Basis of Presentation

Our interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not necessarily include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair statement of our consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP.

In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial information for the interim periods presented in this Report reflects all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Our interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2016, which are included in the 2016 Annual Report, as certain disclosures that would substantially duplicate those contained in the audited consolidated financial statements have not been included in this Report. Operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of operating results for an entire year.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and the disclosure of contingent amounts in our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Basis of Consolidation

Our consolidated financial statements reflect all of our accounts, including those of our controlled subsidiaries and our tenancy-in-common interest as described below. The portions of equity in consolidated subsidiaries that are not attributable, directly or indirectly, to us are presented as noncontrolling interests. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

When we obtain an economic interest in an entity, we evaluate the entity to determine if it should be deemed a variable interest entity, or VIE, and, if so, whether we are the primary beneficiary and are therefore required to consolidate the entity. We apply accounting guidance for consolidation of VIEs to certain entities in which the equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. Fixed price purchase and renewal options within a lease, as well as certain decision-making rights within a loan or joint-venture agreement, can cause us to consider an entity a VIE. Limited partnerships and other similar entities that operate as a partnership will be considered a VIE unless the limited partners hold substantive kick-out rights or participation rights. Significant judgment is required to determine whether a VIE should be consolidated. We review the contractual arrangements provided for in the partnership agreement or other related contracts to determine whether the entity is considered a VIE, and to establish whether we have any variable interests in the VIE. We then compare our variable interests, if any, to those of the other variable interest holders to determine which party is the primary beneficiary of the VIE based on whether the entity (i) has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and (ii) has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The liabilities of these VIEs are non-recourse to us and can only be satisfied from each VIE’s respective assets.

At September 30, 2017, we considered 28 entities to be VIEs, 21 of which we consolidated as we are considered the primary beneficiary. The following table presents a summary of selected financial data of the consolidated VIEs included in the consolidated balance sheets (in thousands):



	September 30, 2017			December 31, 2016 ^(a)
Land, buildings and improvements	$	910,495		$	886,148
Net investments in direct financing leases	39,897			60,294
In-place lease and other intangible assets	265,852			245,480
Above-market rent intangible assets	102,432			98,043
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(231,323		)	(184,710		)
Total assets	1,129,154			1,150,093

Non-recourse mortgages, net	$	128,659		$	406,574
Total liabilities	202,514			548,659

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(a)	In 2017, we reclassified certain line items in our consolidated balance sheets, as described below. As a result, prior period amounts for certain line items included within Net investments in real estate have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

At September 30, 2017, our seven unconsolidated VIEs included our interests in six unconsolidated real estate investments, which we account for under the equity method of accounting, and one unconsolidated entity, which we account for under the cost method of accounting and is included within our Investment Management segment. At December 31, 2016, our seven unconsolidated VIEs included our interests in six unconsolidated real estate investments and one unconsolidated entity among our interests in the Managed Programs, all of which we accounted for under the equity method of accounting. We do not consolidate these entities because we are not the primary beneficiary and the nature of our involvement in the activities of these entities allows us to exercise significant influence on, but does not give us power over, decisions that significantly affect the economic performance of these entities. As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the net carrying amount of our investments in these entities was $152.8 million and $152.9 million, respectively, and our maximum exposure to loss in these entities was limited to our investments.

At September 30, 2017, we had an investment in a tenancy-in-common interest in various underlying international properties. Consolidation of this investment is not required as such interest does not qualify as a VIE and does not meet the control requirement for consolidation. Accordingly, we account for this investment using the equity method of accounting. We use the equity method of accounting because the shared decision-making involved in a tenancy-in-common interest investment provides us with significant influence on the operating and financial decisions of this investment.

At times, the carrying value of our equity investments may fall below zero for certain investments. We intend to fund our share of the jointly owned investments’ future operating deficits should the need arise. However, we have no legal obligation to pay for any of the liabilities of such investments, nor do we have any legal obligation to fund operating deficits. At September 30, 2017, none of our equity investments had carrying values below zero.

On April 20, 2016, we formed a limited partnership, CESH I, for the purpose of developing, owning, and operating student housing properties and similar investments in Europe. CESH I commenced fundraising in July 2016 through a private placement with an initial offering of $100.0 million and a maximum offering of $150.0 million. Prior to August 30, 2016, which is the date that we had collected $14.2 million of net proceeds on behalf of CESH I from limited partnership units issued in the private placement (primarily to independent investors), we had included CESH I’s financial results and balances in our consolidated financial statements. On August 31, 2016, we determined that CESH I had sufficient equity to finance its operations and that we were no longer considered the primary beneficiary, and as a result we deconsolidated CESH I and began to account for our interest in it at fair value by electing the equity method fair value option available under GAAP. As of August 31, 2016, CESH I had assets totaling $30.3 million on our consolidated balance sheet, including $15.4 million in Cash and cash equivalents and $14.9 million in Other assets, net. In connection with the deconsolidation, we recorded offsetting amounts of $14.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 in Contributions from noncontrolling interests and Deconsolidation of affiliate in the consolidated statements of equity, and in Proceeds from limited partnership units issued by affiliate and Deconsolidation of affiliate in the consolidated statements of cash flows. We recognized a gain on deconsolidation of $1.9 million, which is included in Other income and (expenses) in the consolidated statements of income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016. The deconsolidation did not have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations. Following the deconsolidation, we continue to serve as the advisor to CESH I (Note 3).

Out-of-Period Adjustments

During the second quarter of 2016, we identified and recorded out-of-period adjustments related to adjustments to prior period income tax returns. We concluded that these adjustments were not material to our consolidated financial statements for any of the current or prior periods presented. The net adjustment is reflected as a $3.0 million reduction of our Benefit from income taxes in the consolidated statements of income for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

Reclassifications

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

In 2017, we reclassified in-place lease intangible assets, net, below-market ground lease intangible assets, net (previously included in Other assets, net), and above-market rent intangible assets, net to be included within Net investments in real estate in our consolidated balance sheets. The accumulated amortization on these assets is now included in Accumulated depreciation and amortization in our consolidated balance sheets. We also retitled the line item Real estate to Land, buildings and improvements in our consolidated balance sheets. In addition, we included the line item Operating real estate, which had previously appeared in our consolidated balance sheets, within Land, buildings and improvements in our consolidated balance sheets. Prior period balances have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

As a result of our Board’s decision to exit all non-traded retail fundraising activities as of June 30, 2017 (Note 1), we have revised how we view and present a component of our two reportable segments. As such, effective since the second quarter of 2017, we include (i) equity in earnings of equity method investments in the Managed Programs and (ii) equity investments in the Managed Programs in our Investment Management segment. Results of operations and assets by segment for prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

In connection with our adoption of Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, as described below, we retrospectively reclassified Payments for withholding taxes upon delivery of equity-based awards and exercises of stock options from Net cash provided by operating activities to Net cash used in financing activities within our consolidated statements of cash flows.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 does not apply to our lease revenues, which constitute a majority of our revenues, but will primarily apply to revenues generated from our operating properties and our Investment Management business. We will adopt this guidance for our interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2018 using one of two methods: retrospective restatement for each reporting period presented at the time of adoption, or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying this guidance recognized at the date of initial application. We have not decided which method of adoption we will use. We are evaluating the impact of the new standard and have not yet determined if it will have a material impact on our business or our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 outlines a new model for accounting by lessees, whereby their rights and obligations under substantially all leases, existing and new, would be capitalized and recorded on the balance sheet. For lessors, however, the accounting remains largely unchanged from the current model, with the distinction between operating and financing leases retained, but updated to align with certain changes to the lessee model and the new revenue recognition standard. The new standard also replaces existing sale-leaseback guidance with a new model applicable to both lessees and lessors. In addition, it also requires lessors to record gross revenues and expenses associated with activities that do not transfer services to the lessee (such as real estate taxes and insurance). Additionally, the new standard requires extensive quantitative and qualitative disclosures. Early application will be permitted for all entities. The new standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition of the new guidance and provides for certain practical expedients. Transition will require application of the new model at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented. We will adopt this guidance for our interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2019. The ASU is expected to impact our consolidated financial statements as we have certain operating office and land lease arrangements for which we are the lessee. We are evaluating the impact of the new standard and have not yet determined if it will have a material impact on our business or our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. ASU 2016-09 amends Accounting Standards Codification, or ASC, Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Based Compensation to simplify various aspects of how share-based payments are accounted for and presented in the financial statements including (i) reflecting income tax effects of share-based payments through the income statement, (ii) allowing statutory tax withholding requirements at the employees’ maximum individual tax rate without requiring awards to be classified as liabilities, and (iii) permitting an entity to make an accounting policy election for the impact of forfeitures on the recognition of expense. ASU 2016-09 is effective for public business entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within that reporting period, with early adoption permitted.

We adopted ASU 2016-09 as of January 1, 2017 and elected to account for forfeitures as they occur, rather than to account for them based on an estimate of expected forfeitures. This election was adopted using a modified retrospective transition method, with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. The related financial statement impact of this adjustment is not material. Depending on several factors, such as the market price of our common stock, employee stock option exercise behavior, and corporate income tax rates, the excess tax benefits associated with the exercise of stock options and the vesting and delivery of restricted share awards, or RSAs, restricted share units, or RSUs, and performance share units, or PSUs, could generate a significant income tax benefit in a particular interim period, potentially creating volatility in Net income attributable to W. P. Carey and basic and diluted earnings per share between interim periods. Under the former accounting guidance, windfall tax benefits related to stock-based compensation were recognized within Additional paid-in capital in our consolidated financial statements. Under ASU 2016-09, these amounts are reflected as a reduction to Provision for income taxes. For reference, windfall tax benefits related to stock-based compensation recorded in Additional paid-in capital for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 were $6.7 million and $12.5 million, respectively. Windfall tax benefits related to stock-based compensation recorded as a deferred tax benefit for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 were $0.6 million and $3.6 million, respectively.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments — Credit Losses. ASU 2016-13 introduces a new model for estimating credit losses based on current expected credit losses for certain types of financial instruments, including loans receivable, held-to-maturity debt securities, and net investments in direct financing leases, amongst other financial instruments. ASU 2016-13 also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and expands the disclosure requirements regarding an entity’s assumptions, models, and methods for estimating the allowance for losses. ASU 2016-13 will be effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early application of the guidance permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-13 on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 intends to reduce diversity in practice for certain cash flow classifications, including, but not limited to (i) debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, (ii) contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, (iii) proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, and (iv) distributions received from equity method investees. ASU 2016-15 will be effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early application of the guidance permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-15 on our consolidated financial statements and will retrospectively adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-17, Consolidation (Topic 810): Interests Held through Related Parties That Are under Common Control. ASU 2016-17 changes how a reporting entity that is a decision maker should consider indirect interests in a VIE held through an entity under common control. If a decision maker must evaluate whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE, it will only need to consider its proportionate indirect interest in the VIE held through a common control party. ASU 2016-17 amends ASU 2015-02, which we adopted on January 1, 2016, and which currently directs the decision maker to treat the common control party’s interest in the VIE as if the decision maker held the interest itself. ASU 2016-17 is effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We adopted ASU 2016-17 as of January 1, 2017 on a prospective basis. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash. ASU 2016-18 intends to reduce diversity in practice for the classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 will be effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2016-18 on our consolidated financial statements and will retrospectively adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. ASU 2017-01 intends to clarify the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. Under the current implementation guidance in Topic 805, there are three elements of a business: inputs, processes, and outputs. While an integrated set of assets and activities, collectively referred to as a “set,” that is a business usually has outputs, outputs are not required to be present. ASU 2017-01 provides a screen to determine when a set is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. ASU 2017-01 will be effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We elected to early adopt ASU 2017-01 on January 1, 2017 on a prospective basis. While our acquisitions have historically been classified as either business combinations or asset acquisitions, certain acquisitions that were classified as business combinations by us likely would have been considered asset acquisitions under the new standard. As a result, transaction costs are more likely to be capitalized since we expect most of our future acquisitions to be classified as asset acquisitions under this new standard. In addition, goodwill that was previously allocated to businesses that were sold or held for sale will no longer be allocated and written off upon sale if future sales were deemed to be sales of assets and not businesses.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. ASU 2017-04 removes step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. All other goodwill impairment guidance will remain largely unchanged. Entities will continue to have the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine if a quantitative impairment test is necessary. ASU 2017-04 will be effective for public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years in which a goodwill impairment test is performed, with early adoption permitted. We adopted ASU 2017-04 as of April 1, 2017 on a prospective basis. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-05, Other Income — Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20). ASU 2017-05 clarifies that a financial asset is within the scope of Subtopic 610-20 if it meets the definition of an in substance nonfinancial asset. The amendments define the term “in substance nonfinancial asset,” in part, as a financial asset promised to a counterparty in a contract if substantially all of the fair value of the assets (recognized and unrecognized) that are promised to the counterparty in the contract is concentrated in nonfinancial assets. If substantially all of the fair value of the assets that are promised to the counterparty in a contract is concentrated in nonfinancial assets, then all of the financial assets promised to the counterparty are in substance nonfinancial assets within the scope of Subtopic 610-20. This amendment also clarifies that nonfinancial assets within the scope of Subtopic 610-20 may include nonfinancial assets transferred within a legal entity to a counterparty. For example, a parent company may transfer control of nonfinancial assets by transferring ownership interests in a consolidated subsidiary. ASU 2017-05 is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early application permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of ASU 2017-05 on our consolidated financial statements and will adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. ASU 2017-09 clarifies when to account for a change to the terms and conditions of a share-based payment award as a modification. Under the new guidance, modification accounting is required only if the fair value, vesting conditions, or classification of the award (as equity or liability) changes as a result of the change in terms or conditions. ASU 2017-09 will be effective in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2017-09 on our consolidated financial statements and will adopt the standard for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2018.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. ASU 2017-12 will make more financial and nonfinancial hedging strategies eligible for hedge accounting. It also amends the presentation and disclosure requirements and changes how companies assess hedge effectiveness. It is intended to more closely align hedge accounting with companies’ risk management strategies, simplify the application of hedge accounting, and increase transparency as to the scope and results of hedging programs. ASU 2017-12 will be effective in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2017-12 on our consolidated financial statements.