BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company consolidate the accounts of the Company and all entities that are controlled by the Company’s ownership of a majority voting interest in such entities, as well as variable interest entities for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

We prepare our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). Accordingly, the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring items) considered necessary for a fair presentation in accordance with GAAP have been included. Results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 may not be indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year of 2018. For further information, please read the Consolidated Financial Statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Investment in Hotel Properties

The Company allocates the purchase price of acquired hotel properties based on the fair value of the acquired land, land improvements, building, furniture, fixtures and equipment, identifiable intangible assets or liabilities, other assets and assumed liabilities. Intangible assets may include certain value associated with the on-going operations of the hotel business being acquired as part of the hotel property acquisition. We determine the acquisition-date fair values of all assets and assumed liabilities using methods similar to those used by independent appraisers, including using a discounted cash flow analysis that uses appropriate discount or capitalization rates and available market information. Estimates of future cash flows are based on a number of factors including historical operating results, known and anticipated trends, and market and economic conditions.

If substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets, the asset or asset group is not considered a business. When we conclude that an acquisition meets this threshold, acquisition costs will be capitalized as part of our allocation of the purchase price of the acquired hotel properties.

Our hotel properties and related assets are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation. We capitalize hotel development costs and the costs of significant additions and improvements that materially upgrade, increase the value or extend the useful life of the property. These costs may include hotel development, refurbishment, renovation, and remodeling expenditures, as well as certain indirect internal costs related to construction projects. If an asset requires a period of time in which to carry out the activities necessary to bring it to the condition necessary for its intended use, the interest cost incurred during that period as a result of expenditures for the asset is capitalized as part of the cost of the asset. We expense the cost of repairs and maintenance as incurred.

We monitor events and changes in circumstances for indicators that the carrying value of a hotel property or land held for development may be impaired. Additionally, we perform at least annual reviews to monitor the factors that could trigger an impairment. Factors that we consider for an impairment analysis include, among others: i) significant underperformance relative to historical or anticipated operating results, ii) significant changes in the manner of use of a property or the strategy of our overall business, including changes in the estimated holding periods for hotel properties and land parcels, iii) a significant increase in competition, iv) a significant adverse change in legal factors or regulations, and v) significant negative industry or economic trends. When such factors are identified, we prepare an estimate of the undiscounted future cash flows of the specific property and determine if the carrying amount of the asset is recoverable. If an impairment is identified, we estimate the fair value of the property based on discounted cash flows or sales price if the property is under contract and an adjustment is made to reduce the carrying value of the property to its estimated fair value.

In certain circumstances, we provide loan financing to developers of hotel properties for development projects. We record these loans as Investment in real estate loans, net unless we determine that we are the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity through the loan provisions or other agreements. If we are the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity, then the loan is recorded in Investment in hotel properties under development in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. If classified as Investment in hotel properties under development, no interest income is recognized on the loan and interest expense is capitalized as part of our investment in the hotel property during the construction period.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. At times, cash on deposit may exceed the federally insured limit. We maintain our cash with high credit quality financial institutions.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of certain funds maintained in escrow for property taxes, insurance, and certain capital expenditures. Funds may be disbursed from the account upon proof of expenditures and approval from the lender or other party requiring the restricted cash reserves.

On January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash. As a result, we report changes in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash on our Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

Revenue Recognition

On January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In accordance with ASU No. 2014-09, revenues from the operation of our hotels are recognized when guestrooms are occupied, services have been rendered or fees have been earned. Revenues are recorded net of any discounts and sales and other taxes collected from customers. Revenues consist of room sales, food and beverage sales, and other hotel revenues and are presented on a disaggregated basis on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Room revenue is generated through short-term contracts with customers whereby customers agree to pay a daily rate for the right to occupy hotel rooms for one or more nights. Our performance obligations are fulfilled at the end of each night that the customers have the right to occupy the rooms. Room revenues are recognized daily at the contracted room rate in effect for each room night.

Food and beverage revenues are generated when customers purchase food and beverage at a hotel's restaurant, bar or other facilities. Our performance obligations are fulfilled at the time that food and beverage is purchased and provided to our customers.

Other revenues such as for parking, meeting space or telephone services are recognized at the point in time or over the time period that the associated good or service is provided. Ancillary services such as parking at certain hotels are provided by third parties and we assesses whether we are the principal or agent in such arrangements. If we are determined to be the agent, revenue is recognized based upon the commission paid to us by the third party for the services rendered to our customers. If we are determined to be the principal, revenues are recognized based upon the gross contract price of the service provided. Certain of our hotels have retail spaces, restaurants or other spaces that we lease to third parties. Lease revenues are recognized on a straight line basis over the respective lease terms and are included in Other income on our Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Cash received prior to customer arrival is recorded as an advance deposit from the customer and is recognized as revenue at the time of occupancy.

Equity-Based Compensation

Our 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, which was amended and restated effective June 15, 2015 (as amended, the “Equity Plan”), provides for the grant of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalent rights, and other stock-based awards. We account for the stock options granted upon completion of our IPO at fair value using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model and we account for all other awards of equity, including time-based and performance-based stock awards, using the grant date fair value of those equity awards. Restricted stock awards with performance-based vesting conditions are market-based awards tied to total stockholder return and are valued using a Monte Carlo simulation model in accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation. We expense the fair value of awards under the Equity Plan ratably over the vesting period and market-based awards are not adjusted for performance. The amount of stock-based compensation expense may be subject to adjustment in future periods due to a change in forfeiture assumptions or modification of previously granted awards.

On January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. As such, we account for certain changes to share-based payment awards using modification accounting, which may result in incremental stock-based compensation expense based on the remeasurement of the award on the modification date.

Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging

We use interest rate derivatives to hedge our risks on variable-rate debt. Interest rate derivatives could include swaps, caps and floors. We assess the effectiveness of each hedging relationship by comparing changes in fair value or cash flows of the derivative financial instrument with the changes in fair value or cash flows of the designated hedged item or transaction. All derivative financial instruments are recorded at fair value as a net asset or liability in our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

During 2017, we adopted ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. Accordingly, beginning in 2017, the change in the fair value of the hedging instruments is recorded in Other comprehensive income. Amounts deferred in Other comprehensive income will be reclassified to Interest expense in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations in the period in which the hedged item affects earnings.

Income Taxes

We have elected to be taxed as a REIT under certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. To qualify as a REIT, we must meet certain organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement to distribute annually to our stockholders at least 90% of our REIT taxable income, determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid and excluding net capital gains, which does not necessarily equal net income as calculated in accordance with GAAP. As a REIT, we generally will not be subject to federal income tax (other than taxes paid by our TRS at regular corporate income tax rates) to the extent we distribute 100% of our REIT taxable income to our stockholders. If we fail to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, we will be subject to federal income tax on our taxable income at regular corporate income tax rates and generally will be unable to re-elect REIT status until the fifth calendar year after the year in which we failed to qualify as a REIT, unless we satisfy certain relief provisions.

Fair Value Measurement

air Value Measurement

Fair value measures are classified into a three-tiered fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows:



Level 1:		Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets.
Level 2:		Directly or indirectly observable inputs, other than quoted prices in active markets.
Level 3:		Unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market information, which require a reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are based on one or more of the following valuation techniques:



Market approach:		Prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets or liabilities.
Cost approach:		Amount required to replace the service capacity of an asset (replacement cost).
Income approach:		Techniques used to convert future amounts to a single amount based on market expectations (including present-value, option-pricing, and excess-earnings models).

Our estimates of fair value were determined using available market information and appropriate valuation methods. Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret market data and develop estimated fair value. The use of different market assumptions or estimation methods may have a material effect on the estimated fair value amounts. We classify assets and liabilities in the fair value hierarchy based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

On January 1, 2018, we adopted ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10):

Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. Accordingly, we have elected a measurement alternative for equity investments, such as our purchase options, that do not have readily determinable fair values. Under the alternative, our purchase options are measured at cost, less any impairment, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for an identical or similar investment of the same issuer, if any.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts reported in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations in previous periods have been disaggregated and reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Revenues have been disaggregated into Rooms, Food and beverage, and Other. Direct and Indirect expense has been reclassified into Room, Food and beverage, and Other hotel operating expenses. Property taxes, insurance and other, and Management expenses are also separately reported.

We have also reclassified certain intangible assets related to our acquisitions of hotel properties from Other assets to Investment in hotel properties, net, on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. See "Note 3 - Investment in Hotel Properties, net" for further details.

These reclassifications, made at September 30, 2018 and for the three and nine months then ended, had no net effect on the previously reported financial position or results of operations.

New Accounting Standards

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which enhances the reporting requirements for the measurement of financial instruments and requires equity securities to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through net income for the period. We adopted ASU No. 2016-01 for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2018. The adoption of ASU No. 2016-01 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or our results of operations.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which changes lessee accounting to reflect the financial liability and right-of-use assets that are inherent to leasing an asset on the balance sheet. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2019, but early adoption is permitted. We anticipate that we will adopt ASU No. 2016-02 for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2019. We expect to apply the modified retrospective approach such that we will account for leases that commenced before the effective date of ASU No. 2016-02 in accordance with previous GAAP unless the lease is modified, except we will recognize right-of-use assets and a lease liability for all operating leases at each reporting date based on the present value of the remaining minimum rental payments that were tracked and disclosed under previous GAAP. We are currently in the process of analyzing our leases. We expect that the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 will result in the recognition of right-of-use assets and related lease liability accounts on the consolidated balance sheet but is not expected to have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or our results of operations.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which addresses the Statement of Cash Flows classification and presentation of certain cash transactions. We adopted ASU No. 2016-15 for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2018. The effect of this amendment has been applied retrospectively. The adoption of ASU No. 2016-15 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or our results of operations.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which clarifies how companies should present restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the Statement of Cash Flows. This guidance requires companies to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the Statement of Cash Flows. We retrospectively adopted ASU No. 2016-18 for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2018. The adoption of ASU No. 2016-18 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or our results of operations.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, to provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in accordance with ASC No. 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. We adopted ASC No. 2017-09 for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2018. This guidance is to be applied prospectively to an award modified on or after the adoption date. We applied the requirements of ASU No. 2017-09 to the modification of certain stock awards as described in "Note 9 - Equity-Based Compensation."

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-03, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which clarifies how an entity should measure certain equity securities. ASU 2018-03 is effective for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2019, but we have early adopted ASU No. 2018-03 for our fiscal year commencing on January 1, 2018. The adoption of ASU No. 2018-03 did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.