
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, 2015.

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, 2016, and the results of our operations for the quarter and year-to-date periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and cash flows for the year-to-date periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of full year performance because of the impact of seasonal variations.

New Accounting Standards

In August 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which addresses classification issues related to the statement of cash flows. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which is intended to simplify accounting for share-based payment transactions and will affect the classification of certain share-based awards and related tax withholdings. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted. We do not anticipate implementation will have a material effect on our financial statements or on the stock compensation plans currently outstanding; however, its effect on future stock compensation plans will be dependent upon the design of those plans.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which affects aspects of accounting for lease agreements. Under the new standard, all leases, including those that previously were accounted for as operating leases, will require recognition of the lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees on the balance sheet. However, the effect on the statement of operations and the statement of cash flows largely is unchanged. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early application permitted. The primary impact of the new standard will be to the treatment of our 26 ground leases, which represent 85% of all of our operating lease payments. While we have not completed our analysis, we believe that the application of this standard will result in the recording of a right of use asset and the related lease liability of between $400 million and $500 million, although changes in discount rates, ground lease terms or other variables may have a significant effect on this calculation. As noted above, we expect the adoption of this standard to have minimal impact on our income statement.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis. The ASU amends the consolidation guidance for variable interest entities (VIEs) and general partners' investments in limited partnerships and modifies the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are VIEs or voting interest entities. The ASU is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Specifically, as a result of the elimination of the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership, and that these partnerships should be evaluated under the VIE or Voting Interest model, we re-evaluated the VIE determination of our non-wholly-owned partnerships. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2016, and applied the changes retrospectively. As a result, we no longer consolidate the partnership that owns the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, of which we are the managing partner and hold 49.9% of the partnership interests, due to the voting rights of the third-party owner. Accordingly, the operations, assets and liabilities of the hotel no longer are included in our consolidated financial statements. Instead, we have included our interest in the hotel based on the carrying amount on January 1, 2015 in advances to and investments in affiliates and our portion of the hotel’s earnings are recorded to equity in earnings of affiliates, with no cumulative-effect adjustment. As a result of the adoption of this ASU, total assets and total liabilities at December 31, 2015 were reduced by $128 million and $150 million, respectively. In addition, total revenues for the quarter and year-to-date ended September 30, 2015 were reduced by $4 million and $29 million, respectively, while net income for the quarter and year-to-date ended September 30, 2015 were increased by $2 million and reduced by $5 million, respectively. The deconsolidation of this entity had no effect on the total equity of Host Inc. stockholders, total Host L.P capital or net income attributable to Host Inc. or Host L.P.

Additionally, three partnerships now are considered VIE’s, as the general partner maintains control over the decisions that most significantly impact the partnerships; however, this consideration did not change the consolidation determination. This conclusion includes the operating partnership, Host L.P., which is consolidated by Host Inc., of which Host Inc. is the general partner and holds 99% of the limited partner interests. Host Inc.’s sole significant asset is its investment in Host L.P. and, consequently, substantially all of Host Inc.’s assets and liabilities represent 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. We also determined that our consolidated partnership that owns the Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental, of which we are the general partner and hold 85% of the partnership interests, is a VIE. The total assets of this VIE at September 30, 2016 are $61 million and consist of cash and property and equipment. Liabilities for the VIE total $3 million and consist of accounts payable and deferred revenue. The unconsolidated partnership that owns the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, of which we hold 11% of the limited partner interests, also is a VIE. The carrying amount of this investment at September 30, 2016 is $(7) million and is included in advances to and investments in affiliates. The mortgage debt held by this VIE is non-recourse to us.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The new standard sets forth steps to determine the timing and amount of revenue to be recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services in an amount that reflects the consideration that the entity expects in exchange. In March, April and May 2016, the FASB issued ASUs No. 2016-08, 2016-10 and 2016-12, respectively, all related to Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which further clarify the application of the standard. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effectiveness of ASU No. 2014-09 to reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and permitted early application for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Based on our assessment of this standard, it will not materially affect the amount or timing of revenue recognition for revenues from room, food and beverage, and other hotel level sales.