Americas
Americas revenue increased $16.9 million, or 6.6%, during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the first quarter of 2018. The increase was driven by revenue from airports, digital and print billboards.
Direct operating and SG&A expenses increased $8.3 million, or 4.8%, during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the first quarter of 2018. The increase was primarily due to higher site lease expenses related to higher revenue and higher variable employee compensation expenses.
Operating income increased 36.1% to $51.1 million during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the first quarter of 2018. OIBDAN increased $8.5 million, or 10.4%.
International
International revenue decreased $28.2 million, or 8.2%, during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the first quarter of 2018. Revenue decreased $3.5 million, or 1.0%, after adjusting for a $24.7 million impact from movements in foreign exchange rates. The decrease in revenue is due primarily to lower revenue as a result of contracts not being renewed in certain countries, including Italy and Spain, partially offset by growth in multiple countries, including Sweden, which continues to benefit from new digital inventory and strong market conditions.
Direct operating and SG&A expenses decreased $26.2 million, or 8.3%, during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the first quarter of 2018. Direct operating and SG&A expenses decreased $3.4 million, or 1.1%, after adjusting for a $22.8 million impact from movements in foreign exchange rates. Direct operating and SG&A expenses decreased primarily due to lower site lease expenses in countries with lower revenue, including Italy, partially offset by site lease expenses related to new contracts.
Operating loss improved to $(8.8) million during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the first quarter of 2018. OIBDAN decreased $1.9 million, or 6.9%. OIBDAN for the first quarter of 2019 was flat, after adjusting for a $1.9 million impact from movements in foreign exchange rates.
Clear Channel International B.V. (“CCIBV”)
CCIBV’s consolidated revenue decreased $22.6 million to $243.9 million in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018. This decrease includes a $20.0 million impact from movements in foreign exchange rates. Excluding the impact from movements in foreign exchange rates, CCIBV revenue decreased $2.6 million during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the same period in 2018.
CCIBV’s operating loss was $13.0 million in the first quarter of 2019 compared to an operating loss of $15.1 million in the same period in 2018.
Liquidity and Financial Position
As of March 31, 2019, we had $170.5 million of cash on our balance sheet, including $148.2 million of cash held outside the U.S. by our subsidiaries. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, cash used for operating activities was $47.7 million, cash used for investing activities was $27.6 million, cash provided by financing activities was $60.3 million, and there was a $0.6 million increase that resulted from the impact from movements in foreign exchange rates on cash. The net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash from December 31, 2018 was $14.3 million.
Capital expenditures for the three months ended March 31, 2019 were $28.2 million compared to $28.7 million for the same period in 2018.
At March 31, 2019, the principal amount outstanding under the Due from iHeartCommunications Note was $1,031.7 million. As a result of the voluntary petition by iHeartMedia, iHeartCommunications and certain of their subsidiaries for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the “iHeart Chapter 11 Cases”), CCOH recognized a loss of $855.6 million on the Due from iHeartCommunications Note during the fourth quarter of 2017 to reflect the estimated recoverable amount of the note as of December 31, 2017, based on management’s best estimate of the cash settlement amount. As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the asset recorded in “Due from iHeartCommunications” on our consolidated balance sheet was $154.8 million.
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