Liberty(LSXMB) - 2023 Q4 - Annual Results

Executive Summary & Headlines Fourth Quarter and Year End 2023 Headlines Liberty Media reported Q4 and full-year 2023 results, highlighting SiriusXM's $8.95 billion revenue, F1 growth, and Liberty Live's $6.5 billion Live Nation investment - SiriusXM reported full year 2023 revenue of $8.95 billion, net income of $1.26 billion, diluted EPS of $0.32, adjusted EBITDA of $2.79 billion, and free cash flow of $1.20 billion[1] - The planned combination of Liberty SiriusXM Group and SiriusXM is expected to be completed in early third quarter 2024[1] - Formula 1 fan attendance reached 6 million in 2023, up 5% compared to 2022, with 1.5 billion cumulative TV viewers and 70.5 million social media followers[1] - The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix generated over 16 billion global social media impressions during race week[1] - The fair value of Liberty Live Group's Live Nation investment was $6.5 billion as of December 31, 2023[3] CEO Commentary CEO Greg Maffei highlighted Liberty Media's productive 2023, noting strategic transactions, F1's double-digit growth, and strong performance from SiriusXM and Live Nation - Liberty Media had a productive 2023, marked by the split-off of the Atlanta Braves, the creation of the Liberty Live Group tracking stock, and the announcement of the combination of Liberty SiriusXM Group with SiriusXM[3] - Formula 1 experienced another fantastic year with double-digit growth across all revenue streams, with the Las Vegas Grand Prix generating massive global buzz[3] - SiriusXM achieved several strategic milestones, including the launch of its next-generation app and investments in marquee talent, while effectively managing its cost structure[3] - Live Nation is successfully leveraging the globalization of the music industry, with 2024 projected to surpass a record-setting 2023[3] Liberty SiriusXM Group Financial Results Liberty SiriusXM Group's full-year 2023 revenue decreased 1% to $8,953 million, with operating income and Adjusted OIBDA also declining Liberty SiriusXM Group Financial Results (Full Year) | Metric | 2022 (millions) | 2023 (millions) | % Change | | :----------------------- | :-------------- | :-------------- | :------- | | Revenue (SiriusXM) | $9,003 | $8,953 | (1)% | | Total Liberty SiriusXM Group Revenue | $9,003 | $8,953 | (1)% | | Operating Income (SiriusXM) | $1,958 | $1,876 | (4)% | | Corporate and other Operating Income | ($39) | ($68) | (74)% | | Total Liberty SiriusXM Group Operating Income | $1,919 | $1,808 | (6)% | | Adjusted OIBDA (SiriusXM) | $2,833 | $2,774 | (2)% | | Corporate and other Adjusted OIBDA | ($26) | ($42) | (62)% | | Total Liberty SiriusXM Group Adjusted OIBDA | $2,807 | $2,732 | (3)% | - Corporate level selling, general and administrative expense allocated to Liberty SiriusXM Group was $61 million for the full year 2023, an increase from $39 million in 2022[5][6] Business Overview Liberty SiriusXM Group's primary assets are Liberty Media's interest in SiriusXM and Pandora, with financial results presented without purchase accounting adjustments - The businesses and assets attributed to Liberty SiriusXM Group primarily consist of Liberty Media's interest in SiriusXM, including its subsidiary Pandora[8] - Financial results for SiriusXM are presented as reported by SiriusXM, without Liberty Media's purchase accounting adjustments, to maintain comparability with SiriusXM's historical financial presentation[7] Cash and Debt Liberty SiriusXM Group's total attributed debt decreased by $434 million in Q4 2023 due to repayments, with cash and cash equivalents declining by $21 million Liberty SiriusXM Group Cash and Debt (amounts in millions) | Metric | 9/30/2023 | 12/31/2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :-------- | :--------- | | Cash and Cash Equivalents Attributable to Liberty SiriusXM Group | $327 | $306 | | Total Attributed Liberty SiriusXM Group Debt | $11,540 | $11,106 | - Total cash and cash equivalents attributed to Liberty SiriusXM Group decreased by $21 million during the fourth quarter of 2023[27] - Total debt attributed to Liberty SiriusXM Group decreased by $434 million during the fourth quarter, driven by debt repayments at both Liberty SiriusXM Group and SiriusXM[29] - Liberty SiriusXM Group retired $199 million of 1.375% cash convertible notes and paid down $80 million on its SiriusXM margin loan in Q4 2023[29] - Liberty SiriusXM Group received $85 million in dividends from SiriusXM during the fourth quarter and $318 million for the full year ended December 31, 2023[28] Formula One Group Financial Results The Formula One Group demonstrated strong financial growth in 2023, with total revenue increasing by 25% to $3,222 million and operating income surging by 64% Formula One Group Financial Results (Full Year) | Metric | 2022 (millions) | 2023 (millions) | % Change | | :----------------------- | :-------------- | :-------------- | :------- | | Revenue (Formula 1) | $2,573 | $3,222 | 25% | | Total Formula One Group Revenue | $2,573 | $3,222 | 25% | | Operating Income (Formula 1) | $239 | $392 | 64% | | Total Formula One Group Operating Income | $173 | $297 | 72% | | Adjusted OIBDA (Formula 1) | $593 | $725 | 22% | | Total Formula One Group Adjusted OIBDA | $551 | $686 | 24% | - Corporate level selling, general and administrative expense allocated to Formula One Group was $72 million for the full year 2023, an increase from $66 million in 2022[9][10] F1 Operating Results Formula 1's operating results for 2023 showed significant growth, with total revenue increasing by 25% to $3,222 million and operating income surging by 64% F1 Operating Results (Full Year) | Metric | 2022 (millions) | 2023 (millions) | % Change | | :----------------------------------- | :-------------- | :-------------- | :------- | | Primary Formula 1 revenue | $2,107 | $2,560 | 21% | | Other Formula 1 revenue | $466 | $662 | 42% | | Total Formula 1 revenue | $2,573 | $3,222 | 25% | | Cost of Formula 1 revenue | ($1,750) | ($2,256) | (29)% | | Selling, general and administrative expenses | ($230) | ($241) | (5)% | | Adjusted OIBDA | $593 | $725 | 22% | | Operating income (loss) | $239 | $392 | 64% | Revenue Breakdown Primary F1 revenue grew 21% in 2023, driven by race promotion, media rights, and sponsorship fees, with other F1 revenue increasing by 42% due to hospitality - Primary F1 revenue grew 21% in 2023, with increases across all revenue streams: race promotion, media rights, and sponsorship fees[14] - For the year ended December 31, 2023, race promotion revenue, media rights fees, and sponsorship fees comprised 29.3%, 32.2%, and 18.0% of total F1 revenue, respectively[13] - Race promotion revenue growth was primarily driven by ticketing revenue from the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix and other contractual fee increases[14][15] - Sponsorship revenue increased due to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, new sponsors, and growth from existing sponsors[15] - Media rights revenue grew due to increased fees from new/renewed agreements and continued growth in F1 TV subscriptions[15] - Other F1 revenue increased primarily due to higher hospitality revenue from the Las Vegas Grand Prix and Paddock Club growth at other events[15] Operating Expenses F1's operating expenses increased in 2023, with team payments rising 5% and other cost of F1 revenue surging by 76% due to Las Vegas Grand Prix promotion - Team payments increased 5% in 2023, driven by F1 revenue growth and the associated impact on the calculation of team payments, which are 100% variable under the 2021 Concorde Agreement[16] - Team payments as a percent of pre-team payment adjusted OIBDA decreased from 66% in 2022 to 63% in 2023[16] - Other cost of F1 revenue increased by 76% for the full year, primarily due to costs associated with promoting, organizing, and delivering the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as well as higher hospitality costs[12][16] - Selling, general and administrative expenses increased for the full year due to higher personnel, IT, and marketing costs, including those related to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, partially offset by lower legal and professional fees and foreign exchange favorability[16] Business Overview The Formula One Group's core business revolves around Liberty Media's subsidiary F1, including the global motorsport championship and, as of January 2024, Quint - The businesses and assets attributed to Formula One Group primarily consist of Liberty Media's subsidiary F1 and other minority investments[17] - As of January 3, 2024, the Formula One Group's assets include Quint, following its acquisition[1][17] Cash and Debt Formula One Group's cash and cash equivalents decreased by $62 million in Q4 2023 due to capital expenditures, while total attributed debt remained relatively flat Formula One Group Cash and Debt (amounts in millions) | Metric | 9/30/2023 | 12/31/2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :-------- | :--------- | | Cash and Cash Equivalents Attributable to Formula One Group | $1,470 | $1,408 | | Total Attributed Formula One Group Debt | $2,945 | $2,940 | | Formula 1 leverage (Net debt to covenant OIBDA) | 2.2x | 1.9x | - Total cash and cash equivalents attributed to Formula One Group decreased by $62 million during the fourth quarter, primarily due to capital expenditures related to the Las Vegas Grand Prix[30] - Total debt attributed to Formula One Group was relatively flat in the fourth quarter of 2023[30] Liberty Live Group Business Overview The Liberty Live Group's assets primarily consist of Liberty Media's interest in Live Nation and other minority investments, with $11 million in corporate expenses allocated for 2023 - The businesses and assets attributed to Liberty Live Group consist primarily of Liberty Media's interest in Live Nation and other minority investments[19] - Liberty Live Group was allocated $11 million of corporate level selling, general and administrative expense (including stock-based compensation expense) for the full year 2023[18] Cash and Debt Liberty Live Group's cash and cash equivalents decreased by $10 million in Q4 2023, mainly due to interest payments, while total attributed debt remained flat Liberty Live Group Cash and Debt (amounts in millions) | Metric | 9/30/2023 | 12/31/2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :-------- | :--------- | | Cash and Cash Equivalents Attributable to Liberty Live Group | $315 | $305 | | Total Attributed Liberty Live Group Debt | $1,212 | $1,212 | - Total cash and cash equivalents attributed to Liberty Live Group decreased by $10 million during the fourth quarter, primarily due to interest payments[31] - Total debt attributed to Liberty Live Group was flat during the fourth quarter of 2023[31] Corporate Financials & Other Information Share Repurchases Liberty Media did not repurchase any common stock between November 2023 and January 2024, retaining a $1.1 billion repurchase authorization as of February 1, 2024 - There were no repurchases of Liberty Media's common stock from November 1, 2023, through January 31, 2024[20] - The total remaining repurchase authorization for Liberty Media as of February 1, 2024, is $1.1 billion, applicable to common shares of any Liberty Media tracking stocks[20] Fair Value of Corporate Public Holdings The fair value of Liberty Live Group's Live Nation investment increased to $6,519 million by December 31, 2023, while Liberty SiriusXM Group no longer held Atlanta Braves Holdings shares Fair Value of Corporate Public Holdings (amounts in millions) | Holding | 9/30/2023 | 12/31/2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :-------- | :--------- | | Liberty SiriusXM Group (Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc.) | $65 | $0 | | Liberty Live Group (Live Nation Investment) | $5,783 | $6,519 | | Liberty Live Group (Other Monetizable Public Holdings) | $102 | $113 | | Total Liberty Live Group | $5,885 | $6,632 | | Total Liberty Media | $5,950 | $6,632 | - In Q4 2023, Liberty SiriusXM Group exchanged its 1.8 million shares of Atlanta Braves Holdings Series C common stock to satisfy certain debt obligations, resulting in no remaining shares[22] Consolidated Cash and Debt Liberty Media's total consolidated cash and cash equivalents decreased to $2,019 million by December 31, 2023, with total consolidated debt also reducing to $15,360 million Consolidated Cash and Debt (amounts in millions) | Metric | 9/30/2023 | 12/31/2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :-------- | :--------- | | Total Consolidated Cash and Cash Equivalents (GAAP) | $2,112 | $2,019 | | Total Liberty Media Corporation Debt (GAAP) | $15,663 | $15,360 | - Liberty Media and its consolidated subsidiaries were in compliance with their debt covenants as of December 31, 2023[26] Consolidated Balance Sheet As of December 31, 2023, Liberty Media's consolidated total assets were $41,168 million, with total liabilities at $21,723 million and total equity/attributed net assets at $16,396 million Consolidated Balance Sheet (December 31, 2023, amounts in millions) | Asset/Liability/Equity | Amount | | :----------------------------------- | :----- | | Cash and cash equivalents | $2,019 | | Total current assets | $3,377 | | Investments in affiliates, accounted for using the equity method | $1,089 | | Property and equipment, net | $2,083 | | Goodwill | $19,165 | | FCC licenses | $8,600 | | Total assets | $41,168 | | Total current liabilities | $4,743 | | Long-term debt | $14,180 | | Total liabilities | $21,723 | | Equity / Attributed net assets | $16,396 | | Noncontrolling interests in equity of subsidiaries | $3,049 | | Total liabilities and equity | $41,168 | Consolidated Statement of Operations For 2023, Liberty Media reported consolidated total revenue of $12,525 million and stable operating income, but net earnings attributable to stockholders decreased to $761 million Consolidated Statement of Operations (Twelve months ended December 31, amounts in millions) | Metric | 2022 | 2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :----- | :----- | | Total revenue | $12,164 | $12,525 | | Operating income (loss) | $2,064 | $2,063 | | Interest expense | ($689) | ($782) | | Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net | $599 | ($323) | | Earnings (loss) before income taxes | $2,193 | $1,185 | | Net earnings (loss) | $2,029 | $962 | | Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty stockholders | $1,815 | $761 | - Consolidated total revenue increased by $361 million (3%) from $12,164 million in 2022 to $12,525 million in 2023[39][41] - Net earnings attributable to Liberty stockholders decreased by $1,054 million from $1,815 million in 2022 to $761 million in 2023[39][41] Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows In 2023, consolidated net cash provided by operating activities was $2,464 million, while net cash used in investing activities increased to $1,240 million and financing activities decreased to $1,473 million Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Twelve months ended December 31, amounts in millions) | Metric | 2022 | 2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :----- | :----- | | Net cash provided (used) by operating activities | $2,546 | $2,464 | | Net cash provided (used) by investing activities | ($46) | ($1,240) | | Net cash provided (used) by financing activities | ($3,148) | ($1,473) | | Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | ($648) | ($248) | | Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period | $2,276 | $2,028 | - Net cash provided by operating activities decreased by $82 million from $2,546 million in 2022 to $2,464 million in 2023[43][46] - Net cash used by investing activities increased significantly from $46 million in 2022 to $1,240 million in 2023, primarily due to higher capital expenditures[43][46] - Net cash used by financing activities decreased from $3,148 million in 2022 to $1,473 million in 2023, reflecting changes in debt borrowings and repayments[43][46] Non-GAAP Financial Measures Adjusted OIBDA Adjusted OIBDA, a non-GAAP measure, is used by Liberty Media to assess operational strength by excluding non-recurring or non-operational items - Adjusted OIBDA is defined as operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, separately reported litigation settlements, restructuring, acquisition and other related costs, and impairment charges[47] - Liberty Media uses Adjusted OIBDA as an important indicator of operational strength and performance, allowing for analytical comparisons and benchmarking between businesses[48] Adjusted OIBDA Reconciliation (Full Year, amounts in millions) | Metric | 2022 | 2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :----- | :----- | | Liberty SiriusXM Group Operating income (loss) | $1,919 | $1,808 | | Liberty SiriusXM Group Adjusted OIBDA | $2,807 | $2,732 | | Formula One Group Operating income (loss) | $173 | $297 | | Formula One Group Adjusted OIBDA | $551 | $686 | | Liberty Live Group Operating income (loss) | NA | ($11) | | Liberty Live Group Adjusted OIBDA | NA | ($9) | | Liberty Media Corporation (Consolidated) Operating income (loss) | $2,064 | $2,063 | | Liberty Media Corporation (Consolidated) Adjusted OIBDA | $3,419 | $3,423 | SiriusXM Adjusted EBITDA SiriusXM's Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, provides insight into its operating performance by excluding interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and certain non-recurring charges - SiriusXM defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income before interest expense, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization, and adjusts for loss on extinguishment of debt, share-based payment expense, impairment, restructuring and acquisition costs, legal settlements/reserves, and other significant operating expenses[52][53] - Adjusted EBITDA is considered a useful measure for analyzing past and current operating performance and comparing it to other companies in the communications, entertainment, and media sectors[53] SiriusXM Adjusted EBITDA Reconciliation (For the Years Ended December 31, amounts in millions) | Metric | 2022 | 2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :----- | :----- | | Net income | $1,213 | $1,258 | | Add back items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA: | | | | Legal settlements and reserves | $0 | $24 | | Impairment, restructuring and acquisition costs | $64 | $82 | | Share-based payment expense | $197 | $184 | | Depreciation and amortization | $536 | $554 | | Interest expense | $422 | $423 | | Other expense (income) | $9 | $5 | | Income tax (benefit) expense | $392 | $260 | | Adjusted EBITDA | $2,833 | $2,790 | SiriusXM Free Cash Flow SiriusXM's Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP measure, is derived from operating activities cash flow, adjusted for capital expenditures, and decreased to $1,203 million in 2023 - SiriusXM's Free Cash Flow is derived from cash flow provided by operating activities plus insurance recoveries on its satellites, net of additions to property and equipment and purchases of other investments[55] - Free Cash Flow is used by management and the board to evaluate cash generated by operations, net of capital expenditures, for purposes such as subscriber acquisition, debt repurchase, acquisitions, and returning capital to stockholders[55] SiriusXM Free Cash Flow Reconciliation (For the Years Ended December 31, amounts in millions) | Metric | 2022 | 2023 | | :----------------------------------- | :----- | :----- | | Net cash provided by operating activities | $1,976 | $1,850 | | Additions to property and equipment | ($426) | ($650) | | Sales of other investments | $1 | $3 | | Free cash flow | $1,551 | $1,203 | - SiriusXM's Free Cash Flow decreased by $348 million from $1,551 million in 2022 to $1,203 million in 2023[56] Important Notices & Forward-Looking Statements Important Notice Liberty Media Corporation announced a conference call for February 28, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (E.T.) to discuss its earnings release, with access details provided - Liberty Media Corporation held an earnings conference call on February 28, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (E.T.) to discuss its earnings release[32] - The call was accessible via phone at (877) 704-2829 or (215) 268-9864 (passcode 13742815) and broadcast live online at https://www.libertymedia.com/investors/news-events/ir-calendar[32](index=32&type=chunk) Forward-Looking Statements The press release includes forward-looking statements regarding business strategies and financial performance, subject to various risks and uncertainties, with Liberty Media disclaiming any obligation to update them - The press release contains forward-looking statements concerning business strategies, market potential, future financial performance, the planned combination of Liberty SiriusXM Group and SiriusXM, and expectations for F1 and Live Nation businesses[33] - These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including changes in market acceptance, regulatory matters, litigation outcomes, technological changes, and access to capital[33] - Liberty Media expressly disclaims any obligation to disseminate updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement[33]