Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Accounting and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. In the opinion of management, the unaudited consolidated financial statements include the normal, recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the information required to be set forth therein. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year. Certain information and note disclosures, normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, have been condensed or omitted from these statements pursuant to SEC rules and regulations and, accordingly, these financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements as filed with the SEC in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014.
The unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
The Company has formed numerous special purpose entities to acquire and hold real estate encumbered by indebtedness (see Note 4). As a result, the majority of the Company’s consolidated assets are held in these wholly-owned special purpose entities. Each special purpose entity is a separate legal entity and is the sole owner of its assets and responsible for its liabilities. The assets of these special purpose entities are not available to pay, or otherwise satisfy obligations to, the creditors of any owner or affiliate of the special purpose entity. At March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, net assets totaling $5.2 billion and $5.7 billion, respectively, were held, and net liabilities totaling $3.6 billion and $3.8 billion, respectively, were owed by these special purpose entities and are included in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Use of 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 at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Although management believes its estimates are reasonable, actual results could differ from those estimates.
Reclassifications
Certain reclassifications have been made to prior period balances to conform to the current period presentation. During the quarter ended March 31, 2015, the Company elected to early adopt ASU 2015-03 described below. Under the ASU, capitalized deferred financing costs, previously recorded in deferred costs and other assets on the consolidated balance sheet, are presented as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability these costs relate to and retrospectively applied to prior periods. As of December 31, 2014, unamortized deferred financing costs of approximately $48.7 million were previously presented in deferred costs and other assets, net on the consolidated balance sheet and are now included as a reduction of debt. At March 31, 2015, unamortized deferred financing costs of $48.5 million are presented as a reduction of debt (see Note 4).
Segment Reporting
The Company views its operations as one segment, which consists of net leasing operations. The Company has no other reportable segments.
Real Estate Investments
Purchase Accounting and Acquisition of Real Estate - When acquiring a property for investment purposes, the Company allocates the purchase price (including acquisition and closing costs) to land, building, improvements, and equipment based on their relative fair values. For properties acquired with in-place leases, the Company allocates the purchase price of real estate to the tangible and intangible assets and liabilities acquired based on their estimated fair values, and acquisition costs are expensed as incurred. In making estimates of fair values for this purpose, the Company uses a number of sources, including independent appraisals and information obtained about each property as a result of its pre-acquisition due diligence and its marketing and leasing activities.
Lease Intangibles - Lease intangibles, if any, acquired in conjunction with the purchase of real estate represent the value of in-place leases and above- or below-market leases. For real estate acquired subject to existing lease agreements, in-place lease intangibles are valued based on the Company’s estimates of costs related to tenant acquisition and the carrying costs that would be incurred during the time it would take to locate a tenant if the property were vacant, considering current market conditions and costs to execute similar leases at the time of the acquisition, and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining initial term of the related lease. Above- and below-market lease intangibles are recorded based on the present value of the difference between the contractual amounts to be paid pursuant to the leases at the time of acquisition of the real estate and the Company’s estimate of current market lease rates for the property, measured over a period equal to the remaining initial term of the lease. Capitalized above-market lease intangibles are amortized over the remaining initial terms of the respective leases as a decrease in rental revenue. Below-market lease intangibles are amortized as an increase in rental revenue over the remaining initial terms of the respective leases plus any fixed-rate renewal periods on those leases. Should a lease terminate early, the unamortized portion of any related lease intangible is immediately recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company reviews its rent and other tenant receivables for collectability on a regular basis, taking into consideration the tenant’s payment history, the financial condition of the tenant, business conditions in the industry in which the tenant operates, and economic conditions in the area in which the tenant operates. The Company provided for reserves for uncollectible amounts totaling $9.2 million and $8.4 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, against accounts receivable balances of $22.4 million and $21.3 million, respectively; receivables are recorded within deferred costs and other assets, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
For deferred rental revenues related to the straight-line method of reporting rental revenue, the collectability review includes management’s estimates of amounts that will not be realized and an assessment of the risks inherent in the portfolio, giving consideration to historical experience and industry default rates for long-term receivables. The Company established a provision for losses of $9.0 million and $10.9 million at March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, against deferred rental revenue receivables of $50.7 million and $48.3 million, respectively.
Loans Receivable
Impairment and Allowance for Loan Losses - The Company periodically evaluates the collectability of its loans receivable, including accrued interest, by analyzing the underlying property-level economics and trends, collateral value and quality, and other relevant factors in determining the adequacy of its allowance for loan losses. A loan is determined to be impaired when, in management’s judgment based on current information and events, it is probable that the Company will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the loan agreement. Specific allowances for loan losses are provided for impaired loans on an individual loan basis in the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the estimated fair value of the underlying collateral less disposition costs. Delinquent loans receivable are written off against the allowance when all possible means of collection have been exhausted. There was no allowance for loan losses at March 31, 2015 or December 31, 2014.
A loan is placed on nonaccrual status when the loan has become 60 days past due, or earlier if management determines that full recovery of the contractually specified payments of principal and interest is doubtful. While on nonaccrual status, interest income is recognized only when received. As of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, there were no mortgages or notes on nonaccrual status.
Restricted Cash and Escrow Deposits

Restricted cash and deposits in escrow, classified within deferred costs and other assets, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets consisted of the following (in thousands):
 
March 31,
2015
 
December 31,
2014
Collateral deposits (1)
$
29,783

 
$
29,483

Tenant improvements, repairs, and leasing commissions (2)
13,130

 
13,427

Master Trust Release (3)
9,658

 
53,069

Title company escrow (4)
6,937

 

Loan impounds (5)
671

 
794

Other (6)
2,097

 
3,571

 
$
62,276

 
$
100,344

(1) Funds held in reserve by lenders which, at their sole discretion, can be applied to the repayment of debt. Any funds remaining on deposit after the debt is paid in full are released to the borrower.
(2) Deposits held on collateral properties by lenders that are reserved to fund tenant improvements, repairs and leasing commissions incurred to secure a new tenant.
(3) Proceeds from the sale of assets within the Spirit Master Funding Program, which are held on deposit as collateral until a qualifying substitution is made.
(4) Includes net sales proceeds from property dispositions that can be released upon qualified re-investment from 1031 Exchanges.
(5) Funds held in lender controlled accounts generally used to meet future debt service or certain property operating expenses.
(6) Funds held in lender controlled accounts released within the following month after debt service requirements are met.

A significant amount of these reserves were established in connection with obtaining lender consents relating to our IPO during 2012 and the Cole II Merger during 2013.
Income Taxes
The Company has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Code. As a REIT, the Company generally will not be subject to federal income tax provided it continues to satisfy certain tests concerning the Company’s sources of income, the nature of its assets, the amounts distributed to its stockholders, and the ownership of Company stock. Management believes the Company has qualified and will continue to qualify as a REIT and therefore, no provision has been made for federal income taxes in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Even if the Company qualifies for taxation as a REIT, it may be subject to state and local income and franchise taxes, and to federal income tax and excise tax on its undistributed income.
Franchise taxes are included in general and administrative expenses on the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Taxable income from non-REIT activities managed through the Company’s taxable REIT subsidiary is subject to federal, state, and local taxes, which are not material.
New Accounting Pronouncements
From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or the SEC that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, these new accounting pronouncements entail technical corrections to existing guidance or affect guidance related to specialized industries or entities and therefore will have minimal, if any, impact on the Company's financial position or results of operations upon adoption.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which requires that deferred financing costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts or premiums. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company early adopted the provisions of ASU 2015-03 beginning with the period ended March 31, 2015, and has applied the provisions retrospectively.