SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION |
FORM 10-Q/A |
ý | QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the quarterly period ended |
September 30, 2004 |
OR |
¨ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from |
to |
Commission File Number 001-14157 |
TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC. |
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
Delaware | 36-2669023 | |||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
30 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602 |
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) |
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (312) 630-1900 |
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 ý No ¨ |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). |
Yes ý No ¨ |
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date. |
Class | Outstanding at September 30, 2004 | |||
Common Shares, $.01 par value Series A Common Shares, $.01 par value |
50,979,842 Shares 6,419,611 Shares |
Explanatory Note Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. ("TDS") is filing this Amendment No. 1 to its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2004, which was originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on November 9, 2004 (the "Quarterly Report"), to amend Item 1 "Financial Statements," Item 2 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" ("MD&A") and Item 4 "Controls and Procedures". TDS is filing this amendment to restate the Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 for the presentation of accreted interest paid on the redemption of U.S. Cellular's Liquid Yield Option Notes ("LYONs"). The restatement reclassifies the $68.1 million accreted interest portion of the LYONs that were redeemed in July 2004 from a reduction in "cash flows from financing activities" to a reduction in "cash flows from operating activities" on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Certain discussions in MD&A related to cash flows from operating and financing activities have been revised to reflect the change in classification of the LYONs' accreted interest. This restatement had no effect on TDS's "Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents" for the nine months ended September 30, 2004, and only changed the classification of cash flow items. The restatement of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows had no impact on revenues, expenses, net income, earnings per share, or any Balance Sheet items. In addition, as required by Rule 12b-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, new certifications by the TDS principal executive officer and principal financial officer are being filed with this Form 10-Q/A. Except as expressly stated herein, this amendment does not update any of the disclosures contained in the original filing to reflect any events that occurred after the original filing date of November 9, 2004. The filing of this Form 10-Q/A shall not be deemed an admission that the original filing, when made, included any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make a statement not misleading. |
TELEPHONE AND DATA
SYSTEMS, INC. |
* | Previously included in TDS's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarter ended September 30, 2004, filed on November 9, 2004. |
PART I. FINANCIAL
INFORMATION |
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated | 2004 | 2003 As Restated | ||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||
OPERATING REVENUES | $ | 968,780 | $ | 882,387 | $ | 2,773,880 | $ | 2,555,079 | |||||||||
OPERATING EXPENSES | |||||||||||||||||
Cost of services and products (exclusive of | |||||||||||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense | |||||||||||||||||
shown below) | 349,024 | 294,372 | 977,647 | 866,054 | |||||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expense | 375,314 | 311,170 | 1,049,015 | 963,137 | |||||||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense | 169,462 | 144,238 | 489,325 | 440,367 | |||||||||||||
Loss on impairment of intangible assets | | | | 49,595 | |||||||||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale | | (1,442 | ) | (725 | ) | 23,619 | |||||||||||
Total Operating Expenses | 893,800 | 748,338 | 2,515,262 | 2,342,772 | |||||||||||||
OPERATING INCOME | 74,980 | 134,049 | 258,618 | 212,307 | |||||||||||||
INVESTMENT AND OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) | |||||||||||||||||
Investment income | 19,579 | 11,644 | 52,741 | 37,911 | |||||||||||||
Interest and dividend income | 6,227 | 4,426 | 14,369 | 14,823 | |||||||||||||
Interest (expense) | (52,135 | ) | (41,604 | ) | (147,378 | ) | (128,957 | ) | |||||||||
Minority interest in income of subsidiary trust | | (4,273 | ) | | (16,678 | ) | |||||||||||
Loss on investments | (491 | ) | | (2,321 | ) | (8,500 | ) | ||||||||||
Other income (expense), net | (3,975 | ) | (8,550 | ) | (6,649 | ) | (14,488 | ) | |||||||||
Total Investment and Other Income (Expense) | (30,795 | ) | (38,357 | ) | (89,238 | ) | (115,889 | ) | |||||||||
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES AND | |||||||||||||||||
MINORITY INTEREST | 44,185 | 95,692 | 169,380 | 96,418 | |||||||||||||
Income Tax Expense | 17,864 | 38,828 | 69,246 | 47,446 | |||||||||||||
INCOME BEFORE MINORITY INTEREST | 26,321 | 56,864 | 100,134 | 48,972 | |||||||||||||
Minority Share of Income | (5,521 | ) | (13,448 | ) | (18,208 | ) | (14,756 | ) | |||||||||
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS | 20,800 | 43,416 | 81,926 | 34,216 | |||||||||||||
Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax | 4,351 | (1,609 | ) | 4,351 | (1,609 | ) | |||||||||||
INCOME BEFORE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF | |||||||||||||||||
ACCOUNTING CHANGE | 25,151 | 41,807 | 86,277 | 32,607 | |||||||||||||
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change, Net of Tax | |||||||||||||||||
and Minority Interest | | | | (11,789 | ) | ||||||||||||
NET INCOME | 25,151 | 41,807 | 86,277 | 20,818 | |||||||||||||
Preferred Dividend Requirement | (51 | ) | (104 | ) | (152 | ) | (312 | ) | |||||||||
NET INCOME AVAILABLE TO COMMON | $ | 25,100 | $ | 41,703 | $ | 86,125 | $ | 20,506 | |||||||||
BASIC WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES | |||||||||||||||||
OUTSTANDING (000s) | 57,321 | 57,420 | 57,253 | 57,829 | |||||||||||||
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE (Note 10) | |||||||||||||||||
Income from Continuing Operations | $ | 0.36 | $ | 0.76 | $ | 1.42 | $ | 0.58 | |||||||||
Discontinued Operations | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | |||||||||||
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change | | | | (0.20 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net Income Available to Common | $ | 0.44 | $ | 0.73 | $ | 1.50 | $ | 0.35 | |||||||||
DILUTED WEIGHTED AVERAGE SHARES | |||||||||||||||||
OUTSTANDING (000s) | 57,615 | 57,866 | 57,520 | 57,924 | |||||||||||||
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE (Note 10) | |||||||||||||||||
Income from Continuing Operations | $ | 0.35 | $ | 0.75 | $ | 1.41 | $ | 0.58 | |||||||||
Discontinued Operations | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | |||||||||||
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change | | | | (0.20 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net Income Available to Common | $ | 0.43 | $ | 0.72 | $ | 1.49 | $ | 0.35 | |||||||||
DIVIDENDS PER SHARE | $ | 0.165 | $ | 0.155 | $ | 0.495 | $ | 0.465 | |||||||||
The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements. 3 |
TELEPHONE AND DATA
SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2004 As Restated |
2003 As Restated |
|||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
||||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Net income | $ | 86,277 | $ | 20,818 | ||||
Add (Deduct) adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash | ||||||||
provided by operating activities | ||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion | 489,325 | 440,367 | ||||||
Deferred income taxes | 57,661 | 28,918 | ||||||
Investment income | (52,741 | ) | (37,911 | ) | ||||
Minority share of income | 18,208 | 14,756 | ||||||
Loss on impairment of intangible assets | | 49,595 | ||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale | (725 | ) | 23,619 | |||||
Loss on investments | 2,321 | 8,500 | ||||||
Discontinued operations | (4,351 | ) | 1,609 | |||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change | | 11,789 | ||||||
Noncash interest expense | 19,966 | 19,868 | ||||||
Other noncash expense | 18,127 | 27,236 | ||||||
Accreted interest on repayment of U.S. Cellular long-term debt | (68,056 | ) | | |||||
Changes in assets and liabilities | ||||||||
Change in accounts receivable | (47,333 | ) | 76,360 | |||||
Change in materials and supplies | 9,462 | 15,373 | ||||||
Change in accounts payable | (70,833 | ) | (105,287 | ) | ||||
Change in customer deposits and deferred revenues | 11,906 | 15,212 | ||||||
Change in accrued taxes | 6,538 | 31,119 | ||||||
Change in other assets and liabilities | (182 | ) | (27,000 | ) | ||||
475,570 | 614,941 | |||||||
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Additions to property, plant and equipment | (496,674 | ) | (537,525 | ) | ||||
Cash received from sale of assets | 96,932 | | ||||||
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired | (40,367 | ) | (1,251 | ) | ||||
Proceeds from exchange transaction | | 33,958 | ||||||
Distributions from unconsolidated entities | 23,718 | 21,685 | ||||||
Other investing activities | (10,498 | ) | (3,015 | ) | ||||
(426,889 | ) | (486,148 | ) | |||||
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Issuance of notes payable | 355,000 | 282,596 | ||||||
Issuance of long-term debt | 420,316 | 900 | ||||||
Repayments of notes payable | (300,000 | ) | (273,020 | ) | ||||
Repayment of Trust Originated Preferred Securities | | (300,000 | ) | |||||
Repayment of medium-term notes | | (70,500 | ) | |||||
Repayment of U.S. Cellular long-term debt | (345,232 | ) | (40,680 | ) | ||||
Repayment of other long-term debt | (21,488 | ) | (14,570 | ) | ||||
Repurchase of TDS Common shares | (20,440 | ) | (56,522 | ) | ||||
Stock options exercised | 29,591 | 5,246 | ||||||
Dividends paid | (28,520 | ) | (27,186 | ) | ||||
Other financing activities | 5,649 | 146 | ||||||
94,876 | (493,590 | ) | ||||||
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS | 143,557 | (364,797 | ) | |||||
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS - | ||||||||
Beginning of period | 937,651 | 1,298,936 | ||||||
End of period | $ | 1,081,208 | $ | 934,139 | ||||
The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements. 4 |
TELEPHONE AND DATA
SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
September 30, 2004 |
December 31, 2003 |
|||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
||||||||
CURRENT ASSETS | ||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 1,081,208 | $ | 937,651 | ||||
Accounts receivable | ||||||||
Due from customers, less allowance of $21,286 and | ||||||||
$18,908, respectively | 312,786 | 282,313 | ||||||
Other, principally connecting companies, less | ||||||||
allowance of $7,699 and $6,419, respectively | 131,598 | 127,358 | ||||||
Materials and supplies, at average cost | 76,572 | 87,270 | ||||||
Other current assets | 82,906 | 70,354 | ||||||
1,685,070 | 1,504,946 | |||||||
INVESTMENTS | ||||||||
Marketable equity securities | 2,800,015 | 2,772,410 | ||||||
Wireless license costs | 1,184,014 | 1,189,326 | ||||||
Wireless license rights | 42,037 | 42,037 | ||||||
Goodwill | 852,124 | 887,937 | ||||||
Customer lists, net of accumulated amortization of $32,128 | ||||||||
and $22,206, respectively | 27,417 | 24,448 | ||||||
Investments in unconsolidated entities | 215,629 | 214,885 | ||||||
Notes receivable, less valuation allowance of $55,144 | ||||||||
and $55,144, respectively | 5,252 | 6,476 | ||||||
Other investments | 18,284 | 15,439 | ||||||
5,144,772 | 5,152,958 | |||||||
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET | ||||||||
U.S. Cellular | 2,307,966 | 2,271,254 | ||||||
TDS Telecom | 1,036,106 | 1,079,732 | ||||||
3,344,072 | 3,350,986 | |||||||
OTHER ASSETS AND DEFERRED CHARGES | 90,398 | 83,925 | ||||||
ASSETS OF OPERATIONS HELD FOR SALE | 115,970 | 100,523 | ||||||
TOTAL ASSETS | $ | 10,380,282 | $ | 10,193,338 | ||||
The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements. 5 |
TELEPHONE AND DATA
SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
September 30, 2004 |
December 31, 2003 |
|||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
||||||||
CURRENT LIABILITIES | ||||||||
Current portion of long-term debt | $ | 23,476 | $ | 23,712 | ||||
Notes payable | 55,000 | | ||||||
Accounts payable | 278,893 | 361,010 | ||||||
Customer deposits and deferred revenues | 119,162 | 108,372 | ||||||
Accrued interest | 31,802 | 31,884 | ||||||
Accrued taxes | 110,931 | 46,107 | ||||||
Accrued compensation | 68,034 | 69,290 | ||||||
Other current liabilities | 60,194 | 56,570 | ||||||
747,492 | 696,945 | |||||||
DEFERRED LIABILITIES AND CREDITS | ||||||||
Net deferred income tax liability | 1,386,260 | 1,285,024 | ||||||
Derivative liability | 664,926 | 712,252 | ||||||
Asset retirement obligations | 132,938 | 124,501 | ||||||
Other | 58,865 | 119,076 | ||||||
2,242,989 | 2,240,853 | |||||||
LONG-TERM DEBT | ||||||||
Long-term debt, excluding current portion | 1,997,145 | 1,994,913 | ||||||
Prepaid forward contracts | 1,685,354 | 1,672,762 | ||||||
3,682,499 | 3,667,675 | |||||||
LIABILITIES OF OPERATIONS HELD FOR SALE | 4,216 | 2,427 | ||||||
MINORITY INTEREST IN SUBSIDIARIES | 502,419 | 502,702 | ||||||
PREFERRED SHARES | 3,864 | 3,864 | ||||||
COMMON STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | ||||||||
Common Shares, par value $.01 per share; authorized | ||||||||
100,000,000 shares; issued 56,366,000 | ||||||||
and 56,282,000 shares, respectively | 564 | 563 | ||||||
Series A Common Shares, par value $.01 per share; authorized | ||||||||
25,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 6,420,000 | ||||||||
and 6,440,000 shares; respectively | 64 | 64 | ||||||
Capital in excess of par value | 1,816,752 | 1,843,468 | ||||||
Treasury Shares, at cost, 5,386,000 and 5,688,000 | ||||||||
shares, respectively | (452,263 | ) | (493,714 | ) | ||||
Accumulated other comprehensive income | 342,258 | 296,820 | ||||||
Retained earnings | 1,489,428 | 1,431,671 | ||||||
3,196,803 | 3,078,872 | |||||||
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY | $ | 10,380,282 | $ | 10,193,338 | ||||
The accompanying notes to consolidated financial statements are an integral part of these statements. 6 |
TELEPHONE AND DATA
SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES |
1. | Basis of Presentation |
The accounting policies of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (TDS) conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of TDS and its majority-owned subsidiaries, including TDSs 82.0%-owned wireless telephone subsidiary, United States Cellular Corporation (U.S. Cellular), and its 100%-owned wireline telephone subsidiary, TDS Telecommunications Corporation (TDS Telecom), and wireless partnerships in which TDS has a majority general partnership interest or a controlling financial interest. In addition, as of January 1, 2004, the consolidated financial statements include all entities where TDS has a variable interest that will absorb a majority of the entitys expected losses. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. |
The consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by TDS, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although TDS believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. It is suggested that these consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in TDSs latest annual report on Form 10-K, as amended. |
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring items unless otherwise disclosed) necessary to present fairly the financial position as of September 30, 2004, and the results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003 and the cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. |
2. | Restatements and Reclassifications |
Restatement of September 30, 2004 Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows |
TDS is filing this amendment to restate the Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 for the presentation of accreted interest paid on the redemption of U.S. Cellular's Liquid Yield Option Notes ("LYONs"). The restatement reclassifies the $68.1 million accreted interest portion of the LYONs that were redeemed in July 2004 from a reduction in "cash flows from financing activities" to a reduction in "cash flows from operating activities" on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows, as indicated in the table below. Certain discussions in MD&A related to cash flows from operating and financing activities have been revised to reflect the change in classification of the LYONs' accreted interest. This restatement had no effect on TDS's "Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents" for the nine months ended September 30, 2004, and only changed the classification of certain cash flow items. The restatement of the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows had no impact on revenues, expenses, net income, earnings per share, or any Balance Sheet items. |
(Dollars in thousands) | Nine Months Ended September 30, 2004 | |
Caption of Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows |
As Previously Reported |
Reclassification | As Restated | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash Flows from Operating Activities | $ | 543,626 | $ | (68,056 | ) | $ | 475,570 | |||||
Cash Flows from Financing Activities | 26,820 | 68,056 | 94,876 | |||||||||
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash | ||||||||||||
Equivalents | $ | 143,557 | $ | 0 | $ | 143,557 |
7 |
Wireless License Costs and Goodwill Restatements |
On May 14, 2004, TDS restated its 2003 and 2002 financial statements relating to the implementation of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets, which was adopted on January 1, 2002. Prior to January 1, 2002, TDS allocated the excess of purchase price of wireless properties over tangible assets and liabilities acquired to wireless license costs and goodwill. At that time, the accounting treatment for TDSs wireless license costs and goodwill was the same for book purposes, with both asset classes amortized over an expected life of 40 years. However, no deferred taxes were provided on the amounts allocated to goodwill. |
Based upon a subsequent review of goodwill, TDS restated the allocation of $138.9 million of purchase price recorded as goodwill to wireless license costs as of January 1, 2002, the date of the adoption of SFAS No. 142. In connection with this restatement, an additional deferred tax liability of $90.7 million was recorded as of January 1, 2002. The additional deferred tax liability recorded in conjunction with this restatement increased the carrying value of wireless license costs by a corresponding $90.7 million. Following these adjustments, TDS reperformed the impairment tests for its wireless license costs as of January 1, 2002, and recorded an impairment loss of $20.9 million, before an income tax benefit of $8.2 million and minority interest of $2.3 million. This impairment was recorded as a cumulative effect of an accounting change at January 1, 2002, the date of the adoption of SFAS No. 142. |
In the first quarter of 2003, TDS had recorded a Loss on assets of operations held for sale related to the pending disposition of certain wireless properties. The wireless license costs upon which the impairment was recorded in the first quarter of 2002 included the wireless license costs of these properties. As a result, a portion of the originally recognized Loss on assets of operations held for sale in the first quarter of 2003 was recognized in the first quarter of 2002. Consequently, Loss on assets of operations held for sale in the first quarter of 2003 was reduced by $1.9 million, before an income tax benefit of $0.8 million and minority interest of $0.2 million. In the third quarter of 2003, TDS had originally recorded an income tax expense upon the closing of the disposition of such wireless properties. This tax expense was reduced due to the reversal of additional deferred tax liabilities that were recorded with respect to the wireless properties exchanged in conjunction with the restatement from goodwill to investment in licenses. Consequently, income tax expense in 2003 was reduced by $10.7 million and minority interest by $1.9 million. |
In addition, as a result of the restatement discussed above, TDS also reperformed the annual impairment test for its wireless license costs for 2003, which was originally performed during the second quarter of 2003. This resulted in the recognition of an additional impairment loss of $49.6 million, before an income tax benefit of $19.6 million and minority interest of $5.4 million in the second quarter of 2003. |
Retention Reclassifications |
Certain amounts reported in prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. Prior to the fourth quarter of 2003, costs for equipment sold by U.S. Cellular to retain current customers were included in selling, general and administrative expense. These costs were partially offset by equipment sales revenues received from these customers. In the fourth quarter of 2003, TDS changed its policy for classifying retention costs and reclassified U.S. Cellular equipment sales revenue and cost of equipment sold related to the retention of current customers out of selling, general and administrative expense and into operating revenues and cost of services and products, respectively, for each period presented. These reclassifications have been reflected in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003. These reclassifications increased operating revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 by $7.6 million and $21.6 million, respectively, and increased cost of services and products by $23.5 million and $69.6 million, respectively, from the amounts originally reported. Selling, general and administrative expense was reduced by $15.9 million and $48.0 million, respectively, from the amounts originally reported in the results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 to reflect the amounts reclassified to operating revenues and cost of services and products. These reclassifications did not have any impact on income from operations, net income, earnings per share, financial position or cash flows of TDS for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003. |
8 |
A summary of the changes to the affected captions on the statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003 related to the above reclassifications and restatements are included below: |
Three Months Ended September 30, 2003 | ||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) | Effects of 2003 Changes | |||||||||||||
Statement of Operations: | As Previously Reported (1) | Wireless License Costs and Goodwill Restatements | Retention Reclass- ifications | As Restated | ||||||||||
Operating Revenues (2) | $ | 874,754 | $ | | $ | 7,633 | $ | 882,387 | ||||||
Operating Expenses | ||||||||||||||
Cost of services and products (2) | 270,829 | | 23,543 | 294,372 | ||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expense (2) | 327,080 | | (15,910 | ) | 311,170 | |||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense | 144,238 | | | 144,238 | ||||||||||
Loss on impairment of intangible assets | | | | | ||||||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale | (1,442 | ) | | | (1,442 | ) | ||||||||
Total Operating Expenses | 740,705 | | 7,633 | 748,338 | ||||||||||
Operating Income | 134,049 | | | 134,049 | ||||||||||
Income before income taxes and | ||||||||||||||
minority interest | 95,692 | | | 95,692 | ||||||||||
Income tax expense (3) | 49,541 | (10,713 | ) | | 38,828 | |||||||||
Minority share of income | (11,537 | ) | (1,911 | ) | | (13,448 | ) | |||||||
Income from continuing operations | 34,614 | 8,802 | | 43,416 | ||||||||||
Discontinued operations | (1,609 | ) | | | (1,609 | ) | ||||||||
Income before cumulative effect of accounting change | 33,005 | 8,802 | | 41,807 | ||||||||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change | | | | | ||||||||||
Net income | $ | 33,005 | $ | 8,802 | $ | | $ | 41,807 | ||||||
Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (000s) | 57,420 | | | 57,420 | ||||||||||
Basic Earnings per Share | ||||||||||||||
Income from continuing operations | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.16 | $ | | $ | 0.76 | ||||||
Discontinued operations | (0.03 | ) | | | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change | | | | | ||||||||||
Net income available to common | $ | 0.57 | $ | 0.16 | $ | | $ | 0.73 | ||||||
Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (000s) | 57,793 | 73 | | 57,866 | ||||||||||
Diluted Earnings per Share | ||||||||||||||
Income from continuing operations | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.15 | $ | | $ | 0.75 | ||||||
Discontinued operations | (0.03 | ) | | | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change | | | | | ||||||||||
Net income available to common | $ | 0.57 | $ | 0.15 | $ | | $ | 0.72 | ||||||
(1) | Amounts as previously reported in amendment No. 2 to the September 30, 2003 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed March 10, 2004. |
(2) | Prior to the fourth quarter of 2003, TDS included costs for equipment sold to retain current U.S. Cellular customers in selling, general and administrative expense, partially offset by equipment sales revenues received from these customers. In the fourth quarter of 2003, TDS changed its policy for classifying retention costs and has reclassified the equipment sales revenues and cost of equipment sold related to the retention of current U.S. Cellular customers out of selling, general and administrative expense into operating revenues and cost of services and products, respectively. This change was reflected retrospectively in each of the first three quarters of 2003. |
(3) | In the third quarter of 2003, TDS had originally recorded an income tax expense upon the closing of the disposition of certain wireless properties by U.S. Cellular. This tax expense was reduced due to the reversal of additional deferred tax liabilities that were recorded with respect to the wireless properties exchanged in conjunction with the restatement from goodwill to wireless license costs. Consequently, income tax expense in 2003 was reduced by $10.7 million. |
9 |
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2003 | ||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) | Effects of 2003 Changes | |||||||||||||
Statement of Operations: | As Previously Reported (1) | Wireless License Costs and Goodwill Restatements | Retention Reclass- ifications | As Restated | ||||||||||
Operating Revenues (2) | $ | 2,533,459 | $ | | $ | 21,620 | $ | 2,555,079 | ||||||
Operating Expenses | ||||||||||||||
Cost of services and products (2) | 796,415 | | 69,639 | 866,054 | ||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expense (2) | 1,011,156 | | (48,019 | ) | 963,137 | |||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and accretion expense | 440,367 | | | 440,367 | ||||||||||
Loss on impairment of intangible assets | | 49,595 | | 49,595 | ||||||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale (3) | 25,558 | (1,939 | ) | | 23,619 | |||||||||
Total Operating Expenses | 2,273,496 | 47,656 | 21,620 | 2,342,772 | ||||||||||
Operating Income | 259,963 | (47,656 | ) | | 212,307 | |||||||||
Income before income taxes and minority interest | 144,074 | (47,656 | ) | | 96,418 | |||||||||
Income tax expense (3) | 76,988 | (29,542 | ) | | 47,446 | |||||||||
Minority share of income (3) | (17,988 | ) | 3,232 | | (14,756 | ) | ||||||||
Income from continuing operations | 49,098 | (14,882 | ) | | 34,216 | |||||||||
Discontinued operations | (1,609 | ) | | | (1,609 | ) | ||||||||
Income before cumulative effect of accounting change | 47,489 | (14,882 | ) | | 32,607 | |||||||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change | (11,789 | ) | | | (11,789 | ) | ||||||||
Net income | $ | 35,700 | $ | (14,882 | ) | $ | | $ | 20,818 | |||||
Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (000s) | 57,829 | | | 57,829 | ||||||||||
Basic Earnings per Share | ||||||||||||||
Income from continuing operations | $ | 0.84 | $ | (0.26 | ) | $ | | $ | 0.58 | |||||
Discontinued operations | (0.03 | ) | | | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change | (0.20 | ) | | | (0.20 | ) | ||||||||
Net income available to common | $ | 0.61 | $ | (0.26 | ) | $ | | $ | 0.35 | |||||
Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding (000s) | 57,924 | | | 57,924 | ||||||||||
Diluted Earnings per Share | ||||||||||||||
Income from continuing operations | $ | 0.84 | $ | (0.26 | ) | $ | | $ | 0.58 | |||||
Discontinued operations | (0.03 | ) | | | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change | (0.20 | ) | | | (0.20 | ) | ||||||||
Net income available to common | $ | 0.61 | $ | (0.26 | ) | $ | | $ | 0.35 | |||||
(1) | Amounts as previously reported in amendment No. 2 to the September 30, 2003 Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed March 10, 2004. |
(2) | Prior to the fourth quarter of 2003, TDS included costs for equipment sold to retain current U.S. Cellular customers in selling, general and administrative expense, partially offset by equipment sales revenues received from these customers. In the fourth quarter of 2003, TDS changed its policy for classifying retention costs and has reclassified the equipment sales revenues and cost of equipment sold related to the retention of current U.S. Cellular customers out of selling, general and administrative expense into operating revenues and cost of services and products, respectively. This change was reflected retrospectively in each of the first three quarters of 2003. |
(3) | The reductions to the (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale and related income tax expense and minority interest are the result of impairment losses recorded on wireless license costs in 2002. Also, in the third quarter of 2003, TDS had originally recorded an income tax expense upon the closing of the disposition of certain wireless properties by U.S. Cellular. This tax expense was reduced due to the reversal of additional deferred tax liabilities that were recorded with respect to the wireless properties exchanged in conjunction with the restatement from goodwill to wireless license costs. Consequently, income tax expense in 2003 was reduced by $10.7 million. |
10 |
3. | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies |
Operating Lease Revenue and Expense |
During the third quarter of 2004, TDS revised its accounting for certain operating leases that contain fixed rental increases to recognize lease revenue and expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 13, Accounting for Leases, as amended, and related pronouncements. Pursuant to its revised accounting for such leases, TDS recorded out-of-period adjustments to operating revenues and operating expenses during the third quarter of 2004. The adjustments were not considered material to the current year or any prior years earnings, earnings trends or individual financial statement line items. The adjustments were recorded in the current quarter ended September 30, 2004, and no prior periods were adjusted. The impact of the out-of-period adjustments on the affected line items in TDSs consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 is as follows: |
Three months ended September 30, 2004 |
(Dollars in thousands, except earnings per share) |
TDS Telecom | ||||||||||||||||
Increase (decrease) | U.S. Cellular | ILEC | CLEC | All Other | Total | ||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 980 | $ | 120 | $ | | $ | | $ | 1,100 | |||||||
Cost of services and products | 2,892 | 85 | | | 2,977 | ||||||||||||
Selling, general and | |||||||||||||||||
administrative expense | 1,848 | 396 | 583 | | 2,827 | ||||||||||||
Total operating expenses | 4,740 | 481 | 583 | | 5,804 | ||||||||||||
Operating income | (3,760 | ) | (361 | ) | (583 | ) | | (4,704 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense) net | (1,701 | ) | (1,701 | ) | |||||||||||||
Income before income taxes | |||||||||||||||||
and minority interest | (6,405 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net income | $ | (3,432 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Basic earnings per share | $ | (0.06 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | (0.06 | ) |
Nine months ended September 30, 2004 |
(Dollars in thousands, except earnings per share) |
TDS Telecom | ||||||||||||||||
Increase (decrease) | U.S. Cellular | ILEC | CLEC | All Other | Total | ||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 821 | $ | 69 | $ | | $ | | $ | 890 | |||||||
Cost of services and products | 2,334 | 50 | | | 2,384 | ||||||||||||
Selling, general and | |||||||||||||||||
administrative expense | 1,606 | 223 | 454 | | 2,283 | ||||||||||||
Total operating expenses | 3,940 | 273 | 454 | | 4,667 | ||||||||||||
Operating income | (3,119 | ) | (204 | ) | (454 | ) | | (3,777 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense) net | (1,589 | ) | (1,589 | ) | |||||||||||||
Income before income taxes | |||||||||||||||||
and minority interest | (5,366 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net income | $ | (2,880 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Basic earnings per share | $ | (0.05 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | (0.05 | ) |
11 |
Variable Interest Entities |
TDS accounts for variable interest entities in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation No. 46R (FIN 46R). This interpretation modifies the requirements for consolidation of investments previously contained in Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51, Consolidated Financial Statements. Under FIN 46R, certain entities in which equity investors do not have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest or do not have sufficient equity at risk for the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support from other parties are considered variable interest entities and are potentially subject to consolidation by an investor other than the investor with the majority equity interest. The adoption of FIN 46R in January 2004 resulted in the inclusion of one additional wireless market in TDSs consolidated operations. The operations of such additional market did not have a material impact on TDSs financial position or results of operations. |
Other Postretirement Benefits |
TDS sponsors two contributory defined benefit postretirement plans that cover most employees of TDS Corporate, TDS Telecom and the subsidiaries of TDS Telecom. One plan provides medical benefits and the other plan provides life insurance benefits. |
Net periodic benefit costs for the defined benefit postretirement plans include the following components: |
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 | 2004 | 2003 | |||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||
Service Cost | $ | 591 | $ | 419 | $ | 1,772 | $ | 1,257 | ||||||||||
Interest on accumulated benefit obligation | 665 | 620 | 1,995 | 1,860 | ||||||||||||||
Expected return on plan assets | (337 | ) | (299 | ) | (1,011 | ) | (898 | ) | ||||||||||
Amortization of: | ||||||||||||||||||
Prior service cost | (179 | ) | (32 | ) | (536 | ) | (96 | ) | ||||||||||
Net loss | 237 | 123 | 712 | 371 | ||||||||||||||
Net postretirement cost | $ | 977 | $ | 831 | $ | 2,932 | $ | 2,494 | ||||||||||
TDS has contributed $6.9 million to the postretirement plan assets during 2004. |
Pension Plan |
TDS sponsors a qualified noncontributory defined contribution pension plan. The plan provides benefits for the employees of TDS Corporate, TDS Telecom and U.S. Cellular. Under this plan, pension benefits and costs are calculated separately for each participant and are funded currently. Pension costs were $3.2 million and $9.2 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and were $3.3 million and $8.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. |
TDS also sponsors an unfunded non-qualified deferred supplemental executive retirement plan to supplement the benefits under the qualified plan to offset the reduction of benefits caused by the limitation on annual employee compensation under the tax laws. |
Stock-Based Compensation |
TDS accounts for stock options, stock appreciation rights and employee stock purchase plans under Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 25, Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees as allowed by SFAS No. 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation. |
No compensation costs have been recognized for stock options in 2004 because, under TDSs stock option plans, the option exercise price for each grant is equal to the quoted stock price at the grant date. During 2003, TDS recorded compensation cost of $0.3 million related to certain options granted with exercise prices that were less than the market price on the grant date. This expense was recognized during the fourth quarter of 2003. |
12 |
No compensation costs have been recognized for employee stock purchase plans because the purchase price is not less than 85 percent of the fair market value of the stock at the purchase date. Had compensation cost for all plans been determined consistent with SFAS No. 123, TDSs net income available to common and earnings per share would have been reduced to the following pro forma amounts: |
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated | 2004 | 2003 As Restated | ||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) | |||||||||||||||||
Net Income Available to Common | |||||||||||||||||
As Reported | $ | 25,100 | $ | 41,703 | $ | 86,125 | $ | 20,506 | |||||||||
Pro Forma Expense | (5,706 | ) | (4,600 | ) | (13,989 | ) | (8,988 | ) | |||||||||
Pro Forma Net Income Available to Common | $ | 19,394 | $ | 37,103 | $ | 72,136 | $ | 11,518 | |||||||||
Basic Earnings per Share | |||||||||||||||||
As Reported | $ | 0.44 | $ | 0.73 | $ | 1.50 | $ | 0.35 | |||||||||
Pro Forma Expense per Share | (0.10 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.24 | ) | (0.15 | ) | |||||||||
Pro Forma Basic Earnings per Share | $ | 0.34 | $ | 0.65 | $ | 1.26 | $ | 0.20 | |||||||||
Diluted Earnings per Share | |||||||||||||||||
As Reported | $ | 0.43 | $ | 0.72 | $ | 1.49 | $ | 0.35 | |||||||||
Pro Forma Expense per Share | (0.10 | ) | (0.08 | ) | (0.24 | ) | (0.15 | ) | |||||||||
Pro Forma Diluted Earnings per Share | $ | 0.33 | $ | 0.64 | $ | 1.25 | $ | 0.20 | |||||||||
Recent Accounting Pronouncements |
Health Care Benefits |
On December 8, 2003, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (the Act) was enacted. The Act expands Medicare coverage, primarily by adding a prescription drug benefit for Medicare-eligible participants starting in 2006. The Act provides employers currently sponsoring prescription drug programs for Medicare-eligible participants with a range of options for coordinating with the new government-sponsored program to potentially reduce employers costs. These options include supplementing the government program on a secondary payor basis or accepting a direct subsidy from the government to support a portion of the cost of the employers program. |
TDS has reviewed the impact of the Act on the TDS retiree medical plan, and has concluded that the plan is not expected to provide benefits which are the actuarial equivalent of the standard Medicare Part D benefit. Therefore, TDS would not be eligible to receive the federal subsidy offered under the Act. |
The FASB published guidance on the accounting for the government subsidy in FSP 106-2, Accounting and Disclosure Requirements Related to the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, that is effective beginning July 1, 2004. As a result of the conclusion that the plan is not expected to qualify for the federal subsidy, TDS believes that the effect of the Act on the TDS retiree medical plan is not a significant event pursuant to paragraph 73 of SFAS No. 106, Employers Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions, and TDS did not remeasure plan assets and obligations as of the effective date of FSP 106-2. |
TDS intends to clarify the plans design to advise participants that all retiree benefits will be coordinated with Medicare. The effects of this plan clarification will be recognized in future periods after the changes are finalized and communicated to employees. |
Earnings per Share |
In March 2004, the Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) reached a consensus on EITF Issue No. 03-6, Participating Securities and the Two-Class Method under FASB Statement No. 128, Earnings per Share. EITF 03-6 clarifies what constitutes a participating security and provides further guidance in applying the two-class method of calculating earnings per share. The consensuses reached by the Task Force on EITF Issue No. 03-6 were ratified by the FASB on March 31, 2004, and are effective for reporting periods beginning after March 31, 2004. TDS has reviewed this Issue and concluded that it has no participating securities as defined by EITF Issue No. 03-6. |
13 |
4. | Income Taxes |
Net income available to common shareholders includes Loss on investments, Loss on impairment of intangible assets and (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, which had a significant effect on the effective tax rate in each period. The effective tax rate for the nine month period was 40.9% in 2004 and 49.2% in 2003 including the tax effect of such losses and gains. The effective tax rate is higher in 2003 as a result of the tax benefit of $28.2 million recorded on Loss on investments, Loss on impairment of intangible assets and (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale in 2003 being at a lower effective tax rate than the effective tax rate of the tax expense on operations, increasing the overall effective tax rate above the effective tax rate from operations. TDS recorded a tax expense of $11.6 million in the third quarter of 2004 related to the announced sale of certain assets to ALLTEL Communications, Inc. (ALLTEL). This transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter 2004 and is discussed in Note 21 Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges. |
Excluding the tax effects of losses and gains, the effective tax rate on operations for the nine month period was 32.7% in 2004 and 42.4% in 2003. The 2004 effective tax rate on operations excluding losses and gains is lower than 2003 due to favorable settlements of several tax issues in 2004. During the third quarter of 2004, the Internal Revenue Service substantially completed its audit of TDSs federal income tax returns for the years 1997 through 2001 and claims for research tax credits for prior periods. Primarily based on the results of the audit, TDS reduced its accrual for audit contingencies by $6.8 million in the third quarter of 2004. Also in the quarter, TDS recorded a $5.6 million benefit for the research tax credits that were allowed in the federal income tax audit. |
The following table summarizes the effective income tax expense (benefit) rates in each of the periods: |
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated | 2004 | 2003 As Restated | ||||||||||||
Effective Tax (Benefit) Rate From: | |||||||||||||||
Operations excluding Loss on investments, Loss | |||||||||||||||
on impairment of intangible assets and | |||||||||||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale (1) | 14.5% | 42.2% | 32.7% | 42.4% | |||||||||||
Loss on investments, Loss on impairment of | |||||||||||||||
intangible assets, and (Gain) loss on | |||||||||||||||
assets of operations held for sale (2)(3) | NM | (63.2)% | NM | (34.5)% | |||||||||||
Income from continuing operations before income taxes, minority interest and cumulative | |||||||||||||||
effect of accounting changes | 40.4% | 40.6% | 40.9% | 49.2% |
NM | - Not Meaningful |
(1) | The 2004 effective tax rates on operations excluding Loss on investments, Loss on impairment of intangible assets and (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale are lower than 2003 due to favorable settlements of federal income tax audits and allowance of research tax credits. |
(2) | The 2004 effective tax rates on Loss on investments, Loss on impairment of intangible assets and (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale are not meaningful primarily because TDS recorded a tax expense of $11.6 million in the third quarter of 2004 related to the pending sale of certain assets to ALLTEL. The transaction with ALLTEL is expected to close in the fourth quarter 2004. |
(3) | The 2003 effective tax rates reflect tax benefits of $0.9 million in the third quarter of 2003 and $28.2 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2003 from Loss on investments, Loss on impairment of intangible assets and (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale. |
5. | Loss on Impairment of Intangible Assets |
Loss on impairment of intangible assets totaled $49.6 million in the first nine months of 2003. As discussed previously, TDS restated 2003 and 2002 financial statements relating to the implementation of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. In connection with this restatement, TDS reperformed the annual impairment test for its investment in licenses for 2003, which was originally performed during the second quarter of 2003. This resulted in the recognition of an additional impairment loss of $49.6 million, before an income tax benefit of $19.6 million and minority interest of $5.4 million. |
The 2004 annual impairment tests for investments in licenses and goodwill were performed in the second quarter of 2004. Other than a license impairment loss recorded as a Loss on investments related to a non-operating market, no impairment losses resulted from the 2004 annual impairment tests. See Note 7 Loss on Investments for a discussion of this license impairment loss. |
14 |
6. | (Gain) Loss on Assets of Operations Held for Sale |
TDS recorded an estimated Loss on assets of operations held for sale of $22.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2003 related to the sale of U.S. Cellulars wireless properties in southern Texas to AT&T Wireless Services, Inc. (AT&T Wireless). In the nine months ended September 30, 2004, TDS reduced the loss by $0.7 million for a total loss of $21.3 million. The loss represents the difference between the book value of the markets sold to AT&T Wireless and the cash received in the transaction when it was completed. |
TDS reported a Loss on assets of operations held for sale of $23.6 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2003 representing the difference between the carrying value of the Georgia and Florida wireless markets U.S. Cellular transferred to AT&T Wireless and the fair value of the assets received in the exchange transaction. This exchange transaction was completed on August 1, 2003. |
See Note 21 Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges for further information on both transactions with AT&T Wireless. |
7. | Loss on Investments |
TDS reported Loss on investments of $2.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2004. TDS recorded a $1.8 million loss to reflect an impairment in the carrying value of a license held in a non-operational market in Florida that remained with U.S. Cellular after the exchange with AT&T Wireless was completed. In September 2004, U.S. Cellular entered into an agreement to sell this market to MetroPCS California/Florida, Inc. (MetroPCS). No gain or loss is expected to be recorded on this sale. In September 2004, TDS also recorded a $0.5 million impairment loss ($0.3 million net of taxes of $0.2 million) on an investment in a telephone company accounted for using the cost method. |
TDS reported Loss on investments of $8.5 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2003. TDS reported a loss of $3.5 million in 2003 for an impairment in the carrying value of a license in a non-operating market in Florida. TDS also reported an impairment loss of $5.0 million on a cellular market investment held by TDS Telecom in conjunction with its annual license cost and goodwill impairment testing. |
8. | Discontinued Operations |
In the third quarter of 2004, TDS recorded a gain of $7.0 million ($4.4 million, net of income tax benefit of $2.6 million), or $0.08 per diluted share, for discontinued operations relating to a reduction in indemnity accrual requirements, primarily tax related, associated with the merger of Aerial Communications, Inc. (Aerial) with VoiceStream Wireless Corporation (VoiceStream) in 2000. The accrual was reduced in the third quarter of 2004 due to favorable outcomes of federal and state tax audits which reduced the potential indemnity obligation. See Indemnifications in Note 25 Commitments and Contingencies. |
In the third quarter of 2003, TDS recorded a loss of $2.8 million ($1.6 million, net of income tax expense of $1.2 million), or $(0.03) per diluted share, for discontinued operations related to certain liabilities associated with the merger of Aerial and VoiceStream. |
9. | Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change |
Effective January 1, 2003, TDS adopted SFAS No.143, Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations and recorded the initial liability for legal obligations associated with asset retirements. The cumulative effect of the implementation of this accounting standard on periods prior to 2003 was recorded in the first quarter of 2003, decreasing net income by $11.8 million, net of tax and minority interest, or $(0.20) per basic and diluted share. |
10. | Earnings per Share |
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income available to common by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed using net income available to common and weighted average common shares adjusted to include the effect of potentially dilutive securities. Potentially dilutive securities include incremental shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding stock options and the potential conversion of preferred stock to common shares. |
15 |
The amounts used in computing earnings per share from operations and the effect on income and the weighted average number of Common and Series A Common Shares of dilutive potential common stock are as follows. |
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated | 2004 | 2003 As Restated | ||||||||||||||
(Dollars and shares in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
Basic Earnings per Share: | |||||||||||||||||
Income from Continuing Operations | $ | 20,800 | $ | 43,416 | $ | 81,926 | $ | 34,216 | |||||||||
Preferred Dividend requirement | 51 | 104 | 152 | 312 | |||||||||||||
Income from Continuing Operations Available to | |||||||||||||||||
Common | 20,749 | 43,312 | 81,774 | 33,904 | |||||||||||||
Discontinued Operations | 4,351 | (1,609 | ) | 4,351 | (1,609 | ) | |||||||||||
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change | | | | (11,789 | ) | ||||||||||||
Net Income Available to Common used in | |||||||||||||||||
Basic Earnings per Share | $ | 25,100 | $ | 41,703 | $ | 86,125 | $ | 20,506 | |||||||||
Diluted Earnings per Share: | ||||||||||||||
Income from Continuing Operations Available to | ||||||||||||||
Common used in Basic Earnings per Share | $ | 20,749 | $ | 43,312 | $ | 81,774 | $ | 33,904 | ||||||
Reduction in Preferred Dividends if Preferred | ||||||||||||||
Shares Converted into Common Shares | | 100 | | | ||||||||||
Minority Income Adjustment (1) | (104 | ) | (210 | ) | (324 | ) | (219 | ) | ||||||
Income from Continuing Operations Available to | ||||||||||||||
Common | 20,645 | 43,202 | 81,450 | 33,685 | ||||||||||
Discontinued Operations | 4,351 | (1,609 | ) | 4,351 | (1,609 | ) | ||||||||
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change | | | | (11,789 | ) | |||||||||
Net Income Available to Common used in | ||||||||||||||
Diluted Earnings per Share | $ | 24,996 | $ | 41,593 | $ | 85,801 | $ | 20,287 | ||||||
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares used | ||||||||||||||
in Basic Earnings per Share | 57,321 | 57,420 | 57,253 | 57,829 | ||||||||||
Effects of Dilutive Securities: | ||||||||||||||
Stock Options (2) | 294 | 228 | 267 | 95 | ||||||||||
Conversion of Preferred Shares (3) | | 218 | | | ||||||||||
Weighted Average Number of Common Shares used | ||||||||||||||
in Diluted Earnings per Share | 57,615 | 57,866 | 57,520 | 57,924 | ||||||||||
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated | 2004 | 2003 As Restated | |||||||||||
Basic Earnings per Share: | ||||||||||||||
Income from Continuing Operations | $ | 0.36 | $ | 0.76 | $ | 1.42 | $ | 0.58 | ||||||
Discontinued Operations | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change | | | | (0.20 | ) | |||||||||
$ | 0.44 | $ | 0.73 | $ | 1.50 | $ | 0.35 | |||||||
Diluted Earnings per Share: | ||||||||||||||
Income from Continuing Operations | $ | 0.35 | $ | 0.75 | $ | 1.41 | $ | 0.58 | ||||||
Discontinued Operations | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | 0.08 | (0.03 | ) | ||||||||
Cumulative Effect of Accounting Change | | | | (0.20 | ) | |||||||||
$ | 0.43 | $ | 0.72 | $ | 1.49 | $ | 0.35 | |||||||
(1) | The minority income adjustment reflects the additional minority share of U.S. Cellular's income computed as if all of U.S. Cellular's issuable securities were outstanding. |
(2) | Stock options convertible into 681,402 Common Shares were not included in computing Diluted Earnings per Share in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, because their effects were antidilutive. Stock options convertible into 1,292,021 and 1,446,525 Common Shares were not included in computing Diluted Earnings per Share in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively, because their effects were antidilutive. |
(3) | Preferred shares convertible into 72,806 Common Shares were not included in computing Diluted Earnings per Share in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, because their effects were antidilutive. Preferred shares convertible into 225,519 Common Shares were not included in computing Diluted Earnings per Share in the nine months ended September 30, 2003 because their effects were antidilutive. |
16 |
11. | Marketable Equity Securities |
TDS and its subsidiaries hold a substantial amount of marketable equity securities that are publicly traded and can have volatile movements in share prices. TDS and its subsidiaries do not make direct investments in publicly traded companies and all of these interests were acquired as a result of sales, trades or reorganizations of other assets. The investment in Deutsche Telekom AG (Deutsche Telekom) resulted from TDSs disposition of its over 80%-owned personal communication services operating subsidiary, Aerial Communications, Inc., to VoiceStream Wireless Corporation (VoiceStream) in exchange for stock of VoiceStream, which was then acquired by Deutsche Telekom in exchange for Deutsche Telekom stock. The investment in Vodafone Group Plc (Vodafone) resulted from certain dispositions of non-strategic cellular investments to or settlements with AirTouch Communications Inc. (AirTouch), in exchange for stock of AirTouch, which was then acquired by Vodafone whereby TDS and its subsidiaries received American Depositary Receipts representing Vodafone stock. The investment in Rural Cellular Corporation (Rural Cellular) is the result of a consolidation of several cellular partnerships in which TDS subsidiaries held interests in Rural Cellular, and the distribution of Rural Cellular stock in exchange for these interests. The investment in VeriSign, Inc. (VeriSign) is the result of the acquisition by VeriSign of Illuminet, Inc., a telecommunication entity in which several TDS subsidiaries held interests. |
The market values of the marketable equity securities may fall below the accounting cost basis of such securities. If TDS determines the decline in value of the marketable equity securities to be other than temporary, the unrealized loss included in Accumulated other comprehensive income is recognized and recorded as a loss in the Statement of Operations. |
TDS and its subsidiaries have entered into a number of forward contracts related to the marketable equity securities that they hold. The risk management objective of the forward contracts is to hedge the value of the marketable equity securities from losses due to decreases in the market prices of the securities while retaining a share of gains from increases in the market prices of such securities. The downside risk is hedged at or above the accounting cost basis thereby eliminating the risk of an other than temporary loss being recorded on these contracted securities. |
Information regarding TDSs marketable equity securities is summarized as follows: |
September 30, 2004 |
December 31, 2003 |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Marketable Equity Securities | |||||||||
Deutsche Telekom AG - 131,461,861 Ordinary Shares | $ | 2,435,988 | $ | 2,403,123 | |||||
Vodafone Group Plc - 12,945,915 American Depositary Receipts | 312,126 | 324,166 | |||||||
VeriSign, Inc. - 2,361,333 Common Shares | 46,943 | 38,490 | |||||||
Rural Cellular Corporation - 719,396 equivalent Common Shares | 4,957 | 5,719 | |||||||
Other | 1 | 912 | |||||||
Aggregate fair value | 2,800,015 | 2,772,410 | |||||||
Accounting cost basis | 1,543,677 | 1,543,932 | |||||||
Gross unrealized holding gains | 1,256,338 | 1,228,478 | |||||||
Deferred income tax (expense) | (490,517 | ) | (479,683 | ) | |||||
Unrealized holding gains, net of tax | 765,821 | 748,795 | |||||||
Derivative instruments, net of tax | (418,927 | ) | (447,319 | ) | |||||
Equity method unrealized gains | 261 | 126 | |||||||
Minority share of unrealized holding gains | (4,897 | ) | (4,782 | ) | |||||
Accumulated other comprehensive income | $ | 342,258 | $ | 296,820 | |||||
17 |
12. | Goodwill |
TDS has substantial amounts of goodwill as a result of the acquisition of wireless markets, and the acquisition of operating telephone companies. The changes in goodwill for the nine months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003, were as follows. TDS Telecom's incumbent local exchange carriers are designated as "ILEC" and its competitive local exchange carrier is designated as "CLEC" in the table. |
TDS Telecom |
|||||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
U.S. Cellular | ILEC | CLEC | Other(1) | Total | ||||||||||||
Beginning Balance December 31, 2003 | $ | 430,256 | $ | 397,341 | $ | 29,440 | $ | 30,900 | $ | 887,937 | |||||||
Acquisitions | 3,649 | | | | 3,649 | ||||||||||||
Assets of operations held for | |||||||||||||||||
sale (2) | (8,257 | ) | | | (30,900 | ) | (39,157 | ) | |||||||||
Other Adjustments | (305 | ) | | | | (305 | ) | ||||||||||
Balance September 30, 2004 | $ | 425,343 | $ | 397,341 | $ | 29,440 | $ | | $ | 852,124 | |||||||
As Restated | |||||||||||||||||
Balance December 31, 2002 | $ | 504,744 | $ | 397,482 | $ | 29,440 | $ | 35,900 | $ | 967,566 | |||||||
Divestiture | (69,961 | ) | | | | (69,961 | ) | ||||||||||
Impairment Loss | | | | (5,000 | ) | (5,000 | ) | ||||||||||
Other Adjustments | (190 | ) | (141 | ) | | | (331 | ) | |||||||||
Balance September 30, 2003 | $ | 434,593 | $ | 397,341 | $ | 29,440 | $ | 30,900 | $ | 892,274 | |||||||
(1) | Other consists of goodwill related to an investment in a cellular market owned by an ILEC subsidiary. |
(2) | As a result of the agreements with ALLTEL, as described more fully in Note 22 - Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for Sale, $8.3 million of Goodwill recorded at U.S. Cellular and $30.9 million of Goodwill related to a wireless market owned by a TDS Telecom subsidiary were reclassified to Assets of operations held for sale as of September 30, 2004. |
13. | Unconsolidated Entities |
Investments in unconsolidated entities consist of amounts invested in wireless and wireline entities in which TDS holds a minority interest. These investments are accounted for using either the equity or cost method. |
Significant investments in TDSs unconsolidated entities include the following: |
September 30, 2004 |
September 30, 2003 |
||||||||
Los Angeles SMSA Limited Partnership | 5.5% | 5.5% | |||||||
Raleigh-Durham MSA Limited Partnership (1) | 8.0% | 8.0% | |||||||
Midwest Wireless Communications, LLC | 15.7% | 15.7% | |||||||
North Carolina RSA 1 Partnership | 50.0% | 50.0% | |||||||
Oklahoma City SMSA Limited Partnership | 14.6% | 14.6% |
(1) | As a result of the agreement with ALLTEL, as described more fully in Note 22 - Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for Sale, TDS's investment in this partnership was reclassified to Assets of operations held for sale as of September 30, 2004. |
Based primarily on data furnished to TDS by third parties, the following summarizes the combined results of operations of all wireless and wireline entities in which TDS's investments are accounted for by the equity method: |
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 | 2004 | 2003 | |||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||||||||
Results of operations | ||||||||||||||||||
Revenues | $ | 724,000 | $ | 694,000 | $ | 2,184,000 | $ | 1,859,000 | ||||||||||
Operating expenses | 487,000 | 519,000 | 1,525,000 | 1,387,000 | ||||||||||||||
Operating income | 237,000 | 175,000 | 659,000 | 472,000 | ||||||||||||||
Other income (expense), net | 19,000 | (1,000 | ) | 20,000 | 3,000 | |||||||||||||
Net Income | $ | 256,000 | $ | 174,000 | $ | 679,000 | $ | 475,000 | ||||||||||
18 |
14. | Customer Lists |
The customer lists, intangible assets from the acquisition of wireless properties, are being amortized based on average customer retention periods using the declining balance method. The acquisition of certain minority interests in the first quarter of 2004 added $12.9 million to the gross balance at September 30, 2004. Customer list amortization expense was $3.2 million and $9.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and was $3.9 and $12.9 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2003, respectively. Amortization expense for the remainder of 2004 and for the years 2005-2008 is expected to be $2.5 million, $8.3 million, $5.4 million, $3.6 million and $2.4 million, respectively. |
15. | Property, Plant and Equipment |
In the first quarter of 2004, U.S. Cellular adjusted the useful lives of Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) radio equipment, switch software and antenna equipment. TDMA radio equipment lives were adjusted to be fully depreciated by the end of 2008, which is the latest date the wireless industry will be required by law to support analog service. U.S. Cellular currently uses TDMA radio equipment to support analog service, and expects to have its digital radio network fully migrated to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 1XRTT or some future generation of CDMA technology by that time. The useful lives for certain switch software were reduced to one year from three years and antenna equipment lives were reduced from eight years to seven years in order to better align the useful lives with the actual length of time the assets are expected to be in use. These changes increased depreciation by $2.2 million and $12.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and are estimated to increase depreciation by $14.9 million for the full year 2004. The changes in useful lives reduced net income by $1.1 million, or $0.02 per share for the three months ended September 30, 2004, and $6.0 million, or $0.10 per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. |
In the nine months ended September 30, 2004, certain U.S. Cellular TDMA digital radio equipment consigned to a third party for sale was written down by $11.3 million in conjunction with the consignment and sale of such equipment, increasing depreciation expense by that amount. This writedown was necessary to reduce the book value of the assets sold or to be sold to the proceeds received or to be received from their disposition. |
In preparation for the implementation of a fixed asset management and tracking software system, including a bar code asset identification system, U.S. Cellular is conducting a physical inventory review of its cell site fixed assets. U.S. Cellular expects to complete the review in the fourth quarter of 2004. U.S. Cellular charged $4.0 million to depreciation expense for the estimated write-off in the second quarter 2004. To the extent the final results differ from the $4.0 million already charged to expense, an adjustment would be required in the fourth quarter of 2004. |
16. | Revolving Credit Facilities and Forward Contracts |
TDS has a $600 million revolving credit facility available for general corporate purposes. At September 30, 2004, this credit facility had $596.6 million available for use, net of $3.4 million of outstanding letters of credit. This credit facility expires in January 2007. Borrowings bear interest at the London InterBank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus a contractual spread based on TDSs credit rating. The contractual spread was 30 basis points as of September 30, 2004 (for a rate of 2.14% based on the one month LIBOR rate at September 30, 2004). |
TDS also has $75 million of additional bank lines of credit for general corporate purposes, all of which was unused at September 30, 2004. These line of credit agreements expire in less than one year and provide for borrowings at negotiated rates up to the prime rate (4.75% at September 30, 2004). |
U.S. Cellular has a $700 million revolving credit facility available for general corporate purposes. At September 30, 2004, this credit facility had $644.8 million available for use, net of borrowings of $55.0 million and outstanding letters of credit of $0.2 million. This credit facility expires in June 2007. Borrowings bear interest at the LIBOR rate plus a margin percentage based on U.S. Cellulars credit rating. The margin percentage was 55 basis points as of September 30, 2004 (for a rate of 2.39% based on the one month LIBOR rate at September 30, 2004). |
19 |
Subsidiaries of TDS and U.S. Cellular have entered into a number of variable prepaid forward contracts (forward contracts) related to the marketable equity securities that they hold. The forward contracts mature from May 2007 to August 2008 and, at TDSs and U.S. Cellulars option, may be settled in shares of the respective security or cash. |
On May 14, 2004, TDS filed a Form 10-K/A to restate its financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2003 and 2002 and for the interim periods for such years. The restatements resulted in defaults under the revolving credit agreements and certain of the forward contracts with one counterparty. TDS and U.S. Cellular did not fail to make any scheduled payments under such revolving credit agreements or forward contracts. TDS and U.S. Cellular received waivers from the lenders associated with the revolving credit agreements and from the counterparty to such forward contracts, under which the lenders and the counterparty agreed to waive any defaults that may have occurred as a result of the restatements. |
As disclosed in Note 2, TDS has restated the Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. The restatement resulted in defaults under the revolving credit and line of credit agreements and certain of the forward contracts. TDS and U.S. Cellular were not in violation of any covenants that require TDS and U.S. Cellular to maintain certain financial ratios. TDS and U.S. Cellular did not fail to make any scheduled payments under such credit agreements or forward contracts. TDS and U.S. Cellular received waivers from the lenders associated with the credit agreements and from the counterparty to such forward contracts, under which the lenders and the counterparty agreed to waive any defaults that may have occurred as a result of the restatement. |
17. | Asset Retirement Obligation |
U.S. Cellular is subject to asset retirement obligations associated primarily with its cell sites, retail sites and office locations. Legal obligations include obligations to remediate leased land on which U.S. Cellulars cell sites and switching offices are located. U.S. Cellular is also required to return leased retail store premises and office space to their pre-existing conditions. U.S. Cellular determined that it had an obligation to remove long-lived assets in its cell sites, retail sites and office locations as described by SFAS No. 143, Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations, and has recorded a liability and related asset retirement obligation accretion expense. The asset retirement obligation calculated in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 143 at December 31, 2003 and at September 30, 2004 was $64.5 million and $69.2 million, respectively. |
TDS Telecoms incumbent local exchange carriers have recorded an asset retirement obligation in accordance with the requirements of SFAS No. 143 and a regulatory liability for the costs of removal that state public utility commissions have required to be recorded for regulatory accounting purposes which are in excess of the amounts required to be recorded in accordance with SFAS No. 143. These amounts combined make up the asset retirement obligation amounts shown on the Balance Sheet. The asset retirement obligation calculated in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 143 at December 31, 2003 and at September 30, 2004 was $31.8 million and $33.1 million, respectively. The regulatory liability in excess of the amounts required to be recorded in accordance with SFAS No. 143 at December 31, 2003 and at September 30, 2004 was $28.2 million and $30.6 million, respectively. |
TDS Telecom has determined that its competitive local exchange carrier does not have a material legal obligation to remove long-lived assets as described by SFAS No. 143. |
The table below summarizes the changes in asset retirement obligations during the nine months ended September 30, 2004. |
U.S. Cellular | TDS Telecom | TDS Consolidated | |||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||||||||
Beginning Balance - December 31, 2003 | $ | 64,501 | $ | 60,000 | $ | 124,501 | |||||||||
Additional liabilities accrued | 3,089 | 4,319 | 7,408 | ||||||||||||
Accretion expense | 3,713 | | 3,713 | ||||||||||||
Costs of removal incurred in 2004 | | (619 | ) | (619 | ) | ||||||||||
Liabilities of operations held for sale (1) | (430 | ) | | (430 | ) | ||||||||||
Disposition of assets (2) | (1,635 | ) | | (1,635 | ) | ||||||||||
Ending Balance - September 30, 2004 | $ | 69,238 | $ | 63,700 | $ | 132,938 | |||||||||
(1) | As a result of the agreement with ALLTEL, as described more fully in Note 22 - Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for Sale, $430,000 of Asset retirement obligations recorded at U.S. Cellular were reclassified to Liabilities of operations held for sale. |
(2) | As a result of the sale of wireless properties to AT&T Wireless in February 2004, Asset retirement obligations associated with these properties are no longer obligations of U.S. Cellular. |
20 |
18. | Long-Term Debt |
On May 25, 2004, U.S. Cellular filed with the SEC a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 to register the issuance from time to time of up to $500 million of senior debt securities. This registration statement became effective on June 2, 2004. |
As of June 17, 2004, U.S. Cellular issued $330 million in aggregate principal amount of unsecured 7.5% senior notes due June 15, 2034 under this registration statement. Interest on the notes is payable quarterly. U.S. Cellular may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at any time on and after June 17, 2009, at redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date. The net proceeds from this offering, after deducting underwriting discounts, were approximately $319.6 million. |
Also, on June 28, 2004, U.S. Cellular issued $100 million in aggregate principal amount of unsecured 6.7% senior notes due December 15, 2033 priced to yield 7.21% to maturity under this registration statement. The net proceeds from this offering, after deducting underwriting discounts, were approximately $92.9 million. This was a further issuance of U.S. Cellulars 6.7% notes that were issued on December 8, 2003 in the aggregate principal amount of $444 million. |
The total net proceeds from the 7.5% and 6.7% senior note offerings completed in June 2004, after deducting underwriting discounts, were approximately $412.5 million. Of this amount, $163.3 million was used to redeem U.S. Cellulars Liquid Yield Option Notes, on July 26, 2004, at accreted value. The balance of the net proceeds, together with borrowings under the revolving credit agreement, were used to redeem all $250 million of U.S. Cellulars 7.25% senior notes on August 16, 2004. No gain or loss was recognized as a result of such redemptions. However, U.S. Cellular wrote off $3.6 million of deferred debt expenses related to the redemption of long-term debt to Other income (expense), net in the Statement of Operations in the third quarter of 2004. |
19. | Minority Interest in Subsidiaries |
Under SFAS No. 150, Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity, certain minority interests in consolidated entities with finite lives may meet the standards definition of a mandatorily redeemable financial instrument and thus require reclassification as liabilities and remeasurement at the estimated amount of cash that would be due and payable to settle such minority interests under the applicable entitys organization agreement assuming an orderly liquidation of the finite-lived entity, net of estimated liquidation costs (the settlement value). TDSs consolidated financial statements include such minority interests that meet the standards definition of mandatorily redeemable financial instruments. These mandatorily redeemable minority interests represent interests held by third parties in consolidated partnerships and limited liability companies (LLCs), where the terms of the underlying partnership or LLC agreement provide for a defined termination date at which time the assets of the subsidiary are to be sold, the liabilities are to be extinguished and the remaining net proceeds are to be distributed to the minority interest holders and TDS in accordance with the respective partnership and LLC agreements. The termination dates of TDSs mandatorily redeemable minority interests range from 2042 to 2100. |
On November 7, 2003, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 150-3, Effective Date, Disclosures, and Transition for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests under FASB Statement No. 150. The FSP indefinitely deferred the classification and measurement provisions of SFAS No. 150 related to the mandatorily redeemable minority interests associated with finite-lived subsidiaries, but retained the related disclosure provisions. The settlement value of TDSs mandatorily redeemable minority interests is estimated to be $102.7 million at September 30, 2004. This represents the estimated amount of cash that would be due and payable to settle minority interests assuming an orderly liquidation of the finite-lived consolidated partnerships and LLCs on September 30, 2004, net of estimated liquidation costs. This amount is being disclosed pursuant to the requirements of FSP No. FAS 150-3; TDS has no current plans or intentions to liquidate any of the related partnerships or LLCs prior to their scheduled termination dates. The corresponding carrying value of the minority interests in finite-lived consolidated partnerships and LLCs at September 30, 2004 is $28.2 million, and is included in the Balance Sheet caption Minority interest in subsidiaries. The excess of the aggregate settlement value over the aggregate carrying value of the mandatorily redeemable minority interests of $74.5 million is primarily due to the unrecognized appreciation of the minority interest holders share of the underlying net assets in the consolidated partnerships and LLCs. Neither the minority interest holders share, nor TDSs share, of the appreciation of the underlying net assets of these subsidiaries is reflected in the consolidated financial statements. The estimate of settlement value |
21 |
was based on certain factors and assumptions. Changes in those factors and assumptions could result in a materially larger or smaller settlement amount. |
The FASB plans to reconsider certain implementation issues and perhaps the classification or measurement guidance for mandatorily redeemable minority interests during the deferral period. The outcome of their deliberations cannot be determined at this point. Accordingly, it is possible that the FASB could require the recognition and measurement of mandatorily redeemable minority interests at their settlement value at a later date. |
20. | Common Share Repurchase Program |
In 2003, the Board of Directors of TDS authorized the repurchase of up to 3.0 million TDS Common Shares through February 2006. As market conditions warrant, TDS may repurchase Common Shares on the open market or at negotiated prices in private transactions, at prices approximating then existing market prices. TDS may use repurchased shares to fund acquisitions and for other corporate purposes. |
In the nine months ended September 30, 2004, TDS repurchased 214,800 Common Shares under this authorization for an aggregate purchase price of $14.9 million, representing an average per share price of $69.15 including commissions. As of September 30, 2004, shares remaining available for repurchase under this authorization totaled 824,300. In the nine months ended September 30, 2003, TDS repurchased 1.4 million Common Shares under this authorization for an aggregate purchase price of $56.5 million, representing an average per share price of $40.99, including commissions. |
U.S. Cellulars primary repurchase program expired in December 2003. However, U.S. Cellular has an ongoing authorization to repurchase a limited amount of U.S. Cellular Common Shares on a quarterly basis, primarily for use in employee benefit plans. In the nine months ended September 30, 2004, U.S. Cellular repurchased 5,100 U.S. Cellular Common Shares under this authorization for an aggregate purchase price of $204,000, representing an average per share price of $40.04 including commissions. No U.S. Cellular Common Shares were repurchased in the nine months ended September 30, 2003. |
21. | Acquisitions, Divestitures and Exchanges |
2004 Activity |
On September 23, 2004, U.S. Cellular announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Daytona Beach Florida 20 MHz C block personal communications service license to MetroPCS for approximately $8.5 million. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2004. U.S. Cellular does not expect to record a gain or loss on this transaction. The Daytona license has been reclassified to Assets of operations held for sale on the Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2004. |
On August 4, 2004, TDS and U.S. Cellular announced that they had entered into definitive agreements with ALLTEL to sell certain wireless properties. TDS and U.S. Cellular subsidiaries will sell three consolidated properties and six minority interests to ALLTEL for approximately $143 million in cash, including repayment of debt and working capital that is subject to adjustment at closing. The closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2004. |
TDS expects to record a pre-tax gain of approximately $50 million related to the ALLTEL transaction at the time of closings representing the excess of the cash received over the net book value of the assets and liabilities sold, subject to a working capital adjustment. As a result of signing the definitive agreements for this transaction, TDS reclassified the assets and liabilities of the properties to be transferred as Assets and Liabilities of operations held for sale on the Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2004. See Note 22 Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for Sale. |
On February 18, 2004, U.S. Cellular completed the sale of certain of its wireless properties in southern Texas to AT&T Wireless for $96.9 million in cash, including a working capital adjustment. The U.S. Cellular markets sold to AT&T Wireless included wireless assets and customers in six cellular markets. An aggregate loss of $21.3 million (including a $22.0 million estimate of the Loss on assets operations held for sale in the fourth quarter of 2003 and a $0.7 million reduction of the loss in the nine months ended September 30, 2004) was recorded as a Loss on assets of operations held for sale (included in operating expenses), representing the difference between the carrying value of the markets sold to AT&T Wireless and the cash received in the transaction. |
22 |
Prior to the close of the AT&T Wireless sale, TDS reflected the assets and liabilities to be transferred to AT&T Wireless as Assets and Liabilities of operations held for sale in accordance with SFAS No. 144. The results of operations of the markets sold to AT&T Wireless were included in results of operations through February 17, 2004. |
In addition, in 2004 U.S. Cellular purchased certain minority interests in several wireless markets in which it already owned a controlling interest for $40.4 million in cash. These acquisitions increased wireless license costs, goodwill and customer lists by $2.7 million, $3.6 million and $12.9 million, respectively. |
2003 Activity |
On August 1, 2003, U.S. Cellular completed the transfer of wireless assets and customers in ten markets in Florida and Georgia to AT&T Wireless pursuant to an agreement entered into in March 2003. In return, U.S. Cellular received the following a) rights to acquire controlling interests in 36 personal communication service licenses contiguous to and that overlap existing U.S. Cellular properties in 13 states in the Midwest and the Northeast; b) approximately $34 million in cash; and c) minority interests in six markets in which it previously owned a controlling interest. In accordance with the agreement, U.S. Cellular has deferred the assignment and development of 21 licenses for a period of up to five years from the closing date. U.S. Cellular will take possession of the licenses in staggered closings over that five-year period to comply with service requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The value of these licenses is recorded as Wireless license rights on the Balance Sheet. |
The acquisition of the licenses in the exchange was accounted for as a purchase by U.S. Cellular and the transfer of the properties by U.S. Cellular to AT&T Wireless was accounted for as a sale. A $23.6 million Loss on assets of operations held for sale (included in operating expenses) was recorded in the nine months ended September 30, 2003 representing the difference between the carrying value of the markets transferred to AT&T Wireless and the fair value of the consideration received or to be received in the transaction. |
22. | Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for Sale |
In connection with the definitive agreements with ALLTEL and MetroPCS described in Note 21, the consolidated Balance Sheet and supplemental data of TDS as of September 30, 2004 reflect the assets and liabilities to be transferred as Assets and Liabilities of operations held for sale in accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. The results of operations of the markets to be transferred are included in results of continuing operations through September 30, 2004 and will continue to be included in results of operations through the closings of the transactions. |
Summarized assets and liabilities relating to operations held for sale are as follows: |
September 30, 2004 | ||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||
Current assets | $ | 12,820 | ||||
Wireless license costs | 8,758 | |||||
Goodwill | 39,157 | |||||
Property, plant and equipment, net | 32,226 | |||||
Investment in unconsolidated entities | 21,844 | |||||
Other assets | 1,165 | |||||
Assets of operations held for sale | $ | 115,970 | ||||
Current liabilities | $ | 3,729 | ||||
Deferred credits | 487 | |||||
Liabilities of operations held for sale | $ | 4,216 | ||||
23 |
23. | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income |
The cumulative balances of unrealized gains (losses) on securities and derivative instruments and related income tax effects included in Accumulated other comprehensive income are as follows. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2004 | 2003 | |||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
||||||||
Balance, beginning of period | $ | 296,820 | $ | 191,704 | ||||
Marketable Equity Securities | ||||||||
Add (Deduct): | ||||||||
Unrealized gains on marketable equity securities | 27,860 | 264,215 | ||||||
Income tax expense | (10,834 | ) | (103,285 | ) | ||||
17,026 | 160,930 | |||||||
Unrealized gains (losses) of equity method companies | 135 | (489 | ) | |||||
Minority share of unrealized (gains) losses | 1,037 | (2,724 | ) | |||||
Net unrealized gains | 18,198 | 157,717 | ||||||
Deduct (Add): | ||||||||
Recognized losses on marketable equity securities | | (168 | ) | |||||
Income tax benefit | | 62 | ||||||
| (106 | ) | ||||||
Minority share of recognized losses | | 21 | ||||||
Net recognized losses from marketable equity securities included | ||||||||
in net income | | (85 | ) | |||||
18,198 | 157,802 | |||||||
Derivative Instruments | ||||||||
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments | 46,315 | (160,639 | ) | |||||
Income tax (expense) benefit | (17,923 | ) | 62,433 | |||||
28,392 | (98,206 | ) | ||||||
Minority share of unrealized (gains) losses on derivative instruments | (1,152 | ) | 990 | |||||
27,240 | (97,216 | ) | ||||||
Net change in unrealized gains included in | ||||||||
comprehensive income | 45,438 | 60,586 | ||||||
Balance, end of period | $ | 342,258 | $ | 252,290 | ||||
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2004 | 2003 | |||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||
Accumulated Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Derivative Instruments | ||||||||
Balance, beginning of period | $ | (441,300 | ) | $ | (49,584 | ) | ||
Add (Deduct): | ||||||||
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments | 46,315 | (160,639 | ) | |||||
Income tax (expense) benefit | (17,923 | ) | 62,433 | |||||
Minority share of unrealized (gains) losses on derivative | ||||||||
instruments | (1,152 | ) | 990 | |||||
Balance, end of period | $ | (414,060 | ) | $ | (146,800 | ) | ||
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated | 2004 | 2003 As Restated | ||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
Comprehensive Income | |||||||||||||||||
Net Income | $ | 25,151 | $ | 41,807 | $ | 86,277 | $ | 20,818 | |||||||||
Net change in unrealized gains (losses) | |||||||||||||||||
on marketable equity securities and | |||||||||||||||||
derivative instruments | 42,178 | (8,616 | ) | 45,438 | 60,586 | ||||||||||||
$ | 67,329 | $ | 33,191 | $ | 131,715 | $ | 81,404 | ||||||||||
24 |
24. | Business Segment Information |
Financial data for TDSs business segments for each of the three and nine month periods ended or at September 30, 2004 and 2003 are as follows. TDS Telecoms incumbent local exchange carriers are designated as ILEC in the table and its competitive local exchange carrier is designated as CLEC. |
Three Months Ended or at September 30, 2004 |
TDS Telecom |
||||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
U.S. Cellular |
ILEC |
CLEC |
All Other(1) |
Total |
||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 748,213 | $ | 165,275 | $ | 56,522 | $ | (1,230 | ) | $ | 968,780 | ||||||
Cost of services and products | 280,785 | 45,205 | 23,769 | (735 | ) | 349,024 | |||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | |||||||||||||||||
expense | 298,011 | 43,902 | 33,896 | (495 | ) | 375,314 | |||||||||||
Operating income before depreciation, | |||||||||||||||||
amortization and accretion (2) | 169,417 | 76,168 | (1,143 | ) | | 244,442 | |||||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and | |||||||||||||||||
accretion expense | 127,408 | 32,667 | 9,387 | | 169,462 | ||||||||||||
Operating income (loss) | 42,009 | 43,501 | (10,530 | ) | | 74,980 | |||||||||||
Significant noncash items: | |||||||||||||||||
Investment income | 19,265 | 175 | | 139 | 19,579 | ||||||||||||
Loss on investments | | | | (491 | ) | (491 | ) | ||||||||||
Marketable equity securities | 249,571 | | | 2,550,444 | 2,800,015 | ||||||||||||
Investment in unconsolidated entities | 171,727 | 19,630 | | 24,272 | 215,629 | ||||||||||||
Total assets | 4,979,117 | 1,836,279 | 235,288 | 3,329,598 | 10,380,282 | ||||||||||||
Capital expenditures | $ | 131,648 | $ | 31,571 | $ | 7,198 | $ | 1,142 | $ | 171,559 | |||||||
Three Months Ended or at September 30, 2003 As Restated |
TDS Telecom |
||||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
U.S. Cellular |
ILEC |
CLEC |
All Other(1) |
Total |
||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 664,976 | $ | 164,650 | $ | 53,468 | $ | (707 | ) | $ | 882,387 | ||||||
Cost of services and products | 230,650 | 41,240 | 22,734 | (252 | ) | 294,372 | |||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | |||||||||||||||||
expense | 236,573 | 44,571 | 30,481 | (455 | ) | 311,170 | |||||||||||
Operating income before depreciation, | |||||||||||||||||
amortization and accretion, loss on | |||||||||||||||||
impairment of intangible assets and | |||||||||||||||||
loss on assets of operations held for | |||||||||||||||||
sale (2) | 197,753 | 78,839 | 253 | | 276,845 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and | |||||||||||||||||
accretion expense | 103,634 | 32,059 | 8,545 | | 144,238 | ||||||||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held | |||||||||||||||||
for sale | (1,442 | ) | | | | (1,442 | ) | ||||||||||
Operating income (loss) | 95,561 | 46,780 | (8,292 | ) | | 134,049 | |||||||||||
Significant noncash items: | |||||||||||||||||
Investment income | 11,301 | 149 | | 194 | 11,644 | ||||||||||||
Marketable equity securities | 211,178 | | | 1,996,366 | 2,207,544 | ||||||||||||
Investment in unconsolidated entities | 178,417 | 19,218 | | 24,894 | 222,529 | ||||||||||||
Total assets | 4,794,171 | 1,786,873 | 233,751 | 2,710,235 | 9,525,030 | ||||||||||||
Capital expenditures | $ | 135,111 | $ | 32,007 | $ | 7,999 | $ | 1,485 | $ | 176,602 | |||||||
25 |
Nine Months Ended or at September 30, 2004 |
TDS Telecom |
||||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
U.S. Cellular |
ILEC |
CLEC |
All Other(1) |
Total |
||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 2,118,088 | $ | 487,911 | $ | 171,039 | $ | (3,158 | ) | $ | 2,773,880 | ||||||
Cost of services and products | 793,265 | 118,906 | 67,330 | (1,854 | ) | 977,647 | |||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | |||||||||||||||||
expense | 825,836 | 130,350 | 94,133 | (1,304 | ) | 1,049,015 | |||||||||||
Operating income before depreciation, | |||||||||||||||||
amortization and accretion (2) | 498,987 | 238,655 | 9,576 | | 747,218 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and | |||||||||||||||||
accretion expense | 363,551 | 97,639 | 28,135 | | 489,325 | ||||||||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held | |||||||||||||||||
for sale | (725 | ) | | | | (725 | ) | ||||||||||
Operating income (loss) | 136,161 | 141,016 | (18,559 | ) | | 258,618 | |||||||||||
Significant noncash items: | |||||||||||||||||
Investment income | 51,913 | 525 | | 303 | 52,741 | ||||||||||||
Loss on investments | (1,830 | ) | | | (491 | ) | (2,321 | ) | |||||||||
Marketable equity securities | 249,571 | | | 2,550,444 | 2,800,015 | ||||||||||||
Investment in unconsolidated entities | 171,727 | 19,630 | | 24,272 | 215,629 | ||||||||||||
Total assets | 4,979,117 | 1,836,279 | 235,288 | 3,329,598 | 10,380,282 | ||||||||||||
Capital expenditures | $ | 394,762 | $ | 76,148 | $ | 22,250 | $ | 3,514 | $ | 496,674 |
Nine Months Ended or at September 30, 2003 As Restated |
TDS Telecom |
||||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
U.S. Cellular |
ILEC |
CLEC |
All Other(1) |
Total |
||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 1,914,687 | $ | 484,052 | $ | 158,386 | $ | (2,046 | ) | $ | 2,555,079 | ||||||
Cost of services and products | 683,870 | 119,219 | 63,737 | (772 | ) | 866,054 | |||||||||||
Selling, general and administrative | |||||||||||||||||
expense | 745,020 | 131,604 | 87,787 | (1,274 | ) | 963,137 | |||||||||||
Operating income before depreciation, | |||||||||||||||||
amortization and accretion, loss on | |||||||||||||||||
impairment of intangible assets and | |||||||||||||||||
loss on assets of operations held for | |||||||||||||||||
sale (2) | 485,797 | 233,229 | 6,862 | | 725,888 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation, amortization and | |||||||||||||||||
accretion expense | 317,905 | 97,799 | 24,663 | | 440,367 | ||||||||||||
Loss on impairment of intangible assets | 49,595 | | | | 49,595 | ||||||||||||
Loss on assets of operations held for | |||||||||||||||||
sale | 23,619 | | | | 23,619 | ||||||||||||
Operating income (loss) | 94,678 | 135,430 | (17,801 | ) | | 212,307 | |||||||||||
Cumulative effect of accounting change, | |||||||||||||||||
net of tax and minority interest | (14,346 | ) | | | 2,557 | (11,789 | ) | ||||||||||
Significant noncash items: | |||||||||||||||||
Investment income | 37,163 | 488 | | 260 | 37,911 | ||||||||||||
Loss on investments | (3,500 | ) | | | (5,000 | ) | (8,500 | ) | |||||||||
Marketable equity securities | 211,178 | | | 1,996,366 | 2,207,544 | ||||||||||||
Investment in unconsolidated entities | 178,417 | 19,218 | | 24,894 | 222,529 | ||||||||||||
Total assets | 4,794,171 | 1,786,873 | 233,751 | 2,710,235 | 9,525,030 | ||||||||||||
Capital expenditures | $ | 439,113 | $ | 76,707 | $ | 17,208 | $ | 4,497 | $ | 537,525 |
(1) | Consists of the TDS Corporate operations, TDS Telecom intercompany revenue and expense eliminations, TDS Corporate and TDS Telecom marketable equity securities and all other businesses not included in the U.S. Cellular or TDS Telecom segments. |
(2) | Operating income before depreciation, amortization and accretion and Operating income before depreciation, amortization and accretion, Loss on impairment of intangible assets and Loss on assets of operations held for sale are measures of profit and loss used by the chief operating decision maker to review the operating performance of each reportable business segment and is reported above in accordance with SFAS No. 131, "Disclosure about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information." |
26 |
Three Months Ended September 30, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | ||||||||||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated | 2004 | 2003 As Restated | ||||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||||||||||
Total operating income from | |||||||||||||||||
reportable segments | $ | 74,980 | $ | 134,049 | $ | 258,618 | $ | 212,307 | |||||||||
Investment and other income (expense) | (30,795 | ) | (38,357 | ) | (89,238 | ) | (115,889 | ) | |||||||||
Income before income taxes and | |||||||||||||||||
minority interest | $ | 44,185 | $ | 95,692 | $ | 169,380 | $ | 96,418 | |||||||||
25. | Commitments and Contingencies |
Indemnifications |
TDS enters into agreements in the normal course of business that provide for indemnification of counterparties. These include certain asset sales and financings with other parties. The terms of the indemnifications vary by agreement. The events or circumstances that would require TDS to perform under these indemnities are transaction specific; however, these agreements may require TDS to indemnify the counterparty for costs and losses incurred from litigation or claims arising from the underlying transaction. TDS is unable to estimate the maximum potential liability for these types of indemnifications as the amounts are dependent on the outcome of future events, the nature and likelihood of which cannot be determined at this time. Historically, TDS has not made any significant indemnification payments under such agreements. TDS is party to an indemnity agreement with T-Mobile regarding certain contingent liabilities at Aerial Communications for the period prior to Aerials merger into VoiceStream Wireless. As of September 30, 2004, TDS has recorded liabilities of $12.5 million relating to this indemnity. |
Legal Proceedings |
TDS is involved in legal proceedings before the FCC and various state and federal courts from time to time. TDS does not believe that any of such proceedings will have a materially adverse impact on the financial position, results of operations or cash flows of TDS. |
Regulatory Environment |
In response to petitions filed by the regional Bell operating company for increases in rates for certain wholesale services that it provides to TDS Telecom's competitive local exchange carrier ("CLEC") operation, the state public service commissions of Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan have issued orders that will adversely affect the cost of providing some services for TDS Telecom's CLEC operation in those states, primarily services to residential customers and certain small business customers. The pricing data for the principal markets of the CLEC became available in the fourth quarter and are subject to interpretation. The full impact of these orders is still being analyzed by management and management will continue with the analysis in the fourth quarter. TDS Telecom will review its business strategy and may make certain strategic and tactical business decisions to address the impact of the new pricing. When the analysis is complete it is possible that there will be an impairment of the CLEC. An impairment loss, if any, would require TDS to reduce the value of its CLEC assets and record a loss in its statement of operations. |
Changes in the telecommunications regulatory environment, including the effects of potential changes in the rules governing universal service funding and potential changes in the amounts or methods of intercarrier compensation, could have a material adverse effect on TDS Telecom's financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. |
27 |
Nine months ended September 30, 2004 |
(Dollars in thousands, except earnings per share) |
TDS Telecom | ||||||||||||||||
Increase (decrease) | U.S. Cellular | ILEC | CLEC | All Other | Total | ||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 821 | $ | 69 | $ | | $ | | $ | 890 | |||||||
Cost of services and products | 2,334 | 50 | | | 2,384 | ||||||||||||
Selling, general and | |||||||||||||||||
administrative expense | 1,606 | 223 | 454 | | 2,283 | ||||||||||||
Total operating expenses | 3,940 | 273 | 454 | | 4,667 | ||||||||||||
Operating income | (3,119 | ) | (204 | ) | (454 | ) | | (3,777 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense) net | (1,589 | ) | (1,589 | ) | |||||||||||||
Income before income taxes | |||||||||||||||||
and minority interest | (5,366 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net income | $ | (2,880 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Basic earnings per share | $ | (0.05 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | (0.05 | ) |
Operating Revenues increased $218.8 million, or 9%, to $2,773.9 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2004 from $2,555.1 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2003 primarily as a result of a 12% increase in customers and equivalent access lines served. U.S. Cellulars operating revenues increased $203.4 million, or 11%, to $2,118.1 million in 2004 from $1,914.7 million in 2003 as customers served increased by 560,000, or 13%, since September 30, 2003, to 4,828,000. Of the 13% increase in customers, 618,000 were added through U.S. Cellulars marketing channels while 58,000 net customers were subtracted as a result of acquisition and divestiture activities, primarily the divestiture to AT&T Wireless in February 2004. TDS Telecom operating revenues increased $15.4 million, or 2%, to $655.8 million in 2004 from $640.4 million in 2003 as equivalent access lines increased by 69,900 or 7%, since September 30, 2003, to 1,138,000. An equivalent access line is derived by converting a high-capacity data line to an estimated equivalent number, in terms of capacity, of switched access lines. 31 Operating Expenses increased $172.5 million, or 7%, to $2,515.3 million in 2004 from $2,342.8 million in 2003 primarily reflecting growth in operations offset by losses recorded in 2003. In addition, TDS subsidiaries recorded a total of $6.4 million to expense in 2004 (of which $4.7 million was an out-of-period expense) to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed annual increases. U.S. Cellulars operating expenses increased $161.9 million, or 9%, to $1,981.9 million in 2004 from $1,820.0 million in 2003 primarily reflecting costs associated with providing service to an expanding customer base. In 2003, operating expenses included a $49.6 million Loss on impairment of intangible assets and also included a $23.6 million Loss on assets of operations held for sale related to the exchange of wireless properties in Georgia and Florida with AT&T Wireless in August 2003. TDS Telecoms expenses increased $10.5 million, or 2%, to $533.3 million in 2004 from $522.8 million in 2003 primarily reflecting costs related to adding competitive local exchange carrier customers. Operating Income increased $46.3 million, or 22%, to $258.6 million in 2004 from $212.3 million in 2003. The operating margin increased to 9.3% in 2004 from 8.3% in 2003 on a consolidated basis. U.S. Cellulars operating income increased $41.5 million, or 44%, to $136.2 million from $94.7 million in 2003 and its operating margin, as a percentage of service revenues, increased to 6.9% in 2004 from 5.3% in 2003. TDS Telecoms operating income increased $4.9 million, or 4%, to $122.5 million in 2004 from $117.6 million in 2003 and its operating margin rose to 18.7% in 2004 from 18.4% in 2003. Investment and Other Income (Expense) primarily includes interest and dividend income, investment income, gains and losses on investments and interest expense. Investment and other income (expense) totaled ($89.2) million in 2004 and ($115.9) million in 2003. Investment income increased $14.8 million, or 39%, to $52.7 million in 2004 from $37.9 million in 2003. Investment income represents TDSs share of income in unconsolidated entities in which TDS has a minority interest and follows the equity method of accounting. The aggregate net income of these entities increased significantly in 2004, resulting in a corresponding increase in investment income. Interest and dividend income decreased $0.4 million, or 3%, to $14.4 million in 2004 from $14.8 million in 2003 primarily due to lower average interest rates and lower average cash balances in 2004 than 2003. Loss on investments. TDS reported Loss on investments of $2.3 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2004. TDS recorded a $1.8 million loss to reflect an impairment in the carrying value of a license held in a non-operational market in Florida that remained with U.S. Cellular after the exchange with AT&T Wireless was completed. TDS also recorded a $0.5 impairment loss on an investment in a telephone company accounted for using the cost method. TDS reported Loss on investments of $8.5 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2003. TDS reported a loss of $3.5 million in 2003 for an impairment in the carrying value of a license in a non-operating market in Florida. TDS also reported an impairment loss of $5.0 million on a cellular market investment held by TDS Telecom in conjunction with its annual wireless license cost and goodwill impairment testing. Interest (expense) increased $18.4 million, or 14%, to $147.4 million in 2004 from $129.0 million in 2003. The increase was primarily due to amounts related to the issuance of 30-year 6.7% Senior Notes ($24.4 million) by U.S. Cellular in December 2003 and June 2004 offset by a reduction of interest on U.S. Cellular short-term debt ($5.3 million) and on TDS Medium-term notes ($3.6 million). TDS paid down $70.5 million of Medium-term notes in June and July of 2003. Minority interest in income of subsidiary trust decreased $16.7 million in 2004. In September 2003, TDS redeemed all $300 million of Company-Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities at par plus accrued and unpaid distributions. There was no gain or loss on this transaction. Other income (expense), net totaled $(6.6) million in 2004 and $(14.5) million in 2003. In 2004, U.S. Cellular wrote off $3.6 million of deferred debt expenses related to the redemption of long-term debt. In addition, TDS recorded a $1.7 million adjustment to expense (of which $1.6 million was an out-of-period expense) to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. In 2003, TDS Corporate recorded $8.6 million of deferred debt expenses related to the redemption of medium-term notes and a $4.1 million loss on the VeriSign derivative. 32 Income Tax Expense increased $21.8 million, or 46%, to $69.2 million in 2004 from $47.4 million in 2003 primarily due to higher pretax income. In addition, in 2004, TDS recorded income tax expense of $11.6 million on the pending sale of certain assets to ALLTEL, and recorded tax benefits of $13.9 million primarily resulting from the substantial completion of the audit of its federal income tax returns for 1997 through 2001 and claims for research tax credits for prior periods that were allowed in the federal income tax audit. In 2003, TDS recorded tax benefits of $28.2 million on Loss on investments, Loss on impairment of intangible assets and (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale. The effective tax rate was 40.9% in 2004 and was 49.2% in 2003 including the effect of the losses and gains. Excluding the tax effects of losses and gains, the effective tax rate on operations was 32.7% in 2004 and 42.4% in 2003. For further analysis and discussion of TDSs effective tax rates in 2004 and 2003, see Note 4 Income Taxes. Minority Share of Income includes the minority public shareholders share of U.S. Cellulars net income, the minority shareholders or partners share of U.S. Cellulars subsidiaries net income or loss and other minority interests. U.S. Cellulars minority public shareholders share of income in 2003 was reduced by $8.7 million due to U.S. Cellulars Loss on impairment of intangible assets, (Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale and Loss on investments. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
|||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||
Minority Share of Income | ||||||||
U.S. Cellular | ||||||||
Minority Public Shareholders' | $ | (12,285 | ) | $ | (6,499 | ) | ||
Minority Shareholders' or Partners' | (5,863 | ) | (8,190 | ) | ||||
(18,148 | ) | (14,689 | ) | |||||
Other | (60 | ) | (67 | ) | ||||
$ | (18,208 | ) | $ | (14,756 | ) | |||
Nine Months Ended or At September 30, |
||||||||
2004 | 2003 | |||||||
As of September 30, (1a) | ||||||||
Total market population (2) | 45,581,000 | 45,817,000 | ||||||
Customers (3) | 4,828,000 | 4,268,000 | ||||||
Market penetration (4) | 10.59 | % | 9.32 | % | ||||
Total employees | 6,475 | 6,100 | ||||||
Cell sites in service | 4,713 | 4,082 | ||||||
For the Nine Months Ended September 30, (1b) | ||||||||
Average monthly service revenue per customer (5) | $ | 47.49 | $ | 47.27 | ||||
Postpay churn rate per month (6) | 1.5 | % | 1.6 | % | ||||
Sales and marketing cost per gross customer addition (7) | $ | 391 | $ | 378 |
(1a) | Amounts in 2003 (i) do not include the 10 markets transferred to AT&T Wireless in August 2003, (ii) include the 15 markets acquired and transferred from AT&T Wireless in August 2003 and (iii) include the six markets sold to AT&T Wireless in February 2004. Amounts in 2004 (i) include the 15 markets acquired and transferred from AT&T Wireless in August 2003, (ii) exclude the 10 markets transferred to AT&T Wireless in August 2003 and (iii) exclude the six markets sold to AT&T Wireless in February 2004. Amounts in both periods include the markets included in Assets and Liabilities of operations held for sale at September 30, 2004. |
(1b) | Amounts in 2003 (i) include the results of the 10 markets transferred to AT&T Wireless through July 31, 2003, (ii) include any development and operating activities related to the 15 markets acquired and transferred from AT&T Wireless in August 2003 from the transfer date through September 30, 2003 and (iii) include the results of the six markets sold to AT&T Wireless in February 2004 for the entire period. Amounts in 2004 (i) include any development and operating activities related to the 15 markets acquired and transferred from AT&T Wireless in August 2003 for the entire period, (ii) exclude the results of the 10 markets transferred to AT&T Wireless in August 2003 for the entire period and (iii) include the results of the six markets sold to AT&T Wireless in February 2004 from January 1, 2004 through February 17, 2004. Amounts in both periods include the results of the markets included in Assets and Liabilities of operations held for sale at September 30, 2004. |
(2) | Represents 100% of the population of the markets in which U.S. Cellular has a controlling financial interest for financial reporting purposes, including one additional market consolidated pursuant to the adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Interpretation No. 46 ("FIN 46") as of January 1, 2004. The total market population of 1.5 million in the 10 markets that U.S. Cellular transferred to AT&T Wireless in August 2003 is excluded from this amount for 2003, as the customers of these 10 markets are not included in U.S. Cellular's consolidated customer base as of September 30, 2003 or 2004. The total market population of the six markets sold to AT&T Wireless in February 2004 is not included in this amount for 2004, as the customers sold to AT&T Wireless are not included in U.S. Cellular's consolidated customer base as of September 30, 2004. |
(3) | U.S. Cellular's customer base consists of the following types of customers: |
September 30, | |||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
Customers on postpay service plans in which the end | |||||||||
user is a customer of U.S. Cellular ("postpay customers") | 4,233,000 | 3,902,000 | |||||||
End user customers acquired through U.S. Cellular's | |||||||||
agreement with a third party ("reseller customers")* | 433,000 | 190,000 | |||||||
Total postpay customer base | 4,666,000 | 4,092,000 | |||||||
Customers on prepaid service plans in which the end | |||||||||
user is a customer of U.S. Cellular ("prepaid customers") | 162,000 | 176,000 | |||||||
Total customers | 4,828,000 | 4,268,000 | |||||||
* | Pursuant to its agreement with the third party, U.S. Cellular is compensated by the third party on a postpay basis; as a result, all customers U.S. Cellular has acquired through this agreement are considered to be postpay customers. |
(4) | Calculated using 2003 and 2002 Claritas population estimates for 2004 and 2003, respectively. "Total market population" is used only for the purposes of calculating market penetration, which is calculated by dividing customers by the total market population (without duplication of population in overlapping markets). |
34 |
(5) | Average monthly service revenue per customer is calculated as follows: |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
Service Revenues per statement of operations | $ | 1,974,004 | $ | 1,803,150 | |||||
Divided by average customers during period (000s) | 4,619 | 4,238 | |||||||
Divided by nine months in each period | 9 | 9 | |||||||
Average monthly service revenue per unit | $ | 47.49 | $ | 47.27 | |||||
(6) | Postpay churn rate per month represents the percentage of the postpay customer base that disconnects service each month, including both postpay customers and reseller customer numbers. Reseller customers can disconnect service without the associated account number being disconnected from U.S. Cellular's network if the reseller elects to reuse the customer telephone number; as a result, only those reseller customer numbers that are disconnected from U.S. Cellular's network are counted in the number of postpay disconnects. The calculation divides the total number of postpay and reseller customers who disconnect service during the period by the number of months in such period, and then divides that quotient by the average monthly postpay customer base, which includes both postpay and reseller customers, for such period. |
(7) | For a discussion of the components of this calculation, see "Operating Expenses - Selling, General and Administrative." |
On August 1, 2003, U.S. Cellular completed the transfer of wireless assets and customers in ten markets in Florida and Georgia to AT&T Wireless pursuant to an agreement entered into in March 2003. In exchange, U.S. Cellular received the following: i) rights to acquire controlling interests in 36 personal communication service licenses; ii) approximately $34.0 million in cash; and iii) minority interests in six markets in which it previously owned a controlling interest. In accordance with the agreement, U.S. Cellular has deferred the assignment and development of 21 licenses for a period of up to five years from the closing date. U.S. Cellular will take possession of the licenses in staggered closings over that five-year period to comply with service requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The value of these licenses is recorded as Wireless license rights on the Balance Sheet. A loss of $23.6 million was recorded in the nine months ended September 30, 2003 as a Loss on assets of operations held for sale (included in operating expenses), representing the difference between the carrying value of the markets transferred to AT&T Wireless and the fair value of the consideration received or to be received in the transaction. The Florida and Georgia markets that were transferred to AT&T Wireless are included in consolidated operations through August 1, 2003. On February 18, 2004, U.S. Cellular completed the sale of certain of its wireless properties in southern Texas to AT&T Wireless for $96.9 million in cash, including a working capital adjustment. The U.S. Cellular markets sold to AT&T Wireless included wireless assets and customers in six cellular markets. An aggregate loss of $21.3 million (including a $22.0 million estimate of the Loss on assets of operations held for sale in the fourth quarter of 2003 and a $0.7 million reduction of the loss in the second quarter of 2004) was recorded as a Loss on assets of operations held for sale (included in operating expenses), representing the difference between the carrying value of the markets sold to AT&T Wireless and the cash received in the transaction. The southern Texas markets sold to AT&T Wireless are included in results of operations from January 1, 2004 through February 17, 2004. Operating revenues increased $203.4 million, or 11%, to $2,118.1 million in 2004 from $1,914.7 million in 2003. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Retail service | $ | 1,709,181 | $ | 1,504,661 | |||||
Inbound roaming | 135,417 | 171,084 | |||||||
Long-distance and other service revenues | 129,406 | 127,405 | |||||||
Service Revenues | 1,974,004 | 1,803,150 | |||||||
Equipment sales | 144,084 | 111,537 | |||||||
$ | 2,118,088 | $ | 1,914,687 | ||||||
Service revenues increased $170.8 million, or 9%, to $1,974.0 million in 2004 from $1,803.2 million in 2003. Service revenues primarily consist of: (i) charges for access, airtime, roaming and value-added services provided to U.S. Cellulars retail customers and to end users through third party resellers (retail service); (ii) charges to other wireless carriers whose customers use U.S. Cellulars wireless systems when roaming (inbound roaming); and (iii) charges for long-distance calls made on U.S. Cellulars systems. The increase was primarily due to the growing number of retail customers. Monthly service revenue per customer averaged $47.49 in the nine months ended September 30, 2004, and $47.27 in the nine months ended September 30, 2003. 35 Retail service revenues increased $204.5 million, or 14%, to $1,709.2 million in 2004 from $1,504.7 million in 2003. Growth in U.S. Cellulars customer base and an increase in average monthly retail service revenue per customer were the primary reasons for the increase in retail service revenue. The number of customers increased 13% to 4,828,000 at September 30, 2004, from 4,268,000 at September 30, 2003. Average monthly retail service revenue per customer increased 4% to $41.11 in 2004 from $39.45 in 2003. The increase in average monthly retail service revenue per customer was primarily driven by an increase in minutes of use per customer and by growth in revenue from data products. U.S. Cellular anticipates that growth in the customer base in U.S. Cellulars wireless markets will be slower in the future, primarily as a result of the increased competition in its markets and continued penetration of the consumer market. However, as U.S. Cellular expands its operations in Chicago and into its other recently acquired markets in future years, it anticipates adding customers and revenues in those markets. Monthly local retail minutes of use per customer averaged 529 in 2004 and 412 in 2003. The increase in monthly local retail minutes of use was driven by U.S. Cellulars focus on designing sales incentive programs and customer billing rate plans to stimulate overall usage. The impact on retail service revenue of this increase was partially offset by a decrease in average revenue per minute of use in 2004. The decrease in average revenue per minute of use reflects the effects of increasing competition, which has led to the inclusion of an increasing number of minutes in package pricing plans. U.S. Cellular anticipates that average revenue per minute of use will continue to decline in the future, reflecting increased competition and penetration of the consumer market. Inbound roaming revenues decreased $35.7 million, or 21%, to $135.4 million in 2004 from $171.1 million in 2003. The decrease in revenue primarily related to the decrease in revenue per roaming minute of use, partially offset by an increase in roaming minutes of use. Also contributing to the decrease in inbound roaming revenue in 2004 was the effect of the transfer and sale of markets to AT&T Wireless; these markets had historically provided substantial amounts of inbound roaming revenue. In 2004, the decline in revenue per minute of use is primarily due to the general downward trend in negotiated rates. The increase in inbound roaming minutes of use was primarily driven by the overall growth in the number of customers throughout the wireless industry and strong customer growth for carriers that use Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital radio technology, partially offset by the loss of minutes of use from the Florida and Georgia markets transferred to AT&T Wireless in August 2003 and the sale of the southern Texas markets to AT&T Wireless in February 2004. U.S. Cellular anticipates that the rate of growth in inbound roaming minutes of use will continue to slow down due to these factors:
U.S. Cellular also anticipates that average inbound roaming revenue per minute of use will continue to decline, reflecting the continued general downward trend in negotiated rates. Long-distance and other service revenues increased $2.0 million, or 2%, to $129.4 million in 2004 from $127.4 million in 2003. The increase primarily reflected an $8.1 million increase in competitive eligible telecommunications carrier funds received for the states in which U.S. Cellular is eligible to receive such funds. Of this increase, an adjustment of $3.5 million related to amounts from prior years regulatory filings and the remaining increase was due to the increase in the number of states in which U.S. Cellular has eligibility to receive such funds. Also contributing to the increase in long-distance and other revenues was a $2.4 million increase in tower rental revenue, including an adjustment of $1.1 million (of which $0.8 million is out-of-period revenues) recorded to reflect straight-line lease revenue for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. These increases were partially offset by a $6.4 million decrease in long-distance revenue, which primarily reflected price reductions related to long-distance charges on roaming minutes of use as well as U.S. Cellulars increasing use of pricing plans for its retail customers which include long-distance calling at no additional charge. 36 Equipment sales revenues increased $32.6 million, or 29%, to $144.1 million in 2004 from $111.5 million in 2003. U.S. Cellular includes in its equipment sales revenues any handsets and related accessories sold to its customers, whether the customers are new to U.S. Cellular or are current customers who are changing handsets. U.S. Cellular also sells handsets to its agents at a price approximately equal to U.S. Cellulars cost, before applying any rebates. Selling handsets to agents enables U.S. Cellular to provide better control over handset quality, establish roaming preferences and pass along quantity discounts. U.S. Cellular anticipates that it will continue to sell handsets to agents in the future, and that it will continue to provide rebates to agents who provide handsets to new and current customers. Equipment sales revenues have grown less significantly than cost of equipment sold in the nine months ended September 30, 2004 due to the continued substantial discounting of handsets. This trend is occurring throughout the wireless industry. Equipment sales revenues from handset sales to agents are recognized upon delivery of the related products to the agents, net of anticipated agent rebates. In most cases, the agents receive a rebate from U.S. Cellular at the time these agents provide handsets to sign up new customers or retain current customers. Customers added to U.S. Cellulars customer base through its marketing distribution channels (gross customer activations), one of the primary drivers of equipment sales revenues, increased 16% in 2004. The number of handsets provided to current customers for retention purposes also increased significantly, further increasing equipment sales revenues. Retention transactions have increased as U.S. Cellular continued to focus on retaining customers by offering existing customers new handsets similar to those offered to new customers as the expiration dates of customers service contracts approached. Operating expenses increased $161.9 million, or 9%, to $1,981.9 million in 2004 from $1,820.0 million in 2003. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
System operations (exclusive of | |||||||||
depreciation included below) | $ | 436,536 | $ | 438,721 | |||||
Cost of equipment sold | 356,729 | 245,149 | |||||||
Selling, general and administrative | 825,836 | 745,020 | |||||||
Depreciation | 327,131 | 272,534 | |||||||
Amortization and accretion | 36,420 | 45,371 | |||||||
Loss on impairment of intangible assets | | 49,595 | |||||||
Loss (Gain) on assets of operations held for sale | (725 | ) | 23,619 | ||||||
$ | 1,981,927 | $ | 1,820,009 | ||||||
System operations expenses (excluding depreciation) decreased $2.2 million, or 1%, to $436.5 million in 2004 from $438.7 million in 2003. System operations expenses include charges from landline telecommunications service providers for U.S. Cellulars customers use of their facilities, costs related to local interconnection to the landline network, charges for maintenance of U.S. Cellulars network, long-distance charges, outbound roaming expenses and payments to third-party data product and platform developers. The decrease in system operations expenses in 2004 was primarily due to the following factors:
The effects of the above factors were partially offset by the following factors:
37 System operations expenses were also affected by the following:
In 2004, roaming charges paid by U.S. Cellular to third parties when its customers roamed in the Chicago market and other recently launched markets declined compared to 2003. Continued integration of these markets into U.S. Cellulars operations resulted in increased use of U.S. Cellulars system by U.S. Cellulars customers and a corresponding decrease in roaming by its customers on other systems, primarily in the Midwest. In total, U.S. Cellular expects system operations expenses to increase over the next few years driven by the following factors:
These factors are expected to be partially offset by anticipated decreases in the per-minute cost of usage both on U.S. Cellulars systems and on other carriers networks. As the Chicago area and other recently launched markets have historically been among U.S. Cellulars customers most popular roaming destinations, U.S. Cellular anticipates that the continued integration of these markets into its operations will result in a further increase in minutes of use by U.S. Cellulars customers on its systems and a corresponding decrease in minutes of use by its customers on other systems, resulting in a lower overall increase in minutes of use by U.S. Cellulars customers on other systems. Such a shift in minutes of use should reduce U.S. Cellulars per-minute cost of usage in the future, to the extent that its customers use its systems rather than other carriers networks. Cost of equipment sold increased $111.6 million, or 46%, to $356.7 million in 2004 from $245.1 million in 2003. The increase was due to the 16% increase in gross customer activations as well as an increase in handsets sold to customers for retention purposes as the number of retention transactions has increased. In addition, the overall cost per handset increased in the first nine months of 2004 as more customers purchased higher priced data-enabled handsets. These handsets are required for customers to access U.S. Cellulars easyedgeSM suite of services, including camera phone capabilities, which was launched in the second half of 2003. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $80.8 million, or 11%, to $825.8 million in 2004 from $745.0 million in 2003. Selling, general and administrative expenses primarily consist of salaries, commissions and expenses of field sales and retail personnel and offices; agent commissions and related expenses; corporate marketing, merchandise management and telesales department salaries and expenses; advertising; and public relations expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses also include the costs of operating U.S. Cellulars customer care centers, the costs of serving customers and the majority of U.S. Cellulars corporate expenses. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses in the first nine months of 2004 is primarily due to the following factors:
38 The increase was also attributable to the increase in employee-related expenses associated with acquiring, serving and retaining customers, primarily as a result of the increase in U.S. Cellulars customer base. These increases were partially offset by a $23.3 million decrease in billing-related expenses, primarily due to the expenses incurred in 2003 related to the maintenance of the Chicago markets billing system and the transition to the system used in U.S. Cellulars other operations in July 2003. Sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation increased 3% to $391 in 2004 from $378 in 2003, primarily due to increased handset subsidies. U.S. Cellular uses this measurement to assess the cost of acquiring customers on a per gross customer activation basis. Sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation is not calculable using financial information derived directly from the statement of operations. The definition of sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation that U.S. Cellular uses as a measure of the cost to acquire additional customers through its marketing distribution channels may not be comparable to similarly titled measures that are reported by other companies. Below is a summary of sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation for each period: |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
|||||||
(Dollars in thousands, except per customer amounts) |
||||||||
Components of cost: | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses related to the | ||||||||
acquisition of new customers (1) | $ | 357,871 | $ | 309,058 | ||||
Cost of equipment sold to new customers (2) | 248,735 | 175,510 | ||||||
Less equipment sales revenue from new customers (3) | (157,670 | ) | (110,658 | ) | ||||
Total costs | $ | 448,936 | $ | 373,910 | ||||
Gross customer activations (000s) (4) | 1,149 | 989 | ||||||
Sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation | $ | 391 | $ | 378 | ||||
(1) | Selling, general and administrative expenses related to the acquisition of new customers is reconciled to total selling, general and administrative expenses as follows: |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses, as reported | $ | 825,836 | $ | 745,020 | |||||
Less expenses related to serving and retaining customers | (467,965 | ) | (435,962 | ) | |||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses related to | |||||||||
the acquisition of new customers | $ | 357,871 | $ | 309,058 | |||||
(2) | Cost of equipment sold to new customers is reconciled to cost of equipment sold as follows: |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Cost of equipment sold as reported | $ | 356,729 | $ | 245,149 | |||||
Less cost of equipment sold related to the retention of | |||||||||
existing customers | (107,994 | ) | (69,639 | ) | |||||
Cost of equipment sold to new customers | $ | 248,735 | $ | 175,510 | |||||
39 |
(3) | Equipment sales revenue from new customers is reconciled to equipment sales revenues as follows: |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Equipment sales revenue as reported | $ | 144,084 | $ | 111,537 | |||||
Less equipment sales revenues related to the retention of | |||||||||
existing customers, excluding agent rebates * | (22,020 | ) | (21,620 | ) | |||||
Add agent rebate reductions of equipment sales revenues | |||||||||
related to the retention of existing customers | 35,606 | 20,741 | |||||||
Equipment sales revenues from new customers | $ | 157,670 | $ | 110,658 | |||||
* | In 2003, equipment sales revenues related to retaining current customers were recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses as a reduction of the cost of equipment sold to retain current customers. In order to conform the operating results for 2003 for which these revenues were recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses to the current period presentation, U.S. Cellular reclassified revenues related to the sales of equipment to existing customers as equipment sales revenues. |
(4) | Gross customer activations represent customers added to U.S. Cellular's customer base through its marketing distribution channels, including customers added through third party resellers, during the respective periods presented. |
Monthly general and administrative expenses per customer, including the net costs related to the renewal or upgrade of service contracts of existing U.S. Cellular customers (net customer retention costs), increased 7% to $14.18 in 2004 from $13.23 in 2003. U.S. Cellular management uses this measurement to assess the cost of serving and retaining its customers on a per unit basis. This measurement is reconciled to total selling, general and administrative expenses as follows: |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
|||||||
(Dollars in thousands except per customer amounts) |
||||||||
Component of cost (1) Selling, general and administrative |
||||||||
expenses as reported | $ | 825,836 | $ | 745,020 | ||||
Less selling, general and administrative expenses | ||||||||
related to the acquisition of new customers | (357,871 | ) | (309,058 | ) | ||||
Add cost of equipment sold related to the | ||||||||
retention of existing customers | 107,994 | 69,639 | ||||||
Less equipment sales revenues related to the | ||||||||
retention of existing customers, excluding agent rebates | (22,020 | ) | (21,620 | ) | ||||
Add agent rebate reductions of equipment sales | ||||||||
revenues related to the retention of existing customers | 35,606 | 20,741 | ||||||
Net cost of serving and retaining customers | $ | 589,545 | $ | 504,722 | ||||
Divided by average customers during period (000s) (2) | 4,619 | 4,238 | ||||||
Divided by nine months in each period | 9 | 9 | ||||||
Average monthly general and administrative expenses | ||||||||
per customer | $ | 14.18 | $ | 13.23 | ||||
(1) | These components were previously identified in the table which calculates sales and marketing cost per customer activation and related footnotes. |
(2) | Average customers for the nine month periods were previously defined in the discussion of operating revenues. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier Operations | |||||||||
Operating Revenues | $ | 487,911 | $ | 484,052 | |||||
Operating Expenses | 346,895 | 348,622 | |||||||
Operating Income | 141,016 | 135,430 | |||||||
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Operations | |||||||||
Operating Revenues | 171,039 | 158,386 | |||||||
Operating Expenses | 189,598 | 176,187 | |||||||
Operating (Loss) | (18,559 | ) | (17,801 | ) | |||||
Intercompany revenue elimination | (3,158 | ) | (2,046 | ) | |||||
Intercompany expense elimination | (3,158 | ) | (2,046 | ) | |||||
TDS Telecom Operating Income | $ | 122,457 | $ | 117,629 | |||||
Operating income increased $4.9 million, or 4%, to $122.5 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2004 from $117.6 million in 2003 reflecting savings from the early retirement program at the incumbent local exchange carriers and continued cost control throughout TDS Telecom. Operating results in 2004 also reflect certain expense and revenue adjustments. Incumbent local exchange carriers recorded additional operating expenses of $2.9 million in 2004 reflecting a $1.9 million adjustment to reduce fixed assets and a $1.0 million reduction in regulated inventory due to standard pricing changes net of regulatory recoveries of $0.6 million, as described below under Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier Operations Operating Expenses. TDS Telecom also recorded a $1.1 million increase (of which $0.7 million was an out-of-period expense) in rent expense net of $0.1 million of recoveries, to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. Competitive local exchange carrier revenues include adjustments of $2.5 million to increase certain revenue accruals in 2004, as described below under Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Operations Operating Revenues. For 2004, TDS Telecom expects modest revenue growth with operating revenues from the incumbent local exchange carrier operations in the range of $645 million to $655 million and operating revenues from the competitive local exchange carrier operations in the range of $225 million to $235 million. Operating income from the incumbent local exchange carrier is anticipated to range from $180 million to $190 million while competitive local exchange carrier operating losses are anticipated to range from $(35) million to $(25) million. 45 Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier OperationsOperating revenues increased $3.8 million, or 1%, to $487.9 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2004 from $484.1 million in 2003. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Local service | $ | 152,778 | $ | 149,163 | |||||
Network access and long distance | 269,376 | 269,140 | |||||||
Miscellaneous | 65,757 | 65,749 | |||||||
$ | 487,911 | $ | 484,052 | ||||||
Local service revenues increased $3.6 million, or 2%, to $152.8 million in 2004 from $149.2 million in 2003. Custom calling and advanced feature sales and other miscellaneous revenues increased $2.8 million in 2004. Internal equivalent access line growth of 1% since September 2003 contributed approximately $0.8 million of the increase. Network access and long distance revenues increased less than 1%, to $269.4 million in 2004 from $269.1 million in 2003. Revenues from long distance service increased $2.4 million in 2004 reflecting increased long distance customers. As of September 30, 2004, TDS Telecom incumbent local exchange carrier operations were providing long-distance service to 289,000 customers compared to 218,600 customers at September 30, 2003. Beginning January 1, 2004, long distance customers reflect those lines from customers who have chosen TDS Telecom as their primary interexchange carrier. Prior to that, a count of customers was used. Revenues generated from access minutes increased $1.3 million, reflecting a 5% increase in access minutes of use in 2004. Compensation from state and national revenue pools for recovery of expenses of providing network access decreased $4.2 million as compared to 2003. This decrease includes a $1.7 million obligation to return overpayments of universal service amounts made by the Universal Service Administrative Company in prior years and the effects of decreases in costs and changes in state pools. Miscellaneous revenues from Internet, digital subscriber line and other non-regulated lines of business increased less than 1%, to $65.8 million in 2004 from $65.7 million in 2003. As of September 30, 2004, TDS Telecom incumbent local exchange carrier operations were providing Internet service to 104,800 customers compared to 115,600 customers in 2003 and were providing digital subscriber line service to 33,000 customers compared to 19,300 customers in 2003. During the quarter ended September 30, 2004, Internet service and digital subscriber line account disconnections were higher than normal due to a tightening of TDS Telecoms policy governing when customers are disconnected from service for non-payment. TDS Telecom ceases to report such accounts in customer counts at the point when they are disconnected. Operating expenses decreased by $1.7 million, or less than 1%, to $346.9 million in 2004 from $348.6 million in 2003, reflecting cost control measures. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Cost of services and products (exclusive of | |||||||||
depreciation and amortization included below) | $ | 118,906 | $ | 119,219 | |||||
Selling, general and administrative expense | 130,350 | 131,604 | |||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 97,639 | 97,799 | |||||||
$ | 346,895 | $ | 348,622 | ||||||
Cost of services and products decreased by less than 1%, to $118.9 million in 2004 from $119.2 million in 2003. Incumbent local exchange carriers recorded operating expenses of $3.0 million in the third quarter of 2004. Incumbent local exchange carriers recorded a $1.9 million adjustment to reduce fixed assets and a $1.0 million reduction in regulated inventory due to standard pricing changes. Network expenses increased by $0.1 million (of which $50,000 was an out-of-period expense) to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. The decrease in cost of services and products was also partially caused by an adjustment for long distance cost of goods sold recorded in the first quarter of 2004. 46 Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $1.2 million, or 1%, to $130.4 million from $131.6 million in 2003 primarily due to $1.7 million of reductions in workforce expenses in 2004. The incumbent carriers also recorded a $0.5 million adjustment (of which $0.2 million was an out-of-period expense) for straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. In 2003, the incumbent local exchange carriers recovered $1.5 million of bad debt write-offs related to the WorldCom bankruptcy filing. Depreciation and amortization expenses decreased less than 1%, to $97.6 million in 2004 from $97.8 million in 2003. Operating income increased $5.6 million, or 4%, to $141.0 million in 2004 from $135.4 million in 2003 primarily due to continued expense controls. Incumbent local exchange carriers are faced with significant challenges, including growing competition from wireless and other wireline providers, changes in regulation, and new technologies such as Voice Over Internet Protocol. Despite these challenges, TDS Telecom has successfully maintained equivalent access line levels and customer satisfaction while controlling expenses. Competitive Local Exchange Carrier OperationsOperating revenues (revenue from the provision of local and long distance telephone service) increased $12.6 million, or 8%, to $171.0 million in 2004 from $158.4 million in 2003. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Operating Revenues | $ | 171,039 | $ | 158,386 | |||||
Retail revenues increased $21.3 million to $147.9 million in 2004 from $126.6 million in 2003, of which $18.8 million is due to customer growth. The increase also reflects $2.5 million of adjustments to increase certain revenue accruals recorded in the second quarter and reflected in the revenues for the nine months ended September 30, 2004. In the second quarter of 2004, TDS Telecom undertook a comprehensive review of its competitive local exchange carrier accruals and, as a result, adjusted certain unbilled revenue accruals that on a net basis resulted in an increase in competitive local exchange carrier revenues of $2.5 million. Wholesale revenues, which represent charges to incumbent carriers, decreased $8.7 million to $23.1 million in 2004 from $31.8 million in 2003 due primarily to access rate decreases. Operating expenses increased $13.4 million, or 8%, to $189.6 million in 2004 from $176.2 million in 2003. |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Cost of services and products (exclusive of | |||||||||
depreciation and amortization included below) | $ | 67,330 | $ | 63,737 | |||||
Selling, general and administrative expense | 94,133 | 87,787 | |||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 28,135 | 24,663 | |||||||
$ | 189,598 | $ | 176,187 | ||||||
Three months ended September 30, 2004 |
(Dollars in thousands, except earning per share) |
TDS Telecom | ||||||||||||||||
Increase (decrease) | U.S. Cellular | ILEC | CLEC | All Other | Total | ||||||||||||
Operating revenues | $ | 980 | $ | 120 | $ | | $ | | $ | 1,100 | |||||||
Cost of services and products | 2,892 | 85 | | | 2,977 | ||||||||||||
Selling, general and | |||||||||||||||||
administrative expense | 1,848 | 396 | 583 | | 2,827 | ||||||||||||
Total operating expenses | 4,740 | 481 | 583 | | 5,804 | ||||||||||||
Operating income | (3,760 | ) | (361 | ) | (583 | ) | | (4,704 | ) | ||||||||
Other income (expense) net | (1,701 | ) | (1,701 | ) | |||||||||||||
Income before income taxes | |||||||||||||||||
and minority interest | (6,405 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Net income | $ | (3,432 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Basic earnings per share | $ | (0.06 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | (0.06 | ) |
Operating Revenues increased $86.4 million, or 10%, to $968.8 million during the third quarter of 2004 from $882.4 million in 2003 for reasons generally the same as the first nine months. U.S. Cellular Operating Revenues |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Retail service | $ | 592,411 | $ | 521,247 | |||||
Inbound roaming | 48,402 | 59,638 | |||||||
Long distance and other service revenues | 51,151 | 47,555 | |||||||
Service Revenues | 691,964 | 628,440 | |||||||
Equipment sales | 56,249 | 36,536 | |||||||
$ | 748,213 | $ | 664,976 | ||||||
U.S. Cellular operating revenues increased $83.2 million, or 13%, to $748.2 million in 2004 from $665.0 million in 2003. Retail service revenue increased $71.2 million, or 14%, to $592.4 million in 2004 from $521.2 million in 2003, while inbound roaming revenue decreased $11.2 million, or 19%, to $48.4 million in 2004 from $59.6 million in 2003. Average monthly service revenue per customer was $48.49 in the third quarter of 2004 and $49.05 in 2003. Average retail service revenue per customer increased to $41.51 from $40.68. The numerator of the calculation of average monthly revenue per customer for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and 2003 consists of the revenue for the respective three month period divided by three. The denominator consists of the average number of customers. Average customers totaled 4,757,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2004 and 4,271,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2003. Long distance and other service revenues increased $3.6 million, or 8%, to $51.2 million in 2004 from $47.6 million in 2003, for reasons generally the same as for the first nine months of 2004, including a $1.1 million adjustment to record straight-line lease revenue for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases (of which $1.0 million was out-of-period revenue). Equipment sales revenue increased $19.7 million, or 54%, to $56.2 million in 2004 from $36.5 million in 2003 primarily due to a 32% increase in gross customer activations as well as an increase in handsets sold to customers for retention purposes. In addition, the overall revenue per handset increased in the third quarter of 2004 as more customers purchased higher priced, data-enabled handsets. 49 TDS Telecom Operating Revenues |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier Operations | |||||||||
Local service | $ | 51,132 | $ | 50,370 | |||||
Network access and long distance | 91,693 | 91,050 | |||||||
Miscellaneous | 22,450 | 23,230 | |||||||
165,275 | 164,650 | ||||||||
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Operations | 56,522 | 53,468 | |||||||
Intercompany revenue elimination | (1,230 | ) | (707 | ) | |||||
TDS Telecom Operating Revenues | $ | 220,567 | $ | 217,411 | |||||
TDS Telecom operating revenues increased $3.2 million, or 1%, to $220.6 million in the third quarter of 2004 from $217.4 million in 2003 primarily due to a 6% growth in competitive local exchange carrier revenues. Competitive local exchange carrier access line equivalents increased 19% since September 30, 2003, while competitive local exchange carrier digital subscriber line customers increased 53%. Incumbent local exchange carrier digital subscriber line customers increased 71% since September 30, 2003. TDS Telecom continues to penetrate its wireline markets with successful promotion and sales of additional services. Operating Expenses increased $145.5 million, or 19%, to $893.8 million during the third quarter of 2004 from $748.3 million in 2003 for reasons generally the same as the first nine months. U.S. Cellular Operating Expenses |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
System operations (exclusive of | |||||||||
depreciation included below) | $ | 154,126 | $ | 153,724 | |||||
Cost of equipment sold | 126,659 | 76,926 | |||||||
Selling, general and administrative | 298,011 | 236,573 | |||||||
Depreciation | 115,377 | 90,171 | |||||||
Amortization and accretion | 12,031 | 13,463 | |||||||
(Gain) loss on assets of operations held for sale | | (1,442 | ) | ||||||
$ | 706,204 | $ | 569,415 | ||||||
U.S. Cellular operating expenses increased $136.8 million, or 24%, to $706.2 million in 2004 from $569.4 million in 2003. System operations expenses (excluding depreciation) increased $0.4 million, or less than 1%, to $154.1 million in 2004 from $153.7 million in 2003. The effects of several offsetting factors, which were generally the same factors that affected system operations expense in the first nine months of 2004, resulted in a slight net increase in expense during the third quarter of 2004. The effects of those same offsetting factors, including a $3.2 million adjustment to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases (of which $2.9 million was an out-of-period expense), resulted in a slight decrease in expense during the third quarter of 2004. Cost of equipment sold increased $49.8 million, or 65%, to $126.7 million in 2004 from $76.9 million in 2003. The increase was due to the 32% increase in gross customer activations in 2004 as well as an increase in handsets sold to customers for retention purposes. In addition, the overall cost per handset increased in the third quarter of 2004 as more customers purchased higher priced, data enabled handsets. 50 Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $61.4 million, or 26%, to $298.0 million in 2004 from $236.6 million in 2003. The increase is comprised of the following components:
The increase was also attributable to the increase in employee-related expenses associated with acquiring, serving and retaining customers, primarily as a result of the increase in U.S. Cellulars customer base. Sales and marketing cost per gross customer addition increased to $410 in the third quarter of 2004 from $405 in 2003, primarily due to increased handset subsidies. Below is a summary of sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation for each period. |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
|||||||
(Dollars in thousands except per customer amounts) |
||||||||
Components of cost: | ||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses related to the | ||||||||
acquisition of new customers (1) | $ | 132,229 | $ | 101,589 | ||||
Cost of equipment sold to new customers (2) | 86,762 | 53,383 | ||||||
Less equipment sales revenue from new customers (3) | (60,484 | ) | (36,006 | ) | ||||
Total costs | $ | 158,507 | $ | 118,966 | ||||
Gross customer activations (000s) (4) | 387 | 294 | ||||||
Sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation | $ | 410 | $ | 405 | ||||
(1) | Selling, general and administrative expenses related to the acquisition of new customers is reconciled to total selling, general and administrative expenses as follows: |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses, as reported | $ | 298,011 | $ | 236,573 | |||||
Less expenses related to serving and retaining customers | (165,782 | ) | (134,984 | ) | |||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses related to | |||||||||
the acquisition of new customers | $ | 132,229 | $ | 101,589 | |||||
(2) | Cost of equipment sold to new customers is reconciled to cost of equipment sold as follows: |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Cost of equipment sold as reported | $ | 126,659 | $ | 76,926 | |||||
Less cost of equipment sold related to the retention of | |||||||||
existing customers | (39,897 | ) | (23,543 | ) | |||||
Cost of equipment sold to new customers | $ | 86,762 | $ | 53,383 | |||||
51 |
(3) | Equipment sales revenue from new customers is reconciled to equipment sales revenues as follows: |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Equipment sales revenue as reported | $ | 56,249 | $ | 36,536 | |||||
Less equipment sales revenues related to the retention of | |||||||||
existing customers, excluding agent rebates * | (9,093 | ) | (7,633 | ) | |||||
Add agent rebate reductions of equipment sales revenues | |||||||||
related to the retention of existing customers | 13,328 | 7,103 | |||||||
Equipment sales revenues from new customers | $ | 60,484 | $ | 36,006 | |||||
* | In 2003, equipment sales revenues related to retaining current customers were recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses as a reduction of the cost of equipment sold to retain current customers. In order to conform the operating results for 2003 for which these revenues were recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses to the current period presentation, U.S. Cellular reclassified revenues related to the sales of equipment to existing customers as equipment sales revenues. |
(4) | Gross customer activations represent customers added to U.S. Cellular's customer base through its marketing distribution channels, including customers added through third party resellers, during the respective periods presented. |
Monthly general and administrative expenses per customer, including the net costs related to the renewal or upgrade of service contracts of existing U.S. Cellular customers (net customer retention costs), increased 19% to $14.71 in 2004 from $12.33 in 2003. This measurement is reconciled to total selling, general and administrative expenses as follows: |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands except per customer amounts) |
|||||||||
Components of cost (1) | |||||||||
Selling, general and administrative expenses as reported | $ | 298,011 | $ | 236,573 | |||||
Less selling, general and administrative expenses | |||||||||
related to the acquisition of new customers | (132,229 | ) | (101,589 | ) | |||||
Add cost of equipment sold related to the | |||||||||
retention of existing customers | 39,897 | 23,543 | |||||||
Less equipment sales revenues related to the | |||||||||
retention of existing customers, excluding agent rebates | (9,093 | ) | (7,633 | ) | |||||
Add agent rebate reductions of equipment sales | |||||||||
revenues related to the retention of existing customers | 13,328 | 7,103 | |||||||
Net cost of serving and retaining customers | $ | 209,914 | $ | 157,997 | |||||
Divided by average customers during period (000s) (2) | 4,757 | 4,271 | |||||||
Divided by three months in each period | 3 | 3 | |||||||
Average monthly general and administrative expenses | |||||||||
per customer | $ | 14.71 | $ | 12.33 | |||||
(1) | These components were previously identified in the table which calculates sales and marketing cost per customer activation and related footnotes. |
(2) | Average customers for the three month periods were derived in a manner similar to the average customers definition used in the discussion of operating revenues. |
Depreciation expense increased $25.2 million, or 28%, to $115.4 million in 2004 from $90.2 million in 2003 for reasons generally the same as for the first nine months of 2004. Amortization and accretion expense decreased $1.5 million, or 11%, to $12.0 million in 2004 from $13.5 million in 2003. U.S. Cellular operating expenses also included a $1.4 million reduction of Loss on assets of operations held for sale in the third quarter of 2003 related to the exchange of wireless properties in Georgia and Florida with AT&T Wireless in August 2003. 52 TDS Telecom Operating Expenses |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 | ||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier Operations | |||||||||
Cost of services and products (exclusive of | |||||||||
depreciation and amortization included below) | $ | 45,205 | $ | 41,240 | |||||
Selling, general and administrative expense | 43,902 | 44,571 | |||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 32,667 | 32,059 | |||||||
121,774 | 117,870 | ||||||||
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Operations | |||||||||
Cost of services and products (exclusive of | |||||||||
depreciation and amortization included below) | 23,769 | 22,734 | |||||||
Selling, general and administrative expense | 33,896 | 30,481 | |||||||
Depreciation and amortization | 9,387 | 8,545 | |||||||
67,052 | 61,760 | ||||||||
Intercompany expense elimination | (1,230 | ) | (707 | ) | |||||
TDS Telecom Operating Expenses | $ | 187,596 | $ | 178,923 | |||||
TDS Telecom operating expenses increased $8.7 million, or 5%, to $187.6 million in 2004 from $178.9 million in 2003. As stated previously, expense adjustments were recorded in the third quarter of 2004. Incumbent local exchange carrier operating expenses increased $3.9 million. Expense adjustments in 2004 included a $1.9 million adjustment to fixed assets and a $1.0 million reduction in regulated inventory due to standard pricing changes. Incumbent local exchange carriers also recorded a one time $0.6 million increase in rent expense (of which $0.5 million was an out-of-period expense) to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. Expenses from competitive local exchange carrier operations increased $5.3 million in 2004 primarily reflecting the increase in the customer base. Expense adjustments in 2004 included a $0.6 million increase in rent expense (of which slightly less than $0.6 million was an out-of-period expense) to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. TDS Operating Income decreased $59.0 million, or 44%, to $75.0 million in the three months ended September 30, 2004 from $134.0 million in 2003. U.S. Cellulars operating income decreased $53.6 million while TDS Telecoms operating income decreased $5.4 million. Investment and Other Income (Expense) totaled $(30.8) million in 2004 and $(38.4) million in 2003. Investment income increased $8.0 million, or 69%, to $19.6 million in 2004 from $11.6 million in 2003. Investment income represents TDSs share of income in unconsolidated entities in which TDS has a minority interest and follows the equity method of accounting. The aggregate net income of these entities increased significantly in 2004, resulting in a corresponding increase in investment income. Loss on investments totaled $0.5 million in 2004 reflecting the impairment of an investment in a telephone company accounted for using the cost method. No loss on investments was recorded in 2003. Interest (expense) increased $10.5 million, or 25%, to $52.1 million in 2004 from $41.6 million in 2003 for reasons generally the same as for the first nine months. Minority Interest in Income of Subsidiary Trust decreased $4.3 million in 2004. In September 2003, TDS redeemed all $300 million of Company-Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Securities at par plus accrued and unpaid distributions. There was no gain or loss on this transaction. Other income (expense), net totaled $(4.0) million in 2004 and $(8.6) million in 2003. In 2004, U.S. Cellular wrote off $3.6 million of deferred debt expenses related to the redemption of long-term debt. In addition, TDS recorded a $1.7 million adjustment to expense (of which $1.7 million was an out-of-period expense) to record straight-line lease expense for certain lease arrangements with fixed rental increases. In 2003, TDS Corporate recorded $8.6 million of deferred debt expenses related to the redemption of medium-term notes. 53 Income Tax Expense decreased $20.9 million, or 54%, to $17.9 million in 2004 from $38.8 million in 2003 primarily due to lower pretax income. In addition, in 2004, TDS recorded income tax benefits of $12.5 million primarily resulting from the substantial completion of the audit of its federal income tax returns for 1997 through 2001 and claims for research tax credits for prior periods allowed in the federal income tax audit and recorded an income tax expense of $11.6 million on the pending sale of certain assets to ALLTEL. The effective tax rate was 40.4% in 2004 and was 40.6% in 2003 including the tax expense on the sale of assets. The effective income tax rate excluding the income tax expense on the pending sale of assets was 14.5% in 2004 and 42.2% in 2003 reflecting the tax benefits from the federal income tax audit and claims for research tax credits in 2004. For further analysis and discussion of TDSs effective income tax rates in the third quarters of 2004 and 2003, see Note 4 Income Taxes. Minority Share of Income totaled $(5.5) million in 2004 compared to $(13.4) million in the third quarter of 2003. |
Three Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 | 2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Minority Share of Income | |||||||||
U.S. Cellular | |||||||||
Minority Public Shareholders' | $ | (3,833 | ) | $ | (9,207 | ) | |||
Minority Shareholders' or Partners' | (1,653 | ) | (4,202 | ) | |||||
(5,486 | ) | (13,409 | ) | ||||||
Other | (35 | ) | (39 | ) | |||||
$ | (5,521 | ) | $ | (13,448 | ) | ||||
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 As Restated |
2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | |||||||||
Cash flows from (used in) | |||||||||
Operating activities | $ | 475,570 | $ | 614,941 | |||||
Investing activities | (426,889 | ) | (486,148 | ) | |||||
Financing activities | 94,876 | (493,590 | ) | ||||||
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash | |||||||||
equivalents | $ | 143,557 | $ | (364,797 | ) | ||||
Cash Flows from
Operating Activities 55 The following table is a summary of the components of cash flows from operating activities: |
Nine Months Ended September 30, |
|||||||||
2004 As Restated |
2003 As Restated |
||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Net income | $ | 86,277 | $ | 20,818 | |||||
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net | |||||||||
cash provided by operating activities | 479,735 | 588,346 | |||||||
566,012 | 609,164 | ||||||||
Changes in assets and liabilities | (90,442 | ) | 5,777 | ||||||
$ | 475,570 | $ | 614,941 | ||||||
Increase (Decrease) to Payments Due by Period | |||||||||||||||||
(Dollars in millions) | Total | Less than 1 Year | 2 - 3 Years | 4 - 5 Years | More than 5 Years | ||||||||||||
Long-Term Debt Additions: | |||||||||||||||||
7.5% senior notes due 2034 (1) | $ | 330.0 | $ | | $ | | $ | | $ | 330.0 | |||||||
6.7% senior notes due 2033 (2) | 100.0 | | | | 100.0 | ||||||||||||
Total long-term debt additions | $ | 430.0 | $ | | $ | | $ | | $ | 430.0 | |||||||
Long-Term Debt Redemptions: | |||||||||||||||||
6% zero coupon convertible | |||||||||||||||||
redeemable debentures (3) | $ | (163.3 | ) | $ | | $ | | $ | | $ | (163.3 | ) | |||||
7.25% senior notes due 2007 (4) | (250.0 | ) | | | (250.0 | ) | | ||||||||||
Total long-term debt redemptions | $ | (413.3 | ) | $ | | $ | | $ | (250.0 | ) | $ | (163.3 | ) |
(1) | Issuance date was as of June 17, 2004. |
(2) | Issuance date was June 28, 2004. |
(3) | Redemption date was July 26, 2004. |
(4) | Redemption date was August 16, 2004. |
As a result of the substantial completion of federal and state income tax audits, TDS has reclassified $61 million from Deferred liabilities and credits - Other to Accrued taxes and expects to make payments during the next twelve months with respect to these accrued taxes. |
U.S. Cellular | TDS Telecom | TDS Consolidated | ||||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||||
Beginning Balance - December 31, 2003 | $ | 64,501 | $ | 60,000 | $ | 124,501 | ||||||||
Additional liabilities accrued | 3,089 | 4,319 | 7,408 | |||||||||||
Accretion expense | 3,713 | | 3,713 | |||||||||||
Costs of removal incurred in 2004 | | (619 | ) | (619 | ) | |||||||||
Liabilities of operations held for sale (1) | (430 | ) | | (430 | ) | |||||||||
Disposition of assets (2) | (1,635 | ) | | (1,635 | ) | |||||||||
Ending Balance - September 30, 2004 | $ | 69,238 | $ | 63,700 | $ | 132,938 | ||||||||
(1) | As a result of the agreement with ALLTEL, as described more fully in Note 22 - Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for Sale, $430,000 of Asset retirement obligations recorded at U.S. Cellular were reclassified to Liabilities of operations held for sale. |
(2) | As a result of the sale of wireless properties to AT&T Wireless in February 2004, Asset retirement obligations associated with these properties are no longer obligations of U.S. Cellular. |
Income TaxesThe accounting for income taxes, the amounts of income tax assets and liabilities and the related income tax provision are critical accounting estimates because such amounts are significant to TDSs financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operations. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements requires TDS to calculate a provision for income taxes. This process involves estimating the actual current income tax liability together with assessing temporary differences resulting from the different treatment of items, such as depreciation expense, for tax and accounting purposes. These temporary differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included within the consolidated Balance Sheet. TDS must then assess the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and to the extent TDS believes that recovery is not likely, establish a valuation allowance. TDSs management judgment is required in determining the provision for income taxes, deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. TDSs current net deferred tax asset totaled $19.3 million, and $19.4 million, as of September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003, respectively. The net current deferred tax asset primarily represents the deferred tax effects of the allowance for doubtful accounts on accounts receivable, and is included in Other current assets on the Balance Sheet. 65 The temporary differences that gave rise to the noncurrent deferred tax assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003 are as follows: |
September 30, 2004 |
December 31, 2003 | |||||||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||||||||
Deferred Tax Asset | ||||||||||||
Net operating loss carryforwards | $ | 113,225 | $ | 82,054 | ||||||||
Derivative instruments | 268,324 | 286,247 | ||||||||||
Other | 5,951 | | ||||||||||
387,500 | 368,301 | |||||||||||
Less valuation allowance | (73,421 | ) | (67,209 | ) | ||||||||
Total Deferred Tax Asset | 314,079 | 301,092 | ||||||||||
Deferred Tax Liability | ||||||||||||
Property, plant and equipment | 395,633 | 312,232 | ||||||||||
Wireless license costs | 222,928 | 203,989 | ||||||||||
Marketable equity securities | 1,042,848 | 1,044,230 | ||||||||||
Partnership investments | 38,930 | 24,627 | ||||||||||
Other | | 1,038 | ||||||||||
Total Deferred Tax Liability | 1,700,339 | 1,586,116 | ||||||||||
Net Deferred Income Tax Liability | $ | 1,386,260 | $ | 1,285,024 | ||||||||
The valuation allowance relates to state net operating loss carry forwards and the federal net operating loss carryforwards for those subsidiaries not included in the consolidated federal income tax return since it is more likely than not a portion will expire before such carryforwards can be utilized. The deferred income tax liability relating to marketable equity securities totaled $1,042.8 million, and $1,044.2 million, as of September 30, 2004 and December 31, 2003, respectively. These amounts represent deferred income taxes calculated on the difference between the book basis and the tax basis of the marketable equity securities. Income taxes will be payable when TDS disposes of the marketable equity securities. TDS is routinely subject to examination of its income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and other tax authorities. TDS periodically assesses the likelihood of adjustments to its tax liabilities resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of its provision for income taxes, including related interest. TDSs management judgment is required in assessing the eventual outcome of these examinations. Changes to such assessments affect the calculation of TDSs income tax expense. The IRS has completed audits of TDSs federal income tax returns for tax years through 1996. As of September 30, 2004, the IRS has substantially completed its examination of the federal income tax returns of TDS through 2001. Based on the results of the audit, TDS reduced its accrual for audit contingencies by $6.8 million in the third quarter. Also in the quarter, TDS recorded a $5.6 million benefit for research tax credits that it had claimed for prior years and that were allowed in the IRS audit. In the event of an increase in the value of tax assets or a decrease in tax liabilities, TDS would decrease the income tax expense or increase the income tax benefit by an equivalent amount. In the event of a decrease in the value of tax assets or an increase in tax liabilities, TDS would increase the income tax expense or decrease the income tax benefit by an equivalent amount. Property, Plant and EquipmentU.S. Cellular and TDS Telecoms competitive local exchange carrier operations provide for depreciation using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. TDS Telecoms incumbent local exchange carrier operations provide for depreciation on a group basis according to depreciable rates approved by state public utility commissions. Annually, U.S. Cellular and TDS Telecom review its property, plant and equipment lives to ensure that the estimated useful lives are appropriate. The estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment is a critical accounting estimate because changing the lives of assets can result in larger or smaller charges for depreciation expense. Factors used in determining useful lives include technology changes, regulatory requirements, obsolescence and type of use. 66 In the first quarter of 2004, U.S. Cellular adjusted the useful lives of TDMA radio equipment, switch software and antenna equipment. TDMA radio equipment lives were adjusted to be fully depreciated by the end of 2008, which is the latest date the wireless industry will be required by regulation to support analog service. U.S. Cellular currently uses TDMA radio equipment to support analog service, and expects to have its digital radio network fully migrated to CDMA 1XRTT or some future generation of CDMA technology by that time. The useful lives for certain switch software were reduced to one year from three years and antenna equipment lives were reduced from eight years to seven years in order to better align the useful lives with the actual length of time the assets are in use. These changes increased depreciation by $2.2 million and $12.1 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2004, respectively, and are estimated to increase depreciation by $14.9 million for the full year 2004. The changes in useful lives reduced net income by $1.1 million, or $0.02 per share, in the three months ended September 30, 2004 and by $6.0 million, or $0.10 per share, in the nine months ended September 30, 2004. TDS Telecom did not change the useful lives of its property, plant and equipment in the nine months ended September 30, 2004. In the nine months ended September 30, 2004, certain U.S. Cellular TDMA digital radio equipment consigned to a third party for sale was written down by $11.3 million in conjunction with the consignment and sale of such equipment, increasing depreciation expense by that amount. This writedown was necessary to reduce the book value of the assets sold or to be sold to the proceeds received or to be received from their disposition. In preparation for the implementation of a fixed asset management and tracking software system, including a bar code asset identification system, U.S. Cellular is conducting a physical inventory review of its cell site fixed assets. U.S. Cellular expects to complete the review in the fourth quarter of 2004. U.S. Cellular charged $4.0 million to depreciation expense for the estimated write-off in the second quarter 2004. To the extent the final results differ from the $4.0 million already charged to expense, an adjustment would be required in the fourth quarter of 2004. TDS periodically evaluates potential impairment of its long-lived assets, including property, plant and equipment, in accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. If indicators of impairment exist and the amount of impairment is quantifiable, TDS would write down the net book value of its long lived assets to the determined fair market value with the difference recorded as a loss in TDSs statement of operations. In response to petitions filed by the regional Bell operating company for increases in rates for certain wholesale services that it provides to TDS Telecom's competitive local exchange carrier ("CLEC") operation, the state public service commissions of Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan have issued orders that will adversely affect the cost of providing some services for TDS Telecom's CLEC operation in those states, primarily services to residential customers and certain small business customers. The pricing data for the principal markets of the CLEC became available in the fourth quarter and are subject to interpretation. The full impact of these orders is still being analyzed by management and management will continue with the analysis in the fourth quarter. See Management's Discussion and Analysis of Results of Operations and Financial Condition - TDS Telecom Operations - Competitive Local Exchange Carriers - Regulatory Orders. Contingencies, Guarantees, Indemnities and CommitmentsContingent obligations, including guarantees, indemnities, litigation and other possible commitments are accounted for in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies, which requires that an estimated loss be recorded if it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred at the date of the financial statements and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Accordingly, those contingencies that are deemed to be probable and where the amount of such settlement is reasonably estimable are accrued in the financial statements. If only a range of loss can be determined, the best estimate within that range is accrued; if none of the estimates within that range is better than another, the low end of the range is accrued. Disclosure of a contingency is required if there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss has been incurred, even if the amount is not estimable. The assessment of contingencies is a highly subjective process that requires judgments about future events. Contingencies are reviewed at least quarterly to determine the adequacy of the accruals and related financial statement disclosure. The ultimate settlement of contingencies may differ materially from amounts accrued in the financial statements. 67 Assets and Liabilities of Operations Held for SaleIn connection with the definitive agreements with ALLTEL and MetroPCS described in Note 21, the consolidated Balance Sheet and supplemental data of TDS as of September 30, 2004 reflect the assets and liabilities to be transferred as Assets and Liabilities of operations held for sale in accordance with SFAS No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. The results of operations of the markets to be transferred continue to be included in results of operations through the closings of the transactions. Summarized assets and liabilities relating to operations held for sale are as follows: |
September 30, 2004 | ||||||
(Dollars in thousands) | ||||||
Current assets | $ | 12,820 | ||||
Wireless license costs | 8,758 | |||||
Goodwill | 39,157 | |||||
Property, plant and equipment, net | 32,226 | |||||
Investment in unconsolidated entities | 21,844 | |||||
Other assets | 1,165 | |||||
Assets of operations held for sale | $ | 115,970 | ||||
Current liabilities | $ | 3,729 | ||||
Deferred credits | 487 | |||||
Liabilities of operations held for sale | $ | 4,216 | ||||
69
TDS undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers should evaluate any statements in light of these important factors. |
70 |
71 |
TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES PART II. OTHER INFORMATION |
Item 6. Exhibits |
Exhibit | 10.1 U.S. Cellular Corporation Regional Support Organization (Corporate) Executive Officer Annual Bonus Plan Effective January 1, 2004 is hereby incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the United States Cellular Corporations quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2004.* |
Exhibit | 10.2 TDS Telecom 2004 Executive Team Performance Award Program.* |
Exhibit | 11 Computation of earnings per common share is included herein as Note 10 to the financial statements. |
Exhibit | 12 Statement regarding computation of ratios.* |
Exhibit | 31.1 Chief Executive Officer certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
Exhibit | 31.2 Chief Financial Officer certification pursuant to Rule 13a-14 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. |
Exhibit | 32.1 Chief Executive Officer certification pursuant to Section 1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States Code. |
Exhibit | 32.2 Chief Financial Officer certification pursuant to Section 1350 of Chapter 63 of Title 18 of the United States Code. |
* Previously included as an exhibit to TDS's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarter ended September 30, 2004, filed on November 9, 2004. |
72 |
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. TELEPHONE AND DATA
SYSTEMS, INC. |
Date | January 19, 2005 | /s/ LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr. | ||||
|
||||||
LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr. | ||||||
President and Chief Executive Officer |
Date | January 19, 2005 | /s/ Sandra L. Helton | ||||
|
||||||
Sandra L. Helton, | ||||||
Executive Vice President and | ||||||
Chief Financial Officer |
Date | January 19, 2005 | /s/ D. Michael Jack | ||||
|
||||||
D. Michael Jack, | ||||||
Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller |
||||||
(Principal Accounting Officer) |
Signature page for the TDS 2004 Third Quarter Form 10-Q/A |