purecycle10q.htm


 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 

Form 10-Q

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

For the quarterly period ended: May 31, 2015
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 0-8814

PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
Colorado
 
84-0705083
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
     
     
34501 E. Quincy Avenue, Bldg. 34, Box 10, Watkins, CO
 
80137
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)
     
 
(303) 292 – 3456
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
 
 
(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)
 
 
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.  
Yes [X]     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).
Yes [X]     No [   ]
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
 
Large accelerated filer [   ]       Accelerated filer [X]
Non-accelerated filer [   ] (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)      Smaller reporting company [   ]
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes [   ]     No [X]
 
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of July 7, 2015:
 
 Common stock, 1/3 of $.01 par value  
 
24,037,598
  (Class) 
 
   (Number of Shares)
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
INDEX TO MAY 31, 2015 FORM 10-Q

Page
PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 
Item 1 – Consolidated Financial Statements
    1  
         
Consolidated Balance Sheets:
    May 31, 2015 (unaudited) and August 31, 2014 (audited)
    1  
         
Consolidated Statements of Operations:
    For the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014 (unaudited)
    2  
         
Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Equity:
    For the nine months ended May 31, 2015 (unaudited)
    3  
         
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:
    For the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014 (unaudited)
    4  
         
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
    5  
 
       
Item 2 – Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
    and Results of Operations
    22  
         
Item 3 – Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
    37  
         
Item 4 – Controls and Procedures
    37  
         

PART II – OTHER INFORMATION

Item 6 – Exhibits
    38  
         
Signatures
    39  
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
PART I FINANCIAL INFORMATION
 
Item 1.
Consolidated Financial Statements
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

ASSETS:
 
May 31, 2015
   
August 31, 2014
 
Current assets:
 
(unaudited)
       
    Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 743,388     $ 1,749,558  
    Trade accounts receivable
    521,351       1,626,090  
    Sky Ranch receivable
    134,415       50,915  
    Land and water held for sale
    -       699,826  
    Prepaid expenses
    622,688       336,867  
    Total current assets
    2,021,842       4,463,256  
                 
Investments in water and water systems, net
    94,944,350       90,823,916  
Land - Sky Ranch
    3,659,952       3,662,754  
Land and water held for sale
    1,500,000       1,500,000  
Note receivable - related party:
               
    Rangeview Metropolitan District, including accrued interest
    674,334       568,022  
HP A&M receivable
    -       7,069,511  
Other assets
    94,438       86,363  
    Total assets
  $ 102,894,916     $ 108,173,822  
                 
LIABILITIES:
               
Current liabilities:
               
    Accounts payable
  $ 551,712     $ 1,379,647  
    Current portion of promissory notes payable
    848,325       925,980  
    WISE funding obligation
    280,000       -  
    Accrued liabilities
    145,696       257,893  
    Deferred revenues
    132,371       65,124  
    Deferred oil and gas lease payment
    516,195       645,720  
    Total current liabilities
    2,474,299       3,274,364  
                 
Deferred revenues, less current portion
    1,125,244       1,167,095  
Deferred oil and gas lease payment, less current portion
    25,000       379,765  
Promissory notes payable, less current portion
    4,737,847       4,032,227  
WISE funding obligation, less current portion
    1,120,000       -  
Participating Interests in Export Water Supply
    346,986       354,628  
Tap Participation Fee payable to HP A&M,
               
    net of nil and $4.1 million discount, respectively
    -       7,935,262  
    Total liabilities
    9,829,376       17,143,341  
                 
Commitments and contingencies
               
                 
SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY:
               
Preferred stock:
               
     Series B - par value $.001 per share, 25 million shares authorized;
               
         432,513 shares issued and outstanding
               
        (liquidation preference of $432,513)
    433       433  
Common stock:
               
     Par value 1/3 of $.01 per share, 40 million shares authorized;
               
       24,037,598 shares outstanding both periods presented
    80,130       80,130  
Collateral stock
    (1,407,000 )     -  
Additional paid-in capital
    172,281,895       168,794,396  
Accumulated deficit
    (77,889,918 )     (77,844,478 )
    Total shareholders' equity
    93,065,540       91,030,481  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
  $ 102,894,916     $ 108,173,822  
 
 
 
 
1

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited)
 
   
Three Months Ended May 31,
   
Nine Months Ended May 31,
 
   
2015
   
2014
   
2015
   
2014
 
Revenues:
                       
    Metered water usage
  $ 73,477     $ 314,231     $ 893,746     $ 1,028,641  
    Wastewater treatment fees
    12,293       11,366       37,224       33,472  
    Special facility funding recognized
    10,377       10,377       31,131       31,131  
    Water tap fees recognized
    3,574       3,574       10,721       10,721  
    Farm operations
    270,582       328,801       818,925       855,686  
    Other
    20,639       10,200       89,490       33,275  
      Total revenues
    390,942       678,549       1,881,237       1,992,926  
                                 
Expenses:
                               
    Water service operations
    (73,679 )     (94,058 )     (303,110 )     (307,526 )
    Wastewater service operations
    (9,265 )     (6,442 )     (22,075 )     (24,680 )
    Farm operations
    (23,131 )     (23,020 )     (70,001 )     (64,418 )
    Depletion and depreciation
    (42,072 )     (38,345 )     (130,802 )     (109,052 )
    Other
    (14,746 )     (12,295 )     (35,771 )     (33,289 )
      Total cost of revenues
    (162,893 )     (174,160 )     (561,759 )     (538,965 )
Gross margin
    228,049       504,389       1,319,478       1,453,961  
                                 
General and administrative expenses
    (524,688 )     (848,326 )     (1,785,093 )     (2,153,217 )
Depreciation
    (44,706 )     (7,157 )     (128,108 )     (30,087 )
Operating loss
    (341,345 )     (351,094 )     (593,723 )     (729,343 )
                                 
Other income (expense):
                               
    Oil and gas lease income, net
    161,430       149,930       484,290       363,440  
    Oil and gas royalty income, net
    262,097       -       262,097       -  
    Easement income
    -       87,409       -       85,591  
    Interest income
    14,374       17,293       29,209       24,103  
    Other
    12,471       15,372       18,418       57,356  
    Interest expense
    (78,780 )     (51,309 )     (221,915 )     (175,783 )
    Interest imputed on the Tap Participation Fee
                               
    payable to HP A&M
    -       (248,847 )     (23,816 )     (1,309,085 )
    Net income (loss)
  $ 30,247     $ (381,246 )   $ (45,440 )   $ (1,683,721 )
    Net income (loss) per common share – basic and diluted
    *     $ (0.02 )     *     $ (0.07 )
                                 
    Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic and diluted
    24,037,598       24,037,598       24,037,598       24,037,598  
                                 
* Amount is less than $0.01 per share
                               
 

 
2

 
 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Nine months ended May 31, 2015
(Unaudited)
 
                           
Additional
                   
   
Preferred Stock
   
Common Stock
         
Paid-in
   
Collateral
   
Accumulated
       
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Capital
   
Stock
   
Deficit
   
Total
 
August 31, 2014 balance:
    432,513     $ 433       24,037,598     $ 80,130     $ 168,794,396     $ -     $ (77,844,478 )   $ 91,030,481  
Share-based compensation
                            186,296                   186,296  
Net reduction in Tap Participation Fee
                                                               
liability and HP A&M receivable resulting from settlement of the Arkansas River Agreement
                            3,301,203                   3,301,203  
Collateral stock
                                  (1,407,000 )           (1,407,000 )
Net loss
                                        (45,440 )     (45,440 )
May 31, 2015 balance:
    432,513     $ 433       24,037,598     $ 80,130     $ 172,281,895     $ (1,407,000 )   $ (77,889,918 )   $ 93,065,540  



 
 
3

 
 

PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(unaudited)

   
Nine Months Ended May 31,
 
   
2015
   
2014
 
Cash flows from operating activities:
           
    Net loss
  $ (45,440 )   $ (1,683,721 )
    Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash
               
        used in operating activities:
               
        Imputed interest on Tap Participation Fee payable to HP A&M
    23,816       1,309,085  
        Depreciation and depletion
    258,909       139,139  
        Investment in Well Enhancement Recover Systems, LLC
    1,565       (37,193 )
        Stock-based compensation expense
    186,296       183,090  
        Interest income and other non-cash items
    (315 )     (315 )
        Interest added to receivable from Rangeview Metropolitan District
    (10,812 )     (9,005 )
        Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
               
            Trade accounts receivable
    1,104,739       (15,595 )
            Sky Ranch receivable
    (83,500 )     6,388  
            Prepaid expenses
    (285,821 )     (102,600 )
            Receivable from HP A&M
    (63,777 )     (593,415 )
            Note receivable - related party: Rangeview Metropolitian District
    (95,500 )     -  
            Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
    (940,132 )     682,131  
            Interest accrued on agriculture land promissory notes
    (46,745 )     (84,784 )
            Deferred revenues
    25,396       38,517  
            Deferred oil and gas lease
    (484,290 )     880,000  
                Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
    (455,611 )     711,722  
                 
Cash flows from investing activities:
               
    Investments in water, water systems, and land
    (1,900,267 )     (915,896 )
    Purchase of property and equipment
    (17,186 )     (2,250 )
    Proceeds from sale of farm land
    699,826       3,919,265  
                Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
    (1,217,627 )     3,001,119  
                 
Cash flows from financing activities:
               
   Payments to contingent liability holders
    (7,642 )     (4,360 )
   Proceeds from borrowings on promissory notes payable
    2,311,656       -  
   Payments made on promissory notes payable
    (1,636,946 )     (3,280,729 )
                Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
    667,068       (3,285,089 )
Net change in cash and cash equivalents
    (1,006,170 )     427,752  
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period
    1,749,558       2,448,363  
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period
  $ 743,388     $ 2,876,115  
                 
                 
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLSOURES OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES
         
   Net reduction in Tap Participation Fee liability, HP A&M
               
        receivable, collateral stock and mineral rights received as
               
        result of settlement of the Arkansas River Agreement
  $ 1,894,203     $ 47,953,580  
  Assets acquired through WISE funding obligation
  $ 1,400,000     $ -  

 
 
4

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
NOTE 1 – PRESENTATION OF INTERIM INFORMATION

The May 31, 2015 consolidated balance sheet, the consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, the consolidated statement of shareholders’ equity for the nine months ended May 31, 2015, and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, have been prepared by Pure Cycle Corporation (the “Company”) and have not been audited. The unaudited consolidated financial statements include all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows at May 31, 2015, and for all periods presented.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “2014 Annual Report”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on November 14, 2014, as amended on November 17, 2014. The results of operations for interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full fiscal year. The August 31, 2014 balance sheet was taken from the Company’s audited financial statements.

Use of Estimates

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

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid debt instruments with original maturities of three months or less. The Company’s cash equivalents are comprised entirely of money market funds maintained at a high quality financial institution. At various times during the nine months ended May 31, 2015, the Company’s main operating account exceeded federally insured limits.

Financial Instruments – Concentration of Credit Risk and Fair Value

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company places its cash equivalents with high quality financial institutions. The Company has historically invested its idle cash primarily in certificates of deposit, money market instruments, commercial paper obligations, corporate bonds and U.S. government treasury obligations. To date, the Company has not experienced significant losses on any of these investments.

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate that value.

Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are reported using the values as reported by the financial institution where the funds are held. These securities primarily include balances in the Company’s operating and savings accounts. The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents approximate fair value.

Trade Accounts Receivable – The Company records accounts receivable net of allowances for uncollectible accounts.

Accounts Payable – The carrying amounts of accounts payable approximate fair value due to the relatively short period to maturity for these instruments.

Long-Term Financial Liabilities The Comprehensive Amendment Agreement No. 1 (the “CAA”) is comprised of a recorded balance and an off-balance sheet or “contingent” obligation associated with the Company’s acquisition of its “Rangeview Water Supply” (defined in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets to the 2014 Annual Report). The amount payable is a fixed amount but is repayable only upon the sale of “Export Water” (defined in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets to the 2014 Annual Report). Because of the uncertainty of the sale of Export Water, the Company has determined that the contingent portion of the CAA does not have a determinable fair value. The CAA is described further in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease – Participating Interests in Export Water Supply.
 
 
 
5

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
The recorded balance of the “Tap Participation Fee” liability (described below) as of August 31, 2014, is its estimated fair value determined by projecting new home development in the Company’s targeted service area over an estimated development period.

Notes Receivable – Related PartyThe market value of the note receivable – related party: Rangeview Metropolitan District (the “District”) is not practical to estimate due to the related party nature of the underlying transaction.

Receivable from HP A&M In conjunction with High Plains A&M, LLC (“HP A&M”) defaulting on certain promissory notes in fiscal year 2012, the Company had the right to collect from HP A&M any amounts the Company spent to cure the defaulted notes. Accordingly, through the date of the settlement the Company had recorded the entire amount of the HP A&M notes at default as well as expenses incurred to cure the defaults as a receivable from HP A&M less proceeds received from the sale of shares pledged by HP A&M as security. As described further in Note 9 – Litigation Loss Contingencies, the Company has settled its claims against HP A&M relating to the defaults on these promissory notes and the Company has written off the receivable from HP A&M.
 
Promissory Notes Payable – During fiscal year 2013, the Company began acquiring the defaulted and non-defaulted promissory notes that were payable by HP A&M. The majority of the notes issued by the Company to acquire the HP A&M notes have a five-year term, bear interest at an annual rate of five percent and require semi-annual payments with a straight-line amortization schedule. The carrying value of the notes payable approximate the fair value as the rates are comparable to market rates.

During October 2014, the Company borrowed $4,450,000 from the First National Bank of Las Animas. The note has a 20-year term, requires semi-annual payments, and carries a 5.27% per annum rate for the first five years. After the first five years, the interest rate on the note is subject to change (no more often than annually) based on the changes in the First National Bank of Las Animas Ag/​Commercial Real Estate Rate. The Company may pay the note in full at any time without penalty. The carrying value of this note approximates the fair value as the rate is comparable to market rates.

As described further in Note 4, in December 2014, the District entered into an agreement to finance approximately $1.4 million of the purchase of certain WISE (defined in Note 4 below) infrastructure. The $1.4 million is repayable in equal annual installments over the next three years and accrues interest at the rate of 3%. The carrying value of this obligation approximates the fair value as the rate is comparable to market rates.

Off-Balance Sheet Instruments – The Company’s off-balance sheet instruments consist entirely of the contingent portion of the CAA. Because repayment of this portion of the CAA is contingent on the sale of Export Water, which is not reasonably estimable, the Company has determined that the contingent portion of the CAA does not have a determinable fair value. See further discussion in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease – Participating Interests in Export Water Supply.

Tap Participation Fee

This note should be read in conjunction with Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease and Note 9 – Litigation Loss Contingencies below.

Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement dated May 10, 2006 (the “Arkansas River Agreement”), the Company was obligated to pay HP A&M a defined percentage of a defined number of water tap fees the Company receives after the date of the Arkansas River Agreement. A Tap Participation Fee (“TPF”) was due and payable once the Company had sold a water tap and received the consideration due for such water tap. The Company did not sell any water taps during the three or nine months ended May 31, 2015 or 2014. As further discussed in Note 9 – Litigation Loss Contingencies, the Company has settled its claims against HP A&M relating to the defaults, and the parties have eliminated the TPF.

Prior to the settlement, the Company imputed interest expense on the unpaid TPF using the effective interest method over an estimated period that is utilized in the valuation of the liability. The Company did not impute interest during the three months ended May 31, 2015. The Company imputed interest of $248,800 during the three months ended May 31, 2014. The Company imputed interest of $23,800 and $1,309,100 during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
 
 
6

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015

 
As a result of the Company’s settlement with HP A&M, no water taps remain subject to the TPF as of May 31, 2015. As of August 31, 2014, there were 2,184 water taps subject to the TPF.

Revenue Recognition

Wholesale Water and Wastewater Fees – Monthly wholesale water usage charges are assessed to the Company’s customers based on actual metered usage each month plus a base monthly service fee. The Company recognizes wholesale water usage revenues upon delivering water to its customers or its governmental customer’s end-use customers, as applicable. The water revenues recognized by the Company are shown gross of royalties to the State of Colorado Board of Land Commissioners (the “Land Board”) and, when applicable, amounts retained by the District. The Company recognized $73,500 and $314,200 of metered water usage revenues during the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company recognized $893,700 and $1,028,600 of metered water usage revenues during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

The Company recognizes wastewater treatment fees monthly based on usage. The monthly wastewater treatment fees are shown net of amounts retained by the District. The Company recognized $12,300 and $11,400 of wastewater treatment fees during the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company recognized $37,200 and $33,500 of wastewater treatment fees during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Costs of delivering water and providing wastewater services to customers are recognized as incurred.

Tap and Construction Fees – The Company has various water and wastewater service agreements, a component of which may include tap and construction fees. The Company recognizes water tap fees as revenue ratably over the estimated service period upon completion of the “Wholesale Facilities” (defined in Part I, Item 1 of the 2014 Annual Report) constructed to provide service to Arapahoe County, Colorado (the “County”). The Company recognized $3,600 of water tap fee revenues during each of the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company recognized $10,700 of water tap fee revenues during each of the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The water tap fees to be recognized over this period are net of the royalty payments to the Land Board and amounts paid to third parties pursuant to the CAA as further described in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease below.

The Company recognized $10,400 of “Special Facilities” (defined in Part I, Item 1 of the 2014 Annual Report) funding as revenue during each of the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company recognized $31,100 of Special Facilities funding as revenue during each of the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. This is the ratable portion of the Special Facilities funding proceeds received from water agreements as more fully described in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the 2014 Annual Report.

As of May 31, 2015, and August 31, 2014, the Company has deferred recognition of approximately $1,183,200 and $1,232,200, respectively, of water tap and construction fee revenue from the County, which will be recognized as revenue ratably over the estimated useful accounting life of the assets constructed with the construction proceeds as described above.

Agriculture Farming Operations – The Company leases its Arkansas River water and land to area farmers who actively farm the properties. The Company records farm lease income ratably each month based on estimated annual lease income the Company anticipates collecting from its land and water leases. The Company records these amounts as receivables, less an estimated allowance for uncollectible accounts. The allowance as of May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014, was determined by the Company’s specific review of all past due accounts. The Company has recorded allowances for doubtful accounts totaling $26,300 as of May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014. As of May 31, 2015, the Company has recorded deferred revenue of $74,400 on its farm income related to billings for future periods. As of August 31, 2014, the Company has accrued a receivable of $79,000 of farm income related to future billings. The Company manages the farm lease business as a separate line of business from the wholesale water and wastewater business.
 
 
 
7

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015

 
Royalty and Other Obligations

Revenues from the sale of Export Water are shown net of royalties payable to the Land Board. Revenues from the sale of water on the “Lowry Range” (described in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets in Part II, Item 8 of the 2014 Annual Report) are shown net of the royalties to the Land Board and the amounts retained by the District.

Oil and Gas Lease Payments

As further described in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in Part II, Item 8 of the 2014 Annual Report, on March 10, 2011, the Company entered into a Paid-Up Oil and Gas Lease (the “O&G Lease”) and a Surface Use and Damage Agreement (the “Surface Use Agreement”) with Anadarko E&P Company, L.P. (“Anadarko”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Anadarko Petroleum Company. In December 2012, the O&G Lease was purchased by a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips Company. Pursuant to the O&G Lease, during the year ended August 31, 2011, the Company received an up-front payment of $1,243,400 for the purpose of exploring for, developing, producing and marketing oil and gas on approximately 634 acres of mineral estate owned by the Company at its “Sky Ranch” property (described in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets to the 2014 Annual Report). The Company began recognizing the up-front payments as income on a straight-line basis over three years (the initial term of the O&G Lease) on March 10, 2011. The Company received an additional payment of $1,243,400 during February 2014 to extend the O&G Lease an additional two years through February 2016, which will be recognized as income on a straight-line basis over two years (the extension term of the O&G Lease). During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014, the Company received an up-front payment of $72,000 for the purpose of exploring for, developing, producing, and marketing oil and gas on 40 acres of mineral estate the Company owns adjacent to the Lowry Range (the “Rangeview Lease”). During the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company recognized $161,400 and $149,900, respectively, of lease income related to the up-front payments received pursuant to the O&G Lease and the Rangeview Lease. During the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company recognized $484,300 and $363,400, respectively, of lease income related to the up-front payments received pursuant to the O&G Lease and the Rangeview Lease.
 
As of May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014, the Company has deferred recognition of $541,200 and $1,025,500, respectively, of income related to the O&G Lease and the Rangeview Lease, which will be recognized into income ratably through February 2016 and July 2017, respectively.
 
During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, two wells were drilled within the Company’s mineral interest.  Beginning in March 2015 both wells were placed into service and began producing oil and gas and accruing royalties to the Company.  In May 2015, certain gas collection infrastructure was extended to the property to allow the collection of gas from the wells and accrual of royalties attributable to gas production. During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, the Company received $262,100 in royalties attributable to these two wells.
 
Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the eventual use of the asset. If such assets are considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell. Based on the Company’s procedures, the Company determined that land and water shares “held for sale” related to the Arkansas River Assets were impaired as of August 31, 2014. See further discussion in Note 3 –Water and Land Assets below under “Land and Water Shares Held for Sale.”

Capitalized Costs of Water and Wastewater Systems and Depletion and Depreciation of Water Assets

Costs to construct water and wastewater systems that meet the Company’s capitalization criteria are capitalized as incurred, including interest, and depreciated on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of up to 30 years. The Company capitalizes design and construction costs related to construction activities, and it capitalizes certain legal, engineering and permitting costs relating to the adjudication and improvement of its water assets. The Company depletes its groundwater assets that are being utilized on the basis of units produced (i.e., thousands of gallons sold) divided by the total volume of water adjudicated in the water decrees.
 
 
 
 
8

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015

 
Share-Based Compensation
 
The Company maintains a stock option plan for the benefit of its employees and non-employee directors. The Company records share-based compensation costs as expense over the applicable vesting period of the stock award using the straight-line method. The compensation costs to be expensed are measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award. The Company has adopted the alternative transition method for calculating the tax effects of share-based compensation, which allows for a simplified method of calculating the tax effects of employee share-based compensation. Because the Company has a full valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets, the granting and exercise of stock options has no impact on the income tax provisions. The Company recognized $53,700 and $68,800 of share-based compensation expense during the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company recognized $186,300 and $183,100 of share-based compensation expense during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company uses a "more-likely-than-not" threshold for the recognition and de-recognition of tax positions, including any potential interest and penalties relating to tax positions taken by the Company. The Company did not have any significant unrecognized tax benefits as of May 31, 2015.

The Company files income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service and the State of Colorado. The tax years that remain subject to examination are fiscal year 2012 through fiscal year 2014. The Company does not believe there will be any material changes in its unrecognized tax positions over the next 12 months.

The Company's policy is to recognize interest and penalties accrued on any unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense. At May 31, 2015, the Company did not have any accrued interest or penalties associated with any unrecognized tax benefits, nor was any interest expense recognized during the three or nine months ended May 31, 2015 or 2014.
 
Income (Loss) per Common Share

Income (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. Common stock options and warrants aggregating 328,600 and 380,100 common share equivalents were outstanding as of May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and have been included in the calculation of net income per common share but excluded from the calculation of loss per common share as their effect is anti-dilutive.
 
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
 
The Company continually assesses any new accounting pronouncements to determine their applicability. When it is determined that a new accounting pronouncement affects the Company’s financial reporting, the Company undertakes a study to determine the consequence of the change to its consolidated financial statements and assures that there are proper controls in place to ascertain that the Company’s consolidated financial statements properly reflect the change. During the current period, there were no new accounting pronouncements issued that will significantly impact the Company’s financial reporting.

NOTE 2FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date in the principal or most advantageous market. The Company uses a fair value hierarchy that has three levels of inputs, both observable and unobservable, with use of the lowest possible level of input to determine fair value.

 
 
 
 
 
9

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
Level 1 — Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in active exchange markets, such as the NASDAQ Stock Market. The Company had one of these instruments as of May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014. 
 
Level 2 — Valuations for assets and liabilities obtained from readily available pricing sources via independent providers for market transactions involving similar assets or liabilities. The Company had no Level 2 assets or liabilities as of May 31, 2015 or August 31, 2014.
 
Level 3 — Valuations for assets and liabilities that are derived from other valuation methodologies, including discounted cash flow models and similar techniques, and not based on market exchange, dealer, or broker traded transactions. Level 3 valuations incorporate certain assumptions and projections in determining the fair value assigned to such assets or liabilities. The Company had one Level 3 liability as of August 31, 2014, the TPF liability, which is described in greater detail in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease below. The Company had no Level 3 assets or liabilities as of May 31, 2015.

The Company maintains policies and procedures to value instruments using what management believes to be the best and most relevant data available.

The Company’s non-financial assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis consist entirely of its investments in water and water systems and other long-lived assets. See Note 3 –Water and Land Assets below.

Level 3 Liability – Tap Participation Fee. Prior to the Company’s settlement with HP A&M eliminating the TPF, the Company’s TPF liability was the Company’s only financial liability measured on a non-recurring basis. As further described in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease, the TPF liability was valued by projecting new home development in the Company’s targeted service area over an estimated development period.

Although not required, the Company deems the following table, which presents the changes in the TPF for the nine months ended May 31, 2015, to be helpful to the users of its consolidated financial statements:

   
Fair Value Measurement using Significant
Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
 
   
Gross Estimated Tap Participation Fee Liability
   
Tap Participation Fee Reported Liability
   
Discount - to be imputed as interest expense in future periods
 
Balance at August 31, 2014
  $ 12,038,300     $ 7,935,300     $ 4,103,000  
Total gains and losses (realized and unrealized):
    -       -       -  
Imputed interest recorded as "Other Expense"
    -       23,800       (23,800 )
Purchases, sales, issuances, payments, reductions resulting from foreclosures, and HP A&M settlement
    (12,038,300 )     (7,959,100 )     (4,079,200 )
Transfers in and/or out of Level 3
    -       -       -  
Balance at May 31, 2015
  $ -     $ -     $ -  
 
NOTE 3 – WATER AND LAND ASSETS

The Company’s water rights and current water and wastewater service agreements are more fully described in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets in Part II, Item 8 of the 2014 Annual Report. There have been no significant changes to the Company’s water rights or water and wastewater service agreements during the nine months ended May 31, 2015.
 
The Company’s Investment in Water and Water Systems consists of the following costs and accumulated depreciation and depletion at May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014:
 
 
 
10

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
   
May 31, 2015
   
August 31, 2014
 
   
Costs
   
Accumulated Depreciation and Depletion
   
Costs
   
Accumulated Depreciation and Depletion
 
Arkansas River Valley assets
  $ 68,821,400     $ (1,488,600 )   $ 67,746,400     $ (1,488,600 )
Rangeview water supply
    14,444,600       (8,600 )     14,444,600       (8,400 )
Sky Ranch water rights and other costs
    6,551,400       (170,100 )     6,004,000       (93,000 )
Fairgrounds water and water system
    2,899,900       (776,700 )     2,899,900       (710,600 )
Rangeview water system
    1,270,100       (99,900 )     1,148,200       (77,900 )
Water supply – other
    3,668,800       (167,900 )     1,050,200       (90,900 )
Totals
    97,656,200       (2,711,800 )     93,293,300       (2,469,400 )
Net investments in water and water systems
  $ 94,944,400             $ 90,823,900          
 
Capitalized terms in this section not defined herein are defined in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets to the 2014 Annual Report.

Depletion and Depreciation. The Company recorded depletion charges of $500 and $100 during the three month periods ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company recorded depletion charges of $6,700 and $300 during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. During the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, this related to the Rangeview and Sky Ranch water supplies, and during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, this related entirely to the Rangeview Water Supply. No depletion is taken against the Arkansas River assets because the water at this location was not being utilized for municipal purposes as of May 31, 2015.

The Company recorded $86,300 and $45,400 of depreciation expense during the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The Company recorded $252,200 and $138,800 of depreciation expense during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Land and Water Shares Held for Sale. During fiscal year 2012, management decided to sell certain farms in order to have liquidity sufficient to acquire the notes defaulted upon by HP A&M and to meet the future obligations on the promissory notes the Company intended to issue as consideration to purchase the notes owed by HP A&M. Management planned to sell approximately 1,603 acres of land along with 3,397 Fort Lyon Canal Company (“FLCC”) shares associated with this land.

Through August 31, 2014, the Company completed sales of approximately 1,886 acres of land and 2,982 FLCC shares associated with the land and, in November 2014, completed sales of approximately 299 acres of land along with 239 FLCC shares associated with the land. Management believes that the November 2014 sale completed the sales cycle related to the land held for sale as of August 31, 2012.

In addition, management identified as of August 2014 an additional 640 acres of land and 512 FLCC shares associated with the land as held for sale in order to have sufficient liquidity to continue to meet future obligations on the promissory notes the Company issued to purchase the defaulted notes owed by HP A&M and to continue to fund water system expansions. The net book value of the assets identified as held for sale was $1.9 million prior to designation as held for sale. The anticipated sales price for these assets is $1.5 million based on recent sales transactions, which required the Company to record an impairment of approximately $400,000 in fiscal year 2014.

Sale of Arkansas River Valley Assets. On March 11, 2015, the Company and Arkansas River Farms, LLC, a newly formed Colorado limited liability company (“Arkansas River Farms”), an affiliate of C&A Companies, Inc., a Colorado corporation, and Resource Land Holdings, L.L.C., a Colorado limited liability company, entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement (the “Purchase and Sale Agreement”). The Purchase and Sale Agreement originally provided that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Purchase and Sale Agreement, the Company will sell approximately 14,641 acres of real property located in Bent, Otero and Prowers Counties, Colorado, together with certain rights, easements, and benefits appurtenant to the land, including all improvements, all sand and gravel, 25% of the Company’s mineral rights, water rights (including 18,448.44 shares of stock in the FLCC and 45 shares of stock in the Lower Arkansas Water Management Association), and all water taps and rights to acquire water taps associated with the land and the wells located on the land, to Arkansas River Farms for approximately $53 million in cash, subject to such amendments to the Purchase and Sale Agreement as may be approved by the board of directors. The Purchase and Sale Agreement was amended after the end of the quarter to, among other things, reduce the purchase price to approximately $46 million and to remove the Company's mineral rights from the sale, See Note 11 – Subsequent Event. The Purchase and Sale Agreement has been approved by the Board and the shareholders of the Company.
 
 
 
11

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
The Company will continue to operate the assets as held for use and will continue to lease the farms to area farmers until the sale has been completed. The assets will remain in Investments in Water and Water Systems until the terms of the agreement are satisfied at which time it will be transferred to Land and Water Held for Sale. The assets being sold have a book value of approximately $69 million, or 68% of Pure Cycle’s total assets as of May 31, 2015. Upon satisfaction of the terms of the agreement, the Company will record a loss, which is expected to be approximately $23 million, of the difference between the book value and the closing amount.
 
See Exhibit 10.4 filed herewith and the Company’s Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 17, 2015, May 21, 2015, June 19, 2015, and June 24, 2015 and the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on March 27, 2015, for additional information.

NOTE 4 – LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS AND OPERATING LEASE

The Participating Interests in Export Water Supply is and prior to the Company’s settlement, the TPF payable to HP A&M was an obligation of the Company that had no scheduled maturity date. Therefore, these liabilities are not disclosed in tabular format, but they are described below.

Participating Interests in Export Water Supply

The Company acquired its Rangeview Water Supply through various amended agreements entered into in the early 1990s. The acquisition was consummated with the signing of the CAA in 1996. Upon entering into the CAA, the Company recorded an initial liability of $11.1 million, which represented the cash the Company received from the participating interest holders that was used to purchase the Company’s Export Water (described in greater detail in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets to the 2014 Annual Report). The Company agreed to remit a total of $31.8 million of proceeds received from the sale of Export Water to the participating interest holders in return for their initial $11.1 million investment. The obligation for the $11.1 million was recorded as debt, and the remaining $20.7 million contingent liability was not reflected on the Company’s balance sheet because the obligation to pay this is contingent on the sale of Export Water, the amounts and timing of which are not reasonably determinable.

The CAA obligation is non-interest bearing, and if the Export Water is not sold, the parties to the CAA have no recourse against the Company. If the Company does not sell the Export Water, the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock are also not entitled to payment of any dividend and have no contractual recourse against the Company.

As the proceeds from the sale of Export Water are received and the amounts are remitted to the external CAA holders, the Company allocates a ratable percentage of this payment to the principal portion (the Participating Interests in Export Water Supply liability account) with the balance of the payment being charged to the contingent obligation portion. Because the original recorded liability, which was $11.1 million, was 35% of the original total liability of $31.8 million, approximately 35% of each payment remitted to the CAA holders is allocated to the recorded liability account. The remaining portion of each payment, or approximately 65%, is allocated to the contingent obligation, which is recorded on a net revenue basis.

From time to time the Company repurchased various portions of the CAA obligations retaining their original priority. In July 2014, the Land Board relinquished its approximately $2.4 million of CAA interests to the Company as part of the settlement of the 2011 lawsuit filed by the Company and the District against the Land Board. As a result, during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014, the Company recorded a gain on the extinguishment of participating interests of the CAA of approximately $832,100. The Company did not make any CAA acquisitions during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 or 2014.
 
As a result of the acquisitions, the relinquishment by the Land Board, and the sale of Export Water, as detailed in the table below, the remaining potential third party obligation at May 31, 2015, is approximately $1 million, and the Company has the right to approximately $29.8 million:
 
 
 
 
12

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
   
Export Water Proceeds Received
   
Initial Export Water Proceeds to Pure Cycle
   
Total Potential Third Party Obligation
   
Paticipating Interests Liability
   
Contingency
 
Original balances
  $     $ 218,500     $ 31,807,700     $ 11,090,600     $ 20,717,100  
Activity from inception until August 31, 2014:
                                 
  Acquisitions
          28,077,500       (28,077,500 )     (9,790,000 )     (18,287,500 )
  Relinquishment
            2,386,400       (2,386,400 )     (832,100 )     (1,554,300 )
  Option payments - Sky Ranch
                                       
      and The Hills at Sky Ranch
    110,400       (42,300 )     (68,100 )     (23,800 )     (44,300 )
  Arapahoe County tap fees *
    533,000       (373,100 )     (159,900 )     (55,800 )     (104,100 )
  Export Water sale payments
    360,900       (262,200 )     (98,700 )     (34,300 )     (64,400 )
Balance at August 31, 2014
    1,004,300       30,004,800       1,017,100       354,600       662,500  
Fiscal 2015 activity:
                                       
  Export Water sale payments
    184,200       (162,300 )     (21,900 )     (7,600 )     (14,300 )
Balance at May 31, 2015
  $ 1,188,500     $ 29,842,500     $ 995,200     $ 347,000     $ 648,200  
 
* The Arapahoe County tap fees are net of $34,522 in royalties paid to the Land Board.

The CAA includes contractually established priorities that call for payments to CAA holders in order of their priority. This means the first payees receive their full payment before the next priority level receives any payment and so on until full repayment. The Company will receive approximately $6 million of the first priority payout (the remaining entire first priority payout totals approximately $6.8 million as of May 31, 2015).

Arkansas River Agreement Obligations

As discussed in Note 9 – Litigation Loss Contingencies, as a result of the settlement of litigation with HP A&M, the TPF liability was eliminated on the date of settlement, January 29, 2015.

Initially the obligation was to pay 10% of the Company’s gross proceeds, or the equivalent thereof, from the sale of 40,000 water taps sold after the date of the Arkansas River Agreement. The 40,000 water taps were eliminated as a result of (i) sales of Arkansas River Valley land in 2006 and 2009; (ii) the sale of unutilized water rights owned by the Company in the Arkansas River Valley in 2007; (iii) the election made by HP A&M, effective September 1, 2011, pursuant to the Arkansas River Agreement, to increase the TPF percentage from 10% to 20%, and to take a corresponding 50% reduction in the number of taps subject to the TPF; (iv) the allocation of 26.9% of the Net Revenues (defined as all lease and related income received from the farms less employee expenses, direct expenses for managing the leases and a reasonable overhead allocation) received by HP A&M from management of the farm leasing operations from September 1, 2011 to August 3, 2012 prior to termination of the Property Management Agreement; (v) the reduction of 19,044 taps as the result of foreclosures on certain farms pursuant to the remedies outlined in the Arkansas River Agreement (2,233 in fiscal year 2013, 15,010 in fiscal year 2014, and 1,801 in fiscal year 2015); and (vi) the settlement reached with HP A&M in January 2015.

The fair value of the TPF liability through the date of the settlement was an estimate prepared by management of the Company. The fair value of the liability was based on discounted estimated cash flows subject to the TPF calculated by projecting future annual water tap sales for the number of taps subject to the TPF at the date of valuation. Future cash flows from water tap sales were estimated by utilizing the following historical information, where available:

 
·
New homes constructed in the area known as the 11-county “Front Range” of Colorado from the 1980s through the valuation date;
 
·
New home construction patterns for large master planned housing developments along the Front Range;
 
·
Population growth rates for Colorado and the Front Range; and
 
·
The Consumer Price Index since the 1980s to project estimated future water tap fees.
 
 
 
13

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
Utilizing this historical information, the Company projected an estimated new home development pattern in its targeted service area sufficient to cover the sale of the water taps subject to the TPF at the date of the revaluation, August 31, 2014. The estimated proceeds generated from the sale of those water taps resulted in estimated payments to HP A&M over the life of the projected development period of $2 million. The estimated payments to HP A&M were then discounted to the current valuation date, and the difference between the amount reflected on the Company’s balance sheet at the valuation date and the total estimated payments were imputed as interest expense over the estimated development time using the effective interest method. The implied interest rate for the most recent valuation was 3.4%.

As of August 31, 2014, 2,184 taps (approximately $7.9 million of the TPF) remained subject to the TPF.

HP A&M relinquished all rights to the TPF pursuant to the settlement agreement the Company reached during January 2015. As a result, the TPF was eliminated during the three months ended February 28, 2015. The Company recorded the decreases in the TPF payable as an equity transaction due to the related party nature of the original transaction of approximately $6.2 million in the three months ended November 30, 2014 and the remaining approximately $1.7 million upon final settlement.  For a more detailed discussion of the valuation of the TPF, see Note 7 – Long-Term Debt and Operating Lease in Part II, Item 8 of the 2014 Annual Report.  For further discussion of the settlement agreement, see Note 9 – Litigation and Loss Contingencies below.

Promissory Notes Payable – Prior to settlement with HP A&M, approximately 60 of the 80 properties the Company originally acquired from HP A&M were subject to outstanding promissory notes payable to third parties that were secured by deeds of trust on the Company’s properties and water rights, as well as mineral interests. HP A&M defaulted on all of the promissory notes. HP A&M owed approximately $9.6 million of principal and accrued interest as of September 1, 2012. These promissory notes were secured by approximately 14,000 acres of land and 16,882 FLCC shares owned by the Company.

As a result of HP A&M’s default and the Company’s settlement with HP A&M, the Company has certain notes totaling approximately $5.8 million, including accrued interest of $34,100 as of May 31, 2015 attributable to its farms.  The Company borrowed $4,450,000 from the First National Bank of Las Animas in exchange for a note that has a 20 year term commencing October 27, 2014, requires semi-annual payments, and carries a 5.27% per annum interest rate for the first five years.  The note is secured by a total of 3,596.8 acres, and 4,369.4 FLCC shares.  After the first five years, the interest rate on the note is subject to change (no more often than annually) based on the changes in the First National Bank of Las Animas Ag/Commercial Real Estate Rate.  The Company may pay the note in full at any time without penalty.  Additionally, the Company has 16 mortgages for an aggregate total of approximately $1,350,000, which have five-year terms, require semi-annual payments, and carry a 5% per annum interest rate. These notes are secured by a total of 3,860.9 acres, and 4,793 FLCC shares.

The amount owed on the Company’s notes is approximately $5.6 million, including accrued interest of $34,100, and approximately $5 million, including accrued interest of $80,800, at May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014, respectively.
 
 
 
14

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
Future Maturities

Mortgage notes payable, mainly bear interest at 5%, 5-year term; one note in amount of $4.45 million has 20-year term
  $ 5,586,200  
Less: current portion
    (848,300 )
Total long-term mortgage payable
  $ 4,737,900  
         
Future long-term maturities
       
2016
    578,600  
2017
    369,000  
2018
    166,200  
2019
    157,100  
2020
    169,800  
Post 2020
    3,297,200  
Total
  $ 4,737,900  

WISE Partnership

During December 2014, the Company, through the District, consented to the waiver of all contingencies set forth in the Amended and Restated WISE Partnership – Water Delivery Agreement, dated December 31, 2013 (the “WISE Partnership Agreement”), among the City and County of Denver acting through its Board of Water Commissioners (“Denver Water”), the City of Aurora acting by and through its Utility Enterprise (“Aurora Water”), and the South Metro WISE Authority (“SMWA”). The SMWA was formed by the District and nine other governmental or quasi-governmental water providers pursuant to the South Metro WISE Authority Formation and Organizational Intergovernmental Agreement, dated December 31, 2013 (the “SM IGA”), to enable the members of SMWA to participate in the regional water supply project known as the Water Infrastructure Supply Efficiency partnership (“WISE”) created by the WISE Partnership Agreement. The SM IGA specifies each member’s pro rata share of WISE and the members’ rights and obligations with respect to WISE. The WISE Partnership Agreement provides for the purchase of certain infrastructure (i.e., pipelines, water storage facilities, water treatment facilities, and other appurtenant facilities) to deliver water to and among the 10 members of the SMWA, Denver Water and Aurora Water. Certain infrastructure has been constructed and other infrastructure will be constructed over the next several years.

By consenting to the waiver of the contingencies set forth in the WISE Partnership Agreement, pursuant to the terms of the Rangeview/Pure Cycle WISE Project Financing Agreement (the “WISE Financing Agreement”) between the Company and the District, the Company has an agreement to fund the District’s participation in WISE effective as of December 22, 2014. The Company’s cost of funding the District’s purchase of its share of existing infrastructure and future infrastructure for WISE is projected to be approximately $7 million over the next five years, which includes funding of approximately $1.2 million annually over the next five years and funding of the District’s obligations to repay approximately $1.4 million borrowed by the District from certain SMWA members to finance the purchase of infrastructure for WISE pursuant to an agreement dated November 19, 2014 (the “Rangeview Funding Agreement”). The $1.4 million is repayable in equal annual installments over the next three years and accrues interest at the rate of 3% and is recorded in WISE Funding Obligation and in Investments in Water and Water Systems on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.

Operating Lease

Effective January 2015, the Company entered into an operating lease for approximately 2,500 square feet of office and warehouse space. The lease has a one-year term with payments of $3,000 per month.
 
 
 
15

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
NOTE 5 – SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

The Company maintains the 2014 Incentive Plan (the “2014 Incentive Plan”), which was approved by shareholders in January 2014 and became effective April 12, 2014. Executives, eligible employees, consultants and non-employee directors are eligible to receive options and stock grants pursuant to the 2014 Incentive Plan. Pursuant to the 2014 Incentive Plan, options to purchase shares of stock and restricted stock awards can be granted with exercise prices, vesting conditions and other performance criteria determined by the Compensation Committee of the board of directors (the “Board”). The Company has reserved 1.6 million shares of common stock for issuance under the 2014 Incentive Plan. The Company began awarding options under the 2014 Incentive Plan during January 2015. Prior to the effective date of the 2014 Incentive Plan, the Company granted stock awards to eligible participants under its 2004 Incentive Plan (the “2004 Equity Plan”), which expired April 11, 2014. No additional awards may be granted pursuant to the 2004 Equity Plan; however, awards outstanding as of April 11, 2014, will continue to vest and expire and may be exercised in accordance with the terms of the 2004 Equity Plan.

The following table summarizes the combined stock option activity for the 2004 Equity Plan and 2014 Incentive Plan for the nine months ended May 31, 2015:

   
Number of Options
   
Weighted-Average Exercise Price
   
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Term
   
Approximate Aggregate Instrinsic Value
 
Oustanding at beginning of period
    315,000     $ 5.76              
Granted
    26,000       4.17              
Exercised
    -       -              
Forfeited or expired
    (12,500 )     7.21              
Outstanding at May 31, 2015
    328,500     $ 4.99       6.42     $ 82,270  
                                 
Options exercisable at May 31, 2015
    235,833     $ 4.83       5.56     $ 97,117  
 
The following table summarizes the combined activity and value of non-vested options under the 2004 Equity Plan and 2014 Incentive Plan as of and for the nine months ended May 31, 2015:

   
Number of Options
   
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
 
Non-vested options oustanding at beginning of period
    99,167     $ 4.85  
Granted
    26,000       2.78  
Vested
    (32,500 )     4.19  
Forfeited
    -       -  
Non-vested options outstanding at May 31, 2015
    92,667     $ 4.29  

The Company calculated the fair value of the options granted during January 2015 at approximately $72,000, using the Black Scholes option pricing model with the following variables: weighted average exercise price of $4.17 (which was the closing sale price of common stock on the date of grant); estimated option lives of 10 years; weighted average risk free interest rate of 1.77%; weighted average stock price volatility of 57.45%; and an estimated forfeiture rate of 0%.

All non-vested options are expected to vest. The total fair value of options vested during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and May 31, 2014 was $136,300 and $76,800, respectively.

Stock-based compensation expense was $53,700 and $68,800 for the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Stock-based compensation expense was $186,300 and $183,100 for the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
 
 
16

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
At May 31, 2015, the Company had unrecognized expenses relating to non-vested options that are expected to vest totaling $220,900, which options have a weighted average life of less than three years. The Company has not recorded any excess tax benefits to additional paid-in capital.

NOTE 6 – RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

On December 16, 2009, the Company entered into a Participation Agreement with the District, whereby the Company agreed to provide funding to the District in connection with the District’s membership in the South Metro Water Supply Authority (“SMWSA”). The Company provided $78,700 and $70,800 of funding to the District pursuant to the Participation Agreement during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. These amounts were expensed as general and administrative expenses at the time of funding. On November 10, 2014, the Company entered into a WISE Financing Agreement with the District, whereby the Company agreed to fund the District’s cost of participating in a regional water supply project known as the WISE partnership. Pursuant to the WISE Financing Agreement, the Company made payments of $1,156,800 during the nine months ended May 31, 2015, to purchase certain rights to use existing water transmission and related infrastructure acquired by WISE and is recorded as Investment in Water and Water Systems on the Company’s balance sheet. The Company estimates that it will be required to invest approximately $1.2 million per year over the next five years for additional payments for the water transmission line and additional facilities, water and related assets for WISE.

In 1995, the Company extended a loan to the District, a related party. The loan provided for borrowings of up to $250,000, is unsecured, bears interest based on the prevailing prime rate plus 2% (5.25% at May 31, 2015) and matured on December 31, 2014. The Company extended the maturity date of the loan to December 31, 2020. Beginning in January 2014, the District and the Company entered into a funding agreement that allows the Company to continue to provide funding to the District for day-to-day operations and accrue the funding into a note that bears interest at a rate of 8% and shall remain in full force and effect for so long as the 2014 Amended and Restated Lease Agreement remains in effect. The $674,300 balance of the note receivable at May 31, 2015, includes borrowings of $324,800 and accrued interest of $349,500.

NOTE 7 – SIGNIFICANT CUSTOMERS

The Company sells wholesale water and wastewater services to the District pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements (defined in Note 4 – Water and Land Assets to the 2014 Annual Report). Sales to the District accounted for 48% and 12% of the Company’s total water and wastewater revenues for the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Sales to the District accounted for 13% and 11% of the Company’s total water and wastewater revenues for the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The District has one significant customer. Pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements, the Company is providing water and wastewater services to this customer on behalf of the District. The District’s significant customer accounted for 40% and 10% of the Company’s total water and wastewater revenues for the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The District’s significant customer accounted for 11% and 9% of the Company’s total water and wastewater revenues for the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
Revenues related to the provision of water to one customer in the oil and gas industry accounted for 46% and 84% of the Company’s water and wastewater revenues for the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Revenues related to the provision of water to one customer in the oil and gas industry accounted for 83% and 86% of the Company’s water and wastewater revenues for the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
The Company had accounts receivable from the District that accounted for 10% and 5% of the Company’s trade receivables balances at May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014, respectively. Accounts receivable from the District’s largest customer accounted for 9% and 4% of the Company’s trade receivables as of May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014, respectively. Accounts receivable from industrial water sales accounted for less than 1% and 75% of the Company’s trade receivable balances at May 31, 2015 and August 31, 2014, respectively.

NOTE 8 – ACCRUED LIABILITIES

At May 31, 2015, the Company had accrued liabilities of $145,700, of which $59,500 was for estimated property taxes, $42,300 was for professional fees, $2,000 was for farm lease prepayments, and $41,900 was for operating payables.
 
 
 
 
17

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
At August 31, 2014, the Company had accrued liabilities of $257,900, of which $99,700 was for estimated property taxes, $59,500 was for professional fees, $22,400 was for farm lease prepayments, and the remaining $76,300 was for operating payables.

NOTE 9 – LITIGATION LOSS CONTINGENCIES

The Company has historically been involved in various claims, litigation and other legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of its business. The Company records an accrual for a loss contingency when its occurrence is probable and damages can be reasonably estimated based on the anticipated most likely outcome or the minimum amount within a range of possible outcomes. The Company makes such estimates based on information known about the claims and experience in contesting, litigating and settling similar claims. Disclosures are also provided for reasonably possible losses that could have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

On September 29, 2014, the Company entered into a Settlement Agreement and Release with HP A&M (“Settlement Agreement”). The Settlement Agreement settles the lawsuit filed by HP A&M against the Company in the District Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado on February 27, 2012, alleging breaches of representations and warranties made in connection with the Arkansas River Agreement. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement and a joint stipulated motion to dismiss filed with the court following execution of the Settlement Agreement, HP A&M released all claims asserted against the Company in its 2012 lawsuit, and the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice.

On January 29, 2015, the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, PCY Holdings, LLC (“PCY Holdings”), entered into a comprehensive settlement agreement with HP A&M settling all remaining lawsuits among the parties. The agreement settles four lawsuits, including a lawsuit filed against HP A&M in the District Court, City and County of Denver, State of Colorado on April 4, 2014, alleging HP A&M breached the Arkansas River Agreement, Seller Pledge Agreement and Property Management Agreement, among other ways, by failing to (i) pay, perform and discharge its obligations when due or otherwise pursuant to the Excluded Indebtedness, (ii) cure defaults under the Notes and Deeds of Trust applicable to the Excluded Indebtedness, and (iii) use Net Revenue, pursuant to the Property Management Agreement, to pay Excluded Indebtedness. The agreement also settles a lawsuit pending before the Colorado Court of Appeals that HP A&M filed against PCY Holdings and the Public Trustee for the County of Bent, Colorado, seeking (i) a declaratory judgment that it is entitled to redeem the four properties from foreclosure sales by paying the amount of the outstanding debt, plus fees, which is the amount PCY Holdings bid in the sales, and (ii) preliminary and permanent injunctions against the Public Trustee preventing the Public Trustee from issuing confirmation deeds for the foreclosure sales to PCY Holdings or anyone other than HP A&M, and a related lawsuit in which PCY Holdings was seeking to remove lis pendens from the four properties.

In exchange for settling all lawsuits, the settlement agreement provides for (i) the relinquishment of the TPF, (ii) the sale of 300,000 shares of the Company’s common stock owned by HP A&M, with the proceeds to be delivered to the Company, (iii) the assignment of HP A&M’s (75%) mineral interests to the Company, (iv) the dismissal of all claims by HP A&M, and (v) the forgiveness by the Company of the HP A&M receivable.

The settlement has been executed and is reflected in the financial statements for the period ended May 31, 2015 as follows: (1) the value of the common shares to be sold on behalf of the Company pursuant to the settlement of $1,407,000 is recorded as collateral stock on the consolidated balance sheet as a contra-equity balance, (2) the mineral interests estimated to be $1,068,400 were recorded on the balance sheet as part of the Arkansas River Valley asset, (3) the TPF of $1,731,800 and the HP A&M receivable of $7,133,300 outstanding as of the date of settlement were reduced to nil and (4) the balance of $2,926,100 was recorded as an equity transaction resulting in a decrease to equity.

NOTE 10 – SEGMENT INFORMATION

The Company operates primarily in two lines of business: (i) the wholesale water and wastewater business; and (ii) the agricultural farming business. The Company provides wholesale water and wastewater services to customers using water rights owned by the Company and develops infrastructure to divert, treat and distribute that water and collect, treat and reuse wastewater. The Company’s agricultural business consists of the Company leasing its Arkansas River Valley land and water to area farmers under cash leases or in certain cases crop share leases. The following tables show information by operating segment for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014:
 
 
 
18

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
Three Months Ended May 31, 2015
 
                         
   
Business segments
             
   
Wholesale
                   
   
water and
                   
   
wastewater
   
Agricultural
   
All Other
   
Total
 
                         
 Revenues
  $ 85,800     $ 270,600     $ 34,500     $ 390,900  
 Gross (loss) profit
    (39,300 )     247,500       19,800       228,000  
 Depletion and depreciation
    86,800       -       -       86,800  
 Other significant noncash items:
                               
           Stock-based compensation
    -       -       53,700       53,700  
            TPF interest expense
    -       -       -       -  
 Segment assets
    93,561,100       8,396,400       937,400       102,894,900  
 Expenditures for segment assets
    36,200       600       -       36,800  


Three Months Ended May 31, 2014
 
                         
   
Business segments
             
   
Wholesale
                   
   
water and
                   
   
wastewater
   
Agricultural
   
All Other
   
Total
 
                         
 Revenues
  $ 335,800     $ 328,800     $ 13,900     $ 678,500  
 Gross profit
    184,700       305,800       13,900       504,400  
 Depletion and depreciation
    7,200       -       -       7,200  
 Other significant noncash items:
                               
           Stock-based compensation
    -       -       68,800       68,800  
            TPF interest expense
    248,800       -       -       248,800  
 Segment assets
    96,813,900       6,571,000       3,272,700       106,657,600  
 Expenditures for segment assets
    399,000       -       -       399,000  


 
19

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
Nine Months Ended May 31, 2015
 
                         
   
Business segments
             
   
Wholesale
                   
   
water and
                   
   
wastewater
   
Agricultural
   
All Other
   
Total
 
                         
 Revenues
  $ 931,000     $ 818,900     $ 131,300     $ 1,881,200  
 Gross profit
    475,100       748,900       95,500       1,319,500  
 Depletion and depreciation
    258,900       -       -       258,900  
 Other significant noncash items:
                               
           Stock-based compensation
    -       -       186,300       186,300  
            TPF interest expense
    23,800       -       -       23,800  
 Segment assets
    93,561,100       8,396,400       937,400       102,894,900  
 Expenditures for segment assets
    1,904,500       3,500       -       1,908,000  

Nine Months ended May 31, 2014
 
                         
   
Business segments
             
   
Wholesale
                   
   
water and
                   
   
wastewater
   
Agricultural
   
All Other
   
Total
 
                         
 Revenues
  $ 1,095,400     $ 855,700     $ 41,900     $ 1,993,000  
 Gross profit
    620,800       791,300       41,900       1,454,000  
 Depletion and depreciation
    30,100       -       -       30,100  
 Other significant noncash items:
                               
           Stock-based compensation
    -       -       183,100       183,100  
            TPF interest expense
    1,309,100       -       -       1,309,100  
 Segment assets
    96,813,900       6,571,000       3,272,700       106,657,600  
 Expenditures for segment assets
    918,100       -       -       918,100  

NOTE 11 – SUBSEQUENT EVENT
 
On June 19, 2015, shareholders of the Company approved the sale of the Arkansas River Valley assets to Arkansas River Farms in accordance with the Purchase and Sale Agreement. The closing of the transaction remains subject to the completion of due diligence and the satisfaction of other conditions. Effective as of July 2, 2015, the parties entered into an amendment to the Purchase and Sale Agreement that, among other things, provides for the following:
 
 
·
The purchase price was reduced from approximately $53 million to $45.8 million, subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the Purchase and Sale Agreement, as amended;
 
 
·
Within two business days of the Company's delivery to the  title  company of certain closing documents approved by Arkansas River Farms, the remaining $975,000 of earnest money deposit shall be released to the Company, which deposit shall be non-refundable (subject to certain limited circumstances) and credited against the purchase price at closing;
 
 
 
20

 
 
PURE CYCLE CORPORATION
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
MAY 31, 2015
 
 
 
·
The Company shall retain all rents and be responsible for all water assessments and property taxes for the farm operations through calendar 2015, whereas the Purchase and Sale Agreement had previously provided that such items would be prorated between the parties based on the timing of the closing within the year;
 
 
·
The portion of the oil, gas, natural gas, and hydrocarbons appurtenant to the land to be retained by the Company increased from 75% to 100%; and
 
 
·
For purposes of any adjustments to the purchase price, the multiplier for each Dry-up Share (as defined in Section 10 of the Fourth Amendment filed herewith as Exhibit 10.4) that Arkansas River Farms does not purchase (based on a determination that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the obligation to dry-up the property and allow the Dry-Up Shares to be used elsewhere) was increased from $1,625 to $3,250.
 
 
 
21

 
 
 
Item 2.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
 
OVERVIEW
 
The discussion and analysis below includes certain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, as described in “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, that could cause our actual growth, results of operations, performance, financial position and business prospects and opportunities for this fiscal year and periods that follow to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by those forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with our disclosure under the heading “Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” below.

The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) is intended to help the reader understand our results of operations and financial condition and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto and the financial statements and the notes thereto contained in our 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “2014 Annual Report”).

The following section focuses on the key indicators reviewed by management in evaluating our financial condition and operating performance, including the following:

 
·
Revenue generated from our water and wastewater services and farming operations;
 
·
Expenses associated with developing our water and land assets; and
 
·
Cash available to continue development of our water rights and service agreements.

Our MD&A section includes the following items:
 
Our Business – a general description of our business, our services and our business strategy.

Results of Operations – an analysis of our results of operations for the periods presented in our consolidated financial statements. 

Liquidity, Capital Resources and Financial Position – an analysis of our cash position and cash flows, as well as a discussion of our financing arrangements.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates – a discussion of our critical accounting policies that require critical judgments, assumptions and estimates.

Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements – an identification of forward-looking statements and a description of risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in forward-looking statements.

Our Business

Pure Cycle Corporation (“we”, “us” or “our”) is a Colorado corporation that (i) provides wholesale water and wastewater services to end-use customers of governmental entities and to commercial and industrial customers and (ii) manages land and water assets for farming.

Wholesale Water and Wastewater

These services include water production, storage, treatment, bulk transmission to retail distribution systems, wastewater collection and treatment, irrigation water treatment and transmission, construction management, billing and collection and emergency response.
 
We are a vertically integrated wholesale water and wastewater provider, which means we own or control substantially all assets necessary to provide wholesale water and wastewater services to our customers. This includes owning (i) water rights which we use to provide domestic, irrigation, and industrial water to our wholesale customers (we own surface water, groundwater, reclaimed water rights and storage rights); (ii) infrastructure (such as wells, diversion structures, pipelines, reservoirs and treatment facilities) required to withdraw, treat, store and deliver water; (iii) infrastructure required to collect, treat, store and reuse wastewater; and (iv) infrastructure required to treat and deliver reclaimed water for irrigation use.
 
 
 
 
22

 

 
We currently provide wholesale water and wastewater service predominately to two local governmental entity customers. Our largest wholesale domestic customer is the Rangeview Metropolitan District (the “District”). We provide service to the District and its end-use customers pursuant to the Rangeview Water Agreements (defined in Part I, Item 1 – Business Summary – Our Water and Land Assets in the 2014 Annual Report) between us and the District for the provision of wholesale water service to the District for use in the District’s service area. Through the District, we serve 258 Single Family Equivalent (“SFE”) (as defined below) water connections and 157 SFE wastewater connections located in southeastern metropolitan Denver. One SFE is a customer – whether residential, commercial or industrial – that imparts a demand on our water or wastewater systems similar to the demand of a family of four persons living in a single family house on a standard sized lot. One SFE is assumed to have a water demand of approximately 0.4 acre feet per year and to contribute wastewater flows of approximately 300 gallons per day. In the past two years, we have been providing an increasing amount of water to industrial customers in our service area and adjacent to our service areas in the oil and gas industry for the purpose of hydraulic fracturing. Oil and gas operators have leased more than 135,000 acres within and adjacent to our service areas for the purpose of exploring oil and gas interests in the Niobrara and other formations, and this activity has led to increased water demands.

We plan to utilize our significant water assets along with our adjudicated reservoir sites to provide wholesale water and wastewater services to local governmental entities, which in turn will provide residential/commercial water and wastewater services to communities along the eastern slope of Colorado in the area generally referred to as the Front Range. Principally we target the I-70 corridor, which is located east of downtown Denver and south of Denver International Airport. This area is predominately undeveloped and is expected to experience substantial growth over the next 30 years. We also plan to continue to provide water service to commercial and industrial customers.

Agricultural Operations and Leasing

Based on total acreage, approximately 73% of our farm operations are managed through cash lease arrangements with local area farmers, whereby we charge a fixed fee to lease our land and the water for agricultural purposes to tenant farmers. Based on total acreage, approximately 27% of our farm operations are managed through crop share leases, pursuant to which we and the tenant farmer jointly share in the gross revenues generated from the crops grown under a 75% farmer, 25% landlord participation. The majority of crops grown on our farms are alfalfa, with a number of acres also planted in corn, sorghum, and wheat. On March 11, 2015, we entered into an agreement to sell our remaining 14,641 acres of farm land and water in the Arkansas Valley. The sale is subject to customary diligence and is scheduled to close in August 2015.

We also own 931 acres of land along the I-70 corridor east of Denver, Colorado. We are currently leasing this land to an area farmer until such time as the property can be developed.

These land interests are described in the Arkansas River Assets and Sky Ranch sections of Note 4 – Water and Land Assets in Part II, Item 8 of the 2014 Annual Report.

Results of Operations

Executive Summary

The results of our operations for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014 are as follows:


 
23

 
 
 
Summary Table 1a
   
Three months ended May 31,
             
   
2015
   
2014
   
Change
   
% Change
 
Millions of gallons of water delivered
    7.4       31.6       (24.2 )     -77 %
Metered water usage revenues
  $ 73,500     $ 314,200     $ (240,700 )     -77 %
Operating costs to deliver water
  $ 73,700     $ 94,100     $ (20,400 )     -22 %
(excluding depreciation and depletion)
                               
Water delivery gross margin %
    0 %     70 %                
                                 
Wastewater treatment revenues
  $ 12,300     $ 11,400     $ 900       8 %
Operating costs to treat wastewater
  $ 9,300     $ 6,400     $ 2,900       45 %
Wastewater treatment gross margin %
    24 %     44 %                
                                 
Tap and specialty facility revenues
  $ 14,000     $ 14,000     $ -       0 %
                                 
Farm operations revenues
  $ 270,600     $ 328,800     $ (58,200 )     -18 %
Farm operating costs
  $ 23,100     $ 23,000     $ 100       0 %
Farm operations gross margin %
    91 %     93 %                
General and administrative expenses
  $ 524,700     $ 848,300     $ (323,600 )     -38 %
Net income/(loss)
  $ 30,200     $ (381,200 )   $ 411,400       108 %

Summary Table 1b
 
   
Nine months ended May 31,
             
   
2015
   
2014
   
Change
   
% Change
 
Millions of gallons of water delivered
    83.7       103.7       (20.0 )     -19 %
Metered water usage revenues
  $ 893,700     $ 1,028,600     $ (134,900 )     -13 %
Operating costs to deliver water
  $ 303,100     $ 307,500     $ (4,400 )     -1 %
(excluding depreciation and depletion)
                               
Water delivery gross margin %
    66 %     70 %                
                                 
Wastewater treatment revenues
  $ 37,200     $ 33,500     $ 3,700       11 %
Operating costs to treat wastewater
  $ 22,100     $ 24,700     $ (2,600 )     -11 %
Wastewater treatment gross margin %
    41 %     26 %                
                                 
Tap and specialty facility revenues
  $ 41,900     $ 41,900     $ -       0 %
                                 
Farm operations revenues
  $ 818,900     $ 855,700     $ (36,800 )     -4 %
Farm operating costs
  $ 70,000     $ 64,400     $ 5,600       9 %
Farm operations gross margin %
    91 %     92 %                
General and administrative expenses
  $ 1,785,100     $ 2,153,200     $ (368,100 )     -17 %
Net loss
  $ (45,400 )   $ (1,683,700 )   $ 1,638,300       97 %
 
Changes in Revenues

Metered Water Usage Revenues – Our water service charges include a fixed monthly fee and a fee based on actual amounts of water used, which is based on a tiered pricing structure that provides for higher prices as customers use greater amounts of water. Our rates and charges are established based on the average rates and charges of three surrounding water providers.

Water deliveries and water revenues each decreased 77% during the three months ended May 31, 2015, compared to the three months ended May 31, 2014. Water deliveries decreased 19% and water revenues decreased 13% during the nine months ended May 31, 2015, compared to the nine months ended May 31, 2014. The decreases in water deliveries and revenues are primarily the result of a reduction in demand for water by the oil and gas industry, which was used primarily to frack wells drilled in the Niobrara formation. The decrease in the price of oil has caused oil and gas producers in the area to reduce drilling, which has in turn reduced demand for water. As a result of the difference in meter rates for fracking water compared to rates for tap customers, revenues received for fracking water have a greater margin. Increases and decreases in water deliveries charged at different rates will result in disproportionate increases and decreases in revenues.  The following table details the sources of our sales, the number of kgal (1,000 gallons) sold, and the average price per kgal for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and May 31, 2014.
 
 
 
 
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Table 2a - Water Revenue Summary
 
   
Three months ended May 31,
 
   
2015
   
2014
 
Customer Type
 
Sales
   
kgal
   
Average per kgal
   
Sales
   
kgal
   
Average per kgal
 
On Site
  $ 25,000       3,140.0     $ 7.96     $ 28,600       4,350.2     $ 6.57  
Export - Commercial
    7,700       489.4       15.73       7,500       487.2       15.39  
Fracking
    40,800       3,727.4       10.95       278,100       26,772.9       10.39  
    $ 73,500       7,356.8     $ 9.99     $ 314,200       31,610.3     $ 9.94  

Table 2b - Water Revenue Summary
 
   
Nine months ended May 31,
 
   
2015
   
2014
 
Customer Type
 
Sales
   
kgal
   
Average per kgal
   
Sales
   
kgal
   
Average per kgal
 
On Site
  $ 83,000       9,268.5     $ 8.96     $ 78,800       12,540.2     $ 6.28  
Export - Commercial
    28,100       1,835.1       15.31       17,100       3,141.6       5.44  
Fracking
    782,600       72,547.6       10.79       932,700       88,054.4       10.59  
    $ 893,700       83,651.2     $ 10.68     $ 1,028,600       103,736.2     $ 9.92  
 
The gross margin on delivering water was nil and 70% for the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The gross margin on delivering water decreased to 66% during the nine months ended May 31, 2015, from 70% during the nine months ended May 31, 2014. The Company is obligated to pay certain lease and operating costs related to the ECCV system (defined under Liquidity, Capital Resources, and Financial Planning below) regardless of the Company’s water deliveries. The system costs approximately $9,500 per month to maintain without any production. We have not had production through the ECCV system since November 2014, which has negatively impacted our gross margin for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015.

Wastewater Treatment Revenues – Our wastewater customer is charged based on the amount of wastewater treated.

Wastewater fees increased 8% and 11% during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, respectively. The increases were primarily the result of increased demand from our only wastewater customer. Our operating costs decreased due to the reclassification of expenses related to the District during 2014, which expenses had historically been recorded under general and administrative expenses. Beginning in 2014 we have a new funding agreement with the District, under which we accrue funding provided to the District into a note.

Tap and Special Facility Revenues – We have various water and wastewater service agreements, a component of which may include tap fees and construction fees. We recognize water tap fees as revenue ratably over the estimated service period upon completion of the “Wholesale Facilities” (defined in the 2014 Annual Report) constructed to provide service to Arapahoe County, Colorado (the “County”). We recognized $3,600 and $10,700 of water tap fee revenues during each of the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The water tap fees to be recognized over these periods are net of the royalty payments to the State of Colorado Board of Land Commissioners (the “Land Board”) and amounts paid to third parties pursuant to the “CAA,” which is described in Note 4 – Long-Term Obligations and Operating Lease to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.

We recognized $10,400 and $31,100 of “Special Facilities” (defined in the 2014 Annual Report) funding as revenue during each of the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. This is the ratable portion of the Special Facilities funding proceeds received from the County pursuant to a water service agreement as more fully described in Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to Part II, Item 8 of the 2014 Annual Report.
 
 
 
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At May 31, 2015, we have deferred recognition of $1.2 million of water tap and construction fee revenue from the County, which will be recognized as revenue ratably over the estimated useful accounting life of the assets constructed with the construction proceeds as described above.

On December 31, 2013, the District increased its water tap fees from $22,500 per SFE to $24,620 per SFE, and wastewater tap fees increased from $4,883 per SFE to $4,988 per SFE. We did not sell any water or wastewater taps during the three or nine months ended May 31, 2015 or 2014.

Farm Operations Revenues – Our farming operations include revenues from leases on the farms we own in the Arkansas River Valley.

Lease income from our farming operations decreased by 18% during the three months ended May 31, 2015, compared to the three months ended May 31, 2014. The decrease was primarily the result of us owning less farms and converting several of our farms to crop share leases. Lease income from our farming operations decreased by 4% during the nine months ended May 31, 2015, compared to the nine months ended May 31, 2014. The decrease in lease income is primarily the result of lower than expected yields on our crop share leases and an increase in the number of farms subject to crop share leases, which is partially offset by a discount provided under the leases in the prior fiscal period due to a drought, which we did not have to provide during the current fiscal period.

The following charts detail our farm revenue by lease type, acres, and the average revenue per acre for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014.

Table 3a - Farm Summary
 
   
Three Months Ended May 31,
 
   
2015
   
2014
 
Lease Type
 
Sales
   
Acres
   
Average per Acre
   
Sales
   
Acres
   
Average per Acre
 
Arkansas Cash
  $ 183,400       7,367     $ 24.89     $ 232,400       9,610     $ 24.18  
Arkansas Pasture
    2,900       1,073       2.70       2,300       1,132       2.03  
Arkansas Water shares
    32,000       N/A       N/A       27,800       N/A       N/A  
Arkansas Crop Share
    52,300       4,144       12.62       66,300       2,174       30.50  
Arkansas Held for Sale
    -       *       -       -       -       -  
Arkansas Not Farmed
    -       2,021       -       -       1,988       -  
Sky Ranch
    -       931       -       -       931       -  
    $ 270,600       15,536     $ 17.42     $ 328,800       15,835     $ 20.76  
 
 
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Table 3b - Farm Summary
 
   
Nine Months Ended May 31,
 
   
2015
   
2014
 
Lease Type
 
Sales
   
Acres
   
Average per Acre
   
Sales
   
Acres
   
Average per Acre
 
Arkansas Cash
  $ 657,200       8,821     $ 74.50     $ 658,500       10,274     $ 64.09  
Arkansas Pasture
    8,000       1,111       7.20       8,900       1,320       6.74  
Arkansas Water shares
    68,800       N/A       N/A       78,100       N/A       N/A  
Arkansas Crop Share
    84,900       2,686       31.61       110,200       1,772       62.19  
Arkansas Held for Sale
    -       *       -       -       -       -  
Arkansas Not Farmed
    -       1,995       -       -       1,988       -  
Sky Ranch
    -       931       -       -       931       -  
    $ 818,900       15,544     $ 52.68     $ 855,700       16,285     $ 52.55  
 
(*) We anticipated selling approximately 640 acres as of May 31, 2015. During the third fiscal quarter we entered into an agreement to sell our Arkansas agricultural portfolio.

General and Administrative Expenses

Significant balances classified as general and administrative (“G&A”) expenses for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively were:

Table 4a - Signficant Balances in G&A
 
   
Three months ended May 31,
             
   
2015
   
2014
   
$ Change
   
% Change
 
Salary and salary related expenses:
                       
   Including share-based compensation
  $ 188,000     $ 201,600     $ (13,600 )     -7 %
   Excluding share-based compensation
  $ 134,300     $ 132,800     $ 1,500       1 %
FLCC water assessment fees
  $ 105,300     $ 81,100     $ 24,200       30 %
Professional fees
  $ 74,000     $ 403,300     $ (329,300 )     -82 %
Fees paid to directors (including insurance)
  $ 27,800     $ 27,400     $ 400       1 %
Public entity related expenses
  $ 19,300     $ 30,000     $ (10,700 )     -36 %
Property taxes
  $ 35,900     $ 13,500     $ 22,400       166 %

Table 4b - Signficant Balances in G&A
 
   
Nine months ended May 31,
             
   
2015
   
2014
   
$ Change
   
% Change
 
Salary and salary related expenses:
                       
   Including share-based compensation
  $ 592,100     $ 577,400     $ 14,700       3 %
   Excluding share-based compensation
  $ 405,800     $ 394,300     $ 11,500       3 %
FLCC water assessment fees
  $ 274,400     $ 225,300     $ 49,100       22 %
Professional fees
  $ 472,300     $ 897,400     $ (425,100 )     -47 %
Fees paid to directors (including insurance)
  $ 98,500     $ 75,500     $ 23,000       30 %
Public entity related expenses
  $ 60,400     $ 72,600     $ (12,200 )     -17 %
Property taxes
  $ 104,000     $ 48,500     $ 55,500       114 %
 
Salary and salary related expenses – Salary and salary related expenses including share-based compensation decreased 7% and increased 3% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, as compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, respectively. The changes were primarily due to the recognition of option expense on the grant of stock options to our non-employee directors, which varied based on stock price on the date of the option grants compared to 2014. The salary and salary related expenses noted above include $53,700 and $68,800 of share-based compensation expenses during the three months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The salary and salary related expenses noted above include $186,300 and $183,100 during the nine months ended May 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
 
 
 
 
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FLCC water assessment fees Water assessment fees, which are mainly paid to the Fort Lyon Canal Company (“FLCC”), are the fees we pay for our share of the maintenance of the Fort Lyon Canal. The fees are approved by the shareholders of the FLCC. As of May 31, 2015, we hold approximately 18,448 (20%) of the voting shares of the FLCC. Assessments per share from the FLCC were $15, $16, and $22.50 for the calendar years 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively. FLCC water assessment fees increased 30% and 22% during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, as compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, respectively, due to the increased assessment rate charged by the FLCC. This increase was partially offset by the fact that we owned fewer FLCC shares in 2015.

Professional fees (mainly accounting and legal) – Legal and accounting fees decreased 82% and 47% during the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, as compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, respectively. The decrease was due to decreased legal fees related to litigation of approximately $348,900 and $470,600 for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, respectively.

Fees paid to directors (including insurance) Director’s fees, including D&O insurance, increased 1% and 30% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015, as compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, respectively. These fees vary due to timing of expenditures, but generally are expected to remain consistent year over year. Effective January 2014, the Company began expensing director’s fees on a monthly basis rather than in an annual lump sum as had been done in the past, which should reduce quarter to quarter variations.

Public entity expenses Costs associated with corporate governance and costs associated with being a publicly traded entity decreased 36% and 17% for the three and nine months ended May 31, 2015 as compared to the three and nine months ended May 31, 2014, respectively. The fluctuations are