CT Communications (NASDAQ:CTCI)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2019 to May 2024
CONCORD, N.C., March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Fourth Quarter 2006 Highlights
- Net income increased 33.3% to $5.2 million, or $0.26 per diluted share
- Operating income increased 23.9% to $7.7 million
- Operating revenue of $44.8 million
- 32% increase in Digital Subscriber Line "DSL" customers
- Over 9,000 ILEC homes passed with fiber facilities
- 11% increase in Greenfield access lines
Total Year 2006 Highlights
- Record profits with net income of $71.7 million
- Revenue increases to $176.9 million with operating income up 10.5%
Fourth Quarter 2006 Results
CT Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CTCI) announces net income of $5.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2006, a 33.3% increase over the same period last year. Diluted earnings per common share increased to $0.26 per share in the fourth quarter of 2006 from $0.20 per share in the same quarter last year. Operating revenue for the fourth quarter of 2006 was $44.8 million, an increase of $0.5 million when compared to the fourth quarter of 2005. The increase in operating revenue was driven by a $1.5 million increase in customer recurring revenue due to strong customer growth in several of the Company's businesses. DSL customers increased 32%, Wireless subscribers increased 7% and Greenfield access lines increased 11% compared to the end of 2005. In addition to the growth in customer recurring revenue, revenue associated with telephone system sales and universal service each increased $0.3 million compared to the prior year quarter. Access and interconnection revenue declined from the fourth quarter of 2005, which included the recognition of $1.4 million related to previously disputed carrier access and interconnection billings.
The fourth quarter of 2006 represented the second quarter of cable company telephone service competition in the Company's ILEC service territory. ILEC average monthly churn during the fourth quarter was 1.3% compared to 1.1% in the same period last year. ILEC access lines decreased 3.4% from the end of the fourth quarter last year.
Operating expense in the fourth quarter of 2006 was $37.0 million, a decrease of $1.0 million, or 2.7%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2005. The decrease in operating expense was attributable to a $0.4 million increase in capitalized personnel costs associated with the Company's video initiative, a $0.3 million decrease in personnel and benefits expense, a $0.3 million decrease in access and interconnection expense and a $0.3 million favorable settlement of disputed franchise taxes. Partially offsetting these expense reductions was a $0.3 million increase in selling expenses related to customer retention and contract renewal efforts.
Operating income increased $1.5 million to $7.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2006, a 23.9% increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2005. Operating margin was 17.3% for the fourth quarter of 2006 and 14.1% for the fourth quarter of 2005.
Other income in the fourth quarter of 2006 increased to $0.6 million primarily due to a $0.3 million increase in investment income and a $0.3 million decrease in interest expense.
Full Year 2006 Results
Operating revenue for the year ended December 31, 2006 increased 3.0% to $176.9 million compared to $171.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2005. The $5.2 million increase in operating revenue was mainly due to a $3.8 million increase in customer recurring revenue, a $0.8 million increase in universal service revenue and a $0.4 million increase in Wireless roaming and settlement revenue. Operating expense increased $2.9 million to $152.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to 2005. The increase in operating expense was mainly attributable to a $1.6 million increase in selling expense and a $0.6 million increase in Wireless handset and accessory expense. The increase in selling expense was driven by an increase in marketing expense associated with the Company's plans to address cable telephone competition in the Company's ILEC service territory, as well as commissions related to our Wireless renewal and retention programs. The increase in Wireless handset and accessory expense was primarily due to the Company's contract renewal program.
Operating income increased 10.5% to $24.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2006, compared to the year ended December 31, 2005. The increase in operating income was primarily related to the growth in the Company's Internet and Data Services segment, which recorded a 160% or $2.6 million increase in operating income for 2006.
Net income for the year ended December 31, 2006 was $71.7 million, or $3.62 per diluted common share, compared to $14.5 million, or $0.77 per diluted common share for the same period last year. Included in net income for the year ending December 31, 2006 was $54.2 million, or $2.74 per diluted common share, related to the sale of Palmetto MobileNet's ("PMN") interests in ten wireless partnerships. Excluding the PMN transaction, earnings per share increased 14.3% to $0.88 per diluted common share from the same period last year.
Fourth Quarter 2006 Results by Business Unit
- ILEC -- ("Concord Telephone")
Concord Telephone's operating revenue decreased $0.9 million to $23.7
million in the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same quarter in
2005. The decrease in operating revenue was mainly due to a $1.4
million decrease in access and interconnection revenue that was
partially offset by a $0.3 million increase in both telephone system
sales and universal service revenue. In the fourth quarter last year
the ILEC recorded revenue of $1.4 million from the settlement and
recovery of previously disputed carrier access and interconnection
billings. Operating expense decreased 1.9% to $17.3 million in the
fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same quarter in 2005. The $0.3
million decrease in operating expense was primarily attributable to a
$0.7 million decrease in cost of service that was partially offset by a
$0.5 million increase in selling, general and administrative expense.
The decrease in cost of service was largely due to a $0.4 million
decrease in personnel expense and a $0.2 million decrease in access and
interconnection expense. Operating income decreased 8.7% to $6.4 million
in the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same period last year.
This resulted in an operating margin of 26.8% for the fourth quarter of
2006 compared to 28.2% for the fourth quarter of 2005. Concord Telephone
ended 2006 with 106,420 access lines in service, a 3.4% decrease from
the end of 2005.
The Company is making final preparations for the launch of a video trial
to select customers in the ILEC service territory during the first
quarter of 2007. The video service offered to customers participating
in this trial will include a fully competitive channel line-up,
including high definition programming and digital video recording
("DVR") capabilities. The trial participants will have video, data and
voice services delivered through fiber optic facilities, which are part
of the fiber initiative that passed 9,000 ILEC homes at the end of 2006.
Initial broadband service download speeds for customers in this trial
will be up to 15 Mbps, but future product capabilities will likely move
well beyond this rate.
- Wireless Service -- ("Wireless")
Wireless operating revenue increased 6.1% to $10.0 million in the fourth
quarter of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005. The $0.6 million
increase in operating revenue was driven by a $0.8 million increase in
customer recurring revenue associated with a 7% growth in subscribers,
but was partially offset by a decrease in settlement and roaming
revenue. Operating expense increased $0.3 million, or 3.6%, from the
same period last year primarily due to a $0.2 million increase in
network operations expense related to higher minutes of use on the
Company's wireless network. Operating income increased $0.3 million to
$1.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same period
last year. Wireless ended 2006 with 49,157 subscribers, an increase of
3,019, or 7%, compared to the end of 2005.
- CLEC -- ("CTC Exchange Services")
CTC Exchange Services' operating revenue increased 1.9% to $4.7 million
in the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same quarter last year.
The increase in operating revenue was due to a $0.1 million increase in
access and interconnection revenue related to the growth in access
lines. Operating expense decreased 5.5% to $4.9 million in the fourth
quarter of 2006 compared to the same period last year. The decrease in
operating expense was largely due to a $0.4 million decrease in cost of
service, which was attributable to network efficiency initiatives and a
decrease in personnel expense. Operating loss for the fourth quarter of
2006 was $0.2 million compared to an operating loss of $0.6 million for
the fourth quarter of 2005. CTC Exchange Services ended 2006 with
35,615 access lines compared to 32,546 access lines at the end of last
year.
- Greenfield
Greenfield's operating revenue increased 9.0% to $2.7 million in the
fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same period last year. The
increase in operating revenue was driven by a $0.2 million increase in
customer recurring revenue associated with an 11% increase in access
lines. Operating expense decreased 2.0% to $3.3 million in the fourth
quarter of 2006 compared to the same period last year. Operating loss
for the fourth quarter of 2006 declined to $0.6 million, a 31.5%
improvement from the $0.9 million operating loss for the fourth quarter
of 2005. Greenfield ended 2006 with 16,619 access lines, which
represented an increase of 11% from the end of 2005. The Company
continues to focus on Greenfield opportunities that leverage Company-
owned network infrastructure to minimize the cost to serve additional
customers. As of December 31, 2006, the Company had 126 Greenfield
projects, which in total represent approximately 55,000 marketable lines
at the completion of the projects.
- Internet & Data -- ("CTC Internet Services")
CTC Internet Services' operating revenue increased 17.4% to $3.6 million
in the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same period last year.
DSL and High-Speed revenue increased $0.6 million from the same quarter
last year, driven by the 32% and 21% growth in DSL and High-Speed
customers, respectively, and was partially offset by lower dial-up
customer revenue. In the fourth quarter of 2006, the Company continued
to experience strong demand for broadband services with over 1,100 net
DSL customers added in the quarter. CTC Internet Services ended the
year with 25,704 DSL customers, an increase of 6,197 customers compared
to the end of 2005. Operating expense decreased 8.4% to $2.3 million in
the fourth quarter of 2006 compared to the same period last year.
Operating income for the fourth quarter increased $0.8 million, or
138.4%, to $1.3 million, compared to the same period in 2005.
Future Period Guidance
We currently expect operating results to approximate the following during these future periods:
- 1st Quarter 2007
- Revenue of $44.0 to $45.0 million
- Operating income of $6.3 to $6.7 million
- Depreciation expense of $7.9 to $8.1 million
- Diluted earnings per share of $0.21 to $0.23
- Capital expenditures of $9.5 to $11.5 million
- Full Year 2007
- Revenue of $176.0 to $180.0 million
- Operating income of $22.0 to $26.0 million
- Depreciation expense of $31.5 to $33.5 million
- Diluted earnings per share of $0.79 to $0.83
- Capital expenditures of $32 to $35 million
CT Communications will host a conference call to discuss the results of the fourth quarter and full year 2006 on Friday, March 2, 2007 at 10:00 AM ET. You are invited to listen live to the conference call over the Internet at http://www.ctc.net/. If you are unable to listen during the live webcast, the call will be archived on the Web site at http://www.ctc.net/ until March 31, 2007. Additionally, a replay of the call will be available until 5:00 PM ET on Friday, March 9, 2007 at 800-633-8284. Enter access number 21330760.
CT Communications, Inc., headquartered in Concord, N.C., is a growing provider of integrated telecommunications and related services to residential and business customers located primarily in North Carolina. CT Communications, Inc. offers a comprehensive package of telecommunications services, including broadband high-speed Internet services, local and long distance telephone services, and digital wireless voice and data services.
Certain statements contained in this press release are "forward-looking statements," within the meaning of federal securities laws. We intend these forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions made by management about us, including, among other things, changes in industry conditions created by the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and related state and federal legislation and regulations, the impact of economic conditions related to financial performance of customers, business partners, competitors and peers within the telecommunications industry, the recovery of the substantial costs incurred over the past few years in connection with our expansion into new businesses, retention of our existing customer base and our ability to attract new customers, our ability to control pricing and product offerings in a highly competitive industry, the performance of our investments, rapid changes in technology, our ability to manage capital expenditures related to changes in technology, actions of our competitors, the impact of economic and political events on our business, operating regions and customers, including terrorist attacks and the finalization and completion of the audit of the Company's financial statements and the assessment of the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2006. In some cases, these forward- looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "project," "intend" or "potential" or the negative of those words or other comparable words. These forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual events or results because they involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties and should be viewed with caution. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are also directed to consider the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed in documents filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those matters summarized under the caption "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005.
CT Communications, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share amounts)
Three Months Ended
December 31, %
2006 2005 Change
Operating Revenue
ILEC Services $23,700 $24,649 (3.9%)
Wireless Services 10,024 9,450 6.1%
CLEC Services 4,721 4,631 1.9%
Greenfield Services 2,677 2,455 9.0%
Internet & Data Services 3,647 3,107 17.4%
Total Operating Revenue 44,769 44,292 1.1%
Operating Expense
ILEC Services 17,347 17,690 (1.9%)
Wireless Services 8,871 8,562 3.6%
CLEC Services 4,897 5,182 (5.5%)
Greenfield Services 3,299 3,365 (2.0%)
Internet & Data Services 2,344 2,561 (8.5%)
Other 279 694 (59.8%)
Total Operating Expense 37,037 38,054 (2.7%)
Operating Income 7,732 6,238 23.9%
Other Income (Expense)
Investment, Equity Method (1) 293
Gains, Interest, Dividends 1,483 916
Impairment on Investments - (17)
Other Expenses, Principally Interest (856) (1,132)
Total Other Income (Expense) 626 60
Pre-Tax Income 8,358 6,298
Income Tax Expense 3,199 2,427
Net Income $5,159 $3,871
Diluted Weighted Average Shares 20,208 18,967
Diluted Earnings Per Share $0.26 $0.20
CT Communications, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Income
(Unaudited, in thousands, except per share amounts)
Twelve Months Ended
December 31, %
2006 2005 Change
Operating Revenue
ILEC Services $95,251 $94,561 0.7%
Wireless Services 38,255 36,426 5.0%
CLEC Services 19,091 19,272 (0.9%)
Greenfield Services 10,433 9,636 8.3%
Internet & Data Services 13,841 11,770 17.6%
Total Operating Revenue 176,871 171,665 3.0%
Operating Expense
ILEC Services 71,959 71,039 1.3%
Wireless Services 35,424 33,194 6.7%
CLEC Services 20,227 20,538 (1.5%)
Greenfield Services 13,200 12,417 6.3%
Internet & Data Services 9,678 10,167 (4.8%)
Other 2,122 2,346 (9.5%)
Total Operating Expense 152,610 149,701 1.9%
Operating Income 24,261 21,964 10.5%
Other Income (Expense)
Investment, Equity Method 90,102 4,275
Gains, Interest, Dividends 6,261 2,989
Impairment on Investments (876) (546)
Other Expenses, Principally Interest (3,449) (4,825)
Total Other Income 92,038 1,893
Pre-Tax Income 116,299 23,857
Income Tax Expense 44,638 9,308
Net Income $71,661 $14,549
Diluted Weighted Average Shares 19,818 18,947
Diluted Earnings Per Share $3.62 $0.77
CT Communications, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Unaudited, in thousands)
December 31, December 31,
2006 2005
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents $14,063 $23,011
Short-term Investments 86,741 -
Accounts Receivable and Unbilled
Revenue, Net 16,419 16,336
Wireless Spectrum Held-for-Sale - 15,646
Other Assets 11,775 7,220
Current Assets 128,998 62,213
Investment Securities 5,381 5,845
Investments in Unconsolidated
Companies 3,670 15,618
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net 209,908 200,179
Other Assets 39,401 37,565
TOTAL ASSETS $387,358 $321,420
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Portion of Long-Term Debt $5,000 $15,000
Accounts Payable 12,553 8,482
Customer Deposits and Advance
Billings 4,618 2,538
Other Accrued Liabilities 12,714 13,921
Current Liabilities 34,885 39,941
Long-Term Debt 35,000 40,000
Deferred Credits and Other
Liabilities 38,095 45,599
Stockholders' Equity 279,378 195,880
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS'
EQUITY $387,358 $321,420
CT Communications, Inc.
Customer Information
December 31, December 31, %
2006 2005 Change
ILEC Access Lines
Business Lines 28,122 28,263 (0.5%)
Residential Lines 78,298 81,854 (4.3%)
Total ILEC Access Lines 106,420 110,117 (3.4%)
CLEC Access Lines 35,615 32,546 9.4%
Greenfield Access Lines 16,619 14,929 11.3%
Total Wired Access Lines 158,654 157,592 0.7%
Wireless Subscribers 49,157 46,138 6.5%
Long Distance Lines
In ILEC 85,803 84,933 1.0%
In CLEC 24,213 24,937 (2.9%)
In Greenfield 10,424 8,603 21.2%
Total Long Distance Lines 120,440 118,473 1.7%
Internet Access Customers
Dial-Up 4,717 6,522 (27.7%)
DSL 25,704 19,507 31.8%
High Speed 835 693 20.5%
Total Internet Access Customers 31,256 26,722 17.0%
Greenfield Projects Projected
Lines in Marketable Total
Service Lines Projects
By Year Signed
Previous Years 14,247 40,000 75
2003 1,113 5,000 18
2004 920 4,000 12
2005 160 4,000 13
2006 179 2,000 8
Total 16,619 55,000 126
By Type
Mall 2,637 2,800 3
Single Family Homes 9,889 38,600 69
Multi-Dwelling Units 2,849 11,900 42
Business 1,244 1,700 12
Total 16,619 55,000 126
CT Communications, Inc.
Other Selected Financial Data
(Unaudited, in thousands)
Capital Expenditures
Three Months Twelve Months
Ended Ended
December 31, December 31,
2006 2005 2006 2005
ILEC $12,932 $2,815 $25,299 $14,943
Wireless 658 518 1,789 2,210
CLEC 311 491 2,652 1,499
Greenfield 1,734 2,156 6,039 6,214
Internet 351 279 1,256 1,229
Other 1,899 260 4,999 999
Total $17,885 $6,519 $42,034 $27,094
% of Revenue 39.9% 14.7% 23.8% 15.8%
Depreciation
Three Months Twelve Months
Ended Ended
December 31, December 31,
2006 2005 2006 2005
ILEC $4,988 $5,151 $20,353 $20,429
Wireless 669 697 2,596 2,378
CLEC 693 648 2,709 2,546
Greenfield 1,042 909 4,045 3,427
Internet 285 396 1,290 1,761
Other 225 334 954 1,342
Total $7,902 $8,135 $31,947 $31,883
Reconciliation of Reported Results to Normalized Results
For the year ended December 31, 2006
Palmetto
GAAP MobileNet* Normalized
Operating Revenue $176,871 $- $176,871
Operating Expense 152,610 - 152,610
Operating Income 24,261 - 24,261
Other Income (Expense) 92,038 (89,164) 2,874
Pre-Tax Income 116,299 (89,164) 27,135
Income Tax Expense 44,638 (34,943) 9,695
Net Income $71,661 $(54,221) $17,440
Diluted EPS $3.62 $(2.74) $0.88
* Equity income related to the March 2006 sale of PMN's ownership
interests in ten wireless partnerships.
DATASOURCE: CT Communications, Inc.
CONTACT: Jim Hausman, +1-704-722-2410, or Ron Marino, +1-704-722-2212,
both of CT Communications, Inc.
Web site: http://www.ctc.net/