UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q/A
(Amendment No. 1)
(MARK ONE)
(X) QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2004
OR
( ) TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from ____ to ____
Commission file number 0-19179
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| | |
NORTH CAROLINA | | 56-1837282 |
(State or other jurisdiction of | | (I.R.S. Employer |
incorporation or organization) | | Identification No.) |
| | |
1000 Progress Place NE | | |
P.O. Box 227, Concord, NC | | 28026-0227 |
(Address of principal executive offices) | | (Zip Code) |
(704) 722-2500
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
if changed since last report)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yesþ Noo
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yesþ Noo
APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
18,879,041 shares of Common Stock outstanding as of October 28, 2004.
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
INDEX
| | | | |
| | Page No. |
Explanatory Note | | | 2 | |
| | | | |
PART I. Financial Information | | | | |
| | | | |
Item 1. Financial Statements. | | | | |
| | | | |
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets— September 30, 2004 (Unaudited) (Restated) and December 31, 2003 | | | 4 | |
| | | | |
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)— Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2004 (Restated) and 2003 (Restated) | | | 5 | |
| | | | |
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)— Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2004 (Restated) and 2003(Restated) | | | 6 | |
| | | | |
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)— Nine Months Ended September 30, 2004 (Restated) and 2003 (Restated) | | | 7 | |
| | | | |
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited) | | | 8 | |
| | | | |
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations. | | | 24 | |
| | | | |
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk. | | | 40 | |
| | | | |
Item 4. Controls and Procedures. | | | 40 | |
| | | | |
PART II. Other Information | | | | |
| | | | |
Item 1. Legal Proceedings. | | | 42 | |
| | | | |
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds. | | | 42 | |
| | | | |
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities. | | | 42 | |
| | | | |
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders. | | | 42 | |
| | | | |
Item 5. Other Information. | | | 42 | |
| | | | |
Item 6. Exhibits. | | | 43 | |
| | | | |
Signatures | | | 44 | |
| | | | |
Exhibit Index | | | 45 | |
1
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The purpose of this Amendment No. 1 on Form 10-Q/A to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CT Communications, Inc. (the “Company”) for the quarter ended September 30, 2004 is to restate our interim consolidated financial statements for the quarters ended September 30, 2004 and 2003 and related disclosures as discussed in Note 4 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Company has not attempted in this amendment to modify or update other disclosures presented in the original report on Form 10-Q except as required to reflect the effects of the restatement. This Form 10-Q/A also does not reflect events occurring after the filing of the Form 10-Q or modify or update those disclosures, including the exhibits to the Form 10-Q, affected by subsequent events. Information not affected by the restatement is unchanged and reflects the disclosures made at the time of the original filing of the Form 10-Q on November 4, 2004. Accordingly, this Form 10-Q/A should be read in conjunction with our filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) subsequent to the filing of the original Form 10-Q, including any amendments to those filings. The following items have been amended as a result of the restatement:
o Part I - Item 1 - Financial Statements;
o Part I - Item 2 - Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations;
o Part I - Item 3 - Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk;
o Part I - Item 4 - Controls and Procedures; and
o Part II - Item 6 - Exhibits and Reports on Form 8 - K(Exhibit 11)
In addition, as required by Rule 12b-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, new certifications from our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer are being filed with this Form 10-Q/A.
The Company identified certain errors related to its accounting for telephone system sales that occurred in 1999 through the first three quarters of 2004, which resulted in the overstatement of revenue for the periods 1999 through 2002 and the understatement of revenue for 2003 and the first three quarters of 2004. The error also resulted in the overstatement of accounts receivable for the periods 1999 through the first three quarters of 2004. The correction of this error at September 30, 2004 resulted in a reduction of accounts receivable, income taxes payable and retained earnings of $1.3 million, $0.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively, and a $0.2 million increase in customer deposits and advanced billings. The correction of this error for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 resulted in an increase in revenue of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively, and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 resulted in a $0.1 million and $37,000 decrease in revenue, respectively.
The Company discovered certain errors relating to the Company’s reporting of depreciation expense in 2002, 2003 and the first three quarters of 2004. These depreciation errors were caused by calculation errors in the Company’s fixed asset system. The cumulative effect of these errors resulted in an increase in property and equipment, net of $2.7 million at September 30, 2004. These errors resulted in an overstatement (understatement) of depreciation expense of $(0.5) million and $0.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and an overstatement of depreciation expense of $0.5 million and $1.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. The correction of these errors increased (decreased) net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 by $(0.3) million and $0.2 million, respectively, and increased net income $0.3 million and $1.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively.
The Company identified an error in the accounting for a capital lease agreement that also impacted certain accrual accounts. The Company discovered that it had not properly recorded the asset associated with a capital lease and that certain accruals were erroneously adjusted in recording the liability associated with the capital lease. The correction of this error resulted in an increase in operating expense of $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and a decrease in operating expense of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, the correction of this error resulted in a decrease in operating expense of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The after tax impact of these adjustments resulted in a decrease to net income of $38,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and an increase to net income of $0.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. The after tax impact of these adjustments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, resulted in a decrease to net income of $38,000 and $0.1 million, respectively.
2
The Company received a distribution notice in 2004 relating to an equity security held by a member of the Company’s equity portfolio, and recorded the distribution when the notice was received. The Company subsequently learned that the distribution was actually completed in the fourth quarter of 2003, and has adjusted this investment at December 31, 2003 through a $0.7 million reduction of investment securities and a $0.4 million reduction in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax effect of $0.3 million.
During the course of preparing its year-end financial statements for 2004, an error was identified in the Company’s accounting related to three interest rate swap agreements entered into during 1999 and 2001. The Company was incorrectly applying hedge accounting and was recording the adjustment to fair value of its interest rate swaps through accumulated other comprehensive income instead of interest expense. The correction of this error resulted in a decrease in interest expense of $20,000 and $0.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and a decrease in interest expense of $0.2 million and $0.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. The after tax impact of the correction of this error resulted in an increase to net income of $13,000 and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and an increase to net income of $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively.
The Company reviewed its accounting with respect to leasing transactions and has concluded there was an error in the determination of lease expense for certain leases related primarily to wireless cell tower sites. The Company had not properly reflected rent escalation provisions contained in its leases on a straight-line basis as required by SFAS No. 13, “Accounting for Leases”. To correct this error, the Company has considered the escalation provisions of the leases and has considered renewal periods when there is reasonable assurance that one or more of the renewal options would be exercised. The result of the Company’s assessment was to increase the lease term as defined in SFAS No. 13 for most of its operating leases. The impact of this error for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 was an increase in rent expense (which is included in operating expense on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income) of $22,000 and $66,000, respectively, and an increase in rent expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 of $28,000 and $0.1 million, respectively.
The Company also restated certain previously recorded, out-of-period items to include them in the periods in which they actually occurred in order to more accurately present the financial statements for those prior periods. These adjustments include a decrease in dividend income of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 and a decrease in equity in income of affiliates of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. In addition, the Company also reclassified to other assets $1.1 million of certain items previously recorded as accounts receivable on the consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2004.
The aggregate impact of the correction of all the errors discussed above resulted in an increase (decrease) in net income of ($0.2) million and $0.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and an increase in net income of $0.4 million and $0.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003.
The Company has reflected the results of the restatement for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2004 in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for such year, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2005 and has restated its interim financial statements in this Form 10-Q/A and in amendments to its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q/A for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2004 and June 30, 2004.
See Note 4 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
3
Part I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1. Financial Statements.
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(in thousands, except share data)
| | | | | | | | |
| | (Restated) | | | | |
| | (Unaudited) | | | | |
| | September 30, | | | December 31, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
ASSETS | | | | | | | | |
Current assets: | | | | | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents | | $ | 24,742 | | | $ | 16,957 | |
Accounts receivable and unbilled revenue, net | | | 17,674 | | | | 19,533 | |
Other | | | 4,636 | | | | 5,372 | |
| | | | | | |
Total current assets | | | 47,052 | | | | 41,862 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Investment securities | | | 6,542 | | | | 7,518 | |
Other investments | | | 1,347 | | | | 1,078 | |
Investments in unconsolidated companies | | | 15,641 | | | | 13,034 | |
Property and equipment, net | | | 205,718 | | | | 211,521 | |
Goodwill | | | 9,906 | | | | 9,906 | |
Other intangibles, net | | | 35,201 | | | | 35,201 | |
Other assets | | | 2,952 | | | | 2,565 | |
| | | | | | |
Total assets | | $ | 324,359 | | | $ | 322,685 | |
| | | | | | |
|
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY | | | | | | | | |
Current liabilities: | | | | | | | | |
Current portion of long-term debt | | $ | 3,750 | | | $ | — | |
Accounts payable | | | 7,146 | | | | 6,250 | |
Customer deposits and advance billings | | | 2,659 | | | | 2,840 | |
Other accrued liabilities | | | 19,093 | | | | 17,589 | |
Liabilities of discontinued operations | | | 682 | | | | 1,072 | |
| | | | | | |
Total current liabilities | | | 33,330 | | | | 27,751 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Long-term debt | | | 66,250 | | | | 80,000 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Deferred credits and other liabilities: | | | | | | | | |
Deferred income taxes | | | 25,374 | | | | 23,171 | |
Post-retirement benefits other than pension | | | 11,087 | | | | 11,246 | |
Other | | | 2,932 | | | | 3,123 | |
| | | | | | |
Total deferred credits and other liabilities | | | 39,393 | | | | 37,540 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Total liabilities | | | 138,973 | | | | 145,291 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Stockholders’ equity: | | | | | | | | |
Preferred stock not subject to mandatory redemption: | | | | | | | | |
5% series, $100 par value; 3,356 shares outstanding at September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003 | | | 336 | | | | 336 | |
4.5% series, $100 par value; 614 shares outstanding at September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003 | | | 61 | | | | 61 | |
Common stock, 18,879,041 and 18,769,187 shares outstanding at September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003, respectively | | | 42,165 | | | | 40,800 | |
Other capital | | | 298 | | | | 298 | |
Unearned compensation | | | (425 | ) | | | (264 | ) |
Other accumulated comprehensive income | | | 317 | | | | 492 | |
Retained earnings | | | 142,634 | | | | 135,671 | |
| | | | | | |
Total stockholders’ equity | | | 185,386 | | | | 177,394 | |
| | | | | | |
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | | $ | 324,359 | | | $ | 322,685 | |
| | | | | | |
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).
4
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited)
(in thousands, except per share data)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three Months Ended | | | Nine Months Ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Operating revenue: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Telephone | | $ | 29,985 | | | $ | 30,499 | | | $ | 90,409 | | | $ | 90,371 | |
Wireless and internet | | | 10,863 | | | | 10,020 | | | | 31,752 | | | | 28,893 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total operating revenue | | | 40,848 | | | | 40,519 | | | | 122,161 | | | | 119,264 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating expense: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Telephone cost of service (excluding depreciation) | | | 9,415 | | | | 9,280 | | | | 26,705 | | | | 26,741 | |
Wireless and internet cost of service (excluding depreciation) | | | 4,418 | | | | 4,996 | | | | 14,002 | | | | 13,983 | |
Selling, general and administrative (excluding depreciation) | | | 14,235 | | | | 14,167 | | | | 40,715 | | | | 41,762 | |
Depreciation | | | 8,250 | | | | 7,334 | | | | 23,098 | | | | 21,517 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total operating expense | | | 36,318 | | | | 35,777 | | | | 104,520 | | | | 104,003 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income | | | 4,530 | | | | 4,742 | | | | 17,641 | | | | 15,261 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Other income (expense): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Equity in income of unconsolidated companies, net | | | 1,820 | | | | 1,787 | | | | 4,549 | | | | 4,235 | |
Interest, dividend income and gain (loss) on sales of investments | | | 184 | | | | 858 | | | | 934 | | | | 15,878 | |
Impairment of investments | | | (1,454 | ) | | | (460 | ) | | | (1,494 | ) | | | (1,744 | ) |
Other expenses, principally interest | | | (1,205 | ) | | | (1,458 | ) | | | (3,657 | ) | | | (5,209 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total other income (expense) | | | (655 | ) | | | 727 | | | | 332 | | | | 13,160 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income from continuing operations before income taxes | | | 3,875 | | | | 5,469 | | | | 17,973 | | | | 28,421 | |
|
Income taxes | | | 1,631 | | | | 1,955 | | | | 7,324 | | | | 11,079 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income from continuing operations | | | 2,244 | | | | 3,514 | | | | 10,649 | | | | 17,342 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Discontinued operations: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Loss from operations of discontinued business, net of income tax benefits of $276 for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (424 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income | | | 2,244 | | | | 3,514 | | | | 10,649 | | | | 16,918 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Dividends on preferred stock | | | 5 | | | | 5 | | | | 15 | | | | 15 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income for common stock | | $ | 2,239 | | | $ | 3,509 | | | $ | 10,634 | | | $ | 16,903 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic Earnings per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Continuing operations | | $ | 0.12 | | | $ | 0.19 | | | $ | 0.56 | | | $ | 0.92 | |
Discontinued operations | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (0.02 | ) |
Net income for common stock | | | 0.12 | | | | 0.19 | | | | 0.56 | | | | 0.90 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Diluted Earnings per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Continuing operations | | $ | 0.12 | | | $ | 0.19 | | | $ | 0.56 | | | $ | 0.92 | |
Discontinued operations | | | — | | | | — | | | | — | | | | (0.02 | ) |
Net income for common stock | | | 0.12 | | | | 0.19 | | | | 0.56 | | | | 0.90 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic weighted average shares outstanding | | | 18,877 | | | | 18,765 | | | | 18,862 | | | | 18,740 | |
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | | | 19,054 | | | | 18,853 | | | | 19,010 | | | | 18,791 | |
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).
5
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three Months Ended | | | Nine Months Ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Net income | | $ | 2,244 | | | $ | 3,514 | | | $ | 10,649 | | | $ | 16,918 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities | | | (176 | ) | | | 94 | | | | (783 | ) | | | 470 | |
Reclassification adjustment for losses (gains) realized in net income | | | 797 | | | | (4 | ) | | | 608 | | | | 4 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Comprehensive income | | $ | 2,865 | | | $ | 3,604 | | | $ | 10,474 | | | $ | 17,392 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).
6
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | |
| | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Cash flows from operating activities: | | | | | | | | |
Net income | | $ | 10,649 | | | $ | 16,918 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: | | | | | | | | |
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax | | | — | | | | 424 | |
Depreciation | | | 23,098 | | | | 21,517 | |
Amortization of restricted stock | | | 640 | | | | 589 | |
Post-retirement benefits | | | (158 | ) | | | 424 | |
(Gain) loss on sale of investment securities | | | (300 | ) | | | 7 | |
Gain on sale of investments in unconsolidated companies | | | — | | | | (15,063 | ) |
Impairment of investments | | | 1,494 | | | | 1,744 | |
Undistributed income of unconsolidated companies | | | (4,548 | ) | | | (4,235 | ) |
Undistributed patronage dividends | | | (269 | ) | | | (298 | ) |
Deferred income taxes and tax credits | | | 2,503 | | | | 7,086 | |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities | | | 4,394 | | | | 7,809 | |
| | | | | | |
Net cash provided by operating activities | | | 37,503 | | | | 36,922 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Cash flows from investing activities: | | | | | | | | |
Capital expenditures | | | (17,294 | ) | | | (16,923 | ) |
Purchases of investments | | | (1,397 | ) | | | (3,312 | ) |
Proceeds from sale of investment in unconsolidated companies | | | — | | | | 17,052 | |
Proceeds from sale of investment securities | | | 1,067 | | | | 208 | |
Capital distribution from unconsolidated companies | | | 1,834 | | | | 3,438 | |
| | | | | | |
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | | | (15,790 | ) | | | 463 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Cash flows from financing activities: | | | | | | | | |
Repayment of long-term debt | | | (10,000 | ) | | | (24,000 | ) |
Dividends paid | | | (3,692 | ) | | | (3,665 | ) |
Proceeds from common stock issuances | | | 154 | | | | 383 | |
| | | | | | |
Net cash used in financing activities | | | (13,538 | ) | | | (27,282 | ) |
| | | | | | |
|
Net cash used in discontinued operations | | | (390 | ) | | | (930 | ) |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents | | | 7,785 | | | | 9,173 | |
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | | | 16,957 | | | | 7,652 | |
| | | | | | |
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period | | $ | 24,742 | | | $ | 16,825 | |
| | | | | | |
|
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: | | | | | | | | |
Cancellation of note payable and reduction in other intangibles in connection with disposition of wireless spectrum | | | | | | $ | (17,697 | ) |
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited).
7
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
1. | In the opinion of management of CT Communications, Inc. (the “Company”), the accompanying unaudited financial statements contain all adjustments consisting of only normal recurring accruals necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003, the results of its operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and September 30, 2003 and its cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and September 30, 2003. These unaudited financial statements do not include all disclosures associated with the Company’s annual financial statements and should be read along with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003. |
|
2. | In certain instances, amounts previously reported in the 2003 consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the presentation of the 2004 consolidated financial statements. Such reclassifications have no effect on net income or retained earnings as previously reported. |
|
3. | The results of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. |
|
4. | RESTATEMENT OF PREVIOUSLY ISSUED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
|
| The Company identified certain errors related to its accounting for telephone system sales that occurred in 1999 through the first three quarters of 2004, which resulted in the overstatement of revenue for the periods 1999 through 2002 and the understatement of revenue for 2003 and the first three quarters of 2004. The error also resulted in the overstatement of accounts receivable for the periods 1999 through the first three quarters of 2004. The correction of this error at September 30, 2004 resulted in a reduction of accounts receivable, income taxes payable and retained earnings of $1.3 million, $0.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively, and a $0.2 million increase in customer deposits and advanced billings. The correction of this error for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 resulted in an increase in revenue of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively, and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 resulted in a $0.1 million and $37,000 decrease in revenue, respectively. |
|
| The Company discovered certain errors relating to the Company’s reporting of depreciation expense in 2002, 2003 and the first three quarters of 2004. These depreciation errors were caused by calculation errors in the Company’s fixed asset system. The cumulative effect of these errors resulted in an increase in property and equipment of $2.7 million at September 30, 2004. These errors resulted in an overstatement (understatement) of depreciation expense of $ (0.5) million and $ 0.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and an overstatement of depreciation expense of $0.5 million and $1.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. The correction of these errors increased (decreased) net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 by $(0.3) million and $0.2 million, respectively, and increased net income $0.3 million and $1.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. |
|
| The Company identified an error in the accounting for a capital lease agreement that also impacted certain accrual accounts. The Company discovered that it had not properly recorded the asset associated with a capital lease and that certain accruals were erroneously adjusted in recording the liability associated with the capital lease. The correction of this error resulted in an increase in operating expense of $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and a decrease in operating expense of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, the correction of this error resulted in a decrease in operating expense of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The after tax impact of these adjustments resulted in a decrease to net income of $38,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and an increase to net income of $0.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. The after tax impact of these adjustments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, resulted in a decrease to net income of $38,000 and $0.1 million, respectively. |
|
| The Company received a distribution notice in 2004 relating to an equity security held by a member of the Company’s equity portfolio, and recorded the distribution when the notice was received. The Company subsequently learned that the distribution was actually completed in the fourth quarter of 2003, and has adjusted this investment at December 31, 2003 through a $0.7 million reduction of investment securities and a $0.4 million reduction in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax effect of $0.3 million. |
8
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| During the course of preparing its year-end financial statements for 2004, an error was identified in the Company’s accounting related to three interest rate swap agreements entered into during 1999 and 2001. The Company was incorrectly applying hedge accounting and was recording the adjustment to fair value of its interest rate swaps through accumulated other comprehensive income instead of interest expense. The correction of this error resulted in a decrease in interest expense of $20,000 and $0.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and a decrease in interest expense of $0.2 million and $0.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. The after tax impact of the correction of this error resulted in an increase to net income of $13,000 and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and an increase to net income of $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. |
|
| The Company reviewed its accounting with respect to leasing transactions and has concluded there was an error in the determination of lease expense for certain leases related primarily to wireless cell tower sites. The Company had not properly reflected rent escalation provisions contained in its leases on a straight-line basis as required by SFAS No. 13, “Accounting for Leases”. To correct this error, the Company has considered the escalation provisions of the leases and has considered renewal periods when there is reasonable assurance that one or more of the renewal options would be exercised. The result of the Company’s assessment was to increase the lease term as defined in SFAS No. 13 for most of its operating leases. The impact of this error for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 was an increase in rent expense (which is included in operating expense on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income) of $22,000 and $66,000, respectively, and an increase in rent expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 of $28,000 and $0.1 million, respectively. |
|
| The Company also restated certain previously recorded, out-of-period items to include them in the periods in which they actually occurred in order to more accurately present the financial statements for those prior periods. These adjustments include a decrease in dividend income of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 and a decrease in equity in income of affiliates of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. In addition, the Company also reclassified to other assets $1.1 million of certain items previously recorded as accounts receivable on the consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2004. |
|
| The aggregate impact of the correction of all the errors discussed above resulted in an increase (decrease) in net income of ($0.2) million and $0.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and an increase in net income of $0.4 million and $0.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003. |
|
| The cumulative impacts of these restatements on the financial statements are summarized below (in thousands, except per share amounts): |
9
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| Effect on selected Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet data as of September 30, 2004: |
Selected Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Data
September 30, 2004
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | As Previously | | | Restatement | | | As | |
| | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | |
Balance Sheet | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Accounts receivable | | $ | 20,116 | | | $ | (2,442 | ) | | $ | 17,674 | |
Total current assets | | | 49,494 | | | | (2,442 | ) | | | 47,052 | |
Property and equipment, net | | | 202,430 | | | | 3,288 | | | | 205,718 | |
Other assets | | | 1,823 | | | | 1,129 | | | | 2,952 | |
Total assets | | | 322,384 | | | | 1,975 | | | | 324,359 | |
Customer deposits and advance billings | | | 2,476 | | | | 183 | | | | 2,659 | |
Other accrued liabilities | | | 19,097 | | | | (4 | ) | | | 19,093 | |
Total current liabilities | | | 33,151 | | | | 179 | | | | 33,330 | |
Deferred income taxes | | | 24,599 | | | | 775 | | | | 25,374 | |
Other liabilities | | | 2,552 | | | | 380 | | | | 2,932 | |
Total deferred credits and other liabilities | | | 38,238 | | | | 1,155 | | | | 39,393 | |
Total liabilities | | | 137,639 | | | | 1,334 | | | | 138,973 | |
Other accumulated comprehensive income (loss) | | | 182 | | | | 135 | | | | 317 | |
Retained earnings | | | 142,128 | | | | 506 | | | | 142,634 | |
Total stockholders�� equity | | | 184,745 | | | | 641 | | | | 185,386 | |
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | | | 322,384 | | | | 1,975 | | | | 324,359 | |
10
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| Effect on selected Condensed Consolidated Income Statement data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004: |
Selected Condensed Consolidated Income Statement Data
Three and Nine Months ended September 30, 2004
(in thousands, except per share data)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended September 30, 2004 | | | Nine Months ended September 30, 2004 | |
| | As | | | Restate- | | | | | | | As | | | Restate- | | | | |
| | Previously | | | ment | | | As | | | Previously | | | ment | | | As | |
| | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | | | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | |
Telephone revenue | | $ | 29,796 | | | $ | 189 | | | $ | 29,985 | | | $ | 90,091 | | | $ | 318 | | | $ | 90,409 | |
Total operating revenue | | | 40,659 | | | | 189 | | | | 40,848 | | | | 121,843 | | | | 318 | | | | 122,161 | |
Telephone cost of service | | | 9,409 | | | | 6 | | | | 9,415 | | | | 26,743 | | | | (38 | ) | | | 26,705 | |
Wireless and internet cost of service | | | 4,397 | | | | 21 | | | | 4,418 | | | | 13,835 | | | | 167 | | | | 14,002 | |
Selling, general and administrative | | | 14,240 | | | | (5 | ) | | | 14,235 | | | | 41,157 | | | | (442 | ) | | | 40,715 | |
Depreciation | | | 7,687 | | | | 563 | | | | 8,250 | | | | 23,235 | | | | (137 | ) | | | 23,098 | |
Total operating expense | | | 35,733 | | | | 585 | | | | 36,318 | | | | 104,970 | | | | (450 | ) | | | 104,520 | |
Operating income | | | 4,926 | | | | (396 | ) | | | 4,530 | | | | 16,873 | | | | 768 | | | | 17,641 | |
Equity in income of unconsolidated companies, net | | | 1,820 | | | | — | | | | 1,820 | | | | 4,714 | | | | (165 | ) | | | 4,549 | |
Other expenses, principally interest | | | (1,225 | ) | | | 20 | | | | (1,205 | ) | | | (3,984 | ) | | | 327 | | | | (3,657 | ) |
Total other income (expense) | | | (675 | ) | | | 20 | | | | (655 | ) | | | 170 | | | | 162 | | | | 332 | |
Income from continuing operations before income taxes | | | 4,251 | | | | (376 | ) | | | 3,875 | | | | 17,043 | | | | 930 | | | | 17,973 | |
Income taxes | | | 1,780 | | | | (149 | ) | | | 1,631 | | | | 6,971 | | | | 353 | | | | 7,324 | |
Income from continuing operations | | | 2,471 | | | | (227 | ) | | | 2,244 | | | | 10,072 | | | | 577 | | | | 10,649 | |
Net income | | | 2,471 | | | | (227 | ) | | | 2,244 | | | | 10,072 | | | | 577 | | | | 10,649 | |
Net income for common stock | | | 2,466 | | | | (227 | ) | | | 2,239 | | | | 10,057 | | | | 577 | | | | 10,634 | |
Basic earnings per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Continuing operations | | $ | 0.13 | | | $ | (0.01 | ) | | $ | 0.12 | | | $ | 0.53 | | | $ | 0.03 | | | $ | 0.56 | |
Net income for common stock | | | 0.13 | | | | (0.01 | ) | | | 0.12 | | | | 0.53 | | | | 0.03 | | | | 0.56 | |
Diluted earnings per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Continuing operations | | | 0.13 | | | | (0.01 | ) | | | 0.12 | | | | 0.53 | | | | 0.03 | | | | 0.56 | |
Net income for common stock | | | 0.13 | | | | (0.01 | ) | | | 0.12 | | | | 0.53 | | | | 0.03 | | | | 0.56 | |
11
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| Effect on selected Condensed Consolidated Income Statement data for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003: |
Selected Condensed Consolidated Income Statement Data
Three and Nine Months ended September 30, 2003
(in thousands, except per share data)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended September 30, 2003 | | | Nine Months ended September 30, 2003 | |
| | As | | | Restate- | | | | | | | As | | | Restate- | | | | |
| | Previously | | | ment | | | As | | | Previously | | | ment | | | As | |
| | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | | | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | |
Telephone revenue | | $ | 30,583 | | | $ | (84 | ) | | $ | 30,499 | | | $ | 90,408 | | | $ | (37 | ) | | $ | 90,371 | |
Wireless and internet revenue | | | 10,020 | | | | — | | | | 10,020 | | | | 28,844 | | | | 49 | | | | 28,893 | |
Total operating revenue | | | 40,603 | | | | (84 | ) | | | 40,519 | | | | 119,252 | | | | 12 | | | | 119,264 | |
Wireless and internet cost of service | | | 4,968 | | | | 28 | | | | 4,996 | | | | 13,899 | | | | 84 | | | | 13,983 | |
Selling, general and administrative | | | 14,369 | | | | (202 | ) | | | 14,167 | | | | 41,762 | | | | — | | | | 41,762 | |
Depreciation | | | 7,605 | | | | (271 | ) | | | 7,334 | | | | 22,991 | | | | (1,474 | ) | | | 21,517 | |
Total operating expense | | | 36,222 | | | | (445 | ) | | | 35,777 | | | | 105,393 | | | | (1,390 | ) | | | 104,003 | |
Operating income | | | 4,381 | | | | 361 | | | | 4,742 | | | | 13,859 | | | | 1,402 | | | | 15,261 | |
Interest, dividend income and gain on sale of investments | | | 858 | | | | — | | | | 858 | | | | 16,122 | | | | (244 | ) | | | 15,878 | |
Other expenses, principally interest | | | (1,682 | ) | | | 224 | | | | (1,458 | ) | | | (5,558 | ) | | | (351 | ) | | | (5,209 | ) |
Total other income (expense) | | | 503 | | | | 224 | | | | 727 | | | | 13,055 | | | | 105 | | | | 13,160 | |
Income from continuing operations before income taxes | | | 4,884 | | | | 585 | | | | 5,469 | | | | 26,914 | | | | 1,507 | | | | 28,421 | |
Income taxes | | | 1,735 | | | | 220 | | | | 1,955 | | | | 10,501 | | | | 578 | | | | 11,079 | |
Income from continuing operations | | | 3,149 | | | | 365 | | | | 3,514 | | | | 16,413 | | | | 929 | | | | 17,342 | |
Net income | | | 3,149 | | | | 365 | | | | 3,514 | | | | 15,989 | | | | 929 | | | | 16,918 | |
Net income for common stock | | | 3,144 | | | | 365 | | | | 3,509 | | | | 15,974 | | | | 929 | | | | 16,903 | |
Basic earnings per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Continuing operations | | $ | 0.17 | | | $ | 0.02 | | | $ | 0.19 | | | $ | 0.88 | | | $ | 0.05 | | | $ | 0.92 | |
Net income for common stock | | | 0.17 | | | | 0.02 | | | | 0.19 | | | | 0.85 | | | | 0.05 | | | | 0.90 | |
Diluted earnings per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Continuing operations | | | 0.17 | | | | 0.02 | | | | 0.19 | | | | 0.87 | | | | 0.05 | | | | 0.92 | |
Net income for common stock | | | 0.17 | | | | 0.02 | | | | 0.19 | | | | 0.85 | | | | 0.05 | | | | 0.90 | |
12
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| Selected Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) data for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and September 30, 2003: |
Selected Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Three and Nine Months ended September 30, 2004
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended September 30, 2004 | | | Nine Months ended September 30, 2004 | |
| | As | | | Restate- | | | | | | | As | | | Restate- | | | | |
| | Previously | | | ment | | | As | | | Previously | | | ment | | | As | |
| | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | | | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | |
Net income | | $ | 2,471 | | | $ | (227 | ) | | $ | 2,244 | | | $ | 10,072 | | | $ | 577 | | | $ | 10,649 | |
Unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities | | | (176 | ) | | | — | | | | (176 | ) | | | (1,177 | ) | | | 394 | | | | (783 | ) |
Unrealized holding gains on interest rate swaps | | | 12 | | | | (12 | ) | | | — | | | | 193 | | | | (193 | ) | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Comprehensive income | | | 3,104 | | | | (239 | ) | | | 2,865 | | | | 9,696 | | | | 778 | | | | 10,474 | |
Selected Condensed Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Three and Nine Months ended September 30, 2003
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended September 30, 2003 | | | Nine Months ended September 30, 2003 | |
| | As | | | Restate- | | | | | | | As | | | Restate- | | | | |
| | Previously | | | ment | | | As | | | Previously | | | ment | | | As | |
| | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | | | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | |
Net income | | $ | 3,149 | | | $ | 365 | | | $ | 3,514 | | | $ | 15,989 | | | $ | 929 | | | $ | 16,918 | |
Unrealized holding gains on interest rate swaps | | | 136 | | | | (136 | ) | | | — | | | | 212 | | | | (212 | ) | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Comprehensive income | | | 3,375 | | | | 229 | | | | 3,604 | | | | 16,675 | | | | 717 | | | | 17,392 | |
13
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| Effect on selected Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows data for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and September 30,2003: |
Selected Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Data
Nine Months ended September 30, 2004
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | As Previously | | | Restatement | | | As | |
| | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | |
Net income | | $ | 10,072 | | | $ | 577 | | | $ | 10,649 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | | 23,235 | | | | (137 | ) | | | 23,098 | |
Undistributed income of unconsolidated companies | | | (4,714 | ) | | | 166 | | | | (4,548 | ) |
Deferred income taxes and tax credits | | | 2,079 | | | | 424 | | | | 2,503 | |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities | | | 5,424 | | | | (1,030 | ) | | | 4,394 | |
Selected Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows Data
Nine Months ended September 30, 2003
(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | As Previously | | | Restatement | | | As | |
| | Reported | | | Adjustment | | | Restated | |
Net income | | $ | 15,989 | | | $ | 929 | | | $ | 16,918 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | | 22,991 | | | | (1,474 | ) | | | 21,517 | |
Undistributed patronage dividends | | | (483 | ) | | | 185 | | | | (298 | ) |
Deferred income taxes and tax credits | | | 6,730 | | | | 356 | | | | 7,086 | |
Changes in operating assets and liabilities | | | 7,805 | | | | 4 | | | | 7,809 | |
5. | PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT |
|
| Property and equipment is composed of the following (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | |
| | (Restated) | | | | |
| | September 30, | | | December 31, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Land, buildings and general equipment | | $ | 91,998 | | | $ | 90,915 | |
Central office equipment | | | 170,968 | | | | 164,210 | |
Poles, wires, cables and conduit | | | 152,405 | | | | 143,805 | |
Construction in progress | | | 5,675 | | | | 5,438 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | 421,046 | | | | 404,368 | |
Accumulated depreciation | | | (215,328 | ) | | | (192,847 | ) |
| | | | | | |
Property and equipment, net | | $ | 205,718 | | | $ | 211,521 | |
| | | | | | |
14
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
6. | DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS |
|
| On December 9, 2002, the Company discontinued its wireless broadband commercial trial operations in Fayetteville, North Carolina. These operations were provided by Wavetel, L.L.C. (“Wavetel”), a subsidiary of the Company. The Company ceased Wavetel’s operations due to significant operating losses, the limited coverage area provided by the technology available at the time and the inability to obtain outside investment. Complete disposal of the business through sale and disposal of assets was completed by June 30, 2003. As a result, Wavetel’s operations have been reflected as discontinued operations and as assets and liabilities held for sale in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets.” In the second quarter of 2003, the Company re-evaluated the potential future liabilities related to the discontinued Wavetel operations and determined that the potential liabilities exceeded the remaining restructuring reserve. Therefore, the Company recorded an additional loss from discontinued operations, before income taxes, of $0.7 million in the second quarter of 2003. The additional loss relates to the Company’s inability to sublease certain facilities that were previously used in Wavetel’s operations. The adjustment is an estimate based on the current market condition and could be revised on a quarterly basis as new information becomes available. As of September 30, 2004, the Company believes that the reserve is adequate. The Company had no outstanding indebtedness directly related to the Wavetel operations; therefore, no interest expense was allocated to discontinued operations. |
|
| In connection with the discontinuance of operations, the Company recognized a loss of $4.4 million in 2002 to write down the related carrying amounts of assets to their fair values less cost to sell in accordance with SFAS No. 144 and recorded related liabilities for estimated severance costs, lease termination costs and other exit costs in accordance with Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) Issue No. 94-3, “Liability Recognition for Certain Employee Termination Benefits and Other Costs to Exit an Activity (including Certain Costs Incurred in Restructuring).” The liabilities of the discontinued operations at September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003 consist of the following (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | |
| | September 30, | | | December 31, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Liabilities of discontinued operations: | | | | | | | | |
Other liabilities, primarily lease obligations | | $ | 682 | | | $ | 1,072 | |
| | | | | | |
Total liabilities of discontinued operations | | $ | 682 | | | $ | 1,072 | |
| | | | | | |
| A summary of restructuring liability activity related to the discontinued operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 is as follows (in thousands): |
| | | | |
Balance at December 31, 2003 | | $ | 1,072 | |
Lease termination costs | | | (390 | ) |
| | | |
Balance at September 30, 2004 | | $ | 682 | |
| | | |
15
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
7. | COMMON STOCK |
|
| The following is a summary of Common Stock transactions during the nine months ended September 30, 2004 (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | |
| | Shares | | | Amount | |
Outstanding at December 31, 2003 | | | 18,769 | | | $ | 40,800 | |
Purchases/(forfeitures) of Common Stock | | | (29 | ) | | | (353 | ) |
Issuance of Common Stock | | | 139 | | | | 1,718 | |
| | | | | | |
Outstanding at September 30, 2004 | | | 18,879 | | | $ | 42,165 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Weighted average shares outstanding: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic | | | 18,877 | | | | 18,765 | | | | 18,862 | | | | 18,740 | |
Diluted | | | 19,054 | | | | 18,853 | | | | 19,010 | | | | 18,791 | |
| Outstanding options to purchase approximately 543,000 and 490,000 shares of Common Stock for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and approximately 582,000 shares of Common Stock for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share and diluted weighted shares outstanding because the exercise price of these options was greater than the average market price of the Common Stock during the respective periods. At September 30, 2004 and September 30, 2003, the Company had total options outstanding of 1,325,000 and 849,000, respectively. |
|
| On April 22, 2004, the Board of Directors approved the continuation of the Company’s existing stock repurchase program. Under this program, the Company is authorized, subject to certain conditions, to repurchase up to 1,000,000 shares of its outstanding Common Stock during the twelve-month period from April 28, 2004 to April 27, 2005. There were no shares repurchased by the Company during the nine months ended September 30, 2004. |
|
8. | INVESTMENT SECURITIES |
|
| The amortized cost, gross unrealized holding gains and losses and fair value for the Company’s investments at September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003 were as follows (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Gross | | | Gross | | | | |
| | | | | | Unrealized | | | Unrealized | | | | |
Equity Securities | | Amortized | | | Holding | | | Holding | | | | |
Available-for-Sale | | Cost | | | Gains | | | Losses | | | Fair Value | |
September 30, 2004 | | $ | 6,048 | | | $ | 561 | | | $ | (67 | ) | | $ | 6,542 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
December 31, 2003 | | $ | 6,798 | | | $ | 815 | | | $ | (95 | ) | | $ | 7,518 | |
| During the third quarter of 2004, the Company recognized an impairment loss of $1.2 million on an equity security investment due to a decline in fair value of the equity security that, in the opinion of management, was considered to be other than temporary. This impairment loss is included in the caption “Impairment of investments” on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. |
|
16
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| Certain investments of the Company are and have been in continuous unrealized loss positions. The gross unrealized losses and fair value and length of time the securities have been in the continuous unrealized loss position at September 30, 2004 is as follows (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Less than 12 months | | | 12 months or more | | | Total | |
Description of | | Fair | | | Unrealized | | | Fair | | | Unrealized | | | Fair | | | Unrealized | |
Securities | | Value | | | Losses | | | Value | | | Losses | | | Value | | | Losses | |
Common stock | | $ | 1,321 | | | $ | 12 | | | $ | 749 | | | $ | 55 | | | $ | 2,070 | | | $ | 67 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total temporarily impaired securities | | $ | 1,321 | | | $ | 12 | | | $ | 749 | | | $ | 55 | | | $ | 2,070 | | | $ | 67 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| The fair value and unrealized losses noted above that are greater than 12 months relate to three different investments, the largest of which is a mutual fund investment that is expected to recover as the economy improves and has been increasing in value. The Company will continue to evaluate these investments on a quarterly basis to determine if the unrealized loss is other-than-temporarily impaired at which time the impairment loss would be realized. |
|
9. | OTHER INVESTMENTS |
|
| Other investments consist primarily of the Company’s investment in CoBank, ACB (“CoBank”). The Company receives patronage dividends from its investment in CoBank which is organized as a cooperative for federal income tax purposes. Patronage dividends represent cash distributions of CoBank’s earnings and notices of allocations of CoBank’s earnings to the Company. Non-cash allocations of earnings are included in the Company’s carrying value of the investment and are recognized as other income in the period earned. |
|
10. | INVESTMENTS IN UNCONSOLIDATED COMPANIES |
|
| Investments in unconsolidated companies consist of the following (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | |
| | September 30, | | | December 31, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Equity Method: | | | | | | | | |
Palmetto MobileNet, L.P. | | $ | 11,627 | | | $ | 8,902 | |
Other | | | 99 | | | | 100 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Cost Method: | | | | | | | | |
Magnolia Holding Company | | | 1,681 | | | | 1,680 | |
ITC Financial Services, LLC | | | 840 | | | | 840 | |
Other | | | 1,394 | | | | 1,512 | |
| | | | | | |
Total | | $ | 15,641 | | | $ | 13,034 | |
| | | | | | |
| On May 9, 2003, West Corporation (“West”) purchased the stock of ITC Holding Company, Inc. (“ITC”). The Company had a 4.4% equity interest in ITC. This transaction resulted in a gain to the Company of $15.2 million in 2003. As part of the purchase agreement between West and ITC, certain funds are being held in escrow until certain contingencies are resolved. The Company’s portion of the escrowed funds is $1.2 million. The $1.2 million will not be recorded in the Company’s financial statements until the contingencies are resolved and the escrowed funds become issuable. |
|
| In May 2003, the Company purchased $3.0 million of stock in Magnolia Holding Company (“Magnolia”). The primary asset of Magnolia was Knology, Inc. (“Knology”), a public company that provides data and Internet |
17
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
| connectivity to small and mid-size businesses. The Company holds a 4.6% equity interest in Magnolia. The Company later received a distribution from Magnolia in the form of shares of Knology preferred stock, which were later converted to common stock. This distribution by Magnolia reduced the value of the Company’s investment in Magnolia. The shares of Knology stock are classified as available-for-sale investment securities. |
| In December 2003, the Company committed to purchase a 4.0% interest in ITC Financial Services, LLC (“ITC Financial”) for up to $2.1 million. ITC Financial was formed to develop a prepaid debit card business that uses a nationwide network of automated terminals that re-charge the debit card in exchange for certain transaction fees. As of September 30, 2004, the Company had funded $0.8 million of the committed amount. The remaining $1.3 million can be called at any time at the discretion of ITC Financial based on its cash operating requirements. |
|
| During the third quarter of 2004, the Company recognized impairment losses of $0.2 million on two cost method investments. These impairment losses are included in the caption “Impairment of investments” on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. |
|
| The Company recognized income of $1.8 million in the three months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003 and $4.7 million and $4.2 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, respectively, as its share of earnings from unconsolidated companies accounted for under the equity method. Substantially all of the income was attributable to the Company’s 22.4% interest in Palmetto MobileNet, L.P. Palmetto MobileNet, L.P. is a partnership that holds a 50% interest in 10 cellular rural service areas (“RSAs”) in North and South Carolina. Summarized unaudited interim results of operations for Palmetto MobileNet, L.P. for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003 are as follows (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Equity in earnings of RSA partnership interests | | $ | 7,630 | | | $ | 8,041 | | | $ | 21,204 | | | $ | 22,353 | |
Other expenses | | | 185 | | | | 152 | | | | 415 | | | | 246 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income | | $ | 7,445 | | | $ | 7,889 | | | $ | 20,789 | | | $ | 22,107 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
11. | LONG-TERM DEBT |
|
| Long-term debt consists of the following (in thousands): |
| | | | | | | | |
| | September 30, | | | December 31, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Line of credit with interest at LIBOR plus 1.25% (3.0% at September 30, 2004 and 2.44% at December 31, 2003) | | $ | 20,000 | | | $ | 30,000 | |
Term loan with interest at 7.32% | | | 50,000 | | | | 50,000 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | 70,000 | | | | 80,000 | |
| | | | | | | | |
Less: Current portion of long-term debt | | | 3,750 | | | | — | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Total long-term debt | | $ | 66,250 | | | $ | 80,000 | |
| | | | | | |
| At September 30, 2004, the Company had a $70.0 million revolving five-year line of credit with interest at three month LIBOR plus a spread based on various financial ratios, that is currently 1.25%. The interest rate on September 30, 2004 was 3.0%. During the nine months ended September 30, 2004, the Company elected to repay $10.0 million in principal on this credit facility. The credit facility provides for quarterly payments of interest until maturity on March 31, 2006. As of September 30, 2004, $20.0 million was outstanding under the revolving credit facility. The Company also has a 7.32% fixed rate $50.0 million term loan that matures on December 31, 2014. All $50.0 million was outstanding as of September 30, 2004. The term loan requires quarterly payments of interest until |
18
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
maturity on December 31, 2014. Payments of principal are due beginning March 31, 2005 and quarterly thereafter through December 31, 2014, in equal quarterly installments of $1.25 million.
The Company has two $5.0 million interest rate swap transactions to fix amounts outstanding under the $70.0 million revolving line of credit at rates of 3.81% and 4.53%, respectively. The fair value of the swaps as of September 30, 2004 was $(27,000) and $(0.2) million, respectively and are recorded in other long-term liabilities. The swaps mature on November 3, 2004 and November 3, 2006, respectively.
12. GOODWILL
On January 1, 2002, the Company adopted SFAS No. 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.” In accordance with SFAS No. 142, the Company discontinued goodwill amortization and tested goodwill for impairment as of January 1, 2002, determining that the recognition of an impairment loss was not necessary. The Company will continue to test goodwill for impairment at least annually. Goodwill was $9.9 million as of September 30, 2004, and was unchanged from December 31, 2003.
Other intangible assets consist primarily of wireless licenses. Wireless licenses have terms of 10 years, but are renewable through a routine process involving a nominal fee. The Company has determined that no legal, regulatory, contractual, competitive, economic or other factors currently exist that limit the useful life of its wireless licenses. Therefore, the Company does not amortize wireless licenses based on the determination that these assets have indefinite lives. In accordance with SFAS No. 142, the Company periodically reviews its determination of indefinite useful lives for wireless licenses and will test those licenses for impairment at least annually.
13. STATE INCOME TAX ASSESSMENT
In October 2003, the Company received income tax assessments from the North Carolina Department of Revenue related to certain state tax returns filed for the years ended December 31, 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Company is currently appealing these assessments and believes that it has meritorious defenses to the assessments and that the ultimate outcome is not expected to result in a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
14. RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
In March 2004, the EITF of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) reached a consensus on EITF Issue No. 03-1, “The Meaning of Other-Than-Temporary Impairment and Its Application to Certain Investments.” The consensus addresses how to determine the meaning of other-than-temporary impairment and its application to investments classified as either available-for-sale or held-to-maturity under Statement No. 115 (including individual securities and investments in mutual funds), and investments accounted for under the cost method or the equity method. EITF Issue No. 03-1 requires additional disclosures for investments accounted for under SFAS No. 115 and SFAS No. 124 effective for fiscal years ended after December 15, 2003. In September 2004, FASB Staff Position EITF Issue No. 03-1-1 was issued which delayed the effective date for the measurement and recognition guidance contained in paragraphs 10-20 of Issue No. 03-1. The adoption of this consensus is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s current policies.
In December 2003, the FASB issued a revision to SFAS No. 132, “Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits, an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88 and 106.” SFAS No. 132 revises employers’ disclosures about pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans. It does not change the measurement or recognition of those plans required by SFAS No. 87, “Employers’ Accounting for Pension”, SFAS No. 88, “Employers’ Accounting for Settlements and Curtailments of Defined Benefit Pension Plans and for Termination Benefits” and SFAS No. 106, “Employers’ Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions”. This Statement retains the disclosure requirements contained in SFAS No. 132, Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits, which it replaces. It requires additional disclosures to those in the original Statement No. 132 about the assets, obligations, cash flows, and net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit pension plans and other defined benefit postretirement plans. The Company adopted the new disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 132 in December 2003.
19
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
15. STOCK OPTIONS
The Company applies the intrinsic value-based method of accounting prescribed by Accounting Principles Board (“APB”) Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees,” and related interpretations including FASB Interpretation No. 44, “Accounting for Certain Transactions Involving Stock Compensation an Interpretation of APB Opinion No. 25” issued in March 2000 to account for its fixed stock options plans. Under this method, compensation expense is recorded on the date of grant only if the current market price of the underlying stock exceeded the exercise price. SFAS No. 123, “Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation,” established accounting and disclosure requirements using a fair value-based method of accounting for stock-based employee compensation plans. As allowed by SFAS No. 123, the Company has elected to continue to apply the intrinsic value-based method of accounting described above, and has adopted the disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 123 and SFAS No. 148.
The Company applies APB Opinion No. 25 and related Interpretations in accounting for its plans. Accordingly, no compensation cost has been recognized for its fixed stock option plans and its stock purchase plan. Had compensation cost for the Company’s stock-based compensation plans been determined consistent with SFAS No. 123, the Company’s net income and earnings per share would have been reduced to the pro forma amounts indicated below (in thousands except per share data):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Net income, as reported | | $ | 2,244 | | | $ | 3,514 | | | $ | 10,649 | | | $ | 16,918 | |
Additional stock-based compensation expense that would have been included in net income if the fair value-based method had been applied, net of income tax | | | 272 | | | | 209 | | | | 815 | | | | 626 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Pro forma net income | | $ | 1,972 | | | $ | 3,305 | | | $ | 9,834 | | | $ | 16,292 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic earnings per common share | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
As reported | | $ | 0.12 | | | $ | 0.19 | | | $ | 0.56 | | | $ | 0.90 | |
Pro forma | | | 0.10 | | | | 0.18 | | | | 0.52 | | | | 0.87 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Diluted earnings per common share | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
As reported | | $ | 0.12 | | | $ | 0.19 | | | $ | 0.56 | | | $ | 0.90 | |
Pro forma | | | 0.10 | | | | 0.18 | | | | 0.52 | | | | 0.87 | |
20
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
16. PENSION AND POST-RETIREMENT PLANS
Components of net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended September 30 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pension Benefits | | | Post-Retirement Benefits | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Service cost | | $ | 503 | | | $ | 463 | | | $ | 17 | | | $ | 13 | |
Interest cost | | | 655 | | | | 626 | | | | 127 | | | | 128 | |
Expected return on plan assets | | | (842 | ) | | | (664 | ) | | | — | | | | — | |
Amortization of prior service cost | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 16 | | | | 69 | |
Amortization of gain | | | — | | | | — | | | | (38 | ) | | | (56 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net periodic benefit cost | | $ | 317 | | | $ | 426 | | | $ | 122 | | | $ | 154 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Components of net periodic benefit costs for the nine months ended September 30 (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Pension Benefits | | | Post-Retirement Benefits | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Service cost | | $ | 1,509 | | | $ | 1,389 | | | $ | 51 | | | $ | 39 | |
Interest cost | | | 1,965 | | | | 1,878 | | | | 373 | | | | 384 | |
Expected return on plan assets | | | (2,526 | ) | | | (1,992 | ) | | | — | | | | — | |
Amortization of prior service cost | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | | 207 | |
Amortization of gain | | | — | | | | — | | | | (116 | ) | | | (168 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net periodic benefit cost | | $ | 951 | | | $ | 1,278 | | | $ | 310 | | | $ | 462 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
As previously disclosed in its financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2003, the Company does not expect to contribute to the pension plan in 2004.
21
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
17. SEGMENT INFORMATION
The Company has six reportable segments, each of which is a strategic business that is managed separately due to certain fundamental differences such as regulatory environment, services offered and/or customers served. The segments and a description of their businesses are as follows: the incumbent local exchange carrier (“ILEC”), which provides local telephone services; the digital wireless group (“Digital Wireless”), which provides wireless phone services; the competitive local exchange carrier (“CLEC”), which provides competitive local telephone services to customers outside the ILEC’s operating area; the Greenfield business (“Greenfield”), which provides full telecommunications services to developments outside the ILEC’s operating area; Internet and data services (“IDS”), which provides dial-up and high-speed internet access and other data related services; and Palmetto MobileNet, L.P. (“Palmetto”), which is a limited partnership with interests in wireless operations in North Carolina and South Carolina in which the Company has an equity interest through the Company’s subsidiary CT Cellular, Inc. All other business units, investments and operations of the Company that do not meet reporting guidelines and thresholds are reported under “Other”.
Accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003. The Company evaluates performance based on operating income. Intersegment transactions have been eliminated for purposes of calculating operating income. All segments reported below, except Palmetto, provide services primarily within North Carolina. Palmetto provides services in North and South Carolina. Selected data by business segment as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, is as follows (in thousands):
Three months ended September 30, 2004 (Restated)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Digital | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | ILEC | | | Wireless | | | CLEC | | | Greenfield | | | IDS | | | Other | | | Total | |
External revenue | | $ | 23,350 | | | $ | 8,222 | | | $ | 4,596 | | | $ | 2,039 | | | $ | 2,641 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 40,848 | |
External expense | | | 12,631 | | | | 6,518 | | | | 4,494 | | | | 2,177 | | | | 1,925 | | | | 323 | | | | 28,068 | |
Depreciation | | | 4,487 | | | | 488 | | | | 629 | | | | 774 | | | | 1,538 | | | | 334 | | | | 8,250 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | 6,232 | | | $ | 1,216 | | | $ | (527 | ) | | $ | (912 | ) | | $ | (822 | ) | | $ | (657 | ) | | $ | 4,530 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Segment assets | | $ | 170,276 | | | $ | 33,294 | | | $ | 14,658 | | | $ | 25,619 | | | $ | 14,150 | | | $ | 66,362 | | | $ | 324,359 | |
Three months ended September 30, 2003 (Restated)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Digital | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | ILEC | | | Wireless | | | CLEC | | | Greenfield | | | IDS | | | Other | | | Total | |
External revenue | | $ | 24,048 | | | $ | 7,468 | | | $ | 4,911 | | | $ | 1,540 | | | $ | 2,552 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 40,519 | |
External expense | | | 12,217 | | | | 6,880 | | | | 4,676 | | | | 2,161 | | | | 2,448 | | | | 61 | | | | 28,443 | |
Depreciation | | | 4,694 | | | | 438 | | | | 839 | | | | 433 | | | | 397 | | | | 533 | | | | 7,334 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | 7,137 | | | $ | 150 | | | $ | (604 | ) | | $ | (1,054 | ) | | $ | (293 | ) | | $ | (594 | ) | | $ | 4,742 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Segment assets | | $ | 168,802 | | | $ | 31,120 | | | $ | 15,923 | | | $ | 23,871 | | | $ | 15,795 | | | $ | 66,870 | | | $ | 322,381 | |
22
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Unaudited)
Nine months ended September 30, 2004 (Restated)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Digital | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | ILEC | | | Wireless | | | CLEC | | | Greenfield | | | IDS | | | Other | | | Total | |
External revenue | | $ | 69,955 | | | $ | 23,591 | | | $ | 14,585 | | | $ | 5,869 | | | $ | 8,161 | | $ | — | | | | $ | 122,161 | |
External expense | | | 34,913 | | | | 19,376 | | | | 13,365 | | | | 6,536 | | | | 6,443 | | | | 789 | | | | 81,422 | |
Depreciation | | | 14,159 | | | | 1,436 | | | | 1,888 | | | | 2,239 | | | | 2,337 | | | | 1,039 | | | | 23,098 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | 20,883 | | | $ | 2,779 | | | $ | (668 | ) | | $ | (2,906 | ) | | $ | (619 | ) | | $ | (1,828 | ) | | $ | 17,641 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Segment assets | | $ | 170,276 | | | $ | 33,294 | | | $ | 14,658 | | | $ | 25,619 | | | $ | 14,150 | | | $ | 66,362 | | | $ | 324,359 | |
Nine months ended September 30, 2003 (Restated)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Digital | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | ILEC | | | Wireless | | | CLEC | | | Greenfield | | | IDS | | | Other | | | Total | |
External revenue | | $ | 71,195 | | | $ | 21,198 | | | $ | 14,759 | | | $ | 4,417 | | | $ | 7,695 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 119,264 | |
External expense | | | 34,615 | | | | 18,223 | | | | 14,234 | | | | 6,162 | | | | 7,392 | | | | 1,860 | | | | 82,486 | |
Depreciation | | | 14,407 | | | | 1,232 | | | | 1,921 | | | | 1,826 | | | | 1,139 | | | | 992 | | | | 21,517 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | 22,173 | | | $ | 1,743 | | | $ | (1,396 | ) | | $ | (3,571 | ) | | $ | (836 | ) | | $ | (2,852 | ) | | $ | 15,261 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Segment assets | | $ | 168,802 | | | $ | 31,120 | | | $ | 15,923 | | | $ | 23,871 | | | $ | 15,795 | | | $ | 66,870 | | | $ | 322,381 | |
The Company’s Palmetto segment is not consolidated and is accounted for under the equity method. The Company’s net investment in Palmetto of $11.6 million and $9.5 million as of September 30, 2004 and 2003, respectively, is included as part of the assets of the Company’s Other segment. The Company records its share of earnings from Palmetto as equity in income of unconsolidated companies on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Summarized results of operations for Palmetto for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003 are as follows (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
Equity in earnings of RSA partnership interests | | $ | 7,630 | | | $ | 8,041 | | | $ | 21,204 | | | $ | 22,353 | |
Other expenses | | | 185 | | | | 152 | | | | 415 | | | | 246 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income | | $ | 7,445 | | | $ | 7,889 | | | $ | 20,789 | | | $ | 22,107 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Reconciliation to income from continuing operations before income taxes (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Segment operating income | | $ | 4,530 | | | $ | 4,742 | | | $ | 17,641 | | | $ | 15,261 | |
Total other income (expense) | | | (655 | ) | | | 727 | | | | 332 | | | | 13,160 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income from continuing operations before income taxes | | $ | 3,875 | | | $ | 5,469 | | | $ | 17,973 | | | $ | 28,421 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
23
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Restatement
The Company identified certain errors related to its accounting for telephone system sales that occurred in 1999 through the first three quarters of 2004, which resulted in the overstatement of revenue for the periods 1999 through 2002 and the understatement of revenue for 2003 and the first three quarters of 2004. The error also resulted in the overstatement of accounts receivable for the periods 1999 through the first three quarters of 2004. The correction of this error at September 30, 2004 resulted in a reduction of accounts receivable, income taxes payable and retained earnings of $1.3 million, $0.4 million and $1.1 million, respectively, and a $0.2 million increase in customer deposits and advanced billings. The correction of this error for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 resulted in an increase in revenue of $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively, and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 resulted in a $0.1 million and $37,000 decrease in revenue, respectively.
The Company discovered certain errors relating to the Company’s reporting of depreciation expense in 2002, 2003 and the first three quarters of 2004. These depreciation errors were caused by calculation errors in the Company’s fixed asset system. The cumulative effect of these errors resulted in an increase in property and equipment of $2.7 million at September 30, 2004. These errors resulted in an overstatement (understatement) of depreciation expense of $ (0.5) million and $ 0.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and an overstatement of depreciation expense of $0.5 million and $1.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. The correction of these errors increased (decreased) net income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 by $(0.3) million and $0.2 million, respectively, and increased net income $0.3 million and $1.0 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively.
The Company identified an error in the accounting for a capital lease agreement that also impacted certain accrual accounts. The Company discovered that it had not properly recorded the asset associated with a capital lease and that certain accruals were erroneously adjusted in recording the liability associated with the capital lease. The correction of this error resulted in an increase in operating expense of $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and a decrease in operating expense of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, the correction of this error resulted in a decrease in operating expense of $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The after tax impact of these adjustments resulted in a decrease to net income of $38,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and an increase to net income of $0.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. The after tax impact of these adjustments for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, resulted in a decrease to net income of $38,000 and $0.1 million, respectively.
The Company received a distribution notice in 2004 relating to an equity security held by a member of the Company’s equity portfolio, and recorded the distribution when the notice was received. The Company subsequently learned that the distribution was actually completed in the fourth quarter of 2003, and has adjusted this investment at December 31, 2003 through a $0.7 million reduction of investment securities and a $0.4 million reduction in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax effect of $0.3 million.
During the course of preparing its year-end financial statements for 2004, an error was identified in the Company’s accounting related to three interest rate swap agreements entered into during 1999 and 2001. The Company was incorrectly applying hedge accounting and was recording the adjustment to fair value of its interest rate swaps through accumulated other comprehensive income instead of interest expense. The correction of this error resulted in a decrease in interest expense of $20,000 and $0.3 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and a decrease in interest expense of $0.2 million and $0.4 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. The after tax impact of the correction of this error resulted in an increase to net income of $13,000 and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and an increase to net income of $0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively.
The Company reviewed its accounting with respect to leasing transactions and has concluded there was an error in the determination of lease expense for certain leases related primarily to wireless cell tower sites. The Company had not properly reflected rent escalation provisions contained in its leases on a straight-line
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basis as required by SFAS No. 13, “Accounting for Leases”. To correct this error, the Company has considered the escalation provisions of the leases and has considered renewal periods when there is reasonable assurance that one or more of the renewal options would be exercised. The result of the Company’s assessment was to increase the lease term as defined in SFAS No. 13 for most of its operating leases. The impact of this error for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 was an increase in rent expense (which is included in operating expense on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income) of $22,000 and $66,000, respectively, and an increase in rent expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 of $28,000 and $0.1 million, respectively.
The Company also restated certain previously recorded, out-of-period items to include them in the periods in which they actually occurred in order to more accurately present the financial statements for those prior periods. These adjustments include a decrease in dividend income of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 and a decrease in equity in income of affiliates of $0.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. In addition, the Company also reclassified to other assets $1.1 million of certain items previously recorded as accounts receivable on the consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2004.
The aggregate impact of the correction of all the errors discussed above resulted in an increase (decrease) in net income of ($0.2) million and $0.6 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and an increase in net income of $0.4 million and $0.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003.
Introduction
CT Communications, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) provide a broad range of telecommunications and related services to residential and business customers located primarily in North Carolina. The Company’s primary services include local and long distance telephone service, Internet and data services and digital wireless products and services.
The Company has worked to expand its core businesses through the development of integrated product and service offerings, investment in certain growth initiatives and targeted marketing efforts to efficiently identify and obtain customers. In addition, the Company has made certain strategic investments that complement its business units. During 2001, the Company expanded its wireless business through the partitioning of its area of the Cingular digital network.
The Company believes that it is positioning itself to achieve its strategic objectives by devoting substantial effort to developing business plans, enhancing its management team, and designing and developing its business support and operating systems. The Company’s primary focus is to maximize the ILEC business by selling bundled services and enhancing its network, and in particular its broadband network, to better position the Company for increasing competition. With respect to its CLEC and Greenfield businesses, the Company continues to place greater emphasis on projects that can be served by leveraging existing network infrastructure. The Company will also consider strategic acquisitions and investments as opportunities arise.
On September 1, 2004, the Company announced a plan to significantly enhance its broadband capabilities in its ILEC territory. The initiative involves an estimated $9.0 million capital investment that, upon completion, is expected to allow the Company to offer broadband service speeds of up to 10 megabits per second throughout much of its ILEC territory, a significant improvement over current DSL and cable modem speeds. The initiative is planned for completion in 2005, with the introduction of higher-speed services in selected areas planned by the end of 2004.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, net income for the Company was $2.2 million and $10.6 million, respectively, compared to $3.5 million and $16.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003. Net income for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 included a $9.7 million after-tax gain on the sale of an equity investment. Diluted earnings per share were $0.12 and $0.19 for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, respectively, and $0.56 and $0.90 for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, respectively.
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The Company continues to be exposed to increasing competition in its ILEC territory and regulatory developments and uncertainties that impact its CLEC and Greenfield businesses. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, the Company’s ILEC continued to experience a loss of access lines due in part to an increase in broadband Internet adoption by customers that have cancelled second lines previously used for dial-up Internet service as well as increased competition from wireless and other competitive providers. The competitive CLEC and Greenfield wireline businesses continued to experience strong demand for their products and services which resulted in 8.5% and 34.9% access line growth, respectively, compared to September 30, 2003. The continued loss of ILEC access lines and evolving regulatory changes that will affect certain expenses in our CLEC and Greenfield businesses may negatively impact operating margins in future periods.
Industry and Operating Trends
The telecommunications industry is highly competitive and characterized by increasing price competition, new technology developments and regulatory uncertainty. Industry participants are faced with the challenge of adapting their organizations, services, processes and systems to this environment. The Company’s ILEC is facing more competitive pressure than at any other time in its history. Wireless providers and CLECs have targeted the Company’s customers and will continue to promote low cost, flexible communications alternatives. Cable telephony and Voice over Internet Protocol (“VoIP”) services will become more significant threats to the Company’s voice business in coming years. These technologies are capable of delivering a quality, competitive voice service to ILEC customers. These voice providers are not subject to certain regulatory constraints and obligations that have shaped the Company’s business model and that will become more significant impediments to its ability to successfully compete in the coming years.
The ILEC must provide basic telephone service as well as most tariffed services to all customers in its regulated service area, regardless of the cost to provide those services. The Company does benefit from universal service fund (USF) payments intended to offset certain costs to provide service. These reimbursements are increasingly at risk, yet service obligations remain unchanged.
As discussed above, VoIP and cable telephony are becoming more available to customers and could result in lower revenues throughout the Company’s businesses. Time Warner currently offers cable television and high-speed Internet service and is expected to offer cable telephony in our ILEC service area in late 2004 or early 2005. This could result in a loss of access lines, a reduction in ILEC revenue including long distance and access revenue, and a reduction in Internet revenue. In addition, wireless substitution is also a trend that is impacting the ILEC business as well as our long distance revenue. Some customers are choosing to substitute their landline service with wireless service. The Company believes the access line decrease in the ILEC over the past several years can be partially attributed to this trend.
Also impacting access line losses over the past several years is the adoption of digital subscriber line (“DSL”) and high-speed Internet services by customers that had traditionally subscribed to dial-up Internet service. As customers switch to DSL or high-speed Internet service, they no longer need a second landline for use with their dial-up Internet service. To the extent that such landline is replaced with a Company DSL line, then the Company can ultimately recover the lost second landline revenue through its DSL service to the customer.
In recent quarters, the Company experienced a decline in wireless interconnection access fee revenue. Wireless interconnection access revenue has declined due to requirements to develop direct billing relationships with wireless carriers for termination of wireless traffic on the network. These direct billing relationships are subject to negotiated interconnection rates that are lower than rates previously realized for termination of this traffic. However, this rate decline has been somewhat offset as wireless traffic terminated on the Company’s network increases. The Company expects continued pressure from other telecommunications providers, and possibly regulators, to lower or eliminate the recovery of fees for terminating such providers’ traffic on the Company’s network.
In the Company’s wireless business, increasing competition, market saturation and an uncertain economy have caused and will likely continue to cause the wireless industry’s subscriber growth rate to moderate in comparison to historical growth rates. While the wireless telecommunications industry does continue to
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grow, a high degree of competition exists among carriers. This competition will continue to put pressure on pricing and margins as carriers compete for customers.
Regulatory requirements have grown in certain areas of our business and have added complexity and expense to the Company’s business model. In November 2003, the Company was required to provide local number portability (“LNP”) to other wireless carriers. This service allows greater customer choice in their telecommunications provider, without the need to change established end user contact numbers. While this service certainly enhances customer choice, it negatively impacts the cost to provide basic service. In addition, recent regulatory decisions by the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) that reduced the switched access rates charged to interexchange carriers by the CLEC and Greenfield businesses, and increased rates for unbundled network elements purchased by those businesses from incumbent local exchange carriers, have placed a higher degree of uncertainty and margin pressure on the CLEC and Greenfield businesses.
The Company has licenses and other rights (including lease agreements) to certain wireless spectrum, including Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (“MMDS”) and Instructional Television Fixed Service (“ITFS”). In April 2003, the FCC initiated a proposed rulemaking to comprehensively examine its rules regarding MMDS and ITFS spectrum. On July 29, 2004, the FCC issued a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, setting forth new rules for MMDS (now called Broadband Radio Service (“BRS”)) and ITFS (now called Educational Broadband Service (“EBS”)) in the 2495-2690 MHz band. In its order, the FCC created a new plan for this band, eliminating the use of interleaved channels by BRS and EBS licenses and creating distinct band segments for high power operations and low power operations. The FCC’s order also implemented geographic area licensing for all licenses in the band and adopted a three-year transitional mechanism for licensees to move to new spectrum assignments. The FCC’s transition mechanism contemplates that a proponent licensee (presumably a commercial operator) will initiate a transition for an entire Major Economic Area (“MEA”), and will bear the costs of the transition for EBS licensees in such MEA. Such a transition in the MEA that includes the Company’s license territory would require coordination by the proponent with numerous licensees, and significant cost support for the many EBS licensees that operate in the area.
If an MEA is not transitioned within the three-year period, then the affected channels will be re-licensed through an auction procedure. After the three-year deadline (plus an additional 18 month grace period for incumbents) existing licensees could lose their authorizations if a transition has not taken place. Therefore, if the Company’s licenses are not transitioned, those rights could be forfeited. What consideration, if any, the Company would receive in such circumstances has not been determined by the FCC. The FCC has proposed additional rules for, and solicited comments on, the structure of the auction for unlicensed spectrum (including any bidding credits or other consideration to be provided to incumbent licensees) and other matters relating to the spectrum. The FCC’s order has not yet been published in the Federal Register, and will not become effective until after such publication, or possibly later, if the order is subject to reconsideration. The Company is currently evaluating whether to participate in a motion to the FCC for reconsideration of the order.
As of September 30, 2004, the Company has a cost basis of approximately $15.2 million in MMDS and ITFS spectrum recorded as part of other intangibles on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company will consider the FCC’s Order and other regulatory and business developments and trends when assessing the value of its intangible assets. The Company tests intangibles for impairment at least annually.
Results of Operations
The Company has six reportable segments, each of which is a strategic business that is managed separately due to certain fundamental differences such as regulatory environment, services offered and/or customers served. The identified reportable segments are: ILEC, CLEC, Greenfield, Digital Wireless, IDS and Palmetto. All other businesses that do not meet reporting guidelines and thresholds are reported under “Other Business Units”. Summarized results of operations for Palmetto are included in Notes 10 and 17 of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
The following discussion reviews the consolidated results of operations and specific results within each consolidated reportable segment.
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Consolidated Operating Results(in thousands, except lines and subscribers)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Total operating revenue | | $ | 40,848 | | | $ | 40,519 | | | $ | 122,161 | | | $ | 119,264 | |
Total operating expense | | | 36,318 | | | | 35,777 | | | | 104,520 | | | | 104,003 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income | | $ | 4,530 | | | $ | 4,742 | | | $ | 17,641 | | | $ | 15,261 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | $ | 8,250 | | | $ | 7,334 | | | $ | 23,098 | | | $ | 21,517 | |
Capital expenditures | | | 7,530 | | | | 5,700 | | | | 17,294 | | | | 16,923 | |
Total assets | | | | | | | | | | | 324,359 | | | | 322,381 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ending wired access lines | | | | | | | | | | | 157,206 | | | | 154,079 | |
Ending wireless subscribers | | | | | | | | | | | 41,229 | | | | 36,778 | |
Three months ended September 30
Operating revenue increased $0.3 million or 0.8% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. The increase is attributable to a $0.8 million increase in Wireless revenue driven by a 12.1% increase in customers, a $0.5 million increase in Greenfield revenue driven primarily by a 34.9% increase in access lines and a $0.1 million increase in IDS revenue. These increases were partially offset by a $0.7 million decrease in ILEC revenue driven primarily by a decrease in phone system sales and a decrease in access lines, and a $0.3 million decrease in CLEC revenue due to a decrease in access revenue primarily related to a significant reduction in interstate access rates effective in June 2004.
For the three months ended September 30, 2004, operating expense increased $0.5 million or 1.5% compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003, primarily due to an increase in depreciation expense. As a result, operating margin decreased to 11.1% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 from 11.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2003.
Nine months ended September 30
Operating revenue increased $2.9 million or 2.4% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The increase is attributable to a $2.4 million increase in Wireless revenue driven by a 12.1% increase in customers, a $1.4 million increase in Greenfield revenue driven primarily by a 34.9% increase in access lines and a $0.5 million increase in IDS revenue. These increases were somewhat offset by a $1.2 million decrease in ILEC revenue driven primarily by a decrease in access lines and lower wireless interconnection rates and a $0.2 million decrease in CLEC revenue primarily related to a significant reduction in interstate access rates effective in June 2004.
The Company has diversified operating revenue over the past several years through the growth in its CLEC, Greenfield and Wireless businesses. For the nine months ended September 30, the ILEC represented 57.3% of total revenue in 2004 compared to 59.7% in 2003, while Digital Wireless represented 19.3% of total revenue in 2004 compared to 17.8% in 2003. The combined CLEC and Greenfield businesses have grown to 16.7% of total revenue in 2004 up from 16.1% in 2003 and Internet represented 6.7% in 2004 compared to 6.5% in 2003.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2004, operating expense increased $0.5 million compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. This increase was primarily the result of higher expenses in the Greenfield and Wireless businesses. Operating margins increased to 14.4% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 from 12.8% for the nine months ended September 30, 2003. This increase in operating margin is primarily due to improving operating margins in the CLEC, Greenfield and Wireless businesses
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offset by declining operating margins in the ILEC. Operating margin in the ILEC declined for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 to 29.9% compared to 31.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2003.
In October 2003, the Company received income tax assessments from the North Carolina Department of Revenue related to certain state tax returns filed for the years ended December 31, 1998, 1999 and 2000. The Company is currently appealing these assessments and believes it has meritorious defenses to the assessments and the ultimate outcome is not expected to result in a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
ILEC(in thousands, except lines)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Total operating revenue | | $ | 23,350 | | | $ | 24,048 | | | $ | 69,955 | | | $ | 71,195 | |
Total operating expense | | | 17,118 | | | | 16,911 | | | | 49,072 | | | | 49,022 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income | | $ | 6,232 | | | $ | 7,137 | | | $ | 20,883 | | | $ | 22,173 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | $ | 4,487 | | | $ | 4,694 | | | $ | 14,159 | | | $ | 14,407 | |
Capital expenditures | | | 4,221 | | | | 2,712 | | | | 9,773 | | | | 8,887 | |
Total assets | | | | | | | | | | | 170,276 | | | | 168,802 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ending business access lines | | | | | | | | | | | 28,912 | | | | 29,263 | |
Ending residential access lines | | | | | | | | | | | 84,816 | | | | 86,951 | |
Ending total access lines | | | | | | | | | | | 113,728 | | | | 116,214 | |
Ending long distance lines | | | �� | | | | | | | | 84,760 | | | | 85,045 | |
Three months ended September 30
Operating revenue for the ILEC decreased $0.7 million or 2.9% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. The decrease in revenue is primarily the result of a decrease in phone system sales of $0.5 million, a decrease in line related revenue of $0.5 million related to a 2.1% decrease in access lines and a decrease in revenue related to certain regulatory settlements of $0.3 million. The decrease in phone system sales is primarily due to a significant sale that accounted for approximately $0.3 million in the third quarter of 2003. These decreases were partially offset by a $0.4 million increase in access and interconnection revenue. The decrease in access lines is due in part to an increase in broadband Internet adoption by customers that have cancelled second lines previously used for dial-up Internet service as well as increased competition from wireless and other competitive providers.
Operating expense for the ILEC increased $0.2 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. Expenses related to phone system sales decreased $0.3 million, which was partially offset by an increase in access and interconnection expense. Operating margin decreased from 29.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2003 to 26.7% for the three months ended September 30, 2004. The Company will continue to focus on gaining operational efficiencies to offset lower revenue due to access line losses.
Capital expenditures for the three months ended September 30, 2004 were 18.1% of ILEC operating revenue compared to 11.3% of operating revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2003. This increase in capital expenditures reflects the initial expenditures associated with the Company’s $9.0 million strategic initiative to enhance the broadband capabilities of the ILEC network.
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Nine months ended September 30
Operating revenue for the ILEC decreased $1.2 million or 1.7% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The decrease in revenue is primarily the result of a decrease in phone system sales of $0.4 million, a decrease in revenue related to certain regulatory settlements of $0.3 million, a decrease in long distance revenue of $0.4 million and a decrease in line related revenue of $0.5 million related to a 2.1% decrease in access lines. Access lines at September 30, 2004 declined 2.1% from September 30, 2003. The decrease in access lines is due in part to an increase in broadband Internet adoption by customers that have cancelled second lines previously used for dial-up Internet service as well as increased competition from wireless and other competitive providers.
Operating expense in the ILEC increased $0.1 million or 0.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. Operating expense increased while operating revenue declined resulting in a decline in operating margin from 31.1% for the nine months ended September 30, 2003 to 29.9% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. The Company will continue to focus on gaining operational efficiencies to offset lower revenue due to access line losses.
Capital expenditures for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 were 14.0% of ILEC operating revenue compared to 12.5% of operating revenue for the nine months ended September 30, 2003.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2004, ILEC access lines subscribing to our long distance service remained relatively flat despite a 2.1% access line loss. At September 30, 2004, 74.5% of ILEC access lines subscribed to the Company’s long distance service, up from 73.2% at September 30, 2003. While the number of ILEC customers subscribing to long distance service remained flat, long distance revenue declined. Long distance minutes of use increased significantly in the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. However, increased competition has forced lower rates per minute and as a result, long distance revenue has declined despite an increase in minutes of use. This trend is expected to continue.
Certain ILEC interstate network access revenue is based on tariffed access charge rates filed with the FCC. A portion of this revenue may be subject to potential over-earnings claims if ILEC interstate rates result in earnings over the FCC’s prescribed rate of return. The Company maintains that such claims should be rejected if such revenues were earned through the application of rates that are “deemed lawful” because they were in accordance with FCC-approved tariffs. The Company maintains a reserve related to over-earnings based on management’s estimate of potential liability for the Company. Management periodically assesses the ILEC’s potential liability and makes adjustments as applicable. Changes in management’s estimate could result from changes in projected over-earnings, current and future legislation, regulatory filings or FCC rulings, as well as any other factors that may impact management’s estimate.
In accordance with FCC rules, the ILEC filed modifications to its access tariff rates on June 16, 2004 with a scheduled effective date of July 1, 2004. On June 23, 2004, AT&T Corporation (“AT&T”) filed a petition asking the FCC to suspend and investigate tariff filings of the ILEC and numerous other companies. AT&T asked the FCC to suspend the ILEC tariff for the following reasons: the ILEC has had historical over-earnings, the ILEC should be required to make a mid-course correction in rates to address over-earnings in prior periods, the ILEC understated traffic sensitive demand, and the ILEC filed an excessive cash working capital requirement. The Company’s response was filed with the FCC on June 30, 2004. On July 1, 2004, the FCC issued an order suspending for one day the tariff filings of multiple carriers including the ILEC. The FCC rejected all but one of AT&T’s arguments against the ILEC and suspended the ILEC’s tariff filing for investigation of its cash working capital calculations. On July 30, 2004, the FCC reconsidered its suspension and declined to further investigate the ILEC’s cash working capital calculations. The tariff suspension could impact the “deemed lawful” nature of the Company’s rates from July 1, 2004 forward, which could in turn subject the Company to refund claims from interexchange carriers in the event the ILEC earns more than the authorized rate of return. The Company does not believe that the FCC’s action with respect to the Company’s 2004 filing will result in a material impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements or subject the Company to any material refund claims.
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The remainder of the ILEC’s interstate network access revenue is derived from revenue pooling arrangements with other local exchange carriers administered by the National Exchange Carrier Association (“NECA”), a quasi-governmental non-profit organization formed by the FCC in 1983 for such purpose. The Company’s ILEC participates in the NECA Carrier Common Line pool and is the recipient of long-term support. In addition, the ILEC receives Interstate Common Line Support (“ICLS”) funds, which are administered by NECA. The ICLS support mechanism was implemented in July 2002. As of July 2004, long-term support became part of the ICLS support mechanism.
NECA’s pooling arrangements are based on nationwide average costs that are applied to certain projected demand quantities, and therefore revenues are initially recorded based on estimates. These estimates involve a variety of complex calculations, and the ultimate amount realized from the pools may differ from the Company’s estimates. Management periodically reviews these estimates and makes adjustments as applicable.
The FCC required wireline companies in the top 100 metropolitan statistical areas (“MSAs”) to begin intermodal porting of telephone numbers (from wireline to wireless) beginning November 24, 2003. In areas of the country below the top 100 MSAs, wireline to wireless porting began May 24, 2004. LNP could result in increased customer churn over time, but has not yet had any significant impact on the Company’s business.
CLEC(in thousands, except lines)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Total operating revenue | | $ | 4,596 | | | $ | 4,911 | | | $ | 14,585 | | | $ | 14,759 | |
Total operating expense | | | 5,123 | | | | 5,515 | | | | 15,253 | | | | 16,155 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | (527 | ) | | $ | (604 | ) | | $ | (668 | ) | | $ | (1,396 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | $ | 629 | | | $ | 839 | | | $ | 1,888 | | | $ | 1,921 | |
Capital expenditures | | | 144 | | | | 242 | | | | 540 | | | | 707 | |
Total assets | | | | | | | | | | | 14,658 | | | | 15,923 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ending access lines | | | | | | | | | | | 31,194 | | | | 28,756 | |
Ending long distance lines | | | | | | | | | | | 22,819 | | | | 20,598 | |
In the second quarter of 2004, the Company changed its methodology for counting CLEC long distance lines. The new methodology is more consistent with that used to count CLEC access lines. The number of lines presented for 2003 has been revised to reflect this change in methodology.
Three months ended September 30
CLEC operating revenue was $4.6 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004, representing a $0.3 million or 6.4% decrease from the three months ended September 30, 2003. The $0.3 million decrease consists primarily of a $0.5 million decrease in access revenue partially offset by a $0.2 million increase in line revenue. The increase in line revenue is primarily attributable to an 8.5% increase in access lines. The $0.5 million decrease in access revenue was due primarily to the collection of approximately $0.4 million in previously disputed access fees in the three months ended September 30, 2003 and a reduction in certain access rates in June 2004.
In 2001, the FCC adopted rules that set interstate switched access charges at declining rates. Effective June 22, 2004, the FCC directed that switched access rates charged by CLECs to long distance companies for interstate traffic be reduced from $0.012 per minute to the rate of the applicable competing ILEC. Based on this order, the Company has significantly reduced its CLEC interstate switched access rates by more than 50%. The Company expects these rates to stabilize in the near term, but to continue to be forced downward over the long term. In addition, certain interexchange carriers have been deploying VoIP
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technology in an effort to avoid payment of access charges. On April 21, 2004, the FCC announced that AT&T would be responsible for payment of access charges even if VoIP technology is used in transporting long distance calls. It is expected that this issue will continue to receive significant attention from the FCC in the remainder of 2004 and in 2005.
CLEC operating expense was $5.1 million and $5.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, respectively. Operating margin increased to (11.5)% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to (12.3)% for the three months ended September 30, 2003.
Nine months ended September 30
CLEC operating revenue was $14.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004, representing a $0.2 million or 1.2% decrease from the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The $0.2 million decrease consists primarily of a $1.0 million decrease in access revenue partially offset by a $0.7 million increase in line revenue and a $0.1 million increase in long distance revenue. The increase in line revenue is primarily attributable to an 8.5% increase in access lines for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The $1.0 million decrease in access revenue was due primarily to the collection of approximately $0.9 million in previously disputed access fees in 2003 and a reduction in certain access rates in June 2004.
CLEC operating expense was $15.2 million and $16.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, respectively. The primary drivers of the $0.9 million reduction in expenses are lower personnel and commission expenses totaling $0.7 million. As a result of the 5.6% decrease in expense, operating margin increased to (4.6)% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to (9.5)% for the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The improvement in operating margin was due primarily to the increase in access lines and reduction in expenses partially offset by a decrease in access fee revenue.
In August 2003, the FCC released its Triennial Review Order (“TRO”) addressing the obligations of incumbent local exchange carriers to provide unbundled network elements (“UNEs”) to competitive local exchange carriers. The FCC’s order eliminated unbundling requirements for broadband services provided over fiber facilities, but retained unbundled access to mass-market narrowband loops. The FCC also held that incumbent local exchange carriers are not required to unbundle packet switching services or, subject to state review, local switching that serves business customers on high-capacity loops. In addition, the FCC ordered a three-year phase out of the unbundling of the high frequency portion of the loop. For mass market customers served by narrowband loops, the FCC set out specific criteria for states to use in determining whether switching should continue to be made available as an UNE. If a state found that such switching should be eliminated as an UNE, then the FCC required a three-year transition period for Unbundled Network Element Platform (“UNE-P”), which is a service that bundles UNE switching with other UNEs such as UNE loop, so that the competitive local exchange carrier can provide an entire local service platform.
In March 2004, the U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a decision that upheld the FCC’s elimination of unbundling requirements for broadband loops and phase-out of unbundling requirements for the high frequency portion of the loop (“D.C. Circuit opinion”). However, the court vacated and remanded a number of the FCC’s determinations, including the FCC’s finding that competitive local exchange carriers were impaired without access to certain network elements such as local switching. In addition, the court vacated the FCC’s delegation to the state commissions’ determinations related to mass-market switching and dedicated transport elements. This decision became effective on June 15, 2004. This issue has received significant attention from federal and state regulators. The CLEC and Greenfield businesses currently use certain network elements impacted by the D.C. Circuit opinion, such as UNE-P, dedicated transport and enhanced extended links (“EELs”), and high capacity combinations of loops and dedicated transport. As of September 30, 2004, approximately 25% of the Company’s current CLEC access lines are EELs, and the Company currently has approximately 4,000 UNE-P circuits.
In response to the D.C. Circuit Opinion, on August 20, 2004 the FCC released interim rules, which became effective on September 13, 2004, to provide a transition period for implementation of the D.C. Circuit decision and to provide the FCC with additional time to prepare final unbundling rules consistent with the D.C. Circuit’s order. The FCC has indicated that it will develop these final rules before the end of 2004.
32
The interim rules apply to switching, dedicated transport, enterprise loops and EELs. Under the interim rules, during the first six months after the effective date of the order, incumbent LECs are required to provide and maintain these elements under the same terms (including pricing) as existed before the DC Circuit’s opinion became effective. Therefore, the terms and conditions, including pricing, in the Company’s current interconnection agreements will continue to govern our access to these elements and the charges for this access. This period could be shortened if the FCC adopts final unbundling rules that become effective within this six month period.
During the succeeding six month period ending on September 13, 2005, the interim rules mandate that existing elements will continue to be available under the terms of existing interconnection agreements with rate increases established in accordance with the interim rules. New elements cannot be added at the rates set pursuant to the interim rules. As a result, absent new commission rules requiring unbundling of these elements, orders for these elements after the initial six month period will be pursuant to negotiated terms, including pricing, with the applicable incumbent LECs.
After September 13, 2005, unless the FCC has ruled otherwise, the embedded elements subject to the full transition period will only be available from the incumbent LECs at rates, terms and conditions that competitive LECs negotiate with such incumbent.
The Company believes that the impact to its ILEC from these regulatory developments will be minimal. However, because the CLEC and Greenfield businesses rely significantly on network elements, including UNE-P, EELs and dedicated transport supplied by the applicable incumbent local carrier, higher prices for those elements will adversely impact these operations. The Company is currently evaluating alternative network options and proposals from the applicable incumbent carriers to assess the potential impact on the CLEC and Greenfield businesses.
Greenfield(in thousands, except lines and signed agreements)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Total operating revenue | | $ | 2,039 | | | $ | 1,540 | | | $ | 5,869 | | | $ | 4,417 | |
Total operating expense | | | 2,951 | | | | 2,594 | | | | 8,775 | | | | 7,988 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | (912 | ) | | $ | (1,054 | ) | | $ | (2,906 | ) | | $ | (3,571 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | $ | 774 | | | $ | 433 | | | $ | 2,239 | | | $ | 1,826 | |
Capital expenditures | | | 1,201 | | | | 996 | | | | 3,141 | | | | 3,148 | |
Total assets | | | | | | | | | | | 25,619 | | | | 23,871 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ending access lines | | | | | | | | | | | 12,284 | | | | 9,109 | |
Ending long distance lines | | | | | | | | | | | 6,328 | | | | 4,154 | |
Total signed provider agreements | | | | | | | | | | | 104 | | | | 87 | |
Three months ended September 30
Greenfield revenue increased $0.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004 to $2.0 million compared to $1.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2003. This revenue increase is primarily attributable to a 34.9% increase in access lines. The Greenfield business added five provider agreements in the third quarter of 2004, bringing the total number of signed agreements to 104. These agreements currently represent a potential of more than 48,000 access lines once these developments have been completely built out. The expected residential/business line mix of these 104 projects is expected to be 90% residential and 10% business.
Operating expense increased 13.8% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 to $3.0 million, while revenue grew 32.4%. As a result, operating margin increased to (44.7)% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to (68.4)% for the three months ended September 30, 2003. Capital
33
expenditures for the three months ended September 30, 2004 increased $0.2 million compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003, primarily due to the construction of fiber facilities to bring certain competitive operations onto the Company’s network.
Nine months ended September 30
Greenfield revenue increased $1.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 to $5.9 million compared to $4.4 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2003. This revenue increase is primarily attributable to a 34.9% increase in access lines.
Operating expense increased 9.9% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 to $8.8 million, related primarily to a $0.2 million increase in access and transport expenses associated with the increase in access lines and an increase in other network expenses.
At September 30, 2004, 51.5% of Greenfield access lines also subscribed to the Company’s long distance service, up from 45.6% at September 30, 2003. This increase is mainly due to the fact that many of the early Greenfield access lines were business lines located in mall projects. Business customers historically do not elect the Company’s long distance service as frequently as residential customers since many retail businesses have national long distance contracts. As the residential percentage of Greenfield access lines increases, long distance penetration rates will likely increase.
In June 2003, the North Carolina Utilities Commission (“NCUC”) initiated a general inquiry involving all certificated telecommunications providers regarding preferred provider contracts. The Company has preferred provider telecommunications contracts with developers through its Greenfield operations. In its inquiry, the NCUC examined all telecommunications preferred provider contracts filed by CLECs and ILECs with the NCUC and held hearings on the legality of such arrangements in late January 2004. On October 29, 2004, the NCUC issued an order ruling on a variety of different matters with respect to such contracts. The ruling confirmed the invalidity of exclusive access provisions, which the Company does not impose in its contracts, but upheld exclusive marketing arrangements. The NCUC also required providers in preferred provider relationships to provide unbundled subloops to competitors seeking access to customers, and to offer its services on a resale basis to such competitors. The NCUC has not yet crafted final rules implementing its order, and the decision is subject to motions for reconsideration. Accordingly, the Company has not fully determined the impact of this order on its Greenfield business. However, the Company does not anticipate a material impact at this time.
The Greenfield segment is also subject to the switched access rates reduction affecting the Company’s CLEC. The impact on Greenfield is not significant and should be offset by increased levels of traffic as the Company continues to build out its projects. As discussed above, the Company’s Greenfield also relies, to a lesser extent than the CLEC, on unbundled network elements purchased from incumbent local exchange carriers, and is therefore impacted by the TRO, D.C. Circuit decision and the FCC’s interim rules.
34
Digital Wireless(in thousands, except subscribers)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Total operating revenue | | $ | 8,222 | | | $ | 7,468 | | | $ | 23,591 | | | $ | 21,198 | |
Total operating expense | | | 7,006 | | | | 7,318 | | | | 20,812 | | | | 19,455 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income | | $ | 1,216 | | | $ | 150 | | | $ | 2,779 | | | $ | 1,743 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | $ | 488 | | | $ | 438 | | | $ | 1,436 | | | $ | 1,232 | |
Capital expenditures | | | 1,286 | | | | 784 | | | | 1,904 | | | | 965 | |
Total assets | | | | | | | | | | | 33,294 | | | | 31,120 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ending post-pay subscribers | | | | | | | | | | | 41,229 | | | | 36,778 | |
Three months ended September 30
Digital Wireless revenue grew $0.8 million or 10.1% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. Post-pay wireless subscribers increased 12.1% compared to September 30, 2003. Recurring revenue increased $0.6 million due primarily to the increase in subscribers. Also contributing to the increase in revenue was increased settlement and roaming revenue of $0.3 million related to a 10.1% increase in the minutes of use on the Company’s wireless network during the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003.
Operating expense decreased 4.3% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 to $7.0 million compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. The primary drivers of the decrease in operating expense were decreases in handset and accessory expense of $0.2 million related to lower customer additions, lower personnel expense of $0.2 and lower marketing and sales expenses.
Operating margin increased to 14.8% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to 2.0% for the three months ended September 30, 2003. This improvement in operating margin is due primarily to the increase in settlement and roaming revenue and a decrease in operating expenses.
Capital expenditures were $1.3 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004, primarily related to the completion of network upgrades associated with the deployment of higher speed data services.
Nine months ended September 30
Digital Wireless revenue grew $2.4 million or 11.3% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. Recurring revenue increased $2.1 million primarily due to a 12.1% increase in post-pay wireless subscribers compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. Also contributing to the increase in revenue was increased settlement revenue of $0.9 million related to a 24.1% increase in the minutes of use on the Company’s wireless network during the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003.
Operating expense increased 7.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 to $20.8 million compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The primary drivers of the increase in operating expense were increases in settlement and switching expenses of $0.6 million, depreciation expense of $0.2 million and other corporate related expenses. Settlement expenses increased primarily due to the increase in post-pay customers and the related increase in minutes-of-use on our network.
Operating margins increased to 11.8% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to 8.2% for the nine months ended September 30, 2003. This increase was primarily due to an increase in settlement and roaming revenue and an increase in subscribers.
35
In November 2003, the FCC mandated that wireless carriers implement LNP. This means that customers will be able to retain their number when they change service providers. The Company expects that wireless LNP could result in increased rates of customer churn. In addition, the FCC also required wireline companies to begin intermodal porting (from wireline to wireless) on the same date. In areas of the country below the top 100 MSAs, wireless to wireless and wireline to wireless porting began on May 24, 2004. LNP could result in increased customer churn over time, but has not yet had any significant impact on our business.
Cingular and AT&T Wireless, which had cell sites in the Company’s partitioned area, recently announced the closing of their merger. At this time, we are unable to determine how this will affect the Company.
Cingular, AT&T Wireless, and Triton PCS (“Triton”) signed a definitive agreement to exchange certain assets of Triton PCS for assets of AT&T Wireless that were recently purchased by Cingular. This agreement was contingent on the closing of the Cingular acquisition of AT&T Wireless, which recently occurred. Additionally, Triton and Cingular will be entering into a long-term reciprocal roaming agreement. The Company is currently discussing with Cingular the impact, if any, of this transaction on the Company’s joint operating agreement with Cingular. The Company does not believe, at this time, that this transaction will have a material impact on its wireless business. In essence, the Company would be replacing one competitor in its market, AT&T Wireless, with Triton.
FCC rules require the Wireless business to provide enhanced 911 emergency service (“E-911”) in a two-phased approach. Phase one has been completed and involves delivery of the caller’s number and the location of the cell site serving the customer to the Public Safety Answering Point (“PSAP”). Phase two was completed on August 12, 2004, and involves triangulation to allow PSAPs the ability to more accurately locate the calling party.
Internet and Data Services (“IDS”)(in thousands, except lines and accounts)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Total operating revenue | | $ | 2,641 | | | $ | 2,552 | | | $ | 8,161 | | | $ | 7,695 | |
Total operating expense | | | 3,463 | | | | 2,845 | | | | 8,780 | | | | 8,531 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | (822 | ) | | $ | (293 | ) | | $ | (619 | ) | | $ | (836 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | $ | 1,538 | | | $ | 397 | | | $ | 2,337 | | | $ | 1,139 | |
Capital expenditures | | | 408 | | | | 639 | | | | 1,084 | | | | 1,954 | |
Total assets | | | | | | | | | | | 14,150 | | | | 15,795 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ending DSL lines | | | | | | | | | | | 12,477 | | | | 9,591 | |
Ending dial-up accounts | | | | | | | | | | | 9,686 | | | | 11,535 | |
Ending high-speed accounts | | | | | | | | | | | 561 | | | | 536 | |
Three months ended September 30
IDS operating revenue grew 3.5% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 to $2.6 million compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. This increase is primarily due to higher DSL revenue of $0.5 million related to an increase in DSL lines. This increase was partially offset by decreases in dial-up and high-speed revenue of $0.2 million combined.
IDS operating expense increased $0.6 million compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. The primary driver of this increase was a $1.1 million increase in depreciation expense offset by a decrease in network expense as a result of certain network transport efficiency initiatives. Due to the nature of the Company’s fixed assets and technological changes in the industry, the Company periodically performs an assessment of the useful lives of its fixed assets. Due to an assessment completed in the third quarter of
36
2004, the Company shortened the useful lives of certain assets in the Internet business, which resulted in the acceleration of depreciation expense for these assets.
Operating margins decreased to (31.1)% for the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to (11.5)% for the three months ended September 30, 2003. This decrease is primarily due to an increase in depreciation expense of $1.1 million. The Company continues to focus on opportunities to leverage existing network infrastructure to reduce transport expenses.
Nine months ended September 30
IDS operating revenue grew 6.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 to $8.2 million compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. This increase is primarily due to higher DSL revenue of $1.3 million related to an increase in DSL lines. This increase was partially offset by decreases in dial-up and high-speed revenue of $0.5 million combined.
IDS operating expense increased 2.9% compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The increase is primarily due to a increase in depreciation expense offset by a decrease in network expenses as the Company continues to focus on opportunities to leverage existing network infrastructure to reduce transport expenses. As a result, operating margins improved to (7.6)% for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to (10.9)% for the nine months ended September 30, 2003.
DSL customers at September 30, 2004 increased 30.1% compared to September 30, 2003, to a total of 12,477. This represents a penetration rate of 9.9% of combined Greenfield and ILEC access lines.
Other(in thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three months ended | | | Nine months ended | |
| | September 30, | | | September 30, | |
| | 2004 | | | 2003 | | | 2004 | | | 2003 | |
| | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | | | (Restated) | |
Total operating expense | | $ | 657 | | | $ | 594 | | | $ | 1,828 | | | $ | 2,852 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income (loss) | | $ | (657 | ) | | $ | (594 | ) | | $ | (1,828 | ) | | $ | (2,852 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Depreciation | | $ | 334 | | | $ | 533 | | | $ | 1,039 | | | $ | 992 | |
Capital expenditures | | | 270 | | | | 327 | | | | 852 | | | | 1,262 | |
Total assets | | | | | | | | | | | 66,362 | | | | 66,870 | |
Three months ended September 30
Operating expense for the Company’s other business units increased $0.1 million for the three months ended September 30, 2004 to $0.7 million. This increase was related primarily to an increase in corporate related expenses attributable to the other operating segment. The expenses of the other business units consist primarily of certain expenses that are not allocated to the operating segments.
Nine months ended September 30
Operating expense for the Company’s other business units decreased $1.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 to $1.8 million. This decrease was related primarily to a decrease in corporate related expenses attributable to the other operating segment.
37
Other Income
Three months ended September 30
Other income (expense) for the three months ended September 30, 2004 decreased $1.4 million compared to the three months ended September 30, 2003. This decrease relates primarily to an increase in impairment charges on the Company’s investment securities. The Company recognized impairment charges of $1.5 million in the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to $0.5 million in the three months ended September 30, 2003. In addition, the Company recorded gains on sales of investments of $0.2 million during the three months ended September 30, 2004 compared to $0.9 million during the three months ended September 30, 2003. Partially offsetting these declines was a reduction in other expenses (principally interest) of $0.3 million. This decrease was partially due to lower debt levels in 2004 compared to 2003.
Nine months ended September 30
Other income (expense) for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 decreased $12.8 million compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2003. This decrease relates primarily to lower gains on sale of investments of $14.9 million offset by a $0.3 million increase in equity in income of unconsolidated companies, a $1.6 million decrease in other expenses and a $0.3 million decrease in impairment on investments. The decrease in gains on sale of investments was due to a $15.2 million gain recognized in 2003 related to the sale of the Company’s investment in ITC. The increase in equity in income of unconsolidated companies relates to the Company’s investment in Palmetto. Other expenses, principally interest, decreased due primarily to lower debt levels in 2004.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Cash provided by operating activities increased $0.6 million to $37.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared to $36.9 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The increase was primarily due to higher operating income.
Cash used in investing activities was $15.8 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared with cash provided by investing activities of $0.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2003. The decrease was primarily the result of the proceeds received by the Company in 2003 related to the sale of the Company’s investment in ITC. Capital expenditures increased $0.4 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared with the nine months ended September 30, 2003.
Net cash used in financing activities was $13.5 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2004 compared with $27.3 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2003. During the nine months ended September 30, 2004, the Company repaid $10.0 million in long-term debt. In 2003, the Company used the proceeds from the sale of ITC and cash from operations to repay $24.0 million in long-term debt.
At September 30, 2004, the fair market value of the Company’s marketable investment securities was $6.5 million, all of which could be pledged to secure additional borrowing, or sold, if needed for liquidity purposes. At September 30, 2004, the Company had a $70.0 million revolving five-year line of credit with interest at three month LIBOR plus a spread that is based on various financial ratios, currently 1.25%. The interest rate on September 30, 2004 was 3.0%. During the nine months ended September 30, 2004, the Company elected to pay down $10.0 million in principal on this credit facility. The credit facility provides for quarterly installments of interest until maturity on March 31, 2006. As of September 30, 2004, $20.0 million was outstanding under the revolving credit facility. The Company also has a 7.32% fixed rate $50.0 million term loan that matures on December 31, 2014. All $50.0 million was outstanding as of September 30, 2004. The term loan requires quarterly payments of interest until maturity on December 31, 2014. Payments of principal are due beginning on March 31, 2005 and quarterly thereafter through December 31, 2014, in equal quarterly installments of $1.25 million.
38
The following table discloses aggregate information about the Company’s contractual obligations and the periods in which payments are due (in thousands):
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Payments due by year | |
| | Total | | | Less than one year | | | 1-3 years | | | 4 -5 years | | | After 5 years | |
Contractual obligations: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revolving credit facility | | $ | 20,000 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 20,000 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
Term loan | | | 50,000 | | | | 3,750 | | | | 15,000 | | | | 10,000 | | | | 21,250 | |
Variable interest payments | | | 900 | | | | 600 | | | | 300 | | | | — | | | | — | |
Fixed interest payments | | | 19,673 | | | | 3,591 | | | | 8,647 | | | | 3,935 | | | | 3,500 | |
Operating leases (Restated) | | | 13,349 | | | | 3,185 | | | | 5,782 | | | | 2,550 | | | | 1,832 | |
Capital leases | | | 974 | | | | 404 | | | | 570 | | | | — | | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | $ | 104,896 | | | $ | 11,530 | | | $ | 50,299 | | | $ | 16,485 | | | $ | 26,582 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The variable interest payments shown above on the revolving credit facility were determined based on the balance outstanding and the interest rate at September 30, 2004.
The Company anticipates that it has adequate resources to meet its currently foreseeable obligations and capital requirements associated with the ILEC, CLEC, Greenfield, Digital Wireless and IDS units, as well as its operations and payments associated with long-term debt and investments as summarized above.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The foregoing discussion contains “forward-looking statements,” as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management. Management has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and projections about future events and trends affecting the financial condition and operations of the Company’s businesses. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions about the Company that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.
Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include:
• | the Company’s ability to respond effectively to the issues surrounding the telecommunications industry caused by state and federal legislation and regulations, |
• | the impact of economic conditions related to the financial performance of customers, business partners, competitors and peers within the telecommunications industry, |
• | the Company’s ability to recover the substantial costs incurred over the past few years in connection with the expansion into new businesses, |
• | the Company’s ability to attract and retain key personnel, |
• | the Company’s ability to retain existing customers against competition from new technologies such as voice over internet protocol (“VoIP”), |
• | the Company’s ability to retain its existing customer base against wireless competition and cable telephony in all areas of the business including local and long distance and internet and data services, |
• | the Company’s ability to control pricing and product offerings in a highly competitive industry, |
• | the performance of investments, |
• | the Company’s ability to effectively manage rapid changes in technology and control capital expenditures related to those technologies, and |
• | the impact of economic, political and other events, including terrorist attacks. |
In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project” or “potential” or the negative of these words or other comparable words.
39
In making forward-looking statements, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are also directed to consider the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in documents filed by the Company with the SEC, including those matters summarized under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report onForm 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003. All forward-looking statements should be viewed with caution.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
At September 30, 2004, the Company had a $70.0 million revolving five-year line of credit with interest at three month LIBOR plus a spread based on various financial ratios, that is currently 1.25%. The interest rate on September 30, 2004 was 3.0%. The credit facility provides for quarterly payments of interest until maturity on March 31, 2006. During the nine months ended September 30, 2004, the Company elected to repay $10.0 million in principal on this credit facility. As of September 30, 2004, $20.0 million was outstanding under the revolving credit facility. The Company also has a 7.32% fixed rate $50.0 million term loan that matures on December 31, 2014. All $50.0 million was outstanding as of September 30, 2004.
The Company has two $5.0 million interest rate swap transactions to fix amounts outstanding under the $70.0 million revolving line of credit at rates of 3.81% and 4.53%, respectively. The fair value of the swaps as of September 30, 2004 was $(27,000) and $(0.2) million, respectively and are recorded in other long-term liabilities. The interest rate swaps are intended to protect the Company against an upward movement in interest rates but subject the Company to above market interest costs if interest rates decline. The swaps mature on November 3, 2004 and November 3, 2006, respectively.
Management believes that reasonably foreseeable movements in interest rates will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition or operations.
Item 4. Controls and Procedures.
| (a) Disclosure Controls and Procedures |
The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files under the Exchange Act, is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognized that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. As a result, management was required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.
At the time the Company’s original Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2004 was prepared and filed, the Company’s management, under the supervision and with the participation of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2004. Based upon that evaluation, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer originally concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of September 30, 2004 in timely alerting them to material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated subsidiaries, required to be included in the Company’s Exchange Act reports.
In conjunction with the Company’s decision to restate its financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2004 (as further described in Note 4 of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements), the Company identified the below-described material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting. As a result of such findings, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer re-evaluated the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and concluded those disclosure controls
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and procedures were not effective as of September 30, 2004 because of the material weaknesses in our internal controls over financial reporting as described below.
(b) Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Beginning with the year ended December 31, 2004, Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires us to provide an annual internal controls report of management. This report must contain (i) a statement of management’s responsibility for establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls over financial reporting for the Company, (ii) a statement identifying the framework used by management to conduct the required evaluation of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, (iii) management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004, and (iv) a statement that the Company’s registered public accounting firm has issued an attestation report on management’s assessment of our internal controls over financial reporting. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 also requires that the Company’s registered public accounting firm attest to and report on management’s assessment of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
In accordance with the SEC’s November 30, 2004,Order Under Section 36 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Granting an Exemption from Specified Provisions of Exchange Act Rules 13a-1 and 15d-1 (Release No. 34-50754), which granted an extension to certain accelerated filers with a public equity float of less than $700 million, the Company did not file in its original Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004 management’s annual report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting required by Item 308(a) of Regulation S-K and the related attestation report of our registered public accounting firm required by Item 308(b) of Regulation S-K. The Company expects to file these reports in an amendment to such Annual Report on Form 10-K to be filed on or before May 2, 2005.
In 2004, the Company undertook efforts to support management’s evaluation of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004. Although the Company has not yet completed its evaluation, the following material weaknesses (as defined by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s Auditing Standard No. 2) in internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2004 have been identified:
| • | The Company identified a deficiency related to accounting for its phone system sales. The deficiency resulted from the lack of a subsidiary ledger for phone system sales, which prevented the Company’s finance personnel from performing, on a timely basis, the reconciliation of accounts receivable for phone system sales to detail records. This deficiency resulted in an adjustment to correct an overstatement of accounts receivable and revenue for phone system sales. |
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| • | The Company identified a deficiency related to calculating depreciation expense. The deficiency resulted from a lack of controls over the preparation and review of electronic spreadsheets designed to ensure depreciation expense is accurately calculated. This deficiency resulted in an adjustment to correct an overstatement of depreciation expense. |
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| • | The Company identified a deficiency related to accounting for derivative financial instruments under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities” (“SFAS No. 133”). The deficiency resulted from a lack of controls designed to ensure that the documentation required by generally accepted accounting principles at the inception of a derivative transaction is properly maintained for the term of the respective derivative instrument. This deficiency resulted in adjustments that were required to properly reflect changes in the estimated fair value of certain derivative financial instruments as a component of earnings in the period of change in estimated fair value. |
The errors caused by these deficiencies resulted in a restatement of the Company’s consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A.
Although the Company has not completed its evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, the Company expects to conclude it did not, as of December 31, 2004, maintain effective internal control over financial reporting. Furthermore, management expects that its independent registered public accounting firm
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will conclude that the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2004. There can be no assurance that, as a result of the Company’s ongoing evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies will not be identified or that any deficiencies identified, either alone or in combination with others, will not be considered additional material weaknesses.
(c) Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
During the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2004, there were no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that materially affected, or that are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
The Company disclosed in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year-ended December 31, 2004, that, in response to the material weaknesses noted above, the Company initiated the following corrective actions to remediate the material weaknesses described above:
| • | The Company is in the process of implementing additional policies and procedures associated with the Company’s accounting for phone system sales, including the utilization of a subledger that provides details of accounts receivable associated with such arrangements. The Company believes that these changes will provide adequate controls in periods after December 31, 2004 over the reporting of accounts receivable and revenue for phone system sales. |
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| • | The Company completed the installation of a new fixed asset reporting system in the fourth quarter of 2004 and, as of January 1, 2005, implemented this new system to track and report fixed assets and accumulated depreciation, and to calculate depreciation expense. The Company believes its new policies and procedures relating to fixed assets will provide adequate controls over the reporting of fixed assets, accumulated depreciation and depreciation expense in periods after December 31, 2004. |
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| • | The Company is in the process of implementing additional policies and procedures to ensure proper accounting for its derivative financial instruments under SFAS No. 133, including controls over the maintenance of documentation required at each reporting period. |
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 1. Legal Proceedings.
None
Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
None
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.
None
Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
None
Item 5. Other Information.
None
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Item 6. Exhibits.
| | | | | | |
| | Exhibit No. | | Description of Exhibit |
| | | 10.1* | | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement. |
| | | | | | |
| | | 10.2* | | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement. |
| | | | | | |
| | | 10.3* | | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Restricted Stock Agreement. |
| | | | | | |
| | | 10.4* | | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Director Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement. |
| | | | | | |
| | | 11 | | | Computation of Earnings Per Share. |
| | | | | | |
| | | 31.1 | | | Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
| | | | | | |
| | | 31.2 | | | Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
| | | | | | |
| | | 32 | | | Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 18 U.S.C. 1350. |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
| | |
CT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. | | |
| | |
(Registrant) | | |
| | |
/s/ Ronald A. Marino | | |
| | |
Ronald A. Marino | | |
Vice President Finance and | | |
Chief Accounting Officer | | |
| | |
April 27, 2005 | | |
| | |
Date | | |
(The above signatory has dual responsibility as a duly authorized officer and chief accounting officer of the Registrant.)
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EXHIBIT INDEX
| | |
Exhibit No. | | Description of Exhibit |
10.1* | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement. |
| | |
10.2* | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Incentive Stock Option Agreement. |
| | |
10.3* | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Restricted Stock Agreement. |
| | |
10.4* | | CT Communications, Inc. Amended and Restated 2001 Stock Incentive Plan: Form of Director Non-Qualified Stock Option Agreement. |
| | |
11 | | Computation of Earnings Per Share. |
| | |
31.1 | | Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
| | |
31.2 | | Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
| | |
32 | | Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 18 U.S.C. 1350. |
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