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Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
6 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Fox Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“FOX” or the “Company”), is a news, sports and entertainment company, which manages and reports its businesses in the following segments: Cable Network Programming, Television and Other, Corporate and Eliminations.

The Proposed Distribution

On June 20, 2018, Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. (“Twenty-First Century Fox” or “21CF”), The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”), TWDC Holdco 613 Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Disney (“New Disney”), and certain other subsidiaries of Disney entered into an Amended and Restated Merger Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated June 20, 2018 (the “21CF Disney Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, 21CF will merge with and into a subsidiary of New Disney (the “21CF Merger”), Disney will merge with and into a subsidiary of New Disney (the “Disney Merger,” and together with the 21CF Merger, the “mergers”), and each of Disney and 21CF will become wholly-owned subsidiaries of New Disney. A condition to the consummation of the mergers includes the consummation of the Distribution (as defined below).

In connection with the 21CF Disney Merger Agreement and prior to the Distribution, 21CF and its wholly owned subsidiary, FOX, expect to enter into a separation agreement (the “Separation Agreement”), which will become effective on March 19, 2019. Pursuant to the Separation Agreement, 21CF will, among other things, engage in the separation (the “Separation”), whereby it will transfer to FOX a portfolio of 21CF’s news, sports and broadcast businesses, including FOX NewsFOX Business, FOX Broadcasting Company (the “FOX Network”), FOX Sports, FOX Television Stations Group, and sports cable networks FS1, FS2, FOX Deportes and Big Ten Network (collectively, the “FOX business”), and certain other assets, and FOX will assume from 21CF certain liabilities associated with such businesses and certain other liabilities. 21CF will retain all assets and liabilities not transferred to FOX, including the Twentieth Century Fox film and television studios and certain cable and international television businesses. Following the Separation and prior to the completion of the mergers, 21CF will distribute all of the issued and outstanding common stock of FOX to 21CF’s stockholders (other than holders that are subsidiaries of 21CF) on a pro rata basis (the “Distribution”), in accordance with the Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 20, 2018, by and between 21CF and 21CF Distribution Merger Sub, Inc. The Separation and Distribution are anticipated to be completed on March 19, 2019 as part of the series of transactions contemplated by the 21CF Disney Merger Agreement (collectively, the “Transactions”). Following the completion of the Separation and Distribution, FOX will become a standalone public company.

Immediately prior to the Distribution, FOX will pay to 21CF a dividend in the amount of $8.5 billion (the “Dividend”), in immediately available funds. FOX has incurred indebtedness (See Note 5 - Borrowings) that will be, together with available cash, sufficient to fund the Dividend, which cash will be replenished and/or indebtedness will be reduced after the mergers by the amount of the Cash Payment (as defined below), if any.

At the open of business on the business day immediately following the date of the Distribution, if the final estimate of the taxes in respect of the Separation and Distribution and divestitures (as well as certain taxes related to the operations of the FOX business from and after January 1, 2018 through the closing of the Transactions) (collectively, the “Transaction Tax”), is lower than $8.5 billion, Disney will make a cash payment to FOX (the “Cash Payment”), which Cash Payment will be the amount obtained by subtracting the final estimate of the Transaction Tax from $8.5 billion, up to a maximum Cash Payment of $2 billion. After the completion of the mergers, FOX will promptly replenish its cash used, and/or reduce the indebtedness incurred, to fund the Dividend by the amount of the Cash Payment, if any.

In connection with the Transactions, the Company expects to enter into certain other related agreements which govern certain aspects of the Company’s relationship with 21CF and Disney following the Separation and which will become effective on March 19, 2019. These include (i) a tax matters agreement, (ii) intellectual property license agreements, (iii) a studio lot lease and management agreement, (iv) transition services agreements, (v) commercial agreements and (vi) an employee matters agreement.

Basis of Presentation

The Unaudited Combined Financial Statements of FOX were prepared on a standalone basis, derived from the unaudited consolidated financial statements and accounting records of 21CF. These statements reflect the combined historical results of operations, financial position and cash flows of 21CF’s domestic news, national sports and broadcast businesses and certain other assets and liabilities associated with such businesses in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. In the opinion of management, all adjustments consisting only of normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation have been reflected in these Unaudited Combined Financial Statements. Operating results for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019.

These interim Unaudited Combined Financial Statements and notes thereto should be read in conjunction with the audited combined financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 10, as amended and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on January 7, 2019 (the “Form 10”).

These financial statements are presented as if such businesses had been combined for all periods presented. The assets and liabilities in the Unaudited Combined Financial Statements have been reflected on a historical cost basis, as immediately prior to the Distribution all of the assets and liabilities presented are wholly owned by 21CF and are being transferred to the combined FOX group at carry-over basis. The Unaudited Combined Statements of Operations include allocations for certain support functions that are provided on a centralized basis within 21CF and not recorded at the business unit level, such as certain expenses related to finance, legal, insurance, information technology, compliance and human resources management activities, among others. 21CF does not routinely allocate these costs to any of its business units. These expenses have been allocated to FOX on the basis of direct usage when identifiable, with the remainder allocated on a pro rata basis of combined revenues, headcount or other relevant measures. Management believes the assumptions underlying the Unaudited Combined Financial Statements, including the assumptions regarding allocating general corporate expenses from 21CF, are reasonable. Nevertheless, the Unaudited Combined Financial Statements may not include all of the actual expenses that would have been incurred by FOX and may not reflect FOX’s combined results of operations, financial position and cash flows had it been a standalone company during the periods presented. Actual costs that would have been incurred if FOX had been a standalone company would depend on multiple factors, including organizational structure and strategic decisions made in various areas, including information technology and infrastructure.

The income tax (expense) benefit in the Unaudited Combined Statements of Operations has been calculated as if FOX filed a separate tax return and was operating as a standalone business. Therefore, cash tax payments and items of current and deferred taxes may not be reflective of FOX’s actual tax balances prior to or subsequent to the Distribution. In addition, as a result of the Separation and Distribution, FOX will obtain a tax basis in its assets equal to their respective fair market values, which is expected to result in additional annual tax deductions, principally over the next 15 years.

The Unaudited Combined Financial Statements include certain assets and liabilities that have historically been held at 21CF’s corporate level but are specifically identifiable or otherwise attributable to the Company. All significant intracompany transactions and accounts within the Company’s combined businesses have been eliminated.

Intercompany transactions with 21CF or its affiliates and the Company are reflected in the historical Combined Financial Statements. All significant intercompany balances between 21CF and the Company have been included within the 21CF investment in these Unaudited Combined Financial Statements.

Any change in the Company’s ownership interest in a combined subsidiary, where a controlling financial interest is retained, is accounted for as a capital transaction. When the Company ceases to have a controlling interest in a combined subsidiary, the Company will recognize a gain or loss in net income upon deconsolidation.

The preparation of the Company’s Unaudited Combined Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts that are reported in the Unaudited Combined Financial Statements and accompanying disclosures. Although these estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of current events and actions that the Company may undertake in the future, actual results may differ from those estimates.

The Company’s fiscal year ends on June 30 of each year. Certain fiscal 2018 amounts have been reclassified to conform to the fiscal 2019 presentation.

Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Guidance and U.S. Tax Reform

Adopted

In January 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-01, “Financial Instruments––Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“ASU 2016-01”). The amendments in ASU 2016-01 address certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. The Company adopted this guidance as of July 1, 2018 on a modified retrospective basis and recorded a cumulative effect adjustment to reclassify unrealized holding gains on securities within Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income to 21CF investment (See Note 6 – Equity). In addition, the Company recorded changes in the fair value of equity investments with readily determinable fair values in Net income rather than in Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income (See Note 12 – Additional Financial Information under the heading “Other, net”). Cost method investments that do not have readily determinable fair values will be recognized prospectively at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. The adjustments related to the observable price changes will also be recognized in net income.

On July 1, 2018, the Company early adopted ASU 2018-02, “Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income” (“ASU 2018-02”) on a prospective basis using the security-by-security approach. The objective of ASU 2018-02 is to eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act (as defined below) and to improve the usefulness of information reported to financial statement users. The adoption of ASU 2018-02 resulted in a reclassification from Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income to 21CF investment related to the income tax effects on the change in the federal statutory rate (See Note 6 – Equity).

Issued

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“Topic 842”), as amended. Topic 842 requires recognition of lease liabilities and right-of-use assets on the balance sheet and disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. Topic 842 will be effective for the Company for annual and interim reporting periods beginning July 1, 2019. The Company expects to apply Topic 842 on a modified retrospective basis with the cumulative effect, if any, of initially applying the new guidance recognized at the date of adoption as an adjustment to opening retained earnings. The Company is currently evaluating the impact Topic 842 will have on its combined financial statements, including determining which practical expedients to apply. Since the Company has a significant amount of minimum lease commitments (See Note 11 – Commitments and Contingencies in the Form 10), the Company expects that the impact of recognizing operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets will be significant to the Company’s Combined Balance Sheet. The Company is in process of gathering the necessary lease data and implementing accounting lease software for all leases as well as assessing necessary changes to the Company’s processes and controls to support the recognition and disclosure requirements in accordance with the new standard.

In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-02, “Entertainment—Films—Other Assets—Film Costs (Subtopic 926-20) and Entertainment—Broadcasters—Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Subtopic 920-350): Improvements to Accounting for Costs of Films and License Agreements for Program Materials” (“ASU 2019-02”). The amendments in ASU 2019-02 align the accounting for production costs of episodic television series with the accounting for production costs of films. In addition, ASU 2019-02 modifies certain aspects of the capitalization, impairment, presentation and disclosure requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 926-20 and the impairment, presentation and disclosure requirements in ASC 920-350. ASU 2019-02 will be effective for the Company for annual and interim reporting periods beginning July 1, 2020 on a prospective basis. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact ASU 2019-02 will have on its combined financial statements.

U.S. Tax Reform

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. government enacted tax legislation commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). The Tax Act significantly revises the future ongoing U.S. corporate income tax by, among other things, lowering U.S. corporate income tax rates and implementing a territorial tax system. Effective July 1, 2018, the Company’s corporate income tax rate is 21%.

The SEC issued guidance that allowed for a measurement period of up to one year after the enactment date of the Tax Act to finalize the recording of the related tax impacts. As of December 31, 2018, the Company has finalized its analysis and has not materially modified the provisional amounts previously recorded in the combined financial statements (See Note 2 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Form 10 under the heading “U.S. Tax Reform”).