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Investments | 6 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2017
Equity Method Investments, Cost Method Investments, and Investments in Debt and Equity [Abstract] |
Investments | Investments The carrying amounts of investments, by category, at September 30, 2017 and March 31, 2017 were as follows:
|  | September 30, 2017 |  | March 31, 2017
|  | (Amounts in millions)
Equity method investments |  | $ | 137.0 |  |  | $ | 322.9 |
Available-for-sale securities |  | 12.8 |  |  | 8.0 |
Cost method investments |  | 40.6 |  |  | 40.6 |
|  | $ | 190.4 |  |  | $ | 371.5 |
Equity Method Investments: The carrying amounts of equity method investments at September 30, 2017 and March 31, 2017 were as follows:
| September 30, 2017 |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investee | Ownership Percentage |  | September 30, 2017 |  | March 31, 2017
|  |  | (Amounts in millions)
EPIX(1) | n/a(1) |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 188.8 |
Pop | 50.0% |  | 94.2 |  |  | 96.8 |
Other | Various |  | 42.8 |  |  | 37.3 |
|  |  | $ | 137.0 |  |  | $ | 322.9 |
________________
(1) | In May 2017, the Company sold all of its 31.15% equity interest in EPIX to MGM (see further details below).
Equity interests in equity method investments for the three and six months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 were as follows (income (loss)):
| Three Months Ended |  | Six Months Ended
| September 30, |  | September 30,
Equity Method Investee | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
| (Amounts in millions)
EPIX | $ | — |  |  | $ | 5.1 |  |  | $ | 4.0 |  |  | $ | 16.0 |
Pop | 0.5 |  |  | (2.4 | ) |  | (2.5 | ) |  | (2.1 | )
Other | (13.2 | ) |  | (0.8 | ) |  | (22.5 | ) |  | (1.2 | )
| $ | (12.7 | ) |  | $ | 1.9 |  |  | $ | (21.0 | ) |  | $ | 12.7 |
EPIX. In April 2008, the Company formed a joint venture with Viacom, its Paramount Pictures unit and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios ("MGM") to create a premium television channel and subscription video-on-demand service named “EPIX”. The Company invested $80.4 million through September 30, 2010, and no additional amounts were funded since. Since the Company's original investment in April 2008, the Company received distributions from EPIX of $42.0 million through March 31, 2017. On May 11, 2017, pursuant to the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement dated April 5, 2017 (the “Purchase Agreement”), Lionsgate, Viacom and Paramount, each completed the sale to MGM of 100% of their respective equity interests in EPIX. Lions Gate's 31.15% equity interest in EPIX represented approximately $397.2 million of the sale, of which $23.4 million was paid to Lions Gate between the signing of the Purchase Agreement and the closing of the sale as a member distribution, and $373.8 million was paid upon closing. The Company recorded a gain before income taxes of approximately $201.0 million which is reflected as a gain on sale of equity interest in EPIX in the consolidated statement of income for the six months ended September 30, 2017. Prior to the sale of its interest in EPIX, the Company had accounted for such interest as an equity method investment. EPIX Financial Information: The following table presents the summarized statements of income for EPIX for the period from April 1, 2017 through the date of sale of May 11, 2017 (no activity for the three months ended September 30, 2017), and for the three and six months ended September 30, 2016 and a reconciliation of the net income reported by EPIX to equity interest income recorded by the Company:
| Period from |  | Three Months Ended |  | Six Months Ended
| April 1, 2017 to |  |
| May 11, 2017 (date of sale) |  | September 30, 2016 |  | September 30, 2016
| (Amounts in millions)
Revenues | $ | 44.8 |  |  | $ | 98.6 |  |  | $ | 196.9 |
Expenses: |  |  |  |  |
Operating expenses | 32.3 |  |  | 71.2 |  |  | 120.4 |
Selling, general and administrative expenses | 2.4 |  |  | 6.7 |  |  | 12.8 |
Operating income | 10.1 |  |  | 20.7 |  |  | 63.7 |
Interest and other expense | — |  |  | (0.2 | ) |  | (0.2 | )
Net income | $ | 10.1 |  |  | $ | 20.5 |  |  | $ | 63.5 |
Reconciliation of net income reported by EPIX to equity interest income: |  |  |  |  |
Net income reported by EPIX | $ | 10.1 |  |  | $ | 20.5 |  |  | $ | 63.5 |
Ownership interest in EPIX | 31.15 | % |  | 31.15 | % |  | 31.15 | %
The Company's share of net income | 3.1 |  |  | 6.4 |  |  | 19.8 |
Eliminations of the Company’s share of profits on licensing sales to EPIX(1) | (0.1 | ) |  | (3.1 | ) |  | (6.8 | )
Realization of the Company’s share of profits on licensing sales to EPIX(2) | 1.0 |  |  | 1.8 |  |  | 3.0 |
Total equity interest income recorded | $ | 4.0 |  |  | $ | 5.1 |  |  | $ | 16.0 |
_________________________
(1) | Represents the elimination of the gross profit recognized by the Company on licensing sales to EPIX in proportion to the Company's ownership interest in EPIX.
(2) | Represents the realization of a portion of the profits previously eliminated. This profit remained eliminated until realized by EPIX. EPIX initially recorded the license fee for the title as inventory on its balance sheet and amortizes the inventory over the license period. Accordingly, the profit was realized as the inventory on EPIX's books was amortized.
Pop. Pop is the Company's joint venture with CBS. The Company’s investment interest in Pop consists of an equity investment in its common stock units and mandatorily redeemable preferred stock units. CBS has a call option to purchase a portion of the Company's ownership interest in Pop at fair market value, which would result in CBS owning 80% of Pop, exercisable beginning March 26, 2018 for a period of 30 days. The mandatorily redeemable preferred stock units carry a dividend rate of 10% compounded annually and are mandatorily redeemable in May 2019 at the stated value plus the dividend return and any additional capital contributions less previous distributions. The mandatorily redeemable preferred stock units were initially recorded based on their estimated fair value, as determined using an option pricing model. The mandatorily redeemable preferred stock units and the 10% dividend are being accreted up to their redemption amount over the ten-year period to the redemption date, which is recorded as income within equity interest. Other Equity Method Investments Defy Media. In June 2007, the Company acquired an interest in Break Media, a multi-platform digital media company and a leader in male-targeted content creation and distribution. In October 2013, Break Media merged with Alloy Digital to create Defy Media. The Company's effective economic interest in Defy Media through its investment in Break Media and its direct investment in Defy Media is approximately 11%. The Company is accounting for its investment in Defy Media, a limited liability company, under the equity method of accounting due to the Company's board representation that provides significant influence over the investee. Roadside Attractions. Roadside Attractions is an independent theatrical distribution company. The Company owns a 43% interest in Roadside Attractions. Pantelion Films. Pantelion Films is a joint venture with Videocine, an affiliate of Televisa, which produces, acquires and distributes a slate of English and Spanish language feature films that target Hispanic moviegoers in the U.S. The Company owns a 49% interest in Pantelion Films. Atom Tickets. Atom Tickets is the first-of-its-kind theatrical mobile ticketing platform and app. The Company owns an interest of approximately 17% in Atom Tickets. The Company is accounting for its investment in Atom Tickets, a limited liability company, under the equity method of accounting due to the Company's board representation that provides significant influence over the investee. Playco. Playco Holdings Limited ("Playco") offers a STARZ-branded online subscription video-on-demand service in the Middle East and North Africa. The Company owns an approximately 41.3% interest in Playco. Other. In addition to the equity method investments discussed above, the Company holds ownership interests in other immaterial equity method investees. Available-for-Sale Securities: The cost basis, unrealized gains and fair market value of available-for-sale securities were as set forth below:
|  | September 30, 2017 |  | March 31, 2017
|  | (Amounts in millions)
Cost basis |  | $ | 2.6 |  |  | $ | 2.6 |
Gross unrealized gain |  | 10.2 |  |  | 5.4 |
Fair value |  | $ | 12.8 |  |  | $ | 8.0 |
Next Games. At September 30, 2017 and March 31, 2017, the Company's available-for-sale securities consisted of the Company's minority ownership interest in Next Games. Next Games is a mobile games development company headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, with a focus on crafting visually impressive, highly engaging games. Next Games is traded on the Nasdaq First North Finland marketplace maintained by Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd, and the Company classifies its investment in Next Games within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy as the valuation inputs are based on quoted prices in active markets (see Note 8). Cost Method Investments: Telltale. Telltale Games ("Telltale") is a creator, developer and publisher of interactive software episodic games based upon popular stories and characters across all major gaming and entertainment platforms. The Company owns an approximately 14% economic interest in Telltale.

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