News Corp 10-Q 2024-09-30

Filed 2024-11-08. 8 sections, 189K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_________________________________________

FORM 10-Q

_________________________________________

(Mark One)

☒QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024

or

☐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 001-35769

_________________________________________

News Corp (1).jpg

NEWS CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_________________________________________

Delaware46-2950970
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
1211 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York10036
(Address of principal executive offices)(Zip Code)
(212) 416-3400
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

_________________________________________

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading****Symbol(s)Name of each exchange****on which registered
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per shareNWSAThe Nasdaq Global Select Market
Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per shareNWSThe Nasdaq Global Select Market

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 ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐

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

Large accelerated filer☒Accelerated filer☐
Non-accelerated filer☐Smaller reporting company☐
Emerging growth company☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒

As of November 1, 2024, 378,907,001 shares of Class A Common Stock and 189,770,378 shares of Class B Common Stock were outstanding.

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NEWS CORPORATION

FORM 10-Q

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Part I. Financial Information
Item 1. Financial Statements
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (unaudited)2
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (unaudited)3
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2024 (unaudited) and June 30, 2024 (audited)4
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (unaudited)5
Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements6
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations23
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk37
Item 4. Controls and Procedures38
Part II. Other Information
Item 1. Legal Proceedings39
Item 1A. Risk Factors39
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds39
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities39
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures39
Item 5. Other Information39
Item 6. Exhibits40
Signature41

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PART I

Item 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NEWS CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

(Unaudited; millions, except per share amounts)

For the three months ended September 30,
Notes20242023
Revenues:
Circulation and subscription$1,157$1,129
Advertising381391
Consumer521502
Real estate357311
Other161166
Total Revenues22,5772,499
Operating expenses(1,263)(1,273)
Selling, general and administrative(899)(862)
Depreciation and amortization(189)(171)
Impairment and restructuring charges3(24)(38)
Equity losses of affiliates4(3)(2)
Interest expense, net(18)(23)
Other, net1223(35)
Income before income tax expense20495
Income tax expense10(60)(37)
Net income14458
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests(25)(28)
Net income attributable to News Corporation stockholders$119$30
Net income attributable to News Corporation stockholders per share, basic and diluted8$0.21$0.05

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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NEWS CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)

(Unaudited; millions)

For the three months ended September 30,
20242023
Net income$144$58
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments170(145)
Net change in the fair value of cash flow hedges(a)(16)(1)
Benefit plan adjustments, net(b)(3)15
Other comprehensive income (loss)151(131)
Comprehensive income (loss)295(73)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests(25)(28)
Other comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests(c)(31)31
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to News Corporation stockholders$239$(70)

(a) Net of income tax expense (benefit) of $(6) million and $(1) million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

(b) Net of income tax expense (benefit) of $(1) million and $5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

(c) Primarily consists of foreign currency translation adjustments.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these unaudited consolidated financial statements.

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NEWS CORPORATION

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Millions, except share and per share amounts)

NotesAs of September 30, 2024As of June 30, 2024
(unaudited)(audited)
Assets:
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents$1,778$1,960
Receivables, net121,6981,503
Inventory, net378296
Other current assets652613
Total current assets4,5064,372
Non-current assets:
Investments4458430
Property, plant and equipment, net1,9191,914
Operating lease right-of-use assets965958
Intangible assets, net2,3242,322
Goodwill5,2585,186
Deferred income tax assets, net10323332
Other non-current assets121,1741,170
Total assets$16,927$16,684
Liabilities and Equity:
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable$374$314
Accrued expenses1,2131,231
Deferred revenue2559551
Current borrowings519454
Other current liabilities12929905
Total current liabilities3,2693,055

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Item 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This document, including the following discussion and analysis, contains statements that constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. All statements that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words “expect,” “will,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “predict,” “believe,” “should” and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements appear in a number of places in this discussion and analysis and include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company, its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things, trends affecting the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations, the Company’s strategy and strategic initiatives, including potential acquisitions, investments and dispositions, the Company’s cost savings initiatives and the outcome of contingencies such as litigation and investigations. Readers are cautioned that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties. More information regarding these risks and uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A. in News Corporation’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on August 13, 2024 (the “2024 Form 10-K”), and as may be updated in this and other subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The Company does not ordinarily make projections of its future operating results and undertakes no obligation (and expressly disclaims any obligation) to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Readers should carefully review this document and the other documents filed by the Company with the SEC. This section should be read together with the unaudited consolidated financial statements of News Corporation and related notes set forth elsewhere herein and the audited consolidated financial statements of News Corporation and related notes set forth in the 2024 Form 10-K.

INTRODUCTION

News Corporation (together with its subsidiaries, “News Corporation,” “News Corp,” the “Company,” “we” or “us”) is a global diversified media and information services company comprised of businesses across a range of media, including: information services and news, digital real estate services, book publishing and subscription video services in Australia.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements are referred to herein as the “Consolidated Financial Statements.” The consolidated statements of operations are referred to herein as the “Statements of Operations.” The consolidated balance sheets are referred to herein as the “Balance Sheets.” The consolidated statements of cash flows are referred to herein as the “Statements of Cash Flows.” The Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is intended to help provide an understanding of the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operations. This discussion is organized as follows:

  • Overview of the Company’s Businesses—This section provides a general description of the Company’s businesses, as well as developments that occurred to date during fiscal 2025 that the Company believes are important in understanding its results of operations and financial condition or to disclose known trends.

  • Results of Operations—This section provides an analysis of the Company’s results of operations for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023. This analysis is presented on both a consolidated basis and a segment basis. Supplemental revenue information is also included for reporting units within certain segments and is presented on a gross basis, before eliminations in consolidation. In addition, a brief description is provided of significant transactions and events that impact the comparability of the results being analyzed.

  • Liquidity and Capital Resources—This section provides an analysis of the Company’s cash flows for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, as well as a discussion of the Company’s financial arrangements and outstanding commitments, both firm and contingent, that existed as of September 30, 2024.

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OVERVIEW OF THE COMPANY’S BUSINESSES

The Company manages and reports its businesses in the following six segments:

  • Dow Jones—The Dow Jones segment consists of Dow Jones, a global provider of news and business information whose products target individual consumers and enterprise customers and are distributed through a variety of media channels including newspapers, newswires, websites, mobile apps, newsletters, magazines, proprietary databases, live journalism, video and podcasts. Dow Jones’s consumer products include premier brands such as The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch and Investor’s Business Daily. Dow Jones’s professional information products, which target enterprise customers, include Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, a leading provider of data solutions to help customers identify and manage regulatory, corporate and reputational risk with tools focused on financial crime, sanctions, trade and other compliance requirements, Dow Jones Energy, a leading provider of pricing data, news, insights, analysis and other information for energy commodities and key base chemicals, Factiva, a leading provider of global business content, and Dow Jones Newswires, which distributes real-time business news, information and analysis to financial professionals and investors.

  • Digital Real Estate Services—The Digital Real Estate Services segment consists of the Company’s 61.4% interest in REA Group and 80% interest in Move. The remaining 20% interest in Move is held by REA Group. REA Group is a market-leading digital media business specializing in property and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (“ASX”) (ASX: REA). REA Group advertises property and property-related services on its websites and mobile apps, including Australia’s leading residential, commercial and share property websites, realestate.com.au, realcommercial.com.au and Flatmates.com.au, property.com.au and property portals in India. In addition, REA Group provides property-related data to the financial sector and financial services through a digital property search and financing experience and a mortgage broking offering.

Move is a leading provider of digital real estate services in the U.S. and primarily operates Realtor.com®, a premier real estate information, advertising and services platform. Move offers real estate advertising solutions to agents and brokers, including its ConnectionsSM Plus, Market VIPSM, AdvantageSM Pro and Listing Toolkit products as well as its referral-based services, ReadyConnect ConciergeSM and RealChoiceTM Selling. Move also offers online tools and services to do-it-yourself landlords and tenants.

  • Book Publishing—The Book Publishing segment consists of HarperCollins, the second largest consumer book publisher in the world, with operations in 15 countries and particular strengths in general fiction, nonfiction, children’s and religious publishing. HarperCollins owns more than 120 branded publishing imprints, including Harper, William Morrow, Mariner, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Avon, Harlequ

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Item 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

There has been no material change in the Company’s assessment of its sensitivity to market risk since its presentation set forth in Item 7A, “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk,” in the Company’s 2024 Form 10-K.

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Item 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

**(a)**Disclosure Controls and Procedures

The Company’s management, with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15(d)-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), as of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report. Based on such evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that, as of the end of such period, the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective in recording, processing, summarizing and reporting, on a timely basis, information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act and were effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

**(b)**Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

There has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15(d)-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2025 that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

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PART II

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

See Note 9—Commitments and Contingencies in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.

Item 1A. RISK FACTORS

There have been no material changes to the risk factors described in the 2024 Form 10-K.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALES OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

On September 22, 2021, the Company announced a stock repurchase program authorizing the Company to purchase up to $1 billion in the aggregate of its outstanding Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock (the “Repurchase Program”). The manner, timing, number and share price of any repurchases will be determined by the Company at its discretion and will depend upon such factors as the market price of the stock, general market conditions, applicable securities laws, alternative investment opportunities and other factors. The Repurchase Program has no time limit and may be modified, suspended or discontinued at any time.

The following table details the Company’s monthly share repurchases during the three months ended September 30, 2024:

Total Number of Shares Purchased**(a)**Average Price Paid Per Share**(b)**Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced ProgramDollar Value of Shares That May Yet Be Purchased Under Publicly Announced Program**(b)**
Class AClass BClass AClass B
(in millions, except per share amounts)
July 1, 2024 - July 28, 20240.30.1$27.71$28.560.4$449
July 29, 2024 - September 1, 20240.30.2$27.36$28.370.5$434
September 2, 2024 - September 29, 20240.30.1$26.50$27.730.4$422
Total0.90.4$27.19$28.221.3

(a) The Company has not made any repurchases of Common Stock other than in connection with the publicly announced stock repurchase program described above.

(b) Amounts exclude taxes, fees, commissions or other costs associated with the repurchases.

ITEM 3. DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

Not applicable.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

Item 5. OTHER INFORMATION

None.

Trading Plans

None.

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Item 6. EXHIBITS

10.1Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated February 13, 2024, between News Corporation and David Kline.*
10.2Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated February 14, 2024, between News Corporation and Ruth Allen.*
31.1Chief Executive Officer Certification required by Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.*
31.2Chief Financial Officer Certification required by Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.*
32.1Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002.**
101The following financial information from the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 formatted in Inline XBRL: (i) Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (unaudited); (ii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (unaudited); (iii) Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2024 (unaudited) and June 30, 2024 (audited); (iv) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 (unaudited); and (v) Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements.*
104The cover page from News Corporation’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, formatted in Inline XBRL (included as Exhibit 101).*
  • Filed herewith.

** Furnished herewith

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SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

NEWS CORPORATION (Registrant)
By:/s/ Susan Panuccio
Susan Panuccio Chief Financial Officer
Date: November 8, 2024