Note 5 - Discontinued Operations and Assets Held-for-sale

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]

Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Text Block]

5. Discontinued Operations and Assets Held-for-Sale:

Prior to the Company’s adoption of ASU 2014-08 on January 1, 2015, as further discussed in Footnote 1, operations of properties held-for-sale and assets sold during the period were classified as discontinued operations. The results of these discontinued operations are included as a separate component of income on the Consolidated Statements of Income under the caption “Discontinued operations”. This reporting has resulted in certain reclassifications of 2014 and 2013 financial statement amounts. Since adoption of ASU 2014-08 individual property dispositions no longer qualify as a discontinued operation under the new guidance unless the asset disposal represents a significant strategic shift.

The components of Income from discontinued operations for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2015, are shown below. These include the results of income through the date of each respective sale for properties sold during 2014 and 2013, and the operations for the applicable periods for those assets classified as held-for-sale as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 (in thousands):

	2015			2014			2013
Discontinued operations:
Revenues from rental property	$	124		$	71,906		$	129,315
Rental property expenses		(49	)		(16,657	)		(39,425	)
Depreciation and amortization		-			(15,019	)		(33,142	)
Provision for doubtful accounts		(57	)		(719	)		(2,971	)
Interest expense		-			(1,823	)		(1,371	)
Income from other real estate investments		-			680			720
Other expense, net		(12	)		(756	)		(880	)
Income from discontinued operating properties, before income taxes		6			37,612			52,246
Impairment of property carrying value, before income taxes (1)		(82	)		(178,048	)		(157,972	)
Gain on disposition of operating properties, before income taxes		-			203,271			48,731
Benefit/(provision) for income taxes		1			(11,850	)		8,462
(Loss)/income from discontinued operating properties		(75	)		50,985			(48,533	)
Net (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		-			(2,117	)		7,930
(Loss)/income from discontinued operations attributable to the Company	$	(75	)	$	48,868		$	(40,603	)

(1) The year ended December 31, 2014, includes $92.9 million related to the release of a cumulative foreign currency translation loss due to the Company’s substantial liquidation of its investment in Mexico.

During 2014, the Company classified as held-for-sale 35 operating properties. The aggregate book value of these properties was $239.9 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $76.5 million. The Company recognized impairment charges on 11 of these properties aggregating $56.2 million. The book value of the remaining other 24 properties did not exceed their estimated fair value, less costs to sell, and as such no impairment charges were recognized. The Company’s determination of the fair value for each property, aggregating $316.5 million, was based upon executed contracts of sale with third parties (see Footnote 15). The Company completed the sale of the 35 held-for-sale operating properties during 2014 (these dispositions are included in Footnote 4 above). At December 31, 2014, the Company had no operating properties classified as held-for-sale.

During 2013, the Company classified as held-for-sale 19 operating properties.  The aggregate book value of these properties was $178.4 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $19.2 million.   The Company recognized impairment charges of $25.2 million, after income taxes, on eight of these properties. The book value of the other properties did not exceed their estimated fair value, less costs to sell, and as such no impairment charges were recognized. The Company’s determination of the fair value for each property, aggregating $158.6 million, was based upon executed contracts of sale with third parties (see Footnote 15).   In addition, the Company completed the sale of 15 held-for-sale operating properties during the year ended December 31, 2013, one of which was classified as held-for-sale during 2012 (these dispositions are included in Footnote 4 above).  At December 31, 2013, the Company had five remaining operating properties classified as held-for-sale at a carrying amount of $70.3 million, net of accumulated depreciation of $8.1 million, which were included in Other assets on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company completed the sale of the five remaining properties during 2014.