Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Basis Of Presentation

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Basis Of Presentation
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Basis Of Presentation
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of Liberty Media Corporation (formerly named Liberty Spinco, Inc.) ("Liberty" or the "Company" unless the context otherwise requires) represent a combination of the historical financial information of (1) certain video programming and other media related assets and businesses previously attributed to the Starz tracking stock group and the Capital tracking stock group of Liberty Interactive Corporation ("Liberty Interactive" and formerly named Liberty Media Corporation) further described in note 2 and (2) Liberty Media Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries for the period following the date of the Split-Off (defined below). See discussion below pertaining to the Spin-Off (defined below). The Split-Off has been accounted for at historical cost due to the pro rata nature of the distribution.
In September 2011, Liberty Interactive completed the split-off of its former wholly-owned subsidiary (then known as Liberty Media Corporation) ("the Split-Off"), which at the time of the Split-Off held all of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to Liberty Interactive's Capital and Starz tracking stock groups. In January 2013, this entity (now named Starz) spun-off (the “Spin-Off”) the Company its then-former wholly owned subsidiary, Liberty Media Corporation, which, at the time of the Spin-Off, held all of the businesses, assets and liabilities of Starz not associated with Starz, LLC (with the exception of the Starz, LLC office building). The transaction was effected as a pro-rata dividend of shares of Liberty to the stockholders of Starz. Due to the relative significance of Liberty to Starz (the legal spinnor) and senior management's continued involvement with Liberty following the Spin-Off, Liberty is being treated as the "accounting successor" to Starz for financial reporting purposes, notwithstanding the legal form of the Spin-Off previously described. Therefore, the historical financial statements of the company formerly known as Liberty Media Corporation continue to be the historical financial statements of Liberty, and Starz, LLC is presented as discontinued operations. Therefore, for purposes of these condensed consolidated financial statements, Liberty is treated as the spinnor for purposes of discussion and as a practical matter for describing all the historical information contained herein.

Following the Split-Off and Spin-Off, Liberty, Liberty Interactive and Starz operate as separate publicly traded companies, none of which has any stock ownership, beneficial or otherwise, in the other. In connection with the Split-Off and Spin-Off, Liberty entered into certain agreements with Liberty Interactive and Starz, respectively, in order to govern ongoing relationships between the companies and to provide for an orderly transition. These agreements include Reorganization Agreements, Services Agreements, Facilities Sharing Agreements, a Lease Agreement (in the case of the Spin-Off only) and Tax Sharing Agreements. The Reorganization, Services and Facilities Sharing Agreements entered into with Liberty Interactive were assigned from Starz to Liberty in connection with the Spin-Off.

The Reorganization Agreements provide for, among other things, provisions governing the relationships between Liberty and each of Liberty Interactive and Starz following the Split-Off and Spin-Off, respectively, including certain cross-indemnities. Pursuant to the Services Agreements, Liberty provides Liberty Interactive and Starz with general and administrative services including legal, tax, accounting, treasury and investor relations support. Liberty Interactive and Starz reimburse Liberty for direct, out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Liberty in providing these services and for 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. Under the Facilities Sharing Agreements, Liberty shares office space and related amenities at its corporate headquarters with Liberty Interactive and Starz. Under these various agreements approximately $6 million and $1 million of these allocated expenses were reimbursed to Liberty during the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and approximately $9 million and $3 million of these allocated expenses were reimbursed to Liberty during the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, 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 $3 million annually, subject to certain increases based on the Consumer Price Index.

In connection with the Spin-Off, Liberty and Starz entered into a Tax Sharing Agreement which provides for the allocation and indemnification of tax liabilities and benefits between Liberty and Starz and other agreements related to tax matters. Among other things, pursuant to the Tax Sharing Agreement, Liberty has agreed to indemnify Starz, subject to certain exceptions, for taxes and tax-related losses resulting from the Spin-Off and the Split-Off, except to the extent such taxes or losses result from (i) the breach of certain restrictive covenants made by Starz or (ii) Section 355(e) of the Code applying to the Spin-Off or the Split-Off as a result of the Spin-Off or Split-Off being part of a plan (or series of related transactions) pursuant to which one or more persons acquire a 50-percent or greater interest in the stock of Starz. With respect to the Split-Off, the IRS has examined the transaction, and during 2012, the IRS and Liberty Interactive entered into a Closing Agreement which provides that the Split-Off qualified for tax-free treatment to Liberty Interactive and Starz.   In April 2013, the IRS completed its review of the Spin-Off and notified the parties that it agreed with the nontaxable characterization of the transaction.
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 accompanying (a) condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012, 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. 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. Certain amounts included in the accompanying financial statements for 2012 have been reclassified and adjusted to conform to the 2013 financial statement presentation. During the current period we changed the presentation of Net sales (purchases) of short term investments and other marketable securities to present gross amounts in the consolidated statement of cash flows, in order to conform to GAAP requirements. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. 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, 2012.
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 expected depreciable lives of satellites and spacecraft control facilities to be its most significant estimates.
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 January 18, 2013, Liberty settled a block transaction with a financial institution taking possession of an additional 50 million common shares of SIRIUS XM Radio, Inc. ("SIRIUS XM"), for cash consideration of approximately $161 million, as well as converting its remaining SIRIUS XM Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B-1, par value $0.001 per share, into 1,293,509,076 shares of SIRIUS XM Common Stock. As a result of these two transactions Liberty holds more than 50% of the common stock of SIRIUS XM entitled to vote on any matter, including the election of directors. Following the transactions, Liberty designated and SIRIUS XM's board of directors appointed certain directors and Liberty effectively controls the board as of January 18, 2013. This resulted in the application of purchase accounting and the consolidation of SIRIUS XM in the first quarter of 2013. Liberty recorded a gain in the six months ended June 30, 2013 of approximately $7.5 billion associated with the application of purchase accounting based on the difference between fair value and the carrying value of the ownership interest Liberty had in SIRIUS XM prior to the acquisition of the controlling interest. The gain on the transaction was excluded from taxable income, additionally, the difference between the book basis and tax basis of SIRIUS XM, as previously accounted for under the equity method, was relieved as a result of the transaction. The fair value of our ownership interest previously held ($10,215 million) and the fair value of the initial noncontrolling interest ($10,286 million) was determined based on the trading price (level 1) of SIRIUS XM on the last trading day prior to the acquisition of the controlling interest. Additionally, the noncontrolling interest includes the fair value of SIRIUS XM's fully vested options (level 2), the fair value of warrants outstanding (level 2) and the intrinsic value of a beneficial conversion feature accounted for in purchase accounting. Following the transaction date SIRIUS XM is a consolidated subsidiary with just less than a 50% noncontrolling interest accounted for in equity and the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Initial purchase price allocation for SIRIUS XM is as follows (amounts in millions):
Fair value of SIRIUS XM equity interests
$
10,372

Fair value of SIRIUS XM debt securities
253

Noncontrolling interest
10,841

 
$
21,466

 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
569

Receivables
210

Property, plant and equipment
1,714

Goodwill
14,021

FCC Licenses
8,600

Tradenames
930

Intangible assets subject to amortization
930

Other assets
480

Debt
(2,490
)
Deferred revenue
(1,565
)
Deferred income tax liabilities, net
(900
)
Other liabilities assumed
(1,033
)
 
$
21,466


The initial purchase price allocation is subject to change upon receipt of the final valuation analysis for SIRIUS XM. The primary balances still subject to analysis are the property, plant and equipment, deferred revenue and other liabilities. Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the identifiable net assets acquired and represents the future economic benefits expected to arise from other intangible assets acquired that do not qualify for separate recognition, including assembled workforce and noncontractual relationships. SIRIUS XM applied purchase accounting for the acquisition of XM Satellite Radio Holdings, Inc. in 2008 and has entered into many of its operating agreements at market rates in recent years, therefore, the carrying value of the identifiable net assets are reflected at amounts near their fair value. Accordingly, a large percentage of Liberty's purchase price was allocated to goodwill.
The Pro Forma summarized combined unaudited balance sheet and statement of operations of Liberty using the historical financial statements for SIRIUS XM, giving effect to purchase accounting related adjustments made at the time of acquisition and excluding the impact of the gain, as if the transaction discussed above occurred for the Balance Sheet data as of such date and for the Statement of Operations data as if they had occurred on January 1, 2012, are as follows:
Summary Pro Forma Balance Sheet Data:
 
December 31, 2012
 
amounts in millions
(unaudited)
Current assets
$
4,039

Investments in equity method affiliates
$
859

Property, plant and equipment, net
$
1,871

Intangible assets not subject to amortization
$
23,895

Intangible assets subject to amortization, net
$
1,036

Other assets
$
1,980

Total assets
$
33,680

Long-term debt
$
2,486

Deferred tax liabilities, net
$
2,936

Other liabilities
$
3,894

Noncontrolling interests in equity of subsidiaries
$
10,833

Stockholders' Equity
$
13,531

Summary Pro Forma Operations Data:
 
Three months ended June 30, 2012
 
Six months ended June 30, 2012
 
amounts in millions
(unaudited)
Revenue
$
970

 
1,808

Operating income (loss)
205

 
351

Interest expense
(49
)
 
(106
)
Share of earnings (loss) of affiliates
5

 
(16
)
Earnings (loss) attributable to the noncontrolling interests
1,584

 
1,629

Net Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty stockholders
1,636

 
1,752

 
 
 
 
 
Pro Forma basic net earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty stockholders per common share (note 4):
 
 
 
 
Series A and B common stock
$
13.75

 
14.60

Pro Forma diluted net earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty stockholders per common share (note 4):
 
 
 
 
Series A and B common stock
$
13.30

 
14.13



This Pro Forma information is not representative of Liberty's future financial position, future results of operations or future cash flows nor does it reflect what Liberty's financial position, results of operations or cash flows would have been if these transactions happened previously and Liberty controlled or discontinued owning these entities during the periods presented.