Nature of Business and Financial Statement Presentation (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements

Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements

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

Unaudited Interim Financial Statements

Unaudited Interim Financial Statements

These financial statements have been prepared by the Company in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, they do not include all information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. However, in the opinion of management, the interim financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results of the periods presented. The results of operations for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2014 and 2013, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, as amended.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the results of the Company and all entities in which the Company has a controlling interest or has been determined to be the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity (“VIE”). Investments in joint ventures that the Company does not control are accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Investments in real estate joint ventures and companies in which the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, but does not have financial or operating control, are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Accordingly, the Company’s share of the earnings (or loss) of these joint ventures and companies is included in consolidated net income.

New Accounting Standards

New Accounting Standards

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09 (“ASU 2014-09”), Revenue from Contracts with Customers.  The objective of ASU 2014-19 is to establish a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and will supersede most of the existing revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance.  The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.  In applying the new guidance, an entity will (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the contract’s performance obligations; and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. ASU 2014-09 applies to all contracts with customers except those that are within the scope of other topics in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification.  The new guidance is effective for annual reporting periods (including interim periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2016, for public companies. Early adoption is not permitted. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or modified approach to adopt ASU 2014-09. The Company is currently assessing the impact, if any, that the adoption of this standard will have on its financial statements and has not decided upon the method of adoption.

Discontinued Operations

In April 2014, the FASB issued a final standard that changed the criteria for determining which disposals are presented as discontinued operations. The revised definition of a discontinued operation is “a component or group of components that has been disposed of or is classified as held for sale, together as a group in a single transaction,” and “represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s financial results.” The FASB agreed that a strategic shift includes “a disposal of (i) a separate major line of business, (ii) a separate major geographical area of operations, or (iii) a combination of parts of (i) or (ii) that make up a major part of an entity’s operations and financial results.” A business that, upon acquisition, qualifies as held for sale will also be a discontinued operation. The FASB also reaffirmed its decision to no longer preclude presentation of a disposal as a discontinued operation if (a) there is significant continuing involvement with a component after its disposal, or (b) there are operations and cash flows of the component that have not been eliminated from the reporting entity’s ongoing operations. The guidance may be applied prospectively to new disposals and new classifications of disposal groups classified as held for sale after the effective date. Public entities will be required to apply the standard in annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption of this standard is permitted.  Beginning in 2015, the Company will apply the new guidance, as applicable, to future disposals of its shopping centers or classifications as held for sale. The Company believes that a significant portion of its ordinary course shopping center disposals will not qualify for discontinued operations presentation under this new standard upon adoption.