Warner Bros. Discovery 10-K 2023-12-31
Filed 2024-02-23. 24 sections, 639K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown · JSON
Cover and table of contents
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
| FORM | 10-K | ||||
| ☒ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023
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: 001-34177

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 35-2333914 | ||||||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||
| 230 Park Avenue South | 10003 | ||||||||||
| New York, New York | (Zip Code) | ||||||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) |
(212) 548-5555
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Each Class | Trading Symbols | Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered | ||||||
| Series A Common Stock | WBD | The Nasdaq Global Select Market |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý No ¨
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ¨ No ý
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 ý 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 ý No ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, 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 | ý | 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 has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report. ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ý
The aggregate market value of voting and non-voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the Registrant computed by reference to the last sales price of such stock, as of the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, which was June 30, 2023, was approximately $30 billion.
Total number of shares outstanding of each class of the Registrant’s common stock as of February 8, 2024 was:
| Series A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share | 2,439,687,237 |
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Certain information required in Item 10 through Item 14 of Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant’s definitive Proxy Statement for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which shall be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY, INC.
FORM 10-K
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I
CAUTIONARY NOTE CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our business, marketing and operating strategies, integration of acquired businesses, new product and service offerings, financial prospects and anticipated sources and uses of capital. Words such as “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “strategy,” “target” and similar terms, and future or conditional tense verbs like “could,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “will” and “would,” among other terms of similar substance used in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance identify forward-looking statements. Where, in any forward-looking statement, we express an expectation or belief as to future results or events, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be accomplished. The following is a list of some, but not all, of the factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated:
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more intense competitive pressure from existing or new competitors in the industries in which we operate;
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reduced spending on domestic and foreign television advertising, due to macroeconomic, industry or consumer behavior trends or unexpected reductions in our number of subscribers;
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uncertainties associated with product and service development and market acceptance, including the development and provision of programming for new television and telecommunications technologies, and the success of our streaming services;
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market demand for foreign first-run and existing content libraries;
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negative publicity or damage to our brands, reputation or talent;
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realizing direct-to-consumer subscriber goals;
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industry trends, including the timing of, and spending on, sports programming, feature film, television and television commercial production;
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the possibility or duration of an industry-wide strike, such as the strikes of the Writers Guild of America (“WGA”) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (“SAG-AFTRA”) in 2023, player lock-outs or other job action affecting a major entertainment industry union, athletes or others involved in the development and production of our sports programming, television programming, feature films and interactive entertainment (e.g., games) who are covered by collective bargaining agreements;
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disagreements with our distributors or other business partners;
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continued consolidation of distribution customers and production studios;
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potential unknown liabilities, adverse consequences or unforeseen increased expenses associated with the WarnerMedia Business or our efforts to integrate the WarnerMedia Business;
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adverse outcomes of legal proceedings or disputes related to our acquisition of the WarnerMedia Business;
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changes in, or failure or inability to comply with, laws and government regulations, including, without limitation, regulations of the Federal Communications Commission and similar authorities internationally and data privacy regulations, and adverse outcomes from regulatory or legal proceedings;
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inherent uncertainties involved in the estimates and assumptions used in the preparation of financial forecasts;
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our level of debt, including the significant indebtedness incurred in connection with the acquisition of the WarnerMedia Business, and our future compliance with debt covenants;
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threatened or actual cyber-attacks and cybersecurity breaches;
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theft of our content and unauthorized duplication, distribution and exhibition of such content; and
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general economic and business conditions, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, global events such as pandemics, and political unrest in the international markets in which we operate.
Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties which change over time, are based on management’s expectations and assumptions at the time the statements are made and are not guarantees of future results.
These risks have the potential to impact the recoverability of the assets recorded on our balance sheets, including goodwill or other intangibles. Management’s expectations and assumptions, and the continued validity of any forward-looking statements we make, cannot be foreseen with certainty and are subject to change due to a broad range of factors affecting the U.S. and global economies and regulatory environments, factors specific to Warner Bros. Discovery and other factors described under Item 1A, “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including under Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed in our forward-looking statements and from our historical financial results due to the factors discussed in this section and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or disclosed in our other SEC filings. These forward-looking statements and such risks, uncertainties, and other factors speak only as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein, to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto, or any other change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Item 1. Business.
For convenience, the terms “Warner Bros. Discovery”, “WBD”, the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” are used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to refer to both Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. and collectively to Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. and one or more of its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires.
Merger with the WarnerMedia Business of AT&T
On April 8, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), Discovery, Inc. (“Discovery”) completed its merger (the “Merger”) with the WarnerMedia business (the “WarnerMedia Business”, “WM Business” or “WM”) of AT&T Inc. (“AT&T”) and changed its name to Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. On April 11, 2022, the Company’s shares started trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the trading symbol WBD.
The Merger was executed through a Reverse Morris Trust type transaction, under which WM was distributed to AT&T’s shareholders via a pro rata distribution, and immediately thereafter, combined with Discovery. (See Note 3 and Note 4 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements). Prior to the Merger, WarnerMedia Holdings, Inc. (“WMH”) distributed $40.5 billion to AT&T (subject to working capital and other adjustments) in a combination of cash, debt securities, and WM’s retention of certain debt. Discovery transferred purchase consideration of $42.4 billion in equity to AT&T shareholders in the Merger. In August 2022, the Company and AT&T finalized the post-closing working capital settlement process, which resulted in the Company receiving a $1.2 billion payment from AT&T in the third quarter of 2022 in lieu of adjusting the equity issued as consideration in the Merger. AT&T shareholders received shares of WBD Series A common stock (“WBD common stock”) in the Merger representing 71% of the combined Company and the Company’s pre-Merger shareholders continued to own 29% of the combined Company, in each case on a fully diluted basis.
Discovery was deemed to be the accounting acquirer of the WM Business for accounting purposes under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”); therefore, Discovery is considered the Company’s predecessor and the historical financial statements of Discovery prior to April 8, 2022, are reflected in this Annual Report on Form 10-K as the Company’s historical financial statements. Accordingly, the financial results of the Company as of and for any periods prior to April 8, 2022 do not include the financial results of the WM Business and current and future results will not be comparable to results prior to the Merger.
Industry Trends
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA went on strike in May and July 2023, respectively, following the expiration of their respective collective bargaining agreements with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (“AMPTP”). The WGA strike ended on September 27, 2023, and a new collective bargaining agreement was ratified on October 9, 2023. The SAG-AFTRA strike ended on November 9, 2023, and a new collective bargaining agreement was ratified on December 5, 2023.
The strikes had a material impact on the operations and results of the Company, including a pause on certain theatrical and television productions. Effects included a positive impact on cash flow from operations attributed to delayed production spend, and a negative impact on the results of operations attributed to timing and performance of the 2023 film slate, as well as the Company’s ability to produce, license, and deliver content.
Other headwinds in the industry, such as continued pressures on linear distribution and soft advertising markets in the U.S., have had, and are expected to continue to have, a material impact on the operations and results of the Company, including a negative impact on the results of operations attributed to declines in linear advertising revenue.
We continue to closely monitor the ongoing impact of industry trends to our business; however, the full effects on our operations and results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.
Description of Business
Warner Bros. Discovery is a premier global media and entertainment company that provides audiences with a differentiated portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film, streaming, and gaming. Some of our iconic brands and franchises include Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, DC, HBO, HBO Max, Max, discovery+, CNN, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Sports, TBS, TLC, OWN, Warner Bros. Games, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, Game of Thrones, and The Lord of the Rings.
We are home to powerful creative engines and one of the largest collections of owned content in the world. WBD has one of the strongest hands in the industry in terms of the completeness and quality of assets and intellectual property across sports, news, lifestyle, and entertainment in virtually every region of the globe and in most languages. We serve audiences and consumers around the world with content that informs, entertains, and, when at its best, inspires.
Our asset mix positions us to drive a balanced approach to creating long-term value for shareholders. It represents the full entertainment ecosystem, and the ability to serve consumers across the entire spectrum of offerings from domestic and international networks, premium pay-TV, streaming, production and release of feature films and original series, related consumer products and themed experience licensing, and interactive gaming.
We generate revenue from the sale of advertising on our networks and digital platforms (advertising revenue); fees charged to distributors that carry our network brands and programming, including cable, direct-to-home (“DTH”) satellite, telecommunication and digital service providers, as well as through direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) subscription services (distribution revenue); the release of feature films for initial exhibition in theaters, the licensing of feature films and television programs to various television, subscription video on demand (“SVOD”) and other digital markets, distribution of feature films and television programs in the physical and digital home entertainment markets, sales of console games and mobile in-game content, sublicensing of sports rights, and licensing of intellectual property such as characters and brands (content revenue); and other sources such as studio tours and production services (other revenue).
Segments
As of December 31, 2023, we classified our operations in three reportable segments:
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Studios** - Our Studios segment primarily consists of the production and release of feature films for initial exhibition in theaters, production and initial licensing of television programs to our networks/DTC services as well as third parties, distribution of our films and television programs to various third party and internal television and streaming services, distribution through the home entertainment market (physical and digital), related consumer products and themed experience licensing, and interactive gaming.
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Networks** - Our Networks segment primarily consists of our domestic and international television networks.
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DTC** - Our DTC segment primarily consists of our premium pay-TV and streaming services.
Our segment presentation aligns with our management structure and the financial information management uses to make decisions about operating matters, such as the allocation of resources and business performance assessments. Financial information for our segments and the geographical areas in which we do business is set forth in Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and Note 23 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Studios
WBD’s Studios business includes the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group (“WBMPG”), DC Studios, Warner Bros. Television Group (“WBTVG”), Consumer Products, Themed Entertainment and Brand Licensing, DC Comics Publishing, Content Licensing, Home Entertainment, Studio Operations, and Interactive Gaming.
WBMPG is comprised of Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. WBMPG partners with captivating storytellers to create filmed entertainment for a global audience.
DC Studios, tasked with developing properties licensed from DC Comics for film, television and animation, continues the tradition of high-quality storytelling within the DC Universe, while building a sustainable growth business out of the iconic characters.
WBTVG consists of Warner Bros. Television, the Company’s flagship television production unit for live-action scripted programming, as well as Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, which produces unscripted and alternative programming through its four production units – Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, Telepictures, Warner Bros. International Television Production, and Shed Media. WBTVG also includes Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe.
Among the Studios segment’s content highlights for 2023 were Barbie, the #1 movie of the year globally based on worldwide gross revenue*, Wonka, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,* and The Nun II on the film side and award-winning TV titles including Abbott Elementary, Ted Lasso, Night Court, Shrinking, Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal, The Golden Bachelor, and The Voice.
Beyond its production operations, the Studios segment includes various businesses that facilitate consumer interaction with the intellectual property it creates.
Global Consumer Products, Themed Entertainment and Brand Licensing, and world-renowned comic and publishing powerhouse DC Comics, all drive opportunities for consumers to engage with WBD’s leading entertainment brands and franchises.
Global distribution of most of WBD’s content is handled by Content Sales, which provides content for viewers across streaming, cable, satellite and broadcast networks, local television stations, and airlines. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment oversees the global distribution of content through physical goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online, and mobile channels.
The Studios segment also includes Warner Bros. Games, a worldwide publisher, developer, licensor, and distributor of content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile, and PC-based gaming for both internal and third-party game titles. Based on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter franchise, Warner Bros. Games launched Hogwarts Legacy in 2023, which became the #1 game of the year globally.
Part of the Worldwide Studio Operations group, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter and Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood attract visitors from around the world, giving fans the opportunity to get closer to the entertainment they love. In June of 2023, the Worldwide Studios Operations group opened the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter, a new experience that was the first Warner Bros. Studio Tour to open in Asia.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, content and other revenues were 93% and 7%, respectively, of total revenues for this segment.
Networks
WBD’s linear network operations include general entertainment, lifestyle, and news networks in the U.S., as well as a host of international media networks and global sports networks.
General entertainment networks in the U.S. include TNT, cable’s #1 entertainment network; TBS, a top-rated destination for television among young adults; and Turner Classic Movies. WBD’s other entertainment networks include OWN, Discovery Channel, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, and truTV among many others.
Leading the lifestyle category are Magnolia Network, comprised of a collection of inspiring original series curated by Chip and Joanna Gaines featuring some of the U.S.’s most talented names in home and design, food, gardening, and the arts; HGTV, with relatable stories, real estate and renovation experts and home transformations; and Food Network, which connects viewers to the power and joy of food. Additional lifestyle networks include Travel Channel, Science Channel, TLC, and Hogar de HGTV among many others.
In 2023, CNN, our global news brand, launched CNN Max in the U.S., giving audiences the ability to access a combination of on-air CNN content and exclusive programming on WBD’s streaming service, Max.
WBD Sports (rebranded in January 2024 as TNT Sports) is a global leader in premium sports content across multiple platforms, engaging fans in the U.S. and internationally. TNT Sports’ U.S. sports rights include the National Basketball Association (“NBA”), Major League Baseball (“MLB”), National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”), National Hockey League (“NHL”), and United States Soccer Federation (“USSF”). WBD Sports Europe features Eurosport, a leading sport destination and the home of the Olympic Games in Europe, as well as the Global Cycling Network (“GCN”), and Global Mountain Bike Network (“GMBN”).
TNT Sports’ owned-and-operated platforms include Bleacher Report, Eurosport.com, House of Highlights, HighlightHER, and a full suite of digital and social brands. In 2023, WBD exited its regional sports business (“AT&T SportsNets”) in the U.S.
In addition to the global networks described above, we operate networks internationally. TVN operates a portfolio of free-to-air and pay-TV lifestyle, entertainment, and news networks in Poland.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, distribution, advertising, content, and other revenues were 54%, 39%, 5%, and 2%, respectively, of total revenues for this segment.
DTC
WBD’s DTC business includes our streaming services, such as Max, HBO Max, and discovery+, and premium pay-TV services, such as HBO. Our streaming services are available on most mobile and connected TV devices. As of December 31, 2023, we had 97.7 million DTC subscribers1.
HBO is one of the most respected and innovative entertainment brands in the world, serving iconic, award-winning programming through the HBO linear channels and our DTC streaming service, Max.
In May 2023, WBD launched Max, creating a new destination for HBO Originals, Warner Bros. films, Max Originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, CNN, an expansive offering of kids’ content, and among the best programming across food, home, reality, lifestyle and documentaries from leading brands like HGTV, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, ID and more. Max initially launched in the U.S. and will roll out in international territories, starting in Latin America and the Caribbean in the first quarter of 2024, with more markets in EMEA and APAC to follow later in the year.
discovery+ is WBD’s non-fiction, real-life subscription-based streaming service. discovery+ features a wide range of exclusive, original series across popular passion verticals, including lifestyle and relationships; home and food; true crime; paranormal; adventure and natural history; science, tech, and the environment; and a slate of high-quality documentaries.
Max, HBO Max, and discovery+ currently feature both ad-free and ad-lite versions.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, distribution, advertising, and content revenues are 86%, 5%, and 9%, respectively, of total revenues for this segment.
COMPETITION
Providing content across various distribution platforms is a highly competitive business worldwide. We experience competition for the development and acquisition of content, distribution of our content, sale of commercial time on our networks and viewership. There is competition from other production studios, other television networks, and online-based content providers for the acquisition of content and creative talent such as writers, producers and directors. In addition, the composition of our competitors has evolved with the entrance of new market participants, including companies in adjacent sectors with significant financial, marketing, and other resources, greater efficiencies of scale, fewer regulatory burdens and more competitive pricing. Our ability to produce and acquire popular content is an important competitive factor for the distribution of our content, attracting viewers and the sale of advertising. Our success in securing popular content and creative talent depends on various factors such as the number of competitors providing content that targets the same genre and audience, the distribution of our content, viewership, and the production, marketing and advertising support we provide.
Our networks compete with other television networks, including broadcast, cable and local, for the distribution of our content and fees charged to cable television operators, DTH satellite service providers, and other distributors that carry our content. Our ability to secure distribution agreements is necessary to ensure the retention of our audiences. Our contractual agreements with distributors are renewed or renegotiated from time to time in the ordinary course of business. Growth in the number of networks distributed, consolidation and other market conditions in the cable and satellite distribution industry, and increased popularity of other platforms may adversely affect our ability to obtain and maintain contractual terms for the distribution of our content that are as favorable as those currently in place. The ability to secure distribution agreements is dependent upon the production, acquisition and packaging of content, viewership, the marketing and advertising support and incentives provided to distributors, the product offering across a series of networks within a region, and the prices charged for carriage.
1 Direct-to-Consumer subscriber - We define a “Core DTC Subscription” as:
(i) a retail subscription to discovery+, HBO, HBO Max, Max, or a Premium Sports Product (defined below) for which we have recognized subscription revenue, whether directly or through a third party, from a direct-to-consumer platform; (ii) a wholesale subscription to discovery+, HBO, HBO Max, Max, or a Premium Sports Product for which we have recognized subscription revenue from a fixed-fee arrangement with a third party and where the individual user has activated their subscription; (iii) a wholesale subscription to discovery+, HBO, HBO Max, Max, or a Premium Sports Product for which we have recognized subscription revenue on a per subscriber basis; (iv) a retail or wholesale subscription to an independently-branded, regional product sold on a stand-alone basis that includes discovery+, HBO, HBO Max, Max, and/or a Premium Sports Product, for which we have recognized subscription revenue (as per (i)-(iii) above); and (v) users on free trials who convert to a subscription for which we have recognized subscription revenue within the first seven days of the calendar month immediately following the month in which their free trial expires.
The Company defines a “Premium Sports Product” as a strategically prioritized, sports-focused product sold on a stand-alone basis and made available directly to consumers. The current “independently-branded, regional products” referred to in (iv) above consist of TVN/Player and BluTV. We may refer to the aggregate number of DTC Subscriptions as “subscribers”.
The reported number of “subscribers” included herein and the definition of “DTC Subscription” as used herein excludes: (i) individuals who subscribe to DTC products, other than discovery+, HBO, HBO Max, Max, a Premium Sports Product, and independently-branded, regional products (currently consisting of TVN/Player and BluTV) that may be offered by us or by certain joint venture partners or affiliated parties from time to time; (ii) a limited number of international discovery+ subscribers that are part of non-strategic partnerships or short-term arrangements as may be identified by the Company from time to time; (iii) domestic and international Cinemax subscribers, and international basic HBO subscribers; and (iv) users on free trials except for those users on free trial that convert to a DTC Subscription within the first seven days of the next month as noted above.
Our networks and streaming services, which include Max, HBO Max, and discovery+, compete for the sale of advertising with other television networks, including broadcast, cable, local networks, and other content distribution outlets for their target audiences and the sale of advertising. Our success in selling advertising is a function of the size and demographics of our audiences, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the audience of each network, the perceived quality of the network and of the particular content, the brand appeal of the network and ratings as determined by third-party research companies, prices charged for advertising and overall advertiser demand in the marketplace.
Our networks and streaming services also compete for their target audiences with all forms of content and other media provided to viewers, including broadcast, cable and local networks, streaming services, pay-per-view and video-on-demand (“VOD”) services, online activities and other forms of news, information and media entertainment.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
We are one of the world’s leading creators, owners and distributors of intellectual property. Our intellectual property assets include copyrights in films, television programs, software, comic books and mobile apps; trademarks in names, logos and characters; patents or patent applications for inventions related to products and services; websites; and licenses of intellectual property rights of various kinds from third parties. We have made and will continue to make investments in developing technology platforms to support our digital products and streaming services, including Max, HBO Max, and discovery+, and consider these platforms to be intellectual property assets as well.
We are a global media and entertainment company and the protection of our content and brands is of primary importance. To protect our intellectual property assets, we rely upon a combination of copyright, trademark, patent, unfair competition, and internet/domain name statutes and laws, and contract provisions. However, there can be no assurance of the degree to which these measures will be successful. Moreover, effective intellectual property protection may be either unavailable or limited in certain foreign territories, and new legislative or regulatory initiatives could impact our operations.
We seek to limit unauthorized use of our intellectual property through a combination of approaches. However, the steps taken to prevent the infringement of our intellectual property by unauthorized third parties may not be effective. Piracy, which encompasses the theft of our signals, and the unauthorized use of our intellectual property in the digital environment, continues to present a threat to revenues from products and services based on our intellectual property. Piracy also includes the unauthorized use of our intellectual property on physical goods. We have a team dedicated to disrupting and curbing piracy and other forms of intellectual property infringement and use external vendors to detect and remove infringements, whether digital in nature or on physical goods. We also engage with intermediaries that facilitate piracy, leverage our membership in a range of industry groups, and initiate enforcement actions, including litigation, to address piracy issues. In general, policing unauthorized use of our products and services and related intellectual property is difficult and costly. Further, new technologies such as generative AI and their impact on our intellectual property rights remain uncertain, and development of the law in this area could impact our ability to protect against infringing uses or result in infringement claims against us.
Third parties may challenge the validity or scope of our intellectual property from time to time, and the success of any such challenges could result in the limitation or loss of intellectual property rights. Irrespective of their validity, such claims may also result in substantial costs and diversion of resources which could have an adverse effect on our operations.
REGULATORY MATTERS
Our businesses are subject to and affected by regulations of U.S. federal, state and local government authorities, and our international operations are subject to laws and regulations of the countries and international bodies, such as the E.U., in which we operate. Content networks, such as those owned by us, are regulated in certain limited respects by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), including some regulations that only apply to content networks affiliated with a cable television operator. Other FCC regulations, although imposed on cable television operators and direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) operators and other distributors, affect content networks indirectly. The rules, regulations, policies and procedures affecting our businesses are constantly subject to change. These descriptions are summary in nature and describe only the most significant regulations we face; they do not purport to describe all present and proposed laws and regulations affecting our businesses.
Program Access
The Communications Act (the “Act”) and the FCC’s program access rules prevent a content vendor in which a cable operator has an “attributable” ownership interest from discriminating against unaffiliated multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”), such as cable and DBS operators, in the rates, terms and conditions for the sale or delivery of the vendor’s content networks, on the basis of the non-affiliation. These rules permit the unaffiliated MVPD to initiate a complaint to the FCC against the content vendor and content networks if it believes this rule has been violated.
Program Carriage
The Act and the FCC’s program carriage rules prohibit MVPDs from favoring their affiliated content networks over unaffiliated, similarly situated content networks in the rates, terms and conditions of their carriage agreements in a manner that unreasonably restrains the ability of the unaffiliated content network to compete fairly. These rules permit the unaffiliated content network to initiate a complaint to the FCC against the MVPD if it believes these rules have been violated, but court decisions interpreting the regulations have made it difficult for us to challenge a distributor’s decision to decline to carry one of our content networks or discriminate against one of our content networks.
“Must-Carry”/Retransmission Consent
The Act imposes “must-carry” regulations on cable systems, requiring them to carry the signals of most local broadcast television stations in their market if they elect mandatory carriage. DBS systems are also subject to their own must-carry rules. The FCC’s implementation of “must-carry” obligations requires cable operators and DBS providers to give broadcasters preferential access to channel space and favorable channel positions. This reduces the amount of channel space that is available for carriage of our content networks by cable and DBS operators. The Act also gives certain broadcasters the choice of opting out of must-carry and invoking the right to retransmission consent, which refers to a broadcaster’s right to require MVPDs, such as cable and satellite operators, to obtain the broadcaster’s consent before distributing the broadcaster’s signal to the MVPDs’ subscribers, often at a substantial cost that reduces the content funds available for independent programmers not affiliated with broadcasters, such as us.
Accessibility, Children’s Advertising Restrictions, Emergency Alerts and CALM Act
Certain of our content networks and some of our IP-delivered video content must provide closed-captioning and audio description of some of their programming and comply with other regulations designed to make our content more accessible to persons with disabilities. The U.S. Congress, the FCC, and the U.S. Department of Justice periodically consider proposals to implement additional accessibility requirements, and are considering a number of such proposals now, some of which would increase our obligations substantially. Our television programming intended primarily for children 12 years of age and under must comply with certain limits on the amount and type of permissible advertising, and certain regulations extend to our digital products when they are referenced by web address in our television programming. We may not include actual or simulated emergency alert tones or signals in our content. Commercials embedded in our networks’ television content stream also must adhere to certain standards for ensuring that those commercials are not transmitted at louder volumes than our program material.
Obscenity Restrictions
MVPDs are prohibited from transmitting obscene content, and our distribution agreements generally require us to refrain from including such content on our networks.
Regulation of Digital Products and Services
We operate a variety of free, advertising-based and subscription-based digital products and streaming services providing news, information and entertainment to consumers in the U.S. and international markets via web, mobile and connected TV platforms. In some cases, those products and services are provided directly to consumers, and in other cases, they can be used and/or purchased through a third-party distributor, such as Xfinity or Hulu. Our digital products and services are subject to federal and state regulation in the U.S. relating to the privacy and security of personal information collected from our users, including laws pertaining to the acquisition of personal information from children under 16. Some examples of these laws include the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the federal Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act, the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), and the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”). Many additional U.S. state and federal regulations impose data security and data breach obligations on the Company. These laws and their public and private enforcement are continually evolving, with several comprehensive U.S. state privacy laws that took effect in 2023, or that will take effect in 2024, and many more introduced and expected to pass in the coming year, and novel litigation theories related to privacy advancing in the courts. Additional federal and state laws and regulations apply or may be adopted with respect to our digital products and services, covering such issues as data privacy and security, child safety, oversight of user-generated content, advertising, competition, pricing, content, copyrights and trademarks, access by persons with disabilities, distribution, taxation and characteristics and quality of products and services. The scope of regulation may differ depending on how these products and services are used and/or purchased. In addition, the FCC from time to time considers whether some or all digital services should be considered MVPDs and regulated as such.
Intellectual Property Laws and Regulations
Our intellectual property assets are discussed under “Business – Intellectual Property” above. Our content, whether distributed over broadcast, cable, DBS, wireless, or internet-based services, or through other means, is protected under intellectual property law, including copyright, trademark, patent, unfair competition, and internet/domain name statutes and laws and license agreements. Changes to these laws and regulations could either strengthen or weaken our ability to license and protect our content and combat its theft or misuse.
Foreign Laws and Regulations
The foreign jurisdictions in which our products and services are offered have, in varying degrees, laws and regulations governing our businesses, including relating to the production, monetization and distribution of content. By way of example, our digital offerings available to consumers in international jurisdictions are subject to laws and regulations relating to, without limitation, consumer protection, data privacy and security, advertising, competition, intellectual property, and content limitations.
Similar to the U.S., new laws and regulations in international jurisdictions may be adopted with respect to our intellectual property, products and services. In particular, we face increased efforts in international jurisdictions to regulate streaming services, which may constrain our offerings. Further, international laws and regulations around intellectual property could limit our ability to license and protect our content, as well as impose additional burdens on our business.
HUMAN CAPITAL
As of December 31, 2023, we had approximately 35,300 employees, including full-time and part-time employees of our wholly-owned subsidiaries and consolidated ventures, with 53% located in the U.S. and 47% located outside of the U.S.
We are a talent-driven business, aiming to attract, develop, and motivate top talent throughout our company. To support these objectives, our human resources programs are designed to provide competitive, locally-relevant benefits, performance-based pay, and nonfinancial support and incentives. We also strive to enhance our culture through efforts aimed at making our workplace diverse, engaging and inclusive, and to develop our talent to prepare them for critical roles and leadership positions for the future. We also provide opportunities for our employees to make an impact in their communities through social good initiatives around the world.
Some examples of our human resources programs and initiatives are described below.
Compensation
Our compensation philosophy is to pay for performance, encourage excellence and reward employees who innovate and deliver high-quality results. Our compensation programs are designed to implement our compensation philosophy by:
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paying competitively, across salary grades and geographies;
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applying compensation policies in an internally consistent manner; and
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incentivizing our employees to deliver on our short- and long-term objectives.
Benefits
We provide an array of benefits and programs that support our employees in their personal and professional lives. Highlights include:
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local medical, dental, and vision plans in many countries around the world to support our employees with access to health care, supplementing any state-provided health care;
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on-site wellness centers in our New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Chiswick (London) offices, a fully-equipped fitness center in our New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta offices, and access to virtual fitness classes and wellbeing programs;
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family support programs, including on-site childcare in certain offices, childcare locator services, back-up childcare, maternity/paternity leave, adoption assistance and elder care;
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tools and resources to support the mental wellbeing of our employees and their families, including mental health counselors in our on-site wellness centers and a confidential, dedicated line for employees to contact and speak with a counselor in the event they need mental health support;
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products and services to support employees’ financial wellbeing, including life, accident, and disability insurance plans, discount benefits, financial planning tools, a 401(k) savings plan in the U.S. and retirement/pension plans in over 20 countries, with competitive contributions from the Company for employees at all levels;
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offering an employee stock purchase plan, which allows certain employees globally (where legislation permits) an opportunity to buy WBD common stock at a discounted price through convenient after-tax payroll deductions with no commission charges; and
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flexible working arrangements around the globe to enable our employees to better balance work and personal commitments.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (“DE&I”)
Our DE&I objective is to promote diversity, remove barriers, and create space for all to share ideas and be heard. DE&I at WBD is overseen by our Chief Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer. We implement our DE&I initiatives and pipeline programs through our global and regional DE&I team that partners with internal and external stakeholders across our brands, business units and regions. We have established a Business and Creative Council, made up of our most senior leaders, to address and champion DE&I in our corporate and content production businesses. We seek to support our employees through the sponsorship of 16 Business Resource Groups (“BRGs”) globally, comprised of over 40 chapters. BRGs are intended to enable employees with shared pursuits, purpose, identities, and interests to lead, contribute and build community for all.
Learning and Development
Our Global Learning & Development (“L&D”) team provides learning opportunities for employees around the world. The L&D team uses a variety of delivery methods suitable to the content and audience, including live in-person sessions, virtual workshops, webinars, and asynchronous online learning through our global learning management platform. The L&D team also provides tuition reimbursement for eligible courses.
AVAILABLE INFORMATION
All of our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K, and all amendments to such filings are available free of charge at the investor relations section of our website, ir.wbd.com, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Our annual report, corporate governance guidelines, code of business ethics, audit committee charter, compensation committee charter, and nominating and corporate governance committee charter are also available on our website. In addition, we will provide a printed copy of any of these documents, free of charge, upon written request to: Investor Relations, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., 230 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003. Additionally, the SEC maintains a website at www.sec.gov that contains quarterly, annual and current reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including the Company.
We also routinely post on our website news releases, announcements and other statements about our business and results of operations, some of which may contain information that may be deemed to be material to investors. Therefore, we encourage investors to monitor our website and review the information we post there. The information contained on our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is not incorporated by reference herein.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
Investing in our securities involves risk. In addition to the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, you should consider the following risk factors before investing in our securities. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe not to be material may also adversely impact our business, results of operations, financial position and cash flows.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
Our businesses operate in highly competitive industries and if we are unable to compete effectively, our business, financial condition and results of operations could suffer.
The media and entertainment industries in which we compete for viewers, distribution and advertising are highly competitive. We face increased competitive pressure for talent, content, audiences, subscribers, service providers, advertising spending and production infrastructure. We compete with a broad range of companies engaged in media, entertainment and communications services, some of whom have interests in multiple media and entertainment businesses that are often vertically integrated, all vying for consumer time, attention and discretionary spending. In addition, the composition of our competitors has evolved with the entrance of new market participants, including companies in adjacent sectors with significant financial, marketing and other resources, greater efficiencies of scale, fewer regulatory burdens and more competitive pricing. Such competitors could also have preferential access to important technologies, customer data or other competitive information. Our competitors may also consolidate or enter into business combinations or alliances that strengthen their competitive positions. Our ability to compete successfully depends on a number of factors, including our ability to consistently acquire and produce high quality content amidst a rapidly evolving competitive landscape. In addition, new technology, including generative artificial intelligence (“AI”), is evolving rapidly and our ability to compete could be adversely affected if our competitors gain an advantage by using such technologies. There can be no assurance that we will be able to compete successfully in the future against existing or new competitors, or that competition in the marketplace will not have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our advertising revenues have been, and may continue to be, adversely impacted by several factors, including the changing landscape of television advertising spending and advertising market conditions.
We derive substantial revenues from the sale of advertising, and a continuing decline in advertising revenues could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Shifting consumer preferences toward streaming services and other digital products and the increasing number of entertainment choices has intensified audience fragmentation and reduced content viewership through traditional linear distribution models. This has changed the landscape of traditional television advertising spending, prompting advertisers to shift their strategies, and ultimately advertising spend, toward streaming services and other digital products to reach target audiences. In addition, a number of other streaming services with larger subscriber bases and greater household penetration have recently introduced ad-supported tiers. The increase of digital advertising available in the marketplace, due to both the introduction of ad-supported tiers in competing streaming services and the expansion of free ad-supported television (“FAST”) products, has increased the competition we face for advertising expenditures for both our traditional linear networks and the ad-supported tiers in our streaming services, and also limited our ability to demand higher rates for our linear and digital advertising inventory or even the same rates that we previously charged for our advertising inventory prior to the surge in digital advertising. There can be no assurance that we can successfully navigate the evolving streaming and digital advertising market or that the advertising revenues we generate in that market will replace the declines in advertising revenues generated from our traditional linear business.
The advertising market is also sensitive to general economic conditions and consumer buying patterns. Financial instability or a general decline in economic conditions in the U.S. and other countries where our content is distributed could adversely affect the spending priorities of our advertising partners who might reduce their spending, which could result in a decrease in advertising rates and volume and in our overall advertising revenues. Natural and other disasters, pandemics, acts of terrorism, political uncertainty or hostilities could also lead to a reduction in domestic and international advertising expenditures, which could also have an adverse effect on our advertising revenues.
Our advertising revenues are also dependent on our ability to measure viewership and audience engagement across all platforms and in all geographic regions. Although audience measurement systems have evolved and improved to capture the viewership of programming across multiple platforms, they still do not fully capture all viewership across streaming and other digital platforms and advertisers may not be willing to pay advertising rates based on the viewership that is not being measured. In certain geographic regions, our ability to fully capture viewership information may be limited by local laws and regulations.
As further discussed in other parts of this Item 1a. Risk Factors, our ability to generate advertising revenue is also dependent on our ability to compete in highly competitive, rapidly evolving industries, our ability to respond to changes in consumer behavior and our ability to consistently achieve audience acceptance of our content and brands.
Changes in consumer behavior, as well as evolving technologies and distribution models, may negatively affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.
Our success depends on our ability to anticipate and adapt to changes in consumer behavior and shifting content consumption patterns. The ways in which viewers consume content, and technology and distribution models in the media and entertainment industries, continue to evolve, and new distribution platforms, as well as increased competition from new entrants and emerging technologies, have added to the complexity of maintaining predictable revenues. Technological advancements have empowered consumers to seek more control over how they consume content and have affected the options available to advertisers for reaching target audiences. This trend has impacted certain traditional distribution models, as demonstrated by industry-wide declines in cable ratings, declines in subscribers to the traditional cable bundle, the development of alternative distribution platforms for content, and reduced theatergoing.
Declines in linear television viewership are expected to continue and possibly accelerate, which could adversely affect our advertising and distribution revenues. In order to respond to this decline, changing consumer behavior, increasing preferences to watch on demand, and changes in content distribution models in the media and entertainment industries, we have invested in, developed and launched streaming services including Max, HBO Max and discovery+. We have incurred and will likely continue to incur significant costs to develop and market our streaming services, including costs related to international expansion, technological enhancements, and subscriber acquisition. There can be no assurance, however, that consumers and advertisers will embrace our offerings, that subscribers will activate or renew a subscription, particularly given
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Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
None.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity.
We have a cybersecurity program to assess and manage risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our data, networks and technology assets across WBD. Our Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”) is responsible for cybersecurity risk oversight and oversees a global organization whose responsibilities include proactively managing and monitoring information and content security, cybersecurity risk, and processes to enable secure and resilient access to, and use of, WBD products and services. Since the closing of the Merger in 2022, we have continued to strengthen and enhance our cybersecurity program and integrate it into our overall risk management processes.
Risk Management and Strategy
We have a cybersecurity risk management strategy for safeguarding our digital assets that includes both technical and non-technical cybersecurity controls. Our multi-layered technical defense involves a series of protective measures across various levels of our technology environment. This includes fortifying our network perimeter through intrusion detection and prevention systems, securing individual devices with antivirus solutions and endpoint detection, implementing network security measures, and ensuring the resilience of applications. In addition to these technical security solutions, we also leverage non-technical methods, such as promoting a cybersecurity-conscious culture throughout WBD which includes mandatory annual cybersecurity training for all employees, a regular cadence of cybersecurity messaging to our employees, and frequent phishing simulations. Further, we engage independent third parties to conduct annual internal and external penetration testing and independent assessments of our cybersecurity risk management practices using the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s cybersecurity framework and other leading industry practices as guidelines. We also engage an independent third party to conduct a biennial cybersecurity maturity assessment to evaluate the maturity of our entire cybersecurity program.
We also invest in cybersecurity incident detection and response. Our Cybersecurity Operations Center provides continuous threat monitoring and anomaly detection that is intended to prevent or minimize damage from a cybersecurity attack. We have a Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan that establishes procedures, roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols for WBD executive management and technical staff in the event of a cybersecurity incident. We test the efficacy of the Cybersecurity Incident Response Plan and assess our response capabilities by conducting annual tabletop exercises that simulate cybersecurity threat scenarios.
We have ongoing processes to identify and assess cybersecurity risks associated with current and prospective third-party service providers. These processes include a vendor cybersecurity compliance assessment at the time of onboarding, contract renewal and/or as needed in the event of a cybersecurity incident affecting such third-party vendor. In addition, we require our providers to meet appropriate security requirements, controls and responsibilities and notify us in the event of a cybersecurity incident that impacts us.
We have established cybersecurity information sharing and collaboration practices with both government agencies and industry partners, which we believe enhances our overall cybersecurity resilience.
Governance
We have established a cybersecurity governance structure to engage appropriate stakeholders. Our CISO is informed about and monitors our prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation efforts related to cyber threats through regular communication and reporting from our information security team. Our Chief Financial Officer, our Chief Legal Officer, our Chief Audit and Risk Officer and our Chief Information Officer also have input and involvement in our cybersecurity program. Our Board of Directors has an active role, as a whole and at the committee level, in overseeing the Company’s overall risk management, including cybersecurity risks. Our Board of Directors has delegated responsibility for cybersecurity and information technology risks to our Audit Committee and is regularly informed about such risks through committee reports and other presentations. Our Audit Committee regularly reviews and discusses our cybersecurity risks and is updated by our CISO on how we identify, assess and mitigate those risks. Our Audit Committee receives quarterly updates from our CISO on our cybersecurity risk posture, the status of projects to strengthen and enhance our cybersecurity program, the evolving threat landscape, and cybersecurity incident reports and learnings. The Audit Committee also periodically devotes additional meeting time, as needed, to in-depth discussions on a particularly relevant cybersecurity topic or to education on developments in the realm of cybersecurity. In addition to the quarterly incident reports, cybersecurity incidents meeting pre-determined criteria are reported to the Audit Committee outside of regularly scheduled quarterly updates and to WBD executive management as needed. See Item 1A, “Risk Factors” for details on the risks from cybersecurity threats that we face.
Our CISO has over 30 years of expertise in global digital and information security, cybersecurity risk management, data privacy and compliance across diverse industries including media and entertainment, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and government defense sectors and holds multiple industry-recognized certifications including, among others, a Certificate of Cybersecurity Oversight from the National Association of Corporate Directors and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification.
Item 2. Properties.
The Company’s headquarters are located in New York City at 230 Park Ave. South. The Company owns and leases approximately 23 million square feet of offices; studios; technical, production and warehouse spaces; and other properties in numerous locations in the U.S. and around the world for its businesses. Each property is considered to be in good condition, adequate for its purpose, and suitably utilized according to the individual nature and requirements of the relevant operations housed within. The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2023 with respect to the Company’s principal properties:
| Location | Principal Use | Approximate Square Footage | Type of Ownership; Expiration Date of Lease | |||||||||||||||||
| Burbank, CA 4000 Warner Blvd. | Studios | 2,600,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| New York, NY 30 Hudson Yards | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 1,500,000 | Leased; expires in 2034. | |||||||||||||||||
| Leavesden, UK Warner Drive (Studios); Studio Tour Drive (Studio Tour); 5 and 6 Hercules Way (Leavesden Park) | Studios | 1,300,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| Atlanta, GA 1050 Techwood Drive | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 1,170,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| Atlanta, GA One CNN Center | Studios, Networks, and Corporate | 1,150,000 | Leased; expires in 2024. | |||||||||||||||||
| Burbank, CA 3000 West Alameda Avenue | Studios | 860,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| Burbank, CA 100 and 200 South California Street | Studios and Corporate | 811,000 | Leased; Tower 1 expires in 2037 and Tower 2 expires in 2039. | |||||||||||||||||
| Santiago, Chile Pedro Montt 2354 | Studios and Networks | 610,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| Tokyo, Japan 1-1625-1, Kasuga-cho, Nerima-ku | Studios | 527,000 | Leased; expires in 2052. | |||||||||||||||||
| Atlanta, GA 3755 Atlanta Industrial Pkwy. | Studios | 409,000 | Leased; expires in 2024. | |||||||||||||||||
| New York, NY 230 Park Ave. South | Headquarters, Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 360,000 | Leased; expires in 2037. | |||||||||||||||||
| Warsaw, Poland Wiertnicza 166 | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 247,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| Culver City, CA 8900 Venice Boulevard | Networks and DTC | 244,000 | Leased; expires in 2036. | |||||||||||||||||
| Cardington, Bedfordshire, UK Cardington Airfield, Shed 1 | Studios | 220,000 | Leased; expires in 2027. | |||||||||||||||||
| Radlett, UK Ventura Park, Old Parkbury Lane | Studios | 198,000 | Leased; expires in 2028 and 2034. | |||||||||||||||||
| Atlanta, GA 3700 Atlanta Industrial Pkwy. | Studios | 177,000 | Leased; expires in 2024. | |||||||||||||||||
| Krakow, Poland Plk. Dadka 2 | Studios and Networks | 151,000 | Leased; expires in 2026. | |||||||||||||||||
| London, England 98 Theobalds Road | Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 135,000 | Leased; expires in 2034. |
| Location | Principal Use | Approximate Square Footage | Type of Ownership; Expiration Date of Lease | |||||||||||||||||
| Buenos Aires, Argentina 599 and 533 Defensa Street | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 129,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| London, UK 160 Old Street | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 116,000 | Leased; expires in 2034. | |||||||||||||||||
| London, UK Chiswick Park, Bldg. 2 | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 115,000 | Leased; expires in 2034. | |||||||||||||||||
| Seattle, WA 1099 Stewart Street | DTC | 112,000 | Leased; expires in 2025. | |||||||||||||||||
| Washington, DC 820 First Street | Studios and Networks | 109,000 | Leased; expires in 2031. | |||||||||||||||||
| Richmond, Canada 13480 Crestwood Place | Studios | 108,000 | Leased; expires in 2030. | |||||||||||||||||
| Hyderabad, India Block A, International Tech Park | Corporate | 89,000 | Leased; expires in 2028. | |||||||||||||||||
| Paris, France L’Amiral, ZAC Forum Seine | Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 81,000 | Leased; expires in 2031. | |||||||||||||||||
| Auckland, New Zealand 2 and 3 Flower Street | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 57,000 | Leased; expires in 2025. | |||||||||||||||||
| Sterling, VA 45580 Terminal Drive | Studios, Networks, DTC, and Corporate | 54,000 | Owned. | |||||||||||||||||
| Silver Spring, MD 8403 Colesville Road | Networks and Corporate | 47,000 | Leased; expires in 2030. | |||||||||||||||||
| Many of the listed locations are occupied by multiple segments; the most critical (or the principal) occupiers are listed here. |
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
From time to time, in the normal course of its operations, the Company is subject to various litigation matters and claims, including claims related to employees, stockholders, vendors, other business partners, government regulations, or intellectual property, as well as disputes and matters involving counterparties to contractual agreements, such as disputes arising out of definitive agreements entered into in connection with the Merger. However, a determination as to the amount of the accrual required for such contingencies is highly subjective and requires judgment about future events. The Company may not currently be able to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss for such matters until developments in such matters have provided sufficient information to support an assessment of such loss. In the absence of sufficient information to support an assessment of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss, no accrual for such contingencies is made and no loss or range of loss is disclosed. Although the outcome of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty and the impact of the final resolution of these matters on the Company’s results of operations in a particular subsequent reporting period is not known, management does not currently believe that the resolution of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s future consolidated financial position, future results of operations, or cash flows.
Between September 23, 2022 and October 24, 2022, two purported class action lawsuits (Collinsville Police Pension Board v. Discovery, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-08171; Todorovski v. Discovery, Inc., et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-09125) were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaints named Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., Discovery, Inc., David Zaslav, and Gunnar Wiedenfels as defendants. The complaints generally alleged that the defendants made false and misleading statements in SEC filings and in certain public statements relating to the Merger, in violation of Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and sought damages and other relief. On November 4, 2022, the court consolidated the Collinsville and Todorovski complaints under case number 1:22-CV-8171, and on December 12, 2022, the court appointed lead plaintiffs and lead counsel. On February 15, 2023, the lead plaintiffs filed an amended complaint adding Advance/Newhouse Partnership, Advance/Newhouse Programming Partnership, Steven A. Miron, Robert J. Miron, and Steven O. Newhouse as defendants. The amended complaint asserted violations of Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and sought damages and other relief. On February 5, 2024, the court dismissed the amended complaint with prejudice.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
Executive Officers of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
As of February 23, 2024, the following individuals are the executive officers of the Company.
David M. Zaslav, President, Chief Executive Officer, and a director
Age: 64
Executive Officer since 2007
Mr. Zaslav has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of our board of directors since the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022. Prior to the closing, Mr. Zaslav served as Discovery’s President and Chief Executive Officer from January 2007 until April 2022 and a common stock director of Discovery from September 2008 until April 2022.
Gunnar Wiedenfels, Chief Financial Officer
Age: 46
Executive Officer since 2017
Mr. Wiedenfels has served as our Chief Financial Officer since the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022. Prior to the closing, Mr. Wiedenfels served as Discovery, Inc.’s Chief Financial Officer from April 2017 until April 2022.
Bruce L. Campbell, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer
Age: 56
Executive Officer since 2008
Mr. Campbell has served as our Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer since the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022. Prior to the closing, he served as Discovery’s Chief Development, Distribution and Legal Officer. Mr. Campbell has served in several senior executive roles at Discovery, including as Chief Distribution Officer from October 2015 to April 2022, Chief Development Officer from August 2010 to April 2022, General Counsel from December 2010 to April 2017, Digital Media Officer from August 2014 to October 2015 and President, Digital Media & Corporate Development from March 2007 to August 2010.
Lori Locke, Chief Accounting Officer
Age: 60
Executive Officer since 2019
Ms. Locke has served as our Chief Accounting Officer since the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022. Prior to the closing, Ms. Locke served as Discovery’s Chief Accounting Officer from June 2019 to April 2022. Prior to joining Discovery, Ms. Locke served as Vice President, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer for Gannett Co., Inc., a media company, from June 2015 to May 2019.
Jean-Briac Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games
Age: 52
Executive Officer since 2014
Mr. Perrette has served as our CEO and President of Global Streaming and Games since the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022. Prior to the closing, he served as President and CEO of Discovery International (formerly referred to as Discovery Networks International) from June 2016 until April 2022, and served as President of Discovery Networks International from March 2014 to June 2016. Prior to that, Mr. Perrette served as Discovery’s Chief Digital Officer from October 2011 to February 2014.
Adria Alpert Romm, Chief People and Culture Officer
Age: 68
Executive Officer since 2008
Ms. Romm has served as our Chief People and Culture Officer since the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022. Prior to the closing, Ms. Romm served as Discovery’s Chief People and Culture Officer from April 2019 to April 2022. Prior to that, Ms. Romm served as Discovery’s Chief Human Resources and Diversity Officer from March 2014 to March 2019 and Discovery’s Senior Executive Vice President of Human Resources from March 2007 to February 2014.
Savalle C. Sims, Chief Legal Officer
Age: 53
Executive Officer since 2017
Ms. Sims has served as our Chief Legal Officer since October 2023 and was previously Executive Vice President and General Counsel from the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022 to October 2023. Prior to the closing, Ms. Sims served as Discovery’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel from April 2017 until April 2022. Prior to that, Ms. Sims served as Discovery’s Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel from December 2014 to April 2017 and Discovery’s Senior Vice President, Litigation and Intellectual Property from August 2011 to December 2014.
Gerhard Zeiler, President, International
Age: 68
Executive Officer since 2022
Mr. Zeiler has served as our President, International since the closing of the Merger on April 8, 2022. Prior to the closing, Mr. Zeiler served as President of WarnerMedia International from August 2020 to April 2022 and prior to that, Chief Revenue Officer of WarnerMedia from March 2019 to August 2020. Mr. Zeiler was President of Turner Broadcasting System International from May 2012 to February 2019.
PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
WBD common stock is listed and traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “WBD”.
As of February 8, 2024, there were approximately 689,822 record holders of WBD common stock. This amount does not include the number of shareholders whose shares are held of record by banks, brokerage houses or other institutions, but includes each such institution as one shareholder.
We have not paid any cash dividends on WBD common stock and we have no present intention to do so. Payment of cash dividends, if any, will be determined by our board of directors after consideration of our earnings, financial condition and other relevant factors such as our credit facility’s restrictions on our ability to declare dividends in certain situations.
Stock Performance Graph
The following graph shows a comparison of cumulative total shareholder return, calculated on a dividend-reinvested basis, for (a) WBD common stock (which began trading on April 11, 2022) and Discovery Series A common stock, Series B convertible common stock, and Series C common stock (which ceased trading on April 8, 2022), (b) the Standard and Poor's 500 Stock Index (“S&P 500 Index”), and (c) the Standard & Poor’s 500 Media and Entertainment Industry Group Index (“S&P 500 Media & Entertainment Index”) for the five years ended December 31, 2023. The graph assumes $100 was invested in each of Discovery Series A common stock, Series B convertible common stock, and Series C common stock, the S&P 500 Index, and the S&P 500 Media & Entertainment Index on December 31, 2018, and that $100 was invested in WBD common stock on April 11, 2022, the date on which it began trading. Note that historic stock price performance is not necessarily indicative of future stock price performance.

Note: Peer group indices use beginning of period market capitalization weighting.
Note: Index Data: Copyright Standard and Poor’s, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Note: Prepared by Zacks Investment Research, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Copyright 1980-2024.
| December 31, | April 11, | December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WBD | $ | 100.00 | $ | 38.26 | $ | 45.92 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DISCA | $ | 100.00 | $ | 132.34 | $ | 121.63 | $ | 95.15 | $ | 98.75 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DISCB | $ | 100.00 | $ | 108.24 | $ | 96.72 | $ | 88.81 | $ | 72.99 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DISCK | $ | 100.00 | $ | 132.11 | $ | 113.48 | $ | 99.22 | $ | 105.81 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S&P 500 | $ | 100.00 | $ | 131.49 | $ | 155.68 | $ | 200.37 | $ | 186.24 | $ | 164.08 | $ | 207.21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| S&P 500 Media & Entertainment Index | $ | 100.00 | $ | 134.15 | $ | 176.47 | $ | 224.01 | $ | 184.31 | $ | 125.65 | $ | 208.66 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Item 6. [Reserved].
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is a supplement to and should be read in conjunction with the accompanying consolidated financial statements and related notes. This section provides additional information regarding our businesses, current developments, results of operations, cash flows, financial condition, contractual commitments, critical accounting policies, and estimates that require significant judgment and thus have the most significant potential impact on our consolidated financial statements. This discussion and analysis is intended to better allow investors to view the company from management’s perspective.
This section provides an analysis of our financial results for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 compared to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. A discussion of our results of operations and liquidity for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 compared to the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 can be found under Item 7 in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed on February 24, 2022, which is available free of charge on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and our Investor Relations website at ir.wbd.com. The information contained on our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is not incorporated by reference herein.
BUSINESS OVERVIEW
On April 8, 2022, Discovery, a global media company that provides content across multiple distribution platforms, including linear, free-to-air, and broadcast television, authenticated GO applications, digital distribution arrangements, content licensing arrangements, and DTC subscription products, completed its Merger with the WM Business of AT&T and changed its name from “Discovery, Inc.” to “Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.” On April 11, 2022, our shares started trading on Nasdaq under the trading symbol WBD. (See Note 3 and Note 4 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.)
Warner Bros. Discovery is a premier global media and entertainment company that provides audiences with a differentiated portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film, streaming, and gaming. Some of our iconic brands and franchises include Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, DC, HBO, HBO Max, Max, discovery+, CNN, Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Sports, TBS, TLC, OWN, Warner Bros. Games, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, Game of Thrones, and The Lord of the Rings. For a discussion of our global portfolio see our business overview set forth in Item 1, “Business” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
In connection with the Merger, we have announced and taken actions to implement projects to achieve cost synergies for the Company. We finalized the framework supporting our ongoing restructuring and transformation initiatives during the year ended December 31, 2022, which includes, among other things, strategic content programming assessments, organization restructuring, facility consolidation activities, and other contract termination costs. We expect that we will incur approximately $4.1 - $5.3 billion in pre-tax restructuring charges, of which we have incurred $4.2 billion as of December 31, 2023. Of the total expected pre-tax restructuring charges, we expect total cash expenditures to be $1.0 - $1.5 billion. We incurred $0.5 billion of pre-tax restructuring charges during the year ended December 31, 2023 related to this plan. While our restructuring efforts are ongoing, the restructuring program is expected to be substantially completed by the end of 2024.
As of December 31, 2023, we classified our operations in three reportable segments:
-
Studios** - Our Studios segment primarily consists of the production and release of feature films for initial exhibition in theaters, production and initial licensing of television programs to our networks/DTC services as well as third parties, distribution of our films and television programs to various third party and internal television and streaming services, distribution through the home entertainment market (physical and digital), related consumer products and themed experience licensing, and interactive gaming.
-
Networks** - Our Networks segment primarily consists of our domestic and international television networks.
-
DTC** - Our DTC segment primarily consists of our premium pay-TV and streaming services.
Our segment presentation was aligned with our management structure and the financial information management uses to make decisions about operating matters, such as the allocation of resources and business performance assessments.
For further discussion of financial information for our segments and the geographical areas in which we do business, our content development activities, and revenues, see our business overview set forth in Item 1, “Business” and Note 23 to the consolidated financial statements included in Item 8, “Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The discussion below compares our actual results for the year ended December 31, 2023 to our pro forma combined results for the year ended December 31, 2022, as if the Merger occurred on January 1, 2021. Management believes reviewing our pro forma combined operating results in addition to actual operating results is useful in identifying trends in, or reaching conclusions regarding, the overall operating performance of our businesses. Our Studios, Networks, DTC, Corporate, and inter-segment eliminations information is based on the historical operating results of the respective segments and include, where applicable, adjustments for (i) additional costs of revenues from the fair value step-up of film and television library, (ii) additional amortization expense related to acquired intangible assets, (iii) additional depreciation expense from the fair value of property and equipment, (iv) transaction costs and other one-time non-recurring costs, (v) additional interest expense for borrowings related to the Merger and amortization associated with fair value adjustments of debt assumed, (vi) changes to align accounting policies, (vii) elimination of intercompany activity, and (viii) associated tax-related impacts of adjustments.
Adjustments do not include costs related to integration activities, cost savings or synergies that have been or may be achieved by the combined businesses. Pro forma amounts are not necessarily indicative of what our results would have been had we operated the combined businesses since January 1, 2021 and should not be taken as indicative of the Company’s future consolidated results of operations.
Actual amounts for the year ended December 31, 2022 include results of operations for Discovery for the entire period and WM for the period subsequent to the completion of the Merger on April 8, 2022.
Foreign Exchange Impacting Comparability
In addition to the Merger, the impact of exchange rates on our business is an important factor in understanding period-to-period comparisons of our results. For example, our international revenues are favorably impacted as the U.S. dollar weakens relative to other foreign currencies, and unfavorably impacted as the U.S. dollar strengthens relative to other foreign currencies. We believe the presentation of results on a constant currency basis (“ex-FX”), in addition to results reported in accordance with U.S. GAAP provides useful information about our operating performance because the presentation ex-FX excludes the effects of foreign currency volatility and highlights our core operating results. The presentation of results on a constant currency basis should be considered in addition to, but not a substitute for, measures of financial performance reported in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
The ex-FX change represents the percentage change on a period-over-period
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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
Our financial position, earnings and cash flows are exposed to market risks and can be affected by, among other things, economic conditions, interest rate changes, foreign currency fluctuations, and changes in the market values of investments. We have established policies, procedures and internal processes governing our management of market risks and the use of financial instruments to manage our exposure to such risks.
Interest Rates
We are exposed to the impact of interest rate changes primarily through our actual and potential borrowing activities. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we had access to a $6.0 billion multicurrency revolving credit facility. We had no outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 2023. We also have access to a commercial paper program, which had no outstanding borrowings as of December 31, 2023. The interest rate on borrowings under the revolving credit facility is based on a floating rate based on the applicable currency of the borrowing plus a margin. The revolving credit facility matures in June 2026, with the option for up to two additional 364-day renewal periods. As of December 31, 2023, we had $43.9 billion of fixed-rate senior notes, at par value.
Our current objectives in managing exposure to interest rate changes are to limit the impact of interest rates on earnings and cash flows. To achieve these objectives, we may enter into derivative instruments, effectively converting fixed rate borrowings to variable rate borrowings indexed to benchmark interest rates in order to reduce the amount of interest paid, or to limit the impact of volatility in interest rates on future issuances of fixed rate debt. (See Note 13 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.)
As of December 31, 2023, the fair value of our outstanding senior notes, including accrued interest, was $40.5 billion. The fair value of our long-term debt may vary as a result of market conditions and other factors. A change in market interest rates will impact the fair market value of our fixed rate debt. The potential change in fair value of these senior notes from a 100 basis-point increase in quoted interest rates across all maturities, often referred to as a parallel shift in the yield curve, would be a decrease in fair value of approximately $2.9 billion as of December 31, 2023.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rates
We transact business globally and are subject to risks associated with changing foreign currency exchange rates. Market risk refers to the risk of loss arising from adverse changes in foreign currency exchange rates. The risk of loss can be assessed from the perspective of adverse changes in fair values, cash flows, and future earnings. We operate from hubs in EMEA, Latin America, and Asia, with net earnings reinvested locally and working capital requirements met from existing liquid funds. To the extent such funds are not sufficient to meet working capital requirements, drawdowns in the appropriate local currency are available from intercompany borrowings or from our revolving credit facility. The earnings of certain international operations are expected to be reinvested in those businesses indefinitely.
The functional currency of most of our international subsidiaries is the local currency. We are exposed to foreign currency risk to the extent that we enter into transactions denominated in currencies other than our subsidiaries’ respective functional currencies (“non-functional currency risk”). Such transactions include affiliate and ad sales arrangements, content arrangements, equipment and other vendor purchases, and intercompany transactions. Changes in exchange rates with respect to amounts recorded in our consolidated balance sheets related to these items will result in unrealized foreign currency transaction gains and losses based upon period-end exchange rates. We also record realized foreign currency transaction gains and losses upon settlement of the transactions. Moreover, we will experience fluctuations in our revenues and expenses solely as a result of changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
We also are exposed to unfavorable and potentially volatile fluctuations of the U.S. dollar, which is our reporting currency, against the currencies of our operating subsidiaries when their respective financial statements are translated into U.S. dollars for inclusion in our consolidated financial statements. Cumulative translation adjustments are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss as a separate component of equity. Any increase or decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar against any foreign functional currency of one of our operating subsidiaries will cause us to experience unrealized foreign currency translation gains or losses with respect to amounts already invested in such foreign currencies. Accordingly, we may experience a negative impact on our net income, other comprehensive (loss) income and equity with respect to our holdings solely as a result of changes in foreign currency.
The majority of our foreign currency exposure is tied to Europe and Latin America. We may enter into derivative instruments that change in value as foreign currency exchange rates change to hedge certain exposures associated with affiliate revenue, the cost of producing or acquiring content, certain intercompany transactions, or in connection with forecasted business combinations. These contracts hedge forecasted foreign currency transactions in order to mitigate fluctuations in our earnings and cash flows associated with changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Our objective in managing exposure to foreign currency fluctuations is to reduce volatility of earnings and cash flows. Most of our non-functional currency risks related to our revenue, operating expenses and capital expenditures were not hedged as of December 31, 2023. We generally do not hedge against the risk that we may incur non-cash losses upon the translation of the financial statements of our subsidiaries and affiliates into U.S. dollars. (See Note 13 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.)
Derivatives
We may use derivative financial instruments to modify our exposure to exogenous events and market risks from changes in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We do not use derivatives unless there is an underlying exposure. While derivatives are used to mitigate cash flow risk and the risk of declines in fair value, they also limit potential economic benefits to our business in the event of positive shifts in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We do not hold or enter into financial instruments for speculative trading purposes. (See Note 13 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.)
Market Values of Investments and Liabilities
In addition to derivatives, we had investments in entities accounted for as equity method investments, equity investments, and other highly liquid instruments, such as money market funds and mutual funds, that are accounted for at fair value. We also have liabilities, such as deferred compensation, that are accounted for at fair value (See Note 10 and Note 14 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements). Investments in mutual funds include both fixed- and floating-rate interest earning securities that carry a degree of interest rate risk. Fixed-rate securities may have their fair market value adversely impacted by a rise in interest rates, while floating-rate securities may produce less income than predicted if interest rates fall. Due in part to these factors, our income from such investments may decrease in the future. Liabilities carried at fair value, such as deferred compensation, may experience capital gains that result in increased liabilities and expenses as the capital gains occur. We may enter into derivative financial instruments to hedge the risk of these market value changes. (See Note 13 to the accompanying consolidated financial statements.)
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
Management of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (the “Company”) is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (i) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and disposition of the assets of the Company; (ii) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and provide reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures of the Company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and the directors of the Company; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Company’s assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
Internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements prepared for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
The Company’s management, with the participation of its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 based on the framework set forth in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on its evaluation, management concluded that, as of December 31, 2023, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was effective to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
The effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report in Item 8 of Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.”
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
Opinions on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related consolidated statements of operations, of comprehensive (loss) income, of equity and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023, including the related notes and schedule of valuation and qualifying accounts for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 appearing under Item 15(a)(2) (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO).
In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2023 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Also in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.
Basis for Opinions
The Company's management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express opinions on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company's internal control over financial reporting based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud, and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audits of the consolidated financial statements included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidate
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Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023. The term “disclosure controls and procedures,” as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), means controls and other procedures of a company that are designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to provide reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the company’s management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management’s report on internal control over financial reporting is set forth in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The report of our independent registered public accounting firm regarding internal control over financial reporting is set forth in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
During the three months ended December 31, 2023, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f), that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information.
None.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.
Not applicable.
PART III
Certain information required in Item 10 through Item 14 of Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K is incorporated herein by reference to our definitive Proxy Statement for our 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (“2024 Proxy Statement”), which shall be filed with the SEC pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act within 120 days of our fiscal year end.
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Information regarding our directors, compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, and our Audit Committee, including committee members and its financial expert, will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the captions “Proposal 1: Election of Directors,” “Stock Ownership - Delinquent Section 16 Reports,” if applicable, and “Corporate Governance – Board Meetings and Committees – Board Committee Structure – Audit Committee,” respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Information regarding our executive officers is set forth in Part I of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption “Executive Officers of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.” as permitted by General Instruction G(3) to Form 10-K.
We have adopted a Code of Ethics (the “Code”) that is applicable to all of our directors, officers and employees. Our board of directors approved an updated Code in January 2023 and reviews it regularly. A copy of the Code and any amendments or waivers that would be required to be disclosed under applicable SEC rules are available free of charge at our Investor Relations website at ir.wbd.com. The information contained on our website is not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is not incorporated by reference herein. In addition, we will provide a printed copy of the Code, free of charge, upon written request to: Investor Relations, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., 230 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003.
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
Information regarding executive compensation will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the captions “Executive Compensation – Compensation Discussion and Analysis” and “Executive Compensation – Executive Compensation Tables,” which are incorporated herein by reference.
Information regarding compensation policies and practices as they relate to our risk management, director compensation, and compensation committee interlocks and insider participation will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the captions “Executive Compensation – Other Compensation-Related Matters – Risk Considerations in our Compensation Programs,” “Corporate Governance – Director Compensation,” and “Corporate Governance – Board Meetings and Committees – Board Committee Structure – Compensation Committee,” respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Information regarding the compensation committee report will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the caption “Executive Compensation – Compensation Committee Report” which is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
Information regarding securities authorized for issuance under equity compensation plans will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the caption “Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans,” which is incorporated herein by reference.
Information regarding security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the captions “Stock Ownership – Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners” and “Stock Ownership – Security Ownership of Management,” which are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
Information regarding certain relationships and related transactions, and director independence will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the captions “Corporate Governance – Transactions with Related Persons” and “Corporate Governance – Director Independence,” respectively, which are incorporated herein by reference.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
Information regarding principal accountant fees and services will be set forth in our 2024 Proxy Statement under the captions “Audit Matters – Audit Firm Fees and Services” and “Audit Matters – Audit Committee Pre-Approval Procedures,” which are incorporated herein by reference.
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules.
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
(1) The following consolidated financial statements of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. are filed as part of Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
(2) Financial Statement Schedule
Schedule II: Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
Changes in valuation and qualifying accounts consisted of the following (in millions):
| Beginning of Year | Additions | Deductions | End of Year | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses | $ | 123 | 152 | (114) | $ | 161 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deferred tax valuation allowance | $ | 1,849 | 429 | (87) | $ | 2,191 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses (a) | $ | 54 | 165 | (96) | $ | 123 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deferred tax valuation allowance (b) | $ | 305 | 1,617 | (73) | $ | 1,849 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses | $ | 59 | 21 | (26) | $ | 54 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deferred tax valuation allowance | $ | 257 | 80 | (32) | $ | 305 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (a) Increase in the allowance for credit losses is related to the acquisition of WM in the prior year. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (b) Additions to the deferred tax valuation allowance include $343 million related to the acquisition of WM in the prior year. |
All other financial statement schedules required to be filed pursuant to Item 8 and Item 15(c) of Form 10-K have been omitted as the required information is not applicable, not material, or is set forth in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto.
(3) The following exhibits are filed or furnished as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K pursuant to Item 601 of SEC Regulation S-K and Item 15(b) of Form 10-K:
| EXHIBITS INDEX | ||||||||
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| 32.2 | Certification of Chief Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith) | |||||||
| 97 | Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Compensation Clawback Policy, effective October 2, 2023 (filed herewith) | |||||||
| 101.INS | XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | |||||||
| 101.SCH | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document (filed herewith)† | |||||||
| 101.CAL | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document (filed herewith)† | |||||||
| 101.DEF | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document (filed herewith)† | |||||||
| 101.LAB | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document (filed herewith)† | |||||||
| 101.PRE | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document (filed herewith)† | |||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101) |
- Indicates management contract or compensatory plan, contract or arrangement.
(1) Other instruments defining the rights of holders of long-term debt of the registrant and its consolidated subsidiaries may be omitted from Exhibit 4 in accordance with Item 601(b)(4)(iii)(A) of Regulation S-K. Copies of any such agreements will be supplementally provided to the SEC upon request.
(2) Exhibits, schedules and annexes have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K and will be supplementally provided to the SEC upon request.
(3) Certain provisions of this exhibit have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K and will be supplementally provided to the SEC upon request.
†Attached as Exhibit 101 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K are the following formatted in Inline XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language): (i) Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, (ii) Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, (iii) Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, (iv) Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, (v) Consolidated Statements of Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, and (vi) Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
Not Applicable.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
| WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY, INC. (Registrant) | ||||||||||||||
| Date: February 23, 2024 | By: | /s/ David M. Zaslav | ||||||||||||
| David M. Zaslav | ||||||||||||||
| President and Chief Executive Officer |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||||||||||||
| /s/ David M. Zaslav | President and Chief Executive Officer, and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| David M. Zaslav | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Gunnar Wiedenfels | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Gunnar Wiedenfels | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Lori C. Locke | Executive Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal Accounting Officer) | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Lori C. Locke | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Li Haslett Chen | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Li Haslett Chen | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr. | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr. | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Richard W. Fisher | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Richard W. Fisher | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Paul A. Gould | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Paul A. Gould | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Debra L. Lee | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Debra L. Lee | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Kenneth W. Lowe | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Kenneth W. Lowe | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Dr. John C. Malone | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Dr. John C. Malone | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Fazal Merchant | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Fazal Merchant | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Steven A. Miron | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Steven A. Miron | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Steven O. Newhouse | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Steven O. Newhouse | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Paula A. Price | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Paula A. Price | ||||||||||||||
| /s/ Geoffrey Y. Yang | Director | February 23, 2024 | ||||||||||||
| Geoffrey Y. Yang |