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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of consolidation and combination

The Financial Statements include the accounts of all majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. In addition, the Company evaluates its relationships with other entities to identify whether they are variable interest entities as defined by Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810-10, “Consolidation” (“ASC 810-10”) and whether the Company is the primary beneficiary. Consolidation is required if both of these criteria are met.

The Financial Statements, for periods prior to the Distribution, include certain assets and liabilities that were historically 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 consolidated and combined businesses have been eliminated.

Intercompany transactions with 21CF or its affiliates and the Company are reflected in the historical Financial Statements for periods prior to the Distribution. All significant intercompany balances between 21CF and the Company, for periods prior to the Distribution, have been included within the Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc. investment in these Financial Statements.

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

The Company’s fiscal year ends on June 30 (“fiscal”) of each year.

Reclassifications and adjustments

Certain fiscal 2020 and 2019 amounts have been reclassified to conform to the fiscal 2021 presentation.

Use of estimates

The preparation of the Company’s Financial Statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts that are reported

in the 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 coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic has resulted in widespread and continuing negative impacts on the macroeconomic environment and disruption to the Company’s business. Weak economic conditions and increased volatility and disruption in the financial markets pose risks to the Company and its business partners, including advertisers whose expenditures tend to reflect overall economic conditions. Although the COVID-19 pandemic did not cause a significant reduction in the Company’s advertisers’ spending in fiscal 2021, future declines in the economic prospects of advertisers or the economy in general could negatively impact their advertising expenditures further. To date, the Company has not experienced meaningful subscriber declines due to the pandemic. However, there could be industry-wide changes in consumer behavior due to the pandemic, such as increasing numbers of consumers canceling or foregoing subscriptions to multi-channel video programming distributor (“MVPD”) services, that could adversely affect the Company’s affiliate fee and advertising revenues. In addition, the Company’s business depends on the volume and popularity of the content it distributes, particularly sports content. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been cancellations or postponements of live sports events to which the Company has broadcast rights and suspensions of the production of certain entertainment content. These content disruptions have adversely affected the Company’s advertising and affiliate fee revenues and there could be additional adverse impacts on its advertising or affiliate fee revenues in the future. To the extent the COVID-19 or other pandemic further negatively impacts the timing of or the Company’s ability to air sports events, particularly Major League Baseball (“MLB”), National Football League (“NFL”) or college sports, it could result in a significantly greater adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations than the Company has experienced thus far.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and marketable securities with original maturities of three months or less.

Receivables

Receivables are presented net of an allowance for doubtful accounts, which is an estimate of amounts that may not be collectible. The allowance for doubtful accounts is estimated based on historical experience, receivable aging, current expected collections, current economic trends and specific identification of certain receivables that are at risk of not being paid.

Receivables, net consist of:

 

 

 

As of June 30,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

(in millions)

 

Total receivables

 

$

2,106

 

 

$

1,981

 

Allowances for doubtful accounts

 

 

(77

)

 

 

(93

)

Total receivables, net

 

$

2,029

 

 

$

1,888

 

 

Inventories

Programming Rights

In accordance with ASC 920, “Entertainment—Broadcasters” (“ASC 920”), costs incurred in acquiring program rights or producing programs for the Cable Network Programming and Television segments, including advances, are capitalized and amortized over the license period or projected useful life of the programming. Program rights and the related liabilities are recorded at the gross amount of the liabilities when the license period has begun, the cost of the program is determinable and the program is accepted and available for airing. Under ASC 920 the Company classifies entertainment programming rights with a contract duration of longer than a year in non-current inventories, net on the Balance Sheet. Advances on sports events expected to be broadcast within one year and programs with an initial license period of one year or less are recorded in the current portion of inventories, net. Television broadcast network entertainment

programming, which includes acquired series, co-produced series, movies and other programs, are amortized primarily on an accelerated basis.

The Company has single and multi-year contracts for broadcast rights of programs and sports events. The Company evaluates the recoverability of the unamortized costs associated therewith, using total estimated advertising and other revenues attributable to the program material and considering the Company’s expectations of the usefulness of the program rights. The recoverability of entertainment programming is generally assessed on a contract basis and the recoverability of certain sports rights contracts for content broadcast on the FOX Network and the sports channels is assessed on an aggregate basis. Where an evaluation indicates that these multi-year contracts will result in an asset that is not recoverable, amortization of rights is accelerated in an amount equal to the amount by which the unamortized costs exceed fair value. The costs of multi-year sports contracts at the FOX Network and the sports channels are primarily amortized based on the ratio of each current period’s attributable revenue for each contract to the estimated total remaining attributable revenue for each contract. Estimates can change and, accordingly, are reviewed periodically and amortization is adjusted as necessary. Such changes in the future could be material.

Investments

Investments in and advances to entities or joint ventures in which the Company has significant influence, but less than a controlling financial interest, are accounted for using the equity method. Significant influence generally exists when the Company owns an interest between 20% and 50%.

In accordance with ASC 321 “Investments—Equity Securities” (“ASC 321”), equity securities which the Company has no significant influence (generally less than a 20% ownership interest) with readily determinable fair values are accounted for at fair value based on quoted market prices. Equity securities without readily determinable fair values are accounted for either at fair value or using the measurement alternative which is 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. All gains and losses on investments in equity securities are recognized in the Statements of Operations.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over an estimated useful life of three to 40 years for buildings and leaseholds and three to 10 years for machinery and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of their useful lives or the life of the lease. Costs associated with the repair and maintenance of property are expensed as incurred. Changes in circumstances, such as technological advances, or changes to the Company’s business model or capital strategy, could result in the actual useful lives differing from the Company’s estimates. In those cases where the Company determines that the estimated useful life of property, plant and equipment should be shortened, the Company depreciates the asset over its revised remaining useful life, thereby increasing depreciation expense.

Goodwill and intangible assets

The Company’s intangible assets include goodwill, Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) licenses, MVPD affiliate agreements and relationships, and trademarks and other copyrighted products. Intangible assets acquired in business combinations are recorded at their estimated fair value at the date of acquisition. Goodwill is recorded as the difference between the consideration transferred to acquire entities and the estimated fair values assigned to their tangible and identifiable intangible net assets. Amounts recorded as goodwill are assigned to more than one reporting unit as of the acquisition date when more than one reporting unit is expected to benefit from the synergies of the combination. In accordance with ASC 350 “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other” (“ASC 350”), the Company’s goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, which primarily consist of FCC licenses, are tested annually for impairment, or earlier, if events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value below its carrying amount. The impairment assessment of indefinite-lived intangibles compares the fair value of the assets to their carrying value. Intangible assets with finite lives are generally amortized over their estimated useful lives. The average useful life of amortizable intangible assets ranges from three to 20 years.

Annual Impairment Review

Goodwill

If the Company determines it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount after a qualitative assessment, the Company performs a quantitative impairment test to calculate the fair value of the reporting unit and compare it with its carrying amount, including goodwill. In performing the quantitative assessment, the Company determines the fair value of a reporting unit primarily by using discounted cash flow analysis and market-based valuation approach methodologies. Determining fair value requires the exercise of significant judgments, including judgments about appropriate discount rates, long-term growth rates, company earnings multiples and relevant comparable transactions, as applicable, and the amount and timing of expected future cash flows. The cash flows employed in the analyses are based on the Company’s estimated outlook and various growth rates have been assumed for years beyond the long-term business plan period. Discount rate assumptions are based on an assessment of the risk inherent in the future cash flows of the respective reporting units. In assessing the reasonableness of its determined fair values, the Company evaluates its results against other value indicators, such as comparable public company trading values. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not impaired. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

FCC licenses

The Company performs impairment reviews consisting of a comparison of the estimated fair value of the Company’s FCC licenses with their carrying amount on a station-by-station basis using a discounted cash flow valuation method, assuming a hypothetical start-up scenario for a broadcast station in each of the markets the Company operates in. The significant assumptions used are the discount rate and terminal growth rates and operating margins, as well as industry data on future advertising revenues in the markets where the Company owns television stations. These assumptions are based on actual third-party historical performance and estimates of future performance in each market.

Leases

The Company has lease agreements primarily for office facilities and other equipment. At contract inception, the Company determines if a contract is or contains a lease and whether it is an operating or finance lease. The Company does not separate lease components from nonlease components for real estate leases.

For operating leases that have a lease term of greater than one year, the Company initially recognizes operating lease liabilities and right-of-use (“ROU”) assets at the lease commencement date, which is the date that the lessor makes an underlying asset available for use by the Company. ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the present value of the Company’s obligation to make lease payments, primarily escalating fixed payments, over the lease term. The discount rate used to determine the present value of the lease payments is generally the Company’s incremental borrowing rate because the rate implicit in the lease is generally not readily determinable. The incremental borrowing rate for the lease term is determined by adjusting the Company’s unsecured borrowing rate for a similar term to approximate a collateralized borrowing rate. The Company's lease terms for each of its leases represents the noncancelable period for which the Company has the right to use an underlying asset, together with all of the following: (i) periods covered by an option to extend the lease if the Company is reasonably certain to exercise that option; (ii) periods covered by an option to terminate the lease if the Company is reasonably certain not to exercise that option; and (iii) periods covered by an option to extend (or not to terminate) the lease in which exercise of the option is controlled by the lessor. The Company recognizes lease payments as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

The Company’s operating ROU assets are included in Other non-current assets and the Company’s current and non-current operating lease liabilities are included in Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities and Other liabilities, respectively, in the Company’s Balance Sheet (See Note 21—Additional Financial Information).

Asset impairments

Investments

Equity method investments are reviewed for impairment by comparing their fair value to their respective carrying amounts. The Company determines the fair value of its private company investments by considering available information, including recent investee equity transactions, discounted cash flow analyses, estimates based on comparable public company operating multiples and, in certain situations, balance sheet liquidation values. If the fair value of the investment has dropped below the carrying amount, management considers several factors when determining whether an other-than-temporary decline in market value has occurred, including the length of time and extent to which the market value has been below cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer of the security, the intent and ability of the Company to retain its investment in the issuer for a period of time sufficient to allow for any anticipated recovery in market value and other factors influencing the fair market value, such as general market conditions.

The Company regularly reviews equity securities not accounted for using the equity method or at fair value for impairment based on a qualitative assessment which includes, but is not limited to (i) significant deterioration in the earnings performance, credit rating, asset quality or business prospects of the investee, (ii) significant adverse changes in the regulatory, economic or technological environment of the investee and (iii) significant adverse changes in the general market condition of either the geographical area or the industry in which the investee operates. If an equity security is impaired, an impairment loss is recognized in the Statements of Operations equal to the difference between the fair value of the investment and its carrying amount.

Long-lived assets

ASC 360, “Property, Plant, and Equipment,” ASC 842, “Leases” and ASC 350 require that the Company periodically review the carrying amounts of its long-lived assets, including property, plant and equipment, ROU assets and finite-lived intangible assets, to determine whether current events or circumstances indicate that such carrying amounts may not be recoverable. If the carrying amount of the asset or asset group is greater than the expected undiscounted cash flows to be generated by such asset or asset group, an impairment adjustment is recognized and is measured as the amount by which the carrying value of such asset or asset group exceeds its fair value. The Company generally measures fair value by considering sale prices for similar assets or by discounting estimated future cash flows using an appropriate discount rate. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate the fair value of assets; accordingly, actual results could vary significantly from such estimates. Assets to be disposed of are carried at the lower of their financial statement carrying amount or fair value less their costs to sell.

Revenue recognition

Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to the Company’s customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company considers the terms of each arrangement to determine the appropriate accounting treatment.

The Company generates advertising revenue from sales of commercial time within the Company’s network programming to be aired by television networks and cable channels, and from sales of broadcast advertising time on the Company’s owned and operated television stations and various digital properties. Advertising revenue from customers, primarily advertising agencies, is recognized as the commercials are aired. Certain of the Company’s advertising contracts have guarantees of a certain number of targeted audience views, referred to as impressions. Revenues for any audience deficiencies are deferred until the guaranteed number of impressions is met, by providing additional advertisements. Advertising contracts, which are generally short-term, are billed monthly for the spots aired during the month, with payments due shortly after the invoice date.

The Company generates affiliate fee revenue from affiliate agreements with traditional and digital MVPDs (as defined in Note 17—Segment Information) for cable network programming and for the broadcast of the Company’s owned and operated television stations. In addition, the Company generates affiliate fee revenue from agreements with independently owned television stations that are affiliated with the FOX Network and receives retransmission consent fees from traditional and digital MVPDs for their signals. Affiliate fee revenue is recognized at a point in time when the network programming is made available to the customer. For contracts with affiliate fees based on the number of the affiliate’s subscribers, revenues are recognized based on the contractual rate multiplied by the estimated number of subscribers each period. For contracts with fixed affiliate fees, revenues are recognized based on the relative standalone selling price

of the network programming provided over the contract term, which generally reflects the invoiced amount. Affiliate contracts are generally multi-year contracts with payments due monthly.

The Company classifies the amortization of cable distribution investments (capitalized fees paid to MVPDs to facilitate carriage of a cable network) against affiliate fee revenue in accordance with ASC 606-10-32-25 through 27, “Revenue Recognition—Consideration Payable to a Customer.” The Company defers the cable distribution investments and amortizes the amounts on a straight-line basis over the contract period.

Advertising expenses

The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred in accordance with ASC 720-35, “Other Expenses—Advertising Cost.” Advertising expenses recognized totaled $558 million, $425 million and $388 million for fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively.

Income taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (“ASC 740”). ASC 740 requires an asset and liability approach for financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Under the asset and liability approach, deferred taxes are provided for the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Valuation allowances are established where management determines that it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

Earnings per share

Basic earnings per share for the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock is calculated by dividing Net income attributable to Fox Corporation stockholders by the weighted average number of outstanding shares of Class A Common Stock, including vested restricted stock units (“RSUs”), and Class B Common Stock. Diluted earnings per share for the Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock is calculated similarly, except that the calculation for the Class A Common Stock includes the dilutive effect of the assumed issuance of the shares issuable under the Company’s equity-based compensation plan.

On March 19, 2019, the date of the Distribution, 621 million shares of the Company’s Common Stock were distributed to 21CF stockholders (other than holders that were subsidiaries of 21CF). These 621 million shares have been utilized for the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share for all periods presented that ended prior to the date of the Distribution as no shares of common stock or equity-based awards of the Company were outstanding prior to that date (See Note 12—Equity-Based Compensation).

Equity-based compensation

The Company accounts for share-based payments in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation—Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”). ASC 718 requires that the cost resulting from all share-based payment transactions be recognized in the Financial Statements. ASC 718 establishes fair value as the measurement objective in accounting for share-based payment arrangements and requires all companies to apply a fair value-based measurement method in accounting for generally all share-based payment transactions with employees. The Company recognizes compensation cost for awards granted that have only service requirements and a graded vesting schedule on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. The Company accounts for forfeitures when they occur.

For periods prior to the Distribution, the Company’s employees participated in 21CF’s equity-based compensation plans. Equity-based compensation expense was allocated to the Company based on the awards and terms previously granted to the Company employees. In connection with the Distribution, certain 21CF equity awards were converted into new equity awards of the Company (See Note 12—Equity-Based Compensation).

Financial instruments

The carrying value of the Company’s financial instruments, such as cash and cash equivalents, receivables, payables and investments accounted for using the measurement alternative in accordance with ASC 321, approximates fair value. The fair value of financial instruments is generally determined by reference to market values resulting from trading on a national securities exchange or in an over-the-counter market.

Redeemable noncontrolling interests

The Company accounts for redeemable noncontrolling interests in accordance with ASC 480-10-S99-3A, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity,” because their exercise is outside the control of the Company. The redeemable noncontrolling interests recorded are put rights held by minority shareholders in a majority-owned sports network and in Credible Labs Inc. (“Credible”). The Company accretes the changes in the redemption value of the redeemable noncontrolling interests over the period of issuance to the earliest redemption date. If a redeemable noncontrolling interest is redeemable at fair value, adjustments to the carrying amount are recorded in retained earnings. If a redeemable noncontrolling interest is redeemable at an amount in excess of fair value, the portion of the adjustment that reflects a redemption in excess of fair value is presented within net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Statements of Operations.

Concentrations of credit risk

Cash and cash equivalents are maintained with several financial institutions. The Company has deposits held with banks that exceed the amount of insurance provided on such deposits. Generally, these deposits may be redeemed upon demand and are maintained with financial institutions of reputable credit and, therefore, bear minimal credit risk.

Generally, the Company does not require collateral to secure receivables. As of June 30, 2021, the Company had one customer that accounted for approximately 11% of the Company’s receivables. As of June 30, 2020, the Company had no individual customers that accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s receivables.

Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Guidance and the CARES Act

Adopted

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (“ASU 2016-13”), as amended. On July 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13 on a modified retrospective basis. The amendments in ASU 2016-13 require, among other things, financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected as compared to previous GAAP which delayed recognition until it was probable a loss had been incurred. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on the Company’s Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract” (“ASU 2018-15”). On July 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2018-15 on a prospective basis. The amendments in ASU 2018-15 require implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract to be capitalized using the same guidance for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. In addition, ASU 2018-15 provides guidance regarding the term over which capitalized implementation costs are to be amortized and requires specific financial statement presentation and disclosures. The adoption of ASU 2018-15 did not have a material impact on the Company’s Financial Statements.

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”). On July 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2019-02 on a prospective basis and reclassified entertainment programming rights, with a contract duration of longer than a year, that were previously classified as the current portion of inventories, net to non-current inventories, net on the Balance Sheet. The amendments in ASU 2019-02 align the accounting treatment for production costs of episodic television series with the accounting treatment for production costs of films. In addition,

ASU 2019-02 modifies certain aspects of the amortization, impairment, presentation and disclosure requirements in ASC 926-20 and the impairment, presentation and disclosure requirements in ASC 920-350, including eliminating the balance sheet classification guidance. The adoption of ASU 2019-02 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s Financial Statements.

CARES Act

In March 2020, the U.S. government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”). The CARES Act includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferral of the employer portion of certain payroll taxes, net operating loss carryback periods, modifications to net interest deduction limitations and technical corrections to tax depreciation methods for qualified improvement property. The Company does not expect these changes to have a material impact on its financial statements.