| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended, (the “Annual Report”), for the year ended December 31, 2019. Certain footnote disclosures which would substantially duplicate those contained in our Annual Report have been condensed or omitted from this quarterly report. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation (which include only normal recurring adjustments) have been included in this quarterly report. Operating results of three and six months ended June 30, 2020 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the year ending December 31, 2020. Capitalized terms used, but not defined in this quarterly report, have the same meanings as set forth in our Annual Report. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership, each of their wholly-owned subsidiaries, and all other entities in which they have a controlling financial interest or entities that meet the definition of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) in which the Company has, as a result of ownership, contractual interests or other financial interests, both the power to direct activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. If the Company has an interest in a VIE but it is not determined to be the primary beneficiary, the Company accounts for its interest under the equity method of accounting. Similarly, for those entities which are not VIEs and over which the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, but does not have a controlling financial interest, the Company accounts for its interests under the equity method of accounting. The Company continually reconsiders its determination of whether an entity is a VIE and whether the Company qualifies as its primary beneficiary. As of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company has several unconsolidated VIEs in the form of joint ventures (see Note 4). The Company does not consolidate these entities because the Company is not the primary beneficiary and the nature of its involvement in the activities of these entities does not give the Company power over decisions that significantly affect these entities’ economic performance. As of June 30, 2020, the Company holds a 69.1% interest in the Operating Partnership and is the sole general partner which gives the Company exclusive and complete responsibility for the day-to-day management, authority to make decisions, and control of the Operating Partnership. The Company has determined that the Operating Partnership is a VIE as the limited partners in the Operating Partnership, although entitled to vote on certain matters, do not possess kick-out rights or substantive participating rights. Accordingly, the Company consolidates its interest in the Operating Partnership. The assets and liabilities of the Operating Partnership are the same as those of the Company and are presented in the condensed consolidated balance sheet. To the extent such variable interests are in entities that are not evaluated under the VIE model, the Company evaluates its interests using the voting interest entity model. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. The most significant assumptions and estimates relate to the useful lives of tangible and intangible assets, real estate impairment assessments, and assessing the recoverability of accounts receivable. These estimates are based on historical experience and other assumptions which management believes are reasonable under the circumstances. Management evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis and makes revisions to these estimates and related disclosures as experience develops or new information becomes known. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Real Estate Investments Real estate assets are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Expenditures for ordinary repairs and maintenance will be expensed as incurred. Significant renovations which improve the property or extend the useful life of the assets are capitalized. As real estate is undergoing redevelopment activities, all amounts directly associated with and attributable to the project, including planning, development and construction costs, interest costs, personnel costs of employees directly involved, and other miscellaneous costs incurred during the period of redevelopment, are capitalized. The capitalization period begins when redevelopment activities are underway and ends when the project is substantially complete. Depreciation of real estate assets, excluding land, is recognized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows:
Buildings:
25 – 40 years
Site improvements:
5 – 15 years
Tenant improvements:
shorter of the estimated useful life or non-cancelable term of lease The Company amortizes identified intangibles that have finite lives over the period they are expected to contribute directly or indirectly to the future cash flows of the property or business acquired, generally the remaining non-cancelable term of a related lease. On a periodic basis, management assesses whether there are indicators that the value of the Company’s real estate assets (including any related intangible assets or liabilities) may be impaired. These indicators include macroeconomic conditions, such as the expected impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic. If an indicator is identified, a real estate asset is considered impaired if management’s estimate of current and projected operating cash flows (undiscounted and unleveraged), taking into account the anticipated and probability weighted holding period, are less than a real estate asset’s carrying value. Various factors are considered in the estimation process, including expected future operating income, trends and prospects and the effects of demand, competition, and other economic factors. Changes in any estimates and/or assumptions, including the anticipated holding period, could have a material impact on the projected operating cash flows. If management determines that the carrying value of a real estate asset is impaired, a loss will be recorded for the excess of its carrying amount over its estimated fair value. If the COVID-19 pandemic causes economic and market conditions to deteriorate further, subsequent tests for impairment may result in future impairment charges. The Company recognized $1.8 million in impairment losses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020. Such impairment losses are classified within gain on sale of real estate within the condensed consolidated statements of operations. No impairment losses were recognized for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019. Real Estate Dispositions When the Company disposes of all or a portion of a real estate asset, it recognizes a gain or loss on sale of real estate as the difference between the carrying value and consideration received. Consideration consists of cash proceeds received and in certain circumstances, non-cash consideration which is typically in the form of equity in unconsolidated joint ventures consolidated statements of operations. For more information on the Company’s unconsolidated joint venture transactions refer to Note 4. The following table summarizes our gain on sale of real estate, net during the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2019 (in thousands):
Three Months Ended June 30,
Six Months Ended June 30,
2020
2019
2020
2019
Contributions to unconsolidated joint ventures
Gross proceeds
$
—
$
—
$
—
$
18.7
Gain on sale of real estate, net
—
—
—
3.8
Dispositions to third parties
Gross proceeds
$
98.6
$
11.4
$
158.9
$
40.9
Gain on sale of real estate, net (1) (2)
52.1
11.6
72.9
29.3
Total gains on contributions and dispositions, net
$
52.1
$
11.6
$
72.9
$
33.1
(1) (2) Real Estate Held for Sale When a real estate asset is identified by management as held for sale, the Company ceases depreciation of the asset and estimates its fair value, net of estimated costs to sell. If the estimated fair value, net of estimated costs to sell, of an asset is less than its net carrying value, an adjustment is recorded to reflect the estimated fair value. Properties classified as real estate held for sale generally represent properties that are under contract for sale and are expected to close within a year. In evaluating whether a property meets the held for sale criteria, the Company makes a determination as to the point in time that it is probable that a sale will be consummated. Given the nature of all real estate sales contracts, it is not unusual for such contracts to allow potential buyers a period of time to evaluate the property prior to formal acceptance of the contract. In addition, certain other matters critical to the final sale, such as financing arrangements, often remain pending even upon contract acceptance. As a result, properties under contract may not close within the expected time period or at all. As of June 30, 2020, one property was classified as held for sale with assets of $3.2 million and no liabilities, and as of December 31, 2019, two properties were classified as held for sale with assets of $5.3 million and no liabilities. Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures The Company accounts for its investments in unconsolidated joint ventures using the equity method of accounting as the Company exercises significant influence, but does not control these entities. These investments are initially recorded at cost and are subsequently adjusted for cash contributions, cash distributions, and earnings which are recognized in accordance with the terms of the applicable agreement. On a periodic basis, management assesses whether there are indicators, including the operating performance of the underlying real estate and general market conditions (which include macroeconomic conditions such as the expected impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic), that the value of the Company’s investments in unconsolidated joint ventures may be impaired. An investment’s value is impaired if management’s estimate of the fair value of the Company’s investment is less than its carrying value and such difference is deemed to be other-than-temporary. To the extent impairment has occurred, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over its estimated fair value. If the COVID-19 pandemic causes economic and market conditions to deteriorate further, subsequent tests for impairment may result in future impairment charges. No such impairment losses were recognized for each of the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 or June 30, 2019. Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company considers instruments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalent balances may, at a limited number of banks and financial institutions, exceed insurable amounts. The Company believes it mitigates this risk by investing in or through major financial institutions. Tenant and Other Receivables Accounts receivable includes unpaid amounts billed to tenants, accrued revenues for future billings to tenants for property expenses, and amounts arising from the straight-lining of rent. The Company periodically reviews its receivables for collectability, taking into consideration changes in factors such as the tenant’s payment history, the financial condition of the tenant, business conditions in the industry in which the tenant operates, including the expected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic The Company recorded an allowance for doubtful accounts of $3.3 million during the three months ended June 30, 2020. In addition, the Company also recorded a reversal of previously recorded straight-line rent Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has entered into amendments to existing leases with certain tenants (the “Rent Deferral Agreements”), that provide for the deferral of all or some portion of rental payments due during the period which such tenant was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (“Deferred Rent”). The Rent Deferral Agreements typically provide for repayment of the Deferred Rent within 6-12 months following the end of the rent deferral period and, in many instances, waive certain other conditions in favor of the Company while Deferred Rent is outstanding. Deferred Rent generally becomes immediately due and payable under the Rent Deferral Agreements if the tenant does not make the minimum contractual payments or otherwise defaults on the lease. Tenant and other receivables also include management fees receivable for services performed for the benefit of certain unconsolidated joint ventures. In the event that the collectability of a management fee receivable is in doubt, a provision for uncollectible amounts will be established or a direct write-off of the specific receivable will be made. Revenue Recognition Rental income is comprised of base rent and reimbursements of property operating expenses. Base rent is recognized on a straight-line basis over the non-cancelable terms of the related leases. For leases that have fixed and measurable base rent escalations, the difference between such rental income earned and the cash rent due under the provisions of the lease is recorded as deferred rent receivable and included as a component of tenant and other receivables on the condensed consolidated balance sheets. In leasing tenant space, the Company may provide funding to the lessee through a tenant allowance. In accounting for a tenant allowance, the Company will determine whether the allowance represents funding for the construction of leasehold improvements and evaluate the ownership of such improvements. If the Company is considered the owner of the improvements for accounting purposes, the Company will capitalize the amount of the tenant allowance and depreciate it over the shorter of the useful life of the improvements or the related lease term. If the tenant allowance represents a payment for a purpose other than funding leasehold improvements, or in the event the Company is not considered the owner of the improvements for accounting purposes, the allowance is considered a lease incentive and is recognized over the lease term as a reduction of rental revenue on a straight-line basis. The Company commences recognizing revenue based on an evaluation of several factors. Revenue recognition under a lease begins when the lessee takes control of the physical use of the leased asset. As discussed further below in Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Lease Modification Question and Answer Document (the “Lease Modification Q&A”) Reimbursement of property operating expenses arises from tenant leases which provide for the recovery of all or a portion of the operating expenses and real estate taxes of the respective property. This revenue is accrued in the same periods as the expenses are incurred. Management and Other Fee Income Management and other fee income represents property management, construction, leasing and development fees for services performed for the benefit of certain unconsolidated joint ventures. Property management fee income is reported at 100% of the revenue earned from such joint ventures in management and other fee income on the condensed consolidated statements of operations. The Company’s share of management expenses incurred by the unconsolidated joint ventures is reported in equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures on the condensed consolidated statements of operations and in other expenses in the combined financial data in Note 4. Leasing and development fees are initially reported at the portion of revenue earned attributable to outside ownership of the related unconsolidated joint ventures. The Company’s share in leasing and development fee income is recognized over the useful life of the associated development project, in the case of development fees, or lease term, in the case of leasing fees, as the associated asset is depreciated over the same term and included in equity in income (loss) of unconsolidated joint ventures on the condensed consolidated statements of operations and in other expenses in the combined financial data in Note 4. Management determined that property and asset management and construction and development management services each represent a series of stand-ready performance obligations satisfied over time with each day of service being a distinct performance obligation. For property and asset management services, the Company is typically compensated for its services through a monthly management fee earned based on a specified percentage of monthly rental income or rental receipts generated from the property under management. For construction and development services, the Company is typically compensated for planning, administering and monitoring the design and construction of projects at our unconsolidated joint venture properties based on a percentage of project costs or a fixed fee. Revenues from such management contracts are recognized over the life of the applicable contract. Conversely, leasing services are considered to be performance obligations, satisfied as of a point in time. The Company’s leasing fee is typically paid upon the occurrence of certain contractual event(s) that may be contingent and the pattern of revenue recognition may differ from the timing of payment. For these services, the obligations are typically satisfied at lease execution and tenant opening date, and revenue is recognized in accordance with the related agreement at the point in time when the obligation has been satisfied. Accounting for Recapture and Termination Activity Pursuant to the Original Master Lease and Holdco Master Lease (see Note 5) Seritage Recapture Rights. The Company generally treats the delivery of a recapture notice as a modification of the lease as of the date of notice. Such a notice and lease modification result in the following accounting adjustments for the recaptured property:
−
The portion of accrued rental revenues related to the straight-line method of reporting rental revenue that are subject to the lease modification are amortized over the remaining shortened life of the lease from the date of notice to the date of vacancy. The portion of accrued rental revenues related to the straight-line method of reporting rental revenue that is attributable to the retained space, if any, is amortized over the remaining life of the lease.
−
The portion of intangible lease assets and liabilities that is deemed to be impacted by the lease modification is amortized over the shorter of the shortened lease term from the date of notice to the date of vacancy or the remaining useful life of the asset or liability. The portion of intangible lease assets and liabilities that is attributable to the retained space, if any, is amortized over the remaining useful life of the asset or liability. A recapture will generally occur in conjunction with obtaining a new tenant or a real estate development project. As such, termination fees, if any, associated with the recapture notice are generally capitalized as either an initial direct cost of obtaining a new lease or a necessary cost of the real estate project and depreciated over the life of the new lease obtained or the real estate asset being constructed or improved. Termination Rights. The Original Master Lease provided, and the Holdco Master Lease provides the tenant with certain rights to terminate their lease. Such terminations would generally result in the following accounting adjustments for the terminated property:
−
Accrued rental revenues related to the straight-line method of reporting rental revenue that are subject to the termination are amortized over the remaining shortened life of the lease from the date of notice to the date of vacancy.
−
Intangible lease assets and liabilities that are deemed to be impacted by the termination are amortized over the shorter of the shortened lease term from the date of notice to the date of vacancy or the remaining useful life of the asset or liability.
−
Termination fees required to be paid are recognized as follows:
•
For the portion of the termination fee attributable to the annual base rent of the subject property, termination income is recognized on a straight-line basis over the shortened life of the lease from the date the termination fee becomes legally binding to the date of vacancy.
•
For the portion of the termination fee attributable to estimated real estate taxes and property operating expenses for the subject property, prepaid rental income is recorded in the period such fee is received and recognized as tenant reimbursement revenue in the same periods as the expenses are incurred. Share-Based Compensation The Company generally recognizes equity awards to employees as compensation expense and includes such expense within general and administrative expenses in the condensed consolidated statements of operations. Compensation expense for equity awards is based on the grant date fair value of the awards. Compensation expense is recognized ratably over the vesting period for awards with time-based vesting and awards with market-based vesting conditions (e.g. total shareholder return). For awards with performance-based vesting determined by Company operating criteria, the Company recognizes compensation expense at the date the achievement of performance criteria is deemed probable for the amount which would have been recognized ratably from the date of the grant through the date the achievement of performance criteria is deemed probable, and then ratably from the date the achievement of performance criteria is deemed probable through the remainder of the vesting period. The Company utilizes a third-party valuation firm to measure the grant date fair value of restricted stock unit awards with market-based criteria using the Monte Carlo model. Forfeitures are recorded on an actual basis. Concentration of Credit Risk Concentrations of credit risk arise when a number of operators, tenants, or obligors related to the Company's investments are engaged in similar business activities, or activities in the same geographic region, or have similar economic features that would cause their ability to meet contractual obligations, including those to the Company, to be similarly affected by changes in economic conditions. As of June 30, 2020, the Company leased space at five Wholly Owned Properties to Holdco under the Holdco Master Lease, after giving effect to the 12 terminations pursuant to the Amendment (as defined below), and a material amount of the Company’s rental revenues for the six months ended June 30, 2020 was derived from the Holdco Master Lease. As a result, the Company’s exposure to Holdco has been reduced to a level such that Holdco no longer represents a significant concentration of credit risk with the exception of the termination payment due pursuant to the Amendment (as defined below). Management believes the Company's portfolio is reasonably diversified by tenant and geographical location and does not contain any other significant concentrations of credit risk. As of June 30, 2020, the Company's portfolio of 171 Wholly Owned Properties and 28 JV Properties was diversified by location across 44 states and Puerto Rico. Earnings per Share The Company has three classes of common stock. The rights, including the liquidation and dividend rights, of the holders of the Company’s Class A common shares and Class C non-voting common shares are identical, except with respect to voting. As the liquidation and dividend rights are identical, the undistributed earnings are allocated on a proportionate basis. The net earnings (loss) per share amounts are the same for Class A and Class C common shares because the holders of each class are legally entitled to equal per share distributions whether through dividends or in liquidation. As of August 29, 2018, all outstanding Class C common shares had been exchanged for Class A common shares and there are currently no Class C common shares outstanding. Class B non-economic common shares are excluded from earnings per share computations as they do not have economic rights. As of June 30, 2020, all outstanding Class B common shares have been surrendered and there are currently no Class B common shares outstanding. As of June 30, 2019, 1,247,060 Class B non-economic common shares were issued and outstanding. All outstanding non-vested shares that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends are considered participating securities and are included in computing earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method which specifies that all outstanding non-vested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to distributions are considered participating securities and should be included in the computation of earnings per share. Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements The following presents Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) issued by the FASB which have been adopted by the Company:
ASU
Description
Adoption Date
Effect on the financial statements or other significant matters
ASU 2016-02, Leases (“Topic 842”) ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements ASU 2018-11, Leases, Targeted Improvements ASU 2018-20, Leases
This standard, as amended by subsequent ASUs on the topic, sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both lessees and lessors. Additional guidance and targeted improvements to the February 2016 ASU were made through the issuance of supplementary ASUs in July 2018, December 2018 and March 2019. The accounting applied by the lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under the existing lease standard. However, ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to apply a two-method approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether the lease is effectively a financed purchase. Lessees are required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months. Leases with a term of 12 months or less should be accounted for consistent with earlier guidance under ASC 840 for operating leases. Lessees should recognize an expense based on the effective interest method for finance leases or on a straight-line basis for operating leases.
January 1, 2019
The Company adopted this standard by electing the package of practical expedients without hindsight which permits the Company to not reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) any initial direct costs for any existing leases as of the adoption date. The Company has a ground lease and several corporate office leases, which are classified as operating leases, for which the Company is required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability equal to the present value of the remaining minimum lease payments and will continue to recognize expense on a straight-line basis for these leases. On January 1, 2019, the Company recorded an aggregate of approximately $8.4 million of right-of-use assets and corresponding $8.4 million of lease liabilities upon adoption of this standard. Right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities are included in the prepaid expenses, deferred expenses and other assets and accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities line item respectively on the condensed Additionally, the Company is no longer able to capitalize certain internal and external leasing costs. Because of this change, $1.3 million of such costs incurred in previous periods for leases which had not commenced at the beginning of current period were adjusted against opening equity upon adoption. The Company also combined $11,005 of below-market lease assets pertaining to the ground lease where we are a lessee with the right of use asset recorded for the ground lease as required upon adoption of ASU 2016-02. The below-market lease asset was previously recorded within the lease intangibles on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.
ASU
Description
Adoption Date
Effect on the financial statements or other significant matters
ASU 2018-01, Leases, Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842
In March 2018, the FASB finalized changes with respect to optional transition relief and approved a practical expedient for lessors that would permit lessors to make an accounting policy election to not separate non-lease components from the associated lease components, by class of underlying asset, if the following two criteria are met: (1) the timing and pattern of transfer of the lease and non-lease components are the same and (2) the lease component would be classified as an operating lease if accounted for separately.
January 1, 2019
The Company has elected the optional transition relief and has determined that it is not required to bifurcate and separately report non-lease components, such as common area maintenance revenue, for operating leases on the condensed consolidated statements of operations for leases where the Company is the lessor. As a result, leases where the Company is the lessor have been accounted for in a similar method to earlier guidance under ASC 840. The Company’s adoption of ASC 842 did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.
ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326) ASU 2018-19, Codification improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses
ASU 2016-13 changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments, requiring the use of an "expected credit loss" model and adding more disclosure requirements. ASU 2018-19 clarifies that impairment of receivables arising from operating leases should accounted for in accordance with Topic 842, Leases.
January 1, 2020
The Company’s adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements.
The Lease Modification Q&A
In April 2020, the FASB staff issued the Lease Modification Q&A focused on the application of lease accounting guidance to lease concessions provided as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under existing lease guidance, the Company would have to determine, on a lease by lease basis, if a lease concession was the result of a new arrangement reached with the tenant or if a lease concession was under the enforceable rights and obligations within the existing lease agreement. The Lease Modification Q&A allows the Company, if certain criteria have been met, to bypass the lease by lease analysis, and instead elect to either apply the lease modification accounting framework or not, with such election applied consistently to leases with similar characteristics and similar circumstances.
April 10, 2020
The Company has elected to avail itself of the relief provided in the Lease Modification Q&A for all leases which were modified during the second quarter of 2020. The Company entered into Rent Deferral Agreements on 50 leases as of June 30, 2020 and an additional 6 leases subsequent to the end of the quarter. The Company has determined that the deferral agreements are all substantially similar arrangements and has elected to bypass the lease by lease analysis. This election did not result in a material change to the Company’s financial statements. The impact of this election is dependent upon the circumstances and characteristics of future modifications and as such the impact of the Lease Modification Q&A may cha |
