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EARNINGS RELEASE FOR THE QUARTER ENDED MARCH 31, 2019
DISTRIBUTION
On March 19, 2019, the Company became a standalone publicly traded company through the pro rata distribution by Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. (“21CF”) of all of the issued and outstanding common stock of FOX to 21CF stockholders (other than holders that were subsidiaries of 21CF) (the “Distribution”) in accordance with the Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 20, 2018, by and between 21CF and 21CF Distribution Merger Sub, Inc. Following the Distribution, approximately 354 million and approximately 266 million shares of the Company’s class A common stock and class B common stock, respectively, began trading independently on The Nasdaq Global Select Market. In connection with the Distribution, the Company entered into the Separation and Distribution Agreement, dated as of March 19, 2019 with 21CF, which effected the internal restructuring (the “Separation”) whereby 21CF transferred to FOX a portfolio of 21CF’s news, sports and broadcast businesses, including FOX News, FOX Business, FOX Broadcasting Company (the “FOX Network”), FOX Sports, FOX Television Stations Group, and sports cable networks FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes and Big Ten Network, and certain other assets, and FOX assumed from 21CF the liabilities associated with such businesses and certain other liabilities. The Separation and the Distribution were effected as part of a series of transactions contemplated by the Amended and Restated Merger Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 20, 2018 (the “21CF Disney Merger Agreement”), by and among 21CF, The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”), TWDC Holdco 613 Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Disney (“New Disney”), and certain other subsidiaries of Disney, pursuant to which, among other things, Disney merged with and into a subsidiary of New Disney and each of Disney and 21CF became wholly-owned subsidiaries of New Disney.
BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The Unaudited Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).
Prior to the Distribution, the Company’s Unaudited Combined Financial Statements were prepared on a standalone basis, derived from the unaudited consolidated financial statements and accounting records of 21CF. The Company’s financial statements as of June 30, 2018 and for the three and nine months ended March 31, 2018 are presented on a combined basis as the Company was not a separate consolidated group prior to the Distribution. These financial statements reflect the combined historical results of operations, financial position and cash flows of 21CF’s domestic news, national sports and broadcast businesses and certain other assets and liabilities associated with such businesses. The Company became a separate consolidated group as a result of the Distribution, and the Company’s financial statements as of March 31, 2019 and for the three and nine months ended March 31, 2019 are presented on a consolidated basis.
The Unaudited Consolidated and Combined Statements of Operations include allocations for certain support functions that were provided on a centralized basis within 21CF prior to the Distribution and not recorded at the business unit level, such as certain expenses related to finance, legal, insurance, information technology, compliance and human resources management activities, among others. 21CF did not routinely allocate these costs to any of its business units. These expenses were allocated to FOX on the basis of direct usage when identifiable, with the remainder allocated on a pro rata basis of combined revenues, headcount or other relevant measures. Management believes the assumptions underlying the Unaudited Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements, including the assumptions regarding allocating general corporate expenses from 21CF, are reasonable. Nevertheless, the Unaudited Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements may not include all of the actual expenses that would have been incurred by FOX and may not reflect FOX’s consolidated and combined results of operations, financial position and cash flows had it been a standalone company during the entirety of the periods presented. Actual costs that would have been incurred if FOX had been a standalone company would depend on multiple factors, including organizational structure and strategic decisions made in various areas, including information technology and infrastructure. These Unaudited Consolidated and Combined Statements of Operations include a corporate allocation of approximately $100 million and $90 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and of approximately $270 million and $220 million for the nine months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, in Selling, general and administrative expenses.
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