Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Organization, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

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Organization, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Organization, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
Organization, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Gladstone Commercial Corporation is a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that was incorporated under the General Corporation Law of the State of Maryland on February 14, 2003. We focus on acquiring, owning and managing primarily office and industrial properties. On a selective basis, we may make long term industrial and commercial mortgage loans; however, we do not have any mortgage loans currently outstanding. Subject to certain restrictions and limitations, our business is managed by Gladstone Management Corporation, a Delaware corporation, or the Adviser, and administrative services are provided by Gladstone Administration, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or the Administrator, each pursuant to a contractual arrangement with us. Our Adviser and Administrator collectively employ all of our personnel and pay their salaries, benefits, and general expenses directly. Gladstone Commercial Corporation conducts substantially all of its operations through a subsidiary, Gladstone Commercial Limited Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership, or the Operating Partnership.

All further references herein to “we,” “our,” and “us” mean Gladstone Commercial Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries, except where it is made clear that the term means only Gladstone Commercial Corporation.

Interim Financial Information

Our interim financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and pursuant to the requirements for reporting on Form 10-Q and in accordance with Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, certain disclosures accompanying annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP are omitted. The year-end balance sheet data presented herein was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP. In the opinion of our management, all adjustments, consisting solely of normal recurring accruals, necessary for the fair statement of financial statements for the interim period, have been included. The interim financial statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 15, 2017. The results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for other interim periods or for the full fiscal year.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP 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 revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Critical Accounting Policies

In preparation of our financial statements in accordance with GAAP, we apply certain critical accounting policies which require management to make judgments that are subjective in nature to make certain estimates and assumptions. Application of our accounting policies involves the exercise of judgment regarding the use of assumptions as to future uncertainties, and as a result, actual results could materially differ from these estimates. A summary of all of our significant accounting policies is provided in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016. There were no material changes to our critical accounting policies during the six months ended June 30, 2017.

Reclassifications

Certain items on condensed consolidated statement of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 have been reclassified to conform to the current period's presentation. These reclassifications had no impact on previously-reported equity, net loss attributable to common stockholders, or net change in cash and cash equivalents.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”), which was amended in March 2016 by FASB Accounting Standards Update 2016-08, “Principal versus Agent Considerations” (“ASU 2016-08”), in April 2016 by FASB Accounting Standards Update 2016-10, “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing” (“ASU 2016-10”), in May 2016 by FASB Accounting Standards Update 2016-12, “Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients” (“ASU 2016-12”), and in December 2016 by FASB Accounting Standards Update 2016-20, “Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606” (“ASU 2016-20”). ASU 2014-09, as amended, supersedes or replaces nearly all GAAP revenue recognition guidance. The new guidance establishes a new control-based revenue recognition model, changes the basis for deciding when revenue is recognized over time or at a point in time and will expand disclosures about revenue. We do not believe this standard will have a material impact on our results of operations or financial condition, primarily because the leasing impact of this update is primarily related to common area maintenance and other material tenant reimbursements. A majority of our properties are accounted for on a net basis, and not impacted by tenant recoveries from common area maintenance. In July 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-14, “Deferral of the Effective Date,” which deferred the effective date of ASU 2014-09. ASU 2014-09, as amended by ASU 2015-14, ASU 2016-08, ASU 2016-10, ASU 2016-12, and ASU 2016-20, is now effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those years, with early adoption permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods within those years.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases: Amendments to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification” (“ASU 2016-02”). The new standard requires lessees to apply a dual approach, classifying leases as either finance or operating leases based on the principle of whether or not the lease is effectively a financed purchase by the lessee. This classification will determine whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight line basis over the term of the lease, respectively. A lessee is also required to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases with a term of greater than 12 months regardless of their classification. Leases with a term of 12 months or less will be accounted for similar to existing guidance for operating leases today. The new standard requires lessors to account for leases using an approach that is substantially equivalent to existing guidance for sales-type leases, direct financing leases and operating leases. ASU 2016-02 is expected to minimally impact our consolidated financial statements as we currently have four operating ground lease arrangements with terms greater than one year for which we are the lessee. We also expect our general and administrative expense to increase as the new standard requires us to expense indirect leasing costs that were previously capitalized to leasing commissions. ASC 2016-02 supersedes the previous leases standard, ASC 840 "Leases." The standard is effective on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted.