Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes

v3.24.0.1
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

(11)  Income Taxes

Income tax benefit (expense) consists of:

Years ended December 31,

 

    

2023

    

2022

    

2021

 

amounts in millions

 

Current:

Federal

$

(111)

 

(77)

 

(26)

State and local

 

(57)

 

(50)

 

(51)

Foreign

 

(41)

 

(24)

 

(9)

 

(209)

 

(151)

 

(86)

Deferred:

Federal

 

(44)

 

(299)

 

(130)

State and local

 

8

 

(44)

 

84

Foreign

 

22

 

330

 

87

 

(14)

 

(13)

 

41

Income tax benefit (expense)

$

(223)

 

(164)

 

(45)

The following table presents a summary of our domestic and foreign earnings (loss) before income taxes:

Years ended December 31,

 

    

2023

    

2022

    

2021

 

amounts in millions

 

Domestic

$

804

 

1,852

 

666

Foreign

 

381

 

341

 

123

Total

$

1,185

 

2,193

 

789

Expected income tax benefit (expense) differs from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 as a result of the following:

Years ended December 31,

 

    

2023

    

2022

    

2021

 

amounts in millions

 

Computed expected tax benefit (expense)

$

(249)

 

(461)

 

(166)

State and local income taxes, net of federal income taxes

 

(64)

 

(76)

 

(58)

Foreign income taxes, net of foreign tax credit

11

27

34

Income tax reserves

28

12

140

Taxable dividends, net of dividends received deductions

(1)

(7)

(11)

Federal tax credits

95

25

55

Change in valuation allowance affecting tax expense

 

20

 

303

 

(135)

Change in tax rate

(1)

6

146

Stock-based compensation

(16)

26

36

Non-deductible executive compensation

(15)

(21)

(17)

Non-taxable gain / non-deductible (loss)

(35)

11

(76)

Other, net

 

4

 

(9)

 

7

Income tax benefit (expense)

$

(223)

 

(164)

 

(45)

For the year ended December 31, 2023, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are federal tax credits and incentives generated by our alternative energy investments, partially offset by the effect of state income taxes and certain losses that are not deductible for tax purposes.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are a decrease in our valuation allowance, partially offset by the effect of state income taxes.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are federal income tax credits, the settlement of state income tax audits at Sirius XM Holdings and a change in the Company’s foreign effective tax rate, partially offset by an increase in our valuation allowance, the effect of state income taxes and certain losses that are not deductible for income tax purposes.

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are presented below:

December 31,

 

    

2023

    

2022

 

amounts in millions

 

Deferred tax assets:

Tax loss and credit carryforwards

$

1,062

 

1,170

Other accrued liabilities

 

230

 

256

Investments

 

95

 

139

Accrued stock compensation

 

67

 

81

Deferred revenue

42

34

Discount on debt

6

Other future deductible amounts

 

5

 

16

Deferred tax assets

 

1,507

 

1,696

Valuation allowance

 

(96)

 

(116)

Net deferred tax assets

 

1,411

 

1,580

Deferred tax liabilities:

Intangible assets

2,572

2,696

Fixed assets

 

312

 

371

Discount on debt

29

Deferred tax liabilities

 

2,884

 

3,096

Net deferred tax liabilities

$

1,473

 

1,516

During the year ended December 31, 2023, there was a $20 million decrease in the Company’s valuation allowance.

At December 31, 2023, the Company had a deferred tax asset of $1,062 million for federal, state and foreign net operating losses (“NOLs”), interest expense carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards. Of this amount, the Company has $15 million of federal NOLs, $181 million of state NOLs, $74 million of federal interest expense carryforwards, $18 million of federal tax credit carryforwards, $104 million of state tax credit carryforwards, $294 million of foreign NOLs and $316 million of foreign interest expense carryforwards that may be carried forward indefinitely. The remaining $60 million of carryforwards expire at certain future dates. These losses, interest carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards are expected to be utilized prior to expiration, except for $96 million, which, based on current projections, will not be utilized in the future and are subject to a valuation allowance.

A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

December 31,

 

    

2023

    

2022

2021

 

amounts in millions

 

Balance at beginning of year

$

198

 

179

 

432

Decrease for tax positions of prior years

 

(60)

    

(17)

    

(2)

Increase (decrease) in tax positions for current year

29

31

(10)

Increase in tax positions from prior years

 

4

 

5

 

9

Settlements with tax authorities

(250)

Balance at end of year

$

171

 

198

 

179

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had unrecognized tax benefits and uncertain tax positions of $171 million. If such tax benefits were to be recognized for financial statement purposes, approximately $171 million would be reflected in the Company’s tax expense and affect its effective tax rate. We do not currently anticipate that our existing reserves related to uncertain tax positions as of December 31, 2023 will significantly increase or decrease during the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2024; however, various events could cause our current expectations to change in the future. The Company’s estimate of its unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions requires a high degree of judgment.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company’s tax years prior to 2020 are closed for federal income tax purposes, and the IRS has completed its examination of the Company’s 2020 tax year. However, 2020 remains open until the statute of limitations lapses on October 15, 2024. The Company’s 2021 tax year is not under audit, but remains open until the statute of limitations lapses on October 15, 2025. The Company’s 2022 and 2023 tax years are currently under examination as part of the IRS Compliance Assurance program. Various states are currently examining the Company’s prior years’ state income tax returns. We do not expect the ultimate disposition of these audits to have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately $8 million in accrued interest and penalties recorded related to uncertain tax positions.

On February 1, 2021, the Company entered into a tax sharing agreement with Sirius XM Holdings governing the allocation of consolidated U.S. income tax liabilities and setting forth agreements with respect to other tax matters. The tax sharing agreement was negotiated by the Company with a special committee of Sirius XM Holdings’ board of directors, all of whom are independent of the Company, and approved by the executive committee of Liberty’s board of directors (the “Board of Directors”). The tax sharing agreement contains provisions that the Company believes are customary for tax sharing agreements between members of a consolidated group.

Under the Internal Revenue Code, two eligible corporations may form a consolidated tax group, and file a consolidated federal income tax return, if one corporation owns stock representing at least 80% of the voting power and value of the outstanding capital stock of the other corporation. Following the closing of the share exchange on November 3, 2021, as described in note 1, Liberty owned greater than 80% of the outstanding equity interest of Sirius XM Holdings, and, as a result, Liberty and Sirius XM Holdings became members of the same consolidated federal income tax group.

On November 1, 2021, Sirius XM Holdings entered into (i) an agreement with Liberty whereby Liberty agreed not to effect any merger with Sirius XM Holdings pursuant to Section 253 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (or any successor to such statute) without obtaining the prior approval of a special committee of the Sirius XM Holdings board of directors, all of whom are independent of Liberty (the “Special Committee”) (or any successor special

committee of Sirius XM Holdings’ independent and disinterested directors) and (ii) an agreement regarding certain tax matters relating to the exchange. Each of these agreements was negotiated by the Special Committee with Liberty.