Recently Issued Accounting Literature (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

The accompanying consolidated financial statements are unaudited and include the accounts of Vornado and the Operating Partnership and their consolidated subsidiaries. All inter-company amounts have been eliminated and all adjustments (which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and changes in cash flows have been made. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted. These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, as filed with the SEC.

We have made estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year.

Certain prior year balances have been reclassified in order to conform to the current period presentation. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, "property rentals" of $437,560,000 and $1,322,265,000, respectively, and "tenant expense reimbursements" of $66,387,000 and $185,009,000, respectively, were grouped into "rental revenues" on our consolidated statements of income in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 205, Presentation of Financial Statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Literature

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an update (“ASU 2016-02”) establishing ASC Topic 842, Leases ("ASC 842"), as amended by subsequent ASUs on the topic, which sets out the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both lessees and lessors. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to apply a two-method approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase. Lessees are required to record a right-of-use ("ROU") asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months. Lease liabilities equal the present value of future lease payments. Right-of-use assets equal the lease liabilities adjusted for accrued rent expense, initial direct costs, lease incentives and prepaid lease payments. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to the previously existing lease guidance under ASC Topic 840, Leases ("ASC 840"). Lease expense is recognized based on the effective interest method for finance leases or on a straight-line basis for operating leases. The accounting applied by the lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under ASC 840. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2019. We have completed our evaluation of the overall impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 on our consolidated financial statements and accounting policies. In transitioning to ASC 842, we elected to use the practical expedient package available to us and did not elect to use hindsight. As of January 1, 2019, we had 12 ground leases classified as operating leases, for which we were required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability equal to the present value of the future lease payments. We will continue to recognize expense on a straight-line basis for these leases. We recorded an aggregate of $526,866,000 of ROU assets and a corresponding $526,866,000 of lease liabilities as a result of the adoption of this standard (see Note 21 - Leases).


3.	Recently Issued Accounting Literature - continued

Under ASU 2016-02, initial direct costs for both lessees and lessors would include only those costs that are incremental to the arrangement and would not have been incurred if the lease had not been obtained. As a result, beginning January 1, 2019, we no longer capitalize internal leasing costs and instead expense these costs as incurred, as a component of "general and administrative" expense on our consolidated statements of income. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, we capitalized $1,444,000 and $3,883,000, respectively, of internal leasing costs. In addition, we have made changes to our provision policy for lease receivables. Under ASC 842, we must assess on an individual lease basis whether it is probable that we will collect the future lease payments. We consider the tenant's payment history and current credit status when assessing collectability. When collectability is not deemed probable we write-off the tenant's receivables, including straight-line rent receivable, and limit lease income to cash received. Changes to the collectability of our operating leases are recorded as adjustments to "rental revenues" on our consolidated statements of income, which resulted in a decrease in income of $1,106,000 and $16,488,000 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, respectively.

In February 2016, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2016-13”) Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments establishing ASC Topic 326, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses, as amended by subsequent ASUs on the topic. ASU 2016-13 changes how entities will account for credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. The guidance replaces the current “incurred loss” model with an “expected loss” model that requires consideration of a broader range of information to estimate expected credit losses over the lifetime of the financial asset. ASU 2016-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-13 on our consolidated financial statements, but do not believe the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued an update (“ASU 2018-13”) Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement to ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement (“ASC 820”). ASU 2018-13 modifies the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements by removing, modifying, and/or adding certain disclosures. ASU 2018-13 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. We elected to early adopt ASU 2018-13 effective January 1, 2019. The adoption of this update did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In October 2018, the FASB issued an update ("ASU 2018-16") Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes to ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging. ASU 2018-16 expands the list of U.S. benchmark interest rates permitted in the application of hedge accounting by adding the OIS rate based on SOFR as an eligible benchmark interest rate. ASU 2018-16 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. We adopted this update effective January 1, 2019. The adoption of this update did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Revenue

Our revenues primarily consist of rental revenues and fee and other income. We operate in two reportable segments: New York and Other, with a significant portion of our revenues included in the New York segment. We have the following revenue sources and revenue recognition policies:


•	Rental revenues include revenues from the leasing of space at our properties to tenants, lease termination income, revenues from the Hotel Pennsylvania, trade shows and tenant services.

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Revenues from the leasing of space at our properties to tenants includes (i) lease components, including fixed and variable lease payments, and nonlease components which include reimbursement of common area maintenance expenses, and (ii) reimbursement of real estate taxes and insurance expenses. As lessor, we have elected to combine the lease and nonlease components of our operating lease agreements and account for the components as a single lease component in accordance with ASC 842. Lease revenues and reimbursement of common area maintenance, real estate taxes and insurance are presented on the following page as "property rentals." Revenues derived from fixed lease payments are recognized on a straight-line basis over the non-cancelable period of the lease, together with renewal options that are reasonably certain of being exercised. We commence rental revenue recognition when the underlying asset is available for use by the lessee. Revenue derived from the reimbursement of real estate taxes, insurance expenses and common area maintenance expenses are generally recognized in the same period as the related expenses are incurred.


◦	Lease termination income is recognized immediately if a tenant vacates or is recognized on a straight-line basis over the shortened remaining lease term in accordance with ASC 842.


◦	Hotel revenue arising from the operation of Hotel Pennsylvania consists of room revenue, food and beverage revenue, and banquet revenue. Room revenue is recognized when the rooms are made available for the guest, in accordance with ASC 842.


◦	Trade shows revenue arising from the operation of trade shows is primarily booth rentals. This revenue is recognized upon the occurrence of the trade shows when the trade show booths are made available for use by the exhibitors, in accordance with ASC 842.


◦	Tenant services revenue arises from sub-metered electric, elevator, trash removal and other services provided to tenants at their request. This revenue is recognized as the services are transferred in accordance with ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606").

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Fee and other income includes management, leasing and other revenue arising from contractual agreements with third parties or with partially owned entities and includes Building Maintenance Service (“BMS”) cleaning, engineering and security services. This revenue is recognized as the services are transferred in accordance with ASC 606.

Real Estate Fund Investments

The Fund is accounted for under ASC Topic 946, Financial Services – Investment Companies (“ASC 946”) and its investments are reported on its balance sheet at fair value, with changes in value each period recognized in earnings. We consolidate the accounts of the Fund into our consolidated financial statements, retaining the fair value basis of accounting.

We are also the general partner and investment manager of the Crowne Plaza Times Square Hotel Joint Venture (the “Crowne Plaza Joint Venture”) and own a 57.1% interest in the joint venture which owns the 24.7% interest in the Crowne Plaza Times Square Hotel not owned by the Fund. The Crowne Plaza Joint Venture is also accounted for under ASC 946 and we consolidate the accounts of the joint venture into our consolidated financial statements, retaining the fair value basis of accounting.

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests

Redeemable noncontrolling interests on Vornado’s consolidated balance sheets and redeemable partnership units on the consolidated balance sheets of the Operating Partnership are primarily comprised of Class A Operating Partnership units held by third parties and are recorded at the greater of their carrying amount or redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Changes in the value from period to period are charged to “additional capital” in Vornado’s consolidated statements of changes in equity and to “partners’ capital” on the consolidated balance sheets of the Operating Partnership.

Redeemable noncontrolling interests/redeemable partnership units exclude our Series G-1 through G-4 convertible preferred units and Series D-13 cumulative redeemable preferred units, as they are accounted for as liabilities in accordance with ASC Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities and Equity, because of their possible settlement by issuing a variable number of Vornado common shares.

Fair Value Measurement

ASC 820 defines fair value and establishes a framework for measuring fair value. The objective of fair value is to determine the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (the exit price). ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs used to measure fair value into three levels: Level 1 – quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for assets or liabilities; Level 2 – observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted in active markets, but corroborated by market data; and Level 3 – unobservable inputs that are used when little or no market data is available. The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to Level 1 inputs and the lowest priority to Level 3 inputs. In determining fair value, we utilize valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs to the extent possible, as well as consider counterparty credit risk in our assessment of fair value. Considerable judgment is necessary to interpret Level 2 and 3 inputs in determining the fair value of our financial and non-financial assets and liabilities. Accordingly, our fair value estimates, which are made at the end of each reporting period, may be different than the amounts that may ultimately be realized upon sale or disposition of these assets.