TIME WARNER INC. | 2013 | FY | 3


5. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

 

A fair value measurement is determined based on the assumptions that a market participant would use in pricing an asset or liability. A three-tiered hierarchy draws distinctions between market participant assumptions based on (i) observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets (Level 1), (ii) inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2) and (iii) unobservable inputs that require the Company to use present value and other valuation techniques in the determination of fair value (Level 3). The following table presents information about assets and liabilities required to be carried at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively (millions):

   December 31, 2013 December 31, 2012
    Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  Total  Level 1   Level 2   Level 3  Total
 Assets:                        
  Trading securities:                        
  Diversified equity securities(a) $ 254 $ 5 $ - $ 259 $ 258 $ 5 $ - $ 263
  Available-for-sale securities:                        
  Equity securities   57   -   -   57   18   -   -   18
  Debt securities   -   40   -   40   -   99   -   99
  Derivatives:                        
  Foreign exchange contracts   -   10   -   10   -   9   -   9
  Other   6   -   8   14   4   -   13   17
 Liabilities:                        
  Derivatives:                        
  Foreign exchange contracts   -   (17)   -   (17)   -   (31)   -   (31)
  Other   -   -   (7)   (7)   -   -   (6)   (6)
 Total $ 317 $ 38 $ 1 $ 356 $ 280 $ 82 $ 7 $ 369
 __________                        

(a)        Consists of investments related to deferred compensation.

 

The Company primarily applies the market approach for valuing recurring fair value measurements. During the year ended December 31, 2013, approximately $13 million of certain available-for-sale debt securities classified within Level 2 were transferred into available-for-sale equity securities and classified within Level 1 due to the initial public offering of the investee.

 

As of December 31, 2013 and 2012, assets and liabilities valued using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) primarily consisted of an asset related to equity instruments held by employees of a former subsidiary of the Company, liabilities for contingent consideration and options to redeem securities. The following table reconciles the beginning and ending balances of net derivative assets and liabilities classified as Level 3 and identifies the total gains (losses) the Company recognized during the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively, on such assets and liabilities that were included in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively (millions):

   December 31, 2013 December 31, 2012
        
 Balance as of the beginning of the period $ 7 $ 3
 Total gains (losses), net:      
  Included in operating income   (1)   1
  Included in other loss, net   12   14
  Included in other comprehensive income (loss)   -   -
 Settlements   (15)   (11)
 Issuances   (2)   -
 Transfers in and/or out of Level 3   -   -
 Balance as of the end of the period $ 1 $ 7
        
 Net gain for the period included in net income related to assets and liabilities       
  still held as of the end of the period $ 9 $ 15

Other Financial Instruments

 

The Company's other financial instruments, including debt, are not required to be carried at fair value. Based on the interest rates prevailing at December 31, 2013, the fair value of Time Warner's debt exceeded its carrying value by approximately $2.754 billion and, based on interest rates prevailing at December 31, 2012, the fair value of Time Warner's debt exceeded its carrying value by approximately $4.622 billion. The fair value of Time Warner's debt was considered a Level 2 measurement as it was based on observable market inputs such as current interest rates and, where available, actual sales transactions. Unrealized gains or losses on debt do not result in the realization or expenditure of cash and generally are not recognized in the consolidated financial statements unless the debt is retired prior to its maturity. The carrying value for the majority of the Company's other financial instruments approximates fair value due to the short-term nature of the financial instruments or because the financial instruments are of a longer-term nature and are recorded on a discounted basis. At December 31, 2013, the estimated fair value of the Company's investment in CME exceeded its carrying value by approximately $167 million. For the remainder of the Company's other financial instruments, differences between the carrying value and fair value were not significant at December 31, 2013. The fair value of financial instruments is generally determined by reference to the market value of the instrument as quoted on a national securities exchange or an over-the-counter market. In cases where a quoted market value is not available, fair value is based on an estimate using present value or other valuation techniques.

 

Non-Financial Instruments

 

The majority of the Company's non-financial instruments, which include goodwill, intangible assets, inventories and property, plant and equipment, are not required to be carried at fair value on a recurring basis. However, if certain triggering events occur (or at least annually for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets), a non-financial instrument is required to be evaluated for impairment. The resulting asset impairment would require that the non-financial instrument be written down to its fair value.

 

During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company performed impairment reviews of certain tradenames and software costs at Time Inc. as well as other intangible assets at certain international subsidiaries at Turner. As a result, the Company recorded noncash impairments of $97 million to write down the value of these assets to $492 million. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company performed an impairment review of certain long-lived assets at Imagine, Turner's general entertainment network in India. As a result of its review, the Company recorded a noncash impairment of $19 million to write down the value of certain long-lived assets, primarily intangible assets, to zero. In both periods, the resulting fair value measurements were considered to be Level 3 measurements and were determined using a DCF methodology with assumptions for cash flows associated with the use and eventual disposition of the assets.

 

In determining the fair value of its theatrical films, the Company employs a DCF methodology that includes cash flow estimates of a film's ultimate revenue and costs as well as a discount rate. The discount rate utilized in the DCF analysis is based on the weighted average cost of capital of the respective business (e.g., Warner Bros.) plus a risk premium representing the risk associated with producing a particular theatrical film. The fair value of any theatrical film and television production that management plans to abandon is zero. As the primary determination of fair value is determined using a DCF model, the resulting fair value is considered a Level 3 measurement. The following table presents certain theatrical film and television production costs, which were recorded as inventory in the Consolidated Balance Sheet, that were written down to fair value (millions):

   Carrying value before write down Carrying value after write down
        
 Fair value measurements made during the year ended December 31,:       
 2013 $ 289 $ 206
 2012   414   257

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