compared to foreign exchange gains in the prior year, and the sale of warrants at QVC in the prior year and no similar sale in the current year, partially offset by tax sharing income from Liberty Media Corporation.
Income taxes. During the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, we had earnings before income taxes of $33 million and losses before income taxes of $2,649 million, respectively, and income tax expense of $21 million and $87 million, respectively. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, we had earnings before income taxes of $283 million and losses before income taxes of $2,237 million, respectively, and income tax expense of $119 million and $265 million, respectively. Income tax expense was higher than the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% during the three months ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to foreign income tax expense and non-deductible interest expense related to the 8.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Preferred Stock”). The most significant portion of the losses before income taxes during the three months ended September 30, 2022 related to a goodwill impairment that is not deductible for tax purposes. Income tax expense was higher than the U.S. statutory tax rate of 21% during the nine months ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to foreign income tax expense, non-deductible stock compensation, and non-deductible interest expense related to the Preferred Stock, partially offset by a tax benefit from a change in the Company’s effective state tax rate used to measure deferred taxes. The most significant portion of the losses before income taxes during the nine months ended September 30, 2022 relate to a goodwill impairment that is not deductible for tax purposes.
Net earnings. We had net earnings of $12 million and net losses of $2,736 million for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and net earnings of $164 million and net losses of $2,502 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The change in net earnings (loss) was the result of the above-described fluctuations in our revenue, expenses and other gains and losses.
Material Changes in Financial Condition
As of September 30, 2023, substantially all of our cash and cash equivalents are invested in U.S. Treasury securities, securities of other government agencies, AAA rated money market funds and other highly rated financial and corporate debt instruments.
The following are potential sources of liquidity: available cash balances, equity issuances, dividend and interest receipts, proceeds from asset sales, debt (including availability under QVC’s bank credit facilities (the “Credit Facility”), as discussed in note 6 of the accompanying consolidated financial statements), and cash generated by the operating activities of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. Cash generated by the operating activities of our subsidiaries is only a source of liquidity to the extent such cash exceeds the working capital needs of the subsidiaries and is not otherwise restricted. For example, under QVC’s bond indentures, it is able to pay dividends or make other restricted payments if it is not in default on its senior secured notes and its consolidated leverage ratio is no greater than 3.5 to 1.0. In addition, under the Credit Facility QVC is able to pay dividends or make other restricted payments if it is not in default on the Credit Facility and the consolidated leverage ratio of QVC, QVC Global Corporate Holdings, LLC and CBI is no greater than 4.0 to 1.0. Further, under QVC’s bond indentures and the Credit Facility, unlimited dividends are permitted to service the debt of parent entities of QVC so long as there is no default (i.e., no leverage test is needed).
As of September 30, 2023, QVC’s consolidated leverage ratio (as calculated under QVC’s senior secured notes) was greater than 3.5 to 1.0 and as a result QVC is restricted in its ability to make dividends or other restricted payments under the senior secured notes. Although QVC will not be able to make unlimited dividends or other restricted payments under the senior secured notes leverage basket, QVC will continue to be permitted to make unlimited dividends to parent entities of QVC to service the principal and interest when due in respect of indebtedness of such parent entities (so long as there is no default under the indentures governing QVC’s senior secured notes) and permitted to make certain restricted payments to Qurate Retail under an intercompany tax sharing agreement in respect of certain tax obligations of QVC and its subsidiaries.
Qurate Retail and certain of its subsidiaries’ debt credit ratings were downgraded during the nine months ended September 30, 2023 as follows: (i) Fitch Ratings downgraded Qurate Retail, LI LLC, and QVC’s long-term issuer default ratings from “BB-” to “B”, LI LLC’s senior unsecured rating from “BB-” to “CCC+”, and QVC’s senior secured rating from “BB+” to “B+”; (ii) S&P Global downgraded LI LLC’s issuer credit rating from “B-” to “CCC+”, LI LLC’s senior unsecured rating from “CCC” to “CCC-”, and QVC’s senior secured rating from “B+” to “B-”; and (iii) Moody’s