10-Q: Quarterly report [Sections 13 or 15(d)]
Published on November 21, 2008
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
10-Q
(Mark
One)
|
x QUARTERLY
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE
|
|
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
|
For the quarterly
period ended September 30, 2008
OR
|
oTRANSITION
REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE
|
|
SECURITIES
EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
|
For the transition
period
from to
Commission File No.
0-15279
GENERAL
COMMUNICATION, INC.
|
||
(Exact name
of registrant as specified in its charter)
|
State
of Alaska
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92-0072737
|
|||
(State or
other Jurisdiction of
|
(I.R.S
Employer
|
|||
Incorporation
or organization)
|
Identification
No.)
|
2550
Denali Street
|
||||
Suite
1000
|
||||
Anchorage,
Alaska
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99503
|
|||
(Address of
Principal Executive offices)
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(Zip
Code)
|
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Registrant’s telephone number, including area
code: (907)
868-5600
|
Former name, former
address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has
filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period
that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject
to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes xNo o
Indicate by check
mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer,
a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the
definitions of “large accelerated filer", "accelerated filer” and "smaller
reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:
Large accelerated filer o
|
Accelerated filer x
|
Non-accelerated
filer o (Do not
check if a smaller reporting company)
|
Smaller reporting company o
|
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a
shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes
oNo x
The number of
shares outstanding of the registrant's classes of common stock as of October 31,
2008 was:
50,017,060 shares
of Class A common stock; and
3,203,599 shares of
Class B common stock.
GENERAL
COMMUNICATION, INC.
FORM
10-Q
FOR
THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2008
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
No.
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||||||
Cautionary
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
|
3
|
|||||
Part
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
|
||||||
Item
I.
|
Financial
Statements
|
|||||
Consolidated
Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2008 (unaudited)
|
||||||
and
December 31, 2007
|
4
|
|||||
Consolidated
Income Statement for the three and nine months ended
|
||||||
September
30, 2008 (unaudited) and 2007 (as restated, unaudited)
|
6
|
|||||
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months
|
||||||
ended
September 30, 2008 (unaudited) and 2007 (as restated,
unaudited)
|
7
|
|||||
Notes to
Interim Consolidated Financial Statements (unaudited)
|
8
|
|||||
Item
2.
|
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
|
|||||
and
Results of Operations
|
30
|
|||||
Item
3.
|
Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
|
57
|
||||
Item
4.
|
Controls and
Procedures
|
58
|
||||
Part
II. OTHER INFORMATION
|
||||||
Item
1A.
|
Risk
Factors
|
60
|
||||
Item
6.
|
Exhibits
|
61
|
||||
Other items
are omitted, as they are not applicable.
|
||||||
SIGNATURES
|
62
|
2
Cautionary
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
You should
carefully review the information contained in this Quarterly Report, but should
particularly consider any risk factors that we set forth in this Quarterly
Report and in other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In this Quarterly Report, in
addition to historical information, we state our future strategies, plans,
objectives or goals and our beliefs of future events and of our future operating
results, financial position and cash flows. In some cases, you
can identify these so-called “forward-looking statements” by words
such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,”
“estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “project,” or “continue” or the negative
of these words and other comparable words. All forward-looking statements
involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that
may cause our actual results, performance, achievements, plans and objectives to
differ materially from any future results, performance, achievements, plans and
objectives expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In
evaluating these statements, you should specifically consider various factors,
including those identified under “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our December 31,
2007 annual report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 2) and in this Quarterly
Report. Those factors may cause our actual results to differ
materially from any of our forward-looking statements. For these forward looking
statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking
statements provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995.
You should not
place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, any
forward-looking statement, and the related risks, uncertainties and other
factors speak only as of the date on which they were originally made and we
expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any
forward-looking statement to reflect any change in our expectations with regard
to these statements or any other change in events, conditions or circumstances
on which any such statement is based. New factors emerge from time to time, and
it is not possible for us to predict what factors will arise or when. In
addition, we cannot assess the impact of each factor on our business or the
extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results
to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking
statements.
3
PART
I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM
1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
GENERAL
COMMUNICATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
(Amounts in
thousands)
|
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
September
30,
|
December
31,
|
|||||||
ASSETS
|
2008
|
2007
|
||||||
Current
assets:
|
||||||||
Cash and cash equivalents
|
$ | 32,408 | 13,074 | |||||
Receivables
|
111,166 | 97,913 | ||||||
Less
allowance for doubtful receivables
|
1,946 | 1,657 | ||||||
Net
receivables
|
109,220 | 96,256 | ||||||
Deferred income taxes
|
6,773 | 5,734 | ||||||
Investment securities
|
5,276 | --- | ||||||
Inventories
|
5,266 | 2,541 | ||||||
Prepaid expenses
|
5,255 | 5,356 | ||||||
Other current assets
|
713 | 717 | ||||||
Total current
assets
|
164,911 | 123,678 | ||||||
Property and
equipment in service, net of depreciation
|
738,274 | 504,273 | ||||||
Construction
in progress
|
100,657 | 69,409 | ||||||
Net property
and equipment
|
838,931 | 573,682 | ||||||
Cable
certificates
|
191,565 | 191,565 | ||||||
Goodwill
|
63,502 | 42,181 | ||||||
Wireless
licenses
|
26,007 | 25,757 | ||||||
Other
intangible assets, net of amortization
|
20,419 | 11,769 | ||||||
Deferred loan and senior notes costs, net of amortization
|
6,388 | 6,202 | ||||||
Other
assets
|
11,594 | 9,399 | ||||||
Total other
assets
|
319,475 | 286,873 | ||||||
Total
assets
|
$ | 1,323,317 | 984,233 |
See accompanying
notes to interim consolidated financial statements.
(Continued)
4
GENERAL
COMMUNICATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
(Continued)
(Amounts in
thousands)
|
(Unaudited)
|
|||||||
September
30,
|
December
31,
|
|||||||
LIABILITIES,
MINORITY INTEREST, AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
|
2008
|
2007
|
||||||
Current
liabilities:
|
||||||||
Current
maturities of obligations under long-term debt and capital
leases
|
$ | 13,792 | 2,375 | |||||
Accounts
payable
|
51,831 | 35,747 | ||||||
Deferred
revenue
|
21,181 | 16,600 | ||||||
Accrued
payroll and payroll related obligations
|
18,542 | 16,329 | ||||||
Accrued
liabilities
|
11,174 | 7,536 | ||||||
Accrued
interest
|
2,977 | 8,927 | ||||||
Subscriber
deposits
|
1,143 | 877 | ||||||
Total current
liabilities
|
120,640 | 88,391 | ||||||
Long-term
debt
|
703,390 | 536,115 | ||||||
Obligations
under capital leases, excluding current maturities
|
95,151 | 2,290 | ||||||
Obligation
under capital lease due to related party, excluding current
maturity
|
1,866 | 469 | ||||||
Deferred
income taxes
|
88,472 | 84,294 | ||||||
Long-term
deferred revenue
|
37,117 | 845 | ||||||
Other
liabilities
|
15,579 | 12,396 | ||||||
Total
liabilities
|
1,062,215 | 724,800 | ||||||
Minority
interest
|
--- | 6,478 | ||||||
Commitments
and contingencies
|
||||||||
Stockholders’
equity:
|
||||||||
Common stock
(no par):
|
||||||||
Class A.
Authorized 100,000 shares; issued 49,974 and 50,437 shares at September
30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively; outstanding 49,505 and
49,425 shares at September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007,
respectively
|
150,935 | 155,980 | ||||||
Class B.
Authorized 10,000 shares; issued 3,247 and 3,257 shares at September 30,
2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively; outstanding 3,245 and 3,255
shares at September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively;
convertible on a share-per-share basis into Class A common
stock
|
2,742 | 2,751 | ||||||
Less cost of
471 and 473 Class A and Class B common shares held in treasury at
September 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively
|
(3,423 | ) | (3,448 | ) | ||||
Paid-in
capital
|
25,310 | 20,132 | ||||||
Retained
earnings
|
85,538 | 77,540 | ||||||
Total
stockholders’ equity
|
261,102 | 252,955 | ||||||
Total
liabilities, minority interest, and stockholders’ equity
|
$ | 1,323,317 | 984,233 |
|
See
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial
statements.
|
5
GENERAL
COMMUNICATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
INCOME STATEMENT
(Unaudited)
Three Months
Ended
|
Nine Months
Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
(Amounts in
thousands, except per share amounts)
|
2008
|
(as restated)
2007
|
2008
|
(as restated)
2007
|
||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 151,660 | 134,090 | 428,795 | 389,011 | |||||||||||
Cost of goods
sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately
below)
|
50,401 | 52,213 | 154,160 | 145,782 | ||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
|
56,410 | 44,735 | 151,076 | 131,770 | ||||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
28,869 | 21,970 | 83,820 | 64,273 | ||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
15,980 | 15,172 | 39,739 | 47,186 | ||||||||||||
Other income
(expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(13,693 | ) | (8,620 | ) | (33,277 | ) | (25,495 | ) | ||||||||
Loan and
senior note fees
|
(441 | ) | (751 | ) | (1,543 | ) | (1,147 | ) | ||||||||
Interest
income
|
386 | 82 | 869 | 427 | ||||||||||||
Minority
interest
|
(419 | ) | 37 | 1,503 | 26 | |||||||||||
Other
expense, net
|
(14,167 | ) | (9,252 | ) | (32,448 | ) | (26,189 | ) | ||||||||
Income before
income tax expense
|
1,813 | 5,920 | 7,291 | 20,997 | ||||||||||||
Income tax
expense
|
1,548 | 2,964 | 4,758 | 9,817 | ||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 265 | 2,956 | 2,533 | 11,180 | |||||||||||
Basic net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.01 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.21 | |||||||||||
Diluted net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.00 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.19 |
See accompanying
notes to interim consolidated financial statements.
6
GENERAL
COMMUNICATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
NINE
MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 AND 2007
(Unaudited)
(Amounts in
thousands)
|
2008
|
(as
restated)
2007
|
||||||
Cash flows
from operating activities:
|
||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 2,533 | 11,180 | |||||
Adjustments
to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating
activities (net of effects of acquisitions):
|
||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
83,820 | 64,273 | ||||||
Deferred
income tax expense
|
3,426 | 9,599 | ||||||
Share-based
compensation expense
|
5,547 | 3,490 | ||||||
Other noncash
income and expense items
|
4,764 | 6,724 | ||||||
Change in
operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of
acquisition
|
32,993 | (19,741 | ) | |||||
Net cash
provided by operating activities
|
133,083 | 75,525 | ||||||
Cash flows
from investing activities:
|
||||||||
Purchases of
property and equipment
|
(172,572 | ) | (106,424 | ) | ||||
Purchase of
business, net of cash received
|
(64,945 | ) | (19,530 | ) | ||||
Purchases of
other assets and intangible assets
|
(5,115 | ) | (4,996 | ) | ||||
Restricted
cash
|
--- | 4,612 | ||||||
Other
|
--- | 25 | ||||||
Net cash used
in investing activities
|
(242,632 | ) | (126,313 | ) | ||||
Cash flows
from financing activities:
|
||||||||
Borrowing on
Senior Credit Facility
|
132,100 | 50,000 | ||||||
Repayment of
debt and capital lease obligations
|
(3,996 | ) | (26,655 | ) | ||||
Issuance of
long-term debt
|
2,161 | --- | ||||||
Payment of
debt issuance costs
|
(1,662 | ) | (402 | ) | ||||
Proceeds from
common stock issuance
|
327 | 3,123 | ||||||
Other
|
(47 | ) | (1 | ) | ||||
Purchase of
stock to be retired
|
--- | (7,979 | ) | |||||
Net cash
provided by financing activities
|
128,883 | 18,086 | ||||||
Net increase
(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
19,334 | (32,702 | ) | |||||
Cash and cash
equivalents at beginning of period
|
13,074 | 57,647 | ||||||
Cash and cash
equivalents at end of period
|
$ | 32,408 | 24,945 |
See accompanying
notes to interim consolidated financial statements.
7
GENERAL
COMMUNICATION, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial
Statements
(Unaudited)
The accompanying
unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of
General Communication, Inc. (“GCI”) and its subsidiaries and have been prepared
in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") for
interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the
information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements.
They should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial
statements for the year ended December 31, 2007, filed with the SEC on June 11,
2008 as part of our annual report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 2). In the
opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals)
considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The results of
operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results
that may be expected for an entire year or any other period.
(l) Business
and Summary of Significant Accounting Principles
In
the following discussion, GCI and its direct and indirect subsidiaries are
referred to as “we,” “us” and “our.”
|
(a)
|
Business
|
GCI, an Alaska
corporation, was incorporated in 1979. We offer the following
services:
|
·
|
Origination
and termination of traffic in Alaska for certain common
carriers,
|
|
·
|
Cable
television services throughout
Alaska,
|
|
·
|
Competitive
local access services in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Wasilla, Eagle
River, Kodiak, Palmer, Kenai, Soldotna, Seward, Chugiak, Sitka, Valdez,
Ketchikan, Nome and Homer, Alaska with on-going expansion into additional
Alaska communities,
|
|
·
|
Incumbent
local access services in rural
Alaska,
|
|
·
|
Long-distance
telephone service between Alaska and the remaining United States and
foreign countries,
|
|
·
|
Resale and
sale of postpaid and sale of prepaid wireless telephone services and sale
of wireless telephone handsets and
accessories,
|
|
·
|
Data network
services,
|
|
·
|
Internet
access services,
|
|
·
|
Broadband
services, including our SchoolAccess®
offering to rural school districts, our ConnectMD®
offering to rural hospitals and health clinics, and managed video
conferencing,
|
|
·
|
Managed
services to certain commercial
customers,
|
|
·
|
Sales and
service of dedicated communications systems and related
equipment,
|
|
·
|
Lease, sales
and maintenance of capacity on our fiber optic cable systems used in the
transmission of interstate and intrastate data, switched message
long-distance and Internet services within Alaska and between Alaska and
the remaining United States and foreign countries,
and
|
|
·
|
Distribution
of white and yellow pages directories to residential and business
customers in certain markets we serve and on-line directory
products.
|
|
(b)
|
Principles
of Consolidation
|
The consolidated
financial statements include the consolidated accounts of GCI and its
wholly-owned subsidiaries, as well as a variable interest entity in which
we are the primary beneficiary as defined by Financial Accounting Standards
Board ("FASB") Interpretation ("FIN") No. 46R, “Consolidation of Variable
Interest Entities, an interpretation of ARB No. 51” through August 17,
2008. We purchased the minority interest of the variable interest
entity on August 18, 2008 as further described in note 1(c). All
significant intercompany transactions between non-regulated affiliates of our
company are eliminated. Statement of Financial Accounting Standard
("SFAS") No. 71, "Accounting for the Effects of Certain Types of Regulation"
requires intercompany profit generated between regulated and non-regulated
affiliates of the company not be eliminated on
consolidation. Intercompany profit on transactions with affiliates
not subject to SFAS 71 has been eliminated.
(Continued)
8
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
|
(c)
|
Acquisitions
|
Effective June 1,
2008, we closed on our purchase of 100% of the outstanding stock of United
Utilities, Inc. ("UUI") and Unicom, Inc. ("Unicom"), which were subsidiaries of
United Companies, Inc. ("UCI"). UUI, together with its subsidiary,
United-KUC, Inc. ("United-KUC"), provides local telephone service to 60 rural
communities across Alaska. Unicom operates DeltaNet, a long-haul
broadband microwave network ringing the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. We
view this investment as an opportunity to expand our Managed Broadband services
in rural Alaska. The UUI acquisition was a stock purchase but we
elected to treat it as an asset purchase for income tax purposes.
Effective July 1,
2008, we closed on our purchase of 100% of the ownership interests of Alaska
Wireless, LLC ("Alaska Wireless"), which provides wireless and Internet services
in the Dutch Harbor, Sand Point, and Akutan, Alaska areas. We view
this investment as an opportunity to expand our wireless services in the
Aleutian Chain region of rural Alaska. We consider this business
combination to be immaterial to our consolidated financial
statements.
We
have agreed to make additional payments for UUI in each of the years 2009
through 2013 that are contingent on sequential year-over-year revenue growth for
specified customers. We are unable to reasonably estimate the amount
of the contingent consideration that may be paid for either acquisition, but do
not believe any amount paid will be significant. Additionally, we
have agreed to make an additional payment for Alaska Wireless in 2010 that is
contingent on meeting certain financial conditions.
We
recorded our business acquisitions and the acquisition of the minority interest
in Alaska DigiTel based on the provisions of SFAS No. 141, "Business
Combinations," and accordingly, the purchase price has been allocated based on
the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed including the net
assets representing the underlying minority interest of Alaska
DigiTel. In addition, the acquired companies' results of operations
are included since the effective date of each acquisition.
The purchase prices
for our acquisitions, net of cash received of approximately $2.1 million from
UUI, are as follows (amounts in thousands):
UUI
|
$ | 40,161 | ||
Alaska
Wireless
|
$ | 14,311 | ||
Alaska
DigiTel
|
$ | 10,473 |
On
August 18, 2008, we exercised our option to acquire the remaining 18.1% of the
equity interest and voting control of Alaska DigiTel, LLC ("Alaska DigiTel") for
$10.5 million. Subsequent to the acquisition of the minority
interest, we own 100% of the outstanding common stock and voting control of
Alaska DigiTel. We consolidated 100% of Alaska DigiTel's assets and
liabilities at fair value on January 1, 2007, when we determined that Alaska
DigiTel was a variable interest entity of which we were the primary
beneficiary. Upon our acquisition of the minority interest in Alaska
DigiTel on August 18, 2008, we recorded 18.1% of the change in fair value
between the fair value of the assets and liabilities on January 1, 2007, and the
fair value of the assets and liabilities on August 18, 2008.
We
are in the process of determining the fair value of the tangible and intangible
assets, therefore, the purchase price allocations for our acquisitions have not
been finalized at September 30, 2008 and all assets acquired and liabilities
assumed are subject to refinement. The purchase price for our
material acquisitions has been preliminarily allocated as of September 30, 2008
as follows (amounts in thousands):
UUI
|
Alaska
DigiTel
|
|||||||
Current
assets
|
$ | 15,290 | --- |
(Continued)
9
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Property and
equipment, including construction in progress
|
63,167 | 328 | ||||||
Intangible
assets
|
6,472 | 542 | ||||||
Goodwill
|
5,928 | 4,622 | ||||||
Other
assets
|
2,411 | --- | ||||||
Minority
interest acquired
|
--- | 4,981 | ||||||
Total assets
acquired
|
93,268 | 10,473 | ||||||
Current
liabilities
|
4,746 | --- | ||||||
Long-term
debt, including current portion
|
43,614 | --- | ||||||
Other
long-term liabilities
|
2,653 | --- | ||||||
Total
liabilities assumed
|
51,013 | --- | ||||||
Net assets
acquired
|
$ | 42,255 | 10,473 |
We
modified the initial preliminary UUI purchase price allocation during the third
quarter of 2008 by increasing current assets $830,000, decreasing property and
equipment $5.0 million, decreasing intangible assets $77,000, decreasing
goodwill $102,000, increasing current liabilities $294,000, increasing long-term
debt $910,000, and decreasing other long-term liabilities $5.5 million for
adjustments to the asset retirement obligation, adjustment to record acquired
debt at fair value, adjustment to the fair value of the fixed assets and
intangibles due to refinement of the appraisal. All of
our acquisitions resulted in goodwill which is deductible over 15 years for
income tax purposes.
The total assets of
UUI, Alaska Wireless, and Alaska DigiTel were $93.6 million, $15.6 million and
$82.2 million, respectively at September 30, 2008.
Revenues, from the
date of acquisition, net of intercompany revenue, for our acquisitions of UUI
and Alaska Wireless are allocated to our Consumer, Network Access, Managed
Broadband, and Regulated Operations segments.
As
a result of the acquisition of UUI, we have a new operating segment for our
regulated activities.
UUI and Unicom had
outstanding debt of $44.2 million at September 30, 2008 that is collateralized
by substantially all of UUI's and Unicom's assets. UUI and Unicom's
creditors do not have recourse to GCI's assets.
Assuming we had
completed all of our acquisitions on January 1, 2008 and 2007, our revenues, net
income and basic and diluted earnings per common share ("EPS") for the three and
nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 would have been as follows
(amounts in thousands, except per share amounts):
Three Months
Ended September 30,
|
Nine Months
Ended September 30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||||||||
Pro forma
consolidated revenue
|
$ | 151,660 | 140,638 | 447,961 | 407,516 | |||||||||||
Pro forma net
income
|
$ | 537 | 3,483 | 3,608 | 13,397 | |||||||||||
EPS:
|
||||||||||||||||
Basic – pro
forma
|
$ | 0.01 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.25 | |||||||||||
Diluted – pro
forma
|
$ | 0.01 | 0.06 | 0.07 | 0.25 |
(Continued)
10
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
|
(d)
|
Regulatory
Accounting and Regulation
|
|
We account
for our regulated operations in accordance with the accounting principles
for regulated enterprises prescribed by SFAS No. 71. This
accounting recognizes the economic effects of rate regulation by recording
cost and a return on investment as such amounts are recovered through
rates authorized by regulatory authorities. Accordingly, under
SFAS No. 71, plant and equipment is depreciated over lives approved by
regulators and certain costs and obligations are deferred based upon
approvals received from regulators to permit recovery of such amounts in
future years. Our cost studies and depreciation rates for our
regulated operations are subject to periodic audits that could result in
reductions of revenues. Based upon the preliminary purchase
price allocation described in note 1(c), the effects of regulation for the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2008 are not material to the
consolidated financial statements.
|
(e)
|
Revenue
Recognition
|
Access revenue is recognized when
earned. We participate in access revenue pools with other telephone
companies. Such pools are funded by toll revenue and/or access
charges regulated by the Regulatory Commission of
Alaska (“RCA”) within the
intrastate jurisdiction and the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) within
the interstate jurisdiction. Much of the interstate access revenue is initially
recorded based on estimates. These estimates
are
derived from interim financial statements, available separation studies and the
most recent information available about achieved rates of return. These
estimates are subject to adjustment in future accounting periods as additional
operational information becomes
available. To the extent that disputes arise over revenue settlements, our
policy is to defer revenue collected until settlement methodologies are
resolved.
As an Eligible Telecommunications
Carrier ("ETC"), we receive subsidies from the Universal Service Fund
(“USF”) to support the provision of local access service in high-cost
areas. We accrue estimated program revenue quarterly
based on current line
counts, rates paid to us in prior periods, our assessment of the impact of
current FCC regulations, and our assessment of the potential outcome of FCC
proceedings. Our estimated accrued revenue is subject
to our judgment regarding the
outcome of many variables and is subject to upward and downward adjustment in
subsequent periods. Our ability to collect our accrued USF subsidies
is contingent upon continuation of the USF
program and upon our eligibility
to participate in that program, which is subject to change by future regulatory,
legislative or judicial actions. We will adjust revenue and the
account receivable in a subsequent period if the FCC makes
a program change or we assess the
likelihood of such a change has increased or decreased. The payment
from the USF is generally received approximately nine months subsequent to
revenue recognition. At September 30, 2008
we have $8.5 million in account
receivables related to the USF high-cost area program.
We recognized $2.8 million of
wireless revenue in July 2008 from the Universal Service Administrative Company
(“USAC”) for retroactive interstate common line support at Alaska
DigiTel. Due to the uncertainty in our ability to
retroactively claim reimbursement
under the program, we accounted for this payment as a gain contingency and,
accordingly, recognized revenue only upon receipt of payment when realization
was certain.
(f)
|
Earnings
per Share
|
EPS and common
shares used to calculate basic and diluted EPS consist of the following (amounts
in thousands, except per share amounts):
Three Months
Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007 (as
restated)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Income
(Num-
erator)
|
Shares
(Denom-
inator)
|
Per-share
Amounts
|
Income
(Num-
erator)
|
Shares
(Denom-
inator)
|
Per-share
Amounts
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Basic
EPS:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 265 | 52,371 | $ | 0.01 | $ | 2,956 | 52,852 | $ | 0.06 |
(Continued)
11
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Effect
of Dilutive Securities:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unexercised
stock options
|
--- | 934 | --- | --- | 1,267 | --- | ||||||||||||||||||
Unvested
restricted stock awards
|
--- | 13 | --- | --- | --- | --- | ||||||||||||||||||
Diluted
EPS:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Effect of
share based compensation that may be settled in cash or
shares
|
--- | --- | --- | (147 | ) | 84 | --- | |||||||||||||||||
Net income
adjusted for effect of share based compensation that may be settled in
cash or shares
|
$ | 265 | 53,318 | $ | 0.00 | $ | 2,809 | 54,203 | $ | 0.05 |
Nine Months
Ended September 30,
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007 (as
restated)
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Income
(Num-
erator)
|
Shares
(Denom-
inator)
|
Per-share
Amounts
|
Income
(Num-
erator)
|
Shares
(Denom-
inator)
|
Per-share
Amounts
|
|||||||||||||||||||
Basic
EPS:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 2,533 | 52,317 | $ | 0.05 | $ | 11,180 | 53,103 | $ | 0.21 | ||||||||||||||
Effect
of Dilutive Securities:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Unexercised
stock options
|
--- | 647 | --- | --- | 1,415 | --- | ||||||||||||||||||
Unvested
restricted stock awards
|
--- | 22 | --- | --- | --- | --- | ||||||||||||||||||
Diluted
EPS:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Effect of
share based compensation that may be settled in cash or
shares
|
--- | --- | --- | (688 | ) | 93 | --- | |||||||||||||||||
Net income
adjusted for effect of share based compensation that may be settled in
cash or shares
|
$ | 2,533 | 52,986 | $ | 0.05 | $ | 10,492 | 54,611 | $ | 0.19 |
Weighted average
shares associated with outstanding share awards for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, which have been excluded from the
computations of diluted EPS, because the effect of including these share awards
would have been anti-dilutive, consist of the following (shares, in
thousands):
Three Months
Ended
|
Nine Months
Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||||||||
Weighted
average shares associated with unexercised stock options
|
3,191 | 2,573 | 3,731 | 1,622 | ||||||||||||
Weighted
average shares associated with unvested restricted share
awards
|
248 | --- | 10 | --- | ||||||||||||
Effect of
share-based compensation that may be settled in cash or
shares
|
291 | --- | 133 | --- |
(Continued)
12
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Additionally,
376,000 weighted average shares associated with contingent awards for the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2008 were excluded from the computation of
diluted EPS because the contingencies of these awards have not been met at
September 30, 2008.
We
have not issued securities other than common stock that contractually entitle
the holder to participate in dividends and earnings when, and if, we declare
dividends on our common stock and, therefore, we do not apply the two-class
method of calculating EPS.
|
(g)
|
Common
Stock
|
|
Following are
the changes in issued common stock for the nine months ended September 30,
2008 and 2007 (shares, in
thousands):
|
Class
A
|
Class
B
|
|||||||
Balances at
December 31, 2006
|
50,191 | 3,370 | ||||||
Class B
shares converted to Class A
|
113 | (113 | ) | |||||
Shares issued
under stock option plan
|
449 | --- | ||||||
Shares issued
under the Director Compensation Plan
|
23 | --- | ||||||
Shares
retired
|
(823 | ) | --- | |||||
Balances at
September 30, 2007
|
49,953 | 3,257 | ||||||
Balances at
December 31, 2007
|
50,437 | 3,257 | ||||||
Class B
shares converted to Class A
|
10 | (10 | ) | |||||
Shares issued
under stock option plan
|
52 | --- | ||||||
Shares issued
under the Director Compensation Plan
|
20 | --- | ||||||
Shares
retired
|
(540 | ) | --- | |||||
Other
|
(5 | ) | --- | |||||
Balances at
September 30, 2008
|
49,974 | 3,247 |
|
GCI's Board
of Directors has authorized a common stock buyback program for the
repurchase of our Class A and Class B common stock in order to reduce our
outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock. The Term Loan
agreement entered into on May 2, 2008 and described in note 4 allows for
the repurchase of our common stock under our buyback program when our
total debt leverage is below 4.0 times earnings before depreciation and
amortization expense, net interest expense, income taxes and share-based
compensation expense ("EBITDAS").
|
|
Under the
buyback program we had made repurchases of $68.9 million through December
31, 2007. During the nine months ended September 30, 2008 we
repurchased no shares of our Class A and B common stock. During the nine
months ended September 30, 2007 we received in lieu of a cash payment
on a note receivable 113,000 shares of our Class A common stock at a cost
of $1.7 million. If stock repurchases are less than the total
approved quarterly amount the difference may be carried forward and used
to repurchase additional shares in future quarters. The cost of the
repurchased common stock is recorded in Retained Earnings on our
Consolidated Balance Sheets. All shares of our Class A common
stock repurchased for retirement have been retired as of September 30,
2008.
|
(h)
|
Investment
Securities
|
We
have investment securities of $5.3 million at September 30, 2008 that are
classified as trading under SFAS No. 115, "Accounting for Certain Investments in
Debt and Equity Securities." Our investments consist primarily of
money market funds and U.S. government securities. Trading securities
are recorded at fair value with unrealized holding gains and losses included in
net income.
(Continued)
13
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
(i) Asset
Retirement Obligations
Following is a reconciliation of
the beginning and ending aggregate carrying amount of our asset retirement
obligations at September 30, 2008 and 2007 (amounts in
thousands):
Balance at
December 31, 2006
|
$ | 3,408 | ||
Liability
incurred
|
85 | |||
Accretion
expense for the nine months ended
September 30,
2007
|
106 | |||
Liability
settled
|
(3 | ) | ||
Balance at
September 30, 2007
|
$ | 3,596 | ||
Balance at
December 31, 2007
|
$ | 4,173 | ||
Liability
incurred
|
644 | |||
Accretion
expense for the nine months ended
September 30,
2008
|
123 | |||
Additions
upon acquisition of UUI, Unicom and Alaska Wireless
|
803 | |||
Liability
settled
|
(165 | ) | ||
Balance at
September 30, 2008
|
$ | 5,578 |
Our asset
retirement obligations are included in Other Liabilities.
(j)
Derivatives
We
enter into derivative contracts to manage exposure to variability in cash flows
from floating-rate financial instruments, particularly on our long-term debt
instruments and credit facilities. We do not apply hedge accounting
to our derivative instruments and therefore treat these instruments as “economic
hedges.” Consistent with the guidance in SFAS No. 133,
“Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” ("SFAS No. 133")
derivative instruments are accounted for at fair value as either assets or
liabilities on the balance sheet. Changes in the fair value of
derivatives are recognized in earnings each reporting period.
Derivative
financial instruments are subject to credit risk and market
risk. Credit risk is the failure of the counterparty to perform under
the terms of the derivative contract. We minimize the credit risk in
derivative instruments by entering into transactions with high-quality
counterparties.
Market risk is the
adverse effect on the value of a derivative instrument that results from a
change in interest rates or other market variable. The market risk
associated with interest-rate contracts is managed by establishing and
monitoring parameters that limit the types and degree of market risk that may be
undertaken.
In
the third quarter of 2008, we entered into two interest rate caps with a
combined notional value of $180.0 million. The initial cost of the
caps was $928,000. These derivative instruments are being used to
manage the interest rate risk on our Senior Credit Facility, which is indexed to
the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR"). In prior reporting
periods, we did not own any derivative instruments.
The following is a
summary of the derivative contracts outstanding in the balance sheet at
September 30, 2008 (dollar amounts in thousands):
Number of
Contracts
|
Notional
Value
|
Balance Sheet
Location
|
Fair
Value
|
|||||||
Interest rate
caps
|
2
|
$ |
180,000
|
Other
Assets
|
$ |
409
|
(Continued)
14
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
During the three
and nine months ending September 30, 2008, a loss of $519,000 relating to the
fair value change on derivative instruments was reported in interest
expense. None of the outstanding derivative instruments contain
credit risk contingent features.
(k)
Use of
Estimates
The preparation of
financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and
disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial
statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the
reporting period. Significant items subject to estimates and assumptions include
the allowance for doubtful receivables, unbilled revenues, accrual of the USF
high-cost area program subsidy, share-based compensation, reserve for future
customer credits, valuation allowances for deferred income tax assets,
depreciable and amortizable lives of assets, the carrying value of long-lived
assets including goodwill, cable certificates and wireless licenses, our
effective tax rate, purchase price allocations, the accrual of cost of goods
sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization expense) (“Cost of Goods
Sold”), and contingencies and litigation. Actual results could differ from those
estimates.
(l) Classification
of Taxes Collected from Customers
We
report sales, use, excise, and value added taxes assessed by a governmental
authority that is directly imposed on a revenue-producing transaction between us
and a customer on a net basis in our income statement. Following are
certain surcharges on a gross basis in our income statement for the three and
nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 (amounts in
thousands):
Three Months
Ended
|
Nine Months
Ended
|
||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2008
|
2007
|
||||||||
Surcharges
reported gross
|
$
|
1,070
|
1,068
|
3,081
|
3,133
|
(m) Changes
in Accounting Policy
Effective January
1, 2008, we prospectively changed our accounting policy for recording
depreciation on our property and equipment placed in service. For assets placed
in service on or after January 1, 2008, we are using a mid-month convention to
recognize depreciation expense. Previous to this change we used the half-year
convention to recognize depreciation expense in the year an asset was placed in
service, regardless of the month the property and equipment was placed in
service. We believe the mid-month convention is preferable because it results in
more precise recognition of depreciation expense over the estimated useful life
of the asset. No retroactive adjustment has been made. The following
table sets forth the impact of this accounting change on depreciation and
amortization expense, operating income and net income for the three and nine
months ended September 30, 2008 (amounts in thousands, except per share
amounts):
Three Months
Ended September 30, 2008
|
Nine Months
Ended September 30, 2008
|
|||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
$ | 402 | 667 | |||||
Operating
income
|
(402 | ) | (667 | ) | ||||
Net income
|
(196 | ) | (325 | ) | ||||
Basic
EPS
|
(0.01 | ) | --- | |||||
Diluted
EPS
|
(0.01 | ) | (0.01 | ) |
(n)
|
Recently Issued Accounting
Pronouncements
|
(Continued)
15
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
they use derivative
instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are
accounted for under SFAS No. 133 and its related interpretations, and (c) how
derivative instruments and related hedged items affect a company’s financial
position, financial performance, and cash flows. SFAS No. 161 is effective for
financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after
November 15, 2008. Our adoption of SFAS No. 161 is not expected to have a
material impact on our financial condition or results of
operations.
In
December 2007, the FASB issued Statement No. 141R "Business Combinations", which
replaces SFAS No. 141 "Business Combinations." This standard requires all
business combinations to be accounted for under the acquisition method
(previously referred to as the purchase method). Under the acquisition method,
the acquirer recognizes the assets acquired, the liabilities assumed,
contractual contingencies, as well as any noncontrolling interest in the
acquiree at their fair values at the acquisition date. Noncontractual
contingencies are recognized at the acquisition date at their fair values only
if it is more likely than not that they meet the definition of an asset or a
liability in FASB Concepts Statement No. 6 "Elements of Financial Statements."
Transaction costs are excluded from the acquisition accounting and will be
expensed as incurred. Any contingent consideration included by the acquirer as
part of the purchase price must also be measured at fair value at the
acquisition date and will be classified as either equity or a liability. This
standard also requires a company that obtains control but acquires less than
100% of an acquiree to record 100% of the fair value of the acquiree assets,
liabilities, and noncontrolling interests at the acquisition date. This standard
is effective for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2008. We are
currently in the process of assessing the expected impact of this standard on
our consolidated financial statements.
In
December 2007, the FASB issued Statement No. 160 "Noncontrolling Interests in
Consolidated Financial Statements," which amends Accounting Research Bulletin
No. 51 "Consolidated Financial Statements." This standard requires
noncontrolling interests to be treated as a separate component of equity, but
apart from the parent’s equity and not as a liability, or as an item outside of
equity. This will eliminate diversity that currently exists in accounting for
transactions between an entity and its noncontrolling interests. This standard
also specifies that consolidated net income attributable to the parent and to
the noncontrolling interest be clearly identified and presented on the face of
the consolidated statement of income, and that changes in the parent’s ownership
interest while it retains a controlling financial interest should be accounted
for as equity transactions. This standard also expands disclosures in the
financial statements to include a reconciliation of the beginning and ending
balances of the equity attributable to the parent and the noncontrolling owners
and a schedule showing the effects of changes in a parent’s ownership interest
in a subsidiary on the equity attributable to the parent. This standard is
effective for periods beginning on or after December 15, 2008. We are currently
in the process of assessing the expected impact of this standard on our
consolidated financial statements.
In
June 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position ("FSP") No. EITF 03-6-1,
“Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions Are
Participating Securities” ("FSP EITF 03-6-1"). FSP EITF 03-6-1 requires that
unvested share-based payment awards containing nonforfeitable rights to
dividends or dividend equivalents (whether paid or unpaid) be considered
participating securities and included in the computation of EPS pursuant to the
two-class method of SFAS No. 128, “Earnings per Share.” FSP EITF 03-6-1 is
effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2008, and interim periods within those years. All prior-period EPS
data presented shall be adjusted retrospectively to conform to this FSP. Early
application is not permitted. This FSP is not anticipated to have a material
impact on our EPS attributable to the common stockholders.
(Continued)
16
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
(o)
|
Restatement,
Immaterial Error Correction and
Reclassification
|
On
June 11, 2008, we filed a Form 10K/A (Amendment No. 2) with the SEC to reflect
the restatement of our summary of unaudited quarterly results of operations for
the year ended December 31, 2007. We made the following corrections
as part of the restatement of our results of operations for the three and nine
months ended September 30, 2007:
|
·
|
We decreased
depreciation expense by approximately $1.2 million and $2.6 million for
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007, respectively, to
correct an error in calculating depreciation in the initial year an asset
is placed in service. We originally recorded our estimated
depreciation expense evenly throughout the year with periodic adjustments
based upon improved estimates or actual results. In accordance
with GAAP we now initially record depreciation expense in the month an
asset is placed in service. Depreciation was improperly
allocated among quarters, but the year-end total was
correct. Therefore the restatement impacts the quarterly
results but not the December 31, 2007 year-end
results.
|
Additionally we
corrected the 2007 quarters for errors that have been determined to be
immaterial individually and in the aggregate. Other than interest
capitalization, these immaterial errors do not impact the December 31, 2007
results. They are as follows:
|
·
|
We decreased
interest expense by approximately $422,000 and $1.2 million for the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2007, respectively, to correct an
interest capitalization error on certain assets. Our
capitalized interest policy was too restrictive and resulted in no
interest capitalization on certain qualifying capital
expenditures. Our capitalized interest policy now conforms to
GAAP;
|
|
·
|
We increased
depreciation expense $322,000 and $966,000 for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2007, respectively, due to the recognition of
depreciation on additional capitalized
interest;
|
|
·
|
We increased
revenue $141,000 and $633,000 for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2007, respectively, to correct understated revenue resulting
from a configuration error in the automated interface between our unified
billing system and our general
ledger;
|
|
·
|
We increased
revenue $85,000 and $343,000 for the three and nine months ended September
30, 2007, respectively, to correct revenue recognition for a majority
noncontrolling interest in a subsidiary that was recognizing a certain
type of revenue on a cash basis rather than an accrual
basis;
|
|
·
|
We increased
share-based compensation expense $114,000 for the three months ended
September 30, 2007 and decreased share-based compensation expense $643,000
for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 to correct expense
recognition timing for options that did not vest in equal increments over
the vesting period;
|
|
·
|
We decreased
depreciation expense $38,000 and $113,000 for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2007, respectively, due to a revision of the purchase
price allocation of our purchase of Alaska DigiTel on January 1, 2007;
and
|
|
·
|
We increased
income tax expense $658,000 and $2.1 million for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2007, respectively, to record the income tax effect of
the corrections described above.
|
(Continued)
17
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
We
reclassified $4.3 million and $12.6 million of network maintenance and
operations expense from selling, general and administrative expense to Cost of
Goods Sold for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007,
respectively. We believe this change in accounting more closely
aligns our maintenance and operations components to the nature of expenses
included in our financial statement captions, and will improve the comparability
of our financial statement presentation with our industry peers.
The impact of the
restatement and immaterial error correction adjustments and the reclassification
as described above for the periods presented are as follows (amounts in
thousands, except per share amounts):
Three Months
Ended September 30, 2007
|
||||||||||||||||
As previously reported1
|
Adjustments
|
Reclassification
|
As
restated
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 133,864 | 226 | --- | 134,090 | |||||||||||
Cost of goods
sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately
below)
|
47,878 | --- | 4,335 | 52,213 | ||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
|
48,956 | 114 | (4,335 | ) | 44,735 | |||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
22,837 | (867 | ) | --- | 21,970 | |||||||||||
Operating
income
|
14,193 | 979 | --- | 15,172 | ||||||||||||
Other income
(expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(9,042 | ) | 422 | --- | (8,620 | ) | ||||||||||
Loan and
senior note fees
|
(751 | ) | --- | --- | (751 | ) | ||||||||||
Interest
income
|
82 | --- | --- | 82 | ||||||||||||
Minority
interest
|
37 | --- | --- | 37 | ||||||||||||
Other
expense, net
|
(9,674 | ) | 422 | --- | (9,252 | ) | ||||||||||
Income before
income tax expense
|
4,519 | 1,401 | --- | 5,920 | ||||||||||||
Income tax
expense
|
2,306 | 658 | --- | 2,964 | ||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 2,213 | 743 | --- | 2,956 | |||||||||||
Basic net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.04 | 0.02 | --- | 0.06 | |||||||||||
Diluted net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.04 | 0.01 | --- | 0.05 | |||||||||||
1
As reported on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30,
2007
|
Nine Months
Ended September 30, 2007
|
||||||||||||||||
As previously reported1
|
Adjustments
|
Reclassification
|
As
restated
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 388,035 | 976 | --- | 389,011 | |||||||||||
Cost of goods
sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately
below)
|
133,229 | --- | 12,553 | 145,782 | ||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
|
144,966 | (643 | ) | (12,553 | ) | 131,770 | ||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
66,033 | (1,760 | ) | --- | 64,273 | |||||||||||
Operating
income
|
43,807 | 3,379 | --- | 47,186 | ||||||||||||
Other income
(expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(26,683 | ) | 1,188 | --- | (25,495 | ) | ||||||||||
Loan and
senior note fees
|
(1,147 | ) | --- | --- | (1,147 | ) | ||||||||||
Interest
income
|
427 | --- | --- | 427 | ||||||||||||
Minority
interest
|
26 | --- | --- | 26 |
(Continued)
18
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Other
expense, net
|
(27,377 | ) | 1,188 | --- | (26,189 | ) | ||||||||||
Income before
income tax expense
|
16,430 | 4,567 | --- | 20,997 | ||||||||||||
Income tax
expense
|
7,672 | 2,145 | --- | 9,817 | ||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 8,758 | 2,422 | --- | 11,180 | |||||||||||
Basic net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.16 | 0.05 | --- | 0.21 | |||||||||||
Diluted net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.15 | 0.04 | --- | 0.19 | |||||||||||
Cash provided
by operating activities
|
$ | 74,337 | 1,188 | --- | 75,525 | |||||||||||
Cash used in
investing activities
|
(125,125 | ) | (1,188 | ) | --- | (126,313 | ) | |||||||||
Cash provided
by financing activities
|
18,086 | --- | --- | 18,086 | ||||||||||||
1
As reported on Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30,
2007
|
(2)
|
Consolidated
Statements of Cash Flows Supplemental
Disclosures
|
|
Change in
operating assets and liabilities, net of effect of acquisition, consists
of (amounts in thousands):
|
Nine month
period ended September 30,
|
2008
|
2007
(as
restated)
|
||||||
Increase in
accounts receivable
|
$ | (3,014 | ) | (13,454 | ) | |||
Decrease in
prepaid expenses
|
1,026 | 1,393 | ||||||
Increase in
inventories
|
(1,759 | ) | (314 | ) | ||||
Net sale of
investment securities
|
800 | --- | ||||||
(Increase)
decrease in other current assets
|
(118 | ) | 960 | |||||
Increase
(decrease) in accounts payable
|
(1,484 | ) | 1,041 | |||||
Increase
(decrease) in deferred revenues
|
3,668 | (2,705 | ) | |||||
Increase
(decrease) in accrued payroll and payroll related
obligations
|
1,191 | (1,388 | ) | |||||
Increase
(decrease) in accrued liabilities
|
3,209 | (548 | ) | |||||
Decrease in
accrued interest
|
(6,021 | ) | (5,700 | ) | ||||
Increase
(decrease) in subscriber deposits
|
(35 | ) | 83 | |||||
Increase in
long-term deferred revenue
|
36,272 | --- | ||||||
Increase
(decrease) in components of other long-term liabilities
|
(742 | ) | 891 | |||||
$ | 32,993 | (19,741 | ) |
We
paid interest, exclusive of capitalized interest, totaling $39.2 million and
$32.3 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007,
respectively.
We
paid income taxes of $884,000 and $80,000 during the nine months ended September
30, 2008 and 2007, respectively. We received income tax refunds of $0
and $213,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and
2007.
During the nine
months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, we capitalized interest of $3.5
million and $1.1 million, respectively.
(Continued)
19
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
During the nine
months ended September 30, 2008, we financed $98.6 million for the use of
satellite transponders through a capital lease obligation. We also
financed $1.3 million in capital expenditures through the extension of a
previously existing capital lease.
We
received net cash of $110.6 million from the $145.0 million term loan that we
obtained in May 2008. We used $30.0 million of the term loan to repay the
revolver portion of our Senior Credit Facility and our loan proceeds were
reduced by $2.9 million for an original issue discount and $1.6 million for bank
and legal fees associated with the new term loan.
In
June 2008 the Galaxy XR satellite was taken out of service resulting in the
removal of the remaining $8.8 million net book value and the recognition of an
$8.8 million warranty receivable. We applied $4.8 million of the
warranty receivable to offset our interest expense obligation of our capital
lease and to reduce the principle amount of the capital lease with the same
party during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008, resulting in an
outstanding warranty receivable of $4.0 million as of September 30,
2008.
We
had $15.1 million and $6.7 million in non-cash additions to property and
equipment due to unpaid purchases as of September 30, 2008 and 2007,
respectively.
We
had $1.5 million in non-cash additions to property and equipment during the nine
months ended September 30, 2007 for buildings that were transferred from
property held for sale.
We
retired Class A common stock in the amount of $5.5 million and $11.3 million
during the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007,
respectively.
In
February 2007, our President and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") tendered
113,000 shares of his GCI Class A common stock to us at $15.50 per share for a
total value of $1.7 million. The stock tender was in lieu of a cash
payment on his note receivable with a related party and a note receivable with a
related party issued upon stock option exercise, both of which originated in
2002.
(3)
|
Intangible
Assets
|
On
a preliminary basis our goodwill increased $21.3 million, customer relationships
increased $4.7 million, other intangible assets increased $3.8 million, and
wireless licenses increased $250,000 upon the acquisition of UUI, Unicom, Alaska
Wireless, and the minority interest in Alaska DigiTel. Goodwill and
the wireless licenses are indefinite-lived assets. The increase in
other intangible assets is due to the recognition of customer relationships and
contracts with a weighted average amortization period of 3.9 years.
Amortization
expense for amortizable intangible assets was as follows (amounts in
thousands):
Three Months
Ended
|
Nine Months
Ended
|
||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2008
|
2007
|
||||||||
Amortization
expense
|
$
|
1,749
|
908
|
3,829
|
2,666
|
(Continued)
20
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Amortization
expense for amortizable intangible assets for each of the five succeeding fiscal
years is estimated to be (amounts in thousands):
Years Ending
December 31,
|
||||
2008
|
$ | 5,459 | ||
2009
|
6,264 | |||
2010
|
5,344 | |||
2011
|
2,329 | |||
2012
|
1,590 |
(4)
|
Long-term
Debt
|
On
May 2, 2008, we signed an agreement to add an Additional Incremental Term Loan
of up to $145.0 million to our existing Senior Credit Facility. The
Additional Incremental Term Loan will become due under the same terms and
conditions as set forth in the existing Senior Credit Facility.
The Additional
Incremental Term Loan increased the interest rate on the term loan component of
our Senior Credit Facility from LIBOR plus 2.00% to LIBOR plus
4.25%. The Additional Incremental Term Loan increased the revolving
credit facility interest rate for our Senior Credit Facility from LIBOR plus a
margin dependent upon our Total Leverage Ratio ranging from 1.50% to 2.25% to
LIBOR plus the following Applicable Margin set forth opposite each applicable
Total Leverage Ratio below:
Total
Leverage Ratio (as defined)
|
Applicable
Margin
|
|||
>3.75
|
4.25 | % | ||
>3.25 but
<3.75
|
3.75 | % | ||
>2.75 but
<3.25
|
3.25 | % | ||
<2.75
|
2.75 | % |
$145.0 million was
drawn on the Additional Incremental Term Loan at the time of the debt
modification. The proceeds were used to pay down the $30.0 million
outstanding under our revolving credit facility including accrued interest and
to pay expenses associated with the transaction at closing with the balance
deposited in our bank account. Our term loan is fully drawn and we have letters
of credit outstanding totaling $4.0 million, which leaves $96.0 million
available for borrowing under the revolving credit facility.
The Term Loan
allows for the repurchase of our common stock under our buyback program when our
total debt leverage is below 4.0 times EBITDAS. The amendment revised various
financial covenants in the agreement and made conforming changes to various
covenants to permit certain previously announced
acquisitions. Additionally, our loan proceeds were reduced by $2.9
million for an original issue discount. The discount on the term loan
is being amortized into interest expense using the effective interest
method.
Borrowings under
the Senior Credit Facility are subject to certain financial covenants and
restrictions on indebtedness, dividend payments, financial guarantees, business
combinations, and other related items. As a result of the Additional Incremental
Term Loan, our Senior Credit Facility key debt covenants changed to the
following: our Senior Credit Facility Total Leverage Ratio (as defined) may not
exceed (i) 5.25:1.00 for the period beginning May 2, 2008 and ending on June 30,
2009, (ii) 5.00:1.00 for the period beginning on July 1, 2009, and ending on
December 31, 2009, and (iii) 4.50:1.00 for the period beginning January 1, 2010,
and ending on August 31, 2012; the Senior Leverage Ratio (as defined) may not
exceed (i) 3.25:1.00 for the period beginning on May 2, 2008 and ending on June
30, 2009, and (ii) 3.00:1.00 for the period beginning July 1, 2009, and ending
on August 31, 2012; the Fixed Charge Coverage
(Continued)
21
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Ratio (as defined)
must be 1.0:1.0 or greater beginning December 31, 2009; and the Interest
Coverage Ratio (as defined) must not be less than (i) 2.50:1.00 for the period
beginning on May 2, 2008 and ending on September 30, 2009, and (ii) 2.75:1.00
for the period beginning October 1, 2009, and ending on August 31,
2012.
Our Senior Credit
Facility, which was amended in October 2008 to allow an additional $15.0 million
in capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2008, also limits the
amount of capital expenditures, excluding acquisitions, that we can incur each
year based on the following (amounts in thousands):
Year
Ended:
|
Maximum
Capital Expenditure Amount
|
|||
2008
|
$ | 240,000 | ||
2009
|
$ | 125,000 | ||
2010
|
$ | 125,000 | ||
2011 and
thereafter
|
$ | 100,000 |
If
our capital expenditures for a given year are less than the maximum, the
difference between the amount incurred and the maximum capital expenditure
limitation may be carried over to the following year.
This transaction
was a partial substantial modification of our existing Senior Credit Facility
resulting in a $667,000 write-off of previously deferred loan fees during the
nine months ended September 30, 2008 in our Consolidated Income
Statement. Deferred loan fees of $58,000 associated with the portion
of our existing Senior Credit Facility determined not to have been substantially
modified continue to be amortized over the remaining life of the Senior Credit
Facility.
In
connection with the Additional Incremental Term Loan, we paid bank fees and
other expenses of $1.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2008
of which $527,000 were immediately expensed in the nine months ended September
30, 2008 and $1.1 million were deferred and are being amortized over the
remaining life of the Senior Credit Facility.
We
acquired long-term debt of $42.7 million upon our acquisition of UUI and Unicom
effective June 1, 2008. The long-term debt is due in monthly
installments of principal based on a fixed rate amortization
schedule. The interest rates on the various loans to which this debt
relates range from 2.0% to 11.25%. Through UUI and Unicom, we have
$9.9 million available for borrowing for specific capital expenditures under
existing borrowing arrangements.
As
of September 30, 2008, maturities of long-term debt were as follows (amounts in
thousands):
Years ending
December 31,
|
||||
2008
(remainder of the year)
|
$ | 3,100 | ||
2009
|
8,581 | |||
2010
|
8,839 | |||
2011
|
178,377 | |||
2012
|
176,599 | |||
2013 and
thereafter
|
341,786 | |||
717,282 | ||||
Less
unamortized discount paid on the Senior Notes
|
2,631 | |||
Less
unamortized discount paid on the Senior Credit Facility
|
2,692 | |||
Less current
portion of long-term debt
|
9,438 | |||
Adjustment to
record debt acquired from UUI at fair value
|
869 | |||
$ | 703,390 |
(Continued)
22
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
(5) Fair
Value Measurements
On
January 1, 2008, we partially adopted SFAS No. 157 “Fair Value Measurements,”
which did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
We partially adopted SFAS No. 157 due to the issuance of FSP FASB 157-2,
“Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157” (“FSP No. 157-2”). SFAS No. 157
defines fair value, establishes a common framework for measuring fair value
under U.S. GAAP, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements for
assets and liabilities. SFAS No. 157 does not require additional assets or
liabilities to be accounted for at fair value beyond that already required under
other U.S. GAAP accounting standards. FSP No. 157-2 deferred the effective date
of SFAS No. 157 for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities that
are not recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a
recurring basis (at least annually). Included in the scope of FSP No. 157-2 are
nonfinancial assets and liabilities acquired in business combinations and
impaired assets. The effective date for nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial
liabilities has been delayed by one year to fiscal years beginning after
November 15, 2008, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We continue to
assess the deferred portion of SFAS No. 157.
In
accordance with the provisions of FSP No. 157-2, we have applied the provisions
of SFAS No. 157 only to our financial assets and liabilities recorded at fair
value, which consist of interest rate caps. SFAS No. 157 establishes a
three-tiered fair value hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation
techniques used in fair value calculations. Level 1 inputs, the highest
priority, are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities. Level 2 inputs reflect other than quoted prices included in Level 1
that are either observable directly or through corroboration with observable
market data. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs, due to little or no market
activity for the asset or liability, such as internally-developed valuation
models.
Assets and
liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of September 30, 2008
were as follows (amounts in thousands):
Observable
Inputs Level
1
|
Other
Observable Inputs Level 2
|
Unobservable
Inputs Level 3
|
Total
|
|||||||||||||
Assets
|
||||||||||||||||
Derivative
financial instruments
|
$ | --- | 409 | --- | 409 | |||||||||||
Total assets
at fair value
|
$ | --- | 409 | --- | 409 |
The valuation of
our derivative financial instruments are determined using mid-market quotations
that are based on actual bid/ask quotations shown on reliable electronic
information screens as of September 30, 2008.
(6) Share-Based
Compensation
Our 1986 Stock Option Plan, as amended
("Stock Option Plan"), provides for the grant of options and restricted stock
awards (collectively "award") for a maximum of 15.7 million shares of GCI Class
A common stock, subject to
adjustment upon the occurrence of stock dividends, stock splits,
mergers, consolidations or certain other changes in corporate structure or
capitalization. If an award expires or terminates, the shares subject to the
award will be
available for further grants of awards under the Stock Option Plan. The
Compensation Committee of GCI’s Board of Directors administers the Stock Option
Plan. Substantially all restricted stock awards granted vest over periods of up
to
five years. Substantially all options vest in equal installments over a period
of five years and expire ten years from the date of grant. Options granted
pursuant to the Stock Option Plan are only exercisable if at the time of
exercise the
option holder is our employee, non-employee director, or a consultant or advisor
working on our behalf. New shares are issued when stock option agreements are
exercised or restricted stock awards are made. Our share repurchase
program as described above may include the purchase of shares issued pursuant to
stock option agreement exercise transactions.
(Continued)
23
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
The fair value of
restricted stock awards is determined based on the quoted price of our common
stock. We use a Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model to estimate
the fair value of stock options issued under SFAS No.123(R). The
Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model incorporates various and highly
subjective assumptions, including expected term and expected volatility. We have
reviewed our historical pattern of option exercises and have determined that
meaningful differences in option exercise activity existed among employee job
categories. Therefore, for all stock options, we have categorized these awards
into two groups for valuation purposes.
During the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2008, we modified the option price of several performance
based stock options as consideration for a modification of the performance
target. SFAS No. 123(R) requires that we
recognize incremental compensation expense based on the difference between the
fair value of the modified option as compared to the original option as of the
modification date. The modification resulted in $221,000 incremental
expense that is expected to be recognized over the weighted average period of
1.7 years.
The weighted average
grant date fair value of options granted during the nine months ended September
30, 2008 and 2007 was $3.08 per share and $3.19 per share, respectively. The
total fair value of options vesting during the nine
months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 was $2.6 million and $2.9
million, respectively.
We have recorded
share-based compensation expense of $5.5 million for the nine months ended
September 30, 2008, which consists of $5.4 million for employee share-based
compensation expense and a $101,000 increase in the fair
value
of liability-classified share-based compensation. We recorded
share-based compensation expense of $3.5 million for the nine months ended
September 30, 2007, which consists of $4.1 million for employee share-based
compensation expense and a $589,000 decrease in the fair value of
liability-classified share-based compensation. Share-based compensation expense
is classified as selling, general and administrative expense in our consolidated
income statement. Unrecognized share-based compensation expense was
$3.0 million relating to 388,000 restricted stock awards and $10.8 million
relating to 2.7 million unvested stock options as of September 30,
2008. We expect
to recognize share-based compensation expense over a weighted average period of
2.9 years for stock options and 1.9 years for restricted stock
awards.
The following is a summary
of our Stock Option Plan activity for the nine months ended September 30,
2008:
Shares
(in
thousands)
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|||||||
Outstanding
at December 31, 2007
|
6,751 | $ | 9.37 | |||||
Options
granted
|
720 | $ | 8.11 | |||||
Restricted
stock awards granted
|
43 | $ | 6.94 | |||||
Exercised
|
(53 | ) | $ | 6.22 | ||||
Restricted
stock awards vested
|
(131 | ) | $ | 12.05 | ||||
Forfeited
|
(125 | ) | $ | 10.86 | ||||
Outstanding
at September 30, 2008
|
7,205 | $ | 9.08 | |||||
Available for
grant at September 30, 2008
|
946 |
(Continued)
24
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
The following is a
summary of activity for stock option grants that were not made pursuant to
the Stock Option Plan for the nine months ended September 30,
2008:
Shares
(in
thousands)
|
Weighted
Average
Exercise
Price
|
|||||||
Outstanding
at December 31, 2007 and September 30, 2008
|
150 | $ | 6.50 | |||||
Available for
grant at September 30, 2008
|
--- |
In January 2001 we
entered into an aircraft operating lease agreement with a company owned by our
President and CEO. The lease was amended effective January 1, 2002
and February 25, 2005. Upon signing the lease, the lessor
was granted an option
to purchase 250,000 shares of GCI Class A common stock at $6.50 per share, of
which 150,000 shares remain available for purchase and expire on March 31,
2010.
The total intrinsic
values, determined as of the date of exercise, of options exercised during the
nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 were $155,000 and $3.4 million,
respectively. We received $327,000 and $3.1 million in
cash from stock
option exercises during the nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007,
respectively.
(7)
|
Industry
Segments Data
|
Our reportable
segments are business units that offer different products. The reportable
segments are each managed separately and serve distinct types of
customers.
A
description of our five reportable segments follows:
Consumer
- - We offer a full range of voice, video, data and wireless services to
residential customers.
Network
Access - We offer a full range of voice, data and wireless services to
common carrier customers.
Commercial
- - We offer a full range of voice, video, data and wireless services to business
and governmental customers.
Managed
Broadband - We offer data services to rural school districts and rural
hospitals and health clinics through our SchoolAccess®
and ConnectMD®
initiatives.
Regulated
Operations - We offer voice, data and wireless services to residential,
business, and governmental customers in areas of rural
Alaska.
Corporate related
expenses including engineering, information technology, accounting, legal and
regulatory, human resources, and other general and administrative expenses for
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 are allocated to our
Consumer, Network Access, Commercial, and Broadband segments using segment
margin for the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Bad
debt expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2008 and
2007 is allocated to our Consumer, Network Access, Commercial and Managed
Broadband segments using a combination of specific identification and
allocations based upon segment revenue for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2008 and 2007, respectively. Corporate related expenses
and bad debt expense are specifically identified for our Regulated Operations
segment and therefore, are not included in the allocations.
(Continued)
25
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
We
evaluate performance and allocate resources based on EBITDAS, a non-GAAP
financial measure. The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the
same as those described in the summary of significant accounting policies in
note 1 in the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” included in Part II
of our December 31, 2007 annual report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 2).
Intersegment sales are recorded at cost plus an agreed upon intercompany
profit.
We
earn all revenues through sales of services and products within the United
States. All of our long-lived assets are located within the United States of
America, except approximately 82% of our undersea fiber optic cable systems
which transit international waters and all of our satellite
transponders.
Summarized
financial information for our reportable segments for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2008 and 2007 follows (amounts in thousands):
Three months
ended
September
30,
|
Consumer
|
Network
Access
|
Commercial
|
Managed
Broadband
|
Regulated
Operations
|
Total
Reportable Segments
|
||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Intersegment
|
$ | 33 | 336 | 1,428 | --- | --- | 1,797 | |||||||||||||||||
External
|
66,485 | 38,778 | 30,166 | 10,293 | 5,938 | 151,660 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 66,518 | 39,114 | 31,594 | 10,293 | 5,938 | 153,457 | |||||||||||||||||
EBITDAS
|
$ | 18,008 | 17,635 | 5,944 | 4,217 | 1,320 | 47,124 | |||||||||||||||||
2007 (as
restated)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Intersegment
|
$ | --- | 831 | 1,343 | --- | --- | 2,174 | |||||||||||||||||
External
|
56,795 | 42,657 | 27,269 | 7,369 | --- | 134,090 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 56,795 | 43,488 | 28,612 | 7,369 | --- | 136,264 | |||||||||||||||||
EBITDAS
|
$ | 11,137 | 21,356 | 4,494 | 1,934 | --- | 38,921 |
Nine months
ended
September
30,
|
Consumer
|
Network
Access
|
Commercial
|
Managed
Broadband
|
Regulated
Operations
|
Total
Reportable Segments
|
||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Intersegment
|
$ | 50 | 804 | 4,346 | --- | 116 | 5,316 | |||||||||||||||||
External
|
189,981 | 119,843 | 84,201 | 26,953 | 7,817 | 428,795 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 190,031 | 120,647 | 88,547 | 26,953 | 7,933 | 434,111 | |||||||||||||||||
EBITDAS
|
$ | 43,685 | 59,448 | 15,965 | 9,832 | 1,679 | 130,609 | |||||||||||||||||
2007 (as
restated)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Intersegment
|
$ | --- | 2,194 | 3,972 | --- | --- | 6,166 | |||||||||||||||||
External
|
165,526 | 124,599 | 77,643 | 21,243 | --- | 389,011 | ||||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
$ | 165,526 | 126,793 | 81,615 | 21,243 | --- | 395,177 | |||||||||||||||||
EBITDAS
|
$ | 32,060 | 64,664 | 12,569 | 5,682 | --- | 114,975 |
(Continued)
26
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
A
reconciliation of reportable segment revenues to consolidated revenues follows
(amounts in thousands):
Three Months
Ended
|
Nine Months
Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007 (as
restated)
|
2008
|
2007 (as
restated)
|
|||||||||||||
Reportable
segment revenues
|
$ | 153,457 | 136,264 | 434,111 | 395,177 | |||||||||||
Less
intersegment revenues eliminated in consolidation
|
1,797 | 2,174 | 5,316 | 6,166 | ||||||||||||
Consolidated
revenues
|
$ | 151,660 | 134,090 | 428,795 | 389,011 |
We
evaluate performance and allocate resources based upon segment EBITDAS, a
non-GAAP financial measure. We do not measure our segments'
performance or allocate resources using financial measurements other than
EBITDAS, therefore, we are unable to reconcile segment EBITDAS to segment income
before income taxes. A reconciliation of consolidated reportable
segment earnings from external EBITDAS to consolidated income before income
taxes (amounts in thousands):
Three Months
Ended
|
Nine Months
Ended
|
|||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
September
30,
|
|||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007 (as
restated)
|
2008
|
2007 (as
restated)
|
|||||||||||||
Reportable
segment EBITDAS
|
$ | 47,124 | 38,921 | 130,609 | 114,975 | |||||||||||
Less
depreciation and amortization expense
|
28,869 | 21,970 | 83,820 | 64,273 | ||||||||||||
Less
share-based compensation expense
|
2,694 | 1,742 | 5,547 | 3,490 | ||||||||||||
Less (plus)
minority interest
|
(419 | ) | 37 | 1,503 | 26 | |||||||||||
Consolidated
operating income
|
15,980 | 15,172 | 39,739 | 47,186 | ||||||||||||
Less other
expense, net
|
14,167 | 9,252 | 32,448 | 26,189 | ||||||||||||
Consolidated
income before income tax expense
|
$ | 1,813 | 5,920 | 7,291 | 20,997 |
(8)
|
Indefeasible
Right to Use (“IRU”) Capacity
Sale
|
|
We entered
into various IRU sales agreements for which we received cash of $33.9
million and $37.1 million during the three and nine months ended September
30, 2008, respectively. These transactions are being accounted
for as operating leases with deferred revenue to be recognized over the
estimated life of the IRU agreement. We had long-term deferred
revenue of $36.6 million related to these IRU transactions at September
30, 2008.
|
(9)
|
Commitments
and Contingencies
|
Litigation,
Disputes, and Regulatory Matters
We
are involved in various lawsuits, billing disputes, legal proceedings, and
regulatory matters that have arisen from time to time in the normal course of
business. While the ultimate results of these items cannot be predicted with
certainty we do not expect, at this time, that the resolution of them will have
a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or
liquidity.
In
the third quarter of 2008, Alaska DigiTel received a request for documents
pursuant to a notification of investigation from the Office of the Inspector
General of the FCC, in connection with its review Alaska DigiTel’s participation
in the federal Universal Service Low Income program. The request covers the
period beginning January 1, 2004 through August 31, 2008, and relates to amounts
received by Alaska DigiTel and its affiliates during that period. We
intend to fully comply with this request on behalf of Alaska DigiTel and the GCI
companies as affiliates. Given the preliminary nature of this request
we are unable to assess the ultimate resolution of this matter.
(Continued)
27
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
Access
to ACS Unbundled Network Elements
On
May 22, 2006, the Alaska Communications Systems Group, Inc. (“ACS”) subsidiary
serving Anchorage filed a petition with the FCC, seeking forbearance from
regulation of interstate broadband and access services. On August 20,
2007, the FCC granted in part and denied in part the requested relief, requiring
that ACS comply with certain safeguards to ensure that the relief granted would
not result in harm to consumers or competition. On September 19,
2007, GCI and ACS both filed petitions for reconsideration on discrete findings
in the order. The petitions are pending and we cannot predict the
final outcome of the proceeding at this time.
Universal
Service and Access Charges
The USF pays
subsidies to ETCs to support the provision of local access service in high-cost
areas. Under FCC regulations, we have qualified as a competitive ETC in the
Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, MTA, Mukluk, Ketchikan, Ft. Wainwright/Eielson,
and Glacier State study areas. Without ETC status, we would not qualify for USF
subsidies in these areas or other rural areas where we propose to offer local
access services, and our revenue for providing local access services in these
areas would be materially adversely affected.
On
May 1, 2008, the FCC issued an order adopting the recommendation of the Federal
State Joint Board on Universal Service (“Joint Board”) to impose a
state-by-state interim cap on high cost funds to be distributed to competitive
ETCs. As part of the revised policy, the FCC adopted a limited
exception from the cap for competitive ETCs serving tribal lands or Alaska
Native regions. While the operation of the cap will generally reduce
the high cost fund amounts available to competitive ETCs as new competitive ETCs
are designated and as existing competitive ETCs acquire new customers, providers
like us who serve tribal lands or Alaska Native regions will be provided some
relief. The USF cap will be in place until the FCC takes action on
proposals for long-term reform. The FCC and the USAC are each
considering issues related to the interpretation and implementation of the
limited exception from the cap, which may materially affect the scope and extent
to which eligible entities may avail themselves of the exception, as well as the
timing for eligible entities to exercise the exception.
The FCC is
considering reform proposals for changing the basis for USF support amounts,
which, if adopted, would more likely than not result in reduced support
amounts. We cannot predict at this time the outcome of the FCC
proceedings to consider USF reform proposals or their respective impacts on
us. Both these and any future regulatory, legislative, or judicial
actions could affect the operation of the USF and result in a change in our
revenue for providing local access services in new and existing markets and
facilities-based wireless services in new markets
The FCC is also
considering revising the intercarrier compensation regime, including access
charges. The FCC has actively reviewed new mechanisms for
intercarrier compensation that, in some cases, could eliminate access charges
entirely. We cannot predict at this time the outcome of the FCC
proceedings to consider intercarrier compensation reform proposals or their
respective impacts on us, but elimination of access charges would likely have an
adverse effect on our revenue and earnings.
Capital
Lease Obligation
On
March 31, 2006, through our subsidiary GCI Communication Corp. we entered into
an agreement to lease transponder capacity on Intelsat, Ltd.’s (“Intelsat”)
Galaxy 18 spacecraft that successfully launched on May 21, 2008. We are also
leasing capacity on the Horizons 1 satellite, which is owned jointly by Intelsat
and JSAT International, Inc. The leased capacity replaced our existing
transponder capacity on Intelsat’s Galaxy XR satellite.
The Intelsat Galaxy
18 C-band and Ku-Band transponders are being leased over an expected term of 14
years. The present value of the lease payments, excluding telemetry, tracking
and command
(Continued)
28
GENERAL
COMMUNICATON, INC.
Notes
to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements
(Unaudited)
services and
back-up protection, is $98.6 million. We have recorded a capital lease
obligation and an addition to our Property and Equipment at September 30,
2008.
In
June 2008 Galaxy XR was taken out of service resulting in the removal of the
remaining $8.8 million net book value and the recognition of an $8.8 million
warranty receivable. We applied $4.8 million of the warranty
receivable to offset our interest expense obligation of our capital lease and to
reduce the principle amount of the capital lease with the same party during the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2008, resulting in an outstanding
warranty receivable of $4.0 million as of September 30, 2008.
A
summary of future minimum lease payments for this lease follows (amounts in
thousands):
Years ending
December 31:
|
||||
2008
|
$ | 6,510 | ||
2009
|
11,160 | |||
2010
|
11,160 | |||
2011
|
11,160 | |||
2012
|
11,160 | |||
2013 and
thereafter
|
105,090 | |||
Total minimum
lease payments
|
$ | 156,240 |
Capital
Lease Amendment
|
On April 8,
2008, we signed an amendment to a long-term capital lease agreement with
our President and CEO and his wife for property we occupy. The
amended lease terminates on September 30, 2026. We
have increased our existing capital lease asset and liability by $1.3
million to record the extension of this capital
lease.
|
|
A summary of
future minimum lease payments for this lease follows (amount in
thousands):
|
Years ending
December 31:
|
||||
2008
|
$ | 194 | ||
2009
|
258 | |||
2010
|
258 | |||
2011
|
261 | |||
2012
|
270 | |||
2013 and
thereafter
|
4,691 | |||
Total minimum
lease payments
|
$ | 5,932 |
29
PART
I.
ITEM
2.
MANAGEMENT’S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
In
the following discussion, GCI and its direct and indirect subsidiaries are
referred to as “we,” “us” and “our.”
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
discusses our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in
accordance with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements
requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts
of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and
liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of
revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an on-going basis, we
evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to the allowance
for doubtful receivables, unbilled revenues, accrual of the USF high-cost area
program subsidy, share-based compensation, reserve for future customer credits,
valuation allowances for deferred income tax assets, depreciable and amortizable
lives of assets, the carrying value of long-lived assets including goodwill,
cable certificates and wireless licenses, our effective tax rate, purchase price
allocations, the accrual of Cost of Goods Sold, depreciation, and contingencies
and litigation. We base our estimates and judgments on historical experience and
on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the
circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about
the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from
other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different
assumptions or conditions. See also our “Cautionary Statement Regarding
Forward-Looking Statements.”
On
June 11, 2008, we filed a Form 10K/A (Amendment No. 2) with the SEC to reflect
the restatement of our summary of unaudited quarterly results of operations for
the year ended December 31, 2007. We made the following corrections
as part of the restatement of our results of operations for the three and nine
months ended September 30, 2007:
·
|
We decreased
depreciation expense by approximately $1.2 million and $2.6 million for
the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007, respectively, to
correct an error in calculating depreciation in the initial year an asset
is placed in service. We originally recorded our estimated
depreciation expense evenly throughout the year with periodic adjustments
based upon improved estimates or actual results. In accordance
with GAAP we now initially record depreciation expense in the month an
asset is placed in service. Depreciation was improperly
allocated among quarters, but the year-end total was
correct. Therefore the restatement impacts the quarterly
results but not the December 31, 2007 year-end
results.
|
Additionally we
corrected the 2007 quarters for errors that have been determined to be
immaterial individually and in the aggregate. Other than interest
capitalization, these immaterial errors do not impact the December 31, 2007
results. They are as follows:
·
|
We decreased
interest expense by approximately $422,000 and $1.2 million for the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2007, respectively, to correct an
interest capitalization error on certain assets. Our
capitalized interest policy was too restrictive and resulted in no
interest capitalization on certain qualifying capital
expenditures. Our capitalized interest policy now conforms to
GAAP;
|
·
|
We increased
depreciation expense $322,000 and $966,000 for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2007, respectively, due to the recognition of
depreciation on additional capitalized
interest;
|
·
|
We increased
revenue $141,000 and $633,000 for the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2007, respectively, to correct understated revenue resulting
from a configuration error in the automated interface between our unified
billing system and our general
ledger;
|
·
|
We increased
revenue $85,000 and $343,000 for the three and nine months ended September
30, 2007, respectively, to correct revenue recognition for a majority
noncontrolling interest in a subsidiary that was recognizing a certain
type of revenue on a cash basis rather than an accrual
basis;
|
·
|
We increased
share-based compensation expense $114,000 for the three months ended
September 30, 2007 and decreased share-based compensation expense $643,000
for the nine months ended September 30, 2007 to correct expense
recognition timing for options that did not vest in equal increments over
the vesting period;
|
·
|
We decreased
depreciation expense $38,000 and $113,000 for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2007, respectively, due to a revision of the purchase
price allocation of our purchase of Alaska DigiTel on January 1, 2007;
and
|
·
|
We increased
income tax expense $658,000 and $2.1 million for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2007, respectively, to record the income tax effect of
the corrections described above.
|
30
We
reclassified $4.3 million and $12.6 million of network maintenance and
operations expense from selling, general and administrative expense to Cost of
Goods Sold for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2007,
respectively. We believe this change in accounting more closely
aligns our maintenance and operations components to the nature of expenses
included in our financial statement captions, and will improve the comparability
of our financial statement presentation with our industry peers.
The impact of the
restatement and immaterial error correction adjustments and the reclassification
as described above for the periods presented are as follows (amounts in
thousands, except per share amounts):
Three Months
Ended September 30, 2007
|
||||||||||||||||
As previously reported1
|
Adjustments
|
Reclassification
|
As
restated
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 133,864 | 226 | --- | 134,090 | |||||||||||
Cost of goods
sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately
below)
|
47,878 | --- | 4,335 | 52,213 | ||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
|
48,956 | 114 | (4,335 | ) | 44,735 | |||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
22,837 | (867 | ) | --- | 21,970 | |||||||||||
Operating
income
|
14,193 | 979 | --- | 15,172 | ||||||||||||
Other income
(expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(9,042 | ) | 422 | --- | (8,620 | ) | ||||||||||
Loan and
senior note fees
|
(751 | ) | --- | --- | (751 | ) | ||||||||||
Interest
income
|
82 | --- | --- | 82 | ||||||||||||
Minority
interest
|
37 | --- | --- | 37 | ||||||||||||
Other
expense, net
|
(9,674 | ) | 422 | --- | (9,252 | ) | ||||||||||
Income before
income tax expense
|
4,519 | 1,401 | --- | 5,920 | ||||||||||||
Income tax
expense
|
2,306 | 658 | --- | 2,964 | ||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 2,213 | 743 | --- | 2,956 | |||||||||||
Basic net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.04 | 0.02 | --- | 0.06 | |||||||||||
Diluted net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.04 | 0.01 | --- | 0.05 | |||||||||||
1
As reported on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30,
2007
|
Nine Months
Ended September 30, 2007
|
||||||||||||||||
As previously reported1
|
Adjustments
|
Reclassification
|
As
restated
|
|||||||||||||
Revenues
|
$ | 388,035 | 976 | --- | 389,011 | |||||||||||
Cost of goods
sold (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately
below)
|
133,229 | --- | 12,553 | 145,782 | ||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
|
144,966 | (643 | ) | (12,553 | ) | 131,770 | ||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
66,033 | (1,760 | ) | --- | 64,273 | |||||||||||
Operating
income
|
43,807 | 3,379 | --- | 47,186 | ||||||||||||
Other income
(expense):
|
||||||||||||||||
Interest
expense
|
(26,683 | ) | 1,188 | --- | (25,495 | ) | ||||||||||
Loan and
senior note fees
|
(1,147 | ) | --- | --- | (1,147 | ) |
31
Interest
income
|
427 | --- | --- | 427 | ||||||||||||
Minority
interest
|
26 | --- | --- | 26 | ||||||||||||
Other
expense, net
|
(27,377 | ) | 1,188 | --- | (26,189 | ) | ||||||||||
Income before
income tax expense
|
16,430 | 4,567 | --- | 20,997 | ||||||||||||
Income tax
expense
|
7,672 | 2,145 | --- | 9,817 | ||||||||||||
Net
income
|
$ | 8,758 | 2,422 | --- | 11,180 | |||||||||||
Basic net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.16 | 0.05 | --- | 0.21 | |||||||||||
Diluted net
income per common share
|
$ | 0.15 | 0.04 | --- | 0.19 | |||||||||||
Cash provided
by operating activities
|
$ | 74,337 | 1,188 | --- | 75,525 | |||||||||||
Cash used in
investing activities
|
(125,125 | ) | (1,188 | ) | --- | (126,313 | ) | |||||||||
Cash provided
by financing activities
|
18,086 | --- | --- | 18,086 | ||||||||||||
1
As reported on Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30,
2007
|
All adjustments
noted above have been included in the amounts for the three and nine months
ended September 30, 2007 shown in Management's Discussion and
Analysis.
General
Overview
Through our focus
on long-term results, acquisitions, and strategic capital investments, we strive
to consistently grow our revenues and expand our margins. We have historically
met our cash needs for operations, regular capital expenditures and maintenance
capital expenditures through our cash flows from operating activities.
Historically, cash requirements for significant acquisitions and major capital
expenditures have been provided largely through our financing activities. The
ongoing weakness in the national economy and credit market turmoil combined with
higher energy costs continue to negatively impact consumer confidence and
spending. If these trends continue, they could lead to reductions in consumer
spending which could impact our revenue growth. We believe the Alaska
economy continues to perform well remaining largely unscathed by the current
economic turmoil. Employment continues to grow in Alaska, mortgage foreclosure
rates are the lowest in the nation and the commercial real estate market is
still strong. Alaska appears to be uniquely positioned to weather recessionary
pressures despite the recent steep decline in energy prices. The State of Alaska
has large cash reserves that should enable it to maintain its budget for at
least the next two fiscal years. This is important for Alaska’s economy as the
State is the largest employer and second largest source of gross state product.
Because the majority of our revenue is driven by the strength of the Alaska
economy and because the Alaska economy appears positioned to weather the
recessionary pressures, we don't expect the economic crisis to have a
significant impact on us.
32
The Network Access
segment provides services to other common carrier customers and the Managed
Broadband segment provides services to rural school districts, hospitals and
health clinics. Effective June 1, 2008, we purchased 100% of the
outstanding stock of the UUI and Unicom subsidiaries. The financial
results of the long-distance, local access and Internet services sold to
consumer and commercial customers of certain of these acquired companies are
reported in the Regulated Operations segment. The financial results
of the long-distance services sold to other common carrier customers and the
managed broadband services components of certain of these acquired companies are
included in the Network Access and Managed Broadband Services segments,
respectively. Effective July 1, 2008, we closed on our purchase of
100% of the ownership interests of Alaska Wireless whose results are included in
the Consumer segment. Following are our segments and the services and
products each offers to its customers:
Reportable
Segments
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Services and
Products
|
Consumer
|
Network
Access
|
Commercial
|
Managed
Broadband
|
Regulated
Operations
|
|||||||||||||||
Voice:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Long-distance
|
X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||
Local
Access
|
X | X | X | X | ||||||||||||||||
Directories
|
X | |||||||||||||||||||
Video
|
X | X | ||||||||||||||||||
Data:
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Internet
|
X | X | X | X | X | |||||||||||||||
Data
Networks
|
X | X | X | |||||||||||||||||
Managed
Services
|
X | X | ||||||||||||||||||
Managed
Broadband Services
|
X | |||||||||||||||||||
Wireless
|
X | X | X | X |
An
overview of our services and products follows.
Voice
Services and Products
Long-distance
We
generate long-distance services revenues from monthly plan fees and usage
charges.
Factors that have
the greatest impact on year-to-year changes in long-distance services revenues
include the rate per minute charged to customers and usage volumes expressed as
minutes of use.
Common carrier
traffic routed to us for termination in Alaska is largely dependent on traffic
routed to our common carrier customers by their customers. Pricing pressures,
new program offerings, and market and business consolidations continue to evolve
in the markets served by our other common carrier customers. If, as a result,
their traffic is reduced, or if their competitors’ costs to terminate or
originate traffic in Alaska are reduced, our traffic will also likely be
reduced, and our pricing may be reduced to respond to competitive pressures,
consistent with federal law. Additionally, disruption in the economy resulting
from terrorist attacks and other attacks or acts of war and economic downturns
could affect our carrier customers. We are unable to predict the effect on us of
such changes or events. However, given the materiality of other common carrier
revenues to us, a significant reduction in traffic or pricing could have a
material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and
liquidity.
AT&T Mobility
acquired Dobson Communications Corporation (“Dobson”), including its Alaska
properties, on November 15, 2007. In December 2007 we signed an agreement with
AT&T Mobility that provides for an orderly four-year transition of our
wireless customers from the Dobson/AT&T network in Alaska to our wireless
facilities being built in 2008 and to be substantially completed in 2010 or
2011. The agreement requires our customers to be on our wireless
network by March 31, 2009, but allows our customers to use the AT&T Mobility
network for roaming during the transition period. The four-year
transition period, which expires June 30, 2012, provides us with adequate time
to replace the Dobson/AT&T network in Alaska with our own wireless
facilities. Under the agreement, AT&T Mobility’s obligation to purchase
network services from us terminated as of July 1, 2008. AT&T Mobility
provided us with a large block of wireless network usage at no charge
33
to
facilitate the transition of our customers to our facilities. We will
pay for usage in excess of that base transitional amount. Under the
previous agreement with Dobson, our margin was fixed. Under the new
agreement with AT&T Mobility, we will pay for usage in excess of the block
of free minutes on a per minute basis. The block of wireless network
usage at no charge is expected to substantially reduce our wireless product Cost
of Goods Sold paid to AT&T Mobility during the approximate four year period
beginning June 4, 2008 and ending June 30, 2012. We expect our
wireless product Cost of Goods Sold to decrease $5.0 million to $6.0 million
during the fourth quarter of 2008 as compared to the fourth quarter of
2007.
Due in large part
to the favorable synergistic effects of our bundling strategy focused on
consumer and commercial customers, long-distance service continues to be a
significant contributor to our overall performance, although the migration of
traffic from our voice products to our data and wireless products
continues.
Our long-distance
service faces significant competition from ACS, AT&T Alascom, Inc.
(“Alascom”), Matanuska Telephone Association ("MTA"), long-distance resellers,
and certain smaller rural local telephone companies that have entered the
long-distance market. We believe our approach to developing, pricing, and
providing long-distance services and bundling different business segment
services will continue to allow us to be competitive in providing those
services.
Local
Access
We
generate local access services revenues from four primary sources: (1) basic
dial tone services; (2) data network and special access services; (3)
origination and termination of long-distance calls for other common carriers;
and (4) features and other charges, including voice mail, caller ID, distinctive
ring, inside wiring and subscriber line charges.
The primary factors
that contribute to year-to-year changes in local access services revenues
include the average number of subscribers to our services during a given
reporting period, the average monthly rates charged for non-traffic sensitive
services, the number and type of additional premium features selected, the
traffic sensitive access rates charged to carriers and amounts received from the
USAC.
We
estimate that our September 30, 2008 and 2007 total lines in service represent a
statewide market share of approximately 33% and 27%, respectively. At September
30, 2008 and 2007, 69% and 53%, respectively, of our lines, including the lines
of UUI at September 30, 2008, are provided on our own facilities.
Our local access
service faces competition in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau from ACS, which is
the largest incumbent local exchange carrier (“ILEC”) in Alaska, and from
Alascom in Anchorage for consumer services. Alascom has received
certification from the RCA to provide local access services in Fairbanks and
Juneau. In the Matanuska-Susitna Valley our local access service faces
competition from MTA, the ILEC in this area. In October 2007, we
began offering local access service in the Kenai-Soldotna area and face
competition from ACS, the ILEC in this area. We compete against other
smaller ILECs in certain smaller communities. We believe our approach
to developing, pricing, and providing local access services and bundling
different services will allow us to be competitive in providing those
services.
We
are continuing to expand our local access service areas and will offer services
in these new areas using a combination of methods. To a large extent, we plan to
use our existing fiber and coaxial cable networks to deliver local access
services. Where we do not have our own facilities we may resell other carriers’
services, lease portions of an existing carrier’s network, or seek wholesale
discounts.
In
2008 and 2009 we plan to continue to deploy Digital Local Phone Service ("DLPS")
lines which utilize our coaxial cable facilities. This service
delivery method allows us to utilize our own cable facilities to provide local
access service to our customers and avoid paying local loop charges to the
ILEC.
On
May 1, 2008, the FCC issued an order adopting the recommendation of the Joint
Board to impose a state-by-state interim cap on high cost funds to be
distributed to competitive ETCs. As part of the revised policy, the
FCC adopted a limited exception from the cap for competitive ETCs serving tribal
lands or Alaska Native regions. While the operation of the cap will
generally reduce the high cost fund amounts available to competitive ETCs as new
competitive ETCs are designated and as existing competitive ETCs acquire new
customers, providers like us who serve tribal lands or Alaska Native regions
will be provided some relief. The USF cap will be in place until the
FCC takes action on proposals for long-
34
term
reform. The FCC and the USAC are each considering issues related to
the interpretation and implementation of the limited exception from the cap,
which may materially affect the scope and extent to which eligible entities may
avail themselves of the exception, as well as the timing for eligible entities
to exercise the exception.
The Joint Board has
recommended for FCC consideration long-term options for reforming USF support,
including establishing separate funds for mobility and broadband
support. Separately, the FCC has issued two reform proposals for
changing the basis for support amounts. We cannot predict at this
time the outcome of the FCC proceedings to consider USF reform proposals or
their respective impacts on us. Both these and any future regulatory,
legislative, or judicial actions could affect the operation of the USF and
result in a change in our revenue for providing local access services in new and
existing markets and facilities-based wireless services in new
markets.
UUI and its
subsidiary, United-KUC, which were acquired by us effective June 1, 2008, are
ILECs and therefore are subject to regulation by the RCA. UUI and
United-KUC do not face significant competition.
Directories
We
sell advertising in our yellow pages directories to commercial customers,
distribute white and yellow pages directories to customers in certain markets we
serve, and offer an on-line directory.
Video
Services and Products
We
generate cable services revenues from three primary sources: (1) digital and
analog programming services, including monthly basic and premium subscriptions,
video on demand, pay-per-view movies and one-time events, such as sporting
events; (2) equipment rentals; and (3) advertising sales.
Our cable systems
serve 40 communities and areas in Alaska, including the state’s five largest
population centers, Anchorage, Fairbanks, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, the
Kenai Peninsula, and Juneau.
The primary factors
that contribute to period-to-period changes in cable services revenues include
average monthly subscription rates and pay-per-view buys, the mix among basic,
premium and digital tier services, the average number of cable television
subscribers during a given reporting period, set-top box utilization and related
rates, revenues generated from new product offerings, and sales of cable
advertising services.
Our cable service
offerings are bundled with various combinations of our long-distance, local
access, and Internet services and include an offering of free cable service.
Value-added premium services are available for additional charges.
Data
Services and Products
Internet
We
generate Internet services revenues from three primary sources: (1) access
product services, including cable modem, dial-up, and dedicated access; (2)
network management services; and (3) wholesale access for other common
carriers.
The primary factors
that contribute to year-to-year changes in Internet services revenues include
the average number of subscribers to our services during a given reporting
period, the average monthly subscription rates, the amount of bandwidth
purchased by large commercial customers, and the number and type of additional
premium features selected.
Marketing campaigns
continue to be deployed featuring bundled products. Our Internet offerings are
bundled with various combinations of our long-distance, cable, and local access
services and provide free or discounted basic or premium Internet services.
Value-added premium Internet features are available for additional
charges.
We
compete with a number of Internet service providers in our markets. We believe
our approach to developing, pricing, and providing Internet services allows us
to be competitive in providing those services.
Data
Networks
We
generate data network services revenue from two primary sources: (1) leasing
capacity on our facilities that utilize voice and data transmission circuits,
dedicated to particular subscribers, which link a device in one location to
another in a
35
different location,
and (2) through the sale of Internet Protocol-based data services on a secured
shared network to businesses linking multiple enterprise locations. The factor
that has the greatest impact on year-to-year changes in data network services
revenues is the number of data networks in use. We compete against Alascom, ACS
and other local telecommunication service providers.
Managed
Services
We
design, sell, install, service and operate, on behalf of certain customers,
communications and computer networking equipment and provide field/depot, third
party, technical support, communications consulting and outsourcing services. We
also supply integrated voice and data communications systems incorporating
interstate and intrastate digital data networks, point-to-point and multipoint
data network and small earth station services. There are a number of competing
companies in Alaska that actively sell and maintain data and voice
communications systems.
Our ability to
integrate communications networks and data communications equipment has allowed
us to maintain our market position based on “value added” support services
rather than price competition. These services are blended with other transport
products into unique customer solutions, including managed services and
outsourcing.
Managed
Broadband Services
We
generate managed broadband services revenue through our SchoolAccess®,
ConnectMD®
and managed video conferencing products. Our customers may purchase end-to-end
broadband services solutions blended with other transport and software products.
There are several competing companies in Alaska that actively sell broadband
services. Our ability to provide end-to-end broadband services solutions has
allowed us to maintain our market position based on “value added” products and
services rather than solely based on price competition.
SchoolAccess®
is a suite of services designed to advance the educational opportunities of
students in underserved regions of the country. Our SchoolAccess®
division provides Internet and distance learning services designed exclusively
for the school environment. The Schools and Libraries Program of the USF makes
discounts available to eligible rural school districts for telecommunication
services and monthly Internet service charges. The program is intended to ensure
that rural school districts have access to affordable services.
Our network,
Internet and software application services provided through our Managed
Broadband segment’s Medical Services division are branded as ConnectMD®.
Our ConnectMD®
services are currently provided under contract to medical businesses in Alaska,
Washington and Montana. The Rural Health Care Program of the USF makes discounts
available to eligible rural health care providers for telecommunication services
and monthly Internet service charges. The program is intended to ensure that
rural health care providers pay no more for telecommunications services in the
provision of health care services than their urban counterparts. Customers
utilize ConnectMD®
services to securely move data, images, voice traffic, and real time multipoint
interactive video.
We
offer a managed video conferencing product for use in distance learning,
telemedicine and group communication and collaboration environments. The product
is designed to offer customers enhanced communication services that support
video, audio and data presentation. Our product benefits customers by reducing
travel costs, improving course equity in education and increasing the quality of
health services available to patients. The product bundles our data
products, video conferencing services and optional rental of video conferencing
endpoint equipment. Our video conferencing services include multipoint
conferencing, integrated services digital network gateway and transcoding
services, online scheduling and conference control, and videoconference
recording, archiving and streaming. We provide 24-hour technical support via
telephone or online.
Unicom, one of the
companies that we acquired effective June 1, 2008, operates DeltaNet, a
long-haul broadband microwave network ringing the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta – a
region of approximately 30,000 square miles in western Alaska. DeltaNet, which
is substantially complete, links more than 40 villages to Bethel, the region’s
hub. We use this facility, in addition to our other facilities, to
offer our SchoolAccess®,
ConnectMD®
and managed video conferencing products.
36
Wireless
Services and Products
We
generate wireless services and equipment revenues from four primary sources: (1)
monthly plan fees; (2) usage and roaming charges; (3) wireless Internet access;
and (4) handset and accessory sales.
We
offer wireless services by reselling AT&T Mobility services under the GCI
brand name, using our facilities under the GCI brand name commencing November
2008, and using our facilities to sell GCI services under Alaska DigiTel’s brand
name. We compete against AT&T, ACS, MTA, and resellers of those services in
Anchorage and other markets. The GCI and Alaska DigiTel brands compete against
each other.
In
the fourth quarter of 2008, we expect to have substantially completed our Global
System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”) network throughout the terrestrially
served portions of Alaska including the cities of Anchorage and
Fairbanks. We expect to have substantially completed our GSM network
in Juneau, Alaska in the first quarter of 2009. Alaska DigiTel
operates the Code-Division Multiple Access (“CDMA') portion of our statewide
wireless platform and has expanded this network in 2008.
In
October 2008 we received ETC certification in the Mukluk study area which allows
us to receive universal service funding for provisioning, maintaining, and
upgrading qualifying wireless services and facilities. Alaska DigiTel holds ETC
certification for wireless services provided in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau,
MTA, Glacier State, and Fort Wainwright/Eielson study areas.
We
had a distribution agreement with Dobson allowing us to resell Dobson wireless
services. For a discussion of AT&T Mobility’s acquisition of
Dobson please see "Part I – Item II – Management’s Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Voice Services and Products –
Long Distance."
On
July 1, 2008, we completed the acquisition of all of the ownership interests in
Alaska Wireless for an initial acquisition payment of $14.3
million. In addition to the initial acquisition payment, we have
agreed to a contingent payment in 2010 if certain financial conditions are
met. Alaska Wireless is a GSM cellular provider and an Internet
service provider serving subscribers in the Dutch Harbor, Sand Point, and
Akutan, Alaska areas. In addition to the acquisition, we entered into
a management agreement with the previous owners of Alaska
Wireless. The business continues to operate under the Alaska Wireless
name and the previous owners continue to manage its day-to-day
operations. The results of operations generated by Alaska Wireless
are included in wireless services in our Consumer segment.
We
acquired the remaining minority interest in Alaska DigiTel for a total
consideration of $10.5 million effective August 18, 2008. We now own
100% of Alaska DigiTel. In conjunction with this acquisition we paid
$1.8 million to terminate the management agreement entered into upon our
acquisition of 82% of the equity interest of Alaska DigiTel in January
2007. The termination cost is recorded in selling, general and
administrative expense during the three and nine month periods ended September
30, 2008.
37
Results
of Operations
The following table
sets forth selected Statements of Operations data as a percentage of total
revenues for the periods indicated (underlying data rounded to the nearest
thousands):
Percentage
Change 1
|
Percentage
Change 1
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
Three
Months Ended
|
2008
|
Nine
Months Ended
|
2008
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
September
30,
|
vs.
|
September
30,
|
vs.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
2007
|
2008
|
2007
|
2007
|
|||||||||||||||||||
(Unaudited)
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Statements
of Operations Data:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenues:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Consumer
segment
|
43.8 | % | 42.4 | % | 17.1 | % | 44.3 | % | 42.6 | % | 14.8 | % | ||||||||||||
Network
Access segment
|
25.6 | % | 31.8 | % | (9.1 | % ) | 28.0 | % | 32.0 | % | (3.8 | %) | ||||||||||||
Commercial
segment
|
19.9 | % | 20.3 | % | 10.6 | % | 19.6 | % | 20.0 | % | 8.5 | % | ||||||||||||
Managed
Broadband segment
|
6.8 | % | 5.5 | % | 39.7 | % | 6.3 | % | 5.4 | % | 26.9 | % | ||||||||||||
Regulated
Operations segment
|
3.9 | % |
NA
|
NA
|
1.8 | % |
NA
|
NA
|
||||||||||||||||
Total
revenues
|
100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 13.1 | % | 100.0 | % | 100.0 | % | 10.2 | % | ||||||||||||
Selling,
general and administrative expenses
|
37.2 | % | 33.4 | % | 26.1 | % | 35.2 | % | 33.9 | % | 14.7 | % | ||||||||||||
Depreciation
and amortization expense
|
19.0 | % | 16.4 | % | 31.4 | % | 19.6 | % | 16.5 | % | 30.4 | % | ||||||||||||
Operating
income
|
10.5 | % | 11.3 | % | 5.3 | % | 9.3 | % | 12.1 | % | (15.8 | %) | ||||||||||||
Other
expense, net
|
9.3 | % | 6.9 | % | 53.1 | % | 7.6 | % | 6.7 | % | 23.9 | % | ||||||||||||
Income before
income taxes
|
1.2 | % | 4.4 | % | (69.4 | %) | 1.7 | % | 5.4 | % | (65.3 | %) | ||||||||||||
Net
income
|
0.2
|
% | 2.2 | % | (91.0 | %) | 0.6 | % | 2.9 | % | (77.3 | %) |
1 Percentage
change in underlying data.
|
|||
NA – Not
Applicable
|
Three
Months Ended September 30, 2008 (“third quarter of 2008”) Compared to Three
Months Ended September 30, 2007 (“third quarter of 2007”)
Overview
of Revenues and Cost of Goods Sold
Total revenues
increased 13.1% from $134.1 million in the third quarter of 2007 to $151.7
million in the third quarter of 2008. Revenue increases in our
Consumer, Commercial, Managed Broadband and Regulated Operations segments were
partially off-set by decreased revenue in our Network Access
segment. See the discussion below for more information by
segment.
Total Cost of Goods
Sold decreased 3.5% from $52.2 million in the third quarter of 2007 to $50.4
million in the third quarter of 2008. Cost of Goods Sold decreases in our
Consumer and Network Access segments were partially off-set by increased Cost of
Goods Sold in our Commercial, Managed Broadband and Regulated Operations
segments. See the discussion below for more information by
segment.
Consumer
Segment Overview
Consumer segment
revenue represented 43.8% of third quarter 2008 consolidated revenues. The
components of Consumer segment revenue in the third quarter of 2008 and the
third quarter of 2007 are as follows (amounts in thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 11,582 | 11,750 | (1.4 | %) | |||||||
Video
|
26,241 | 23,834 | 10.1 | % | ||||||||
Data
|
10,745 | 8,736 | 23.0 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
17,917 | 12,475 | 43.6 | % | ||||||||
Total
Consumer segment revenue
|
$ | 66,485 | 56,795 | 17.1 | % |
38
Consumer segment
Cost of Goods Sold represented 40.7% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated Cost
of Goods Sold. The components of Consumer segment Cost of Goods Sold in the
third quarter of 2008 and the third quarter of 2007 are as follows (amounts in
thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 4,357 | 5,258 | (17.9 | %) | |||||||
Video
|
10,094 | 8,931 | 13.0 | % | ||||||||
Data
|
1,598 | 1,337 | 19.5 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
4,525 | 7,553 | (40.1 | %) | ||||||||
Total
Consumer segment Cost of Goods Sold
|
$ | 20,574 | 23,079 | (11.0 | %) |
Consumer segment
EBITDAS, representing 38.2% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated EBITDAS, is as
follows (amounts in thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
|||||||
Consumer
segment EBITDAS
|
$ | 18,008 | 11,137 |
61.7%
|
See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
Selected key
performance indicators for our Consumer segment follow:
September
30,
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice:
|
||||||||||||
Long-distance subscribers1
|
89,300 | 89,700 | (0.4 | %) | ||||||||
Long-distance
minutes carried (in millions)
|
31.2 | 33.2 | (6.0 | %) | ||||||||
Total local access lines in service2
|
79,200 | 69,500 | 14.0 | % | ||||||||
Local access lines in service on GCI
facilities2
|
64,300 | 45,900 | 40.1 | % | ||||||||
Video:
|
||||||||||||
Basic subscribers3
|
131,200 | 125,600 | 4.5 | % | ||||||||
Digital programming tier subscribers4
|
70,100 | 62,600 | 12.0 | % | ||||||||
HD/DVR converter boxes5
|
62,900 | 43,600 | 44.3 | % | ||||||||
Homes
passed
|
227,400 | 222,100 | 2.4 | % | ||||||||
Average monthly gross revenue per
subscriber6
|
$ | 67.00 | $ | 63.44 | 5.6 | % | ||||||
Data:
|
||||||||||||
Cable modem subscribers7
|
92,100 | 84,100 | 9.5 | % | ||||||||
Wireless:
|
||||||||||||
Wireless lines in service8
|
81,200 | 66,100 | 25.1 | % | ||||||||
Average monthly gross revenue per
subscriber9
|
$ | 55.21 | $ | 55.87 | (1.2 | %) | ||||||
1 A
long-distance subscriber is defined as a customer account that is invoiced
a monthly long-distance plan fee or has made a long-distance call during
the month.
2 A
local access line in service is defined as a revenue generating circuit or
channel connecting a customer to the public switched telephone
network.
3 A
basic cable subscriber is defined as one basic tier of service delivered
to an address or separate subunits thereof regardless of the number of
outlets purchased.
4 A
digital programming tier subscriber is defined as one digital programming
tier of service delivered to an address or separate subunits thereof
regardless of the number of outlets or digital programming tiers
purchased. Digital programming tier subscribers are a subset of basic
subscribers.
5 A
high definition/digital video recorder ("HD/DVR") converter box is defined
as one box rented by a digital programming or basic tier subscriber. A
digital programming or basic tier subscriber is not required to rent an
HD/DVR converter box to receive service.
6 Quarter-to-date
average monthly consumer video revenues divided by the average of consumer
video basic subscribers at the beginning and ending of the
period.
7 A
cable modem subscriber is defined by the purchase of cable modem service
regardless of the level of service purchased. If one entity purchases
multiple cable modem service access points, each access point is counted
as a subscriber. Cable modem subscribers may also be video basic
subscribers though basic cable service is not required to receive cable
modem service.
8 A
wireless line in service is defined as a revenue generating wireless
device.
9 Quarter-to-date
average monthly consumer wireless revenues divided by the average of
consumer wireless subscribers at the beginning and ending of the
period.
|
||||||||||||
39
The increase in
wireless lines in service includes an increase due to the application of our
wireless line count methodology to the Alaska DigiTel Commercial and Consumer
subscribers. The change moved wireless lines in service from our
Commercial segment to our Consumer segment.
Consumer
Segment Revenues
The decrease in
voice revenue is primarily due to a $815,000 or 53.8% decrease in recognized
support from the USAC primarily due to a change in our revenue accrual
estimation to more precisely consider changes in FCC reimbursement and to
consider uncertainties we believe may impact the amount of reimbursement we
receive and decreased long-distance billable minutes carried. The
decrease is partially off-set by revenues derived from increased local access
lines in service.
The increase in
video revenue is primarily due to the following:
|
·
|
A 8.8%
increase in programming services revenue to $21.1 million primarily
resulting from an increase in basic and digital programming tier
subscribers, and
|
|
·
|
A 19.8%
increase in equipment rental revenue to $4.9 million primarily resulting
from our customers’ increased use of digital distribution
technology.
|
The increase in
data revenue is primarily due to a 27.4% increase in cable modem revenue to $9.2
million. The cable modem revenue increase is primarily due to increased
subscribers and their selection of more value-added premium features in the
third quarter of 2008 as compared to the third quarter of 2007.
The increase in
wireless revenue is primarily due to an increase in the number of wireless
subscribers and receipt of $2.8 million in July 2008 from the USAC for
retroactive interstate common line support at Alaska DigiTel. Due to the
uncertainty in our ability to retroactively claim reimbursement under the
program, we accounted for this payment as a gain contingency and, accordingly,
recognized revenue only upon receipt of payment when realization was
certain.
Consumer
Segment Cost of Goods Sold
The decrease in
voice Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to cost savings resulting from the
increased deployment of local access services DLPS lines on our own facilities
during the last three months of 2007 and the first nine months of 2008 and
decreased voice minutes carried.
The increase in
video Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to increased channels offered to our
subscribers, increased rates paid to programmers, increased costs associated
with delivery of digital services offered over our HD/DVR converter boxes due to
the increased number of converter boxes in service, and increased
subscribers.
The decrease in
wireless Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to decreased costs due to the June
4, 2008 implementation of the new distribution agreement with AT&T Mobility
as described in "Part I – Item II – Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Voice Services and Products –
Long Distance." The decrease was partially off-set by costs
associated with the increased number of wireless subscribers described
above.
40
Consumer
Segment EBITDAS
The increase in
EBITDAS was primarily due to increased margin resulting from increased
subscribers for most product lines in the third quarter of 2008 and reduced
wireless Cost of Goods Sold as described in “Consumer Segment Cost of Goods
Sold” above. The increased margin was partially offset by an increase
in the selling, general and administrative expense that was allocated to our
Consumer segment primarily due to an increase in the 2007 segment margin upon
which the allocation is based.
Network
Access Segment Overview
Network access
segment revenue represented 25.6% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated
revenues. The components of Network Access segment revenue in the third quarter
of 2008 and the third quarter of 2007 are as follows (amounts in
thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 19,671 | 25,856 | (23.9 | %) | |||||||
Data
|
18,148 | 14,920 | 21.6 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
959 | 1,881 | (49.0 | %) | ||||||||
Total Network
Access segment revenue
|
$ | 38,778 | 42,657 | (9.1 | %) |
Network Access
segment Cost of Goods Sold represented 20.9% of third quarter of 2008
consolidated Cost of Goods Sold. The components of Network Access segment Cost
of Goods Sold in the third quarter of 2008 and the third quarter of 2007 are as
follows (amounts in thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 6,529 | 8,710 | (24.7 | %) | |||||||
Data
|
3,456 | 3,503 | (1.3 | %) | ||||||||
Wireless
|
516 | 193 | 167.4 | % | ||||||||
Total Network
Access segment Cost of Goods Sold
|
$ | 10,501 | 12,406 | (15.1 | %) |
Network Access
segment EBITDAS, representing 37.4% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated
EBITDAS, is as follows (amounts in thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
|||||||||||
Network
Access segment EBITDAS
|
$ |
17,635
|
21,356 | (17.4 | %) |
See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
Selected key
performance indicators for our Network Access segment follow:
September
30,
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice:
|
||||||||||||
Long-distance
minutes carried (in millions)
|
255.8 | 321.4 | (20.4 | %) | ||||||||
Data:
|
||||||||||||
Internet service provider access lines in
service1
|
1,800 | 2,600 | (30.8 | %) | ||||||||
1 An
Internet service provider access line in service is defined as a revenue
generating circuit or channel connecting a customer to the public switched
telephone network.
|
||||||||||||
Network
Access Segment Revenues
The decrease in
voice revenue is primarily due to the June 4, 2008 implementation of the new
distribution agreement with AT&T Mobility as described in "Part I – Item II
– Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
41
Results of
Operations – Voice Services and Products – Long Distance." The voice
revenue decrease also resulted from a 8.6% decrease in our average rate per
minute on billable minutes carried for our common carrier customers, the
transition of voice traffic to dedicated data networks, and the decrease in
voice minutes carried. The average rate per minute decrease is
primarily due to a change in the composition of traffic and a 3.0% rate decrease
mandated by federal law which will result in annual rate decreases of
3.0%.
The increase in
data revenue is primarily due to an increase in circuits sold and from other
common carriers moving switched voice services to data networks.
The decrease in
wireless revenue results primarily from a decrease in our rate per minute on
billable minutes carried for customers roaming on our network.
Network
Access Segment Cost of Goods Sold
The 24.7% decrease
in voice Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to decreased long-distance minutes
carried.
Network
Access Segment EBITDAS
The EBITDAS
decrease was primarily due to decreased margin resulting from the decreased rate
per minute on billable minutes carried for our common carrier
customers. The decreased margin was partially offset by an increase
in data circuits sold in the third quarter of 2008 and a decrease in the
selling, general and administrative expense allocated to our Network Access
segment primarily due to a decrease in the third quarter of 2007 segment margin
upon which the allocation is based.
Commercial
Segment Overview
Commercial segment
revenue represented 19.9% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated revenues. The
components of Commercial segment revenue in the third quarter of 2008 and the
third quarter of 2007 are as follows (amounts in thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 7,597 | 7,838 | (3.1 | %) | |||||||
Video
|
2,999 | 2,148 | 39.6 | % | ||||||||
Data
|
18,140 | 15,961 | 13.7 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
1,430 | 1,322 | 8.2 | % | ||||||||
Total
Commercial segment revenue
|
$ | 30,166 | 27,269 | 10.6 | % |
Commercial segment
Cost of Goods Sold represented 30.3% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated Cost
of Goods Sold. The components of Commercial segment Cost of Goods Sold in the
third quarter of 2008 and the third quarter of 2007 are as follows (amounts in
thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 4,771 | 5,255 | (9.1 | %) | |||||||
Video
|
432 | 419 | 3.1 | % | ||||||||
Data
|
9,357 | 7,279 | 28.6 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
723 | 1,163 | (37.8 | %) | ||||||||
Total
Commercial segment Cost of Goods Sold
|
$ | 15,283 | 14,116 | 8.3 | % |
Commercial segment
EBITDAS, representing 12.6% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated EBITDAS, is as
follows (amounts in thousands):
Third Quarter
of
|
Percentage
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
|||||||||||
Commercial
segment EBITDAS
|
$ |
5,944
|
4,494 | 32.3 | % |
See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
42
Selected key
performance indicators for our Commercial segment follow:
September
30,
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice:
|
||||||||||||
Long-distance subscribers1
|
10,200 | 10,800 | (5.6 | %) | ||||||||
Long-distance
minutes carried (in millions)
|
33.3 | 33.5 | (0.6 | %) | ||||||||
Total local access lines in service2
|
46,200 | 42,700 | 8.2 | % | ||||||||
Local access lines in service on GCI
facilities
2
|
17,900 | 11,900 | 50.4 | % | ||||||||
Data:
|
||||||||||||
Cable modem subscribers3
|
9,000 | 8,300 | 8.4 | % | ||||||||
Wireless:
|
||||||||||||
Wireless lines in service4
|
6,900 | 7,200 | (4.2 | %) | ||||||||
1 A
long-distance subscriber is defined as a customer account that is invoiced
a monthly long-distance plan fee or has made a long-distance call during
the month.
2 A
local access line in service is defined as a revenue generating circuit or
channel connecting a customer to the public switched telephone
network.
3 A
cable modem subscriber is defined by the purchase of cable modem service
regardless of the level of service purchased. If one entity purchases
multiple cable modem service access points, each access point is counted
as a subscriber.
4 A
wireless line in service is defined as a revenue generating wireless
device.
|
||||||||||||
The decrease in
wireless lines in service is due to the application of our wireless line count
methodology to the Alaska DigiTel Commercial and Consumer
subscribers. The change moved wireless lines in service from our
Commercial segment to our Consumer segment. Commercial wireless lines
in service would have increased slightly if this change had been
disregarded.
Commercial
Segment Revenues
The increase in
video revenue is primarily due to an increase in sales of cable advertising
services due to the summer Olympics programming and state and federal political
advertising.
Commercial segment
data revenue is comprised of monthly recurring charges for data services and
charges billed on a time and materials basis largely for personnel providing
on-site customer support. This latter category can vary significantly based on
project activity. The increase in data revenue is primarily due to a
$1.4 million or 20.5% increase in managed services project revenue, and a
$603,000 or 16.0% increase in Internet revenue primarily due to increased
dedicated access service sales and increased enterprise data network service
sales.
Commercial
Segment Cost of Goods Sold
The decrease in
voice Cost of Goods Sold resulted primarily from an increase in local access
lines in service on GCI facilities.
The increase in
data Cost of Goods Sold resulted primarily from an increase in contract labor
and internal labor classified as Cost of Goods Sold due to the increase in
managed services project revenue discussed above under "Commercial Segment
Revenues."
Commercial
Segment EBITDAS
The EBITDAS
increase was primarily due to increased margin resulting from additional managed
services projects, increased subscribers for most product lines in the third
quarter of 2008, decreased costs due to the June 4, 2008 implementation of the
new distribution agreement with AT&T Mobility, and a decrease in the
selling, general and administrative expenses allocated to our Commercial segment
primarily due to a decrease in the 2007 segment margin upon which the allocation
is based.
43
Managed
Broadband Segment Overview
Managed Broadband
segment revenue represented 6.8% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated revenues.
Cost of Goods Sold represented 5.3% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated Cost
of Goods Sold and EBITDAS represented 8.9% of third quarter of 2008 consolidated
EBITDAS. The Managed Broadband segment includes data services
only. See note 7 in the accompanying notes to interim consolidated
financial statements for a reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP
financial measure, to consolidated income before income taxes.
Selected key
performance indicators for our Managed Broadband segment follow:
September
30,
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Managed
Broadband segment:
|
||||||||||||
SchoolAccess®
customers
|
54 | 51 | 5.9 | % | ||||||||
Rural health
customers
|
52 | 21 | 147.6 | % |
Through our June 1,
2008, acquisition of Unicom our Managed Broadband segment has added one rural
health customer.
Managed
Broadband Segment Revenues
Managed Broadband
segment revenue increased 39.7% to $10.3 million in the third quarter of
2008. The increase is primarily due to increased circuits purchased
by our rural health and SchoolAccess®
customers and revenue totaling $1.3 million from our acquisition of Unicom
effective June 1, 2008. The Rural Health customer increase from the
third quarter of 2007 to the third quarter of 2008 is primarily due to the
addition of numerous customers with low recurring revenues.
Managed
Broadband Segment Cost of Goods Sold
Managed Broadband
segment Cost of Goods Sold increased 1.5% to $2.7 million in the third quarter
of 2008 primarily due to costs associated with the increased
revenue.
Managed
Broadband Segment EBITDAS
Managed Broadband
segment EBITDAS increased $2.3 million to $4.2 million in the third quarter of
2008 primarily due to an increase in the margin resulting from increased
circuits sold to our rural health and SchoolAccess®
customers.
Regulated
Operations Segment Overview
Regulated
Operations segment revenue represented 3.9% of third quarter of 2008
consolidated revenues. Cost of Goods Sold represented 2.8% of third quarter of
2008 consolidated Cost of Goods Sold and EBITDAS represented 2.8% of third
quarter of 2008 consolidated EBITDAS. The Regulated Operations segment includes
voice, data and wireless services.
Selected key
performance indicators for our Regulated Operations segment follow:
September
30,
|
Percentage
|
|||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||
Voice:
|
||||||
Long-distance subscribers1
|
900
|
NA
|
NA
|
|||
Long-distance
minutes carried (in millions)
|
0.4 |
NA
|
NA
|
|||
Total local access lines in service2
|
12,300 |
NA
|
NA
|
|||
1 A
long-distance subscriber is defined as a customer account that is invoiced
a monthly long-distance plan fee or has made a long-distance call during
the month.
2 A
local access line in service is defined as a revenue generating circuit or
channel connecting a customer to the public switched telephone
network.
NA – Not
Applicable
|
44
Regulated
Operations Segment Revenues
As
described above, we completed our acquisition of UUI and Unicom effective June
1, 2008. In connection with this acquisition, we recognized revenues
of $8.8 million from the acquired operations during the third quarter of 2008
with $5.9 million recorded in the Regulated Operations segment and the remaining
revenues were recorded in the Network Access and Managed Broadband
segments.
Regulated
Operations Segment Cost of Goods Sold
In
connection with our acquisition of UUI and Unicom we recognized Cost of Goods
Sold of $1.9 million during the third quarter of 2008 with $1.4 million recorded
in the Regulated Operations segment and the remaining Cost of Goods Sold
recorded in the Network Access and Managed Broadband segments.
Regulated
Operations Segment EBITDAS
Regulated
Operations segment EBITDAS was $1.3 million in the third quarter of
2008.
See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
Selling,
General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general
and administrative expenses increased 26.1% to $56.4 million in the third
quarter of 2008 primarily due to the following:
·
|
A $4.8
million increase in labor costs,
|
·
|
Upon our
acquisition of the remaining 18% of Alaska DigiTel we paid $1.8 million to
terminate the management agreement entered into in January 2007, when we
acquired 82% of the outstanding shares of Alaska
DigiTel,
|
·
|
$1.6 million
in additional expense resulting from our June 1, 2008, acquisition of UUI
and Unicom, and
|
·
|
A $960,000
contribution expense recognized upon the gift of an IRU to the University
of Alaska.
|
The increases
described above are partially offset by a $900,000 decrease in bad debt expense
primarily due to improvements in our collections of Consumer accounts
receivable.
As
a percentage of total revenues, selling, general and administrative expenses
increased to 37.2% in the third quarter of 2008 from 33.4% in the third quarter
of 2007 primarily due to an increase in expenses without a corresponding revenue
increase.
Depreciation
and Amortization Expense
Depreciation and
amortization expense increased 31.4% to $28.9 million in the third quarter of
2008. The increase is primarily due to our $113.3 million investment in
equipment and facilities placed into service during the 2007 year for which a
full year of depreciation will be recorded in the 2008 year, the $249.4 million
investment in equipment and facilities placed into service during the nine
months ended September 30, 2008 for which a partial year of depreciation will be
recorded in the 2008 year, and a $1.4 million depreciation charge in 2008 to
change the estimated useful life of certain assets that are expected to be
decommissioned at or near the end of 2008.
Effective January
1, 2008, we prospectively changed our accounting policy for recording
depreciation on our property and equipment placed in service. For assets placed
in service on or after January 1, 2008 we are using a mid-month convention to
recognize depreciation expense. Previous to this change we used the half-year
convention to recognize depreciation expense in the year an asset was placed in
service, regardless of the month the property and equipment was placed in
service. We believe the mid-month convention is preferable because it results in
more precise recognition of depreciation expense over the estimated useful life
of the asset. No retroactive adjustment has been made. As a result of this
accounting change, our reported amount of depreciation and amortization expense
has increased $402,000, our reported operating income has decreased $402,000,
and our reported net income has decreased $196,000. Our reported basic and
diluted EPS decreased by $0.01 during the third quarter of 2008 from what we
would have reported had we continued to use our previous accounting policy
during the third quarter of 2008.
Other
Expense, Net
Other expense, net
of other income, increased 53.1% to $14.2 million in the third quarter of 2008
due to a $5.1 million increase in interest expense to $13.7 million in the third
quarter of 2008 due to a $3.0 million increase in interest expense
45
on
our Senior Credit Facility to $6.1 million resulting from additional debt from
the Additional Incremental Term Loan agreement beginning in May 2008, the
increased interest rate on our Senior Credit Facility beginning May 2008, $1.8
million in additional interest expense resulting from the Galaxy 18 capital
lease commencing in May 2008, and a loss of $519,000 relating to the fair value
change on derivative instruments was reported in interest expense.
These increases
were partially offset by a $611,000 increase in capitalized interest to $1.2
million due to increased capital expenditures subject to interest
capitalization.
Income
Tax Expense
Income tax expense
totaled $1.5 million and $3.0 million in the third quarters of 2008 and 2007,
respectively. Our effective income tax rate increased from 50.1% in the third
quarter of 2007 to 85.4% in the third quarter of 2008 due primarily to lower
forecasted pre-tax net income for the year ended December 31, 2008.
At
September 30, 2008, we have (1) tax net operating loss carryforwards of $79.7
million that will begin expiring in 2011 if not utilized, and (2) alternative
minimum tax credit carryforwards of $3.8 million available to offset regular
income taxes payable in future years. We estimate that we will utilize $40.0
million to $43.0 million in net operating loss carryforwards during the year
ended December 31, 2008. Our utilization of certain net operating loss
carryforwards is subject to limitations pursuant to Section 382 of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
We
have recorded deferred tax assets of $31.3 million associated with income tax
net operating losses that were generated from 1995 to 2008, and that expire from
2011 to 2028, and with charitable contributions that were converted to net
operating losses in 2006 to 2008, and that expire from 2024 to
2028.
Tax benefits
associated with recorded deferred tax assets are considered to be more likely
than not realizable through future reversals of existing taxable temporary
differences and future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary
differences and carryforwards. The amount of deferred tax assets considered
realizable, however, could be reduced if estimates of future taxable income
during the carryforward period are reduced which would result in additional
income tax expense. We estimate that our effective annual income tax rate for
financial statement purposes will be 66% to 69% in the year ended December 31,
2008.
Nine
Months Ended September 30, 2008 (“2008”) Compared to Nine Months Ended September
30, 2007 (“2007”)
Overview
of Revenues and Cost of Goods Sold
Total revenues
increased 10.2% from $389.0 million in 2007 to $428.8 million in
2008. Revenue increases in our Consumer, Commercial, Managed
Broadband and Regulated Operations segments were partially off-set by decreased
revenue in our Network Access segment. See the discussion below for
more information by segment.
Total Cost of Goods
Sold increased 5.8% from $145.8 million in 2007 to $154.2 million in 2008. Cost
of Goods Sold increases in our Consumer, Commercial, Managed Broadband and
Regulated Operations segments and were partially off-set by decreased Cost of
Goods Sold in our Network Access segment. See the discussion below
for more information by segment.
Consumer
Segment Overview
Consumer segment
revenue represented 44.3% of 2008 consolidated revenues. The components of
Consumer segment revenue are as follows (amounts in thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 35,560 | 34,711 | 2.5 | % | |||||||
Video
|
77,556 | 71,372 | 8.7 | % | ||||||||
Data
|
31,227 | 24,953 | 25.1 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
45,638 | 34,490 | 32.3 | % | ||||||||
Total
Consumer segment revenue
|
$ | 189,981 | 165,526 | 14.8 | % |
46
Consumer segment
Cost of Goods Sold represented 44.7% of 2008 consolidated Cost of Goods Sold.
The components of Consumer segment Cost of Goods Sold are as follows (amounts in
thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 14,084 | 15,434 | (8.7 | %) | |||||||
Video
|
29,960 | 26,721 | 12.1 | % | ||||||||
Data
|
5,301 | 3,887 | 36.4 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
19,619 | 21,368 | (8.2 | %) | ||||||||
Total
Consumer segment Cost of Goods Sold
|
$ | 68,964 | 67,410 | 2.3 | % |
Consumer segment
EBITDAS, representing 33.4% of 2008 consolidated EBITDAS, is as follows (amounts
in thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Consumer
segment EBITDAS
|
$ | 43,685 | 32,060 | 36.3 | % |
See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
Selected key
performance indicators for our Consumer segment follow:
September
30,
|
Percentage
|
|||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice:
|
||||||||||||
Long-distance
minutes carried (in millions)
|
96.8 | 101.0 | (4.2 | %) | ||||||||
Video:
|
||||||||||||
Average monthly gross revenue per
subscriber1
|
$ | 66.58 | $ | 63.54 | 4.8 | % | ||||||
Wireless:
|
||||||||||||
Average monthly gross revenue per
subscriber2
|
$ | 56.37 | $ | 55.87 | 0.9 | % | ||||||
1 Year-to-date
average monthly consumer video revenues divided by the average of consumer
video basic subscribers at the beginning and ending of the
period.
2 Year-to-date
average monthly consumer wireless revenues divided by the average of
consumer wireless subscribers at the beginning and ending of the
period.
|
Please refer to our
three-month results of operations discussion for additional selected key
performance indicators for the third quarter of 2008 and the third quarter of
2007.
Consumer
Segment Revenues
The increase in
voice revenue is primarily due to increased local service revenues due to
increased local access lines in service. The increase is partially
off-set by a $1.4 million or 30.9% decrease in recognized support from the USAC
primarily due to a change in our revenue estimatation to more precisely consider
changes in FCC reimbursement and to consider uncertainties we believe may impact
the amount of reimbursement we receive and decreased long-distance revenue
primarily resulting from fewer long-distance minutes carried.
The increase in
video revenue is primarily due to the following:
|
·
|
A 6.8%
increase in programming services revenue to $62.4 million primarily
resulting from an increase in basic and digital programming tier
subscribers, and
|
|
·
|
A 19.5%
increase in equipment rental revenue to $14.2 million primarily resulting
from our customers’ increased use of digital distribution
technology.
|
47
The increase in
data revenue is primarily due to a 27.7% increase in cable modem revenue to
$26.7 million. The cable modem revenue increase is primarily due to increased
subscribers and their selection of more value-added premium features in 2008 as
compared to 2007.
The increase in
wireless revenue is primarily due to an increase in the number of wireless
subscribers, a $3.9 million or 177.1% increase in support from the Universal
Service Program primarily due to the receipt of $2.8 million in July 2008 from
the USAC for retroactive interstate common line support at Alaska DigiTel and
increased wireless subscribers upon which subsidies are received. The
increase is partially off-set by a decrease in recognized support from the USAC
primarily due to a change in our revenue accrual estimatation to more precisely
consider changes in FCC reimbursement and to consider uncertainties we believe
may impact the amount of reimbursement we receive.
Consumer
Segment Cost of Goods Sold
The decrease in
voice Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to cost savings resulting from the
increased deployment of local access service DLPS lines on our own facilities
during the last three months of 2007 and the first nine months of 2008 and
decreased voice minutes carried.
The increase in
video Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to increased channels offered to our
subscribers, increased rates paid to programmers, increased costs associated
with delivery of digital services offered over our HD/DVR converter boxes due to
the increased number of converter boxes in service, and increased
subscribers.
The increase in
data Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to increased internet circuit costs due
to an increased number of cable modem subscribers.
The decrease in
wireless Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to decreased expense due to the
June 4, 2008 implementation of the new distribution agreement with AT&T
Mobility as described in "Part I – Item II – Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations – Voice Services and
Products – Long Distance." The decrease is partially offset by
additional costs associated with the increased number of wireless subscribers
discussed above.
Consumer
Segment EBITDAS
The EBITDAS
increase was primarily due to increased margin resulting from increased
subscribers for most product lines in 2008. The increased margin was
partially offset by an increase in the selling, general and administrative
expense that was allocated to our Consumer segment primarily due to an increase
in the 2007 segment margin upon which the allocation is based.
Network
Access Segment Overview
Network access
segment revenue represented 28.0% of 2008 consolidated revenues. The components
of Network Access segment revenue are as follows (amounts in
thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 64,826 | 74,704 | (13.2 | %) | |||||||
Data
|
52,975 | 45,317 | 16.9 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
2,042 | 4,578 | (55.4 | %) | ||||||||
Total Network
Access segment revenue
|
$ | 119,843 | 124,599 | (3.8 | %) |
48
Network Access
segment Cost of Goods Sold represented 20.9% of 2008 consolidated Cost of Goods
Sold. The components of Network Access segment Cost of Goods Sold are as follows
(amounts in thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 22,096 | 22,664 | (2.5 | %) | |||||||
Data
|
8,979 | 9,118 | (1.5 | %) | ||||||||
Wireless
|
1,210 | 586 | 106.5 | % | ||||||||
Total Network
Access segment Cost of Goods Sold
|
$ | 32,285 | 32,368 | (0.3 | %) |
Network Access
segment EBITDAS, representing 45.5% of 2008 consolidated EBITDAS, is as follows
(amounts in thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Network
Access segment EBITDAS
|
$ | 59,448 | 64,664 | (8.1 | %) |
See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
Selected key
performance indicators for our Network Access segment follow:
Percentage
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice:
|
||||||||||||
Long-distance
minutes carried (in millions)
|
896.6 | 954.9 | (6.1 | %) |
Please refer to our
three-month results of operations discussion for additional selected key
performance indicators for the third quarter of 2008 and for the third quarter
of 2007.
Network
Access Segment Revenues
The decrease in
voice revenue is primarily due to the June 4, 2008 implementation of the new
distribution agreement with AT&T Mobility as described in "Part I – Item II
– Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations – Voice Services and Products – Long Distance." The voice
revenue decrease also resulted from a 10.5% decrease in our average rate per
minute on billable minutes carried for our common carrier customers and the
transition of voice traffic to dedicated data networks. The average
rate per minute decrease is primarily due to a change in the composition of
traffic and a 3.0% rate decrease mandated by federal law which will result in
annual rate decreases of 3.0%.
The increase in
data revenue is primarily due to an increase in circuits sold and from other
common carriers moving switched voice services to data networks.
The decrease in
wireless revenue results from a decrease in our rate per minute on billable
minutes carried for customers roaming on our network.
Network
Access Segment Cost of Goods Sold
The decrease in
voice Cost of Goods Sold is primarily due to decreased long-distance minutes
carried. Partially offsetting this decrease is the absence of an
$879,000 favorable adjustment based upon a refund for which negotiations were
completed in 2007. In the course of business we estimate unbilled
long-distance services Cost of Goods Sold based upon minutes of use processed
through our network and established rates. Such estimates are revised
when subsequent billings are received, payments are made, billing matters are
researched and resolved, tariffed billing periods lapse, or when disputed
charges are resolved.
Network
Access Segment EBITDAS
The EBITDAS
decrease was primarily due to decreased margin resulting from the decreased rate
per minute on billable minutes carried for our common carrier
customers. The decreased margin was partially offset by an increase
in data
49
circuits sold in
2008 and a decrease in the selling, general and administrative expense allocated
to our Network Access segment primarily due to a decrease in the 2007 segment
margin upon which the allocation is based.
Commercial
Segment Overview
Commercial segment
revenue represented 19.6% of 2008 consolidated revenues. The components of
Commercial segment revenue are as follows (amounts in thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 22,091 | 23,740 | (7.0 | %) | |||||||
Video
|
6,968 | 5,918 | 17.7 | % | ||||||||
Data
|
50,933 | 44,476 | 14.5 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
4,209 | 3,509 | 20.0 | % | ||||||||
Total
Commercial segment revenue
|
$ | 84,201 | 77,643 | 8.5 | % |
Commercial segment
Cost of Goods Sold represented 28.1% of 2008 consolidated Cost of Goods Sold.
The components of Commercial segment Cost of Goods Sold are as follows (amounts
in thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice
|
$ | 14,509 | 15,000 | (3.3 | %) | |||||||
Video
|
1,202 | 1,242 | (3.2 | %) | ||||||||
Data
|
24,418 | 19,291 | 26.6 | % | ||||||||
Wireless
|
3,137 | 3,107 | 1.0 | % | ||||||||
Total
Commercial segment Cost of Goods Sold
|
$ | 43,266 | 38,640 | 12.0 | % |
Commercial segment
EBITDAS, representing 12.2% of 2008 consolidated EBITDAS, is as follows (amounts
in thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
Percentage
Change
|
||||||||||
Commercial
segment EBITDAS
|
$ | 15,965 | 12,569 | 27.0 | % |
See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
Selected key
performance indicators for our Commercial segment follow:
Percentage
|
||||||||||||
2008
|
2007
|
Change
|
||||||||||
Voice:
|
||||||||||||
Long-distance
minutes carried (in millions)
|
99.1 | 100.6 | (1.5 | %) |
Please refer to our
three-month results of operations discussion for additional selected key
performance indicators for the third quarter of 2008 and for the third quarter
of 2007.
Commercial
Segment Revenues
The decrease in
voice revenue is primarily due to decreased long-distance subscribers and
decreased voice minutes carried.
The increase in
video revenue is primarily due to an increase in sales of cable advertising
services due to the summer Olympics programming and state and federal political
advertising.
Commercial segment
data revenue is comprised of monthly recurring charges for data services and
charges billed on a time and materials basis largely for personnel providing
on-site customer support. This latter category can vary significantly based on
project activity. The increase in data revenue is primarily due to a
$4.8 million or 18.2% increase in managed services project revenue, a $1.9
million or 18.2% increase in Internet revenue primarily due to increased
dedicated access service sales and increased enterprise data network service
sales, and a non-recurring $500,000 credit issued to a customer in June
2007.
50
Commercial
Segment Cost of Goods Sold
The decrease in
voice Cost of Goods Sold resulted primarily from a reduction in the number of
long-distance minutes carried and an increase in local access lines in service
on GCI facilities. The decrease is partially off-set by increased
Cost of Goods Sold resulting from growth in local service lines in service which
must be carried on others’ facilities.
The increase in
data Cost of Goods Sold resulted primarily from an increase in contract labor
and internal labor classified as Cost of Goods Sold due to the increase in
managed services project revenue discussed above in "Commercial Segment
Revenues".
Commercial
Segment EBITDAS
The EBITDAS
increase was primarily due to increased margin resulting from increased managed
services projects, increased subscribers for most product lines in 2008,
decreased costs due to the June 4, 2008 implementation of the new distribution
agreement with AT&T Mobility, and a decrease in the selling, general and
administrative expenses allocated to our Commercial segment primarily due to a
decrease in the 2007 segment margin upon which the allocation is
based.
Managed
Broadband Segment Overview
Managed Broadband
segment revenue represented 6.3% of 2008 consolidated revenues, Cost of Goods
Sold represented 5.2% of 2008 consolidated Cost of Goods Sold and EBITDAS
represented 7.5% of consolidated EBITDAS. The Managed Broadband segment includes
data services only. See note 7 in the accompanying notes to interim
consolidated financial statements for a reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS,
a non-GAAP financial measure, to consolidated income before income
taxes.
Please refer to our
three-month results of operations discussion for selected key performance
indicators for the third quarter of 2008 and for the third quarter of
2007.
Managed
Broadband Segment Revenues
Managed Broadband
segment revenue increased 26.9% to $27.0 million in 2008. The
increase is primarily due to an increased number of circuits purchased by our
rural health and SchoolAccess®
customers and revenue totaling $1.8 million from our acquisition of Unicom
effective June 1, 2008.
Managed
Broadband Segment Cost of Goods Sold
Managed Broadband
segment Cost of Goods Sold increased 8.0% to $8.0 million in 2008 primarily due
to costs associated with the increased revenue.
Managed
Broadband Segment EBITDAS
Managed Broadband
segment EBITDAS increased $4.2 million to $9.8 million in 2008 primarily due to
an increase in the margin resulting from increased circuits sold to our rural
health and SchoolAccess®
customers, EBITDAS resulting from our acquisition of Unicom, and a decrease in
the selling, general and administrative expense that was allocated to our
Managed Broadband segment primarily due to a decrease in the 2007 segment margin
upon which the allocation is based.
Regulated
Operations Segment Overview
Regulated
Operations segment revenue represented 1.8% of 2008 consolidated revenues, Cost
of Goods Sold represented 1.1% of 2008 consolidated Cost of Goods Sold and
EBITDAS represented 1.3% of 2008 consolidated EBITDAS. The Regulated Operations
segment includes voice, data and wireless services. See note 7 in the
accompanying notes to interim consolidated financial statements for a
reconciliation of consolidated EBITDAS, a non-GAAP financial measure, to
consolidated income before income taxes.
Please refer to our
three-month results of operations discussion for selected key performance
indicators for the third quarter of 2008.
Regulated
Operations Segment Revenues
As
described above we completed our acquisition of UUI and Unicom effective June 1,
2008. In connection with this acquisition, we recognized revenues of
$11.3 million during 2008 with $7.8 million recorded in the Regulated Operations
segment and the remaining revenues recorded in the Network Access and Managed
Broadband segments.
51
Regulated
Operations Segment Cost of Goods Sold
In
connection with our acquisition of UUI and Unicom, we recognized Cost of Goods
Sold of $2.4 million during 2008 with $1.7 million recorded in the Regulated
Operations segment and the remaining Cost of Goods Sold recorded in the Network
Access and Managed Broadband segments.
Regulated
Operations Segment EBITDAS
Regulated
Operations segment EBITDAS totaled $1.7 million in 2008.
Selling,
General and Administrative Expenses
Selling, general
and administrative expenses increased 14.7% to $151.1 million in 2008 primarily
due to the following:
·
|
A $7.7
million increase in labor costs,
|
·
|
$2.4 million
in additional expense resulting from our June 1, 2008, acquisition of UUI
and Unicom,
|
·
|
Upon our
acquisition of the remaining 18% of Alaska DigiTel we paid $1.8 million to
terminate the management agreement entered into in January 2007, when we
acquired 82% of the outstanding shares of Alaska
DigiTel,
|
·
|
A $1.2
million increase in our share-based compensation
expense,
|
·
|
A $1.3
million increase in our company-wide success sharing bonus
accrual,
|
·
|
A $1.0
million increase in our facilities leases primarily related to our
wireless facilities expansion, and
|
·
|
A $960,000
contribution expense recognized upon the gift of an IRU to the University
of Alaska.
|
The increases
described above are partially offset by a $1.5 million decrease in bad debt
expense primarily due to improvements in our collections of consumer accounts
receivable.
As
a percentage of total revenues, selling, general and administrative expenses
increased to 35.2% in 2008 from 33.9% in 2007 primarily due to increased
expenses without a corresponding revenue increase.
Depreciation
and Amortization Expense
Depreciation and
amortization expense increased 30.4% to $83.8 million in 2008. The increase is
primarily due to our $113.3 million investment in equipment and facilities
placed into service during the 2007 year for which a full year of depreciation
will be recorded in the 2008 year, the $249.4 million investment in equipment
and facilities placed into service during the nine months ended September 30,
2008 for which a partial year of depreciation will be recorded in the 2008 year,
and a $9.9 million depreciation charge in 2008 to change the estimated useful
life of certain assets that are expected to be decommissioned at or near the end
of 2008.
Effective January
1, 2008, we prospectively changed our accounting policy for recording
depreciation on our property and equipment placed in service. For assets placed
in service on or after January 1, 2008, we are using a mid-month convention to
recognize depreciation expense. Previous to this change, we used the half-year
convention to recognize depreciation expense in the year an asset was placed in
service, regardless of the month the property and equipment was placed in
service. We believe the mid-month convention is preferable because it results in
more precise recognition of depreciation expense over the estimated useful life
of the asset. No retroactive adjustment has been made. As a result of this
accounting change, our reported amount of depreciation expense has increased
$667,000, our reported operating income has decreased $667,000, and our reported
net income has decreased $325,000. Our reported diluted EPS decreased by $0.01
in 2008 from what we would have reported had we continued to use our previous
accounting policy in 2008.
Other
Expense, Net
Other expense, net
of other income, increased 24.2% to $32.5 million in 2008 due to the
following:
·
|
Our total
interest expense increased $7.8 million to $33.3 million in 2008 primarily
due to a $5.4 million increase in our senior credit facility interest
expense to $14.5 million resulting from additional debt from the
Additional Incremental Term Loan agreement beginning May 2008, the
increased interest rate on our Senior Credit Facility in May 2008, $2.3
million in additional interest expense resulting from the Galaxy 18
capital lease commencing in 2008, and a loss of $519,000 relating to the
fair value change on derivative instruments reported in interest expense,
and
|
·
|
In 2008 we
modified our existing Senior Credit Facility resulting in $1.2 million of
other third party costs and bank
fees.
|
52
These increases
were partially offset by a $1.7 million increase in capitalized interest to $3.5
million due to increased capital expenditures subject to interest capitalization
and a $1.5 million decrease to minority interest expense.
Income
Tax Expense
Income tax expense
totaled $4.8 million and $9.8 million in 2008 and 2007, respectively. Our
effective income tax rate increased from 46.8% in 2007 to 65.3% in 2008 due
primarily to lower forecasted pre-tax net income for the year ended December 31,
2008.
Multiple
System Operator Operating Statistics
Our operating
statistics include capital expenditures and customer information from our
Consumer and Commercial segments which offer services utilizing our cable
services’ facilities.
Our capital
expenditures by standard reporting category in 2008 and 2007 follows (amounts in
thousands):
2008
|
2007
|
||||||||
Line
extensions
|
$ | 27,887 | 46,775 | ||||||
Customer
premise equipment
|
18,068 | 16,289 | |||||||
Scalable
infrastructure
|
2,318 | 3,404 | |||||||
Upgrade/rebuild
|
2,195 | 897 | |||||||
Commercial
|
1,106 | 181 | |||||||
Support
capital
|
896 | 1,092 | |||||||
Sub-total
|
52,469 | 68,638 | |||||||
Remaining
reportable segments capital expenditures
|
120,103 | 37,786 | |||||||
|
$ |
172,572
|
106,424 |
The standardized
definition of a customer relationship is the number of customers that receive at
least one level of service utilizing our cable service facilities, encompassing
voice, video, and data services, without regard to which services customers
purchase. At September 30, 2008 and 2007 we had 131,400 and 125,200 customer
relationships, respectively.
The standardized
definition of a revenue generating unit is the sum of all primary analog video,
digital video, high-speed data, and telephony customers, not counting additional
outlets. At September 30, 2008 and 2007 we had 322,100 and 284,500 revenue generating
units, respectively.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Our principal
sources of current liquidity are cash and cash equivalents. We believe, but can
provide no assurances, that we will be able to meet our current and long-term
liquidity and capital requirements and fixed charges through our cash flows from
operating activities, existing cash, cash equivalents, credit facilities, and
other external financing and equity sources. Should cash flows be insufficient
to support additional borrowings and principal payments scheduled under our
existing credit facilities, capital expenditures will likely be
reduced.
Our net cash flows
provided by and (used for) operating, investing and financing activities, as
reflected in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the nine months ended
September 30, 2008 and 2007, are summarized as follows:
2008
|
2007
|
|||||||
Operating
activities
|
$ | 133,083 | 75,525 | |||||
Investing
activities
|
(242,632 | ) | (126,313 | ) | ||||
Financing activities
|
128,883 | 18,086 | ||||||
Net increase (decrease) in
cash and cash equivalents
|
$ | 19,334 | (32,702 | ) |
53
Operating
Activities
The increase in
cash flows provided by operating activities is due primarily to a $36.3 million
increase in long-term deferred revenue due to cash received from IRU capacity
sales.
Investing
Activities
The increase in
cash flows used for investing activities is due primarily to 2008 expenditures
of $182.0 million for property and equipment, including construction in
progress, the purchase of the stock of the UUI and Unicom subsidiaries of UCI
for $40.2 million, net of cash received, the purchase of the remaining minority
interest in Alaska DigiTel for $10.6 million, and the purchase of the stock of
Alaska Wireless for $14.3 million.
Capital
Expenditures
Our expenditures
for property and equipment, including construction in progress, totaled $288.5
million and $105.2 million in 2008 and 2007, respectively. The 2008 and 2007
expenditures include non-cash additions of $15.1 million and $3.1 million,
respectively, for property and equipment that are accrued in accounts payable as
of September 30, 2008 and 2007. We expect our 2008 yearly
expenditures for property and equipment for our core operations, including
construction in progress, to total $230.0 million to $240.0 million, depending
on available opportunities and the amount of cash flow we generate during the
2008 year.
Financing
Activities
The increase in
cash flows provided by financing activities is due primarily to a $132.1 million
borrowing in 2008 on our Senior Credit Facility.
Senior
Notes
At
September 30, 2008 we were in compliance with all loan covenants relating to our
7.25% senior notes due 2014.
Senior
Credit Facility
The Additional
Incremental Term Loan increased the interest rate on the term loan component of
our Senior Credit Facility from LIBOR plus 2.00% to LIBOR plus
4.25%. The Additional Incremental Term Loan increased the revolving
credit facility interest rate for our Senior Credit Facility from LIBOR plus a
margin dependent upon our Total Leverage Ratio ranging from 1.50% to 2.25% to
LIBOR plus the following Applicable Margin set forth opposite each applicable
Total Leverage Ratio below:
Total
Leverage Ratio (as defined)
|
Applicable
Margin
|
|||
>3.75
|
4.25 | % | ||
>3.25 but
<3.75
|
3.75 | % | ||
>2.75 but
<3.25
|
3.25 | % | ||
<2.75
|
2.75 | % |
$145.0 million was
drawn on the Additional Incremental Term Loan at the time of the debt
modification. The proceeds were used to pay down the $30.0 million
outstanding under our revolving credit facility including accrued interest and
to pay expenses associated with the transaction at closing with the balance
deposited in our bank account. Our term loan is fully drawn and we have letters
of credit outstanding totaling $4.0 million, which leaves $96.0 million
available for borrowing under the revolving credit facility. We
borrowed $10.0 million under our revolving credit facility in October
2008.
The Term Loan
allows for the repurchase of our common stock under our buyback program when our
total debt leverage is below 4.0 times EBITDAS. The amendment revised various
financial covenants in the agreement and made conforming changes to various
covenants to permit certain previously announced
acquisitions. Additionally, our loan proceeds were reduced by $2.9
million for an original issue discount. The discount on the term loan
is being amortized into interest expense using the effective interest
method.
This transaction
was a partial substantial modification of our existing Senior Credit Facility
resulting in a $667,000 write-off of previously deferred loan fees during the
nine months ended September 30, 2008 in our Consolidated Income
Statement. Deferred loan fees of $58,000 associated with the portion
of our existing Senior Credit Facility determined not to have been substantially
modified continue to be amortized over the remaining life of the Senior Credit
Facility.
54
In
connection with the Additional Incremental Term Loan, we paid bank fees and
other expenses of $1.6 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2008
of which $527,000 were immediately expensed in the nine months ended September
30, 2008 and $1.1 million were deferred and are being amortized over the
remaining life of the Senior Credit Facility.
We
were in compliance with all Senior Credit Facility loan covenants at September
30, 2008.
We
acquired long-term debt of $42.7 million upon our acquisition of UUI and Unicom
effective June 1, 2008. The long-term debt is due in monthly
installments of principal based on a fixed rate amortization
schedule. The interest rates on the various loans to which this debt
relates range from 2.0% to 11.25%. Through UUI and Unicom, we have
$9.9 million available for borrowing for specific capital expenditures under
existing borrowing arrangements.
As
of September 30, 2008, maturities of long-term debt were as follows (amounts in
thousands):
Years ending
December 31,
|
||||
2008
(remainder of the year)
|
$ | 3,100 | ||
2009
|
8,581 | |||
2010
|
8,839 | |||
2011
|
178,377 | |||
2012
|
176,599 | |||
2013 and
thereafter
|
341,786 | |||
717,282 | ||||
Less
unamortized discount paid on the Senior Notes
|
2,631 | |||
Less
unamortized discount paid on the Senior Credit Facility
|
2,692 | |||
Less current
portion of long-term debt
|
9,438 | |||
Adjustment to
record debt acquired from UUI at fair value
|
869 | |||
$ | 703,390 |
Global capital and
credit markets have recently experienced increased volatility and disruption.
Despite this volatility and disruption, we continue to have full access to our
Senior Credit Facility. See note 7 in the "Notes to Consolidated
Financial Statements" included in Part II of our December 31, 2007 annual report
on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 2) for a discussion of our debt. For a
discussion of our modified Senior Credit Facility, see note 4 in the
accompanying "Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements".
Although there can
be no assurances in these difficult economic times for financial institutions,
we believe that the lenders participating in our credit facilities will be
willing and able to provide financing to us in accordance with their legal
obligations under our credit facilities. While our short-term and long-term
financing abilities are believed to be adequate as a supplement to internally
generated cash flows to fund capital expenditures and acquisitions as
opportunities arise, the current decline in the global financial markets may
negatively impact our ability to access the capital markets in a timely manner
and on attractive terms.
We
monitor the third-party depository institutions that hold our cash and cash
equivalents on a daily basis. Our emphasis is primarily on safety of principal
and secondarily on maximizing yield on those funds.
Working
Capital
Working capital
totaled $43.8 million at September 30, 2008, a $8.6 million increase as compared
to $35.3 million at December 31, 2007. The increase is primarily due to an
increase in cash following the closing of the Additional Incremental Term Loan
agreement and the $37.1 million in cash received from certain customers for the
provision of IRU capacity in May 2008. The increase was partially
offset by an increase in accounts payable resulting from increased purchases of
property and equipment at September 30, 2008.
55
Net receivables
increased $12.5 million in 2008 primarily due to a seasonal increase in trade
receivables for Managed Broadband services provided to hospitals and health
clinics and trade receivables included in the acquisitions of UUI and
Unicom.
Other
We
entered into various IRU sales agreements for which we received cash of $37.1
million during the nine months ended September 30, 2008. These
transactions are being accounted for as operating leases with deferred revenue
to be recognized over the estimated life of the IRU agreement. We had
long-term deferred revenue of $34.7 million related to these IRU transactions at
September 30, 2008.
Effective June 1,
2008, we purchased the stock of the UUI and Unicom subsidiaries of UCI for $40.2
million, net of cash received. Additionally we assumed $42.7 million
in debt as part of the acquisition. UUI together with its subsidiary,
United-KUC, provides local telephone service to 62 rural Alaska communities
across Alaska. Unicom operates DeltaNet, a long-haul broadband
microwave network ringing the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta – a region of approximately
30,000 square miles in western Alaska. DeltaNet, which is substantially
complete, links more than 40 villages to Bethel, the region’s hub.
On
July 1, 2008, we completed the acquisition all of the interests in Alaska
Wireless for an initial acquisition payment of $14.3 million. In
addition to the initial acquisition payment, we have agreed to a contingent
payment in 2010 if certain financial conditions are met. Alaska
Wireless is a GSM wireless provider and an Internet service provider serving
subscribers in the Dutch Harbor, Sand Point, and Akutan, Alaska
areas.
On
August 18, 2008, we exercised our option to acquire the remaining 18.1% of the
equity interest and voting control of Alaska DigiTel for $10.5
million.
The long-distance,
local access, cable, Internet and wireless services industries continue to
experience substantial competition, regulatory uncertainty, and continuing
technological changes. Our future results of operations will be affected by our
ability to react to changes in the competitive and regulatory environment and by
our ability to fund and implement new or enhanced technologies. We are unable to
determine how competition, economic conditions, and regulatory and technological
changes will affect our ability to obtain financing under acceptable terms and
conditions. A complete discussion of our liquidity and capital
resources can be found in Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our December 31, 2007 annual
report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 2).
Schedule
of Certain Known Contractual Obligations
The following table
details future projected payments associated with certain known contractual
obligations as of December 31, 2007, the date of our most recent fiscal year-end
balance sheet. Our schedule of certain known contractual obligations
has been updated to reflect the Senior Credit Facility Additional Incremental
Term Loan described above, the payments due on the long-term debt acquired in
our June 1, 2008 acquisition of UUI and Unicom, and an amendment to a long-term
capital lease agreement with the wife of our President and CEO for property we
occupy.
Payments Due
by Period
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Total
|
Less than 1
Year
|
1 to
3
Years
|
4 to
5
Years
|
More Than 5
Years
|
||||||||||||||||
(Amounts in
thousands)
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Long-term
debt
|
$ | 721,127 | 6,584 | 17,427 | 355,330 | 341,786 | ||||||||||||||
Interest on
long-term debt
|
251,632 | 45,057 | 94,060 | 77,715 | 34,800 | |||||||||||||||
Capital lease
obligations, including interest
|
167,401 | 6,947 | 23,300 | 23,400 | 113,754 | |||||||||||||||
Operating
lease commitments
|
55,429 | 10,979 | 15,535 | 10,600 | 18,315 | |||||||||||||||
Purchase
obligations
|
74,828 | 60,028 | 14,800 | --- | --- | |||||||||||||||
Other
|
66,500 | 63,500 | 3,000 | --- | --- | |||||||||||||||
Total
contractual obligations
|
$ | 1,336,917 | 193,095 | 168,122 | 467,045 | 508,655 |
For long-term debt
included in the above table, we have included principal payments on our Senior
Credit Facility and Senior Notes. Interest on amounts outstanding
under our Senior Credit Facility is based on variable rates. We used
the current rate paid in September 2008 to estimate our future interest
payments. Our Senior Notes require semi-annual interest payments of
$11.6 million through February 2014. For a discussion of our Senior
Notes and Senior Credit Facility
56
see note 7 in the
"Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements" included in Part II of our December
31, 2007 annual report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No. 2). For a
discussion of our modified Senior Credit Facility see note 4 in the accompanying
"Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial Statements".
Capital lease
obligations include the amended capital leases as discussed in note 9 in the
accompanying "Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial
Statements." For a discussion of our capital and operating leases and
purchase obligations see note 15 in the "Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements included in Part II of our December 31, 2007 annual report on Form
10-K/A (Amendment No. 2).
The "Other" line
item consists of our commitments to acquire the remaining minority interest in
Alaska DigiTel, UUI and Unicom, and Alaska Wireless.
We
believe, but can provide no assurances, that we will be able to fund future
projected payments associated with our certain known contractual obligations
through our cash flows from operating activities, existing cash, cash
equivalents, short-term investments, credit facilities, and other external
financing and equity sources. Should cash flows be insufficient to
support additional borrowings and principal payments scheduled under our
existing credit facilities, capital expenditures will likely be
reduced.
Critical
Accounting Policies
Our accounting and
reporting policies comply with U.S. GAAP. The preparation of financial
statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and
assumptions. The financial position and results of operations can be affected by
these estimates and assumptions, which are integral to understanding reported
results. Critical accounting policies are those policies that management
believes are the most important to the portrayal of our financial condition and
results, and require management to make estimates that are difficult, subjective
or complex. Most accounting policies are not considered by management to be
critical accounting policies. Several factors are considered in determining
whether or not a policy is critical in the preparation of financial statements.
These factors include, among other things, whether the estimates are significant
to the financial statements, the nature of the estimates, the ability to readily
validate the estimates with other information including third parties or
available prices, and sensitivity of the estimates to changes in economic
conditions and whether alternative accounting methods may be utilized under
GAAP. For all of these policies, management cautions that future events rarely
develop exactly as forecast, and the best estimates routinely require
adjustment. Management has discussed the development and the selection of
critical accounting policies with our Audit Committee.
Those policies
considered to be critical accounting policies for the nine months ended
September 30, 2008 are the allowance for doubtful accounts, impairment and
useful lives of intangible assets, accruals for unbilled costs, and the
valuation allowance for net operating loss deferred tax assets. A
complete discussion of our critical accounting policies can be found in Item 7
"Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations" in our December 31, 2007 annual report on Form 10-K/A (Amendment No.
2).
Other significant
accounting policies, not involving the same level of measurement uncertainties
as those listed above, are nevertheless important to an understanding of the
financial statements. Policies related to revenue recognition, share-based
expense, and financial instruments require difficult judgments on complex
matters that are often subject to multiple sources of authoritative guidance.
Certain of these and other matters are among topics currently under
reexamination by accounting standards setters and regulators. No specific
conclusions reached by these standard setters appear likely to cause a material
change in our accounting policies, although outcomes cannot be predicted with
confidence. A complete discussion of our significant accounting policies can be
found in note 1 included in Part II of our December 31, 2007 annual report on
Form 10-K/A (Amendment No.2).
Item
3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
We
are exposed to market risk primarily from volatility in interest
rates. We are exposed to various other types of market risk in the
normal course of business. We do not hold derivatives for trading
purposes.
57
Our Senior Credit
Facility carries interest rate risk. Amounts borrowed under this
agreement bear interest at LIBOR plus 4.25% or less depending upon our Total
Leverage Ratio (as defined). Should the LIBOR rate change, our
interest expense will increase or decrease accordingly. On July 1,
2008, we entered into an interest rate cap agreement with a two year term to
limit the LIBOR rate on $180.0 million of variable interest rate debt to
4.5%. The agreement is being accounted for as a derivative under SFAS
133 "Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities." As of September 30, 2008, we have borrowed $170.7
million subject to interest rate risk. On this amount, each 1%
increase in the LIBOR interest rate would result in $1.7 million of additional
gross interest cost on an annualized basis.
Item
4. Controls and Procedures
(a)
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As
of the end of the period covered by this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, we
carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of
our “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined below) under the
supervision and with the participation of our management, including our Chief
Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer. Based on that
evaluation and as described below under “Changes in Internal Control over
Financial Reporting” (Item 4(b)), we identified material weaknesses in our
"internal control over financial reporting" (as defined in Item 4(b)
below). Because of these material weaknesses, which are in the
process of being remediated as described below under “Changes in Internal
Control over Financial Reporting” (Item 4(b)), our management, including our
Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, concluded that our
disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of September 30, 2008,
which is the end of the period covered by this report.
Our "disclosure
controls and procedures" are controls and other procedures that are designed to
ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or
submitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act") is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods
specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and
procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to
ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the
Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management to allow timely
decisions regarding required disclosure.
The certifications
attached as Exhibits 31 and 32 to this report should be read in conjunction with
the disclosures set forth herein.
(b)
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Information
technology program development and change controls over the unified billing
system and the interface with the general ledger were not designed effectively.
As a result, our automated interface between the unified billing system and the
general ledger was not appropriately configured. In addition, our management
review control over unreconciled transactions recorded in accounts receivable
general ledger accounts was not designed at the level of precision necessary to
detect and correct errors that could be material to annual or interim financial
statements. As a result of these deficiencies, errors existed in our accounts
receivable and revenues that were corrected prior to the issuance of our 2007
annual report on Form 10-K. Although we began remediation of the
material weaknesses evidenced by these deficiencies during the nine months ended
September 30, 2008, we have not had sufficient time to fully implement the
control changes necessary to completely remediate these material
weaknesses.
Our policies and
procedures to ensure that our accounting personnel are sufficiently trained on
technical accounting matters did not operate effectively. More specifically, our
accounting personnel did not have the necessary knowledge and training to
adequately account for and disclose certain share-based compensation awards in
accordance with SFAS No.123(R), Share-Based Payment. In addition, our accounting
personnel lacked adequate training on the operation of certain aspects of the
software used to calculate the Company’s share-based compensation expense. As a
result of these deficiencies, errors existed in the Company's share-based
compensation expense that were corrected prior to the issuance of our 2007
annual report on Form 10-K. Although we began remediation of the
material weaknesses evidenced by these deficiencies during the fourth quarter of
2007 and continued efforts toward remediation during the nine months ended
58
September 30, 2008,
we have not had sufficient time to fully implement the control changes necessary
to completely remediate these material weaknesses.
Our entity-level
control related to the selection and application of accounting policies in
accordance with GAAP was not designed effectively, and our policies and
procedures for the recording of depreciation expense during interim reporting
periods were not designed to ensure reporting in accordance with GAAP. These
deficiencies led to errors in interim financial reporting that have been
corrected through the restatement of our interim financial information described
in note 1(m) in the accompanying “Notes to Interim Consolidated Financial
Statements.” Although we began to remediate these material weaknesses
in June 2008, we have not had sufficient time to fully develop and implement the
control changes necessary to ensure a misstatement of interim or annual
financial reporting does not occur. We will continue to remediate these
deficiencies in the fourth quarter of 2008 by taking the following
actions:
|
•
|
Expanding our
accounting policy documentation and implementing policies and procedures
to periodically review our accounting policies to ensure ongoing GAAP
compliance.
|
|
•
|
With regards
to our policies and procedures for the recording of depreciation expense
during interim reporting periods, we will continue to revise our
accounting policies and implement procedures to ensure depreciation is
recorded consistent with GAAP for interim and annual reporting
periods.
|
The internal
control over financial reporting at Alaska DigiTel, which was excluded from our
most recent annual evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, does
not include activities adequate to timely identify changes in financial
reporting risks, monitor the continued effectiveness of controls, and does not
include staff with adequate technical expertise to ensure that policies and
procedures necessary for reliable interim and annual financial statements are
selected and applied. These control deficiencies in our Alaska DigiTel business
represent material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting
and lead to the failure to timely identify and respond to triggering events
which necessitated a change in useful life of depreciable assets to ensure
reporting in accordance with GAAP. These material weaknesses also led to errors
in our interim financial reporting which were corrected through the restatement
of our interim financial information. We have made progress towards
remediation with the acquisition of the minority interest on August 18, 2008,
which gave us 100% ownership and control over this subsidiary. Prior
to August 18, 2008, our control over the operations of Alaska DigiTel was
limited as required by the FCC upon their approval of our initial acquisition
completed in January 2007. During the fourth quarter of 2008 we
intend to make progress towards integrating Alaska DigiTel into our financial
reporting process by replacing the accounting management with GCI accounting
management. During the first quarter of 2009 we will integrate Alaska
DigiTel’s accounting process into our general ledger
system. Additionally, Alaska DigiTel will become subject to the
improvements we anticipate in addressing the material weakness described above
the remediation of which will strengthen our selection and application of
accounting policies in accordance with GAAP.
In
March 2008 we implemented a new online payment system. The
implementation replaced a system supported internally with a system supported by
an external company and has resulted in certain changes to our processes and
procedures affecting internal control over financial reporting during the nine
months ended September 30, 2008. We have committed internal and
external resources to revise and document processes and related internal
controls over the new system.
Except as described
above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting
during the quarter ended September 30, 2008 that have materially affected, or
are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial
reporting.
A
company's "internal control over financial reporting" is a process designed by,
or under the supervision of, a company's principal executive and principal
financial officers, and effected by a company's board of directors, management
and other personnel, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability
of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external
purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A
company's internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and
procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable
detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the
assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are
recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and
expenditures of the company are being
59
made only in
accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and
(3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of
unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could
have a material effect on the financial statements.
Internal control
over financial reporting has inherent limitations. Internal control over
financial reporting is a process that involves human diligence and compliance
and is subject to lapses in judgment and breakdowns resulting from human
failures. Internal control over financial reporting also can be circumvented by
collusion or improper management override. Because of such limitations, there is
a risk that material misstatements will not be prevented or detected on a timely
basis by internal control over financial reporting. However, these inherent
limitations are known features of the financial reporting process. Therefore, it
is possible to design into the process safeguards to reduce, though not
eliminate, this risk.
We
may enhance, modify, and supplement internal controls and disclosure controls
and procedures based on experience.
PART
II – OTHER INFORMATION
Item
1A. Risk Factors.
All of our risk
factors as disclosed in our December 31, 2007 annual report on Form 10-K/A
(Amendment No. 2) remain substantially unchanged. During the third
quarter of 2008 we believe our revenues from universal service and access
charges have become subject to a risk of being reduced or lost due to our
assessment of the impact of current FCC regulations and the potential outcome of
FCC proceedings. Our ability to continue to receive USF subsidies is
contingent upon continuation of the USF program, which is subject to change by
future regulatory, legislative or judicial actions. Based upon this
assessment we have identified the following additional risk factor that may
affect our business and future results:
·
|
Revenues
from universal service and access charges may be reduced or
lost. We expect to recognize $18.0 million to $19.0 million
for the year ended December 31, 2008 from local exchange network access
charges. We expect to recognize $14.0 million to $15.0 million for the
year ended December 31, 2008 from subsidies from the USF to support the
provision of local access service in high-cost areas. The
USF pays subsidies to ETCs to support the provision of local access
service in high-cost areas. Under FCC regulations, we have qualified as a
competitive ETC in the Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, MTA, Mukluk,
Ketchikan, Ft. Wainwright/Eielson, and Glacier State study areas. Without
ETC status, we would not qualify for USF subsidies in these areas or other
rural areas where we propose to offer local access services, and our
revenue for providing local access services in these areas would be
materially adversely
affected.
|
On
May 1, 2008, the FCC issued an order adopting the recommendation of the Joint
Board to impose a state-by-state interim cap on high cost funds to be
distributed to competitive ETCs. As part of the revised policy, the FCC
adopted a limited exception from the cap for competitive ETCs serving tribal
lands or Alaska Native regions. While the operation of the cap will
generally reduce the high cost fund amounts available to competitive ETCs as new
competitive ETCs are designated and as existing competitive ETCs acquire new
customers, providers like us who serve tribal lands or Alaska Native regions
will be provided some relief. The USF cap will be in place until the FCC
takes action on proposals for long-term reform. The FCC and the USAC are
each considering issues related to the interpretation and implementation of the
limited exception from the cap, which may materially affect the scope and extent
to which eligible entities may avail themselves of the exception, as well as the
timing for eligible entities to exercise the exception.
The FCC is
considering reform proposals for changing the basis for USF support amounts,
which, if adopted, would more likely than not result in reduced support
amounts. We cannot predict at this time the outcome of the FCC proceedings
to consider USF reform proposals or their respective impacts on us. Both
these and any future regulatory, legislative, or judicial actions could affect
the operation of the USF and result in a change in our revenue for providing
local access services in new and existing markets and facilities-based wireless
services in new markets
The FCC is also
considering revising the intercarrier compensation regime, including access
charges. The FCC has actively reviewed new mechanisms for
intercarrier compensation that, in some cases, could eliminate access charges
60
entirely. We
cannot predict at this time the outcome of the FCC proceedings to consider
intercarrier compensation reform proposals or their respective impacts on us,
but elimination of access charges would likely have an adverse effect on our
revenue and earnings. Similarly, the RCA has adopted regulations
modifying intrastate access charges that may reduce our revenue.
Item
6. Exhibits
Exhibit
No.
|
Description
|
31.1
|
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 by our President and
Director
|
31.2
|
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 by our Senior Vice President, Chief
Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
|
32.1
|
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 by our President and
Director
|
32.2
|
Certification
Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 by our Senior Vice President, Chief
Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer
|
10.158
|
Fifth
Amendment to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of October
17, 2008 by and among Holdings, Inc. the other parties thereto and Calyon
New York Branch, as administrative agent, and the other Lenders party
thereto
|
61
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.
GENERAL COMMUNICATION, INC.
Signature
|
Title
|
Date
|
||
/s/ Ronald A. Duncan |
President and
Director
|
November 20, 2008 | ||
Ronald A.
Duncan
|
(Principal
Executive Officer)
|
|||
/s/ John M. Lowber |
Senior Vice
President, Chief Financial
|
November 20, 2008 | ||
John M.
Lowber
|
Officer,
Secretary and Treasurer
(Principal
Financial Officer)
|
|||
/s/ Lynda L. Tarbath |
Vice
President, Chief Accounting
|
November 20, 2008 | ||
Lynda L.
Tarbath
|
Officer
(Principal
Accounting Officer)
|
62