Recently Issued Accounting Literature (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are unaudited and include the accounts of Vornado and the Operating Partnership and their consolidated subsidiaries. All inter-company amounts have been eliminated. In our opinion, all adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and changes in cash flows have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted. 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 for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC.

We have made estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year.

Certain prior year balances have been reclassified in order to conform to the current period presentation. For the three months ended March 31, 2017, $2,469,000 of expense related to the mark-to-market of our deferred compensation plan liability was reclassified from "general and administrative expenses" to "(income) expense from deferred compensation plan liability" and $2,469,000 of income related to the mark-to-market of our deferred compensation plan assets was reclassified from "interest and other investment (loss) income, net" to "(loss) income from deferred compensation plan assets."

Revenue from Contract with Customer

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an update (“ASU 2014-09”) establishing Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). ASU 2014-09, as amended by subsequent ASUs on the topic, establishes a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most of the existing revenue recognition guidance. This standard, which is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years that begin after December 15, 2017, requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services and also requires certain additional disclosures. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method applied to all existing contracts not yet completed as of January 1, 2018 and recorded a $14,519,000 cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning accumulated deficit. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material impact on our financial statements (see Note 4 - Revenue Recognition).

Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Liabilities

In January 2016, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2016-01”) Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities to ASC Topic 825, Financial Instruments. ASU 2016-01 amends certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. ASU 2016-01 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted this update effective January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach. While the adoption of this update requires us to continue to measure "marketable securities" at fair value on each reporting date, the changes in fair value will be recognized in current period earnings as opposed to "other comprehensive income (loss)." As a result, on January 1, 2018 we recorded a decrease to beginning accumulated deficit of $111,225,000 to recognize the unrealized gains previously recorded in "accumulated other comprehensive income" on our consolidated balance sheets. Subsequent changes in the fair value of our marketable securities will be recorded to "interest and other investment (loss) income, net" on our consolidated income statements. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 we recorded a $32,986,000 decrease in the fair value of our marketable securities which is included in "interest and other investment (loss) income, net" on our consolidated statements of income.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued an update ("ASU 2016-02") establishing ASC Topic 842, Leases, which sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both lessees and lessors. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not 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 will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases. Lessees will recognize expense based on the effective interest method for finance leases or on a straight-line basis for operating leases. The accounting applied by the lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under the existing lease standard. We are currently evaluating the overall impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on our consolidated financial statements and believe that the standard will more significantly impact the accounting for leases in which we are a lessee. We have a number of ground leases for which we will be required to record a right-of-use asset and lease liability equal to the present value of the remaining minimum lease payments, and will continue to recognize expense on a straight-line basis upon adoption of this standard. Under ASU 2016-02, initial direct costs for both lessees and lessors would include only those costs that are incremental to the arrangement and would not have been incurred if the lease had not been obtained. As a result, we will no longer be able to capitalize internal leasing costs and instead will be required to expense these costs as incurred. During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, we capitalized internal leasing costs of $1,348,000 and $974,000, respectively, excluding our former Washington, DC segment which was spun-off on July 17, 2017. ASU 2016-02 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We will adopt this standard effective January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective approach and will elect to use the practical expedients provided by this standard.

Scope of Modification Accounting

In May 2017, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2017-09”) Scope of Modification Accounting to ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation ("ASC 718"). ASU 2017-09 provides guidance about which changes to the terms and conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in ASC 718. ASU 2017-09 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this update on January 1, 2018 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities

In August 2017, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2017-12”) Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities to ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging ("ASC 815"). ASU 2017-12 amends the hedge accounting recognition and presentation requirements in ASC 815. The update 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 hedge programs. ASU 2017-12 requires subsequent changes in fair value of a hedging instrument that has been designated and qualifies as a cash flow hedge to be recognized as a component of "other comprehensive income (loss)." ASU 2017-12 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We early adopted ASU 2017-12 on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach. The adoption of this update did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Literature


3.	Recently Issued Accounting Literature - continued

In February 2017, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2017-05”) Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets to ASC Subtopic 610-20, Other Income-Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets. ASU 2017-05 clarifies the scope of recently established guidance on nonfinancial asset derecognition, as well as the accounting for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. This update conforms the derecognition guidance on nonfinancial assets with the model for transactions in ASC 606. ASU 2017-05 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. We adopted this update on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach to all contracts not yet completed. The adoption of this update did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Real Estate

The Fund is accounted for under ASC Topic 946, Financial Services – Investment Companies (“ASC 946”) and its investments are reported on its balance sheet at fair value, with changes in value each period recognized in earnings. We consolidate the accounts of the Fund into our consolidated financial statements, retaining the fair value basis of accounting.

The Crowne Plaza Joint Venture is also accounted for under ASC 946 and we consolidate the accounts of the joint venture into our consolidated financial statements, retaining the fair value basis of accounting.

Fair Value Measurement

ASC 820 defines fair value and establishes a framework for measuring fair value. The objective of fair value is to determine the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (the exit price). ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three levels: Level 1 – quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities; Level 2 – observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted in active markets, but corroborated by market data; and Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs and the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. In determining fair value, we utilize valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible, as well as consider counterparty credit risk in our assessment of fair value. Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret Level 2 and 3 inputs in determining the fair value of our financial and non-financial assets and liabilities. Accordingly, our fair value estimates, which are made at the end of each reporting period, may be different than the amounts that may ultimately be realized upon sale or disposition of these assets.

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests

Redeemable noncontrolling interests on Vornado’s consolidated balance sheets and redeemable partnership units on the consolidated balance sheets of the Operating Partnership are primarily comprised of Class A Operating Partnership units held by third parties and are recorded at the greater of their carrying amount or redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Changes in the value from period to period are charged to “additional capital” in Vornado’s consolidated statements of changes in equity and to “partners’ capital” on the consolidated balance sheets of the Operating Partnership.

Redeemable noncontrolling interests/redeemable partnership units exclude our Series G-1 through G-4 convertible preferred units and Series D-13 cumulative redeemable preferred units, as they are accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities and Equity, because of their possible settlement by issuing a variable number of Vornado common shares.