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Fair Value Measurements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

3.FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis—The Company’s asset retirement obligations are measured at fair value on a recurring basis using Level 3 inputs and are recorded in Other long-term liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of the asset retirement obligations is calculated using a discounted cash flow model.

Refer to Note 20 for discussion of the Company’s redeemable noncontrolling interests.

Items Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis— The Company estimates the fair value of assets subject to impairment using a discounted cash flow ("DCF") (Level 3 input) analysis. Determining fair value requires the exercise of significant judgments, including the amount and timing of expected future cash flows, long-term growth rates, discount rates and relevant comparable earnings and trading multiples. The cash flows employed in the DCF analysis are based on estimates of future revenues, earnings, and cash flows after considering factors such as tower location demographics, timing of additions of new tenants, lease rates, rate and term of renewal, attrition, ongoing cash requirements, and market multiples. Each of the assumptions are applied based on the specific facts and circumstances of the identified assets at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows. The DCF analysis used an average discount rates ranging from 6.5%- 8.8%.

Asset impairment and decommission costs for all periods presented and the related impaired assets primarily relate to the Company’s site leasing operating segment. The following summarizes the activity of asset impairment and decommission costs (in thousands):



	For the year
	ended December 31,
	2023		2022		2021


Asset Impairment ⁽¹⁾	$	139,466	$	34,734	$	24,813
Write-off of carrying value of decommissioned towers		12,015		8,095		6,349
Other (including tower and equipment decommission costs)		17,906		331		1,882
Total asset impairment and decommission costs	$	169,387	$	43,160	$	33,044

(1)Represents impairment charges resulting from the Company’s regular analysis of whether the anticipated future cash flows from certain towers are sufficient to recover the carrying value of the investment in those towers. Impairment charges for the year ended December 31, 2023 includes the impact of the planned abandonment of identified sites with minimal expectations of future economic benefit (primarily from Sprint and Oi related churn), partially offset by a $45.1 million benefit from the reassessment of the lease terms. The reassessment resulted in an overall shortening of the lease term and a reduction to the lease liability and right-of-use asset.

The Company’s long-term investments were $24.5 million and $40.7 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, and are recorded in Other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The estimation of the fair value of the investment involves the use of Level 3 inputs. The Company evaluates these investments for indicators of impairment. The Company considers impairment indicators such as negative changes in industry and market conditions, financial performance, business prospects, and other relevant events and factors. If indicators exist and the fair value of the investment is less than the carrying amount, an impairment charge will be recorded. During the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized an impairment loss of $4.7 million and $0.9 million, respectively, associated with its investments. The Company did not recognize any impairment loss associated with its investments during the years ended December 31, 2021.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments— The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, restricted cash, accounts payable, and short-term investments approximate their estimated fair values due to the short maturity of these instruments. The Company’s estimate of its short-term investments is based primarily upon Level 1 reported market values. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had $1.0 million and $1.3 million of short-term investments, respectively. The Company purchased and sold $1.3 billion, $0.9 billion, and $1.7 billion of short-term investments for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, respectively.

The Company determines fair value of its debt instruments utilizing various Level 2 sources including quoted prices and indicative quotes (non-binding quotes) from brokers that require judgment to interpret market information including implied credit spreads for similar borrowings on recent trades or bid/ask prices. The fair value of the Revolving Credit Facility is considered to approximate the carrying value because the Company does not believe its credit risk has changed materially from the date the applicable Eurodollar Rate (or Term SOFR as amended July 3, 2023) was set for the Revolving Credit Facility (112.5 to 150.0 basis points). Refer to Note 11 for the fair values, principal balances, and carrying values of the Company’s debt instruments.

For discussion of the Company’s derivatives and hedging activities, refer to Note 2 and Note 21.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for the fair value of financial instruments (as defined), including financial assets and financial liabilities (collectively, as defined), and the measurements of those instruments as well as disclosures related to the fair value of non-financial assets and liabilities. Such disclosures about the financial instruments, assets, and liabilities would include: (1) the fair value of the required items together with their carrying amounts (as appropriate); (2) for items for which it is not practicable to estimate fair value, disclosure would include: (a) information pertinent to estimating fair value (including, carrying amount, effective interest rate, and maturity, and (b) the reasons why it is not practicable to estimate fair value; (3) significant concentrations of credit risk including: (a) information about the activity, region, or economic characteristics identifying a concentration, (b) the maximum amount of loss the entity is exposed to based on the gross fair value of the related item, (c) policy for requiring collateral or other security and information as to accessing such collateral or security, and (d) the nature and brief description of such collateral or security; (4) quantitative information about market risks and how such risks are managed; (5) for items measured on both a recurring and nonrecurring basis information regarding the inputs used to develop the fair value measurement; and (6) for items presented in the financial statement for which fair value measurement is elected: (a) information necessary to understand the reasons for the election, (b) discussion of the effect of fair value changes on earnings, (c) a description of [similar groups] items for which the election is made and the relation thereof to the balance sheet, the aggregate carrying value of items included in the balance sheet that are not eligible for the election; (7) all other required (as defined) and desired information.

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