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ACQUISITIONS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
ACQUISITIONS
ACQUISITIONS

Apartments.com

On February 28, 2014, the Company and Classified Ventures, LLC (“CV”) entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, on April 1, 2014 (the “Closing Date”), the Company purchased from CV certain assets and assumed certain liabilities, in each case, related to the Apartments.comTM business (collectively referred to as “Apartments.com”). Apartments.com is a national online apartment rentals resource for renters, property managers and owners. Apartments.com offers renters a searchable database of apartment listings and provides professional property management companies and landlords with an advertising destination. Renters can conduct personalized searches of apartment listings and view video demonstrations and community reviews through the Apartments.com website and mobile applications. The Apartments.com network of rental websites also includes ApartmentHomeLiving.com, another national online apartment rentals resource. The acquisition increased the Company's presence in the multifamily vertical.

In consideration for the purchase of Apartments.com, on April 1, 2014, the Company paid $587.1 million in cash, including an estimated $2.1 million in connection with a preliminary net working capital adjustment as of the Closing Date. Pursuant to the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement, the purchase price was reduced by approximately $2.9 million following the final determination of the net working capital of Apartments.com as of the Closing Date, and CV paid the Company $2.9 million on July 9, 2014.

The Company applied the acquisition method to account for the Apartments.com transaction, which requires that, among other things, assets acquired and liabilities assumed be recorded at their fair values as of the acquisition date. The following table summarizes the amounts for acquired assets and liabilities recorded at their fair values as of the acquisition date (in thousands):

Accounts receivable
$
11,402

Goodwill
421,724

Acquired trade names and other intangible assets
71,779

Acquired customer base
69,684

Acquired database technology
11,489

Acquired building photography
1,006

Other assets and liabilities
(2,866
)
Fair value of identifiable net assets acquired
$
584,218


The net assets of Apartments.com were recorded at their estimated fair value. In valuing acquired assets and liabilities, fair value estimates were based on, but were not limited to, future expected cash flows, market rate assumptions for contractual obligations, and appropriate discount rates.

The acquired customer base for the acquisition consists of one distinct intangible asset, is composed of acquired customer contracts and the related customer relationships, and has an estimated useful life of ten years. The acquired database technology had an estimated useful life of one year due to the Company's intent to replace the acquired database technology, which it did in February of 2015. The acquired trade names and other intangible assets have a weighted average estimated useful life of thirteen years. The acquired building photography has an estimated useful life of three years. Amortization of the acquired customer base is recognized on an accelerated basis related to the expected economic benefit of the intangible asset, while amortization of the acquired database technology, acquired building photography and acquired trade names and other intangible assets is recognized on a straight-line basis over their respective estimated useful lives. Goodwill recorded in connection with this acquisition is not amortized, but is subject to annual impairment tests. The $421.7 million of goodwill recorded as part of the acquisition is associated with the Company's North America operating segment and the Company expects the entire amount of goodwill to be deductible for income tax purposes in future periods.
 
Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the net assets recognized and represents the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired that could not be individually identified and separately recognized. Specifically, the goodwill recorded as part of the Apartments.com acquisition includes but is not limited to: (i) the expected synergies and other benefits that the Company believes will result from combining its operations with Apartments.com's operations; and (ii) any intangible assets that do not qualify for separate recognition, such as the assembled workforce.

3.
ACQUISITIONS — (CONTINUED)

As a result of the acquisition of Apartments.com, the Company recorded approximately $1.4 million in acquisition-related costs for the year ended December 31, 2014. These costs include expenses directly related to acquiring Apartments.com, are expensed as incurred and are recorded in general and administrative expense. The Company did not record any acquisition-related costs as a result of the acquisition of Apartments.com for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2015.

Apartment Finder

Pursuant to the definitive agreement and plan of merger with Network Communications, Inc. (“NCI”) dated April 27, 2015 (the “Merger Agreement”), on June 1, 2015, the Company acquired 100% of the outstanding stock of NCI and the related Apartment Finder business (collectively referred to as “Apartment Finder”) from the former stockholders of NCI. Apartment Finder provides lead generation, advertising and Internet marketing solutions to property managers and owners through its main service, ApartmentFinder.comTM. The acquisition furthered the Company's expansion into the multifamily vertical.

In consideration for the purchase of Apartment Finder, on June 1, 2015, the Company paid $172.7 million in cash, including an estimated $2.7 million in connection with a preliminary adjustment for net working capital as of the closing date. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, the purchase price was increased by approximately $21,000 following the final determination of the net working capital of NCI as of the closing date, and this amount was paid to NCI in the third quarter of 2015.

The Company applied the acquisition method to account for the Apartment Finder transaction, which requires that, among other things, assets acquired and liabilities assumed be recorded at their fair values as of the acquisition date. The following table summarizes the preliminary amounts for acquired assets and liabilities recorded at their fair values as of the acquisition date (in thousands):

Cash and cash equivalents
$
39

Accounts receivable
4,556

Goodwill
107,692

Acquired trade names and other intangible assets
23,642

Acquired customer base
21,856

Acquired database technology
4,076

Acquired building photography
2,425

Deferred income taxes, net
9,290

Other assets and liabilities
(849
)
Fair value of identifiable net assets acquired
$
172,727



The net assets of Apartment Finder were recorded at their estimated fair value. In valuing acquired assets and liabilities, fair value estimates were based on, but were not limited to, future expected cash flows, market rate assumptions for contractual obligations, and appropriate discount rates.

The acquired customer base for the acquisition consisted of three distinct intangible assets, is composed of acquired customer contracts and the related customer relationships, and has a weighted average estimated useful life of ten years. The acquired database technology had an estimated useful life of five months due to the Company's intent to replace the acquired database technology, which it did in December of 2015. The acquired trade names and other intangible assets have a weighted average estimated useful life of nine years. The acquired building photography had an estimated useful life of five months. Amortization of the acquired customer base is recognized on an accelerated basis related to the expected economic benefit of the intangible asset, while amortization of the acquired database technology, acquired building photography and acquired trade names and other intangible assets is recognized on a straight-line basis over their respective estimated useful lives. Goodwill recorded in connection with this acquisition is not amortized, but is subject to annual impairment tests. The $107.7 million of goodwill recorded as part of the acquisition is associated with the Company's North America operating segment. None of the goodwill recognized is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes in future periods.

3.
ACQUISITIONS — (CONTINUED)

Apartment Finder — (Continued)

Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the net assets recognized and represents the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired that could not be individually identified and separately recognized. Specifically, the goodwill recorded as part of the Apartment Finder acquisition includes but is not limited to: (i) the expected synergies and other benefits that the Company believes will result from combining its operations with Apartment Finder's operations; and (ii) any intangible assets that do not qualify for separate recognition, such as the assembled workforce.