Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Operating activities    
Net income $ 77,938 $ 41,357
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:    
Depreciation and amortization 156,476 192,887
Impairments 17,197 88,109
Amortization of deferred financing costs 7,442 7,274
Amortization of debt discounts 10,888 9,663
Stock-based compensation expense 12,189 13,778
Gain on debt extinguishment (26,729) (1,770)
Gain on dispositions of real estate and other assets (553) (40,197)
Non-cash revenue (14,239) (20,642)
Bad debt expense and other 1,596 4,902
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:    
Deferred costs and other assets, net (5,681) (1,684)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities (2,712) 5,726
Net cash provided by operating activities 233,812 299,403
Investing activities    
Acquisitions of real estate (242,491) (278,470)
Capitalized real estate expenditures (26,769) (34,939)
Investments in notes receivable (35,450) (4,995)
Collections of principal on loans receivable and real estate assets under direct financing leases 25,858 7,817
Proceeds from dispositions of real estate and other assets, net 41,461 342,032
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (237,391) 31,445
Financing activities    
Borrowings under Revolving Credit Facility 737,800 781,200
Repayments under Revolving Credit Facility (692,800) (481,200)
Borrowings under mortgages and notes payable 104,247 0
Repayments under mortgages and notes payable (167,671) (76,403)
Borrowings under Term Loan 420,000 0
Debt extinguishment costs (2,968) 0
Deferred financing costs (1,417) (192)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash held by SMTA at Spin-Off (73,081) 0
Sale of SubREIT preferred shares 5,000 0
Repurchase of shares of common stock (170,512) (225,748)
Preferred stock dividends paid (7,764) 0
Common stock dividends paid (236,663) (257,112)
Net cash used in financing activities (85,829) (259,455)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (89,408) 71,393
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period 114,707 36,898
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period 25,299 108,291
Spirit Realty, L.P.    
Operating activities    
Net income 77,938 [1] 41,357
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:    
Depreciation and amortization 156,476 192,887
Impairments 17,197 88,109
Amortization of deferred financing costs 7,442 7,274
Amortization of debt discounts 10,888 9,663
Stock-based compensation expense 12,189 13,778
Gain on debt extinguishment (26,729) (1,770)
Gain on dispositions of real estate and other assets (553) (40,197)
Non-cash revenue (14,239) (20,642)
Bad debt expense and other 1,596 4,902
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:    
Deferred costs and other assets, net (5,681) (1,684)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities (2,712) 5,726
Net cash provided by operating activities 233,812 299,403
Investing activities    
Acquisitions of real estate (242,491) (278,470)
Capitalized real estate expenditures (26,769) (34,939)
Investments in notes receivable (35,450) (4,995)
Collections of principal on loans receivable and real estate assets under direct financing leases 25,858 7,817
Proceeds from dispositions of real estate and other assets, net 41,461 342,032
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities (237,391) 31,445
Financing activities    
Borrowings under Revolving Credit Facility 737,800 781,200
Repayments under Revolving Credit Facility (692,800) (481,200)
Borrowings under mortgages and notes payable 104,247 0
Repayments under mortgages and notes payable (167,671) (76,403)
Borrowings under Term Loan 420,000 0
Debt extinguishment costs (2,968) 0
Deferred financing costs (1,417) (192)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash held by SMTA at Spin-Off (73,081) 0
Sale of SubREIT preferred shares 5,000 0
Repurchase of partnership units (170,512) (225,748)
Preferred stock dividends paid (7,764) 0
Common stock dividends paid (236,663) (257,112)
Net cash used in financing activities (85,829) (259,455)
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (89,408) 71,393
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period 114,707 36,898
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 25,299 $ 108,291
[1] Net income and total comprehensive income is allocated first to the preferred unitholders, with income after the preferred distributions allocated to the common units on a pro rata basis.