Caesars Entertainment, Inc. - Quarter Report: 2018 March (Form 10-Q)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10‑Q

(Mark One)

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2018

OR

For the transition period                 to                 

Commission File No. 001‑36629

ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

100 West Liberty Street, Suite 1150, Reno, Nevada 89501

(Address and zip code of principal executive offices)

(775) 328‑0100

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S‑T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non‑accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b‑2 of the Exchange Act.

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b‑2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

The number of shares of the Registrant’s Common Stock, $0.00001 par value per share, outstanding as of May 03, 2018 was 77,241,115.

ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.

QUARTERLY REPORT FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED

MARCH 31, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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PART I-FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Item 1.  Financial Statements.

ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(dollars in thousands)

The accompanying condensed notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(dollars in thousands, except per share data)

(unaudited)

The accompanying condensed notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(dollars in thousands)

(unaudited)

The accompanying condensed notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(dollars in thousands)

(unaudited)

The accompanying condensed notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

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ELDORADO RESORTS, INC.

CONDENSED NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Note 1. Organization and Basis of Presentation

Organization

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Eldorado Resorts, Inc. (“ERI” or the “Company”), a Nevada corporation formed in September 2013, and its consolidated subsidiaries. The Company acquired Mountaineer, Presque Isle Downs and Scioto Downs in September 2014 pursuant to a merger (the “MTR Merger”) with MTR Gaming Group, Inc. (“MTR Gaming”) and in November 2015 it acquired Circus Reno and the interests in the Silver Legacy that it did not own prior to such date (the “Reno Acquisition”).

On May 1, 2017 (the “Isle Acquisition Date”), the Company completed its acquisition of Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) dated as of September 19, 2016 with Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Isle” or “Isle of Capri”), Eagle I Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and Eagle II Acquisition Company LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Isle Acquisition” or the “Isle Merger”). As a result of the Isle Merger, Isle became a wholly-owned subsidiary of ERI.

ERI owns and operates the following properties:

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In addition, Scioto Downs, through its subsidiary RacelineBet, Inc., also operates Racelinebet.com, a national account wagering service that offers online and telephone wagering on horse races as a marketing affiliate of TwinSpires.com, an affiliate of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications of prior year presentations have been made to conform to the current period presentation.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, all of which are normal and recurring, considered necessary for a fair presentation and have been included herein. The results of operations for these interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for other quarters, for the full year or any future period.

The financial information included for periods prior to our acquisition of Isle are those of ERI and its subsidiaries. The presentation of information herein for periods prior to our acquisition of Isle and after our acquisition of Isle are not fully comparable because the results of operations for Isle are not included for periods prior to our acquisition of Isle.

These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements – New Developments and Adoptions of New Accounting Standards

In May 2014 (amended January 2017), the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” (ASC Topic 606) which provides a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and eliminates existing industry guidance, including revenue recognition guidance specific to the gaming industry. The core principle of the revenue model indicates that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or

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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.

We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2018, and elected to apply the full retrospective adoption method. The most significant impacts of the adoption are summarized below in Note 2.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02 which addresses the recognition and measurement of leases. Under the new guidance, for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases), at the commencement date, lessees will be required to recognize a lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis, and a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. Under the new guidance, lessor accounting is largely unchanged. Further, the new lease guidance simplifies the accounting for sale and leaseback transactions primarily because lessees must recognize lease assets and liabilities, which no longer provides a source for off balance sheet financing. The effective date for this update is for the annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. Lessees and lessors must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the consolidated financial statements.

Currently, we do not have any material capital leases nor any material operating leases where we are the lessor. Our operating leases, primarily relating to certain ground leases and slot machines or VLTs, will be recorded on the balance sheet as an ROU asset with a corresponding lease liability, which will be amortized using the effective interest rate method as payments are made. The ROU asset will be depreciated on a straight-line basis and recognized as lease expense. The qualitative and quantitative effects of adoption of ASU 2016-02 are still being analyzed, and we are in the process of evaluating the full effect the new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and any new considerations with respect to any pending acquisitions.

In November 2016, ASU No. 2016-18 was issued related to the inclusion of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. This new guidance requires that a statement of cash flows present the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalent. This update is effective in fiscal years, including interim periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company retrospectively adopted this guidance as of December 31, 2017. Upon adoption, the Company included a reconciliation of Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported within the Consolidated Balance Sheets to the total shown in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Adoptions of this guidance had no other impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements or disclosures.

Certain amounts have been retrospectively reclassified for the three months ended March 31, 2017 to conform to the current period presentation and reflect the change in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows required with the adoption of ASU No. 2016-15 as of January 1, 2018 related to the classification of certain items on the statement of cash flows and ASU No 2016-18 as of December 31, 2017 related to the inclusion of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows as further described above.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, “Business Combinations – Clarifying the Definition of a Business.” This amendment is intended to clarify the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisition (or disposals) of assets or businesses. Amendments in this update provide a more robust framework to use in determining when a set of assets and activities is a business and to provide more consistency in applying the guidance, reduce the costs of application, and make the definition of a business more operable. The amendments are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption allowed as follows: (1) transactions for which acquisition date occurs before the issuance date or effective date of the amendments, only when the transaction has not been reported in financial statements that have been issued or made available for issuance and (2) transactions in which a subsidiary is deconsolidated or a group of assets is derecognized that occur before the issuance date or effective date of the amendments, only when the transaction has not been reported in financial statements that have been issued or made available for issuance. We adopted this accounting standard during the first quarter of 2018, which did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements, and will result in future acquisitions which do not involve substantive processes being accounted for as asset acquisitions.

Note 2. Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenue contracts with customers consists primarily of casino wagers, pari-mutuel commissions, food and beverage transactions, hotel sales, retail and entertainment contracts.

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Casino Revenue and Pari-mutuel Commissions

The Company recognizes as casino revenue (transaction price) the net win from gaming activities, which is the difference between gaming wins and losses, not the total amount wagered. Progressive jackpots are accrued and charged to revenue at the time the obligation to pay the jackpot is established. Gaming revenues are recognized net of certain cash and free play incentives. Pari-mutuel commissions consist of commissions earned from thoroughbred and harness racing and importing of simulcast signals from other race tracks and are recognized at the time wagers are made. Such commissions are a designated portion of the wagering handle as determined by state racing commissions, and are shown net of the taxes assessed by state and local agencies, as well as purses and other contractual amounts paid to horsemen associations. The Company recognizes revenues from fees earned through the exporting of simulcast signals to other race tracks at the time wagers are made. Such fees are based upon a predetermined percentage of handle as contracted with the other race tracks.

Gaming wager contracts involve two performance obligations for those customers earning points under the Company’s loyalty program and a single performance obligation for customers who don’t participate in the program. The Company applies a practical expedient by accounting for its gaming contracts on a portfolio basis as such wagers have similar characteristics and the Company reasonably expects the effects on the financial statements of applying the revenue recognition guidance to the portfolio to not differ materially from that which would result if applying the guidance to an individual wagering contract.

Loyalty Programs and Other Contract Obligations

The Company offers programs at its properties whereby our participating customers can accumulate points for wagering that can be redeemed for credits for free play on slot machines, lodging, food and beverage, merchandise and in limited situations, cash. The incentives earned by customers under these programs are based on previous revenue transactions and represent separate performance obligations. Points earned, less breakage, are recorded as a reduction of casino revenues at the retail value of such benefits owed to the customer and recognized as departmental revenue based on where such points are redeemed, upon fulfillment of the performance obligation. The loyalty program liability represents a deferral of revenue until redemption occurs, which is typically less than one year.

For purposes of allocating the transaction price in a wagering contract between the wagering performance obligation and the obligation associated with the loyalty points earned, the Company allocates an amount to the loyalty point contract liability based on the stand-alone selling price of the points earned, which is determined by the value of a point that can be redeemed for a non-gaming good or service. An amount is allocated to the gaming wager performance obligation using the residual approach as the stand-alone price for wagers is highly variable and no set established price exists for such wagers. The allocated revenue for gaming wagers is recognized when the wagers occur as all such wagers settle immediately. The loyalty point contract liability amount is deferred and recognized as revenue when the customer redeems the points for the non-gaming good or service at the time such goods or services are delivered to the customer.

The Company’s liability for its loyalty point performance obligations totaled $11.5 million and $11.8 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. Historically, the Company’s loyalty points earned and redeemed are substantially constant over time, which results in the loyalty point performance obligation balance remaining fairly consistent across our reporting periods.

Non-gaming Revenue

Hotel, food and beverage, and other operating revenues are recognized as services are performed. The transaction price for hotel, food and beverage contracts is the net amount collected from the customer for such goods and services. Hotel, food and beverage services have been determined to be separate, stand-alone performance obligations and the transaction price for such contracts is recorded as revenue as the good or service is transferred to the customer over the customer’s stay at the hotel or when the delivery is made for the food and beverage. Advance deposits for future hotel occupancy, convention space or food and beverage services contracts are recorded as deferred income until the revenue recognition criteria has been met.

The Company also provides goods and services that may include multiple performance obligations, such as for packages, for which revenues are allocated on a pro rata basis based on each service's stand-alone selling price.

Complimentaries

The Company offers discretionary coupons and other discretionary complimentaries to customers outside of the loyalty program. The retail value of complimentary food, beverage, hotel rooms and other services provided to customers, including

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loyalty point redemptions, is recognized in revenues when the goods or services are transferred to the customer. Complimentaries provided by third parties at the discretion and under the control of the Company is recorded as an expense when incurred. The Company’s revenues included complimentaries and loyalty point redemptions of $47.2 million and $23.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Adoption of ASC Topic 606

The adoption of ASC Topic 606 on January 1, 2018 principally affected the presentation of promotional allowances and how the Company measured the liability associated with our customer loyalty programs. The presentation of gross revenues for complimentary goods and services provided to guests with a corresponding offsetting amount included in promotional allowances was eliminated. This adjustment in presentation of promotional allowances did not have an impact on the Company’s historically reported net operating revenues. The majority of such amounts previously included in promotional allowances now offset casino revenues based on an allocation of revenues to performance obligations using stand-alone selling price. Food, beverage, lodging and other services furnished to our guests on a complimentary basis are measured at the respective estimated standalone selling prices and included as revenues within food and beverage, lodging, and retail, entertainment and other, which generally resulted in a corresponding decrease in gaming revenues. The costs of providing such complimentary goods and services are included as expenses within food and beverage, lodging, and retail, entertainment and other.

Additionally, as a result of the adoption of the new standard, certain adjustments and other reclassifications to and between revenue categories and to and between expense categories were required; however, the amounts associated with such adjustments did not have a significant impact on the Company’s previously reported operating income or net income.  

Liabilities associated with our customer loyalty programs are no longer valued at cost; rather a deferred revenue model is used to account for the classification and timing of revenue to be recognized related to the redemption of loyalty program liabilities by our customers. Points earned under the Company’s loyalty programs are deemed to be separate performance obligations, and recorded as a reduction of casino revenues when earned at the retail value of such benefits owed to the customer and recognized as departmental revenue based on where such points are redeemed, upon fulfillment of the performance obligation.

The Company elected to adopt the full retrospective method to apply the new guidance to each prior reporting period presented as if it had been in effect since January 1, 2015, with a pre-tax cumulative effect adjustment to our retained earnings upon adoption of $4.7 million. Net of tax, the cumulative effect adjustment to our retained earnings upon adoption was $3.5 million. This was primarily related to our loyalty program point liability, which increased from an estimated incremental cost model to a deferred revenue model at retail value.

Adoption of the new standard did not have a significant impact on our previously reported net revenue, expenses, operating income, and net income. The impact of adoption of the new standard to previously reported selected financial statement information was as follows (in thousands):

The Company’s consolidated statement of income presents net revenue disaggregated by type or nature of the good or service (i.e., casino, pari-mutuel, food and beverage, hotel and other). A summary of net revenues disaggregated by type of revenue and reportable segment is presented below (amounts in thousands). Refer to Note 13 for a discussion of the Company’s reportable segments.

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Note 3. Isle Acquisition and Final Purchase Price Accounting

Final Purchase Price Accounting – Isle of Capri

On May 1, 2017, the Company completed its acquisition of Isle. As of March 31, 2018, the Company finalized its purchase price accounting related to the Isle Acquisition. The total purchase consideration in the Isle Acquisition was determined with reference to the fair value on the date of the Merger Agreement as follows:

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The following table summarizes the final purchase accounting of the purchase consideration to the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the Isle Acquisition as of the Isle Acquisition Date, with the excess recorded as goodwill. The fair values were based on management’s analysis, including work performed by third-party valuation specialists. The following table summarizes our final purchase price accounting of the acquired assets and liabilities as of March 31, 2018 (dollars in thousands):

During the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company finalized its valuation procedures and adjusted the Isle of Capri preliminary purchase price accounting, as disclosed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, to their updated values. Except for other long-term liabilities related to Bettendorf and Nemacolin (see Note 8) and a corresponding goodwill adjustment totaling $6.1 million (net of tax), the finalization of our purchase price accounting resulted in minimal changes and refinements by management as of, and for the three months ended March 31, 2018.

Valuation methodologies under both a market and income approach used for the identifiable net assets acquired in the Isle Acquisition make use of Level 1 and Level 3 inputs including quoted prices in active markets and discounted cash flows using current interest rates and are provisional pending development of a final valuation.

Trade receivables and payables, inventory and other current and noncurrent assets and liabilities were valued at the existing carrying values as they represented the estimated fair value of those items at the Isle Acquisition Date, based on management’s judgment and estimates.

The fair value of land was determined using the market approach, which arrives at an indication of value by comparing the site being valued to sites that have been recently acquired in arm’s-length transactions. The market data is then adjusted for any significant differences, to the extent known, between the identified comparable sites and the site being valued. Building and site improvements were valued using the cost approach using a direct cost model built on estimates of replacement cost. With respect to personal property components of the assets, personal property assets with an active and identifiable secondary market such as riverboats, gaming equipment, computer equipment and vehicles were valued using the market approach. Other personal property assets such as furniture, fixtures, computer software, and restaurant equipment were valued using the cost approach which is based on replacement or reproduction costs of the asset.

The cost approach is an estimation of fair value developed by computing the current cost of replacing a property and subtracting any depreciation resulting from one or more of the following factors: physical deterioration, functional obsolescence, and/or economic obsolescence. The income approach incorporates all tangible and intangible property and served as a ceiling for the fair values of the acquired assets of the ongoing business enterprise, while still taking into account the premise of highest and best use. In the instance where the business enterprise value developed via the income approach was exceeded by the initial fair values of the underlying assets, an adjustment to reflect economic obsolescence was made to the tangible assets on a pro rata basis to reflect the contributory value of each individual asset to the enterprise as a whole.

The fair value of the gaming licenses was determined using the excess earnings or replacement cost methodology based on the respective states’ legislation. The excess earnings methodology, which is an income approach methodology that allocates the projected cash flows of the business to the gaming license intangible assets less charges for the use of other identifiable assets of Isle including working capital, fixed assets and other intangible assets. This methodology was considered appropriate as the gaming licenses are the primary asset of Isle and the licenses are linked to each respective facility. Under the respective state’s gaming legislation, the property specific licenses can only be acquired if a theoretical

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buyer were to acquire each existing facility. The existing licenses could not be acquired and used for a different facility. The properties’ estimated future cash flows were the primary assumption in the respective valuations. Cash flow estimates included net gaming revenue, gaming operating expenses, general and administrative expenses, and tax expense. The replacement cost methodology is a cost approach methodology based on replacement or reproduction cost of the gaming license as an indicator of fair value. The acquired Isle properties currently have licenses in Pennsylvania, Iowa, Missouri, Mississippi, Florida and Colorado. The renewal of each state’s gaming license depends on a number of factors, including payment of certain fees and taxes, providing certain information to the state’s gaming regulator, and meeting certain inspection requirements. However, ERI’s historical experience has not indicated, nor does ERI expect, any limitations regarding its ability to continue to renew each license. No other competitive, contractual, or economic factor limits the useful lives of these assets. Accordingly, ERI has concluded that the useful lives of these licenses are indefinite.

Trademarks are valued using the relief from royalty method, which presumes that without ownership of such trademarks, ERI would have to make a stream of payments to a brand or franchise owner in return for the right to use their name. By virtue of this asset, ERI avoids any such payments and record the related intangible value of ERI’s ownership of the brand name. The primary assumptions in the valuation included revenue, pre-tax royalty rate, and tax expense.

Trade names were valued using the relief‑from‑royalty method. The loyalty program was valued using a comparative business valuation method. Management has assigned trade names an indefinite useful life, in accordance with its review of applicable guidance of ASC Topic No. 350, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other” (“ASC 350”). The standard required ERI to consider, among other things, the expected use of the asset, the expected useful life of other related asset or asset group, any legal, regulatory, or contractual provisions that may limit the useful life, ERI’s own historical experience in renewing similar arrangements, the effects of obsolescence, demand and other economic factors, and the maintenance expenditures required to obtain the expected cash flows. In that analysis, ERI determined that no legal, regulatory, contractual, competitive, economic or other factors limit the useful lives of these intangible assets.

Isle Operating Results and Transaction Expenses

For the three months ended March 31, 2018, Isle generated revenue of $231.9 million and net income of $30.4 million.

Transaction expenses attributed to the Isle Acquisition are reported on the accompanying statements of income related to legal, accounting, financial advisory services, severance, stock awards and other costs and totaled $1.0 million and $1.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Unaudited Pro Forma Information

The following unaudited pro forma information presents the results of operations of the Company for the three months ended March 31, 2017, as if the Isle Acquisition had occurred on January 1, 2017 (in thousands).

These pro forma results do not necessarily represent the results of operations that would have been achieved if the acquisition had taken place on January 1, 2017, nor are they indicative of the results of operations for future periods. The pro forma amounts include the historical operating results of the Company and Isle prior to the Isle Acquisition with adjustments directly attributable to the Isle Acquisition.

Note 4. Assets Held for Sale

On February 28, 2018, the Company entered into definitive agreements to sell substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Presque Isle Downs and Vicksburg to Churchill Downs Incorporated (“CDI”). Under the terms of the agreements, CDI will purchase Presque Isle Downs for cash consideration of approximately $178.9 million and Vicksburg for cash consideration of approximately $50.6 million, in each case subject to a customary working capital adjustment (the “Dispositions”). Additionally, an impairment charge was recorded related to Vicksburg during the three months ended March 31, 2018 (see Note 6).

The Dispositions are subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals, termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act (the “HSR Act”) and other customary closing conditions, including, in the case of Presque Isle

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Downs, the prior closing of the sale of Vicksburg or the entry into an agreement to acquire another asset of the Company. On May 7, 2018, the Company and CDI each received a Request for Additional Information and Documentary Materials, often referred to as a “Second Request,” from the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) in connection with the FTC’s review of the Vicksburg acquisition. The Second Request was issued under the HSR Act. Issuance of the Second Request extends the waiting period under the HSR Act until 30 days after the Company and CDI have substantially complied with the Second Request, unless the waiting period is extended voluntarily by the parties or terminated earlier by the FTC. The Company and CDI continue to cooperate fully with the FTC in its review. The Dispositions are expected to close in the third or fourth quarter of 2018 subject to satisfaction of closing conditions (including termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act and, in the case of Presque Isle Downs, the prior closing of the sale of Vicksburg or the entry into an agreement to acquire another asset of the Company.

The Dispositions met the requirements for presentation as assets held for sale under generally accepted accounting principles as of March 31, 2018.

The assets and liabilities held for sale were as follows (in thousands):

Note 5. Stock-Based Compensation

Common Stock and Stock‑Based Awards

The Company has authorized common stock of 100,000,000 shares, par value $0.00001 per share. In February 2018, the Board of Directors approved and adopted an amendment (the “Common Stock Amendment”) to the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, subject to approval by the Company’s stockholders that would increase the total number of authorized shares of common stock from 100,000,000 shares to 200,000,000 shares.

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. Total stock-based compensation expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of income totaled $3.7 million and $1.7 million during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The Board of Directors (“BOD”) adopted the Eldorado Resorts, Inc. 2015 Equity Incentive Plan (“2015 Plan”) on January 23, 2015 and our shareholders subsequently approved the adoption of the 2015 Plan on June 23, 2015. The Plan permits the granting of stock options, including incentive stock options (“ERI Stock Options”), stock appreciation rights, restricted stock or restricted stock units (“RSUs”), performance awards, and other stock-based awards and dividend equivalents. ERI Stock Options primarily vest ratably over three years and RSUs granted to employees and executive officers primarily vest and become non-forfeitable upon the third anniversary of the date of grant. The stock ownership guidelines require our non-employee directors to hold shares of our common stock with a minimum value equal to five times the director’s annual cash base retainer fee. Prior to achievement of the minimum stock ownership guideline, RSU grants will vest immediately; however, settlement will be mandatorily deferred until termination of Board service. After minimum stock ownership is achieved, unless the director voluntarily elects to defer settlement of the RSUs, the RSUs will vest and be

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settled immediately at the time of grant. The performance awards relate to the achievement of defined levels of performance and are generally measured over a one or two-year performance period depending upon the award agreement. If the performance award levels are achieved, the awards earned will vest and become payable at the end of the vesting period, defined as either a one or two calendar year period following the performance period. Payout ranges are from 0% up to 200% of the award target.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the outstanding equity awards of Isle were converted into comparable equity awards of ERI stock as follows:

Isle stock options. Each option or other right to acquire Isle common stock (each an “Isle Stock Option”) that was outstanding immediately prior to the Isle Acquisition Date (whether vested or unvested), as of the Isle Acquisition Date, (i) continued to vest or accelerate (if unvested), as the case may be, in accordance with the applicable Isle stock plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle Stock Option was granted and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement), (ii) ceased to represent an option or right to acquire shares of Isle common stock, and (iii) was converted into an option or right to purchase that number of shares ERI common stock equal to the number of shares of Isle common stock subject to the Isle Stock Option multiplied by the Stock Consideration at an exercise price equal to the exercise price of the Isle Stock Option divided by the Stock Consideration, subject to the same restrictions and other terms as are set forth in the Isle equity incentive plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle Stock Option was granted and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement).

Isle restricted stock awards. Each share of Isle common stock subject to vesting, repurchase or lapse restrictions (each an “Isle Restricted Share”) that was outstanding under any Isle equity plan or otherwise immediately prior to the Isle Acquisition Date, as of the Isle Acquisition Date, continued to vest or accelerate (if unvested), as the case may be, in accordance with the applicable Isle stock plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle Restricted Share was granted, and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement) and was exchanged for shares of ERI common stock (in an amount equal to the Stock Consideration, with aggregated fractional shares rounded to the nearest whole share) and remain subject to the same restrictions and other terms as are set forth in the Isle stock plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle Restricted Share was granted, and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement).

Isle performance stock units. Each performance stock unit (each, an “Isle PSU”) that was outstanding immediately prior to the Isle Acquisition Date, as of the Isle Acquisition Date, (i) continued to vest or accelerate (if unvested), as the case may be, in accordance with the applicable Isle stock plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle PSU was granted, and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement), (ii) was converted into a number of performance stock units in respect of shares of ERI common stock, in an amount equal to the Stock Consideration (with aggregated fractional shares rounded to the nearest whole share) at the target level of performance, and (iii) remain subject to the same restrictions and other terms as are set forth in the Isle stock plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle PSU was granted, and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement).

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Isle restricted stock units. Each restricted stock unit, deferred stock unit or phantom unit in respect of a share of Isle common stock granted under the applicable Isle stock plan or otherwise, including any such units held in participant accounts under any employee benefit or compensation plan or arrangement of Isle, other than an Isle PSU (each an “Isle RSU”) that was outstanding immediately prior to the Isle Acquisition Date, as of the Isle Acquisition Date, (i) continued to vest or accelerate (if unvested), as the case may be, in accordance with the applicable Isle stock plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle RSU was granted, and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement or applicable employee benefit plan), (ii) was converted into a number of restricted stock units, deferred stock units or phantom units, as applicable, in respect of shares of ERI common stock, in an amount equal to the Stock Consideration (with aggregated fractional shares rounded to the nearest whole share), and (iii) remain subject to the same restrictions and other terms as are set forth in the Isle stock plan, the award agreement pursuant to which such Isle RSU was granted, and, if applicable, any other relevant agreements (such as an employment agreement or applicable employee benefit plan).

On January 27, 2017, the Company granted 298,761 RSUs (time-based awards and performance awards with a two-year performance period) to executive officers and key employees, and 46,282 RSUs (time-based awards) to non-employee members of the BOD under the 2015 Plan. The performance awards granted in 2017 are subject to a two-year performance period (2017 and 2018), with a one‑year additional vesting requirement, resulting in a total vesting period of three years from the grant date. Performance achievement over the two-year performance period is measured by averaging the level of achievement attained during each of 2017 and 2018. PSUs are earned as follows: 50% of the target number of PSUs will be earned at threshold performance, 100% of the target number of PSUs will be earned at target performance, and up to 200% of the target number of PSUs will be earned at maximum performance. No award is earned if performance falls below the threshold level. Following the end of the two-year performance period, the vesting of earned PSUs are subject to an additional one-year service condition. The January 27, 2017, RSUs had a fair value of $15.50 per unit which was the NASDAQ closing price on that date. An additional 246,755 RSUs were also granted to key employees during the year ended December 31, 2017.

On January 26, 2018, the Company granted 242,939 RSUs (time-based awards and performance awards with a two-year performance period) to executive officers, key employees, and 32,284 RSUs (time-based awards) to non-employee members of the BOD under the 2015 Plan. The RSUs had a fair value of $33.05 per unit which was the NASDAQ closing price on that date. An additional 7,415 RSUs were granted at 116% of target following the finalization of actual results of the first year of the two-year 2017 performance period.

A summary of the RSU activity for the three months ended March 31, 2018 is presented in the following table:

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A summary of the ERI Stock Option activity for the three months ended March 31, 2018 is presented in the following table:

A summary of the ERI Restricted Stock Awards activity for the three months ended March 31, 2018 is presented in the following table:

There were no options exercised or expired during the three months ended March 31, 2018.

The Company’s unrecognized compensation cost for unvested restricted stock awards was $18,000 as of March 31, 2018.

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Note 6. Other and Intangible Assets, net

Other and intangible assets, net, include the following amounts (in thousands):

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase prices of acquiring MTR Gaming and Isle over the fair market value of the net assets acquired. In conjunction with the classification of Vicksburg’s operations as assets held for sale (see Note 4) as a result of the announced sale to Churchill Downs Incorporated, an impairment charge totaling $9.8 million was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2018 due to the carrying value exceeding the estimated net sales proceeds.

Gaming licenses represent intangible assets acquired from the purchase of a gaming entity located in a gaming jurisdiction where competition is limited, such as when only a limited number of gaming operators are allowed to operate in the jurisdiction. These gaming license rights are not subject to amortization as the Company has determined that they have an indefinite useful lives.

Amortization expense related to trade names and loyalty programs for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 totaled $1.6 million and $0.5 million, respectively, and is included in depreciation and amortization expense in the consolidated statements of income. Such amortization expense is expected to be $3.5 million for the remainder of 2018 and $4.7 million and $1.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Note 7. Income Taxes

The SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 118, which provides guidance on accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the Tax Act enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under ASC 740. In accordance with SAB 118, a company must reflect the income tax effects of those aspects of the Tax Act for which the accounting under ASC 740 is complete. To the extent that a company’s accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Act is incomplete but it is able to determine a reasonable estimate, it must record a provisional estimate in the financial statements. If a company cannot determine a provisional estimate to be included in the financial statements, it should continue to apply ASC 740 on the basis of the provisions of the tax laws that were in effect immediately before the enactment of the Tax Act.

While we have not yet completed all of the computations necessary or completed an inventory of our 2017 expenditures that qualify for immediate deductions, we have recorded a provisional benefit based on our current intent to fully deduct all qualifying expenditures. This did not result in any significant change to our current income tax payable due to our federal and state net operating loss carry forwards.

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The Company estimates an annual effective income tax rate based on projected results for the year and applies this rate to income before taxes to calculate income tax expense. Any refinements made due to subsequent information that affects the estimated annual effective income tax rate are reflected as adjustments in the current period.

For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company’s tax expense was $2.1 million and $0.4 million, respectively. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, the difference between the effective rate and the statutory rate is attributed primarily to state and local income taxes less excess tax benefits associated with stock compensation. As of March 31, 2018 and 2017, there were no unrecognized tax benefits and the Company does not expect a significant increase or decrease to the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits within the next twelve months.

The Company and its subsidiaries file US federal income tax returns and various state and local income tax returns. The Company does not have tax sharing agreements with the other members within the consolidated ERI group. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to US federal or state and local tax examinations by tax authorities for years before 2012.

The Company was notified by the Internal Revenue Service in October of 2016 that its federal tax return for the year ended December 31, 2014 had been selected for examination. In September 2017, the IRS informed the Company that they completed the examination of the tax return and made no changes.

Note 8. Long-Term Debt and Other Long-Term Liabilities

Long‑term debt consisted of the following (in thousands):