Basis of Presentation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which amends the guidance for revenue recognition to replace numerous, industry-specific requirements and converges areas under this topic with those of the International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2014-09 outlines a five-step process for customer contract revenue recognition that focuses on transfer of control, as opposed to transfer of risk and rewards. The amendment also requires enhanced disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenues and cash flows from contracts with customers. The new standard will become effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted. The Company has determined that its property rental revenue and tenant reinsurance revenue will not be subject to the guidance in ASU 2014-09, as they qualify as lease contracts and insurance contracts, which are excluded from its scope. The Company's management fee revenue will be included in the scope of the standard. However, based on the Company's initial assessment, it appears that revenue recognized under the standard will not differ materially from revenue recognized under existing guidance. The Company continues to assess the potential impacts of ASU 2014-09. The Company anticipates adopting the standard using the modified retrospective transition method as of January 1, 2018.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” which modifies the accounting for leases, intending to increase transparency and comparability of organizations by requiring balance sheet presentation of leased assets and increased financial statement disclosure of leasing arrangements. ASU 2016-02 will require entities to recognize a liability for their lease obligations and a corresponding asset representing the right to use the underlying asset over the lease term. Lease obligations are to be measured at their present value and accounted for using the effective interest method. The accounting for the leased asset will differ slightly depending on whether the agreement is deemed to be a financing or operating lease. For financing leases, the leased asset is depreciated on a straight-line basis and depreciation expense is recorded separately from the interest expense in the statements of operations, resulting in higher expense in the earlier part of the lease term. For operating leases, the depreciation and interest expense components are combined, recognized evenly over the term of the lease, and presented as a reduction to operating income. ASU 2016-02 requires that assets and liabilities be presented or disclosed separately, and requires additional disclosure of certain qualitative and quantitative information related to these lease agreements. ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-05, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Effect of Derivative Contract Novations on Existing Hedge Accounting Relationships." ASU 2016-05 clarifies that a change in the counterparty to a derivative instrument that has been designated as a hedging instrument does not, in and of itself, require re-designation of that hedging relationship provided that all other hedge accounting criteria continue to be met. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2017. The adoption of ASU 2016-05 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted this guidance prospectively on January 1, 2017, and prior periods have not been adjusted. As a result of the adoption of this guidance, the Company no longer presents the tax effects from vesting of restricted stock grants and stock option exercises on its condensed consolidated statement of noncontrolling interests and equity.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, "Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments." ASU 2016-15 provides guidance on several specific cash flow issues, including the classification of debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, contingent consideration payments, and distributions received from equity method investees. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact it may have on its consolidated financial statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, "Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230)," which requires that a statement of cash flows explains the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact it may have on its consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Disclosures

Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

Long-lived assets held for use are evaluated for impairment when events or circumstances indicate there may be impairment. The Company reviews each store at least annually to determine if any such events or circumstances have occurred or exist. The Company focuses on stores where occupancy and/or rental income have decreased by a significant amount. For these stores, the Company determines whether the decrease is temporary or permanent, and whether the store will likely recover the lost occupancy and/or revenue in the short term. In addition, the Company carefully reviews stores in the lease-up stage and compares actual operating results to original projections.

When the Company determines that an event that may indicate impairment has occurred, the Company compares the carrying value of the related long-lived assets to the undiscounted future net operating cash flows attributable to the assets. An impairment loss is recorded if the net carrying value of the assets exceeds the undiscounted future net operating cash flows attributable to the assets. The impairment loss recognized equals the excess of net carrying value over the related fair value of the assets.

When real estate assets are identified by management as held for sale, the Company discontinues depreciating the assets and estimates the fair value of the assets, net of selling costs. If the estimated fair value, net of selling costs, of the assets that have been identified as held for sale is less than the net carrying value of the assets, the Company would recognize a loss on the assets held for sale. The operations of assets held for sale or sold during the period are presented as part of normal operations for all periods presented. As of March 31, 2017, the Company had one parcel of undeveloped land and 36 operating stores classified as held for sale. The estimated fair value less selling costs of each of these assets is greater than the carrying value of the assets, and therefore no loss has been recorded.

The Company assesses whether there are any indicators that the value of the Company’s investments in unconsolidated real estate ventures may be impaired annually and when events or circumstances indicate that there may be impairment. An investment is impaired if management’s estimate of the fair value of the investment is less than its carrying value. To the extent impairment has occurred, and is considered to be other than temporary, the loss is measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the investment over the fair value of the investment.

In connection with the Company’s acquisition of stores, the purchase price is allocated to the tangible and intangible assets and liabilities acquired based on their relative fair values, which are estimated using significant unobservable inputs. The value of the tangible assets, consisting of land and buildings, is determined as if vacant. Intangible assets, which represent the value of existing tenant relationships, are recorded at their fair values based on the avoided cost to replace the current leases. The Company measures the value of tenant relationships based on the rent lost due to the amount of time required to replace existing customers, which is based on the Company’s historical experience with turnover in its stores. Debt assumed as part of an acquisition is recorded at fair value based on current interest rates compared to contractual rates. Acquisition-related transaction costs, for those qualifying as asset acquisitions, are capitalized as a component of the cost of the assets acquired.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivables, other financial instruments included in other assets, accounts payable and accrued expenses, variable-rate notes payable, lines of credit and other liabilities reflected in the condensed consolidated balance sheets at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 approximate fair value.

The fair values of the Company’s notes receivable from Preferred Operating Partnership unit holders and other fixed rate notes receivable were based on the discounted estimated future cash flows of the notes (categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy); the discount rate used approximated the current market rate for loans with similar maturities and credit quality. The fair values of the Company’s fixed-rate notes payable and notes payable to trusts were estimated using the discounted estimated future cash payments to be made on such debt (categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy); the discount rates used approximated current market rates for loans, or groups of loans, with similar maturities and credit quality. The fair value of the Company’s exchangeable senior notes was estimated using an average market price for similar securities obtained from a third party.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Currently, the Company uses interest rate swaps to manage its interest rate risk. The valuation of these instruments is determined using widely accepted valuation techniques, including discounted cash flow analysis on the expected cash flows of each derivative. This analysis reflects the contractual terms of the derivatives, including the period to maturity, and uses observable market-based inputs, including interest rate curves. The fair values of interest rate swaps are determined using the market standard methodology of netting the discounted future fixed cash payments and the discounted expected variable cash receipts. The variable cash receipts are based on an expectation of future interest rates (forward curves) derived from observable market interest rate forward curves.

The Company incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty’s nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. In adjusting the fair value of its derivative contracts for the effect of nonperformance risk, the Company has considered the impact of netting and any applicable credit enhancements, such as collateral postings, thresholds, mutual puts and guarantees. In conjunction with the FASB’s fair value measurement guidance, the Company made an accounting policy election to measure the credit risk of its derivative financial instruments that are subject to master netting agreements on a net basis by counterparty portfolio.

Although the Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its derivatives fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy, the credit valuation adjustments associated with its derivatives utilize Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of current credit spreads to evaluate the likelihood of default by the Company and its counterparties. However, as of March 31, 2017, the Company had assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and determined that the credit valuation adjustments were not significant to the overall valuation of its derivatives. As a result, the Company determined that its derivative valuations in their entirety were classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Earnings Per Common Share

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

Basic earnings per common share is computed using the two-class method by dividing net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. All outstanding unvested restricted stock awards contain rights to non-forfeitable dividends and participate in undistributed earnings with common stockholders; accordingly, they are considered participating securities that are included in the two-class method. Diluted earnings per common share measures the performance of the Company over the reporting period while giving effect to all potential common shares that were dilutive and outstanding during the period. The denominator includes the weighted average number of basic shares and the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares that were dilutive had been issued, and is calculated using either the two-class, treasury stock or as if-converted method, whichever is most dilutive. Potential common shares are securities (such as options, convertible debt, Series A Participating Redeemable Preferred Units (“Series A Units”), Series B Redeemable Preferred Units (“Series B Units”), Series C Convertible Redeemable Preferred Units (“Series C Units”), Series D Redeemable Preferred Units (“Series D Units”) and common Operating Partnership units (“OP Units”)) that do not have a current right to participate in earnings of the Company but could do so in the future by virtue of their option, redemption or conversion right.

In computing the dilutive effect of convertible securities, net income is adjusted to add back any changes in earnings in the period associated with the convertible security. The numerator also is adjusted for the effects of any other non-discretionary changes in income or loss that would result from the assumed conversion of those potential common shares. In computing diluted earnings per common share, only potential common shares that are dilutive (those that reduce earnings per common share) are included.

Derivatives

The Company is exposed to certain risks arising from both its business operations and economic conditions. The Company principally manages its exposures to a wide variety of business and operational risks through management of its core business activities. The Company manages economic risks, including interest rate, liquidity and credit risk, primarily by managing the amount, sources and duration of its debt funding and by using derivative financial instruments. Specifically, the Company enters into derivative financial instruments to manage exposure that arises from business activities that result in the receipt or payment of future known and uncertain cash amounts, the value of which are determined by interest rates. The Company’s derivative financial instruments are used to manage differences in the amount, timing and duration of the Company’s known or expected cash receipts and its known or expected cash payments principally related to the Company’s investments and borrowings.

Convertible Debt

GAAP requires entities with convertible debt instruments that may be settled entirely or partially in cash upon conversion to separately account for the liability and equity components of the instrument in a manner that reflects the issuer’s economic interest cost. The Company therefore accounts for the liability and equity components of the 2013 Notes and 2015 Notes separately. The equity components are included in paid-in capital in stockholders’ equity in the condensed consolidated balance sheets, and the value of the equity components are treated as original issue discount for purposes of accounting for the debt components. The discounts are being amortized as interest expense over the remaining period of the debt through its first redemption date: July 1, 2018 for the 2013 Notes, and October 1, 2020 for the 2015 Notes. The effective interest rate on the liability components of both the 2013 Notes and the 2015 Notes is 4.0%, which approximated the market rate of interest of similar debt without exchange features (i.e. nonconvertible debt) at the time of issuance.