UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-Q
| (Mark One) | |||||
| ☒ | QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 | ||||
For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2024
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 001-09712
UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 62-1147325 | |||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) | |||||||
8410 West Bryn Mawr, Chicago, Illinois 60631
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (773) 399-8900
| Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||||||||||||||
| Common Shares, $1 par value | USM | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6.25% Senior Notes due 2069 | UZD | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5.50% Senior Notes due 2070 | UZE | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5.50% Senior Notes due 2070 | UZF | New York Stock Exchange | ||||||||||||||||||
| 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. | Yes | ☒ | No | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||||
| Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). | Yes | ☒ | No | ☐ | |||||||||||||||||||
| Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☒ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Emerging growth company | ☐ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. | ☐ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). | Yes | ☐ | No | ☒ | |||||||||||||||||||
The number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of common stock, as of March 31, 2024, is 52 million Common Shares, $1 par value, and 33 million Series A Common Shares, $1 par value.
| United States Cellular Corporation | |||||
| Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q | |||||
| For the Period Ended March 31, 2024 | |||||
| Index | Page No. | ||||
 | United States Cellular Corporation Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | ||||
Executive Overview
The following discussion and analysis compares United States Cellular Corporation’s (UScellular) financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2024, to the three months ended March 31, 2023. It should be read in conjunction with UScellular’s interim consolidated financial statements and notes included herein, and with the description of UScellular’s business, its audited consolidated financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A) included in UScellular’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2023. Certain numbers included herein are rounded to millions for ease of presentation; however, certain calculated amounts and percentages are determined using the unrounded numbers.
This report contains statements that are not based on historical facts, which may be identified by words such as “believes,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “projects,” “will” and similar expressions. These statements constitute and represent “forward looking statements” as this term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be significantly different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. See the disclosure under the heading Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Safe Harbor Cautionary Statement elsewhere in this report for additional information.
The accounting policies of UScellular conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). However, UScellular uses certain “non-GAAP financial measures” in the MD&A. A discussion of the reasons UScellular determines these metrics to be useful and reconciliations of these measures to their most directly comparable measures determined in accordance with GAAP are included in the disclosure under the heading Supplemental Information Relating to Non-GAAP Financial Measures within the MD&A of this report.
1
General
UScellular owns, operates, and invests in wireless markets throughout the United States. UScellular is an 83%-owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS).
OPERATIONS
▪Serves customers with 4.5 million retail connections including 4.1 million postpaid and 0.4 million prepaid connections
▪Operates in 21 states
▪Employs approximately 4,300 associates
▪Owns 4,382 towers
▪Operates 6,995 cell sites in service
2
UScellular Mission and Strategy
UScellular’s mission is to connect its customers to what matters most to them. This includes providing exceptional wireless communication services which enhance consumers’ lives, increasing the competitiveness of local businesses, and improving the efficiency of government operations in the markets UScellular serves.
UScellular's strategy is to attract and retain customers by providing a high-quality network, outstanding customer service, and competitive devices, plans and pricing - all provided with a local community focus. Strategic efforts include:
▪UScellular offers economical and competitively priced service plans and devices to its customers and is focused on increasing revenues from sales of related products such as device protection plans and from services such as fixed wireless home internet. In addition, UScellular is focused on increasing tower rent revenues and expanding its solutions available to business and government customers.
▪UScellular continues to enhance its network capabilities, including by deploying 5G technology. 5G technology helps address customers’ growing demand for data services and creates opportunities for new services requiring high speed and reliability as well as low latency. UScellular's initial 5G deployment in 2019-2022 predominantly used low-band spectrum to launch 5G services in portions of substantially all of its markets. During 2023, UScellular continued to invest in 5G with a focus on deployment of mid-band spectrum, which largely overlaps areas already covered with low-band 5G service. During 2024, UScellular is continuing the multi-year deployment of 5G mid-band spectrum. 5G service deployed over mid-band spectrum further enhances speed and capacity for UScellular's mobility and fixed wireless services.
▪UScellular assesses its existing wireless interests on an ongoing basis with a goal of maximizing the value of its assets and operational profitability. As part of this strategy, UScellular may seek attractive opportunities to acquire and divest wireless spectrum as deemed necessary.
Strategic Alternatives Review
On August 4, 2023, TDS and UScellular announced that the Boards of Directors of both companies have decided to initiate a process to explore a range of strategic alternatives for UScellular. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, UScellular incurred third-party expenses of $7 million related to the strategic alternatives review. At this time, UScellular cannot predict the ultimate outcome of such process or estimate the potential impact of such process on the financial statements.
3
Terms Used by UScellular
The following is a list of definitions of certain industry terms that are used throughout this document:
▪4G LTE – fourth generation Long-Term Evolution, which is a wireless technology that enables more network capacity for more data per user as well as faster access to data compared to third generation (3G) technology.
▪5G – fifth generation wireless technology that helps address customers’ growing demand for data services and creates opportunities for new services requiring high speed and reliability as well as low latency.
▪Account – represents an individual or business financially responsible for one or multiple associated connections. An account may include a variety of types of connections such as handsets and connected devices.
▪Auction 107 – Auction 107 was an FCC auction of 3.7-3.98 GHz wireless spectrum licenses that started in December 2020 and concluded in February 2021.
▪Churn Rate – represents the percentage of the connections that disconnect service each month. These rates represent the average monthly churn rate for each respective period.
▪Connected Devices – non-handset devices that connect directly to the UScellular network. Connected devices include products such as tablets, wearables, modems, fixed wireless, and hotspots.
▪EBITDA – refers to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and accretion and is used in the non-GAAP metric Adjusted EBITDA throughout this document. See Supplemental Information Relating to Non-GAAP Financial Measures within this MD&A for additional information.
▪Free Cash Flow – non-GAAP metric defined as Cash flows from operating activities less Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment and less Cash paid for software license agreements. See Supplemental Information Relating to Non-GAAP Financial Measures within this MD&A for additional information.
▪Gross Additions – represents the total number of new connections added during the period, without regard to connections that were terminated during that period.
▪Net Additions (Losses) – represents the total number of new connections added during the period, net of connections that were terminated during that period.
▪OIBDA – refers to operating income before depreciation, amortization and accretion and is used in the non-GAAP metric Adjusted OIBDA throughout this document. See Supplemental Information Relating to Non-GAAP Financial Measures within this MD&A for additional information.
▪Postpaid Average Revenue per Account (Postpaid ARPA) – metric which is calculated by dividing total postpaid service revenues by the average number of postpaid accounts and by the number of months in the period.
▪Postpaid Average Revenue per User (Postpaid ARPU) – metric which is calculated by dividing total postpaid service revenues by the average number of postpaid connections and by the number of months in the period.
▪Retail Connections – individual lines of service associated with each device activated by a postpaid or prepaid customer. Connections are associated with all types of devices that connect directly to the UScellular network.
▪Universal Service Fund (USF) – a system of telecommunications collected fees and support payments managed by the FCC intended to promote universal access to telecommunications services in the United States.
4
Operational Overview
| As of March 31, | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Retail Connections – End of Period | |||||||||||||||||
| Postpaid | 4,051,000 | 4,223,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Prepaid | 436,000 | 470,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Total | 4,487,000 | 4,693,000 | |||||||||||||||
| Q1 2024 | Q1 2023 | Q1 2024 vs. Q1 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Postpaid Activity and Churn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gross Additions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handsets | 63,000 | 93,000 | (32) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connected Devices | 43,000 | 44,000 | (2) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Gross Additions | 106,000 | 137,000 | (23) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net Additions (Losses) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handsets | (47,000) | (25,000) | (88) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connected Devices | 3,000 | 1,000 | N/M | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Net Additions (Losses) | (44,000) | (24,000) | (83) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Churn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Handsets | 1.03 | % | 1.06 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Connected Devices | 2.52 | % | 2.78 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Churn | 1.22 | % | 1.27 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N/M - Percentage change not meaningful
Total postpaid handset net losses increased for the three months ended March 31, 2024, when compared to the same period last year due to lower gross additions as a result of continued aggressive industry-wide competition and a decrease in the pool of available customers.
Total postpaid connected device net additions increased for the three months ended March 31, 2024, when compared to the same period last year due to higher demand for fixed wireless home internet as well as a decrease in hotspot churn.
UScellular decommissioned its 3G Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) network in the first quarter of 2024. Total net additions (losses) for the three months ended March 31, 2024 exclude a one-time adjustment to remove 11,000 connections that were dependent on the CDMA network.
Postpaid Revenue
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 vs. 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) | $ | 51.96 | $ | 50.66 | 3 % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average Revenue Per Account (ARPA) | $ | 132.00 | $ | 130.77 | 1 % | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Postpaid ARPU increased for the three months ended March 31, 2024, when compared to the same period last year, due to a decrease in promotional discounts, an increase in cost recovery surcharges, favorable plan and product offering mix, and an increase in device protection plan revenues.
Postpaid ARPA increased slightly for the three months ended March 31, 2024, when compared to the same period last year, due to the impacts to Postpaid ARPU, partially offset by a decrease in the number of connections per account.
5
Financial Overview
The following discussion and analysis compares financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2024, to the three months ended March 31, 2023.
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 vs. 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail service | $ | 678 | $ | 691 | (2) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tower rental | 25 | 25 | 3 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 51 | 51 | (1) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service revenues | 754 | 767 | (2) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equipment sales | 196 | 219 | (10) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating revenues | 950 | 986 | (4) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| System operations (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below) | 182 | 182 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of equipment sold | 216 | 253 | (14) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative | 331 | 345 | (4) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 165 | 170 | (2) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on asset disposals, net | 6 | 10 | (43) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net | (1) | — | N/M | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 899 | 960 | (6) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 51 | $ | 26 | 94 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 24 | $ | 14 | 64 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adjusted OIBDA (Non-GAAP)1 | $ | 228 | $ | 206 | 11 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP)1 | $ | 272 | $ | 252 | 8 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Capital expenditures2 | $ | 131 | $ | 208 | (37) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N/M - Percentage change not meaningful
1Refer to Supplemental Information Relating to Non-GAAP Financial Measures within this MD&A for a reconciliation of this measure.
2Refer to Liquidity and Capital Resources within this MD&A for additional information on Capital expenditures.
6
Operating Revenues
Three Months Ended March 31, 2024 and 2023
(Dollars in millions)
Service revenues consist of:
▪Retail Service - Postpaid and prepaid charges for voice, data and value-added services and cost recovery surcharges
▪Tower Rental - Revenues from third-party leases of tower space
▪Other Service - Amounts received from the Federal USF, inbound roaming, miscellaneous other service revenues and Internet of Things (IoT)
Equipment revenues consist of:
▪Sales of wireless devices and related accessories to new and existing customers, agents, and third-party distributors
Key components of changes in the statement of operations line items were as follows:
Total operating revenues
Retail service revenues decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2024, primarily as result of a decrease in average postpaid and prepaid connections, partially offset by an increase in Postpaid ARPU as previously discussed in the Operational Overview section.
Equipment sales revenues decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2024, due primarily to a decline in smartphone devices sold due to lower gross additions and upgrades, partially offset by a higher average price of new smartphone sales.
Wireless service providers have been aggressive promotionally and on price to attract and retain customers. This includes both traditional carriers and cable wireless companies. UScellular expects promotional aggressiveness by traditional carriers and pricing pressures from cable wireless companies to continue into the foreseeable future. Operating revenues and Operating income have been negatively impacted in current and prior periods, and are expected to be negatively impacted in future periods, by competitive promotional offers to new and existing customers.
Total operating expenses
Total operating expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2023, include $10 million of severance and related expenses associated with the second quarter of 2023 reduction in workforce. These severance expenses are included in System operations expenses and Selling, general and administrative expenses.
System operations expenses
System operations expenses were flat for the three months ended March 31, 2024, due primarily to decreases in customer usage and employee expenses, which include the second quarter of 2023 reduction in workforce, partially offset by an increase in roaming expense. The increase in roaming expense was driven by an increase in usage partially offset by a decrease in roaming rates.
Cost of equipment sold
Cost of equipment sold decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2024, due primarily to a decline in smartphone upgrades and gross additions, partially offset by a higher average cost per unit sold.
7
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2024, due primarily to decreases in employee-related expenses, which include the impact of the second quarter of 2023 reduction in workforce, commissions, and advertising expense, partially offset by a $7 million increase related to the strategic alternatives review expenses.
Components of Other Income (Expense)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | 2024 vs. 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | $ | 51 | $ | 26 | 94 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment and other income (expense) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities | 42 | 44 | (5) | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend income | 2 | 2 | 2 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (43) | (47) | 8 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total investment and other income (expense) | 1 | (1) | N/M | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income before income taxes | 52 | 25 | N/M | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | 28 | 11 | N/M | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 24 | 14 | 64 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax | 6 | 1 | N/M | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to UScellular shareholders | $ | 18 | $ | 13 | 36 | % | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
N/M - Percentage change not meaningful
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities represents UScellular’s share of net income from entities in which it has a noncontrolling interest and that are accounted for using the equity method or the net asset value practical expedient. UScellular’s investment in the Los Angeles SMSA Limited Partnership (LA Partnership) contributed pretax income of $16 million and $20 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. See Note 6 — Investments in Unconsolidated Entities in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.
Interest expense
Interest expense decreased for the three months ended March 31, 2024 due primarily to a decrease in the average principal balance outstanding on the receivables securitization agreement and higher capitalized interest, partially offset by interest rate increases on variable rate debt. See Market Risk for additional information regarding maturities of long-term debt and weighted average interest rates.
Income tax expense
Income tax expense increased for the three months ended March 31, 2024 due primarily to the increase in Income before income taxes.
8
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Sources of Liquidity
UScellular operates a capital-intensive business. In the past, UScellular’s existing cash and investment balances, funds available under its financing agreements, and cash flows from operating and certain investing and financing activities, including sales of assets or businesses, provided sufficient liquidity and financial flexibility for UScellular to meet its day-to-day operating needs and debt service requirements, to finance the build-out and enhancement of markets and to fund wireless spectrum license acquisitions. There is no assurance that this will be the case in the future. UScellular has incurred negative free cash flow at times in past periods, and this could occur in future periods.
UScellular believes that existing cash and investment balances, funds available under its financing agreements, its ability to obtain future external financing, potential dispositions and expected cash flows from operating and investing activities will provide sufficient liquidity for UScellular to meet its day-to-day operating needs and debt service requirements. UScellular may require substantial additional funding for, among other uses, capital expenditures, acquisitions of providers of wireless telecommunications services, wireless spectrum license acquisitions, agreements to purchase goods or services, leases, repurchases of shares, or making additional investments. It may be necessary from time to time to increase the size of its existing credit facilities, to amend existing or put in place new credit agreements, to obtain other forms of financing, issue equity securities, or to divest assets in order to fund potential expenditures. UScellular will continue to monitor the rapidly changing business and market conditions and is taking and intends to take appropriate actions, as necessary, to meet its liquidity needs.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents include cash and money market investments. The primary objective of UScellular's Cash and cash equivalents investment activities is to preserve principal.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
(Dollars in millions)
The majority of UScellular’s Cash and cash equivalents are held in bank deposit accounts and in money market funds that purchase only debt issued by the U.S. Treasury or U.S. government agencies. Refer to the Consolidated Cash Flow Analysis for additional information related to changes in Cash and cash equivalents.
In addition to Cash and cash equivalents, UScellular had available undrawn borrowing capacity from the following debt facilities at March 31, 2024. See the Financing section below for further details.
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||
| Revolving Credit Agreement | $ | 300 | |||
| Receivables Securitization Agreement | 310 | ||||
| Total available undrawn borrowing capacity | $ | 610 | |||
9
Financing
Receivables Securitization Agreement
UScellular, through its subsidiaries, has a receivables securitization agreement that permits securitized borrowings using its equipment installment plan receivables. Amounts under the agreement may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed from time to time until September 2025. Unless the agreement is amended to extend the maturity date, repayments based on receivable collections commence in October 2025. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, UScellular borrowed $40 million and repaid $50 million under the agreement. As of March 31, 2024, the outstanding borrowings under the agreement were $140 million and the unused borrowing capacity was $310 million, subject to sufficient collateral to satisfy the asset borrowing base provisions of the agreement.
In April 2024, UScellular repaid an additional $75 million under the agreement.
Debt Covenants
The revolving credit agreement, term loan agreements, export credit financing agreement and receivables securitization agreement require UScellular to comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants, which include certain financial covenants that may restrict the borrowing capacity available. UScellular is required to maintain the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter at a level not to exceed the following: 4.25 to 1.00 from January 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024; 4.00 to 1.00 from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025; 3.75 to 1.00 from April 1, 2025 and thereafter. UScellular is also required to maintain the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio at a level not lower than 3.00 to 1.00 as of the end of any fiscal quarter. UScellular believes that it was in compliance as of March 31, 2024 with all such financial covenants.
Other Long-Term Financing
UScellular has an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 to issue senior or subordinated debt securities, preferred shares and depositary shares.
See Note 7 — Debt in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the financing agreements.
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures (i.e., additions to property, plant and equipment and system development expenditures; excludes wireless spectrum license additions), which include the effects of accruals and capitalized interest, for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, were as follows:
Capital Expenditures
(Dollars in millions)
Capital expenditures for the full year 2024 are expected to be between $550 million and $650 million. These expenditures are expected to be used principally for the following purposes:
▪Enhance and maintain UScellular's network capacity and coverage, including continued deployment of 5G with a focus on mid-band spectrum to provide additional speed and capacity to accommodate increased data usage by current customers; and
▪Invest in information technology to support existing and new services and products.
UScellular intends to finance its capital expenditures for 2024 using primarily Cash flows from operating activities, existing cash balances and, as required, additional debt financing from its existing agreements and/or other forms of available financing.
Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges
UScellular may be engaged in negotiations (subject to all applicable regulations) relating to the acquisition, divestiture or exchange of companies, properties, assets, or wireless spectrum licenses. In general, UScellular may not disclose such transactions until there is a definitive agreement.
10
Other Obligations
UScellular will require capital for future spending on existing contractual obligations, including long-term debt obligations; lease commitments; commitments for device purchases, network facilities and transport services; agreements for software licensing; long-term marketing programs; and other agreements to purchase goods or services.
Variable Interest Entities
UScellular consolidates certain “variable interest entities” as defined under GAAP. See Note 8 — Variable Interest Entities in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to these variable interest entities. UScellular may elect to make additional capital contributions and/or advances to these variable interest entities in future periods to fund their operations.
11
Consolidated Cash Flow Analysis
UScellular operates a capital-intensive business. UScellular makes substantial investments to acquire wireless spectrum licenses and properties and to construct and upgrade wireless telecommunications networks and facilities with a goal of creating long-term value for shareholders. In recent years, rapid changes in technology and new opportunities have required substantial investments in potentially revenue‑enhancing and cost-saving upgrades to UScellular’s networks. Revenues from certain of these investments are long-term and in some cases are uncertain. To meet its cash-flow needs, UScellular may need to delay or reduce certain investments or sell assets. Refer to Liquidity and Capital Resources within this MD&A for additional information. Cash flows may fluctuate from quarter to quarter and year to year due to seasonality, timing and other factors. The following discussion summarizes UScellular's cash flow activities for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023.
2024 Commentary
UScellular’s Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash increased $31 million. Net cash provided by operating activities was $203 million due to net income of $24 million adjusted for non-cash items of $175 million, distributions received from unconsolidated entities of $22 million, and changes in working capital items which decreased net cash by $18 million. The working capital changes were primarily driven by payment of associate bonuses and timing of vendor payments, partially offset by reduced receivable and inventory balances and the timing of future tax payments.
Cash flows used for investing activities were $144 million, due primarily to payments for property, plant and equipment of $133 million.
Cash flows used for financing activities were $28 million, due primarily to $55 million in repayments on the receivables securitization agreement and term loan agreements and cash paid for software license agreements of $9 million, partially offset by a borrowing of $40 million on the receivables securitization agreement.
2023 Commentary
UScellular’s Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash decreased $108 million. Net cash provided by operating activities was $41 million due to net income of $14 million adjusted for non-cash items of $171 million, distributions received from unconsolidated entities of $20 million, and changes in working capital items which decreased net cash by $164 million. The working capital changes were primarily driven by timing of vendor payments and payment of associate bonuses, partially offset by a decrease in customer and agent receivable balances.
Cash flows used for investing activities were $192 million, which included payments for property, plant and equipment of $196 million.
Cash flows provided by financing activities were $43 million, due primarily to $115 million borrowed under the receivables securitization agreement, partially offset by a $60 million repayment on the EIP receivables repurchase agreement and cash paid for software license agreements of $7 million.
12
Consolidated Balance Sheet Analysis
The following discussion addresses certain captions in the consolidated balance sheet and changes therein. This discussion is intended to highlight the significant changes and is not intended to fully reconcile the changes. Notable balance sheet changes during 2024 were as follows:
Property, plant and equipment
The gross basis of Property, plant and equipment as well as the related Accumulated depreciation and amortization, decreased by $1,239 million and $1,203 million, respectively, due primarily to the decommissioning of fully depreciated assets no longer in service related to the CDMA network shutdown.
Accrued compensation
Accrued compensation decreased $51 million due primarily to associate bonus payments in March 2024.
13
Supplemental Information Relating to Non-GAAP Financial Measures
UScellular sometimes uses information derived from consolidated financial information but not presented in its financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP to evaluate the performance of its business. Specifically, UScellular has referred to the following measures in this report:
▪EBITDA
▪Adjusted EBITDA
▪Adjusted OIBDA
▪Free cash flow
These measures are considered “non-GAAP financial measures” under U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Rules. Following are explanations of each of these measures.
EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA
EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA are defined as Net income (loss) adjusted for the items set forth in the reconciliation below. EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA are not measures of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as alternatives to Net income (loss) or Cash flows from operating activities, as indicators of cash flows or as measures of liquidity. UScellular does not intend to imply that any such items set forth in the reconciliation below are infrequent or unusual; such items may occur in the future.
Management uses Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA as measurements of profitability, and therefore reconciliations to applicable GAAP income measures are deemed appropriate. Management believes Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA are useful measures of UScellular’s operating results before significant recurring non-cash charges, nonrecurring expenses, gains and losses, and other items as presented below as they provide additional relevant and useful information to investors and other users of UScellular’s financial data in evaluating the effectiveness of its operations and underlying business trends in a manner that is consistent with management’s evaluation of business performance. Adjusted EBITDA shows adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and accretion, gains and losses, and expenses related to the strategic alternatives review of UScellular, while Adjusted OIBDA reduces this measure further to exclude Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities and Interest and dividend income in order to more effectively show the performance of operating activities excluding investment activities. The following table reconciles EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted OIBDA to the corresponding GAAP measures, Net income and Operating income.
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income (GAAP) | $ | 24 | $ | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Add back: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | 28 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | 43 | 47 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 165 | 170 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| EBITDA (Non-GAAP) | 260 | 242 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Add back or deduct: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Expenses related to strategic alternatives review | 7 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on asset disposals, net | 6 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net | (1) | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) | 272 | 252 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Deduct: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities | 42 | 44 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend income | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Adjusted OIBDA (Non-GAAP) | 228 | 206 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Deduct: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 165 | 170 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Expenses related to strategic alternatives review | 7 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on asset disposals, net | 6 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net | (1) | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income (GAAP) | $ | 51 | $ | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||
14
Free Cash Flow
The following table presents Free cash flow, which is defined as Cash flows from operating activities less Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment and Cash paid for software license agreements. Free cash flow is a non-GAAP financial measure which UScellular believes may be useful to investors and other users of its financial information in evaluating liquidity, specifically, the amount of net cash generated by business operations after deducting Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment and Cash paid for software license agreements.
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities (GAAP) | $ | 203 | $ | 41 | |||||||
| Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment | (133) | (196) | |||||||||
| Cash paid for software license agreements | (9) | (7) | |||||||||
| Free cash flow (Non-GAAP) | $ | 61 | $ | (162) | |||||||
15
Application of Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
UScellular prepares its consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. UScellular’s significant accounting policies are discussed in detail in Note 1 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Note 2 — Revenue Recognition and Note 10 — Leases in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in UScellular's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. UScellular’s application of critical accounting policies and estimates is discussed in detail in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, included in UScellular’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.
16
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Safe Harbor Cautionary Statement
This Form 10-Q, including exhibits, contains statements that are not based on historical facts and represent forward-looking statements, as this term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that UScellular intends, expects, projects, believes, estimates, plans or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. The words “believes,” “anticipates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “projects” and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying them. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be significantly different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, those set forth below, as more fully described under “Risk Factors” in UScellular’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and in this Form 10-Q. Each of the following risks could have a material adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations. However, such factors are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements contained in this document. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. UScellular undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should carefully consider the Risk Factors in UScellular’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, the following factors and other information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, this Form 10-Q to understand the material risks relating to UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
Operational Risk Factors
▪Intense competition involving products, services, pricing, promotions and network speed and technologies could adversely affect UScellular’s revenues or increase its costs to compete.
▪Changes in roaming practices or other factors could cause UScellular's roaming revenues to decline from current levels, roaming expenses to increase from current levels and/or impact UScellular's ability to service its customers in geographic areas where UScellular does not have its own network, which could have an adverse effect on UScellular's business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪An inability to attract diverse people of outstanding talent throughout all levels of the organization, to develop their potential through education and assignments, and to retain them by keeping them engaged, challenged and properly rewarded could have an adverse effect on UScellular's business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪UScellular’s smaller scale relative to larger competitors that may have greater financial and other resources than UScellular could cause UScellular to be unable to compete successfully, which could adversely affect its business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪Changes in various business factors, including changes in demand, consumer preferences and perceptions, price competition, churn from customer switching activity and other factors, could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪A failure by UScellular to obtain access to adequate radio spectrum to meet current or anticipated future needs and/or to accurately predict future needs for radio spectrum could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪Advances or changes in technology could render certain technologies used by UScellular obsolete, could put UScellular at a competitive disadvantage, could reduce UScellular’s revenues or could increase its costs of doing business.
▪Complexities associated with deploying new technologies present substantial risk and UScellular investments in unproven technologies may not produce the benefits that UScellular expects.
▪Costs, integration problems or other factors associated with acquisitions, divestitures or exchanges of properties or wireless spectrum licenses and/or expansion of UScellular’s business could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪A failure by UScellular to complete significant network construction and systems implementation activities as part of its plans to improve the quality, coverage, capabilities and capacity of its network, support and other systems and infrastructure could have an adverse effect on its operations.
▪Difficulties involving third parties with which UScellular does business, including changes in UScellular's relationships with or financial or operational difficulties, including supply chain disruptions, of key suppliers or independent agents and third-party national retailers who market UScellular’s services, could adversely affect UScellular's business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪A failure by UScellular to maintain flexible and capable telecommunication networks or information technologies, or a material disruption thereof, could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
17
Financial Risk Factors
▪Uncertainty in UScellular’s or TDS' future cash flow and liquidity or the inability to access capital, deterioration in the capital markets, changes in interest rates, other changes in UScellular’s or TDS' performance or market conditions, changes in UScellular’s or TDS' credit ratings or other factors could limit or restrict the availability of financing on terms and prices acceptable to UScellular, which has required and could in the future require UScellular to reduce or delay its construction, development or acquisition programs, reduce the amount of wireless spectrum licenses acquired, divest assets or businesses, and/or reduce or cease share repurchases.
▪UScellular has a significant amount of indebtedness which could adversely affect its financial performance and in turn adversely affect its ability to make payments on its indebtedness, comply with terms of debt covenants and incur additional debt.
▪UScellular’s assets and revenue are concentrated in the U.S. wireless telecommunications industry. Consequently, its operating results may fluctuate based on factors related primarily to conditions in this industry.
▪UScellular has significant investments in entities that it does not control. Losses in the value of such investments could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s financial condition or results of operations.
Regulatory, Legal and Governance Risk Factors
▪TDS and UScellular have initiated a process to explore a range of strategic alternatives for UScellular and there can be no assurance that any strategic alternative will be successfully identified or completed, that any such strategic alternative will result in additional value for UScellular and its shareholders, or that the process will not have an adverse impact on UScellular's business or financial statements.
▪Failure by UScellular to timely or fully comply with any existing applicable legislative and/or regulatory requirements or changes thereto could adversely affect UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪UScellular receives significant regulatory support, and is also subject to numerous surcharges and fees from federal, state and local governments – the applicability and the amount of the support and fees are subject to great uncertainty, including the ability to pass through certain fees to customers, and this uncertainty could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪Settlements, judgments, restraints on its current or future manner of doing business and/or legal costs resulting from pending and future litigation could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪The possible development of adverse precedent in litigation or conclusions in professional or environmental studies to the effect that potentially harmful emissions from devices or network equipment, including but not limited to radio frequencies emitted by wireless signals, may cause harmful health or environmental consequences, including cancer, tumors or otherwise harmful impacts, or may interfere with various electronic medical devices or frequencies used by other industries, could have an adverse effect on UScellular's business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪Claims of infringement of intellectual property and proprietary rights of others, primarily involving patent infringement claims, could prevent UScellular from using necessary technology to provide products or services or subject UScellular to expensive intellectual property litigation or monetary penalties, which could have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪There are potential conflicts of interests between TDS and UScellular.
▪Certain matters, such as control by TDS and provisions in the UScellular Restated Certificate of Incorporation, may serve to discourage or make more difficult a change in control of UScellular or have other consequences.
General Risk Factors
▪UScellular has experienced, and in the future expects to experience, cyber-attacks or other breaches of network or information technology security of varying degrees on a regular basis, which could have an adverse effect on UScellular's business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪Disruption in credit or other financial markets, a deterioration of U.S. or global economic conditions or other events could, among other things, impede UScellular’s access to or increase the cost of financing its operating and investment activities and/or result in reduced revenues and lower operating income and cash flows, which would have an adverse effect on UScellular’s business, financial condition or results of operations.
▪The impact of public health emergencies on UScellular's business is uncertain, but depending on duration and severity could have a material adverse effect on UScellular's business, financial condition or results of operations.
18
Risk Factors
In addition to the information set forth in this Form 10-Q, you should carefully consider the factors discussed in Part I, “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in UScellular’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, which could materially affect UScellular’s business, financial condition or future results. The risks described in this Form 10-Q and the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, may not be the only risks that could affect UScellular. Additional unidentified or unrecognized risks and uncertainties could materially adversely affect UScellular’s business, financial condition and/or operating results. Subject to the foregoing, UScellular has not identified for disclosure any material changes to the risk factors as previously disclosed in UScellular’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk
Market Risk
As of March 31, 2024, approximately 70% of UScellular's long-term debt was in fixed-rate senior notes and approximately 30% in variable-rate debt. Fluctuations in market interest rates can lead to volatility in the fair value of fixed-rate notes and interest expense on variable-rate debt.
The following table presents the scheduled principal payments on long-term debt, lease obligations, and the related weighted average interest rates by maturity dates at March 31, 2024.
| Principal Payments Due by Period | |||||||||||
Long-Term Debt Obligations1 | Weighted-Avg. Interest Rates on Long-Term Debt Obligations2 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Remainder of 2024 | $ | 20 | 7.1 | % | |||||||
| 2025 | 20 | 7.1 | % | ||||||||
| 2026 | 265 | 6.9 | % | ||||||||
| 2027 | 158 | 7.0 | % | ||||||||
| 2028 | 286 | 7.4 | % | ||||||||
| Thereafter | 2,226 | 6.2 | % | ||||||||
| Total | $ | 2,975 | 6.4 | % | |||||||
1The total long-term debt obligation differs from Long-term debt in the Consolidated Balance Sheet due to unamortized debt issuance costs on all non-revolving debt instruments, unamortized discounts related to the 6.7% Senior Notes, and outstanding borrowings under the receivables securitization agreement, which principal repayments are not scheduled but are instead based on actual receivable collections.
2Represents the weighted average stated interest rates at March 31, 2024, for debt maturing in the respective periods.
See Note 3 — Fair Value Measurements in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the fair value of UScellular’s Long-term debt as of March 31, 2024.
19
Financial Statements
United States Cellular Corporation
Consolidated Statement of Operations
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars and shares in millions, except per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating revenues | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | $ | 754 | $ | 767 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Equipment sales | 196 | 219 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating revenues | 950 | 986 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| System operations (excluding Depreciation, amortization and accretion reported below) | 182 | 182 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost of equipment sold | 216 | 253 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative | 331 | 345 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 165 | 170 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on asset disposals, net | 6 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net | (1) | — | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | 899 | 960 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 51 | 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Investment and other income (expense) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities | 42 | 44 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest and dividend income | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | (43) | (47) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total investment and other income (expense) | 1 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Income before income taxes | 52 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Income tax expense | 28 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | 24 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, net of tax | 6 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to UScellular shareholders | $ | 18 | $ | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Basic weighted average shares outstanding | 85 | 85 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic earnings per share attributable to UScellular shareholders | $ | 0.21 | $ | 0.15 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted weighted average shares outstanding | 88 | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted earnings per share attributable to UScellular shareholders | $ | 0.20 | $ | 0.15 | |||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
20
United States Cellular Corporation
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
(Unaudited)
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Cash flows from operating activities | |||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 24 | $ | 14 | |||||||
| Add (deduct) adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows from operating activities | |||||||||||
| Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 165 | 170 | |||||||||
| Bad debts expense | 29 | 26 | |||||||||
| Stock-based compensation expense | 13 | — | |||||||||
| Deferred income taxes, net | 4 | 7 | |||||||||
| Equity in earnings of unconsolidated entities | (42) | (44) | |||||||||
| Distributions from unconsolidated entities | 22 | 20 | |||||||||
| (Gain) loss on asset disposals, net | 6 | 10 | |||||||||
| (Gain) loss on license sales and exchanges, net | (1) | — | |||||||||
| Other operating activities | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
| Changes in assets and liabilities from operations | |||||||||||
| Accounts receivable | 16 | 37 | |||||||||
| Equipment installment plans receivable | 2 | 1 | |||||||||
| Inventory | 24 | (1) | |||||||||
| Accounts payable | (15) | (149) | |||||||||
| Customer deposits and deferred revenues | 5 | (10) | |||||||||
| Accrued taxes | 23 | 1 | |||||||||
| Accrued interest | 9 | 9 | |||||||||
| Other assets and liabilities | (82) | (52) | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 203 | 41 | |||||||||
| Cash flows from investing activities | |||||||||||
| Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment | (133) | (196) | |||||||||
| Cash paid for licenses | (11) | (5) | |||||||||
| Other investing activities | — | 9 | |||||||||
| Net cash used in investing activities | (144) | (192) | |||||||||
| Cash flows from financing activities | |||||||||||
| Issuance of long-term debt | 40 | 115 | |||||||||
| Repayment of long-term debt | (55) | (3) | |||||||||
| Repayment of short-term debt | — | (60) | |||||||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interests | (2) | (1) | |||||||||
| Cash paid for software license agreements | (9) | (7) | |||||||||
| Other financing activities | (2) | (1) | |||||||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | (28) | 43 | |||||||||
| Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | 31 | (108) | |||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | |||||||||||
| Beginning of period | 179 | 308 | |||||||||
| End of period | $ | 210 | $ | 200 | |||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
21
United States Cellular Corporation
Consolidated Balance Sheet — Assets
(Unaudited)
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Current assets | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 185 | $ | 150 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable | |||||||||||
| Customers and agents, less allowances of $62 and $66, respectively | 877 | 900 | |||||||||
| Affiliated | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| Other, less allowances of $3 and $4, respectively | 53 | 54 | |||||||||
| Inventory, net | 175 | 199 | |||||||||
| Prepaid expenses | 71 | 57 | |||||||||
| Income taxes receivable | — | 1 | |||||||||
| Other current assets | 32 | 36 | |||||||||
| Total current assets | 1,395 | 1,400 | |||||||||
| Assets held for sale | — | 15 | |||||||||
| Licenses | 4,711 | 4,693 | |||||||||
| Investments in unconsolidated entities | 482 | 461 | |||||||||
Property, plant and equipment | |||||||||||
| In service and under construction | 8,321 | 9,560 | |||||||||
| Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization | 5,781 | 6,984 | |||||||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | 2,540 | 2,576 | |||||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 910 | 915 | |||||||||
| Other assets and deferred charges | 666 | 690 | |||||||||
Total assets1 | $ | 10,704 | $ | 10,750 | |||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
22
United States Cellular Corporation
Consolidated Balance Sheet — Liabilities and Equity
(Unaudited)
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars and shares in millions, except per share amounts) | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities | |||||||||||
| Current portion of long-term debt | $ | 20 | $ | 20 | |||||||
| Accounts payable | |||||||||||
| Affiliated | 5 | 7 | |||||||||
| Trade | 224 | 241 | |||||||||
| Customer deposits and deferred revenues | 235 | 229 | |||||||||
| Accrued taxes | 49 | 32 | |||||||||
| Accrued compensation | 32 | 83 | |||||||||
| Short-term operating lease liabilities | 134 | 135 | |||||||||
| Other current liabilities | 138 | 154 | |||||||||
| Total current liabilities | 837 | 901 | |||||||||
| Deferred liabilities and credits | |||||||||||
| Deferred income tax liability, net | 758 | 755 | |||||||||
| Long-term operating lease liabilities | 827 | 831 | |||||||||
| Other deferred liabilities and credits | 564 | 565 | |||||||||
| Long-term debt, net | 3,029 | 3,044 | |||||||||
| Commitments and contingencies | |||||||||||
| Noncontrolling interests with redemption features | 16 | 12 | |||||||||
| Equity | |||||||||||
| UScellular shareholders’ equity | |||||||||||
| Series A Common and Common Shares | |||||||||||
| Authorized 190 shares (50 Series A Common and 140 Common Shares) | |||||||||||
| Issued 88 shares (33 Series A Common and 55 Common Shares) | |||||||||||
| Outstanding 85 shares (33 Series A Common and 52 Common Shares) | |||||||||||
| Par Value ($1.00 per share) ($33 Series A Common and $55 Common Shares) | 88 | 88 | |||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 1,740 | 1,726 | |||||||||
| Treasury shares, at cost, 3 Common Shares | (80) | (80) | |||||||||
| Retained earnings | 2,910 | 2,892 | |||||||||
| Total UScellular shareholders' equity | 4,658 | 4,626 | |||||||||
| Noncontrolling interests | 15 | 16 | |||||||||
| Total equity | 4,673 | 4,642 | |||||||||
Total liabilities and equity1 | $ | 10,704 | $ | 10,750 | |||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
1 The consolidated total assets as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, include assets held by consolidated variable interest entities (VIEs) of $1,145 million and $1,217 million, respectively, which are not available to be used to settle the obligations of UScellular. The consolidated total liabilities as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, include certain liabilities of consolidated VIEs of $25 million and $26 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to the general credit of UScellular. See Note 8 — Variable Interest Entities for additional information.
23
United States Cellular Corporation
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
(Unaudited)
| UScellular Shareholders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series A Common and Common shares | Additional paid-in capital | Treasury shares | Retained earnings | Total UScellular shareholders' equity | Noncontrolling interests | Total equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2023 | $ | 88 | $ | 1,726 | $ | (80) | $ | 2,892 | $ | 4,626 | $ | 16 | $ | 4,642 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to UScellular shareholders | — | — | — | 18 | 18 | — | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incentive and compensation plans | — | 14 | — | — | 14 | — | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interests | — | — | — | — | — | (1) | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| March 31, 2024 | $ | 88 | $ | 1,740 | $ | (80) | $ | 2,910 | $ | 4,658 | $ | 15 | $ | 4,673 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
24
United States Cellular Corporation
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
(Unaudited)
| UScellular Shareholders | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series A Common and Common shares | Additional paid-in capital | Treasury shares | Retained earnings | Total UScellular shareholders' equity | Noncontrolling interests | Total equity | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| December 31, 2022 | $ | 88 | $ | 1,703 | $ | (98) | $ | 2,861 | $ | 4,554 | $ | 16 | $ | 4,570 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to UScellular shareholders | — | — | — | 13 | 13 | — | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incentive and compensation plans | — | 1 | 2 | (2) | 1 | — | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distributions to noncontrolling interests | — | — | — | — | — | (1) | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| March 31, 2023 | $ | 88 | $ | 1,704 | $ | (96) | $ | 2,872 | $ | 4,568 | $ | 15 | $ | 4,583 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
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United States Cellular Corporation
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
Note 1 Basis of Presentation
United States Cellular Corporation (UScellular), a Delaware Corporation, is an 83%-owned subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS).
The accounting policies of UScellular conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) as set forth in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC). Unless otherwise specified, references to accounting provisions and GAAP in these notes refer to the requirements of the FASB ASC. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of UScellular, subsidiaries in which it has a controlling financial interest, general partnerships in which UScellular has a majority partnership interest and certain entities in which UScellular has a variable interest that requires consolidation into the UScellular financial statements under GAAP. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Certain numbers included herein are rounded to millions for ease of presentation; however, certain calculated amounts and percentages are determined using the unrounded numbers. These unaudited consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in UScellular’s Annual Report on Form 10-K (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2023.
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring items, unless otherwise disclosed) necessary for the fair statement of UScellular’s financial position as of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, its results of operations, cash flows and changes in equity for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023. The Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income was not included because comprehensive income for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, equaled net income. These results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. UScellular has not changed its significant accounting and reporting policies from those disclosed in its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.
Software License Agreements
Certain software licenses are recorded as acquisitions of property, plant and equipment and the incurrence of a liability to the extent that the license fees are not fully paid at acquisition, and are treated as non-cash activity in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Such acquisitions of software licenses that are not reflected as Cash paid for additions to property, plant and equipment were $2 million and $5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Restricted Cash
UScellular presents restricted cash with cash and cash equivalents in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Restricted cash primarily consists of balances required under the receivables securitization agreement. See Note 7 — Debt for additional information related to the receivables securitization agreement. The following table provides a reconciliation of Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheet to the total of the amounts in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 185 | $ | 150 | |||||||
| Restricted cash included in Other current assets | 25 | 29 | |||||||||
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash in the statement of cash flows | $ | 210 | $ | 179 | |||||||
Strategic Alternatives Review
On August 4, 2023, TDS and UScellular announced that the Boards of Directors of both companies have decided to initiate a process to explore a range of strategic alternatives for UScellular. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, UScellular incurred third-party expenses of $7 million related to the strategic alternatives review, which are included in Selling, general and administrative expenses. At this time, UScellular cannot predict the ultimate outcome of such process or estimate the potential impact of such process on the financial statements.
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Note 2 Revenue Recognition
Disaggregation of Revenue
In the following table, UScellular's revenues are disaggregated by type of service, which represents the relevant categorization of revenues for UScellular, and timing of recognition. Service revenues are recognized over time and Equipment sales are recognized at a point in time.
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues from contracts with customers: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail service | $ | 678 | $ | 691 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other service | 51 | 51 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Service revenues from contracts with customers | 729 | 742 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Equipment sales | 196 | 219 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 925 | 961 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating lease income | 25 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating revenues | $ | 950 | $ | 986 | |||||||||||||||||||
Contract Balances
The following table provides balances for contract assets from contracts with customers, which are recorded in Other current assets and Other assets and deferred charges in the Consolidated Balance Sheet, and contract liabilities from contracts with customers, which are recorded in Customer deposits and deferred revenues and Other deferred liabilities and credits in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Contract assets | $ | 4 | $ | 4 | |||||||
| Contract liabilities | $ | 330 | $ | 331 | |||||||
Revenue recognized related to contract liabilities existing at January 1, 2024 was $109 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024.
Transaction price allocated to the remaining performance obligations
The following table includes estimated service revenues expected to be recognized related to performance obligations that are unsatisfied (or partially unsatisfied) at the end of the reporting period. These estimates represent service revenues to be recognized when wireless services are delivered to customers pursuant to service plan contracts and under certain roaming agreements with other carriers. These estimates are based on contracts in place as of March 31, 2024 and may vary from actual results. As practical expedients, revenue related to contracts of less than one year, generally month-to-month contracts, and contracts with a fixed per-unit price and variable quantity, are excluded from these estimates.
| Service Revenues | |||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||
| Remainder of 2024 | $ | 220 | |||
| 2025 | 125 | ||||
| Thereafter | 36 | ||||
| Total | $ | 381 | |||
Contract Cost Assets
UScellular expects that commission fees paid as a result of obtaining contracts are recoverable, and therefore UScellular defers and amortizes these costs. As a practical expedient, costs with an amortization period of one year or less are expensed as incurred. The contract cost asset balance related to commission fees and other costs was $128 million at March 31, 2024, and $127 million at December 31, 2023, and was recorded in Other assets and deferred charges in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Deferred commission fees are amortized based on the timing of transfer of the goods or services to which the assets relate, typically the contract term. Amortization of contract cost assets was $22 million and $24 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and was included in Selling, general and administrative expenses.
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Note 3 Fair Value Measurements
As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, UScellular did not have any material financial or nonfinancial assets or liabilities that were required to be recorded at fair value in its Consolidated Balance Sheet in accordance with GAAP.
The provisions of GAAP establish a fair value hierarchy that contains three levels for inputs used in fair value measurements. Level 1 inputs include quoted market prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. Level 2 inputs include quoted market prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or quoted market prices for identical assets and liabilities in inactive markets. Level 3 inputs are unobservable. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is not representative of its expected performance or its overall risk profile and, therefore Level 3 assets are not necessarily higher risk than Level 2 assets or Level 1 assets.
UScellular has applied the provisions of fair value accounting for purposes of computing the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes as displayed below.
| Level within the Fair Value Hierarchy | March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Book Value | Fair Value | Book Value | Fair Value | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term debt | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retail | 2 | $ | 1,500 | $ | 1,109 | $ | 1,500 | $ | 1,097 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Institutional | 2 | 536 | 435 | 536 | 451 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 2 | 1,048 | 1,048 | 1,063 | 1,063 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Long-term debt excludes lease obligations, the current portion of Long-term debt and debt financing costs. The fair value of “Retail” Long-term debt was estimated using market prices for UScellular Senior Notes, which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange. UScellular’s “Institutional” debt consists of the 6.7% Senior Notes which are traded over the counter. UScellular’s “Other” debt consists of term loan credit agreements, receivables securitization agreement and export credit financing agreement. UScellular estimated the fair value of its Institutional and Other debt through a discounted cash flow analysis using the interest rates or estimated yield to maturity for each borrowing, which ranged from 6.68% to 7.93% and 6.48% to 7.96% at March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.
The fair values of Cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term debt approximate their book values due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments.
Note 4 Equipment Installment Plans
UScellular sells devices to customers under equipment installment plans over a specified time period. For certain equipment installment plans, after a specified period of time or amount of payments, the customer may have the right to upgrade to a new device and have the remaining unpaid equipment installment contract balance waived, subject to certain conditions, including trading in the original device in good working condition and signing a new equipment installment contract.
The following table summarizes equipment installment plan receivables.
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Equipment installment plan receivables, gross | $ | 1,120 | $ | 1,151 | |||||||
| Allowance for credit losses | (88) | (90) | |||||||||
| Equipment installment plan receivables, net | $ | 1,032 | $ | 1,061 | |||||||
| Net balance presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as: | |||||||||||
| Accounts receivable — Customers and agents (Current portion) | $ | 570 | $ | 577 | |||||||
| Other assets and deferred charges (Non-current portion) | 462 | 484 | |||||||||
| Equipment installment plan receivables, net | $ | 1,032 | $ | 1,061 | |||||||
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UScellular uses various inputs to evaluate the credit profiles of its customers, including internal data, information from credit bureaus and other sources. From this evaluation, a credit class is assigned to the customer that determines the number of eligible lines, the amount of credit available, and the down payment requirement, if any. These credit classes are grouped into four credit categories: lowest risk, lower risk, slight risk and higher risk. A customer's assigned credit class is reviewed periodically and a change is made, if appropriate. An equipment installment plan billed amount is considered past due if not paid within 30 days. The balance and aging of the equipment installment plan receivables on a gross basis by credit category were as follows:
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lowest Risk | Lower Risk | Slight Risk | Higher Risk | Total | Lowest Risk | Lower Risk | Slight Risk | Higher Risk | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unbilled | $ | 957 | $ | 84 | $ | 15 | $ | 4 | $ | 1,060 | $ | 977 | $ | 88 | $ | 16 | $ | 4 | $ | 1,085 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Billed — current | 38 | 4 | 1 | — | 43 | 35 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 43 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Billed — past due | 9 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 1,004 | $ | 93 | $ | 18 | $ | 5 | $ | 1,120 | $ | 1,024 | $ | 100 | $ | 21 | $ | 6 | $ | 1,151 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The balance of the equipment installment plan receivables as of March 31, 2024 on a gross basis by year of origination were as follows:
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lowest Risk | $ | 18 | $ | 328 | $ | 510 | $ | 148 | $ | 1,004 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Lower Risk | 1 | 20 | 56 | 16 | 93 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Slight Risk | — | 2 | 10 | 6 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Higher Risk | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | $ | 19 | $ | 351 | $ | 579 | $ | 171 | $ | 1,120 | |||||||||||||||||||
The write-offs, net of recoveries for the three months ended March 31, 2024 on a gross basis by year of origination were as follows:
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Write-offs, net of recoveries | $ | 1 | $ | 8 | $ | 15 | $ | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Activity for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, in the allowance for credit losses for equipment installment plan receivables was as follows:
| March 31, 2024 | March 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, beginning of period | $ | 90 | $ | 96 | |||||||
| Bad debts expense | 22 | 18 | |||||||||
| Write-offs, net of recoveries | (24) | (20) | |||||||||
| Allowance for credit losses, end of period | $ | 88 | $ | 94 | |||||||
Note 5 Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share attributable to UScellular shareholders is computed by dividing Net income attributable to UScellular shareholders by the weighted average number of Common Shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share attributable to UScellular shareholders is computed by dividing Net income attributable to UScellular shareholders by the weighted average number of Common Shares outstanding during the period adjusted to include the effects of potentially dilutive securities. Potentially dilutive securities primarily include incremental shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options and the vesting of performance and restricted stock units, as calculated using the treasury stock method.
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The amounts used in computing basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to UScellular shareholders were as follows:
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars and shares in millions, except per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income attributable to UScellular shareholders | $ | 18 | $ | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted average number of shares used in basic earnings per share | 85 | 85 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Effects of dilutive securities | 3 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Weighted average number of shares used in diluted earnings per share | 88 | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Basic earnings per share attributable to UScellular shareholders | $ | 0.21 | $ | 0.15 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Diluted earnings per share attributable to UScellular shareholders | $ | 0.20 | $ | 0.15 | |||||||||||||||||||
Certain Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of stock options or vesting of performance and restricted stock units were not included in weighted average diluted shares outstanding for the calculation of Diluted earnings per share attributable to UScellular shareholders because their effects were antidilutive. The number of such Common Shares excluded was less than 1 million and 1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Note 6 Investments in Unconsolidated Entities
Investments in unconsolidated entities consist of amounts invested in entities in which UScellular holds a noncontrolling interest. UScellular’s Investments in unconsolidated entities are accounted for using the equity method, measurement alternative method or net asset value practical expedient method as shown in the table below. The carrying value of measurement alternative method investments represents cost minus any impairments plus or minus any observable price changes.
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Equity method investments | $ | 468 | $ | 448 | |||||||
| Measurement alternative method investments | 5 | 4 | |||||||||
| Investments recorded using the net asset value practical expedient | 9 | 9 | |||||||||
| Total investments in unconsolidated entities | $ | 482 | $ | 461 | |||||||
The following table, which is based on unaudited information provided in part by third parties, summarizes the combined results of operations of UScellular’s equity method investments.
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | $ | 1,842 | $ | 1,802 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | 1,415 | 1,361 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating income | 427 | 441 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Other income (expense), net | (9) | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | $ | 418 | $ | 425 | |||||||||||||||||||
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Note 7 Debt
Receivables Securitization Agreement
UScellular, through its subsidiaries, has a receivables securitization agreement that permits securitized borrowings using its equipment installment plan receivables. Amounts under the agreement may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed from time to time until September 2025. Unless the agreement is amended to extend the maturity date, repayments based on receivable collections commence in October 2025. The outstanding borrowings bear interest at a rate of the lender's cost of funds (which has historically tracked closely to Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR)) plus 1.15%. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, UScellular borrowed $40 million and repaid $50 million under its receivables securitization agreement. As of March 31, 2024, the outstanding borrowings under the agreement were $140 million and the unused borrowing capacity was $310 million, subject to sufficient collateral to satisfy the asset borrowing base provisions of the agreement. As of March 31, 2024, the USCC Master Note Trust held $233 million of assets available to be pledged as collateral for the receivables securitization agreement.
In April 2024, UScellular repaid an additional $75 million under the agreement.
Debt Covenants
The revolving credit agreement, term loan agreements, export credit financing agreement and receivables securitization agreement require UScellular to comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants, which include certain financial covenants that may restrict the borrowing capacity available. UScellular is required to maintain the Consolidated Leverage Ratio as of the end of any fiscal quarter at a level not to exceed the following: 4.25 to 1.00 from January 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024; 4.00 to 1.00 from April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025; 3.75 to 1.00 from April 1, 2025 and thereafter. UScellular is also required to maintain the Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio at a level not lower than 3.00 to 1.00 as of the end of any fiscal quarter. UScellular believes that it was in compliance as of March 31, 2024 with all such financial covenants.
Note 8 Variable Interest Entities
Consolidated VIEs
UScellular consolidates VIEs in which it has a controlling financial interest as defined by GAAP and is therefore deemed the primary beneficiary. UScellular reviews the criteria for a controlling financial interest at the time it enters into agreements and subsequently when events warranting reconsideration occur. These VIEs have risks similar to those described in the “Risk Factors” in this Form 10-Q and UScellular’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.
UScellular formed USCC EIP LLC (Seller/Sub-Servicer), USCC Receivables Funding LLC (Transferor) and the USCC Master Note Trust (Trust), collectively the special purpose entities (SPEs), to facilitate a securitized borrowing using its equipment installment plan receivables. Under a Receivables Sale Agreement, UScellular wholly-owned, majority-owned and unconsolidated entities, collectively referred to as “affiliated entities”, transfer device equipment installment plan contracts to the Seller/Sub-Servicer. The Seller/Sub-Servicer aggregates device equipment installment plan contracts, and performs servicing, collection and all other administrative activities related to accounting for the equipment installment plan contracts. The Seller/Sub-Servicer sells the eligible equipment installment plan receivables to the Transferor, a bankruptcy remote entity, which subsequently sells the receivables to the Trust. The Trust, which is bankruptcy remote and isolated from the creditors of UScellular, will be responsible for issuing asset-backed variable funding notes (Notes), which are collateralized by the equipment installment plan receivables owned by the Trust. Given that UScellular has the power to direct the activities of these SPEs, and that these SPEs lack sufficient equity to finance their activities, UScellular is deemed to have a controlling financial interest in the SPEs, and therefore consolidates them. All transactions with third parties (e.g., issuance of the asset-backed variable funding notes) will be accounted for as a secured borrowing due to the pledging of equipment installment plan contracts as collateral, significant continuing involvement in the transferred assets, subordinated interests of the cash flows, and continued evidence of control of the receivables.
The following VIEs were formed to participate in FCC auctions of wireless spectrum licenses and to fund, establish, and provide wireless service with respect to any FCC wireless spectrum licenses won in the auctions:
▪Advantage Spectrum, L.P. (Advantage Spectrum) and Sunshine Spectrum, Inc., the general partner of Advantage Spectrum; and
▪King Street Wireless, L.P. (King Street Wireless) and King Street Wireless, Inc., the general partner of King Street Wireless.
These particular VIEs are collectively referred to as designated entities. The power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of these VIEs is shared. Specifically, the general partner of these VIEs has the exclusive right to manage, operate and control the limited partnerships and make all decisions to carry on the business of the partnerships. The general partner of each partnership needs the consent of the limited partner, an indirect UScellular subsidiary, to sell or lease certain wireless spectrum licenses, to make certain large expenditures, admit other partners or liquidate the limited partnerships. Although the power to direct the activities of these VIEs is shared, UScellular has the most significant level of exposure to the variability associated with the economic performance of the VIEs, indicating that UScellular is the primary beneficiary of the VIEs. Therefore, in accordance with GAAP, these VIEs are consolidated into the UScellular financial statements.
31
UScellular also consolidates other VIEs that are limited partnerships that provide wireless service. A limited partnership is a variable interest entity unless the limited partners hold substantive participating rights or kick-out rights over the general partner. For certain limited partnerships, UScellular is the general partner and manages the operations. In these partnerships, the limited partners do not have substantive kick-out or participating rights and, further, such limited partners do not have the authority to remove the general partner. Therefore, these limited partnerships also are recognized as VIEs and are consolidated into the UScellular financial statements under the variable interest model.
The following table presents the classification and balances of the consolidated VIEs’ assets and liabilities in UScellular’s Consolidated Balance Sheet.
| March 31, 2024 | December 31, 2023 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Assets | |||||||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 30 | $ | 24 | |||||||
| Accounts receivable | 621 | 633 | |||||||||
| Inventory, net | 4 | 4 | |||||||||
| Other current assets | 26 | 30 | |||||||||
| Licenses | 641 | 641 | |||||||||
| Property, plant and equipment, net | 138 | 143 | |||||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 49 | 48 | |||||||||
| Other assets and deferred charges | 472 | 494 | |||||||||
| Total assets | $ | 1,981 | $ | 2,017 | |||||||
| Liabilities | |||||||||||
| Current liabilities | $ | 37 | $ | 37 | |||||||
| Long-term operating lease liabilities | 43 | 42 | |||||||||
| Other deferred liabilities and credits | 28 | 29 | |||||||||
Total liabilities1 | $ | 108 | $ | 108 | |||||||
1 Total liabilities does not include amounts borrowed under the receivables securitization agreement. See Note 7 – Debt for additional information.
Unconsolidated VIEs
UScellular manages the operations of and holds a variable interest in certain other limited partnerships, but is not the primary beneficiary of these entities, and therefore does not consolidate them into the UScellular financial statements under the variable interest model.
UScellular’s total investment in these unconsolidated entities was $6 million at both March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, and is included in Investments in unconsolidated entities in UScellular’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. The maximum exposure from unconsolidated VIEs is limited to the investment held by UScellular in those entities.
Other Related Matters
UScellular made contributions, loans or advances to its VIEs totaling $207 million for both the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, of which $187 million in 2024 and $193 million in 2023, are related to USCC EIP LLC as discussed above. UScellular may agree to make additional capital contributions and/or advances to these or other VIEs and/or to their general partners to provide additional funding for their operations or the development of wireless spectrum licenses granted in various auctions. UScellular may finance such amounts with a combination of cash on hand, borrowings under its revolving credit or receivables securitization agreements and/or other long-term debt. There is no assurance that UScellular will be able to obtain additional financing on commercially reasonable terms or at all to provide such financial support.
The limited partnership agreement of Advantage Spectrum also provides the general partner with a put option whereby the general partner may require the limited partner, a subsidiary of UScellular, to purchase its interest in the limited partnership. The put option has not been exercised.
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United States Cellular Corporation
Additional Required Information
Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
UScellular maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)) that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in its reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is processed, recorded, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to UScellular’s management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives.
As required by SEC Rules 13a-15(b), UScellular carried out an evaluation, under the supervision and with the participation of management, including its principal executive officer and principal financial officer, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of UScellular’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report. Based on this evaluation, UScellular’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer concluded that UScellular’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31, 2024, at the reasonable assurance level.
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have been no changes in internal controls over financial reporting that have occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2024, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, UScellular’s internal control over financial reporting.
Legal Proceedings
Refer to the disclosure under Legal Proceedings in UScellular’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. There have been no material changes to such information since December 31, 2023.
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Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds
In November 2009, UScellular announced by Form 8-K that the Board of Directors of UScellular authorized the repurchase of up to 1,300,000 additional Common Shares on an annual basis beginning in 2009 and continuing each year thereafter, on a cumulative basis. In December 2016, the UScellular Board amended this authorization to provide that, beginning on January 1, 2017, the increase in the authorized repurchase amount with respect to a particular year will be any amount from zero to 1,300,000 Common Shares, as determined by the Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors, and that if the Pricing Committee did not specify an additional amount for any year, such additional amount would be zero for such year. The Pricing Committee has not specified any increase in the authorization since that time. The Pricing Committee also was authorized to decrease the cumulative amount of the authorization at any time, but has not taken any action to do so at this time. The authorization provides that share repurchases will be made pursuant to open market purchases, block purchases, private purchases, or otherwise, depending on market prices and other conditions. This authorization does not have an expiration date. UScellular did not determine to terminate the foregoing Common Share repurchase program, as amended, or cease making further purchases thereunder, during the first quarter of 2024.
The maximum number of shares that may yet be purchased under this program was 1,927,000 as of March 31, 2024. There were no purchases made by or on behalf of UScellular, and no open market purchases made by any "affiliated purchaser" (as defined by the SEC) of UScellular, of UScellular Common Shares during the quarter covered by this Form 10-Q.
Other Information
During the three months ended March 31, 2024, none of UScellular’s directors or officers (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act) has adopted or terminated a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or a non-Rule 10b5–1 trading arrangement (each as defined in Item 408 of Regulation S-K under the 1934 Act).
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Exhibits
Exhibit Number | Description of Documents | ||||
| Exhibit 10.1 | |||||
| Exhibit 10.2 | |||||
| Exhibit 10.3 | |||||
| Exhibit 31.1 | |||||
| Exhibit 31.2 | |||||
| Exhibit 32.1 | |||||
| Exhibit 32.2 | |||||
| Exhibit 101.INS | XBRL Instance Document - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document. | ||||
| Exhibit 101.SCH | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document | ||||
| Exhibit 101.PRE | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase Document | ||||
| Exhibit 101.CAL | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Calculation Linkbase Document | ||||
| Exhibit 101.LAB | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Label Linkbase Document | ||||
| Exhibit 101.DEF | Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document | ||||
| Exhibit 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File - the cover page interactive data file does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline document. | ||||
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Form 10-Q Cross Reference Index | |||||||||||
Item Number | Page No. | ||||||||||
| Part I. | Financial Information | ||||||||||
| Part II. | Other Information | ||||||||||
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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.
| UNITED STATES CELLULAR CORPORATION | ||||||||||||||
| (Registrant) | ||||||||||||||
| Date: | May 3, 2024 | /s/ Laurent C. Therivel | ||||||||||||
Laurent C. Therivel President and Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer) | ||||||||||||||
| Date: | May 3, 2024 | /s/ Douglas W. Chambers | ||||||||||||
| Douglas W. Chambers Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (principal financial officer) | ||||||||||||||
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