Annual report pursuant to section 13 and 15(d)

1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION.

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1. ORGANIZATION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION.
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Text Block]
1.
ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES.

Organization and Business – The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Pacific Ethanol, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Pacific Ethanol”), and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, including Pacific Ethanol California, Inc., a California corporation (“PEI California”), Kinergy Marketing, LLC, an Oregon limited liability company (“Kinergy”) and Pacific Ag. Products, LLC, a California limited liability company (“PAP”) for all periods presented, and for the periods specified below, New PE Holdco, which owns the Plant Owners (each as defined below) (collectively, the “Company”).

The Company is the leading marketer and producer of low carbon renewable fuels in the Western United States. The Company also sells ethanol co-products, including wet distillers grain (“WDG”), and provides transportation, storage and delivery of ethanol through third-party service providers in the Western United States, primarily in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho and Washington. The Company sells ethanol produced by the Pacific Ethanol Plants (as defined below) and unrelated third parties to gasoline refining and distribution companies and sells its WDG to dairy operators and animal feed distributors.

On May 17, 2009, five indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of Pacific Ethanol, Inc., namely, Pacific Ethanol Madera LLC, Pacific Ethanol Columbia, LLC, Pacific Ethanol Stockton, LLC and Pacific Ethanol Magic Valley, LLC (collectively, the “Pacific Ethanol Plants”) and Pacific Ethanol Holding Co. LLC (together with the Pacific Ethanol Plants, the “Plant Owners”) each filed voluntary petitions for relief under chapter 11 of Title 11 of the United States Code (the “Bankruptcy Code”) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the “Bankruptcy Court”) in an effort to restructure their indebtedness (the “Chapter 11 Filings”). Pacific Ethanol, PEI California, Kinergy and PAP did not, at any time, file for protection under the Bankruptcy Code.

On June 29, 2010 (the “Effective Date”), the Plant Owners declared effective their amended joint plan of reorganization (the “Plan”) with the Bankruptcy Court, which was structured in cooperation with certain of the Plant Owners’ secured lenders. Under the Plan, on the Effective Date, 100% of the ownership interests in the Plant Owners were transferred to a newly-formed limited liability company, New PE Holdco, LLC (“New PE Holdco”) which became at that time wholly-owned by certain prepetition lenders, resulting in each of the Plant Owners becoming wholly-owned subsidiaries of New PE Holdco.

The Company manages the production and operation of the Pacific Ethanol Plants. These four facilities have an aggregate annual production capacity of up to 200 million gallons. As of December 31, 2011, three of the facilities were operating and one of the facilities was idled. When market conditions permit, and with approval of New PE Holdco, the Company intends to resume operations at the Madera, California facility.

On October 6, 2010, the Company purchased a 20% ownership interest in New PE Holdco, a variable interest entity (“VIE”), from a number of New PE Holdco’s owners. At that time, the Company determined it was the primary beneficiary of New PE Holdco, and as such, has consolidated the results of New PE Holdco since then. See Note 2 – Variable Interest Entities. On each of November 29, 2011 and December 19, 2011, the Company purchased an additional 7% interest in New PE Holdco, bringing the Company’s total ownership interest in New PE Holdco to 34%. As of December 31, 2011, the Company held a 34% ownership interest in New PE Holdco.

Basis of Presentation – The consolidated financial statements and related notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in United States (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities – Effective January 1, 2010, the Company adopted the amended guidance in the Financial Standards Accounting Board’s Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation, surrounding a company’s analysis to determine whether any of its variable interests constitute controlling financial interests in a VIE. This analysis identifies the primary beneficiary of a VIE as the enterprise that has both of the following characteristics: (i) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance, and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. Additionally, an enterprise is required to assess whether it has an implicit financial responsibility to ensure that a VIE operates as designed when determining whether it has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance. The amended guidance also requires ongoing reassessments of whether an enterprise is the primary beneficiary of a VIE.
Since January 1, 2010, the Company identified Front Range Energy, LLC (“Front Range”), an entity in which the Company held a 42% ownership interest, and New PE Holdco as VIEs.

Prior to January 1, 2010, under the original guidance, the Company determined that it must consolidate Front Range, which owns an ethanol plant located in Windsor, Colorado, with an annual production capacity of up to 50 million gallons. Under the amended guidance, the Company determined effective January 1, 2010, that it was no longer the primary beneficiary of Front Range and, as a result, no longer consolidated Front Range’s results and instead recorded its investment in Front Range under the equity method of accounting. On October 6, 2010, the Company sold its entire 42% ownership interest in Front Range.

On the Effective Date, the Company determined that New PE Holdco was a VIE, however, the Company did not believe it was New PE Holdco’s primary beneficiary. On October 6, 2010, upon the Company’s purchase of a 20% interest in New PE Holdco, the Company determined that it was New PE Holdco’s primary beneficiary and began consolidating the results of New PE Holdco. As long as the Company is deemed New PE Holdco’s primary beneficiary, the Company must treat New PE Holdco as a consolidated subsidiary for financial reporting purposes.

Reverse Stock Split – On June 8, 2011, the Company effected a one-for-seven reverse stock split. All share and per share information has been restated to retroactively show the effect of this stock split.

Liquidity – The Company believes that current and future available capital resources, revenues generated from operations, and other existing sources of liquidity, including its credit facilities, will be adequate to meet its anticipated working capital and capital expenditure requirements for at least the next twelve months. If, however, the Company’s capital requirements or cash flow vary materially from its current projections, if unforeseen circumstances occur, or if the Company requires a significant amount of cash to fund future acquisitions, the Company may require additional financing. The Company’s failure to raise capital, if needed, could restrict its growth, or hinder its ability to compete.

Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company considers all highly-liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts – Trade accounts receivable are presented at face value, net of the allowance for doubtful accounts. The Company sells ethanol to gasoline refining and distribution companies and sells WDG to dairy operators and animal feed distributors generally without requiring collateral. Due to a limited number of ethanol customers, the Company had significant concentrations of credit risk from sales of ethanol as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, as described below.

The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for balances that appear to have specific collection issues. The collection process is based on the age of the invoice and requires attempted contacts with the customer at specified intervals. If, after a specified number of days, the Company has been unsuccessful in its collection efforts, a bad debt allowance is recorded for the balance in question. Delinquent accounts receivable are charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts once uncollectibility has been determined. The factors considered in reaching this determination are the apparent financial condition of the customer and the Company’s success in contacting and negotiating with the customer. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of ability to make payments, additional allowances may be required.
Of the accounts receivable balance, approximately $23,715,000 and $20,977,000 at December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, were used as collateral under Kinergy’s working capital line of credit. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $24,000 and $287,000 as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The Company recorded a bad debt recovery of $218,000 and $184,000 for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The Company does not have any off-balance sheet credit exposure related to its customers.

Concentrations of Credit Risk – Credit risk represents the accounting loss that would be recognized at the reporting date if counterparties failed completely to perform as contracted. Concentrations of credit risk, whether on- or off-balance sheet, that arise from financial instruments exist for groups of customers or counterparties when they have similar economic characteristics that would cause their ability to meet contractual obligations to be similarly affected by changes in economic or other conditions described below. Financial instruments that subject the Company to credit risk consist of cash balances maintained in excess of federal depository insurance limits and accounts receivable, which have no collateral or security. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts and believes that it is not exposed to any significant risk of loss of cash.

The Company sells fuel-grade ethanol to gasoline refining and distribution companies. The Company had one customer representing 22% and 19% of total net sales for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The Company did not have any other customers with sales of 10% or more of total net sales.

The Company had accounts receivable due from this customer totaling $6,267,000 and $6,326,000, representing 22% and 24% of total accounts receivable as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

The Company purchases fuel-grade ethanol and corn, its largest cost component in producing ethanol, from its suppliers. The Company had purchases from ethanol and corn suppliers representing 10% or more of total purchases by the Company in the purchase and production of ethanol as follows:

   
Years Ended December 31,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
Supplier A
    39 %       31 %  
Supplier B
    13 %       16 %  
Supplier C
    12 %       13 %  

Inventories – Inventories consisted primarily of bulk ethanol and unleaded fuel, and are valued at the lower-of-cost-or-market, with cost determined on a first-in, first-out basis. Inventory balances consisted of the following (in thousands):

   
December 31,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
Finished goods
  $ 9,429     $ 11,105  
Work in progress
    4,284       4,087  
Raw materials
    1,334       1,308  
Other
    1,084       806  
Total
  $ 16,131     $ 17,306  

Property and Equipment – Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:

Buildings
 40 years
Facilities and plant equipment
 10 – 25 years
Other equipment, vehicles and furniture
 5 – 10 years

The cost of normal maintenance and repairs is charged to operations as incurred. Significant capital expenditures that increase the life of an asset are capitalized and depreciated over the estimated remaining useful life of the asset. The cost of fixed assets sold, or otherwise disposed of, and the related accumulated depreciation or amortization are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gains or losses are reflected in current operations.

Intangible Assets – The Company amortizes intangible assets with definite lives using the straight-line method over their established lives, generally 2-10 years. Additionally, the Company tests these assets with established lives for impairment if conditions exist that indicate that carrying values may not be recoverable. Possible conditions leading to the unrecoverability of these assets include changes in market conditions, changes in future economic conditions or changes in technological feasibility that impact the Company’s assessments of future operations. If the Company determines that an impairment charge is needed, the charge will be recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Deferred Financing Costs – Deferred financing costs, which are included in other assets, are costs incurred to obtain debt financing, including all related fees, and are amortized as interest expense over the term of the related financing using the straight-line method which approximates the interest rate method. Amortization of deferred financing costs was $651,000 and $1,001,000 for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Unamortized deferred financing costs were approximately $1,017,000 at December 31, 2011 and are recorded in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities – Derivative transactions, which can include forward contracts and futures positions on the New York Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade and interest rate caps and swaps are recorded on the balance sheet as assets and liabilities based on the derivative’s fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivative contracts are recognized currently in income unless specific hedge accounting criteria are met. If derivatives meet those criteria, effective gains and losses are deferred in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and later recorded together with the hedged item in consolidated income (loss). For derivatives designated as a cash flow hedge, the Company formally documents the hedge and assesses the effectiveness with associated transactions. The Company has designated and documented contracts for the physical delivery of commodity products to and from counterparties as normal purchases and normal sales.

Revenue Recognition – The Company recognizes revenue when it is realized or realizable and earned. The Company considers revenue realized or realizable and earned when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable, and collection is reasonably assured. The Company derives revenue primarily from sales of ethanol and related co-products. The Company recognizes revenue when title transfers to its customers, which is generally upon the delivery of these products to a customer’s designated location. These deliveries are made in accordance with sales commitments and related sales orders entered into with customers either verbally or in written form. The sales commitments and related sales orders provide quantities, pricing and conditions of sales. In this regard, the Company engages in three basic types of revenue generating transactions:

 
·
As a producer. Sales as a producer consist of sales of the Company’s inventory produced at the Pacific Ethanol Plants.

 
·
As a merchant. Sales as a merchant consist of sales to customers through purchases from third-party suppliers in which the Company may or may not obtain physical control of the ethanol or co-products, in which shipments are directed from the Company’s suppliers to its terminals or direct to its customers but for which the Company accepts the risk of loss in the transactions.

 
·
As an agent. Sales as an agent consist of sales to customers through purchases from third-party suppliers in which the risks and rewards of inventory ownership remain with third-party suppliers and the Company receives a predetermined service fee under these transactions.

Revenue from sales of third-party ethanol and co-products is recorded net of costs when the Company is acting as an agent between a customer and a supplier and gross when the Company is a principal to the transaction. The Company recorded $2,856,000 and $3,043,000 in net sales when acting as an agent for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Several factors are considered to determine whether the Company is acting as an agent or principal, most notably whether the Company is the primary obligor to the customer and whether the Company has inventory risk and related risk of loss or whether the Company adds meaningful value to the supplier’s product or service. Consideration is also given to whether the Company has latitude in establishing the sales price or has credit risk, or both. When the Company acts as an agent, it recognizes revenue on a net basis or recognizes its predetermined fees and any associated freight, based upon the amount of net revenues retained in excess of amounts paid to suppliers.

The Company records revenues based upon the gross amounts billed to its customers in transactions where the Company acts as a producer or a merchant and obtains title to ethanol and its co-products and therefore owns the product and any related, unmitigated inventory risk for the ethanol, regardless of whether the Company actually obtains physical control of the product.

Shipping and Handling Costs – Shipping and handling costs are classified as a component of cost of goods sold in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

California Ethanol Producer Incentive Program – The Company is eligible to participate in the California Ethanol Producer Incentive Program (“CEPIP”) through the Pacific Ethanol Plants located in California. The CEPIP is a program that may provide funds to an eligible California facility—up to $0.25 per gallon of production—when current production corn crush spreads, measured as the difference between specified ethanol and corn index prices, drop below $0.55 per gallon. The program may provide up to $3,000,000 per plant per year of operation through 2014. For any month in which a payment is made by the CEPIP, the Company may be required to reimburse the funds within the subsequent five years from each payment date, if the corn crush spreads exceed $1.00 per gallon. Since these funds are provided to subsidize current production costs and encourage eligible facilities to either continue production or start up production in low margin environments, the Company records the proceeds, if any, as a credit to cost of goods sold. The Company will assess the likelihood of reimbursement in future periods as corn crush spreads approach $1.00 per gallon. If it becomes likely that amounts may be reimbursable by the Company, the Company will accrue a liability for such payment and recognize the costs as an increase in cost of goods sold. The Company recorded $1,481,000 and $519,000 as a reduction to cost of goods sold for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, in respect of CEPIP payments received. To date, the Company has not been required to reimburse any amounts, and based on historical corn crush spreads, the Company does not believe it will be required to make any reimbursements in the foreseeable future.

Stock-Based Compensation – The Company accounts for the cost of employee services received in exchange for the award of equity instruments based on the fair value of the award, determined on the date of grant. The expense is to be recognized over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award. The Company estimates forfeitures at the time of grant and makes revisions, if necessary, in the second quarter of each year if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. Based on historical experience, the Company estimated future unvested forfeitures at 5% for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010. The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense as a component of selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets – The Company assesses the impairment of long-lived assets, including property and equipment and purchased intangibles subject to amortization, when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the fair value of assets could be less than their net book value. In such event, the Company assesses long-lived assets for impairment by first determining the forecasted, undiscounted cash flows the asset is expected to generate plus the net proceeds expected from the sale of the asset. If this amount is less than the carrying value of the asset, the Company will then determine the fair value of the asset. An impairment loss would be recognized when the fair value is less than the related asset’s net book value, and an impairment expense would be recorded in the amount of the difference. Forecasts of future cash flows are judgments based on the Company’s experience and knowledge of its operations and the industries in which it operates. These forecasts could be significantly affected by future changes in market conditions, the economic environment, including inflation, and purchasing decisions of the Company’s customers.

Income Taxes – Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability approach, where deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities, and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that are expected to be in effect when the differences reverse. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amounts expected to be realized.

The Company accounts for uncertainty in income taxes using a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining whether it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount which is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. An uncertain tax position is considered effectively settled on completion of an examination by a taxing authority if certain other conditions are satisfied. Should the Company incur interest and penalties relating to tax uncertainties, such amounts would be classified as a component of interest expense, net and other income (expense), net, respectively.

Income Per Share – Basic income per share is computed on the basis of the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Preferred dividends are deducted from net income attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc. and are considered in the calculation of income available to common stockholders in computing basic income per share.

The following tables compute basic and diluted earnings per share (in thousands, except per share data):

   
Year Ended December 31, 2011
 
   
Income
Numerator
   
Shares
Denominator
   
Per-Share
Amount
 
Net income attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc.
  $ 3,074              
Preferred stock dividends
    (1,265 )            
Basic income per share:
                   
Income available to common stockholders
  $ 1,809       33,733     $ 0.05  
Warrants
    —       194          
Options
    —       57          
Diluted income per share:
                       
Income available to common stockholders
  $ 1,809       33,984     $ 0.05  

   
Year Ended December 31, 2010
 
   
Income
Numerator
   
Shares
Denominator
   
Per-Share
Amount
 
Net income attributed to Pacific Ethanol, Inc.
  $ 73,892              
Preferred stock dividends
    (2,847 )            
Basic income per share:
                   
Income available to common stockholders
  $ 71,045       10,514     $ 6.76  
Convertible notes
    657       1,524          
Preferred stock dividends
    2,847       1,198          
Warrants
    —       141          
Diluted income per share:
                       
Income available to common stockholders
  $ 74,549       13,377     $ 5.57  

The Company has accrued and unpaid dividends of $7,315,000, or $0.08 per share of common stock outstanding as of December 31, 2011, in respect of its Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”).

There were an aggregate of 815,000 and 1,666,000 potentially dilutive shares from convertible securities outstanding as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. These convertible securities were not considered in calculating diluted income per common share for the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, as their effect would be anti-dilutive.

Financial Instruments – The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities are reasonable estimates of their fair values because of the short maturity of these items. The Company recorded at fair value its convertible notes and warrants. The Company believes the carrying values of its other notes payable and long-term debt approximate fair value because the interest rates on these instruments are variable.

Estimates and Assumptions – The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates are required as part of determining the consolidation of VIEs, fair value of convertible notes and warrants, allowance for doubtful accounts, estimated lives of property and equipment and intangibles, long-lived asset impairments, valuation allowances on deferred income taxes and the potential outcome of future tax consequences of events recognized in the Company’s financial statements or tax returns. Actual results and outcomes may materially differ from management’s estimates and assumptions.

Subsequent Events – Management evaluates, as of each reporting period, events or transactions that occur after the balance sheet date through the date that the financial statements are issued for either disclosure or adjustment to the consolidated financial results. The Company has evaluated subsequent events up through the date of the filing of this report with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Reclassifications – Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation. Such reclassification had no effect on the consolidated net income (loss) reported in the consolidated statements of operations.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements – On May 12, 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS. ASU No. 2011-04 was issued concurrently with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) 13 Fair Value Measurements, to provide largely identical guidance about fair value measurement and disclosure requirements. The new standards do not extend the use of fair value but, rather, provide guidance about how fair value should be applied where it already is required or permitted under IFRS or U.S. GAAP. This standard is effective prospectively for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.