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Basis of Presentation (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation

Our interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not necessarily include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair statement of our consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP.
Basis of Consolidation
Basis of Consolidation

Our consolidated financial statements reflect all of our accounts, including those of our controlled subsidiaries and our tenancy-in-common interest, as described below. The portions of equity in consolidated subsidiaries that are not attributable, directly or indirectly, to us are presented as noncontrolling interests. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Recently Adopted Accounting Policy
On January 1, 2016, we adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s, or FASB’s, Accounting Standards Update, or ASU, 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis, as described in the Recent Accounting Pronouncements section below, which amends the current consolidation guidance, including introducing a separate consolidation analysis specific to limited partnerships and other similar entities. When we obtain an economic interest in an entity, we evaluate the entity to determine if it should be deemed a variable interest entity, or VIE, and, if so, whether we are the primary beneficiary and are therefore required to consolidate the entity. We apply accounting guidance for consolidation of VIEs to certain entities in which the equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties. Fixed price purchase and renewal options within a lease, as well as certain decision-making rights within a loan or joint-venture agreement, can cause us to consider an entity a VIE. Limited partnerships and other similar entities that operate as a partnership will be considered a VIE unless the limited partners hold substantive kick-out rights or participation rights. Significant judgment is required to determine whether a VIE should be consolidated. We review the contractual arrangements provided for in the partnership agreement or other related contracts to determine whether the entity is considered a VIE, and to establish whether we have any variable interests in the VIE. We then compare our variable interests, if any, to those of the other variable interest holders to determine which party is the primary beneficiary of the VIE based on whether the entity (i) has the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and (ii) has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits of the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. We performed this analysis on all of our subsidiary entities following the guidance in ASU 2015-02 to determine whether they qualify as VIEs and whether they should be consolidated or accounted for as equity investments in an unconsolidated venture. As a result of our assessment, at March 31, 2016, we considered 28 entities VIEs, 12 of which we consolidate, 14 of which we account for as an equity investment, and two of which we account for as loans receivable. As a part of this assessment, we determined that 15 entities that were previously classified as voting interest entities should now be classified as VIEs as of January 1, 2016 and therefore included in our VIE disclosures. However, there was no change in determining whether or not we consolidate these entities as a result of the new guidance. We elected to retrospectively adopt ASU 2015-02, which resulted in changes to our VIE disclosures within the consolidated balance sheets. There were no other changes to our consolidated balance sheets or results of operations for the periods presented.

At March 31, 2016, we had an investment in a tenancy-in-common interest in various underlying international properties. Consolidation of this investment is not required as such interest does not qualify as a VIE and does not meet the control requirement for consolidation. Accordingly, we account for this investment using the equity method of accounting. We use the equity method of accounting because the shared decision-making involved in a tenancy-in-common interest investment provides us with significant influence on the operating and financial decisions of this investment.

Additionally, we own interests in single-tenant net-leased properties leased to companies through noncontrolling interests in partnerships and limited liability companies that we do not control, but over which we exercise significant influence. We account for these investments under the equity method of accounting. At times, the carrying value of our equity investments may fall below zero for certain investments. We intend to fund our share of the jointly-owned investments’ future operating deficits should the need arise. However, we have no legal obligation to pay for any of the liabilities of such investments nor do we have any legal obligation to fund operating deficits. At March 31, 2016, none of our equity investments had carrying values below zero.
On January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) as described in the Recent Accounting Pronouncements section below. ASU 2015-03 changes the presentation of debt issuance costs, which were previously recognized as an asset and requires that they be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. As a result of adopting this guidance, we reclassified $12.8 million of deferred financing costs, net from Other assets, net to Non-recourse debt, net and Term Loan as of December 31, 2015.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 does not apply to our lease revenues, but will apply to reimbursed tenant costs and revenues generated from our operating properties. Additionally, this guidance modifies disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, which defers the effective date of ASU 2014-09 for all entities by one year, beginning in 2018, with early adoption permitted but not before 2017, the original public company effective date. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements and have not yet determined the method by which we will adopt the standard.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810). ASU 2015-02 amends the current consolidation guidance, including modification of the guidance for evaluating whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are VIEs or voting interest entities. The guidance does not amend the existing disclosure requirements for VIEs or voting interest model entities. The guidance, however, modified the requirements to qualify under the voting interest model. Under the revised guidance, ASU 2015-02 requires an entity to classify a limited liability company or a limited partnership as a VIE unless the partnership provides partners with either substantive kick-out rights or substantive participating rights over the managing member or general partner. Refer to the discussion in the Basis of Consolidation section above.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30). ASU 2015-03 changes the presentation of debt issuance costs, which were previously recognized as an asset and requires that they be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. ASU 2015-03 does not affect the recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs. ASU 2015-03 is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2015, early adoption is permitted and retrospective application is required. We adopted ASU 2015-03 on January 1, 2016 and have disclosed the reclassification of our debt issuance costs in the Reclassifications section above.

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805). ASU 2015-16 eliminates the requirement that an acquirer in a business combination account for measurement period adjustments retrospectively. Instead, an acquirer will recognize a measurement period adjustment during the period in which it determines the amount of the adjustment, including the effect on earnings of any amounts it would have recorded in previous periods if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. ASU 2015-16 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those fiscal years, early adoption is permitted and prospective application is required for adjustments that are identified after the effective date of this update. We elected to early adopt ASU 2015-16 and implemented the standard prospectively beginning July 1, 2015. The adoption and implementation of the standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 outlines a new model for accounting by lessees, whereby their rights and obligations under substantially all leases, existing and new, would be capitalized and recorded on the balance sheet. For lessors, however, the accounting remains largely unchanged from the current model, with the distinction between operating and financing leases retained, but updated to align with certain changes to the lessee model and the new revenue recognition standard. The new standard also replaces existing sale-leaseback guidance with a new model applicable to both lessees and lessors. Additionally, the new standard requires extensive quantitative and qualitative disclosures. ASU 2016-02 is effective for U.S. GAAP public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years; for all other entities, the final lease standard will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. Early application will be permitted for all entities. The new standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition of the new guidance and provides for certain practical expedients. Transition will require application of the new model at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented. We are evaluating the impact of the new standard and have not yet determined if it will have a material impact on our business or our 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 counterparty to a derivative contract in and of itself, does not require the dedesignation of a hedging relationship. ASU 2016-05 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted and entities have the option of adopting this guidance on a prospective basis to new derivative contracts or on a modified retrospective basis. We elected to early adopt ASU 2-16-05 on January 1, 2016 on a prospective basis and there was no impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-07, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323). ASU 2016-07 simplifies the transition to the equity method of accounting. ASU 2016-07 eliminates the requirement to apply the equity method of accounting retrospectively when a reporting entity obtains significant influence over a previously held investment. Instead the equity method of accounting will be applied prospectively from the date significant influence is obtained. The new standard should be applied prospectively for investments that qualify for the equity method of accounting in interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted and we elected to early adopt this standard as of January 1, 2016. The adoption of this standard had no impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Equity Method Investments
We own equity interests in net-leased properties that are generally leased to companies through noncontrolling interests (i) in partnerships and limited liability companies that we do not control but over which we exercise significant influence or (ii) as tenants-in-common subject to common control. Generally, the underlying investments are jointly-owned with affiliates. We account for these investments under the equity method of accounting. Earnings for each investment are recognized in accordance with each respective investment agreement and, where applicable, based upon an allocation of the investment’s net assets at book value as if the investment were hypothetically liquidated at the end of each reporting period.

Intangible Assets and Liabilities
In connection with our acquisitions of properties, we have recorded net lease intangibles that are being amortized over periods ranging from three years to 53 years. In addition, we have several ground lease intangibles that are being amortized over periods of up to 94 years. In-place lease intangibles and tenant relationship intangibles are included in In-place lease and tenant relationship intangible assets, net in the consolidated financial statements. Above-market rent, below-market ground lease (as lessee) intangibles, and goodwill are included in Other intangible assets, net in the consolidated financial statements. Below-market rent and above-market ground lease (as lessor) intangibles are included in Below-market rent and other intangible liabilities, net in the consolidated financial statements.
Amortization of below-market rent and above-market rent intangibles is recorded as an adjustment to Rental income; amortization of below-market ground lease and above-market ground lease intangibles is included in Property expenses; and amortization of in-place lease and tenant relationship intangibles is included in Depreciation and amortization.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Derivative Assets — Our derivative assets, which are included in Other assets, net in the consolidated financial statements, are comprised of foreign currency forward contracts, stock warrants, foreign currency collars, and a swaption (Note 9). The foreign currency forward contracts, foreign currency collars, and swaption were measured at fair value using readily observable market inputs, such as quotations on interest rates, and were classified as Level 2 as these instruments are custom, over-the-counter contracts with various bank counterparties that are not traded in an active market. The stock warrants were measured at fair value using internal valuation models that incorporated market inputs and our own assumptions about future cash flows. We classified these assets as Level 3 because they are not traded in an active market.

Derivative Liabilities — Our derivative liabilities, which are included in Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities in the consolidated financial statements, are comprised of interest rate swaps and foreign currency collars (Note 9). The interest rate swaps and foreign currency collars were measured at fair value using readily observable market inputs, such as quotations on interest rates, and were classified as Level 2 because they are custom, over-the-counter contracts with various bank counterparties that are not traded in an active market.
 
The fair value of an asset is defined as the exit price, which is the amount that would either be received when an asset is sold or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The guidance establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy based on the inputs used in measuring fair value. These tiers are: Level 1, for which quoted market prices for identical instruments are available in active markets, such as money market funds, equity securities, and U.S. Treasury securities; Level 2, for which there are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the instrument, such as certain derivative instruments including interest rate caps, interest rate swaps, foreign currency forward contracts, and foreign currency collars; and Level 3, for securities and other derivative assets that do not fall into Level 1 or Level 2 and for which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring us to develop our own assumptions.
Derivatives
We measure derivative instruments at fair value and record them as assets or liabilities, depending on our rights or obligations under the applicable derivative contract. Derivatives that are not designated as hedges must be adjusted to fair value through earnings. For a derivative designated, and that qualified, as a cash flow hedge, the effective portion of the change in fair value of the derivative is recognized in Other comprehensive income (loss) until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. For a derivative designated, and that qualified, as a net investment hedge, the effective portion of the change in the fair value and/or the net settlement of the derivative are reported in Other comprehensive income (loss) as part of the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment. Amounts are reclassified out of Other comprehensive income (loss) into earnings when the hedged investment is either sold or substantially liquidated. The ineffective portion of the change in fair value of any derivative is immediately recognized in earnings.