UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 10-Q

 

[X]          QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE

                ACT OF 1934 FOR THE QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED JUNE 30, 2013

 

[   ]          TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE

                 ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM _________ TO __________

 

Commission File Number

001-09645

 

CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

                                                   Texas                                                                                                             74-1787539

                               (State or other jurisdiction of                                                                   (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                              incorporation or organization)

 

                                      200 East Basse Road

                                       San Antonio, Texas                                                                                                     78209

                     (Address of principal executive offices)                                                                               (Zip Code)

 

(210) 822-2828

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.   Yes [  ] No [X]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).   Yes [X] No [  ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer [   ]   Accelerated filer [   ]   Non-accelerated filer [X]  Smaller reporting company [   ]

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

Yes [  ] No [X]

 

Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.

 

                                           Class                                                                                                  Outstanding at July 25, 2013

                   ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~                                                                     ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

                     Common Stock, $.001 par value                                                                                          500,000,000

 

The registrant meets the conditions set forth in General Instructions H(1)(a) and (b) of Form 10-Q and is therefore filing this form in a reduced disclosure format permitted by General Instruction H(2).

 

CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

INDEX

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOTE 1 – BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Preparation of Interim Financial Statements

The accompanying consolidated financial statements were prepared by Clear Channel Communications, Inc. (the “Company”) pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and, in the opinion of management, include all normal and recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the results of the interim periods shown. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such SEC rules and regulations. Management believes that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. Due to seasonality and other factors, the results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.  The financial statements contained herein should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s 2012 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries.  Also included in the consolidated financial statements are entities for which the Company has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary.  Investments in companies in which the Company owns 20 percent to 50 percent of the voting common stock or otherwise exercises significant influence over operating and financial policies of the Company are accounted for under the equity method.  All significant intercompany transactions are eliminated in the consolidation process.  Certain prior-period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentation.

 

Information Regarding the Company

The Company is a Texas corporation with all of its common stock being held by Clear Channel Capital I, LLC (the “Parent Company”).  All of the Parent Company’s interests are held by Clear Channel Capital II, LLC, a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of CC Media Holdings, Inc. (“CCMH”). CCMH was formed in May 2007 by private equity funds sponsored by Bain Capital Partners, LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P. (together, the “Sponsors”) for the purpose of acquiring the business of the Company.

 

Omission of Per Share Information

Net loss per share information is not presented as the Parent Company owns 100% of the Company’s common stock. The Company does not have any publicly traded common stock or potential common stock.

 

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

During the first quarter of 2013, the Company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board's (“FASB”) ASU No. 2013-02, Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The amendments are effective for fiscal years (and interim periods within) beginning after December 15, 2012 and sets requirements for presenting information about amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income and their corresponding effect on net income. Substantially all of the information required to be disclosed under this amendment are required to be disclosed elsewhere in the financial statements under U.S. GAAP. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

 

During the first quarter of 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-04, Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date.  This update provides guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this guidance is fixed at the reporting date. The amendments are effective for fiscal years (and interim periods within) beginning after December 15, 2013 and are to be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented for such obligations that exist at the beginning of an entity’s fiscal year of adoption.  Early adoption is permitted however the Company plans to adopt the standard on a retrospective basis for the first quarter of 2014 for any existing obligations within the scope of this update. The Company is currently evaluating the guidance to determine the potential impact, if any, the adoption may have on its financial results and disclosures.

 

During the first quarter of 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-05, Parent’s Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity of an Investment in a Foreign Entity. The amendments are effective prospectively for the fiscal years (and interim periods within) beginning after December 15, 2013 and provide clarification guidance for the release of the cumulative translation adjustment under the current U.S. GAAP. Early adoption is permitted however the Company plans to adopt the standard for the first quarter of 2014. The Company is currently evaluating the guidance to determine the potential impact, if any, the adoption may have on its financial results and disclosures.

 

NOTE 2 – PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, INTANGIBLE ASSETS AND GOODWILL

Property, Plant and Equipment

The Company’s property, plant and equipment consisted of the following classes of assets at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

 

 

Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets

The Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) broadcast licenses in its Media and Entertainment (“CCME”) segment and billboard permits in its Americas outdoor advertising segment. Due to significant differences in both business practices and regulations, billboards in the International outdoor advertising segment are subject to long-term, finite contracts unlike the Company’s permits in the United States and Canada. Accordingly, there are no indefinite-lived intangible assets in the International outdoor advertising segment.

 

Other Intangible Assets

Other intangible assets include definite-lived intangible assets and permanent easements.  The Company’s definite-lived intangible assets include primarily transit and street furniture contracts, talent and representation contracts, customer and advertiser relationships, and site-leases, all of which are amortized over the respective lives of the agreements, or over the period of time the assets are expected to contribute directly or indirectly to the Company’s future cash flows. Permanent easements are indefinite-lived intangible assets which include certain rights to use real property not owned by the Company.  The Company periodically reviews the appropriateness of the amortization periods related to its definite-lived intangible assets.  These assets are recorded at cost.

 

 

 

The following table presents the gross carrying amount and accumulated amortization for each major class of other intangible assets at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively:

 

 

Total amortization expense related to definite-lived intangible assets was $70.9 million and $76.2 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and $143.0 million and $151.5 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

 

The following table presents the Company’s estimate of amortization expense for each of the five succeeding fiscal years for definite-lived intangible assets:

 

 

Goodwill

The following table presents the changes in the carrying amount of goodwill in each of the Company’s reportable segments.

 

 

NOTE 3 – LONG-TERM DEBT

Long-term debt at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively, consisted of the following:

 

 

⁽¹⁾        Term Loan A would have matured during 2014.  The outstanding balance was prepaid during the first quarter of 2013.  Term Loan B matures 2016.  Term Loan C is subject to an amortization schedule with required payments at various dates from 2014 through 2016.  Term Loan D as discussed below matures 2019.

⁽²⁾        Other secured subsidiary long-term debt matures at various dates from 2013 through 2028.

⁽³⁾        Senior Toggle Notes are subject to required payments at various dates from 2013 through 2016.

⁽⁴⁾        The Senior Notes mature at various dates from 2014 through 2027.

 

The Company’s weighted average interest rates at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 were 7.8% and 6.7%, respectively.  The aggregate market value of the Company’s debt based on market prices for which quotes were available was approximately $19.6 billion and $18.6 billion at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.  Under the fair value hierarchy established by ASC 820-10-35, the market value of the Company’s debt is classified as Level 2.

 

Senior Secured Credit Facility Amendment

During the second quarter of 2013, the Company amended its senior secured credit facility by extending a portion of Term Loan B and Term Loan C loans due 2016 through the creation of a new $5.0 billion Term Loan D facility due January 30, 2019. The amendment also permitted the Company to make applicable high yield discount obligation catch-up payments beginning in May 2018 with respect to the new Term Loan D facility and any notes issued in connection with the Company’s exchange of its outstanding 10.75% Senior Cash Pay Notes due 2016 and 11.00%/11.75% Senior Toggle Notes due 2016 discussed below.

 

As of June 30, 2013, the Company’s senior secured credit facility consisted of a $3.0 billion Term Loan B facility, which matures on January 30, 2016, a $198.2 million Term Loan C facility, which matures on January 30, 2016, and a $5.0 billion Term Loan D facility, which matures on January 30, 2019.

 

The new Term Loan D facility has the same security and guarantee package as the outstanding Term Loans B and C and borrowings under the new Term Loan D facility bear interest at a rate equal to, at the Company’s option, adjusted LIBOR plus 6.75% or a base rate plus 5.75%.

 

 

Senior Notes Exchange

During the second quarter of 2013, the Company completed an exchange offer (the “Note Exchange”) with certain holders of its 10.75% Senior Cash Pay Notes due 2016 (the “Outstanding Cash Pay Notes”) and 11.00%/11.75% Senior Toggle Notes due 2016 (the “Outstanding Toggle Notes and collectively with the Outstanding Cash Pay Notes, the “Outstanding Notes”) pursuant to which the Company issued $1.2 billion aggregate principal amount (including $421.0 million principal amount held by a subsidiary of the Company) of 14.00% Senior Notes due 2021 (the “Senior Notes due 2021”).  In the Note Exchange, $348.1 million aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Cash Pay Notes was exchanged for $348.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes due 2021, and $917.2 million aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Toggle Notes was exchanged for $853.0 million aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2021 and $64.2 million of cash, plus, in each case, cash in an amount equal to accrued and unpaid interest from the last interest payment date applicable on the Outstanding Notes to, but not including, the closing date of the Note Exchange. The Senior Notes due 2021 mature on February 1, 2021.  Interest on the Senior Notes due 2021 is payable semi-annually on February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing August 1, 2013.  Interest on the Senior Notes due 2021 will be paid at the rate of (i) 12.0% per annum in cash and (ii) 2.0% per annum through the issuance of payment-in-kind notes (the “PIK Notes”).  Any PIK Notes issued in certificated form will be dated as of the applicable interest payment date and will bear interest from and after such date. All PIK Notes issued will mature on February 1, 2021 and have the same rights and benefits as the Senior Notes due 2021.  The Senior Notes due 2021 are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior basis by the guarantors named in the indenture governing such notes.  The guarantee is structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of any subsidiary of the applicable subsidiary guarantor that is not also a guarantor of the Senior Notes due 2021.

 

The Company may redeem or purchase the Senior Notes due 2021 at its option, in whole or in part, at any time prior to August 1, 2015, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of Senior Notes due 2021 redeemed plus an applicable premium.  In addition, until August 1, 2015, the Company may, at its option, on one or more occasions, redeem up to 60% of the then outstanding aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2021 at a redemption price equal to (x) with respect to the first 30% of the then outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes due 2021, 109.0% of the aggregate principal amount thereof and (y) with respect to the next 30% of the then outstanding aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes due 2021, 112.0% of the aggregate principal amount thereof, in each case plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the applicable redemption date.  The Company may redeem the Senior Notes due 2021, in whole or in part, on or after August 1, 2015, at the redemption prices set forth in the indenture plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.

 

The indenture governing the Senior Notes due 2021 contains covenants that limit the Company’s ability and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things: (i) incur additional indebtedness or issue certain preferred stock; (ii) pay dividends on, or make distributions in respect of, their capital stock or repurchase their capital stock; (iii) make certain investments or other restricted payments; (iv) sell certain assets; (v) create liens or use assets as security in other transactions; (vi) merge, consolidate or transfer or dispose of substantially all of their assets; (vii) engage in transactions with affiliates; and (viii) designate their subsidiaries as unrestricted subsidiaries.

 

11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes Issuance

During the first quarter of 2013, the Company issued $575.0 million aggregate principal amount of 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes due 2021 (the “11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes”).  The 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes mature on March 1, 2021 and bear interest at a rate of 11.25% per annum, payable semi-annually on March 1 and September 1 of each year, beginning on September 1, 2013. The 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes are the Company’s senior obligations and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, on a senior basis by the guarantors named in the indenture governing such notes. The 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes and the guarantors’ obligations under the guarantees are secured by (i) a lien on (a) the capital stock of the Company and (b) certain property and related assets that do not constitute “principal property” (as defined in the indenture governing the legacy notes of the Company), in each case equal in priority to the liens securing the obligations under the Company’s senior secured credit facilities, the Company’s 9.0% priority guarantee notes due 2021 and the Company’s 9.0% priority guarantee notes due 2019, subject to certain exceptions, and (ii) a lien on the accounts receivable and related assets securing the Company’s receivables based credit facility junior in priority to the lien securing the Company’s obligations thereunder, subject to certain exceptions.

 

The Company may redeem the 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes at its option, in whole or part, at any time prior to March 1, 2016, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date and plus an applicable premium.  In addition, until March 1, 2016, the Company may elect to redeem up to 40% of the aggregate principal amount of the 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes at a redemption price equal to 111.25% of the principal

 

amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, with the net proceeds of one or more equity offerings.  The Company may redeem the 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes, in whole or in part, on or after March 1, 2016, at the redemption prices set forth in the indenture plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.

 

The indenture governing the 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes contains covenants that limit the Company’s ability and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things: (i) pay dividends, redeem stock or make other distributions or investments; (ii) incur additional debt or issue certain preferred stock; (iii) transfer or sell assets; (iv) engage in certain transactions with affiliates; (v) create restrictions on dividends or other payments by the restricted subsidiaries; and (vi) merge, consolidate or sell substantially all of the Company’s assets. The indenture contains covenants that limit the Parent Company’s and the Company’s ability and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to, among other things: (i) create liens on assets and (ii) materially impair the value of the security interests taken with respect to the collateral for the benefit of the notes collateral agent and the holders of the 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes. The indenture also provides for customary events of default.

 

Debt Repayments, Maturities and Other

During the second quarter of 2013, the Company exchanged $348.1 million aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Cash Pay Notes for $348.0 million aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes due 2021, and $917.2 million aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Toggle Notes (including $452.7 million aggregate principal amount held by a subsidiary of the Company) for $853.0 million aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2021 (including $421.0 million aggregate principal amount issued to a subsidiary of the Company) and $64.2 million of cash (including $31.7 million of cash paid to the subsidiary of the Company), pursuant to the Note Exchange.  In connection with the Note Exchange and the senior secured credit facility amendment, both of which were accounted for as modifications of existing debt in accordance with ASC 470-50, the Company incurred expenses of $17.9 million which are included in “Other expenses”.

 

During the first quarter of 2013, the Company repaid its 5.75% senior notes at maturity for $312.1 million (net of $187.9 million principal amount repaid to a subsidiary of the Company with respect to notes repurchased and held by such entity), plus accrued interest, using cash on hand.

 

In addition, during the first quarter of 2013, using the proceeds from the issuance of the 11.25% Priority Guarantee Notes along with borrowings under the receivables based credit facility of $269.5 million and cash on hand, the Company prepaid all $846.9 million outstanding under its Term Loan A under its senior secured credit facilities.  The Company recorded a loss of $3.9 million in “Loss on extinguishment of debt” related to the accelerated expensing of loan fees.

 

NOTE 4 – SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES

Divestiture Trusts

The Company owns certain radio stations which, under current FCC rules, are not permitted to be owned or transferred to another Clear Channel entity. These radio stations were placed in a trust in order to comply with FCC rules at the time of the closing of the merger that resulted in the Parent Company’s acquisition of the Company.  The Company is the beneficial owner of the trust, but the radio stations are managed by an independent trustee.  The Company will have to divest all of these radio stations unless any stations may be owned by the Company under then-current FCC rules, in which case the trust will be terminated with respect to such stations.  The trust agreement stipulates that the Company must fund any operating shortfalls of the trust activities, and any excess cash flow generated by the trust is distributed to the Company.  The Company is also the beneficiary of proceeds from the sale of stations held in the trust.  The Company consolidates the trust in accordance with ASC 810-10, which requires an enterprise involved with variable interest entities to perform an analysis to determine whether the enterprise’s variable interest or interests give it a controlling financial interest in the variable interest entity, as the trust was determined to be a variable interest entity and the Company is its primary beneficiary.

 

 

Income Tax Benefit (Expense)

The Company’s income tax benefit (expense) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively, consisted of the following components:

 

 

The effective tax rates for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 were 36.5% and 31.0%, respectively.  The effective tax rates for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2013 were primarily impacted by the cancellation of indebtedness income recognized during the periods and the Company’s inability to record tax benefit on tax losses in certain foreign jurisdictions due to the uncertainty of the ability to utilize those losses in future years.

 

The effective tax rates for the three and six months ended June 30, 2012 were 23.8% and 48.6%, respectively.  The effective tax rate for the three months ended June 30, 2012 was primarily impacted by the Company’s inability to record tax benefits for tax losses in certain foreign jurisdictions due to the uncertainty of the ability to utilize those losses in future periods. The effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2012 was primarily impacted by the completion of income tax examinations in various jurisdictions during the period which resulted in a reduction to income tax expense of approximately $61.0 million.

 

Supplemental Cash Flow Information

During the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, cash paid for interest and income taxes, net of income tax refunds of $1.3 million and $0.9 million, respectively, was as follows:

 

 

NOTE 5 – FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The Company’s marketable equity securities and interest rate swap are measured at fair value on each reporting date.

 

Marketable Equity Securities

The marketable equity securities are measured at fair value using quoted prices in active markets.  Due to the fact that the inputs used to measure the marketable equity securities at fair value are observable, the Company has categorized the fair value measurements of the securities as Level 1 in accordance with ASC 820-10-35. The Company records its investments in these marketable equity securities on the balance sheet as “Other assets.”

 

The cost, unrealized holding gains or losses, and fair value of the Company’s investments at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012 are as follows:

 

 

 

During the second quarter of 2013, the Company sold its shares of Sirius XM Radio, Inc. for $135.5 million, recognizing a gain on the sale of securities of $130.9 million.

 

Interest Rate Swap Agreement

The Company’s $2.5 billion notional amount interest rate swap agreement is designated as a cash flow hedge and the effective portion of the gain or loss on the swap is reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss).  Ineffective portions of a cash flow hedging derivative’s change in fair value are recognized currently in earnings.  In accordance with ASC 815-20-35-9, as the critical terms of the swap and the floating-rate debt being hedged were the same at inception and remained the same during the current period, no ineffectiveness was recorded in earnings for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013.

 

The Company entered into the swap to effectively convert a portion of its floating-rate debt to a fixed basis, thus reducing the impact of interest rate changes on future interest expense.  The interest rate swap agreement matures September 30, 2013.

 

The Company continually monitors its positions with, and credit quality of, the financial institution which is counterparty to its interest rate swap. The Company may be exposed to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the counterparty to the interest rate swap. However, the Company considers this risk to be low. If a derivative instrument no longer qualifies as a cash flow hedge, hedge accounting is discontinued and the gain or loss that was recorded in other comprehensive income is recognized in earnings.

 

The swap agreement is valued using a discounted cash flow model that takes into account the present value of the future cash flows under the terms of the agreement by using market information available as of the reporting date, including prevailing interest rates and credit spread.  Due to the fact that the inputs are either directly or indirectly observable, the Company classified the fair value measurements of its swap agreement as Level 2 in accordance with ASC 820-10-35.

 

The fair value of the Company’s $2.5 billion notional amount interest rate swap designated as a hedging instrument and recorded in “Other current liabilities” was $27.4 million and $76.9 million at June 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

 

The following table details the beginning and ending accumulated other comprehensive loss and the current period activity related to the interest rate swap agreement:

 

 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The following table discloses the deferred income tax (asset) liability related to each component of other comprehensive income (loss) for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, respectively:

 

 

NOTE 6 – COMMITMENTS, CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES

The Company and its subsidiaries are involved in certain legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business and, as required, have accrued an estimate of the probable costs for the resolution of those claims for which the occurrence of loss is probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated.  These estimates have been developed in consultation with counsel and are based upon an analysis of potential results, assuming a combination of litigation and settlement strategies.  It is possible, however, that future results of operations for any particular period could be materially affected by changes in the Company’s assumptions or the effectiveness of

 

the Company’s strategies related to these proceedings.  Additionally, due to the inherent uncertainty of litigation, there can be no assurance that the resolution of any particular claim or proceeding would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations.

 

Although the Company is involved in a variety of legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business, a large portion of the Company’s litigation arises in the following contexts: commercial disputes; defamation matters; employment and benefits related claims; governmental fines; intellectual property claims; and tax disputes.

 

Stockholder Litigation

Two derivative lawsuits were filed in March 2012 in Delaware Chancery Court by stockholders of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (“CCOH”), an indirect non-wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. The consolidated lawsuits are captioned In re Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. Derivative Litigation, Consolidated Case No. 7315-CS. The complaints name as defendants certain of the Company’s and CCOH’s current and former directors and the Company, as well as Bain Capital Partners, LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P.  CCOH also is named as a nominal defendant.  The complaints allege, among other things, that in December 2009, the Company breached fiduciary duties to CCOH and its stockholders by allegedly requiring CCOH to agree to amend the terms of a revolving promissory note payable by the Company to CCOH to extend the maturity date of the note and to amend the interest rate payable on the note. According to the complaints, the terms of the amended promissory note were unfair to CCOH because, among other things, the interest rate was below market. The complaints further allege that the Company was unjustly enriched as a result of that transaction.  The complaints also allege that the director defendants breached fiduciary duties to CCOH in connection with that transaction and that the transaction constituted corporate waste.  On April 4, 2012, the board of directors of CCOH formed a special litigation committee consisting of certain independent directors (the “SLC”) to review and investigate plaintiffs’ claims and determine the course of action that serves the best interests of CCOH and its stockholders.  On March 28, 2013, to avoid the costs, disruption and distraction of further litigation, and without admitting the validity of any allegations made in the complaint, legal counsel for the defendants entered into a binding memorandum of understanding (the “MOU”) with legal counsel for the SLC and the plaintiffs to settle the litigation.  The MOU obligated the parties to use their best efforts to prepare a Stipulation of Settlement reflecting the terms of the MOU and present such Stipulation of Settlement to the Delaware Chancery Court for approval.  On July 8, 2013, the parties executed the Stipulation of Settlement, on terms consistent with the MOU, and presented the Stipulation of Settlement to the Delaware Chancery Court for approval.  On July 9, 2013, the Delaware Chancery Court scheduled a Settlement Hearing, which will be held on September 9, 2013 in the Delaware Chancery Court, for the purposes of determining, among other things, whether the settlement is fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of CCOH and its stockholders. Unless and until the Delaware Chancery Court approves of the settlement, no assurance can be provided that the parties will be able to resolve the outstanding litigation as contemplated by the Stipulation of Settlement.  The Company and CCOH filed the Stipulation of Settlement with the SEC as an exhibit to their respective Current Reports on Form 8-K filed on July 9, 2013.

 

Los Angeles Litigation

In 2008, Summit Media, LLC, one of the Company’s competitors, sued the City of Los Angeles, Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. and CBS Outdoor in Los Angeles Superior Court (Case No. BS116611) challenging the validity of a settlement agreement that had been entered into in November 2006 among the parties. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. had taken down existing billboards and converted 83 existing signs from static displays to digital displays pursuant to modernization permits issued through an administrative process of the City. The Los Angeles Superior Court ruled in January 2010 that the settlement agreement constituted an ultra vires act of the City and nullified its existence, but did not invalidate the modernization permits issued to Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. and CBS. All parties appealed the ruling by the Los Angeles Superior Court to Court of Appeal for the State of California, Second Appellate District, Division 8. On December 10, 2012, the Court of Appeal issued an order upholding the Superior Court’s finding that the settlement agreement was ultra vires and remanding the case to the Superior Court for the purpose of invalidating the modernization permits issued to Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. and CBS for the digital displays that were the subject of the settlement agreement.  On January 22, 2013, Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. filed a petition with the California Supreme Court requesting its review of the matter, and the Supreme Court denied that petition on February 27, 2013.  On April 12, 2013, the Los Angeles Superior Court invalidated 82 digital modernization permits issued to Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. and 13 issued to CBS and ordered that the companies turn off the electrical power to affected digital displays by the close of business on April 15, 2013.  Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. has complied with the order.  On April 16, 2013, the Court conducted further proceedings during which it held that it was not invalidating two additional digital modernization permits that Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. had secured through a special zoning plan and confirmed that its April 12 order invalidated only digital modernization permits – no other types of permits the companies may have secured for the signs at issue.  Summit Media, LLC has filed a further motion requesting that the Court order the demolition of the 82 sign structures on which the now-invalidated digital signs operated.  The motion is scheduled to be heard on September 16, 2013.

 

 

Guarantees

As of June 30, 2013, the Company had outstanding surety bonds and commercial standby letters of credit of $53.9 million and $125.1 million, respectively, of which $57.2 million of letters of credit were cash secured.  Letters of credit in the amount of $5.0 million are collateral in support of surety bonds and these amounts would only be drawn under the letter of credit in the event the associated surety bonds were funded and the Company did not honor its reimbursement obligation to the issuers. These letters of credit and surety bonds relate to various operational matters including insurance, bid, and performance bonds as well as other items.

 

As of June 30, 2013, the Company had outstanding bank guarantees of $50.9 million related to international subsidiaries, of which $12.0 million were backed by cash collateral.

 

NOTE 7 – CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company is a party to a management agreement with certain affiliates of the Sponsors and certain other parties pursuant to which such affiliates of the Sponsors will provide management and financial advisory services until 2018.  These agreements require management fees to be paid to such affiliates of the Sponsors for such services at a rate not greater than $15.0 million per year, plus reimbursable expenses.  For the three months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, the Company recognized management fees and reimbursable expenses of $4.0 million and $4.0 million, respectively.  For the six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012, the Company recognized management fees and reimbursable expenses of $8.1 million and $8.0 million, respectively.

 

NOTE 8 – EQUITY AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

The Company reports its noncontrolling interests in consolidated subsidiaries as a component of equity separate from the Company’s equity.  The following table shows the changes in equity attributable to the Company and the noncontrolling interests of subsidiaries in which the Company has a majority, but not total ownership interest:

 

 

The Company does not have any compensation plans under which it grants awards to employees. CCMH and CCOH have granted options to purchase shares of their Class A common stock to certain key individuals, as well as restricted stock and restricted stock units.

 

 

Changes in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss by Component

In connection with the sale of shares of Sirius XM Radio, Inc. as discussed in Note 5, a realized gain of $130.9 million and income tax expense of $48.6 million were reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive loss into “Gain on marketable securities” and “Income tax (expense) benefit”, respectively.  The net difference of $82.3 million is reported as a reduction of “Other comprehensive income (loss)”.

 

NOTE 9 – SEGMENT DATA

The Company’s reportable segments, which it believes best reflect how the Company is currently managed, are CCME, Americas outdoor advertising and International outdoor advertising.  Revenue and expenses earned and charged between segments are recorded at estimated fair value and eliminated in consolidation.  The CCME segment provides media and entertainment services via broadcast and digital delivery and also includes the Company’s national syndication business.  The Americas outdoor advertising segment consists of operations primarily in the United States and Canada.  The International outdoor advertising segment primarily includes operations in Europe, Asia, Australia and Latin America.  The Americas outdoor and International outdoor display inventory consists primarily of billboards, street furniture displays and transit displays.  The Other category includes the Company’s media representation business as well as other general support services and initiatives which are ancillary to the Company’s other businesses.  Corporate includes infrastructure and support, including information technology, human resources, legal, finance and administrative functions of each of the Company’s reportable segments, as well as overall executive, administrative and support functions. Share-based payments are recorded in corporate expenses.

 

The following table presents the Company’s reportable segment results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 and 2012.