Âé¶¹app Announces Change in Attribution of Live Nation Stake and Exchangeable Debentures
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Âé¶¹app ("Âé¶¹app") (Nasdaq: LCAPA, LCAPB, LINTA, LINTB, LSTZA, LSTZB) today announced that its board of directors has approved the following, effective immediately:
-- the change in attribution from the Âé¶¹app Interactive tracking stock group ("Âé¶¹app Interactive") to the Âé¶¹app Capital tracking stock group ("Âé¶¹app Capital") of the approximately 14.6% stake in Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. ("Live Nation") (NYSE: LYV) Âé¶¹app currently owns; -- the change in attribution from Âé¶¹app Capital to Âé¶¹app Interactive of the following debt securities issued by Âé¶¹app Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Âé¶¹app: o $469 million in principal amount of 4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2029 (the "2029 Exchangeables"); o $460 million in principal amount of 3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2030 (the "2030 Exchangeables"); and o $491.7 million in principal amount of 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2031 (the "2031 Exchangeables"); -- the change in attribution from Âé¶¹app Capital to Âé¶¹app Interactive of an aggregate of $830.2 million in net taxable income to be recognized ratably in tax years 2014 through 2018 as a result of the cancellation in April 2009 of $400 million in face amount of 2029 Exchangeables and $350 million in face amount of 2030 Exchangeables; and -- the change in attribution from Âé¶¹app Capital to Âé¶¹app Interactive of $807 million in cash.
Gregory B. Maffei, Âé¶¹app President and CEO, said, "Today we have announced a change in the attribution of three issuances of our exchangeable debt as well as our existing stake in Live Nation. Â The amount of cash reattributed to the Âé¶¹app Interactive group is sufficient to pay the 2013 debt maturities attributed to Âé¶¹app Interactive in full. Â In addition, we believe that the reattribution of this exchangeable debt puts these issuances of long-term debt with unique tax characteristics in the hands of the tracking stock group that is best positioned to take advantage of those tax characteristics, and will have positive effects on the liquidity and free cash flow of the Âé¶¹app Interactive group. Â Also, since Âé¶¹app has recently made a cash tender offer for an additional stake in Live Nation on behalf of the Âé¶¹app Capital group, the reattribution of our existing interest will allow our entire Live Nation stake to reside in the single tracking stock group best positioned for that investment. Â Finally, we believe that this reattribution improves the capital structure attributed to Âé¶¹app Interactive and provides increased flexibility for our tracking stock groups." Â
Additional information regarding this change in attribution is contained in a Current Report on Form 8-K being filed by Âé¶¹app with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") today. Â Copies of this filing may be obtained for free from the SEC's website, .
About Âé¶¹app
Âé¶¹app Media owns interests in a broad range of electronic retailing, media, communications and entertainment businesses. Those interests are attributed to three tracking stock groups: (1) the Âé¶¹app Interactive group (NASDAQ: Â LINTA, LINTB), which includes Âé¶¹app Media's interests in QVC, Provide Commerce, Backcountry.com, BUYSEASONS, Bodybuilding.com, IAC/InterActiveCorp, and Expedia, (2) the Âé¶¹app Starz group (NASDAQ: Â LSTZA, LSTZB), which includes Âé¶¹app Media's interests in Starz Entertainment and ViaSat, Inc., and (3) the Âé¶¹app Capital group (NASDAQ: Â LCAPA, LCAPB), which includes all businesses, assets and liabilities not attributed to the Interactive group or the Entertainment group including its subsidiaries Starz Media, LLC, Atlanta National League Baseball Club, Inc., and TruePosition, Inc., Âé¶¹app Media's interest in SIRIUS XM Radio, Inc., and minority equity investments in Time Warner Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corporation.
Contact: Courtnee Ulrich (720) 875-5420
SOURCE Âé¶¹app
Released February 25, 2010