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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Accounting policies are consistent for each operating segment.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates and assumptions, including those related to revenue recognition, allowance for doubtful accounts, useful lives of property and equipment, intangible assets and deferred commissions, recoverability of long-lived assets and intangible assets with definite lives, goodwill, income taxes, fair value of equity instruments, fair value of auction rate securities (“ARS”), accounting for business combinations and loss contingencies, among others. The Company bases these estimates on historical and anticipated results, trends, and various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable, including assumptions as to future events. These estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and recorded revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition

Subsequent to the Adoption of Accounting Standards Codification Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606") on January 1, 2018

The Company derives revenues primarily by (i) providing access to its proprietary database of commercial real estate information and (ii) providing an online marketplace for professional property management companies, property owners, brokers, and landlords typically through a fixed monthly fee for its subscription-based services. The Company's subscription-based services consist primarily of information, analytics and online marketplace services offered over the Internet to commercial real estate industry and related professionals. Subscription contract rates are based on the number of sites, number of users, organization size, the client’s business focus, geography, the number and types of services to which a client subscribes, the number of properties a client advertises and the prominence and placement of a client's advertised properties in the search results. A majority of the subscription-based license agreements have a term of one year and renew automatically.

The Company analyzes contracts to determine the appropriate revenue recognition using the following steps: (i) identification of contracts with customers, (ii) identification of distinct performance obligations in the contract, (iii) determination of contract transaction price, (iv) allocation of contract transaction price to the performance obligations and (v) determination of revenue recognition based on timing of satisfaction of the performance obligation(s).

The Company recognizes revenues upon the satisfaction of its performance obligation(s) (upon transfer of control of promised services to its customers) in an amount that reflects the consideration to which it expects to be entitled to in exchange for those services. Revenues from subscription-based services are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the agreement.

The Company's contracts with customers often include promises to transfer multiple services. For these contracts, the Company accounts for individual performance obligations separately if they are distinct. Determining whether services are considered distinct performance obligations may require significant judgment. Judgment is required to determine the standalone selling price (“SSP”) for each distinct performance obligation. In instances where SSP is not directly observable, such as when the Company does not sell the service separately, the Company determines the SSP using information that may include market conditions and other observable inputs.

Deferred revenue results from amounts billed in advance to customers or cash received from customers in advance of the sale of subscription licenses and is recognized over the term of the license agreement.

Contract assets represent a conditional right to consideration for satisfied performance obligations that become a receivable when the conditions are satisfied. Contract assets are generated when contractual billing schedules differ from revenue recognition timing.

Certain sales commissions are considered incremental and recoverable costs of obtaining a contract with a customer. Sales commissions incurred for obtaining new contracts are deferred and then amortized as selling and marketing expenses on a straight-line basis over a period of benefit that the Company has determined to be three years. The three-year amortization period was determined based on several factors, including the nature of the technology and proprietary data underlying the services being purchased, customer contract renewal rates, and industry competition. Certain commissions costs are not capitalized as they do not represent incremental costs of obtaining a contract. See Note 3 for further discussion on the impact of the adoption of ASC 606.
Cost of Revenues
Cost of Revenues

Cost of revenues principally consists of salaries, benefits, bonuses and stock-based compensation expenses for the Company's researchers who collect and analyze the commercial real estate data that is the basis for the Company's information, analytics and online marketplaces. Additionally, cost of revenues includes the cost of data from third-party data sources, credit card and other transactions fees relating to processing customer transactions, which are expensed as incurred, and the amortization of acquired trade names and other intangible assets and database technology.
Advertising Costs
Advertising Costs

The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred. Advertising costs include e-commerce, television, radio, print and other media advertising.
Foreign Currency
Foreign Currency

The Company’s functional currency in its foreign locations is the local currency. Assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates as of the balance sheet dates. Revenues, expenses, gains and losses are translated at the average exchange rates in effect during each period. Gains and losses resulting from translation are included in accumulated other comprehensive loss. Currency gains and losses on the translation of intercompany loans made to foreign subsidiaries that are of a long-term investment nature are also included in accumulated other comprehensive loss. Net gains or losses resulting from foreign currency exchange transactions are included in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Income Taxes
Income Taxes

Deferred income taxes result from temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and the basis reported in the Company's consolidated financial statements. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and the tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted rates in effect during the year in which the Company expects differences to reverse. Valuation allowances are provided against assets, including net operating losses, if the Company anticipates that some or all of an asset may not be realized through future taxable earnings or implementation of tax planning strategies. Interest and penalties related to income tax matters are recognized in income tax expense. See Note 10 for additional information regarding income taxes.
Net Income Per Share
Shares underlying restricted common stock awards that vest based on Company performance, market and service conditions that have not been achieved as of the end of the period are not included in the computation of basic or diluted earnings per share. Shares underlying restricted stock units that vest based on Company service conditions that have not been achieved as of the end of the period are not included in the computation of basic or diluted earnings per share.
Net Income Per Share

Net income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period on a basic and diluted basis. The Company’s potentially dilutive securities include outstanding stock options, unvested performance-based restricted stock and restricted stock units. Diluted net income per share considers the impact of potentially dilutive securities except in periods in which there is a net loss, as the inclusion of the potentially dilutive common shares would have an anti-dilutive effect.
Stock-Based Compensation
Stock-Based Compensation

Equity instruments issued in exchange for services performed by officers, employees, and directors of the Company are accounted for using a fair-value based method and the fair value of such equity instruments is recognized as expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Stock-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date of the stock-based awards that vest over set time periods based on their fair values, and is recognized on a straight line basis as expense over the vesting periods of the awards, net of an estimated forfeiture rate. For equity instruments that vest based on performance, the Company assesses the probability of the achievement of the performance conditions at the end of each reporting period, or more frequently based upon the occurrence of events that may change the probability of whether the performance conditions would be met. If the Company's initial estimates of the achievement of the performance conditions change, the related stock-based compensation expense and timing of recognition may fluctuate from period to period based on those estimates. For equity instruments that vest based on a performance condition and a market condition, the Company estimates the fair value of each equity instrument granted on the date of grant using a Monte-Carlo simulation model. This pricing model uses multiple simulations to evaluate the probability of achieving the market condition to calculate the fair value of the awards. Stock-based compensation expense is updated based on the expected achievement of the related performance conditions at the end of each reporting period. If the performance conditions are not met, no stock-based compensation expense will be recognized, and any previously recognized stock-based compensation expense will be reversed.
Debt Issuance Costs
Debt Issuance Costs

Debt issuance costs incurred in connection with the Company's revolving credit facility are deferred and amortized as interest expense on a straight-line basis. These amounts are reflected in the consolidated balance sheets as long-term assets. Upon a refinancing or amendment, previously capitalized debt issuance costs are expensed and included in loss on extinguishment of debt if the Company determines that there has been a substantial modification of the related debt. If the Company determines that there has not been a substantial modification of the related debt, any previously capitalized debt issuance costs are amortized as interest expense over the term of the new debt instrument using the appropriate method.
Business Combinations
Business Combinations

The Company allocates the purchase consideration to the tangible assets acquired, liabilities assumed and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated fair values. The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Such valuations require management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets and contingent liabilities. Significant estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from acquired customer bases, acquired database technology, acquired trade names and building photography, useful lives and discount rates. Any adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period are recorded in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to earnings.

For a given acquisition, the Company may identify certain pre-acquisition contingencies as of the acquisition date and may extend its review and evaluation of these pre-acquisition contingencies throughout the measurement period in order to obtain sufficient information to assess whether the Company includes these contingencies as a part of the fair value estimates of assets acquired and liabilities assumed and, if so, to determine their estimated amounts.

If the Company cannot reasonably determine the fair value of a pre-acquisition contingency (non-income tax related) by the end of the measurement period, which is generally the case given the nature of such matters, the Company will recognize an asset or a liability for such pre-acquisition contingency if: (i) it is probable that an asset existed or a liability had been incurred at the acquisition date and (ii) the amount of the asset or liability can be reasonably estimated. Subsequent to the measurement period, changes in the Company's estimates of such contingencies will affect earnings and could have a material effect on its results of operations and financial position.

In addition, uncertain tax positions and tax related valuation allowances assumed in connection with a business combination are initially estimated as of the acquisition date. The Company reevaluates these items based upon facts and circumstances that existed as of the acquisition date with any adjustments to its preliminary estimates being recorded to goodwill provided that the Company is within the measurement period. Subsequent to the measurement period, changes to these uncertain tax positions and tax related valuation allowances will affect the Company's provision for income taxes in its consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income and could have a material impact on its results of operations and financial position.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

There have been no developments to the Recent Accounting Pronouncements discussion included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements, except for the following:

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) and International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) jointly issued a new revenue recognition standard, Accounting Standards Update (“ASU") 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606) that is designed to improve financial reporting by creating common recognition guidance for GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). This guidance provides a robust framework for addressing revenue issues, improves the comparability of revenue recognition practices across industries, provides useful information to users of financial statements through improved disclosure requirements and simplifies the presentation of financial statements. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those services.

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606, using the modified retrospective method. Results for reporting periods beginning subsequent to December 31, 2017 are presented under ASC 606, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with the Company’s historical accounting policies prior to adoption. In adopting the guidance, the Company applied the guidance to all customer contracts and used several available practical expedients including assessing contracts with similar terms and conditions on a “portfolio” basis and not including contracts with a duration of one year or less in the unsatisfied performance obligations disclosure.

The Company recorded a net cumulative increase to beginning retained earnings of $54 million. The Company adjusted the condensed consolidated financial statements from amounts previously reported due to the adoption of ASC 606. Select condensed consolidated balance sheet line items which were adjusted upon adoption were as follows (in thousands):
 
As of
December 31, 2017
 
ASC 606 Adjustments
 
As of
January 1, 2018
Assets
 
 
 
 
 
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts
$
60,900

 
$
(1,867
)
 
$
59,033

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
15,572

 
1,867

 
17,439

Deferred commissions costs, net

 
71,118

 
71,118

Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred revenue
$
45,686

 
$
(1,716
)
 
$
43,970

Deferred income taxes, net
12,070

 
18,370

 
30,440

Retained earnings
320,656

 
54,464

 
375,120


The impact of the adoption of ASC 606 on the condensed financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2018 was as follows (in thousands):
 
As of
September 30, 2018
without adoption of ASC 606
 
ASC 606 Adjustments
 
As Reported as of
September 30, 2018
Assets
 
 
 
 
 
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts
$
85,048

 
$
(2,769
)
 
$
82,279

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
22,434

 
2,769

 
25,203

Deferred commissions costs, net

 
76,062

 
76,062

Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
Deferred revenue
$
54,831

 
$
(4,636
)
 
$
50,195

Deferred income taxes, net
44,448

 
20,417

 
64,865

Retained earnings
469,664

 
60,281

 
529,945



If the Company had not adopted ASC 606, revenue recognized would have been $1 million lower and selling and marketing expense would have been $0.1 million lower for the three months ended September 30, 2018. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, revenue recognized would have been $3 million lower and selling and marketing expense would have been $5 million higher. The impact on net income and basic and diluted earnings per share for the three months ended September 30, 2018 would have been a decrease of approximately $1 million or $0.03 per share. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the impact on net income and basic and diluted earnings per share would have been a decrease of approximately $6 million or $0.17 per share.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which is designed to reduce the existing diversity in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the consolidated statements of cash flows. This guidance is effective on a retrospective basis for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted this guidance and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which is designed to clarify the definition of a business to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The guidance indicates 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 of assets is not a business. This guidance is effective on a prospective basis for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted this guidance and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation- Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, which is designed to reduce the existing diversity and complexity in the accounting for changes to terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. This guidance clarifies that an entity will not apply modification accounting to a share-based payment award if all of the following are the same immediately before and after the change: (i) the fair value of the award, (ii) the vesting conditions of the award, and (iii) the classification of the award as an equity instrument or liability instrument. This guidance is effective on a prospective basis for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted this guidance and the adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), to increase transparency and comparability among organizations' accounting for leases. The guidance requires a company to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet, as well as disclose key quantitative and qualitative information about leasing arrangements. This guidance is effective on a modified retrospective basis for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. As permitted by the guidance, the Company currently expects to retain the original lease classification and historical accounting for initial direct costs for leases existing prior to the adoption date. Furthermore, the Company will not have to reassess contracts entered into prior to the adoption date for the existence of a lease. The Company also expects that it will elect not to restate prior periods for the impact of the adoption of the new standard and will instead recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company is evaluating the changes required to support the adoption of the new standard, as well as the quantitative impact this guidance will have on its financial statements and related disclosures, however, the Company expects that the adoption of this standard will result in a material increase in assets and liabilities on its consolidated balance sheets, primarily as a result of recognizing assets and liabilities associated with existing office leases.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurements (subsequent to adoption of ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820). The ASU was issued to eliminate certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements, and add and modify other disclosure requirements, as part of its disclosure framework project, including additional requirements for public companies to disclose certain information about the significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. ASU 2018-15 requires a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 350-40 to determine which implementation costs to defer and recognize as an asset. For public business entities, the guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its financial statements.
Commitments and Contingencies
Currently, and from time to time, the Company is involved in litigation incidental to the conduct of its business. The Company records a provision for a liability when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated.
Investment
The Company determines the appropriate classification of debt investments at the time of purchase and re-evaluates such designation as of each balance sheet date. The Company considers all of its investments to be available-for-sale. The Company's investments consist of long-term variable rate debt instruments with an auction reset feature, referred to as ARS. Investments are carried at fair value.