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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Jul. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Principles of Consolidation-- The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company, its majority-owned subsidiaries and all variable interest entities for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Investments in which the Company does not have a controlling interest or is not the primary beneficiary are accounted for under the equity method. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Cash and Cash Equivalents-- The Company considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. Trade Receivables-- The Company records trade accounts receivable in the normal course of business related to the sale of products or services. The Company generally charges interest on past due accounts at a rate of 18% per annum. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on a specific reserve analysis and on a percentage of accounts receivable, and takes into consideration such factors as historical write-offs, the economic climate and other factors that could affect collectability. Write-offs are evaluated on a case by case basis. Inventories-- The Company’s inventories consist primarily of purchased retail goods, food and beverage items and spare parts. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or fair value, determined using primarily an average weighted cost method. The Company records a reserve for estimated shrinkage and obsolete or unusable inventory. Property, Plant and Equipment-- Property, plant and equipment is carried at cost net of accumulated depreciation. Repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Expenditures that improve the functionality of the related asset or extend the useful life are capitalized. When property, plant and equipment is retired or otherwise disposed of, the related gain or loss is included in operating income. Leasehold improvements are amortized on the straight-line method over the shorter of the remaining lease term or estimated useful life of the asset. Depreciation is calculated on the straight-line method, including property, plant and equipment under capital leases, generally based on the following useful lives:
| Estimated Life in Years
Land improvements | 10-35
Buildings and building improvements | 7-30
Machinery and equipment | 2-30
Furniture and fixtures | 3-10
Software | 3
Vehicles | 3-10
Real Estate Held for Sale and Investment-- The Company capitalizes as real estate held for sale and investment the original land acquisition cost, direct construction and development costs, property taxes, interest recorded on costs related to real estate under development and other related costs. Additionally, the Company records depreciation on completed condominium units that are placed in rental programs until such units are sold. Sales and marketing expenses are charged against income in the period incurred. Sales commission expenses are charged against income in the period that the related revenue from real estate sales is recorded. The Company records capitalized interest once construction activities commence and real estate deposits have been utilized in construction. The Company did not capitalize interest on real estate development projects, as it had no projects under construction during the years ended July 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014. Deferred Financing Costs-- Certain costs incurred with the issuance of debt securities are capitalized and included as a reduction in the net carrying value of long-term debt, net of accumulated amortization, with the exception of costs incurred related to line-of-credit arrangements, which are included in deferred charges and other assets, net of accumulated amortization. Amortization is charged to interest expense over the respective term of the applicable debt issues. When debt is extinguished prior to its maturity date, the amortization of the remaining unamortized deferred financing costs, or pro-rata portion thereof, is charged to loss on extinguishment of debt. Goodwill and Intangible Assets-- The Company has classified as goodwill the cost in excess of estimated fair value of the net assets of businesses acquired in purchase transactions. The Company’s major intangible asset classes are trademarks, water rights, customer lists, property management contracts, Forest Service permits and excess reorganization value. Goodwill and various indefinite-lived intangible assets, including excess reorganization value and certain trademarks and water rights, are not amortized, but are subject to at least annual impairment testing. The Company tests annually (or more often, if necessary) for impairment as of May 1. Amortizable intangible assets are amortized over the shorter of their contractual terms or estimated useful lives. The testing for impairment consists of a comparison of the estimated fair value of the assets with their net carrying values. If the net carrying amount of the assets exceed its estimated fair value, an impairment will be recognized for indefinite-lived intangibles, excluding goodwill, in an amount equal to that excess. To the extent the net carrying amount of goodwill assigned to a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, an impairment may be recognized based on a hypothetical purchase price allocation of the estimated fair value to the underlying assets and liabilities of the reporting unit. If the net carrying amount of the assets does not exceed the estimated fair value, no impairment loss is recognized. For the testing of goodwill for impairment, the Company determines the estimated fair value of its reporting units using discounted cash flow analyses. The estimated fair value of indefinite-lived intangible assets is estimated using an income approach. The Company determined that there was no impairment to goodwill or significant definite or indefinite-lived intangible assets for the years ended July 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014. Long-lived Assets-- The Company evaluates potential impairment of long-lived assets and long-lived assets to be disposed of whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the net carrying amount of an asset may not be fully recoverable. If the sum of the expected cash flows, on an undiscounted basis, is less than the net carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss is recognized in the amount by which the net carrying amount of the asset exceeds its estimated fair value. The Company does not believe any events or changes in circumstances indicating an impairment of the net carrying amount of a long-lived asset occurred during the years ended July 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014. Revenue Recognition-- The following describes the composition of revenues for the Company:
• | Mountain revenue is derived from a wide variety of sources, including, among other things, sales of lift tickets (including season passes), ski school operations, other on-mountain activities, dining operations, retail sales, equipment rentals, private ski club amortized initiation fees and dues, marketing and internet advertising, commercial leasing, employee housing, municipal services and lodging and transportation operations at Perisher, and is recognized as products are delivered or services are performed. The Company records deferred revenue related to the sale of season ski passes. The number of season pass holder visits is estimated based on historical data and the deferred revenue is recognized throughout the ski season based on this estimate, or on a straight-line basis if usage patterns cannot be determined based on available historical data.
• | Lodging revenue is derived from a wide variety of sources, including, among other things, hotel operations, dining operations, property management services, managed hotel property payroll cost reimbursements, private golf club amortized initiation fees and dues, transportation services and golf course greens fees, and is recognized as products are delivered or services are performed. Revenue from payroll cost reimbursements relates to payroll costs of managed hotel properties where the Company is the employer. The reimbursements are based upon the costs incurred with no added margin; therefore, these revenues and corresponding expenses have no net effect on the Company’s operating income or net income.
• | Revenue from non-refundable private club initiation fees is recognized over the estimated life of the facilities on a straight-line basis upon inception of the club. As of July 31, 2016, the weighted average remaining period over which the private club initiation fees will be recognized is approximately 14 years. Additionally, certain club initiation fees are refundable in 30 years after the date of acceptance of a member. Under these memberships, the difference between the amount paid by the member and the present value of the refund obligation is recorded as deferred initiation fee revenue in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over 30 years. The present value of the refund obligation is recorded as an initiation deposit liability and accretes over the nonrefundable term using the effective interest method. The accretion is included in interest expense.
• | Real estate revenue primarily includes the sale of condominium units and land parcels and is recorded primarily using the full accrual method and occurs only upon the following: (i) substantial completion of the entire development project, (ii) receipt of certificates of occupancy or temporary certificates of occupancy from local governmental agencies, if applicable, (iii) closing of the sales transaction including receipt of all, or substantially all, sales proceeds (including any deposits previously received) and (iv) transfer of ownership.
Real Estate Cost of Sales-- Costs of real estate transactions include direct project costs, common cost allocations (primarily determined on relative sales value) and sales commission expense. The Company utilizes the relative sales value method to determine cost of sales for condominium units sold within a project, when specific identification of costs cannot be reasonably determined. Foreign Currency Translation -- The functional currency of the Company’s entities operating outside of the United States is the principal currency of the economic environment in which the entity primarily generates and expends cash, which is the local currency. The assets and liabilities of these foreign operations are translated at the exchange rate in effect as of the balance sheet dates. Income and expense items are translated using the weighted average exchange rate for the period. Translation adjustments from currency exchange are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. Reserve Estimates-- The Company uses estimates to record reserves for certain liabilities, including medical claims, workers’ compensation claims, third-party loss contingencies, property taxes and loyalty reward programs among other items. The Company estimates the probable costs related to these liabilities that will be incurred and records that amount as a liability in its consolidated financial statements. Additionally, the Company records, as applicable, receivables related to insurance recoveries for loss contingencies if deemed probable of recovery. These estimates are reviewed and adjusted as the facts and circumstances change. The Company records legal costs related to defending claims as incurred. Advertising Costs-- Advertising costs are expensed at the time such advertising commences. Advertising expense for the years ended July 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $32.3 million, $27.5 million and $25.7 million, respectively. Prepaid advertising costs as of both July 31, 2016 and 2015 was $0.3 million and is reported within “other current assets” in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. Income Taxes-- The Company’s provision for income taxes is based on current pre-tax income, changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities and changes in estimates with regard to uncertain tax positions. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded for the estimated future tax effects of temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and amounts reported in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets and for operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The change in deferred tax assets and liabilities for the period measures the deferred tax provision or benefit for the period. Effects of changes in enacted tax laws on deferred tax assets and liabilities are reflected as adjustments to the tax provision or benefit in the period of enactment. The Company provides for taxes that may be payable if undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries were to be remitted to the U.S. The Company’s deferred tax assets have been reduced by a valuation allowance to the extent it is deemed to be more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company recognizes liabilities for uncertain tax positions based on a two-step process. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained, on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step requires the Company to estimate and measure the largest tax benefit that is cumulatively greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Interest and penalties accrued in connection with uncertain tax positions are recognized as a component of income tax expense (see Note 10, Income Taxes, for more information). Fair Value of Financial Instruments-- The recorded amounts for cash and cash equivalents, receivables, other current assets and accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value due to their short-term nature. The fair value of amounts outstanding under Credit Facility Revolver, Credit Facility Term Loan and the Employee Housing Bonds (as defined in Note 8, Variable Interest Entities) approximate book value due to the variable nature of the interest rate associated with the debt. Stock-Based Compensation-- Stock-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based upon the estimated fair value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest and is recognized as expense over the applicable vesting period of the award generally using the straight-line method (see Note 16, Stock Compensation Plan for more information). The following table shows total stock-based compensation expense for the years ended July 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands):
| Year Ended July 31,
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014
Mountain stock-based compensation expense | $ | 13,404 |  | $ | 11,841 |  | $ | 10,292 |
Lodging stock-based compensation expense | 3,094 |  | 2,621 |  | 2,203 |
Real Estate stock-based compensation expense | 527 |  | 1,291 |  | 1,729 |
Pre-tax stock-based compensation expense | 17,025 |  | 15,753 |  | 14,224 |
Less: benefit from income taxes | 6,057 |  | 6,026 |  | 5,435 |
Net stock-based compensation expense | $ | 10,968 |  | $ | 9,727 |  | $ | 8,789 |
Concentration of Credit Risk-- The Company’s financial instruments that are exposed to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. The Company places its cash and temporary cash investments in high quality credit institutions, but these investments may be in excess of FDIC insurance limits. The Company does not enter into financial instruments for hedging, trading or speculative purposes. Concentration of credit risk with respect to trade and notes receivables is limited due to the wide variety of customers and markets in which the Company transacts business, as well as their dispersion across many geographical areas. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral, but does require advance deposits on certain transactions. Use of Estimates-- The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the balance sheet date and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. New Accounting Standards-- In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-03, “Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.” The new standard requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The guidance in the new standard is limited to the presentation of debt issuance costs and does not affect the recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs. In June 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-15, “Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements.” The guidance in ASU No. 2015-03 does not address presentation or subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. Given the absence of authoritative guidance within ASU No. 2015-03 for debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements, the SEC staff stated that they would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. The standard will be effective for the first interim period within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2017) and early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. The standard should be applied on a retrospective basis. As such, the Company adopted these new accounting standards as of July 31, 2016, which amended presentation and disclosure requirements concerning debt issuance costs but did not affect the Company’s overall financial position or results of operations and cash flows. As a result, the Company reclassified $2.1 million and $2.3 million of debt issuance costs from deferred charges and other assets to long-term debt as of July 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory.” This standard provides guidance on the measurement of inventory that is measured using first-in, first-out or average cost. An entity should measure in scope inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. The standard will be effective for the first interim period within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2018) and is required to be adopted prospectively and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this standard as of July 31, 2016 which did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations and cash flows. In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-16, “Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments.” The standard requires that adjustments to provisional amounts identified during the measurement period of a business combination be recognized in the reporting period in which those adjustments are determined, including the effect on earnings, if any, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. The standard eliminates the previous requirement to retrospectively account for such adjustments but requires additional disclosures related to the income statement effects of adjustments to provisional amounts identified during the measurement period. The standard is effective for the annual period beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods within those annual periods (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2017), with early adoption permitted, and is to be applied prospectively. The Company has adopted this standard and will apply this standard, as applicable, on any future measurement period adjustments. In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes.” The standard changes how deferred taxes are classified on an entity’s balance sheets. The standard eliminates the current requirement for entities to present deferred tax liabilities and assets as current and noncurrent in a classified balance sheet. Instead, entities will be required to classify all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent, on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis. The standard is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2018), with early adoption permitted, and may be applied prospectively or retrospectively. As such, the Company adopted this new accounting standard as of July 31, 2016 which amended presentation requirements, but did not affect the Company’s overall financial position or results of operations and cash flows. The Company adopted this standard on a prospective basis, which reclassified the current deferred income tax asset to the noncurrent deferred income tax liability. Accordingly, prior periods have not been retrospectively adjusted in the accompanying financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 605, “Revenue Recognition.” This ASU is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The ASU also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, which defers the effective date of the new revenue standard by one year, and would allow entities the option to early adopt the new revenue standard as of the original effective date. This standard will be effective for the first interim period within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2019 if it does not early adopt), using one of two retrospective application methods. The Company is evaluating the impacts, if any, the adoption of this accounting standard will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations and cash flows and related disclosures and is determining the appropriate transition method. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, “Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis,” which amends the consolidation requirements in ASC 810, “Consolidation.” This ASU affects reporting entities that are required to evaluate whether they should consolidate certain legal entities. All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. Specifically, the amendments: (i) modify the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities (“VIEs”) or voting interest entities, (ii) eliminate the presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership, (iii) affect the consolidated analysis of reporting entities that are involved with VIEs, particularly those that have fee arrangements and related party relationships and (iv) provide a scope exception for certain entities. The standard will be effective for the first interim period within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2017). The standard may be applied retrospectively or through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The adoption of this accounting standard will not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations and cash flows. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-05, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Computing Arrangement.” The standard provides guidance about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the software license element of the arrangement should be accounted for as an acquisition of a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, it should be accounted for as a service contract. The standard will be effective for the first interim period within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2017) and may be adopted either retrospectively or prospectively. The adoption of this accounting standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations and cash flows. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” which supersedes “Leases (Topic 840).” The standard requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities arising from all leases, including those classified as operating leases under previous accounting guidance, on the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements. The standard also allows for an accounting policy election not to recognize on the balance sheet lease assets and liabilities for leases with a term of 12 months or less. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset on their balance sheets, while lessor accounting will be largely unchanged. The standard will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those years (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2020), and must be applied using a modified retrospective transition approach to leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impacts the adoption of this accounting standard will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations and cash flows and related disclosures. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” The new guidance requires entities to record all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement when the awards vest or are settled. The guidance also requires entities to present excess tax benefits as an operating activity and cash paid to a taxing authority to satisfy statutory withholding as a financing activity on the statement of cash flows. Additionally, the guidance allows entities to make a policy election to account for forfeitures either upon occurrence or by estimating forfeitures. The standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2018), with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impacts the adoption of this accounting standard will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations and cash flows. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” The standard provides guidance for eight targeted changes with respect to how cash receipts and cash payments are classified in the statements of cash flows, with the objective of reducing diversity in practice. The standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2019), with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impacts the adoption of this accounting standard will have on the Company's cash flows.

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