Recent Accounting Pronouncements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Note 2.  Recent Accounting Pronouncements

On January 1, 2016, we adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, No. 2015-02, Consolidation. Among other things, this update changed how an entity determines the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity. The implementation of this update did not have an impact in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

On January 1, 2016, we adopted FASB ASU, No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the associated debt liability, and ASU No. 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements – Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting, which addresses the presentation of debt issuance costs related to line of credit arrangements. The implementation of these updates resulted in the reclassification of certain of our capitalized debt issuance costs as an offset to the associated debt liability in our condensed consolidated balance sheets. The classification of capitalized debt issuance costs related to our unsecured revolving credit facility remains unchanged in accordance with ASU No. 2015-15. As of December 31, 2015, debt issuance costs related to our unsecured term loans, senior unsecured notes and secured debt and capital leases of $3,695,  $16,530 and $3,664, respectively, were reclassified from assets to an offset to the associated debt liability in our condensed consolidated balance sheets.

On January 1, 2016, we adopted FASB ASU No. 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments, which eliminates the requirement for an acquirer in a business combination to account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Instead, acquirers must recognize measurement-period adjustments during the period in which they determine the amounts, including the effect on earnings of any amounts they would have recorded in previous periods if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. The implementation of this update did not have an impact in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which changes how entities measure certain equity investments and present changes in the fair value of financial liabilities measured under the fair value option that are attributable to their own credit. This update is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted subject to certain conditions. Currently, changes in fair value of these investments are recorded through other comprehensive income. Under this ASU, these changes will be recorded through earnings. We are continuing to evaluate this guidance, but we expect the implementation of this guidance will affect the accounting for changes in the fair value of available for sale equity investments we hold in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e., lessees and lessors). ASU No. 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 of the leased asset by the lessee. This classification will determine whether the lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease. A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases today. The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases and operating leases. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We are currently assessing the potential impact the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 will have in our condensed consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation, which identifies areas for simplification involving several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, an option to recognize gross stock compensation expense with actual forfeitures recognized as they occur, as well as certain classifications on the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-09 is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016.  We are currently assessing the potential impact that the adoption of ASU No. 2016-09 will have in our condensed consolidated financial statements.