Equity Investments in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]

Equity Investments in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries

5. EQUITY INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED SUBSIDIARIES

As of December 31, 2014, our equity investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries consisted solely of our carried interest in CTOPI, a fund sponsored and managed by an affiliate of our Manager. Activity relating to our equity investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries was ($ in thousands):

	CTOPI Carried Interest
Total as of December 31, 2013	$	22,480
Distributions		(17,867	)
Deferred income allocation(1)		5,991
Total as of December 31, 2014	$	10,604

(1) In instances where we have not received cash or all appropriate contingencies have not been eliminated, we have deferred the recognition of revenue allocated to us from CTOPI in respect of our carried interest in CTOPI, and recorded an offsetting liability as a component of accounts payable, accrued expenses, and other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets.

Our carried interest in CTOPI entitles us to earn carried interest revenue in an amount equal to 17.7% of the fund’s profits, after a 9% preferred return and 100% return of capital to the CTOPI partners. As of December 31, 2014, we had been allocated $10.6 million of carried interest revenue from CTOPI based on a hypothetical liquidation of the fund at its net asset value. Accordingly, we have recognized this allocation as an equity investment in CTOPI on our consolidated balance sheets. Generally, we defer recognition of income from CTOPI until cash is received and appropriate contingencies have been eliminated. During the year ended December 31, 2014, we received a $17.9 million distribution from CTOPI in respect of our carried interest and recorded such amount as income in our consolidated statement of operations. In addition, we had previously recorded, but deferred recognition of, $10.2 million of advance distributions in respect of our carried interest to allow us to pay any taxes owed on phantom taxable income allocated to us from the partnership. We recognized $28.0 million of distributions as income during the year ended December 31, 2014 as all fund-level contingencies had been satisfied.

CTOPI Incentive Management Fee Grants

In January 2011, we created a management compensation pool for employees equal to 45% of the CTOPI carried interest distributions received by us. As of December 31, 2014, we had granted 96% of the pool, and the remainder was unallocated. If any awards remain unallocated at the time carried interest distributions are received by us, any amounts otherwise payable to the unallocated awards will be distributed pro rata to the plan participants then employed by an affiliate of our Manager.

Approximately 65% of these grants have the following vesting schedule: (i) one-third on the date of grant; (ii) one-third on September 13, 2012; and (iii) the remainder is contingent on continued employment with an affiliate of our Manager and upon our receipt of carried interest distributions from CTOPI. Of the remaining 35% of these grants, 31% are fully vested as a result of an acceleration event, and 4% vest solely upon our receipt of carried interest distributions from CTOPI or the disposition of certain investments owned by CTOPI.

During the year ended December 31, 2014, we made payments of $12.9 million under the CTOPI incentive plan, which amount was recognized as a component of general and administrative expenses in our consolidated statement of operations.