Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Investments In Affiliates Accounted For Using The Equity Method

v3.3.1.900
Investments In Affiliates Accounted For Using The Equity Method
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Investments In Affiliates Accounted For Using The Equity Method  
Investments In Affiliates Accounted For Using The Equity Method

(9)    Investments in Affiliates Accounted for Using the Equity Method

Liberty has various investments accounted for using the equity method. The following table includes Liberty's carrying amount and percentage ownership of the more significant investments in affiliates at December 31, 2015 and the carrying amount at December 31, 2014:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2015

 

December 31, 2014

 

 

 

Percentage

 

Market

 

Carrying

 

Carrying

 

 

 

ownership

 

value

 

amount

 

amount

 

 

 

 

 

dollars in millions

 

QVC Group

    

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

HSN, Inc. (2)

 

38

%  

$

1,014

 

$

165

 

328

 

Other

 

various

 

 

N/A

 

 

43

 

47

 

Total QVC Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

208

 

375

 

Ventures Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expedia (1)(2)

 

16

%  

$

2,934

 

 

927

 

514

 

FTD (3)

 

37

%  

$

267

 

 

267

 

355

 

Other (4)

 

various

 

 

N/A

 

 

239

 

389

 

Total Ventures Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,433

 

1,258

 

Consolidated Liberty

 

 

 

 

 

 

$

1,641

 

1,633

 

 

The following table presents Liberty's share of earnings (losses) of affiliates:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Years ended December 31,

 

 

    

2015

    

2014

    

2013

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

QVC Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HSN, Inc.

 

$

64

 

60

 

61

 

Other

 

 

(9)

 

(9)

 

(13)

 

Total QVC Group

 

 

55

 

51

 

48

 

Ventures Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expedia, Inc. (1)

 

 

118

 

58

 

31

 

FTD, Inc.

 

 

(83)

 

 —

 

 —

 

Other (4)

 

 

(150)

 

(70)

 

(46)

 

Total Ventures Group

 

 

(115)

 

(12)

 

(15)

 

Consolidated Liberty

 

$

(60)

 

39

 

33

 

 

(1)

Liberty owns an approximate 16% equity interest and 52% voting interest in Expedia.  Liberty has entered into governance arrangements pursuant to which Mr. Barry Diller, Chairman of the Board and Senior Executive Officer of Expedia, may vote its interests of Expedia, subject to certain limitations.  Additionally, through our governance arrangements with Mr. Diller, we have the right to appoint and have appointed 20% of the members of Expedia's board of directors, which is currently comprised of 13 members.  Therefore, we determined based on these arrangements that we have significant influence and have accounted for the investment as an equity method affiliate. The increase in our share of Expedia’s earnings during the year ended December 31, 2015 is primarily due to our share of a significant gain recognized by Expedia related to the sale of one of its subsidiaries.

(2)

During the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, Expedia, Inc. paid dividends aggregating $20 million, $15 million and $13 million, respectively, and HSN, Inc. (“HSNi”) paid dividends of $228 million, $22 million, and $16 million during the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, which were recorded as reductions to the investment balances.  Dividends from HSNi during the year ended December 31, 2015 included a special dividend of $10 per share from which Liberty received approximately $200 million in cash.

(3)

FTD acquired Liberty’s formerly wholly-owned subsidiary, Provide, on December 31, 2014. In exchange for Provide, Liberty received approximately 10.2 million shares of FTD common stock representing approximately 35% of the combined company and approximately $145 million in cash. Subsequent to completion of the transaction, Liberty accounts for FTD as an equity-method affiliate based on the ownership level and board representation. The carrying value of Liberty’s investment in FTD was impaired to the fair value (based on the closing price (level 1)) as of December 31, 2015.

(4)

The Other category for the Ventures Group is comprised of investments in LendingTree, Interval Leisure Group, alternative energy investments and other investments. The alternative energy investments generally operate at a loss but provide favorable tax attributes recorded through the income tax (expense) benefit line item in the consolidated statements of operations. During the year ended December 31, 2015, Liberty recorded an impairment of approximately $98 million, based on a discounted cash flow valuation (level 3), related to one of its alternative energy investments which has underperformed operationally.

 

Liberty recognized gains on dilution of investments in affiliates of $314 million during the year ended December 31, 2015, losses of $2 million during the year ended December 31, 2014 and gains of $1 million during the year ended December 31, 2013.  The significant dilution gain in 2015 is due to an acquisition by Expedia that was executed through the issuance of stock. This diluted Liberty’s ownership percentage at a price greater than our cost basis.

Expedia, Inc.

Summarized unaudited financial information for Expedia, Inc. is as follows:

Expedia, Inc. Consolidated Balance Sheets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

December 31,

    

December 31,

 

 

 

2015

 

 2014

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

Current assets

 

$

2,979

 

2,924

 

Property and equipment, net

 

 

1,064

 

553

 

Goodwill

 

 

7,993

 

3,956

 

Intangible assets

 

 

2,794

 

1,290

 

Other assets

 

 

674

 

298

 

Total assets

 

$

15,504

 

9,021

 

Current liabilities

 

$

5,926

 

4,187

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

474

 

453

 

Long-term debt

 

 

3,201

 

1,747

 

Other liabilities

 

 

973

 

740

 

Equity

 

 

4,930

 

1,894

 

Total liabilities and equity

 

$

15,504

 

9,021

 

 

 

 

Expedia, Inc. Consolidated Statements of Operations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Years Ending December 31,

 

 

    

2015

    

2014

    

2013

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

Revenue

 

$

6,672

 

5,763

 

4,771

 

Cost of revenue

 

 

(1,309)

 

(1,179)

 

(1,038)

 

Gross profit

 

 

5,363

 

4,584

 

3,733

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses

 

 

(4,785)

 

(3,986)

 

(3,295)

 

Amortization

 

 

(164)

 

(80)

 

(72)

 

Operating income

 

 

414

 

518

 

366

 

Interest expense

 

 

(126)

 

(98)

 

(87)

 

Gain on sale of business

 

 

509

 

 —

 

 —

 

Other income (expense), net

 

 

129

 

45

 

21

 

Income tax (expense) benefit

 

 

(203)

 

(92)

 

(84)

 

Income (loss) from continuing operations

 

 

723

 

373

 

216

 

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

 

 

41

 

25

 

17

 

Net earnings (loss) attributable to Expedia shareholders

 

$

764

 

398

 

233