Company: ATO
Filing Date: 2025-11-14
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000731802-25-000056
Chunk: 27

Company: ATMOS ENERGY CORP
Filing Date: 2025-11-14
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 27
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 to do so in the future. The future effects on our business, liquidity, and financial results of a deterioration of current conditions in the credit and capital markets could be material and adverse to us, both in the ways described above or in other ways that we do not currently anticipate.

We are exposed to market risks that are beyond our control, which could adversely affect our financial results.

We are subject to market risks beyond our control, including (i) commodity price volatility caused by market supply and demand dynamics, counterparty performance, or counterparty creditworthiness and (ii) interest rate risk.  We are generally insulated from commodity price risk through our purchased gas cost mechanisms.  With respect to interest rate risk, increases in interest rates could adversely affect our future financial results to the extent that we do not recover our actual interest expense in our rates.

The concentration of our operations in the State of Texas exposes our operations and financial results to economic conditions, weather patterns, and regulatory decisions in Texas.

Approximately 75 percent of our consolidated operations are located in the State of Texas. This concentration of our business in Texas means that our operations and financial results may be significantly affected by changes in the Texas economy in general, weather patterns, and regulatory decisions by state and local regulatory authorities in Texas.

A deterioration in economic conditions could adversely affect our customers and negatively impact our financial results. 

Any adverse changes in economic conditions in the states in which we operate could adversely affect the financial resources of many domestic households. As a result, our customers could seek to use less gas and it may be more difficult for them to pay their gas bills. This would likely lead to slower collections and higher than normal levels of accounts receivable. This, in turn, could increase our financing requirements. Additionally, should economic conditions deteriorate, our industrial customers could seek alternative energy sources, which could result in lower transportation volumes.

Increased gas costs could adversely impact our customer base and customer collections and increase our level of indebtedness.

Rapid increases in the costs of purchased gas would cause us to experience a significant increase in short-term or long-term debt. We must pay suppliers for gas when it is purchased, which can be significantly in advance of when these costs may be recovered through the collection of monthly customer bills for gas delivered. Increases in purchased gas costs also slow our natural gas distribution collections as customers may delay the payment of their gas bills, leading to higher than normal accounts receivable. This could result in higher short-term debt levels, greater collection efforts, and increased bad debt expense.

Our