Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Related Party Transactions

v3.19.1
Related Party Transactions
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
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 and Sirius XM Canada.

Liberty Media
As of March 31, 2019, Liberty Media beneficially owned, directly and indirectly, approximately 68% 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 $309, which included $130 in cash and we issued 35 shares of our common stock with an aggregate value of $179 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 591 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 $131. 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 at the last day of the financial year if all target dividends have been paid in full. During the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, Sirius XM Canada repaid less than $1 and $3 of the principal amount of the loan, respectively.
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 unaudited 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.
We had the following related party balances associated with Sirius XM Canada:

March 31, 2019

December 31, 2018
Related party current assets
$
12

 
$
11

Related party long-term assets
$
448

 
$
437

Related party current liabilities
$
4

 
$
4

Related party long-term liabilities
$
3

 
$
4


As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, 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 March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 included the carrying value of our investment balance in Sirius XM Canada of $320 and $311, respectively, and, as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, also included $128 and $126, respectively, for the long-term value of the outstanding loan to Sirius XM Canada. Our related party liabilities for both March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 included $3 for the current portion of deferred revenue and $2 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.

Sirius XM Canada paid gross dividends to us of less than $1 during each of the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018.  Dividends are first recorded as a reduction to our investment balance in Sirius XM Canada to the extent a balance exists and then as Other income for any remaining portion.
We recorded the following revenue and other income associated with Sirius XM Canada in our unaudited consolidated statements of comprehensive income:
 
For the Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2019
 
2018
Revenue (a)
$
24

 
$
24

Other income
 

 
 

Share of net earnings (b)
$
3

 
$
1

Interest income (c)
$
2


$
3

(a)
We record revenue from Sirius XM Canada as Other revenue in our unaudited consolidated statements of comprehensive income.
(b)
For both the three months ended March 31, 2019 and 2018, Share of net earnings included $1 of amortization expense related to equity method intangible assets.
(c)
This interest income relates to the loan to Sirius XM Canada and is recorded as Other income (expense) in our unaudited consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Pandora

The $523 preferred stock investment in Pandora as of December 31, 2018 was canceled in conjunction with the Pandora Acquisition. Refer to Note 2 for information on this acquisition.