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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Financial Information
Basis of Financial Information
These Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP), which require management to make estimates and assumptions regarding future events that affect the amounts reported in our financial statements and these footnotes, including investment valuations, compensation accruals and other matters. Management believes that the estimates used in preparing its Consolidated Financial Statements are reasonable and prudent. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year information to conform to current year presentation.
The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company include all consolidated accounts of Greenhill & Co., Inc. and all other entities in which the Company has a controlling interest after eliminations of all significant inter-company accounts and transactions.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition
Advisory Revenues

It is the Company's accounting policy to recognize revenue when (i) there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement with a client, (ii) the agreed-upon services have been completed and delivered to the client or the transaction or events noted in the engagement letter are determined to be substantially complete, (iii) fees are fixed and determinable, and (iv) collection is reasonably assured.

The Company recognizes advisory fee revenues for mergers and acquisitions or financing advisory and restructuring engagements when the services related to the underlying transactions are completed in accordance with the terms of the engagement letter and all other requirements for revenue recognition are satisfied.

The Company recognizes capital advisory fees from primary capital raising transactions at the time of the client's acceptance of capital or capital commitments to a fund in accordance with the terms of the engagement letter. Generally, fee revenue is determined based upon a fixed percentage of capital committed to the fund. For multiple closings, revenue is recognized at each interim closing based on the amount of capital committed at each closing at the fixed fee percentage. At the final closing, revenue is recognized at the fixed percentage for the amount of capital committed since the last interim closing.

The Company recognizes capital advisory fees from secondary market transactions at the time the sale or transfer of the capital interest is completed in accordance with the terms of the engagement letter. Generally, fee revenue is determined based upon a fixed percentage of the transaction value.

While the majority of the Company's fee revenue is earned at the conclusion of a transaction or closing of a fund, on-going retainer fees, substantially all of which relate to non-success based strategic advisory and financing advisory and restructuring assignments, are also earned and recognized as advisory fee revenue over the period in which the related service is rendered.

The Company’s clients reimburse certain expenses incurred by the Company in the conduct of advisory engagements. Expenses are reported net of such client reimbursements. Client reimbursements totaled $6.5 million, $5.4 million and $4.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively.
Investment Revenues
Investment revenues consist of gains (or losses) on the Company's investments in certain merchant banking funds and interest income. The Company recognizes revenue on its investments in merchant banking funds based on its allocable share of realized and unrealized gains (or losses) reported by such funds.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company’s cash and cash equivalents consist of (i) cash held on deposit with financial institutions, (ii) cash equivalents and (iii) restricted cash. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions with high credit ratings. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity date of three months or less, when purchased, to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents primarily consist of money market funds and overnight deposits.
Management believes that the Company is not exposed to significant credit risk due to the financial position of the depository institutions in which those deposits are held.
Advisory Fees Receivables
Advisory Fees Receivables
Receivables are stated net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. The estimate for the allowance for doubtful accounts is derived by the Company by utilizing past client transaction history and an assessment of the client’s creditworthiness. The Company recorded bad debt expense of $0.4 million, $0.3 million and $0.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Included in the advisory fees receivable balances at December 31, 2016 and 2015 were $26.1 million and $32.4 million of long term receivables related to primary capital advisory engagements, which are generally paid in installments over a period of three years. Included as a component of investment revenues is interest income related to primary capital advisory engagements of $0.8 million, $0.9 million and $0.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Credit risk related to advisory fees receivable is disbursed across a large number of clients located in various geographic areas. The Company controls credit risk through credit approvals and monitoring procedures but does not require collateral to support accounts receivable.
Goodwill
Goodwill
Goodwill is the cost in excess of the fair value of identifiable net assets at acquisition date. The Company tests its goodwill for impairment at least annually. An impairment loss is triggered if the estimated fair value of an operating unit is less than estimated net book value. Such loss is calculated as the difference between the estimated fair value of goodwill and its carrying value.
Goodwill is translated at the rate of exchange prevailing at the end of the periods presented in accordance with the accounting guidance for foreign currency translation. Any translation gain or loss is included in the foreign currency translation adjustment, which is included as a component of other comprehensive income in the consolidated statements of changes in stockholders' equity.
Other Assets
Other Assets
Included in other assets are the Company's investments in merchant banking funds, which are recorded under the equity method of accounting based upon the Company's proportionate share of the estimated fair value of the underlying merchant banking fund's net assets. The value of merchant banking fund investments is determined by management of the fund after giving consideration to the cost of the security, quoted market prices, the pricing of other sales of securities by the portfolio company, the price of securities of other companies comparable to the portfolio company, purchase multiples paid in other comparable third-party transactions, the original purchase price multiple, market conditions, liquidity, operating results and other qualitative and quantitative factors. The fund may apply discounts to reflect the lack of liquidity and other transfer restrictions.
Compensation Payable
Compensation Payable
Included in compensation payable are discretionary compensation awards comprised of annual cash bonuses and long-term incentive compensation, consisting of deferred cash retention awards, which are non-interest bearing, and generally amortized over a three to five year service period after the date of grant.
Restricted Stock Units
Restricted Stock Units
The Company accounts for its share-based compensation payments by recording the fair value of restricted stock units granted to employees as compensation expense. The restricted stock units are generally amortized over a four to five-year service period following the date of grant. Compensation expense is determined based upon the fair market value of the Company’s common stock at the date of grant. As the Company expenses the awards, the restricted stock units recognized are recorded within stockholders' equity. The restricted stock units are reclassified into common stock and additional paid-in capital upon vesting. The Company records as treasury stock the repurchase of stock delivered to its employees in settlement of tax liabilities incurred upon the vesting of restricted stock units. The Company records dividend equivalent payments on outstanding restricted stock units as a dividend payment and a charge to stockholders' equity.
Earnings per Share
Earnings per Share
The Company calculates basic earnings per share (“EPS”) by dividing net income allocated to common stockholders by the sum of (i) the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the period and (ii) the weighted average number of shares deemed issuable due to the vesting of restricted stock units for accounting purposes. See "Note 11 — Equity".
The Company calculates diluted EPS by dividing net income allocated to common stockholders by the sum of (i) basic shares per above and (ii) the dilutive effect of the common stock deliverable pursuant to restricted stock units for which future service is required. Under the treasury method, the number of shares issuable upon the vesting of restricted stock units included in the calculation of diluted EPS is the excess, if any, of the number of shares expected to be issued, less the number of shares that could be purchased by the Company with the proceeds to be received upon settlement at the average market closing price during the reporting period.
Provision for Taxes
Provision for Taxes
The Company accounts for taxes in accordance with the accounting guidance for income taxes which requires the recognition of tax benefits or expenses on the temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of its assets and liabilities.
The Company follows the guidance for income taxes in recognizing, measuring, presenting and disclosing in its financial statements uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken on its income tax returns. Income tax expense is based on pre-tax accounting income, including adjustments made for the recognition or derecognition related to uncertain tax positions. The recognition or derecognition of income tax expense related to uncertain tax positions is determined under the guidance, and the Company's policy is to treat interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as part of pre-tax income.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in earnings in the period of change. Management applies the “more-likely-than-not criteria” when determining tax benefits.
Foreign Currency Translation
Foreign Currency Translation
Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies have been translated at rates of exchange prevailing at the end of the periods presented in accordance with the accounting guidance for foreign currency translation. Income and expenses transacted in foreign currency have been translated at average monthly exchange rates during the period. Translation gains and losses are included in the foreign currency translation adjustment, which is included as a component of other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated statement of changes in stockholders' equity. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in the consolidated statements of income.
Financial Instruments and Fair Value
Financial Instruments and Fair Value
The Company accounts for financial instruments measured at fair value in accordance with accounting guidance for fair value measurements and disclosures which establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under the pronouncement are described below:
Basis of Fair Value Measurement
Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;
Level 2 – Quoted prices in markets that are not active or financial instruments for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly; and
Level 3 – Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.
A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. In determining the appropriate levels, the Company performs an analysis of the assets and liabilities that are subject to these disclosures. At each reporting period, all assets and liabilities for which the fair value measurement is based on significant unobservable inputs or instruments which trade infrequently and therefore have little or no price transparency are classified as Level 3. Transfers between levels are recognized as of the end of the period in which they occur. See "Note 8 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments".
Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments

The Company believes that the carrying values of all other financial instruments presented in the consolidated statements of financial condition approximate their fair value generally due to their short-term nature and generally negligible credit risk. These fair value measurements would be categorized as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy.
Property and Equipment
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the life of the assets. Amortization of leasehold improvements is computed using the straight-line method over the lesser of the life of the asset or the remaining term of the lease. Estimated useful lives of the Company’s fixed assets are generally as follows:
Aircraft – 7 years
Equipment – 5 years
Furniture and fixtures – 7 years
Leasehold improvements – the lesser of 10 years or the remaining lease term
Business Information
Business Information
The Company's activities as an investment banking firm constitute a single business segment, with substantially all revenues generated from advisory services, which includes engagements relating to mergers and acquisitions, financing advisory and restructuring, and capital advisory services. The Company earns less than 1% of its revenues from interest income and investment gains (losses) on investments.
Accounting Developments
Accounting Developments
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting ("ASU 2016-09"). ASU 2016-09 amends the guidance in former ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation. The standard is effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and the Company will adopt these amendments effective on January 1, 2017. The impact of ASU No. 2016-09 will result in an increase or decrease to the provision for income taxes for the net tax (cost) from the delivery of restricted stock units, which under the current standard is recorded as an adjustment to retained earnings, and could be material to the results of operations and the classifications of cash flows in future periods depending upon, among other things, the level of earnings and stock price of the Company.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases ("ASU 2016-02"). ASU 2016-02 amends the guidance in former ASC 840, Leases. Management is currently evaluating the impact of the future adoption of ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. The standard is effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and the Company will adopt these amendments effective on January 1, 2019.

In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance codified in ASC 606, Revenue Recognition - Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which amends the guidance in former ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. The new guidance was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016.  In August 2015, the FASB issued guidance which defers the effective date of its new recognition standard by one year.  The standard would be effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017.

The Company has been evaluating the impact of the future adoption of ASC 606 on our 2016 Consolidated Financial Statements and expects to adopt the retrospective transition method which requires applying the new standard to prior comparative periods when reporting under the new standard becomes effective.  The Company has determined that the new revenue recognition guidance will have an immaterial effect on the Company’s 2016 Consolidated Financial Statements.