Company: FOX
Filing Date: 2025-10-30
Form Type: 10-Q
Source: 0001628280-25-047354
Chunk: 50

Company: Fox Corp
Filing Date: 2025-10-30
Form: 10-Q
Item: Part I, Item 8
Chunk 50
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21CF News Corporation Separation arising out of civil claims and investigations relating to phone hacking, illegal data access and inappropriate payments to public officials that occurred at subsidiaries of News Corporation before the 21CF News Corporation Separation, as well as legal and professional fees and expenses paid in connection with the related criminal matters, other than fees, expenses and costs relating to employees who are not (i) directors, officers or certain designated employees or (ii) with respect to civil matters, co-defendants with News Corporation (the “U.K. Newspaper Matters Indemnity”). In accordance with the separation agreement entered into connection with the separation of 21CF and the Company in 2019 and 21CF becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (“Disney”) (the “Transaction”), the Company assumed certain costs and liabilities related to the U.K. Newspaper Matters Indemnity. The liability recorded in the Balance Sheets related to the indemnity was approximately $30 million as of June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025.Defamation and Disparagement ClaimsFrom time to time, the Company and its news businesses, including FOX News Media and the FOX Television Stations, and their employees are subject to lawsuits alleging defamation or disparagement. This includes the lawsuit filed by Smartmatic USA Corp. and certain of its affiliates (collectively, “Smartmatic”) in February 2021 seeking $2.7 billion in damages.

11

FOX CORPORATIONNOTES TO THE UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Company continues to believe the Smartmatic and other pending lawsuits alleging defamation or disparagement are without merit and intends to defend against them vigorously, including through any appeals. The parties filed motions for summary judgment in the Smartmatic case on April 30, 2025, and opposition and reply briefs were filed on June 18, 2025 and July 28, 2025, respectively. A hearing on the motions is scheduled for December 2, 2025. At this time, a trial in the Smartmatic lawsuit is not expected to commence until early 2026 at the earliest. The Company is unable to predict the final outcome of these matters and has determined that a loss in the Smartmatic case is neither probable nor reasonably estimable. There can be no assurance that the ultimate resolution of these pending matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.On April 11, 2023 and April