Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Basis of Presentation

v3.22.1
Basis of Presentation
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Basis of Presentation [Abstract]  
Basis of Accounting Basis of Presentation
QVC, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (unless otherwise indicated or required by the context, the terms "we," "our," "us," the "Company" and "QVC" refer to QVC, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries) 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 distributed across multiple channels nationally on a full-time basis, including QVC, QVC2, QVC3, HSN and HSN2. The Company's U.S. programming is also available on QVC.com and HSN.com, which we refer to as our "U.S. websites"; virtual multichannel video programming distributors (including Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV, and YouTube TV); applications via streaming video; Facebook Live, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Xfinity Flex and Samsung TV Plus; mobile applications; social pages and over-the-air broadcasters.
QVC's digital platforms enable consumers to purchase goods offered on our televised programming, along with a wide assortment of products that are available only on our U.S. websites. QVC.com, HSN.com and our other digital platforms (including our mobile applications, social pages and others) are natural extensions of our business model, allowing customers to engage in our shopping experience wherever they are, with live or on-demand content customized to the device they are using. In addition to offering video content, our U.S. websites allow shoppers to browse, research, compare and perform targeted searches for products, read customer reviews, control the order-entry process and conveniently access their account.
Internationally, QVC's 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 and Italy. In some of the countries where QVC operates, QVC's televised shopping programs are distributed across multiple QVC channels: QVC Style and QVC2 in Germany and QVC Beauty, QVC Extra and QVC Style in the U.K. Similar to the U.S., our international businesses also engage customers via websites, mobile applications, and social pages. 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, 2022 and 2021, QVC-Japan paid dividends to Mitsui of $14 million and $16 million, respectively.
The Company is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail, Inc. ("Qurate Retail") (Nasdaq: QRTEA, QRTEB and QRTEP), which owns interests in a broad range of digital commerce businesses, including Qurate Retail's other wholly-owned subsidiary 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, Zulily and Cornerstone Brands, Inc. ("CBI").
During each of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, QVC and Zulily engaged in multiple transactions relating to sales, sourcing of merchandise, marketing initiatives and business advisory services. QVC allocated expenses of $2 million to Zulily for each of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021. Zulily allocated expenses of $2 million to QVC for each of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.
In September 2020, QVC and Zulily executed a Master Promissory Note ("Promissory Note") whereby Zulily may borrow up to $100 million at a variable interest rate equal to the LIBOR rate plus an applicable margin rate. The Promissory Note matures in September 2030. There were no borrowings on the Promissory Note as of March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.
During each of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, QVC and CBI engaged in multiple transactions relating to personnel and business advisory services. QVC allocated expenses of $8 million and $5 million to CBI for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. CBI allocated expenses of $1 million to QVC for each of the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021.
On October 27, 2021, QVC entered into the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement which includes QVC Global Corporate Holdings, LLC (“QVC Global”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of QVC, Zulily and CBI as co-borrowers (see note 5). Under the terms of the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, QVC, QVC Global, CBI and Zulily are jointly and severally liable for all amounts borrowed on the credit facility. 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 senior secured credit facility plus any additional amount it expects to repay on behalf of Zulily or CBI. QVC determined it was necessary to record a liability for Zulily's outstanding borrowings on the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement. As QVC and Zulily are both wholly-owned subsidiaries of Qurate Retail this was recorded as an equity transaction with an entity under common control. There was $200 million and $151 million borrowed by Zulily as of March 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, respectively, which is included in the long-term portion of debt and finance lease obligations on the condensed consolidated balance sheet. QVC recorded a $49 million liability for Zulily's additional borrowings during the three months ended March 31, 2022, which was treated as a return of capital in the consolidated statement of equity. As of March 31, 2022, there was $20 million borrowed by CBI on the senior secured credit facility, none of which the Company expects to repay on behalf of CBI.

In December 2019, a new coronavirus disease ("COVID-19'") pandemic was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China and has subsequently spread across the globe, including all of the countries in which QVC operates. Since that time, most local, state and federal governmental agencies imposed various restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including travel restrictions, local quarantines or stay at home restrictions, and vaccine and testing requirements. The spread of COVID-19 and the various containment measures put in place around the world have resulted in significant disruption to the global economy.
Management is not presently aware of any events or circumstances arising from COVID-19 that would require the Company to update the estimates, judgments or revise the carrying value of our assets or liabilities. Management's estimates may change, however, as new events occur and additional information is obtained, and any such changes will be recognized in the consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from estimates, and any such differences may be material to our financial statements.

On December 30, 2020, the Company and Liberty Interactive LLC ("LIC") completed an internal realignment of the Company's global finance structure that resulted in a common control transaction with Qurate Retail. As part of the common control transaction, LIC issued a promissory note (“LIC Note”) to the Company with an initial face amount of $1.8 billion, a stated interest rate of 0.48% and a maturity of December 29, 2029. Interest on the LIC Note is paid annually. QVC recorded $2 million of related party interest income for the three months ended March 31, 2022 included in interest expense, net in the consolidated statement of operations.

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, 2021, 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, 2021.
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, internally-developed software, valuation of acquired intangible assets and goodwill and income taxes.