UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

 

 

For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2016

OR

 

 

For the transition period from                to                

Commission File Number 001-35707

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (720) 875-5400

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, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 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 outstanding shares of Liberty Media Corporation's common stock as of July 31, 2016 was:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(unaudited)

 

 

(continued)

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Continued)

(unaudited)

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations

(unaudited)

 

(Continued)

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Operations (Continued)

(unaudited)

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Comprehensive Earnings (Loss)

(unaudited)

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows

(unaudited)

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

LIBERTY MEDIA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Condensed Consolidated Statement Of Equity

(unaudited)

Six months ended June 30, 2016

 

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

 

 

(1)   Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include all the accounts of Liberty Media Corporation and its controlled subsidiaries (formerly named Liberty Spinco, Inc.) ("Liberty" or the "Company" unless the context otherwise requires). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Liberty, through its ownership of interests in subsidiaries and other companies, is primarily engaged in the media, communications and entertainment industries primarily in North America. The significant subsidiaries include Sirius XM Holdings Inc. ("SIRIUS XM") and Braves Holdings, LLC ("Braves Holdings"). Our significant investment accounted for under the equity method is Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. ("Live Nation"). 

The accompanying (a) condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2015, which has been derived from audited financial statements, and (b) the interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X as promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation of the results for such periods have been included. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. Additionally, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified for comparability with current period presentation. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in Liberty's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company considers (i) fair value measurement, (ii) accounting for income taxes, (iii) assessments of other-than-temporary declines in fair value of its investments and (iv) the determination of the useful life of SIRIUS XM’s broadcast/transmission system to be its most significant estimates.

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new accounting guidance on share-based payment accounting. The areas for simplification in this update involve several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, forfeiture calculations, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years, and early adoption is permitted. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all of the amendments in the same period. We plan to early adopt this new guidance in the third quarter of 2016. We are currently evaluating the impact of adoption of this guidance on our consolidated financial statements but do not believe that it will have a significant impact.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on lease accounting. This guidance requires a company to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities arising from operating leases in the statement of financial position. This guidance does not significantly change the previous lease guidance for how a lessee should account for leases. Additionally, the criteria for classifying a lease as a finance lease versus an operating lease are substantially the same as the previous guidance. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, and early adoption is permitted. We plan to adopt this guidance on January 1, 2019. Companies are required to use a modified retrospective approach to adopt this guidance.  We are currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that is intended to improve the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. The new guidance requires equity investments with readily determinable fair values (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income and simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment. The new standard is effective for the Company for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company has not yet determined the effect of the standard on its ongoing financial reporting.

In May 2014, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on revenue from contracts with customers.  The new guidance requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. This new guidance 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 March 2016, the FASB issued additional guidance which clarifies principal versus agent considerations, and in April 2016, the FASB issued further guidance which clarifies the identification of performance obligations and the implementation guidance for licensing. The updated guidance will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP when it becomes effective and permits the use of either a full retrospective or modified retrospective transition method. This guidance is currently effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017, and early adoption is permitted only for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company currently does not plan to early adopt this new guidance and is evaluating the effect that the updated standard will have on its revenue recognition and has not yet selected a transition method.

Liberty holds investments that are accounted for using the equity method. Liberty does not control the decision making process or business management practices of these affiliates. Accordingly, Liberty relies on management of these affiliates to provide it with accurate financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP that the Company uses in the application of the equity method. In addition, Liberty relies on audit reports that are provided by the affiliates' independent auditors on the financial statements of such affiliates. The Company is not aware, however, of any errors in or possible misstatements of the financial information provided by its equity affiliates that would have a material effect on Liberty's condensed consolidated financial statements.

On November 4, 2014, Liberty completed the spin-off to its stockholders common stock of a newly formed company called Liberty Broadband Corporation ("Liberty Broadband") (the “Broadband Spin-Off”). Shares of Liberty Broadband were distributed to the shareholders of Liberty as of a record date of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on October 29, 2014. Upon completion of the spin-off, Liberty Broadband was comprised of, among other things, (i) Liberty’s former interest in Charter Communications, Inc. (“Charter”), (ii) Liberty’s former subsidiary TruePosition, Inc. (“TruePosition”), (iii) Liberty’s former minority equity investment in Time Warner Cable, Inc. ("Time Warner Cable"), (iv) certain deferred tax liabilities, as well as liabilities related to Time Warner Cable call options and (v) initial indebtedness, pursuant to margin loans entered into prior to the completion of the Broadband Spin-Off. Prior to the transaction, Liberty Broadband borrowed funds under margin loans and made a final distribution to Liberty of approximately $300 million in cash. The Broadband Spin-Off was intended to be tax-free to stockholders of Liberty, and in September 2015, Liberty entered into a closing agreement with the IRS which provides that the Broadband Spin-Off qualified for tax-free treatment. In the Broadband Spin-Off, record holders of Liberty Media Corporation’s Series A, Series B and Series C common stock received one share of the corresponding series of Liberty Broadband common stock for every four shares of Liberty Media Corporation common stock held by them as of the record date for the Broadband Spin-Off, with cash paid in lieu of fractional shares. The Company’s former investments in and results of Charter and Time Warner Cable are no longer included in the results of Liberty from the date of the completion of the Broadband Spin-Off forward.

Liberty has entered into certain agreements with Liberty Interactive Corporation (“Liberty Interactive”), Starz, Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Inc. (“TripCo”) and Liberty Broadband, all of which are separate publicly traded companies, in order to govern relationships between the companies. None of these entities has any stock ownership, beneficial or

otherwise, in any of the others. These agreements include Reorganization Agreements (in the case of Starz and Liberty Broadband only), Services Agreements, Facilities Sharing Agreements, a Lease Agreement (in the case of Starz only) and Tax Sharing Agreements (in the case of Starz and Liberty Broadband only). On July 22, 2016, Liberty entered into a services agreement with CommerceHub, Inc. (“CommerceHub”), which was a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Interactive prior to the completion of its spin-off on such date. 

The Reorganization Agreements provide for, among other things, provisions governing the relationships between Liberty and each of Liberty Interactive, Starz and Liberty Broadband, respectively, including certain cross-indemnities. Pursuant to the Services Agreements, Liberty provides Liberty Interactive, Starz, TripCo, Liberty Broadband and CommerceHub with general and administrative services including legal, tax, accounting, treasury and investor relations support. Liberty Interactive, Starz, TripCo, Liberty Broadband and CommerceHub reimburse Liberty for direct, out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Liberty in providing these services and, in the case of Liberty Interactive and Starz, Liberty Interactive's and Starz's respective allocable portion of costs associated with any shared services or personnel based on an estimated percentage of time spent providing services to each respective company, while TripCo, Liberty Broadband and CommerceHub pay an annual fee for the provision of these services. Under the Facilities Sharing Agreements, Liberty shares office space and related amenities at its corporate headquarters with Liberty Interactive, TripCo and Liberty Broadband. Under these various agreements approximately $6 million of these allocated expenses were reimbursed to Liberty during each of the three months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, and $11 million and $14 million during the six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Under the Lease Agreement, Starz leases its corporate headquarters from Liberty. The Lease Agreement with Starz for their corporate headquarters requires a payment of approximately $4 million annually, subject to certain increases based on the Consumer Price Index.

(2) Tracking Stocks

During November 2015, Liberty’s board of directors authorized management to pursue a recapitalization of the Company’s common stock into three new tracking stock groups, one to be designated as the Liberty Braves common stock, one to be designated as the Liberty Media common stock and one to be designated as the Liberty SiriusXM common stock (the “Recapitalization”), and to cause to be distributed subscription rights related to the Liberty Braves tracking stock following the creation of the new tracking stocks.

 

The Recapitalization was completed on April 15, 2016 and the newly issued shares commenced trading or quotation in the regular way on the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the OTC Markets, as applicable, on Monday, April 18, 2016.  In May 2016, the IRS completed its review of the Recapitalization and notified Liberty that it agreed with the nontaxable characterization of the transaction. The operating results prior to the Recapitalization are attributed to Liberty stockholders in the aggregate. However, the information in the following footnotes has been presented by tracking stock groups for all periods presented in order to enhance the information provided to users of these financial statements.

 

Following the creation of the tracking stocks, Series A, Series B and Series C Liberty Braves common stock trade under the symbols BATRA/B/K respectively, Series A, Series B and Series C Liberty Media common stock trade under the symbols LMCA/B/K, respectively, and Series A, Series B and Series C Liberty SiriusXM common stock trade under the symbols LSXMA/B/K, respectively. Series A and Series C of each of the Liberty Braves common stock and the Liberty Media common stock trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market and Series B of each of these stocks trades on the OTC Markets. In addition, each series (Series A, Series B and Series C) of the Liberty SiriusXM common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

 

In the Recapitalization, each issued and outstanding share of Liberty’s existing common stock was reclassified and exchanged for (a) 1 share of the corresponding series of Liberty SiriusXM common stock, (b) 0.1 of a share of the corresponding series of Liberty Braves common stock and (c) 0.25 of a share of the corresponding series of Liberty Media common stock on April 15, 2016. Cash was paid in lieu of the issuance of any fractional shares.

 

In addition, following the creation of the new tracking stocks, Liberty distributed to holders of its Liberty Braves common stock subscription rights to acquire shares of Series C Liberty Braves common stock in order to raise capital to repay the Intergroup Note (as defined below) and for working capital purposes. In the rights distribution, Liberty distributed 0.47 of a Series C Liberty Braves subscription right for each share of Series A, Series B or Series C Liberty Braves common stock held as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on May 16, 2016. Fractional Series C Liberty Braves subscription rights were rounded up to the nearest whole right. Each whole Series C Liberty Braves subscription right entitled the holder to purchase, pursuant to the basic subscription privilege, one share of Liberty’s Series C Liberty Braves common stock at a subscription price of $12.80, which was equal to an approximate 20% discount to the trading day volume weighted average trading price of Liberty’s Series C Liberty Braves common stock for the 18-day trading period ending on May 11, 2016.  Each Series C Liberty Braves subscription right also entitled the holder to subscribe for additional shares of Series C Liberty Braves common stock that were unsubscribed for in the rights offering pursuant to an oversubscription privilege. The rights offering commenced on May 18, 2016, which was also the ex-dividend date for the distribution of the Series C Liberty Braves subscription rights. The rights offering expired at 5:00 p.m. New York City time, on June 16, 2016 and was fully subscribed with 15,833,634 shares of Series C Liberty Braves common stock issued to those rightsholders exercising basic and, if applicable, oversubscription privileges. Approximately $150 million of the proceeds from the rights offering were used to repay the outstanding balance on the Intergroup Note and accrued interest to Liberty. The remaining proceeds will be used for future development costs attributed to the Liberty Braves Group.

 

Additionally, as a result of the Recapitalization, the Convertible Notes (note 9) will be convertible into cash based on the product of the conversion rate specified in the indenture and the basket of tracking stocks into which each outstanding share of Series A Liberty common stock has been reclassified (the “Securities Basket”). The Series A Liberty Braves common stock component of the Securities Basket was subsequently adjusted pursuant to anti-dilution adjustments arising out of the distribution of subscription rights to purchase shares of Series C Liberty Braves common stock made to all holders of Liberty Braves common stock. Furthermore, the Company entered into amended agreements with the counterparties with regard to adjustments related to the Recapitalization to the outstanding Series A common stock warrants as well as the outstanding cash convertible note hedges and purchased call options. See note 9 for a more detailed discussion of the amendments made to these financial instruments as a result of the Recapitalization.

 

A tracking stock is a type of common stock that the issuing company intends to reflect or "track" the economic performance of a particular business or "group," rather than the economic performance of the company as a whole. While the Liberty SiriusXM Group, Liberty Braves Group and Liberty Media Group have separate collections of businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to them, no group is a separate legal entity and therefore cannot own assets, issue securities or enter into legally binding agreements. Therefore, the Liberty SiriusXM Group, Liberty Braves Group and Liberty Media Group do not represent separate legal entities, but rather represent those businesses, assets and liabilities that have been attributed to each respective group. Holders of tracking stock have no direct claim to the group's stock or assets and are not represented by separate boards of directors. Instead, holders of tracking stock are stockholders of the parent corporation, with a single board of directors and subject to all of the risks and liabilities of the parent corporation.

 

The Liberty SiriusXM common stock is intended to track and reflect the separate economic performance of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group. Liberty attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group its subsidiary SIRIUS XM, corporate cash, and its margin loan obligation incurred by a wholly-owned special purpose subsidiary of Liberty. As of June 30, 2016, the Liberty SiriusXM Group has cash and cash equivalents of approximately $526 million, which includes $476 million of subsidiary cash.

The Liberty Braves common stock is intended to track and reflect the separate economic performance of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Liberty Braves Group. Liberty attributed to the Liberty Braves Group its subsidiary, Braves Holdings, LLC (“Braves Holdings”), which indirectly owns the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball Club (“ANLBC”) and certain assets and liabilities associated with ANLBC’s stadium and mixed use development project

(the “Development Project”), corporate cash and all liabilities arising under a note from Braves Holdings to Liberty, with a total capacity of up to $165 million of borrowings by Braves Holdings (the “Intergroup Note”) relating to funds borrowed and used for investment in the Development Project. As previously discussed, $150 million was outstanding under the Intergroup Note that was repaid during June 2016 using proceeds from the subscription rights offering, and the Intergroup Note agreement was cancelled. The remaining proceeds were attributed to the Liberty Braves Group. As of June 30, 2016, the Liberty Braves Group has cash and cash equivalents of approximately $149 million, which includes subsidiary cash.

The Liberty Media common stock is intended to track and reflect the separate economic performance of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Liberty Media Group. Liberty attributed to the Liberty Media Group all of the businesses, assets and liabilities of Liberty other than those specifically attributed to the Liberty Braves Group or the Liberty SiriusXM Group, including Liberty’s interests in Live Nation, minority equity investments in Time Warner, Inc. and Viacom, Inc., the Intergroup Note, the recovery received in connection with the Vivendi lawsuit, cash as well as Liberty’s 1.375% Cash Convertible Notes due 2023 and related financial instruments. As part of the Recapitalization, the Liberty Media Group initially held a 20% intergroup interest in the Liberty Braves Group. As a result of the rights offering, the number of notional shares representing the intergroup interest held by the Liberty Media Group was adjusted to 9,084,940, representing a 15.6% intergroup interest in the Liberty Braves Group. The intergroup interest is a quasi-equity interest which is not represented by outstanding shares of common stock; rather, the Liberty Media Group has an attributed value in the Liberty Braves Group which is generally stated in terms of a number of shares of Series C Liberty Braves common stock issuable to the Liberty Media Group with respect to its interest in the Liberty Braves Group. The intergroup interest may be settled, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, through the transfer of newly issued shares of Liberty Braves common stock, cash and/or other assets to the Liberty Media Group. Accordingly, the intergroup interest attributable to the Liberty Media Group is presented as an asset and the intergroup interest attributable to the Liberty Braves Group is presented as a liability in the attributed financial statements and the offsetting amounts between tracking stock groups are eliminated in consolidation. The intergroup interest will remain outstanding until the redemption of the outstanding interest, at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors, through transfer of securities, cash and/or other assets from the Liberty Braves Group to the Liberty Media Group. As of June 30, 2016, the Liberty Media Group has cash and cash equivalents of approximately $554 million.

See Exhibit 99.1 to this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for unaudited attributed financial information for Liberty's tracking stock groups.

(3)   Stock-Based Compensation

Liberty grants, to certain of its directors, employees and employees of its subsidiaries, restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options to purchase shares of its common stock (collectively, "Awards"). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an equity classified Award (such as stock options and restricted stock) based on the grant-date fair value of the Award, and recognizes that cost over the period during which the employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period of the Award). The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for a liability classified Award based on the current fair value of the Award, and remeasures the fair value of the Award at each reporting date.

In connection with the Recapitalization, all outstanding Awards with respect to Liberty Media Corporation common stock (“Liberty Awards”) were adjusted pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions of the incentive plans under which the equity awards were granted, such that a holder of a Liberty Media Corporation Award received new corresponding equity awards relating to shares of one or more of Liberty SiriusXM common stock (a “Liberty Sirius XM Award”), Liberty Braves common stock (a “Liberty Braves Award”) and Liberty Media common stock (a “Liberty Media Award”) (collectively, the “Adjusted Liberty Awards”).

The exercise prices and number of shares subject to the Adjusted Liberty Awards were determined based on 1) the exercise prices and number of shares subject to the Liberty Media Corporation Award, 2) the distribution ratios, 3) the pre-Recapitalization trading price of Liberty Media Corporation common stock and 4) the post-Recapitalization trading prices of Liberty SiriusXM common stock, Liberty Braves common stock and Liberty Media common stock, such that all of the pre-Recapitalization value of the Liberty Media Corporation Awards was allocated among the Adjusted Liberty Awards.

Included in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations are the following amounts of stock-based compensation, a portion of which relates to SIRIUS XM, as discussed below:

 

 

In connection with our CEO’s employment agreement, Liberty granted approximately 775 thousand options of Series C Liberty Media Corporation common stock and 39 thousand performance-based restricted stock units of Series C Liberty Media Corporation common stock. Such options and restricted stock units had a grant-date fair value of $8.91 per share and $37.76 per share, respectively. These options mainly vest on December 31, 2016, and the performance-based restricted stock units cliff vest in one year, subject to satisfaction of certain performance objectives. Performance objectives, which are subjective, are considered in determining the timing and amount of the compensation expense recognized. As the satisfaction of the performance objectives becomes probable, the Company records compensation expense. The value of the grant is remeasured at each reporting period.

 

Also during the six months ended June 30, 2016, Liberty granted 84 thousand, 346 thousand and 32 thousand options to purchase shares of Series C common stock of Liberty Media, Liberty SiriusXM and Liberty Braves, respectively. Such options had a weighted average grant-date fair value (“GDFV”) of $4.50, $7.45 and $3.56 per share, respectively, and each grant vests 50% each on December 31, 2019 and 2020. 

 

The Company did not grant any options to purchase Series A or Series B of Liberty Media, Liberty SiriusXM or Liberty Braves common stock during the six months ended June 30, 2016.

Liberty calculates the GDFV for all of its equity classified awards and the subsequent remeasurement of its liability classified and certain performance-based awards using the Black-Scholes Model. Liberty estimates the expected term of the Awards based on historical exercise and forfeiture data. The volatility used in the calculation for Awards is based on the historical volatility of Liberty common stock and the implied volatility of publicly traded Liberty options. Liberty uses a zero dividend rate and the risk-free rate for Treasury Bonds with a term similar to that of the subject Awards.

Liberty—Outstanding Awards

The following tables present the number and weighted average exercise price ("WAEP") of Awards to purchase Liberty common stock granted to certain officers, employees and directors of the Company and certain Awards of employees of Starz.

Liberty Media

 

 

 

 

Liberty SiriusXM

 

 

 

Liberty Braves