Four Corners Property Trust - 10-Q quarterly report FY2019 Q1

Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “FCPT”) is an independent, publicly traded, self-administered company, primarily engaged in the ownership, acquisition and leasing of restaurant properties. Substantially all of our business is conducted through Four Corners Operating Partnership, LP (“FCPT OP”), a Delaware limited partnership of which we are the initial and substantial limited partner. Our wholly owned subsidiary, Four Corners GP, LLC (“FCPT GP”), is its sole general partner.

We believe that we have been organized and have operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (a “REIT”) for federal income tax purposes commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2016, and we intend to continue to operate in a manner that will enable us to maintain our qualification as a REIT. To qualify as a REIT, we must meet a number of organizational and operational requirements, including a requirement that we distribute at least 90% of our adjusted taxable income to our shareholders, subject to certain adjustments and excluding any net capital gain. As a REIT, we will not be subject to federal corporate income tax on that portion of net income that is distributed to our shareholders.  However, FCPT’s taxable REIT subsidiaries (“TRS”) will generally be subject to federal, state, and local income taxes. We made our REIT election upon the filing of our 2016 tax return.

Any references to “the Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refer to FCPT as an independent, publicly traded, self-administered company.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements (the “Consolidated Financial Statements”) include the accounts of Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Consolidated Financial Statements reflect all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary to a fair presentation of the results for the interim periods presented. These adjustments are considered to be of a normal, recurring nature.

The preparation of these Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The estimates and assumptions used in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements are based on management’s evaluation of the relevant facts and circumstances. Actual results may differ from the estimates and assumptions used in preparing the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements, and such differences could be material.

The Company evaluates acquisitions to determine whether transactions should be accounted for as asset acquisitions or business combinations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-01. The Company has determined the land, building, site improvements, and in-places leases (if any) of assets acquired were each single assets as the building and property improvements are attached to the land and cannot be physically removed and used separately from the land without incurring significant costs or reducing their fair value. Additionally, the Company has not acquired a substantive process used to generate outputs. As substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired are concentrated in a single identifiable asset and there were no processes acquired, the acquisitions do not qualify as a business and are accounted for as asset acquisitions. Related transaction costs are generally capitalized and amortized over the useful life of the acquired assets.

The Company allocates the purchase price (including acquisition and closing costs) of real estate acquisitions to land, building, and improvements based on their relative fair values. The determination of the building fair value is on an ‘as-if-vacant’ basis. Value is allocated to acquired lease intangibles (if any) based on the costs avoided and revenue recognized by acquiring the property subject to lease and avoiding an otherwise ‘dark period’. In making estimates of fair values for this purpose, the Company uses a third-party specialist that obtains various information about each property, as well as the pre-acquisition due diligence of the Company and prior leasing activities at the site.

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, acquired lease intangibles are valued based on the Company’s estimates of costs related to tenant acquisition and the asset carrying costs, including lost revenue, 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. Above-market 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.

In-place lease intangibles are amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining initial term of the related lease and included in depreciation and amortization expense. 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 generally amortized as an increase to rental revenue over the remaining initial term of the respective leases, but may be amortized over the renewal periods if the Company believes it is likely the tenant will exercise the renewal option. Should a lease terminate early, the unamortized portion of any

Land, buildings and equipment and certain other assets, including definite-lived intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the assets to the future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated by the assets. Identifiable cash flows are measured at the lowest level for which they are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets and liabilities, generally at the restaurant level. If these assets are determined to be impaired, the amount of impairment recognized is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds their fair value. Fair value is generally determined by appraisals or sales prices of comparable assets.

The judgments we make related to the expected useful lives of long-lived assets and our ability to realize undiscounted cash flows in excess of the carrying amounts of these assets are affected by factors such as the ongoing maintenance and improvements of the assets, changes in economic conditions, changes in usage or operating performance, desirability of the restaurant sites and other factors, such as our ability to sell our assets held for sale. As we assess the ongoing expected cash flows and carrying amounts of our long-lived assets, significant adverse changes in these factors could cause us to realize a material impairment loss.

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in our Consolidated Balance Sheets to the total amount shown in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows:

Long-term debt is carried at unpaid principal balance, net of deferred financing costs. All of our long-term debt is currently unsecured and interest is paid monthly on our non-amortizing term loans and revolving credit facility and semi-annually on our senior fixed rate notes.

Financing costs related to long-term debt are deferred and amortized over the remaining life of the debt using the effective interest method. These costs are presented as a direct deduction from their related liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

We enter into derivative instruments for risk management purposes only, including derivatives designated as hedging instruments as required by FASB ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and those utilized as economic hedges. Our use of derivative instruments is currently limited to interest rate hedges. These instruments are generally structured as hedges of the variability of cash flows related to forecasted transactions (cash flow hedges). We do not enter into derivative instruments for trading or speculative purposes, where changes in the cash flows of the derivative are not expected to offset changes in cash flows of the hedged item. All derivatives are recognized on the balance sheet at fair value. For those derivative instruments for which we intend to elect hedge accounting, at the time the derivative contract is entered into, we document all relationships between hedging instruments and hedged items, as well as our risk-management objective and strategy for undertaking the various hedge transactions. This process includes linking all derivatives designated as cash flow hedges to specific assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet or to specific forecasted transactions. We also formally assess, both at the hedge’s inception and on an ongoing basis, whether the derivatives used in hedging transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in cash flows of hedged items.

To the extent our derivatives are effective in offsetting the variability of the hedged cash flows, and otherwise meet the cash flow hedge accounting criteria in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”), changes in the derivatives’ fair value are not included in current earnings but are included in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax. These changes in fair value will be reclassified into earnings at the time of the forecasted transaction. Ineffectiveness measured in the hedging relationship is recorded in earnings in the period in which it occurs.

Other assets primarily consist of right of use operating lease assets, pre-acquisition costs, prepaid assets, food and beverage inventories for use by our Kerrow operating subsidiary, escrow deposits, and accounts receivable. Other liabilities primarily consist of accrued compensation, accrued interest, accrued operating expenses, derivative liabilities, and operating lease liabilities.

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02, Leases (“ASC 842”), using the effective date method. Consolidated Financial Statements for reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019, are presented under the new guidance, while prior periods amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with previous guidance. We elected the package of practical expedients which permits us to not reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) any initial direct costs for any existing leases as of the effective date. We did not elect the hindsight practical expedient which permits entities to use hindsight in determining the lease term and assessing impairment. The adoption of the lease standard did not change our previously reported Consolidated Financial Statements and did not result in a cumulative adjustment to equity.

All significant lease arrangements are generally recognized at lease commencement. For leases where the Company is the lessee upon adoption of ASC 842, operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities are recognized at commencement based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset during the reasonably certain lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

For leases where Company is the lessor, we determine the classification upon commencement. At March 31, 2019, all leases are classified as operating leases. These operating leases may contain both lease and non-lease components. The Company accounts for lease and non-lease components as a single component. Prior to adoption of ASC 842, lease origination fees were deferred

Restaurant expenses include restaurant labor, general and administrative expenses, rent expense, and food and beverage costs. Food and beverage costs include inventory, warehousing, related purchasing and distribution costs. Vendor allowances received in connection with the purchase of a vendor’s products are recognized as a reduction of the related food and beverage costs as earned.

The Kerrow Restaurant Operating Business is a TRS and is taxed as a C corporation.

We provide for federal and state income taxes currently payable as well as for those deferred because of temporary differences between reporting income and expenses for financial statement purposes versus tax purposes. Federal income tax credits are recorded as a reduction of income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in earnings in the period that includes the enactment date. Interest recognized on reserves for uncertain tax positions is included in interest, net in our Comprehensive Income Statement. A corresponding liability for accrued interest is included as a component of other liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Penalties, when incurred, are recognized in general and administrative expenses.

We estimate certain components of our provision for income taxes. These estimates include, among other items, depreciation and amortization expense allowable for tax purposes, allowable tax credits for items such as taxes paid on reported employee tip income, effective rates for state and local income taxes and the valuation and tax deductibility of certain other items. We adjust our annual effective income tax rate as additional information on outcomes or events becomes available.

We base our estimates on the best available information at the time that we prepare the provision. We will generally file our annual income tax returns several months after our year end. Income tax returns are subject to audit by state and local governments, generally years after the returns are filed. These returns could be subject to material adjustments or differing interpretations of the tax laws. The major jurisdictions in which we will file income tax returns are the U.S. federal jurisdiction and all states in the U.S. in which we own properties that have an income tax.

U.S. GAAP requires that a position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return be recognized (or derecognized) in the financial statements when it is more likely than not (i.e., a likelihood of more than 50 percent) that the position would be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. A recognized tax position is then measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. We include within our current tax provision the balance of unrecognized tax benefits related to tax positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts could change during the next 12 months based on the outcome of examinations.

We use a fair value approach to value certain assets and liabilities. Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. We use a fair value hierarchy, which distinguishes between assumptions based on market data (observable inputs) and an entity's own assumptions (unobservable inputs). The hierarchy consists of three levels:

We consider the applicability and impact of all ASUs issued by the FASB. ASUs not yet adopted that are not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on our consolidated result of operations, financial position and cash flows.

Real estate investments, net, which consist of land, buildings and improvements leased to others subject to net operating leases and those utilized in the operations of Kerrow Restaurant Operating Business are summarized as follows:

The following tables detail intangible lease assets and liabilities. Intangible lease liabilities are included in Other liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Acquired in-place lease intangibles are amortized over the remaining lease term as depreciation and amortization expense. Above-market and below-market leases are amortized over the initial term of the respective leases as an adjustment to rental revenue.

The table below presents the impact of adoption of the lease standard on our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2019.

As of March 31, 2019, maturities of operating lease liabilities were as follows:

As previously disclosed in our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K and under the previous lease accounting standard, the following table presents future minimum lease commitments under non-cancelable operating leases.  The table does not reflect available operating lease extensions.

Our leases consist primarily of single-tenant, net leases, in which the tenants are responsible for making payments to third parties for operating expenses such as property taxes, insurance, and other costs associated with the properties the leased to them. In leases where costs are paid by the Company and reimbursed by lessees, such payments are considered variable lease payments and recognized in rental revenue. The following table shows the components of rental revenue.

The components of other liabilities were as follows:

We believe that we have been organized and have operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT commencing with our taxable year ended December 31, 2016, and we intend to continue to operate in a manner that will enable us to maintain our qualification as a REIT. So long as we qualify as a REIT, we generally will not be subject to federal income tax on our net income that we distribute currently to our stockholders. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes has been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2019 related to the REIT. 

The following table presents the computation of basic and diluted net earnings per common share for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018.

On October 20, 2015, the Board of Directors of FCPT adopted, and FCPT’s sole stockholder at such time, Rare Hospitality International, Inc., approved, the Four Corners Property Trust, Inc. 2015 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan provides

The fair value of the long-term debt (Level 2) is determined using the present value of the contractual cash flows, discounted at the current market cost of debt.