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- 83,000 new households with broadband availability
- Strong improvement in high-speed internet subscriber growth
- $16 million increase in sequential cost synergies
- 47% operating cash flow margin, as adjusted
STAMFORD, Conn., May 05, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --
Frontier Communications Corporation (NYSE:FTR) today reported first-quarter 2011 revenue of $1,346.7 million, operating income of $250.6 million and net income attributable to common shareholders of Frontier of $54.7 million, or $0.05 per share. After excluding $13.2 million for acquisition and integration costs, net income attributable to common shareholders of Frontier for the first quarter of 2011 would have been $63.0 million, or $0.06 per share.
"Frontier's strong operating metrics and stabilized revenues this quarter were driven by continued broadband expansion and local customer engagement," said Maggie Wilderotter, Chairman & CEO of Frontier Communications. "To date, Frontier's team has built broadband to 323,000 new homes while achieving $368 million of annualized cost savings. We are confident in our ability to reach our $550 million cost savings target and eliminate additional expenses from the business. With approximately 575,000 homes remaining in our build out plan through midyear 2013, we also expect further improvements in residential and commercial customer revenues, while maintaining healthy cash flow to support our dividend."
Revenue for the first quarter of 2011 was $1,346.7 million as compared to $1,358.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 and $519.9 million in the first quarter of 2010. The increase in revenue for the first quarter of 2011 as compared to the first quarter of 2010 is attributable to $841.8 million in revenue associated with the July 1, 2010 acquired properties, partially offset by a decline of $14.9 million for our Frontier legacy operations results.
At March 31, 2011, the Company had 3,338,300 residential customers and 333,400 business customers. The Company grew its high-speed internet customers by approximately 10,500during the first quarter of 2011, and had 1,707,700 high-speed internet customers at March 31, 2011. The Company had net additions of approximately 15,000 video customers during the first quarter of 2011, and had 546,400 video customers at March 31, 2011.
Network access expenses and other operating expenses for the first quarter of 2011 were $731.6 million as compared to $755.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 and $246.6 million in the first quarter of 2010. Network access expenses include promotional gift costs of $9.8 million in the first quarter of 2011. Network access expenses and other operating expenses of $493.3 million and $507.6 million are associated with the acquired properties for the first quarter of 2011 and the fourth quarter of 2010, respectively.
Depreciation and amortization for the first quarter of 2011 was $351.3 million as compared to $352.8 million in the fourth quarter of 2010 and $101.0 million in the first quarter of 2010. The first quarter of 2011 includes $132.8 million of depreciation expense and $118.1 million of amortization expense as a result of the acquired properties.
Acquisition and integration costs of approximately $13.2 million ($0.01 per share after tax) were incurred and expensed during the first quarter of 2011, as compared to approximately $10.4 million ($0.02 per share after tax) in the first quarter of 2010, in connection with our acquisition. The costs in the first quarter of 2011 were incurred in connection with our activities to convert the next phase of systems and other ongoing network integration work.
Operating income for the first quarter of 2011 was $250.6 million and operating income margin was 18.6 percent as compared to operating income of $239.7 million and operating income margin of 17.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010 and operating income of $161.9 million and operating income margin of 31.1 percent in the first quarter of 2010. The first quarter 2011 increase from first quarter 2010 of $88.7 million is primarily the result of incremental operating income from the acquired properties.
Interest expense for the first quarter of 2011 was $167.4 million as compared to $93.8 million in the first quarter of 2010, a $73.6 million increase. Interest expense was higher in 2011 due to the $3.5 billion of additional debt assumed in connection with the acquisition of the acquired properties.
Income tax expense for the first quarter of 2011 was $36.6 million as compared to $32.1 million in the first quarter of 2010, a $4.5 million increase, primarily due to higher taxable income as a result of the acquired properties, partially offset by the impact of a $4.1 million one-time charge in the first quarter of 2010.
Net income attributable to common shareholders of Frontier was $54.7 million, or $0.05 per share, as compared to $42.6 million, or $0.14 per share, in the first quarter of 2010. The first quarter of 2011 includes acquisition and integration costs of $13.2 million ($8.3 million or $0.01 per share after tax). The first quarter 2011 increase is primarily the result of incremental operating income from the acquired properties, partially offset by increased interest expense. The change in basic net income per share was primarily due to the higher net income, as discussed above, mostly offset by the increase in weighted average shares outstanding as a result of the issuance of 678.5 million shares in connection with our acquisition of the acquired properties.
Capital expenditures were $209.1 million for the first quarter of 2011, including $5.6 million related to integration activities.
Operating cash flow, as adjusted and defined by the Company in the attached Schedule B, was $626.4 million for the first quarter of 2011 resulting in an operating cash flow margin of 46.5 percent. Operating cash flow, as reported, of $601.8 million has been adjusted to exclude $13.2 million of acquisition and integration costs, $11.3 million of non-cash pension and other postretirement benefit costs, and $0.1 million of severance and early retirement costs for the first quarter of 2011.
Free cash flow, as defined by the Company in the attached Schedule A,was $252.8 million for the first quarter of 2011. The Company's dividend represents a payout of 74 percent of free cash flow for the first quarter of 2011.
Pro Forma Information
As a convenience to investors, the Company furnished today on a Current Report on Form 8-K unaudited pro forma combined historical financial and operating data for the Company, including financial and operating data for the acquired properties, updated to reflect the actual financial and operating data for the first quarter of 2011.
The Company uses certain non-GAAP financial measures in evaluating its performance. These include free cash flow and operating cash flow. A reconciliation of the differences between free cash flow and operating cash flow and the most comparable financial measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP is included in the tables that follow. The non-GAAP financial measures are by definition not measures of financial performance under GAAP and are not alternatives to operating income or net income reflected in the statement of operations or to cash flow as reflected in the statement of cash flows and are not necessarily indicative of cash available to fund all cash flow needs. The non-GAAP financial measures used by the Company may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies.
The Company believes that the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures provides useful information to investors regarding the Company's financial condition and results of operations because these measures, when used in conjunction with related GAAP financial measures, (i) together provide a more comprehensive view of the Company's core operations and ability to generate cash flow, (ii) provide investors with the financial analytical framework upon which management bases financial, operational, compensation and planning decisions and (iii) presents measurements that investors and rating agencies have indicated to management are useful to them in assessing the Company and its results of operations. In addition, the Company believes that free cash flow and operating cash flow, as the Company defines them, can assist in comparing performance from period to period, without taking into account factors affecting cash flow reflected in the statement of cash flows, including changes in working capital and the timing of purchases and payments. The Company has shown adjustments to its financial presentations to exclude $13.2 million, $10.4 million and $11.3 million of acquisition and integration costs in the quarters ended March 31, 2011 and 2010 and December 31, 2010, respectively, $11.3 million, $7.3 million and $15.8 million of non-cash pension and other postretirement benefit costs in the quarters ended March 31, 2011 and 2010 and December 31, 2010, respectively, and $0.1 million, $0.1 million and $2.7 million of severance and early retirement costs in the quarters ended March 31, 2011 and 2010 and December 31, 2010, respectively, because investors have indicated to management that such adjustments are useful to them in assessing the Company and its results of operations.
Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures to (i) assist in analyzing the Company's underlying financial performance from period to period, (ii) evaluate the financial performance of its business units, (iii) analyze and evaluate strategic and operational decisions, (iv) establish criteria for compensation decisions, and (v) assist management in understanding the Company's ability to generate cash flow and, as a result, to plan for future capital and operational decisions. Management uses these non-GAAP financial measures in conjunction with related GAAP financial measures.
These non-GAAP financial measures have certain shortcomings. In particular, free cash flow does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures, since items such as debt repayments and dividends are not deducted in determining such measure. Operating cash flow has similar shortcomings as interest, income taxes, capital expenditures, debt repayments and dividends are not deducted in determining this measure. Management compensates for the shortcomings of these measures by utilizing them in conjunction with their comparable GAAP financial measures. The information in this press release should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and footnotes contained in our documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Conference Call and Webcast
The Company will host a conference call today at 9:00 A.M.. Eastern Time. In connection with the conference call and as a convenience to investors, the Company furnished today on a Current Report on Form 8-K certain materials regarding first quarter 2011 results. The conference call will be Webcast and may be accessed at:
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-eventDetails&c=66508&eventID=3947896
A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available for one week beginning at 11:00 A.M. Eastern time, May 5, 2011 via dial-in at 888-203-1112 for U.S. and Canadian callers or, outside the U.S. and Canada, at 719-457-0820, passcode 8050970. A Webcast replay of the call will be available at www.frontier.com/ir.
About Frontier Communications
Frontier Communications Corporation (NYSE: FTR) offers voice, High-Speed Internet, satellite video, wireless Internet data access, data security solutions, bundled offerings, specialized bundles for small businesses and home offices, and advanced business communications for medium and large businesses in 27 states and with approximately 14,900 employees based entirely in the USA. More information is available at www.frontier.com and www.frontier.com/ir.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on the basis of management's views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance. Words such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements (including oral representations) involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties are based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: our ability to successfully integrate the operations of the Acquired Business into Frontier's existing operations; the risk that the growth opportunities and cost synergies from the Transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; our indemnity obligation to Verizon for taxes which may be imposed upon them as a result of changes in ownership of our stock may discourage, delay or prevent a third party from acquiring control of us during the two-year period ending July 2012 in a transaction that stockholders might consider favorable; the effects of increased expenses incurred due to activities related to the Transaction and the integration of the Acquired Business; our ability to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers; the effects of greater than anticipated competition requiring new pricing, marketing strategies or new product or service offerings and the risk that we will not respond on a timely or profitable basis; reductions in the number of our access lines that cannot be offset by increases in HSI subscribers and sales of other products and services; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry as a result of federal and state legislation and regulation, or changes in the enforcement or interpretation of such legislation and regulation; the effects of any unfavorable outcome with respect to any current or future legal, governmental or regulatory proceedings, audits or disputes; the effects of changes in the availability of federal and state universal funding to us and our competitors; the effects of competition from cable, wireless and other wireline carriers; our ability to adjust successfully to changes in the communications industry and to implement strategies for growth; continued reductions in switched access revenues as a result of regulation, competition or technology substitutions; our ability to effectively manage service quality in our territories and meet mandated service quality metrics; our ability to successfully introduce new product offerings, including our ability to offer bundled service packages on terms that are both profitable to us and attractive to customers; changes in accounting policies or practices adopted voluntarily or as required by generally accepted accounting principles or regulations; our ability to effectively manage our operations, operating expenses and capital expenditures, and to repay, reduce or refinance our debt; the effects of changes in both general and local economic conditions on the markets that we serve, which can affect demand for our products and services, customer purchasing decisions, collectability of revenues and required levels of capital expenditures related to new construction of residences and businesses; the effects of customer bankruptcies and home foreclosures, which could result in difficulty in collection of revenues and loss of customers; the effects of technological changes and competition on our capital expenditures and product and service offerings, including the lack of assurance that our network improvements will be sufficient to meet or exceed the capabilities and quality of competing networks; the effects of increased medical, retiree and pension expenses and related funding requirements; changes in income tax rates, tax laws, regulations or rulings, or federal or state tax assessments; the effects of state regulatory cash management practices that could limit our ability to transfer cash among our subsidiaries or dividend funds up to the parent company; our ability to successfully renegotiate union contracts expiring in 2011 and thereafter; declines in the value of our pension plan assets, which would require us to make increased contributions to the pension plan in 2011 and beyond; adverse changes in the credit markets or in the ratings given to our debt securities by nationally accredited ratings organizations, which could limit or restrict the availability, or increase the cost, of financing; limitations on the amount of capital stock that we can issue to make acquisitions or to raise additional capital until July 2012; our ability to pay dividends on our common shares, which may be affected by our cash flow from operations, amount of capital expenditures, debt service requirements, cash paid for income taxes and liquidity; and the effects of severe weather events such as hurricanes, tornados, ice storms or other natural or man-made disasters. These and other uncertainties related to our business are described in greater detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q, and the foregoing information should be read in conjunction with these filings. We do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect the occurrence of future events or circumstances.
TABLES TO FOLLOW
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