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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Basis of Presentation – The consolidated financial statements of the Company presented herein include all of the accounts of Sotherly Hotels Inc., formerly MHI Hospitality Corporation, the Operating Partnership, MHI TRS and subsidiaries as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 and for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Investment in Hotel Properties

Investment in Hotel Properties – Investments in hotel properties include investments in operating properties which are recorded at acquisition cost and allocated to land, property and equipment and identifiable intangible assets. Replacements and improvements are capitalized, while repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Upon the sale or retirement of a fixed asset, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the Company’s accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in the statements of operations. Expenditures under a renovation project, which constitute additions or improvements that extend the life of the property, are capitalized.

Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, generally 7 to 39 years for buildings and building improvements and 3 to 10 years for furniture, fixtures and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the useful lives of the related assets.

The Company reviews its investments in hotel properties for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the hotel properties may not be recoverable. Events or circumstances that may cause a review include, but are not limited to, adverse changes in the demand for lodging at the properties due to declining national or local economic conditions and/or new hotel construction in markets where the hotels are located. When such conditions exist, management performs an analysis to determine if the estimated undiscounted future cash flows from operations and the proceeds from the ultimate disposition of a hotel property exceed its carrying value. If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows are found to be less than the carrying amount of the asset, an adjustment to reduce the carrying amount to the related hotel property’s estimated fair market value would be recorded and an impairment loss recognized.

Investment in Joint Venture

Investment in Joint Venture – Investment in joint venture represents the Company’s noncontrolling indirect 25.0% equity interest in (i) the entity that owns the Crowne Plaza Hollywood Beach Resort; (ii) the entity that leases the hotel and has engaged MHI Hotels Services to operate the hotel under a management contract; (iii) the entity that had an option to purchase a three-acre development site with parking garage adjacent to the hotel and which leased the parking garage for use by the hotel; and (iv) the entity that owned the $22.0 million junior participation in the existing mortgage. Carlyle owns a 75.0% controlling indirect interest in all these entities. The Company accounts for its investment in the joint venture under the equity method of accounting and is entitled to receive its pro rata share of annual cash flow. The Company also has the opportunity to earn an incentive participation in the net sale proceeds based upon the achievement of certain overall investment returns, in addition to its pro rata share of net sale proceeds.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents – The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk – The Company holds cash accounts at several institutions in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) protection limits of $250,000. The Company’s exposure to credit loss in the event of the failure of these institutions is represented by the difference between the FDIC protection limit and the total amounts on deposit. Management monitors, on a regular basis, the financial condition of the financial institutions along with the balances there on deposit to minimize the Company’s potential risk.

Restricted Cash

Restricted Cash – Restricted cash includes real estate tax escrows, insurance escrows, reserves for replacements of furniture, fixtures and equipment, and cash collateral pursuant to certain requirements in the Company’s various mortgage agreements.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable – Accounts receivable consists primarily of hotel guest and banqueting receivables. Ongoing evaluations of collectability are performed and an allowance for potential credit losses is provided against the portion of accounts receivable that is estimated to be uncollectible.

Inventories

Inventories – Inventories which consist primarily of food and beverage are stated at the lower of cost or market, with cost determined on a method that approximates first-in, first-out basis.

Franchise License Fees

Franchise License Fees – Fees expended to obtain or renew a franchise license are amortized over the life of the license or renewal. The un-amortized franchise fees as of June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 were $218,739 and $240,489, respectively. Amortization expense for each of the three month periods ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 totaled $10,875 and for each of the six month periods ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 totaled $21,750.

Deferred Financing Costs

Deferred Financing Costs – Deferred financing costs are recorded at cost and consist of loan fees and other costs incurred in issuing debt. Amortization of deferred financing costs is computed using a method that approximates the effective interest method over the term of the related debt and is included in interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Derivative Instruments

Derivative Instruments – The Company’s derivative instruments are reflected as assets or liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair value. Derivative instruments used to hedge the exposure to changes in the fair value of an asset, liability, or firm commitment attributable to a particular risk, such as an interest rate risk, are considered fair value hedges. Derivative instruments used to hedge exposure to variability in expected future cash flows, or other types of forecasted transactions, are considered cash flow hedges. For a derivative instrument designated as a cash flow hedge, the change in fair value each period is reported in accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity to the extent the hedge is effective. For a derivative instrument designated as a fair value hedge, the change in fair value each period is reported in earnings along with the change in fair value of the hedged item attributable to the risk being hedged. For a derivative instrument that does not qualify for hedge accounting or is not designated as a hedge, the change in fair value each period is reported in earnings.

The Company uses derivative instruments to add stability to interest expense and to manage its exposure to interest-rate movements. To accomplish this objective, the Company primarily used an interest-rate swap, which was required under its then-existing credit agreement and acted as a cash flow hedge involving the receipts of variable-rate amounts from a counterparty in exchange for the Company making fixed-rate payments without exchange of the underlying principal amount. The Company valued its interest-rate swap at fair value, which it defines as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (exit price) and included it in accounts payable and accrued liabilities. The Company also uses derivative instruments in the Company’s stock to obtain more favorable terms on its financing. The Company does not enter into contracts to purchase or sell derivative instruments for speculative trading purposes.

The Company accounts for the warrant to purchase 1,900,000 shares of the Company’s common stock (the “Warrant”) based upon the guidance enumerated in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging: Contracts in Entity’s Own Stock. The Warrant contains a provision that could require an adjustment to the exercise price if we issued securities deemed to be dilutive to the Warrant and therefore is classified as a derivative liability. The Warrant is carried at fair value with changes in fair value reported in earnings as long as the Warrant remains classified as a derivative liability.

The Company’s warrant derivative liability was valued at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 using the Monte Carlo simulation method which is a generally accepted statistical method used to generate a defined number of stock price paths in order to develop a reasonable estimate of the range of our and our peer group’s future expected stock prices and minimizes standard error. The Monte Carlo simulation method takes into account, as of the valuation date, factors including the exercise price, the remaining term of the Warrant, the current price of the underlying stock and its expected volatility, expected dividends on the stock and the risk-free interest rate for the term of the Warrant.

The Company classifies the inputs used to measure fair value into the following hierarchy:


Level 1		Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2		Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, or Unadjusted quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability.

Level 3		Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

The Company endeavors to utilize the best available information in measuring fair value. Financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The following table represents our derivative instruments measured at fair value and the basis for that measurement:


	Level 1		Level 2			Level 3
*June 30, 2013*
Warrant	$	—	$	(7,649,962	)	$	—
*December 31, 2012*
Warrant		—		(4,969,752	)		—

Cumulative Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock

Cumulative Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Stock – The Company accounts for its Preferred Stock based upon the guidance enumerated in ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity. The Preferred Stock is mandatorily redeemable on April 18, 2016, or upon the earlier occurrence of certain triggering events and therefore is classified as a liability instrument on the date of issuance.

Noncontrolling Interest in Operating Partnership

Noncontrolling Interest in Operating Partnership – Certain hotel properties have been acquired, in part, by the Operating Partnership through the issuance of limited partnership units of the Operating Partnership. The noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership is: (i) increased or decreased by the limited partners’ pro rata share of the Operating Partnership’s net income or net loss, respectively; (ii) decreased by distributions; (iii) decreased by redemption of partnership units for the Company’s common stock; and (iv) adjusted to equal the net equity of the Operating Partnership multiplied by the limited partners’ ownership percentage immediately after each issuance of units of the Operating Partnership and/or the Company’s common stock through an adjustment to additional paid-in capital. Net income or net loss is allocated to the noncontrolling interest in the Operating Partnership based on the weighted average percentage ownership throughout the period.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition – Revenues from operations of the hotels are recognized when the services are provided. Revenues consist of room sales, food and beverage sales and other hotel department revenues, such as telephone, parking, gift shop sales and rentals from restaurant tenants, rooftop leases and gift shop operators. Revenues are reported net of occupancy and other taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes – The Company has elected to be taxed as a REIT under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As a REIT, the Company generally will not be subject to federal income tax on that portion of its net income that does not relate to MHI Hospitality TRS, LLC, the Company’s wholly-owned taxable REIT subsidiary. MHI Hospitality TRS, LLC, which leases the Company’s hotels from subsidiaries of the Operating Partnership, is subject to federal and state income taxes.

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method under which deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. As of June 30, 2013, the Company has no uncertain tax positions. In addition, the Company recognizes obligations for interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions, if any, as income tax expense. As of June 30, 2013, the tax years that remain subject to examination by the major tax jurisdictions to which the Company is subject generally include 2009 through 2012. In addition, as of June 30, 2013, the tax years that remain subject to examination by the major tax jurisdictions to which MHI TRS is subject generally also include 2004 through 2008.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based Compensation – The Company’s 2004 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2004 Plan”) and its 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan (the “2013 Plan”), which the Company’s stockholders approved in April 2013, permit the grant of stock options, restricted (non-vested) stock and performance stock compensation awards to its employees for up to 350,000 and 750,000 shares of common stock, respectively. The Company believes that such awards better align the interests of its employees with those of its stockholders.

Under the 2004 Plan, the Company has made restricted stock and deferred stock awards totaling 337,438 shares including 255,938 shares issued to certain executives and employees, and 81,500 restricted shares issued to its independent directors. Of the 255,938 shares issued to certain of the Company’s executives and employees, all have vested except 30,000 shares issued to the Chief Financial Officer upon execution of his employment contract which will vest on each of the next five anniversaries of the effective date of his employment agreement. Regarding the restricted shares awarded to the Company’s independent directors, all of the shares have vested except 15,000 shares which vest at the end of 2013.

The value of the awards is charged to compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting or service period based on the Company’s stock price on the date of grant or issuance. Under either the 2004 Plan or the 2013 Plan, the Company may issue a variety of performance-based stock awards, including nonqualified stock options. As of June 30, 2013, no performance-based stock awards have been granted under the 2004 Plan. Consequently, stock-based compensation as determined under the fair-value method would be the same under the intrinsic-value method. Total compensation cost recognized under the 2004 Plan totaled $21,069 and $43,026, respectively for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2013 and $13,077 and $26,155, respectively, for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2012. As of June 30, 2013, no awards have been granted under the 2013 Plan.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive Income (Loss) – Comprehensive income (loss), as defined, includes all changes in equity (net assets) during a period from non-owner sources. The Company does not have any items of comprehensive income (loss) other than net income (loss).

Segment Information

Segment Information – The Company has determined that its business is conducted in one reportable segment, hotel ownership.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates – The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America 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 period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications – Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period balances to conform to the current period presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements – There are no recent accounting pronouncements which the Company believes will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.