The Company recognizes rental revenue from tenants on a straight-line basis over the lease term when collectability is reasonably assured and the tenant has taken possession or controls the physical use of the leased asset. If the lease provides for tenant improvements, the Company determines whether the tenant improvements, for accounting purposes, are owned by the tenant or the Company. When the Company is the owner of the tenant improvements, the tenant is not considered to have taken physical possession or have control of the physical use of the leased asset until the tenant improvements are substantially completed. When the tenant is the owner of the tenant improvements, any tenant improvement allowance that is funded is treated as a lease incentive and amortized as a reduction of revenue over the lease term. Tenant improvement ownership is determined based on various factors including, but not limited to:
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• | whether the lease stipulates how and on what a tenant improvement allowance may be spent; |
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• | whether the tenant or landlord retains legal title to the improvements at the end of the lease term; |
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• | whether the tenant improvements are unique to the tenant or general-purpose in nature; and |
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• | whether the tenant improvements are expected to have any residual value at the end of the lease. |
Certain leases provide for additional rents contingent upon a percentage of the tenant’s revenue in excess of specified base amounts or other thresholds. Such revenue is recognized when actual results reported by the tenant, or estimates of tenant results, exceed the base amount or other thresholds. Such revenue is recognized only after the contingency has been removed (when the related thresholds are achieved), which may result in the recognition of rental revenue in periods subsequent to when such payments are received.
Other property-related revenue is revenue that is derived from the tenants’ use of lighting, equipment rental, parking, power, HVAC and telecommunications (telephone and Internet). Other property-related revenue is recognized when these items are provided.
Tenant recoveries related to reimbursement of real estate taxes, insurance, repairs and maintenance, and other operating expenses are recognized as revenue in the period during which the applicable expenses are incurred. The reimbursements are recognized and presented gross, as the Company is generally the primary obligor with respect to purchasing goods and services from third-party suppliers, has discretion in selecting the supplier and bears the associated credit risk.
The Company recognizes gains on sales of properties upon the closing of the transaction with the purchaser. Gains on properties sold are recognized using the full accrual method when (i) the collectability of the sales price is reasonably assured, (ii) the Company is not obligated to perform significant activities after the sale, (iii) the initial investment from the buyer is sufficient and (iv) other profit recognition criteria have been satisfied. Gains on sales of properties may be deferred in whole or in part until the requirements for gain recognition have been met.
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.