6.  Long-Term Debt and Short-Term Borrowings

Long-term debt as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 is summarized in the following table:

 
2025
   
2024
 
             
Variable Rate Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority
Exempt Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2008A, due 2029
 
$
12,000
   
$
12,000
 
3.00% Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority Exempt
Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series A of 2019, due 2036
   
10,500
     
10,500
 
3.10% Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority Exempt
Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series B of 2019, due 2038
   
14,870
     
14,870
 
3.23% Senior Notes, due 2040
   
15,000
     
15,000
 
4.00% - 4.50% York County Industrial Development Authority Exempt
Facilities Revenue Bonds, Series 2015, due 2029 - 2045
   
10,000
     
10,000
 
4.54% Senior Notes, due 2049
   
20,000
     
20,000
 
3.24% Senior Notes, due 2050
   
30,000
     
30,000
 
5.50% Senior Notes, due 2053
    40,000
      40,000
 
5.67% Senior Notes, due 2054     40,000       40,000  
Committed Line of Credit, due September 2027
   
32,290
     
15,808
 
Total long-term debt
   
224,660
     
208,178
 
Less discount on issuance of long-term debt
   
(124
)
   
(136
)
Less unamortized debt issuance costs
   
(2,306
)
   
(2,481
)
Less current maturities
    (330 )      
Long-term portion
 
$
221,900
   
$
205,561
 

Payments due by year as of December 31, 2025:

2026
 
2027
 
2028
 
2029
 
2030
$330
 
$44,630
 
$355
 
$370
 
$385

Payments due in 2027 include payback of the committed line of credit.  The committed line of credit is reviewed annually, and upon favorable outcome, would likely be extended for another year.  Payments due in 2027 also include potential payments of  $12,000 on the variable rate bonds (due 2029) which would only be payable if all bonds were tendered and could not be remarketed, or in the event the Company was unable to, or chose not to, renew the letter of credit backing the bonds.  There is currently no such indication of this happening.

Fixed Rate Long-Term Debt
On February 27, 2024, the Company entered into a note purchase agreement with certain institutional investors relating to the private placement of $40,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s senior notes.  The senior notes bear interest at 5.67% per annum payable semiannually and mature on February 27, 2054.  The senior notes are unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Company.  The Company received net proceeds, after deducting issuance costs, of approximately $39,833.  The net proceeds were used to refinance line of credit borrowings incurred by the Company as interim financing for various capital projects of the Company.

Variable Rate Long-Term Debt
On May 7, 2008, the Pennsylvania Economic Development Financing Authority, or PEDFA, issued $12,000 aggregate principal amount of PEDFA Exempt Facilities Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series A of 2008 (the “Series A Bonds”) for the Company’s benefit pursuant to the terms of a trust indenture, dated as of May 1, 2008, between the PEDFA and Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company, as trustee.  The PEDFA then loaned the proceeds of the offering of the Series A Bonds to the Company pursuant to a loan agreement, dated as of May 1, 2008, between the Company and the PEDFA.  The loan agreement provides for a $12,000 loan with a maturity date of October 1, 2029.  Amounts outstanding under the loan agreement are the Company’s direct general obligations.  The proceeds of the loan were used to redeem the PEDFA Exempt Facilities Revenue Bonds, Series B of 2004 (the “2004 Series B Bonds”).  The 2004 Series B Bonds were redeemed because the bonds were tendered and could not be remarketed due to the downgrade of the bond insurer’s credit rating.

Borrowings under the loan agreement bear interest at a variable rate as determined by PNC Capital Markets, as remarketing agent, on a periodic basis elected by the Company, which has currently elected that the interest rate be determined on a weekly basis.  The remarketing agent determines the interest rate based on the current market conditions in order to determine the lowest interest rate which would cause the Series A Bonds to have a market value equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest thereon.  The variable interest rate under the loan agreement averaged 2.75% in 2025 and 3.41%  in 2024.  As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the interest rate was 3.38% and 3.64%, respectively.

The holders of the $12,000 Series A Bonds may tender their bonds at any time.  When the bonds are tendered, they are subject to an annual remarketing agreement, pursuant to which a remarketing agent attempts to remarket the tendered bonds according to the terms of the indenture.  In order to keep variable interest rates down and to enhance the marketability of the Series A Bonds, the Company entered into a Reimbursement, Credit and Security Agreement with PNC Bank, National Association (“the Bank”) dated as of May 1, 2008.  This agreement provides for a direct pay letter of credit issued by the Bank to the trustee for the Series A Bonds.  The Bank is responsible for providing the trustee with funds for the timely payment of the principal and interest on the Series A Bonds and for the purchase price of the Series A Bonds that have been tendered or deemed tendered for purchase and have not been remarketed.  The Company’s responsibility is to reimburse the Bank the same day as regular interest payments are made, and within fourteen months for the purchase price of tendered bonds that have not been remarketed.  The reimbursement period for the principal is immediate at maturity, upon default by the Company, or if the Bank does not renew the Letter of Credit.  The current expiration date of the Letter of Credit is June 30, 2027.  It is reviewed annually for a potential extension of the expiration date.

The Company may elect to have the Series A Bonds redeemed, in whole or in part, on any date that interest is payable for a redemption price equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest to the date of redemption.  The Series A Bonds are also subject to mandatory redemption for the same redemption price in the event that the IRS determines that the interest payable on the Series A Bonds is includable in gross income of the holders of the bonds for federal tax purposes.

Interest Rate Swap Agreement
In connection with the issuance of the PEDFA 2004 Series B Bonds, the Company entered into an interest rate swap agreement with a counterparty, in the notional principal amount of $12,000.  The Company elected to retain the swap agreement for the 2008 Series A Bonds.  Interest rate swap agreements derive their value from underlying interest rates.  These transactions involve both credit and market risk.  The notional amounts are amounts on which calculations, payments, and the value of the derivative are based.  Notional amounts do not represent direct credit exposure.  Direct credit exposure is limited to the net difference between the calculated amounts to be received and paid, if any.  Such difference, which represents the fair value of the swap, is reflected on the Company’s balance sheets.  See Note 7 for additional information regarding the fair value of the swap.

The interest rate swap will terminate on the maturity date of the 2008 Series A Bonds (which is the same date as the maturity date of the loan under the loan agreement), unless sooner terminated pursuant to its terms.  In the event the interest rate swap terminates prior to the maturity date of the 2008 Series A Bonds, either the Company or the swap counterparty may be required to make a termination payment to the other based on market conditions at such time.  The Company is exposed to credit-related losses in the event of nonperformance by the counterparty.  The Company controls the credit risk of its financial contracts through credit approvals, limits and monitoring procedures, and does not expect the counterparty to default on its obligations.  Notwithstanding the terms of the swap agreement, the Company is ultimately obligated for all amounts due and payable under the loan agreement.

The interest rate swap agreement contains provisions that require the Company to maintain a credit rating of at least BBB- with Standard & Poor’s.  On July 30, 2025, Standard & Poor’s affirmed the Company’s credit rating at A-, with a stable outlook and adequate liquidity.  If the Company’s rating were to fall below this rating, it would be in violation of these provisions, and the counterparty to the derivative could request immediate payment if the derivative was in a liability position.  The Company’s interest rate swap was in a liability position as of December 31, 2025.  If a violation was triggered on December 31, 2025, the Company would have been required to pay the counterparty approximately $489.

The Company’s interest rate swap agreement provides that it pays the counterparty a fixed interest rate of 3.16% on the notional amount of $12,000. In exchange, the counterparty paid the Company a floating interest rate (based on 59% of the daily simple Secured Overnight Financing Rate, or SOFR, plus a spread adjustment of 11.448 basis points) on the notional amount.  The floating interest rate paid to the Company is intended, over the term of the swap, to approximate the variable interest rate on the loan agreement and the interest rate paid to bondholders, thereby managing its exposure to fluctuations in prevailing interest rates.  The Company’s net payment rate on the swap averaged 0.59% in 2025 and 0.05% in 2024.

As of December 31, 2025, there was a spread of 106 basis points between the variable rate paid to bondholders and the variable rate received from the swap counterparty, which equated to an overall effective rate of 4.22% (including variable interest and swap payments). As of December 31, 2024, there was a spread of 90 basis points which equated to an overall effective rate of 4.06% (including variable interest and swap payments).

Line of Credit Borrowings
As of December 31, 2025, the Company maintained a $50,000 unsecured, committed line of credit at an interest rate of SOFR plus 1.17% with an unused commitment fee and an interest rate floor.  In the third quarter of 2025, the Company renewed its committed line of credit and extended the maturity date to September 2027.  No other terms or conditions of the line of credit agreement were modified.  Average borrowings outstanding under the line of credit were $29,090 in 2025 and $10,087 in 2024.  The average cost of borrowings under the line of credit was 5.41% during 2025 and 5.23% during 2024.  The interest rate on the line of credit borrowings was 5.04% as of December 31, 2025 and 5.72% as of December 31, 2024.

The Company utilizes a cash management account that is directly connected to its line of credit.  Excess cash generated automatically pays down outstanding borrowings under the line of credit.  If there are no outstanding borrowings, the cash is used as an earnings credit to reduce banking fees.  Likewise, if additional funds are needed beyond what is generated internally, funds are automatically borrowed under the line of credit.  The Company borrowed $32,290 and $15,808 under its line of credit and incurred a cash overdraft of $1,836 and $2,428, which was recorded in accounts payable, as of December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.

Term Loan
In December 2025, the Company entered into a $10,000 unsecured, committed term loan agreement.  Interest is payable monthly at an interest rate of SOFR plus 1.35% as established on the first day of each calendar month.  The principal balance can be repaid in whole or part at any time without premium.  The term loan matures in December 2026 and is recorded in “Short-term borrowings” on the balance sheets.  The interest rate on the term loan was 5.18% as of December 31, 2025.

Debt Covenants and Restrictions
The terms of the debt agreements carry certain covenants and limit in some cases the Company’s ability to borrow additional funds, to prepay its borrowings and include certain restrictions with respect to declaration and payment of cash dividends and the Company’s acquisition of its stock.  Under the terms of the most restrictive agreements, the Company cannot borrow in excess of 60% of its utility plant, and cumulative payments for dividends and acquisition of stock since December 31, 1982 may not exceed $1,500 plus net income since that date.  As of December 31, 2025, none of the earnings retained in the business are restricted under these provisions.  The Company’s debt is unsecured.

The Company’s line of credit and term loan requires it to maintain a minimum equity to total capitalization ratio (defined as the sum of equity plus funded debt) and a minimum interest coverage ratio (defined as net income plus interest expense plus income tax expense divided by interest expense).  As of December 31, 2025, the Company was in compliance with these covenants.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Mar 3, 2026Showing above
2024Mar 4, 2025
2023Mar 5, 2024
2022Mar 7, 2023
2021Mar 8, 2022
2020Mar 9, 2021
2019Mar 10, 2020
2018Mar 12, 2019
2017Mar 6, 2018
2016Mar 7, 2017
2015Mar 8, 2016

About Debt Disclosures

Debt disclosures detail a company's borrowing structure — the types of instruments, interest rates, maturity schedule, and covenant restrictions that define its financial obligations and flexibility. This section is essential for assessing refinancing risk, interest rate exposure, and the margin of safety against financial distress.

Key signals: the maturity schedule reveals concentration risk — large maturities within 1-2 years during tight credit markets can force dilutive refinancing or asset sales. Compare the fair value of debt against carrying amount to gauge whether the market views the company's credit risk differently than the balance sheet suggests. Watch covenant compliance disclosures for tightening cushions, especially leverage and interest coverage ratios. Variable-rate debt exposure quantifies sensitivity to interest rate changes. Secured versus unsecured mix affects recovery rates and future borrowing capacity. Compare net debt-to-EBITDA against industry peers and covenant limits to assess financial health.