Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are the consolidated financial statements of Douglas Emmett, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including our Operating Partnership and our consolidated JVs.  All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in our consolidated financial statements.

We consolidate entities in which we are considered to be the primary beneficiary of a VIE or have a majority of the voting interest of the entity. We are deemed to be the primary beneficiary of a VIE when we have (i) the power to direct the activities of that VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance, and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE. We do not consolidate entities in which the other parties have substantive kick-out rights to remove our power to direct the activities, most significantly impacting the economic performance, of that VIE. In determining whether we are the primary beneficiary, we consider factors such as ownership interest, management representation, authority to control decisions, and contractual and substantive participating rights of each party.

We consolidate our Operating Partnership through which we conduct substantially all of our business, and own, directly and through subsidiaries, substantially all of our assets, and are obligated to repay substantially all of our liabilities, including $3.11 billion of consolidated debt. See Note 8. We also consolidate four JVs. As of June 30, 2020, these consolidated entities had aggregate total consolidated assets of $9.27 billion (of which $8.88 billion related to investment in real estate), aggregate total consolidated liabilities of $5.23 billion (of which $4.67 billion related to debt), and aggregate total consolidated equity of $4.04 billion (of which $1.56 billion related to noncontrolling interests).

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC in conformity with US GAAP as established by the FASB in the ASC. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the consolidated financial statements prepared in conformity with US GAAP may have been condensed or omitted pursuant to SEC rules and regulations, although we believe that the disclosures are adequate to make their presentation not misleading. The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include, in our opinion, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the financial information set forth therein. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2020. The interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements in our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the notes thereto. Any references to the number or class of properties, square footage, per square footage amounts, apartment units and geography, are outside the scope of our independent registered public accounting firm’s review of our consolidated financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make certain estimates that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

Rental revenues and tenant recoveries

We account for our rental revenues and tenant recoveries in accordance with Topic 842 "Leases". Rental revenues and tenant recoveries are included in: (i) Rental revenues and tenant recoveries under Office rental, and (ii) Rental revenues under Multifamily rental, in our consolidated statements of operations.

In accordance with Topic 842, we perform an assessment as to whether or not substantially all of the amounts due under a tenant’s lease agreement is deemed probable of collection. This assessment involves using a methodology that requires judgment and estimates about matters that are uncertain at the time the estimates are made, including tenant specific factors, specific industry conditions, and general economic trends and conditions.

For leases where we have concluded it is probable that we will collect substantially all the lease payments due under those leases, we continue to record lease income on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For leases where we have concluded that it is not probable that we will collect substantially all the lease payments due under those leases, we limit the lease income to the lesser of the income recognized on a straight-line basis or cash basis. If our conclusion of collectibility changes, we will record the difference between the lease income that would have been recognized on a straight-line basis and cash basis as a current-period adjustment to rental revenues and tenant recoveries. We write-off tenant receivables and deferred rent receivables as a charge against rental revenues and tenant recoveries in the period we conclude that substantially all of the lease payments are not probable of collection. If we subsequently collect amounts that were previously written off then the amounts collected are recorded as an increase to our rental revenues and tenant recoveries.

Charges for uncollectible amounts, related to tenant receivables and deferred rent receivables, which for the three and six months ended June 30, 2020 were primarily due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced our rental revenues and tenant recoveries by $29.8 million and $1.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, and $35.0 million and $3.4 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Office parking revenues

We account for our office parking revenues in accordance with ASC 606 "Revenue from Contracts with Customers". Office parking revenues are included in Parking and other income under Office rental in our consolidated statements of operations. Our lease contracts generally make a specified number of parking spaces available to the tenant, and we bill and recognize parking revenues on a monthly basis in accordance with the lease agreements, generally using the monthly parking rates in effect at the time of billing. Office parking revenues were $14.7 million and $26.9 million for the three months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, and $44.9 million and $53.3 million for the six months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Office parking receivables were $0.4 million and $1.3 million as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, and are included in Tenant receivables in our consolidated balance sheets.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code. Provided that we qualify for taxation as a REIT, we are generally not subject to corporate-level income tax on the earnings distributed currently to our stockholders that we derive from our REIT qualifying activities. We are subject to corporate-level tax on the earnings that we derive through our TRS.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

Changes to US GAAP are implemented by the FASB in the form of ASUs.  We consider the applicability and impact of all ASUs. Other than the ASUs discussed below, the FASB has not issued any other ASUs that we expect to be applicable and have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

ASUs Adopted

ASU 2016-13 (Topic 326 - "Financial Instruments-Credit Losses")

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments", which amends "Financial Instruments-Credit Losses" (Topic 326). The ASU provides guidance for measuring credit losses on financial instruments. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those years, which for us was the first quarter of 2020. The amendments in the ASU should be applied on a modified-retrospective basis. The ASU impacts our measurement of credit losses for our Office parking receivables, which were $0.4 million and $1.3 million as of June 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, and are included in Tenant receivables in our consolidated balance sheets. We adopted the ASU in the first quarter of 2020 and it did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2020-04 (Topic 848 - "Reference Rate Reform")

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, "Reference Rate Reform", which contains practical expedients for reference rate reform related activities that impact debt, leases, derivatives and other contracts. The practical expedients are optional and may be elected over time as reference rate reform activities occur. We elected to apply the hedge accounting expedients related to probability and the assessments of effectiveness for future LIBOR-indexed cash flows to assume that the index upon which future hedged transactions will be based matches the index on the corresponding derivatives. Application of these expedients maintains the presentation of derivatives consistent with past presentation. We will continue to evaluate the impact of the ASU and may apply other elections, as applicable, as additional changes in the market occur. Our election to apply the hedge accounting expedients in the first quarter of 2020 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Other Pronouncements

FASB COVID-19 Lease Modification Accounting Relief

In April 2020, the FASB staff issued a question and answer document (the “Lease Modification Q&A”) on the application of lease accounting guidance to lease concessions provided as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the existing lease accounting guidance, we would be required to determine on a lease-by-lease basis if a lease concession was the result of a new arrangement reached with the tenant (treated within the lease modification accounting framework) or if a lease concession was under the enforceable rights and obligations within the existing lease agreement (precluded from applying the lease modification accounting framework). The Lease Modification Q&A allows us, if certain criteria are met, to bypass the lease-by-lease analysis, and instead elect to either apply the lease modification accounting framework or not, with such election applied consistently to leases with similar characteristics and similar circumstances. We will avail ourselves of the election to avoid performing a lease-by-lease analysis. The Lease Modification Q&A did not have material impact on our consolidated financial statements; however, its impact on our future consolidated financial statements is dependent upon the extent of any lease concessions granted to tenants as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in future periods and the elections made by us at the time of entering into such concessions.

FASB COVID-19 Cash Flow Hedge Accounting Relief

In April 2020, the FASB staff issued a question and answer document (the “Cash Flow Hedge Accounting Q&A”) on the application of cash flow hedge accounting guidance to cash flow hedges impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cash Flow Hedge Accounting Q&A clarifies that: (i) when cash flow hedge accounting has been discontinued, the delays in the timing of the forecasted transactions related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic may be considered rare cases caused by extenuating circumstances outside the control or influence of an entity, thereby allowing amounts deferred in AOCI to remain in AOCI until the forecasted transaction affects earnings, and (ii) missed forecasts, related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, do not need to be considered when determining whether the entity has exhibited a pattern of missing forecasts that would call into question the entity’s ability to accurately predict forecasted transactions and the propriety of using cash flow hedge accounting in the future for similar transactions. The Cash Flow Hedge Accounting Q&A did not have material impact on our consolidated financial statements; however, its impact on our future consolidated financial statements is dependent upon our cash flow hedge forecasted transactions being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in future periods.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Our estimates of the fair value of financial instruments were determined using available market information and widely used valuation methods.  Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret market data and determine an estimated fair value.  The use of different market assumptions or valuation methods may have a material effect on the estimated fair values. The FASB fair value framework hierarchy distinguishes between assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity, and the reporting entity’s own assumptions about market-based inputs.  The hierarchy is as follows:

Level 1 - inputs utilize unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.  

Level 2 - inputs are observable either directly or indirectly for similar assets and liabilities in active markets.  

Level 3 - inputs are unobservable assumptions generated by the reporting entity