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Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Basis of Presentation | Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by Equinix, Inc. (collectively with its consolidated subsidiaries referred to as "Equinix," the "Company," "we," "our," or "us") and reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which in the opinion of management are necessary to fairly state the financial position and the results of operations for the interim periods presented. In the preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements, we have considered potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our critical and significant accounting estimates. There was no significant impact to our condensed consolidated financial statements. We will continue to evaluate the nature and extent of the potential impacts to our business and our condensed consolidated financial statements. Our condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020 has been derived from audited consolidated financial statements as of that date. Our condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), but omit certain information and footnote disclosure necessary to present the statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). For further information, refer to the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in our Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on February 19, 2021. Results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire fiscal year.
Consolidation | Consolidation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include our acquisitions of 12 data center sites across Canada from BCE Inc. ("Bell") from October 1, 2020 and one additional data center site from November 2, 2020, Packet Host, Inc. (“Packet”) from March 2, 2020, and three data centers in Mexico acquired from Axtel S.A.B. de C.V ("Axtel") from January 8, 2020. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Income Taxes | Income Taxes We elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust ("REIT") for U.S. federal income tax purposes beginning with our 2015 taxable year. As a result, we may deduct the distributions made to our stockholders from taxable income generated by our REIT and qualified REIT subsidiaries ("QRSs"). Our dividends paid deduction generally eliminates the U.S. federal taxable income of our REIT and QRSs, resulting in no U.S. federal income tax due. However, our domestic taxable REIT subsidiaries ("TRSs") are subject to U.S. corporate income taxes on any taxable income generated by them. In addition, our foreign operations are subject to local income taxes regardless of whether the foreign operations are operated as QRSs or TRSs. We provide for income taxes during interim periods based on the estimated effective tax rate for the year. The effective tax rate is subject to change in the future due to various factors such as our operating performance, tax law changes and future business acquisitions.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements | Recent Accounting Pronouncements Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2020-06: Debt-Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging-Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40). The ASU simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by reducing the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock and modifies the disclosure requirement for the convertible instruments. Additionally, this ASU improves the consistency of EPS calculations by eliminating the use of the treasury stock method to calculate diluted EPS for convertible instruments and clarifies certain areas under the current EPS guidance. The ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted at the beginning of the fiscal year after December 15, 2020. We are currently evaluating the extent of the impact of this ASU, but do not expect the adoption of this standard to have a significant impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. Accounting Standards Adopted In December 2019, FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes ("Topic 740"): Simplifying the Accounting for Income T axes. The ASU simplifies accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. The ASU also improves consistent application of and simplifies generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. The ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted including adoption in any interim period for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. On January 1, 2021, we adopted this ASU on a prospective basis and the adoption of this standard did not have an impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements. In March 2020, FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform ("Topic 848"): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. In addition, FASB issued ASU 2021-01, Reference Rate Reform ("Topic 848"), which clarifies the scope of Topic 848. Collectively, the guidance provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. ASU 2020-04 was effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022 and ASU 2021-01 is effective upon issuance. We adopted these ASUs upon their respective issuances and there was no impact on our condensed consolidated financial statements as a result of adopting the guidance. We will evaluate our debt, derivative and lease contracts that may become eligible for modification relief and may apply the elections prospectively as needed.
Remaining performance obligations | Remaining performance obligations As of March 31, 2021, approximately $8.2 billion of total revenues, including deferred installation revenues, are expected to be recognized in future periods, the majority of which will be recognized over the next 24 months. While initial contract terms vary in length, substantially all contracts thereafter automatically renew in one-year increments. Included in the remaining performance obligations is either 1) remaining performance obligations under the initial contract terms or 2) remaining performance obligations related to contracts in the renewal period once the initial terms have lapsed. The remaining performance obligations do not include variable consideration related to unsatisfied performance obligations such as the usage of metered power, service fees from xScale TM data centers, which are calculated based on future events or actual costs incurred in the future, or any contracts that could be terminated without any significant penalties such as the majority of interconnection revenues. The remaining performance obligations above include revenues to be recognized in the future related to arrangements where we are considered the lessor.
Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments | Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments Net Investment Hedges. We are exposed to the impact of foreign exchange rate fluctuations on the value of investments in our foreign subsidiaries whose functional currencies are other than the U.S. Dollar. In order to mitigate the impact of foreign currency exchange rates, we have entered into various foreign currency debt obligations, which are designated as hedges against our net investments in foreign subsidiaries. As of March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the total principal amounts of foreign currency debt obligations designated as net investment hedges were $2.2 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively. We also use cross-currency interest rate swaps to hedge a portion of our net investment in our European operations. As of both March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, U.S. Dollar to Euro cross-currency interest rate swap contracts with a total notional amount of $3.3 billion were outstanding, with maturity dates from April 2022 to November 2026. At maturity of each outstanding contract, we will receive U.S. Dollars from and pay Euros to the contract counterparty. During the term of each contract, we receive interest payments in U.S. Dollars and make interest payments in Euros based on a notional amount and fixed interest rates determined at contract inception. Cash Flow Hedges. We hedge our foreign currency translation exposure for forecasted revenues and expenses in our EMEA region between the U.S. Dollar and the British Pound, Euro, Swedish Krona and Swiss Franc. The foreign currency forward and option contracts that we use to hedge this exposure are designated as cash flow hedges.
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments | Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments Embedded Derivatives. We are deemed to have foreign currency forward contracts embedded in certain of our customer agreements that are priced in currencies different from the functional or local currencies of the parties involved. These embedded derivatives are separated from their host contracts and carried on our balance sheet at their fair value. The majority of these embedded derivatives arise as a result of our foreign subsidiaries pricing their customer contracts in U.S. Dollars. Economic Hedges of Embedded Derivatives. We use foreign currency forward contracts to manage the foreign exchange risk associated with our customer agreements that are priced in currencies different from the functional or local currencies of the parties involved ("economic hedges of embedded derivatives"). Foreign currency forward contracts represent agreements to exchange the currency of one country for the currency of another country at an agreed-upon price on an agreed-upon settlement date.Foreign Currency Forward Contracts. We also use foreign currency forward contracts to manage the foreign exchange risk associated with certain foreign currency-denominated monetary assets and liabilities. As a result of foreign currency fluctuations, the U.S. Dollar equivalent values of our foreign currency-denominated monetary assets and liabilities change. Gains and losses on these contracts are included in other income (expense), on a net basis, along with the foreign currency gains and losses of the related foreign currency-denominated monetary assets and liabilities associated with these foreign currency forward contracts.
Fair Value Measurements | We perform fair value measurements in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, which establishes three levels of inputs that we use to measure fair value: •Level 1: quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. •Level 2: observable inputs (e.g. spot rates and other data from the third-party pricing vendors for our derivative instruments) other than quoted market prices included within Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, for the assets or liabilities. •Level 3: unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of assets or liabilities.
Segment Information | While we have one primary line of business, which is the design, build-out and operation of IBX data centers, we have determined that we have three reportable segments comprised of our Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific geographic regions. Our chief operating decision-maker evaluates performance, makes operating decisions and allocates resources based on our revenues and adjusted EBITDA performance both on a consolidated basis and based on these three reportable segments.

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