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Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]  
Description Of Business And Basis Of Presentation

1. Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Description of Business

The St. Joe Company (the "Company") is a Florida-based real estate developer and manager. The Company owns approximately 573,000 acres of land concentrated primarily in Northwest Florida and has significant residential and commercial land-use entitlements in hand or in process. The majority of land not under development is used for the growing and selling of timber or is available for sale. The Company also owns various commercial, resort and club properties.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited interim financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for reporting on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, certain information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for complete financial statements are not included herein. The consolidated interim financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all of its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The December 31, 2011 balance sheet amounts have been derived from the Company's December 31, 2011 audited financial statements.

The statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments that, in the opinion of management, are necessary for fair presentation of the information contained herein. The consolidated interim statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. The Company adheres to the same accounting policies in preparation of its interim financial statements. As permitted under generally accepted accounting principles, interim accounting for certain expenses, including income taxes, are based on full year assumptions. For interim financial reporting purposes, income taxes are recorded based upon estimated annual income tax rates.

 

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standard update which requires the presentation of components of other comprehensive income with the components of net income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income that contains two sections, net income and other comprehensive income, or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. This accounting standard update eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of stockholders' equity, and is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this accounting standard update did not have an impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows, as it only requires a change in the format of our current presentation of comprehensive income.

In May 2011, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that amends the accounting standard on fair value measurements. The accounting standard update provides for a consistent definition and measurement of fair value, as well as similar disclosure requirements between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The accounting standard update changes certain fair value measurement principles, clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement, and expands the fair value measurement disclosure requirements, particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements. The amendments in this accounting standard update are to be applied prospectively and are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this accounting standard update did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2011, the FASB issued guidance to enhance disclosures about offsetting assets and liabilities. Entities are required to disclose information about offsetting and related arrangements to enable users of its financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on its financial position. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013. We do not expect adoption of this guidance to impact our financial condition or results of operations.