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Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
 3 Months Ended
Jan. 01, 2012
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation [Abstract]  
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

(1) Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Harbinger Group Inc. (“HGI” and, collectively with its respective subsidiaries, the “Company”) is a diversified holding company, the outstanding common stock of which is 93.2% owned, collectively, by Harbinger Capital Partners Master Fund I, Ltd. (the “Master Fund”), Global Opportunities Breakaway Ltd. and Harbinger Capital Partners Special Situations Fund, L.P. (together, the “Principal Stockholders”), not giving effect to the conversion rights of the Series A Participating Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) or the Series A-2 Participating Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Series A-2 Preferred Stock”, together the “Preferred Stock”). Such common stock ownership by the Principal Stockholders represents a voting interest of 69% in relation to the existing voting rights of all HGI’s common and preferred stockholders. HGI’s shares of common stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) under the symbol “HRG.”

HGI is focused on obtaining controlling equity stakes in companies that operate across a diversified set of industries and growing acquired businesses. The Company has identified the following six sectors in which it intends to primarily pursue investment opportunities: consumer products, insurance and financial products, telecommunications, agriculture, power generation and water and natural resources. The Company may also make investments in other sectors. In addition to acquiring controlling equity interests, HGI may make investments in debt instruments, acquire minority equity interests in companies and expand its operating businesses. The Company also owns 97.9% of Zap.Com Corporation (“Zap.Com”), a public shell company that may seek assets or businesses to acquire or may sell assets and liquidate.

On January 7, 2011, HGI completed the acquisition (the “Spectrum Brands Acquisition”) of a controlling financial interest in Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (“Spectrum Brands”) under the terms of a contribution and exchange agreement (the “Exchange Agreement”) with the Principal Stockholders. The Spectrum Brands Acquisition was considered a transaction between entities under common control and was accounted for similar to the pooling of interest method whereby the results of HGI and Spectrum Brands were retrospectively combined back to June 16, 2010, the date that common control was first established and, prior to that date, reflected only the results of Spectrum Brands, Inc. (“SBI”) as the Company’s accounting predecessor. As of January 1, 2012, the Company’s ownership of the outstanding common stock of Spectrum Brands was 53.7%. Spectrum Brands is a global branded consumer products company which trades on the NYSE under the symbol “SPB.”

On April 6, 2011, the Company acquired Fidelity & Guaranty Life Holdings, Inc. (formerly, Old Mutual U.S. Life Holdings, Inc.), a Delaware corporation (“FGL”), from OM Group (UK) Limited (“OMGUK”). Such acquisition (the “FGL Acquisition”) was accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting. Accordingly, the results of FGL’s operations are reflected in the Company’s consolidated results of operations commencing April 6, 2011. FGL is a provider of annuity and life insurance products in the United States of America.

As a result of the Spectrum Brands Acquisition and the FGL Acquisition, the Company currently operates in two business segments, consumer products and, commencing April 6, 2011, insurance (see Note 18 for segment data).

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The financial statements reflect all adjustments that are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair statement of such information. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Although the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading, certain information and footnote disclosures, including a description of significant accounting policies normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”), have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s annual consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on December 14, 2011 (the “Form 10-K”). The results of operations for the three months ended January 1, 2012 are not necessarily indicative of the results for any subsequent periods or the entire fiscal year ending September 30, 2012.