Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Leases (Notes)

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Leases (Notes)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Leases [Abstract]  
Leases
Leases

On January 1, 2019, we adopted ASC 842, which supersedes ASC 840. We adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective approach, whereby there was no cumulative effect adjustments on the adoption and prior periods were not restated. There was no net cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2019 as a result of this adoption. Accordingly, our leases and lease related costs, as both lessee and lessor, and lease related receivables, as lessor, are presented under ASC 842 as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and under ASC 840 as of December 31, 2018 and for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

As a lessor, substantially all of our revenues are earned from arrangements that are within the scope of ASC 842. We utilized the practical expedient in ASU 2018-11 to account for lease and non-lease components as a single component which resulted in all of our revenues associated with leases being recorded as rental revenues in the consolidated statements of operations. As a result of the adoption of ASC 842, the amounts disclosed in our 2018 10-Q as base rentals, percentage rentals and expense reimbursements have now been combined into rental revenues on the consolidated statements of operations to conform to the current year presentation. In addition, certain amounts previously included in expense reimbursements in our 2018 10-Q, which are not related to leases have been reclassified to management, leasing and other services on the consolidated statements of operations to conform to the current year presentation, see Note 4 for additional details.

ASC 842 requires certain other accounting changes effective January 1, 2019 where prior year amounts are not reclassified or restated. Uncollectible tenant revenues previously recorded in general and administrative expense are recorded in rental revenues as a contra-revenue account in 2019. As a result of combining all components of a lease, all fixed contractual payments, including consideration received from certain executory costs, are now recognized on a straight line basis. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, we recorded a straight-line rent adjustment of $1.5 million in rental revenues in our consolidated statements of operations to record revenues from executory costs on a straight-line basis. In addition, direct internal leasing costs are capitalized, however, indirect internal leasing costs previously capitalized are now expensed. We only capitalize the portion of these types of costs incurred that are a direct result of an executed lease. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, lease costs of approximately $1.1 million were expensed which would have been capitalized under ASC 840.

As a lessee, the new standard also provides a number of optional provisions, known as practical expedients, which companies may elect to adopt to facilitate implementation. We elected the package of practical expedients which, among other items, precludes us from needing to reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) the lease classification of any expired or existing leases, and (3) initial direct costs for any existing leases.

Information as Lessor Under ASC 842

As of March 31, 2019, we were the lessor to over 2,300 stores in our 32 consolidated outlet centers, under operating leases with initial terms that expire from 2019 to 2032, with certain agreements containing extension options. We also have certain agreements which require tenants to pay their portion of reimbursable expenses such as common area expenses, utilities, insurance and real estate taxes.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the components of rental revenues are as follows (in thousands):
Rental revenues - fixed
 
$
93,459

Rental revenues - variable (1)
 
26,495

Rental revenues
 
$
119,954

(1)
Primarily includes rents based on a percentage of tenant sales volume and reimbursable expenses such as common area expenses, utilities, insurance and real estate taxes.

Future minimum lease receipts under non-cancelable operating leases as of March 31, 2019, excluding the effect of straight-line rent and variable rentals, are as follows (in thousands):
For the remainder of 2019
 
$
241,203

2020
 
308,442

2021
 
270,437

2022
 
235,196

2023
 
200,954

2024
 
166,256

Thereafter
 
291,784

 
 
$
1,714,272



Information as Lessor Under ASC 840

As of December 31, 2018, we were the lessor to over 2600 stores in our 36 consolidated outlet centers, under operating leases with initial terms that expire from 2019 to 2033. The majority of our leases contain provisions which provide additional rents based on tenants' sales volume. Percentage rentals are recognized when specified targets that trigger the contingent rent are met.

Future minimum lease receipts under non-cancelable operating leases as of December 31, 2018, excluding the effect of straight-line rent and variable rentals, are as follows (in thousands):
2019
 
$
285,343

2020
 
265,361

2021
 
229,553

2022
 
195,808

2023
 
164,845

Thereafter
 
364,844

 
 
$
1,505,754



Information as Lessee Under ASC 842

Adoption of the new standard resulted in the recording of operating lease right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities, of $90.4 million and $95.1 million, respectively, as of January 1, 2019 equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments required under each lease. The difference between the recorded operating lease liability and operating right-of-use assets represents the accrued straight-line rent liability and our prepaid rent balances previously recognized under ASC 840.  In March 2019, we sold our Ocean City outlet center, which had an operating lease right-of-use asset and operating lease liability of approximately $2.5 million.

Our non-cancelable operating leases, with terms in excess of one year, have terms, including certain extension options, that expire from 2028 to 2101. Certain extension options, which are reasonably certain at inception, are used in the calculation of our operating lease right-of-use assets based on the economic life of the asset. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less (short-term leases) are not recorded on the balance sheet; we recognize lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The majority of our operating lease expense is related to ground leases at the following outlet centers: Myrtle Beach Hwy 17, Atlantic City, Sevierville, Riverhead, Foxwoods and Rehoboth Beach and the lease of our corporate office in Greensboro, North Carolina.

For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the components of lease costs are as follows (in thousands):
Operating lease costs
 
$
1,404

Short-term lease costs
 
591

Variable lease costs (1)
 
78

Total lease costs
 
$
2,073

(1)
Our variable lease costs relate to our ground leases where increases in payments are based on center financial performance.

The discount rate applied to measure each operating lease right-of-use asset and operating lease liability is based on our incremental borrowing rate ("IBR"). We consider the general economic environment and our credit rating and factor in various financing and asset specific adjustments to ensure the IBR is appropriate based on the intended use of the underlying lease. The lease term and discount rates are as follows:
 
 
March 31, 2019
Weighted - average remaining lease term (years)
 
51

Weighted - average discount rate
 
5.0
%

Cash flow information related to leases for the three months ended March 31, 2019 (in thousands):
 
 
March 31, 2019
Operating cash outflows related to operating leases
 
$
1,403



Maturities of lease liabilities as of March 31, 2019 for the next five years and thereafter are as follows (in thousands):
For the remainder of 2019
 
$
4,168

2020
 
5,568

2021
 
5,613

2022
 
5,669

2023
 
5,709

2024
 
5,765

Thereafter
 
226,837

Total lease payments
 
$
259,329

Less imputed interest
 
166,975

Present value of lease liabilities
 
$
92,354




Information as Lessee Under ASC 840

As of December 31, 2018, our non-cancelable operating leases have terms, including certain extension options, that expire from 2019 to 2101. Rental payments for these leases totaled approximately $1.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018. As of December 31, 2018, the majority of our rental payments are related to ground leases at the following outlet centers: Myrtle Beach Hwy 17, Atlantic City, Ocean City, Sevierville, Riverhead, Foxwoods and Rehoboth Beach and the lease of our corporate office in Greensboro, North Carolina. The contingent portion of our ground lease payments is based on center performance and/or changes in an index.

For operating leases as of December 31, 2018, minimum lease payments for the next five years and thereafter are as follows (in thousands):
2019
 
$
7,526

2020
 
7,311

2021
 
7,140

2022
 
7,127

2023
 
7,167

Thereafter
 
258,438

Total minimum payment
 
$
294,709