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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2024
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Nature of Business iHeartMedia, Inc. (the “Company,” "iHeartMedia," "we" or "us") was formed in May 2007 for the purpose of acquiring the business of iHeartCommunications, Inc., a Texas company (“iHeartCommunications”), which occurred on July 30, 2008. Prior to the consummation of the acquisition of iHeartCommunications, iHeartMedia had not conducted any activities, other than activities incident to its formation in connection with the acquisition, and did not have any assets or liabilities, other than those related to the acquisition. In 2018, the Company filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, and in 2019, the Company emerged from Chapter 11 through a series of transactions that resulted in a decrease in the Company's debt ("Emergence"). The Company reports based on three reportable segments: •the Multiplatform Group, which includes the Company's Broadcast radio, Networks and Sponsorships and Events businesses; •the Digital Audio Group, which includes all of the Company's Digital businesses, including Podcasting; and •the Audio & Media Services Group, which includes Katz Media, a full-service media representation business, and RCS, a provider of scheduling and broadcast software and services. These reporting segments reflect how senior management operates the Company. This structure provides visibility into the underlying performances, results, and margin profiles of our distinct businesses and enables senior management to monitor trends at the operational level and address opportunities or issues as they arise via regular review of segment-level results and forecasts with operational leaders. The Company's segment profitability metric is Segment Adjusted EBITDA which is reported to the Company's Chief Operating Decision Maker ("CODM") for purposes of making decisions about allocation of resources to, and assessing performance of, each reportable segment. The Company’s CODM is our Chief Executive Officer. Segment Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as Revenue less operating expenses, excluding restructuring expenses and share-based compensation expenses. Restructuring expenses include severance and other expenses incurred in connection with cost saving initiatives, as well as certain expenses, which, in the view of management, are outside the ordinary course of business or otherwise not representative of the Company's operations during a normal business cycle. Economic Conditions The Company's advertising revenue, cash flows, and cost of capital are impacted by changes in economic conditions. Higher interest rates and high inflation have contributed to a challenging macroeconomic environment since 2022. This challenging environment has led to broader market uncertainty which has impacted the Company's revenues and cash flows. The current market uncertainty and macroeconomic conditions, a recession, or a downturn in the U.S. economy could have a significant impact on the Company's ability to generate revenue and cash flows. Economic uncertainty due to inflation and higher interest rates since 2022 has resulted in, among other things, lower advertising spending by businesses. This challenging economic environment has led to broader market uncertainty, has delayed our expected recovery, and has had an adverse impact on the Company's revenues, cash flows, and trading values of the Company's debt and equity securities which indicated a need for the Company to perform an interim impairment test as of June 30, 2024 on the goodwill recorded in its reporting units, as well as its indefinite-lived Federal Communication Commission ("FCC") licenses. The June 30, 2024 testing resulted in non-cash impairment charges of $616.1 million and $304.1 million to reduce the goodwill and FCC license balances, respectively. No impairment was required as a result of the 2024 annual impairment testing. As of December 31, 2024, the Company had $259.6 million in cash and cash equivalents, and the $450.0 million senior secured asset-based revolving credit facility entered into on May 17, 2022 (the "ABL Facility") had a facility size of $450.0 million, no outstanding borrowings and $23.7 million of outstanding letters of credit, resulting in $426.3 million of borrowing base availability. The Company's total available liquidity as of December 31, 2024 was approximately $685.9 million. Based on current available liquidity, the Company expects to be able to meet its obligations as they become due over the coming year. Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates, judgments, and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes including, but not limited to, legal, tax and insurance accruals. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Also included in the consolidated financial statements are entities for which the Company has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary. Investments in companies in which the Company owns 20% to 50% of the voting common stock or otherwise exercises significant influence over operating and financial policies of the Company are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. All significant intercompany accounts have been eliminated in consolidation. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents include all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less. Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable are recorded when the Company has an unconditional right to payment, either because it has satisfied a performance obligation prior to receiving payment from the customer or has a non-cancelable contract that has been billed in advance in accordance with the Company’s normal billing terms. Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount, net of reserves for sales allowances and allowances for credit losses. The Company evaluates the collectability of its accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In circumstances where it is aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations, it records a specific reserve to reduce the amounts recorded to what it believes will be collected. For all other customers, it recognizes reserves for bad debt based on historical experience of bad debts as a percent of accounts receivable for each business unit, adjusted for relative improvement or deterioration in the agings and changes in current economic conditions. The Company believes its concentration of credit risk is limited due to the large number of its customers. Business Combinations The Company accounts for its business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting. The total cost of an acquisition is allocated to the underlying identifiable net assets, based on their respective estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management's judgment and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash inflows and outflows, discount rates, asset lives and market multiples, among other items. Various acquisition agreements may include contingent purchase consideration based on performance requirements of the investee. The Company accounts for these payments in conformity with the provisions of ASC 805-20-30, which establish the requirements related to recognition of certain assets and liabilities arising from contingencies. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method at rates that, in the opinion of management, are adequate to allocate the cost of such assets over their estimated useful lives, which are as follows: Buildings and improvements – 10 to 39 years Towers, transmitters and studio equipment – 5 to 40 years Computer equipment and software - 3 years Furniture and other equipment – 5 to 7 years Leasehold improvements – shorter of economic life or lease term assuming renewal periods, if appropriate For assets associated with a lease or contract, the assets are depreciated at the shorter of the economic life or the lease or contract term, assuming renewal periods, if appropriate. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred, whereas expenditures for renewal and betterments are capitalized. The Company tests for possible impairment of property, plant, and equipment whenever events and circumstances indicate that depreciable assets might be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amounts of those assets. When specific assets are determined to be unrecoverable, the cost basis of the asset is reduced to reflect the current fair market value. Assets and businesses are classified as held for sale if their carrying amount will be recovered or settled principally through a sale transaction rather than through continuing use. The asset or business must be available for immediate sale and the sale must be highly probable within one year. Leases The Company enters into operating lease contracts for land, buildings, structures and other equipment. Arrangements are evaluated at inception to determine whether such arrangements contain a lease. Operating leases primarily include land and building lease contracts as well as leases of radio towers. Arrangements to lease building space consist primarily of the rental of office space, but may also include leases of other equipment, including automobiles and copiers. Operating leases are reflected on the Company's balance sheet within Operating lease right-of-use ("ROU") assets and the related short-term and long-term liabilities are included within Current and Noncurrent operating lease liabilities, respectively. The Company's finance leases are included within Property, plant and equipment, net with the related liabilities included within Long-term debt. ROU assets represent the right to use an underlying asset for the lease term, and lease liabilities represent the obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the respective lease term. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Certain of the Company's operating lease agreements include rental payments that are adjusted periodically for inflationary changes. Payments due to changes in inflationary adjustments are included within variable rent expense, which is accounted for separately from periodic straight-line lease expense. Certain of the Company's leases provide options to extend the terms of the agreements. The Company considers renewal periods in determining its lease terms if at inception of the lease there is reasonable assurance the lease will be renewed. Generally, renewal periods are excluded from minimum lease payments when calculating the lease liabilities as, for most leases, the Company does not consider exercise of such options to be reasonably certain. As a result, unless a renewal option is considered reasonably certain, the optional terms and related payments are not included within the lease liability. For those leases for which renewal periods are included in calculating minimum lease liabilities, any adjustments resulting from changes in circumstances which result in the renewal options no longer being reasonably certain are accounted for as changes in estimates. The Company's lease agreements do not contain any residual value guarantees or restrictive covenants. The implicit rate within the Company's lease agreements is generally not determinable. As such, the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate ("IBR") to determine the present value of lease payments at the commencement of the lease. The IBR, as defined in ASC 842, is "the rate of interest that a lessee would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term an amount equal to the lease payments in a similar economic environment." The Company elected to use the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components from the associated lease component for all classes of the Company's assets. When the Company decides to abandon a leased property before the expiration of the lease term, management assesses whether such property will be subleased. If it is determined that subleasing the property for the remaining lease term is reasonable, management estimates the fair value of the sublease payments to be received and compares the estimated fair value to the ROU asset. To the extent the estimated fair value is less than the net book value of the ROU asset, the Company records a non-cash impairment charge for the difference, and the remaining ROU asset is recorded ratably over the remaining lease term. If it is determined that subleasing the property for the remaining lease term is not reasonable (e.g., the remaining lease term is too short to reasonably expect the property to be subleased), amortization of the net book value of the ROU asset is accelerated and recognized as expense ratably from the decision date to the date the Company ceases use of the property. Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets The Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of FCC broadcast licenses in its Multiplatform Group segment. The Company’s indefinite-lived intangible assets are not subject to amortization, but are tested for impairment at least annually. The Company tests for possible impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances, such as a significant reduction in operating cash flow or a dramatic change in the manner for which the asset is intended to be used indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. The Company performs its annual impairment test for its FCC licenses using a direct valuation technique as prescribed in ASC 805-20-S99. The Company engages a third-party valuation firm to assist the Company in the development of these assumptions and the Company’s determination of the fair value of its FCC licenses. The Company performs its annual impairment test on its FCC licenses on July 1 of each year, and performs interim impairment tests whenever events and circumstances indicate that the FCC licenses might be impaired. The impairment tests for indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of a comparison between the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset at the market level with its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is recognized equal to that excess. After an impairment loss is recognized, the adjusted carrying amount of the indefinite-lived asset is its new accounting basis. The fair value of the indefinite-lived asset is determined using the direct valuation method as prescribed in ASC 805-20-S99. Under the direct valuation method, the fair value of the indefinite-lived assets is calculated at the market level as prescribed by ASC 350-30-35. The Company engaged a third-party valuation firm to assist it in the development of the assumptions and the Company’s determination of the fair value of its indefinite-lived intangible assets. The application of the direct valuation method attempts to isolate the income that is attributable to the indefinite-lived intangible asset alone (that is, apart from tangible and identified intangible assets and goodwill). It is based upon modeling a hypothetical “greenfield” build-up to a “normalized” enterprise that, by design, lacks inherent goodwill and whose only other assets have essentially been paid for (or added) as part of the build-up process. The Company forecasts revenue, expenses, and cash flows over a ten-year period for each of its markets in its application of the direct valuation method. The Company also calculates a “normalized” residual year which represents the perpetual cash flows of each market. The residual year cash flow was capitalized to arrive at the terminal value of the licenses in each market. Under the direct valuation method, it is assumed that rather than acquiring indefinite-lived intangible assets as part of a going concern business, the buyer hypothetically develops indefinite-lived intangible assets and builds a new operation with similar attributes from scratch. Thus, the buyer incurs start-up costs during the build-up phase which are normally associated with going concern value. Initial capital costs are deducted from the discounted cash flow model which results in value that is directly attributable to the indefinite-lived intangible assets. The Company's key assumptions using the direct valuation method are market revenue growth rates, profit margin, and the risk-adjusted discount rate as well as other assumptions including market share, duration and profile of the build-up period, estimated start-up costs and capital expenditures. This data is populated using industry normalized information representing an average asset within a market. The Company obtained recent broadcast radio industry revenue projections which it considered along with various other sources of data in developing the assumptions used for purposes of performing impairment testing on its FCC licenses. Other Intangible Assets Other intangible assets include definite-lived intangible assets. The Company’s definite-lived intangible assets primarily include customer and advertiser relationships, talent and representation contracts, trademarks and tradenames and other contractual rights, all of which are amortized over the shorter of either the respective lives of the agreements or over the period of time the assets are expected to contribute directly or indirectly to the Company’s future cash flows. The Company periodically reviews the appropriateness of the amortization periods related to its definite-lived intangible assets. These assets are recorded at amortized cost. In accordance with ASC 360, we assess the recoverability of definite-lived intangible assets whenever events and circumstances indicate that they might be impaired and the undiscounted cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amounts of those assets. When specific assets are determined to be unrecoverable, the cost basis of the asset is reduced to reflect the current fair market value. Goodwill At least annually, the Company performs its impairment test for each reporting unit’s goodwill. The Company also tests goodwill at interim dates if events or changes in circumstances indicate that goodwill might be impaired. The Company identified its reporting units in accordance with ASC 350-20-55. The goodwill impairment test requires measurement of the fair value of the Company's reporting units, which is compared to the carrying value of the reporting units, including goodwill. Each reporting unit is valued using a discounted cash flow model which requires estimating future cash flows expected to be generated from the reporting unit, discounted to their present value using a risk-adjusted discount rate. Terminal values are also estimated and discounted to their present value. Assessing the recoverability of goodwill requires estimates and assumptions about sales, operating margins, growth rates and discount rates based on budgets, business plans, economic projections, anticipated future cash flows and marketplace data. The Company performs its annual impairment test on its goodwill on July 1 of each year. For a complete discussion of our annual impairment tests and interim tests performed, see Note 4, Property, Plant and Equipment, Intangible Assets and Goodwill. Other Investments We apply ASC 321, Investments - Equity Securities, which requires us to measure all equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in earnings. For equity securities without readily determinable fair values, we have elected the measurement alternative under which we measure these investments at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. Investments in notes receivable are evaluated for credit losses in accordance with ASC 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, on a quarterly basis or when indicators of credit loss exist. Financial Instruments Due to their short maturity, the carrying amounts of accounts and notes receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, and short-term borrowings approximated their fair values at December 31, 2024 and 2023. Long-Term Debt In connection with the completed exchange offers, the Company performed an assessment by debt holder and determined that a portion met the criteria for the exchange transactions to be accounted for as a troubled debt restructuring under ASC 470-60 and a portion met the criteria for exchange transactions to be accounted for as a modification under ASC 470-50. In both instances, the carrying value of the applicable new debt was established at the carrying value of the applicable existing debt and the Company established new effective interest rates based on the carrying value of the existing debt prior to the debt exchange. The difference between the carrying value of the existing debt and the new debt is reflected as debt premium. For more information regarding the previously announced exchange offers and consent solicitations, refer to Note 6, Long-Term Debt. Income Taxes The Company accounts for income taxes using the liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting bases and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the periods in which the deferred tax asset or liability is expected to be realized or settled. Deferred tax assets are reduced by valuation allowances if the Company believes it is more likely than not that some portion or the entire asset will not be realized. The Company has not provided U.S. federal income taxes for temporary differences with respect to investments in foreign subsidiaries. It is not apparent that these temporary differences will reverse in the foreseeable future. If any excess cash held by our foreign subsidiaries was needed to fund operations in the U.S., the Company could presently repatriate available funds without a requirement to accrue or pay U.S. taxes. The Company regularly reviews its tax liabilities on amounts that may be distributed in future periods and provides for foreign withholding and other current and deferred taxes on any such amounts, where applicable. Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes revenue when or as it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring a promised good or service to a customer. Where third-parties are involved in the provision of goods and services to a customer, revenue is recognized at the gross amount of consideration the Company expects to receive if the Company controls the promised good or service before it is transferred to the customer; otherwise, revenue is recognized at the net amount the Company retains. The Company receives payments from customers based on billing schedules that are established in its contracts, and deferred revenue is recorded when payment is received from a customer before the Company has satisfied the performance obligation or a non-cancelable contract has been billed in advance in accordance with the Company’s normal billing terms. The primary source of revenue in the Multiplatform Group segment is the sale of advertising on the Company’s broadcast radio stations and national and local live events. Revenues for advertising spots are recognized at the point in time when the advertisement is broadcast. Revenues for event sponsorships are recognized over the period of the event. Multiplatform Group also generates revenues from programming talent, network syndication, traffic and weather data, and other miscellaneous transactions, which are recognized when the services are transferred to the customer. Multiplatform Group's contracts with advertisers are typically a year or less in duration and are generally billed monthly upon satisfaction of the performance obligations. The primary source of revenue in the Digital Audio Group segment is the sale of advertising on the Company’s podcast network, iHeartRadio mobile application and website, and station websites. Revenues for digital advertising are recognized over time based on impressions delivered or time elapsed, depending upon the terms of the contract. Digital Audio Group’s contracts with advertisers are typically a year or less in duration and are generally billed monthly upon satisfaction of the performance obligations. The Company also generates revenue through contractual commissions realized from the sale of national spot and online advertising on behalf of clients of its full-service media representation business, Katz Media, which is part of the Audio and Media Services Group segment. Revenues from these contracts are recognized at the point in time when the advertisements are broadcast. Because the Company is a representative of its media clients and does not control the advertising inventory before it is transferred to the advertiser, the Company recognizes revenue at the net amount of contractual commissions retained for its representation services. The Company’s media representation contracts typically have terms up to ten years in duration and are generally billed monthly upon satisfaction of the performance obligations. The Company recognizes revenue in amounts that reflect the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for transferring goods or services to customers, excluding sales taxes and other similar taxes collected on behalf of governmental authorities (the "transaction price”). When this consideration includes a variable amount, the Company estimates the amount of consideration it expects to receive and only recognizes revenue to the extent that it is probable it will not be reversed in a future reporting period. Because the transfer of promised goods and services to the customer is generally within a year of scheduled payment from the customer, the Company is not typically required to consider the effects of the time value of money when determining the transaction price. In order to appropriately identify the unit of accounting for revenue recognition, the Company determines which promised goods and services in a contract with a customer are distinct and are therefore separate performance obligations. If a promised good or service does not meet the criteria to be considered distinct, it is combined with other promised goods or services until a distinct bundle of goods or services exists. For revenue arrangements that contain multiple distinct goods or services, the Company allocates the transaction price to these performance obligations in proportion to their relative standalone selling prices or the best estimate of their fair values. However, where the Company provides customers with free or discounted services as part of contract negotiations, management uses judgment to determine how much of the transaction price to allocate to these performance obligations. These free or discounted services are typically provided in the same performance period. Contract Costs Incremental costs of obtaining a contract primarily relate to sales commissions, which are included in selling, general and administrative expenses and are generally commensurate with sales. These costs are generally expensed when incurred because the period of benefit is one year or less. Advertising Expense The Company records advertising expense as it is incurred. Advertising expenses were $254.9 million, $233.9 million, and $166.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023, and 2022, respectively, which includes $230.0 million, $210.2 million, and $138.3 million in barter advertising, respectively. Share-Based Compensation Under the fair value recognition provisions of ASC 718, share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award. For awards that vest based on market or service conditions, this cost is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. For awards that will vest based on performance conditions, this cost is recognized when it becomes probable that the performance conditions will be satisfied. Determining the fair value of share-based awards at the grant date requires assumptions and judgment, such as expected volatility, among other factors. Foreign Currency Results of operations for foreign subsidiaries and foreign equity investees are translated into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates during the year. The assets and liabilities of those subsidiaries and investees are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates at the balance sheet date. The related translation adjustments are recorded in a separate component of stockholders' deficit, Accumulated other comprehensive loss. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in Other expense, net in the statement of comprehensive loss. Reclassifications Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2024 presentation. Restricted Cash As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the Company did not have any restricted cash balances on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted In December 2023, the FASB issued Update 2023-07 - Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires disclosure of the title and position of the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), an explanation of how the CODM uses the reported measure of segment profit or loss in assessing segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources, and disclosure of expenses provided to the CODM that are included within the reported measure of segment profit or loss. The Company retrospectively adopted this guidance during the fourth quarter of 2024. New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted In December 2023, the FASB issued Update 2023-09—Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, which enhances the disclosure requirements for income tax rate reconciliation, domestic and foreign income taxes paid, and unrecognized tax benefits. The amendments of ASU 2023-09 are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted, and should be applied prospectively. We are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our annual disclosures. In November 2024, the FASB issued Update 2024-03 Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income—Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40). This update focuses on the disaggregation of income statement expenses, requiring entities to provide more detailed disclosures about certain expenses in their financial statements. The amendments of ASU 2024-03 are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and for interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted and the amendments may be applied prospectively or retrospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our disclosures, including timing and method of adoption.

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