Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:

Basis of Presentation:

These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") in the United States of America.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company. Investments in entities in which the Company has a controlling financial interest or entities that meet the definition of a variable interest entity ("VIE") in which the Company has, as a result of ownership, contractual or other financial interests, both the power to direct activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE are consolidated; otherwise they are accounted for under the equity method of accounting and are reflected as investments in unconsolidated joint ventures.

The Company's sole significant asset is its investment in the Operating Partnership and as a result, substantially all of the Company's assets and liabilities represent the assets and liabilities of the Operating Partnership. In addition, the Operating Partnership has investments in a number of VIEs.

The Operating Partnership's VIEs included the following assets and liabilities:

	December 31,
	2019		2018
Assets:
Property, net	$	254,071	$	263,511
Other assets	30,049		23,001
Total assets	$	284,120	$	286,512
Liabilities:
Mortgage notes payable	$	219,140	$	125,273
Other liabilities	32,101		32,503
Total liabilities	$	251,241	$	157,776

All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.

Basis of Presentation: (Continued)

The following table presents a reconciliation of the beginning of period and end of period cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash reported on the Company's consolidated balance sheets to the totals shown on its consolidated statements of cash flows:

	2019		2018		2017
Beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents	$	102,711	$	91,038	$	94,046
Restricted cash	46,590		52,067		49,951
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	149,301	$	143,105	$	143,997
End of period
Cash and cash equivalents	$	100,005	$	102,711	$	91,038
Restricted cash	14,211		46,590		52,067
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	114,216	$	149,301	$	143,105

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash:

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents, for which cost approximates fair value. Restricted cash includes impounds of property taxes and other capital reserves required under loan and other agreements.

Revenues:

Leasing revenue includes minimum rents, percentage rents, tenant recoveries and other leasing income. Minimum rental revenues are recognized on a straight-line basis over the terms of the related leases. The difference between the amount of rent due in a year and the amount recorded as rental income is referred to as the "straight-line rent adjustment." Minimum rents were increased by $10,533, $11,755 and $8,597 due to the straight-line rent adjustment during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Percentage rents are recognized and accrued when tenants' specified sales targets have been met. Estimated recoveries from certain tenants for their pro rata share of real estate taxes, insurance and other shopping center operating expenses are recognized as revenues in the period the applicable expenses are incurred. Other tenants pay a fixed rate and these tenant recoveries are recognized as revenues on a straight-line basis over the term of the related leases.

The Management Companies provide property management, leasing, corporate, development, redevelopment and acquisition services to affiliated and non-affiliated shopping centers. In consideration for these services, the Management Companies receive monthly management fees generally ranging from 1.5% to 4% of the gross monthly rental revenue of the properties managed.

Property:

Maintenance and repair expenses are charged to operations as incurred. Costs for major replacements and betterments, which includes HVAC equipment, roofs, parking lots, etc., are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Gains and losses are recognized upon disposal or retirement of the related assets and are reflected in earnings.

Property is recorded at cost and is depreciated using a straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

Buildings and improvements	5 - 40 years
Tenant improvements	5 - 7 years
Equipment and furnishings	5 - 7 years

Capitalization of Costs:

The Company capitalizes costs incurred in redevelopment, development, renovation and improvement of properties. The capitalized costs include pre-construction costs essential to the development of the property, development costs, construction costs, interest costs, real estate taxes, salaries and related costs and other costs incurred during the period of development. These capitalized costs include direct and certain indirect costs clearly associated with the project. Indirect costs include real estate taxes, insurance and certain shared administrative costs. In assessing the amounts of direct and indirect costs to be capitalized, allocations are made to projects based on estimates of the actual amount of time spent on each activity. Indirect costs not clearly associated with specific projects are expensed as period costs. Capitalized indirect costs are allocated to development and redevelopment activities based on the square footage of the portion of the building not held available for immediate occupancy. If costs and activities incurred to ready the vacant space cease, then cost capitalization is also discontinued until such activities are resumed. Once work has been completed on a vacant space, project costs are no longer capitalized. For projects with extended lease-up periods, the Company ends the capitalization when significant activities have ceased, which does not exceed the shorter of a one-year period after the completion of the building shell or when the construction is substantially complete.

Investment in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures:

The Company accounts for its investments in joint ventures using the equity method of accounting unless the Company has a controlling financial interest in the joint venture or the joint venture meets the definition of a variable interest entity in which the Company is the primary beneficiary through both its power to direct activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the variable interest entity and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the variable interest entity. Although the Company has a greater than 50% interest in Corte Madera Village, LLC, Macerich HHF Centers LLC, New River Associates LLC and Pacific Premier Retail LLC, the Company does not have controlling financial interests in these joint ventures due to the substantive participation rights of the outside partners in these joint ventures and, therefore, accounts for its investments in these joint ventures using the equity method of accounting.

Equity method investments are initially recorded on the balance sheet at cost and are subsequently adjusted to reflect the Company’s proportionate share of net earnings and losses, distributions received, additional contributions and certain other adjustments, as appropriate. The Company separately reports investments in joint ventures when accumulated distributions have exceeded the Company’s investment, as distributions in excess of investments in unconsolidated joint ventures. The net investment of certain joint ventures is less than zero because of financing or operating distributions that are usually greater than net income, as net income includes charges for depreciation and amortization.

Acquisitions:

The Company allocates the estimated fair value of acquisitions to land, building, tenant improvements and identified intangible assets and liabilities, based on their estimated fair values. In addition, any assumed mortgage notes payable are recorded at their estimated fair values. The estimated fair value of the land and buildings is determined utilizing an “as if vacant” methodology. Tenant improvements represent the tangible assets associated with the existing leases valued on a fair value basis at the acquisition date prorated over the remaining lease terms. The tenant improvements are classified as an asset under property and are depreciated over the remaining lease terms. Identifiable intangible assets and liabilities relate to the value of in-place operating leases which come in three forms: (i) leasing commissions and legal costs, which represent the value associated with “cost avoidance” of acquiring in-place leases, such as lease commissions paid under terms generally experienced in the Company's markets; (ii) value of in-place leases, which represents the estimated loss of revenue and of costs incurred for the period required to lease the “assumed vacant” property to the occupancy level when purchased; and (iii) above or below-market value of in-place leases, which represents the difference between the contractual rents and market rents at the time of the acquisition, discounted for tenant credit risks. Leasing commissions and legal costs are recorded in deferred charges and other assets and are amortized over the remaining lease terms. The value of in-place leases are recorded in deferred charges and other assets and amortized over the remaining lease terms plus any below-market fixed rate renewal options. Above or below-market leases are classified in deferred charges and other assets or in other accrued liabilities, depending on whether the contractual terms are above or below-market, and the asset or liability is amortized to minimum rents over the remaining terms of the leases. The remaining lease terms of below-market leases may include certain below-market fixed-rate renewal periods. In considering whether or not a lessee will execute a below-market fixed-rate lease renewal option, the Company evaluates

Acquisitions: (Continued)

economic factors and certain qualitative factors at the time of acquisition such as tenant mix in the Center, the Company's relationship with the tenant and the availability of competing tenant space. The initial allocation of purchase price is based on management's preliminary assessment, which may change when final information becomes available. Subsequent adjustments made to the initial purchase price allocation are made within the allocation period, which does not exceed one year. The purchase price allocation is described as preliminary if it is not yet final. The use of different assumptions in the allocation of the purchase price of the acquired assets and liabilities assumed could affect the timing of recognition of the related revenues and expenses.

The Company immediately expenses costs associated with business combinations as period costs and capitalizes costs associated with asset acquisitions.

Remeasurement gains are recognized when the Company obtains control of an existing equity method investment to the extent that the fair value of the existing equity investment exceeds the carrying value of the investment.

Deferred Charges:

Costs relating to obtaining tenant leases are deferred and amortized over the initial term of the lease agreement using the straight-line method. As these deferred leasing costs represent productive assets incurred in connection with the Company's leasing arrangements at the Centers, the related cash flows are classified as investing activities within the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Costs relating to financing of shopping center properties are deferred and amortized over the life of the related loan using the straight-line method, which approximates the effective interest method.

The range of the terms of the agreements is as follows:

Deferred leasing costs	1 - 15 years
Deferred financing costs	1 - 15 years

Accounting for Impairment:

The Company assesses whether an indicator of impairment in the value of its properties exists by considering expected future operating income, trends and prospects, as well as the effects of demand, competition and other economic factors. Such factors include projected rental revenue, operating costs and capital expenditures as well as estimated holding periods and capitalization rates. If an impairment indicator exists, the determination of recoverability is made based upon the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows, excluding interest expense. The amount of impairment loss, if any, is determined by comparing the fair value, as determined by a discounted cash flows analysis, with the carrying value of the related assets. The Company generally holds and operates its properties long-term, which decreases the likelihood of their carrying values not being recoverable. Properties classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell.

The Company reviews its investments in unconsolidated joint ventures for a series of operating losses and other factors that may indicate that a decrease in the value of its investments has occurred which is other-than-temporary. The investment in each unconsolidated joint venture is evaluated periodically, and as deemed necessary, for recoverability and valuation declines that are other-than-temporary.

Share and Unit-based Compensation Plans:

The cost of share and unit-based compensation awards is measured at the grant date based on the calculated fair value of the awards and is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period of the awards.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities:

The Company recognizes all derivatives in the consolidated financial statements and measures the derivatives at fair value. The Company uses interest rate swap and cap agreements (collectively, "interest rate agreements") in the normal course of business to manage or reduce its exposure to adverse fluctuations in interest rates. The Company designs its hedges to be effective in reducing the risk exposure that they are designated to hedge. Any instrument that meets the cash flow hedging criteria is formally designated as a cash flow hedge at the inception of the derivative contract. On an ongoing quarterly basis, the Company adjusts its balance sheet to reflect the current fair value of its derivatives. To the extent they are effective, changes in fair value are recorded in comprehensive income.

Amounts paid (received) as a result of interest rate agreements are recorded as an addition (reduction) to (of) interest expense.

If any derivative instrument used for risk management does not meet the hedging criteria, it is marked-to-market each period with the change in value included in the consolidated statements of operations.

Income Taxes:

The Company elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 1994. To qualify as a REIT, the Company must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that it distribute at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. It is management's current intention to adhere to these requirements and maintain the Company's REIT status. As a REIT, the Company generally will not be subject to corporate level federal income tax on taxable income it distributes currently to its stockholders. If the Company fails to qualify as a REIT in any taxable year, then it will be subject to federal income taxes at regular corporate rates and may not be able to qualify as a REIT for four subsequent taxable years. Even if the Company qualifies for taxation as a REIT, the Company may be subject to certain state and local taxes on its income and property and to federal income and excise taxes on its undistributed taxable income, if any.

Each partner is taxed individually on its share of partnership income or loss, and accordingly, no provision for federal and state income tax is provided for the Operating Partnership in the consolidated financial statements. The Company's taxable REIT subsidiaries ("TRSs") are subject to corporate level income taxes, which are provided for in the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The deferred tax assets and liabilities of the TRSs relate primarily to differences in the book and tax bases of property and to operating loss carryforwards for federal and state income tax purposes. A valuation allowance for deferred tax assets is provided if the Company believes it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent on the Company generating sufficient taxable income in future periods.

Segment Information:

The Company currently operates in one business segment, the acquisition, ownership, development, redevelopment, management and leasing of regional and community shopping centers. Additionally, the Company operates in one geographic area, the United States.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments:

The fair value hierarchy distinguishes between market participant assumptions based on market data obtained from sources independent of the reporting entity and the reporting entity's own assumptions about market participant assumptions.

Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 2 inputs may include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, as well as inputs that are observable for the asset or liability (other than quoted prices), such as interest rates, foreign exchange rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which are typically based on an entity's own assumptions, as there is little, if any, related market activity. In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based on inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company's assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.

The Company calculates the fair value of financial instruments and includes this additional information in the notes to consolidated financial statements when the fair value is different than the carrying value of those financial instruments. When the fair value reasonably approximates the carrying value, no additional disclosure is made.

The fair values of interest rate agreements are determined using the market standard methodology of discounting the future expected cash receipts that would occur if variable interest rates fell below or rose above the strike rate of the interest rate agreements. The variable interest rates used in the calculation of projected receipts on the interest rate agreements are based on an expectation of future interest rates derived from observable market interest rate curves and volatilities. The Company incorporates credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both its own nonperformance risk and the respective counterparty's nonperformance risk in the fair value measurements. In adjusting the fair value of its derivative contracts for the effect of nonperformance risk, the Company has considered the impact of netting and any applicable credit enhancements, such as collateral postings, thresholds, mutual puts and guarantees.

The Company records its financing arrangement obligation at fair value on a recurring basis with changes in fair value being recorded as interest expense in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. The fair value is determined based on a discounted cash flow model, with the significant unobservable inputs including the discount rate, terminal capitalization rate and market rents. The fair value of the financing arrangement obligation is sensitive to these significant unobservable inputs and a change in these inputs may result in a significantly higher or lower fair value measurement.

Concentration of Risk:

The Company maintains its cash accounts in a number of commercial banks. Accounts at these banks are guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") up to $250. At various times during the year, the Company had deposits in excess of the FDIC insurance limit.

No Center or tenant generated more than 10% of total revenues during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 or 2017.

Management Estimates:

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

Shareholder Activism Costs:

During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company incurred $19,369 in costs associated with activities related to shareholder activism. These costs were primarily for legal and advisory services.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements:

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, “Revenue From Contracts With Customers (ASC 606)," which outlines a comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. The standard states that “an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.” While the standard specifically references contracts with customers, it may apply to certain other transactions such as the sale of real estate or equipment. The standard applies to the Company's recognition of management companies and other revenues. The Company's adoption of the standard on January 1, 2018 did not have an impact on the pattern of revenue recognition for management companies and other revenues.

Additionally, under ASC 606, the Company changed its accounting for its joint venture in Chandler Freehold from a co-venture arrangement to a financing arrangement (See Note 12—Financing Arrangement). Upon adoption of the standard on January 1, 2018, the Company replaced its $31,150 distributions in excess of co-venture obligation with a financing arrangement obligation of $393,709 on its consolidated balance sheets. This resulted in the recognition of a $424,859 increase in the Company’s accumulated deficit as a cumulative effect adjustment under the modified retrospective method of adoption.

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 842 "Leases", under the modified retrospective method. The new standard amended the principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of leases for both parties to a contract (i.e. lessees and lessors). In connection with the adoption of the new lease standard, the Company elected to use the transition packages of practical expedients for implementation provided by the FASB, which included (i) relief from re-assessing whether an expired or existing contract meets the definition of a lease, (ii) relief from re-assessing the classification of expired or existing leases at the adoption date, (iii) allowing previously capitalized initial direct leasing costs to continue to be amortized, and (iv) application of the standard as of the adoption date rather than to all periods presented.

The new standard requires the Company to reduce leasing revenue for credit losses associated with lease receivables. In addition, straight-line rent receivables are written off when the Company believes there is uncertainty regarding a tenant's ability to complete the term of the lease. As a result, the Company recognized a cumulative effect adjustment of $2,203 upon adoption for the write off of straight-line rent receivables of tenants that were in litigation or bankruptcy. The standard also requires that the provision for bad debts relating to leases be presented as a reduction of leasing revenue. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the provision for bad debts is included in shopping center and operating expenses.

The standard requires that lessors expense, on an as-incurred basis, certain initial direct costs that are not incremental in negotiating a lease. Initial direct costs include the salaries and related costs for employees directly working on leasing activities. Prior to January 1, 2019, these costs were capitalizable and therefore the new lease standard resulted in certain of these costs being expensed as incurred. For comparison purposes, the Company has reclassified leasing expenses that were included in management companies' operating expenses to leasing expenses for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, to conform to the presentation for the year ended December 31, 2019. Upon the adoption of the new standard, the Company elected the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components, most significantly certain common area maintenance recoveries, from the associated lease components, resulting in the Company presenting all revenues associated with leases as leasing revenue on its consolidated statements of operations. For comparison purposes, the Company has reclassified minimum rents, percentage rents, tenant recoveries and other leasing income to leasing revenue for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, to conform to the presentation for the year ended December 31, 2019.

The standard requires lessees to classify its leases as either finance or operating leases. The lessee records a right-of-use ("ROU") asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than twelve months, regardless of their lease classification. Upon adoption, the Company recognized initial ROU assets and corresponding lease liabilities of $109,299, representing the discounted value of future lease payments required for leases classified as operating leases. In addition, the Company reclassified $59,736 from deferred charges and other assets, net, $5,978 from accounts payable and accrued expenses and $4,342 from other accrued liabilities, relating to existing intangible assets and straight-line rent liabilities. The Company's lease liabilities were increased at adoption by $15,268 for lease liabilities associated with finance leases that were previously included in other accrued liabilities. See Note 8—Leases, for further disclosure on the Company's adoption of the new standard.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements: (Continued)

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, “Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities,” which aims to (i) improve the transparency and understandability of information conveyed to financial statement users about an entity’s risk management activities by better aligning the entity’s financial reporting for hedging relationships with those risk management activities and (ii) reduce the complexity of and simplify the application of hedge accounting by preparers. The standard is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2019. The Company's adoption of this standard did not have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.