement

 

On March 21, 2016,September 6, 2019, the Partnership and RoyalAlliance Coal, LLC (“Buyer”) and Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (“Buyer Parent”) entered into a securities purchase agreementan Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”“Pennyrile APA”) pursuant to which the Partnership issued 6,000,000 common unitsagreed to sell to the Buyer all of the real property, permits, equipment and inventory and certain other assets associated with its Pennyrile mine complex, as well as the buyer’s assumption of the Pennyrile reclamation obligation, in exchange for approximately $3.7 million, subject to certain adjustments. The final adjustments included the Partnership retaining certain equipment originally included in the Partnershipassets to Royalbe sold to the Buyer, which resulted in a private placement at $1.50 per common unit for an aggregate$0.3 million favorable adjustment to the impairment loss originally recorded by the Partnership in the third quarter of 2019 and a decrease in the final purchase price paid by the Buyer. The transaction was completed in March of $9.0 million. Royal paid2020 and the Partnership $2.0received cash consideration of $3.0 million.

Coal Supply Asset Purchase Agreement

On September 6, 2019, the Partnership, the Buyer and the Buyer Parent entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement for the sale and assignment of certain coal supply agreements associated with the Pennyrile mine complex (the “Coal Supply APA”) in exchange for approximately $7.3 million. The Coal Supply APA included customary representations of the parties thereto and indemnification for losses arising from the breaches of such representations and for liabilities arising during the period in which the relevant parties were not party to the coal supply agreements. The transactions contemplated by the Coal Supply APA closed upon the execution thereof.

Discontinued Operations

The Pennyrile operating results for the months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 are recorded as discontinued operations on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. The current and non-current assets and liabilities previously related to Pennyrile have been reclassified to the appropriate held for sale categories on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statement of financial position at December 31, 2019. The footnotes to the consolidated statement of financial position have been adjusted accordingly.

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Major assets and liabilities of discontinued operations for Pennyrile Energy LLC as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 are summarized as follows:

  March 31, 2020  December 31, 2019 
  (in thousands) 
Carrying amount of major classes of assets included as part
of discontinued operations:
        
Cash and cash equivalents $-  $- 
Accounts receivable  -   - 
Accounts receivable-other  -   - 
Inventories  -   - 
Advance royalties  -   - 
Prepaid expenses and other  -   - 
Total current assets of the disposal group classified as held for sale in the statement of financial position $-  $- 
         
Property and equipment (net) $-  $6,510 
Advance royalties, net of current portion  -   - 
Other non-current assets  -   - 
Total non-current assets of the disposal group classified as held for sale in the statement of financial position $-  $6,510 
         
Carrying amount of major classes of liabilities included as part
of discontinued operations:
        
Accounts payable $-  $2,117 
Accrued expenses and other  -   510 
Asset retirement obligations, current portion  -   2,200 
Total current liabilities of the disposal group classified as held for sale in the statement of financial position $-  $4,827 
         
Asset retirement obligations, net of current portion $-  $- 
Total non-current liabilities of the disposal group classified as held for sale in the statement of financial position $-  $- 

Major components of net loss from discontinued operations for Pennyrile Energy LLC for three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 are summarized as follows:

  Three Months Ended March 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Major line items constituting loss from discontinued operations for the Pennyrile Energy LLC disposal:        
Coal sales $-  $13,000 
Total revenues  -   13,000 
         
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion andamortization shown separately below)  422   14,433 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  -   2,058 
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately above)  -   21 
Asset impairment adjustment  (343)  - 
Total costs, expenses and other  79   16,512 
(Loss) from discontinued operations before income taxes  (79)  (3,512)
Income taxes  -   - 
Net (loss) from discontinued operations $(79) $(3,512)

Cash Flows. The depreciation, depletion and amortization amounts for Pennyrile for each period presented are listed in the previous table. The Pennyrile capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $0.3 million. The Partnership recorded a $0.3 million favorable adjustment to asset impairment expense during the first quarter of 2020 as discussed above. Pennyrile did not have any material investing items for any periods presented.

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5. PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

Prepaid expenses and other current assets as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consisted of the following:

  March 31,  December 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Other prepaid expenses $851  $657 
Prepaid insurance  709   1,163 
Prepaid leases  66   56 
Supply inventory  293   293 
Total $1,919  $2,169 

Receivable-other

On June 28, 2019, the Partnership entered into a settlement agreement with a third party which allowed the third party to maintain certain pipelines pursuant to designated permits at our Central Appalachia operations. The agreement required the third party to pay the Partnership $7.0 million in cash and delivered a promissory note payable to theconsideration. The Partnership (“Rhino Promissory Note”) in the amount of $7.0 million. The promissory note was payable in three installments: (i) $3.0received $4.2 million on July 31, 2016; (ii) $2.03, 2019 and the balance of $2.8 million on or before September 30, 2016 and (iii) $2.0 million on or beforeJanuary 2, 2020. At December 31, 2016. In2019, the event$2.8 million receivable was recorded in Receivable –Other on the disinterested membersPartnership’s consolidated statements of financial position. A gain of $6.9 million was recorded on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations during the second quarter of 2019.

Investment-securities

The Partnership acquired 568,794 shares of Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUSK) (“Mammoth Inc.”) through a series of transactions in years prior to 2018. As of December 31, 2018, the Partnership owned 104,100 shares of Mammoth Inc., which were recorded at fair market value as a current asset on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. During the first quarter of 2019, the Partnership sold its 104,100 shares for net consideration of approximately $2.3 million. A gain of $0.4 million was recorded on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations during the first quarter of 2019.

6. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant and equipment, including coal properties and mine development and construction costs, as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 are summarized by major classification as follows:

    March 31,  December 31, 
  Useful Lives 2020  2019 
    (in thousands) 
Land and land improvements   $7,223  $7,293 
Mining and other equipment and related facilities 2 - 20 Years  260,309   250,912 
Mine development costs 1 - 15 Years  41,262   40,768 
Coal properties 1 - 15 Years  41,464   41,466 
Construction work in process    11,253   13,370 
Total    361,511   353,809 
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization    (260,575)  (251,466)
Net   $100,936  $102,343 

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Depreciation expense for mining and other equipment and related facilities, depletion expense for coal properties, amortization expense for mine development costs and amortization expense for asset retirement costs for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

  March 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Depreciation expense-mining and other equipment and related facilities $3,255  $2,503 
Depletion expense for coal properties  307   406 
Amortization expense for mine development costs  369   516 
Amortization expense for asset retirement costs  18   66 
Total $3,949  $3,491 

7. LEASES

The Partnership leases various mining, transportation and other equipment under operating and finance leases. The leases have remaining lease terms of 1 year to 8 years, some of which include options to extend the leases for up to 15 years. The Partnership determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Some of the boardleases include both lease and non-lease components which are accounted for as a single lease component as the Partnership has elected the practical expedient to combine these components for all leases. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, current liabilities and non-current liabilities. Finance leases are included in property, plant and equipment, current liabilities and long-term liabilities.

ROU assets represent the Partnership’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Partnership’s obligation to make lease payments related to the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of directorslease payments over the lease term. The Partnership utilizes the implicit rate in the lease, if determinable, at the commencement date of the General Partner determinedlease to determine the present value of the lease payments. If the implicit rate is not determinable, the Partnership utilizes its incremental borrowing rate at the commencement date of the lease to determine the present value of the lease payments. The Partnership’s lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Partnership did not needwill exercise the capital that would be provided by either or both installments set forth in (ii)option. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Supplemental information related to leases was as follows:

  Three Months Ended March 31, 2020  Year Ended December 31, 2019 
  (in thousands)    
Operating leases        
Operating lease right-of use assets $10,341  $11,145 
         
Operating lease liabilities-current $3,195  $3,267 
Operating lease liabilities-long-term  6,741   7,465 
Total operating lease liabilities $9,936  $10,732 
         
Finance leases        
Property. Plant and Equipment, gross $10  $10 
Accumulated depreciation  (6)  (4)
Total Property, Plant and Equipment, net $4  $6 
         
Finance lease obligation - current portion $5  $4 
Finance lease obligation - noncurrent portion  -   1 
Total finance lease obligation $5  $5 

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Weighted Average Discount Rates and (iii) above, in each case,Lease Terms

  March 31, 2020  March 31, 2019 
       
Weighted Average Discount Rate        
Operating leases  7.0%  7.0%
Finance leases  7.0%  7.0%
         
Weighted Average Lease Term        
Operating leases  4.79 years   5.4 years 
Finance leases  1.03 years   2.1 years 

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows:

  Three Months Ended March 31, 2020  Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 
  (in thousands) 
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:      
Operating cash flows for operating leases $974  $977 
Operating cash flows for finance leases $-  $- 
Financing cash flows for finance leases $1  $1 
         
Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:        
Operating leases $-  $13,896 
Finance leases $-  $10 

Maturities of lease liabilities are as follows:

   Operating leases  Finance leases 
   (in thousands) 
2020 (excluded the three months ended March 31, 2020  $3,769  $5 
2021   2,635   - 
2022   1,382   - 
2023   906   - 
2024   912     
Thereafter   2,097   - 
Total lease payments   11,701   5 
Less: imputed interest   (1,765)  - 
Total  $9,936  $5 

The components of lease expense were as follows:

  March 31, 2020  March 31, 2019 
  (in thousands) 
       
Operating lease cost $981  $983 
         
Finance lease cost:        
Amortization of right-of-use assets $1  $1 
Interest on lease liabilities  -   - 
Total finance lease cost $1  $1 

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8. OTHER NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Other non-current assets as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consisted of the following:

  March 31,  December 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Deposits and other $1,463  $1,058 
Due (to) Rhino GP  (147)  (93)
Non-current receivable  30,625   30,625 
Total $31,941  $31,590 

Non-current receivable. The non-current receivable balance of $30.6 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consisted of the amount due from the Partnership’s workers’ compensation insurance providers for potential claims against the Partnership hadthat are the option to rescind Royal’s purchaseprimary responsibility of 1,333,333 common units and the applicable installment would not be payable (each, a “Rescission Right”). If the Partnership, failed to exercise a Rescission Right,which are covered under the Partnership’s insurance policies. The $30.6 million is also included in each case, the Partnership hadPartnership’s accrued workers’ compensation benefits liability balance, which is included in the option to repurchase 1,333,333 common units at $3.00 per common unit from Royal (each, a “Repurchase Option”). The Repurchase Options terminate on December 31, 2017. On May 13, 2016 and September 30, 2016, Royal paid the Partnership $3.0 million and $2.0 million, respectively, for the promissory note installments that were due July 31, 2016 and September 30, 2016, respectively. The payments were made in relation to the Fifth Amendmentother non-current liabilities section of the amendedPartnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. The Partnership presents this amount on a gross asset and restated credit agreement completedliability basis since a right of setoff does not exist per the accounting guidance in ASC Topic 210,Balance Sheet. This presentation has no impact on May 13, 2016. On December 30, 2016, the Partnership modified the Securities Purchase Agreement with Royal for the final $2.0 million payment due onPartnership’s results of operations or before December 31, 2016 to extend the due date to December 31, 2018. Please read “—Letter Agreement Regarding Rhino Promissory Note and Weston Promissory Note.”cash flows.

 

9. ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consisted of the following:

  March 31,  December 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Payroll, bonus and vacation expense $1,117  $1,881 
Non-income taxes  2,399   2,067 
Royalty expenses  2,541   2,513 
Accrued interest  98   375 
Health claims  1,091   1,167 
Workers’ compensation & pneumoconiosis  2,500   2,500 
Other  1,623   2,704 
Total $11,369  $13,207 

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10. DEBT

Debt as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 consisted of the following:

  March 31,  December 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Note payable -Financing Agreement $44,813  $41,398 
Note payable-other debt  2,021   3,054 
Finance lease obligation  5   5 
Net unamortized debt issuance costs  (8,817)  (8,632)
Net unamortized original issue discount  (386)  (421)
Total  37,636   35,404 
Less current portion  (36,781)  (34,244)
Long-term debt $855  $1,160 

Option Agreement-Armstrong Energy

The balance of the financing agreement and related debt issuance costs have been classified as a current liability as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 (please read Note 1 for further discussion).

Other Debt.Other debt consisting of equipment and insurance financing was approximately $2.0 million and $3.1 million as of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Financing Agreement

 

On December 30, 2016,27, 2017, the Partnership entered into an option agreementa Financing Agreement (the “Option“Financing Agreement”) with Royal, Rhino Resources Partners Holdings,Cortland Capital Market Services LLC, (“Rhino Holdings”), an entity wholly owned by certain investment partnerships managed by Yorktown Partnersas Collateral Agent and Administrative agent, CB Agent Services LLC, (“Yorktown”),as Origination Agent and the General Partner. Uponparties identified as Lenders therein (the “Lenders”), pursuant to which the Lenders agreed to provide the Partnership with a multi-draw term loan in the original aggregate principal amount of $80 million, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Financing Agreement. The total principal amount was divided into a $40 million commitment, the conditions of which were satisfied at the execution of the OptionFinancing Agreement (the “Effective Date Term Loan Commitment”) and a $40 million additional commitment that was contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent specified in the Financing Agreement (“Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment”). As of March 31, 2020, the Partnership receivedhad utilized $18 million of the $40 million additional commitment, which results in $22 million of the additional commitment remaining. The Financing Agreement contains negative covenants that restrict the Partnership’s ability to, among other things: (i) incur liens or additional indebtedness or make investments or restricted payments, (ii) liquidate or merge with another entity, or dispose of assets, (iii) change the nature of their respective businesses; (iv) make capital expenditures in excess, or, with respect to maintenance capital expenditures, lower than, specified amounts, (v) incur restrictions on the payment of dividends, (vi) prepay or modify the terms of other indebtedness, (vii) permit the Collateral Coverage Amount to be less than the outstanding principal amount of the loans outstanding under the Financing Agreement or (viii) permit the trailing nine month Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Partnership and its subsidiaries to be less than 1.20 to 1.00.

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The Lenders are entitled to certain fees, including: (i) 1.50% per annum of the unused Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment for as long as such commitment exists, (ii) for the 12-month period following the execution of the Financing Agreement, a make-whole amount (“Make-Whole Amount”) equal to the interest and unused Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment fees that would have been payable but for the occurrence of certain events, including among others, bankruptcy proceedings or the termination of the Financing Agreement by the Partnership, and (iii) audit and collateral monitoring fees and origination and exit fees. Commencing December 31, 2018, the principal for each loan made under the Financing Agreement is payable on a quarterly basis in an option (the “Call Option”) from Rhino Holdingsamount equal to acquire$375,000 per quarter. All remaining unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest is due on the loan termination date. The Financing Agreement originally had a termination date of December 27, 2020, which was amended to December 27, 2022. Loans made pursuant to the Financing Agreement are secured by substantially all of the outstanding common stock of Armstrong Energy, Inc. (“Armstrong Energy”) that is currently owned by investment partnerships managed by Yorktown, representing approximately 97% ofPartnerships’ assets.

The Partnership entered into various amendments and consents to the outstanding common stock of Armstrong Energy. The OptionFinancing Agreement stipulates that the Partnership can exercise the Call Option no earlier than January 1,during 2018 and no later than2019, which (a) increased the original lender exit fee (“Exit Fee”) of 3.0% to 7.0% as of December 31, 2019. In exchangeThe Exit Fee is applied to the principal amount of the loans made under the Financing Agreement that is payable on the earliest of (i) the final maturity date of the Financing Agreement, (ii) the termination date of the Financing Agreement, (iii) the acceleration of the obligations under the Financing Agreement for Rhino Holdings grantingany reason, including, without limitation, acceleration in accordance with Section 9.01 of the Financing Agreement, including as a result of the commencement of an insolvency proceeding and (iv) the date of any refinancing of the term loan under the Financing Agreement, (b) modified certain definitions and concepts to account for the Partnership’s 2019 acquisition of properties from Blackjewel, (c) permitted the 2019 disposition of the Pennyrile mining complex, (d) required the Partnership to pay a $1.0 million consent fee related to the Call Option,Pennyrile sale (paid March 2020), (e) allowed the Partnership issued 5.0to sell certain real property in Western Colorado and adjusted the timing for remittance to the Lender of the proceeds from the sales, (f) provided $15.0 million common units, representing limited partner interests in additional terms loans under the Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment feature of the Financing Agreement, (g) revised the definition of the Make-Whole Amount under the Financing Agreement to extend the date of the Make-Whole Amount period to December 31, 2021 and (h) extended the termination date of the Financing Agreement to December 27, 2022.

On March 3, 2020, the Partnership entered into a sixth amendment (the “Call Option Premium Units”“Sixth Amendment”) to Rhino Holdings upon the executionFinancing Agreement originally executed on December 27, 2017 with the Lenders. The Sixth Amendment, among other things, provided a consent by the Origination Agent to a $3.0 million term loan under the Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment feature of the Option Agreement. The OptionFinancing Agreement stipulatesand increased the Partnership can exercise the Call Option and purchase the common stock of Armstrong Energy in exchange for a number of common units to be issued to Rhino Holdings, which when added with the Call Option Premium Units, will result in Rhino Holdings owning 51% of the fully diluted common units of the Partnership. The purchase of Armstrong Energy through the exercise of the Call Option would also require Royal to transfer a 51% ownership interest in the General Partner to Rhino Holdings. The Partnership’s ability to exercise the Call Option is conditioned upon (i) sixty (60) days having passed since the entry by Armstrong Energy into an agreement with its bondholders to restructure its bonds and (ii) the amendment of the Partnership’s revolving credit facility to permit the acquisition of Armstrong Energy.

The Option Agreement also contains an option (the “Put Option”) grantedExit Fee payable by the Partnership to Rhino Holdings whereby Rhino Holdings has the right, but not the obligation,Lenders by 1.0% to cause the Partnership to purchase substantially alla total of the outstanding common stock of Armstrong Energy from Rhino Holdings under the same8.0% (payment terms and conditions discussed above for the Call Option. The exercise of the Put Option is dependent upon (i) the entry by Armstrong Energy into an agreement with its bondholders to restructure its bonds and (ii) the termination and repayment of any outstanding balance under the Partnership’s revolving credit facility.above).

 

The Optionfollowing table presents the loan balances and applicable interest rates for each term loan made under the Financing Agreement contains customary covenants, representations and warranties and indemnificationas of March 31, 2020:

Loan Date Loan Balance  Interest rate* 
  (in millions)    
12/27/2017 $27.2   10.99%
8/16/2019 $5.0   11.20%
9/16/2019 $5.0   10.86%
3/3/2020 $3.0   11.52%
         
* Variable interest rate of Libor plus 10.0% 

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11. ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

The changes in asset retirement obligations for losses arising from the inaccuracythree months ended March 31, 2020 and the year ended December 31, 2019 are as follows:

  March 31,  December 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Balance at beginning of period (including current portion) $20,591  $17,581 
Accretion expense  389   1,341 
Adjustments to the liability from annual recosting and other  -   (823)
Jewell Valley LLC acquisition  -   2,596 
Reclassification to held for sale  -   (38)
Liabilities settled  -   (66)
Balance at end of period  20,980   20,591 
Less current portion of asset retirement obligation  (420)  (420)
Long-term portion of asset retirement obligation $20,560  $20,171 

12. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

401(k) Plans

The Operating Company sponsors a defined contribution savings plans for all employees. Under the defined contribution savings plan, the Operating Company matches voluntary contributions of representations or warranties or breachesparticipants up to a maximum contribution based upon a percentage of covenants containeda participant’s salary with an additional matching contribution possible at the Partnership’s discretion. The expense under these plans for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 is included in Cost of operations and Selling, general and administrative expense in the Option Agreement, the Seventh Amendment (defined below)Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and the GP Amendment (defined below). Upon the request by Rhino Holdings,was as follows:

  Three Months Ended March 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
401(k) plan expense $391  $343 

13. PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

Common Unit Warrants

In December 2017, the Partnership will also enterentered into a registration rightswarrant agreement with certain parties that provides Rhino Holdings withare also parties to the right to demand two shelf registration statements and registration statements on Form S-1, as well as piggyback registration rightsFinancing Agreement discussed above. The warrant agreement included the issuance of a total of 683,888 warrants for as long as Rhino Holdings owns at least 10%common units (“Common Unit Warrants”) of the outstanding common units.

Pursuant toPartnership at an exercise price of $1.95 per unit, which was the Option Agreement, the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of our general partner was amended (“GP Amendment”). Pursuant to the GP Amendment, Mr. Bryan H. Lawrence was appointed to the board of directorsclosing price of the General Partner as a designee of Rhino Holdings and Rhino Holdings has the right to appoint an additional independent director. Rhino Holdings has the right to appoint two members to the board of directors of the General Partner for as long as it continues to own 20% of thePartnership’s common units on an undiluted basis.the OTC market as of December 27, 2017. The GP Amendment also provided Rhino HoldingsCommon Unit Warrants have a five year expiration date. The Common Unit Warrants and the Partnership’s common units after exercise are both transferable, subject to applicable US securities laws. The Common Unit Warrant exercise price is $1.95 per unit, but the price per unit will be reduced by future common unit distributions and other further adjustments in price included in the warrant agreement for transactions that are dilutive to the amount of the Partnership’s common units outstanding. The warrant agreement includes a provision for a cashless exercise where the warrant holders can receive a net number of common units. Per the warrant agreement, the warrants are detached from the Financing Agreement and fully transferable. The Partnership analyzed the Common Unit Warrants in accordance with the authority to consent to any delegation of authority to any committee ofapplicable accounting literature and concluded the board ofCommon Unit Warrants should be classified as equity. The Partnership allocated the General Partner. Upon$40.0 million proceeds from the exercise ofFinancing Agreement between the Call Option orCommon Unit Warrants and the Put Option,Financing Agreement based upon their relative fair values. The allocation based upon relative fair values resulted in approximately $1.3 million being recorded for the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of the General Partner, as amended, will be further amended to provide that Royal and Rhino Holdings will each have the ability to appoint three directors and that the remaining director will be the chief executive officer of the General Partner unless agreed otherwise.

On October 31, 2017, Armstrong Energy filed Chapter 11 petitionsCommon Unit Warrants in the Eastern District of Missouri’s United States Bankruptcy Court. Per the Chapter 11 petitions, Armstrong Energy will filePartner’s Capital equity section and a detailed restructuring plan as part of the Chapter 11 proceedings. The Partnership is evaluating the Armstrong Energy Chapter 11 filing and any effect it may have on the Option Agreement. See Note 6 for further informationcorresponding reduction in Long-term debt, net on the Partnership’s assessmentunaudited condensed consolidated statements of the Call Option.financial position.

 

Series A Preferred Unit Purchase AgreementUnits

On December 30, 2016, the Partnership entered into a Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement (the “Preferred Unit Agreement”) with Weston Energy LLC (“Weston”), an entity wholly owned by certain investment partnerships managed by Yorktown, and Royal. Under the Preferred Unit Agreement, Weston and Royal purchased 1,300,000 and 200,000, respectively, of Series A preferred units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership at a price of $10.00 per Series A preferred unit. The Series A preferred units have the preferences, rights and obligations set forth in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement. Weston and Royal paid cash of $11.0 million and $2.0 million, respectively, to the Partnership and Weston assigned to the Partnership a $2.0 million note receivable from Royal originally dated September 30, 2016 (the “Weston Promissory Note”). Please read “—Letter Agreement Regarding Rhino Promissory Note and Weston Promissory Note.”

The Preferred Unit Agreement contains customary representations, warrants and covenants, which include among other things, that, for as long as the Series A preferred units are outstanding, the Partnership will cause CAM Mining, LLC (“CAM Mining”), which comprises the Partnership’s Central Appalachia segment, to conduct its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and use reasonable best efforts to maintain and preserve intact its current organization, business and franchise and to preserve the rights, franchises, goodwill and relationships of its employees, customers, lenders, suppliers, regulators and others having business relationships with CAM Mining.

The Preferred Unit Agreement stipulates that upon the request of the holder of the majority of the Partnership’s common units following their conversion from Series A preferred units, as outlined in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement (defined below), the Partnership will enter into a registration rights agreement with such holder. Such majority holder has the right to demand two shelf registration statements and registration statements on Form S-1, as well as piggyback registration rights.

Letter Agreement Regarding Rhino Promissory Note and Weston Promissory Note

On December 30, 2016, the Partnership and Royal entered into a letter agreement whereby they extended the maturity dates of the Weston Promissory Note and the final installment payment of the Rhino Promissory Note to December 31, 2018. The letter agreement further provides that the aggregate $4.0 million balance of the Weston Promissory Note and Rhino Promissory Note may be converted at Royal’s option into a number of shares of Royal’s common stock equal to the outstanding balance multiplied by seventy-five percent (75%) of the volume-weighted average closing price of Royal’s common stock for the 90 days preceding the date of conversion (“Royal VWAP”), subject to a minimum Royal VWAP of $3.50 and a maximum Royal VWAP of $7.50. On September 1, 2017, Royal elected to convert the Rhino Promissory Note and the Weston Promissory Note to shares of Royal common stock. Royal issued 914,797 shares of its common stock to Rhino at a conversion price of $4.51 as calculated per the method stipulated above. See Note 11 for further discussion.

Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Rhino Resource Partners LP

On December 30, 2016, the general partner entered into the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (“Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement”) to create, authorize and issue the Series A preferred units.

 

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The Series A preferred units are a new class of equity security that rank senior to all classes or series of equity securities of the Partnership with respect to distribution rights and rights upon liquidation. The holders of the Series A preferred units shall beare entitled to receive annual distributions equal to the greater of (i) 50% of the CAM Mining free cash flow (as defined below) and (ii) an amount equal to the number of outstanding Series A preferred units multiplied by $0.80. “CAM Mining free cash flow” is defined in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement as (i) the total revenue of the Partnership’s Central Appalachia business segment, minus (ii) the cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization) for the Partnership’s Central Appalachia business segment, minus (iii) an amount equal to $6.50, multiplied by the aggregate number of coal tons sold by the Partnership from its Central Appalachia business segment. If the Partnership fails to pay any or all of the distributions in respect of the Series A preferred units, such deficiency will accrue until paid in full and the Partnership will not be permitted to pay any distributions on its Partnership interests that rank junior to the Series A preferred units, including its common units. The Series A preferred units will be liquidated in accordance with their capital accounts and upon liquidation will be entitled to distributions of property and cash in accordance with the balances of their capital accounts prior to such distributions toon equity securities that rank junior to the Series A preferred units.

 

The Series A preferred units will vote on an as-converted basis with the common units, and the Partnership will beis restricted from taking certain actions without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Series A preferred units, including: (i) the issuance of additional Series A preferred units, or securities that rank senior or equal to the Series A preferred units; (ii) the sale or transfer of CAM Mining or a material portion of its assets; (iii) the repurchase of common units, or the issuance of rights or warrants to holders of common units entitling them to purchase common units at less than fair market value; (iv) consummation of a spin off; (v) the incurrence, assumption or guaranty of indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of $50.0 million except indebtedness relating to entities or assets that are acquired by the Partnership or its affiliates that is in existence at the time of such acquisition or (vi) the modification of CAM Mining’s accounting principles or the financial or operational reporting principles of the Partnership’s Central Appalachia business segment, subject to certain exceptions.

 

The Partnership will havehas the option to convert the outstanding Series A preferred units at any time on or after the time at which the amount of aggregate distributions paid in respect of each Series A preferred unit exceeds $10.00 per unit. Each Series A preferred unit will convert into a number of common units equal to the quotient (the “Series A Conversion Ratio”) of (i) the sum of $10.00 and any unpaid distributions in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit divided by (ii) 75% of the volume-weighted average closing price of the common units for the preceding 90 trading days (the “VWAP”); provided however, that the VWAP will be capped at a minimum of $2.00 and a maximum of $10.00. On December 31, 2021, all outstanding Series A preferred units will convert into common units at the then applicable Series A Conversion Ratio.

 

DelistingDuring the first quarter of Common Units from NYSE

On December 17, 2015, the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) notified2019, the Partnership thatpaid $3.2 million to the NYSE had determined to commence proceedings to delist its commonholders of Series A preferred units from the NYSE as a result of the Partnership’s failure to comply with the continued listing standard set forth in Section 802.01B of the NYSE Listed Company Manual to maintain an average global market capitalization over a consecutive 30 trading-day period of at least $15 million for our common units. The NYSE also suspended the trading of the Partnership’s common units at the close of trading on December 17, 2015.

On January 4, 2016, the Partnership filed an appeal with the NYSE to review the suspension and delisting determination of the Partnership’s common units. The NYSE held a hearing regarding our appeal on April 20, 2016 and affirmed its prior decision to delist the Partnership’s common units.

On April 27, 2016, the NYSE filed with the SEC a notification of removal from listing and registration on Form 25 to delist the Partnership’s common units and terminate the registration of its common units under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The delisting became effective on May 9, 2016. The Partnership’s common units trade on the OTCQB Marketplace under the ticker symbol “RHNO.”

The Partnership is exploring the possibility of listing its common units on the NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”), pending its capability to meet the NASDAQ initial listing standards.

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND GENERAL

Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates. Investments in other entities are accounteddistributions earned for using the consolidation, equity method or cost basis depending upon the level of ownership, the Partnership’s ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the investee and whether the Partnership is determined to be the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity. Equity investments are recorded at original cost and adjusted periodically to recognize the Partnership’s proportionate share of the investees’ net income or losses after the date of investment. Any losses from the Partnership’s equity method investments are absorbed by the Partnership based upon its proportionate ownership percentage. If losses are incurred that exceed the Partnership’s investment in the equity method entity, then the Partnership must continue to record its proportionate share of losses in excess of its investment. Investments are written down only when there is clear evidence that a decline in value that is other than temporary has occurred.

In December 2012, the Partnership made an initial investment in a new joint venture, Muskie Proppant LLC (“Muskie”), with affiliates of Wexford Capital. In November 2014, the Partnership contributed its investment interest in Muskie to Mammoth Energy Partners LP (“Mammoth”) in return for a limited partner interest in Mammoth. In October 2016, the Partnership contributed its limited partner interests in Mammoth to Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUSK) (“Mammoth Inc.”) in exchange for 234,300 shares of common stock of Mammoth, Inc.

In September 2014, the Partnership made an initial investment of $5.0 million in a new joint venture, Sturgeon Acquisitions LLC (“Sturgeon”), with affiliates of Wexford Capital and Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: GPOR) (“Gulfport”). The Partnership accounted for the investment in this joint venture and results of operations under the equity method based upon its ownership percentage. The Partnership recorded its proportionate share of the operating income for this investment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 of approximately $0 and $36,000, respectively. The Partnership recorded its proportionate share of the operating (loss) for Sturgeon for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 of approximately ($26,000) and ($0.1) million, respectively. In June 2017, the Partnership contributed its limited partner interests in Sturgeon to Mammoth Inc. in exchange for 336,447 shares of common stock of Mammoth Inc. As of September 30, 2017, the Partnership owned 568,794 shares of Mammoth Inc.

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Partnership recorded a fair market value adjustment of $1.0 million and $1.6 million, respectively, for its available-for-sale investment in Mammoth Inc. based on the market value of the shares at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, which was recorded in Other Comprehensive Income. As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Partnership has recorded its investment in Mammoth Inc. as a short-term asset, which the Partnership has classified as available-for-sale. The Partnership has included its investment in Mammoth Inc. and its prior investment in Muskie and Sturgeon in its Other category for segment reporting purposes.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards.In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09,Revenue from Contracts with Customers. ASU 2014-09 clarifies the principles for recognizing revenue and establishes a common revenue standard for U.S. financial reporting purposes. The guidance in ASU 2014-09 affects any entity that either enters into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enters into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards (for example, insurance contracts or lease contracts). ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 605,Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific accounting guidance. Additionally, ASU 2014-09 supersedes some guidance included in ASC 605-35,Revenue Recognition—Construction-Type and Production-Type Contracts. In addition, the existing requirements for the recognition of a gain or loss on the transfer of nonfinancial assets that are not in a contract with a customer (for example, assets within the scope of ASC 360,Property, Plant, and Equipment, and intangible assets within the scope of ASC 350,Intangibles—Goodwill and Other) are amended to be consistent with the guidance on recognition and measurement (including the constraint on revenue) in ASU 2014-09. In July 2015, the FASB approved to defer the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year. Accordingly, ASU 2014-09 will be effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods therein. The Partnership is evaluating the requirements of this new accounting guidance and currently believes the new guidance will not have a material impact on its financial results when adopted, but will require additional disclosures in its financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02,Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 requires that lessees recognize all leases (other than leases with a term of twelve months or less) on the balance sheet as lease liabilities, based upon the present value of the lease payments, with corresponding right of use assets. ASU 2016-02 also makes targeted changes to other aspects of current guidance, including identifying a lease and lease classification criteria as well as the lessor accounting model, including guidance on separating components of a contract and consideration in the contract. The amendments in ASU 2016-02 will be effective for the Partnership on January 1, 2019 and will require modified retrospective application as of the beginning of the earliest period presented in the financial statements. Early application is permitted. The Partnership is currently evaluating this guidance and currently believes this new guidance will not have a material impact on its financial results when adopted, but will require additional assets and liabilities to be recognized for certain agreements where the Partnership has the rights to use assets.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15,Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230):Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 provides guidance on eight cash flow issues, including debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs. ASU 2016-15 requires that cash payments related to debt prepayments or debt extinguishments, excluding accrued interest, be classified as a financing activity rather than an operating activity even when the effects enter into the determination of net income. The amendments in ASU 2016-15 will be effective on January 1, 2018 and must be applied retrospectively. Early application is permitted. The Partnership is currently evaluating this guidance.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01,Business Combinations (Topic 805). ASU 2017—01 clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Partnership is currently evaluating this guidance.

3. DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

Elk Horn Coal Leasing

In August 2016, the Partnership entered into an agreement to sell its Elk Horn coal leasing company (“Elk Horn”) to a third party for total cash consideration of $12.0 million. The Partnership received $10.5 million in cash consideration upon the closing of the Elk Horn transaction and the remaining $1.5 million of consideration was paid in ten equal monthly installments of $150,000 on the 20th of each calendar month beginning on September 20, 2016. The Partnership recorded a loss of $119.9 million from the Elk Horn disposal during the year ended December 31, 2016. The previous operating results of Elk Horn have been reclassified and reported on the (Gain)/loss from discontinued operations line on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016.

Major components of net (loss)/income from discontinued operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 are summarized as follows:

  Three Months Ended September 30,  Nine Months Ended September 30, 
  2017  2016  2017  2016 
Major line items constituting loss from discontinued operations for the Elk Horn disposal:                
Other revenues $-  $442  $-  $2,668 
Total revenues  -   442   -   2,668 
                 
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  -   345   -   799 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  -   87   -   413 
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately above)  -   78   -   174 
(Gain) on sale/disposal of assets, net  -   504   -   504 
Loss on disposal of business  -   -   -   118,705 
Interest expense and other  -   3   -   13 
Total costs and expenses  -   1,017   -   120,608 
Loss from discontinued operations before income taxes for the Elk Horn disposal  -   (575)  -   (117,940)
Income taxes  -   -   -   - 
Net loss from discontinued operations $-  $(575) $-  $(117,940)

The depreciation, depletion and amortization amounts for Elk Horn for each period presented are listed in the previous table.2018. The Partnership did not fund any capital expenditures for Elk Horn for any periods presented. The amortization of Elk Horn’s deferred revenue, which was zero and $1.3accrued approximately $1.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, is the only material non-cash operating item for all periods presented. Elk Horn did not have any material non-cash investing items for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

4. PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT ASSETS

Prepaid expenses and other current assets as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 consisted of the following:

  September 30, 2017  December 31, 2016 
  (in thousands) 
Other prepaid expenses $1,729  $707 
Debt issuance costs—net  398   1,239 
Prepaid insurance  1,922   1,432 
Prepaid leases  123   77 
Supply inventory  504   614 
Deposits  -   164 
Note receivable-current portion  -   900 
Total Prepaid expenses and other $4,676  $5,133 

Debt issuance costs were included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 since the Partnership classified its credit facility balance as a current liability. See Note 8 for further information on the amendmentsdistributions to the amended and restated senior secured credit facility.

As of December 31, 2016, the note receivable balance of $0.9 million related to the $1.5 million of consideration paid in ten equal monthly installments of $150,000 for the Elk Horn sale discussed earlier. The note receivable was paid in full as of June 30, 2017.

5. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant and equipment, including coal properties and mine development and construction costs, as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 are summarized by major classification as follows:

  Useful Lives September 30, 2017  December 31, 2016 
     (in thousands) 
Land   $15,770  $16,377 
Mining and other equipment and related facilities 2 - 20 Years  314,804   305,626 
Mine development costs 1 - 15 Years  57,797   57,392 
Coal properties 1 - 15 Years  67,989   67,989 
Construction work in process    3,109   1,797 
Total    459,469   449,181 
Less accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization    (280,027)  (266,874)
Net   $179,442  $182,307 

Depreciation expense for mining and other equipment and related facilities, depletion expense for coal properties and oil and natural gas properties, amortization expense for mine development costs, amortization expense for intangible assets and amortization expense for asset retirement costs for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 were as follows:

  Three Months Ended September 30,  Nine Months Ended September 30, 
  2017  2016  2017  2016 
     (in thousands)    
Depreciation expense-mining and other equipment and related facilities $3,995  $5,597  $12,816  $15,908 
Depletion expense for coal properties and oil and natural gas properties  450   404   1,221   1,224 
Amortization expense for mine development costs  721   511   2,265   1,294 
Amortization expense for intangible assets  -   -   -   - 
Amortization expense for asset retirement costs  22   (23)  193   (85)
Total depreciation, depletion and amortization $5,188  $6,489  $16,495  $18,341 

Taylorville Land Sale

On December 30, 2015, the Partnership completed the sale of its land surface rights for the Taylorville property in central Illinois for approximately $7.2 million in net proceeds. The sale agreement allows the Partnership to retain the mining permit and control of the proven and probable coal reserves at the Taylorville property as the Partnership has the option to repurchase the rights to the land within seven years from the date of the sale agreement. In accordance with ASC 360-20-40-38,Real Estate Sales - Derecognition, since the Partnership has the option to repurchase the rights to the land, the transaction has been accounted for as a financing arrangement rather than a sale. The Taylorville property is recorded in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position within the net property, plant and equipment caption and the related liability is recorded in the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position within the other noncurrent liability caption.

6. INTANGIBLE AND OTHER NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Other non-current assets as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 consisted of the following:

  September 30, 2017  December 31, 2016 
  (in thousands) 
Deposits and other $343  $218 
Due (to)/from Rhino GP  (27)  (573)
Non-current receivable  27,157   27,157 
Deferred expenses  194   216 
Total $27,667  $27,018 

Non-current receivable. The non-current receivable balance of $27.2 million as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 consisted of the amount due from the Partnership’s workers’ compensation insurance providers for potential claims against the Partnership that are the primary responsibility of the Partnership, which are covered under the Partnership’s insurance policies. The $27.2 million is also included in the Partnership’s accrued workers’ compensation benefits liability balance, which is included in the other non-current liabilities section of the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. The Partnership presents this amount on a gross asset and liability basis since a right of setoff does not exist per the accounting guidance in ASC Topic 210,Balance Sheet. This presentation has no impact on the Partnership’s results of operations or cash flows.

Note receivable-related party. In connection with the Series A preferred units issued in December 2016, Weston assigned to the Partnership the Weston Promissory Note and related accrued interest from Royal originally dated September 30, 2016. See Note 1 and Note 11 for further information on the Series A preferred units and the Weston Promissory Note.

Call Option-Armstrong Energy. As discussed in Note 1, the Partnership and Rhino Holdings executed an Option Agreement in December 2016 where the Partnership received a Call Option from Rhino Holdings to acquire substantially all of the outstanding common stock of Armstrong Energy. In exchange for Rhino Holdings granting the Partnership the Call Option, the Partnership issued 5.0 million common units to Rhino Holdings upon the execution of the Option Agreement. The Partnership valued the Call Option at $21.8 million based upon the closing price of the Partnership’s publicly traded common units on the date the Option Agreement was executed. The Partnership has determined the value of the common units issued at December 30, 2016 of $21.8 million constituted an amount that would be applied to the potential acquisition of Armstrong Energy, as discussed in Note 1.

As discussed in Note 1, on October 31, 2017, Armstrong Energy filed Chapter 11 petitions in the Eastern District of Missouri’s United States Bankruptcy Court. The Partnership is evaluating the Chapter 11 petitions filed by Armstrong Energy and the Partnership will further evaluate the detailed restructuring plan when it is submitted by Armstrong Energy to determine what, if any, effect the ultimate outcome of the Chapter 11 proceedings will have on the Call Option. Because of the uncertain facts and circumstances surrounding the current state of the Armstrong Energy Chapter 11 proceedings, which includes the possibility that the Partnership will still exercise the Call Option as outlined in Note 1, the Partnership concluded that the value of the Call Option was not impaired as of September 30, 2017. However, management expects that further information, including the progression of Armstrong’s restructuring plan and bankruptcy proceedings, will become available in the next quarter; such information may have a material effect on the carrying value of Option Agreement.

7. ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES

Accrued expenses and other current liabilities as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 consisted of the following:

  September 30, 2017  December 31, 2016 
  (in thousands) 
Payroll, bonus and vacation expense $1,786  $1,496 
Non income taxes  3,393   2,252 
Royalty expenses  2,077   1,617 
Accrued interest  601   601 
Health claims  803   630 
Workers’ compensation & pneumoconiosis  2,450   2,450 
Accrued insured litigation claims  26   277 
Other  613   740 
Total $11,749  $10,063 

The $26,000 and $277,000 accrued for insured litigation claims as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, consists of probable and estimable litigation claims that are the primary obligation of the Partnership. The amount accrued for litigation claims is also due from the Partnership’s insurance providers and is included in Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. The Partnership presents this amount on a gross asset and liability basis, as a right of setoff does not exist per the accounting guidance in ASC Topic 210,Balance Sheet. This presentation has no impact on the Partnership’s results of operations or cash flows.

8. DEBT

Debt as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 consisted of the following:

  September 30, 2017  December 31, 2016 
  (in thousands) 
Senior secured credit facility with PNC Bank, N.A. $9,940  $10,040 
Other notes payable  -   - 
Total  9,940   10,040 
Less current portion  (9,940)  (10,040)
Long-term debt $-  $- 

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Senior Secured Credit Facility with PNC Bank, N.A.— On July 29, 2011, the Partnership executed the amended and restated credit agreement. The maximum availability under the amended and restated credit facility was $300.0 million, with a one-time option to increase the availability by an amount not to exceed $50.0 million. Of the $300.0 million, $75.0 million was available for letters of credit. In April 2015, the amended and restated credit agreement was amended and the borrowing commitment under the facility was reduced to $100.0 million and the amount available for letters of credit was reduced to $50.0 million. As described below, in March 2016 and May 2016, the borrowing commitment under the facility was further reduced to $80.0 million and $75.0 million, respectively, and the amount available for letters of credit was reduced to $30.0 million. In addition, as described below, the borrowing commitment under the facility was further reduced by amendments in July 2016 and December 2016 to $44.3 million as of September 30, 2017. The amount available for letters of credit was unchanged from these amendments.

On March 17, 2016, the Partnership entered into a fourth amendment (the “Fourth Amendment”) of the amended and restated credit agreement. The Fourth Amendment amended the definition of change of control in the amended and restated credit agreement to permit Royal to purchase the membership interests of the General Partner. The Fourth Amendment also eliminated the option to borrow funds utilizing the LIBOR rate plus an applicable margin and establishes the borrowing rate for all borrowings under the facility to be based upon the current PRIME rate plus an applicable margin of 3.50%.

On May 13, 2016, the Partnership entered into the Fifth Amendment, which extended the term to July 31, 2017.

In July 2016, the Partnership entered into a sixth amendment (the “Sixth Amendment”) of its amended and restated senior secured credit agreement that permitted the sale of Elk Horn that was discussed earlier. The Sixth Amendment further reduced the maximum commitment amount allowed under the credit facility by $375,000 each quarterly period beginning September 30, 2016 through September 30, 2017 for the additional $1.5 million that was received from the Elk Horn sale.

In December 2016, the Partnership entered into a seventh amendment of its amended and restated credit agreement (the “Seventh Amendment”). The Seventh Amendment allows for the Series A preferred units as outlined in the Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement. The Seventh Amendment immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments by $11.0 million and provided for additional revolving credit commitment reductions of $2.0 million each on June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. The Seventh Amendment further reduces the revolving credit commitments over time on a dollar-for-dollar basis for the net cash proceeds received from any asset sales after the Seventh Amendment date once the aggregate net cash proceeds received exceeds $2.0 million. The Seventh Amendment alters the maximum leverage ratio to 4.0 to 1.0 effective December 31, 2016 through May 31, 2017 and 3.5 to 1.0 from June 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017. The maximum leverage ratio shall be reduced by 0.50 to 1.0 for every $10.0 million of net cash proceeds, in the aggregate, received after the Seventh Amendment date from (i) the issuance of any equity by the Partnership and/or (ii) the disposition of any assets in excess of $2.0 million in the aggregate, provided, however, that in no event will the maximum leverage ratio be reduced below 3.0 to 1.0.

The Seventh Amendment alters the minimum consolidated EBITDA figure, as calculated on a rolling twelve months basis, to $12.5 million from December 31, 2016 through May 31, 2017 and $15.0 million from June 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017. The Seventh Amendment alters the maximum capital expenditures allowed, as calculated on a rolling twelve months basis, to $20.0 million through the expiration of the credit facility. A condition precedent to the effectiveness of the Seventh Amendment is the receipt of the $13.0 million of cash proceeds received by the Partnership from the issuanceholders of the Series A preferred units pursuant to the Preferred Unit Agreement, which was used to repay outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility. Per the Seventh Amendment, the receipt of $13.0 million cash proceeds fulfilled the required Royal equity contribution, which was a requirement of prior amendments to the credit agreement.

On March 23, 2017, the Partnership entered into an eighth amendment (the “Eighth Amendment”) of its amended and restated credit agreement that allows the annual auditor’s report for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 to contain a qualification with respect to the short-term classification of the Partnership’s credit facility balance without creating a default under the credit agreement.

On June 9, 2017, the Partnership entered into a ninth amendment (the “Ninth Amendment”) of its amended and restated credit agreement that permitted outstanding letters of credit to be replaced with different counterparties without affecting the revolving credit commitments under the credit agreement. The Ninth Amendment also permits certain lease and sale leaseback transactions under the credit agreement that do not affect the revolving credit commitments under the credit agreement for asset dispositions and also do not factor in the calculation of the maximum capital expenditures allowed under the credit agreement.

At September 30, 2017, the Operating Company had borrowed $9.9 million at a variable interest rate of prime plus 3.50% (7.75% at September 30, 2017). In addition, the Operating Company had outstanding letters of credit of $26.1 million at a fixed interest rate of 5.00% at September 30, 2017. Based upon a maximum borrowing capacity of 3.50 times a trailing twelve-month EBITDA calculation (as defined in the credit agreement), the Operating Company had not used $8.2 million of the borrowing availability at September 30, 2017. As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Partnership was in compliance with respect to all covenants contained in its credit agreement.

9. ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS

The changes in asset retirement obligations for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and the year ended December 31, 2016 are as follows:2019 and approximately $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020.

  Nine months ended  Year ended 
  September 30, 2017  December 31, 2016 
  (in thousands) 
Balance at beginning of period (including current portion) $23,278  $23,077 
Accretion expense  1,422   1,486 
Adjustments to the liability from annual recosting and other  -   (1,085)
Liabilities settled  (34)  (200)
Balance at end of period  24,666   23,278 
Less current portion of asset retirement obligation  (917)  (917)
Long-term portion of asset retirement obligation $23,749  $22,361 

 

10. EMPLOYEE BENEFITSInvestment in Royal Common Stock

 

In conjunction with the acquisition of the coal operations of American Electric Power on April 16, 2004, the Operating Company acquired a postretirement benefit plan that provided healthcare to eligible employees at its Hopedale operations. The Partnership has no other postretirement plans.

On December 10, 2015, the Partnership notified the employees at its Hopedale operations that healthcare benefits from the postretirement benefit plan would cease on January 31, 2016. The negative plan amendment that arose on December 10, 2015 resulted in an approximate $6.5 million prior service cost benefit. The Partnership amortized the prior service cost benefit over the remaining term of the benefits provided through January 31, 2016. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Partnership recognized a benefit of approximately $3.9 million from the plan amendment in the Cost of operations line of the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income.

401(k) Plans—The Operating Company and certain subsidiaries sponsor defined contribution savings plans for all employees. Under one defined contribution savings plan, the Operating Company matches voluntary contributions of participants up to a maximum contribution based upon a percentage of a participant’s salary with an additional matching contribution possible at the Operating Company’s discretion. The expense under these plans for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 is included in Cost of operations and Selling, general and administrative expense in the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income and was as follows:

  Three months ended September 30,  Nine months ended September 30, 
  2017  2016  2017  2016 
  (in thousands) 
401(k) plan expense $387  $406  $1,107  $1,113 

11. EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION/PARTNERS’ CAPITAL

Equity-Based Compensation— In October 2010, the General Partner established the Rhino Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “Plan” or “LTIP”). The Plan is intended to promote the interests of the Partnership by providing to employees, consultants and directors of the General Partner, the Partnership or affiliates of either, incentive compensation awards to encourage superior performance. The LTIP provides for grants of restricted units, unit options, unit appreciation rights, phantom units, unit awards, and other unit-based awards.

As discussed in Note 1, on March 17, 2016, Royal completed the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding membership interests of Rhino GP LLC as well as 945,525 issued and outstanding subordinated units from Wexford Capital. Royal obtained control of, and a majority limited partner interest, in the Partnership with the completion of this transaction, which constituted a change in control of the Partnership. The language in the Partnership’s phantom unit and restricted unit grant agreements states that all outstanding, unvested units would become immediately vested upon a change in control. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Partnership recognized approximately $10,000 of expense from the vesting of these units as a result of the change in control.

Partners’ CapitalOn September 1, 2017, Royal elected to convert certain obligations to the Weston Promissory Note of $2.1 million (including accrued interest) and the Rhino Promissory Note of $2.0Partnership totaling $4.1 million to shares of Royal common stock. Royal issued 914,797 shares of its common stock to the Partnership at a conversion price of $4.51 per share. The price per share was calculated perequal to the method specified inoutstanding balance multiplied by seventy-five percent (75%) of the letter agreement discussed above. Pervolume-weighted average closing price of Royal’s common stock for the guidance in ASC 505,90 days preceding the date of conversion (“Royal VWAP”), subject to a minimum Royal VWAP of $3.50 and a maximum Royal VWAP of $7.50. The Partnership recorded the $4.1 million conversion of the Weston Promissory Note and Rhino Promissory Note as Investment in Royal common stock in the Partners’ Capital section of the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position since Royal does not have significant economic activity apart from its investment in the Partnership.

Accumulated Distribution Arrearages

 

Pursuant to the Partnership’s partnership agreement, the Partnership’s common units accrue arrearages every quarter when the distribution level is below the minimum level of $4.45 per unit. Beginning with the quarter ended June 30, 2015 and continuing through the quarter ended March 31, 2020, the Partnership has suspended the cash distribution on its common units. For each of the quarters ended September 30, 2014, December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, the Partnership announced cash distributions per common unit at levels lower than the minimum quarterly distribution. The Partnership has not paid any distribution on its subordinated units for any quarter after the quarter ended March 31, 2012. As of March 31, 2020, the Partnership had accumulated arrearages of $965.7 million.

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12.14. EARNINGS PER UNIT (“EPU”)

The following table presents a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted EPU calculations for the periods ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 General
Partner
  Common Unitholders  Subordinated Unitholders  Preferred Unitholders 
  (in thousands, except per unit data)     
Numerator:        
Interest in net (loss)/income:                
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(43) $(9,351) $(817) $300 
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  -   (72)  (7)  - 
Total interest in net (loss)/income $(43) $(9,423) $(824) $300 
Denominator:                
Weighted average units used to compute basic EPU  n/a   13,078   1,143   1,500 
Weighted average units used to compute diluted EPU  n/a   13,078   1,143   1,500 
                 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, basic                
Net (loss)/income per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $(0.72) $(0.72) $0.20 
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   -   -   - 
Net (loss)/income per common unit, basic  n/a  $(0.72) $(0.72) $0.20 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, diluted                
Net (loss)/income per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $(0.72) $(0.72)  0.20 
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   -   -   - 
Net (loss)/income per common unit, diluted  n/a  $(0.72) $(0.72)  0.20 

Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 General Partner  Common Unitholders  Subordinated Unitholders  Preferred Unitholders 
 (in thousands, except per unit data)    
Numerator:      
Interest in net (loss)/income:                
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(17) $(3,725) $(325) $300 
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  (15)  (3,216)  (281)  - 
Total interest in net (loss)/income $(32) $(6,941) $(606)  300 
Denominator:                
Weighted average units used to compute basic EPU  n/a   13,098   1,144   1,500 
Weighted average units used to compute diluted EPU  n/a   13,098   1,144   1,500 
                 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, basic                
Net (loss)/income per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $(0.28) $(0.28) $0.20 
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   (0.25)  (0.25)  - 
Net (loss)/income per common unit, basic  n/a  $(0.53) $(0.53) $0.20 
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, diluted                
Net (loss)/income per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $(0.28) $(0.28) $0.20 
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   (0.25)  (0.25)  - 
Net (loss)/income per common unit, diluted  n/a  $(0.53) $(0.53) $0.20 

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Diluted EPU gives effect to all dilutive potential common units outstanding during the period using the treasury stock method. Diluted EPU excludes all dilutive potential units calculated under the treasury stock method if their effect is anti-dilutive. Since the Partnership incurred net losses for three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, all potential dilutive units were excluded from the diluted EPU calculation for these periods because when an entity incurs a net loss in a period, potential dilutive units shall not be included in the computation of diluted EPU since their effect will always be anti-dilutive. There were 683,888 potential dilutive common units related to the Common Unit Warrants as discussed in Note 13 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

15. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

Coal Sales Contracts and Contingencies—As of September 30, 2017,March 31, 2020, the Partnership had commitments under sales contracts to deliver annually scheduled base quantities of coal as follows:

Year Tons (in thousands)  Number of customers 
2017-Q4  1,329   14 
2018  1,825   6 
2019  700   2 
Year  Tons  Number of customers 
        
 2020 (Q2-Q4)   1,366,138   12 
 2021   400,000   3 
 2022   250,000   2 

 

Some of the contracts have sales price adjustment provisions, subject to certain limitations and adjustments, based on a variety of factors and indices.

Purchase Commitments— The Partnership has a commitment to purchase approximately 1.0 million gallons of diesel fuel at fixed prices from January 2017 through December 2017 for approximately $2.0 million.

 

Purchased Coal Expenses—The Partnership incurs purchased coal expense from time to time related to coal purchase contracts. In addition, the Partnership incurs expense from time to time related to coal purchased on the over-the-counter market (“OTC”). The Partnership had noPurchase coal expense for purchase coal from coal purchase contracts or expense from OTC purchases for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and 2016.2019 was as follows:

  Three Months Ended March 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in thousands) 
Purchased coal expense $120  $- 
OTC expense $-  $- 

 

Leases—The Partnership leasesleases/rents various mining, transportation and other equipment under operating lease or rental agreements. Please read Note 7 for additional discussion of leases. The Partnership also leases coal reserves under agreements that call for royalties to be paid as the coal is mined. LeaseLease/rental and royalty expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and 20162019 are included in Cost of operations in the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income and was as follows:

 

 Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30,  Three Months Ended March 31, 
 2017 2016 2017 2016  2020 2019 
 (in thousands)  (in thousands) 
Lease expense $726  $1,438  $3,217  $3,517 
Lease/rental expense $1,103  $1,161 
Royalty expense $3,636  $2,409  $10,963  $7,350  $2,447  $3,035 

 

Joint VenturesGuarantees/Indemnifications and Financial Instruments with Off-Balance Sheet Risk In the normal course of business, the Partnership is a party to certain guarantees and financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk, such as bank letters of credit and performance or surety bonds. No liabilities related to these arrangements are reflected in the unaudited consolidated statements of financial position. The Partnership may contribute additional capitalhad no outstanding letters of credit at March 31, 2020. The Partnership had outstanding surety bonds with third parties of $41.3 million as of March 31, 2020 to secure reclamation and other performance commitments, which are secured by $3.0 million in cash collateral on deposit with the Partnership’s surety bond provider. Of the $41.3 million in surety bonds, approximately $0.4 million relates to surety bonds for Deane Mining, LLC, which have not been transferred or replaced by the buyer of Deane Mining LLC as was agreed to by the parties as part of the transaction. The Partnership can provide no assurances that a surety company will underwrite the surety bonds of the purchaser of Deane Mining LLC, nor is the Partnership aware of the actual amount of reclamation at any given time. Further, if there was a claim under these surety bonds prior to the Timber Wolf joint venture that was formed intransfer or replacement of such bonds by the first quarterbuyer of 2012. The Partnership did not make any capital contributions to the Timber Wolf joint venture during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 or 2016.

Prior to the Partnership’s contribution of Sturgeon to Mammoth, Inc. in June 2017,Deane Mining, LLC, the Partnership may have contributed additional capitalbe responsible to the Sturgeon joint venture thatsurety company for any amounts it pays in respect of such claim. While the buyer is required to indemnify the Partnership for damages, including reclamation liabilities, pursuant to the agreements governing the sales of this entity, the Partnership may not be successful in obtaining any indemnity or any amounts received may be inadequate.

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Certain surety bonds for Sands Hill Mining LLC had not been transferred or replaced by the buyer of Sands Hill Mining LLC as was formedagreed to when the Partnership sold Sands Hill Mining LLC to the buyer in November 2017. On July 9, 2019, the Partnership entered into an agreement with a third party for the replacement of the Partnership’s existing surety bond obligations with respect to Sands Hill Mining LLC. The Partnership agreed to pay the third quarterparty $2.0 million to assume the Partnership’s surety bond obligations related to Sands Hill Mining LLC. At the time of 2014. The Partnership made an initial capital contribution of $5.0 million duringclosing, the third quarter ended September 30, 2014 based upon its proportionate ownership interest. The Partnership did not make any capital contributionsparty delivered to the Sturgeon joint venture duringPartnership confirmation from its surety underwriter evidencing the nine months ended September 30, 2017 or 2016. See Note 2release and removal of the Partnership, its affiliates and guarantors, from the surety bond obligations and all related obligations under the Partnership’s bonding agreements related to Sands Hill Mining LLC, which includes a release of all applicable collateral for discussion on the contributionsurety bond obligations. Further, such confirmation from the surety underwriter was specifically provided for their acceptance of Sturgeon to Mammoth, Inc.the third party as a replacement obligor.

 

Series A preferred unit distributions-For the nine months ended September 30, 2017,the Partnership accrued $4.1 million for distributions due to holders of Series A preferred units. See Note 1.

13. EARNINGS PER UNIT (“EPU”)

On April 18, 2016, the Partnership completed a 1-for-10 reverse split on its common units and subordinated units. The following tables present a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted EPU calculations for the periods ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, which include the retrospective application of the 1-for-10 reverse unit split:

Diluted EPU gives effect to all dilutive potential common units outstanding during the period using the treasury stock method. Diluted EPU excludes all dilutive potential units calculated under the treasury stock method if their effect is anti-dilutive. Since the Partnership incurred total net losses for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, all potential dilutive units were excluded from the diluted EPU calculation for these periods. There were no dilutive potential units for the three months ended September 30, 2017.

Three months ended September 30, 2017 General Partner  Common Unitholders  Subordinated Unitholders  Preferred Unitholders 
 (in thousands, except per unit data) 
Numerator:   
Interest in net income:                
Net income from continuing operations $1  $25  $2  $1,644 
Net income from discontinued operations  -   -   -   - 
Total interest in net income $1  $25  $2  $1,644 
Denominator:                
Weighted average units used to compute basic EPU  n/a   12,994   1,236   1,500 
Weighted average units used to compute diluted EPU  n/a   12,994   1,236   1,500 
                 
Net income per limited partner unit, basic                
Net income per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $-  $-  $1.10 
Net income per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   -   -   - 
Net income per common unit, basic  n/a  $-  $-  $1.10 
Net income per limited partner unit, diluted                
Net income per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $-  $-   1.10 
Net income per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   -   -   - 
Net income per common unit, diluted  n/a  $-  $-   1.10 

Three months ended September 30, 2016 General Partner  Common Unitholders  Subordinated Unitholders  Preferred Unitholders
 (in thousands, except per unit data)   
Numerator:     
Interest in net (loss):              
Net (loss) from continuing operations $(21) $(2,758) $(431)  n/a
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  (4)  (494)  (77)  n/a
Total interest in net (loss) $(25) $(3,252) $(508)  n/a
Denominator:              
Weighted average units used to compute basic EPU   n/a   7,906   1,236   n/a
Weighted average units used to compute diluted EPU   n/a   7,906   1,236   n/a
               
Net (loss) per limited partner unit, basic              
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations   n/a  $(0.35) $(0.35)  n/a
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations   n/a   (0.06)  (0.06)  n/a
Net (loss) per common unit, basic   n/a  $(0.41) $(0.41)  n/a
Net (loss) per limited partner unit, diluted              
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations   n/a  $(0.35) $(0.35)  n/a
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations   n/a   (0.06)  (0.06)  n/a
Net (loss) per common unit, diluted   n/a  $(0.41) $(0.41)  n/a

Nine months ended September 30, 2017 General Partner  Common Unitholders  Subordinated Unitholders  Preferred Unitholders
 (in thousands, except per unit data) 
Numerator:   
Interest in net (loss)/income:        
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(18) $(3,803) $(364) $4,118
Net (loss)/income from discontinued operations  -   -   -  -
Total interest in net (loss)/income $(18) $(3,803) $(364) $4,118
Denominator:            
Weighted average units used to compute basic EPU   n/a   12,942   1,236  1,500
Weighted average units used to compute diluted EPU   n/a   12,942   1,236  1,500
             
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, basic            
Net (loss)/income per unit from continuing operations   n/a  $(0.29) $(0.29) $2.75
Net (loss)/income per unit from discontinued operations   n/a   -   -  -
Net (loss)/income per common unit, basic   n/a  $(0.29) $(0.29) $2.75
Net (loss)/income per limited partner unit, diluted            
Net (loss)/income per unit from continuing operations   n/a  $(0.29) $(0.29) 2.75
Net (loss)/income per unit from discontinued operations   n/a   -   -  -
Net (loss)/income per common unit, diluted   n/a  $(0.29) $(0.29) 2.75

Nine months ended September 30, 2016 General Partner  Common Unitholders  Subordinated Unitholders  Preferred Unitholders
 (in thousands, except per unit data)   
Numerator:     
Interest in net (loss):              
Net (loss) from continuing operations $(87) $(7,144) $(1,788) n/a
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  (750)  (93,734)  (23,456) n/a
Total interest in net (loss) $(837) $(100,878) $(25,244) n/a
Denominator:              
Weighted average units used to compute basic EPU  n/a   4,937   1,236  n/a
Weighted average units used to compute diluted EPU  n/a   4,937   1,236  n/a
               
Net (loss) per limited partner unit, basic              
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $(1.45) $(1.45) n/a
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   (18.98)  (18.98) n/a
Net (loss) per common unit, basic  n/a  $(20.43) $(20.43) n/a
Net (loss) per limited partner unit, diluted              
Net (loss) per unit from continuing operations  n/a  $(1.45) $(1.45) n/a
Net (loss) per unit from discontinued operations  n/a   (18.98)  (18.98) n/a
Net (loss) per common unit, diluted  n/a  $(20.43) $(20.43) n/a

14.16. MAJOR CUSTOMERS

 

The Partnership had revenuessales or receivables from the following major customers that in each period equaled or exceeded 10% of revenues:

 

  September 30  December 31  Nine months  Nine months 
  2017  2016  ended  ended 
  Receivable  Receivable  September 30  September 30 
  Balance  Balance  2017 Sales  2016 Sales 
  (in thousands) 
LG&E and KU (PPL) $1,749  $1,496  $30,971  $31,333 
Big Rivers Electric Corporation  1,133   -   18,387   14,045 
Integrity Coal Sales  2,125   1,975   18,152   2,532 
Dominion Energy  1,826   -   17,148   4,673 
  March 31, 2020
Receivable
Balance
  December 31,
2019 Receivable
Balance
  Three Months
Ended March 31,
2020 Sales
  Three Months Ended
March 31, 2019
Sales
 
  (in thousands) 
Javelin Global $2,095  $1,007  $12,270  $12,911 
Haverhill North Coke Co. $2,628  $1,335  $5,191  $- 

 

15.17. REVENUE

The majority of the Partnership’s revenues are generated under coal sales contracts. Coal sales accounted for approximately 99.0% of the Partnership’s total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. Other revenues generally consist of coal royalty revenues, coal handling and processing revenues, rebates and rental income, which accounted for approximately 1.0% of the Partnership’s total revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019.

The majority of the Partnership’s coal sales contracts have a single performance obligation (shipment or delivery of coal according to terms of the sales agreement) and as such, the Partnership is not required to allocate the contract’s transaction price to multiple performance obligations. All of the Partnership’s coal sales revenue is recognized when shipment or delivery to the customer has occurred, the title or risk of loss has passed in accordance with the terms of the coal sales agreement, prices are fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. With respect to other revenues recognized in situations unrelated to the shipment of coal, the Partnership carefully reviews the facts and circumstances of each transaction and does not recognize revenue until the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services have been rendered, the seller’s price to the buyer is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured.

In the tables below, the Partnership has disaggregated its revenue by category for each reportable segment as required by ASC Topic 606.

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The following table disaggregates revenue by type for each reportable segment for the three months ended March 31, 2020:

  Central Appalachia  Northern Appalachia  Rhino Western  Other  Total Consolidated 
  (in thousands) 
Coal sales                    
Steam coal $5,405  $7,409  $8,692  $-  $21,506 
Met coal  15,808   -   -   -   15,808 
Other revenue  54   103   -   25   182 
Total $21,267  $7,512  $8,692  $25  $37,496 

The following table disaggregates revenue by type for each reportable segment for the three months ended March 31, 2019:

  Central Appalachia  Northern Appalachia  Rhino Western  Other  Total Consolidated 
  (in thousands) 
Coal sales                    
Steam coal $13,389  $6,065  $8,711  $-  $28,165 
Met coal  16,698   -   -   -   16,698 
Other revenue  320   554   -   -   874 
Total $30,407  $6,619  $8,711  $-  $45,737 

18. FAIR VALUE OFFINANCIAL INSTRUMENTSMEASUREMENTS

 

The Partnership determines the fair value of assets and liabilities based on the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The fair values are based on assumptions that market participants would use when pricing an asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and the risks inherent in valuation techniques and the inputs to valuations. The fair value hierarchy is based on whether the inputs to valuation techniques are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect the Partnership’s assumptions of what market participants would use.

 

The fair value hierarchy includes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value as described below:

 

Level One - Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.

 

Level Two - The fair value of the assets and liabilities included in Level 2 are based on standard industry income approach models that use significant observable inputs.

 

Level Three - Unobservable inputs significant to the fair value measurement supported by little or no market activity.

 

In those cases when the inputs used to measure fair value meet the definition of more than one level of the fair value hierarchy, the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its totality determines the applicable level in the fair value hierarchy.

 

The book values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable are considered to be representative of their respective fair values because of the immediate short-term maturity of these financial instruments. The fair value of the Partnership’s amended and restated senior secured credit facilityFinancing Agreement was determined based upon a Level 2 measurement utilizing a market approach which incorporated market-based interest rate information with credit risks similar toand approximates the Partnership.carrying value March 31, 2020. The fair value of the Partnership’s amended and restated senior secured credit facility approximates the carrying value at September 30, 2017.

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the Partnership had a recurring fair value measurement relating to its investment in Mammoth, Inc. As discussed in Note 2, in October 2016, the Partnership contributed its limited partner interests in Mammoth to Mammoth, Inc. in exchange for 234,300 shares of common stock of Mammoth, Inc. The common stock of Mammoth, Inc. began trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market in October 2016 under the ticker symbol TUSK and the Partnership sold 1,953 shares during the initial public offering of Mammoth, Inc. and received proceeds of approximately $27,000. In June 2017, the Partnership contributed its limited partner interests in Sturgeon to Mammoth Inc. in exchange for 336,447 shares of common stock of Mammoth, Inc. As of September 30, 2017, the Partnership owned 568,794 shares of Mammoth, Inc. The Partnership’s shares of Mammoth, Inc. are classified as an available-for-sale investment on the Partnership’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. Based on the availability of a quoted price, the recurring fair value measurement of the Mammoth, Inc. sharesFinancing Agreement is a Level 12 measurement.

 

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16.19. SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION

 

Cash payments for interest were $1.3 million and $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The unaudited condensed consolidated statementsstatement of cash flows for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 and 20162019 excludes approximately $1.3$5.9 million and $0.2$1.4 million, respectively, of property, plant and equipment additions which are recorded in accountsAccounts payable.

 

17.20. SEGMENT INFORMATION

 

The Partnership primarily produces and markets coal from surface and underground mines in Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Utah. The Partnership sells primarily to electric utilities in the United States. For the threeStates as well as coal brokers, domestic and nine months ended September 30, 2017,non-U.S. steel producers, industrial companies or other coal-related organizations.

As of March 31, 2020, the Partnership had fourthree reportable business segments: Central Appalachia, (comprised of both surface and underground mines located in Eastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia), Northern Appalachia (comprised of both surface and underground mines located in Ohio), Rhino Western (comprised ofWestern. Additionally, the Partnership has an underground mine in Utah) and Illinois Basin (comprised of an underground mine in western Kentucky).Other category that includes its ancillary businesses.

 

The Partnership’s Other category is comprised of the Partnership’s ancillary businesses and its remaining oil and natural gas activities. The Partnership has not provided disclosure of total expenditures by segment for long-lived assets, as the Partnership does not maintain discrete financial information concerning segment expenditures for long lived-assets,lived assets, and accordingly such information is not provided to the Partnership’s chief operating decision maker. The information provided in the following tables represents the primary measures used to assess segment performance by the Partnership’s chief operating decision maker. For the 2017 reporting period, the Partnership changed its methodology for allocating interest expense to its reportable segments where interest expense is no longer allocated to the reportable segments and is reported in the Other category. All prior periods have been recast to reflect this allocation methodology change.

 

Reportable segment results of operations for the three months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 are as follows (Note: “DD&A” refers to depreciation, depletion and amortization):

 

 Central Northern Rhino Illinois   Total 
 Appalachia Appalachia Western Basin Other Consolidated  Central Appalachia Northern Appalachia Rhino Western Other Total Consolidated 
 (in thousands)  (in thousands) 
Total revenues $27,891  $6,398  $9,080  $14,965  $12  $58,346  $21,267  $7,512  $8,692  $25  $37,496 
DD&A  1,890   379   1,080   1,755   84   5,188   2,401   530   973   45   3,949 
Interest expense  -   -   -   -   1,011   1,011   -   -   39   2,033   2,072 
Net income (loss) from continuing operations $3,785  $(910) $1,416  $107  $(2,726) $1,672 
Net (loss)/income $(5,647) $(26) $1,209  $(5,447) $(9,911)

 

Reportable segment results of operations for the three months ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2019 are as follows:

 

  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois     Total 
  Appalachia  Appalachia  Western  Basin  Other  Consolidated 
  (in thousands) 
Total revenues $10,432  $10,974  $7,219  $14,576  $214  $43,415 
DD&A  1,642   777   1,292   2,638   140   6,489 
Interest expense  205   38   41   78   1,596   1,958 
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(233) $3,633  $567  $(1,559) $(5,618) $(3,210)

Reportable segment results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as are follows:

  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois     Total 
  Appalachia  Appalachia  Western  Basin  Other  Consolidated 
  (in thousands) 
Total revenues $76,880  $17,014  $25,141  $49,377  $20  $168,432 
DD&A  5,812   1,294   3,396   5,708   285   16,495 
Interest expense  -   -   -   -   3,131   3,131 
Net income (loss) from continuing operations $9,416  $(3,267) $1,570  $1,736  $(9,522) $(67)

Reportable segment results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 as are follows:

 Central Northern Rhino Illinois   Total 
 Appalachia Appalachia Western Basin Other Consolidated  Central Appalachia Northern Appalachia Rhino Western Other Total Consolidated 
 (in thousands)  (in thousands) 
Total revenues $21,673  $31,707  $25,140  $45,456  $382  $124,358  $30,407  $6,619  $8,711  $-  $45,737 
DD&A  4,951   2,541   4,107   6,319   423   18,341   1,901   408   1,094   88   3,491 
Interest expense  596   204   118   230   4,047   5,195   -   -   -   1,701   1,701 
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(5,513) $10,623  $1,027  $(1,012) $(14,145) $(9,020)
Net income/(loss) $1,183  $(1,123) $(327) $(3,500) $(3,767)

 

18. ACCUMULATED DISTRIBUTION ARREARAGES

Beginning with the quarter ended June 30, 2015 and continuing through the quarter ended September 30, 2017, we have suspended the cash distribution on our common units. For each of the quarters ended September 30, 2014, December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, we announced cash distributions per common unit at levels lower than the minimum quarterly distribution. We have not paid any distribution on our subordinated units for any quarter after the quarter ended March 31, 2012. The distribution suspension and prior reductions were the result of prolonged weakness in the coal markets, which has continued to adversely affect our cash flow. The current amount of accumulated arrearages as of September 30, 2017 related to the common unit distribution was approximately $380.5 million.

19.20. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

On October 31, 2017, Armstrong Energy filed Chapter 11 petitions inApril 22, 2020, the Eastern District of Missouri’s United States Bankruptcy Court.Partnership, entered into a promissory note evidencing an unsecured $10.0 million loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP Loan”). The Paycheck Protection Program (or “PPP”) was established under the recently congressionally approved Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) and is administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The PPP Loan to the Partnership is evaluatingbeing made through Blue Ridge Bank, N.A. (the “Lender”).

The PPP Loan has a two year term and bears interest at a rate of 1.000% per annum. Principal and interest payments are deferred for six (6) months from the Chapter 11 petitions filed by Armstrong Energydate of the PPP Loan and will commence monthly thereafter. Under the terms of the CARES Act, PPP Loan recipients can apply for and be granted forgiveness for all or a portion of loans granted under the PPP. Such forgiveness will be determined, subject to limitations, based on the use of loan proceeds for payroll costs and mortgage interest, rent or utility costs and the maintenance of employee staffing levels and compensation levels. No assurance is provided that the Partnership will further evaluate the detailed restructuring plan when it is submitted by Armstrong Energy to determine what, if any, effect the ultimate outcomeobtain forgiveness of the Chapter 11 proceedings will have on the Partnership’s financial statements.

On November 7, 2017, the Partnership closed an agreement with a third party to transfer 100% of the memberships interests and related assets and liabilitiesPPP Loan in the Partnership’s Sands Hill Mining entity to the third partywhole or in exchange for a future override royalty for any mineral sold, excluding coal, from Sands Hill Mining after the closing date. The Partnership expects to recognize a gain from the sale of Sands Hill since the third party will assume the reclamation obligations associated with this operation.part.

 

2425

 

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

 

Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, references in this report to “we,” “our,” “us” or similar terms refer to Rhino Resource Partners LP and its subsidiaries. References to our “general“our general partner” refer to Rhino GP LLC, the general partner of Rhino Resource Partners LP.

The following discussion of the historical financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as well as the historical audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20162019 and the section “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in such Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

In addition, this discussion includes forward looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that may result in actual results differing from statements we make. Please read the section “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements”. In addition, factors that could cause actual results to differ include those risks and uncertainties discussed in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” also included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.2019.

In August 2016,On September 6, 2019, we sold our Elk Hornentered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Alliance Coal, LLC (“Buyer”) and Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (“Buyer Parent”) pursuant to which we agreed to sell to Buyer all of the real property, permits, equipment and inventory and certain other assets associated with the Pennyrile mining complex (“Pennyrile”). The transaction was completed in March 2020. On September 6, 2019, we also entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with the Buyer and Buyer Parent for the sale and assignment of certain coal leasing company (“Elk Horn”) to asupply agreements associated with Pennyrile. The transaction was completed during the third party for total cash considerationquarter of $12.0 million.2019. Our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive incomeoperation have been retrospectively adjusted to reclassify our Elk Horn operationsPennyrile operating results to discontinued operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016.March 31, 2020 and 2019.

COVID-19

To date, the current and anticipated economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the actions of governments and countries here in the United States and around the world designed to decrease the spread of the virus, have caused significant declines in demand for met and steam coal. In response to this reduced demand and to the significant health threats to our employees, on March 20, 2020, we temporarily idled production at several of our mines. We have since restarted production at the majority of our operations. We will continue to monitor conditions to ensure the health and welfare of our employees. The idling of the coal production activities did not affect our ability to fulfill current customer commitments, as loading and shipping crews remained in place to ship coal from existing inventories.

If the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the significant decrease in economic activity, continue for an extended period of time or worsen, it could further reduce the demand for met and steam coal, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

In addition, while our business operations have not been significantly restricted by the response to the COVID-19 pandemic from various governmental agencies, which exempt or exclude essential critical infrastructure businesses from various restrictions they impose (other than encouraging remote work where possible), the spread of COVID-19 has caused us to modify our business practices (including requiring remote working where possible, restricting employee travel and congregation of onsite personnel, and increased frequency of cleaning schedules), and we may take further actions as may be required by government authorities or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers or other stakeholders or the communities in which we operate. Such measures may disrupt our normal operations, and there is no certainty that such measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19 or will not adversely impact our business or results of operations.

26

 

Overview

Through a series of transactions completed in the first quarter of 2016, Royal Energy Resources, Inc. (“Royal”) acquired a majority ownership and control of us and 100% ownership of our general partner.

 

We are a diversified energycoal producing limited partnership formed in Delaware that is focused on coal and energy related assets and activities, including energy infrastructure investments.activities. We produce, process and sell high quality coal of various steam and metallurgical grades. We market our steam coal primarily to electric utility companies as fuel for their steam powered generators. Customers for our metallurgical coal are primarily steel and coke producers who use our coal to produce coke, which is used as a raw material in the steel manufacturing process. In addition, we have expanded our business to include infrastructure support services, as well as other joint venture investments to provide for the transportation of hydrocarbons and drilling support services in the Utica Shale region. We have also invested in joint ventures that provide sand for fracking operations to drillers in the Utica Shale region and other oil and natural gas basins in the United States.process

 

We have a geographically diverse asset base with coal reserves located in Central Appalachia, Northern Appalachia the Illinois Basin and the Western Bituminous region. As of December 31, 2016,2019, we controlled an estimated 256.9277.6 million tons of proven and probable coal reserves, consisting of an estimated 203.5171.1 million tons of steam coal and an estimated 53.4106.5 million tons of metallurgical coal. In addition, as of December 31, 2016,2019, we controlled an estimated 196.5190.7 million tons of non-reserve coal deposits.

We operate underground and surface mines located in Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia and Utah. The number of mines that we operate may vary from time to time depending on a number of factors, including the demand for and price of coal, depletion of economically recoverable reserves and availability of experienced labor.

 

Our principal business strategy is to safely, efficiently and profitably produce and sell both steam and metallurgical coal from our diverse asset base in order to resume, and, over time, increase our quarterly cash distributions. In addition, we intend to continue to expand and potentially diversify our operations through strategic acquisitions, including the acquisition of long-term, cash generating natural resource assets. We believe that such assets will allow us to grow our cash available for distribution and enhance stability of our cash flow.

 

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017,March 31, 2020, we generated revenues from continuing operations of approximately $58.3$37.5 million and $168.4 million, respectively, and we generated net income of $1.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 anda net loss from continuing operations of $0.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.$9.9 million. For the three months ended September 30, 2017,March 31, 2020, we produced and sold approximately 1.10.7 million tons of coal from continuing operations and sold approximately 0.6 million tons of coal from continuing operations, of which approximately 35%75% were sold pursuant to long-term supply contracts as we executed more spot sales in the quarter ended September 30, 2017. For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, we produced and sold approximately 3.1 million tons of coal, of which approximately 65% were sold pursuant to long-term supply contracts.

 

Current Liquidity and Outlook

 

SinceAs of March 31, 2020, our credit facility has an expirationavailable liquidity was $1.3 million. We also have a delayed draw term loan commitment in the amount of $22 million contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent specified in our Financing Agreement discussed below.

On December 27, 2017, we entered into a Financing Agreement (the “Financing Agreement”) with Cortland Capital Market Services LLC, as Collateral Agent and Administrative agent, CB Agent Services LLC, as Origination Agent and the parties identified as Lenders therein (the “Lenders”), which provides us with a multi-draw loan in the original aggregate principal amount of $80 million. The total principal amount is divided into a $40 million commitment, the conditions for which were satisfied at the execution of the Financing Agreement and a $40 million additional commitment that was contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent specified in the Financing Agreement. As of March 31, 2020, we had utilized $18 million of the $40 million additional commitment, which results in $22 million of the additional commitment remaining. The Financing Agreement initially had a termination date of December 31, 2017,27, 2020, which was amended to December 27, 2022. For more information about our Financing Agreement, please read “— Liquidity and Capital Resources—Financing Agreement.”

Beginning in the later part of the third quarter of 2019, we determined thathave experienced significantly weaker market demand and have seen prices move lower for the qualities of met and steam coal we produce. This downward price trend has been exacerbated by the recent coronavirus pandemic. In response to this reduced demand and to the significant health threats to our credit facility debt liabilityemployees, on March 20, 2020, we temporarily idled production at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 of $9.9 million and $10.0 million, respectively, should be classified as a current liability on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. The classificationseveral of our credit facility balance as a current liability raises substantial doubtmines. We have since restarted production at the majority of our operations. We will continue to monitor conditions to ensure the health and welfare of our employees. The idling of the coal production activities did not affect our ability to continuefulfill current customer commitments, as a going concern for the next twelve months.loading and shipping crews remained in place to ship coal from existing inventories.

 

27

We are evaluating and negotiating alternative credit facilities. We currently anticipate repaying the debt outstanding under our credit facility with the proceeds from one of these alternative facilities in the fourth quarter of 2017. If it becomes apparent this refinancing will not occur prior to December 31, 2017, we may seek a short-term extension of the Partnership’s existing credit facility. There can be no assurance that we will be able to refinance our credit facility or that the lenders will be willing to grant an extension to provide us with additional time to refinance.

If we are unablecontinue to secure a replacement facility, we will lose a primary source of liquidity,experience weak demand and prices continue to lower for our met and steam coal, we may not be able to continue to give the required representations or meet all of the covenants and restrictions included in our Financing Agreement. If we violate any of the covenants or restrictions in our Financing Agreement, including the fixed-charge coverage ratio, some or all of our indebtedness may become immediately due and payable, and our Lenders may not be willing to make any loans under the additional commitment available under our Financing Agreement. If we are unable to give a required representation or we violate a covenant or restriction, then we will need a waiver from our Lenders under our Financing Agreement, or they may declare an event of default and, after applicable specified cure periods, all amounts outstanding under the Financing Agreement would become immediately due and payable. Although we believe our Lenders are well secured under the terms of our Financing Agreement, there is no assurance that the Lenders would agree to any such waiver. Failure to obtain financing or to generate adequatesufficient cash flow from operations to fund our business, including repaying amounts due under our credit facility upon expiration, which could cause us to further curtail our operations and reduce our spending and to alter our business plan. We may also be requiredare currently considering alternatives to consider other options,address our liquidity and balance sheet issues, such as selling additional assets or seeking merger opportunities, and depending on the urgency of our liquidity constraints, we may be required to pursue such an option at an inopportune time. If we are not able to fund our liquidity requirements, we may not be able to continue as a going concern. For more information about our liquidity and our credit facility, please read “—Liquidity and Capital Resources.”

 

Further, even ifAs of March 31, 2020, we are able to refinance our credit facility, the replacement credit facility may include a significantly higher interest rate, significant amortization payments, or liens on a substantial portion of our assets, all of which could adversely impact our future plans and operations.

Since the current maturity date of our credit facility is December 31, 2017, we arewere unable to demonstrate that we have sufficient liquidity to operate our business over the next twelve months from the filing date of this Form 10-Q and thus substantial doubt is raised about our ability to continue as a going concern. Accordingly, ourOur independent registered public accounting firm has included an emphasis paragraph with respect to our ability to continue as a going concern in its report on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016.2019. The presence of the going concern emphasis paragraph in our auditors’ report may have an adverse impact on our relationship with third parties with whom we do business, including our customers, vendors, lenders and employees, making it difficult to raise additional debt or equity financing to the extent needed andto conduct normal operations. As a result, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects could be materially adversely affected.

As of September 30, 2017, our available liquidity was $8.3 million, including cash on hand of $0.1 million and $8.2 million available under our amended and restated credit agreement. On May 13, 2016, we entered into a fifth amendment (the “Fifth Amendment”) of our amended and restated agreement that initially extended the term of the senior secured credit facility to July 31, 2017. Per the Fifth Amendment, the term of the credit facility automatically extended to December 31, 2017 when the revolving credit commitments were reduced to $55 million or less as of December 31, 2016. The Fifth Amendment also immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments under the credit facility to a maximum of $75 million and maintains the amount available for letters of credit at $30 million. As of December 31, 2016, we met the requirements to extend the maturity date of the credit facility to December 31, 2017. In December 2016, we entered into a seventh amendment (the “Seventh Amendment”) of our amended and restated credit agreement. The Seventh Amendment immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments by $11.0 million and provided for additional revolving credit commitment reductions of $2.0 million each on June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. The Seventh Amendment further reduces the revolving credit commitments over time on a dollar-for-dollar basis for the net cash proceeds received from any asset sales after the Seventh Amendment date once the aggregate net cash proceeds received exceeds $2.0 million. For more information about our amended and restated credit agreement, please read “—Recent Developments—Amended and Restated Credit Agreement Amendments” below.

 

We continue to take measures, including the suspension of cash distributions on our common and subordinated units and cost and productivity improvements, to enhance and preserve our liquidity so that we can fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures and meet our financial commitments and debt service obligations.

 

We are currently exploring alternatives for other sources of capital for ongoing liquidity needs and transactions to enhance its ability to comply with its financial covenants. As disclosed on the Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 27, 2020, we have engaged legal and financial advisors to assist us in evaluating our strategic options. We are working to improve our operating performance and our cash, liquidity and financial position. This includes pursuing the sale of non-strategic surplus assets, continuing to drive cost improvements across the company, continuing to negotiate alternative payment terms with creditors, and obtaining waivers of going concern and financial covenant violations under our Financing Agreement, or alternatively, pursuing a court-supervised reorganization under Chapter 11 and related financing needs.

Recent Developments

 

Sands Hill DispositionFinancing Agreement

On March 2, 2020, we entered into a sixth amendment (the “Sixth Amendment”) to the Financing Agreement. The Sixth Amendment, among other things, provides a consent by the Lenders to a $3.0 million term loan from the delayed draw term loan commitment and increased the exit fee payable by us to the Lenders upon the maturity date (or earlier termination or acceleration date) by 1.0% to a total exit fee of 8.0%. For more information about our Financing Agreement, please read “— Liquidity and Capital Resources—Financing Agreement.”

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Pennyrile Mine Complex (“Pennyrile”) Asset Purchase Agreement

On November 7, 2017,September 6, 2019, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Pennyrile APA”) with Alliance Coal, LLC (“Buyer”) and Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (“Buyer Parent”) pursuant to which we sold to Buyer all of the real property, permits, equipment and inventory and certain other assets associated with Pennyrile in exchange for approximately $3.7 million, subject to certain adjustments. The final adjustments included us retaining certain equipment originally included in the assets to be sold to the Buyer, which resulted in a $0.3 million favorable adjustment to the impairment loss originally recorded by us in the third quarter of 2019 and a decrease in the final purchase price paid by the Buyer. The transaction was completed in March of 2020 and we received cash consideration of $3.0 million.

Coal Supply Asset Purchase Agreement

On September 6, 2019, we entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with the Buyer and Buyer Parent for the sale and assignment of certain coal supply agreements associated with Pennyrile (the “Coal Supply APA”) in exchange for approximately $7.3 million. The Coal Supply APA includes customary representations of the parties thereto and indemnification for losses arising from the breaches of such representations and for liabilities arising during the period in which the relevant parties were not party to the coal supply agreements. The transactions contemplated by the Coal Supply APA closed upon the execution thereof.

Blackjewel Assignment Agreement

On August 14, 2019, our wholly owned subsidiary Jewell Valley Mining LLC, entered into a general assignment and assumption agreement and bill of sale (the “Assignment Agreement”) with Blackjewel L.L.C., Blackjewel Holdings L.L.C., Revelation Energy Holdings, LLC, Revelation Management Corp., Revelation Energy, LLC, Dominion Coal Corporation, Harold Keene Coal Co. LLC, Vansant Coal Corporation, Lone Mountain Processing LLC, Powell Mountain Energy, LLC, and Cumberland River Coal LLC (together, “Blackjewel”) to purchase certain assets from Blackjewel for cash consideration of $850,000 plus an additional royalty of $250,000 that is payable within one year from the date of the purchase, as well as the assumption of associated reclamation obligations. The assets that are subject of the Assignment Agreement consist of three underground mines in Virginia that were actively producing coal prior to Blackjewel’s filing for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, along with a preparation plant, rail loadout facility, related mineral and surface rights and infrastructure and certain purchase contracts to be assumed at our option. We resumed mining operations at two of the mines in the fourth quarter of 2019.

Settlement Agreement

On June 28, 2019, we entered into a settlement agreement with a third party to transfer 100% of the memberships interests and related assets and liabilities in our Sands Hill Mining entity towhich allows the third party to maintain certain pipelines pursuant to designated permits at our Central Appalachia operations. The agreement required the third party to pay us $7.0 million in exchangeconsideration. We received $4.2 million on July 3, 2019 and the balance of $2.8 million on January 2, 2020. We recorded a gain of $6.9 million during the second quarter of 2019 related to this settlement agreement.

Distribution Suspension

Pursuant to our limited partnership agreement, our common units accrue arrearages every quarter when the distribution level is below the minimum level of $4.45 per unit. Beginning with the quarter ended June 30, 2015 and continuing through the quarter ended March 31, 2020, we have suspended the cash distribution on our common units. For each of the quarters ended September 30, 2014, December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, we announced cash distributions per common unit at levels lower than the minimum quarterly distribution. We have not paid any distribution on our subordinated units for any quarter after the quarter ended March 31, 2012. As of March 31, 2020, we had accumulated arrearages of $965.7 million.

Factors That Impact Our Business

Our results of operations in the near term could be impacted by a number of factors, including (1) our ability to fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures, (2) the availability of transportation for coal shipments, (3) poor mining conditions resulting from geological conditions or the effects of prior mining, (4) equipment problems at mining locations, (5) adverse weather conditions and natural disasters or (6) the availability and costs of key supplies and commodities such as steel, diesel fuel and explosives.

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On a long-term basis, our results of operations could be impacted by, among other factors, (1) our ability to fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures, (2) changes in governmental regulation, (3) the availability and prices of competing electricity-generation fuels, (4) the world-wide demand for steel, which utilizes metallurgical coal and can affect the demand and prices of metallurgical coal that we produce, (5) our ability to secure or acquire high-quality coal reserves and (6) our ability to find buyers for coal under favorable supply contracts.

We have historically sold a majority of our coal through long-term supply contracts, although we have starting selling a larger percentage of our coal under short-term and spot agreements. As of March 31, 2020, we had commitments under supply contracts to deliver annually scheduled base quantities of coal as follows:

Year  Tons  Number of customers 
        
 2020 (Q2-Q4)   1,366,138   12 
 2021   400,000   3 
 2022   250,000   2 

Certain of the contracts have sales price adjustment provisions, subject to certain limitations and adjustments, based on a variety of factors and indices.

Results of Operations

Segment Information

As of March 31, 2020, we have three reportable business segments: Central Appalachia, Northern Appalachia and Rhino Western. Additionally, we have an Other category that includes our ancillary businesses. Our Central Appalachia segment consists of three mining complexes: Tug River, Rob Fork and Jewell Valley, which, as of March 31, 2020, together included five underground mines, three surface mines and four preparation plants and loadout facilities in eastern Kentucky, Virginia and southern West Virginia. Our Northern Appalachia segment consists of the Hopedale mining complex and the Leesville field. The Hopedale mining complex, located in northern Ohio, includes one underground mine and one preparation plant and loadout facility as of March 31, 2020. Our Rhino Western segment includes one underground mine in the Western Bituminous region at our Castle Valley mining complex in Utah.

Evaluating Our Results of Operations

Our management uses a variety of non-GAAP financial measurements to analyze our performance, including (1) Adjusted EBITDA, (2) coal revenues per ton and (3) cost of operations per ton.

Adjusted EBITDA. The discussion of our results of operations below includes references to, and analysis of, our segments’ Adjusted EBITDA results. Adjusted EBITDA represents net income before deducting interest expense, income taxes and depreciation, depletion and amortization, while also excluding certain non-cash and/or non-recurring items. Adjusted EBITDA is used by management primarily as a measure of our segments’ operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income, income from operations, cash flows from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Because not all companies calculate Adjusted EBITDA identically, our calculation may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Please read “—Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA” for reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to net income/(loss) by segment for each of the periods indicated.

Coal Revenues Per Ton. Coal revenues per ton represents coal revenues divided by tons of coal sold. Coal revenues per ton is a key indicator of our effectiveness in obtaining favorable prices for our product.

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Cost of Operations Per Ton. Cost of operations per ton sold represents the cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization) divided by tons of coal sold. Management uses this measurement as a key indicator of the efficiency of operations.

Summary. (Unless otherwise specified, the following discussion of the results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 excludes operating results relating to Pennyrile. The Pennyrile operating results are recorded as discontinued operations in our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations.)

The following table sets forth certain information regarding our revenues, operating expenses, other income and expenses, and operational data for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019:

  Three Months Ended March 31,  Increase/(Decrease) 
  2020  2019  $  % * 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
Statement of Operations Data:         
             
Coal revenues $37.3  $44.9  $(7.6)  (16.8)%
Other revenues  0.2   0.8   (0.6)  (79.2)%
Total revenues  37.5   45.7   (8.2)  (18.0)%
Costs and expenses:                
Cost of operations (exclusive of DD&A shown separately below)  36.1   40.2   (4.1)  (10.2)%
Freight and handling costs  1.0   1.2   (0.2)  (9.9)%
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  3.9   3.5   0.4   13.1%
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of DD&A shown separately above)  4.2   2.7   1.5   52.9%
Loss on sale/disposal of assets  0.1   0.2   (0.1)  (71.8)%
Loss from operations  (7.8)  (2.1)  (5.7)  279.5%
Interest expense and other  (2.1)  (1.7)  (0.4)  21.8%
Interest income and other  -   -   -   n/a 
Total interest and other (income) expense  (2.1)  (1.7)  (0.4)  21.8%
Net (loss) from continuing operations  (9.9)  (3.8)  (6.1)  163.1%
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  (0.1)  (3.5)  3.4   (97.8)%
Net (loss) $(10.0) $(7.3)  (2.7)  37.2%
                 
Total tons sold (in thousands except %)  645.8   748.0   (102.2)  (13.7)%
Coal revenues per ton $57.78  $59.97  $(2.19)  (3.7)%
Cost of operations per ton $55.94  $53.76  $2.18   4.1%
                 
Other Financial Data                
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations $(3.9) $2.1  $(6.0)  (284.2)%
Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations $(0.4) $(1.5) $1.1   (71.0)%
Adjusted EBITDA $(4.3) $0.6  $(4.9)  (754.2)%

*Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2020 Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2019

Revenues.Our coal revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2020 decreased by approximately $7.6 million, or 16.8%, to approximately $37.3 million from approximately $44.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Coal revenues per ton was $57.78 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, a decrease of $2.19 or 3.7%, from $59.97 per ton for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in coal revenues was primarily the result of fewer tons sold at our Central Appalachia operations due to ongoing weak market demand for our steam and metallurgical coal. The decrease in coal revenues per ton was due to a larger mix of lower price coal sold during the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

Cost of Operations. Total cost of operations decreased by $4.1 million or 10.2% to $36.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to $40.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Our cost of operations per ton was $55.94 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of $2.18, or 4.1%, from the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in total cost of operations was primarily due to fewer tons produced and sold from our Central Appalachia operations during the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. We also temporarily idled production activities at many of our mining operations in response to the coronavirus pandemic during March 2020.

Freight and Handling.Total freight and handling cost decreased to $1.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 from approximately $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in freight and handling costs was primarily the result of fewer export sales that require us to pay railroad transportation to the port of export during the first quarter of 2020.

Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization (“DD&A”). Total DD&A expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was $3.9 million as compared to $3.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020, our depreciation expense was $3.2 million and for the three months ended March 31, 2019 it was $2.5 million. The increase in depreciation expense was primarily the result of additional equipment placed in service at our Jewell Valley operation.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, our depletion expense was $0.3 million and $0.4 million, respectively. The decrease in the depletion expense was primarily due to the decrease in tons of coal sold during the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

For the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 our amortization expense was $0.4 million and $0.6 million, respectively. The decrease was primarily the result of decreased production during the first quarter of 2020.

Selling, General and Administrative. SG&A expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 increased to $4.2 million as compared to $2.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 as we experienced an increase in corporate legal and outside professional expenses.

Interest Expense.Interest expense for the three months ended March 31, 2020 increased to $2.1 million as compared to $1.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. This increase was primarily due to a higher average outstanding debt balance during the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

Net Income/Loss. Net loss was $9.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to net loss of $3.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in net loss was primarily due to the decrease in coal revenue and an increase in SG&A as discussed above.

Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations decreased by $6.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to $(3.9) million from $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease was primarily due to the increase in net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as discussed above. Including net loss from discontinued operations of approximately $0.1 million, our net loss was $10.0 million and Adjusted EBITDA was $(4.3) million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. Including net loss from discontinued operations of approximately $3.5 million, which related to Pennyrile, our net loss was $7.3 million and Adjusted EBITDA was $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Please read “—Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA” for reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to net income/(loss) on a segment basis.

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Segment Results

The following tables set forth certain information regarding our revenues, operating expenses, other income and expenses, and operational data by reportable segment for the three months ended March 31 2020 and 2019:

Central Appalachia Three months ended March 31,  Increase/(Decrease) 
  2020  2019  $  % * 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
             
Coal revenues $21.2  $30.1  $(8.9)  (29.5)%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  0.1   0.3   (0.2)  (83.1)%
Total revenues  21.3   30.4   (9.1)  (30.1)%
Coal revenues per ton $77.86  $77.29  $0.57   0.7%
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  24.0   26.6   (2.6)  (9.7)%
Freight and handling costs  0.3   0.7   (0.4)  (48.4)%
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  2.4   1.9   0.5   (26.4)%
Selling, general and administrative costs  0.1   0.1   -   75.9%
Cost of operations per ton $88.27  $68.37  $19.90   29.1%
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations  (5.6)  1.2   (6.8)  (577.4)%
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations  (3.2)  3.1   (6.3)  (205.3)%
Tons sold (in thousands except %)  272.4   389.3   (116.9)  (30.0)%

*Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

Tons of coal sold in our Central Appalachia segment decreased by approximately 30.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019 primarily due to weakness in the met and steam coal markets, which has resulted in some of our customers pushing out shipments to a future override royaltydate. We also had some uncontracted tons in Central Appalachia and we were unable to sell the coal on the spot market due to weak market demand.

Coal revenues decreased by approximately $8.9 million, or 29.5%, to approximately $21.2 million for any mineralthe three months ended March 31, 2020 from approximately $30.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in coal revenues was due to a decrease in tons sold excludingfrom our Central Appalachia operations during the first quarter of 2020 compared to 2019. Coal revenues per ton for our Central Appalachia segment increased by $0.57, or 0.7%, to $77.86 per ton for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to $77.29 for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in coal revenues per ton was primarily due to a higher mix of met coal tons sold during the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to 2019.

Cost of operations decreased by $2.6 million, or 9.7%, to $24.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 from $26.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in cost of operations was primarily due to fewer tons produced and sold during the third quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. Our cost of operations per ton of $88.27 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 increased 29.1% compared to $68.37 per ton for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Cost of operations per ton increased as fixed costs were allocated to fewer tons sold from our Central Appalachia operations during the first quarter of 2020.

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Total freight and handling cost was $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, which was a decrease of $0.4 million from the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in freight and handling costs was primarily the result of fewer export sales during the first quarter of 2020 that require us to pay railroad transportation to the port of export.

For our Central Appalachia segment, net loss was approximately $5.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to net income of $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in net income was primarily the result of the decrease in revenue resulting from fewer sales during the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

Central Appalachia Overview of Results by Product.Additional information for the Central Appalachia segment detailing the types of coal produced and sold, premium high-vol met coal and steam coal for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, is presented below. Note that our Northern Appalachia and Rhino Western segments currently produce and sell only steam coal.

(In thousands, except per ton data and %) Three months ended March 31, 2020  Three months ended March 31, 2019  Increase
(Decrease)
%*
 
Met coal tons sold  161.6   149.1   8.4%
Steam coal tons sold  110.8   240.2   (53.9)%
Total tons sold  272.4   389.3   (30.0)%
             
Met coal revenue $15,808  $16,698   (5.3)%
Steam coal revenue $5,405  $13,389   (59.6)%
Total coal revenue $21,213  $30,087   (29.5)%
             
Met coal revenues per ton $97.82  $111.98   (12.7)%
Steam coal revenues per ton $48.77  $55.75   (12.5)%
Total coal revenues per ton $77.86  $77.29   0.8%
             
Met coal tons produced  140.0   122.5   14.3%
Steam coal tons produced  142.3   308.8   (53.9)%
Total tons produced  282.3   431.3   (34.5)%

Northern Appalachia Three months ended March 31,  Increase/(Decrease) 
  2020  2019  $  % * 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
             
Coal revenues $7.4  $6.1  $1.3   22.2%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  0.1   0.5   (0.4)  (81.4)%
Total revenues  7.5   6.6   0.9   13.5%
Coal revenues per ton $50.26  $50.19  $0.07   0.1%
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  6.3   6.8   (0.5)  (7.8)%
Freight and handling costs  0.7   0.5   0.2   44.8%
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  0.5   0.4   0.1   29.9%
Selling, general and administrative costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Cost of operations per ton $42.77  $56.60  $(13.83)  (24.4)%
Net (loss) from continuing operations  -   (1.1)  1.1   (97.7)%
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations  0.5   (0.7)  1.2   (170.5)%
Tons sold (in thousands except %)  147.5   120.8   26.7   22.0%

*Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

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For our Northern Appalachia segment, tons of coal sold increased by approximately 22.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the three months ended March 31, 2019 as we experienced increased demand for coal from Sands Hill Miningthis region.

Coal revenues were approximately $7.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, an increase of approximately $1.3 million, or 22.2%, from approximately $6.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in coal revenues was primarily due to the increase in tons of coal sold from our Hopedale operations during the first quarter of 2020. Coal revenues per ton were relatively flat at $50.26 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to $50.19 for the three months ended March 31, 2019.

Cost of operations decreased by $0.5 million, or 7.8%, to $6.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 from $6.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Our cost of operations per ton was $42.77 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, a decrease of $13.83, or 24.4%, compared to $56.60 for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Cost of operations per ton decreased primarily as the result of fixed costs being allocated to more tons sold from our Hopedale operation in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 as well as improved mining conditions in the first quarter of 2020.

Net loss in our Northern Appalachia segment was $26,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to net loss of $1.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The decrease in net loss was primarily due to the increase in coal sales revenue during the current period.

Rhino Western Three months ended March 31,  Increase/(Decrease) 
  2020  2019  $  % * 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
             
Coal revenues $8.7  $8.7  $-   (0.2)%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Total revenues  8.7   8.7   -   (0.2)%
Coal revenues per ton $38.47  $36.61  $1.86   5.1%
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  6.5   7.2   (0.7)  (10.6)%
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  1.0   1.1   (0.1)  (11.1)%
Selling, general and administrative costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Cost of operations per ton $28.58  $30.35  $(1.77)  (5.8)%
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations  1.2   (0.3)  1.5   (469.6)%
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations  2.2   1.5   0.7   52.8%
Tons sold (in thousands except %)  225.9   237.9   (12.0)  (5.0)%

*Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

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Tons of coal sold from our Rhino Western segment decreased by approximately 5.0% for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 primarily due to a decrease in demand for coal from this region.

Coal revenues remained flat at approximately $8.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. Coal revenues per ton for our Rhino Western segment increased by $1.86 or 5.10% to $38.47 per ton for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to $36.61 per ton for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in coal revenues per ton was primarily due to higher contracted sale prices.

Cost of operations decreased by $0.7 million, or 10.6%, to $6.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 from $7.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Our cost of operations per ton was $28.58 for the three months ended March 31, 2020, a decrease of $1.77, or 5.8%, compared to $30.35 for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Total cost of operations decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019 due to a decrease in operating costs at our Castle Valley mine operation.

Net income in our Rhino Western segment was $1.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020, compared to a net loss of $0.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. This increase in net income was primarily the result of an increase in our contracted sale prices for tons sold at our Castle Valley operation and lower operating costs during the first quarter of 2020.

Other Three months ended March 31,  Increase/(Decrease) 
  2020  2019  $  % * 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
             
Coal revenues $-  $-   n/a   n/a 
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   n/a   n/a 
Other revenues  -   -   n/a   n/a 
Total revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Coal revenues per ton**  n/a   n/a   n/a   n/a 
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  (0.7)  (0.4)  (0.3)  (48.1)%
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  -   0.1   (0.1)  (100.0)%
Selling, general and administrative costs  4.1   2.6   1.5   54.5%
Cost of operations per ton**  n/a   n/a   n/a   n/a 
Net (loss) from continuing operations  (5.5)  (3.6)  (1.9)  (55.7)%
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations  (3.4)  (1.8)  (1.6)  97.0%
Tons sold (in thousands except %)  n/a   n/a   n/a   n/a 

*Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.
**The Other category includes results for our ancillary businesses. The activities performed by these ancillary businesses do not directly relate to coal production. As a result, coal revenues and coal revenues per ton are not presented for the Other category. Cost of operations presented for our Other category includes costs incurred by our ancillary businesses. As a result, cost per ton measurements are not presented for this category.

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For the Other category, we had net loss of $5.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to net loss of $3.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in net loss was primarily the result of an increase to selling, general and administrative costs during the first quarter of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.

Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA

The following tables present reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures for each of the periods indicated:

  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois       
Three months ended March 31, 2020 Appalachia  Appalachia  Western  Basin  Other  Total 
  (in millions) 
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(5.6) $-  $1.2  $-  $(5.5) $(9.9)
Plus:                        
DD&A  2.4   0.5   1.0   -   -   3.9 
Interest expense  -   -   -   -   2.1   2.1 
EBITDA from continuing operations† $(3.2) $0.5  $2.2  $-  $(3.4) $(3.9)
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations  (3.2)  0.5   2.2   -   (3.4)  (3.9)
Plus: Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations  -   -   -   (0.4)  -   (0.4)
Adjusted EBITDA $(3.2) $0.5  $2.2  $(0.4) $(3.4) $(4.3)

  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois       
Three months ended March 31, 2019 Appalachia  Appalachia  Western  Basin  Other  Total 
  (in millions) 
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations $1.2  $(1.1) $(0.3) $-  $(3.6) $(3.8)
Plus:                      - 
DD&A  1.9   0.4   1.1   -   0.1   3.5 
Interest expense  -   -   -   -   1.7   1.7 
EBITDA from continuing operations† $3.1  $(0.7) $0.8  $-  $(1.8) $1.4 
Plus: Loss from sale of non-core asset (1)  -   -   0.7   -   -   0.7 
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations† $3.1  $(0.7) $1.5  $-  $(1.8) $2.1 
Plus: Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations  -   -   -   (1.5)  -   (1.5)
Adjusted EBITDA $3.1  $(0.7) $1.5  $(1.5) $(1.8) $0.6 

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  For the Three Months Ended March 31, 
  2020  2019 
  (in millions) 
Net cash (used in)/provided by operating activities $(3.0) $0.5 
Plus:        
Interest expense  2.1   1.7 
Adjustment on impairment of assets (1)  0.3   - 
Less:        
Decrease in net operating assets  2.1   0.7 
Amortization of advance royalties  0.1   0.4 
Amortization of debt discount  -   0.1 
Amortization of debt issuance costs  0.8   0.5 
Loss on sale of assets  -   0.2 
Loss on retirement of advance royalties  -   0.1 
Accretion on asset retirement obligations  0.4   0.3 
EBITDA†  (4.0)  (0.1)
Plus: Loss from sale of non-core assets (2)  -   0.7 
Less: Adjustment on impairment of assets (1)  (0.3)  - 
Adjusted EBITDA  (4.3)  0.6 
Less: Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations  (0.4)  (1.5)
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations $(3.9) $2.1 

(1)

During the three months ended March 31, 2020, we finalized the Pennyrile APA. The final adjustments included us retaining certain equipment originally included in the assets to be sold to the Buyer, which resulted in a $0.3 million favorable adjustment to the impairment loss originally recorded by us in the third quarter of 2019.

(2)During the three months ended March 31, 2019, we sold parcels of land owned in western Colorado for proceeds less than our carrying value of the land that resulted in losses of approximately $0.7. This land is a non-core asset that we chose to monetize despite the loss incurred. We believe that the isolation and presentation of this specific item to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it enhances investors’ understanding of how we assess the performance of our business. We believe the adjustment of this item provides investors with additional information that they can utilize in evaluating our performance. Additionally, we believe the isolation of this item provides investors with enhanced comparability to prior and future periods of our operating results.

† Calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity

As of March 31, 2020, our available liquidity was $1.3 million. We also have a delayed draw term loan commitment in the amount of $22 million contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent specified in the Financing Agreement.

On December 27, 2017, we entered into a Financing Agreement, which provides us with a multi-draw term loan in the original aggregate principal amount of $80 million, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Financing Agreement. The total principal amount was divided into a $40 million commitment, the conditions of which were satisfied at the execution of the Financing Agreement (the “Effective Date Term Loan Commitment”) and a $40 million additional commitment that was contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent specified in the Financing Agreement (“Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment”). As of March 31, 2020, we had utilized $18 million of the $40 million additional commitment, which results in $22 million of the additional commitment remaining. The Financing Agreement initially had a termination date of December 27, 2020, which was amended to December 27, 2022. Please read below for more information about our Financing Agreement.

Our business is capital intensive and requires substantial capital expenditures for purchasing, upgrading and maintaining equipment used in developing and mining our reserves, as well as complying with applicable environmental and mine safety laws and regulations. Our principal liquidity requirements are to finance current operations, fund capital expenditures, including acquisitions from time to time, and service our debt. Historically, our sources of liquidity included cash generated by our operations, cash available on our balance sheet and issuances of equity securities. Our ability to access the capital markets on economic terms in the future will be affected by general economic conditions, the domestic and global financial markets, our operational and financial performance, the value and performance of our equity securities, prevailing commodity prices and other macroeconomic factors outside of our control. Failure to maintain financing or to generate sufficient cash flow from operations could cause us to significantly reduce our spending and to alter our short- or long-term business plan.

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Beginning in the later part of the third quarter of 2019, we have experienced significantly weaker market demand and have seen prices move lower for the qualities of met and steam coal we produce. This downward price trend has been exacerbated by the recent coronavirus pandemic. In response to this reduced demand and to the significant health threats to our employees, on March 20, 2020, we temporarily idled production at several of our mines. We have since restarted production at the majority of our operations. We will continue to monitor conditions to ensure the health and welfare of our employees. The idling of the coal production activities did not affect our ability to fulfill current customer commitments, as loading and shipping crews remained in place to ship coal from existing inventories.

If we continue to experience weak demand and prices continue to lower for our met and steam coal, we may not be able to continue to give the required representations or meet all of the covenants and restrictions included in our Financing Agreement. If we violate any of the covenants or restrictions in our Financing Agreement, including the fixed-charge coverage ratio, some or all of our indebtedness may become immediately due and payable, and our Lenders may not be willing to make any loans under the additional commitment available under our Financing Agreement. If we are unable to give a required representation or we violate a covenant or restriction, then we will need a waiver from our Lenders under our Financing Agreement, or they may declare an event of default and, after applicable specified cure periods, all amounts outstanding under the closing date.Financing Agreement would become immediately due and payable. Although we believe our Lenders are well secured under the terms of our Financing Agreement, there is no assurance that the Lenders would agree to any such waiver. Failure to obtain financing or to generate sufficient cash flow from operations could cause us to further curtail our operations and reduce spending and alter our business plan. We expectare currently considering alternatives to recognizeaddress our liquidity and balance sheet issues, such as selling additional assets or seeking merger opportunities, and depending on the urgency of our liquidity constraints, we may be required to pursue such an option at an inopportune time.

As of March 31, 2020, we were unable to demonstrate that we have sufficient liquidity to operate our business over the next twelve months from the date of filing this Form 10-Q and thus substantial doubt is raised about our ability to continue as a gaingoing concern. Our independent registered public accounting firm included an emphasis paragraph with respect to our ability to continue as a going concern in its report on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2019. The presence of the going concern emphasis paragraph in our auditors’ report may have an adverse impact on our relationship with third parties with whom we do business, including our customers, vendors, lenders and employees, making it difficult to raise additional financing to the extent needed to conduct normal operations. As a result, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects could be materially adversely affected.

We evaluated our Financing Agreement at March 31, 2020 to determine whether the debt liability should be classified as a long-term or current liability on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. We determined that we were in violation of certain debt covenants in the Financing Agreement as of March 31, 2020 and the Lenders were unwilling to grant a waiver to us for these events of default as of the filing date of this Form 10-Q. The Financing Agreement contains negative covenants that restrict our ability to, among other things, permit the trailing nine month fixed charge coverage ratio of us and our subsidiaries to be less than 1.20 to 1.00. The Financing Agreement also requires us to receive an annual unqualified audit opinion from our external audit firm that does not include an emphasis paragraph on our ability to continue as a going concern. As of March 31, 2020, our fixed charge coverage ratio was less than 1.20 to 1.00 and our annual report on Form 10-K for 2019 includes an audit opinion from our external auditors that includes an emphasis paragraph regarding our ability to continue as a going concern. Based upon these covenant violations, our debt liability is currently callable by the Lenders and the debt liability is classified as current.

Debt issuance costs related to the debt liability have also been classified as current. However, since we are currently in negotiations with our Lenders, we have not changed the amortization period of these costs. Included in debt costs are the exit fees described below, which absent a waiver, are also callable with the accompanying debt as of March 31, 2020.

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We continue to take measures, including the suspension of cash distributions on our common and subordinated units and taking steps to improve productivity and control costs, to enhance and preserve our liquidity so that we can fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures and meet our financial commitments and debt service obligations.

Cash Flows

Net cash used in operating activities was $3.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $0.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. This decrease in cash provided by operating activities was the result of a higher net loss during the three months ended March 31, 2020.

Net cash provided by investing activities was $4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 as compared to net cash provided by investing activities of $1.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. The increase in cash provided by investing activities was primarily due to an increase in proceeds from the sale of Sands Hill sinceassets during the third party will assumethree months ended March 31, 2020 compared to the reclamation obligations associated with this operation.same period in 2019.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $0.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and net cash used in financing activities was $4.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Net cash provided by financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2020 was primarily attributable to proceeds from our Financing Agreement. Net cash used in financing activities for the three months ended March 31, 2019 was primarily attributable to repayments on our Financing Agreement and by the payment of the distribution on the Series A preferred units.

Option AgreementCapital Expenditures

 

On December 30, 2016,Our mining operations require investments to expand, upgrade or enhance existing operations and to meet environmental and safety regulations. Maintenance capital expenditures are those capital expenditures required to maintain our long-term operating capacity. For example, maintenance capital expenditures include expenditures associated with the replacement of equipment and coal reserves, whether through the expansion of an existing mine or the acquisition or development of new reserves, to the extent such expenditures are made to maintain our long-term operating capacity. Expansion capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that we entered intoexpect will increase our operating capacity over the Option Agreement with Royal Energy Resources, Inc. (“Royal”), Rhino Resources Partners Holdings, LLC (“Rhino Holdings”), and our general partner. Royal is a publicly traded company listed on the OTC market (OTCQB: ROYE) and is focused onlong term. Examples of expansion capital expenditures include the acquisition of coal, natural gas and renewable energy assets that are profitable at current distressed prices. Rhino Holdings is an entity wholly owned by certain investment partnerships managed by Yorktown Partners LLC (“Yorktown”), and our general partner. Upon executionreserves, acquisition of the Option Agreement, we received a Call Option from Rhino Holdings to acquire substantially all of the outstanding common stock of Armstrong Energy that is owned by investment partnerships managed by Yorktown, representing approximately 97% of the outstanding common stock of Armstrong Energy. Armstrong Energy is a coal producing company with approximately 567 million tons of proven and probable reserves and five mines located in the Illinois Basin in western Kentucky as of December 31, 2016. The Option Agreement stipulates that we can exercise the Call Option no earlier than January 1, 2018 and no later than December 31, 2019. In exchange for Rhino Holdings granting us the Call Option, we issued 5.0 million Call Option Premium Units to Rhino Holdings upon the execution of the Option Agreement. The Option Agreement stipulates we can exercise the Call Option and purchase the common stock of Armstrong Energy in exchangeequipment for a numbernew mine or the expansion of common unitsan existing mine to be issuedthe extent such expenditures are expected to Rhino Holdings, which when added with the Call Option Premium Units, will result in Rhino Holdings owning 51% of the fully diluted common units of us. The purchase of Armstrong Energy through the exercise of the Call Option would also require Royal to transfer a 51% ownership interest inexpand our general partner to Rhino Holdings. Our ability to exercise the Call Option is conditioned upon (i) sixty (60) days having passed since the entry by Armstrong Energy into an agreement with its bondholders to restructure its bonds and (ii) the amendment of our revolving credit facility to permit the acquisition of Armstrong Energy.long-term operating capacity.

The Option Agreement also contains a Put Option granted by us to Rhino Holdings whereby Rhino Holdings has the right, but not the obligation, to cause us to purchase substantially all of the outstanding common stock of Armstrong Energy from Rhino Holdings under the same terms and conditions discussed above

Actual maintenance capital expenditures for the Call Option. The exercise ofthree months ended March 31, 2020 were approximately $0.9 million. This amount was primarily used to rebuild, repair or replace older mining equipment. Expansion capital expenditures for the Put Option is dependent upon (i) the entry by Armstrong Energy into an agreement with its bondholdersthree months ended March 31, 2020 were approximately $0.7 million, which were primarily related to restructure its bonds and (ii) the termination and repayment of any outstanding balance underdevelopment costs at our revolving credit facility.

The Option Agreement contains customary covenants, representations and warranties and indemnification obligations for losses arising from the inaccuracy of representations or warranties or breaches of covenants contained in the Option Agreement, the Seventh Amendment and the GP Amendment (defined below). Upon the request by Rhino Holdings, we will also enter into a registration rights agreement that provides Rhino Holdings with the right to demand two shelf registration statements and registration statements on Form S-1, as well as piggyback registration rights for as long as Rhino Holdings owns at least 10% of the outstanding common units.

Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of our general partner was amended (“GP Amendment”). Pursuant to the GP Amendment, Mr. Bryan H. Lawrence was appointed to the board of directors of our General Partner as a designee of Rhino Holdings and Rhino Holdings has the right to appoint an additional independent director. Rhino Holdings has the right to appoint two members to the board of directors of our General Partner for as long as it continues to own 20% of the common units on an undiluted basis. The GP Amendment also provided Rhino Holdings with the authority to consent to any delegation of authority to any committee of the board of our General Partner. Upon the exercise of the Call Option or the Put Option, the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of our General Partner, as amended, will be further amended to provide that Royal and Rhino Holdings will each have the ability to appoint three directors and that the remaining director will be the chief executive officer of our General Partner unless agreed otherwise.

The Option Agreement superseded and terminated the equity exchange agreement entered into on September 30, 2016 by and among Royal, Rhino Holdings and our general partner.

On October 31, 2017, Armstrong Energy filed Chapter 11 petitions in the Eastern District of Missouri’s United States Bankruptcy Court. Per the Chapter 11 petitions, Armstrong Energy will file a detailed restructuring plan as part of the Chapter 11 proceedings. Based on the uncertain facts and circumstances surrounding the current state of the Armstrong Energy Chapter 11 proceedings, which includes the possibility that we will still exercise the Call Option as outlined in Note 1, we concluded that the value of the Call Option was not impaired as of September 30, 2017.Blackjewel mine.

 

Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement

 

On December 30, 2016, we entered into a Series A Preferred Unit Purchase Agreement (“Preferred Unit Agreement”) with Weston Energy LLC (“Weston”), an entity wholly owned by certain investment partnerships managed by Yorktown, and Royal. Under the Preferred Unit Agreement, Weston and Royal agreed to purchase 1,300,000 and 200,000, respectively, of Series A preferred units representing limited partner interests in us at a price of $10.00 per Series A preferred unit. The Series A preferred units have the preferences, rights and obligations set forth in our Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, which is described below. In exchange for the Series A preferred units, Weston and Royal paid cash of $11.0 million and $2.0 million, respectively, to us and Weston assigned to us a $2.0 million note receivable from Royal originally dated September 30, 2016. (“Through a series of transactions, Weston Promissory Note”) Please read “—Letter Agreement Regarding Rhino Promissory Note and Weston Promissory Note.”

The Preferred Unit Agreement contains customary representations, warrants and covenants, which include among other things, that, for as long asnow owns all of the Series A preferred units are outstanding, we will cause CAM Mining, one of our subsidiaries, to conduct its business in the ordinary course consistent with past practice and use reasonable best efforts to maintain and preserve intact its current organization, business and franchise and to preserve the rights, franchises, goodwill and relationships of its employees, customers, lenders, suppliers, regulators and others having business relationships with CAM Mining.

The Preferred Unit Agreement stipulates that upon the request of the holder of the majority of our common units following their conversion from Series A preferred units, as outlined in our partnership agreement, we will enter into a registration rights agreement with such holder. Such majority holder has the right to demand two shelf registration statements and registration statements on Form S-1, as well as piggyback registration rights.units.

 

On January 27, 2017, Royal sold 100,000 of its Series A preferred units to Weston and its other 100,000 Series A preferred units to another third party.

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Letter Agreement Regarding Rhino Promissory Note and Weston Promissory Note

On December 30, 2016, we entered into a letter agreement with Royal whereby the maturity dates of the Weston Promissory Note and the final installment payment of the Rhino Promissory Note were extended to December 31, 2018. The letter agreement further provides that the aggregate $4.0 million balance of the Weston Promissory Note and Rhino Promissory Note may be converted at Royal’s option into a number of shares of Royal’s common stock equal to the outstanding balance multiplied by seventy-five percent (75%) of the volume-weighted average closing price of Royal’s common stock for the 90 days preceding the date of conversion (“Royal VWAP”), subject to a minimum Royal VWAP of $3.50 and a maximum Royal VWAP of $7.50. On September 1, 2017, Royal elected to convert the Weston Promissory Note of $2.1 million (including accrued interest) and the Rhino Promissory Note of $2.0 million to shares of Royal common stock. Royal issued 914,797 shares of its common stock to us at a conversion price of $4.51 per share. The price per share was calculated per the method specified above. We recorded the $4.1 million conversion of the Weston Promissory Note and Rhino Promissory Note as Investment in Royal common stock in the Partners’ Capital section of the Partnerships’ unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position.

 

Fourth Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement of Limited Partnership

 

On December 30, 2016, our General Partnergeneral partner entered into the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (“Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement”) to create, authorize and issue the Series A preferred units.

 

The Series A preferred units are a new class of equity security that rank senior to all classes or series of our equity securities with respect to distribution rights and rights upon liquidation. The holders of the Series A preferred units shall beare entitled to receive annual distributions equal to the greater of (i) 50% of the CAM Mining free cash flow (as defined below) and (ii) an amount equal to the number of outstanding Series A preferred units multiplied by $0.80. “CAM Mining free cash flow” is defined in our partnership agreement as (i) the total revenue of our Central Appalachia business segment, minus (ii) the cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization) for our Central Appalachia business segment, minus (iii) an amount equal to $6.50, multiplied by the aggregate number of met coal and steam coal tons sold by us from our Central Appalachia business segment. If we fail to pay any or all of the distributions in respect of the Series A preferred units, such deficiency will accrue until paid in full and we will not be permitted to pay any distributions on our partnership interests that rank junior to the Series A preferred units, including our common units. The Series A preferred units will be liquidated in accordance with their capital accounts and upon liquidation will be entitled to distributions of property and cash in accordance with the balances of their capital accounts prior to such distributions to equity securities that rank junior to the Series A preferred units.

 

The Series A preferred units vote on an as-converted basis with the common units, and we will be restricted from taking certain actions without the consent of the holders of a majority of the Series A preferred units, including: (i) the issuance of additional Series A preferred units, or securities that rank senior or equal to the Series A preferred units; (ii) the sale or transfer of CAM Mining or a material portion of its assets; (iii) the repurchase of common units, or the issuance of rights or warrants to holders of common units entitling them to purchase common units at less than fair market value; (iv) consummation of a spin off; (v) the incurrence, assumption or guaranty of indebtedness for borrowed money in excess of $50.0 million except indebtedness relating to entities or assets that are acquired by us or our affiliates that is in existence at the time of such acquisition or (vi) the modification of CAM Mining’s accounting principles or the financial or operational reporting principles of our Central Appalachia business segment, subject to certain exceptions.

We will have the option to convert the outstanding Series A preferred units at any time on or after the time at which the amount of aggregate distributions paid in respect of each Series A preferred unit exceeds $10.00 per unit. Each Series A preferred unit will convert into a number of common units equal to the quotient (the “Series A Conversion Ratio”) of (i) the sum of $10.00 and any unpaid distributions in respect of such Series A Preferred Unit divided by (ii) 75% of the volume-weighted average closing price of the common units for the preceding 90 trading days (the “VWAP”); provided however, that the VWAP will be capped at a minimum of $2.00 and a maximum of $10.00. On December 31, 2021, all outstanding Series A preferred units will convert into common units at the then applicable Series A Conversion Ratio.

Amended and Restated Credit Agreement Amendments

In December 2016,During the first quarter of 2019, we entered into a Seventh Amendment, which allows forpaid $3.2 million to the holders of Series A preferred units as outlined in the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership, which is further discussed in “—Fourth Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement”. The Seventh Amendment immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments by $11.0 million and provides for additional revolving credit commitment reductions of $2.0 million each on June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. The Seventh Amendment further reduces the revolving credit commitments over time on a dollar-for-dollar basisdistributions earned for the net cash proceeds received from any asset sales after the Seventh Amendment date once the aggregate net cash proceeds received exceeds $2.0 million. The Seventh Amendment alters the maximum leverage ratio to 4.0 to 1.0 effectiveyear ended December 31, 2016 through May 31, 2017 and 3.52018. We have accrued $1.2 million for distributions to 1.0 from June 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017. The maximum leverage ratio shall be reduced by 0.50 to 1.0 for every $10.0 million of net cash proceeds, in the aggregate, received after the Seventh Amendment date from (i) the issuance of any equity by us and/or (ii) the disposition of any assets in excess of $2.0 million in the aggregate, provided, however, that in no event will the maximum leverage ratio be reduced below 3.0 to 1.0.

The Seventh Amendment alters the minimum consolidated EBITDA figure, as calculated on a rolling twelve months basis, to $12.5 million from December 31, 2016 through May 31, 2017 and $15.0 million from June 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017. The Seventh Amendment alters the maximum capital expenditures allowed, as calculated on a rolling twelve months basis, to $20.0 million through the expiration of the credit facility. A condition precedent to the effectiveness of the Seventh Amendment was the receipt of the $13.0 million of cash proceeds received by us from the issuanceholders of the Series A preferred units pursuant to the Preferred Unit Agreement, which we used to repay outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility. Per the Seventh Amendment, the receipt of $13.0 million cash proceeds fulfills the required Royal equity contributions as outlined in the previous amendments to our credit agreement.

On March 23, 2017, we entered into an eighth amendment (the “Eighth Amendment”) of our amended and restated credit agreement that allows the annual auditor’s report for the years endingyear ended December 31, 20162019 and 2015 to contain a qualification with respect to the short-term classification of our credit facility balance without creating a default under our credit agreement.

On June 9, 2017, we entered into a ninth amendment (the “Ninth Amendment”) of our amended and restated credit agreement that permitted outstanding letters of credit to be replaced with different counterparties without affecting the revolving credit commitments under the credit agreement. The Ninth Amendment also permits certain lease and sale leaseback transactions under the credit agreement that do not affect the revolving credit commitments under the credit agreement for asset dispositions and also do not factor in the calculation of the maximum capital expenditures allowed under the credit agreement.

As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we were in compliance with respect to all covenants contained in our credit agreement.

Reverse Unit Split

On April 18, 2016, we completed a 1-for-10 reverse split on our common units and subordinated units. Pursuant to the reverse split, common unitholders received one common unit for every 10 common units owned on April 18, 2016 and subordinated unitholders received one subordinated unit for every 10 subordinated units owned on April 18, 2016. All common and subordinated unit, net income (loss) per unit and distribution per unit references included herein have been adjusted as if the change took place before the date of the earliest transaction reported. Any fractional units resulting from the reverse unit split were rounded to the nearest whole unit.

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Distribution Suspension

Beginning with the quarter ended June 30, 2015 and continuing through the quarter ended September 30, 2017, we have suspended the cash distribution on our common units. For each of the quarters ended September 30, 2014, December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015, we announced cash distributions per common unit at levels lower than the minimum quarterly distribution. We have not paid any distribution on our subordinated units for any quarter after the quarter ended March 31, 2012. The distribution suspension and prior reductions were the result of prolonged weakness in the coal markets, which has continued to adversely affect our cash flow.

Pursuant to our partnership agreement, our common units accrue arrearages every quarter when the distribution level is below the minimum level of $4.45 per unit. Since our distributions for the quarters ended September 30, 2014, December 31, 2014 and March 31, 2015 were below the minimum level and we altogether suspended the distribution beginning with the quarter ended June 30, 2015, we have accumulated arrearages at September 30, 2017 related to the common unit distribution of approximately $380.5 million.

Factors That Impact Our Business

Our results of operations in the near term could be impacted by a number of factors, including (1) our ability to fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures, (2) the availability of transportation for coal shipments, (3) poor mining conditions resulting from geological conditions or the effects of prior mining, (4) equipment problems at mining locations, (5) adverse weather conditions and natural disasters or (6) the availability and costs of key supplies and commodities such as steel, diesel fuel and explosives.

On a long-term basis, our results of operations could be impacted by, among other factors, (1) our ability to fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures, (2) changes in governmental regulation, (3) the availability and prices of competing electricity-generation fuels, (4) the world-wide demand for steel, which utilizes metallurgical coal and can affect the demand and prices of metallurgical coal that we produce, (5) our ability to secure or acquire high-quality coal reserves and (6) our ability to find buyers for coal under favorable supply contracts.

We have historically sold a majority of our coal through long-term supply contracts and anticipate that we will continue to do so. As of September 30, 2017, we had commitments under supply contracts to deliver annually scheduled base quantities of coal as follows:

Year Tons (in thousands)  Number of customers 
2017-Q4  1,329   14 
2018  1,825   6 
2019  700   2 

Some of the contracts have sales price adjustment provisions, subject to certain limitations and adjustments, based on a variety of factors and indices.

Results of Operations

Segment Information

As of September 30, 2017, we have four reportable business segments: Central Appalachia, Northern Appalachia, Rhino Western and Illinois Basin. Additionally, we have an Other category that includes our ancillary businesses and our remaining oil and natural gas activities. Our Central Appalachia segment consists of two mining complexes: Tug River and Rob Fork, which, as of September 30, 2017, together included one underground mine, three surface mines and three preparation plants and loadout facilities in eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. Our Northern Appalachia segment consists of the Hopedale mining complex, the Sands Hill mining complex, and the Leesville field. The Hopedale mining complex, located in northern Ohio, included one underground mine and one preparation plant and loadout facility as of September 30, 2017. Our Sands Hill mining complex, located in southern Ohio, included one surface mine, a preparation plant and a river terminal as of September 30, 2017. Our Rhino Western segment includes one underground mine in the Western Bituminous region at our Castle Valley mining complex in Utah. Our Illinois Basin segment includes one underground mine, preparation plant and river loadout facility at our Pennyrile mining complex located in western Kentucky, as well as our Taylorville field reserves located in central Illinois. Our Other category is comprised of our ancillary businesses and our remaining oil and natural gas activities.

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Evaluating Our Results of Operations

Our management uses a variety of financial measurements to analyze our performance, including (1) Adjusted EBITDA, (2) coal revenues per ton and (3) cost of operations per ton.

Adjusted EBITDA. The discussion of our results of operations below includes references to, and analysis of, our segments’ Adjusted EBITDA results. Adjusted EBITDA, a Non-GAAP financial measure, represents net income before deducting interest expense, income taxes and depreciation, depletion and amortization, while also excluding certain non-cash and/or non-recurring items. Adjusted EBITDA is used by management primarily as a measure of our segments’ operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income, income from operations, cash flows from operating activities or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Because not all companies calculate Adjusted EBITDA identically, our calculation may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies. Please read “—Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA” for reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to net income by segment for each of the periods indicated.

Coal Revenues Per Ton. Coal revenues per ton represents coal revenues divided by tons of coal sold. Coal revenues per ton is a key indicator of our effectiveness in obtaining favorable prices for our product.

Cost of Operations Per Ton. Cost of operations per ton sold represents the cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization) divided by tons of coal sold. Management uses this measurement as a key indicator of the efficiency of operations.

Summary

The following table sets forth certain information regarding our revenues, operating expenses, other income and expenses, and operational data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Three months ended
September 30,
  Nine months ended
September 30,
 
  2017  2016  2017  2016 
  (in millions) 
Statement of Operations Data:                
Total revenues $58.3  $43.4  $168.4  $124.4 
Costs and expenses:                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below)  46.5   35.2   138.1   98.1 
Freight and handling costs  1.5   0.4   2.5   1.5 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  5.2   6.5   16.5   18.3 
Selling, general and administrative (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately above)  2.6   4.3   8.5   12.3 
(Gain)on sale/disposal of assets-net  (0.1)  (0.1)  (0.1)  (0.4)
Income/(loss) from operations  2.6   (2.9)  2.9   (5.4)
Interest and other (expense)/income:                
Interest expense  (1.0)  (2.0)  (3.1)  (5.2)
Gain on extinguishment of debt  -   1.7   -   1.7 
Interest income  0.1   -   0.1   - 
Equity in net (loss)of unconsolidated affiliates  -   -   -   (0.1)
Total interest and other (expense)  (0.9)  (0.3)  (3.0)  (3.6)
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations  1.7   (3.2)  (0.1)  (9.0)
Net (loss) from discontinued operations  -   (0.6)  -   (117.9)
Net income/(loss) $1.7  $(3.8) $(0.1) $(126.9)
                 
Other Financial Data                
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations $7.9  $5.5  $19.6  $14.9 
Adjusted EBITDA from discontinued operations  -   0.1   -   1.8 
Total Adjusted EBITDA $7.9  $5.6  $19.6  $16.7 

Three Months Ended September 30, 2017 Compared to Three Months Ended September 30, 2016

Summary.For the three months ended September 30, 2017, our total revenues increased to $58.3 million from $43.4$0.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016, which is a 34.4% increase. We sold approximately 1.1 million tons of coal for the three months ended September 30, 2017, which is a 28.8% increase compared to the tons of coal sold for the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in revenue and tons sold was primarily the result of increased production in Central Appalachia due to recent increases in coal prices and demand for met and steam coal produced in this region. We anticipate the recent increase in price and demand will continue to benefit our financial results for the remainder of 2017.

Net income from continuing operations was $1.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to net loss from continuing operations of $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Our net income from continuing operations improved during the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to 2016 primarily due to increased coal revenues from improved demand for met and steam coal in our Central Appalachia segment discussed above. For the three months ended September 30, 2016, our total net loss from continuing operations was impacted by an impairment charge of $2.0 million related to the note receivable from the sale of our Deane mining complex.

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased to $7.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from $5.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased period to period due to an increase in net income during the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to a net loss generated for the three months ended September 30, 2016.

Including the net loss from discontinued operations of $0.6 million, our total net loss and Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2016 were $3.8 million and $5.6 million, respectively. We did not incur a gain or loss from discontinued operations for the three months ended September 30, 2017.

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Tons Sold. The following table presents tons of coal sold by reportable segment for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Three months  Three months  Increase/    
  ended  ended  (Decrease)    
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  Tons  % * 
  (in thousands, except %) 
Central Appalachia  381.6   179.7   201.9   112.4%
Northern Appalachia  114.5   149.1   (34.6)  (23.3%)
Rhino Western  241.9   185.1   56.8   30.7%
Illinois Basin  315.8   304.5   11.3   3.7%
Total *  1,053.8   818.4   235.4   28.8%

*Calculated percentages and the rounded totals presented are based upon on actual whole ton amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

We sold approximately 1.1 million tons of coal for the three months ended September 30, 2017, which was a 28.8% increase compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in tons sold period over period was primarily due to higher sales from our Central Appalachia segment due to the increased demand for met and steam coal from this region. Tons of coal sold in our Central Appalachia segment increased by approximately 112.4% to approximately 0.4 million tons for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016, primarily due to an increase in demand for met and steam coal tons from this region. For our Northern Appalachia segment, tons of coal sold decreased by approximately 23.3% for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016, as we experienced a decrease in tons sold from our Sands Hill and Hopedale operations due to weak demand for coal from this region. Coal sales from our Rhino Western segment increased by approximately 30.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same period in 2016 due to increased customer demand. For our Illinois Basin segment, tons of coal sold increased by approximately 3.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016 as we increased production and sales period over period from our Pennyrile mine in western Kentucky to meet our contracted sales commitments.

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Revenues.The following table presents revenues and coal revenues per ton by reportable segment for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Three months  Three months       
  Ended  ended  Increase/(Decrease) 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  $  %* 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
Central Appalachia                
Coal revenues $27.9  $10.4  $17.5   167.8%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Total revenues $27.9  $10.4  $17.5   167.8%
Coal revenues per ton* $73.02  $57.91  $15.11   26.1%
Northern Appalachia                
Coal revenues $4.6  $8.8  $(4.2)  (48.0%)
Freight and handling revenues  0.2   0.4   (0.2)  (48.1%)
Other revenues  1.6   1.8   (0.2)  (9.3%)
Total revenues $6.4  $11.0  $(4.6)  (41.7%)
Coal revenues per ton* $39.81  $58.75  $(18.94)  (32.2%)
Rhino Western                
Coal revenues $9.1  $7.2  $1.9   25.8%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Total revenues $9.1  $7.2  $1.9   25.8%
Coal revenues per ton* $37.53  $39.00  $(1.47)  (3.8%)
Illinois Basin                
Coal revenues $14.9  $14.6  $0.3   2.4%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Total revenues $14.9  $14.6  $0.3   2.4%
Coal revenues per ton* $47.37  $47.97  $(0.60)  (1.2%)
Other**                
Coal revenues  n/a    n/a    n/a   n/a 
Freight and handling revenues  n/a    n/a    n/a   n/a 
Other revenues  -   0.2   (0.2)  (94.7%)
Total revenues $-  $0.2  $(0.2)  (94.7%)
Coal revenues per ton*  n/a    n/a    n/a   n/a 
Total                
Coal revenues $56.5  $41.0  $15.5   37.7%
Freight and handling revenues  0.2   0.4   (0.2)  (48.1%)
Other revenues  1.6   2.0   (0.4)  (16.6%)
Total revenues $58.3  $43.4  $14.9   34.4%
Coal revenues per ton* $53.58  $50.09  $3.49   7.0%

*Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.
**The Other category includes results for our ancillary businesses. The activities performed by these ancillary businesses also do not directly relate to coal production. As a result, coal revenues and coal revenues per ton are not presented for the Other category.

Our coal revenues for the three months ended September 30, 2017 increased by approximately $15.5 million, or 37.7%, to approximately $56.5 million from approximately $41.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in coal revenues was primarily due to an increase in met and steam coal tons sold in Central Appalachia as we saw increased demand for met and steam coal from this region during the period. Coal revenues per ton was $53.58 for the three months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $3.49, or 7.0%, from $50.09 per ton for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This increase in coal revenues per ton was primarily the result of a higher mix of higher priced met coal tons sold in Central Appalachia compared to the prior period.

For our Central Appalachia segment, coal revenues increased by approximately $17.5 million, or 167.8%, to approximately $27.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from approximately $10.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This increase was primarily due to the increase in coal prices and demand for met and steam coal tons sold from this region. Coal revenues per ton for our Central Appalachia segment increased by $15.11, or 26.1%, to $73.02 per ton for the three months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $57.91 for the three months ended September 30, 2016, which was primarily due to a higher mix of higher priced met coal tons sold in Central Appalachia compared to the prior period.

For our Northern Appalachia segment, coal revenues were approximately $4.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017, a decrease of approximately $4.2 million, or 48.0%, from approximately $8.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in tons sold from our Sands Hill and Hopedale operations in Northern Appalachia due to weak demand for coal from the Northern Appalachia region during the three months ended September 30, 2017. Coal revenues per ton decreased by $18.94 or 32.2% per ton for the three months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $58.75 for the three months ended September 30, 2016, which was primarily due to lower prices for tons sold from our Hopedale complex compared to the prior year due to weak demand for coal from this region.

For our Rhino Western segment, coal revenues increased by approximately $1.9 million, or 25.8%, to approximately $9.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from approximately $7.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016 primarily due to an increase in tons sold from the Castle Valley mine due to increased customer demand. Coal revenues per ton for our Rhino Western segment decreased by $1.47 or 3.8% to $37.53 per ton for the three months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $39.00 per ton for the three months ended September 30, 2016 due to lower contracted sales prices.

For our Illinois Basin segment, coal revenues of approximately $14.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 increased by approximately $0.3 million, or 2.4%, compared to $14.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase was due to increased sales from our Pennyrile mine in western Kentucky to fulfill our customer contracts. Coal revenues per ton for our Illinois Basin segment were $47.37 for the three months ended September 30, 2017, a decrease of $0.60, or 1.2%, from $47.97 for the three months ended September 30, 2016. The decrease in coal revenues per ton was due to lower contracted prices for tons sold.

Other revenues for our Other category were relatively flat for the three months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016.March 31, 2020.

 

Central Appalachia Overview of Results by Product.Additional information for the Central Appalachia segment detailing the types of coal produced and sold, premium high-vol met coal and steam coal, is presented below. Note that our Northern Appalachia, Rhino Western and Illinois Basin segments currently produce and sell only steam coal.

(In thousands, except per ton data and %) Three months ended September 30, 2017  Three months ended September 30, 2016  Increase
(Decrease) %*
 
Met coal tons sold  196.8   88.4   122.5%
Steam coal tons sold  184.8   91.3   102.5%
Total tons sold  381.6   179.7   112.4%
             
Met coal revenue $18,285  $5,654   223.4%
Steam coal revenue $9,580  $4,753   101.6%
Total coal revenue $27,865  $10,407   167.8%
             
Met coal revenues per ton $92.93  $63.95   45.3%
Steam coal revenues per ton $51.82  $52.07   (0.5%)
Total coal revenues per ton $73.02  $57.91   26.1%
             
Met coal tons produced  151.9   108.0   40.1%
Steam coal tons produced  253.8   104.0   144.9%
Total tons produced  405.7   212.0   91.6%

* Percentage amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

Costs and Expenses.The following table presents costs and expenses (including the cost of purchased coal) and cost of operations per ton by reportable segment for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Three months  Three months       
  ended  ended  Increase/(Decrease) 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  $  %* 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
Central Appalachia                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $20.9  $8.9  $12.0   135.8%
Freight and handling costs  1.2   -   1.2   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  1.9   1.6   0.3   15.1%
Selling, general and administrative  -   -   -   n/a 
Cost of operations per ton* $54.73  $49.29  $5.44   11.0%
                 
Northern Appalachia                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $6.6  $7.8  $(1.2)  (14.7%)
Freight and handling costs  0.3   0.4   (0.1)  (27.0%)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  0.4   0.8   (0.4)  (51.3%)
Selling, general and administrative  -   -   -   n/a 
Cost of operations per ton* $57.95  $52.13  $5.82   11.2%
                 
Rhino Western                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $6.6  $5.3  $1.3   24.6%
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  1.1   1.3   (0.2)  (16.4%)
Selling, general and administrative  -   -   -   n/a 
Cost of operations per ton* $27.48  $28.82  $(1.34)  (4.7%)
                 
Illinois Basin                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $13.1  $13.4  $(0.3)  (2.4%)
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  1.8   2.6   (0.8)  (33.5%)
Selling, general and administrative  -   0.1   (0.1)  (6.5%)
Cost of operations per ton* $41.40  $43.99  $(2.59)  (5.9%)
                 
Other                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $(0.7) $(0.2) $(0.5)  603.8%
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  -   0.2   (0.2)  (39.4%)
Selling, general and administrative  2.6   4.2   (1.6)  (39.9%)
Cost of operations per ton**  n/a   n/a   n/a   n/a 
                 
Total                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $46.5  $35.2  $11.3   31.8%
Freight and handling costs  1.5   0.4   1.1   294.4%
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  5.2   6.5   (1.3)  (20.1%)
Selling, general and administrative  2.6   4.3   (1.7)  (38.0%)
Cost of operations per ton* $44.08  $43.07  $1.01   2.4%

* Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

** Cost of operations presented for our Other category includes costs incurred by our ancillary businesses and our oil and natural gas investments. The activities performed by these ancillary businesses do not directly relate to coal production. As a result, per ton measurements are not presented for this category.

Cost of Operations.Total cost of operations increased by $11.3 million or 31.8% to $46.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $35.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Our cost of operations per ton was $44.08 for the three months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $1.01, or 2.4%, from the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in cost of operations was primarily due to the $12.0 million increase in cost of production at our Central Appalachia operations as demand for met and steam coal increased in this region. Cost of operations per ton increased due to higher maintenance costs and costs for outside services.

Our cost of operations for the Central Appalachia segment increased by $12.0 million, or 135.8%, to $20.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from $8.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Our cost of operations per ton of $54.73 for the three months ended September 30, 2017 was an increase of 11.0% compared to $49.29 per ton for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Total cost of operations increased period over period as we increased production in this region during the three months ended September 30, 2017 due to increased demand for met and steam coal.

In our Northern Appalachia segment, our cost of operations decreased by $1.2 million, or 14.7%, to $6.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from $7.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Our cost of operations per ton was $57.95 for the three months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $5.82, or 11.2%, compared to $52.13 for the three months ended September 30, 2016. The decrease in total cost of operations in Northern Appalachia was due to a decrease in sales in this region in response to weak market demand. The increase in the cost of operations on a per ton basis was primarily due to fixed operating costs being allocated to fewer tons of coal sold during the current period.

Our cost of operations for the Rhino Western segment increased by $1.3 million, or 24.6%, to $6.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 from $5.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Total cost of operations increased for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same period in 2016 due to increased tons produced and sold from our Castle Valley operation. Our cost of operations per ton was $27.48 for the three months ended September 30, 2017, a decrease of $1.34, or 4.7%, compared to $28.82 for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Cost of operations per ton decreased for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same period in 2016 due to an increase in tons sold from our Castle Valley mine in the current period.

Cost of operations in our Illinois Basin segment was $13.1 million while cost of operations per ton was $41.40 for the three months ended September 30, 2017, both of which related to our Pennyrile mining complex in western Kentucky. For the three months ended September 30, 2016, cost of operations in our Illinois Basin segment was $13.4 million and cost of operations per ton was $43.99. The decrease in cost of operations per ton was primarily the result of an increase in tons sold during the current period.

Freight and Handling.Total freight and handling cost increased to $1.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $0.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in freight and handling costs was primarily the result of rail transportation costs in our Central Appalachia operations as we executed more export coal sales in the current period that require us to pay for railroad transportation to the port of export.

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Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization. Total DD&A expense for the three months ended September 30, 2017 was $5.2 million as compared to $6.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016.

For the three months ended September 30, 2017, our depreciation cost decreased to $4.0 million compared to $5.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease is primarily the result of assets becoming fully depreciated.

For the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, our depletion cost remained flat at $0.4 million.

For the three months ended September 30, 2017, our amortization cost was $0.8 million compared to $0.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase period over period was due to an increase in amortization of mine development cost, which was the result of increased mining operations in Central Appalachia compared to the prior period.

Selling, General and Administrative. SG&A expense for the three months ended September 30, 2017 decreased to $2.6 million as compared to $4.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily attributable to the $2.0 million impairment charge related to the note receivable from the sale of our Deane mining complex during the three months ended September 30, 2016.

Interest Expense.Interest expense for the three months ended September 30, 2017 decreased to $1.0 million as compared to $2.0 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily due to lower outstanding balances on our senior secured credit facility and reduced debt issuance costs during the three months ended September 30, 2017.

Net Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations. The following table presents net income (loss) from continuing operations by reportable segment for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Three months ended  Three months ended  Increase 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  (Decrease) 
  (in millions) 
Central Appalachia $3.8  $(0.2) $4.0 
Northern Appalachia  (0.9)  3.6   (4.5)
Rhino Western  1.4   0.6   0.8 
Illinois Basin  0.1   (1.6)  1.7 
Other  (2.7)  (5.6)  2.9 
Total $1.7  $(3.2) $4.9 

For the three months ended September 30, 2017, net income from continuing operations was approximately $1.7 million compared to net loss from continuing operations of approximately $3.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. For the three months ended September 30, 2017, our net income from continuing operations was positively impacted by increased production and sales from our Central Appalachia operations compared to the prior period. For the three months ended September 30, 2016, our net loss from continuing operations was impacted by an impairment charge of $2.0 million related to the note receivable from our Deane mining complex sale and positively impacted by a gain of $1.7 million for extinguishment of debt, which resulted when we settled a $2.8 million note payable to a third party for $1.1 million

For our Central Appalachia segment, net income from continuing operations was approximately $3.8 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $4.0 million in net income from continuing operations as compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in net income from continuing operations was primarily due to increased sales from the Central Appalachia mining operations in the third quarter of 2017 due to increased demand for both met and steam coal from this region.

Net loss from continuing operations in our Northern Appalachia segment was $0.9 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 compared to net income from continuing operations of $3.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Net income for the three months ended September 30, 2016 was positively impacted by a gain of $1.7 million for extinguishment of debt, which resulted when we settled a $2.8 million note payable to a third party for $1.1 million.

Net income from continuing operations in our Rhino Western segment was $1.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017, compared to $0.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. This increase in net income from continuing operations was primarily the result of more tons sold at our Castle Valley operation due to increased customer demand.

For our Illinois Basin segment, we generated net income from continuing operations of $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017, which was an improvement of $1.7 million compared to the three months ended September 30, 2016. This increase in net income was primarily the result of decreased costs as we continue to optimize production at our Pennyrile mining complex.

For the Other category, we had a net loss from continuing operations of $2.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to net loss from continuing operations of $5.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. For the three months ended September 30, 2016, our net loss from continuing operations was impacted by an impairment charge of $2.0 million related to the note receivable from the sale of our Deane mining complex.

Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations. The following table presents Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations by reportable segment for the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Three months ended  Three months ended  Increase 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  (Decrease) 
  (in millions) 
Central Appalachia $5.7  $1.6  $4.1 
Northern Appalachia  (0.5)  2.7   (3.2)
Rhino Western  2.5   2.0   0.5 
Illinois Basin  1.9   1.1   0.8 
Other  (1.7)  (1.9)  0.2 
Total $7.9  $5.5  $2.4 

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations for the three months ended September 30, 2017 increased by $2.4 million to $7.9 million from $5.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2016. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased period over period primarily due to the increase in net income at our Central Appalachia segment, which was the result of an increase in met and steam coal tons sold due to increased demand in coal produced from this region. Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended September 30, 2016 was $5.6 million once the results from discontinued operations were included. We did not incur a gain or loss from discontinued operations for the three months ended September 30, 2017. Please read “—Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA” for reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations to net income/(loss) from continuing operations on a segment basis.

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017 Compared to Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016

Summary.For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, our total revenues increased to $168.4 million from $124.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, which is a 35.4% increase. We sold approximately 3.1 million tons of coal for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, which is a 27.8% increase compared to the tons of coal sold for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in revenue and tons sold was primarily the result of increased sales in Central Appalachia due to increases in coal prices and demand for met and steam coal produced in this region.

We generated net loss from continuing operations of approximately $0.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to a net loss from continuing operations of approximately $9.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Our net loss from continuing operations improved during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to 2016 primarily due to higher coal revenues from the increased demand for met and steam coal in our Central Appalachia segment.

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased to $19.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $14.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased primarily due to the decrease in net loss during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016 resulting from the increase in production and sales at our Central Appalachia operation. Adjusted EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was positively impacted by the $3.9 million prior service cost benefit resulting from the cancellation of the postretirement benefit plan at our Hopedale operation.

Including the net loss from discontinued operations of approximately $117.9 million, our total net loss for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $126.9 million. Adjusted EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $16.7 million once the impact of discontinued operations was included. We did not incur a gain or loss from discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Tons Sold. The following table presents tons of coal sold by reportable segment for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Nine months  Nine months  Increase/    
  Ended  ended  (Decrease)    
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  Tons  % * 
  (in thousands, except %) 
Central Appalachia  1,090.7   367.9   722.8   196.4%
Northern Appalachia  308.4   432.8   (124.4)  (28.8%)
Rhino Western  661.7   652.1   9.6   1.5%
Illinois Basin  1,013.6   953.7   59.9   6.3%
Total *  3,074.4   2,406.5   667.9   27.8%

* Calculated percentages and the rounded totals presented are based upon on actual whole ton amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

We sold approximately 3.1 million tons of coal for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, which was a 27.8% increase compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in tons sold year-to-year was primarily due to higher sales from our Central Appalachia segment due to an increase in demand for met and steam coal from this region.

Tons of coal sold in our Central Appalachia segment increased by approximately 196.4% to approximately 1.1 million tons for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016, due to an increase in met and steam coal tons sold in the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to 2016 resulting from increased market demand for coal from this region.

For our Northern Appalachia segment, tons of coal sold decreased by approximately 28.8% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016 as we experienced a decrease in tons sold from our Northern Appalachia segment due to weak demand for coal in this region.

Tons of coal sold from our Rhino Western segment remained relatively flat at 0.7 million tons for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.

For our Illinois Basin segment, tons of coal sold increased by approximately 6.3% for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016 as we increased production and sales year-to-year from our Pennyrile mine in western Kentucky to meet our contracted sales commitments.

Revenues.The following table presents revenues and coal revenues per ton by reportable segment for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Nine months  Nine months       
  ended  ended  Increase/(Decrease) 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  $  %* 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
Central Appalachia                
Coal revenues $76.8  $21.6  $55.2   255.9%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  0.1   0.1   -   9.7%
Total revenues $76.9  $21.7  $55.2   254.7%
Coal revenues per ton* $70.38  $58.62  $11.76   20.1%
Northern Appalachia                
Coal revenues $11.7  $24.6  $(12.9)  (52.6%)
Freight and handling revenues  0.5   1.6   (1.1)  (67.1%)
Other revenues  4.8   5.5   (0.7)  (11.7%)
Total revenues $17.0  $31.7  $(14.7)  (46.3%)
Coal revenues per ton* $37.86  $56.91  $(19.05)  (33.5%)
Rhino Western                
Coal revenues $25.1  $25.1  $-   0.0%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Total revenues $25.1  $25.1  $-   0.0%
Coal revenues per ton* $37.99  $38.55  $(0.56)  (1.4%)
Illinois Basin                
Coal revenues $49.4  $45.5  $3.9   8.7%
Freight and handling revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Other revenues  -   -   -   n/a 
Total revenues $49.4  $45.5  $3.9   8.6%
Coal revenues per ton* $48.71  $47.65  $1.06   2.2%
Other**                
Coal revenues   n/a    n/a    n/a   n/a 
Freight and handling revenues   n/a    n/a    n/a   n/a 
Other revenues  -   0.4   (0.4)  (94.6%)
Total revenues $-  $0.4  $(0.4)  (94.6%)
Coal revenues per ton*   n/a    n/a    n/a   n/a 
Total                
Coal revenues $163.0  $116.8  $46.2   39.5%
Freight and handling revenues  0.5   1.6   (1.1)  (67.1%)
Other revenues  4.9   6.0   (1.1)  (16.9%)
Total revenues $168.4  $124.4  $44.0   35.4%
Coal revenues per ton* $53.00  $48.52  $4.48   9.2%

*Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.
**The Other category includes results for our ancillary businesses. The activities performed by these ancillary businesses also do not directly relate to coal production. As a result, coal revenues and coal revenues per ton are not presented for the Other category.

Our coal revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 increased by approximately $46.2 million, or 39.5%, to approximately $163.0 million from approximately $116.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in coal revenues was primarily due to an increase in met and steam coal tons sold in Central Appalachia as we saw increased demand for coal from this region during the nine months ended September 30, 2017. Coal revenues per ton was $53.00 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $4.48, or 9.2%, from $48.52 per ton for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This increase in coal revenues per ton was primarily due to a higher mix of higher priced met coal tons sold in Central Appalachia compared to the prior period.

For our Central Appalachia segment, coal revenues increased by approximately $55.2 million, or 255.9%, to approximately $76.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from approximately $21.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This increase was primarily due to the increase in coal prices and demand for met and steam coal tons sold from this region. Coal revenues per ton for our Central Appalachia segment increased by $11.76, or 20.1%, to $70.38 per ton for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $58.62 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, which was primarily due to a higher mix of higher priced met coal tons sold in Central Appalachia compared to the prior period.

For our Northern Appalachia segment, coal revenues were approximately $11.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, a decrease of approximately $12.9 million, or 52.6%, from approximately $24.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily due to a decrease in tons sold from our Northern Appalachia segment due to weak market demand in the region. Coal revenues per ton for our Northern Appalachia segment decreased by $19.05, or 33.5%, to $37.86 per ton for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $56.91 per ton for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily due to the larger mix of lower priced tons being sold from our Sands Hill complex compared to higher priced tons sold from our Hopedale complex.

For our Rhino Western segment, coal revenues remained flat at $25.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same period in 2016. Coal revenues per ton for our Rhino Western segment remained relatively flat at $37.99 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, compared to $38.55 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

For our Illinois Basin segment, coal revenues of approximately $49.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 increased by approximately $4.0 million, or 8.7%, compared to $45.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase was due to increased sales from our Pennyrile mine in western Kentucky to fulfill our customer contracts. Coal revenues per ton for our Illinois Basin segment were $48.71 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $1.06, or 2.2%, from $47.65 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in coal revenues per ton was due to higher contracted prices for tons sold.

Other revenues for our Other category decreased by $0.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to the same period in 2016 due to lower activities in our ancillary businesses during the current period.

Central Appalachia Overview of Results by Product.Additional information for the Central Appalachia segment detailing the types of coal produced and sold, premium high-vol met coal and steam coal, is presented below. Note that our Northern Appalachia, Rhino Western and Illinois Basin segments currently produce and sell only steam coal.

(In thousands, except per ton data and %) Nine months ended September 30, 2017  Nine months ended September 30, 2016  Increase (Decrease) %* 
Met coal tons sold  575.2   135.4   324.8%
Steam coal tons sold  515.5   232.5   121.7%
Total tons sold  1,090.7   367.9   196.4%
             
Met coal revenue $50,131  $9,553   424.8%
Steam coal revenue $26,634  $12,016   121.7%
Total coal revenue $76,765  $21,569   255.9%
             
Met coal revenues per ton $87.16  $70.55   23.5%
Steam coal revenues per ton $51.66  $51.67   (0.2%)
Total coal revenues per ton $70.38  $58.62   20.0%
             
Met coal tons produced  504.6   165.8   204.4%
Steam coal tons produced  631.8   242.3   160.7%
Total tons produced  1,136.4   408.1   178.5%

* Percentage amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

44

Costs and Expenses. The following table presents costs and expenses (including the cost of purchased coal) and cost of operations per ton by reportable segment for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Nine months  Nine months       
  ended  ended  Increase/(Decrease) 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  $  %* 
  (in millions, except per ton data and %) 
Central Appalachia                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $59.7  $21.8  $37.9   174.0%
Freight and handling costs  1.8   -   1.8   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  5.8   4.9   0.9   17.4%
Selling, general and administrative  0.2   0.1   0.1   n/a 
Cost of operations per ton* $54.76  $59.23  $(4.47)  (7.6%)
                 
Northern Appalachia                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $18.2  $18.5  $(0.3)  (1.3%)
Freight and handling costs  0.7   1.5   (0.8)  (52.9%)
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  1.3   2.6   (1.3)  (49.1%)
Selling, general and administrative  0.1   0.1   -   (20.0%)
Cost of operations per ton* $59.09  $42.67  $16.42   38.5%
                 
Rhino Western                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $20.1  $19.9  $0.2   0.9%
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  3.4   4.1   (0.7)  (17.3%)
Selling, general and administrative  0.1   -   0.1   88.8%
Cost of operations per ton* $30.30  $30.47  $(0.17)  (0.6%)
                 
Illinois Basin                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $41.8  $39.9  $1.9   4.9%
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  5.7   6.3   (0.6)  (9.7%)
Selling, general and administrative  0.1   0.1   -   (3.9%)
Cost of operations per ton* $41.26  $41.81  $(0.55)  (1.3%)
                 
Other                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $(1.7) $(2.0) $0.3   (8.2%)
Freight and handling costs  -   -   -   n/a 
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  0.3   0.4   (0.1)  (32.8%)
Selling, general and administrative  8.0   12.0   (4.0)  (32.8%)
Cost of operations per ton**  n/a   n/a   n/a   n/a 
                 
Total                
Cost of operations (exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortization shown separately below) $138.1  $98.1  $40.0   40.7%
Freight and handling costs  2.5   1.5   1.0   73.3%
Depreciation, depletion and amortization  16.5   18.3   (1.8)  (10.1%)
Selling, general and administrative  8.5   12.3   (3.8)  (31.0%)
Cost of operations per ton* $44.91  $40.77  $4.14   10.2%

* Percentages and per ton amounts are calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

** Cost of operations presented for our Other category includes costs incurred by our ancillary businesses and our oil and natural gas investments. The activities performed by these ancillary businesses do not directly relate to coal production. As a result, per ton measurements are not presented for this category.

45

Cost of Operations. Total cost of operations was $138.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $98.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Our cost of operations per ton was $44.91 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $4.14, or 10.2%, from the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Total cost of operations and cost of operations per ton increased primarily due to higher costs in Central Appalachia due to an increase in coal production and sales resulting from increased market demand in this region during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Our cost of operations for the Central Appalachia segment increased by $37.9 million, or 174.0%, to $59.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $21.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Total cost of operations increased year-to-year as we increased production in our Central Appalachia segment in response to increased demand for met and steam coal from this region. Our cost of operations per ton of $54.76 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was a decrease of 7.6% compared to $59.23 per ton for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. We increased sales during the current period due to increased met and steam coal demand that resulted in lower cost of operations per ton compared to the prior period.

In our Northern Appalachia segment, our cost of operations decreased by $0.3 million, or 1.3%, to $18.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $18.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Our cost of operations per ton was $59.09 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, an increase of $16.42, or 38.5%, compared to $42.67 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The cost of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 decreased by a prior service cost benefit of $3.9 million resulting from the cancellation of the postretirement benefit plan at our Hopedale operation during the 2016 period. The increase in the cost of operations per ton was primarily due to fixed operating costs being allocated to lower sales tons at our Northern Appalachia segment during the nine months ended September 30, 2017.

Our cost of operations for the Rhino Western segment increased by $0.2 million, or 0.9%, to $20.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $19.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Our cost of operations per ton was $30.30 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, a decrease of $0.17, or 0.6%, compared to $30.47 for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Our cost of operations and cost of operations per ton for our Rhino Western segment were both relatively flat period over period.

Cost of operations in our Illinois Basin segment was $41.8 million while cost of operations per ton was $41.26 for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, both of which related to our Pennyrile mining complex in western Kentucky. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, cost of operations in our Illinois Basin segment was $39.9 million and cost of operations per ton was $41.81. The increase in cost of operations was primarily the result of increased production year-to-year at the Pennyrile complex, while cost of operations per ton remained relatively flat.

Freight and Handling. Total freight and handling cost increased to $2.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to $1.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase in freight and handling costs was primarily the result of rail transportation costs in our Central Appalachia operations as we executed more export coal sales in the current period that require us to pay for railroad transportation to the port of export.

Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization. Total DD&A expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $16.5 million as compared to $18.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, our depreciation cost decreased to $12.8 million compared to $15.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease primarily resulted from lower depreciation costs in our Central Appalachia, Northern Appalachia and Illinois Basin segments in the current period compared to the prior year as assets became fully depreciated in these regions.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, our depletion cost remained relatively flat at $1.2 million compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, our amortization cost increased to $2.5 million compared to $1.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. The increase is a result of increased production in our Central Appalachia segment during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the same period in 2016.

Selling, General and Administrative. SG&A expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 decreased to $8.5 million as compared to $12.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was the result of lower corporate overhead expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the prior period and the impact of a $2.0 million impairment charge related to the note receivable from the sale of our Deane mining complex during the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

Interest Expense. Interest expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 decreased to $3.1 million as compared to $5.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease was primarily due to lower outstanding balances on our senior secured credit facility. See the discussion on our credit agreement in “Liquidity and Capital Resources - Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.”

Net Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations. The following table presents net income (loss) from continuing operations by reportable segment for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Nine months Ended  Nine months Ended  Increase 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  (Decrease) 
  (in millions) 
Central Appalachia $9.4  $(5.5) $14.9 
Northern Appalachia  (3.3)  10.6   (13.9)
Rhino Western  1.6   1.0   0.6 
Illinois Basin  1.7   (1.0)  2.7 
Other  (9.5)  (14.1)  4.6 
Total $(0.1) $(9.0) $8.9 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, net loss from continuing operations was approximately $0.1 million compared to net loss from continuing operations of approximately $9.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, our net loss from continuing operations was positively impacted by increased production and sales from our Central Appalachia operations compared to the prior period. For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, our net loss from continuing operations was impacted by a prior service cost benefit of $3.9 million resulting from the cancellation of the postretirement benefit plan at our Hopedale operation during the 2016 period and the $2.0 million impairment charge incurred during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 for the note receivable discussed earlier.

For our Central Appalachia segment, net income from continuing operations was approximately $9.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, a $14.9 million increase in net income from continuing operations as compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016, which was primarily related to the increase in sales at our Central Appalachia operation.

Net loss from continuing operations in our Northern Appalachia segment was $3.3 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to net income from continuing operations of $10.6 million for the same period in 2016. The decrease in net income from continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was primarily due to decreased coal sales in our Northern Appalachia segment. The net income from continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was positively impacted by the prior service cost benefit of approximately $3.9 million resulting from the cancellation of the postretirement benefit plan at our Hopedale operation as well as the gain of $1.7 million for extinguishment of debt discussed earlier.

Net income from continuing operations in our Rhino Western segment was $1.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, compared to net income from continuing operations of $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This increase in net income from continuing operations was primarily the result of lower depreciation expense at our Castle Valley operation during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to 2016 as assets become fully depreciated.

For our Illinois Basin segment, we generated net income from continuing operations of $1.7 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017, which was an improvement of $2.7 million compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This increase in net income from continuing operations was primarily the result of increased coal sales at our Pennyrile mining complex.

For the Other category, we had a net loss from continuing operations of $9.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to a net loss from continuing operations of $14.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This decrease in results period over period was attributable to lower corporate overhead charges and the $2.0 million impairment charge related to the note receivable from the sale of our Deane mining complex during the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

Adjusted EBITDA from Continuing Operations. The following table presents Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations by reportable segment for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016:

  Nine months Ended  Nine months Ended  Increase 
Segment September 30, 2017  September 30, 2016  (Decrease) 
  (in millions) 
Central Appalachia $15.2  $0.1  $15.1 
Northern Appalachia  (1.9)  11.7   (13.6)
Rhino Western  5.0   5.3   (0.3)
Illinois Basin  7.4   5.5   1.9 
Other  (6.1)  (7.7)  1.6 
Total $19.6  $14.9  $4.7 

Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased to $19.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 from $14.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations increased period over period primarily due to the decrease in net loss during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2016 discussed earlier. Adjusted EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was positively impacted by the $3.9 million prior service cost benefit resulting from the cancellation of the postretirement benefit plan at our Hopedale operation. Adjusted EBITDA for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $16.7 million once the results from discontinued operations were included. We did not incur a gain or loss from discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. Please read “—Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA” for reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations to net income on a segment basis.

Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA

The following tables present reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures for each of the periods indicated:

  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois       
Three months ended September 30, 2017 Appalachia  Appalachia  Western  Basin  Other  Total 
  (in millions) 
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations $3.8  $(0.9) $1.4  $0.1  $(2.7) $1.7 
Plus:                        
DD&A  1.9   0.4   1.1   1.8   -   5.2 
Interest expense  -   -   -   -   1.0   1.0 
EBITDA from continuing operations† $5.7  $(0.5) $2.5  $1.9  $(1.7) $7.9 
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations†  5.7   (0.5)  2.5   1.9   (1.7)  7.9 
EBITDA from discontinued operations  -   -   -   -   -   - 
Adjusted EBITDA † $5.7  $(0.5) $2.5  $1.9  $(1.7) $7.9 
  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois       
Three months ended September 30, 2016 Appalachia  Appalachia  Western  Basin  Other*  Total* 
  (in millions) 
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(0.2) $3.6  $0.6  $(1.6) $(5.6) $(3.2)
Plus:                        
DD&A  1.6   0.8   1.3   2.6   0.2   6.5 
Interest expense  0.2   -   0.1   0.1   1.6   2.0 
EBITDA from continuing operations† $1.6  $4.4  $2.0  $1.1  $(3.8) $5.3 
Plus: Non-cash asset impairment (1)  -   -   -   -   2.0   2.0 
Plus: Gain on extinguishment of debt (2)  -   (1.7)  -   -   -   (1.7)
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations†  1.6   2.7   2.0   1.1   (1.9)  5.5 
EBITDA from discontinued operations  0.1   -   -   -   -   0.1 
Adjusted EBITDA $1.7  $2.7  $2.0  $1.1  $(1.9) $5.6 

  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois       
Nine months ended September 30, 2017 Appalachia  Appalachia*  Western  Basin  Other  Total* 
  (in millions) 
Net income/(loss) from continuing operations $9.4  $(3.3) $1.6  $1.7  $(9.5) $(0.1)
Plus:                        
DD&A  5.8   1.3   3.4   5.7   0.3   16.5 
Interest expense  -   -   -   -   3.1   3.1 
EBITDA from continuing operations† $15.2  $(1.9) $5.0  $7.4  $(6.1) $19.6 
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations†  15.2   (1.9)  5.0   7.4   (6.1)  19.6 
EBITDA from discontinued operations  -   -   -   -   -   - 
Adjusted EBITDA † $15.2  $(1.9) $5.0  $7.4  $(6.1) $19.6 

  Central  Northern  Rhino  Illinois       
Nine months ended September 30, 2016 Appalachia*  Appalachia  Western  Basin  Other  Total* 
  (in millions) 
Net (loss)/income from continuing operations $(5.5) $10.6  $1.0  $(1.0) $(14.1) $(9.0)
Plus:                        
DD&A  4.9   2.6   4.1   6.3   0.4   18.3 
Interest expense  0.6   0.2   0.1   0.2   4.1   5.2 
EBITDA from continuing operations† $0.1  $13.4  $5.2  $5.5  $(9.6) $14.6 
Plus: Non-cash asset impairment (1)  -   -   -   -   2.0   2.0 
Plus: Gain on extinguishment of debt (2)  -   (1.7)  -   -   -   (1.7)
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations†  0.1   11.7   5.2   5.5   (7.6)  14.9 
EBITDA from discontinued operations  1.8   -   -   -   -   1.8 
Adjusted EBITDA † $1.9  $11.7  $5.2  $5.5  $(7.6) $16.7 

*Totals may not foot due to rounding.
EBITDA is calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

(1)During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, we recorded a $2.0 million asset impairment related to a note receivable that was recorded in 2015 related to the sale of the Deane mining complex discussed earlier. We believe that the isolation and presentation of this specific item to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it enhances investors’ understanding of how we assess the performance of our business. We believe the adjustment of this item provides investors with additional information that they can utilize in evaluating our performance. Additionally, we believe the isolation of this item provides investors with enhanced comparability to prior and future periods of our operating results.
(2)For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, we recorded a gain of approximately $1.7 million for the extinguishment of debt. We executed an agreement with the third party that held approximately $2.8 million of other notes payable to settle the debt for $1.1 million of cash consideration, which resulted in an approximate $1.7 million gain from the extinguishment of this debt. We believe that the isolation and presentation of this specific item to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it enhances investors’ understanding of how we assess the performance of our business. We believe the adjustment of this item provides investors with additional information that they can utilize in evaluating our performance. Additionally, we believe the isolation of this item provides investors with enhanced comparability to prior and future periods of our operating results.

  Three months ended September 30,  Nine months ended September 30, 
  2017  2016  2017  2016 
  (in millions) 
Net cash provided by operating activities $5.9  $1.1  $13.2  $5.1 
Plus:                
Increase in net operating assets  2.0   5.1   6.9   6.1 
Gain on sale of assets  0.1   0.1   0.1   0.4 
Amortization of deferred revenue  -   0.6   -   1.3 
Amortization of actuarial gain  -   -   -   4.8 
Interest expense  1.0   2.0   3.1   5.2 
Equity in net income of unconsolidated affiliate  -   -   0.1   - 
Less:                
Amortization of advance royalties  0.3   0.2   0.9   0.7 
Amortization of debt issuance costs  0.4   1.0   1.1   2.0 
Loss on retirement of advanced royalties  -   -   0.1   0.1 
Loss on disposal of business  -   -   -   119.2 
Loss on impairment of asset  -   2.0   -   2.0 
Equity-based compensation  -   0.5   0.3   0.5 
Accretion on asset retirement obligations  0.4   0.4   1.4   1.1 
Gain on extinguishment of debt  -   1.7   -   1.7 
Equity in net loss of unconsolidated affiliates  -   -   -   0.1 
EBITDA† $7.9  $3.1  $19.6  $(104.5)
Plus: Loss on disposal of business (1)  -   0.5   -   119.2 
Plus:  Non-cash asset impairment (2)  -   2.0   -   2.0 
Adjusted EBITDA†  7.9   5.6   19.6   16.7 
Less: EBITDA from discontinued operations  -   0.1   -   1.8 
Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations † $7.9  $5.5  $19.6  $14.9 

† EBITDA is calculated based on actual amounts and not the rounded amounts presented in this table.

(1)For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, we recorded losses of $0.5 million and $119.2 million related to the sale of our Elk Horn coal leasing company that was discussed earlier.  We believe that the isolation and presentation of this specific item to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it enhances investors’ understanding of how we assess the performance of our business. We believe the adjustment of this item provides investors with additional information that they can utilize in evaluating our performance. Additionally, we believe the isolation of this item provides investors with enhanced comparability to prior and future periods of our operating results.
(2)During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, we recorded a $2.0 million asset impairment related to a note receivable that was recorded in 2015 related to the sale of the Deane mining complex discussed earlier. We believe that the isolation and presentation of this specific item to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA is useful because it enhances investors’ understanding of how we assess the performance of our business. We believe the adjustment of this item provides investors with additional information that they can utilize in evaluating our performance. Additionally, we believe the isolation of this item provides investors with enhanced comparability to prior and future periods of our operating results.

50

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Liquidity

Since our credit facility has an expiration date of December 31, 2017, we determined that our credit facility debt liability at September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 of $9.9 million and $10.0 million, respectively, should be classified as a current liability on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position. The classification of our credit facility balance as a current liability raises substantial doubt of our ability to continue as a going concern for the next twelve months.

We are evaluating and negotiating alternative credit facilities. We currently anticipate repaying the debt outstanding under our credit facility with the proceeds from one of these alternative facilities in the fourth quarter of 2017. If it becomes apparent this refinancing will not occur prior to December 31, 2017, we may seek a short-term extension of our existing credit facility. There can be no assurance that we will be able to refinance our credit facility or that the lenders will be willing to grant an extension to provide us with additional time to refinance. If we are unable to secure a replacement facility, we will lose a primary source of liquidity, and we may not be able to generate adequate cash flow from operations to fund our business, including repaying amounts due under our credit facility upon expiration, which could cause us to further curtail our operations and reduce our spending and to alter our business plan. We may also be required to consider other options, such as selling additional assets, and depending on the urgency of our liquidity constraints, we may be required to pursue such an option at an inopportune time. If we are not able to fund our liquidity requirements, we may not be able to continue as a going concern.

Further, even if we are able to refinance our credit facility, the replacement credit facility may include a significantly higher interest rate, significant amortization payments, or liens on a substantial portion of our assets, all of which could adversely impact our future plans and operations.

Since the current maturity date of our credit facility is December 31, 2017, we are unable to demonstrate that we have sufficient liquidity to operate our business over the next twelve months and thus substantial doubt is raised about our ability to continue as a going concern. Accordingly, our independent registered public accounting firm has included an emphasis paragraph with respect to our ability to continue as a going concern in its report on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016. The presence of the going concern emphasis paragraph in our auditors’ report may have an adverse impact on our relationship with third parties with whom we do business, including our customers, vendors, lenders and employees, making it difficult to raise additional debt or equity financing to the extent needed and conduct normal operations. As a result, our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects could be materially adversely affected.

Our business is capital intensive and requires substantial capital expenditures for purchasing, upgrading and maintaining equipment used in developing and mining our reserves, as well as complying with applicable environmental and mine safety laws and regulations. Our principal liquidity requirements are to finance current operations, fund capital expenditures, including acquisitions from time to time, and service our debt. Historically, our sources of liquidity included cash generated by our operations, borrowings under our credit agreement and issuances of equity securities. Our ability to access the capital markets on economic terms in the future will be affected by general economic conditions, the domestic and global financial markets, our operational and financial performance, the value and performance of our equity securities, prevailing commodity prices and other macroeconomic factors outside of our control. Failure to obtain financing or to generate sufficient cash flow from operations could cause us to significantly reduce our spending and to alter our short- or long-term business plan. We may also be required to consider other options, such as selling assets or merger opportunities, and depending on the urgency of our liquidity constraints, we may be required to pursue such an option at an inopportune time.

Our principal indicators of our liquidity are our cash on hand and availability under our amended and restated credit agreement. As of September 30, 2017, our available liquidity was $8.3 million, including cash on hand of $0.1 million and $8.2 million available under our credit facility. On May 13, 2016, we entered into a Fifth Amendment of our amended and restated agreement that initially extended the term of the senior secured credit facility to July 31, 2017. Per the Fifth Amendment, the term of the credit facility automatically extended to December 31, 2017 when the revolving credit commitments were reduced to $55 million or less as of December 31, 2016. The Fifth Amendment also immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments under the credit facility to a maximum of $75 million and maintained the amount available for letters of credit at $30 million. In December 2016, we entered into a Seventh Amendment of our amended and restated credit agreement. The Seventh Amendment immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments by $11.0 million and provided for additional revolving credit commitment reductions of $2.0 million each on June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. The Seventh Amendment further reduced the revolving credit commitments over time on a dollar-for-dollar basis for the net cash proceeds received from any asset sales after the Seventh Amendment date once the aggregate net cash proceeds received exceeds $2.0 million. For more information about our amended and restated credit agreement, please read — “Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.”

We continue to take measures, including the suspension of cash distributions on our common and subordinated units and cost and productivity improvements, to enhance and preserve our liquidity so that we can fund our ongoing operations and necessary capital expenditures and meet our financial commitments and debt service obligations.

Cash Flows

Net cash provided by operating activities was $13.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to cash provided by operating activities of $5.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. This increase in cash provided by operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was primarily the result of the increase in production and sales in our Central Appalachia segment for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to 2016.

Net cash used in investing activities was $12.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 as compared to cash provided by investing activities of $5.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Net cash used in investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was primarily related to capital expenditures necessary for maintaining our mining operations. Net cash provided by investing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was primarily related to the proceeds from the sale of the Elk Horn coal leasing operation.

Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was $0.3 million, which was primarily attributable to payment of debt issuance costs during the period. Net cash used in financing activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 was $10.3 million, which was attributable to net repayments on our revolving credit facility resulting from contributions from Royal’s acquisition of common units.

Capital Expenditures

Our mining operations require investments to expand, upgrade or enhance existing operations and to meet environmental and safety regulations. Maintenance capital expenditures are those capital expenditures required to maintain our long term operating capacity. Examples of maintenance capital expenditures include expenditures associated with the replacement of equipment and coal reserves, whether through the expansion of an existing mine or the acquisition or development of new reserves to the extent such expenditures are made to maintain our long term operating capacity. Expansion capital expenditures are those capital expenditures that we expect will increase our operating capacity over the long term. Examples of expansion capital expenditures include the acquisition of reserves, acquisition of equipment for a new mine or the expansion of an existing mine to the extent such expenditures are expected to expand our long-term operating capacity.

Actual maintenance capital expenditures for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 were approximately $9.2 million. These amounts were primarily used to rebuild, repair or replace older mining equipment. Expansion capital expenditures for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 were approximately $5.1 million and primarily related to purchases of additional equipment to be used to expand our met coal production capacity in Central Appalachia.

52

Amended and Restated CreditFinancing Agreement

 

On July 29, 2011,December 27, 2017, we executedentered into a Financing Agreement, which provides us with a multi-draw term loan in the Amendedoriginal aggregate principal amount of $80 million, subject to the terms and Restated Creditconditions set forth in the Financing Agreement. The maximum availabilitytotal principal amount was divided into a $40 million commitment, the conditions of which were satisfied at the execution of the Financing Agreement and a $40 million additional commitment that was contingent upon the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent specified in the Financing Agreement. As of March 31, 2020, we had utilized $18 million of the $40 million additional commitment, which results in $22 million of the additional commitment remaining. The Financing Agreement contains negative covenants that restrict our ability to, among other things: (i) incur liens or additional indebtedness or make investments or restricted payments, (ii) liquidate or merge with another entity, or dispose of assets, (iii) change the nature of their respective businesses; (iv) make capital expenditures in excess, or, with respect to maintenance capital expenditures, lower than, specified amounts, (v) incur restrictions on the payment of dividends, (vi) prepay or modify the terms of other indebtedness, (vii) permit the Collateral Coverage Amount to be less than the outstanding principal amount of the loans outstanding under the amendedFinancing Agreement or (viii) permit the trailing nine month Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Partnership and restated credit facility was $300.0 million, withits subsidiaries to be less than 1.20 to 1.00.

The Lenders are entitled to certain fees, including: (i) 1.50% per annum of the unused Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment for as long as such commitment exists, (ii) for the 12-month period following the execution of the Financing Agreement, a one-time optionmake-whole amount (“Make-Whole Amount”) equal to increase the availabilityinterest and unused Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment fees that would have been payable but for the occurrence of certain events, including among others, bankruptcy proceedings or the termination of the Financing Agreement by the Partnership, and (iii) audit and collateral monitoring fees and origination and exit fees. Commencing December 31, 2018, the principal for each loan made under the Financing Agreement is payable on a quarterly basis in an amount notequal to exceed $50.0 million. Of$375,000 per quarter. All remaining unpaid principal and accrued and unpaid interest is due on the $300.0 million, $75.0 million was available for lettersloan termination date. The Financing Agreement originally had a termination date of credit. In April 2015, the Amended and Restated Credit AgreementDecember 27, 2020, which was amended and the borrowing commitment under the facility was reduced to $100.0 million and the amount available for letters of credit was reduced to $50.0 million. As described below, in March 2016 and May 2016, the borrowing commitment under the facility was further reduced to $80.0 million and $75.0 million, respectively, and the amount available for letters of credit was reduced to $30.0 million. In addition, as described below, the borrowing commitment under the facility was further reduced by amendments in July 2016 and December 2016 to $44.3 million as of September 30, 2017. The amount available for letters of credit was unchanged from these amendments.

27, 2022. Loans under the senior secured credit facility currently bear interest at a base rate equaling the prime rate plus an applicable margin of 3.50%. The amended and restated credit agreement also contains letter of credit fees equal to an applicable margin of 5.00% multiplied by the aggregate amount available to be drawn on the letters of credit, and a 0.15% fronting fee payablemade pursuant to the administrative agent. In addition, we incur a commitment fee on the unused portion of the seniorFinancing Agreement are secured credit facility at a rate of 1.00% per annum. Borrowings on the line of credit are collateralized by substantially all of our unsecured assets.

 

40

Our Amended

We entered into various amendments and Restated Creditconsents to the Financing Agreement requiresduring 2018 and 2019, which (a) increased the original lender exit fee (“Exit Fee”) of 3.0% to 7.0% as of December 31, 2019. The Exit Fee is applied to the principal amount of the loans made under the Financing Agreement that is payable on the earliest of (i) the final maturity date of the Financing Agreement, (ii) the termination date of the Financing Agreement, (iii) the acceleration of the obligations under the Financing Agreement for any reason, including, without limitation, acceleration in accordance with Section 9.01 of the Financing Agreement, including as a result of the commencement of an insolvency proceeding and (iv) the date of any refinancing of the term loan under the Financing Agreement, (b) modified certain definitions and concepts to account for our 2019 acquisition of properties from Blackjewel, (c) permitted the 2019 disposition of the Pennyrile mining complex, (d) required us to maintainpay a $1.0 million consent fee related to the Pennyrile sale (paid March 2020), (e) allowed us to sell certain minimum financial ratiosreal property in Western Colorado and contains certain restrictive provisions, including among others, restrictions on makingadjusted the timing for remittance to the Lender of the sale proceeds, (f) provided $15.0 million in additional terms loans investmentsunder the Delayed Draw Term Loan Commitment feature of the Financing Agreement, (g) revised the definition of the Make-Whole Amount under the Financing Agreement to extend the date of the Make-Whole Amount period to December 31, 2021 and advances, incurring additional indebtedness, guaranteeing indebtedness, creating liens, and selling or assigning stock.(h) extended the termination date of the Financing Agreement to December 27, 2022.

 

On March 17, 2016, we entered into the Fourth Amendment (“Fourth Amendment”) of our amended and restated credit agreement. The Fourth Amendment amended the definition of change of control in the amended and restated credit agreement to permit Royal to purchase the membership interests of our general partner. The Fourth Amendment reduced the borrowing capacity under the credit facility to a maximum of $80 million and reduced the amount available for letters of credit to $30 million. The Fourth Amendment eliminated the option to borrow funds utilizing the LIBOR rate plus an applicable margin and established the borrowing rate for all borrowings under the facility to be based upon the current PRIME rate plus an applicable margin of 3.50%. The Fourth Amendment eliminated the capability to make Swing Loans under the facility and eliminated our ability to pay distributions to our common or subordinated unitholders. The Fourth Amendment altered the maximum leverage ratio, calculated as of the end of the most recent month, on a trailing twelve-month basis, to 6.75 to 1.00. The leverage ratio shall be reduced by 0.50 to 1.00 for every $10 million of net cash proceeds, in the aggregate, received by us after the date of the Fourth Amendment from a liquidity event; provided, however, that in no event shall the maximum permitted leverage ratio be reduced below 3.00 to 1.00. A liquidity event is defined in the Fourth Amendment as the issuance of any equity by us on or after the Fourth Amendment effective date (other than the Royal equity contribution discussed above), or the disposition of any assets by us. The Fourth Amendment required us to maintain minimum liquidity of $5 million and minimum EBITDA (as defined in the credit agreement), calculated as of the end of the most recent month, on a trailing twelve month basis, of $8 million. The Fourth Amendment limited the amount of our capital expenditures to $15 million, calculated as of end of the most recent month, on a trailing twelve-month basis. The Fourth Amendment required us to provide monthly financial statements and a weekly rolling thirteen-week cash flow forecast to the Administrative Agent.

On May 13, 2016, we entered into the Fifth Amendment of our amended and restated credit agreement that extended the term to July 31, 2017. Per the Fifth Amendment, the credit facility will be automatically extended to December 31, 2017 if revolving credit commitments are reduced to $55 million or less on or before July 31, 2017. The Fifth Amendment immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments under the credit facility to a maximum of $75 million and maintained the amount available for letters of credit at $30 million. The Fifth Amendment further reduced the revolving credit commitments over time on a dollar-for-dollar basis in amounts equal to each of the following: (i) the face amount of any letter of credit that expires or whose face amount is reduced by any such dollar amount, (ii) the net proceeds received from any asset sales, (iii) the Royal scheduled capital contributions (as outline below), (iv) the net proceeds from the issuance of any equity by us up to $20.0 million (other than equity issued in exchange for any Royal contribution as outlined in the Securities Purchase Agreement or the Royal scheduled capital contributions to us as outlined below), and (v) the proceeds from the incurrence of any subordinated debt. The first $11 million of proceeds received from any equity issued by us described in clause (iv) above shall also satisfy the Royal scheduled capital contributions as outlined below. The Fifth Amendment requires Royal to contribute $2 million each quarter beginning September 30, 2016 through September 30, 2017 and $1 million on December 1, 2017, for a total of $11 million. The Fifth Amendment further reduces the revolving credit commitments as follows:

Date of ReductionReduction Amount
September 30, 2016The lesser of (i) $2 million or (ii) the positive difference (if any) of $2 million minus the proceeds from the issuance of any of our equity (excluding any Royal equity contributions)
December 31, 2016The lesser of (i) $2 million or (ii) the positive difference (if any) of $4 million minus the proceeds from the issuance of any of our equity (excluding any Royal equity contributions)
March 31, 2017The lesser of (i) $2 million or (ii) the positive difference (if any) of $6 million minus the proceeds from the issuance of any of our equity (excluding any Royal equity contributions)
June 30, 2017The lesser of (i) $2 million or (ii) the positive difference (if any) of $8 million minus the proceeds from the issuance of any of our equity (excluding any Royal equity contributions)
September 30, 2017The lesser of (i) $2 million or (ii) the positive difference (if any) of $10 million minus the proceeds from the issuance of any of our equity (excluding any Royal equity contributions)
December 1, 2017The lesser of (i) $1 million or (ii) the positive difference (if any) of $11 million minus the proceeds from the issuance of any of our equity (excluding any Royal equity contributions)

The Fifth Amendment required that on or before March 31, 2017, we solicit bids for the potential sale of certain non-core assets, satisfactory to the administrative agent, and provided the administrative agent, and any other lender upon its request, with a description of the solicitation process, interested parties and any potential bids. The Fifth Amendment limits any payments by us to our general partner to: (i) the usual and customary payroll and benefits of the our management team so long as our management team remains employees of our general partner, (2) the usual and customary board fees of our general partner, and (3) the usual and customary general and administrative costs and expenses of our general partner incurred in connection with the operation of its business in an amount not to exceed $0.3 million per fiscal year. The Fifth Amendment limits asset sales to a maximum of $5 million unless we receive consent from the lenders. The Fifth Amendment removes the $5.0 million minimum liquidity requirement and requires us to have any deposit, securities or investment accounts with a member of the lending group.

In July 2016,3, 2020, we entered into the Sixth Amendment (“Sixth Amendment”) of our amended and restated senior secured credit facility that permittedto the sale of Elk Horn that was discussed earlier. The Sixth Amendment reduced the maximum commitment amount allowedFinancing Agreement, which among other things, provided us with a $3.0 million term loan under the credit facility based onDelayed Draw Term Loan Commitment feature of the initial cash proceedsFinancing Agreement and increased the Exit Fee payable to the Lenders upon the maturity date (or earlier termination or acceleration date) by 1.0% to a total of $10.5 million that were received8.0%.

The following table presents the loan balances and applicable interest rates for the Elk Horn sale. The Sixth Amendment further reduces the maximum commitment amount allowedeach term loan made under the credit facility by $375,000 each quarterly period beginning September 30, 2016 through June 30, 2017 for the additional $1.5 million received from the Elk Horn sale.Financing Agreement as of March 31, 2020:

 

In December, 2016, we entered into a Seventh Amendment, which allows for the Series A preferred units as outlined in the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, which is further discussed in “Recent Developments”. The Seventh Amendment immediately reduced the revolving credit commitments by $11.0 million and provides for additional revolving credit commitment reductions of $2.0 million each on June 30, 2017 and September 30, 2017. The Seventh Amendment further reduces the revolving credit commitments over time on a dollar-for-dollar basis for the net cash proceeds received from any asset sales after the Seventh Amendment date once the aggregate net cash proceeds received exceeds $2.0 million. The Seventh Amendment alters the maximum leverage ratio to 4.0 to 1.0 effective December 31, 2016 through May 31, 2017 and 3.5 to 1.0 from June 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017. The maximum leverage ratio shall be reduced by 0.50 to 1.0 for every $10.0 million of net cash proceeds, in the aggregate, received after the Seventh Amendment date from (i) the issuance of any equity by us and/or (ii) the disposition of any assets in excess of $2.0 million in the aggregate, provided, however, that in no event will the maximum leverage ratio be reduced below 3.0 to 1.0. The Seventh Amendment alters the minimum consolidated EBITDA figure, as calculated on a rolling twelve months basis, to $12.5 million from December 31, 2016 through May 31, 2017 and $15.0 million from June 30, 2017 through December 31, 2017. The Seventh Amendment alters the maximum capital expenditures allowed, as calculated on a rolling twelve months basis, to $20.0 million through the expiration of the credit facility. A condition precedent to the effectiveness of the Seventh Amendment was the receipt of the $13.0 million of cash proceeds received by us from the issuance of the Series A preferred units pursuant to the Preferred Unit Agreement, which we used to repay outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility. Per the Seventh Amendment, the receipt of $13.0 million cash proceeds fulfills the required Royal equity contributions as outlined in the previous amendments to our credit agreement.

On March 23, 2017, we entered into an Eighth Amendment (“Eighth Amendment”) of our amended and restated credit agreement that allows the annual auditor’s report for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 to contain a qualification with respect to the short-term classification of our credit facility balance without creating a default under the credit agreement.

On June 9, 2017, we entered into a ninth amendment (the “Ninth Amendment”) of our amended and restated credit agreement that permitted outstanding letters of credit to be replaced with different counterparties without affecting the revolving credit commitments under the credit agreement. The Ninth Amendment also permits certain lease and sale leaseback transactions under the credit agreement that do not affect the revolving credit commitments under the credit agreement for asset dispositions and also do into factor in the calculation of the maximum capital expenditures allowed under the credit agreement.

As of and for the twelve months ended September 30, 2017, we are in compliance with respect to all covenants contained in the credit agreement.

At September 30, 2017, the Operating Company had borrowings outstanding (excluding letters of credit) of $9.9 million at a variable interest rate of prime plus 3.50% (7.75% at September 30, 2017). In addition, the Operating Company had outstanding letters of credit of approximately $26.1 million at a fixed interest rate of 5.00% at September 30, 2017. Based upon a maximum borrowing capacity of 3.50 times a trailing twelve-month EBITDA calculation (as defined in the credit agreement), the Operating Company had available borrowing capacity of approximately $8.2 million at September 30, 2017. During the three months ended September 30, 2017, we had average borrowings outstanding of approximately $12.6 million under our credit agreement.

Loan Date Loan Balance  Interest rate* 
   (in millions)     
12/27/2017 $27.2   10.99%
8/16/2019 $5.0   11.20%
9/16/2019 $5.0   10.86%
3/3/2020 $3.0   11.52%
         
* Variable interest rate of Libor plus 10.0% 

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

In the normal course of business, we are a party to certain off-balance sheet arrangements. These arrangements that include guarantees and financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk, such as bank letters of credit and surety bonds. No liabilities related to these arrangements are reflected in our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet, and we do not expect any material adverse effects on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows to result from these off-balance sheet arrangements.

 

Federal and state laws require us to secure certain long-term obligations related to mine closure and reclamation costs. We typically secure these obligations by using surety bonds, an off-balance sheet instrument. The use of surety bonds is less expensive for us than the alternative of posting a 100% cash bond or a bank letter of credit, either of which would require a greater use of our amended and restated credit agreement.credit. We then use bank letters of creditprovide cash collateral to secure our surety bonding obligations asin an amount up to a lower cost alternative than securing those bonds with a committed bonding facility pursuant to which we are required to provide bank letters of credit as acertain percentage of ourthe aggregate bond liability.liability that we negotiate with the surety companies. To the extent that surety bonds become unavailable, we would seek to secure our reclamation obligations with letters of credit, cash deposits or other suitable forms of collateral.

 

As of September 30, 2017,March 31, 2020, we had $26.1$7.9 million in cash collateral held by third-parties of which $3.0 million serves as collateral for approximately $41.3 million in surety bonds outstanding that secure the performance of our reclamation obligations. The other $4.9 million serves as collateral for our self-insured workers’ compensation program. Of the $41.3 million in surety bonds, approximately $0.4 million relates to surety bonds for Deane Mining, LLC, which have not been transferred or replaced by the buyer of Deane Mining LLC as was agreed to by the parties as part of the transaction. We can provide no assurances that a surety company will underwrite the surety bonds of the purchaser of Deane Mining LLC, nor are we aware of the actual amount of reclamation at any given time. Further, if there was a claim under these surety bonds prior to the transfer or replacement of such bonds by the buyer of Deane Mining, LLC, we may be responsible to the surety company for any amounts it pays in respect of such claim. While the buyer is required to indemnify us for damages, including reclamation liabilities, pursuant to the agreements governing the sales of this entity, we may not be successful in obtaining any indemnity or any amounts received may be inadequate.

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Certain surety bonds for Sands Hill Mining LLC had not been transferred or replaced by the buyer of Sands Hill Mining LLC as was agreed to when we sold Sands Hill Mining LLC to the buyer in November 2017. On July 9, 2019, we entered into an agreement with a third party for the replacement of our existing surety bond obligations with respect to Sands Hill Mining LLC. We agreed to pay the third party $2.0 million to assume our surety bond obligations related to Sands Hill Mining LLC. At the time of closing, the third party delivered to us confirmation from its surety underwriter evidencing the release and removal of us, our affiliates and guarantors, from the surety bond obligations and all related obligations under our bonding agreements related to Sands Hill Mining LLC, which includes a release of all applicable collateral for the surety bond obligations. Further, such confirmation from the surety underwriter was specifically provided for their acceptance of the third party as a replacement obligor.

We had no letters of credit outstanding as of which $20.7 million served as collateral for surety bonds.March 31, 2020.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

 

Our financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles that are generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amount of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses as well as the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Management evaluates its estimates and judgments on an on-going basis. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Nevertheless, actual results may differ from the estimates used and judgments made.

The accounting policies and estimates that we have adopted and followed in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements are fully described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.2019. We adopted ASU 2016-02- Leases (Topic 842) and all related clarification standards on January 1, 2019 using the transition method to apply the standard prospectively. The standard had a material impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of financial position, but did not have an impact on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. Please refer to Note 7 of the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for further discussion of the standard and the related disclosures. There have been no other significant changes in these policies and estimates as of September 30, 2017.March 31, 2020

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

Refer to Part-I— Item 1. Financial Statements, Note 2 of the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements, which is incorporated herein by reference.pronouncements. There are no known future impacts or material changes or trends of new accounting guidance beyond the disclosures provided in Note 2.

 

Item 4. Controls and Procedures

 

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures.As required by Rule 13a-15(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), we have evaluated, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, 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) as of the end of the period covered by this Form 10-Q. Our disclosure controls and procedures are designed to provide reasonable assurance that the information required to be disclosed by us in reports that we file under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC. Based upon the evaluation, our principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 at the reasonable assurance level.

 

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting.There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the quarter ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

 

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PART II—Other Information

 

Item 1. Legal Proceedings.

 

We may, from time to time, be involved in various legal proceedings and claims arising out of our operations in the normal course of business. While many of these matters involve inherent uncertainty, we do not believe that we are a party to any legal proceedings or claims that will have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Yorktown and Weston Litigation

On May 3, 2019, we (the “Plaintiffs”) filed a complaint in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware against Rhino Resource Partners Holdings LLC (“Holdings”), Weston Energy LLC (“Weston”), Yorktown Partners LLC and certain Yorktown funds (collectively, the “Yorktown entities”), as well as Mr. Ronald Phillips, Mr. Bryan H. Lawrence and Mr. Bryan R. Lawrence (the “Yorktown Litigation”).

The complaint alleges that Holdings violated certain representations and negative covenants under an option agreement, dated December 30, 2016 among Holdings, the Plaintiffs, and Weston (the “Option Agreement”), as a result of Holdings’ entry into a Restructuring Support Agreement with Armstrong Energy, Inc. (“Armstrong”), its creditors and certain other parties, which agreement was entered into in advance of Armstrong’s filing for bankruptcy relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Code in November 2017. The complaint further alleges that (i) Mr. Phillips violated fiduciary and contractual duties owed to the Plaintiffs and solicited, accepted and agreed to accept certain benefits from Holdings, Weston, the Yorktown entities and Messrs. Lawrence and Lawrence without the Plaintiff’s knowledge or consent and during a period in which Mr. Phillips was the President of Royal and a director on the Partnership’s board and (ii) Holdings, Weston, the Yorktown entities and Messrs. Lawrence and Lawrence aided and abetted Mr. Phillips’ breaches of his fiduciary duties, tortuously interfered with the observance of Mr. Phillips’ duties under the respective organizational agreements and conferred, offered to confer and agreed to confer benefits on Mr. Phillips without the Plaintiff’s knowledge or consent.

The Plaintiffs are seeking (i) the rescission of the Option Agreement, (ii) the return of all consideration thereunder, including 5,000,000 of our common units representing limited partner interests (iii) the cancellation of the Series A Preferred Purchase Agreement, dated December 30, 2016, among the Plaintiffs and Weston (the “Series A Preferred Purchase Agreement”), (iv) the invalidation of the Series A preferred units representing limited partner interests in us issued to Weston pursuant to the Series A Preferred Purchase Agreement and (v) unspecified monetary damages arising from Mr. Phillips’ breaches of fiduciary duties and the other defendants’ aiding and abetting of such breaches.

The Yorktown entities filed an answer to the lawsuit on May 31, 2019, followed by a Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings and Motion to Dismiss. A hearing was scheduled to be held on the Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings on April 7, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the hearing was postponed and will be scheduled for a later date that has yet to be determined.

On November 7, 2019, Weston filed a claim in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against us. Weston holds 1,500,000 Series a preferred units representing limited partner interests in us (“Series a Preferred Units”). The claims allege that we breached certain representations, covenants and rights contained in our Fourth Amended and Restated Limited Partnership Agreement and the purchase agreement relating to the sale of the Series A Preferred Units to Weston, as a result of us (i) effecting the previously reported $7 million settlement with a third party in June 2019, which allowed the third party to maintain certain pipelines pursuant to designated permits at our Central Appalachia operations, without Weston’s consent, and (ii) refusing to distribute what Weston, as a holder of Series A Preferred Units, claims is its pro rata share of such settlement. We believe these claims are without merit and intend to vigorously defend against them.

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Item 1A. Risk Factors.

 

In addition to the other information set forth in this Report, you should carefully consider the risks under the heading “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016,2019, which risks could materially affect our business, financial condition or future results. ThereExcept as stated below, there has been no material change in our risk factors from those described in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.2019. These risks are not the only risks that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

Our results of operations will be negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

To date, the current and anticipated economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the actions of governments and countries here in the United States and around the world designed to decrease the spread of the virus, have caused significant declines in demand for met and steam coal. In response to this reduced demand and to the significant health threats to our employees, on March 20, 2020, we temporarily idled production at several of our mines. We will continue to monitor conditions to ensure the health and welfare of our employees. We do not expect the idling of the coal production activities will affect our ability to fulfill current customer commitments, as loading and shipping crews will remain in place to ship coal from existing inventories.

If the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the significant decrease in economic activity, continue for an extended period of time or worsen, it could further reduce the demand for met and steam coal, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.

In addition, while our business operations have not been significantly restricted by the response to the COVID-19 pandemic from various governmental agencies, which exempt or exclude essential critical infrastructure businesses from various restrictions they impose (other than encouraging remote work where possible), the spread of COVID-19 has caused us to modify our business practices (including requiring remote working where possible, restricting employee travel and congregation of onsite personnel, and increased frequency of cleaning schedules), and we may take further actions as may be required by government authorities or that we determine are in the best interests of our employees, customers or other stakeholders or the communities in which we operate. Such measures may disrupt our normal operations, and there is no certainty that such measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19 or will not adversely impact our business or results of operations.

As a result of prolonged adverse conditions in the coal industry and our business, we are currently evaluating several strategic options to enhance our ability to generate liquidity and service our debt, as well as meet our financial covenants under the Financing Agreement on an ongoing basis. To the extent these options are not successful, we may pursue a court-supervised reorganization under Chapter 11.

The Partnership is currently exploring alternatives for other sources of capital for ongoing liquidity needs and transactions to enhance its ability to comply with its financial covenants, and is working to improve its operating performance and its cash, liquidity and financial position. This includes pursuing the sale of non-strategic surplus assets, continuing to drive cost improvements across the company, continuing to negotiate alternative payment terms with creditors, and obtaining waivers of going concern and financial covenant violations under our Financing Agreement. To the extent that these options are not successful or adequate to address our liquidity needs or our ability to meet our Financing Agreement covenants on an ongoing basis, we may pursue a court-supervised reorganization under Chapter 11.

A bankruptcy proceeding could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. It is impossible for us to predict with certainty the amount of time needed to complete a potential Chapter 11 proceeding. For as long as a Chapter 11 proceeding were to continue, our senior management would be required to spend a significant amount of time and effort dealing with the reorganization as well as focusing on our business operations. A Chapter 11 proceeding may involve significant additional professional fees and expenses and create additional liquidity needs for our business. A bankruptcy proceeding also could make it more difficult to retain management and other key personnel necessary to the success of our business. In addition, while we are in a bankruptcy proceeding, our customers and suppliers may lose confidence in our ability to reorganize our business successfully and could seek to establish other commercial relationships, particularly if the process is prolonged.

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

 

None.

 

Item 3. Defaults upon Senior Securities.

 

None.

 

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosure.

 

Information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K for the three months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2020 is included inas Exhibit 95.1 to this report.

 

Item 5. Other Information.

 

None.

 

Item 6. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit Number Description
   
2.1**Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated August 22, 2016, by and among Rhino Energy LLC and Elk Horn Coal Acquisition LLC, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.2 of the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (File No. 001-34892), filed on November 10, 2016
3.1 Certificate of Limited Partnership of Rhino Resource Partners LP, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-166550) filed on May 5, 2010
   
3.2 Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Rhino Resource Partners LP, dated as of December 30, 2016, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-34892) filed on January 6, 2017.2017
   
4.13.3 Registration RightsAmendment No. 1 to the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement dated as of October 5, 2010, by and betweenLimited Partnership of Rhino Resource Partners LP, and Rhino Energy Holdings LLC,dated January 25, 2018, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.13.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-34892) filed on October 8, 2010January 25, 2018
   
4.24.1 Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2016, by and between Rhino Resource Partners LP and Royal Energy Resources, Inc., incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-34892) filed on March 23, 2016
4.2*Form of Common Unit Warrant.
10.1Sixth Amendment to Financing Agreement dated as of March 2, 2020, by and among Rhino Resource Partners LP, as Parent, Rhino Energy LLC and each subsidiary of Rhino Energy listed as a borrower on the signature pages thereto, as Borrowers, Parent and each subsidiary of Parent listed as a guarantor on the signature pages thereto, as Guarantors, the lenders from time to time party thereto, as Lenders, Cortland Capital Market Services LLC, as Collateral Agent and Administrative Agent and CB Agent Services LLC, as Origination Agent, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-34892) filed on March 6, 2020.
10.2Promissory Note dated April 22, 2020, by and between Rhino Energy LLC and Blue Ridge Bank, NA, incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K (File No. 001-34892) filed on April 28, 2020.
   
31.1* Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. Section 7241)
   
31.2* Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. Section 7241)
   
32.1* Certification of Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. Section 1350)
   
32.2* Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. Section 1350)

Exhibit
Number
Description
   
95.1* Mine Health and Safety Disclosure pursuant to §1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act for the three months ended September 30, 2017March 31, 2019
   
101.INS* XBRL Instance Document
   
101.SCH* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
   
101.CAL* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
   
101.DEF* XBRL Taxonomy Definition Linkbase Document
   
101.LAB* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
   
101.PRE* XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

 

The exhibits marked with the asterisk symbol (*) are filed or furnished (in the case of Exhibits 32.1 and 32.2) with this Form 10-Q.

 

**Schedules and similar attachments have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. The registrant undertakes to furnish supplementally copies of any of the omitted schedules and exhibits upon request by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

** Schedules and similar attachments have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Partnership will provide a copy of any omitted schedule or similar attachments to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request.

 

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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 thereunto duly authorized.

 

 RHINO RESOURCE PARTNERS LP
   
 By:Rhino GP LLC, its General Partner
   
Date: November 9, 2017May 22, 2020By:/s/ Richard A. Boone
  Richard A. Boone
  President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
  (Principal Executive Officer)
   
Date: November 9, 2017May 22, 2020By:/s/ W. Scott Morris
  W. Scott Morris
  Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
  (Principal Financial Officer)

 

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