Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

We have condensed or omitted certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. We believe the disclosures made herein are adequate to prevent the information presented from being misleading. However, the financial statements 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, 2018.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

In our opinion, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments necessary to present fairly our financial position as of September 30, 2019, and the results of our operations for the quarter and year-to-date periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and cash flows for the year-to-date periods ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of full year performance because of the impact of seasonal variations.

Three of the partnerships in which we own an interest are considered variable interest entities (VIEs) as the general partner maintains control over the decisions that most significantly impact the partnerships. These VIEs include the operating partnership, Host L.P., which is consolidated by Host Inc., of which Host Inc. is the sole general partner and holds approximately 99% of its partnership interests; the consolidated partnership that owns the Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental; and the unconsolidated partnership that owns the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. Host Inc.’s sole significant asset is its investment in Host L.P. and, consequently, substantially all of Host Inc.’s assets and liabilities consists of the assets and liabilities of Host L.P. All of Host Inc.’s debt is an obligation of Host L.P. and may be settled only with assets of Host L.P.

New Accounting Standards

Leases. On January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standard Update (ASU) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), as amended, which affects aspects of accounting for lease agreements. Under the new standard, all leases in which we are the lessee, including operating leases, are recognized as lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. However, the adoption did not materially affect our statements of operations or statements of cash flows. For lease agreements in which we are the lessor, we have analyzed the impact of the standard and determined that there was no material impact to the recognition, measurement, or presentation of these rental revenues. Rooms revenues, which constitute the majority of our revenues, result from what are considered short term leases. Additionally, we earn rental revenues from retail and office leases at our properties, all of which are included in other revenue. We adopted the standard using the effective date transition method with a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption. The standard provided several optional practical expedients for use in transition. We elected to use what the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) has deemed the “package of practical expedients,” which allowed us to not reassess our previous conclusions about lease identification, lease classification and the accounting treatment for initial direct costs, and we elected to not reassess previous conclusions about land easements. Consequently, financial information will not be updated and disclosures required under the new standard will not be provided for dates and periods prior to January 1, 2019. Upon adoption, we recognized a right of use (“ROU”) asset and a related lease liability of $619 million and $628 million, respectively, with the prior year’s straight-line rent liability of $9 million reducing the ROU asset.