Equibles

10-Q

ATMOS ENERGY CORP (ATO)

10-Q 2023-05-03 For: 2023-03-31
View Original
Added on April 03, 2026

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 10-Q

(Mark One)

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

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2023

or

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

For the transition period from                    to

Commission File Number 1-10042

Atmos Energy Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Texas and Virginia 75-1743247
(State or other jurisdiction of<br>incorporation or organization) (IRS employer<br>identification no.)
1800 Three Lincoln Centre
5430 LBJ Freeway
Dallas Texas 75240
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

(972) 934-9227

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Title of each class Trading Symbol Name of each exchange on which registered
Common stock No Par Value ATO New York Stock Exchange

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  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes þ    No ¨

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

Large accelerated filer þ Accelerated filer ¨ Non-accelerated filer ¨ Smaller reporting company ☐ Emerging growth company ☐

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

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

Number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of April 28, 2023.

Class Shares Outstanding
Common stock No Par Value 144,487,306

GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS

AEC Atmos Energy Corporation
AOCI Accumulated other comprehensive income
ARM Annual Rate Mechanism
ASC Accounting Standards Codification
Bcf Billion cubic feet
DARR Dallas Annual Rate Review
FASB Financial Accounting Standards Board
GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
GRIP Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program
GSRS Gas System Reliability Surcharge
Mcf Thousand cubic feet
MMcf Million cubic feet
Moody’s Moody’s Investors Services, Inc.
PRP Pipeline Replacement Program
RRC Railroad Commission of Texas
RRM Rate Review Mechanism
RSC Rate Stabilization Clause
S&P Standard & Poor’s Corporation
SAVE Steps to Advance Virginia Energy
SEC United States Securities and Exchange Commission
SIP System Integrity Program
SIR System Integrity Rider
SOFR Secured Overnight Financing Rate
SRF Stable Rate Filing
SSIR System Safety and Integrity Rider
TCJA Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
WNA Weather Normalization Adjustment
Item 1. Financial Statements
--- ---

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

March 31,<br>2023 September 30,<br>2022
(Unaudited)
(In thousands, except<br>share data)
ASSETS
Property, plant and equipment $ 21,582,327 $ 20,238,139
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization 3,136,441 2,997,900
Net property, plant and equipment 18,445,886 17,240,239
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents 95,175 51,554
Accounts receivable, net (See Note 5) 523,741 363,708
Gas stored underground 183,467 357,941
Other current assets (See Note 8) 270,723 2,274,490
Total current assets 1,073,106 3,047,693
Goodwill 731,257 731,257
Deferred charges and other assets (See Note 8) 1,061,612 1,173,800
$ 21,311,861 $ 22,192,989
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
Shareholders’ equity
Common stock, no par value (stated at $0.005 per share); 200,000,000 shares authorized; issued and outstanding: March 31, 2023 — 144,484,650 shares; September 30, 2022 — 140,896,598 shares $ 722 $ 704
Additional paid-in capital 6,213,523 5,838,118
Accumulated other comprehensive income 360,997 369,112
Retained earnings 3,629,963 3,211,157
Shareholders’ equity 10,205,205 9,419,091
Long-term debt 6,553,097 5,760,647
Total capitalization 16,758,302 15,179,738
Current liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 364,973 496,019
Other current liabilities 746,512 720,157
Short-term debt — 184,967
Current maturities of long-term debt 1,512 2,201,457
Total current liabilities 1,112,997 3,602,600
Deferred income taxes 2,135,738 1,999,505
Regulatory excess deferred taxes 315,071 385,213
Regulatory cost of removal obligation 481,723 487,631
Deferred credits and other liabilities 508,030 538,302
$ 21,311,861 $ 22,192,989

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Three Months Ended March 31
2023 2022
(Unaudited)<br>(In thousands, except per<br>share data)
Operating revenues
Distribution segment $ 1,500,210 $ 1,610,546
Pipeline and storage segment 184,424 163,747
Intersegment eliminations (143,661) (124,474)
Total operating revenues 1,540,973 1,649,819
Purchased gas cost
Distribution segment 809,023 993,854
Pipeline and storage segment 621 1,683
Intersegment eliminations (143,433) (124,159)
Total purchased gas cost 666,211 871,378
Operation and maintenance expense 194,716 163,352
Depreciation and amortization expense 148,317 133,374
Taxes, other than income 109,091 96,583
Operating income 422,638 385,132
Other non-operating income 17,406 5,213
Interest charges 37,370 28,928
Income before income taxes 402,674 361,417
Income tax expense 45,003 36,418
Net income $ 357,671 $ 324,999
Basic net income per share $ 2.48 $ 2.37
Diluted net income per share $ 2.48 $ 2.37
Cash dividends per share $ 0.74 $ 0.68
Basic weighted average shares outstanding 143,941 136,834
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 143,987 137,250
Net income $ 357,671 $ 324,999
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net of tax of $39 and $(47) 134 (161)
Cash flow hedges:
Amortization and unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate agreements, net of tax of $(8,806) and $35,228 (30,467) 121,884
Total other comprehensive income (loss) (30,333) 121,723
Total comprehensive income $ 327,338 $ 446,722

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022
(Unaudited)<br>(In thousands, except per<br>share data)
Operating revenues
Distribution segment $ 2,940,636 $ 2,582,968
Pipeline and storage segment 371,053 326,665
Intersegment eliminations (286,707) (247,028)
Total operating revenues 3,024,982 2,662,605
Purchased gas cost
Distribution segment 1,690,938 1,490,653
Pipeline and storage segment (237) (1,728)
Intersegment eliminations (286,241) (246,384)
Total purchased gas cost 1,404,460 1,242,541
Operation and maintenance expense 379,732 322,462
Depreciation and amortization expense 294,337 261,230
Taxes, other than income 202,629 175,379
Operating income 743,824 660,993
Other non-operating income 38,597 13,915
Interest charges 74,130 48,779
Income before income taxes 708,291 626,129
Income tax expense 78,760 51,921
Net income $ 629,531 $ 574,208
Basic net income per share $ 4.40 $ 4.24
Diluted net income per share $ 4.40 $ 4.24
Cash dividends per share $ 1.48 $ 1.36
Basic weighted average shares outstanding 142,881 135,259
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 142,963 135,470
Net income $ 629,531 $ 574,208
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net of tax of $64 and $(67) 221 (230)
Cash flow hedges:
Amortization and unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate agreements, net of tax of $(2,409) and $21,968 (8,336) 76,006
Total other comprehensive income (loss) (8,115) 75,776
Total comprehensive income $ 621,416 $ 649,984

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022
(Unaudited)<br>(In thousands)
Cash Flows From Operating Activities
Net income $ 629,531 $ 574,208
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization expense 294,337 261,230
Deferred income taxes 59,060 40,122
Other (27,496) (12,812)
Net assets / liabilities from risk management activities (1,482) (4,172)
Net change in Winter Storm Uri current regulatory asset (See Note 8) 2,021,889 —
Net change in other operating assets and liabilities (83,123) (218,092)
Net cash provided by operating activities 2,892,716 640,484
Cash Flows From Investing Activities
Capital expenditures (1,415,349) (1,190,029)
Debt and equity securities activities, net (4,560) 3,758
Other, net 9,519 4,302
Net cash used in investing activities (1,410,390) (1,181,969)
Cash Flows From Financing Activities
Net decrease in short-term debt (184,967) —
Net proceeds from equity issuances 359,683 594,320
Issuance of common stock through stock purchase and employee retirement plans 7,910 8,010
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt 797,258 798,802
Proceeds from term loan 2,020,000 —
Repayment of term loan (2,020,000) —
Repayment of long-term debt (2,200,000) (200,000)
Cash dividends paid (210,725) (183,944)
Debt issuance costs (7,864) (8,196)
Other — (1,735)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (1,438,705) 1,007,257
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 43,621 465,772
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 51,554 116,723
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 95,175 $ 582,495

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

March 31, 2023

1.    Nature of Business

Atmos Energy Corporation (“Atmos Energy” or the “Company”) and its subsidiaries are engaged in the regulated natural gas distribution and pipeline and storage businesses. Our distribution business is subject to federal and state regulation and/or regulation by local authorities in each of the states in which our regulated divisions and subsidiaries operate.

Our distribution business delivers natural gas through sales and transportation arrangements to over 3.3 million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers through our six regulated distribution divisions, which at March 31, 2023, covered service areas located in eight states.

Our pipeline and storage business, which is also subject to federal and state regulations, includes the transportation of natural gas to our Texas and Louisiana distribution systems and the management of our underground storage facilities used to support our distribution business in various states.

2.    Unaudited Financial Information

These consolidated interim-period financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States on the same basis as those used for the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. In the opinion of management, all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation have been made to the unaudited consolidated interim-period financial statements. These consolidated interim-period financial statements are condensed as permitted by the instructions to Form 10-Q and should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of Atmos Energy Corporation included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. Because of seasonal and other factors, the results of operations for the six-month period ended March 31, 2023 are not indicative of our results of operations for the full 2023 fiscal year, which ends September 30, 2023.

Except as described in Note 6 and Note 12 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, no events have occurred subsequent to the balance sheet date that would require recognition or disclosure in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Significant accounting policies

Our accounting policies are described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2023, we completed our annual goodwill impairment assessment using a qualitative assessment, as permitted under U.S. GAAP. We test for goodwill at the reporting unit level on an annual basis and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the reporting unit. Based on the assessment performed, we determined that our goodwill was not impaired.

Regulatory assets and liabilities

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 certain costs as regulatory assets when future recovery through customer rates is considered probable. Regulatory liabilities are recorded when it is probable that revenues will be reduced for amounts that will be credited to customers through the ratemaking process. Substantially all of our regulatory assets are recorded as a component of other current assets and deferred charges and other assets and our regulatory liabilities are recorded as a component of other current liabilities and deferred credits and other liabilities. Deferred gas costs are recorded either in other current assets or liabilities.

Significant regulatory assets and liabilities as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022 included the following:

March 31,<br>2023 September 30,<br>2022
(In thousands)
Regulatory assets:
Pension and postretirement benefit costs $ 24,096 $ 31,122
Infrastructure mechanisms (1) 203,010 235,972
Winter Storm Uri incremental costs (2) 121,493 2,109,454
Deferred gas costs 49,156 119,742
Regulatory excess deferred taxes (3) 47,656 47,311
Recoverable loss on reacquired debt 3,322 3,406
Deferred pipeline record collection costs 51,967 36,898
Other 13,231 21,467
$ 513,931 $ 2,605,372
Regulatory liabilities:
Regulatory excess deferred taxes (3) $ 466,496 $ 545,021
Regulatory cost of removal obligation 568,778 568,307
Deferred gas costs 97,407 28,834
Asset retirement obligation 5,737 5,737
APT annual adjustment mechanism 39,360 31,138
Pension and postretirement benefit costs 146,829 156,857
Other 30,703 23,013
$ 1,355,310 $ 1,358,907

(1)Infrastructure mechanisms in Texas, Louisiana and Tennessee allow for the deferral of all eligible expenses associated with capital expenditures incurred pursuant to these rules, including the recording of interest on deferred expenses until the next rate proceeding (rate case or annual rate filing), at which time investment and costs would be recoverable through base rates.

(2)Includes extraordinary gas costs incurred during Winter Storm Uri and certain related carrying costs. See Note 8 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for further information.

(3)Regulatory excess deferred taxes represent changes in our net deferred tax liability related to our cost of service ratemaking due to the enactment of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "TCJA") and a Kansas legislative change enacted in fiscal 2020. See Note 11 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for further information.

3.    Segment Information

We manage and review our consolidated operations through the following reportable segments:

•The distribution segment is primarily comprised of our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.

•The pipeline and storage segment is comprised primarily of the pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline-Texas division and our natural gas transmission operations in Louisiana.

The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies found in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

Income statements and capital expenditures for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 by segment are presented in the following tables:

Three Months Ended March 31, 2023
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Eliminations Consolidated
(In thousands)
Operating revenues from external parties $ 1,499,437 $ 41,536 $ — $ 1,540,973
Intersegment revenues 773 142,888 (143,661) —
Total operating revenues 1,500,210 184,424 (143,661) 1,540,973
Purchased gas cost 809,023 621 (143,433) 666,211
Operation and maintenance expense 151,353 43,591 (228) 194,716
Depreciation and amortization expense 106,310 42,007 — 148,317
Taxes, other than income 98,200 10,891 — 109,091
Operating income 335,324 87,314 — 422,638
Other non-operating income 7,465 9,941 — 17,406
Interest charges 21,420 15,950 — 37,370
Income before income taxes 321,369 81,305 — 402,674
Income tax expense 32,895 12,108 — 45,003
Net income $ 288,474 $ 69,197 $ — $ 357,671
Capital expenditures $ 424,989 $ 194,700 $ — $ 619,689
Three Months Ended March 31, 2022
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Eliminations Consolidated
(In thousands)
Operating revenues from external parties $ 1,609,667 $ 40,152 $ — $ 1,649,819
Intersegment revenues 879 123,595 (124,474) —
Total operating revenues 1,610,546 163,747 (124,474) 1,649,819
Purchased gas cost 993,854 1,683 (124,159) 871,378
Operation and maintenance expense 121,541 42,126 (315) 163,352
Depreciation and amortization expense 96,612 36,762 — 133,374
Taxes, other than income 87,236 9,347 — 96,583
Operating income 311,303 73,829 — 385,132
Other non-operating income 549 4,664 — 5,213
Interest charges 15,157 13,771 — 28,928
Income before income taxes 296,695 64,722 — 361,417
Income tax expense 27,844 8,574 — 36,418
Net income $ 268,851 $ 56,148 $ — $ 324,999
Capital expenditures $ 362,468 $ 143,381 $ — $ 505,849
Six Months Ended March 31, 2023
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Eliminations Consolidated
(In thousands)
Operating revenues from external parties $ 2,939,130 $ 85,852 $ — $ 3,024,982
Intersegment revenues 1,506 285,201 (286,707) —
Total operating revenues 2,940,636 371,053 (286,707) 3,024,982
Purchased gas cost 1,690,938 (237) (286,241) 1,404,460
Operation and maintenance expense 287,822 92,376 (466) 379,732
Depreciation and amortization expense 211,974 82,363 — 294,337
Taxes, other than income 182,822 19,807 — 202,629
Operating income 567,080 176,744 — 743,824
Other non-operating income 14,239 24,358 — 38,597
Interest charges 44,259 29,871 — 74,130
Income before income taxes 537,060 171,231 — 708,291
Income tax expense 54,118 24,642 — 78,760
Net income $ 482,942 $ 146,589 $ — $ 629,531
Capital expenditures $ 868,533 $ 546,816 $ — $ 1,415,349
Six Months Ended March 31, 2022
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Eliminations Consolidated
(In thousands)
Operating revenues from external parties $ 2,581,303 $ 81,302 $ — $ 2,662,605
Intersegment revenues 1,665 245,363 (247,028) —
Total operating revenues 2,582,968 326,665 (247,028) 2,662,605
Purchased gas cost 1,490,653 (1,728) (246,384) 1,242,541
Operation and maintenance expense 244,825 78,281 (644) 322,462
Depreciation and amortization expense 189,409 71,821 — 261,230
Taxes, other than income 156,281 19,098 — 175,379
Operating income 501,800 159,193 — 660,993
Other non-operating income 2,465 11,450 — 13,915
Interest charges 23,705 25,074 — 48,779
Income before income taxes 480,560 145,569 — 626,129
Income tax expense 32,138 19,783 — 51,921
Net income $ 448,422 $ 125,786 $ — $ 574,208
Capital expenditures $ 799,850 $ 390,179 $ — $ 1,190,029

Balance sheet information at March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022 by segment is presented in the following tables:

March 31, 2023
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Eliminations Consolidated
(In thousands)
Net property, plant and equipment $ 13,495,410 $ 4,950,476 $ — $ 18,445,886
Total assets $ 20,565,390 $ 5,226,910 $ (4,480,439) $ 21,311,861
September 30, 2022
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Eliminations Consolidated
(In thousands)
Net property, plant and equipment $ 12,723,532 $ 4,516,707 $ — $ 17,240,239
Total assets $ 21,424,586 $ 4,797,206 $ (4,028,803) $ 22,192,989

4.    Earnings Per Share

We use the two-class method of computing earnings per share because we have participating securities in the form of non-vested restricted stock units with a nonforfeitable right to dividend equivalents, for which vesting is predicated solely on the passage of time. 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 weighted average shares outstanding is calculated based upon the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the periods presented. Also, this calculation includes fully vested stock awards that have not yet been issued as common stock. Additionally, the weighted average shares outstanding for diluted EPS includes the incremental effects of the forward sale agreements, discussed in Note 7 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, when the impact is dilutive.

Basic and diluted earnings per share for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are calculated as follows:

Three Months Ended March 31 Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 2023 2022
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
Basic Earnings Per Share
Net income $ 357,671 $ 324,999 $ 629,531 $ 574,208
Less: Income allocated to participating securities 212 202 381 379
Income available to common shareholders $ 357,459 $ 324,797 $ 629,150 $ 573,829
Basic weighted average shares outstanding 143,941 136,834 142,881 135,259
Net income per share — Basic $ 2.48 $ 2.37 $ 4.40 $ 4.24
Diluted Earnings Per Share
Income available to common shareholders $ 357,459 $ 324,797 $ 629,150 $ 573,829
Effect of dilutive shares — — — —
Income available to common shareholders $ 357,459 $ 324,797 $ 629,150 $ 573,829
Basic weighted average shares outstanding 143,941 136,834 142,881 135,259
Dilutive shares 46 416 82 211
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding 143,987 137,250 142,963 135,470
Net income per share — Diluted $ 2.48 $ 2.37 $ 4.40 $ 4.24

5.    Revenue and Accounts Receivable

Revenue

Our revenue recognition policy is fully described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. The following tables disaggregate our revenue from contracts with customers by customer type and segment and provide a reconciliation to total operating revenues, including intersegment revenues, for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 Three Months Ended March 31, 2022
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Distribution Pipeline and Storage
(In thousands)
Gas sales revenues:
Residential $ 943,090 $ — $ 1,090,702 $ —
Commercial 398,812 — 428,330 —
Industrial 45,044 — 54,372 —
Public authority and other 22,686 — 26,396 —
Total gas sales revenues 1,409,632 — 1,599,800 —
Transportation revenues 33,511 190,248 32,801 163,850
Miscellaneous revenues 2,662 1,152 2,680 2,284
Revenues from contracts with customers 1,445,805 191,400 1,635,281 166,134
Alternative revenue program revenues (1) 53,910 (6,976) (25,246) (2,387)
Other revenues 495 — 511 —
Total operating revenues $ 1,500,210 $ 184,424 $ 1,610,546 $ 163,747 Six Months Ended March 31, 2023 Six Months Ended March 31, 2022
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Distribution Pipeline and Storage Distribution Pipeline and Storage
(In thousands)
Gas sales revenues:
Residential $ 1,896,141 $ — $ 1,666,543 $ —
Commercial 787,479 — 679,091 —
Industrial 104,259 — 103,053 —
Public authority and other 45,512 — 41,588 —
Total gas sales revenues 2,833,391 — 2,490,275 —
Transportation revenues 65,673 385,500 60,670 327,709
Miscellaneous revenues 4,944 3,874 5,279 8,827
Revenues from contracts with customers 2,904,008 389,374 2,556,224 336,536
Alternative revenue program revenues (1) 35,588 (18,321) 25,740 (9,871)
Other revenues 1,040 — 1,004 —
Total operating revenues $ 2,940,636 $ 371,053 $ 2,582,968 $ 326,665

(1)    In our distribution segment, we have weather-normalization adjustment mechanisms that serve to mitigate the effects of weather on our revenue. Additionally, APT has a regulatory mechanism that requires that APT shares with its tariffed customers 75% of the difference between the total non-tariffed revenues earned during a test period and a revenue benchmark.

Accounts receivable and allowance for uncollectible accounts

Accounts receivable arise from natural gas sales to residential, commercial, industrial, public authority and other customers. Our accounts receivable balance includes unbilled amounts which represent a customer’s consumption of gas from the date of the last cycle billing through the last day of the month. Our policy related to the accounting for our accounts receivable and allowance for uncollectible accounts is fully described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. During the six months ended March 31, 2023, there were no material changes to this policy. Rollforwards of our allowance for uncollectible accounts for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented in the table below. The allowance excludes the gas cost portion of customers’

bills for approximately 81 percent of our customers as we have the ability to collect these gas costs through our gas cost recovery mechanisms in most of our jurisdictions.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2023
(In thousands)
Beginning balance, December 31, 2022 $ 47,613
Current period provisions 13,009
Write-offs charged against allowance (8,333)
Recoveries of amounts previously written off 462
Ending balance, March 31, 2023 $ 52,751 Three Months Ended March 31, 2022
--- --- ---
(In thousands)
Beginning balance, December 31, 2021 $ 64,934
Current period provisions 5,705
Write-offs charged against allowance (9,029)
Recoveries of amounts previously written off 603
Ending balance, March 31, 2022 $ 62,213 Six Months Ended March 31, 2023
--- --- ---
(In thousands)
Beginning balance, September 30, 2022 $ 49,993
Current period provisions 20,242
Write-offs charged against allowance (18,754)
Recoveries of amounts previously written off 1,270
Ending balance, March 31, 2023 $ 52,751 Six Months Ended March 31, 2022
--- --- ---
(In thousands)
Beginning balance, September 30, 2021 $ 64,471
Current period provisions 12,075
Write-offs charged against allowance (15,458)
Recoveries of amounts previously written off 1,125
Ending balance, March 31, 2022 $ 62,213

6.    Debt

The nature and terms of our debt instruments and credit facilities are described in detail in Note 7 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. Other than as described below, there were no material changes in the terms of our debt instruments during the six months ended March 31, 2023.

Long-term debt at March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022 consisted of the following:

March 31, 2023 September 30, 2022
(In thousands)
Unsecured 0.625% Senior Notes, due March 2023 $ — $ 1,100,000
Unsecured 3.00% Senior Notes, due June 2027 500,000 500,000
Unsecured 2.625% Senior Notes, due September 2029 500,000 500,000
Unsecured 1.50% Senior Notes, due January 2031 600,000 600,000
Unsecured 5.45% Senior Notes, due October 2032 300,000 —
Unsecured 5.95% Senior Notes, due October 2034 200,000 200,000
Unsecured 5.50% Senior Notes, due June 2041 400,000 400,000
Unsecured 4.15% Senior Notes, due January 2043 500,000 500,000
Unsecured 4.125% Senior Notes, due October 2044 750,000 750,000
Unsecured 4.30% Senior Notes, due October 2048 600,000 600,000
Unsecured 4.125% Senior Notes, due March 2049 450,000 450,000
Unsecured 3.375% Senior Notes, due September 2049 500,000 500,000
Unsecured 2.85% Senior Notes, due February 2052 600,000 600,000
Unsecured 5.75% Senior Notes, due October 2052 500,000 —
Floating-rate Senior Notes, due March 2023 — 1,100,000
Medium-term note Series A, 1995-1, 6.67%, due December 2025 10,000 10,000
Unsecured 6.75% Debentures, due July 2028 150,000 150,000
Finance lease obligations 51,133 51,850
Total long-term debt 6,611,133 8,011,850
Less:
Original issue discount on unsecured senior notes and debentures 6,271 3,704
Debt issuance cost 50,253 46,042
Current maturities of long-term debt 1,512 2,201,457
$ 6,553,097 $ 5,760,647

On October 3, 2022, we completed a public offering of $500 million of 5.75% senior notes due October 2052, with an effective interest rate of 4.50%, after giving effect to the offering costs and settlement of our interest rate swaps, and $300 million of 5.45% senior notes due October 2032, with an effective interest rate of 5.57%, after giving effect to the offering costs. The net proceeds from the offering, after the underwriting discount and offering expenses, of $789.4 million were used for general corporate purposes.

Short-term debt

We utilize short-term debt to provide cost-effective, short-term financing until it can be replaced with a balance of long-term debt and equity financing that achieves the Company’s desired capital structure. Our short-term borrowing requirements are driven primarily by construction work in progress and the seasonal nature of the natural gas business.

Our short-term borrowing requirements are satisfied through a combination of a $1.5 billion commercial paper program and four committed revolving credit facilities with third-party lenders that provide $2.5 billion of total working capital funding.

The primary source of our funding is our commercial paper program, which is supported by a five-year unsecured $1.5 billion credit facility that expires on March 31, 2027. This facility bears interest at a base rate or at a SOFR-based rate for the applicable interest period, plus a margin ranging from zero percent to 0.25 percent for base rate advances or a margin ranging from 0.75 percent to 1.25 percent for SOFR-based advances, based on the Company’s credit ratings. Additionally, the facility contains a $250 million accordion feature, which provides the opportunity to increase the total committed loan to $1.75 billion. At March 31, 2023, there were no amounts outstanding under our commercial paper program. At September 30, 2022, there was $185.0 million outstanding under our commercial paper program.

We also have a $900 million three-year unsecured revolving credit facility, which expires March 31, 2025 and is used to provide additional working capital funding. This facility bears interest at a base rate or at a SOFR-based rate for the applicable interest period, plus a margin ranging from zero percent to 0.25 percent for base rate advances or a margin ranging from 0.75 percent to 1.25 percent for SOFR-based advances, based on the Company's credit ratings. Additionally, the facility contains a

$100 million accordion feature, which provides the opportunity to increase the total committed loan to $1.0 billion. At March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, there were no borrowings outstanding under this facility.

Additionally, we have a $50 million 364-day unsecured facility, which was renewed April 1, 2023 and is used to provide working capital funding. There were no borrowings outstanding under this facility as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022.

Finally, we have a $50 million 364-day unsecured revolving credit facility, which was renewed March 31, 2023 and is used to issue letters of credit and to provide working capital funding. At March 31, 2023, there were no borrowings outstanding under this facility; however, outstanding letters of credit reduced the total amount available to us to $44.4 million.

On March 3, 2023, we entered into a term loan agreement for a $2.02 billion senior unsecured term loan facility that would have matured December 31, 2023. The proceeds from the facility, along with cash on hand, were used to repay at maturity on March 9, 2023 our outstanding $1.1 billion senior notes and $1.1 billion floating-rate senior notes. Under the terms of the facility, we were required to prepay the facility prior to maturity upon receiving proceeds from the issuance of certain securities that were part of a utility recovery securitization transaction authorized by the state of Texas. On March 23, 2023, we received those proceeds (see Note 8), and on March 24, 2023 we prepaid the term loan facility, thus terminating the term loan agreement and all obligations thereunder.

Debt covenants

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 March 31, 2023, our total-debt-to-total-capitalization ratio, as defined in the agreements, was 40 percent. In addition, both the interest margin and the fee that we pay on unused amounts under certain of these facilities are subject to adjustment depending upon our credit ratings.

These credit facilities and our public indentures contain usual and customary covenants for our business, including covenants substantially limiting liens, substantial asset sales and mergers. Additionally, our public debt indentures relating to our senior notes and debentures, as well as certain of 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 if not paid at maturity. We were in compliance with all of our debt covenants as of March 31, 2023. 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.

7.    Shareholders' Equity

The following tables present a reconciliation of changes in stockholders' equity for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022.

Common stock Additional<br>Paid-in<br>Capital Accumulated<br>Other<br>Comprehensive Income<br>(Loss) Retained<br>Earnings Total
Number of<br>Shares Stated<br>Value
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
Balance, September 30, 2022 140,896,598 $ 704 $ 5,838,118 $ 369,112 $ 3,211,157 $ 9,419,091
Net income — — — — 271,860 271,860
Other comprehensive income — — — 22,218 — 22,218
Cash dividends ($0.74 per share) — — — — (104,552) (104,552)
Common stock issued:
Public and other stock offerings 2,147,210 11 223,768 — — 223,779
Stock-based compensation plans 111,953 1 3,877 — — 3,878
Balance, December 31, 2022 143,155,761 716 6,065,763 391,330 3,378,465 9,836,274
Net income — — — — 357,671 357,671
Other comprehensive loss — — — (30,333) — (30,333)
Cash dividends ($0.74 per share) — — — — (106,173) (106,173)
Common stock issued:
Public and other stock offerings 1,316,930 6 143,808 — — 143,814
Stock-based compensation plans 11,959 — 3,952 — — 3,952
Balance, March 31, 2023 144,484,650 $ 722 $ 6,213,523 $ 360,997 $ 3,629,963 $ 10,205,205 Common stock Additional<br>Paid-in<br>Capital Accumulated<br>Other<br>Comprehensive Income<br>(Loss) Retained<br>Earnings Total
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Number of<br>Shares Stated<br>Value
(In thousands, except share and per share data)
Balance, September 30, 2021 132,419,754 $ 662 $ 5,023,751 $ 69,803 $ 2,812,673 $ 7,906,889
Net income — — — — 249,209 249,209
Other comprehensive loss — — — (45,947) — (45,947)
Cash dividends ($0.68 per share) — — — — (90,411) (90,411)
Common stock issued:
Public and other stock offerings 2,730,115 13 265,848 — — 265,861
Stock-based compensation plans 275,212 2 3,942 — — 3,944
Balance, December 31, 2021 135,425,081 677 5,293,541 23,856 2,971,471 8,289,545
Net income — — — — 324,999 324,999
Other comprehensive income — — — 121,723 — 121,723
Cash dividends ($0.68 per share) — — — — (93,533) (93,533)
Common stock issued:
Public and other stock offerings 3,509,116 18 336,451 — — 336,469
Stock-based compensation plans 77,832 — 4,028 — — 4,028
Balance, March 31, 2022 139,012,029 $ 695 $ 5,634,020 $ 145,579 $ 3,202,937 $ 8,983,231

Shelf Registration, At-the-Market Equity Sales Program and Equity Issuances

On March 31, 2023, we filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that allows us to issue up to $5.0 billion in common stock and/or debt securities, which expires March 31, 2026. This shelf registration statement replaced our previous shelf registration statement which was filed on June 29, 2021. At March 31, 2023, $4.0 billion of securities were available for issuance under this shelf registration statement.

On March 31, 2023, we filed a prospectus supplement under the shelf registration statement relating to an at-the-market (ATM) equity sales program under which we may issue and sell shares of our common stock up to an aggregate offering price

of $1.0 billion through March 31, 2026 (including shares of common stock that may be sold pursuant to forward sale agreements entered into concurrently with the ATM equity sales program). This ATM equity sales program replaced our previous ATM equity sales program, filed on March 23, 2022.

During the six months ended March 31, 2023, we executed forward sales under our ATM equity sales program with various forward sellers who borrowed and sold 2,177,143 shares of our common stock at an aggregate price of $257.0 million. During the six months ended March 31, 2023, we also settled forward sale agreements with respect to 3,394,919 shares that had been borrowed and sold by various forward sellers under the ATM program for net proceeds of $359.7 million. As of March 31, 2023, $1.0 billion of equity was available for issuance under our existing ATM program. Additionally, we had $673.2 million in available proceeds from outstanding forward sale agreements, as detailed below.

Maturity Shares Available Net Proceeds Available<br>(In thousands) Forward Price
September 29, 2023 1,157,238 $ 132,198 $ 114.24
December 29, 2023 919,898 105,843 $ 115.06
March 28, 2024 2,744,502 319,894 $ 116.56
June 28, 2024 927,939 108,491 $ 116.92
September 30, 2024 58,807 6,792 $ 115.49
Total 5,808,384 $ 673,218 $ 115.90

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

We record deferred gains (losses) in AOCI related to available-for-sale debt securities and interest rate agreement cash flow hedges. Deferred gains (losses) for our available-for-sale debt securities are recognized in earnings upon settlement, while deferred gains (losses) related to our interest rate agreement cash flow hedges are recognized in earnings on a straight-line basis over the life of the related financing. The following tables provide the components of our accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) balances, net of the related tax effects allocated to each component of other comprehensive income (loss).

Available-<br>for-Sale<br>Securities Interest Rate<br>Agreement<br>Cash Flow<br>Hedges Total
(In thousands)
September 30, 2022 $ (495) $ 369,607 $ 369,112
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications 221 (7,276) (7,055)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income — (1,060) (1,060)
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss) 221 (8,336) (8,115)
March 31, 2023 $ (274) $ 361,271 $ 360,997
Available-<br>for-Sale<br>Securities Interest Rate<br>Agreement<br>Cash Flow<br>Hedges Total
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
(In thousands)
September 30, 2021 $ 47 $ 69,756 $ 69,803
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications (230) 74,518 74,288
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income — 1,488 1,488
Net current-period other comprehensive income (loss) (230) 76,006 75,776
March 31, 2022 $ (183) $ 145,762 $ 145,579

8.    Winter Storm Uri

Overview

As described in Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, a historic winter storm impacted supply, market pricing and demand for natural gas in our service territories in mid-February 2021. During this time, the governors of Kansas and Texas each declared a state of emergency, and certain regulatory agencies issued emergency orders that impacted the utility and natural gas industries, including statewide

utilities curtailment programs and orders encouraging or requiring jurisdictional natural gas utilities to work to ensure customers were provided with safe and reliable natural gas service.

Due to the historic nature of this winter storm, we experienced unforeseeable and unprecedented market pricing for gas costs, which resulted in aggregated natural gas purchases during the month of February of approximately $2.3 billion. These gas costs were paid using funds received from a public offering of debt securities completed in March 2021 of $2.2 billion. On March 3, 2023, we entered into a term loan agreement for a $2.02 billion senior unsecured term loan facility and used the proceeds, along with cash on hand, to repay at maturity the outstanding $2.2 billion senior notes that matured on March 9, 2023.

Regulatory Asset Accounting

Our purchased gas costs are recoverable through purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms in each state where we operate. Due to the unprecedented level of purchased gas costs incurred during Winter Storm Uri, the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) and the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) issued orders authorizing natural gas utilities to record a regulatory asset to account for the extraordinary costs associated with the winter storm. Pursuant to these orders, we recorded a regulatory asset for incremental costs, including certain carrying costs, incurred in Kansas and Texas. As of March 31, 2023, we have recorded an $89.1 million regulatory asset related to costs incurred in Kansas. The regulatory asset that was recorded related to costs incurred in Texas was relieved in March 2023 as a result of securitization proceedings in Texas as discussed below. Additionally, pursuant to a separate regulatory order issued by the RRC, we have deferred $32.4 million in carrying costs incurred after September 1, 2022, which we anticipate recovering in future regulatory filings. We have recorded the regulatory asset for Texas as a long-term asset in deferred charges and other assets as of March 31, 2023.

Securitization Proceedings

To minimize the impact on the customer bill by extending the recovery periods for these unprecedented purchased gas costs, the Kansas and Texas State Legislatures each enacted securitization legislation during fiscal 2021, as described in further detail in Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

Kansas

The KCC issued a financing order on October 25, 2022, which authorizes us to securitize, through the issuance of bonds, $118.5 million, which includes the carrying costs and estimated interest related to the securitization over a time period not to exceed 12 years. We currently expect the issuance of bonds to take place during fiscal 2023. Because we intend to recover these costs over several years, we have recorded the regulatory asset for Kansas as a long-term asset in deferred charges and other assets as of March 31, 2023.

Texas

On February 8, 2022, the RRC issued a Financing Order that authorizes the Texas Public Financing Authority (TPFA) to issue customer rate relief bonds to securitize the costs that were approved in the Final Determination over a period not to exceed 30 years. The TPFA authorized the creation of the Texas Natural Gas Securitization Finance Corporation (the Finance Corporation) as an issuing financing entity for the purpose of issuing customer rate relief bonds. On March 23, 2023, the Finance Corporation issued $3.5 billion in customer rate relief bonds with varying scheduled final maturities from 12 to 18 years. The bonds are obligations of the Finance Corporation, payable from the customer rate relief charges and other bond collateral, and are not an obligation of Atmos Energy. When we begin collecting the customer rate relief charges, such property shall be solely owned by the Finance Corporation and not available to pay creditors of Atmos Energy.

On March 23, 2023, we received proceeds from the Finance Corporation in the amount of $2.02 billion, and we relieved $2.02 billion in regulatory assets related to costs incurred in Texas. U.S. GAAP does not provide comprehensive recognition and measurement guidance for many forms of government assistance received by business entities. Accordingly, we have accounted for the proceeds received from the Finance Corporation by analogy to International Accounting Standards No. 20, "Accounting for Government Grants and Disclosure of Government Assistance" consistent with a grant related to income. The proceeds received and the corresponding derecognition of the deferred regulatory asset have been reflected in purchased gas cost and interest charges in our condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income. As the proceeds reflect the recovery of the regulatory asset, there was no impact to earnings. The proceeds are reflected in our condensed consolidated statements of cash flow as an increase in operating cash flow. As discussed in Note 6, we used the proceeds from the Finance Corporation to repay a term loan facility.

9.     Interim Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan Information

The components of our net periodic pension cost for our pension and other postretirement benefit plans for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented in the following tables. Most of these costs are recoverable through

our tariff rates. A portion of these costs is capitalized into our rate base or deferred as a regulatory asset or liability. The remaining costs are recorded as a component of operation and maintenance expense or other non-operating expense.

Three Months Ended March 31
Pension Benefits Other Benefits
2023 2022 2023 2022
(In thousands)
Components of net periodic pension cost:
Service cost $ 2,908 $ 4,324 $ 1,546 $ 2,558
Interest cost (1) 7,325 5,064 3,478 2,684
Expected return on assets (1) (7,278) (7,383) (2,804) (3,313)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (1) (30) (58) (3,285) (3,308)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss (1) 164 1,951 (1,863) —
Net periodic pension cost $ 3,089 $ 3,898 $ (2,928) $ (1,379) Six Months Ended March 31
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Pension Benefits Other Benefits
2023 2022 2023 2022
(In thousands)
Components of net periodic pension cost:
Service cost $ 5,816 $ 8,647 $ 3,091 $ 5,117
Interest cost (1) 14,650 10,127 6,955 5,367
Expected return on assets (1) (14,556) (14,766) (5,608) (6,625)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (1) (61) (116) (6,571) (6,617)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss (1) 329 3,902 (3,726) —
Net periodic pension cost $ 6,178 $ 7,794 $ (5,859) $ (2,758)

(1)    The components of net periodic cost other than the service cost component are included in the line item other non-operating expense in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income or are capitalized on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as a regulatory asset or liability, as described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

For the six months ended March 31, 2023 we contributed $6.2 million to our postretirement medical plans. We anticipate contributing a total of between $15 million and $25 million to our postretirement plans during fiscal 2023.

10.    Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation and Environmental Matters

In the normal course of business, we are subject to various legal and regulatory proceedings. For such matters, we record liabilities when they are considered probable and estimable, based on currently available facts, our historical experience and our estimates of the ultimate outcome or resolution of the liability in the future. While the outcome of these proceedings is uncertain and a loss in excess of the amount we have accrued is possible though not reasonably estimable, it is the opinion of management that any amounts exceeding the accruals will not have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

We are a party to various other litigation and environmental-related matters or claims that have arisen in the ordinary course of our business. While the results of such litigation and response actions to such environmental-related matters or claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we continue to believe the final outcome of such litigation and matters or claims will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Purchase Commitments

Our distribution divisions 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.

Our Mid-Tex Division also maintains a limited number of 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 prices under contracts indexed to natural gas hubs or fixed price contracts. These purchase commitment contracts are detailed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for

the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. At March 31, 2023, we were committed to purchase 81.2 Bcf within one year, 109.2 Bcf within two to three years and 3.1 Bcf beyond three years under indexed contracts. At March 31, 2023, we were committed to purchase 7.3 Bcf within one year under fixed price contracts with a weighted average price of $2.64 per Mcf.

Rate Regulatory Proceedings

As of March 31, 2023, routine rate regulatory proceedings were in progress in several of our service areas, which are discussed in further detail below in Management’s Discussion and Analysis — Recent Ratemaking Developments. Except for these proceedings, there were no material changes to rate regulatory proceedings for the six months ended March 31, 2023.

11.    Income Taxes

Income Tax Expense

Our interim effective tax rates reflect the estimated annual effective tax rates for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, adjusted for tax expense associated with certain discrete items. The effective tax rates for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 were 11.2% and 10.1% and for the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 were 11.1% and 8.3%. These effective tax rates differ from the federal statutory tax rate of 21% primarily due to the amortization of excess deferred federal income tax liabilities, tax credits, state income taxes and other permanent book-to-tax differences. These adjustments have a relative impact on the effective tax rate proportionally to pretax income or loss.

Regulatory Excess Deferred Taxes

Regulatory excess net deferred taxes represent changes in our net deferred tax liability related to our cost of service ratemaking due to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the "TCJA") and a Kansas legislative change enacted in fiscal 2020. Currently, the regulatory excess net deferred tax liability of $418.9 million is being returned over various periods. Of this amount, $332.2 million is being returned to customers over 35 - 60 months. An additional $71.6 million is being returned to customers on a provisional basis over 15 - 69 years until our regulators establish the final refund periods. The refund of the remaining $15.1 million will be addressed in future rate proceedings.

As of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, $151.4 million and $159.8 million is recorded in other current liabilities.

12.    Financial Instruments

We currently use financial instruments to mitigate commodity price risk and interest rate risk. The objectives and strategies for using financial instruments and the related accounting for these financial instruments are fully described in Notes 2 and 15 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. During the six months ended March 31, 2023, there were no material changes in our objectives, strategies and accounting for using financial instruments. Our financial instruments do not contain any credit-risk-related or other contingent features that could cause payments to be accelerated when our financial instruments are in net liability positions. The following summarizes those objectives and strategies.

Commodity Risk Management Activities

Our purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms essentially insulate our distribution segment from commodity price risk; however, 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, primarily over-the-counter swap and option contracts, in an effort to minimize the impact of natural gas price volatility on our customers during the winter heating season.

We typically seek to hedge between 25 and 50 percent of anticipated heating season gas purchases using financial instruments. For the 2022-2023 heating season (generally October through March), in the jurisdictions where we are permitted to utilize financial instruments, we hedged approximately 32 percent, or 17.7 Bcf, of the winter flowing gas requirements. We have not designated these financial instruments as hedges for accounting purposes.

Interest Rate Risk Management Activities

We manage interest rate risk by periodically entering into financial instruments to effectively fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with anticipated financings.

In March 2023, we entered into forward starting interest rate swaps to effectively fix the Treasury yield component associated with $150 million of planned issuances of unsecured senior notes in fiscal 2024. These swaps were designated as cash flow hedges at the time the agreements were executed.

The following table summarizes our existing forward starting interest rate swaps as of March 31, 2023.

Planned Debt Issuance Date Amount Hedged
(In thousands)
Fiscal 2024 $ 600,000
Fiscal 2025 600,000
Fiscal 2026 300,000
$ 1,500,000

Additionally, in April 2023, we entered into a forward starting interest rate swap to effectively fix the Treasury yield component associated with $100 million of planned issuances of unsecured senior notes in fiscal 2024. This swap was designated as a cash flow hedge at the time the agreement was executed.

Quantitative Disclosures Related to Financial Instruments

The following tables present detailed information concerning the impact of financial instruments on our condensed consolidated balance sheet and statements of comprehensive income.

As of March 31, 2023, 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 March 31, 2023, we had 4,123 MMcf of net long commodity contracts outstanding. These contracts have not been designated as hedges.

Financial Instruments on the Balance Sheet

The following tables present the fair value and balance sheet classification of our financial instruments as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022. The gross amounts of recognized assets and liabilities are netted within our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets to the extent that we have netting arrangements with our counterparties. However, as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, no gross amounts and no cash collateral were netted within our consolidated balance sheet.

March 31, 2023
Balance Sheet Location Assets Liabilities
(In thousands)
Designated As Hedges:
Interest rate contracts Other current assets / <br>Other current liabilities $ 95,735 $ (272)
Interest rate contracts Deferred charges and other assets / <br>Deferred credits and other liabilities 250,232 —
Total 345,967 (272)
Not Designated As Hedges:
Commodity contracts Other current assets / <br>Other current liabilities 1,974 (11,679)
Total 1,974 (11,679)
Gross / Net Financial Instruments $ 347,941 $ (11,951)
September 30, 2022
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Balance Sheet Location Assets Liabilities
(In thousands)
Designated As Hedges:
Interest rate contracts Deferred charges and other assets / <br>Deferred credits and other liabilities $ 355,075 $ —
Total 355,075 —
Not Designated As Hedges:
Commodity contracts Other current assets / <br>Other current liabilities 26,207 (3,000)
Commodity contracts Deferred charges and other assets / <br>Deferred credits and other liabilities 709 (1,129)
Total 26,916 (4,129)
Gross / Net Financial Instruments $ 381,991 $ (4,129)

Impact of Financial Instruments on the Statement of Comprehensive Income

Cash Flow Hedges

As discussed above, our distribution segment has interest rate agreements, which we designated as cash flow hedges at the time the agreements were executed. The net (gain) loss on settled interest rate agreements reclassified from AOCI into interest charges on our condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was $(0.7) million and $1.0 million and for the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 was $(1.4) million and $1.9 million.

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 three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022.

Three Months Ended March 31 Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 2023 2022
(In thousands)
Increase (decrease) in fair value:
Interest rate agreements $ (29,937) $ 121,140 $ (7,276) $ 74,518
Recognition of (gains) losses in earnings due to settlements:
Interest rate agreements (530) 744 (1,060) 1,488
Total other comprehensive income (loss) from hedging, net of tax $ (30,467) $ 121,884 $ (8,336) $ 76,006

Deferred gains (losses) recorded in AOCI associated with our interest rate agreements are recognized in earnings as they are amortized over the terms of the underlying debt instruments. As of March 31, 2023, we had $93.1 million of net realized gains in AOCI associated with our interest rate agreements. The following amounts, net of deferred taxes, represent the expected recognition in earnings of the deferred net gains recorded in AOCI associated with our interest rate agreements, based upon the fair values of these agreements at the date of settlement. The remaining amortization periods for these settled amounts extend through fiscal 2053. However, the table below does not include the expected recognition in earnings of our outstanding interest rate swaps as those instruments have not yet settled.

Interest Rate<br>Agreements
(In thousands)
Next twelve months $ 2,120
Thereafter 90,967
Total $ 93,087

Financial Instruments Not Designated as Hedges

As discussed above, commodity contracts which are used in our distribution segment are not designated as hedges. However, there is no earnings impact on our 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 comprehensive 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.

13.    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 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. During the six months ended March 31, 2023, there were no changes in these methods.

Fair value measurements also apply to the valuation of our pension and postretirement plan assets. Current accounting guidance requires employers to annually disclose information about fair value measurements of the assets of a defined benefit pension or other postretirement plan. The fair value of these assets is presented in Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022.

Quantitative Disclosures

Financial Instruments

The classification of our fair value measurements requires judgment regarding the degree to which market data is observable or corroborated by observable market data. 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), with the lowest priority given to unobservable inputs (Level 3). 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 March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022. Assets and liabilities are categorized in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Quoted<br>Prices in<br>Active<br>Markets<br>(Level 1) Significant<br><br>Other<br><br>Observable<br><br>Inputs<br><br>(Level 2)(1) Significant<br>Other<br>Unobservable<br>Inputs<br>(Level 3) Netting and<br>Cash<br>Collateral March 31, 2023
(In thousands)
Assets:
Financial instruments $ — $ 347,941 $ — $ — $ 347,941
Debt and equity securities
Registered investment companies 27,596 — — — 27,596
Bond mutual funds 33,326 — — — 33,326
Bonds (2) — 34,962 — — 34,962
Money market funds — 6,458 — — 6,458
Total debt and equity securities 60,922 41,420 — — 102,342
Total assets $ 60,922 $ 389,361 $ — $ — $ 450,283
Liabilities:
Financial instruments $ — $ 11,951 $ — $ — $ 11,951
Quoted<br>Prices in<br>Active<br>Markets<br>(Level 1) Significant<br><br>Other<br><br>Observable<br><br>Inputs<br><br>(Level 2)(1) Significant<br>Other<br>Unobservable<br>Inputs<br>(Level 3) Netting and<br>Cash<br>Collateral September 30, 2022
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
(In thousands)
Assets:
Financial instruments $ — $ 381,991 $ — $ — $ 381,991
Debt and equity securities
Registered investment companies 26,367 — — — 26,367
Bond mutual funds 32,367 — — — 32,367
Bonds (2) — 33,433 — — 33,433
Money market funds — 3,845 — — 3,845
Total debt and equity securities 58,734 37,278 — — 96,012
Total assets $ 58,734 $ 419,269 $ — $ — $ 478,003
Liabilities:
Financial instruments $ — $ 4,129 $ — $ — $ 4,129

(1)Our Level 2 measurements consist of over-the-counter options and swaps, which are valued 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, municipal and corporate bonds, which are valued based on the most recent available quoted market prices and money market funds that are valued at cost.

(2)Our investments in bonds are considered available-for-sale debt securities in accordance with current accounting guidance.

Debt and equity securities are comprised of our available-for-sale debt securities and our equity securities. As described in Note 2 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022, we evaluate the performance of our available-for-sale debt securities on an investment by investment basis for impairment, taking into consideration the investment’s purpose, volatility, current returns and any intent to sell the security. As of March 31, 2023, no allowance for credit losses was recorded for our available-for-sale debt securities. At March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022, the amortized cost of our available-for-sale debt securities was $35.3 million and $34.1 million. At March 31, 2023, we maintained investments in bonds that have contractual maturity dates ranging from April 2023 through September 2026.

Other Fair Value Measures

Our long-term debt is recorded at carrying value. The fair value of our long-term debt, excluding finance leases, is determined using third party market value quotations, which are considered Level 1 fair value measurements for debt instruments with a recent, observable trade or Level 2 fair value measurements for debt instruments where fair value is determined using the most recent available quoted market price. The carrying value of our finance leases materially approximates fair value. The following table presents the carrying value and fair value of our long-term debt, excluding finance leases, debt issuance costs and original issue premium or discount, as of March 31, 2023 and September 30, 2022:

March 31, 2023 September 30, 2022
(In thousands)
Carrying Amount $ 6,560,000 $ 7,960,000
Fair Value $ 5,879,825 $ 6,918,843

14.    Concentration of Credit Risk

Information regarding our concentration of credit risk is disclosed in Note 17 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. During the six months ended March 31, 2023, there were no material changes in our concentration of credit risk.

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors and Shareholders of Atmos Energy Corporation

Results of Review of Interim Financial Statements

We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of Atmos Energy Corporation (the Company) as of March 31, 2023, the related condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three and six month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the six month periods ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the "condensed consolidated interim financial statements"). Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of September 30, 2022, the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for the year then ended, and the related notes (not presented herein); and in our report dated November 14, 2022, we expressed an unqualified audit opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2022, is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.

Basis for Review Results

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the PCAOB. We conducted our review in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. A review of interim financial statements consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB, the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.

/s/    ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Dallas, Texas

May 3, 2023

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

INTRODUCTION

The following discussion should be read in conjunction with the condensed consolidated financial statements in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Management’s Discussion and Analysis in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2022.

Cautionary Statement for the Purposes of the Safe Harbor under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

The statements contained in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q may 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: federal, state and local regulatory and political trends and decisions, including the impact of rate proceedings before various state regulatory commissions; increased federal regulatory oversight and potential penalties; possible increased federal, state and local regulation of the safety of our operations; possible significant costs and liabilities resulting from pipeline integrity and other similar programs and related repairs; the inherent hazards and risks involved in distributing, transporting and storing natural gas; the availability and accessibility of contracted gas supplies, interstate pipeline and/or storage services; increased competition from energy suppliers and alternative forms of energy; failure to attract and retain a qualified workforce; 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; increased dependence on technology that may hinder the Company's business if such technologies fail; the threat of cyber-attacks or acts of cyber-terrorism that could disrupt our business operations and information technology systems or result in the loss or exposure of confidential or sensitive customer, employee or Company information; the impact of new cybersecurity compliance requirements; adverse weather conditions; the impact of greenhouse gas emissions or other legislation or regulations intended to address climate change; the impact of climate change; the capital-intensive nature of our business; our ability to continue to access the credit and capital markets to execute our business strategy; market risks beyond our control affecting our risk management activities, including commodity price volatility, counterparty performance or creditworthiness and interest rate risk; the concentration of our operations in Texas; the impact of adverse economic conditions on our customers; changes in the availability and price of natural gas; and increased costs of providing health care benefits, along with pension and postretirement health care benefits and increased funding requirements. 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.

OVERVIEW

Atmos Energy and our subsidiaries are engaged in the regulated natural gas distribution and pipeline and storage businesses. We distribute natural gas through sales and transportation arrangements to over 3.3 million residential, commercial, public authority and industrial customers throughout our six distribution divisions, which at March 31, 2023 covered service areas located in eight states. In addition, we transport natural gas for others through our distribution and pipeline systems.

We manage and review our consolidated operations through the following reportable segments:

•The distribution segment is primarily comprised of our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.

•The pipeline and storage segment is comprised primarily of the pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline-Texas division and our natural gas transmission operations in Louisiana.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES AND POLICIES

Our condensed 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 other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to the allowance for doubtful accounts, legal and environmental accruals, insurance accruals, pension and postretirement obligations, deferred income taxes and the valuation of goodwill and other long-lived assets. Actual results may differ from such estimates.

Our critical accounting policies used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements are described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022 and include the following:

•Regulation

•Unbilled revenue

•Pension and other postretirement plans

•Impairment assessments

Our critical accounting policies are reviewed periodically by the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors. There were no significant changes to these critical accounting policies during the six months ended March 31, 2023.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Executive Summary

Atmos Energy strives to operate our businesses safely and reliably while delivering superior shareholder value. Our commitment to modernizing our natural gas distribution and transmission systems requires a significant level of capital spending. We have the ability to begin recovering a significant portion of these investments timely through rate designs and mechanisms that reduce or eliminate regulatory lag and separate the recovery of our approved rate from customer usage patterns. The execution of our capital spending program, the ability to recover these investments timely and our ability to access the capital markets to satisfy our financing needs are the primary drivers that affect our financial performance.

During the six months ended March 31, 2023, we recorded net income of $629.5 million, or $4.40 per diluted share, compared to net income of $574.2 million, or $4.24 per diluted share for the six months ended March 31, 2022.

The 10 percent year-over-year increase in net income largely reflects positive rate outcomes driven by safety and reliability spending, partially offset by increased depreciation and property tax expenses and higher spending on certain operating expenses in both our segments.

During the six months ended March 31, 2023, we implemented ratemaking regulatory actions which resulted in an increase in annual operating income of $115.1 million. Additionally, as of March 31, 2023, we had ratemaking efforts in progress seeking a total increase in annual operating income of $298.9 million.

Capital expenditures for the six months ended March 31, 2023 were $1,415.3 million. Over 85 percent was invested to improve the safety and reliability of our distribution and transportation systems, with a significant portion of this investment incurred under regulatory mechanisms that reduce lag to six months or less.

During the six months ended March 31, 2023, we completed approximately $1.2 billion of long-term debt and equity financing. As of March 31, 2023, our equity capitalization was 60.9 percent. As of March 31, 2023, we had approximately $3.3 billion in total liquidity, consisting of $95.2 million in cash and cash equivalents, $673.2 million in funds available through equity forward sales agreements and $2,494.4 million in undrawn capacity under our credit facilities.

As a result of our sustained financial performance, our Board of Directors increased the quarterly dividend by 8.8 percent for fiscal 2023.

The following discusses the results of operations for each of our operating segments.

Distribution Segment

The distribution segment is primarily comprised of our regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states. The primary factors that impact the results of this segment are our ability to earn our authorized rates of return, competitive factors in the energy industry and economic conditions in our service areas.

Our ability to earn our authorized rates of return is based primarily on our ability to improve the rate design in our various ratemaking jurisdictions to minimize regulatory lag and, ultimately, separate the recovery of our approved rates 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. Under our current rate design, approximately 70 percent of our distribution segment revenues are earned through the first six months of the fiscal year. Additionally, we currently recover approximately 50 percent of our distribution segment revenue, excluding gas costs, through the base customer charge, which partially separates the recovery of our approved rate from customer usage patterns.

Seasonal weather patterns can also affect our distribution operations. However, the effect of weather that is above or below normal is substantially offset through weather normalization adjustments, known as WNA, which have been approved by state regulatory commissions for approximately 96 percent of our residential and commercial revenues in the following states for the following time periods:

Kansas, West Texas October — May
Tennessee October — April
Kentucky, Mississippi, Mid-Tex November — April
Louisiana December — March
Virginia January — December

Our distribution operations are also affected by the cost of natural gas. We are generally able to pass the cost of gas through to our customers without markup under purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms; therefore, increases in the cost of gas are offset by a corresponding increase in revenues. Revenues 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 associated tax expense as a component of taxes, other than income.

The cost of gas typically does not have a direct impact on our operating income because these costs are recovered through our purchased gas cost adjustment mechanisms. However, higher gas costs may adversely impact our accounts receivable collections, resulting in higher bad debt expense. This risk is currently mitigated by rate design that allows us to collect from our customers the gas cost portion of our bad debt expense on approximately 81 percent of our residential and commercial revenues. Additionally, higher gas costs may require us to increase borrowings under our credit facilities, resulting in higher interest expense. Finally, 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.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 compared with Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

Financial and operational highlights for our distribution segment for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below.

Three Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 Change
(In thousands, unless otherwise noted)
Operating revenues $ 1,500,210 $ 1,610,546 $ (110,336)
Purchased gas cost 809,023 993,854 (184,831)
Operating expenses 355,863 305,389 50,474
Operating income 335,324 311,303 24,021
Other non-operating income 7,465 549 6,916
Interest charges 21,420 15,157 6,263
Income before income taxes 321,369 296,695 24,674
Income tax expense 32,895 27,844 5,051
Net income $ 288,474 $ 268,851 $ 19,623
Consolidated distribution sales volumes — MMcf 117,731 142,218 (24,487)
Consolidated distribution transportation volumes — MMcf 43,377 47,080 (3,703)
Total consolidated distribution throughput — MMcf 161,108 189,298 (28,190)
Consolidated distribution average cost of gas per Mcf sold $ 6.87 $ 6.99 $ (0.12)

Operating income for our distribution segment increased 7.7 percent. Key drivers for the change in operating income include:

•a $52.5 million increase in rate adjustments, primarily in our Mid-Tex Division.

•a $14.9 million increase in consumption, net of WNA, primarily due to the decline in residential consumption during the second quarter of fiscal 2022.

•a $6.1 million increase related to residential customer growth, primarily in our Mid-Tex Division, and increased industrial load.

•a $4.5 million decrease in refunds of excess deferred taxes to customers, which is substantially offset in income tax expense.

Partially offset by:

•a $17.7 million increase in depreciation expense and property taxes associated with increased capital investments.

•an $11.6 million increase in pipeline system maintenance primarily related to increased line locate spending.

•a $6.9 million increase in bad debt expense primarily due to higher customer bills.

•an $11.3 million increase in other operation and maintenance expense primarily due to administrative costs, including the reimbursement of certain costs in the prior year.

Other non-operating income increased $6.9 million primarily due to unrealized gains on equity investments in the current period compared to unrealized losses on equity investments in the prior period. Interest charges increased $6.3 million primarily due to the issuance of long-term debt during the first quarter of fiscal 2023.

The following table shows our operating income by distribution division, in order of total rate base, for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022. The presentation of our distribution operating income is included for financial reporting purposes and may not be appropriate for ratemaking purposes.

Three Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 Change
(In thousands)
Mid-Tex $ 163,604 $ 155,275 $ 8,329
Kentucky/Mid-States 37,303 36,288 1,015
Louisiana 33,329 29,796 3,533
West Texas 35,543 31,157 4,386
Mississippi 42,556 37,087 5,469
Colorado-Kansas 23,852 22,037 1,815
Other (863) (337) (526)
Total $ 335,324 $ 311,303 $ 24,021

Six Months Ended March 31, 2023 compared with Six Months Ended March 31, 2022

Financial and operational highlights for our distribution segment for the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below.

Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 Change
(In thousands, unless otherwise noted)
Operating revenues $ 2,940,636 $ 2,582,968 $ 357,668
Purchased gas cost 1,690,938 1,490,653 200,285
Operating expenses 682,618 590,515 92,103
Operating income 567,080 501,800 65,280
Other non-operating income 14,239 2,465 11,774
Interest charges 44,259 23,705 20,554
Income before income taxes 537,060 480,560 56,500
Income tax expense 54,118 32,138 21,980
Net income $ 482,942 $ 448,422 $ 34,520
Consolidated distribution sales volumes — MMcf 217,809 211,763 6,046
Consolidated distribution transportation volumes — MMcf 83,977 85,677 (1,700)
Total consolidated distribution throughput — MMcf 301,786 297,440 4,346
Consolidated distribution average cost of gas per Mcf sold $ 7.76 $ 7.04 $ 0.72

Operating income for our distribution segment increased 13.0 percent. Key drivers for the change in operating income include:

•a $109.8 million increase in rate adjustments, primarily in our Mid-Tex Division.

•a $14.1 million increase in consumption, net of WNA, primarily due to the decline in residential consumption during the second quarter of fiscal 2022.

•an $11.5 million increase related to residential customer growth, primarily in our Mid-Tex Division, and increased industrial load.

•a $10.5 million decrease in refunds of excess deferred taxes to customers, which is substantially offset in income tax expense.

Partially offset by:

•a $33.7 million increase in depreciation expense and property taxes associated with increased capital investments.

•an $18.9 million increase in pipeline system maintenance primarily related to increased line locate spending.

•a $7.0 million increase in bad debt expense primarily due to higher customer bills.

•a $5.7 million increase in employee-related costs primarily due to higher overtime incurred.

•an $11.4 million increase in other operation and maintenance expense primarily due to administrative costs, including the reimbursement of certain costs in the prior year.

Other non-operating income increased $11.8 million primarily due to unrealized gains on equity investments in the current period compared to unrealized losses on equity investments in the prior period. Interest charges increased $20.6 million primarily due to the issuance of long-term debt during the first quarter of fiscal 2023.

The following table shows our operating income by distribution division, in order of total rate base, for the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022. The presentation of our distribution operating income is included for financial reporting purposes and may not be appropriate for ratemaking purposes.

Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 Change
(In thousands)
Mid-Tex $ 277,532 $ 261,633 $ 15,899
Kentucky/Mid-States 65,488 61,826 3,662
Louisiana 58,677 50,950 7,727
West Texas 56,749 52,031 4,718
Mississippi 69,605 61,787 7,818
Colorado-Kansas 38,819 24,852 13,967
Other 210 (11,279) 11,489
Total $ 567,080 $ 501,800 $ 65,280

Recent Ratemaking Developments

The amounts described in the following sections represent the operating income that was requested or received in each rate filing, which may not necessarily reflect the stated amount referenced in the final order, as certain operating costs may have changed as a result of a commission’s or other governmental authority’s final ruling. During the first six months of fiscal 2023, we implemented, or received approval to implement, regulatory proceedings, resulting in a $115.1 million increase in annual operating income as summarized below. Our ratemaking outcomes include the refund (return) of excess deferred income taxes (EDIT) resulting from previously enacted tax reform legislation and do not reflect the true economic benefit of the outcomes because they do not include the corresponding income tax benefit. Excluding these amounts, our total rate outcomes for ratemaking activities for the six months ended March 31, 2023 were $115.5 million.

Rate Action Annual Increase in<br>Operating Income EDIT Impact Annual Increase in<br>Operating Income Excluding EDIT
(In thousands)
Annual formula rate mechanisms $ 113,817 $ 342 $ 114,159
Rate case filings — — —
Other rate activity 1,320 — 1,320
$ 115,137 $ 342 $ 115,479

The following ratemaking efforts seeking $213.9 million in increased annual operating income were in progress as of March 31, 2023:

Division Rate Action Jurisdiction Operating Income Requested
(In thousands)
Colorado-Kansas Rate Case Colorado $ 7,554
Colorado-Kansas Rate Case Kansas 7,989
Colorado-Kansas Infrastructure Mechanism Kansas (1) 772
Kentucky/Mid-States Formula Rate Mechanism Tennessee 27
Louisiana Formula Rate Mechanism Louisiana 16,454
Mid-Tex Formula Rate Mechanism City of Dallas 19,651
Mid-Tex Infrastructure Mechanism ATM Cities 12,825
Mid-Tex Infrastructure Mechanism Environs 5,983
Mid-Tex Formula Rate Mechanism Mid-Tex Cities 113,768
Mississippi Infrastructure Mechanism Mississippi 9,843
West Texas Infrastructure Mechanism Environs 1,332
West Texas Formula Rate Mechanism West Texas Cities 10,085
West Texas Infrastructure Mechanism Amarillo, Lubbock, Dalhart and Channing 6,938
West Texas Infrastructure Mechanism WTX Triangle 718
$ 213,939

(1)    The Kansas Corporation Commission approved the SIP filing on March 21, 2023, with rates effective April 1, 2023.

Annual Formula Rate Mechanisms

As an instrument to reduce regulatory lag, formula rate mechanisms allow us to refresh our rates on an annual 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. We currently have formula rate mechanisms in our Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee operations and in substantially all the service areas in our Texas divisions. Additionally, we have specific infrastructure programs in substantially all of our distribution divisions with tariffs in place to permit the investment associated with these programs to have their surcharge rate adjusted annually to recover approved capital costs incurred in a prior test-year period. The following table summarizes our annual formula rate mechanisms by state:

Annual Formula Rate Mechanisms
State Infrastructure Programs Formula Rate Mechanisms
Colorado System Safety and Integrity Rider (SSIR) —
Kansas Gas System Reliability Surcharge (GSRS), System Integrity Program (SIP) —
Kentucky Pipeline Replacement Program (PRP) —
Louisiana (1) Rate Stabilization Clause (RSC)
Mississippi System Integrity Rider (SIR) Stable Rate Filing (SRF)
Tennessee (1) Annual Rate Mechanism (ARM)
Texas Gas Reliability Infrastructure Program (GRIP), (1) Dallas Annual Rate Review (DARR), Rate Review Mechanism (RRM)
Virginia Steps to Advance Virginia Energy (SAVE) —

(1)    Infrastructure mechanisms in Texas, Louisiana and Tennessee allow for the deferral of all expenses associated with capital expenditures incurred pursuant to these rules, which primarily consists of interest, depreciation and other taxes (Texas only), until the next rate proceeding (rate case or annual rate filing), at which time investment and costs would be recoverable through base rates.

The following annual formula rate mechanisms were approved during the six months ended March 31, 2023:

Division Jurisdiction Test Year<br>Ended Increase in<br>Annual<br>Operating<br>Income EDIT Impact Increase in<br>Annual<br>Operating<br>Income Excluding EDIT Effective<br>Date
(In thousands)
2023 Filings:
Colorado-Kansas Colorado SSIR 12/31/2023 $ 1,971 $ — $ 1,971 01/01/2023
Mississippi Mississippi - SIR 10/31/2023 8,560 — 8,560 11/01/2022
Mississippi Mississippi - SRF 10/31/2023 12,188 778 12,966 11/01/2022
Kentucky/Mid-States Kentucky PRP (1) 09/30/2023 1,904 — 1,904 10/02/2022
Mid-Tex Mid-Tex Cities RRM 12/31/2021 81,402 (395) 81,007 10/01/2022
West Texas West Texas Cities RRM 12/31/2021 7,315 (41) 7,274 10/01/2022
Kentucky/Mid-States Virginia - SAVE 09/30/2023 477 — 477 10/01/2022
Total 2023 Filings $ 113,817 $ 342 $ 114,159

(1)    Rates were implemented on October 2, 2022, subject to refund.

Rate Case Filings

A rate case is a formal request from Atmos Energy to a regulatory authority to increase rates that are charged to our 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 and ensure that we continue to deliver reliable, reasonably priced natural gas service safely to our customers. There was no rate case activity completed during the six months ended March 31, 2023.

Other Ratemaking Activity

The following table summarizes other ratemaking activity during the six months ended March 31, 2023.

Division Jurisdiction Rate Activity Increase in<br>Annual<br>Operating<br>Income Effective<br>Date
(In thousands)
2023 Other Rate Activity:
Colorado-Kansas Kansas Ad Valorem (1) $ 1,320 02/01/2023
Total 2023 Other Rate Activity $ 1,320

(1)    The Ad Valorem filing relates to property taxes that are either over or undercollected compared to the amount included in our Kansas service area's base rate.

Pipeline and Storage Segment

Our pipeline and storage segment consists of the pipeline and storage operations of our Atmos Pipeline–Texas Division (APT) and our natural gas transmission operations in Louisiana. APT is 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 Barnett Shale, the Texas Gulf Coast and the Permian Basin of West Texas. APT provides transportation and storage services to our Mid-Tex Division, other third-party local distribution companies, industrial and electric generation customers, as well as marketers and producers. Over 80 percent of this segment’s revenues are derived from these APT services. As part of its pipeline operations, APT owns and operates five underground storage facilities in Texas.

Our natural gas transmission operations in Louisiana are comprised of a 21-mile pipeline located in the New Orleans, Louisiana area that is primarily used to aggregate gas supply for our distribution division in Louisiana under a long-term contract and, on a more limited basis, to third parties. The demand fee charged to our Louisiana distribution division for these services is subject to regulatory approval by the Louisiana Public Service Commission. We also manage two asset management

plans, which have been approved by applicable state regulatory commissions. Generally, these asset management plans require us to share with our distribution customers a significant portion of the cost savings earned from these arrangements.

Our pipeline and storage segment is impacted by seasonal weather patterns, competitive factors in the energy industry and economic conditions in our Texas and Louisiana service areas. Natural gas prices do not directly impact the results of this segment as revenues are derived from the transportation and storage of natural gas. However, natural gas prices and demand for natural gas could influence the level of drilling activity in the supply areas that we serve, which may influence the level of throughput we may be able to transport on our pipelines. Further, natural gas price differences between the various hubs that we serve in Texas could influence the volumes of gas transported for shippers through our Texas pipeline system and rates for such transportation.

The results of APT are also significantly impacted by the natural gas requirements of its local distribution company customers. Additionally, its operations may be impacted by the timing of when costs and expenses are incurred and when these costs and expenses are recovered through its tariffs.

APT annually uses GRIP to recover capital costs incurred in the prior calendar year. On February 10, 2023, APT made a GRIP filing that covered changes in net property, plant and equipment investments from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022 with a requested increase in operating income of $84.9 million.

The demand fee our Louisiana natural gas transmission pipeline charges to our Louisiana distribution division increases five percent annually and has been approved by the Louisiana Public Service Commission until September 30, 2027.

Three Months Ended March 31, 2023 compared with Three Months Ended March 31, 2022

Financial and operational highlights for our pipeline and storage segment for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below.

Three Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 Change
(In thousands, unless otherwise noted)
Mid-Tex / Affiliate transportation revenue $ 146,774 $ 129,162 $ 17,612
Third-party transportation revenue 36,868 32,132 4,736
Other revenue 782 2,453 (1,671)
Total operating revenues 184,424 163,747 20,677
Total purchased gas cost 621 1,683 (1,062)
Operating expenses 96,489 88,235 8,254
Operating income 87,314 73,829 13,485
Other non-operating income 9,941 4,664 5,277
Interest charges 15,950 13,771 2,179
Income before income taxes 81,305 64,722 16,583
Income tax expense 12,108 8,574 3,534
Net income $ 69,197 $ 56,148 $ 13,049
Gross pipeline transportation volumes — MMcf 202,667 224,960 (22,293)
Consolidated pipeline transportation volumes — MMcf 125,673 129,395 (3,722)

Operating income for our pipeline and storage segment increased 18.3 percent. Key drivers for the change in operating income include:

•a $21.0 million increase due to rate adjustments from the GRIP filing approved in May 2022. The increase in rates was driven by increased safety and reliability spending.

Partially offset by:

•a $6.3 million increase in depreciation and property tax expenses associated with increased capital investments.

Other non-operating income increased $5.3 million primarily due to a higher allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC) largely as a result of increased capital spending.

Six Months Ended March 31, 2023 compared with Six Months Ended March 31, 2022

Financial and operational highlights for our pipeline and storage segment for the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below.

Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 Change
(In thousands, unless otherwise noted)
Mid-Tex / Affiliate transportation revenue $ 293,005 $ 256,485 $ 36,520
Third-party transportation revenue 74,947 62,757 12,190
Other revenue 3,101 7,423 (4,322)
Total operating revenues 371,053 326,665 44,388
Total purchased gas cost (237) (1,728) 1,491
Operating expenses 194,546 169,200 25,346
Operating income 176,744 159,193 17,551
Other non-operating income 24,358 11,450 12,908
Interest charges 29,871 25,074 4,797
Income before income taxes 171,231 145,569 25,662
Income tax expense 24,642 19,783 4,859
Net income $ 146,589 $ 125,786 $ 20,803
Gross pipeline transportation volumes — MMcf 408,911 406,428 2,483
Consolidated pipeline transportation volumes — MMcf 267,749 265,462 2,287

Operating income for our pipeline and storage segment increased 11.0 percent. Key drivers for the change in operating income include:

•a $42.0 million increase due to rate adjustments from the GRIP filing approved in May 2022. The increase in rates was driven by increased safety and reliability spending.

•a $7.1 million net increase in APT's through-system activities primarily associated with increased spreads.

Partially offset by:

•a $14.1 million increase in operation and maintenance expense primarily attributable to inspection spending and employee-related costs.

•a $10.6 million increase in depreciation and property tax expenses associated with increased capital investments.

•a $3.8 million decrease in other revenues due to a nonrecurring retention gas sale in the prior year.

Other non-operating income increased $12.9 million primarily due to a higher allowance for funds used during construction (AFUDC) largely as a result of increased capital spending.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The liquidity required to fund our working capital, capital expenditures and other cash needs is provided from a combination of internally generated cash flows and external debt and equity financing. Additionally, we have a $1.5 billion commercial paper program and four committed revolving credit facilities with $2.5 billion in total availability from third-party lenders. The commercial paper program and credit facilities provide cost-effective, short-term financing until it can be replaced with a balance of long-term debt and equity financing that achieves the Company's desired capital structure. Additionally, we have various uncommitted trade credit lines with our gas suppliers that we utilize to purchase natural gas on a monthly basis.

On March 31, 2023, we filed a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that allows us to issue up to $5.0 billion in common stock and/or debt securities, which expires March 31, 2026. This shelf registration statement replaced our previous shelf registration statement which was filed on June 29, 2021. As of March 31, 2023, $4.0 billion of securities were available for issuance under this shelf registration statement.

On March 31, 2023, we filed a prospectus supplement under the shelf registrations statement relating to an at-the-market (ATM) equity sales program under which we may issue and sell shares of our common stock up to an aggregate offering price of $1.0 billion through March 31, 2026 (including shares of common stock that may be sold pursuant to forward sale agreements entered into in connection with the ATM equity sales program). This ATM equity sales program replaced our previous ATM equity sales program, filed on March 23, 2022. As of March 31, 2023, $1.0 billion of equity was available for

issuance under our existing ATM equity sales program. Additionally, as of March 31, 2023, we had $673.2 million in available proceeds from outstanding forward sale agreements. Additional details are summarized in Note 7 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

The following table summarizes our existing forward starting interest rate swaps as of the date of this report.

Planned Debt Issuance Date Amount Hedged Effective Interest Rate
(In thousands)
Fiscal 2024 $ 700,000 2.38 %
Fiscal 2025 600,000 1.75 %
Fiscal 2026 300,000 2.16 %
$ 1,600,000

The liquidity provided by these sources is expected to be sufficient to fund the Company's working capital needs and capital expenditure program for the remainder of fiscal year 2023. Additionally, we expect to continue to be able to obtain financing upon reasonable terms as necessary.

The following table presents our capitalization inclusive of short-term debt and the current portion of long-term debt as of March 31, 2023, September 30, 2022 and March 31, 2022:

March 31, 2023 September 30, 2022 March 31, 2022
(In thousands, except percentages)
Short-term debt $ — — % $ 184,967 1.1 % $ — — %
Long-term debt (1) 6,554,609 39.1 % 7,962,104 45.3 % 7,958,999 47.0 %
Shareholders’ equity (2) 10,205,205 60.9 % 9,419,091 53.6 % 8,983,231 53.0 %
Total $ 16,759,814 100.0 % $ 17,566,162 100.0 % $ 16,942,230 100.0 %

(1)     Inclusive of our finance leases.

(2)     Excluding the $2.2 billion of incremental financing issued to pay for the purchased gas costs incurred during Winter Storm Uri, our equity capitalization ratio was 61.3% at September 30, 2022 and 60.9% at March 31, 2022.

Cash Flows

Our internally generated funds may change in the future due to a number of factors, some of which we cannot control. These factors include regulatory changes, the price for our services, 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 six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022 are presented below.

Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 Change
(In thousands)
Total cash provided by (used in)
Operating activities $ 2,892,716 $ 640,484 $ 2,252,232
Investing activities (1,410,390) (1,181,969) (228,421)
Financing activities (1,438,705) 1,007,257 (2,445,962)
Change in cash and cash equivalents 43,621 465,772 (422,151)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 51,554 116,723 (65,169)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 95,175 $ 582,495 $ (487,320)

Cash flows from operating activities

For the six months ended March 31, 2023, we generated cash flow from operating activities of $2,892.7 million compared with $640.5 million for the six months ended March 31, 2022. Operating cash flow increased $2,252.2 million primarily due to the receipt of $2.02 billion from the Finance Corporation, as discussed in Note 6 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Cash flows from investing activities

Our capital expenditures are primarily used to improve the safety and reliability of our distribution and transmission system through pipeline replacement and system modernization and to enhance and expand our system to meet customer needs. Over the last three fiscal years, approximately 88 percent of our capital spending has been committed to improving the safety and reliability of our system.

For the six months ended March 31, 2023, cash used for investing activities was $1,410.4 million compared to $1,182.0 million for the six months ended March 31, 2022. Capital spending increased $225.3 million, which was primarily the result of a $156.6 million increase in our pipeline and storage segment due to increased spending for pipeline system safety and reliability in Texas.

Cash flows from financing activities

For the six months ended March 31, 2023, our financing activities used $1,438.7 million of cash compared with $1,007.3 million of cash provided by financing activities in the prior-year period.

In the six months ended March 31, 2023, we repaid $2.2 billion in long-term debt, and we received approximately $1.2 billion in net proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt and equity. We completed a public offering of $500 million of 5.75% senior notes due October 2052 and $300 million of 5.45% senior notes due October 2032, and received net proceeds from the offering, after the underwriting discount and offering expenses, of $789.4 million. Additionally, during the six months ended March 31, 2023, we settled 3,394,919 shares that had been sold on a forward basis for net proceeds of $359.7 million. The net proceeds were used primarily to support capital spending and for other general corporate purposes. Cash dividends increased due to an 8.8 percent increase in our dividend rate and an increase in shares outstanding.

In the six months ended March 31, 2022, we received approximately $1.4 billion in net proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt and equity. We completed a public offering of $600 million of 2.85% senior notes due February 2052 and received net proceeds from the offering, after the underwriting discount and offering expenses, of $589.8 million. We also completed a public offering of $200 million of 2.625% senior notes due September 2029, and received net proceeds of $200.8 million that were used to repay our $200 million floating-rate term loan. Additionally, during the six months ended March 31, 2022, we settled 6,162,269 shares that had been sold on a forward basis for net proceeds of $594.3 million. The net proceeds were used primarily to support capital spending and for other general corporate purposes. Cash dividends increased due to an 8.8 percent increase in our dividend rate and an increase in shares outstanding.

The following table summarizes our share issuances for the six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:

Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022
Shares issued:
Direct Stock Purchase Plan 32,933 37,435
1998 Long-Term Incentive Plan 123,912 353,044
Retirement Savings Plan and Trust 36,288 39,527
Equity Issuance 3,394,919 6,162,269
Total shares issued 3,588,052 6,592,275

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 but not limited to, debt to total capitalization, operating cash flow relative to outstanding debt, operating cash flow coverage of interest and pension liabilities. 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 businesses and the regulatory structures that govern our rates in the states where we operate.

Our debt is rated by two rating agencies: Standard & Poor’s Corporation (S&P) and Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s). In November 2022, S&P revised our outlook from negative to stable. As of March 31, 2023, our outlook and current debt ratings, which are all considered investment grade are as follows:

S&P Moody’s
Senior unsecured long-term debt A- A1
Short-term debt A-2 P-1
Outlook Stable Stable

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 two 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 and Aaa for Moody’s. The lowest investment grade credit rating is BBB- for S&P and Baa3 for Moody’s. 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.

Debt Covenants

We were in compliance with all of our debt covenants as of March 31, 2023. Our debt covenants are described in greater detail in Note 6 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Contractual Obligations and Commercial Commitments

Except as noted in Note 10 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, there were no significant changes in our contractual obligations and commercial commitments during the six months ended March 31, 2023.

Risk Management Activities

In our distribution and pipeline and storage segments, 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. Additionally, we manage interest rate risk by periodically entering into financial instruments to effectively fix the Treasury yield component of the interest cost associated with anticipated financings.

The following table shows the components of the change in fair value of our financial instruments for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022:

Three Months Ended March 31 Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 2023 2022
(In thousands)
Fair value of contracts at beginning of period $ 375,816 $ 119,918 $ 377,862 $ 225,417
Contracts realized/settled (9,189) 8,883 (2,867) 31,484
Fair value of new contracts 1,655 532 (38) 1,716
Other changes in value (32,292) 153,067 (38,967) 23,783
Fair value of contracts at end of period 335,990 282,400 335,990 282,400
Netting of cash collateral — — — —
Cash collateral and fair value of contracts at period end $ 335,990 $ 282,400 $ 335,990 $ 282,400

The fair value of our financial instruments at March 31, 2023 is presented below by time period and fair value source:

Fair Value of Contracts at March 31, 2023
Maturity in Years
Source of Fair Value Less<br>Than 1 1-3 4-5 Greater<br>Than 5 Total<br>Fair<br>Value
(In thousands)
Prices actively quoted $ 85,758 $ 250,232 $ — $ — $ 335,990
Prices based on models and other valuation methods — — — — —
Total Fair Value $ 85,758 $ 250,232 $ — $ — $ 335,990

OPERATING STATISTICS AND OTHER INFORMATION

The following tables present certain operating statistics for our distribution and pipeline and storage segments for the three and six months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022.

Distribution Sales and Statistical Data

Three Months Ended March 31 Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 2023 2022
METERS IN SERVICE, end of period
Residential 3,178,308 3,130,505 3,178,308 3,130,505
Commercial 282,948 282,527 282,948 282,527
Industrial 1,645 1,642 1,645 1,642
Public authority and other 8,148 8,226 8,148 8,226
Total meters 3,471,049 3,422,900 3,471,049 3,422,900
INVENTORY STORAGE BALANCE — Bcf 40.5 32.9 40.5 32.9
SALES VOLUMES — MMcf (1)
Gas sales volumes
Residential 68,281 87,101 126,821 124,935
Commercial 38,885 43,287 69,393 66,295
Industrial 8,082 8,787 16,990 15,860
Public authority and other 2,483 3,043 4,605 4,673
Total gas sales volumes 117,731 142,218 217,809 211,763
Transportation volumes 45,401 49,175 87,845 89,490
Total throughput 163,132 191,393 305,654 301,253

Pipeline and Storage Operations Sales and Statistical Data

Three Months Ended March 31 Six Months Ended March 31
2023 2022 2023 2022
CUSTOMERS, end of period
Industrial 95 96 95 96
Other 206 201 206 201
Total 301 297 301 297
INVENTORY STORAGE BALANCE — Bcf 0.3 0.4 0.3 0.4
PIPELINE TRANSPORTATION VOLUMES — MMcf (1) 202,667 224,960 408,911 406,428

Note to preceding tables:

(1)Sales and transportation volumes reflect segment operations, including intercompany sales and transportation amounts.

RECENT ACCOUNTING DEVELOPMENTS

Recent accounting developments, if any, and their impact on our financial position, results of operations and cash flows are described in Note 2 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Information regarding our quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk are disclosed in Item 7A in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. During the six months ended March 31, 2023, there were no material changes in our quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk.

Item 4. 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 in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-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 March 31, 2023 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.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

We did not make any changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the second quarter of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

During the six months ended March 31, 2023, except as noted in Note 10 to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, there were no material changes in the status of the litigation and other matters that were disclosed in Note 13 to the consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2022. We continue to believe that the final outcome of such litigation and other matters or claims will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

Item 1A. Risk Factors

There were no material changes from the risk factors disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in Item 1A in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2022.

Item 6. Exhibits

The following exhibits are filed as part of this Quarterly Report.

Exhibit<br>Number Description Page Number or<br>Incorporation by<br>Reference to
3.1 Restated Articles of Incorporation of Atmos Energy Corporation - Texas (As Amended Effective February 3, 2010) Exhibit 3.1 to Form 10-Q dated March 31, 2010 (File No. 1-10042)
3.2 Restated Articles of Incorporation of Atmos Energy Corporation - Virginia (As Amended Effective February 3, 2010) Exhibit 3.2 to Form 10-Q dated March 31, 2010 (File No. 1-10042)
3.3 Amended and Restated Bylaws of Atmos Energy Corporation (as of February 5, 2019) Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K dated February 5, 2019 (File No. 1-10042)
10.1 Term Loan Agreement, dated as of March 3, 2023, among Atmos Energy Corporation, U.S. Bank National Association, as the Administrative Agent, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., as Syndication Agent, CoBank, ACB, as Documentation Agent, U.S. Bank National Association, Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and CoBank ACB, as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint-Bookrunners and the lenders named therein. Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K dated March 3, 2023 (File No. 1-10042)
10.2(a) Equity Distribution Agreement, dated as of March 31, 2023, among Atmos Energy Corporation and the Managers and Forward Purchases named in Schedule A thereto Exhibit 1.1 to Form 8-K dated March 31, 2023 (File No. 1-10042)
10.2(b) Form of Master Forward Sale Confirmation Exhibit 1.2 to Form 8-K dated March 31, 2023 (File No. 1-10042)
15 Letter regarding unaudited interim financial information
31 Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certifications
32 Section 1350 Certifications*
101.INS XBRL Instance Document - the Instance Document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema
101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase
101.PRE Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page interactive data file does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document
* These certifications, which were made 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 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, will not be deemed to be filed with the 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.
--- ---

SIGNATURE

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

ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION<br><br>(Registrant)
By: /s/    CHRISTOPHER T. FORSYTHE
Christopher T. Forsythe<br><br>Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer<br><br>(Duly authorized signatory)

Date: May 3, 2023

44

Document

Exhibit 15

Board of Directors and Shareholders of Atmos Energy Corporation

Atmos Energy Corporation

We are aware of the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements (Form S-3, No. 33-37869; Form S-3, No. 33-58220; Form S-3D/A, No. 33-70212; Form S-3, No. 33-56915; Form S-3/A, No. 333-03339; Form S-3/A, No. 333-32475; Form S-3, No. 333-95525; Form S-3D, No. 333-113603; Form S-3D, No. 333-155666; Form S-3D, No. 333-208317; Form S-3ASR, No. 333-257504; Form S-3ASR, No. 333-271038; Form S-4, No. 333-13429; Form S-8, No. 33-57687; Form S-8, No. 33-57695; Form S-8, No. 333-32343; Form S-8, No. 333-46337; Form S-8, No. 333-73143; Form S-8, No. 333-73145; Form S-8, No. 333-63738; Form S-8, No. 333-88832; Form S-8, No. 333-116367; Form S-8, No. 333-138209; Form S-8, No. 333-145817; Form S-8, No. 333-155570; Form S-8, No. 333-166639; Form S-8, No. 333-177593; Form S-8, No. 333-199301; Form S-8, No. 333-210461; and Form S-8, No. 333-217739) of Atmos Energy Corporation and in the related Prospectuses of our report dated May 3, 2023, relating to the unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements of Atmos Energy Corporation, which are included in its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2023.

/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP

Dallas, Texas

May 3, 2023

Document

EXHIBIT 31

RULE 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATIONS

I, John K. Akers, certify that:

1.    I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Atmos Energy Corporation;

2.    Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.    The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

(a)    Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b)    Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, 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;

(c)    Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

(d)    Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.    The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing equivalent functions):

(a)    All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b)    Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: May 3, 2023

/s/ JOHN K. AKERS
John K. Akers
President and
Chief Executive Officer

I, Christopher T. Forsythe, certify that:

1.    I have reviewed this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of Atmos Energy Corporation;

2.    Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3.    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4.    The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

(a)    Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b)    Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, 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;

(c)    Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

(d)    Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5.    The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing equivalent functions):

(a)    All significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

(b)    Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date: May 3, 2023

/s/ CHRISTOPHER T. FORSYTHE
Christopher T. Forsythe
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer

Document

Exhibit 32

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

(18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350)

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Atmos Energy Corporation (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, John K. Akers, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge:

(1)    The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2)    The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

May 3, 2023

/s/ JOHN K. AKERS
John K. Akers
President and
Chief Executive Officer

A signed original of this written statement has been provided to Atmos Energy Corporation and will be retained by Atmos Energy Corporation and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

PURSUANT TO SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

(18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350)

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Atmos Energy Corporation (the “Company”) on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Christopher T. Forsythe, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that, to the best of my knowledge:

(1)    The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2)    The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

May 3, 2023

/s/ CHRISTOPHER T. FORSYTHE
Christopher T. Forsythe
Senior Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer

A signed original of this written statement has been provided to Atmos Energy Corporation and will be retained by Atmos Energy Corporation and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.

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