º¬Ð߲ݴ«Ã½

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes

v2.4.1.9
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Income Taxes [Abstract] Ìý
Income Taxes

(11)Income Taxes

Ìý

Income tax benefit (expense) consists of:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

YearsÌýendedÌýDecemberÌý31,

Ìý

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2014

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2013

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2012

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

amountsÌýinÌýmillions

Ìý

Current:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Federal

Ìý

$

(157)

Ìý

(97)

Ìý

(167)

Ìý

State and local

Ìý

Ìý

(32)

Ìý

(26)

Ìý

(26)

Ìý

Foreign

Ìý

Ìý

(110)

Ìý

(82)

Ìý

(139)

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

$

(299)

Ìý

(205)

Ìý

(332)

Ìý

Deferred:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Federal

Ìý

$

59Ìý

Ìý

(19)

Ìý

19Ìý

Ìý

State and local

Ìý

Ìý

(23)

Ìý

47Ìý

Ìý

28Ìý

Ìý

Foreign

Ìý

Ìý

5Ìý

Ìý

(6)

Ìý

7Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

41Ìý

Ìý

22Ìý

Ìý

54Ìý

Ìý

Income tax benefit (expense)

Ìý

$

(258)

Ìý

(183)

Ìý

(278)

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

The following table presents a summary of our domestic and foreign earnings from continuing operations before income taxes:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

YearsÌýendedÌýDecemberÌý31,

Ìý

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2014

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2013

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2012

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

amountsÌýinÌýmillions

Ìý

Domestic

Ìý

$

676Ìý

Ìý

575Ìý

Ìý

667Ìý

Ìý

Foreign

Ìý

Ìý

160Ìý

Ìý

162Ìý

Ìý

216Ìý

Ìý

Total

Ìý

$

836Ìý

Ìý

737Ìý

Ìý

883Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Income tax benefit (expense) differs from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal income tax rate of 35% as a result of the following:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

YearsÌýendedÌýDecemberÌý31,

Ìý

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2014

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2013

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2012

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

amountsÌýinÌýmillions

Ìý

Computed expected tax benefit (expense)

Ìý

$

(293)

Ìý

(258)

Ìý

(309)

Ìý

State and local income taxes, net of federal income taxes

Ìý

Ìý

(7)

Ìý

(15)

Ìý

Ìý—

Ìý

Foreign taxes, net of foreign tax credits

Ìý

Ìý

(2)

Ìý

(7)

Ìý

5Ìý

Ìý

Sale of consolidated subsidiary

Ìý

Ìý

14Ìý

Ìý

Ìý—

Ìý

Ìý—

Ìý

Impairment of intangible assets not deductible for tax purposes

Ìý

Ìý

(3)

Ìý

(2)

Ìý

(16)

Ìý

Dividends received deductions

Ìý

Ìý

10Ìý

Ìý

9Ìý

Ìý

13Ìý

Ìý

Alternative energy tax credits

Ìý

Ìý

58Ìý

Ìý

54Ìý

Ìý

48Ìý

Ìý

Change in valuation allowance affecting tax expense

Ìý

Ìý

(2)

Ìý

(27)

Ìý

(8)

Ìý

Impact of change in state rate on deferred taxes

Ìý

Ìý

(28)

Ìý

66Ìý

Ìý

—

Ìý

Other, net

Ìý

Ìý

(5)

Ìý

(3)

Ìý

(11)

Ìý

Income tax benefit (expense)

Ìý

$

(258)

Ìý

(183)

Ìý

(278)

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

During 2014 and 2013, Liberty changed its estimate of the effective state tax rate used to measure its net deferred tax liabilities, based on expected changes to the Company’s state apportionment factors. The change in 2014 was caused by the sale of a consolidated subsidiary (Provide) on December 31, 2014.Ìý The change in state apportionment factors during 2013 also changed the potential utilization of the Company’s state net operating loss carryforwards, which resulted in a valuation allowance being recorded for certain state net operating loss carryforwards that may expire unused. In both years, the rate change required an adjustment to the recognized deferred taxes at the corporate level.ÌýDuring 2014, 2013 and 2012, Liberty offset federal tax liabilities with tax credits derived from its alternative energy investments.

Ìý

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are presented below:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

DecemberÌý31,

Ìý

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2014

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2013

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

amountsÌýinÌýmillions

Ìý

Deferred tax assets:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Net operating and capital loss carryforwards

Ìý

$

90Ìý

Ìý

74Ìý

Ìý

Foreign tax credit carryforwards

Ìý

Ìý

88Ìý

Ìý

129Ìý

Ìý

Accrued stock compensation

Ìý

Ìý

41Ìý

Ìý

27Ìý

Ìý

Other accrued liabilities

Ìý

Ìý

143Ìý

Ìý

85Ìý

Ìý

Other future deductible amounts

Ìý

Ìý

134Ìý

Ìý

119Ìý

Ìý

Deferred tax assets

Ìý

Ìý

496Ìý

Ìý

434Ìý

Ìý

Valuation allowance

Ìý

Ìý

(54)

Ìý

(52)

Ìý

Net deferred tax assets

Ìý

Ìý

442Ìý

Ìý

382Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Deferred tax liabilities:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Investments

Ìý

Ìý

703Ìý

Ìý

569Ìý

Ìý

Intangible assets

Ìý

Ìý

1,284Ìý

Ìý

1,416Ìý

Ìý

Discount on exchangeable debentures

Ìý

Ìý

1,009Ìý

Ìý

958Ìý

Ìý

Deferred gain on debt retirements

Ìý

Ìý

257Ìý

Ìý

313Ìý

Ìý

Other

Ìý

Ìý

10Ìý

Ìý

52Ìý

Ìý

Deferred tax liabilities

Ìý

Ìý

3,263Ìý

Ìý

3,308Ìý

Ìý

Net deferred tax liabilities

Ìý

$

2,821Ìý

Ìý

2,926Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

The Company's deferred tax assets and liabilities are reported in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as follows:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

DecemberÌý31,

Ìý

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2014

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2013

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

amountsÌýinÌýmillions

Ìý

Current deferred tax liabilities

Ìý

$

972Ìý

Ìý

925Ìý

Ìý

Long-term deferred tax liabilities

Ìý

Ìý

1,849Ìý

Ìý

2,001Ìý

Ìý

Net deferred tax liabilities

Ìý

$

2,821Ìý

Ìý

2,926Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

The Company's valuation allowance increased $2 million in 2014.ÌýÌýThe entire change in valuation allowance affected tax expense.

Ìý

At December 31, 2014, Liberty had net operating losses (on a tax effected basis) and foreign tax credit carryforwards for income tax purposes aggregating approximately $90 million and $88 Ìýmillion, respectively, of which, $9 million will expire in 2017 and $169 million will expire beyond 2020 if not utilized to reduce domestic, state or foreign income tax liabilities in future periods.ÌýÌýThese net operating losses and foreign tax credit carryforwards are expected to be utilized prior to expiration, except for $54 million of net operating losses which based on current projections of domestic, state and foreign income may expire unused.Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

YearsÌýendedÌýDecemberÌý31,

Ìý

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2014

ÌýÌýÌýÌý

2013

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

amountsÌýinÌýmillions

Ìý

Balance at beginning of year

Ìý

$

124Ìý

Ìý

122Ìý

Ìý

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year

Ìý

Ìý

16Ìý

Ìý

19Ìý

Ìý

Additions for tax positions of prior years

Ìý

Ìý

20Ìý

Ìý

1Ìý

Ìý

Reductions for tax positions of prior years

Ìý

Ìý

(3)

Ìý

(3)

Ìý

Lapse of statute and settlements

Ìý

Ìý

(21)

Ìý

(15)

Ìý

Balance at end of year

Ìý

$

136Ìý

Ìý

124Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

As of DecemberÌý31, 2014, the Company had recorded tax reserves of $136 million related to unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions.ÌýÌýIf such tax benefits were to be recognized for financial statement purposes, $68 million would be reflected in the Company's tax expense and affect its effective tax rate.ÌýÌýLiberty's estimate of its unrecognized tax benefits related to uncertain tax positions requires a high degree of judgment. The Company has tax positions for which the amount of related unrecognized tax benefits could change during 2015. The amount of unrecognized tax benefits related to these issues could change as a result of potential settlements, lapsing of statute of limitations and revisions of estimates.ÌýÌýIt is reasonably possible that the amount of the Company's gross unrecognized tax benefits may decrease within the next twelve months by up to $23 million.

Ìý

As of DecemberÌý31, 2014, the Company's 2001 through 2010 tax years are closed for federal income tax purposes, and the IRS has completed its examination of the Company's 2010 through 2012 tax years.ÌýÌýThe Company's tax loss carryforwards from its 2010 through 2012 tax years are still subject to adjustment.ÌýÌýThe Company's 2013 and 2014 tax years are being examined currently as part of the IRS's Compliance Assurance Process ("CAP") program.Ìý Various states are currently examining the Company's prior years state income tax returns.ÌýÌýQVC is currently under audit in the U.K., Germany and Italy.ÌýÌýAs of December 31, 2014, no material assessments have resulted from these audits.Ìý

Ìý

As of DecemberÌý31, 2014, the Company had recorded $28 million of accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions.