|
Discontinued Operations
|
3 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mar. 31, 2012
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discontinued Operations [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Discontinued Operations |
Discontinued Operations
Prior to the Split-Off (as defined below), Liberty's equity was structured into three separate 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. Liberty had three tracking stocks: Liberty Interactive common stock, Liberty Starz common stock and Liberty Capital common stock, which were intended to track and reflect the economic performance of the separate businesses, assets and liabilities attributed to each group. These attributed businesses, assets and liabilities were not separate legal entities and therefore could not own assets, issue securities or enter into legally binding agreements. Holders of the tracking stocks did not have a direct claim to the group's stock or assets and were not represented by separate boards of directors.
On September 23, 2011, Liberty completed the split-off of a wholly owned subsidiary, Liberty Media Corporation ("LMC") (formerly known as Liberty CapStarz, Inc. and prior thereto known as Liberty Splitco, Inc.) (the "Split-Off"). At the time of the Split-Off, LMC owned all the assets, businesses and liabilities previously attributed to our former Capital and Starz tracking stock groups. The Split-Off was effected by means of a redemption of all of the Liberty Capital common stock and Liberty Starz common stock of Liberty in exchange for the common stock of LMC. This transaction has been accounted for at historical cost due to the pro rata nature of the distribution.
Following the Split-Off, Liberty and LMC operate as separate, publicly traded companies, and neither has any stock ownership, beneficial or otherwise, in the other. In connection with the Split-Off, Liberty and LMC entered into certain agreements in order to govern certain of the ongoing relationships between the two companies after the Split-Off and to provide for an orderly transition. These agreements include a Reorganization Agreement, a Services Agreement, a Facilities Sharing Agreement and a Tax Sharing Agreement.
The Tax Sharing Agreement provides for the allocation and indemnification of tax liabilities and benefits between Liberty and LMC and other agreements related to tax matters. Pursuant to the Services Agreement, LMC provides Liberty with certain general and administrative services including legal, tax, accounting, treasury and investor relations support. Liberty reimburses LMC for direct, out-of-pocket expenses incurred by LMC in providing these services and for Liberty's allocable portion of costs associated with any shared services or personnel based on an estimated percentage of time spent providing services to Liberty. Under the Facilities Sharing Agreement, Liberty shares office space with LMC and related amenities at LMC's corporate headquarters. Under these various agreements, approximately $3 million of allocated expenses were reimbursed from Liberty to LMC for the three months ended March 31, 2012.
The condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes of Liberty have been prepared to reflect LMC as discontinued operations. Accordingly, the assets and liabilities, revenue, costs and expenses, and cash flows of the businesses, assets and liabilities owned by LMC at the time of Split-Off (for periods prior to the Split-Off) have been excluded from the respective captions in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations, comprehensive earnings and cash flows in such condensed consolidated financial statements.
Certain combined financial information for LMC, which is included in earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, is as follows:
The per share impact from discontinued operations is as follows:
The businesses, assets and liabilities that were previously attributed to our former Liberty Starz and Liberty Capital tracking stock groups were owned by LMC at the time of the Split-Off and have been included in discontinued operations. Certain assets and liabilities not owned by Liberty at the time of the Split-Off were attributed to the Liberty Interactive tracking stock group in prior periods and certain assets and liabilities not owned by LMC at the time of the Split-Off were attributed to the Liberty Capital tracking stock group in prior periods. This results in Liberty Interactive common stock participating in the discontinued operations for the amount attributable to Liberty Interactive common stock for those items in periods prior to the Split-Off. Additionally, certain prior period EPS calculations for Liberty Capital common stock include continuing operations due to the attribution of certain debt and equity instruments in those periods to the Liberty Capital group that remained with Liberty after the Split-Off as a result of the change in attribution of those assets and liabilities prior to the Split-Off.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||