Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

For a detailed discussion about Newmark’s significant accounting policies, see Note 3 — “Summary of Significant Accounting Policies,” in Newmark’s consolidated financial statements included in Part II, Item 8 of Newmark’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. There were no significant changes made to Newmark’s significant accounting policies during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022.

Revenue Recognition:

Management Services, Servicing Fees and Other:

Management services revenues include property management, facilities management, project management and valuation and appraisal. Management fees are recognized at the time the related services have been performed, unless future contingencies exist. This also includes revenue from the licensing of flexible workspaces to its customers by Knotel and Deskeo. In addition, in regard to management and facility service contracts, the owner of the property will typically reimburse Newmark for certain expenses that are incurred on behalf of the owner, which comprise primarily on-site employee salaries and related benefit costs. The amounts which are to be reimbursed per the terms of the services contract are recognized as revenue in the same period as the related expenses are incurred. In certain instances, Newmark subcontracts property management services to independent property managers, in which case Newmark passes a portion of its property management fee on to the subcontractor, and Newmark retains the balance. Accordingly, Newmark records these fees gross of the amounts paid to subcontractors, and the amounts paid to subcontractors are recognized as expenses in the same period.

Newmark also uses third party service providers in the provision of its services to customers. In instances where a third-party service provider is used, Newmark performs an analysis to determine whether it is acting as a principal or an agent with respect to the services provided. To the extent that Newmark determines that it is acting as a principal, the revenue and the expenses incurred are recorded on a gross basis. In instances where Newmark has determined that it is acting as an agent, the revenue and expenses are presented on a net basis within the revenue line item.

In some instances, Newmark performs services for customers and incurs out-of-pocket expenses as part of delivering those services. Newmark’s customers agree to reimburse Newmark for those expenses, and those reimbursements are part of the contract’s transaction price. Consequently, these expenses and the reimbursements of such expenses from the customer are presented on a gross basis because the services giving rise to the out-of-pocket expenses do not transfer a good or service. The reimbursements are included in the transaction price when the costs are incurred, and the reimbursements are due from the

customer.

Servicing fees are earned for servicing mortgage loans and are recognized on an accrual basis over the lives of the related mortgage loans. Also included in servicing fees are the fees earned on prepayments, interest and placement fees on borrowers’ escrow accounts and other ancillary fees. Other revenues include interest income on warehouse notes receivable.

Leasing and Other Commissions:

Commissions from real estate lease brokerage transactions are typically recognized at a point in time on the date the lease is signed, if deemed not subject to significant reversal. The date the lease is signed represents the transfer of control and satisfaction of the performance obligation as the tenant has been secured. Commission payments may be due entirely upon lease execution or may be paid in installments upon the resolution of a future contingency (e.g. tenant move-in or payment of first month’s rent).

Investment Sales

Investment sales revenue from real estate sales brokerage transactions are recognized at the time the service has been provided and the commission becomes legally due, except when future contingencies exist. In most cases, close of escrow or transfer of title is a future contingency, and revenue recognition is deferred until all contingencies are satisfied.

Commercial Mortgage Origination, net:

Fair value of expected net future cash flows from servicing and loan originations and related fees and sales premiums, net, are recognized when a derivative asset or liability is recorded upon the commitment to originate a loan with a borrower and sell the loan to an investor. The derivative is recorded at fair value and includes loan origination fees, sales premiums, and the estimated fair value of the expected net servicing cash flows. The revenue is recognized net of related fees and commissions to third-party brokers. Mortgage brokerage and debt placement revenue is earned and recognized when the sale of a property closes, and title passes from seller to buyer.

Current Expected Credit Losses ("CECL"):

The accounting policy changes described below were updated pursuant to the adoption of ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326)—Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments and related amendments on January 1, 2020. These policy updates have been applied using the modified retrospective approach in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements from January 1, 2020 onward. Financial information for the historical comparable periods was not revised and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect during those historical periods. In accordance with the guidance in ASC Topic 326, Newmark presents its financial assets that are measured at amortized cost, net of an allowance for credit losses, which represents the amount expected to be collected over their estimated life. Expected credit losses for newly recognized financial assets carried at amortized cost and credit exposures on off-balance sheet financial guarantees, as well as changes to expected lifetime credit losses during the period, are recognized in earnings. The CECL methodology represents a significant change from prior U.S. GAAP and replaced the prior multiple impairment methods, which generally required that a loss be incurred before it was recognized. Within the life cycle of a loan or other financial asset in scope, the CECL methodology generally results in the earlier recognition of the provision for credit losses and the related allowance for credit losses than under prior U.S. GAAP. The CECL methodology’s impact on expected credit losses, among other things, reflects Newmark’s view of the current state of the economy, forecasted macroeconomic conditions and Newmark’s portfolios.

Financial guarantee liability:

Newmark's adoption of ASC 326 impacted the expected credit loss reserving methodology for the financial guarantee liability provided to Fannie Mae under the Delegated Underwriting and Servicing (“DUS”) Program and Freddie Mac’s Targeted Affordable Housing Program (“TAH”). The expected credit loss is modeled based on Newmark's historical loss experience adjusted to reflect current economic conditions. A significant amount of judgment is required in the determination of the appropriate reasonable and supportable period, the methodology used to incorporate current and future macroeconomic conditions, determination of the probability of and exposure at default or non-payment, current delinquency status, loan size, terms, amortization types, and the forward-looking view of the primary risk drivers (debt-service coverage ratio and loan-to-value), all of which are ultimately used in measuring the quantitative components of the reserve. Beyond the reasonable and supportable period, Newmark estimates expected credit losses using its historical loss rates. In addition, Newmark reviews the reserves periodically and makes adjustments for certain external and internal qualitative factors, which may increase or decrease the reserves for credit losses. In order to estimate credit losses, assumptions about current and future economic conditions are incorporated into the model using multiple economic scenarios that are weighted to reflect the conditions at each measurement date. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, there was an increase in the CECL related provision of $0.7 million and $0.6 million, respectively. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, there was a reduction in the CECL related provision of $1.1 million and $5.2 million, respectively. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, respectively, the balance of the financial guarantee liabilities was $26.6 million and $26.0 million, and is included in “Other long-term liabilities” on the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Receivables, net:

Newmark has accrued commissions receivable from real estate brokerage transactions, management services and other receivables from contractual management assignments. Receivables are presented net of the CECL allowance as discussed above and are included in “Receivables, net” on the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. For its CECL reserve, Newmark segregated its receivables into certain pools based on similar risk characteristics and further defined a range of potential loss rates for each pool based on aging. Newmark designed its methodology to allow for a range of loss rates in each pool such that changes in forward-looking conditions can be incorporated into the estimate. Each pool is assigned a loss rate that incorporates management’s view of current conditions and forward-looking conditions that inform the level of expected credit losses in each pool. The credit loss estimate includes specifically identified amounts for which payment has become unlikely. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, there was an increase in the CECL related provision of $0.9 million and $5.5 million, respectively. During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, there was an increase in the CECL related provision of $0.5 million and $4.6 million, respectively. The balance of the reserve was $22.0 million and $16.7 million, respectively, as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021 and is included in "Receivables, net" on the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Loans, Forgivable Loans and Other Receivables from Employees and Partners, net:

Newmark has entered into various agreements with certain of its employees and partners, whereby these individuals receive loans which may be either wholly or in part repaid from the distribution earnings that the individual receives on some or all of their limited partnership units or may be forgiven over a period of time. The forgivable portion of these loans is not included in Newmark’s estimate of expected credit losses when employees meet the conditions for forgiveness through their continued employment over the specified time period and is recognized as compensation expense over the life of the loan. The amounts due from terminated employees that Newmark does not expect to collect are included in the allowance for credit losses. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the balance of this reserve was $3.8 million, and is included in “Loans, forgivable loans and other receivables from employees and partners, net” on the accompanying unaudited condensed

consolidated balance sheets.

From time to time, Newmark may also enter into agreements with employees and partners to grant bonus and salary advances or other types of loans. These advances and loans are repayable in the time frame outlined in the underlying agreements. Newmark reviews loan balances each reporting period for collectability. If Newmark determines that the collectability of a portion of the loan balances is not expected, Newmark recognizes a reserve against the loan balances as compensation expense.

Reclassifications:

The Company has made reclassifications to prior period balances to conform to current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the reported results of operations. Beginning with the period ended March 31, 2022, the Company adjusted the revenue presentation in the unaudited condensed consolidated statement of operations. "Gains from mortgage banking activities/origination, net" has been combined with mortgage brokerage revenues as "Commercial mortgage origination, net", while "Investment sales" is a stand-alone line-item. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, $43.3 million and $105.7 million, respectively, was reclassified from "Commissions" to "Commercial mortgage origination, net."

Segment:

Newmark has a single operating segment. Newmark is a real estate services firm offering services to commercial real estate tenants, investors, owners, occupiers, developers, leasing and corporate advisory, investment sales and real estate finance, consulting, origination and servicing of commercial mortgage loans, valuation, project and development management and property and facility management. The chief operating decision-maker regardless of geographic location evaluates the operating results of Newmark as total real estate services and allocates resources accordingly. Newmark recognized revenues as follows (in thousands):


	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2022		2021		2022		2021
Management services, servicing fees and other	$	222,379	$	244,469	$	689,183	$	651,729
Leasing and other commissions	219,903		231,532		631,681		563,311
Investment sales	131,731		208,786		492,898		452,565
Commercial mortgage origination, net	90,633		103,338		284,483		254,372
Revenues	$	664,646	$	788,125	$	2,098,245	$	1,921,977