NOTE 2—SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Tree.com and all entities that are wholly-owned by us. Intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

Revenue Recognition

The Company derives its revenue from fees which are earned through the delivery of qualified leads that originated through one of our websites or affiliates. The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the fee is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. Delivery is deemed to have occurred at the time a qualified lead is delivered to our customer provided that no significant obligations remain.

Previously, lenders also paid closing fees when they closed a transaction with a consumer. The closing fee was eliminated in 2011 for all mortgage products, with the exception of home equity loans. The closing fee on home equity loan products was eliminated in January 2013. Closed-loan fees were recognized at the time the lender reported the closed loan to us, which could have been several months after the loan request was transmitted.

In addition, during the year ended December 31, 2012, we recognized approximately $1.9 million of revenue from marketing-related services provided to Discover discussed above. Revenue from these services is recognized in the period the services are provided.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash and short-term, highly liquid money market investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash and cash equivalents consists of the following (in thousands):

	December 31, 2012		December 31, 2011

Cash in escrow for surety bonds	$	6,500	$	6,500
Cash in escrow for corporate purchasing card program		800		800
Cash in escrow for sale of LTL (Note 7)		17,077		—
Cash in escrow for earnout related to an acquisition (Note 6)		1,956		—
Cash restricted for loan loss obligations		3,051		—
Minimum required balances for warehouse lines of credit		—		4,250
Other		30		901

Total restricted cash and cash equivalents	$	29,414	$	12,451

During 2012, $3.1 million of restricted cash on deposit with a former warehouse lender to the LendingTree Loans business was redesignated as restricted cash for the settlement of loan loss obligations.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are stated at amounts due from customers, net of an allowance for doubtful accounts.

Accounts receivable outstanding longer than the contractual payment terms are considered past due. We determine our allowance for doubtful accounts by considering a number of factors, including the length of time accounts receivable are past due, our previous loss history, the specific customer's current ability to pay its obligation to us and the condition of the general economy and the customer's industry as a whole. We write off accounts receivable when management deems them uncollectible. Write-offs were $0.0 million and $0.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The allowance for doubtful accounts increased by $0.3 million as a result of litigation with one customer within the non-mortgage segment.

Loan Loss Obligations

LendingTree Loans sold loans it originated to investors on a servicing-released basis and the risk of loss or default by the borrower was generally transferred to the investor. However, LendingTree Loans was required by these investors to make certain representations relating to credit information, loan documentation and collateral. To the extent LendingTree Loans did not comply with such representations or there are early payment defaults, LendingTree Loans may be required to repurchase loans or indemnify the investors for any losses from borrower defaults. LendingTree Loans maintains a liability for the estimated exposure relating to such contingent obligations and changes to the estimate are recorded in revenue in the periods they occur.

During the third quarter of 2012, in order to reflect our exit from the mortgage loan origination business in the second quarter of 2012 and our current commercial objective to pursue bulk settlements with investors, management revised the estimation process for evaluating the adequacy of the reserve for loan losses.

Prior to the third quarter of 2012, in estimating our exposure to losses on loans previously sold, LendingTree Loans used a model that considered the original loan balance (before it was sold to an investor), historical and projected loss frequency and loss severity ratios by loan type, as well as analyses of losses in process. Subsequent adjustments to the obligation, if any, are made once further losses are determined to be both probable and estimable. Further, LendingTree Loans segmented its loan sales into four segments, based on the extent of the documentation provided by the borrower to substantiate their income and/or assets (full or limited documentation) and the lien position of the mortgage in the underlying property (first or second position). Each of these segments typically has a different loss experience, with full documentation, first lien position loans generally having the lowest loss ratios, and limited documentation, second lien position loans generally having the highest loss ratios.

The revised methodology uses the model described above, but also incorporates into the estimation process (a) recent bulk settlements entered into by certain of our investors with governmental agencies and other counterparties, as applied to the attributes of the loans sold by LendingTree Loans and currently held by investors and (b) our own recent investor bulk settlement experience.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, including significant improvements, are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. Repairs and maintenance and any gains or losses on dispositions are included in operations.

Depreciation is recorded on a straight-line basis to allocate the cost of depreciable assets to operations over their estimated service lives. Amortization of assets recorded under capital leases is included in depreciation expense. The following table presents the depreciation period for each asset category:

Asset Category		Depreciation Period

Computer equipment and capitalized software		1 to 5 years
Leasehold improvements		Lesser of asset life or life of lease
Furniture and other equipment		3 to 7 years

Software Development Costs

Software development costs primarily include expenses incurred to develop the software that powers our websites. Certain costs incurred during the application development stage are capitalized based on specific activities tracked on internal timesheets and external invoices (or timesheets), while costs incurred during the preliminary project stage and post-implementation/operation stage are expensed as incurred. Capitalized software development costs are amortized over estimated lives of one to three years.

Goodwill and Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

Goodwill acquired in business combinations is assigned to the reporting units that are expected to benefit from the combination as of the acquisition date.

Goodwill impairment is determined using a two-step process. The first step is to compare the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. In performing the first step, we determine the fair value of our reporting units by using a market approach and a discounted cash flow ("DCF") analysis. For the fiscal 2012 annual impairment test, the fair value of our mortgage reporting unit was estimated using a DCF analysis and a market comparable method, with each method being equally weighted in the calculation. Determining fair value using a DCF analysis requires the exercise of significant judgments, including judgments about appropriate discount rates, perpetual growth rates and the amount and timing of expected future cash flows. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not impaired and the second step of the impairment test is not required. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the second step of the goodwill impairment test is required to be performed to measure the amount of impairment, if any. The second step of the goodwill impairment test compares the implied fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined in the same manner as the amount of goodwill recognized in a business combination. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit's goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

The impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets involves a comparison of the estimated fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying value. If the carrying value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its estimated fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. The estimates of fair value of indefinite-lived intangible assets are determined using a DCF valuation analysis that employs a relief-from royalty methodology in estimating the fair value of trade names and trademarks. Significant judgments inherent in this analysis include the determination of royalty rates, discount rates, perpetual growth rates and the amount and timing of future revenues.

Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, primarily trade names and trademarks, are tested annually for impairment as of October 1, or earlier upon the occurrence of certain events or substantive changes in circumstances. We performed interim tests as of March 31, 2011 and June 30, 2011, in addition to the annual tests on October 1, 2012 and 2011. We identified impairments in the interim tests in 2011, as described in Notes 4 and 7. No impairments were identified in 2012.

Long-Lived Assets and Intangible Assets with Definite Lives

Long-lived assets, including property and equipment and intangible assets with definite lives, are tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. The carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable if it exceeds the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. If the carrying amount is deemed to not be recoverable, an impairment loss is recorded as the amount by which the carrying amount of the long-lived asset exceeds its fair value. Amortization of definite-lived intangible assets is recorded on a straight-line basis over their estimated lives. We did not identify any impairment related to such assets in 2012 or 2011.

Fair Value Measurements

We categorize our assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the assumptions used in pricing the asset or liability into the following three levels:

•

Level 1: Observable inputs, such as quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets obtained from independent sources.

•

Level 2: Other inputs that are observable directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.

•

Level 3: Unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data and which require us to develop our own assumptions, based on the best information available in the circumstances, about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. See Note 7 for a discussion of assets measured at fair value using Level 3 inputs.

Our non-financial assets, such as goodwill, intangible assets and property and equipment are measured at fair value when there is an indicator of impairment and recorded at fair value only when an impairment charge is recognized. Such fair value measurements are based predominantly on Level 3 inputs. See Note 4 for discussion of goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges.

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue consists primarily of costs associated with compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) related to customer call centers, credit scoring fees, consumer incentive costs, and website network hosting and server fees.

Consumer Promotional Costs

We previously offered certain consumers that utilize our services promotional incentives to complete a transaction. These included gift certificates, airline miles or other coupons in the event a transaction was completed utilizing our services. This program was terminated in 2012. The liability was estimated for these consumer promotional costs each period based on the number of consumers that were presented such offers, the cost of the item being offered, the historical trends of consumers qualifying for the offer and our payout rates. The estimated costs of consumer promotional incentives were charged to cost of revenue in each period. Consumer promotional expense was $0.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2011. Consumer promotional costs accrued totaled $0.2 million at December 31, 2011, and are included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Product Development

Product development expense consists primarily of compensation and other employee-related costs (including stock-based compensation) for personnel engaged in the design, development, testing and enhancement of technology that are not capitalized.

Advertising

Advertising costs are expensed in the period incurred (when the advertisement first runs for production costs that are initially capitalized) and principally represent offline costs, including television, print and radio advertising, and online advertising costs, including fees paid to search engines and distribution partners. Advertising expense was $40.8 million and $40.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes under the liability method, and deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. In estimating future tax consequences, all expected future events are considered. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance is provided on deferred tax assets if it is determined that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax asset will not be realized. We record interest on potential tax contingencies as a component of income tax expense and record interest net of any applicable related income tax benefit. The Company reported a loss from continuing operations and income from discontinued operations during 2012. As a result, the Company has followed the accounting guidance prescribed in ASC 740-20-45-7 which provides an exception to the "with" and "without" approach to intraperiod tax allocation for determination of the amount of tax benefit to allocate to continuing operations in such circumstances.

In accordance with the accounting standard for uncertainty in income taxes, we recognize liabilities for uncertain tax positions based on the two-step process prescribed by the accounting standards. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the tax benefit as the largest amount which is more than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement.

Stock-Based Compensation

We record stock-based compensation in accordance with the accounting standard for share-based payments. See Note 3 for further information.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income consists of net income only. Total accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) is displayed as a separate component of stockholders' equity.

Accounting Estimates

Management is required to make certain estimates and assumptions during the preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. These estimates and assumptions impact the reported amount of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. They also impact the reported amount of net earnings during any period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Significant estimates underlying the accompanying consolidated financial statements, including discontinued operations, include: loan loss obligations; the recoverability of long-lived assets, goodwill and intangible assets; the determination of income taxes payable and deferred income taxes, including related valuation allowances; restructuring reserves; contingent consideration related to business combinations; various other allowances, reserves and accruals; and assumptions related to the determination of stock-based compensation.

Certain Risks and Concentrations

Our business is subject to certain risks and concentrations including dependence on third-party technology providers, exposure to risks associated with online commerce security and credit card fraud.

Financial instruments, which potentially subject us to concentration of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are in excess of Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits, but are maintained with quality financial institutions of high credit.

Due to the nature of the mortgage lending industry, interest rate increases may negatively impact future revenue from our lender network.

For the year ended December 31, 2012, one mortgage customer accounted for revenue representing 14% of total revenue and another mortgage customer accounted for 11% of total revenue. No customer accounted for more than 10% of total revenue for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Lenders participating on our lender network can offer their products directly to consumers through brokers, mass marketing campaigns or through other traditional methods of credit distribution. These lenders can also offer their products online, either directly to prospective borrowers, through one or more of our online competitors, or both. If a significant number of potential consumers are able to obtain loans from our participating lenders without utilizing our service, our ability to generate revenue may be limited. Because we do not have exclusive relationships with the lenders whose loan offerings are offered on our online marketplace, consumers may obtain offers and loans from these lenders without using our service.

We maintain operations solely in the United States.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011, the FASB issued amendments to the fair value accounting guidance. The amendments clarify the application of the highest and best use, and valuation premise concepts, preclude the application of blockage factors in the valuation of all financial instruments and include criteria for applying the fair value measurement principles to portfolios of financial instruments. The amendments additionally prescribe enhanced financial statement disclosures for Level 3 fair value measurements. The new amendments were effective on January 1, 2012. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. See Note 7 for further information.

In June 2011, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on the presentation of comprehensive income in financial statements. The new guidance requires entities to report components of comprehensive income in either a continuous statement of comprehensive income or two separate but consecutive statements. In December 2011, the FASB deferred certain provisions of this guidance pertaining to the presentation of reclassification adjustments. This new accounting guidance is effective for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In December 2011, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that requires additional disclosures on financial instruments and derivative instruments that are either offset in accordance with existing accounting guidance or are subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement. The new requirements do not change the accounting guidance on netting, but rather enhance the disclosures to more clearly show the impact of netting arrangements on a company's financial position. This new accounting guidance will be effective, on a retrospective basis for all comparative periods presented, beginning on January 1, 2013. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2012, the FASB issued new guidance which allows an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events and circumstances indicates that it is more likely than not that the indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. This assessment should be used as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment test. An entity would not be required to calculate the fair value of the intangible asset and perform the quantitative test unless the entity determines, based upon its qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying value. The update expands previous guidance by providing more examples of events and circumstances that an entity should consider in determining whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount. The update also allows an entity the option to bypass the qualitative assessment for any indefinite-lived intangible asset in any period and proceed directly to performing the quantitative impairment test. An entity will be able to resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after September 15, 2012, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-04, "Liabilities." ASU No. 2013-04 requires an entity to measure obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this guidance is fixed at the reporting date, as the sum of the amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among its co-obligors and any additional amount the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The guidance in this ASU also requires an entity to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information about those obligations. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013. We are currently evaluating the impact that the adoption will have on our consolidated financial statements in fiscal 2014.