TDS reports third quarter 2024 results
CHICAGO, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --
As previously announced, TDS will hold a teleconference on November 1, 2024, at 9:00 a.m. CDT. Listen to the call live via the Events & Presentations page of investors.tdsinc.com.
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:TDS) reported total operating revenues of $1,224 million for the third quarter of 2024, versus $1,278 million for the same period one year ago. Net income (loss) attributable to TDS common shareholders and related diluted earnings (loss) per share were $(83) million and $(0.73), respectively, for the third quarter of 2024 compared to $(17) million and $(0.16), respectively, in the same period one year ago.
Net income attributable to TDS common shareholders excluding a UScellular wireless spectrum license impairment (non-GAAP) of $136 million ($102 million, net of tax) and related diluted earnings per share excluding a UScellular wireless spectrum license impairment (non-GAAP) were $2 million and $0.01, respectively, for the third quarter of 2024. The impairment loss was substantially all related to the retained high-band spectrum unit of accounting which includes the 28 GHz, 37 GHz and 39 GHz frequency bands.
Recent Highlights*
UScellular
Announced sale of select spectrum assets for $1 billion to Verizon in October 2024, and the sale of additional spectrum to two other mobile network operators
Improved wireless operating results
Postpaid handset net losses improved
Postpaid ARPU grew 2%; service revenues decreased 2%
Prepaid net additions up
Both postpaid and prepaid churn improved
Fixed wireless customers grew 32% to 140,000
TDS Telecom
Reached a milestone of 50% of service addresses now served with fiber
Grew total year-over-year service address footprint 9%
Delivered 32,000 marketable fiber services addresses in Q3; 87,000 YTD
Operating revenues grew 2%; residential revenue growth of 5%
Residential broadband connections grew 4% due to broadband investments
Strong net income and Adjusted EBITDA growth
Good expense discipline
* Comparisons are 3Q'23 to 3Q'24 unless otherwise noted
"We continue to strategically optimize our portfolio in order to focus our resources appropriately throughout the enterprise," said LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr., TDS President and CEO. "In the third quarter, TDS completed the sale of its OneNeck operations. In addition, TDS Telecom has entered into agreements to sell certain ILEC and cable properties. In October, as part of its ongoing process to opportunistically monetize its remaining spectrum, UScellular announced that it had entered into agreements to monetize select spectrum assets for $1 billion.
"UScellular's third quarter results show that the company is continuing to balance subscriber growth with financial discipline. And while it had postpaid handset net losses in the quarter, the company saw a notable year-over-year improvement in its subscriber trajectory.
"TDS Telecom is implementing its ongoing fiber expansion strategy and it reached a milestone of 50% of its service addresses passed with fiber."
Announced Transactions and Exploration of Strategic Alternatives for UScellularOn May 28, 2024, Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) and UScellular announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to sell UScellular's wireless operations and select spectrum assets to T-Mobile. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025, subject to regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
The T-Mobile transaction excluded UScellular's approximately 4,400 owned towers, its equity method investments, and approximately 70% of its spectrum assets.
In October, UScellular announced a sale of select spectrum assets to Verizon for a portion of the remaining spectrum for $1 billion, and the sale of additional spectrum to two other mobile network operators for an undisclosed price. Each transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and contingent upon the close of the proposed T-Mobile transaction. The process to opportunistically monetize the remaining spectrum assets continues.
2024 Estimated ResultsTDS' current estimates of full-year 2024 results for UScellular and TDS Telecom are shown below. Such estimates represent management's view as of November 1, 2024 and should not be assumed to be current as of any future date. TDS undertakes no duty to update such estimates, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that final results will not differ materially from estimated results.
2024 Estimated Results
UScellular
Previous
Current
(Dollars in millions)
Service revenues
$2,950-$3,050
$2,950-$3,000
Adjusted OIBDA1, 2 (Non-GAAP)
$750-$850
$800-$875
Adjusted EBITDA1, 2 (Non-GAAP)
$920-$1,020
$970-$1,045
Capital expenditures
$550-$650
$550-$600
TDS Telecom
Previous
Current
(Dollars in millions)
Total operating revenues
$1,050-$1,080
Unchanged
Adjusted OIBDA1 (Non-GAAP)
$330-$360
Unchanged
Adjusted EBITDA1 (Non-GAAP)
$330-$360
Unchanged
Capital expenditures
$310-$340
Unchanged
The following tables reconcile EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA to the corresponding GAAP measures, Net income (loss) or Income (loss) before income taxes. In providing 2024 estimated results, TDS has not completed the below reconciliation to Net income (loss) because it does not provide guidance for income taxes. Although potentially significant, TDS believes that the impact of income taxes cannot be reasonably predicted; therefore, TDS is unable to provide such guidance.
2024 Estimated Results2
UScellular
TDS Telecom
(Dollars in millions)
Net income (GAAP)
N/A
N/A
Add back:
Income tax expense
N/A
N/A
Income (loss) before income taxes (GAAP)
$(35)-$40
$60-$90
Add back:
Interest expense
180
—
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense
665
270
EBITDA (Non-GAAP)1
$810-$885
$330-$360
Add back or deduct:
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net
20
—
Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)1
$970-$1,045
$330-$360
Deduct:
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities
160
—
Interest and dividend income
10
—
Adjusted OIBDA (Non-GAAP)1
$800-$875
$330-$360
Actual Results
Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2024
Year Ended
December 31, 2023
UScellular
TDS
Telecom
UScellular
TDS
Telecom
(Dollars in millions)
Net income (loss) (GAAP)
$ (37)
$ 51
$ 58
$ (483)
Add back:
Income tax expense (benefit)
29
15
53
(26)
Income (loss) before income taxes (GAAP)
$ (8)
$ 66
$ 111
$ (509)
Add back:
Interest expense
137
(4)
196
(8)
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense
499
199
656
245
EBITDA (Non-GAAP)1
$ 628
$ 261
$ 963
$ (272)
Add back or deduct:
Expenses related to strategic alternatives review
28
—
8
—
Loss on impairment of licenses
136
—
—
—
Loss on impairment of goodwill
—
—
—
547
(Gain) loss on asset disposals, net
14
8
17
10
(Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net
4
—
(2)
—
Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)1
$ 810
$ 269
$ 986
$ 285
Deduct:
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities
123
—
158
—
Interest and dividend income
9
4
10
4
Other, net
—
3
—
2
Adjusted OIBDA (Non-GAAP)1
$ 678
$ 263
$ 818
$ 279
Numbers may not foot due to rounding.
1
EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA are defined as net income adjusted for the items set forth in the reconciliation above. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA are not measures of financial performance under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States (GAAP) and should not be considered as alternatives to Net income or Cash flows from operating activities, as indicators of cash flows or as measures of liquidity. TDS does not intend to imply that any such items set forth in the reconciliation above are infrequent or unusual; such items may occur in the future. Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA as measurements of profitability, and therefore reconciliations to Net income are deemed appropriate. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA are useful measures of TDS' operating results before significant recurring non-cash charges, nonrecurring expenses, gains and losses, and other items as presented above as they provide additional relevant and useful information to investors and other users of TDS' financial data in evaluating the effectiveness of its operations and underlying business trends in a manner that is consistent with management's evaluation of business performance. Adjusted EBITDA shows adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and accretion, gains and losses, and expenses related to the strategic alternatives review of UScellular while Adjusted OIBDA reduces this measure further to exclude Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities and Interest and dividend income in order to more effectively show the performance of operating activities excluding investment activities. The table above reconciles EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA to the corresponding GAAP measure, Net income or Income before income taxes. Additional information and reconciliations related to Non-GAAP financial measures for September 30, 2024, can be found on TDS' website at investors.tdsinc.com.
2
2024 Estimated Results do not reflect any anticipated costs, expenses or results of the strategic alternatives review referenced above.
Conference Call InformationTDS will hold a conference call on November 1, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Central Time.
Access the live call on the Events & Presentations page of investors.tdsinc.com or athttps://events.q4inc.com/attendee/666898854
Access the call by phone at (888)330-2384, conference ID: 1328528.
Before the call, certain financial and statistical information to be discussed during the call will be posted to investors.tdsinc.com. The call will be archived on the Events & Presentations page of investors.tdsinc.com.
About TDSTelephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) provides wireless, broadband, video and voice to approximately 6 million connections nationwide through its businesses, UScellular and TDS Telecom. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Chicago, TDS employed approximately 8,000 associates as of September 30, 2024.
Visit investors.tdsinc.com for comprehensive financial information, including earnings releases, quarterly and annual filings, shareholder information and more.
Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: All information set forth in this news release, except historical and factual information, represents forward-looking statements. This includes all statements about the company's plans, beliefs, estimates, and expectations. These statements are based on current estimates, projections, and assumptions, which involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may affect these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: whether the announced transactions whereby UScellular has agreed to sell its wireless operations and selected spectrum assets will be successfully completed or whether UScellular will be able to find buyers at mutually agreeable prices for its remaining spectrum assets; whether any such strategic alternative will result in additional value for TDS or its shareholders and whether the process will have an adverse impact on TDS' businesses; strategic decisions regarding the tower business; intense competition; the ability to obtain or maintain roaming arrangements with other carriers on acceptable terms and changes in roaming practices; the ability to obtain access to adequate radio spectrum to meet current or anticipated future needs, including participation in FCC auctions; the ability to attract people of outstanding talent throughout all levels of the organization; TDS' smaller scale relative to larger competitors; changes in demand, consumer preferences and perceptions, price competition, or churn rates; advances in technology; impacts of costs, integration problems or other factors associated with acquisitions, divestitures or exchanges of properties or wireless spectrum licenses and/or expansion of TDS' businesses; the ability of the company to successfully construct and manage its networks; difficulties involving third parties with which TDS does business; uncertainties in TDS' future cash flows and liquidity and access to the capital markets; the ability to make payments on TDS and UScellular indebtedness or comply with the terms of debt covenants; the effect on TDS' business if the collateral securing its secured term loan is foreclosed upon; conditions in the U.S. telecommunications industry; the value of assets and investments; the state and federal regulatory environment, including changes in regulatory support received and the ability to pass through certain regulatory fees to customers; pending and future litigation; cyber-attacks or other breaches of network or information technology security; control by the TDS Voting Trust; disruption in credit or other financial markets; deterioration of U.S. or global economic conditions; and the impact, duration and severity of public health emergencies. Investors are encouraged to consider these and other risks and uncertainties that are more fully described under "Risk Factors" in the most recent filing of TDS' Form 10-K, as updated by any TDS Form 10-Q filed subsequent to such Form 10-K.
For more information about TDS and its subsidiaries, visit:TDS: www.tdsinc.com UScellular: www.uscellular.com TDS Telecom: www.tdstelecom.com
UnitedStates Cellular Corporation
Summary Operating Data (Unaudited)
As of or for the Quarter Ended
9/30/2024
6/30/2024
3/31/2024
12/31/2023
9/30/2023
Retail Connections
Postpaid
Total at end of period1
3,999,000
4,027,000
4,051,000
4,106,000
4,159,000
Gross additions
123,000
117,000
106,000
129,000
128,000
Handsets
84,000
73,000
63,000
80,000
84,000
Connected devices
39,000
44,000
43,000
49,000
44,000
Net additions (losses)1
(28,000)
(24,000)
(44,000)
(50,000)
(35,000)
Handsets
(28,000)
(29,000)
(47,000)
(53,000)
(38,000)
Connected devices
—
5,000
3,000
3,000
3,000
ARPU2
$ 52.04
$ 51.45
$ 51.96
$ 51.61
$ 51.11
ARPA3
$ 131.81
$ 130.41
$ 132.00
$ 131.63
$ 130.91
Handset upgrade rate4
3.5 %
4.1 %
4.5 %
5.8 %
4.5 %
Churn rate5
1.25 %
1.16 %
1.22 %
1.44 %
1.30 %
Handsets
1.07 %
0.97 %
1.03 %
1.22 %
1.11 %
Connected devices
2.47 %
2.47 %
2.52 %
3.03 %
2.64 %
Prepaid
Total at end of period1
452,000
439,000
436,000
451,000
462,000
Gross additions
57,000
50,000
41,000
43,000
52,000
Net additions (losses)1
13,000
3,000
(13,000)
(11,000)
—
ARPU2, 6
$ 32.01
$ 32.37
$ 32.25
$ 32.32
$ 33.44
Churn rate5
3.30 %
3.60 %
4.06 %
3.87 %
3.68 %
Market penetration at end of period
Consolidated operating population
32,550,000
32,550,000
32,550,000
32,350,000
32,350,000
Consolidated operating penetration7
15 %
15 %
14 %
15 %
15 %
Capital expenditures (millions)
$ 120
$ 165
$ 131
$ 148
$ 111
Total cell sites in service
7,007
6,990
6,995
7,000
6,973
Owned towers
4,407
4,388
4,382
4,373
4,356
Number of colocations8
2,418
2,392
2,397
2,390
2,406
Tower tenancy rate9
1.55
1.55
1.55
1.55
1.55
1
First quarter 2024 connections were adjusted to remove subscribers that could no longer access the UScellular network due to the CDMA shutdown. This resulted in 11,000 and 2,000 subscribers removed from the postpaid and prepaid base, respectively, that are not included in Net additions (losses) for the quarter.
2
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) - metric is calculated by dividing a revenue base by an average number of connections and by the number of months in the period. These revenue bases and connection populations are shown below:
• Postpaid ARPU consists of total postpaid service revenues and postpaid connections.
• Prepaid ARPU consists of total prepaid service revenues and prepaid connections.
3
Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA) - metric is calculated by dividing total postpaid service revenues by the average number of postpaid accounts and by the number of months in the period.
4
Handset upgrade rate calculated as total handset upgrade transactions divided by average postpaid handset connections.
5
Churn rate represents the percentage of the connections that disconnect service each month. These rates represent the average monthly churn rate for each respective period.
6
Fourth quarter 2023 Prepaid ARPU excludes a $6 million reduction of prepaid revenue related to an adjustment to correct a prior period error recorded in the fourth quarter of 2023.
7
Market penetration is calculated by dividing the number of wireless connections at the end of the period by the total estimated population of consolidated operating markets.
8
Represents instances where a third-party wireless carrier rents or leases space on a company-owned tower.
9
Average number of tenants that lease space on company-owned towers, measured on a per-tower basis.
TDS Telecom
Summary Operating Data (Unaudited)
As of or for the Quarter Ended
9/30/2024
6/30/2024
3/31/2024
12/31/2023
9/30/2023
Residential connections
Broadband
Incumbent
241,500
243,700
245,100
244,800
248,800
Expansion
115,300
107,800
100,400
92,200
79,400
Cable
195,900
198,500
202,400
202,900
204,400
Total Broadband1
552,700
550,000
547,900
539,800
532,600
Video
122,100
124,800
128,800
131,500
132,400
Voice
271,300
275,600
279,400
281,600
284,000
Total Residential connections
946,100
950,400
956,100
952,900
949,000
Commercial connections
197,200
201,500
206,200
210,200
217,400
Total connections
1,143,300
1,152,000
1,162,200
1,163,100
1,166,400
Residential revenue per connection2
$ 65.41
$ 65.26
$ 64.58
$ 62.74
$ 62.15
Capital expenditures (millions)
$ 78
$ 78
$ 87
$ 143
$ 172
Numbers may not foot due to rounding.
1
Total residential broadband connections increased by 8,100 during the three months ended March 31, 2024, due primarily to net additions of 6,400 as well as certain other adjustments.
2
Total residential revenue per connection is calculated by dividing total residential revenue by the average number of residential connections and by the number of months in the period.
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc
Consolidated Statement of Operations Highlights
(Unaudited)
Three Months Ended
September 30,
Nine Months Ended
September 30,
2024
2023
2024
vs. 2023
2024
2023
2024
vs. 2023
(Dollars and shares in millions, except per share amounts)
Operating revenues
UScellular
$ 922
$ 963
(4) %
$ 2,799
$ 2,906
(4) %
TDS Telecom
263
256
2 %
797
767
4 %
All Other1
39
59
(33) %
