| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Balance Sheet Presentation of the Investing and Servicing Segment’s Variable Interest Entities
As noted above, the Investing and Servicing Segment operates an investment business that acquires unrated, investment grade and non-investment grade rated CMBS. These securities represent interests in securitization structures (commonly referred to as special purpose entities, or “SPEs”). These SPEs are structured as pass through entities that receive principal and interest on the underlying collateral and distribute those payments to the certificate holders. Under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), SPEs typically qualify as VIEs. These are entities that, by design, either (1) lack sufficient equity to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties, or (2) have equity investors that do not have the ability to make significant decisions relating to the entity’s operations through voting rights, or do not have the obligation to absorb the expected losses, or do not have the right to receive the residual returns of the entity.
Because the Investing and Servicing Segment often serves as the special servicer of the trusts in which it invests, consolidation of these structures is required pursuant to GAAP as outlined in detail below. This results in a consolidated balance sheet which presents the gross assets and liabilities of the VIEs. The assets and other instruments held by these VIEs are restricted and can only be used to fulfill the obligations of the entity. Additionally, the obligations of the VIEs do not have any recourse to the general credit of any other consolidated entities, nor to us as the consolidator of these VIEs.
The VIE liabilities initially represent investment securities on our balance sheet (pre-consolidation). Upon consolidation of these VIEs, our associated investment securities are eliminated, as is the interest income related to those securities. Similarly, the fees we earn in our roles as special servicer of the bonds issued by the consolidated VIEs or as collateral administrator of the consolidated VIEs are also eliminated. Finally, an allocable portion of the identified servicing intangible associated with the eliminated fee streams is eliminated in consolidation.
Refer to the segment data in Note 22 for a presentation of the Investing and Servicing Segment without consolidation of these VIEs.
Basis of Accounting and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our consolidated subsidiaries and VIEs. Intercompany amounts have been eliminated in consolidation. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows have been included.
These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 (the “Form 10-K”), as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year.
Refer to our Form 10-K for a description of our recurring accounting policies. We have included disclosure in this Note 2 regarding principles of consolidation and other accounting policies that (i) are required to be disclosed quarterly, (ii) we view as critical, or (iii) became significant since December 31, 2015 due to a corporate action or increase in the significance of the underlying business activity.
Variable Interest Entities
We evaluate all of our interests in VIEs for consolidation. When our interests are determined to be variable interests, we assess whether we are deemed to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The primary beneficiary of a VIE is required to consolidate the VIE. Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810, Consolidation , defines the primary beneficiary as the party that has both (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance, and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits from the VIE which could be potentially significant. We consider our variable interests as well as any variable interests of our related parties in making this determination. Where both of these factors are present, we are deemed to be the primary beneficiary and we consolidate the VIE. Where either one of these factors is not present, we are not the primary beneficiary and do not consolidate the VIE.
To assess whether we have the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance, we consider all facts and circumstances, including our role in establishing the VIE and our ongoing rights and responsibilities. This assessment includes first, identifying the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance; and second, identifying which party, if any, has power over those activities. In general, the parties that make the most significant decisions affecting the VIE or have the right to unilaterally remove those decision makers are deemed to have the power to direct the activities of a VIE.
Effective January 1, 2016, we implemented Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810) – Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis , which specifies that the right to remove the decision maker in a VIE must be exercisable without cause for the decision maker to not be deemed the party that has the power to direct the activities of a VIE. In connection with the implementation of this ASU, we consolidated VIE assets and VIE liabilities from CMBS trusts as of March 31, 2016 where the right to remove the Company as special servicer was not exercisable without cause.
Our implementation of the ASU also resulted in the determination that certain entities in which we hold interests, which prior to the implementation of the ASU were not considered VIEs, are now considered VIEs as the limited partners of these entities do not collectively possess (i) the right to remove the general partner without cause or (ii) the right to participate in significant decisions made by the partnership. The application of the ASU to these particular entities did not change our respective conclusions as to whether or not they should be consolidated. We applied the provisions of this ASU using a modified retrospective approach which does not require the restatement of prior period financial statements. There was no cumulative-effect adjustment to equity upon adoption. Refer to Note 14 for further discussion of the impact of our implementation of ASU 2015-02.
To assess whether we have the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE, we consider all of our economic interests, including debt and equity investments, servicing fees, and other arrangements deemed to be variable interests in the VIE. This assessment requires that we apply judgment in determining whether these interests, in the aggregate, are considered potentially significant to the VIE. Factors considered in assessing significance include: the design of the VIE, including its capitalization structure; subordination of interests; payment priority; relative share of interests held across various classes within the VIE’s capital structure; and the reasons why the interests are held by us.
Our purchased investment securities include CMBS which are unrated and non-investment grade rated securities issued by CMBS trusts. In certain cases, we may contract to provide special servicing activities for these CMBS trusts, or, as holder of the controlling class, we may have the right to name and remove the special servicer for these trusts. In our role as special servicer, we provide services on defaulted loans within the trusts, such as foreclosure or work-out procedures, as permitted by the underlying contractual agreements. In exchange for these services, we receive a fee. These rights give us the ability to direct activities that could significantly impact the trust’s economic performance. However, in those instances where an unrelated third party has the right to unilaterally remove us as special servicer without cause, we do not have the power to direct activities that most significantly impact the trust’s economic performance. We evaluated all of our positions in such investments for consolidation.
For securitization VIEs in which we are determined to be the primary beneficiary, all of the underlying assets, liabilities and equity of the structures are recorded on our books, and the initial investment, along with any associated unrealized holding gains and losses, are eliminated in consolidation. Similarly, the interest income earned from these structures, as well as the fees paid by these trusts to us in our capacity as special servicer, are eliminated in consolidation. Further, an allocable portion of the identified servicing intangible asset associated with the servicing fee streams, and the corresponding allocable amortization or change in fair value of the servicing intangible asset, are also eliminated in consolidation.
We perform ongoing reassessments of: (1) whether any entities previously evaluated under the majority voting interest framework have become VIEs, based on certain events, and therefore subject to the VIE consolidation framework, and (2) whether changes in the facts and circumstances regarding our involvement with a VIE causes our consolidation conclusion regarding the VIE to change.
We elect the fair value option for initial and subsequent recognition of the assets and liabilities of our consolidated securitization VIEs. Interest income and interest expense associated with these VIEs are no longer relevant on a standalone basis because these amounts are already reflected in the fair value changes. We have elected to present these items in a single line on our condensed consolidated statements of operations. The residual difference shown on our condensed consolidated statements of operations in the line item “Change in net assets related to consolidated VIEs” represents our beneficial interest in the VIEs.
We separately present the assets and liabilities of our consolidated securitization VIEs as individual line items on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. The liabilities of our consolidated securitization VIEs consist solely of obligations to the bondholders of the related CMBS trusts, and are thus presented as a single line item entitled “VIE liabilities.” The assets of our consolidated securitization VIEs consist principally of loans, but at times, also include foreclosed loans which have been temporarily converted into real estate owned (“REO”). These assets in the aggregate are likewise presented as a single line item entitled “VIE assets.”
Loans comprise the vast majority of our securitization VIE assets and are carried at fair value due to the election of the fair value option. When an asset becomes REO, it is due to nonperformance of the loan. Because the loan is already at fair value, the carrying value of an REO asset is also initially at fair value. Furthermore, when we consolidate a CMBS trust, any existing REO would be consolidated at fair value. Once an asset becomes REO, its disposition time is relatively short. As a result, the carrying value of an REO generally approximates fair value under GAAP.
In addition to sharing a similar measurement method as the loans in a CMBS trust, the securitization VIE assets as a whole can only be used to settle the obligations of the consolidated VIE. The assets of our securitization VIEs are not individually accessible by the bondholders, which creates inherent limitations from a valuation perspective. Also creating limitations from a valuation perspective is our role as special servicer, which provides us very limited visibility, if any, into the performing loans of a CMBS trust.
REO assets generally represent a very small percentage of the overall asset pool of a CMBS trust. In a new issue CMBS trust there are no REO assets. We estimate that REO assets constitute approximately 4% of our consolidated securitization VIE assets, with the remaining 96% representing loans. However, it is important to note that the fair value of our securitization VIE assets is determined by reference to our securitization VIE liabilities as permitted under ASU 2014-13, Consolidation (Topic 810): Measuring the Financial Assets and the Financial Liabilities of a Consolidated Collateralized Financing Entity . In other words, our VIE liabilities are more reliably measurable than the VIE assets, resulting in our current measurement methodology which utilizes this value to determine the fair value of our securitization VIE assets as a whole. As a result, these percentages are not necessarily indicative of the relative fair values of each of these asset categories if the assets were to be valued individually.
Due to our accounting policy election under ASU 2014-13, separately presenting two different asset categories would result in an arbitrary assignment of value to each, with one asset category representing a residual amount, as opposed to its fair value. However, as a pool, the fair value of the assets in total is equal to the fair value of the liabilities.
For these reasons, the assets of our securitization VIEs are presented in the aggregate.
Business Combinations
Under ASC 805, Business Combinations , the acquirer in a business combination must recognize, with certain exceptions, the fair values of assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and non-controlling interests when the acquisition constitutes a change in control of the acquired entity. As goodwill is calculated as a residual, all goodwill of the acquired business, not just the acquirer’s share, is recognized under this “full goodwill” approach.
We apply the provisions of ASC 805 in accounting for acquisitions of real estate assets. In doing so, we record provisional amounts for certain items as of the date of acquisition. During the measurement period, a period which shall not exceed one year, we prospectively adjust the provisional amounts recognized to reflect new information obtained about facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date that, if known, would have affected the measurement of the amounts recognized.
Fair Value Option
The guidance in ASC 825, Financial Instruments , provides a fair value option election that allows entities to make an irrevocable election of fair value as the initial and subsequent measurement attribute for certain eligible financial assets and liabilities. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected are reported in earnings. The decision to elect the fair value option is determined on an instrument by instrument basis and must be applied to an entire instrument and is irrevocable once elected. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value pursuant to this guidance are required to be reported separately in our consolidated balance sheets from those instruments using another accounting method.
We have elected the fair value option for eligible financial assets and liabilities of our consolidated securitization VIEs, loans held-for-sale originated by the Investing and Servicing Segment’s conduit platform, purchased CMBS issued by VIEs we could consolidate in the future and certain investments in marketable equity securities. The fair value elections for VIE and securitization related items were made in order to mitigate accounting mismatches between the carrying value of the instruments and the related assets and liabilities that we consolidate at fair value. The fair value elections for mortgage loans held-for-sale originated by the Investing and Servicing Segment’s conduit platform were made due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The fair value elections for investments in marketable equity securities were made because the shares are listed on an exchange, which allows us to determine the fair value using a quoted price from an active market.
Fair Value Measurements
We measure our mortgage‑backed securities, derivative assets and liabilities, domestic servicing rights intangible asset and any assets or liabilities where we have elected the fair value option at fair value. When actively quoted observable prices are not available, we either use implied pricing from similar assets and liabilities or valuation models based on net present values of estimated future cash flows, adjusted as appropriate for liquidity, credit, market and/or other risk factors.
As discussed above, we measure the assets and liabilities of consolidated securitization VIEs at fair value pursuant to our election of the fair value option. The securitization VIEs in which we invest are “static”; that is, no reinvestment is permitted, and there is no active management of the underlying assets. In determining the fair value of the assets and liabilities of the securitization VIE, we maximize the use of observable inputs over unobservable inputs. We also acknowledge that our principal market for selling CMBS assets is the securitization market where the market participant is considered to be a CMBS trust or a collateralized debt obligation (“CDO”). This methodology results in the fair value of the assets of a static CMBS trust being equal to the fair value of its liabilities. Refer to Note 19 for further discussion regarding our fair value measurements.
Loans Held-for-Investment and Provision for Loan Losses
Loans that are held for investment are carried at cost, net of unamortized acquisition premiums or discounts, loan fees, and origination costs as applicable, unless the loans are deemed impaired. We evaluate each loan classified as held-for-investment for impairment at least quarterly. Impairment occurs when it is deemed probable that we will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan. If a loan is considered to be impaired, we record an allowance through the provision for loan losses to reduce the carrying value of the loan to the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loan’s contractual effective rate or the fair value of the collateral, if repayment is expected solely from the collateral. Actual losses, if any, could ultimately differ from these estimates.
We perform a quarterly review of our portfolio of loans. In connection with this review, we assess the performance of each loan and assign a risk rating based on several factors, including risk of loss, loan-to-collateral value ratio (“LTV”), collateral performance, structure, exit plan, and sponsorship. Loans are rated “1” through “5”, from less risk to greater risk, in connection with this review.
Deferred Financing Costs
In accordance with ASU 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) , effective January 1, 2016 we modified our presentation of deferred financing costs in our condensed consolidated balance sheets to present such costs as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the related debt liability, consistent with debt discounts, rather than as a separate deferred asset as the previous guidance required. Deferred financing costs will continue to be amortized to interest expense over the terms of the respective debt agreements. As required by this ASU, we applied this change retrospectively to our prior period condensed consolidated balance sheet presentation.
Earnings Per Share
We present both basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) amounts in our financial statements. Basic EPS excludes dilution and is computed by dividing income available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS reflects the maximum potential dilution that could occur from (i) our share-based compensation, consisting of unvested restricted stock (“RSAs”) and restricted stock units (“RSUs”), (ii) shares contingently issuable to our Manager, and (iii) the “in-the-money” conversion options associated with our outstanding convertible senior notes (see further discussion in Note 17). Potential dilutive shares are excluded from the calculation if they have an anti-dilutive effect in the period.
Nearly all of the Company’s unvested RSUs and RSAs contain rights to receive non-forfeitable dividends and thus are participating securities. Due to the existence of these participating securities, the two-class method of computing EPS is required, unless another method is determined to be more dilutive. Under the two-class method, undistributed earnings are reallocated between shares of common stock and participating securities. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, the two-class method resulted in the most dilutive EPS calculation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us 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, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant and subjective estimate that we make is the projection of cash flows we expect to receive on our loans, investment securities and intangible assets, which has a significant impact on the amounts of interest income, credit losses (if any), and fair values that we record and/or disclose. In addition, the fair value of financial assets and liabilities that are estimated using a discounted cash flows method is significantly impacted by the rates at which we estimate market participants would discount the expected cash flows.
Reclassifications
In connection with our implementation of ASU 2015-03 discussed above, we reclassified deferred financing costs of $38.3 million and $1.4 million previously reported in other assets to secured financing agreements, net and convertible senior notes, net, respectively, within our condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015.
Recent Accounting Developments
On May 28, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers , which establishes key principles by which an entity determines the amount and timing of revenue recognized from customer contracts. At issuance, the ASU was effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2016. On August 12, 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers – Deferral of the Effective Date, which delayed the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year, resulting in the ASU becoming effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application, which was not permissible under the initial effectiveness timeline, is now permissible though no earlier than as of the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2016. We do not expect the application of this ASU to materially impact the Company.
On January 5, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments – Overall (Subtopic 825-10) – Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities , which impacts the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option, and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. The ASU shall be applied prospectively and is effective for annual periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is not permitted. We are in the process of assessing the impact this ASU will have on the Company.
On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which establishes a right-of-use model for lessee accounting which results in the recognition of most leased assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet of the lessee. Lessor accounting was not significantly changed. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2018 by applying a modified retrospective approach. Early application is permitted. We are in the process of assessing the impact this ASU will have on the Company.
On March 14, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-05, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) – Effect of Derivative Contract Novations on Existing Hedge Accounting Relationships, which clarifies that the change in counterparty to a derivative designated in a hedging relationship, in and of itself, would not require that the hedging relationship be de-designated for hedge accounting purposes. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is permitted. We do not expect the application of this ASU to materially impact the Company.
On March 15, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-07, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323) – Simplifying the Transition to the Equity Method of Accounting, which amends existing guidance to require that in instances where an investee is transitioning from the cost method of accounting to the equity method of accounting due to an increase in ownership level or degree of influence, the investee applies the equity method of accounting prospectively from the date significant influence is obtained, whereas existing guidance requires an investee to retrospectively apply the equity method of accounting for all previous periods in which the investment was held. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is permitted. We do not expect the application of this ASU to materially impact the Company.
On March 17, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net) , which amends the principal-versus-agent implementation guidance and illustrations in the FASB’s revenue recognition standard issued in ASU 2014-09. The ASU provides further guidance to assist an entity in the determination of whether the nature of its promise to its customer is to provide the underlying goods or services, meaning the entity is a principal, or to arrange for a third party to provide the underlying goods or services, meaning the entity is an agent. The ASU is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is permissible though no earlier than the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2016. We do not expect the application of this ASU to materially impact the Company.
On March 30, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718) – Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting , which seeks to simplify the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for associated income taxes and forfeitures. The ASU is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is permitted in any interim or annual period. We do not expect the application of this ASU to materially impact the Company.
On April 14, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) – Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing , which amends guidance and illustrations in the FASB’s revenue recognition standard issued in ASU 2014-09 regarding the identification of performance obligations and the implementation guidance on licensing arrangements. The ASU is effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is permissible though no earlier than the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2016. We do not expect the application of this ASU to materially impact the Company.
On June 16, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) – Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments , which mandates use of an “expected loss” credit model for estimating future credit losses of certain financial instruments instead of the “incurred loss” credit model that existing GAAP currently mandates. The “expected loss” model requires the consideration of possible credit losses over the life of an instrument compared to only estimating credit losses upon the occurrence of a discrete loss event in accordance with the current “incurred loss” methodology. The ASU is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early application is permissible though no earlier than the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2018. We are in the process of assessing the impact this ASU will have on the Company.
On August 26, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) – Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments , which seeks to reduce diversity in practice regarding how various cash receipts and payments are reported within the statement of cash flows. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is permitted in any interim or annual period. We do not expect the application of this ASU to materially impact the Company.
On October 24, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740) – Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory , which requires that an entity recognize the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory at the time of the transfer instead of deferring the tax consequences until the asset has been sold to an outside party, as current GAAP requires. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early application is permitted in any interim or annual period. We are in the process of assessing the impact this ASU will have on the Company.
On October 26, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-17, Consolidation (Topic 810) – Interests Held through Related Parties That Are under Common Control , which requires when assessing which party is the primary beneficiary in a VIE, the decision maker considers interests held by entities under common control on a proportionate basis instead of treating those interests as if they were that of the decision maker itself, as current GAAP requires. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is permitted in any interim or annual period. We are in the process of assessing the impact this ASU will have on the Company. |
