SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Accounting

The accompanying consolidated and combined financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions of Form 10-Q. Certain information and footnote disclosures included in our annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. In the opinion of management, the consolidated and combined financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly the financial position of the Company and the Operating Partnership and the results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. Accordingly, these consolidated and combined financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated and combined financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015, as filed with the SEC and the Operating Partnership’s audited consolidated and combined financial statements and related notes thereto filed by the Company on its Current Report on Form 8-K dated August 5, 2016, as filed with the SEC.

Consolidation and Noncontrolling Interests

The consolidated balance sheets as of September 30, 2016 reflect the consolidation of wholly-owned subsidiaries and those entities in which we have a controlling financial interest. The consolidated statements of income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 includes the consolidated accounts of the Company and the Operating Partnership. The results presented for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 reflect the operations and changes in cash flows on a carved-out and combined basis for the period from January 1, 2015 through the date of separation and on a consolidated basis subsequent to the date of separation. The financial statements for the periods prior to the separation date are prepared on a carved-out and combined basis from the consolidated financial statements of Vornado as UE Businesses were under common control of Vornado prior to January 15, 2015. Such carved-out and combined amounts were determined using the historical results of operations and carrying amounts of the assets and liabilities transferred to the UE Businesses. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation and combination.

Use of Estimates

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

Recently Issued Accounting Literature

In April 2015, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2015-03”) Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs to ASC Topic 835-30 Interest - Imputation of Interest. ASU 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from that debt liability, consistent with the presentation of a debt discount. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs is not affected by the amendments in ASU 2015-03. ASU 2015-03 is effective for public business entities for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 with early adoption permitted. The Company elected to early adopt ASU 2015-03 effective as of December 31, 2015. The effect of ASU 2015-03 was to reclassify the net unamortized balance of debt issuance costs of $10.0 million as of December 31, 2015 from deferred financing costs to a contra liability deduction of mortgages payable. Mortgages payable as of September 30, 2016 are presented net of $8.5 million of unamortized debt issuance costs. The adoption of ASU 2015-03 did not impact our results of operations or cash flows.

In February 2015, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2015-02”) Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis to ASC Topic 810 Consolidation. Under amendments in this update, all reporting entities are within the scope of Subtopic 810-10 Consolidation - Overall, including limited partnerships and similar legal entities, unless a scope exception applies. The presumption that a general partner controls a limited partnership has been eliminated. Overall the amendments in this update are to simplify the codification and reduce the number of consolidation models and place more emphasis on risk of loss when determining controlling financial interests. ASU 2015-02 is effective for public businesses for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The Company adopted ASU 2015-02 as of March 31, 2016. Under ASU 2015-02 the Company’s Operating Partnership is considered a variable interest entity (“VIE”). The Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE, the VIE’s assets can be used for purposes other than the settlement of the VIE’s obligations and the Company’s partnership interest is considered a majority voting interest. The Operating Partnership was formed to serve as the Company’s majority-owned partnership subsidiary and to own, through affiliates, all of the Company’s real estate properties and other assets. The Company consolidates the Operating Partnership as it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE.

In May 2014, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2014-09”) Revenue from Contracts with Customers to ASC Topic 606, which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC Topic 605, Revenue Recognition. ASU 2014-09 requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the FASB issued the following updates to ASC Topic 606 to clarify and/or amend the guidance in ASU 2014-09: (i) ASU 2016-08 Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net), which clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations, (ii) ASU 2016-10 Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, which clarifies guidance related to identifying performance obligations and licensing implementation guidance and (iii) ASU 2016-12 Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, which amends certain aspects of ASU 2014-09. In August 2015, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2015-09”) Revenue from Contracts with Customers to ASC Topic 606, which defers the effective date of ASU 2014-09 for all entities by one year. ASU 2015-09 is effective beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted only for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated and combined financial statements.