Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Description of Business

v3.3.1.900
Description of Business
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Description of Business  
Description of Business

(2) Description of Business

TruePosition develops and markets technology for locating wireless phones and other wireless devices on a cellular network, enabling wireless carriers and government agencies to provide public safety E-9-1-1 services domestically and services in support of commercial applications, national security and law enforcement worldwide.

Since 2012, TruePosition has been largely dependent on one wireless carrier (AT&T), which accounted for approximately 80% - 90% of TruePosition’s overall revenue. During September 2015, AT&T gave notice that it did not intend to renew its contract, which expired on December 31, 2015. The Company believed that the receipt of the notification represented a significant change in circumstances since we last performed our annual goodwill impairment test. Accordingly, we performed a goodwill impairment test upon receipt of the notification from TruePosition. At that time, the estimated fair value of the reporting unit was primarily determined based on the cash and cash equivalents held by the reporting unit, and when compared to its carrying value, it was concluded that a goodwill impairment did not exist. The carrying value of TruePosition included a $35.5 million deferred revenue liability related to the contract with AT&T. Upon expiration of the contract on December 31, 2015, the deferred revenue was recognized, as all contractual obligations were satisfied at that time. The recognition of this deferred revenue liability increased the reporting unit carrying value. As a result, the Company determined the fair value of TruePosition. As the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeded the fair value, we performed a Step 2 impairment test and recorded a $20.7 million impairment loss related to TruePosition’s goodwill during December 2015. See note 7 for additional discussion regarding this impairment loss.

On February 14, 2014, TruePosition acquired 100% of the outstanding common shares of Skyhook Wireless, Inc. (“Skyhook”), a Delaware corporation, for approximately $57.5 million in cash. Skyhook is a provider of hybrid wireless positioning technology and contextual location intelligence. Acquisition related costs of $958 thousand and $624 thousand are included in selling, general and administrative expenses for the years ending December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. TruePosition used its cash plus a capital contribution of $49.4 million from Liberty during 2014 to fund the acquisition. Upon the acquisition of Skyhook, TruePosition placed $6.0 million of the cash consideration into an escrow account for use to settle any indemnification claims made by TruePosition during the 12 months subsequent to closing the acquisition. There were no claims made against the escrow account, and the full amount was released to the selling parties during February 2015. The purchase price allocation resulted in the following (amounts in thousands):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents

    

$

9,442

 

Goodwill

 

 

24,931

 

Amortizable intangible assets

 

 

35,598

 

Other assets

 

 

1,353

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

 

 

(6,905)

 

Deferred revenue

 

 

(5,000)

 

Deferred taxes

 

 

(1,889)

 

 

 

$

57,530

 

Amortizable intangible assets acquired include patents, tradenames, customer relationships, and capitalized software. The fair value of these assets was determined using projected cash flows based on Level 3 inputs. The remaining useful life of patents, tradenames and customer relationships was determined to be five years. The remaining useful life of capitalized software was determined to be three to five years. Accordingly, the amortizable intangible assets acquired were amortized straight-line over these respective periods. In connection with the intangible impairment recorded on Skyhook’s intangible assets during the fourth quarter of 2014 (discussed below), TruePosition re-evaluated the remaining useful lives of Skyhook’s amortizable intangible assets. As a result, as of January 1, 2015, TruePosition determined the remaining useful life of Skyhook’s patents to be three and a half years and Skyhook’s tradename and customer relationship to be five and a half years. On January 1, 2015, TruePosition began amortizing Skyhook’s intangible assets straight-line prospectively over these revised periods. Capitalized software intangible assets continue to be amortized over three to five years. Goodwill is calculated as the excess of the consideration transferred over the identifiable net assets acquired and represents the future economic benefits expected to arise from other intangible assets acquired that do not qualify for separate recognition, including assembled workforce and non-contractual relationships.

Assuming the Skyhook transaction took place on January 1, 2013, the Company’s revenue would have been approximately $85.9 million, the operating loss would have been $11.7 million and the net loss would have been $48.7 million on a pro forma basis for the year ended December 31, 2013. The previous amounts were determined using historical results of Liberty Broadband and Skyhook, including purchase accounting amortization. Such amounts are not indicative of what actual amounts might have been had the transaction occurred as of that date.

In mid-November 2014, Skyhook was notified that one of its significant customers was not expected to renew its contract for 2015. As a result, approximately 30-40% of Skyhook's revenue was not expected to recur during 2015. Due to this anticipated decline in Skyhook's operations, the Company determined the fair value of Skyhook and performed a Step 2 impairment test, which resulted in a $35.2 million impairment loss recorded to TruePosition’s goodwill and intangible assets related to Skyhook during December 2014. See note 7 for additional discussion regarding this impairment loss.  

Charter is a cable operator that provides services in the United States. Charter offers to residential and commercial customers traditional cable video programming, Internet services, and voice services, as well as advanced video services such as Charter OnDemandTM, high definition television, and digital video recorder (“DVR”) service. Charter sells its cable video programming, Internet, voice, and advanced video services primarily on a subscription basis. Charter also sells local advertising on cable networks and on the Internet and provides fiber connectivity to cellular towers and office buildings. Liberty acquired its interest in Charter on May 1, 2013. At December 31, 2015, Liberty Broadband owned approximately 28.8 million shares of Charter common stock, which represents an approximate 26% ownership interest in Charter’s issued and outstanding shares as of December 31, 2015. Under Liberty’s stockholders agreement with Charter, Liberty had the right to nominate four directors to the Charter board of directors, subject to certain exclusions and requirements. Liberty also had the right to cause one of its nominees to serve on the nominating and corporate governance, audit and compensation and benefits committees of the board, provided they meet the independence and other qualifications for membership on those committees. These rights were transferred to Liberty Broadband in connection with the Broadband Spin-Off. In connection with the proposed Bright House Transaction and Time Warner Cable Merger (each as defined in note 6), on May 23, 2015, we entered into an Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement (the “Second Amended and Restated Stockholders Agreement”) with Charter, New Charter and Advance/Newhouse Partnership (“A/N”), which continues to provide us with board nomination rights, among other rights.

Also included in Liberty Broadband is an investment in outstanding shares of Time Warner Cable, which is classified as available-for-sale and is carried at fair value based on quoted market prices. Additionally, the Company historically had written call options and a cashless collar agreement on Time Warner Cable shares. See note 5 for information regarding the Company’s investment in Time Warner Cable. See note 4 for information regarding the Time Warner Cable written call options and cashless collar agreement.