SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

NOTE 2—SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Accounting Estimates

Management is required to make certain estimates and assumptions during the preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. 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: valuation allowance for impaired loans held for sale; loan loss obligations; the fair value of loans held for sale and related derivatives; 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.

Concentrations

One customer on our networks accounted for revenue representing 22% and 11% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2012, respectively. No customer accounted for more than 10% of revenue for the three or nine months ended September 30, 2011.

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):

	September 30, 2012		December 31, 2011
Cash in escrow for loan loss obligations	$	20,127	$	—
Cash in escrow for surety bonds	6,501		6,500
Cash in escrow for corporate purchasing card program	800		800
Minimum required balances for warehouse lines of credit	—		4,250
Other	1,997		901
Total restricted cash and cash equivalents	$	29,425	$	12,451

Cash in escrow for loan loss obligations includes $17.1 million held in escrow pursuant to the asset purchase agreement for the sale of substantially all of the operating assets of our LendingTree Loans business, pending the resolution of certain actual and/or contingent liabilities that remain with us following the closing of such sale, and $3.0 million is held by an investor that purchased loans from LendingTree Loans to secure potential loan loss obligations.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue principally represents match fees and closed-loan fees paid by lenders that received a transmitted loan request and/or closed a loan for a consumer that originated through one of our websites or affiliates. Revenue also includes match fees paid by institutions of higher education and businesses and professionals in the automobile, home services and insurance industries for a transmitted lead or service request. Match fees are recognized at the time qualification forms are transmitted. Closed-loan fees are recognized at the time the lender reports the closed loan to us, which may be several months after the loan request is transmitted. Revenue also includes fees paid by advertisers on our websites. In addition, during the nine months ended September 30, 2012, we recognized approximately $1.3 million of revenue from marketing-related services provided to Discover discussed above, which is recognized in the period the services are provided.

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 6 for further information.

In September 2011, the FASB issued the updated accounting standard on testing goodwill for impairment. The update simplifies how an entity tests goodwill for impairment. The amendments allow both public and nonpublic entities an option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative goodwill impairment test. Under that option, an entity no longer would be required to calculate the fair value of a reporting unit unless the entity determines, based on that qualitative assessment, that it is more likely than not that its fair value is less than its carrying amount. The amendments were effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. 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 is not expected to 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.