REVENUE RECOGNITION. We recognize rental income from operating leases on a straight line basis over the term of each lease agreement. We recognize percentage rents when realizable and earned, which is generally during the fourth quarter of the year. For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, percentage rents earned aggregated $10,168, $10,169 and $10,062, respectively.
As of December 31, 2017, we owned 70 senior living communities that are managed by Five Star for our account. Five communities were previously managed from the date we acquired these communities in May 2015 through December 14, 2016 by a third party operator that was affiliated with a triple net leased senior living tenant of ours that defaulted on its lease obligations to us in the first half of 2016. We refer to these 70 communities as the managed senior living communities. We derive our revenues at these managed senior living communities primarily from services our manager provides to residents on our behalf and we record revenues when services are provided. We use the taxable REIT subsidiary, or TRS, structure authorized by the REIT Investment Diversification and Empowerment Act for nearly all of our managed senior living communities.
About Revenue Disclosures
Revenue disclosures under ASC 606 explain how a company identifies performance obligations, allocates transaction prices, and determines when revenue is recognized. This section is essential for understanding whether reported revenue reflects genuine economic activity or aggressive accounting choices. Analysts examine the mix of point-in-time versus over-time recognition, which directly affects revenue timing and comparability.
Key signals: rising contract liabilities (deferred revenue) suggest strong future revenue visibility, while declining contract assets may indicate slowing project milestones. Watch for variable consideration estimates — rebates, returns, and performance bonuses that require management judgment. Significant changes in disaggregated revenue by geography or product line can reveal shifting business mix before it appears in headline numbers. Compare revenue growth against contract liability growth to assess sustainability, and scrutinize any changes in the timing of recognition that coincide with earnings pressure.