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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Notes) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] | 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES USE OF ESTIMATES In presenting the consolidated financial statements, management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and related disclosures. Estimates, by their nature, are based on judgment and available information. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially from those estimates. CONSOLIDATION The Company consolidates any variable interest entity ("VIE") for which it is the primary beneficiary with a controlling financial interest. Also, the Company consolidates an entity not deemed a VIE if its ownership, direct or indirect, exceeds 50% of the outstanding voting shares of an entity and/or it has the ability to control the financial or operating policies through its voting rights, board representation or other similar rights. For entities where the Company does not have a controlling financial or operating interest, the investments in such entities are accounted for using the equity method or at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income, as appropriate. See Note 4, "Equity Method Investments" for discussion. REVENUE RECOGNITION See Note 3, "Revenue Recognition", for discussion. CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS The Company considers highly liquid investments with remaining maturities not exceeding three months at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. RESTRICTED CASH Restricted cash primarily relates to amounts specifically designated as collateral for the repayment of outstanding borrowings under the Company’s securitization facilities. Such amounts approximated $13 million and $4 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS The Company estimates the allowance necessary to provide for uncollectible accounts receivable. The estimate is based on historical experience, combined with a review of current conditions and forecasts of future losses, and includes specific accounts for which payment has become unlikely. The process by which the Company calculates the allowance begins in the individual business units where specific problem accounts are identified and reserved primarily based upon the age profile of the receivables and specific payment issues, combined with reasonable and supportable forecasts of future losses. DEBT ISSUANCE COSTS Debt issuance costs include costs incurred in connection with obtaining debt and extending existing debt. These financing costs are presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the associated debt liability, consistent with the presentation of a debt discount, with the exception of the debt issuance costs related to the Revolving Credit Facility and securitization obligations which are classified as a deferred financing asset within other assets. The debt issuance costs are amortized via the effective interest method and the amortization period is the life of the related debt. DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS The Company recorded derivatives and hedging activities on the balance sheet at their respective fair values. The Company historically used interest rate swaps to manage its exposure to future interest rate volatility associated with its variable rate borrowings, however the Company had no outstanding interest rate swaps at December 31, 2023. See Note 18, "Risk Management and Fair Value of Financial Instruments", for further discussion of interest rate swaps held in prior years. PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT Property and equipment (including leasehold improvements) are initially recorded at cost, net of accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation, recorded as a component of depreciation and amortization on the Consolidated Statements of Operations, is computed utilizing the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Amortization of leasehold improvements, also recorded as a component of depreciation and amortization, is computed utilizing the straight-line method over the estimated benefit period of the related assets or the lease term, if shorter. Useful lives are 30 years for buildings, up to 20 years for leasehold improvements, and from 3 to 7 years for furniture, fixtures and equipment. The Company capitalizes the costs of software developed for internal use which commences during the development phase of the project. The Company amortizes software developed or obtained for internal use on a straight-line basis, generally from 1 to 5 years, when such software is ready for use. The net carrying value of software developed or obtained for internal use was $134 million and $140 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. LEASES See Note 6, "Leases", for discussion. IMPAIRMENT OF GOODWILL, INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND OTHER LONG-LIVED ASSETS Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition costs over the fair value of the net tangible assets and identifiable intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Other indefinite-lived intangible assets primarily consist of trademarks acquired in business combinations. Goodwill and other indefinite-lived assets are not amortized but are subject to impairment testing. The aggregate carrying values of our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets were $2,499 million and $614 million, respectively, at December 31, 2023 and are subject to an impairment assessment annually as of October 1, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be fully recoverable. In testing goodwill, the fair value of each reporting unit is estimated using the income approach, a discounted cash flow method. For the other indefinite lived intangible assets, fair value is estimated using the relief from royalty method. Management utilizes long-term cash flow forecasts and the Company's annual operating plans adjusted for terminal value assumptions. The fair value of the Company's reporting units and other indefinite lived intangible assets is determined utilizing the best estimate of future revenues, operating expenses including commission expense, market and general economic conditions, trends in the industry, as well as assumptions that management believes marketplace participants would utilize including discount rates, cost of capital, trademark royalty rates, and long-term growth rates. The trademark royalty rate wa s determined by reviewing similar trademark agreements with third parties. The impairment assessment is performed at the reporting unit level and compares the carrying value of each reporting unit and the carrying value of each other indefinite lived intangible asset to their respective fair values and, when appropriate the carrying value is reduced to fair value and an impairment charge for the excess is recorded on the "Impairments" line in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. Beginning in the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company reorganized its internal reporting structure within the Franchise Group Segment. There were no changes to the Company's reportable segments, which continue to be identified and presented as Owned Brokerage Group, Franchise Group, and Title Group, as separate financial information is maintained and regularly employed by the Company's chief operating decision maker for each of these reportable segments as it relates to performance assessment and resource allocation. However, the reorganization changed the composition of the existing reporting units within the Franchise Group reportable segment which included the franchise services reporting unit and the Cartus/Leads reporting unit. Subsequent to the reorganization, the lead generation business is included within the franchise services reporting unit resulting in the Owned Brokerage Group, franchise services, Title Group and Cartus reporting units. As a result of this reorganization, the Company reassigned assets and liabilities to the applicable reporting units and allocated goodwill using the relative fair value approach. The Company performed its annual impairment assessment (or transition assessment) on the affected reporting units on both a pre- and post-reorganization basis. As part of the pre-reorganization impairment assessment, the Company utilized the discounted cash flow method under the income approach to estimate the fair values as of October 1, 2023 for the pre-reorganization reporting units. This assessment did not result in an impairment. The Company then performed its impairment assessment as of October 1, 2023 for the post-reorganization reporting units again using the discounted cash flow method under the income approach to estimate the fair value of its reporting units. This assessment resulted in a goodwill impairment of $25 million at the Cartus reporting unit. In addition, as part of the Company's annual impairment assessment, it was identified that franchise trademarks were impaired by $25 million. The annual impairment assessment indicated that impairment charges were not necessary for the Company's other reporting units or other indefinite-lived intangibles. In assessing the potential impact of reducing the estimated fair value by 10% for each of the passing reporting units and other indefinite-lived intangible assets, management concluded that, excluding the Company's trademarks, no impairment of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangibles would have been recognized for 2023. The fair value of trademarks is determined using the relief from royalty method which exhibits sensitivity to variations in projected revenues. For the remaining tradenames that were not impaired, which include Title Group and Cartus, the fair value exceeded the carrying value by approximately 3%. During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company performed its annual impairment assessment of goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets. The decline in transaction volume during 2022 largely due to rapidly rising mortgage rates, high inflation, reduced affordability, and broader macroeconomic concerns resulted in lower homesale transaction volume for the brokerage and franchise business and lower referral volume for the lead generation business. These market conditions as well as an increase in the weighted average cost of capital resulted in the recognition of an impairment of goodwill at the Owned Brokerage Group reporting unit of $280 million, an impairment of goodwill at the Franchise Group segment of $114 million related to the Cartus/Leads Group reporting unit and an impairment of franchise trademarks of $76 million. The results of the Company's annual impairment assessment indicated no other impairment charges were required for the other reporting units or other indefinite-lived intangibles. Management evaluated the effect of lowering the estimated fair value for each of the passing reporting units and indefinite-lived intangible assets by 10% and determined that no impairment of goodwill or indefinite-lived intangibles would have been recognized under this evaluation for 2022 with the exception of the title trademark. The fair value of trademarks is determined using the relief from royalty method which is sensitive to fluctuations in projected revenues. During the year ended December 31, 2021, there was no impairment of goodwill or other indefinite-lived intangible assets. Management evaluated the effect of lowering the estimated fair value for each of the reporting units by 10% and determined that no impairment of goodwill would have been recognized under this evaluation for 2021. The impairment charges are recorded on a separate line in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations and are non-cash in nature. The Company evaluates the recoverability of its other long-lived assets, including amortizable intangible assets, if circumstances indicate an impairment may have occurred. This assessment is performed by comparing the respective carrying values of the assets to the current and expected future cash flows, on an undiscounted basis, to be generated from such assets. If such assessment indicates that the carrying value of these assets is not recoverable, then the carrying value of such assets is reduced to fair value through a charge to the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations. ADVERTISING EXPENSES Advertising costs are generally expensed in the period incurred. Advertising expenses, recorded within the "Marketing" expense line item on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations, were approximately $140 million, $175 million and $192 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. INCOME TAXES The Company’s provision for income taxes is determined using the asset and liability method, under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated based upon the differences between the financial statement and income tax bases of assets and liabilities using currently enacted tax rates. These differences are based upon estimated differences between the book and tax basis of the assets and liabilities for the Company. Certain tax assets and liabilities of the Company may be adjusted in connection with the finalization of income tax audits. The Company’s deferred tax assets are recorded net of a valuation allowance when, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that all or some portion of the recorded deferred tax balances will not be realized in future periods. Decreases to the valuation allowance are recorded as reductions to the Company’s provision for income taxes and increases to the valuation allowance result in additional provision for income taxes. STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION The Company grants stock-based awards to certain senior management members, employees and directors including restricted stock units and performance share units. The fair value of restricted stock units and performance share units without a market condition is measured based on the closing price of the Company's common stock on the grant date and is recognized as expense over the service period of the award, or when requisite performance metrics or milestones are probable of being achieved. The fair value of awards with a market condition are estimated using the Monte Carlo simulation method and expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award. The Company recognizes forfeitures as they occur. RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS The Company systematically reviews and evaluates the relevance and implications of all Accounting Standards Updates. While recently issued standards not expressly listed below were scrutinized, they were deemed either inapplicable or anticipated to have minimal impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations. The FASB issued a new standard on Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. This standard does not alter the methodology employed by the Company in identifying its operating segments, aggregating those operating segments or applying the quantitative thresholds to determine its reportable segments. Instead, the new standard adds required disclosures concerning significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to or easily computed from information regularly provided to by the chief operating decision maker ("CODM") and included within the Company's reported measure of segment profit of loss, as well as certain other disclosures. The new standard also allows disclosure of multiple measures of segment profitability if those measures are used to allocate resources and assess performance by the CODM. Furthermore, certain annual disclosures will be required on an interim basis. The new standard is effective for all calendar year end companies in 2024, and interim periods in 2025, with early adoption permitted. The new guidance should be adopted retrospectively unless impracticable. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its financial statement disclosures. The FASB issued a new standard addressing Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. This standard includes enhanced income tax disclosures primarily related to the effective tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid for annual periods. The new standard is effective for all calendar year end companies in 2025, and interim periods in 2026, with early adoption permitted. The new guidance should be adopted on a prospective basis with retrospective application permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its financial statement disclosures.

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