Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - 10-K |
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| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
In addition to the significant accounting policies discussed in this Note 2, the following table includes our significant accounting policies that are described in other notes to our consolidated financial statements, including the number and page of the note:
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Our cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand, money market funds, certificates of deposit, in-transit credit card receipts and highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue is measured according to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue - Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and is recognized based on consideration specified in a contract with a customer, and excludes any sales incentives and amounts collected on behalf of third parties. We recognize revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a service or product to a customer. We report revenues net of any tax assessed by a governmental authority that is both imposed on, and concurrent with, a specific revenue-producing transaction between a seller and a customer in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income. Collected taxes are recorded within Other current liabilities until remitted to the relevant taxing authority. For equipment sales, we are responsible for arranging for shipping and handling. Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are recorded as revenue and are reported as a component of Cost of equipment.
The following is a description of the principal activities from which we generate our revenue, including from self-pay and paid promotional subscribers, advertising, and sales of equipment.
Subscriber revenue consists primarily of subscription fees and other ancillary subscription based revenues. Revenue is recognized on a straight line basis when the performance obligations to provide each service for the period are satisfied, which is over time as our subscription services are continuously transmitted and can be consumed by customers at any time. Consumers purchasing or leasing a vehicle with a factory-installed satellite radio may receive between a three and twelve month subscription to our service. In certain cases, the subscription fees for these consumers are prepaid by the applicable automaker. Prepaid subscription fees received from automakers or directly from consumers are recorded as deferred revenue and amortized to revenue ratably over the service period which commences upon sale. Activation fees are recognized over one month as the activation fees are non-refundable and do not provide for a material right to the customer. There is no revenue recognized for unpaid trial subscriptions. In some cases we pay a loyalty fee to the automakers when we receive a certain amount of payments from self-pay customers acquired from that automaker. These fees are considered incremental costs to obtain a contract and are, therefore, recognized as an asset and amortized to Subscriber acquisition costs over an average subscriber life. Revenue share and loyalty fees paid to an automaker offering a paid trial are accounted for as a reduction of revenue as the payment does not provide a distinct good or service.
Music royalty fee primarily consists of U.S. music royalty fees (“MRF”) collected from subscribers. The related costs we incur for the right to broadcast music and other programming are recorded as Revenue share and royalties expense. Fees received from subscribers for the MRF are recorded as deferred revenue and amortized to Subscriber revenue ratably over the service period.
We recognize revenue from the sale of advertising as performance obligations are satisfied, which generally occurs as ads are delivered. Agency fees are calculated based on a stated percentage applied to gross billing revenue for our advertising inventory and are reported as a reduction of advertising revenue. Additionally, we pay certain third parties a percentage of advertising revenue. Advertising revenue is recorded gross of such revenue share payments as we control the advertising service, including the ability to establish pricing, and we are primarily responsible for providing the service. Advertising revenue share payments are recorded to Revenue share and royalties during the period in which the advertising is transmitted.
Equipment revenue and royalties from the sale of satellite radios, components and accessories are recognized upon shipment, net of discounts and rebates. Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are recorded as revenue. Shipping and handling costs associated with shipping goods to customers are reported as a component of Cost of equipment. Other revenue primarily includes revenue recognized from royalties received from Sirius XM Canada.
Customers pay for the services in advance of the performance obligation and therefore these prepayments are recorded as deferred revenue. The deferred revenue is recognized as revenue in our consolidated statement of comprehensive income as the services are provided. Changes in the deferred revenue balance during the period ended December 31, 2019 was not materially impacted by other factors.
As the majority of our contracts are one year or less, we have utilized the optional exemption under ASC 606-10-50-14 and will not disclose information about the remaining performance obligations for contracts which have original expected durations of one year or less. As of December 31, 2019, less than ten percent of our total deferred revenue balance related to contracts that extended beyond one year. These contracts primarily include prepaid data trials which are typically provided for three to five years as well as for self-pay customers who prepay for their audio subscriptions for up to three years in advance. These amounts are recognized on a straight-line basis as our services are provided.
Revenue Share
We share a portion of our subscription revenues earned from self-pay subscribers with certain automakers. The terms of the revenue share agreements vary with each automaker, but are typically based upon the earned audio revenue as reported or gross billed audio revenue.
Royalties
In connection with our businesses, we must enter into royalty arrangements with two sets of rights holders: holders of musical compositions copyrights (that is, the music and lyrics) and holders of sound recordings copyrights (that is, the actual recording of a work). Our Sirius XM business and our Pandora business use both statutory and direct music licenses as part of their businesses. We also license varying rights - such as performance and mechanical rights - for use in our Sirius XM and Pandora businesses based on the various radio and interactive services they offer. The music rights licensing arrangement for our Sirius XM and Pandora businesses are complex.
We pay performance royalties for our Sirius XM business and our Pandora business to holders and rights administrators of musical compositions copyrights, including performing rights organizations and other copyright owners. These performance royalties are contained in direct license agreements and are generally fixed fees per year.
For our interactive music services offered by our Pandora business, we pay mechanical royalties to copyright holders at the rates determined by the Copyright Royalty Board (the “CRB”) in accordance with the statutory license set forth in Section 115 of the United States Copyright Act. These mechanical royalties are calculated as the greater of a percentage of our revenue or a percentage of our payments to record labels.
For our satellite radio business, we pay performance royalties to owners of sound recordings based on a percentage of our subscription revenue (subject to certain exclusions) through SoundExchange. We pay these royalties at a statutory rate established by the CRB.
For our streaming music and interactive music services offered by our Pandora business, we pay royalties to owners of sound recordings based on either a per-performance fee based on the number of sound recordings transmitted, a percentage of revenue associated with the applicable service, or a per-subscriber minimum amount. The royalty rates paid by our Pandora business are primarily stipulated in direct license agreements with record companies. The performance royalty rates paid to owners of sound recordings by our Sirius XM business for streaming music are primarily set by the CRB.
Programming Costs
Programming costs which are for a specified number of events are amortized on an event-by-event basis; programming costs which are for a specified season or include programming through a dedicated channel are amortized over the season or period on a straight-line basis. We allocate a portion of certain programming costs which are related to sponsorship and marketing activities to Sales and marketing expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the agreement.
Advertising Costs
Media is expensed when aired and advertising production costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising production costs include expenses related to marketing and retention activities, including expenses related to direct mail, outbound telemarketing and email communications. We also incur advertising production costs related to cooperative marketing and promotional events and sponsorships. During the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we recorded advertising costs of $392, $267 and $263, respectively. These costs are reflected in Sales and marketing expense in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
Subscriber Acquisition Costs
Subscriber acquisition costs consist of costs incurred to acquire new subscribers which include hardware subsidies paid to radio manufacturers, distributors and automakers, including subsidies paid to automakers who include a satellite radio and a prepaid subscription to our service in the sale or lease price of a new vehicle; subsidies paid for chipsets and certain other components used in manufacturing radios; device royalties for certain radios and chipsets; commissions paid to retailers and automakers as incentives to purchase, install and activate radios; product warranty obligations; freight; and provisions for inventory allowance attributable to inventory consumed in our automotive and retail distribution channels. Subscriber acquisition costs do not include advertising costs, loyalty payments to distributors and dealers of radios and revenue share payments to automakers and retailers of radios.
Subsidies paid to radio manufacturers and automakers are expensed upon installation, shipment, receipt of product or activation and are included in Subscriber acquisition costs because we are responsible for providing the service to the customers. Commissions paid to retailers and automakers are expensed upon either the sale or activation of radios. Chipsets that are shipped to radio manufacturers and held on consignment are recorded as inventory and expensed as Subscriber acquisition costs when placed into production by radio manufacturers. Costs for chipsets not held on consignment are expensed as Subscriber acquisition costs when the automaker confirms receipt.
Research & Development Costs
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and primarily include the cost of new product development, chipset design, software development and engineering. During the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, we recorded research and development costs of $231, $106 and $97, respectively. These costs are reported as a component of Engineering, design and development expense in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), net of tax
Accumulated other comprehensive income of $8 was primarily comprised of the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments related to Sirius XM Canada (refer to Note 12 for additional information). During the year ended December 31, 2019, we recorded a foreign currency translation adjustment gain of $14, which is recorded net of tax of $5. During the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, we recorded foreign currency translation adjustment (loss) gain of $(29) and $19, respectively, net of tax.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“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. This ASU aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract should be presented as a prepaid asset in the balance sheet and expensed over the term of the hosting arrangement to the same line item in the statement of income as the costs related to the hosting fees. The guidance in this ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years, and early adoption is permitted including adoption in any interim period. The amendments should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after adoption. This ASU will not have a material impact on our consolidated statements of operations.
Recently Adopted Accounting Policies
ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). In February 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-02 which requires companies to recognize lease assets and liabilities arising from operating leases in the statement of financial position. This ASU does not significantly change the previous lease guidance for how a lessee should recognize, measure, and present expenses and cash flows arising from a lease. Additionally, the criteria for classifying a finance lease versus an operating lease are substantially the same as the previous guidance. This ASU was effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, and early adoption was permitted. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842) Targeted Improvements, amending certain aspects of the new leasing standard. The amendment allows an additional optional transition method whereby an entity records a cumulative effect adjustment to opening retained earnings in the year of adoption without restating prior periods. We adopted this ASU on January 1, 2019 and elected the additional transition method per ASU 2018-11. Our leases consist of repeater leases, facility leases and equipment leases. We elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard.
Adoption of the new standard resulted in the recording of additional lease assets and lease liabilities of approximately $347 and $369, respectively, as of January 1, 2019. The standard did not impact our consolidated statements of operations, consolidated statements of cash flows or debt. Additionally, we did not record a cumulative effect adjustment to opening retained earnings.
The effect of the changes made to our consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019 for the adoption of ASU 2016-02 is included in the table below.
ASU 2014-09, Revenue - Revenue from Contracts with Customers. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 which requires entities to recognize revenues when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to customers at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, the standard requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. We adopted ASU 2014-09, and all related amendments, which established ASC Topic 606 (the "new revenue standard"), effective as of January 1, 2018. We adopted the new revenue standard using the modified retrospective method by
recognizing the cumulative effect of initially applying the new revenue standard to all non-completed contracts as of January 1, 2018 as an adjustment to opening Accumulated deficit in the period of adoption. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under the new revenue standard, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with our historic accounting under Topic 605.
The new revenue standard primarily impacts how we account for revenue share payments and also has other immaterial impacts.
Revenue Share - Paid Trials
We previously recorded revenue share related to paid trials as Revenue share and royalties expense. Under the new revenue standard, we have recorded these revenue share payments as a reduction to revenue as the payments do not transfer a distinct good or service to us.
Other Impacts
Other impacts of the new revenue standard include:
These changes do not have a material impact to our financial statements.
The following tables illustrate the impacts of adopting ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02 to amend its standard on comprehensive income to provide an option for an entity to reclassify the stranded tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) that was passed in December 2017 from accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) directly to retained
earnings. The stranded tax effects result from the remeasurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities which were originally recorded in comprehensive income but whose remeasurement is reflected in the income statement. The guidance is effective for interim and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. We elected to adopt ASU 2018-02 effective January 1, 2018 and reclassified the stranded tax effects due to the Tax Act of $4 related to the currency translation adjustment from our investment balance and note receivable with Sirius XM Canada from AOCI to Accumulated deficit. The adoption did not have any impact on our consolidated statement of comprehensive income.
ASU 2018-07, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting. In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07 which simplifies the accounting for share-based payments made to nonemployees so that the accounting for such payments is substantially the same as those made to employees, with certain exceptions. Under this ASU, equity-classified share based awards to nonemployees will be measured at fair value on the grant date of the awards, entities will need to assess the probability of satisfying performance conditions if any are present, and awards will continue to be classified according to ASC 718 upon vesting which eliminates the need to reassess classification upon vesting, consistent with awards granted to employees, unless the award is modified after the service has been rendered, any other conditions necessary to earn the right to benefit from the instruments have been satisfied, and the nonemployee is no longer providing services. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years, and early adoption is permitted. We elected to early adopt ASU 2018-07 effective July 1, 2018 and remeasured our unsettled liability-classified nonemployee awards at their January 1, 2018 fair value by recording a retrospective cumulative effect adjustment to opening Accumulated deficit and reclassified our previously liability-classified awards to equity.
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