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Basis of Presentation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
BASIS OF PRESENTATION

2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim financial statements. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP") have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring matters) for a fair statement of the financial position of the Company as of September 30, 2016, the results of its operations for the three and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 and its cash flows for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 have been included. The results of operations for such interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for a full year. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Parent Company’s and the Operating Partnership’s consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in their combined 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 29, 2016.

On January 1, 2016, the Company adopted accounting guidance under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 810, "Consolidation,” modifying the analysis it must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. The guidance does not amend the existing disclosure requirements for variable interest entities (“VIEs”) or voting interest model entities.  The guidance, however, modified the requirements to qualify under the voting interest model. Under the revised guidance, the Operating Partnership is a variable interest entity of the Parent Company. As the Operating Partnership is already consolidated in the balance sheets of the Parent Company, the identification of this entity as a variable interest entity has no impact on the consolidated financial statements of the Parent Company.  There were no other legal entities qualifying under the scope of the revised guidance that were consolidated as a result of the adoption of this guidance.  In addition, there were no other voting interest entities under prior existing guidance determined to be variable interest entities under the revised guidance. 

The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 contains a discussion of our significant accounting policies under Note 2, "Summary of Significant Accounting Policies". There have been no significant changes in our significant accounting policies since December 31, 2015. Management discusses our significant accounting policies and management’s judgments and estimates with the Company's Audit Committee.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued guidance intended to reduce diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. The areas addressed in the new guidance related to debt prepayment costs, settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned and bank-owned life insurance policies, distributions received from equity method investments, beneficial interest in securitization transactions, and separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. The standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, provided that all of the amendments are adopted in the same period. The guidance requires application using a retrospective transition method. The Company is in the process of determining the impact, if any, that the adoption will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance that changes how entities measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. The guidance replaces the current incurred loss model with an expected loss approach, resulting in a more timely recognition of such losses. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted after December 2018. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this new guidance and has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2016, the FASB issued guidance amending the revenue from contracts with customers standard issued in May 2014 (and not yet effective). The amendments are intended to address implementation issues that were raised by stakeholders and discussed by the Joint Transition Resource Group, and provide additional practical expedients on collectability, noncash consideration, presentation of sales tax and contract modifications and completed contracts at transition. In accordance with the FASB election to defer the effective date of the revenue recognition standard by one year, reporting entities may choose to adopt the standard as of its original effective date or for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Calendar year-end reporting entities are therefore required to apply the new revenue guidance beginning in their 2018 interim and annual financial statements. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this new guidance and has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance intended to simplify various aspects related to how share-based payments are accounted for and presented in the financial statements. The new guidance allows for entities to make an entity-wide accounting policy election to either estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest or account for forfeitures when they occur. In addition, the guidance allows employers to withhold shares to satisfy minimum statutory tax withholding requirements up to the employees’ maximum individual tax rate without causing the award to be classified as a liability. The guidance also stipulates that cash paid by an employer to a taxing authority when directly withholding shares for tax-withholding purposes should be classified as a financing activity on the statement of cash flows. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within that reporting period. Early adoption is permitted in any interim or annual period, with any adjustments reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this new guidance and has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

Also in March 2016, the FASB issued guidance clarifying that a novation of party to a derivative instrument, whereby one of the parties to a derivative instrument is replaced with another party, does not, in and of itself, require de-designation of that hedging relationship provided that all other hedge criteria continue to be met.  The guidance is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years. An entity has an option to apply the amendments either on a prospective basis or on a modified retrospective basis. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this new guidance and has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance modifying the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e. lessees and lessors). The new standard 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 by the lessee. This classification will determine whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease, respectively. 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 in the same manner as 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. The guidance supersedes previously issued guidance under ASC Topic 840 “Leases.” The guidance is effective on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this new guidance and has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2014, the FASB issued guidance regarding an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern, which requires management to assess a company’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures in certain circumstances. Before this new standard, there was minimal guidance in U.S. GAAP specific to going concern. Under the new standard, disclosures are required when conditions give rise to substantial doubt about a company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year from the financial statement issuance date. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period, with early adoption permitted. The Company has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued the revenue from contracts with customers standard requiring revenue to be recognized in an amount that reflects the consideration expected to be received in exchange for goods and services. The standard requires the disclosure of sufficient quantitative and qualitative information for financial statement users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and associated cash flows arising from contracts with customers. On July 9, 2015, the FASB elected to defer the effective date of this revenue recognition standard by one year. Reporting entities may choose to adopt the standard as of the original effective date or for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Calendar year-end reporting entities are therefore required to apply the new revenue guidance beginning in their 2018 interim and annual financial statements. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this new standard and has not yet determined the impact, if any, that the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.