2.	Accounting Policies

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers cash and cash equivalents to include short-term, highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased. At December 31, 2014 and 2013, a significant portion of the balance of cash and cash equivalents was principally held with three financial institutions and one money market fund. Management believes the likelihood of realizing material losses from the excess of cash balances over federally insured limits is remote.

Prior to June 30, 2013, the majority of the cash generated and used in the Company’s operations was held in bank accounts with one financial institution that were included in a sweep arrangement with MMC. Pursuant to a treasury management service agreement with that financial institution, the cash was swept daily into MMC’s money market account. The Company collected interest income from MMC at the same interest rate as MMC earned on the money market account. Historically, other than for a 2-week period around MMC’s March 31 fiscal year end, the Company had a receivable from MMC for the cash that was swept. When the sweep arrangement was not in effect, during the week before and the week after March 31, the Company’s cash balances remained in the Company’s bank accounts. As of June 30, 2013, the sweep arrangement with MMC was permanently terminated.

Revenue Recognition

The Company generates real estate brokerage commissions by acting as a broker for real estate owners or investors seeking to buy or sell commercial properties. Revenues from real estate brokerage commissions are recognized when there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, all services have been provided, the price is fixed and determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. These criteria are typically met at the close of escrow. The Company generates financing fees from securing financing on purchase transactions as well as fees earned from refinancing its clients’ existing mortgage debt and other financing activities. Revenues from financing fees are recognized at the time the loan closes and there are no remaining significant obligations for performance in connection with the transaction. Other revenues include fees generated from consulting and advisory services, as well as referral fees from other real estate brokers. Revenues from these services are recognized as they are performed and completed.

 

Commissions Receivable

Commissions receivable consist of commissions earned on brokerage transactions for which payment has not yet been received. The Company evaluates the need for an allowance for doubtful accounts based on the specific-identification of potentially uncollectible accounts. The majority of commission’s receivable are settled within 10 days after the close of escrow. As a result, the Company did not require an allowance for commissions receivable at December 31, 2014 or 2013.

Cost of Services

Cost of services principally consists of commissions and other costs for the Company’s sales and financing professionals related to transactions closed in the period. Sales and financing professionals commissions are generally paid on transaction revenues and includes referral and other revenues generated by the Company’s sales and financing professionals. Sales and financing professionals are compensated at commission rates based on individual agreements and portions of the commissions due may be deferred in accordance with their contracts.

Investments in Marketable Securities, Available for Sale

The Company maintains a portfolio of cash equivalents and investments in a variety of fixed and variable rate securities, including U.S. government and agency debt securities, corporate debt securities, asset-backed securities and money market funds. The Company considers its investment in marketable securities to be available-for-sale. Accordingly, these investments are recorded at their fair values, with unrealized gains or losses recorded in other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax. The Company determines the appropriate classification of investments in marketable securities, available for sale at the time of purchase. Interest along with accretion and amortization of purchase premiums and discounts, which are recorded over the remaining weighted average life of the security, are included in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of net and comprehensive income. See Note 5 – “Investments in Marketable Securities” for additional information.

The Company regularly reviews its investment portfolio to determine if any security is other-than-temporarily impaired, which would require the Company to record an impairment charge in the period any such determination is made. In making this judgment, the Company evaluates, among other items, the duration and extent to which the fair market value of a security is less than its amortized cost and the Company’s intent and ability to sell, or whether the Company will more likely than not be required to sell, the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. The Company has evaluated its investments in marketable securities as of December 31, 2014 and has determined that no investments with unrealized losses are other-than-temporarily impaired. The Company has no current intent to sell and it is not more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell these investments before recovery of their amortized cost basis, which may be at maturity.

Investments Held in Rabbi Trust

The Company provides a non-qualified deferred compensation program to certain employees. Deferred amounts are contributed to a Rabbi Trust which invests the amounts in variable whole life insurance policies owned by the Company for the participants benefit. Participants may elect to invest in various equity and debt securities offered within the plan on a notional basis. The net change in the carrying value of the underlying assets held in the rabbit trust is recorded in other income (expense), net. The change in the deferred compensation liability as a result the change in the notional value of the participants accounts is recorded as a component of selling general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of net and comprehensive income.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company carries its investments including investments in marketable securities, available for sale and investments held in rabbi trust at fair value. The Company defines the fair value of a financial instrument as the amount that would be received from the sale of an asset in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company is responsible for the determination of the value of the investment carried and fair value and the supporting methodologies and assumptions. The Company uses various pricing sources to validate the values utilized.

The degree of judgment used in measuring the fair value of financial instruments generally inversely correlates with the level of observable valuation inputs. Financial instruments with quoted prices in active markets generally have more pricing observability and less judgment is used in measuring fair value. Financial instruments for which no quoted prices are available have less observability and are measured at fair value using valuation models or other pricing techniques that require more judgment.

Assets recorded at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets are measured and classified in accordance with a fair value hierarchy consisting of the three “levels” based on the observability of inputs available in the market place used to measure the fair values as discussed below:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;

Level 2: Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs which are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability, or

Level 3: Inputs reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date. Consideration is given to the risk inherent in the valuation technique and the risk inherent in the inputs to the model.

Financial Instruments Fair Value

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents, commissions receivable, amounts due from employee and sales and financing professionals (included in other assets), accounts payable and accrued expenses and commissions payable are carried at cost, which approximates fair value based on their immediate or short-term maturities and terms, which approximate current market rates and considered to be in the Level 1 classification.

Investment in marketable securities, available for sale and investments held in rabbi trust are carried at fair value based on observable inputs available. All these securities are measured as Levels 1 or 2 as appropriate. The Company has no investments measured as Level 3.

As the Company’s obligations under notes payable to former stockholders bear fixed interest rates that approximate current interest rates for debt instruments with similar terms and maturities, the Company has determined that the carrying value on these instruments approximates fair value. As the Company’s obligations under SARs liability (included in deferred compensation and commission’s caption) bear interest at a variable rate based on U.S. Treasuries, the Company has determined that the carrying value approximates the fair value. These are considered to be in the Level 2 classification.

 

Property and Equipment, Net

Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. The Company uses the straight-line method for depreciation and amortization. Depreciation and amortization are provided over estimated useful lives ranging from three to seven years.

The Company occasionally leases certain equipment under capital lease arrangements. The assets and liabilities under capital leases are recorded at the lesser of the present value of aggregate future minimum lease payments, including estimated bargain purchase options, or the fair value of the asset under lease. Assets under capital leases are depreciated using the straight-line method over the lesser of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. The Company does not have any remaining capital lease obligations as of December 31, 2014.

The Company evaluates its fixed assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.

Other Assets

Other assets consist primarily of amounts due from the Company’s sales and financing professionals, security deposits made in connection with operating leases, customer trust accounts and other receivables.

The Company, from time to time, advances funds to or on behalf of its sales and financing professionals. Certain amounts may bear a nominal interest rate, with any cash receipts on notes applied first to any unpaid principal balance prior to any income being recognized. The Company generally has the ability to collect a portion of these amounts from future commissions due to the sales and financing professional or may forgive a portion of the amount depending on the nature of the advance. The Company evaluates the need for an allowance for these amounts based on the specific identification of potentially uncollectible amounts and provides an allowance based on consideration of historical experience. Amounts are written off upon termination of the sales and financing professional as a service provider or when amounts are no longer collectable.

In connection with a brokerage transaction, the Company may need to or be required to hold cash in escrow for a transaction participant. These amount are deposited into separate customer trust accounts controlled by the Company. The amounts are included in non-current other assets with a corresponding liability included in other liabilities, both in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

In connection with real estate brokerage activities, the Company may accept a portion of its commission in the form of a commission note receivable. In these cases, the Company considers the need for collateral and evaluates the need for an allowance for these amounts based on the specific identification of potentially uncollectible amounts and provides an allowance based on consideration of historical experience and facts specific to the transaction that gave rise to the commission notes receivable.

Deferred Rent Obligation

Some of the Company’s operating leases contain periods of free or reduced rent or contain predetermined fixed increases in the minimum rent amount during the lease term. For these leases, the Company recognizes rent expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease, including periods of free rent or reduced rent, and records the difference between the amount charged to rent expense and the rent paid as a deferred rent obligation.

 

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising costs are included in selling, general, and administrative expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of net and comprehensive income.

Advertising expense for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was $965,000, $975,000 and $702,000, respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences attributable to (1) differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis, and (2) operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The Company measures existing deferred tax assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which the Company expects to have temporary differences to be recovered or settled. The Company recognizes into income the effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates in the period that includes the enactment date. Valuation allowances are provided against deferred tax assets when it is more-likely-than-not that some portion or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

Because of the nature of the Company’s business, which includes activity in the U.S. and Canada, incorporating numerous states and provinces as well as local jurisdictions, the Company’s tax position can be complex. As such, the Company’s effective tax rate is subject to changes as a result of changes in the mix of its activity in the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates.

The threshold for recognizing the benefits of tax return positions in the financial statements is “more likely than not” to be sustained by the taxing authority and requires measurement of a tax position meeting the more-likely-than-not criterion, based on the largest benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized. The Company’s inventory of tax positions has been assessed with respect to all applicable income tax issues for all open tax years (in each respective jurisdiction), and has concluded that no uncertain tax positions are required to be recognized in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties incurred as income tax expense.

Prior to the IPO, the Company was part of a consolidated federal income tax return and various combined and consolidated state tax returns that were filed by its previous parent. The Company had a tax-sharing agreement whereby the Company provided for income taxes in its consolidated statements of income using an effective tax rate of 43.5%. In addition, all deferred tax assets and liabilities were recorded by its parent. As part of the Spin-Off, the Company’s tax sharing agreement with its former parent was terminated effective October 31, 2013 and the Company’s allocable net deferred tax assets were transferred to the Company.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company follows the accounting guidance for share based payments which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all stock based awards made to employees, agents and directors. Awards are issued under the 2013 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”) and 2013 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (“2013 ESPP Plan”).

For awards made to the Company’s employees and directors, the Company initially values its restricted stock units and restricted stock awards based on the grant date closing price of the Company’s common stock. For awards with periodic vesting, the Company recognizes the related expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award, subject to periodic adjustments to ensure that the cumulative amount of expense recognized through the end of any reporting period is at least equal to the portion of the grant date value of the award that has vested through that date.

For awards made to independent contractors, which are the Company’s sales and financing professionals, the Company determined that the fair value of the award shall be measured based on the fair value of the equity instrument as it is more reliably measureable than the fair value of the consideration received. The Company uses the grant date as the performance commitment date, and the measurement date for these awards is the date the services are completed, which is the vesting date. As a result, the Company records stock-based compensation for these awards over the vesting period on a straight-line basis with periodic adjustments during the vesting period for changes in the fair value of the awards.

For the above awards, the Company estimates forfeitures at the time of grant in order to estimate the amount of share-based payment awards ultimately expected to vest and adjusts the recorded expense accordingly. The Company calculates a separate forfeiture rate for its employees and non-employees awards. Forfeitures are required to be revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods. If estimated and actual forfeitures differ from these initial estimates, the Company adjusts the cumulative expense as appropriate to account for the change in the estimated forfeiture rates. If there are any modifications or cancellations of the underlying unvested share-based awards, the Company may be required to accelerate, increase or cancel any remaining unrecognized stock-based compensation expense. Stock-based compensation expense is included in general and administrative expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of net and comprehensive income.

For awards issued under the 2013 ESPP Plan, the Company determined that the plan was a compensatory plan and is required to expense the fair value of the awards over each six-month offering period. The Company estimates the fair value of these awards using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company calculates the expected volatility based on the historical volatility of the Company’s common stock and the risk-free interest rate based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant, both consistent with the term of the offering period. The Company incorporates no forfeiture rate and includes no expected dividend yield as the Company has not, and currently does not intend to pay a regular dividend. See Note 9 – “Stockholders’ Equity” for additional information on dividends.

Stock-Based Compensation Prior to the IPO

MMREIS historically issued stock options and stock appreciation rights, or SARs, to key employees through a book value, stock-based compensation award program (the “Program”). The Program allowed for employees to exercise stock options in exchange for shares of unvested restricted common stock. The Program also allowed employees to exercise options through the issuance of notes receivable, which were recourse to the employee. The determination of the grant price and repurchase price of stock-based awards at the grant date and repurchase date were fixed as determined by a valuation formula using book value, as defined by the agreements between MMREIS and the employees. The stock awards generally vested over a three to five-year period. Under these plans, MMREIS retained the right to repurchase shares if certain events occurred, which included termination of employment. In these circumstances, the plan document provided for repurchase proceeds to be settled in the form of a note payable to (former) shareholders or cash, which was settled over a fixed period. While MMREIS had entered into the agreements to repurchase the stock and settle the SARs held by employees upon termination of their employment (subject to certain conditions as specified in the agreements), MMC had historically assumed the obligation to make payments to the former shareholders. While MMREIS recognized the compensation expense associated with these share-based payment arrangements, the liability had historically been assumed by MMC through a deemed contribution, which then has paid the former shareholders over time. The accounting for the stock options and SARs awards, including MMC’s assumption of MMREIS repurchase obligations, is discussed below.

 

Restricted Common Stock

Since stock options only allowed the grantee the right to acquire shares of unvested restricted common stock at book value, which was determined on an annual basis, MMREIS accounted for the stock options and the related unvested restricted stock, as a single instrument, with a single service period. The service period began on the option grant date, and extended through the exercise and subsequent vesting period of the restricted stock. The unvested restricted common stock was accounted for in accordance with ASC 718. Increases or decreases in the formula settlement value of unvested restricted stock subsequent to the grant date, were recorded as increases or decreases, respectively, to compensation expense, with decreases limited to the book value of the stock on the date of grant. As MMC had assumed the Company’s obligation with respect to any appreciation in the value of the underlying vested awards in excess of the employees’ exercise price, MMC was deemed to make a capital contribution to the Company’s additional paid-in capital equal to the amount of compensation expense recorded, net of the applicable taxes. Based on the tax-sharing agreement between the Company and MMC, the tax deduction for the compensation expense recorded by the Company was allocated to MMC. MMC recorded the liability related to the appreciation in the value of the underlying stock in its consolidated financial statements. To the extent of any depreciation in the value of the underlying vested awards (limited to the amount of any appreciation previously recorded from the employees ‘original exercise price), compensation expense was reduced and MMC was deemed to receive a capital distribution.

SARs

SARs to employees were accounted for in accordance with ASC 718. Similar to the vested stock, compensation expense related to the SARs was recorded in each period and was equal to the appreciation in the formula-settlement value of vested SARs at the end of each reporting period-end from the prior reporting period-end. As MMC had assumed the Company’s obligation with respect to any appreciation in the value of the vested SARs, MMC was deemed to make a capital contribution to the Company’s additional paid-in capital equal to the amount of compensation expense recorded, net of the applicable taxes. Based on the tax-sharing agreement entered between the Company and MMC, the tax deduction for the compensation expense recorded by the Company was allocated to MMC. MMC recorded the liability related to the appreciation in the value of the underlying stock in its consolidated financial statements. To the extent of any depreciation in the value of the vested SARs (limited to the amount of any appreciation previously recorded), compensation expense was reduced and MMC was deemed to have received a capital distribution.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings per share is calculated using net income attributable to Marcus and Millichap, Inc. subsequent to the IPO on October 31, 2013. Earnings per share prior to the IPO has not been presented as the holders of MMREIS Series A Redeemable Preferred Stock were entitled to receive discretionary dividends, payable in preference and priority to any distribution on MMREIS common stock. Since MMREIS typically distributed its earnings to the Series A Preferred stockholders on a quarter-in-arrears basis, earnings per share information for MMREIS common stock prior to the IPO was not meaningful.

Basic weighted average shares outstanding includes vested, but un-issued Deferred Stock Units (“DSU’s). The difference between basic and weighted average shares outstanding and diluted weighted average shares outstanding represents the dilutive impact of common stock equivalents consisting of shares to be issued under the 2013 Plan and 2013 ESPP Plan.

 

Foreign Currency Translation

The Company prepares the financial statements of its Canadian subsidiary using the local currency as the functional currency. The assets and liabilities of the Company’s Canadian subsidiary are translated in to U.S. dollars at the rates of exchange at the balance sheet date with the resulting translation adjustments included as a separate component of stockholder’s equity through other comprehensive income (loss) in the consolidated statements of net and comprehensive income.

Income and expenses are translated at the average monthly rates of exchange. The Company includes gains and losses from foreign currency transactions in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of net and comprehensive income.

The effect of foreign currency translation on Cash and cash equivalent is reflected in cash flows from operating activities on the consolidated statements of cash flows, and is not material for any period presented.

Taxes Collected From Clients and Remitted to Governmental Authorities

The Company accounts for tax assessed by any governmental authority that is based on revenue or transaction value (i.e. sales, use and value added taxes) on a net basis, excluded from revenue and recorded as current liabilities until paid.