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Atmos Energy
ATO
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Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is an American natural-gas distributor.
  1. Atmos Energy
  2. Annual Reports (10-K)
  3. Financial Year 2011

Atmos Energy - 10-K annual report 2011


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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
 
Form 10-K
 
   
(Mark One)  
 
þ
 ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011
  OR
o
 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 1-10042
Atmos Energy Corporation
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
 
   
Texas and Virginia 75-1743247
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)		 (IRS employer
identification no.)
Three Lincoln Centre, Suite 1800
5430 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas
(Address of principal executive offices)		 75240
(Zip code)
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:
(972) 934-9227
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
   
  Name of Each Exchange
Title of Each Class
 
on Which Registered
 
Common stock, No Par Value New York Stock Exchange
 
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  Yes þ     No o
 
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.  Yes o     No þ
 
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 þ     No o
 
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 ofRegulation 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 þ     No o
 
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 ofRegulation S-Kis not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of thisForm 10-Kor any amendment to thisForm 10-K.  þ
 
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 definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):
 
Large accelerated filer þ Accelerated filer o Non-acceleratedfiler o Smaller reporting company o
 
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined inRule 12b-2of the Act).  Yes o     No þ
 
The aggregate market value of the common voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, March 31, 2011, was $3,008,806,271.
 
As of November 14, 2011, the registrant had 90,364,061 shares of common stock outstanding.
 
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
Portions of the registrant’s Definitive Proxy Statement to be filed for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 8, 2012, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this report.
 

 

 
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
         
    Page
 
Glossary of Key Terms  3 
 
Part I
 Item 1.  Business  4 
 Item 1A.  Risk Factors  22 
 Item 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments  27 
 Item 2.  Properties  28 
 Item 3.  Legal Proceedings  29 
 
Part II
 Item 5.  Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities  30 
 Item 6.  Selected Financial Data  33 
 Item 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations  34 
 Item 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk  64 
 Item 8.  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data  65 
 Item 9.  Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure  134 
 Item 9A.  Controls and Procedures  134 
 Item 9B.  Other Information  136 
 
Part III
 Item 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance  136 
 Item 11.  Executive Compensation  137 
 Item 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters  137 
 Item 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence  137 
 Item 14.  Principal Accountant Fees and Services  137 
 
Part IV
 Item 15.  Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules  137 
 EX-10.14
 EX-12
 EX-21
 EX-23.1
 EX-31
 EX-32
 EX-101 INSTANCE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 SCHEMA DOCUMENT
 EX-101 CALCULATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 LABELS LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT
 EX-101 DEFINITION LINKBASE DOCUMENT

Table of Contents

 
GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
 
   
AEC
 
Atmos Energy Corporation
AEH
 
Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc.
AEM
 
Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC
APS
 
Atmos Pipeline and Storage, LLC
ATO
 
Trading symbol for Atmos Energy Corporation common stock on the New York Stock Exchange
Bcf
 
Billion cubic feet
COSO
 
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission
FASB
 
Financial Accounting Standards Board
FERC
 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Fitch
 
Fitch Ratings, Ltd.
GRIP
 
Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program
GSRS
 
Gas System Reliability Surcharge
ISRS
 
Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge
KPSC
 
Kentucky Public Service Commission
LTIP
 
1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan
Mcf
 
Thousand cubic feet
MDWQ
 
Maximum daily withdrawal quantity
MMcf
 
Million cubic feet
Moody’s
 
Moody’s Investor Services, Inc.
NYMEX
 
New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.
NYSE
 
New York Stock Exchange
PAP
 
Pension Account Plan
RRC
 
Railroad Commission of Texas
RRM
 
Rate Review Mechanism
RSC
 
Rate Stabilization Clause
S&P
 
Standard & Poor’s Corporation
SEC
 
United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Settled Cities
 
Represents 439 of the 440 incorporated cities, or approximately 80 percent of the Mid-Tex Division’s customers, with whom a settlement agreement was reached during the fiscal 2008 second quarter.
SRF
 
Stable Rate Filing
WNA
 
Weather Normalization Adjustment


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PART I
 
The terms “we,” “our,” “us”, “Atmos Energy” and the “Company” refer to Atmos Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries, unless the context suggests otherwise.
 
ITEM 1.  Business.
 
Overview and Strategy
 
Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is engaged primarily in the regulated natural gas distribution and transmission and storage businesses as well as other nonregulated natural gas businesses. Since our incorporation in Texas in 1983, we have grown primarily through a series of acquisitions, the most recent of which was the acquisition in October 2004 of the natural gas distribution and pipeline operations of TXU Gas Company. We are also incorporated in the state of Virginia.
 
Today, we distribute natural gas through regulated sales and transportation arrangements to over three million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers in 12 states located primarily in the South, which makes us one of the country’s largest natural-gas-only distributors based on number of customers. In May 2011, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement to sell our natural gas distribution operations in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, representing approximately 84,000 customers. After the closing of this transaction, we will operate in nine states. We also operate one of the largest intrastate pipelines in Texas based on miles of pipe.
 
Through our nonregulated businesses, we primarily provide natural gas management and marketing services to municipalities, other local gas distribution companies and industrial customers principally in the Midwest and Southeast and natural gas transportation along with storage services to certain of our natural gas distribution divisions and third parties.
 
Our overall strategy is to:
 
  • deliver superior shareholder value,
 
  • improve the quality and consistency of earnings growth, while safely operating our regulated and nonregulated businesses exceptionally well and
 
  • enhance and strengthen a culture built on our core values.
 
We have continued to grow our earnings after giving effect to our acquisitions and have experienced more than 25 consecutive years of increasing dividends. Historically, we achieved this record of growth through acquisitions while efficiently managing our operating and maintenance expenses and leveraging our technology to achieve more efficient operations. In recent years, we have also achieved growth by implementing rate designs that reduce or eliminate regulatory lag and separate the recovery of our approved margins from customer usage patterns. In addition, we have developed various commercial opportunities within our regulated transmission and storage operations.
 
Our core values include focusing on our employees and customers while conducting our business with honesty and integrity. We continue to strengthen our culture through ongoing communications with our employees and enhanced employee training.
 
Operating Segments
 
We operate the Company through the following three segments:
 
  • The natural gas distribution segment, which includes our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations,
 
  • The regulated transmission and storage segment, which includes the regulated pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division and


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  • The nonregulated segment, which includes our nonregulated natural gas management, nonregulated natural gas transmission, storage and other services.
 
These operating segments are described in greater detail below.
 
Natural Gas Distribution Segment Overview
 
Our natural gas distribution segment consists of the following six regulated divisions, presented in order of total rate base, covering service areas in 12 states:
 
  • Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division,
 
  • Atmos Energy Kentucky/Mid-States Division,
 
  • Atmos Energy Louisiana Division,
 
  • Atmos Energy West Texas Division,
 
  • Atmos Energy Mississippi Division and
 
  • Atmos Energy Colorado-Kansas Division
 
Our natural gas distribution business is a seasonal business. Gas sales to residential and commercial customers are greater during the winter months than during the remainder of the year. The volumes of gas sales during the winter months will vary with the temperatures during these months.
 
Revenues in this operating segment are established by regulatory authorities in the states in which we operate. These rates are intended to be sufficient to cover the costs of conducting business and to provide a reasonable return on invested capital. Our primary service areas are located in Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. We have more limited service areas in Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Virginia. See Note 6 in the consolidated financial statements for a complete description of the anticipated sale of our Illinois, Iowa and Missouri service areas. In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system.
 
Rates established by regulatory authorities often include cost adjustment mechanisms for costs that (i) are subject to significant price fluctuations compared to our other costs, (ii) represent a large component of our cost of service and (iii) are generally outside our control.
 
Purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms represent a common form of cost adjustment mechanism. Purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms provide natural gas utility companies a method of recovering purchased gas costs on an ongoing basis without filing a rate case because they provide adollar-for-dollaroffset to increases or decreases in natural gas distribution gas costs. Therefore, although substantially all of our natural gas distribution operating revenues fluctuate with the cost of gas that we purchase, natural gas distribution gross profit (which is defined as operating revenues less purchased gas cost) is generally not affected by fluctuations in the cost of gas.
 
Additionally, some jurisdictions have introduced performance-based ratemaking adjustments to provide incentives to natural gas utilities to minimize purchased gas costs through improved storage management and use of financial instruments to lock in gas costs. Under the performance-based ratemaking adjustment, purchased gas costs savings are shared between the utility and its customers.
 
Finally, regulatory authorities have approved weather normalization adjustments (WNA) for approximately 94 percent of residential and commercial margins in our service areas as a part of our rates. WNA minimizes the effect of weather that is above or below normal by allowing us to increase customers’ bills to offset lower gas usage when weather is warmer than normal and decrease customers’ bills to offset higher gas usage when weather is colder than normal.


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As of September 30, 2011 we had WNA for our residential and commercial meters in the following service areas for the following periods:
 
   
Georgia, Kansas, West Texas
 October — May
Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Mid-Tex
 November — April
Louisiana
 December — March
Virginia
 January — December
 
Our supply of natural gas is provided by a variety of suppliers, including independent producers, marketers and pipeline companies and withdrawals of gas from proprietary and contracted storage assets. Additionally, the natural gas supply for our Mid-Tex Division includes peaking and spot purchase agreements.
 
Supply arrangements consist of both base load and swing supply (peaking) quantities and are contracted from our suppliers on a firm basis with various terms at market prices. Base load quantities are those that flow at a constant level throughout the month and swing supply quantities provide the flexibility to change daily quantities to match increases or decreases in requirements related to weather conditions.
 
Except for local production purchases, we select our natural gas suppliers through a competitive bidding process by periodically requesting proposals from suppliers that have demonstrated that they can provide reliable service. We select these suppliers based on their ability to deliver gas supply to our designated firm pipeline receipt points at the lowest cost. Major suppliers during fiscal 2011 were Anadarko Energy Services, BP Energy Company, ConocoPhillips, Devon Gas Services, L.P., Enbridge Marketing (US) L.P., Iberdrola Renewables, Inc., National Fuel Marketing Company, LLC, ONEOK Energy Services Company L.P., Tenaska Marketing and Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC, our natural gas marketing subsidiary.
 
The combination of base load, peaking and spot purchase agreements, coupled with the withdrawal of gas held in storage, allows us the flexibility to adjust to changes in weather, which minimizes our need to enter into long-term firm commitments. We estimate ourpeak-dayavailability of natural gas supply to be approximately 4.4 Bcf. Thepeak-daydemand for our natural gas distribution operations in fiscal 2011 was on February 2, 2011, when sales to customers reached approximately 4.4 Bcf.
 
Currently, our natural gas distribution divisions, except for our Mid-Tex Division, utilize 45 pipeline transportation companies, both interstate and intrastate, to transport our natural gas. The pipeline transportation agreements are firm and many of them have “pipeline no-notice” storage service, which provides for daily balancing between system requirements and nominated flowing supplies. These agreements have been negotiated with the shortest term necessary while still maintaining our right of first refusal. The natural gas supply for our Mid-Tex Division is delivered primarily by our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division.
 
To maintain our deliveries to high priority customers, we have the ability, and have exercised our right, to curtail deliveries to certain customers under the terms of interruptible contracts or applicable state regulations or statutes. Our customers’ demand on our system is not necessarily indicative of our ability to meet current or anticipated market demands or immediate delivery requirements because of factors such as the physical limitations of gathering, storage and transmission systems, the duration and severity of cold weather, the availability of gas reserves from our suppliers, the ability to purchase additional supplies on a short-term basis and actions by federal and state regulatory authorities. Curtailment rights provide us the flexibility to meet the human-needs requirements of our customers on a firm basis. Priority allocations imposed by federal and state regulatory agencies, as well as other factors beyond our control, may affect our ability to meet the demands of our customers. We anticipate no problems with obtaining additional gas supply as needed for our customers.
 
Below, we briefly describe our six natural gas distribution divisions. We operate in our service areas under terms of non-exclusive franchise agreements granted by the various cities and towns that we serve. At September 30, 2011, we held 1,116 franchises having terms generally ranging from five to 35 years. A significant number of our franchises expire each year, which require renewal prior to the end of their terms. We believe that we will be able to renew our franchises as they expire. Additional information concerning our natural gas distribution divisions is presented under the caption “Operating Statistics”.


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Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division.  Our Mid-Tex Division serves approximately 550 incorporated and unincorporated communities in the north-central, eastern and western parts of Texas, including the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The governing body of each municipality we serve has original jurisdiction over all gas distribution rates, operations and services within its city limits, except with respect to sales of natural gas for vehicle fuel and agricultural use. The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all rate and regulatory orders and ordinances of the municipalities and exclusive original jurisdiction over rates and services to customers not located within the limits of a municipality.
 
Prior to fiscal 2008, this division operated under one system-wide rate structure. However, in fiscal 2008, we reached a settlement with cities representing approximately 80 percent of this division’s customers (Settled Cities) that has allowed us, beginning in fiscal 2008, to update rates for customers in these cities through an annual rate review mechanism (RRM). Rates for the remaining 20 percent of this division’s customers, primarily the City of Dallas, continue to be updated through periodic formal rate proceedings and filings made under Texas’ Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program (GRIP). GRIP allows us to include in our rate base annually approved capital costs incurred in the prior calendar year provided that we file a complete rate case at least once every five years. In June 2011, we reached an agreement with the City of Dallas to enter into the Dallas Annual Rate Review (DARR). This rate review provides for an annual rate review without the necessity of filing a general rate case. The first filing made under this mechanism will be in January 2012.
 
Atmos Energy Kentucky/Mid-States Division.  Our Kentucky/Mid-States Division operates in more than 420 communities across Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia. The service areas in these states are primarily rural; however, this division serves Franklin, Tennessee and other suburban areas of Nashville. We update our rates in this division through periodic formal rate filings made with each state’s public service commission.
 
In May 2011, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement to sell our natural gas distribution operations in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, representing approximately 189 communities, some of which of the Missouri communities are located in our Atmos Energy Colorado-Kansas Division.
 
Atmos Energy Louisiana Division.  In Louisiana, we serve nearly 300 communities, including the suburban areas of New Orleans, the metropolitan area of Monroe and western Louisiana. Direct sales of natural gas to industrial customers in Louisiana, who use gas for fuel or in manufacturing processes, and sales of natural gas for vehicle fuel are exempt from regulation and are recognized in our nonregulated segment. Our rates in this division are updated annually through a rate stabilization clause filing without filing a formal rate case.
 
Atmos Energy West Texas Division.  Our West Texas Division serves approximately 80 communities in West Texas, including the Amarillo, Lubbock and Midland areas. Like our Mid-Tex Division, each municipality we serve has original jurisdiction over all gas distribution rates, operations and services within its city limits, with the RRC having exclusive appellate jurisdiction over the municipalities and exclusive original jurisdiction over rates and services provided to customers not located within the limits of a municipality. Prior to fiscal 2008, rates were updated in this division through formal rate proceedings. However, the West Texas Division entered into agreements with its West Texas service areas during fiscal 2008 and its Amarillo and Lubbock service areas during fiscal 2009 to update rates for customers in these service areas through an RRM.
 
Atmos Energy Mississippi Division.  In Mississippi, we serve about 110 communities throughout the northern half of the state, including the Jackson metropolitan area. Our rates in the Mississippi Division are updated annually through a stable rate filing without filing a formal rate case.


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Atmos Energy Colorado-Kansas Division.  Our Colorado-Kansas Division serves approximately 170 communities throughout Colorado and Kansas and parts of Missouri, including the cities of Olathe, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City and Greeley, Colorado, located near Denver. We update our rates in this division through periodic formal rate filings made with each state’s public service commission.
 
The following table provides a jurisdictional rate summary for our regulated operations. This information is for regulatory purposes only and may not be representative of our actual financial position.
 
             
    Effective
   Authorized
 Authorized
    Date of Last
 Rate Base
 Rate of
 Return
Division Jurisdiction Rate/GRIP Action (thousands)(1) Return(1) on Equity(1)
 
Atmos Pipeline — Texas
 Texas  05/01/2011  $807,733 9.36% 11.80%
Atmos Pipeline —
Texas — GRIP
 Texas  08/01/2011  816,976 9.36% 11.80%
Colorado-Kansas
 Colorado  01/04/2010  86,189 8.57% 10.25%
  Kansas  08/01/2010  144,583 (2) (2)
Kentucky/Mid-States
 Georgia  03/31/2010  96,330(3) 8.61% 10.70%
  Illinois  11/01/2000  24,564 9.18% 11.56%
  Iowa  03/01/2001  5,000 (2) 11.00%
  Kentucky  06/01/2010  208,702(4) (2) (2)
  Missouri  09/01/2010  66,459 (2) (2)
  Tennessee  04/01/2009  190,100 8.24% 10.30%
  Virginia  11/23/2009  36,861 8.48% 9.50% - 10.50%
Louisiana
 Trans LA  04/01/2011  93,260 8.37% 10.00% - 10.80%
  LGS  07/01/2011  273,775 8.56% 10.40%
Mid-Tex — Settled Cities
 Texas  09/01/2011  1,389,187(5) 8.29% 9.70%
Mid-Tex — Dallas
 Texas  06/22/2011  1,268,601(5) 8.45% 10.10%
Mid-Tex — Environs GRIP
 Texas  06/27/2011  1,268,601(5) 8.60% 10.40%
Mississippi
 Mississippi  04/05/2011  239,197 (2) 9.86%
West Texas
 Amarillo  08/01/2011  (2) (2) 9.60%
  Lubbock  09/09/2011  60,892 8.19% 9.60%
  West Texas  08/01/2011  146,039 8.19% 9.60%
 


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    Authorized Debt/
 Bad Debt
     Performance-Based
  Customer
 
Division Jurisdiction Equity Ratio Rider(6)  WNA  Rate Program(7)  Meters 
 
Atmos Pipeline — Texas
 Texas 50/50  No   N/A   N/A   N/A 
Colorado-Kansas
 Colorado 50/50  Yes(8)  No   No   110,709 
  Kansas (2)  Yes   Yes   No   128,679 
Kentucky/Mid-States
 Georgia 52/48  No   Yes   Yes   63,897 
  Illinois 67/33  No   No   No   22,778 
  Iowa 57/43  No   No   No   4,334 
  Kentucky (2)  Yes   Yes   Yes   176,246 
  Missouri 49/51  No   No   No   56,643 
  Tennessee 52/48  Yes   Yes   Yes   133,634 
  Virginia 51/49  Yes   Yes   No   23,310 
Louisiana
 Trans LA 52/48  No   Yes   No   75,813 
  LGS 52/48  No   Yes   No   277,838 
Mid-Tex — Settled Cities
 Texas 50/50  Yes   Yes   No   1,259,042 
Mid-Tex — Dallas & Environs
 Texas 51/49  Yes   Yes   No   314,760 
Mississippi
 Mississippi 50/50  No   Yes   No   266,074 
West Texas
 Amarillo 52/48  Yes   Yes   No   70,431 
  Lubbock 52/48  Yes   Yes   No   73,748 
  West Texas 52/48  Yes   Yes   No   155,255 
 
 
(1)The rate base, authorized rate of return and authorized return on equity presented in this table are those from the most recent rate case or GRIP filing for each jurisdiction. These rate bases, rates of return and returns on equity are not necessarily indicative of current or future rate bases, rates of return or returns on equity.
 
(2)A rate base, rate of return, return on equity or debt/equity ratio was not included in the respective state commission’s final decision.
 
(3)Georgia rate base consists of $60.2 million included in the March 2010 rate case and $36.1 million included in the October 2011 Pipeline Replacement Program (PRP) surcharge. A total of $36.1 million of the Georgia rate base amount was awarded in the latest PRP annual filing with an effective date of October 1, 2011, an authorized rate of return of 8.56 percent and an authorized return on equity of 10.70 percent.
 
(4)Kentucky rate base consists of $184.7 million included in the June 2010 rate case and $24.0 million included in the October 2011 PRP surcharge. A total of $24.0 million of the Kentucky rate base amount was awarded in the latest PRP annual filing with an effective date of October 1, 2011, an authorized rate of return of 8.74 percent and an authorized return on equity of 10.50 percent.
 
(5)The Mid-Tex Rate Base amounts for the Settled Cities and Dallas & Environs areas represent “system-wide”, or 100 percent, of the Mid-Tex Division’s rate base.
 
(6)The bad debt rider allows us to recover from ratepayers the gas cost portion of uncollectible accounts.
 
(7)The performance-based rate program provides incentives to natural gas utility companies to minimize purchased gas costs by allowing the utility company and its customers to share the purchased gas costs savings.
 
(8)The recovery of the gas portion of uncollectible accounts gas cost adjustment has been approved for a two-year pilot program.

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Natural Gas Distribution Sales and Statistical Data - Continuing Operations
 
                     
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2008  2007 
 
METERS IN SERVICE, end of year
                    
Residential
  2,855,998   2,836,483   2,826,814   2,834,884   2,815,974 
Commercial
  261,220   253,339   256,384   259,154   262,260 
Industrial
  2,008   2,029   2,136   2,183   2,281 
Public authority and other
  10,212   10,178   9,211   9,197   19,143 
                     
Total meters
  3,129,438   3,102,029   3,094,545   3,105,418   3,099,658 
                     
SALES VOLUMES — MMcf(2)
                    
Gas Sales Volumes
                    
Residential
  161,012   185,143   154,475   157,816   161,493 
Commercial
  91,215   99,924   88,445   90,992   92,601 
Industrial
  18,757   18,714   18,242   21,352   22,479 
Public authority and other
  10,482   10,107   12,393   13,739   12,265 
                     
Total gas sales volumes
  281,466   313,888   273,555   283,899   288,838 
Transportation volumes
  132,357   128,965   123,972   133,997   127,066 
                     
Total throughput
  413,823   442,853   397,527   417,896   415,904 
                     
OPERATING REVENUES (000’s)(2)
                    
Gas Sales Revenues
                    
Residential
 $1,570,723  $1,784,051  $1,768,082  $2,068,040  $1,924,523 
Commercial
  698,366   787,433   807,109   1,044,768   941,827 
Industrial
  106,569   110,280   132,487   208,681   190,812 
Public authority and other
  69,176   70,402   88,972   137,585   114,087 
                     
Total gas sales revenues
  2,444,834   2,752,166   2,796,650   3,459,074   3,171,249 
Transportation revenues
  60,430   59,381   56,961   57,405   56,814 
Other gas revenues
  26,599   31,091   31,185   35,183   35,448 
                     
Total operating revenues
 $2,531,863  $2,842,638  $2,884,796  $3,551,662  $3,263,511 
                     
 
Natural Gas Distribution Sales and Statistical Data - Discontinued Operations
 
                     
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2008  2007 
 
Meters in service, end of period
  83,753   84,011   84,299   86,361   87,469 
Sales volumes — MMcf
                    
Total gas sales volumes
  8,461   8,740   8,562   8,777   8,489 
Transportation volumes
  6,190   6,900   6,719   7,086   8,043 
                     
Total throughput
  14,651   15,640   15,281   15,863   16,532 
                     
Operating revenues (000’s)
 $80,028  $69,855  $99,969  $103,468  $95,254 
 
See footnotes following these tables.


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Natural Gas Distribution Sales and Statistical Data - Other Consolidated Statistics
 
                     
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2008  2007 
 
Inventory storage balance — Bcf
  55.0   54.3   57.0   58.3   58.0 
Heating degree days(1)
                    
Actual (weighted average)
  2,733   2,780   2,713   2,820   2,879 
Percent of normal
  99%  102%  100%  100%  100%
Average transportation revenue per Mcf
 $0.46  $0.46  $0.46  $0.43  $0.44 
Average cost of gas per Mcf sold
 $5.30  $5.77  $6.95  $9.05  $8.09 
Employees
  4,753   4,714   4,691   4,558   4,472 
 
Natural Gas Distribution Sales and Statistical Data by Division
 
                                 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2011 
     Kentucky/
     West
     Colorado-
       
  Mid-Tex  Mid-States  Louisiana  Texas  Mississippi  Kansas  Other(3)  Total 
 
METERS IN SERVICE FROM
CONTINUING OPERATIONS
                                
Residential
  1,449,673   349,993   331,272   271,346   237,059   216,655   —   2,855,998 
Commercial
  123,993   43,875   22,379   24,773   25,617   20,583   —   261,220 
Industrial
  136   798   —   482   501   91   —   2,008 
Public authority and other
  —   2,423   —   2,833   2,897   2,059   —   10,212 
                                 
Total meters
  1,573,802   397,089   353,651   299,434   266,074   239,388   —   3,129,438 
                                 
SALES VOLUMES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS — MMcf(2)
                                
Gas Sales Volumes
                                
Residential
  77,075   22,273   13,939   16,280   14,077   17,368   —   161,012 
Commercial
  50,056   13,407   7,448   6,932   6,630   6,742   —   91,215 
Industrial
  3,105   5,626   —   4,108   5,823   95   —   18,757 
Public authority and other
  —   1,395   —   3,294   3,418   2,375   —   10,482 
                                 
Total
  130,236   42,701   21,387   30,614   29,948   26,580   —   281,466 
Transportation volumes
  46,594   38,801   5,893   24,162   5,237   11,670   —   132,357 
                                 
Total throughput
  176,830   81,502   27,280   54,776   35,185   38,250   —   413,823 
                                 
OPERATING MARGIN FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS (000’s)(2)
 $490,484  $152,293  $125,894  $99,353  $93,042  $83,298  $—  $1,044,364 
OPERATING EXPENSES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS (000’s)(2)
                                
Operation and maintenance
 $147,967  $58,315  $42,219  $35,908  $39,895  $31,684  $(7,905) $348,083 
Depreciation and amortization
 $95,798  $29,644  $24,460  $16,735  $13,188  $17,084  $—  $196,909 
Taxes, other than income
 $102,515  $10,828  $8,773  $17,024  $13,621  $8,610  $—  $161,371 
OPERATING INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS (000’s)(2)
 $144,204  $53,506  $50,442  $29,686  $26,338  $25,920  $7,905  $338,001 
CONSOLIDATED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (000’s)
 $220,032  $65,766  $41,489  $40,387  $37,115  $31,399  $60,711  $496,899 
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, EXCLUDING ASSETS HELD FOR SALE (000’s)
 $1,965,351  $663,837  $431,773  $393,545  $308,891  $311,013  $173,788  $4,248,198 
OTHER CONSOLIDATED STATISTICS
                                
Heating Degree Days(1)
                                
Actual
  2,100   3,920   1,431   3,541   2,707   5,692   —   2,733 
Percent of normal
  100%  99%  94%  99%  101%  101%  —   99%
Miles of pipe
  29,296   12,215   8,333   7,712   6,563   6,750   —   70,869 
Employees
  1,668   568   438   351   363   287   1,078   4,753 
 
See footnotes following these tables.


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  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2010 
     Kentucky/
     West
     Colorado-
       
  Mid-Tex  Mid-States  Louisiana  Texas  Mississippi  Kansas  Other(3)  Total 
 
METERS IN SERVICE FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS
                                
Residential
  1,429,287   350,238   331,784   271,418   237,304   216,452   —   2,836,483 
Commercial
  116,240   43,554   22,420   24,919   25,520   20,686   —   253,339 
Industrial
  145   801   —   484   513   86   —   2,029 
Public authority and other
  —   2,411   —   2,809   2,896   2,062   —   10,178 
                                 
Total meters
  1,545,672   397,004   354,204   299,630   266,233   239,286   —   3,102,029 
                                 
SALES VOLUMES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS — MMcf(2)
                                
Gas Sales Volumes
                                
Residential
  92,489   22,897   15,810   19,772   15,775   18,400   —   185,143 
Commercial
  55,916   13,948   7,821   7,892   7,209   7,138   —   99,924 
Industrial
  3,227   5,615   —   4,317   5,424   131   —   18,714 
Public authority and other
  —   1,422   —   3,482   3,103   2,100   —   10,107 
                                 
Total
  151,632   43,882   23,631   35,463   31,511   27,769   —   313,888 
Transportation volumes
  45,822   36,882   5,626   22,429   5,551   12,655   —   128,965 
                                 
Total throughput
  197,454   80,764   29,257   57,892   37,062   40,424   —   442,853 
                                 
OPERATING MARGIN FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS (000’s)(2)
 $475,852  $143,347  $123,344  $105,476  $94,203  $79,789  $—  $1,022,011 
OPERATING EXPENSES FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS (000’s)(2)
                                
Operation and maintenance
 $145,166  $56,481  $43,604  $36,696  $41,542  $30,892  $976  $355,357 
Depreciation and amortization
 $89,411  $28,066  $22,986  $15,881  $12,621  $16,182  $—  $185,147 
Taxes, other than income
 $106,620  $12,562  $10,995  $19,390  $13,599  $8,172  $—  $171,338 
OPERATING INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS (000’s)(2)
 $134,655  $46,238  $45,759  $33,509  $26,441  $24,543  $(976) $310,169 
CONSOLIDATED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES (000’s)
 $196,109  $62,808  $47,193  $39,387  $28,538  $29,792  $33,988  $437,815 
CONSOLIDATED PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT (000’s)
 $1,761,087  $750,225  $413,189  $319,053  $284,195  $300,380  $130,983  $3,959,112 
OTHER CONSOLIDATED STATISTICS
                                
Heating Degree Days(1)
                                
Actual
  2,100   3,924   1,532   3,537   2,734   5,909   —   2,780 
Percent of normal
  103%  100%  96%  99%  102%  106%  —   102%
Miles of pipe
  29,156   12,196   8,381   7,666   6,546   7,175   —   71,120 
Employees
  1,650   587   439   344   371   284   1,039   4,714 
 
Natural Gas Distribution Sales and Statistical Data by Division - Discontinued Operations
 
                         
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2011  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2010 
  Kentucky/
  Colorado-
     Kentucky/
  Colorado-
    
  Mid-States  Kansas  Total  Mid-States  Kansas  Total 
 
Meters in service, end of period
  83,325   428   83,753   83,577   434   84,011 
Sales volumes — MMcf
                        
Total gas sales volumes
  7,963   498   8,461   8,251   489   8,740 
Transportation volumes
  6,190   —   6,190   6,900   —   6,900 
                         
Total throughput
  14,153   498   14,651   15,151   489   15,640 
                         
Operating income (000’s)
 $13,395  $1,020  $14,415  $11,628  $657  $12,285 
 
 
Notes to preceding tables:
 
(1)A heating degree day is equivalent to each degree that the average of the high and the low temperatures for a day is below 65 degrees. The colder the climate, the greater the number of heating degree days.


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Heating degree days are used in the natural gas industry to measure the relative coldness of weather and to compare relative temperatures between one geographic area and another. Normal degree days are based on National Weather Service data for selected locations. For service areas that have weather normalized operations, normal degree days are used instead of actual degree days in computing the total number of heating degree days.
 
(2)Sales volumes, revenues, operating margins, operating expense and operating income reflect segment operations, including intercompany sales and transportation amounts.
 
(3)The Other column represents our shared services function, which provides administrative and other support to the Company. Certain costs incurred by this function are not allocated.
 
Regulated Transmission and Storage Segment Overview
 
Our regulated transmission and storage segment consists of the regulated pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division. This division transports natural gas to our Mid-Tex Division, transports natural gas for third parties and manages five underground storage reservoirs in Texas. We also provide ancillary services customary in the pipeline industry including parking and lending arrangements and sales of inventory on hand. Parking arrangements provide short-term interruptible storage of gas on our pipeline. Lending services provide short-term interruptible loans of natural gas from our pipeline to meet market demands. Gross profit earned from our Mid-Tex Division and through certain other transportation and storage services is subject to traditional ratemaking governed by the RRC. Rates are updated through periodic formal rate proceedings and filings made under Texas’ Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program (GRIP). GRIP allows us to include in our rate base annually approved capital costs incurred in the prior calendar year provided that we file a complete rate case at least once every five years. Atmos Pipeline — Texas’ existing regulatory mechanisms allow certain transportation and storage services to be provided under market-based rates with minimal regulation.
 
These operations include one of the largest intrastate pipeline operations in Texas with a heavy concentration in the established natural gas-producing areas of central, northern and eastern Texas, extending into or near the major producing areas of the Texas Gulf Coast and the Delaware and Val Verde Basins of West Texas. Nine basins located in Texas are believed to contain a substantial portion of the nation’s remaining onshore natural gas reserves. This pipeline system provides access to all of these basins.
 
Regulated Transmission and Storage Sales and Statistical Data
 
                     
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2008  2007 
 
CUSTOMERS, end of year
                    
Industrial
  71   65   68   62   65 
Other
  156   176   168   189   196 
                     
Total
  227   241   236   251   261 
                     
PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION VOLUMES — MMcf(1)
  620,904   634,885   706,132   782,876   699,006 
OPERATING REVENUES (000’s)(1)
 $219,373  $203,013  $209,658  $195,917  $163,229 
Employees, at year end
  64   62   62   60   54 
 
 
(1)Transportation volumes and operating revenues reflect segment operations, including intercompany sales and transportation amounts.
 
Nonregulated Segment Overview
 
Our nonregulated activities are conducted through Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc. (AEH), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atmos Energy Corporation and operates primarily in the Midwest and Southeast areas of the United States.


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AEH’s primary business is to deliver gas and provide related services by aggregating and purchasing gas supply, arranging transportation and storage logistics and ultimately delivering gas to customers at competitive prices. In addition, AEH utilizes proprietary and customer-owned transportation and storage assets to provide various delivered gas services our customers request, including furnishing natural gas supplies at fixed and market-based prices, contract negotiation and administration, load forecasting, gas storage acquisition and management services, transportation services, peaking sales and balancing services, capacity utilization strategies and gas price hedging through the use of financial instruments. As a result, AEH’s gas delivery and related services margins arise from the types of commercial transactions we have structured with our customers and our ability to identify the lowest cost alternative among the natural gas supplies, transportation and markets to which it has access to serve those customers.
 
AEH’s storage and transportation margins arise from (i) utilizing its proprietary21-milepipeline located in New Orleans, Louisiana to aggregate gas supply for our regulated natural gas distribution division in Louisiana, its gas delivery activities and, on a more limited basis, for third parties and (ii) managing proprietary storage in Kentucky and Louisiana to supplement the natural gas needs of our natural gas distribution divisions during peak periods.
 
AEH also seeks to enhance its gross profit margin by maximizing, through asset optimization activities, the economic value associated with the storage and transportation capacity it owns or controls in our natural gas distribution and by its subsidiaries. We attempt to meet these objectives by engaging in natural gas storage transactions in which we seek to find and profit through the arbitrage of pricing differences in various locations and by recognizing pricing differences that occur over time. This process involves purchasing physical natural gas, storing it in the storage and transportation assets to which AEH has access and selling financial instruments at advantageous prices to lock in a gross profit margin. Certain of these arrangements are with regulatory affiliates, which have been approved by applicable state regulatory commissions.
 
Due to the nature of these operations, natural gas prices and differences in natural gas prices between the various markets that we serve (commonly referred to as basis differentials) have a significant impact on our nonregulated businesses. Within our delivered gas activities, basis differentials impact our ability to create value from identifying the lowest cost alternative among the natural gas supplies, transportation and markets to which we have access. Further, higher natural gas prices may adversely impact our accounts receivable collections, resulting in higher bad debt expense, and may require us to increase borrowings under our credit facilities resulting in higher interest expense. Higher gas prices, as well as competitive factors in the industry and general economic conditions may also cause customers to conserve or use alternative energy sources. Within our asset optimization activities, higher natural gas prices could also lead to increased borrowings under our credit facilities resulting in higher interest expense.
 
Volatility in natural gas prices also has a significant impact on our nonregulated segment. Increased price volatility often has a significant impact on the spreads between the market (spot) prices and forward natural gas prices, which creates opportunities to earn higher arbitrage spreads within our asset optimization activities. Volatility could also impact the basis differentials we capture in our delivered gas activities. However, increased volatility impacts the amounts of unrealized margins recorded in our gross profit and could impact the amount of cash required to collateralize our risk management liabilities.


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Nonregulated Sales and Statistical Data
 
                     
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2008  2007 
 
CUSTOMERS, end of year
                    
Industrial
  697   652   631   624   677 
Municipal
  65   61   63   55   68 
Other
  362   339   321   312   281 
                     
Total
  1,124   1,052   1,015   991   1,026 
                     
INVENTORY STORAGE BALANCE — Bcf
  15.7   17.9   19.9   12.4   21.3 
NONREGULATED DELIVERED GAS SALES VOLUMES — MMcf(1)
  446,903   420,203   441,081   457,952   423,895 
OPERATING REVENUES (000’s)(1)
 $2,024,893  $2,146,658  $2,283,988  $4,117,299  $2,901,879 
 
 
(1)Sales volumes reflect segment operations, including intercompany sales and transportation amounts.
 
Ratemaking Activity
 
Overview
 
The method of determining regulated rates varies among the states in which our natural gas distribution divisions operate. The regulatory authorities have the responsibility of ensuring that utilities in their jurisdictions operate in the best interests of customers while providing utility companies the opportunity to earn a reasonable return on their investment. Generally, each regulatory authority reviews rate requests and establishes a rate structure intended to generate revenue sufficient to cover the costs of conducting business and to provide a reasonable return on invested capital.
 
Our rate strategy focuses on reducing or eliminating regulatory lag, obtaining adequate returns and providing stable, predictable margins. Atmos Energy has annual ratemaking mechanisms in place in three states that provide for an annual rate review and adjustment to rates for approximately 73 percent of our gross margin. We also have accelerated recovery of capital for approximately 11 percent of our gross margin. Combined, we have rate structures with accelerated recovery of all or a portion of our expenditures for approximately 84 percent of our gross margin. Additionally, we have WNA mechanisms in eight states that serve to minimize the effects of weather on approximately 94 percent of our gross margin. Finally, we have the ability to recover the gas cost portion of bad debts for approximately 73 percent of our gross margin. These mechanisms work in tandem to provide substantial insulation from volatile margins, both for the Company and our customers.
 
We will also continue to address various rate design changes, including the recovery of bad debt gas costs and inclusion of other taxes in gas costs in future rate filings. These design changes would address cost variations that are related to pass-through energy costs beyond our control.
 
Although substantial progress has been made in recent years by improving rate design across Atmos Energy’s operating areas, potential changes in federal energy policy and adverse economic conditions will necessitate continued vigilance by the Company and our regulators in meeting the challenges presented by these external factors.


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Recent Ratemaking Activity
 
Substantially all of our natural gas distribution revenues in the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 were derived from sales at rates set by or subject to approval by local or state authorities. Net operating income increases resulting from ratemaking activity totaling $72.4 million, $56.8 million and $54.4 million, became effective in fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009 as summarized below:
 
             
  Annual Increase to Operating
 
  Income For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
Rate Action 2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Rate case filings
 $20,502  $23,663  $2,959 
Infrastructure programs
  15,033   18,989   12,049 
Annual rate filing mechanisms
  35,216   13,757   38,764 
Other ratemaking activity
  1,675   392   631 
             
  $72,426  $56,801  $54,403 
             
 
Additionally, the following ratemaking efforts were initiated during fiscal 2011 but had not been completed as of September 30, 2011:
 
         
      Operating Income
 
Division Rate Action Jurisdiction Requested 
      (In thousands) 
 
Kentucky/Mid-States
 PRP(1)(2) Georgia $1,192 
  PRP(1)(3) Kentucky  2,529 
Mississippi
 Stable Rate Filing Mississippi  5,303 
West Texas & Lubbock Environs
 Rate Case(4) Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC)  545 
         
      $9,569 
         
 
 
(1)The Pipeline Replacement Program (PRP) surcharge relates to a long-term cast iron replacement program.
 
(2)The Georgia Commission issued a final order on October 5, 2011 approving a $1.2 million increase to operating income.
 
(3)The Kentucky Commission approved an increase of $2.5 million effective October 1, 2011.
 
(4)On September 30, 2011 the Company and Commission Staff signed a settlement and submitted to the Commission for their approval.
 
Our recent ratemaking activity is discussed in greater detail below.
 
Rate Case Filings
 
A rate case is a formal request from Atmos Energy to a regulatory authority to increase rates that are charged to customers. Rate cases may also be initiated when the regulatory authorities request us to justify our rates. This process is referred to as a “show cause” action. Adequate rates are intended to provide for recovery of the Company’s costs as well as a fair rate of return to our shareholders and ensure that we continue to


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safely deliver reliable, reasonably priced natural gas service to our customers. The following table summarizes our recent rate cases:
 
           
    Increase in Annual
    
Division State Operating Income  Effective Date 
    (In thousands)    
 
2011 Rate Case Filings:
          
West Texas — Amarillo Environs
 Texas $78   07/26/2011 
Atmos Pipeline — Texas
 Texas  20,424   05/01/2011 
           
Total 2011 Rate Case Filings
   $20,502     
           
2010 Rate Case Filings:
          
Kentucky/Mid-States
 Missouri $3,977   09/01/2010 
Colorado-Kansas
 Kansas  3,855   08/01/2010 
Kentucky/Mid-States
 Kentucky  6,636   06/01/2010 
Kentucky/Mid-States
 Georgia  2,935   03/31/2010 
Mid-Tex
 Texas(1)  2,963   01/26/2010 
Colorado-Kansas
 Colorado  1,900   01/04/2010 
Kentucky/Mid-States
 Virginia  1,397   11/23/2009 
           
Total 2010 Rate Case Filings
   $23,663     
           
2009 Rate Case Filings:
          
Kentucky/Mid-States
 Tennessee $2,513   04/01/2009 
West Texas
 Texas  446   Various 
           
Total 2009 Rate Case Filings
   $2,959     
           
 
 
(1)In its final order, the RRC approved a $3.0 million increase in operating income from customers in the Dallas & Environs portion of the Mid-Tex Division. Operating income should increase $0.2 million, net of the GRIP 2008 rates that will be superseded. The ruling also provided for regulatory accounting treatment for certain costs related to storage assets and costs moving from our Mid-Tex Division within our natural gas distribution segment to our regulated transmission and storage segment.


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Infrastructure Programs
 
As discussed above in “Natural Gas Distribution Segment Overview,” infrastructure programs such as GRIP allow natural gas distribution companies the opportunity to include in their rate base annually approved capital costs incurred in the prior calendar year. We currently have infrastructure programs in Texas, Georgia, Missouri and Kentucky. The following table summarizes our infrastructure program filings with effective dates during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
 
             
       Increase in
   
    Incremental Net
  Annual
   
    Utility Plant
  Operating
  Effective
Division Period End Investment  Income  Date
    (In thousands)  (In thousands)   
 
2011 Infrastructure Programs:
            
Atmos Pipeline — Texas
 12/2010 $72,980  $12,605  07/26/2011
Mid-Tex/Environs
 12/2010  107,840   576  06/27/2011
West Texas/Lubbock & WT Cities Environs
 12/2010  17,677   343  06/01/2011
Kentucky/Mid-States-Kentucky(1)
 09/2011  3,329   468  06/01/2011
Kentucky/Mid-States-Missouri(2)
 09/2010  2,367   277  02/14/2011
Kentucky/Mid-States-Georgia(1)
 09/2009  5,359   764  10/01/2010
             
Total 2011 Infrastructure Programs
   $209,552  $15,033   
             
2010 Infrastructure Programs:
            
Mid-Tex(3)
 12/2009 $16,957  $2,983  09/01/2010
West Texas
 12/2009  19,158   363  06/14/2010
Atmos Pipeline — Texas
 12/2009  95,504   13,405  04/20/2010
Kentucky/Mid-States-Missouri(2)
 06/2009  3,578   563  03/02/2010
Colorado-Kansas-Kansas(4)
 08/2009  6,917   766  12/12/2009
Kentucky/Mid-States-Georgia(1)
 09/2008  6,327   909  10/01/2009
             
Total 2010 Infrastructure Programs
   $148,441  $18,989   
             
2009 Infrastructure Programs:
            
Mid-Tex(5)
 12/2008 $105,777  $2,732  09/09/2009
Atmos Pipeline — Texas
 12/2008  51,308   6,342  04/28/2009
Mid-Tex(3)
 12/2007  57,385   1,837  01/26/2009
Kentucky/Mid-States-Missouri(2)
 03/2008  3,367   408  11/04/2008
Kentucky/Mid-States-Georgia(1)
 09/2007  748   198  10/01/2008
West Texas(6)
 2007/08  27,425   532  Various
             
Total 2009 Infrastructure Programs
   $246,010  $12,049   
             
 
 
(1)The Pipeline Replacement Program (PRP) surcharge relates to a long-term cast iron replacement program.
 
(2)Infrastructure System Replacement Surcharge (ISRS) relates to maintenance capital investments made since the previous rate case.
 
(3)Increase relates to the City of Dallas and Environs areas of the Mid-Tex Division.
 
(4)Gas System Reliability Surcharge (GSRS) relates to safety related investments made since the previous rate case.
 
(5)Increase relates only to the City of Dallas area of the Mid-Tex Division.
 
(6)The West Texas Division files GRIP applications related only to the Lubbock Environs and the West Texas Cities Environs. GRIP implemented for this division include investments that related to both calendar years 2007 and 2008. The incremental investment is based on system-wide plant and additional annual operating revenue is applicable to environs customers only.


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Annual Rate Filing Mechanisms
 
As an instrument to reduce regulatory lag, annual rate filing mechanisms allow us to refresh our rates on a periodic basis without filing a formal rate case. However, these filings still involve discovery by the appropriate regulatory authorities prior to the final determination of rates under these mechanisms. As discussed above in “Natural Gas Distribution Segment Overview,” we currently have annual rate filing mechanisms in our Louisiana and Mississippi divisions and in significant portions of our Mid-Tex and West Texas divisions. These mechanisms are referred to as rate review mechanisms in our Mid-Tex and West Texas divisions, stable rate filings in the Mississippi Division and the rate stabilization clause in the Louisiana Division. The following table summarizes filings made under our various annual rate filing mechanisms:
 
               
       Increase
    
       (Decrease) in
    
       Annual
    
       Operating
  Effective
 
Division Jurisdiction Test Year Ended  Income  Date 
       (In thousands)    
 
2011 Filings:
              
Mid-Tex
 Settled Cities  12/31/2010  $5,126   09/27/2011 
Mid-Tex
 Dallas  12/31/2010   1,084   09/27/2011 
West Texas
 Lubbock  12/31/2010   319   09/08/2011 
West Texas
 Amarillo  12/31/2010   (492)  08/01/2011 
Louisiana
 LGS  12/31/2010   4,109   07/01/2011 
Mid-Tex
 Dallas  12/31/2010   1,598   07/01/2011 
Louisiana
 TransLa  09/30/2010   350   04/01/2011 
Mid-Tex
 Settled Cities  12/31/2009   23,122   10/01/2010 
               
Total 2011 Filings
       $35,216     
               
2010 Filings:
              
West Texas
 Lubbock  12/31/2009  $(902)  09/01/2010 
West Texas
 WT Cities  12/31/2009   700   08/15/2010 
West Texas
 Amarillo  12/31/2009   1,200   08/01/2010 
Louisiana
 LGS  12/31/2009   3,854   07/01/2010 
Louisiana
 TransLa  09/30/2009   1,733   04/01/2010 
Mississippi
 Mississippi  06/30/2009   3,183   12/15/2009 
West Texas
 Lubbock  12/31/2008   2,704   10/01/2009 
West Texas
 Amarillo  12/31/2008   1,285   10/01/2009 
               
Total 2010 Filings
       $13,757     
               
2009 Filings:
              
Mid-Tex
 Settled Cities  12/31/2008  $1,979   08/01/2009 
West Texas
 WT Cities  12/31/2008   6,599   08/01/2009 
Louisiana
 LGS  12/31/2008   3,307   07/01/2009 
Louisiana
 TransLa  09/30/2008   611   04/01/2009 
Mississippi
 Mississippi  06/30/2008   —   N/A 
Mid-Tex
 Settled Cities  12/31/2007   21,800   11/08/2008 
West Texas
 WT Cities  12/31/2007   4,468   11/20/2008 
               
Total 2009 Filings
       $38,764     
               
 
In June 2011, we reached an agreement with the City of Dallas to enter into the DARR. This rate review provides for an annual rate review without the necessity of filing a general rate case. The first filing made under this mechanism will be in January 2012.


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In August 2010, we reached an agreement to extend the RRM in our Mid-Tex Division for an additional two-year period beginning October 1, 2010; however, the Mid-Tex Division will be required to file a general system-wide rate case on or before June 1, 2013. This extension provides for an annual rate adjustment to reflect changes in the Mid-Tex Division’s costs of service and additions to capital investment from year to year, without the necessity of filing a general rate case.
 
The settlement also allows us to expand our existing program to replace steel service lines in the Mid-Tex Division’s natural gas delivery system. On October 13, 2010, the City of Dallas approved the recovery of the return, depreciation and taxes associated with the replacement of 100,000 steel service lines across the Mid-Tex Division by September 30, 2012. The RRM in the Mid-Tex Division was entered into as a result of a settlement in the September 20, 2007 Statement of Intent case filed with all Mid-Tex Division cities. Of the 440 incorporated cities served by the Mid-Tex Division, 439 of these cities are part of the RRM process.
 
The West Texas RRM was entered into in August 2008 as a result of a settlement with the West Texas Coalition of Cities. The Lubbock and Amarillo RRMs were entered into in the spring of 2009. The West Texas Coalition of Cities agreed to extend its RRM for one additional cycle as part of the settlement of this fiscal year’s filing.
 
During fiscal 2011, the RRC’s Division of Public Safety issued a new rule requiring natural gas distribution companies to develop and implement a risk-based program for the renewal or replacement of distribution facilities, including steel service lines. The rule allows for the deferral of all expense associated with capital expenditures incurred pursuant to this rule, including the recording of interest on the deferred expenses.
 
Other Ratemaking Activity
 
The following table summarizes other ratemaking activity during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
 
           
      Increase in
   
      Annual
   
      Operating
  Effective
Division Jurisdiction Rate Activity Income  Date
      (In thousands)   
 
2011 Other Rate Activity:
          
West Texas
 Triangle Special Contract $641  07/01/2011
Colorado-Kansas
 Kansas Ad Valorem(1)  685  01/01/2011
Colorado-Kansas
 Colorado AMI(2)  349  12/01/2010
           
Total 2011 Other Rate Activity
     $1,675   
           
2010 Other Rate Activity:
          
Colorado-Kansas
 Kansas Ad Valorem(1) $392  01/05/2010
           
Total 2010 Other Rate Activity
     $392   
           
2009 Other Rate Activity:
          
Colorado-Kansas
 Kansas Tax Surcharge(3) $631  02/01/2009
           
Total 2009 Other Rate Activity
     $631   
           
 
 
(1)The Ad Valorem filing relates to a collection of property taxes in excess of the amount included in our Kansas service area’s base rates.
 
(2)Automated Meter Infrastructure (AMI) relates to a pilot program in the Weld County area of our Colorado service area.
 
(3)In the state of Kansas, the tax surcharge represents atrue-up of ad valorem taxes paid versus what is designed to be recovered through base rates.


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Other Regulation
 
Each of our natural gas distribution divisions is regulated by various state or local public utility authorities. We are also subject to regulation by the United States Department of Transportation with respect to safety requirements in the operation and maintenance of our gas distribution facilities. In addition, our distribution operations are also subject to various state and federal laws regulating environmental matters. From time to time we receive inquiries regarding various environmental matters. We believe that our properties and operations substantially comply with, and are operated in substantial conformity with, applicable safety and environmental statutes and regulations. There are no administrative or judicial proceedings arising under environmental quality statutes pending or known to be contemplated by governmental agencies which would have a material adverse effect on us or our operations. Our environmental claims have arisen primarily from former manufactured gas plant sites in Tennessee, Iowa and Missouri.
 
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) allows, pursuant to Section 311 of the Natural Gas Policy Act, gas transportation services through our Atmos Pipeline — Texas assets “on behalf of” interstate pipelines or local distribution companies served by interstate pipelines, without subjecting these assets to the jurisdiction of the FERC. Additionally, the FERC has regulatory authority over the sale of natural gas in the wholesale gas market and the use and release of interstate pipeline and storage capacity, as well as authority to detect and prevent market manipulation and to enforce compliance with FERC’s other rules, policies and orders by companies engaged in the sale, purchase, transportation or storage of natural gas in interstate commerce. We have taken what we believe are the necessary and appropriate steps to comply with these regulations.
 
Competition
 
Although our natural gas distribution operations are not currently in significant direct competition with any other distributors of natural gas to residential and commercial customers within our service areas, we do compete with other natural gas suppliers and suppliers of alternative fuels for sales to industrial customers. We compete in all aspects of our business with alternative energy sources, including, in particular, electricity. Electric utilities offer electricity as a rival energy source and compete for the space heating, water heating and cooking markets. Promotional incentives, improved equipment efficiencies and promotional rates all contribute to the acceptability of electrical equipment. The principal means to compete against alternative fuels is lower prices, and natural gas historically has maintained its price advantage in the residential, commercial and industrial markets.
 
Our regulated transmission and storage operations historically have faced limited competition from other existing intrastate pipelines and gas marketers seeking to provide or arrange transportation, storage and other services for customers. However, in the last few years, several new pipelines have been completed, which has increased the level of competition in this segment of our business.
 
Within our nonregulated operations, AEM competes with other natural gas marketers to provide natural gas management and other related services primarily to smaller customers requiring higher levels of balancing, scheduling and other related management services. AEM has experienced increased competition in recent years primarily from investment banks and major integrated oil and natural gas companies who offer lower cost, basic services. The increased competition has reduced margins most notably on its high-volume accounts.
 
Employees
 
At September 30, 2011, we had 4,949 employees, consisting of 4,817 employees in our regulated operations and 132 employees in our nonregulated operations.
 
Available Information
 
Our Annual Reports onForm 10-K,Quarterly Reports onForm 10-Q,Current Reports onForm 8-Kand other reports, and amendments to those reports, and other forms that we file with or furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are available free of charge at our website, www.atmosenergy.com, under


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“Publications and Filings” under the “Investors” tab, as soon as reasonably practicable, after we electronically file these reports with, or furnish these reports to, the SEC. We will also provide copies of these reports free of charge upon request to Shareholder Relations at the address and telephone number appearing below:
 
Shareholder Relations
Atmos Energy Corporation
P.O. Box 650205
Dallas, Texas75265-0205
972-855-3729
 
Corporate Governance
 
In accordance with and pursuant to relevant related rules and regulations of the SEC as well as corporate governance-related listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the Board of Directors of the Company has established and periodically updated our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Conduct, which is applicable to all directors, officers and employees of the Company. In addition, in accordance with and pursuant to such NYSE listing standards, our Chief Executive Officer during fiscal 2011, Kim R. Cocklin, certified to the New York Stock Exchange that he was not aware of any violations by the Company of NYSE corporate governance listing standards. The Board of Directors also annually reviews and updates, if necessary, the charters for each of its Audit, Human Resources and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committees. All of the foregoing documents are posted on the Corporate Governance page of our website. We will also provide copies of all corporate governance documents free of charge upon request to Shareholder Relations at the address listed above.
 
ITEM 1A.  Risk Factors.
 
Our financial and operating results are subject to a number of risk factors, many of which are not within our control. Although we have tried to discuss key risk factors below, please be aware that other or new risks may prove to be important in the future. Investors should carefully consider the following discussion of risk factors as well as other information appearing in this report. These factors include the following:
 
Further disruptions in the credit markets could limit our ability to access capital and increase our costs of capital.
 
We rely upon access to both short-term and long-term credit markets to satisfy our liquidity requirements. The global credit markets have experienced significant disruptions and volatility during the last few years to a greater degree than has been seen in decades. In some cases, the ability or willingness of traditional sources of capital to provide financing has been reduced.
 
Our long-term debt is currently rated as “investment grade” by Standard & Poor’s Corporation, Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. and Fitch Ratings, Ltd. If adverse credit conditions were to cause a significant limitation on our access to the private and public credit markets, we could see a reduction in our liquidity. A significant reduction in our liquidity could in turn trigger a negative change in our ratings outlook or even a reduction in our credit ratings by one or more of the three credit rating agencies. Such a downgrade could further limit our access to publicand/orprivate credit markets and increase the costs of borrowing under each source of credit.
 
Further, if our credit ratings were downgraded, we could be required to provide additional liquidity to our nonregulated segment because the commodity financial instruments markets could become unavailable to us. Our nonregulated segment depends primarily upon a committed credit facility to finance its working capital needs, which it uses primarily to issue standby letters of credit to its natural gas suppliers. A significant reduction in the availability of this facility could require us to provide extra liquidity to support its operations or reduce some of the activities of our nonregulated segment. Our ability to provide extra liquidity is limited by the terms of our existing lending arrangements with AEH, which are subject to annual approval by one state regulatory commission.


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While we believe we can meet our capital requirements from our operations and the sources of financing available to us, we can provide no assurance that we will continue to be able to do so in the future, especially if the market price of natural gas increases significantly in the near-term. The future effects on our business, liquidity and financial results of a further deterioration of current conditions in the credit markets could be material and adverse to us, both in the ways described above or in other ways that we do not currently anticipate.
 
The continuation of recent economic conditions could adversely affect our customers and negatively impact our financial results.
 
The slowdown in the U.S. economy in the last few years, together with increased mortgage defaults and significant decreases in the values of homes and investment assets, has adversely affected the financial resources of many domestic households. It is unclear whether the administrative and legislative responses to these conditions will be successful in improving current economic conditions, including the lowering of current high unemployment rates across the U.S. As a result, our customers may seek to use even less gas and it may become more difficult for them to pay their gas bills. This may slow collections and lead to higher than normal levels of accounts receivable. This in turn could increase our financing requirements and bad debt expense. Additionally, our industrial customers may seek alternative energy sources, which could result in lower sales volumes.
 
The costs of providing pension and postretirement health care benefits and related funding requirements are subject to changes in pension fund values, changing demographics and fluctuating actuarial assumptions and may have a material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition, the passage of the Health Care Reform Act in 2010 could significantly increase the cost of the health care benefits for our employees.
 
We provide a cash-balance pension plan and postretirement healthcare benefits to eligible full-time employees. Our costs of providing such benefits and related funding requirements are subject to changes in the market value of the assets funding our pension and postretirement healthcare plans. The fluctuations over the last few years in the values of investments that fund our pension and postretirement healthcare plans may significantly differ from or alter the values and actuarial assumptions we use to calculate our future pension plan expense and postretirement healthcare costs and funding requirements under the Pension Protection Act. Any significant declines in the value of these investments could increase the expenses of our pension and postretirement healthcare plans and related funding requirements in the future. Our costs of providing such benefits and related funding requirements are also subject to changing demographics, including longer life expectancy of beneficiaries and an expected increase in the number of eligible former employees over the next five to ten years, as well as various actuarial calculations and assumptions, which may differ materially from actual results due to changing market and economic conditions, higher or lower withdrawal rates and interest rates and other factors. Also, our costs of providing such benefits are subject to the continuing recovery of these costs through rates.
 
In addition, the costs of providing health care benefits to our employees could significantly increase over the next five to ten years. Although the full effects of the Health Care Reform Act should not impact the Company until 2014, the future cost of compliance with the provisions of this legislation is difficult to measure at this time.
 
Our operations are exposed to market risks that are beyond our control which could adversely affect our financial results and capital requirements.
 
Our risk management operations are subject to market risks beyond our control, including market liquidity, commodity price volatility caused by market supply and demand dynamics and counterparty creditworthiness. Although we maintain a risk management policy, we may not be able to completely offset the price risk associated with volatile gas prices, particularly in our nonregulated business segments, which could lead to volatility in our earnings.


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Physical trading in our nonregulated business segments also introduces price risk on any net open positions at the end of each trading day, as well as volatility resulting fromintra-dayfluctuations of gas prices and the potential for daily price movements between the time natural gas is purchased or sold for future delivery and the time the related purchase or sale is hedged. The determination of our net open position as of the end of any particular trading day requires us to make assumptions as to future circumstances, including the use of gas by our customers in relation to our anticipated storage and market positions. Because the price risk associated with any net open position at the end of such day may increase if the assumptions are not realized, we review these assumptions as part of our daily monitoring activities. Although we manage our business to maintain no open positions, there are times when limited net open positions related to our physical storage may occur on a short-term basis. Net open positions may increase volatility in our financial condition or results of operations if market prices move in a significantly favorable or unfavorable manner before the open positions can be closed.
 
Further, the timing of the recognition for financial accounting purposes of gains or losses resulting from changes in the fair value of derivative financial instruments designated as hedges usually does not match the timing of the economic profits or losses on the item being hedged. This volatility may occur with a resulting increase or decrease in earnings or losses, even though the expected profit margin is essentially unchanged from the date the transactions were consummated. Also, if the local physical markets in which we trade do not move consistently with the NYMEX futures market upon which most of our commodity derivative financial instruments are valued, we could experience increased volatility in the financial results of our nonregulated segment.
 
Our nonregulated segment manages margins and limits risk exposure on the sale of natural gas inventory or the offsetting fixed-price purchase or sale commitments for physical quantities of natural gas through the use of a variety of financial instruments. However, contractual limitations could adversely affect our ability to withdraw gas from storage, which could cause us to purchase gas at spot prices in a rising market to obtain sufficient volumes to fulfill customer contracts. We could also realize financial losses on our efforts to limit risk as a result of volatility in the market prices of the underlying commodities or if a counterparty fails to perform under a contract. Any significant tightening of the credit markets could cause more of our counterparties to fail to perform than expected. In addition, adverse changes in the creditworthiness of our counterparties could limit the level of trading activities with these parties and increase the risk that these parties may not perform under a contract. These circumstances could also increase our capital requirements.
 
We are also subject to interest rate risk on our borrowings. In recent years, we have been operating in a relatively low interest-rate environment compared to historical norms for both short and long-term interest rates. However, increases in interest rates could adversely affect our future financial results.
 
We are subject to state and local regulations that affect our operations and financial results.
 
Our natural gas distribution and regulated transmission and storage segments are subject to various regulated returns on our rate base in each jurisdiction in which we operate. We monitor the allowed rates of return and our effectiveness in earning such rates and initiate rate proceedings or operating changes as we believe they are needed. In addition, in the normal course of business in the regulatory environment, assets may be placed in service and historical test periods established before rate cases can be filed that could result in an adjustment of our allowed returns. Once rate cases are filed, regulatory bodies have the authority to suspend implementation of the new rates while studying the cases. Because of this process, we must suffer the negative financial effects of having placed assets in service without the benefit of rate relief, which is commonly referred to as “regulatory lag.” Rate cases also involve a risk of rate reduction, because once rates have been approved, they are still subject to challenge for their reasonableness by appropriate regulatory authorities. In addition, regulators may review our purchases of natural gas and can adjust the amount of our gas costs that we pass through to our customers. Finally, our debt and equity financings are also subject to approval by regulatory commissions in several states, which could limit our ability to access or take advantage of rapid changes in the capital markets.


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We may experience increased federal, state and local regulation of the safety of our operations.
 
We are committed to constantly monitoring and maintaining our pipeline and distribution system to ensure that natural gas is delivered safely, reliably and efficiently through our network of more than 76,000 miles of pipeline and distribution lines. The pipeline replacement programs currently underway in several of our divisions typify the preventive maintenance and continual renewal that we perform on our natural gas distribution system in the 12 states in which we currently operate. The safety and protection of the public, our customers and our employees is our top priority. However, due primarily to the recent unfortunate pipeline incident in California, we anticipate companies in the natural gas distribution business may be subjected to even greater federal, state and local oversight of the safety of their operations in the future. Although we believe these costs are ultimately recoverable through our rates, costs of complying with such increased regulations may have at least a short-term adverse impact on our operating costs and financial results.
 
Some of our operations are subject to increased federal regulatory oversight that could affect our operations and financial results.
 
FERC has regulatory authority that affects some of our operations, including sales of natural gas in the wholesale gas market and the use and release of interstate pipeline and storage capacity. Under legislation passed by Congress in 2005, FERC has adopted rules designed to prevent market power abuse and market manipulation and to promote compliance with FERC’s other rules, policies and orders by companies engaged in the sale, purchase, transportation or storage of natural gas in interstate commerce. These rules carry increased penalties for violations. We are currently under investigation by FERC for possible violations of its posting and competitive bidding regulations for pre-arranged released firm capacity on interstate natural gas pipelines. Should FERC conclude that we have committed such violations of its regulations and levies substantial fines and/or penalties against us, our business, financial condition or financial results could be adversely affected. Although we have taken steps to structure current and future transactions to comply with applicable current FERC regulations, changes in FERC regulations or their interpretation by FERC or additional regulations issued by FERC in the future could also adversely affect our business, financial condition or financial results.
 
We are subject to environmental regulations which could adversely affect our operations or financial results.
 
We are subject to laws, regulations and other legal requirements enacted or adopted by federal, state and local governmental authorities relating to protection of the environment and health and safety matters, including those legal requirements that govern discharges of substances into the air and water, the management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste, theclean-up of contaminated sites, groundwater quality and availability, plant and wildlife protection, as well as work practices related to employee health and safety. Environmental legislation also requires that our facilities, sites and other properties associated with our operations be operated, maintained, abandoned and reclaimed to the satisfaction of applicable regulatory authorities. Failure to comply with these laws, regulations, permits and licenses may expose us to fines, penalties or interruptions in our operations that could be significant to our financial results. In addition, existing environmental regulations may be revised or our operations may become subject to new regulations.
 
Our business may be subject in the future to additional regulatory and financial risks associated with global warming and climate change.
 
There have been a number of new federal and state legislative and regulatory initiatives proposed in an attempt to control or limit the effects of global warming and overall climate change, including greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide. For example, in June 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives approved The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, also known as the Waxman-Markey bill or “cap and trade” bill. However, neither this bill nor a related bill in the U.S. Senate, the Clean Energy and Emissions Power Act was passed by Congress. The adoption of this type of legislation by Congress or similar legislation by states or the adoption of related regulations by federal or state governments mandating a substantial


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reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the future could have far-reaching and significant impacts on the energy industry. Such new legislation or regulations could result in increased compliance costs for us or additional operating restrictions on our business, affect the demand for natural gas or impact the prices we charge to our customers. At this time, we cannot predict the potential impact of such laws or regulations that may be adopted on our future business, financial condition or financial results.
 
The concentration of our distribution, pipeline and storage operations in the State of Texas exposes our operations and financial results to economic conditions and regulatory decisions in Texas.
 
Over 50 percent of our natural gas distribution customers and most of our pipeline and storage assets and operations are located in the State of Texas. This concentration of our business in Texas means that our operations and financial results may be significantly affected by changes in the Texas economy in general and regulatory decisions by state and local regulatory authorities in Texas.
 
Adverse weather conditions could affect our operations or financial results.
 
Since the2006-2007winter heating season, we have had weather-normalized rates for over 90 percent of our residential and commercial meters, which has substantially mitigated the adverse effects ofwarmer-than-normalweather for meters in those service areas. However, there is no assurance that we will continue to receive such regulatory protection from adverse weather in our rates in the future. The loss of such weather — normalized rates could have an adverse effect on our operations and financial results. In addition, our natural gas distribution and regulated transmission and storage operating results may continue to vary somewhat with the actual temperatures during the winter heating season. Sustained cold weather could adversely affect our nonregulated operations as we may be required to purchase gas at spot rates in a rising market to obtain sufficient volumes to fulfill some customer contracts. Additionally, sustained cold weather could challenge our ability to adequately meet customer demand in our natural gas distribution and regulated transmission and storage operations.
 
Inflation and increased gas costs could adversely impact our customer base and customer collections and increase our level of indebtedness.
 
Inflation has caused increases in some of our operating expenses and has required assets to be replaced at higher costs. We have a process in place to continually review the adequacy of our natural gas distribution gas rates in relation to the increasing cost of providing service and the inherent regulatory lag in adjusting those gas rates. Historically, we have been able to budget and control operating expenses and investments within the amounts authorized to be collected in rates and intend to continue to do so. However, the ability to control expenses is an important factor that could impact future financial results.
 
Rapid increases in the costs of purchased gas would cause us to experience a significant increase in short-term debt. We must pay suppliers for gas when it is purchased, which can be significantly in advance of when these costs may be recovered through the collection of monthly customer bills for gas delivered. Increases in purchased gas costs also slow our natural gas distribution collection efforts as customers are more likely to delay the payment of their gas bills, leading to higher than normal accounts receivable. This could result in higher short-term debt levels, greater collection efforts and increased bad debt expense.
 
Our growth in the future may be limited by the nature of our business, which requires extensive capital spending.
 
We must continually build additional capacity in our natural gas distribution system to enable us to serve any growth in the number of our customers. The cost of adding this capacity may be affected by a number of factors, including the general state of the economy and weather. In addition, although we should ultimately recover the cost of the expenditures through rates, we must make significant capital expenditures during the next fiscal year in executing our steel service line replacement program in the Mid-Tex Division. Our cash flows from operations generally are sufficient to supply funding for all our capital expenditures, including the financing of the costs of new construction along with capital expenditures necessary to maintain our existing


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natural gas system. Due to the timing of these cash flows and capital expenditures, we often must fund at least a portion of these costs through borrowing funds from third party lenders, the cost and availability of which is dependent on the liquidity of the credit markets, interest rates and other market conditions. This in turn may limit our ability to connect new customers to our system due to constraints on the amount of funds we can invest in our infrastructure.
 
Our operations are subject to increased competition.
 
In residential and commercial customer markets, our natural gas distribution operations compete with other energy products, such as electricity and propane. Our primary product competition is with electricity for heating, water heating and cooking. Increases in the price of natural gas could negatively impact our competitive position by decreasing the price benefits of natural gas to the consumer. This could adversely impact our business if, as a result, our customer growth slows, reducing our ability to make capital expenditures, or if our customers further conserve their use of gas, resulting in reduced gas purchases and customer billings.
 
In the case of industrial customers, such as manufacturing plants, adverse economic conditions, including higher gas costs, could cause these customers to use alternative sources of energy, such as electricity, or bypass our systems in favor of special competitive contracts with lowerper-unitcosts. Our regulated transmission and storage operations historically have faced limited competition from other existing intrastate pipelines and gas marketers seeking to provide or arrange transportation, storage and other services for customers. However, in the last few years, several new pipelines have been completed, which has increased the level of competition in this segment of our business. Within our nonregulated operations, AEM competes with other natural gas marketers to provide natural gas management and other related services primarily to smaller customers requiring higher levels of balancing, scheduling and other related management services. AEM has experienced increased competition in recent years primarily from investment banks and major integrated oil and natural gas companies who offer lower cost, basic services.
 
Distributing and storing natural gas involve risks that may result in accidents and additional operating costs.
 
Our natural gas distribution business involves a number of hazards and operating risks that cannot be completely avoided, such as leaks, accidents and operational problems, which could cause loss of human life, as well as substantial financial losses resulting from property damage, damage to the environment and to our operations. We do have liability and property insurance coverage in place for many of these hazards and risks. However, because our pipeline, storage and distribution facilities are near or are in populated areas, any loss of human life or adverse financial results resulting from such events could be large. If these events were not fully covered by insurance, our operations or financial results could be adversely affected.
 
Natural disasters, terrorist activities or other significant events could adversely affect our operations or financial results.
 
Natural disasters are always a threat to our assets and operations. In addition, the threat of terrorist activities could lead to increased economic instability and volatility in the price of natural gas that could affect our operations. Also, companies in our industry may face a heightened risk of exposure to actual acts of terrorism, which could subject our operations to increased risks. As a result, the availability of insurance covering such risks may be more limited, which could increase the risk that an event could adversely affect our operations or financial results.
 
ITEM 1B.  Unresolved Staff Comments.
 
Not applicable.


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ITEM 2.  Properties.
 
Distribution, transmission and related assets
 
At September 30, 2011, our natural gas distribution segment owned an aggregate of 70,869 miles of underground distribution and transmission mains throughout our gas distribution systems. These mains are located on easements orrights-of-waywhich generally provide for perpetual use. We maintain our mains through a program of continuous inspection and repair and believe that our system of mains is in good condition. Our regulated transmission and storage segment owned 5,861 miles of gas transmission and gathering lines and our nonregulated segment owned 105 miles of gas transmission and gathering lines.
 
Storage Assets
 
We own underground gas storage facilities in several states to supplement the supply of natural gas in periods of peak demand. The following table summarizes certain information regarding our underground gas storage facilities at September 30, 2011:
 
                 
           Maximum
 
     Cushion
  Total
  Daily Delivery
 
  Usable Capacity
  Gas
  Capacity
  Capability
 
State (Mcf)  (Mcf)(1)  (Mcf)  (Mcf) 
 
Natural Gas Distribution Segment
                
Kentucky
  4,442,696   6,322,283   10,764,979   109,100 
Kansas
  3,239,000   2,300,000   5,539,000   45,000 
Mississippi
  2,211,894   2,442,917   4,654,811   48,000 
Georgia
  490,000   10,000   500,000   30,000 
                 
Total
  10,383,590   11,075,200   21,458,790   232,100 
Regulated Transmission and Storage Segment — Texas
  46,143,226   15,878,025   62,021,251   1,235,000 
Nonregulated Segment
                
Kentucky
  3,492,900   3,295,000   6,787,900   71,000 
Louisiana
  438,583   300,973   739,556   56,000 
                 
Total
  3,931,483   3,595,973   7,527,456   127,000 
                 
Total
  60,458,299   30,549,198   91,007,497   1,594,100 
                 
 
 
(1)Cushion gas represents the volume of gas that must be retained in a facility to maintain reservoir pressure.


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Additionally, we contract for storage service in underground storage facilities on many of the interstate pipelines serving us to supplement our proprietary storage capacity. The following table summarizes our contracted storage capacity at September 30, 2011:
 
           
       Maximum
 
    Maximum
  Daily
 
    Storage
  Withdrawal
 
    Quantity
  Quantity
 
Segment Division/Company (MMBtu)  (MDWQ)(1) 
 
Natural Gas Distribution Segment(2)
          
  Colorado-Kansas Division  4,243,909   108,039 
  Kentucky/Mid-States Division  16,835,380   444,339 
  Louisiana Division  2,643,192   161,473 
  Mississippi Division  3,875,429   165,402 
  West Texas Division  2,375,000   81,000 
           
Total
  29,972,910   960,253 
Nonregulated Segment
          
  Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC  8,026,869   250,937 
  Trans Louisiana Gas Pipeline, Inc.  1,674,000   67,507 
           
Total
  9,700,869   318,444 
         
Total Contracted Storage Capacity
  39,673,779   1,278,697 
         
 
 
(1)Maximum daily withdrawal quantity (MDWQ) amounts will fluctuate depending upon the season and the month. Unless otherwise noted, MDWQ amounts represent the MDWQ amounts as of November 1, which is the beginning of the winter heating season.
 
(2)On October 1, 2011, our Mid-Tex Division signed a new storage contract with a maximum storage quantity of 500,000 MMBtu and maximum daily withdrawal quantity of 50,000 MMBtu.
 
Offices
 
Our administrative offices and corporate headquarters are consolidated in a leased facility in Dallas, Texas. We also maintain field offices throughout our distribution system, the majority of which are located in leased facilities. The headquarters for our nonregulated operations are in Houston, Texas, with offices in Houston and other locations, primarily in leased facilities.
 
ITEM 3.  Legal Proceedings.
 
See Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements.


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PART II
 
ITEM 5.  Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
 
Our stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “ATO.” The high and low sale prices and dividends paid per share of our common stock for fiscal 2011 and 2010 are listed below. The high and low prices listed are the closing NYSE quotes, as reported on the NYSE composite tape, for shares of our common stock:
 
                         
  Fiscal 2011  Fiscal 2010 
        Dividends
        Dividends
 
  High  Low  Paid  High  Low  Paid 
 
Quarter ended:
                        
December 31
 $31.72  $29.10  $.340  $30.06  $27.39  $.335 
March 31
  34.98   31.51   .340   29.52   26.52   .335 
June 30
  34.94   31.34   .340   29.98   26.41   .335 
September 30
  34.32   28.87   .340   29.81   26.82   .335 
                         
          $1.36          $1.34 
                         
 
Dividends are payable at the discretion of our Board of Directors out of legally available funds. The Board of Directors typically declares dividends in the same fiscal quarter in which they are paid. The number of record holders of our common stock on October 31, 2011 was 18,746. Future payments of dividends, and the amounts of these dividends, will depend on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements and other factors. We sold no securities during fiscal 2011 that were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


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Performance Graph
 
The performance graph and table below compares the yearly percentage change in our total return to shareholders for the last five fiscal years with the total return of the Standard and Poor’s 500 Stock Index and the cumulative total return of a customized peer company group, the Comparison Company Index, which is comprised of natural gas distribution companies with similar revenues, market capitalizations and asset bases to that of the Company. The graph and table below assume that $100.00 was invested on September 30, 2006 in our common stock, the S&P 500 Index and in the common stock of the companies in the Comparison Company Index, as well as a reinvestment of dividends paid on such investments throughout the period.
 
Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return
among Atmos Energy Corporation, S&P 500 Index
and Comparison Company Indices
 
(PERFORMANCE GRAPH)
 
                         
  Cumulative Total Return 
  9/30/06  9/30/07  9/30/08  9/30/09  9/30/10  9/30/11 
 
Atmos Energy Corporation
  100.00   103.36   101.92   113.82   123.97   143.45 
S&P 500
  100.00   116.44   90.85   84.58   93.17   94.24 
Peer Group
  100.00   116.52   103.24   104.34   128.20   157.38 
 
The Comparison Company Index contains a hybrid group of utility companies, primarily natural gas distribution companies, recommended by a global management consulting firm and approved by the Board of Directors. The companies included in the index are AGL Resources Inc., CenterPoint Energy Resources Corporation, CMS Energy Corporation, EQT Corporation, Integrys Energy Group, Inc., National Fuel Gas, Nicor Inc., NiSource Inc., ONEOK Inc., Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc., Vectren Corporation and WGL Holdings, Inc.


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The following table sets forth the number of securities authorized for issuance under our equity compensation plans at September 30, 2011.
 
             
  Number of
     Number of Securities Remaining
 
  Securities to be Issued
  Weighted-Average
  Available for Future Issuance
 
  Upon Exercise of
  Exercise Price of
  Under Equity Compensation
 
  Outstanding Options,
  Outstanding Options,
  Plans (Excluding Securities
 
  Warrants and Rights  Warrants and Rights  Reflected in Column (a)) 
  (a)  (b)  (c) 
 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders:
            
1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan
  86,766  $22.16   319,700 
             
Total equity compensation plans approved by security holders
  86,766   22.16   319,700 
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
  —   —   — 
             
Total
  86,766  $22.16   319,700 
             


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ITEM 6.  Selected Financial Data.
 
The following table sets forth selected financial data of the Company and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included herein.
 
                     
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011(1)  2010  2009(1)  2008  2007(1) 
  (In thousands, except per share data and ratios) 
 
Results of Operations
                    
Operating revenues
 $4,347,634  $4,719,835  $4,869,111  $7,117,837  $5,803,177 
Gross profit
  1,327,241   1,337,505   1,319,678   1,293,922   1,221,078 
Operating expenses(1)
  885,342   860,354   883,312   878,399   835,353 
Operating income
  441,899   477,151   436,366   415,523   385,725 
Miscellaneous income (expense)
  21,499   (156)  (3,067)  3,017   9,227 
Interest charges
  150,825   154,360   152,638   137,218   145,019 
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
  312,573   322,635   280,661   281,322   249,933 
Income tax expense
  113,689   124,362   97,362   107,837   89,105 
Income from continuing operations
  198,884   198,273   183,299   173,485   160,828 
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
  8,717   7,566   7,679   6,846   7,664 
Net income
 $207,601  $205,839  $190,978  $180,331  $168,492 
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding
  90,652   92,422   91,620   89,941   87,486 
Income per share from continuing operations — diluted
 $2.17  $2.12  $1.98  $1.91  $1.82 
Income per share from discontinued operations — diluted
  0.10   0.08   0.09   0.08   0.09 
Diluted net income per share
 $2.27  $2.20  $2.07  $1.99  $1.91 
Cash flows from operations
 $582,844  $726,476  $919,233  $370,933  $547,095 
Cash dividends paid per share
 $1.36  $1.34  $1.32  $1.30  $1.28 
Natural gas distribution throughput from continuing operations (MMcf)(2)
  409,369   438,535   393,604   413,491   411,337 
Natural gas distribution throughput from discontinued operations (MMcf)(2)
  14,651   15,640   15,281   15,863   16,532 
Total regulated transmission and storage transportation volumes (MMcf)(2)
  435,012   428,599   528,689   595,542   505,493 
Total nonregulated delivered gas sales volumes (MMcf)(2)
  384,799   353,853   370,569   389,392   370,668 
Financial Condition
                    
Net property, plant and equipment(5)
 $5,147,918  $4,793,075  $4,439,103  $4,136,859  $3,836,836 
Working capital(6)
  143,355   (290,887)  91,519   78,017   149,217 
Total assets
  7,282,871   6,763,791   6,367,083   6,386,699   5,895,197 
Short-term debt, inclusive of current maturities of long-term debt
  208,830   486,231   72,681   351,327   154,430 
Capitalization:
                    
Shareholders’ equity
  2,255,421   2,178,348   2,176,761   2,052,492   1,965,754 
Long-term debt (excluding current maturities)
  2,206,117   1,809,551   2,169,400   2,119,792   2,126,315 
                     
Total capitalization
  4,461,538   3,987,899   4,346,161   4,172,284   4,092,069 
Capital expenditures
  622,965   542,636   509,494   472,273   392,435 
Financial Ratios
                    
Capitalization ratio(3)
  48.3%  48.7%  49.3%  45.4%  46.3%
Return on average shareholders’ equity(4)
  9.1%  9.1%  8.9%  8.8%  8.8%
 
 
(1)Financial results for fiscal years 2011, 2009 and 2007 include a $30.3 million, $5.4 million and a $6.3 million pre-tax loss for the impairment of certain assets.
 
(2)Net of intersegment eliminations.
 
(3)The capitalization ratio is calculated by dividing shareholders’ equity by the sum of total capitalization and short-term debt, inclusive of current maturities of long-term debt.
 
(4)The return on average shareholders’ equity is calculated by dividing current year net income by the average of shareholders’ equity for the previous five quarters.
 
(5)Amount shown for fiscal 2011 are net of assets held for sale.
 
(6)Amount shown for fiscal 2011 includes assets held for sale.


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ITEM 7.  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
 
INTRODUCTION
 
This section provides management’s discussion of the financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operations of Atmos Energy Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries with specific information on results of operations and liquidity and capital resources. It includes management’s interpretation of our financial results, the factors affecting these results, the major factors expected to affect future operating results and future investment and financing plans. This discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and notes thereto.
 
Several factors exist that could influence our future financial performance, some of which are described in Item 1A above, “Risk Factors”. They should be considered in connection with evaluating forward-looking statements contained in this report or otherwise made by or on behalf of us since these factors could cause actual results and conditions to differ materially from those set out in such forward-looking statements.
 
Cautionary Statement for the Purposes of the Safe Harbor under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
 
The statements contained in this Annual Report onForm 10-Kmay contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this Report are forward-looking statements made in good faith by us and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this Report, or any other of our documents or oral presentations, the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “goal”, “intend”, “objective”, “plan”, “projection”, “seek”, “strategy” or similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the statements relating to our strategy, operations, markets, services, rates, recovery of costs, availability of gas supply and other factors. These risks and uncertainties include the following: our ability to continue to access the credit markets to satisfy our liquidity requirements; the impact of adverse economic conditions on our customers; increased costs of providing pension and postretirement health care benefits and increased funding requirements along with increased costs of health care benefits; market risks beyond our control affecting our risk management activities including market liquidity, commodity price volatility, increasing interest rates and counterparty creditworthiness; regulatory trends and decisions, including the impact of rate proceedings before various state regulatory commissions; possible increased federal, state and local regulation of the safety of our operations; increased federal regulatory oversight and potential penalties; the impact of environmental regulations on our business; the impact of possible future additional regulatory and financial risks associated with global warming and climate change on our business; the concentration of our distribution, pipeline and storage operations in Texas; adverse weather conditions; the effects of inflation and changes in the availability and price of natural gas; the capital-intensive nature of our gas distribution business; increased competition from energy suppliers and alternative forms of energy; the inherent hazards and risks involved in operating our gas distribution business, natural disasters, terrorist activities or other events, and other risks and uncertainties discussed herein, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, while we believe these forward-looking statements to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will approximate actual experience or that the expectations derived from them will be realized. Further, we undertake no obligation to update or revise any of our forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
 
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES
 
Our consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We based our estimates on historical experience and various


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other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to risk management and trading activities, fair value measurements, allowance for doubtful accounts, legal and environmental accruals, insurance accruals, pension and postretirement obligations, deferred income taxes and valuation of goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets and other long-lived assets. Our critical accounting policies are reviewed by the Audit Committee periodically. Actual results may differ from estimates.
 
Regulation — Our natural gas distribution and regulated transmission and storage operations are subject to regulation with respect to rates, service, maintenance of accounting records and various other matters by the respective regulatory authorities in the states in which we operate. We meet the criteria established within accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of a cost-based, rate-regulated entity, which requires us to reflect the financial effects of the ratemaking and accounting practices and policies of the various regulatory commissions in our financial statements in accordance with applicable authoritative accounting standards. We apply the provisions of this standard to our regulated operations and record regulatory assets for costs that have been deferred for which future recovery through customer rates is considered probable and regulatory liabilities when it is probable that revenues will be reduced for amounts that will be credited to customers through the ratemaking process. As a result, certain costs that would normally be expensed under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States are permitted to be capitalized or deferred on the balance sheet because it is probable they can be recovered through rates. Discontinuing the application of this method of accounting for regulatory assets and liabilities could significantly increase our operating expenses as fewer costs would likely be capitalized or deferred on the balance sheet, which could reduce our net income. Further, regulation may impact the period in which revenues or expenses are recognized. The amounts to be recovered or recognized are based upon historical experience and our understanding of the regulations. The impact of regulation on our regulated operations may be affected by decisions of the regulatory authorities or the issuance of new regulations.
 
Revenue recognition — Sales of natural gas to our natural gas distribution customers are billed on a monthly basis; however, the billing cycle periods for certain classes of customers do not necessarily coincide with accounting periods used for financial reporting purposes. We follow the revenue accrual method of accounting for natural gas distribution segment revenues whereby revenues applicable to gas delivered to customers, but not yet billed under the cycle billing method, are estimated and accrued and the related costs are charged to expense.
 
On occasion, we are permitted to implement new rates that have not been formally approved by our regulatory authorities, which are subject to refund. We recognize this revenue and establish a reserve for amounts that could be refunded based on our experience for the jurisdiction in which the rates were implemented.
 
Rates established by regulatory authorities are adjusted for increases and decreases in our purchased gas costs through purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms. Purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms provide gas utility companies a method of recovering purchased gas costs on an ongoing basis without filing a rate case to address all of the utility company’s non-gas costs. These mechanisms are commonly utilized when regulatory authorities recognize a particular type of cost, such as purchased gas costs, that (i) is subject to significant price fluctuations compared to the utility company’s other costs, (ii) represents a large component of the utility company’s cost of service and (iii) is generally outside the control of the gas utility company. There is no gross profit generated through purchased gas cost adjustments, but they provide adollar-for-dollaroffset to increases or decreases in utility gas costs. Although substantially all natural gas distribution sales to our customers fluctuate with the cost of gas that we purchase, our gross profit is generally not affected by fluctuations in the cost of gas as a result of the purchased gas cost adjustment mechanism. The effects of these purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms are recorded as deferred gas costs on our balance sheet.
 
Operating revenues for our regulated transmission and storage and nonregulated segments are recognized in the period in which actual volumes are transported and storage services are provided.
 
Operating revenues for our nonregulated segment and the associated carrying value of natural gas inventory (inclusive of storage costs) are recognized when we sell the gas and physically deliver it to our


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customers. Operating revenues include realized gains and losses arising from the settlement of financial instruments used in our natural gas marketing activities and unrealized gains and losses arising from changes in the fair value of natural gas inventory designated as a hedged item in a fair value hedge and the associated financial instruments.
 
Allowance for doubtful accounts — Accounts receivable arise from natural gas sales to residential, commercial, industrial, municipal and other customers. For the majority of our receivables, we establish an allowance for doubtful accounts based on our collections experience. On certain other receivables where we are aware of a specific customer’s inability or reluctance to pay, we record an allowance for doubtful accounts against amounts due to reduce the net receivable balance to the amount we reasonably expect to collect. However, if circumstances change, our estimate of the recoverability of accounts receivable could be affected. Circumstances which could affect our estimates include, but are not limited to, customer credit issues, the level of natural gas prices, customer deposits and general economic conditions. Accounts are written off once they are deemed to be uncollectible.
 
Financial instruments and hedging activities— We currently use financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk. Additionally, we periodically use financial instruments to manage interest rate risk. The objectives and strategies for using financial instruments have been tailored to meet the needs of our regulated and nonregulated businesses.
 
We record all of our financial instruments on the balance sheet at fair value as required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, with changes in fair value ultimately recorded in the income statement. The timing of when changes in fair value of our financial instruments are recorded in the income statement depends on whether the financial instrument has been designated and qualifies as a part of a hedging relationship or if regulatory rulings require a different accounting treatment. Changes in fair value for financial instruments that do not meet one of these criteria are recognized in the income statement as they occur.
 
Financial Instruments Associated with Commodity Price Risk
 
In our natural gas distribution segment, our customers are exposed to the effect of volatile natural gas prices. We manage this exposure through a combination of physical storage, fixed-price forward contracts and financial instruments, primarilyover-the-counterswap and option contracts, in an effort to minimize the impact of natural gas price volatility on our customers during the winter heating season. The costs associated with and the gains and losses arising from the use of financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk in this segment are included in our purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms in accordance with regulatory requirements. Therefore, changes in the fair value of these financial instruments are initially recorded as a component of deferred gas costs and recognized in the consolidated statement of income as a component of purchased gas cost when the related costs are recovered through our rates and recognized in revenue in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Accordingly, there is no earnings impact to our natural gas distribution segment as a result of the use of financial instruments.
 
Our nonregulated segment aggregates and purchases gas supply, arranges transportationand/orstorage logistics and ultimately delivers gas to our customers at competitive prices. We also perform asset optimization activities in which we seek to maximize the economic value associated with storage and transportation capacity we own or control in both our natural gas distribution and nonregulated businesses. As a result of these activities, our nonregulated operations are exposed to risks associated with changes in the market price of natural gas. We manage our exposure to the risk of natural gas price changes through a combination of physical storage and financial instruments, including futures,over-the-counterand exchange-traded options and swap contracts with counterparties.
 
In our nonregulated segment, we have designated the natural gas inventory held by this operating segment as the hedged item in a fair-value hedge. This inventory is marked to market at the end of each month based on the Gas Daily index, with changes in fair value recognized as unrealized gains or losses in revenue in the period of change. The financial instruments associated with this natural gas inventory have been designated as fair-value hedges and are marked to market each month based upon the NYMEX price with changes in fair value recognized as unrealized gains or losses in revenue in the period of change. Changes in the spreads


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between the forward natural gas prices used to value the financial instruments designated against our physical inventory (NYMEX) and the market (spot) prices used to value our physical storage (Gas Daily) result in unrealized margins until the underlying physical gas is withdrawn and the related financial instruments are settled. The difference in the spot price used to value our physical inventory and the forward price used to value the related financial instruments can result in volatility in our reported income as a component of unrealized margins. We have elected to exclude this spot/forward differential for purposes of assessing the effectiveness of these fair-value hedges. Once the gas is withdrawn and the financial instruments are settled, the previously unrealized margins associated with these net positions are realized. Over time, we expect gains and losses on the sale of storage gas inventory to be offset by gains and losses on the fair-value hedges, resulting in the realization of the economic gross profit margin we anticipated at the time we structured the original transaction.
 
We have elected to treat fixed-price forward contracts used in our nonregulated segment to deliver gas as normal purchases and normal sales. As such, these deliveries are recorded on an accrual basis in accordance with our revenue recognition policy. Financial instruments used to mitigate the commodity price risk associated with these contracts have been designated as cash flow hedges of anticipated purchases and sales at indexed prices. Accordingly, unrealized gains and losses on open financial instruments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income and are recognized in earnings as a component of revenue when the hedged volumes are sold. Hedge ineffectiveness, to the extent incurred, is reported as a component of revenue.
 
We also use storage swaps and futures to capture additional storage arbitrage opportunities in our nonregulated segment that arise after the execution of the original fair value hedge associated with our physical natural gas inventory, basis swaps to insulate and protect the economic value of our fixed price and storage books and variousover-the-counterand exchange-traded options. These financial instruments have not been designated as hedges.
 
Financial Instruments Associated with Interest Rate Risk
 
We periodically manage interest rate risk, typically when we issue new or refinance existing long-term debt with Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with anticipated financings. We designate these Treasury lock agreements as cash flow hedges at the time the agreements are executed. Accordingly, unrealized gains and losses associated with the Treasury lock agreements are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The realized gain or loss recognized upon settlement of each Treasury lock agreement is initially recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and is recognized as a component of interest expense over the life of the related financing arrangement. Hedge ineffectiveness, to the extent incurred, is reported as a component of interest expense.
 
Impairment assessments — We perform impairment assessments of our goodwill, intangible assets subject to amortization and long-lived assets. As of September 30, 2011, we had no indefinite-lived intangible assets.
 
We annually evaluate our goodwill balances for impairment during our second fiscal quarter or as impairment indicators arise. We use a present value technique based on discounted cash flows to estimate the fair value of our reporting units. We have determined our reporting units to be each of our natural gas distribution divisions and wholly-owned subsidiaries and goodwill is allocated to the reporting units responsible for the acquisition that gave rise to the goodwill. The discounted cash flow calculations used to assess goodwill impairment are dependent on several subjective factors including the timing of future cash flows, future growth rates and the discount rate. An impairment charge is recognized if the carrying value of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its fair value.
 
We annually assess whether the cost of our intangible assets subject to amortization or other long-lived assets is recoverable or that the remaining useful lives may warrant revision. We perform this assessment more frequently when specific events or circumstances have occurred that suggest the recoverability of the cost of the intangible and other long-lived assets is at risk.


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When such events or circumstances are present, we assess the recoverability of these assets by determining whether the carrying value will be recovered through expected future cash flows from the operating division or subsidiary to which these assets relate. These cash flow projections consider various factors such as the timing of the future cash flows and the discount rate and are based upon the best information available at the time the estimate is made. Changes in these factors could materially affect the cash flow projections and result in the recognition of an impairment charge. An impairment charge is recognized as the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value if the sum of the undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying value of the related asset.
 
Pension and other postretirement plans  — Pension and other postretirement plan costs and liabilities are determined on an actuarial basis using a September 30 measurement date and are affected by numerous assumptions and estimates including the market value of plan assets, estimates of the expected return on plan assets, assumed discount rates and current demographic and actuarial mortality data. The assumed discount rate and the expected return are the assumptions that generally have the most significant impact on our pension costs and liabilities. The assumed discount rate, the assumed health care cost trend rate and assumed rates of retirement generally have the most significant impact on our postretirement plan costs and liabilities.
 
The discount rate is utilized principally in calculating the actuarial present value of our pension and postretirement obligations and net periodic pension and postretirement benefit plan costs. When establishing our discount rate, we consider high quality corporate bond rates based on bonds available in the marketplace that are suitable for settling the obligations, changes in those rates from the prior year and the implied discount rate that is derived from matching our projected benefit disbursements with currently available high quality corporate bonds.
 
The expected long-term rate of return on assets is utilized in calculating the expected return on plan assets component of our annual pension and postretirement plan costs. We estimate the expected return on plan assets by evaluating expected bond returns, equity risk premiums, asset allocations, the effects of active plan management, the impact of periodic plan asset rebalancing and historical performance. We also consider the guidance from our investment advisors in making a final determination of our expected rate of return on assets. To the extent the actual rate of return on assets realized over the course of a year is greater than or less than the assumed rate, that year’s annual pension or postretirement plan costs are not affected. Rather, this gain or loss reduces or increases future pension or postretirement plan costs over a period of approximately ten to twelve years.
 
The market-related value of our plan assets represents the fair market value of the plan assets, adjusted to smooth out short-term market fluctuations over a five-year period. The use of this calculation will delay the impact of current market fluctuations on the pension expense for the period.
 
We estimate the assumed health care cost trend rate used in determining our postretirement net expense based upon our actual health care cost experience, the effects of recently enacted legislation and general economic conditions. Our assumed rate of retirement is estimated based upon our annual review of our participant census information as of the measurement date.
 
Actual changes in the fair market value of plan assets and differences between the actual and expected return on plan assets could have a material effect on the amount of pension costs ultimately recognized. A 0.25 percent change in our discount rate would impact our pension and postretirement costs by approximately $1.9 million. A 0.25 percent change in our expected rate of return would impact our pension and postretirement costs by approximately $0.8 million.
 
Fair Value Measurements — We report certain assets and liabilities at fair value, which 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 (exit price). We primarily use quoted market prices and other observable market pricing information in valuing our financial assets and liabilities and minimize the use of unobservable pricing inputs in our measurements.
 
Prices actively quoted on national exchanges are used to determine the fair value of most of our assets and liabilities recorded on our balance sheet at fair value. Within our nonregulated operations, we utilize a


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mid-market pricing convention (the mid-point between the bid and ask prices) as a practical expedient for determining fair value measurement, as permitted under current accounting standards. Values derived from these sources reflect the market in which transactions involving these financial instruments are executed. We utilize models and other valuation methods to determine fair value when external sources are not available. Values are adjusted to reflect the potential impact of an orderly liquidation of our positions over a reasonable period of time under then-current market conditions. We believe the market prices and models used to value these assets and liabilities represent the best information available with respect to closing exchange andover-the-counterquotations, time value and volatility factors underlying the assets and liabilities.
 
Fair-value estimates also consider our own creditworthiness and the creditworthiness of the counterparties involved. Our counterparties consist primarily of financial institutions and major energy companies. This concentration of counterparties may materially impact our exposure to credit risk resulting from market, economic or regulatory conditions. Adverse developments in the global financial and credit markets in the last few years have made it more difficult and more expensive for companies to access the short-term capital markets, which may negatively impact the creditworthiness of our counterparties. A further tightening of the credit markets could cause more of our counterparties to fail to perform. We seek to minimize counterparty credit risk through an evaluation of their financial condition and credit ratings and the use of collateral requirements under certain circumstances.
 
Amounts reported at fair value are subject to potentially significant volatility based upon changes in market prices, the valuation of the portfolio of our contracts, maturity and settlement of these contracts and newly originated transactions, each of which directly affect the estimated fair value of our financial instruments. We believe the market prices and models used to value these financial instruments represent the best information available with respect to closing exchange andover-the-counterquotations, time value and volatility factors underlying the contracts. Values are adjusted to reflect the potential impact of an orderly liquidation of our positions over a reasonable period of time under then current market conditions.
 
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
 
Overview
 
Atmos Energy Corporation is involved in the distribution, marketing and transportation of natural gas. Accordingly, our results of operations are impacted by the demand for natural gas, particularly during the winter heating season, and the volatility of the natural gas markets. This generally results in higher operating revenues and net income during the period from October through March of each fiscal year and lower operating revenues and either lower net income or net losses during the period from April through September of each fiscal year. As a result of the seasonality of the natural gas industry, our second fiscal quarter has historically been our most critical earnings quarter with an average of approximately 62 percent of our consolidated net income having been earned in the second quarter during the three most recently completed fiscal years.
 
Additionally, the seasonality of our business impacts our working capital differently at various times during the year. Typically, our accounts receivable, accounts payable and short-term debt balances peak by the end of January and then start to decline, as customers begin to pay their winter heating bills. Gas stored underground, particularly in our natural gas distribution segment, typically peaks in November and declines as we utilize storage gas to serve our customers.
 
During fiscal 2011, we earned $207.6 million, or $2.27 per diluted share, which represents a one percent increase in net income and a three percent increase in diluted net income per share over fiscal 2010. During fiscal 2011, recent improvements in rate designs in our natural gas distribution segment and a successful regulatory outcome in our regulated transmission and storage segment offset a seven percentyear-over-yeardecline in consolidated natural gas distribution throughput due to warmer weather and a 108 percent decrease in asset optimization margins as a result of weak natural gas market fundamentals. Results for fiscal 2011 were influenced by several non-recurring items, which increased diluted earnings per share by $0.03. The increase in fiscal 2011 earnings per share also reflects the favorable impact of our accelerated share buyback


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agreement initiated in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 and completed in the second quarter of fiscal 2011, which increased diluted earnings per share by $0.08.
 
On May 12, 2011, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell all of our natural gas distribution assets located in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa to Liberty Energy (Midstates) Corporation, an affiliate of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. for a cash price of approximately $124 million. The agreement contains terms and conditions customary for transactions of this type, including typical adjustments to the purchase price at closing, if applicable. The closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions including the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. Due to the pending sales transaction, the results of operations for these three service areas are shown in discontinued operations.
 
On June 10, 2011 we issued $400 million of 5.50% senior notes. The effective interest rate on these notes is 5.381 percent, after giving effect to offering costs and the settlement of the $300 million Treasury locks associated with the offering. Substantially all of the net proceeds of approximately $394 million were used to repay $350 million of outstanding commercial paper. The remainder of the net proceeds was used for general corporate purposes. The Treasury locks were settled on June 7, 2011 with the receipt of $20.1 million from the counterparties due to an increase in the30-yearTreasury lock rates between inception of the Treasury locks and settlement. Because the Treasury locks were effective, the net $12.6 million unrealized gain was recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income and will be recognized as a component of interest expense over the30-year life of the senior notes.
 
During the year ended September 30, 2011, we executed on our strategy to streamline our credit facilities, as follows:
 
  • On May 2, 2011, we replaced our five-year $566.7 million unsecured credit facility, due to expire in December 2011, with a five-year $750 million unsecured credit facility with an accordion feature that could increase our borrowing capacity to $1.0 billion.
 
  • In December 2010, we replaced AEM’s $450 million364-dayfacility with a $200 million, three-year facility. The reduced amount of the new facility is due to the current low cost of gas and AEM’s ability to access an intercompany facility that was increased in fiscal 2011; however, this facility contains an accordion feature that could increase our borrowing capacity to $500 million.
 
  • In October 2010, we replaced our $200 million364-dayrevolving credit agreement with a $200 million180-dayrevolving credit agreement that expired in April 2011. As planned, we did not replace or extend this agreement.
 
After giving effect to these changes, we now have $985 million of liquidity available to us from our commercial paper program and four committed credit facilities and have reduced our financing costs. We believe this availability provides sufficient liquidity to fund our working capital needs.


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Consolidated Results
 
The following table presents our consolidated financial highlights for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
             
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands, except per share data) 
 
Operating revenues
 $4,347,634  $4,719,835  $4,869,111 
Gross profit
  1,327,241   1,337,505   1,319,678 
Operating expenses
  885,342   860,354   883,312 
Operating income
  441,899   477,151   436,366 
Miscellaneous income (expense)
  21,499   (156)  (3,067)
Interest charges
  150,825   154,360   152,638 
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
  312,573   322,635   280,661 
Income tax expense
  113,689   124,362   97,362 
Income from continuing operations
  198,884   198,273   183,299 
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
  8,717   7,566   7,679 
Net income
 $207,601  $205,839  $190,978 
Diluted net income per share from continuing operations
 $2.17  $2.12  $1.98 
Diluted net income per share from discontinued operations
 $0.10  $0.08  $0.09 
Diluted net income per share
 $2.27  $2.20  $2.07 
 
Historically, our regulated operations arising from our natural gas distribution and regulated transmission and storage operations contributed 65 to 85 percent of our consolidated net income. Regulated operations contributed 104 percent, 81 percent and 83 percent to our consolidated net income for fiscal years 2011, 2010, and 2009. Our consolidated net income during the last three fiscal years was earned across our business segments as follows:
 
             
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Natural gas distribution segment
 $162,718  $125,949  $116,807 
Regulated transmission and storage segment
  52,415   41,486   41,056 
Nonregulated segment
  (7,532)  38,404   33,115 
             
Net income
 $207,601  $205,839  $190,978 
             
             
 
The following table segregates our consolidated net income and diluted earnings per share between our regulated and nonregulated operations:
 
             
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands, except per share data) 
 
Regulated operations
 $215,133  $167,435  $157,863 
Nonregulated operations
  (7,532)  38,404   33,115 
             
Consolidated net income
 $207,601  $205,839  $190,978 
             
Diluted EPS from regulated operations
 $2.35  $1.79  $1.71 
Diluted EPS from nonregulated operations
  (0.08)  0.41   0.36 
             
Consolidated diluted EPS
 $2.27  $2.20  $2.07 
             


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We reported net income of $207.6 million, or $2.27 per diluted share for the year ended September 30, 2011, compared with net income of $205.8 million or $2.20 per diluted share in the prior year. Income from continuing operations was $198.9 million, or $2.17 per diluted share compared with $198.3 million, or $2.12 per diluted share in the prior-year period. Income from discontinued operations was $8.7 million or $0.10 per diluted share for the year, compared with $7.6 million or $0.08 per diluted share in the prior year. Unrealized losses in our nonregulated operations during the current year reduced net income by $6.6 million or $0.07 per diluted share compared with net losses recorded in the prior year of $4.3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share. Additionally, net income in both periods was impacted by nonrecurring items. In the prior year, net income included the net positive impact of a state sales tax refund of $4.6 million, or $0.05 per diluted share. In the current year, net income includes the net positive impact of several one-time items totaling $3.2 million, or $0.03 per diluted share related to the following pre-tax amounts:
 
  • $27.8 million favorable impact related to the cash gain recorded in association with the unwinding of two Treasury locks in conjunction with the cancellation of a planned debt offering in November 2011.
 
  • $30.3 million unfavorable impact related to the non-cash impairment of certain assets in our nonregulated business.
 
  • $5.0 million favorable impact related to the administrative settlement of various income tax positions.
 
Net income during fiscal 2010 increased eight percent over fiscal 2009. Net income from our regulated operations increased six percent during fiscal 2010. The increase primarily reflects colder than normal weather in most of our service areas during fiscal 2010 as well as the net favorable impact of various ratemaking activities in our natural gas distribution segment. Net income in our nonregulated operations increased $5.3 million during fiscal 2010 primarily due to the impact of unrealized margins. Non-cash, net unrealized losses totaled $4.3 million which reduced earnings per share by $0.05 per diluted share in fiscal 2010 compared to fiscal 2009, when net unrealized losses totaled $21.6 million, which reduced earnings per share by $0.23 per diluted share.
 
See the following discussion regarding the results of operations for each of our business operating segments.
 
Natural Gas Distribution Segment
 
The primary factors that impact the results of our natural gas distribution operations are our ability to earn our authorized rates of return, the cost of natural gas, competitive factors in the energy industry and economic conditions in our service areas.
 
Our ability to earn our authorized rates is based primarily on our ability to improve the rate design in our various ratemaking jurisdictions by reducing or eliminating regulatory lag and, ultimately, separating the recovery of our approved margins from customer usage patterns. Improving rate design is a long-term process and is further complicated by the fact that we operate in multiple rate jurisdictions. The “Ratemaking Activity” section of thisForm 10-Kdescribes our current rate strategy, progress towards implementing that strategy and recent ratemaking initiatives in more detail.
 
We are generally able to pass the cost of gas through to our customers without markup under purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms; therefore the cost of gas typically does not have an impact on our gross profit as increases in the cost of gas are offset by a corresponding increase in revenues. Accordingly, we believe gross profit is a better indicator of our financial performance than revenues. However, gross profit in our Texas and Mississippi service areas include franchise fees and gross receipts taxes, which are calculated as a percentage of revenue (inclusive of gas costs). Therefore, the amount of these taxes included in revenues is influenced by the cost of gas and the level of gas sales volumes. We record the tax expense as a component of taxes, other than income. Although changes in revenue-related taxes arising from changes in gas costs affect gross profit, over time the impact is offset within operating income.
 
As discussed above, the cost of gas typically does not have a direct impact on our gross profit. However, higher gas costs may adversely impact our accounts receivable collections, resulting in higher bad debt


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expense, and may require us to increase borrowings under our credit facilities resulting in higher interest expense. In addition, higher gas costs, as well as competitive factors in the industry and general economic conditions may cause customers to conserve or, in the case of industrial consumers, to use alternative energy sources. However, gas cost risk has been mitigated in recent years through improvements in rate design that allow us to collect from our customers the gas cost portion of our bad debt expense on approximately 73 percent of our residential and commercial margins.
 
In May 2011, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement to sell our natural gas distribution operations in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa. The results of these operations have been separately reported in the following tables and exclude general corporate overhead and interest expense that would normally be allocated to these operations.
 
Review of Financial and Operating Results
 
Financial and operational highlights for our natural gas distribution segment for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 are presented below.
 
                     
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2011 vs. 2010  2010 vs. 2009 
     (In thousands, unless otherwise noted)    
 
Gross profit
 $1,044,364  $1,022,011  $997,604  $22,353  $24,407 
Operating expenses
  706,363   711,842   719,626   (5,479)  (7,784)
                     
Operating income
  338,001   310,169   277,978   27,832   32,191 
Miscellaneous income
  16,557   1,567   6,002   14,990   (4,435)
Interest charges
  115,802   118,319   123,863   (2,517)  (5,544)
                     
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
  238,756   193,417   160,117   45,339   33,300 
Income tax expense
  84,755   75,034   50,989   9,721   24,045 
                     
Income from continuing operations
  154,001   118,383   109,128   35,618   9,255 
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
  8,717   7,566   7,679   1,151   (113)
                     
Net Income
 $162,718  $125,949  $116,807  $36,769  $9,142 
                     
Consolidated natural gas distribution sales volumes from continuing operations — MMcf
  281,466   313,888   273,555   (32,422)  40,333 
Consolidated natural gas distribution transportation volumes from continuing operations — MMcf
  127,903   124,647   120,049   3,256   4,598 
                     
Consolidated natural gas distribution throughput from continuing operations — MMcf
  409,369   438,535   393,604   (29,166)  44,931 
Consolidated natural gas distribution throughput from discontinued operations — MMcf
  14,651   15,640   15,281   (989)  359 
                     
Total consolidated natural gas distribution throughput — MMcf
  424,020   454,175   408,885   (30,155)  45,290 
                     
Consolidated natural gas distribution average transportation revenue per Mcf
 $0.47  $0.47  $0.47  $—  $— 
Consolidated natural gas distribution average cost of gas per Mcf sold
 $5.30  $5.77  $6.95  $(0.47) $(1.18)


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The following table shows our operating income from continuing operations by natural gas distribution division, in order of total rate base, for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009. The presentation of our natural gas distribution operating income is included for financial reporting purposes and may not be appropriate for ratemaking purposes.
 
                     
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2011 vs. 2010  2010 vs. 2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Mid-Tex
 $144,204  $134,655  $127,625  $9,549  $7,030 
Kentucky/Mid-States
  53,506   46,238   37,683   7,268   8,555 
Louisiana
  50,442   45,759   43,434   4,683   2,325 
West Texas
  29,686   33,509   23,338   (3,823)  10,171 
Mississippi
  26,338   26,441   21,287   (103)  5,154 
Colorado-Kansas
  25,920   24,543   20,580   1,377   3,963 
Other
  7,905   (976)  4,031   8,881   (5,007)
                     
Total
 $338,001  $310,169  $277,978  $27,832  $32,191 
                     
 
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2010
 
The $22.4 million increase in natural gas distribution gross profit primarily reflects a $40.4 million net increase in rate adjustments, primarily in the Mid-Tex, Louisiana, Kentucky and Kansas service areas.
 
These increases were partially offset by:
 
  • $12.0 million decrease due to a seven percent decrease in consolidated throughput caused principally by lower residential and commercial consumption combined with warmer weather this fiscal year compared to the same period last year in most of our service areas.
 
  • $8.1 million decrease in revenue-related taxes, primarily due to lower revenues on which the tax is calculated.
 
Operating expenses, which include operation and maintenance expense, provision for doubtful accounts, depreciation and amortization expense and taxes, other than income decreased $5.5 million, primarily due to the following:
 
  • $10.0 million decrease in taxes, other than income, due to lower revenue-related taxes.
 
  • $6.4 million decrease in employee-related expenses.
 
These decreases were partially offset by:
 
  • $5.4 million increase due to the absence of a state sales tax reimbursement received in the prior year.
 
  • $11.8 million increase in depreciation and amortization expense.
 
  • $1.8 million increase in vehicles and equipment expense.
 
Net income for this segment for theyear-to-dateperiod was also favorably impacted by a $21.8 million pre-tax gain recognized in March 2011 as a result of unwinding two Treasury locks and a $5.0 million income tax benefit related to the administrative settlement of various income tax positions.
 
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2009
 
The $24.4 million increase in natural gas distribution gross profit primarily reflects rate adjustments and increased throughput as follows:
 
  • $33.4 million net increase in rate adjustments, primarily in the West Texas, Mid-Tex, Louisiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and Mississippi service areas.


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  • $10.6 million increase as a result of an 11 percent increase in consolidated throughput primarily associated with higher residential and commercial consumption and colder weather in most of our service areas.
 
These increases were partially offset by:
 
  • $7.6 million decrease due to a non-recurring adjustment recorded in the prior-year period to update the estimate for gas delivered to customers but not yet billed to reflect base rate changes.
 
  • $7.0 million decrease related to a prior-year reversal of an accrual for estimated unrecoverable gas costs that did not recur in the current year.
 
  • $1.6 million decrease in revenue-related taxes, primarily due to a decrease in revenues on which the tax is calculated.
 
Operating expenses, which include operation and maintenance expense, provision for doubtful accounts, depreciation and amortization expense, taxes, other than income and asset impairments decreased $7.8 million, primarily due to the following:
 
  • $5.4 million decrease due to a state sales tax reimbursement received in March 2010.
 
  • $4.6 million decrease due to the absence of an impairment charge foravailable-for-salesecurities recorded in the prior year.
 
  • $4.5 million decrease in contract labor expenses.
 
  • $4.6 million decrease in travel, legal and other administrative costs.
 
These decreases were partially offset by:
 
  • $7.5 million increase in employee-related expenses.
 
  • $4.5 million increase in taxes, other than income.
 
Miscellaneous income decreased $4.4 million due to lower interest income. Interest charges decreased $5.5 million primarily due to lower short-term debt balances and interest rates.
 
Additionally, results for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009, were favorably impacted by a one-time tax benefit of $10.5 million. During the second quarter of fiscal 2009, the Company completed a study of the calculations used to estimate its deferred tax rate, and concluded that revisions to these calculations to include more specific jurisdictional tax rates would result in a more accurate calculation of the tax rate at which deferred taxes would reverse in the future. Accordingly, the Company modified the tax rate used to calculate deferred taxes from 38 percent to an individual rate for each legal entity. These rates vary from36-41 percentdepending on the jurisdiction of the legal entity.
 
Regulated Transmission and Storage Segment
 
Our regulated transmission and storage segment consists of the regulated pipeline and storage operations of the Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division. The Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division transports natural gas to our Mid-Tex Division and third parties and manages five underground storage reservoirs in Texas. We also provide ancillary services customary in the pipeline industry including parking arrangements, lending and sales of excess gas.
 
Similar to our natural gas distribution segment, our regulated transmission and storage segment is impacted by seasonal weather patterns, competitive factors in the energy industry and economic conditions in our Mid-Tex service area. Natural gas prices do not directly impact the results of this segment as revenues are derived from the transportation of natural gas. However, natural gas prices and demand for natural gas could influence the level of drilling activity in the markets that we serve, which may influence the level of throughput we may be able to transport on our pipeline. Further, natural gas price differences between the various hubs that we serve could influence customers to transport gas through our pipeline to capture arbitrage gains.


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The results of Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division are also significantly impacted by the natural gas requirements of the Mid-Tex Division because it is the primary supplier of natural gas for our Mid-Tex Division.
 
Finally, as a regulated pipeline, the operations of the Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division may be impacted by the timing of when costs and expenses are incurred and when these costs and expenses are recovered through its tariffs.
 
Review of Financial and Operating Results
 
Financial and operational highlights for our regulated transmission and storage segment for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010, and 2009 are presented below.
 
                     
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2011 vs. 2010  2010 vs. 2009 
     (In thousands, unless otherwise noted)    
 
Mid-Tex Division transportation
 $125,973  $102,891  $89,348  $23,082  $13,543 
Third-party transportation
  73,676   73,648   95,314   28   (21,666)
Storage and park and lend services
  7,995   10,657   11,858   (2,662)  (1,201)
Other
  11,729   15,817   13,138   (4,088)  2,679 
                     
Gross profit
  219,373   203,013   209,658   16,360   (6,645)
Operating expenses
  111,098   105,975   116,495   5,123   (10,520)
                     
Operating income
  108,275   97,038   93,163   11,237   3,875 
Miscellaneous income
  4,715   135   1,433   4,580   (1,298)
Interest charges
  31,432   31,174   30,982   258   192 
                     
Income before income taxes
  81,558   65,999   63,614   15,559   2,385 
Income tax expense
  29,143   24,513   22,558   4,630   1,955 
                     
Net income
 $52,415  $41,486  $41,056  $10,929  $430 
                     
Gross pipeline transportation volumes — MMcf
  620,904   634,885   706,132   (13,981)  (71,247)
                     
Consolidated pipeline transportation volumes — MMcf
  435,012   428,599   528,689   6,413   (100,090)
                     
 
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2010
 
On April 18, 2011, the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) issued an order in the rate case of Atmos Pipeline — Texas (APT) that was originally filed in September 2010. The RRC approved an annual operating income increase of $20.4 million as well as the following major provisions that went into effect with bills rendered on and after May 1, 2011:
 
  • Authorized return on equity of 11.8 percent.
 
  • A capital structure of 49.5 percent debt/50.5 percent equity
 
  • Approval of a rate base of $807.7 million, compared to the $417.1 million rate base from the prior rate case.
 
  • An annual adjustment mechanism, which was approved for a three-year pilot program, that will adjust regulated rates up or down by 75 percent of the difference between APT’s non-regulated annual revenue and a pre-defined base credit.
 
  • Approval of a straight fixed variable rate design, under which all fixed costs associated with transportation and storage services are recovered through monthly customer charges.


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The $16.4 million increase in regulated transmission and storage gross profit was attributable primarily to the following:
 
  • $23.4 million net increase as a result of the rate case that was finalized and became effective in May 2011.
 
  • $3.2 million increase associated with our most recent GRIP filing.
 
These increases were partially offset by the following:
 
  • $4.8 million decrease due to the absence of the sale of excess gas, which occurred in the prior year.
 
  • $4.4 million decrease due to a decline in throughput to our Mid-Tex Division primarily due to warmer than normal weather during fiscal 2011.
 
Operating expenses increased $5.1 million primarily due to the following:
 
  • $4.6 million increase due to higher depreciation expense.
 
  • $2.0 million increase due to the absence of a state sales tax reimbursement received in the prior year.
 
These increases were partially offset by the following:
 
  • $0.8 million decrease related to lower levels of pipeline maintenance activities.
 
  • $0.7 million decrease due to lower employee-related expenses.
 
Miscellaneous income includes a $6.0 million gain recognized in March 2011 as a result of unwinding two Treasury locks.
 
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2009
 
The $6.6 million decrease in regulated transmission and storage gross profit was attributable primarily to the following factors:
 
  • $13.3 million decrease due to lower transportation fees on through-system deliveries due to narrower basis spreads.
 
  • $2.6 million decrease due to decreased through-system volumes primarily associated with market conditions that resulted in reduced wellhead production, decreased drilling activity and increased competition, partially offset by increased deliveries to our Mid-Tex Division.
 
  • $1.6 million net decrease in market-based demand fees, priority reservation fees and compression activity associated with lower throughput.
 
These decreases were partially offset by the following:
 
  • $9.3 million increase associated with our GRIP filings.
 
  • $2.0 million increase of excess inventory sales in the current-year period.
 
Operating expenses decreased $10.5 million primarily due to:
 
  • $11.8 million decrease related to reduced contract labor.
 
  • $2.0 million decrease due to a state sales tax reimbursement received in March 2010.
 
These decreases were partially offset by a $2.1 million increase in taxes, other than income due to higher ad valorem and payroll taxes.
 
Miscellaneous income decreased $1.3 million due primarily to a decline in intercompany interest income.


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Nonregulated Segment
 
Our nonregulated activities are conducted through Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc. (AEH), which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Atmos Energy Corporation and operates primarily in the Midwest and Southeast areas of the United States.
 
AEH’s primary business is to deliver gas and provide related services by aggregating and purchasing gas supply, arranging transportation and storage logistics and ultimately delivering gas to customers at competitive prices. In addition, AEH utilizes proprietary and customer-owned transportation and storage assets to provide various delivered gas services our customers request, including furnishing natural gas supplies at fixed and market-based prices, contract negotiation and administration, load forecasting, gas storage acquisition and management services, transportation services, peaking sales and balancing services, capacity utilization strategies and gas price hedging through the use of financial instruments. As a result, AEH’s gas delivery and related services margins arise from the types of commercial transactions we have structured with our customers and our ability to identify the lowest cost alternative among the natural gas supplies, transportation and markets to which it has access to serve those customers.
 
AEH’s storage and transportation margins arise from (i) utilizing its proprietary21-milepipeline located in New Orleans, Louisiana to aggregate gas supply for our regulated natural gas distribution division in Louisiana, its gas delivery activities and, on a more limited basis, for third parties and (ii) managing proprietary storage in Kentucky and Louisiana to supplement the natural gas needs of our natural gas distribution divisions during peak periods.
 
AEH also seeks to enhance its gross profit margin by maximizing, through asset optimization activities, the economic value associated with the storage and transportation capacity it owns or controls in our natural gas distribution and by its subsidiaries. We attempt to meet these objectives by engaging in natural gas storage transactions in which we seek to find and profit through the arbitrage of pricing differences in various locations and by recognizing pricing differences that occur over time. This process involves purchasing physical natural gas, storing it in the storage and transportation assets to which AEH has access and selling financial instruments at advantageous prices to lock in a gross profit margin.
 
AEH continually manages its net physical position to attempt to increase the future economic profit that was created when the original transaction was executed. Therefore, AEH may subsequently change its originally scheduled storage injection and withdrawal plans from one time period to another based on market conditions. If AEH elects to accelerate the withdrawal of physical gas, it will execute new financial instruments to offset the original financial instruments. If AEH elects to defer the withdrawal of gas, it will execute new financial instruments to correspond to the revised withdrawal schedule and allow the original financial instrument to settle as contracted.
 
We use financial instruments, designated as fair value hedges, to hedge our natural gas inventory used in our natural gas marketing storage activities. These financial instruments are marked to market each month based upon the NYMEX price with changes in fair value recognized as unrealized gains and losses in the period of change. The hedged natural gas inventory is marked to market at the end of each month based on the Gas Daily index with changes in fair value recognized as unrealized gains and losses in the period of change. Changes in the spreads between the forward natural gas prices used to value the financial hedges designated against our physical inventory and the market (spot) prices used to value our physical storage result in unrealized margins until the underlying physical gas is withdrawn and the related financial instruments are settled. Once the gas is withdrawn and the financial instruments are settled, the previously unrealized margins associated with these net positions are realized.
 
AEH also uses financial instruments to capture additional storage arbitrage opportunities that may arise after the original physical inventory hedge and to attempt to insulate and protect the economic value within its asset optimization activities. Changes in fair value associated with these financial instruments are recognized as a component of unrealized margins until they are settled.
 
Due to the nature of these operations, natural gas prices and differences in natural gas prices between the various markets that we serve (commonly referred to as basis differentials), have a significant impact on our


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nonregulated businesses. Within our delivered gas activities, basis differentials impact our ability to create value from identifying the lowest cost alternative among the natural gas supplies, transportation and markets to which we have access. Further, higher natural gas prices may adversely impact our accounts receivable collections, resulting in higher bad debt expense, and may require us to increase borrowings under our credit facilities resulting in higher interest expense. Higher gas prices, as well as competitive factors in the industry and general economic conditions may also cause customers to conserve or use alternative energy sources. Within our asset optimization activities, higher gas prices could also lead to increased borrowings under our credit facilities resulting in higher interest expense.
 
Volatility in natural gas prices also has a significant impact on our nonregulated segment. Increased price volatility often has a significant impact on the spreads between the market (spot) prices and forward natural gas prices, which creates opportunities to earn higher arbitrage spreads within our asset optimization activities. Volatility could also impact the basis differentials we capture in our delivered gas activities. However, increased volatility impacts the amounts of unrealized margins recorded in our gross profit and could cause an increase in the amount of cash required to collateralize our risk management liabilities.
 
Review of Financial and Operating Results
 
Financial and operational highlights for our nonregulated segment for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 are presented below. Gross profit margin consists primarily of margins earned from the delivery of gas and related services requested by our customers, margins earned from storage and transportation services and margins earned from asset optimization activities, which are derived from the utilization of our proprietary and managed third-party storage and transportation assets to capture favorable arbitrage spreads through natural gas trading activities.
 
Unrealized margins represent the unrealized gains or losses on our net physical gas position and the related financial instruments used to manage commodity price risk as described above. These margins fluctuate based upon changes in the spreads between the physical and forward natural gas prices. Generally, if the physical/financial spread narrows, we will record unrealized gains or lower unrealized losses. If the physical/financial spread widens, we will record unrealized losses or lower unrealized gains. The magnitude of the unrealized gains and losses is also contingent upon the levels of our net physical position at the end of the reporting period.
 


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  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2011 vs. 2010  2010 vs. 2009 
     (In thousands, unless otherwise noted)    
 
Realized margins
                    
Gas delivery and related services
 $58,990  $59,523  $75,341  $(533) $(15,818)
Storage and transportation services
  14,570   13,206   12,784   1,364   422 
Other
  5,265   5,347   9,365   (82)  (4,018)
                     
   78,825   78,076   97,490   749   (19,414)
Asset optimization(1)
  (3,424)  43,805   52,507   (47,229)  (8,702)
                     
Total realized margins
  75,401   121,881   149,997   (46,480)  (28,116)
Unrealized margins
  (10,401)  (7,790)  (35,889)  (2,611)  28,099 
                     
Gross profit
  65,000   114,091   114,108   (49,091)  (17)
Operating expenses, excluding asset impairment
  39,113   44,147   49,046   (5,034)  (4,899)
Asset impairment
  30,270   —   181   30,270   (181)
                     
Operating income (loss)
  (4,383)  69,944   64,881   (74,327)  5,063 
Miscellaneous income
  657   3,859   6,399   (3,202)  (2,540)
Interest charges
  4,015   10,584   14,350   (6,569)  (3,766)
                     
Income (loss) before income taxes
  (7,741)  63,219   56,930   (70,960)  6,289 
Income tax expense (benefit)
  (209)  24,815   23,815   (25,024)  1,000 
                     
Net income (loss)
 $(7,532) $38,404  $33,115  $(45,936) $5,289 
                     
Gross nonregulated delivered gas sales volumes — MMcf
  446,903   420,203   441,081   26,700   (20,878)
                     
Consolidated nonregulated delivered gas sales volumes — MMcf
  384,799   353,853   370,569   30,946   (16,716)
                     
Net physical position (Bcf)
  21.0   15.7   15.9   5.3   (0.2)
                     
 
 
(1)Net of storage fees of $15.2 million, $13.2 million and $10.8 million.
 
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2010
 
Realized margins for gas delivery, storage and transportation services and other services were $78.8 million during the year ended September 30, 2011 compared with $78.1 million for the prior-year period. The increase primarily reflects the following:
 
  • $1.4 million increase in margins from storage and transportation services, primarily attributable to new drilling projects in the Barnett Shale area.
 
  • $0.6 million decrease in gas delivery and other services primarily due to lowerper-unitmargins partially offset by a nine percent increase in consolidated delivered gas sales volumes due to new customers in the power generation market.Per-unitmargins were $0.13/Mcf in the current year compared with $0.14/Mcf in the prior year. Theyear-over-yeardecrease inper-unitmargins reflects the impact of increased competition and lower basis spreads.
 
The $47.2 million decrease in realized asset optimization margins from the prior year primarily reflects the unfavorable impact of weak natural gas market fundamentals which provided fewer favorable trading opportunities.

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Unrealized margins decreased $2.6 million in the current period compared to the prior-year period primarily due to the timing ofyear-over-yearrealized margins.
 
Operating expenses decreased $5.0 million primarily due to lower employee-related expenses and ad valorem taxes.
 
During fiscal 2011, our nonregulated segment recognized $30.3 million of non-cash asset impairment charges associated with two projects. In March 2011, we recorded a $19.3 million charge to substantially write off our investment in Fort Necessity. This project began in February 2008 when Atmos Pipeline and Storage, LLC, a subsidiary of AEH, announced plans to construct and operate a salt-cavern storage project in Franklin Parish, Louisiana. In March 2010, we entered into an option and acquisition agreement with a third party, which provided the third party with the exclusive option to develop the proposed Fort Necessity salt-dome natural gas storage project. In July 2010, we agreed with the third party to extend the option period to March 2011. In January 2011, the third party developer notified us that it did not plan to commence the activities required to allow it to exercise the option by March 2011; accordingly, the option was terminated. At that time, we evaluated our strategic alternatives and concluded the project’s returns did not meet our investment objectives. Additionally, during the third quarter of fiscal 2011, we recorded an $11.0 million non-cash charge to impair certain natural gas gathering assets of Atmos Gathering Company. The charge reflected a reduction in the value of the project due to the current low natural gas price environment and the adverse impact of an ongoing lawsuit associated with the project.
 
Interest charges decreased $6.6 million primarily due to a decrease in intercompany borrowings.
 
Asset Optimization Activities
 
AEH monitors the impact of its asset optimization efforts by estimating the gross profit, before related fees, that it captured through the purchase and sale of physical natural gas and the execution of the associated financial instruments. This economic value, combined with the effect of the future reversal of unrealized gains or losses currently recognized in the income statement and related fees is referred to as the potential gross profit.
 
We define potential gross profit as the change in AEH’s gross profit in future periods if its optimization efforts are executed as planned. This amount does not include other operating expenses and associated income taxes that will be incurred to realize this amount. Therefore, it does not represent an estimated increase in future net income. There is no assurance that the economic value or the potential gross profit will be fully realized in the future.
 
We consider this measure a non-GAAP financial measure as it is calculated using both forward-looking storage injection/withdrawal and hedge settlement estimates and historical financial information. This measure is presented because we believe it provides a more comprehensive view to investors of our asset optimization efforts and thus a better understanding of these activities than would be presented by GAAP measures alone. Because there is no assurance that the economic value or potential gross profit will be realized in the future, corresponding future GAAP amounts are not available.


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The following table presents AEH’s economic value and its potential gross profit (loss) at September 30, 2011 and 2010.
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In millions, unless otherwise noted) 
 
Economic value
 $4.9  $(7.5)
Associated unrealized losses
  14.7   12.8 
         
Subtotal
  19.6   5.3 
Related fees(1)
  (17.7)  (10.6)
         
Potential gross profit (loss)
 $1.9  $(5.3)
         
Net physical position (Bcf)
  21.0   15.7 
         
 
 
(1)Related fees represent the contractual costs to acquire the storage capacity utilized in our nonregulated segment’s asset optimization operations. The fees primarily consist of demand fees and contractual obligations to sell gas below market index in exchange for the right to manage and optimize third party storage assets for the positions we have entered into as of September 30, 2011 and 2010.
 
During the 2011 fiscal year, our nonregulated segment’s economic value increased from a negative economic value of ($7.5) million, or ($0.48)/Mcf at September 30, 2010 to $4.9 million, or $0.23/Mcf at September 30, 2011.
 
The increase in economic value was attributable to several factors including an increase in the captured spread value resulting from realizing financial instruments with lower spread values, entering into financial hedges with higher average prices and rolling financial instruments to forward periods to capture incremental value. Additionally, as a result of falling gas prices throughout the year, we injected a net 5.3 Bcf, which reduced the overall weighted average cost of gas held in storage.
 
The economic value is based upon planned storage injection and withdrawal schedules and its realization is contingent upon the execution of this plan, weather and other execution factors. Since AEH actively manages and optimizes its portfolio to attempt to enhance the future profitability of its storage position, it may change its scheduled storage injection and withdrawal plans from one time period to another based on market conditions. Therefore, we cannot ensure that the economic value or the potential gross profit as of September 30, 2011 will be fully realized in the future nor can we predict in what time periods such realization may occur. Further, if we experience operational or other issues which limit our ability to optimally manage our stored gas positions, our earnings could be adversely impacted.
 
Fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2009
 
Realized margins for gas delivery, storage and transportation services and other services contributed 64 percent to total realized margins during fiscal 2010, with asset optimization activities contributing the remaining 36 percent. In fiscal 2009, gas delivery, storage and transportation services and other services represented 65 percent of the nonregulated segment’s realized margins with asset optimization contributing the remaining 35 percent. The $28.1 million decrease in realized gross profit reflected:
 
  • $19.4 million decrease in gas delivery, storage and transportation services and other services as a result of narrowing basis spreads, combined with lower delivered sales volumes.Per-unitdelivered gas margins were $0.14/Mcf in fiscal 2010, compared with $0.17/Mcf in fiscal 2009, while delivered gas volumes were 5 percent lower in fiscal 2010 when compared with fiscal 2009.
 
  • $8.7 million decrease in asset optimization due to lower margins earned on storage optimization activities, lower basis gains earned from utilizing leased capacity and lower margins earned on asset management plans, partially offset by higher realized storage and trading gains during fiscal 2010.


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The decrease in realized gross profit was offset by a $28.1 million increase in unrealized margins due to theperiod-over-periodtiming of storage withdrawal gains and the associated reversal of unrealized gains into realized gains.
 
Operating expenses, which include operation and maintenance expense, provision for doubtful accounts, depreciation and amortization expense, taxes, other than income taxes, and asset impairments decreased $5.1 million primarily due a decrease in employee and other administrative costs, partially offset by an increase in gas gathering activities.
 
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
 
The liquidity required to fund our working capital, capital expenditures and other cash needs is provided from a variety of sources, including internally generated funds and borrowings under our commercial paper program and bank credit facilities. Additionally, we have various uncommitted trade credit lines with our gas suppliers that we utilize to purchase natural gas on a monthly basis. Finally, from time to time, we raise funds from the public debt and equity capital markets to fund our liquidity needs.
 
We regularly evaluate our funding strategy and profile to ensure that we have sufficient liquidity for our short-term and long-term needs in a cost-effective manner. We also evaluate the levels of committed borrowing capacity that we require. During fiscal 2011, we executed on our strategy of consolidating our short-term facilities used for our regulated operations into a single line of credit, including the following:
 
  • On May 2, 2011, we replaced our five-year $566.7 million unsecured credit facility, due to expire in December 2011, with a five-year $750 million unsecured credit facility with an accordion feature that could increase our borrowing capacity to $1.0 billion.
 
  • In December 2010, we replaced AEM’s $450 million364-dayfacility with a $200 million, three-year facility. The reduced amount of the new facility is due to the current low cost of gas and AEM’s ability to access an intercompany facility that was increased during fiscal 2011; however, this facility contains an accordion feature that could increase our borrowing capacity to $500 million.
 
  • In October 2010, we replaced our $200 million364-dayrevolving credit agreement with a $200 million180-dayrevolving credit agreement that expired in April 2011. As planned, we did not replace or extend this agreement.
 
As a result of these changes, we now have $985 million of availability from our commercial paper program and four committed revolving credit facilities with third parties.
 
Our $350 million 7.375% senior notes were paid on their maturity date on May 15, 2011 using commercial paper borrowings. In effect, we refinanced this debt on a long-term basis through the issuance of $400 million 5.50%30-yearunsecured senior notes on June 10, 2011. On September 30, 2010, we entered into three Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost of financing the anticipated issuances of senior notes. The Treasury locks were settled on June 7, 2011 with the receipt of $20.1 million from the counterparties due to an increase in the30-yearTreasury lock rates between inception of the Treasury lock and settlement. The effective interest rate on these notes is 5.381 percent, after giving effect to offering costs and the settlement of the $300 million Treasury locks. Substantially all of the net proceeds of approximately $394 million were used to repay $350 million of outstanding commercial paper. The remainder of the net proceeds was used for general corporate purposes.
 
Additionally, we had planned to issue $250 million of30-yearunsecured notes in November 2011 to fund our capital expenditure program. In September 2010, we entered into two Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with the anticipated issuance of these senior notes, which were designated as cash flow hedges. Due primarily to stronger than anticipated cash flows primarily resulting from the extension of the Bush tax cuts that allow the continued use of bonus depreciation on qualifying expenditures through December 31, 2011, the need to issue $250 million of debt in November was eliminated and the related Treasury lock agreements were unwound. A pretax cash gain of approximately $28 million was recorded in March 2011.


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Finally, we intend to refinance our $250 million unsecured 5.125% Senior Notes that mature in January 2013 through the issuance of $350 million30-yearunsecured notes. In August 2011, we entered into three Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with the anticipated issuances of these senior notes. We designated all of these Treasury locks as cash flow hedges.
 
We believe the liquidity provided by our senior notes and committed credit facilities, combined with our operating cash flows, will be sufficient to fund our working capital needs and capital expenditure program for fiscal year 2012.
 
Cash Flows
 
Our internally generated funds may change in the future due to a number of factors, some of which we cannot control. These include regulatory changes, the price for our services, the demand for such products and services, margin requirements resulting from significant changes in commodity prices, operational risks and other factors.
 
Cash flows from operating, investing and financing activities for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 are presented below.
 
                     
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009  2011 vs. 2010  2010 vs. 2009 
        (In thousands)    
 
Total cash provided by (used in)
                    
Operating activities
 $582,844  $726,476  $919,233  $(143,632) $(192,757)
Investing activities
  (627,386)  (542,702)  (517,201)  (84,684)  (25,501)
Financing activities
  44,009   (163,025)  (337,546)  207,034   174,521 
                     
Change in cash and cash equivalents
  (533)  20,749   64,486   (21,282)  (43,737)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
  131,952   111,203   46,717   20,749   64,486 
                     
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
 $131,419  $131,952  $111,203  $(533) $20,749 
                     
 
Cash flows from operating activities
 
Year-over-yearchanges in our operating cash flows primarily are attributable to changes in net income, working capital changes, particularly within our natural gas distribution segment resulting from the price of natural gas and the timing of customer collections, payments for natural gas purchases and purchased gas cost recoveries. The significant factors impacting our operating cash flow for the last three fiscal years are summarized below.
 
Fiscal Year ended September 30, 2011 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2010
 
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, we generated operating cash flow of $582.8 million from operating activities compared with $726.5 million in the prior year. Theyear-over-yeardecrease reflects the absence of an $85 million income tax refund received in the prior year coupled with the timing of gas cost recoveries under our purchased gas cost mechanisms and other net working capital changes.
 
Fiscal Year ended September 30, 2010 compared with fiscal year ended September 30, 2009
 
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, we generated operating cash flow of $726.5 million from operating activities compared with $919.2 million in fiscal 2009, primarily due to the fluctuation in gas costs. Gas costs, which reached historically high levels during the 2008 injection season, declined sharply when the economy slipped into the recession and have remained relatively stable since that time. Operating cash flows for the fiscal 2010 period reflect the recovery of lower gas costs through purchased gas recovery mechanisms


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and sales. This is in contrast to the fiscal 2009 period, where operating cash flows were favorably influenced by the recovery of high gas costs during a period of falling prices.
 
Cash flows from investing activities
 
In recent fiscal years, a substantial portion of our cash resources has been used to fund our ongoing construction program and improvements to information technology systems. Our ongoing construction program enables us to provide safe and reliable natural gas distribution services to our existing customer base, expand our natural gas distribution services into new markets, enhance the integrity of our pipelines and, more recently, expand our intrastate pipeline network. In executing our current rate strategy, we are focusing our capital spending in jurisdictions that permit us to earn an adequate return timely on our investment without compromising the safety or reliability of our system. Currently, our Mid-Tex, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Texas natural gas distribution divisions and our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division have rate designs that provide the opportunity to include in their rate base approved capital costs on a periodic basis without being required to file a rate case.
 
In early fiscal 2010, two coalitions of cities, representing the majority of the cities our Mid-Tex Division serves, agreed to a program of installing, beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2011, 100,000 steel service line replacements during fiscal 2011 and 2012, with approved recovery of the associated return, depreciation and taxes. During fiscal 2011, we replaced 35,852 lines for a cost of $49.7 million. The program is progressing on schedule for completion in September 2012. As a result of this project and spending to replace our regulated customer service systems and our nonregulated energy trading risk management system, we anticipate capital expenditures will remain elevated during the next fiscal year.
 
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, we incurred $623.0 million for capital expenditures compared with $542.6 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 and $509.5 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009.
 
The $80.4 million increase in capital expenditures in fiscal 2011 compared to fiscal 2010 primarily reflects spending for the steel service line replacement program in the Mid-Tex Division, the development of new customer billing and information systems for our natural gas distribution and our nonregulated segments and the construction of a new customer contact center in Amarillo, Texas, partially offset by costs incurred in the prior fiscal year to relocate the company’s information technology data center.
 
The $33.1 million increase in capital expenditures in fiscal 2010 compared to fiscal 2009 primarily reflects spending for the relocation of our information technology data center to a new facility, the construction of two service centers and the steel service line replacement program in our Mid-Tex Division.
 
Cash flows from financing activities
 
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, our financing activities generated $44.0 million in cash, while financing activities for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 used $163.0 million in cash compared with cash of $337.5 million used for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009. Our significant financing activities for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 are summarized as follows:
 
2011
 
During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, we:
 
  • Received $394.5 million net cash proceeds in June 2011 related to the issuance of $400 million 5.50% senior notes due 2041.
 
  • Borrowed a net $83.3 million under our short-term facilities to fund working capital needs.
 
  • Received $27.8 million cash in March 2011 related to the unwinding of two Treasury locks.
 
  • Received $20.1 million cash in June 2011 related to the settlement of three Treasury locks associated with the $400 million 5.50% senior notes offering.
 
  • Received $7.8 million net proceeds related to the issuance of 0.3 million shares of common stock.


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  • Paid $360.1 million for scheduled long-term debt repayments, including our $350 million 7.375% senior notes that were paid on their maturity date on May 15, 2011.
 
  • Paid $124.0 million in cash dividends which reflected a payout ratio of 60 percent of net income.
 
  • Paid $5.3 million for the repurchase of equity awards.
 
2010
 
During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, we:
 
  • Paid $124.3 million in cash dividends which reflected a payout ratio of 61 percent of net income.
 
  • Paid $100.5 million for the repurchase of common stock under an accelerated share repurchase agreement.
 
  • Borrowed a net $54.3 million under our short-term facilities due to the impact of seasonal natural gas purchases.
 
  • Received $8.8 million net proceeds related to the issuance of 0.4 million shares of common stock, which is a 68 percent decrease compared to the prior year due primarily to the fact that beginning in fiscal 2010 shares were purchased on the open market rather than being issued by us to the Direct Stock Purchase Plan and the Retirement Savings Plan.
 
  • Paid $1.2 million to repurchase equity awards.
 
2009
 
During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009, we:
 
  • Paid $407.4 million to repay our $400 million 4.00% unsecured notes.
 
  • Repaid a net $284.0 million short-term borrowings under our credit facilities.
 
  • Paid $121.5 million in cash dividends which reflected a payout ratio of 64 percent of net income.
 
  • Received $445.6 million in net proceeds related to the March 2009 issuance of $450 million of 8.50% Senior Notes due 2019. The net proceeds were used to repay the $400 million 4.00% unsecured notes.
 
  • Received $27.7 million net proceeds related to the issuance of 1.2 million shares of common stock.
 
  • Received $1.9 million net proceeds related to the settlement of the Treasury lock agreement associated with the March 2009 issuance of the $450 million of 8.50% Senior Notes due 2019.
 
The following table shows the number of shares issued for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
 
             
  For the Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
 
Shares issued:
            
Direct stock purchase plan
  —   103,529   407,262 
Retirement savings plan
  —   79,722   640,639 
1998 Long-term incentive plan
  675,255   421,706   686,046 
Outside directorsstock-for-feeplan
  2,385   3,382   3,079 
             
Total shares issued
  677,640   608,339   1,737,026 
             
 
The number of shares issued in fiscal 2011 compared with the number of shares issued in fiscal 2010 primarily reflects an increased number of shares issued under our 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan due to the exercise of stock options during the current fiscal year. This increase was partially offset by the fact that we


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are purchasing shares in the open market rather than issuing new shares for the Direct Stock Purchase Plan and the Retirement Savings Plan. During fiscal 2011, we cancelled and retired 169,793 shares attributable to federal withholdings on equity awards and repurchased and retired 375,468 shares attributable to our 2010 accelerated share repurchase agreement described below, which are not included in the table above.
 
Theyear-over-yeardecrease in the number of shares issued in fiscal 2010 compared with the number of shares issued in fiscal 2009, primarily reflects the fact that in fiscal 2010, we began to purchase shares in the open market rather than issuing new shares for the Direct Stock Purchase Plan and the Retirement Savings Plan. Further, a higher average stock price during the second and third quarters of fiscal 2010 compared to the second and third quarters of 2009 enabled us to issue fewer shares during fiscal 2010. Additionally, during fiscal 2010, we cancelled and retired 37,365 shares attributable to federal withholdings on equity awards and repurchased and retired 2,958,580 common shares as part of our 2010 accelerated share repurchase agreement described below, which are not included in the table above.
 
Share Repurchase Agreement
 
On, July 1, 2010, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs & Co. under which we repurchased $100 million of our outstanding common stock in order to offset stock grants made under our various employee and director incentive compensation plans.
 
We paid $100 million to Goldman Sachs & Co. on July 7, 2010 for shares of Atmos Energy common stock in a share forward transaction and received 2,958,580 shares. On March 4, 2011, we received and retired an additional 375,468 common shares, which concluded our share repurchase agreement. In total, we received and retired 3,334,048 common shares under the repurchase agreement. The final number of shares we ultimately repurchased in the transaction was based generally on the average of the effective share repurchase price of our common stock over the duration of the agreement, which was $29.99. As a result of this transaction, beginning in our fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, the number of outstanding shares used to calculate our earnings per share was reduced by the number of shares received and the $100 million purchase price was recorded as a reduction in shareholders’ equity.
 
Share Repurchase Program
 
On September 28, 2011 the Board of Directors approved a new program authorizing the repurchase of up to five million shares of common stock over a five-year period. Although the program is authorized for a five-year period, it may be terminated or limited at any time. Shares may be repurchased in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in amounts the company deems appropriate. The program is primarily intended to minimize the dilutive effect of equity grants under various benefit related incentive compensation plans of the company.
 
Credit Facilities
 
Our short-term borrowing requirements are affected by the seasonal nature of the natural gas business. Changes in the price of natural gas and the amount of natural gas we need to supply to meet our customers’ needs could significantly affect our borrowing requirements. However, our short-term borrowings typically reach their highest levels in the winter months.
 
As of September 30, 2011, we financed our short-term borrowing requirements through a combination of a $750.0 million commercial paper program and four committed revolving credit facilities with third-party lenders that provided $985 million of working capital funding. As of September 30, 2011, the amount available to us under our credit facilities, net of outstanding letters of credit, was $702.5 million. These facilities are described in further detail in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements.
 
On May 2, 2011, we replaced our five-year $566.7 million unsecured credit facility, due to expire in December 2011, with a five-year $750 million unsecured credit facility with an accordion feature that could increase our borrowing capacity to $1.0 billion.


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In December 2010, we replaced AEM’s $450 million364-dayfacility with a $200 million, three-year facility. The reduced amount of the new facility is due to the current low cost of gas and AEM’s ability to access an intercompany facility that was increased in fiscal 2011; however, this facility contains an accordion feature that could increase our borrowing capacity to $500 million.
 
In October 2010, we replaced our $200 million364-dayrevolving credit agreement with a $200 million180-dayrevolving credit agreement that expired in April 2011. As planned, we did not replace or extend this agreement.
 
Shelf Registration
 
We have an effective shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that permits us to issue a total of $1.3 billion in common stockand/or debt securities. The shelf registration statement has been approved by all requisite state regulatory commissions. Due to certain restrictions imposed by one state regulatory commission on our ability to issue securities under the new registration statement, we were able to issue a total of $950 million in debt securities and $350 million in equity securities. At September 30, 2011, $900 million was available for issuance. Of this amount, $550 million is available for the issuance of debt securities and $350 million remains available for the issuance of equity securities under the shelf until March 2013.
 
Credit Ratings
 
Our credit ratings directly affect our ability to obtain short-term and long-term financing, in addition to the cost of such financing. In determining our credit ratings, the rating agencies consider a number of quantitative factors, including debt to total capitalization, operating cash flow relative to outstanding debt, operating cash flow coverage of interest and pension liabilities and funding status. In addition, the rating agencies consider qualitative factors such as consistency of our earnings over time, the quality of our management and business strategy, the risks associated with our regulated and nonregulated businesses and the regulatory environment in the states where we operate.
 
Our debt is rated by three rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Corporation (S&P), Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) and Fitch Ratings, Ltd. (Fitch). On May 11, 2011, Moody’s upgraded our senior unsecured debt rating to Baa1 from Baa2, with a ratings outlook of stable, citing steady rate increases, improving credit metrics and a strategic focus on lower risk regulated activities as reasons for the upgrade. On June 2, 2011, Fitch upgraded our senior unsecured debt rating to A- from BBB+, with a ratings outlook of stable, citing a constructive regulatory environment, strategic focus on lower risk regulated activities and the geographic diversity of our regulated operations as key rating factors. As of September 30, 2011, S&P maintained a stable outlook. Our current debt ratings are all considered investment grade and are as follows:
 
             
  S&P  Moody’s  Fitch 
 
Unsecured senior long-term debt
  BBB+   Baa1   A- 
Commercial paper
  A-2   P-2   F-2 
 
A significant degradation in our operating performance or a significant reduction in our liquidity caused by more limited access to the private and public credit markets as a result of deteriorating global or national financial and credit conditions could trigger a negative change in our ratings outlook or even a reduction in our credit ratings by the three credit rating agencies. This would mean more limited access to the private and public credit markets and an increase in the costs of such borrowings.
 
A credit rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. The highest investment grade credit rating is AAA for S&P, Aaa for Moody’s and AAA for Fitch. The lowest investment grade credit rating is BBB-for S&P, Baa3 for Moody’s and BBB- for Fitch. Our credit ratings may be revised or withdrawn at any time by the rating agencies, and each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating. There can be no assurance that a rating will remain in effect for any given period of time or that a rating will not be lowered, or withdrawn entirely, by a rating agency if, in its judgment, circumstances so warrant.


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Debt Covenants
 
We were in compliance with all of our debt covenants as of September 30, 2011. Our debt covenants are described in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements.
 
Capitalization
 
The following table presents our capitalization as of September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
                 
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands, except percentages) 
 
Short-term debt
 $206,396   4.4% $126,100   2.8%
Long-term debt
  2,208,551   47.3%  2,169,682   48.5%
Shareholders’ equity
  2,255,421   48.3%  2,178,348   48.7%
                 
Total capitalization, including short-term debt
 $4,670,368   100.0% $4,474,130   100.0%
                 
 
Total debt as a percentage of total capitalization, including short-term debt, was 51.7 percent and 51.3 percent at September 30, 2011 and 2010. The increase in the debt to capitalization ratio primarily reflects an increase in short-term debt as of September 30, 2011 compared to the prior year. Our ratio of total debt to capitalization is typically greater during the winter heating season as we make additional short-term borrowings to fund natural gas purchases and meet our working capital requirements. We intend to continue to maintain our debt to capitalization ratio in a target range of 50 to 55 percent.
 
Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments
 
The following table provides information about contractual obligations and commercial commitments at September 30, 2011.
 
                     
  Payments Due by Period 
     Less Than
        More Than
 
  Total  1 Year  1-3 Years  3-5 Years  5 Years 
        (In thousands)       
 
Contractual Obligations
                    
Long-term debt(1)
 $2,212,565  $2,434  $250,131  $500,000  $1,460,000 
Short-term debt(1)
  206,396   206,396   —   —   — 
Interest charges(2)
  1,574,702   136,452   250,841   198,596   988,813 
Gas purchase commitments(3)
  460,179   274,985   185,194   —   — 
Capital lease obligations(4)
  1,194   186   372   372   264 
Operating leases(4)
  199,567   17,718   33,365   30,376   118,108 
Demand fees for contracted storage(5)
  19,339   11,421   6,770   983   165 
Demand fees for contracted transportation(6)
  37,295   13,941   19,929   3,425   — 
Financial instrument obligations(7)
  93,542   15,453   78,089   —   — 
Postretirement benefit plan contributions(8)
  194,323   31,519   28,543   35,122   99,139 
                     
Total contractual obligations
 $4,999,102  $710,505  $853,234  $768,874  $2,666,489 
                     
 
 
(1)See Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements.
 
(2)Interest charges were calculated using the stated rate for each debt issuance.
 
(3)Gas purchase commitments were determined based upon contractually determined volumes at prices estimated based upon the index specified in the contract, adjusted for estimated basis differentials and contractual discounts as of September 30, 2011.


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(4)See Note 14 to the consolidated financial statements.
 
(5)Represents third party contractual demand fees for contracted storage in our nonregulated segment. Contractual demand fees for contracted storage for our natural gas distribution segment are excluded as these costs are fully recoverable through our purchase gas adjustment mechanisms.
 
(6)Represents third party contractual demand fees for transportation in our nonregulated segment.
 
(7)Represents liabilities for natural gas commodity financial instruments that were valued as of September 30, 2011. The ultimate settlement amounts of these remaining liabilities are unknown because they are subject to continuing market risk until the financial instruments are settled. The table above excludes $1.3 million of current liabilities from risk management activities that are classified as liabilities held for sale in conjunction with the sale of our Iowa, Illinois and Missouri operations.
 
(8)Represents expected contributions to our postretirement benefit plans.
 
AEH has commitments to purchase physical quantities of natural gas under contracts indexed to the forward NYMEX strip or fixed price contracts. At September 30, 2011, AEH was committed to purchase 103.3 Bcf within one year, 46.4 Bcf within one to three years and 0.9 Bcf after three years under indexed contracts. AEH is committed to purchase 4.2 Bcf within one year and 0.3 Bcf within one to three years under fixed price contracts with prices ranging from $3.49 to $6.36 per Mcf.
 
With the exception of our Mid-Tex Division, our natural gas distribution segment maintains supply contracts with several vendors that generally cover a period of up to one year. Commitments for estimated base gas volumes are established under these contracts on a monthly basis at contractually negotiated prices. Commitments for incremental daily purchases are made as necessary during the month in accordance with the terms of the individual contract. Our Mid-Tex Division maintains long-term supply contracts to ensure a reliable source of natural gas for our customers in its service area which obligate it to purchase specified volumes at market prices. The estimated commitments under these contract terms as of September 30, 2011 are reflected in the table above.
 
Risk Management Activities
 
We use financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk and, periodically, to manage interest rate risk. We conduct risk management activities through our natural gas distribution and nonregulated segments. In our natural gas distribution segment, we use a combination of physical storage, fixed physical contracts and fixed financial contracts to reduce our exposure to unusually large winter-period gas price increases. In our nonregulated segments, we manage our exposure to the risk of natural gas price changes and lock in our gross profit margin through a combination of storage and financial instruments, including futures,over-the-counterand exchange-traded options and swap contracts with counterparties. To the extent our inventory cost and actual sales and actual purchases do not correlate with the changes in the market indices we use in our hedges, we could experience ineffectiveness or the hedges may no longer meet the accounting requirements for hedge accounting, resulting in the financial instruments being treated as mark to market instruments through earnings.
 
We use financial instruments, designated as cash flow hedges of anticipated purchases and sales at index prices, to mitigate the commodity price risk in our nonregulated segment associated with deliveries under fixed-priced forward contracts to deliver gas to customers, and we use financial instruments, designated as fair value hedges, to hedge our natural gas inventory used in our asset optimization activities in our nonregulated segment.
 
Also, in our nonregulated segment, we use storage swaps and futures to capture additional storage arbitrage opportunities that arise subsequent to the execution of the original fair value hedge associated with our physical natural gas inventory, basis swaps to insulate and protect the economic value of our fixed price and storage books and variousover-the-counterand exchange-traded options. These financial instruments have not been designated as hedges.


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We record our financial instruments as a component of risk management assets and liabilities, which are classified as current or noncurrent based upon the anticipated settlement date of the underlying financial instrument. Substantially all of our financial instruments are valued using external market quotes and indices.
 
The following table shows the components of the change in fair value of our natural gas distribution segment’s financial instruments for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (in thousands):
 
     
Fair value of contracts at September 30, 2010
 $(49,600)
Contracts realized/settled
  (51,136)
Fair value of new contracts
  2,584 
Other changes in value
  18,875 
     
Fair value of contracts at September 30, 2011
 $(79,277)
     
 
The fair value of our natural gas distribution segment’s financial instruments at September 30, 2011, is presented below by time period and fair value source:
 
                     
  Fair Value of Contracts at September 30, 2011 
  Maturity in years    
  Less
        Greater
  Total Fair
 
Source of Fair Value
 Than 1  1-3  4-5  Than 5  Value 
  (In thousands) 
 
Prices actively quoted
 $(12,413) $(66,864) $—  $—  $(79,277)
Prices based on models and other valuation methods
  —   —   —   —   — 
                     
Total Fair Value
 $(12,413) $(66,864) $—  $—  $(79,277)
                     
 
The tables above include $1.3 million of current liabilities from risk management activities that are classified as liabilities held for sale in conjunction with the sale of our Iowa, Illinois and Missouri operations.
 
The following table shows the components of the change in fair value of our nonregulated segment’s financial instruments for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (in thousands):
 
     
Fair value of contracts at September 30, 2010
 $(12,374)
Contracts realized/settled
  4,017 
Fair value of new contracts
  — 
Other changes in value
  (16,693)
     
Fair value of contracts at September 30, 2011
  (25,050)
Netting of cash collateral
  28,787 
     
Cash collateral and fair value of contracts at September 30, 2011
 $3,737 
     
 
The fair value of our nonregulated segment’s financial instruments at September 30, 2011, is presented below by time period and fair value source.
 
                         
  Fair Value of Contracts at September 30, 2011 
  Maturity in Years       
  Less
        Greater
     Total Fair
 
Source of Fair Value
 Than 1  1-3  4-5  Than 5     Value 
  (In thousands) 
 
Prices actively quoted
 $(14,823) $(10,050) $(177) $—      $(25,050)
Prices based on models and other valuation methods
  —   —   —   —       — 
                         
Total Fair Value
 $(14,823) $(10,050) $(177) $—      $(25,050)
                         


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Employee Benefit Programs
 
An important element of our total compensation program, and a significant component of our operation and maintenance expense, is the offering of various benefit programs to our employees. These programs include medical and dental insurance coverage and pension and postretirement programs.
 
Medical and Dental Insurance
 
We offer medical and dental insurance programs to substantially all of our employees, and we believe these programs are consistent with other programs in our industry. Since 2005, we have experienced medical and prescription inflation of approximately seven percent. In recent years, we have strived to actively manage our health care costs through the introduction of a wellness strategy that is focused on helping employees to identify health risks and to manage these risks through improved lifestyle choices.
 
In March 2010, President Obama signed The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law (the “Health Care Reform Act”). The Health Care Reform Act will be phased in over an eight-year period. Although we are still assessing the impact of the Health Care Reform Act on the health care benefits we provide to our employees, the design of our health care plans has already changed in order to comply with provisions of the Health Care Reform Act that have already gone into effect or will be going into effect in fiscal 2012. For example, lifetime maximums on benefits have been eliminated, coverage for dependent children has been extended to age 26 and all costs of preventive coverage must be paid for by the insurer. In 2014, health insurance exchanges will open in each state in order to provide a competitive marketplace for purchasing health insurance by individuals. Companies who offer health insurance to their employees could face a substantial increase in premiums at that time if they choose to continue to provide such coverage. However, companies who elect to cease providing health insurance to their employees will be faced with paying significant penalties to the federal government for each employee who receives coverage through an exchange. We will continue to monitor all developments on health care reform and continue to comply with all existing relevant laws and regulations.
 
For fiscal 2012, we anticipate an approximate 10 percent medical and prescription drug inflation rate, primarily due to anticipated higher claims costs and the implementation of the Health Care Reform Act.
 
Net Periodic Pension and Postretirement Benefit Costs
 
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, our total net periodic pension and other benefits costs was $56.6 million, compared with $50.8 million and $50.2 million for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2010 and 2009. These costs relating to our natural gas distribution operations are recoverable through our gas distribution rates. A portion of these costs is capitalized into our gas distribution rate base, and the remaining costs are recorded as a component of operation and maintenance expense.
 
Our fiscal 2011 costs were determined using a September 30, 2010 measurement date. As of September 30, 2010, interest and corporate bond rates utilized to determine our discount rates were significantly higher than the interest and corporate bond rates as of September 30, 2009, the measurement date for our fiscal 2010 net periodic cost. Accordingly, we decreased our discount rate used to determine our fiscal 2011 pension and benefit costs to 5.39 percent. Our expected return on our pension plan assets remained constant at 8.25 percent. Accordingly, our fiscal 2011 pension and postretirement medical costs were higher than in the prior year.
 
The increase in total net periodic pension and other benefits costs during fiscal 2010 compared with fiscal 2009 primarily reflects the decline in fair value of our plan assets. The discount rate used to compute the present value of a plan’s liabilities generally is based on rates of high-grade corporate bonds with maturities similar to the average period over which the benefits will be paid. At our September 30, 2009 measurement date, the interest rates were slightly lower than the interest rates at September 30, 2008, the measurement date used to determine our fiscal 2009 net periodic cost. Our expected return on our pension plan assets remained constant at 8.25 percent.


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Pension and Postretirement Plan Funding
 
Generally, our funding policy is to contribute annually an amount that will at least equal the minimum amount required to comply with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. However, additional voluntary contributions are made from time to time as considered necessary. Contributions are intended to provide not only for benefits attributed to service to date but also for those expected to be earned in the future.
 
In accordance with the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA), we determined the funded status of our plans as of January 1, 2011. Based on this valuation, we were required to contribute cash of $0.9 million to our pension plans during fiscal 2011. The need for this funding reflects the decline in the fair value of the plans’ assets resulting from the unfavorable market conditions experienced during 2008 and 2009. This contribution will increase the level of our plan assets to achieve a desirable PPA funding threshold.
 
During fiscal 2010, we did not contribute cash to our pension plans as the fair value of the plans’ assets recovered somewhat during the year from the unfavorable market conditions experienced in the latter half of calendar year 2008 and our plan assets were sufficient to achieve a desirable funding threshold as established by the PPA. During fiscal 2009, we contributed $21.0 million to our pension plans to achieve the same desired level of funding as established by the PPA.
 
We contributed $11.3 million, $11.8 million and $10.1 million to our postretirement benefits plans for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009. The contributions represent the portion of the postretirement costs we are responsible for under the terms of our plan and minimum funding required by state regulatory commissions.
 
Outlook for Fiscal 2012 and Beyond
 
As of September 30, 2011, interest and corporate bond rates utilized to determine our discount rates, which impacted our fiscal 2012 net periodic pension and postretirement costs, were lower than the interest and corporate bond rates as of September 30, 2010, the measurement date for our fiscal 2011 net periodic cost. As a result of the lower interest and corporate bond rates, we decreased the discount rate used to determine our fiscal 2012 pension and benefit costs to 5.05 percent. We reduced the expected return on our pension plan assets to 7.75 percent, based on historical experience and the current market projection of the target asset allocation. Although the fair value of our plan assets has declined as the financial markets have declined, the impact of this decline is partially mitigated by the fact that assets are smoothed for purposes of determining net periodic pension cost which results in asset gains and losses that are recognized over time as a component of net periodic pension and benefit costs for our Pension Account Plan, our largest funded plan. Due to the decrease in our discount rate and our expected return on plan assets as well as the decline in the fair value of our plan assets, we expect our fiscal 2012 pension and postretirement medical costs to increase compared to fiscal 2011.
 
Based upon market conditions subsequent to September 30, 2011 the current funded position of the plans and the new funding requirements under the PPA, we anticipate contributing between $25 million and $30 million to the Plans in fiscal 2012. Further, we will consider whether an additional voluntary contribution is prudent to maintain certain PPA funding thresholds. With respect to our postretirement medical plans, we anticipate contributing approximately $32 million during fiscal 2012.
 
The projected pension liability, future funding requirements and the amount of pension expense or income recognized for the Plan are subject to change, depending upon the actuarial value of plan assets and the determination of future benefit obligations as of each subsequent actuarial calculation date. These amounts are impacted by actual investment returns, changes in interest rates and changes in the demographic composition of the participants in the plan.
 
In August 2010, the Board of Directors of Atmos Energy approved a proposal to close the Pension Account Plan (PAP) to new participants, effective October 1, 2010. Employees participating in the PAP as of October 1, 2010 were allowed to make a one-time election to migrate from the PAP into our defined contribution plan with enhanced features, effective January 1, 2011. Participants who chose to remain in the PAP will continue to earn benefits and interest allocations with no changes to their existing benefits.


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RECENT ACCOUNTING DEVELOPMENTS
 
Recent accounting developments and their impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows are described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements.
 
ITEM 7A.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
 
We are exposed to risks associated with commodity prices and interest rates. Commodity price risk is the potential loss that we may incur as a result of changes in the fair value of a particular instrument or commodity. Interest-rate risk results from our portfolio of debt and equity instruments that we issue to provide financing and liquidity for our business activities.
 
We conduct risk management activities through both our natural gas distribution and nonregulated segments. In our natural gas distribution segment, we use a combination of physical storage, fixed physical contracts and fixed financial contracts to protect us and our customers against unusually large winter period gas price increases. In our nonregulated segment, we manage our exposure to the risk of natural gas price changes and lock in our gross profit margin through a combination of storage and financial instruments including futures,over-the-counterand exchange-traded options and swap contracts with counterparties. Our risk management activities and related accounting treatment are described in further detail in Note 4 to the consolidated financial statements. Additionally, our earnings are affected by changes in short-term interest rates as a result of our issuance of short-term commercial paper and our other short-term borrowings.
 
Commodity Price Risk
 
Natural gas distribution segment
 
We purchase natural gas for our natural gas distribution operations. Substantially all of the costs of gas purchased for natural gas distribution operations are recovered from our customers through purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms. Therefore, our natural gas distribution operations have limited commodity price risk exposure.
 
Nonregulated segment
 
Our nonregulated segment is also exposed to risks associated with changes in the market price of natural gas. For our nonregulated segment, we use a sensitivity analysis to estimate commodity price risk. For purposes of this analysis, we estimate commodity price risk by applying a $0.50 change in the forward NYMEX price to our net open position (including existing storage and related financial contracts) at the end of each period. Based on AEH’s net open position (including existing storage and related financial contracts) at September 30, 2011 of 0.1 Bcf, a $0.50 change in the forward NYMEX price would have had a $0.1 million impact on our consolidated net income.
 
Changes in the difference between the indices used to mark to market our physical inventory (Gas Daily) and the related fair-value hedge (NYMEX) can result in volatility in our reported net income; but, over time, gains and losses on the sale of storage gas inventory will be offset by gains and losses on the fair-value hedges. Based upon our net physical position at September 30, 2011 and assuming our hedges would still qualify as highly effective, a $0.50 change in the difference between the Gas Daily and NYMEX indices would impact our reported net income by approximately $6.7 million.
 
Additionally, these changes could cause us to recognize a risk management liability, which would require us to place cash into an escrow account to collateralize this liability position. This, in turn, would reduce the amount of cash we would have on hand to fund our working capital needs.
 
Interest Rate Risk
 
Our earnings are exposed to changes in short-term interest rates associated with our short-term commercial paper program and other short-term borrowings. We use a sensitivity analysis to estimate our short-term interest rate risk. For purposes of this analysis, we estimate our short-term interest rate risk as the difference between our actual interest expense for the period and estimated interest expense for the period assuming a hypothetical average one percent increase in the interest rates associated with our short-term borrowings. Had interest rates associated with our short-term borrowings increased by an average of one percent, our interest expense would have increased by approximately $1.2 million during 2011.


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ITEM 8.  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
 
Index to financial statements and financial statement schedule:
 
         
  Page
 
Report of independent registered public accounting firm
  66 
Financial statements and supplementary data:
    
Consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2011 and 2010
  67 
Consolidated statements of income for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009
  68 
Consolidated statements of shareholders’ equity for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009
  69 
Consolidated statements of cash flows for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009
  70 
Notes to consolidated financial statements
  71 
Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
  132 
Financial statement schedule for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009
    
Schedule II. Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
  140 
 
All other financial statement schedules are omitted because the required information is not present, or not present in amounts sufficient to require submission of the schedule, or because the information required is included in the financial statements and accompanying notes thereto.


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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
The Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Atmos Energy Corporation
 
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Atmos Energy Corporation as of September 30, 2011 and 2010, and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2011. Our audits also included the financial statement schedule listed in the Index at Item 8. These financial statements and schedule are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and schedule based on our audits.
 
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Atmos Energy Corporation at September 30, 2011 and 2010, and the consolidated results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2011, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, the related financial statement schedule, when considered in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects the financial information set forth therein.
 
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Atmos Energy Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2011, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission and our report dated November 22, 2011 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
 
/s/  ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Dallas, Texas
November 22, 2011


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands,
 
  except share data) 
 
ASSETS
Property, plant and equipment
 $6,607,552  $6,384,396 
Construction in progress
  209,242   157,922 
         
   6,816,794   6,542,318 
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization
  1,668,876   1,749,243 
         
Net property, plant and equipment
  5,147,918   4,793,075 
Current assets
        
Cash and cash equivalents
  131,419   131,952 
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $7,440 in 2011 and $12,701 in 2010
  273,303   273,207 
Gas stored underground
  289,760   319,038 
Other current assets
  316,471   150,995 
         
Total current assets
  1,010,953   875,192 
Goodwill and intangible assets
  740,207   740,148 
Deferred charges and other assets
  383,793   355,376 
         
  $7,282,871  $6,763,791 
         
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
Shareholders’ equity
        
Common stock, no par value (stated at $.005 per share);
200,000,000 shares authorized; issued and outstanding:
2011 — 90,296,482 shares, 2010 — 90,164,103 shares
 $451  $451 
Additional paid-in capital
  1,732,935   1,714,364 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
  (48,460)  (23,372)
Retained earnings
  570,495   486,905 
         
Shareholders’ equity
  2,255,421   2,178,348 
Long-term debt
  2,206,117   1,809,551 
         
Total capitalization
  4,461,538   3,987,899 
Commitments and contingencies
        
Current liabilities
        
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
  291,205   266,208 
Other current liabilities
  367,563   413,640 
Short-term debt
  206,396   126,100 
Current maturities of long-term debt
  2,434   360,131 
         
Total current liabilities
  867,598   1,166,079 
Deferred income taxes
  960,093   829,128 
Regulatory cost of removal obligation
  428,947   350,521 
Deferred credits and other liabilities
  564,695   430,164 
         
  $7,282,871  $6,763,791 
         
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
 
             
  Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands, except per share data) 
 
Operating revenues
            
Natural gas distribution segment
 $2,531,863  $2,842,638  $2,884,796 
Regulated transmission and storage segment
  219,373   203,013   209,658 
Nonregulated segment
  2,024,893   2,146,658   2,283,988 
Intersegment eliminations
  (428,495)  (472,474)  (509,331)
             
   4,347,634   4,719,835   4,869,111 
Purchased gas cost
            
Natural gas distribution segment
  1,487,499   1,820,627   1,887,192 
Regulated transmission and storage segment
  —   —   — 
Nonregulated segment
  1,959,893   2,032,567   2,169,880 
Intersegment eliminations
  (426,999)  (470,864)  (507,639)
             
   3,020,393   3,382,330   3,549,433 
             
Gross profit
  1,327,241   1,337,505   1,319,678 
Operating expenses
            
Operation and maintenance
  449,290   460,513   485,704 
Depreciation and amortization
  227,099   211,589   211,984 
Taxes, other than income
  178,683   188,252   180,242 
Asset impairments
  30,270   —   5,382 
             
Total operating expenses
  885,342   860,354   883,312 
             
Operating income
  441,899   477,151   436,366 
Miscellaneous income (expense), net
  21,499   (156)  (3,067)
Interest charges
  150,825   154,360   152,638 
             
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
  312,573   322,635   280,661 
Income tax expense
  113,689   124,362   97,362 
             
Income from continuing operations
  198,884   198,273   183,299 
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax ($5,502, $4,425 and $2,929)
  8,717   7,566   7,679 
             
Net income
 $207,601  $205,839  $190,978 
             
Basic earnings per share
            
Income per share from continuing operations
 $2.18  $2.14  $1.99 
Income per share from discontinued operations
  0.10   0.08   0.09 
             
Net income per share — basic
 $2.28  $2.22  $2.08 
             
Diluted earnings per share
            
Income per share from continuing operations
 $2.17  $2.12  $1.98 
Income per share from discontinued operations
  0.10   0.08   0.09 
             
Net income per share — diluted
 $2.27  $2.20  $2.07 
             
Weighted average shares outstanding:
            
Basic
  90,201   91,852   91,117 
Diluted
  90,652   92,422   91,620 
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
 
                         
           Accumulated
       
  Common stock  Additional
  Other
       
  Number of
  Stated
  Paid-in
  Comprehensive
  Retained
    
  Shares  Value  Capital  Loss  Earnings  Total 
     (In thousands, except share and per share data)    
 
Balance, September 30, 2008
  90,814,683  $454  $1,744,384  $(35,947) $343,601  $2,052,492 
Comprehensive income:
                        
Net income
  —   —   —   —   190,978   190,978 
Unrealized holding losses on investments, net
  —   —   —   (1,820)  —   (1,820)
Other than temporary impairment of investments, net
  —   —   —   3,370   —   3,370 
Treasury lock agreements, net
  —   —   —   3,606   —   3,606 
Cash flow hedges, net
  —   —   —   10,607   —   10,607 
                         
Total comprehensive income
                      206,741 
Change in measurement date for employee benefit plans
  —   —   —   —   (7,766)  (7,766)
Cash dividends ($1.32 per share)
  —   —   —   —   (121,460)  (121,460)
Common stock issued:
                        
Direct stock purchase plan
  407,262   2   8,743   —   —   8,745 
Retirement savings plan
  640,639   3   16,571   —   —   16,574 
1998 Long-term incentive plan
  686,046   4   8,075   —   —   8,079 
Employee stock-based compensation
  —   —   13,280   —   —   13,280 
Outside directorsstock-for-feeplan
  3,079   —   76   —   —   76 
                         
Balance, September 30, 2009
  92,551,709   463   1,791,129   (20,184)  405,353   2,176,761 
Comprehensive income:
                        
Net income
  —   —   —   —   205,839   205,839 
Unrealized holding gains on investments, net
  —   —   —   1,745   —   1,745 
Treasury lock agreements, net
  —   —   —   2,030   —   2,030 
Cash flow hedges, net
  —   —   —   (6,963)  —   (6,963)
                         
Total comprehensive income
                      202,651 
Repurchase of common stock
  (2,958,580)  (15)  (100,435)  —   —   (100,450)
Repurchase of equity awards
  (37,365)  —   (1,191)  —   —   (1,191)
Cash dividends ($1.34 per share)
  —   —   —   —   (124,287)  (124,287)
Common stock issued:
                        
Direct stock purchase plan
  103,529   1   2,881   —   —   2,882 
Retirement savings plan
  79,722   —   2,281   —   —   2,281 
1998 Long-term incentive plan
  421,706   2   8,708   —   —   8,710 
Employee stock-based compensation
  —   —   10,894   —   —   10,894 
Outside directorsstock-for-feeplan
  3,382   —   97   —   —   97 
                         
Balance, September 30, 2010
  90,164,103   451   1,714,364   (23,372)  486,905   2,178,348 
Comprehensive income:
                        
Net income
  —   —   —   —   207,601   207,601 
Unrealized holding losses on investments, net
  —   —   —   (1,647)  —   (1,647)
Treasury lock agreements, net
  —   —   —   (28,689)  —   (28,689)
Cash flow hedges, net
  —   —   —   5,248   —   5,248 
                         
Total comprehensive income
                      182,513 
Repurchase of common stock
  (375,468)  (2)  2   —   —   — 
Repurchase of equity awards
  (169,793)  (1)  (5,298)  —   —   (5,299)
Cash dividends ($1.36 per share)
  —   —   —   —   (124,011)  (124,011)
Common stock issued:
                        
Direct stock purchase plan
  —   —   (54)  —   —   (54)
1998 Long-term incentive plan
  675,255   3   13,886   —   —   13,889 
Employee stock-based compensation
  —   —   9,958   —   —   9,958 
Outside directorsstock-for-feeplan
  2,385   —   77   —   —   77 
                         
Balance, September 30, 2011
  90,296,482  $451  $1,732,935  $(48,460) $570,495  $2,255,421 
                         
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
 
             
  Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
            
Net income
 $207,601  $205,839  $190,978 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
            
Asset impairments
  30,270   —   5,382 
Depreciation and amortization:
            
Charged to depreciation and amortization
  233,155   216,960   217,208 
Charged to other accounts
  228   173   94 
Deferred income taxes
  117,353   196,731   129,759 
Stock-based compensation
  11,586   12,655   14,494 
Debt financing costs
  9,438   11,908   10,364 
Other
  (961)  (1,245)  (1,177)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
            
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable
  (96)  (40,401)  244,713 
Decrease in gas stored underground
  27,737   54,014   194,287 
(Increase) decrease in other current assets
  (38,048)  (18,387)  117,737 
(Increase) decrease in deferred charges and other assets
  (53,519)  14,886   (106,231)
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities
  23,904   58,069   (181,978)
Decrease in other current liabilities
  (57,495)  (48,992)  (717)
Increase in deferred credits and other liabilities
  71,691   64,266   84,320 
             
Net cash provided by operating activities
  582,844   726,476   919,233 
CASH FLOWS USED IN INVESTING ACTIVITIES
            
Capital expenditures
  (622,965)  (542,636)  (509,494)
Other, net
  (4,421)  (66)  (7,707)
             
Net cash used in investing activities
  (627,386)  (542,702)  (517,201)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
            
Net increase (decrease) in short-term debt
  83,306   54,268   (283,981)
Net proceeds from issuance of long-term debt
  394,466   —   445,623 
Settlement of Treasury lock agreements
  20,079   —   1,938 
Unwinding of Treasury lock agreements
  27,803   —   — 
Repayment of long-term debt
  (360,131)  (131)  (407,353)
Cash dividends paid
  (124,011)  (124,287)  (121,460)
Repurchase of common stock
  —   (100,450)  — 
Repurchase of equity awards
  (5,299)  (1,191)  — 
Issuance of common stock
  7,796   8,766   27,687 
             
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
  44,009   (163,025)  (337,546)
             
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
  (533)  20,749   64,486 
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
  131,952   111,203   46,717 
             
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year
 $131,419  $131,952  $111,203 
             
 
See accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
1.  Nature of Business
 
Atmos Energy Corporation (“Atmos Energy” or the “Company”) and our subsidiaries are engaged primarily in the regulated natural gas distribution and transmission and storage businesses as well as certain other nonregulated businesses. Through our natural gas distribution business, we deliver natural gas through sales and transportation arrangements to over three million residential, commercial, public-authority and industrial customers through our six regulated natural gas distribution divisions in the service areas described below:
 
   
Division Service Area
 
Atmos Energy Colorado-Kansas Division
 Colorado, Kansas, Missouri(1)
Atmos Energy Kentucky/Mid-States Division
 Georgia(1), Illinois(1), Iowa(1), Kentucky, Missouri(1), Tennessee, Virginia(1)
Atmos Energy Louisiana Division
 Louisiana
Atmos Energy Mid-Tex Division
 Texas, including the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area
Atmos Energy Mississippi Division
 Mississippi
Atmos Energy West Texas Division
 West Texas
 
 
(1)Denotes locations where we have more limited service areas.
 
In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system. Our natural gas distribution business is subject to federal and state regulationand/orregulation by local authorities in each of the states in which our natural gas distribution divisions operate. Our corporate headquarters and shared-services function are located in Dallas, Texas, and our customer support centers are located in Amarillo and Waco, Texas.
 
In May 2011, we announced that we had entered into a definitive agreement to sell our natural gas distribution operations in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, representing approximately 84,000 customers. The results of these operations have been separately reported as discontinued operations.
 
Our regulated transmission and storage business consists of the regulated operations of our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division, a division of the Company. This division transports natural gas to our Mid-Tex Division, transports natural gas for third parties and manages five underground storage reservoirs in Texas. We also provide ancillary services customary to the pipeline industry including parking arrangements, lending and sales of inventory on hand. Parking arrangements provide short-term interruptible storage of gas on our pipeline. Lending services provide short-term interruptible loans of natural gas from our pipeline to meet market demands.
 
Our nonregulated businesses operate primarily in the Midwest and Southeast through various wholly-owned subsidiaries of Atmos Energy Holdings, Inc., (AEH). AEH is wholly owned by the Company and based in Houston, Texas. Through AEH, we provide natural gas management and transportation services to municipalities, natural gas distribution companies, including certain divisions of Atmos Energy and third parties.
 
AEH’s primary business is to deliver gas and provide related services by aggregating and purchasing gas supply, arranging transportation and storage logistics and ultimately delivering gas to customers at competitive prices. In addition, AEH utilizes proprietary and customer-owned transportation and storage assets to provide various delivered gas services our customers request, including furnishing natural gas supplies at fixed and market-based prices, contract negotiation and administration, load forecasting, gas storage acquisition and management services, transportation services, peaking sales and balancing services, capacity utilization strategies and gas price hedging through the use of financial instruments. AEH also seeks to maximize, through asset optimization activities, the economic value associated with storage and transportation capacity it owns or controls. Certain of these arrangements are with regulated affiliates of the Company, which have been approved by applicable state regulatory commissions.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
2.  Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 
Principles of consolidation — The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Atmos Energy Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All material intercompany transactions have been eliminated; however, we have not eliminated intercompany profits when such amounts are probable of recovery under the affiliates’ rate regulation process.
 
Basis of comparison — Certain prior-year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year presentation.
 
Use of estimates — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. The most significant estimates include the allowance for doubtful accounts, legal and environmental accruals, insurance accruals, pension and postretirement obligations, deferred income taxes, asset retirement obligations, impairment of long-lived assets, risk management and trading activities, fair value measurements and the valuation of goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets and other long-lived assets. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
Regulation — Our natural gas distribution and regulated transmission and storage operations are subject to regulation with respect to rates, service, maintenance of accounting records and various other matters by the respective regulatory authorities in the states in which we operate. Our accounting policies recognize the financial effects of the ratemaking and accounting practices and policies of the various regulatory commissions. Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States require cost-based, rate-regulated entities that meet certain criteria to reflect the authorized recovery of costs due to regulatory decisions in their financial statements. As a result, certain costs are permitted to be capitalized rather than expensed because they can be recovered through rates.
 
We record regulatory assets as a component of other current assets and deferred charges and other assets for costs that have been deferred for which future recovery through customer rates is considered probable. Regulatory liabilities are recorded either on the face of the balance sheet or as a component of current liabilities, deferred income taxes or deferred credits and other liabilities when it is probable that revenues will


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
be reduced for amounts that will be credited to customers through the ratemaking process. Significant regulatory assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 included the following:
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Regulatory assets:
        
Pension and postretirement benefit costs
 $254,666  $209,564 
Merger and integration costs, net
  6,242   6,714 
Deferred gas costs
  33,976   22,701 
Regulatory cost of removal asset
  8,852   31,014 
Environmental costs
  385   805 
Rate case costs
  4,862   4,505 
Deferred franchise fees
  379   1,161 
Other
  3,534   1,046 
         
  $312,896  $277,510 
         
Regulatory liabilities:
        
Deferred gas costs
 $8,130  $43,333 
Regulatory cost of removal obligation
  464,025   381,474 
Other
  14,025   6,112 
         
  $486,180  $430,919 
         
 
Currently, authorized rates do not include a return on certain of our merger and integration costs; however, we recover the amortization of these costs. Merger and integration costs, net, are generally amortized on a straight-line basis over estimated useful lives ranging up to 20 years. Environmental costs have been deferred to be included in future rate filings in accordance with rulings received from various state regulatory commissions. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009, we recognized $0.5 million, $0.4 million and $0.4 million in amortization expense related to these costs.
 
Revenue recognition — Sales of natural gas to our natural gas distribution customers are billed on a monthly basis; however, the billing cycle periods for certain classes of customers do not necessarily coincide with accounting periods used for financial reporting purposes. We follow the revenue accrual method of accounting for natural gas distribution segment revenues whereby revenues applicable to gas delivered to customers, but not yet billed under the cycle billing method, are estimated and accrued and the related costs are charged to expense. During the year ended September 30, 2009 we recognized a non-recurring $7.6 million increase in gross profit associated with a one-time update to our estimate for gas delivered to customers but not yet billed, resulting from base rate changes in several jurisdictions.
 
On occasion, we are permitted to implement new rates that have not been formally approved by our state regulatory commissions, which are subject to refund. As permitted by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, we recognize this revenue and establish a reserve for amounts that could be refunded based on our experience for the jurisdiction in which the rates were implemented.
 
Rates established by regulatory authorities are adjusted for increases and decreases in our purchased gas costs through purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms. Purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms provide gas utility companies a method of recovering purchased gas costs on an ongoing basis without filing a rate case to address all of the utility company’s non-gas costs. There is no gross profit generated through purchased gas cost adjustments, but they provide adollar-for-dollaroffset to increases or decreases in our natural gas distribution segment’s gas costs. The effects of these purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms are recorded as deferred gas costs on our balance sheet.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Operating revenues for our nonregulated segment and the associated carrying value of natural gas inventory (inclusive of storage costs) are recognized when we sell the gas and physically deliver it to our customers. Operating revenues include realized gains and losses arising from the settlement of financial instruments used in our nonregulated activities and unrealized gains and losses arising from changes in the fair value of natural gas inventory designated as a hedged item in a fair value hedge and the associated financial instruments. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009, we included unrealized gains (losses) on open contracts of $(10.4) million, $(7.8) million and $(35.9) million as a component of nonregulated revenues.
 
Operating revenues for our regulated transmission and storage and nonregulated segments are recognized in the period in which actual volumes are transported and storage services are provided.
 
Cash and cash equivalents — We consider all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
 
Accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts— Accounts receivable arise from natural gas sales to residential, commercial, industrial, municipal and other customers. For substantially all of our receivables, we establish an allowance for doubtful accounts based on our collection experience. On certain other receivables where we are aware of a specific customer’s inability or reluctance to pay, we record an allowance for doubtful accounts against amounts due to reduce the net receivable balance to the amount we reasonably expect to collect. However, if circumstances change, our estimate of the recoverability of accounts receivable could be affected. Circumstances which could affect our estimates include, but are not limited to, customer credit issues, the level of natural gas prices, customer deposits and general economic conditions. Accounts are written off once they are deemed to be uncollectible.
 
Gas stored underground — Our gas stored underground is comprised of natural gas injected into storage to support the winter season withdrawals for our natural gas distribution operations and natural gas held by our nonregulated segment to conduct their operations. The average cost method is used for all our regulated operations, except for certain jurisdictions in the Kentucky/Mid-States Division, where it is valued on thefirst-infirst-out method basis, in accordance with regulatory requirements. Our nonregulated segment utilizes the average cost method; however, most of this inventory is hedged and is therefore reported at fair value at the end of each month. Gas in storage that is retained as cushion gas to maintain reservoir pressure is classified as property, plant and equipment and is valued at cost.
 
Regulated property, plant and equipment— Regulated property, plant and equipment is stated at original cost, net of contributions in aid of construction. The cost of additions includes direct construction costs, payroll related costs (taxes, pensions and other fringe benefits), administrative and general costs and an allowance for funds used during construction. The allowance for funds used during construction represents the estimated cost of funds used to finance the construction of major projects and are capitalized in the rate base for ratemaking purposes when the completed projects are placed in service. Interest expense of $1.7 million, $3.9 million and $4.9 million was capitalized in 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
Major renewals, including replacement pipe, and betterments that are recoverable under our regulatory rate base are capitalized while the costs of maintenance and repairs that are not recoverable through rates are charged to expense as incurred. The costs of large projects are accumulated in construction in progress until the project is completed. When the project is completed, tested and placed in service, the balance is transferred to the regulated plant in service account included in the rate base and depreciation begins.
 
Regulated property, plant and equipment is depreciated at various rates on a straight-line basis. These rates are approved by our regulatory commissions and are comprised of two components: one based on average service life and one based on cost of removal. Accordingly, we recognize our cost of removal expense as a component of depreciation expense. The related cost of removal accrual is reflected as a regulatory liability on the consolidated balance sheet. At the time property, plant and equipment is retired, removal


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
expenses less salvage, are charged to the regulatory cost of removal accrual. The composite depreciation rate was 3.6 percent, 3.5 percent and 3.8 percent for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
Nonregulated property, plant and equipment— Nonregulated property, plant and equipment is stated at cost. Depreciation is generally computed on the straight-line method for financial reporting purposes based upon estimated useful lives ranging from three to 50 years.
 
Asset retirement obligations — We record a liability at fair value for an asset retirement obligation when the legal obligation to retire the asset has been incurred with an offsetting increase to the carrying value of the related asset. Accretion of the asset retirement obligation due to the passage of time is recorded as an operating expense.
 
As of September 30, 2011 and 2010, we recorded asset retirement obligations of $14.0 million and $11.4 million. Additionally, we recorded $5.4 million and $3.8 million of asset retirement costs as a component of property, plant and equipment that will be depreciated over the remaining life of the underlying associated assets.
 
We believe we have a legal obligation to retire our natural gas storage facilities. However, we have not recognized an asset retirement obligation associated with our storage facilities because we are not able to determine the settlement date of this obligation as we do not anticipate taking our storage facilities out of service permanently. Therefore, we cannot reasonably estimate the fair value of this obligation.
 
Impairment of long-lived assets — We periodically evaluate whether events or circumstances have occurred that indicate that other long-lived assets may not be recoverable or that the remaining useful life may warrant revision. When such events or circumstances are present, we assess the recoverability of long-lived assets by determining whether the carrying value will be recovered through the expected future cash flows. In the event the sum of the expected future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset is less than the carrying value of the asset, an impairment loss equal to the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value is recorded.
 
During fiscal 2011, we recorded pretax noncash impairment losses of $19.3 million related to our Fort Necessity storage project and $11.0 million related to our gathering system, as discussed in Note 5.
 
Goodwill and intangible assets — We annually evaluate our goodwill balances for impairment during our second fiscal quarter or more frequently as impairment indicators arise. We use a present value technique based on discounted cash flows to estimate the fair value of our reporting units. These calculations are dependent on several subjective factors including the timing of future cash flows, future growth rates and the discount rate. An impairment charge is recognized if the carrying value of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its fair value.
 
Intangible assets are amortized over their useful lives of 10 years. These assets are reviewed for impairment as impairment indicators arise. When such events or circumstances are present, we assess the recoverability of long-lived assets by determining whether the carrying value will be recovered through the expected future cash flows. In the event the sum of the expected future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset is less than the carrying value of the asset, an impairment loss equal to the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value is recorded. No impairment has been recognized.
 
Marketable securities — As of September 30, 2011 and 2010, all of our marketable securities were classified asavailable-for-sale.In accordance with the authoritative accounting standards, these securities are reported at market value with unrealized gains and losses shown as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). We regularly evaluate the performance of these investments on a fund by fund basis for impairment, taking into consideration the fund’s purpose, volatility and current returns. If a determination is made that a decline in fair value is other than temporary, the related fund is written down to its estimated fair value.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Due to the deterioration of the financial markets in late calendar 2008 and early calendar 2009 and the uncertainty of a full recovery of these investments given the then current economic environment, we recorded a $5.4 million noncash charge to impair certainavailable-for-saleinvestments during fiscal 2009.
 
Financial instruments and hedging activities— We currently use financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk. Additionally, we periodically use financial instruments to manage interest rate risk. The objectives and strategies for using financial instruments have been tailored to our regulated and nonregulated businesses. Currently, we utilize financial instruments in our natural gas distribution and nonregulated segments. The objectives and strategies for the use of financial instruments are discussed in Note 4.
 
We record all of our financial instruments on the balance sheet at fair value, with changes in fair value ultimately recorded in the income statement. These financial instruments are reported as risk management assets and liabilities and are classified as current or noncurrent other assets or liabilities based upon the anticipated settlement date of the underlying financial instrument.
 
The timing of when changes in fair value of our financial instruments are recorded in the income statement depends on whether the financial instrument has been designated and qualifies as a part of a hedging relationship or if regulatory rulings require a different accounting treatment. Changes in fair value for financial instruments that do not meet one of these criteria are recognized in the income statement as they occur.
 
Financial Instruments Associated with Commodity Price Risk
 
In our natural gas distribution segment, the costs associated with and the gains and losses arising from the use of financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk are included in our purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms in accordance with regulatory requirements. Therefore, changes in the fair value of these financial instruments are initially recorded as a component of deferred gas costs and recognized in the consolidated statement of income as a component of purchased gas cost when the related costs are recovered through our rates and recognized in revenue in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Accordingly, there is no earnings impact on our natural gas distribution segment as a result of the use of financial instruments.
 
In our nonregulated segment, we have designated most of the natural gas inventory held by this operating segment as the hedged item in a fair-value hedge. This inventory is marked to market at the end of each month based on the Gas Daily index, with changes in fair value recognized as unrealized gains or losses in revenue in the period of change. The financial instruments associated with this natural gas inventory have been designated as fair-value hedges and are marked to market each month based upon the NYMEX price with changes in fair value recognized as unrealized gains or losses in revenue in the period of change. Changes in the spreads between the forward natural gas prices used to value the financial hedges designated against our physical inventory (NYMEX) and the market (spot) prices used to value our physical storage (Gas Daily) result in unrealized margins until the underlying physical gas is withdrawn and the related financial instruments are settled. Once the gas is withdrawn and the financial instruments are settled, the previously unrealized margins associated with these net positions are realized. We have elected to exclude this spot/forward differential for purposes of assessing the effectiveness of these fair-value hedges. Over time, we expect gains and losses on the sale of storage gas inventory to be offset by gains and losses on the fair-value hedges, resulting in the realization of the economic gross profit margin we anticipated at the time we structured the original transaction.
 
In our nonregulated segment, we have elected to treat fixed-price forward contracts to deliver natural gas as normal purchases and normal sales. As such, these deliveries are recorded on an accrual basis in accordance with our revenue recognition policy. Financial instruments used to mitigate the commodity price risk associated with these contracts have been designated as cash flow hedges of anticipated purchases and sales at indexed prices. Accordingly, unrealized gains and losses on these open financial instruments are recorded as a


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
component of accumulated other comprehensive income, and are recognized in earnings as a component of revenue when the hedged volumes are sold. Hedge ineffectiveness, to the extent incurred, is reported as a component of revenue.
 
Gains and losses from hedge ineffectiveness are recognized in the income statement. Fair value and cash flow hedge ineffectiveness arising from natural gas market price differences between the locations of the hedged inventory and the delivery location specified in the financial instruments is referred to as basis ineffectiveness. Ineffectiveness arising from changes in the fair value of the fair value hedges due to changes in the difference between the spot price and the futures price, as well as the difference between the timing of the settlement of the futures and the valuation of the underlying physical commodity is referred to as timing ineffectiveness.
 
In our nonregulated segment, we also utilize master netting agreements with significant counterparties that allow us to offset gains and losses arising from financial instruments that may be settled in cash with gains and losses arising from financial instruments that may be settled with the physical commodity. Assets and liabilities from risk management activities, as well as accounts receivable and payable, reflect the master netting agreements in place. Additionally, the accounting guidance for master netting arrangements requires us to include the fair value of cash collateral or the obligation to return cash in the amounts that have been netted under master netting agreements used to offset gains and losses arising from financial instruments. As of September 30, 2011 and 2010, the Company netted $28.8 million and $24.9 million of cash held in margin accounts into its current risk management assets and liabilities.
 
Financial Instruments Associated with Interest Rate Risk
 
We periodically manage interest rate risk, typically when we issue new or refinance existing long-term debt. In fiscal 2011 and in prior years, we entered into Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with anticipated financings. We designated these Treasury lock agreements as cash flow hedges at the time the agreements were executed. Accordingly, unrealized gains and losses associated with the Treasury lock agreements were recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). When the Treasury locks were settled, the realized gain or loss was recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and is being recognized as a component of interest expense over the life of the related financing arrangement. Hedge ineffectiveness to the extent incurred is reported as a component of interest expense.
 
Fair Value Measurements — We report certain assets and liabilities at fair value, which 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 (exit price). We primarily use quoted market prices and other observable market pricing information in valuing our financial assets and liabilities and minimize the use of unobservable pricing inputs in our measurements.
 
Prices actively quoted on national exchanges are used to determine the fair value of most of our assets and liabilities recorded on our balance sheet at fair value. Within our nonregulated operations, we utilize a mid-market pricing convention (the mid-point between the bid and ask prices) as a practical expedient for determining fair value measurement, as permitted under current accounting standards. Values derived from these sources reflect the market in which transactions involving these financial instruments are executed. We utilize models and other valuation methods to determine fair value when external sources are not available. Values are adjusted to reflect the potential impact of an orderly liquidation of our positions over a reasonable period of time under then-current market conditions. We believe the market prices and models used to value these assets and liabilities represent the best information available with respect to closing exchange andover-the-counterquotations, time value and volatility factors underlying the assets and liabilities.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Fair-value estimates also consider our own creditworthiness and the creditworthiness of the counterparties involved. Our counterparties consist primarily of financial institutions and major energy companies. This concentration of counterparties may materially impact our exposure to credit risk resulting from market, economic or regulatory conditions. Adverse developments in the last few years in the global financial and credit markets have periodically made it more difficult and more expensive for companies to access the short-term capital markets, which may negatively impact the creditworthiness of our counterparties. Any further tightening of the credit markets could cause more of our counterparties to fail to perform. We seek to minimize counterparty credit risk through an evaluation of their financial condition and credit ratings and the use of collateral requirements under certain circumstances.
 
Amounts reported at fair value are subject to potentially significant volatility based upon changes in market prices, the valuation of the portfolio of our contracts, maturity and settlement of these contracts and newly originated transactions, each of which directly affect the estimated fair value of our financial instruments. We believe the market prices and models used to value these financial instruments represent the best information available with respect to closing exchange andover-the-counterquotations, time value and volatility factors underlying the contracts. Values are adjusted to reflect the potential impact of an orderly liquidation of our positions over a reasonable period of time under then current market conditions.
 
Authoritative accounting literature establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value based on observable and unobservable data. The hierarchy categorizes the inputs into three levels, with the highest priority given to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority given to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The levels of the hierarchy are described below:
 
Level 1 — Represents unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for the asset or liability is defined as a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis. Our Level 1 measurements consist primarily of exchange-traded financial instruments, gas stored underground that has been designated as the hedged item in a fair value hedge and ouravailable-for-salesecurities. The Level 1 measurements for investments in our Master Trust, Supplemental Executive Benefit Plan and postretirement benefit plan consist primarily of exchange-traded financial instruments.
 
Level 2 — Represents pricing inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability as of the reporting date. These inputs are derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data. Our Level 2 measurements primarily consist of non-exchange-traded financial instruments, such asover-the-counteroptions and swaps and municipal and corporate bonds where market data for pricing is observable. The Level 2 measurements for investments in our Master Trust, Supplemental Executive Benefit Plan and postretirement benefit plan consist primarily of non-exchange traded financial instruments such as common collective trusts and investments in limited partnerships.
 
Level 3 — Represents generally unobservable pricing inputs which are developed based on the best information available, including our own internal data, in situations where there is little if any market activity for the asset or liability at the measurement date. The pricing inputs utilized reflect what a market participant would use to determine fair value. Our Master Trust has investments in real estate that qualify as Level 3 fair value measurements. Currently, we have no other assets or liabilities recorded at fair value that would qualify for Level 3 reporting.
 
Pension and other postretirement plans— Pension and other postretirement plan costs and liabilities are determined on an actuarial basis and are affected by numerous assumptions and estimates including the market value of plan assets, estimates of the expected return on plan assets, assumed discount rates and current demographic and actuarial mortality data. Through fiscal 2008, we reviewed the estimates and assumptions


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
underlying our pension and other postretirement plan costs and liabilities annually based upon a June 30 measurement date. To comply with the new measurement date requirements established by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and incorporated into accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, effective October 1, 2008, we changed our measurement date from June 30 to our fiscal year end, September 30. This change is more fully discussed in Note 9. The assumed discount rate and the expected return are the assumptions that generally have the most significant impact on our pension costs and liabilities. The assumed discount rate, the assumed health care cost trend rate and assumed rates of retirement generally have the most significant impact on our postretirement plan costs and liabilities.
 
In August 2010, the Board of Directors of Atmos Energy approved a proposal to close the Pension Account Plan (PAP) to new participants, effective October 1, 2010. Employees participating in the PAP as of October 1, 2010 were allowed to make a one-time election to migrate from the PAP into our defined contribution plan which was enhanced, effective January 1, 2011. Participants who chose to remain in the PAP will continue to earn benefits and interest allocations with no changes to their existing benefits.
 
The discount rate is utilized principally in calculating the actuarial present value of our pension and postretirement obligation and net pension and postretirement cost. When establishing our discount rate, we consider high quality corporate bond rates based on bonds available in the marketplace that are suitable for settling the obligations, changes in those rates from the prior year and the implied discount rate that is derived from matching our projected benefit disbursements with currently available high quality corporate bonds.
 
The expected long-term rate of return on assets is utilized in calculating the expected return on plan assets component of the annual pension and postretirement plan cost. We estimate the expected return on plan assets by evaluating expected bond returns, equity risk premiums, asset allocations, the effects of active plan management, the impact of periodic plan asset rebalancing and historical performance. We also consider the guidance from our investment advisors in making a final determination of our expected rate of return on assets. To the extent the actual rate of return on assets realized over the course of a year is greater than or less than the assumed rate, that year’s annual pension or postretirement plan cost is not affected. Rather, this gain or loss reduces or increases future pension or postretirement plan costs over a period of approximately ten to twelve years.
 
The market-related value of our plan assets represents the fair market value of the plan assets, adjusted to smooth out short-term market fluctuations over a five-year period. The use of this calculation will delay the impact of current market fluctuations on the pension expense for the period.
 
We estimate the assumed health care cost trend rate used in determining our annual postretirement net cost based upon our actual health care cost experience, the effects of recently enacted legislation and general economic conditions. Our assumed rate of retirement is estimated based upon the annual review of our participant census information as of the measurement date.
 
Income taxes — Income taxes are provided based on the liability method, which results in income tax assets and liabilities arising from temporary differences. Temporary differences are differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements that will result in taxable or deductible amounts in future years. The liability method requires the effect of tax rate changes on current and accumulated deferred income taxes to be reflected in the period in which the rate change was enacted. The liability method also requires that deferred tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance unless it is more likely than not that the assets will be realized.
 
The Company may recognize the tax benefit from uncertain tax positions only if it is at least more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position should be measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon settlement with the taxing authorities. We recognize accrued interest related to unrecognized tax benefits as a


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
component of interest expense. We recognize penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of miscellaneous income (expense) in accordance with regulatory requirements.
 
Stock-based compensation plans — We maintain the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan that provides for the granting of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, bonus stock, time-lapse restricted stock, performance-based restricted stock units and stock units to officers, division presidents and other key employees. Non-employee directors are also eligible to receive stock-based compensation under the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan. The objectives of this plan include attracting and retaining the best personnel, providing for additional performance incentives and promoting our success by providing employees with the opportunity to acquire our common stock.
 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss— Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax, as of September 30, 2011 and 2010, consisted of the following unrealized gains (losses):
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Unrealized holding gains on investments
 $2,558  $4,205 
Treasury lock agreements
  (34,157)  (5,468)
Cash flow hedges
  (16,861)  (22,109)
         
  $(48,460) $(23,372)
         
 
Subsequent events — We have evaluated subsequent events from the September 30, 2011 balance sheet date through the date these financial statements were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. No events occurred subsequent to the balance sheet date that would require recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.
 
Recent accounting pronouncements — During the year ended September 30, 2011, two new accounting standards became applicable to the Company pertaining to goodwill impairment testing for reporting units with zero or negative carrying amounts and disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations. The adoption of these standards had no impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. There were no other significant changes to our accounting policies during the year ended September 30, 2011.
 
For interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011, three new accounting pronouncements will become applicable to the Company including guidance that will change certain fair value measurement principles and enhances the disclosure requirements particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements, guidance related to the presentation of other comprehensive income which will require that all nonowner changes in shareholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements and new guidance related to goodwill impairment testing that will permit an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the traditional two-step goodwill impairment test. The adoption of these standards should not impact our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
3.  Goodwill and Intangible Assets
 
Goodwill and intangible assets were comprised of the following as of September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Goodwill
 $740,000  $739,314 
Intangible assets
  207   834 
         
Total
 $740,207  $740,148 
         
 
The following presents our goodwill balance allocated by segment and changes in the balance for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011:
 
                 
     Regulated
       
  Natural Gas
  Transmission
       
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Total 
     (In thousands)    
 
Balance as of September 30, 2010
 $572,262  $132,341  $34,711  $739,314 
Deferred tax adjustments on prior acquisitions(1)
  646   40   —   686 
                 
Balance as of September 30, 2011
 $572,908  $132,381  $34,711  $740,000 
                 
 
 
(1)During the preparation of the fiscal 2011 tax provision, we adjusted certain deferred taxes recorded in connection with acquisitions completed in fiscal 2001 and fiscal 2004, which resulted in an increase to goodwill and net deferred tax liabilities of $0.7 million.
 
Information regarding our intangible assets is reflected in the following table. As of September 30, 2011 and 2010, we had no intangible assets with indefinite lives.
 
                             
    September 30, 2011 September 30, 2010
  Useful
 Gross
     Gross
    
  Life
 Carrying
 Accumulated
   Carrying
 Accumulated
  
  (Years) Amount Amortization Net Amount Amortization Net
  (In thousands)
 
Customer contracts
  10  $6,926  $(6,719) $207  $6,926  $(6,092) $834 
 
The following table presents actual amortization expense recognized during 2011 and an estimate of future amortization expense based upon our intangible assets at September 30, 2011.
 
     
Amortization expense (in thousands):
    
Actual for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011
 $627 
Estimated for the fiscal year ending:
    
September 30, 2012
 $43 
September 30, 2013
  43 
September 30, 2014
  43 
September 30, 2015
  43 
September 30, 2016
  35 
 
4.  Financial Instruments
 
We currently use financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk. Additionally, we periodically utilize financial instruments to manage interest rate risk. The objectives and strategies for using financial


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
instruments have been tailored to our regulated and nonregulated businesses. Currently, we utilize financial instruments in our natural gas distribution and nonregulated segments. We currently do not manage commodity price risk with financial instruments in our regulated transmission and storage segment.
 
Our financial instruments do not contain any credit-risk-related or other contingent features that could cause accelerated payments when our financial instruments are in net liability positions.
 
As discussed in Note 2, we report our financial instruments as risk management assets and liabilities, each of which is classified as current or noncurrent based upon the anticipated settlement date of the underlying financial instrument. The following table shows the fair values of our risk management assets and liabilities by segment at September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
             
  Natural Gas
       
  Distribution  Nonregulated  Total 
     (In thousands)    
 
September 30, 2011(3)
            
Assets from risk management activities, current(1)
 $843  $17,501  $18,344 
Assets from risk management activities, noncurrent
  998   —   998 
Liabilities from risk management activities, current(1)
  (11,916)  (3,537)  (15,453)
Liabilities from risk management activities, noncurrent
  (67,862)  (10,227)  (78,089)
             
Net assets (liabilities)
 $(77,937) $3,737  $(74,200)
             
September 30, 2010
            
Assets from risk management activities, current(2)
 $2,219  $18,356  $20,575 
Assets from risk management activities, noncurrent
  47   890   937 
Liabilities from risk management activities, current(2)
  (48,942)  (731)  (49,673)
Liabilities from risk management activities, noncurrent
  (2,924)  (6,000)  (8,924)
             
Net assets (liabilities)
 $(49,600) $12,515  $(37,085)
             
 
 
(1)Includes $28.8 million of cash held on deposit to collateralize certain financial instruments. Of this amount, $12.4 million was used to offset current risk management liabilities under master netting arrangements and the remaining $16.4 million is classified as current risk management assets.
 
(2)Includes $24.9 million of cash held on deposit to collateralize certain financial instruments. Of this amount, $12.6 million was used to offset current risk management liabilities under master netting arrangements and the remaining $12.3 million is classified as current risk management assets.
 
(3)The September 30, 2011 amounts are presented net of assets and liabilities held for sale in conjunction with the sale of our Iowa, Illinois and Missouri operations. At September 30, 2011, assets and liabilities held for sale included $1.3 million of current liabilities from risk management activities.
 
Regulated Commodity Risk Management Activities
 
Although our purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms essentially insulate our natural gas distribution segment from commodity price risk, our customers are exposed to the effects of volatile natural gas prices. We manage this exposure through a combination of physical storage, fixed-price forward contracts and financial instruments, primarilyover-the-counterswap and option contracts, in an effort to minimize the impact of natural gas price volatility on our customers during the winter heating season.
 
Our natural gas distribution gas supply department is responsible for executing this segment’s commodity risk management activities in conformity with regulatory requirements. In jurisdictions where we are permitted to mitigate commodity price risk through financial instruments, the relevant regulatory authorities may


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
establish the level of heating season gas purchases that can be hedged. Historically, if the regulatory authority does not establish this level, we seek to hedge between 25 and 50 percent of anticipated heating season gas purchases using financial instruments. For the2010-2011heating season (generally October through March), in the jurisdictions where we are permitted to utilize financial instruments, we hedged approximately 35 percent, or 31.7 Bcf of the winter flowing gas requirements at a weighted average cost of approximately $5.81 per Mcf. We have not designated these financial instruments as hedges.
 
The costs associated with and the gains and losses arising from the use of financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk are included in our purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms in accordance with regulatory requirements. Therefore, changes in the fair value of these financial instruments are initially recorded as a component of deferred gas costs and recognized in the consolidated statement of income as a component of purchased gas cost when the related costs are recovered through our rates and recognized in revenue in accordance with applicable authoritative accounting guidance. Accordingly, there is no earnings impact on our natural gas distribution segment as a result of the use of financial instruments.
 
Nonregulated Commodity Risk Management Activities
 
In our nonregulated operations, we aggregate and purchase gas supply, arrange transportationand/orstorage logistics and ultimately deliver gas to our customers at competitive prices. To facilitate this process, we utilize proprietary and customer-owned transportation and storage assets to provide the various services our customers’ request.
 
We also perform asset optimization activities in our nonregulated segment. Through asset optimization activities, we seek to enhance our gross profit by maximizing the economic value associated with the storage and transportation capacity we own or control. We attempt to meet this objective by engaging in natural gas storage transactions in which we seek to find and profit from the pricing differences that occur over time. We purchase physical natural gas and then sell financial instruments at advantageous prices to lock in a gross profit margin. Through the use of transportation and storage services and financial instruments, we also seek to capture gross profit margin through the arbitrage of pricing differences that exist in various locations and by recognizing pricing differences that occur over time. Over time, gains and losses on the sale of storage gas inventory should be offset by gains and losses on the financial instruments, resulting in the realization of the economic gross profit margin we anticipated at the time we structured the original transaction.
 
As a result of these activities, our nonregulated segment is exposed to risks associated with changes in the market price of natural gas. We manage our exposure to such risks through a combination of physical storage and financial instruments, including futures,over-the-counterand exchange-traded options and swap contracts with counterparties. Future contracts provide the right to buy or sell the commodity at a fixed price in the future. Option contracts provide the right, but not the requirement, to buy or sell the commodity at a fixed price. Swap contracts require receipt of payment for the commodity based on the difference between a fixed price and the market price on the settlement date.
 
We use financial instruments, designated as cash flow hedges of anticipated purchases and sales at index prices, to mitigate the commodity price risk in our nonregulated operations associated with deliveries under fixed-priced forward contracts to deliver gas to customers. These financial instruments have maturity dates ranging from one to 62 months. We use financial instruments, designated as fair value hedges, to hedge our natural gas inventory used in our asset optimization activities in our nonregulated segment.
 
Also, in nonregulated operations, we use storage swaps and futures to capture additional storage arbitrage opportunities that arise subsequent to the execution of the original fair value hedge associated with our physical natural gas inventory, basis swaps to insulate and protect the economic value of our fixed price and storage books and variousover-the-counterand exchange-traded options. These financial instruments have not been designated as hedges.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Our nonregulated risk management activities are controlled through various risk management policies and procedures. Our Audit Committee has oversight responsibility for our nonregulated risk management limits and policies. A risk committee, comprised of corporate and business unit officers, is responsible for establishing and enforcing our nonregulated risk management policies and procedures.
 
Under our risk management policies, we seek to match our financial instrument positions to our physical storage positions as well as our expected current and future sales and purchase obligations in order to maintain no open positions at the end of each trading day. The determination of our net open position as of any day, however, requires us to make assumptions as to future circumstances, including the use of gas by our customers in relation to our anticipated storage and market positions. Because the price risk associated with any net open position at the end of each day may increase if the assumptions are not realized, we review these assumptions as part of our daily monitoring activities. Our operations can also be affected by intraday fluctuations of gas prices, since the price of natural gas purchased or sold for future delivery earlier in the day may not be hedged until later in the day. At times, limited net open positions related to our existing and anticipated commitments may occur. At the close of business on September 30, 2011, our nonregulated segment had net open positions (including existing storage and related financial contracts) of 0.1 Bcf.
 
Interest Rate Risk Management Activities
 
We periodically manage interest rate risk by entering into Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with anticipated financings.
 
We intend to refinance our $250 million unsecured 5.125% Senior Notes that mature in January 2013 through the issuance of $350 million30-yearunsecured notes. In August 2011, we entered into three Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with the anticipated issuances of these senior notes. We designated all of these Treasury locks as cash flow hedges.
 
In September 2010, we entered into three Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with $300 million of a total $400 million of senior notes that were issued in June 2011. This offering is discussed in Note 7. We designated these Treasury locks as cash flow hedges. The Treasury locks were settled on June 7, 2011 with the receipt of $20.1 million from the counterparties due to an increase in the 30-yearTreasury lock rates between inception of the Treasury locks and settlement. Because the Treasury locks were effective, the net $12.6 million unrealized gain was recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income and will be recognized as a component of interest expense over the30-year life of the senior notes.
 
Additionally, our original fiscal 2011 financing plans included the issuance of $250 million of30-yearunsecured notes in November 2011 to fund our capital expenditure program. In September 2010, we entered into two Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with the anticipated issuance of these senior notes, which were designated as cash flow hedges. Due primarily to stronger than anticipated cash flows primarily resulting from the extension of the Bush tax cuts that allow the continued use of bonus depreciation on qualifying expenditures through December 31, 2011, the need to issue $250 million of debt in November was eliminated and the related Treasury lock agreements were unwound in March 2011. As a result of unwinding these Treasury locks, we recognized a pre-tax cash gain of $27.8 million during the second quarter of fiscal 2011.
 
In prior years, we entered into several Treasury lock agreements to fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost of financing for various issuances of long-term debt and senior notes. The gains and losses realized upon settlement of these Treasury locks were recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) when they were settled and are being recognized as a component of interest


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
expense over the life of the associated notes from the date of settlement. The remaining amortization periods for the settled Treasury locks extends through fiscal 2041.
 
Quantitative Disclosures Related to Financial Instruments
 
The following tables present detailed information concerning the impact of financial instruments on our consolidated balance sheet and income statements.
 
As of September 30, 2011, our financial instruments were comprised of both long and short commodity positions. A long position is a contract to purchase the commodity, while a short position is a contract to sell the commodity. As of September 30, 2011, we had net long/(short) commodity contracts outstanding in the following quantities:
 
           
  Hedge
 Natural Gas
    
Contract Type Designation Distribution  Nonregulated 
    Quantity (MMcf) 
 
Commodity contracts
 Fair Value  —   (13,950)
  Cash Flow  —   38,713 
  Not designated  26,977   31,648 
           
     26,977   56,411 
           
 
Financial Instruments on the Balance Sheet
 
The following tables present the fair value and balance sheet classification of our financial instruments by operating segment as of September 30, 2011 and 2010. As required by authoritative accounting literature, the fair value amounts below are presented on a gross basis and do not reflect the netting of asset and liability positions permitted under the terms of our master netting arrangements. Further, the amounts below do not include $28.8 million and $24.9 million of cash held on deposit in margin accounts as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 to collateralize certain financial instruments. Therefore, these gross balances are not indicative of either our actual credit exposure or net economic exposure. Additionally, the amounts below will not be equal


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
to the amounts presented on our consolidated balance sheet, nor will they be equal to the fair value information presented for our financial instruments in Note 5.
 
               
    Natural
       
    Gas
       
  
Balance Sheet Location
 Distribution  Nonregulated  Total 
       (In thousands)    
 
September 30, 2011
              
Designated As Hedges:
              
Asset Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current assets $—  $22,396  $22,396 
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred charges and other assets  —   174   174 
Liability Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current liabilities  —   (31,064)  (31,064)
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred credits and other liabilities  (67,527)  (7,709)  (75,236)
               
Total
    (67,527)  (16,203)  (83,730)
Not Designated As Hedges:
              
Asset Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current assets  843   67,710   68,553 
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred charges and other assets  998   22,379   23,377 
Liability Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current liabilities(1)  (13,256)  (73,865)  (87,121)
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred credits and other liabilities  (335)  (25,071)  (25,406)
               
Total
    (11,750)  (8,847)  (20,597)
               
Total Financial Instruments
   $(79,277) $(25,050) $(104,327)
               
 
 
(1)Other current liabilities not designated as hedges in our natural gas distribution segment include $1.3 million related to risk management liabilities that were classified as assets held for sale at September 30, 2011.
 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
               
    Natural
       
    Gas
       
  
Balance Sheet Location
 Distribution  Nonregulated  Total 
       (In thousands)    
 
September 30, 2010
              
Designated As Hedges:
              
Asset Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current assets $—  $40,030  $40,030 
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred charges and other assets  —   2,461   2,461 
Liability Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current liabilities  —   (56,575)  (56,575)
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred credits and other liabilities  —   (9,222)  (9,222)
               
Total
    —   (23,306)  (23,306)
Not Designated As Hedges:
              
Asset Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current assets  2,219   16,459   18,678 
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred charges and other assets  47   2,056   2,103 
Liability Financial Instruments
              
Current commodity contracts
 Other current liabilities  (48,942)  (7,178)  (56,120)
Noncurrent commodity contracts
 Deferred credits and other liabilities  (2,924)  (405)  (3,329)
               
Total
    (49,600)  10,932   (38,668)
               
Total Financial Instruments
   $(49,600) $(12,374) $(61,974)
               
 
Impact of Financial Instruments on the Income Statement
 
Hedge ineffectiveness for our nonregulated segment is recorded as a component of unrealized gross profit and primarily results from differences in the location and timing of the derivative instrument and the hedged item. Hedge ineffectiveness could materially affect our results of operations for the reported period. For the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 we recognized a gain arising from fair value and cash flow hedge ineffectiveness of $24.8 million, $51.8 million and $6.4 million. Additional information regarding ineffectiveness recognized in the income statement is included in the tables below.

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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Fair Value Hedges
 
The impact of our nonregulated commodity contracts designated as fair value hedges and the related hedged item on our consolidated income statement for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 is presented below.
 
             
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Commodity contracts
 $16,552  $34,650  $45,120 
Fair value adjustment for natural gas inventory designated as the hedged item
  9,824   19,867   (28,831)
             
Total impact on revenue
 $26,376  $54,517  $16,289 
             
The impact on revenue is comprised of the following:
            
Basis ineffectiveness
 $803  $(1,272) $5,958 
Timing ineffectiveness
  25,573   55,789   10,331 
             
  $26,376  $54,517  $16,289 
             
             
 
Basis ineffectiveness arises from natural gas market price differences between the locations of the hedged inventory and the delivery location specified in the hedge instruments. Timing ineffectiveness arises due to changes in the difference between the spot price and the futures price, as well as the difference between the timing of the settlement of the futures and the valuation of the underlying physical commodity. As the commodity contract nears the settlement date,spot-to-forwardprice differences should converge, which should reduce or eliminate the impact of this ineffectiveness on revenue.
 
Cash Flow Hedges
 
The impact of cash flow hedges on our consolidated income statements for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 is presented below. Note that this presentation does not reflect the financial impact arising from the hedged physical transaction. Therefore, this presentation is not indicative of the economic gross profit we realized when the underlying physical and financial transactions were settled.
 
                 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2011 
  Natural
  Regulated
       
  Gas
  Transmission
       
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
Loss reclassified from AOCI into revenue for effective portion of commodity contracts
 $—  $—  $(28,430) $(28,430)
Loss arising from ineffective portion of commodity contracts
  —   —   (1,585)  (1,585)
                 
Total impact on revenue
  —   —   (30,015)  (30,015)
Net loss on settled Treasury lock agreements reclassified from AOCI into interest expense
  (2,455)  —   —   (2,455)
Gain on unwinding of Treasury lock reclassified from AOCI into miscellaneous income
  21,803   6,000   —   27,803 
                 
Total impact from cash flow hedges
 $19,348  $6,000  $(30,015) $(4,667)
                 
 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
                 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2010 
  Natural
  Regulated
       
  Gas
  Transmission
       
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
Loss reclassified from AOCI into revenue for effective portion of commodity contracts
 $—  $     —  $(44,809) $(44,809)
Loss arising from ineffective portion of commodity contracts
  —   —   (2,717)  (2,717)
                 
Total impact on revenue
  —   —   (47,526)  (47,526)
Net loss on settled Treasury lock agreements reclassified from AOCI into interest expense
  (2,678)  —   —   (2,678)
                 
Total impact from cash flow hedges
 $(2,678) $—  $(47,526) $(50,204)
                 
 
                 
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2009 
  Natural
  Regulated
       
  Gas
  Transmission
       
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
Loss reclassified from AOCI into revenue for effective portion of commodity contracts
 $—  $     —  $(136,540) $(136,540)
Loss arising from ineffective portion of commodity contracts
  —   —   (9,888)  (9,888)
                 
Total impact on revenue
  —   —   (146,428)  (146,428)
Net loss on settled Treasury lock agreements reclassified from AOCI into interest expense
  (4,070)  —   —   (4,070)
                 
Total impact from cash flow hedges
 $(4,070) $—  $(146,428) $(150,498)
                 
 
The following table summarizes the gains and losses arising from hedging transactions that were recognized as a component of other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes, for the years ended September 30, 2011 and 2010. The amounts included in the table below exclude gains and losses arising from ineffectiveness because these amounts are immediately recognized in the income statement as incurred.
 
         
  Fiscal Year Ended
 
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Increase (decrease) in fair value:
        
Treasury lock agreements
 $(12,720) $343 
Forward commodity contracts
  (12,096)  (34,296)
Recognition of (gains) losses in earnings due to settlements:
        
Treasury lock agreements
  (15,969)  1,687 
Forward commodity contracts
  17,344   27,333 
         
Total other comprehensive loss from hedging, net of tax(1)
 $(23,441) $(4,933)
         
 
 
(1)Utilizing an income tax rate ranging from 37 percent to 39 percent based on the effective rates in each taxing jurisdiction.

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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
 
Deferred gains (losses) recorded in AOCI associated with our Treasury lock agreements are recognized in earnings as they are amortized, while deferred losses associated with commodity contracts are recognized in earnings upon settlement. The following amounts, net of deferred taxes, represent the expected recognition in earnings of the deferred gains (losses) recorded in AOCI associated with our financial instruments, based upon the fair values of these financial instruments as of September 30, 2011. However, the table below does not include the expected recognition in earnings of the Treasury lock agreements entered into in August 2011 as those financial instruments have not yet settled.
 
             
  Treasury
       
  Lock
  Commodity
    
  Agreements  Contracts  Total 
  (In thousands) 
 
2012
 $(1,266) $(12,160) $(13,426)
2013
  (1,266)  (3,214)  (4,480)
2014
  (1,266)  (1,461)  (2,727)
2015
  601   (29)  572 
2016
  770   3   773 
Thereafter
  10,812   —   10,812 
             
Total(1)
 $8,385  $(16,861) $(8,476)
             
 
 
(1)Utilizing an income tax rate ranging from 37 percent to 39 percent based on the effective rates in each taxing jurisdiction.
 
Financial Instruments Not Designated as Hedges
 
The impact of financial instruments that have not been designated as hedges on our consolidated income statements for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was an increase (decrease) in revenue of $(1.4) million, $15.4 million and $36.9 million. Note that this presentation does not reflect the expected gains or losses arising from the underlying physical transactions associated with these financial instruments. Therefore, this presentation is not indicative of the economic gross profit we realized when the underlying physical and financial transactions were settled.
 
As discussed above, financial instruments used in our natural gas distribution segment are not designated as hedges. However, there is no earnings impact on our natural gas distribution segment as a result of the use of these financial instruments because the gains and losses arising from the use of these financial instruments are recognized in the consolidated statement of income as a component of purchased gas cost when the related costs are recovered through our rates and recognized in revenue. Accordingly, the impact of these financial instruments is excluded from this presentation.
 
5.  Fair Value Measurements
 
We report certain assets and liabilities at fair value, which 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 (exit price). We record cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable at carrying value, which substantially approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities. For other financial assets and liabilities, we primarily use quoted market prices and other observable market pricing information to minimize the use of unobservable pricing inputs in our measurements when determining fair value. The methods used to determine fair value for our assets and liabilities are fully described in Note 2.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Fair value measurements also apply to the valuation of our pension and post-retirement plan assets. The fair value of these assets is presented in Note 9 below.
 
Quantitative Disclosures
 
Financial Instruments
 
The classification of our fair value measurements requires judgment regarding the degree to which market data are observable or corroborated by observable market data. The following tables summarize, by level within the fair value hierarchy, our assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2011 and 2010. As required under authoritative accounting literature, assets and liabilities are categorized in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
 
                     
  Quoted
  Significant
  Significant
       
  Prices in
  Other
  Other
  Netting
    
  Active
  Observable
  Unobservable
  and
    
  Markets
  Inputs
  Inputs
  Cash
  September 30,
 
  (Level 1)  (Level 2)(1)  (Level 3)  Collateral(2)  2011 
  (In thousands) 
 
Assets:
                    
Financial instruments
                    
Natural gas distribution segment
 $—  $1,841  $—  $—  $1,841 
Nonregulated segment
  15,262   97,396   —   (95,156)  17,502 
                     
Total financial instruments
  15,262   99,237   —   (95,156)  19,343 
Hedged portion of gas stored underground
  47,940   —   —   —   47,940 
Available-for-salesecurities
                    
Money market funds
  —   1,823   —   —   1,823 
Registered investment companies
  36,444   —   —   —   36,444 
Bonds
  —   14,366   —   —   14,366 
                     
Totalavailable-for-salesecurities
  36,444   16,189   —   —   52,633 
                     
Total assets
 $99,646  $115,426  $—  $(95,156) $119,916 
                     
Liabilities:
                    
Financial instruments
                    
Natural gas distribution segment
 $—  $81,118  $—  $—  $81,118 
Nonregulated segment
  22,091   115,617   —   (123,943)  13,765 
                     
Total liabilities
 $22,091  $196,735  $—  $(123,943) $94,883 
                     
 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
                     
  Quoted
  Significant
  Significant
       
  Prices in
  Other
  Other
  Netting
    
  Active
  Observable
  Unobservable
  and
    
  Markets
  Inputs
  Inputs
  Cash
  September 30,
 
  (Level 1)  (Level 2)(1)  (Level 3)  Collateral(3)  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Assets:
                    
Financial instruments
                    
Natural gas distribution segment
 $—  $2,266  $—  $—  $2,266 
Nonregulated segment
  18,544   42,462   —   (41,760)  19,246 
                     
Total financial instruments
  18,544   44,728   —   (41,760)  21,512 
Hedged portion of gas stored underground
  57,507   —   —   —   57,507 
Available-for-salesecurities
                    
Money market funds
  —   499   —   —   499 
Registered investment companies
  40,967   —   —   —   40,967 
                     
Totalavailable-for-salesecurities
  40,967   499   —   —   41,466 
                     
Total assets
 $117,018  $45,227  $—  $(41,760) $120,485 
                     
Liabilities:
                    
Financial instruments
                    
Natural gas distribution segment
 $—  $51,866  $—  $—  $51,866 
Nonregulated segment
  41,430   31,950   —   (66,649)  6,731 
                     
Total liabilities
 $41,430  $83,816  $—  $(66,649) $58,597 
                     
 
 
(1)Our Level 2 measurements primarily consist of non-exchange-traded financial instruments, such asover-the-counteroptions and swaps where market data for pricing is observable. The fair values for these assets and liabilities are determined using a market-based approach in which observable market prices are adjusted for criteria specific to each instrument, such as the strike price, notional amount or basis differences. This level also includes municipal and corporate bonds where market data for pricing is observable.
 
(2)This column reflects adjustments to our gross financial instrument assets and liabilities to reflect netting permitted under our master netting agreements and the relevant authoritative accounting literature. In addition, as of September 30, 2011 we had $28.8 million of cash held in margin accounts to collateralize certain financial instruments. Of this amount, $12.4 million was used to offset current risk management liabilities under master netting agreements and the remaining $16.4 million is classified as current risk management assets.
 
(3)This column reflects adjustments to our gross financial instrument assets and liabilities to reflect netting permitted under our master netting agreements and the relevant authoritative accounting literature. In addition, as of September 30, 2010 we had $24.9 million of cash held in margin accounts to collateralize certain financial instruments. Of this amount, $12.6 million was used to offset current risk management liabilities under master netting agreements and the remaining $12.3 million is classified as current risk management assets.

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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
 
Available-for-salesecurities are comprised of the following:
 
                 
     Gross
  Gross
    
  Amortized
  Unrealized
  Unrealized
  Fair
 
  Cost  Gain  Loss  Value 
  (In thousands) 
 
As of September 30, 2011:
                
Domestic equity mutual funds
 $27,748  $4,074  $—  $31,822 
Foreign equity mutual funds
  4,597   267   (242)  4,622 
Bonds
  14,390   10   (34)  14,366 
Money market funds
  1,823   —   —   1,823 
                 
  $48,558  $4,351  $(276) $52,633 
                 
As of September 30, 2010:
                
Domestic equity mutual funds
 $29,540  $5,698  $—  $35,238 
Foreign equity mutual funds
  4,753   976   —   5,729 
Money market funds
  499   —   —   499 
                 
  $34,792  $6,674  $—  $41,466 
                 
 
At September 30, 2011 and 2010, ouravailable-for-salesecurities included $38.3 million and $41.5 million related to assets held in separate rabbi trusts for our supplemental executive benefit plans as discussed in Note 9. At September 30, 2011 we maintained investments in bonds that have contractual maturity dates ranging from January 2012 through January 2016.
 
We maintained an investment in one foreign equity mutual fund with a fair value of $2.3 million in an unrealized loss position of $0.2 million as of September 30, 2011. This fund has been in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve months. Because this fund is only used to fund the supplemental plans, we evaluate investment performance over a long-term horizon. Based upon our intent and ability to hold this investment, our ability to direct the source of the payments in order to maximize the life of the portfolio, the short-term nature of the decline in fair value and the fact that this fund continues to receive good ratings from mutual fund rating companies, we do not consider this impairment to beother-than-temporaryas of September 30, 2011. We also maintained several bonds with a cumulative fair value of $9.9 million in an unrealized loss position of less than $0.1 million as of September 30, 2011. These bonds have been in an unrealized loss position for less than twelve months. Based upon our intent and ability to hold these investments, our ability to direct the source of the payments in order to maximize the life of the portfolio, the short-term nature of the decline in fair value and the fact that these bonds are investment-grade, we do not consider this impairment to beother-than-temporaryas of September 30, 2011.
 
At September 30, 2010, we did not maintain any investments that were in an unrealized loss position. In fiscal 2009, we recorded a $5.4 million noncash charge to impair certain available-for sale investments during the year ended September 30, 2009 due to the conditions of the financial markets at that time.
 
Other Fair Value Measures
 
In addition to the financial instruments above, we have several financial and nonfinancial assets and liabilities subject to fair value measures. These financial assets and liabilities include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and debt. The nonfinancial assets and liabilities include asset retirement obligations and pension and post-retirement plan assets. We record cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and debt at carrying value. For cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable, we consider carrying value to materially approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these assets and liabilities.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Atmos Gathering Company (AGC) owns and operates the Park City and Shrewsbury gathering systems in Kentucky. The Park City gathering system consists of a23-mile low pressure pipeline and a nitrogen removal unit that was constructed in 2008. The Shrewsbury production, gathering and processing assets were acquired in 2008 at which time we sold the production assets to a third party. As a result of the sale of the production assets, we obtained a10-yearproduction payment note under which we were to be paid from future production generated from the assets.
 
As discussed in Note 13, AGC is involved in an ongoing lawsuit with the Park City gathering system. Due to the lawsuit and a low natural gas price environment, the assets have generated operating losses. As a result of these developments, we performed an impairment assessment of these assets during the third fiscal quarter and determined the assets to be impaired. We reduced the carrying value of the assets to their estimated fair value of approximately $6 million and recorded a pre-tax noncash impairment loss of approximately $11 million. We used a combination of a market and income approach in a weighted average discounted cash flow analysis that included significant inputs such as our weighted average cost of capital and assumptions regarding future natural gas prices. This is a Level 3 fair value measurement because the inputs used are unobservable. Based on this analysis, we determined the assets to be impaired.
 
In February 2008, Atmos Pipeline and Storage, LLC, a subsidiary of AEH, announced plans to construct and operate a salt-cavern storage project in Franklin Parish, Louisiana. In March 2010, we entered into an option and acquisition agreement with a third party, which provided the third party with the exclusive option to develop the proposed Fort Necessity salt-dome natural gas storage project. In July 2010, we agreed with the third party to extend the option period to March 2011. In January 2011, the third party developer notified us that it did not plan to commence the activities required to allow it to exercise the option by March 2011; accordingly, the option was terminated. We evaluated our strategic alternatives and concluded the project’s returns did not meet our investment objectives. Accordingly, in March 2011, we recorded a $19.3 million pretax noncash impairment loss to write off substantially all of our investment in the project.
 
Our debt is recorded at carrying value. The fair value of our debt is determined using third party market value quotations. The following table presents the carrying value and fair value of our debt as of September 30, 2011:
 
     
  September 30, 2011
  (In thousands)
 
Carrying Amount
 $2,212,565 
Fair Value
 $2,560,945 
 
6.  Discontinued Operations
 
On May 12, 2011, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell all of our natural gas distribution assets located in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa to Liberty Energy (Midstates) Corporation, an affiliate of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. for a cash price of approximately $124 million. The agreement contains terms and conditions customary for transactions of this type, including typical adjustments to the purchase price at closing, if applicable. The closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions including the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.
 
As required under generally accepted accounting principles, the operating results of our Missouri, Illinois and Iowa operations have been aggregated and reported on the consolidated statements of income as income from discontinued operations, net of income tax. Expenses related to general corporate overhead and interest expense allocated to their operations are not included in discontinued operations.
 
The tables below set forth selected financial and operational information related to net assets and operating results related to discontinued operations. Additionally, assets and liabilities related to our Missouri, Illinois and Iowa operations are classified as “held for sale” in other current assets and liabilities in our


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2011. Prior period revenues and expenses associated with these assets have been reclassified into discontinued operations. This reclassification had no impact on previously reported net income.
 
The following table presents statement of income data related to discontinued operations.
 
             
  Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Operating revenues
 $80,028  $69,855  $99,969 
Purchased gas cost
  48,759   42,419   72,945 
             
Gross profit
  31,269   27,436   27,024 
Operating expenses
  16,854   15,151   15,988 
             
Operating income
  14,415   12,285   11,036 
Other nonoperating expense
  (196)  (294)  (428)
             
Income from discontinued operations before income taxes
  14,219   11,991   10,608 
Income tax expense
  5,502   4,425   2,929 
             
Net income
 $8,717  $7,566  $7,679 
             
 
The following table presents balance sheet data related to assets held for sale.
 
     
  September 30, 2011 
  (In thousands) 
 
Net plant, property & equipment
 $127,577 
Gas stored underground
  11,931 
Other current assets
  786 
Deferred charges and other assets
  277 
     
Assets held for sale
 $140,571 
     
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
 $1,917 
Other current liabilities
  4,877 
Regulatory cost of removal
  10,498 
Deferred credits and other liabilities
  1,153 
     
Liabilities held for sale
 $18,445 
     


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
7.  Debt
 
Long-term debt
 
Long-term debt at September 30, 2011 and 2010 consisted of the following:
 
         
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Unsecured 7.375% Senior Notes, redeemed May 2011
 $—  $350,000 
Unsecured 10% Notes, due December 2011
  2,303   2,303 
Unsecured 5.125% Senior Notes, due 2013
  250,000   250,000 
Unsecured 4.95% Senior Notes, due 2014
  500,000   500,000 
Unsecured 6.35% Senior Notes, due 2017
  250,000   250,000 
Unsecured 8.50% Senior Notes, due 2019
  450,000   450,000 
Unsecured 5.95% Senior Notes, due 2034
  200,000   200,000 
Unsecured 5.50% Senior Notes, due 2041
  400,000   — 
Medium term notes
        
Series A,1995-2,6.27%, redeemed December 2010
  —   10,000 
Series A,1995-1,6.67%, due 2025
  10,000   10,000 
Unsecured 6.75% Debentures, due 2028
  150,000   150,000 
Rental property term notes due in installments through 2013
  262   393 
         
Total long-term debt
  2,212,565   2,172,696 
Less:
        
Original issue discount on unsecured senior notes and debentures
  (4,014)  (3,014)
Current maturities
  (2,434)  (360,131)
         
  $2,206,117  $1,809,551 
         
 
As noted above, our unsecured 10% notes will mature in December 2011; accordingly, these have been classified within the current maturities of long-term debt.
 
Our $350 million 7.375% senior notes were paid on their maturity date on May 15, 2011, using commercial paper borrowings. We replaced these senior notes on June 10, 2011 with $400 million 5.50% senior notes. The effective interest rate on these notes is 5.381 percent, after giving effect to offering costs and the settlement of the $300 million Treasury locks discussed in Note 4. Substantially all of the net proceeds of approximately $394 million was used to repay $350 million of outstanding commercial paper. The remainder of the net proceeds was used for general corporate purposes.
 
Short-term debt
 
Our short-term borrowing requirements are affected by the seasonal nature of the natural gas business. Changes in the price of natural gas and the amount of natural gas we need to supply our customers’ needs could significantly affect our borrowing requirements. Our short-term borrowings typically reach their highest levels in the winter months.
 
Prior to the third quarter of fiscal 2011, we financed our short-term borrowing requirements through a combination of a $566.7 million commercial paper program and four committed revolving credit facilities with third-party lenders that provided approximately $1.0 billion of working capital funding. On April 13, 2011, our $200 million180-dayunsecured credit facility expired and was not replaced. On May 2, 2011, we replaced our $566.7 million unsecured credit facility with a new five-year $750 million unsecured credit


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
facility with an accordion feature that could increase our borrowing capacity to $1.0 billion. On September 30, 2011, we renewed our364-dayrevolving line of credit facility used to backstop letters of credit for our regulated operations and increased the borrowing capacity from $6.25 million to $10 million. As a result of these changes, we have $985 million of working capital funding from our commercial paper program and four committed revolving credit facilities with third-party lenders.
 
At September 30, 2011 and 2010, there was $206.4 million and $126.1 million outstanding under our commercial paper program. As of September 30, 2011 our commercial paper had maturities of less than one week with interest rates of 0.29 percent. We also use intercompany credit facilities to supplement the funding provided by these third-party committed credit facilities. These facilities are described in greater detail below.
 
Regulated Operations
 
We fund our regulated operations as needed, primarily through our commercial paper program and three committed revolving credit facilities with third-party lenders that provide approximately $785 million of working capital funding. The first facility is a five-year $750 million unsecured facility, expiring May 2016, that bears interest at a base rate or at a LIBOR-based rate for the applicable interest period, plus a spread ranging from zero percent to 2 percent, based on the Company’s credit ratings. This credit facility serves as a backup liquidity facility for our commercial paper program. At September 30, 2011, there were no borrowings under this facility, but we had $206.4 million of commercial paper outstanding leaving $543.6 million available.
 
The second facility is a $25 million unsecured facility that bears interest at a daily negotiated rate, generally based on the Federal Funds rate plus a variable margin. At September 30, 2011, there were no borrowings outstanding under this facility.
 
The third facility is a $10 million revolving credit facility used primarily to issue letters of credit that bears interest at a LIBOR-based rate. At September 30, 2011, there were no borrowings outstanding under this credit facility; however, letters of credit totaling $5.9 million had been issued under the facility at September 30, 2011, which reduced the amount available by a corresponding amount.
 
The availability of funds under these credit facilities is subject to conditions specified in the respective credit agreements, all of which we currently satisfy. These conditions include our compliance with financial covenants and the continued accuracy of representations and warranties contained in these agreements. We are required by the financial covenants in each of these facilities to maintain, at the end of each fiscal quarter, a ratio of total debt to total capitalization of no greater than 70 percent. At September 30, 2011, our total-debt-to-total-capitalization ratio, as defined, was 54 percent. In addition, both the interest margin over the Eurodollar rate and the fee that we pay on unused amounts under each of these facilities are subject to adjustment depending upon our credit ratings.
 
In addition to these third-party facilities, our regulated operations have a $350 million intercompany revolving credit facility with AEH. This facility bears interest at the lower of (i) the one-month LIBOR rate plus 0.45 percent or (ii) the marginal borrowing rate available to the Company on the date of borrowing. The marginal borrowing rate is defined as the lower of (i) a rate based upon the lower of the Prime Rate or the Eurodollar rate under the five year revolving credit facility or (ii) the lowest rate outstanding under the commercial paper program. Applicable state regulatory commissions have approved our use of this facility through December 31, 2011. There was $181.3 million outstanding under this facility at September 30, 2011.
 
Nonregulated Operations
 
Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC (AEM), which is wholly-owned by AEH, has a three-year $200 million committed revolving credit facility with a syndicate of third-party lenders with an accordion feature that could


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
increase AEM’s borrowing capacity to $500 million. The credit facility is primarily used to issue letters of credit and, on a less frequent basis, to borrow funds for gas purchases and other working capital needs.
 
At AEM’s option, borrowings made under the credit facility are based on a base rate or an offshore rate, in each case plus an applicable margin. The base rate is a floating rate equal to the higher of: (a) 0.50 percent per annum above the latest federal funds rate; (b) the per annum rate of interest established by BNP Paribas from time to time as its “prime rate” or “base rate” for U.S. dollar loans; (c) an offshore rate (based on LIBOR with a three-month interest period) as in effect from time to time; or (d) the “cost of funds” rate which is the cost of funds as reasonably determined by the administrative agent. The offshore rate is a floating rate equal to the higher of (a) an offshore rate based upon LIBOR for the applicable interest period; or (b) a “cost of funds” rate referred to above. In the case of both base rate and offshore rate loans, the applicable margin ranges from 1.875 percent to 2.25 percent per annum, depending on the excess tangible net worth of AEM, as defined in the credit facility. This facility has swing line loan features, which allow AEM to borrow, on a same day basis, an amount ranging from $6 million to $30 million based on the terms of an election within the agreement. This facility is collateralized by substantially all of the assets of AEM and is guaranteed by AEH.
 
At September 30, 2011, there were no borrowings outstanding under this credit facility. However, at September 30, 2011, AEM letters of credit totaling $20.2 million had been issued under the facility, which reduced the amount available by a corresponding amount. The amount available under this credit facility is also limited by various covenants, including covenants based on working capital. Under the most restrictive covenant, the amount available to AEM under this credit facility was $129.8 million at September 30, 2011.
 
AEM is required by the financial covenants in this facility to maintain a ratio of total liabilities to tangible net worth that does not exceed a maximum of 5 to 1. At September 30, 2011, AEM’s ratio of total liabilities to tangible net worth, as defined, was 1.33 to 1. Additionally, AEM must maintain minimum levels of net working capital and net worth ranging from $20 million to $40 million. As defined in the financial covenants, at September 30, 2011, AEM’s net working capital was $131.8 million and its tangible net worth was $144.5 million.
 
To supplement borrowings under this facility, AEH has a $350 million intercompany demand credit facility with AEC, which bears interest at a rate equal to the greater of (i) the one-month LIBOR rate plus 3.00 percent or (ii) the rate for AEM’s offshore borrowings under its committed credit facility plus 0.75 percent. Applicable state regulatory commissions have approved our use of this facility through December 31, 2011. There were no borrowings outstanding under this facility at September 30, 2011.
 
Shelf Registration
 
We have an effective shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that permits us to issue a total of $1.3 billion in common stockand/or debt securities. The shelf registration statement has been approved by all requisite state regulatory commissions. Due to certain restrictions imposed by one state regulatory commission on our ability to issue securities under the new registration statement, we were able to issue a total of $950 million in debt securities and $350 million in equity securities prior to our $400 million senior notes offering in June 2011. At September 30, 2011, $900 million remains available for issuance. Of this amount, $550 million is available for the issuance of debt securities and $350 million remains available for the issuance of equity securities under the shelf until March 2013.
 
Debt Covenants
 
In addition to the financial covenants described above, our credit facilities and public indentures contain usual and customary covenants for our business, including covenants substantially limiting liens, substantial asset sales and mergers.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Additionally, our public debt indentures relating to our senior notes and debentures, as well as our revolving credit agreements, each contain a default provision that is triggered if outstanding indebtedness arising out of any other credit agreements in amounts ranging from in excess of $15 million to in excess of $100 million becomes due by acceleration or is not paid at maturity.
 
Further, AEM’s credit agreement contains a cross-default provision whereby AEM would be in default if it defaults on other indebtedness, as defined, by at least $250 thousand in the aggregate.
 
Finally, AEM’s credit agreement contains a provision that would limit the amount of credit available if Atmos Energy were downgraded below an S&P rating of BBB and a Moody’s rating of Baa2. We have no other triggering events in our debt instruments that are tied to changes in specified credit ratings or stock price, nor have we entered into any transactions that would require us to issue equity, based on our credit rating or other triggering events.
 
We were in compliance with all of our debt covenants as of September 30, 2011. If we were unable to comply with our debt covenants, we would likely be required to repay our outstanding balances on demand, provide additional collateral or take other corrective actions.
 
Maturities of long-term debt at September 30, 2011 were as follows (in thousands):
 
     
2012
 $2,434 
2013
  250,131 
2014
  — 
2015
  500,000 
2016
  — 
Thereafter
  1,460,000 
     
  $2,212,565 
     
 
8.  Stock and Other Compensation Plans
 
Share Repurchase Agreement
 
On, July 1, 2010, we entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement with Goldman Sachs & Co. under which we repurchased $100 million of our outstanding common stock in order to offset stock grants made under our various employee and director incentive compensation plans. We paid $100 million to Goldman Sachs & Co. on July 7, 2010 in a share forward transaction and received 2,958,580 shares of Atmos Energy common stock. On March 4, 2011, we received and retired an additional 375,468 common shares which concluded our share repurchase agreement. In total, we received and retired 3,334,048 common shares under the repurchase agreement. The final number of shares we ultimately repurchased in the transaction was based generally on the average of the effective share repurchase price of our common stock over the duration of the agreement, which was $29.99. As a result of this transaction, beginning in our fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, the number of outstanding shares used to calculate our earnings per share was reduced by the number of shares received and the $100 million purchase price was recorded as a reduction in shareholders’ equity.
 
Share Repurchase Program
 
On September 28, 2011 our Board of Directors approved a new program authorizing the repurchase of up to five million shares of common stock over a five-year period. Although the program is authorized for a five-year period, it may be terminated or limited at any time. Shares may be repurchased in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in amounts the company deems appropriate. The program is primarily intended to minimize the dilutive effect of equity grants under various benefit related incentive compensation plans of the company.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Stock-Based Compensation Plans
 
Total stock-based compensation expense was $11.6 million, $12.7 million and $14.5 million for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009, primarily related to restricted stock costs.
 
1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan
 
In August 1998, the Board of Directors approved and adopted the 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP), which became effective in October 1998 after approval by our shareholders. The LTIP is a comprehensive, long-term incentive compensation plan providing for discretionary awards of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, bonus stock, time-lapse restricted stock, time-lapse restricted stock units, performance-based restricted stock units and stock units to certain employees and non-employee directors of the Company and our subsidiaries. The objectives of this plan include attracting and retaining the best personnel, providing for additional performance incentives and promoting our success by providing employees with the opportunity to acquire common stock.
 
As of September 30, 2011, we are authorized to grant awards for up to a maximum of 6.5 million shares of common stock under this plan subject to certain adjustment provisions. In February 2011, shareholders voted to increase the number of authorized LTIP shares by 2.2 million shares. On October 19, 2011, we received all required state regulatory approvals to increase the maximum number of authorized LTIP shares to 8.7 million shares, subject to certain adjustment provisions. On October 28, 2011, we filed with the SEC a registration statement onForm S-8to register an additional 2.2 million shares; we also listed such shares with the New York Stock Exchange. As of September 30, 2011, non-qualified stock options, bonus stock, time-lapse restricted stock, time-lapse restricted stock units, performance-based restricted stock units and stock units had been issued under this plan, and 319,700 shares were available for future issuance. The option price of the stock options issued under this plan is equal to the market price of our stock at the date of grant. These stock options expire 10 years from the date of the grant and vest annually over a service period ranging from one to three years. However, no stock options have been granted under this plan since fiscal 2003, except for a limited number of options that were converted from bonuses paid under our Annual Incentive Plan, the last of which occurred in fiscal 2006.
 
Restricted Stock Plans
 
As noted above, the LTIP provides for discretionary awards of restricted stock units to help attract, retain and reward employees of Atmos Energy and its subsidiaries. Certain of these awards vest based upon the passage of time and other awards vest based upon the passage of time and the achievement of specified performance targets. The fair value of the awards granted is based on the market price of our stock at the date of grant. The associated expense is recognized ratably over the vesting period.
 
Employees who are granted shares of time-lapse restricted stock under our LTIP have a nonforfeitable right to dividends that are paid at the same rate at which they are paid on shares of stock without restrictions. In addition, employees who are granted shares of time-lapse restricted stock units under our LTIP have a nonforfeitable right to dividend equivalents that are paid at the same rate at which they are paid on shares of stock without restrictions. Both time-lapse restricted stock and time-lapse restricted stock units contain only a service condition that the employee recipients render continuous services to the Company for a period of three years from the date of grant, except for accelerated vesting in the event of death, disability, change of control of the Company or termination without cause (with certain exceptions). There are no performance conditions required to be met for employees to be vested in either the time-lapse restricted stock or time-lapse restricted stock units.
 
Employees who are granted shares of performance-based restricted stock units under our LTIP have a forfeitable right to dividends that accrue at the same rate at which they are paid on shares of stock without


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
restrictions. Dividends on the performance-based restricted stock units are paid in the form of shares upon the vesting of the award. Performance-based restricted stock units contain a service condition that the employee recipients render continuous services to the Company for a period of three years from the date of grant, except for accelerated vesting in the event of death, disability, change of control of the Company or termination without cause (with certain exceptions) and a performance condition based on a cumulative earnings per share target amount.
 
The following summarizes information regarding the restricted stock issued under the plan during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009:
 
                         
  2011  2010  2009 
     Weighted
     Weighted
     Weighted
 
     Average
     Average
     Average
 
  Number of
  Grant-Date
  Number of
  Grant-Date
  Number of
  Grant-Date
 
  Restricted
  Fair
  Restricted
  Fair
  Restricted
  Fair
 
  Shares  Value  Shares  Value  Shares  Value 
 
Nonvested at beginning of year
  1,293,960  $27.28   1,295,841  $27.23   1,096,770  $29.04 
Granted
  491,345   33.10   551,278   29.07   711,909   25.76 
Vested
  (464,321)  27.21   (493,957)  29.24   (499,267)  29.05 
Forfeited
  (56,842)  27.56   (59,202)  26.54   (13,571)  28.92 
                         
Nonvested at end of year
  1,264,142  $29.56   1,293,960  $27.28   1,295,841  $27.23 
                         
 
As of September 30, 2011, there was $18.0 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested time-lapse restricted shares and restricted stock units granted under the LTIP. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.5 years. The fair value of restricted stock vested during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 was $12.6 million, $14.4 million and $14.5 million.
 
Stock Option Plan
 
A summary of stock option activity under the LTIP follows:
 
                         
  2011  2010  2009 
     Weighted
     Weighted
     Weighted
 
     Average
     Average
     Average
 
  Number of
  Exercise
  Number of
  Exercise
  Number of
  Exercise
 
  Options  Price  Options  Price  Options  Price 
 
Outstanding at beginning of year
  434,962  $22.46   611,227  $21.88   913,841  $22.54 
Granted
  —   —   —   —   —   — 
Exercised
  (348,196)  22.54   (176,265)  20.44   (130,965)  21.99 
Forfeited
  —   —   —   —   —   — 
Expired
  —   —   —   —   (171,649)  25.31 
                         
Outstanding at end of year(1)
  86,766  $22.16   434,962  $22.46   611,227  $21.88 
                         
Exercisable at end of year(2)
  86,766  $22.16   434,962  $22.46   611,227  $21.88 
                         
 
 
(1)The weighted-average remaining contractual life for outstanding options was 1.7 years, 1.6 years, and 2.4 years for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009. The aggregate intrinsic value of outstanding options was $0.3 million, $1.6 million and $2.1 million for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
(2)The weighted-average remaining contractual life for exercisable options was 1.7 years, 1.6 years and 2.4 years for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009. The aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options was $0.3 million, $1.6 million and $2.1 million for the fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
 
Information about outstanding and exercisable options under the LTIP, as of September 30, 2011, is reflected in the following tables:
 
             
  Options Outstanding and Exercisable 
     Weighted
    
     Average
  Weighted
 
     Remaining
  Average
 
  Number of
  Contractual Life
  Exercise
 
Range of Exercise Prices
 Options  (in years)  Price 
 
$21.23 to $22.99
  71,064   1.4  $21.31 
$23.00 to $26.19
  15,702   3.3  $26.00 
             
$21.23 to $26.19
  86,766   1.7  $22.16 
             
 
             
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands, except per share data) 
 
Grant date weighted average fair value per share
 $—  $—  $— 
Net cash proceeds from stock option exercises
 $7,848  $3,604  $2,880 
Income tax benefit from stock option exercises
 $1,010  $547  $177 
Total intrinsic value of options exercised
 $1,263  $239  $262 
 
As of September 30, 2011, there was no unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock options.
 
Other Plans
 
Direct Stock Purchase Plan
 
We maintain a Direct Stock Purchase Plan, open to all investors, which allows participants to have all or part of their cash dividends paid quarterly in additional shares of our common stock. The minimum initial investment required to join the plan is $1,250. Direct Stock Purchase Plan participants may purchase additional shares of our common stock as often as weekly with voluntary cash payments of at least $25, up to an annual maximum of $100,000.
 
Outside DirectorsStock-For-FeePlan
 
In November 1994, the Board of Directors adopted the Outside DirectorsStock-for-FeePlan which was approved by our shareholders in February 1995. The plan permits non-employee directors to receive all or part of their annual retainer and meeting fees in stock rather than in cash.
 
Equity Incentive and Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors
 
In November 1998, the Board of Directors adopted the Equity Incentive and Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors which was approved by our shareholders in February 1999. This plan amended the Atmos Energy Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan for Outside Directors adopted by the Company in May 1990 and replaced the pension payable under our Retirement Plan for Non-Employee Directors. The plan provides non-employee directors of Atmos Energy with the opportunity to defer receipt, until retirement, of compensation for services rendered to the Company, invest deferred compensation into either a cash account or a stock account and to receive an annual grant of share units for each year of service on the Board.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Other Discretionary Compensation Plans
 
We adopted the Variable Pay Plan in fiscal 1999 for our regulated segments’ employees to give each employee an opportunity to share in our financial success based on the achievement of key performance measures considered critical to achieving business objectives for a given year and has minimum and maximum thresholds. The plan must meet the minimum threshold for the plan to be funded and distributed to employees. These performance measures may include earnings growth objectives, improved cash flow objectives or crucial customer satisfaction and safety results. We monitor progress towards the achievement of the performance measures throughout the year and record accruals based upon the expected payout using the best estimates available at the time the accrual is recorded. During the last several fiscal years, we have used earnings per share as our sole performance measure.
 
In addition, we adopted an incentive plan in October 2001 to give the employees in our nonregulated segment an opportunity to share in the success of the nonregulated operations. In fiscal 2010, we modified the award structure of the plan to reflect the different performance goals of the front and back office employees of our nonregulated operations. The front office award structure is based on a fixed percentage of the net income of our nonregulated operations that represents the available award pool for eligible employees. There is no minimum or maximum threshold for the available award pool. The back office award structure is based upon the net earnings of the nonregulated operations and has minimum and maximum thresholds. The plan must meet the minimum threshold in order for the plan to be funded and distributed to employees. We monitor the progress toward the achievement of the thresholds throughout the year and record accruals based upon the expected payout using the best estimates available at the time the accrual is recorded.
 
9.  Retirement and Post-Retirement Employee Benefit Plans
 
We have both funded and unfunded noncontributory defined benefit plans that together cover substantially all of our employees. We also maintain post-retirement plans that provide health care benefits to retired employees. Finally, we sponsor defined contribution plans which cover substantially all employees. These plans are discussed in further detail below.
 
As a rate regulated entity, we generally recover our pension costs in our rates over a period of up to 15 years. The amounts that have not yet been recognized in net periodic pension cost that have been recorded as regulatory assets are as follows:
 
                 
     Supplemental
       
  Defined
  Executive
  Postretirement
    
  Benefits Plans  Retirement Plans  Plans  Total 
  (In thousands) 
 
September 30, 2011
                
Unrecognized transition obligation
 $—  $—  $3,220  $3,220 
Unrecognized prior service cost
  (373)  —   (8,861)  (9,234)
Unrecognized actuarial loss
  182,486   30,654   47,540   260,680 
                 
  $182,113  $30,654  $41,899  $254,666 
                 
September 30, 2010
                
Unrecognized transition obligation
 $—  $—  $4,731  $4,731 
Unrecognized prior service cost
  (842)  —   (10,311)  (11,153)
Unrecognized actuarial loss
  159,539   30,753   25,694   215,986 
                 
  $158,697  $30,753  $20,114  $209,564 
                 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Defined Benefit Plans
 
Employee Pension Plans
 
As of September 30, 2011, we maintained two defined benefit plans: the Atmos Energy Corporation Pension Account Plan (the Plan) and the Atmos Energy Corporation Retirement Plan for Mississippi Valley Gas Union Employees (the Union Plan) (collectively referred to as the Plans). The assets of the Plans are held within the Atmos Energy Corporation Master Retirement Trust (the Master Trust).
 
The Plan is a cash balance pension plan that was established effective January 1999 and covers substantially all employees of Atmos Energy’s regulated operations. Opening account balances were established for participants as of January 1999 equal to the present value of their respective accrued benefits under the pension plans which were previously in effect as of December 31, 1998. The Plan credits an allocation to each participant’s account at the end of each year according to a formula based on the participant’s age, service and total pay (excluding incentive pay).
 
The Plan also provides for an additional annual allocation based upon a participant’s age as of January 1, 1999 for those participants who were participants in the prior pension plans. The Plan credited this additional allocation each year through December 31, 2008. In addition, at the end of each year, a participant’s account will be credited with interest on the employee’s prior year account balance. A special grandfather benefit also applied through December 31, 2008, for participants who were at least age 50 as of January 1, 1999, and who were participants in one of the prior plans on December 31, 1998. Participants are fully vested in their account balances after three years of service and may choose to receive their account balances as a lump sum or an annuity. In August 2010, the Board of Directors of Atmos Energy approved a proposal to close the Plan to new participants effective October 1, 2010. Additionally, employees participating in the Plan as of October 1, 2010 were allowed to make a one-time election to migrate from the Plan into our defined contribution plan which was enhanced, effective January 1, 2011.
 
The Union Plan is a defined benefit plan that covers substantially all full-time union employees in our Mississippi Division. Under this plan, benefits are based upon years of benefit service and average final earnings. Participants vest in the plan after five years and will receive their benefit in an annuity.
 
Generally, our funding policy is to contribute annually an amount in accordance with the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, including the funding requirements under the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA). However, additional voluntary contributions are made from time to time as considered necessary. Contributions are intended to provide not only for benefits attributed to service to date but also for those expected to be earned in the future.
 
During fiscal 2011 and 2009, we contributed $0.9 million and $21.0 million in cash to the Plans to achieve a desired level of funding while maximizing the tax deductibility of this payment. In fiscal 2010, we did not make any contributions to our pension plans. Based upon market conditions subsequent to September 30, 2011, the current funded position of the plans and the new funding requirements under the PPA, we anticipate contributing between $25 million and $30 million to the Plans in fiscal 2012. Further, we will consider whether an additional voluntary contribution is prudent to maintain certain PPA funding thresholds.
 
We manage the Master Trust’s assets with the objective of achieving a rate of return net of inflation of approximately four percent per year. We make investment decisions and evaluate performance on a medium-term horizon of at least three to five years. We also consider our current financial status when making recommendations and decisions regarding the Master Trust’s assets. Finally, we strive to ensure the Master Trust’s assets are appropriately invested to maintain an acceptable level of risk and meet the Master Trust’s long-term asset investment policy adopted by the Board of Directors.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
To achieve these objectives, we invest the Master Trust’s assets in equity securities, fixed income securities, interests in commingled pension trust funds, other investment assets and cash and cash equivalents. Investments in equity securities are diversified among the market’s various subsectors in an effort to diversify risk and maximize returns. Fixed income securities are invested in investment grade securities. Cash equivalents are invested in securities that either are short term (less than 180 days) or readily convertible to cash with modest risk.
 
The following table presents asset allocation information for the Master Trust as of September 30, 2011 and 2010.
 
           
    Actual Allocation
  Targeted
 September 30
Security Class
 Allocation Range 2011 2010
 
Domestic equities
 35%-55%  40.4%  44.1%
International equities
 10% - 20%  13.6%  14.4%
Fixed income
 10%-30%  21.3%  19.0%
Company stock
 5%-15%  13.5%  11.3%
Other assets
 5%-15%  11.2%  11.2%
 
At September 30, 2011 and 2010, the Plan held 1,169,700 shares of our common stock, which represented 13.5 percent and 11.3 percent of total Master Trust assets. These shares generated dividend income for the Plan of approximately $1.6 million and $1.6 million during fiscal 2011 and 2010.
 
Our employee pension plan expenses and liabilities are determined on an actuarial basis and are affected by numerous assumptions and estimates including the market value of plan assets, estimates of the expected return on plan assets and assumed discount rates and demographic data. We review the estimates and assumptions underlying our employee pension plans annually based upon a September 30 measurement date. The development of our assumptions is fully described in our significant accounting policies in Note 2. The actuarial assumptions used to determine the pension liability for the Plans were determined as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 and the actuarial assumptions used to determine the net periodic pension cost for the Plans were determined as of September 30, 2010, 2009 and 2008. These assumptions are presented in the following table:
 
                     
  Pension Liability Pension Cost
  2011 2010 2011 2010 2009
 
Discount rate
  5.05%  5.39%  5.39%(1)  5.52%  7.57%
Rate of compensation increase
  3.50%  4.00%  4.00%  4.00%  4.00%
Expected return on plan assets
  7.75%  8.25%  8.25%  8.25%  8.25%
 
 
(1)The discount rate for the Pension Account Plan increased from 5.39% to 5.68% effective January 1, 2011 due to a curtailment gain recorded in the current fiscal year.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
 
The following table presents the Plans’ accumulated benefit obligation, projected benefit obligation and funded status as of September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
         
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Accumulated benefit obligation
 $414,489  $391,915 
         
Change in projected benefit obligation:
        
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
 $407,536  $380,045 
Service cost
  14,384   13,499 
Interest cost
  22,264   20,870 
Actuarial loss
  12,944   19,809 
Benefits paid
  (27,534)  (26,687)
Curtailments
  (162)  — 
         
Benefit obligation at end of year
  429,432   407,536 
Change in plan assets:
        
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
  301,708   301,146 
Actual return on plan assets
  5,154   27,249 
Employer contributions
  876   — 
Benefits paid
  (27,534)  (26,687)
         
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
  280,204   301,708 
         
Reconciliation:
        
Funded status
  (149,228)  (105,828)
Unrecognized prior service cost
  —   — 
Unrecognized net loss
  —   — 
         
Net amount recognized
 $(149,228) $(105,828)
         
 
Net periodic pension cost for the Plans for fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009 is recorded as operating expense and included the following components:
 
             
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Components of net periodic pension cost:
            
Service cost
 $14,384  $13,499  $12,951 
Interest cost
  22,264   20,870   24,060 
Expected return on assets
  (24,817)  (25,280)  (24,950)
Amortization of prior service cost
  (429)  (960)  (946)
Recognized actuarial loss
  9,498   9,290   3,742 
Curtailment gain
  (40)  —   — 
             
Net periodic pension cost
 $20,860  $17,419  $14,857 
             
 
The following table sets forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the Master Trust’s assets at fair value as of September 30, 2011 and 2010. As required by authoritative accounting literature, assets are categorized in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The methods used to determine fair value for the assets held by the Master Trust are fully described in Note 2.


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
In addition to the assets shown below, the Master Trust had net accounts receivable of $0.4 million and $0.1 million at September 30, 2011 and 2010 which materially approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of these assets.
 
                 
  Assets at Fair Value as of September 30, 2011 
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total 
  (In thousands) 
 
Investments:
                
Common stocks
 $94,336  $—  $—  $94,336 
Money market funds
  —   9,383   —   9,383 
Registered investment companies
  27,236   —   —   27,236 
Common/collective trusts
  53,309   —   —   53,309 
Government securities
  4,946   18,907   —   23,853 
Corporate bonds
  —   33,636   —   33,636 
Limited partnerships
  —   37,806   —   37,806 
Real estate
  —   —   200   200 
                 
Total investments at fair value
 $179,827  $99,732  $200  $279,759 
                 
 
                 
  Assets at Fair Value as of September 30, 2010 
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total 
  (In thousands) 
 
Investments:
                
Common stocks
 $116,315  $—  $—  $116,315 
Money market funds
  —   10,013   —   10,013 
Registered investment companies
  32,601   —   —   32,601 
Common/collective trusts
  —   48,920   —   48,920 
Government securities
  5,548   16,296   —   21,844 
Corporate bonds
  —   33,987   —   33,987 
Limited partnerships
  —   37,691   —   37,691 
Real estate
  —   —   200   200 
                 
Total investments at fair value
 $154,464  $146,907  $200  $301,571 
                 
 
The fair value of our Level 3 real estate assets was determined based on independent third party appraisals. There were no changes in the fair value of the Level 3 assets during the year ended September 30, 2011.
 
Supplemental Executive Benefits Plans
 
We have a nonqualified Supplemental Executive Benefits Plan which provides additional pension, disability and death benefits to our officers, division presidents and certain other employees of the Company who were employed on or before August 12, 1998. In addition, in August 1998, we adopted the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) (formerly known as the Performance-Based Supplemental Executive Benefits Plan), which covers all employees who become officers or division presidents after August 12, 1998 or any other employees selected by our Board of Directors at its discretion.
 
In August 2009, the Board of Directors determined that there would be no new participants in the SERP subsequent to August 5, 2009, except for any corporate officers who may be appointed to the Management Committee. The SERP is a defined benefit arrangement which provides a benefit equal to 60 percent of


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
covered compensation under which benefits paid from the underlying qualified defined benefit plan are an offset to the benefits under the SERP. However, the Board also established a new defined benefit supplemental executive retirement plan (the 2009 SERP), effective August 5, 2009, with each participant being selected by the Board, with each such participant being either (i) a corporate officer (other than such officer who is appointed as a member of the Company’s Management Committee), (ii) a division president or (iii) an employee selected in the discretion of the Board. Under the 2009 SERP, a nominal account has been established for each participant, to which the Company contributes at the end of each calendar year an amount equal to ten percent of the total of each participant’s base salary and cash incentive compensation earned during each prior calendar year, beginning December 31, 2009. The benefits vest after three years of service and attainment of age 55 and earn interest credits at the same annual rate as the Company’s Pension Account Plan (currently 4.69%).
 
Similar to our employee pension plans, we review the estimates and assumptions underlying our supplemental executive benefit plans annually based upon a September 30 measurement date using the same techniques as our employee pension plans. The actuarial assumptions used to determine the pension liability for the supplemental plans were determined as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 and the actuarial assumptions used to determine the net periodic pension cost for the supplemental plans were determined as of September 30, 2010, 2009 and 2008. These assumptions are presented in the following table:
 
                     
  Pension Liability Pension Cost
  2011 2010 2011 2010 2009
 
Discount rate
  5.05%  5.39%  5.39%  5.52%  7.57%
Rate of compensation increase
  3.50%  4.00%  4.00%  4.00%  4.00%
 
The following table presents the supplemental plans’ accumulated benefit obligation, projected benefit obligation and funded status as of September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
         
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Accumulated benefit obligation
 $104,363  $99,673 
         
Change in projected benefit obligation:
        
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
 $108,919  $102,747 
Service cost
  2,768   2,476 
Interest cost
  5,825   5,224 
Actuarial loss
  2,140   3,043 
Benefits paid
  (7,537)  (4,571)
         
Benefit obligation at end of year
  112,115   108,919 
Change in plan assets:
        
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
  —   — 
Employer contribution
  7,537   4,571 
Benefits paid
  (7,537)  (4,571)
         
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
  —   — 
         
Reconciliation:
        
Funded status
  (112,115)  (108,919)
Unrecognized prior service cost
  —   — 
Unrecognized net loss
  —   — 
         
Accrued pension cost
 $(112,115) $(108,919)
         


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Assets for the supplemental plans are held in separate rabbi trusts. At September 30, 2011 and 2010, assets held in the rabbi trusts consisted ofavailable-for-salesecurities of $38.3 million and $41.5 million, which are included in our fair value disclosures in Note 5.
 
Net periodic pension cost for the supplemental plans for fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009 is recorded as operating expense and included the following components:
 
             
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Components of net periodic pension cost:
            
Service cost
 $2,768  $2,476  $1,985 
Interest cost
  5,825   5,224   6,056 
Amortization of transition asset
  —   —   — 
Amortization of prior service cost
  —   187   212 
Recognized actuarial loss
  2,239   1,999   324 
Curtailment
  —   —   1,645 
             
Net periodic pension cost
 $10,832  $9,886  $10,222 
             
 
Supplemental Disclosures for Defined Benefit Plans with Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Plan Assets
 
The following summarizes key information for our defined benefit plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets. For fiscal 2011 and 2010 the accumulated benefit obligation for our supplemental plans exceeded the fair value of plan assets.
 
         
  Supplemental Plans
  2011 2010
  (In thousands)
 
Projected Benefit Obligation
 $112,115  $108,919 
Accumulated Benefit Obligation
  104,363   99,673 
Fair Value of Plan Assets
  —   — 
 
Estimated Future Benefit Payments
 
The following benefit payments for our defined benefit plans, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid in the following fiscal years:
 
         
  Pension
 Supplemental
  Plans Plans
  (In thousands)
 
2012
 $35,286  $25,116 
2013
  33,109   6,910 
2014
  31,753   4,738 
2015
  30,633   6,862 
2016
  30,648   4,622 
2017-2021
  146,923   43,625 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Postretirement Benefits
 
We sponsor the Retiree Medical Plan for Retirees and Disabled Employees of Atmos Energy Corporation (the Atmos Retiree Medical Plan). This plan provides medical and prescription drug protection to all qualified participants based on their date of retirement. The Atmos Retiree Medical Plan provides different levels of benefits depending on the level of coverage chosen by the participants and the terms of predecessor plans; however, we generally pay 80 percent of the projected net claims and administrative costs and participants pay the remaining 20 percent of this cost.
 
As of September 30, 2009, the Board of Directors approved a change to the cost sharing methodology for employees who had not met the participation requirements by that date for the Atmos Retiree Medical Plan. Starting on January 1, 2015, the contribution rates that will apply to all non-grandfathered participants will be determined using a new cost sharing methodology by which Atmos Energy will limit its contribution to a three percent cost increase in claims and administrative costs each year. If medical costs covered by the Atmos Retiree Medical Plan increase more than three percent annually, participants will be responsible for the additional cost.
 
Generally, our funding policy is to contribute annually an amount in accordance with the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. However, additional voluntary contributions are made annually as considered necessary. Contributions are intended to provide not only for benefits attributed to service to date but also for those expected to be earned in the future. We expect to contribute $31.5 million to our postretirement benefits plan during fiscal 2012.
 
We maintain a formal investment policy with respect to the assets in our postretirement benefits plan to ensure the assets funding the postretirement benefit plan are appropriately invested to maintain an acceptable level of risk. We also consider our current financial status when making recommendations and decisions regarding the postretirement benefits plan.
 
We currently invest the assets funding our postretirement benefit plan in diversified investment funds which consist of common stocks, preferred stocks and fixed income securities. The diversified investment funds may invest up to 75 percent of assets in common stocks and convertible securities. The following table presents asset allocation information for the postretirement benefit plan assets as of September 30, 2011 and 2010.
 
         
  Actual Allocation
  September 30
Security Class
 2011 2010
 
Diversified investment funds
  96.8%  97.5%
Cash and cash equivalents
  3.2%  2.5%
 
Similar to our employee pension and supplemental plans, we review the estimates and assumptions underlying our postretirement benefit plan annually based upon a September 30 measurement date using the same techniques as our employee pension plans. The actuarial assumptions used to determine the pension liability for our postretirement plan were determined as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 and the actuarial


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
assumptions used to determine the net periodic pension cost for the postretirement plan were determined as of September 30, 2010, 2009 and 2008. The assumptions are presented in the following table:
 
                     
  Postretirement
    
  Liability  Postretirement Cost 
  2011  2010  2011  2010  2009 
 
Discount rate
  5.05%  5.39%  5.39%  5.52%  7.57%
Expected return on plan assets
  5.00%  5.00%  5.00%  5.00%  5.00%
Initial trend rate
  8.00%  8.00%  8.00%  7.50%  8.00%
Ultimate trend rate
  5.00%  5.00%  5.00%  5.00%  5.00%
Ultimate trend reached in
  2018   2016   2016   2015   2015 
 
The following table presents the postretirement plan’s benefit obligation and funded status as of September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
         
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Change in benefit obligation:
        
Benefit obligation at beginning of year
 $228,234  $209,732 
Service cost
  14,403   13,439 
Interest cost
  12,813   12,071 
Plan participants’ contributions
  2,892   2,734 
Actuarial loss
  17,966   2,980 
Benefits paid
  (13,046)  (12,722)
Subsidy payments
  432   — 
         
Benefit obligation at end of year
  263,694   228,234 
Change in plan assets:
        
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
  53,033   47,646 
Actual return on plan assets
  (1,500)  3,551 
Employer contributions
  11,254   11,824 
Plan participants’ contributions
  2,892   2,734 
Benefits paid
  (13,046)  (12,722)
Subsidy payments
  432   — 
         
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
  53,065   53,033 
         
Reconciliation:
        
Funded status
  (210,629)  (175,201)
Unrecognized transition obligation
  —   — 
Unrecognized prior service cost
  —   — 
Unrecognized net loss
  —   — 
         
Accrued postretirement cost
 $(210,629) $(175,201)
         


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Net periodic postretirement cost for fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009 is recorded as operating expense and included the components presented below.
 
             
  Fiscal Year Ended September 30 
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Components of net periodic postretirement cost:
            
Service cost
 $14,403  $13,439  $11,786 
Interest cost
  12,813   12,071   14,080 
Expected return on assets
  (2,727)  (2,460)  (2,292)
Amortization of transition obligation
  1,511   1,511   1,511 
Amortization of prior service cost
  (1,450)  (1,450)  — 
Recognized actuarial loss
  347   374   — 
             
Net periodic postretirement cost
 $24,897  $23,485  $25,085 
             
 
Assumed health care cost trend rates have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the plan. A one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effects on the latest actuarial calculations:
 
         
  One-Percentage
 One-Percentage
  Point Increase Point Decrease
  (In thousands)
 
Effect on total service and interest cost components
 $4,155  $(3,479)
Effect on postretirement benefit obligation
 $30,159  $(25,578)
 
We are currently recovering other postretirement benefits costs through our regulated rates under accrual accounting as prescribed by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States in substantially all of our service areas. Other postretirement benefits costs have been specifically addressed in rate orders in each jurisdiction served by our Kentucky/Mid-States Division and our Mississippi Division or have been included in a rate case and not disallowed. Management believes that this accounting method is appropriate and will continue to seek rate recovery of accrual-based expenses in its ratemaking jurisdictions that have not yet approved the recovery of these expenses.
 
The following table sets forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the Retiree Medical Plan’s assets at fair value as of September 30, 2011 and 2010. The methods used to determine fair value for the assets held by the Retiree Medical Plan are fully described in Note 2.
 
                 
  Assets at Fair Value as of September 30, 2011 
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total 
  (In thousands) 
 
Investments:
                
Money market funds
 $—  $1,707  $—  $1,707 
Registered investment companies
  51,358   —   —   51,358 
                 
Total investments at fair value
 $51,358  $1,707  $—  $53,065 
                 
 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
                 
  Assets at Fair Value as of September 30, 2010 
  Level 1  Level 2  Level 3  Total 
  (In thousands) 
 
Investments:
                
Money market funds
 $—  $1,307  $—  $1,307 
Registered investment companies
  51,726   —   —   51,726 
                 
Total investments at fair value
 $51,726  $1,307  $—  $53,033 
                 
 
Estimated Future Benefit Payments
 
The following benefit payments paid by us, retirees and prescription drug subsidy payments for our postretirement benefit plans, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid in the following fiscal years:
 
                 
        Total
  Company
 Retiree
 Subsidy
 Postretirement
  Payments Payments Payments Benefits
  (In thousands)
 
2012
 $31,519  $3,293  $—  $34,812 
2013
  13,272   3,895   —   17,167 
2014
  15,271   4,491   —   19,762 
2015
  16,789   5,026   —   21,815 
2016
  18,333   5,672   —   24,005 
2017-2021
  99,139   38,238   —   137,377 
 
Defined Contribution Plans
 
As of September 30, 2011, we maintained three defined contribution benefit plans: the Atmos Energy Corporation Retirement Savings Plan and Trust (the Retirement Savings Plan), the Atmos Energy Corporation Savings Plan for MVG Union Employees (the Union 401K Plan) and the Atmos Energy Holdings, LLC 401K Profit-Sharing Plan (the AEH 401K Profit-Sharing Plan).
 
The Retirement Savings Plan covers substantially all employees in our regulated operations and is subject to the provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Effective January 1, 2007, employees automatically became participants of the Retirement Savings Plan on the date of employment. Participants may elect a salary reduction ranging from a minimum of one percent up to a maximum of 65 percent of eligible compensation, as defined by the Plan, not to exceed the maximum allowed by the Internal Revenue Service. New participants are automatically enrolled in the Plan at a salary reduction amount of four percent of eligible compensation, from which they may opt out. We match 100 percent of a participant’s contributions, limited to four percent of the participant’s salary, in our common stock. However, participants have the option to immediately transfer this matching contribution into other funds held within the plan. Participants are eligible to receive matching contributions after completing one year of service. Participants are also permitted to take out loans against their accounts subject to certain restrictions. In August 2010, the Board of Directors of Atmos Energy approved a proposal to close the Pension Account Plan to new participants effective October 1, 2010. New employees participate in our defined contribution plan, which was enhanced, effective January 1, 2011. Employees participating in the Pension Account Plan as of October 1, 2010 were allowed to make a one-time election to migrate from the Plan into our defined contribution plan, effective January 1, 2011. Under the enhanced plan, participants will receive a fixed annual contribution of four percent of eligible earnings to their Retirement Savings Plan account. Participants will continue to be eligible for company

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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
matching contributions of up to four percent of their eligible earnings and will be fully vested in the fixed annual contribution after three years of service.
 
The Union 401K Plan covers substantially all Mississippi Division employees who are members of the International Chemical Workers Union Council, United Food and Commercial Workers Union International (the Union) and is subject to the provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Employees of the Union automatically become participants of the Union 401K plan on the date of union membership. We match 50 percent of a participant’s contribution in cash, limited to six percent of the participant’s eligible contribution. Participants are also permitted to take out loans against their accounts subject to certain restrictions.
 
Matching contributions to the Retirement Savings Plan and the Union 401K Plan are expensed as incurred and amounted to $10.2 million, $9.8 million, and $9.3 million for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009. The Board of Directors may also approve discretionary contributions, subject to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and applicable regulations of the Internal Revenue Service. No discretionary contributions were made for fiscal years 2011, 2010 or 2009. At September 30, 2011 and 2010, the Retirement Savings Plan held 4.5 percent and 4.3 percent of our outstanding common stock.
 
The AEH 401K Profit-Sharing Plan covers substantially all AEH employees and is subject to the provisions of Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. Participants may elect a salary reduction ranging from a minimum of one percent up to a maximum of 75 percent of eligible compensation, as defined by the Plan, not to exceed the maximum allowed by the Internal Revenue Service. The Company may elect to make safe harbor contributions up to four percent of the employee’s salary which vest immediately. The Company may also make discretionary profit sharing contributions to the AEH 401K Profit-Sharing Plan. Participants become fully vested in the discretionary profit-sharing contributions after three years of service. Participants are also permitted to take out loans against their accounts subject to certain restrictions. Discretionary contributions to the AEH 401K Profit-Sharing Plan are expensed as incurred and amounted to $1.3 million, $1.3 million and $1.2 million for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
10.  Details of Selected Consolidated Balance Sheet Captions
 
The following tables provide additional information regarding the composition of certain of our balance sheet captions.
 
Accounts receivable
 
Accounts receivable was comprised of the following at September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Billed accounts receivable
 $216,145  $223,129 
Unbilled revenue
  48,006   47,423 
Other accounts receivable
  16,592   15,356 
         
Total accounts receivable
  280,743   285,908 
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts
  (7,440)  (12,701)
         
Net accounts receivable
 $273,303  $273,207 
         


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Other current assets
 
Other current assets as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 were comprised of the following accounts.
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Assets from risk management activities
 $18,344  $20,575 
Deferred gas costs
  33,976   22,701 
Taxes receivable
  9,215   19,382 
Current deferred tax asset
  76,725   53,926 
Prepaid expenses
  22,499   24,754 
Current portion of leased assets receivable
  2,013   2,973 
Materials and supplies
  4,113   3,940 
Assets held for sale
  140,571   — 
Other
  9,015   2,744 
         
Total
 $316,471  $150,995 
         
 
As discussed in Note 6, assets and liabilities related to our Missouri, Illinois and Iowa operations are classified as “assets held for sale” in other current assets and liabilities in our consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2011.
 
Property, plant and equipment
 
Property, plant and equipment was comprised of the following as of September 30, 2011 and 2010:
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Production plant
 $7,412  $17,360 
Storage plant
  198,422   193,155 
Transmission plant
  1,126,509   1,108,398 
Distribution plant
  4,496,263   4,339,277 
General plant
  737,850   671,953 
Intangible plant
  41,096   54,253 
         
   6,607,552   6,384,396 
Construction in progress
  209,242   157,922 
         
   6,816,794   6,542,318 
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization
  (1,668,876)  (1,749,243)
         
Net property, plant and equipment
 $5,147,918  $4,793,075 
         


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Deferred charges and other assets
 
Deferred charges and other assets as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 were comprised of the following accounts.
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Marketable securities
 $52,633  $41,466 
Regulatory assets
  278,920   254,809 
Deferred financing costs
  35,149   35,761 
Assets from risk management activities
  998   937 
Other
  16,093   22,403 
         
Total
 $383,793  $355,376 
         
 
Other current liabilities
 
Other current liabilities as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 were comprised of the following accounts.
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Customer credit balances and deposits
 $106,743  $114,215 
Accrued employee costs
  38,558   40,642 
Deferred gas costs
  8,130   43,333 
Accrued interest
  37,557   42,901 
Liabilities from risk management activities
  15,453   49,673 
Taxes payable
  57,853   56,616 
Pension and postretirement obligations
  33,036   14,815 
Regulatory cost of removal accrual
  35,078   30,953 
Liabilities held for sale
  18,445   — 
Other
  16,710   20,492 
         
Total
 $367,563  $413,640 
         
 
Deferred credits and other liabilities
 
Deferred credits and other liabilities as of September 30, 2011 and 2010 were comprised of the following accounts.
 
         
  September 30 
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Postretirement obligations
 $202,709  $167,899 
Retirement plan obligations
  236,227   207,234 
Customer advances for construction
  13,967   15,466 
Regulatory liabilities
  13,823   6,112 
Asset retirement obligation
  13,574   11,432 
Uncertain tax positions
  —   6,731 
Liabilities from risk management activities
  78,089   8,924 
Other
  6,306   6,366 
         
Total
 $564,695  $430,164 
         


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
11.  Earnings Per Share
 
Since we have non-vested share-based payments with a nonforfeitable right to dividends or dividend equivalents (referred to as participating securities) we are required to use the two-class method of computing earnings per share. The Company’s non-vested restricted stock and restricted stock units, granted under the LTIP, for which vesting is predicated solely on the passage of time, are considered to be participating securities. The calculation of earnings per share using the two-class method excludes income attributable to these participating securities from the numerator and excludes the dilutive impact of those shares from the denominator.
 
Basic and diluted earnings per share for the fiscal years ended September 30 are calculated as follows:
 
             
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands, except per share data) 
 
Basic Earnings Per Share from continuing operations
            
Income from continuing operations
 $198,884  $198,273  $183,299 
Less: Income from continuing operations allocated to participating securities
  2,077   2,029   1,712 
             
Income from continuing operations available to common shareholders
 $196,807  $196,244  $181,587 
             
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
  90,201   91,852   91,117 
             
Income from continuing operations per share — Basic
 $2.18  $2.14  $1.99 
             
Basic Earnings Per Share from discontinued operations
            
Income from discontinued operations
 $8,717  $7,566  $7,679 
Less: Income from discontinued operations allocated to participating securities
  91   77   72 
             
Income from discontinued operations available to common shareholders
 $8,626  $7,489  $7,607 
             
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
  90,201   91,852   91,117 
             
Income from discontinued operations per share — Basic
 $0.10  $0.08  $0.09 
             
Net income per share — Basic
 $2.28  $2.22  $2.08 
             
 


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
             
Diluted Earnings Per Share from continuing operations
            
Income from continuing operations available to common shareholders
 $196,807  $196,244  $181,587 
Effect of dilutive stock options and other shares
  4   5   4 
             
Income from continuing operations available to common shareholders
 $196,811  $196,249  $181,591 
             
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
  90,201   91,852   91,117 
Additional dilutive stock options and other shares
  451   570   503 
             
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
  90,652   92,422   91,620 
             
Income from continuing operations per share — Diluted
 $2.17  $2.12  $1.98 
             
Diluted Earnings Per Share from discontinued operations
            
Income from discontinued operations available to common shareholders
 $8,626  $7,489  $7,607 
Effect of dilutive stock options and other shares
  —   —   — 
             
Income from discontinued operations available to common shareholders
 $8,626  $7,489  $7,607 
             
Basic weighted average shares outstanding
  90,201   91,852   91,117 
Additional dilutive stock options and other shares
  451   570   503 
             
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding
  90,652   92,422   91,620 
             
Income from discontinued operations per share — Diluted
 $0.10  $0.08  $0.09 
             
Net income per share — Diluted
 $2.27  $2.20  $2.07 
             
 
There were noout-of-the-moneyoptions excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011 and 2010. There were approximately 70,000out-of-the-moneyoptions excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2009.
 
12.  Income Taxes
 
The components of income tax expense from continuing operations for 2011, 2010 and 2009 were as follows:
 
             
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Current
            
Federal
 $(11,204) $(72,234) $(37,141)
State
  6,533   6,179   8,720 
Deferred
            
Federal
  112,612   179,271   134,912 
State
  5,920   11,429   (8,739)
Investment tax credits
  (172)  (283)  (390)
             
  $113,689  $124,362  $97,362 
             

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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Reconciliations of the provision for income taxes computed at the statutory rate to the reported provisions for income taxes from continuing operations for 2011, 2010 and 2009 are set forth below:
 
             
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Tax at statutory rate of 35%
 $109,401  $112,922  $98,231 
Common stock dividends deductible for tax reporting
  (1,930)  (1,785)  (1,591)
Penalties
  2,294   107   72 
Settlement of uncertain tax positions
  (4,950)  —   — 
State taxes (net of federal benefit)
  8,184   11,445   (13)
Other, net
  690   1,673   663 
             
Income tax expense
 $113,689  $124,362  $97,362 
             
 
Deferred income taxes reflect the tax effect of differences between the basis of assets and liabilities for book and tax purposes. The tax effect of temporary differences that gave rise to significant components of the deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets at September 30, 2011 and 2010 are presented below:
 
         
  2011  2010 
  (In thousands) 
 
Deferred tax assets:
        
Accruals not currently deductible for tax purposes
 $10,327  $9,182 
Customer advances
  5,271   5,723 
Nonqualified benefit plans
  43,924   43,427 
Postretirement benefits
  62,274   57,386 
Treasury lock agreements
  20,060   3,211 
Unamortized investment tax credit
  120   183 
Tax net operating loss and credit carryforwards
  95,293   63,621 
Difference between book and tax on mark to market accounting
  8,039   2,159 
Other, net
  3,529   4,559 
         
Total deferred tax assets
  248,837   189,451 
Deferred tax liabilities:
        
Difference in net book value and net tax value of assets
  (1,108,063)  (940,914)
Pension funding
  (7,533)  (14,936)
Gas cost adjustments
  (13,570)  (6,473)
Cost expensed for tax purposes and capitalized for book purposes
  (3,039)  (2,330)
         
Total deferred tax liabilities
  (1,132,205)  (964,653)
         
Net deferred tax liabilities
 $(883,368) $(775,202)
         
Deferred credits for rate regulated entities
 $325  $587 
         
 
At September 30, 2011, we had $10.1 million of federal alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards, $75.2 million of federal net operating loss carryforwards and $9.9 million of state net operating loss carryforwards. The alternative minimum tax credit carryforwards do not expire. The federal net operating loss carryforwards are available to offset taxable income and will begin to expire in 2029. Depending on the jurisdiction in which the state net operating loss was generated, the state net operating loss carryforwards will begin to expire between 2016 and 2029.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
At September 30, 2010, we had accrued liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions totaling $6.7 million. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011, the IRS completed its audit of fiscal years2005-2007.All uncertain tax positions were effectively settled upon completion of the audit. As a result of the settlement, we reduced our unrecognized tax benefits by $6.7 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2011. Income tax expense was reduced by $5.0 million in the second quarter due to the realization of the tax positions which were previously uncertain. As of September 30, 2011, we had no liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions.
 
We recognize accrued interest related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of interest expense. We recognize penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of miscellaneous income (expense) in accordance with regulatory requirements. We recognized a tax expense of $0.01 million, $0.5 million and $0.1 million related to penalty and interest expenses during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
We file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction as well as in various states where we have operations. We have concluded substantially all U.S. federal income tax matters through fiscal year 2007.
 
13.  Commitments and Contingencies
 
Litigation
 
Since April 2009, Atmos Energy and two subsidiaries of AEH, AEM and Atmos Gathering Company, LLC (AGC) (collectively, the Atmos Entities), have been involved in a lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court of Edmonson County, Kentucky related to our Park City Gathering Project. The dispute which gave rise to the litigation involves the amount of royalties due from a third party producer to landowners (who own the mineral rights) for natural gas produced from the landowners’ properties. The third party producer was operating pursuant to leases between the landowners and certain investors/working interest owners. The third party producer filed a petition in bankruptcy, which was subsequently dismissed due to the lack of meaningful assets to reorganize or liquidate.
 
Although certain Atmos Energy companies entered into contracts with the third party producer to gather, treat and ultimately sell natural gas produced from the landowners’ properties, no Atmos Energy company had a contractual relationship with the landowners or the investors/working interest owners. After the lawsuit was filed, the landowners were successful in terminating for non-payment of royalties the leases related to the production of natural gas from their properties. Subsequent to termination, the investors/working interest owners under such leases filed additional claims against us for the termination of the leases.
 
During the trial, the landowners and the investors/working interest owners requested an award of compensatory damages plus punitive damages against us. On December 17, 2010, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the landowners and investor/working interest owners and awarded compensatory damages of $3.8 million and punitive damages of $27.5 million payable by Atmos Energy and the two AEH subsidiaries.
 
A hearing was held on February 28, 2011 to hear a number of motions, including a motion to dismiss the jury verdict and a motion for a new trial. The motions to dismiss the jury verdict and for a new trial were denied. However, the total punitive damages award was reduced from $27.5 million to $24.7 million. On March 30, 2011, we filed a notice of appeal of this ruling. We strongly believe that the trial court erred in not granting our motion to dismiss the lawsuit prior to trial and that the verdict is unsupported by law. After consultation with counsel, we believe that it is probable that any judgment based on this verdict will be overturned on appeal.
 
In addition, in a related development, on July 12, 2011, the Atmos Entities filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court, Western District of Kentucky against the third party producer and its affiliates to recover all costs, including attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Atmos Entities, which are associated with the defense and


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
appeal of the case discussed above as well as for all damages awarded to the plaintiffs in such case against the Atmos Entities. The total amount of damages being claimed in the lawsuit is “open-ended” since the appellate process and related costs are ongoing. This lawsuit is based upon the indemnification provisions agreed to by the third party producer in favor of Atmos Gathering that are contained in an agreement entered into between Atmos Gathering and the third party producer in May 2009.
 
We have accrued what we believe is an adequate amount for the anticipated resolution of this matter; however, the amount accrued is less than the amount of the verdict. The Company does not have insurance coverage that could mitigate any losses that may arise from the resolution of this matter; however, we believe that the final outcome will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
 
We are a party to other litigation and claims that have arisen in the ordinary course of our business. While the results of such litigation and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe the final outcome of such litigation and claims will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.
 
Environmental Matters
 
Former Manufactured Gas Plant Sites
 
We are the owner or previous owner of former manufactured gas plant sites in Johnson City, Tennessee, Keokuk, Iowa and Owensboro, Kentucky, which were used to supply gas prior to the availability of natural gas. The gas manufacturing process resulted in certain byproducts and residual materials, including coal tar. The manufacturing process used by our predecessors was an acceptable and satisfactory process at the time such operations were being conducted. We have taken removal actions with respect to the sites that have been approved by the applicable regulatory authorities in Tennessee, Iowa, Kentucky and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
 
We are a party to other environmental matters and claims that have arisen in the ordinary course of our business. While the ultimate results of response actions to these environmental matters and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we believe the final outcome of such response actions will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows because we believe that the expenditures related to such response actions will either be recovered through rates, shared with other parties or are adequately covered by insurance.
 
Purchase Commitments
 
AEH has commitments to purchase physical quantities of natural gas under contracts indexed to the forward NYMEX strip or fixed price contracts. At September 30, 2011, AEH was committed to purchase 103.3 Bcf within one year, 46.4 Bcf within one to three years and 0.9 Bcf after three years under indexed contracts. AEH is committed to purchase 4.2 Bcf within one year and 0.3 Bcf within one to three years under fixed price contracts with prices ranging from $3.49 to $6.36 per Mcf. Purchases under these contracts totaled $1,498.6 million, $1,562.8 million and $1,484.5 million for 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
Our natural gas distribution divisions, except for our Mid-Tex Division, maintain supply contracts with several vendors that generally cover a period of up to one year. Commitments for estimated base gas volumes are established under these contracts on a monthly basis at contractually negotiated prices. Commitments for incremental daily purchases are made as necessary during the month in accordance with the terms of the individual contract.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Our Mid-Tex Division maintains long-term supply contracts to ensure a reliable source of gas for our customers in its service area which obligate it to purchase specified volumes at market and fixed prices. The estimated commitments under these contracts as of September 30, 2011 are as follows (in thousands):
 
     
2012
 $274,985 
2013
  102,959 
2014
  82,235 
2015
  — 
2016
  — 
Thereafter
  — 
     
  $460,179 
     
 
Our nonregulated segment maintains long-term contracts related to storage and transportation. The estimated contractual demand fees for contracted storage and transportation under these contracts as of September 30, 2011 are as follows (in thousands):
 
     
2012
 $25,362 
2013
  16,711 
2014
  9,988 
2015
  4,130 
2016
  278 
Thereafter
  165 
     
  $56,634 
     
 
Other Contingencies
 
In December 2007, the Company received data requests from the Division of Investigations of the Office of Enforcement of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (the “Commission”) in connection with its investigation into possible violations of the Commission’s posting and competitive bidding regulations for pre-arranged released firm capacity on natural gas pipelines.
 
Since that time, we have fully cooperated with FERC during this investigation. In August 2011, the FERC issued a Notice of Alleged Violations stating that it preliminarily determined that Atmos Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries, Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC (AEM) and Trans Louisiana Gas Pipeline, Inc. (TLGP) violated Sections 284.8(h)(2) and 1c.1 of the Commission’s regulations through flipping and AEM violated the Commission’s shipper-must-have-title requirement and the associated FERC gas tariffs of various pipelines.
 
The Company and FERC are currently involved in settlement discussions. We have accrued what we believe is an adequate amount for the anticipated resolution of this matter.
 
We have been replacing certain steel service lines in our Mid-Tex Division since our acquisition of the natural gas distribution system in 2004. Since early 2010, we have been discussing the financial and operational details of an accelerated steel service line replacement program with representatives of 440 municipalities served by our Mid-Tex Division. As previously discussed in Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report onForm 10-Kfor the fiscal year ended September 30, 2010, all of the cities in our Mid-Tex Division have agreed to a program of installing 100,000 replacements during the next fiscal year, with approved recovery of the associated return, depreciation and taxes. Under the terms of the agreement, the accelerated replacement program commenced in the first quarter of fiscal 2011, replacing


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
35,852 lines for a cost of $49.7 million as of September 30, 2011. The program is progressing on schedule for completion in September 2012.
 
In July 2010, the Dodd-Frank Act was enacted, representing an extensive overhaul of the framework for regulation of U.S. financial markets. The Dodd-Frank Act calls for various regulatory agencies, including the SEC and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, to establish regulations for implementation of many of the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act, which we expect will provide additional clarity regarding the extent of the impact of this legislation on us. The costs of participating in financial markets for hedging certain risks inherent in our business may be increased as a result of the new legislation. We may also incur additional costs associated with compliance with new regulations and anticipate additional reporting and disclosure obligations.
 
14.  Leases
 
Leasing Operations
 
A subsidiary of AEH has constructed electric peaking power-generating plants and associated facilities and entered into agreements to either lease or sell these plants. We completed a sales-type lease transaction for one distributed electric generation plant in 2001 and a second sales-type lease transaction in 2003. In connection with these lease transactions, as of September 30, 2011 and 2010, we had receivables of $2.0 million and $7.8 million and recognized income of $0.5 million, $0.9 million and $1.2 million for fiscal years 2011, 2010 and 2009. The future minimum lease payments to be received for each of the five succeeding fiscal years are as follows:
 
     
  Minimum
 
  Lease
 
  Receipts 
  (In thousands) 
 
2012
 $2,013 
Thereafter
  — 
     
Total minimum lease receipts
 $2,013 
     
 
Capital and Operating Leases
 
We have entered into non-cancelable operating leases for office and warehouse space used in our operations. The remaining lease terms range from one to 21 years and generally provide for the payment of taxes, insurance and maintenance by the lessee. Renewal options exist for certain of these leases. We have also entered into capital leases for division offices and operating facilities. Property, plant and equipment included amounts for capital leases of $1.3 and $1.3 million at September 30, 2011 and 2010. Accumulated depreciation for these capital leases totaled $0.9 and $0.8 million at September 30, 2011 and 2010. Depreciation expense for these assets is included in consolidated depreciation expense on the consolidated statement of income.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
The related future minimum lease payments at September 30, 2011 were as follows:
 
         
  Capital
  Operating
 
  Leases  Leases 
  (In thousands) 
 
2012
 $186  $17,718 
2013
  186   16,846 
2014
  186   16,519 
2015
  186   15,455 
2016
  186   14,921 
Thereafter
  264   118,108 
         
Total minimum lease payments
  1,194  $199,567 
         
Less amount representing interest
  406     
         
Present value of net minimum lease payments
 $788     
         
 
Consolidated lease and rental expense amounted to $19.1 million, $16.0 million and $13.6 million for fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009.
 
15.  Concentration of Credit Risk
 
Credit risk is the risk of financial loss to us if a customer fails to perform its contractual obligations. We engage in transactions for the purchase and sale of products and services with major companies in the energy industry and with industrial, commercial, residential and municipal energy consumers. These transactions principally occur in the southern and midwestern regions of the United States. We believe that this geographic concentration does not contribute significantly to our overall exposure to credit risk. Credit risk associated with trade accounts receivable for the natural gas distribution segment is mitigated by the large number of individual customers and diversity in our customer base. The credit risk for our other segments is not significant.
 
Customer diversification also helps mitigate AEM’s exposure to credit risk. AEM maintains credit policies with respect to its counterparties that it believes minimizes overall credit risk. Where appropriate, such policies include the evaluation of a prospective counterparty’s financial condition, collateral requirements, primarily consisting of letters of credit, and the use of standardized agreements that facilitate the netting of cash flows associated with a single counterparty. AEM also monitors the financial condition of existing counterparties on an ongoing basis. Customers not meeting minimum standards are required to provide adequate assurance of financial performance.
 
AEM maintains a provision for credit losses based upon factors surrounding the credit risk of customers, historical trends, consideration of the current credit environment and other information. We believe, based on our credit policies and our provisions for credit losses as of September 30, 2011, that our financial position, results of operations and cash flows will not be materially affected as a result of nonperformance by any single counterparty.
 
AEM’s estimated credit exposure is monitored in terms of the percentage of its customers, including affiliate customers that are rated as investment grade versus non-investment grade. Credit exposure is defined as the total of (1) accounts receivable, (2) delivered, but unbilled physical sales and(3) mark-to-marketexposure for sales and purchases. Investment grade determinations are set internally by AEM’s credit department, but are primarily based on external ratings provided by Moody’s Investors Service Inc. (Moody’s)and/orStandard & Poor’s Corporation (S&P). For non-rated entities, the default rating for municipalities is investment grade, while the default rating for non-guaranteed industrials and commercials is non-investment


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
grade. Customers who have a non-investment grade but provide either a letter of credit or prepay their monthly invoice have been included as investment grade. The following table shows the percentages related to the investment ratings as of September 30, 2011 and 2010.
 
         
  September 30, 2011  September 30, 2010 
 
Investment grade
  54%  58%
Non-investment grade
  46%  42%
         
Total
  100%  100%
         
 
The following table presents our financial instrument counterparty credit exposure by operating segment based upon the unrealized fair value of our financial instruments that represent assets as of September 30, 2011. Investment grade counterparties have minimum credit ratings of BBB-, assigned by S&P; or Baa3, assigned by Moody’s. Non-investment grade counterparties are composed of counterparties that are below investment grade or that have not been assigned an internal investment grade rating due to the short-term nature of the contracts associated with that counterparty. This category is composed of numerous smaller counterparties, none of which is individually significant.
 
             
  Natural Gas
       
  Distribution
  Nonregulated
    
  Segment(1)  Segment  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
Investment grade counterparties
 $—  $16  $16 
Non-investment grade counterparties
  —   1,081   1,081 
             
  $—  $1,097  $1,097 
             
 
 
(1)Counterparty risk for our natural gas distribution segment is minimized because hedging gains and losses are passed through to our customers.
 
16.  Supplemental Cash Flow Disclosures
 
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information for fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009 are presented below.
 
             
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Cash paid for interest
 $157,976  $161,925  $163,554 
Cash received for income taxes
 $(8,329) $(63,677) $(36,405)
 
There were no significant noncash investing and financing transactions during fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009. All cash flows and noncash activities related to our commodity financial instruments are considered as operating activities.
 
17.  Segment Information
 
Atmos Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries are engaged primarily in the regulated natural gas distribution, transmission and storage business as well as other nonregulated businesses. We distribute natural gas through sales and transportation arrangements to over three million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers through our six regulated natural gas distribution divisions, which cover service areas located in 12 states. In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution system.
 
Through our nonregulated businesses, we primarily provide natural gas management and marketing services to municipalities, other local distribution companies and industrial customers primarily in the Midwest


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
and Southeast. Additionally, we provide natural gas transportation and storage services to certain of our natural gas distribution operations and to third parties.
 
Through November 30, 2010, our operations were divided into four segments:
 
  • The natural gas distribution segment, which included our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations.
 
  • The regulated transmission and storage segment, which included the regulated pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division.
 
  • The natural gas marketing segment, which included a variety of nonregulated natural gas management services.
 
  • The pipeline, storage and other segment, which included our nonregulated natural gas gathering transmission and storage services.
 
As a result of the appointment of a new CEO effective October 1, 2010, during the first quarter of fiscal 2011, we revised the information used by the chief operating decision maker to manage the Company. As a result of this change, effective December 1, 2010, we began dividing our operations into the following three segments:
 
  • The natural gas distribution segment, remains unchanged and includes our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations.
 
  • The regulated transmission and storage segment, remains unchanged and includes the regulated pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline — Texas Division.
 
  • The nonregulated segment, is comprised of our nonregulated natural gas management, nonregulated natural gas transmission, storage and other services which were previously reported in the natural gas marketing and pipeline, storage and other segments.
 
Our determination of reportable segments considers the strategic operating units under which we manage sales of various products and services to customers in differing regulatory environments. Although our natural gas distribution segment operations are geographically dispersed, they are reported as a single segment as each natural gas distribution division has similar economic characteristics. The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies. We evaluate performance based on net income or loss of the respective operating units. Interest expense is allocated pro rata to each segment based upon our net investment in each segment. Income taxes are allocated to each segment as if each segment’s taxes were calculated on a separate return basis.


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Summarized income statements and capital expenditures by segment are shown in the following tables. Prior-year amounts have been restated to reflect the new operating segments.
 
                     
  Year Ended September 30, 2011 
     Regulated
          
  Natural Gas
  Transmission
          
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Eliminations  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
Operating revenues from external parties
 $2,530,980  $87,141  $1,729,513  $—  $4,347,634 
Intersegment revenues
  883   132,232   295,380   (428,495)  — 
                     
   2,531,863   219,373   2,024,893   (428,495)  4,347,634 
Purchased gas cost
  1,487,499   —   1,959,893   (426,999)  3,020,393 
                     
Gross profit
  1,044,364   219,373   65,000   (1,496)  1,327,241 
Operating expenses
                    
Operation and maintenance
  348,083   70,401   32,308   (1,502)  449,290 
Depreciation and amortization
  196,909   25,997   4,193   —   227,099 
Taxes, other than income
  161,371   14,700   2,612   —   178,683 
Asset impairments
  —   —   30,270   —   30,270 
                     
Total operating expenses
  706,363   111,098   69,383   (1,502)  885,342 
                     
Operating income (loss)
  338,001   108,275   (4,383)  6   441,899 
Miscellaneous income
  16,557   4,715   657   (430)  21,499 
Interest charges
  115,802   31,432   4,015   (424)  150,825 
                     
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes
  238,756   81,558   (7,741)  —   312,573 
Income tax expense (benefit)
  84,755   29,143   (209)  —   113,689 
                     
Income (loss) from continuing operations
  154,001   52,415   (7,532)  —   198,884 
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
  8,717   —   —   —   8,717 
                     
Net income (loss)
 $162,718  $52,415  $(7,532) $—  $207,601 
                     
Capital expenditures
 $496,899  $118,452  $7,614  $—  $622,965 
                     
 


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NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
                     
  Year Ended September 30, 2010 
     Regulated
          
  Natural Gas
  Transmission
          
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Eliminations  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
Operating revenues from external parties
 $2,841,768  $97,023  $1,781,044  $—  $4,719,835 
Intersegment revenues
  870   105,990   365,614   (472,474)  — 
                     
   2,842,638   203,013   2,146,658   (472,474)  4,719,835 
Purchased gas cost
  1,820,627   —   2,032,567   (470,864)  3,382,330 
                     
Gross profit
  1,022,011   203,013   114,091   (1,610)  1,337,505 
Operating expenses
                    
Operation and maintenance
  355,357   72,249   34,517   (1,610)  460,513 
Depreciation and amortization
  185,147   21,368   5,074   —   211,589 
Taxes, other than income
  171,338   12,358   4,556   —   188,252 
                     
Total operating expenses
  711,842   105,975   44,147   (1,610)  860,354 
                     
Operating income
  310,169   97,038   69,944   —   477,151 
Miscellaneous income (expense)
  1,567   135   3,859   (5,717)  (156)
Interest charges
  118,319   31,174   10,584   (5,717)  154,360 
                     
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
  193,417   65,999   63,219   —   322,635 
Income tax expense
  75,034   24,513   24,815   —   124,362 
                     
Income from continuing operations
  118,383   41,486   38,404   —   198,273 
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
  7,566   —   —   —   7,566 
                     
Net income
 $125,949  $41,486  $38,404  $—  $205,839 
                     
Capital expenditures
 $437,815  $95,835  $8,986  $—  $542,636 
                     
 

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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
                     
  Year Ended September 30, 2009 
     Regulated
          
  Natural Gas
  Transmission
          
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Eliminations  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
Operating revenues from external parties
 $2,883,997  $119,427  $1,865,687  $—  $4,869,111 
Intersegment revenues
  799   90,231   418,301   (509,331)  — 
                     
   2,884,796   209,658   2,283,988   (509,331)  4,869,111 
Purchased gas cost
  1,887,192   —   2,169,880   (507,639)  3,549,433 
                     
Gross profit
  997,604   209,658   114,108   (1,692)  1,319,678 
Operating expenses
                    
Operation and maintenance
  361,123   85,249   41,368   (2,036)  485,704 
Depreciation and amortization
  187,050   20,413   4,521   —   211,984 
Taxes, other than income
  166,854   10,231   3,157   —   180,242 
Asset impairments
  4,599   602   181   —   5,382 
                     
Total operating expenses
  719,626   116,495   49,227   (2,036)  883,312 
                     
Operating income
  277,978   93,163   64,881   344   436,366 
Miscellaneous income (expense)
  6,002   1,433   6,399   (16,901)  (3,067)
Interest charges
  123,863   30,982   14,350   (16,557)  152,638 
                     
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
  160,117   63,614   56,930   —   280,661 
Income tax expense
  50,989   22,558   23,815   —   97,362 
                     
Income from continuing operations
  109,128   41,056   33,115   —   183,299 
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax
  7,679   —   —   —   7,679 
                     
Net income
 $116,807  $41,056  $33,115  $—  $190,978 
                     
Capital expenditures
 $379,500  $108,332  $21,662  $—  $509,494 
                     
 
The following table summarizes our revenues by products and services for the fiscal year ended September 30. Prior-year amounts have been restated to reflect the new operating segments.
 
             
  2011  2010  2009 
  (In thousands) 
 
Natural gas distribution revenues:
            
Gas sales revenues:
            
Residential
 $1,570,723  $1,784,051  $1,768,082 
Commercial
  698,366   787,433   807,109 
Industrial
  106,569   110,280   132,487 
Public authority and other
  69,176   70,402   88,972 
             
Total gas sales revenues
  2,444,834   2,752,166   2,796,650 
Transportation revenues
  59,547   58,511   56,162 
Other gas revenues
  26,599   31,091   31,185 
             
Total natural gas distribution revenues
  2,530,980   2,841,768   2,883,997 
Regulated transmission and storage revenues
  87,141   97,023   119,427 
Nonregulated revenues
  1,729,513   1,781,044   1,865,687 
             
Total operating revenues
 $4,347,634  $4,719,835  $4,869,111 
             

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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
Balance sheet information at September 30, 2011 and 2010 by segment is presented in the following tables. Prior-year amounts have been restated to reflect the new operating segments.
 
                     
  September 30, 2011 
     Regulated
          
  Natural Gas
  Transmission
          
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Eliminations  Consolidated 
        (In thousands)       
 
ASSETS
Property, plant and equipment, net
 $4,248,198  $838,302  $61,418  $—  $5,147,918 
Investment in subsidiaries
  670,993   —   (2,096)  (668,897)  — 
Current assets
                    
Cash and cash equivalents
  24,646   —   106,773   —   131,419 
Assets from risk management activities
  843   —   17,501   —   18,344 
Other current assets
  655,716   15,413   386,215   (196,154)  861,190 
Intercompany receivables
  569,898   —   —   (569,898)  — 
                     
Total current assets
  1,251,103   15,413   510,489   (766,052)  1,010,953 
Intangible assets
  —   —   207   —   207 
Goodwill
  572,908   132,381   34,711   —   740,000 
Noncurrent assets from risk management activities
  998   —   —   —   998 
Deferred charges and other assets
  353,960   18,028   10,807   —   382,795 
                     
  $7,098,160  $1,004,124  $615,536  $(1,434,949) $7,282,871 
                     
 
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
Shareholders’ equity
 $2,255,421  $265,102  $405,891  $(670,993) $2,255,421 
Long-term debt
  2,205,986   —   131   —   2,206,117 
                     
Total capitalization
  4,461,407   265,102   406,022   (670,993)  4,461,538 
Current liabilities
                    
Current maturities of long-term debt
  2,303   —   131   —   2,434 
Short-term debt
  387,691   —   —   (181,295)  206,396 
Liabilities from risk management activities
  11,916   —   3,537   —   15,453 
Other current liabilities
  474,783   10,369   170,926   (12,763)  643,315 
Intercompany payables
  —   543,084   26,814   (569,898)  — 
                     
Total current liabilities
  876,693   553,453   201,408   (763,956)  867,598 
Deferred income taxes
  789,649   173,351   (2,907)  —   960,093 
Noncurrent liabilities from risk management activities
  67,862   —   10,227   —   78,089 
Regulatory cost of removal obligation
  428,947   —   —   —   428,947 
Deferred credits and other liabilities
  473,602   12,218   786   —   486,606 
                     
  $7,098,160  $1,004,124  $615,536  $(1,434,949) $7,282,871 
                     
 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
                     
  September 30, 2010 
     Regulated
          
  Natural Gas
  Transmission
          
  Distribution  and Storage  Nonregulated  Eliminations  Consolidated 
  (In thousands) 
 
ASSETS
                    
Property, plant and equipment, net
 $3,959,112  $748,947  $85,016  $—  $4,793,075 
Investment in subsidiaries
  620,863   —   (2,096)  (618,767)  — 
Current assets
                    
Cash and cash equivalents
  31,952   —   100,000   —   131,952 
Assets from risk management activities
  2,219   —   18,356   —   20,575 
Other current assets
  528,655   19,504   325,348   (150,842)  722,665 
Intercompany receivables
  546,313   —   —   (546,313)  — 
                     
Total current assets
  1,109,139   19,504   443,704   (697,155)  875,192 
Intangible assets
  —   —   834   —   834 
Goodwill
  572,262   132,341   34,711   —   739,314 
Noncurrent assets from risk management activities
  47   —   890   —   937 
Deferred charges and other assets
  324,707   13,037   16,695   —   354,439 
                     
  $6,586,130  $913,829  $579,754  $(1,315,922) $6,763,791 
                     
 
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
Shareholders’ equity
 $2,178,348  $212,687  $408,176  $(620,863) $2,178,348 
Long-term debt
  1,809,289   —   262   —   1,809,551 
                     
Total capitalization
  3,987,637   212,687   408,438   (620,863)  3,987,899 
Current liabilities
                    
Current maturities of long-term debt
  360,000   —   131   —   360,131 
Short-term debt
  258,488   —   —   (132,388)  126,100 
Liabilities from risk management activities
  48,942   —   731   —   49,673 
Other current liabilities
  473,076   10,949   162,508   (16,358)  630,175 
Intercompany payables
  —   543,007   3,306   (546,313)  — 
                     
Total current liabilities
  1,140,506   553,956   166,676   (695,059)  1,166,079 
Deferred income taxes
  691,126   142,337   (4,335)  —   829,128 
Noncurrent liabilities from risk management activities
  2,924   —   6,000   —   8,924 
Regulatory cost of removal obligation
  350,521   —   —   —   350,521 
Deferred credits and other liabilities
  413,416   4,849   2,975   —   421,240 
                     
  $6,586,130  $913,829  $579,754  $(1,315,922) $6,763,791 
                     

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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
18.  Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
 
Summarized unaudited quarterly financial data is presented below. Prior-period amounts have been restated to reflect continuing operations. The sum of net income per share by quarter may not equal the net income per share for the fiscal year due to variations in the weighted average shares outstanding used in computing such amounts. Our businesses are seasonal due to weather conditions in our service areas. For further information on its effects on quarterly results, see the “Results of Operations” discussion included in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section herein.
 
                                 
  Quarter Ended 
  December 31  March 31  June 30  September 30 
  (In thousands, except per share data) 
 
Fiscal year 2011:
                
Operating revenues
                
Natural gas distribution
 $703,462(1) $1,077,414(2) $407,031  $343,956 
Regulated transmission and storage
  49,007   54,976   53,570   61,820 
Nonregulated
  475,640   583,531   491,285   474,437 
Intersegment eliminations
  (94,847)  (134,424)  (108,271)  (90,953)
                 
   1,133,262   1,581,497   843,615   789,260 
Gross profit
  364,724(1)  453,668(2)  266,805   242,044 
Operating income
  155,289(1)  211,199(2)  34,078   41,333 
Income (loss) from continuing operations
  71,100   128,160   (1,474)  1,098 
Income from discontinued operations
  2,897   4,049   908   863 
Net income (loss)
  73,997   132,209   (566)  1,961 
Basic earnings per share
                
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations
 $0.78  $1.41  $(0.02) $0.01 
Income per share from discontinued operations
 $0.03  $0.04  $0.01  $0.01 
Net income (loss) per share — basic
 $0.81  $1.45  $(0.01) $0.02 
Diluted earnings per share
                
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations
 $0.78  $1.41  $(0.02) $0.01 
Income per share from discontinued operations
 $0.03  $0.04  $0.01  $0.01 
Net income (loss) per share — diluted
 $0.81  $1.45  $(0.01) $0.02 


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ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS — (Continued)
 
                 
  Quarter Ended 
  December 31  March 31  June 30  September 30 
  (In thousands, except per share data) 
 
Fiscal year 2010:
                
Operating revenues
                
Natural gas distribution
 $781,841(3) $1,333,872(4) $396,319  $330,606(5)
Regulated transmission and storage
  46,860   55,181   44,957   56,015 
Nonregulated
  548,016   677,032   427,405   494,205 
Intersegment eliminations
  (104,918)  (157,935)  (107,376)  (102,245)
                 
   1,271,799   1,908,150   761,305   778,581 
Gross profit
  403,003(3)  445,444(4)  247,666   241,392(5)
Operating income
  186,598(3)  219,757(4)  32,259   38,537(5)
Income (loss) from continuing operations
  90,975   111,283   (4,229)  244 
Income from discontinued operations
  2,355   2,843   1,075   1,293 
Net income (loss)
  93,330   114,126   (3,154)  1,537 
Basic earnings per share
                
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations
 $0.97  $1.19  $(0.04) $— 
Income per share from discontinued operations
 $0.03   0.03  $0.01  $0.02 
Net income (loss) per share — basic
 $1.00  $1.22  $(0.03) $0.02 
Diluted earnings per share
                
Income (loss) per share from continuing operations
 $0.97  $1.19  $(0.04) $— 
Income per share from discontinued operations
 $0.03  $0.03  $0.01  $0.02 
Net income (loss) per share — diluted
 $1.00  $1.22  $(0.03) $0.02 
 
 
(1)Operating revenues for natural gas distribution, gross profit and operating income are shown net of discontinued operations of $23.7 million, $8.8 million and $4.8 million.
 
(2)Operating revenues for natural gas distribution, gross profit and operating income are shown net of discontinued operations of $35.8 million, $11.2 million and $6.7 million.
 
(3)Operating revenues for natural gas distribution, gross profit and operating income are shown net of discontinued operations of $21.1 million, $7.8 million and $4.0 million.
 
(4)Operating revenues for natural gas distribution, gross profit and operating income are shown net of discontinued operations of $32.1 million, $8.9 million and $4.8 million.
 
(5)Operating revenues for natural gas distribution, gross profit and operating income are shown net of discontinued operations of $7.7 million, $5.2 million and $1.7 million.

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ITEM 9.  Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
 
None.
 
ITEM 9A.  Controls and Procedures.
 
Management’s Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
 
We carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined inRule 13a-15(e)under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act). Based on this evaluation, the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of September 30, 2011 to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us, including our consolidated entities, in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified by the SEC’s rules and forms, including a reasonable level of assurance that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
 
Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
 
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Exchange ActRule 13a-15(f),in providing reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial officer, we evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). Based on our evaluation under the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by COSO and applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules, our management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of September 30, 2011, in providing reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
 
Ernst & Young LLP has issued its report on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. That report appears below.
 
   
/s/  KIM R. COCKLIN

 
/s/  FRED E. MEISENHEIMER
Kim R. Cocklin Fred E. Meisenheimer
President and Chief Executive Officer Senior Vice President and
  Chief Financial Officer
 
November 22, 2011


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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
The Board of Directors and Shareholders of
Atmos Energy Corporation
 
We have audited Atmos Energy Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2011, based on criteria established in Internal Control — Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the COSO criteria). Atmos Energy Corporation’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
 
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
 
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
 
In our opinion, Atmos Energy Corporation maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of September 30, 2011, based on the COSO criteria.
 
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2011 and 2010, and the related statements of income, shareholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September 30, 2011 of Atmos Energy Corporation and our report dated November 22, 2011 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
 
/s/  ERNST & YOUNG LLP
 
Dallas, Texas
November 22, 2011


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Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
 
We did not make any changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined inRule 13a-15(f)and15d-15(f)under the Act) during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
 
ITEM 9B.  Other Information.
 
Not applicable.
 
PART III
 
ITEM 10.  Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
 
Information regarding directors and compliance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 8, 2012. Information regarding executive officers is reported below:
 
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
 
The following table sets forth certain information as of September 30, 2011, regarding the executive officers of the Company. It is followed by a brief description of the business experience of each executive officer.
 
           
     Years of
   
Name
 Age  Service  
Office Currently Held
 
Robert W. Best
  64   14  Executive Chairman of the Board
Kim R. Cocklin
  60   5  President and Chief Executive Officer
Louis P. Gregory
  56   11  Senior Vice President and General Counsel
Michael E. Haefner
  51   3  Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Fred E. Meisenheimer
  67   11  Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
 
Robert W. Best was named Executive Chairman of the Board on October 1, 2010. From March 1997 through September 2008, Mr. Best served the Company as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer. From October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2010, Mr. Best continued to serve the Company as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.
 
Kim R. Cocklin was named President and Chief Executive Officer effective October 1, 2010. Mr. Cocklin joined the Company in June 2006 and served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2010, after having served as Senior Vice President, Regulated Operations from October 2006 through September 2008. Mr. Cocklin was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Piedmont Natural Gas Company from February 2003 through May 2006. Mr. Cocklin was appointed to the Board of Directors on November 10, 2009.
 
Louis P. Gregory was named Senior Vice President and General Counsel in September 2000.
 
Michael E. Haefner joined the Company in June 2008 as Senior Vice President, Human Resources. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Haefner was a self-employed consultant and founder and president of Perform for Life, LLC from May 2007 to May 2008. Mr. Haefner previously served for 10 years as the Senior Vice President, Human Resources, of Sabre Holding Corporation, the parent company of Sabre Airline Solutions, Sabre Travel Network and Travelocity.
 
Fred E. Meisenheimer was named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in February 2009. Mr. Meisenheimer previously served the Company as Vice President and Controller from July 2000 through


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May 2009, interim Chief Financial Officer in January 2009 and Treasurer from November 2009 through February 2011.
 
Identification of the members of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors as well as the Board of Directors’ determination as to whether one or more audit committee financial experts are serving on the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 8, 2012.
 
The Company has adopted a code of ethics for its principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. Such code of ethics is represented by the Company’s Code of Conduct, which is applicable to all directors, officers and employees of the Company, including the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. A copy of the Company’s Code of Conduct is posted on the Company’s website at www.atmosenergy.com under “Corporate Governance.” In addition, any amendment to or waiver granted from a provision of the Company’s Code of Conduct will be posted on the Company’s website under “Corporate Governance.”
 
ITEM 11.  Executive Compensation.
 
Information on executive compensation is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 8, 2012.
 
ITEM 12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
 
Security ownership of certain beneficial owners and of management is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 8, 2012. Information concerning our equity compensation plans is provided in Part II, Item 5, “Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities”, of this Annual Report onForm 10-K.
 
ITEM 13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
 
Information on certain relationships and related transactions as well as director independence is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 8, 2012.
 
ITEM 14.  Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
 
Information on our principal accountant’s fees and services is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on February 8, 2012.
 
PART IV
 
ITEM 15.  Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
 
(a) 1. and 2. Financial statements and financial statement schedules.
 
The financial statements and financial statement schedule listed in the Index to Financial Statements in Item 8 are filed as part of thisForm 10-K.
 
3.  Exhibits
 
The exhibits listed in the accompanying Exhibits Index are filed as part of thisForm 10-K.The exhibits numbered 10.6(a) through 10.14 are management contracts or compensatory plans or arrangements.


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SIGNATURES
 
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
(Registrant)
 
  By: 
/s/  FRED E. MEISENHEIMER
Fred E. Meisenheimer
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer
 
Date: November 22, 2011


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POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Kim R. Cocklin and Fred. E. Meisenheimer, or either of them acting alone or together, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full power to act alone, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Annual Report onForm 10-K,and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated:
 
       
     
/s/  KIM R. COCKLIN

Kim R. Cocklin		 President, Chief Executive Officer and Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  FRED E. MEISENHEIMER

Fred E. Meisenheimer		 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer November 22, 2011
     
/s/  CHRISTOPHER T. FORSYTHE

Christopher T. Forsythe		 Vice President and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer) November 22, 2011
     
/s/  ROBERT W. BEST

Robert W. Best		 Executive Chairman of the Board November 22, 2011
     
/s/  RICHARD W. DOUGLAS

Richard W. Douglas		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  RUBEN E. ESQUIVEL

Ruben E. Esquivel		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  RICHARD K. GORDON

Richard K. Gordon		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  ROBERT C. GRABLE

Robert C. Grable		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  THOMAS C. MEREDITH

Thomas C. Meredith		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  NANCY K. QUINN

Nancy K. Quinn		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  STEPHEN R. SPRINGER

Stephen R. Springer		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  CHARLES K. VAUGHAN

Charles K. Vaughan		 Director November 22, 2011
     
/s/  RICHARD WARE II

Richard Ware II		 Director November 22, 2011


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Table of Contents

 
Schedule II
 
ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION
 
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Three Years Ended September 30, 2011
 
                     
     Additions       
  Balance at
  Charged to
  Charged to
     Balance
 
  beginning
  Cost &
  Other
     at End
 
  of period  Expenses  Accounts  Deductions  of Period 
     (In thousands)       
 
2011
                    
Allowance for doubtful accounts
 $12,701  $2,201  $—  $7,462(1) $7,440 
2010
                    
Allowance for doubtful accounts
 $11,478  $7,694  $—  $6,471(1) $12,701 
2009
                    
Allowance for doubtful accounts
 $15,301  $7,769  $—  $11,592(1) $11,478 
 
 
(1)Uncollectible accounts written off.


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EXHIBITS INDEX
Item 14.(a)(3)
 
       
    Page Number or
Exhibit
   Incorporation by
Number
 
Description
 
Reference to
 
    Plan of Acquisition  
 2.1 Asset Purchase Agreement by and between Atmos Energy Corporation as Seller and Liberty Energy (Midstates) Corp. as Buyer, dated as of May 12, 2011 Exhibit 2.1 toForm 8-Kdated May 12, 2011 (FileNo. 1-10042)
    Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws  
 3.1 Restated Articles of Incorporation of Atmos Energy Corporation — Texas (As Amended Effective February 3, 2010) Exhibit 3.1 toForm 10-Qdated March 31, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 3.2 Restated Articles of Incorporation of Atmos Energy Corporation — Virginia (As Amended Effective February 3, 2010) Exhibit 3.2 toForm 10-Qdated March 31, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 3.3 Amended and Restated Bylaws of Atmos Energy Corporation (as of February 3, 2010) Exhibit 3.2 ofForm 8-Kdated February 3, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
    Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders  
 4.1 Specimen Common Stock Certificate (Atmos Energy Corporation) Exhibit 4.1 toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.2 Indenture dated as of November 15, 1995 between United Cities Gas Company and Bank of America Illinois, Trustee Exhibit 4.11(a) toForm S-3dated August 31, 2004 (FileNo. 333-118706)
 4.3 Indenture dated as of July 15, 1998 between Atmos Energy Corporation and U.S. Bank Trust National Association, Trustee Exhibit 4.8 toForm S-3dated August 31, 2004 (FileNo. 333-118706)
 4.4 Indenture dated as of May 22, 2001 between Atmos Energy Corporation and SunTrust Bank, Trustee Exhibit 99.3 toForm 8-Kdated May 15, 2001 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.5 Indenture dated as of June 14, 2007, between Atmos Energy Corporation and U.S. Bank National Association, Trustee Exhibit 4.1 toForm 8-Kdated June 11, 2007 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.6 Indenture dated as of March 23, 2009 between Atmos Energy Corporation and U.S. Bank National Corporation, Trustee Exhibit 4.1 toForm 8-Kdated March 26, 2009 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.7(a) Debenture Certificate for the 63/4% Debentures due 2028 Exhibit 99.2 toForm 8-Kdated July 22, 1998 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.7(b) Global Security for the 51/8% Senior Notes due 2013 Exhibit 10(2)(c) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2004 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.7(c) Global Security for the 4.95% Senior Notes due 2014 Exhibit 10(2)(f) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2004 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.7(d) Global Security for the 5.95% Senior Notes due 2034 Exhibit 10(2)(g) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2004 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.7(e) Global Security for the 6.35% Senior Notes due 2017 Exhibit 4.2 toForm 8-Kdated June 11, 2007 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.7(f) Global Security for the 8.50% Senior Notes due 2019 Exhibit 4.2 toForm 8-Kdated March 26, 2009 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 4.7(g) Global Security for the 5.5% Senior Notes due 2041 Exhibit 4.2 toForm 8-Kdated June 10, 2011 (FileNo. 1-10042)


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    Page Number or
Exhibit
   Incorporation by
Number
 
Description
 
Reference to
 
    Material Contracts  
 10.1 Pipeline Construction and Operating Agreement, dated November 30, 2005, by and between Atmos-Pipeline Texas, a division of Atmos Energy Corporation, a Texas and Virginia corporation and Energy Transfer Fuel, LP, a Delaware limited partnership Exhibit 10.1 toForm 8-Kdated November 30, 2005 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.2 Revolving Credit Agreement, dated as of May 2, 2011 among Atmos Energy Corporation, the Lenders from time to time parties thereto, The Royal Bank of Scotland plc as Administrative Agent, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank as Syndication Agent, Bank of America, N.A., U.S. Bank National Association and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as Co-Documentation Agents Exhibit 10.1 toForm 8-Kdated May 2, 2011 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.3(a) Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 8, 2010, among Atmos Energy Marketing, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, BNP Paribas, a bank organized under the laws of France, as administrative agent, collateral agent, as an issuing bank, a swing line bank and a bank; Société Générale as co-syndication agent, an issuing bank and a bank and The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, as co-syndication agent and a bank; and Natixis, New York Branch, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, and Cooperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A. as co-documentation agents and the other financial institutions that become parties thereto Exhibit 10.1 toForm 8-Kdated December 8, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.3(b) Third Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of December 8, 2010, (as amended, supplemented and otherwise modified from time to time, the “Agreement”), among BNP Paribas, a bank organized under the laws of France, in its capacity as Collateral Agent (together with its successors and assigns in such capacity, the “Agent”) for the Banks thereinafter referred to, and each bank and other financial institution which is now or hereafter a party to the Agreement in its capacity as a Bank and, as applicable, as a Swap Bank (collectively, the “Swap Banks”) and/or a Physical Trade Bank (collectively, the “Physical Trade Banks”) Exhibit 10.2 toForm 8-Kdated December 8, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.4(a) Accelerated Share Buyback Agreement with Goldman, Sachs & Co. — Master Confirmation dated July 1, 2010 Exhibit 10.6(a) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)

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    Page Number or
Exhibit
   Incorporation by
Number
 
Description
 
Reference to
 
 10.4(b) Accelerated Share Buyback Agreement with Goldman, Sachs & Co. — Supplemental Confirmation dated July 1, 2010 Exhibit 10.6(b) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.5 Guaranty of Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. dated May 12, 2011 Exhibit 10.1 toForm 8-Kdated May 12, 2011 (FileNo. 1-10042)
    Executive Compensation Plans and Arrangements  
 10.6(a)* Form of Atmos Energy Corporation Change in Control Severance Agreement — Tier I Exhibit 10.7(a) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.6(b)* Form of Atmos Energy Corporation Change in Control Severance Agreement — Tier II Exhibit 10.7(b) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.7(a)* Atmos Energy Corporation Executive Retiree Life Plan Exhibit 10.31 toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.7(b)* Amendment No. 1 to the Atmos Energy Corporation Executive Retiree Life Plan Exhibit 10.31(a) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.8(a)* Description of Financial and Estate Planning Program Exhibit 10.25(b) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.8(b)* Description of Sporting Events Program Exhibit 10.26(c) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 1993 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.9(a)* Atmos Energy Corporation Supplemental Executive Benefits Plan, Amended and Restated in its Entirety August 7, 2007 Exhibit 10.8(a) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2008 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.9(b)* Atmos Energy Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (As Amended and Restated, Effective as of November 12, 2009) Exhibit 10.10(b) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.9(c)* Atmos Energy Corporation Account Balance Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, Effective Date August 5, 2009 Exhibit 10.10(c) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.9(d)* Atmos Energy Corporation Performance-Based Supplemental Executive Benefits Plan Trust Agreement, Effective Date December 1, 2000 Exhibit 10.1 toForm 10-Qfor quarter ended December 31, 2000 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.9(e)* Form of Individual Trust Agreement for the Supplemental Executive Benefits Plan Exhibit 10.3 toForm 10-Qfor quarter ended December 31, 2000 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.10(a)* Mini-Med/Dental Benefit Extension Agreement dated October 1, 1994 Exhibit 10.28(f) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2001 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.10(b)* Amendment No. 1 to Mini-Med/Dental Benefit Extension Agreement dated August 14, 2001 Exhibit 10.28(g) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2001 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.10(c)* Amendment No. 2 to Mini-Med/Dental Benefit Extension Agreement dated December 31, 2002 Exhibit 10.1 toForm 10-Qfor quarter ended December 31, 2002 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.11* Atmos Energy Corporation Equity Incentive and Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors, Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2010 Exhibit 10.12 toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.12* Atmos Energy Corporation Outside Directors Stock-for-Fee Plan, Amended and Restated as of October 1, 2009 Exhibit 10.13 toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2010 (FileNo. 1-10042)

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    Page Number or
Exhibit
   Incorporation by
Number
 
Description
 
Reference to
 
 10.13(a)* Atmos Energy Corporation 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan (as amended and restated February 10, 2011) Exhibit 99.1 toForm S-8dated October 28, 2011 (FileNo. 333-177593)
 10.13(b)* Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement under the Atmos Energy Corporation 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan Exhibit 10.16(b) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2005 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.13(c)* Form of Award Agreement of Restricted Stock With Time-Lapse Vesting under the Atmos Energy Corporation 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan Exhibit 10.12(d) toForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2008 (FileNo. 1-10042)
 10.13(d)* Form of Award Agreement of Time-Lapse Restricted Stock Units under the Atmos Energy Corporation 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan Exhibit 99.4 toForm S-8dated October 28, 2011 (FileNo. 333-177593)
 10.13(e)* Form of Award Agreement of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units under the Atmos Energy Corporation 1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan Exhibit 99.5 toForm S-8dated October 28, 2011 (FileNo. 333-177593)
 10.14* Atmos Energy Corporation Annual Incentive Plan for Management (as amended and restated February 10, 2011)  
 12  Statement of computation of ratio of earnings to fixed charges  
    Other Exhibits, as indicated  
 21  Subsidiaries of the registrant  
 23.1 Consent of independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP  
 24  Power of Attorney Signature page ofForm 10-Kfor fiscal year ended September 30, 2011
 31  Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications  
 32  Section 1350 Certifications**  
 101.INS XBRL Instance Document***  
 101.SCH XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema***  
 101.CAL XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase***  
 101.DEF XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase***  
 101.LAB XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase***  
 101.PRE XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase***  
 
 
* This exhibit constitutes a “management contract or compensatory plan, contract, or arrangement.”
 
 
** These certifications pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, furnished as Exhibit 32 to this Annual Report on Form10-K, will not be deemed to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or incorporated by reference into any filing by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except to the extent that the Company specifically incorporates such certifications by reference.
 
 
*** Pursuant to Rule 406T ofRegulation S-T,the Interactive Data Files on Exhibit 101 hereto are deemed not filed or part of a registration statement or prospectus for purposes of Sections 11 or 12 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, are deemed not filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and otherwise are not subject to liability under those sections.

144

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