Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Basis of Presentation

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Basis of Presentation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]  
Basis of presentation
Basis of Presentation
QVC, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries ("QVC" or the "Company") is a retailer of a wide range of consumer products, which are marketed and sold primarily by merchandise-focused televised shopping programs, the Internet and mobile applications.
In the United States ("U.S."), QVC's televised shopping programs, including live and recorded content, are broadcast across multiple channels nationally on a full-time basis, including QVC, QVC2 and Beauty iQ. The Company's U.S. programming is also available on QVC.com, QVC's U.S. website; mobile applications via streaming video; over-the-air broadcasters; and over-the-top content platforms (Roku, Apple TV, Facebook, etc.).
QVC believes that the Company's digital platforms complement the Company's televised shopping programs by allowing consumers to purchase a wide assortment of goods offered on QVC's televised programs, as well as other products that are available only on the Company's digital platforms. The Company views e-commerce as a natural extension of the Company's business, allowing the Company to stream live video and offer on-demand video segments of items recently presented live on QVC's televised programs. The Company's digital platforms allow shoppers to browse, research, compare and perform targeted searches for products, control the order-entry process and conveniently access their QVC account.
QVC's international televised shopping programs, including live and recorded content, are distributed to households outside of the U.S., primarily in Germany, Austria, Japan, the United Kingdom ("U.K."), the Republic of Ireland, Italy and France. In some of the countries where QVC operates, QVC's televised shopping programs are broadcast across multiple QVC channels: QVC Beauty & Style and QVC2 in Germany and QVC Beauty, QVC Extra, QVC Style in the U.K. The programming created for most of these markets is also available via streaming video on QVC's digital platforms. QVC's international business employs product sourcing teams who select products tailored to the interests of each local market.
The Company's Japanese operations ("QVC-Japan") are conducted through a joint venture with Mitsui & Co., LTD ("Mitsui"). QVC-Japan is owned 60% by the Company and 40% by Mitsui. The Company and Mitsui share in all profits and losses based on their respective ownership interests. During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, QVC-Japan paid dividends to Mitsui of $23 million and $22 million, respectively.
The Company also has a joint venture with CNR Media Group, formerly known as China Broadcasting Corporation, a limited liability company owned by China National Radio (''CNR''). The Company owns a 49% interest in a CNR subsidiary, CNR Home Shopping Co., Ltd. (''CNRS''). CNRS operates a retail business in China through a shopping television channel with an associated website. This joint venture is accounted for as an equity method investment recorded as equity in income (losses) of investee in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
The Company is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail, Inc. ("Qurate Retail") (formerly Liberty Interactive Corporation) (Nasdaq: QTREA and QRTEB), which owns interests in a broad range of digital commerce businesses, including Qurate Retail's other wholly-owned subsidiaries HSN, Inc. ("HSN") and zulily, llc ("zulily"), as well as other minority investments. QVC is part of the Qurate Retail Group, formerly QVC Group, a portfolio of brands including QVC, HSN, zulily and the Cornerstone brands. On March 9, 2018, Qurate Retail, GCI Liberty, Inc. ("GCI Liberty") (formerly General Communication, Inc.), an Alaska corporation, and Liberty Interactive LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail completed the previously announced transactions whereby Qurate Retail acquired GCI Liberty through a reorganization in which certain assets and liabilities attributed to Qurate Retail’s Ventures Group were contributed to GCI Liberty in exchange for a controlling interest in GCI Liberty. Qurate Retail then effected a tax-free separation of its controlling interest in the combined company. Qurate Retail's QVC Group common stock became the only outstanding common stock of Qurate Retail.
On October 1, 2015, Qurate Retail acquired all of the outstanding shares of zulily (now known as zulily, llc). zulily is an online retailer offering customers a fun and entertaining shopping experience with a fresh selection of new product styles launched each day for a limited time period. The Company believes that its business is complementary to the Company. zulily is not part of the results of operations or financial position of QVC presented in these condensed consolidated financial statements. During each of the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, QVC and zulily engaged in multiple transactions relating to sales, sourcing of merchandise, marketing initiatives and business advisory services. The gross value of these transactions totaled $3 million and $2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, which did not have a material impact on QVC's financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.
On June 23, 2016, QVC amended and restated its senior secured credit facility (the "Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement") increasing the revolving credit facility from $2.25 billion to $2.65 billion as explained further in note 6. The Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement includes a $400 million tranche that may be borrowed by QVC or zulily. Under the terms of the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, QVC and zulily are jointly and severally liable for all amounts borrowed on the $400 million tranche. In accordance with the accounting guidance for obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements, QVC will record a liability for amounts it has borrowed under the credit facility plus any additional amount it expects to repay on behalf of zulily. As of March 31, 2018, there were no loans outstanding by zulily on the $400 million tranche of the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.
On December 29, 2017, Qurate Retail completed the acquisition of the remaining 62% ownership interest of HSN in an all-stock transaction. HSN is not included in the results of operations or financial position of QVC presented in the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements. During the three months ended March 31, 2018, QVC and HSN engaged in transactions relating to personnel, sales, sourcing of merchandise, marketing initiatives, business advisory services, and software development. The gross value of these transactions totaled $5 million, which did not have a material impact on QVC's financial position, results of operations, or liquidity.
The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of QVC, Inc. and its majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions were eliminated in consolidation.
The accompanying (a) condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017, 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 ("U.S. 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 U.S. 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. 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 QVC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent 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. Estimates include, but are not limited to, sales returns, uncollectible receivables, inventory obsolescence, medical and other benefit related costs, depreciable lives of fixed assets, internally-developed software, valuation of acquired intangible assets and goodwill, income taxes and stock‑based compensation.
Adoption of new accounting pronouncements
On May 28, 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. This new guidance also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-08 which clarifies principal versus agent considerations, in April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10 which clarifies the identification of performance obligations and the implementation guidance for licensing, and in May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12 which clarifies assessing collectibility, presentation of sales taxes, noncash consideration, and completed contracts and contract modifications at transition. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the new accounting standard ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers and all the related amendments (“ASC 606”) to all contracts using the modified retrospective method. The Company recognized the cumulative effect of initially applying the new revenue standard as a $14 million adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. The comparative information has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. The Company does not expect the adoption of the new revenue standard to have a material impact to its net income on an ongoing basis. Refer to the table below for the adoption of this guidance.
In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which requires an entity to recognize at the transaction date the income tax consequences of intercompany asset transfers other than inventory. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company has adopted this guidance on January 1, 2018 and there was no significant effect of the standard on its condensed consolidated financial statements.
The cumulative effect of the changes due to the adoption of ASC 606 and ASU No. 2016-16 were as follows:
(in millions)
Balance at December 31, 2017
Adjustments Due to ASC 606
Adjustments Due to ASU 2016-16
Balance at January 1, 2018
Assets:
 
 
 
 
Inventories
$
1,019

$
(22
)
$

$
997

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
51


(1
)
50

 
 
 
 
 
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
Accrued liabilities
872

(36
)

836

 
 
 
 
 
Equity:
 
 
 
 
Accumulated deficit
(2,772
)
14

(1
)
(2,759
)

In accordance with the new revenue standard requirements, the impact of adoption on our condensed consolidated statement of operations was as follows:

Statement of Operations
Three months ended March 31, 2018
 
(in millions)
As Reported
Balances Without Adoption of ASC 606
Effect of Change Increase/(Decrease)
Net revenue
$
2,093

$
2,044

$
49

 
 
 
 
Costs and expenses:
 
 
 
Cost of goods sold
1,320

1,310

10

Operating
145

144

1

Selling, general and administrative, including transaction related costs and stock-based compensation
208

182

26

 
 
 
 
Income tax expense
(79
)
(76
)
3

 
 
 
 
Net income
207

198

9



The effect of changes of adoption is primarily due to the timing of revenue recognition and the classification of income for its QVC-branded credit card ("Q-Card Income"). For the three months ended March 31, 2018, revenue is recognized at the time of shipment to the Company's customers consistent with when control passes and Q-Card Income is recognized in revenue. For the three months ended March 31, 2017, revenue was recognized at the time of delivery to the customers and deferred revenue, as well as related expenses, were recorded to account for the shipments in-transit. In addition, Q-Card Income was recognized as an offset to selling, general and administrative expenses. The Company also recognized a separate $74 million asset (included in prepaid expenses and other current assets) related to the expected return of inventory and a $159 million liability (included in accrued liabilities) relating to its sales return reserve at March 31, 2018, instead of the net presentation of the liability that was reported at December 31, 2017 and March 31, 2017.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Statements - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which requires equity investments with readily determinable fair values (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income and simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment. The new standard is effective for the Company for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company has adopted this guidance during the first quarter of 2018, and there was no significant effect of the standard on its financial reporting.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which addresses eight specific cash flow issues to reduce the diversity in practice for appropriate classification on the statement of cash flows. The amendments in this ASU are effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted. The Company has adopted this guidance during the first quarter of 2018 and there was no significant effect of the standard on its condensed consolidated financial statements.
In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which requires entities to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company has adopted this guidance during the first quarter of 2018, and has reclassified prior period balances in cash and cash equivalents within the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows in order to conform with current period presentation.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, to provide clarity to which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. The amendments in this update are effective for all entities for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted. The Company has adopted this guidance during the first quarter of 2018 and there was no significant effect of the standard on its condensed consolidated financial statements.
 
Accounting pronouncements issued but not yet adopted
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which revises the accounting related to lessee accounting. Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset for all leases. The new lease guidance also simplifies the accounting for sale and leaseback transactions primarily because lessees must recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. The amendments in this ASU are effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2019 and should be applied through a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. Early adoption is permitted. While the Company is currently evaluating the effect that the updated standard will have on its ongoing financial reporting, it expects that the operating leases listed in note 7 - Leases will be recognized as right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets upon adoption of the new standard.
In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), which addresses the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate tax rate due to the enactment of the December 22, 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") on items within accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The guidance will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2019 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.