Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

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NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION [Abstract]  
NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
NOTE 1-NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION
 
Recent Developments in the Business
 
On January 25, 2010, the Company merged with Ticketmaster and changed its name from Live Nation, Inc. to Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. Ticketmaster's results of operations are included in the Company's consolidated financial statements beginning January 26, 2010. See Note 3-Acquisitions for prior year pro forma information regarding the impacts of the Merger.
 
Seasonality
 
Due to the seasonal nature of shows at outdoor amphitheaters and festivals, which primarily occur May through September, the Company experiences higher revenue for the Concerts segment during the second and third quarters. The Artist Nation segment's revenue is impacted, to a large degree, by the touring schedules of the artists it represents. Generally, the Company experiences higher revenue in this segment during the second and third quarters as the period from May through September tends to be a popular time for touring events. The Ticketing segment's sales are impacted by fluctuations in the availability of events for sale to the public, which vary depending upon scheduling by its clients. This seasonality also results in higher balances in cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, prepaid expenses, accrued expenses and deferred revenue at different times in the year. Therefore, the results to date are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year.
 
Preparation of Interim Financial Statements
 
The interim consolidated financial statements included in this report are unaudited; however in the opinion of management, they include all normal and recurring accruals and adjustments necessary to present fairly the results of the interim periods shown. Certain financial presentations and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted.
 
The Company has reclassified all periods presented to conform to the current period presentation. Certain of the line items for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010 have been recast from the amounts that were previously reported in the Company's Form 10-Q for the period ending June 30, 2010. These recast amounts relate to purchase accounting adjustments and, pursuant to the FASB guidance, are required to be reflected in the period of the respective business combinations. Specifically, they relate to a non-cash gain on the settlement of a pre-existing relationship with LN-Haymon, an acquisition that occurred in the second quarter of 2010, that was identified in the third quarter of 2010, and purchase accounting adjustments relating to the Merger, which occurred in the first quarter of 2010, that were identified in the subsequent quarters of 2010.
 
The financial statements contained herein should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 28, 2011.
 
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
 
Recently Adopted Pronouncements
 
In October 2009, the FASB issued guidance on multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements which requires an entity to allocate consideration at the inception of an arrangement to all of its deliverables based on their relative selling prices. This guidance eliminates the use of the residual method of allocation and requires allocation using the relative-selling-price method in all circumstances in which an entity recognizes revenue for an arrangement with multiple deliverables. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2011 and is applying it prospectively. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company's financial position or results of operations.
 
In December 2010, the FASB issued guidance on disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations which amends and requires additional pro forma disclosure requirements for material business combinations on an individual or aggregate basis including pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity as if the acquisition date(s) had occurred as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. This guidance also expands the supplemental pro forma disclosure requirements to include a description of the nature and amount of any material non-recurring adjustments that are directly attributable to the business combination. The Company adopted this guidance and is applying it prospectively to business combinations with an acquisition date on or after January 1, 2011.
 
Recently Issued Pronouncements
 
In May 2011, the FASB issued guidance that improves comparability of fair value measurements presented and disclosed in financial statements. This guidance clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement requirements including (1) the application of the highest and best use and valuation premise concepts, (2) measuring the fair value of an instrument classified in a reporting entity's stockholders' equity, and (3) quantitative information required for fair value measurements categorized within Level 3. It also provides guidance on measuring the fair value of financial instruments managed within a portfolio, and application of premiums and discounts in a fair value measurement. Lastly, it requires additional disclosure for Level 3 measurements regarding the sensitivity of the fair value to changes in unobservable inputs and any interrelationships between those inputs. The amendments in this guidance are to be applied prospectively, and are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2012 and does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations.
 
In June 2011, the FASB issued guidance which revises the manner in which entities present comprehensive income in their financial statements. The new guidance eliminates the presentation option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in stockholders' equity and requires entities to report components of comprehensive income in either a continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate, but consecutive, statements. This guidance does not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income, however, it does require the entity to present on the face of the financial statements reclassification adjustments for the items that are reclassified from OCI to net income in the financial statements where the components of net income and OCI are presented. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption of the new guidance is permitted and full retrospective application is required. The Company will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2012.