UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
☑
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2024
OR
☐
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from
to
Commission file number 001-35961
Liberty Global Ltd.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
Bermuda
98-1750381
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
Clarendon House, 2 Church Street, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda
(Address of Principal Executive Office)
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: +1.303.220.6600
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A common shares
LBTYA
Nasdaq Global Select Market
Class B common shares
LBTYB
Nasdaq Global Select Market
Class C common shares
LBTYK
Nasdaq Global Select Market
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: none
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☑ No ☐
Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐
No ☑
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the preceding 12 months and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☑ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of
Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months. Yes ☑ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or emerging
growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2
of the Exchange Act. Check one:
Large Accelerated Filer
☑
Accelerated Filer
☐
Non-Accelerated Filer
☐
Smaller Reporting Company
☐
Emerging Growth Company
☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the Registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or
revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control
over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its
audit report. ☑
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing
reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by
any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b) ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☑
State the aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates, computed by reference to the price at which the common
equity was last sold, or the average bid and ask price of such common equity, as of the last business day of the Registrant’s most recently completed second
fiscal quarter: $5.7 billion.
The number of outstanding common shares of Liberty Global Ltd. as of January 31, 2025 was: 173,057,058 shares of class A common shares, 12,968,658
shares of class B common shares and 162,728,947 shares of class C common shares.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the definitive proxy statement for the Registrant’s 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders are incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K.
** This copy of our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K omits certain items. See Table of Contents for additional information **
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
2024 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Number
PART I
Item 1.
Business .........................................................................................................................................................
I-1
Item 1A.
Risk Factors ...................................................................................................................................................
I-28
Item 1B.
Unresolved Staff Comments .........................................................................................................................
I-42
Item 1C.
Cybersecurity ................................................................................................................................................
I-42
Item 2.
Properties .......................................................................................................................................................
I-43
Item 3.
Legal Proceedings .........................................................................................................................................
I-43
Item 4.
Mine Safety Disclosures ................................................................................................................................
I-43
PART II
Item 5.
Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Shareholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity
Securities ....................................................................................................................................................
II-1
Item 7.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations .......................
II-4
Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk ......................................................................
II-32
Item 8.
Financial Statements and Supplementary Data .............................................................................................
II-37
Item 9.
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure .......................
II-37
Item 9A.
Controls and Procedures ................................................................................................................................
II-37
Item 9B.
Other Information ..........................................................................................................................................
II-37
Item 9C.
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections ..........................................................
II-37
PART III
Item 10.
Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance ............................................................................
III-1
Item 11.
Executive Compensation ...............................................................................................................................
III-1
Item 12.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters .....
III-1
Item 13.
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence ..............................................
III-1
Item 14.
Principal Accountant Fees and Services .......................................................................................................
III-1
PART IV
Item 15.
Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules .......................................................................................................
IV-1
Item 16.
Form 10-K Summary ....................................................................................................................................
IV-4
This copy of our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K omits the exhibits and financial statement schedules that are
included in Part IV of our complete Annual Report, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February
18, 2025. A complete copy of our 2024 Annual Report on Form 10-K that includes the omitted items, other than the
exhibits, is available upon request.
*
PART I
Item 1. BUSINESS
Who We Are
We are Liberty Global Ltd. (formerly Liberty Global plc) (Liberty Global), a dynamic team of operators and investors
generating and delivering shareholder value through the strategic management of three platforms — Liberty Telecom, Liberty
Growth and Liberty Services.
Through Liberty Telecom, we have built fixed mobile convergence (FMC) national champions that deliver market-leading
connectivity and entertainment products through next-generation networks, providing approximately 80 million connections (at
December 31, 2024) through some of Europe’s best-known consumer brands. We are pursuing strategies in each market to
drive commercial momentum, finance and monetize network infrastructure, and pursue accretive transactions to deliver value to
our shareholders.
Liberty Growth invests, grows and rotates capital into scalable businesses across the technology, media/content, sports and
infrastructure industries that we believe create unique opportunities to generate shareholder value. As of December 31, 2024,
Liberty Growth holds investments valued at $3.1 billion in approximately 70 companies and funds, including stakes in ITV plc
(ITV), Televisa Univision, Inc. (Televisa Univision), Plume Design, Inc. (Plume), EdgeConneX, Inc. (EdgeConneX) and AE
Group Sàrl (AtlasEdge), as well as our controlling interest in Formula E Holdings Ltd. (Formula E).
Liberty Services offers innovative technology and finance service platforms that capitalize on our scale, best practices and
expertise. Liberty Services currently generates most of its revenue from certain of our affiliates and related parties, however, it
is focused on growing its unique scaled-based services to third parties.
Primary Business Operations:
Brand
Entity
Location
Ownership(1)
Telenet
Belgium
100.0%
Virgin Media
Ireland
100.0%
UPC Slovakia
Slovakia
100.0%
Virgin Media O2
United Kingdom
50.0%
VodafoneZiggo
Netherlands
50.0%
(1) As of December 31, 2024.
I-1
General Development of Business
As a result of a series of mergers that were completed on June 7, 2013, Liberty Global plc became the publicly-held parent
company of the successors by merger of Liberty Global, Inc. (the predecessor to Liberty Global plc) and Virgin Media Inc.
(Virgin Media). On November 23, 2023, Liberty Global plc completed a statutory scheme of arrangement, pursuant to which a
new Bermudan company, Liberty Global Ltd., became the sole shareholder of Liberty Global plc and the parent entity of the
entire group of Liberty Global companies (the Redomiciliation). The Redomiciliation resulted in the Liberty Global group
parent company changing its jurisdiction of incorporation from England and Wales to Bermuda. In this Annual Report on Form
10-K, the terms “we”, “our”, “our company” and “us” may refer, as the context requires, to Liberty Global (or its predecessors)
or collectively to Liberty Global (or its predecessors) and its subsidiaries and any of its joint ventures. Unless otherwise
indicated, convenience translations into United States (U.S.) dollars are calculated as of December 31, 2024, and operational
data, including subscriber statistics and ownership percentages, are as of December 31, 2024.
Acquisitions and Dispositions
We have completed a number of strategic acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures over the last several years. We made
or entered into these acquisitions, dispositions and joint ventures in order to execute on our strategy to concentrate on markets
where we can focus on creating national champion FMC businesses in core markets and unlock significant synergies.
Acquisitions. Our significant acquisitions include:
•
On October 2, 2024 (the Formula E Acquisition Date), we gained control of Formula E through the acquisition of the
Formula E shares held by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery) and certain other minority
shareholders, which increased our ownership interest in Formula E from 38.2% to 65.6% (the Formula E
Acquisition). We also acquired a shareholder loan from Warner Bros. Discovery to Formula E upon closing of the
transaction. Upon closing of the Formula E Acquisition, we began consolidating 100% of Formula E’s results.
•
On October 13, 2023, we completed the acquisition of all of the shares of Telenet Group Holding N.V. (Telenet) that
we did not already hold through an all cash public tender offer (the Telenet Takeover Bid). All shares not acquired
through the tender offer process were acquired through a statutory simplified “squeeze-out” procedure under
applicable Belgian law. Telenet is now a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of Liberty Global.
Joint Ventures. Our significant joint venture transactions include:
•
On July 1, 2023, pursuant to an agreement dated July 19, 2022, Telenet and Fluvius System Operator CV (Fluvius)
created an independent infrastructure company (Wyre) within their combined geographic footprint in the Flanders
region of Belgium and in parts of Brussels (the Telenet Wyre Transaction). The companies each contributed certain
cable infrastructure assets with Telenet and Fluvius owning 66.8% and 33.2% of Wyre, respectively. Telenet and
Liberty Global began consolidating Wyre’s results upon the closing of the transaction.
•
On December 15, 2022, we contributed cash to a newly-formed joint venture in the United Kingdom (U.K.) (the
nexfibre JV) that is anticipated to roll-out a new fiber network to 5-7 million new homes in the U.K. that are outside
the existing footprint of the VMO2 JV (as defined below). We beneficially own approximately 25% of the nexfibre
JV, Telefónica (as defined below) beneficially owns 25% and InfraVia Capital Partners (InfraVia) beneficially owns
the remaining 50%. We account for our interest in the nexfibre JV as an equity method investment.
Dispositions. Our significant dispositions include:
•
On November 8, 2024, we completed the spin-off of our former wholly-owned subsidiary, Sunrise Communications
AG (Sunrise), following a series of transactions that resulted in the transfer to Sunrise of our Swiss
telecommunications operations (the Spin-off). In connection with the Spin-off, we agreed to provide certain
transitional services to Sunrise for a period of up to five years. These services principally comprise information
technology, back-office, compliance and specialty services functions.
•
On June 1, 2022, Telenet completed the sale of substantially all of its passive infrastructure and tower assets to
DigitalBridge Investments LLC (DigitalBridge) (the Telenet Tower Sale). As part of the Telenet Tower Sale, Telenet
entered into a master lease agreement to lease back the passive infrastructure and tower assets from DigitalBridge for
an initial period of 15 years (the Telenet Tower Lease Agreement). As part of the Telenet Tower Lease Agreement,
I-2
Telenet has also committed to lease back 475 build-to-suit sites over the term of the lease. Telenet will act as an agent
over the construction of future towers on the build-to-suit sites.
•
On April 1, 2022, we completed the sale of our operations in Poland (UPC Poland) to a subsidiary of iliad S.A.
(iliad). In connection with the sale of UPC Poland, we agreed to provide certain transitional services to iliad for a
period of up to five years. These services principally comprise network and information technology-related functions.
Other Transactions
•
On November 23, 2023, we completed the Redomiciliation, as described above in this section. Our shares continue to
trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the same ticker symbols as they did prior to the Redomiciliation
(LBTYA, LBTYB and LBTYK).
•
On August 15, 2023, we announced a new strategic collaboration with Infosys to help scale Liberty Global’s digital
entertainment and connectivity platforms. The agreement has an initial five-year term, with an option to extend to eight
years. Under this partnership, Liberty Global will license certain of its intellectual property to Infosys, who will then
market our entertainment and connectivity platforms to customers outside of Liberty Global’s family of companies. As
part of this arrangement, Liberty Global will continue to control the product roadmaps and retain the intellectual
property for such platforms.
Equity Transactions
Share repurchases are an important part of our strategy in creating value for our shareholders. Under our 2024 share
repurchase program, we were authorized to repurchase up to 10% of our outstanding shares (measured at the start of the year)
during 2024. This target was fully achieved on December 30, 2024. Our board of directors has approved a new share repurchase
program for 2025 pursuant to which we are authorized to repurchase up to 10% of our outstanding shares as of December 31,
2024. The following table provides a summary of our share repurchases during 2024.
Title of shares
Number of
shares
Average price
paid per
share(1)
Aggregate
purchase
price(1)
in millions
Class A common shares .....................................................................................
— $
— $
—
Class C common shares ......................................................................................
38,260,604 $
17.73
678.5
Total ...................................................................................................................................................................
$
678.5
_______________
(1)
Amounts include direct acquisition costs.
For a further description of our share repurchases, see note 14 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II of
this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. To the extent that statements in this Annual Report are not recitations of
historical fact, such statements constitute forward-looking statements, which, by definition, involve risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. In particular, statements
under Item 1. Business, Item 1A. Risk Factors, Item 2. Properties, Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations and Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk may contain
forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our business, product, foreign currency, hedging and finance
strategies, our property and equipment additions, subscriber growth and retention rates, competitive, regulatory and economic
factors, the timing and impacts of proposed transactions, the maturity of our markets, the potential impact of large-scale health
crises on our company, the anticipated impacts of new legislation (or changes to existing rules and regulations), anticipated
changes in our revenue, costs or growth rates, our liquidity, credit risks, foreign currency risks, interest rate risks, target
leverage levels, debt covenants, our future projected contractual commitments and cash flows, our share repurchase programs
and other information and statements that are not historical fact. Where, in any forward-looking statement, we express an
I-3
expectation or belief as to future results or events, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a
reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be achieved or accomplished. In
evaluating these statements, you should consider the risks and uncertainties discussed under Item 1A. Risk Factors and
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk, as well as the following list of some, but not all, of the
factors that could cause actual results or events (including with respect to our affiliates) to differ materially from anticipated
results or events:
•
economic and business conditions and industry trends in the countries in which we or our affiliates operate;
•
the competitive environment in the industries and in the countries in which we or our affiliates operate, including
competitor responses to our products and services;
•
our ability to manage rapid technological changes, including our ability to adequately manage our legacy technologies
and the rate at which our current technology becomes obsolete;
•
the impact of our future financial performance, or market conditions generally, on the availability, terms and
deployment of capital;
•
our ability to adequately forecast and plan future network requirements;
•
changes in laws, monetary policies and government regulations that may impact the availability or cost of capital and
the derivative instruments that hedge certain of our financial risks;
•
changes in consumer video, mobile and broadband usage, preferences and habits;
•
consumer acceptance of our existing service offerings, including our broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony,
mobile and business service offerings, and of new technology, programming alternatives and other products and
services that we may offer in the future;
•
the availability of attractive programming for our video services and the costs associated with such programming,
including, but not limited to, production costs, retransmission and copyright fees;
•
the activities of device manufacturers and our operating companies’ ability to secure adequate and timely supply of
handsets that experience high demand;
•
uncertainties inherent in the development, and integration, of new business lines and business strategies;
•
our ability to increase revenue from business services offered to our affiliates and other third parties;
•
the availability, cost and regulation of spectrum used in our business;
•
the ability of suppliers and vendors (including our third-party wireless network provider, Three (Hutchison), under our
mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) arrangement at VM Ireland (as defined below)) to timely deliver quality
products, equipment, software, services and access;
•
the leakage of sensitive customer or company data or the failure to comply with applicable data protection laws,
regulations and rules;
•
our ability to anticipate, protect against, mitigate and contain the loss of our and our customers’ data as a result of
cyber attacks on us or any of our affiliates;
•
a failure in our network and information systems, whether caused by a natural failure or a security breach, and
unauthorized access to our networks;
•
fluctuations in currency exchange rates and interest rates;
•
instability in global financial markets, including sovereign debt issues, currency instability and related fiscal or
monetary reforms;
•
changes in, or failure or inability to comply with, government regulations and legislation in the countries in which we
or our affiliates operate and any adverse outcomes from regulatory proceedings;
•
changes in laws or treaties relating to taxation, or the interpretation thereof, in Bermuda, the U.K., the U.S. or in other
countries in which we or our affiliates operate;
•
the effect of perceived health risks associated with electromagnetic radiation from base stations and associated
equipment;
•
our ability to navigate the potential impacts on our business resulting from the U.K.’s departure from the European
Union (E.U.);
I-4
•
our ability to successfully acquire new businesses or form joint ventures and, if acquired or joined, to integrate, realize
anticipated efficiencies from, and implement our business plans with respect to, the businesses we have acquired or
joined or that we expect to acquire or join;
•
successfully integrating businesses or operations that we acquire or partner with on the timelines, or within the
budgets, estimated for such integrations;
•
our ability to realize the expected synergies from our acquisitions and joint ventures in the amounts anticipated or on
the anticipated timelines;
•
our ability to obtain regulatory approval and shareholder approval and satisfy other conditions necessary to close
acquisitions, dispositions, combinations or joint ventures and the impact of conditions imposed by competition and
other regulatory authorities in connection with any of our acquisitions, combinations or joint ventures;
•
problems we may discover post-closing with the operations, including the internal controls and financial reporting
processes, of businesses we acquire or with whom we create joint ventures;
•
operating costs, customer loss and business disruption, including maintaining relationships with employees, customers,
suppliers or vendors, may be greater than expected in connection with our acquisitions, dispositions or joint ventures;
•
changes in the nature of key strategic relationships with partners and joint venturers;
•
our ability to profit from investments, such as our joint ventures, that we do not solely control;
•
our potential exposure to additional tax liabilities;
•
the effect on our businesses of strikes or collective action by certain of our employees that are represented by trade
unions or work councils;
•
our capital structure and factors related to our debt arrangements;
•
our ability to maintain or increase rates to our subscribers or to pass through increased costs to our subscribers,
including with respect to our significant property and equipment additions, as a result of, among other things,
inflationary and cost of living pressures;
•
the availability and cost of capital for the acquisition, maintenance and/or development of telecommunications
networks, products and services;
•
consumer disposable income and spending levels, including the availability and amount of individual consumer debt,
as a result of, among other things, inflationary or cost of living pressures;
•
our ability to freely access the cash of our operating companies;
•
the risk of default by counterparties to our cash investments, derivative and other financial instruments and undrawn
debt facilities;
•
the loss of key employees and the lack of qualified personnel;
•
our ability to provide satisfactory customer service, including support for new and evolving products and services;
•
government intervention that requires opening our broadband distribution networks to competitors, such as certain
regulatory obligations imposed in Belgium;
•
our ability to maintain and further develop our direct and indirect distribution channels;
•
the outcome of any pending or threatened litigation; and
•
events that are outside of our control, such as political unrest in international markets, terrorist attacks, armed conflicts,
malicious human acts, natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics and other similar events, including the ongoing invasion
of Ukraine by Russia and the continuing conflicts in the Middle East.
The broadband distribution and mobile service industries are changing rapidly and, therefore, the forward-looking
statements of expectations, plans and intents in this Annual Report are subject to a significant degree of risk. These forward-
looking statements and the above-described risks, uncertainties and other factors speak only as of the date of this Annual
Report, and we expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking
statement contained herein, to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto, or any other change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statement.
I-5
Description of Business
We are one of the world’s leading converged broadband, mobile, video and communications companies, with a
commitment to providing our customers “best in class” connectivity and entertainment services. These services are delivered to
our residential and business customers over our fiber-rich fixed and, increasingly, 5G SA mobile networks and include internet,
video, telephony and mobile services. We design these services to enable our customers to access the digital world on their own
terms, with top quality connectivity and ease of use at the core of our strategy. Our extensive broadband networks enable us to
deliver ultra-high-speed internet service across our markets, be it through fiber, Hybrid Fiber Coaxial (HFC) or mobile
technology, and we strive to extend our reach and reinforce our speed leadership. Across our footprint we offer converged fixed
and mobile experiences in and out of the home, and it is our ambition to further enhance this proposition through strategic
acquisitions and partnerships and through product developments to offer our customers a world-class suite of products and
services. As part of this strategy, Telenet, our 50:50 joint venture with Telefonica, S.A. in the U.K. (the VMO2 JV) and our
50:50 joint venture with Vodafone Group plc (Vodafone) (the VodafoneZiggo JV) deliver mobile services as mobile network
operators (MNOs), Virgin Media Ireland (VM Ireland) delivers mobile services as an MVNO through Three (Hutchison)’s
network, and UPC Slovakia delivers mobile services as a reseller of subscriber identification module (SIM) cards provided by
SWAN, a.s.
We provide residential and business telecommunication services in Belgium through Telenet, Ireland through VM Ireland
and Slovakia through UPC Slovakia, and we are a leading fixed network provider in each of these countries. We also own 50%
of both the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV, each of which is a fixed network leader in their respective countries.
A breakdown of our revenue by major category for our consolidated reportable segments appears in note 19 to our
consolidated financial statements included in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
As a provider of telecommunications services, we strive to ensure that the connections we make today embody our
commitment to being an inclusive, sustainable and responsible company. Our People Planet Progress strategy ensures that we
focus on the matters that make an impact today and also shape the opportunities of the future.
Our People priority focuses on diversity, representation and Belonging—making sure that everyone can be their full selves
at work in an inclusive environment with equitable opportunities. We are committed to preparing for tomorrow’s workforce by
supporting STEM and digital skills education, which foster future technology talent and support broader societal needs. This is
also underpinned by our Inclusive Connectivity initiatives, which offer affordable, accessible digital services and devices for
those in need. Our community impact work is rooted in our focus on volunteering and our partnerships to create a positive
impact in communities where we live and work.
Our Planet priority focuses on reducing our environmental footprint by bringing down our Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas
emissions in line with science-based targets. We are ensuring the procurement of energy from renewable sources, transitioning
our fleet to electric vehicles, as well as enhancing the efficiency of our networks. We are also working with our suppliers, the
largest contributor to our carbon footprint, to bring down their emissions. Our products are designed for circularity, allowing for
more sustainable materials and ensuring easier pathways to refurbishment and disposal at the end of their useful life. Our Planet
priority also brings together innovation opportunities with Smart Energy initiatives—making our networks, products and
operations more efficient and sustainable through the use of artificial intelligence and other transformative technologies.
Our Progress priority emphasizes our commitment to transparency throughout our own operation and that of our value
chain. This is supported by our robust governance structures and ethical practices. We are managing our climate-based risks to
better equip our business for the future. We rely on widely recognized benchmarks and frameworks to drive our progress and
provide transparency to our stakeholders. We highly value our partnerships and affiliations, such as the United Nations Global
Compact and the Joint Alliance for CSR, which enable us to drive progress in our operations and the wider industry.
I-6
Operating Data
The following table presents certain operating data as of December 31, 2024 with respect to the networks of our
subsidiaries and significant joint ventures. The following tables reflect 100% of the reported data applicable to each of our
subsidiaries and significant joint ventures regardless of our ownership percentage.
Homes
Passed(1)
Fixed-Line
Customer
Relationships(2)
Internet
Subscribers(3)
Video
Subscribers(4)
Telephony
Subscribers(5)
Total
RGUs(6)
Mobile
Subscribers(7)
Consolidated Liberty Global:
Telenet .................................. 4,160,500
1,967,200
1,718,800
1,588,600
848,400 4,155,800
2,870,100
VM Ireland ........................... 1,002,700
393,300
363,200
210,900
156,100
730,200
136,700
UPC Slovakia .......................
644,900
170,400
141,000
149,700
85,000
375,700
—
Total .................................. 5,808,100
2,530,900
2,223,000
1,949,200
1,089,500 5,261,700
3,006,800
VMO2 JV .............................. 16,244,100
5,836,100
5,738,900
12,228,800
35,652,500
VodafoneZiggo JV(8)
............. 7,580,200
3,415,900
3,107,400
3,389,500
1,259,300 7,756,200
5,583,700
_______________
(1)
Homes Passed are homes, residential multiple dwelling units or commercial units that can be connected to our networks without
materially extending the distribution plant. Certain of our Homes Passed counts are based on census data that can change based on
either revisions to the data or from new census results.
(2)
Fixed-Line Customer Relationships are the number of customers who receive at least one of our internet, video or telephony services
that we count as Revenue Generating Units (RGUs), without regard to which or to how many services they subscribe. Fixed-Line
Customer Relationships generally are counted on a unique premises basis. Accordingly, if an individual receives our services in two
premises (e.g., a primary home and a vacation home), that individual generally will count as two Fixed-Line Customer Relationships.
We exclude mobile-only customers from Fixed-Line Customer Relationships.
(3)
Internet Subscribers are homes, residential multiple dwelling units or commercial units that receive internet services over our
networks.
(4)
Video Subscribers are homes, residential multiple dwelling units or commercial units that receive our video services over our
broadband network or through a partner network. At UPC Slovakia, we have approximately 26,400 “lifeline” customers that are
counted on a per connection basis, representing the least expensive regulated tier of video cable service, with only a few channels.
(5)
Telephony Subscribers are homes, residential multiple dwelling units or commercial units that receive voice services over our
networks or that we service through a partner network. Telephony Subscribers exclude mobile telephony subscribers.
(6)
An RGU is, separately, an Internet Subscriber, Video Subscriber or Telephony Subscriber. A home, residential multiple dwelling unit
or commercial unit may contain one or more RGUs. For example, if a residential customer subscribed to our broadband internet
service, video service and fixed-line telephony service, the customer would constitute three RGUs. Total RGUs is the sum of Internet,
Video and Telephony Subscribers. RGUs generally are counted on a unique premises basis such that a given premise does not count as
more than one RGU for any given service. However, if an individual receives one of our services in two premises (e.g., a primary
home and a vacation home), that individual will count as two RGUs for that service. Each bundled internet, video or telephony service
is counted as a separate RGU regardless of the nature of any bundling discount or promotion. Non-paying subscribers are counted as
subscribers during their free promotional service period. Some of these subscribers may choose to disconnect after their free service
period. Services offered without charge on a long-term basis (e.g., certain preferred subscribers or free service to employees) generally
are not counted as RGUs. We do not include subscriptions to mobile services in our externally reported RGU counts. In this regard,
our RGU counts exclude our separately reported postpaid and prepaid mobile subscribers.
(7)
Our Mobile Subscriber count represents the number of active SIM cards in service rather than services provided. For example, if a
mobile subscriber has both a data and voice plan on a smartphone this would equate to one Mobile Subscriber. Alternatively, a
subscriber who has a data and voice plan for a mobile handset and a data plan for a laptop would be counted as two Mobile
Subscribers. Customers who do not pay a recurring monthly fee are excluded from our Mobile Subscriber count after periods of
inactivity ranging from 30 to 90 days, based on industry standards within the respective country. In a number of countries, our Mobile
Subscribers receive mobile services pursuant to prepaid contracts. As of December 31, 2024, our Mobile Subscriber count included
approximately 195,100, 7,369,800 and 284,500 prepaid Mobile Subscribers at Telenet, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV,
respectively. Prepaid mobile customers are excluded from the VMO2 JV’s and the VodafoneZiggo JV’s Mobile Subscriber counts
after a period of inactivity of three months and nine months, respectively. The Mobile Subscriber count for the VMO2 JV includes
internet of things (IoT) connections, which are Machine-to-Machine contract mobile connections, including Smart Metering contract
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connections. The mobile subscriber count for the VMO2 JV presented in the table above excludes mobile wholesale connections based
on their definition.
(8)
Amounts related to the VodafoneZiggo JV’s fixed-line and mobile products include business and multiple dwelling unit subscribers.
Additional General Notes to Table:
Our operating companies provide broadband internet, video, telephony, mobile, data or other business services. Certain of our business
service revenue is derived from small or home office (SOHO) subscribers that pay a premium to receive enhanced service levels along with
internet, video or telephony services that are the same or similar to the mass marketed products offered to our residential subscribers. All mass
marketed products provided to SOHOs, whether or not accompanied by enhanced service levels and/or premium prices, are included in the
respective RGU and customer counts of our broadband communications operations, with only those services provided at premium prices
considered to be “SOHO RGUs” or “SOHO customers”. To the extent our existing customers upgrade from a residential product offering to a
SOHO product offering, the number of SOHO RGUs or SOHO customers will increase, but there is no impact to our total RGU or customer
counts. With the exception of our SOHO subscribers, we generally do not count customers of business services as customers or RGUs for
external reporting purposes.
While we take appropriate steps to ensure that subscriber statistics are presented on a consistent and accurate basis at any given balance sheet
date, the variability from country to country in (1) the nature and pricing of products and services, (2) the distribution platform, (3) billing
systems, (4) our bad debt collection efforts and (5) other factors add complexity to the subscriber counting process. We periodically review
our subscriber counting policies and underlying systems to improve the accuracy and consistency of the data reported on a prospective basis.
Accordingly, we may from time to time make appropriate adjustments to our subscriber statistics based on those reviews.
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Products and Services
Our main products and services are intelligent WiFi and internet services, video, mobile and telephony services.
Intelligent WiFi and Internet Services
Connectivity is a critical building block for vibrant communities. All aspects of society, including families, businesses,
education and healthcare, to name a few, continue to rely heavily on connectivity and the digital services that depend on it. To
meet our customers’ expectations of seamless connectivity, we developed a fully digital, cloud-based connectivity ecosystem
that we call “ONE Connect”, built on top of our fiber-rich fixed broadband network. ONE Connect is orchestrated by a fully
cloud-based digital journey, enabling fast and flexible introduction of new hardware and services, as well as cloud-to-cloud
open API integration, simplifying the on-boarding of new services and devices. At home, our customers can benefit from the
gigabit speeds enabled by our “Connect Box” (as defined below), as well as “Intelligent WiFi”, which modifies the customers
WiFi mesh configuration to adapt to an ever changing WiFi environment and maximizes wireless connectivity speeds for our
customers. Our award-winning Intelligent WiFi is available across all our markets. Our “Smart Security” services complement
these capabilities by offering a layer of security for all customer connected devices and provide safe browsing and fraud
prevention measures. In addition, we offer “Smart Home” bundles in select markets, enabling those customers to take their
smart home ambitions to the next level, including enhanced entertainment, home automation and home security. Finally, our
“Connect App” is the digital touchpoint that allows customers to access and manage all of our services. We are also looking to
launch our “Markets One App,” where FMC products and services will be consolidated into a single application.
Our “Connect Box” is a next generation Intelligent WiFi and telephony gateway that enables us to maximize the impact of
our ultrafast broadband networks by providing reliable wireless connectivity anywhere in the home. This gateway can be self-
installed and provides a cloud managed WiFi service. Our latest versions of the gigabit Connect Box are based on DOCSIS 3.1
technology and WiFi 6, providing even better in-home WiFi service and coverage. Our new DOCSIS 3.1 Connect Box runs our
“One Firmware” stack, a middleware software system based on the Reference Design Kit for Broadband (RDK-B). RDK-B is
an open source initiative with wide participation from operators, device manufacturers and silicon vendors that standardizes
core functions used in broadband devices, set-top boxes and IoT solutions. We have extended the One Firmware stack to
support our ONE Connect ecosystem. One Firmware runs on system-on-a-chip (SOC) technology from multiple vendors and
can run on any SOC that is RDK-B compliant, enabling greater speed and agility for on-boarding of new customer premises
equipment (CPE) platforms and ecosystem features, thus allowing us to build once and port to many. During 2024, we
continued the roll out of One Firmware to our legacy DOCSIS 3.0 WiFi 5 GW products and our next generation DOCSIS 3.1
WiFi 6 GW products. In addition, we completed the porting activity of One Firmware to our new XGSPON WiFi 6 gateways,
which we have now rolled out in all of our markets. To support the adoption of fiber-to-the-home, cabinet, building or node
networks (fiber-to-the-home/-cabinet/-building/-node is referred to herein as FTTx) access in both on-net and off-net scenarios,
we introduced XGSPON (an updated standard for passive optical networks that supports 10 Gbps symmetrical data transfers)
and ethernet-based Connect Boxes with WiFi 6, providing speeds up to 10 Gbps that run our One Firmware and support our
ONE Connect ecosystem. In 2023, we introduced a new WiFi 6 Mesh extender device, adding to our three previous
generations, the “ONE Connect Mesh,” which provides our WiFi Mesh system that is fully orchestrated and optimized via the
ONE Connect Platform. In 2024, we introduced CPE to support a two-box architecture by adding an XGSPON Optical
Network Units, to terminate XGSPON and present ethernet, via a new Connect Box to a WiFi 6 ethernet gateway running our
One Firmware, and which is expected to become the dominant configuration in our footprint to support various on-net, off-net
and wholesale models.
In 2023, we provided the world’s first test of DOCSIS 4 technology on live network infrastructure, capable of 10 Gbps
speeds over HFC Plant with upgraded passive components, emphasizing the re-usability of our existing coaxial cable. The
DOCSIS 4 CPE and node was the culmination of joint development activity with our vendors and silicon partners. In 2024, we
finalized plans to introduce a DOCSIS 4 Network Termination Unit, which will terminate DOCSIS 4 (up to 10 Gbps), and
connect ethernet, via the Connect Box, in similar fashion to the XGSPON two-box architecture that is described above.
In 2023, we added a cybersecurity feature to our ONE Connect Platform called Smart Security, providing our customers
with safe browsing and advanced network protection features.
Our Connect Box is available in all our markets, and during 2024, approximately 11 million of our customers had a
Connect Box. We also offer our Connect App that, among other things, allows our customers to optimize their WiFi coverage
and manage their connected devices. In addition, we provide Intelligent WiFi mesh boosters, which increase speed, reliability
and coverage by adapting to the environment at home.
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Internet speed is of crucial importance to our customers, as they spend more time streaming video and other bandwidth-
heavy services on multiple devices. Our extensive broadband network enables us to deliver ultra-high-speed internet services
across our markets. Our residential subscribers access the internet via cable or XGSPON modems connected to their internet
capable devices, or wirelessly via WiFi. We offer multiple tiers of broadband internet service, including gigabit or greater
speeds across our entire footprint. The speed of service depends on the customer location and their selected service.
By leveraging our existing fiber-rich broadband networks, we deliver gigabit or greater speeds by deploying DOCSIS 3.1
technology. DOCSIS 3.1 technology is an international standard that defines the requirements for data transmission over a cable
system. Not only does DOCSIS 3.1 technology improve our internet speeds and reliability, it allows for efficient network
growth. Currently, our ultra-high-speed internet service is based primarily on DOCSIS 3.1 technology, and we offer this
technology in all of our markets. Alongside DOCSIS 3.1, XGSPON technology provides our gigabit services an additional
boost, as exemplified by the launch of a 2 Gbps tier of service at VM Ireland during 2023, supported by our XGSPON Wifi 6
gateways.
We offer value-added broadband services in certain of our markets for an incremental charge. These services include
Intelligent WiFi features, security (e.g., in-home network protection, anti-virus, firewall and spam protection), Smart Home
services and online storage solutions and web spaces. Subscribers to our internet service pay a monthly fee based on the tier of
service selected. We determine pricing for each different tier of internet service through an analysis of speed, market conditions
and other factors. At the end of 2023, we rolled out a new Smart Security service in the U.K., which helps protect all connected
devices, including Smart Home devices, and is anticipated to be rolled out to the rest of our footprint during 2025.
Mobile Services
Mobile services are another key pillar in providing our customers with seamless connectivity. Telenet, the VMO2 JV and
the VodafoneZiggo JV offer mobile services as MNOs, VM Ireland offers mobile services as an MVNO over a third-party
network through Three (Hutchison) and UPC Slovakia delivers mobile services as a reseller of SIM cards provided by SWAN,
a.s.
Pursuant to VM Ireland’s agreement with Three (Hutchison) to provide mobile services as an MVNO, Three (Hutchison)
leases a third-party’s radio access network and owns the core network, including switching, backbone and interconnections.
VM Ireland’s MVNO arrangement with Three (Hutchison) permits VM Ireland to offer its customers mobile services without
needing to build and operate a mobile radio tower network.
In each of our markets, we offer a range of mobile-related services. The majority of subscribers take a postpaid service
plan, which often has an agreed monthly fee for a set duration (typically 1 to 2 years). The monthly fee will vary depending on
the country and service package selected. Service packages can have different levels of data allowances, voice minutes and
network speed, as well as other differing aspects, such as roaming charges and contract duration. Postpaid services are also
offered as a bundle with fixed services, and by taking a “converged” offering, customers typically receive some benefits, such
as lower total cost or additional features. Postpaid services are offered to both business and retail consumers. In addition, we
offer prepaid mobile services, where the customers pay in advance for a pre-determined amount of airtime or data and which
generally have no minimum contract term. In countries where we operate as a mobile service operator, we also offer a number
of MVNOs where other mobile providers use our mobile network for their mobile offering.
Video Services
Our video service is, and continues to be, one of the foundations of our product offerings in our markets. Our cable
operations offer multiple tiers of digital video programming and audio services, starting with a basic video service. Subscribers
to our basic video service pay a fixed monthly fee and receive digital video channels in high definition (HD) and a growing
number of ultra-high definition 4K resolution (4K) channels, as well as an electronic programming guide. We tailor our video
services in each country of operation based on programming preferences, culture, demographics and local regulatory
requirements.
We also offer a variety of premium channel packages to meet the interests of our subscribers. For an additional monthly
charge, a subscriber may upgrade to one of our extended digital tier services and receive an increased number of video
channels, including the channels in the basic tier service and additional HD and 4K channels. Our channel offerings include
general entertainment, sports, movies, series, documentaries, lifestyles, news, adult, children and ethnic and foreign channels.
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Discounts to our monthly service fees are available to any subscriber who selects a bundle of two or more of our services
(bundled services), such as internet, video, fixed-line telephony and mobile services. Bundled services consist of double-play
for two services, triple-play for three services and quad-play for four services.
To meet customer demands, we have enhanced our video services with additional relevant content services and features,
which increases viewing satisfaction and addresses individual user needs. Our latest next generation product suite is called
“Horizon 5”, a cloud-based, multi-screen entertainment platform that combines linear television (including recording and
replay features), premium video-on-demand (VoD) offerings, an increasing amount of integrated premium global and local
video applications and mobile viewing into one entertainment experience. Horizon 5 comes with a state-of-the-art personal user
interface that is intuitively easy to navigate. Content recommendations and favorite channel settings can be customized to
individual user profiles. Video playback control, navigation shortcuts and content searches can all be conducted via a voice
control button on the remote control, a feature highly appreciated by our customers. Horizon 5 is available in all of our markets
on the latest set-top boxes and is capable of delivering 4K video content, including high dynamic range (HDR). The platform
also features a ‘Personal Home’ page that automatically aggregates content, both linear and VoD, in a streamlined user interface
based on the user’s viewing habits. Horizon 5 is marketed under the name “Telenet TV-Box” at Telenet, “Virgin TV360” at the
VMO2 JV and VM Ireland and “MediaBox Next” at the VodafoneZiggo JV.
In the U.K., the forerunner product of Horizon 5 is based on the TiVo platform and was developed under a strategic
partnership agreement with TiVo Inc. The TiVo platform is deployed on a basic set-top box as well as the Virgin Media V6
box. Similar to Horizon 5, the Virgin Media V6 box combines 4K video, including HDR, with improved streaming
functionalities and more processing power. The Virgin Media V6 box allows customers to record six channels simultaneously
while watching a seventh channel. Customers can also start watching a program on one television and pick up where they left
off on other boxes in another room or through an app on their smart phones and tablets. The V6 hardware is the same hardware
that is used in other markets with Horizon software and over time these V6 boxes will be flashed with the latest Horizon 5
software, bringing our latest and most successful video and entertainment experience to the VMO2 JV’s customers without the
need to exchange the installed hardware. Over 50% of the VMO2 JV’s video customers are on the Horizon 5 platform.
We offer an IP-only streaming device, which runs the full Horizon 5 product suite, using only a small puck-like device that
can be tucked away behind a television screen. This all-IP mini 4K capable set-top box has extremely low power consumption
and its casing is made from recycled plastic. It received the Digital TV Europe’s Video Tech Innovation Sustainability Award
in December 2020, as well as the Red Dot Product Design Award in 2021. We have also launched this all-IP 4K capable set-top
box at VM Ireland, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV. Most recently, we launched a newer, better performing version
of this box at Telenet. This box has the same appearance as in the other markets but possesses more memory, improved
accessibility features and better sustainability. We intend to roll out this box to our other markets in the coming years.
Underpinned by this new IP-only streaming device, we launched our first subscription VoD-focused proposition in the
U.K. called “Flex”. In addition to a slimmer channel lineup, this new package allows customers to pick and choose their
favorite entertainment packages each month (e.g., Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video) and get a 10% credit back for each
subscription they add via our platform. By bundling their over the top (OTT) subscriptions together, customers also have an
easy-to-see overview of what they are paying for and can manage them in a straightforward way, allowing for added flexibility
as their viewing habits change.
One of our key video services is “Replay TV”. Through Replay TV, the last seven days of content (subject to blackout-
related rights) is made available via the electronic programming guide (EPG) for on demand viewing. Customers can simply
open the EPG, scroll back and replay linear programming instantly. This same technical solution also allows our customers to
replay a television program from the start even while the live broadcast is in progress. Additionally, customers have the option
of recording television programs in the cloud (or onto the hard disk drive that is housed within the “Virgin TV360” set-top box
at the VMO2 JV and Virgin Media Ireland). Replay TV is one of the most used and appreciated features on our platforms.
In most of our markets, we offer transactional VoD giving subscribers access to thousands of movies and television series.
In several of our markets, our subscription VoD service is included in certain of our video offerings. This service is tailored to
the specific market based on available content, consumer preferences and competitive offers and it includes various
programming, such as music, kids, documentaries, adult, sports and television series. In addition, in all of our markets we offer
global premium OTT services such as Netflix, YouTube and Prime Video, and we also offer local OTT services via a large
portion of our set-top boxes. These types of paid subscription services can be bundled into customers’ packages like in the
Stream proposition or, in many cases, added directly to customers’ bills, offering them further convenience.
Most of this content is also available via our online mobile app, “Horizon Go”, which is available on mobile devices (iOS
and Android) and, in some markets as well, via Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV devices. Thanks to the 360
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integration of Horizon 5 across multiple screens, customers can pause a program, series or movie and seamlessly continue
watching from where they left off on another device, whether on a television, tablet, smart phone or laptop. Additionally,
Horizon Go enables customers to remotely schedule the recording of a television program on their Horizon 5 box at home.
In 2023, we expanded our collaboration with our technology partner Infosys to evolve and scale our entertainment platform
(as well as our connectivity platform). Infosys has taken over the build and operation of our Horizon platform and agreed to
provide this service back to us for an initial five-year period, with an option to extend to eight years. By bringing the scale and
breadth of Infosys, including cutting-edge technologies such as Infosys TopazTM AI, the expanded collaboration ensures
continued operational excellence, a highly scalable development engine for new features and capabilities and cost efficiencies
for us. Additionally, we will license this platform to Infosys so that they can offer it to new operators and markets outside our
operating companies. This will potentially enable millions of new customers around the world to experience next-generation
digital entertainment services through Horizon for the first time. We will continue to control product roadmaps and retain all
intellectual property for the Horizon entertainment platform.
Telephony Services
Multi-feature telephony services are available through voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) technology in most of our
broadband communication markets. In the U.K., the VMO2 JV also provides traditional circuit-switched telephony services.
We pay interconnect fees to other telephony and internet providers when calls by our subscribers terminate on another network
and receive similar fees from providers when calls by their users terminate on our network through interconnection points.
Our telephony service may be selected in several of our markets on a standalone basis and in all of our markets in
combination with one or more of our other services. Our telephony service includes a basic fixed-line telephony product for line
rental and various calling plans, which may consist of any of the following: unlimited network, national or international calling,
unlimited off-peak calling and minute packages, including calls to fixed and mobile phones. We also offer value-added
services, such as a personal call manager, unified messaging and a second or third phone line at an incremental cost.
Multiple Dwelling Units and Partner Networks
Following the closing of the Telenet Wyre Transaction on July 1, 2023, Telenet became a wholesale access client of Wyre,
in addition to Orange Belgium NV/SA (Orange Belgium), with whom it signed a 15-year commercial wholesale agreement in
January 2023, resulting in a wholesale market share of around 65%. In the coming years, Wyre expects to further roll-out and
operate an HFC and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network within Belgium, aiming to cover 70% of its footprint with FTTH by
2030 and 78% of its footprint by 2038. Additionally, in connection with the Telenet Wyre Transaction, the long-term lease that
Telenet had with Fluvius until September 2046 to provide fixed services to its customers in Fluvius’ footprint was terminated.
At the end of July 2024, Telenet signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Proximus NV/SA (Proximus) and
Fiberklaar for a potential future collaboration on the further deployment of fiber networks in Flanders. The intended
collaboration, which is dependent on the parties reaching a final agreement, obtaining regulatory and antitrust approvals and
there being no adverse regulatory findings or impacts, would cover approximately 2.7 million homes across zones with medium
to low population density, while continuing to leverage our existing HFC network to benefit consumers, businesses and society
as a whole.
VM Ireland offers broadband internet and video products and services to additional households on the SIRO network,
opening up new areas where VM Ireland’s own network is not available. In 2024, to continue the expansion into additional
homes and business, VM Ireland entered into an agreement with National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to offer broadband internet
and video products and services on NBI’s footprint.
Business Services
In addition to our residential services, we offer business services in all of our operations. For business and public sector
organizations, we provide a complete range of voice, advanced data, video, wireless and cloud-based services, as well as mobile
and FMC services. Our business customers include SOHOs (generally up to five employees), small businesses and medium and
large enterprises. We also provide business services on a wholesale basis to other operators.
Our business services are designed to meet the specific demands of our business customers, including increased data
transmission speeds and virtual private networks (VPNs). These services fall into five broad categories:
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•
data services for fixed internet access with a 4G connectivity backup, IP VPNs based on SDWAN solutions and high-
capacity point-to-point services, including dedicated cloud connections;
•
cloud collaboration and telephony solutions, unified communications and conferencing options;
•
wireless services for mobile voice and data, as well as managed WiFi networks;
•
video programming packages and select channel lineups for targeted industries; and
•
value-added services, including managed security systems and cloud enabled business applications.
Our intermediate to long-term strategy is to enhance our capabilities and offerings in the business sector so we become a
preferred provider in the business market. To execute this strategy, partnerships and customer experience play a key role.
Our business services are provided to customers at contractually established prices based on the size of the business, type
of services received and the volume and duration of the service agreement. SOHO and small business customers pay business
market prices on a monthly subscription basis to receive enhanced service levels and business features that support their needs.
For more advanced business services, customers generally enter into a service agreement. For medium to large business
customers, we enter into individual agreements that address their specific needs. These agreements are generally for a period of
at least one year.
Our One Connect Platform via Connect Box supports a SOHO solution whereby Static IP and Multi Static IP solutions are
offered to Market business customers. In 2024 we have extended this feature to our latest generation Connect Box device. In
addition, we have introduced a 4G Mobile Back-Up solution to work in conjunction with the SOHO feature, to provide business
continuity in the unlikely event of access network outage.
Customer Premises Equipment
We purchase CPE from a number of different suppliers. CPE includes set-top boxes, modems, WiFi routers and boosters
and similar devices. For each type of equipment, we retain specialists to provide customer support. For our broadband services,
we use a variety of suppliers for our network equipment and the various services we offer. Similarly, we use a variety of
suppliers for mobile handsets to offer our customers mobile services.
Software Licenses
We license software products from several suppliers for our internet services. The agreements for these products typically
require us to pay a fee for software licenses and/or a share of advertising revenue for content licenses.
Investments
VMO2 JV
Liberty Global owns 50% of the VMO2 JV, an integrated communications provider of broadband internet, mobile, video,
fixed-line telephony and converged services to residential and business customers in the U.K. As part of the U.K. JV
Transaction, Liberty Global entered into a shareholders agreement with Telefónica, which previously owned O2 in the U.K.
(the U.K. JV Shareholders Agreement), detailing the corporate governance of the VMO2 JV, as well as, among other things,
its dividend policy and non-competition provisions. The U.K. JV Shareholders Agreement mandates that the VMO2 JV
distribute to Liberty Global and Telefónica on a quarterly basis a pro rata dividend equaling (unless agreed otherwise) all
unrestricted cash, subject to certain minimum thresholds and financing arrangements. Generally, Liberty Global may not
transfer its ownership interest in the VMO2 JV without Telefónica’s consent. For additional information on the U.K. JV
Shareholders Agreement, see note 7 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II of this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
The VMO2 JV offers gigabit internet across its entire serviceable fixed network footprint, reaching 16.2 million homes,
and operates a mobile network that offers over 99% outdoor population coverage on 4G, as well as over 75% 5G outdoor
population coverage. The VMO2 JV had over 12 million fixed RGUs as of December 31, 2024, including approximately 5.7
million broadband internet subscribers. The VMO2 JV does not report video or telephony subscribers on an individualized
basis, although such subscribers are included in its total RGU figure. In addition, the VMO2 JV had approximately 35.7 million
mobile subscribers and is the U.K.’s leading mobile operator in terms of connections, with 45.7 million connections across its
mobile, IoT and wholesale services.
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In addition to gigabit broadband, the VMO2 JV provides fixed-line video and telephony services. The VMO2 JV’s video
customers have access to the Horizon 5 minibox and its functionalities (marketed as “Virgin TV 360”), including ‘Catch-up’,
‘Startover’, the Virgin TV Go app, pause live television and VoD, along with access to a range of premium subscription-based
and pay-per-view services. The VMO2 JV also offers a flexible entertainment service marketed as ‘Flex’ which combines
customers’ subscription packages, such as Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video, as well as the free television channels under one
system while also allowing the customer to transform their television into a voice-activated unit.
The VMO2 JV provides a wide range of mobile and associated value-added products and services, such as voice,
messaging and data services, handsets and hardware (e.g., wearables and handsets), stand-alone mobile devices and other
accessories.
The VMO2 JV’s consumer convergence offering is led by its “Volt” proposition, offering new and existing customers that
take Virgin Media broadband and eligible O2 Pay Monthly plans an upgrade to the next fixed broadband speed tier, increased
mobile data and more value, including a WiFi guarantee, where customers are guaranteed certain minimum download speeds in
every room or they receive a billing credit.
The VMO2 JV also provides business and wholesale products and services to large enterprises, public sector entities and
small and medium business customers, as well as operating its fixed and mobile networks to wholesale and MVNO partners.
nexfibre JV
We beneficially own approximately 25% of the nexfibre JV, a joint venture in the U.K. that intends to construct and
operate a wholesale FTTH broadband network of 5-7 million premises that does not overlap with the VMO2 JV’s existing
network. Telefónica owns 25% of the nexfibre JV and InfraVia owns the remaining 50%. The VMO2 JV will act as the anchor
client for the nexfibre JV’s fiber network. The VMO2 JV also entered into a construction agreement and a master services
agreement with the nexfibre JV to provide various network construction and operational services to the nexfibre JV. In
combination with the VMO2 JV’s existing network and planned FTTH upgrades, the VMO2 JV and the nexfibre JV networks
are looking to expand gigabit coverage to approximately 80% of the U.K. once completed.
In connection with the formation of the nexfibre JV, we entered into shareholders agreements with Telefónica and InfraVia
that provide for the governance of the nexfibre JV, including, among other things, its dividend policy and non-competition
provisions. They also provide for restrictions on transfer of interests in the nexfibre JV and describe possible exit arrangements.
Under the dividend policy, the nexfibre JV must distribute all unrestricted cash to Telefónica, InfraVia and us, subject to
minimum cash requirements and financing arrangements.
VodafoneZiggo JV
Liberty Global owns 50% of the VodafoneZiggo JV, a leading Dutch telecommunications company that provides fixed,
mobile, video, telephony and integrated communication and entertainment services to consumers and businesses in the
Netherlands. In connection with the formation of the VodafoneZiggo JV, we entered into a shareholders agreement with
Vodafone that details the governance of the VodafoneZiggo JV, including, among other things, its dividend policy and non-
competition provisions. It also provides for restrictions on the transfer of interests in the VodafoneZiggo JV and exit
arrangements. Under the dividend policy, the VodafoneZiggo JV must distribute all unrestricted cash to Vodafone and us,
subject to minimum cash requirements and financing arrangements. We also entered into a framework agreement with the
VodafoneZiggo JV to provide access to each partner’s expertise in the telecommunications industry. For additional information
on the above agreements, see note 7 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II of this Annual Report on Form
10-K.
The fiber-rich broadband network of the VodafoneZiggo JV passes approximately 7.6 million homes. The VodafoneZiggo
JV offers at least gigabit internet speeds for residential and business customers across its entire footprint. The VodafoneZiggo
JV also offers nationwide 4G and 5G mobile coverage. At December 31, 2024, the VodafoneZiggo JV had 7.8 million fixed
RGUs, of which 3.1 million were broadband internet, 3.4 million were video and 1.3 million were fixed-line telephony. In
addition, the VodafoneZiggo JV had 5.6 million mobile subscribers. Besides its residential services, the VodafoneZiggo JV
offers extensive business services throughout the Netherlands. The operations of the VodafoneZiggo JV are subject to various
regulations, which are described below under Regulatory Matters—Joint Venture Entities—The Netherlands.
The VodafoneZiggo JV’s customers have access to the Horizon 5 media boxes and their functionalities (marketed as
“Ziggo TV”), including Replay TV, the Ziggo Go app, pause live television and VoD, gigabit internet speeds, smart WiFi pods
and an extensive WiFi community network. The VodafoneZiggo JV also has its own sports channel, Ziggo Sport, and offers
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some exclusive programming, including exclusive broadcast rights to UEFA football matches in 2024. The VodafoneZiggo
JV’s customers also have access to its nationwide 4G and 5G wireless services under either a prepaid or postpaid service plan.
The VodafoneZiggo JV provides its mobile services under various licenses, including the 100 MHz spectrum license in the 3.5
GHz band acquired in July 2024. These licenses in aggregate have a weighted average useful life of approximately 18 years as
of December 31, 2024. With its mobile services, the VodafoneZiggo JV is able to offer quad-play bundles and FMC services to
its residential and business customers.
Liberty Growth
Liberty Growth has amassed a portfolio of investments in approximately 70 companies and funds across the world,
investing in the technology, media/content, sports and digital infrastructure industries. With its long-term, founder-friendly
mindset, Liberty Growth makes meaningful investments in technologies that will change how people live and work tomorrow.
Some of the companies in Liberty Growth’s portfolio include ITV, Televisa Univision, Plume, EdgeConneX, Lions Gate
Entertainment Corp. (Lionsgate), and our controlling interest in the Formula E racing series, among others. When
advantageous, we seek to forge commercial relationships between our operating companies and the companies we invest in,
creating an even stronger partnership to help drive growth and efficiencies. The investments identified by company name above
are merely illustrative, do not represent a complete list and are not necessarily the largest of our long-term investments. From
time to time, we may make investments in other companies that we choose not to identify by company name for commercial,
legal, strategic or other reasons.
Additional Business Information
Technology
Our broadband internet, video and fixed-line telephony services are primarily transmitted over an HFC network. This
network is composed primarily of national and regional fiber networks, which are connected to the home over the last few
hundred meters by coaxial cable. Alongside our HFC network, we are increasingly rolling out services based on FTTH and
leveraging fixed wireless access (FWA) technologies to service customers not covered by our fixed networks in areas where it
may not be cost effective to deploy fixed networks.
We closely monitor our network capacity and customer usage. Where necessary, we increase our capacity incrementally,
for instance by splitting nodes in our cable network. We also continue to explore improvements to our network and services as
well as new technologies that will enhance our customer’s connected entertainment experience. These include:
•
recapturing bandwidth and optimizing our networks by:
◦
increasing the number of nodes in our markets;
◦
increasing the bandwidth of our HFC cable network to 1.2 GHz;
◦
converting analog channels to digital;
◦
moving channels to IP delivery;
◦
deploying additional DOCSIS 3.1 channels;
◦
replacing copper lines with modern optic fibers; and
◦
using digital compression technologies.
•
freeing spectrum for high-speed internet, VoD and other services by encouraging customers to move from analog to
digital services;
•
increasing the efficiency of our networks by moving head-end functions (encoding, transcoding and multiplexing) to
cloud storage systems;
•
enhancing our network to accommodate business services;
•
using wireless technologies to extend our services outside of the home;
•
offering remote access to our video services through laptops, smart phones and tablets; and
•
expanding the availability of the Horizon 5 minibox and Horizon Go, as well as Horizon 5, and related products and
developing and introducing online media sharing and streaming or cloud-based video.
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As stated above, we are expanding our HFC and FTTH footprint. In addition, we are seeking mobile service opportunities
where we have established cable networks and expanding our fixed-line networks where we have a strong mobile offering. This
will allow us to make FMC offerings available to more of our customers.
We deliver high-speed data and fixed-line telephony over our broadband network in our markets. The cable networks of
our operations in Europe are connected to our “Aorta” backbone. The Aorta backbone is recognized as a Tier 1 Carrier, which
permits us to serve our customers through settlement-free collaboration with other carriers without the cost of using a third-
party network.
In support of our connectivity strategy, we are moving our customers into a gigabit society. All of our broadband networks
are already capable of supporting the next generation of ultra-high-speed internet service at gigabit speeds or faster. To provide
these speeds to our subscribers, we plan to grow our base of DOCSIS 3.1 technology throughout our footprint. The use of
DOCSIS 3.1 technology provides us significantly higher efficiencies on our networks and allows us to offer faster speeds, in-
home WiFi and better services. The new gateways and the continued upgrades to our network in the coming years will allow us
to maximize high-speed connectivity over our broadband networks and deliver gigabit or faster services in a cost-effective
manner. It will also allow us to meet the expectations of our customers for high-speed internet access both in cities and rural
areas of our footprint. While DOCSIS 3.1 technology will provide up to 2.5 Gbps, in 2023, we introduced XGSPON technology
across much of our FTTH footprint, enabling symmetrical speeds of up to 10 Gbps, with plans for further rollouts in 2025. In
2024, we finalized plans to introduce a DOCSIS 4 Network Termination Unit, which will connect our DOCSIS 4 HFC network
to the customer’s Connect Box via an ethernet cable, in similar fashion to the XGSPON two-box architecture described above.
Supply Sources
Content. In our markets, entertainment platforms remain a key part of the telecommunication services bundle. Therefore, in
addition to providing services that allow our customers to view programming when and where they want, we are investing in
content that our customers want. Our content strategy is based on the following key tenets:
•
proposition (exceeding our customers’ entertainment desires and expectations);
•
product (delivering the best content available);
•
procurement (investment in the best brands, movies, shows and sports); and
•
partnering (strategic alignment, acquisitions and growth opportunities).
We license almost all of our programming and on-demand offerings from content providers and third-party rights holders,
including broadcasters and cable programming networks. Under our channel distribution agreements, we generally pay a
monthly fee on a per channel or per subscriber basis, with occasional minimum pay guarantees. With respect to on-demand
programming, we generally pay a revenue share for transactional VoD (occasionally with minimum guarantees) and either a flat
fee or a monthly fee per subscriber for subscription VoD. In the case of the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV, transactional
VoD is primarily sourced via a third party. For a majority of our agreements, we seek to include the rights to offer the licensed
programming to our customers through multiple delivery platforms and through our apps on devices including smart phones
and tablets.
In seeking licenses for content, we, including the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV, as applicable, partner with leading
international and regional pay television providers, such as Disney, Sony, Paramount Global, AMC, NBCUniversal, RTL, BBC
and Warner Bros. Discovery (including HBO). We also seek to carry in each of our markets key public and private
broadcasters, and in some markets, we acquire local premium programming through select relationships with companies such as
Sky plc (Sky), TNT Sports (a joint venture between BT Sport and Warner Bros. Discovery), Streamz and Canal+. For our VoD
services we license a variety of programming, including box sets of television series, movies, music, kids’ programming and
documentaries.
OTT apps remain important in the content space and, as part of our content strategy, we have put in place deals with a
number of global and regional app providers. We currently have arrangements with Disney (The Walt Disney Company
Limited and The Walt Disney Company Benelux), Netflix International B.V. (Netflix), Amazon Europe Core S.A.R.L.
(Amazon), SkyShowtime Limited (SkyShowtime), Apple Inc., Paramount, HBO Nordic AB, Viaplay Group AB (Viaplay)
and DAZN Limited (DAZN). Pursuant to these arrangements, Disney+, Netflix, Prime Video, SkyShowtime, AppleTV+, HBO
Max, Paramount+, Viaplay and DAZN services, respectively, are available via certain of our set-top boxes to our video
customers across many of our markets, each as premium OTT services offered on an a la carte basis and/or bundled with certain
propositions. The Disney+ app is available to customers at Telenet, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV. The Netflix and
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Amazon Prime Video apps are both available to customers at Telenet, VM Ireland, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV.
The SkyShowtime service is available to customers at the VodafoneZiggo JV. The AppleTV+ app is available to customers at
Telenet, VM Ireland, UPC Slovakia, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV. Paramount+ is available to customers at the
VMO2 JV. The HBO Max app is available to customers at Telenet and the VodafoneZiggo JV. Viaplay’s service is available to
customers at the VodafoneZiggo JV. The DAZN service is available to customers at Telenet as well as the VMO2 JV. We have
an arrangement with Google Ireland Limited for the YouTube app which is available via certain of our set-top boxes to
customers at Telenet, VM Ireland, UPC Slovakia, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV. In order to tailor our
entertainment offerings to each market, we have added various locally relevant apps such as: VRT Max, VTM Go and GoPlay at
Telenet, BBC iPlayer and ITVX at the VMO2 JV and Canal +, NPO Start and Videoland at the VodafoneZiggo JV.
Exclusive content is another element of our content strategy. To support this approach, we are investing in content
assets. We have invested in various content companies, including ITV, All3Media (the sale of which was completed in May
2024), Lionsgate, Virgin Media TV, Play Media (previously SBS Belgium), Woestijnvis and Caviar Group. We are also
investing in sports, both as a broadcaster and as a rights owner. We have our own sports channels under the Play Sports brand
in Belgium, which is exclusively available to Telenet customers. In Ireland, Virgin Media customers have access to VM More
which includes sports programming as well as first look products and premium content. In addition, the VodafoneZiggo JV
owns Ziggo Sport and commissions the production of certain shows such as Rondo and Race Cafe. Ziggo Sport acquired the
exclusive media rights to the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League
starting in the 2024/2025 football season and lasting for three seasons. The basic Ziggo Sport service is available exclusively to
the VodafoneZiggo JV’s customers, however, the premium service, Ziggo Sport Totaal, is widely available through license
arrangements with all major Dutch distributors and any UEFA football matches played by participating Dutch clubs are made
available for free for all Dutch non-VodafoneZiggo customers via the Ziggo Go Free app and the Ziggo Sport YouTube
channel.
In addition, we have produced the original Belgian series Chaussée d’Amour and De Dag with local production companies.
These television series are primarily available to our customers on an on-demand basis. We also intend to continue
commissioning, producing and/or co-producing content for our free-to-air (FTA) assets and VoD platforms at Telenet and VM
Ireland, mainly via Streamz, Telenet’s joint venture for subscription VoD with DPG Media.
For mobile services in Ireland provided through an MVNO arrangement with Three (Hutchison), we are dependent on
third-party wireless network providers. Our MVNO operation in Ireland has an agreement with Three (Hutchison) to carry the
mobile communications traffic of our customers. We seek to enter into medium to long-term arrangements for these services.
Competition
All our businesses operate in highly competitive and rapidly evolving markets. The speed of technological advancements is
likely to continue to increase, giving customers more options for telecommunications services and products. Our customers
want access to high quality telecommunication products and services that provide a seamless connectivity experience.
Accordingly, our ability to offer FMC services is a key component of our strategy. In many of our markets, we compete with
incumbent and challenger companies that offer FMC bundles. Many of these companies have extensive resources allowing
them to offer competitively priced converged services. Our ability to offer high-quality and attractive FMC bundles combined
with appealing entertainment options in these markets is one of our key strategies to attract and retain customers. We seek to
distinguish ourselves through our multimedia gateway services, interactive video products (such as Replay TV and VoD),
proprietary sports offerings, extensive content offers (for both in and out of the home) and our high-speed connectivity services
backed by intelligent in-home WiFi solutions. This section provides an overview of the competitive landscape for FMC
services, followed by details on our key competitors.
Internet
The internet services offered by our key competitors include both fixed-line broadband internet via cable, digital subscriber
lines (DSL), FTTx and FWA technology. These competitors offer a range of products with varying speeds and pricing, as well
as interactive, data and content services. With the demand for mobile internet services increasing, competition from wireless
services using various advanced technologies is an important competitive factor. In all our markets, competitors provide high-
speed mobile data via 5G. In this competitive landscape, customers prioritize internet speed, pricing and exclusive content, as
well as the size of mobile data bundles and their price.
Our focus is on increasing the maximum speed of our connections while providing a reliable customer experience and
offering a variety of service tiers, prices, bundled products and a range of value-added services, including intelligent in-home
connectivity solutions. We update our bundles and packages on an ongoing basis to meet the needs of our customers and to
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retain an attractive value-for-money proposition. We offer 1 Gbps download speeds across Belgium, the U.K., the Netherlands,
and up to 2 Gbps in Ireland.
A notable competitive factor is overbuilding of our networks with FTTx technology by incumbent companies and other
third parties. Competition has intensified in recent years with the accelerated network rollout by certain FTTx providers. When
operationally and economically viable, we pursue HFC and fiber upgrades, new build, as well as whole-buy opportunities to
expand our network capabilities.
•
Telenet. Telenet is the leading residential broadband provider in Flanders, Belgium. In January 2023 Telenet signed
15-year agreements with Orange Belgium for mutual access to fixed networks (HFC and FTTH), which enabled
Telenet to offer FMC services in Wallonia. Telenet launched fixed services under its BASE brand in June 2024 and
became a national FMC player while expanding into Wallonia. Across Belgium Telenet faces competition from
Proximus, which provides FMC bundles, DSL (up to 100 Mbps) and fiber (up to 2 Gbps) with ongoing network
expansion. Telenet also competes with providers that use Telenet’s wholesale cable network, Wyre, including Orange
Belgium. Additionally, in December 2024 Digi entered the market as the 4th player and offers prices on fixed and
mobile services that are substantially lower than currently available on the market. Despite its currently limited fixed
footprint, we expect Digi to remain an important competitor going forward.
•
VM Ireland. VM Ireland delivers broadband services via its upgraded HFC and FTTx networks, offering speeds up to
2 Gbps. In a competitive market led by players like Eir and Sky Ireland, VM Ireland holds a strong position. While Eir
and SIRO aggressively expand FTTH in urban and rural areas, VM Ireland competes by enhancing its network,
increasing penetration through wholesale, and expanding via SIRO partnership.
•
Significant FMC Joint Ventures.
In the U.K., the VMO2 JV faces numerous competitors for broadband internet services, the largest of which is BT
Group plc (BT). BT is actively building out its FTTx network through its subsidiary, Openreach, to support its goal of
covering 25 million homes by the end of 2026. In support of this mission, BT offers a range of consumer packages
with speeds of up to 1.6 Gbps. The VMO2 JV has reached 1 Gbps connectivity in all 16.2 million premises. Moreover,
the VMO2 JV announced its intention to upgrade its fixed network to full fiber-to-the-premise by the end of 2028 and
extend its FTTH footprint to up to 23 million premises through its partnership with the nexfibre JV. This plan is
expected to fuel connectivity innovation for consumers and businesses, create options to potentially pursue the
broadband wholesale market in the U.K. and to protect from growing FTTx competition.
The VodafoneZiggo JV’s main competitor, Koninklijke KPN N.V. (KPN), offers broadband via FTTx, DSL and
VDSL, with speeds up to 200 Mbps on VDSL and 4 Gbps on FTTx. Much of the VodafoneZiggo JV’s network has
been overbuilt by KPN and other FTTx providers. In 2021, KPN and APG launched Glaspoort to connect 1.2 million
households and businesses in underserved areas by 2026, aiming for 80% FTTx coverage. Competition intensified
further in Q3 2024 when Odido introduced low-cost 5G Fixed Wireless broadband. We expect competitive pressure
from the fiber overbuild to remain high in the coming periods. By late 2024, the VodafoneZiggo JV’s 7.6 million
households had access to 1 Gbps connectivity.
Video Distribution
Our video services compete with traditional FTA broadcast television services, OTT and broadcaster VoD providers, as
well as other broadband providers offering a similar range of video services. Many of these competitors have a national
footprint and offer features, pricing and video services individually and in bundles comparable to what we offer.
OTT video content providers utilizing our or our competitors’ high-speed internet connections are also a significant
competitive factor, as are other video service providers that overlap our service areas. The OTT video providers (such as HBO
Now, Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ and AppleTV+) offer VoD services for television series, movies and programming from
broadcasters. Typically, these services are available on multiple devices in and out of the home. Moreover, broadcasters offer
direct to customer content, including VoD, live and catch-up television via their own platforms (such as BBC iPlayer,
Discovery and RTL). To retain our competitive position, we provide our subscribers with television everywhere products and
OTT video services through apps on our video platform through our arrangements with Netflix, Amazon, YouTube and others.
Our success in attracting and retaining customers relies on our ongoing capability to acquire appealing content, provide
user-friendly services on favorable terms and deliver content across multiple devices both inside and outside the home. Some
competitors have obtained long-term exclusive contracts for certain programming, which limits the opportunities for other
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providers to offer such programs. Our operations have limited access to certain of such programming through select contracts
with these companies, including Sky and BT in the U.K. At the same time, we are also able to secure access rights to exclusive
content in certain markets. In the Netherlands we have an exclusive deal with UEFA to broadcast Champions League and
Europa League matches, which is an important element of our competitiveness there. Telecommunication providers also
increasingly offer access to OTT platforms through their systems. If exclusive content offerings increase through other
providers, programming options could be a deciding factor for subscribers on selecting a video service.
We compete by offering advanced digital services like cloud recording, DVR, HD/4K, VoD, voice control, OTT
aggregation, Replay TV and multi-screen options through a superior interface. Our tailored packages include attractive
channels, bundled services, loyalty discounts and integrated billing for OTT services. We periodically enhance our digital
offerings to improve content quality. Horizon 5, our latest iteration of our entertainment platform, aggregates and bundles top-
tier content, integrating key streaming apps and delivering a personalized user experience.
•
Telenet. Telenet’s principal video competitor is Proximus, which has interactive digital television, replay television,
VoD, OTT and HD service as part of its video offer, as well as mobile-only video propositions tailored to the needs of
younger market segments. Proximus offers customers a wide range of both individual and bundled services at
competitive prices. Also, as a result of regulatory obligations, Telenet and other Belgian cable operators must give
alternative providers access to their cable networks. Orange Belgium gained such access in 2016 and currently offers
its mobile subscribers a triple-play bundle, including broadband internet, enhanced video and mobile services. In
January 2023, Telenet entered into two 15-year commercial wholesale agreements with Orange Belgium. The
agreements provide Telenet and Orange Belgium access to each other’s fixed networks, including both HFC and
FTTH, on a commercial basis for a 15-year period and hence supersedes the regulatory framework. In July 2023,
Telenet closed the Wyre Transaction, owning a 66.8% direct ownership stake in Flanders’ leading network
infrastructure company. Wyre provides wholesale access to its HFC and future fiber network with its customers
currently including Telenet and Orange Belgium. Telenet may face increased competition from other providers of
video services who take advantage of the wholesale access and may be able to offer triple- and quad-play services. For
more information on wholesale access, see Regulatory Matters—Belgium below.
•
VM Ireland. VM Ireland delivers HD and 4K video services via its HFC network. Its proprietary Virgin Media
Television channels offer exclusive sports, news and entertainment, providing unique content unavailable from
competitors. VM Ireland invests in its platform and partnerships to stay competitive against players like Sky, which
owns channels such as Sky Sports and Sky News.
•
Significant FMC Joint Ventures.
The VMO2 JV’s principal competitors for digital television services are Sky and FTA television providers. Other
significant competitors are BT and TalkTalk Telecom Group plc (TalkTalk), each of which offer triple-play services,
IPTV video services and multimedia home gateways. Sky owns the U.K. rights to various entertainment, sports and
movie programming. Sky is both a principal competitor and an important supplier of content to the VMO2 JV. Various
Sky channels, including Sky Sports, are available over Sky’s satellite system and our cable networks, as well as via
Sky’s apps and online players and other television platforms, and some of the channels are available on BT and
TalkTalk platforms. The VMO2 JV distributes several basic and premium video channels supplied by Sky. BT is also
both a principal competitor and an important supplier of content to the VMO2 JV. In 2023, BT formed a joint venture
with Warner Bros. Discovery and launched TNT Sports, which replaced BT Sport and combined the partners’ content
portfolios, including the 2024 Olympic Games, the English Champion’s League, UEFA Europa League and other live
sports. TNT Sports is available on the VMO2 JV’s cable network as well as its competitors’ networks. The VMO2 JV
is expanding its broadband network and actively promoting its 4K and HDR ready boxes running on its Horizon 5
platform (marketed as “Virgin TV360”) as well as its online streaming service, Virgin TV Go. Customers also have
access to an entertainment service, ‘Stream’, which is an all-in-one streaming box, combining television channels and
aggregating third-party subscription services such as Sky Sports, Netflix and Disney+. Stream provides personalized
viewing recommendations and allows customers to customize their subscription mix, billed through a single account.
The VodafoneZiggo JV competes with KPN in video distribution, offering similar services like IPTV, VoD, DVR,
replay and HD channels. KPN also bundles these video services, creating a competitive market for VodafoneZiggo’s
offerings. Ziggo Sport, the VodafoneZiggo JV’s sports channel, acquired the exclusive media rights to the UEFA
Champions League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League until 2027, bringing the
most important European club competitions under one roof for the first time. All games with Dutch teams
participating, as well as final games of the leagues, are available exclusively on the Ziggo Sport Free app, which is
distributed to customers and non-customers, increasing potential sales to non-customers.
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Mobile and Telephony Services
In Belgium, as a major MNO, we are one of the largest mobile providers by subscriptions count. The same applies to the
VodafoneZiggo JV in the Netherlands. We also substantially expanded our U.K. mobile business through the VMO2 JV. In the
markets where we are an MNO, we continue to deploy additional bandwidth and look to acquire additional spectrum to deliver
our wide range of services to our customers and expand our 4G and 5G services. In 2024, we participated in a national spectrum
auction in the Netherlands and successfully acquired additional spectrum in the 3.5 gigahertz range. Competition remains
significant across each of our markets, especially with the rise in popularity of MVNO players. We offer various calling and
data bundle plans and use FMC benefits to cross-sell mobile to our existing fixed customers. Our ability to offer FMC services
is a key driver of growth. Furthermore, in order to address lower segments of the market, we operate with ancillary mobile
brands, such as BASE (Belgium), giffgaff (U.K.) and Hollandsnieuwe (Netherlands).
The market for fixed-line telephony services is competitive in all of our markets. Changes in market share are driven by the
combination of price and quality of services provided and the inclusion of telephony services in bundled offerings. Our fixed-
line telephony services compete against the incumbent telecommunications operators. In all of our markets, we also compete
with other VoIP operators offering service across broadband lines. In addition, our businesses face competition from other
FTTx-based providers or other indirect access providers.
In each of our markets, we face competition with a dominant fixed-line telephony provider, most of which also have
competitive mobile offers based on 4G or 5G services. In Belgium, the key dominant telephony providers is Proximus.
Proximus is also the largest mobile operator based on number of SIM cards. Proximus also includes its mobile products in
bundles with fixed-line services. Moreover, there is a fundamental shift in customer preference towards mobile and OTT. As a
result, we expect our fixed telephony user base to continue its decline in favor of mobile connectivity and OTT services.
Human Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2024, our consolidated subsidiaries had an aggregate of approximately 6,820 full-time equivalent
employees, including approximately 3,750 in Belgium, 1,370 in the U.K., 945 in the Republic of Ireland, 410 in the
Netherlands, 245 in Slovakia and 100 in the U.S. With respect to our significant nonconsolidated joint ventures, the VMO2 JV
employs approximately 15,750 people and the VodafoneZiggo JV employs approximately 6,150 people. None of the above
figures include contractors or temporary employees.
A majority of our European employees are represented by workers councils. We strive to maintain a positive relationship
with all of our employees, as well as the workers councils representing them, where applicable. There have been no significant
interruptions of our operations in recent years due to labor disputes.
In challenging our employees to achieve their full potential, become purposeful leaders and to Grow With Us, we commit
significant resources and make ongoing investments toward the development of our employees’ leadership skills. Our skills
development offerings cover key talent communities - from graduates and apprentices, to people managers, emerging leaders
and senior leaders. Such programs include our Finance, Technology, CyberSecurity and People graduate schemes that thrust
new graduates into our fast-paced and dynamic business model, giving them immediate real-world experience along with
structured support from the company, so that each graduate exits their program prepared to be a leader of tomorrow. Liberty
Global also aims to prepare its future senior leadership through its Fast Forward program, a year-long program in which high
performing individuals are trained and challenged to become Liberty Global’s leaders of tomorrow. We invest significantly in
our employees because we recognize that when each employee is supported and given the opportunity to succeed, our company
flourishes.
We are fostering a culture where every individual is valued and respected, contributing to a positive impact on one another
and our communities. Through connections formed daily, we strive to create a sense of belonging for all. The importance of
diversity, equity and inclusivity extends beyond our employees’ experience and performance; it influences talent acquisition
and retention and strengthens our ties to the communities where we live and operate. In 2024, our commitment to Diversity,
Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) continued to evolve. Our DE&I Council, comprised of our chief executive officer (CEO) and 19
executive representatives, meets regularly to discuss company strategies, initiatives and policies related to DE&I. The council
advises on our DE&I strategy, monitors progress against our ambitions and facilitates the exchange of best practices across our
organization. The People, Planet, Progress committee of our board of directors provides guidance to our DE&I Council from
time to time.
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While conducting our annual DE&I survey in 2024, we sought feedback from our employees through listening forums,
which informed our strategic plans based on the insights gained. Our DE&I program has progressed through close collaboration
across all of our business sectors, resulting in specific goals for gender representation. Central to our efforts is measuring the
sentiment of individuals who feel authentic in the workplace daily. Each business unit has identified priorities that contribute to
our overarching goal of fostering innovation, collaboration and overall organizational performance. Our commitment to hiring
the best candidates remains unwavering, and we continuously look to optimize roles through natural turnover, track progress
through employee dashboards and refine our process in quarterly business review meetings.
Collaboration with our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), focusing on various aspects of diversity, has been integral to
our DE&I efforts. With 22 ERGs globally, we co-create initiatives for strategic cultural change. Working with our ERGs, we
have delivered five ‘Empower Hours’, centered around specific days in our diversity calendar, to educate, engage and empower
each other to take meaningful action. Additionally, we carried out a global leadership reverse mentoring pilot with our race and
ethnicity ERG, in which the members of the ERG led the programming and acted as mentors to the participants. This reverse
mentoring pilot took place with senior leaders from across our company and is expected to be implemented more broadly in the
coming years. Our involvement in the Valuable 500, a global movement putting disability on the business leadership agenda,
and the disability confident scheme in the U.K., emphasizes our commitment to disability inclusion. Inclusive Employers, a
leading membership organization, supports our efforts through consultancy, training and thought leadership. Achieving silver
status in the Inclusive Employers standard and receiving commendation for our Belonging communication campaign
demonstrates our progress in this area.
The VMO2 JV and VodafoneZiggo JV, along with VM Ireland, also have their own ERGs to provide support for their
local employees and to complement Liberty Global’s broader DE&I strategy and initiatives. In addition, our DE&I Council has
worked diligently to prepare concrete, attainable initiatives to further our collective DE&I strategy. Such initiatives are also
measurable, which allows us to track our progress.
To help eliminate potential bias in our hiring practices, we implemented inclusive hiring manager training, ensured diverse
interview panels and have begun to use artificial intelligence to help eliminate gender-biased language in job descriptions. We
broadened our talent pool through a refreshed external proposition, conscious advertising and internal transparency. Our
company policy reviews aim to create a more equitable, accessible and inclusive working environment.
In 2023, we launched our “Youth Council”, consisting of 12 Gen Z and under-35 members that serve as an advisory body
to our executive leadership team, signifying our commitment to harnessing youth culture and future-proofing our strategy. The
council actively contributes across our customer propositions and experiences, sustainability and the future of work.
We also conduct compulsory anti-bullying, anti-discrimination and anti-harassment training for all of our employees in line
with our Anti-Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying policy and engage in small-group, impactful conversations, centering
on discrimination and harassment in the workplace. Our venture capital arm has committed approximately $13 million to
investing in start-up companies, including through our partners, Avesta Capital, Colorado Impact Fund and Helena, that make a
positive impact on society. These companies, such as Blue Studios, Kiira Health, BoxPower, Harvest Thermal and Sunny Day
Fund are specifically focused on socially conscious business practices, such as tackling economic and social inequity, as well as
climate change. Liberty Global prides itself on the achievements it has made with respect to DE&I, but it recognizes that there
is much work still to be done, and that to grow as a company, we must invest in our people so that they can be themselves at
work every day.
Our compensation program is key to our company’s success and incentivizes our management team to execute our
financial and operational goals. We concentrate on attracting, retaining and motivating talented executives who can be
responsive to new and different opportunities for our company and thereby create value for our customers and shareholders.
The primary goals of our executive compensation program are to motivate our executives to maximize their contributions to the
company’s success, attract and retain the best leaders for our business and to align our executives’ interests with creating
shareholder value.
At Liberty Global, we are committed to the health and safety of our employees and visitors to our sites, and we ensure
compliance with all relevant national health and safety regulations. For employees, we currently utilize a hybrid work program.
We have also made available a series of well-being resources based on a four-pronged strategy focused on the mental, physical,
social and financial aspects of health and well-being. Included in this strategy, among other things, is access to group training
sessions, private work-out facilities, bicycle reimbursement plans, in-office flu vaccinations and private check-up visits.
We measure employee engagement quarterly against external benchmarks defined by a leading human resources
consultant. We perform in line with global industry benchmarks and exceed benchmarks set by high performing organizations
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in areas such as in inclusion, well-being, manager support and senior leadership communication. The high performing
comparison group is comprised of organizations with strong financial performance and superior human resource practices,
representing the gold standard for employee engagement. Survey results are owned by managers and executives, who are
accountable for formulating action plans. In addition, we gather qualitative and quantitative insights with methods such as
shorter-term pulse surveys and narrower focus groups. This approach informs decision making across key employee focus
areas, including for example, well-being, work-from-home opportunities and skills development.
Additional information on our workforce and our commitment to our employees is made available in Liberty Global’s
Annual Corporate Responsibility Report, which we expect to be published on our website during the second half of 2025. The
contents of this report are not incorporated by reference herein.
Regulatory Matters
Overview
Broadband internet, video distribution, fixed-line telephony and mobile businesses are regulated in each of the countries in
which we operate. The scope of regulation varies from country to country, although in some significant respects, regulation in
E.U. markets is harmonized under the regulatory structure of the E.U.
Of the six countries in our footprint, five are part of the E.U.: the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands (nonconsolidated
joint venture), Belgium, Luxembourg and Slovakia. Our other operations are in the U.K. (nonconsolidated joint venture), which
generally enacts rules similar to that of the E.U.
The U.K. formally left the E.U. on January 31, 2020, commonly referred to as “Brexit”. On December 24, 2020, the U.K.
and the E.U. reached the “Trade and Cooperation Agreement”, referred to as the “E.U.-U.K. Agreement”. Principles on state
aid are also contained in the E.U.-U.K. Agreement to prevent either side from granting unfair subsidies and to provide a dispute
settlement mechanism to ensure businesses from the E.U. and the U.K. compete on a level playing field. In the
telecommunications sector, the U.K. and the E.U. have agreed to maintain the existing levels of liberalization in their markets,
including standard provisions on authorizations, access to and use of telecoms networks, interconnection, fair and transparent
regulation and the allocation of scarce resources. The E.U.-U.K. Agreement contains measures to encourage cooperation and
promote fair and transparent rates for international mobile roaming. However, the U.K. previously introduced a number of
measures aimed at providing safeguards for consumers, which continue to apply. Such measures include limits on the amount
that customers can be charged for using mobile data abroad before having to opt in if they wish to use more data and alert
warnings as customers reach various milestones in their data allowances. Additionally, the Northern Irish Protocol regulates the
relationship between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, ensuring that no hard border is placed between the two, as
well as keeping Northern Ireland inside the E.U. single market. The Northern Irish Protocol, while not material to our or the
VMO2 JV’s operations, affects the movement of CPE and installation personnel between Northern Ireland and the Republic of
Ireland.
Sector Regulations
The European Electronic Communications Code (the Code) is the primary source of regulation governing our E.U.
operations. The Code has been transposed by all of the Member States in our footprint into their respective national laws and
will be reviewed by the Commission in 2025. The U.K. has also largely transposed the Code into its national laws.
The Code primarily seeks to develop open markets for communication services within Europe. It harmonizes the rules
within the E.U. establishing and operating electronic communication networks, including cable television and traditional
telephony networks, and offering electronic communication services, such as telephony (including OTT services), internet and,
to some degree, television services.
Certain key provisions of the Code that are most applicable to our operations include:
•
Significant Market Power. Specific obligations imposed by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) in E.U. Member
States apply to service providers deemed to have Significant Market Power (SMP) in a relevant market. For purposes
of the Code, a service provider has SMP where it enjoys a position of significant economic strength, affording it the
power to behave independently of competitors, customers and consumers to an appreciable extent.
If a service provider is found to have SMP in any particular market, the applicable NRA must impose certain
conditions on that service provider. We have been found to have SMP in certain of our markets, and further findings of
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SMP are possible, which may negatively impact our business. However, across our footprint, we have noticed a
tendency of NRAs towards deregulation, with only a few markets currently being subject to this type of regulation.
The U.K. has a similar system, with the applicable NRA assessing markets on a forward-looking basis to determine
SMP.
•
Must-Carry Obligations. Member States may impose reasonable must-carry obligations on certain service providers in
their jurisdiction. Such obligations must be based on clearly defined general interest objectives, be proportionate and
transparent and be subject to periodic review. The U.K. has a regulatory system that reflects these principles. We are
subject to must-carry regulations in all our markets, and we do not expect such obligations to be curtailed in the
foreseeable future.
NRAs may, in some cases, impose access obligations on service providers, regardless of whether they have SMP. Under
the Code and the E.U. Broadband Cost Reduction Directive, service providers may be required to give access to parts of their
passive network infrastructure upon reasonable request if there are significant economic or physical replicability barriers.
Requirements to provide access to active infrastructure also exist, but only if a number of additional requirements are met. The
Gigabit Infrastructure Act has now been adopted, and when fully in force, will repeal the E.U. Broadband Cost Reduction
Directive. The U.K. has a similar system in place.
Net Neutrality, Roaming and Call Termination
The E.U. has a union-wide net neutrality regime (the E.U. Net Neutrality Regime). The regulation allows for specialized
services that are optimized for specific content and subjects service providers like Liberty Global’s operating companies to
reasonable traffic management requirements. The U.K. transposed net neutrality into its national law following Brexit. The
U.K. Office of Communications (Ofcom) has confirmed a more lenient interpretation of some aspects of net neutrality and
indicated that there may be a case for the U.K. Parliament to make substantive revision to the law.
The E.U. Net Neutrality Regime also prohibits retail roaming tariffs and sets wholesale roaming price caps. The E.U.
introduced caps on wholesale rates for intra-E.U. calls to bring these in line with applicable wholesale roaming caps. In relation
to the U.K., E.U. operators are now free to raise wholesale charges for U.K. operators (and vice-versa) but may choose not to.
Call termination tariffs for SMP providers are set by NRAs, but for the E.U., the Code includes a system of single
maximum, E.U.-wide voice termination rates for fixed and mobile. During 2025, all E.U. service providers will be subject to
maximum fixed and mobile voice termination rates of €0.07 and €0.20 per minute, respectively. In the U.K., an SMP provider
must provide termination on fair and reasonable terms, conditions and charges, which must be no higher than BT’s regulated
charges unless certain conditions are met. In each country in which we operate, we have been found to have SMP for call
termination.
The Gigabit Infrastructure Act will abolish surcharges for intra-E.U. communications, such as SMS, fixed and mobile calls
generated from the domestic country to another E.U. country. As of January 1, 2029, operators must apply domestic rates to
intra-E.U. communications. Abolishing such surcharges may have an impact on our operations.
Broadcasting and Content Law
The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) governs the activities of broadcasters under E.U. law. Generally,
broadcasts originating in, and intended for reception within, an E.U. Member State must respect the laws of the receiving
Member State. E.U. Member States must allow broadcast signals of broadcasters established in another E.U. Member State to
be freely transmitted within their territory, so long as the broadcaster complies with the law of their home state. When offering
third-party VoD services on our network, it is the third-party provider, and not us, that is regulated in respect of these services.
The U.K. has a regulatory system that also reflect these principles.
The AVMSD established quotas, applicable to both linear and non-linear services, for the transmission of European-
produced programming and programs made by European producers who are independent of broadcasters. Such obligations are
applicable to our businesses in the E.U. The U.K. has similar principles.
E.U. Member States may require service providers to contribute financially to the production of European works, including
requiring contributions from providers of VoD services established in other territories that target audiences in their jurisdiction.
Such obligations are applicable to (or are expected to become applicable to) certain of our businesses.
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The European Media Freedom Act (the EMFA), which will be applicable from August 8, 2025, aims to ensure media
pluralism (i.e., allowing for a plurality of voices, opinions and analyses) across the E.U. and requires Member States to adopt
substantive and procedural rules to allow competent authorities to assess media market concentrations that could have a
significant impact on media pluralism and editorial independence. Additionally, under the EMFA, we may need to incur
hardware replacement costs to allow users to change the device or interface configuration that controls their access to media
services, allow users to customize their media offering in accordance with their interests and permit them to visualize the
identity of the media service providers.
The European Commission regulations mandate that commercial providers of online content services (including OTT
service providers) enable subscribers who are temporarily present in any Member State to access and use online content
services in substantially the same manner as in their country of residence. We comply with these content portability
requirements.
In the U.K., the VMO2 JV is required to hold individual licenses under the Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996 for any
television channels (including barker channels) that it owns or operates and to provide certain other services on its cable
television platform, such as electronic program guides. These television licensable content service (TLCS) licenses are granted
and administered by Ofcom, the U.K.’s NRA. Under these licenses, each covered service must comply with a number of Ofcom
codes, including the Broadcasting Code, and with all of Ofcom’s directions. Breach of any of the terms of a TLCS license may
result in the imposition of fines and, potentially, license revocation.
As a provider of an on-demand program service (ODPS), the VMO2 JV must comply with numerous statutory obligations
related to “editorial content” and notify Ofcom of its intention to provide an ODPS. Failure to notify Ofcom or comply with the
relevant statutory obligations may result in the imposition of fines or, ultimately, a prohibition on providing an ODPS.
Technological Regulation
The E.U. legislature is increasingly imposing additional mandatory requirements regarding energy consumption of the
telecommunications equipment we provide. We have been working to lower power consumption of our set-top boxes.
Legislation in this area may be adopted that could adversely affect the cost and/or the functionality of our CPE.
Pursuant to an E.U. regulation on standby power (the Standby Regulation), many devices are required to have either a low
power standby mode or off mode, unless such mode is inappropriate for the intended use of the product. In particular, the
Standby Regulation sets, among other things, the maximum power consumption of networked consumer equipment while in the
so-called “Networked Standby” or “High Network Availability” modes. All of our CPE devices comply with the requirements
of the Standby Regulation.
The E.U.’s Radio Equipment Directive regulates radio equipment held for sale. It sets essential requirements for safety and
health, electromagnetic compatibility and the efficient use of the radio spectrum. The list of essential requirements under the
Radio Equipment Directive includes certain categories of internet-connected radio equipment such as WiFi-enabled modems
and set-top boxes, with manufacturers required to ensure compliance by August 1, 2025. These devices are expected to protect
the network from harm, protect the personal data and privacy of the user and of the subscriber and offer users and subscribers
fraud protection services.
Prior to Brexit, the U.K. implemented the Standby Regulation and the Radio Equipment Directive into national law.
In the U.K., the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure (Product Security) Act imposes three key
requirements on consumer connectable products: strong password protection, information on how to report security issues to
the manufacturer and information on the minimum-security update period.
Through the E.U.’s Radio Spectrum Policy Program, certain spectrum has been approved for mobile broadband use. The
terms under which this spectrum becomes available varies among the European countries, and certain uses of this spectrum may
interfere with services carried on our cable networks.
Privacy Regulation
In January 2017, the European Commission published a proposal for a revised e-Privacy regulation. Negotiations among
E.U. Member States are still in process, and we cannot predict the ultimate outcome of these negotiations.
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In May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) became effective in the E.U. The GDPR sets strict
standards regarding the handling, use and retention of personal data. Organizations that fail to comply face stiff penalties.
Following the U.K.’s withdrawal from the E.U., the U.K., enacted its own version of the E.U. GDPR through the European
Union (Withdrawal) Act, the Data Protection, Privacy and Electronic Communications (Amendments etc) (EU Exit)
Regulations 2019 (the U.K. GDPR). The U.K. GDPR, together with the Data Protection Act of 2018, governs the processing of
personal data belonging to individuals located in the U.K., including both citizens and residents, and applies to persons or
entities in the U.K. or persons or entities located outside the U.K. who offer products and services to U.K. citizens and
residents.
The GDPR applies to the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes the E.U. and a number of other countries, but
does not include the U.K. When personal data is transferred outside the EEA, special safeguards stemming from the GDPR,
such as the adoption of adequacy decisions and the use of standard contractual clauses (SCCs), are enforced to ensure that data
is transferred in a protected manner. Adequacy decisions indicate which third countries have sufficiently similar data protection
laws in place to those provided under the GDPR. Transfers to an “adequate” third country is compared to a transmission of data
within the E.U.
On June 28, 2021, the European Commission adopted an adequacy decision for the U.K., as the U.K.’s data protection
system is based on the same GDPR rules that were applicable when the U.K. was an E.U. Member State. However, the
adequacy decision is subject to a “sunset clause”, which establishes the automatic expiration of the decision on June 27, 2025.
Before then, the European Commission must evaluate whether the U.K. continues to ensure an adequate level of data
protection, and if so, renew the decision for another four years.
The European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision on the E.U.-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, which replaces
the Privacy Shield deal which was struck down by the European Court of Justice in July 2020. U.S. companies can join the
E.U.-U.S. Data Privacy Framework by committing to comply with a detailed set of privacy obligations. E.U. citizens also have
access to a number of redress mechanisms in case their personal data is handled in violation of this framework, including an
independent dispute resolution mechanism and a newly created ‘Data Protection Review Court’. This framework is subject to
periodic review by the European Commission, European data protection authorities and applicable U.S. authorities.
When a data transfer involves a third country that has not been granted an adequacy decision, our operations must use
SCCs. The European Commission has made clear that using SCCs does not automatically make an international data transfer
GDPR compliant. Instead, the parties must perform “transfer impact assessments” in order to address any possible risks in the
data transfer and take supplementary measures. The impact assessment takes into account matters such as the circumstances of
the transfer, the nature of the parties, the personal data involved and the laws and practices of the country of destination.
Other Regulations
In addition to the industry-specific regimes discussed above, our operating companies must comply with a range of both
specific and general legislation concerning cybersecurity and consumer protection, among other matters.
With respect to cybersecurity, in 2016, the E.U. adopted a directive on security of network and information systems (NIS
Directive), which provides legal measures to boost the overall level of cybersecurity in the E.U. Our operations in the E.U. do
not fall under the NIS Directive, but a transposition of the Directive in Ireland, Slovakia and the Netherlands has effectively
introduced the NIS Directive concepts into those jurisdictions. The successor to the NIS Directive, a directive on measures for a
high common level of cybersecurity across the E.U. (NIS 2 Directive), was adopted by the E.U. legislature in 2022. E.U.
Member States had until October 17, 2024 to transpose the NIS 2 Directive into their national legislation, and each Member
State must provide a list of essential and important entities within their jurisdiction by April 2025. In parallel, the European
Commission is working on detailed rules on risk mitigation and notification measures.
The E.U. and U.K. have announced restrictions related to so-called “high risk vendors” (HRVs) in the telecommunications
sector. The E.U. published a “toolbox” of suggested measures for regulating 5G networks, acknowledging the need for a risk
assessment of 5G equipment suppliers and the need to adopt mitigating measures by E.U. governments. Some Member States
are addressing security concerns by identifying individual HRVs in advance, whose equipment should be excluded or limited
for all network operations in the country.
The U.K.’s Telecoms Security Act imposes a security framework on telecommunication providers and gives the U.K.
government power to, among other things, direct telecommunication providers to remove HRVs from their networks. Similar
legislation has also been adopted in the Netherlands and Belgium.
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The Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act are now in force in the E.U. While the Digital Markets Act has an
immaterial impact on our business, under the Digital Services Act we have additional obligations, including with respect to
periodic reporting, content moderation and establishing points of contact with national authorities and customers.
Most of the provisions of the E.U.’s Data Act will become effective in November 2025. Under the Data Act, companies
must share personal and non-personal data generated by IoT products with users and third parties, upon the user’s request. It
also requires companies to share personal and non-personal data with public sector bodies in certain situations, and imposes
switching and interoperability requirements on cloud services.
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) extends and strengthens the existing rules on non-financial
reporting and aims to eventually have the same standards for both sustainability reporting and financial reporting. Companies
will have to report on how sustainability issues affect their business, as well as the impact of their activities on people and the
environment. The CSRD also aims to simplify the reporting process for companies, providing a single framework for providing
information to investors and stakeholders. The first of the reporting requirements relevant to Liberty Global will apply in 2026
(for fiscal year 2025 reporting), with additional reporting requirements coming into effect on a staggered basis until 2029.
Our operating companies are also subject to both national and European level regulations on competition and consumer
protection, which are largely regulated under the Code. For example, while our operating companies may offer their services in
bundled packages in European markets, they are sometimes not permitted to make a subscription to one service, such as cable
television, conditional upon a subscription to another service, such as telephony. They may also face restrictions on the degree
to which they may discount certain products included in the bundled packages.
We often undergo close regulatory scrutiny from competition authorities, in particular with respect to proposed business
combinations that often require clearance from the European Commission or national competition authorities, which can block,
impose conditions on or delay an acquisition, disposition or combination, thus possibly hampering our opportunities for growth.
Additional scrutiny is imposed under the national foreign direct investment screening regimes in the U.K. and by some E.U.
Member States. Such regimes allow national governments to review and impose conditions on certain transactions involving
critical infrastructures, including telecommunications. In the event conditions are imposed and we fail to meet them in a timely
manner, the relevant authority or governments may impose fines and, if in connection with a transaction, may require
restorative measures, such as a disposition of assets or divestiture of operations.
One such example of potential close regulatory scrutiny is the E.U. Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR). The FSR aims to
prevent foreign subsidies from distorting the E.U. internal market. We may be obligated to file notifications for pre-review
when participating in mergers and acquisitions transactions or in public tenders. This could bring further regulatory complexity
to our transactions, and failure to comply with these obligations could lead to sanctions.
The U.K.’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (the DMCCA) will impact merger control, consumer
protection, anti-trust rules and digital markets. The DMCCA will enhance the Competition and Market Authority’s (CMA)
enforcement powers in respect of anti-trust investigations as well as consumer protections, putting it on a similar footing to the
CMA’s anti-trust enforcement powers. The CMA will also be able to designate SMP to firms that possess substantial and
entrenched market power in digital activities. The DMCCA intends to introduce new rules on subscription contracts, however,
contracts that are regulated by Ofcom are exempt. The VMO2 JV’s subscription contracts are unlikely to be in scope of these
rules, since they are already subject to pre-existing Ofcom regulations.
Belgium
Telenet has been found to have SMP in the wholesale broadband and the wholesale television distribution markets,
obliging it to (i) provide third-party operators with access to the digital television platform (including basic digital video and
analog video) and (ii) make available to third-party operators a bitstream offer of broadband internet access, including fixed
voice. The Belgian NRA has also imposed monthly wholesale cable resale access prices. These rates are expected to evolve
over time due to, among other reasons, broadband capacity usage.
The obligations on Telenet may strengthen its competitors by granting them access to Telenet’s fixed network to offer
competing products and services, notwithstanding Telenet’s substantial investments in developing its high-performing fixed
infrastructure. In addition, any access granted to competitors could (i) limit the bandwidth available to Telenet to provide new
or expanded products and services to its customers and (ii) adversely impact Telenet’s ability to maintain or increase its revenue
and cash flows. The extent of any such adverse impacts ultimately will be dependent on the degree to which competitors take
I-26
advantage of the access to Telenet’s network, the rates that Telenet receives for such access and other competitive factors or
market developments.
Significant FMC Joint Venture Entities
United Kingdom
One Touch Switching. New U.K. rules relating to customer switching of fixed line services came into effect in September
2024. These rules enable customers to change providers by simply contacting their new chosen provider, who will manage the
transition of service with the old provider. Refinement of the new processes is expected to continue into 2025, so we cannot be
sure of the long-term effects of these new rules on the VMO2 JV.
Telecoms Access Review. Ofcom will commence a review of the wholesale broadband markets in 2025. This will set the
regulatory rules in these markets for the five year period from April 2026, through which Ofcom will seek to design and impose
regulatory remedies designed to incentivize competition. BT has previously been designated as having SMP, and any
deregulation of BT’s SMP’s status may have an impact on the VMO2 JV’s operations as the challenger to BT.
Spectrum Annual License Fees (ALFs). Ofcom has proposed a revised approach to the calculation of ALFs for the
900MHz, 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum bands. Under the proposals, the total amount of ALFs paid by all mobile
operators, including the VMO2 JV, would be reduced.
Netherlands
On July 10, 2023, the Netherlands’ NRA, the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM), published a draft decision of its
analysis of the wholesale fixed access market, concluding that there are five regional markets that are, or tend to be,
competitive. On December 12, 2023, the ACM published its final decision to refrain from further regulation of the wholesale
local access fixed broadband internet market following review by the European Commission. The ACM found that there is
sufficient competition in the telecom market and confirmed its previous position that further regulation of the market is not
currently necessary. This decision to deregulate is mainly based on two factors: (i) the approval of KPN’s commercial offer in a
formal commitment decision by the ACM, which makes KPN’s fiber network open to various providers of telecom service and
allows them to compete effectively at the retail level, and (ii) the announcements of fiber roll-out plans by network operators
that will likely cover all geographic areas of the Netherlands within the next five years.
The ACM also adopted a final decision rejecting YouCa’s request for symmetric access to non-replicable network assets of
VodafoneZiggo’s cable network in Amsterdam, as it was deemed not proportionate.
Available Information
All our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC), including our Annual Reports on Form 10-
K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as well as amendments to such filings, are available on
our internet website free of charge generally within 24 hours after we file such material with the SEC. Our website address is
www.libertyglobal.com. The information on our website is not part of this Annual Report and is not incorporated by reference
herein. The SEC also maintains a website address at www.sec.gov that contains reports, proxy and information statements and
other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.
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Item 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information contained in this Annual Report, you should consider the following risk factors in
evaluating our results of operations, financial condition, business and operations or an investment in the shares of our company.
The risk factors described in this section have been separated into four groups:
•
risks that relate to the competition we or our affiliates face and the technology used in our businesses;
•
risks that relate to certain financial matters;
•
risks that relate to operating in overseas markets and being subject to foreign regulation; and
•
other risks, including risks that, among other things, relate to the obstacles that may be faced by anyone who may seek
to acquire us.
Although we describe below and elsewhere in this Annual Report the risks we consider to be the most material, there may
be other unknown or unpredictable economic, business, competitive, regulatory or other factors that also could have material
adverse effects on our results of operations, financial condition, business or operations in the future. In addition, past financial
performance may not be a reliable indicator of future performance and historical trends should not be used to anticipate results
or trends in future periods.
If any of the events described below, individually or in combination, were to occur, our businesses, prospects, financial
condition, results of operations and/or cash flows could be materially adversely affected.
Factors Relating to Competition and Technology
We operate in increasingly competitive markets, and there is a risk that we will not be able to effectively compete with
other service providers. The markets for broadband internet, video, telephony and mobile services are highly competitive. In
the provision of video services, we face competition from FTA and digital terrestrial television (DTT) broadcasters, video
provided via satellite platforms, networks using DSL, VDSL or vectoring technology, multi-channel multi-point distribution
system operators, FTTx network operators, OTT video service providers and, in some countries where parts of our systems are
overbuilt, cable networks, among others. Our operating businesses are facing increasing competition from video services
provided by, or over the networks of, incumbent telecommunications operators and other service providers. As the availability
and speed of broadband internet increases, we also face competition from OTT video content providers utilizing our or our
competitors’ high-speed internet connections. In the provision of telephony and broadband internet services, we are
experiencing increasing competition from the incumbent telecommunications operators and other service providers in each
country in which we operate, including for both retail and wholesale products and services, as well as providers of mobile voice
and data. The incumbent telecommunications operators typically dominate the market for these services and have the advantage
of nationwide networks and greater resources than we have to devote to the provision of these services. Many of the incumbent
operators offer double-play, triple-play and quad-play bundles of services. In many countries, we also compete with operators
using local loop unbundling to provide these services, other facilities-based operators and wireless providers. Developments in
DSL as well as investments in FTTx technology by the incumbent telecommunications operators and alternative providers have
improved the attractiveness of our competitors’ products and services and strengthened their competitive position.
Developments in wireless technologies, such as 5G, satellite internet and FWA, are creating additional competitive challenges.
In some of our markets, national and local government agencies may seek to become involved, either directly or indirectly,
in the establishment of FTTx networks, DTT systems or other communications systems. While we intend to pursue available
options to restrict such involvement or to ensure that such involvement is on commercially reasonable terms, there can be no
assurance that we will be successful in these pursuits. As a result, we may face competition from entities not requiring a normal
commercial return on their investments. In addition, we may face more vigorous competition than would have been the case if
there was no government involvement.
We expect the level and intensity of competition to continue to increase from both existing competitors and the influx of
new market entrants as a result of changes in the regulatory framework of the industries in which we operate, as well as
strategic alliances and cooperative relationships among industry participants. Increased competition could result in increased
customer churn, reductions in customer acquisition rates for some products and services and significant price and promotional
competition in our markets. In combination with difficult economic environments, these competitive pressures could adversely
impact our ability to increase or maintain the revenue, average revenue per RGU or mobile subscriber, as applicable (ARPU),
RGUs, mobile subscribers, Adjusted EBITDA (as defined in note 19 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II
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of this Annual Report on Form 10-K), Adjusted EBITDA margins, liquidity and other financial and operational metrics of our
operating segments.
Changes in technology may limit the competitiveness of and demand for our services. Technology in the video,
telecommunications and data services industries is changing rapidly, including advances in current technologies and the
emergence of new technologies. New technologies, products and services may impact consumer behavior and therefore demand
for our products and services. The ability to anticipate changes in technology and consumer tastes and to develop and introduce
new and enhanced products and services on a timely basis will affect our ability to continue to grow, increase our revenue and
number of subscribers and remain competitive. New products and services, once marketed, may not meet consumer
expectations or demand, can be subject to delays in development or may fail to operate as intended. A lack of market
acceptance of new products and services that we may offer, or the development of significant competitive products or services
by others, could have a material adverse impact on our financial and operational results.
Our significant property and equipment additions may not generate a positive return. Significant additions to our
property and equipment are, or in the future may be, required to add or retain customers, upgrade or expand our broadband
communications networks and to upgrade CPE to enhance our service offerings and improve the customer experience.
Additions to our property and equipment require significant capital expenditures for materials and associated labor costs to
build out and/or upgrade our networks, as well as for related CPE. Additionally, significant competition, the introduction of
new technologies, the expansion of existing technologies, such as FTTx and advanced DSL technologies, the impact of natural
disasters or adverse regulatory developments could cause us to decide to undertake previously unplanned builds or upgrades of
our networks and CPE.
No assurance can be given that any newbuilds, rebuilds, acquisitions, upgrades or extensions of our network will increase
penetration rates, increase ARPU or otherwise generate positive returns as anticipated, or that we will have adequate capital
available to finance such newbuilds, rebuilds, upgrades, acquisitions or extensions. Additionally, costs related to our property
and equipment additions could end up being greater than originally anticipated or planned. If this is the case, we may require
additional financing sooner than anticipated, we may have to divert funding from other planned projects or we may have to
delay or abandon some or all of our development and expansion plans or otherwise forego market opportunities. Additional
financing may not be available on favorable terms, if at all, and our ability to incur additional debt on favorable terms or at all
will be limited by our debt agreements. If we are unable to, or elect not to, pay for costs associated with adding new customers,
expanding, extending or upgrading our networks or making our other planned or unplanned additions to our property and
equipment, or are delayed in making such investments, our growth could be limited and our competitive position could be
harmed.
We depend almost exclusively on our relationships with third-party programming providers and broadcasters for
programming content, and a failure to acquire a wide selection of popular programming on acceptable terms could
adversely affect our business. The success of our video subscription business depends, in large part, on our ability to provide a
wide selection of popular programming to our subscribers. In general, we do not produce our own content, and we depend on
our agreements, relationships and cooperation with public and private broadcasters, global and regional app providers, rights
holders and collective rights associations to obtain such content. If we fail to obtain a diverse array of popular programming for
our pay video services, including a sufficient selection of non-linear content (such as a selection of attractive VoD content) and
rights for ancillary services such as DVR and catch-up or ‘Replay’ services, on satisfactory terms, we may not be able to offer a
compelling video product to our customers at a price they are willing to pay. Additionally, we are frequently negotiating and
renegotiating programming agreements and our annual costs for programming can vary. There can be no assurance that we will
be able to renegotiate or renew the terms of our programming agreements on acceptable terms, or at all. There has also been a
rise in the number of direct-to-consumer offerings from content owners which impacts negotiations and the content, rights
available and restrictions imposed on us. Programming and copyright costs represent a significant portion of our operating costs
and are subject to price rises in future periods due to various factors, including (i) higher costs associated with the expansion of
our digital video content, including rights associated with ancillary product offerings and rights that provide for the broadcast of
live sporting events, and (ii) rate increases, including as a result of inflationary pressures.
If we are unable to obtain or retain attractively priced, competitive content, demand for our existing and future video
services could decrease, thereby limiting our ability to attract new customers, retain existing customers and/or migrate
customers from lower-tier programming to higher-tier programming, thereby inhibiting our ability to execute our business
plans. Furthermore, we may be placed at a competitive disadvantage if certain of our competitors obtain exclusive programming
rights, particularly with respect to popular sports and movie programming.
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We depend on third-party suppliers and licensors to supply and support necessary equipment, software and certain
services required for our businesses. We rely on third-party vendors for the equipment, software and services that we require
in order to provide services to our customers. Our suppliers often conduct business worldwide and their ability to meet our
needs is subject to various risks, including political and economic instability, natural calamities, interruptions in transportation
or supply chain systems, terrorism, armed conflict and labor issues. As a result, we may not be able to obtain or update the
equipment, software and services required for our businesses on a timely basis or on satisfactory terms. Any shortfall in CPE
could lead to delays in completing extensions or upgrades to our networks and in connecting customers to our services and,
accordingly, could adversely impact our ability to maintain or increase our RGUs, revenue and cash flows. Also, if demand
exceeds the suppliers’ and licensors’ capacity or if they experience financial or operational difficulties, the ability of our
businesses to provide some services may be materially adversely affected, which in turn could affect our businesses’ ability to
attract and retain customers. Previously, we have experienced certain business disruptions due to the recent worldwide silicon
shortage, which has increased, and may continue to increase, the delivery lead times and pricing of certain of our key
components. We cannot predict what future disruptions to our business in relation to any further silicon and related component
issues. Although we actively monitor the creditworthiness of our key third-party suppliers and licensors, the financial failure of
a key third-party supplier or licensor could disrupt our operations and have an adverse impact on our revenue and cash flows.
We rely upon intellectual property that is owned or licensed by us to use various technologies, conduct our operations and sell
our products and services. Legal challenges could be made against our use of our or our licensed intellectual property rights
(such as trademarks, copyright patents and trade secrets) and we may be required to enter into licensing arrangements on
unfavorable terms, incur monetary damages or be enjoined from use of the intellectual property rights in question.
Spectrum cost and availability and regulation may adversely affect our business, financial condition and operating
results. As we continue to enhance the quality of our services in certain geographic areas and deploy new technologies,
including 5G, we may need to acquire additional spectrum in the future. As a result, we will continue to actively seek to make
additional investment in spectrum, which could be significant.
The continued interest in, and acquisition of, spectrum by existing carriers and other commercial and governmental entities
may reduce our ability to acquire, and increase the acquisition cost of, spectrum in the secondary market or negatively impact
our ability to gain access to spectrum through other means, including government auctions. Our return on investment in
spectrum depends on our ability to attract additional customers and to provide additional services and usage to existing
customers. Additionally, applicable regulatory bodies may not be able to provide sufficient additional spectrum to auction. We
may also be unable to secure the spectrum necessary to maintain or enhance our competitive position in auctions or in the
secondary market on favorable terms or at all.
Certain regulatory bodies may impose conditions on the acquisition or use of new wireless broadband mobile spectrum that
may negatively impact our ability to obtain spectrum economically or in appropriate configurations or coverage areas.
If we cannot acquire sufficient spectrum, if competitors acquire spectrum that allows them to provide competitive services
or if we cannot deploy our services over acquired spectrum on a timely basis, without burdensome conditions, at reasonable
costs or while maintaining network quality levels, our ability to attract and retain customers and our business, financial
condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected.
Certain of our businesses that offer mobile telephony and data services rely on the radio access networks of third-party
wireless network providers to carry our mobile communications traffic. Our services to mobile customers in Ireland rely on
the use of an MVNO arrangement, currently with Three (Hutchison), whereby we utilize the radio access networks of a third-
party wireless network provider to carry our mobile communications traffic. If our MVNO arrangement is terminated, or if
Three (Hutchison) fails to provide the services required under our MVNO arrangement, or if it fails to deploy and maintain its
network and we are unable to find a replacement network operator on a timely and commercially reasonable basis, or at all, we
could be prevented from continuing the mobile services relying on such MVNO arrangement. Additionally, as our MVNO
arrangement comes to term, we may not be able to renegotiate renewal or replacement MVNO arrangements on the same or
more favorable terms.
Failure in our or third-party technology or telecommunications systems, leakage of sensitive customer data or security
breaches could significantly disrupt our operations, reduce our customer base and result in fines, litigation or lost revenue.
Our success depends, in part, on the continued and uninterrupted performance of our information technology and network
systems, including internet sites, data hosting and processing facilities and other hardware, software and technical applications
and platforms, as well as our customer service centers. Some of these are managed, hosted, provided or used by third-party
service providers or their vendors, to assist in conducting our business. In addition, the hardware supporting a large number of
critical systems for our fixed network in a given country or geographic region may be housed in a relatively small number of
locations. Our and our third-party service providers’ systems and equipment (including our routers and set-top boxes) are
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vulnerable to damage or security breach from a variety of sources, including telecommunications failures, power loss (such as
blackouts or brownouts), malicious human acts, security flaws and natural disaster or extreme weather events (including
heatwaves, large storms and floods, whether or not arising from short-term or long-term changes in weather patterns).
Moreover, despite our security measures, unauthorized parties may gain access to or disrupt our or our third-party service
providers’ servers, systems and equipment by, among other things, hacking into our servers, systems and equipment or those of
our third-party service providers through fraud, computer viruses, worms, phishing, physical or electronic break-ins or
burglaries or errors by our or our third-party service providers’ employees. We and our third-party service providers may not be
able to anticipate or respond in an adequate and timely manner to attempts to obtain unauthorized access to, disable or degrade
our or our third-party service providers’ systems because the techniques for doing so change frequently, are increasingly
complex and sophisticated and are difficult to detect for periods of time. In addition, as discussed further below, the security
measures and procedures that we and our third-party service providers have in place to protect personal data and other
information may not be sufficient to counter all data security breaches, cyber-attacks or system failures. In some cases,
mitigation efforts may depend on third parties who may not deliver products or services that meet the required contractual
standards or whose hardware, software or network services may be subject to error, defect, delay or outage.
Through our operations, sales and marketing activities, we collect and store certain customer information. This may include
phone numbers, drivers license numbers, contact preferences, personal information stored on electronic devices and payment
information, including credit and debit card data. We also gather and retain information about employees in the normal course
of business. In certain circumstances, where it is lawful to do so, we may share information about such persons with third-party
service providers that assist with certain aspects of our business. Unauthorized parties may attempt to gain access to such data
and information directly from us or through those third parties using the same methods described in the prior paragraph. As a
result, data and information we gather could be subject to misappropriation, misuse, leakage, falsification or accidental release
or loss of information maintained in our information technology systems and networks or those of our third-party service
providers, including customer and personnel data. As a result of the increasing awareness concerning the importance of
safeguarding personal information, the potential misuse of such information and legislation that has been adopted or is being
considered in the U.S. and across some or all of our markets regarding the protection, privacy and security of personal
information, information-related risks are increasing, particularly for businesses like ours that handle a large amount of personal
data. Failure to comply with these data protection laws may result in, among other consequences, fines, litigation or regulatory
actions by applicable authoritative bodies.
Despite the precautions we have taken, unanticipated problems affecting our systems and equipment could cause business
disruptions, such as failures in our information technology systems, disruption in the transmission of signals over our networks,
unauthorized access to the data and information we gather or similar problems. There can be no assurance that the security
measures that we have implemented to protect our systems and data, and to prevent, detect and respond to data security
incidents, will be successful. Any disruptive situation that causes loss, misappropriation, misuse or leakage of data could
damage our reputation and the credibility of our operating companies and could subject us to potential liability, including
litigation or other legal actions against us, the imposition of penalties, fines, fees or liabilities, which may not be covered by our
insurance policies, and lost customers or revenue. Our cyber liability insurance (including third-party liability and first-party
liability) may not be sufficient to protect against all of our businesses’ losses from any future disruptions or breaches of their
systems or other events as described above. Also, a cybersecurity breach and the changing cybersecurity landscape could
require us to devote significant management resources to address the problems associated with the breach and to expend
significant additional resources to upgrade further the security measures we employ to protect customer, employee and other
personal information against cyber-attacks and other wrongful attempts to access such information, which could result in a
disruption of our operations. This includes additional infrastructure capacity spending to mitigate any system degradation and
the reallocation of resources from development activities. To date, other than the non-permitted access of certain legacy Virgin
Media databases in February of 2020, we have not been subject to cyberattacks or network disruptions that, individually or in
the aggregate, have been material to our operations or financial condition. Although we have not detected another material
security breach or cybersecurity incident to date, we have been the target of events of this nature and expect to be subject to
similar attacks in the future.
Factors Relating to Certain Financial Matters
Our substantial leverage could limit our ability to obtain additional financing and have other adverse effects. We seek to
maintain our debt at levels that provide for attractive equity returns without assuming undue risk. In this regard, we generally
seek to cause our operating subsidiaries and joint ventures to maintain their debt at levels that result in a consolidated debt
balance that is between four and five times our consolidated Adjusted EBITDA (using consistent currency exchange rates for
debt and Adjusted EBITDA). As a result, we are highly leveraged. At December 31, 2024, the outstanding principal amount of
our consolidated debt, together with our finance lease obligations, aggregated $9.2 billion, including $0.9 billion that is
classified as current on our consolidated balance sheet and $2.4 billion that is not due until 2029 or thereafter. We believe that
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we have sufficient resources to repay or refinance the current portion of our debt and finance lease obligations and to fund our
foreseeable liquidity requirements during the next 12 months. However, as the amount of debt that is maturing increases in later
years, we anticipate that we will seek to refinance or otherwise extend our debt maturities. As a result of unfavorable
geopolitical conditions in 2024, credit markets were not offering attractive terms for issuance and thus we did not complete any
refinancing transactions on our consolidated businesses. No assurance can be given that we will be able to complete these
refinancing transactions or otherwise extend our debt maturities. In this regard, it is not possible to predict how political and
economic conditions, sovereign debt concerns or any adverse regulatory developments could impact the credit and equity
markets we access and, accordingly, our future liquidity and financial position.
Our ability to service or refinance our debt and to maintain compliance with the leverage covenants in the credit
agreements and indentures of our borrowing groups is dependent primarily on our ability to maintain or increase the Adjusted
EBITDA of our operating subsidiaries and joint ventures and to achieve adequate returns on our property and equipment
additions and acquisitions. In addition, our ability to obtain additional debt financing is limited by the incurrence-based leverage
covenants contained in the various debt instruments of our borrowing groups. For example, if the Adjusted EBITDA of one of
our borrowing groups were to decline, our ability to obtain additional debt could be limited. Accordingly, if our cash provided
by operations declines or we encounter other material liquidity requirements, we may be required to seek additional debt or
equity financing in order to meet our debt obligations and other liquidity requirements as they come due. In addition, our
current debt levels may limit our ability to incur additional debt financing to fund working capital needs, acquisitions, property
and equipment additions or other general corporate requirements. We can give no assurance that any additional debt or equity
financing will be available on terms that are as favorable as the terms of our existing debt, or at all. Further, our board of
directors has approved a share repurchase program for Liberty Global in 2025. Any cash used by our company in connection
with any future repurchases of our common shares would not be available for other purposes, including the repayment of debt.
For additional information concerning our share repurchase programs, see note 14 to our consolidated financial statements
included in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Certain of our subsidiaries and joint ventures are subject to various debt instruments that contain restrictions on how
we finance our operations and operate our businesses, which could impede our ability to engage in beneficial transactions.
Certain of our subsidiaries and joint ventures are subject to significant financial and operating restrictions contained in
outstanding credit agreements, indentures and similar instruments of indebtedness. These restrictions will affect, and in some
cases significantly limit or prohibit, among other things, the ability of those subsidiaries and joint ventures to:
•
incur or guarantee additional indebtedness;
•
pay dividends or make other upstream distributions;
•
make investments;
•
transfer, sell or dispose of certain assets, including subsidiary stock;
•
merge or consolidate with other entities;
•
engage in transactions with us or other affiliates; or
•
create liens on their assets.
As a result of the restrictions contained in these debt instruments, the companies party thereto, and their subsidiaries, could
be unable to obtain additional capital in the future to:
•
fund property and equipment additions or acquisitions that could improve their value;
•
meet their loan and capital commitments to their business affiliates;
•
invest in companies in which they would otherwise invest;
•
fund any operating losses or future development of their business affiliates;
•
obtain lower borrowing costs that are available from secured lenders or engage in advantageous transactions that
monetize their assets; or
•
conduct other necessary or prudent corporate activities.
In addition, most of the credit agreements to which these subsidiaries and joint ventures are parties include financial
covenants that require them, in certain circumstances, to maintain certain leverage ratios if the drawings under the applicable
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revolving credit facility exceed a certain percentage of the commitments under such revolving credit facility. Their ability to
meet these financial covenants may be affected by adverse economic, competitive or regulatory developments and other events
beyond their control, and we cannot assure you that these financial covenants will be met. In the event of a default under such
subsidiaries’ and joint ventures’ credit agreements or indentures, the lenders or bondholders, as applicable, may accelerate the
maturity of the indebtedness under those agreements or indentures, which could result in a default under other outstanding
credit facilities or indentures. We cannot be certain that any of these subsidiaries or joint ventures will have sufficient assets to
repay indebtedness outstanding under their credit agreements and indentures. Any refinancing of this indebtedness is likely to
contain similar restrictive covenants.
We are exposed to interest rate risks. Shifts in such rates may adversely affect the debt service obligations of our
subsidiaries and joint ventures. We are exposed to the risk of fluctuations in interest rates, primarily through the credit
facilities of certain of our subsidiaries and joint ventures, which are indexed to EURIBOR, the Secured Overnight Financing
Rate (SOFR), the Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (Term SOFR), the Sterling Overnight Index Average (SONIA) or
other base rates. Although we enter into various derivative transactions to manage exposure to movements in interest rates,
there can be no assurance that we will be able to continue to do so at a reasonable cost, or at all. If we are unable to effectively
manage our interest rate exposure through derivative transactions, any increase in market interest rates would increase our
interest rate exposure and debt service obligations, which would exacerbate the risks associated with our leveraged capital
structure.
There have been significant changes in the benchmark interest rates used to set floating rates on our debt and derivative
instruments. ICE Benchmark Administration (the entity that administers LIBOR) ceased to publish GBP LIBOR rates after
December 31, 2021, and it ceased to publish USD LIBOR rates after June 30, 2023. The methodology for EURIBOR has been
reformed and EURIBOR has been granted regulatory approval to continue to be used.
We have agreed amendments in respect of all of our debt and derivative instruments to replace the ceased rates. For USD,
these reference SOFR administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or Term SOFR administered by CME Group
Benchmark Administration Limited. For GBP, these reference SONIA administered by the Bank of England.
We are subject to increasing operating costs and inflation risks, which may adversely affect our results of operations.
While our operations attempt to increase our subscription rates to offset increases in programming, inputs and operating costs,
there is no assurance that they will be able to do so. In certain countries in which we operate, our ability to increase subscription
rates is subject to regulatory controls. Also, our ability to increase subscription rates may be constrained by competitive
pressures. Therefore, programming, inputs and operating costs may rise faster than associated revenue, resulting in a material
negative impact on our cash flows and net earnings or loss. We are also impacted by inflationary pressures, which remain
elevated, in salaries, wages, benefits, regulatory, energy and other administrative costs in certain of our markets as a result of,
among other things, the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Continuing uncertainties and challenging conditions in the global economy and in the countries in which we operate
may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. The current macroeconomic environment is
highly volatile, with continued instability in global markets, including ongoing trade negotiations, uncertainty over inflation and
interest rates, energy price fluctuations, continued escalation in geopolitical tensions having all contributed to a challenging
global economic environment. Future developments are dependent upon a number of political and economic factors, including
the higher borrowing levels by countries around the world and the potential for lower growth expectations, changing global
interest rates, trade protection policies and continued inflationary pressures. As a result, we cannot predict how long challenging
conditions will exist or the extent to which the markets in which we operate may deteriorate. Additional risks arising from the
ongoing economic challenges in Europe are described below under the Risk Factor titled: We are exposed to sovereign debt and
currency instability risks that could have an adverse impact on our liquidity, financial condition and cash flows.
Unfavorable economic conditions, including the current cost-of-living crises in many of the countries in which we operate,
may impact a significant number of our subscribers and/or the prices we are able to charge for our products and services and, as
a result, it may be (i) more difficult for us to attract new subscribers and maintain current subscribers, (ii) more likely that
subscribers will downgrade or disconnect their services and (iii) more difficult for us to maintain ARPUs at existing levels.
Countries may also seek new or increased revenue sources due to fiscal deficits. Such actions may further adversely affect our
company and our joint ventures. Accordingly, our ability to increase or maintain, the revenue, ARPUs, RGUs, mobile
subscribers, Adjusted EBITDA, margins and liquidity of our operating segments could be adversely affected if the
macroeconomic environment remains uncertain or declines further. We are currently unable to predict the extent of any of these
potential adverse effects.
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We are exposed to sovereign debt and currency instability risks that could have an adverse impact on our liquidity,
financial condition and cash flows. Our operations are subject to macroeconomic and political risks that are outside of our
control. For example, high levels of sovereign debt in the U.S. and several countries in which we or our affiliates operate could
potentially lead to additional fiscal reforms (including austerity measures), tax increases, sovereign debt restructurings, high
corporate default rates, currency instability, increased counterparty credit risk, high levels of volatility and disruptions in the
credit and equity markets, as well as other outcomes that might adversely impact our company. With regard to currency
instability issues, concerns exist in the Eurozone with respect to individual macro-fundamentals on a country-by-country basis,
as well as with respect to the overall stability of the European monetary union and the suitability of a single currency to
appropriately deal with specific fiscal management and sovereign debt issues in individual Eurozone countries. The realization
of these concerns could lead to the exit of one or more countries from the European monetary union and the re-introduction of
individual currencies in these countries, or, in more extreme circumstances, the possible dissolution of the European monetary
union entirely, which could result in the redenomination of a portion or, in the extreme case, all of our euro-denominated assets,
liabilities and cash flows to the new currency of the country in which they originated. This could result in a mismatch in the
currencies of our assets, liabilities and cash flows. Any such mismatch, together with the capital market disruption that would
likely accompany any such redenomination event, could have a material adverse impact on our liquidity and financial condition.
Furthermore, any redenomination event would likely be accompanied by significant economic dislocation, particularly within
the Eurozone countries, which in turn could have an adverse impact on demand for our products and services, and accordingly,
on our revenue and cash flows. Moreover, any changes from euro to non-euro currencies within the countries in which we
operate would require us to modify our billing and other financial systems. No assurance can be given that any required
modifications could be made within a time frame that would allow us to timely bill our customers or prepare and file required
financial reports. In light of the significant exposure that we have to the euro through our euro-denominated borrowings,
derivative instruments, cash balances and cash flows, a redenomination event could have a material adverse impact on our
company.
We may not freely access the cash of our operating companies. Our operations are conducted through our subsidiaries and
joint ventures. Our current sources of corporate liquidity include (i) our cash and cash equivalents, (ii) investments held under
separately-managed accounts (SMAs) and the levered structure note and (iii) interest and dividend income received on our cash
and cash equivalents and investments. From time to time, we also receive (a) proceeds in the form of distributions or loan
repayments from our subsidiaries, joint ventures or affiliates, (b) proceeds upon the disposition of investments and other assets
and (c) proceeds in connection with the incurrence of debt or the issuance of equity securities. The ability of our operating
subsidiaries and joint ventures to pay dividends or to make other payments or advances to us depends on their individual
operating results and any statutory, regulatory or contractual restrictions to which they may be or may become subject and in
some cases our receipt of such payments or advances may be limited due to tax considerations or the presence of noncontrolling
interests. Most of our operating subsidiaries and joint ventures are subject to credit agreements or indentures that restrict sales
of assets and prohibit or limit the payment of dividends or the making of distributions, loans or advances to shareholders and
partners, including us. In addition, because these subsidiaries and joint ventures are separate and distinct legal entities they have
no obligation to provide us funds for payment obligations, whether by dividends, distributions, loans or other payments.
We are exposed to the risk of default by the counterparties to our cash and short-term investments, derivative and other
financial instruments and undrawn debt facilities. Although we seek to manage the credit risks associated with our cash and
short-term investments, derivative and other financial instruments and undrawn debt facilities, we are exposed to the risk that
our counterparties will default on their obligations to us. While we regularly review our credit exposures and currently have no
specific concerns about the creditworthiness of any counterparty for which we have material credit risk exposures, we cannot
rule out the possibility that one or more of our counterparties could fail or otherwise be unable to meet its obligations to us. Any
such instance of default or failure could have an adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations, financial condition and/
or liquidity. In this regard, (i) we may incur losses to the extent that we are unable to recover debts owed to us, including cash
deposited and the value of financial losses, (ii) we may incur significant costs to recover amounts owed to us, and such recovery
may take a long period of time or may not be possible at all, (iii) our derivative liabilities may be accelerated by the default of
our counterparty, (iv) we may be exposed to financial risks as a result of the termination of affected derivative contracts, and it
may be costly or impossible to replace such contracts or otherwise mitigate such risks, (v) amounts available under committed
credit facilities may be reduced and (vi) disruption to the credit markets could adversely impact our ability to access debt
financing on favorable terms, or at all.
At December 31, 2024, our exposure to counterparty credit risk included (i) cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and
investments held under SMAs of $2.2 billion, (ii) aggregate undrawn debt facilities of $728.5 million and (iii) derivative assets
with an aggregate fair value of $442.4 million. For additional information regarding our investments held under SMAs,
derivative instruments and debt, see notes 7, 8 and 11, respectively, to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II
of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
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We may not report net earnings. We reported earnings (loss) from continuing operations of $1,869.1 million, ($3,659.1
million) and $771.7 million during 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. In light of our historical financial performance, we
cannot be certain that we will report net earnings in the near future.
Factors Relating to Operations and Regulation
Our businesses are conducted almost exclusively outside of the U.S., which gives rise to numerous operational risks.
Our businesses operate almost exclusively in countries outside of the U.S. and are subject to the following inherent risks:
•
fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
•
difficulties in staffing and managing international operations;
•
potentially adverse tax consequences;
•
export and import restrictions, custom duties, tariffs and other trade barriers;
•
increases in taxes and governmental fees;
•
economic and political instability; and
•
changes in foreign and domestic laws and policies that govern operations of foreign-based companies.
Operational risks that we may experience in certain countries include disruptions of services or loss of property or
equipment that are critical to overseas businesses due to expropriation, nationalization, war, insurrection, terrorism or general
social or political unrest.
We are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk. We are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk with
respect to our debt in situations where our debt is denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the
operations or assets whose cash flows support our ability to repay or refinance such debt. Although we generally match the
denomination of our and our subsidiaries’ borrowings with the functional currency of the operations or assets that are
supporting the respective borrowings, market conditions or other factors may cause us to enter into borrowing arrangements
that are not denominated in the functional currency of the underlying operations (unmatched debt). In these cases, our policy is
to provide for an economic hedge against foreign currency exchange rate movements by using derivative instruments to
synthetically convert unmatched debt into the applicable underlying currency. At December 31, 2024, substantially all of our
debt was either directly or synthetically matched to the applicable functional currencies of the underlying operations.
We are also exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk with respect to our cash and cash equivalents and investments
held under SMAs. A substantial portion of our cash and cash equivalents is held in U.S. dollars, but we hold balances in other
currencies reflecting the operational and strategic needs of the company. The investments held under SMAs are generally in
U.S. dollars, and any instruments denominated in a foreign currency are generally hedged back to the U.S. dollar.
In addition, we are exposed to foreign currency risk to the extent that we enter into transactions denominated in currencies
other than our or our subsidiaries’ respective functional currencies (non-functional currency risk), such as equipment purchases,
programming contracts, notes payable and notes receivable (including intercompany amounts). Changes in exchange rates with
respect to amounts recorded on our consolidated balance sheets related to these items will result in unrealized (based upon
period-end exchange rates) or realized foreign currency transaction gains or losses upon settlement of the transactions.
Moreover, to the extent that our revenue, costs and expenses are denominated in currencies other than our respective functional
currencies, we will experience fluctuations in our revenue, costs and expenses solely as a result of changes in foreign currency
exchange rates. Generally, we will consider hedging non-functional currency risks when the risks arise from agreements with
third parties that involve the future payment or receipt of cash or other monetary items to the extent that we can reasonably
predict the timing and amount of such payments or receipts and the payments or receipts are not otherwise hedged. In this
regard, we have entered into foreign currency forward contracts to hedge certain of these risks. For additional information
concerning our foreign currency forward contracts, see note 8 to our consolidated financial statements included in Part II of this
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
We are also exposed to unfavorable and potentially volatile fluctuations of the U.S. dollar (our reporting currency) against
the currencies of our operating subsidiaries when their respective financial statements are translated into U.S. dollars for
inclusion in our consolidated financial statements. Cumulative translation adjustments are recorded in accumulated other
comprehensive earnings or loss as a separate component of equity. Any increase (decrease) in the value of the U.S. dollar
against any foreign currency that is the functional currency of one of our operating subsidiaries will cause us to experience
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unrealized foreign currency translation losses (gains) with respect to amounts already invested in such foreign currencies.
Accordingly, we may experience a negative impact on our comprehensive earnings or loss and equity with respect to our
holdings solely as a result of foreign currency translation. Our primary exposure to foreign currency translation risk during the
three months ended December 31, 2024 for our continuing operations was to the euro, as substantially all of our reported
revenue during the period was derived from subsidiaries whose functional currencies are the euro. In addition, our reported
operating results are impacted by changes in the exchange rates for other local currencies in Europe. We do not hedge against
the risk that we may incur non-cash losses upon the translation of the financial statements of our subsidiaries and affiliates into
U.S. dollars.
Our businesses are subject to risks of adverse regulation. Our businesses are subject to the regulatory regimes of the
countries in which they operate. Broadband internet, video distribution, telephony and mobile services are subject to licensing
or registration eligibility rules and regulations, which vary by country. Countries in which we operate may adopt laws and
regulations regarding electronic commerce or electromagnetic radiation mitigation measures, which could dampen the growth
of the broadband or mobile services being offered and developed by our businesses. In a number of countries, our ability to
increase prices for or change our services, including the programming packages we offer, is limited by regulation or conditions
imposed by competition authorities, is subject to review by regulatory authorities or is subject to termination rights of
customers. More significantly, regulatory authorities may require us, particularly if we are deemed to possess SMP or there are
significant economic or physical replicability barriers, to grant third parties access to our networks, facilities or services to
distribute their own services or resell our services to end customers. Consequently, our businesses must adapt their ownership
and organizational structures as well as their pricing and service offerings to satisfy the rules and regulations to which they are
subject. A failure to comply with applicable rules and regulations could result in penalties, restrictions on our business, loss of
required licenses or other adverse conditions.
Adverse changes in rules and regulations could:
•
impair our ability to use our networks in ways that would generate optimal financial results;
•
create a shortage of capacity on our networks, which could limit the types and variety of services we seek to provide
our customers;
•
impact our ability to access spectrum for our mobile services;
•
strengthen our competitors by granting them access and lowering their costs to enter into our markets; and
•
significantly and adversely impact our results of operations.
Businesses, including ours, that offer multiple services, such as video distribution as well as broadband, telephony, and/or
mobile services, or that are vertically integrated and offer both video distribution and programming content, often face close
regulatory scrutiny from competition authorities. This is particularly the case with respect to any proposed business
combinations that often require clearance from the European Commission or national competition authorities, which can block,
impose conditions on or delay an acquisition, thus possibly hampering our opportunities for growth. Additional scrutiny is also
imposed under the national foreign direct investment screening regimes recently adopted by the U.K. and some E.U. Member
States, which allow national governments to review and impose conditions on certain transactions involving critical
infrastructures such as telecommunications. In the event conditions are imposed and we fail to meet them in a timely manner,
the relevant authority or governments may impose fines and, if in connection with a transaction, may require restorative
measures, such as a disposition of certain assets or operations.
For information on certain other regulatory developments that could adversely impact our results of operations in future
periods, see Legal and Regulatory Proceedings and Other Contingencies in note 18 to our consolidated financial statements
included in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
New and existing legislation, and interpretations thereof, may significantly alter the regulatory regimes applicable to us,
which could adversely affect our competitive position and profitability, and we may become subject to more extensive
regulation, particularly if we are deemed to possess SMP in any of the markets in which we operate. Significant changes to
the existing regulatory regimes applicable to the provision of broadband, video, telephony and mobile services have been and
are still being introduced. For example, in the E.U., the Code is the primary source of communications regulation affecting our
E.U. businesses, including access, user and privacy rights, video must-carry services and our competitive activities. The U.K.
has a system that largely reflects the principles of the E.U. In addition, we are subject to regular review by national regulatory
authorities in the E.U. and the U.K. concerning whether we exhibit SMP. A finding of SMP can result in our company
becoming subject to open access, pricing and other requirements that could potentially advantage our competitors. This has
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resulted, for example, in obligations with respect to call termination for our telephony business in Europe and video and
broadband internet access obligations in Belgium.
If any laws, regulations or rules are enacted or interpreted so as to expand the regulation of our products and services or our
disclosure obligations, this could affect our operations or require significant expenditures. We cannot predict future
developments in these areas, and any changes to the regulatory framework for our products and services or our disclosure
obligations could have a negative impact on our business and results of operations.
The U.K.’s departure from the E.U. could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of
operations or liquidity. The U.K. formally exited the E.U. on January 31, 2020, and on December 24, 2020, entered into the
E.U.-U.K. Agreement. For more information regarding the E.U.-U.K. Agreement, see the Item 1. Business - Regulatory Matters
- Overview discussion above. Examples of the potential impact Brexit has had, and may continue to have, on our business,
financial condition or results of operations include:
•
changes in foreign currency exchange rates and disruptions in the capital markets. For example, a sustained period of
weakness in the British pound sterling or the euro could have an adverse impact on our liquidity, including our ability
to fund repurchases of our equity securities and other U.S. dollar-denominated liquidity requirements;
•
shortages of labor necessary to conduct our business;
•
disruption to our U.K. supply chain and related increased cost of supplies;
•
a weakened U.K. economy resulting in decreased consumer demand for our products and services in the U.K.;
•
legal uncertainty, increased compliance costs and potentially divergent national laws and regulations, as the U.K.
determines which E.U. laws and directives to replace or replicate, or where previously implemented by enactment of
U.K. laws or regulations, to retain, amend or repeal; and
•
various geopolitical forces that may impact the global economy and our business, including, for example, other E.U.
Member States (in particular those Member States where we have operations) proposing referendums to, or electing to,
exit the E.U.
We cannot be certain that we will be successful with respect to acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, partnerships or
other similar transactions, or that we will achieve the anticipated benefits thereof. Historically, our businesses have grown, in
part, through selective acquisitions that enabled them to take advantage of existing networks, local service offerings and region-
specific management expertise, and we have also taken advantage of attractive opportunities to sell select businesses and
partner with others. We expect that we will continue improving our company through attractive acquisitions, dispositions, joint
ventures, partnerships or other similar transactions in select markets, such as, the sale of UPC Poland in April 2022, the Telenet
Tower Sale in June 2022, the Telenet Takeover Bid in October 2023, the Spin-off of Sunrise in November 2024 and the
purchase of a controlling interest in Formula E in October 2024, as well as the formations of the VMO2 JV in June 2021, the
AtlasEdge JV in September 2021, the nexfibre JV in December 2022 and the creation of Wyre by Telenet and Fluvius in July
2023. Our ability to complete any transaction may be limited by many factors, including government regulation, availability of
financing, our or our counterparty’s debt covenants, the prevalence of complex ownership structures among potential targets,
acquirers, joint ventures or partners, disapproval by shareholders of potential targets or acquirers and competition from other
potential acquirers, including private equity funds. Even if we are successful in completing such transactions, integration and
separation activities, including providing transitional services, may present significant costs and challenges, such as diverting
the attention of certain of our employees away from other productive activities. We cannot be assured that we will be successful
with respect to acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, partnerships or other similar transactions or realizing the anticipated
benefits thereof.
In addition, we anticipate that most companies acquired by us will be located outside the U.S. Foreign companies may not
have disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls over financial reporting that are as thorough or effective as those
required by U.S. securities laws and applicable accounting rules. While we intend to conduct appropriate due diligence and to
implement appropriate controls and procedures as we integrate acquired companies, we may not be able to certify as to the
effectiveness of these companies’ disclosure controls and procedures or internal controls over financial reporting until we have
fully integrated them.
The expected synergies and benefits from our acquisitions and joint ventures may not be realized in the amounts
anticipated or may not be realized within the expected time frame, and risks associated with the foregoing may also result
from the extended delay in the integration of the companies. Our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of our acquisitions
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and joint ventures will depend, to a large extent, on our ability to integrate our businesses and the acquired or joint venture
company’s business in a manner that facilitates growth opportunities and achieves the projected cost savings. In addition, some
of the anticipated synergies are not expected to occur for some time following the completion of such acquisitions and joint
ventures and will require substantial capital expenditures before realizing some of those synergies.
Public health crises and other geopolitical or macroeconomic events may delay, reduce or eliminate some of our anticipated
synergies and other benefits, including a delay in the integration of, or inability to integrate, the business that we acquire or
partner with. Even if we are able to integrate successfully, the anticipated benefits of such transactions, including the expected
synergies and network benefits, may not be realized fully or at all or may take longer to realize than expected.
We have incurred substantial expenses as a result of completing our various acquisitions and joint ventures. We expect that
substantial additional expenses will need to be incurred in order to integrate the businesses, operations, policies, and
procedures. While we have assumed that a certain level of transaction-related expenses will be incurred, factors beyond our
control could affect the total amount or the timing of these expenses. Many of the expenses that will be incurred, by their
nature, are difficult to estimate accurately. These expenses could exceed the costs historically borne by us and offset, in whole
or in part, the expected synergies.
Our integration efforts may not be executed successfully, or such integration may be more difficult, time consuming or
costly than expected. Operating costs, customer loss and business disruption, including maintaining relationships with
employees, customers, suppliers or vendors, may be greater than expected. The combination of independent businesses is
complex, costly and time-consuming, and may divert significant management attention and resources. This process may disrupt
our business or otherwise impact our ability to compete. The overall combination of our and the businesses of those companies
that we acquire or partner with may also result in material unanticipated problems, expenses, liabilities, competitive responses
and impacts and loss of customers and other business relationships. The difficulties of combining the operations of the
companies include, among others:
•
diversion of management attention to integration matters;
•
difficulties in integrating operations and systems, including intellectual property and communications systems,
administrative and information technology infrastructure, and supplier and vendor arrangements;
•
challenges in conforming standards, controls, procedures and accounting and other policies;
•
alignment of key performance measurements may result in a greater need to communicate and manage clear
expectations while we work to integrate and align policies and practices;
•
difficulties in integrating employees;
•
the transition of management to the combined company management team, and the need to address possible
differences in corporate cultures, management philosophies and compensation structures;
•
challenges in retaining existing customers and obtaining new customers;
•
compliance with government regulations;
•
known or unknown liabilities of the acquired businesses that are larger than expected; and
•
other potential adverse consequences and unanticipated expenses or liabilities associated with the applicable
transaction.
Additionally, uncertainties over the integration process could cause customers, suppliers, distributors, dealers, retailers and
others to seek to change or cancel our existing business relationships or to refuse to renew existing relationships. Suppliers,
distributors and content and application providers may also delay or cease developing new products, or supporting legacy
products, for us that are necessary for the operations of our business due to uncertainties or lack of available resources.
Competitors may also target our existing customers by highlighting potential uncertainties and integration difficulties.
Some of these factors are outside our control, and any one of them could result in lower revenues, higher costs and
diversion of management time and energy, which could adversely impact our business, financial condition and operating
results. In addition, even if the integration is successful, the full benefits of our acquisitions and partnerships including, among
others, the synergies, cost savings or sales or growth opportunities may not be realized. As a result, it cannot be assured that we
will realize the full benefits expected from such transactions within the anticipated time frames or at all.
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Certain operations are conducted by joint ventures that we cannot operate solely for our benefit. Certain of our
operations, particularly the VMO2 JV in the U.K. and the VodafoneZiggo JV in the Netherlands, are conducted through joint
ventures or partnerships. We share ownership and management of these joint ventures with one or more parties who may or
may not have the same goals, strategies, priorities or resources as we do. In general, joint ventures are intended to be operated
for the benefit of all co-owners, rather than for our exclusive benefit. Operating a business as a joint venture often requires
additional organizational formalities as well as time-consuming procedures for sharing information, accounting and making
decisions. In certain cases, our joint venture partners must agree in order for the applicable joint venture to take certain actions.
Our inability to take unilateral action that we believe is in our best interest may have an adverse effect on the financials or
performance of the joint venture and the return on our investment. In joint ventures, we believe our relationship with our co-
owners is an important factor to the success of the joint venture, and if a co-owner changes, our relationship may be adversely
affected. In addition, the benefits from a successful joint venture are shared among the co-owners, so that we do not receive all
the benefits from our successful joint ventures.
Our interests in the VodafoneZiggo JV and the VMO2 JV are held pursuant to Shareholders’ Agreements that contain
provisions relating to governance as well as transfer and exit rights, which, depending on the circumstances, may not be in
the best interest of our company. Our noncontrolling interests in the VodafoneZiggo JV and the VMO2 JV are held pursuant to
shareholders’ agreements (each a Shareholders Agreement), which provide the terms of the governance of the VodafoneZiggo
JV and the VMO2 JV, as applicable, including among others, decision-making processes, information access, dividend policies
and non-compete provisions. These provisions may prevent the VodafoneZiggo JV or the VMO2 JV, as applicable, from
making decisions or taking actions that would protect or advance the interests of our company, and could even result in the
VodafoneZiggo JV or the VMO2 JV, as applicable, making decisions or taking actions that adversely impact our company.
Further, our ability to access the cash of the VodafoneZiggo JV or the VMO2 JV, as applicable, pursuant to the dividend policy
contained in the Shareholders Agreements may be restricted in certain circumstances. The Shareholders Agreements also
provide for restrictions on the transfer of interests in the VodafoneZiggo JV and the VMO2 JV, as applicable, which could
adversely affect our ability to sell our interest in the VodafoneZiggo JV or the VMO2 JV, as applicable, and/or the prices at
which our interest may be sold, as well as certain exit arrangements, which could force us to sell our interest. For additional
information on the VodafoneZiggo JV or the VMO2 JV and their respective Shareholders Agreement, see note 7 to our
consolidated financial statements included in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
We may have exposure to additional tax liabilities. We are subject to income taxes as well as non-income based taxes,
such as value-added taxes (VAT) in the U.K., Bermuda, the U.S. and many other jurisdictions around the world. In addition,
most tax jurisdictions that we operate in have complex and subjective rules regarding the valuation of intercompany services,
cross-border payments between affiliated companies and the related effects on income tax, VAT and transfer tax. Significant
judgment is required in determining our worldwide provision for income taxes and other tax liabilities. In the ordinary course of
our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. We are regularly
under audit by tax authorities in many of the jurisdictions in which we operate. These audits may lead to disputes with tax
authorities which may result in litigation. Although we believe that our tax estimates are reasonable, any material differences as
a result of final determinations of tax audits or tax disputes could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of
operations in the period or periods for which such determination is made.
We are subject to changing tax laws, treaties and regulations in and between the countries in which we operate, including
treaties between and among the U.K., the U.S. and many other jurisdictions in which we have a presence. Also, various income
tax proposals in the jurisdictions in which we operate could result in changes to the existing laws on which our deferred taxes
are calculated. A change in these tax laws, treaties or regulations, or in the interpretation thereof, could result in a materially
higher income or non-income tax expense, and any such material changes could cause a material change in our effective tax
rate. In this regard, there have been significant changes or proposed changes to the tax laws in numerous jurisdictions in which
we operate, the impacts of which have been reflected accordingly in our financial statements. These changes have resulted in
various initiatives that require the sharing of company financial and operating information with taxing authorities on a local or
global basis. This may lead to greater audit scrutiny of profits earned in other countries as well as disagreements between
jurisdictions associated with the proper allocation of profits between jurisdictions. Broadly, we are subject to tax laws in the
jurisdictions where we have operations, a presence and where we are legally incorporated. In considering these factors and
others, it is possible that taxing authorities of the jurisdictions in which we operate and taxing authorities of other different
jurisdictions may claim that we are a tax resident of such other countries, which could result in additional operational and
financial complications for us.
Disputes with labor unions or works councils may adversely affect our ability to operate in our facilities as well as
impact our financial results. Certain of our employees are represented by labor unions or works councils under various
collective bargaining agreements with different expiration dates. Our failure to successfully renegotiate labor agreements as
they expire could lead to work stoppages or other disputes with labor unions or works councils. Disruptions to our operations as
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a result of labor disputes could adversely affect us. Any strike, work stoppage or other dispute with a labor union or works
council could distract management from operating the business, may displace employees from ordinary job positions to fill in
vacant positions, may affect our reputation and could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and
financial condition.
Legislation enacted in Bermuda as to economic substance may affect our operations. Pursuant to the Economic
Substance Act 2018 of Bermuda, as amended (the ES Act), a registered entity, other than an entity which is a resident for tax
purposes in certain jurisdictions outside Bermuda that carries on as a business any one or more of the “relevant activities”
referred to in the ES Act, must comply with economic substance requirements. The ES Act may require in-scope Bermuda
entities that are engaged in such “relevant activities” to be directed and managed in Bermuda, have an adequate level of
qualified employees in Bermuda, incur an adequate level of annual expenditure in Bermuda maintain physical offices and
premises in Bermuda or perform core income-generating activities in Bermuda. The list of “relevant activities” includes
carrying on any one or more of banking, insurance, fund management, financing, leasing, headquarters, shipping, distribution
and service center and intellectual property holding entities.
To the extent we are conducting a relevant activity, we believe it will be the relevant activity of a “holding entity” within
the meaning of the ES Act, and we should only be subject to minimum economic substance requirements under the ES Act and
related regulations. However, if we are deemed to be carrying on another “relevant activity,” other than that of a holding entity,
we may be required to increase our substance in Bermuda in response to requirements imposed by the ES Act and related
regulations. This could result in additional costs that could adversely affect our financial condition or results of operations.
The “Virgin” brand is used by certain of our consolidated subsidiaries and nonconsolidated joint ventures under
licenses from Virgin Enterprises Limited and is not under the control of such subsidiaries. The activities of the group of
companies utilizing the “Virgin” brand and other licensees could have a material adverse effect on the goodwill of
customers towards our business as a licensee, and the licenses from Virgin Enterprises Limited can be terminated in certain
circumstances. The “Virgin” brand is integral to the corporate identity of certain of our consolidated subsidiaries and the
VMO2 JV that utilize such brand. Such entities are reliant on the general goodwill of consumers towards the “Virgin” brand.
Consequently, adverse publicity in relation to the group of companies utilizing the “Virgin” brand or its principals, particularly
Sir Richard Branson, who is closely associated with the brand, or in relation to another licensee of the “Virgin” name and logo
(particularly in the U.K., where the VMO2 JV does business) could have a material adverse effect on our reputation and our
business and results of operations. In addition, the licenses from Virgin Enterprises Limited can be terminated in certain
circumstances. For example, Virgin Enterprises Limited can terminate the licenses, after providing our applicable subsidiaries
and joint ventures with an opportunity to cure, (i) if they or any of their affiliates commit persistent and material breaches or
flagrant and material breaches of the licenses, (ii) if Virgin Enterprises Limited has reasonable grounds to believe that the use
(or lack of use) of the licensed trademarks by such subsidiaries has been or is likely to result in a long-term and material
diminution in the value of the “Virgin” brand or (iii) if a third-party who is not (or one of whose directors is not) a “fit and
proper person”, such as a legally disqualified director or a bankrupt entity, acquires “control” of Liberty Global. Such a
termination could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Other Factors
We have not historically paid any cash dividends, and we may not pay dividends consistently or at all on any class of our
common shares. We have not historically paid dividends on any class of our common shares, however, we have the right to pay
dividends, effect securities distributions or make bonus issues on Liberty Global shares.
The loss of certain key personnel could harm our business. We have experienced employees at both the corporate and
operational levels who possess substantial knowledge of our business and operations. We cannot be assured that we will be
successful in retaining their services or that we would be successful in hiring and training suitable replacements without undue
costs or delays. As a result, the loss of any of these key employees could cause significant disruptions in our business
operations, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
John C. Malone has significant voting power with respect to corporate matters considered by our shareholders. Dr. John
C. Malone beneficially owns outstanding common shares of Liberty Global representing 30.52% of our aggregate voting power
as of February 16, 2025. By virtue of Dr. Malone’s voting power in our company, as well as his position as Chairman of our
board of directors, Dr. Malone may have significant influence over the outcome of any corporate transaction or other matters
submitted to our shareholders for approval. For example, under our bye-laws, certain matters (including amendments to certain
provisions of the bye-laws) require the approval of 75% of the outstanding Class A common shares and Class B common
shares, voting together as a single class, and other certain corporate transactions or matters may require the approval of at least
75% of the outstanding Class A common shares and Class B common shares, voting together as a single class. Because Dr.
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Malone beneficially owns 30.52% of our aggregate voting power, he has the ability to prevent the requisite approval threshold
from being met even though the other shareholders may determine that such action or transaction is beneficial for the company.
Dr. Malone’s rights to vote or dispose of his equity interests in our company are not subject to any restrictions in favor of us
other than as may be required by applicable law and customary transfer restrictions pursuant to equity award agreements.
It may be difficult for a third-party to acquire us, even if doing so may be beneficial to our shareholders. Certain
provisions of our bye-laws may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company that a shareholder may
consider favorable. These provisions include the following:
•
authorizing a capital structure with multiple classes of common shares, a Class B share class that entitles the holders to
10 votes per share, a Class A share class that entitles the holders to one vote per share and a Class C share class that,
except as otherwise required by applicable law, entitles the holders to no voting rights;
•
classifying our board of directors with staggered three-year terms, which may lengthen the time required to gain
control of our board of directors;
•
prohibiting shareholder action by written resolution, thereby requiring all shareholder actions to be taken at a meeting
of the shareholders;
•
establishing advance notice requirements for nominations of director candidates or for proposing matters that can be
acted upon by shareholders at shareholder meetings;
•
requiring supermajority shareholder approval with respect to certain extraordinary matters, such as certain mergers,
amalgamations or consolidations of the company, or in the case of certain amendments to our bye-laws; and
•
the existence of authorized and unissued shares which would allow our board to issue shares to persons friendly to
current management, thereby protecting the continuity of its management, or which could be used to dilute the share
ownership of persons seeking to obtain control of us.
Change in control provisions in our incentive plans and related award agreements or in executive employment agreements
may also discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, even if such change of control would be in the best
interests of our shareholders.
The enforcement of civil liabilities against us may be more difficult. Because we are now a Bermuda exempted company
limited by shares, investors could experience more difficulty enforcing judgments obtained against us, our directors or officers
in U.S. or U.K. courts based on the civil liability provisions of English laws and the U.S. securities laws. We have been advised
by our Bermuda counsel that there is no treaty in force between the U.S. and Bermuda providing for the reciprocal recognition
and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. As a result, whether a U.S. judgment would be enforceable in
Bermuda against the company or its directors and officers depends on whether the U.S. court that entered the judgment is
recognized by a Bermuda court as having jurisdiction over the company or its directors and officers, as determined by reference
to Bermuda conflict of law rules. In addition, and irrespective of jurisdictional issues, Bermudan courts will not enforce a U.S.
federal securities law that is either penal or contrary to Bermuda public policy. We have been advised that an action brought
pursuant to a public or penal law, the purpose of which is the enforcement of a sanction, power or right at the instance of the
state in its sovereign capacity, is unlikely to be entertained by a Bermuda court. Certain remedies available under the laws of
U.S. jurisdictions, including certain remedies under U.S. federal securities laws, may not be available under Bermudan law or
enforceable in a Bermuda court, as they are likely to be contrary to Bermuda public policy. Further, it may not be possible to
pursue direct claims in Bermuda against the company or its directors and officers for alleged violations of U.S. federal
securities laws because these laws are unlikely to have extraterritorial effect and do not have the force of law in Bermuda. A
Bermuda court may, however, impose civil liability on us or our directors and officers if the facts alleged and proved in the
Bermudan proceedings constitute or give rise to a cause of action under the applicable governing law, not being a foreign
public, penal or revenue law.
Our bye-laws generally restrict shareholders from bringing legal action against our officers and directors. Our bye-laws
contain a general waiver by shareholders for any claim or right of action a shareholder might have (whether individually or by
or in the right of the company) against any director or officer of the company arising from any action or inaction by such
director or officer in the performance of their duties for Liberty Global or any of Liberty Global’s direct or indirect subsidiaries
(but excluding any matter involving fraud or dishonesty). Consequently, this waiver limits the right of shareholders to assert
claims against our officers and directors unless the act or failure to act involves fraud or dishonesty.
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There are potential regulatory limitations on the ownership and transfer of our shares if our shares are delisted from
Nasdaq. Our shares may be offered or sold in Bermuda only in compliance with the provisions of the Bermuda Companies Act
and the Investment Business Act 2003 of Bermuda, which regulates the sale of securities in Bermuda. In addition, the Bermuda
Monetary Authority (BMA) must approve all issues and transfers of shares of a Bermuda exempted company limited by shares.
However, the BMA has, pursuant to its statement of June 1, 2005, given its general permission under the Exchange Control Act
1972 and related regulations for the issue and free transfer of our shares to and among persons who are non-residents of
Bermuda for exchange control purposes as long as any class of our shares are listed on an appointed stock exchange, which
includes Nasdaq. This general permission would cease to apply if none of our shares were to be listed on Nasdaq or another
appointed stock exchange.
Geopolitical conflicts, energy shortages and other adverse incidents beyond our control could adversely affect our
revenue and results of operations. Political unrest and global conflicts like the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine
and the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East have disrupted, and in the future may further continue to disrupt, global supply
chains and heighten volatility and disruption of global financial markets. While we do not have direct operations within the
conflict areas, the conflicts involving these nations has heightened the disruption to our supply chain, contributing to inflation in
our labor and energy costs and may increase our risk of cyberattacks, which could result in significant losses and damage and
could damage our reputation with customers and suppliers if their confidential information is compromised. The impact of these
global events on our longer-term operational and financial performance will depend on future developments, our and
governmental responses to inflation and the duration and severity of these conflicts. Any terrorist attacks or incidents prompted
by political unrest, particularly in markets that we serve, and the national and global militaristic, diplomatic and financial
response to such attacks or other threats also may adversely affect our revenue and results of operations.
Item 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
Item 1C. CYBERSECURITY
Liberty Global and its subsidiaries are subject to risks from cyber-attacks that have the potential to cause significant
interruptions to the operation of their businesses. The frequency of these attempted intrusions has increased in recent years and
the sources, motivations and techniques of attack continue to evolve and change rapidly. We have developed a cybersecurity
program that is designed to scan for, monitor and identify risks to our confidential or non-public information, protect such
information, detect threats and events and maintain an appropriate response and recovery capability to help ensure resilience
against cyber-attacks and other information security incidents. We have adopted a variety of measures to monitor and address
cyber-related risks and continue to implement and explore additional cybersecurity measures.
Our strategy for managing cyber-related risks is risk-based and, where appropriate, integrated within our comprehensive
enterprise risk management processes. Our Chief Security Officer (CSO), who reports directly to our Chief Technology Officer
(CTO), leads a dedicated cybersecurity team and is responsible for the design, implementation and execution of our cyber-risk
management strategy.
Our CSO and cybersecurity team actively monitor our systems, regularly review our policies, compliance, regulations and
best practices, perform penetration testing, conduct incident response exercises and internal ethical phishing campaigns and
provide periodic training and communication across our organization to strengthen security focused behavior and foster a
culture of digital safety. Our cybersecurity team also routinely participates in industry-wide programs to further information
sharing, intelligence gathering and unity of effort in responding to potential or actual attacks. We also periodically review our
business continuity plan to develop an effective recovery strategy that seeks to decrease incident response times, limit financial
impacts and maintain customer confidence during any business interruption. Our cybersecurity team also administers a third-
party risk governance program that identifies potential risks introduced through third-party relationships, such as vendors,
software and hardware manufacturers or professional service providers. We seek to obtain certain contractual security
guarantees and assurances with these third-party relationships to help ensure the security and safety of our information. The
cybersecurity team works closely with a broad range of departments, including legal, regulatory, corporate communications,
audit services, information technology and operational technology functions critical to our operations, as well as engaging
external vendors to help ensure our cybersecurity program operates effectively.
Our current CSO has significant experience leading cybersecurity efforts at large enterprises, having held top information
security positions at a number of international large- and mega-cap companies during her career. She also holds a master of
science in security risk management and is qualified as a certified information security manager with the Information Systems
Audit and Control Association. Our CSO has been with the company or its subsidiaries for over five years.
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Cybersecurity incidents detected by our cybersecurity team are evaluated internally based on their severity, with more
serious incidents being escalated, as appropriate, to the highest levels of management, including our CTO, General Counsel
and, ultimately, our CEO. These members of our executive leadership team are provided with details of the type and severity of
the attack, the company’s planned response to the incident and are briefed on what information was accessed and the impact
such incident has had or is expected to have on our operations, as well as any financial or regulatory implications resulting from
the incident.
Our Audit Committee is responsible for oversight of our cybersecurity measures, incident response management and risks
related to cybersecurity and technology as well as the steps taken by management to mitigate such risks. Our CSO provides
periodic updates to the Audit Committee on the state of our cybersecurity posture, new threats or threat actors that we are
monitoring or developing defenses against and any potential areas of improvement. Our CEO, CTO, CSO and General Counsel
will also provide ad hoc updates to the Audit Committee and full board of directors, as appropriate, in the case of a material
cybersecurity incident, providing them a full briefing of the type and scope of the incident as well as our current and planned
mitigation efforts. The Audit Committee has several members with significant direct and indirect cybersecurity experience,
including Anthony Werner, the former CTO of Comcast Cable and the company, Paul Gould and Miranda Curtis CMG.
Cybersecurity and the effectiveness of our cybersecurity strategy are regular topics of discussion at meetings of our Audit
Committee and board of directors.
In 2024, there were no cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any previous cybersecurity incidents, that materially
affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the company, including its business strategy, results of operations or
financial condition.
Item 2. PROPERTIES
We lease our corporate offices in London, U.K., in Denver, Colorado, U.S. and in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. All of our
other real or personal property is owned or leased by our subsidiaries and affiliates.
Our subsidiaries and affiliates own or lease the fixed assets necessary for the operation of their respective businesses,
including office space, transponder space, head-end facilities, rights of way, cable television and telecommunications
distribution equipment, telecommunications switches, base stations, cell towers, CPE and other property necessary for their
operations. The physical components of their broadband networks require maintenance and periodic upgrades to support the
new services and products they introduce. Subject to these maintenance and upgrade activities, our management believes that
our current facilities are suitable and adequate for our business operations for the foreseeable future.
Item 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
From time to time, our subsidiaries and affiliates have become involved in litigation relating to claims arising out of their
operations in the normal course of business. For additional information, see note 18 to our consolidated financial statements
included in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Item 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
I-43
PART II
Item 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND
ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
General
The capitalized terms used in Part II of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are defined in the notes to our consolidated
financial statements. In the following text, the terms “we,” “our,” “our company” and “us” may refer, as the context requires, to
Liberty Global or collectively to Liberty Global and its subsidiaries.
Market Information
Our share capital comprises Liberty Global Class A, Class B and Class C common shares, which trade on the Nasdaq
Global Select Market under the symbols “LBTYA”, “LBTYB” and “LBTYK”, respectively. Share price information for
securities traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market can be found on the Nasdaq’s website at www.nasdaq.com.
The following table sets forth the quarterly range of high and low sales prices of Liberty Global Class B common shares for
2024 and 2023. Although Liberty Global Class B common shares are traded on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, an
established public trading market does not exist for the shares, as they are not actively traded.
Liberty Global Class B
common shares
High
Low
2024
First quarter ................................................................................................................................... $
21.77 $
16.76
Second quarter .............................................................................................................................. $
18.60 $
16.01
Third quarter ................................................................................................................................. $
21.90 $
17.58
Fourth quarter - prior to the Sunrise Distribution ......................................................................... $
21.80 $
19.71
Fourth quarter - subsequent to the Sunrise Distribution (a) .......................................................... $
14.91 $
11.38
2023
First quarter ................................................................................................................................... $
22.20 $
18.20
Second quarter .............................................................................................................................. $
19.84 $
16.30
Third quarter ................................................................................................................................. $
19.75 $
16.86
Fourth quarter ............................................................................................................................... $
18.44 $
15.47
______________
(a)
Share prices reflect the impact of the Sunrise Distribution, which took place on November 13, 2024, at which point
Sunrise began trading as a separate public company. The share price information for Liberty Global Class B common
shares prior to the Sunrise Distribution has not been retroactively revised. Immediately prior to the Sunrise Distribution,
Liberty Global Class B common shares had a closing share price of $20.82. Subsequent to the Sunrise Distribution,
Liberty Global Class B common shares had a closing share price of $11.96.
Holders
As of January 31, 2025, there were 30,361, 35 and 33,023 record holders of Liberty Global Class A, Class B and Class C
common shares, respectively. These amounts do not include the number of shareholders whose shares are nominally held by
banks, brokerage houses or other institutions, but include each such institution as one record holder.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on any of our common shares, and we have no present intention of doing so. Any
future payment of cash dividends will be determined by our board of directors in light of our earnings, financial condition and
other relevant considerations, including applicable laws in Bermuda.
II-1
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities; Use of Proceeds from Registered Securities
None.
Issuer Purchase of Equity Securities
The following table sets forth information regarding our company’s purchase of its own equity securities during the three
months ended December 31, 2024:
Period
Total number
of shares
purchased
Average
price
paid per
share (a)
Total number
of shares
purchased as
part of publicly-
announced plans
or programs
Value of shares
that may yet be
repurchased
under the plans
or programs
October 1, 2024 through October 31, 2024:
Class A ..........................................................................
— $
—
—
(b)
Class C ..........................................................................
2,494,224 $
21.55
2,494,224
(b)
November 1, 2024 through November 30, 2024:
Class A ..........................................................................
— $
—
—
(b)
Class C ..........................................................................
3,290,981 $
13.99
3,290,981
(b)
December 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024:
Class A ..........................................................................
— $
—
—
(b)
Class C ..........................................................................
5,560,507 $
13.59
5,560,507
(b)
Total — October 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024:
Class A ..........................................................................
— $
—
—
(b)
Class C ..........................................................................
11,345,712 $
15.46
11,345,712
(b)
_______________
(a)
Average price paid per share includes direct acquisition costs.
(b)
Our board of directors has approved a new share repurchase program pursuant to which we are authorized to repurchase
up to 10% of our outstanding shares as of December 31, 2024. As such, we are authorized to repurchase approximately
34.9 million of our Class A and/or Class C common shares during 2025. Based on the respective closing share prices on
December 31, 2024, this would equate to total share repurchases during 2025 of approximately $450.0 million. However,
the actual U.S. dollar amount of our share repurchases during 2025 will be determined by the actual transaction date
share prices and could differ significantly from this amount.
II-2
Stock Performance Graph
The following graph compares the changes in the cumulative total shareholder return on our Liberty Global Class A, Class
B and Class C common shares from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2024, to the change in the cumulative total returns of the
Nasdaq US Benchmark Telecom TR Index and the Nasdaq US Benchmark TR Index (assuming reinvestment of dividends,
where applicable). The graph assumes that $100 was invested on January 1, 2020.
Class A
Class B
Class C
Nasdaq US Benchmark Telecom
Nasdaq US Benchmark
1/1/2020
12/31/2020
12/31/2021
12/31/2022
12/31/2023
12/31/2024
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
December 31,
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Liberty Global - Class A ........................................................ $
106.51 $
121.99 $
83.25 $
78.14 $
105.89
Liberty Global - Class B ......................................................... $
107.84 $
123.83 $
83.55 $
78.32 $
99.55
Liberty Global - Class C ......................................................... $
108.51 $
128.88 $
89.15 $
85.52 $
113.08
Nasdaq US Benchmark Telecom TR Index ........................... $
109.83 $
115.69 $
89.91 $
101.36 $
122.59
Nasdaq US Benchmark TR Index .......................................... $
121.27 $
152.67 $
122.55 $
154.93 $
192.86
II-3
Item 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF
OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis, which should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements, is
intended to assist in providing an understanding of our results of operations and financial condition and is organized as follows:
•
Overview. This section provides a general description of our business and recent events.
•
Results of Operations. This section provides an analysis of our results of operations for the years ended December 31,
2024 and 2023.
•
Liquidity and Capital Resources. This section provides an analysis of our corporate and subsidiary liquidity and
consolidated statements of cash flows.
•
Critical Accounting Policies, Judgments and Estimates. This section discusses those material accounting policies that
involve uncertainties and require significant judgment in their application.
•
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk. This section provides discussion and analysis of the
foreign currency, interest rate and other market risk that our company faces.
Included below is an analysis of our results of operations and cash flows for 2024, as compared to 2023. An analysis of our
results of operations and cash flows for 2023, as compared to 2022, can be found under Item 7. Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in Part II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, as amended,
for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is available through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at
www.sec.gov.
The capitalized terms used below have been defined in the notes to our consolidated financial statements. In the following
text, the terms “we,” “our,” “our company” and “us” may refer, as the context requires, to Liberty Global or collectively to
Liberty Global and its subsidiaries.
Unless otherwise indicated, convenience translations into U.S. dollars are calculated, and operational data is presented, as
of December 31, 2024.
Overview
General
We are an international provider of broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony and mobile communications services to
residential customers and businesses in Europe. Our continuing operations comprise businesses that provide residential and
B2B communications services in (i) Belgium and Luxembourg through Telenet, (ii) Ireland through VM Ireland and (iii)
Slovakia through UPC Slovakia. In addition, we own 50% noncontrolling interests in (a) the VMO2 JV, which provides
residential and B2B communications services in the U.K., and (b) the VodafoneZiggo JV, which provides residential and B2B
communications services in the Netherlands.
We completed the Spin-off of the Sunrise Entities on November 8, 2024. For additional information, see note 6 to our
consolidated financial statements.
On October 2, 2024, we completed the Formula E Acquisition pursuant to which we acquired a controlling interest in
Formula E. For additional information, see note 5 to our consolidated financial statements.
In October 2023, we completed the Telenet Takeover Bid, pursuant to which we increased our ownership interest in
Telenet to 100%. For additional information, see note 14 to our consolidated financial statements.
Through November 7, 2024, we provided residential and B2B communications services in Switzerland through Sunrise. In
addition, through March 31, 2022, we provided residential and B2B communications services in Poland through UPC Poland.
Accordingly, the Sunrise Entities and UPC Poland are reflected as discontinued operations for all applicable periods. In the
following discussion and analysis, the operating statistics, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition that we
present and discuss are those of our continuing operations, unless otherwise indicated. For additional information, see note 6 to
our consolidated financial statements.
II-4
Operations
Our company delivers market-leading products through next-generation networks that connect our customers to broadband
internet, video, fixed-line telephony and mobile services. At December 31, 2024, our continuing operations owned and operated
networks that passed 5,808,100 homes and served 2,530,900 fixed-line customers and 3,006,800 mobile subscribers.
Broadband internet services. We offer multiple tiers of broadband internet service up to Gigabit speeds depending on
location. We continue to invest in new technologies that allow us to increase the internet speeds we offer to our customers.
Video services. We provide video services, including various enhanced products that enable our customers to control when
they watch their programming. These products range from digital video recorders to multimedia home gateway systems capable
of distributing video, voice and data content throughout the home and to multiple devices.
Fixed-line telephony services. We offer fixed-line telephony services via either voice-over-internet-protocol technology or
circuit-switched telephony, depending on location.
Mobile services. We offer voice and data mobile services, either over our own networks or as an MVNO over third-party
networks, depending on location. In addition, we generate revenue from the sale of mobile handsets.
B2B services. Our B2B services include voice, broadband internet, data, video, wireless and cloud services.
Other. We provide premium electric car racing content through our controlling interest in Formula E. We also have
significant investments in ITV, Televisa Univision, Plume, the AtlasEdge JV, EdgeConneX, Lionsgate and several regional
sports networks. The investments identified by company name above are intended to be merely illustrative, do not represent a
complete list and are not necessarily the largest of our long-term investments. From time to time, we may make investments in
other companies that we choose not to identify by company name for commercial, legal, strategic or other reasons. We also
provide technology and finance services to the VMO2 JV, the VodafoneZiggo JV and various third parties and affiliates
pursuant to service agreements.
For additional information regarding the details of our products and services, see Item 1. Business included in Part I of this
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Strategy and Management Focus
We view our business in three strategic platforms, “Liberty Telecom” (our converged broadband, video and mobile
communications businesses), “Liberty Growth” (our global investment arm comprised of various technology, media/content,
sports, digital infrastructure and other growth assets) and “Liberty Services” (our innovative technology and finance service
platforms offered by our centralized functions). As discussed further under Liquidity and Capital Resources — Capitalization
below, we also seek to maintain our debt at levels that provide for attractive equity returns without assuming undue risk.
We strive to achieve organic revenue and customer growth in our operations by developing and marketing bundled
entertainment and information and communications services, and extending and upgrading the quality of our networks where
appropriate. As we use the term, organic growth excludes foreign currency translation effects (FX) and the estimated impact of
acquisitions and dispositions. While we seek to increase our customer base, we also seek to maximize the average revenue we
receive from each household by increasing the penetration of our broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony and mobile
services with existing customers through product bundling and upselling.
Competition and Other External Factors
We are experiencing competition in all of the markets in which we or our affiliates operate. This competition, together with
macroeconomic and regulatory factors, has adversely impacted our revenue, number of customers and/or average monthly
subscription revenue per fixed-line customer or mobile subscriber, as applicable (ARPU). For additional information regarding
the competition we face, see Item 1. Business — Competition and — Regulatory Matters included in Part I of this Annual
Report on Form 10-K. For additional information regarding the revenue impact of changes in the fixed-line customers and
ARPU of our consolidated reportable segments, see Discussion and Analysis of our Reportable Segments below.
For information regarding certain other regulatory developments that could adversely impact our results of operations in
future periods, see Legal and Regulatory Proceedings and Other Contingencies in note 18 to our consolidated financial
statements.
II-5
Results of Operations
We have completed a number of transactions that impact the comparability of our 2024 and 2023 results of operations, the
most notable of which is the Formula E Acquisition on October 2, 2024. For further information, see note 5 to our consolidated
financial statements.
In the following discussion, we quantify the estimated impact of material acquisitions (the Acquisition Impact) and
dispositions on our operating results. The Acquisition Impact represents our estimate of the difference between the operating
results of the periods under comparison that is attributable to an acquisition. In general, we base our estimate of the Acquisition
Impact on an acquired entity’s operating results during the first 3 to 12 months following the acquisition date, as adjusted to
remove integration costs and any other material unusual or non-operational items, such that changes from those operating
results in subsequent periods are considered to be organic changes. Accordingly, in the following discussion, (i) organic
variances attributed to an acquired entity during the first 12 months following the acquisition date represent differences between
the Acquisition Impact and the actual results and (ii) the calculation of our organic change percentages includes the organic
activity of an acquired entity relative to the Acquisition Impact of such entity. With respect to material dispositions, the organic
changes that are discussed below reflect adjustments to exclude the historical prior-year results of any disposed entities to the
extent that such entities are not included in the corresponding results for the current-year period.
Changes in foreign currency exchange rates have a significant impact on our reported operating results, as all of our
operating segments have functional currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Our primary exposure to FX risk during the three
months ended December 31, 2024 for our continuing operations was to the euro, as substantially all of our reported revenue
during the period was derived from subsidiaries whose functional currencies are the euro. In addition, our reported operating
results are impacted by changes in the exchange rates for certain other local currencies in Europe. The portions of the changes
in the various components of our results of operations that are attributable to changes in FX are highlighted under Discussion
and Analysis of our Reportable Segments and Discussion and Analysis of our Consolidated Operating Results below. For
information regarding our foreign currency risks and the applicable foreign currency exchange rates in effect for the periods
covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, see Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk —
Foreign Currency Risk below.
The amounts presented and discussed below represent 100% of each of our consolidated and nonconsolidated reportable
segment’s results of operations, despite only holding a 50% noncontrolling interest in both the VMO2 JV and the
VodafoneZiggo JV. We account for our 50% interest in both the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV as an equity method
investment and as such, our share of the operating results of the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV is included in share of
results of affiliates, net, in our consolidated statements of operations. The noncontrolling owners’ interests at Telenet and other
less significant majority-owned subsidiaries are reflected in net earnings or loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in our
consolidated statements of operations.
Discussion and Analysis of our Reportable Segments
General
Telenet, VM Ireland, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV derive their revenue primarily from residential and B2B
communications services. For detailed information regarding the composition of our reportable segments, our “all other
category” and how we define and categorize our revenue components, see note 19 to our consolidated financial statements. For
information regarding the results of operations of the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV, refer to Discussion and Analysis of
our Consolidated Operating Results — Share of results of affiliates, net below.
The tables presented below in this section provide the details of the revenue and Adjusted EBITDA of our reportable
segments for 2024, as compared to 2023. These tables present (i) the amounts reported for the current and comparative periods,
(ii) the reported U.S. dollar change and percentage change from period to period and (iii) with respect to our consolidated
reportable segments, the organic U.S. dollar change and percentage change from period to period. For our organic comparisons,
which exclude the impact of FX, we assume that exchange rates remained constant at the prior-period rate during all periods
presented. We also provide a table showing the Adjusted EBITDA margins of our reportable segments for 2024 and 2023 at the
end of this section.
Most of our revenue is derived from jurisdictions that administer VAT or similar revenue-based taxes. Any increases in
these taxes could have an adverse impact on our ability to maintain or increase our revenue to the extent that we are unable to
pass such tax increases on to our customers. In the case of revenue-based taxes for which we are the ultimate taxpayer, we will
II-6
also experience increases in our operating costs and expenses and corresponding declines in our Adjusted EBITDA and
Adjusted EBITDA margins to the extent of any such tax increases.
We pay interconnection fees to other telephony providers when calls or text messages from our subscribers terminate on
another network, and we receive similar fees from such providers when calls or text messages from their customers terminate
on our networks or networks that we access through MVNO or other arrangements. The amounts we charge and incur with
respect to fixed-line telephony and mobile interconnection fees are subject to regulatory oversight. To the extent that regulatory
authorities introduce fixed-line or mobile termination rate changes, we would experience prospective changes and, in very
limited cases, we could experience retroactive changes in our interconnect revenue and/or costs. The ultimate impact of any
such changes in termination rates on our Adjusted EBITDA would be dependent on the call or text messaging patterns that are
subject to the changed termination rates.
We are subject to inflationary pressures with respect to certain costs and foreign currency exchange risk with respect to
costs and expenses that are denominated in currencies other than the respective functional currencies of our reportable
segments. Any cost increases that we are not able to pass on to our subscribers through rate increases would result in increased
pressure on our operating margins. For additional information regarding our foreign currency exchange risks see Item 7A.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk — Foreign Currency Risk below.
Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure, which we believe is a meaningful measure because it represents
a transparent view of our recurring operating performance that is unaffected by our capital structure and allows management to
readily view operating trends from a consolidated view. Investors should view consolidated Adjusted EBITDA as a supplement
to, and not a substitute for, GAAP measures of performance included in our consolidated statements of operations.
The following table provides a reconciliation of earnings (loss) from continuing operations to total consolidated Adjusted
EBITDA:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations ................................................................. $
1,869.1 $ (3,659.1) $
771.7
Income tax expense (benefit) .....................................................................................
(30.8)
213.1
406.7
Other income, net .......................................................................................................
(201.8)
(211.4)
(101.0)
Gain on sale of All3Media .........................................................................................
(242.9)
—
—
Gain associated with the Formula E Acquisition .......................................................
(190.7)
—
—
Gain associated with the Telenet Wyre Transaction ..................................................
—
(377.8)
—
Gain on Telenet Tower Sale ......................................................................................
—
—
(700.5)
Share of results of affiliates, net ................................................................................
205.6
2,018.4
1,268.3
Realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain
investments, net ......................................................................................................
28.4
556.6
317.0
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains), net ........................................................
(1,756.5)
719.7
(1,298.8)
Realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net ...................................
(315.2)
(78.3)
(854.4)
Interest expense ..........................................................................................................
574.7
505.0
300.9
Operating income (loss) ..........................................................................................
(60.1)
(313.8)
109.9
Impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net ............................................
49.6
43.0
62.3
Depreciation and amortization, net ..............................................................................
1,002.0
1,216.4
1,093.6
Share-based compensation expense .............................................................................
168.3
204.8
163.2
Total consolidated Adjusted EBITDA .................................................................. $
1,159.8 $
1,150.4 $
1,429.0
II-7
Revenue of our Reportable Segments
General. While not specifically discussed in the below explanations of the changes in the revenue of our reportable
segments, we are experiencing competition in all of our markets. This competition has an adverse impact on our ability to
increase or maintain our total number of customers and/or our ARPU.
Variances in the subscription revenue that we receive from our customers are a function of (i) changes in the number of our
fixed-line customers or mobile subscribers outstanding during the period and (ii) changes in ARPU. Changes in ARPU can be
attributable to (a) changes in prices, (b) changes in bundling or promotional discounts, (c) changes in the tier of services
selected, (d) variances in subscriber usage patterns and (e) the overall mix of fixed and mobile products within a segment
during the period.
Year ended December 31,
Increase (decrease)
Organic
increase (decrease)
2024
2023
$
%
$
%
in millions, except percentages
Telenet ................................................................ $ 3,084.4 $ 3,089.2 $
(4.8)
(0.2) $
(12.2)
(0.4)
VM Ireland ..........................................................
491.4
506.1
(14.7)
(2.9)
(14.9)
(2.9)
Total consolidated reportable segments .........
3,575.8
3,595.3
(19.5)
(0.5)
Plus: all other category .......................................
1,013.6
776.2
237.4
30.6
Less: elimination of intercompany consolidated
revenue ............................................................
(247.5)
(255.7)
8.2
N.M.
Total consolidated ....................................... $ 4,341.9 $ 4,115.8 $
226.1
5.5 $
189.6
4.6
VMO2 JV ............................................................ $ 13,649.7 $ 13,574.1 $
75.6
0.6
VodafoneZiggo JV .............................................. $ 4,450.5 $ 4,450.5 $
—
—
______________
N.M. — Not Meaningful.
Telenet. The details of the decrease in Telenet’s revenue during 2024, as compared to 2023, are set forth below:
Subscription
revenue
Non-
subscription
revenue
Total
in millions
Increase (decrease) in residential fixed subscription revenue due to change in:
Average number of customers ................................................................................... $
(57.4) $
— $
(57.4)
ARPU ........................................................................................................................
51.7
—
51.7
Increase in residential fixed non-subscription revenue .................................................
—
1.4
1.4
Total increase (decrease) in residential fixed revenue ............................................
(5.7)
1.4
(4.3)
Increase (decrease) in residential mobile revenue (a) ...................................................
0.6
(17.1)
(16.5)
Increase (decrease) in B2B revenue (b) ........................................................................
12.8
(35.5)
(22.7)
Increase in other revenue (c) .........................................................................................
—
31.3
31.3
Total organic increase (decrease) ...........................................................................
7.7
(19.9)
(12.2)
Impact of acquisitions ...................................................................................................
—
7.1
7.1
Impact of FX .................................................................................................................
0.2
0.1
0.3
Total ........................................................................................................................ $
7.9 $
(12.7) $
(4.8)
_______________
(a)
The decrease in residential mobile non-subscription revenue is primarily attributable to lower interconnect revenue.
II-8
(b)
The increase in B2B subscription revenue is primarily due to an increase in the average number of customers. The
decrease in B2B non-subscription revenue is primarily attributable to (i) lower interconnect revenue and (ii) a decrease in
revenue from wholesale services.
(c)
The increase in other revenue is primarily attributable to higher broadcasting revenue. In addition, the increase in other
revenue includes the one-off impact of the recognition of previously deferred revenue of approximately $18 million
during the third quarter of 2024.
VM Ireland. The details of the decrease in VM Ireland’s revenue during 2024, as compared to 2023, are set forth below:
Subscription
revenue
Non-
subscription
revenue
Total
in millions
Decrease in residential fixed subscription revenue due to change in:
Average number of customers ................................................................................... $
(11.5) $
— $
(11.5)
ARPU ........................................................................................................................
(3.4)
—
(3.4)
Decrease in residential fixed non-subscription revenue ...............................................
—
(0.2)
(0.2)
Total decrease in residential fixed revenue ............................................................
(14.9)
(0.2)
(15.1)
Decrease in residential mobile revenue ........................................................................
(0.6)
(1.1)
(1.7)
Increase in B2B revenue ...............................................................................................
0.6
3.2
3.8
Decrease in other revenue .............................................................................................
—
(1.9)
(1.9)
Total organic decrease ............................................................................................
(14.9)
—
(14.9)
Impact of FX .................................................................................................................
0.2
—
0.2
Total ........................................................................................................................ $
(14.7) $
— $
(14.7)
Programming and Other Direct Costs of Services, Other Operating Expenses and SG&A Expenses of our Reportable
Segments
For information regarding the changes in our (i) programming and other direct costs of services, (ii) other operating
expenses and (iii) SG&A expenses, see Discussion and Analysis of our Consolidated Operating Results below.
II-9
Adjusted EBITDA of our Reportable Segments
Adjusted EBITDA is the primary measure used by our CODM to evaluate segment operating performance. As presented
below, consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure, which investors should view as a supplement to, and not a
substitute for, GAAP measures of performance included in our consolidated statements of operations. The following table sets
forth the Adjusted EBITDA of our reportable segments.
Year ended December 31,
Increase (decrease)
Organic increase
(decrease)
2024
2023
$
%
$
%
in millions, except percentages
Telenet .......................................................... $
1,292.2 $
1,315.2 $
(23.0)
(1.7) $
(27.6)
(2.1)
VM Ireland ...................................................
178.3
181.4
(3.1)
(1.7)
(2.9)
(1.6)
Total consolidated reportable segments .....
1,470.5
1,496.6
(26.1)
(1.7)
Plus: all other category .................................
(188.7)
(215.1)
26.4
N.M.
Less: elimination of intercompany
consolidated Adjusted EBITDA ...............
(122.0)
(131.1)
9.1
N.M.
Total consolidated ................................... $
1,159.8 $
1,150.4 $
9.4
0.8 $
21.6
1.9
VMO2 JV ..................................................... $
4,503.4 $
4,531.3 $
(27.9)
(0.6)
VodafoneZiggo JV ....................................... $
2,033.9 $
1,972.5 $
61.4
3.1
_______________
N.M. — Not Meaningful.
Adjusted EBITDA Margin
The following table sets forth the Adjusted EBITDA margins (Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenue) of each of our
reportable segments:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
Telenet ................................................................................................................................................
41.9%
42.6%
VM Ireland .........................................................................................................................................
36.3%
35.8%
VMO2 JV ...........................................................................................................................................
33.0%
33.4%
VodafoneZiggo JV .............................................................................................................................
45.7%
44.3%
In addition to organic changes in the revenue, operating and SG&A expenses of our reportable segments, the Adjusted
EBITDA margins presented above include the impact of acquisitions, as applicable. For discussion of the factors contributing to
the changes in the Adjusted EBITDA margins of our consolidated reportable segments, see the analysis of our revenue included
in Discussion and Analysis of our Reportable Segments above and the analysis of our expenses included in Discussion and
Analysis of our Consolidated Operating Results below. For discussion of the factors contributing to the changes in the Adjusted
EBITDA margins of the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV, see Discussion and Analysis of our Consolidated Operating
Results — Share of results of affiliates, net below.
II-10
Discussion and Analysis of our Consolidated Operating Results
General
For more detailed explanations of the changes in our revenue, see Discussion and Analysis of our Reportable Segments
above.
Revenue
Our revenue by major category is set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
Increase (decrease)
Organic
increase (decrease)
2024
2023
$
%
$
%
in millions, except percentages
Residential revenue:
Residential fixed revenue (a):
Subscription revenue (b):
Broadband internet ..................................... $
890.6 $
872.0 $
18.6
2.1 $
18.4
2.1
Video ..........................................................
598.2
616.2
(18.0)
(2.9)
(18.1)
(2.9)
Fixed-line telephony ..................................
196.0
217.0
(21.0)
(9.7)
(20.9)
(9.6)
Total subscription revenue ......................
1,684.8
1,705.2
(20.4)
(1.2)
(20.6)
(1.2)
Non-subscription revenue .............................
21.6
21.3
0.3
1.4
1.2
5.6
Total residential fixed revenue ..............
1,706.4
1,726.5
(20.1)
(1.2)
(19.4)
(1.1)
Residential mobile revenue (c):
Subscription revenue (b) ..............................
487.1
487.1
—
—
—
—
Non-subscription revenue .............................
169.3
187.8
(18.5)
(9.9)
(18.2)
(9.7)
Total residential mobile revenue ...............
656.4
674.9
(18.5)
(2.7)
(18.2)
(2.7)
Total residential revenue .........................
2,362.8
2,401.4
(38.6)
(1.6)
(37.6)
(1.6)
B2B revenue (d):
Subscription revenue ......................................
431.5
417.8
13.7
3.3
13.5
3.2
Non-subscription revenue ..............................
411.3
440.8
(29.5)
(6.7)
(36.6)
(8.2)
Total B2B revenue ........................................
842.8
858.6
(15.8)
(1.8)
(23.1)
(2.7)
Other revenue (e) ..............................................
1,136.3
855.8
280.5
32.8
250.3
28.4
Total ........................................................ $ 4,341.9 $ 4,115.8 $
226.1
5.5 $
189.6
4.6
_______________
(a)
Residential fixed subscription revenue includes amounts received from subscribers for ongoing services and the
recognition of deferred installation revenue over the associated contract period. Residential fixed non-subscription
revenue includes, among other items, channel carriage fees, late fees and revenue from the sale of equipment.
(b)
Residential subscription revenue from subscribers who purchase bundled services at a discounted rate is generally
allocated proportionally to each service based on the standalone price for each individual service. As a result, changes in
the standalone pricing of our fixed and mobile products or the composition of bundles can contribute to changes in our
product revenue categories from period to period.
(c)
Residential mobile subscription revenue includes amounts received from subscribers for ongoing services. Residential
mobile non-subscription revenue includes, among other items, interconnect revenue and revenue from sales of mobile
handsets and other devices. Residential mobile interconnect revenue was $43.9 million and $57.9 million during 2024
and 2023, respectively.
(d)
B2B subscription revenue represents revenue from (i) services provided to SOHO subscribers and (ii) mobile services
provided to medium and large enterprises. SOHO subscribers pay a premium price to receive expanded service levels
along with broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony or mobile services that are the same or similar to the mass
II-11
marketed products offered to our residential subscribers. A portion of the change in our B2B subscription revenue is
attributable to the conversion of certain residential subscribers to SOHO subscribers. B2B non-subscription revenue
includes (a) revenue from business broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony and data services offered to medium
and large enterprises and, fixed-line and mobile services on a wholesale basis, to other operators and (b) revenue from
long-term leases of portions of our network.
(e)
Other revenue includes, among other items, (i) broadcasting revenue at Telenet and VM Ireland, (ii) revenue earned from
the U.K. JV Services and NL JV Services and (iii) revenue earned from the sale of CPE to the VMO2 JV and the
VodafoneZiggo JV.
Total revenue. Our consolidated revenue increased $226.1 million or 5.5% during 2024, as compared to 2023. This
increase includes an increase of $18.5 million attributable to the impact of the Formula E Acquisition. On an organic basis, our
consolidated revenue increased $189.6 million or 4.6%.
Residential revenue. The details of the decrease in our consolidated residential revenue during 2024, as compared to 2023,
are as follows (in millions):
Increase (decrease) in residential fixed subscription revenue due to change in:
Average number of customers ................................................................................................................................ $
(69.7)
ARPU .....................................................................................................................................................................
49.1
Increase in residential fixed non-subscription revenue .............................................................................................
1.2
Total decrease in residential fixed revenue .........................................................................................................
(19.4)
Decrease in residential mobile non-subscription revenue .........................................................................................
(18.2)
Total decrease in residential revenue ..................................................................................................................
(37.6)
Impact of FX .............................................................................................................................................................
(1.0)
Total decrease in residential revenue ................................................................................................................ $
(38.6)
On an organic basis, our consolidated residential fixed subscription revenue decreased $20.6 million or 1.2% during 2024,
as compared to 2023, primarily attributable to a decrease at VM Ireland.
On an organic basis, our consolidated residential mobile non-subscription revenue decreased $18.2 million or 9.7% during
2024, as compared to 2023, primarily due to a decrease at Telenet.
B2B revenue. On an organic basis, our consolidated B2B subscription revenue increased $13.5 million or 3.2% during
2024, as compared to 2023, primarily due to an increase at Telenet.
On an organic basis, our consolidated B2B non-subscription revenue decreased $36.6 million or 8.2% during 2024, as
compared to 2023, primarily due to a decrease at Telenet.
Other revenue. On an organic basis, our consolidated other revenue increased $250.3 million or 28.4% during 2024, as
compared to 2023, primarily attributable to (i) an increase in revenue earned from the sale of CPE to the VMO2 JV beginning
in 2024 and (ii) an increase in revenue earned from the U.K. JV Services and NL JV Services. For additional information
regarding the increase in revenue earned from the U.K. JV Services and NL JV Services, see note 19 to our consolidated
financial statements.
Programming and other direct costs of services
Programming and other direct costs of services include programming and copyright costs, interconnect and access costs,
costs of mobile handsets and other devices and other direct costs related to our operations, including costs associated with our
transitional service agreements and certain costs related to the development of externally marketed software. Programming and
copyright costs represent a significant portion of our operating costs and are subject to rise in future periods due to various
factors, including (i) higher costs associated with the expansion of our digital video content, including rights associated with
ancillary product offerings and rights that provide for the broadcast of live sporting events and (ii) rate increases.
II-12
The details of our programming and other direct costs of services are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
Increase (decrease)
Organic
increase (decrease)
2024
2023
$
%
$
%
in millions, except percentages
Telenet ................................................................ $
764.5 $
789.1 $
(24.6)
(3.1) $
(26.9)
(3.4)
VM Ireland ..........................................................
127.7
139.0
(11.3)
(8.1)
(11.5)
(8.3)
Total consolidated reportable segments .........
892.2
928.1
(35.9)
(3.9)
Plus: all other category .......................................
644.4
446.5
197.9
44.3
Less: elimination of intercompany consolidated
programming and other direct costs of
services ............................................................
(85.9)
(89.1)
3.2
N.M.
Total consolidated ....................................... $ 1,450.7 $ 1,285.5 $
165.2
12.9 $
143.9
11.0
_______________
N.M. — Not Meaningful.
Our programming and other direct costs of services increased $165.2 million or 12.9% during 2024, as compared to 2023.
This increase includes an increase of $20.1 million attributable to the impact of the Formula E Acquisition. On an organic basis,
our programming and other direct costs of services increased $143.9 million or 11.0%. This increase includes the following
factors:
•
An increase in costs of $138.2 million related to the sale of CPE to the VMO2 JV beginning in 2024;
•
An increase in costs of $50.5 million due to lower capitalization as a result of our decision in May 2023 to market and
sell certain of our internally-developed software to third parties, as further described in note 19 to our consolidated
financial statements;
•
A decrease in interconnect and access costs of $24.5 million or 19.0%, primarily due to lower interconnect and mobile
roaming costs at Telenet;
•
A decrease in costs of $24.1 million related to lower sales of CPE to the VodafoneZiggo JV;
•
An increase of $17.2 million related to the recognition of a loss during the fourth quarter of 2024 associated with
certain minimum purchase commitments;
•
A decrease in programming and copyright costs of $10.4 million or 1.8%, primarily attributable to lower costs for
certain content at VM Ireland and Telenet; and
•
An increase in costs of $7.6 million related to third-party CPE development costs recognized in the fourth quarter of
2024.
II-13
Other operating expenses
Other operating expenses include network operations, customer operations, customer care, share-based compensation and
other costs related to our operations. We do not include share-based compensation in the following discussion and analysis of
the other operating expenses of our consolidated reportable segments as share-based compensation expense is not included in
the performance measures of our consolidated reportable segments. Share-based compensation expense is separately discussed
further below.
The details of our other operating expenses are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
Increase (decrease)
Organic
increase (decrease)
2024
2023
$
%
$
%
in millions, except percentages
Telenet ............................................................... $
515.5 $
512.8 $
2.7
0.5 $
1.9
0.4
VM Ireland .........................................................
123.5
123.4
0.1
0.1
(0.2)
(0.2)
Total consolidated reportable segments ........
639.0
636.2
2.8
0.4
Plus: all other category ......................................
139.3
149.8
(10.5)
(7.0)
Less: elimination of intercompany
consolidated other operating expenses ...........
(35.0)
(31.8)
(3.2)
N.M.
Total consolidated (excluding share-based
compensation expense) .............................
743.3
754.2
(10.9)
(1.4) $
(12.9)
(1.7)
Share-based compensation expense ...................
17.8
11.3
6.5
57.5
Total consolidated ....................................... $
761.1 $
765.5 $
(4.4)
(0.6)
_______________
N.M. — Not Meaningful.
Our other operating expenses (exclusive of share-based compensation expense) decreased $10.9 million or 1.4% during
2024, as compared to 2023. On an organic basis, our other operating expenses decreased $12.9 million or 1.7%. This decrease
includes the following factors:
•
A decrease in core network and information technology-related costs of $15.6 million or 8.3%, primarily due to the net
effect of (i) lower network maintenance and outsourced data center costs, (ii) higher information technology-related
costs and (iii) lower leased bandwidth costs at Telenet;
•
A decrease in business service costs of $13.6 million or 13.6%, primarily due to lower energy costs at Telenet;
•
An increase in outsourced labor costs of $11.5 million or 12.0%, primarily associated with customer-facing activities
at Telenet;
•
A $11.2 million increase in costs at Telenet associated with the one-time benefit during the second quarter of 2023
from expected settlements of certain operational contingencies;
•
A decrease in personnel costs of $9.8 million or 4.4%, primarily due to (i) lower average costs per employee, as an
overall decrease was only partially offset by an increase at Telenet, and (ii) lower staffing levels; and
•
A decrease in customer service costs of $8.7 million or 12.2%, primarily related to lower call center costs at Telenet.
II-14
SG&A expenses
SG&A expenses include human resources, information technology, general services, management, finance, legal, external
sales and marketing costs, share-based compensation and other general expenses. We do not include share-based compensation
in the following discussion and analysis of the SG&A expenses of our consolidated reportable segments as share-based
compensation expense is not included in the performance measures of our consolidated reportable segments. Share-based
compensation expense is separately discussed further below.
The details of our SG&A expenses are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
Increase (decrease)
Organic
increase (decrease)
2024
2023
$
%
$
%
in millions, except percentages
Telenet ............................................................... $
512.2 $
472.1 $
40.1
8.5 $
40.3
8.5
VM Ireland .........................................................
61.9
62.3
(0.4)
(0.6)
(0.3)
(0.5)
Total consolidated reportable segments ........
574.1
534.4
39.7
7.4
Plus: all other category ......................................
418.6
395.0
23.6
6.0
Less: elimination of intercompany
consolidated SG&A expenses ........................
(4.6)
(3.7)
(0.9)
N.M.
Total consolidated (excluding share-based
compensation expense) .............................
988.1
925.7
62.4
6.7 $
43.2
4.6
Share-based compensation expense ...................
150.5
193.5
(43.0)
(22.2)
Total consolidated ....................................... $ 1,138.6 $ 1,119.2 $
19.4
1.7
______________
N.M. — Not Meaningful.
Supplemental SG&A expense information
Year ended December 31,
Increase
Organic increase
2024
2023
$
%
$
%
in millions, except percentages
General and administrative (a) ............................ $
686.6 $
637.4 $
49.2
7.7 $
29.9
4.6
External sales and marketing ..............................
301.5
288.3
13.2
4.6
13.3
4.6
Total ............................................................... $
988.1 $
925.7 $
62.4
6.7 $
43.2
4.6
______________
(a)
General and administrative expenses include all personnel-related costs within our SG&A expenses, including personnel-
related costs associated with our sales and marketing function.
Our SG&A expenses (exclusive of share-based compensation expense) increased $62.4 million or 6.7% during 2024, as
compared to 2023. This increase includes an increase of $14.7 million attributable to the impact of the Formula E Acquisition.
On an organic basis, our SG&A expenses increased $43.2 million or 4.6%. This increase includes the following factors:
•
An increase in personnel costs of $29.7 million or 6.2%, primarily at Telenet, due to (i) an increase in temporary
personnel costs and (ii) higher average costs per employee; and
•
An increase in external sales and marketing costs of $13.3 million or 4.6%, primarily due to higher costs associated
with advertising campaigns at Telenet.
II-15
Share-based compensation expense
Our share-based compensation expense primarily relates to the share-based incentive awards issued by Liberty Global to its
employees and employees of its subsidiaries. A summary of our aggregate share-based compensation expense is set forth
below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Liberty Global (a):
Non-performance based incentive awards (b) .................................................................................. $
113.9 $
137.7
Performance based incentive awards (c) ..........................................................................................
18.6
6.9
Other (d) ...........................................................................................................................................
29.7
26.9
Total Liberty Global .....................................................................................................................
162.2
171.5
Telenet share-based incentive awards (e) ...........................................................................................
—
27.7
Other ....................................................................................................................................................
6.1
5.6
Total ........................................................................................................................................... $
168.3 $
204.8
Included in:
Other operating expenses ................................................................................................................. $
17.8 $
11.3
Total SG&A expenses ......................................................................................................................
150.5
193.5
Total ............................................................................................................................................. $
168.3 $
204.8
_______________
(a)
In accordance with the terms of the Telenet Takeover Bid, we issued Telenet Replacement Awards to employees and
former directors of Telenet in exchange for corresponding Telenet awards. In connection with the Telenet Takeover Bid,
the Telenet Replacement Awards were remeasured as of October 13, 2023 in a 1:2 ratio between Liberty Global Class A
and Liberty Global Class C common shares. No incremental share-based compensation expense was recognized from the
remeasurement and modification of the Telenet awards. The Telenet Replacement Awards were re-granted on November
7, 2023, resulting in total share-based compensation expense of $50.0 million, of which $8.5 million was recognized on
this date due to the immediate vesting of select Telenet Replacement Awards. The remaining expense of $41.5 million
will be amortized over the remaining service periods of the unvested Telenet Replacement Awards, subject to forfeitures
and the satisfaction of performance conditions. For further information regarding the Telenet Takeover Bid, see note 14
to our consolidated financial statements.
(b)
In April 2023, the compensation committee of our board of directors approved the extension of the expiration dates of
outstanding SARs and director options granted in 2016 through 2018 from a seven-year term to a ten-year term (prior to
2019, awards granted under the 2014 Incentive Plans expired seven years after the grant date). Accordingly, the Black-
Scholes fair values of the outstanding awards increased, resulting in the recognition of an aggregate incremental share-
based compensation expense of $25.9 million during 2023.
(c)
The 2024 amount includes share-based compensation expense related to the 2024 PSUs. The 2023 amount includes
share-based compensation expense related to certain Telenet Replacement Awards.
(d)
Represents annual incentive compensation and defined contribution plan liabilities that have been or are expected to be
settled with Liberty Global common shares. In the case of the annual incentive compensation, shares have been or will be
issued to senior management and key employees pursuant to a shareholding incentive program. The shareholding
incentive program allows these employees to elect to receive up to 100% of their annual incentive compensation in
common shares of Liberty Global in lieu of cash. In addition, amounts include compensation expense related to the
Ventures Incentive Plans.
(e)
Represents the share-based compensation expense associated with Telenet’s share-based incentive awards prior to the
Telenet Takeover Bid. In addition, €7.6 million ($8.2 million at the applicable rate) was expensed during the fourth
quarter of 2023 related to the reimbursement of certain employee income taxes associated with the ESOP 2019 and the
ESOP 2020.
II-16
For additional information concerning our share-based compensation, see note 15 to our consolidated financial statements.
Depreciation and amortization expense
Our depreciation and amortization expense was $1,002.0 million and $1,216.4 million during 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Excluding the effects of FX, depreciation and amortization expense decreased $207.4 million or 17.1% during 2024, as
compared to 2023. This decrease is primarily due to the net effect of (i) a decrease associated with certain assets becoming fully
depreciated, including (a) with respect to the impact of our decision in May 2023 to market and sell certain of our internally-
developed software to third parties and (b) amounts at Telenet, (ii) an increase associated with property and equipment
additions related to the installation of CPE, the expansion and upgrade of our networks and other capital initiatives, primarily at
Telenet and VM Ireland, and (iii) an increase associated with acquisitions, primarily related to the Telenet Wyre Transaction.
For additional information regarding our recent acquisitions, see note 5 to our consolidated financial statements.
Impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net
We recognized impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net, of $49.6 million and $43.0 million during 2024
and 2023, respectively.
The 2024 amount primarily includes (i) restructuring costs of $25.3 million, including amounts at Telenet, and (ii) a
provision for legal contingencies of $20.7 million.
The 2023 amount primarily includes (i) direct acquisition and disposition costs of $29.3 million, primarily at Telenet, and
(ii) restructuring costs of $20.0 million, primarily at Telenet and VM Ireland.
If, among other factors, the adverse impacts of economic, competitive, regulatory or other factors were to cause our results
of operations or cash flows to be worse than anticipated, we could conclude in future periods that impairment charges are
required in order to reduce the carrying values of our goodwill and, to a lesser extent, other long-lived assets. Any such
impairment charges could be significant.
For additional information regarding our impairments, see Critical Accounting Policies, Judgments and Estimates —
Impairment of Goodwill below.
Interest expense
We recognized interest expense of $574.7 million and $505.0 million during 2024 and 2023, respectively. Excluding the
effects of FX, interest expense increased $69.5 million or 13.8% during 2024, as compared to 2023. This increase is primarily
attributable to a higher average outstanding debt balance and a higher weighted average interest rate. For additional information
regarding our outstanding indebtedness, see note 11 to our consolidated financial statements.
It is possible that the interest rates on (i) any new borrowings could be higher than the current interest rates on our existing
indebtedness and (ii) our variable-rate indebtedness could increase in future periods. As further discussed in note 8 to our
consolidated financial statements and under Item 7A. Qualitative and Quantitative Disclosures about Market Risk below, we
use derivative instruments to manage our interest rate risks.
II-17
Realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net
Our realized and unrealized gains or losses on derivative instruments include (i) unrealized changes in the fair values of
our derivative instruments that are non-cash in nature until such time as the derivative contracts are fully or partially settled and
(ii) realized gains or losses upon the full or partial settlement of the derivative contracts. The details of our realized and
unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net, are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts (a) .................................................................... $
323.7 $
(186.2)
Equity-related derivative instruments (b) ............................................................................................
(38.6)
258.5
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ..................................................................................
30.0
6.1
Other ....................................................................................................................................................
0.1
(0.1)
Total ............................................................................................................................................. $
315.2 $
78.3
_______________
(a)
The gain during 2024 is primarily attributable to the net effect of (i) a net gain associated with changes in the relative
value of certain currencies and (ii) a net loss associated with changes in certain market interest rates. In addition, the gain
during 2024 includes a net loss of $7.7 million resulting from changes in our credit risk valuation adjustments. The loss
during 2023 is attributable to net losses associated with changes in (a) certain market interest rates and (b) the relative
value of certain currencies. In addition, the loss during 2023 includes a net gain of $8.4 million resulting from changes in
our credit risk valuation adjustments.
(b)
For information concerning the factors that impact the valuations of our equity-related derivative instruments, see note 9
to our consolidated financial statements.
For additional information concerning our derivative instruments, see note 8 to our consolidated financial statements and
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk below.
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses), net
Our foreign currency transaction gains or losses primarily result from the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities
that are denominated in currencies other than the underlying functional currency of the applicable entity. Unrealized foreign
currency transaction gains or losses are computed based on period-end exchange rates and are non-cash in nature until such
time as the amounts are settled. The details of our foreign currency transaction gains (losses), net, are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Intercompany balances denominated in a currency other than the entity’s functional currency (a) ... $
1,964.0 $
(839.0)
U.S. dollar-denominated debt issued by euro functional currency entities .........................................
(217.7)
116.1
Cash and restricted cash denominated in a currency other than the entity’s functional currency .......
8.8
6.2
Other ....................................................................................................................................................
1.4
(3.0)
Total ................................................................................................................................................ $
1,756.5 $
(719.7)
_______________
(a)
Amounts primarily relate to loans between certain of our non-operating subsidiaries in Europe.
For information regarding how we manage our exposure to foreign currency risk, see Item 7A. Quantitative and
Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk — Foreign Currency Risk below.
II-18
Realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain investments, net
Our realized and unrealized gains or losses due to changes in fair values of certain investments include unrealized gains or
losses associated with changes in fair values that are non-cash in nature until such time as these gains or losses are realized
through cash transactions. For additional information regarding our investments and fair value measurements, see notes 7 and 9,
respectively, to our consolidated financial statements. The details of our realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair
values of certain investments, net, are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
EdgeConneX ....................................................................................................................................... $
147.6 $
122.3
Plume ..................................................................................................................................................
(95.4)
(77.8)
Lacework (a) .......................................................................................................................................
(75.8)
(148.6)
Vodafone ............................................................................................................................................
57.4
(362.4)
Televisa Univision ..............................................................................................................................
(52.1)
(9.9)
ITV .....................................................................................................................................................
46.9
(40.5)
SMAs ..................................................................................................................................................
33.7
(26.4)
Pax8 (b) ..............................................................................................................................................
(27.9)
1.3
Aviatrix ...............................................................................................................................................
(24.5)
(22.7)
Lionsgate ............................................................................................................................................
(16.2)
32.9
Other, net ............................................................................................................................................
(22.1)
(24.8)
Total ............................................................................................................................................. $
(28.4) $
(556.6)
_______________
(a)
We completed the sale of our investment in Lacework during the third quarter of 2024.
(b)
We completed the sale of our investment in Pax8 during the fourth quarter of 2024.
Share of results of affiliates, net
The following table sets forth the details of our share of results of affiliates, net:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
VodafoneZiggo JV (a) ...................................................................................................................... $
(69.3) $
(196.7)
AtlasEdge JV .....................................................................................................................................
(40.9)
(31.1)
Formula E (b) ....................................................................................................................................
(29.1)
(19.4)
VMO2 JV (c) ....................................................................................................................................
(29.0)
(1,723.1)
All3Media (d) ....................................................................................................................................
(15.5)
4.0
Streamz ..............................................................................................................................................
(2.3)
(6.9)
nexfibre JV ........................................................................................................................................
(2.2)
(34.7)
Other, net ...........................................................................................................................................
(17.3)
(10.5)
Total ............................................................................................................................................. $
(205.6) $
(2,018.4)
_______________
(a)
Represents (i) our 50% share of the results of operations of the VodafoneZiggo JV and (ii) interest income of $55.4
million and $55.3 million, respectively, representing 100% of the interest earned on the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivables.
The summarized results of operations of the VodafoneZiggo JV are set forth below:
II-19
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Revenue ................................................................................................................................. $
4,450.5 $
4,450.5
Adjusted EBITDA ................................................................................................................. $
2,033.9 $
1,972.5
Operating income (1) ............................................................................................................ $
321.0 $
250.5
Non-operating expense (2) .................................................................................................... $
(707.3) $
(865.1)
Net loss .................................................................................................................................. $
(257.1) $
(510.0)
_______________
(1)
Includes depreciation and amortization expense of $1,696.3 million and $1,677.2 million, respectively.
(2)
Includes interest expense of $822.9 million and $787.8 million, respectively.
The change in the VodafoneZiggo JV’s revenue during 2024, as compared to 2023, is primarily due to the net effect of (i) a
decrease in residential fixed revenue, (ii) an increase in residential mobile revenue and (iii) an increase in B2B fixed revenue.
The change in the VodafoneZiggo JV’s Adjusted EBITDA during 2024, as compared to 2023, is primarily due to the net effect
of (a) lower energy costs, (b) an increase in wage costs and (c) an increase in programming costs. In addition, the reported
revenue and Adjusted EBITDA amounts are impacted by FX.
(b)
Includes our share of results of Formula E prior to the Formula E Acquisition Date.
(c)
Represents (i) our 50% share of the results of operations of the VMO2 JV and (ii) 100% of the share-based compensation
expense associated with Liberty Global awards granted to VMO2 JV employees who were formerly employees of
Liberty Global prior to the VMO2 JV formation, as these awards remain our responsibility. The summarized results of
operations of the VMO2 JV are set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Revenue ................................................................................................................................. $
13,649.7 $
13,574.1
Adjusted EBITDA ................................................................................................................. $
4,503.4 $
4,531.3
Operating income (loss) (1) ................................................................................................... $
1,037.8 $
(2,274.5)
Non-operating expense (2) .................................................................................................... $
(1,004.7) $
(1,454.3)
Net loss .................................................................................................................................. $
(1,634.7) $
(3,438.6)
_______________
(1)
Includes depreciation and amortization expense of $3,311.7 million and $3,693.5 million, respectively.
(2)
Includes interest expense of $1,634.7 million and $1,505.1 million, respectively. In addition, the 2023 amount
includes a charge of £2.3 billion ($2.9 billion at the applicable rate) related to the VMO2 JV’s goodwill
impairment, as described in note 7 to our consolidated financial statements.
The change in the VMO2 JV’s revenue during 2024, as compared to 2023, is primarily due to the net effect of (i) a
decrease in mobile revenue due to lower handset sales, (ii) an increase in other revenue related to low-margin construction
revenue from the nexfibre JV, (iii) an increase in residential fixed revenue and (iv) a one-time increase in 2023 of $48 million in
other revenue due to a change in the contract terms with a related-party supplier, with each revenue category as defined and
reported by the VMO2 JV. The change in the VMO2 JV’s Adjusted EBITDA during 2024, as compared to 2023, is primarily
due to the net effect of (a) higher costs related to information technology and digital efficiency programs, (b) the benefit of
approximately $62 million during 2024 related to higher capitalized costs by the VMO2 JV due to a change in the terms of a
related-party contract under which Liberty Global now sells CPE hardware and embedded essential software to the VMO2 JV,
(c) the aforementioned one-time revenue increase in 2023, (d) a handset inventory-related adjustment increasing cost of sales by
approximately $27 million in 2024 and (e) a reduction in costs of $19 million in 2023 due to a change in the contract terms of
services provided by a related-party. In addition, the reported revenue and Adjusted EBITDA amounts are impacted by FX.
II-20
(d)
We completed the sale of our investment in All3Media during the second quarter of 2024.
For additional information regarding our equity method investments, see note 7 to our consolidated financial statements.
Gain on sale of All3Media
In connection with the sale of All3Media, we recognized a gain of $242.9 million during 2024. For additional information,
see note 7 to our consolidated financial statements.
Gain associated with the Formula E Acquisition
In connection with the Formula E Acquisition, we recognized a gain of $190.7 million during 2024. For additional
information, see note 5 to our consolidated financial statements.
Gain associated with the Telenet Wyre Transaction
In connection with the Telenet Wyre Transaction, we recognized a net gain of $377.8 million during 2023. For additional
information, see note 5 to our consolidated financial statements.
Other income, net
We recognized other income, net, of $201.8 million and $211.4 million during 2024 and 2023, respectively. These amounts
include interest and dividend income of $199.3 million and $211.7 million, respectively.
Income tax benefit (expense)
We recognized income tax benefit (expense) of $30.8 million and ($213.1 million) during 2024 and 2023, respectively.
The income tax benefit during 2024 differs from the expected income tax expense of $459.6 million (based on the U.K.
income tax rate of 25.0%), primarily due to the net positive impact of (i) non-deductible or non-taxable foreign currency
exchange results, (ii) certain permanent differences between the financial and tax accounting treatment of interest and other
expenses and (iii) the recognition of previously unrecognized tax benefits.
The income tax expense during 2023 differs from the expected income tax benefit of $809.8 million (based on the U.K.
blended income tax rate of 23.5%), primarily due to the net negative impact of (i) certain permanent differences between the
financial and tax accounting treatment of items associated with investments in subsidiaries and affiliates, (ii) a net increase in
valuation allowances, (iii) non-deductible or non-taxable foreign currency exchange results and (iv) certain permanent
differences between the financial and tax accounting treatment of interest and other expenses.
For additional information concerning our income taxes, see note 13 to our consolidated financial statements.
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations
During 2024 and 2023, we reported earnings (loss) from continuing operations of $1,869.1 million and ($3,659.1 million),
respectively, consisting of (i) operating loss of $60.1 million and $313.8 million, respectively, (ii) net non-operating income
(expense) of $1,898.4 million and ($3,132.2 million), respectively, and (iii) income tax benefit (expense) of $30.8 million and
($213.1 million), respectively.
Gains or losses associated with (i) changes in the fair values of derivative instruments, (ii) movements in foreign currency
exchange rates and (iii) the disposition of assets and changes in ownership are subject to a high degree of volatility and, as such,
any gains from these sources do not represent a reliable source of income. In the absence of significant gains in the future from
these sources or from other non-operating items, our ability to achieve earnings is largely dependent on our ability to increase
our aggregate operating income to a level that more than offsets the aggregate amount of our (a) interest expense, (b) other non-
operating expenses and (c) income tax expense.
Due largely to the fact that we seek to maintain our debt at levels that provide for attractive equity returns, as discussed
under Liquidity and Capital Resources — Capitalization below, we expect we will continue to report significant levels of
interest expense for the foreseeable future. For information concerning our expectations with respect to trends that may affect
II-21
certain aspects of our operating results in future periods, see the discussion under Overview above. For information concerning
the reasons for changes in specific line items in our consolidated statements of operations, see Discussion and Analysis of our
Reportable Segments and Discussion and Analysis of our Consolidated Operating Results above.
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes
We reported loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes, of $223.2 million and $214.7 million during 2024 and 2023,
respectively, related to the operations of the Sunrise Entities. For additional information, see note 6 to our consolidated financial
statements.
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests was $57.9 million and $177.9 million during 2024 and 2023,
respectively. The 2024 amount is primarily attributable to noncontrolling interests at Telenet associated with the results of
operations of Wyre. The 2023 amount is primarily attributable to the results of operations of Telenet prior to the Telenet
Takeover Bid.
II-22
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources and Uses of Cash
We are a holding company that is dependent on the capital resources of our subsidiaries to satisfy our liquidity
requirements at the corporate level. Each of our significant operating subsidiaries is separately financed within one of our two
subsidiary “borrowing groups”. These borrowing groups include the respective restricted parent and subsidiary entities within
Telenet and VM Ireland. Although our borrowing groups typically generate cash from operating activities, the terms of the
instruments governing the indebtedness of these borrowing groups may restrict our ability to access the liquidity of these
subsidiaries. In addition, our ability to access the liquidity of these and other subsidiaries may be limited by tax and legal
considerations, the presence of noncontrolling interests and other factors.
Cash, cash equivalents and SMAs
The details of the U.S. dollar equivalent balances of our consolidated cash and cash equivalents and investments held under
SMAs at December 31, 2024 are set forth in the following table (in millions):
Cash and cash equivalents held by:
Liberty Global and unrestricted subsidiaries:
Liberty Global (a) ............................................................................................................................................. $
3.6
Unrestricted subsidiaries (b) .............................................................................................................................
690.7
Total Liberty Global and unrestricted subsidiaries ........................................................................................
694.3
Borrowing groups (c):
Telenet ..............................................................................................................................................................
1,109.7
VM Ireland .......................................................................................................................................................
12.3
Total borrowing groups .................................................................................................................................
1,122.0
Total cash and cash equivalents (d) .............................................................................................................
1,816.3
Investments held under SMAs (e) .........................................................................................................................
433.1
Total cash and cash equivalents and investments held under SMAs ........................................................ $
2,249.4
_______________
(a)
Represents the amount held by Liberty Global on a standalone basis.
(b)
Represents the aggregate amount held by subsidiaries that are outside of our borrowing groups.
(c)
Represents the aggregate amounts held by the parent entity and restricted subsidiaries of our borrowing groups.
(d)
The total cash and cash equivalents balance includes $1,207.2 million or 66.5% and $565.3 million or 31.1%
denominated in euros and U.S. dollars, respectively.
(e)
The balance of our investments held under SMAs is held by unrestricted subsidiaries of Liberty Global and includes
$408.9 million or 94.4% denominated in U.S. dollars.
For additional information regarding our cash and cash equivalents and investments held under SMAs, see the discussion
under Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk — Cash and Investments below.
Liquidity of Liberty Global and its unrestricted subsidiaries
The $3.6 million of cash held by Liberty Global and, subject to certain tax and legal considerations, the $690.7 million of
aggregate cash and cash equivalents held by unrestricted subsidiaries, together with the $433.1 million of investments held
under SMAs, represented available liquidity at the corporate level at December 31, 2024. Our remaining cash and cash
equivalents of $1,122.0 million at December 31, 2024 were held by our borrowing groups, as set forth in the table above. As
noted above, various factors may limit our ability to access the cash of our borrowing groups. For information regarding certain
limitations imposed by our subsidiaries’ debt instruments at December 31, 2024, see note 11 to our consolidated financial
statements.
II-23
Our short-term sources of corporate liquidity include (i) cash and cash equivalents held by Liberty Global and, subject to
certain tax and legal considerations, Liberty Global’s unrestricted subsidiaries, (ii) investments held under SMAs, (iii) interest
and dividend income received on our and, subject to certain tax and legal considerations, our unrestricted subsidiaries’ cash and
cash equivalents and investments, including dividend distributions received from the VMO2 JV or the VodafoneZiggo JV, (iv)
cash received with respect to transitional and other services provided to various third parties and affiliates and (v) interest
payments received with respect to the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivables.
From time to time, Liberty Global and its unrestricted subsidiaries may also receive (i) proceeds in the form of dividend
distributions or loan repayments from Liberty Global’s borrowing groups or affiliates (including amounts from the VMO2 JV
or the VodafoneZiggo JV) upon (a) the completion of recapitalizations, refinancings, asset sales or similar transactions by these
entities or (b) the accumulation of excess cash from operations or other means, (ii) proceeds upon the disposition of investments
and other assets of Liberty Global and its unrestricted subsidiaries, such as the sales of UPC Poland and All3Media, and (iii)
proceeds in connection with the incurrence of debt by Liberty Global or its unrestricted subsidiaries or the issuance of equity
securities by Liberty Global, including equity securities issued to satisfy subsidiary obligations. No assurance can be given that
any external funding would be available to Liberty Global or its unrestricted subsidiaries on favorable terms, or at all.
At December 31, 2024, our consolidated cash and cash equivalents included $1,812.7 million held by entities that are
domiciled outside of Bermuda. Based on our assessment of our ability to access the liquidity of our subsidiaries on a tax
efficient basis and our expectations with respect to our corporate liquidity requirements, we do not anticipate that tax
considerations will adversely impact our corporate liquidity over the next 12 months. Our ability to access the liquidity of our
subsidiaries on a tax efficient basis is a consideration in assessing the extent of our share repurchase program.
In addition, the amount of cash we receive from our subsidiaries and affiliates to satisfy U.S. dollar-denominated liquidity
requirements is impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates, particularly with regard to the translation of euros and British pound
sterling into U.S. dollars. In this regard, the strengthening (weakening) of the U.S. dollar against these currencies will result in
decreases (increases) in the U.S. dollars received from the applicable subsidiaries and affiliates to fund the repurchase of our
equity securities and other U.S. dollar-denominated liquidity requirements.
Our short- and long-term liquidity requirements include (i) corporate general and administrative expenses, (ii) interest
payments on the Vodafone Collar Loan and (iii) principal payments on the Vodafone Collar Loan to the extent not settled
through the delivery of the underlying shares. In addition, Liberty Global and its unrestricted subsidiaries may require cash in
connection with (a) the repayment of third-party and intercompany debt, (b) the satisfaction of contingent liabilities, (c)
acquisitions, (d) the repurchase of equity and debt securities, (e) other investment opportunities, (f) any funding requirements of
our subsidiaries and affiliates or (g) income tax payments.
During 2024, the aggregate amount of our share repurchases, including direct acquisition costs, was $678.5 million. For
additional information regarding our share repurchase programs, see note 14 to our consolidated financial statements.
Liquidity of borrowing groups
The cash and cash equivalents of our borrowing groups are detailed in the table above. In addition to cash and cash
equivalents, the primary sources of liquidity of our borrowing groups are cash provided by operations and borrowing
availability under their respective debt instruments. For the details of the borrowing availability of our borrowing groups at
December 31, 2024, see note 11 to our consolidated financial statements. The aforementioned sources of liquidity may be
supplemented in certain cases by contributions and/or loans from Liberty Global and its unrestricted subsidiaries.
The liquidity of our borrowing groups generally is used to fund (i) property and equipment additions, (ii) debt service
requirements and (iii) income tax payments, as well as to settle certain obligations that are not included on our December 31,
2024 consolidated balance sheet. In this regard, we have significant commitments related to (a) purchase obligations associated
with CPE and certain service-related commitments, (b) certain operating costs associated with our networks and (c)
programming, studio output and sports rights contracts. These obligations are expected to represent a significant liquidity
requirement of our borrowing groups, a significant portion of which is due over the next 12 to 24 months. For additional
information regarding our commitments, see note 18 to our consolidated financial statements.
From time to time, our borrowing groups may also require liquidity in connection with (i) acquisitions and other
investment opportunities, (ii) loans to Liberty Global or its unrestricted subsidiaries, (iii) capital distributions to Liberty Global
and other equity owners or (iv) the satisfaction of contingent liabilities. No assurance can be given that any external funding
would be available to our borrowing groups on favorable terms, or at all.
II-24
For additional information regarding our consolidated cash flows, see the discussion under Consolidated Statements of
Cash Flows below.
Capitalization
We seek to maintain our debt at levels that provide for attractive equity returns without assuming undue risk. In this regard,
we generally seek to cause our operating subsidiaries to maintain their debt at levels that result in a consolidated debt balance
(excluding the Vodafone Collar Loan and measured using subsidiary debt figures at swapped foreign currency exchange rates,
consistent with the covenant calculation requirements of our subsidiary debt agreements) that is between four and five times our
consolidated Adjusted EBITDA, although the timing of our acquisitions and financing transactions and the interplay of average
and spot foreign currency rates may impact this ratio. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure, which
investors should view as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, GAAP measures of performance included in our consolidated
statements of operations.
Our ability to service or refinance our debt and to maintain compliance with the leverage covenants in the credit
agreements and indentures of our borrowing groups is dependent primarily on our ability to maintain or increase the Adjusted
EBITDA of our operating subsidiaries and to achieve adequate returns on our property and equipment additions and
acquisitions. In addition, our ability to obtain additional debt financing is limited by the incurrence-based leverage covenants
contained in the various debt instruments of our borrowing groups. For example, if the Adjusted EBITDA of one of our
borrowing groups were to decline, our ability to obtain additional debt could be limited. Under our credit facilities and senior
secured notes there is no cross-default risk between subsidiary borrowing groups in the event that one or more of our borrowing
groups were to experience significant declines in their Adjusted EBITDA to the extent they were no longer able to service their
debt obligations. Any mandatory prepayment events or events of default that may occur would only impact the relevant
borrowing group in which these events occur and do not allow for any recourse to other borrowing groups or Liberty Global
Ltd. Our credit facilities and senior secured notes require that certain members of the relevant borrowing group guarantee the
payment of all sums payable thereunder and such group members are required to grant first-ranking security over their shares
or, in certain borrowing groups, over substantially all of their assets to secure the payment of all sums payable thereunder. At
December 31, 2024, each of our borrowing groups was in compliance with its debt covenants. In addition, we do not anticipate
any instances of non-compliance with respect to the debt covenants of our borrowing groups that would have a material adverse
impact on our liquidity during the next 12 months.
At December 31, 2024, the outstanding principal amount of our consolidated debt, together with our finance lease
obligations, aggregated $9.2 billion, including $0.9 billion that is classified as current on our consolidated balance sheet and
$2.4 billion that is not due until 2029 or thereafter. All of our consolidated debt and finance lease obligations have been
borrowed or incurred by our subsidiaries at December 31, 2024.
We believe we have sufficient resources to repay or refinance the current portion of our debt and finance lease obligations
and to fund our foreseeable liquidity requirements during the next 12 months. However, as our maturing debt grows in later
years, we anticipate we will seek to refinance or otherwise extend our debt maturities. No assurance can be given that we will
be able to complete these refinancing transactions or otherwise extend our debt maturities. In this regard, it is not possible to
predict how political and economic conditions, sovereign debt concerns or any adverse regulatory developments could impact
the credit and equity markets we access and, accordingly, our future liquidity and financial position. Our ability to access debt
financing on favorable terms, or at all, could be adversely impacted by (i) the financial failure of any of our counterparties,
which could (a) reduce amounts available under committed credit facilities and (b) adversely impact our ability to access cash
deposited with any failed financial institution, and (ii) tightening of the credit markets. In addition, any weakness in the equity
markets could make it less attractive to use our shares to satisfy contingent or other obligations, and sustained or increased
competition, particularly in combination with adverse economic or regulatory developments, could have an unfavorable impact
on our cash flows and liquidity.
For additional information concerning our debt and finance lease obligations, see notes 11 and 12, respectively, to our
consolidated financial statements.
II-25
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
General. Our cash flows are subject to significant variations due to FX. See related discussion under Item 7A. Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk — Foreign Currency Risk below.
Summary. The 2024 and 2023 consolidated statements of cash flows of our continuing operations are summarized as
follows:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
Change
in millions
Net cash provided by operating activities ................................................................... $
1,331.2 $
1,199.3 $
131.9
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities .........................................................
1,145.5
(1,280.2)
2,425.7
Net cash used by financing activities ..........................................................................
(806.2)
(595.2)
(211.0)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash ....
(64.0)
57.9
(121.9)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash ............... $
1,606.5 $
(618.2) $
2,224.7
Operating Activities. The increase in net cash provided by our operating activities is primarily attributable to the net effect
of (i) an increase in cash provided by our Adjusted EBITDA and related working capital items, (ii) a decrease due to FX, (iii) a
decrease in cash provided due to higher payments of interest, (iv) an increase in cash provided due to lower payments for taxes,
including $315.0 million related to a payment of disputed tax associated with a tax litigation matter during 2023 (see note 13 to
our consolidated financial statements), (v) an increase in cash provided due to higher net cash receipts related to derivative
instruments and (vi) a decrease in cash provided of $143.5 million due to lower dividend distributions received from the VMO2
JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV. Consolidated Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure, which investors should view as a
supplement to, and not a substitute for, GAAP measures of performance included in our consolidated statements of operations.
Investing Activities. The change in net cash provided (used) by our investing activities is primarily attributable to the net
effect of (i) an increase in cash of $2,793.2 million associated with (a) lower net cash paid for investments, primarily related to
our investment in Vodafone in 2023 and (b) higher net cash received from the sale of our investments held under SMAs, (ii) a
decrease in cash of $608.8 million due to lower dividend distributions received from the VMO2 JV, (iii) an increase in cash of
$411.7 million in connection with the sale of our investment in All3Media during 2024 and (iv) a decrease in cash of $199.1
million in connection with the Formula E Acquisition during 2024.
II-26
The capital expenditures we report in our consolidated statements of cash flows do not include amounts that are financed
under capital-related vendor financing or finance lease arrangements. Instead, these amounts are reflected as non-cash additions
to our property and equipment when the underlying assets are delivered and as repayments of debt when the principal is repaid.
In this discussion, we refer to (i) our capital expenditures as reported in our consolidated statements of cash flows, which
exclude amounts financed under capital-related vendor financing or finance lease arrangements, and (ii) our total consolidated
property and equipment additions, which include our capital expenditures on an accrual basis and amounts financed under
capital-related vendor financing or finance lease arrangements. For further details regarding our property and equipment
additions, see note 19 to our consolidated financial statements. A reconciliation of our consolidated property and equipment
additions to our consolidated capital expenditures, as reported in our consolidated statements of cash flows, is set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Property and equipment additions ..................................................................................................... $
1,061.9 $
1,014.4
Assets acquired under capital-related vendor financing arrangements ..............................................
(76.8)
(96.3)
Assets acquired under finance leases .................................................................................................
(7.4)
(20.9)
Changes in current liabilities related to capital expenditures ............................................................
(69.2)
24.7
Capital expenditures, net ................................................................................................................ $
908.5 $
921.9
The increase in our property and equipment additions during 2024, as compared to 2023, is primarily due to an increase in
local currency expenditures of our subsidiaries due to the net effect of (i) an increase in expenditures for new build and upgrade
projects, (ii) a decrease in expenditures to support new customer products and operational efficiency initiatives, (iii) a decrease
in expenditures for the purchase and installation of CPE and (iv) an increase in baseline expenditures, including network
improvements and expenditures for property and facilities and information technology systems. During 2024 and 2023, our
property and equipment additions represented 24.5% and 24.6% of revenue, respectively.
We expect our 2025 property and equipment additions to increase as compared to our 2024 property and equipment
additions. The actual amount of our 2025 property and equipment additions may vary from our expectations for a variety of
reasons, including (i) changes in (a) the competitive or regulatory environment, (b) business plans, (c) our expected future
operating results or (d) foreign currency exchange rates and (ii) the availability of sufficient capital. Accordingly, no assurance
can be given that our actual property and equipment additions will not vary materially from our expectations.
Financing Activities. The increase in net cash used by our financing activities is primarily attributable to the net effect of (i)
an increase in cash used of $1,983.4 million due to lower net borrowings of debt, including borrowings in 2023 related to (a)
the Vodafone Collar Loan and (b) the Telenet Takeover Bid, (ii) a decrease in cash used of $985.7 million due to the acquisition
of shares in connection with the Telenet Takeover Bid in 2023 and (iii) a decrease in cash used of $804.9 million due to lower
repurchases of Liberty Global common shares.
II-27
Adjusted Free Cash Flow
We define adjusted free cash flow as net cash provided by the operating activities of our continuing operations, plus
operating-related vendor financed expenses (which represents an increase in the period to our actual cash available as a result of
extending vendor payment terms beyond normal payment terms, which are typically 90 days or less, through non-cash
financing activities), less (i) cash payments in the period for capital expenditures, (ii) principal payments on operating- and
capital-related amounts financed by vendors and intermediaries (which represents a decrease in the period to our actual cash
available as a result of paying amounts to vendors and intermediaries where we previously had extended vendor payments
beyond the normal payment terms) and (iii) principal payments on finance leases (which represents a decrease in the period to
our actual cash available), each as reported in our consolidated statements of cash flows, with each item excluding any cash
provided or used by our discontinued operations. Net cash provided by operating activities of our continuing operations
includes cash paid for third-party costs directly associated with successful and unsuccessful acquisitions and dispositions of
$9.1 million and $27.7 million during 2024 and 2023, respectively.
We believe our presentation of adjusted free cash flow, which is a non-GAAP measure, provides useful information to our
investors because this measure can be used to gauge our ability to (i) service debt and (ii) fund new investment opportunities
after consideration of all actual cash payments related to our working capital activities and expenses that are capital in nature
whether paid inside normal vendor payment terms or paid later outside normal vendor payment terms (in which case we
typically pay in less than 365 days). Adjusted free cash flow should not be understood to represent our ability to fund
discretionary amounts, as we have various mandatory and contractual obligations, including debt repayments, that are not
deducted to arrive at these amounts. Investors should view adjusted free cash flow as a supplement to, and not a substitute for,
GAAP measures of liquidity included in our consolidated statements of cash flows. Further, our adjusted free cash flow may
differ from how other companies define and apply their definition of adjusted free cash flow.
The following table provides the details of our adjusted free cash flow:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Net cash provided by operating activities of our continuing operations ........................................... $
1,331.2 $
1,199.3
Operating-related vendor financing additions (a) .............................................................................
372.3
346.2
Cash capital expenditures, net ...........................................................................................................
(908.5)
(921.9)
Principal payments on operating-related vendor financing ...............................................................
(363.7)
(376.2)
Principal payments on capital-related vendor financing ...................................................................
(114.0)
(119.3)
Principal payments on finance leases ................................................................................................
(5.6)
(21.0)
Adjusted free cash flow ................................................................................................................ $
311.7 $
107.1
_______________
(a)
For purposes of our consolidated statements of cash flows, operating-related vendor financing additions represent
operating-related expenses financed by an intermediary that are treated as constructive operating cash outflows and
constructive financing cash inflows when the intermediary settles the liability with the vendor. When we pay the
financing intermediary, we record financing cash outflows in our consolidated statements of cash flows. For purposes of
our adjusted free cash flow definition, we (i) add in the constructive financing cash inflow when the intermediary settles
the liability with the vendor as our actual net cash available at that time is not affected and (ii) subsequently deduct the
related financing cash outflow when we actually pay the financing intermediary, reflecting the actual reduction to our
cash available to service debt or fund new investment opportunities.
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Critical Accounting Policies, Judgments and Estimates
In connection with the preparation of our consolidated financial statements, we make estimates and assumptions that affect
the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, revenue and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.
Critical accounting policies are defined as those policies that are reflective of significant judgments, estimates and uncertainties,
which would potentially result in materially different results under different assumptions and conditions. We believe the
following accounting policies are critical in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements because of the judgment
necessary to account for these matters and the significant estimates involved, which are susceptible to change:
•
Impairment of goodwill;
•
Costs associated with the capitalization of property and equipment;
•
Fair value measurements; and
•
Income tax accounting.
We have discussed the selection of the aforementioned critical accounting policies with the audit committee of our board of
directors. For additional information concerning our significant accounting policies, see note 3 to our consolidated financial
statements.
Impairment of Goodwill
Carrying Value. The aggregate carrying value of our goodwill comprised 12.4% of our total assets at December 31, 2024.
We evaluate goodwill for impairment at least annually on October 1 and whenever facts and circumstances indicate that a
reporting unit’s carrying amount may not be recoverable. For impairment evaluations, we first make a qualitative assessment to
determine if the goodwill may be impaired. If it is more-likely-than-not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying
value, we then compare the fair value of the reporting unit to its respective carrying amount. Any excess of the carrying amount
over the fair value would be charged to operations as an impairment loss. A reporting unit is an operating segment or one level
below an operating segment (referred to as a “component”).
When required, considerable management judgment may be necessary to estimate the fair value of reporting units. We
determine fair value using an income-based approach (discounted cash flows) based on assumptions in our long-range business
plans or a market-based approach (current multiples of comparable public companies and guideline transactions) and, in some
cases, a combination of an income-based approach and a market-based approach. With respect to our discounted cash flow
analysis used in the income-based approach, the timing and amount of future cash flows under these business plans require
estimates of, among other items, subscriber growth and retention rates, rates charged per product, expected gross margins and
Adjusted EBITDA margins and expected property and equipment additions. The development of these cash flows, and the
discount rate applied to the cash flows, is subject to inherent uncertainties, and actual results could vary significantly from such
estimates. Our determination of the discount rate is based on a weighted average cost of capital approach, which uses a market
participant’s cost of equity and after-tax cost of debt and reflects the risks inherent in the cash flows. Based on the results of our
2024 qualitative assessment of our reporting unit carrying values, we determined that it was more-likely-than-not that fair value
exceeded carrying value for all of our reporting units.
During the three years ended December 31, 2024, we did not record any significant impairment charges with respect to our
goodwill. For additional information regarding our goodwill, see note 10 to our consolidated financial statements.
If, among other factors, the adverse impacts of economic, competitive, regulatory or other factors were to cause our results
of operations or cash flows to be worse than anticipated, we could conclude in future periods that impairment charges are
required in order to reduce the carrying values of our goodwill. Any such impairment charges could be significant.
Costs Associated with the Capitalization of Property and Equipment
We capitalize costs associated with the construction of new, or upgrades to existing, fixed and mobile transmission and
distribution facilities, the installation of new fixed-line services and the development of internal-use software. Installation
activities that are capitalized include (i) the initial connection (or drop) from our fixed-line system to a customer location,
(ii) the replacement of a drop and (iii) the installation of equipment for new, or upgrades to existing, fixed-line services. The
costs of other customer-facing activities, such as reconnecting customer locations where a drop already exists, disconnecting
customer locations and repairing or maintaining drops, are expensed as incurred. We capitalize internal and external costs
II-29
directly associated with the development of internal-use software. Costs related to the development of entertainment- and
connectivity-related software that we externally market, or plan to externally market, to third parties are expensed as incurred,
as the time period between technological feasibility and product launch is generally limited in duration and the associated costs
during said time period are not significant.
We make judgments regarding the construction, upgrade and installation activities to be capitalized and the development of
internal-use software. In addition to direct external and internal labor and materials, we also capitalize other costs directly
attributable to our construction and installation activities, including dispatch costs, quality-control costs, vehicle-related costs
and certain warehouse-related costs. The capitalization of these costs is based on time sheets, standard costs, call tracking
systems and other verifiable means that directly link the costs incurred with the applicable capitalizable activity. We
continuously monitor the appropriateness of our capitalization policies and update the policies when necessary to respond to
changes in facts and circumstances, such as the development of new products and services and changes in the manner that
installations, construction or upgrade activities or the development of internal-use software are performed.
Fair Value Measurements
GAAP provides guidance with respect to the recurring and nonrecurring fair value measurements and for a fair value
hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three broad levels. Level 1 inputs are
quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the
measurement date. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted market prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the
asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.
Recurring Valuations. We perform recurring fair value measurements with respect to our derivative instruments and our
fair value method investments. We use (i) cash flow valuation models to determine the fair values of our interest rate and
foreign currency derivative instruments and (ii) a Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the fair values of our equity-
related derivative instruments. We use quoted market prices when available and, when not available, we use a combination of
an income approach (discounted cash flows) and a market approach (market multiples of similar businesses) to determine the
fair value of our fair value method investments. For a detailed discussion of the inputs we use to determine the fair value of our
derivative instruments and fair value method investments, see note 9 to our consolidated financial statements. For information
concerning our fair value method investments and derivative instruments, see notes 7 and 8, respectively, to our consolidated
financial statements.
Changes in the fair values of our derivative instruments and fair value method investments have had, and we believe will
continue to have, a significant and volatile impact on our results of operations. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recognized net
gains (losses) of $286.8 million, ($478.3 million) and $537.4 million, respectively, attributable to changes in the fair values of
these items.
As further described in note 9 to our consolidated financial statements, actual amounts received or paid upon the settlement
or disposition of these investments and instruments may differ materially from the recorded fair values at December 31, 2024.
For information concerning the sensitivity of the fair value of certain of our more significant derivative instruments to
changes in market conditions, see Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk — Sensitivity
Information below.
Nonrecurring Valuations. Our nonrecurring valuations are primarily associated with (i) the application of acquisition
accounting, (ii) impairment assessments and (iii) the accounting for our initial investment in significant joint ventures, each of
which require that we make fair value determinations as of the applicable valuation date. In making these determinations, we
are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the recorded amounts, including, but not limited to, expected future
cash flows, market comparables and discount rates, remaining useful lives of long-lived assets, replacement or reproduction
costs of property and equipment and the amounts to be recovered in future periods from acquired net operating losses and other
deferred tax assets. To assist us in making these fair value determinations, we may engage third-party valuation specialists. Our
estimates in this area impact, among other items, the amount of depreciation and amortization, impairment charges and income
tax expense or benefit that we report. Our estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions we believe to be reasonable, but
which are inherently uncertain. A significant portion of our long-lived assets were initially recorded through the application of
acquisition accounting and all of our long-lived assets are subject to impairment assessments. For additional information, see
note 9 to our consolidated financial statements. For information regarding our acquisitions and long-lived assets, see notes 5
and 10, respectively, to our consolidated financial statements.
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Income Tax Accounting
We are required to estimate the amount of income tax payable or refundable for the current year and the deferred tax assets
and liabilities for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and
income tax basis of assets and liabilities and the expected benefits of utilizing net operating losses and tax credit carryforwards,
using enacted tax rates in effect for each taxing jurisdiction in which we operate for the year in which those temporary
differences are expected to be recovered or settled. This process requires our management to make assessments regarding the
timing and probability of the ultimate tax impact of such items.
Net deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on our evaluation of all available evidence, we
believe that it is more-likely-than-not such net deferred tax assets will not be realized. Establishing or reducing a tax valuation
allowance requires us to make assessments about the timing of future events, including the probability of expected future
taxable income and available tax planning strategies. At December 31, 2024, the aggregate valuation allowance provided
against deferred tax assets was $1,934.1 million. The actual amount of deferred income tax benefits realized in future periods
will likely differ from the net deferred tax assets reflected in our December 31, 2024 consolidated balance sheet due to, among
other factors, possible future changes in income tax law, or interpretations thereof, in the jurisdictions in which we operate and
differences between estimated and actual future taxable income. Any such factors could have a material effect on our current
and deferred tax positions as reported in our consolidated financial statements. A high degree of judgment is required to assess
the impact of possible future outcomes on our current and deferred tax positions.
Tax laws in jurisdictions in which we have a presence are subject to varied interpretation, and many tax positions we take
are subject to significant uncertainty regarding whether the position will be ultimately sustained after review by the relevant tax
authority. We recognize the financial statement effects of a tax position when it is more-likely-than-not, based on technical
merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. The determination of whether the tax position meets the more-
likely-than-not threshold requires a facts-based judgment using all information available. In a number of cases, we have
concluded that the more-likely-than-not threshold is not met and, accordingly, the amount of tax benefit recognized in our
consolidated financial statements is different than the amount taken or expected to be taken in our tax returns. As of
December 31, 2024, the amount of unrecognized tax benefits for financial reporting purposes, but taken or expected to be taken
in our tax returns, was $302.0 million, of which $266.6 million would have a favorable impact on our effective income tax rate
if ultimately recognized, after considering amounts that we would expect to be offset by valuation allowances.
We are required to continually assess our tax positions, and the results of tax examinations or changes in judgment can
result in substantial changes to our unrecognized tax benefits.
II-31
Item 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
We are exposed to market risk in the normal course of our business operations due to our investments in various foreign
countries and ongoing investing and financing activities. Market risk refers to the risk of loss arising from adverse changes in
foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates and stock prices. The risk of loss can be assessed from the perspective of adverse
changes in fair values, cash flows and future earnings. As further described below, we have established policies, procedures and
processes governing our management of market risks and the use of derivative instruments to manage our exposure to such
risks.
Cash and Investments
We invest our cash in highly liquid instruments that meet high credit quality standards. We are exposed to exchange rate
risk to the extent that the denominations of our cash and cash equivalent balances, revolving lines of credit and other short-term
sources of liquidity do not correspond to the denominations of our and our subsidiaries’ short-term liquidity requirements. In
order to mitigate this risk, we actively manage the denominations of our cash balances in light of our and our subsidiaries’
forecasted liquidity requirements. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, our consolidated cash balances included $1,207.2 million or
66.5% and $967.2 million or 68.6%, respectively, denominated in euros and $565.3 million or 31.1% and $408.7 million or
29.0%, respectively, denominated in U.S. dollars. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the balance of our consolidated investments
held under SMAs included $408.9 million or 94.4% and $2,276.1 million or 100%, respectively, denominated in U.S. dollars.
We are exposed to market price fluctuations related to our investment in Vodafone shares, which had an aggregate value of
$1,141.5 million at December 31, 2024. All of our Vodafone shares are held through the Vodafone Collar. For information
regarding the terms of the Vodafone Collar and Vodafone Collar Loan, see note 8 to our consolidated financial statements. Our
exposure to market risk is limited for the shares held through the Vodafone Collar. For additional information regarding our
investment in Vodafone shares, see note 7 to our consolidated financials statements.
Foreign Currency Risk
We are exposed to foreign currency exchange rate risk with respect to our consolidated debt in situations where our debt is
denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the operations whose cash flows support our ability to repay or
refinance such debt. Although we generally match the denomination of our and our subsidiaries’ borrowings with the functional
currency of the operations that are supporting the respective borrowings, market conditions or other factors may cause us to
enter into borrowing arrangements that are not denominated in the functional currency of the underlying operations (unmatched
debt). In these cases, our policy is to provide for an economic hedge against foreign currency exchange rate movements by
using derivative instruments to synthetically convert unmatched debt into the applicable underlying currency. At December 31,
2024, substantially all of our debt was either directly or synthetically matched to the applicable functional currencies of the
underlying operations. For additional information concerning the terms of our derivative instruments, see note 8 to our
consolidated financial statements.
In addition to the exposure that results from the mismatch of our borrowings and underlying functional currencies, we are
exposed to foreign currency risk to the extent that we enter into transactions denominated in currencies other than our or our
subsidiaries’ respective functional currencies (non-functional currency risk), such as equipment purchases, programming
contracts, notes payable and notes receivable (including intercompany amounts). Changes in exchange rates with respect to
amounts recorded on our consolidated balance sheets related to these items will result in unrealized (based upon period-end
exchange rates) or realized foreign currency transaction gains and losses upon settlement of the transactions. Moreover, to the
extent that our revenue, costs and expenses are denominated in currencies other than our respective functional currencies, we
will experience fluctuations in our revenue, costs and expenses solely as a result of changes in foreign currency exchange rates.
Generally, we will consider hedging non-functional currency risks when the risks arise from agreements with third parties that
involve the future payment or receipt of cash or other monetary items to the extent that we can reasonably predict the timing
and amount of such payments or receipts and the payments or receipts are not otherwise hedged. In this regard, we have entered
into foreign currency forward and option contracts to hedge certain of these risks. For additional information concerning our
foreign currency forward and option contracts, see note 8 to our consolidated financial statements.
We are also exposed to unfavorable and potentially volatile fluctuations of the U.S. dollar (our reporting currency) against
the currencies of our operating subsidiaries when their respective financial statements are translated into U.S. dollars for
inclusion in our consolidated financial statements. Cumulative translation adjustments are recorded in accumulated other
comprehensive earnings or loss as a separate component of equity. Any increase (decrease) in the value of the U.S. dollar
against any foreign currency that is the functional currency of one of our operating subsidiaries will cause us to experience
unrealized foreign currency translation losses (gains) with respect to amounts already invested in such foreign currencies.
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Accordingly, we may experience a negative impact on our comprehensive earnings or loss and equity with respect to our
holdings solely as a result of FX. Our primary exposure to FX risk during the three months ended December 31, 2024 for our
continuing operations was to the euro, as substantially all of our reported revenue during the period was derived from
subsidiaries whose functional currencies are the euro. In addition, our reported operating results are impacted by changes in the
exchange rates for other local currencies in Europe. We do not hedge against the risk that we may incur non-cash losses upon
the translation of the financial statements of our subsidiaries and affiliates into U.S. dollars. For additional information
regarding certain currency instability risks, see Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations above.
The relationships between the primary currencies of the countries in which we operate and the U.S. dollar, which is our
reporting currency, are shown below, per one U.S. dollar:
December 31,
2024
2023
Spot rates:
Euro ...................................................................................................................................................
0.9663
0.9038
British pound sterling ........................................................................................................................
0.7988
0.7835
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Average rates:
Euro ............................................................................................................................
0.9246
0.9247
0.9509
British pound sterling .................................................................................................
0.7826
0.8042
0.8112
Inflation and Foreign Investment Risk
We are subject to inflationary pressures with respect to labor, programming and other costs. While we attempt to increase
our revenue to offset increases in costs, there is no assurance that we will be able to do so. Therefore, costs could rise faster
than associated revenue, thereby resulting in a negative impact on our operating results, cash flows and liquidity. The economic
environment in the respective countries in which we operate is a function of government, economic, fiscal and monetary
policies and various other factors beyond our control that could lead to inflation. We are unable to predict the extent that price
levels might be impacted in future periods by the current state of the economies in the countries in which we operate.
Interest Rate Risks
We are exposed to changes in interest rates primarily as a result of our borrowing activities, which include fixed-rate and
variable-rate borrowings by our borrowing groups. Our primary exposure to variable-rate debt is through the EURIBOR-
indexed and Term SOFR-indexed debt of our borrowing groups and the variable-rate debt of certain of our other subsidiaries.
In general, we enter into derivative instruments to protect against increases in the interest rates on our variable-rate debt.
Accordingly, we have entered into various derivative transactions to manage exposure to increases in interest rates. We use
interest rate derivative contracts to exchange, at specified intervals, the difference between fixed and variable interest rates
calculated by reference to an agreed upon notional principal amount. From time to time, we also use interest rate cap, floor and
collar agreements and swaptions that lock in a maximum interest rate if variable rates rise, but also allow our company to
benefit, to a limited extent in the case of collars, from declines in market rates. Under our current guidelines, we use various
interest rate derivative instruments to mitigate interest rate risk. The final maturity dates of our various portfolios of interest rate
derivative instruments might, in some instances, fall short of, or extend further than, the respective maturities of the underlying
variable-rate debt. In this regard, we use judgment to determine the appropriate composition and maturity dates of our portfolios
of interest rate derivative instruments, taking into account the relative costs and benefits of different maturity profiles in light of
current and expected future market conditions, liquidity issues and other factors. For additional information concerning the
impacts of these interest rate derivative instruments, see note 8 to our consolidated financial statements.
There have been significant changes in the benchmark interest rates used to set floating rates on our debt and derivative
instruments. ICE Benchmark Administration (the entity that administers LIBOR) ceased to publish GBP LIBOR rates after
II-33
December 31, 2021, and it ceased to publish USD LIBOR rates after June 30, 2023. The methodology for EURIBOR has been
reformed and EURIBOR has been granted regulatory approval to continue to be used.
We have agreed amendments in respect of all of our debt and derivative instruments to replace the ceased rates. For USD,
these reference the Secured Overnight Financing Rate administered by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or Term SOFR
administered by CME Group Benchmark Administration Limited. For GBP, these reference the Sterling Overnight Index
Average administered by the Bank of England.
Weighted Average Variable Interest Rate. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the outstanding principal amount of our
variable-rate indebtedness aggregated $6.2 billion and $7.7 billion, respectively, and the weighted average interest rate
(including margin) on such variable-rate indebtedness was approximately 5.9% and 6.2%, respectively, excluding the effects of
interest rate derivative contracts, deferred financing costs, original issue premiums or discounts and commitment fees, all of
which affect our overall cost of borrowing. Assuming no change in the amount outstanding at December 31, 2024, and without
giving effect to any interest rate derivative contracts, deferred financing costs, original issue premiums or discounts and
commitment fees, a hypothetical 50 basis point (0.50%) increase (decrease) in our weighted average variable interest rate would
increase (decrease) our annual consolidated interest expense and cash outflows by $31.0 million. As discussed above and in
note 8 to our consolidated financial statements, we use interest rate derivative contracts to manage our exposure to increases in
variable interest rates. In this regard, increases in the fair value of these contracts generally would be expected to offset most of
the economic impact of increases in the variable interest rates applicable to our indebtedness to the extent and during the period
that principal amounts are matched with interest rate derivative contracts.
Counterparty Credit Risk
We are exposed to the risk that the counterparties to the derivative instruments, undrawn debt facilities and cash
investments of our subsidiary borrowing groups will default on their obligations to us. We manage these credit risks through the
evaluation and monitoring of the creditworthiness of, and concentration of risk with, the respective counterparties. In this
regard, credit risk associated with our derivative instruments and undrawn debt facilities is spread across a relatively broad
counterparty base of banks and financial institutions, however notwithstanding, given the size of our derivative portfolio, the
default of certain counterparties could have a significant impact on our consolidated statements of operations. Collateral is
generally not posted by either party under the derivative instruments of our subsidiary borrowing groups. Most of our cash
currently is invested in either (i) AAA-rated money market funds, including funds that invest in government obligations, or (ii)
overnight deposits with banks having a minimum credit rating of A by Standard & Poor’s or an equivalent rating by Moody’s
Investor Service. To date, neither the access to nor the value of our cash and cash equivalent balances have been adversely
impacted by liquidity problems of financial institutions.
At December 31, 2024 and 2023, our exposure to counterparty credit risk included (i) cash and cash equivalents, restricted
cash and investments held under SMAs of $2.2 billion and $3.7 billion, respectively, (ii) aggregate undrawn debt facilities of
$728.5 million and $824.3 million, respectively, and (iii) derivative assets with an aggregate fair value of $442.4 million and
$362.8 million, respectively.
Each of our subsidiary borrowing groups have entered into derivative instruments under master agreements with each
counterparty that contain master netting arrangements that are applicable in the event of early termination by either party to
such derivative instrument. The master netting arrangements are limited to the derivative instruments governed by the relevant
master agreement within each individual borrowing group and are independent of similar arrangements of our other subsidiary
borrowing groups.
Under our derivative contracts, it is generally only the non-defaulting party that has a contractual option to exercise early
termination rights upon the default of the other counterparty and to set off other liabilities against sums due upon such
termination. However, in an insolvency of a derivative counterparty, under the laws of certain jurisdictions, the defaulting
counterparty or its insolvency representatives may be able to compel the termination of one or more derivative contracts and
trigger early termination payment liabilities payable by us, reflecting any mark-to-market value of the contracts for the
counterparty. Alternatively, or in addition, the insolvency laws of certain jurisdictions may require the mandatory set off of
amounts due under such derivative contracts against present and future liabilities owed to us under other contracts between us
and the relevant counterparty. Accordingly, it is possible that we may be subject to obligations to make payments, or may have
present or future liabilities owed to us partially or fully discharged by set off as a result of such obligations, in the event of the
insolvency of a derivative counterparty, even though it is the counterparty that is in default and not us. To the extent that we are
required to make such payments, our ability to do so will depend on our liquidity and capital resources at the time. In an
insolvency of a defaulting counterparty, we will be an unsecured creditor in respect of any amount owed to us by the defaulting
counterparty, except to the extent of the value of any collateral we have obtained from that counterparty.
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In addition, where a counterparty is in financial difficulty, under the laws of certain jurisdictions, the relevant regulators
may be able to (i) compel the termination of one or more derivative instruments, determine the settlement amount and/or
compel, without any payment, the partial or full discharge of liabilities arising from such early termination that are payable by
the relevant counterparty or (ii) transfer the derivative instruments to an alternative counterparty.
While we currently have no specific concerns about the creditworthiness of any counterparty for which we have material
credit risk exposures, we cannot rule out the possibility that one or more of our counterparties could fail or otherwise be unable
to meet its obligations to us. Any such instance could have an adverse effect on our cash flows, results of operations, financial
condition and/or liquidity.
Although we actively monitor the creditworthiness of our key vendors, the financial failure of a key vendor could disrupt
our operations and have an adverse impact on our revenue and cash flows.
Sensitivity Information
Information concerning the sensitivity of the fair value of certain of our more significant derivative instruments to changes
in market conditions is set forth below. The potential changes in fair value set forth below do not include any amounts
associated with the remeasurement of the derivative asset or liability into the applicable functional currency, or the impact of
market moves on our credit and debit valuation adjustments. For additional information, see notes 8 and 9 to our consolidated
financial statements.
Telenet Cross-currency and Interest Rate Derivative Contracts
Holding all other factors constant, at December 31, 2024:
(i)
an instantaneous increase (decrease) of 10% in the value of the euro relative to the U.S. dollar would have decreased
(increased) the aggregate fair value of the Telenet cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts by
approximately €301 million ($312 million); and
(ii)
an instantaneous increase (decrease) in the relevant base rate of 50 basis points (0.50%) would have increased
(decreased) the aggregate fair value of the Telenet cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts by
approximately €73 million ($76 million).
Vodafone Collar
Holding all other factors constant, at December 31, 2024, (i) an instantaneous increase of 10% in the per share market price
of Vodafone’s ordinary shares would have decreased the fair value of the Vodafone Collar by approximately €72 million
($74 million) and (ii) an instantaneous decrease of 10% in the per share market price of Vodafone’s ordinary shares would have
increased the fair value of the Vodafone Collar by approximately €78 million ($81 million).
II-35
Projected Cash Flows Associated with Derivative Instruments
The following table provides information regarding the projected cash flows associated with our derivative instruments.
The U.S. dollar equivalents presented below are based on interest rate projections and exchange rates as of December 31, 2024.
These amounts are presented for illustrative purposes only and will likely differ from the actual cash payments or receipts
required in future periods. For additional information regarding our derivative instruments, see note 8 to our consolidated
financial statements. For information concerning the counterparty credit risk associated with our derivative instruments, see the
discussion under Counterparty Credit Risk above.
Payments (receipts) due during:
Total
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
in millions
Projected derivative cash payments (receipts), net:
Interest-related (a) ................................................ $
(38.8) $ (110.2) $ (116.9) $
(84.5) $
(17.6) $ (368.0)
Principal-related (b) ..............................................
(86.4)
—
—
(182.2)
—
(268.6)
Other (c) ................................................................
42.5
165.9
—
—
—
208.4
Total .................................................................... $
(82.7) $
55.7 $ (116.9) $ (266.7) $
(17.6) $ (428.2)
_______________
(a)
Includes (i) the cash flows of our interest rate cap, swaption, floor and swap contracts and (ii) the interest-related cash
flows of our cross-currency and interest rate swap contracts.
(b)
Includes the principal-related cash flows of our cross-currency swap contracts.
(c)
Includes amounts related to our equity-related derivative instruments and foreign currency forward contracts. We may
elect to use cash or the collective value of the related shares and Vodafone Collar to settle the Vodafone Collar Loan.
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Item 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
The consolidated financial statements of Liberty Global are filed under this Item, beginning on page II-41. Financial
statement schedules are filed under Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Item 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL
DISCLOSURE
None.
Item 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures
In accordance with Exchange Act Rule 13a-15, we carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the
participation of management, including our chief executive officer and chief financial officer (the Executives), of the
effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2024. In designing and evaluating the disclosure
controls and procedures, the Executives recognize that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated,
can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management is necessarily required to
apply judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and objectives. Based on that evaluation, the
Executives concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures are effective as of December 31, 2024, to provide reasonable
assurance that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange
Commission’s rules and forms.
Internal control over financial reporting
(a) Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Management’s annual report on internal control over financial reporting is included herein on page II-38.
(b) Audit Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
The audit report of KPMG LLP is included herein on page II-39.
(c) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation
described above that occurred during the fourth fiscal quarter covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K that have materially
affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
During the quarter ended December 31, 2024, none of the Company’s directors or executive officers adopted or terminated
any contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of Company securities that was intended to satisfy the
affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c) or any “non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement.”
Item 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
II-37
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such
term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Our internal control over financial reporting is
designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial
statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements.
Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Our management assessed the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, using the
criteria in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the
Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, our management believes that our internal control over financial reporting
was effective as of December 31, 2024. The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting has been audited by
KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report included herein. In October 2024, we
acquired a controlling interest in Formula E Holdings Ltd. (Formula E). Our evaluation of internal control over financial
reporting did not include the internal control of Formula E. The amount of total assets and revenue included in our consolidated
financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2024 that is attributable to Formula E was $987.0 million and
$17.9 million, respectively.
II-38
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
Liberty Global Ltd.:
Opinion on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
We have audited Liberty Global Ltd. and subsidiaries’ (the Company) internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of
Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. In our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects,
effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control –
Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)
(PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated
statements of operations, comprehensive loss, equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended
December 31, 2024, and the related notes and financial statement schedule II (collectively, the consolidated financial
statements), and our report dated February 18, 2025 expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial
statements.
The Company acquired Formula E Holdings Ltd. during 2024, and management excluded from its assessment of the
effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, Formula E Holdings Ltd.’s
internal control over financial reporting associated with total assets of $987.0 million and total revenues of $17.9 million
included in the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended December 31, 2024. Our audit of
internal control over financial reporting of the Company also excluded an evaluation of the internal control over financial
reporting of Formula E Holdings Ltd.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its
assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in the accompanying Management's
Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are
required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all
material respects. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal control
over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating
effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk. Our audit also included performing such other procedures as we
considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the
reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures
that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and
dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit
preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and
expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the
company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or
disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
II-39
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also,
projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate
because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Denver, Colorado
February 18, 2025
II-40
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
Liberty Global Ltd.:
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Liberty Global Ltd. and subsidiaries (the Company) as of
December 31, 2024 and 2023, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss, equity, and cash flows for
each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2024, and the related notes and financial statement schedule II
(collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all
material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the results of its operations and
its cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2024, in conformity with U.S. generally
accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States)
(PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in
Internal Control – Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission, and our report dated February 18, 2025 expressed an unqualified opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s
internal control over financial reporting.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express
an opinion on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the
PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the
audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement,
whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the
consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such
procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial
statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management,
as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a
reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial
statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or
disclosures that are material to the consolidated financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or
complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated
financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing separate
opinions on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
Assessment of fair value of certain other investments with unobservable inputs
As described in Note 9 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company measured $1,263.8 million of its other
investments using level 3 fair value measurements within the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2024. For certain
other investments where quoted market prices are not available, the Company values the investments using an income
approach, a market approach, or a combination of both approaches, as applicable. In determining fair value, the Company
makes subjective assumptions using unobservable inputs.
II-41
We identified the assessment of fair value of certain other investments where quoted market prices are not available and are
valued using unobservable inputs as a critical audit matter. Evaluating the fair value of these investments involved a high
degree of subjective auditor judgment. Changes in certain unobservable inputs, specifically the weighted average cost of
capital and cash flow forecasts used in the income approach and the market multiples used in the market approach, could
have resulted in significant differences in the estimated fair value measurements. Additionally, specialized skills and
knowledge were required to evaluate these fair value assumptions.
The following are the primary procedures we performed to address this critical audit matter. We evaluated the design and
tested the operating effectiveness of certain internal controls over the Company’s process to measure the fair value of other
investments, including controls related to the assessment of certain unobservable inputs, including the weighted average
cost of capital, cash flow forecasts, and market multiples, as applicable. To assess the weighted average cost of capital and
cash flow forecasts used in the income approach, we compared them to historical results, relevant industry and market
indices and to assess the market multiples used in the market approach, we compared them to public company market
capitalization values. We involved valuation professionals with specialized skills and knowledge who, for a selection of the
investments, assisted in evaluating certain unobservable inputs used by the Company for its estimates of fair values
recorded by:
•
Developing a range of weighted average cost of capital using publicly available market data for comparable
entities and comparing to the estimates used by the Company for values determined using the income method,
•
Developing a range of market multiples using market data for comparable entities and transactions, and comparing
to the estimates used by the Company for certain values determined using the income and market approaches.
/s/ KPMG LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2004.
Denver, Colorado
February 18, 2025
II-42
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
ASSETS
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents ............................................................................................................. $
1,816.3 $
1,410.1
Trade receivables, net (note 3) ......................................................................................................
449.8
404.3
Short-term investments (measured at fair value on a recurring basis) (note 7) ............................
335.6
1,990.5
Derivative instruments (note 8) .....................................................................................................
287.0
235.6
Current assets of discontinued operations (note 6) .......................................................................
—
1,197.6
Other current assets (notes 4 and 7) ..............................................................................................
411.6
403.5
Total current assets ...................................................................................................................
3,300.3
5,641.6
Investments and related notes receivable (including $2,907.7 million and $3,390.4 million,
respectively, measured at fair value on a recurring basis) (note 7) ..............................................
11,688.0
13,335.8
Property and equipment, net (notes 10 and 12) ...............................................................................
4,326.0
4,353.9
Goodwill (note 10) ...........................................................................................................................
3,152.6
3,308.3
Intangible assets subject to amortization, net (note 10) ..................................................................
1,290.4
673.6
Long-term assets of discontinued operations (note 6) .....................................................................
—
13,143.1
Other assets, net (notes 4, 8, 12 and 13) ..........................................................................................
1,682.4
1,631.6
Total assets ............................................................................................................................... $
25,439.7 $
42,087.9
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-43
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS — (Continued)
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable .......................................................................................................................... $
371.2 $
407.5
Deferred revenue (note 4) .............................................................................................................
285.3
169.8
Derivative instruments (note 8) .....................................................................................................
147.9
212.7
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations (notes 11 and 12) ......................................
898.5
428.9
Accrued capital expenditures ........................................................................................................
226.5
149.8
Accrued income taxes ...................................................................................................................
272.5
263.5
Current liabilities of discontinued operations (note 6) ..................................................................
—
1,744.8
Other accrued and current liabilities (note 12) ..............................................................................
932.0
955.8
Total current liabilities ..............................................................................................................
3,133.9
4,332.8
Long-term debt and finance lease obligations (notes 11 and 12) ....................................................
8,202.5
8,839.7
Long-term operating lease liabilities (note 12) ................................................................................
677.5
680.0
Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations (note 6)................................................................
—
8,360.9
Other long-term liabilities (notes 4, 8, 13 and 16) ...........................................................................
881.5
867.1
Total liabilities ........................................................................................................................
12,895.4
23,080.5
Commitments and contingencies (notes 8, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 18)
Equity (note 14):
Liberty Global shareholders:
Class A common shares, $0.01 nominal value. Issued and outstanding 173,046,371 and
171,463,760 shares, respectively ............................................................................................
1.7
1.7
Class B common shares, $0.01 nominal value. Issued and outstanding 12,968,658 and
12,988,658 shares, respectively ..............................................................................................
0.1
0.1
Class C common shares, $0.01 nominal value. Issued and outstanding 162,710,787 and
198,153,613 shares, respectively ............................................................................................
1.6
2.0
Additional paid-in capital ...........................................................................................................
777.0
1,322.6
Accumulated earnings ................................................................................................................
12,242.6
15,566.0
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss), net of taxes ...............................................
(657.0)
2,170.3
Treasury shares, at cost ..............................................................................................................
(0.1)
(0.1)
Total Liberty Global shareholders ..........................................................................................
12,365.9
19,062.6
Noncontrolling interests ................................................................................................................
178.4
(55.2)
Total equity ...........................................................................................................................
12,544.3
19,007.4
Total liabilities and equity ................................................................................................. $
25,439.7 $
42,087.9
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-44
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions, except per share amounts
Revenue (notes 4, 6, 7 and 19) ....................................................................................... $
4,341.9 $
4,115.8 $
4,017.5
Operating costs and expenses (exclusive of depreciation and amortization, shown
separately below):
Programming and other direct costs of services (note 12) ........................................
1,450.7
1,285.5
1,066.3
Other operating (notes 12 and 15) .............................................................................
761.1
765.5
679.6
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) (notes 12 and 15) ...............................
1,138.6
1,119.2
1,005.8
Depreciation and amortization (note 10) ...................................................................
1,002.0
1,216.4
1,093.6
Impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net (note 12) ..........................
49.6
43.0
62.3
4,402.0
4,429.6
3,907.6
Operating income (loss) ..........................................................................................
(60.1)
(313.8)
109.9
Non-operating income (expense):
Interest expense ...........................................................................................................
(574.7)
(505.0)
(300.9)
Realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net (note 8) .......................
315.2
78.3
854.4
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses), net ..........................................................
1,756.5
(719.7)
1,298.8
Realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain investments,
net (notes 7 and 9) ....................................................................................................
(28.4)
(556.6)
(317.0)
Share of results of affiliates, net (note 7) ....................................................................
(205.6)
(2,018.4)
(1,268.3)
Gain on sale of All3Media (note 7) .............................................................................
242.9
—
—
Gain associated with the Formula E Acquisition (note 5) ...........................................
190.7
—
—
Gain associated with the Telenet Wyre Transaction (note 5) ......................................
—
377.8
—
Gain on Telenet Tower Sale (note 6) ..........................................................................
—
—
700.5
Other income, net ........................................................................................................
201.8
211.4
101.0
1,898.4
(3,132.2)
1,068.5
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes .............................
1,838.3
(3,446.0)
1,178.4
Income tax benefit (expense) (note 13) ..........................................................................
30.8
(213.1)
(406.7)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations ..............................................................
1,869.1
(3,659.1)
771.7
Discontinued operations (note 6):
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations, net of taxes .........................................
(223.2)
(214.7)
368.2
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations, net of taxes ..........................................
—
—
846.4
(223.2)
(214.7)
1,214.6
Net earnings (loss) ..................................................................................................
1,645.9
(3,873.8)
1,986.3
Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests .....................................................
(57.9)
(177.9)
(513.1)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders ............................. $
1,588.0 $ (4,051.7) $
1,473.2
Basic earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (note 3):
Continuing operations ............................................................................................... $
4.94 $
(9.02) $
0.53
Discontinued operations (note 6) ..............................................................................
(0.61)
(0.50)
2.48
$
4.33 $
(9.52) $
3.01
Diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share (note 3):
Continuing operations ............................................................................................... $
4.82 $
(9.02) $
0.52
Discontinued operations (note 6) ..............................................................................
(0.59)
(0.50)
2.44
$
4.23 $
(9.52) $
2.96
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-45
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Net earnings (loss) .......................................................................................................... $
1,645.9 $ (3,873.8) $
1,986.3
Other comprehensive earnings (loss), net of taxes (note 17):
Continuing operations:
Foreign currency translation adjustments ..................................................................
(2,563.2)
1,210.1
(3,100.6)
Reclassification adjustment included in net earnings (loss) ......................................
0.2
(0.1)
—
Pension-related adjustments and other ......................................................................
(52.3)
(48.2)
(127.5)
Other comprehensive earnings (loss) from continuing operations .........................
(2,615.3)
1,161.8
(3,228.1)
Other comprehensive earnings (loss) from discontinued operations (note 6) .............
65.7
494.3
(148.5)
Other comprehensive earnings (loss) ....................................................................
(2,549.6)
1,656.1
(3,376.6)
Comprehensive loss ............................................................................................
(903.7)
(2,217.7)
(1,390.3)
Comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests ...............................
(57.9)
(177.1)
(515.3)
Comprehensive loss attributable to Liberty Global shareholders ....................... $
(961.6) $ (2,394.8) $ (1,905.6)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-46
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY
Liberty Global shareholders
Non-
controlling
interests
Total
equity
Common shares
Additional
paid-in
capital
Accumulated
earnings
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
earnings,
net of taxes
Treasury
shares,
at cost
Total Liberty
Global
shareholders
Class A
Class B
Class C
in millions
Balance at January 1, 2022 .................... $
1.8 $
0.1 $
3.4 $ 3,893.0 $ 18,144.5 $
3,892.2 $
(0.1) $ 25,934.9 $
(336.9) $ 25,598.0
Net earnings ........................................
—
—
—
—
1,473.2
—
—
1,473.2
513.1
1,986.3
Other comprehensive loss, net of
taxes (note 17) .................................
—
—
—
—
—
(3,378.8)
—
(3,378.8)
2.2
(3,376.6)
Repurchases and cancellations of
Liberty Global common shares
(note 14) ..........................................
—
—
(0.7) (1,701.9)
—
—
—
(1,702.6)
—
(1,702.6)
Share-based compensation (note 15) ..
—
—
—
171.1
—
—
—
171.1
—
171.1
Dividend distributions by subsidiaries
to noncontrolling interest owners
(note 14) ..........................................
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(66.3)
(66.3)
Repurchases by Telenet of its
outstanding shares ...........................
—
—
—
(28.0)
—
—
—
(28.0)
3.1
(24.9)
Adjustments due to changes in
subsidiaries’ equity and other, net ...
—
—
—
(33.4)
—
—
—
(33.4)
21.8
(11.6)
Balance at December 31, 2022 .............. $
1.8 $
0.1 $
2.7 $ 2,300.8 $ 19,617.7 $
513.4 $
(0.1) $ 22,436.4 $
137.0 $ 22,573.4
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-47
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY — (Continued)
Liberty Global shareholders
Non-
controlling
interests
Total
equity
Common shares
Additional
paid-in
capital
Accumulated
earnings
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
earnings,
net of taxes
Treasury
shares,
at cost
Total Liberty
Global
shareholders
Class A
Class B
Class C
in millions
Balance at January 1, 2023 .................... $
1.8 $
0.1 $
2.7 $ 2,300.8 $ 19,617.7 $
513.4 $
(0.1) $ 22,436.4 $
137.0 $ 22,573.4
Net earnings ........................................
—
—
—
—
(4,051.7)
—
—
(4,051.7)
177.9
(3,873.8)
Other comprehensive loss, net of
taxes (note 17) .................................
—
—
—
—
—
1,656.9
—
1,656.9
(0.8)
1,656.1
Repurchases and cancellations of
Liberty Global common shares
(note 14) ..........................................
—
—
(0.7)
(1,505.2)
—
—
—
(1,505.9)
—
(1,505.9)
Impact of the Telenet Wyre
Transaction (note 5) ........................
—
—
—
708.2
—
—
—
708.2
329.3
1,037.5
Impact of the Telenet Takeover Bid
(note 14) .........................................
—
—
—
(341.5)
—
—
—
(341.5)
(652.2)
(993.7)
Share-based compensation (note 15) ..
—
—
—
183.5
—
—
—
183.5
—
183.5
Dividend distributions by subsidiaries
to noncontrolling interest owners
(note 14) ..........................................
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(47.3)
(47.3)
Adjustments due to changes in
subsidiaries’ equity and other, net ...
(0.1)
—
—
(23.2)
—
—
—
(23.3)
0.9
(22.4)
Balance at December 31, 2023 .............. $
1.7 $
0.1 $
2.0 $ 1,322.6 $ 15,566.0 $
2,170.3 $
(0.1) $ 19,062.6 $
(55.2) $ 19,007.4
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-48
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY — (Continued)
Liberty Global shareholders
Non-
controlling
interests
Total
equity
Common shares
Additional
paid-in
capital
Accumulated
earnings
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
earnings (loss),
net of taxes
Treasury
shares,
at cost
Total Liberty
Global
shareholders
Class A
Class B
Class C
in millions
Balance at January 1, 2024 .................... $
1.7 $
0.1 $
2.0 $ 1,322.6 $ 15,566.0 $
2,170.3 $
(0.1) $ 19,062.6 $
(55.2) $ 19,007.4
Net earnings ........................................
—
—
—
—
1,588.0
—
—
1,588.0
57.9
1,645.9
Other comprehensive loss, net of
taxes (note 17) .................................
—
—
—
—
—
(2,549.6)
—
(2,549.6)
—
(2,549.6)
Impact of the Spin-off (notes 6
and 17) .............................................
—
—
—
—
(4,911.4)
(277.7)
—
(5,189.1)
(23.6)
(5,212.7)
Repurchases and cancellations of
Liberty Global common shares
(note 14) ..........................................
—
—
(0.4)
(678.1)
—
—
—
(678.5)
—
(678.5)
Impact of the Formula E Acquisition
(note 5) ............................................
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
197.9
197.9
Share-based compensation (note 15) ..
—
—
—
150.9
—
—
—
150.9
—
150.9
Adjustments due to changes in
subsidiaries’ equity and other, net ...
—
—
—
(18.4)
—
—
—
(18.4)
1.4
(17.0)
Balance at December 31, 2024 .............. $
1.7 $
0.1 $
1.6 $
777.0 $ 12,242.6 $
(657.0) $
(0.1) $ 12,365.9 $
178.4 $ 12,544.3
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-49
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net earnings (loss) ...................................................................................................... $
1,645.9 $ (3,873.8) $
1,986.3
Earnings (loss) from discontinued operations ............................................................
(223.2)
(214.7)
1,214.6
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations ..............................................................
1,869.1
(3,659.1)
771.7
Adjustments to reconcile earnings (loss) from continuing operations to net cash
provided by operating activities of continuing operations:
Share-based compensation expense ........................................................................
168.3
204.8
163.2
Depreciation and amortization ................................................................................
1,002.0
1,216.4
1,093.6
Impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net .......................................
49.6
43.0
62.3
Amortization of deferred financing costs and non-cash interest .............................
64.8
60.0
25.4
Realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net ................................
(315.2)
(78.3)
(854.4)
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains), net .....................................................
(1,756.5)
719.7
(1,298.8)
Realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain
investments, net ...................................................................................................
28.4
556.6
317.0
Share of results of affiliates, net .............................................................................
205.6
2,018.4
1,268.3
Deferred income tax expense (benefit) ..................................................................
(53.1)
45.8
259.7
Gain on sale of All3Media ......................................................................................
(242.9)
—
—
Gain associated with the Formula E Acquisition ....................................................
(190.7)
—
—
Gain associated with the Telenet Wyre Transaction ...............................................
—
(377.8)
—
Gain on Telenet Tower Sale ...................................................................................
—
—
(700.5)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of the effects of acquisitions and
dispositions:
Receivables and other operating assets .............................................................
410.5
593.4
199.5
Payables and accruals ........................................................................................
(303.0)
(681.4)
(128.0)
Dividend distributions received from the VMO2 JV ...............................................
329.3
427.6
454.6
Dividend distributions received from the VodafoneZiggo JV..................................
65.0
110.2
266.6
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations ...................
1,331.2
1,199.3
1,900.2
Net cash provided by operating activities of discontinued operations ................
701.7
966.6
937.6
Net cash provided by operating activities ........................................................ $
2,032.9 $
2,165.9 $
2,837.8
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-50
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS — (Continued)
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Cash flows from investing activities:
Cash received from the sale of investments ................................................................ $
4,527.5 $
6,988.6 $
9,213.3
Cash paid for investments ...........................................................................................
(2,876.6)
(8,130.9)
(9,397.3)
Capital expenditures, net .............................................................................................
(908.5)
(921.9)
(891.3)
Cash received in connection with the sale of All3Media ............................................
411.7
—
—
Dividend distributions received from the VMO2 JV ..................................................
206.4
815.2
477.9
Cash paid in connection with the Formula E Acquisition, net of cash acquired .........
(199.1)
—
—
Cash received in connection with the sale of UPC Poland .........................................
—
—
1,553.3
Cash received in connection with the Telenet Tower Sale ..........................................
—
—
779.9
Other investing activities, net ......................................................................................
(15.9)
(31.2)
(23.3)
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities of continuing operations ..............
1,145.5
(1,280.2)
1,712.5
Net cash used by investing activities of discontinued operations .............................
(460.8)
(564.8)
(431.5)
Net cash provided (used) by investing activities ...................................................
684.7
(1,845.0)
1,281.0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings of debt ......................................................................................................
203.7
3,167.0
4.7
Operating-related vendor financing additions .............................................................
372.3
346.2
369.3
Repayments and repurchases of debt and finance lease obligations:
Debt (excluding vendor financing) ...........................................................................
(25.5)
(1,005.4)
(27.4)
Principal payments on operating-related vendor financing ......................................
(363.7)
(376.2)
(408.4)
Principal payments on capital-related vendor financing ...........................................
(114.0)
(119.3)
(120.7)
Principal payments on finance leases .......................................................................
(5.6)
(21.0)
(59.0)
Repurchases of Liberty Global common shares ..........................................................
(689.8)
(1,494.7)
(1,703.4)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash contributed to Sunrise in connection
with the Spin-off ..........................................................................................................
(128.4)
—
—
Dividend distributions by subsidiaries to noncontrolling interest owners ..................
(0.4)
(46.9)
(61.1)
Acquisition of shares in connection with the Telenet Takeover Bid ...........................
—
(985.7)
—
Other financing activities, net ......................................................................................
(54.8)
(59.2)
(89.4)
Net cash used by financing activities of continuing operations ................................
(806.2)
(595.2)
(2,095.4)
Net cash used by financing activities of discontinued operations ............................
(1,443.9)
(97.2)
(1,180.6)
Net cash used by financing activities .................................................................... $ (2,250.1) $
(692.4) $ (3,276.0)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-51
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS — (Continued)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Continuing operations ................................................................................................ $
(64.0) $
57.9 $
(26.0)
Discontinued operations .............................................................................................
(4.1)
4.1
(1.7)
Total .........................................................................................................................
(68.1)
62.0
(27.7)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Continuing operations ................................................................................................
1,606.5
(618.2)
1,491.3
Discontinued operations .............................................................................................
(1,207.1)
308.7
(676.2)
Total .........................................................................................................................
399.4
(309.5)
815.1
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Beginning of year ...................................................................................................
1,422.9
1,732.4
917.3
Net increase (decrease) ..........................................................................................
399.4
(309.5)
815.1
End of year ......................................................................................................... $
1,822.3 $
1,422.9 $
1,732.4
Cash paid for interest:
Continuing operations ................................................................................................ $
514.3 $
479.8 $
263.7
Discontinued operations .............................................................................................
378.1
405.4
283.7
Total ....................................................................................................................... $
892.4 $
885.2 $
547.4
Net cash paid for taxes:
Continuing operations ................................................................................................ $
195.2 $
499.0 $
154.7
Discontinued operations .............................................................................................
1.3
(4.7)
17.0
Total ....................................................................................................................... $
196.5 $
494.3 $
171.7
Details of end of year cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents .......................................................................................... $
1,816.3 $
1,410.1 $
1,723.7
Restricted cash included in other current assets and other assets, net ........................
6.0
5.4
5.5
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash included in current and long-term
assets of discontinued operations ............................................................................
—
7.4
3.2
Total cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash ............................................... $
1,822.3 $
1,422.9 $
1,732.4
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
II-52
(1) Basis of Presentation
Liberty Global Ltd. (Liberty Global) is an international provider of broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony and
mobile communications services to residential customers and businesses in Europe.
As a result of a series of mergers that were completed on June 7, 2013, Liberty Global plc became the publicly-held parent
company of the successors by merger of Liberty Global, Inc. (the predecessor to Liberty Global plc) and Virgin Media Inc.
(Virgin Media). On November 23, 2023, Liberty Global plc completed a statutory scheme of arrangement, pursuant to which a
new Bermudan company, Liberty Global Ltd., became the sole shareholder of Liberty Global plc and the parent entity of the
entire group of Liberty Global companies (the Redomiciliation). The Redomiciliation resulted in the Liberty Global group
parent company changing its jurisdiction of incorporation from England and Wales to Bermuda. In this Annual Report on Form
10-K, the terms “we”, “our”, “our company” and “us” may refer, as the context requires, to Liberty Global (or its predecessors)
or collectively to Liberty Global (or its predecessors) and its subsidiaries and any of its joint ventures.
Our continuing operations comprise businesses that provide residential and business-to-business (B2B) communications
services in (i) Belgium and Luxembourg through certain wholly-owned subsidiaries that we collectively refer to as “Telenet”,
(ii) Ireland through another wholly-owned subsidiary (VM Ireland) and (iii) Slovakia through another wholly-owned
subsidiary (UPC Slovakia). In addition, we own 50% noncontrolling interests in (a) a 50:50 joint venture (the VMO2 JV) with
Telefónica SA (Telefónica), which provides residential and B2B communication services in the United Kingdom (U.K.), and
(b) a 50:50 joint venture (the VodafoneZiggo JV) with Vodafone Group plc (Vodafone), which provides residential and B2B
communication services in the Netherlands.
We completed the spin-off of our operations in Switzerland, referred to as “Sunrise”, together with certain other Liberty
Global subsidiaries connected to our Swiss business (together, the Sunrise Entities) on November 8, 2024 (the Spin-off). For
additional information, see note 6.
On October 2, 2024, we completed the Formula E Acquisition (as defined and described in note 5), pursuant to which we
acquired a controlling interest in Formula E Holdings Ltd. (Formula E).
In October 2023, we completed the Telenet Takeover Bid (as defined and described in note 14), pursuant to which we
increased our ownership interest in Telenet to 100%.
Through November 7, 2024, we provided residential and B2B communications services in Switzerland through Sunrise. In
addition, through March 31, 2022, we provided residential and B2B communications services in Poland (UPC Poland).
Accordingly, in these consolidated financial statements, the Sunrise Entities and UPC Poland are reflected as discontinued
operations for all applicable periods. For additional information, see note 6.
These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in
the United States (GAAP). Unless otherwise indicated, the amounts presented in these notes relate only to our continuing
operations, and ownership percentages and convenience translations into United States (U.S.) dollars are calculated as of
December 31, 2024.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-53
(2) Accounting Changes and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Accounting Changes
ASU 2023-07
In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU)
ASU No. 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures (ASU 2023-07), which aims to improve reportable
segment disclosure requirements, primarily through enhanced disclosures regarding significant segment expenses. ASU
2023-07 requires public companies to disclose, on an annual and interim basis, significant segment expenses that are regularly
provided to the chief operating decision maker and included within each reported measure of segment profit or loss. ASU
2023-07 also requires a public entity to disclose, on an annual and interim basis for each reportable segment, an amount for
other segment items and a description of its composition. ASU 2023-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December
15, 2023 and is required to be applied on a retrospective basis. We adopted ASU 2023-07 on January 1, 2024 and the
information presented in note 19 reflect the enhanced disclosures.
ASU 2022-04
In September 2022, the FASB issued ASU No. 2022-04, Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs (ASU 2022-04), which
requires additional disclosures for buyers participating in supplier financing programs, which we refer to as vendor financing,
including (i) the key terms of the arrangement, (ii) the confirmed amount outstanding at the end of the period, (iii) the balance
sheet presentation of related amounts and (iv) a reconciliation of the balances from period to period. We adopted ASU 2022-04
on January 1, 2023, and such adoption did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. For additional
information regarding our vendor financing obligations, see note 11.
ASU 2021-08
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from
Contracts with Customers (ASU 2021-08), which requires contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business
combination to be recognized and measured in accordance with Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as if the
acquirer had originated the contracts. We adopted ASU 2021-08 on January 1, 2023. The main impact of the adoption of ASU
2021-08 is the recognition of contract assets and contract liabilities in business combinations at amounts generally consistent
with the carrying value of such assets and liabilities of the acquiree immediately before the acquisition date.
ASU 2020-04
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform: Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate
Reform on Financial Reporting (ASU 2020-04), which provides, for a limited time, optional expedients and exceptions for
certain contract modifications that reference the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or another reference rate expected to
be discontinued. In December 2022, the FASB deferred the expiration date of ASU 2020-04 from December 31, 2022 to
December 31, 2024. In accordance with the optional expedients in ASU 2020-04, we have modified all applicable debt
agreements to replace LIBOR with another reference rate and applied the practical expedient to account for the modification as
a continuation of the existing contract. The use of optional expedients in ASU 2020-04 has not had a significant impact on our
consolidated financial statements to date. For additional information regarding our debt, see note 11.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
ASU 2024-03
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses (DISE) (ASU
2024-03), which requires disclosure of certain categories of expenses such as the purchase of inventory, employee
compensation, depreciation, and intangible asset amortization that are components of existing expense captions presented on the
face of the income statement. ASU 2024-03 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026 and interim
periods beginning after December 15, 2027, with early adoption permitted. ASU 2024-03 should be applied prospectively,
however, retrospective application is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2024-03 on our disclosures.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-54
ASU 2023-09
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (ASU 2023-09), which
is intended to enhance the transparency of income tax matters within financial statements, providing stakeholders with a clearer
understanding of tax positions and their associated risks and uncertainties. ASU 2023-09 requires public business entities to
disclose, on an annual basis, specific categories in the rate reconciliation and provide additional information for reconciling
items that meet a specific quantitative threshold. There is a further requirement that public business entities will need to disclose
a tabular reconciliation, using both percentages and reporting currency amounts. ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years
beginning after December 15, 2024. The adoption of ASU 2023-09 will result in modifications to our tax disclosures beginning
in 2025.
ASU 2023-05
In August 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-05, Business Combinations – Joint Venture Formations: Recognition and
Initial Measurement (ASU 2023-05), which outlines updates to the formation of entities that meet the definition of a joint
venture as defined by the FASB. ASU 2023-05 requires a joint venture to measure its assets and liabilities at fair value upon
formation. ASU 2023-05 is effective prospectively for joint venture formations with a formation date on or after January 1,
2025. We do not expect ASU 2023-05 to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.
(3) Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions
that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates and assumptions are used in accounting for, among other things,
the valuation of acquisition-related assets and liabilities, deferred income taxes and related valuation allowances, loss
contingencies, fair value measurements, impairment assessments, capitalization of internal costs associated with construction
and installation activities and the development of internal-use software, useful lives of long-lived assets, share-based
compensation and actuarial liabilities associated with certain benefit plans. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying consolidated financial statements include our accounts and the accounts of all voting interest entities
where we exercise a controlling financial interest through the ownership of a direct or indirect controlling voting interest and
variable interest entities for which our company is the primary beneficiary. All significant intercompany accounts and
transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Cash and Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash
Cash equivalents consist of money market funds and other investments that are readily convertible into cash and have
maturities of three months or less at the time of acquisition. We record money market funds at the net asset value as there are no
restrictions on our ability, contractual or otherwise, to redeem our investments at the stated net asset value.
Restricted cash consists of cash held in restricted accounts, including cash held as collateral for debt and other
compensating balances. Restricted cash amounts that are required to be used to purchase long-term assets or repay long-term
debt are classified as long-term assets. All other cash that is restricted to a specific use is classified as current or long-term
based on the expected timing of the disbursement.
Our significant non-cash investing and financing activities are disclosed in our consolidated statements of equity and in
notes 6, 10 and 12.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-55
Cash Flow Statement
For purposes of our consolidated statements of cash flows, operating-related expenses financed by an intermediary are
treated as constructive operating cash outflows and constructive financing cash inflows when the intermediary settles the
liability with the vendor as there is no actual cash outflow until we pay the financing intermediary. When we pay the financing
intermediary, we record financing cash outflows in our consolidated statements of cash flows. The capital expenditures we
report in our consolidated statements of cash flows do not include amounts that are financed under capital-related vendor
financing or finance lease arrangements. Instead, these amounts are reflected as non-cash additions to our property and
equipment when the underlying assets are delivered and as repayments of debt when the principal is repaid.
Trade Receivables
Our trade receivables are reported net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Such allowance aggregated $20.5 million and
$21.6 million at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based upon our current
estimate of lifetime expected credit losses related to uncollectible accounts receivable. We use a number of factors in
determining the allowance, including, among other things, collection trends, prevailing and anticipated economic conditions
and specific customer credit risk. The allowance is maintained until either payment is received or the likelihood of collection is
considered to be remote.
Concentration of credit risk with respect to trade receivables is limited due to the large number of residential and business
customers. We also manage this risk by disconnecting services to customers whose accounts are delinquent.
Investments
We make elections, on an investment-by-investment basis, as to whether we measure our investments at fair value. Such
elections are generally irrevocable. With the exception of those investments over which we exercise significant influence, we
generally elect the fair value method. For those investments over which we exercise significant influence, we generally elect the
equity method. We determine the appropriate classification of our investments in debt securities at the time of purchase based
on the underlying nature and characteristics of each security. With the exception of our debt security in a leveraged structured
note, all of our debt securities are classified as available for sale and are reported at fair value. Changes in fair value are
reported in other comprehensive earnings or loss and, upon sale, are reported in realized and unrealized gains or losses due to
changes in fair values of certain investments, net, in our consolidated statements of operations. Our debt security held in a
leveraged structured note is accounted for at fair value and any change in fair value is reported in realized and unrealized gains
or losses due to changes in fair values of certain investments, net, in our consolidated statements of operations.
Under the fair value method, investments are recorded at fair value and any changes in fair value are reported in realized
and unrealized gains or losses due to changes in fair values of certain investments, net, in our consolidated statements of
operations. All costs directly associated with the acquisition of an investment to be accounted for using the fair value method
are expensed as incurred. In addition, any interest received on our debt securities is reported as interest income in our
consolidated statements of operations.
Under the equity method, investments, originally recorded at cost, are adjusted to recognize our share of net earnings or
losses of the affiliates as they occur rather than as dividend distributions are received, with our recognition of losses generally
limited to the extent of our investment in, and advances and commitments to, the investee. The portion of the difference
between our investment and our share of the net assets of the investee that represents goodwill is not amortized, but continues to
be considered for impairment. Profits on transactions with equity affiliates for which assets remain on our or our investee’s
balance sheet are eliminated to the extent of our ownership in the investee. All costs directly associated with the acquisition of
an investment to be accounted for using the equity method are included in the carrying amount of the investment. For additional
information regarding our fair value and equity method investments, see notes 7 and 9.
Dividend distributions from investees that are not accounted for under the equity method are recognized as dividend
income in our consolidated statements of operations when the investee’s shares begin trading on an ex-dividend basis for
publicly traded investees or when declared for privately held investees. Dividend distributions from our equity method
investees are reflected as reductions in the carrying values of the applicable investments. Dividend distributions that are deemed
to be (i) returns on our investments are included in cash flows from operating activities in our consolidated statements of cash
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-56
flows and (ii) returns of our investments are included in cash flows from investing activities in our consolidated statements of
cash flows.
We continually review all of our equity method investments to determine whether a decline in fair value below the cost
basis is deemed other-than-temporary. The primary factors we consider in our determination are the extent and length of time
that the fair value of the investment is below our company’s carrying value and the financial condition, operating performance
and near-term prospects of the investee, changes in the stock price or valuation subsequent to the balance sheet date, and the
impacts of exchange rates, if applicable. If the decline in fair value of an equity method investment is deemed to be other-than-
temporary, the cost basis of the security is written down to fair value and the corresponding charge is reported in share of
results of affiliates, net, in our consolidated statements of operations.
Realized gains and losses are determined on an average cost basis. Securities transactions are recorded on the trade date.
Financial Instruments
Due to the short maturities of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term liquid investments, trade and other
receivables, other current assets, accounts payable and other accrued and current liabilities, their respective carrying values
approximate their respective fair values. For information concerning the fair values of certain of our investments, derivatives
and debt, see notes 7, 8 and 11, respectively. For information regarding how we arrive at certain of our fair value
measurements, see note 9.
Derivative Instruments
All derivative instruments, whether designated as hedging relationships or not, are recorded on the balance sheet at fair
value. We generally only apply hedge accounting to our derivative instruments in limited circumstances, therefore changes in
the fair value of most of our derivative instruments are recognized in earnings or loss.
The net cash received or paid related to our derivative instruments is classified as an operating, investing or financing
activity in our consolidated statements of cash flows based on the objective of the derivative instrument and the classification of
the applicable underlying cash flows. For additional information regarding our derivative instruments, see note 8.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. We capitalize costs associated with the
construction of new, or upgrades to existing, fixed and mobile transmission and distribution facilities, the installation of new
fixed-line services and the development of internal-use software. Capitalized construction and installation costs include
materials, labor and other directly attributable costs. Installation activities that are capitalized include (i) the initial connection
(or drop) from our fixed-line system to a customer location, (ii) the replacement of a drop and (iii) the installation of equipment
for new, or upgrades to existing, fixed-line services. The costs of other customer-facing activities, such as reconnecting and
disconnecting customer locations and repairing or maintaining drops, are expensed as incurred. Interest capitalized with respect
to construction activities was not material during any of the periods presented.
Capitalized internal-use software is included as a component of property and equipment. We capitalize internal and
external costs directly associated with the development of internal-use software. We also capitalize costs associated with the
purchase of software licenses. Maintenance and training costs, as well as costs incurred during the preliminary stage of an
internal-use software development project, are expensed as incurred. Costs related to the development of entertainment- and
connectivity-related software that we externally market, or plan to externally market, to third parties are expensed as incurred,
as the time period between technological feasibility and product launch is generally limited in duration and the associated costs
during said time period are not significant.
Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the underlying asset. Equipment
under finance leases is amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the lease term or estimated useful life of the asset.
Useful lives used to depreciate our property and equipment are assessed periodically and are adjusted when warranted. The
useful lives of fixed and mobile distribution systems that are undergoing a rebuild are adjusted such that property and
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-57
equipment to be retired will be fully depreciated by the time the rebuild is completed. For additional information regarding the
useful lives of our property and equipment, see note 10.
Additions, replacements and improvements that extend the asset life are capitalized. Repairs and maintenance are charged
to operations.
We recognize a liability for asset retirement obligations in the period in which it is incurred if sufficient information is
available to make a reasonable estimate of fair values. Asset retirement obligations may arise from the loss of rights of way that
we obtain from local municipalities or other relevant authorities, as well as our obligations under certain lease arrangements to
restore the property to its original condition at the end of the lease term. Given the nature of our operations, most of our rights
of way and certain leased premises are considered integral to our business. Accordingly, for most of our rights of way and
certain lease agreements, the possibility is remote that we will incur significant removal costs in the foreseeable future and, as
such, we do not have sufficient information to make a reasonable estimate of fair value for these asset retirement obligations.
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, the recorded value of our asset retirement obligations was $21.6 million and $22.5
million, respectively.
Intangible Assets
Our primary intangible assets relate to (i) goodwill, (ii) licenses and (iii) customer relationships. Goodwill represents the
excess purchase price over the fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired in a business combination. Licenses and
customer relationships acquired in connection with business combinations are initially recorded at their respective fair values.
Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful lives are not amortized, but instead are tested for impairment at
least annually. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized on a straight-line basis over their respective estimated useful
lives to their estimated residual values.
For additional information regarding the useful lives of our intangible assets, see note 10.
Impairment of Property and Equipment and Intangible Assets
When circumstances warrant, we review the carrying amounts of our property and equipment and our intangible assets
(other than goodwill) to determine whether such carrying amounts continue to be recoverable. Such changes in circumstance
may include (i) an expectation of a sale or disposal of a long-lived asset or asset group, (ii) adverse changes in market or
competitive conditions, (iii) an adverse change in legal factors or business climate in the markets in which we operate and
(iv) operating or cash flow losses. For purposes of impairment testing, long-lived assets are grouped at the lowest level for
which cash flows are largely independent of other assets and liabilities, generally at or below the reporting unit level (see
below). If the carrying amount of the asset or asset group is greater than the expected undiscounted cash flows to be generated
by such asset or asset group, an impairment adjustment is recognized. Such adjustment is measured by the amount that the
carrying value of such asset or asset group exceeds its fair value. We generally measure fair value by considering (a) sale prices
for similar assets, (b) discounted estimated future cash flows using an appropriate discount rate and/or (c) estimated
replacement cost. Assets to be disposed of are recorded at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell.
We evaluate goodwill for impairment at least annually on October 1 and whenever facts and circumstances indicate that a
reporting unit’s carrying amount may not be recoverable. We first make a qualitative assessment to determine if the goodwill
may be impaired. If it is more-likely-than-not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying value, we then compare
the fair value of the reporting unit to its respective carrying amount. Any excess of the carrying amount over the fair value
would be charged to operations as an impairment loss. A reporting unit is an operating segment or one level below an operating
segment (referred to as a “component”).
Leases
For leases with a term greater than 12 months, we recognize on the lease commencement date (i) right-of-use (ROU) assets
representing our right to use an underlying asset and (ii) lease liabilities representing our obligation to make lease payments
over the lease term. Lease and non-lease components in a contract are generally accounted for separately.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-58
We initially measure lease liabilities at the present value of the remaining lease payments over the lease term. Options to
extend or terminate the lease are included only when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. As most of our
leases do not provide enough information to determine an implicit interest rate, we generally use a portfolio level incremental
borrowing rate in our present value calculation. We initially measure ROU assets at the value of the lease liability, plus any
initial direct costs and prepaid lease payments, less any lease incentives received.
With respect to our finance leases, (i) ROU assets are generally depreciated on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the
lease term or the useful life of the asset and (ii) interest expense on the lease liability is recorded using the effective interest
method. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. For leases with a term of 12 months
or less (short-term leases), we do not recognize ROU assets or lease liabilities. Short-term lease expense is recognized on a
straight-line basis over the lease term.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities for the
future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and income tax basis of
assets and liabilities and the expected benefits of utilizing net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards, using enacted tax
rates in effect for each taxing jurisdiction in which we operate for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to
be recovered or settled. We recognize the financial statement effects of a tax position when it is more-likely-than-not, based on
technical merits, that the position will be sustained upon examination. Recognized tax positions are measured as the largest
amount of tax benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon settlement. Net deferred tax assets are
reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on our evaluation of all available evidence, we believe it is more-likely-than-not
such net deferred tax assets will not be realized. Certain of our valuation allowances and tax uncertainties are associated with
entities that we acquired in business combinations. The effect of a change in tax laws or rates on deferred tax assets and
liabilities is recognized in earnings or loss in the period that includes the enactment date. Deferred tax liabilities related to
investments in foreign subsidiaries and foreign corporate joint ventures that are essentially permanent in duration are not
recognized until it becomes apparent that such amounts will reverse in the foreseeable future. In order to be considered
essentially permanent in duration, sufficient evidence must indicate that the foreign subsidiary has invested or will invest its
undistributed earnings indefinitely, or that earnings will be remitted in a tax-free manner. In the U.S., certain income earned by
foreign subsidiaries, known as global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI), must be included in the gross income of their U.S.
shareholder. We have elected to treat the tax effect of GILTI as a current-period expense when incurred. Interest and penalties
related to income tax liabilities are included in income tax benefit or expense in our consolidated statements of operations.
For additional information regarding our income taxes, see note 13.
Foreign Currency Translation and Transactions
The reporting currency of our company is the U.S. dollar. The functional currency of our foreign operations generally is the
applicable local currency for each foreign subsidiary and equity method investee. Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries
(including intercompany balances for which settlement is not anticipated in the foreseeable future) are translated at the spot rate
in effect at the applicable reporting date. With the exception of certain material transactions, the amounts reported in our
consolidated statements of operations are translated at the average exchange rates in effect during the applicable period. The
resulting unrealized cumulative translation adjustment, net of applicable income taxes, is recorded as a component of
accumulated other comprehensive earnings or loss in our consolidated statements of equity. With the exception of certain
material transactions, the cash flows from our operations in foreign countries are translated at the average rate for the applicable
period in our consolidated statements of cash flows. The impacts of material transactions generally are recorded at the
applicable spot rates in our consolidated statements of operations and cash flows. The effect of exchange rates on cash balances
held in foreign currencies are separately reported in our consolidated statements of cash flows.
Transactions denominated in currencies other than our or our subsidiaries’ functional currencies are recorded based on
exchange rates at the time such transactions arise. Changes in exchange rates with respect to amounts recorded on our
consolidated balance sheets related to these non-functional currency transactions result in transaction gains and losses that are
reflected in our consolidated statements of operations as unrealized (based on the applicable period end exchange rates) or
realized upon settlement of the transactions.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-59
Revenue Recognition
Service Revenue — Fixed Networks. We recognize revenue from the provision of broadband internet, video and fixed-line
telephony services over our network to customers in the period the related services are provided, with the exception of revenue
recognized pursuant to certain contracts that contain promotional discounts, as described below. Installation fees related to
services provided over our network are generally deferred and recognized as revenue over the contractual period, or longer if
the upfront fee results in a material renewal right.
Sale of Multiple Products and Services. We sell broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony and, in most of our
markets, mobile services to our customers in bundled packages at a rate lower than if the customer purchased each product on a
standalone basis. Revenue from bundled packages generally is allocated proportionally to the individual products or services
based on the relative standalone selling price for each respective product or service.
Mobile Revenue — General. Consideration from mobile contracts is allocated to the airtime service component and the
handset component based on the relative standalone selling prices of each component. In markets where we offer handsets and
airtime services in separate contracts entered into at the same time, we account for these contracts as a single contract.
Mobile Revenue — Airtime Services. We recognize revenue from mobile services in the period in which the related services
are provided. Revenue from prepaid customers is deferred prior to the commencement of services and recognized as the
services are rendered or usage rights expire.
Mobile Revenue — Handset Revenue. Revenue from the sale of handsets is recognized at the point in which the goods have
been transferred to the customer. Some of our mobile handset contracts that permit the customer to take control of the handset
upfront and pay for the handset in installments over a contractual period may contain a significant financing component. For
contracts with terms of one year or more, we recognize any significant financing component as revenue over the contractual
period using the effective interest method. We do not record the effect of a significant financing component if the contractual
period is less than one year.
B2B Revenue. We defer upfront installation and certain nonrecurring fees received on B2B contracts where we maintain
ownership of the installed equipment. The deferred fees are amortized into revenue on a straight-line basis, generally over the
longer of the term of the arrangement or the expected period of performance. From time to time, we also enter into agreements
with certain B2B customers pursuant to which they are provided the right to use certain elements of our network. If these
agreements are determined to contain a lease that meets the criteria to be considered a sales-type lease, we recognize revenue
from the lease component when control of the network element is transferred to the customer.
Other Revenue — Services. We provide services to certain third parties and affiliates, including the VMO2 JV and the
VodafoneZiggo JV, which consist primarily of (i) technology and other services and (ii) capital-related expenditures for assets
that will be used by or will otherwise benefit these third parties or affiliates. We recognize revenue from services to affiliates in
the period in which the related services are provided.
Other Revenue — Formula E Global Revenue. Formula E’s global revenue primarily comes from global sponsorship
contracts, with additional contributions from fees paid by racing teams and broadcasting revenue. With the exception of global
barter revenue, we recognize this global revenue on a pro rata basis by race event across the racing season. Any global barter
revenue is recognized in the period in which the barter transaction occurs.
Other Revenue — Formula E Race Revenue. Formula E’s race revenue comprises fees paid by local promoters to host race
events, income from ticketing and hospitality services at race events and fees paid by racing teams for freight, administrative
and other race-related services. As this race revenue is specific to the location of each individual racing event, race revenue is
recognized in the period in which the associated race occurs.
Contract Costs. Incremental costs to obtain a contract with a customer, such as incremental sales commissions, are
generally recognized as assets and amortized to SG&A expenses over the applicable period benefited, which generally is the
contract life. If, however, the amortization period is less than one year, we expense such costs in the period incurred. Contract
fulfillment costs, such as costs for installation activities for B2B customers, are recognized as assets and amortized to other
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-60
operating costs over the applicable period benefited, which is generally the substantive contract term for the related service
contract.
Promotional Discounts. For subscriber promotions, such as discounted or free services during an introductory period,
revenue is recognized uniformly over the contractual period if the contract has substantive termination penalties. If a contract
does not have substantive termination penalties, revenue is recognized only to the extent of the discounted monthly fees
charged to the subscriber, if any.
Subscriber Advance Payments. Payments received in advance for the services we provide are deferred and recognized as
revenue when the associated services are provided.
Sales, Use and Other Value-Added Taxes. Revenue is recorded net of applicable sales, use and other value-added taxes
(VAT).
For additional information regarding our revenue recognition and related costs, see note 4. For additional information
regarding services provided to our affiliates, see note 7. For a disaggregation of our revenue by major category and by
reportable and geographic segment, see note 19.
Programming Costs
Programming costs include (i) agreements to distribute channels to our customers, (ii) exhibition rights of programming
content and (iii) sports rights.
Channel Distribution Agreements. Our channel distribution agreements are generally multi-year contracts for which we are
charged either (i) variable rates based upon the number of subscribers or (ii) on a flat fee basis. Certain of our variable rate
contracts require minimum guarantees. Programming costs under such arrangements are recorded in operating costs and
expenses in our consolidated statement of operations when the programming is available for viewing.
Exhibition Rights. Our agreements for exhibition rights are generally multi-year license agreements for which we are
typically charged either (i) a percentage of the revenue earned per program or (ii) a flat fee per program. The current and long-
term portions of our exhibition rights acquired under licenses are recorded as other current assets and other assets, net,
respectively, on our consolidated balance sheet when the license period begins and the program is available for its first
showing. Capitalized exhibition rights are amortized based on the projected future showings of the content using a straight-line
or accelerated method of amortization, as appropriate. Exhibition rights are regularly reviewed for impairment and held at the
lower of unamortized cost or estimated net realizable value.
Sports Rights. Our sports rights agreements are generally multi-year contracts for which we are typically charged a flat fee
per season. We typically pay for sports rights in advance of the respective season. The current and long-term portions of any
payments made in advance of the respective season are recorded as other current assets and other assets, net, respectively, on
our consolidated balance sheet and are amortized on a straight-line basis over the respective sporting season. Sports rights are
regularly reviewed for impairment and held at the lower of unamortized cost or estimated net realizable value.
For additional information regarding our programming costs, see note 18.
Share-based Compensation
We recognize all share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee share-based incentive awards, based
on their grant-date fair values and our estimates of forfeitures. We recognize share-based compensation expense as a charge to
operations over the vesting period based on the grant-date fair value of outstanding awards, which may differ from the fair
value of such awards on any given date. Our share of payroll taxes incurred in connection with the vesting or exercise of our
share-based incentive awards is recorded as a component of share-based compensation expense in our consolidated statements
of operations.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-61
We use the straight-line method to recognize share-based compensation expense for our outstanding share awards that do
not contain a performance condition and the accelerated expense attribution method for our outstanding share awards that
contain a performance condition and vest on a graded basis.
The grant date fair values for options, share appreciation rights (SARs) and performance based share appreciation rights
(PSARs) are estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, and the grant date fair values for restricted share units
(RSUs) and performance based restricted share units (PSUs) are based upon the closing share price of Liberty Global common
shares on the date of grant. We consider historical exercise trends in our calculation of the expected life of options and SARs
granted by Liberty Global to employees. The expected volatility for options and SARs related to our common shares is
generally based on a combination of (i) historical volatilities for a period equal to the expected average life of the awards and
(ii) volatilities implied from publicly-traded options for our shares.
We generally issue new Liberty Global common shares when Liberty Global options or SARs are exercised and when
RSUs and PSUs vest. Our company settles SARs and PSARs on a net basis when exercised by the award holder, whereby the
number of shares issued represents the excess value of the award based on the market price of the respective Liberty Global
shares at the time of exercise relative to the award’s exercise price. In addition, the number of shares issued is further reduced
by the amount of the employee’s required income tax withholding.
Although we repurchase Liberty Global common shares from time to time, the parameters of our share repurchases and
redemptions do not take into account the potential dilutive impact from our share-based compensation plans.
For additional information regarding our share-based compensation, see note 15.
Litigation Costs
Legal fees and related litigation costs are expensed as incurred.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-62
Earnings or Loss per Share
Basic earnings or loss per share (EPS) is computed by dividing net earnings or loss by the weighted average number of
shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS presents the dilutive effect, if any, on a per share basis of potential shares from
share-based incentive awards as if they had been exercised, vested or converted at the beginning of the periods presented. For
additional information regarding our share-based incentive awards, see note 15.
The details of our net earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global shareholders are set forth
below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions, except share amounts
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations ............................................................... $
1,869.1 $
(3,659.1) $
771.7
Net earnings from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests .....
(57.9)
(177.9)
(513.1)
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global
shareholders ......................................................................................................... $
1,811.2 $
(3,837.0) $
258.6
Weighted average common shares outstanding (basic EPS computation) ................. 366,731,510 425,679,037 489,555,582
Incremental shares (a) ................................................................................................. 8,450,711
— 7,433,268
Weighted average common shares outstanding (diluted EPS computation) .............. 375,182,221 425,679,037 496,988,850
Excluded potentially dilutive employee share-based incentive awards (b) ................ 99,742,431 96,492,625 59,459,161
_______________
(a)
We use the treasury stock method to calculate our incremental shares attributable to the assumed exercise or release of
the outstanding share-based incentive awards upon vesting. Certain of our share incentive plans include performance
and/or other features that result in the associated shares being contingently issuable. For purposes of applying the
treasury stock method, the dilutive effect of these awards is calculated based on the number of the shares that would be
issuable as if the end of the reporting period was the end of the contingency period.
(b)
Amounts represent potentially dilutive shares that have been excluded from the computation of diluted earnings (loss)
from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global shareholders because their effect would have been anti-dilutive
or, in the case of PSUs, because such awards had not yet met the applicable performance criteria.
(4) Revenue Recognition and Related Costs
Contract Balances
If we transfer goods or services to a customer but do not have an unconditional right to payment, we record a contract
asset. Contract assets typically arise from the uniform recognition of introductory promotional discounts over the contract
period and accrued revenue for handset sales. Our contract assets were $9.4 million and $8.1 million as of December 31, 2024
and 2023, respectively. The current and long-term portions of our contract asset balances are included within other current
assets and other assets, net, respectively, on our consolidated balance sheets.
We record deferred revenue when we receive payment prior to transferring goods or services to a customer. We primarily
defer revenue for (i) installation and other upfront services and (ii) other services that are invoiced prior to when services are
provided. Our deferred revenue balances were $289.5 million and $172.5 million as of December 31, 2024 and 2023,
respectively. The increase in deferred revenue during 2024 is primarily due to the net effect of (a) the impact of additions
during the period, (b) the recognition of $155.6 million of revenue that was included in our deferred revenue balance at
December 31, 2023 and (c) an increase of $117.0 million related to the Formula E Acquisition. The long-term portions of our
deferred revenue balances are included within other long-term liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-63
Contract Costs
Our aggregate assets associated with incremental costs to obtain and fulfill our contracts were $1.2 million and $1.4 million
at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The current and long-term portions of our assets related to contract costs are
included within other current assets and other assets, net, respectively, on our consolidated balance sheets.
Unsatisfied Performance Obligations
A portion of our revenue is derived from customers who are not subject to contracts. Revenue from customers who are
subject to contracts is generally recognized over the term of such contracts, which is typically 12 months for our residential
service contracts, one to three years for our mobile service contracts and one to five years for our B2B service contracts.
(5) Acquisitions
Formula E Acquisition
On October 2, 2024 (the Formula E Acquisition Date), we gained control of Formula E through the acquisition of the
Formula E shares held by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery) and certain other minority shareholders,
which increased our ownership interest in Formula E from 38.2% to 65.6% (the Formula E Acquisition). The total purchase
price for these additional shares totaled €150.0 million ($165.7 million at the transaction date). We also acquired Warner Bros.
Discovery’s €50.0 million ($55.6 million at the transaction date) shareholder loan to Formula E upon closing of the transaction.
Liberty Global began consolidating 100% of Formula E’s results from the Formula E Acquisition Date.
We have accounted for the Formula E Acquisition as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting,
whereby the total purchase price was allocated to the acquired identifiable net assets of Formula E based on assessments of their
respective fair values, and the excess of the purchase price over the fair values of these identifiable net assets was allocated to
goodwill.
The following table summarizes the fair value of consideration transferred as part of the Formula E Acquisition (in
millions):
Purchase consideration (a) .................................................................................................................................... $
221.3
Fair value of pre-existing investment in Formula E (b) ........................................................................................ $
316.6
Fair value of the noncontrolling interest in Formula E (c) .................................................................................... $
209.0
_______________
(a)
Represents the total purchase consideration in connection with the Formula E Acquisition, which includes the
shareholder loan acquired from Warner Bros. Discovery, as described above.
(b)
Represents the fair value of our pre-existing investment in Formula E immediately prior to the Formula E Acquisition,
including our €80.5 million ($88.9 million at the transaction date) shareholder loan to Formula E.
(c)
Represents the fair value of the noncontrolling interest in Formula E as of the Formula E Acquisition Date.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-64
A summary of the preliminary amounts of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the Formula E Acquisition
Date is presented in the following table (in millions). These figures are subject to adjustment based on our final assessment of
the fair values of the acquired identifiable assets and liabilities. Although most items in the valuation process remain open, the
items with the highest likelihood of changing upon finalization of the valuation process relate to goodwill, certain intangible
assets and their respective estimated useful lives and income taxes.
Current assets (a) ................................................................................................................................................... $
104.1
Property and equipment, net .................................................................................................................................
32.1
Intangible assets subject to amortization, net (b) ..................................................................................................
686.0
Other assets, net ....................................................................................................................................................
23.4
Other accrued and current liabilities .....................................................................................................................
(167.5)
Deferred tax liabilities ...........................................................................................................................................
(117.9)
Other long-term liabilities .....................................................................................................................................
(12.0)
Total identifiable net assets ................................................................................................................................ $
548.2
Goodwill (c) ........................................................................................................................................................ $
198.7
_______________
(a)
In connection with the Formula E Acquisition, we acquired $22.2 million of cash and cash equivalents, including
restricted cash.
(b)
Amount primarily includes an intangible asset related to a licensing agreement with the Federation Internationale
l’Automobile (FIA) that provides Formula E with the exclusive rights to operate an electric motor racing championship.
As of the Formula E Acquisition Date, the weighted average useful life of Formula E’s intangible assets was
approximately 33 years.
(c)
The goodwill recognized in connection with the Formula E Acquisition primarily represents the future economic benefits
expected to arise from other intangible assets acquired that do not qualify for separate recognition, including assembled
workforce, value associated with future sponsors, continued innovation and non-contractual relationships.
In connection with the Formula E Acquisition, we also recognized a gain of $190.7 million during 2024, representing the
difference between the fair value and carrying amount of our previously held minority equity interest in Formula E. No income
taxes were required to be provided on this gain.
Telenet Wyre Transaction
On July 1, 2023, pursuant to an agreement dated July 19, 2022, Telenet and Fluvius System Operator CV (Fluvius) created
an independent infrastructure company (Wyre) within their combined geographic footprint in Belgium (the Telenet Wyre
Transaction). The companies each contributed certain cable infrastructure assets with Telenet and Fluvius owning 66.8% and
33.2% of Wyre, respectively. In exchange for its 66.8% ownership of Wyre, Telenet contributed net assets with a fair value of
€1,851.2 million ($2,021.2 million at the transaction date), together with annual payments to Fluvius of €20.0 million
($20.7 million) over the next six years following the date of the transaction. Telenet and Liberty Global began consolidating
Wyre’s results upon the closing of the transaction. The final purchase price allocation was completed on June 30, 2024, which
resulted in adjustments to certain of the preliminary amounts recorded. For more information regarding the final purchase price
allocation, see note 10.
With the closing of the Telenet Wyre Transaction, Telenet early terminated and effectively settled certain pre-existing
contractual relationships with Fluvius, principally related to Telenet’s leased network, and began consolidating certain
infrastructure cable assets contributed by Fluvius to Wyre, as described above. Primarily due to Telenet’s aforementioned pre-
existing network leasing relationship with Fluvius, the Telenet Wyre Transaction did not have a significant impact on our
operating income during 2023 or 2022.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-65
In connection with the Telenet Wyre Transaction, we recognized a net gain of $377.8 million during 2023, which
represents the difference between the fair value and carrying amount of a pre-existing network leasing relationship between
Telenet and Fluvius. No income taxes were required to be provided on this gain.
Pro Forma Information
The following unaudited pro forma consolidated operating results give effect to the Formula E Acquisition as if it had been
completed as of January 1, 2023. No effect has been given to the Telenet Wyre Transaction since it would not have had a
significant impact on our results of operations during 2023. These pro forma amounts are not necessarily indicative of the
operating results that would have occurred if the Formula E Acquisition had occurred on such date. The pro forma adjustments
are based on certain assumptions that we believe are reasonable.
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
(unaudited)
Revenue (in millions) ................................................................................................................. $
4,589.4 $
4,384.3
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global shareholders
(in millions) ............................................................................................................................ $
1,791.5 $
(3,871.9)
Basic earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global shareholders
per share ................................................................................................................................. $
4.89 $
(9.10)
Diluted earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global
shareholders per share ............................................................................................................ $
4.78 $
(9.10)
Our consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2024 includes revenue of $17.9 million and net
loss of $20.0 million attributable to Formula E, excluding the share of results of affiliates, net, related to our previously held
minority equity interest in Formula E.
(6) Dispositions
Spin-off
On November 8, 2024, we completed the Spin-off, following a series of transactions that resulted in the transfer of the
Sunrise Entities to an independent, separate publicly-traded Swiss company, Sunrise Communications AG. No gain or loss has
been recognized in connection with the Spin-off.
The Spin-off was accomplished through the distribution of Sunrise common shares, in the form of Sunrise American
depository shares (ADSs), to Liberty Global shareholders (the Sunrise Distribution). Liberty Global shareholders received one
Sunrise Class A ADS for every five Liberty Global Class A or Class C common shares and two Sunrise Class B ADSs for each
Liberty Global Class B common share.
In connection with the Spin-off, we entered into several agreements with Sunrise (the Spin-off Agreements). The
following summarizes the material agreements:
•
A master separation agreement (the Master Separation Agreement), which provides for, among other things, the
principal corporate transactions (including the internal restructuring) required to effect the Spin-off, certain conditions
to the Spin-off and provisions governing the relationship between Liberty Global and Sunrise with respect to and
resulting from the Spin-off;
•
A tax separation agreement (the Tax Separation Agreement), which governs the parties’ respective rights,
responsibilities and obligations with respect to taxes and tax benefits, the filing of tax returns, the handling of audits or
other tax proceedings and assistance and cooperation and other tax matters, in each case, for taxable periods ending on
or before or that otherwise include the date of the Spin-off;
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-66
•
A technology master services agreement (the Technology Master Services Agreement), pursuant to which, for up to
five years following the Spin-off, with the option to renew for a two-year period, Liberty Global will continue to
provide Sunrise various technology-related platforms, products and services, including entertainment platforms and
support services, connectivity platforms and support services, Global Tier-1 international internet and enterprise
backbone network, IP transit and peering services, information technology applications and related services, mobile
virtual network operator services, B2B-related services, technical architecture advisory services and security services;
•
Transitional services agreements (the Transitional Services Agreements), pursuant to which Liberty Global will
provide Sunrise various administrative services to ensure an orderly transition following the Spin-off. The terms of the
services are for up to five years following the Spin-off, depending on the individual service elements. These services
include, among others, internal audit, compliance, internal controls, external reporting, accounting, treasury, emerging
business, corporate affairs and regulatory, human resources, legal, content and brand access services; and
•
Other services agreements (the Other Services Agreements), pursuant to which certain subsidiaries of Liberty Global
and Sunrise will continue to provide certain operational or advisory services to each other under agreements entered
into prior to the Spin-off. These service agreements remain in place for a period of up to five years following the Spin-
off and include structured finance, shared services, procurement, interconnect, roaming brokering, hyper scale
consultancy and call center support.
During 2024, we recorded revenue of $24.4 million associated with these services, as specified in the services agreements
outlined above.
UPC Poland
On April 1, 2022, we completed the sale of UPC Poland to a subsidiary of iliad S.A. (iliad). After considering debt and
working capital adjustments (including cash disposed), we received net cash proceeds of Polish zloty 6,520.4 million ($1,553.3
million at the transaction date).
In connection with the sale of UPC Poland, we recognized a gain of $846.4 million, which includes a cumulative foreign
currency translation gain of $10.9 million. No income taxes were required to be provided on this gain.
In connection with the sale of UPC Poland, we agreed to provide certain transitional services to iliad for a period of up to
five years, depending on the service. These services principally comprise network and information technology-related
functions. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recorded revenue of $37.1 million, $24.6 million and $26.6 million, respectively,
associated with these transitional services.
Presentation of Discontinued Operations
The operations of the Sunrise Entities and UPC Poland are presented as discontinued operations in our consolidated
financial statements for all applicable periods.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-67
The carrying amounts of the major classes of assets and liabilities of the Sunrise Entities as of December 31, 2023 are
summarized below (in millions). These amounts exclude intercompany assets and liabilities that are eliminated within our
consolidated balance sheet.
Assets:
Current assets ...................................................................................................................................................... $
1,197.6
Property and equipment, net ...............................................................................................................................
3,006.3
Goodwill .............................................................................................................................................................
7,168.7
Intangible assets subject to amortization, net .....................................................................................................
1,380.0
Other assets .........................................................................................................................................................
1,588.1
Total assets ....................................................................................................................................................... $
14,340.7
Liabilities:
Current portion of debt and finance leases ......................................................................................................... $
377.9
Other accrued and current liabilities ...................................................................................................................
1,366.9
Long-term debt and finance lease obligations (a) ...............................................................................................
6,119.4
Other long-term liabilities ...................................................................................................................................
2,241.5
Total liabilities .................................................................................................................................................. $
10,105.7
_______________
(a)
In October 2024, in connection with the Spin-off, the Sunrise Entities repaid an aggregate $1.4 billion of outstanding
indebtedness, including associated derivative instruments. This repayment is included within net cash used by financing
activities of discontinued operations in our consolidated statement of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2024.
The operating results of the Sunrise Entities for 2024 and 2023 are summarized in the following table. These amounts
exclude intercompany revenue and expenses that are eliminated within our consolidated statements of operations.
Year ended December 31,
2024 (a)
2023
in millions
Revenue ........................................................................................................................................... $
2,902.8 $
3,375.6
Operating income ............................................................................................................................ $
154.0 $
69.3
Loss before income taxes ................................................................................................................ $
(200.1) $
(278.2)
Income tax benefit (expense) ..........................................................................................................
(23.1)
63.5
Net loss attributable to Liberty Global shareholders ...................................................................... $
(223.2) $
(214.7)
_______________
(a)
Includes the operating results of the Sunrise Entities from January 1, 2024 to November 8, 2024, the date of the Spin-off.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-68
The operating results of the Sunrise Entities and UPC Poland for 2022 are summarized in the following table. These
amounts exclude intercompany revenue and expenses that are eliminated within our consolidated statement of operations.
Sunrise
Entities
UPC
Poland (a)
Total
in millions
Revenue ................................................................................................................. $
3,178.2 $
109.5 $
3,287.7
Operating income .................................................................................................. $
36.9 $
45.0 $
81.9
Earnings before income taxes ............................................................................... $
245.8 $
43.9 $
289.7
Income tax benefit (expense) ................................................................................
87.8
(9.3)
78.5
Net earnings attributable to Liberty Global shareholders ..................................... $
333.6 $
34.6 $
368.2
_______________
(a)
Includes the operating results of UPC Poland from January 1, 2022 to April 1, 2022, the date UPC Poland was sold.
Telenet Tower Sale
On June 1, 2022, Telenet completed the sale of substantially all of their passive infrastructure and tower assets to
DigitalBridge Investments LLC (DigitalBridge) (the Telenet Tower Sale). After considering working capital adjustments, we
received net cash proceeds of €733.0 million ($779.9 million at the transaction date). Effective with the signing of the sale and
purchase agreement on March 25, 2022, we began accounting for the associated assets and liabilities as held for sale and,
accordingly, we ceased to depreciate or amortize these long-lived assets.
In connection with the completion of the Telenet Tower Sale, we recognized a gain of $700.5 million. No income taxes
were required to be provided on this gain.
As part of the Telenet Tower Sale, Telenet entered into a master lease agreement to lease back the passive infrastructure
and tower assets from DigitalBridge for an initial period of 15 years (the Telenet Tower Lease Agreement). In connection
with the Telenet Tower Lease Agreement, we recorded non-cash additions to our operating lease ROU assets of $615.1 million
and a corresponding increase to our operating lease liabilities of the same amount.
In addition, as part of the Telenet Tower Lease Agreement, Telenet committed to lease back 475 build-to-suit sites over the
term of the lease. As of December 31, 2024, the total U.S. dollar equivalent of the estimated future payments for the build-to-
suit sites over the term of the lease was $84.9 million, the majority of which are due after 2028. Telenet will act as an agent
over the construction of future towers on the build-to-suit sites.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-69
(7) Investments
The details of our investments are set forth below:
December 31,
2024
2023
Ownership (a)
Accounting Method
in millions
%
Equity (b):
Long-term:
VMO2 JV ............................................................................................................ $
6,501.4 $
7,248.5
50.0
VodafoneZiggo JV (c) ........................................................................................
1,738.4
2,055.4
50.0
AE Group Sàrl (AtlasEdge JV) (d) ....................................................................
339.5
250.8
48.6
Nexfibre Networks Limited (nexfibre JV) (e) ...................................................
93.4
55.9
24.9
Formula E (f) ......................................................................................................
—
99.1
—
All3Media Group (All3Media) (g) ....................................................................
—
144.2
—
Other ...................................................................................................................
107.6
91.5
Total — equity ..................................................................................................
8,780.3
9,945.4
Fair value:
Short-term:
Separately-managed accounts (SMAs) (h) .........................................................
335.6
1,990.5
Long-term:
Vodafone - subject to re-use rights (i) .................................................................
1,141.5
1,168.1
5.2
EdgeConneX, Inc. (EdgeConneX) .....................................................................
414.5
318.3
4.5
ITV plc (ITV) ......................................................................................................
351.4
321.9
10.1
Televisa Univision, Inc. (Televisa Univision) ....................................................
314.8
388.3
6.4
SMAs (h) .............................................................................................................
97.5
285.6
Plume Design, Inc. (Plume) (j) ...........................................................................
73.0
168.4
10.3
CANAL+ Polska S.A. (CANAL+ Polska) .........................................................
72.5
76.4
17.0
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. (Lionsgate) .....................................................
53.4
69.6
2.8
Aviatrix Systems, Inc. (Aviatrix) .......................................................................
31.0
55.5
4.3
Pax8, Inc. (Pax8) (k) ...........................................................................................
—
100.3
—
Lacework, Inc. (Lacework) (l) ...........................................................................
—
94.2
—
Other ....................................................................................................................
358.1
343.8
Total — fair value .............................................................................................
3,243.3
5,380.9
Total investments (m) ..................................................................................... $ 12,023.6 $ 15,326.3
Short-term investments ............................................................................................. $
335.6 $
1,990.5
Long-term investments ............................................................................................. $ 11,688.0 $ 13,335.8
_______________
(a)
Represents our economic ownership based on total shares owned as a percentage of total shares outstanding as of the
most recent balance sheet date or the most recent publicly-available information.
(b)
Our equity method investments are originally recorded at cost and are adjusted to recognize our share of net earnings or
losses of the affiliates as they occur rather than as dividend distributions are received, with our recognition of losses
generally limited to the extent of our investment in, and loans and commitments to, the investee. Accordingly, the
carrying values of our equity method investments may not equal the respective fair values. At December 31, 2024 and
2023, the aggregate carrying amounts of our equity method investments exceeded our proportionate share of the
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-70
respective investee’s net assets by $901.2 million and $1,202.6 million, respectively, which primarily includes amounts
associated with the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivables, as defined below, and for December 31, 2023, amounts we were
owed under long-term notes receivable from All3Media.
(c)
Amounts include certain notes receivable due from a subsidiary of the VodafoneZiggo JV to a subsidiary of Liberty
Global, comprising (i) a €700.0 million note receivable ($724.4 million and $774.5 million equivalent at December 31,
2024 and 2023, respectively) (the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivable I) and (ii) a €207.9 million note receivable ($215.1
million and $230.0 million equivalent at December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively) (the VodafoneZiggo JV
Receivable II and, together with the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivable I, the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivables). The
VodafoneZiggo JV Receivables bear interest at a rate of 5.55% and have a final maturity date of December 31, 2030.
During 2024, interest accrued on the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivables was €53.5 million ($55.4 million), all of which has
been cash settled.
(d)
Liberty Global owns a 50% noncontrolling voting interest in the AtlasEdge JV.
(e)
Liberty Global owns a 25% noncontrolling voting interest in the nexfibre JV.
(f)
As a result of the Formula E Acquisition, our ownership increased to 65.6% and we began consolidating Formula E’s
results from the Formula E Acquisition Date. For additional information regarding the Formula E Acquisition, see note
5.
(g)
On May 16, 2024, Liberty Global, together with joint owner Warner Bros. Discovery, completed the sale of All3Media
to RedBird IMI. We received £330.8 million ($419.3 million at the transaction date) of total cash in connection with the
sale, including the repayment of the principal and accrued interest associated with long-term notes receivable from
All3Media. We recognized a gain on the sale of All3Media of £212.3 million ($242.9 million at the transaction date).
(h)
Represents investments held under SMAs, which are maintained by investment managers acting as agents on our behalf.
We classify, measure and report these investments, the composition of which may change from time to time, based on
the underlying nature and characteristics of each security held under the SMAs. With the exception of our SMA in a
leveraged structured note, all of our investments held under SMAs were classified as available-for-sale debt securities as
of December 31, 2024. Our SMA held in a leveraged structured note is accounted for at fair value and the associated
gains or losses are included in realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain investments, net, in
our consolidated statements of operations. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, interest accrued on our debt securities,
which is included in other current assets on our consolidated balance sheets, was $7.2 million and $34.6 million,
respectively.
(i)
In connection with our investment in Vodafone, we entered into a share collar (the Vodafone Collar) with respect to the
Vodafone shares held by our company. The aggregate purchase price paid to acquire our investment in Vodafone was
partially financed through borrowings under a secured borrowing agreement (the Vodafone Collar Loan) collateralized
by the Vodafone shares. Under the terms of the Vodafone Collar, the counterparty has the right to re-use pledged
Vodafone shares. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, the net fair value of our investment in Vodafone was $89.3 million
and $115.5 million, respectively.
(j)
Our investment in Plume includes warrants with a fair value of $24.5 million and $61.3 million at December 31, 2024
and 2023, respectively.
(k)
We completed the sale of our investment in Pax8 during the fourth quarter of 2024.
(l)
We completed the sale of our investment in Lacework during the third quarter of 2024.
(m)
The purchase and sale of investments are presented on a gross basis in our consolidated statements of cash flows,
including amounts associated with SMAs.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-71
Equity Method Investments
The following table sets forth the details of our share of results of affiliates, net:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
VodafoneZiggo JV (a) .................................................................................................... $
(69.3) $
(196.7) $
241.2
AtlasEdge JV ..................................................................................................................
(40.9)
(31.1)
(23.3)
Formula E (b) .................................................................................................................
(29.1)
(19.4)
(20.2)
VMO2 JV (c) .................................................................................................................
(29.0)
(1,723.1)
(1,396.6)
All3Media (d) .................................................................................................................
(15.5)
4.0
(10.0)
Streamz B.V. (Streamz) (e) ...........................................................................................
(2.3)
(6.9)
(35.2)
nexfibre JV .....................................................................................................................
(2.2)
(34.7)
25.2
Eltrona Interdiffusion S.A. (Eltrona) (f) .......................................................................
—
—
(34.2)
Other ...............................................................................................................................
(17.3)
(10.5)
(15.2)
Total .......................................................................................................................... $
(205.6) $ (2,018.4) $ (1,268.3)
_______________
(a)
Represents (i) our 50% share of the results of operations of the VodafoneZiggo JV and (ii) 100% of the interest income
earned on the VodafoneZiggo JV Receivables.
(b)
Includes our share of results of Formula E prior to the Formula E Acquisition Date.
(c)
Represents (i) our 50% share of the results of operations of the VMO2 JV and (ii) 100% of the share-based compensation
expense associated with Liberty Global awards granted to VMO2 JV employees who were formerly employees of
Liberty Global prior to the VMO2 JV formation, as these awards remain our responsibility. In addition, the 2023 and
2022 amounts include charges of $1.5 billion and $1.8 billion, respectively, representing our 50% share of the VMO2
JV’s goodwill impairments, as described below.
(d)
We completed the sale of our investment in All3Media during the second quarter of 2024.
(e)
The 2022 amount includes a charge of $31.7 million related to a decline in fair value below the cost basis of the
investment that was deemed other-than-temporary during the fourth quarter.
(f)
On January 2, 2023, we completed our acquisition of a controlling interest in Eltrona and began consolidating Eltrona’s
results from that date. The 2022 amount includes a charge of $32.5 million related to a decline in fair value below the
cost basis of the investment that was deemed other-than-temporary during the fourth quarter.
VMO2 JV
Liberty Global and Telefónica (each a “U.K. JV Shareholder”) each hold 50% of the issued share capital of the VMO2
JV. The U.K. JV Shareholders intend for the VMO2 JV to be funded solely from its net cash flows from operations and third-
party financing. We account for our 50% interest in the VMO2 JV as an equity method investment and consider the VMO2 JV
to be a related party.
In connection with the formation of the VMO2 JV, the U.K. JV Shareholders entered into an agreement (the U.K. JV
Shareholders Agreement) that contains customary provisions for the governance of a 50:50 joint venture and provides Liberty
Global and Telefónica with joint control over decision making with respect to the VMO2 JV.
The U.K. JV Shareholders Agreement also provides (i) for a dividend distribution policy that requires the VMO2 JV to
distribute all unrestricted cash to the U.K. JV Shareholders on a pro rata basis (subject to the VMO2 JV maintaining a minimum
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-72
amount of cash and complying with the terms of its financing arrangements) and (ii) that the VMO2 JV will be managed with a
leverage ratio between 4.0 and 5.0 times EBITDA (as calculated pursuant to its existing financing arrangements), with the
VMO2 JV undertaking periodic recapitalizations and/or refinancings accordingly. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we received
dividend distributions from the VMO2 JV aggregating $535.7 million, $1,242.8 million and $932.5 million, respectively, of
which $206.4 million, $815.2 million and $477.9 million, respectively, were accounted for as a return of capital and
$329.3 million, $427.6 million and $454.6 million, respectively, were accounted for as a return on capital for purposes of our
consolidated statements of cash flows.
Each U.K. JV Shareholder has the right to initiate an initial public offering (IPO) of the VMO2 JV after the third
anniversary of the closing, with the opportunity for the other U.K. JV Shareholder to sell shares in the IPO on a pro rata basis.
Subject to certain exceptions, the U.K. JV Shareholders Agreement prohibits transfers of interests in the VMO2 JV to third
parties until the fifth anniversary of the closing. After the fifth anniversary, each U.K. JV Shareholder will be able to initiate a
sale of all of its interest in the VMO2 JV to a third party and, under certain circumstances, initiate a sale of the entire VMO2
JV; subject, in each case, to a right of first offer in favor of the other U.K. JV Shareholder.
Pursuant to an agreement (the U.K. JV Framework Agreement), Liberty Global provides certain services to the VMO2
JV on a transitional or ongoing basis (collectively, the U.K. JV Services). Pursuant to the terms of the U.K. JV Framework
Agreement, the ongoing services will be provided through 2029 depending on the type of service, while transitional services
will be provided for a period of no less than 12 months, after which both parties shall be entitled to terminate based on specified
notice periods. The U.K. JV Services provided by Liberty Global consist primarily of (i) technology and other services and (ii)
capital-related expenditures for assets that will be used by or will otherwise benefit the VMO2 JV. Liberty Global charges both
fixed and variable fees to the VMO2 JV for the U.K. JV Services it provides during the term of the U.K. JV Framework
Agreement. We recorded revenue related to the U.K. JV Services of $402.5 million, $190.1 million and $251.2 million during
2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, $37.5 million and $18.6 million, respectively, was due
from the VMO2 JV, primarily related to (a) the U.K. JV Services and (b) amounts incurred by Liberty Global for certain
equipment and licenses purchased on behalf of the VMO2 JV. The amounts due from the VMO2 JV, which are periodically
cash settled, are included in other current assets on our consolidated balance sheets.
Annually, beginning in July 2022, the VMO2 JV has entered into long-term performance incentive plans (the VMO2
LTIPs) for certain of its employees, dependent on the achievement of specific performance metrics over a three-year period
beginning January 1st of the year of the grant. The applicable payout earned is settled in Liberty Global Class A and/or Liberty
Global Class C common shares and Telefónica ordinary shares, with the settlement split equally between the U.K. JV
Shareholders. Subject to forfeitures, 66.7% of each participant’s payout is earned as of January 1st of the last performance year
with the remainder earned on December 31st. The VMO2 LTIPs are liability classified as the final payout is a fixed monetary
amount settled in a variable number of shares. At December 31, 2024, the estimated fair value of Liberty Global’s share of the
payout under the VMO2 LTIPs was $40.5 million. As the VMO2 JV reimburses the U.K. JV Shareholders in cash for the value
of each shareholder’s payout under the VMO2 LTIPs, a receivable from the VMO2 JV equal to the fair value of our share of the
VMO2 LTIPs liability is recorded on our consolidated balance sheet.
During the fourth quarters of 2023 and 2022, the VMO2 JV recorded GAAP goodwill impairments of £2.3 billion
($2.9 billion at the applicable rate) and £3.1 billion ($3.6 billion at the applicable rate), respectively. The impairments recorded
primarily related to (i) a decline in projected cash flows resulting from the effects of the broader macroeconomic environment
in the U.K., (ii) increases in the weighted average cost of capital (discount rate) under a market participant view and (iii)
declines in comparable public company market valuations. Significant judgment was involved in these assessments, including
(a) market participant estimates of the discount rates and (b) current earnings multiples of comparable public companies. Our
50% share of the VMO2 JV’s goodwill impairment charges are reported in share of results of affiliates, net, in our consolidated
statements of operations.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-73
The summarized results of operations of the VMO2 JV are set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Revenue .................................................................................................................... $
13,649.7 $
13,574.1 $
12,857.2
Earnings (loss) before income taxes ......................................................................... $
33.1 $
(3,728.8) $
(3,012.8)
Net earnings (loss) .................................................................................................... $
1.7 $
(3,438.6) $
(3,042.0)
The summarized financial position of the VMO2 JV is set forth below:
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Current assets .................................................................................................................................... $
5,404.0 $
5,237.8
Long-term assets ...............................................................................................................................
41,247.5
42,801.6
Total assets ..................................................................................................................................... $
46,651.5 $
48,039.4
Current liabilities ............................................................................................................................... $
9,983.1 $
9,465.8
Long-term liabilities ..........................................................................................................................
23,610.0
24,075.9
Owners’ equity ..................................................................................................................................
13,058.4
14,497.7
Total liabilities and owners’ equity ............................................................................................... $
46,651.5 $
48,039.4
VodafoneZiggo JV
Liberty Global and Vodafone (each a “NL JV Shareholder”) each hold 50% of the issued share capital of the
VodafoneZiggo JV. The NL JV Shareholders intend for the VodafoneZiggo JV to be funded primarily from its net cash flows
from operations and third-party financing. We account for our 50% interest in the VodafoneZiggo JV as an equity method
investment and consider the VodafoneZiggo JV to be a related party.
In connection with the formation of the VodafoneZiggo JV, the NL JV Shareholders entered into an agreement (the NL
Shareholders Agreement) that contains customary provisions for the governance of a 50:50 joint venture and provides Liberty
Global and Vodafone with joint control over decision making with respect to the VodafoneZiggo JV.
The NL Shareholders Agreement also provides (i) for a dividend distribution policy that requires the VodafoneZiggo JV to
distribute all unrestricted cash to the NL JV Shareholders every two months (subject to the VodafoneZiggo JV maintaining a
minimum amount of cash and complying with the terms of its financing arrangements) and (ii) that the VodafoneZiggo JV will
be managed with a leverage ratio of between 4.5 and 5.0 times EBITDA (as calculated pursuant to its existing financing
arrangements), with the VodafoneZiggo JV undertaking periodic recapitalizations and/or refinancings accordingly. During
2024, 2023 and 2022, we received dividend distributions from the VodafoneZiggo JV of $65.0 million, $110.2 million and
$266.6 million, respectively, which were accounted for as returns on capital for purposes of our consolidated statements of cash
flows.
Each NL JV Shareholder has the right to initiate an IPO of the VodafoneZiggo JV, with the opportunity for the other NL
JV Shareholder to sell shares in the IPO on a pro rata basis. As of January 1, 2021, each NL JV Shareholder has the right to
initiate a sale of all of its interest in the VodafoneZiggo JV to a third party and, under certain circumstances, initiate a sale of
the entire VodafoneZiggo JV, subject, in each case, to a right of first offer in favor of the other NL JV Shareholder.
Pursuant to an agreement (the NL JV Framework Agreement), Liberty Global provides certain services to the
VodafoneZiggo JV (collectively, the NL JV Services). The NL JV Services provided by Liberty Global consist primarily of (i)
technology and other services and (ii) capital-related expenditures for assets that will be used by, or will otherwise benefit, the
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-74
VodafoneZiggo JV. Liberty Global charges both fixed and usage-based fees to the VodafoneZiggo JV for the NL JV Services
provided during the term of the NL JV Framework Agreement. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recorded revenue from the
VodafoneZiggo JV of $192.4 million, $191.9 million and $263.9 million, respectively, primarily related to (a) the NL JV
Services and (b) the sale of customer premises equipment (CPE) to the VodafoneZiggo JV at a mark-up. At December 31, 2024
and 2023, $18.5 million and $24.2 million, respectively, was due from the VodafoneZiggo JV related to the aforementioned
transactions. The amounts due from the VodafoneZiggo JV, which are periodically cash settled, are included in other current
assets on our consolidated balance sheets.
The summarized results of operations of the VodafoneZiggo JV are set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Revenue ...................................................................................................................... $
4,450.5 $
4,450.5 $
4,284.6
Earnings (loss) before income taxes ........................................................................... $
(386.3) $
(614.6) $
608.3
Net earnings (loss) ...................................................................................................... $
(257.1) $
(510.0) $
394.7
The summarized financial position of the VodafoneZiggo JV is set forth below:
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Current assets .................................................................................................................................... $
1,551.7 $
923.6
Long-term assets ...............................................................................................................................
17,074.3
18,790.5
Total assets ................................................................................................................................... $
18,626.0 $
19,714.1
Current liabilities ............................................................................................................................... $
2,566.4 $
2,727.5
Long-term liabilities ..........................................................................................................................
14,385.1
14,795.2
Owners’ equity ..................................................................................................................................
1,674.5
2,191.4
Total liabilities and owners’ equity .............................................................................................. $
18,626.0 $
19,714.1
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-75
Fair Value Investments
The following table sets forth the details of our realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain
investments, net:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
EdgeConneX ................................................................................................................ $
147.6 $
122.3 $
43.4
Plume ............................................................................................................................
(95.4)
(77.8)
(55.4)
Lacework (a) ................................................................................................................
(75.8)
(148.6)
(26.3)
Vodafone ......................................................................................................................
57.4
(362.4)
—
Televisa Univision ........................................................................................................
(52.1)
(9.9)
23.1
ITV ...............................................................................................................................
46.9
(40.5)
(233.9)
SMAs ............................................................................................................................
33.7
(26.4)
(49.1)
Pax8 (b) ........................................................................................................................
(27.9)
1.3
79.3
Aviatrix .........................................................................................................................
(24.5)
(22.7)
—
Lionsgate ......................................................................................................................
(16.2)
32.9
(69.2)
Skillz Inc. (Skillz) (c) ...................................................................................................
—
—
(34.7)
TiBiT Communications, Inc. (TiBiT) (d) ....................................................................
—
—
26.4
Other, net ......................................................................................................................
(22.1)
(24.8)
(20.6)
Total ........................................................................................................................ $
(28.4) $
(556.6) $
(317.0)
_______________
(a)
We completed the sale of our investment in Lacework during the third quarter of 2024.
(b)
We completed the sale of our investment in Pax8 during the fourth quarter of 2024.
(c)
We completed the sale of our investment in Skillz during the first quarter of 2023.
(d)
We completed the sale of our investment in TiBiT during the fourth quarter of 2022.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-76
Debt Securities
The following tables set forth a summary of our debt securities recorded within SMAs at December 31, 2024 and 2023:
December 31, 2024
Amortized
cost basis
Accumulated
unrealized
gains
Fair value
in millions
Commercial paper ....................................................................................................... $
72.0 $
(0.1) $
71.9
Government bonds ......................................................................................................
129.4
0.4
129.8
Certificates of deposit .................................................................................................
70.5
—
70.5
Corporate debt securities .............................................................................................
66.4
0.2
66.6
Structured note (a) .......................................................................................................
(a)
(a)
88.0
Other debt securities ....................................................................................................
6.3
—
6.3
Total debt securities ............................................................................................... $
344.6 $
0.5 $
433.1
_______________
(a)
Amount represents an investment in a leveraged structured note issued by a third party investment bank, which is
accounted for at fair value and classified within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. For further information regarding our
fair value measurements, see note 9. The return on the leveraged structured note is based on changes in the fair value of a
proportionate amount of debt issued by various Liberty Global consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates (including the
VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV). The proportionate amount of debt associated with the return on the leveraged
structured note may change from time to time as a result of open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions,
tender offers, exchange offers, redemptions or prepayments, in each case, completed by Liberty Global consolidated
subsidiaries and affiliates. While the structured note itself contains leverage, our at-risk investment is the estimated fair
value as reported. During 2024, we invested an additional $46.6 million and redeemed $62.3 million of the leveraged
structured note. At December 31, 2024, the proportionate amount of debt issued by Liberty Global consolidated
subsidiaries and affiliates associated with the return on the leveraged structured note is summarized in the following
table:
Proportion of
debt associated
with the return
on the leveraged
structured note
Subsidiary:
Telenet .....................................................................................................................................................
32.10 %
Affiliate:
VodafoneZiggo JV ..................................................................................................................................
33.90 %
Other (1) ....................................................................................................................................................
34.00 %
Total .....................................................................................................................................................
100.00 %
_______________
(1)
Other represents cash proceeds from redemptions that remain invested in the leveraged structured note at
December 31, 2024.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-77
December 31, 2023
Amortized
cost basis
Accumulated
unrealized
gains
Fair value
in millions
Commercial paper ....................................................................................................... $
1,066.5 $
(0.1) $
1,066.4
Government bonds ......................................................................................................
504.7
0.3
505.0
Certificates of deposit .................................................................................................
373.1
0.1
373.2
Corporate debt securities ............................................................................................
226.6
(0.1)
226.5
Structured note (a) ......................................................................................................
(a)
(a)
95.8
Other debt securities ...................................................................................................
9.2
—
9.2
Total debt securities ............................................................................................... $
2,180.1 $
0.2 $
2,276.1
_______________
(a)
Amount represents an investment in a leveraged structured note issued by a third-party investment bank, which is
accounted for at fair value. At December 31, 2023, the proportionate amount of debt issued by Liberty Global
consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates associated with the return on the leveraged structured note is summarized in the
following table:
Proportion of
debt associated
with the return
on the leveraged
structured note
Subsidiary:
Sunrise (1) ...................................................................................................................................................
32.91 %
Telenet .........................................................................................................................................................
28.23 %
Affiliate:
VMO2 JV ....................................................................................................................................................
31.49 %
VodafoneZiggo JV ......................................................................................................................................
7.37 %
Total ........................................................................................................................................................
100.00 %
________________
(1)
Following completion of the Spin-off, the Sunrise Entities are no longer considered subsidiaries or affiliates of
Liberty Global. For additional information regarding the Spin-off, see note 6.
During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we received proceeds from the sale of debt securities of $4.4 billion, $6.9 billion and
$9.1 billion, respectively, a portion of which were reinvested in new debt securities held under SMAs. The sale of debt
securities during 2024, 2023 and 2022 resulted in realized net losses of $7.5 million, $56.3 million and $6.9 million,
respectively.
The fair values of our debt securities as of December 31, 2024 by contractual maturity are shown below (in millions):
Due in one year or less ............................................................................................................................................ $
335.6
Due in one to five years ...........................................................................................................................................
97.5
Total (a) .............................................................................................................................................................. $
433.1
_______________
(a)
The weighted average life of our total debt securities was 0.7 years as of December 31, 2024.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-78
Our investment portfolio is subject to various macroeconomic pressures and has experienced significant volatility, which
affects both our non-public and publicly-traded investments. Changes in the fair values of these investments, including changes
with respect to interest rates within our local jurisdictions, are likely to continue and could be significant.
(8) Derivative Instruments
In general, we enter into derivative instruments to protect against (i) increases in the interest rates on our variable-rate debt,
(ii) foreign currency movements, particularly with respect to borrowings that are denominated in a currency other than the
functional currency of the borrowing entity, and (iii) decreases in the market prices of certain publicly-traded securities that we
own. In this regard, through our subsidiaries, we have entered into various derivative instruments to manage interest rate
exposure and foreign currency exposure, primarily with respect to the U.S. dollar ($), the euro (€) and the British pound sterling
(£). Generally, we only apply hedge accounting to our derivative instruments in limited circumstances. Accordingly, changes in
the fair values of most of our derivative instruments are recorded in realized and unrealized gains or losses on derivative
instruments, net, in our consolidated statements of operations.
The following table provides details of the fair values of our derivative instrument assets and liabilities:
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2023
Current
Long-term
Total
Current
Long-term
Total
in millions
Assets (a):
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative
contracts (b) ............................................. $
253.8 $
369.4 $
623.2 $
235.3 $
319.6 $
554.9
Equity-related derivative instruments (c) ...
26.1
187.3
213.4
—
310.7
310.7
Foreign currency forward and option
contracts ..................................................
6.5
—
6.5
0.1
0.6
0.7
Other ...........................................................
0.6
0.2
0.8
0.2
—
0.2
Total ....................................................... $
287.0 $
556.9 $
843.9 $
235.6 $
630.9 $
866.5
Liabilities (a):
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative
contracts (b) ............................................. $
144.6 $
38.5 $
183.1 $
163.0 $
48.7 $
211.7
Equity-related derivative instruments (c) ...
—
—
—
47.4
—
47.4
Foreign currency forward and option
contracts ..................................................
3.3
—
3.3
2.3
4.5
6.8
Total ....................................................... $
147.9 $
38.5 $
186.4 $
212.7 $
53.2 $
265.9
_______________
(a)
Our long-term derivative assets and long-term derivative liabilities are included in other assets, net, and other long-term
liabilities, respectively, on our consolidated balance sheets.
(b)
We consider credit risk relating to our and our counterparties’ nonperformance in the fair value assessment of our
derivative instruments. In all cases, the adjustments take into account offsetting liability or asset positions within each of
our subsidiary borrowing groups (as defined and described in note 11). The changes in the credit risk valuation
adjustments associated with our cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts resulted in net gains (losses) of ($7.7
million), $8.4 million and ($33.8 million) during 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. These amounts are included in
realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net, in our consolidated statements of operations. For further
information regarding our fair value measurements, see note 9.
(c)
Our equity-related derivative instruments include the Vodafone Collar. The fair value of the Vodafone Collar does not
include credit risk valuation adjustments as we assume that any losses incurred by our company in the event of
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-79
nonperformance by the respective counterparty would be, subject to relevant insolvency laws, fully offset against
amounts we owe to such counterparty pursuant to the related secured borrowing arrangements.
The details of our realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net, are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts .................................................... $
323.7 $
(186.2) $
851.1
Equity-related derivative instruments ............................................................................
(38.6)
258.5
—
Foreign currency forward and option contracts .............................................................
30.0
6.1
3.9
Other ...............................................................................................................................
0.1
(0.1)
(0.6)
Total ........................................................................................................................... $
315.2 $
78.3 $
854.4
The net cash received or paid related to our derivative instruments is classified as an operating, investing or financing
activity in our consolidated statements of cash flows based on the objective of the derivative instrument and the classification of
the applicable underlying cash flows. The following table sets forth the classification of the net cash inflows of our derivative
instruments:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Operating activities ........................................................................................................ $
221.0 $
202.7 $
33.7
Investing activities .........................................................................................................
6.3
2.1
2.6
Financing activities ........................................................................................................
5.7
2.6
—
Total ........................................................................................................................... $
233.0 $
207.4 $
36.3
Counterparty Credit Risk
We are exposed to the risk that the counterparties to the derivative instruments of our subsidiary borrowing groups will
default on their obligations to us. We manage these credit risks through the evaluation and monitoring of the creditworthiness
of, and concentration of risk with, the respective counterparties. In this regard, credit risk associated with our derivative
instruments is spread across a relatively broad counterparty base of banks and financial institutions, however notwithstanding,
given the size of our derivative portfolio, the default of certain counterparties could have a significant impact on our
consolidated statements of operations. Collateral is generally not posted by either party under our derivative instruments. At
December 31, 2024, our exposure to counterparty credit risk included derivative assets with an aggregate fair value of $442.4
million.
Each of our subsidiary borrowing groups have entered into derivative instruments under master agreements with each
counterparty that contain master netting arrangements that are applicable in the event of early termination by either party to
such derivative instrument. The master netting arrangements are limited to the derivative instruments governed by the relevant
master agreement within each individual borrowing group and are independent of similar arrangements of our other subsidiary
borrowing groups.
Under our derivative contracts, it is generally only the non-defaulting party that has a contractual option to exercise early
termination rights upon the default of the other counterparty and to set off other liabilities against sums due upon such
termination. However, in an insolvency of a derivative counterparty, under the laws of certain jurisdictions, the defaulting
counterparty or its insolvency representatives may be able to compel the termination of one or more derivative contracts and
trigger early termination payment liabilities payable by us, reflecting any mark-to-market value of the contracts for the
counterparty. Alternatively, or in addition, the insolvency laws of certain jurisdictions may require the mandatory set off of
amounts due under such derivative contracts against present and future liabilities owed to us under other contracts between us
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-80
and the relevant counterparty. Accordingly, it is possible that we may be subject to obligations to make payments, or may have
present or future liabilities owed to us partially or fully discharged by set off as a result of such obligations, in the event of the
insolvency of a derivative counterparty, even though it is the counterparty that is in default and not us. To the extent that we are
required to make such payments, our ability to do so will depend on our liquidity and capital resources at the time. In an
insolvency of a defaulting counterparty, we will be an unsecured creditor in respect of any amount owed to us by the defaulting
counterparty, except to the extent of the value of any collateral we have obtained from that counterparty.
In addition, where a counterparty is in financial difficulty, under the laws of certain jurisdictions, the relevant regulators
may be able to (i) compel the termination of one or more derivative instruments, determine the settlement amount and/or
compel, without any payment, the partial or full discharge of liabilities arising from such early termination that are payable by
the relevant counterparty, or (ii) transfer the derivative instruments to an alternative counterparty.
Details of our Derivative Instruments
Cross-currency Swap Contracts
We generally match the denomination of our subsidiaries’ borrowings with the functional currency of the supporting
operations or, when it is more cost effective, we provide for an economic hedge against foreign currency exchange rate
movements by using derivative instruments to synthetically convert unmatched debt into the applicable underlying currency. At
December 31, 2024, substantially all of our debt was either directly or synthetically matched to the applicable functional
currencies of the underlying operations. The following table sets forth the total notional amounts and the related weighted
average remaining contractual lives of our cross-currency swap contracts at December 31, 2024:
Notional amount due
from counterparty
Notional amount due
to counterparty
Weighted average
remaining life
in millions
in years
Telenet .................................................................... $
3,345.0
€
2,969.5 (a)
2.5
€
45.2
$
50.0 (b)
0.1
_______________
(a)
Includes certain derivative instruments that are “forward-starting,” such that the initial exchange occurs at a date
subsequent to December 31, 2024. These instruments are typically entered into in order to extend existing hedges
without the need to amend existing contracts.
(b)
Includes certain derivative instruments that do not involve the exchange of notional amounts at the inception and
maturity of the instruments. Accordingly, the only cash flows associated with these derivative instruments are coupon-
related payments and receipts.
Interest Rate Swap Contracts
The following table sets forth the total U.S. dollar equivalents of the notional amounts and the related weighted average
remaining contractual lives of our interest rate swap contracts at December 31, 2024:
Pays fixed rate
Receives fixed rate
Notional
amount
Weighted
average
remaining life
Notional
amount
Weighted
average
remaining life
in millions
in years
in millions
in years
Telenet ..................................................................... $
3,499.2 (a)
3.4
$
279.4
0.1
______________
(a)
Includes forward-starting derivative instruments.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-81
Interest Rate Swap Options
We have entered into various interest rate swap options (swaptions), which give either us or the bank the right, but not the
obligation, to enter into certain interest rate swap contracts at set dates in the future, with each such contract having a life of no
more than five years. At the transaction date, where we have bought the swaption, the strike rate of the contract was above the
corresponding market rate. Where the bank has bought the swaption, the strike rate was below the corresponding market rate.
The following table sets forth certain information regarding our swaptions at December 31, 2024:
Notional
amount
Underlying
swap currency
Weighted
average option
expiration
period (a)
Weighted
average strike
rate (b)
in millions
in years
Telenet:
Buy position ...................................................................... $
1,448.9
€
1.2
3.0%
Sell position ...................................................................... $
1,448.9
€
1.2
1.4%
_______________
(a)
Represents the weighted average period until the date on which we have the option to enter into the interest rate swap
contracts.
(b)
Represents the weighted average interest rate that we would pay if either we or our counterparties exercised our
respective options to enter into the interest rate swap contracts.
Basis Swaps
Our basis swaps involve the exchange of attributes used to calculate our floating interest rates, including (i) the benchmark
rate, (ii) the underlying currency and/or (iii) the borrowing period. We typically enter into these swaps to optimize our interest
rate profile based on our current evaluations of yield curves, our risk management policies and other factors. The following
table sets forth the total U.S. dollar equivalents of the notional amounts and related weighted average remaining contractual
lives of our basis swap contracts at December 31, 2024:
Notional amount
due from
counterparty
Weighted
average
remaining life
in millions
in years
Telenet ................................................................................................................................. $
3,443.7
0.4
VM Ireland .......................................................................................................................... $
931.4
—
Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars
From time to time, we enter into interest rate cap, floor and collar agreements. Purchased interest rate caps and collars lock
in a maximum interest rate if variable rates rise, but also allow our company to benefit, to a limited extent in the case of collars,
from declines in market rates. Purchased interest rate floors protect us from interest rates falling below a certain level, generally
to match a floating rate floor on a debt instrument. At December 31, 2024, we had no interest rate collar agreements, and the
total U.S. dollar equivalents of the notional amounts of our purchased interest rate caps and floors were $0.9 billion and $1.1
billion, respectively.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-82
Impact of Derivative Instruments on Borrowing Costs
The impact of the derivative instruments that mitigate our foreign currency and interest rate risk, as described above, on our
borrowing costs is as follows:
Decrease to
borrowing costs
at December 31,
2024 (a)
VM Ireland ..........................................................................................................................................................
(2.55) %
Telenet .................................................................................................................................................................
(2.13) %
Total decrease to borrowing costs ....................................................................................................................
(2.19) %
_______________
(a)
Represents the effect of derivative instruments in effect at December 31, 2024 and does not include forward-starting
derivative instruments or swaptions.
Foreign Currency Forwards and Options
Certain of our subsidiaries enter into foreign currency forward and option contracts with respect to non-functional currency
exposure. As of December 31, 2024, the total U.S. dollar equivalent of the notional amounts of our foreign currency forward
and option contracts was $562.7 million.
Equity-related Derivative Instruments
Vodafone Collar and Vodafone Collar Loan. As part of the Vodafone Collar Transaction, on February 11, 2023, we
entered into the Vodafone Collar with respect to all 1,335 million of our Vodafone ordinary shares. The Vodafone Collar is
comprised of (i) purchase put options that we can exercise and (ii) written call options exercisable by the counterparty. The
Vodafone Collar effectively hedges the value of our investment in Vodafone shares from potential losses due to market price
decreases below the put option price while retaining a portion of the gains from market price increases up to the call option
price. For additional information regarding our investment in Vodafone, see note 7.
The Vodafone Collar Transaction also provided us with the ability to effectively finance the purchase of the Vodafone
shares. In this regard, on February 11, 2023, we borrowed €1,143.6 million ($1,219.8 million at the transaction date) under the
Vodafone Collar Loan. At December 31, 2024, borrowings under the Vodafone Collar Loan were collateralized by our
Vodafone shares. The Vodafone Collar Loan has a face value of €1,258.0 million ($1,341.8 million at the transaction date) and
was issued at a discount of €114.4 million ($122.0 million at the transaction date) with a zero coupon rate and an average
implied yield of 295 basis points (2.95%). The Vodafone Collar Loan has settlement dates from July 2025 to December 2026,
contains no financial covenants and provides for customary representations and warranties, events of default and certain
adjustment and termination events. Under the terms of the Vodafone Collar, the counterparty has the right to re-use the pledged
Vodafone shares, but we have the right to recall the shares that are re-used by the counterparty subject to certain costs. In
addition, we will retain a portion of the dividends on the Vodafone shares, dependent on the value of the collar on the ex-
dividend date.
(9) Fair Value Measurements
We use the fair value method to account for (i) certain of our investments and (ii) our derivative instruments. The reported
fair values of these investments and derivative instruments as of December 31, 2024 are unlikely to represent the value that will
be paid or received upon the ultimate settlement or disposition of these assets and liabilities.
GAAP provides for a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into
three broad levels. Level 1 inputs are quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting
entity has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted market prices included
within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-83
for the asset or liability. We record transfers of assets or liabilities into or out of Levels 1, 2 or 3 at the beginning of the quarter
during which the transfer occurred. During 2024, no material transfers were made.
All of our Level 2 inputs (interest rate futures, swap rates and certain of the inputs for our weighted average cost of capital
calculations) and certain of our Level 3 inputs (forecasted volatilities and credit spreads) are obtained from pricing services.
These inputs, or interpolations or extrapolations thereof, are used in our internal models to calculate, among other items, yield
curves, forward interest and currency rates and weighted average cost of capital rates. In the normal course of business, we
receive market value assessments from the counterparties to our derivative contracts. Although we compare these assessments
to our internal valuations and investigate unexpected differences, we do not otherwise rely on counterparty quotes to determine
the fair values of our derivative instruments. The midpoints of applicable bid and ask ranges generally are used as inputs for our
internal valuations.
For our investments in publicly-traded companies, the recurring fair value measurements are based on the quoted closing
price of the respective shares at each reporting date. Accordingly, the valuations of these investments fall under Level 1 of the
fair value hierarchy. Our other investments that we account for at fair value are privately-held companies, and therefore, quoted
market prices are unavailable. For such investments, we generally apply a measurement alternative to record these investments
at cost less impairment, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions. For those privately-held investments for
which we do not apply the measurement alternative, we apply a combination of an income approach (discounted cash flow
model based on forecasts) and a market approach (transactions with new third-party investors or market multiples of similar
businesses). With the exception of certain inputs for our weighted average cost of capital calculations that are derived from
pricing services, the inputs used to value these investments are based on unobservable inputs derived from our assumptions.
Therefore, the valuation of our privately-held investments falls under Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. Any reasonably
foreseeable changes in assumed levels of unobservable inputs for the valuations of our Level 3 investments would not be
expected to have a material impact on our financial position or results of operations.
The recurring fair value measurements of our equity-related derivative instruments are based on standard option pricing
models, which require the input of observable and unobservable variables such as exchange-traded equity prices, risk-free
interest rates, dividend forecasts and forecasted volatilities of the underlying equity securities. The valuations of our equity-
related derivative instruments are based on a combination of Level 1 inputs (exchange-traded equity prices), Level 2 inputs
(interest rate futures and swap rates) and Level 3 inputs (forecasted volatilities). As changes in volatilities could have a
significant impact on the overall valuations over the terms of the derivative instruments, we have determined that these
valuations fall under Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. For the December 31, 2024 valuation of the Vodafone Collar, we used
estimated volatilities based predominantly on market observations.
In order to manage our interest rate and foreign currency exchange risk, we have entered into various derivative
instruments, as further described in note 8. The recurring fair value measurements of these instruments are determined using
discounted cash flow models. Most of the inputs to these discounted cash flow models consist of, or are derived from,
observable Level 2 data for substantially the full term of these instruments. This observable data mostly includes currency rates,
interest rate futures and swap rates, which are retrieved or derived from available market data. Although we may extrapolate or
interpolate this data, we do not otherwise alter this data in performing our valuations. We classify deal-contingent hedges under
Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy, as we adjust the valuations to reflect an internal judgement of the probability of the
completion of the deal, which is unobservable. We use a Monte Carlo based approach to incorporate a credit risk valuation
adjustment in our fair value measurements to estimate the impact of both our own nonperformance risk and the nonperformance
risk of our counterparties. The inputs used for our credit risk valuations, including our and our counterparties’ credit spreads,
represent our most significant Level 3 inputs, and these inputs are used to derive the credit risk valuation adjustments with
respect to these instruments. As we would not expect these parameters to have a significant impact on the valuations of these
instruments, we have determined that these valuations fall under Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. Our credit risk valuation
adjustments with respect to our cross-currency and interest rate swap contracts are quantified and further explained in note 8.
Fair value measurements are also used for nonrecurring valuations performed in connection with acquisition accounting
and impairment assessments. These nonrecurring valuations include the valuation of reporting units, customer relationships and
other intangible assets, property and equipment and the implied value of goodwill. The valuation of reporting units is based on
an income-based approach (discounted cash flows) using assumptions in our long-range business plans or a market-based
approach (current multiples of comparable public companies and guideline transactions) and, in some cases, a combination of
an income-based approach and a market-based approach. With the exception of certain inputs for our weighted average cost of
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-84
capital and discount rate calculations that are derived from pricing services, the inputs used in our discounted cash flow
analyses, such as forecasts of future cash flows, including inputs with respect to revenue growth and Adjusted EBITDA margin
(as defined in note 19), and terminal growth rates, are based on our assumptions. The valuation of customer relationships is
primarily based on an excess earnings methodology, which is a form of a discounted cash flow analysis. The excess earnings
methodology requires us to estimate the specific cash flows expected from the customer relationship, considering such factors
as estimated customer life, the revenue expected to be generated over the life of the customer relationship, contributory asset
charges and other factors. Tangible assets are typically valued using a replacement or reproduction cost approach, considering
factors such as current prices of the same or similar equipment, the age of the equipment and economic obsolescence. The
implied value of goodwill is determined by allocating the fair value of a reporting unit to all of the assets and liabilities of that
unit as if the reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination, with the residual amount allocated to goodwill. Most
of our nonrecurring valuations use significant unobservable inputs and therefore fall under Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.
During 2024, we performed a nonrecurring valuation associated with the Formula E Acquisition, using a weighted average cost
of capital of 10.0%. During 2023, we performed a nonrecurring valuation in association with the Telenet Wyre Transaction.
The tangible asset value of the cable infrastructure contributed by Fluvius was based on the depreciated replacement cost
method with a range of estimated useful lives up to 19 years.
A summary of our assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis is as follows:
Fair value measurements at
December 31, 2024 using:
Description
December 31,
2024
Quoted prices
in active
markets for
identical assets
(Level 1)
Significant
other
observable
inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
unobservable
inputs
(Level 3)
in millions
Assets:
Derivative instruments:
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts ........... $
623.2 $
— $
623.2 $
—
Equity-related derivative instruments ...................................
213.4
—
—
213.4
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ....................
6.5
—
6.5
—
Other .....................................................................................
0.8
—
0.8
—
Total derivative instruments ..............................................
843.9
—
630.5
213.4
Investments:
SMAs ....................................................................................
433.1
127.0
306.1
—
Other investments .................................................................
2,810.2
1,546.3
0.1
1,263.8
Total investments ..............................................................
3,243.3
1,673.3
306.2
1,263.8
Total assets ..................................................................... $
4,087.2 $
1,673.3 $
936.7 $
1,477.2
Liabilities:
Derivative instruments:
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts ........... $
183.1 $
— $
183.1 $
—
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ....................
3.3
—
3.3
—
Total liabilities ............................................................... $
186.4 $
— $
186.4 $
—
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-85
Fair value measurements at
December 31, 2023 using:
Description
December 31,
2023
Quoted prices
in active
markets for
identical assets
(Level 1)
Significant
other
observable
inputs
(Level 2)
Significant
unobservable
inputs
(Level 3)
in millions
Assets:
Derivative instruments:
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts ............. $
554.9 $
— $
554.9 $
—
Equity-related derivative instruments .....................................
310.7
—
—
310.7
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ......................
0.7
—
0.7
—
Other .......................................................................................
0.2
—
0.2
—
Total derivative instruments ...............................................
866.5
—
555.8
310.7
Investments:
SMAs .......................................................................................
2,276.1
483.7
1,792.4
—
Other investments ....................................................................
3,104.8
1,559.7
0.1
1,545.0
Total investments ................................................................
5,380.9
2,043.4
1,792.5
1,545.0
Total assets ...................................................................... $
6,247.4 $
2,043.4 $
2,348.3 $
1,855.7
Liabilities:
Derivative instruments:
Cross-currency and interest rate derivative contracts ............. $
211.7 $
— $
211.7 $
—
Equity-related derivative instruments .....................................
47.4
—
—
47.4
Foreign currency forward and option contracts ......................
6.8
—
6.8
—
Total liabilities ................................................................. $
265.9 $
— $
218.5 $
47.4
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-86
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of our assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring
basis using significant unobservable, or Level 3, inputs is as follows:
Investments
Equity-
related
derivative
instruments
Total
in millions
Balance of net assets at January 1, 2024 .................................................................... $
1,545.0 $
263.3 $
1,808.3
Losses included in earnings from continuing operations (a):
Realized and unrealized losses on derivative instruments, net ..............................
—
(38.6)
(38.6)
Realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain
investments, net .................................................................................................
(150.1)
—
(150.1)
Additions ..................................................................................................................
24.1
—
24.1
Dispositions ..............................................................................................................
(92.8)
—
(92.8)
Foreign currency translation adjustments and other, net .........................................
(62.4)
(11.3)
(73.7)
Balance of net assets at December 31, 2024 (b) ......................................................... $
1,263.8 $
213.4 $
1,477.2
_______________
(a)
With the exception of a $75.8 million loss related to the sale of our investment in Lacework and a $27.9 million loss
related to the sale of our investment in Pax8, amounts primarily relate to assets and liabilities that we continue to carry
on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024.
(b)
As of December 31, 2024, $358.0 million of our Level 3 investments were accounted for under the measurement
alternative at cost less impairment, adjusted for observable price changes.
(10) Long-lived Assets
Property and Equipment, Net
The details of our property and equipment and the related accumulated depreciation are set forth below:
Estimated
useful life at
December 31, 2024
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Distribution systems .......................................................................................
3 to 30 years
$
5,702.7 $
5,423.8
Support equipment, buildings and land ..........................................................
3 to 33 years
2,518.0
2,519.7
Customer premises equipment .......................................................................
4 to 7 years
843.1
904.7
Total property and equipment, gross .........................................................................................
9,063.8
8,848.2
Accumulated depreciation ..............................................................................................................
(4,737.8)
(4,494.3)
Total property and equipment, net ..........................................................................................
$
4,326.0 $
4,353.9
Depreciation expense related to our property and equipment was $926.2 million, $1,165.0 million and $1,038.6 million
during 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recorded non-cash increases to our property and equipment related to vendor financing
arrangements of $76.8 million, $96.3 million and $72.2 million, respectively, which exclude related VAT of $10.0 million,
$13.5 million and $8.0 million, respectively, that were also financed under these arrangements.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-87
Goodwill
Changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill during 2024 are set forth below:
January 1,
2024
Acquisitions
and related
adjustments
Foreign
currency
translation
adjustments
and other
December 31,
2024
in millions
Telenet (a) ...................................................................................... $
2,976.9 $
(135.0) $
(185.5) $
2,656.4
VM Ireland ....................................................................................
268.1
—
(17.3)
250.8
Other (b) ........................................................................................
63.3
198.7
(16.6)
245.4
Total ......................................................................................... $
3,308.3 $
63.7 $
(219.4) $
3,152.6
_______________
(a)
In connection with the final purchase price allocation for the Telenet Wyre Transaction, we recorded a net reduction to
goodwill of €126.8 million ($138.4 million at the applicable rate) in June 2024, with corresponding increases to certain
network-related and other intangible assets. As a result, the final goodwill balance associated with the Telenet Wyre
Transaction is €389.4 million ($425.2 million at the applicable rate).
(b)
Includes amounts associated with our Liberty Growth strategic platform (as defined in note 19). In connection with the
Formula E Acquisition, we recorded a net increase of $198.7 million to goodwill.
If, among other factors the adverse impacts of economic, competitive, regulatory or other factors were to cause our results
of operations or cash flows to be worse than anticipated, we could conclude in future periods that impairment charges are
required in order to reduce the carrying values of our goodwill and, to a lesser extent, other long-lived assets. Any such
impairment charges could be significant.
Changes in the carrying amount of our goodwill during 2023 are set forth below:
January 1,
2023
Acquisitions
and related
adjustments
Foreign
currency
translation
adjustments
and other
December 31,
2023
in millions
Telenet ........................................................................................... $
2,480.2 $
555.1 $
(58.4) $
2,976.9
VM Ireland .....................................................................................
259.5
—
8.6
268.1
Other ..............................................................................................
61.3
—
2.0
63.3
Total ......................................................................................... $
2,801.0 $
555.1 $
(47.8) $
3,308.3
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-88
Intangible Assets Subject to Amortization, Net
The details of our intangible assets subject to amortization are set forth below:
Estimated
useful life at
December 31,
2024
December 31, 2024
December 31, 2023
Gross
carrying
amount
Accumulated
amortization
Net
carrying
amount
Gross
carrying
amount
Accumulated
amortization
Net
carrying
amount
in millions
Licenses (a) ........................ 11 to 35 years
$ 1,393.9 $
(332.7) $ 1,061.2 $
869.7 $
(308.8) $
560.9
Customer relationships ......
5 to 14 years
255.4
(161.0)
94.4
200.7
(160.4)
40.3
Other ..................................
2 to 15 years
265.5
(130.7)
134.8
191.5
(119.1)
72.4
Total ........................................................
$ 1,914.8 $
(624.4) $ 1,290.4 $ 1,261.9 $
(588.3) $
673.6
_______________
(a)
Primarily includes amounts related to (i) certain mobile spectrum licenses and (ii) a licensing agreement with the FIA, as
described in note 5.
Amortization expense related to intangible assets with finite useful lives was $75.8 million, $51.4 million and $55.0 million
during 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Based on our amortizable intangible asset balance at December 31, 2024, we expect
that amortization expense will be as follows for the next five years and thereafter (in millions):
2025 .......................................................................................................................................................................... $
78.6
2026 ..........................................................................................................................................................................
77.5
2027 ..........................................................................................................................................................................
71.5
2028 ..........................................................................................................................................................................
68.0
2029 ..........................................................................................................................................................................
68.0
Thereafter .................................................................................................................................................................
926.8
Total .................................................................................................................................................................... $
1,290.4
(11) Debt
The U.S. dollar equivalents of the components of our debt are as follows:
December 31, 2024
Principal amount
Weighted
average
interest
rate (a)
Unused borrowing
capacity (b)
Borrowing
currency
U.S. $
equivalent
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Telenet Credit Facility (c) ................................................
5.96 % €
615.0 $
636.5 $
4,364.8 $
4,507.9
Telenet Senior Secured Notes ..........................................
4.78 %
—
—
1,558.8
1,597.6
VM Ireland Credit Facility (d) .........................................
6.42 % €
88.9
92.0
931.4
995.8
Vodafone Collar Loan (e) ................................................
2.95 %
—
—
1,301.9
1,391.9
Vendor financing (f) ........................................................
5.36 %
—
—
355.9
399.1
Other (g) ..........................................................................
5.03 %
—
—
632.2
478.3
Total debt before deferred financing costs, discounts
and premiums (h) ......................................................
5.29 %
$
728.5 $
9,145.0 $
9,370.6
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-89
The following table provides a reconciliation of total debt before deferred financing costs, discounts and premiums to total
debt and finance lease obligations:
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Total debt before deferred financing costs, discounts and premiums ............................................... $
9,145.0 $
9,370.6
Deferred financing costs, discounts and premiums, net ....................................................................
(78.1)
(128.0)
Total carrying amount of debt ......................................................................................................
9,066.9
9,242.6
Finance lease obligations (note 12) ...................................................................................................
34.1
26.0
Total debt and finance lease obligations ....................................................................................
9,101.0
9,268.6
Current portion of debt and finance lease obligations .......................................................................
(898.5)
(428.9)
Long-term debt and finance lease obligations ................................................................................... $
8,202.5 $
8,839.7
_______________
(a)
Represents the weighted average interest rate in effect at December 31, 2024 for all borrowings outstanding pursuant to
each debt instrument, including any applicable margin. The interest rates presented represent stated rates and do not
include the impact of derivative instruments, deferred financing costs, original issue premiums or discounts and
commitment fees, all of which affect our overall cost of borrowing. Including the effects of derivative instruments,
original issue premiums or discounts and commitment fees, but excluding the impact of deferred financing costs and
certain other obligations that we assumed in connection with certain acquisitions, the weighted average interest rate on
our aggregate variable- and fixed-rate indebtedness was 3.73% at December 31, 2024. The weighted average interest rate
calculation includes principal amounts outstanding associated with all of our secured and unsecured borrowings. For
information regarding our derivative instruments, see note 8.
(b)
Unused borrowing capacity represents the maximum availability under the applicable facility at December 31, 2024
without regard to covenant compliance calculations or other conditions precedent to borrowing. The following table
provides our borrowing availability and amounts available to loan or distribute in accordance with the terms of the
respective subsidiary facilities, (i) at December 31, 2024 and (ii) upon completion of the relevant December 31, 2024
compliance reporting requirements. These amounts do not consider any actual or potential changes to our borrowing
levels or any amounts loaned or distributed subsequent to December 31, 2024, or the full impact of additional amounts
that may be available to borrow, loan or distribute under certain defined baskets within each respective facility.
Availability
December 31, 2024
Upon completion of the relevant
December 31, 2024 compliance
reporting requirements
Borrowing
currency
U.S. $
equivalent
Borrowing
currency
U.S. $
equivalent
in millions
Available to borrow:
Telenet Credit Facility ................................................. €
615.0 $
636.5 €
615.0 $
636.5
VM Ireland Credit Facility .......................................... €
88.9 $
92.0 €
88.9 $
92.0
Available to loan or distribute:
Telenet Credit Facility ................................................. €
615.0 $
636.5 €
615.0 $
636.5
VM Ireland Credit Facility .......................................... €
88.9 $
92.0 €
88.9 $
92.0
(c)
Unused borrowing capacity under the Telenet Credit Facility comprises (i) €570.0 million ($589.9 million) under Telenet
Revolving Facility B, (ii) €25.0 million ($25.9 million) under the Telenet Overdraft Facility and (iii) €20.0 million
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-90
($20.7 million) under the Telenet Revolving Facility, each of which were undrawn at December 31, 2024. In February
2024, the €30.0 million ($31.0 million) of commitments under Telenet Revolving Facility A were cancelled in full.
(d)
Unused borrowing capacity under the VM Ireland Credit Facility relates to €88.9 million ($92.0 million) under the VM
Ireland Revolving Facility, which was undrawn at December 31, 2024. In November 2024, €11.1 million ($11.5 million)
of commitments under the VM Ireland Revolving Facility were cancelled. The VM Ireland Revolving Facility now
provides for maximum borrowing capacity of €88.9 million.
(e)
For information regarding the Vodafone Collar Loan, see notes 7 and 8.
(f)
Represents amounts owed to various creditors pursuant to interest-bearing vendor financing arrangements that are used
to finance certain of our property and equipment additions and operating expenses. These arrangements extend our
repayment terms beyond a vendor’s original due dates (e.g., extension beyond a vendor’s customary payment terms,
which are generally 90 days or less) and as such are classified outside of accounts payable as debt on our consolidated
balance sheets. These obligations are generally due within one year and include VAT that was also financed under these
arrangements. For purposes of our consolidated statements of cash flows, operating-related expenses financed by an
intermediary are treated as constructive operating cash outflows and constructive financing cash inflows when the
intermediary settles the liability with the vendor as there is no actual cash outflow until we pay the financing
intermediary. During 2024 and 2023, the constructive cash outflow included in cash flows from operating activities and
the corresponding constructive cash inflow included in cash flows from financing activities related to these operating
expenses were $372.3 million and $346.2 million, respectively. Repayments of vendor financing obligations at the time
we pay the financing intermediary are included in repayments and repurchases of debt and finance lease obligations in
our consolidated statements of cash flows.
(g)
Amounts include (i) $195.8 million at December 31, 2024 of debt collateralized by certain trade receivables of Telenet,
as further described under Financing Transactions below, and (ii) $390.5 million and $430.8 million at December 31,
2024 and 2023, respectively, of liabilities related to Telenet’s acquisition of mobile spectrum licenses. Telenet will make
annual payments for the license fees over the terms of the respective licenses.
(h)
As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, our debt had an estimated fair value of $9.0 billion and $9.2 billion, respectively.
The estimated fair values of our debt instruments are generally determined using the average of applicable bid and ask
prices (mostly Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy). For additional information regarding fair value hierarchies, see note 9.
General Information
At December 31, 2024, most of our outstanding debt had been incurred by one of our two subsidiary “borrowing groups.”
References to these borrowing groups, which comprise Telenet and VM Ireland, include their respective restricted parent and
subsidiary entities.
Credit Facilities. Each of our borrowing groups has entered into one or more credit facility agreements with certain
financial and other institutions. Certain of our credit facilities provide for adjustments to our borrowing rates based on the
achievement, or otherwise, of certain sustainability-linked metrics. Each of these credit facilities contain certain covenants, the
more notable of which are as follows:
•
Our credit facilities contain certain consolidated net leverage ratios, as specified in the relevant credit facility, which
are required to be complied with (i) on an incurrence basis and/or (ii) when the associated revolving credit facilities
have been drawn beyond a specified percentage of the total available revolving credit commitments on a maintenance
basis;
•
Subject to certain customary and agreed exceptions, our credit facilities contain certain restrictions which, among other
things, restrict the ability of the members of the relevant borrowing group to (i) incur or guarantee certain financial
indebtedness, (ii) make certain disposals and acquisitions, (iii) create certain security interests over their assets and (iv)
make certain restricted payments to their direct and/or indirect parent companies (and indirectly to Liberty Global)
through dividends, loans or other distributions;
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-91
•
Our credit facilities require that certain members of the relevant borrowing group guarantee the payment of all sums
payable under the relevant credit facility and such group members are required to grant first-ranking security over their
shares and, in certain borrowing groups, over substantially all of their assets to secure the payment of all sums payable
thereunder;
•
In addition to certain mandatory prepayment events, our credit facilities provide that the instructing group of lenders
under the relevant credit facility, under certain circumstances, may cancel the group’s commitments thereunder and
declare the loan(s) thereunder due and payable after the applicable notice period following the occurrence of a change
of control (as specified in the relevant credit facility);
•
Our credit facilities contain certain customary events of default, the occurrence of which, subject to certain exceptions,
materiality qualifications and cure rights, would allow the instructing group of lenders to (i) cancel the total
commitments, (ii) declare that all or part of the loans be payable on demand and/or (iii) accelerate all outstanding loans
and terminate their commitments thereunder;
•
Our credit facilities require members of the relevant borrowing group to observe certain affirmative and negative
undertakings and covenants, which are subject to certain materiality qualifications and other customary and agreed
exceptions; and
•
In addition to customary default provisions, our credit facilities generally include certain cross-default or cross-
acceleration provisions with respect to other indebtedness of members of the relevant borrowing group, subject to
agreed minimum thresholds and other customary and agreed exceptions.
Senior and Senior Secured Notes. From time to time, certain of our borrowing groups may issue senior and/or senior
secured notes. In general, our senior and senior secured notes (i) are senior obligations of each respective issuer within the
relevant borrowing group that rank equally with all of the existing and future senior debt of such issuer and are senior to all
existing and future subordinated debt of such issuer within the relevant borrowing group, (ii) contain, in most instances, certain
guarantees from other members of the relevant borrowing group (as specified in the applicable indenture) and (iii) with respect
to our senior secured notes, are secured by certain pledges or liens over the shares of certain members of the relevant borrowing
group and, in certain borrowing groups, over substantially all of their assets. In addition, the indentures governing our senior
and senior secured notes contain certain covenants, the more notable of which are as follows:
•
Our notes contain certain customary incurrence-based covenants. In addition, our notes provide that any failure to pay
principal at its stated maturity (after giving effect to any applicable grace period) of, or any acceleration with respect
to, other indebtedness of the issuer or certain subsidiaries over agreed minimum thresholds (as specified under the
applicable indenture) is an event of default under the respective notes;
•
Subject to certain customary and agreed exceptions, our notes contain certain restrictions that, among other things,
restrict the ability of the members of the relevant borrowing group to (i) incur or guarantee certain financial
indebtedness, (ii) make certain disposals and acquisitions, (iii) create certain security interests over their assets and (iv)
make certain restricted payments to its direct and/or indirect parent companies (and indirectly to Liberty Global)
through dividends, loans or other distributions;
•
If the relevant issuer or certain of its subsidiaries (as specified in the applicable indenture) sell certain assets, such
issuer must, subject to certain customary and agreed exceptions, offer to repurchase the applicable notes at par, or if a
change of control (as specified in the applicable indenture) occurs, such issuer must offer to repurchase all of the
relevant notes at a redemption price of 101%;
•
Our senior secured notes contain certain early redemption provisions including the ability to, during each 12-month
period commencing on the issue date for such notes until the applicable call date, redeem up to 10% of the principal
amount of the notes at a redemption price equal to 103% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed plus
accrued and unpaid interest; and
•
Our notes are non-callable prior to their respective call date (as specified under the applicable indenture). At any time
prior to the applicable call date, we may redeem some or all of the applicable notes by paying a “make-whole”
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-92
premium, which is the present value of all remaining scheduled interest payments to the applicable call date using the
discount rate as of the redemption date plus a premium (as specified in the applicable indenture). On or after the
applicable call date, we may redeem some or all of these notes at various redemption prices plus accrued interest and
additional amounts (as specified in the applicable indenture), if any, to the applicable redemption date.
SPE Notes. From time to time, we create special purpose financing entities (SPEs), some of which are owned by the
relevant borrowing group and some of which are owned by third parties (Third-Party SPEs). These SPEs are created for the
primary purpose of facilitating the offering of senior secured notes, which we collectively refer to as “SPE Notes”.
The SPEs use the proceeds from the issuance of SPE Notes to fund term loan facilities under the credit facilities made
available to their respective borrowing group, each a “Funded Facility” and collectively the “Funded Facilities.” Each SPE is
dependent on payments from the relevant borrowing entity under the applicable Funded Facility in order to service its payment
obligations under each respective SPE Note. Each of the Funded Facility term loans creates a variable interest in the respective
Third-Party SPE for which the relevant borrowing entity is the primary beneficiary. Accordingly, such Third-Party SPEs are
consolidated by the relevant parent entities, including Liberty Global. As a result, the amounts outstanding under the Funded
Facilities of the SPEs owned by the relevant borrowing group and the Third-Party SPEs are eliminated in the consolidated
financial statements of the respective borrowing group and Liberty Global.
Pursuant to the respective indentures for the SPE Notes (the SPE Indentures) and the respective accession agreements for
the Funded Facilities, the call provisions, maturity dates and applicable interest rates for each Funded Facility are the same as
those of the related SPE Notes. The SPEs, as lenders under the relevant Funded Facility for the relevant borrowing group, are
treated the same as the other lenders under the respective credit facility, with benefits, rights and protections similar to those
afforded to the other lenders. Through the covenants in the applicable SPE Indentures and the applicable security interests
over the relevant SPE’s rights under the applicable Funded Facility granted to secure the relevant SPE’s obligations under the
relevant SPE Notes, the holders of the SPE Notes are provided indirectly with the benefits, rights, protections and covenants
granted to the SPEs as lenders under the applicable Funded Facility. The SPEs are prohibited from incurring any additional
indebtedness, subject to certain exceptions under the SPE Indentures.
The SPE Notes are non-callable prior to their respective call date (as specified under the applicable SPE Indenture). If,
however, at any time prior to the applicable call date, all or a portion of the loans under the related Funded Facility are
voluntarily prepaid (a SPE Early Redemption Event), then the SPE will be required to redeem an aggregate principal amount
of its respective SPE Notes equal to the aggregate principal amount of the loans prepaid under the relevant Funded Facility. In
general, the redemption price payable will equal 100% of the principal amount of the applicable SPE Notes to be redeemed and
a “make-whole” premium, which is the present value of all remaining scheduled interest payments to the applicable call date
using the discount rate as of the redemption date plus a premium (as specified in the applicable SPE Indenture).
Upon the occurrence of a SPE Early Redemption Event on or after the applicable call date, the SPE will redeem an
aggregate principal amount of its respective SPE Notes equal to the principal amount prepaid under the related Funded Facility
at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional
amounts (as specified in the applicable SPE Indenture), if any, to the applicable redemption date.
Financing Transactions
Below we provide summary descriptions of certain financing transactions completed during 2024.
Telenet
In December 2024, Phoenix Receivables S.à r.l., a Third-Party SPE, purchased certain receivables from Telenet, funded by
the issuance of certain notes. These notes are collateralized by certain trade receivables of Telenet, creating a variable interest in
which Telenet is the primary beneficiary and, accordingly, Telenet, and ultimately Liberty Global, are required to consolidate
the assets and liabilities of Phoenix Receivables S.à r.l related to the securitization transaction. The offering of these notes
resulted in net proceeds of €189.2 million ($195.8 million).
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-93
Maturities of Debt
Maturities of our debt as of December 31, 2024 are presented below for the named entity and its subsidiaries, unless
otherwise noted, and represent U.S. dollar equivalents based on December 31, 2024 exchange rates.
Telenet
VM
Ireland
Other (a)
Total
in millions
Year ending December 31:
2025 (b) ................................................................................................... $
580.6 $
— $
308.4 $
889.0
2026 .........................................................................................................
22.1
—
994.6
1,016.7
2027 .........................................................................................................
22.1
—
—
22.1
2028 .........................................................................................................
4,826.2
—
—
4,826.2
2029 .........................................................................................................
1,171.2
931.4
—
2,102.6
Thereafter ................................................................................................
288.4
—
—
288.4
Total debt maturities ..............................................................................
6,910.6
931.4
1,303.0
9,145.0
Deferred financing costs, discounts and premiums, net ...........................
(22.8)
(4.1)
(51.2)
(78.1)
Total debt ............................................................................................ $ 6,887.8 $
927.3 $ 1,251.8 $ 9,066.9
Current portion ........................................................................................... $
580.6 $
— $
308.4 $
889.0
Long-term portion ...................................................................................... $ 6,307.2 $
927.3 $
943.4 $ 8,177.9
_______________
(a)
Includes $1,301.9 million related to the Vodafone Collar Loan, which has settlement dates in 2025 and 2026 consistent
with the Vodafone Collar. We may elect to use cash or the collective value of the related shares and Vodafone Collar to
settle amounts under the Vodafone Collar Loan.
(b)
Amounts include vendor financing obligations of $355.9 million, including $354.8 million at Telenet and $1.1 million at
certain of our unrestricted subsidiaries.
Vendor Financing Obligations
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of our vendor financing obligations for the indicated periods is set
forth below:
2024
2023
in millions
Balance at January 1 ......................................................................................................................... $
399.1 $
425.3
Operating-related vendor financing additions ................................................................................
372.3
346.2
Capital-related vendor financing additions ....................................................................................
86.8
96.3
Principal payments on operating-related vendor financing ............................................................
(363.7)
(376.2)
Principal payments on capital-related vendor financing ................................................................
(114.0)
(119.3)
Foreign currency and other ............................................................................................................
(24.6)
26.8
Balance at December 31 ................................................................................................................... $
355.9 $
399.1
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-94
(12) Leases
General
We enter into operating and finance leases for network equipment, real estate, mobile site sharing and vehicles. We provide
residual value guarantees on certain of our vehicle leases.
Lease Balances
A summary of our ROU assets and lease liabilities is set forth below:
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
ROU assets:
Operating leases (a) ....................................................................................................................... $
710.5 $
712.6
Finance leases (b) ..........................................................................................................................
38.2
29.6
Total ROU assets ........................................................................................................................ $
748.7 $
742.2
Lease liabilities:
Operating leases (c) ....................................................................................................................... $
753.1 $
749.8
Finance leases (d) ..........................................................................................................................
34.1
26.0
Total lease liabilities ................................................................................................................... $
787.2 $
775.8
_______________
(a)
Our operating lease ROU assets are included in other assets, net, on our consolidated balance sheets. At December 31,
2024, the weighted average remaining lease term for operating leases was 11.4 years and the weighted average discount
rate was 5.4%. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recorded non-cash additions to our operating lease ROU assets of
$101.3 million, $50.4 million and $655.1 million, respectively. For additional information regarding the non-cash
additions to our operating lease ROU assets during 2022 related to the Telenet Tower Lease Agreement, see note 6.
(b)
Our finance lease ROU assets are included in property and equipment, net, on our consolidated balance sheets. At
December 31, 2024, the weighted average remaining lease term for finance leases was 7.8 years and the weighted
average discount rate was 8.9%. During 2024, 2023 and 2022, we recorded non-cash additions to our finance lease ROU
assets of $7.4 million, $20.9 million and $33.8 million, respectively.
(c)
The current portions of our operating lease liabilities are included within other accrued and current liabilities on our
consolidated balance sheets.
(d)
The current and long-term portions of our finance lease liabilities are included within current portion of debt and finance
lease obligations and long-term debt and finance lease obligations, respectively, on our consolidated balance sheets.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-95
A summary of our aggregate lease expense is set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Finance lease expense:
Depreciation and amortization ................................................................................ $
4.2 $
30.2 $
59.4
Interest expense (a) .................................................................................................
1.4
0.5
25.2
Total finance lease expense ..................................................................................
5.6
30.7
84.6
Operating lease expense (b) .......................................................................................
108.6
87.2
66.7
Short-term lease expense (b) .....................................................................................
0.4
0.6
0.4
Variable lease expense (c) .........................................................................................
1.4
1.4
1.9
Total lease expense ............................................................................................ $
116.0 $
119.9 $
153.6
_______________
(a)
The amount for the 2023 period includes the reversal of previously recognized interest expense as a result of certain
settlements of lease liabilities.
(b)
Our operating lease expense and short-term lease expense are included in programming and other direct costs of services,
other operating expenses, SG&A expenses and impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net, in our
consolidated statements of operations.
(c)
Variable lease expense represents payments made to a lessor during the lease term that vary because of a change in
circumstance that occurred after the lease commencement date. Variable lease payments are expensed as incurred and are
included in other operating expenses in our consolidated statements of operations.
A summary of our cash outflows from operating and finance leases is set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash outflows from operating leases ...................................................... $
87.4 $
92.9 $
50.3
Operating cash outflows from finance leases (interest component) .......................
1.4
0.5
25.2
Financing cash outflows from finance leases (principal component) .....................
5.6
21.0
59.0
Total cash outflows from operating and finance leases ...................................... $
94.4 $
114.4 $
134.5
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-96
Maturities of our operating and finance lease liabilities as of December 31, 2024 are presented below. Amounts represent
U.S. dollar equivalents based on December 31, 2024 exchange rates:
Operating
leases
Finance
leases
in millions
Year ending December 31:
2025 ............................................................................................................................................. $
107.5 $
8.9
2026 .............................................................................................................................................
98.5
8.7
2027 .............................................................................................................................................
87.0
7.1
2028 .............................................................................................................................................
80.1
3.9
2029 .............................................................................................................................................
77.5
2.7
Thereafter ....................................................................................................................................
572.6
12.8
Total payments ..........................................................................................................................
1,023.2
44.1
Less: present value discount ..........................................................................................................
(270.1)
(10.0)
Present value of lease payments ............................................................................................ $
753.1 $
34.1
Current portion ............................................................................................................................... $
75.6 $
9.5
Long-term portion .......................................................................................................................... $
677.5 $
24.6
(13) Income Taxes
Liberty Global is a Bermuda exempted company limited by shares and is not considered to be a tax resident in any other
jurisdiction or country. At the present time, there is no Bermuda income or profits tax, withholding tax, capital gains tax, capital
transfer tax, estate duty or inheritance tax payable by Liberty Global. On December 27, 2023, Bermuda enacted the Corporate
Income Tax Act 2023 (the CIT Act) which provides for the taxation of the Bermuda constituent entities of certain large multi-
national groups beginning on or after January 1, 2025. We do not currently anticipate that the CIT Act will have a material
impact on our consolidated financial statements, although we will continue to monitor guidance as it is issued.
Our non-Bermuda subsidiaries are subject to tax in their respective jurisdictions. Our subsidiaries file income tax returns in
the U.S., the U.K. and a number of other European jurisdictions. The income taxes of Liberty Global and our subsidiaries are
presented on a separate return basis for each tax-paying entity or group.
The components of our earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes are as follows:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
U.K. .............................................................................................................................. $
1,936.6 $ (2,899.5) $
(516.2)
Netherlands ...................................................................................................................
(190.9)
(833.7)
208.4
Bermuda .......................................................................................................................
156.8
(0.9)
—
Belgium ........................................................................................................................
131.3
653.9
1,000.4
Luxembourg .................................................................................................................
(54.0)
(195.6)
505.4
U.S. ...............................................................................................................................
(16.6)
(4.7)
5.9
Ireland ...........................................................................................................................
(0.4)
(16.6)
178.3
Intercompany activity with discontinued operations ....................................................
(117.6)
(139.6)
(197.5)
Other .............................................................................................................................
(6.9)
(9.3)
(6.3)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes ........................... $
1,838.3 $ (3,446.0) $
1,178.4
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-97
Our income tax benefit (expense) consists of:
Current
Deferred
Total
in millions
Year ended December 31, 2024:
U.S. (a) ............................................................................................................... $
72.3 $
5.8 $
78.1
Belgium ..............................................................................................................
(92.8)
25.5
(67.3)
U.K. ....................................................................................................................
—
8.0
8.0
Netherlands .........................................................................................................
(2.0)
7.1
5.1
Ireland .................................................................................................................
1.4
3.6
5.0
Luxembourg .......................................................................................................
(0.8)
2.9
2.1
Other ...................................................................................................................
(0.4)
0.2
(0.2)
Total income tax benefit ............................................................................... $
(22.3) $
53.1 $
30.8
Year ended December 31, 2023:
Belgium .............................................................................................................. $
(100.9) $
(64.9) $
(165.8)
U.S. (a) ...............................................................................................................
(68.0)
(28.4)
(96.4)
Luxembourg .......................................................................................................
—
44.3
44.3
Ireland .................................................................................................................
3.6
2.5
6.1
Netherlands .........................................................................................................
(1.9)
0.2
(1.7)
U.K. ....................................................................................................................
(0.1)
0.5
0.4
Total income tax expense .............................................................................. $
(167.3) $
(45.8) $
(213.1)
Year ended December 31, 2022:
U.S. (a) ............................................................................................................... $
(51.8) $
(133.0) $
(184.8)
Luxembourg .......................................................................................................
(0.3)
(152.3)
(152.6)
Belgium ..............................................................................................................
(87.7)
17.1
(70.6)
Ireland .................................................................................................................
(5.3)
10.5
5.2
Netherlands .........................................................................................................
(1.7)
(0.8)
(2.5)
U.K. ....................................................................................................................
(0.1)
0.8
0.7
Other ...................................................................................................................
(0.1)
(2.0)
(2.1)
Total income tax expense .............................................................................. $
(147.0) $
(259.7) $
(406.7)
_______________
(a)
Includes federal and state income taxes. Our U.S. state income taxes were not material during any of the years presented.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-98
Income tax benefit (expense) attributable to our earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes differs
from the amounts computed using the applicable income tax rates as a result of the following factors:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Computed “expected” tax benefit (expense) (a) ......................................................... $
(459.6) $
809.8 $
(223.9)
Non-deductible or non-taxable foreign exchange results ...........................................
443.6
(199.9)
263.2
Non-deductible or non-taxable interest and other expenses .......................................
(124.9)
(170.1)
(125.4)
Recognition of previously unrecognized tax benefits ................................................
112.0
—
—
International rate differences (b) ................................................................................
40.3
13.7
(104.6)
Tax benefit associated with technologies innovation (c) ............................................
15.2
6.5
22.1
Basis and other differences in the treatment of items associated with investments
in subsidiaries and affiliates (d) ..............................................................................
14.3
(405.7)
(67.8)
Change in valuation allowances .................................................................................
(4.2)
(266.8)
(172.7)
Other, net ....................................................................................................................
(5.9)
(0.6)
2.4
Total income tax benefit (expense) ......................................................................... $
30.8 $
(213.1) $
(406.7)
_______________
(a)
The statutory or “expected” tax rates are the U.K. rates of 25.0% for 2024, 23.5% for 2023 and 19.0% for 2022. The
statutory rate for 2023 represents the blended rate in effect for the year ended December 31, 2023 based on the 19.0%
statutory rate that was in effect for the first quarter of 2023 and the 25.0% statutory rate in effect from April 1, 2023.
Although we are domiciled in Bermuda, we use the U.K. statutory rate to compute our “expected” tax benefit (expense)
as management believes it is more meaningful given that Bermuda did not impose an income tax in the periods
presented.
(b)
Amounts reflect adjustments (either a benefit or expense) to the “expected” tax benefit (expense) for statutory rates in
jurisdictions in which we operate outside of the U.K.
(c)
Amounts reflect the recognition of the innovation income tax deduction in Belgium.
(d)
Amounts reflect the net impact of differences in the treatment of income and loss items between financial and tax
accounting related to investments in subsidiaries and affiliates, including the effects of foreign earnings. In addition, the
2024 amount includes the non-taxable gains associated with (i) the sale of All3Media and (ii) the Formula E Acquisition
and the 2023 amount includes the non-taxable gain associated with the Telenet Wyre Transaction.
The components of our net deferred tax liabilities are as follows:
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Deferred tax assets (a) ...................................................................................................................... $
93.1 $
83.6
Deferred tax liabilities (a) .................................................................................................................
(405.0)
(299.4)
Net deferred tax liabilities ............................................................................................................ $
(311.9) $
(215.8)
_______________
(a)
Our deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are included within other assets, net, and other long-term liabilities,
respectively, on our consolidated balance sheets.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-99
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of our deferred tax assets and liabilities are
presented below:
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating loss and other carryforwards ..................................................................................... $
1,398.2 $
1,321.0
Investments ......................................................................................................................................
336.0
366.4
Debt and interest ..............................................................................................................................
251.5
174.8
Lease liabilities ................................................................................................................................
175.6
186.5
Property and equipment, net ............................................................................................................
125.2
169.9
Share-based compensation ...............................................................................................................
74.9
81.4
Other future deductible amounts ......................................................................................................
68.5
55.9
Deferred tax assets ......................................................................................................................
2,429.9
2,355.9
Valuation allowance ........................................................................................................................
(1,934.1)
(1,941.8)
Deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowance ........................................................................
495.8
414.1
Deferred tax liabilities:
Property and equipment, net ............................................................................................................
(213.6)
(224.1)
Intangible assets ...............................................................................................................................
(211.2)
(40.6)
ROU assets .......................................................................................................................................
(163.2)
(177.2)
Derivative instruments .....................................................................................................................
(161.2)
(137.8)
Other future taxable amounts ...........................................................................................................
(58.5)
(50.2)
Deferred tax liabilities .................................................................................................................
(807.7)
(629.9)
Net deferred tax liabilities ....................................................................................................... $
(311.9) $
(215.8)
Our deferred income tax valuation allowance decreased $7.7 million in 2024. This decrease reflects the net effect of (i)
foreign currency translation adjustments, (ii) a decrease in deferred tax assets, (iii) business acquisitions, (iv) net tax expense of
$4.2 million and (v) other individually insignificant items.
The significant components of our tax loss carryforwards and related tax assets at December 31, 2024 are as follows:
Tax loss
carryforward
Related
tax asset
Expiration
date
Country
in millions
Netherlands ............................................................................................................. $
2,399.7 $
619.1
Indefinite
Belgium ...................................................................................................................
1,111.8
278.0
Indefinite
U.K. .........................................................................................................................
1,163.1
290.8
Indefinite
Luxembourg ............................................................................................................
582.6
158.4
Various
Ireland .....................................................................................................................
383.4
47.9
Indefinite
Other .......................................................................................................................
14.6
3.9
Various
Total .................................................................................................................... $
5,655.2 $
1,398.1
Our tax loss carryforwards within each jurisdiction combine all companies’ tax losses (both capital and ordinary losses) in
that jurisdiction, however, certain tax jurisdictions limit the ability to offset taxable income of a separate company or different
tax group with the tax losses associated with another separate company or group. Further, tax jurisdictions restrict the type of
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-100
taxable income that the above losses are able to offset. The majority of the tax losses shown in the above table are not expected
to be realized, including certain losses that are limited in use due to change in control or same business tests.
We have taxable outside basis differences on certain investments in non-U.S. subsidiaries. No additional income taxes have
been provided for any undistributed foreign earnings, or any additional outside basis difference inherent in these entities, as
these amounts continue to be reinvested in foreign operations. At December 31, 2024, we have not provided deferred tax
liabilities on an estimated $1.4 billion of cumulative temporary differences on the outside bases of our non-U.S. subsidiaries.
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law in the U.S. Although this legislation does not
increase the U.S. corporate income tax rate, it includes, among other provisions, a new corporate alternative minimum tax
(CAMT) on “adjusted financial statement income” that is effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2022. CAMT
had an immaterial impact on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024. We will disregard
our CAMT status when evaluating our deferred tax assets under the regular U.S. tax system.
In December 2021, the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)/G20 Inclusive Framework on
Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) released Model Global Anti-Base Erosion (GLoBE) rules under Pillar Two. These
rules provide for the taxation of certain large multinational corporations at a minimum rate of 15.0%, calculated on a
jurisdictional basis. Numerous countries in which we operate, including the U.K. and certain European Union (E.U.) member
states, enacted legislation to implement many aspects of the Pillar Two rules beginning on January 1, 2024. The Pillar Two
rules did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024, and we do not
currently anticipate that they will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements in the future.
We and our subsidiaries maintain a presence in many countries and file consolidated and standalone income tax returns in
various jurisdictions. Many of these jurisdictions maintain highly complex tax regimes that differ significantly from the system
of income taxation used in the U.K. and the U.S. We have accounted for the effect of these taxes based on what we believe is
reasonably expected to apply to us and our subsidiaries based on tax laws currently in effect and reasonable interpretations of
these laws.
In the normal course of business, our income tax filings are subject to review by various taxing authorities. In connection
with such reviews, disputes could arise with the taxing authorities over the interpretation or application of certain income tax
rules related to our business in that tax jurisdiction. Such disputes may result in future tax and interest and penalty assessments
by these taxing authorities. The ultimate resolution of tax contingencies will take place upon the earlier of (i) the settlement date
with the applicable taxing authorities in either cash or agreement of income tax positions or (ii) the date when the tax authorities
are statutorily prohibited from adjusting the company’s tax computations.
In general, tax returns filed by our company or our subsidiaries for years prior to 2018 are no longer subject to examination
by tax authorities. Certain of our subsidiaries are currently involved in income tax examinations in various jurisdictions in
which we operate, including Luxembourg and the U.S. While we do not expect adjustments from the foregoing examinations to
have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows, no assurance can be given that
this will be the case given the amounts involved and the complex nature of the related issues.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-101
The changes in our unrecognized tax benefits for the indicated periods are summarized below:
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Balance at January 1 .................................................................................................... $
444.4 $
435.2 $
447.1
Lapse of statute of limitations ...................................................................................
(173.5)
—
(0.1)
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year ....................................
26.1
2.2
1.7
Additions for tax positions of prior years .................................................................
19.2
8.5
—
Reductions for tax positions of prior years ...............................................................
(6.4)
(5.9)
(11.2)
Settlements with tax authorities ................................................................................
(3.9)
(4.0)
—
Foreign currency translation .....................................................................................
(3.9)
1.5
(2.3)
Effects of business acquisitions ................................................................................
—
6.9
—
Balance at December 31 .............................................................................................. $
302.0 $
444.4 $
435.2
No assurance can be given that any of these tax benefits will be recognized or realized.
As of December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, there were $266.6 million, $347.0 million and $337.9 million, respectively, of
unrecognized tax benefits that would have a favorable impact on our effective income tax rate if ultimately recognized, after
considering amounts that we would expect to be offset by valuation allowances and other factors.
During 2025, it is reasonably possible that the resolution of ongoing tax controversies, as well as the expiration of statutes
of limitations and other items, could result in reductions to our unrecognized tax benefits related to tax positions taken as of
December 31, 2024. The amount of such reductions could range up to $166 million. No assurance can be given as to the nature
or impact of any changes in our unrecognized tax positions during 2025.
During 2024, 2023 and 2022, the income tax expense of our continuing operations included $7.9 million, $59.6 million and
$38.4 million, respectively, representing the net accrual of interest and penalties during the period. At December 31, 2024,
accrued interest and penalties associated with our uncertain tax benefits totaled $270.5 million.
On October 7, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a suit against Liberty Global, Inc. (LGI), a wholly-owned U.S.
subsidiary of Liberty Global, in the U.S. District Court of Colorado for unpaid federal income taxes and penalties for the 2018
tax year of approximately $284 million. This action by the U.S. Department of Justice is related to the November 2020
complaint filed by LGI in the District Court of Colorado seeking a refund of approximately $110 million of taxes, penalties and
interest associated with the application of certain temporary treasury regulations issued in June 2019. In October 2023, the U.S.
District Court of Colorado entered judgement against LGI with respect to the refund claim and we appealed this decision to the
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Court of Appeals) in December 2023. No amounts have been accrued by LGI
with respect to this matter. We will vigorously defend this matter and continue to actively pursue our claim for refund.
In January 2021, we petitioned the U.S. Tax Court with respect to unresolved issues related to our 2010 tax year for which
we had already recognized an accrued liability for an uncertain tax position. In November 2023, we received an unfavorable
decision, which we will appeal to the Court of Appeals. In December 2023, we made a payment of the disputed tax in the
amount of $315 million, which reduced our accrued liability for uncertain tax benefits on our consolidated balance sheet but has
not been reflected in the uncertain tax benefit schedule above as the position is not yet settled. We will continue to vigorously
defend our position, however, due to the inherent uncertainty involved in the litigation process, there can be no assurance that
the Court of Appeals will rule in our favor.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-102
(14) Equity
Capitalization
At December 31, 2024, our authorized share capital consisted of an aggregate nominal amount of $20.0 million, comprised
of any of the following: (i) common shares (Class A, B or C), each with a nominal value of $0.01 per share, (ii) preference
shares, with a nominal value to be determined by the board of directors, the issuance of one or more classes or series of which
may be authorized by the board of directors, and (iii) any other shares of one or more classes as may be determined by the
board of directors or by the shareholders of Liberty Global.
Under Liberty Global’s Articles of Association, effective July 1, 2015, holders of Liberty Global Class A common shares
are entitled to one vote for each such share held, and holders of Liberty Global Class B common shares are entitled to 10 votes
for each such share held, on all matters submitted to a vote of Liberty Global shareholders at any general meeting (annual or
special). Holders of Liberty Global Class C common shares are not entitled to any voting powers except as required by law.
At the option of the holder, each Liberty Global Class B common share is convertible into one Liberty Global Class A
common share. One Liberty Global Class A common share is reserved for issuance for each Liberty Global Class B common
share that is issued (12,968,658 shares issued as of December 31, 2024). Additionally, at December 31, 2024, we have reserved
the following common shares for the issuance of outstanding share-based incentive awards:
Class A
Class C
Options ............................................................................................................................................
1,159,996
5,203,985
SARs ................................................................................................................................................ 34,684,640 75,630,289
RSUs ................................................................................................................................................
2,553,035
4,229,272
PSUs and PSARs .............................................................................................................................
6,932,869 12,639,731
Subject to any preferential rights of any outstanding class of our preference shares, the holders of our common shares are
entitled to dividends as may be declared from time to time by our board of directors from funds available therefore. Except with
respect to share distributions, whenever a dividend is paid in cash to the holder of one class of our common shares, we shall
also pay to the holders of the other classes of our common shares an equal per share dividend. There are currently no
contractual restrictions on our ability to pay dividends in cash or shares.
In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, after payment or provision for payment of our debts and
liabilities and subject to the prior payment in full of any preferential amounts to which our preference shareholders, if any, may
be entitled, the holders of our common shares will be entitled to receive their proportionate interests, expressed in liquidation
units, in any assets available for distribution to our common shares.
Share Repurchase Programs
Our board of directors has approved various share repurchase programs for our Liberty Global common shares. Under our
repurchase programs, we may acquire from time to time our Class A common shares, Class C common shares or any
combination of Class A and Class C common shares. Our repurchase programs may be effected through open market
transactions and/or privately negotiated transactions, which may include derivative transactions. The timing of the repurchase of
shares pursuant to these programs will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions and applicable law, and these
programs may be implemented in conjunction with brokers for the company and other financial institutions with whom the
company has relationships within certain preset parameters and purchases may continue during closed periods in accordance
with applicable restrictions. Our share repurchase programs may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Our board of
directors has approved a new share repurchase program pursuant to which we are authorized to repurchase up to 10% of our
outstanding shares as of December 31, 2024. As such, we are authorized to repurchase approximately 34.9 million of our Class
A and/or Class C common shares during 2025. Based on the respective closing share prices on December 31, 2024, this would
equate to total share repurchases during 2025 of approximately $450.0 million. However, the actual U.S. dollar amount of our
share repurchases during 2025 will be determined by the actual transaction date share prices and could differ significantly from
this amount.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-103
The following table provides details of our share repurchases during 2024, 2023 and 2022:
Class A common shares
Class C common shares
Shares
repurchased
Average price
paid per
share (a)
Shares
repurchased
Average price
paid per
share (a)
Total cost (a)
in millions
2024 .....................................................................
— $
— 38,260,604 $
17.73 $
678.5
2023 .....................................................................
1,444,000 $
18.24 78,452,085 $
18.86 $
1,505.9
2022 .....................................................................
3,856,700 $
21.55 69,381,968 $
23.34 $
1,702.6
_______________
(a)
Includes direct acquisition costs, where applicable.
Telenet Takeover Bid
On June 8, 2023, following approval by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority, Liberty Global Belgium
Holding B.V. (LGBH), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Global, launched a voluntary and conditional public
takeover bid for all of the shares of Telenet that we did not already own or that were not held by Telenet (the Telenet Takeover
Bid). Following the conclusion of a simplified squeeze-out procedure, Telenet shares were delisted from Euronext Brussels at
the close of trade on October 13, 2023. The shares of Telenet that were acquired as a result of the simplified squeeze-out
procedure were settled on October 19, 2023 and, from that date, Telenet is owned 100% by LGBH.
The Telenet Takeover Bid was funded through (i) available borrowings and (ii) the existing liquidity of Liberty Global. As
of December 31, 2023, the consideration associated with the Telenet Takeover Bid, including certain fees and expenses, totaled
€904.2 million ($993.7 million at the applicable transaction dates).
Subsidiary Distributions
From time to time, Telenet and certain other of our subsidiaries make cash distributions to their respective shareholders.
Our share of these distributions is eliminated in consolidation and the noncontrolling interest owners’ share of these
distributions is reflected as a charge against noncontrolling interests in our consolidated statements of equity. In this regard,
Telenet, prior to the Telenet Takeover Bid, paid aggregate dividends to its shareholders during 2023 and 2022 of €108.6 million
and €149.0 million, respectively. Our share of these dividends was €66.3 million ($73.2 million at the applicable rate) and
€91.2 million ($96.2 million at the applicable rate), respectively.
Restricted Net Assets
The ability of certain of our subsidiaries to distribute or loan all or a portion of their net assets to our company is limited by
the terms of applicable debt facilities. At December 31, 2024, the net assets of our subsidiaries subject to such limitations was
not material.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-104
(15) Share-based Compensation
Our share-based compensation expense primarily relates to the share-based incentive awards issued by Liberty Global to its
employees and employees of its subsidiaries. A summary of our aggregate share-based compensation expense is set forth
below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Liberty Global (a):
Non-performance based incentive awards (b) ........................................................... $
113.9 $
137.7 $
116.3
Performance based incentive awards (c) ...................................................................
18.6
6.9
6.6
Other (d) ....................................................................................................................
29.7
26.9
19.6
Total Liberty Global ................................................................................................
162.2
171.5
142.5
Telenet share-based incentive awards (e) .....................................................................
—
27.7
10.9
Other .............................................................................................................................
6.1
5.6
9.8
Total ...................................................................................................................... $
168.3 $
204.8 $
163.2
Included in:
Other operating expenses ........................................................................................... $
17.8 $
11.3 $
4.6
SG&A expenses .........................................................................................................
150.5
193.5
158.6
Total ..................................................................................................................... $
168.3 $
204.8 $
163.2
_______________
(a)
In accordance with the terms of the Telenet Takeover Bid, we issued Liberty Global share-based incentive awards
(Telenet Replacement Awards) to employees and former directors of Telenet in exchange for corresponding Telenet
awards. In connection with the Telenet Takeover Bid, the Telenet Replacement Awards were remeasured as of October
13, 2023 in a 1:2 ratio between Liberty Global Class A and Liberty Global Class C common shares. No incremental
share-based compensation expense was recognized from the remeasurement and modification of the Telenet awards. The
Telenet Replacement Awards were re-granted on November 7, 2023, resulting in total share-based compensation
expense of $50.0 million, of which $8.5 million was recognized on this date due to the immediate vesting of select
Telenet Replacement Awards. The remaining expense of $41.5 million is amortized over the remaining service periods
of the unvested Telenet Replacement Awards, subject to forfeitures and the satisfaction of performance conditions as
further described below. For further information regarding the Telenet Takeover Bid, see note 14.
(b)
In April 2023, the compensation committee of our board of directors approved the extension of the expiration dates of
outstanding SARs and director options granted in 2016 through 2018 from a seven-year term to a ten-year term (prior to
2019, awards granted under the 2014 Incentive Plans, as defined and described below, expired seven years after the grant
date). Accordingly, the Black-Scholes fair values of the respective outstanding awards increased, resulting in the
recognition of an aggregate incremental share-based compensation expense of $25.9 million during 2023.
(c)
Includes share-based compensation expense related to (i) for 2024, the 2024 PSUs, as defined and described below, (ii)
for 2024 and 2023, certain Telenet Replacement Awards, as defined and described below and (iii) for 2022, our 2019
Challenge Performance Awards.
(d)
Represents annual incentive compensation and defined contribution plan liabilities that have been or are expected to be
settled with Liberty Global common shares. In the case of the annual incentive compensation, shares have been or will be
issued to senior management and key employees pursuant to a shareholding incentive program. The shareholding
incentive program allows these employees to elect to receive up to 100% of their annual incentive compensation in
common shares of Liberty Global in lieu of cash. In addition, amounts include compensation expense related to the
Ventures Incentive Plans as defined and described below.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-105
(e)
Represents the share-based compensation expense associated with Telenet’s share-based incentive awards prior to the
Telenet Takeover Bid. In addition, €7.6 million ($8.2 million at the applicable rate) was expensed during the fourth
quarter of 2023 related to the reimbursement of certain employee income taxes associated with the ESOP 2019 and the
ESOP 2020, each as defined and described below.
As of December 31, 2024, $129.8 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to our Liberty Global share-
based incentive awards is expected to be recognized by our company over a weighted-average period of approximately 1.9
years.
The following table summarizes certain information related to the share-based incentive awards granted and exercised with
respect to Liberty Global common shares (includes amounts related to awards held by employees of our discontinued
operations, unless otherwise noted):
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Assumptions used to estimate fair value of options and SARs granted:
Risk-free interest rate ........................................................................................
3.39 - 4.11%
3.12 - 4.10%
2.27 - 3.09%
Expected life ...................................................................................................... 3.7 - 6.2 years
3.7 - 6.2 years
3.7 - 6.2 years
Expected volatility ............................................................................................. 28.9 - 31.4%
29.0 - 33.1%
33.5 - 38.1%
Expected dividend yield ....................................................................................
none
none
none
Weighted average grant-date fair value per share of awards granted:
Options .............................................................................................................. $
6.57 $
7.18 $
9.90
SARs ................................................................................................................. $
5.06 $
5.85 $
7.50
RSUs - prior to the Sunrise Distribution ........................................................... $
17.39 $
18.59 $
25.51
RSUs - subsequent to the Sunrise Distribution ................................................. $
12.95
(a)
(a)
PSUs .................................................................................................................. $
17.20 $
16.60
(b)
Total intrinsic value of awards exercised (in millions):
Options ..............................................................................................................
(c)
(c)
$
0.5
SARs ................................................................................................................. $
23.0 $
4.6 $
7.0
PSARs ...............................................................................................................
(c)
(c)
$
0.2
Cash received from exercise of options (in millions) .......................................... $
— $
1.2 $
13.0
Income tax benefit (expense) related to share-based compensation of our
continuing operations (in millions) .................................................................. $
(1.0) $
9.1 $
(8.1)
_______________
(a)
Not applicable.
(b)
There were no grants of PSUs made during the indicated period.
(c)
There were no exercises of this award type during the indicated period.
Share Incentive Plans — Liberty Global Common Shares
2023 Incentive Plan
As of December 31, 2024, we are authorized to grant incentive awards under the “Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan”,
which was approved by our shareholders on June 14, 2023. Generally, we may grant options, SARs, RSUs, performance awards
or cash awards or any combination of the foregoing under this incentive plan (collectively, “awards”). The maximum number
of Liberty Global shares with respect to which awards may be issued under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan is
43,284,342 which represents the number of common shares available for grant under the previous “Liberty Global 2014
Incentive Plan” and the “Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan” (collectively, the 2014 Incentive
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-106
Plans) immediately prior to the 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders of Liberty Global plc, plus any common shares
subject to outstanding awards under the 2014 Incentive Plans that become available for issuance under the Liberty Global 2023
Incentive Plan pursuant to its terms. The maximum number of common shares reserved for issuance under the Liberty Global
2023 Incentive Plan is also subject to anti-dilution and other adjustment provisions of the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan.
Outstanding awards granted under the 2014 Incentive Plans will continue to be governed by the terms of that plan until
exercised, expired, paid or otherwise terminated. No further awards will be granted under the 2014 Incentive Plans. As of
December 31, 2024, the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan had 38,692,888 common shares available for grant, but, consistent
with the terms and intent of the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan, we expect the compensation committee of our board of
directors to upwardly adjust the number of shares available for grant as a result of the Spin-off.
Awards (other than performance based awards) under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan and the Liberty Global 2014
Incentive Plan generally (i) vest annually over a three-year period and (ii) expire 10 years after the grant date. Awards (other
than RSUs) issued under the Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan generally vest in three equal annual
installments, provided the director continues to serve as director immediately prior to the vesting date, and expire ten years after
the grant date. RSUs vest on the date of the first annual general meeting of shareholders following the grant date. These awards
may be granted at or above fair value in any class of common shares.
In connection with the Telenet Takeover Bid, the compensation committee of our board of directors approved the issuance
of Telenet Replacement Awards as part of the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan in exchange for corresponding Telenet
awards. Prior to the Telenet Takeover Bid, Telenet had several outstanding equity award plans including the 2019 Employee
Stock Option Plan (ESOP 2019), the 2020 Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP 2020), the 2021 Performance Share Plan (PSP
2021), the 2021 CEO Performance Share Plan (CEO PSP 2021) and the 2022 Restricted Share Plan (RSP 2022). Liberty
Global proposed to rollover any Telenet equity awards into equivalent awards in Liberty Global shares, excluding the ESOP
2019 and ESOP 2020 which were out-of-the-money at the time of the Telenet Takeover Bid. Additionally, due to regulatory
constraints associated with the Telenet Takeover Bid, Telenet was unable to issue equity awards from the 2020 Performance
Share Plan (PSP 2020), the 2022 Performance Share Plan (PSP 2022), the 2023 Performance Share Plan (PSP 2023), the 2022
CEO Performance Share Plan (CEO PSP 2022), the 2023 Restricted Share Plan (RSP 2023), the 2023 CEO Performance Share
Plan (CEO PSP 2023) and the 2023 Dividend Share Plan (Dividend Plan 2023). Liberty Global has also granted equivalent
awards under these Telenet plans. The Telenet Replacement Awards were issued as either RSUs or PSUs, depending on the
presence of a performance factor. Generally, (i) awards issued under the CEO PSP 2021, CEO PSP 2022 and CEO PSP 2023
are subject to certain performance metrics and vest at the end of a three-year period, (ii) awards issued under the Dividend Plan
2023 vest immediately, (iii) awards issued under the RSP 2022 and RSP 2023 vest 40% after year one and 60% after year two
and are subject to a two-year holding restriction, (iv) awards issued under the PSP 2020 are subject to certain performance
metrics, vest immediately and are subject to a two-year holding restriction, (v) awards issued under the PSP 2021 and PSP 2023
are subject to certain performance metrics and vest at the end of a three-year period and (vi) awards issued under the PSP 2022
were issued as RSUs, vest 40% after year one and 60% after year two and are subject to a two-year holding restriction.
Ventures Incentive Plans
Annually, beginning in April 2021, the compensation committee of our board of directors has approved grants under the
“Ventures Incentive Plans”. The Ventures Incentive Plans are provided to executive officers and other key employees based
on the performance of the Liberty Global Ventures Portfolio (the “Portfolio”), or a specific portion of the Portfolio in the
instance of the “Tech Ventures Incentive Plan.” A fair value assessment is performed for the Portfolio as of December 31st by
an independent third-party valuation specialist and the Portfolio performance is measured by assessing the fair value of the
Portfolio over a three-year period beginning on December 31st of the year preceding each annual grant. Payout will be
denominated in cash and will be assessed at the end of each three-year period using eligible participants’ initial contributions,
which are between 10% and 50% of their annual target equity value (10% and 100% for the 2021 Ventures Incentive Plan) and
the contributed amount is in lieu of their normal annual equity grant. The compensation committee has the discretion to settle
the final payout amount in (i) cash or (ii) Liberty Global Class A and Class C common shares based on the change in the
Portfolio’s value. Subject to forfeitures, 100% of each participant’s payout will vest on or around March of the year subsequent
to the conclusion of the three-year performance period. In order to receive the payout, participants are required to remain
employed through the final vesting date. Awards under the Ventures Incentive Plans are liability classified due to the fact that
the final payout under these plans will be denominated in cash and may be settled in a variable number of shares. The estimated
fair value of the final payouts under our Ventures Incentive Plans as of December 31, 2024 are shown below:
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-107
Performance period
Vesting date
Estimated fair
value of final
payout
in millions
2022 Ventures Incentive Plan ...................................................
12/31/2021 - 12/31/2024
March 15, 2025
$
8.8
2023 Ventures Incentive Plan ...................................................
12/31/2022 - 12/31/2025
March 15, 2026
10.9
2023 Tech Ventures Incentive Plan ..........................................
12/31/2022 - 12/31/2025
March 15, 2026
0.6
2024 Ventures Incentive Plan ...................................................
12/31/2023 - 12/31/2026
March 15, 2027
13.5
2024 Tech Ventures Incentive Plan ..........................................
12/31/2023 - 12/31/2026
March 15, 2027
0.7
Total ...................................................................................................................................................................
$
34.5
The 2021 Ventures Incentive Plan vested on March 15, 2024. Participants earned 108.5% of their targeted payout which
was settled in 442,221 shares of Liberty Global Class A and 442,221 Class C common shares.
Performance Awards
The following is a summary of the material terms and conditions with respect to our performance based awards for certain
executive officers and key employees.
2024 PSUs
In May 2024, the compensation committee of our board of directors approved the grant of PSUs to executive officers and
other key employees (the 2024 PSUs). The performance metric for the 2024 PSUs is based on Liberty Global’s relative total
shareholder return (rTSR) during the performance period commencing May 10, 2024 and ending December 31, 2026,
calculated based on a comparison of Liberty Global’s total shareholder return (TSR) compared to the TSR of a comparator
group of companies, which comprises all companies continuously listed in the NASDAQ Telecommunications Index or the
Stoxx Europe 600 Telecom Index during the performance period. The market condition related to Liberty Global’s rTSR
performance relative to the comparator group of companies is incorporated into the measurement of the grant date fair value of
the award. The 2024 PSUs include over- and under-performance payout opportunities should the rTSR exceed or fail to meet
the target, as applicable. Achieving an rTSR between the 25th percentile to at or above the 75th percentile will generally result
in award recipients earning 25% to 200% of their target 2024 PSUs, subject to forfeitures. The 2024 PSUs have a maximum
payout of 100% should the TSR be negative. In addition, 50% of the 2024 PSUs will be earned if Liberty Global’s rTSR is
equal to or greater than the median TSR for the comparator group of companies as of December 31, 2025. The earned 2024
PSUs will fully vest on or around February 15, 2027.
2019 Challenge Performance Awards
In March 2019, the compensation committee of our board of directors approved a challenge performance award for
executive officers and certain employees (the 2019 Challenge Performance Awards), which consists of a combination of
PSARs and PSUs, in each case divided on a 1:2 ratio based on Liberty Global Class A common shares and Liberty Global Class
C common shares. Each PSU represents the right to receive one Liberty Global Class A common share or one Liberty Global
Class C common share, as applicable. The performance criteria for the 2019 Challenge Performance Awards is based on the
participant’s performance and achievement of individual goals during the three-year period ended December 31, 2021. Subject
to forfeitures, the satisfaction of performance conditions and certain other terms, 100% of each participant’s 2019 Challenge
Performance Awards were earned and vested on March 7, 2022. The PSARs have a term of ten years and base prices equal to
the respective market closing prices of the applicable class on the grant date.
Sunrise Distribution
In connection with the Spin-off, the compensation committee of our board of directors approved modifications to our
outstanding shared-based incentive awards (the Award Modifications), in accordance with the underlying share-based
incentive plans. As a result of the modifications, no incremental compensation expense was recognized as existing anti-dilution
provisions of the plans required the compensation committee to adjust the terms of the outstanding awards to preserve the value
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-108
of outstanding equity awards before and after the Sunrise Distribution. Due to declines in the prices of our Liberty Global Class
A and Class C common shares following the Sunrise Distribution, an adjustment factor was applied to our outstanding options,
SARs, PSARs, PSUs and certain of our RSUs to increase the number of awards outstanding and, in regards to our outstanding
options, SARs and PSARs, decrease the strike or base price. This adjustment factor utilized the volume-weighted average price
of the respective shares for one day prior to and one day following the Sunrise Distribution. The impacts of the Award
Modifications and the Spin-off are separately presented in the below tables.
Share-based Award Activity — Liberty Global Common Shares
The following tables summarize the share-based award activity during 2024 with respect to awards issued by Liberty
Global. Our company settles SARs and PSARs on a net basis when exercised by the award holder, whereby the number of
shares issued represents the excess value of the award based on the market price of the respective Liberty Global shares at the
time of exercise relative to the award’s exercise price. In addition, with respect to share-based awards held by Liberty Global
employees, the number of shares to be issued upon vesting or exercise is reduced by the amount of the employee’s required
income tax withholding.
Options — Class A common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
exercise price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
in years
in millions
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ...........................................................
622,177 $
28.87
Granted .............................................................................................
114,799
17.01
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(67,247)
33.50
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ....................................................
669,729
26.37
Impact of the Award Modifications .................................................
490,267
(11.14)
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
1,159,996 $
15.23
4.7
$
0.9
Exercisable at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
867,302 $
16.96
3.2
$
0.1
Options — Class C common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
exercise price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
in years
in millions
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ...........................................................
2,704,383 $
24.79
Granted .............................................................................................
462,858
17.49
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(134,230)
32.07
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ....................................................
3,033,011
23.36
Impact of the Award Modifications .................................................
2,170,974
(9.74)
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
5,203,985 $
13.62
5.6
$
6.7
Exercisable at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
3,805,819 $
14.57
4.4
$
3.4
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-109
SARs — Class A common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
base price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
in years
in millions
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ...........................................................
20,430,440 $
25.90
Granted .............................................................................................
4,132,571
16.77
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(2,186,732)
26.51
Exercised ..........................................................................................
(651,203)
16.35
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ....................................................
21,725,076
24.39
Impact of the Award Modifications .................................................
15,902,599
(10.31)
Impact of the Spin-off ......................................................................
(1,960,848)
14.27
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ....................................................
35,666,827
14.07
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(298,434)
15.46
Exercised ..........................................................................................
(683,753)
9.65
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
34,684,640 $
14.15
5.5
$
39.2
Exercisable at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
25,760,134 $
15.50
4.3
$
15.7
SARs — Class C common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
base price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
in years
in millions
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ...........................................................
47,534,716 $
25.28
Granted .............................................................................................
5,463,215
17.52
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(3,738,073)
27.40
Exercised ..........................................................................................
(1,348,429)
15.60
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ....................................................
47,911,429
24.50
Impact of the Award Modifications .................................................
34,292,631
(10.22)
Impact of the Spin-off ......................................................................
(3,851,973)
14.45
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ....................................................
78,352,087
14.27
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(491,590)
15.83
Exercised ..........................................................................................
(2,230,208)
9.69
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
75,630,289 $
14.40
5.5
$
70.9
Exercisable at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
59,930,253 $
15.29
4.6
$
34.9
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-110
PSARs — Class A common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
base price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
in years
in millions
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ...........................................................
3,238,360 $
25.97
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(193,929)
25.97
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ....................................................
3,044,431
25.97
Impact of the Award Modifications .................................................
2,228,565
(10.97)
Impact of the Spin-off ......................................................................
(202,425)
15.00
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ....................................................
5,070,571
15.00
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(101,526)
15.00
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
4,969,045 $
15.00
3.9
$
—
Exercisable at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
4,969,045 $
15.00
3.9
$
—
PSARs — Class C common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
base price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
in years
in millions
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ...........................................................
6,335,073 $
25.22
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(349,267)
25.22
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ....................................................
5,985,806
25.22
Impact of the Award Modifications .................................................
4,284,380
(10.52)
Impact of the Spin-off ......................................................................
(394,363)
14.70
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ....................................................
9,875,823
14.70
Forfeited ...........................................................................................
(201,150)
14.70
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
9,674,673 $
14.70
3.9
$
—
Exercisable at December 31, 2024 .....................................................
9,674,673 $
14.70
3.9
$
—
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-111
RSUs — Class A common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
grant-date
fair value
per share
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
in years
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ................................................................................
2,446,678 $
20.05
Granted ...................................................................................................................
2,967,291
16.99
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(488,279)
17.60
Released from restrictions ......................................................................................
(2,265,981)
19.24
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ..........................................................................
2,659,709
17.78
Impact of the Award Modifications .......................................................................
45,983
(8.36)
Impact of the Spin-off ............................................................................................
(137,882)
10.54
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ..........................................................................
2,567,810
9.36
Granted ...................................................................................................................
1,888
12.76
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(11,314)
9.14
Released from restrictions ......................................................................................
(5,349)
10.71
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 ..........................................................................
2,553,035 $
9.36
1.1
RSUs — Class C common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
grant-date
fair value
per share
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
in years
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ................................................................................
5,382,896 $
20.70
Granted ...................................................................................................................
3,340,539
17.76
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(646,144)
18.77
Released from restrictions ......................................................................................
(3,605,574)
20.55
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ..........................................................................
4,471,717
18.91
Impact of the Award Modifications .......................................................................
44,960
(8.83)
Impact of the Spin-off ............................................................................................
(268,157)
11.06
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ..........................................................................
4,248,520
10.02
Granted ...................................................................................................................
1,888
13.14
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(14,430)
9.79
Released from restrictions ......................................................................................
(6,706)
11.16
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 ..........................................................................
4,229,272 $
10.02
1.0
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-112
PSUs — Class A common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
grant-date
fair value
per share
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
in years
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ................................................................................
444,448 $
15.78
Granted ...................................................................................................................
992,324
16.76
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(166,193)
16.57
Released from restrictions ......................................................................................
(133,098)
15.78
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ..........................................................................
1,137,481
16.52
Impact of the Award Modifications .......................................................................
832,530
(7.77)
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ..........................................................................
1,970,011
8.76
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(6,187)
8.71
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 ..........................................................................
1,963,824 $
8.76
1.9
PSUs — Class C common shares
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
grant-date
fair value
per share
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
in years
Outstanding at January 1, 2024 ................................................................................
820,214 $
17.05
Granted ...................................................................................................................
1,365,500
17.51
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(207,343)
17.38
Released from restrictions ......................................................................................
(245,655)
17.05
Outstanding at November 12, 2024 ..........................................................................
1,732,716
17.37
Impact of the Award Modifications .......................................................................
1,240,067
(8.11)
Outstanding at November 13, 2024 ..........................................................................
2,972,783
9.26
Forfeited .................................................................................................................
(7,725)
9.22
Outstanding at December 31, 2024 ..........................................................................
2,965,058 $
9.26
1.9
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-113
Share-based Award Activity — Liberty Global Common Shares held by former Liberty Global employees
The following tables summarize the share-based awards held by former employees of Liberty Global subsequent to certain
split-off or disposal transactions. Any future exercises of SARs or PSARs, or vesting of RSUs and PSUs will increase the
number of our outstanding common shares.
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
exercise or
base price
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
Aggregate
intrinsic
value
in years
in millions
SARs and PSARs:
Class A:
Outstanding ................................................................................
3,281,173 $
16.34
4.2
$
1.4
Exercisable .................................................................................
2,828,005 $
17.09
3.6
$
0.7
Class C:
Outstanding ................................................................................
6,426,281 $
16.32
4.2
$
2.5
Exercisable .................................................................................
5,543,696 $
16.96
3.6
$
1.3
Number of
awards
Weighted
average
grant-date
fair value
per share
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
in years
Outstanding RSUs and PSUs:
Class A:
RSUs .................................................................................................................
138,847 $
10.52
0.7
PSUs .................................................................................................................
4,281 $
8.87
2.1
Class C:
RSUs .................................................................................................................
268,070 $
11.05
0.7
PSUs .................................................................................................................
4,241 $
9.33
2.1
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-114
(16) Defined Benefit Plans
Certain of our subsidiaries maintain various funded and unfunded defined benefit plans for their employees. The table
below provides summary information on our defined benefit plans:
December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Fair value of plan assets (a) ............................................................................................ $
274.9 $
256.9 $
215.4
Projected benefit obligation ........................................................................................... $
255.2 $
242.4 $
203.8
Net asset ......................................................................................................................... $
19.7 $
14.5 $
11.6
_______________
(a)
At December 31, 2024, the fair value of all plan assets was based on Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy (as further
described in note 9). Our plan assets comprise investments in debt securities, equity securities, hedge funds, insurance
contracts and certain other assets.
Our net periodic pension cost was $21.0 million, $19.6 million and $17.8 million during 2024, 2023 and 2022,
respectively, including $21.5 million, $19.8 million and $17.9 million, respectively, representing the service cost component.
During 2024, our subsidiaries’ contributions to their respective defined benefit plans aggregated $21.8 million. Based on
December 31, 2024 exchange rates and information available as of that date, we expect this amount to be $22.2 million in 2025.
(17) Accumulated Other Comprehensive Earnings (Loss)
Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss) included on our consolidated balance sheets and statements of equity
reflect the aggregate impact of foreign currency translation adjustments and pension-related adjustments and other. The changes
in the components of accumulated other comprehensive earnings (loss), net of taxes, are summarized as follows:
Liberty Global shareholders
Total
accumulated
other
comprehensive
earnings (loss)
Foreign
currency
translation
adjustments
Pension-
related
adjustments
and other
Accumulated
other
comprehensive
earnings (loss)
Noncontrolling
interests
in millions
Balance at January 1, 2022 ............................. $
3,880.0 $
12.2 $
3,892.2 $
(1.0) $
3,891.2
Other comprehensive loss ............................
(3,259.2)
(119.6)
(3,378.8)
2.2
(3,376.6)
Balance at December 31, 2022 .......................
620.8
(107.4)
513.4
1.2
514.6
Other comprehensive earnings .....................
1,778.4
(121.5)
1,656.9
(0.8)
1,656.1
Balance at December 31, 2023 .......................
2,399.2
(228.9)
2,170.3
0.4
2,170.7
Other comprehensive loss ............................
(2,507.9)
(41.7)
(2,549.6)
—
(2,549.6)
Impact of the Spin-off ..................................
(337.0)
59.3
(277.7)
—
(277.7)
Balance at December 31, 2024 ....................... $
(445.7) $
(211.3) $
(657.0) $
0.4 $
(656.6)
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-115
The components of other comprehensive earnings (loss), net of taxes, are reflected in our consolidated statements of
comprehensive earnings (loss). The following table summarizes the tax effects related to each component of other
comprehensive earnings (loss), net of amounts reclassified to our consolidated statements of operations:
Pre-tax
amount
Tax benefit
(expense)
Net-of-tax
amount
in millions
Year ended December 31, 2024:
Foreign currency translation adjustments .................................................................. $ (2,567.3) $
4.1 $ (2,563.2)
Pension-related adjustments and other ......................................................................
(51.1)
(1.0)
(52.1)
Other comprehensive loss from continuing operations ...........................................
(2,618.4)
3.1
(2,615.3)
Other comprehensive earnings from discontinued operations ...................................
68.1
(2.4)
65.7
Other comprehensive loss attributable to Liberty Global shareholders .............. $ (2,550.3) $
0.7 $ (2,549.6)
Year ended December 31, 2023:
Foreign currency translation adjustments .................................................................. $
1,212.0 $
(1.9) $
1,210.1
Pension-related adjustments and other ......................................................................
(48.2)
(0.1)
(48.3)
Other comprehensive earnings from continuing operations ....................................
1,163.8
(2.0)
1,161.8
Other comprehensive earnings from discontinued operations ...................................
478.3
16.0
494.3
Other comprehensive earnings ..............................................................................
1,642.1
14.0
1,656.1
Other comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests (a) ......................
0.9
(0.1)
0.8
Other comprehensive earnings attributable to Liberty Global shareholders ....... $
1,643.0 $
13.9 $
1,656.9
Year ended December 31, 2022:
Foreign currency translation adjustments .................................................................. $ (3,101.9) $
1.3 $ (3,100.6)
Pension-related adjustments and other ......................................................................
(125.2)
(2.3)
(127.5)
Other comprehensive loss from continuing operations ...........................................
(3,227.1)
(1.0)
(3,228.1)
Other comprehensive loss from discontinued operations (b) ....................................
(146.7)
(1.8)
(148.5)
Other comprehensive loss .....................................................................................
(3,373.8)
(2.8)
(3,376.6)
Other comprehensive earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests (a) ...............
(2.9)
0.7
(2.2)
Other comprehensive loss attributable to Liberty Global shareholders .............. $ (3,376.7) $
(2.1) $ (3,378.8)
_______________
(a)
Amounts represent the noncontrolling interest owners’ share of our pension-related adjustments.
(b)
For additional information regarding the reclassification of foreign currency translation adjustments included in net
earnings, see note 6.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-116
(18) Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
In the normal course of business, we enter into agreements that commit our company to make cash payments in future
periods with respect to purchases of CPE and other equipment and services, network and connectivity commitments,
programming contracts and other items. The following table sets forth the U.S. dollar equivalents of such commitments as of
December 31, 2024. The commitments included in this table do not reflect any liabilities that are included on our December 31,
2024 consolidated balance sheet.
Payments due during:
2025
2026
2027
2028
2029
Thereafter
Total
in millions
Purchase commitments ...................... $
621.3 $
520.1 $
468.8 $
435.6 $
79.9 $
36.9 $ 2,162.6
Network and connectivity
commitments ..................................
80.3
48.6
11.0
7.9
7.5
0.2
155.5
Programming commitments ..............
108.6
17.6
8.0
0.1
—
—
134.3
Other commitments ...........................
344.5
178.7
17.6
11.2
7.8
6.3
566.1
Total .............................................. $ 1,154.7 $
765.0 $
505.4 $
454.8 $
95.2 $
43.4 $ 3,018.5
Purchase commitments include unconditional and legally binding obligations related to (i) certain service-related
commitments, including software development, information technology, maintenance and call center services and (ii) the
purchase of CPE.
Network and connectivity commitments include certain equipment and service-related commitments at Telenet.
Programming commitments consist of obligations associated with certain of our programming, studio output and sports
rights contracts that are enforceable and legally binding on us as we have agreed to pay minimum fees without regard to (i) the
actual number of subscribers to the programming services, (ii) whether we terminate service to a portion of our subscribers or
dispose of a portion of our distribution systems or (iii) whether we discontinue our premium sports services. Programming
commitments do not include increases in future periods associated with contractual inflation or other price adjustments that are
not fixed. Accordingly, the amounts reflected in the above table with respect to these contracts are significantly less than the
amounts we expect to pay in these periods under these contracts. Historically, payments to programming vendors have
represented a significant portion of our operating costs, and we expect this will continue to be the case in future periods. In this
regard, our total programming and copyright costs aggregated $406.3 million, $424.6 million and $407.2 million during 2024,
2023 and 2022, respectively.
Other commitments include (i) our share of the funding commitment associated with the nexfibre JV and (ii) race
management commitments associated with Formula E.
In addition to the commitments set forth in the table above, we have significant commitments under (i) derivative
instruments and (ii) defined benefit plans and similar agreements, pursuant to which we expect to make payments in future
periods. For information regarding our derivative instruments, including the net cash paid or received in connection with these
instruments, see note 8. For information regarding our defined benefit plans, see note 16.
We also have commitments pursuant to agreements with, and obligations imposed by, franchise authorities and
municipalities, which may include obligations in certain markets to move aerial cable to underground ducts or to upgrade,
rebuild or extend portions of our broadband communication systems. Such amounts are not included in the above table because
they are not fixed or determinable.
Furthermore, in connection with a future sale of our interest in, or an IPO of, Formula E, we have agreed to pay a third
party a portion of our economic gain. We estimate that this contingent obligation is not currently significant.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-117
We have established various defined contribution benefit plans for our and our subsidiaries’ employees. Our aggregate
expense for matching contributions under the various defined contribution employee benefit plans was $16.6 million, $17.4
million and $15.5 million during 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Guarantees and Other Credit Enhancements
In the ordinary course of business, we may provide (i) indemnifications to our lenders, our vendors and certain other parties
and (ii) performance and/or financial guarantees to local municipalities, our customers and vendors. Historically, these
arrangements have not resulted in our company making any material payments and we do not believe that they will result in
material payments in the future.
Legal and Regulatory Proceedings and Other Contingencies
Interkabel Acquisition. On November 26, 2007, Telenet and four associations of municipalities in Belgium, which we refer
to as the pure intercommunales or the “PICs,” announced a non-binding agreement-in-principle to transfer the analog and
digital television activities of the PICs, including all existing subscribers, to Telenet. Subsequently, Telenet and the PICs
entered into a binding agreement (the 2008 PICs Agreement), which closed effective October 1, 2008. Beginning in December
2007, Proximus NV/SA (Proximus), the incumbent telecommunications operator in Belgium, instituted several proceedings
seeking to block implementation of these agreements. Proximus lodged summary proceedings with the President of the Court of
First Instance of Antwerp to obtain a provisional injunction preventing the PICs from effecting the agreement-in-principle and
initiated a civil procedure on the merits claiming the annulment of the agreement-in-principle. In March 2008, the President of
the Court of First Instance of Antwerp ruled in favor of Proximus in the summary proceedings, which ruling was overturned by
the Court of Appeal of Antwerp in June 2008. Proximus brought an appeal judgment before the Belgian Supreme Court, which
confirmed the appeal judgment in September 2010. On April 6, 2009, the Court of First Instance of Antwerp ruled in favor of
the PICs and Telenet in the civil procedure on the merits, dismissing Proximus’ request for the rescission of the agreement-in-
principle and the 2008 PICs Agreement. On June 12, 2009, Proximus appealed this judgment to the Court of Appeal of
Antwerp. In this appeal, Proximus also sought compensation for damages. While these proceedings were suspended
indefinitely, other proceedings were initiated, which resulted in a ruling by the Belgian Council of State in May 2014 annulling
(i) the decision of the PICs not to organize a public market consultation and (ii) the decision from the PICs’ board of directors
to approve the 2008 PICs Agreement. In December 2015, Proximus resumed the civil proceedings pending with the Court of
Appeal of Antwerp seeking to have the 2008 PICs Agreement annulled and claiming damages of €1.4 billion ($1.4 billion). On
December 18, 2017, the Court of Appeal of Antwerp rejected Proximus’ claim in its entirety. On June 28, 2019, Proximus
brought this appeal judgment before the Belgian Supreme Court. On January 22, 2021, the Belgian Supreme Court partially
annulled the judgment of the Court of Appeal of Antwerp. The case was referred to the Court of Appeal of Brussels and is
currently pending with this Court which will need to make a new decision on the matter within the boundaries of the annulment
by the Belgian Supreme Court. It is likely that it will take the Court of Appeal of Brussels several years to decide on the matter.
No assurance can be given as to the outcome of these or other proceedings. However, an unfavorable outcome of existing
or future proceedings could potentially lead to the annulment of the 2008 PICs Agreement. We do not expect the ultimate
resolution of this matter to have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows or financial position. No amounts
have been accrued by us with respect to this matter as the likelihood of loss is not considered to be probable.
Telekom Deutschland Litigation. On December 28, 2012, Unitymedia filed a lawsuit against Telekom Deutschland GmbH
(Telekom Deutschland) in which Unitymedia asserted that it pays excessive prices for the co-use of Telekom Deutschland’s
cable ducts in Unitymedia’s footprint. The Federal Network Agency approved rates for the co-use of certain ducts of Telekom
Deutschland in March 2011. Based in part on these approved rates, Unitymedia sought a reduction of the annual lease fees by
approximately five-sixths. In addition, Unitymedia sought the return of similarly calculated overpayments from 2009 through
the ultimate settlement date, plus accrued interest. In October 2016, the first instance court dismissed this action, and in March
2018, the court of appeal dismissed Unitymedia’s appeal of the first instance court’s decision. Unitymedia has since
successfully appealed the case to the Federal Court of Justice, and proceedings continue before the German courts. The
resolution of this matter may take several years and no assurance can be given that Unitymedia’s claims will be successful. In
connection with our sale of our former operations in Germany, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic to Vodafone (the
Vodafone Disposal Group) in 2019, we will only share in 50% of any amounts recovered, plus 50% of the net present value of
certain cost savings in future periods that are attributable to the favorable resolution of this matter, less 50% of associated legal
or other third-party fees paid post-completion of the sale of the Vodafone Disposal Group. Any amount we may recover related
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-118
to this matter will not be reflected in our consolidated financial statements until such time as the final disposition of this matter
has been reached.
Other Contingency Matters. In connection with the dispositions of certain of our operations, we provided tax indemnities to
the counterparties for certain tax liabilities that could arise from the period we owned the respective operations, the amounts of
which could be significant, subject to certain thresholds. No amounts have been accrued by our company related to unasserted
claims for indemnification, as the likelihood of any loss is not considered to be probable. Further, Liberty Global may be
entitled to certain amounts that our disposed operations may recover from taxing authorities. Any such amounts will not be
reflected in our consolidated financial statements until such time as the final disposition of such matters has been reached.
Other Regulatory Matters. Broadband internet, video distribution, fixed-line telephony, mobile and content businesses are
regulated in each of the countries in which we or our affiliates operate. The scope of regulation varies from country to country,
although in some significant respects regulation in European markets is harmonized under the regulatory structure of the E.U.
Adverse regulatory developments could subject our businesses to a number of risks. Regulation, including conditions imposed
on us by competition or other authorities as a requirement to close acquisitions or dispositions, could limit growth, revenue and
the number and types of services offered and could lead to increased operating costs and property and equipment additions.
Regulation may also restrict our operations and subject them to further competitive pressure, including pricing restrictions,
interconnect and other access obligations and restrictions or controls on content, including content provided by third parties.
Failure to comply with current or future regulation could expose our businesses to various penalties.
In addition to the foregoing items, we have contingent liabilities related to matters arising in the ordinary course of
business, including (i) legal proceedings, (ii) issues involving VAT and wage, property, withholding and other tax issues and
(iii) disputes over interconnection, programming, copyright and channel carriage fees. While we generally expect that the
amounts required to satisfy these contingencies will not materially differ from any estimated amounts we have accrued, no
assurance can be given that the resolution of one or more of these contingencies will not result in a material impact on our
results of operations, cash flows or financial position in any given period. Due, in general, to the complexity of the issues
involved and, in certain cases, the lack of a clear basis for predicting outcomes, we cannot provide a meaningful range of
potential losses or cash outflows that might result from any unfavorable outcomes.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-119
(19) Segment Reporting
Our CEO, whom we have determined to be our Chief Operating Decision Maker (CODM), views our business as three
strategic platforms, “Liberty Telecom” (our converged broadband, video and mobile communications businesses), “Liberty
Growth” (our global investment arm comprised of various technology, media/content, sports, digital infrastructure and other
growth assets) and “Liberty Services” (our innovative technology and finance service platforms offered by our centralized
functions), each as further discussed below. Performance of our business is assessed and resources are allocated by our CODM
on a segment basis. We generally identify our reportable segments as (i) those consolidated subsidiaries that represent 10% or
more of our total reportable segment revenue or proportionate Adjusted EBITDA (as defined below) or (ii) those equity method
affiliates where revenue or our share of Adjusted EBITDA represents 10% or more of our total reportable segment revenue or
proportionate Adjusted EBITDA, respectively. In certain cases, we may elect to include an operating segment in our segment
disclosure that does not meet the above-described criteria for a reportable segment. Adjusted EBITDA is the primary measure
used by our CODM to evaluate segment operating performance and make decisions about allocating resources to our operating
segments. The CODM uses Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate income generated from our segment assets in deciding whether to
reinvest profits into other areas of our business, such as for acquisitions or investments. Adjusted EBITDA is also used to
monitor budget versus actual results, which is used in assessing the performance of segments in comparison with one another
and in establishing management’s compensation. The significant accounting policies of our segments are the same as those
described in note 3. In addition, our CODM reviews non-financial measures such as customer growth, as appropriate, but does
not review any measure of total assets.
As we use the term, “Adjusted EBITDA” is defined as earnings (loss) from continuing operations before net income tax
benefit (expense), other non-operating income or expenses, net share of results of affiliates, net gains (losses) on debt
extinguishment, net realized and unrealized gains (losses) due to changes in fair values of certain investments, net foreign
currency transaction gains (losses), net gains (losses) on derivative instruments, net interest expense, depreciation and
amortization, share-based compensation, provisions and provision releases related to significant litigation and impairment,
restructuring and other operating items. Other operating items include (i) gains and losses on the disposition of long-lived
assets, (ii) third-party costs directly associated with successful and unsuccessful acquisitions and dispositions, including legal,
advisory and due diligence fees, as applicable, and (iii) other acquisition-related items, such as gains and losses on the
settlement of contingent consideration. Our internal decision makers believe Adjusted EBITDA is a meaningful measure
because it represents a transparent view of our recurring operating performance that is unaffected by our capital structure and
allows management to (a) readily view operating trends, (b) perform analytical comparisons and benchmarking between
segments and (c) identify strategies to improve operating performance in the different countries in which we operate. A
reconciliation of total reportable segment Adjusted EBITDA to earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes
is presented below.
As of December 31, 2024, our reportable segments are as follows:
Consolidated:
•
Telenet
•
VM Ireland
Nonconsolidated:
•
VMO2 JV
•
VodafoneZiggo JV
Telenet, VM Ireland, the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV are included in our “Liberty Telecom” strategic platform
and derive their revenue primarily from residential and B2B communications services, including broadband internet, video,
fixed-line telephony and mobile services.
Our previously defined “Central and Other” reportable segment has been reorganized into various other operating
segments, which are not separately or in the aggregate identified as reportable segments. Prior periods have been revised in
accordance with this reorganization.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-120
The “Liberty Growth” strategic platform, included in the “all other category”, comprises certain investments in technology,
media/content, sports and digital infrastructure companies that we view as scalable businesses, which derive their revenue from
providing various goods, services and content to customers (Liberty Growth).
The “Liberty Services” strategic platform, included in the “all other category”, primarily includes our technology and
services operating segments that generate revenue through sales of CPE to our reportable segments and certain third parties, and
providing certain centralized back office functions, including network operations and technology solutions (Liberty Services).
We also have certain corporate activities that are included in the “all other category”, which include (i) revenue associated
with certain finance and administrative services provided to various third parties and affiliates pursuant to service agreements
and (ii) costs associated with certain centralized functions including billing systems, marketing, facilities, finance and other
administrative functions.
Liberty Growth, Liberty Services and our corporate activities are all included in the “all other category” as they do not
meet the reportable segment quantitative thresholds.
We present only the reportable segments of our continuing operations in the tables below.
Our centrally-managed technology and innovation function (our T&I Function) provides, and allocates charges for,
certain products and services to our reportable segments (the Tech Framework). These products and services include CPE
hardware and related essential software, maintenance, hosting and other services. Our reportable segments capitalize the
combined cost of the CPE hardware and a portion of the essential software as property and equipment additions and the
corresponding amounts charged by our T&I Function are reflected as revenue when earned.
During the second quarter of 2023, we determined to market and sell certain of our internally-developed software to third
parties. As a result of these strategic and operational changes, from May 2023, proceeds from the licensing and related sale of
products from this internally-developed software (including proceeds generated from our arrangements with the VMO2 JV and
the VodafoneZiggo JV) were applied against the net book value of our existing internally-developed capitalized software. As of
December 31, 2023, the net book value of our existing internally-developed software was reduced to zero, after which time we
began recognizing revenue for such licensing and related sale of products. Further, from May 2023, we expense the costs of
development of such software due to the fact that it is able to be externally marketed to third parties. During the year ended
December 31, 2023, revenue was reduced by $127.7 million, including $69.3 million from the VMO2 JV and $41.0 million
from the VodafoneZiggo JV, as a result of this change and the associated accounting treatment.
Performance Measures of our Reportable Segments
The amounts presented in the tables below represent 100% of each of our consolidated and nonconsolidated reportable
segment’s revenue, expenses and Adjusted EBITDA, despite only holding a 50% noncontrolling interest in both the VMO2 JV
and the VodafoneZiggo JV. We account for our 50% interest in both the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV as an equity
method investment and as such, our share of the operating results of the VMO2 JV and the VodafoneZiggo JV is included in
share of results of affiliates, net, in our consolidated statements of operations. The noncontrolling owners’ interests in the
operating results of Telenet prior to the Telenet Takeover Bid, and other less significant majority-owned subsidiaries are
reflected in net earnings or loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in our consolidated statements of operations.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-121
Revenue
Third-party
and affiliate
Intersegment
Total
in millions
Year ended December 31, 2024:
Telenet ........................................................................................................... $
3,084.2 $
0.2 $
3,084.4
VM Ireland ....................................................................................................
487.9
3.5
491.4
VMO2 JV (nonconsolidated JV) ...................................................................
13,649.7
—
13,649.7
VodafoneZiggo JV (nonconsolidated JV) .....................................................
4,450.5
—
4,450.5
Total reportable segment revenue ............................................................... $
21,672.3 $
3.7
21,676.0
Plus: all other category (a) ..................................................................................................................................
1,013.6
Less: nonconsolidated JV revenue ......................................................................................................................
(18,100.2)
Less: elimination of intercompany consolidated revenue (b) .............................................................................
(247.5)
Total consolidated revenue .............................................................................................................................
$
4,341.9
Year ended December 31, 2023:
Telenet ........................................................................................................... $
3,089.2 $
— $
3,089.2
VM Ireland ....................................................................................................
502.3
3.8
506.1
VMO2 JV (nonconsolidated JV) ...................................................................
13,574.1
—
13,574.1
VodafoneZiggo JV (nonconsolidated JV) .....................................................
4,450.5
—
4,450.5
Total reportable segment revenue ............................................................... $
21,616.1 $
3.8
21,619.9
Plus: all other category (a) ..................................................................................................................................
776.2
Less: nonconsolidated JV revenue ......................................................................................................................
(18,024.6)
Less: elimination of intercompany consolidated revenue (b) .............................................................................
(255.7)
Total consolidated revenue .............................................................................................................................
$
4,115.8
Year ended December 31, 2022:
Telenet ........................................................................................................... $
2,807.3 $
— $
2,807.3
VM Ireland ....................................................................................................
491.4
3.3
494.7
VMO2 JV (nonconsolidated JV) ...................................................................
12,857.2
—
12,857.2
VodafoneZiggo JV (nonconsolidated JV) .....................................................
4,284.6
—
4,284.6
Total reportable segment revenue ............................................................... $
20,440.5 $
3.3
20,443.8
Plus: all other category (a) ..................................................................................................................................
960.9
Less: nonconsolidated JV revenue ......................................................................................................................
(17,141.8)
Less: elimination of intercompany consolidated revenue (b) .............................................................................
(245.4)
Total consolidated revenue .............................................................................................................................
$
4,017.5
_____________
(a)
Amounts include revenue from (i) third parties and affiliates of $174.9 million, $142.3 million and $203.7 million,
respectively, (ii) services agreements with our nonconsolidated JV reportable segments, as further described in note 7, of
$594.9 million, $382.0 million and $515.1 million, respectively, and (iii) our consolidated reportable segments of
$243.8 million, $251.9 million and $242.1 million.
(b)
Primarily reflects the elimination of (i) the revenue recognized related to the Tech Framework and (ii) transactions
between our continuing and discontinued operations.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-122
The expense categories and amounts presented below align with the segment-level information that is regularly provided
to the CODM. These amounts include intersegment expenses and are exclusive of share-based compensation expense.
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
Programming
and other
direct costs of
services
Operating
expenses
Programming
and other
direct costs of
services
Operating
expenses
Programming
and other
direct costs of
services
Operating
expenses
in millions
Consolidated reportable segments:
Telenet ................................................ $
764.5 $ 1,027.7 $
789.1 $
984.9 $
657.9 $
849.8
VM Ireland .......................................... $
127.7 $
185.4 $
139.0 $
185.7 $
134.2 $
176.9
Nonconsolidated reportable segments:
VMO2 JV ............................................ $
4,710.7 $ 4,435.6 $
4,645.4 $ 4,397.4 $
4,238.6 $ 4,056.4
VodafoneZiggo JV .............................. $
912.2 $ 1,504.4 $
903.9 $ 1,574.1 $
886.6 $ 1,380.0
Adjusted EBITDA
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Telenet ........................................................................................................................ $
1,292.2 $
1,315.2 $
1,299.6
VM Ireland .................................................................................................................
178.3
181.4
183.6
VMO2 JV (nonconsolidated JV) ...............................................................................
4,503.4
4,531.3
4,562.2
VodafoneZiggo JV (nonconsolidated JV) .................................................................
2,033.9
1,972.5
2,018.0
Total reportable segment Adjusted EBITDA ......................................................... $
8,007.8 $
8,000.4 $
8,063.4
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-123
The following table provides a reconciliation of total reportable segment Adjusted EBITDA to earnings (loss) from
continuing operations before income taxes:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Total reportable segment Adjusted EBITDA ........................................................... $
8,007.8 $
8,000.4 $
8,063.4
Plus: all other category (a) ......................................................................................
(188.7)
(215.1)
75.2
Less: nonconsolidated JV Adjusted EBITDA ........................................................
(6,537.3)
(6,503.8)
(6,580.2)
Less: intercompany consolidated eliminations (b) .................................................
(122.0)
(131.1)
(129.4)
Share-based compensation expense .......................................................................
(168.3)
(204.8)
(163.2)
Depreciation and amortization ...............................................................................
(1,002.0)
(1,216.4)
(1,093.6)
Impairment, restructuring and other operating items, net ......................................
(49.6)
(43.0)
(62.3)
Operating income (loss) .......................................................................................
(60.1)
(313.8)
109.9
Interest expense ........................................................................................................
(574.7)
(505.0)
(300.9)
Realized and unrealized gains on derivative instruments, net ..................................
315.2
78.3
854.4
Foreign currency transaction gains (losses), net .......................................................
1,756.5
(719.7)
1,298.8
Realized and unrealized losses due to changes in fair values of certain
investments, net .....................................................................................................
(28.4)
(556.6)
(317.0)
Share of results of affiliates, net ...............................................................................
(205.6)
(2,018.4)
(1,268.3)
Gain on sale of All3Media ........................................................................................
242.9
—
—
Gain associated with the Formula E Acquisition .....................................................
190.7
—
—
Gain associated with the Telenet Wyre Transaction ................................................
—
377.8
—
Gain on Telenet Tower Sale .....................................................................................
—
—
700.5
Other income, net ......................................................................................................
201.8
211.4
101.0
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes ..................... $
1,838.3 $
(3,446.0) $
1,178.4
_____________
(a)
Amounts include development costs related to our internally-developed software subsequent to our decision in May 2023
to externally market such software.
(b)
Amounts relate to (i) the Adjusted EBITDA impact related to the Tech Framework and (ii) transactions between our
continuing and discontinued operations.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-124
Property and Equipment Additions of our Reportable Segments
The property and equipment additions of our reportable segments (including capital additions financed under capital-
related vendor financing or finance lease arrangements) are presented below and reconciled to the capital expenditure amounts
included in our consolidated statements of cash flows. For additional information concerning capital additions financed under
vendor financing and finance lease arrangements, see notes 10 and 12, respectively.
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Telenet ..................................................................................................................... $
876.6 $
746.6 $
643.0
VM Ireland ..............................................................................................................
173.4
176.7
147.4
VMO2 JV ................................................................................................................
2,661.3
2,478.9
2,785.0
VodafoneZiggo JV ..................................................................................................
928.9
989.8
999.3
Total reportable segment property and equipment additions ...............................
4,640.2
4,392.0
4,574.7
Plus: all other category (a) ......................................................................................
49.7
129.1
259.9
Less: nonconsolidated JV property and equipment additions .................................
(3,590.2)
(3,468.7)
(3,784.3)
Less: elimination of intercompany consolidated property and equipment
additions (b) .........................................................................................................
(37.8)
(38.0)
(37.1)
Total consolidated property and equipment additions .......................................
1,061.9
1,014.4
1,013.2
Assets acquired under capital-related vendor financing arrangements ...................
(76.8)
(96.3)
(72.2)
Assets acquired under finance leases ......................................................................
(7.4)
(20.9)
(33.8)
Changes in current liabilities related to capital expenditures .................................
(69.2)
24.7
(15.9)
Total capital expenditures, net ....................................................................... $
908.5 $
921.9 $
891.3
_______________
(a)
Includes (i) property and equipment additions representing centrally-owned assets that benefit other operating segments,
including development costs related to our internally-developed software prior to our decision to externally market such
software during the second quarter of 2023, and (ii) the net impact of certain centrally-procured network equipment that
is ultimately transferred to other operating segments.
(b)
Represents eliminations primarily related to the charges under the Tech Framework to each respective consolidated
reportable segment related to the portion of the charges attributed to centrally-held internally developed technology that
is embedded within our various CPE, as well as any applicable markup.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-125
Revenue by Major Category
Our revenue by major category is set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Residential revenue:
Residential fixed revenue (a):
Subscription revenue (b):
Broadband internet ............................................................................................... $
890.6 $
872.0 $
804.9
Video ....................................................................................................................
598.2
616.2
602.1
Fixed-line telephony .............................................................................................
196.0
217.0
229.0
Total subscription revenue ................................................................................
1,684.8
1,705.2
1,636.0
Non-subscription revenue .......................................................................................
21.6
21.3
30.0
Total residential fixed revenue ........................................................................
1,706.4
1,726.5
1,666.0
Residential mobile revenue (c):
Subscription revenue (b) .........................................................................................
487.1
487.1
454.4
Non-subscription revenue .......................................................................................
169.3
187.8
184.3
Total residential mobile revenue ..........................................................................
656.4
674.9
638.7
Total residential revenue ...................................................................................
2,362.8
2,401.4
2,304.7
B2B revenue (d):
Subscription revenue ................................................................................................
431.5
417.8
384.6
Non-subscription revenue .........................................................................................
411.3
440.8
398.8
Total B2B revenue ..................................................................................................
842.8
858.6
783.4
Other revenue (e) .........................................................................................................
1,136.3
855.8
929.4
Total ................................................................................................................... $
4,341.9 $
4,115.8 $
4,017.5
_______________
(a)
Residential fixed subscription revenue includes amounts received from subscribers for ongoing services and the
recognition of deferred installation revenue over the associated contract period. Residential fixed non-subscription
revenue includes, among other items, channel carriage fees, late fees and revenue from the sale of equipment.
(b)
Residential subscription revenue from subscribers who purchase bundled services at a discounted rate is generally
allocated proportionally to each service based on the standalone price for each individual service. As a result, changes in
the standalone pricing of our fixed and mobile products or the composition of bundles can contribute to changes in our
product revenue categories from period to period.
(c)
Residential mobile subscription revenue includes amounts received from subscribers for ongoing services. Residential
mobile non-subscription revenue includes, among other items, interconnect revenue and revenue from sales of mobile
handsets and other devices.
(d)
B2B subscription revenue represents revenue from (i) services provided to small or home office (SOHO) subscribers and
(ii) mobile services provided to medium and large enterprises. SOHO subscribers pay a premium price to receive
expanded service levels along with broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony or mobile services that are the same
or similar to the mass marketed products offered to our residential subscribers. B2B non-subscription revenue includes
(a) revenue from business broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony and data services offered to medium and large
enterprises and, fixed-line and mobile services on a wholesale basis, to other operators and (b) revenue from long-term
leases of portions of our network.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-126
(e)
Other revenue includes, among other items, (i) broadcasting revenue at Telenet and VM Ireland, (ii) revenue earned from
the U.K. JV Services and NL JV Services and (iii) revenue earned from the sale of CPE to the VMO2 JV and the
VodafoneZiggo JV.
Geographic Segments
The revenue of our geographic segments is set forth below:
Year ended December 31,
2024
2023
2022
in millions
Belgium ........................................................................................................................ $
2,921.1 $
2,948.2 $
2,807.3
Ireland ...........................................................................................................................
491.4
506.1
494.7
Slovakia ........................................................................................................................
51.1
51.8
49.9
Other, including elimination of intercompany consolidated revenue (a) .....................
878.3
609.7
665.6
Total ........................................................................................................................... $
4,341.9 $
4,115.8 $
4,017.5
VMO2 JV (U.K.) .......................................................................................................... $ 13,649.7 $ 13,574.1 $ 12,857.2
VodafoneZiggo JV (Netherlands) ................................................................................ $
4,450.5 $
4,450.5 $
4,284.6
_______________
(a)
Revenue from our other geographic segments primarily relates to (i) the activities within our Liberty Services strategic
platform and our corporate activities, as described above, most of which are located in the Netherlands and the U.K., and
(ii) certain other operations at Telenet, primarily in the U.S. and Luxembourg.
The long-lived assets, which we define as property and equipment, net and ROU assets, of our geographic segments are set
forth below:
December 31,
2024
2023
in millions
Belgium ........................................................................................................................................... $
4,022.3 $
4,104.6
Ireland ..............................................................................................................................................
696.2
677.7
Slovakia ...........................................................................................................................................
51.2
57.3
Other (a) ...........................................................................................................................................
322.6
296.8
Consolidated intercompany eliminations ........................................................................................
(55.8)
(69.9)
Total ............................................................................................................................................ $
5,036.5 $
5,066.5
VMO2 JV (U.K.) ............................................................................................................................. $
12,061.1 $
11,442.6
VodafoneZiggo JV (Netherlands) ................................................................................................... $
5,156.0 $
5,605.9
_______________
(a)
Primarily relates to (i) certain long-lived assets associated with our corporate activities located in the Netherlands, the
U.K. and the U.S. and (ii) certain other operations at Telenet, primarily in the U.S. and Luxembourg.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-127
(20) Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited)
2024
1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
in millions, except per share amounts
Revenue:
As previously reported ................................................................. $
1,945.1 $
1,873.7 $
1,935.2 $
1,123.2
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ...................................
(853.8)
(815.8)
(865.7)
—
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
1,091.3 $
1,057.9 $
1,069.5 $
1,123.2
Operating income (loss):
As previously reported ................................................................ $
22.6 $
19.1 $
101.3 $
(48.2)
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ..................................
(34.9)
(52.1)
(67.9)
—
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
(12.3) $
(33.0) $
33.4 $
(48.2)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations:
As previously reported ................................................................ $
527.0 $
275.2 $
(1,410.9) $
2,334.2
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ..................................
107.5
48.9
(12.8)
—
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
634.5 $
324.1 $
(1,423.7) $
2,334.2
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to
Liberty Global shareholders:
As previously reported ................................................................ $
510.0 $
268.1 $
(1,434.1) $
2,323.6
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ..................................
107.5
48.9
(12.8)
—
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
617.5 $
317.0 $
(1,446.9) $
2,323.6
Net earnings (loss) ......................................................................... $
527.0 $
275.2 $
(1,410.9) $
2,254.6
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders .... $
510.0 $
268.1 $
(1,434.1) $
2,244.0
Basic earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders
per share (note 3):
Continuing operations ............................................................... $
1.63 $
0.85 $
(3.99) $
6.54
Discontinued operations ............................................................
(0.28)
(0.13)
0.04
(0.22)
$
1.35 $
0.72 $
(3.95) $
6.32
Diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global
shareholders per share (note 3):
Continuing operations ............................................................... $
1.60 $
0.84 $
(3.99) $
6.33
Discontinued operations ............................................................
(0.28)
(0.13)
0.04
(0.22)
$
1.32 $
0.71 $
(3.95) $
6.11
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-128
2023
1st quarter
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
4th quarter
in millions, except per share amounts
Revenue:
As previously reported ................................................................. $
1,868.4 $
1,848.0 $
1,854.5 $
1,920.5
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ...................................
(806.2)
(815.7)
(857.1)
(896.6)
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
1,062.2 $
1,032.3 $
997.4 $
1,023.9
Operating income (loss):
As previously reported ................................................................ $
37.4 $
(49.2) $
(27.4) $
(205.3)
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ..................................
(19.1)
(17.6)
(65.4)
32.8
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
18.3 $
(66.8) $
(92.8) $
(172.5)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations:
As previously reported ................................................................ $
(713.5) $
(511.3) $
822.7 $
(3,471.7)
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ..................................
36.2
33.3
37.1
108.1
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
(677.3) $
(478.0) $
859.8 $
(3,363.6)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to
Liberty Global shareholders:
As previously reported ................................................................ $
(721.4) $
(499.6) $
659.2 $
(3,489.9)
Effect of discontinued operations (note 6) ..................................
36.2
33.3
37.1
108.1
As adjusted ............................................................................... $
(685.2) $
(466.3) $
696.3 $
(3,381.8)
Net earnings (loss) ......................................................................... $
(713.5) $
(511.3) $
822.7 $
(3,471.7)
Net earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders .... $
(721.4) $
(499.6) $
659.2 $
(3,489.9)
Basic earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global shareholders
per share (note 3):
Continuing operations ............................................................... $
(1.51) $
(1.05) $
1.67 $
(8.64)
Discontinued operations ............................................................
(0.08)
(0.08)
(0.09)
(0.28)
$
(1.59) $
(1.13) $
1.58 $
(8.92)
Diluted earnings (loss) attributable to Liberty Global
shareholders per share (note 3):
Continuing operations ............................................................... $
(1.51) $
(1.05) $
1.66 $
(8.64)
Discontinued operations ............................................................
(0.08)
(0.08)
(0.09)
(0.28)
$
(1.59) $
(1.13) $
1.57 $
(8.92)
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — (Continued)
December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022
II-129
PART III
The capitalized terms used in Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are defined in the notes to our consolidated
financial statements. In the following text, the terms, “we,” “our,” “our company” and “us” may refer, as the context requires, to
Liberty Global or collectively to Liberty Global and its subsidiaries.
Except as indicated below, the following required information is incorporated by reference to our definitive proxy
statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, which we intend to hold during the second quarter of 2025.
Item 10.
DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information required by Item 408(b)(1) of Regulation S-K is included below and
accordingly will not be incorporated by reference to our definitive proxy statement.
Item 11.
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Item 12.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The information required by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K is included below and accordingly
will not be incorporated by reference to our definitive proxy statement.
Item 13.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR
INDEPENDENCE
Item 14.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
Our independent registered public accounting firm is KPMG LLP, Denver, CO
Auditor Firm ID: 185
We intend to file our definitive proxy statement for our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on or before April 28, 2025.
Item 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Insider Trading Policy
Liberty Global has an insider trading policy governing the purchase, sale, and other dispositions of Liberty Global’s
securities that applies to all Liberty Global personnel, including directors, officers and employees. Liberty Global also follows
procedures for the repurchase of its securities. We believe our insider trading policy and repurchase procedures are reasonably
designed to promote compliance with insider trading laws, rules and regulations, and listing standards applicable to Liberty
Global. A copy of Liberty Global’s insider trading policy is filed as Exhibit 19.1 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
III-1
Item 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED
SHAREHOLDER MATTERS
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2024 with respect to our common shares that are authorized
for issuance under our equity compensation plans.
Equity Compensation Plan Information
Plan Category
Number of
securities to be
issued upon
exercise of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights (1)(2)
Weighted average
exercise price of
outstanding
options, warrants
and rights (1)(2)
Number of
securities
available for
future issuance
under equity
compensation
plans (excluding
securities reflected
in the first column)
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders:
Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan (3):
38,692,888
Liberty Global Class A common shares .....................................
6,286,319 $
9.68
Liberty Global Class C common shares .....................................
9,125,285 $
10.21
Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (4):
Liberty Global Class A common shares .....................................
36,847,379 $
15.20
Liberty Global Class C common shares .....................................
83,400,125 $
15.00
Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan (4):
Liberty Global Class A common shares .....................................
961,156 $
16.35
Liberty Global Class C common shares .....................................
4,409,818 $
14.23
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders:
None ...............................................................................................
—
—
Totals:
Total common shares available for issuance ..................................
38,692,888
Liberty Global Class A common shares ........................................
44,094,854
Liberty Global Class C common shares .........................................
96,935,228
_______________
(1)
This table includes (i) SARs and PSARs with respect to 37,698,206 and 5,236,652 Liberty Global Class A common
shares, respectively, and 81,533,069 and 10,198,174 Liberty Global Class C common shares, respectively. Upon
exercise, the appreciation of a SAR, which is the difference between the base price of the SAR and the then-market value
of the respective underlying class of common shares or in certain cases, if lower, a specified price, may be paid in shares
of the applicable class of common shares. Based upon the respective market prices of Liberty Global Class A and Class
C common shares at December 31, 2024 and excluding any related tax effects, 3,180,599 and 5,586,122 Liberty Global
Class A and Liberty Global Class C common shares, respectively, would have been issued if all outstanding and in-the-
money SARs had been exercised on December 31, 2024. For further information, see note 15 to our consolidated
financial statements.
(2)
In addition to the option, SAR and PSAR information included in this table, there are outstanding RSU and PSU awards
under the various incentive plans with respect to an aggregate of 4,659,987 and 7,466,641, Liberty Global Class A and
Liberty Global Class C common shares, respectively.
(3)
The Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan permits grants of, or with respect to, Liberty Global Class A, Class B, or Class C
common shares subject to a single aggregate limit of 43,284,342 shares, subject to anti-dilution adjustments. As of
December 31, 2024, an aggregate of 38,692,888 common shares were available for issuance pursuant to the incentive
plan but, consistent with the terms and intent of the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan, we expect the compensation
III-2
committee of our board of directors to upwardly adjust the number of shares available for grant as a result of the Spin-
off. For further information, see note 15 to our consolidated financial statements.
(4)
On June 14, 2023, our shareholders approved the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan and, accordingly, no further awards
will be granted under the Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan or the Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director
Incentive Plan.
III-3
PART IV
Item 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) (1)
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The financial statements required under this Item begin on page II-41 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(a) (2)
FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
The financial statement schedules required under this Item are as follows:
Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts ...........................................................................................................
IV-6
(a) (3)
EXHIBITS
Listed below are the exhibits filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K (according to the number assigned to them
in Item 601 of Regulation S-K). Each reference to the Registrant includes the Registrant’s predecessors, as applicable.
2 -- Plan of Acquisition, Reorganization, Arrangement, Liquidation or Succession:
2.1 Sale and Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 22, 2021, by and among Liberty Global plc , UPC Poland
Holding B.V., P4 sp.z o.o. and Iliad S.A. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to the Registrant’s Current
Report on Form 8-K filed September 23, 2021 (File No. 001-35961)).***
2.2 Master Separation Agreement, dated as of September 9, 2024, by and between Liberty Global Ltd. and Sunrise
Communications AG (incorporated by reference to Annex A to the Registrant’s Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A
filed September 20, 2024 (File No. 001-35961)).
3 -- Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws:
3.1 Bye-Laws of Liberty Global Ltd., adopted on November 23, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the
Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 24, 2023 (File No. 001-35961)).
4 -- Instruments Defining the Rights of Securities Holders, including Indentures:
4.1 Description of the Registrant’s Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 15, 2024
(File No. 001-35961) ).
Borrowing Obligations of Telenet Group
4.2 Indenture dated December 13, 2017 between Telenet Finance Luxembourg Notes S.a.r.l., The Bank of New York
Mellon, London Branch, as Trustee and Security Trustee and The Bank of New York Mellon SA/NV, Luxembourg
Branch, as Transfer Agent and Registrar (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the Registrant’s Current
Report on Form 8-K filed December 18, 2017 (File No. 000.35961)(the December 2017 8-K/A)).
4.3 Additional Facility AJ Accession Agreement dated December 13, 2017 and entered into between, among others,
Telenet International Finance S.a.r.l. as the Borrower, Telenet Financing USD LLC as a Guarantor, The Bank of
Nova Scotia as Facility Agent and KBC Bank NV as Security Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to
the December 2017 8-K/A).
4.4 Additional Facility AK Accession Agreement dated December 13, 2017 and entered into between, among others,
Telenet International Finance S.a.r.l. as the Borrower, Telenet Financing USD LLC as a Guarantor, The Bank of
Nova Scotia as Facility Agent and KBC Bank NV as Security Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 to
the December 2017 8-K/A).
4.5 Telenet Supplemental Agreement (Credit Agreement) dated November 16, 2018 between among others, Telenet
BVBA as the company, The Bank of Nova Scotia as facility agent and KBC Bank NV as security agent
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the November 2018 8-K ).
4.6 Additional Facility AR Accession Agreement dated January 24, 2020 and entered into between, among others,
Telenet Financing USD LLC as the Borrower, Telenet BVBA as a Guarantor and The Bank of Nova Scotia as the
Facility Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed
January 30, 2020 (File No. 001-35961) (the January 30, 2020 8-K)).
4.7 Additional Facility AQ Accession Agreement dated January 24, 2020 and entered into between, among others,
Telenet International Finance S.à r.l. as the Borrower, Telenet BVBA as a Guarantor and The Bank of Nova Scotia
as the Facility Agent (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the January 30, 2020 8-K).
IV-1
4.8 Supplemental Agreement dated April 6, 2020 between, among others, Telenet BV as company, The Bank of Nova
Scotia as facility agent and KBC Bank NV as security agent and attached as a schedule thereto, a copy of the
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated April 6, 2020, between, among others, Telenet BV as original
borrower and The Bank of Nova Scotia as facility agent and KBC Bank NV as security agent (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 10, 2020 (File No.
001-35961)).
4.9 Supplemental Agreement dated June 30, 2023 between, among others, Telenet BV as company, The Bank of Nova
Scotia as facility agent and KBC Bank NV as security agent and attached as a schedule thereto, a copy of the
Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated June 30, 2023, between, among others, Telenet BV as original
borrower and The Bank of Nova Scotia as facility agent and KBC Bank NV as security agent. (Incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Registrant's Current report on Form 8-K filed July 6, 2023 (File No. 001-35961)).
The Registrant undertakes to furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, a copy of all
instruments with respect to long-term debt not filed herewith.
10 -- Material Contracts:
Compensatory Plans or Arrangements
10.1 Deed of Assumption of Liberty Global Ltd. (f/k/a Liberty Global plc), dated June 7, 2013 (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 7, 2013 (File No. 001-35961).
10.2+ Deferred Compensation Plan (adopted effective December 15, 2008; Amended and Restated as of October 26,
2015)(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.29 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February
16, 2016 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.3+ Nonemployee Director Deferred Compensation Plan (Amended and Restated Effective December 11,
2015)(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.30 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February
16, 2016 (File No. 001-35961) ).
10.4+ Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (Amended and Restated effective November 24, 2023) (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 24, 2023 (File No.
001-35961)).
10.5+ Form of Share Appreciation Rights Agreement between the Registrant and its Chief Executive Officer under the
Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q filed August 4, 2016 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.6+ Form of Performance Restricted Share Units Agreement (SHIP) under the Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 8, 2019
(File No. 001-35961)).
10.7+ Form of Share Appreciation Rights Agreement under the Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 8, 2019 (File No.
001-35961)).
10.8+ Form of Share Appreciation Rights Agreement between the Registrant and its Chief Executive Officer under the
Liberty Global 2014 Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q filed November 6, 2019 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.9+ Liberty Global 2020 Annual Performance Award Program for executive officers under the Liberty Global 2014
Incentive Plan (description of said plan is incorporated by reference to the description thereof included in Item
5.02(e) of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 3, 2020 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.10+ Liberty Global 2020 Long-Term Equity Incentive Program for executive officers under the Liberty Global 2014
Incentive Plan (description of said plan is incorporated by reference to the description thereof included in Item
5.02(e) of the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 3, 2020 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.11+ Liberty Global 2021 Long-Term Equity Incentive Program for executive officers under the Liberty Global 2014
Incentive Plan (description of said plan is incorporated by reference to the description thereof included in Item
5.02(e) of Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 15, 2021 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.12+ Liberty Global Compensation Policy for Nonemployee Directors effective June 14, 2023 (incorporated by
reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed April 28, 2023 (File No.
001-35961)).
10.13+ Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan (Amended and Restated effective November 24, 2023)
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 24,
2023 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.14+ Form of Restricted Share Units Agreement under the Liberty Global 2014 Nonemployee Director Incentive Plan
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 5, 2014
(File No. 001-35961)).
10.15+ Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan (Amended and Restated effective November 24, 2023) (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed November 24, 2023 (File No.
001-35961)).
IV-2
10.16+ Form of Share Appreciation Rights Agreement under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed July 24, 2023 (File No.
001-35961)).
10.17+ Form of Restricted Share Units Agreement (3-year vesting) under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed July 24, 2023
(File No. 001-35961)).
10.18+ Form of Restricted Share Units Agreement (4-year vesting) under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed July 24, 2023
(File No. 001-35961)).
10.19+ Form of Non-Qualified Share Option Agreement under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.5 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed July 24, 2023 (File No.
001-35961)).
10.20+ Form of Non-Executive Director Restricted Share Units Agreement under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed July 24, 2023
(File No. 001-35961)).
10.21+ Form of Performance Share Units Agreement under the Liberty Global 2023 Incentive Plan (incorporated by
reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed July 25, 2024 (File No.
001-35961)).
Employment Agreements
10.22+ Executive Service Agreement, dated December 15, 2004, between UPC Services Limited and Charles Bracken
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.36 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 24,
2010 (File No. 000-51360)).
10.23+ Employment Agreement, dated May 19, 2005, by and between Liberty Global Europe Limited (f/k/a UGC Europe
Services Ltd.) and Andrea Salvato, assigned by Liberty Global Europe Limited to Liberty Global Holdings Limited
(f/k/a Liberty Global plc) on November 1, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the Registrant’s
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 3, 2020 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.24+ Employment Agreement dated as of June 28, 2018, between Liberty Global, Inc. and Enrique Rodriguez
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 8, 2018
(File No. 001-35961)).
10.25+ Amended and Restated Employment Agreement dated as of April 30, 2019, by and among the Liberty Global
Holdings Limited (f/k/a Liberty Global plc), Liberty Global Inc. and Michael T. Fries (incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 10.9 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 8, 2019 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.26+ Employment Agreement, dated May 21, 2020, by and between Liberty Global, Inc. and Bryan H. Hall
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed August 3, 2020
(File No. 001-35961)).
Shareholder Agreements
10.27 Shareholders’ Agreement, dated December 31, 2016, by and among, Vodafone International Holdings B.V.,
Vodafone Group Plc, Liberty Global Europe Holding B.V., the Registrant and Lynx Global Europe II B.V.
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed January 6, 2017
(File No. 001-35961)).
10.28 Shareholders Agreement, dated June 1, 2021, by and among Liberty Global Ltd. (f/k/a Liberty Global plc), Liberty
Global Europe 2 Limited, Liberty Global Holdco Limited, Telefonica, S.A. and Telefonica O2 Holdings Limited
(incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 4, 2021 (File
No. 001-35961)).
Other Agreements and Policies
10.29+ Form of Indemnification Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Current Report
on Form 8-K 12B filed November 24, 2023 (File No. 001-35961)).
10.30+ Form of Aircraft Time Sharing Agreement (7X) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.29 to the Registrant’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 13, 2013 (File No. 000-51360)).
10.31+ Personal Usage of Aircraft Policy, restated June 7, 2013 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31 to the
Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 16, 2016 (File No. 001-35961)).
19 -- Insider Trading Policies and Procedures:
19.1 Insider Trading Policy*
21 -- List of Subsidiaries*
23 -- Consent of Experts and Counsel:
23.1 Consent of KPMG LLP*
31 -- Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification:
IV-3
31.1 Certification of President and Chief Executive Officer*
31.2 Certification of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer)*
32 -- Section 1350 Certification **
97 -- Policy relating to recovery of erroneously awarded compensation, as required by applicable listing standards adopted
pursuant to 17 CFR 240.10D-1:
97.1 Liberty Global Ltd. Compensation Recovery Policy (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 97.1 to the Registrant’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K filed February 15, 2024 (File No. 001-35961) ).
101.SCH Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document*
101.CAL Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document*
101.DEF Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase*
101.LAB Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document*
101.PRE
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document*
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)*
_______________
*
Filed herewith
**
Furnished herewith
***
Schedules and similar attachments to the agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K.
The Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish supplemental copies of any of the omitted schedules and similar
attachments upon request by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
+
This document has been identified as a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
Item 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
IV-4
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
LIBERTY GLOBAL LTD.
Dated: February 18, 2025
/s/ BRYAN H. HALL
Bryan H. Hall
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following
persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the date indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ JOHN C. MALONE
Chairman of the Board
February 18, 2025
John C. Malone
/s/ MICHAEL T. FRIES
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
February 18, 2025
Michael T. Fries
/s/ ANDREW J. COLE
Director
February 18, 2025
Andrew J. Cole
/s/ MIRANDA CURTIS
Director
February 18, 2025
Miranda Curtis
/s/ MARISA D. DREW
Director
February 18, 2025
Marisa D. Drew
/s/ PAUL A. GOULD
Director
February 18, 2025
Paul A. Gould
/s/ RICHARD R. GREEN
Director
February 18, 2025
Richard R. Green
/s/ LARRY ROMRELL
Director
February 18, 2025
Larry Romrell
/s/ DANIEL E. SANCHEZ
Director
February 18, 2025
Daniel E. Sanchez
/s/ J. DAVID WARGO
Director
February 18, 2025
J. David Wargo
/s/ ANTHONY G. WERNER
Director
February 18, 2025
Anthony G. Werner
/s/ CHARLES H.R. BRACKEN
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
February 18, 2025
Charles H.R. Bracken
/s/ JASON WALDRON
Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer
February 18, 2025
Jason Waldron
IV-5