Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
May 31, 2014
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. (“Griffin”) reflect Griffin’s real estate business, conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Griffin Land, LLC (“Griffin Land”) and Griffin’s landscape nursery business, conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Imperial Nurseries, Inc. (“Imperial”) that is reported as a discontinued operation (see below). Griffin Land is principally engaged in the development, management and leasing of industrial and commercial properties. Periodically, Griffin Land may sell certain portions of its undeveloped land that it has owned for an extended time period and the use of which is not consistent with Griffin Land’s core development and leasing strategy. Imperial’s growing operations are reflected in the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements as a discontinued operation due to the sale, effective January 8, 2014, of its inventory and certain of its assets (the “Imperial Sale”) to Monrovia Connecticut LLC (“Monrovia”), a subsidiary of Monrovia Nursery Company (see Notes 2, 4 and 10). Concurrent with the Imperial Sale, a subsidiary of Griffin and Imperial entered into a long-term lease with Monrovia for Imperial’s Connecticut production nursery. As the growing operations of Imperial are reflected as a discontinued operation in Griffin’s unaudited consolidated financial statements, Griffin’s continuing operations presented in the accompanying financial statements solely reflect its real estate business and, therefore, industry segment information is not presented. Accordingly, certain prior period amounts in Griffin’s unaudited consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation which better reflects Griffin’s real estate business, including presentation of an unclassified balance sheet consistent with real estate industry practice. Certain parts of Imperial’s prior year results, such as rental revenue and expense related to the leasing of Imperial’s Florida farm to another grower and certain expenses related to the property and equipment of Imperial’s Connecticut farm, which continues to be owned by Griffin and leased to Monrovia, are included in Griffin’s continuing operations. Through the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 (“fiscal 2013”), Griffin reported on a 52-53 week fiscal year that ended on the Saturday nearest November 30 and included four quarters of 13 weeks each. Starting in the fiscal year ending November 30, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”), Griffin is reporting on a twelve month fiscal year that will end on November 30 with interim periods comprised of three months that end on the last day of the third month of each quarter. Accordingly, the fiscal 2014 second quarter ended on May 31, 2014. These financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the standards of accounting measurement set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC 270, “Interim Reporting.” The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies stated in Griffin’s consolidated audited financial statements for fiscal 2013 included in Griffin’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 13, 2014, and should be read in conjunction with the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in that report. All adjustments, comprising only normal recurring adjustments, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods, have been reflected and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated balance sheet data as of November 30, 2013 was derived from Griffin’s audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses in the reporting period. Griffin regularly evaluates estimates and assumptions related to the useful life and recoverability of long-lived assets, stock-based compensation expense, deferred income tax asset valuations, valuation of derivative instruments and the estimated costs to complete required offsite improvements to land sold. Griffin bases its estimates and assumptions on current facts, historical experience and various other factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the accrual of costs and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. The actual results experienced by Griffin may differ materially and adversely from Griffin’s estimates. To the extent there are material differences between the estimates and the actual results, future results of operations will be affected. As of May 31, 2014, Griffin was a party to several interest rate swap agreements to hedge its interest rate exposures. Griffin does not use derivatives for speculative purposes. Griffin applies FASB ASC 815-10, “Derivatives and Hedging,” (“ASC 815-10”) as amended, which establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments and hedging activities. ASC 815-10 requires Griffin to recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet and measure those instruments at fair value. The changes in the fair values of the interest rate swap agreements are assessed in accordance with ASC 815-10 and reflected in the carrying values of the interest rate swap agreements on Griffin’s consolidated balance sheet. The estimated fair values are based primarily on projected future swap rates. Griffin applies cash flow hedge accounting to its interest rate swap agreements that are designated as hedges of the variability of future cash flows from floating rate liabilities based on the benchmark interest rates. The change in fair values of Griffin’s interest rate swap agreements are recorded as components of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity to the extent they are effective. Any ineffective portions of the change in fair value of these instruments would be recorded as interest expense. The results of operations for the three months ended May 31, 2014 (the “2014 second quarter”) and the six months ended May 31, 2014 (the “2014 six month period”) are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The thirteen and twenty-six weeks ended June 1, 2013 are referred to herein as the “2013 second quarter” and “2013 six month period,” respectively. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In July 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists,” which provides guidance on the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. Specifically, this update requires that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, with certain exceptions. This update was effective for Griffin in the 2014 second quarter. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on Griffin’s financial position or results of operations.

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of Griffin Land & Nurseries, Inc. (“Griffin”) reflect Griffin’s real estate business, conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Griffin Land, LLC (“Griffin Land”) and Griffin’s landscape nursery business, conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Imperial Nurseries, Inc. (“Imperial”) that is reported as a discontinued operation (see below). Griffin Land is principally engaged in the development, management and leasing of industrial and commercial properties. Periodically, Griffin Land may sell certain portions of its undeveloped land that it has owned for an extended time period and the use of which is not consistent with Griffin Land’s core development and leasing strategy.

Imperial’s growing operations are reflected in the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements as a discontinued operation due to the sale, effective January 8, 2014, of its inventory and certain of its assets (the “Imperial Sale”) to Monrovia Connecticut LLC (“Monrovia”), a subsidiary of Monrovia Nursery Company (see Notes 2, 4 and 10). Concurrent with the Imperial Sale, a subsidiary of Griffin and Imperial entered into a long-term lease with Monrovia for Imperial’s Connecticut production nursery. As the growing operations of Imperial are reflected as a discontinued operation in Griffin’s unaudited consolidated financial statements, Griffin’s continuing operations presented in the accompanying financial statements solely reflect its real estate business and, therefore, industry segment information is not presented. Accordingly, certain prior period amounts in Griffin’s unaudited consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation which better reflects Griffin’s real estate business, including presentation of an unclassified balance sheet consistent with real estate industry practice. Certain parts of Imperial’s prior year results, such as rental revenue and expense related to the leasing of Imperial’s Florida farm to another grower and certain expenses related to the property and equipment of Imperial’s Connecticut farm, which continues to be owned by Griffin and leased to Monrovia, are included in Griffin’s continuing operations.

Through the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 (“fiscal 2013”), Griffin reported on a 52-53 week fiscal year that ended on the Saturday nearest November 30 and included four quarters of 13 weeks each. Starting in the fiscal year ending November 30, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”), Griffin is reporting on a twelve month fiscal year that will end on November 30 with interim periods comprised of three months that end on the last day of the third month of each quarter. Accordingly, the fiscal 2014 second quarter ended on May 31, 2014.

These financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the standards of accounting measurement set forth by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) ASC 270, “Interim Reporting.” The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies stated in Griffin’s consolidated audited financial statements for fiscal 2013 included in Griffin’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 13, 2014, and should be read in conjunction with the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in that report. All adjustments, comprising only normal recurring adjustments, which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods, have been reflected and all intercompany transactions have been eliminated. The consolidated balance sheet data as of November 30, 2013 was derived from Griffin’s audited financial statements but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses in the reporting period. Griffin regularly evaluates estimates and assumptions related to the useful life and recoverability of long-lived assets, stock-based compensation expense, deferred income tax asset valuations, valuation of derivative instruments and the estimated costs to complete required offsite improvements to land sold. Griffin bases its estimates and assumptions on current facts, historical experience and various other factors that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and the accrual of costs and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. The actual results experienced by Griffin may differ materially and adversely from Griffin’s estimates. To the extent there are material differences between the estimates and the actual results, future results of operations will be affected.

As of May 31, 2014, Griffin was a party to several interest rate swap agreements to hedge its interest rate exposures. Griffin does not use derivatives for speculative purposes. Griffin applies FASB ASC 815-10, “Derivatives and Hedging,” (“ASC 815-10”) as amended, which establishes accounting and reporting standards for derivative instruments and hedging activities. ASC 815-10 requires Griffin to recognize all derivatives as either assets or liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet and measure those instruments at fair value. The changes in the fair values of the interest rate swap agreements are assessed in accordance with ASC 815-10 and reflected in the carrying values of the interest rate swap agreements on Griffin’s consolidated balance sheet. The estimated fair values are based primarily on projected future swap rates.

Griffin applies cash flow hedge accounting to its interest rate swap agreements that are designated as hedges of the variability of future cash flows from floating rate liabilities based on the benchmark interest rates. The change in fair values of Griffin’s interest rate swap agreements are recorded as components of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity to the extent they are effective. Any ineffective portions of the change in fair value of these instruments would be recorded as interest expense.

The results of operations for the three months ended May 31, 2014 (the “2014 second quarter”) and the six months ended May 31, 2014 (the “2014 six month period”) are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The thirteen and twenty-six weeks ended June 1, 2013 are referred to herein as the “2013 second quarter” and “2013 six month period,” respectively.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-11, “Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists,” which provides guidance on the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. Specifically, this update requires that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward, with certain exceptions. This update was effective for Griffin in the 2014 second quarter. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on Griffin’s financial position or results of operations.