Recent Accounting Pronouncements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes In Accounting Principles [Abstract]

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Text Block]

4. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2014-08 "Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity" which updates ASC 205 "Presentation of Financial Statements" and ASC 360 "Property, Plant and Equipment.” The amendments in this update change the criteria for reporting discontinued operations while enhancing disclosures in this area. Under the new guidance, only disposals representing a strategic shift in operations should be presented as discontinued operations. For public entities, ASU 2014-08 is effective prospectively for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015; however, early adoption is permitted, but only for disposals or classifications as held for sale that have not been reported in financial statements previously issued or available for issuance. We have elected to early adopt this updated standard effective in the first quarter of 2014. The adoption of this guidance had an effect on the presentation of our consolidated financial statements. Beginning in 2014, activities related to individual sales of properties are generally no longer classified as discontinued operations except for the property classified as held for sale as of December 31, 2013.

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU No. 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” as a new Topic, Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 606. 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 is that a company should recognize 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 standard, companies will perform a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized. ASU 2014-09 applies to all contracts with customers except those that are within the scope of other topics in the FASB ASC, including revenue from leases. This ASU is effective for annual reporting periods (including interim periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2016 and shall be applied using either a full retrospective or modified retrospective approach. Early adoption is not permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance and has not determined the impact this standard may have on the consolidated financial statements nor decided upon the method of adoption.