Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2015

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

On May 13, 2015, Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. changed its name to Griffin Industrial Realty, Inc. (“Griffin”) to reflect better Griffin’s ongoing real estate business that is principally engaged in developing, managing and leasing industrial and, to a lesser extent, commercial properties.  Periodically, Griffin may also sell certain portions of its undeveloped land that it has owned for an extended time period and the use of which is not consistent with Griffin’s core development and leasing strategy.  The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Griffin reflect its real estate business after Griffin sold its landscape nursery business in January 2014 (see below).

These financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the standards of accounting measurement set forth by Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC 270, “Interim Reporting” and in accordance with the accounting policies stated in Griffin’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”) included in Griffin’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 13, 2015. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in that report. All adjustments, comprising only normal recurring adjustments, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods, have been reflected and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated balance sheet data as of November 30, 2014 was derived from Griffin’s audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses in the reporting period. Griffin regularly evaluates estimates and assumptions related to the useful life and recoverability of long-lived assets, stock-based compensation expense, deferred income tax asset valuations, valuation of derivative instruments and the estimated costs to complete required offsite improvements to land sold. Griffin bases its estimates and assumptions on current facts, historical experience and various other factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the accrual of costs and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. The actual results experienced by Griffin may differ materially and adversely from Griffin’s estimates. To the extent there are material differences between the estimates and the actual results, future results of operations will be affected.

As of August 31, 2015, Griffin was a party to several interest rate swap agreements to hedge its interest rate exposure. Griffin does not use derivatives for speculative purposes. Griffin applies FASB ASC 815-10, “Derivatives and Hedging,” (“ASC 815-10”) as amended, which establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments and hedging activities. ASC 815-10 requires Griffin to recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet and measure those instruments at fair value. The changes in the fair values of the interest rate swap agreements are measured in accordance with ASC 815-10 and reflected in the carrying values of the interest rate swap agreements on Griffin’s consolidated balance sheet. The estimated fair values are based primarily on projected future swap rates.

Griffin applies cash flow hedge accounting to its interest rate swap agreements that are designated as hedges of the variability of future cash flows from floating rate liabilities based on the benchmark interest rates. Changes in the fair values of Griffin’s interest rate swap agreements are recorded as components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity to the extent they are effective. Any ineffective portions of the changes in fair values of these instruments would be recorded as interest expense or interest income.

The growing operation of Griffin’s landscape nursery business, previously conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Imperial Nurseries, Inc. (“Imperial”), is reported as a discontinued operation due to the sale, effective January 8, 2014, of its inventory and certain of its assets (the “Imperial Sale”) to Monrovia Connecticut LLC (“Monrovia”), a subsidiary of Monrovia Nursery Company (see Note 8). Concurrent with the Imperial Sale, a subsidiary of Griffin and Imperial entered into a long-term lease with Monrovia for Imperial’s Connecticut production nursery. Imperial was engaged in growing landscape nursery plants in containers for sale to independent retail garden centers and rewholesalers, whose main customers were landscape contractors. As the growing operations of Imperial are reflected as a discontinued operation in Griffin’s unaudited consolidated financial statements, Griffin’s continuing operations presented in the accompanying financial statements solely reflect its real estate business and, therefore, industry segment information is not presented.

The results of operations for the three months ended August 31, 2015 (the “2015 third quarter”) and the nine months ended August 31, 2015 (the “2015 nine month period”) are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The three months and nine months ended August 31, 2014 are referred to herein as the “2014 third quarter” and “2014 nine month period,” respectively.  Certain amounts from the 2014 periods have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-15, “Interest-Imputation of Interest:  Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements - Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting,” which addresses line-of-credit arrangements that were omitted from Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03 (see below).  This Update states that the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit arrangement as an asset and subsequently amortizing those costs ratably over the term of the arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on Griffin’s financial position or results of operations.

In August 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-14, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Deferral of the Effective Date,” which defers the effective date of Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (see below) for Griffin until fiscal 2019.

In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-03, “Interest-Imputation of Interest,” which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of the associated debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The guidance must be applied on a retrospective basis and will be effective for Griffin in fiscal 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on Griffin’s financial position or results of operations.

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry specific guidance. This standard requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. Additionally, the Update requires improved disclosures to help users of financial statements better understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. The Update permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. This Update will be effective for Griffin in fiscal 2019 and early adoption is not permitted. Certain aspects of this new standard may affect revenue recognition of Griffin. Griffin is evaluating the impact that the application of this Update will have on its consolidated financial statements.