XML 23 R9.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.1.900
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, RELATED MATTERS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, RELATED MATTERS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION [Abstract]  
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, RELATED MATTERS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS, RELATED MATTERS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
The Company and Related Matters
Cablevision Systems Corporation ("Cablevision"), through its wholly-owned subsidiary CSC Holdings, LLC ("CSC Holdings," and collectively with Cablevision, the "Company"), owns and operates cable systems and owns companies that provide regional news, local programming and advertising sales services for the cable television industry, provide Ethernet-based data, Internet, voice and video transport and managed services to the business market, and operate a newspaper publishing business.  The Company classifies its operations into three reportable segments: (1) Cable, consisting principally of its video, high-speed data, and Voice over Internet Protocol ("VoIP") operations, (2) Lightpath, which provides Ethernet-based data, Internet, voice and video transport and managed services to the business market in the New York metropolitan area; and (3) Other, consisting principally of (i) Newsday, which includes the Newsday daily newspaper, amNew York, Star Community Publishing Group, and online websites, (ii) the News 12 Networks, which provide regional news programming services, (iii) Cablevision Media Sales Corporation ("Cablevision Media Sales"), a cable television advertising company, and (iv) certain other businesses and unallocated corporate costs.
On June 27, 2013, the Company completed the sale of substantially all of its Clearview Cinemas' theaters ("Clearview Cinemas") pursuant to the asset purchase agreement entered into in April 2013 (the "Clearview Sale").  On July 1, 2013, the Company completed the sale of its Bresnan Broadband Holdings, LLC subsidiary ("Bresnan Cable") pursuant to the purchase agreement entered into in February 2013, for $1,625,000 (the "Bresnan Sale").  The Company received net cash of approximately $675,000, which reflects certain adjustments, including an approximate $962,000 reduction for certain funded indebtedness of Bresnan Cable, and transaction costs.  The Company recorded a pre-tax gain of approximately $408,000 for the year ended December 31, 2013 relating to the Bresnan Sale. During 2014, the Company recorded a pre-tax gain of $5,848 relating primarily to the settlement of a contingency related to Montana property taxes associated with Bresnan Cable.
Effective as of the closing dates of the Clearview Sale and the Bresnan Sale, the Company no longer consolidates the financial results of Clearview Cinemas and Bresnan Cable.  Accordingly, the historical financial results of Clearview Cinemas and Bresnan Cable have been reflected in the Company's consolidated financial statements as discontinued operations for all periods presented. 
Altice Merger
On September 16, 2015, Cablevision entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among Altice N.V. (“Altice”), Neptune Merger Sub Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Altice (“Merger Sub”), and Cablevision. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Merger Sub will be merged with and into Cablevision (the “Merger”), with Cablevision surviving as a subsidiary of Altice.
In connection with the Merger, each outstanding share of the Cablevision NY Group ("CNYG") Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“CNYG Class A Shares”), and Cablevision NY Group Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“CNYG Class B Shares”, and together with the CNYG Class A Shares, the “Shares”) (other than (i) Shares owned by Cablevision, Altice or any of their respective wholly-owned subsidiaries, in each case not held on behalf of third parties in a fiduciary capacity, and (ii) Shares that are owned by stockholders who have perfected and not withdrawn a demand for appraisal rights) will be converted into the right to receive $34.90 in cash, without interest, less applicable tax withholdings.
Also in connection with the Merger, outstanding equity-based awards granted under Cablevision’s equity plans will be cancelled and converted into a right to receive cash based upon the $34.90 per Share merger price in accordance with the original terms of the awards. As of December 31, 2015, the Company had 13,353,217 stock options, 6,847,848 restricted shares, 1,772,430 restricted stock units issued to employees and 466,283 restricted stock units issued to non-employee directors outstanding.
On September 16, 2015, the holders of Shares representing a majority of all votes entitled to be cast in the matter executed and delivered to Cablevision and Altice a written consent adopting the Merger Agreement (the "Written Consent"). As a result, the stockholder approval required to consummate the Merger has been obtained and no further action by Cablevision’s stockholders in connection with the Merger is required.
The completion of the Merger is subject to certain customary conditions and approvals set forth in the Merger Agreement, including, among others, (i) the adoption of the Merger Agreement by the holders of Shares representing a majority of all votes entitled to be cast in the matter (which condition has been satisfied as described above), (ii) expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976 (which condition has been satisfied as of November 4, 2015), (iii) adoption and release of an order by the Federal Communications Commission granting any required consent to the transfer of control of Cablevision’s licenses, (iv) the conclusion of a review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States pursuant to Section 721 of Title VII of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended by the Foreign Investment and National Security Act of 2007 (which condition has been satisfied as of February 17, 2016), (v) the receipt of certain approvals from state and local public utility commissions and under certain state and local franchise ordinances and agreements, (vi) the absence of any applicable law or order prohibiting consummation of the Merger, and (vii) other customary closing conditions, including (a) the accuracy of Cablevision’s and Altice’s respective representations and warranties (subject to customary materiality qualifiers) and (b) Cablevision’s and Altice’s compliance with their respective obligations and covenants contained in the Merger Agreement. Assuming timely satisfaction of the necessary closing conditions, the Company currently expects the closing of the Merger to occur in the second quarter of 2016. The Merger is not subject to a financing condition.
The Merger Agreement contains certain customary termination rights, including the right for each of Cablevision and Altice to terminate the Merger Agreement if the Merger is not consummated by September 16, 2016 (subject to extension to December 16, 2016 if either Cablevision or Altice determines additional time is necessary to obtain certain government approvals) or in the event of an uncured material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement such that the conditions to closing would not be satisfied. The Merger Agreement also gives Altice the right to terminate the Merger Agreement in certain circumstances associated with Cablevision’s failure to deliver the Written Consent or Cablevision’s entry into an alternative transaction with respect to an alternative acquisition proposal, among others, and gives Cablevision the right to terminate the Merger Agreement in certain circumstances associated with a failure of Altice’s financing of the Merger, among others. If the Merger Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances associated with Cablevision’s failure to deliver the Written Consent or with respect to an alternative acquisition proposal, among others, Cablevision agreed to pay a termination fee of $280,000 to Altice. Following execution and delivery of the Written Consent on September 16, 2015, no provisions in the Merger Agreement remain in effect pursuant to which the Merger Agreement can be terminated that would require Cablevision to pay the termination fee. If the Merger Agreement is terminated by Cablevision in connection with Altice’s failure to consummate the Merger due to a failure of Altice’s financing of the Merger, then Altice has agreed to pay to Cablevision a termination fee of $560,000.
The Company has expensed $17,862 of transaction costs during 2015 in connection with the Merger Agreement and it expects to incur additional costs prior to and upon consummation of the Merger, including $32,500 in transaction advisory fees.
In October 2015, Neptune Finco Corp. (“Finco”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Altice formed to complete the financing described herein and the merger with CSC Holdings, borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $3,800,000 under a term loan facility (the “Term Loans”) and entered into revolving loan commitments in an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the “Revolving Credit Facility” and, together with the Term Loans, the “Senior Secured Credit Facilities”). The Term Loans will mature on October 9, 2022. Quarterly amortization payments each equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount of the Term Loans will be required to be made beginning with the first full fiscal quarter after the Closing Date. The Revolving Credit Facility will mature on October 9, 2020. The Revolving Credit Facility will include a financial maintenance covenant solely for the benefit of the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility consisting of a maximum consolidated net senior secured leverage ratio of 5.0 to 1.0, which will be tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter (commencing with the last day of the first full fiscal quarter ended after the Closing Date) but only if on such day there are outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility (including swingline loans but excluding any cash collateralized letters of credit and undrawn letters of credit not to exceed $15,000).
Finco also issued $1,800,000 aggregate principal amount of 10.125% senior notes due 2023, $2,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 10.875% senior notes due 2025 and $1,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.625% senior guaranteed notes due 2025 (the "Senior Guaranteed Notes") (collectively the "Notes").
Altice intends to use the proceeds from the Term Loans and the Notes, together with an equity contribution from Altice and its co-investors and existing cash at Cablevision, to (a) finance the Merger, (b) refinance (i) the credit agreement, dated as of April 17, 2013 (the “Existing Credit Facility”), among CSC Holdings, certain subsidiaries of CSC Holdings and the lenders party thereto and (ii) the senior secured credit agreement, dated as of October 12, 2012, among Newsday LLC, CSC Holdings, and the lenders party thereto (the "Existing Newsday Credit Facility"), and (c) pay related fees and expenses.
Prior to the Merger, CSC Holdings is not responsible for the obligations under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities or the Notes. Following the consummation of the Merger of Merger Sub into Cablevision (the “Closing Date”), Finco will be merged with and into CSC Holdings. As the surviving entity in such merger, CSC Holdings will assume all of the rights and obligations of the borrower under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities and the issuer under the Notes. Within two business days following the Closing Date, (a) the Senior Guaranteed Notes will be guaranteed on a senior basis by each restricted subsidiary of CSC Holdings (other than CSC TKR, LLC and its subsidiaries, which own and operate the New Jersey cable television systems, Cablevision Lightpath, Inc. and any subsidiaries of CSC Holdings that are “Excluded Subsidiaries” under the indenture governing the Senior Guaranteed Notes) (such subsidiaries, the “Initial Guarantors”) and (b) the obligations under the Senior Secured Credit Facilities will be (i) guaranteed on a senior basis by each Initial Guarantor and (ii) secured on a first priority basis by capital stock held by CSC Holdings and the guarantors in certain subsidiaries of CSC Holdings, subject to certain exclusions and limitations.
Purchase of Newsday Noncontrolling Interest
In September 2015, the Company purchased the minority interest in Newsday Holdings LLC ("Newsday Holdings") held by Tribune Media Company ("Tribune") for approximately $8,300. As a result of this transaction, Newsday Holdings is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. In addition, the indemnity provided by the Company to Tribune for certain taxes incurred by Tribune if Newsday Holdings or its subsidiary sold or otherwise disposed of Newsday assets in a taxable transaction or failed to maintain specified minimum outstanding indebtedness, was amended so that the restriction period lapsed on September 2, 2015.
Basis of Presentation
Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements of Cablevision include the accounts of Cablevision and its majority-owned subsidiaries and the accompanying consolidated financial statements of CSC Holdings include the accounts of CSC Holdings and its majority-owned subsidiaries. Cablevision has no business operations independent of its CSC Holdings subsidiary, whose operating results and financial position are consolidated into Cablevision.  The consolidated balance sheets and statements of income of Cablevision are essentially identical to the consolidated balance sheets and statements of income of CSC Holdings, with the following significant exceptions:  Cablevision has $2,799,024 principal value of senior notes outstanding at December 31, 2015 (excluding the $611,455 aggregate principal amount of Cablevision notes held by Newsday Holdings) that were issued to third party investors, cash, deferred financing costs and accrued interest related to its senior notes, deferred taxes and accrued dividends on its balance sheet.  In addition, CSC Holdings and its subsidiaries have certain intercompany receivables from and payables to Cablevision.  Differences between Cablevision's results of operations and those of CSC Holdings primarily include incremental interest expense, interest income, the write-off of deferred financing costs, gain or loss on extinguishment of debt, and income tax expense or benefit.  CSC Holdings' results of operations include incremental interest income from the Cablevision senior notes held by Newsday Holdings, which is eliminated in Cablevision's results of operations.
The combined notes to the consolidated financial statements relate to the Company, which, except as noted, are essentially identical for Cablevision and CSC Holdings.  All significant intercompany transactions and balances between Cablevision and CSC Holdings and their respective consolidated subsidiaries are eliminated in both sets of consolidated financial statements.  Intercompany transactions between Cablevision and CSC Holdings are not eliminated in the CSC Holdings consolidated financial statements, but are eliminated in the Cablevision consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.  See Note 11 for a discussion of fair value estimates.
Reclassifications
Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2013 and 2014 financial statements to conform to the 2015 presentation.