XML 19 R9.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.25.3

Description of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies | 6 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2025
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Description of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies | Description of Business, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Description of Business Starz Entertainment Corp. (the "Company", "Starz", "we", "us", or "our") operates primarily in the U.S. and Canada and distributes the STARZ branded premium subscription video services on a direct-to-consumer over-the-top (“OTT”) basis through the Starz App and through wholesale OTT and multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”), including cable operators, satellite television providers and telecommunications companies (in the aggregate the “Starz Platform ”). Separation Prior to the Separation, as defined and further discussed below, the business of Starz Entertainment Corp. (the “Starz Business”) substantially consisted of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp’s (“Old Lionsgate” or “Parent”) Media Networks segment consisting of (i) Starz Networks, which includes the distribution of the Starz Platform, and (ii) International, which at that time primarily consisted of the OTT distribution of subscription video services outside the U.S. and Canada ("Lionsgate+"). Old Lionsgate also had a subsidiary Lionsgate Studios Corp. (formerly trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the ticker symbol LION) (“Legacy Lionsgate Studios”) that included the company’s motion picture and television studio operations (collectively referred to as the “LG Studios Business”). On May 6, 2025, Old Lionsgate, through a series of transactions contemplated by an arrangement agreement dated as of January 29, 2025, as amended by an agreement, dated as of March 12, 2025 (as amended, the “Arrangement Agreement”), completed the separation of the LG Studios Business of Old Lionsgate from the Starz Business (the "Separation"). As a result of the Arrangement Agreement, the pre-transaction shareholders of Old Lionsgate own shares in two separately traded public companies: (1) Old Lionsgate, which was renamed “Starz Entertainment Corp.” and holds, directly and through subsidiaries, the Starz Business previously held by Old Lionsgate, and (2) Lionsgate Studios Holding Corp. (“New Lionsgate”), which was renamed “Lionsgate Studios Corp.” and holds, directly and through subsidiaries, the LG Studios Business previously held by Old Lionsgate, and is owned by Old Lionsgate shareholders and Legacy Lionsgate Studios shareholders. To complete the Separation, pre-transaction shareholders of Old Lionsgate’s Class A common shares received one and twelve one-hundredths (1.12) New Lionsgate common shares and one and twelve one-hundredths (1.12) Starz Entertainment Corp. common shares while Old Lionsgate’s Class B common shares received one share of New Lionsgate common shares and one share of Starz Entertainment Corp.’s common shares. As a result of the steps described above, each of New Lionsgate and Starz have a single class of “one share, one vote” common shares. Starz Entertainment Corp.’s common shares were then consolidated on a 15-to-1 basis, such that every fifteen (15) Starz common shares were consolidated into one (1) Starz common share (the “Reverse Stock Split”). See Note 7, Capital Stock, for further details. Notwithstanding the legal form of the Separation, for accounting and financial reporting purposes, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, due to the relative significance of the LG Studios Business as compared to the Starz Business and the continued involvement of Old Lionsgate’s senior management with New Lionsgate following the completion of the Separation, New Lionsgate (which holds the LG Studios Business) is considered the accounting spinnor or divesting entity and Starz Entertainment Corp. (which holds the Starz Business) is considered the accounting spinnee or divested entity. As a result, Old Lionsgate was determined to be the accounting predecessor to New Lionsgate and the Starz Business's pre-Separation financial information has been prepared on a carve-out basis and are derived from Old Lionsgate’s consolidated financial statements and accounting records. See Basis of Presentation below. Starz Networks Strategic Content Review During 2024 and 2025, in preparation for the Separation, Starz evaluated the programming on the Starz Platform and cancelled certain ordered programming, and identified certain other programming with limited strategic purpose, which was removed from the Starz Platform and abandoned by the Company. As a new standalone company, management continues to strategically review its content and performance. International Restructuring In 2023 and 2024, Old Lionsgate began a plan to restructure and shut down its international LIONSGATE+ business. During the six months ended September 30, 2024, Old Lionsgate continued executing the restructuring plan, which included exiting all international territories as of May 2024 except Canada (included in the Starz Networks segment) and India and Southeast Asia (which are included in the International segment). The historical results of operations of international territories that were shut down are presented as discontinued operations in these financial statements for the six months ended September 30, 2024. See Note 2, Discontinued Operations for further details. Basis of Presentation From and after the effective date of the Separation, the Company’s financial statements are presented on a consolidated basis. The unaudited financial statements for all periods presented, including the historical results of the Company prior to the Separation, are now referred to as the “condensed consolidated financial statements”. For periods prior to the Separation, the Starz Business operated as a segment of Old Lionsgate and not as a separate entity. The Company’s financial statements prior to the Separation were prepared on a carve-out basis and were derived from Old Lionsgate’s consolidated financial statements and accounting records and reflect Starz Business’s combined historical financial position, results of operations and cash flows in accordance with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Prior to the Separation, a management approach was applied to determine the carve-out basis of presentation. In using the management approach, considerations over how the business operates were utilized to identify historical operations that should be presented within the carve-out financial statements. For periods subsequent to the Separation, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Starz Entertainment Corp. and all of its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S.GAAP for interim financial information and the instructions to quarterly report on Form 10-Q under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of the Company’s management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been reflected in these condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements. The balance sheet as of March 31, 2025 has been derived from the audited combined financial statements at that date, but does not include all the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read together with the Company’s audited combined financial statements and related notes for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 as filed on June 26, 2025 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain amounts presented in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. All revenue and costs, as well as assets and liabilities directly associated with the business activity of the Starz Business are included in the accompanying financial statements. Revenue and costs associated with the Starz Business are specifically identifiable in the accounting records maintained by Old Lionsgate and primarily represent the revenue and costs used for the determination of segment profit of the Media Networks segment of Old Lionsgate. In addition, these costs include an allocation of corporate general and administrative expense (inclusive of share-based compensation) which has been allocated to the Company as further discussed below. In May 2024, Old Lionsgate consummated a series of transactions, by which the LG Studios Business became a separate publicly traded company (the “Studio Separation”). The LG Studios Business is substantially reflective of Old Lionsgate's Motion Pictures and Television Production segments together with a substantial portion of Old Lionsgate’s corporate general and administrative expenses. In May 2024, Starz entered into an intercompany revolving credit facility with Lionsgate Studios Corp. which was used to settle intercompany transactions prior to Separation. Prior to the Studio Separation, Old Lionsgate utilized a centralized approach to cash management. Cash generated by the Starz Business was managed by Old Lionsgate’s centralized treasury function and cash was routinely transferred to the Starz Business or to the LG Studios Business to fund operating activities when needed. Cash and cash equivalents of the Company are reflected in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. Payables to and receivables from Old Lionsgate related to the Starz Business, were often settled through movement to the intercompany accounts between Old Lionsgate, the Starz Business and the LG Studios Business. Other than certain specific balances related to unsettled payables or receivables, the intercompany balances between the Starz Business and LG Studios Business were accounted for as parent net investment. See Note 15, Due To/From LG Studios Business, for further details. Management believes the assumptions underlying our financial statements, including the assumptions regarding the allocation of general and administrative expenses from Old Lionsgate are reasonable. However, the allocations may not include all the actual expenses that would have been incurred by Starz had we been a standalone company during the periods presented. It is not practicable to estimate actual costs that would have been incurred had we been a standalone company and operated as an unaffiliated entity during the periods presented. Actual costs that might have been incurred had we been a standalone company would depend on a number of factors, including the organizational structure, what corporate functions we might have performed directly or outsourced and strategic decisions we might have made in areas such as executive management, legal and other professional services, and certain corporate overhead functions. See Note 15, Due To/From LG Studios Business, for further details of the allocations included in the accompanying financial statements. The issuer of Old Lionsgate's 5.5% senior notes due April 15, 2029 (the “5.5% Senior Notes”) was Starz Capital Holdings, LLC (previously known as Lions Gate Capital Holdings LLC), a Starz entity. The 5.5% Senior Notes were generally used as a method of financing Old Lionsgate's operations in totality and were not specifically identifiable to the LG Studios Business or the Starz Business. It is not practical to determine what the capital structure would have been historically for the Starz Business or the LG Studios Business prior to the Studio Separation as standalone companies; however, the 5.5% Senior Notes were issued by a subsidiary of Starz and are representative of the overall debt levels, that were expected for the Company following the completion of the Separation. In May 2024, the Starz Business issued $389.9 million aggregate principal amount of new 5.5% exchange notes due 2029 (the “Exchange Notes”) in exchange for $389.9 million of the existing 5.5% Senior Notes (the "Exchange Transaction"). As a result of the Exchange Transaction, the principal amount of the 5.5% Senior Notes outstanding was reduced to $325.1 million and total aggregate debt outstanding, including $300.0 million outstanding per Term Loan A, was $625.1 million. See Note 4, Debt, for further details. Upon completion of the Separation, the Exchange Notes became obligations solely of New Lionsgate. The remaining 5.5% Senior Notes remained with the Company upon completion of the Separation. A portion of Old Lionsgate's corporate debt, (the revolving credit facility, term loan A and term loan B, together referred to as the “Old Lionsgate Senior Credit Facilities”) had been assumed by the LG Studios Business under an intercompany note and accordingly, the Old Lionsgate Senior Credit Facilities and related interest expense are not reflected in the Company’s financial statements. In connection with the Separation, the Company entered into a new credit agreement (the "Starz Credit Agreement") which provides for a $300.0 million senior secured term loan credit facility and a $150.0 million senior secured revolving credit facility. See Note 4, Debt, for further details. Additional indebtedness directly related to the Company, including programming notes and a production loan, are reflected in the Company's consolidated financial statements. Old Lionsgate’s corporate general and administrative functions and costs, which were retained within New Lionsgate, have historically been provided to both the Starz Business and the LG Studios Business. These functions and costs include, but are not limited to, salaries and wages for certain executives and other corporate officers related to executive oversight, investor relations, maintenance of corporate facilities, and other common administrative support functions, including corporate accounting, finance and financial reporting, audit and tax, corporate and other legal support functions, and certain information technology and human resources support functions. Accordingly, for periods prior to the Studio Separation, the accompanying financial statements of the Company include allocations of certain general and administrative expenses (inclusive of share-based compensation) from Old Lionsgate related to these corporate and shared service functions historically provided by Old Lionsgate. Prior to the Studio Separation, Old Lionsgate established a shared services and overhead sharing agreement (the “Shared Services Agreement”). The Shared Services Agreement facilitates the allocation to the LG Studios Business of all corporate general and administrative expenses of Old Lionsgate, except for an amount of $10.0 million charged annually to the Starz Business. The $10.0 million charge of Old Lionsgate’s corporate general and administrative expenses to the Starz Business pursuant to the Shared Services Agreement is designed to reflect the portion of corporate expenses reflective of the level of effort and costs incurred related to management oversight and services provided to the Starz Business following the Studio Separation. Prior to the Studio Separation, these expenses were allocated to the Starz Business on the basis of direct usage when identifiable, with the remainder allocated on a pro rata basis of consolidated Old Lionsgate revenue, payroll expense or other measures considered to be a reasonable reflection of the historical utilization levels of these services. Old Lionsgate also paid certain expenses on behalf of the Starz Business prior to the Separation such as certain rent expense, employee benefits, insurance and other administrative operating costs which are reflected in the accompanying financial statements. The Starz Business also paid certain expenses on behalf of Old Lionsgate such as legal expenses, software development costs and severance. The settlement of reimbursable expenses between the Starz Business and the LG Studios Business have been accounted for as parent net investment. See Note 15, Due To/From LG Studios Business, for further detail of parent net investment included in the accompanying financial statements. Change in Fiscal Year End On May 8, 2025, the Company's Board of Directors approved a change in Starz’s fiscal year end from March 31 to December 31. The date of Starz’s next fiscal year end will be December 31, 2025. As a result of the change, the Company will file a Transition Report on Form 10-K for the nine-month transition period from April 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions, that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimates made by management in the preparation of the accompanying financial statements relate to the intangible asset associated with the customer relationships with U.S. MVPDs ("Starz Traditional Affiliates"), which is amortized in the proportion that current period revenue bears to management’s estimate of future revenue over the remaining estimated useful life of the asset; estimates of future viewership used for the amortization of programming content; the allocation of costs to the Starz Business for certain corporate and shared service functions prior to Studio Separation; income taxes including the assessment of valuation allowances for deferred tax assets; and impairment assessments for licensed program rights and intangible assets. Actual results could differ from such estimates. Segments Following the Separation, Starz manages and reports its operating results through one reportable segment, Starz Networks, which includes our consolidated operations. The continuing operations outside the U.S. and Canada, which primarily consist of our operations in India and Southeast Asia, are reported as International. Effective April 1, 2025, we transferred our operations in India and Southeast Asia to New Lionsgate. Given that Starz and New Lionsgate were under common control at the time of the transfer, no gain or loss was recorded related to the transfer. Significant Accounting Policies There have been no material changes to our significant accounting policies as described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. Recent Accounting Pronouncements Internal-Use Software: In September 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-06, which modernizes the accounting guidance for internal-use software under ASC 350-40. The update eliminates the previous “project stage” model and introduces a principles-based framework that better aligns with contemporary software development practices. Under the new guidance, entities may begin capitalizing internal-use software costs when two conditions are met: (1) management has authorized and committed to funding the software project, and (2) it is probable that the project will be completed and the software will be used for its intended purpose (the “probable-to-complete” threshold). The ASU also consolidates website development cost guidance into ASC 350-40 and clarifies disclosure requirements for capitalized software costs. This guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. Income Taxes: In December 2023, the FASB issued guidance which expanded income tax disclosures by requiring public business entities, on an annual basis, to disclose specific categories in the rate reconciliation and provide additional information for reconciling items that meet a quantitative threshold. Additionally, this guidance required all public business entities to disaggregate disclosures by jurisdiction on the amount of income taxes paid (net of refunds received), income or loss from continuing operations before income tax expense (or benefit) and income tax expense (or benefit) from continuing operations. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, and therefore will be effective beginning with the Company’s financial statements issued for the calendar year ending December 31, 2025 with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures. Income Statement: In November 2024, the FASB issued guidance requiring public business entities to disclose additional information about specific expense categories in the notes to financial statements for interim and annual reporting periods. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026, and therefore will be effective beginning with the Company’s financial statements issued for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2027 and interim reporting periods beginning in fiscal 2029, with early adoption permitted. The disclosures required under the guidance can be applied either prospectively to financial statements issued for reporting periods after the effective date or retrospectively to any or all periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483426/235-10-50-1 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 810 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/810/tableOfContent Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Topic 250 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org/250/tableOfContent + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationBasisOfPresentationBusinessDescriptionAndAccountingPoliciesTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | dtr-types:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration