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Fair Value of Financial Instruments

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Note 9. Fair Value of Financial Instruments

FASB ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements, establishes a hierarchy of valuation techniques based on the observability of inputs utilized in measuring assets and liabilities at fair values. This hierarchy establishes market-based or observable inputs as the preferred source of values, followed by valuation models using management assumptions in the absence of market inputs. The three levels of the hierarchy are as follows:

Level 1 – Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity can access at the assessment date

Level 2 – Inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability

Our financial instruments consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts and other receivables, derivative instruments, contingent consideration, our outstanding notes and other debt, and accounts, interest and dividends payable.

The following table summarizes the fair value of our financial instruments at December 31, 2020 and 2019:

(Thousands)	Total		Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Prices with Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Prices with Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
At December 31, 2020
Liabilities
Senior secured notes - 7.875%, due February 15, 2025	$	2,410,313	$	—	$	2,410,313	$	—
Senior secured notes - 6.00%, due April 15, 2023		561,000		—		561,000		—
Senior unsecured notes - 8.25%, due October 15, 2023		1,112,775		—		1,112,775		—
Senior unsecured notes - 7.125%, due December 15, 2024		601,500		—		601,500		—
Exchangeable senior unsecured notes - 4.00%, due June 15, 2024		426,058		—		426,058		—
Senior secured revolving credit facility, variable rate, due April 24, 2022		110,000		—		110,000		—
Derivative liability, net		22,897		—		22,897		—
Settlement payable		418,840		—		418,840		—
Contingent consideration		2,957		—		—		2,957
Total	$	5,666,340	$	—	$	5,663,383	$	2,957

(Thousands)	Total		Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1)		Prices with Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Prices with Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
At December 31, 2019
Liabilities
Senior secured term loan B - variable rate, due October 24, 2022	$	1,998,721	$	—	$	1,998,721	$	—
Senior secured notes - 6.00% , due April 15, 2023		528,000		—		528,000		—
Senior unsecured notes - 8.25%, due October 15, 2023		971,250		—		971,250		—
Senior unsecured notes - 7.125%, due December 15, 2024		511,500		—		511,500		—
Exchangeable senior unsecured notes - 4.00%, due June 15, 2024		309,638		—		309,638		—
Senior secured revolving credit facility, variable rate, due April 24, 2022		574,961		—		574,961		—
Derivative liability, net		23,679		—		23,679		—
Contingent consideration		11,507		—		—		11,507
Total	$	4,929,256	$	—	$	4,917,749	$	11,507

The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts and other receivables, and accounts, interest and dividends payable approximate fair values due to the short-term nature of these financial instruments.

The total principal balance of our Notes and other debt was $4.97 billion at December 31, 2020, with a fair value of $5.22 billion. The estimated fair value of the Notes and other debt was based on available external pricing data and current market rates for similar debt instruments, among other factors, which are classified as Level 2 inputs within the fair value hierarchy. Derivative instruments are carried at fair value. See Note 11. The fair value of our interest rate swap is determined based on the present value of expected future cash flows using observable, quoted LIBOR swap rates for the full term of the swap and also incorporate credit valuation adjustments to appropriately reflect both Uniti 's own non-performance risk and non-performance risk of the respective counterparties. The Company has determined that the majority of the inputs used to value its derivative instruments fall within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy; however, the associated credit valuation adjustments utilized Level 3 inputs, such as estimates of credit spreads, to evaluate the likelihood of default by the Company and its counterparties. As of December 31, 2020, the Company has assessed the significance of the impact of the credit valuation adjustments on the overall valuation of its derivative positions and has determined that the credit valuation adjustment is not significant to the overall value of the derivatives. As such, the Company classifies its derivative instruments valuation in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Given the limited trade activity of the Exchangeable Notes, the fair value of the Exchangeable Notes (see Note 13) is determined based on inputs that are observable in the market and have been classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy. Specifically, we estimated the fair value of the Exchangeable Notes based on readily available external pricing information, quoted market prices, and current market rates for similar convertible debt instruments.

Uniti is required to make a $490.1 million cash payment to Windstream in equal installments over 20 consecutive quarters beginning the first month after Windstream’s emergence (the “Settlement Payable”) (see Note 17). The Settlement Payable was initially recorded at its fair value, which was determined using the present value of required future cash payments and is classified in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy. The fair value of the Settlement Payable is $418.8 million and is reported as settlement payable on our Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 2020.

As part of the acquisition of Tower Cloud on August 31, 2016, we may be obligated to pay contingent consideration upon achievement of certain defined operational and financial milestones; therefore, we recorded the estimated fair value of future contingent consideration of $3.0 million as of December 31, 2020. The fair value of the contingent

consideration as of December 31, 2020, was determined using a discounted cash flow model and probability adjusted estimates of the operational milestones and is classified as Level 3. During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, we paid $15.7 million and $29.6 million, respectively, for the achievement of certain milestones in accordance with the Tower Cloud merger agreement.

Changes in the fair value of contingent consideration will be recorded in our Consolidated Statement of Income in the period in which the change occurs. For the year ended December 31, 2020, there was a $7.2 million increase in the fair value of the contingent consideration that was recorded in Other (income) expense on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The following is a roll forward of our liability measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (Level 3):

(Thousands)		December 31, 2019				Transfers into Level 3				(Gain)/Loss included in earnings				Settlements				December 31, 2020
Contingent consideration		$	11,507			$	—			$	7,163			$	(15,713	)		$	2,957

- 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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