Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND OTHER INFORMATION

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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND OTHER INFORMATION
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND OTHER INFORMATION BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND OTHER INFORMATION
Preparation of Interim Financial Statements
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X issued by the SEC. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. 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.
The financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2020, as amended by the Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on June 30, 2020.
Seasonality
Due to the seasonal nature of shows at outdoor amphitheaters and festivals, which primarily occur from May through October, our Concerts and Sponsorship & Advertising segments typically experience higher revenue during the second and third quarters. Our Ticketing segment’s revenue is impacted by fluctuations in the availability of events for sale to the public, which vary depending upon scheduling by its clients. Our 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. Because of these factors, the results to date are not necessarily indicative of the results expected for the full year. Due to the unprecedented stoppage of concert and other events globally beginning in mid-March resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic, we do not expect that any quarter in 2020 will follow our typical seasonality trend.
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Included in the September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019 cash and cash equivalents balance is $614.4 million and $837.7 million, respectively, of cash received that includes the face value of tickets sold on behalf of ticketing clients and their share of service charges, which amounts are to be remitted to these clients.
Restricted cash primarily consists of cash held in escrow accounts to fund capital improvements of certain leased or operated venues. The cash is held in these accounts pursuant to the related lease or operating agreement.
Acquisitions
During the first nine months of 2020, we completed several acquisitions that were accounted for as business combinations under the acquisition method of accounting. When we make these acquisitions, we often acquire a controlling interest without buying 100% of the business. These acquisitions were not significant either on an individual basis or in the aggregate.
During the first nine months of 2020, we acquired the remaining redeemable noncontrolling interests of certain subsidiaries and settled certain contingent consideration obligations in exchange for debt obligations totaling $11.8 million, which are reflected in current portion of long-term debt, net on our consolidated balance sheets. These non-cash transactions have not been reflected as cash flows from financing activities within our consolidated statements of cash flows.
Income Taxes
Each reporting period, we evaluate the realizability of all of our deferred tax assets in each tax jurisdiction. As of September 30, 2020, we continued to maintain a full valuation allowance against our net deferred tax assets in certain jurisdictions due to cumulative pre-tax losses. As a result of the valuation allowances, no tax benefits have been recognized for losses incurred, if any, in those tax jurisdictions for the first nine months of 2020 and 2019.
Accounting Pronouncements - Recently Adopted
In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance that replaces the current incurred loss impairment model of recognizing credit losses with an expected loss model for financial assets measured at amortized cost. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2020, and recorded a $3.0 million cumulative-effect adjustment to accumulated deficit in the consolidated balance sheets. The adoption is not expected to have a material effect on our future financial position or results of operations.
In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance that aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The amortization period of these implementation costs would include periods covered under
renewal options that are reasonably certain to be exercised. The expense related to the capitalized implementation costs also would be presented in the same financial statement line item as the hosting fees. We adopted this guidance prospectively on January 1, 2020. Adoption of this guidance resulted in expense that would have previously been reported as depreciation and amortization to be reported as selling, general and administrative expenses or corporate expenses within our statements of operations going forward. In addition, implementation costs previously recorded as property, plant and equipment, net will now be reported as prepaid expenses and other long-term assets on our balance sheets, prospectively.
Accounting Pronouncements - Not Yet Adopted
In August 2020, the FASB issued guidance that simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments and its application of the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity. The new guidance reduces the number of accounting models that require separating embedded conversion features from convertible instruments. As a result, only conversion features accounted for under the substantial premium model and those that require bifurcation will be accounted for separately. For contracts in an entity’s own equity, the new guidance eliminates some of the current requirements for equity classification. The guidance also addresses how convertible instruments are accounted for in the diluted earnings per share calculation and requires enhanced disclosures about the terms of convertible instruments and contracts in an entity’s own equity. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021 and interim periods within that year. Early adoption is permitted for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within that year. The guidance should be applied using either a modified retrospective method or a full retrospective method. We will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2022, and are currently assessing which implementation method we will apply and the impact that adoption will have on our financial position and results of operations.