SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported) August 25, 1997
MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware 1-3480 41-0423660
(State or other jurisdiction (Commission (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation) File Number) Identification No.)
400 North Fourth Street, Bismarck, ND 58501
(Address of principal executive offices (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (701) 222-7900<PAGE>
Item 5. Other Events
As discussed in the Registrant's June 30, 1997 Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q, in the matter of the estate of W. A. Moncrief
(Moncrief) vs. Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company
(Williston Basin) and the Registrant, the Federal District Court
for the District of Wyoming (Federal District Court) on June 26,
1997, issued its order awarding Moncrief damages of approximately
$15.6 million. On July 25, 1997, the Federal District Court
issued an order limiting Moncrief's reimbursable costs to post-
judgment interest, instead of both pre- and post-judgment
interest as Moncrief had sought. Through the course of this
action Moncrief had submitted damage calculations which totalled
approximately $19 million or, under its alternative pricing
theory, approximately $39 million.
On August 25, 1997, Moncrief filed a notice of appeal with the
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit related to
the Federal District Court's orders. On September 2, 1997,
Williston Basin and the Registrant filed a notice of cross-
appeal. Williston Basin believes it is entitled to recover from
ratepayers virtually all of the costs ultimately incurred as a
result of this action as gas supply realignment transition costs
pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission's (FERC) Order 636. However, the amount of costs
which can ultimately be recovered are subject to approval by the
FERC and market conditions.
Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits
(c) Exhibits.
(12) Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed
Charges
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 hereunto duly authorized.
MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.
DATE: September 9, 1997 By /s/ Warren L. Robinson
Warren L. Robinson
Vice President, Treasurer and
Chief Financial Officer
EXHIBIT INDEX
Sequential
Exhibit No. Page Number
(12) Computation of Ratio of
Earnings to Fixed Charges
Exhibit 12
MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO
FIXED CHARGES
Twelve Months Year
Ended Ended
June 30, 1997 December 31, 1996
(In thousands of dollars)
Earnings Available for
Fixed Charges:
Net Income per Consolidated
Statements of Income $47,074 $45,470
Income Taxes 16,384 16,087
63,458 61,557
Rents (a) 1,032 1,031
Interest (b) 33,621 34,101
Total Earnings Available
for Fixed Charges $98,111 $96,689
Fixed Charges (c) $34,653 $35,132
Ratio of Earnings to
Fixed Charges 2.83x 2.75x
(a) Represents portion (33 1/3%) of rents which is estimated to
approximately constitute the return to the lessors on their
investment in leased premises.
(b) Represents interest and amortization of debt discount and
expense on all indebtedness and excludes amortization of gains
or losses on reacquired debt which, under the Uniform System
of Accounts of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is
classified as a reduction of, or increase in, interest expense
in the Consolidated Statements of Income for the respective
periods. Also includes carrying costs associated with natural
gas available under a repurchase agreement with Frontier Gas
Storage Company as more fully described in Notes to
Consolidated Financial Statements for the respective periods.
(c) Represents rents and interest, both as defined above.
