Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

USE OF ESTIMATES

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

The Trust’s operations are affected by numerous factors, including the economy, competition in the hotel industry and the effect of the economy on the travel and hospitality industries. The Trust cannot predict if any of the above items will have a significant impact in the future, nor can it predict what impact, if any, the occurrence of these or other events might have on the Trust’s operations and cash flows. Significant estimates and assumptions made by management include, but are not limited to, the estimated useful lives of long-lived assets and recoverability of long-lived assets and the fair values of the long-lived assets.

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT AND HOTEL PROPERTIES

Furniture, fixtures, building improvements and hotel properties are stated at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated lives ranging up to 40 years for buildings and 3 to 10 years for furniture and equipment.

For tax purposes the Trust takes advantage of accelerated depreciation methods (MACRS) for new capital additions and improvements to its Hotels.

Management applies guidance ASC 360-10-35, to determine when it is required to test an asset for recoverability of its carrying value and whether, or not, an impairment exists. Under ASC 360-10-35, the Trust is required to test a long-lived asset for impairment when there is an indicator of impairment. Impairment indicators may include, but are not limited to, a drop in the performance of a long-lived asset, a decline in the hospitality industry or a decline in the economy. If an indicator of potential impairment is present, then an assessment is performed of whether the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows over its estimated remaining life.

If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows over the asset’s estimated remaining life are greater than the asset’s carrying value, no impairment is recognized; however, if the carrying value of the asset exceeds the estimated undiscounted future cash flows, then the Trust would recognize an impairment expense to the extent the asset’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, if any. The estimated future cash flows are based upon, among other things, assumptions about expected future operating performance, and may differ from actual cash flows. Long-lived assets evaluated for impairment are analyzed on a property-specific basis independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. Evaluation of future cash flows is based on historical experience and other factors, including certain economic conditions and committed future bookings. Management impaired these assets during the fiscal year 2018, and has determined that no further impairment is required of long-lived assets for the fiscal period ended July 31, 2019.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

The Trust considers all highly liquid short-term investments with maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase to be cash equivalents. The Trust believes it places its cash and cash equivalents only with high credit quality financial institutions, although these balances may periodically exceed federally insured limits.

REVENUE RECOGNITION

Hotel and Operations

ASU 2014-09 (Topic 606), “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” is effective for reporting periods after January 1, 2018. ASU 2014-09 requires entities to recognize revenue through the application of a five-step model, which includes identification of the contract, identification of the performance obligations, determination of the transaction price, allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations and recognition of revenue as the entity satisfies the performance obligations.

Revenues are primarily derived from the sources below and are recognized as services are rendered and when collectability is reasonably assured. Amounts received in advance of revenue recognition are considered deferred liabilities, and are generally not significant.

Revenues primarily consist of room rentals, food and beverage sales, management and trademark fees and other miscellaneous revenues from our properties. Revenues are recorded when rooms are occupied and when food and beverage sales are delivered. Management and trademark fees from non-affiliated hotels include a monthly accounting fee and a percentage of hotel room revenues for managing the daily operations of the Hotels and the one hotel owned by affiliates of Mr. Wirth.

Each room night consumed by a guest with a cancellable reservation represents a contract whereby the Company has a performance obligation to provide the room night at an agreed upon price. For cancellable reservations, the Company recognizes revenue as each performance obligation (i.e., each room night) is met. Such contract is renewed if the guest continues their stay. For room nights consumed by a guest with a non-cancellable reservation, the entire reservation period represents the contract term whereby the Company has a performance obligation to provide the room night or nights at an agreed upon price. For non-cancellable reservations, the Company recognizes revenue over the term of the performance period (i.e., the reservation period) as room nights are consumed. For these reservations, the room rate is typically fixed over the reservation period. The Company uses an output method based on performance completed to date (i.e., room nights consumed) to determine the amount of revenue it recognizes on a daily basis if the length of a non-cancellable reservation exceeds one night since consumption of room nights indicates when services are transferred to the guest. In certain instances, variable consideration may exist with respect to the transaction price, such as discounts, coupons and price concessions made upon guest checkout.

In evaluating its performance obligation, the Company bundles the obligation to provide the guest the room itself with other obligations (such as free WiFi, grab and go breakfast, access to on-site laundry facilities and parking), as the other obligations are not distinct and separable because the guest cannot benefit from the additional amenities without the consumed room night. The Company’s obligation to provide the additional items or services is not separately identifiable from the fundamental contractual obligation (i.e., providing the room and its contents). The Company has no performance obligations once a guest’s stay is complete.

We are required to collect certain taxes and fees from customers on behalf of government agencies and remit these back to the applicable governmental agencies on a periodic basis. We have a legal obligation to act as a collection agent. We do not retain these taxes and fees and, therefore, they are not included in revenues. We record a liability when the amounts are collected and relieve the liability when payments are made to the applicable taxing authority or other appropriate governmental agency.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES AND ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS

Accounts receivable are carried at original amounts billed less an estimate made for doubtful accounts based on a review of outstanding amounts on a quarterly basis. Management generally records an allowance for doubtful accounts for 50% of balances over 90 days due and 100% of balances over 120 days due. Accounts receivable are written off when collection efforts have been exhausted and they are deemed uncollectible. Recoveries, if any, of receivables previously written off are recorded when received. The Trust does not charge interest on accounts receivable balances and these receivables are unsecured. The following is a reconciliation of the allowance for doubtful accounts for the six months ended July 31, 2019 and the fiscal year ended January 31, 2019.

Fiscal Year	Balance at the Beginning of Period			Discontinued Operations Adjustment		Charged to Expense		Deductions		Balance at the End of Period
July 31, 2019	$	(3,000	)	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	(3,000	)
January 31, 2019	$	(3,000	)	$	-	$	-	$	-	$	(3,000	)

LEASE ACCOUNTING

The Trust determines, at the inception of a contract, if the arrangement is a lease and whether it meets the classification criteria for a finance or operating lease. ROU assets represent the Trust’s right to use an underlying asset during the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Trust’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of fixed lease payments over the lease term. ROU assets also include any advance lease payments and exclude lease incentives. As most of the Trust’s operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Trust uses its incremental borrowing rate based on information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. Finance lease agreements generally include an interest rate that is used to determine the present value of future lease payments. Operating fixed lease expense and finance lease depreciation expense are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term (see Note 16).

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

The Trust has an employee equity incentive plan, which is described more fully in Note 17 - “Share-Based Payments.” For the six months ended July 31, 2019 and 2018, the Trust has paid the annual fees due to its Trustees by issuing Shares of Beneficial Interest out of its authorized but unissued Shares. Upon issuance, the Trust recognizes the shares as outstanding. The Trust recognizes expense related to the issuance based on the fair value of the shares upon the date of the restricted share grant and amortizes the expense equally over the period during which the shares vest to the Trustees.

During the six months ended July 31, 2019, the Trust granted restricted stock awards of 18,000 Shares to three independent members of the Board of Trustees, resulting in stock-based compensation of $16,200. During six months ended July 31, 2018, the Trust granted restricted stock awards of 18,000 Shares to members of the Board of Trustees, resulting in stock-based compensation of $16,200. The remaining shares vested through the end of fiscal year ended January 31, 2019 on a monthly basis at a rate of approximately 500 shares for each outside Trustee or a total of 1,500 per month for three independent Trustees.

TREASURY STOCK

Treasury stock is carried at cost, including any brokerage commissions paid to repurchase the shares. Any shares issued from treasury stock are removed at cost, with the difference between cost and fair value at the time of issuance recorded against Shares of Beneficial Interest.

(LOSS) PER SHARE

Basic and diluted income (loss) per Share of Beneficial Interest is computed based on the weighted-average number of Shares of Beneficial Interest and potentially dilutive securities outstanding during the period. Dilutive securities are limited to the Class A and Class B units of the Partnership, which are convertible into 3,185,746 Shares of the Beneficial Interest, as discussed in Note 1.

For the six months ended July 31, 2019 and 2018, there were Class A and Class B Partnership units outstanding, which are convertible into Shares of Beneficial Interest of the Trust. Assuming conversion at the beginning of each period, the aggregate weighted-average of these Shares of Beneficial Interest would have been 3,185,746 and 3,185,746 in addition to the basic shares outstanding for the six months ended July 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. These Shares of Beneficial Interest issuable upon conversion of the Class A and Class B Partnership units were anti-dilutive during the six months ended July 31, 2019 and 2018 and are excluded in the calculation of diluted earnings per share for those periods.

ADVERTISING COSTS

Amounts incurred for advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense for continuing and discontinued operations totaled approximately $42,000 and $63,000 for the three months ended July 31, 2019 and 2018 respectively, and $84,000 and $126,000 for the six months ended July 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK

Credit risk is the risk of an unexpected loss if a third party to a financial instrument fails to meet its contractual obligations. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Trust to a concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. Management’s assessment of the Trust’s credit risk for cash and cash equivalents is low as cash and cash equivalents are held in financial institutions believed to be credit worthy. The Trust limits its exposure to credit loss by placing its cash with major financial institutions and invests only in short-term obligations.

While the Trust is exposed to credit losses due to the non-performance of its counterparties, the Trust considers the risk of this remote. The Trust estimates its maximum credit risk for accounts receivable at the amount recorded on the balance sheet.

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

For disclosure purposes, fair value is determined by using available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received from the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. The fair value framework specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques, which is based on whether the inputs into the valuation technique are observable or unobservable. The fair value hierarchy levels are as follows:

● Level 1 – Valuation techniques in which all significant inputs are unadjusted quoted prices from active markets for assets or liabilities that are identical to the assets or liabilities being measured.

● Level 2 – Valuation techniques in which significant inputs include quoted prices from active markets for assets or liabilities that are similar to the assets or liabilities being measured and / or quoted prices for assets or liabilities that are identical or similar to the assets or liabilities being measured from markets that are not active. Also, model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs and significant value drivers are observable in active markets are level 2 valuation techniques.

● Level 3 – Valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. Unobservable inputs are valuation technique inputs that reflect a company’s own judgments about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability.

The Trust has no assets or liabilities that are carried at fair value on a recurring basis and had no fair value re-measurements during the six months ended July 31, 2019 and the year ended January 31, 2019.

Due to their short maturities, the carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate fair value. The fair value of mortgage notes payable, notes payable to banks and notes and advances payable to related parties is estimated by using the current rates which would be available for similar loans having the same remaining maturities and are based on level 3 inputs.