Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Related Party Transactions

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Related Party Transactions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Related Party Transactions
Related Party Transactions 
In the normal course of business, we enter into transactions with related parties such as Liberty Media, Sirius XM Canada and Pandora.

Liberty Media
As of December 31, 2018, Liberty Media beneficially owned, directly and indirectly, approximately 73% of the outstanding shares of our common stock. Liberty Media has two executives and one of its directors on our board of directors.  Gregory B. Maffei, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Media, is the Chairman of our board of directors.

Sirius XM Canada
On May 25, 2017, Sirius XM completed a recapitalization of Sirius XM Canada (the “Transaction”), which is now a privately held corporation.
Following the Transaction, Sirius XM holds a 70% equity interest and 33% voting interest in Sirius XM Canada, with the remainder of the voting power and equity interests held by two of Sirius XM Canada’s previous shareholders. The total consideration from Sirius XM to Sirius XM Canada, excluding transaction costs, during the year ended December 31, 2017 was $308,526, which included $129,676 in cash and we issued 35,000 shares of our common stock with an aggregate value of $178,850 to the holders of the shares of Sirius XM Canada acquired in the Transaction. Sirius XM received common stock, non-voting common stock and preferred stock of Sirius XM Canada. We own 590,950 shares of preferred stock of Sirius XM Canada, which has a liquidation preference of one Canadian dollar per share.
In connection with the Transaction, Sirius XM also made a loan to Sirius XM Canada in the aggregate amount of $130,794. The loan is denominated in Canadian dollars and is considered a long-term investment with any unrealized gains or losses reported within Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income. The loan has a term of fifteen years, bears interest at a rate of 7.62% per annum and includes customary covenants and events of default, including an event of default relating to Sirius XM Canada’s failure to maintain specified leverage ratios. The terms of the loan require Sirius XM Canada to prepay a portion of the outstanding principal amount of the loan within sixty days of the end of each fiscal year in an amount equal to any cash on hand in excess of C$10,000 at the last day of the financial year if all target dividends have been paid in full. During the year ended December 31, 2018, Sirius XM Canada repaid $3,242 of the principal amount of the loan.
In connection with the Transaction, Sirius XM also entered into a Services Agreement and an Advisory Services Agreement with Sirius XM Canada. Each agreement has a thirty year term. Pursuant to the Services Agreement, Sirius XM Canada pays Sirius XM 25% of its gross revenues on a monthly basis through December 31, 2021 and 30% of its gross revenues on a monthly basis thereafter. Pursuant to the Advisory Services Agreement, Sirius XM Canada pays Sirius XM 5% of its gross revenues on a monthly basis. These agreements superseded and replaced the former agreements between Sirius XM Canada and its predecessors and Sirius XM.
Sirius XM Canada is accounted for as an equity method investment, and its results are not consolidated in our consolidated financial statements. Sirius XM Canada does not meet the requirements for consolidation as we do not have the ability to direct the most significant activities that impact Sirius XM Canada's economic performance.
The difference between our investment and our share of the fair value of the underlying net assets of Sirius XM Canada is first allocated to either finite-lived intangibles or indefinite-lived intangibles and the balance is attributed to goodwill. We follow ASC 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other, which requires that equity method finite-lived intangibles be amortized over their estimated useful life while indefinite-lived intangibles and goodwill are not amortized. The amortization of equity method finite-lived intangible assets is recorded in Other income (expense) in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income. We periodically evaluate our equity method investments to determine if there has been an other-than temporary decline in fair value below carrying value. Equity method finite-lived intangibles, indefinite-lived intangibles and goodwill are included in the carrying amount of the investment.
We had the following related party balances associated with Sirius XM Canada:
December 31, 2018

December 31, 2017
Related party current assets
$
10,585

 
$
10,284

Related party long-term assets
$
437,227

 
$
481,608

Related party current liabilities
$
4,335

 
$
2,839

Related party long-term liabilities
$
4,270

 
$
7,364


As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, our related party current asset balance included amounts due under the Services Agreement and Advisory Services Agreement and certain amounts related to transactions outside the scope of the new services arrangements. Our related party long-term assets balance as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 included the carrying value of our investment balance in Sirius XM Canada of $311,213 and $341,214, respectively, and, as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, also included $126,013 and $140,073, respectively, for the long-term value of the outstanding loan to Sirius XM Canada. Our related party liabilities as of each of December 31, 2018 and 2017 included $2,776 for the current portion of deferred revenue and $2,312 and $5,088, respectively, for the long-term portion of deferred revenue recorded as of the date of the Sirius and XM merger related to agreements with legacy XM Canada, now Sirius XM Canada.  These costs are being amortized on a straight line basis through 2020.
We recorded the following revenue and other income associated with Sirius XM Canada in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income:
 
For the Years Ended December 31,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2016
Revenue (a)(b)
$
96,960


$
87,111

 
$
45,962

Other income (expense)





 
 

Share of net (loss) earnings (b)
$
(804
)

$
4,561

 
$
12,529

Dividends (c)
$
—


$
—

 
$
3,575

Interest income (d)
$
10,302


$
6,243

 
$
—

(a)
Prior to the Transaction, under our former agreements with Sirius XM Canada, we received a percentage-based fee of 10% and 15% for certain types of subscription revenue earned by Sirius XM Canada for the use of the Sirius and XM platforms, respectively, and additional fees for premium services and fees for activation fees and reimbursements for other charges.  We record revenue from Sirius XM Canada as Music royalty fee and other revenue in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
(b)
Prior to the Transaction, we recognized our proportionate share of revenue and earnings or losses attributable to Sirius XM Canada on a one month lag. As a result of the Transaction, there is no longer a one-month lag and Sirius XM Canada changed its fiscal year-end to December 31 to align with our fiscal year. For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, Share of net (loss) earnings included $2,434 and $1,501, respectively, of amortization expense related to equity method intangible assets.
(c)
Sirius XM Canada paid gross dividends to us of $2,240, $3,796, and $7,548 during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.  Dividends are first recorded as a reduction to our investment balance in Sirius XM Canada to the extent a balance existed and then as Other income (expense) for the remaining portion.
(d)
This interest income relates to the loan to Sirius XM Canada and is recorded as Other income (expense) in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Pandora
On September 22, 2017, Sirius XM completed a $480,000 investment in Pandora in which Sirius XM purchased 480 shares of Pandora’s Series A Convertible Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Series A Preferred Stock”). As of December 31, 2018, the Series A Preferred Stock, including accrued but unpaid dividends, represents a stake of approximately 18% of Pandora's common stock outstanding and approximately a 15% interest on an as-converted basis. Pandora operates an internet-based music discovery platform, offering a personalized experience for listeners.
The Series A Preferred Stock is convertible at the option of the holders at any time into shares of common stock of Pandora (“Pandora Common Stock”) at an initial conversion price of $10.50 per share of Pandora Common Stock and an initial conversion rate of 95.2381 shares of Pandora Common Stock per share of Series A Preferred Stock, subject to certain customary anti-dilution adjustments. Holders of the Series A Preferred Stock are entitled to a cumulative dividend at the rate of 6.0% per annum, payable quarterly in arrears, if and when declared. Pandora has the option to pay dividends in cash or accumulate dividends in lieu of paying cash. Any conversion of Series A Preferred Stock may be settled by Pandora, at its option, in shares of Pandora Common Stock, cash or any combination thereof. However, unless and until Pandora’s stockholders have approved the issuance of greater than 19.99% of the outstanding Pandora Common Stock, the Series A Preferred Stock may not be converted into more than 19.99% of Pandora’s outstanding Pandora Common Stock as of June 9, 2017. The liquidation preference of the Series A Preferred Stock, including accrued dividends of $40,969, was $520,969 as of December 31, 2018.
As the investment includes a conversion option, we have elected to account for this investment under the fair value option to reduce the accounting asymmetry that would otherwise arise when recognizing the changes in the fair value of available-for-sale investments. Under the fair value option, any gains (losses) associated with the change in fair value will be recognized in Other income within our consolidated statements of comprehensive income. In connection with the acquisition of Pandora, the Series A Preferred Stock will be canceled as part of the proposed transaction. We recognized a $42,617 and $472 unrealized gain during the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017 as Other income (expense) in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income for this investment. The fair value of our investment in Pandora, including accrued dividends, as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $523,089 and $480,472, respectively, and is recorded as a related party long-term asset within our consolidated balance sheets. This investment does not meet the requirements for the equity method of accounting as it does not qualify as in-substance common stock.
On September 23, 2018, Holdings entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among Holdings, Pandora, Billboard Holding Company, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pandora, Billboard Acquisition Sub, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Billboard Holding Company, Inc., Sirius XM and White Oaks Acquisition Corp., pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, Holdings agreed to acquire Pandora (such transaction, the “Merger”). Pursuant to the Merger, each outstanding share of Pandora Common Stock, will be converted into the right to receive 1.44 shares (the “Exchange Ratio”) of Holdings common stock, par value $0.001 per share (“Holdings Common Stock”). In connection with the Merger, the Series A Preferred Stock will be canceled for no consideration.

Further, pursuant to the Merger:
 
•
each option granted by Pandora under its stock incentive plans to purchase shares of Pandora Common Stock, whether vested or unvested will be assumed and converted into an option to purchase shares of Holdings Common Stock, with appropriate adjustments (based on the Exchange Ratio) to the exercise price and number of shares of Holdings Common Stock subject to such option, and will have the same vesting schedule and exercise conditions as in effect as of immediately prior to the closing of the Merger;
 
•
each unvested restricted stock unit granted by Pandora under its stock incentive plans will be assumed and converted into an unvested restricted stock unit of Holdings, with appropriate adjustments (based on the Exchange Ratio) to the number of shares of Holdings Common Stock to be received, and will have the same vesting schedule and settlement date as in effect as of immediately prior to the closing of the Merger; and
 
•
each unvested performance award granted by Pandora under its stock incentive plans shall be canceled and forfeited if the per share value of merger consideration at the closing of the transactions as determined pursuant to the Merger Agreement is less than $20.00, and otherwise each such award will be assumed and converted into a time vesting award to receive a number of shares of Holdings Common Stock based on the Exchange Ratio, and will have the same vesting schedule as in effect as of immediately prior to the closing of the Merger.

The Merger Agreement contains customary representations and warranties from both Holdings and Pandora, and each party has agreed to customary covenants, including covenants relating to the conduct of Holdings’ and Pandora’s businesses during the period between the execution of the Merger Agreement and the closing of the Merger. In the case of Pandora, such obligations include its agreement to call a meeting of its stockholders to adopt the Merger Agreement, and, subject to certain exceptions, to recommend that its stockholders adopt the Merger Agreement.

The Pandora stockholders voted to adopt the Merger Agreement at a special stockholder meeting on January 29, 2019.

The completion of the Merger is subject to customary conditions, including, among others, the absence of any law or order that prohibits or makes illegal the Merger and, subject to certain exceptions, the accuracy of the representations and warranties of each party and compliance by the parties with their respective covenants.