UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
x | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014
or
¨ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission file number 001-35769
NEWS CORPORATION
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Delaware | 46-2950970 | |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York | 10036 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code (212) 416-3400
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of Each Class |
Name of Each Exchange On Which Registered | |
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share |
The NASDAQ Global Select Market | |
Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share |
The NASDAQ Global Select Market | |
Class A Preferred Stock Purchase Rights |
The NASDAQ Global Select Market | |
Class B Preferred Stock Purchase Rights |
The NASDAQ Global Select Market |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
(Title of class)
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes ¨ No x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x No ¨
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrants knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. x
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of large accelerated filer, accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer | x | Accelerated filer | ¨ | Non-accelerated filer | ¨ | Smaller reporting company | ¨ |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Yes ¨ No x
As of December 27, 2013, the last business day of the registrants most recently completed second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the registrants Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, held by non-affiliates was approximately $6,673,268,817, based upon the closing price of $17.73 per share as quoted on The NASDAQ Stock Market on that date, and the aggregate market value of the registrants Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, held by non-affiliates was approximately $2,137,586,380, based upon the closing price of $17.68 per share as quoted on The NASDAQ Stock Market on that date.
As of August 8, 2014, 379,404,735 shares of Class A Common Stock and 199,630,240 shares of Class B Common Stock were outstanding.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Certain information required for Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated by reference to the News Corporation definitive Proxy Statement for its 2014 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which shall be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, within 120 days of News Corporations fiscal year end.
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ITEM 1A. |
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ITEM 1B. |
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ITEM 2. |
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ITEM 3. |
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ITEM 4. |
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ITEM 7. |
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
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ITEM 7A. |
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ITEM 8. |
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ITEM 9. |
Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure |
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ITEM 9B. |
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ITEM 10. |
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ITEM 11. |
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ITEM 12. |
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters |
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ITEM 13. |
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence |
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ITEM 14. |
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PART IV | ||||||
ITEM 15. |
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ITEM 1. | BUSINESS |
BACKGROUND
The Separation
News Corporation, a Delaware corporation, was originally formed on December 11, 2012 as New Newscorp LLC to hold certain businesses of its former parent company, Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. (formerly named News Corporation) (21st Century Fox), consisting of newspapers, information services and integrated marketing services, digital real estate services, book publishing, digital education and sports programming and pay-TV distribution in Australia. Unless otherwise indicated, references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 (the Annual Report) to the Company, News Corp, we, us, or our means News Corporation and its subsidiaries. The Company was subsequently converted to New Newscorp Inc, a Delaware corporation, on June 11, 2013. On June 28, 2013 (the Distribution Date), the Company completed the separation of its businesses (the Separation) from 21st Century Fox. As of the effective time of the Separation, all of the outstanding shares of the Company were distributed to 21st Century Fox stockholders based on a distribution ratio of one share of Company Class A or Class B Common Stock for every four shares of 21st Century Fox Class A or Class B Common Stock, respectively, held of record as of June 21, 2013. Following the Separation, the Companys Class A and Class B Common Stock began trading independently on The NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ) under the trading symbols NWSA and NWS, respectively. CHESS Depositary Interests (CDIs) representing the Companys Class A and Class B Common Stock also trade on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the trading symbols NWSLV and NWS, respectively. In connection with the Separation, the Company assumed the name News Corporation.
The Company
News Corp is a global diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content to consumers and businesses throughout the world. The Company comprises businesses across a range of media, including: news and information services, cable network programming in Australia, digital real estate services, book publishing, digital education and pay-TV distribution in Australia, that are distributed under some of the worlds most recognizable and respected brands, including The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, The Australian, Herald Sun, The Sun, The Times, HarperCollins Publishers, FOX SPORTS Australia, realestate.com.au, Foxtel and many others. The Companys commitment to premium content makes its properties a trusted source of news and information and a premier destination for consumers across various media. Many of these properties deliver broad reach and high audience engagement levels in their respective markets, making them attractive advertising vehicles for the Companys advertising customers.
The Company delivers its premium content to consumers across numerous distribution platforms consisting not only of traditional print and television, but also through an expanding array of digital platforms including websites, applications for mobile devices and tablets and electronic readers. The Company is focused on pursuing integrated strategies across its businesses to continue to capitalize on the transition from print to digital consumption of high-quality content. The Company believes that the increasing availability of high-speed Internet access, connected mobile devices, tablets and electronic readers will allow it to continue to deliver its content in a more engaging, timely and personalized manner, provide opportunities to more effectively monetize its content via strong customer relationships and more compelling and engaging advertising solutions and reduce its physical production and distribution costs as it continues to shift to digital platforms.
The Companys diversified revenue base consists of recurring subscriptions, circulation copies, licensing fees, affiliate fees and direct sales, as well as the sale of advertising and sponsorships. The Company manages its businesses to take advantage of opportunities to share technologies and practices across geographies and businesses and bundle selected offerings to provide greater value to consumers and advertising partners.
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Headquartered in New York, the Company operates primarily in the United States, Australia and the U.K., and its content is distributed and consumed worldwide. The Companys operations are organized into six reporting segments: (i) News and Information Services; (ii) Cable Network Programming; (iii) Digital Real Estate Services; (iv) Book Publishing; (v) Digital Education and (vi) Other, which includes the Companys general corporate overhead expenses, corporate Strategy and Creative Group and costs related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters, as defined in Item 1A. Risk Factors. The Company also owns a 50% stake in Foxtel, the largest pay-TV provider in Australia, which is accounted for as an equity investment.
The Company maintains a 52-53 week fiscal year ending on the Sunday nearest to June 30 in each year. All references to June 30, 2014, June 30, 2013 and June 30, 2012 relate to the 12-month periods ended June 29, 2014, June 30, 2013 and July 1, 2012, respectively. For convenience purposes, the Company continues to date its financial statements as of June 30. The Companys principal executive offices are located at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10036, and its telephone number is (212) 416-3400. More information regarding the Company is available on its website at www.newscorp.com, including the Companys Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), which are available, free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after the material is electronically filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This document and any documents incorporated by reference into this Annual Report, including Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Exchange Act and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words expect, estimate, anticipate, predict, believe and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements appear in a number of places in this document and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things, trends affecting the Companys financial condition or results of operations and the outcome of contingencies such as litigation and investigations. Readers are cautioned that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties. More information regarding these risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is set forth under the heading Item 1A. Risk Factors in this Annual Report. The Company does not ordinarily make projections of its future operating results and undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers should carefully review this document and the other documents filed by the Company with the SEC. This section should be read together with the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation (the Financial Statements) and related notes set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report. The Company believes that the assumptions underlying the Financial Statements are reasonable. However, the Financial Statements for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 included herein may not necessarily reflect what the Companys results of operations, financial position and cash flows would have been had the Company been a separate, stand-alone company during the periods presented.
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BUSINESS OVERVIEW
The Companys six reporting segments are described below. In addition, the Company owns a 50% stake in Foxtel, which is accounted for as an equity investment. For financial information regarding the Companys segments and operations in geographic areas, see Note 18 to the Financial Statements.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 |
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Revenues | Segment EBITDA |
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(in millions) | ||||||||
News and Information Services |
$ | 6,153 | $ | 665 | ||||
Cable Network Programming |
491 | 128 | ||||||
Digital Real Estate Services |
408 | 214 | ||||||
Book Publishing |
1,434 | 197 | ||||||
Digital Education(a) |
88 | (193 | ) | |||||
Other |
| (241 | ) | |||||
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|
|
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Total |
$ | 8,574 | $ | 770 | ||||
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(a) | In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company revised the composition of its reporting segments to present the digital education business as a separate segment. All prior periods have been reclassified to reflect the revised segment presentation. |
News and Information Services
The Companys News and Information Services segment consists of Dow Jones, News Corp Australia (which includes News Limited and its subsidiaries), News UK (formerly known as News International), the New York Post and News America Marketing. This segment also includes Storyful Limited (Storyful), a social media news agency that was acquired by the Company in December 2013 and complements the existing video capabilities in this segment. The News and Information Services segment generates revenue primarily through print and digital advertising sales and through circulation and subscriptions to its print and digital products. Advertising revenues at the News and Information Services segment are subject to seasonality, with revenues typically being highest in the Companys second fiscal quarter due to the end-of-year holiday season in its main operating geographies.
Dow Jones
Dow Jones is a global provider of news and business information, which distributes its content and data through a variety of media channels including newspapers, newswires, websites, applications for mobile devices and tablets, electronic readers, newsletters, magazines, proprietary databases, conferences, radio and video. Dow Joness products, which target individual consumer and enterprise customers, include The Wall Street Journal, Factiva, Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, Dow Jones Newswires, Barrons, MarketWatch, Dow Jones Private Markets and DJX. Dow Joness revenue is diversified across business-to-consumer and business-to-business subscriptions, circulation, advertising and licensing fees for its print and digital products.
Through its premier brands and authoritative journalism, Dow Joness products targeting individual consumers provide insights, research and understanding that enable customers to stay informed and make educated financial decisions. With a focus on the financial markets, investing and other professional services, many of these products offer advertisers an attractive customer demographic. Products targeting consumers include the following:
| The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The Wall Street Journal, Dow Joness flagship product, is available in print, online and across multiple mobile, tablet and electronic reader devices. WSJ covers national and |
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international news and provides analysis, commentary and opinions on a wide range of topics, including business developments and trends, economics, financial markets, investing, science and technology, lifestyle, culture and sports. The Wall Street Journal had a total average paid print and digital circulation of 2,294,093 Monday to Friday (2,321,996 Weekend) for the six months ended March 31, 2014 based on Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) data, and is the leading paid circulation daily newspaper in the U.S. WSJ is printed at plants located around the U.S., including eight owned by the Company. WSJ sells regional advertising in three major U.S. regional editions (Eastern, Central and Western) and 21 smaller sub-regional editions. WSJ.com, which offers both free and premium content, averaged over 70 million visits per month for the 12 months ended June 30, 2014 according to Adobe Omniture, and includes local language content in Chinese, Japanese, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Bahasa, Turkish and Korean. Print and digital products under the WSJ brand include: |
Print: The Wall Street Journal (including its Asia and Europe editions), The Wall Street Journal Sunday, WSJ.Magazine and WSJ.Money magazine.
Digital: WSJ.com (includes Risk & Compliance Journal, CIO Journal, CFO Journal and CMO Journal) and WSJ.com international sites: Asia.WSJ.com, Europe.WSJ.com, WSJ.de (Germany), cn.WSJ.com (China), jp.WSJ.com (Japan), kr.wsj.com (Korea), indo.wsj.com (Indonesia), india.wsj.com, wsj.com.tr (Turkey) and Latin American and Brazil local language content available through WSJ.com. In January 2014, Dow Jones introduced WSJ.D, WSJs new home for technology news, analysis, commentary, daily buzz and consumer product reviews.
WSJ Video: WSJ video provides live and on-demand news online through WSJ.com and other platforms, including YouTube, Internet-connected TV and set-top boxes.
| Barrons. Barrons, which is available in print, online and on multiple mobile, tablet and electronic reader devices, delivers news, analysis, investigative reporting, company profiles and insightful statistics for investors and others interested in the investment world. Print and digital products under the Barrons brand include: |
Print: Barrons (weekly magazine with an average paid weekly circulation of 302,155 for the six months ended June 30, 2014 based on AAM data).
Digital: Barrons.com (offers both free and premium content providing in-depth analysis and commentary on the markets, updated every business day, along with alerts and tools) and Barrons tablet applications (paid applications which substantially replicate the website). Barrons.com had over 190,000 paid subscribers on average for the year ended June 30, 2014 based on internal sources.
| Marketwatch.com. Marketwatch.com is an investing and financial news website targeting active investors. It also provides real-time commentary and investment tools and data. Products include mobile and tablet applications, a mobile site, MarketWatch Premium Newsletter (paid newsletter on a variety of investing topics), Big Charts (free investment charting website) and Virtual Stock Exchange (free stock simulation game through the website). Marketwatch.com averaged more than 41 million visits per month for the 12 months ended June 30, 2014 according to Adobe Omniture. |
| The Wall Street Journal Digital Network (WSJDN). WSJDN offers advertisers the opportunity to reach Dow Joness audience across a number of brands and digital platforms, including the WSJ.com, Barrons.com and Marketwatch.com websites and mobile applications and related services. WSJDN had more than 1.3 million paid subscribers on average for the year ended June 30, 2014 and, during that same period, averaged more than 133 million visits per month, with more than 500 million page views per month, according to Adobe Omniture. |
Dow Joness professional information products, which target enterprise customers, combine news and information with technology and tools that inform decisions and aid awareness, research and understanding. These products are designed to be integral to the success of Dow Joness enterprise customers, and Dow Jones
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expects to sustain strong retention rates by providing high levels of service and continued innovation through news, data and tools that meet its customers specific needs. These products include the following:
| Factiva. Factiva is a leading provider of global business content, built on an archive of important, original publishing sources. This combination of business news and information, plus sophisticated tools, helps professionals find, monitor, interpret and share essential information. As of June 30, 2014, there were approximately 1.1 million activated Factiva users, including both institutional and individual accounts. Many of the institutional accounts have multiple individual users. Factiva offers content from over 32,000 global news and information sources from nearly 200 countries and in 28 languages. Thousands of Factivas sources are not available for free on the Internet and more than 4,000 sources make information available via Factiva on or before the date of publication by the source. Factiva leverages complex metadata extraction and text-mining to help its customers build precise searches and alerts to access and monitor this data. |
| Risk & Compliance. Dow Jones Risk & Compliance products provide data solutions for customers focused on anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, monitoring embargo and sanction lists and other compliance requirements. Dow Joness solutions allow customers to filter their business transactions against its data to identify regulatory, corporate and reputational risk, and request follow-up due diligence reports. Products include online risk data and negative news searching tools such as Risk Database Search/Research/Premium and the Risk & Compliance Portal for batch screening. Feed services include Dow Jones Watchlist, Dow Jones Anti-Corruption, Dow Jones Sanction Alert and Adverse Media Entities. In addition, Dow Jones produces customized Due Diligence Reports to assist its clients with regulatory compliance. |
| Dow Jones Newswires. Dow Jones Newswires distributes real-time business news, information, analysis, commentary and statistical data to financial professionals and investors worldwide. It publishes, on average, over 16,000 news items in 13 languages each day, which are distributed via terminals, trading platforms and websites reaching hundreds of thousands of financial professionals. This content also reaches millions of individual investors via customer portals and the intranets of brokerage and trading firms, as well as digital media publishers. |
| Private Markets. Dow Jones Private Markets products provide news and deal data on venture capital and private equity- backed private companies and their investors to help venture capital and private equity professionals, financial services professionals and other service providers identify deal and partnership opportunities, perform due diligence and examine trends in venture capital and private equity investment, fund-raising and liquidity. Products include VentureSource, LP Source, VentureWire, Private Equity Analyst, LBO Wire, Private Equity News, Daily Bankruptcy Review (DBR), DBR Small Cap and DBR High Yield. |
| DJX. DJX is comprised of a bundle of underlying products, including Factiva, Dow Jones Newswires, certain Private Markets products, including Venture Source and LP Source, certain Risk & Compliance products, WSJ.com and Barrons.com. |
News Corp Australia
News Corp Australia is one of the leading news and information providers in Australia by readership and circulation, owning over 120 newspapers covering a national, regional and suburban footprint. As of March 31, 2014, its daily, Sunday, weekly and bi-weekly newspapers accounted for more than 59% of the total circulation of newspapers in Australia, and during the year ended March 31, 2014, its Sunday newspaper network was read by approximately 4.7 million Australians on average every week. In addition, its digital mastheads and other websites are among the leading digital news properties in Australia based on monthly unique audience data. News Corp Australias news portfolio includes:
| The Australian and The Weekend Australian (National). The Australian is published Monday through Friday, and The Weekend Australian is published on Saturday. Based on Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) data, average daily paid print circulation for the year ended March 31, 2014 was |
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approximately 114,000 for The Australian and 246,000 for The Weekend Australian. In addition, The Australian and The Weekend Australian had a total unduplicated print and digital audience of over 3.2 million for the month of March 2014 based on average monthly Enhanced Media Metrics Australia (EMMA) combined print, mobile and tablet audience data for the year ended March 31, 2014 and total unique website audience in March 2014 according to Nielsen monthly total audience ratings. The Company believes EMMA data, which incorporates more frequent sampling and combines both online and print usage into a single metric, more accurately and comprehensively reflects consumption of its publications. |
| The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney). The Daily Telegraph is published Monday through Saturday. Based on ABC data, average daily paid print circulation for the year ended March 31, 2014 was approximately 291,000 for The Daily Telegraph and 523,000 for The Sunday Telegraph. In addition, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph had a total unduplicated print and digital audience of over 4.3 million for the month of March 2014 based on average monthly EMMA combined print, mobile and tablet audience data for the year ended March 31, 2014 and total unique website audience in March 2014 according to Nielsen monthly total audience ratings. |
| Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne). Herald Sun is published Monday through Saturday. Based on ABC data, average daily paid print circulation for the year ended March 31, 2014 was approximately 398,000 for Herald Sun and 465,000 for Sunday Herald Sun. In addition, Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun had a total unduplicated print and digital audience of almost 4.2 million for the month of March 2014 based on average monthly EMMA combined print, mobile and tablet audience data for the year ended March 31, 2014 and total unique website audience in March 2014 according to Nielsen monthly total audience ratings. |
| The Courier Mail and The Sunday Mail (Brisbane). The Courier Mail is published Monday through Saturday. Based on ABC data, average daily paid print circulation for the year ended March 31, 2014 was approximately 177,000 for The Courier Mail and 406,000 for The Sunday Mail. In addition, The Courier Mail and The Sunday Mail had a total unduplicated print and digital audience of almost 3.2 million for the month of March 2014 based on average monthly EMMA combined print, mobile and tablet audience data for the year ended March 31, 2014 and total unique website audience in March 2014 according to Nielsen monthly total audience ratings. |
| The Advertiser and Sunday Mail (Adelaide). The Advertiser is published Monday through Saturday. Based on ABC data, average daily paid print circulation for the year ended March 31, 2014 was approximately 159,000 for The Advertiser and 239,000 for Sunday Mail. In addition, The Advertiser and Sunday Mail had a total unduplicated print and digital audience of 1.7 million for the month of March 2014 based on average monthly EMMA combined print, mobile and tablet audience data for the year ended March 31, 2014 and total unique website audience in March 2014 according to Nielsen monthly total audience ratings. |
| A large number of community newspapers in all major capital cities, as well as leading regional publications in Cairns, Gold Coast, Townsville and Geelong and in the other capital cities of Perth, Hobart and Darwin. |
| News Corp Australia has launched paid-for digital platforms for Herald Sun, Sunday Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, The Courier Mail, The Sunday Mail, The Advertiser and Sunday Mail. |
News Corp Australias broad portfolio of digital properties also includes news.com.au, a leading general interest site in Australia that provides breaking news, finance, entertainment, lifestyle, technology and sports news and delivers an average monthly unique audience of approximately 3.2 million based on Nielsen monthly total audience ratings for the year ended June 30, 2014. In addition, News Corp Australia owns other premier properties such as taste.com.au, a leading food and recipe site, and kidspot.com.au, a leading parenting website, as well as various other digital media assets, including a 50% stake in CareerOne.com.au (a joint venture with
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Monster.com), a 50% stake in carsguide.com.au (a joint venture with a consortium of leading car dealers), an 89.5% stake in FOX SPORTS Pulse (which supplies a scheduling tool for sports organizations), and 100% of Business Spectator and Eureka Report (online business and investment news and commentary services).
News UK
News UK publishes The Sun, The Sun on Sunday, The Times and The Sunday Times, which are leading newspapers in the U.K. As of June 30, 2014, sales of these four titles accounted for approximately one-third of all national newspaper sales in the U.K. News UKs newspapers (except some Saturday and Sunday supplements) are printed at News UKs world-class printing facilities in England, Scotland and Ireland. In addition to revenue from the sale of advertising, circulation and subscriptions to its print and digital products, News UK generates revenue by providing third party printing services through these facilities and is one of the largest contract printers in the U.K. News UK also distributes content through its digital platforms, including its websites, thesun.co.uk, thetimes.co.uk and thesundaytimes.co.uk, as well as mobile and tablet applications. News UK continues to enhance its online and mobile offerings, including through its recent acquisition of the rights to show English Premiership Rugby Union, English Cricket, Gaelic Athletic Association games and UEFA Champions League match clips across its digital platforms. News UKs portfolio includes:
| The Sun. Published Monday through Saturday and on Sunday since February 2012. Based on National Readership Survey data for the six months ended March 31, 2014, The Sun is the most read national newspaper in the U.K., with an average issue readership of approximately 5,453,000 Monday through Saturday for The Sun and 4,828,000 for The Sun on Sunday. Average daily paid print circulation for the six months ended June 30, 2014 based on ABC data was approximately 2,083,000 for The Sun and 1,703,000 for The Sun on Sunday. |
In August 2013, News UK launched The Suns new digital bundle, which delivers exclusive digital entertainment, including Barclays Premier League match clips and Sun+ perks, a collection of perks, downloads, offers and competitions. The Sun is the first tabloid newspaper to be fully paid-for across every platform. |
| The Times. Published Monday through Saturday with an average issue readership of approximately 1,116,000 for the six months ended March 31, 2014 based on National Readership Survey data. Average daily paid print circulation for the six months ended June 30, 2014 based on ABC data was approximately 391,000. As of June 30, 2014, The Times had approximately 162,000 paid print subscribers and 156,000 paid digital subscribers based on internal sources. News UK also publishes The Times Literary Supplement, a weekly literary review. |
| The Sunday Times. Leading broadsheet Sunday newspaper in the U.K. with an average issue readership of approximately 2,249,000 for the six months ended March 31, 2014 based on National Readership Survey data. Average daily paid print circulation for the six months ended June 30, 2014 based on ABC data was approximately 829,000. As of June 30, 2014, The Sunday Times had approximately 207,000 paid print subscribers and 157,000 paid digital subscribers based on internal sources. |
In addition, News UK has also assembled a portfolio of complementary ancillary product offerings, including Sun Bingo, as well as newer products such as Sunmotors.co.uk, a digital classified offering, Times Wealth Management, which offers readers investment advice, and The Handpicked Collection, a recently acquired luxury shopping website.
New York Post
The New York Post (the Post) is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the U.S., with a focus on coverage of the New York metropolitan area. The print version of the Post is primarily distributed in New York and throughout the Northeast, as well as Florida and California. The Post provides a variety of general interest content ranging from breaking news to business analysis, and is known in particular for its
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comprehensive sports coverage, famous headlines and its iconic Page Six section, an authority on celebrity news. The Posts digital platforms feature all the sections of the print version as well as continually updated breaking news and other content and extend the reach of the Post to a national audience. For the six months ended March 31, 2014, average weekday circulation based on AAM data, including digital editions, was 477,314. The Post is printed in a printing facility in the Bronx, New York and uses third party printers in its other markets in the U.S.
News America Marketing
News America Marketing (NAM) is a leading provider of coupon promotions, advertising programs, special offers and other direct consumer marketing solutions through a network of more than 1,800 publications, 58,000 retail stores and 450 partner sites, including SmartSource.com. NAM offers direct consumer marketing solutions for companies that include consumer packaged goods manufacturers, financial services, pharmaceutical manufacturers, quick-service and casual restaurants, retailers and other marketers in the U.S. and Canada. NAM has developed broad, long-standing relationships with many well-known retailers and brands, including Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, Walmart, Kroger, American Express, Target and Loblaws.
NAMs marketing solutions are available via multiple distribution channels, including publications, in stores and online, primarily under the SmartSource brand name. NAM provides customers with one-stop shopping for their direct-to-consumer marketing needs through its three primary business areas:
| Free-Standing Inserts: Free-standing inserts are multiple-page marketing booklets containing coupons, rebates and other consumer offers, which are distributed to consumers through insertion primarily into local Sunday publications. NAM is one of the two largest publishers of free-standing inserts in the U.S. Advertisers, primarily packaged goods companies, pay NAM to produce free-standing inserts where their offers are featured, often on an exclusive basis within their product category. NAM contracts with and pays publishers as well as printers, among others, to produce and/or distribute free-standing inserts in their papers. NAMs free-standing insert products, which are distributed under the SmartSource Magazine® brand, have a circulation of almost 74 million based on internal sources and are distributed 43 times a year. |
| In-Store Advertising and Merchandising: NAM is a leading provider of in-store marketing products and services, primarily to consumer packaged goods manufacturers. NAMs marketing products include: at-shelf advertising such as coupon, information and sample-dispensing machines, as well as floor and shopping cart advertising, among others, and are found in approximately 58,000 supermarkets, drug stores, dollar stores, office supply stores, mass merchandisers and specialty stores across North America. NAM also provides in-store merchandising services, including production and installation of instant-redeemable coupons, on-pack stickers, shipper assembly, display set-up and refilling, shelf management and new product cut-ins. |
| SmartSource Digital: SmartSource Digital manages NAMs portfolio of database and electronic marketing solutions. The database marketing business, branded SmartSource Direct, provides direct-mail solutions via access to a national network of retailer frequent-shopper card databases offering information on the purchase behavior of millions of cardholders. The SmartSource Savings Network, which includes SmartSource.com, encompasses all of NAMs electronic couponing and sampling solutions accessed through the web, mobile and tablet-based programming. |
NAM believes its programs have key advantages when compared to other marketing options available to packaged goods companies, retailers and other marketers. NAM offers cost-effective programs that reach a national audience of engaged consumers who are actively seeking coupons or discounts and who are at a critical moment in their purchase decision. By delivering an immediate incentive or brand message to shoppers as they are making brand decisions, NAM believes free-standing inserts and in-store advertising have an advantage over competing forms of mass media such as radio or television.
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The Companys News and Information Services products compete with a wide range of media businesses, including print publications, digital media and information services.
The Companys newspapers, magazines and digital publications compete for readership and advertising with local and national newspapers, web and application-based media, social media sources and other traditional media such as television, magazines, outdoor displays and radio. Competition for print and digital subscriptions and circulation is based on the news and editorial content, subscription pricing, cover price and, from time to time, various promotions. Competition for advertising is based upon advertisers judgments as to the most effective media for their advertising budgets, which is in turn based upon various factors including circulation volume, readership levels, audience demographics, advertising rates and advertising effectiveness results. As a result of rapidly changing and evolving technologies, distribution platforms and business models, the consumer-focused businesses within the Companys News and Information Services segment, including its newspaper businesses, continue to face increasing competition for both circulation and advertising revenue from a variety of alternative news and information sources. These include both paid and free websites, digital applications, news aggregators, blogs, search engines, social media platforms, digital advertising networks and exchanges, bidding and other programmatic advertising buying channels, as well as other emerging media and distribution platforms. Shifts in consumer behavior, including the rapid adoption of mobile phones, tablets, electronic readers and other portable devices as platforms through which news and information is consumed, require the Company to continually innovate and improve upon its own products, services and platforms in order to remain competitive. The Company believes that these changes will continue to pose opportunities and challenges, and that it is well positioned to leverage its global reach, brand recognition and proprietary technology to take advantage of the opportunities presented by these changes.
Dow Jones professional information products that target enterprise customers compete with various information service providers and global financial newswires, including Thomson Reuters, Bloomberg L.P., LexisNexis, as well as many other Internet-based providers of news and information.
NAM competes against other providers of advertising, marketing and merchandising products and services, including those that provide promotional or advertising inserts, direct mailers of promotional or advertising materials, providers of point-of-purchase and other in-store programs and providers of savings and/or grocery-focused digital applications, as well as other media platforms such as television, magazines, outdoor displays and radio. Competition is based on, among other things, rates, availability of markets, quality of products and services provided and their effectiveness, rate of coupon redemption, store coverage and other factors. The Company believes that based on the circulation of its free-standing inserts, the reach of its in-store marketing products and the audience for its online programs, NAM provides broader consumer access than many of its competitors.
Cable Network Programming
The Companys Cable Network Programming segment consists of FOX SPORTS Australia, the leading sports programming provider in Australia based on total subscribers as of June 30, 2014. FOX SPORTS Australia is focused on live national and international sports events and provides featured original and licensed premium sports content tailored to the Australian market, including live sports such as National Rugby League, the domestic football league, English Premier League, international cricket, as well as the Rugby Union. FOX SPORTS Australia offers seven television channels distributed via cable, satellite and Internet Protocol, or IP, and several interactive viewing applications. Its channels consist of FOX SPORTS 1, FOX SPORTS 2, FOX SPORTS 3, FOX FOOTY, FOX SPORTS NEWS, FUEL TV and SPEED that broadcast over 10,000 hours of live sports programming per year reaching FOXTEL, Telstra and Optus subscription television customers. FOX SPORTS Australias access to compelling local and international sports programming, as well as its production of high-quality original sports content has made it the leading sports programming provider in Australia. FOX SPORTS Australia also operates foxsports.com.au, a leading general sports website in Australia, and offers several interactive mobile and tablet applications that extend the reach of its content across multiple new
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platforms. FOX SPORTS Australia is distributed via longstanding carriage agreements with pay-TV providers (mainly Foxtel) in Australia and generates revenue primarily through affiliate fees payable under these carriage agreements, as well as advertising sales. Results at the Cable Network Programming segment can fluctuate due to the timing and mix of the Companys local and international sports programming, as expenses associated with licensing these programming rights are recognized during the applicable season or event.
FOX SPORTS Australia competes primarily with ESPN, the Free-To-Air (FTA) channels and certain telecommunications companies in Australia.
Digital Real Estate Services
The Companys Digital Real Estate Services segment consists of its 61.6% interest in REA Group Limited (REA Group), a publicly-traded company on ASX (ASX: REA) that is a leading digital advertising business specializing in real estate services. Established in Melbourne in 1995, REA Group owns and operates Australias largest residential property website, realestate.com.au, and Australias largest commercial property site, realcommercial.com.au. Together, realestate.com.au and realcommercial.com.au have approximately 23.0 million desktop site visits and 7.2 million mobile site visits on average each month based on Nielsen monthly total traffic ratings for the year ended June 30, 2014, as well as approximately 10.5 million mobile application visits on average each month based on Adobe Omniture SiteCatalyst monthly site visits for the same period. REA Group also operates a market-leading Italian property site, casa.it, and other property sites and apps in Europe and Asia, and its portfolio of property sites is used by approximately 21,700 real estate agents.
REA Groups Australian operations are comprised primarily of realestate.com.au, realcommercial.com.au and its media business, which services the display media market. Realestate.com.au derives the majority of its revenue via residential monthly advertising subscriptions and advertising listing upgrades from real estate offices. Agents subscribing to the website may upload unlimited listings for sale or rent and purchase a selection of upgrade products to increase the prominence of their listings on the site. Additionally, realestate.com.au offers a variety of targeted products, including brand-building services for real estate agents. Realcommercial.com.au generates revenue through three main sources, agent subscription revenue, agent branding revenue and listing revenue. The media business offers unique advertising opportunities on both realestate.com.au and realcommercial.com.au, as well as via mobile advertisement placements. Revenue from this business is generated primarily from agents, commercial developers and financial institutions, which benefit from being able to target REA Groups substantial audience base.
REA Groups other operations include property sites in Italy and Asia, as well as Luxembourg and France. Casa.it, with approximately 9.0 million visits on average each month based on Adobe Omniture SiteCatalyst monthly site visits for the year ended June 30, 2014, is Italys leading residential property site. In Asia, REA Group operates Squarefoot.com.hk, REA Groups English and Chinese language property site in Hong Kong, as well as myfun.com, its recently-launched Chinese website, which extends the audience of property seekers for realestate.com.aus Australian property listings by allowing them to be seen by Chinese consumers. Squarefoot.com.hk and myfun.com together have approximately 0.5 million visits on average each month based on Adobe Omniture SiteCatalyst monthly site visits for the year ended June 30, 2014. REA Groups sites in Luxembourg and France include AtHome.lu, atOffice.lu, atHome.de and immoRegion.fr. These sites have approximately 0.9 million visits combined on average each month based on Adobe Omniture SiteCatalyst monthly site visits for the year ended June 30, 2014. REA Groups other assets include its 17.22% interest in iProperty Group Limited, an online property portal with operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, which it acquired in July 2014.
REA Group competes primarily with other real estate websites in its geographic markets, including domain.com.au in Australia.
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Book Publishing
The Companys Book Publishing segment consists of HarperCollins Publishers (together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, HarperCollins), one of the largest English-language consumer publishers in the world based on global revenue, with operations in the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India. HarperCollins publishes and distributes consumer books globally through print, digital and audio formats. Its digital formats include electronic books, also referred to as e-books, for devices such as the Apple iPad, Amazons Kindle, Googles Nexus and Barnes & Nobles NOOK as well as audio downloads for smartphones and MP3 players. HarperCollins owns over 60 branded imprints, including Avon, Harper, HarperCollins Childrens Publishers, William Morrow and Christian publishers Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, which HarperCollins acquired in July 2012. In addition, in August 2014, HarperCollins acquired Harlequin Enterprises Limited, a leading publisher of womens fiction, from Torstar Corporation, extending its global platform, particularly in Europe and Asia Pacific.
HarperCollins publishes works by well-known authors such as Mitch Albom, Veronica Roth, Rick Warren and Agatha Christie and popular titles such as The Hobbit, Goodnight Moon, To Kill a Mockingbird and the Divergent series. Its active print and digital global catalog includes approximately 50,000 publications and over 100,000 SKUs, including various print and digital editions of the same title. HarperCollins publishes fiction and nonfiction, with a focus on general, childrens and religious content. Additionally, in the U.K., HarperCollins publishes titles for the equivalent of the K-12 educational market.
HarperCollins is rapidly transitioning from print production to digital with leading e-book offerings. As of June 30, 2014, HarperCollins offered approximately 35,000 e-book titles, which accounted for approximately 22% of global consumer revenues in the quarter (up from approximately 19% in the prior year period). Nearly all of HarperCollins titles published in the last five years, as well as the majority of its entire catalog, are available in electronic reader and tablet formats. With the rapid adoption of electronic formats by consumers, HarperCollins is publishing many titles in digital formats before, or instead of, publishing a print edition. For example, through its popular romance imprint, Avon, HarperCollins launched a digital-first series which releases at least one new title per week in the romance category. The series has already generated nine New York Times electronic bestsellers since its launch.
During fiscal 2014, HarperCollins U.S. had 158 titles on the New York Times bestseller list, with 17 titles hitting number one, including Divergent (series) by Veronica Roth, The 100 by Jorge Cruise, Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent, The Body Book by Cameron Diaz with Sandra Bark, The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom, The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays by Ree Drummond, 10 % Happier by Dan Harris, The English Girl by Daniel Silva, Eat to Live Cookbook by Joel Fuhrman, The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline, The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren, Daniel Amen, & Mark Hyman, Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus by James Dean, Pete the Cat and his Magic Sunglasses by Kimberly & James Dean, and The Selection by Kiera Cass.
HarperCollins derives its revenue from the sale of print and digital books to a customer base that includes global technology companies, traditional brick and mortar booksellers, wholesale clubs and discount stores, including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble and Tesco. As HarperCollins digital products continue to account for more of its business, it expects to benefit from increased profit contribution and improved working capital dynamics due to diminishing physical plant requirements, inventory and returns related to its print business, as well as faster payment for e-books. Revenues at the Book Publishing segment are significantly affected by the timing of releases and the number of HarperCollins books in the marketplace, and are typically highest during the Companys second fiscal quarter due to increased demand during the end-of-year holiday season in its main operating geographies.
The book publishing business operates in a highly competitive market that is quickly changing and continues to see technological innovations, including e-book devices sold by Amazon, Apple, Google and Barnes & Noble. HarperCollins competes with other large publishers, such as Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and
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Hachette Livre, as well as with numerous smaller publishers, for the rights to works by well-known authors and public personalities; competition could also come from new entrants, since barriers to entry in book publishing are low. In addition, HarperCollins competes for readership with other media formats and sources. The Company believes HarperCollins is well positioned in the evolving book publishing market with significant size and brand recognition across multiple categories and geographies and as an early adopter of the digital model, where it is an industry leader with approximately 35,000 e-book titles. Furthermore, HarperCollins is a leader in childrens and religious books, categories which have been less impacted by the transition to digital consumption.
Digital Education
The Companys Digital Education segment consists of Amplify, the brand for its digital education business, which it launched in July 2012. Amplify is focused on improving K-12 education by creating digital products and services that empower teachers, students and parents in new ways. Its products serve more than three million students in all 50 states. Amplify is dedicated to creating technology solutions that transform the way teachers teach and students learn in three areas:
| Amplify Insight: Amplifys data and assessment business, which formerly operated under the brand Wireless Generation, commenced operations in 2000 and was acquired in fiscal 2011. Amplify Insight provides powerful assessment products and services to support teachers and school districts, including student assessment tools and analytic technologies, intervention programs, enterprise education information systems, and professional development and consulting services. Key products include mClassTM, a suite of products that enable teachers to easily and quickly monitor individual and class progression through goals and standards and access detailed analysis, custom grouping and instructional planning tools. |
| Amplify Learning: Amplifys curriculum business is developing digital content for K-12 English Language Arts, Math and Science, including software that will combine interactive, game-like experiences, rich immersive media, and sophisticated analytics to make the classroom teaching and learning experience more engaging, rigorous, personalized and effective. Amplify Learnings digital curriculum incorporates the new Common Core State Standards adopted by most states in the U.S. and is available for use on multiple platforms. |
| Amplify Access: Amplifys platform business is delivering a tablet-based distribution system to facilitate personalized instruction and enable anytime, anywhere learning. Amplify Access offers a bundle that includes a tablet designed for the K-12 market, instructional software and curated third-party content, as well as implementation support. |
Amplifys digital products are or will generally be available on a subscription basis. The Company also expects to market and sell some supplemental print-based materials, as well as instructional and information technology-related services. In addition, while each of Amplifys products will be available on a stand-alone basis, the Company also anticipates that it will have the ability to cross-sell products between Amplifys three business areas and offer bundled solutions to its customers.
Amplify competes with existing K-12 education publishers and content providers such as Pearson plc, McGraw-Hill Education and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, large platform companies such as Google, Apple, and Amazon that market their tablet or e-reader products for educational use, as well as a number of smaller content, analytics and distribution platform companies. The Company believes that Amplifys capabilities across analytics and assessment, content and curriculum and distribution and delivery make it well positioned to offer schools a unique integrated learning solution.
Other
The Other segment includes the Companys general corporate overhead expenses, corporate Strategy and Creative Group and costs related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The Companys corporate Strategy and Creative Group was formed to identify new products and services across the Companys businesses to increase
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revenues and profitability and to target and assess potential acquisitions and investments. Recent initiatives include the News Corp Global Exchange, the Companys global programmatic advertising exchange that enables marketers to leverage the Companys leading online and mobile products and first-party data for real-time bidding, as well as the launch of the Companys BallBall mobile app in Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam, which combines the Companys rights to exclusive football highlight clips, expert coverage, commentary and analysis from The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun. As part of its ongoing role in assessing potential acquisitions, the Strategy and Creative Group also oversaw the Companys acquisition of Storyful, the worlds first social media news agency, in December 2013.
Equity Investments
Foxtel
The Company and Telstra, an ASX-listed telecommunications company, each own 50% of Foxtel, the largest pay-TV provider in Australia. Foxtel has approximately 2.6 million subscribing households throughout Australia as of June 30, 2014 through cable, satellite and IPTV distribution.
Foxtel delivers more than 200 channels (including standard definition channels, high definition versions of some of those channels, and audio and interactive channels) covering news, sport, general entertainment, movies, documentaries, music and childrens programming. Foxtels premium content includes FOX SPORTS Australias suite of sports channels such as FOX SPORTS 1, FOX SPORTS 2 and FOX SPORTS 3 and TV shows from HBO, FOX and Universal, among others. Foxtel also owns and operates 26 channels, including general entertainment and movie channels, and sources an extensive range of movie programming through arrangements with major U.S. studios. Foxtels channels are distributed to subscribers via both Telstras hybrid fibrecoaxial cable network and a long-term contracted satellite platform provided by Optus. Foxtel offers limited versions of its services via broadband through Foxtel Play, an Internet television service available to view on a number of compatible devices, including the Xbox platform, the Sony PlayStation platform, Telstras T-Box platform, select Samsung televisions and Blu-ray players, select LG televisions, and mobile devices and tablets (including iPads and iPhones via Foxtel Go), as well as via the Internet to personal computers. Foxtel also offers an Internet television service called Presto, which features movies from the eight Foxtel Movies channels. Foxtel customers are also able to access their electronic programming guide via their tablet, mobile devices and personal computers to remotely record programming.
Foxtel generates revenue primarily through subscription revenue as well as advertising revenue. For the year ended June 30, 2014, in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), Foxtel recorded revenues of $2.9 billion and earnings before interest, taxes and depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, of $903 million. Management believes that EBITDA is an appropriate measure for evaluating the operating performance of this business for the reasons set forth in Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsResults of OperationsSegment Analysis with respect to Segment EBITDA. In the year ended June 30, 2014, Foxtels average residential recurring subscription revenue per user, or ARPU, was A$96 (US$88) per month (as calculated by Foxtel), and its annualized residential subscriber churn rate based on data for the year ended June 30, 2014 was 12.5% (as calculated by Foxtel). In addition, Foxtel had $2.0 billion of indebtedness outstanding as of June 30, 2014 (excluding $851 million of shareholder loans due to Telstra and the Company), and paid distributions of $151 million to the Company during the year ended June 30, 2014. The amount included for Foxtel in the Companys Equity earnings of affiliates was $90 million for the year ended June 30, 2014.
The Company and Telstra each have the right to appoint one-half of the board of directors of Foxtel. In addition, the Company has the right to appoint the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Foxtel, while Telstra has the right to terminate these officers.
Foxtel competes primarily with the three major commercial FTA networks and two major government-funded FTA broadcasters in Australia for audiences, as well as other pay-TV operators and IPTV providers.
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Foxtel provides a 200-plus channel selection with premium and exclusive content and a wide array of digital and mobile features that are not available to viewers on the FTA networks. Through innovations such as digital HD channels, the extension of pay-TV programming to mobile devices and the use of DVR and Electronic Program Guide technology, the Company believes Foxtel offers subscribers a compelling alternative to FTA TV and Foxtels other competitors.
Governmental Regulation
General
Various aspects of the Companys activities are subject to regulation in numerous jurisdictions around the world. The Company believes that it is in material compliance with the requirements imposed by those laws and regulations described herein. The introduction of new laws and regulations in countries where the Companys products and services are produced or distributed (and changes in the enforcement of existing laws and regulations in those countries) could have a negative impact on the Companys interests.
Australian Media Regulation
The Companys subscription television interests are subject to Australias regulatory framework for the broadcasting industry. The key regulatory body for the Australian broadcasting industry is the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Key regulatory issues for subscription television providers include: (a) anti-siphoning restrictionscurrently under the anti-siphoning provisions of the Australian Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth), subscription television providers are prevented from acquiring rights to televise certain listed events (for example, the Olympic Games and certain Australian Rules football and cricket matches) unless national and commercial television broadcasters have not obtained these rights 12 weeks before the start of the event or the rights to televise are also held by commercial television licensees who have rights to televise the event to more than 50% of the Australian population or the rights to televise are also held by one of Australias two major government-funded broadcasters; and (b) the Broadcasting Services Actthis legislation may impact the Companys ownership structure and operations and restrict its ability to take advantage of acquisition or investment opportunities including, for example, preventing it from exercising control of a commercial television broadcasting license, a commercial radio license and a newspaper in the same license area.
U.K. Press Regulation
On July 13, 2011, Prime Minister David Cameron announced a two-part inquiry into the U.K. press and appointed Lord Justice Leveson as Chairman of the Inquiry. The inquiry was triggered by allegations of illegal voicemail interception at the Companys former publication, The News of the World. Hearings opened on November 14, 2011 with respect to the first part of the inquiry, and Lord Justice Leveson published his report on November 29, 2012. The report made recommendations on the future of press regulation and governance in the U.K., which have been the subject of debate in the U.K. parliament, as well as discussion both among newspaper groups (including News UK) and the industry and the government. A date has yet to be set for the second part of the inquiry.
On March 18, 2013, the U.K. Government published a draft Royal Charter on Self-Regulation of the Press which, if granted, would establish a Recognition Panel that would be responsible for recognizing, overseeing and monitoring a new press regulatory body. The new press regulatory body, a majority of the members of which would be independent of the industry, would be responsible for overseeing the U.K. press and would replace the existing Press Complaints Commission. The U.K. Government also proposed legislation which would ensure that the Royal Charter could only be altered by a two-thirds majority of parliament. In addition to the Royal Charter and establishment of a new regulatory body, rules have been proposed which, if adopted, would result in publishers who do not participate in this new U.K. press regulatory system being potentially liable for exemplary damages in certain cases where such damages are not currently awarded.
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In late 2013, publications representing the majority of the industry in the U.K., including News UK, entered into binding contracts to form an alternative new regulator instead, which is referred to as the Independent Press Standards Organisation. Since then, steps have been taken to form the new regulator and appoint an independent chairman and its board. The new regulator is expected to be operational by September 2014. The new regulator will, among other things, oversee the press code of practice, require members to implement appropriate internal governance processes and require self-reporting of any failures, provide a complaints handling service, have the ability to require publications to print corrections, have the power to investigate serious or systemic breaches of the press code and be able to levy fines. It may also introduce an arbitration service to resolve claims against publications. When established, the new regulatory regime will impose burdens on the print media, including the Companys newspaper businesses in the U.K., which may represent competitive disadvantages versus other forms of media and may increase the costs of compliance.
Data Privacy and Security
Our business activities are subject to laws and regulations governing the collection, use, sharing, protection and retention of personal data, which continue to evolve in light of changes in information technology and analytics techniques that have implications for how such data is managed. For example, in the U.S., the Companys websites, mobile apps and other online business activities are subject to the Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998, which prohibits websites from collecting personally identifiable information online from children under age 13 without prior parental consent, and the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003, which regulates the distribution of unsolicited commercial emails, or spam. In addition, regulators such as the Federal Trade Commission continue to expand their application of general consumer protection laws to commercial data practices, including the use of personal and profiling data from online users to deliver targeted Internet advertisements. Many states have also enacted legislation regulating data privacy and security, including laws requiring businesses to provide notice to individuals whose personally identifiable information has been disclosed as a result of a data breach.
Similar laws and regulations have been implemented in many of the other jurisdictions in which the Company operates, including the European Union and Australia. The European Union is currently considering a new privacy regulation that would replace its existing Data Protection Directive and, if adopted in its current proposed form, would expand the regulation of the collection, use and security of personal data, continue to restrict the trans-border flow of such data, introduce an expanded right of individuals to have their data deleted upon request, enhance penalties for non-compliance and increase the enforcement powers of the European Commission. In Australia, recent changes in data privacy laws impose additional requirements on organizations that handle personal data by, among other things, requiring the disclosure of cross-border data transfers and placing restrictions on direct marketing practices, and additional data privacy and security requirements and industry standards are under consideration.
In response to such developments, industry participants in the U.S., Europe and Australia have taken steps to increase compliance with relevant industry-level standards and practices, including the implementation of self-regulatory regimes for online behavioral advertising that impose obligations on participating companies, such as the Company, to give consumers a better understanding of, and greater control over, advertisements that are customized based on their online behavior.
The Company monitors pending legislation and regulatory initiatives to ascertain relevance, analyze impact and develop strategic direction surrounding regulatory trends and developments.
Education
The availability of funding for K-12 education is affected by changes in legislation, both at the federal and state level, as well as changes in the state procurement process. Future changes in federal funding and the state and local tax base could create an unfavorable environment, leading to budget issues and resulting decreases in educational funding that could, in turn, have an adverse impact on the Companys digital education business.
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Intellectual Property
The Companys intellectual property assets include: copyrights in newspapers, books, television programming and other content and technologies; trademarks in names and logos; domain names; and licenses of intellectual property rights. In addition, its intellectual property assets include patents or patent applications for inventions related to its products, business methods and/or services, none of which are material to its financial condition or results of operations. The Company derives value and revenue from these assets through, among other things, print and digital newspaper and magazine subscriptions and sales, the sale, distribution and/or licensing of print and digital books, the sale of subscriptions to its content and information services, the operation of websites and other digital properties and the distribution and/or licensing of its television programming to cable and satellite television services.
The Company devotes significant resources to protecting its intellectual property assets in the U.S., the U.K., Australia and other foreign territories. To protect these assets, the Company relies upon a combination of copyright, trademark, unfair competition, patent, trade secret and other laws and contract provisions. However, there can be no assurance of the degree to which these measures will be successful in any given case. Policing unauthorized use of the Companys products, services and content and related intellectual property is often difficult and the steps taken may not in every case prevent the infringement by unauthorized third parties of the Companys intellectual property. The Company seeks to limit such threat through a combination of approaches, including pursuing legal sanctions for infringement, promoting appropriate legislative initiatives and international treaties and enhancing public awareness of the meaning and value of intellectual property and intellectual property laws. Piracy, including in the digital environment, continues to present a threat to revenues from products and services based on intellectual property.
Third parties may challenge the validity or scope of the Companys intellectual property from time to time, and such challenges could result in the limitation or loss of intellectual property rights. Irrespective of their validity, such claims may result in substantial costs and diversion of resources that could have an adverse effect on the Companys operations. Moreover, effective intellectual property protection may be either unavailable or limited in certain foreign territories. Therefore, the Company engages in efforts to strengthen and update intellectual property protection around the world, including efforts to ensure the effective enforcement of intellectual property laws and remedies for infringement.
Raw Materials
As a major publisher of newspapers, magazines, free-standing inserts and books, the Company utilizes substantial quantities of various types of paper. In order to obtain the best available prices, substantially all of the Companys paper purchasing is done on a regional, volume purchase basis, and draws upon major paper manufacturing countries around the world. The Company believes that under present market conditions, its sources of paper supply used in its publishing activities are adequate.
Employees
As of June 30, 2014, the Company had approximately 22,000 employees, of whom approximately 7,000 were located in the U.S., 4,000 were located in the U.K. and 9,000 were located in Australia. Of the Companys employees, approximately 6,000 were represented by various employee unions. The contracts with such unions will expire during various times over the next several years. The Company believes its current relationships with employees are generally good.
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ITEM 1A. | RISK FACTORS |
You should carefully consider the following risks and other information in this Annual Report in evaluating the Company and its common stock. Any of the following risks could materially and adversely affect the Companys business, results of operations or financial condition, and could, in turn, impact the trading price of the Companys common stock. The risk factors generally have been separated into three groups: risks related to the Companys business, risks related to the Companys Separation from 21st Century Fox and risks related to the Companys common stock.
Risks Related to the Companys Business
A Decline in Customer Advertising Expenditures in the Companys Newspaper and Other Businesses Could Cause its Revenues and Operating Results to Decline Significantly in any Given Period or in Specific Markets.
The Company derives substantial revenues from the sale of advertising on or in its newspapers, integrated marketing services and digital media properties. The Company and its affiliates also derive revenues from the sale of advertising on their cable channels and pay-TV programming. Expenditures by advertisers tend to be cyclical, reflecting overall economic conditions, as well as budgeting and buying patterns. National and local economic conditions, particularly in major metropolitan markets, affect the levels of retail, national and classified newspaper advertising revenue. Changes in gross domestic product, consumer spending, auto sales, housing sales, unemployment rates and job creation all impact demand for advertising. A decline in the economic prospects of advertisers or the economy in general could alter current or prospective advertisers spending priorities or result in consolidation or closures across various industries, which may also reduce the Companys overall advertising revenue.
The Companys ability to generate advertising revenue is also dependent on demand for the Companys products, demographics of the customer base, advertising rates and results observed by advertisers. For example, circulation levels for the Companys newspapers, the number of visits to its websites and ratings points for its cable channels are among the factors that are weighed by advertisers when determining the amount of advertising to purchase from the Company as well as advertising rates. Newer technologies, including new streaming and downloading capabilities via the Internet and other devices and technologies, as well as growing consumer engagement with new forms of digital media such as online and mobile social networking, are increasing the number of media choices and formats available to audiences, resulting in audience fragmentation and increased competition for advertising. These technological developments may also cause changes in consumer behavior that could affect the attractiveness of the Companys offerings to advertisers. In addition, the range of advertising choices across digital products and platforms and the large inventory of available digital advertising space have historically resulted in significantly lower rates for digital advertising than for print advertising. Consequently, the Companys digital advertising revenue may not be able to replace print advertising revenue lost as a result of the shift to digital consumption. A decrease in advertising expenditures by the Companys customers, reduced demand for the Companys offerings or a surplus of advertising inventory could lead to a reduction in pricing and advertising spending, which could have an adverse effect on the Companys businesses and assets.
Advertising, Circulation and Audience Share May Continue to Decline as Consumers Migrate to Other Media Alternatives.
The Companys businesses face competition from other sources of news, information and entertainment content delivery, and the Company may be adversely affected if consumers migrate to other media alternatives. For example, advertising and circulation revenues in the Companys News and Information Services segment may continue to decline, reflecting general trends in the newspaper industry, including declining newspaper buying by younger audiences and consumers increasing reliance on the Internet for the delivery of news and information, often without charge. In recent years, Internet sites devoted to recruitment, automobile sales and real estate services have become significant competitors of the Companys newspapers and websites for classified advertising sales. In addition, due to innovations in content distribution platforms, consumers are now
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more readily able to watch Internet-delivered content on television sets and mobile devices, in some cases also without charge, which could reduce consumer demand for the Company and its affiliates television programming and pay-TV services and adversely affect both its subscription revenue and advertisers willingness to purchase television advertising from the Company.
The Company Must Respond to New Technologies and Changes in Consumer Behavior in Order to Remain Competitive.
Technology continues to evolve rapidly, leading to alternative methods for the delivery and storage of digital content, including the distribution of news and other content through social networking tools and on mobile and other devices, digital distribution models for books and Internet and mobile distribution of video content via streaming and downloading. These technological advancements have driven changes in consumer behavior and have empowered consumers to seek more control over when, where and how they consume digital content. Content owners are increasingly delivering their content directly to consumers over the Internet, often without charge, and innovations in distribution platforms have enabled consumers to view such Internet-delivered content on portable devices and televisions. Enhanced Internet capabilities and other new media may reduce the demand for newspapers and television viewership, which could negatively affect the Companys revenues. New digital platforms and technologies, such as user-generated sites and self-publishing tools, have also reduced the cost of producing and distributing content on a wide scale, allowing additional digital content providers to compete with us, often at a lower cost. This trend may drive down the price consumers are willing to spend on the Companys products disproportionately to the costs associated with generating content. In addition, new digital distribution channels, such as the Internet and online retailers, may present both challenges and opportunities to the Companys businesses, including its traditional book publishing model, which could affect both sales volume and pricing. The Company may be required to incur significant capital expenditures in order to respond to these new technologies and changes in consumer behavior, and there is a risk that its responses and strategies to remain competitive, including distribution of its content on a pay basis, may not be adopted by consumers. The Companys failure to protect and exploit the value of its content, while responding to and developing new technologies, products and business models to take advantage of advancements in technology and the latest consumer preferences, could have a significant adverse effect on its businesses, asset values and results of operations.
No Assurance of Profitability of the Digital Education Business.
Many of the newer lines of Amplify, the Companys digital education business, are still under development. Accordingly, Amplifys prospects must be considered in light of the risks, expenses and difficulties frequently encountered by companies in their early stage of development, particularly companies in new and rapidly evolving markets such as digital education. These risks for Amplify include, but are not limited to, an evolving business model and the management of growth. Amplify must, among other things, develop a customer base for its full range of offerings, including by utilizing the existing customers associated with its data and assessment business, implement and successfully execute its business and marketing strategy, continue to develop and upgrade its software and content offerings, respond to competitive developments, and attract, retain and motivate qualified personnel. In addition, the results and growth of Amplifys businesses are dependent on state educational funding, which may be adversely affected by changes in legislation, both at the federal and state level, changes in the state procurement process and changes in the condition of the local, state or U.S. economy. Future changes in federal funding and the state and local tax base could create an unfavorable environment, leading to budget issues that result in a decrease in educational funding and, in turn, adversely affect Amplifys businesses. There can be no assurance that Amplify will be successful in addressing these risks or in achieving these goals, and the failure to do so could have a material adverse effect on Amplifys business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.
Since the 2010 acquisition of Wireless Generation, the former brand of Amplifys data and analytics business, now Amplify Insight, and the initiation of the development of the broader business initiatives of Amplify, the Company has invested cash of approximately $825 million cumulatively through June 30, 2014, which includes $380 million, net of cash acquired, for the acquisition of Wireless Generation. Significant expenses associated with Amplifys businesses include salaries, employee benefits and other routine overhead associated with product development.
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The Inability to Renew Sports Programming Rights Could Cause the Revenue of Certain of the Companys Australian Operating Businesses to Decline Significantly in any Given Period.
The sports rights contracts between certain of the Companys Australian operating businesses, on the one hand, and various professional sports leagues and teams, on the other, have varying duration and renewal terms. As these contracts expire, renewals on favorable terms may be sought; however, third parties may outbid the current rights holders for the rights contracts. In addition, professional sports leagues or teams may create their own networks or the renewal costs could substantially exceed the original contract cost. The loss of rights could impact the extent of the sports coverage offered by the Company and could adversely affect its revenues. Upon renewal, the Companys results could be adversely affected if escalations in sports programming rights costs are unmatched by increases in subscriber and carriage fees and advertising rates.
Fluctuations in Foreign Currency Exchange Rates Could Have an Adverse Effect on the Companys Results of Operations.
The Company has significant operations in a number of foreign jurisdictions and certain of its operations are conducted in foreign currencies, primarily the Australian dollar and the British pound sterling. Since the Companys financial statements are denominated in U.S. dollars, changes in foreign currency exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and other currencies have had, and will continue to have, a currency translation impact on the Companys earnings, which could, in turn, have an adverse effect on its results of operations in a given period or in specific markets.
Weak Domestic and Global Economic Conditions and Volatility and Disruption in the Financial Markets May Adversely Affect the Companys Business.
The U.S. and global economies have in the recent past undergone a period of economic uncertainty, which resulted in, among other things, a general tightening in the credit markets, limited access to the credit markets, lower levels of liquidity, increases in the rates of default and bankruptcy, lower consumer and business spending and lower consumer net worth. The resulting pressure on the labor and retail markets and the downturn in consumer confidence weakened the economic climate in certain markets in which the Company does business and had an adverse effect on its business, results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, including advertising revenues. Any continued or recurring economic weakness could further impact the Companys business, reduce its advertising and other revenues and negatively impact the performance of its newspapers, books, television operations and other consumer products. In addition, further volatility and disruption in the financial markets could make it more difficult and expensive for the Company to obtain financing. These conditions could also impair the ability of those with whom the Company does business to satisfy their obligations to the Company, including as a result of their inability to obtain capital on acceptable terms. The Company is particularly exposed to certain Australian business risks, including specific Australian legal and regulatory risks, consumer preferences and competition, because it holds a substantial amount of Australian assets. As a result, the Companys results of operations may be adversely affected by negative developments in the Australian market. Although the Company believes that its capitalization, operating cash flow and current access to credit markets, including the Companys revolving credit facility, will give it the ability to meet its financial needs for the foreseeable future, there can be no assurance that any further volatility and disruption in domestic and global capital and credit markets will not impair the Companys liquidity or increase its cost of borrowing.
The Company May Make Strategic Acquisitions That Could Introduce Significant Risks and Uncertainties.
In order to position its business to take advantage of growth opportunities, the Company may make strategic acquisitions that involve significant risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: (1) the difficulty in integrating newly acquired businesses and operations in an efficient and effective manner, (2) the challenges in achieving strategic objectives, cost savings and other anticipated benefits, (3) the potential loss of key employees of the acquired businesses, (4) the risk of diverting the attention of the Companys senior management from the Companys operations, (5) the risks associated with integrating financial reporting and internal control systems, (6) the difficulties in expanding information technology systems and other business processes to accommodate the acquired businesses, (7) potential future impairments of goodwill associated with
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the acquired business and (8) in some cases, increased regulation. If an acquired business fails to operate as anticipated or cannot be successfully integrated with the Companys existing business, the Companys business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.
The Company Does Not Have the Right to Manage Foxtel, Which Means It is Not Able to Cause Foxtel to Operate or Make Corporate Decisions in a Manner that is Favorable to the Company.
The Company does not have the right to manage the business or affairs of Foxtel. While the Companys rights include the right to appoint one-half of the board of directors of Foxtel, the Company is not able to cause management or the board of directors to take any specific actions on its behalf, including with regards to declaring and paying dividends.
The Company Faces Investigations Regarding Allegations of Voicemail Interception, Illegal Data Access and Inappropriate Payments to Public Officials and Other Related Matters and Related Civil Lawsuits.
U.K. and U.S. regulators and governmental authorities are conducting investigations relating to voicemail interception, illegal data access and inappropriate payments to public officials at the Companys former publication, The News of the World, and at The Sun, and related matters, which are referred to as the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (the DOJ) is directed at conduct that occurred within 21st Century Fox prior to the creation of the Company. Accordingly, 21st Century Fox has been and continues to be responsible for responding to the DOJ investigation. The Company, together with 21st Century Fox, is cooperating with these investigations.
Civil claims have also been brought against the Company with respect to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The Company has admitted liability in many civil cases and has settled a number of cases. The Company has also settled a number of claims through a private compensation scheme established by the Company under which parties could pursue claims against it. While additional civil lawsuits may be filed, no additional civil claims may be brought under the compensation scheme after April 8, 2013.
In connection with the Separation, the Company and 21st Century Fox agreed in the Separation and Distribution Agreement that 21st Century Fox will indemnify the Company for payments made after the Distribution Date arising out of civil claims and investigations relating to the U.K. Newspaper Matters as well as legal and professional fees and expenses paid in connection with the criminal matters, other than fees, expenses and costs relating to employees (i) who are not directors, officers or certain designated employees or (ii) with respect to civil matters, who are not co-defendants with the Company or 21st Century Fox. In addition, violations of law may result in criminal fines or penalties for which the Company will not be indemnified by 21st Century Fox. 21st Century Foxs indemnification obligations with respect to these matters will be settled on an after-tax basis.
From July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2014, the Company incurred aggregate fees, costs and expenses related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters of $470 million, net of costs that have been or will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox, which includes $36 million paid to claimants for civil settlements. As of June 30, 2014, the Company accrued $110 million, representing its best estimate of the liability for the claims that have been filed, as well as incurred but unpaid legal and professional fees. Certain liabilities recorded by the Company as of June 30, 2014 related to matters that will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox as described below. Amounts due from 21st Century Fox relating to indemnified costs were approximately $66 million as of June 30, 2014.
The Company is not able to predict the ultimate outcome or cost of the civil claims or criminal matters. It is possible that these proceedings and any adverse resolution thereof, including any fines or other penalties associated with any plea, judgment or similar result for which the Company will not be indemnified, could damage its reputation, impair the Companys ability to conduct its business and adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition. See Item 3. Legal Proceedings and Note 14 to the Financial Statements for additional information.
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The Company Could Suffer Losses Due to Asset Impairment and Restructuring Charges.
As a result of adverse developments in the Companys industry and challenging economic and market conditions, the Company may recognize impairment charges for write-downs of goodwill and intangible assets, as well as restructuring charges relating to the reorganization of its businesses, which negatively impact the Companys financial results. In accordance with GAAP, the Company performs an annual impairment assessment of its recorded goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, including newspaper mastheads and distribution networks, during the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. The Company also continually evaluates whether current factors or indicators, such as prevailing conditions in the capital markets or the economy generally, require the performance of an interim impairment assessment of those assets, as well as other investments and other long-lived assets, or require the Company to engage in any additional business restructurings to address these conditions. Any significant shortfall, now or in the future, in advertising revenue and/or the expected popularity of the programming for which the Company has acquired rights could lead to a downward revision in the fair value of certain reporting units. Any downward revisions in the fair value of a reporting unit, indefinite-lived intangible assets, investments or long-lived assets could result in additional impairments for which non-cash charges would be required. Any such charge could be material to the Companys reported results of operations. The News and Information Services and Digital Education segments have reporting units with goodwill that is at risk for future impairment. As of June 30, 2014, $1.7 billion of goodwill at these reporting units was at risk for future impairment because the fair values of the reporting units exceeded their carrying values by less than 10%. The Company may also incur additional restructuring charges in the future if it is required to further realign its resources in response to significant shortfalls in revenue or other adverse trends.
The Companys Business Could Be Adversely Impacted by Changes in Governmental Policy and Regulation.
Various aspects of the Companys activities are subject to regulation in numerous jurisdictions around the world, and the introduction of new laws and regulations in countries where the Companys products and services are produced or distributed (and changes in the enforcement of existing laws and regulations in those countries) could have a negative impact on its interests.
For example, the Companys Australian operating businesses may be adversely affected by changes in government policy, regulation or legislation, or the application or enforcement thereof, applying to companies in the Australian media industry or to Australian companies in general. This includes:
| anti-siphoning legislation which currently prevents pay-TV providers such as Foxtel from acquiring rights to televise certain listed events (for example, the Olympic Games and certain Australian Rules football and cricket matches) unless: |
| national and commercial television broadcasters have not obtained these rights 12 weeks before the start of the event; |
| the rights to televise are also held by commercial television licensees who have rights to televise the event to more than 50% of the Australian population; or |
| the rights to televise are also held by one of Australias two major government-funded broadcasters; and |
| legislation such as the Broadcasting Services Act that regulates ownership interests and control of Australian media organizations. Such legislation may have an impact on the Companys ownership structure and operations and may restrict its ability to take advantage of acquisition or investment opportunities. For example, current media diversity rules would prevent the Company from exercising control of a commercial television broadcasting license, a commercial radio license and a newspaper in the same license area. |
In addition, the Companys newspaper businesses in the U.K. are likely to be subject to greater regulation and oversight as a result of the implementation of recommendations of the Leveson inquiry into the U.K. press,
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which was established by Prime Minister David Cameron in mid-2011. The inquiry was triggered by allegations of illegal voicemail interception at the Companys former publication, The News of the World. Lord Justice Leveson, Chairman of the Inquiry, concluded the first part of the inquiry and published a report in late November 2012 containing various recommendations for greater regulation and oversight of the U.K. press. In response, the U.K. Government is taking steps to establish a regulatory framework to oversee a new U.K. press regulator. Separately, a majority of the U.K. press has proposed an alternative regulator, the Independent Press Standards Organisation, or IPSO, which is expected to be operational by September 2014. IPSO will impose burdens on the print media in the U.K., including the Companys newspaper businesses in the U.K., which may result in competitive disadvantages versus other forms of media and may increase the costs of compliance.
Newsprint Prices May Continue to Be Volatile and Difficult to Predict and Control.
Newsprint is one of the largest expenses of the Companys newspaper publishing units. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, the Companys average cost per ton of newsprint was approximately 2.0% lower than its historical average annual cost per ton over the past five fiscal years. The price of newsprint has historically been volatile and the consolidation of newsprint mills over the years has reduced the number of suppliers, which has led to increases in newsprint prices. Failure to maintain the Companys current consumption levels, further supplier consolidation or the inability to maintain the Companys existing relationships with its newsprint suppliers could adversely impact newsprint prices in the future.
The Company Relies on Network and Information Systems and Other Technology Whose Failure or Misuse Could Cause a Disruption of Services or Improper Disclosure of Personal Data or Confidential Information, Resulting in Increased Costs or Loss of Revenue.
Network and information systems and other technologies, including those related to the Companys network management, are important to its business activities. Network and information systems-related events, such as computer hackings, computer viruses, worms or other destructive or disruptive software, process breakdowns, denial of service attacks, malicious social engineering or other malicious activities, or any combination of the foregoing, as well as power outages, natural disasters (including extreme weather), terrorist activities or human error that may affect such systems, could result in disruption of the Companys services or improper disclosure of personal data or confidential information. In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of cyberattacks on companies network and information systems by both state-sponsored and criminal organizations, and as a result, the risks associated with such an event continue to increase. A significant failure, compromise, breach or interruption of the Companys systems could result in a disruption of its operations, customer or advertiser dissatisfaction, damage to its reputation or brands and a loss of customers or revenues. If any such failure, interruption or similar event results in the improper disclosure of information maintained in the Companys information systems and networks or those of its vendors, including personnel, customer and vendor information, the Company could also be subject to liability under relevant contractual obligations and laws and regulations protecting personal data and privacy. Efforts by the Company and its vendors to develop, implement and maintain security measures may not be successful in preventing these events from occurring, and any network and information systems-related events could require the Company to expend significant resources to remedy such event. Moreover, the development and maintenance of these measures is costly and requires ongoing monitoring and updating as technologies change and efforts to overcome security measures become more sophisticated.
There Can Be No Assurance That the Company Will Have Access to the Capital Markets on Terms Acceptable to It.
From time to time the Company may need to access the long-term and short-term capital markets to obtain financing. Although the Company believes that the sources of capital currently in place, including the Companys revolving credit facility, will permit the Company to finance its operations for the foreseeable future on acceptable terms and conditions, the Companys access to, and the availability of, financing on acceptable terms
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and conditions in the future will be impacted by many factors, including, but not limited to: (1) the Companys financial performance, (2) the Companys credit ratings or absence of a credit rating, (3) the liquidity of the overall capital markets and (4) the state of the economy. There can be no assurance, particularly as a company that currently has no credit rating, that the Company will continue to have access to the capital markets on terms acceptable to it.
Technological Developments May Increase the Threat of Content Piracy and Limit the Companys Ability to Protect Its Intellectual Property Rights.
The Company seeks to limit the threat of content piracy; however, policing unauthorized use of its products and services and related intellectual property is often difficult and the steps taken by the Company may not in every case prevent infringement by unauthorized third parties. Developments in technology increase the threat of content piracy by making it easier to duplicate and widely distribute pirated material. The Company has taken, and will continue to take, a variety of actions to combat piracy, both individually and, in some instances, together with industry associations. However, protection of the Companys intellectual property rights is dependent on the scope and duration of its rights as defined by applicable laws in the U.S. and abroad and the manner in which those laws are construed. If those laws are drafted or interpreted in ways that limit the extent or duration of the Companys rights, or if existing laws are changed, the Companys ability to generate revenue from its intellectual property may decrease, or the cost of obtaining and maintaining rights may increase. There can be no assurance that the Companys efforts to enforce its rights and protect its products, services and intellectual property will be successful in preventing content piracy.
The Companys Business Relies on Certain Intellectual Property and Brands.
The Companys businesses rely on a combination of trademarks, trade names, copyrights, and other proprietary rights, as well as contractual arrangements, including licenses, to establish and protect their intellectual property and brand names. The Company believes its proprietary trademarks and other intellectual property rights are important to its continued success and its competitive position. Any impairment of any such intellectual property or brands could adversely impact the Companys results of operations or financial condition.
Labor Disputes May Have an Adverse Effect on the Companys Business.
In a variety of the Companys businesses, it engages the services of employees who are subject to collective bargaining agreements. If the Company is unable to renew expiring collective bargaining agreements, it is possible that the affected unions could take action in the form of strikes or work stoppages. Such actions, as well as higher costs in connection with these collective bargaining agreements or a significant labor dispute, could have an adverse effect on the Companys business by causing delays in production or by reducing profit margins.
Risks Related to the Companys Separation from 21st Century Fox
If the Separation, Together with Certain Related Transactions, Were Ultimately Determined to be Taxable Transactions for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes, then the Company, 21st Century Fox and Its Stockholders Could Be Subject to Significant Tax Liability, and the Company may be Required to Indemnify 21st Century Fox for Tax-Related Liabilities Incurred by 21st Century Fox.
In connection with the Separation, 21st Century Fox received a private letter ruling from the IRS to the effect that, among other things, the distribution of the Companys Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock qualified as tax-free under Sections 368 and 355 of the Code except for cash received in lieu of fractional shares. In addition, 21st Century Fox received an opinion from its tax counsel confirming the tax-free status of the Separation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, including the satisfaction of the requirements under Sections 368 and 355 of the Code not specifically addressed in the IRS private letter ruling. The opinion of 21st Century Foxs tax counsel is not binding on the IRS or the courts, and there is no assurance that the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position.
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The private letter ruling and the opinion relied on certain facts and assumptions, and certain representations from the Company and 21st Century Fox regarding the past and future conduct of their respective businesses and other matters. Notwithstanding the receipt of the private letter ruling and the opinion, the IRS could determine on audit that the distribution or the related internal reorganization transactions should be treated as taxable transactions if it determines that any of these facts, assumptions, representations or undertakings is not correct or has been violated, or that the distribution or the internal transactions should be taxable for other reasons, including as a result of a significant change in stock or asset ownership after the Separation. If the distribution ultimately is determined to be taxable, the distribution could be treated as a taxable dividend or capital gain for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and U.S. stockholders and certain non-U.S. stockholders could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities. In addition, if the internal reorganization and/or the distribution is ultimately determined to be taxable, 21st Century Fox would recognize gains on the internal reorganization and/or recognize gain in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of shares of the Companys common stock distributed to 21st Century Foxs stockholders on the Distribution Date over 21st Century Foxs tax basis in such shares. As described below, the Company may in certain circumstances be required to indemnify 21st Century Fox for liabilities arising out of the foregoing.
Under the terms of the Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement that the Company and 21st Century Fox entered into in connection with the Separation, the Company will, in certain circumstances, be responsible for all taxes, including interest and penalties, and tax-related liabilities incurred by 21st Century Fox as a result of actions taken by the Company or any of its subsidiaries after the Separation. Specifically, in the event that the distribution or the internal transactions intended not to be subject to tax were determined to be subject to tax and such determination was the result of certain actions taken, or omitted to be taken, after the Separation by the Company or any of its subsidiaries and such actions (1) were inconsistent with any representation or covenant made in connection with the private letter ruling or opinion of 21st Century Foxs tax counsel, (2) violated any representation or covenant made in the Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement, or (3) the Company or any of its subsidiaries knew or reasonably should have expected, after consultation with its advisors, could result in any such determination, the Company will be responsible for any tax-related liabilities incurred by 21st Century Fox as a result of such determination.
The Company Could Be Liable for Income Taxes Owed by 21st Century Fox.
Each member of the 21st Century Fox consolidated group, which, prior to the Separation, included 21st Century Fox, the Company and 21st Century Foxs other subsidiaries, is jointly and severally liable for the U.S. federal income tax liability of each other member of the consolidated group for periods prior to and including the Separation. Consequently, the Company could be liable in the event any such liability is incurred, and not discharged, by any member of 21st Century Foxs consolidated group. The Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement requires 21st Century Fox to indemnify the Company for any such liability. Disputes or assessments could arise during future audits by the IRS in amounts that the Company cannot quantify.
The Company Might Not Be Able to Engage in Desirable Strategic Transactions and Equity Issuances Following the Separation Because of Certain Restrictions Relating to Requirements for Tax-Free Distributions for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes.
The Companys ability to engage in significant strategic transactions and equity issuances may be limited or restricted after the Separation in order to preserve, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax-free nature of the distribution by 21st Century Fox. Even if the distribution otherwise qualifies for tax-free treatment under Section 355 of the Code, it may result in corporate level taxable gain to 21st Century Fox under Section 355(e) of the Code if 50% or more, by vote or value, of shares of the Companys stock is acquired or issued as part of a plan or series of related transactions that includes the distribution.
To preserve the tax-free treatment to 21st Century Fox of the distribution and the internal transactions in connection with the distribution for U.S. federal income tax purposes, under the Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement that the Company entered into with 21st Century Fox, the Company is prohibited from taking or
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failing to take certain actions that may prevent the distribution and related transactions from being tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Further, for the two-year period following the Separation, without obtaining the consent of 21st Century Fox, the Company may be prohibited from:
| approving or allowing any transaction that results in a change in ownership of more than a specified percentage of the Companys common stock, |
| a merger, |
| a redemption of equity securities, |
| a sale or other disposition of certain businesses or a specified percentage of the Companys assets, |
| an acquisition of a business or assets with equity securities to the extent one or more persons would acquire in excess of a specified percentage of the Companys common stock, or |
| amending the Companys organizational documents or taking any other action through stockholder vote or otherwise that affects the relative economic or voting rights of the Companys outstanding stock. |
These restrictions may limit the Companys ability to pursue strategic transactions or engage in new business or other transactions that may maximize the value of its business. Moreover, the Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement also provides that the Company is responsible for any tax-related liabilities incurred by 21st Century Fox or any of its affiliates as a result of the failure of the distribution or the internal transactions to qualify for favorable treatment under the Code if such failure is attributable to certain actions taken after the Separation by or in respect of the Company or any of its affiliates.
The Separation and Distribution Agreement May Restrict the Company From Acquiring or Owning Certain Types of Assets in the U.S.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has promulgated certain rules and regulations that limit the ownership of radio and television broadcast stations, television broadcast networks and newspapers (the Broadcast Ownership Rules) and place commercial restrictions on a cable network programmer in which a cable television operator holds an ownership interest (the Program Access Rules). Under the FCCs rules for determining ownership of the media assets described above, the Murdoch Family Trusts ownership interest in both the Company and 21st Century Fox following the Separation would generally result in each companys businesses and assets being attributable to the Murdoch Family Trust for purposes of determining compliance with the Broadcast Ownership Rules and the Program Access Rules. Consequently, the Companys future conduct, including its acquisition of any newspapers in the same local markets in which 21st Century Fox owns or operates television stations or the Companys acquisition of an ownership interest in a cable operator, may affect 21st Century Foxs ability to own and operate its television stations or otherwise comply with the Broadcast Ownership Rules, or may subject 21st Century Fox to the Program Access Rules. Therefore, the Company and 21st Century Fox agreed in the Separation and Distribution Agreement that if the Company acquires, after the Distribution Date, newspapers, radio or television broadcast stations or television broadcast networks in the U.S. and such acquisition would impede or be reasonably likely to impede 21st Century Foxs business, then the Company will be required to take certain actions, including divesting assets, in order to permit 21st Century Fox to hold its media interests and to comply with such rules. In addition, the Company will be prohibited from acquiring an interest in a multichannel video programming distributor, including a cable television operator, if such acquisition would subject 21st Century Fox to the Program Access Rules to which it is not then subject. This agreement effectively limits the activities or strategic business alternatives available to the Company if such activities or strategic business alternatives implicate the Broadcast Ownership Rules or Program Access Rules and would impede or be reasonably likely to impede 21st Century Foxs business.
The Indemnification Arrangements the Company Entered Into With 21st Century Fox in Connection With the Separation May Require the Company to Divert Cash to Satisfy Indemnification Obligations to 21st Century Fox.
Pursuant to the Separation and Distribution Agreement and certain other related agreements, 21st Century Fox agreed to indemnify the Company for certain liabilities, and the Company agreed to indemnify 21st Century
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Fox for certain liabilities. As a result, the Company could be required, under certain circumstances, to indemnify 21st Century Fox and its affiliates against certain liabilities to the extent such liabilities result from an action the Company or its affiliates take or from any breach of the Company or its affiliates representations, covenants or obligations under the Separation and Distribution Agreement, Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement or any other agreement the Company entered into in connection with the Separation. The diversion of cash that may occur if the Company is required to indemnify 21st Century Fox under these agreements could limit the Companys ability to grow its businesses or capitalize on acquisition opportunities.
Certain Agreements That the Company Entered Into With 21st Century Fox in Connection With the Separation May Limit Its Ability to Take Certain Actions With Respect to the Civil U.K. Newspaper Matters.
Under the terms of the Separation and Distribution Agreement, in consideration for 21st Century Foxs agreement to certain indemnification arrangements, the Company agreed that 21st Century Fox would have the right to control the Companys defense of civil claims relating to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. In exercising its rights to control the defense of the civil claims relating to the U.K. Newspaper Matters, 21st Century Fox may be guided by interests that are different than or adverse to the Companys interests and the interests of its stockholders and advocate strategies that the Companys management would not otherwise adopt. Furthermore, if the Company fails to comply with these control arrangements or does not consent to settlements with respect to such matters proposed by 21st Century Fox, the Company has agreed with 21st Century Fox that it will, at 21st Century Foxs discretion, forego any indemnification with regard to such or all of these matters. The Companys inability to take actions with respect to these civil matters without 21st Century Foxs consent or the Companys adoption of strategies advocated by 21st Century Fox could damage the Companys reputation or impair the Companys ability to conduct its business while the taking of any such action by the Company without 21st Century Foxs consent in breach of the Companys agreements could increase its liability exposure with regard to such matters and adversely affect the Companys results of operations and financial condition. See Item 3. Legal Proceedings and Note 14 to the Financial Statements for additional information.
The Company Has a Limited Operating History as an Independent, Publicly-Traded Company, and Its Historical Financial Statements for Certain Reporting Periods Are Not Necessarily Representative of the Results It Would Have Achieved as an Independent, Publicly-Traded Company, Do Not Reflect Any Subsequent Changes in Its Cost Structure and May Not Be Reliable Indicators of Its Future Results.
The Companys historical financial statements for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 included in this Annual Report do not necessarily reflect the results of operations, cash flows and financial condition that it would have achieved as an independent, publicly-traded company during the periods presented or those that it will achieve in the future. Prior to the Separation, the Companys business was operated by 21st Century Fox as part of its broader corporate organization, rather than as an independent company. During those periods, 21st Century Fox performed various corporate functions for the Company, including, but not limited to, tax administration, treasury activities, accounting, legal, ethics and compliance program administration, investor and public relations, certain governance functions (including internal audit) and external reporting. The Companys historical financial statements for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 reflect allocations of corporate expenses from 21st Century Fox for these and similar functions. However, these allocations may be more or less than the comparable expenses that the Company would have incurred had it operated as an independent, publicly traded company during those periods. In addition, changes have and may continue to occur in the Companys cost structure, management, financing, business operations, personnel needs, tax and structure as a result of its operation as a public company separate from 21st Century Fox, including the incurrence of costs for compliance with requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, SEC regulations and NASDAQ and ASX listing rules and potential increased costs associated with reduced economies of scale. Prior to the Separation, the Company benefited from 21st Century Foxs operating diversity, size, purchasing power and access to capital for investments, and it may not continue to realize such benefits in the future. As a result, there is a risk that the Company may be more susceptible to market fluctuations and other adverse events than it would have otherwise been while it was still a part of 21st Century Fox. Additionally, in connection with the Separation, the Company entered into certain transactions with 21st Century Fox that did not exist prior to the Separation.
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Certain of the Companys Directors and Officers May Have Actual or Potential Conflicts of Interest Because of Their Equity Ownership in 21st Century Fox, and Certain of the Companys Officers and Directors May Have Actual or Potential Conflicts of Interest Because They Also Serve as Officers and/or on the Board of Directors of 21st Century Fox, Which May Result in the Diversion of Corporate Opportunities to 21st Century Fox.
Certain of the Companys directors and executive officers own shares of 21st Century Foxs common stock, and the individual holdings may be significant for some of these individuals compared to their total assets. In addition, certain of the Companys officers and directors also serve as officers and/or as directors of 21st Century Fox, including K. Rupert Murdoch, who serves as the Companys Executive Chairman and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of 21st Century Fox, and Gerson Zweifach, who serves as the Companys General Counsel and as Senior Executive Vice President and Group General Counsel of 21st Century Fox. This ownership or service to both companies may create, or may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest when these directors and officers are faced with decisions that could have different implications for the Company and 21st Century Fox. For example, potential conflicts of interest could arise in connection with the resolution of any dispute that may arise between the Company and 21st Century Fox regarding the terms of the agreements governing the internal reorganization, the Separation and the relationship thereafter between the companies, including with respect to the indemnification of certain matters. In addition to any other arrangements that the Company and 21st Century Fox may agree to implement, the Company and 21st Century Fox have agreed that officers and directors who serve at both companies will recuse themselves from decisions where conflicts arise due to their positions at both companies.
The Companys Restated Certificate of Incorporation acknowledges that the Companys directors and officers, as well as certain of its stockholders, including K. Rupert Murdoch, certain members of his family and certain family trusts (so long as such persons continue to own, in the aggregate, 10% or more of the voting stock of each of the Company and 21st Century Fox), each of which is referred to as a covered stockholder, are or may become stockholders, directors, officers, employees or agents of 21st Century Fox and certain of its affiliates. The Companys Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that any such overlapping person will not be liable to the Company, or to any of its stockholders, for breach of any fiduciary duty that would otherwise exist because such individual directs a corporate opportunity (other than certain limited types of restricted business opportunities set forth in the Companys Restated Certificate of Incorporation) to 21st Century Fox instead of the Company. As 21st Century Fox does not have a similar provision regarding corporate opportunities in its certificate of incorporation, the provisions in the Companys Restated Certificate of Incorporation could result in an overlapping person submitting any corporate opportunities other than restricted business opportunities to 21st Century Fox instead of the Company.
Risks Related to the Companys Common Stock
The Market Price of the Companys Stock May Fluctuate Significantly
The Company cannot predict the prices at which its common stock may trade. The market price of the Companys common stock may fluctuate significantly, depending upon many factors, some of which may be beyond its control, including: (1) the Companys quarterly or annual earnings, or those of other companies in its industry; (2) actual or anticipated fluctuations in the Companys operating results; (3) success or failure of the Companys business strategy; (4) the Companys ability to obtain financing as needed; (5) changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretations or principles; (6) changes in laws and regulations affecting the Companys business; (7) announcements by the Company or its competitors of significant new business developments or customers; (8) announcements by the Company or its competitors of significant acquisitions or dispositions; (9) changes in earnings estimates by securities analysts or the Companys ability to meet its earnings guidance, if any; (10) the operating and stock price performance of other comparable companies; (11) results from material litigation or governmental investigations; (12) changes in capital gains taxes and taxes on dividends affecting stockholders; and (13) overall market fluctuations and general economic conditions.
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Certain Provisions of the Companys Restated Certificate of Incorporation, Amended and Restated By-laws, Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement, Separation and Distribution Agreement and Delaware Law, the Companys Amended and Restated Stockholder Rights Agreement and the Ownership of the Companys Common Stock by the Murdoch Family Trust May Discourage Takeovers and the Concentration of Ownership Will Affect the Voting Results of Matters Submitted for Stockholder Approval.
The Companys Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws contain certain anti-takeover provisions that may make more difficult or expensive a tender offer, change in control, or takeover attempt that is opposed by the Companys Board of Directors or certain stockholders holding a significant percentage of the voting power of the Companys outstanding voting stock. In particular, the Companys Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated By-laws provide for, among other things:
| a dual class common equity capital structure; |
| stockholders to remove directors only for cause; |
| a prohibition on stockholders taking any action by written consent without a meeting; |
| special stockholders meeting to be called only by the Chief Executive Officer, the Board of Directors, or the holders of not less than 20% of the voting power of the Companys outstanding voting stock; |
| the requirement that stockholders give the Company advance notice to nominate candidates for election to the Board of Directors or to make stockholder proposals at a stockholders meeting; |
| the requirement of an affirmative vote of at least 65% of the voting power of the Companys outstanding voting stock to amend or repeal its by-laws; |
| certain restrictions on the transfer of the Companys shares; and |
| the Board of Directors to issue, without stockholder approval, Preferred Stock and Series Common Stock with such terms as the Board of Directors may determine. |
These provisions could discourage potential acquisition proposals and could delay or prevent a change in control of the Company, even in the case where a majority of the stockholders may consider such proposals, if effective, desirable.
In addition, in connection with the Separation, the Companys Board of Directors adopted a stockholder rights agreement, which it extended in June 2014. Pursuant to the amended and restated stockholder rights agreement, each outstanding share of the Companys common stock has attached to it a right entitling its holder to purchase from the Company additional shares of its Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock in the event that a person or group acquires beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the then-outstanding Class B Common Stock without approval of the Companys Board of Directors, subject to exceptions for persons beneficially owning 15% or more of the Companys Class B Common Stock immediately following the Separation. The stockholder rights agreement could make it more difficult for a third-party to acquire the Companys voting common stock without the approval of its Board of Directors. The rights expire on June 18, 2015, except as otherwise provided in the rights agreement.
Further, as a result of his ability to appoint certain members of the board of directors of the corporate trustee of the Murdoch Family Trust, which beneficially owns less than one percent of the Companys outstanding Class A Common Stock and approximately 38.4% of the Companys Class B Common Stock as of August 8, 2014, K. Rupert Murdoch may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the shares beneficially owned by the Murdoch Family Trust. K. Rupert Murdoch, however, disclaims any beneficial ownership of these shares. Also, K. Rupert Murdoch beneficially owns or may be deemed to beneficially own an additional one percent of the Companys Class B Common Stock and less than one percent of the Companys Class A Common Stock as of August 8, 2014. Thus, K. Rupert Murdoch may be deemed to beneficially own in the aggregate less than one percent of the Companys Class A Common Stock and approximately 39.4% of the Companys Class B Common Stock as of August 8, 2014. This concentration of voting power could discourage third parties from
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making proposals involving an acquisition of the Company. Additionally, the ownership concentration of Class B Common Stock by the Murdoch Family Trust increases the likelihood that proposals submitted for stockholder approval that are supported by the Murdoch Family Trust will be adopted and proposals that the Murdoch Family Trust does not support will not be adopted, whether or not such proposals to stockholders are also supported by the other holders of Class B Common Stock. Furthermore, the adoption of the amended and restated stockholder rights agreement will prevent, unless the Companys Board of Directors otherwise determines at the time, other potential stockholders from acquiring a similar ownership position in the Companys Class B Common Stock and, accordingly, could prevent a meaningful challenge to the Murdoch Family Trusts influence over matters submitted for stockholder approval.
ITEM 1B. | UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS |
None.
ITEM 2. | PROPERTIES |
The Company owns and leases various real properties in the U.S., Europe, Australia and Asia that are utilized in the conduct of its businesses. Each of these properties is considered to be in good condition, adequate for its purpose and suitably utilized according to the individual nature and requirements of the relevant operations. The Companys policy is to improve and replace property as considered appropriate to meet the needs of the individual operation.
United States
The Companys principal real properties in the U.S. are the following:
(a) | The U.S. headquarters of the Company, located at 1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York and the offices of the Company located at 1185 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, each of which are subleased from 21st Century Fox. These spaces include the executive and corporate offices of the Company, the executive and editorial offices of Dow Jones, the editorial offices of the Post, the executive offices of NAM and the corporate offices of Amplify; |
(b) | The leased offices of HarperCollins U.S. in New York, New York; |
(c) | The leased office and warehouse facilities of HarperCollins U.S. in Scranton, Pennsylvania; |
(d) | The owned office and warehouse facilities of Thomas Nelson in Nashville, Tennessee. The warehouse facilities were sold in July 2014; |
(e) | The leased printing plant of the Post located in Bronx, New York; |
(f) | The leased offices of Amplify in Brooklyn, New York; and |
(g) | The office space campus owned by the Company in South Brunswick, New Jersey. |
Europe
The Companys principal real properties in Europe are the following:
(a) | The leased headquarters and editorial offices of the London operations of News UK, Dow Jones and HarperCollins at The News Building, 1 London Bridge Street, London, England. |
(b) | The newspaper production and printing facilities for its U.K. newspapers, which consist of: |
1. | The leased office space at each of Thomas More Square, London, England; Fleet House, Peterborough, England; Dublin, Ireland and Glasgow City Centre, Scotland; and |
2. | The freehold interests in each of a publishing and printing facility in Broxbourne, England and printing facilities in Knowsley, England and North Lanarkshire, Scotland. |
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(c) | The leased headquarters and editorial offices of HarperCollins Publishers Limited in London, England; |
(d) | The leased executive and editorial offices of Dow Jones in London, England; and |
(e) | The leased warehouse and office facilities of HarperCollins Publishers Limited in Glasgow, Scotland. |
Australia and Asia
The Companys principal real properties in Australia and Asia are the following:
(a) | The Australian newspaper production and printing facilities which consist of: |
1. | The Company-owned print center and office building in Sydney, Australia at which The Australian, the Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph are printed and published; |
2. | The Company-owned print center and the leased office facility in Melbourne, Australia at which Herald Sun and the Sunday Herald Sun are printed and published; |
3. | The Company-owned print center and office building in Adelaide, Australia utilized in the printing and publishing of The Advertiser and The Sunday Mail; |
4. | The Company-owned print center and office building in Brisbane, Australia at which The Courier Mail and Sunday Mail are printed and published; and |
5. | The two Company-owned buildings in Perth, Australia used to print and publish The Sunday Times; |
(b) | The leased offices and studios of FOX SPORTS Australia in Sydney, Australia; |
(c) | The leased offices and studios of FOX SPORTS Australia in Melbourne, Australia; |
(d) | The leased corporate offices of REA Group in Melbourne, Australia; and |
(e) | The leased office space of Dow Jones in Hong Kong. |
ITEM 3. | LEGAL PROCEEDINGS |
The Company routinely is involved in various legal proceedings, claims and governmental inspections or investigations, including those discussed below.
U.K. Newspaper Matters and Related Investigations and Litigation
On July 19, 2011, a purported class action lawsuit captioned Wilder v. News Corp., et al. was filed on behalf of all purchasers of 21st Century Foxs common stock between March 3, 2011 and July 11, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (the Wilder Litigation). The plaintiff brought claims under Section 10(b) and Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act, alleging that false and misleading statements were issued regarding alleged acts of voicemail interception at The News of the World. The suit named as defendants 21st Century Fox, Rupert Murdoch, James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks, and sought compensatory damages, rescission for damages sustained and costs.
On June 5, 2012, the court issued an order appointing the Avon Pension Fund (Avon) as lead plaintiff in the litigation and Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd as lead counsel. Thereafter, on July 3, 2012, the court issued an order providing that an amended consolidated complaint was to be filed by July 31, 2012. Avon filed an amended consolidated complaint on July 31, 2012, which among other things, added as defendants the Companys subsidiary, NI Group Limited (now known as News Corp UK & Ireland Limited), and Les Hinton, and expanded the class period to comprise February 15, 2011 to July 18, 2011. Defendants filed motions to dismiss the litigation, which were granted by the court on March 31, 2014. Plaintiffs were allowed to amend their complaint, and on April 30, 2014, plaintiffs filed a second amended consolidated complaint, which generally
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repeats the allegations of the amended consolidated complaint and also expands the class period to comprise July 8, 2009 to July 18, 2011. The Companys management believes these claims are entirely without merit and intends to vigorously defend this action. As described below, the Company will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox for certain payments made by the Company that relate to, or arise from, the U.K. Newspaper Matters, including all payments in connection with the Wilder Litigation.
In addition, U.K. and U.S. regulators and governmental authorities continue to conduct investigations initiated in 2011 with respect to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The investigation by the DOJ is directed at conduct that occurred within 21st Century Fox prior to the creation of the Company. Accordingly, 21st Century Fox has been and continues to be responsible for responding to the DOJ investigation. The Company, together with 21st Century Fox, is cooperating with these investigations.
Civil claims have also been brought against the Company with respect to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The Company has admitted liability in many civil cases and has settled a number of cases. The Company has also settled a number of claims through a private compensation scheme established by the Company under which parties could pursue claims against it. While additional civil lawsuits may be filed, no additional civil claims may be brought under the compensation scheme after April 8, 2013.
In connection with the Separation, the Company and 21st Century Fox agreed in the Separation and Distribution Agreement that 21st Century Fox will indemnify the Company for payments made after the Distribution Date arising out of civil claims and investigations relating to the U.K. Newspaper Matters as well as legal and professional fees and expenses paid in connection with the criminal matters, other than fees, expenses and costs relating to employees (i) who are not directors, officers or certain designated employees or (ii) with respect to civil matters, who are not co-defendants with the Company or 21st Century Fox. In addition, violations of law may result in criminal fines or penalties for which the Company will not be indemnified by 21st Century Fox. 21st Century Foxs indemnification obligations with respect to these matters will be settled on an after-tax basis.
The Company incurred legal and professional fees related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters and costs for civil settlements totaling approximately $169 million, $183 million and $199 million during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. With respect to the fees and costs incurred during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, the Company has been or will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox for $97 million, net of tax, pursuant to the indemnification arrangements described above, and with respect to the fees and costs incurred on or prior to June 30, 2013, the Company will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox for $40 million, net of tax.
As of June 30, 2014, the Company has provided for its best estimate of the liability for the claims that have been filed and costs incurred and has accrued approximately $110 million, of which approximately $66 million will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox, and a corresponding receivable was recorded in Amounts due from 21st Century Fox on the Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2014. It is not possible to estimate the liability or corresponding receivable for any additional claims that may be filed given the information that is currently available to the Company. If more claims are filed and additional information becomes available, the Company will update the liability provision and corresponding receivable for such matters.
The Company is not able to predict the ultimate outcome or cost of the civil claims or criminal matters. It is possible that these proceedings and any adverse resolution thereof, including any fines or other penalties associated with any plea, judgment or similar result for which the Company will not be indemnified, could damage its reputation, impair its ability to conduct its business and adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.
Stockholder Rights Agreement Litigation
On July 7, 2014, Miramar Police Officers Retirement Plan, a purported stockholder of the Company, filed a verified complaint in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against the Company and its Board of
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Directors, styled Miramar Police Officers Retirement Plan v. Murdoch et al., C.A. No. 9860-CB. The complaint alleges, among other things, that the Company and the Board of Directors breached the terms of a settlement agreement, dated April 12, 2006, by entering into a one-year extension to the stockholder rights agreement on June 18, 2014 without first seeking stockholder approval. The complaint further alleges that the Board of Directors breached its fiduciary duties in approving the one-year extension to the stockholder rights agreement, seeks a declaration that the extension is null and void and requests an award of attorneys fees and costs. While it is not possible to predict with any degree of certainty the ultimate outcome of this action, the Company and the Board of Directors believe that the allegations in the complaint are without merit and intend to defend against them vigorously.
HarperCollins
Commencing on August 9, 2011, 29 purported consumer class actions were filed in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and for the Northern District of California, which related to the decisions by certain publishers, including HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C., to sell their e-books pursuant to an agency relationship. The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation transferred the various class actions to the Honorable Denise L. Cote in the Southern District of New York. On January 20, 2012, plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint, again alleging that certain named defendants, including HarperCollins, violated the antitrust and unfair competition laws by virtue of the switch to the agency model for e-books. The actions sought as relief treble damages, injunctive relief and attorneys fees. As a result of the settlement agreement with the Attorneys General discussed below, consumers in all states other than Minnesota were ultimately barred from participating in these class actions. On June 21, 2013, plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of a settlement with HarperCollins, among others, for a class of consumers residing in Minnesota, which was the only state that did not sign onto the settlement agreement with the Attorneys General. On December 6, 2013, Judge Cote granted final approval of the Minnesota consumer settlement, which did not have a material impact on the results of operations or the financial position of the Company. Additional information about In re MDL Electronic Books Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action No. 11-md-02293 (DLC), can be found on Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER).
Following an investigation, on April 11, 2012, the DOJ filed an action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against certain publishers, including HarperCollins, and Apple, Inc. The DOJs complaint alleged antitrust violations related to defendants decisions to sell e-books pursuant to an agency relationship. The case was assigned to Judge Cote. Simultaneously, the DOJ announced that it had reached a proposed settlement with three publishers, including HarperCollins, and filed a Proposed Final Judgment and related materials detailing that agreement. Among other things, the Proposed Final Judgment required that HarperCollins terminate its agreements with certain e-book retailers and placed certain restrictions on any agreements subsequently entered into with such retailers. On September 5, 2012, Judge Cote entered the Final Judgment. Additional information about the Final Judgment can be found on the DOJs website.
Following an investigation, on April 11, 2012, 16 state Attorneys General led by Texas and Connecticut (the AGs) filed a similar action against certain publishers and Apple, Inc. in the Western District of Texas. On April 26, 2012, the AGs action was transferred to Judge Cote. On May 17, 2012, 33 AGs filed a second amended complaint. As a result of a memorandum of understanding agreed upon with the AGs for Texas and Connecticut, HarperCollins was not named as a defendant in this action. Pursuant to the terms of the memorandum of understanding, HarperCollins entered into a settlement agreement with the AGs for Texas, Connecticut and Ohio on June 11, 2012. By August 28, 2012, 49 states (all but Minnesota) and five U.S. territories had signed on to that settlement agreement. On August 29, 2012, the AGs simultaneously filed a complaint against HarperCollins and two other publishers, a motion for preliminary approval of that settlement agreement and a proposed distribution plan. On September 14, 2012, Judge Cote granted the AGs motion for preliminary approval of the settlement agreement and approved the AGs proposed distribution plan. Notice was subsequently sent to potential class members, and a fairness hearing took place on February 8, 2013 at which Judge Cote gave final approval to the settlement. The settlement is now effective, and the final judgment bars consumers from states and territories covered by the settlement from participating in the class actions.
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On October 12, 2012, HarperCollins received a Civil Investigative Demand from the Minnesota Attorney General (the Minnesota AG). HarperCollins complied with the Demand on November 16, 2012. On June 26, 2013, the Minnesota AG filed a petition for an order approving an assurance of discontinuance in the Second Judicial District Court for the State of Minnesota, wherein Minnesota agreed to cease its investigation and not seek further legal remedies relating to or arising from the alleged conduct. On June 28, 2013, Judge Gary Bastion signed an order approving the discontinuance.
The European Commission conducted an investigation into whether certain companies in the book publishing and distribution industry, including HarperCollins, violated the antitrust laws by virtue of the switch to the agency model for e-books. HarperCollins settled the matter with the European Commission on terms substantially similar to the settlement with the DOJ. On December 13, 2012, the European Commission formally adopted the settlement.
Commencing on February 24, 2012, five purported consumer class actions were filed in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario, which relate to the decisions by certain publishers, including HarperCollins, to sell their e-books in Canada pursuant to an agency relationship. The actions seek as relief special, general and punitive damages, injunctive relief and the costs of the litigations. On May 8, 2014, the parties entered into a settlement agreement, which is subject to court approval, the terms of which will not be material to the Company.
In July 2012, HarperCollins Canada, a wholly-owned subsidiary of HarperCollins, learned that the Canadian Competition Bureau (CCB) had commenced an inquiry regarding the sale of e-books in Canada. In February 2014, HarperCollins reached a proposed settlement with the CCB on terms substantially similar to the DOJ settlement described above, and on February 7, 2014, the CCB registered that consent agreement with the Competition Tribunal. On February 21, 2014, Kobo Inc. (Kobo) filed an application to rescind or vary the consent agreement with the Competition Tribunal, and, on March 18, 2014, the Competition Tribunal issued an order staying the registration of the consent agreement. The stay will remain in effect pending further order of the Competition Tribunal or final disposition of Kobos application.
The Company is not able to predict the ultimate outcome or cost of the unresolved HarperCollins matters described above. During the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the legal and professional fees and settlements incurred in connection with these matters were not material, and as of June 30, 2014, the Company did not have a material accrual related to these matters.
News America Marketing
In-Store Marketing and FSI Purchasers
On April 8, 2014, in connection with a pending action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in which The Dial Corporation, Henkel Consumer Goods, Inc., H.J. Heinz Company, H.J. Heinz Company, L.P., Foster Poultry Farms, Smithfield Foods, Inc., HP Hood LLC, BEF Foods, Inc., and Spectrum Brands, Inc. allege various claims under federal and state antitrust law against News Corporation, News America Incorporated (NAI), News America Marketing FSI L.L.C. (NAM FSI), and News America Marketing In-Store Services L.L.C. (NAM In-Store Services and, together with News Corporation, NAI and NAM FSI, the NAM Group), plaintiffs filed a fourth amended complaint on consent of the parties. The fourth amended complaint asserts federal and state antitrust claims both individually and on behalf of the two putative classes in connection with plaintiffs purchase of in-store marketing services and free-standing insert coupons. The complaint seeks treble damages, injunctive relief and attorneys fees. The NAM Group answered the fourth amended complaint and asserted counterclaims against The Dial Corporation, H.J. Heinz Company, H.J. Heinz Company, L.P., and Foster Poultry Farms on April 21, 2014, and discovery is proceeding.
While it is not possible at this time to predict with any degree of certainty the ultimate outcome of this action, the NAM Group believes it has been compliant with applicable antitrust laws and intends to defend itself vigorously.
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Valassis Communications, Inc.
On November 8, 2013, Valassis Communications, Inc. (Valassis) filed a motion for expedited discovery in Valassis Communications, Inc. v. News America Incorporated, et al., No. 2:06-cv-10240 (E.D. Mich.), which previously settled in February 2010. Also on November 8, 2013, Valassis filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against the NAM Group alleging violations of federal and state antitrust laws and common law business torts. The complaint seeks treble damages, injunctive relief and attorneys fees and costs. On December 19, 2013, NAI, NAM FSI and NAM In-Store Services opposed the motion for expedited discovery in the previously settled case, and the NAM Group filed a motion to dismiss the newly-filed complaint.
On February 4, 2014, the magistrate judge entered an order granting the motion for expedited discovery. NAI, NAM FSI and NAM In-Store Services filed their objections to the order before the District Court on February 11, 2014 and concurrently filed a motion to stay the decision of the magistrate judge pending the District Courts consideration of their objections. On March 10, 2014, NAI, NAM FSI and NAM In-Store Services filed a motion to enforce the parties settlement agreement that sought an order that certain of Valassiss claims, if they are allowed to proceed, must be considered by a three-member panel of antitrust experts pursuant to the parties agreements. On May 20, 2014, the District Court issued an order overruling the objections to the magistrate judges decision on Valassiss motion for expedited discovery and determining that the motion to stay the magistrate judges decision was therefore moot. In the same order, the District Court terminated the motion to enforce the parties settlement agreement on the grounds that the issues raised in this motion would be addressed in the context of the NAM Groups motion to dismiss Valassiss newly-filed complaint, described below.
On March 11, 2014, the Court referred the NAM Groups motion to dismiss Valassiss newly-filed complaint to the magistrate judge for determination. On July 16, 2014, the magistrate judge granted the NAM Groups motion in part with respect to certain claims and stayed the remainder of the action.
While it is not possible at this time to predict with any degree of certainty the ultimate outcome of these actions, the NAM Group believes it has been compliant with applicable laws and intends to defend itself vigorously.
Other
In addition, the Companys operations are subject to tax in various domestic and international jurisdictions and as a matter of course, the Company is regularly audited by federal, state and foreign tax authorities. The Company believes it has appropriately accrued for the expected outcome of all pending tax matters and does not currently anticipate that the ultimate resolution of pending tax matters will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial condition, future results of operations or liquidity.
ITEM 4. | MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES |
Not applicable.
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ITEM 5. | MARKET FOR REGISTRANTS COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
News Corporations Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are listed and traded on The NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ), its principal market, under the symbols NWSA and NWS, respectively. CHESS Depositary Interests (CDIs) representing the Companys Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock are listed and traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the symbols NWSLV and NWS, respectively. As of June 30, 2014, there were approximately 27,200 holders of record of shares of Class A Common Stock and 850 holders of record of shares of Class B Common Stock.
The following table sets forth, for the fiscal periods indicated, the high and low sales prices for the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, as reported on NASDAQ. In connection with the Separation, which is described in Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, the Company first began trading publicly in the when-issued market beginning on June 19, 2013, and commenced regular-way trading on July 1, 2013, following the Separation. Prior to June 19, 2013, there was no public market for the Companys common stock.
Class B Common Stock | Class A Common Stock | |||||||||||||||
High | Low | High | Low | |||||||||||||
Fiscal year ended June 30, 2013: |
||||||||||||||||
Fourth Quarter (since June 19, 2013) |
$ | 15.80 | $ | 15.37 | $ | 15.80 | $ | 15.25 | ||||||||
Fiscal year ended June 30, 2014: |
||||||||||||||||
First Quarter |
17.46 | 14.52 | 17.26 | 14.39 | ||||||||||||
Second Quarter |
18.26 | 16.02 | 18.07 | 15.51 | ||||||||||||
Third Quarter |
18.03 | 15.00 | 18.53 | 15.44 | ||||||||||||
Fourth Quarter |
17.65 | 15.98 | 18.18 | 16.32 |
Dividend Policy
The Company expects to pay regular cash dividends in the future, though the timing, declaration, amount and payment of future dividends to stockholders will fall within the discretion of its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors decisions regarding the payment of future dividends will depend on many factors, including the Companys financial condition, earnings, capital requirements and debt facility covenants, other contractual restrictions, as well as legal requirements, regulatory constraints, industry practice and other factors that the Board of Directors deems relevant. The Board of Directors has not yet declared any cash dividends and cannot provide any assurances that any dividends will be declared or paid.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
In May 2013, the Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to an aggregate of $500 million of its Class A Common Stock. Through August 8, 2014 the Company has not repurchased any Class A Common Stock. All decisions regarding any future stock repurchases are at the sole discretion of a duly appointed committee of the Board of Directors and management. The stock repurchase authorization may be modified, extended, suspended or discontinued at any time by the Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors cannot provide any assurances that any shares will be repurchased.
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ITEM 6. | SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA |
The selected consolidated and combined financial data should be read in conjunction with Item 7. Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data and the other financial information included elsewhere herein.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||
2014(a) | 2013(a) | 2012(a) | 2011(b) | 2010(c) | ||||||||||||||||
(in millions, except per share information) | ||||||||||||||||||||
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 8,574 | $ | 8,891 | $ | 8,654 | $ | 9,095 | $ | 8,752 | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) attributable to News Corporation stockholders |
239 | 506 | (2,075 | ) | 678 | 243 | ||||||||||||||
Income (loss) available to News Corporation stockholders per sharebasic(d) |
0.41 | 0.87 | (3.58 | ) | 1.17 | 0.42 | ||||||||||||||
Income (loss) available to News Corporation stockholders per sharediluted(d) |
0.41 | 0.87 | (3.58 | ) | 1.17 | 0.42 |
As of June 30, | ||||||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013(e) | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | ||||||||||||||||
(in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||
BALANCE SHEET DATA: |
||||||||||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 3,145 | $ | 2,381 | $ | 1,133 | $ | 2,022 | $ | 1,080 | ||||||||||
Total assets |
16,489 | 15,643 | 13,090 | 17,008 | 14,326 | |||||||||||||||
Redeemable preferred stock |
20 | 20 | | | |
(a) | See Notes 3, 4, 5, 7 and 14 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation for information with respect to significant acquisitions, disposals, impairment charges, restructuring charges, legal settlements and other transactions during fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012. |
(b) | During fiscal 2011, the Company acquired Wireless Generation Inc. (now Amplify Insight) for total consideration of approximately $380 million, net of cash acquired, which included the equity purchase and the repayment of Wireless Generation Inc.s outstanding debt. |
(c) | Fiscal 2010 results included the contribution of the Dow Jones Indexes business to a joint venture formed with CME Group, Inc. and the sale of the Companys investment in STOXX AG, a European market index provider (STOXX). The Company received $903 million in cash proceeds from these transactions in fiscal 2010. |
(d) | On June 28, 2013 (the Distribution Date), approximately 579 million shares of News Corporation common stock were distributed to 21st Century Fox shareholders of record on June 21, 2013. This initial share amount is being utilized for the calculation of both basic and diluted earnings per share for all years presented that ended prior to the Distribution Date as no News Corporation common stock or equity-based awards were outstanding prior to June 28, 2013. The dilutive effect of the Companys equity-based awards which were issued in connection with the Separation and the conversion of outstanding 21st Century Fox awards to News Corporation awards is included in the computation of diluted earnings per share in the periods subsequent to the Separation. |
(e) | In accordance with the Separation and Distribution Agreement, the Companys target aggregate cash and cash equivalents balance at the Distribution Date was approximately $2.6 billion. As of June 30, 2013, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $2.4 billion. The remaining $0.2 billion was received from 21st Century Fox during the first quarter of fiscal 2014 and was recorded in Amounts due from 21st Century Fox on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2013. |
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ITEM 7. | MANAGEMENTS DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS |
This discussion and analysis contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words expect, estimate, anticipate, predict, believe and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements appear in a number of places in this discussion and analysis and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things, trends affecting the Companys financial condition or results of operations and the outcome of contingencies such as litigation and investigations. Readers are cautioned that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties. More information regarding these risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is set forth under the heading Risk Factors in Item 1A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (the Annual Report). The Company does not ordinarily make projections of its future operating results and undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers should carefully review this document and the other documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). This section should be read together with the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation and related notes set forth elsewhere in this Annual Report.
INTRODUCTION
News Corporation (together with its subsidiaries, News Corporation or the Company) is a global diversified media and information services company comprised of businesses across a range of media, including: news and information services, cable network programming in Australia, digital real estate services, book publishing, digital education and pay-TV distribution in Australia.
The Separation and Distribution
On June 28, 2013, the Company completed the separation of its businesses (the Separation) from Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. (21st Century Fox). As of the effective time of the Separation, all of the outstanding shares of the Company were distributed to 21st Century Fox stockholders based on a distribution ratio of one share of Company Class A or Class B Common Stock for every four shares of 21st Century Fox Class A or Class B Common Stock, respectively, held of record as of June 21, 2013 (the Record Date). Following the Separation, the Companys Class A and Class B Common Stock began trading independently on NASDAQ, and CDIs representing the Companys Class A and Class B Common Stock began trading on ASX. In connection with the Separation, the Company entered into the Separation and Distribution Agreement (the Separation and Distribution Agreement) and certain other related agreements which govern the Companys relationship with 21st Century Fox following the Separation. (See Note 13 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation for further information).
Subsequent to the Distribution Date, the Companys financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 are presented on a consolidated basis, as the Company became a separate consolidated group on June 28, 2013. The Companys consolidated statement of operations for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 reflects the Companys operations as a stand-alone company. The Companys consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2014 and June 30, 2013 consist of the Companys consolidated balances, subsequent to the Separation.
Prior to the Separation, the Companys combined financial statements were prepared on a stand-alone basis derived from the consolidated financial statements and accounting records of 21st Century Fox. The Companys
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financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 were prepared on a combined basis and presented as carve-out financial statements, as the Company was not a separate consolidated group prior to the Distribution Date. These statements reflect the combined historical results of operations and cash flows of 21st Century Foxs publishing businesses, its education division and other Australian assets.
The Companys consolidated and combined statements of operations for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 included allocations of general corporate expenses for certain support functions that were provided on a centralized basis by 21st Century Fox and not recorded at the business unit level, such as expenses related to finance, human resources, information technology, facilities, and legal, among others. These expenses were allocated to the Company on the basis of direct usage when identifiable, with the remainder allocated on a pro rata basis of consolidated or combined revenues, operating income, headcount or other measures of the Company. Management believes the assumptions underlying these consolidated and combined financial statements, including the assumptions regarding allocating general corporate expenses from 21st Century Fox, are reasonable. Nevertheless, these consolidated and combined financial statements may not include all of the actual expenses that would have been incurred by the Company and may not reflect the Companys consolidated and combined results of operations and cash flows had it been a stand-alone company during the applicable periods. Actual costs that would have been incurred if the Company had been a stand-alone company would depend on multiple factors, including organizational structure and strategic decisions made in various areas, including information technology and infrastructure.
The consolidated and combined financial statements are referred to as the Financial Statements herein. The consolidated and combined statements of operations are referred to as the Statements of Operations herein. The consolidated balance sheets are referred to as the Balance Sheets herein.
The Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP).
For purposes of the Companys Financial Statements for periods prior to the Separation, income tax expense was recorded as if the Company filed tax returns on a stand-alone basis separate from 21st Century Fox. This separate return methodology applies the accounting guidance for income taxes to the stand-alone financial statements as if the Company was a stand-alone enterprise for the periods prior to the Distribution Date. Therefore, cash tax payments for periods prior to the Separation may not be reflective of the Companys actual tax balances. Prior to the Separation, the Companys operating results were included in 21st Century Foxs consolidated U.S. federal and state income tax returns. Additionally, the income tax accounts reflected in the Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2013 include income taxes payable and deferred taxes allocated to the Company at the time of the Separation. The calculation of the Companys income taxes involves considerable judgment and the use of both estimates and allocations.
Managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is intended to help provide an understanding of News Corporations financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operations. This discussion is organized as follows:
| Overview of the Companys BusinessThis section provides a general description of the Companys businesses, as well as developments that occurred during fiscal 2013, fiscal 2014 or early fiscal 2015 that the Company believes are important in understanding its results of operations and financial condition or to disclose known trends. |
| Results of OperationsThis section provides an analysis of the Companys results of operations for the three fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, respectively. This analysis is presented on both a consolidated or combined basis and a segment basis. In addition, a brief description is provided of significant transactions and events that impact the comparability of the results being analyzed. |
| Liquidity and Capital ResourcesThis section provides an analysis of the Companys cash flows for the three fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, respectively, as well as a discussion of the Companys financial arrangements and outstanding commitments, both firm and contingent, that existed as of June 30, 2014. |
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| Critical Accounting PoliciesThis section discusses accounting policies considered important to the Companys financial condition and results of operations, and which require significant judgment and estimates on the part of management in application. In addition, Note 2 to the accompanying Financial Statements summarizes the Companys significant accounting policies, including the critical accounting policy discussion found in this section. |
OVERVIEW OF THE COMPANYS BUSINESSES
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company revised the composition of its reporting segments based on the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 280, Segment Reporting, to present the digital education business as a separate segment. All prior periods have been reclassified to reflect the revised segment presentation. As a result of the change, the Company reports its business in the following six segments:
| News and Information ServicesThe News and Information Services segment includes the global print and digital product offerings of The Wall Street Journal and Barrons publications, Marketwatch.com, and the Companys suite of professional information products, including Factiva, Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, Dow Jones Newswires, Dow Jones Private Markets and DJX. |
The Company also owns, among other publications, The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun and The Courier Mail in Australia, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Sun and The Sun on Sunday in the U.K. and the New York Post in the U.S. This segment also includes News America Marketing (NAM), a leading provider of free-standing inserts, in-store marketing products and services and digital marketing solutions. NAMs customers include many of the largest consumer packaged goods advertisers in the U.S. and Canada.
| Cable Network ProgrammingThe Cable Network Programming segment consists of FOX SPORTS Australia, the leading sports programming provider in Australia, with seven television channels distributed via cable, satellite and IP, several interactive viewing applications and broadcast rights to live sporting events in Australia including: National Rugby League, the domestic football league, English Premier League, international cricket and the Rugby Union. Prior to the November 2012 acquisition of the portion of FOX SPORTS Australia that it did not own, the Company accounted for its investment in FOX SPORTS Australia under the equity method of accounting. Following the acquisition, the Company owns 100% of FOX SPORTS Australia and its results are included within this segment. |
| Digital Real Estate ServicesThe Company owns 61.6% of REA Group Limited (REA Group), a publicly traded company listed on the ASX (ASX: REA) that is a leading digital advertising business specializing in real estate services. REA Group operates Australias largest residential property website, realestate.com.au, as well as Australias leading commercial property website, realcommercial.com.au. REA Group also operates a market-leading Italian property site, casa.it, and other property sites and apps in Europe and Asia. |
| Book PublishingThe Book Publishing segment consists of HarperCollins which is one of the largest English-language consumer publishers in the world, with particular strengths in general fiction, nonfiction, childrens and religious publishing, and an industry leader in digital publishing. HarperCollins includes over 60 branded publishing imprints, including Avon, Harper, HarperCollins Childrens Publishers, William Morrow and Christian publishers Zondervan and Thomas Nelson, and publishes works by well-known authors such as Mitch Albom, Veronica Roth, Rick Warren and Agatha Christie and popular titles such as The Hobbit, Goodnight Moon, To Kill a Mockingbird and the Divergent series. |
| Digital EducationThe Digital Education segment consists of Amplify, the brand for its digital education business, which it launched in July 2012. Amplify is focused on improving K-12 education by creating digital products and services that empower teachers, students and parents in new ways. Its products serve more than three million students in all 50 states. Amplify is dedicated to creating technology solutions that transform the way teachers teach and students learn. |
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| OtherThe Other segment consists primarily of general corporate overhead expenses, the corporate Strategy and Creative Group, and costs related to voicemail interception, illegal data access and inappropriate payments to public officials at the Companys former publication, The News of the World, and at The Sun, and related matters, which are referred to as the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The Companys corporate Strategy and Creative Group was formed to identify new products and services across its businesses to increase revenues and profitability and to target and assess potential acquisitions and investments. |
News and Information Services
Revenue at the News and Information Services segment is derived from the sale of advertising, circulation and subscriptions, as well as licensing. Adverse changes in general market conditions for advertising continue to affect revenues. Advertising revenues at the News and Information Services segment are also subject to seasonality, with revenues typically being highest in the Companys second fiscal quarter due to the end-of-year holiday season in its main operating geographies. Circulation and subscription revenues can be greatly affected by changes in the prices of the Companys and/or competitors products, as well as by promotional activities.
Operating expenses include costs related to paper, production, distribution, third party printing, editorial and commissions. Selling, general and administrative expenses include promotional expenses, salaries, employee benefits, rent and other routine overhead.
The News and Information Services segments advertising volume, circulation and the price of paper are the key variables whose fluctuations can have a material effect on the Companys operating results and cash flow. The Company has to anticipate the level of advertising volume, circulation and paper prices in managing its businesses to maximize operating profit during expanding and contracting economic cycles. The Company continues to be exposed to risks associated with paper used for printing. Paper is a basic commodity and its price is sensitive to the balance of supply and demand. The Companys expenses are affected by the cyclical increases and decreases in the price of paper. The News and Information Services segments products compete for readership and advertising with local and national competitors and also compete with other media alternatives in their respective markets. Competition for circulation and subscriptions is based on the content of the products provided, pricing and, from time to time, various promotions. The success of these products also depends upon advertisers judgments as to the most effective use of their advertising budgets. Competition for advertising is based upon the reach of the products, advertising rates and advertiser results. Such judgments are based on factors such as cost, availability of alternative media, distribution and quality of readership demographics.
Like other newspaper groups, the Company faces challenges to its traditional print business model from new media formats and shifting consumer preferences. The Company is also exposed to the impact of long-term structural movements in advertising spending, in particular, the move in classified advertising from print to digital. These new media formats could impact the Companys overall performance, positively or negatively.
As a multi-platform news provider, the Company recognizes the importance of maximizing revenues from new media, both in terms of paid-for content and in new advertising models, and continues to invest in its digital products. The development of technologies such as smartphones, tablets and similar devices and their related applications provides continued opportunities for the Company to make its journalism available to a new audience of readers, introduce new or different pricing schemes, develop its products to continue to attract advertisers and/or affect the relationship between publisher and consumer. The Company continues to develop and implement strategies to exploit its content in new media channels, including the implementation of digital subscriptions.
Cable Network Programming
The Cable Network Programming segment consists of FOX SPORTS Australia, which offers the following seven channels: FOX SPORTS 1, FOX SPORTS 2, FOX SPORTS 3, FOX FOOTY, FOX SPORTS NEWS, FUEL TV and SPEED. Revenue is primarily derived from monthly affiliate fees received from pay-tv providers (mainly Foxtel) based on the number of subscribers.
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FOX SPORTS Australia competes primarily with ESPN, the FTA channels and certain telecommunications companies in Australia.
The most significant operating expenses of the Cable Network Programming segment are the acquisition and production expenses related to programming and the expenses related to operating the technical facilities of the broadcast operations. The expenses associated with licensing programming rights are recognized during the applicable season or event, which can cause results at the Cable Network Programming Segment to fluctuate based on the timing and mix of the Companys local and international sports programming. Other expenses include marketing and promotional expenses related to improving the market visibility and awareness of the channels and their programming. Additional expenses include salaries, employee benefits, rent and other routine overhead expenses.
Digital Real Estate Services
The Digital Real Estate Services segment sells online advertising services on its residential real estate and commercial property sites. Significant expenses associated with these sites include development costs, advertising and promotional expenses, salaries, employee benefits and other routine overhead expenses.
Consumers are increasingly turning to the Internet and mobile devices for real estate information. The Digital Real Estate Services segments success depends on its continued innovation to provide products and services that make its websites and mobile applications useful for consumers and real estate and mortgage professionals and attractive to its advertisers.
Book Publishing
The Book Publishing segment derives revenues from the sale of general fiction, nonfiction, childrens and religious books in the U.S. and internationally. The revenues and operating results of the Book Publishing segment are significantly affected by the timing of releases and the number of its books in the marketplace. The book publishing marketplace is subject to increased periods of demand during the end-of-year holiday season in its main operating geographies. This marketplace continues to change due to technical innovations, electronic book devices and other factors. Each book is a separate and distinct product, and its financial success depends upon many factors, including public acceptance.
Major new title releases represent a significant portion of the Book Publishing segments sales throughout the fiscal year. Print-based consumer books are generally sold on a fully returnable basis, resulting in the return of unsold books. In the domestic and international markets, the Book Publishing segment is subject to global trends and local economic conditions.
Operating expenses for the Book Publishing segment include costs related to paper, printing, authors royalties, editorial, promotional, art and design expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses include salaries, employee benefits, rent and other routine overhead.
The book publishing business has been affected in recent years by new electronic distribution platforms and models and the Company expects that electronic books (e-books) will represent an increasing portion of book publishing revenues in coming years.
Digital Education
The Digital Education segment, which consists of Amplify, the brand for the Companys digital education business, is dedicated to creating technology solutions that transform the way teachers teach and students learn in three areas:
| Amplify Insight, Amplifys data and assessment business, which formerly operated under the brand Wireless Generation, Inc. (Wireless Generation), commenced operations in 2000 and was acquired in |
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fiscal 2011. Amplify Insight provides powerful assessment products and services to support teachers and school districts, including student assessment tools and analytic technologies, intervention programs, enterprise education information systems, and professional development and consulting services. |
| Amplify Learning, Amplifys curriculum business, is developing digital content for K-12 English Language Arts, Math and Science, including software that will combine interactive, game-like experiences, rich, immersive media and sophisticated analytics to make the classroom teaching and learning experience more engaging, rigorous, personalized and effective. Amplify Learnings digital curriculum incorporates the new Common Core State Standards adopted by most states in the U.S. and is available for use on multiple platforms. |
| Amplify Access, Amplifys platform business, is delivering a tablet-based distribution system to facilitate personalized instruction and enable anytime, anywhere learning. Amplify Access offers a bundle that includes a tablet designed for the K-12 market, instructional software and curated third-party content, as well as implementation support. |
Significant expenses associated with the Companys digital education business include product development, salaries, employee benefits and other routine overhead.
Other
The Other segment primarily consists of general corporate overhead expenses, the corporate Strategy and Creative Group and costs related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The Companys corporate Strategy and Creative Group was formed to identify new products and services across the Companys businesses to increase revenues and profitability and to target and assess potential acquisitions and investments.
Other Business Developments
In August 2014, the Company completed its acquisition of Harlequin Enterprises Limited (Harlequin) from Torstar Corporation for a purchase price of C$455 million (approximately US$420 million), subject to certain adjustments. Harlequin is a leading publisher of womens fiction, and this acquisition extends HarperCollins global platform, particularly in Europe and Asia Pacific. Harlequin will operate as a division of HarperCollins, and its results will be included within the Book Publishing segment. On an annualized basis, the Company expects Harlequin will contribute revenues of $320 to $340 million.
In July 2014, REA purchased 31,283,140 shares, or 17.22%, of iProperty Group Limited (ASX: IPP) from SeLoger.com SA, for total cash consideration of AUD $106 million (approximately US$100 million). iProperty Group has online property advertising operations in Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, as well as investments in India and the Philippines.
In April 2014, The Rubicon Project (Rubicon), in which the Company owned approximately 5.6 million shares as of March 31, 2014, completed an initial public offering of its common stock. The Company sold approximately 850 thousand shares as part of the public offering which resulted in a pre-tax gain on sale of $6 million and reduced the Companys ownership percentage to 13.7%. Prior to the public offering, the Companys investment in Rubicon was recorded in the Balance Sheets at cost. As a result of the offering, the Companys remaining investment in Rubicon will be designated as an available-for-sale security as of April 2014, and carried at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses from available-for-sale securities are reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax, in stockholders equity. While the Rubicon investment is classified as an available-for-sale security, the Company is contractually restricted from selling these shares for at least six months from the date of the public offering.
In February 2014, SEEKAsia Limited (SEEK Asia), in which the Company owns a 12.1% interest, agreed to purchase the online employment businesses of JobStreet Corporation Berhad (JobStreet), which will be
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combined with JobsDB, Inc., SEEK Asias existing online employment business. The transaction, which is subject to certain conditions, including regulatory approval and JobStreet shareholder approval, will be funded primarily through additional contributions by SEEK Asia shareholders. The Companys share of the funding contribution is expected to be approximately $50 million and is subject to the closing of the JobStreet acquisition. The Company will continue to hold a 12.1% investment in SEEK Asia following the transaction.
In December 2013, the Company entered into new multi-year supply agreements for newsprint and ink, which are expected to yield cost savings over the lives of the agreements. The Company saved approximately $10 million in fiscal 2014 and expects to save approximately $20 million in fiscal 2015.
In December 2013, the Company acquired Storyful Limited (Storyful), a social media news agency, for approximately $25 million, of which $19 million was paid in cash, with the remainder primarily related to an earn-out that is contingent upon the achievement of certain performance objectives. The Storyful acquisition complements the Companys existing video capabilities, including the creation and distribution of original and on-demand programming such as WSJ Live and BallBall. Storyfuls results are included within the News and Information Services segment.
In September 2013, the Company sold the Dow Jones Local Media Group, which operated eight daily and 15 weekly newspapers in seven states. The gain recognized on the sale of LMG was not significant as the carrying value of the assets held for sale on the date of sale approximated the proceeds received.
In April 2013, the Company sold its remaining 10% investment in the Dow Jones Indexes business to CME Group, Inc. (CME). Since 2010, the Company has divested all of its interests in the Dow Jones Indexes business and STOXX and received cumulative proceeds of approximately $1 billion.
In March 2013, the Company sold its 44% equity interest in SKY Network Television Ltd. for approximately $675 million.
In November 2012, the Company acquired Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd. (CMH), a media investment company that operates in Australia, for approximately $2 billion in cash and assumed debt of approximately $235 million. This acquisition supports the Companys strategic priority of acquiring greater control of investments that complement its portfolio of businesses. CMH owned a 25% interest in Foxtel through its 50% interest in FOX SPORTS Australia. The acquisition doubled the Companys stakes in FOX SPORTS Australia and Foxtel to 100% and 50%, respectively. Accordingly, the results of FOX SPORTS Australia have been included within the Cable Network Programming segment in the Companys consolidated results of operations since November 2012. Prior to November 2012, the Company accounted for its investment in FOX SPORTS Australia under the equity method of accounting. The Companys investment in Foxtel is accounted for under the equity method of accounting.
In July 2012, the Company acquired Australian Independent Business Media Pty Limited (AIBM) for approximately $30 million in cash. AIBM publishes a subscription-based online newsletter for investors and a business news and commentary website.
In July 2012, the Company acquired Thomas Nelson, Inc. (Thomas Nelson), one of the leading Christian book publishers in the U.S., for approximately $200 million in cash.
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Results of OperationsFiscal 2014 versus Fiscal 2013
The following table sets forth the Companys operating results for fiscal 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
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Advertising |
$ | 4,019 | $ | 4,346 | $ | (327 | ) | (8 | )% | |||||||
Circulation and Subscription |
2,688 | 2,669 | 19 | 1 | % | |||||||||||
Consumer |
1,374 | 1,286 | 88 | 7 | % | |||||||||||
Other |
493 | 590 | (97 | ) | (16 | )% | ||||||||||
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Total Revenues |
8,574 | 8,891 | (317 | ) | (4 | )% | ||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(5,139 | ) | (5,420 | ) | 281 | (5 | )% | |||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(2,665 | ) | (2,783 | ) | 118 | (4 | )% | |||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(578 | ) | (548 | ) | (30 | ) | 5 | % | ||||||||
Impairment and restructuring charges |
(94 | ) | (1,737 | ) | 1,643 | (95 | )% | |||||||||
Equity earnings of affiliates |
90 | 100 | (10 | ) | (10 | )% | ||||||||||
Interest, net |
68 | 77 | (9 | ) | (12 | )% | ||||||||||
Other, net |
(653 | ) | 1,593 | (2,246 | ) | ** | ||||||||||
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(Loss) income before income tax benefit |
(397 | ) | 173 | (570 | ) | ** | ||||||||||
Income tax benefit |
691 | 374 | 317 | 85 | % | |||||||||||
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Net income |
294 | 547 | (253 | ) | (46 | )% | ||||||||||
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(55 | ) | (41 | ) | (14 | ) | 34 | % | ||||||||
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Net income attributable to News Corporation |
$ | 239 | $ | 506 | $ | (267 | ) | (53 | )% | |||||||
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** | not meaningful |
RevenuesRevenues decreased $317 million, or 4%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013. The revenue decrease was mainly due to lower revenue of $578 million at the News and Information Services segment, primarily resulting from lower advertising revenues; the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations; and lower revenues at Dow Jones, primarily from the disposal of the Dow Jones Local Media Group, lower professional information business revenues and lower print advertising revenues. The revenue decrease was also impacted by lower revenues at the Other segment of $20 million due to the sale of certain of the Companys non-core Australian businesses in fiscal 2013 and decreases at the Digital Education segment of $14 million. The revenue decrease for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was partially offset by increased revenues at the Cable Network Programming segment of $167 million reflecting the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia in November 2012; increased revenues at the Book Publishing segment of $65 million, primarily resulting from increased book sales; and increased revenues at the Digital Real Estate Services segment of $63 million.
Operating ExpensesOperating expenses decreased $281 million, or 5%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013. The operating expense decrease for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was primarily due to lower operating expenses at the News and Information Services segment of $393 million due to lower production costs resulting from reduced sales, the impact of cost containment initiatives and the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. The operating expense decrease was partially offset by increased operating expenses at the Cable Network Programming segment of $98 million, primarily resulting from the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia in November 2012 and increased operating expenses at the Digital Education segment of $12 million due to increased development costs. The impact of foreign currency fluctuations of the U.S. dollar against local currencies resulted in an operating expense decrease of $105 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013.
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Selling, general and administrative expensesSelling, general and administrative expenses decreased $118 million, or 4%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013. The decrease in Selling, general and administrative expenses for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was primarily due to decreased expenses at the Other segment of $119 million, primarily resulting from lower fees and costs related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters, and lower expenses at the News and Information Services segment of $55 million, primarily due to the impact of cost savings initiatives and the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. These decreases for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 were partially offset by increased expenses at the Digital Education segment, the Digital Real Estate Services segment and the Book Publishing segment of $26 million, $17 million, and $9 million, respectively. The impact of foreign currency fluctuations of the U.S. dollar against local currencies resulted in a selling, general and administrative expense decrease of $77 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013.
Pension and postretirement plan expenses decreased $49 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to changes made to the Companys plans during fiscal 2014 and the favorable impact of changes in actuarial assumptions.
Depreciation and amortizationDepreciation and amortization expense increased $30 million, or 5%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to higher depreciation expense at the News and Information Services segment of $17 million, principally due to accelerated depreciation at the U.K. newspapers as a result of changes in the useful lives of leased facilities that the Company exited in fiscal 2014, and higher depreciation and amortization expense at the Cable Network Programming segment of $11 million due to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia in November 2012.
Impairment and restructuring chargesIn fiscal 2014, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $79 million, of which $67 million related to the newspaper businesses. The restructuring charges were primarily related to employee termination benefits. In fiscal 2014, the Company recorded impairment charges of $15 million, primarily related to the sale of a U.S. printing facility.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, as part of the Companys long-range planning process in preparation for the Separation, the Company adjusted its future outlook and related strategy principally with respect to the News and Information Services business in Australia and secondarily with respect to the News and Information Services businesses in the U.S. These adjustments reflected adverse trends affecting the Companys News and Information Services segment, including declines in advertising revenue and continued declines in the economic environment in Australia, and resulted in a reduction in expected future cash flows. As a result, the Company determined that the fair value of these reporting units declined below their respective carrying values and recorded non-cash impairment charges of approximately $1.4 billion ($1.1 billion, net of tax) in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. The charges primarily consisted of a write-down of the Companys goodwill of $494 million, a write-down of intangible assets (primarily newspaper mastheads) of $862 million, and a write-down of fixed assets of $46 million. The impairment charges also included $42 million for the potential sale of assets at values below their carrying values.
In fiscal 2013, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $293 million, of which $276 million related to the newspaper businesses. The restructuring charges primarily related to the reorganization of the Australian newspaper businesses which was announced at the end of fiscal 2012 and the continued reorganization of the U.K. newspaper businesses. The restructuring charges recorded were primarily for termination benefits in Australia and contract termination payments in the U.K.
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Equity earnings of affiliatesEquity earnings of affiliates decreased $10 million, or 10%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia and the sale of the Companys investment in SKY Network Television Ltd., partially offset by the Companys increased ownership interest in Foxtel.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Foxtel(a) |
$ | 90 | $ | 66 | $ | 24 | 36 | % | ||||||||
Pay television and cable network programming equity affiliates(b) |
| 51 | (51 | ) | (100 | )% | ||||||||||
Other equity affiliates |
| (17 | ) | 17 | (100 | )% | ||||||||||
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Total Equity earnings of affiliates |
$ | 90 | $ | 100 | $ | (10 | ) | (10 | )% | |||||||
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|
|
(a) | The Companys equity earnings related to Foxtel increased $24 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, primarily due to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia as a result of the CMH acquisition and the underlying performance of Foxtel. The Company owned 25% of Foxtel through November 2012. In November 2012, the Company increased its ownership in Foxtel to 50% as a result of the CMH acquisition. In accordance with ASC 350, the Company amortized $62 million and $43 million related to excess cost over the Companys proportionate share of its investments underlying net assets allocated to finite-lived intangible assets during the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, and 2013 respectively. Such amortization is reflected in Equity earnings of affiliates in the Statements of Operations. See Note 5 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation for further details. |
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, Foxtel revenues of $2,897 million were down from $3,184 million in fiscal 2013, due to the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations. In local currency, revenue was higher in the current year as a result of growth in subscriber revenues. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, Foxtel EBITDA of $903 million decreased from $932 million in fiscal 2013 reflecting the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations. In local currency, Foxtel EBITDA was higher primarily due to the increased revenues noted above and lower costs. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 Foxtel depreciation and amortization expense decreased due to reduced intangible asset amortization from the Austar acquisition.
(b) | Includes equity earnings of FOX SPORTS Australia and SKY Network Television Ltd. The Company acquired the remaining interest in FOX SPORTS Australia in November 2012 as a result of the CMH acquisition. The results of FOX SPORTS Australia have been included within the Cable Network Programming segment in the Companys consolidated results of operations since November 2012. In March 2013, the Company sold its 44% equity interest in SKY Network Television Ltd. for approximately $675 million and recorded a gain of approximately $321 million which was included in Other, net in the Statement of Operations for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. For the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013, the Company received dividends from SKY Network Television Ltd. of $60 million. |
Interest, netInterest, net for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 decreased $9 million, or 12%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to a higher proportion of cash being held in lower interest yielding jurisdictions during fiscal 2014. The decrease for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was partially offset by increased interest income from the note receivable from Foxtel due to an increased investment in Foxtel as a result of the acquisition of CMH in November 2012. (See Note 5 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation).
46
Other, net
For the fiscal
years ended June 30, |
||||||||
2014 | 2013 | |||||||
(in millions) | ||||||||
Foreign tax refund payable to 21st Century Fox(a) |
$ | (721 | ) | $ | | |||
Gain on third party pension contribution(b) |
37 | | ||||||
Gain on sale of Australian property |
36 | | ||||||
Gain on CMH transaction(c) |
| 1,263 | ||||||
Gain on sale of investment in SKY Network Television Ltd.(d) |
| 321 | ||||||
Gain on the financial indexes business transactions(e) |
| 12 | ||||||
Other |
(5 | ) | (3 | ) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total Other, net |
$ | (653 | ) | $ | 1,593 | |||
|
|
|
|
(a) | The Company filed refund claims for certain losses, pertaining to periods prior to the Separation, in a foreign jurisdiction that were subject to litigation. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the foreign tax authority determined that it would not appeal a ruling received by the Company in July 2013 and therefore, a portion of an uncertain matter was resolved during the three months ended September 30, 2013. In the second quarter of fiscal 2014, the foreign tax authority completed its review and the remainder of the uncertain matter was resolved during the three months ended December 31, 2013. The Company recorded $794 million for the tax refund and interest and recorded a tax benefit, net of applicable taxes on interest, of $721 million to Income tax benefit in the Statements of Operations for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014. Pursuant to the Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement, refunds received related to these matters are to be remitted to 21st Century Fox. Accordingly, the Company recorded an expense to Other, net of $721 million for the payable to 21st Century Fox in the Statement of Operations for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014. See Note 17 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation. |
(b) | During the first quarter of fiscal 2014, a $37 million contribution was made by a third party to one of the Companys pension plans in connection with the sale of a business in a prior period on behalf of former employees who retained certain pension benefits. This resulted in a gain being recognized in Other, net in the Statement of Operations during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014. See Note 15 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation. |
(c) | See Note 3 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation. |
(d) | See Note 5 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation. |
(e) | In April 2013, the Company sold its 10% investment in its venture with CME. The Company recorded a gain of $12 million on this transaction which was recorded in Other, net for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. In addition, as a result of the transaction, the Company was released from its agreement to indemnify CME with respect to any payment of principal, premium and interest made by CME under its guarantee of the third-party debt issued by the joint venture. |
Income tax benefitThe Companys tax benefit and effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 were $691 million and 174%, respectively, as compared to $374 million and 216%, respectively, for fiscal 2013.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, the Company recorded a tax benefit, net of applicable tax on interest, of $721 million related to refunds received from a foreign jurisdiction which increased the effective tax rate by 182%. In accordance with the terms of the Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement, the Company remitted the foreign tax refunds to 21st Century Fox and recorded an expense to Other, net of $721 million in the Statements of Operations. The expense recorded to Other, net is not deductible for income tax purposes and resulted in a $252 million detriment or 64% reduction to the effective tax rate. The Company also recorded a benefit of approximately $67 million related to the effects of foreign operations in Australia and the United Kingdom which were subject to lower tax rates and which increased the effective tax rate by 17%.
47
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 the Company recorded a $306 million tax benefit as a result of a reversal of deferred tax liabilities arising from intangible and fixed asset impairments recorded in fiscal 2013 and a reversal of historic deferred tax liabilities related to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia of $49 million. The Companys tax benefit and effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 were lower than the U.S. statutory tax rate of 35% primarily due to the impact of certain non-recurring items of pre-tax income and expense including $0.5 billion of non-deductible goodwill impairment charges, a $1.3 billion non-taxable gain on the consolidation of CMH and a $0.3 billion non-taxable gain on the sale of the investment in SKY Network Television Ltd. The effective tax rate was impacted by a 247% reduction relating to the non-taxable gain on the consolidation of CMH and reversal of the historic deferred tax liability related to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia, a 56% rate reduction due to the non-taxable gain on the sale of the investment in SKY Network Television Ltd., and a 35% rate reduction due to the Companys foreign operations which are subject to lower tax rates, partially offset by an 87% rate increase due to the impact of non-deductible goodwill impairment charges.
Net income (loss)Net income decreased $253 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013. The decrease in net income primarily related to the gain on the CMH transaction, and the gain on the sale of the investment in SKY Network Television Ltd. which occurred in fiscal 2013 as well as the tax benefit recorded as a result of the Companys fiscal 2013 impairment charges. These decreases in net income for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 were partially offset by lower restructuring and impairment charges.
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interestsNet income attributable to noncontrolling interests increased by $14 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013, due to higher results at REA Group.
Segment Analysis
Segment EBITDA is defined as revenues less operating expenses and selling, general and administrative expenses. Segment EBITDA does not include: Depreciation and amortization, impairment and restructuring charges, equity earnings of affiliates, interest, net, other, net, income tax benefit (expense) and net income attributable to noncontrolling interests. Management believes that Segment EBITDA is an appropriate measure for evaluating the operating performance of the Companys business segments because it is the primary measure used by the Companys chief operating decision maker to evaluate the performance of and allocate resources within the Companys businesses. Segment EBITDA provides management, investors and equity analysts with a measure to analyze operating performance of each of the Companys business segments and its enterprise value against historical data and competitors data, although historical results may not be indicative of future results (as operating performance is highly contingent on many factors, including customer tastes and preferences).
48
Total Segment EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure and should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, net income (loss), cash flow and other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP. In addition, this measure does not reflect cash available to fund requirements and excludes items, such as depreciation and amortization and impairment and restructuring charges, which are significant components in assessing the Companys financial performance. The following table reconciles Total Segment EBITDA to Net Income.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 8,574 | $ | 8,891 | $ | (317 | ) | (4 | )% | |||||||
Operating expenses |
(5,139 | ) | (5,420 | ) | 281 | (5 | )% | |||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
(2,665 | ) | (2,783 | ) | 118 | (4 | )% | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Segment EBITDA |
770 | 688 | 82 | 12 | % | |||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(578 | ) | (548 | ) | (30 | ) | 5 | % | ||||||||
Impairment and restructuring charges |
(94 | ) | (1,737 | ) | 1,643 | (95 | )% | |||||||||
Equity earnings of affiliates |
90 | 100 | (10 | ) | (10 | )% | ||||||||||
Interest, net |
68 | 77 | (9 | ) | (12 | )% | ||||||||||
Other, net |
(653 | ) | 1,593 | (2,246 | ) | ** | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
(Loss) income before income tax benefit |
(397 | ) | 173 | (570 | ) | ** | ||||||||||
Income tax benefit |
691 | 374 | 317 | 85 | % | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Net income |
$ | 294 | $ | 547 | $ | (253 | ) | (46 | )% | |||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** | not meaningful |
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | |||||||||||||||
Revenues | Segment EBITDA |
Revenues | Segment EBITDA |
|||||||||||||
(in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
News and Information Services |
$ | 6,153 | $ | 665 | $ | 6,731 | $ | 795 | ||||||||
Cable Network Programming |
491 | 128 | 324 | 63 | ||||||||||||
Digital Real Estate Services |
408 | 214 | 345 | 168 | ||||||||||||
Book Publishing |
1,434 | 197 | 1,369 | 142 | ||||||||||||
Digital Education |
88 | (193 | ) | 102 | (141 | ) | ||||||||||
Other |
| (241 | ) | 20 | (339 | ) | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total |
$ | 8,574 | $ | 770 | $ | 8,891 | $ | 688 | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
News and Information Services (71% and 76% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 3,529 | $ | 3,938 | $ | (409 | ) | (10 | )% | |||||||
Circulation and Subscription |
2,245 | 2,370 | (125 | ) | (5 | )% | ||||||||||
Other |
379 | 423 | (44 | ) | (10 | )% | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
6,153 | 6,731 | (578 | ) | (9 | )% | ||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(3,706 | ) | (4,099 | ) | 393 | (10 | )% | |||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(1,782 | ) | (1,837 | ) | 55 | (3 | )% | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 665 | $ | 795 | $ | (130 | ) | (16 | )% | |||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
49
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the News and Information Services segment decreased $578 million, or 9%, as compared to fiscal 2013.
The revenue decrease for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was primarily due to lower advertising revenues of $409 million as compared to fiscal 2013. The decrease in advertising revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was primarily due to lower advertising revenues at the Australian newspapers of $314 million, principally resulting from weakness in the print advertising market in Australia and the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations; lower advertising revenues at Dow Jones of $115 million, primarily due to the disposal of the Dow Jones Local Media Group and lower print advertising revenues; and lower advertising revenues at the U.K. newspapers of $19 million, primarily resulting from overall print market declines, offset by favorable foreign currency fluctuations. The revenue decrease for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was also partially offset by increased advertising revenues at News America Marketing of approximately $50 million, primarily due to higher in-store marketing revenues.
Circulation and subscription revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 decreased $125 million as compared to fiscal 2013. The decrease was due in large part to a Dow Jones revenue decrease of $89 million, primarily due to lower professional information business revenue and the disposal of the Dow Jones Local Media Group, partially offset by increased circulation revenues at The Wall Street Journal and at WSJ.com. Revenues at the Australian newspapers decreased $45 million, principally as a result of the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations, as decreased revenues due to lower print circulation volume were offset by price increases. Revenues at the U.K. newspapers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 increased $22 million as compared with fiscal 2013, primarily due to increased digital subscription revenues and price increases, partially offset by lower print circulation volume.
Other revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 decreased $44 million, primarily due to decreased revenues at Dow Jones of $40 million.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, Segment EBITDA at the News and Information Services segment decreased $130 million, or 16%, as compared to fiscal 2013.
This decrease was primarily due to a decrease at the Australian newspapers of $67 million, principally as a result of lower advertising revenues as noted above, partially offset by lower production costs and the impact of cost savings initiatives; a decrease at Dow Jones of $57 million, primarily due to lower professional information business revenue and the disposal of the Dow Jones Local Media Group, partially offset by lower production costs and the impact of cost savings initiatives; and decreases at the U.K. newspapers of $57 million, primarily as a result of lower revenues as noted above, incremental costs related to dual rent and other facility-related costs and increased promotional spending and higher sports right acquisition costs associated with Sun+. The Segment EBITDA decline for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was partially offset by an increase of $29 million at News America Marketing, primarily due to higher revenues as noted above, partially offset by increased retail commission and production costs, and by the absence of losses of $15 million primarily from The Daily which was shut down in December 2012.
News Corp Australia
Revenues at the Australian newspapers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 decreased 18%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily as a result of the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations and weakness in the print advertising market in Australia. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the Australian dollar resulted in a revenue decrease of $199 million, or 10%, for the fiscal year ended 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013.
News UK
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the U.K. newspapers were relatively consistent with fiscal 2013 as increased digital subscription revenues, price increases and the positive impact of foreign currency
50
fluctuations were offset by lower advertising revenues and lower print circulation volume. The impact of foreign currency fluctuations of the U.S. dollar against the British pound sterling resulted in a revenue increase of $54 million, or 4%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013.
Dow Jones
Revenues at Dow Jones decreased 13% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to lower revenues of $130 million resulting from the sale of the Dow Jones Local Media Group in September 2013; lower professional information business revenues of $65 million; lower advertising revenues of $46 million resulting from lower volume, and the shift from print to digital advertising; and lower other revenue of $23 million, primarily resulting from lower third party printing and content distribution revenue. The revenue decrease was partially offset by increased circulation revenues at The Wall Street Journal and at WSJ.com of $20 million, primarily due to price increases, partially offset by lower print circulation volume.
News America Marketing
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the integrated marketing services business increased 4%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to increased revenues for in-store advertising.
Cable Network Programming (6% and 4% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 82 | $ | 55 | $ | 27 | 49 | % | ||||||||
Circulation and Subscription |
403 | 259 | 144 | 56 | % | |||||||||||
Other |
6 | 10 | (4 | ) | (40 | )% | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
491 | 324 | 167 | 52 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(340 | ) | (242 | ) | (98 | ) | 40 | % | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(23 | ) | (19 | ) | (4 | ) | 21 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 128 | $ | 63 | $ | 65 | ** | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** | not meaningful |
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the Cable Network Programming segment increased $167 million, or 52%, and Segment EBITDA increased $65 million as compared to fiscal 2013, reflecting the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia beginning in November 2012 due to the acquisition of CMH.
On a stand-alone basis, revenues at FOX SPORTS Australia decreased 5% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations, partially offset by stronger television advertising revenues, increased subscription revenues due to additional digital subscribers and higher affiliate pricing. On a stand-alone basis, Segment EBITDA at FOX SPORTS Australia for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 decreased 2% as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to increased expenses and the adverse impact of foreign currency fluctuations, partially offset by the increased subscription and advertising revenues discussed above. The expense increase for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was primarily due to increased expenses associated with the renegotiated National Rugby League contract, partially offset by the absence of costs associated with Domestic Cricket rights in the current fiscal year.
51
Digital Real Estate Services (5% and 4% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 408 | $ | 345 | $ | 63 | 18 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
408 | 345 | 63 | 18 | % | |||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(194 | ) | (177 | ) | (17 | ) | 10 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 214 | $ | 168 | $ | 46 | 27 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the Digital Real Estate Services segment increased $63 million, or 18%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to the increase in revenue from listing depth product penetration in Australia. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the Australian dollar resulted in a revenue decrease of $46 million, or 13%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, Segment EBITDA at the Digital Real Estate Services segment increased $46 million, or 27%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to the revenue increase noted above, partially offset by increased expenses directly related to revenue growth supporting innovation, development and the sale of real estate advertising products.
Book Publishing (17% and 15% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2014 and 2013, respectively)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Consumer |
$ | 1,374 | $ | 1,286 | $ | 88 | 7 | % | ||||||||
Other |
60 | 83 | (23 | ) | (28 | )% | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
1,434 | 1,369 | 65 | 5 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(1,029 | ) | (1,028 | ) | (1 | ) | | % | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(208 | ) | (199 | ) | (9 | ) | 5 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 197 | $ | 142 | $ | 55 | 39 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the Book Publishing segment increased $65 million, or 5%, as compared to fiscal 2013. The increase in revenues for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was primarily due to higher print and digital book sales of $88 million, principally resulting from sales of the Divergent series by Veronica Roth following the launch of Allegiant in October 2013. The Company sold more than 19 million net units of the Divergent series during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, 35% of which were e-book sales. The book sales increase for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was also due to sales of The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays by Ree Drummond and The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom. The revenue increase for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was partially offset by a decrease in other revenues of $23 million, primarily due to the sale of the Women of Faith live events business and the decision to exit the third party distribution business. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar against local currencies resulted in a revenue decrease of $5 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. E-book sales represented 22% of Consumer revenues during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, as compared to 17% in fiscal 2013, representing a 35% increase. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, HarperCollins had 158 titles on The New York Times Bestseller List, with 17 titles reaching the number one position.
52
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, Segment EBITDA at the Book Publishing segment increased $55 million, or 39%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to the increases in book sales noted above, the impact of ongoing operational efficiencies and higher contributions to profits from e-books reflecting the continued shift to digital book sales, which have lower production and distribution costs than print books partially offset by dual rent and other facilities costs.
Digital Education (1% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2014 and 2013)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Circulation and Subscription |
$ | 40 | $ | 36 | $ | 4 | 11 | % | ||||||||
Other |
48 | 66 | (18 | ) | (27 | )% | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
88 | 102 | (14 | ) | (14 | )% | ||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(63 | ) | (51 | ) | (12 | ) | 24 | % | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(218 | ) | (192 | ) | (26 | ) | 14 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | (193 | ) | $ | (141 | ) | $ | (52 | ) | 37 | % | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the Digital Education segment decreased $14 million, or 14%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to lower project-based consulting revenues at Amplify Insight.
Segment EBITDA at the Digital Education segment for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 decreased $52 million, or 37%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to increased product and curriculum development investment at the Learning and Access businesses.
Other (0% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2014 and 2013)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | | $ | 8 | $ | (8 | ) | (100 | )% | |||||||
Circulation and Subscription |
| 4 | (4 | ) | (100 | )% | ||||||||||
Other |
| 8 | (8 | ) | (100 | )% | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
| 20 | (20 | ) | (100 | )% | ||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(1 | ) | | (1 | ) | ** | ||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(240 | ) | (359 | ) | 119 | (33 | )% | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | (241 | ) | $ | (339 | ) | $ | 98 | (29 | )% | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** | not meaningful |
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, revenues at the Other segment decreased $20 million, or 100%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily due to the sale of certain of the Companys non-core Australian businesses during fiscal 2013.
Segment EBITDA at the Other segment for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 increased $98 million, or 29%, as compared to fiscal 2013, primarily as a result of lower legal and professional fees related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters of approximately $111 million and the absence of costs at the non-core Australian digital businesses that were sold in 2013 of approximately $35 million. These decreases were partially offset by the
53
lower revenues noted above and higher corporate overhead costs of approximately $10 million compared to an allocated basis used for fiscal 2013, and higher costs incurred by the Companys corporate Strategy and Creative Group of approximately $20 million related to the development of new products and services and international rights acquisitions. Prior to the Separation, the Companys Statement of Operations included allocations of general corporate expenses for certain support functions that were provided on a centralized basis by 21st Century Fox. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, the Companys Statement of Operations reflects actual corporate overhead costs incurred by the Company as it performed these functions using its own resources or purchased services from either third parties or 21st Century Fox.
The Company incurred gross legal and professional fees and costs for civil settlements related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters in Selling, general and administrative expenses totaling approximately $169 million during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, of which $97 million, net of tax, has been or will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox. Accordingly, the Company recorded a contra expense for the after-tax costs that were or will be indemnified of $97 million in Selling, general and administrative expenses for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 and recorded a corresponding receivable from 21st Century Fox. The net expense included in Selling, general and administrative expenses was therefore $72 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to $183 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013.
Results of OperationsFiscal 2013 versus Fiscal 2012
The following table sets forth the Companys operating results for fiscal 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 4,346 | $ | 4,693 | $ | (347 | ) | (7 | )% | |||||||
Circulation and Subscription |
2,669 | 2,365 | 304 | 13 | % | |||||||||||
Consumer |
1,286 | 1,123 | 163 | 15 | % | |||||||||||
Other |
590 | 473 | 117 | 25 | % | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
8,891 | 8,654 | 237 | 3 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(5,420 | ) | (5,122 | ) | (298 | ) | 6 | % | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(2,783 | ) | (2,750 | ) | (33 | ) | 1 | % | ||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(548 | ) | (483 | ) | (65 | ) | 13 | % | ||||||||
Impairment and restructuring charges |
(1,737 | ) | (2,763 | ) | 1,026 | (37 | )% | |||||||||
Equity earnings of affiliates |
100 | 90 | 10 | 11 | % | |||||||||||
Interest, net |
77 | 56 | 21 | 38 | % | |||||||||||
Other, net |
1,593 | (59 | ) | 1,652 | ** | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Income (loss) before income tax benefit |
173 | (2,377 | ) | 2,550 | ** | |||||||||||
Income tax benefit |
374 | 337 | 37 | 11 | % | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Net income (loss) |
547 | (2,040 | ) | 2,587 | ** | |||||||||||
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(41 | ) | (35 | ) | (6 | ) | 17 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Net income (loss) attributable to News Corporation |
$ | 506 | $ | (2,075 | ) | $ | 2,581 | ** | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** | not meaningful |
RevenuesRevenues increased $237 million, or 3%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the inclusion of revenues resulting from the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia and the acquisition of Thomas Nelson (the Acquisitions) of approximately $324 million and $172 million, respectively, and higher U.K. newspaper revenues of approximately $89 million principally due to the
54
inclusion of revenues from the launch of the Sunday edition of The Sun in February 2012. Also contributing to the revenue increase was higher advertising revenues at the Digital Real Estate Services segment of $59 million. These increases were partially offset by lower revenues at the Australian newspapers of $350 million, primarily reflecting lower newspaper advertising revenues principally due to the continued challenging economic environment in Australia, and lower revenues at Dow Jones of $76 million reflecting lower advertising revenues.
Operating ExpensesOperating expenses increased $298 million, or 6%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the inclusion of operating expenses related to the Acquisitions of $370 million, partially offset by a $96 million decrease in operating expenses at the News and Information Services segment primarily due to lower printing, production and distribution expenses resulting from decreased revenues.
Selling, general and administrative expensesSelling, general and administrative expenses increased $33 million, or 1%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to a $99 million increase at the Other segment, the inclusion of $35 million in expenses resulting from the Acquisitions and higher expenses of $20 million in the Digital Real Estate Services segment directly relating to revenue growth supporting innovation, development and the sale of real estate advertising products. These increases were partially offset by lower expenses of $87 million at the News and Information Services segment principally resulting from the positive impact of cost savings initiatives and lower litigation settlement costs at the Book Publishing segment of approximately $25 million related to an e-books antitrust action that settled in fiscal 2012.
Depreciation and amortizationDepreciation and amortization increased $65 million, or 13%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the inclusion of expenses resulting from the Acquisitions of approximately $32 million and higher depreciation expense at the News and Information Services segment of $25 million.
Impairment and restructuring chargesDuring the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, as part of the Companys long-range planning process in preparation for the Separation, the Company adjusted its future outlook and related strategy principally with respect to the News and Information Services business in Australia and secondarily with respect to the News and Information Services businesses in the U.S. These adjustments reflect adverse trends affecting the Companys News and Information Services segment, including declines in advertising revenue and continued declines in the economic environment in Australia, and resulted in a reduction in expected future cash flows. As a result, the Company determined that the fair value of these reporting units declined below their respective carrying values and recorded non-cash impairment charges of approximately $1.4 billion ($1.1 billion, net of tax) in the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. The charges primarily consisted of a write-down of the Companys goodwill of $494 million, a write-down of intangible assets (primarily newspaper mastheads) of $862 million, and a write-down of fixed assets of $46 million. The impairment charges also include $42 million for the potential sale of assets at values below their carrying values.
During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company completed its annual impairment review of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets. As a result of the impairment review performed, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges of approximately $2.6 billion ($2.2 billion, net of tax) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012. The charges consisted of a write-down of goodwill of approximately $1.3 billion and a write-down of the indefinite-lived intangible assets (primarily newspaper mastheads and distribution networks) of approximately $1.3 billion. These impairment charges were primarily the result of adverse trends affecting several businesses in the Companys News and Information Services segment, including secular declines in the economic environment in Australia, a decline in in-store advertising spend by consumer packaged goods manufacturers in the U.S. and lower forecasted revenues from certain businesses utilizing various trade names owned by the Companys newspaper operations. The charges also reflected the expected sale of certain assets at a value below their carrying value.
In fiscal 2013, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $293 million, of which $276 million related to the newspaper businesses. The restructuring charges primarily related to the reorganization of the Australian
55
newspaper businesses which was announced at the end of fiscal 2012 and the continued reorganization of the U.K. newspaper businesses. The restructuring charges recorded are primarily for termination benefits in Australia and contract termination payments in the U.K.
In fiscal 2012, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $156 million, of which $151 million related to the newspaper businesses. The Company commenced the reorganization of portions of the newspaper businesses and recorded restructuring charges primarily for termination benefits as a result of the shutdown of The News of the World, certain organizational restructurings at other newspapers and the shutdown of a regional newspaper.
Equity earnings of affiliatesEquity earnings of affiliates increased $10 million, or 11%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the Companys increased ownership interest in Foxtel and lower losses at other equity affiliates, partially offset by the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia and the sale of the Companys investment in SKY Network Television Ltd.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Foxtel(a) |
$ | 66 | $ | 31 | $ | 35 | ** | |||||||||
Pay television and cable network programming equity affiliates(b) |
51 | 83 | (32 | ) | (39 | )% | ||||||||||
Other equity affiliates |
(17 | ) | (24 | ) | 7 | (29 | )% | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Equity earnings of affiliates |
$ | 100 | $ | 90 | $ | 10 | 11 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** | not meaningful |
(a) | The Company owned 25% of Foxtel through November 2012. In November 2012, the Company increased its ownership in Foxtel to 50% as a result of the CMH acquisition. |
(b) | Includes equity earnings of FOX SPORTS Australia and SKY Network Television Ltd. The Company acquired the remaining interest in FOX SPORTS Australia in November 2012 as a result of the CMH acquisition and sold its investment in SKY Network Television Ltd. in March 2013. The results of FOX SPORTS Australia have been included within a new Cable Network Programming segment in the Companys consolidated results of operations since November 2012. |
Interest, netInterest, net for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 increased $21 million, or 38%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to increased interest received from the note receivable from Foxtel. (See Note 5 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation).
Other, net
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||
2013 | 2012 | |||||||
(in millions) | ||||||||
Gain on CMH transactions(a) |
$ | 1,263 | $ | | ||||
Gain on sale of investment in SKY Network Television Ltd.(b) |
321 | | ||||||
Gain on the financial indexes transactions(b) |
12 | | ||||||
Loss on sale of I.L newspaper headquarters(a) |
| (22 | ) | |||||
Investment write-offs(b) |
| (30 | ) | |||||
Other |
(3 | ) | (7 | ) | ||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
Total Other, net |
$ | 1,593 | $ | (59 | ) | |||
|
|
|
|
(a) | See Note 3 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation. |
(b) | See Note 5 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation. |
56
Income tax benefitThe Companys tax benefit and effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 were $374 million and (216)%, respectively, as compared to $337 million and 14%, respectively, for fiscal 2012.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 the Company recorded a $306 million tax benefit as a result of a reversal of deferred tax liabilities arising from intangible and fixed asset impairments recorded in fiscal 2013 and a reversal of historic deferred tax liabilities related to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia of $49 million. The Companys tax benefit and effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 were lower than the U.S. statutory tax rate of 35% primarily due to the impact of certain non-recurring items of pre-tax income and expense including $0.5 billion of non-deductible goodwill impairment charges, a $1.3 billion non-taxable gain on the consolidation of CMH and a $0.3 billion non-taxable gain on the sale of SKY Network Television Ltd. The effective tax rate was impacted by a 247% reduction relating to the non-taxable gain on the consolidation of CMH and reversal of the historic deferred tax liability related to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia, a 56% rate reduction due to the non-taxable gain on the sale of SKY Network Television Ltd., and a 35% rate reduction due to the Companys foreign operations which are subject to lower tax rates, partially offset by an 87% rate increase due to the impact of non-deductible goodwill impairment charges.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 the Company recorded a $454 million tax benefit as a result of a reversal of deferred tax liabilities arising from intangible asset impairments recorded in fiscal 2012 offset by tax expense recorded on pre-tax income. The Companys tax benefit and effective tax rate for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 were lower than the U.S. statutory rate of 35% primarily due to a 16% rate reduction from the impact of non-deductible goodwill impairment charges and a 4% rate reduction as a result of the Companys foreign operations which are subject to lower tax rates.
Net income (loss)The Company recorded net income of $506 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to a net loss of $2.1 billion in fiscal 2012, primarily due to the gain on the CMH transaction of $1.3 billion, the gain on the sale of the investment in SKY Network Television Ltd. of $321 million and lower impairment and restructuring charges in fiscal 2013 of $1 billion.
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interestsNet income attributable to noncontrolling interests increased by $6 million, or 17%, for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012, due to higher results at REA Group.
Segment Analysis
Segment EBITDA is defined as revenues less operating expenses and selling, general and administrative expenses. Segment EBITDA does not include: Depreciation and amortization, impairment and restructuring charges, equity earnings of affiliates, interest, net, other, net, income tax benefit (expense) and net income attributable to noncontrolling interests. Management believes that Segment EBITDA is an appropriate measure for evaluating the operating performance of the Companys business segments because it is the primary measure used by the Companys chief operating decision maker to evaluate the performance and allocate resources within the Companys businesses. Segment EBITDA provides management, investors and equity analysts a measure to analyze operating performance of each of the Companys business segments and its enterprise value against historical data and competitors data, although historical results may not be indicative of future results (as operating performance is highly contingent on many factors, including customer tastes and preferences).
57
Total Segment EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure and should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, net income (loss), cash flow and other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP. In addition, this measure does not reflect cash available to fund requirements and excludes items, such as depreciation and amortization and impairment and restructuring charges, which are significant components in assessing the Companys financial performance. The following table reconciles Total Segment EBITDA to Income (loss) before income tax benefit.
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | Change % | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues |
$ | 8,891 | $ | 8,654 | $ | 237 | 3 | % | ||||||||
Operating expenses |
(5,420 | ) | (5,122 | ) | (298 | ) | 6 | % | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses |
(2,783 | ) | (2,750 | ) | (33 | ) | 1 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Segment EBITDA |
688 | 782 | (94 | ) | (12 | )% | ||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(548 | ) | (483 | ) | (65 | ) | 13 | % | ||||||||
Impairment and restructuring charges |
(1,737 | ) | (2,763 | ) | 1,026 | (37 | )% | |||||||||
Equity earnings of affiliates |
100 | 90 | 10 | 11 | % | |||||||||||
Interest, net |
77 | 56 | 21 | 38 | % | |||||||||||
Other, net |
1,593 | (59 | ) | 1,652 | ** | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Income (loss) before income tax benefit (expense) |
$ | 173 | $ | (2,377 | ) | $ | 2,550 | ** | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** | not meaningful |
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | |||||||||||||||
Revenues | Segment EBITDA |
Revenues | Segment EBITDA |
|||||||||||||
(in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
News and Information Services |
$ | 6,731 | $ | 795 | $ | 7,058 | $ | 939 | ||||||||
Cable Network Programming |
324 | 63 | | | ||||||||||||
Digital Real Estate Services |
345 | 168 | 286 | 129 | ||||||||||||
Book Publishing |
1,369 | 142 | 1,189 | 86 | ||||||||||||
Digital Education |
102 | (141 | ) | 84 | (50 | ) | ||||||||||
Other |
20 | (339 | ) | 37 | (322 | ) | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total |
$ | 8,891 | $ | 688 | $ | 8,654 | $ | 782 | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
News and Information Services (76% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2013 and 82% of the Companys combined revenues in fiscal 2012)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 3,938 | $ | 4,388 | $ | (450 | ) | (10 | )% | |||||||
Circulation and subscription |
2,370 | 2,326 | 44 | 2 | % | |||||||||||
Other |
423 | 344 | 79 | 23 | % | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
6,731 | 7,058 | (327 | ) | (5 | )% | ||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(4,099 | ) | (4,195 | ) | 96 | (2 | )% | |||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(1,837 | ) | (1,924 | ) | 87 | (5 | )% | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 795 | $ | 939 | $ | (144 | ) | (15 | )% | |||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
58
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at the News and Information Services segment decreased $327 million, or 5%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to lower advertising revenues of $450 million principally reflecting the continued challenging economic environment in Australia and to a lesser extent decreased advertising revenues at Dow Jones. The revenue decrease was partially offset by higher circulation and subscription revenues primarily due to the launch of the Sunday edition of The Sun in the U.K. in February 2012 and higher other revenues due to increased revenues from third party printing contracts.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, Segment EBITDA at the News and Information Services segment decreased $144 million, or 15%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to: a $192 million decrease at the Australian newspapers driven by lower advertising revenues; a $47 million decrease at the integrated marketing services business primarily related to increased production and retail commission costs; and a $25 million decrease at Dow Jones primarily as a result of decreased revenues and partially offset by the positive impact of cost saving initiatives. These decreases were partially offset by an increase at the U.K. newspapers of $98 million principally related to increases in circulation revenues.
News Corp Australia
Revenues at the Australian newspapers for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 decreased 15%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily reflecting lower newspaper advertising revenues principally due to the continued challenging economic environment in Australia. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the Australian dollar resulted in a revenue decrease of $8 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012.
News UK
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at the U.K. newspapers increased 6% as compared to fiscal 2012 principally due to the inclusion of advertising and circulation revenues from the launch of the Sunday edition of The Sun in February 2012 and revenues from third party printing contracts. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar against the British pound resulted in a revenue decrease of $11 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012.
Dow Jones
Revenues at Dow Jones decreased 4% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012 primarily due to lower advertising revenues resulting from lower volume and the shift from print to digital advertising. The strengthening of the U.S. dollar against various currencies resulted in a decrease of $5 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012.
News America Marketing
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at News America Marketing increased 2%, as compared to fiscal 2012 primarily due to increased revenues for in-store advertising in Canada.
59
Cable Network Programming (4% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2013 and 0% of the Companys combined revenues in fiscal 2012)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | ||||||||||
(in millions) | ||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 55 | $ | | $ | 55 | ||||||
Circulation and Subscription |
259 | | 259 | |||||||||
Other |
10 | | 10 | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Total Revenues |
324 | | 324 | |||||||||
Operating expenses |
(242 | ) | | (242 | ) | |||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(19 | ) | | (19 | ) | |||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 63 | $ | | $ | 63 | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at the Cable Network Programming segment were $324 million and Segment EBITDA was $63 million which reflects the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia beginning in November 2012 due to the acquisition of CMH.
On a stand-alone basis, revenues at FOX SPORTS Australia increased 8% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to the corresponding period of fiscal 2012 primarily due to strong advertising performance driven by key sports content across the FOX SPORTS channels and modest subscription revenue growth across both residential and commercial markets. On a stand-alone basis, Segment EBITDA at FOX SPORTS Australia for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 decreased 13% compared with Segment EBITDA for the corresponding period of fiscal 2012 primarily due to increased expenses associated with the new National Rugby League rights contract which began in March 2013.
Digital Real Estate Services (4% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2013 and 3% of the Companys combined revenues in fiscal 2012)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 345 | $ | 286 | $ | 59 | 21 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
345 | 286 | 59 | 21 | % | |||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(177 | ) | (157 | ) | (20 | ) | 13 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 168 | $ | 129 | $ | 39 | 30 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at the Digital Real Estate Services segment increased $59 million, or 21%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the increase in revenue from listing depth products in Australia.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, Segment EBITDA at the Digital Real Estate Services segment increased $39 million, or 30%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the revenue increase noted above, partially offset by increased expenses directly related to revenue growth supporting innovation, development and the sale of real estate advertising products.
60
Book Publishing (15% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2013 and 14% of the Companys combined revenues in fiscal 2012)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Consumer |
$ | 1,286 | $ | 1,123 | $ | 163 | 15 | % | ||||||||
Other |
83 | 66 | 17 | 26 | % | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
1,369 | 1,189 | 180 | 15 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(1,028 | ) | (886 | ) | (142 | ) | 16 | % | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(199 | ) | (217 | ) | 18 | (8 | )% | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | 142 | $ | 86 | $ | 56 | 65 | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at the Book Publishing segment increased $180 million, or 15%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the inclusion of revenues from Thomas Nelson of $172 million which was acquired in fiscal 2013. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, HarperCollins had 167 titles on The New York Times Bestseller List with 16 titles reaching the number one position.
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, Segment EBITDA at the Book Publishing segment increased $56 million, or 65%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to the inclusion of Segment EBITDA from Thomas Nelson in fiscal 2013 of $27 million and lower litigation settlement costs of approximately $25 million related to an e-books antitrust action that settled in fiscal 2012, offset by a reduction of Segment EBITDA of $13 million related to the Australian and Canadian operations and the decision to exit the third party distribution business in the U.S. The remaining increase in Segment EBITDA was primarily due to synergies within the Christian publishing business, the impact of cost containment initiatives and lower manufacturing costs reflecting the continued shift to digital book sales.
Digital Education (1% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2013 and 1% of the Companys combined revenues in fiscal 2012)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Circulation and subscription |
$ | 36 | $ | 31 | $ | 5 | 16 | % | ||||||||
Other |
66 | 53 | 13 | 25 | % | |||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
102 | 84 | 18 | 21 | % | |||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(51 | ) | (40 | ) | (11 | ) | 28 | % | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(192 | ) | (94 | ) | (98 | ) | ** | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | (141 | ) | $ | (50 | ) | $ | (91 | ) | ** | ||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** | not meaningful |
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at the Digital Education segment increased $18 million, or 21%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily due to increased revenues at Amplify Insight.
Segment EBITDA at the Digital Education segment for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 decreased $91 million as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily as a result of higher Selling, general and administrative expenses of $98 million primarily due to increased investment spending and higher product development costs. Losses are expected to be higher in fiscal 2014 when compared to fiscal 2013 as a result of continued development efforts of the Companys digital curricula and education products.
61
Other (0% of the Companys consolidated revenues in fiscal 2013 and 0% of the Companys combined revenues in fiscal 2012)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | 2012 | Change | % Change | |||||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 8 | $ | 19 | $ | (11 | ) | (58 | )% | |||||||
Circulation and subscription |
4 | 8 | (4 | ) | (50 | )% | ||||||||||
Other |
8 | 10 | (2 | ) | (20 | )% | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Total Revenues |
20 | 37 | (17 | ) | (46 | )% | ||||||||||
Operating expenses |
| (1 | ) | 1 | (100 | )% | ||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(359 | ) | (358 | ) | (1 | ) | | % | ||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
Segment EBITDA |
$ | (339 | ) | $ | (322 | ) | $ | (17 | ) | 5 | % | |||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, revenues at the Other segment decreased $17 million, or 46%, as compared to fiscal 2012, due to the sale of the Companys non-core Australian businesses during fiscal 2013.
Segment EBITDA at the Other segment for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 decreased $17 million, or 5%, as compared to fiscal 2012, primarily as a result of increased corporate overhead expenses of $29 million, partially offset by lower legal and professional fees related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters of approximately $16 million which decreased from $199 million in fiscal 2012 to $183 million in fiscal 2013.
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Current Financial Condition
The Companys principal source of liquidity is internally generated funds and cash and cash equivalents on hand. In accordance with the Separation and Distribution Agreement, 21st Century Fox made a cash contribution to the Company such that at the Distribution Date, the Company had approximately $2.4 billion of cash on hand and received the remaining $0.2 billion from 21st Century Fox during the first quarter of fiscal 2014. The Company expects these elements of liquidity will enable it to meet its liquidity needs in the foreseeable future. In addition, the Company established a revolving credit facility of $650 million in October 2013 and expects to have access to the worldwide capital markets, subject to market conditions, in order to issue debt if required. Although the Company believes that its future cash from operations, together with its access to the capital markets, will provide adequate resources to fund its operating and financing needs, its access to, and the availability of, financing on acceptable terms in the future will be affected by many factors, including: (i) the Companys performance, (ii) its credit rating or absence of a credit rating, (iii) the liquidity of the overall capital markets and (iv) the current state of the economy. There can be no assurances that the Company will continue to have access to the capital markets on acceptable terms. See Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors in this Annual Report for a further discussion.
As of June 30, 2014, the Companys consolidated assets included $956 million in cash and cash equivalents that was held by its foreign subsidiaries. $239 million of this amount is cash held at the Digital Real Estate Services segment, which is not readily accessible by the Company as it is held by REA Group, a majority owned but separately listed public company. REA Group must declare a dividend in order for the Company to have access to its share of REA Groups cash balance. The Company earns income outside the U.S., which is deemed to be permanently reinvested in certain foreign jurisdictions. The Company does not currently intend to repatriate these funds. Should the Company require more capital in the U.S. than is generated by and/or available to its domestic operations, the Company could elect to transfer funds held in foreign jurisdictions. The transfer of funds from foreign jurisdictions may be cumbersome due to local regulations, foreign exchange controls and withholding taxes. Additionally, the transfer of funds from foreign jurisdictions may result in higher effective tax rates and higher cash paid for income taxes for the Company.
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The principal uses of cash that affect the Companys liquidity position include the following: operational expenditures including employee costs; paper purchases and capital expenditures; income tax payments; investments in associated entities and acquisitions.
In addition to the acquisitions and dispositions disclosed elsewhere, the Company has evaluated, and expects to continue to evaluate, possible acquisitions and dispositions of certain businesses. Such transactions may be material and may involve cash, the issuance of the Companys securities or the assumption of indebtedness.
The Companys Board of Directors has authorized the Company to repurchase up to an aggregate of $500 million of its Class A Common Stock. All decisions regarding any future stock repurchases are at the sole discretion of a duly appointed committee of the Companys Board of Directors and management. The committees decisions regarding future stock repurchases will be evaluated from time to time in light of many factors, including the Companys financial condition, earnings, capital requirements and debt facility covenants, other contractual restrictions, as well as legal requirements (including compliance with the IRS private letter ruling), regulatory constraints, industry practice and other factors that the committee may deem relevant. The stock repurchase authorization may be modified, extended, suspended or discontinued at any time by the Companys Board of Directors and the Companys Board of Directors cannot provide any assurances that any shares will be repurchased. Through August 8, 2014, the Company has not repurchased any common stock.
Sources and Uses of CashFiscal 2014 versus Fiscal 2013
Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in millions):
For the fiscal years ended June 30, |
2014 | 2013 | ||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
$ | 854 | $ | 501 |
Net cash provided by operating activities improved by $353 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013, which was primarily due to the increase in Cable Network Programming Segment EBITDA due to the consolidation of FOX SPORTS Australia of $65 million, lower restructuring payments of $174 million, lower payments for fees and costs related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters of $108 million and lower pension contributions of $81 million. The increase in net cash provided by operating activities was partially offset by lower cash distributions of $67 million primarily from the absence of cash distributions from SKY Network Television Ltd. as the Company sold its investment in SKY Network Television Ltd. in March 2013.
Net cash used in investing activities for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in millions):
For the fiscal years ended June 30, |
2014 | 2013 | ||||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
$ | (306 | ) | $ | (1,674 | ) |
The Company had net cash used in investing activities of $306 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to $1,674 million for fiscal 2013. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, the Company had capital expenditures of $379 million and made investments of $84 million, primarily in marketable securities. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, the Company used $45 million of cash for acquisitions, of which $19 million related to the acquisition of Storyful. The net cash used in investing activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 was partially offset by proceeds from dispositions of $202 million, primarily resulting from the sale of the Dow Jones Local Media Group and other property sales.
During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, the Company utilized $2,156 million in cash for acquisitions, primarily for the acquisition of Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd. and Thomas Nelson and had capital
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expenditures of $332 million. The net cash used in investing activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 was partially offset by proceeds from dispositions of $826 million primarily resulting from the sale of the investment in SKY Network Television Ltd. and the Companys investment in its venture with CME.
The Company expects its total capital expenditures in fiscal 2015 to be relatively similar to those in fiscal 2014, however, at the Digital Education segment we expect to capitalize approximately $60 million related to curriculum development costs in fiscal 2015.
Net cash provided by financing activities for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 was as follows (in millions):
For the fiscal years ended June 30, |
2014 | 2013 | ||||||
Net cash provided by financing activities |
$ | 189 | $ | 2,486 |
The change in net cash provided by financing activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to fiscal 2013 was primarily due to net transfers from 21st Century Fox and its affiliates of $217 million during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 as compared to $2.7 billion in fiscal 2013, partially offset by the payment of debt acquired in the acquisition of CMH of approximately $235 million.
Sources and Uses of CashFiscal 2013 versus Fiscal 2012
Net cash provided by operating activities for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 was as follows (in millions):
For the fiscal years ended June 30, |
2013 | 2012 | ||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
$ | 501 | $ | 851 |
The decrease in net cash provided by operating activities during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012 primarily reflects higher payments under restructuring programs of $164 million, increased pension and postretirement contributions of approximately $130 million and the inclusion of sports programming payments at FOX SPORTS Australia of $125 million, partially offset by increases in dividends received of $35 million and interest income of approximately $20 million. Pension contributions for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 included approximately $115 million in contributions related to the Separation.
Net cash used in investing activities for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 was as follows (in millions):
For the fiscal years ended June 30, |
2013 | 2012 | ||||||
Net cash used in investing activities |
$ | (1,674 | ) | $ | (659 | ) |
The increase in net cash used in investing activities during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012 was primarily due to cash utilized for acquisitions of $2.2 billion, partially offset by cash proceeds from dispositions of $826 million, primarily related to the sale of the investment in SKY Network Television Ltd. and the Companys investment in its venture with CME. Capital expenditures in fiscal 2013 were $332 million as compared to $375 million in fiscal 2012.
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 was as follows (in millions):
For the fiscal years ended June 30, |
2013 | 2012 | ||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |
$ | 2,486 | $ | (1,006 | ) |
The change in net cash provided by (used in) financing activities for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to fiscal 2012 was primarily due to net transfers from 21st Century Fox and its affiliates of $2.7 billion during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 as compared to net transfers to 21st Century Fox and its affiliates of $993 million in fiscal 2012, partially offset by payment of debt acquired in the acquisition of CMH of approximately $235 million.
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Reconciliation of Free Cash Flow Available to News Corporation
Free cash flow available to News Corporation is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as net cash provided by operating activities, less capital expenditures and REA Group free cash flow, plus cash dividends received from REA Group.
The Company considers free cash flow available to News Corporation to provide useful information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated by the business after capital expenditures which can then be used for strategic opportunities including, among others, investing in the Companys business, strategic acquisitions, strengthening the Companys balance sheet, dividend payouts and repurchasing stock. A limitation of free cash flow available to News Corporation is that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance for the period. Management compensates for the limitation of free cash flow available to News Corporation by also relying on the net change in cash and cash equivalents as presented in the Companys consolidated and combined statements of cash flows prepared in accordance with GAAP which incorporates all cash movements during the period.
The following table presents a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to free cash flow available to News Corporation:
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | ||||||||||
(in millions) | ||||||||||||
Net cash provided by operating activities |
$ | 854 | $ | 501 | $ | 851 | ||||||
Less: Capital expenditures |
(379 | ) | (332 | ) | (375 | ) | ||||||
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475 | 169 | 476 | ||||||||||
Less: REA Group free cash flow |
(145 | ) | (127 | ) | (79 | ) | ||||||
Plus: Cash dividends received from REA Group |
35 | 30 | 11 | |||||||||
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Free cash flow available to News Corporation |
$ | 365 | $ | 72 | $ | 408 | ||||||
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Free cash flow available to News Corporation improved by $293 million in fiscal 2014 to $ 365 million from $72 million in fiscal 2013, primarily due to the changes in net cash provided by operating activities discussed above, partially offset by increased capital expenditures.
Free cash flow available to News Corporation in fiscal 2013 of $72 million decreased from $408 million in fiscal 2012 primarily due to lower Total Segment EBITDA, higher payments under restructuring programs of $164 million, increased pension and postretirement contributions of approximately $130 million and the inclusion of sports programming payments at FOX SPORTS Australia of $125 million, partially offset by lower capital expenditures of $43 million.
Revolving Credit Agreement
In October 2013, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the Credit Agreement) which provides for an unsecured $650 million five-year revolving credit facility (the Facility) to the Company for general corporate purposes. The Facility has a sublimit of $100 million available for issuances of letters of credit. Under the Credit Agreement, the Company may request increases in the amount of the Facility up to a maximum amount of $900 million. Subject to certain conditions stated in the Credit Agreement, the Company may borrow, prepay and reborrow amounts under the Facility during the term of the Credit Agreement. All amounts under the Credit Agreement are due on October 23, 2018, unless the commitments are terminated earlier either at the request of the Company or, if an event of default occurs, by the designated agent at the request or with the consent of the lenders (or automatically in the case of certain bankruptcy-related events). The Company may request that the commitments be extended under certain circumstances as set forth in the Credit Agreement for up to two additional one-year periods. Additionally, interest on borrowings is based on either (a) a Eurodollar Rate formula or (b) the Base Rate formula, each as set forth in the Credit Agreement.
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The Credit Agreement contains certain customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, with customary exceptions, including limitations on the ability of the Company and the Companys subsidiaries to engage in transactions with affiliates, incur liens, merge into or consolidate with any other entity, incur subsidiary debt or dispose of all or substantially all of its assets or all or substantially all of the stock of its subsidiaries taken as a whole. In addition, the Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain an adjusted operating income leverage ratio of not more than 3.0 to 1.0 and an interest coverage ratio of not less than 3.0 to 1.0. If any of the events of default occur and are not cured within applicable grace periods or waived, any unpaid amounts under the Credit Agreement may be declared immediately due and payable. As of June 30, 2014, the Company was in compliance with all of the applicable debt covenants.
The applicable margin and the commitment fee are based on the pricing grid in the Credit Agreement which varies based on the Companys adjusted operating income leverage ratio. As of June 30, 2014, the Company is paying a commitment fee of 0.25% on any undrawn balance and an applicable margin of 0.50% for a Base Rate borrowing and 1.50% for a Eurodollar Rate borrowing.
As of the date of this filing, the Company has not borrowed any funds under the Facility.
Commitments
The Company has commitments under certain firm contractual arrangements (firm commitments) to make future payments. These firm commitments secure the future rights to various assets and services to be used in the normal course of operations. The following table summarizes the Companys material firm commitments as of June 30, 2014.
As of June 30, 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Payments Due by Period | ||||||||||||||||||||
Total | 1 year | 2-3 years | 4-5 years | After 5 years |
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(in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Purchase obligations(a) |
$ | 1,301 | $ | 432 | $ | 315 | $ | 169 | $ | 385 | ||||||||||
Sports programming rights(b) |
626 | 187 | 363 | 68 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
Operating leases(c) |
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Land and buildings |
1,832 | 141 | 233 | 266 | 1,192 | |||||||||||||||
Plant and machinery |
9 | 5 | 4 | | | |||||||||||||||
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Total commitments and contractual obligations |
$ | 3,768 | $ | 765 | $ | 915 | $ | 503 | $ | 1,585 | ||||||||||
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(a) | The Company has commitments under purchase obligations related to printing contracts, capital projects, marketing agreements and other legally binding commitments. |
(b) | The Company has sports programming rights commitments with National Rugby League, Football Federation Australia, English Premier League as well as certain other broadcast rights which are payable through fiscal 2021. |
(c) | The Company leases office facilities, warehouse facilities, printing plants and equipment. These leases, which are classified as operating leases, are expected to be paid at certain dates through fiscal 2062. This amount includes approximately $315 million of office facilities that have been subleased from 21st Century Fox. |
The Company has certain contracts to purchase newsprint, ink and plates that require the Company to purchase a percentage of its total requirements. Since the quantities purchased annually under these contracts are not fixed and are based on the Companys total requirements, the amount of the related payments for these purchases is excluded from the table above.
The table also excludes the Companys pension, other postretirement benefits (OPEB) obligations and the gross unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions as the Company is unable to reasonably predict the ultimate amount and timing of the commitments. The Company made contributions of $137 million and $180
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million to its pension plans in fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2013, respectively. Included within the total contributions for fiscal 2014, were contributions of approximately $37 million which were made by a third party in connection with the sale of a business in a prior period on behalf of former employees who retained certain pension benefits. These contributions were a combination of required and voluntary contributions made to improve the funding status of the plans. Future plan contributions are dependent upon actual plan asset returns and interest rates and statutory requirements. The Company anticipates that it will make contributions of approximately $10 million in fiscal 2015, assuming that actual plan asset returns are consistent with the Companys expected returns in fiscal 2014 and beyond, and that interest rates remain constant. The Company will continue to make voluntary contributions as necessary to improve the funded status of the plans. Payments due to participants under the Companys pension plans are primarily paid out of underlying trusts. Payments due under the Companys OPEB plans are not required to be funded in advance, but are paid as medical costs are incurred by covered retiree populations, and are principally dependent upon the future cost of retiree medical benefits under the Companys OPEB plans. The Company expects its net OPEB payments to approximate $11 million in fiscal 2015. (See Note 15 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation for further discussion of the Companys pension and OPEB plans).
In January 2014, the Company signed a 30 year lease to relocate all of its various London operations to a single new location. The lease terminates in fiscal 2044, with an early termination option in fiscal 2039. The Companys London-based staff of News U.K., Dow Jones and HarperCollins will be housed together for the first time which the Company expects will allow for improved collaboration and additional efficiencies. Staff commenced relocation to the new London site in June 2014. In connection with this relocation, the Company will pay average rent of approximately $35 million a year. The rental expense along with other facility related costs expected to be incurred approximates the costs the Company would have incurred in its existing leased properties. Separately, the Company relocated the current U.S. headquarters of HarperCollins in June 2014 to a new location in Manhattan to reduce future rental expense. As a result of these relocations, the Company expects to incur incremental costs related to dual rent and other facility related costs during fiscal 2015 of approximately $25 million as well as approximately $70 million of capital expenditures. During the year ended June 30, 2014, the Company recognized incremental costs related to dual rent and other facility related costs of $28 million, of which $21 million was recognized in the News and Information Services segment.
Contingencies
As disclosed in the notes to the Financial Statements, U.K. and U.S. regulators and governmental authorities continue to conduct investigations initiated in 2011 with respect to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (the DOJ) is directed at conduct that occurred within 21st Century Fox prior to the creation of the Company. Accordingly, 21st Century Fox has been and continues to be responsible for responding to the DOJ investigation. The Company, together with 21st Century Fox, is cooperating with these investigations.
Civil claims have also been brought against the Company with respect to the U.K. Newspaper Matters. The Company has admitted liability in many civil cases and has settled a number of cases. The Company has also settled a number of claims through a private compensation scheme established by the Company under which parties could pursue claims against it. While additional civil lawsuits may be filed, no additional civil claims may be brought under the compensation scheme after April 8, 2013.
In connection with the Separation, the Company and 21st Century Fox agreed in the Separation and Distribution Agreement that 21st Century Fox will indemnify the Company for payments made after the Distribution Date arising out of civil claims and investigations relating to the U.K. Newspaper Matters as well as legal and professional fees and expenses paid in connection with the criminal matters, other than fees, expenses and costs relating to employees (i) who are not directors, officers or certain designated employees or (ii) with respect to civil matters, who are not co-defendants with the Company or 21st Century Fox. In addition, violations of law may result in criminal fines or penalties for which the Company will not be indemnified by 21st Century Fox. 21st Century Foxs indemnification obligations with respect to these matters will be settled on an after-tax basis.
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As of June 30, 2014, the Company has provided for its best estimate of the liability for the claims that have been filed and costs incurred and has accrued approximately $110 million, of which $66 million will be indemnified by 21st Century Fox, and a corresponding receivable was recorded in Amounts due from 21st Century Fox on the Balance Sheet. It is not possible to estimate the liability or corresponding receivable for any additional claims that may be filed given the information that is currently available to the Company. If more claims are filed and additional information becomes available, the Company will update the liability provision and corresponding receivable for such matters.
The Company is not able to predict the ultimate outcome or cost of the civil claims or criminal matters. It is possible that these proceedings and any adverse resolution thereof, including any fines or other penalties associated with any plea, judgment or similar result for which the Company will not be indemnified, could damage its reputation, impair its ability to conduct its business and adversely affect its results of operations and financial condition.
The Companys operations are subject to tax in various domestic and international jurisdictions and as a matter of course, it is regularly audited by federal, state and foreign tax authorities. The Company believes it has appropriately accrued for the expected outcome of all pending tax matters and does not currently anticipate that the ultimate resolution of pending tax matters will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, future results of operations or liquidity. As subsidiaries of 21st Century Fox prior to the Separation, the Company and each of its domestic subsidiaries have joint and several liability with 21st Century Fox for the consolidated U.S. federal income taxes of the 21st Century Fox consolidated group relating to any taxable periods during which the Company or any of the Companys domestic subsidiaries are or were a member of the 21st Century Fox consolidated group. Consequently, the Company could be liable in the event any such liability is incurred, and not discharged, by any other member of the 21st Century Fox consolidated group. The Tax Sharing and Indemnification Agreement requires 21st Century Fox to indemnify the Company for any such liability. Disputes or assessments could arise during future audits by the IRS or other taxing authorities in amounts that the Company cannot quantify.
CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
An accounting policy is considered to be critical if it is important to the Companys financial condition and results and if it requires significant judgment and estimates on the part of management in its application. The development and selection of these critical accounting policies have been determined by management of the Company. (See Note 2 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation for the Companys summary of significant accounting policies).
Long-lived assets
Long-lived assets, including goodwill, newspaper mastheads, distribution networks, publishing rights, copyrighted products, trademarks and property, plant and equipment. Assets acquired in business combinations are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is recorded as the difference between the cost of acquiring an entity and the estimated fair values assigned to its tangible and identifiable intangible net assets and is assigned to one or more reporting units for purposes of testing for impairment.
Determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires managements judgment and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash inflows and outflows, discount rates, asset lives and market multiples, among other items. Identifying reporting units and assigning goodwill to them requires judgment involving the aggregation of business units with similar economic characteristics and the identification of existing business units that benefit from the acquired goodwill. The judgments made in determining the estimated fair value assigned to each class of long-lived assets acquired, their reporting unit, as well as their useful lives can significantly impact net income. The Company allocates goodwill to disposed businesses using the relative fair value method.
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Goodwill and Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets
The Company tests goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles for impairment on an annual basis in the fourth quarter and at other times if a significant event or change in circumstances indicates that it is more likely than not that the fair value of these assets has been reduced. The Company uses its judgment in assessing whether assets may have become impaired between annual impairment assessments. Indicators such as unexpected adverse economic factors, unanticipated technological change or competitive activities, loss of key personnel and acts by governments and courts, may signal that an asset has become impaired.
The valuation of goodwill requires assumptions and estimates of many factors, including revenue and market growth, operating cash flows, market multiples and discount rates. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014, as part of the Companys long-range planning process, the Company completed its annual goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment test. As a result, the Company determined that the fair values of its reporting units and indefinite-lived intangible assets exceeded their respective carrying values.
The methods used to estimate the fair value measurements of impaired goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets included those based on the income approach (including the discounted cash flow and relief-from-royalty methods) and those based on the market approach (primarily the guideline public company method). Significant unobservable inputs utilized in the income approach valuation methods were discount rates (ranging from 9.0%-35.0%), long-term growth rates (ranging from 0.0%-4.0%) and royalty rates (ranging from 0.5%-2.8%). Significant unobservable inputs utilized in the market approach valuation methods were EBITDA multiples from guideline public companies operating in similar industries and control premiums (ranging from 5%-20%). Significant increases (decreases) in royalty rates, growth rates, control premium and multiples, assuming no change in discount rates, would result in a significantly higher (lower) fair value measurement. Significant decreases (increases) in discount rates, assuming no changes in royalty rates, growth rates, control premium and multiples, would result in a significantly higher (lower) fair value measurement.
The fair values of the Companys reporting units in fiscal 2014 exceeded the respective carrying values in a range from approximately 2% to 81%. Consequently, no impairments were identified. A 100 basis point increase in the discount rate or, a 400 basis point decrease in the projected cash flows terminal growth rate, would have resulted in a reporting unit of the News and Information Services segment and the Digital Education segment failing step one of the goodwill impairment analysis, which would have required the completion of step two of the goodwill impairment analysis. The goodwill at risk associated with these reporting units is approximately $1,692 million as of June 30, 2014. The Company will continue to monitor its goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets for possible future impairment.
Property, Plant and Equipment
The Company evaluates the carrying value of long-lived assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset group may not be recoverable, in accordance with ASC 360, Property, Plant, and Equipment (ASC 360). An asset group is the lowest level of assets and liabilities for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. Events or circumstances that might warrant an impairment recoverability review include, among other things, material declines in operating performance, significant adverse market conditions and planned changes in the use of an asset group.
In determining whether the carrying value of an asset group is recoverable, the Company estimates undiscounted future cash flows over the estimated life of the primary asset of the asset group. The estimates of such future cash flows require estimating such factors as future operating performance, market conditions and the estimated holding period of each asset. If all or a portion of the carrying value of an asset group is found to be non-recoverable, the Company records an impairment charge equal to the difference between the asset groups carrying value and its fair value. The Company generally measures fair value by considering sales prices for
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similar assets or by discounting estimated future cash flows using an appropriate discount rate. Typical assumptions applied when using a market-based approach include projected EBITDA and related multiples. Typical assumptions applied when using an income approach include projected free cash flows, discount rates and long-term growth rates. All of these assumptions are made by management based on the best available information at the time of the estimates and are subject to deviations from actual results.
In fiscal 2014 the Company determined that it would review its fixed assets at certain reporting units for recoverability. As a result of our review, the Company determined that all such fixed assets were recoverable. Had the fair values of the long-lived assets been hypothetically lowered by 10%, the write-down of long-lived assets would be immaterial.
Income Taxes
The Company is subject to income taxes in the U.S. and various foreign jurisdictions in which it operates and records its tax provision for the anticipated tax consequences in its reported results of operations. Tax laws are complex and subject to different interpretations by the taxpayer and respective governmental taxing authorities. Significant judgment is required in determining the Companys tax expense and in evaluating its tax positions including evaluating uncertainties as promulgated under ASC 740, Income Taxes.
The Companys annual tax rate is based on its income, statutory tax rates and tax planning strategies available in the various jurisdictions in which it operates. Significant management judgment is required in determining the Companys provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities and the valuation allowance recorded against the Companys net deferred tax assets, if any. In assessing the likelihood of realization of deferred tax assets, management considers estimates of the amount and character of future taxable income. The Companys actual effective tax rate and income tax expense could vary from estimated amounts due to the future impacts of various items, including changes in income tax laws, tax planning and the Companys forecasted financial condition and results of operations in future periods. Although the Company believes current estimates are reasonable, actual results could differ from these estimates.
The Company recognizes tax benefits from uncertain tax positions only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the Financial Statements from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Significant management judgment is required to determine whether the recognition threshold has been met and, if so, the appropriate amount of unrecognized tax benefits to be recorded in the Financial Statements. Management re-evaluates tax positions each period in which new information about recognition or measurement becomes available. The Companys policy is to recognize, when applicable, interest and penalties on unrecognized income tax benefits as part of Income tax (expense) benefit.
Retirement Benefit Obligations
The Companys employees participate in various defined benefit pension and postretirement plans sponsored by the Company and its subsidiaries which are the direct obligations of the Company (direct plans). In addition to the direct plans, prior to the Separation, certain of the Companys employees participated in defined benefit pension plans sponsored by 21st Century Fox and as a result, the Statements of Operations included expenses related to these shared plans including expenses related to the Companys employees as well as allocations of expenses related to corporate employees through the corporate expense allocations. Benefit costs related to employees participation in plans sponsored by 21st Century Fox did not recur in periods subsequent to the Separation. (See Note 1 and Note 15 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation).
The Company records amounts relating to its direct plans based on calculations specified by GAAP. The measurement and recognition of the Companys pension and other postretirement benefit plans require the use of
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significant management judgments, including discount rates, expected return on plan assets, mortality and other actuarial assumptions. Net periodic benefit cost (income) is calculated based upon a number of actuarial assumptions, including a discount rate for plan obligations and an expected rate of return on plan assets. Current market conditions, including changes in investment returns and interest rates, were considered in making these assumptions. In developing the expected long-term rate of return, the pension portfolios past average rate of returns, and future return expectations of the various asset classes were considered. The expected long-term rate of return is based on a direct asset allocation assumption of 31% equities, 53% fixed-income securities and 16% cash and other investments. Total net periodic benefit costs for these direct plans were $7 million, $35 million and $31 million, for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
The discount rate reflects the market rate for high-quality fixed-income investments on the Companys annual measurement date of June 30 and is subject to change each fiscal year. The discount rate assumptions used to account for direct pension and other postretirement benefit plans reflect the rates at which the benefit obligations could be effectively settled. The rate was determined by matching the Companys expected benefit payments for the direct plans to a hypothetical yield curve developed using a portfolio of several hundred high-quality non-callable corporate bonds.
The key assumptions used in developing the Companys fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012 net periodic benefit costs for its direct plans consist of the following:
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | ||||||||||
(in millions, except %) | ||||||||||||
Weighted average discount rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost |
4.6 | % | 4.5 | % | 5.7 | % | ||||||
Assets: |
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Expected rate of return |
6.8 | % | 6.8 | % | 7.0 | % | ||||||
Expected return |
$ | 93 | $ | 78 | $ | 82 | ||||||
Actual return |
$ | 109 | $ | 121 | $ | 39 | ||||||
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Gain/(Loss) |
$ | 16 | $ | 43 | $ | (43 | ) | |||||
One year actual return |
8.7 | % | 10.8 | % | 2.7 | % | ||||||
Five year actual return |
10.2 | % | 5.8 | % | 1.9 | % |
The weighted average discount rate is volatile from year to year because it is determined based upon the prevailing rates in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia as of the measurement date. The Company will utilize a weighted average discount rate of 4.3% in calculating the fiscal 2015 net periodic benefit costs. The Company will use a weighted average long-term rate of return of 6.3% for fiscal 2015 based principally on a combination of current asset mix and historical experience of actual plan returns. The accumulated net pre-tax losses on the Companys pension plans as of June 30, 2014 were approximately $528 million which increased from approximately $472 million for the Companys direct pension plans as of June 30, 2013. This increase of $56 million was primarily due to a reduction in the discount rate in the U.S. and U.K. plans and strengthening of the mortality tables utilized in measuring the Companys domestic obligations partially offset by an amendment to freeze future benefits for certain domestic pension benefit plans. Lower discount rates increase present values of benefit obligations and increase the Companys deferred losses and also increase subsequent-year benefit costs. Higher discount rates decrease the present values of benefit obligations and reduce the Companys accumulated net loss and also decrease subsequent-year benefit costs. These deferred losses are being systematically recognized in future net periodic benefit costs in accordance with ASC 715, CompensationRetirement Benefits. Unrecognized losses in excess of 10% of the greater of the market-related value of plan assets or the plans projected benefit obligation are recognized over the average life expectancy for plan participants.
The Company made contributions of $137 million, $180 million and $48 million to its direct pension plans in fiscal 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Of the current year contributions, approximately $37 million were made by a third party in connection with the sale of a business in a prior period on behalf of former employees who retained certain pension benefits. Future plan contributions are dependent upon actual plan asset returns,
71
statutory requirements and interest rate movements. Assuming that actual plan returns are consistent with the Companys expected plan returns in fiscal 2014 and beyond, and that interest rates remain constant, the Company anticipates that it will make contributions of approximately $10 million in fiscal 2015. The Company will continue to make voluntary contributions as necessary to improve the funded status of the plans. (See Note 15 to the Combined and Consolidated Financial Statements of News Corporation for further discussion of the Companys pension plans).
Changes in net periodic benefit costs may occur in the future due to changes in the Companys expected rate of return on plan assets and discount rate resulting from economic events. The following table highlights the sensitivity of the Companys pension obligations and expense to changes in these assumptions, assuming all other assumptions remain constant:
Changes in Assumption |
Impact on Annual Pension Expense |
Impact on Projected Benefit Obligation | ||
0.25 percentage point decrease in |
Increase $1 million | Increase $60 million | ||
0.25 percentage point increase in |
Decrease $1 million | Decrease $57 million | ||
0.25 percentage point decrease in |
Increase $4 million | | ||
0.25 percentage point increase in |
Decrease $4 million | |
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
See Note 2 to the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.
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ITEM 7A. | QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK |
The Company has exposure to different types of market risk including changes in foreign currency rates and stock prices. The Company neither holds nor issues financial instruments for trading purposes.
The following sections provide quantitative information on the Companys exposure to foreign currency rate risk and stock price risk. The Company makes use of sensitivity analyses that are inherently limited in estimating actual losses in fair value that can occur from changes in market conditions.
Foreign Currency Rates
The Company conducts operations in three principal currencies: the U.S. dollar; the Australian dollar; and the British pound sterling. These currencies operate primarily as the functional currency for the Companys U.S., Australian and U.K. operations, respectively. Cash is managed centrally within each of the three regions with net earnings reinvested locally and working capital requirements met from existing liquid funds. To the extent such funds are not sufficient to meet working capital requirements, funding in the appropriate local currencies is made available from intercompany capital. The Company does not hedge its investments in the net assets of its Australian and U.K. foreign operations.
Because of fluctuations in exchange rates, the Company is subject to currency translation exposure on the results of its operations. Foreign currency translation risk is the risk that exchange rate gains or losses arise from translating foreign entities statements of earnings and balance sheets from functional currency to the Companys reporting currency (the U.S. dollar) for consolidation purposes. The Company does not hedge translation risk because it generally generates positive cash flows from its international operations that are typically reinvested locally. Exchange rates with the most significant impact to its translation include the Australian dollar and British pound sterling. As exchange rates fluctuate, translation of its Statements of Operations into U.S. dollars affects the comparability of revenues and operating expenses between years.
The table below details the percentage of revenues and expenses by the three principal currencies for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014 and 2013:
U.S. Dollars |
Australian Dollars |
British Pound Sterling |
||||||||||
Fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 |
||||||||||||
Revenues |
52 | % | 30 | % | 18 | % | ||||||
Operating and Selling, general, and administrative expenses |
54 | % | 27 | % | 19 | % | ||||||
Fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 |
||||||||||||
Revenues |
52 | % | 31 | % | 17 | % | ||||||
Operating and Selling, general, and administrative expenses |
53 | % | 29 | % | 18 | % |
Based on the year ended June 30, 2014, a one cent change in each of the U.S. dollar/Australian dollar and the U.S. dollar/British pound sterling exchange rates will impact revenues by approximately $24 million for each currency on an annual basis, and will impact Total Segment EBITDA by approximately $4 million and $1 million, respectively, on an annual basis.
Stock Prices
The Company has common stock investments in publicly traded companies that are subject to market price volatility. These investments had an aggregate fair value of approximately $151 million as of June 30, 2014. A hypothetical decrease in the market price of these investments of 10% would result in a decrease in comprehensive income of approximately $15 million before tax. Any changes in fair value of the Companys common stock investments are not recognized unless deemed other-than-temporary.
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Credit Risk
Cash and cash equivalents are maintained with multiple financial institutions. Deposits held with banks may exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. Generally, these deposits may be redeemed upon demand and are maintained with financial institutions of reputable credit and, therefore, bear minimal credit risk.
The Companys receivables did not represent significant concentrations of credit risk as of June 30, 2014 or June 30, 2013 due to the wide variety of customers, markets and geographic areas to which the Companys products and services are sold.
The Company monitors its positions with, and the credit quality of, the financial institutions which are counterparties to its financial instruments. The Company is exposed to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the counterparties to the agreements. As of June 30, 2014, the Company did not anticipate nonperformance by any of the counterparties.
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ITEM 8. | FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA |
NEWS CORPORATION
Page | ||||
Managements Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting |
76 | |||
77 | ||||
79 | ||||
80 | ||||
81 | ||||
82 | ||||
83 | ||||
84 |
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MANAGEMENTS REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Management of News Corporation is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. News Corporations internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. The Companys internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
| pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of News Corporation; |
| provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; |
| provide reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures of News Corporation are being made only in accordance with authorization of management and directors of News Corporation; and |
| provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements. |
Internal control over financial reporting includes the controls themselves, monitoring and internal auditing practices and actions taken to correct deficiencies as identified.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting, no matter how well designed, may not prevent or detect misstatements. Accordingly, even effective internal control over financial reporting can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation. Also, the assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting was made as of a specific date. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Management, including the Companys principal executive officer and principal financial officer, conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of News Corporations internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2014, based on criteria for effective internal control over financial reporting described in the 1992 Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Managements assessment included an evaluation of the design of News Corporations internal control over financial reporting and testing of the operational effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Management reviewed the results of its assessment with the Audit Committee of News Corporations Board of Directors.
Based on this assessment, management determined that, as of June 30, 2014, News Corporation maintained effective internal control over financial reporting.
Ernst & Young LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm who audited and reported on the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of News Corporation included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, has audited the Companys internal control over financial reporting. Their report appears on the following page.
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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board of Directors and Stockholders of News Corporation:
We have audited News Corporations internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2014, based on criteria established in the Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (1992 framework) (the COSO criteria). News Corporations management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Managements Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Companys internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A companys internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A companys internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the companys assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, News Corporation maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2014, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of News Corporation as of June 30, 2014 and 2013, and the related consolidated and combined statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2014 of News Corporation and our report dated August 14, 2014 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
August 14, 2014
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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
The Board of Directors and Stockholders of News Corporation:
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of News Corporation as of June 30, 2014 and 2013, and the related consolidated and combined statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2014. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Companys management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of News Corporation at June 30, 2014 and 2013, and the consolidated and combined results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended June 30, 2014, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), News Corporations internal control over financial reporting as of June 30, 2014, based on criteria established in the Internal ControlIntegrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (1992 framework) and our report dated August 14, 2014 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
New York, New York
August 14, 2014
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CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||||||
Notes | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | |||||||||||||
Revenues: |
||||||||||||||||
Advertising |
$ | 4,019 | $ | 4,346 | $ | 4,693 | ||||||||||
Circulation and subscription |
2,688 | 2,669 | 2,365 | |||||||||||||
Consumer |
1,374 | 1,286 | 1,123 | |||||||||||||
Other |
493 | 590 | 473 | |||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Total Revenues |
8,574 | 8,891 | 8,654 | |||||||||||||
Operating expenses |
(5,139 | ) | (5,420 | ) | (5,122 | ) | ||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative |
(2,665 | ) | (2,783 | ) | (2,750 | ) | ||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization |
(578 | ) | (548 | ) | (483 | ) | ||||||||||
Impairment and restructuring charges |
4, 7 | (94 | ) | (1,737 | ) | (2,763 | ) | |||||||||
Equity earnings of affiliates |
5 | 90 | 100 | 90 | ||||||||||||
Interest, net |
68 | 77 | 56 | |||||||||||||
Other, net |
19 | (653 | ) | 1,593 | (59 | ) | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
(Loss) income before income tax benefit |
(397 | ) | 173 | (2,377 | ) | |||||||||||
Income tax benefit |
17 | 691 | 374 | 337 | ||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
294 | 547 | (2,040 | ) | ||||||||||||
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(55 | ) | (41 | ) | (35 | ) | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Net income (loss) attributable to News Corporation stockholders |
$ | 239 | $ | 506 | $ | (2,075 | ) | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||
Net income (loss) available to News Corporation stockholders per share |
12 | |||||||||||||||
Basic |
$ | 0.41 | $ | 0.87 | $ | (3.58 | ) | |||||||||
Diluted |
$ | 0.41 | $ | 0.87 | $ | (3.58 | ) |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these audited consolidated and combined financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED AND COMBINED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
(IN MILLIONS)
For the fiscal years ended June 30, | ||||||||||||
2014 | 2013 | 2012 | ||||||||||
Net income (loss) |
$ | 294 | $ | 547 | $ | (2,040 | ) | |||||
Other comprehensive income (loss): |
||||||||||||
Foreign currency translation adjustments |
356 | (797 | ) | (345 | ) | |||||||
Unrealized holding gains (losses) on securities(a) |
22 | 1 | | |||||||||
Benefit plan adjustments(b) |
(36 | ) | 10 | (144 | ) | |||||||
Share of other comprehensive income from equity affiliates, net(c) |
(1 | ) | | | ||||||||
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|
|
|
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Other comprehensive income (loss) |
341 | (786 | ) | (489 | ) | |||||||
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Comprehensive income (loss) |
635 | (239 | ) | (2,529 | ) | |||||||
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|
|
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Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(55 | ) | (41 | ) | (35 | ) | ||||||
Less: Other comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(2 | ) | 10 | 5 | ||||||||
|
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|
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|
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Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to News Corporation stockholders |
$ | 578 | $ | (270 | ) | $ | (2,559 | ) | ||||
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|
(a) | Net of income tax expense of $14 million, nil and $1 million for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. |
(b) | Net of income tax (benefit) expense of $(3) million, $5 million and $(50) million for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. |
(c) | Net of income tax benefit of $1 million for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014 and nil for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012. |
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these audited consolidated and combined financial statements.
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CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
As of June 30, | ||||||||||||
Notes | 2014 | 2013 | ||||||||||
Assets: |
||||||||||||
Current assets: |
||||||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 3,145 | $ | 2,381 | ||||||||
Amounts due from 21st Century Fox |
13 | 66 | 247 | |||||||||
Receivables, net |
2 | 1,388 | 1,335 | |||||||||
Other current assets |
19 | 671 | 680 | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
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Total current assets |
5,270 | 4,643 | ||||||||||
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Non-current assets: |
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Investments |
5 | 2,609 | 2,499 | |||||||||
Property, plant and equipment, net |
6 | 3,009 | 2,992 | |||||||||
Intangible assets, net |
7 | 2,137 | 2,186 | |||||||||
Goodwill |
7 | 2,782 | 2,725 | |||||||||
Other non-current assets |
19 | 682 | 598 | |||||||||
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|
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Total assets |
$ | 16,489 | $ | 15,643 | ||||||||
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Liabilities and Equity: |