Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Procedures (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Realty Income and other subsidiaries for which we make operating and financial decisions (i.e., control), after elimination of all material intercompany balances and transactions. We consolidate entities that we control and record a noncontrolling interest for the portion that we do not own. Noncontrolling interest that was created or assumed as part of a business combination or asset acquisition was recognized at fair value as of the date of the transaction (see note 11). We have no unconsolidated investments.

Federal Income Taxes

Federal Income Taxes. We have elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, or REIT, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. We believe we have qualified and continue to qualify as a REIT. Under the REIT operating structure, we are permitted to deduct dividends paid to our stockholders in determining our taxable income.  Assuming our dividends equal or exceed our taxable net income, we generally will not be required to pay federal corporate income taxes on such income. Accordingly, no provision has been made for federal income taxes in the accompanying consolidated financial statements, except for federal income taxes of our taxable REIT subsidiaries. The income taxes recorded on our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income represent amounts accrued or paid by Realty Income and its subsidiaries for city and state income and franchise taxes and for U.K. income taxes.

Lease Revenue Recognition and Accounts Receivable

Lease Revenue Recognition and Accounts Receivable. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to limit its spread are negatively impacting the economy across many industries, including the industries in which some of our clients operate. These impacts may continue as the duration and severity of the pandemic increases. As a result, we have closely monitored the collectability of our accounts receivable and continue to evaluate the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to limit its spread on our business and industry segments as the situation continues to evolve and more information becomes available.

We must continue to assess the probability of collecting substantially all of the lease payments to which we are entitled under the original lease contract as required under Topic 842, Leases. If a company concludes collection of substantially all lease payments under a lease is less than probable, rental revenue recognized for that lease is limited to cash received going forward, existing operating lease receivables must be written off as an adjustment to rental revenue, and no further operating lease receivables are recorded for that lease until such future determination is made that substantially all lease payments under that lease are now considered probable. If a company subsequently concludes collection of substantially all lease payments under a lease is probable, a reversal of lease receivables previously written off is recognized.

The majority of concessions granted to our clients during 2020 and the nine months ended September 30, 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have been rent deferrals with the original lease term unchanged. We currently anticipate future concessions to be similar. In accordance with the guidance provided by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) staff, we have elected to account for these leases as if the right of deferral existed in the lease contract and therefore continue to recognize lease revenue in accordance with the lease contract in effect. In limited circumstances, the undiscounted cash flows resulting from deferrals granted increased significantly from original lease terms, which required us to account for these as lease modifications, and resulted in an insignificant

impact to rental revenue for nine months ended September 30, 2021. Similarly, rent abatements granted, which are also accounted for as lease modifications, impacted our rental revenue by an insignificant amount for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

Unless otherwise specified, references to reserves recorded as a reduction of rental revenue include amounts reserved for in the current period, as well as unrecognized contractual rental revenue and unrecognized straight-line rental revenue for leases accounted for on a cash basis. References to reserve reversals recorded as increases to rental revenue include amounts where the accounting for recognition of rental revenue and straight-line rental revenue has been moved from the cash to the accrual basis. The following table summarizes reserves and reserve reversals to rental revenue (dollars in millions):

	Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Rental revenue reserves (reserve reversals)	$	(0.8)	$	21.8	$	15.0	$	29.3
Straight-line rent reserves (reserve reversals)	(2.3)		2.3		(1.1)		5.1
Total rental revenue reserves (reserve reversals)	$	(3.1)	$	24.1	$	13.9	$	34.4

As of September 30, 2021, other than the information related to the reserves recorded to date, we do not have any further client specific information that would change our assessment that collection of substantially all of the future lease payments under our existing leases is probable. However, since the conversations regarding rent collections for our clients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are ongoing and we do not currently know the types of future concessions, if any, that will ultimately be granted, there may be impacts in future periods that could change this assessment as the situation continues to evolve and as more information becomes available.

Newly Issued Accounting Standards

Newly Issued Accounting Standards. In July 2021, the FASB issued ASU 2021-05 establishing Topic 842, Lessors - Certain Leases with Variable Lease Payments. ASU 2021-05 improves ASC 842 classification guidance as it relates to a lessor's accounting for certain leases with variable lease payments. This guidance requires a lessor to classify a lease with variable payments that do not depend on an index or rate as an operating lease if either a sales-type lease or direct financing lease classification would trigger a day-one loss. This guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2021-05 on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04 establishing Topic 848, Reference Rate Reform. ASU 2020-04 contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The guidance is optional and is effective between March 12, 2020 and December 31, 2022. The guidance may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. We are currently evaluating the impact that the expected market transition from LIBOR to alternative references rates will have on our financial statements as well as the applicability of the aforementioned expedients and exceptions provided in ASU 2020-04.

Reclassification

Reclassification. Starting with the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, we began presenting 'Income taxes,' which was previously presented in 'Expenses,' below a newly captioned subtotal for 'Income before income taxes' within our consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income. Prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.