Annual report [Section 13 and 15(d), not S-K Item 405]

Tracking Stocks

v3.25.0.1
Tracking Stocks
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
Tracking Stocks  
Tracking Stocks

(3)  Tracking Stocks

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.

On July 18, 2023, the Company completed the split-off of its wholly owned subsidiary, Atlanta Braves Holdings (the “Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off”). The Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off was accomplished by a redemption by the Company of each outstanding share of Liberty Braves common stock in exchange for one share of the corresponding series of Atlanta Braves Holdings common stock. Atlanta Braves Holdings was comprised of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Liberty Braves Group (the “Braves Group”) immediately prior to the Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off, except for the intergroup interests in the Braves Group attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group and the Liberty Formula One Group (the “Formula One Group”), which were settled and extinguished in connection with the Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off.

On August 3, 2023, the Company reclassified its then-outstanding shares of common stock into three new tracking stocks — Liberty SiriusXM common stock, Liberty Formula One common stock and Liberty Live common stock, and, in connection therewith, provided for the attribution of the businesses, assets and liabilities of the Company’s remaining tracking stock groups among its newly created Liberty SiriusXM Group, Formula One Group and Liberty Live Group (the “Reclassification”). As a result of the Reclassification, each then-outstanding share of Liberty SiriusXM common stock was reclassified into one share of the corresponding series of new Liberty SiriusXM common stock and 0.2500 of a share of the corresponding series of Liberty Live common stock and each outstanding share of Liberty Formula One common stock was reclassified into one share of the corresponding series of new Liberty Formula One common stock and 0.0428 of a share of the corresponding series of Liberty Live common stock.

Each of the Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off and the Reclassification were intended to be tax-free to stockholders of the Company, except with respect to the receipt of cash in lieu of fractional shares. In July 2024, the IRS completed its review of the Reclassification and notified the Company that it agreed with the nontaxable characterization of the transaction. In September 2024, the IRS completed its review of the Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off and notified the Company that it agreed with the nontaxable characterization of the transaction. The Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off and the Reclassification are reflected in the Company’s consolidated financial statements on a prospective basis.

While the Formula One Group and the Liberty Live 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. Holders of tracking stock have no direct claim to the group’s stock or assets and therefore, do not own, by virtue of their ownership of a Liberty tracking stock, any equity or voting interest in a public company, such as Live Nation, in which Liberty holds an interest that is attributed to a Liberty tracking stock group, the Liberty Live Group. Holders of tracking stock are also 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 Formula One common stock is intended to track and reflect the separate economic performance of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Formula One Group, which, as of December 31, 2024, include Liberty’s interests in Formula 1 and QuintEvents, cash and Liberty’s 2.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2027. As of December 31, 2024, the Formula One Group has cash and cash equivalents of approximately $2,631 million, which includes $1,389 million of subsidiary cash.

The Liberty Live common stock is intended to track and reflect the separate economic performance of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Liberty Live Group. As of December 31, 2024, the Liberty Live Group is primarily comprised of Liberty’s interest in Live Nation, cash, other minority investments, Liberty’s 2.375% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2053 and an undrawn margin loan. As of December 31, 2024, the Liberty Live Group has cash and cash equivalents of approximately $325 million.

Prior to the Liberty Sirius XM Holdings Split-Off, the Liberty SiriusXM common stock was intended to track and reflect the separate economic performance of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group. At the time of the Liberty Sirius XM Holdings Split-Off, the Liberty SiriusXM Group was comprised of Liberty’s interest in Sirius XM Holdings, corporate cash, Liberty’s 3.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028, Liberty’s 2.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2049 and a margin loan obligation incurred by a wholly-owned special purpose subsidiary of Liberty. As disclosed in note 1, Liberty Sirius XM Holdings is presented as a discontinued operation in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Prior to the Reclassification, Liberty’s interest in Live Nation, Liberty’s 0.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2050 and a margin loan secured by shares of Live Nation (the “Live Nation Margin Loan”) were attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group and are presented as continuing operations in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Prior to the Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off, the Liberty Braves common stock was intended to track and reflect the separate economic performance of the businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to the Braves Group. The Braves Group was primarily comprised of Braves Holdings, which indirectly owns the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball Club (the “Braves”), certain assets and liabilities associated with the Braves’ stadium (the “Stadium”) and a mixed-use development around the Stadium that features retail, office, hotel and entertainment opportunities (the “Mixed-Use Development”) and corporate cash.

On November 13, 2024, the Company announced that it is pursuing a plan to split-off the Liberty Live Group (the “Liberty Live Split-Off”). Immediately prior to the Liberty Live Split-Off, QuintEvents would be reattributed from the Formula One Group to the Liberty Live Group in exchange for certain private assets and cash. The Liberty Live Split-Off would be effected through the redemption of Liberty Live common stock in exchange for common stock of a newly formed company, Liberty Live Holdings, Inc. The Company would redeem each outstanding share of its Series A, Series B and Series C Liberty Live common stock for one share of the corresponding series of common stock of Liberty Live Holdings, Inc. As a result of the Liberty Live Split-Off, the Company and Liberty Live Holdings, Inc. would be separate publicly traded companies, and the Company would no longer have a tracking stock structure. The Liberty Live Split-Off is subject to various conditions including, among other things, shareholder approval and the receipt of an opinion of tax counsel. The Liberty Live Split-Off is intended to be tax-free to stockholders of the Company.

As of December 31, 2021, 6,792,903 notional shares represented an 11.0% intergroup interest in the Braves Group previously held by the Formula One Group, 2,292,037 notional shares represented a 3.7% intergroup interest in the Braves Group previously held by the Liberty SiriusXM Group and 5,271,475 notional shares represented a 2.2% intergroup interest in the Formula One Group previously held by the Liberty SiriusXM Group.

During September 2022, the Formula One Group and the Braves Group paid approximately $64 million and $14 million, respectively, to the Liberty SiriusXM Group to settle a portion of the intergroup interests in the Formula One Group and Braves Group held by the Liberty SiriusXM Group, as a result of the repurchase of a portion of Liberty’s 1.375% Cash Convertible Senior Notes due 2023 (the “Convertible Notes”). During March 2023, the Formula One Group paid approximately $202 million to the Liberty SiriusXM Group to settle a portion of the intergroup interest in the Formula One Group held by the Liberty SiriusXM Group, as a result of the repurchase of a portion of the Convertible Notes. On July 12, 2023, the Formula One Group paid approximately $71 million to the Liberty SiriusXM Group to settle and extinguish the remaining intergroup interest in the Formula One Group held by the Liberty SiriusXM Group.

In connection with the Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off, the intergroup interests in the Braves Group attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group and Formula One Group were settled and extinguished through the attribution, to the respective tracking stock group, of Atlanta Braves Holdings Series C common stock on a one-for-one basis equal to the number of notional shares representing the intergroup interest. On July 19, 2023, the shares of Atlanta Braves Holdings Series C common stock attributed to the Formula One Group to settle and extinguish the intergroup interest in connection with the Atlanta Braves Holdings Split-Off were distributed on a pro rata basis to holders of Liberty Formula One common stock (the “Formula One Distribution”). During November 2023, Liberty exchanged the shares of Atlanta Braves Holdings Series C common stock attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group with a third party to satisfy certain debt obligations attributed to the Liberty SiriusXM Group.  

See Exhibit 99.1 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for unaudited attributed financial information for Liberty’s tracking stock groups.