Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Organization and Basis of Presentation

General

Taubman Centers, Inc. (the Company or TCO) is a Michigan corporation that operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Taubman Realty Group Limited Partnership (the Operating Partnership or TRG) is a majority-owned partnership subsidiary of TCO that owns direct or indirect interests in all of the company’s real estate properties. In this report, the term “Company" refers to TCO, the Operating Partnership, and/or the Operating Partnership's subsidiaries as the context may require. The Company engages in the ownership, management, leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, and expansion of regional and super-regional retail shopping centers and interests therein. The Company’s owned portfolio as of December 31, 2012 included 24 urban and suburban shopping centers in 12 states.

Taubman Properties Asia LLC and its subsidiaries (Taubman Asia), which is the platform for the Company’s expansion into China and South Korea, is headquartered in Hong Kong.

Dollar amounts presented in tables within the notes to the financial statements are stated in thousands, except share data or as otherwise noted.

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements of the Company include all accounts of the Company, the Operating Partnership, and its consolidated subsidiaries, including The Taubman Company LLC (the Manager) and Taubman Asia. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The entities included in these consolidated financial statements are separate legal entities and maintain records and books of account separate from any other entity. However, inclusion of these separate entities in the consolidated financial statements does not mean that the assets and credit of each of these legal entities are available to satisfy the debts or other obligations of any other such legal entity included in the consolidated financial statements.

Investments in entities not controlled but over which the Company may exercise significant influence (Unconsolidated Joint Ventures or UJVs) are accounted for under the equity method. The Company has evaluated its investments in the Unconsolidated Joint Ventures under guidance for determining whether an entity is a variable interest entity and has concluded that the ventures are not variable interest entities. Accordingly, the Company accounts for its interests in these entities under general accounting standards for investments in real estate ventures (including guidance for determining effective control of a limited partnership or similar entity). The Company’s partners or other owners in these Unconsolidated Joint Ventures have substantive participating rights including approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, financing, admission of new partners/members, or sale of the properties and the Company has concluded that the equity method of accounting is appropriate for these interests. Specifically, the Company’s 79% investment in Westfarms is through a general partnership in which the other general partners have approval rights over annual operating budgets, capital spending, refinancing, or sale of the property.

The Operating Partnership

At December 31, 2012, the Operating Partnership’s equity included one class of preferred equity (Series J Preferred Equity) and the net equity of the partnership unitholders (Note 14). Net income and distributions of the Operating Partnership are allocable first to the preferred equity interest, and the remaining amounts to the general and limited partners in the Operating Partnership in accordance with their percentage ownership. The Series J Preferred Equity is owned by the Company and is eliminated in consolidation.

At December 31, 2011, the Operating Partnership’s equity included two classes of preferred equity (Series G and H) and the net equity of the partnership unitholders. In September 2012, the Series G and Series H Preferred Equity were redeemed. The Series G and Series H Preferred Equity were owned by the Company and eliminated in consolidation. At December 31, 2010, the Operating Partnership's equity also included the Series F Preferred Equity. In October 2011, the Series F Preferred Equity was redeemed. The Series F Preferred Equity was owned by an institutional investor and accounted for as a noncontrolling interest of the Company (Note 9). See Note 14 for information related to the redemptions of the Series G and Series H Preferred Equity and the issuance of the Series J Preferred Equity.

The partnership equity of the Operating Partnership and the Company's ownership therein are shown below:



Year	TRG units outstanding at December 31	TRG units owned by TCO at December 31⁽¹⁾	TRG units owned by noncontrolling interests at December 31	TCO's % interest in TRG at December 31	TCO's average interest in TRG
2012	88,656,297	63,310,148	25,346,149	71%	69%
2011	84,502,883	58,022,475	26,480,408	69	69
2010	80,947,630	54,696,054	26,251,576	68	67


(1)	There is a one-for-one relationship between TRG units owned by TCO and TCO common shares outstanding; amounts in this column are equal to TCO’s common shares outstanding as of the specified dates.

Outstanding voting securities of the Company at December 31, 2012 consisted of 25,327,699 shares of Series B Preferred Stock (Note 14) and 63,310,148 shares of Common Stock.

Revenue Recognition

Shopping center space is generally leased to tenants under short and intermediate term leases that are accounted for as operating leases. Minimum rents are recognized on the straight-line method. Percentage rent is accrued when lessees' specified sales targets have been met. For traditional net leases, where tenants reimburse the landlord for an allocation of reimbursable costs incurred, the Company recognizes revenue in the period the applicable costs are chargeable to tenants. For tenants paying a fixed common area maintenance charge (which typically includes fixed increases over the lease term), the Company recognizes revenue on a straight-line basis over the lease terms. Management, leasing, and development revenue is recognized as services are rendered, when fees due are determinable, and collectibility is reasonably assured. Fees for management, leasing, and development services are established under contracts and are generally based on negotiated rates, percentages of cash receipts, and/or actual costs incurred. Fixed-fee development services contracts are generally accounted for under the percentage-of-completion method, using cost to cost measurements of progress. Profits on real estate sales are recognized whenever (1) a sale is consummated, (2) the buyer has demonstrated an adequate commitment to pay for the property, (3) the Company’s receivable is not subject to future subordination, and (4) the Company has transferred to the buyer the risks and rewards of ownership. Other revenues, including fees paid by tenants to terminate their leases, are recognized when fees due are determinable, no further actions or services are required to be performed by the Company, and collectibility is reasonably assured. Taxes assessed by government authorities on revenue-producing transactions, such as sales, use, and value-added taxes, are primarily accounted for on a net basis on the Company’s income statement.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Notes

The Company records a provision for losses on accounts receivable to reduce them to the amount estimated to be collectible. The Company records a provision for losses on notes receivable to reduce them to the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the loans’ effective interest rates or the fair value of the collateral if the loans are collateral dependent.

Depreciation and Amortization

Buildings, improvements, and equipment are primarily depreciated on straight-line bases over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which generally range from 3 to 50 years. Capital expenditures that are recoverable from tenants are depreciated over the estimated recovery period. Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Tenant allowances are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the useful life of the leasehold improvements or the lease term. Deferred leasing costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the lives of the related leases. In the event of early termination of such leases, the unrecoverable net book values of the assets are recognized as depreciation and amortization expense in the period of termination.

Capitalization

Direct and indirect costs that are clearly related to the acquisition, development, construction, and improvement of properties are capitalized. Compensation costs are allocated based on actual time spent on a project. Costs incurred on real estate for ground leases, property taxes, insurance, and interest costs for qualifying assets are capitalized during periods in which activities necessary to get the property ready for its intended use are in progress.

The viability of all projects under construction or development, including those owned by Unconsolidated Joint Ventures, are regularly evaluated on an individual basis under the accounting for abandonment of assets or changes in use. To the extent a project, or individual components of the project, are no longer considered to have value, the related capitalized costs are charged against operations. Additionally, all properties are reviewed for impairment on an individual basis whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. Impairment of a shopping center owned by consolidated entities is recognized when the sum of expected cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) is less than the carrying value of the property. Other than temporary impairment of an investment in an Unconsolidated Joint Venture is recognized when the carrying value of the investment is not considered recoverable based on evaluation of the severity and duration of the decline in value, including the results of discounted cash flow and other valuation techniques. To the extent impairment has occurred, the excess carrying value of the asset over its estimated fair value is charged to income.

In leasing a shopping center space, the Company may provide funding to the lessee through a tenant allowance. In accounting for a tenant allowance, the Company determines whether the allowance represents funding for the construction of leasehold improvements and evaluates the ownership, for accounting purposes, of such improvements. If the Company is considered the owner of the leasehold improvements for accounting purposes, the Company capitalizes the amount of the tenant allowance and depreciates it over the shorter of the useful life of the leasehold improvements or the lease term. If the tenant allowance represents a payment for a purpose other than funding leasehold improvements, or in the event the Company is not considered the owner of the improvements for accounting purposes, the allowance is considered to be a lease incentive and is recognized over the lease term as a reduction of rental revenue. Factors considered during this evaluation usually include (1) who holds legal title to the improvements, (2) evidentiary requirements concerning the spending of the tenant allowance, and (3) other controlling rights provided by the lease agreement (e.g. unilateral control of the tenant space during the build-out process). Determination of the accounting for a tenant allowance is made on a case-by-case basis, considering the facts and circumstances of the individual tenant lease. Substantially all of the Company’s tenant allowances have been determined to be leasehold improvements.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments with a maturity of 90 days or less at the date of purchase. The Company deposits cash and cash equivalents with institutions with high credit quality. From time to time, cash and cash equivalents may be in excess of FDIC insurance limits. Included in cash equivalents is $18.0 million and $12.6 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, invested in a single investment company's money market fund, which are not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

The Company is required to escrow cash balances for specific uses stipulated by its lenders. As of December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, the Company’s restricted cash balances were $6.1 million and $295.3 million, respectively. Included in restricted cash is $4.6 million at December 31, 2012 on deposit in excess of the FDIC insured limit. In 2011 cash was drawn from the Company's revolving lines of credit primarily to collateralize the repayment of the $281.5 million installment notes that were issued for the acquisition of The Mall at Green Hills, The Gardens on El Paseo and El Paseo Village (Note 2) and is classified within Restricted Cash on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Acquisitions

The Company recognizes the assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interests in the acquiree at their fair values as of the acquisition date. The cost of acquiring a controlling ownership interest or an additional ownership interest (if not already consolidated) is allocated to the tangible assets acquired (such as land and building) and to any identifiable intangible assets based on their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. The fair value of a property is determined on an “as-if-vacant” basis. Management considers various factors in estimating the "as-if-vacant" value including an estimated lease up period, lost rents, and carrying costs. The identifiable intangible assets would include the estimated value of “in-place” leases, above and below market “in-place” leases, and tenant relationships. The portion of the purchase price that management determines should be allocated to identifiable intangible assets is amortized in depreciation and amortization or as an adjustment to rental revenue, as appropriate, over the estimated life of the associated intangible asset (for instance, the remaining life of the associated tenant lease). The Company records goodwill when the cost of an acquired entity exceeds the net of the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Costs related to the acquisition of a controlling interest, including due diligence costs, professional fees, and other costs to effect an acquisition, are expensed as incurred.

Deferred Charges and Other Assets

Direct financing costs are deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis, which approximates the effective interest method, over the terms of the related agreements as a component of interest expense. Direct costs related to successful leasing activities are capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis over the lives of the related leases. Cash expenditures for leasing costs are recognized in the Statement of Cash Flows as operating activities. All other deferred charges are amortized on a straight-line basis over the terms of the agreements to which they relate. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment annually, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that the asset may be impaired. If relevant qualitative factors indicate that goodwill may be impaired, the Company evaluates whether the fair value of goodwill is less than its carrying amount. If the book value of goodwill exceeds its estimated fair value, an impairment test is performed to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any, to be recorded.

Share-Based Compensation Plans

The cost of share-based compensation is measured at the grant date, based on the calculated fair value of the award, and is recognized over the requisite employee service period which is generally the vesting period of the grant. The Company recognizes compensation costs for awards with graded vesting schedules on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for each separately vesting portion of the award as if the award was, in-substance, multiple awards.

Interest Rate Hedging Agreements

All derivatives, whether designated in hedging relationships or not, are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. If a derivative is designated as a cash flow hedge, the effective portions of changes in the fair value of the derivative are recorded in other comprehensive income (OCI) and are recognized in the income statement when the hedged item affects income. Ineffective portions of changes in the fair value of a cash flow hedge are recognized in the Company’s income as interest expense.

The Company formally documents all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as its risk management objectives and strategies for undertaking various hedge transactions. The Company assesses, both at the inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivatives that are used in hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in the cash flows of the hedged items.

Income Taxes

The Company operates in such a manner as to qualify as a REIT under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code; therefore, REIT taxable income is included in the taxable income of its shareowners, to the extent distributed by the Company. To qualify as a REIT, the Company must distribute at least 90% of its REIT taxable income prior to net capital gains to its shareowners and meet certain other requirements. Additionally, no provision for federal income taxes for consolidated partnerships has been made, as such taxes are the responsibility of the individual partners. There are certain state income taxes incurred which are provided for in the Company’s financial statements.

The Company has made Taxable REIT Subsidiary (TRS) elections for all of its corporate subsidiaries pursuant to section 856(I) of the Internal Revenue Code. The TRSs are subject to corporate level income taxes, including certain foreign income taxes for foreign operations, which are provided for in the Company’s financial statements.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect the impact of temporary differences between the amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the bases of such assets and liabilities as measured by tax laws. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance to the amount where realization is more likely than not assured after considering all available evidence, including expected taxable earnings. The Company’s temporary differences primarily relate to deferred compensation, depreciation, and net operating loss carryforwards.

Noncontrolling Interests

Noncontrolling interests in the Company are comprised of the ownership interests of (1) noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership and (2) the noncontrolling interests in joint ventures controlled by the Company through ownership or contractual arrangements. Consolidated net income and comprehensive income includes amounts attributable to the Company and the noncontrolling interests. Transactions that change the Company's ownership interest in a subsidiary are accounted for as equity transactions if the Company retains its controlling financial interest in the subsidiary. A gain or loss is recognized upon the deconsolidation of a subsidiary.

The Company evaluates whether noncontrolling interests are subject to any redemption features outside of the Company's control that would result in presentation outside of permanent equity pursuant to general accounting standards regarding the classification and measurement of redeemable equity instruments. Certain noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership and consolidated ventures of the Company qualify as redeemable noncontrolling interests (Note 9). To the extent such noncontrolling interests are currently redeemable or it is probable that they will eventually become redeemable, these interests are adjusted to the greater of their redemption value or their carrying value at each balance sheet date.

Foreign Currency Translation

The Company has certain entities in Asia for which the functional currency is the local currency. The assets and liabilities of the entities are translated from their functional currency into U.S. Dollars at the rate of exchange in effect on the balance sheet date. Income statement accounts are generally translated using the average exchange rate for the period. Income statement amounts of significant transactions are translated at the rate in effect as of the date of the transaction. The Company's share of unrealized gains and losses resulting from the translation of the entities' financial statements are reflected in stockholders' equity as a component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (loss) in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet (Note 19).

Discontinued Operations

The Company reclassifies to discontinued operations any material operations and gains or losses on disposal related to consolidated properties disposed of during the period. In 2011, the Company disposed of two centers and reported gains on the extinguishment of debt in the Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Note 2).

Use of Estimates

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

Segments and Related Disclosures

The Company has one reportable operating segment: it owns, develops, and manages regional shopping centers. The Company has aggregated its shopping centers into this one reportable segment, as the shopping centers share similar economic characteristics and other similarities. The shopping centers are located in major metropolitan areas, have similar tenants (most of which are national chains), are operated using consistent business strategies, and are expected to exhibit similar long-term financial performance. Earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) is often used by the Company's chief operating decision makers in assessing segment operating performance. EBITDA is believed to be a useful indicator of operating performance as it is customary in the real estate and shopping center business to evaluate the performance of properties on a basis unaffected by capital structure.

No single retail company represents 10% or more of the Company's revenues. Although the Company does business in China, South Korea and Hong Kong, there are not yet any material revenues from customers or long-lived assets attributable to a country other than the United States of America. At December 31, 2012, the Company's investments in Asia are in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures and accounted for under the equity method.