As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 11, 2017
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Altice USA, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its Charter)
Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
4841 (Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
38-3980194 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
1111 Stewart Avenue
Bethpage, NY 11714
(516) 803-2300
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive office)
David Connolly
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
1111 Stewart Avenue
Bethpage, NY 11714
(516) 803-2300
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Richard B. Alsop Kyungwon Lee Shearman & Sterling LLP 599 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10022 (212) 848-4000 |
Craig Marcus Michael Kazakevich Ropes & Gray LLP Prudential Tower 800 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02199 (617) 951-7000 |
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. o
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. 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. (check one)
Large accelerated filer o | Accelerated filer o | Non-accelerated filer ý (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) |
Smaller reporting company o |
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered |
Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price(1)(2) |
Amount of Registration Fee |
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Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share |
$100,000,000.00 | $11,590.00 | ||
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The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We and the selling stockholders may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion
Preliminary Prospectus dated April 11, 2017
PROSPECTUS
Shares
Altice USA, Inc.
Class A Common Stock
This is Altice USA, Inc.'s initial public offering. We are selling shares of our Class A common stock and the selling stockholders identified in this prospectus are selling shares of our Class A common stock. We will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the shares of Class A common stock by the selling stockholders.
Following this offering, we will have three classes of common stock: Class A common stock, Class B common stock and Class C common stock. The rights of holders of Class A common stock, Class B common stock and Class C common stock will be identical except with respect to voting and conversion rights. Each share of Class A common stock will be entitled to one vote. Each share of Class B common stock will be entitled to twenty-five votes and will be convertible at any time into one share of Class A common stock. If we issue any shares of Class C common stock, they will be non-voting. The holders of our outstanding Class B common stock will hold approximately % of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock immediately following this offering.
We expect the public offering price to be between $ and $ . Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our Class A common stock. We will apply to list our Class A common stock on the under the symbol " ."
After the completion of this offering, we will be a "controlled company" within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the . See "Risk Factors" beginning on page 17 and "ManagementControlled Company" beginning on page 153 for additional information.
Investing in our Class A common stock involves risks that are described in the "Risk Factors" section beginning on page 17 of this prospectus.
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Per Share |
Total |
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Public offering price |
$ | $ | ||
Underwriting discount and commissions(1) |
$ | $ | ||
Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
$ | $ | ||
Proceeds, before expenses, to the selling stockholders |
$ | $ | ||
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The underwriters may also exercise their option to purchase up to an additional shares of Class A common stock from , at the public offering price, for 30 days after the date of this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The underwriters expect to deliver the shares of Class A common stock to purchasers on or about , 2017.
Joint Book-Running Managers | ||||||
J.P. Morgan |
Morgan Stanley |
Citigroup |
Goldman, Sachs & Co. |
The date of this prospectus is , 2017.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and in any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us and delivered or made available to you. Neither we, the selling stockholders nor any of the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with additional or different information. We and the selling stockholders are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our Class A common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. The information contained in this prospectus or a free writing prospectus is accurate only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or of any sale of shares of our Class A common stock. Our business, financial condition, operating results and prospects may have changed since that date.
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Certain numerical figures included in this prospectus have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, such numerical figures shown as totals in various tables may not be arithmetic aggregations of the figures that precede them.
FOR INVESTORS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES
We, the selling stockholders and the underwriters are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy, shares of our common stock only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. Neither we, the selling stockholders nor any of the underwriters have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the shares of Class A common stock and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.
TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS AND TRADE NAMES
We own or have rights to use the trademarks, service marks and trade names that we use in connection with our businesses, such as Altice, Suddenlink, Optimum, Lightpath, Altice Media Solutions, Altice Labs, Altice Technical Services, News 12 Networks, News 12 Varsity and Audience Partners. Each trademark, service mark and trade name of any other company appearing in this prospectus is, to our knowledge, owned by such other company. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, service marks and trade names referred to in this prospectus are listed without the ® and symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate in any way that we will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, our rights or the rights of any applicable licensors to these trademarks, service marks and trade names.
Market and industry data and forecasts used in this prospectus have been obtained from independent industry sources. Some market data and statistical information contained in this prospectus are also based on management's estimates and calculations, which are derived from our review and interpretation of the independent sources, our internal market and brand research, our knowledge of the industry and public filings. Although we believe these sources to be reliable, we have not independently verified the data obtained from these sources and we cannot assure you of the accuracy or completeness of the data. Forecasts and other forward-looking information obtained from these sources are subject to the same qualifications and uncertainties as the other forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus.
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The following is a glossary of certain industry terms used throughout this prospectus:
ARPU | Average monthly revenue per residential customer. | |
B2B |
Business-to-business, referring to business customers. |
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Churn |
Customer attrition rate. |
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CLEC |
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier. |
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DBS |
Direct Broadcast Satellite. |
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DOCSIS |
Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification. |
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DSL |
Digital subscriber line. |
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DVR |
Digital video recorder. |
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FTTH |
Fiber-to-the-home. |
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FTTT |
Fiber-to-the-tower. |
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Gbps |
Gigabits per second. |
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GPON |
Gigabit Passive Optical Network. |
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HD |
High-definition. |
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HFC |
Hybrid fiber-coaxial. |
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Homes Passed |
Represents the estimated number of single residence homes, apartments and condominium units passed by the cable distribution network in areas serviceable without further extending the transmission lines. In addition, it includes commercial establishments that have connected to our cable distribution network. |
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ILEC |
Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier. |
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Mbps |
Megabits per second. |
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MDU |
Multiple dwelling unit. |
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MVPD |
Multichannel video programming distributor. |
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Net additions |
Number of new customers less the number of customers who disconnect service. |
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OTT |
Over-the-top. |
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SIP |
Session Initiated Protocol. |
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SMATV |
Satellite Master Antenna Television. |
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SMB |
Small and medium-sized business. |
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VOD |
Video-on-demand. |
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VoIP |
Voice over Internet Protocol. |
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U.S. industry peers |
Companies that operate HFC networks in the United States. |
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This summary highlights information about us and this offering presented in greater detail elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all the information you should consider before investing in our Class A common stock. You should read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing in our Class A common stock. In this prospectus, the terms "Altice USA," "we," "us," "our" and the "Company" refer to Altice USA, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, "Altice N.V." refers to our parent company, Altice N.V., and "Altice Group" refers to Altice N.V. and its consolidated subsidiaries. See "Industry Terms" for a glossary of certain abbreviations and terms used throughout this prospectus. Unless otherwise indicated, all information in this prospectus assumes no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares of our Class A common stock. For more information regarding how we calculate the pro forma financial information presented in this section, please see "Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Financial Information."
Overview
Altice USA is one of the largest broadband communications and video services providers in the United States. We deliver broadband, pay television, telephony services, Wi-Fi hotspot access, proprietary content and advertising services to approximately 4.9 million residential and business customers. Our footprint extends across 21 states through a fiber-rich broadband network with more than 8.5 million homes passed as of December 31, 2016. As the U.S. business of Altice N.V., we are driven at all levels by the "Altice Way"our founder-inspired owner-operator culture and strategy of operational efficiency, innovation and long-term value creation for stockholders. In developing and implementing our strategy, we are focused on the following principles, which are part of the Altice Way:
We believe the Altice Way, which has been successfully implemented across Altice Group, distinguishes us from our U.S. industry peers and competitors.
We acquired Cequel Corporation ("Suddenlink" or "Cequel") on December 21, 2015 and Cablevision Systems Corporation ("Optimum" or "Cablevision") on June 21, 2016. These acquisitions are referred to throughout this prospectus as the "Suddenlink Acquisition" (or the "Cequel Acquisition") and the "Optimum Acquisition (or the "Cablevision Acquisition"), respectively, and collectively as the "Acquisitions." We serve our customers through two business segments: Optimum, which operates in the New York metropolitan area, and Suddenlink, which principally operates in markets in the south-central United States. We have made significant progress in integrating the operations of Optimum and Suddenlink and are already realizing the operational and commercial benefits of common ownership and one management team as we implement the Altice Way throughout our organization.
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We are a majority-owned and controlled U.S. subsidiary of Altice N.V., the multinational cable, fiber, telecommunications, content, media and advertising company founded and controlled by communications and media entrepreneur Patrick Drahi. Our management team benefits from Altice Group's experience in implementing the Altice Way around the world. Mr. Drahi, who has over 25 years of experience owning and managing communications and media operations, has built Altice Group from a regional French cable company founded in 2002 into one of the world's leading broadband communications and video services companies. Over the past 15 years, he has led a transformation of the broadband communications and video services industry through investment in networks and improvements in customer experience and operations to enhance both service delivery and operational efficiency. As of December 31, 2016, Altice Group delivered broadband, pay television and telephony services to more than 50 million customers in Western Europe, the United States, Israel and the Caribbean and reported pro forma consolidated revenue of €23.5 billion and pro forma Adjusted EBITDA of €8.9 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016. Upon the completion of this offering, Altice N.V. and an entity controlled by Patrick Drahi will own % of our outstanding shares in the form of Class B common stock, which will represent % of the voting power of our issued and outstanding common stock.
In early 2015, Altice N.V. made the strategic decision to invest in operations in the United States, the country with the largest broadband communications and video services market in the world. Altice N.V. believed that by employing the Altice Way, it could significantly improve upon the historical growth rates, profitability and operational efficiency of broadband communications and video services companies operating in this market. The following attractive market characteristics underpinned Altice N.V.'s U.S. investment thesis:
Following the Acquisitions, we began employing the Altice Way to simplify our organizational structure, reduce management layers, streamline decision-making processes and redeploy resources with a focus on network investment, customer service enhancements and marketing support. As a result, we have made significant progress in integrating the operations of Optimum and Suddenlink, centralizing our business functions, reorganizing our procurement processes, eliminating duplicative management functions, terminating lower-return projects and non-essential consulting and third-party service arrangements, and investing in our employee relations and our culture. Improved operational efficiency has allowed us to redeploy physical, technical and financial resources towards upgrading our network and enhancing the customer experience to drive customer growth. This focus is demonstrated by reduced network outages since the Acquisitions, which we believe improves the consistency and quality of the customer experience. In addition, we have expanded, and intend to continue expanding, our e-commerce channels for sales and marketing.
Since the Acquisitions, we have also upgraded our networks to nearly triple the maximum available broadband speeds we are offering to our Optimum customers and expanded our 1 Gbps broadband service to approximately 60% of our Suddenlink footprint, compared to approximately 40% prior to the Suddenlink Acquisition. In addition, we have commenced a five-year plan to build a FTTH network, which will enable us to deliver more than 10 Gbps broadband speeds across our entire Optimum footprint and part of our Suddenlink footprint. We believe this FTTH network will be more resilient with reduced maintenance requirements, fewer service outages and lower power usage, which we expect will drive further cost efficiencies in our business. In order to further enhance the customer experience, we plan to introduce a new home communications hub during the second quarter of 2017. Our new
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home communications hub will be an innovative, integrated platform with a dynamic and sophisticated user interface, combining a set-top box, Internet router and cable modem in one device, and will be the most advanced home communications hub offered by any Altice Group business. We are also beginning to offer managed data and communications services to our business customers and more advanced advertising services, such as targeted multi-screen advertising and data analytics, to our advertising and other business clients.
Many of our initiatives have already resulted in a positive impact to our customer relationships, which grew by % from March 31, 2016 (on a pro forma basis giving effect to the Optimum Acquisition) to March 31, 2017.
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe the following competitive strengths have been instrumental to our success and position us for future growth and strong financial performance.
Our Owner-Operator Culture
We are part of a founder-controlled organization with an owner-operator culture and strategy that is focused on operational efficiency, innovation and long-term value creation for stockholders. This focus is reinforced by a system that delivers a substantial portion of management compensation in the form of long-term equity awards. Since the Acquisitions, our management team has moved quickly to, among other things, simplify and redesign our product offerings, drive adoption of higher broadband speeds and begin building a new FTTH network. We continuously challenge ourselves to improve our operational and financial performance. We encourage communication across the organization while empowering nimble, efficient decision-making that is focused at every level on enhancing the overall customer experience. We believe our owner-operator culture and the Altice Way differentiate us and position us to outperform our U.S. industry peers. We further believe the benefits of the Altice Way have been demonstrated by Altice N.V.'s performance, which is reflected in the 42% average annual total return of Altice N.V.'s Class A ordinary shares since its initial public offering in January 2014 through March 31, 2017, compared to the 5% average annual total return of the STOXX Europe 600 Telecommunications Index, of which Altice N.V.'s Class A ordinary shares is a component, during the same time period.
Leading Position in Attractive Markets
The markets served by our broadband networks have generally experienced higher levels of disposable income and household density compared to other broadband communications and video services markets in the United States. As of December 31, 2016, approximately 75% of the homes passed by our network were in either the New York metropolitan area or Texas. The following table provides a comparison of management's estimate of income and density metrics for our markets to both our largest U.S. publicly-traded industry peers as well as the national averages.
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Altice USA | Charter Communications |
Comcast | Cable One | U.S. National Median |
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2016 Household Median Income (in thousands) |
$ | 86 | $ | 63 | $ | 72 | $ | 59 | $ | 66 | ||||||
Housing Units per Square Mile as of April 1, 2010 based on most recent U.S. census data |
668 | 99 | 119 | 24 | 37 |
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The footprint of our Optimum network includes New York City, the world's largest media and entertainment market as measured by 2014 revenue. This network represents our largest cluster of cable and fiber network systems. As of December 31, 2016, this network passed approximately 5.1 million homes and provided broadband, pay television and telephony services to approximately 3.1 million unique residential and business customers, representing approximately 64% of our entire customer base. We believe our leading market demographics support revenue growth potential in terms of customer additions and increased ARPU. We believe the market density of the New York metropolitan area allows our Optimum segment to operate with greater capital efficiency and lower capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue than our U.S. industry peers. Our presence in this market and its high-profile customer base also gives us access to a large and valuable base of advertisers, advertising inventory and advertising data, each of which supports growth prospects for our advertising business.
The footprint of our Suddenlink network includes markets in Texas, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Missouri and eight other states. As of December 31, 2016, this network passed approximately 3.4 million homes and provided broadband, pay television and telephony services to approximately 1.8 million unique residential and business customers, representing approximately 36% of our customer base. We believe less than 15% of our Suddenlink footprint currently faces competition from broadband communications and video services providers offering download speeds comparable to our fastest offered speeds. In addition, household penetration of residential broadband connections with speeds of at least 25 Mbps in these markets was less than 34% in 2015 compared to approximately 44% nationwide, as estimated by management, providing us with attractive future growth opportunities. As a result, we believe Suddenlink's markets are among the most attractive broadband communications and video services markets in the United States.
Advanced Network and Customer Platform Technologies
Technological innovation and network investments are key components of the Altice Way. Substantially all of our HFC network is digital video and DOCSIS 3.0 compatible, with approximately 300 homes per node and a bandwidth capacity of at least 750 MHz throughout. This network allows us to provide our customers with advanced broadband, pay television and telephony services. In addition, we believe our Optimum footprint offers the densest Wi-Fi network among our U.S. industry peers as measured by the number of Wi-Fi hotspots per broadband subscriber. Since the Acquisitions, we have nearly tripled the maximum available broadband speeds we are offering to our Optimum customers from 101 Mbps to 300 Mbps for residential customers and 350 Mbps for business customers and have expanded our 1 Gbps broadband service to approximately 60% of our Suddenlink footprint from approximately 40% prior to the Suddenlink Acquisition.
Our advanced network has contributed to our revenue growth by allowing us to meet market demand for increasingly faster speeds. The chart below illustrates the significant increase in the
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percentage of our new residential customers choosing service plans with speeds greater than or equal to 100 Mbps since the Acquisitions.
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To position us to satisfy anticipated market demand for increasing speeds and support evolving technologies, such as the expected transition of mobile networks to 5G, and to enable us to capture associated revenue growth opportunities, we have commenced a five-year plan to build a FTTH network that will enable us to deliver more than 10 Gbps broadband speeds across our entire Optimum footprint and part of our Suddenlink footprint.
We also plan to introduce a new home communications hub during the second quarter of 2017, which will be the most advanced home communications hub offered by any Altice Group business. This new hub will be an innovative, integrated platform with a dynamic and sophisticated user interface, combining a set-top box, Internet router and cable modem in one device. It is based on LaBox, a home communications hub Altice Group has successfully deployed in France, the Dominican Republic and Israel, and will be initially offered to customers subscribing to our triple product packages. It will be capable of delivering broadband, Wi-Fi, pay television services, OTT services and fixed-line telephony and will support 4K video and a remote DVR. We intend to continue enhancing the features and functionality of our new home communications hub after its initial introduction.
We believe the development of our advanced network and new home communications hub epitomizes the engineering and innovation-centric ethos within Altice Group.
Customer-Centric Operating and Service Model Supported by Technology and Data Analytics
We seek to provide our customers with the best connectivity and service experience available. This customer-centric approach drives our decision-making processes and is another key component of the Altice Way. Through investments in our information technology ("IT") platforms and a focus on process improvement, we have simplified and harmonized our service offering bundles, and improved our technical service delivery and our customer service. We are investing in our sales channels, including enhancing our e-commerce channels in response to customer behavior. While inbound sales remain the largest sales channel for each of Optimum and Suddenlink, our e-commerce channels' share of new sales has grown substantially since the Acquisitions. We develop, monitor and analyze detailed customer metrics to identify root-causes of customer dissatisfaction and to further improve the customer experience. Taken together, we believe these initiatives will further reduce calls and service visits, increase customer satisfaction and strengthen our top-line performance and cash flow generation.
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Benefits of a Global Communications Group
Unlike most of our U.S. industry peers, we benefit from being part of an international media and communications group. As the U.S. business of Altice N.V., we have access to the innovation, management expertise and best practices developed and tested in other Altice Group markets such as France, Portugal, the Dominican Republic and Israel. For example, our new home communications hub will be based on LaBox, which was developed by Altice Labs, Altice N.V.'s technology, services and operations innovation center, and our FTTH network build-out will leverage Altice Labs' technology and expertise developed for the deployment of GPON technology in Altice Group's fiber networks. Our B2B service offerings draw from platforms, services and expertise developed by sophisticated B2B operators across the Altice Group footprint such as Portugal Telecom in Portugal and SFR in France. We also benefit from Altice Group's significant scale advantages, allowing us to draw on centralized functions, including procurement and technical services. In addition, Altice Group operates converged networks, including wireless operations in markets outside the United States. We believe these scale benefits and operational expertise assist us in increasing our operating efficiency and reducing our capital expenditures while also improving the customer experience.
Altice Group also cross-deploys talent and expertise across its businesses, allowing us to benefit from our senior management's experience in successfully implementing the Altice Way around the world. We believe this diversity of experience differentiates us from our more traditional U.S.-centric industry peers.
Strategic Focus on Operational Efficiency
An important principle of the Altice Way is leveraging operational efficiency in order to invest in network improvements and increase returns. We believe our focus on simplifying customer service offerings and streamlining and improving our operations through an intense focus on efficiency is unmatched by our U.S. industry peers. We continuously strive to remove unnecessary management layers, streamline decision-making processes, trim excess costs and question whether our current methodologies are indeed the most efficient. For example, the home installation, repair, outside plant maintenance and network construction elements of our business have been reorganized under Altice Technical Services ("ATS"), Altice N.V.'s services organization in the United States. We believe this reorganization will allow us to focus on our core competencies and realize operational cost efficiencies. The financial resources created by these strategies allow us to invest in network improvements and customer experience enhancements. We believe the operating and financial benefits that result from our focus on operational efficiency will continue to give us a competitive advantage against our competitors and U.S. industry peers.
Powerful Financial Model Driving Strong Returns
We believe the benefits of the Altice Way have already significantly strengthened our financial performance and will continue to do so, allowing us to deliver strong returns.
Our revenue growth for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was % as compared to pro forma revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2016. We believe we can continue growing our revenue by increasing market penetration of our services (particularly broadband), driving continued growth in B2B services, launching new services, gaining market share from competitors due to the high quality and value of our services and leveraging improved customer satisfaction to sell additional services.
We believe we are one of the most profitable and cash flow generative broadband communications and video services providers in the United States. Our Adjusted EBITDA margin has increased from % for the three months ended March 31, 2016 on a pro forma basis giving effect to the Optimum Acquisition to % for the three months ended March 31, 2017. Combined with our revenue growth, this translates into a % year-over-year Adjusted EBITDA growth. See "Summary Historical and
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Pro Forma Financial Data" for additional information regarding Adjusted EBITDA, including a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to net income. As of December 31, 2016, we have realized a substantial portion of the total $1.1 billion in operating cost savings we announced that we would achieve over the three-year period following the Acquisitions. For the three months ended March 31, 2017, our capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue was %, which we believe is one of the lowest among our U.S. industry peers, even as we increased our investments in network and service capabilities. The ratio of our Adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures to revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2017 was %, implying that for each dollar of Adjusted EBITDA that we realized in that quarter we generated approximately $ of Adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures, which we believe exceeds the performance of our U.S. industry peers. We believe our profitability, capital efficiency and cash generation profile, which is among the highest in the industry, results from a number of factors, including our focus on operational efficiency derived from the Altice Way, the advanced state of our HFC network infrastructure, our highly clustered network footprint and our customer base with relatively high ARPU and low churn.
Experienced Management Team Supported by Founder
Our CEO and Co-Presidents have substantial experience in communications and media operations, finance and mergers and acquisitions, and a proven track record in executing the Altice Way. Dexter Goei, our CEO and Chairman since 2016, joined Altice N.V. in 2009, and as its CEO he spearheaded the rapid expansion of the company from a French cable operator to a multinational communications enterprise with fixed and mobile assets across six different countries. A key aspect of Mr. Goei's role as CEO of Altice USA is to carry forward the same entrepreneurial and owner-operator culture that is at the core of the Altice Way and Altice N.V.'s success. Hakim Boubazine, our Co-President and COO since 2015, was previously the CEO of Altice Group's Dominican Republic business, where he oversaw pay television, broadband and mobile operations for more than four million customers. Charles Stewart, our Co-President and CFO since 2015, previously served as CEO of Itau BBA International plc, where he oversaw Itau-Unibanco's wholesale banking activities in Europe, United States and Asia. Prior to that, he spent nineteen years at Morgan Stanley in a variety of investment banking roles including nine years focused on the U.S. cable industry. Our management team operates in a coordinated fashion with Altice N.V.'s management team and is supported by Altice Group's founder and controlling stockholder, Patrick Drahi. We believe this facilitates a flat corporate structure, speed in decision making and a focus on long-term value creation.
Our Business Strategy
Our business strategy is based on the successful Altice Way. By executing on the principles described below, we aim to provide advanced, innovative broadband, pay television and telephony services to our customers and deliver strong returns to our stockholders.
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Simplify and Optimize Our Organization
Since the Acquisitions, we have implemented the Altice Way across our organization to streamline processes and service offerings and to improve productivity by centralizing our business functions, reorganizing our procurement processes, eliminating duplicative management functions and overhead, terminating lower-return projects and non-essential consulting and third-party service arrangements, and investing in our employee relations and our culture. This has resulted in a revitalized organization as well as improved financial performance, which we are leveraging to re-invest in our business. We are also reorganizing and simplifying our customer service, programming and data analytics; using ATS to increase quality, efficiency and productivity; and updating and simplifying our IT infrastructure through further investments and integration.
Reinvest in Infrastructure and Content
Our entire Optimum footprint is upgraded to deliver broadband speeds of up to 300 Mbps for residential customers and up to 350 Mbps for business customers, and we have expanded our 1 Gbps broadband service to approximately 60% of our Suddenlink footprint, compared to approximately 40% prior to the Suddenlink Acquisition. In addition, we have commenced a five-year plan to build a FTTH network, which will enable us to deliver more than 10 Gbps broadband speeds across our entire Optimum footprint and part of our Suddenlink footprint. We believe we can carry out this network build-out efficiently and within our current capital expenditure levels because of (i) the proximity of fiber to our end customers in our existing network; (ii) our access to Altice Labs' experience and expertise in deploying GPON for its FTTH projects in other markets; (iii) our favorable network topology that is over 75% aerial; and (iv) the lower unit construction costs available to us through ATS. We believe our FTTH investment will further prepare us for the future by enabling us to provide our residential and business customers with technologically advanced services and increased network reliability, while providing us with lower operating costs and opportunities for new revenue sources. For instance, we believe our FTTH investment will offer significant strategic value as the mobile and fixed network environments continue to converge, particularly as mobile operators deploy 5G and subsequent mobile networks.
Our reinvestment in content has focused on the news category with ongoing investments in our hyper-local news channel News12, our 25% investment in the U.S. operations of i24 News, the Altice Group global news network that was launched in the United States in February 2017, and our 25% interest in Newsday, a daily newspaper that primarily serves Long Island. In addition, we are evaluating opportunities to deploy other content assets owned by Altice Group.
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Invest in Sales, Marketing and Innovation
We are reinvesting in our sales channels, including enhancing our e-commerce channels such as Optimum.com and Suddenlink.com, and developing e-commerce-only promotions. We are also focused on building our brand to emphasize the quality of our services by developing Optimum Experience retail stores in shopping malls and other high-traffic locations.
We seek to innovate across many areas of our business. For our residential customers, this includes our focus on new customer platforms and faster data speeds. For our business customers, we are introducing new value-added managed services while for our advertising clients we offer advanced, targeted and multi-screen advertising services and data analytics using our proprietary data and the advanced technology platforms that we have developed and acquired.
Enhance the Customer Experience
We intend to deliver a superior customer experience through implementation of the Altice Way. First, we aim to offer the most technologically advanced customer platforms, including our new home communications hub, which is an innovative, integrated platform with a dynamic and sophisticated user interface combining a set-top box, Internet router and cable modem in one device. Second, by leveraging our advanced infrastructure (with more than 8.5 million homes passed and approximately 1.8 million Wi-Fi hotspots as of December 31, 2016), we seek to provide our customers with a bandwidth and connectivity experience superior to what our competition offers. We believe our FTTH network build-out will further enhance our infrastructure position, improve service reliability for our customers and lower our maintenance costs. Third, we strive to provide the best service across the customer lifecycle from point of sale to installation and customer care. A key aspect of this initiative is to link internal sales incentives to metrics tied to the length of a new customer relationship and product mix, as opposed to more traditional criteria of new sales, in order to refocus our organization away from churn retention to churn prevention. For example, the number of technical service calls handled by our representatives in March 2017 was 23.8% lower compared to March 2016 while the number of customer service calls handled by our representatives was 17.3% lower over the same period.
Drive Revenue and Cash Flow Growth
Since the Acquisitions, we have made significant progress in improving our growth in revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and cash flow and believe we have additional opportunities to drive continued growth in these financial metrics based on the following factors:
Opportunistically Grow Through Value-Accretive Acquisitions
We intend to opportunistically grow through value-accretive acquisitions. Our controlling stockholder, Altice N.V., has made over 30 acquisitions since its inception in 2002, including the
9
Acquisitions. We believe Altice N.V. has consistently demonstrated an ability to acquire and effectively integrate companies, realize efficiencies and cost synergies, improve revenue trends and grow Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures. In the six largest acquisitions completed by Altice N.V., SFR (formerly Numericable), Portugal Telecom, HOT, Orange Dominicana, Optimum and Suddenlink, it has increased Adjusted EBITDA margin on average by percentage points and revenue growth on average by percentage points between the first full fiscal quarter following the completion of each acquisition and the three months ended March 31, 2017. Altice N.V.'s track record of creating value through acquisitions is also reflected in the 32% average annual total return of SFR's ordinary shares since its initial public offering in November 2013 until March 31, 2017, compared to the 5% average annual total return of the STOXX Europe 600 Telecommunications Index, of which SFR's ordinary shares is a component, during the same time period. We believe the U.S. broadband communications and video services market offers a number of attractive opportunities to grow our business through strategic acquisitions. We believe the Altice Way and our related ability to achieve efficiencies and cost synergies following acquisitions provide us with a competitive advantage in such future consolidation opportunities. However, there is no assurance that we would be able to achieve similar results or that any such acquisitions would have a similar impact on our stock price performance.
Risks Affecting Our Business
Investing in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. There are a number of risks you should carefully consider before investing in our Class A common stock. These risks are discussed more fully under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 17 of this prospectus, and include, but are not limited to:
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adversely affect our results of operations. Our business depends on intellectual property rights and on not infringing on the intellectual property rights of others.
Ownership and Organization
Prior to this offering, Altice USA was indirectly owned % by Altice N.V. and % by an entity controlled by Patrick Drahi; % by funds advised by BC Partners LLP ("BCP"); % by entities affiliated with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board ("CPPIB") and % by Altice USA management, employees and affiliates.
BC Partners is a leading international private equity firm with advised funds of over €13 billion. Established in 1986, the firm operates as an integrated team through offices in Europe and North America to acquire and develop businesses and create value in partnership with management. Since inception, BC Partners has completed 93 acquisitions with a total enterprise value of approximately €115 billion, demonstrating discipline in bull markets and an ability to invest in attractive opportunities amidst turbulence and recession. BC Partners has a long and distinguished history of partnering with numerous companies in the Technology, Media, and Telecom space including Com Hem, Springer, Cartrawler, Mergermarket and Intelsat.
CPPIB is a sophisticated, global institutional investor, managing a fund that ranks among the world's 10 largest retirement funds. It invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan to pay current benefits on behalf of 19 million contributors and beneficiaries. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York, São Paulo and Sydney, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At December 31, 2016, the Fund's assets totaled C$298 billion, of which approximately C$38 billion is invested through the Private Investments group. A team of approximately 130 dedicated Private Investments professionals manages investment activities in Direct Private Equity, Principal Credit, and Natural Resources. Direct Private Equity manages an approximately C$17 billion portfolio of investments and focuses on majority- or shared-control investments across multiple industry sectors worldwide. Current and previous technology and telecom investments include Suddenlink Communications, Informatica, Asurion, IMS Health and Skype, among others.
Company Information
We were incorporated in Delaware on September 14, 2015. Our principal executive office is located at 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, NY 11714. Our telephone number at that address is (516) 803-2300. Our website address is www.alticeusa.com. Information on our and our subsidiaries' websites, the Altice N.V. website or any Altice N.V. filing is deemed not to be a part of this prospectus.
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Class A common stock offered by us |
shares. | |
Class A common stock offered by the selling stockholders |
shares. |
|
Underwriters' option |
shares. |
|
Class A common stock outstanding after this offering |
shares ( shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock). |
|
Class B common stock outstanding after this offering |
shares. |
|
Class C common stock outstanding after this offering |
None. |
|
Total Class A and Class B common stock outstanding after this offering |
shares ( shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock). |
|
Use of proceeds |
We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us, will be approximately $ , based on an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. |
|
|
We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders. |
|
|
We currently intend to use the net proceeds that we receive from this offering for general corporate purposes. |
|
|
See "Use of Proceeds." |
|
Risk factors |
Investing in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. There are a number of risks you should consider before investing in our Class A common stock. These risks are discussed more fully under "Risk Factors" beginning on page 17 of this prospectus. |
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Dividend policy |
We currently intend to retain any future earnings to fund the operation, development and expansion of our business and do not intend to pay any dividends on our Class A or Class B common stock. Any future determination relating to our dividend policy will be made in the sole and absolute discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon then existing conditions, including our financial condition, results of operations, contractual restrictions, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. See "Dividend Policy" and "Description of Certain Indebtedness." |
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Voting rights |
Following this offering, we will have three classes of common stock: Class A common stock, Class B common stock and Class C common stock. Each share of Class A common stock will be entitled to one vote. Each share of Class B common stock will be entitled to twenty-five votes and will be convertible at any time into one share of Class A common stock. If we issue any shares of Class C common stock, they will be non-voting. The holders of our outstanding Class B common stock will hold approximately % of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock immediately following this offering. |
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Proposed symbol |
We will apply to list our Class A common stock on the under the symbol " ." |
Unless otherwise indicated, the information presented in this prospectus:
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SUMMARY HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA FINANCIAL DATA
The summary consolidated historical balance sheet and operating data of Altice USA as of and for the year ended December 31, 2016 presented below have been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of Altice USA included elsewhere herein. The historical operating data of Altice USA for the year ended December 31, 2016 include the operating results of Cequel for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the operating results of Cablevision for the period from the date of acquisition, June 21, 2016 through December 31, 2016. The consolidated pro forma operating data of Altice USA for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 have been derived from the unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations included in this prospectus and give effect to the Cablevison Acquisition and Suddenlink Acquisition as if they had occurred on January 1, 2015.
The selected historical and pro forma results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. This information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of Altice USA, the unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations of Altice USA, and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Altice USA included elsewhere herein.
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Altice USA | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year ended December 31, | |||||||||
|
2016 | 2015 | 2016 | |||||||
|
Pro Forma | Pro Forma | Historical | |||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Revenue: |
||||||||||
Residential: |
||||||||||
Pay TV |
$ | 4,227,222 | $ | 4,260,631 | $ | 2,759,216 | ||||
Broadband |
2,290,039 | 2,005,012 | 1,617,029 | |||||||
Telephony |
872,115 | 912,002 | 529,973 | |||||||
Business services and wholesale |
1,230,643 | 1,158,840 | 819,541 | |||||||
Advertising |
365,429 | 345,498 | 245,702 | |||||||
Other |
169,368 | 283,874 | 45,751 | |||||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Total revenue |
9,154,816 | 8,965,857 | 6,017,212 | |||||||
Operating expenses: |
||||||||||
Programming and other direct costs |
2,988,549 | 2,982,005 | 1,899,994 | |||||||
Other operating expenses |
2,853,821 | 3,499,669 | 1,716,851 | |||||||
Restructuring and other expense (credits) |
229,117 | (1,649 | ) | 240,395 | ||||||
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) |
2,345,775 | 2,442,235 | 1,700,306 | |||||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income |
737,554 | 43,597 | 459,666 | |||||||
Other non-operating expenses, net |
(1,800,583 | ) | (1,636,921 | ) | (1,550,811 | ) | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes |
(1,063,029 | ) | (1,593,324 | ) | (1,091,145 | ) | ||||
Income tax benefit |
406,886 | 498,567 | 259,666 | |||||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Loss from continuing operations, net of income taxes |
(656,143 | ) | (1,094,757 | ) | (831,479 | ) | ||||
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes |
| (12,541 | ) | | ||||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Net loss |
(656,143 | ) | (1,107,298 | ) | (831,479 | ) | ||||
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(315 | ) | 201 | (551 | ) | |||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Net loss attributable to Altice USA stockholders |
$ | (656,458 | ) | $ | (1,107,097 | ) | $ | (832,030 | ) | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Adjusted EBITDA(a) |
$ | 3,352,045 | $ | 2,769,520 | $ | 2,414,735 | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Adjusted EBITDA margin |
36.6 | % | 30.9 | % | 40.1 | % | ||||
Capital expenditures |
$ | 955,672 | $ | 1,294,842 | $ | 625,541 | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
Capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue |
10.4 | % | 14.4 | % | 10.4 | % |
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gain (loss) on equity derivative contracts, gain (loss) on investments, interest expense (including cash interest expense), interest income, depreciation and amortization (including impairments), share-based compensation expense or benefit, restructuring expense or credits and transaction expenses. We believe Adjusted EBITDA is an appropriate measure for evaluating the operating performance of the Company. Adjusted EBITDA and similar measures with similar titles are common performance measures used by investors, analysts and peers to compare performance in our industry. Internally, we use revenue and Adjusted EBITDA measures as important indicators of our business performance, and evaluate management's effectiveness with specific reference to these indicators. We believe Adjusted EBITDA provides management and investors a useful measure for period-to-period comparisons of our core business and operating results by excluding items that are not comparable across reporting periods or that do not otherwise relate to the Company's ongoing operating results. Adjusted EBITDA should be viewed as a supplement to and not a substitute for operating income (loss), net income (loss), and other measures of performance presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"). Since Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with GAAP, this measure may not be comparable to similar measures with similar titles used by other companies.
The following is a reconciliation of net loss to Adjusted EBITDA:
|
Altice USA | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year ended December 31, | |||||||||
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2016 | 2015 | 2016 | |||||||
|
Pro Forma | Pro Forma | Historical | |||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||
Net loss |
$ | (656,143 | ) | $ | (1,107,298 | ) | $ | (831,479 | ) | |
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes |
| 12,541 | | |||||||
Income tax benefit |
(406,886 | ) | (498,567 | ) | (259,666 | ) | ||||
Other income(a) |
(9,184 | ) | (6,045 | ) | (4,329 | ) | ||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs |
127,649 | 1,735 | 127,649 | |||||||
Loss on interest rate swap contracts |
72,961 | | 72,961 | |||||||
Loss (gain) on equity derivative contracts, net(b) |
89,979 | (104,927 | ) | 53,696 | ||||||
Loss (gain) on investments, net |
(271,886 | ) | 30,208 | (141,896 | ) | |||||
Interest expense, net |
1,791,064 | 1,715,950 | 1,442,730 | |||||||
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) |
2,345,775 | 2,442,235 | 1,700,306 | |||||||
Restructuring and other expenses (credits) |
229,117 | (1,649 | ) | 240,395 | ||||||
Share-based compensation |
39,599 | 285,337 | 14,368 | |||||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
Adjusted EBITDA |
$ | 3,352,045 | $ | 2,769,520 | $ | 2,414,735 | ||||
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | |
|
Altice USA As of December 31, 2016 |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Balance Sheet Data:
|
Actual | As Adjusted |
|||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 486,792 | |||||
Total assets |
36,474,249 | ||||||
Total debt |
24,030,065 | ||||||
Net debt excluding collateralized indebtedness and notes payable to affiliates and related parties(1) |
20,507,204 |
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Customer Metrics
The following table sets forth certain customer metrics by segment (unaudited):
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|
|
|
Pro Forma As of December 31, 2015 |
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|
As of December 31, 2016 | |
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Net Increase (Decrease) |
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|
Cablevision | Cequel(g) | Total | Cablevision | Cequel(g) | Total | ||||||||||||||||
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(in thousands, except per customer amounts) |
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Homes passed(a) |
5,116 | 3,407 | 8,523 | 5,076 | 3,352 | 8,428 | 95 | |||||||||||||||
Total customer relationships(b) |
3,141 | 1,751 | 4,892 | 3,116 | 1,712 | 4,828 | 64 | |||||||||||||||
Residential |
2,879 | 1,649 | 4,528 | 2,858 | 1,618 | 4,476 | 52 | |||||||||||||||
SMB |
262 | 102 | 364 | 258 | 94 | 352 | 12 | |||||||||||||||
Residential customers(c): |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Pay TV |
2,428 | 1,107 | 3,535 | 2,487 | 1,154 | 3,641 | (106 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Broadband |
2,619 | 1,344 | 3,963 | 2,562 | 1,276 | 3,838 | 125 | |||||||||||||||
Telephony |
1,962 | 597 | 2,559 | 2,007 | 581 | 2,588 | (29 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Residential triple product customer penetration(d): |
64.8 | % | 25.5 | % | 50.5 | % | 67.6 | % | 25.4 | % | 52.3 | % | (1.8 | )% | ||||||||
Penetration of homes passed(e): |
61.4 | % | 51.4 | % | 57.4 | % | 61.4 | % | 51.1 | % | 57.3 | % | 0.1 | % | ||||||||
ARPU(f) |
$ | 154.49 | $ | 109.30 | $ | 138.07 | $ | 150.61 | $ | 104.04 | $ | 133.79 | $ | 4.28 |
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Investing in our Class A common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this prospectus, including the financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and the information set forth under the caption "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements," before deciding whether to invest in shares of our Class A common stock. We describe below what we believe are currently the material risks and uncertainties we face, but they are not the only risks and uncertainties we face. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. If any of the following risks actually occur, our business, financial condition, results of operations and future prospects could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the market price of our Class A common stock could decline and you could lose part or all of your investment.
Risk Factors Relating to Our Business
We operate in a highly competitive business environment which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity.
We operate in a highly competitive, consumer-driven industry and we compete against a variety of broadband, pay television and telephony providers and delivery systems, including broadband communications companies, wireless data and telephony providers, satellite-delivered video signals, Internet-delivered video content and broadcast television signals available to residential and business customers in our service areas. Some of our competitors include AT&T and its DirecTV subsidiary, CenturyLink, DISH Network, Frontier and Verizon. In addition, our pay television services compete with all other sources of leisure, news, information and entertainment, including movies, sporting or other live events, radio broadcasts, home-video services, console games, print media and the Internet.
In some instances, our competitors have fewer regulatory burdens, easier access to financing, greater resources, greater operating capabilities and efficiencies of scale, stronger brand-name recognition, longstanding relationships with regulatory authorities and customers, more subscribers, more flexibility to offer promotional packages at prices lower than ours and greater access to programming or other services. This competition creates pressure on our pricing and has adversely affected, and may continue to affect, our ability to add and retain customers, which in turn adversely affects our business, financial condition and results of operations. The effects of competition may also adversely affect our liquidity and ability to service our debt. For example, we face intense competition from Verizon, which has constructed FTTH network infrastructure that passes a significant number of households in our New York metropolitan service area. We estimate that Verizon is currently able to sell a fiber-based triple play, including broadband, pay television and telephony services, to at least half of the households in our New York metropolitan service area and may expand these and other service offerings to more customers in the future. Any estimate of Verizon's build-out and sales activity in our New York metropolitan service area is difficult to assess because it is based on visual inspections and other limited estimating techniques and therefore serves only as an approximation.
Our competitive risks are heightened by the rapid technological change inherent in our business, evolving consumer preferences and the need to acquire, develop and adopt new technology to differentiate our products and services from those of our competitors, and to meet consumer demand. We may need to anticipate far in advance which technology we should use for the development of new products and services or the enhancement of existing products and services. The failure to accurately anticipate such changes may adversely affect our ability to attract and retain customers, which in turn could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Consolidation in our industry may allow our competitors to acquire service capabilities that are not available to us. In
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addition, changes in the regulatory and legislative environments may result in changes to the competitive landscape.
In addition, certain of our competitors own directly or are affiliated with companies that own programming content or have exclusive arrangements with content providers that may enable them to obtain lower programming costs or offer exclusive programming that may be attractive to prospective subscribers. For example, DirecTV has exclusive arrangements with the National Football League that give it access to programming we cannot offer. AT&T also has an agreement to acquire Time Warner, which owns a number of cable networks, including TBS, CNN and HBO, as well as Warner Bros. Entertainment, which produces television, film and home-video content. AT&T's and DirecTV's potential access to Time Warner programming could allow AT&T and DirecTV to offer competitive and promotional packages that could negatively affect our ability to maintain or increase our existing customers and revenues. DBS operators such as DISH Network and DirecTV also have marketing arrangements with certain phone companies in which the DBS provider's pay television services are sold together with the phone company's broadband and mobile and traditional phone services.
Another source of competition for our pay television services is the delivery of video content over the Internet directly to subscribers, some of which is offered without charging a fee for access to the content. This competition comes from a number of different sources, including companies that deliver movies, television shows and other video programming over broadband Internet connections, such as Netflix, Hulu, iTunes, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Sling TV, Playstation Vue, DirecTV Now and Go90. It is possible that additional competitors will enter the market and begin providing video content over the Internet directly to subscribers. Increasingly, content owners, such as HBO and CBS, are selling their programming directly to consumers over the Internet without requiring a pay-television subscription. The availability of these services has and will continue to adversely affect customer demand for our pay television services, including premium and on-demand services. Further, due to consumer electronics innovations, consumers are able to watch such Internet-delivered content on television sets and mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. Internet access services are also offered by providers of wireless services, including traditional cellular phone carriers and others focused solely on wireless data services. All wireless carriers have started to offer unlimited data plans, which could, in some cases, become a substitute for the fixed broadband services we provide. The Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") is likely to continue to make additional radio spectrum available for these wireless Internet access services.
Our pay television services also face competition from broadcast television stations, entities that make digital video recorded movies and programs available for home rental or sale, SMATV systems, which generally serve large MDUs under an agreement with the landlord and service providers and open video system operators. Private cable systems can offer improved reception of local television stations and many of the same satellite-delivered program services that are offered by cable systems. SMATV systems currently benefit from operating advantages not available to franchised cable systems, including fewer regulatory burdens. Cable television has also long competed with broadcast television, which consists of television signals that the viewer is able to receive without charge using an "off-air" antenna. The extent of such competition is dependent upon the quality and quantity of broadcast signals available through "off-air" reception, compared to the services provided by the local cable system. The use of radio spectrum now provides traditional broadcasters with the ability to deliver HD television pictures and multiple digital-quality program streams. There can be no assurance that existing, proposed or as yet undeveloped technologies will not become dominant in the future and render our video service offering less profitable or even obsolete.
Most broadband communications companies, which already have wired networks, an existing customer base and other operational functions in place (such as billing and service personnel), offer DSL services. We believe DSL service competes with our broadband service and is often offered at prices lower than our Internet services. However, DSL is often offered at speeds lower than the speeds
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we offer. In addition, DSL providers may currently be in a better position to offer Internet services to businesses since their networks tend to be more complete in commercial areas. They may also increasingly have the ability to combine video services with telephone and Internet services offered to their customers, particularly as broadband communications companies enter into co-marketing agreements with other service providers. In addition, current and future fixed and wireless Internet services, such as 3G, 4G and 5G fixed and wireless broadband services and Wi-Fi networks, and devices such as wireless data cards, tablets and smartphones, and mobile wireless routers that connect to such devices, may compete with our broadband services.
Our telephony services compete directly with established broadband communications companies and other carriers, including wireless providers, as increasing numbers of homes are replacing their traditional telephone service with wireless telephone service. We also compete against VoIP providers like Vonage, Skype, GoogleTalk, Facetime, WhatsApp and magicJack that do not own networks but can provide service to any person with a broadband connection, in some cases free of charge. In addition, we compete against ILECs, other CLECs and long-distance voice-service companies for large commercial and enterprise customers. While we compete with the ILECs, we also enter into interconnection agreements with ILECs so that our customers can make and receive calls to and from customers served by the ILECs and other telecommunications providers. Federal and state law and regulations require ILECs to enter into such agreements and provide facilities and services necessary for connection, at prices subject to regulation. The specific price, terms and conditions of each agreement, however, depend on the outcome of negotiations between us and each ILEC. Interconnection agreements are also subject to approval by the state regulatory commissions, which may arbitrate negotiation impasses. We have entered into interconnection agreements with Verizon for New York, New Jersey and portions of Connecticut, and with Frontier for portions of Connecticut, which have been approved by the respective state commissions. We have also entered into interconnection agreements with other ILECs in New York and New Jersey. These agreements, like all interconnection agreements, are for limited terms and upon expiration are subject to renegotiation, potential arbitration and approval under the laws in effect at that time.
We also face competition for our advertising sales from traditional and non-traditional media outlets, including television and radio stations, traditional print media and the Internet.
We face significant risks as a result of rapid changes in technology, consumer expectations and behavior.
The broadband communications industry has undergone significant technological development over time and these changes continue to affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Such changes have had, and will continue to have, a profound impact on consumer expectations and behavior. Our video business faces technological change risks as a result of the continuing development of new and changing methods for delivery of programming content such as Internet-based delivery of movies, shows and other content which can be viewed on televisions, wireless devices and other developing mobile devices. Consumers' video consumption patterns are also evolving, for example, with more content being downloaded for time-shifted consumption. A proliferation of delivery systems for video content can adversely affect our ability to attract and retain subscribers and the demand for our services and it can also decrease advertising demand on our delivery systems. Our broadband business faces technological challenges from rapidly evolving wireless Internet solutions. Our telephony service offerings face technological developments in the proliferation of telephony delivery systems including those based on Internet and wireless delivery. If we do not develop or acquire and successfully implement new technologies, we will limit our ability to compete effectively for subscribers, content and advertising. We cannot provide any assurance that we will realize, in full or in part, the anticipated benefits we expect from the introduction of our new home communications hub or that it will be introduced to the market in the timeframe we anticipate and with all anticipated features and functionality. In addition, we may be required to make material capital and other investments to
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anticipate and to keep up with technological change. These challenges could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Additionally, our U.S. industry peers might introduce a "quad-play" offering that bundles broadband, pay television, telephony and mobile communications services. This might lead our customers to expect similar bundled offerings from us, which in turn could result in increased customer churn if we do not, or are unable to, offer similar quad-play bundles, or could require additional investments by us to meet market demand. There can be no assurance that we can offer quad-play bundles successfully or on terms favorable to us.
Programming and retransmission costs are increasing and we may not have the ability to pass these increases on to our subscribers. Disputes with programmers and the inability to retain or obtain popular programming can adversely affect our relationship with subscribers and lead to subscriber losses.
Programming costs are one of our largest categories of expenses. In recent years, the cost of programming in the cable and satellite video industries has increased significantly and is expected to continue to increase, particularly with respect to costs for sports programming and broadcast networks. We may not be able to pass programming cost increases on to our subscribers due to the increasingly competitive environment. If we are unable to pass these increased programming costs on to our subscribers, our results of operations would be adversely affected. Moreover, programming costs are related directly to the number of subscribers to whom the programming is provided. Our smaller subscriber base relative to our competitors may limit our ability to negotiate lower per-subscriber programming costs, which could result in reduced operating margins relative to our competitors with a larger subscriber base.
The expiration dates of our various programming contracts are staggered, which results in the expiration of a portion of our programming contracts throughout each year. A contract with one of our ten largest programmers has expired and we are currently in the process of renegotiating a renewal of this contract. We attempt to control our programming costs and, therefore, the cost of our video services to our customers, by negotiating favorable terms for the renewal of our affiliation agreements with programmers. On certain occasions in the past, such negotiations have led to disputes with programmers that have resulted in temporary periods during which we did not carry or decided to stop carrying a particular broadcast network or programming service or services. Additionally, in our Suddenlink segment, we were unable to reach agreement with Viacom on acceptable economic terms for a long-term contract renewal and, effective October 1, 2014, all Viacom networks were removed from our channel lineups in our Suddenlink footprint. To the extent we are unable to reach agreement with certain programmers on terms we believe are reasonable, we may be forced to, or determine for strategic or business reasons to, remove certain programming channels from our line-up and may decide to replace such programming channels with other programming channels, which may not be available on acceptable terms or be as attractive to customers. Such disputes, or the removal or replacement of programming, may inconvenience some of our subscribers and can lead to customer dissatisfaction and, in certain cases, the loss of customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. There can be no assurance that our existing programming contracts will be renewed on favorable or comparable terms, or at all, or that the rights we negotiate will be adequate for us to execute our business strategy.
We may also be subject to increasing financial and other demands by broadcast stations. Federal law allows commercial television broadcast stations to make an election between "must-carry" rights and an alternative "retransmission consent" regime. Local stations that elect "must-carry" are entitled to mandatory carriage on our systems, but at no fee. When a station opts for retransmission consent, cable operators negotiate for the right to carry the station's signal, which typically requires payment of a per-subscriber fee. Our retransmission agreements with stations expire from time to time. Upon expiration of these agreements, we may carry some stations under short-term arrangements while we
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attempt to negotiate new long-term retransmission agreements. In connection with any negotiation of new retransmission agreements, we may become subject to increased or additional costs, which we may not be able to pass on to our customers. To the extent that we cannot pass on such increased or additional costs to customers or offset such increased or additional costs through the sale of additional services, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity could be materially adversely affected. In addition, in the event contract negotiations with stations are unsuccessful, we could be required, or determine for strategic or business reasons, to cease carrying such stations' signals, possibly for an indefinite period. Any loss of stations could make our video service less attractive to our customers, which could result in a loss of customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity. There can be no assurance that any expiring retransmission agreements will be renewed on favorable or comparable terms, or at all.
We may not be able to successfully implement our growth strategy.
Our future growth, profitability and results of operations depend upon our ability to successfully implement our business strategy, which, in turn, is dependent upon a number of factors, including our ability to continue to:
There can be no assurance that we can successfully achieve any or all of the above initiatives in the manner or time period that we expect. Furthermore, achieving these objectives will require investments which may result in short-term costs without generating any current revenues and therefore may be dilutive to our earnings. We cannot provide any assurance that we will realize, in full or in part, the anticipated benefits we expect our strategy will achieve. The failure to realize those benefits could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, if we are unable to continue improving our operational performance and customer experience we may face a decrease in new subscribers and an increase in subscriber churn, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In particular, there can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully implement our plan to build a FTTH network within the anticipated five-year timeline or at all or within the cost parameters we currently expect. Similarly, we may not be successful in deploying our new home communications hub on our current timeline or at all and we may face technological or other challenges in pursuing these or other initiatives.
The financial markets are subject to volatility and disruptions, which have in the past, and may in the future, adversely affect our business, including by affecting the cost of new capital and our ability to fund acquisitions or other strategic transactions.
The capital markets experience volatility and disruption. At times, the markets have exerted extreme downward pressure on stock prices and upward pressure on the cost of new debt, which has severely restricted credit availability for many companies.
Historical market disruptions have typically been accompanied by a broader economic downturn, which has historically led to lower demand for our products, such as video services, as well as lower
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levels of television advertising, and increased incidence of customers' inability to pay for the services we provide. A recurrence of these conditions may further adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely on the capital markets, particularly for offerings of debt securities and borrowings under syndicated facilities, to meet our financial commitments and liquidity needs and to fund acquisitions or other strategic transactions. Disruptions or volatility in the capital markets could also adversely affect our ability to refinance on satisfactory terms, or at all, our scheduled debt maturities and could adversely affect our ability to draw on our revolving credit facilities.
Disruptions in the capital markets as well as the broader global financial market can also result in higher interest rates on publicly issued debt securities and increased costs under credit facilities. Such disruptions could increase our interest expense, adversely affecting our business, financial position and results of operations.
Our access to funds under our revolving credit facilities is dependent on the ability of the financial institutions that are parties to those facilities to meet their funding commitments. Those financial institutions may not be able to meet their funding commitments if they experience shortages of capital and liquidity or if they experience excessive volumes of borrowing requests within a short period of time. Moreover, the obligations of the financial institutions under our revolving credit facilities are several and not joint and, as a result, a funding default by one or more institutions does not need to be made up by the others.
Longer term, volatility and disruptions in the capital markets and the broader global financial market as a result of uncertainty, changing or increased regulation of financial institutions, reduced alternatives or failures of significant financial institutions could adversely affect our access to the liquidity needed for our businesses. Such disruptions could require us to take measures to conserve cash or impede or delay potential acquisitions, strategic transactions and refinancing transactions until the markets stabilize or until alternative credit arrangements or other funding for our business needs can be arranged.
We are highly leveraged and have substantial indebtedness, which reduces our capability to withstand adverse developments or business conditions.
We have incurred substantial amounts of indebtedness to finance the Acquisitions, our operations, upgrades to our cable plant and acquisitions of other cable systems, sources of programming and other businesses. We have also incurred substantial indebtedness in order to offer new or upgraded services to our current and potential customers. At December 31, 2016, our total aggregate indebtedness was approximately $22.3 billion (excluding notes payable to affiliates and related parties). Because we are highly leveraged, our payments on our indebtedness are significant in relation to our revenues and cash flow, which exposes us to significant risk in the event of downturns in our businesses (whether through competitive pressures or otherwise), our industry or the economy generally, since our cash flows would decrease, but our required payments under our indebtedness would not.
Economic downturns may impact our ability to comply with the covenants and restrictions in our indentures, credit facilities and agreements governing our other indebtedness and may impact our ability to pay or refinance our indebtedness as it comes due. If we do not repay or refinance our debt obligations when they become due and do not otherwise comply with the covenants and restrictions in our indentures, credit facilities and agreements governing our other indebtedness, we would be in default under those agreements and the underlying debt could be declared immediately due and payable. In addition, any default under any of our indentures, credit facilities or agreements governing our other indebtedness could lead to an acceleration of debt under any other debt instruments or agreements that contain cross-acceleration or cross-default provisions. If the indebtedness incurred under our indentures, credit facilities and agreements governing our other indebtedness were
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accelerated, we would not have sufficient cash to repay amounts due thereunder. To avoid a default, we could be required to defer capital expenditures, sell assets, seek strategic investments from third parties or otherwise reduce or eliminate discretionary uses of cash. However, if such measures were to become necessary, there can be no assurance that we would be able to sell sufficient assets or raise strategic investment capital sufficient to meet our scheduled debt maturities as they come due. In addition, any significant reduction in necessary capital expenditures could adversely affect our ability to retain our existing customer base and obtain new customers, which would adversely affect our business, financial position and results of operations.
Our overall leverage and the terms of our financing arrangements could also:
In addition, a substantial portion of our indebtedness bears interest at variable rates. If market interest rates increase, our variable-rate debt will have higher debt service requirements, which could adversely affect our cash flows and financial condition. For more information, see "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of OperationsQuantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market RiskInterest Rate Risk." Although we have historically entered into, and may in the future enter into, hedging arrangements to limit our exposure to an increase in interest rates, such arrangements may not offer complete protection from this risk.
If we incur additional indebtedness, such indebtedness could further exacerbate the risks associated with our substantial indebtedness.
If we incur additional indebtedness, such indebtedness will be added to our current debt levels and the related risks we currently face could be magnified. Any decrease in our revenues or an increase in operating costs (and corresponding reduction in our cash flows) would also adversely affect our ability to pay our indebtedness as it comes due.
We have in past periods incurred substantial losses from continuing operations, and we may do so in the future, which may reduce our ability to raise needed capital.
We have in the past reported substantial losses from continuing operations and we may do so in the future. Significant losses from continuing operations could limit our ability to raise any needed financing, or to do so on favorable terms, as such losses could be taken into account by potential investors, lenders and the organizations that issue investment ratings on our indebtedness.
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A lowering or withdrawal of the ratings assigned to our subsidiaries' debt securities and credit facilities by ratings agencies may further increase our future borrowing costs and reduce our access to capital.
Credit rating agencies continually revise their ratings for companies they follow. The condition of the financial and credit markets and prevailing interest rates have fluctuated in the past and are likely to fluctuate in the future. In addition, developments in our business and operations or the amount of indebtedness could lead to a ratings downgrade on our or our subsidiaries' indebtedness. The debt ratings for our subsidiaries' debt securities and credit facilities are currently below the "investment grade" category, which results in higher borrowing costs as well as a reduced pool of potential investors of that debt as some investors will not purchase debt securities or become lenders under credit facilities that are not rated in an investment grade rating category. In addition, there can be no assurance that any rating assigned will remain for any given period of time or that a rating will not be lowered or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency, if in that rating agency's judgment, future circumstances relating to the basis of the rating, such as adverse changes, so warrant. Any such fluctuation in the rating of us or our subsidiaries may impact our ability to access debt markets in the future or increase our cost of future debt which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations, which in return may adversely affect the trading price of shares of our Class A common stock.
Our subsidiaries' ability to meet obligations under their indebtedness may be restricted by limitations on our other subsidiaries' ability to send funds.
Our subsidiaries that have incurred indebtedness under indentures and credit facilities are primarily holding companies whose ability to pay interest and principal on such indebtedness is wholly or partially dependent upon the operations of their respective subsidiaries and the distributions or other payments of cash, in the form of distributions, loans or advances, those other subsidiaries deliver to our indebted subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and, unless any such subsidiaries has guaranteed the underlying indebtedness, have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts due on our indebted subsidiaries' indebtedness or to make any funds available to our indebted subsidiaries to do so. These subsidiaries may not generate enough cash to make such funds available to our indebted subsidiaries and in certain circumstances legal and contractual restrictions may also limit their ability to do so. Also, our subsidiaries' creditors, including trade creditors, in the event of a liquidation or reorganization of any subsidiary, would be entitled to a claim on the assets of such subsidiaries, including any assets transferred to those subsidiaries, prior to any of our claims as a stockholder and those creditors are likely to be paid in full before any distribution is made to us. To the extent that we are a creditor of a subsidiary, our claims could be subordinated to any security interest in the assets of that subsidiary and/or any indebtedness of that subsidiary senior to that held by us.
In addition, our Optimum and Suddenlink businesses are each currently financed on a standalone basis and constitute separate financing groups, which are subject to covenants that restrict the use of their respective cash flows outside their respective restricted groups. Consequently, cash flows from operations of Optimum and its subsidiaries may not be able to be applied to meet the obligations or other expenses of Suddenlink and its subsidiaries and cash flows from operations of Suddenlink may not be able to be applied to meet the obligations or other expenses of Optimum and its subsidiaries, except to the extent that the relevant restricted group is able to pay a dividend under the agreements governing their respective indebtedness.
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Our ability to incur additional indebtedness and use our funds is limited by significant restrictive covenants in financing agreements.
The indentures, credit facilities and agreements governing the indebtedness of our subsidiaries contain various negative covenants that restrict our subsidiaries' (and their respective subsidiaries') ability to, among other things:
We are also subject to certain affirmative covenants under our subsidiaries' revolving credit facilities, which, among other things, require the relevant Optimum and Suddenlink subsidiaries to each maintain a specified financial ratio if there are any outstanding utilizations. Our ability to meet these financial ratios may be affected by events beyond our control and, as a result, we cannot assure you that we will be able to meet these ratios.
Violation of these covenants could result in a default that would permit the relevant creditors to require the immediate repayment of the borrowings thereunder, which could result in a default under other debt instruments and agreements that contain cross-default provisions and, in the case of revolving credit facilities, permit the relevant lenders to restrict the relevant borrower's ability to borrow undrawn funds under such revolving credit facilities. A default under any of the agreements governing our indebtedness could materially adversely affect our growth, financial condition and results of operations.
As a result, we may be:
These restrictions could have a material adverse effect on our ability to grow in accordance with our strategy and on the value of our debt and equity securities. In addition, our financial results, substantial indebtedness and credit ratings could materially adversely affect the availability and terms of our financing.
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We will need to raise significant amounts of funding over the next several years to fund capital expenditures, repay existing obligations and meet other obligations and the failure to do so successfully could adversely affect our business. We may also engage in extraordinary transactions that involve the incurrence of large amounts of indebtedness.
Our business is capital intensive. Operating and maintaining our cable systems requires significant amounts of cash payments to third parties. Capital expenditures were $625.5 million in 2016 and on a pro forma basis were $956.0 million and $1,294.8 million in 2016 and 2015, respectively, and primarily included payments for customer premise equipment, such as new digital video cable boxes and modems, as well as infrastructure and capital expenditures related to our networks, in addition to the capital requirements of our other businesses.
We have commenced a five-year plan to build a FTTH network, which will enable us to deliver more than 10 Gbps broadband speeds across our entire Optimum footprint and part of our Suddenlink footprint. We also plan to introduce a new home communications hub during the second quarter of 2017, which will be the most advanced home communications hub offered by any Altice Group business. We may not be able to execute these initiatives within the anticipated timelines and we may incur greater than anticipated costs and capital expenditures in connection therewith, fail to realize anticipated benefits, experience business disruptions or encounter other challenges to executing either as planned. The failure to realize the anticipated benefits of these initiatives could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We expect these capital expenditures to continue to be significant as we further enhance our service offerings. We may have substantial future capital commitments in the form of long-term contracts that require substantial payments over a period of time. We may not be able to generate sufficient cash internally to fund anticipated capital expenditures, meet these obligations and repay our indebtedness at maturity. Accordingly, we may have to do one or more of the following:
However, we may not be able to refinance existing obligations or raise any required additional capital or to do so on favorable terms. Borrowing costs related to future capital raising activities may be significantly higher than our current borrowing costs and we may not be able to raise additional capital on favorable terms, or at all, if financial markets experience volatility. If we are unable to pursue our current and future spending programs, we may be forced to cancel or scale back those programs. Our choice of which spending programs to cancel or reduce may be limited. Failure to successfully pursue our capital expenditure and other spending plans could materially and adversely affect our ability to compete effectively. It is possible that in the future we may also engage in extraordinary transactions and such transactions could result in the incurrence of substantial additional indebtedness.
We rely on network and information systems for our operations and a disruption or failure of, or defects in, those systems may disrupt our operations, damage our reputation with customers and adversely affect our results of operations.
Network and information systems are essential to our ability to deliver our services to our customers. While we have in place multiple security systems designed to protect against intentional or unintentional disruption, failure, misappropriation or corruption of our network and information systems, there can be no assurance that our efforts to protect our network and information systems will prevent any of the problems identified above. A problem of this type might be caused by events such as
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computer hacking, computer viruses, worms and other destructive or disruptive software, "cyber-attacks" and other malicious activity, defects in the hardware and software comprising our network and information systems, as well as natural disasters, power outages, terrorist attacks and similar events. Such events could have an adverse impact on us and our customers, including degradation of service, service disruption, excessive call volume to call centers and damage to our plant, equipment and data. Operational or business delays may result from the disruption of network or information systems and the subsequent remediation activities. Moreover, these events may create negative publicity resulting in reputation or brand damage with customers and our results of operations could suffer.
We also use certain vendors to supply some of the hardware, software and support of our network, some of which have been customized or altered to fit our business needs. Certain of these vendors and suppliers may have leverage over us considering that there are limited suppliers of certain products and services, or that there is a long lead time and/or significant expense required to transition to another provider. In addition, some of these vendors and suppliers do not have a long operating history or may not be able to continue to supply the equipment and services we desire. Some of our hardware, software and operational support vendors and some of our service providers represent our sole source of supply or have, either through contract or as a result of intellectual property rights, a position of some exclusivity. In addition, because of the pace at which technological innovations occur in our industry, we may not be able to obtain access to the latest technology on reasonable terms. Any delays or the termination or disruption in these relationships as a result of contractual disagreements, operational or financial failures on the part of our vendors and suppliers, or other adverse events that prevent such vendors and suppliers from providing the equipment or services we need, with the level of quality we require, in a timely manner and at reasonable prices, could result in significant costs to us and have a negative effect on our ability to provide services and rollout advanced services. Our ability to replace such vendors and suppliers may be limited and, as a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity could be materially adversely affected.
If we experience a significant data security breach or fail to detect and appropriately respond to a significant data security breach, our results of operations and reputation could suffer.
The nature of our business involves the receipt and storage of information about our customers and employees. We have procedures in place to detect and respond to data security incidents. However, because the techniques used to obtain unauthorized access, disable or degrade service, or sabotage systems change frequently and may be difficult to detect for long periods of time, we may be unable to anticipate these techniques or implement adequate preventive measures. In addition, hardware, software or applications we develop or procure from third parties may contain defects in design or manufacture or other problems that could unexpectedly compromise information security. Unauthorized parties may also attempt to gain access to our systems or facilities and to our proprietary business information. If our efforts to protect the security of information about our customers and employees are unsuccessful, a significant data security breach may result in costly government enforcement actions, private litigation and negative publicity resulting in reputation or brand damage with customers, and our financial condition and results of operations could suffer.
A portion of our workforce is represented by labor unions. Collective bargaining agreements can increase our expenses. Labor disruptions could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
As of December 31, 2016, 227 of our full-time employees were covered by collective bargaining agreements (primarily technicians in Brooklyn, New York) with the Communication Workers of America ("CWA"). Optimum and the CWA entered into a collective bargaining agreement in 2015. This agreement was renewed in June 2016 for an additional three-year term. On March 10, 2017, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ("IBEW") was certified to represent 100 employees in Oakland, New Jersey. We have not yet negotiated a collective bargaining agreement with the IBEW relating to these employees and there can be no assurance that we will be able to do so on terms
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acceptable to us. The collective bargaining agreements with the CWA and IBEW covering these groups of employees or any other agreements with other unions may increase our expenses. In addition, any disruptions to our operations due to labor related problems could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
A significant amount of our book value consists of intangible assets that may not generate cash in the event of a voluntary or involuntary sale.
At December 31, 2016, we reported approximately $36.5 billion of consolidated total assets, of which approximately $27.4 billion were intangible. Intangible assets primarily included franchises from city and county governments to operate cable systems, goodwill, customer relationships and trade names. While we believe the carrying values of our intangible assets are recoverable, we may not receive any cash in the event of a voluntary or involuntary sale of these intangible assets, particularly if we were not continuing as an operating business. We urge you to read carefully our consolidated financial statements contained herein, which provide more detailed information about these intangible assets.
We may engage in acquisitions and other strategic transactions and the integration of such acquisitions and other strategic transactions could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our business has grown significantly as a result of acquisitions, including the Acquisitions, which entail numerous risks including:
We also participate in competitive bidding processes, some of which may involve significant cable systems. If we are the winning bidder in any such process involving significant cable systems or we otherwise engage in acquisitions or other strategic transactions in the future, we may incur additional debt, contingent liabilities and amortization expenses, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We could also issue substantial additional equity which could dilute existing stockholders.
If our acquisitions, including the Acquisitions and the integration of the Optimum and Suddenlink businesses, do not result in the anticipated operating efficiencies, are not effectively integrated, or
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result in costs which exceed our expectations, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
Certain of our overlapping directors and officers have relationships with Altice N.V., which may result in the diversion of corporate opportunities and other conflicts with respect to our business and executives.
Following this offering, four of our directors, including our Chief Executive Officer, will be employed by or affiliated with Altice N.V. These directors have fiduciary duties to us and, in addition, have duties to Altice N.V. As a result, these directors and officers may face real or apparent conflicts of interest with respect to matters affecting both us and Altice N.V., whose interests may be adverse to ours in some circumstances.
Prior to the completion of this offering, our board of directors will adopt a policy that acknowledges that directors and officers of the Company may also be serving as directors, officers, employees or agents of Altice N.V. and its subsidiaries other than us and that we may engage in material business transactions with such entities. The Company renounced its rights to certain business opportunities and the new policy provides that no director or officer of the Company who is also serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of Altice N.V. and its other subsidiaries will be liable to the Company for breach of any fiduciary duty that would otherwise exist by reason of the fact that any such individual directs a corporate opportunity (other than certain limited types of opportunities set forth in the policy) to Altice N.V. and its other subsidiaries instead of the Company, or does not refer or communicate information regarding such corporate opportunities to the Company. The policy expressly validates certain contracts, agreements, assignments and transactions (and amendments, modifications or terminations thereof) between the Company and Altice N.V. and/or any of its other subsidiaries and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, provides that the actions of the overlapping directors or officers in connection therewith are not breaches of fiduciary duties owed to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
Significant unanticipated increases in the use of bandwidth-intensive Internet-based services could increase our costs.
The rising popularity of bandwidth-intensive Internet-based services poses risks for our broadband services. Examples of such services include peer-to-peer file sharing services, gaming services and the delivery of video via streaming technology and by download. If heavy usage of bandwidth-intensive broadband services grows beyond our current expectations, we may need to incur more expenses than currently anticipated to expand the bandwidth capacity of our systems or our customers could have a suboptimal experience when using our broadband service. In order to continue to provide quality service at attractive prices, we need the continued flexibility to develop and refine business models that respond to changing consumer uses and demands and to manage bandwidth usage efficiently. Our ability to undertake such actions could be restricted by regulatory and legislative efforts to impose so-called "net neutrality" requirements on broadband communication providers like us that provide broadband services. For more information, see "RegulationBroadband."
Our business depends on intellectual property rights and on not infringing on the intellectual property rights of others.
We rely on our patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, as well as licenses and other agreements with our vendors and other parties, to use our technologies, conduct our operations and sell our products and services. Our intellectual property rights may be challenged and invalidated by third parties and may not be strong enough to provide meaningful commercial competitive advantage. Third parties have in the past, and may in the future, assert claims or initiate litigation related to exclusive patent, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights to technologies and related standards that are relevant to us. These assertions have increased over time as a result of our growth
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and the general increase in the pace of patent claims assertions, particularly in the United States. Because of the existence of a large number of patents in the networking field, the secrecy of some pending patents and the rapid rate of issuance of new patents, we believe it is not possible to determine in advance whether a product or any of its components infringes or will infringe on the patent rights of others. Asserted claims and/or initiated litigation can include claims against us or our manufacturers, suppliers or customers, alleging infringement of their proprietary rights with respect to our existing or future products and/or services or components of those products and/or services.
Regardless of the merit of these claims, they can be time-consuming, result in costly litigation and diversion of technical and management personnel, or require us to modify our business, develop a non-infringing technology, be enjoined from use of certain intellectual property, use alternate technology or enter into license agreements. There can be no assurance that licenses will be available on acceptable terms and conditions, if at all, or that our indemnification by our suppliers will be adequate to cover our costs if a claim were brought directly against us or our customers. Furthermore, because of the potential for high court awards that are not necessarily predictable, it is not unusual to find even arguably unmeritorious claims settled for significant amounts. If any infringement or other intellectual property claim made against us by any third party is successful, if we are required to indemnify a customer with respect to a claim against the customer, or if we fail to modify our business, develop non-infringing technology, use alternate technology or license the proprietary rights on commercially reasonable terms and conditions, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
We may be liable for the material that content providers distribute over our networks.
The law relating to the liability of private network operators for information carried on, stored or disseminated through their networks is still unsettled. As such, we could be exposed to legal claims relating to content disseminated on our networks. Claims could challenge the accuracy of materials on our network or could involve matters such as defamation, invasion of privacy or copyright infringement. If we need to take costly measures to reduce our exposure to these risks or are required to defend ourselves against such claims, our business, reputation, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
If we are unable to retain key employees, our ability to manage our business could be adversely affected.
Our operational results have depended, and our future results will depend, upon the retention and continued performance of our management team. The competitive environment for management talent in the broadband communications industry could adversely impact our ability to retain and hire new key employees for management positions. The loss of the services of key members of management and the inability or delay in hiring new key employees could adversely affect our ability to manage our business and our future operational and financial results.
Impairment of Altice Group's reputation could adversely affect current and future customers' perception of Altice USA.
Our ability to attract and retain customers depends, in part, upon the external perceptions of Altice Group's reputation, the quality of its products and its corporate and management integrity. The broadband communications and video services industry is by its nature more prone to reputational risks than other industries. This has been compounded in recent years by the free flow of unverified information on the Internet and, in particular, on social media. Impairment, including any loss of goodwill or reputational advantages, of Altice Group's reputation in markets in which we do not operate could adversely affect current and future customers' perception of Altice USA.
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Macroeconomic developments may adversely affect our business.
Our performance is subject to global economic conditions and the related impact on consumer spending levels. Continued uncertainty about global economic conditions poses a risk as consumers and businesses may postpone spending in response to tighter credit, unemployment, negative financial news, and/or declines in income or asset values, which could have a material negative effect on demand for our products and services. As our business depends on consumer discretionary spending, our results of operations are sensitive to changes in macroeconomic conditions. Our customers may have less money for discretionary purchases as a result of job losses, foreclosures, bankruptcies, increased fuel and energy costs, higher interest rates, higher taxes, reduced access to credit, and lower home values. These and other economic factors could adversely affect demand for our products, which in turn could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Online piracy of entertainment and media content could result in reduced revenues and increased expenditures which could materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Online entertainment and media content piracy is extensive in many parts of the world and is made easier by technological advances. This trend facilitates the creation, transmission and sharing of high quality unauthorized copies of entertainment and media content. The proliferation of unauthorized copies of this content will likely continue, and if it does, could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations because these products could reduce the revenue we receive for our products. Additionally, in order to contain this problem, we may have to implement elaborate and costly security and antipiracy measures, which could result in significant expenses and losses of revenue. There can be no assurance that even the highest levels of security and anti-piracy measures will prevent piracy.
The MSG Distribution and the AMC Networks Distribution could result in significant tax liability.
We have received private letter rulings from the Internal Revenue Service (the "IRS") to the effect that, among other things, the MSG Distribution (whereby Optimum distributed to its stockholders all of the outstanding common stock of The Madison Square Garden Company ("Madison Square Garden"), a company which owns the sports, entertainment and media businesses previously owned and operated by Optimum) and the AMC Networks Distribution (whereby Optimum distributed to its stockholders all of the outstanding common stock of AMC Networks, a company which consisted principally of national programming networks, including AMC, WE tv, IFC and Sundance Channel, previously owned and operated by Optimum) and certain related transactions, will qualify for tax-free treatment under the Code.
Although a private letter ruling from the IRS generally is binding on the IRS, if the factual representations or assumptions made in the letter ruling request are untrue or incomplete in any material respect, we will not be able to rely on the ruling. Furthermore, the IRS will not rule on whether a distribution satisfies certain requirements necessary to obtain tax-free treatment under the Code. Rather, the ruling is based upon our representations that these conditions have been satisfied, and any inaccuracy in such representations could invalidate the ruling.
If the MSG Distribution or the AMC Networks Distribution does not qualify for tax-free treatment for U.S. federal income tax purposes, then, in general, we would be subject to tax as if we had sold the Madison Square Garden common stock or AMC Networks common stock, as the case may be, in a taxable sale for its fair value. Optimum stockholders at the time of the distributions would be subject to tax as if they had received a distribution equal to the fair value of Madison Square Garden common stock or AMC Networks common stock, as the case may be, that was distributed to them, which generally would be treated as a taxable dividend. It is expected that the amount of any such taxes to Optimum's stockholders and us would be substantial.
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Risk Factors Relating to Regulatory and Legislative Matters
Our business is subject to extensive governmental legislation and regulation, which could adversely affect our business, increase our operational and administrative expenses and limit our revenues.
Regulation of our industry has increased broadband communications companies' operational and administrative expenses and limited their revenues. Broadband communications companies are subject to, among other things:
Many aspects of these regulations are currently the subject of judicial proceedings and administrative or legislative proposals. There are also ongoing efforts to amend or expand the federal, state and local regulation of some of our cable systems, which may compound the regulatory risks we already face, and proposals that might make it easier for our employees to unionize. The federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, which prohibited many taxes on Internet access service, but was subject to periodic renewals, was recently modified so that the collection of taxes on Internet service is now permanently prohibited. Certain states and localities are considering new cable and telecommunications taxes that could increase operating expenses. Certain states are also considering adopting energy efficiency regulations governing the operation of equipment that we use, which could constrain innovation. Congress has recently considered whether to rewrite the entire Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the "Communications Act") to account for changes in the communications marketplace or to adopt more focused changes. In response to recent data breaches and increasing concerns regarding the protection of consumers' personal information, Congress and regulatory agencies are considering the adoption of new privacy and data security laws and regulations that could result in additional privacy, as well as network and information security, requirements for our business. These new laws, as well as existing legal and regulatory obligations, could require significant expenditures.
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Additionally, there have been statements by federal government officials indicating that some laws and regulations applicable to our industry may be repealed or modified in a way that could be favorable to us and our competitors. There can be no assurance that any such repeal or modification will be beneficial to us or will not be more beneficial to our current and future competitors.
Our cable system franchises are subject to non-renewal or termination. The failure to renew a franchise in one or more key markets could adversely affect our business.
Our cable systems generally operate pursuant to franchises, permits and similar authorizations issued by a state or local governmental authority controlling the public rights-of-way. Some franchises establish comprehensive facilities and service requirements, as well as specific customer service standards and monetary penalties for non-compliance. In many cases, franchises are terminable if the franchisee fails to comply with significant provisions set forth in the franchise agreement governing system operations. Franchises are generally granted for fixed terms and must be periodically renewed. Franchising authorities may resist granting a renewal if either past performance or the prospective operating proposal is considered inadequate. Franchise authorities often demand concessions or other commitments as a condition to renewal. In some instances, local franchises have not been renewed at expiration, and we have operated and are operating under either temporary operating agreements or without a franchise while negotiating renewal terms with the local franchising authorities.
As of December 31, 2016, one of our largest franchises, the Town of Hempstead, New York, comprising an aggregate of approximately 85,000 pay television customers, was expired. We are currently lawfully operating in the Town of Hempstead, New York franchise area under temporary authority recognized by the State of New York. Lightpath holds a franchise from New York City that expired on December 20, 2008 and the renewal process is ongoing. We believe New York City is treating the expiration date of this franchise as extended until a formal determination on renewal is made, but there can be no assurance that we will be successful in renewing this franchise on anticipated terms or at all. We expect to renew or continue to operate under all or substantially all of our franchises.
The traditional cable franchising regime is currently undergoing significant change as a result of various federal and state actions. Some state franchising laws do not allow incumbent operators like us to immediately opt into favorable statewide franchising as quickly as new entrants, and often require us to retain certain franchise obligations that are more burdensome than those applied to new entrants.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to comply with all significant provisions of our franchise agreements and certain of our franchisors have from time to time alleged that we have not complied with these agreements. Additionally, although historically we have renewed our franchises without incurring significant costs, we cannot assure you that we will be able to renew, or to renew on terms as favorable, our franchises in the future. A termination of or a sustained failure to renew a franchise in one or more key markets could adversely affect our business in the affected geographic area.
Our cable system franchises are non-exclusive. Accordingly, local and state franchising authorities can grant additional franchises and create competition in market areas where none existed previously, resulting in overbuilds, which could adversely affect our results of operations.
Cable systems are operated under non-exclusive franchises historically granted by local authorities. More than one cable system may legally be built in the same area, which is referred to as an overbuild. It is possible that a franchising authority might grant a second franchise to another cable operator and that such franchise might contain terms and conditions more favorable than those afforded to us. Although entry into the cable industry involves significant cost barriers and risks, well-financed businesses from outside the cable industry, such as public utilities that already possess fiber optic and other transmission lines in the areas they serve, may over time become competitors. In addition, there
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are a few cities that have constructed their own cable systems, in a manner similar to city-provided utility services, and private cable companies not affiliated with established local exchange carriers have also demonstrated an interest in constructing overbuilds. We believe that for any potential competitor to be successful, such competitor's overbuild would need to be able to serve the homes and businesses in the overbuilt area with equal or better service quality, on a more cost-effective basis than we can.
In some cases, local government entities and municipal utilities may legally compete with us without securing a local franchise or on more favorable franchise terms. There are federal legislative and regulatory proposals now pending regarding the ability of municipalities to construct and deploy broadband facilities that could compete with our cable systems. In addition, certain telephone companies are seeking authority to operate in communities without first obtaining a local franchise. As a result, competing operators may build systems in areas in which we hold franchises. The FCC has adopted rules that streamline entry for new competitors (including those affiliated with telephone companies) and reduce franchising burdens for these new entrants. At the same time, a substantial number of states have adopted new franchising laws. Again, these laws were principally designed to streamline entry for new competitors, and they often provide advantages for these new entrants that are not immediately available to existing operators. As a result of these new franchising laws and regulations, we have seen an increase in the number of competitive cable franchises or operating certificates being issued, and we anticipate that trend to continue.
We believe the markets we serve are not significantly overbuilt. However, the FCC and some state regulatory commissions direct certain subsidies to entities deploying broadband to areas deemed to be "unserved" or "underserved." Many other organizations have applied for and received these funds, including broadband services competitors and new entrants into such services. We have generally opposed such subsidies when directed to areas that we serve and have deployed broadband capable networks. Despite those efforts, we could be placed at a competitive disadvantage if recipients use these funds to subsidize services that compete with our broadband services.
Local franchising authorities have the ability to impose additional regulatory constraints on our business, which could reduce our revenues or increase our expenses.
In addition to the franchise agreement, local franchising authorities in some jurisdictions have adopted cable regulatory ordinances that further regulate the operation of cable systems. This additional regulation increases the cost of operating our business. For example, some local franchising authorities impose minimum customer service standards on our operations. There are no assurances that the local franchising authorities will not impose new and more restrictive requirements. Local franchising authorities who are certified to regulate rates generally have the power to reduce rates and order refunds on the rates charged for basic service and equipment, which could reduce our revenues.
Further regulation of the cable industry could restrict our marketing options or impair our ability to raise rates to cover our increasing costs.
The cable industry has operated under a federal rate regulation regime for approximately two decades. Currently, rate regulation is strictly limited to the basic service tier and associated equipment and installation activities. Our franchise authorities have not certified to exercise this limited rate regulation authority, and they would now need to demonstrate the absence of "effective competition" (as defined under federal law) as part of any rate regulation certification. However, the FCC and Congress continue to be concerned that cable rate increases are exceeding inflation. It is possible that either the FCC or Congress will adopt more extensive rate regulation for our pay television services or regulate our other services, such as broadband and telephony services, which could impede our ability to raise rates, or require rate reductions. To the extent we are unable to raise our rates in response to increasing costs, or are required to reduce our rates, our business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity will be materially adversely affected. There has been legislative and regulatory
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interest in requiring cable operators to offer historically bundled programming services on an à la carte basis. It is possible that new marketing restrictions could be adopted in the future. These restrictions could affect how we provide, and limit, customer equipment used in connection with our services and how we provide access to video programming beyond conventional cable delivery. A recent FCC proposal that would require MVPDs to accommodate third-party devices through the provision of multiple "information flows" to third-party devices could, if adopted, adversely affect our relationship with our customers and programmers and our operations. It is also possible that regulations will be adopted affecting the negotiations between MVPDs (like us) and programmers. While these regulations might provide us with additional rights and protections in our programming negotiations, they might also limit our flexibility in ways that adversely affect our operations.
We may be materially adversely affected by regulatory changes related to pole attachment costs.
Pole attachments are cable wires that are attached to utility poles. Cable system pole attachments to utility poles historically have been regulated at the federal or state level, generally resulting in favorable pole attachment rates for attachments used to provide cable service. Any changes in the current pole attachment approach could result in a substantial increase in our pole attachment costs.
Changes in channel carriage regulations could impose significant additional costs on us.
Cable operators also face significant regulation affecting the carriage of broadcast and other programming channels. We can be required to devote substantial capacity to the carriage of programming that we might not otherwise carry voluntarily, including certain local broadcast signals; local public, educational and governmental access programming; and unaffiliated, commercial leased access programming (channel capacity designated for use by programmers unaffiliated with the cable operator). Regulatory changes in this area could disrupt existing programming commitments, interfere with our preferred use of limited channel capacity and limit our ability to offer services that would maximize our revenue potential. It is possible that other legal restraints will be adopted limiting our discretion over programming decisions.
Increasing regulation of our Internet-based products and services could adversely affect our ability to provide new products and services.
On February 26, 2015, the FCC adopted a new "network neutrality" or Open Internet order (the "2015 Order") that: (1) reclassified broadband Internet access service as a Title II common carrier service, (2) applied certain existing Title II provisions and associated regulations; (3) forbore from applying a range of other existing Title II provisions and associated regulations, but to varying degrees indicated that this forbearance may be only temporary and (4) issued new rules expanding disclosure requirements and prohibiting blocking, throttling, paid prioritization and unreasonable interference with the ability of end users and edge providers to reach each other. The 2015 Order also subjected broadband providers' Internet traffic exchange rates and practices to potential FCC oversight and created a mechanism for third parties to file complaints regarding these matters. The 2015 Order has been appealed by multiple parties, but the rules are currently in effect. The 2015 Order could limit our ability to efficiently manage our cable systems and respond to operational and competitive challenges.
Offering telephone services may subject us to additional regulatory burdens, causing us to incur additional costs.
We offer telephone services over our broadband network and continue to develop and deploy interconnected VoIP services. The FCC has ruled that competitive telephone companies that support VoIP services, such as those that we offer to our customers, are entitled to interconnect with incumbent providers of traditional telecommunications services, which ensures that our VoIP services can operate in the market. However, the scope of these interconnection rights are being reviewed in a current
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FCC proceeding, which may affect our ability to compete in the provision of telephony services or result in additional costs. It remains unclear precisely to what extent federal and state regulators will subject VoIP services to traditional telephone service regulation. Expanding our offering of these services may require us to obtain certain authorizations, including federal and state licenses. We may not be able to obtain such authorizations in a timely manner, or conditions could be imposed upon such licenses or authorizations that may not be favorable to us. The FCC has already extended certain traditional telecommunications requirements, such as E911 capabilities, Universal Service Fund contribution, Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act ("CALEA"), measures to protect Customer Proprietary Network Information, customer privacy, disability access, number porting, battery back-up, network outage reporting, rural call completion reporting and other regulatory requirements to many VoIP providers such as us. If additional telecommunications regulations are applied to our VoIP service, it could cause us to incur additional costs and may otherwise materially adversely impact our operations. In 2011, the FCC released an order significantly changing the rules governing intercarrier compensation for the origination and termination of telephone traffic between interconnected carriers. These rules have resulted in a substantial decrease in interstate compensation payments over a multi-year period. Further, the FCC's initiative to collect data concerning certain point to point transport ("special access") services we provide could result in additional regulatory burdens and additional costs.
We may be materially adversely affected by regulatory, legal and economic changes relating to our physical plant.
Our systems depend on physical facilities, including transmission equipment and miles of fiber and coaxial cable. Significant portions of those physical facilities occupy public rights-of-way and are subject to local ordinances and governmental regulations. Other portions occupy private property under express or implied easements, and many miles of the cable are attached to utility poles governed by pole attachment agreements. No assurances can be given that we will be able to maintain and use our facilities in their current locations and at their current costs. Changes in governmental regulations or changes in these relationships could have a material adverse effect on our business and our results of operations.
Changes in tax legislation could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The current administration and the Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives have publicly stated that one of their top legislative priorities is significant reform of the U.S. federal income tax legislation, including significant changes to the taxation of business entities. Changes in U.S. federal income tax legislation may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The timing and details of any tax reform, as well as the impact it may have on us, remain unclear.
Risk Factors Relating to This Offering and Ownership of Our Class A Common Stock
Prior to this offering, no market existed for our Class A common stock and we cannot assure you that an active, liquid trading market will develop for our Class A common stock.
Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for shares of our Class A common stock. We cannot predict the extent to which investor interest in our Company will lead to the development and sustainment of an active trading market on the or otherwise, or how liquid that market might become. A public trading market having the desirable characteristics of depth, liquidity and orderliness depends upon the existence of willing buyers and sellers at any given time, such existence being dependent upon the individual decisions of buyers and sellers over which neither we nor any market maker has control. If an active and liquid trading market does not develop, you may have difficulty selling any shares of our Class A common stock that you purchase in this initial public
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offering and the value of our Class A common stock may be materially adversely affected. The initial public offering price for the shares of our Class A common stock was determined by negotiations between us, the selling stockholders and the representatives of the underwriters, and may not be indicative of prices that will prevail in the open market following this offering. The market price of our Class A common stock may decline below the initial public offering price, and you may not be able to sell your shares of our Class A common stock at or above the price you paid in this offering, or at all. An inactive and illiquid trading market may also impair our ability to raise capital to continue to fund operations by selling shares of our Class A common stock and may impair our ability to acquire other companies or technologies by using our Class A common stock as consideration.
You will experience immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of the shares you purchase in this offering, and you will suffer additional dilution if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock.
If you purchase shares of our Class A common stock in this offering you will experience immediate and substantial dilution, as the initial public offering price of our Class A common stock will be substantially greater than the pro forma net tangible book value per share of our Class A common stock. If you purchase our Class A common stock in this offering, you will suffer immediate and substantial dilution of approximately $ per share, representing the difference between our pro forma net tangible book deficit per share after giving effect to this offering and the initial public offering price.
Your percentage ownership in us may be diluted by future issuances of capital stock, which could reduce your influence over matters on which stockholders vote.
Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, our board of directors will have the authority, without action or vote of our stockholders, to issue all or any part of our authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock, including shares issuable upon the exercise of options, Class B common stock, Class C common stock or shares of our authorized but unissued preferred stock. We may issue such capital stock to meet a number of our business needs, including funding any potential acquisitions or other strategic transactions. Issuances of Class A common stock, Class B common stock or voting preferred stock would reduce your influence over matters on which our stockholders vote and, in the case of issuances of preferred stock, would likely result in your interest in us being subject to the prior rights of holders of that preferred stock.
If the market price of our Class A common stock is volatile after this offering, you could lose a significant part of your investment.
Securities markets often experience significant price and volume fluctuations, so even if a trading market develops, the market price of our Class A common stock may be highly volatile and could be subject to wide fluctuations. The market price of our Class A common stock will be influenced by many factors, some of which are beyond our control, including those described above in "Risk Factors Relating to Our Business" and including, but not limited to, the following:
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As a result of these and other factors, investors in our Class A common stock may not be able to resell their shares at or above the initial offering price or may not be able to resell them at all. These broad market and industry factors may materially reduce the market price of our Class A common stock, regardless of our operating performance. In addition, price volatility may be greater if the public float and trading volume of our Class A common stock is low.
Because we have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our Class A common stock for the foreseeable future, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your Class A common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.
We intend to retain future earnings, if any, for future operations, expansion and debt repayment and have no current plans to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. The declaration, amount and payment of any future dividends on shares of Class A common stock will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors. Our board of directors may take into account general and economic conditions, our financial condition and results of operations, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax and regulatory restrictions and implications on the payment of dividends by us to our stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us and such other factors as our board of directors may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends is limited by covenants contained in the agreements governing our existing indebtedness and may be limited by covenants contained in any future indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our Class A common stock unless you sell our Class A common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it. For more information, see "Dividend Policy."
Future sales, or the perception of future sales, by us or our existing stockholders in the public market following this offering could cause the market price for our Class A common stock to decline.
After this offering, the sale of substantial amounts of shares of our Class A common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could cause the prevailing market price of shares of our Class A common stock to decline. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may
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occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.
Upon consummation of this offering we will have a total of shares of Class A common stock outstanding. All of the shares of Class A common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
Any shares held by our affiliates, as that term is defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act ("Rule 144"), including Altice N.V. and its affiliates, may be sold only in compliance with the limitations described in "Shares Eligible for Future Sale."
The remaining shares will be "restricted securities" within the meaning of Rule 144 and subject to certain restrictions on resale following the consummation of this offering. Restricted securities may be sold in the public market only if they are registered under the Securities Act or are sold pursuant to an exemption from registration such as Rule 144, as described in "Shares Eligible for Future Sale."
We and our officers, directors, and holders of substantially all of our common stock have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to dispose of or hedge any of our or their common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common stock during the period from the date of this prospectus continuing through the date 180 days after the date of this prospectus, except with the prior written consent of .
Upon the expiration of the lock-up agreements, the remaining shares will be eligible for resale, which would be subject to volume, manner of sale and other limitations under Rule 144. In addition, pursuant to a registration rights agreement, our existing owners have the right, subject to certain conditions, to require us to register the sale of their shares of our Class A common stock, or shares of Class A common stock issuable on conversion of shares of Class B common stock under the Securities Act. By exercising their registration rights and selling a large number of shares, our existing owners could cause the prevailing market price of our Class A common stock to decline. Following completion of this offering, the shares covered by registration rights would represent approximately % of our outstanding Class A common stock (or %, if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares). Registration of any of these outstanding shares of Class A common stock would result in such shares becoming freely tradable without compliance with Rule 144 upon effectiveness of the registration statement. See "Shares Eligible for Future Sale."
In addition, we intend to file one or more registration statements on Form S-8 under the Securities Act to register shares of our Class A common stock or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our Class A common stock issued pursuant to the Altice USA 2017 Long Term Incentive Plan. Any such Form S-8 registration statements will automatically become effective upon filing. Shares registered under any such registration statement would be available for sale in the public market following the effective date, unless such shares are subject to vesting restrictions with us, Rule 144 restrictions applicable to our affiliates or the lock-up agreements described elsewhere in this prospectus.
As restrictions on resale end or if these stockholders exercise their registration rights, the market price of our Class A common stock could drop significantly if the holders of Class A common stock sell them or are perceived by the market as intending to sell them. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to raise additional funds through future offerings of our Class A common stock or other securities. In the future, we may also issue our securities in connection with investments or acquisitions. The amount of shares of our Class A common stock or Class C common stock issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of then-outstanding shares of our Class A common stock. Any issuance of additional securities in connection with investments or acquisitions may result in additional dilution to you.
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The tri-class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with Altice N.V. and its affiliates. This will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other major corporate transaction requiring stockholder approval. Shares of Class B common stock will not automatically convert to shares of Class A common stock upon transfer to a third party.
Following this offering, our Class B common stock will have twenty-five votes per share and our Class A common stock, which is the stock we are offering in this offering, will have one vote per share. If we issue any shares of Class C common stock, they will be non-voting. Immediately following the completion of this offering, Altice N.V. and its affiliates will indirectly hold in the aggregate % of the voting power of our capital stock.
Because of the twenty-five to one voting ratio between our Class B common stock and Class A common stock, Altice N.V. and its affiliates will continue to control a majority of the combined voting power of our capital stock and therefore be able to control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval until such date as the holders of a majority of our Class B common stock choose to voluntarily convert their shares into shares of Class A common stock and cease to own shares of our capital stock entitling them to cast a majority of the outstanding votes. This concentrated control will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other major corporate transaction requiring stockholder approval. The disparate voting rights of our common stock may also prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our capital stock that you may feel are in your best interest as one of our stockholders. For additional information, see "Description of Capital Stock."
Shares of our Class B common stock will be convertible into shares of our Class A common stock at the option of the holder at any time. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will not provide for the automatic conversion of shares of Class B common stock upon transfer under any circumstances. The holders of Class B common stock thus will be free to transfer them without converting them into shares of Class A common stock.
Altice N.V. and Patrick Drahi will continue to control us and their interests may conflict with ours or yours in the future.
The beneficial ownership interests of Altice N.V. following the offering will depend on the price of the shares offered, the number of shares sold and the underwriters' exercise of their option to purchase additional shares. Immediately following this offering, Altice N.V. will own % of our Class B common stock which will represent approximately % of the voting power of our capital stock, or % if the underwriters exercise in full their option to purchase additional shares. So long as Altice N.V. continues to own common stock representing a substantial portion of the voting power of our capital stock, Altice N.V. and, through his control of Altice N.V., Patrick Drahi, will be able to significantly influence the composition of our board of directors and thereby influence our policies and operations, including the appointment of management, future issuances of our common stock or other securities, the payment of dividends, if any, on our common stock, the incurrence or modification of debt by us, amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws and the entering into of extraordinary transactions, and their interests may not in all cases be aligned with your interests. In addition, Altice N.V. may have an interest in pursuing acquisitions, divestitures and other transactions that, in its judgment, could enhance its investment or improve its financial condition, even though such transactions might involve risks to you. For example, Altice N.V. could cause us to make acquisitions that increase our indebtedness or cause us to sell revenue-generating assets.
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So long as Altice N.V. continues to hold a substantial portion of the voting power of our capital stock, Altice N.V. and, through his control of Altice N.V., Patrick Drahi, will continue to be able to significantly influence or effectively control our decisions. In addition, Altice N.V. will be able to determine the outcome of all matters requiring stockholder approval and will be able to cause or prevent a change of control of the Company or a change in the composition of our board of directors and could preclude any unsolicited acquisition of the Company. The concentration of ownership could deprive you of an opportunity to receive a premium for your shares of our Class A common stock as part of a sale of the Company and ultimately might affect the market price of our Class A common stock.
In addition, we have entered into agreements with affiliates of Altice N.V. pursuant to which they provide us software and network equipment, design and development services, technical services and support for our customers and proprietary content, for which we compensate them on a regular basis. If conflicts arise between us and Altice N.V., these conflicts could be resolved in a manner that is unfavorable to us and as a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. See "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions." In addition, if Altice N.V. ceases to control us or we otherwise lose access to the services and expertise available to us through Altice N.V., including for example ATS and Altice Labs, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents could delay or prevent a change of control transaction.
Certain provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws that will be in effect on the closing of this offering may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, defer or prevent a merger, acquisition, tender offer, takeover attempt or other change of control transaction that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by our stockholders.
These provisions will provide for, among other things:
These anti-takeover provisions could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if the third-party's offer may be considered beneficial by many of our stockholders. As a result, our stockholders may be limited in their ability to obtain a premium for their shares of our Class A common stock. See "Description of Capital Stock." In addition, so long as Altice N.V. continues to hold a significant amount of our combined voting power it will be able to prevent a change of control of the Company.
Holders of a single series of our common stock may not have any remedies if an action by our directors has an adverse effect on only that series of our common stock.
Principles of Delaware law and the provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation may protect decisions of our board of directors that have a disparate impact upon
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holders of any single series of our common stock. Under Delaware law, the board of directors has a duty to act with due care and in the best interests of all of our stockholders, including the holders of all series of our common stock. Principles of Delaware law established in cases involving differing treatment of multiple classes or series of stock provide that a board of directors owes an equal duty to all common stockholders regardless of class or series and does not have separate or additional duties to any group of stockholders. As a result, in some circumstances, our directors may be required to make a decision that is viewed as adverse to the holders of one series of our common stock. Under the principles of Delaware law and the business judgment rule, holders may not be able to successfully challenge decisions that they believe have a disparate impact upon the holders of one series of our stock if our board of directors is disinterested and independent with respect to the action taken, is adequately informed with respect to the action taken and acts in good faith and in the honest belief that the board is acting in the best interest of all of our stockholders.
We will continue to be a "controlled company" within the meaning of the rules of the . As a result, we will qualify for, and intend to rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that would otherwise provide protection to stockholders of other companies.
After completion of this offering, Altice N.V. will continue to control a majority of the voting power of our capital stock. As a result, we will be a "controlled company" within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the . Under these rules, a company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a "controlled company" and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements, including:
Following the completion of this offering and for so long as we are a "controlled company," we intend to utilize these exemptions. As a result, we will not have a majority of independent directors, our nominating/corporate governance committee and compensation committee will not consist entirely of independent directors and such committees will not be subject to annual performance evaluations. Accordingly, you will not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of the .
We will incur increased costs as a result of becoming a public company and in the administration of our organizational structure.
As a public company, we will incur significant legal, accounting, insurance and other expenses that we have not incurred as a private company, including costs associated with public company reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act"), the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the listing requirements of the and other applicable securities laws and regulations. We also have incurred and will incur costs associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and
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related rules implemented by the SEC. Following the completion of this offering, we will incur ongoing periodic expenses in connection with the administration of our organizational structure. The expenses incurred by public companies generally for reporting and corporate governance purposes have been increasing. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly, although we are currently unable to estimate these costs with any degree of certainty. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult or costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. If these requirements divert the attention of our management and personnel from other business concerns, they could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees or as our executive officers. Furthermore, if we are unable to satisfy our obligations as a public company, we could be subject to delisting of our Class A common stock, fines, sanctions and other regulatory action and potentially civil litigation.
Failure to achieve and maintain effective internal controls in accordance with Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley could have a material adverse effect on our business and stock price.
We are not currently required to comply with the rules of the SEC implementing Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and therefore are not required to make a formal assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for that purpose. As a public company, we will be required to document and test our internal control procedures in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley, which will require annual management assessments of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and a report by our independent registered public accounting firm that addresses the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting. During the course of our testing, we may identify deficiencies which we may not be able to remediate in time to meet our deadline for compliance with Section 404. If our management cannot favorably assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting or our auditors identify material weaknesses in our internal controls, investor confidence in our financial results may weaken, and our stock price may suffer, and we could become subject to investigations by , the SEC or other regulatory authorities, which could require additional financial and management resources.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, if they adversely change their recommendations regarding our Class A common stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, the market price of our Class A common stock could decline.
The trading market for our Class A common stock will be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us or our business. We do not have any control over these analysts. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover our company downgrades our Class A common stock or if our operating results do not meet their expectations, the market price of our Class A common stock could decline.
In addition, Altice N.V. is a publicly listed company traded on the Euronext and is subject to equity market volatility, general economic conditions and regulatory changes which may adversely affect the market price of the Altice N.V. ordinary shares. Altice N.V. is currently controlled by Next Alt S.á r.l., a company that is controlled by Patrick Drahi. Next Alt S.á r.l. could sell a substantial number of ordinary shares of Altice N.V. in the public market and such sales, or the perception that such sales could occur, may materially and adversely affect the market price of Altice N.V.'s ordinary shares. A
43
decrease in Altice N.V. share price could negatively affect the market price of our Class A common stock.
We could be subject to securities class action litigation.
In the past, securities class action litigation has often been instituted against companies whose securities have experienced periods of volatility in market price. Securities litigation brought against us following volatility in the price of our Class A common stock, regardless of the merit or ultimate results of such litigation, could result in substantial costs, which would hurt our financial condition and results of operations and divert management's attention and resources from our business.
We will have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds to us from this offering and may not use them effectively.
We will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds to us from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in the section titled "Use of Proceeds," and you will not have the opportunity as part of your investment decision to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in short-term, investment-grade interest-bearing securities such as money market accounts, certificates of deposit, commercial paper, and guaranteed obligations of the U.S. government that may not generate a high yield to our stockholders. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our investors.
Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders' ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees.
Our amended and restated bylaws will provide that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will be the exclusive forum for: (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; (ii) any action asserting a breach of fiduciary duty; (iii) any action asserting a claim against us arising under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware ("DGCL"); (iv) any action regarding our amended and restated certificate of incorporation or our amended and restated bylaws; or (v) any action asserting a claim against us that is governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Our amended and restated bylaws permit our board of directors to waive the exclusive forum provision and consent to suit in other jurisdictions. Unless waived, this exclusive forum provision may limit a stockholder's ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision in our amended and restated bylaws to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
44
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus includes statements that express our opinions, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or projections regarding future events or future results and therefore are, or may be deemed to be, "forward-looking statements." These "forward-looking statements" appear throughout this prospectus, including in sections entitled "Prospectus Summary," Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion of Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business" and relate to matters such as anticipated future growth in revenues, operating income, cash provided by operating activities and other financial measures. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seeks," "potential," "continue," "intends," "plans" and similar words and terms used in the discussion of future operating results, future financial performance and future events identify forward-looking statements in this prospectus. All of these forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs about future events. As with any projection or forecast, they are susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances.
We operate in a highly competitive, consumer and technology driven and rapidly changing business that is affected by government regulation and economic, strategic, technological, political and social conditions. Various factors could adversely affect our operations, business or financial results in the future and cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including those factors discussed under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus. In addition, important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements include:
45
Additional risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be different from those expressed or implied in our forward-looking statements may be found under "Risk Factors" contained in this prospectus. These factors and other risk factors disclosed in this prospectus are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements.
Given these uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are made only as of the date of this prospectus. Except to the extent required by law, we do not undertake, and specifically decline any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of such statements to reflect future events or developments. Comparisons of results for current and any prior periods are not intended to express any future trends or indications of future performance, unless expressed as such, and should only be viewed as historical data.
You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part with the understanding that our actual future results, levels of activity, performance and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect. We qualify all forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
46
We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us, will be approximately $ , based on an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. An increase or decrease in the initial public offering price by $ per share above or below the mid-point of the proposed range would result in an increase or decrease of approximately $ , as applicable, in net proceeds to us assuming the number of shares offered by us stays constant. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders.
We currently intend to use the net proceeds that we receive from this offering for general corporate purposes.
47
During fiscal year 2015, Cablevision, our predecessor company, paid a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per share to holders of both Cablevision's Class A common stock and Class B common stock on April 3, 2015, June 12, 2015 and September 10, 2015. In the fourth quarter of 2016, we declared combined cash dividends of approximately $445 million to our stockholders of which approximately $365 million was paid in the fourth quarter of 2016 and approximately $80 million was paid in the first quarter of 2017. In addition, in April 2017, we declared and paid a cash dividend of approximately $170 million to our stockholders.
We currently intend to retain any future earnings to fund the operation, development and expansion of our business and do not intend to pay any dividends on our Class A common stock. Any future determination relating to our dividend policy will be made in the sole and absolute discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon then existing conditions, including our financial condition, results of operations, contractual restrictions, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. See "Risk FactorsRisk Factors Relating to This Offering and Ownership of Our Class A Common StockBecause we have no current plans to pay cash dividends on our Class A common stock for the foreseeable future, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your Class A common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it."
In addition, we are a holding company which does not conduct any business operations of our own. As a result, our ability to pay cash dividends on our Class A common stock is dependent upon cash dividends and distributions and other transfers from our subsidiaries. The terms of certain debt instruments to which our subsidiaries are a party currently limit, subject to certain exceptions and qualifications, their ability and the ability of their restricted subsidiaries to: (i) pay dividends or make other distributions or repurchase or redeem our capital stock or subordinated debt, (ii) engage in certain transactions with affiliates and (iii) enter into agreements that restrict the payment of dividends by subsidiaries or the repayment of intercompany loans and advances. See "Description of Certain Indebtedness."
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The following table sets forth our cash and cash equivalents and capitalization as of December 31, 2016:
The as adjusted information below is illustrative only and our capitalization following the completion of this offering will be adjusted based on the actual offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. The information set forth below should be read in conjunction with "Selected Historical and Pro Forma Financial Data," "Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Financial Information," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," the financial statements and related notes and the financial information included elsewhere in this prospectus. The as adjusted column assumes that the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our Class A common stock.
|
As of December 31, 2016 |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(Dollars in thousands, except share data) |
Actual | As Adjusted |
|||||
|
(Unaudited) |
||||||
Cash and cash equivalents |
$ | 486,792 | $ | ||||
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
Debt: |
|||||||
Short-term debt: |
|||||||
Credit facility debt, senior notes and debentures, capital lease obligations and notes payable |
979,635 | ||||||
Collateralized indebtedness |
622,332 | ||||||
Long-term debt: |
|||||||
Credit facility debt, senior notes and debentures, capital lease obligations and notes payable |
20,014,361 | ||||||
Collateralized indebtedness |
663,737 | ||||||
Notes payable to affiliates and related parties |
1,750,000 | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
Total debt |
24,030,065 | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
Redeemable equity |
68,147 | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
Equity: |
|||||||
Class A common stock: $0.01 par value, shares authorized, issued and outstanding |
|||||||
Class B common stock: $0.01 par value, shares authorized, issued and outstanding |
|||||||
Class C common stock: $0.01 par value, shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding |
|||||||
Common stock: $0.01 par value, 1,000 shares authorized, 100 shares issued and outstanding |
|||||||
Additional paid-in capital |
3,003,554 | ||||||
Accumulated deficit |
(975,978 | ) | |||||
| | | | | | | |
Accumulated other comprehensive income |
1,979 | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
Non-controlling interest |
287 | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
Total equity |
2,029,842 | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
Total capitalization |
$ | 26,128,054 | $ | ||||
Total debt excluding collateralized indebtedness |
22,743,996 |
||||||
Net debt excluding collateralized indebtedness and notes payable to affiliates and related parties(1) |
$ | 20,507,204 | $ | ||||
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
49
If you invest in shares of our Class A common stock in this offering, your investment will be immediately diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per share of our Class A common stock and the net tangible book deficit per share of our common stock immediately after this offering. Dilution results from the fact that the per share offering price of the shares of Class A common stock is substantially in excess of the net tangible book value per share attributable to the shares of our common stock held by existing owners.
Our net tangible book deficit as of December 31, 2016 was approximately $ , or $ per share of common stock. We calculate net tangible book deficit per share by taking the amount of our total tangible assets, reduced by the amount of our total liabilities and then dividing that amount by the total number of shares of Class A and Class B common stock outstanding after giving effect to this offering.
After giving effect to the sale of shares of our Class A common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by us, our net tangible book deficit as of December 31, 2016 would have been $ , or $ per share of common stock. This represents an immediate decrease in net tangible book deficit of $ per share of common stock to our existing owners and an immediate and substantial dilution of $ per share of Class A common stock to investors in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price.
The following table illustrates this dilution on a per share of common stock basis to new investors assuming the underwriters do not exercise their option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock:
Initial public offering price per share |
$ | ||||||
Net tangible book deficit per share as of December 31, 2016 |
$ | ||||||
Decrease in net tangible book deficit per share attributable to new investors in this offering |
$ | ||||||
As adjusted net tangible book deficit per share after giving effect to this offering |
$ | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
Dilution per share to new investors purchasing shares in this offering |
$ | ||||||
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
A $1.00 decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $ per share, the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase our net tangible book deficit per share of our common stock by $ , assuming that the number of shares offered, as set forth on the cover of this prospectus, remains the same, after deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
We will not receive any proceeds from any sale of shares of our Class A common stock by the selling stockholders. If the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares of our Class A common stock in full, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book deficit per share will be $ per share, the decrease in pro forma net tangible book deficit per share attributable to new investors in this offering will be $ per share and the dilution per share to new investors purchasing shares in this offering will be $ per share. See "Use of Proceeds."
The table below summarizes as of December 31, 2016, on a pro forma as adjusted basis described above, the number of shares of our common stock, the total consideration and the average price per share (i) paid to us by our existing stockholders (determined based on our additional paid-in capital) and (ii) to be paid by new investors purchasing our Class A common stock in this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock), before
50
deducting the underwriting discount and estimated offering expenses payable by us and assuming an initial public offering price of $ per share, the mid-point of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.
|
|
|
Total Consideration (in thousands) |
|
||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Shares Purchased | |
||||||||||||||
|
Average Price Per Share |
|||||||||||||||
|
Number | Percent | Amount | Percent | ||||||||||||
Existing stockholders |
% | $ | % | $ | ||||||||||||
New investors |
% | % | ||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total |
100.0 | % | $ | 100.0 | % | |||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
If the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares of Class A common stock is exercised in full, the percentage of shares of our common stock held by existing stockholders will be reduced to % of the total number of shares of our common stock outstanding after this offering, and the number of shares held by new investors will increase to shares, or % of the total number of shares of our Class A common stock outstanding after this offering.
The share information as of December 31, 2016 shown in the table above excludes any shares to be reserved for issuance under our stock option plans that may be adopted prior to the completion of this offering.
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SELECTED HISTORICAL AND PRO FORMA FINANCIAL DATA
The summary consolidated historical balance sheet and operating data of Altice USA as of and for the year ended December 31, 2016 presented below have been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of Altice USA included elsewhere herein. The operating data of Altice USA for the year ended December 31, 2016 include the operating results of Cequel for the year ended December 31, 2016 and the operating results of Cablevision for the period from the date of acquisition, June 21, 2016, through December 31, 2016.
The consolidated pro forma operating data of Altice USA for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 have been derived from the unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations included elsewhere herein and give effect to the Cablevision Acquisition and Cequel Acquisition as if they occurred on January 1, 2015.
The summary consolidated historical balance sheet and operating data of Cablevision has been presented for the periods prior to the Cablevision Acquisition as Cablevision is deemed to be the predecessor entity. The summary consolidated historical operating data of Cablevision presented below have been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of Cablevision included elsewhere herein.
The historical quarterly balance sheet and operating data of Cablevision are unaudited and have been presented for each of the quarterly periods in 2015 (Predecessor period) and three months ended March 31, 2016 (Predecessor period), period April 1, 2016 to June 20, 2016 (Predecessor period), period June 21, 2016 to June 30, 2016 (Successor period) and three months ended September 30, 2016 (Successor period) and December 31, 2016 (Successor period).
The selected historical and pro forma results presented below are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for any future period. This information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements of Altice USA and Cablevision and the notes thereto, the unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations of Altice USA, Management's Discussion
52
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations of Altice USA and Cablevision included elsewhere herein.
|
Altice USA | Cablevision(a) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Year ended December 31, | |
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
2016 | 2015 | 2016 | |
Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 1, 2016 to June 20, 2016 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Pro Forma | Pro Forma | Historical | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012(b) | ||||||||||||||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revenue |
$ | 9,154,816 | $ | 8,965,857 | $ | 6,017,212 | $ | 3,137,604 | $ | 6,545,545 | $ | 6,508,557 | $ | 6,287,383 | $ | 6,180,677 | |||||||||
Operating expenses |
8,417,262 | 8,922,260 | 5,557,546 | 2,662,298 | 5,697,074 | 5,587,299 | 5,588,159 | 5,411,629 | |||||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income |
737,554 | 43,597 | 459,666 | 475,306 | 848,471 | 921,258 | 699,224 | 769,048 | |||||||||||||||||
Other income (expense): |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Interest expense, net |
(1,791,064 | ) | (1,715,950 | ) | (1,442,730 | ) | (285,508 | ) | (584,839 | ) | (575,580 | ) | (600,637 | ) | (660,074 | ) | |||||||||
Gain (loss) on investments, net |
271,886 | (30,208 | ) | 141,896 | 129,990 | (30,208 | ) | 129,659 | 313,167 | 294,235 | |||||||||||||||
Gain (loss) on equity derivative contracts, net |
(89,979 | ) | 104,927 | (53,696 | ) | (36,283 | ) | 104,927 | (45,055 | ) | (198,688 | ) | (211,335 | ) | |||||||||||
Loss on interest rate swap contracts, net |
(72,961 | ) | | (72,961 | ) | | | | | (1,828 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs |
(127,649 | ) | (1,735 | ) | (127,649 | ) | | (1,735 | ) | (10,120 | ) | (22,542 | ) | (66,213 | ) | ||||||||||
Other income, net |
9,184 | 6,045 | 4,329 | 4,855 | 6,045 | 4,988 | 2,436 | 2,486 | |||||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes |
(1,063,029 | ) | (1,593,324 | ) | (1,091,145 | ) | 288,360 | 342,661 | 425,150 | 192,960 | 126,319 | ||||||||||||||
Income tax benefit (expense) |
406,886 | 498,567 | 259,666 | (124,848 | ) | (154,872 | ) | (115,768 | ) | (65,635 | ) | (51,994 | ) | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of income taxes |
(656,143 | ) | (1,094,757 | ) | (831,479 | ) | 163,512 | 187,789 | 309,382 | 127,325 | 74,325 | ||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes(c) |
| (12,541 | ) | | | (12,541 | ) | 2,822 | 338,316 | 159,288 | |||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income (loss) |
(656,143 | ) | (1,107,298 | ) | (831,479 | ) | 163,512 | 175,248 | 312,204 | 465,641 | 233,613 | ||||||||||||||
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(315 | ) | 201 | (551 | ) | 236 | 201 | (765 | ) | 20 | (90 | ) | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income (loss) attributable to Altice USA / Cablevision stockholders |
$ | (656,458 | ) | $ | (1,107,097 | ) | $ | (832,030 | ) | $ | 163,748 | $ | 175,449 | $ | 311,439 | $ | 465,661 | $ | 233,523 | ||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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|
Altice USA | Cablevision(a) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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|
Year ended December 31, | |
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|
|
|
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|
2016 | 2015 | 2016 | |
Years Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
January 1, 2016 to June 20, 2016 |
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|
Pro Forma | Pro Forma | Historical | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012(b) | ||||||||||||||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Basic income (loss) per share attributable to Altice USA / Cablevision stockholders: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes |
$ | (8,320 | ) | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.70 | $ | 1.17 | $ | 0.49 | $ | 0.28 | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes |
$ | | $ | | $ | (0.05 | ) | $ | 0.01 | $ | 1.30 | $ | 0.61 | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income |
$ | (8,320 | ) | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.65 | $ | 1.18 | $ | 1.79 | $ | 0.89 | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Basic weighted average common shares (in thousands) |
0.1 | 272,035 | 269,388 | 264,623 | 260,763 | 262,258 | |||||||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Diluted income (loss) per share attributable to Altice USA / Cablevision stockholders: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Income from continuing operations, net of income taxes |
$ | (8,320 | ) | $ | 0.58 | $ | 0.68 | $ | 1.14 | $ | 0.48 | $ | 0.28 | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes |
$ | | $ | | $ | (0.05 | ) | $ | 0.01 | $ | 1.27 | $ | 0.60 | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income |
$ | (8,320 | ) | $ | 0.58 | $ | 0.63 | $ | 1.15 | $ | 1.75 | $ | 0.87 | ||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Diluted weighted average common shares (in thousands) |
0.1 | 280,199 | 276,339 | 270,703 | 265,935 | 267,330 | |||||||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Cash dividends declared and paid per common share |
$ | | $ | | $ | 0.45 | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.60 | $ | 0.60 | |||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Amounts attributable to Altice USA / Cablevision stockholders: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Income (loss) from continuing operations, net of income taxes |
$ | (656,458 | ) | $ | (1,094,556 | ) | $ | (832,030 | ) | $ | 163,748 | $ | 187,990 | $ | 308,617 | $ | 127,345 | $ | 74,235 | ||||||
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income taxes(c) |
| (12,541 | ) | | | (12,541 | ) | 2,822 | 338,316 | 159,288 | |||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income (loss) |
$ | (656,458 | ) | $ | (1,107,097 | ) | $ | (832,030 | ) | $ | 163,748 | $ | 175,449 | $ | 311,439 | $ | 465,661 | $ | 233,523 | ||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
54
Balance Sheet Data:
|
Altice USA | Cablevision | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
December 31, | |||||||||||||||
|
2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | |||||||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
|||||||||||||||
Total assets(a) |
$ | 36,474,249 | $ | 6,800,174 | $ | 6,682,021 | $ | 6,500,967 | $ | 7,155,058 | ||||||
Notes payable to affiliates and related parties |
1,750,000 | | | | | |||||||||||
Credit facility debt(a) |
3,444,790 | 2,514,454 | 2,769,153 | 3,745,625 | 3,900,218 | |||||||||||
Collateralized indebtedness |
1,286,069 | 1,191,324 | 986,183 | 817,950 | 556,152 | |||||||||||
Senior notes and debentures(a) |
17,507,325 | 5,801,011 | 5,784,213 | 5,068,926 | 5,406,771 | |||||||||||
Notes payable |
13,726 | 14,544 | 23,911 | 5,334 | 12,585 | |||||||||||
Capital leases and other obligations |
28,155 | 45,966 | 46,412 | 31,290 | 56,569 | |||||||||||
Total debt(a) |
24,030,065 | 9,567,299 | 9,609,872 | 9,669,125 | 9,932,295 | |||||||||||
Redeemable equity |
68,147 | | 8,676 | 9,294 | 11,999 | |||||||||||
Stockholders' equity (deficiency) |
2,029,555 | (4,911,316 | ) | (5,041,469 | ) | (5,284,330 | ) | (5,639,164 | ) | |||||||
Noncontrolling interest |
287 | (268 | ) | 779 | 786 | 1,158 | ||||||||||
Total equity (deficiency) |
2,029,842 | (4,911,584 | ) | (5,040,690 | ) | (5,283,544 | ) | (5,638,006 | ) |
The following table sets forth certain customer metrics by segment (unaudited):
|
As of December 31, 2016 |
Pro Forma As of December 31, 2015 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Net Increase (Decrease) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cablevision | Cequel(g) | Total | Cablevision | Cequel(g) | Total | ||||||||||||||||
|
(in thousands, except per customer amounts) |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Homes passed(a) |
5,116 | 3,407 | 8,523 | 5,076 | 3,352 | 8,428 | 95 | |||||||||||||||
Total customer relationships(b) |
3,141 | 1,751 | 4,892 | 3,116 | 1,712 | 4,828 | 64 | |||||||||||||||
Residential |
2,879 | 1,649 | 4,528 | 2,858 | 1,618 | 4,476 | 52 | |||||||||||||||
SMB |
262 | 102 | 364 | 258 | 94 | 352 | 12 | |||||||||||||||
Residential customers(c): |
||||||||||||||||||||||
Pay TV |
2,428 | 1,107 | 3,535 | 2,487 | 1,154 | 3,641 | (106 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Broadband |
2,619 | 1,344 | 3,963 | 2,562 | 1,276 | 3,838 | 125 | |||||||||||||||
Telephony |
1,962 | 597 | 2,559 | 2,007 | 581 | 2,588 | (29 | ) | ||||||||||||||
Residential triple product customer penetration(d): |
64.8 | % | 25.5 | % | 50.5 | % | 67.6 | % | 25.4 | % | 52.3 | % | (1.8 | )% | ||||||||
Penetration of homes passed(e): |
61.4 | % | 51.4 | % | 57.4 | % | 61.4 | % | 51.1 | % | 57.3 | % | 0.1 | % | ||||||||
ARPU(f) |
$ | 154.49 | $ | 109.30 | $ | 138.07 | $ | 150.61 | $ | 104.04 | $ | 133.79 | $ | 4.28 |
55
count each subscribing family unit within the building as one customer, but do not count the master account for the entire building as a customer.
SELECTED QUARTERLY DATACABLEVISION
|
Cablevision | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Successor |
|
Predecessor | |||||||||||||||
|
Three Months Ended December 31, 2016 |
Three Months Ended September 30, 2016 |
|
|
|
Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 |
||||||||||||
|
June 21 to June 30, 2016 |
|
April 1 to June 20, 2016 |
|||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
Revenue |
$ | 1,645,493 | $ | 1,614,699 | $ | 183,860 | $ | 1,491,714 | $ | 1,645,890 | ||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income (loss) |
$ | (160,842 | ) | $ | (132,392 | ) | $ | (35,548 | ) | $ | 69,201 | $ | 94,311 | |||||
Share-based compensation |
8,073 | 1,091 | | 10,534 | 14,697 | |||||||||||||
Restructuring and other expenses (credits) |
80,650 | 42,264 | 89,236 | 19,770 | 2,453 | |||||||||||||
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) |
437,608 | 481,497 | 44,560 | 202,097 | 212,453 | |||||||||||||
Interest expense, net |
285,460 | 292,544 | 28,343 | 137,026 | 148,482 | |||||||||||||
Loss (gain) on investments, net |
(58,429 | ) | (24,833 | ) | (58,634 | ) | (29,625 | ) | (100,365 | ) | ||||||||
Loss (gain) on equity derivative contracts, net(b) |
27,124 | (773 | ) | 27,345 | (11,729 | ) | 48,012 | |||||||||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs |
102,894 | | | | | |||||||||||||
Other income, net |
(1,793 | ) | (2,530 | ) | (6 | ) | (2,884 | ) | (1,971 | ) | ||||||||
Income tax (benefit) expense |
(99,807 | ) | (89,157 | ) | (24,101 | ) | 62,062 | 62,786 | ||||||||||
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes |
| | | | ||||||||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Adjusted EBITDA |
$ | 620,938 | $ | 567,711 | $ | 71,195 | $ | 456,452 | $ | 480,858 | ||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Capital expenditures |
147,392 | 150,815 | 150 | 181,479 | $ | 148,652 | ||||||||||||
Total assets |
$ | 26,176,709 | $ | 27,636,010 | $ | 26,965,633 | N/A | $ | 6,732,386 | |||||||||
Total debt |
$ | 15,721,417 | $ | 17,125,118 | $ | 15,757,623 | N/A | $ | 9,548,076 |
56
|
Cablevision | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Predecessor | ||||||||||||
|
Three Months Ended | ||||||||||||
|
December 31, 2015 |
September 30, 2015 |
June 30, 2015 |
March 31, 2015 |
|||||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
||||||||||||
Revenue |
$ | 1,636,425 | $ | 1,624,828 | $ | 1,661,940 | $ | 1,622,352 | |||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income (loss) |
$ | 32,148 | $ | 23,025 | $ | 75,676 | $ | 44,399 | |||||
Share-based compensation |
20,014 | 17,422 | 15,939 | 11,911 | |||||||||
Restructuring and other expenses (credits) |
7,521 | 9,228 | (4 | ) | (532 | ) | |||||||
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) |
215,135 | 217,288 | 213,929 | 218,900 | |||||||||
Interest expense, net |
147,252 | 146,699 | 145,876 | 145,012 | |||||||||
Loss (gain) on investments, net |
9,567 | 66,388 | (78,818 | ) | 33,071 | ||||||||
Loss (gain) on equity derivative contracts, net |
(15,311 | ) | (66,143 | ) | 22,693 | (46,166 | ) | ||||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs |
| | 1,735 | | |||||||||
Other income |
(1,931 | ) | (1,800 | ) | (1,307 | ) | (1,007 | ) | |||||
Income tax (benefit) expense |
23,782 | 14,541 | 78,609 | 37,940 | |||||||||
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes |
1,633 | 406 | | 10,502 | |||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Adjusted EBITDA |
$ | 439,810 | $ | 427,054 | $ | 474,328 | $ | 454,030 | |||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Capital expenditures |
$ | 212,427 | $ | 222,664 | $ | 214,674 | $ | 166,631 | |||||
Total assets |
$ | 6,800,174 | $ | 6,674,785 | $ | 6,637,348 | $ | 6,621,748 | |||||
Total debt |
$ | 9,567,299 | $ | 9,560,265 | $ | 9,530,801 | $ | 9,639,923 |
The following table sets forth certain quarterly customer metrics by segment (unaudited):
|
Cablevision | Cequel(g) | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
September 30, 2016 |
June 30, 2016 |
March 31, 2016 |
September 30, 2016 |
June 30, 2016 |
March 31, 2016 |
|||||||||||||
|
(in thousands, except per customer amounts) |
||||||||||||||||||
Homes passed(a) |
5,105 | 5,093 | 5,086 | 3,389 | 3,374 | 3,362 | |||||||||||||
Total customer relationships(b) |
3,135 | 3,143 | 3,125 | 1,736 | 1,726 | 1,734 | |||||||||||||
Residential |
2,873 | 2,882 | 2,866 | 1,636 | 1,628 | 1,638 | |||||||||||||
SMB |
262 | 261 | 259 | 100 | 98 | 96 | |||||||||||||
Residential customers(c): |
|||||||||||||||||||
Pay TV |
2,443 | 2,470 | 2,473 | 1,113 | 1,126 | 1,150 | |||||||||||||
Broadband |
2,603 | 2,604 | 2,580 | 1,324 | 1,306 | 1,308 | |||||||||||||
Telephony |
1,969 | 1,994 | 1,999 | 594 | 596 | 597 | |||||||||||||
Residential triple product customer penetration(d): |
65.3 | % | 66.1 | % | 66.9 | % | 25.6 | % | 25.8 | % | 25.8 | % | |||||||
Penetration of homes passed(e): |
61.4 | % | 61.7 | % | 61.4 | % | 51.2 | % | 51.2 | % | 51.6 | % | |||||||
ARPU(f) |
$ | 152.55 | $ | 153.52 | $ | 152.18 | $ | 108.19 | $ | 107.03 | $ | 105.68 |
57
58
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
The following unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations of Altice USA, Inc. ("Altice USA" or the "Company") for the years ended December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 is based on the audited historical consolidated financial statements of the Company and gives effect to the Cequel Acquisition and Cablevision Acquisition (each as defined below) as if they had occurred on January 1, 2015. The Company's historical consolidated results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2016 include the operating results of Cequel for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Cablevision for the period subsequent to the Cablevision Acquisition, June 21, 2016 to December 31, 2016 (the "Cablevision Successor" period). The Company's historical consolidated results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 include the operating results of Cequel for the period subsequent to the Cequel Acquisition, December 21, 2015 to December 31, 2015 (the "Cequel Successor" period).
The accompanying unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations of Altice USA include the accounts of Altice USA and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.
The accompanying unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations have been prepared based on assumptions deemed appropriate by the Company. The pro forma adjustments are described in the accompanying notes. The unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations are for informational purposes only. The pro forma statements of operations are unaudited and do not purport to reflect the results of operations that would have occurred if the Cequel Acquisition and Cablevision Acquisition had been consummated on the dates indicated above, nor does it purport to represent the results of operations of the Company for any future dates or periods.
Future results may vary significantly from the information reflected in the unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations set forth below due to factors beyond the control of the Company.
The unaudited pro forma consolidated statements of operations do not include any adjustment for costs that may result from integration activities or for synergies resulting from the acquisitions. In 2016, the Company recorded restructuring expenses resulting from initiatives that are intended to simplify the Company's organizational structure. No adjustments have been made to the pro forma statements of operations for these restructuring expenses. The unaudited pro forma statements of operations do not include an estimated $33,501 and $112,177 of transaction costs incurred in connection with the acquisitions.
Optimum Acquisition
On June 21, 2016 (the "Cablevision Acquisition Date"), pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated as of September 16, 2015, by and among Cablevision, Altice N.V., Neptune Merger Sub Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Altice ("Merger Sub"), Merger Sub merged with and into Cablevision, with Cablevision surviving the merger (the "Cablevision Acquisition").
In connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, each outstanding share of the Cablevision NY Group Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and Cablevision NY Group Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and together with the Cablevision NY Group Class A common stock, the "Shares") other than (i) Shares owned by Cablevision, Altice N.V. or any of their respective wholly-owned subsidiaries, in each case not held on behalf of third parties in a fiduciary capacity, received $34.90 in cash without interest, less applicable tax withholdings (the "Optimum Acquisition Consideration").
59
Also in connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, outstanding equity-based awards granted under Cablevision's equity plans were cancelled and converted into cash based upon the $34.90 per Share Cablevision Acquisition price in accordance with the original terms of the awards. The total consideration for the outstanding CNYG Class A Shares, the outstanding CNYG Class B Shares, and the equity-based awards amounted to $9,958,323.
In connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, in October 2015, Neptune Finco Corp. ("Finco"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Altice formed to complete the financing described herein and the merger with CSC Holdings, LLC ("CSC Holdings"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cablevision, borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $3,800,000 under a term loan facility (the "Term Credit Facility") and entered into revolving loan commitments in an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the "Revolving Credit Facility" and, together with the Term Credit Facility, the "Credit Facilities").
Finco also issued $1,800,000 aggregate principal amount of 10.125% senior notes due 2023 (the "2023 Notes"), $2,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 10.875% senior notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes"), and $1,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.625% senior guaranteed notes due 2025 (the "2025 Guaranteed Notes") (collectively the "Cablevision Acquisition Notes"). On June 21, 2016, immediately following the Cablevision Acquisition, Finco merged with and into CSC Holdings, with CSC Holdings surviving the merger (the "CSC Holdings Merger"), and the Cablevision Acquisition Notes and the Credit Facilities became obligations of CSC Holdings.
On June 21, 2016, in connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, the Company issued notes payable to affiliates and related parties aggregating $1,750,000, of which $875,000 bear interest at 10.75% and $875,000 bear interest at 11%.
Cequel Acquisition
On December 21, 2015, Altice N.V. acquired approximately 70% of the total outstanding equity interests in Cequel from its direct and indirect stockholders (the "Sellers"). The consideration for the acquired equity interests was based on a total equity valuation for 100% of the capital and voting rights of Cequel of $3,973,528 which includes $2,797,928 of cash consideration, $675,600 of retained equity held by entities affiliated with BC Partners and CPPIB and $500,000 funded by the issuance by an affiliate of Altice of a senior vendor note that was subscribed by entities affiliated with BC Partners and CPPIB. Following the closing of the Cequel Acquisition, entities affiliated with BC Partners and CPPIB retained indirect equity interests in Cequel representing, in the aggregate, 30% of Cequel's outstanding capital stock on a post-closing basis.
In connection with the Cequel Acquisition, certain Altice wholly-owned subsidiaries were transferred to Cequel. The carrying value of the net liabilities assumed and accumulated deficit was reported in the consolidated financial statements in the amount of $27,962.
In June 2016, Cequel was contributed to Altice USA.
The following table provides the preliminary allocation of the total purchase price of $9,958,323 to the identifiable tangible and intangible assets and liabilities of Cablevision based on preliminary fair value information currently available, which is subject to change within the measurement period (up to one year from the acquisition date). The table also summarizes the allocation of the total purchase
60
price of $3,973,528 to the identifiable tangible and intangible assets and liabilities based on fair value information in connection with the Cequel Acquisition:
|
Cablevision | |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cequel | ||||||
|
Preliminary Fair Values |
||||||
|
Fair Values | ||||||
|
(dollars in thousands) |
||||||
Current assets |
$ | 1,923,071 | $ | 161,874 | |||
Accounts receivable |
271,305 | 180,422 | |||||
Property, plant and equipment |
4,864,621 | 2,107,220 | |||||
Goodwill |
5,838,959 | 2,153,741 | |||||
Cable television franchise rights |
8,113,575 | 4,906,506 | |||||
Customer relationships |
4,850,000 | 1,075,884 | |||||
Trade names |
1,010,000 | 56,782 | |||||
Amortizable intangible assets |
23,296 | 3,356 | |||||
Other non-current assets |
748,998 | 73,811 | |||||
Current liabilities |
(2,305,954 | ) | (534,662 | ) | |||
Long-term debt |
(8,355,386 | ) | (4,717,305 | ) | |||
Deferred income taxes |
(6,834,807 | ) | (1,492,017 | ) | |||
Other non-current liabilities |
(189,355 | ) | (2,084 | ) | |||
| | | | | | | |
Total |
$ | 9,958,323 | $ | 3,973,528 | |||
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
61
ALTICE USA, INC.
UNAUDITED PRO FORMA CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016
(dollars in thousands)
|
Historical(1) | Cablevision(2) | Pro Forma Adjustments |
Pro forma | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revenue |
$ | 6,017,212 | $ | 3,137,604 | $ | | $ | 9,154,816 | |||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating expenses: |
|||||||||||||
Programming and other direct costs |
1,899,994 | 1,088,555 | | 2,988,549 | |||||||||
Other operating expenses |
1,716,851 | 1,136,970 | | 2,853,821 | |||||||||
Restructuring and other expense |
240,395 | 22,223 | (33,501 | )(3) | 229,117 | ||||||||
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) |
1,700,306 | 414,550 | 230,919 | (4) | 2,345,775 | ||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
5,557,546 | 2,662,298 | 197,418 | 8,417,262 | |||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Operating income |
459,666 | 475,306 | (197,418 | ) | 737,554 | ||||||||
Other income (expense): |
|||||||||||||
Interest expense |
(1,456,541 | ) | (287,098 | ) | (50,675 | )(5) | (1,794,314 | ) | |||||
Interest income |
13,811 | 1,590 | (12,151 | )(6) | 3,250 | ||||||||
Gain on investments, net |
141,896 | 129,990 | | 271,886 | |||||||||
Loss on equity derivative contracts, net |
(53,696 | ) | (36,283 | ) | | (89,979 | ) | ||||||
Loss on interest rate swap contracts |
(72,961 | ) | | | (72,961 | ) | |||||||
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs |
(127,649 | ) | | | (127,649 | ) | |||||||
Other income, net |
4,329 | 4,855 | | 9,184 | |||||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
(1,550,811 | ) | (186,946 | ) | (62,826 | ) | (1,800,583 | ) | |||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes |
(1,091,145 | ) | 288,360 | (260,244 | ) | (1,063,029 | ) | ||||||
Income tax benefit (expense) |
259,666 | (124,848 | ) | 272,068 | (7) | 406,886 | |||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income (loss) |
(831,479 | ) | 163,512 | 11,824 | (656,143 | ) | |||||||
Net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests |
(551 | ) | 236 | | (315 | ) | |||||||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Net income (loss) attributable to Altice USA stockholders |
$ | (832,030 | ) | $ | 163,748 | $ | 11,824 | $ | (656,458 | ) | |||
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Consolidated Statement of Operations for the Year Ended December 31, 2016
62
Pro forma depreciation and amortization based on fair value |
$ | 2,345,775 | ||
Historical expense |
(2,114,856 | ) | ||
| | | | |
Total adjustment |
$ | 230,919 | ||
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
The adjustment for depreciation was estimated using an average useful life of approximately seven years calculated on a straight line basis for property, plant and equipment of both Cablevision and Cequel.
Customer relationships are amortized using an accelerated method (sum of the years' digits) to reflect the period over which the relationships are expected to generate cash flows. The following table summarizes the amortization expense related to customer relationships of $4,850,000 and $1,075,884 for Cablevision and Cequel, respectively:
|
Cablevision | Cequel | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pro forma Amortization of Customer Relationships: |
||||||||||
Year 1 |
$ | 636,043 | $ | 239,085 | $ | 875,128 | ||||
Year 2 |
590,163 | 209,200 | 799,363 | |||||||
Year 3 |
544,284 | 179,314 | 723,598 | |||||||
Year 4 |
498,404 | 149,428 | 647,832 | |||||||
Year 5 |
452,524 | 119,543 | 572,067 | |||||||
Thereafter |
2,128,582 | 179,314 | 2,307,896 |
The amortization of trade names related to Cablevision and Cequel reflect an average useful life of 12 years and 2 years, respectively, calculated on a straight line basis.