QVC INC
For the period ended Dec 31, 2023. Filed Feb 28, 2024.
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FY2023 · Filed Feb 28, 2024
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Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(1)Basis of Presentation
QVC, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (unless otherwise indicated or required by the context, the terms "we," "our," "us," the "Company" and "QVC" refer to QVC, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries) is a retailer of a wide range of consumer products, which are marketed and sold primarily by merchandise-focused televised shopping programs, the Internet and mobile applications.
In the United States ("U.S."), QVC's televised shopping programs, including live and recorded content, are distributed across multiple channels nationally on a full-time basis, including QVC, QVC2, QVC3, HSN and HSN2. The Company's U.S. programming is also available on QVC.com and HSN.com, which we refer to as our "U.S. websites"; virtual multichannel video programming distributors (including Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream and YouTube TV); applications via streaming video; Facebook Live, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Xfinity Flex and Samsung TV Plus; mobile applications; social media pages and over-the-air broadcasters.
QVC's digital platforms enable consumers to purchase goods offered on our televised programming, along with a wide assortment of products that are available only on our U.S. websites and our other digital platforms (including our mobile applications, social media pages and others) are natural extensions of our business model, allowing customers to engage in our shopping experience wherever they are, with live or on-demand content customized to the device they are using. In addition to offering video content, our U.S. websites allow shoppers to browse, research, compare and perform targeted searches for products, read customer reviews, control the order-entry process and conveniently access their account.
Internationally, QVC's televised shopping programs, including live and recorded content, are distributed to households outside of the U.S., primarily in Germany, Austria, Japan, the United Kingdom ("U.K."), the Republic of Ireland, and Italy. In some of the countries where QVC operates, QVC's televised shopping programs are distributed across multiple QVC channels: QVC Style and QVC2 in Germany and QVC Beauty, QVC Extra and QVC Style in the U.K. Similar to the U.S., our international businesses also engage customers via websites, mobile applications and social media pages. QVC's international business employs product sourcing teams who select products tailored to the interests of each local market.
The Company's Japanese operations ("QVC-Japan") are conducted through a joint venture with Mitsui & Co. LTD. QVC-Japan is owned 60% by the Company and 40% by Mitsui. The Company and Mitsui share in all profits and losses based on their respective ownership interests. QVC-Japan paid dividends to Mitsui of $53 million, $68 million, and $60 million in the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The Company is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail, Inc. ("Qurate Retail") (Nasdaq: QRTEA, QRTEB and QRTEP), which owns Cornerstone Brands, Inc. ("CBI"), as well as other minority investments. QVC is part of the Qurate Retail Group ("QRG"), a portfolio of brands including QVC and CBI. Zulily, LLC (“Zulily”) was a wholly owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail until its divestiture on May 24, 2023.
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of QVC, Inc. and its majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions were eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior period balances were reclassified to conform to the current year's presentation.
(2) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
(a) Cash and cash equivalents
All highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less are classified as cash equivalents. Cash equivalents were $41 million and $64 million at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The carrying amounts reported in the consolidated balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents approximate their fair values (Level 1). See note 14.
(b) Restricted cash
Restricted cash at December 31, 2023 and 2022 primarily includes a cash deposit with a third party trustee that provides financial assurance that the Company will fulfill its obligations in relation to claims under its workers' compensation policy.
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(c) Accounts receivable
Accounts receivable, net primarily includes amounts owed to the company from customers and from credit card clearing houses net of an allowance for credit losses. The allowance for credit losses is calculated as a percent of accounts receivable at the end of a reporting period, and is based on historical experience, with the change in such allowance being recorded as a provision for credit losses in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. A provision for noncustomer bad debt expense, related to amounts due from vendors for unsold and returned products, is calculated based on an estimate of the probable expected losses and is included in cost of goods sold. See note 3.
(d) Inventories
Inventories, consisting primarily of products held for sale, are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined by the average cost method, which approximates the first-in, first-out method. Assessments about the realizability of inventory require the Company to make judgments based on currently available information about the likely method of disposition including sales to individual customers, returns to product vendors, liquidations and the estimated recoverable values of each disposition category.
(e) Leases
Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are initially recognized based on the present value of the future lease payments over the expected lease term. As for most leases the implicit rate is not readily determinable, the Company uses a discount rate in determining the present value of future payments based on the Company’s incremental borrowing rate on a collateralized basis aligning with the term of the lease. Our lease agreements include both lease and non-lease components, which the Company accounts for as a single lease component. The Company’s leases have base rent periods and some with optional renewal periods. Leases with base rent periods of less than twelve months are not recorded on the balance sheet. For purposes of measurement of lease liabilities, the expected lease terms include renewal options when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise such options.
Leases with an initial term greater than twelve months are classified as either finance or operating. Finance leases are generally those that we substantially use or pay for the entire asset over its estimated useful life and are recorded in property and equipment. All other leases are categorized as operating leases and recorded in operating lease right-of-use assets.
We have entered into sale leaseback transactions. To determine whether the transaction should be accounted for as a sale, we evaluate whether control of the asset has transferred to a third party. If the transfer of the asset is determined to be a sale, we recognize the transaction price for the sale based on cash proceeds received, derecognize the carrying amount of the asset sold and recognize a gain or loss in the consolidated statement of operations for any difference between the carrying value of the asset and the transaction price. The leaseback is accounted for according to our lease policy discussed above. If the transfer of the asset is not determined to be a sale, we account for the transaction as a financing arrangement.
(f) Property and equipment
The costs of property and equipment are capitalized and depreciated over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method beginning in the month of acquisition or in-service date. When assets are sold or retired, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is included in net income. The costs of maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred.
(g) Capitalized interest
The Company capitalizes interest cost incurred on debt during the construction of major projects exceeding one year. Capitalized interest was not material to the consolidated financial statements for any periods presented.
(h) Internally developed software
Internal software development costs are capitalized in accordance with guidance on accounting for the costs of computer software developed or obtained for internal use, and are classified within other intangible assets in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company amortizes computer software and internal software development costs over an estimated useful life of approximately three years using the straight-line method.
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(i) Goodwill and Intangible Assets
Intangible assets with estimable useful lives are amortized over their respective estimated useful lives to their estimated residual values, and reviewed for impairment upon certain triggering events. Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful lives ("indefinite-lived intangible assets") are not amortized, but instead are tested for impairment at least annually. Our annual impairment assessment of our indefinite-lived intangible assets is performed during the fourth quarter of each year and more frequently if events and circumstances indicated that the asset might be impaired.
QVC utilizes a qualitative assessment for determining whether step one of the goodwill impairment analysis is necessary. The accounting guidance permits entities to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform step one of the goodwill impairment test. In evaluating goodwill on a qualitative basis, QVC reviews the business performance of each reporting unit and evaluates other relevant factors as identified in the relevant accounting guidance to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indicated impairment exists for any of its reporting units. A reporting unit is defined in accounting guidance in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP" or "GAAP") as an operating segment or one level below an operating segment (also known as a component). A component of an operating segment is a reporting unit if the component constitutes a business for which discrete financial information is available and segment management regularly reviews the operating results of that component. The Company considers QVC's reporting units to align with its operating segments. Refer to note 15 for additional information. The Company considers whether there were any negative macroeconomic conditions, industry specific conditions, market changes, increased competition, increased costs in doing business, management challenges and the legal environments, and how these factors might impact country specific performance in future periods.
If a step one test is considered necessary based on the qualitative factors, the Company compares the estimated fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value. Developing estimates of fair value requires significant judgments, including making assumptions about appropriate discount rates, perpetual growth rates, relevant comparable market multiples, public trading prices and the amount and timing of expected future cash flows. The cash flows employed in the Company's valuation analysis are based on management's best estimates considering current marketplace factors and risks as well as assumptions of growth rates in future years. There is no assurance that actual results in the future will approximate these forecasts. Any excess of the carrying value of the reporting unit over the fair value is recorded as an impairment charge.
QVC also utilizes a qualitative assessment to evaluate the risk of impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets. The accounting guidance permits entities to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that an indefinite-lived intangible asset is impaired. If deemed necessary based on qualitative factors, a quantitative test is used to determine if the carrying value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value. An impairment loss would be recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeded the asset's fair value in accordance with FASB ASC 350. Refer to note 6 for additional information.
(j) Self-Insurance Reserves
The Company is self-insured for workers compensation and general liability claims up to certain maximum liability amounts and for medical claims up to the stop-loss deductible. Although the amounts accrued are actuarially determined based on analysis of historical trends of losses, settlements, litigation costs and other factors, the amounts the Company will ultimately disburse could differ from such accrued amounts.
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(k) Translation of foreign currencies
Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated at the spot rate in effect at the applicable reporting date and the consolidated statements of operations are translated at the average exchange rates in effect during the applicable period. The resulting unrealized cumulative translation adjustments, net of applicable income taxes, are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in equity.
Transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are recorded based on exchange rates at the time such transactions arise. Subsequent changes in exchange rates result in transaction gains and losses, which are reflected in the consolidated statements of operations as unrealized (based on the applicable period-end exchange rate) or realized upon settlement of the transactions.
(l) Revenue recognition
Revenue is recognized at the time of shipment to customers. The Company's general policy is to allow customers the right to return merchandise. An allowance for returned merchandise is provided at the time revenue is recorded as a percentage of sales based on historical experience. Refer to note 9 for additional information.
(m) Cost of goods sold
Cost of goods sold primarily includes actual product cost, provision for obsolete inventory, buying allowances received from suppliers, shipping and handling costs and warehouse costs.
(n) Advertising costs
Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising costs amounted to $289 million, $298 million and $288 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. These costs were included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.
(o) Stock-based compensation
As described in note 10, the Company and Qurate Retail have granted certain stock-based awards to employees of the Company. The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for long term incentives (such as stock options, restricted stock units and cash-settled restricted stock units) based on the grant-date fair value of the award, and recognizes that cost over the period during which the employee is required to provide service (usually the vesting period of the award). Stock-based compensation expense is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.
(p) Impairment of long-lived assets
The Company reviews long-lived assets, such as property and equipment, internally developed software and purchased intangibles subject to amortization, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized in the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. Impairment charges are recognized as an acceleration of depreciation expense or amortization expense in the consolidated statements of operations.
(q) Derivatives
The Company accounts for derivatives and hedging activities in accordance with standards issued by the FASB, which requires that all derivative instruments be recorded on the balance sheet at their respective fair values. Fair value is based on the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. For derivatives designated as hedges, changes in the fair value are either offset against the changes in fair value of the designated hedged item through earnings or recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss until the hedged item is recognized in earnings.
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(r) Income taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using statutory tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of an enacted change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
Internal Revenue Code section 951A subjects a U.S. parent of a foreign subsidiary to current U.S. tax on its global intangible low–taxed income (“GILTI”). The U.S. parent generally can deduct a portion of its GILTI and apply a limited deemed paid credit for foreign taxes. In accordance with guidance issued by the FASB, the Company has elected an accounting policy to account for taxes on GILTI as a period cost when incurred and not to provide for deferred taxes related to GILTI.
(s) Noncontrolling interest
The Company reports the noncontrolling interest of QVC-Japan within equity in the consolidated balance sheets and the amount of consolidated net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest is presented in the consolidated statements of operations.
(t) Common control transaction
During the year-ended December 31, 2021, QVC determined it was necessary to record a liability for Zulily's outstanding borrowings on the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (see note 7). As QVC is and Zulily was until its divesture in May 2023, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qurate Retail this was recorded as an equity transaction with an entity under common control. QVC recorded a $151 million liability for the year ended December 31, 2021, which was treated as a return of capital in the consolidated statement of equity. During the year-ended December 31, 2022, Qurate Retail made a capital contribution to Zulily to enable Zulily to repay its outstanding borrowings and as a result there were no borrowings by Zulily on the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2022. The removal of Zulily's borrowings was treated as a capital contribution of $151 million in the consolidated statements of equity.
(u) Investment in affiliate
In 2012, the Company entered into a joint venture with CNR Media Group, a limited liability company owned by China National Radio ("CNR"). The Company owned a 49% interest in a CNR subsidiary, CNR Home Shopping Co., Ltd. ("CNRS") that was accounted for as an equity method investment as a component of other noncurrent assets on the consolidated balance sheets and equity in losses of investee in the consolidated statements of operations. During the year ended December 31, 2021, QVC sold its interest in CNRS which resulted in an immaterial loss for the year ended December 31, 2021 recorded in equity in losses of investee in the consolidated statements of operations.
(v) Use of estimates in the preparation of consolidated financial statements
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates include, but are not limited to, sales returns, uncollectible receivables, inventory obsolescence, medical and other benefit related costs, depreciable lives of fixed assets, internally developed software, valuation of acquired intangible assets and goodwill, income taxes and stock-based compensation.
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(w) Recent accounting pronouncements not yet adopted
In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which is intended to improve reportable segment disclosure requirements, primarily through additional disclosures about significant segment expenses. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The amendments should be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is in the process of evaluating the disclosure requirements related to the new standard.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which requires more detailed income tax disclosures. The guidance requires entities to disclose disaggregated information about their effective tax rate reconciliation as well as expanded information on income taxes paid by jurisdiction. The disclosure requirements will be applied on a prospective basis, with the option to apply them retrospectively. The effective date for the standard is for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of the new standard on the related disclosures.
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(3)Accounts Receivable
The Company offers an installment payment option in all of our markets other than Japan (known as Easy-Pay for the QVC brand in the U.S. and the U.K.; Q-Pay in Germany and Italy and FlexPay for the HSN brand). The installment payment option permits customers to pay for items intwo or more installments. When the installment payment option is offered by QVC and elected by the customer, the first installment is typically billed to the customer's credit card and a receivable is recorded for the outstanding amount upon shipment. Generally, the customer's account is subsequently billed in additional monthly installments until the total purchase price of the products has been billed by the Company.
In 2014, the Company amended and restated its agreement with a large consumer financial services company (the "Bank") pursuant to which the Bank provides revolving credit directly to QVC's customers for the sole purpose of purchasing merchandise or services with a private label credit card ("PLCC") company in the U.S. The agreement with the Bank was amended and restated in March 2017 and December 2018 related to its QVC brand. In December 2018, the Company entered into a separate agreement with the Bank for its HSN brand. The Company receives a portion of the net economics of the credit card program. The Company cannot predict the extent to which customers will use the PLCC, nor the extent that they will make payments on their outstanding balances. Additionally, proposed regulations limiting late fees on credit card payments could also result in reduced PLCC income to QxH from the Bank. PLCC income of $131 million, $142 million and $144 million was recorded in net revenue during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The Company also accepts major credit cards for its sales. Accounts receivable from major credit cards represents amounts owed to QVC from the credit card clearing houses for amounts billed but not yet collected.
Accounts receivable consisted of the following:
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 |
| Installment payment option | $1,037 | $1,069 |
| Major credit cards and customers | 257 | 250 |
| Trade accounts receivable | 1,294 | 1,319 |
| Other receivables (1) | 102 | 145 |
| Accounts receivable | 1,396 | 1,464 |
| Less allowance for credit losses | (101) | (102) |
| Accounts receivable, net | $1,295 | 1,362 |
(1) Includes $0 million and $40 million insurance receivables as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, related to the Rocky Mount fire (see note 17).
A summary of activity in the allowance for credit losses was as follows:
| (in millions) | Balancebeginningof year | Additions-chargedto expense | Deductions-write-offs | Balanceend ofyear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $102 | 58 | (59) | 101 |
| 2022 | 99 | 80 | (77) | 102 |
| 2021 | 124 | 49 | (74) | 99 |
The carrying value of accounts receivable, adjusted for the reserves described above, approximates fair value as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.
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(4)Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment consisted of the following:
| December 31, · Estimateduseful | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | life |
| Land | $68 | 73 | N/A |
| Buildings and improvements | 367 | 384 | 8 - 20 years |
| Furniture and other equipment | 597 | 581 | 2 - 8 years |
| Broadcast equipment | 126 | 162 | 2 - 9 years |
| Computer equipment | 146 | 164 | 2 - 3 years |
| Projects in progress | 31 | 37 | N/A |
| Property and equipment | 1,335 | 1,401 | |
| Less: accumulated depreciation | (908) | (929) | |
| Property and equipment, net | $427 | 472 | |
(5)Television Distribution Rights, Net
Television distribution rights consisted of the following:
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 |
| Television distribution rights | $592 | 664 |
| Less accumulated amortization | (509) | (592) |
| Television distribution rights, net | $83 | 72 |
The Company enters into affiliation agreements with television providers for carriage of the Company's shopping service, as well as for certain channel placement. If these television providers were to change the number of subscribers to the agreement through acquisition, it may change the amount paid by the Company.
The Company's ability to continue to sell products to its customers is dependent on its ability to maintain and renew these affiliation agreements. In some cases, renewals are not agreed upon prior to the expiration of a given agreement while the programming continues to be carried by the relevant distributor without an effective agreement in place. The Company does not have distribution agreements with some of the cable operators that carry its programming.
Television distribution rights are amortized using the straight-line method over the lives of the individual agreements. The remaining weighted average lives of the television distribution rights was approximately 1.4 years as of December 31, 2023. Amortization expense for television distribution rights was $91 million, $116 million and $107 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
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As of December 31, 2023, related amortization expense for each of the next five years ending December 31 was as follows (in millions):
| 2024 | $73 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 | 1 |
| 2027 | — |
| 2028 | — |
In return for carrying QVC's signals, most programming distributors in the U.S. receive an allocated portion, based upon market share, of up to 5% of the net sales of merchandise sold via the television programs and from certain internet sales to customers located in the programming distributors' service areas. In some cases, we also pay programming distributors additional compensation in the form of incentives in exchange for their commitments to maintain specific channel positioning benchmarks. In Germany, Japan, the U.K., and Italy, programming distributors predominately receive an agreed-upon annual fee, a monthly fee per subscriber regardless of the net sales, a variable percentage of net sales or some combination of the above arrangements. The Company recorded expense related to these commissions of $364 million, $358 million, and $375 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively, which is included as part of operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.
(6) Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, Net
The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill by reportable segment (note 15) for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:
| (in millions) | QxH | QVC-International | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance as of December 31, 2021 | $5,112 | 856 | 5,968 |
| Impairment | (2,420) | — | (2,420) |
| Exchange rate fluctuations | — | (78) | (78) |
| Balance as of December 31, 2022 | 2,692 | 778 | 3,470 |
| Impairment | (326) | — | (326) |
| Exchange rate fluctuations | — | 7 | 7 |
| Balance as of December 31, 2023 | $2,366 | 785 | 3,151 |
Other intangible assets consisted of the following:
| December 31, | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 · 2022 · Weighted average remaining life (years) | |||||||
| (in millions) · Grosscost · Accumulatedamortization · Other intangible assets, net · Grosscost · Accumulatedamortization · Other intangible assets, net | |||||||
| Purchased and internally developed software | $1,052 | (784) | 268 | 962 | (670) | 292 | 2.1 |
| Affiliate and customer relationships | 2,825 | (2,684) | 141 | 2,818 | (2,630) | 188 | 3.0 |
| Debt origination fees | 9 | (5) | 4 | 9 | (3) | 6 | 2.8 |
| Tradenames (indefinite life) | 2,698 | — | 2,698 | 2,698 | — | 2,698 | N/A |
| $6,584 | (3,473) | 3,111 | 6,487 | (3,303) | 3,184 | ||
Amortization expense for other intangible assets was $191 million, $174 million and $163 million for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
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As of December 31, 2023, the related amortization and interest expense for each of the next five years ending December 31 was as follows (in millions):
| 2024 | $183 |
| 2025 | 138 |
| 2026 | 87 |
| 2027 | 5 |
| 2028 | — |
During the third quarter of 2022, as a result of recent financial performance and macroeconomic conditions including inflation and higher interest rates, the Company initiated a process to evaluate its current business model and long-term business strategy. It was determined during the third quarter of 2022 that an indication of impairment existed for the QxH reporting unit related to its tradenames and goodwill. With the assistance of a third party specialist, the fair value of the tradenames was determined using the relief from royalty method, primarily using a discounted cash flow model using projections of future operating performance (income approach) and applying a royalty rate (market approach) (Level 3), and an impairment in the amount of $180 million related to the HSN tradename was recorded during the third quarter of 2022, in impairment losses in the consolidated statements of operations. Accumulated tradename impairment loss as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 was $357 million.
During the third quarter of 2022, with the assistance of a third party specialist, the fair value of the QxH reporting unit was determined using a discounted cash flow model (Level 3), and a goodwill impairment in the amount of $2,420 million was recorded during the third quarter of 2022, in impairment losses in the consolidated statements of operations. After the triggering event and impairment loss recorded during the third quarter of 2022, the Company performed a qualitative goodwill impairment analysis during its annual impairment assessment in the fourth quarter of 2022 and no further impairment was identified. Accumulated goodwill impairment loss as of December 31, 2022 was $2,420 million.
During the fourth quarter of 2023, it was determined that an indication of impairment existed for the QxH reporting unit. With the assistance of a third party specialist, the fair value of the QxH reporting unit was determined using a discounted cash flow model (Level 3), and a goodwill impairment in the amount of $326 million was recorded in impairment losses in the consolidated statements of operations. Accumulated goodwill impairment loss as of December 31, 2023 was $2,746 million.
QVC’s results have been challenged as a result of current business trends and global economic conditions. The Company will continue to monitor its current business performance versus the current and updated long-term forecasts, among other relevant considerations, to determine if the carrying value of its assets (including Goodwill and Trademarks) are appropriate. Future outlook declines in revenue, cash flows, or other factors could result in a sustained decrease in fair value that may result in a determination that material carrying value adjustments are required, however we believe the carrying amounts are appropriate as of December 31, 2023.
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(7)Long-Term Debt and Finance Lease Obligations
Long-term debt and finance lease obligations consisted of the following:
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 |
| 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023, net of original issue discount | — | 214 |
| 4.85% Senior Secured Notes due 2024, net of original issue discount | 423 | 600 |
| 4.45% Senior Secured Notes due 2025, net of original issue discount | 585 | 599 |
| 4.75% Senior Secured Notes due 2027 | 575 | 575 |
| 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2028 | 500 | 500 |
| 5.45% Senior Secured Notes due 2034, net of original issue discount | 399 | 399 |
| 5.95% Senior Secured Notes due 2043, net of original issue discount | 300 | 300 |
| 6.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2067 | 225 | 225 |
| 6.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2068 | 500 | 500 |
| Senior secured credit facility | 857 | 1,057 |
| Finance lease obligations | 2 | 4 |
| Less debt issuance costs, net | (31) | (36) |
| Total debt and finance lease obligations | 4,335 | 4,937 |
| Less current portion | (424) | (216) |
| Long-term portion of debt and finance lease obligations | $3,911 | 4,721 |
Exchangeable Senior Debentures
3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures
As part of the common control transaction with Qurate Retail completed in December 2020, QVC Global, a subsidiary of the Company, became the primary co-obligor of the MSI Exchangeables, exchangeable for common stock of Motorola Solutions, Inc. (“MSI common stock”), and acquired all of the rights and liabilities associated with certain related hedges. The Company elected to account for its MSI Exchangeables using the fair value option. Accordingly, changes in the fair value of these instruments were recognized as losses on financial instruments in the statements of operations and in other comprehensive income as it related to instrument specific credit risk on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss).
Although we did not own underlying shares, the Company entered into certain derivative transactions in order to hedge against upward price fluctuations on certain shares of MSI common stock. Such derivative instruments were recognized in the other current assets line item in the consolidated balance sheets, and marked to fair value each reporting period. The changes in fair value were recognized in (losses) gains on financial instruments in the statement of operations.
On October 27, 2021, a notice was issued to all holders to redeem any and all outstanding MSI Exchangeables on December 13, 2021. Bondholders had until the close of business on December 10, 2021 to exchange their bonds. During the fourth quarter of 2021, QVC Global delivered MSI common stock, which were acquired pursuant to a forward purchase contract, to holders of the MSI Exchangeables with a fair value of approximately $573 million to settle the exchanges of the MSI Exchangeables. For holders who did not participate in the exchange, their bonds were redeemed on December 13, 2021 at adjusted principal, plus accrued interest and dividend pass-thru for a total cash payment of approximately $1 million. No MSI Exchangeables remained outstanding as of December 31, 2021. As a result of the exchange and the redemption, the Company recorded a loss on extinguishment of debt in the consolidated statements of operations of $7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.
Senior Secured Notes
All of QVC's senior secured notes are secured by the capital stock of QVC and have equal priority to the senior secured credit facility. The interest on QVC's senior secured notes is payable semi-annually with the exception of the 2067 Notes and the 2068 Notes, which are payable quarterly. The remaining outstanding 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 were repaid at maturity in March 2023.
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During the second quarter of 2023, QVC purchased $177 million of the 2024 Notes and $15 million of the outstanding 2025 Notes. As a result of the repurchases, the Company recorded a gain on extinguishment of debt in the consolidated statements of operations of $10 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, the remaining outstanding 2024 Notes are classified within the current portion of long term debt as they mature in less than one year.
On February 27, 2024, QVC delivered a notice of redemption to the trustee and holders of the 2024 Notes. Pursuant to the notice of redemption, QVC expects to redeem the remaining outstanding 2024 Notes in full on March 28, 2024.
The senior secured notes contain certain covenants, including certain restrictions on QVC and its restricted subsidiaries (subject to certain exceptions), with respect to, among other things: incurring additional indebtedness; creating liens on property or assets; making certain loans or investments; selling or disposing of assets; paying certain dividends and other restricted payments; consolidating or merging; entering into certain transactions with affiliates; entering into sale or leaseback transactions; and restricting subsidiary distributions.
Senior Secured Credit Facility
On October 27, 2021, QVC entered into the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement. The Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement is a multi-currency facility providing for a $3.25 billion revolving credit facility, with a $450 million sub-limit for letters of credit and an alternative currency revolving sub-limit equal to 50% of the revolving commitments thereunder. The Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement may be borrowed by any Borrower, with each Borrower jointly and severally liable for the outstanding borrowings. Borrowings bear interest at either the ABR Rate or a LIBOR-based rate (or the applicable non-U.S. Dollar equivalent rate) (“Term Benchmark/RFR Rate”) at the applicable Borrower’s election in each case plus a margin. Borrowings that are ABR Rate loans will bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the base rate plus a margin that varies between 0.25% and 0.625% depending on the Borrowers’ combined ratio of consolidated total debt to consolidated EBITDA (the “consolidated leverage ratio”). Borrowings that are Term Benchmark/RFR Rate loans will bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable rate plus a margin that varies between 1.25% and 1.625% depending on the Borrowers’ consolidated leverage ratio. Each loan may be prepaid at any time and from time to time without penalty other than customary breakage costs. No mandatory prepayments will be required other than when borrowings and letter of credit usage exceed availability; provided that, if Zulily, CBI, QVC Global or any other borrower (other than QVC) is removed, at the election of QVC, as a borrower thereunder, all of its loans must be repaid and its letters of credit are terminated or cash collateralized. Any amounts prepaid may be reborrowed. The facility matures on October 27, 2026. Payment of loans may be accelerated following certain customary events of default. In connection with Qurate Retail's divestiture of Zulily (see note 1), Zulily is no longer a co-borrower in the senior secured credit facility, and Zulily repaid its outstanding borrowings under the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement using cash contributed from Qurate Retail.
On June 20, 2023, QVC, QVC Global and CBI, as borrowers, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the other parties thereto entered into an agreement whereby, in accordance with the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, LIBOR-based rate loans denominated in U.S. dollars made on or after June 30, 2023 would be replaced with SOFR-based rate loans. Borrowings that are SOFR-based loans will bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable SOFR rate, plus a credit spread adjustment, plus a margin that varies between 1.25% and 1.625% depending on the Borrowers’ consolidated leverage ratio.
In accordance with the accounting guidance for obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements, QVC will record a liability for amounts it has borrowed under the senior secured credit facility plus any additional amount it expects to repay on behalf of CBI. There were no borrowings by CBI outstanding on the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2022, there was $18 million borrowed by CBI on the senior secured credit facility, none of which the Company expected to repay on behalf of CBI.
Prior to the removal of Zulily as a co-borrower, QVC recorded a liability for amounts it expected to repay on behalf of Zulily as part of a common control transaction with Qurate Retail. Upon repayment of Zulily's outstanding borrowings, QVC removed a $57 million liability for Zulily's borrowings during the year ended December 31, 2023, which was treated as additional paid in capital in the consolidated statements of equity. There were no borrowings by Zulily outstanding on the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2022.
Availability under the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement at December 31, 2023 was $2.28 billion, including outstanding trade and standby letters of credit. The interest rate on the senior secured credit facility was 7.03% and 5.75% at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
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The payment and performance of the Borrowers’ obligations under the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement are guaranteed by each of QVC’s, QVC Global’s and CBI’s Material Domestic Subsidiaries (as defined in the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement), if any, and certain other subsidiaries of any Borrower that such Borrower has chosen to provide guarantees. Further, the borrowings under the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement are secured, pari passu with QVC’s existing notes, by a pledge of all of QVC’s equity interests. The borrowings under the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement are also secured by a pledge of all of CBI’s equity interests.
The Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement contains certain affirmative and negative covenants, including certain restrictions on the Borrowers and each of their respective restricted subsidiaries (subject to certain exceptions) with respect to, among other things: incurring additional indebtedness; creating liens on property or assets; making certain loans or investments; selling or disposing of assets; paying certain dividends and other restricted payments; dissolving, consolidating or merging; entering into certain transactions with affiliates; entering into sale or leaseback transactions; restricting subsidiary distributions; and limiting the Borrowers’ consolidated leverage ratio.
Five Year Maturities
The annual principal maturities of QVC's debt, based on stated maturity dates, for each of the next five years are as follows:
| (in millions) | Debt (1) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $423 |
| 2025 | 586 |
| 2026 | 857 |
| 2027 | 575 |
| 2028 | 500 |
(1) Amounts exclude finance lease obligations (see note 8) and the issue discounts on the 4.45% and 4.85% senior secured notes.
Other Debt Related Information
QVC was in compliance with all of its debt covenants as of December 31, 2023.
There are no restrictions under the debt agreements on QVC's ability to pay dividends or make other restricted payments if QVC is not in default on its senior secured notes or the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement and (i) with respect to QVC’s senior secured notes, QVC's consolidated leverage ratio would be no greater than 3.5 to 1.0 (“senior secured notes leverage basket”) and (ii) with respect to the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, the consolidated net leverage ratio for QVC, QVC Global and CBI, would be no greater than 4.0 to 1.0. As of December 31, 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 under the senior secured notes 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 (the “Tax Agreement”) in respect of certain tax obligations of QVC and its subsidiaries.
The weighted average interest rate applicable to all of the outstanding debt (excluding finance leases) prior to amortization of bond discounts and related debt issuance costs was 5.7% as of December 31, 2023..
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(8) Leases
The Company has lease agreements with transponder and transmitter network suppliers for the right to transmit its signals. QVC also has leases for data processing equipment, facilities, office space and land that are classified as operating leases. Our leases have remaining lease terms of less than 1 year to 19 years, some of which may include the option to extend or terminate the leases.
The components of lease cost for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, were as follows:
| Year ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Finance lease cost | |||
| Depreciation of leased assets | $2 | 5 | 19 |
| Interest on lease liabilities | — | 3 | 8 |
| Total finance lease cost | 2 | 8 | 27 |
| Operating lease cost (1) | 121 | 73 | 42 |
| Total lease cost | $123 | 81 | 69 |
(1) Included within operating lease costs were short-term lease costs and variable lease costs, which were not material to the financial statements.
The remaining weighted-average lease term and the weighted-average discount rate were as follows:
| December 31, 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Weighted-average remaining lease term (years): | |
| Finance leases | 1.4 |
| Operating leases | 13.5 |
| Weighted-average discount rate: | |
| Finance leases | 2.3% |
| Operating leases | 14.1% |
Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 |
| Operating Leases: | ||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | $510 | 419 |
| Accrued liabilities | $27 | 35 |
| Other long-term liabilities | 488 | 377 |
| Total operating lease liabilities | $515 | 412 |
| Finance Leases: | ||
| Property and equipment | $10 | 17 |
| Accumulated depreciation | (8) | (13) |
| Property and equipment, net | $2 | 4 |
| Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations | $1 | 2 |
| Long-term portion of debt and finance lease obligations | 1 | 2 |
| Total finance lease liabilities | $2 | 4 |
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Supplemental cash flow information related to leases for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was as follows:
| Year ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: | |||
| Operating cash flows for operating leases | $90 | 57 | 38 |
| Operating cash flows for finance leases | — | 3 | 8 |
| Financing cash flows for finance leases | 2 | 6 | 18 |
| Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations: | |||
| Operating leases | 133 | 256 | 11 |
| Finance leases | $— | — | 11 |
Future payments under noncancelable operating leases and finance leases with initial terms of one year or more as of December 31, 2023 consisted of the following:
| (in millions) | Finance leases | Operating leases | Total leases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1 | 87 | 88 |
| 2025 | 1 | 84 | 85 |
| 2026 | — | 83 | 83 |
| 2027 | — | 83 | 83 |
| 2028 | — | 84 | 84 |
| Thereafter | — | 790 | 790 |
| Total lease payments | 2 | 1,211 | 1,213 |
| Less: imputed interest | — | (696) | (696) |
| Total lease liabilities | $2 | 515 | 517 |
Sale-Leaseback Transactions
In December 2023, QVC modified the lease for its distribution center in Ontario, California pursuant to which the Company extended the term of the lease through December 31, 2030 with an option to renew the lease for an additional 3-year term ending December 31, 2033.
In November 2022, QVC-International entered into agreements to sell two properties located in Germany and the U.K. to an independent third party. Under the terms of the agreements, QVC received net cash proceeds of $102 million related to its German facility and $80 million related to its U.K. facility when the sale closed in January 2023. Concurrent with the sale, the Company entered into agreements to lease each of the properties back from the purchaser over an initial term of 20 years with the option to extend the terms of the property leases for up to four consecutive terms of five years. QVC recognized a $69 million and $44 million gain related to the successful sale leaseback of the German and U.K. properties, respectively, during the first quarter of 2023 calculated as the difference between the aggregate consideration received and the carrying value of the properties. The Company accounted for the leases as operating leases and recorded a $42 million and $32 million right-of-use asset and operating lease liability for the German and U.K. properties, respectively.
As of December 31, 2022, assets of $71 million primarily related to the Germany and U.K. properties were classified as held for sale and included in Assets held for sale noncurrent in the consolidated balance sheet, as the proceeds from the sale were used to repay a portion of QVC's senior secured credit facility borrowings which were classified as noncurrent as of December 31, 2022. QVC classifies obligations as current when they are contractually required to be satisfied in the next twelve months.
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In June 2022, QVC modified the finance lease for its distribution center in Ontario, California which reduced the term of the lease and removed QVC’s ability to take ownership of the distribution center at the end of the lease term. QVC will make annual payments over the modified lease term. Since the lease was modified and removed QVC’s ability to take ownership at the end of the lease term, the Company accounted for the modification similar to a sale and leaseback transaction and, as a result, recognized a $240 million gain on the sale of the distribution center during the second quarter of 2022, calculated as the difference between the aggregate consideration received (including cash of $250 million and forgiveness of the remaining financing obligation of $84 million) and the carrying value of the distribution center. The gain is included in gains on sale of assets and sale leaseback transactions in the consolidated statement of operations. The Company accounted for the modified leases as an operating lease and recorded a $37 million right-of-use asset and a $31 million operating lease liability, with the difference attributable to prepaid rent.
In July 2022, QVC sold five owned and operated properties located in the U.S. to an independent third party and received net cash proceeds of $443 million. Concurrent with the sale, the Company entered into agreements to lease each of the properties back from the purchaser over an initial term of 20 years with the option to extend the terms of the property leases for up to four consecutive terms of five years. QVC recognized a $277 million gain related to the successful sale leaseback during the third quarter of 2022 calculated as the difference between the aggregate consideration received and the carrying value of the properties. The Company accounted for the leases as operating leases and recorded a $207 million right-of-use asset and a $205 million operating lease liability, with the difference attributable to initial direct costs.
(9)Revenue
Disaggregated revenue by segment and product category consisted of the following:
| Year ended December 31, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | QxH | QVC-International | Total |
| Home | $2,768 | 982 | 3,750 |
| Apparel | 1,207 | 436 | 1,643 |
| Beauty | 1,083 | 588 | 1,671 |
| Accessories | 846 | 208 | 1,054 |
| Electronics | 617 | 68 | 685 |
| Jewelry | 304 | 165 | 469 |
| Other revenue | 170 | 7 | 177 |
| Total net revenue | $6,995 | 2,454 | 9,449 |
| Year ended December 31, 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | QxH | QVC-International | Total |
| Home | $2,866 | 998 | 3,864 |
| Apparel | 1,243 | 445 | 1,688 |
| Beauty | 1,108 | 579 | 1,687 |
| Accessories | 867 | 217 | 1,084 |
| Electronics | 775 | 92 | 867 |
| Jewelry | 311 | 185 | 496 |
| Other revenue | 189 | 12 | 201 |
| Total net revenue | $7,359 | 2,528 | 9,887 |
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| Year ended December 31, 2021 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | QxH | QVC-International | Total |
| Home | $3,278 | 1,237 | 4,515 |
| Apparel | 1,291 | 492 | 1,783 |
| Beauty | 1,223 | 723 | 1,946 |
| Accessories | 980 | 265 | 1,245 |
| Electronics | 964 | 119 | 1,083 |
| Jewelry | 359 | 228 | 587 |
| Other revenue | 182 | 13 | 195 |
| Total net revenue | $8,277 | 3,077 | 11,354 |
Consumer Product Revenue and Other Revenue
QVC's revenue includes sales of consumer products in the following categories; home, apparel, beauty, accessories, electronics and jewelry, which are primarily sold through live merchandise-focused televised shopping programs and via our websites and other interactive media.
Other revenue consists primarily of income generated from our PLCC in the U.S. in which a large consumer financial services company provides revolving credit directly to QVC's customers for the sole purpose of purchasing merchandise or services with a PLCC. In return, the Company receives a portion of the net economics of the credit card program.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue is recognized when obligations with the Company's customers are satisfied; generally this occurs at the time of shipment to its customers consistent with when control of the shipped product passes. The recognized revenue reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for transferring goods, net of allowances for returns.
The Company generally recognizes revenue related to the PLCC over time as the PLCC is used by QVC's customers.
Sales, value add, use and other taxes the Company collects concurrent with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue.
The Company has elected to treat shipping and handling activities that occur after the customer obtains control of the goods as a fulfillment cost and not as a promised good or service. Accordingly, the Company accrues the related shipping costs and recognizes revenue upon delivery of the goods to the shipping carrier. In electing this accounting policy, all shipping and handling activities are treated as fulfillment costs.
The Company generally extends payment terms with its customers of one year or less and does not consider the time value of money when recognizing revenue.
Significant Judgments
Our products are generally sold with a right of return and we may provide other credits or incentives, which are accounted for as variable consideration when estimating the amount of revenue to recognize. Returns and credits are estimated at contract inception and updated at the end of each reporting period as additional information becomes available. The Company has determined that it is generally the principal in vendor arrangements as the Company can establish control over the goods prior to shipment. Accordingly, the Company records revenue for these arrangements on a gross basis.
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A summary of activity in the allowance for sales returns, recorded on a gross basis for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was as follows:
| (in millions) | Balancebeginningof year | Additions-chargedto earnings | Deductions | Balanceend ofyear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $182 | 1,721 | (1,706) | 197 |
| 2022 | 242 | 1,685 | (1,745) | 182 |
| 2021 | 267 | 1,922 | (1,947) | 242 |
(10)Stock-Based Compensation
Certain QVC employees and officers may receive stock options ("Options") and restricted stock units ("RSUs") in Series A Qurate Retail common stock (“QRTEA”) in accordance with Qurate Retail's Incentive Plan (the "Qurate Incentive Plan").
In 2021, holders of QRTEA shares received a special cash dividend ("Special Cash Dividend") in the amount of $1.25 per common share. As a result, the outstanding Options of QRTEA were adjusted pursuant to the anti-dilution provisions of the Qurate Incentive Plans under which the Options were granted. Adjustments to the exercise prices and the numbers of shares subject to the original awards were made to preserve the intrinsic values prior to each Special Cash Dividend. Outstanding RSUs received the Special Cash Dividend which was subject to the same vesting schedules as those applicable to the corresponding original QRTEA RSU.
(a) Stock options
A summary of the activity of the Qurate Incentive Plans with respect to the QRTEA Options granted to QVC employees and officers as of and during the year ended December 31, 2023 is presented below:
| Options | Weightedaverageexerciseprice | Aggregateintrinsicvalue(000s) | Weighted average remaininglife(years) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outstanding as of January 1, 2023 | 18,127,954 | $9.16 | $— | 2.8 |
| Exercised | — | — | ||
| Forfeited | (4,697,784) | 10.49 | ||
| Outstanding as of December 31, 2023 | 13,430,170 | 8.70 | — | 2.1 |
| Exercisable as of December 31, 2023 | 13,430,170 | $8.70 | $— | 2.1 |
Upon employee exercise of the Options, the exercise price is remitted to Qurate Retail in exchange for the shares. The aggregate intrinsic value of all Options exercised was $1 million and $15 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. There were no options exercised during the year ended December 31, 2023.
The weighted average fair value at date of grant of a QRTEA Option granted during the year ended December 31, 2021 was $5.70. There were no options granted during the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the fair value of each QRTEA Option was determined as of the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions:
| Expected volatility | 57.0% |
|---|---|
| Expected term (years) | 5.8 |
| Risk free interest rate | 1% |
| Expected dividend yield | — |
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Expected volatility is based on historical and implied volatilities of QRTEA common stock over a period commensurate with the expected term of the options. The Company estimates the expected term of the Options based on historical exercise and forfeiture data. The volatility used in the calculation for the Options is based on the historical volatility of Qurate Retail's stocks and the implied volatility of publicly traded Qurate Retail Options. The Company uses a zero dividend rate and the risk-free rate for Treasury Bonds with a term similar to that of the subject Options.
The fair value of the Options is recognized as expense over the requisite service period.
During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded $4 million, $5 million and $9 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to the Options. As of December 31, 2023, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested Options was $3 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's consolidated statement of operations over a weighted average period of 1.0 year.
(b) Restricted stock units
A summary of the activity of the Qurate Incentive Plans with respect to the QRTEA RSUs granted to QVC employees and officers as of and during the year ended December 31, 2023 is presented below:
| Restricted shares | Weighted averagegrant date fair value | |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding as of January 1, 2023 | 15,421,922 | $5.13 |
| Granted | 23,670,666 | 1.27 |
| Vested | (5,885,582) | 5.31 |
| Forfeited | (4,052,665) | 3.34 |
| Outstanding as of December 31, 2023 | 29,154,341 | 2.20 |
During the year ended December 31, 2023, QVC employees and officers were granted 17.3 million performance-based, cash-settled RSUs. These RSUs vest equally over three years, subject to the satisfaction of certain performance objectives. The liability and compensation expense related to such awards is adjusted at the end of each reporting period based on the closing market price of QRTEA on the last trading day of the quarter combined with the probability of satisfying the performance objectives.
For awards that are performance-based, performance objectives, which are subjective, are considered in determining the timing and amount of compensation expense recognized. When the satisfaction of the performance objectives becomes probable, the Company records compensation expense. The probability of satisfying the performance objectives is assessed at the end of each reporting period.
During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded $32 million, $27 million and $32 million, respectively, of stock-based compensation expense related to these awards. As of December 31, 2023, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested RSUs of common stock was $33 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company's consolidated statement of operations over a weighted average period of 1.5 years.
Fair value of RSUs is calculated based on the market price on the day the shares are granted. The weighted average grant date fair value of the QRTEA RSUs granted to QVC employees and officers during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was $1.27, $3.71, and $11.58, respectively.
The aggregate fair value of all RSUs of common stock that vested during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 was $31 million, $13 million and $38 million, respectively.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had approximately 22,000 unvested RSUs of Qurate Retail 8.0% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock held by certain officers and employees of the Company. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded an incremental $1 million of stock-based compensation expense related to these shares and the total incremental unrecognized compensation cost related to these awards as of December 31, 2023 was $0.2 million. Such amount will be recognized in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations in 2024.
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(11)Income Taxes
Income tax expense consisted of the following:
| Years ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Current: | |||
| U.S. federal | $72 | 159 | 329 |
| State and local | (6) | 38 | 44 |
| Foreign jurisdictions | 84 | 84 | 117 |
| Total | 150 | 281 | 490 |
| Deferred: | |||
| U.S. federal | 21 | (43) | (67) |
| State and local | 7 | 1 | (13) |
| Foreign jurisdictions | 27 | (19) | (2) |
| Total | 55 | (61) | (82) |
| Total income tax expense | $205 | 220 | 408 |
Pre-tax income was as follows:
| Years ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| QxH | $114 | (1,812) | 883 |
| QVC-International | 302 | 222 | 376 |
| Consolidated QVC | $416 | (1,590) | 1,259 |
Total income tax expense differs from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% in 2023, 2022 and 2021, as a result of the following:
| Years ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Provision at statutory rate | $87 | (334) | 264 |
| State income taxes, net of federal benefit | 1 | 31 | 24 |
| Foreign taxes | 24 | (7) | 19 |
| Goodwill Impairment | 68 | 508 | — |
| Valuation allowance | 7 | (1) | 12 |
| Tax on foreign earnings, net of federal tax benefits | 6 | 16 | 87 |
| Other permanent differences | 12 | 4 | 4 |
| Other, net | — | 3 | (2) |
| Total income tax expense | $205 | 220 | 408 |
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, income tax expense differs from the U.S. statutory rate of 21% primarily due to an impairment of goodwill of $326 million in 2023 and $2,420 million in 2022 that are not deductible for tax purposes, in addition to state income tax expense and foreign tax expense. The above 2023 state income tax includes a one-time reversal relating to prior year accruals for uncertain tax positions.
During the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company, through a wholly owned foreign subsidiary, recognized income related to the exchange and redemption of the outstanding MSI Exchangeables and the extinguishment of related hedges. The income is subject to tax under the U.S. GILTI rules. The tax effect of this GILTI income including the federal tax benefit of related foreign tax credits, is treated by the Company as a period cost. In addition, the Company recorded a U.S. federal tax benefit for foreign derived intangible income deductions claimed on royalty income recognized by the Company in the U.S. during 2021. The tax effect of these items is included in Tax on foreign earnings, net of federal tax benefits in the above table.
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The tax effects of temporary differences that gave rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are presented below:
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 |
| Deferred tax assets: | ||
| Accounts receivable, principally due to the allowance for credit losses and related reserves for the uncollectible accounts | $19 | 22 |
| Inventories, principally due to obsolescence reserves and additional costs of inventories for tax purposes pursuant to the Tax Reform Act of 1986 | 37 | 31 |
| Allowance for sales returns | 21 | 16 |
| Deferred revenue | 68 | 80 |
| Deferred compensation | 14 | 10 |
| Unrecognized federal and state tax benefits | 10 | 16 |
| Net operating loss and other carryforwards | 119 | 113 |
| Foreign tax credits carryforward | 57 | 54 |
| Lease obligations | 129 | 90 |
| Cumulative translation of foreign currencies | 5 | 5 |
| Accrued liabilities | 12 | 15 |
| Other | 2 | 25 |
| Subtotal | 493 | 477 |
| Valuation allowance | (177) | (169) |
| Total deferred tax assets | 316 | 308 |
| Deferred tax liabilities: | ||
| Depreciation and amortization | (779) | (751) |
| Lease assets | (126) | (89) |
| Total deferred tax liabilities | (905) | (840) |
| Net deferred tax liability | $(589) | (532) |
In the above table, valuation allowances exist due to the uncertainty of whether or not the benefit of certain U.S. federal and foreign tax credits and losses will ultimately be utilized for income tax purposes. The 2023 net deferred tax liability above includes deferred tax assets of $32 million relating to foreign jurisdictions which are included within other noncurrent assets in the consolidated balance sheet and deferred tax liabilities of $621 million in domestic jurisdictions which are included within deferred income taxes in the consolidated balance sheet. The 2022 net deferred tax liability above includes deferred tax assets of $45 million relating to foreign jurisdictions which are included within other noncurrent assets in the consolidated balance sheet and deferred tax liabilities of $577 million in domestic jurisdictions which are included within deferred income taxes in the consolidated balance sheet.
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The Company is party to the Tax Agreement with Qurate Retail. The Tax Agreement establishes the methodology for the calculation and payment of income taxes in connection with the consolidation of the Company with Qurate Retail for income tax purposes. Generally, the Tax Agreement provides that the Company will pay Qurate Retail an amount equal to the tax liability, if any, that it would have if it were to file as a consolidated group separate and apart from Qurate Retail, with exceptions for the treatment and timing of certain items, including but not limited to deferred intercompany transactions, credits, and net operating and capital losses. To the extent that the separate company tax expense is different from the payment terms of the Tax Agreement, the difference is recorded as either a dividend or capital contribution. These differences are related primarily to foreign tax credits recognized by QVC that are creditable under the Tax Agreement when and if utilized in Qurate Retail’s consolidated tax return. The difference recorded during the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were dividends of $3 million and $1 million respectively, primarily related to foreign tax credits recognized by QVC and not utilized in Qurate's consolidated tax return. The difference recorded during the year ended December 31, 2021 was a capital contribution of $73 million, primarily related to foreign tax credit carryovers being utilized in Qurate's consolidated tax return in excess of those recognized by QVC during the 2021 tax year. The amounts of the tax-related payable (receivable) balance due to Qurate Retail as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 were $(59) million and $23 million, respectively, and are included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
A reconciliation of the 2022 and 2023 beginning and ending amount of the liability for unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:
| (in millions) | |
|---|---|
| Balance at January 1, 2022 | $73 |
| Increases related to prior year tax positions | 7 |
| Decreases related to prior year tax positions | (7) |
| Decreases related to settlements with taxing authorities | (4) |
| Increases related to current year tax positions | 7 |
| Balance at December 31, 2022 | 76 |
| Increases related to prior year tax positions | 7 |
| Decreases related to prior year tax positions | (14) |
| Decreases related to settlements with taxing authorities | (26) |
| Increases related to current year tax positions | 4 |
| Balance at December 31, 2023 | $47 |
Included in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 are potential benefits of $37 million (net of a $10 million federal tax effect) and $60 million (net of a $16 million federal tax effect), respectively, that if recognized, would be reflected in income tax expense and affect the effective rate.
The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations. The Company did not have a material amount of interest or tax penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 or 2021.
The Company has tax positions for which the amount of related unrecognized tax benefits could change during 2024. These consist of nonfederal transfer pricing and other nonfederal tax issues. It is reasonably possible that the amount of the Company’s gross unrecognized tax benefits may decrease within the next 12 months by up to $1 million.
The Company participates in a consolidated federal return filing with Qurate Retail. As of December 31, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") has completed its examination of Qurate Retail’s tax years through 2021. The Company's 2022 and 2023 tax years are being examined currently as part of the Qurate Retail consolidated return under the IRS's Compliance Assurance Process program. The Company files income tax returns in various states and foreign jurisdictions. As of December 31, 2023, the Company was under examination in Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Utah, New York City, Germany and the U.K.
(12)Commitments and Contingencies
The Company has contingent liabilities related to legal and tax proceedings and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Although it is reasonably possible the Company may incur losses upon conclusion of such matters, an estimate of any loss or range of loss cannot be made. In the opinion of management, it is expected that the amounts, if any, which may be required to satisfy such contingencies will not be material in relation to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
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Network and information systems, including the Internet and telecommunication systems, third party delivery services and other technologies are critical to QVC's business activities. Substantially all of QVC's customer orders, fulfillment and delivery services are dependent upon the use of network and information systems, including the use of third party telecommunication and delivery service providers. If information systems including the Internet or telecommunication services are disrupted, or if the third party delivery services experience a disruption in their transportation delivery services, the Company could face a significant disruption in fulfilling QVC's customer orders and shipment of QVC's products. The Company has active disaster recovery programs in place to help mitigate risks associated with these critical business activities.
(13)Related Party Transactions
During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, QVC and Zulily engaged in multiple transactions relating to sales, sourcing of merchandise, marketing initiatives, and business advisory services. Prior to Qurate Retail’s divestiture of Zulily, QVC allocated expenses of $3 million, $6 million, and $8 million to Zulily for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Zulily allocated expenses of $3 million, $9 million, and $8 million to QVC for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively.
In September 2020, QVC and Zulily executed a Master Promissory Note ("Promissory Note") whereby Zulily may borrow up to $100 million at a variable interest rate equal to the LIBOR rate plus an applicable margin rate. In connection with Qurate Retail’s divestiture of Zulily, the Promissory Note was terminated in May 2023. There were no borrowings on the Promissory Note as of December 31, 2022.
During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, QVC and CBI engaged in multiple transactions relating to personnel and business advisory services. QVC allocated expenses of $25 million, $29 million and $22 million to CBI for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively. CBI allocated expenses of $1 million to QVC for each of the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.
CBI is a co-borrower under the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (see note 7). In accordance with the accounting guidance for obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements, QVC will record a liability for amounts it has borrowed under the senior secured credit facility plus any additional amount it expects to repay on behalf of CBI. There were no borrowings by CBI outstanding on the Fifth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2023. As of December 31, 2022, there was $18 million borrowed by CBI on the senior secured credit facility, none of which the Company expected to repay on behalf of CBI.
On December 30, 2020, the Company and LIC completed an internal realignment of the Company's global finance structure that resulted in a common control transaction with Qurate Retail. As part of the common control transaction, LIC issued a promissory note (“LIC Note”) to a subsidiary of the Company with an initial face amount of $1.8 billion, a stated interest rate of 0.48% and a maturity of December 29, 2029. Interest on the LIC Note is paid annually. QVC recorded $9 million of related party interest income for each of the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, included in interest expense, net in the consolidated statement of operations.
(14)Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements
For assets and liabilities required to be reported or disclosed at fair value, U.S. GAAP provides a hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. Level 1 inputs are quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs, other than quoted market prices included within Level 1, are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.
The Company measures the fair value of money market funds based on quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. Money market funds are included as cash equivalents Level 1 fair value instruments in the table below. The 2067 Notes (ticker: QVCD) and the 2068 Notes (ticker: QVCC) are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, which the Company considers to be an "active market," as defined by U.S. GAAP. Therefore, these Notes are measured based on quoted prices in an active market and included as Level 1 fair value instruments in the table below. The remainder of the Company's debt instruments and derivative instruments are considered Level 2 fair value instruments and measured based on quoted market prices that are not considered to be traded on "active markets." Accordingly, these financial instruments are reported in the below tables as Level 2 fair value instruments.
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The Company’s assets and liabilities measured or disclosed at fair value were as follows:
| Fair value measurements at December 31, 2023 using | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | Total | Quoted pricesin activemarkets foridenticalassets(Level 1) | Significantotherobservableinputs(Level 2) | Significantunobservableinputs(Level 3) |
| Current assets: | ||||
| Cash equivalents | $41 | 41 | — | — |
| Current liabilities: | ||||
| Debt (note 7) | 420 | — | 420 | — |
| Long-term liabilities: | ||||
| Debt (note 7) | 2,950 | 328 | 2,622 | — |
| Fair value measurements at December 31, 2022 using | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | Total | Quoted pricesin activemarkets foridenticalassets(Level 1) | Significantotherobservableinputs(Level 2) | Significantunobservableinputs(Level 3) |
| Current assets: | ||||
| Cash equivalents | $64 | 64 | — | — |
| Current liabilities: | ||||
| Debt (note 7) | 213 | — | 213 | — |
| Foreign currency forward | 10 | — | 10 | — |
| Long-term liabilities: | ||||
| Debt (note 7) | 3,520 | 346 | 3,174 | — |
Interest Rate Swap Arrangement
In July 2019, the Company entered into a three-year interest swap arrangement with a notional amount of $125 million to mitigate the interest rate risk associated with interest payments related to its variable rate debt. The swap arrangement did not qualify as a cash flow hedge under U.S. GAAP. Changes in the fair value of the swap arrangement are reflected in (losses) gains on financial instruments in the consolidated statements of operations. The swap arrangement expired in July 2022.
Foreign Currency Forward Contracts
On October 31, 2022, the Company entered into foreign currency forward contracts with an aggregate notional amount of $167 million to mitigate the foreign currency risk associated with the sale and leaseback of Germany and U.K. properties. The forwards did not qualify as a cash flow hedge under U.S. GAAP. Changes in the fair value of the forwards are reflected in (losses) gains on financial instruments in the consolidated statements of operations. The forwards were in a net liability position of $10 million as of December 31, 2022, which was included in accrued liabilities. The contracts expired in January 2023 which resulted in a net cash settlement of $12 million.
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(15)Information about QVC's Operating Segments and Geographical Data
The Company evaluates performance and makes decisions about allocating resources to its operating segments based on financial measures such as net revenue, Adjusted OIBDA, gross margin, average sales price per unit, number of units shipped and revenue or sales per customer. For segment reporting purposes, the Company defines Adjusted OIBDA, as net revenue less cost of goods sold (excluding fire related costs, net of recoveries and Rocky Mount inventory losses, see note 17), operating expenses, and selling, general and administrative expenses (excluding stock-based compensation and restructuring costs). The Company believes this measure is an important indicator of the operational strength and performance of its segments by identifying those items that are not directly a reflection of each segment's performance or indicative of ongoing business trends. In addition, this measure allows management to view operating results and perform analytical comparisons and benchmarking among the Company's businesses and identify strategies to improve performance. This measure of performance excludes depreciation, amortization, impairment losses, gains on sale leaseback transactions, restructuring and fire related costs, net of recoveries, Rocky Mount inventory losses and stock-based compensation that are included in the measurement of operating income pursuant to U.S. GAAP. Accordingly, Adjusted OIBDA should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, operating income, net income, cash flow provided by operating activities and other measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
The Company's chief operating decision maker ("CODM") is the Company's Chief Executive Officer who has ultimate responsibility for enterprise decisions. QVC's CODM determines, in particular, resource allocation for, and monitors performance of, the consolidated enterprise, QxH, and QVC-International. The segment managers have responsibility for operating decisions, allocating resources and assessing performance within their respective segments. QVC's CODM relies on internal management reporting that analyzes enterprise results and segment results to the Adjusted OIBDA level (see below).
For the year ended December 31, 2023, QVC has identified QxH and QVC-International as its two reportable segments. Both operating segments are retailers of a wide range of consumer products, which are marketed and sold primarily by merchandise-focused televised-shopping programs as well as via the Internet and mobile applications in certain markets.
QVC allocates certain corporate costs for management reporting purposes from its QxH segment to the QVC-International segment. These management cost allocations are related to certain functions such as merchandising, commerce platforms, information technology, human resources, legal, finance, brand and communications, corporate development and administration that support all of QVC’s operations. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the costs allocated to QVC-International totaled $49 million, $46 million and $37 million, respectively.
Performance measures
| Years ended December 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| (in millions) | Netrevenue | AdjustedOIBDA | Netrevenue | AdjustedOIBDA | Netrevenue | AdjustedOIBDA |
| QxH | $6,995 | 746 | 7,359 | 750 | 8,277 | 1,439 |
| QVC-International | 2,454 | 325 | 2,528 | 358 | 3,077 | 562 |
| Consolidated QVC | $9,449 | 1,071 | 9,887 | 1,108 | 11,354 | 2,001 |
| Years ended December 31, | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | ||||
| (in millions) | Depreciation | Amortization | Depreciation | Amortization | Depreciation | Amortization |
| QxH | $59 | 265 | 77 | 277 | 105 | 256 |
| QVC-International | 31 | 17 | 34 | 13 | 54 | 14 |
| Consolidated QVC | $90 | 282 | 111 | 290 | 159 | 270 |
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| Years ended December 31, | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | |||
| (in millions) | Totalassets | Capitalexpenditures | Totalassets | Capitalexpenditures |
| QxH | $9,828 | 128 | 10,471 | 178 |
| QVC-International | 1,892 | 54 | 1,933 | 38 |
| Consolidated QVC | $11,720 | 182 | 12,404 | 216 |
Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, by segment was as follows:
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 |
| QxH | $263 | 280 |
| QVC-International | 164 | 192 |
| Consolidated QVC | $427 | 472 |
The following table provides a reconciliation of Adjusted OIBDA to income before income taxes:
| Years ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Adjusted OIBDA | $1,071 | 1,108 | 2,001 |
| Gains on sale of assets and sale leaseback transactions | 113 | 520 | — |
| Restructuring, penalties and fire related costs, net of (recoveries) (including Rocky Mount inventory losses) | 196 | 10 | (21) |
| Impairment losses | (326) | (2,600) | — |
| Stock-based compensation | (37) | (36) | (44) |
| Depreciation and amortization | (372) | (401) | (429) |
| Operating income (loss) | 645 | (1,399) | 1,507 |
| Equity in losses of investee | — | — | (2) |
| (Losses) gains on financial instruments | (1) | (9) | 8 |
| Interest expense, net | (228) | (228) | (249) |
| Foreign currency (loss) gain | (10) | 32 | (9) |
| Gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt | 10 | (6) | (7) |
| Other income | — | 20 | 11 |
| Income (loss) before income taxes | $416 | (1,590) | 1,259 |
The following table summarizes net revenues based on revenues generated by subsidiaries located within the identified geographic area:
| Years ended December 31, | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| United States | $6,995 | 7,359 | 8,277 |
| Japan | 945 | 1,017 | 1,167 |
| Germany | 788 | 813 | 1,027 |
| United Kingdom | 594 | 565 | 722 |
| Other countries | 127 | 133 | 161 |
| Consolidated QVC | $9,449 | 9,887 | 11,354 |
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The following table summarizes property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, based on physical location:
| December 31, | ||
|---|---|---|
| (in millions) | 2023 | 2022 |
| United States | $263 | 280 |
| Japan | 91 | 104 |
| Germany | 19 | 36 |
| United Kingdom | 26 | 25 |
| Other countries | 28 | 27 |
| Consolidated QVC | $427 | 472 |
(16)Employee Benefit Plans
In certain countries, QVC sponsors defined contribution plans, which provide employees an opportunity to make contributions to a trust for investment in a variety of securities. Generally, the Company makes matching contributions to the plans based on a percentage of the amount contributed by employees. The Company's cash contributions to the plans were $24 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 and $25 million for each of the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
(17)Restructuring, penalties and fire related costs, net of (recoveries)
Fire at Rocky Mount Fulfillment Center
On December 18, 2021, QVC experienced a fire at its Rocky Mount fulfillment center in North Carolina. Rocky Mount was the Company’s second-largest fulfillment center for QxH and the Company’s primary returns center for hard goods. The Company maintains property, general liability and business interruption insurance coverage. Based on the provisions of QVC’s insurance policies, the Company recorded estimated insurance recoveries for fire related costs for which recovery was deemed probable. As of December 31, 2022 the Company had an insurance receivable of $40 million, recorded in accounts receivable in the consolidated balance sheet.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded $157 million of fire related costs including $95 million for the write-down of Rocky Mount inventory which was included in Cost of goods sold. Due to the circumstances surrounding the write-down of the inventory, this write-down has been excluded from Adjusted OIBDA (as defined in note 15).
In February 2023, QVC sold the Rocky Mount fulfillment center to an independent third party and as of December 31, 2023 received net cash proceeds of $19 million. QVC recognized gains on the sale of $17 million during the year ended December 31, 2023, calculated as the difference between the aggregate consideration received and the carrying value of the property. The gain is included in restructuring, penalties and fire related costs, net of (recoveries) in the consolidated statement of operations.
In June 2023, the Company agreed to a final insurance settlement with its insurance company and received all remaining proceeds related to the Rocky Mount claim. As of December 31, 2022 and 2023, the Company recorded cumulative fire related costs of $407 million and $439 million, respectively. Cumulative costs as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2023 include $119 million of costs that were not reimbursable by QVC’s insurance policies. As of December 31, 2022 and 2023, the Company received cumulative insurance proceeds of $380 million and $660 million, respectively and recorded net gains, representing the proceeds received in excess of recoverable losses recognized, of $132 million and $208 million respectively. Of the $280 million of insurance proceeds received during the year ended December 31, 2023, $210 million represents recoveries for business interruption losses. The fire related costs and gains related to insurance recoveries are included in restructuring, penalties and fire related costs, net of (recoveries) in the consolidated statement of operations.
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Project Athens
On June 27, 2022, Qurate Retail announced a five-point turnaround plan designed to stabilize and differentiate its core HSN and QVC-U.S. businesses and expand the Company's leadership in video streaming commerce (“Project Athens”). Project Athens main initiatives include: (i) improve customer experience and grow relationships; (ii) rigorously execute core processes; (iii) lower cost to serve; (iv) optimize the brand portfolio; and (v) build new high growth businesses anchored in strength.
Improve customer experience and grow relationships. QVC is focused on rebuilding stronger connections with their customers. In order to improve customer experience and grow relationships, QVC is working to optimize programming using advanced analytics to align product offerings, promotions and airtime with customer preferences. In addition, we expect to invest in infrastructure which will endeavor to improve the customer's order to delivery experience by reducing shipping time and improving shipment tracking visibility. QVC will continue to focus on customer loyalty through providing customers with a more personalized experience.
Rigorously execute core processes. QVC is enhancing its core processes to deliver the human story telling experience behind a product while also sharing a clear and compelling value proposition. In order to rigorously execute core processes, QVC will optimize pricing and assortment by investing in enhanced Information Technology systems that will support real-time pricing and promotion adjustments at an item level. QVC will also focus on growing our private label brands to drive revenue and margin at productive scale.
Lower cost to serve. QVC is right sizing its cost base to improve profitability and cash generation. In order to lower cost to serve, QVC will enhance review of spending to identify cost savings opportunities and opportunities to create new operational efficiencies, through end-to-end product and process reviews and leveraging technology and process automation. Additionally, we will improve product margin through lower fulfillment costs, freight optimization and higher productivity.
Optimize the brand portfolio. Qurate Retail divested Zulily in the second quarter of 2023 consistent with its goal of optimizing the brand portfolio. Qurate Retail is exploring untapped opportunities to maximize brand value.
Build new high growth business anchored in strength. Finally, QVC is focused on expanding in the video streaming shopping market. In order to build new high growth businesses anchored in strength, QVC expects to expand streaming viewership by improving the current streaming experience with enhanced video and navigation and seamless transactions. Additionally, QVC is shaping the future streaming experience with exclusive content, program and deal concepts. We are also building a next generation shopping app featuring vendors with self-made content.
During 2022, QVC commenced the first phase of Project Athens, including actions to reduce inventory and a planned workforce reduction that was completed in February 2023. These initiatives are consistent with QVC’s strategy to operate more efficiently as it implements its turnaround plan. During the year ended December 31, 2023, QVC implemented a workforce reduction and recorded restructuring charges of $13 million in restructuring, penalties and fire related costs, net of (recoveries) in the consolidated statement of operations.
Other
In October 2023, HSN entered into a settlement agreement with the CPSC in which HSN agreed to pay a civil penalty of $16 million to settle the CPSC’s claim that HSN allegedly failed to timely submit a report under the CPSA in relation to handheld clothing steamers sold by HSN under the Joy Mangano brand names My Little Steamer® and My Little Steamer® Go Mini that were subject to a voluntary recall previously announced on May 26, 2021. The settlement agreement also requires HSN to implement and maintain a compliance program to ensure compliance with the CPSA. The civil penalty was recorded in restructuring, penalties and fire related costs, net of (recoveries) in the consolidated statement of operations.
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(18)Subsequent Events
In December 2023, QVC entered into an agreement to sell an owned and operated property in Germany to an independent third party. This property is owned as of December 31, 2023, but is included in assets held for sale noncurrent in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.
On February 27, 2024, QVC delivered a notice of redemption to the trustee and holders of the 2024 Notes. Pursuant to the notice of redemption, QVC expects to redeem the remaining outstanding 2024 Notes in full on March 28, 2024.
QVC declared and paid dividends to Qurate Retail in the amount of $42 million from January 1, 2024 to February 28, 2024.
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Part III
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.