Related Party Transactions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions

Consensus

As of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company held approximately 1.0 million and 1.1 million shares of the common stock of Consensus, respectively, representing approximately 5% of the Consensus outstanding common stock at each period end. The Company determined that Consensus was no longer a related party after September 30, 2022. Related party transactions with Consensus through September 30, 2022 are included within the disclosures below.

In preparation for and in executing the Separation, the Company incurred transaction-related costs, some of which were reimbursed by Consensus, of approximately $23.3 million (excluding costs associated with the debt exchange noted below), before reimbursement by Consensus. These transaction costs primarily related to professional fees associated with preparation of regulatory filings and transaction execution and separation activities within finance, tax, and legal functions. During the year ended December 31, 2021, Ziff Davis received or expected to receive approximately $11.7 million (excluding the reimbursement of a portion of the debt exchange noted below) from Consensus resulting in net transaction costs of $11.6 million. These net transaction-related costs were recorded in ‘General, administrative, and other related costs’ component of ‘Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes’ within the Consolidated Statement of Operations. During the year ended December 31, 2021, Consensus also reimbursed Ziff Davis for certain costs associated with the debt exchange in connection with the Separation totaling $7.5 million, which was recorded as an offset to the loss on extinguishment of debt on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. In addition, Consensus paid the Company approximately $8.5 million subsequent to the Separation due to excess cash held at the Separation date net of other related items pursuant to the Separation and Distribution Agreement.

In connection with the Separation, Ziff Davis and Consensus entered into several agreements that govern the relationship of the parties following the Separation, including a separation and distribution agreement, a transition services agreement, a tax matters agreement, an employee matters agreement, an intellectual property license agreement, and a stockholder and registration rights agreement. The transition services agreement governs services including certain information technology services, finance and accounting services, and human resource and employee benefit services. The agreed-upon charges for such services are generally intended to allow the providing company to recover all costs and expenses of providing such services, and nearly all such services were terminated without extension twelve months after the Separation. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded an offset to expense of approximately $1.2 million and $2.1 million, respectively, from Consensus related to the transition services agreement within ‘General, administrative, and other related costs’ within the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Further, the Company assigned its lease of office space in Los Angeles, California to Consensus. Ziff Davis remained the lessee under this lease and its obligations remained in place through October 7, 2022, after which time Consensus took over the lease in full. During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded an offset to lease expense of approximately $1.5 million and $0.5 million, respectively, related to this lease, however, Consensus paid the landlord directly and not Ziff Davis. Amounts due from Consensus as of December 31, 2021 were $9.3 million (comprised of $2.1 million related to services provided under the transition services agreement and $7.2 million related to reimbursement of certain transaction related costs and other reimbursements), and are included in within ‘Accounts receivable’ within the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

OCV

OCV is considered a related party because it is an investment that is accounted for by the equity method. On September 25, 2017, the Company entered into a commitment to invest $200.0 million (approximately 76.6% of equity) in the OCV Fund. The primary purpose of the OCV Fund is to provide a limited number of select investors with the opportunity to realize long-term appreciation from public and private companies, with a particular focus on the technology and life science industries. The general activities of the OCV Fund is to buy, sell, hold, and otherwise invest in securities of every kind and nature and rights and options with respect thereto, including, without limitation, stock, notes, bonds, debentures, and evidence of indebtedness; to exercise all rights, powers, privileges, and other incidents of ownership or possession with respect to securities held or owned by the OCV Fund; to enter into, make and perform all contracts and other undertakings; and to engage in all activities and transactions as may be necessary, advisable, or desirable to carry out the foregoing.

The manager, OCV Management, LLC, and general partner of the OCV Fund are entities with respect to which Richard S. Ressler, former Chairman of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company, is indirectly the majority equity holder. Mr. Ressler’s tenure with the Board ended as of May 10, 2022. As a limited partner in the OCV Fund, prior to the settlement of certain litigation generally related to the Company’s investment in the OCV Fund in January 2022, the Company paid an annual management fee to the manager equal to 2.0% of capital commitments. In addition, subject to the terms and conditions of the Fund’s limited partnership agreement, once the Company has received distributions equal to its invested capital, the OCV Fund’s general partner would be entitled to a carried interest equal to 20%. The OCV Fund has a six year investment period, subject to certain exceptions. The commitment was approved by the Audit Committee of the Board in accordance with the Company’s related-party transaction approval policy. At the time of the settlement of the litigation (see Note 12 — Commitments and Contingencies), the Company had invested approximately $128.8 million in the OCV Fund. In connection with the settlement of the litigation, among other terms, no further capital calls will be made in connection with the Company’s investment in the OCV Fund, nor will any further management fees be paid by the Company to the manager.

During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recognized expense for management fees of $1.5 million and $3.0 million, net of tax benefit, respectively.

During the year ended 2021, the Company received capital call notices from the management of OCV Management, LLC for $22.2 million, inclusive of certain management fees, of which $22.2 million had been paid for the year ended December 31, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company received a distribution from OCV of $15.3 million.