EXHIBIT 99.1

 

LOGO

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FIRST QUARTER

2011 FINANCIAL RESULTS

LOS ANGELES – May 5, 2011 – Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE: LYV) released financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2011 today.

“We believe that our business environment is starting to improve over last year and we’re encouraged with overall trends to date,” said Michael Rapino, President and Chief Executive Officer of Live Nation Entertainment. “Our healthy first quarter performance reflects improvement in ticket sales, solid growth in our Sponsorship and eCommerce segments and our focus on carefully managing our costs. It’s still early in the year, but fans are responding well to our ticket pricing initiatives. In the year ahead, we remain focused on driving the two key parts of our business which are adding content and monetizing the event in order to grow our higher margin businesses. We’re continuing to invest in upgrading our digital infrastructure to improve functionality and adding enhancements to our eCommerce platform to improve our core services for fans, artists, sports teams and venues.”

The company will host a teleconference today, May 5, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, which can be accessed by dialing 888-603-6873 (U.S.) or 973-321-1019 (Int’l) and referencing passcode 61022703. To access the call via webcast, please visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s website at www.livenation.com/investors. Please visit the website approximately ten minutes prior to the start time to ensure a connection. Additional statistical and financial information to be provided on the call, if any, will be posted supplementally under that same link. For those who are not available to listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the call on the Live Nation website through May 12, 2011.

METRICS

 

(Unaudited)                     

Key Drivers

   Q1 2011      Q1 2010      Variance
(Qtr.)
 
CONCERTS (1)   

Total Attendance (estimated)

     6,962,000         6,975,000         (0.0 %) 
SPONSORSHIP/ONLINE   

Online Advertising Revenue (in millions)

   $ 8.3       $ 7.5         10.7

Average Revenue per Sponsor (rounded, whole $)

   $ 81,000       $ 64,000         26.6
TICKETING   
(in thousands)       

Primary Ticketing Volume by Category

   Q1 2011
Ticket
Volume Totals
     Q1 2010
Ticket
Volume Totals
     Variance
(Qtr.)
 

Concerts

     17,033         15,100         12.8

Sports

     7,491         6,403         17.0

Arts & Theater

     4,746         4,809         (1.3 %) 

Family

     4,315         3,762         14.7

Other (2)

     1,060         1,127         (5.9 %) 
                          

Total (3)

     34,645         31,201         11.0
                          

 

  (1) Other Concerts metrics have been omitted this period due to the lack of meaningful information in the first quarter.
  (2) Other category includes tickets for comedy shows, parking, audio and facility tours, donations, lectures and seminars.
  (3) The Q1 2010 figures include ticket sales for the pre-merger period of January 1-25th in order to give comparable information.


The financial results of operations below only include Ticketmaster results following the date of the merger (January 25) through March 31 for 2010. (1)

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS – 1st QUARTER

(Unaudited; $ in millions)

 

 

     Q1 2011     Q1 2010     Growth  

Revenue

      

Concerts

   $ 449.3      $ 408.1        10.1

Ticketing

     296.3        209.1        41.7

Artist Nation

     54.1        69.6        (22.3 %) 

eCommerce

     29.4        18.1        62.4

Sponsorship

     24.8        21.2        17.0

Other & Eliminations

     (4.5     (2.7     (66.7 %) 
                        
   $ 849.4      $ 723.4        17.4
                        

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)

      

Concerts

   $ (41.3   $ (42.5     2.8

Ticketing

     80.6        46.4        73.7

Artist Nation

     (0.8     0.9        **   

eCommerce

     10.7        7.7        39.0

Sponsorship

     11.1        8.6        29.1

Other & Eliminations

     —          0.2        **   

Corporate

     (15.2     (19.1     20.4
                        
   $ 45.1      $ 2.2        **   
                        

Operating Income (Loss)

      

Concerts

   $ (69.4   $ (72.9     4.8

Ticketing

     44.2        12.4        **   

Artist Nation (2)

     (42.7     (7.9     **   

eCommerce

     8.3        5.0        66.0

Sponsorship

     10.8        8.4        28.6

Other & Eliminations

     0.2        0.2        —     

Corporate

     (20.4     (32.9     38.0
                        
   $ (69.0   $ (87.7     21.3
                        

Acquisition Expenses

   $ 3.2      $ 18.6     
                  
   $ (72.2   $ (106.3  
                  

 

  ** percentages are not meaningful
  (1) Reported results for the period ended March 31, 2010 include the results of the legacy Ticketmaster operations following the date of the merger through March 31. Results for the legacy Ticketmaster operations for the period January 1, 2010 through January 25, 2010, or the stub period (which are not included in the reported results above), include $76.1 million in revenue, primarily in the Ticketing segment, and $5 million in adjusted operating income driven by income in Ticketing partially offset by a loss in the Artist Nation segment. Ticketmaster’s operating income for the stub period was $14.8 million, including a $30.1 million gain on sale of IATS.
  (2) Artist Nation’s operating loss during the first quarter of 2011 was driven by $24.4 million of stock-related compensation expense due to the acquisition of the remaining equity of Front Line Management in 2011. Results were also impacted by increased depreciation/amortization of $6.3 million primarily related to intangibles recorded in the merger with Ticketmaster in 2010 and the impact of recent Artist Nation acquisitions.

Free cash as of March 31, 2011 was $189.4 million. Free cash flow was ($6.9) million for the first quarter of 2011 as compared to ($32.3) million for the same period in 2010.

 

2


About Live Nation Entertainment:

Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and eCommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five eCommerce sites, with over 26 million monthly unique visitors. Live Nation Concerts produces over 20,000 shows annually for more than 2,000 artists globally. Front Line is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 250 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling nearly 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional information, visit www.livenation.com/investors.

Media & Investor Contact:

Linda Bandov Pazin

(310) 867-7000

lindabandov@livenation.com

 

3


LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2011     2010  
    

(in thousands except share and

per share data)

 

Revenue

   $ 849,409      $ 723,361   

Operating expenses:

    

Direct operating expenses

     547,124        484,756   

Selling, general and administrative expenses

     272,969        231,596   

Depreciation and amortization

     77,481        62,633   

Loss on sale of operating assets

     1,295        4,571   

Corporate expenses

     21,036        37,124   

Acquisition transaction expenses

     1,665        9,017   
                

Operating loss

     (72,161     (106,336

Interest expense

     29,317        26,561   

Interest income

     (527     (643

Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates

     (994     (547

Other income, net

     (673     (1,068
                

Loss from continuing operations before income taxes

     (99,284     (130,639

Income tax benefit

     (44,942     (7,991
                

Loss from continuing operations

     (54,342     (122,648

Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax

     —          (303
                

Net loss

     (54,342     (122,951

Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests

     (5,882     (738
                

Net loss attributable to Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.

   $ (48,460   $ (122,213
                

Basic and diluted net loss per common share attributable to common stockholders:

    

Loss from continuing operations attributable to Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.

   $ (0.27   $ (0.83

Loss from discontinued operations attributable to Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.

     —          —     
                

Net loss attributable to Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.

   $ (0.27   $ (0.83
                

Weighted average common shares outstanding:

    

Basic and diluted

     176,292,809        146,300,907   
                

 

4


LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

     March 31,     December 31  
     2011     2010  
     (unaudited)     (audited)  
     (in thousands)  
ASSETS   

Current assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 987,186      $ 892,758   

Accounts receivable, less allowance of $11,773 as of March 31, 2011 and $10,898 as of December 31, 2010

     385,988        329,947   

Prepaid expenses

     432,645        348,309   

Other current assets

     41,775        32,483   
                

Total current assets

     1,847,594        1,603,497   

Property, plant and equipment

    

Land, buildings and improvements

     859,089        850,124   

Computer equipment and capitalized software

     228,465        218,294   

Furniture and other equipment

     169,155        168,508   

Construction in progress

     35,338        24,528   
                
     1,292,047        1,261,454   

Less accumulated depreciation

     556,866        524,390   
                
     735,181        737,064   

Intangible assets

    

Definite-lived intangible assets, net

     986,874        997,268   

Indefinite-lived intangible assets

     377,978        375,214   

Goodwill

     1,244,912        1,226,416   

Investments in nonconsolidated affiliates

     36,097        30,077   

Other long-term assets

     246,616        226,024   
                

Total assets

   $ 5,475,252      $ 5,195,560   
                
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY     

Current liabilities

    

Accounts payable, client accounts

   $ 532,621      $ 462,301   

Accounts payable

     96,566        76,876   

Accrued expenses

     458,234        498,864   

Deferred revenue

     646,110        335,539   

Current portion of long-term debt

     56,007        54,150   

Other current liabilities

     36,339        46,491   
                

Total current liabilities

     1,825,877        1,474,221   

Long-term debt, net

     1,676,215        1,677,714   

Long-term deferred income taxes

     187,193        219,143   

Other long-term liabilities

     162,668        215,273   

Commitments and contingent liabilities

    

Redeemable noncontrolling interests

     23,306        107,541   

Stockholders’ equity

    

Common stock

     1,801        1,724   

Additional paid-in capital

     2,144,029        2,053,233   

Accumulated deficit

     (710,635     (662,175

Cost of shares held in treasury

     (3,626     (6,122

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

     23,203        (22,244
                

Total Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. stockholders’ equity

     1,454,772        1,364,416   

Noncontrolling interests

     145,221        137,252   
                

Total stockholders’ equity

     1,599,993        1,501,668   
                

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 5,475,252      $ 5,195,560   
                

 

5


LIVE NATION ENTERTAINMENT, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED)

 

     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2011     2010  
     (in thousands)   

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

    

Net loss

   $ (54,342   $ (122,951

Reconciling items:

    

Depreciation

     28,947        30,971   

Amortization

     48,534        31,662   

Impairment of operational assets

     —          13,373   

Deferred income tax benefit

     (31,341     (6,149

Amortization of debt issuance costs

     1,449        783   

Amortization of debt discount/premium, net

     1,727        2,037   

Provision for uncollectible accounts receivables and advances

     315        244   

Non-cash compensation expense

     24,707        22,422   

Unrealized changes in fair value of contingent consideration

     (4,581     19   

Loss on sale of operating assets

     1,295        4,874   

Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates

     (994     (547

Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions and dispositions:

    

Decrease (increase) in accounts receivable

     (48,414     45,274   

Increase in prepaid expenses

     (78,273     (150,772

Increase in other assets

     (36,744     (13,625

Decrease in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities

     (22,074     (61,306

Increase in deferred revenue

     297,557        293,192   
                

Net cash provided by operating activities

     127,768        89,501   

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES

    

Collections and advances of notes receivable

     (459     19   

Distributions from nonconsolidated affiliates

     340        836   

Investments made in nonconsolidated affiliates

     (486     —     

Purchases of property, plant and equipment

     (18,211     (13,083

Proceeds from disposal of operating assets, net of cash divested

     2,684        20,643   

Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired

     (7,289     576,144   

Purchases of intangible assets

     (107     (7,201

Decrease (increase) in other, net

     (664     412   
                

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     (24,192     577,770   

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES

    

Proceeds from long-term debt, net of debt issuance costs

     (756     147,303   

Payments on long-term debt

     (5,567     (193,321

Contributions from noncontrolling interests

     —          8   

Distributions to and purchases/sales of noncontrolling interests

     (48,579     (6,687

Proceeds from exercise of stock options

     1,003        2,163   

Proceeds from sale of common stock

     18,836        —     

Equity issuance costs

     —          (40

Payments for purchases of common stock

     —          (1,567

Payments for deferred and contingent consideration

     (10,307     (6,934
                

Net cash used in financing activities

     (45,370     (59,075

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents

     36,222        (19,954
                

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

     94,428        588,242   

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     892,758        236,955   
                

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 987,186      $ 825,197   
                

 

6


Forward-Looking Statements, Non-GAAP Financial Measures and Reconciliations:

Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the company’s improving business environment, ticket sales and overall trends; the anticipated success of the company’s ticket pricing initiatives; the company’s anticipated infrastructure upgrades and eCommerce enhancements and the benefits expected to be derived from such initiatives; and the company’s anticipated growth of its higher margin businesses. Live Nation wishes to caution you that there are some known and unknown factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to operational challenges in achieving strategic objectives and executing on the company’s plans, the risk that the company’s markets do not evolve as anticipated, challenges related to the post-merger integration of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, the potential impact of the economic slowdown and operational challenges associated with selling tickets and staging events.

Live Nation refers you to the documents it files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, specifically the section titled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” of the company’s most recent Annual Report filed on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and its Current Reports on Form 8-K, which contain and identify other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the company’s projections or forward-looking statements. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date on which they are made. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements by or concerning Live Nation are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above. Live Nation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements because of new information, future events or otherwise.

This press release contains certain non-GAAP financial measures as defined by SEC Regulation G. A reconciliation of each such measure to its most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, together with an explanation of why management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors, is provided below.

Adjusted Operating Income (Loss), or AOI, is a non-GAAP financial measure that the company defines as operating income (loss) before acquisition expenses (including transaction costs, changes in the fair value of accrued acquisition-related contingent consideration arrangements, merger bonuses, payments under the Azoff Trust note and merger-related severance), depreciation and amortization (including goodwill impairments), loss (gain) on sale of operating assets and non-cash and certain stock-based compensation expense (including expense associated with grants of certain stock-based awards which are classified as liabilities). The company uses AOI to evaluate the performance of its operating segments. The company believes that information about AOI assists investors by allowing them to evaluate changes in the operating results of the portfolio of the businesses separate from non-operational factors that affect net income, thus providing insights into both operations and the other factors that affect reported results. AOI is not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. A limitation of the use of AOI as a performance measure is that it does not reflect the periodic costs of certain amortizing assets used in generating revenue in the company’s business. Accordingly, AOI should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, operating income (loss), net income (loss), and other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP. Furthermore, this measure may vary among other companies; thus, AOI as presented herein may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Free Cash Flow is a non-GAAP financial measure that the company defines as Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) less maintenance capital expenditures, less net cash interest expense, less cash taxes, less net distributions to minority interest partners, plus distributions from investments in nonconsolidated affiliates net of contributions to investments in nonconsolidated affiliates. The company uses free cash flow, among other measures, to evaluate the ability of its operations to generate cash that is available for purposes other than maintenance capital expenditures. The company believes that information about free cash flow provides investors with an important perspective on the cash available to service debt and make acquisitions. Free cash flow is not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. A limitation of the use of free cash flow as a performance measure is that it does not necessarily represent funds available for operations and is not necessarily a measure of the company’s ability to fund its cash needs. Accordingly, free cash flow should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, operating income (loss) and other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP. Furthermore, this measure may vary among other companies; thus, free cash flow as presented herein may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

Free Cash is a non-GAAP financial measure that the company defines as cash and cash equivalents less ticketing-related client funds, less event-related deferred revenue, less accrued expenses due to artists and for cash collected on behalf of others for ticket sales, plus event-related prepaids. The company uses free cash as a proxy for how much cash it has available to, among other things, optionally repay debt balances, make acquisitions and finance venue and other revenue generating capital expenditures. Free cash is not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP. A limitation of the use of free cash as a performance measure is that it does not necessarily represent funds available from operations and it is not necessarily a measure of our ability to fund our cash needs. Accordingly, free cash should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, cash and cash equivalents and other measures of financial performance reported in accordance with GAAP. Furthermore, this measure may vary among other companies; thus, free cash as presented herein may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.

 

7


Reconciliations of Non-GAAP Measures to Their Most Directly Comparable GAAP Measures (Unaudited)

Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) to Operating Income (Loss)

 

($ in millions)    Adjusted
operating
income
(loss)
    Non-cash and
stock-based
compensation
expense
     Loss (gain) on
sale of
operating
assets
    

Depreciation
and

amortization

    Acquisition
expenses
    Operating
income (loss)
 
     Three months ended March 31, 2011  

Concerts

   $ (41.3   $ 1.7       $ —         $ 26.4      $ (4.7   $ (64.7

Ticketing

     80.6        1.4         —           35.0        0.1        44.1   

Artist Nation

     (0.8     27.2         1.2         13.5        0.7        (43.4

eCommerce

     10.7        0.1         —           2.3        —          8.3   

Sponsorship

     11.1        0.1         —           0.2        —          10.8   

Other & Eliminations

     —          —           0.1         (0.3     —          0.2   

Corporate

     (15.2     4.8         —           0.4        7.1        (27.5
                                                  

Total Live Nation

   $ 45.1      $ 35.3       $ 1.3       $ 77.5      $ 3.2      $ (72.2
                                                  
     Three months ended March 31, 2010  

Concerts

   $ (42.5   $ 2.0       $ —         $ 28.4      $ —        $ (72.9

Ticketing

     46.4        5.8         4.6         23.6        3.6        8.8   

Artist Nation

     0.9        1.6         —           7.2        0.2        (8.1

eCommerce

     7.7        —           —           2.7        0.2        4.8   

Sponsorship

     8.6        0.2         —           —          0.3        8.1   

Other & Eliminations

     0.2        —           —           —          —          0.2   

Corporate

     (19.1     13.1         —           0.7        14.3        (47.2
                                                  

Total Live Nation

   $ 2.2      $ 22.7       $ 4.6       $ 62.6      $ 18.6      $ (106.3
                                                  

 

8


Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income (Loss) to Free Cash Flow

 

($ in millions)    Q1 2011     Q1 2010  

Adjusted operating income

   $ 45.1      $ 2.2   

Less: Cash interest expense—net

     (25.6     (23.1

Cash taxes

     (9.4     1.8   

Maintenance capital expenditures

     (11.0     (7.3

Distributions to noncontrolling interests

     (5.9     (6.7

Distributions from (contributions to) investments in nonconsolidated affiliates

     (0.1     0.8   
                

Free cash flow

   $ (6.9   $ (32.3

Revenue generating capital expenditures

     (7.2     (4.7
                

Net

   $ (14.1   $ (37.0
                

Reconciliation of Cash and Cash Equivalents to Free Cash

 

($ in millions)    March 31,
2011
 

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 987.2   

Client cash

     (441.1

Deferred revenue—event related

     (573.1

Accrued artist fees

     (20.4

Collections on behalf of others

     (51.7

Prepaids related to artist settlements/events

     288.5   
        

Free cash

   $ 189.4   
        

 

9