EX-99.1 2 ctl20168-kexhibit991x4q.htm EXHIBIT 99.1 Exhibit



earningsreleaselogoa04a03.jpg
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
February 8, 2017
Kristina Waugh 318-340-5627
 
kristina.r.waugh@centurylink.com


CENTURYLINK REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL-YEAR 2016 RESULTS
Achieved fourth quarter operating revenues of approximately $4.3 billion; full-year 2016 operating revenues of $17.5 billion
Generated operating income of $392 million in fourth quarter; full-year 2016 operating income of $2.3 billion; reflects over $200 million of expense incurred during fourth quarter 2016 due to severance costs related to a reduction in force and expenses associated with the pending Level 3 acquisition.
Generated operating cash flow1 of $1.59 billion and free cash flow1,2 of $190 million in fourth quarter, both excluding special items1; full-year 2016 operating cash flow of $6.5 billion and free cash flow of $1.8 billion, both excluding special items
Achieved net income of $42 million and diluted EPS of $0.08 in fourth quarter; full-year 2016 net income of $626 million and diluted EPS of $1.16; reflects over $200 million of expense incurred during fourth quarter 2016 as noted above.
Generated adjusted net income1 of $292 million and adjusted diluted EPS1 of $0.54, excluding special items, in fourth quarter; full-year 2016 adjusted net income of $1.3 billion and adjusted diluted EPS of $2.45, excluding special items
Increased the percentage of addressable units capable of receiving 100Mbps and 1Gig broadband speeds year-over-year by 31% and 53%, respectively, ending the year with more than 3.3 million addressable units capable of 100Mbps or higher and approximately 1.3 million addressable units capable of 1Gig or higher
Sustained improving broadband customer trends
Completed state and federal regulatory filings related to Level 3 Communications (Level 3) acquisition; integration planning underway; continue to anticipate closing the transaction by end of third quarter 2017
MONROE, La. CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) today reported results for fourth quarter and full-year 2016.
“CenturyLink achieved significant progress on our operational initiatives in 2016; however, full-year 2016 operating revenues and cash flows were below our expectations, primarily due to lower strategic revenue growth,” said Glen F. Post, III, CenturyLink chief executive officer and president. “We are not satisfied with these results and are making progress in a number of areas focused on continuing to improve our customer experience and further positioning CenturyLink for long-term growth.”

1




“We saw continued improvement in our broadband customer trend during the second half of 2016 and achieved modest Consumer broadband customer growth in the fourth quarter. We also continued to enhance the broadband speeds across our network and achieved nearly 5% year-over-year growth in Business high-bandwidth data services revenue in the second half of 2016. Additionally, we recently realigned our organization into primary customer-facing units enabling faster decision making and market responsiveness, increased accountability and an enhanced customer experience. Finally, our pending acquisition of Level 3 and pending sale of our data centers and associated colocation business align with our network-first focus while enhancing our opportunities to deliver complementary hosting, cloud and managed services. As we look to the future, we believe we are well positioned to drive profitable growth and shareholder value,” concluded Post.   

Fourth Quarter 2016 Consolidated Financial Results
Operating revenues for fourth quarter 2016 were $4.29 billion compared to $4.48 billion in fourth quarter 2015 as the declines in legacy3,4 voice and low-bandwidth data services revenues were partially offset by growth in strategic revenues3,4.
Operating expenses increased to $3.90 billion from $3.73 billion in fourth quarter 2015, primarily driven by Level 3 acquisition costs and an increase in severance costs, which were partially offset by lower depreciation and amortization expenses. Excluding special items (primarily severance and Level 3 acquisition costs), operating expenses were $3.70 billion compared to $3.71 billion in fourth quarter 2015.
Operating income decreased to $392 million from $751 million in fourth quarter 2015 primarily due to the revenue and expense items described above.
Operating cash flow (as defined in our attached supplemental schedules), excluding special items, decreased to $1.59 billion from $1.82 billion in fourth quarter 2015 due to the decline in operating revenues outlined above.
Net income and diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $42 million and $0.08, respectively, for fourth quarter 2016, compared to $338 million and $0.62, respectively, for fourth quarter 2015. The decrease in net income and diluted EPS was due to the decline in operating income.
Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS (as reflected in our attached supplemental schedule) exclude the after-tax impact of special items, the non-cash after-tax impact of the amortization of certain intangible assets related to major acquisitions since mid-2009, and the non-cash after-tax impact to interest expense relating to the assignment of fair value to the outstanding debt assumed in connection with those acquisitions. Excluding these items, CenturyLink’s adjusted net income for fourth quarter 2016 was $292 million compared to adjusted net income of $434 million in fourth quarter 2015. Fourth quarter 2016 adjusted diluted EPS was $0.54 compared to $0.80 in the year-ago period due to lower adjusted net income.

Full-Year 2016 Consolidated Financial Results
Operating revenues decreased to $17.5 billion from $17.9 billion in 2015. The decline in operating revenues was driven by lower voice, low-bandwidth data services and data integration revenues. These revenue declines were partially offset by increases in strategic revenues resulting primarily from increased business customer demand for high-bandwidth data services, along with growth in broadband and CenturyLink® PrismTM TV revenues.
Operating expenses decreased to $15.1 billion from $15.3 billion in 2015 primarily driven by lower depreciation and amortization expenses partially offset by Level 3 acquisition costs and an increase in severance costs. Excluding special items (primarily severance and Level 3 acquisition costs), operating expenses declined to $14.9 billion in 2016 from $15.1 billion in 2015.
Operating income decreased to $2.3 billion from $2.6 billion in 2015 primarily due to the revenue and expense items described above.

2




Operating cash flow, excluding special items, was $6.5 billion in 2016 compared to $7.0 billion in 2015. The operating cash flow decline was driven by the decline in operating revenues outlined above.
Net income and diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $626 million and $1.16, respectively, for 2016, compared to $878 million and $1.58, respectively, for 2015. The decrease in net income and diluted EPS was due to the decline in operating income.
Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS, (as reflected in our attached supplemental schedule) exclude the after-tax impact of special items, the non-cash after-tax impact of the amortization of certain intangible assets related to major acquisitions since mid-2009, and the non-cash after-tax impact to interest expense relating to the assignment of fair value to the outstanding debt assumed in connection with those acquisitions. Excluding these items, CenturyLink’s adjusted net income decreased to $1.3 billion in 2016 from $1.5 billion in 2015. Adjusted diluted EPS for 2016 was $2.45 compared to $2.71 in 2015 primarily due to lower 2016 adjusted net income.
The accompanying financial schedules provide additional details regarding the company’s special items and reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures for the three months and twelve months ended December 31, 2016 and 2015.
Fourth Quarter 2016 Segment Financial Results5 
Business segment revenues were $2.55 billion, a decrease of 4.1% from fourth quarter 2015, primarily due to a decline in legacy revenues, which was partially offset by 3.0% growth in high-bandwidth data revenues. Strategic revenues were $1.23 billion in the quarter, an increase of 1.1% from fourth quarter 2015.
Consumer segment revenues were $1.45 billion, a decrease of 4.3% from fourth quarter 2015, primarily due to a decline in legacy voice revenues, which was partially offset by growth in PrismTM TV revenues. Strategic revenues were $784 million in the quarter, a 1.4% increase over fourth quarter 2015.
Realignment into Customer-Facing Organizations
In January 2017, CenturyLink implemented an organization change designed to better align its customer-facing organizations into three business units: Consumer; Enterprise; and IT and Managed Services. These organizations are fully integrated with Sales, Marketing and Service Delivery support teams to enable faster decision-making, market responsiveness and deeper accountability.  This organization change is expected to create greater focus on the customer experience in each business unit and accelerate strategic revenue growth.  CenturyLink also expanded its Product Development and Technology function to include Network Operations, Planning, Design and Construction to better support this new organizational structure.
Guidance - First Quarter and Full-Year 2017
CenturyLink expects growth in strategic revenues and data integration revenues in first quarter 2017 to be offset by anticipated declines in legacy revenues, resulting in lower operating revenues and core revenues compared to fourth quarter 2016. The company expects first quarter 2017 operating cash flow to be lower than fourth quarter 2016 due to the anticipated decline in revenues and higher operating expenses primarily related to employee benefits and marketing costs, as well as approximately $40 million of fourth quarter 2016 favorable expense adjustments that are not expected to reoccur in first quarter 2017.

                                                        
First Quarter 2017 (excluding special items)
Operating Revenues
 
$4.23 to $4.29 billion
Core Revenues
 
$3.80 to $3.86 billion
Operating Cash Flow
 
$1.49 to $1.55 billion
Adjusted Diluted EPS
 
$0.51 to $0.57


3




CenturyLink anticipates lower operating revenues and core revenues in full-year 2017 compared to full-year 2016 due to expected legacy revenue declines more than offsetting anticipated increases in strategic revenue. Operating cash flow is expected to decline from full-year 2016 primarily driven by the continued decline in legacy voice and low-bandwidth data services revenues. The company also anticipates lower depreciation and amortization expense for full-year 2017 compared to full-year 2016. Free cash flow in full-year 2017 is expected to decline from full-year 2016 due to the lower level of operating cash flow and an increase in cash income taxes for the year, partially offset by lower capital expenditures.
                                                        
Full-Year 2017 (excluding special items)
Operating Revenues
 
$17.05 to $17.3 billion
Core Revenues
 
$15.25 to $15.5 billion
Operating Cash Flow
 
$6.15 to $6.35 billion
Adjusted Diluted EPS
 
$2.10 to $2.30
Free Cash Flow
 
$1.55 to $1.75 billion
Capital Expenditures
 
~ $2.6 billion

All 2017 guidance figures and 2017 outlook statements included in this release (i) speak as of February 8, 2017 only, (ii) exclude the financial impact of acquiring Level 3 and the colocation business sale during 2017, (iii) exclude the impact of any share repurchases made after December 31, 2016 and (iv) exclude the effects of special items, future impairment charges, future changes in regulation, future changes in tax laws, accounting rules or our accounting policies, unforeseen litigation or contingencies, integration expenses associated with major acquisitions, any changes in our expected pension fundings, any changes in operating or capital plans or other unforeseen events or circumstances that impact our financial performance, and any future mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures or other similar business transactions. We are not able, without unreasonable efforts, to reconcile our non-GAAP guidance figures appearing above under “Guidance - First Quarter and Full-Year 2017” to their most directly comparable GAAP guidance financial measures, principally due to the time and expense associated with predicting with a reasonable degree of certainty information on special items, future impairment charges, integration expenses or the impact of pending acquisitions or dispositions. Although we cannot at this time assess the magnitude of these adjustments, they could be material. See “Forward Looking Statements” below. For additional information on how we define certain of the terms used above, see "Reconciliation to GAAP" below and the attached schedules.
Investor Call
As previously announced, CenturyLink’s management will host a conference call at 3:30 p.m. Central Time today, February 8, 2017. Interested parties can access the call by dialing 866-531-7958 and entering the Conference ID 45027021. The call will be accessible for replay through February 16, 2017, by dialing 855-859-2056. Investors can also listen to CenturyLink’s earnings conference call and webcast replay by accessing the Investor Relations portion of the company’s website at www.centurylink.com through March 2, 2017. Financial, statistical and other information related to the call will also be posted to our website.
Reconciliation to GAAP
This release includes certain non-GAAP historical and forward-looking financial measures, including but not limited to operating cash flow, free cash flow, core revenues, adjusted net income, adjusted diluted EPS and adjustments to GAAP measures to exclude the effect of special items. In addition to providing key metrics for management to evaluate the company’s performance, we believe these measurements assist investors in their understanding of period-to-period operating performance and in identifying historical and prospective trends.

4




Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP measures are included in the attached financial schedules. Reconciliation of additional non-GAAP historical financial measures that may be discussed during the call described above, along with further descriptions of non-GAAP financial measures, will be available in the Investor Relations portion of the company’s website at www.centurylink.com and in the current report on form 8-K that we intend to file later today. Non-GAAP measures are not presented to be replacements or alternatives to the GAAP measures, and investors are urged to consider these non-GAAP measures in addition to, and not in substitution for, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. CenturyLink may determine or calculate its non-GAAP measures differently from other companies.
About CenturyLink
CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is a global communications, hosting, cloud and IT services company enabling millions of customers to transform their businesses and their lives through innovative technology solutions. CenturyLink offers network and data systems management, Big Data analytics and IT consulting, and operates more than 55 data centers in North America, Europe and Asia. The company provides broadband, voice, video, data and managed services over a robust 250,000-route-mile U.S. fiber network and a 300,000-route-mile international transport network. Visit www.centurylink.com for more information.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for historical and factual information, the matters set forth in this release and other of our oral or written statements identified by words such as “estimates,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “plans,” “intends,” and similar expressions are forward-looking statements as defined by the federal securities laws, and are subject to the “safe harbor” protections thereunder. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are based on current expectations only, are inherently speculative, and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected, or implied by us if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the effects of competition from a wide variety of competitive providers, including decreased demand for our legacy offerings and increased pricing pressures; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies, including those that could make our products less desirable or obsolete; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry, including the outcome of regulatory or judicial proceedings relating to intercarrier compensation, interconnection obligations, access charges, universal service, broadband deployment, data protection and net neutrality; our ability to successfully complete our pending acquisition of Level 3, including the timely receipt of all requisite financing and all shareholder and regulatory approvals free of any detrimental conditions, and to timely realize the anticipated benefits of the transaction, including our ability to attain anticipated cost savings, to use Level 3’s net operating losses in the amounts projected, to retain key personnel and to avoid unanticipated integration disruptions; our ability to effectively adjust to changes in the communications industry and changes in the composition of our markets and product mix; possible changes in the demand for our products and services, including our ability to effectively respond to increased demand for high-speed broadband service; our ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of our existing product and service offerings, to provision them efficiently to our customers, and to introduce new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis; the adverse impact on our business and network from possible equipment failures, service outages, security breaches or similar events impacting our network; our ability to generate cash flows sufficient to fund our financial commitments and objectives, including our capital expenditures, operating costs, periodic share repurchases, dividends, pension contributions and other benefits payments, and debt repayments; changes in our operating plans, corporate strategies, dividend payment plans or other capital allocation plans, whether based upon changes in our cash flows, cash requirements, financial performance, financial position, market conditions or otherwise; our ability to effectively retain and hire key personnel and to successfully negotiate collective bargaining agreements on reasonable terms without work stoppages; increases in the costs of our pension, health, post-employment or other benefits, including those caused by changes in markets, interest rates, mortality rates, demographics or regulations; adverse changes in our access to credit markets on favorable terms, whether caused by changes in our financial position, lower debt credit ratings, unstable markets or otherwise; our ability to maintain favorable relations with our key business partners, suppliers, vendors, landlords and financial institutions; our ability to effectively manage our network buildout project and our other expansion opportunities; our ability to collect our receivables from financially troubled customers; any adverse developments in legal or regulatory

5




proceedings involving us; changes in tax, communications, pension, healthcare or other laws or regulations, in governmental support programs, or in general government funding levels; the effects of changes in accounting policies or practices, including potential future impairment charges; the effects of terrorism, adverse weather or other natural or man-made disasters; the effects of more general factors such as changes in interest rates, in operating costs, in general market, labor, economic or geo-political conditions, or in public policy; and other risks referenced from time to time in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). For all the reasons set forth above and in our SEC filings, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any of our forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any of our forward-looking statements for any reason, whether as a result of new information, future events or developments, changed circumstances, or otherwise. Furthermore, any information about our intentions contained in any of our forward-looking statements reflects our intentions as of the date of such forward-looking statement, and is based upon, among other things, existing regulatory, technological, industry, competitive, economic and market conditions, and our assumptions as of such date. We may change our intentions, strategies or plans without notice at any time and for any reason.
                                                  

(1)
See attachments for reconciliations of non-GAAP figures to comparable GAAP figures.
(2)
Beginning first quarter 2016, CenturyLink revised its free cash flow calculation. See attachments for non-GAAP reconciliations.
(3)
Core revenues is a non-GAAP measure defined as strategic revenues plus legacy revenues (excludes data integration and other revenues) as described further in the attached schedules. Strategic revenues primarily include broadband, Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Ethernet, Optical Wavelength, colocation, hosting, cloud, video, VoIP and IT services. Legacy revenues primarily include voice, private line (including special access), switched access and Integrated Services Digital Network ("ISDN") and other ancillary services.
(4)
Beginning second quarter 2016, private line (including special access) revenues were reclassified from strategic services to legacy services. All historical periods have been restated to reflect this change.
(5)
All references to segment data herein reflect certain adjustments described in the attached schedules.

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CenturyLink, Inc.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016 AND 2015
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts; shares in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three months ended December 31, 2016
 
Three months ended December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
Increase
 
 
 
 
 
 
excluding
 
 
 
 
 
excluding
 
 
 
(decrease)
 
 
 
 
Less
 
special
 
 
 
Less
 
special
 
Increase
 
excluding
 
 
As
 
special
 
items
 
As
 
special
 
items
 
(decrease)
 
special
 
 
reported
 
items
 
(Non-GAAP)
 
reported
 
items
 
(Non-GAAP)
 
as reported
 
items
OPERATING REVENUES *
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic
$
2,016

 

 
2,016

 
1,992

 

 
1,992

 
1.2
 %
 
1.2
 %
 
Legacy
1,846

 

 
1,846

 
2,036

 

 
2,036

 
(9.3
)%
 
(9.3
)%
 
Data integration
131

 

 
131

 
140

 

 
140

 
(6.4
)%
 
(6.4
)%
 
Other
296

 

 
296

 
308

 

 
308

 
(3.9
)%
 
(3.9
)%
 
Total operating revenues
4,289

 

 
4,289

 
4,476

 

 
4,476

 
(4.2
)%
 
(4.2
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATING EXPENSES
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost of services and products
1,929

 
2

(1)
1,927

 
1,915

 
3

(4)
1,912

 
0.7
 %
 
0.8
 %
 
Selling, general and administrative
1,010

 
236

(1)
774

 
757

 
12

(4)
745

 
33.4
 %
 
3.9
 %
 
Depreciation and amortization
958

 
(36
)
(2)
994

 
1,053

 

 
1,053

 
(9.0
)%
 
(5.6
)%
 
Total operating expenses
3,897

 
202

 
3,695

 
3,725

 
15

 
3,710

 
4.6
 %
 
(0.4
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATING INCOME
392

 
(202
)
 
594

 
751

 
(15
)
 
766

 
(47.8
)%
 
(22.5
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OTHER (EXPENSE) INCOME
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest expense
(320
)
 

 
(320
)
 
(328
)
 

 
(328
)
 
(2.4
)%
 
(2.4
)%
 
Other (expense) income, net
2

 

 
2

 
7

 

 
7

 
(71.4
)%
 
(71.4
)%
 
Income tax expense
(32
)
 
77

(3)
(109
)
 
(92
)
 
60

(5)
(152
)
 
(65.2
)%
 
(28.3
)%
NET INCOME
$
42

 
(125
)
 
167

 
338

 
45

 
293

 
(87.6
)%
 
(43.0
)%
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
$
0.08

 
(0.23
)
 
0.31

 
0.62

 
0.08

 
0.54

 
(87.1
)%
 
(42.6
)%
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE
$
0.08

 
(0.23
)
 
0.31

 
0.62

 
0.08

 
0.54

 
(87.1
)%
 
(42.6
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
539,965

 
 
 
539,965

 
541,605
 
 
 
541,605
 
(0.3
)%
 
(0.3
)%
 
Diluted
541,235

 
 
 
541,235

 
542,493
 
 
 
542,493
 
(0.2
)%
 
(0.2
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIVIDENDS PER COMMON SHARE
$
0.54

 
 
 
0.54

 
0.54

 
 
 
0.54

 
 %
 
 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SPECIAL ITEMS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) -
Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($164 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($2 million), costs associated with a large billing system integration project ($2 million), costs related to our pending acquisition of Level 3 ($52 million), costs associated with our pending sale of the colocation business ($7 million) and the impairment of a building ($11 million).
(2) -
Termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business ($36 million).
(3) -
Income tax benefit of Items (1) and (2).
(4) -
Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($9 million) and integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($6 million).
(5) -
Income tax benefit of Item (4).
*
During the second quarter of 2016, we determined that because of declines due to customer migration to other strategic products and services, certain of our business low-bandwidth data services, specifically our private line (including special access) services in our business segment, are more closely aligned with our legacy services than with our strategic services. As a result, we reflect these operating revenues as legacy services, and we have reclassified certain prior period amounts to conform to this change. The revision resulted in a reduction of revenue from strategic services and a corresponding increase in revenue from legacy services of $379 million for the three months ended December 31, 2015.

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CenturyLink, Inc.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016 AND 2015
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions, except per share amounts; shares in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Twelve months ended December 31, 2016
 
Twelve months ended December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
Increase
 
 
 
 
 
 
excluding
 
 
 
 
 
excluding
 
 
 
(decrease)
 
 
 
 
Less
 
special
 
 
 
Less
 
special
 
Increase
 
excluding
 
 
As
 
special
 
items
 
As
 
special
 
items
 
(decrease)
 
special
 
 
reported
 
items
 
(Non-GAAP)
 
reported
 
items
 
(Non-GAAP)
 
as reported
 
items
OPERATING REVENUES *
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic
$
8,050

 

 
8,050

 
7,753

 

 
7,753

 
3.8
 %
 
3.8
 %
 
Legacy
7,672

 

 
7,672

 
8,338

 

 
8,338

 
(8.0
)%
 
(8.0
)%
 
Data integration
533

 

 
533

 
577

 

 
577

 
(7.6
)%
 
(7.6
)%
 
Other
1,215

 

 
1,215

 
1,232

 

 
1,232

 
(1.4
)%
 
(1.4
)%
 
Total operating revenues
17,470

 

 
17,470

 
17,900

 

 
17,900

 
(2.4
)%
 
(2.4
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATING EXPENSES
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cost of services and products
7,774

 
7

(1)
7,767

 
7,778

 
14

(5)
7,764

 
(0.1
)%
 
 %
 
Selling, general and administrative
3,449

 
273

(1)
3,176

 
3,328

 
152

(5)
3,176

 
3.6
 %
 
 %
 
Depreciation and amortization
3,916

 
(36
)
(2)
3,952

 
4,189

 

 
4,189

 
(6.5
)%
 
(5.7
)%
 
Total operating expenses
15,139

 
244

 
14,895

 
15,295

 
166

 
15,129

 
(1.0
)%
 
(1.5
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OPERATING INCOME
2,331

 
(244
)
 
2,575

 
2,605

 
(166
)
 
2,771

 
(10.5
)%
 
(7.1
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
OTHER (EXPENSE) INCOME
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest expense
(1,318
)
 

 
(1,318
)
 
(1,312
)
 

 
(1,312
)
 
0.5
 %
 
0.5
 %
 
Other income (expense), net
7

 
(27
)
(3)
34

 
23

 


23

 
(69.6
)%
 
47.8
 %
 
Income tax expense
(394
)
 
103

(4)
(497
)
 
(438
)
 
115

(6)
(553
)
 
(10.1
)%
 
(10.1
)%
NET INCOME
$
626

 
(168
)
 
794

 
878

 
(51
)
 
929

 
(28.7
)%
 
(14.5
)%
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE
$
1.16

 
(0.31
)
 
1.47

 
1.58

 
(0.09
)
 
1.68

 
(26.6
)%
 
(12.5
)%
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE
$
1.16

 
(0.31
)
 
1.47

 
1.58

 
(0.09
)
 
1.67

 
(26.6
)%
 
(12.0
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
539,549

 
 
 
539,549

 
554,278
 
 
 
554,278
 
(2.7
)%
 
(2.7
)%
 
Diluted
540,679

 
 
 
540,679

 
555,093
 
 
 
555,093
 
(2.6
)%
 
(2.6
)%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
DIVIDENDS PER COMMON SHARE
$
2.16

 
 
 
2.16

 
2.16

 
 
 
2.16

 
 %
 
 %
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SPECIAL ITEMS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) -
Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($189 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($10 million), costs associated with a large billing system integration project ($15 million), costs related to our pending acquisition of Level 3 ($52 million), costs associated with our pending sale of the colocation business ($7 million) and the impairment of a building ($11 million), less an offsetting gain on the sale of a building $4 million.
(2) -
Termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business ($36 million).
(3) -
Net loss associated with early retirement of debt ($27 million).
(4) -
Income tax benefit of Items (1), (2) and (3)
(5) -
Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($99 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($32 million), the impairment of office buildings ($8 million), regulatory fines associated with a 911 system outage ($15 million) and litigation and other adjustments associated with pre-acquisition activities of Qwest and Embarq ($12 million).
(6) -
Income tax benefit of Item (5).
*
During the second quarter of 2016, we determined that because of declines due to customer migration to other strategic products and services, certain of our business low-bandwidth data services, specifically our private line (including special access) services in our business segment, are more closely aligned with our legacy services than with our strategic services. As a result, we reflect these operating revenues as legacy services, and we have reclassified certain prior period amounts to conform to this change. The revision resulted in a reduction of revenue from strategic services and a corresponding increase in revenue from legacy services of $1.586 billion for the twelve months ended December 31, 2015.

8



CenturyLink, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
DECEMBER 31, 2016 AND DECEMBER 31, 2015
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions)
 
December 31,
 
December 31,
 
2016
 
2015
ASSETS
 
 
 
CURRENT ASSETS
 
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
$
222

 
126

Other current assets
4,940

 
2,524

   Total current assets
5,162

 
2,650

 
 
 
 
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
 
 
 
Property, plant and equipment
39,194

 
38,785

Accumulated depreciation
(22,155
)
 
(20,716
)
   Net property, plant and equipment
17,039

 
18,069

 
 
 
 
GOODWILL AND OTHER ASSETS
 
 
 
Goodwill
19,650

 
20,742

Other, net
5,166

 
6,143

    Total goodwill and other assets
24,816

 
26,885

 
 
 
 
TOTAL ASSETS
$
47,017

 
47,604

 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
 
 
 
CURRENT LIABILITIES
 
 
 
Current maturities of long-term debt
$
1,503

 
1,503

Other current liabilities
3,846

 
3,101

    Total current liabilities
5,349

 
4,604

 
 
 
 
LONG-TERM DEBT
18,185

 
18,722

DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER LIABILITIES
10,084

 
10,218

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
13,399

 
14,060

 
 
 
 
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
$
47,017

 
47,604

 
 
 
 


9



CenturyLink, Inc.
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016 AND 2015
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
Twelve months ended
 
Twelve months ended
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
 
 
 
Net income
$
626

 
878

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
 
 
 
Depreciation and amortization
3,916

 
4,189

Impairment of assets
13

 
9

Deferred income taxes
11

 
350

Provision for uncollectible accounts
192

 
177

Net loss on early retirement of debt
27

 

Share-based compensation
80

 
73

Changes in current assets and liabilities, net
(108
)
 
(321
)
Retirement benefits
(152
)
 
(141
)
Changes in other noncurrent assets and liabilities, net
(23
)
 
(78
)
Other, net
26

 
16

Net cash provided by operating activities
4,608

 
5,152

INVESTING ACTIVITIES
 
 
 
Payments for property, plant and equipment and capitalized software
(2,981
)
 
(2,872
)
Cash paid for acquisitions
(39
)
 
(4
)
Proceeds from sale of property and intangible assets
30

 
31

Other, net
(4
)
 
(8
)
Net cash used in investing activities
(2,994
)
 
(2,853
)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
 
 
 
Net proceeds from issuance of long-term debt
2,161

 
989

Payments of long-term debt
(2,462
)
 
(966
)
Net payments on credit facility and revolving line of credit
(40
)
 
(315
)
Early retirement of debt costs

 
(1
)
Dividends paid
(1,167
)
 
(1,198
)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock
6

 
11

Repurchase of common stock and shares withheld to satisfy tax withholdings
(16
)
 
(819
)
Other, net

 
(2
)
Net cash used in financing activities
(1,518
)
 
(2,301
)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
96

 
(2
)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
126

 
128

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
$
222

 
126



10



CenturyLink, Inc.
SELECTED SEGMENT FINANCIAL INFORMATION
THREE MONTHS AND TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016 AND 2015
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three months ended December 31,
 
Twelve months ended December 31,
 
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
Total segment revenues
$
3,993

 
4,168

 
16,255

 
16,668

Total segment expenses
2,100

 
2,085

 
8,492

 
8,461

Total segment income
$
1,893

 
2,083

 
7,763

 
8,207

Total segment income margin (segment income divided by segment revenues)
47.4
%
 
50.0
%
 
47.8
%
 
49.2
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Business
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic services *
$
1,232

 
1,219

 
4,903

 
4,721

 
Legacy services *
1,183

 
1,296

 
4,918

 
5,350

 
Data integration
130

 
140

 
531

 
575

 
Total revenues
2,545

 
2,655

 
10,352

 
10,646

Expenses **
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total expenses
1,472

 
1,472

 
5,930

 
5,967

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Segment income
$
1,073

 
1,183

 
4,422

 
4,679

Segment income margin
42.2
%
 
44.6
%
 
42.7
%
 
44.0
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consumer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Strategic services
$
784

 
773

 
3,147

 
3,032

 
Legacy services
663

 
740

 
2,754

 
2,988

 
Data integration
1

 

 
2

 
2

 
Total revenues
1,448

 
1,513

 
5,903

 
6,022

Expenses **
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total expenses
628

 
613

 
2,562

 
2,494

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Segment income
$
820

 
900

 
3,341

 
3,528

Segment income margin
56.6
%
 
59.5
%
 
56.6
%
 
58.6
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
During the second quarter of 2016, we determined that because of declines due to customer migration to other strategic products and services, certain of our business low-bandwidth data services, specifically our private line (including special access) services in our business segment, are more closely aligned with our legacy services than with our strategic services. As a result, we reflect these operating revenues as legacy services, and we have reclassified certain prior period amounts to conform to this change. The revision resulted in a reduction of revenue from strategic services and a corresponding increase in revenue from legacy services of $379 million and $1.586 billion (net of $3 million and $9 million of deferred revenue included in other business legacy services) for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively.
**
During the first half of 2016, we implemented several changes with respect to the assignment of certain expenses to our reportable segments. We have recast our previously-reported segment results for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, to conform to the current presentation. For the three months ended December 31, 2015, the segment expense recast resulted in an increase in consumer expenses of $16 million and a decrease in business expenses of $12 million. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2015, the segment expense recast resulted in an increase in consumer expenses of $69 million and a decrease in business expenses of $67 million.


11



CenturyLink, Inc.
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three months ended December 31, 2016
 
Three months ended December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
 
Less
 
excluding
 
 
 
Less
 
excluding
 
 
As
 
special
 
special
 
As
 
special
 
special
 
 
reported
 
items
 
items
 
reported
 
items
 
items
Operating cash flow and cash flow margin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating income
$
392

 
(202
)
(1)
594

 
751

 
(15
)
(3)
766

 
Add: Depreciation and amortization
958

 
(36
)
(2)
994

 
1,053

 

 
1,053

 
Operating cash flow
$
1,350

 
(238
)
 
1,588

 
1,804

 
(15
)
 
1,819

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues
$
4,289

 

 
4,289

 
4,476

 

 
4,476

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating income margin (operating income divided by revenues)
9.1
%
 
 
 
13.8
%
 
16.8
%
 
 
 
17.1
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating cash flow margin (operating cash flow divided by revenues)
31.5
%
 
 
 
37.0
%
 
40.3
%
 
 
 
40.6
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Free cash flow
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating cash flow
 
 
 
 
$
1,588

 
 
 
 
 
1,819

 
Less: Capital expenditures (4)
 
 
 
 
(963
)
 
 
 
 
 
(830
)
 
Less: Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized
 
 
 
 
(379
)
 
 
 
 
 
(396
)
 
Less: Pension and post-retirement impacts (5)
 
 
 
 
(25
)
 
 
 
 
 
(6
)
 
Less: Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds
 
 
 
 
(53
)
 
 
 
 
 
(9
)
 
Add: Share-based compensation
 
 
 
 
20

 
 
 
 
 
16

 
Add: Other income
 
 
 
 
2

 
 
 
 
 
7

 
Free cash flow (6)
 
 
 
 
$
190

 
 
 
 
 
601

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SPECIAL ITEMS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) -
Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($164 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($2 million), costs associated with a large billing system integration project ($2 million), costs related to our pending acquisition of Level 3 ($52 million), costs associated with our pending sale of the colocation business ($7 million) and the impairment of a building ($11 million); offset by the termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business $36 million.
(2) -
Termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business ($36 million).
(3) -
Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($9 million) and integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($6 million).
 
 
FREE CASH FLOW
(4) -
Excludes $8 million in fourth quarter 2016 and $3 million in fourth quarter 2015 of capital expenditures related to the integration of Qwest and Savvis.
(5) -
2016 includes net periodic pension benefit income of ($18 million), net periodic post-retirement benefit expense of $35 million and ($2 million) of benefits paid to participants of our non-qualified pension plans. Post-retirement contributions included benefits paid by company ($55 million) offset by participant contributions $14 million and direct subsidy receipts $1 million. Does not include $13 million of pension expense and $3 million of post-retirement benefit expense that have been treated as special items, as these expenses reflect enhanced pension and post-retirement benefits offered to certain employees that were severed during the three months ended December 31, 2016.
     -
2015 includes net periodic pension benefit income of ($19 million), net periodic post-retirement benefit expense of $39 million and ($1 million) of benefits paid to participants of our non-qualified pension plans. Post-retirement contributions included benefits paid by company ($42 million) offset by participant contributions $14 million and direct subsidy receipts $3 million.
(6) -
Excludes special items identified in items (1) and (2).

12



CenturyLink, Inc.
RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Twelve months ended December 31, 2016
 
Twelve months ended December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
 
 
As adjusted
 
 
 
 
Less
 
excluding
 
 
 
Less
 
excluding
 
 
As
 
special
 
special
 
As
 
special
 
special
 
 
reported
 
items
 
items
 
reported
 
items
 
items
Operating cash flow and cash flow margin
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating income
$
2,331

 
(244
)
(1)
2,575

 
2,605

 
(166
)
(3)
2,771

 
Add: Depreciation and amortization
3,916

 
(36
)
(2)
3,952

 
4,189

 

 
4,189

 
Operating cash flow
$
6,247

 
(280
)
 
6,527

 
6,794

 
(166
)
 
6,960

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revenues
$
17,470

 

 
17,470

 
17,900

 

 
17,900

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating income margin (operating income divided by revenues)
13.3
%
 
 
 
14.7
%
 
14.6
%
 
 
 
15.5
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating cash flow margin (operating cash flow divided by revenues)
35.8
%
 
 
 
37.4
%
 
38.0
%
 
 
 
38.9
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Free cash flow
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating cash flow
 
 
 
 
$
6,527

 
 
 
 
 
6,960

 
Less: Capital expenditures (4)
 
 
 
 
(2,958
)
 
 
 
 
 
(2,861
)
 
Less: Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized
 
 
 
 
(1,301
)
 
 
 
 
 
(1,310
)
 
Less: Pension and post-retirement impacts (5)
 
 
 
 
(168
)
 
 
 
 
 
(141
)
 
Less: Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds
 
 
 
 
(397
)
 
 
 
 
 
(63
)
 
Add: Share-based compensation
 
 
 
 
80

 
 
 
 
 
73

 
Add: Other income
 
 
 
 
34

 
 
 
 
 
23

 
Free cash flow (6)
 
 
 
 
$
1,817

 
 
 
 
 
2,681

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SPECIAL ITEMS
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) -
Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($189 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($10 million), costs associated with a large billing system integration project ($15 million), costs related to our pending acquisition of Level 3 ($52 million), costs associated with our pending sale of the colocation business ($7 million) and the impairment of a building ($11 million), less an offsetting gain on the sale of a building $4 million and the termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business $36 million.
(2) -
Termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business ($36 million).
(3) -
Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($99 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($32 million), the impairment of office buildings ($8 million), regulatory fines associated with a 911 system outage ($15 million) and litigation and other adjustments associated with pre-acquisition activities of Qwest and Embarq ($12 million).
 
 
FREE CASH FLOW
(4) -
Excludes $23 million in 2016 and $11 million in 2015 of capital expenditures related to the integration of Qwest and Savvis.
(5) -
2016 includes net periodic pension benefit income of ($74 million), net periodic post-retirement benefit expense of $142 million, contributions to our pension plan trust of ($100 million) and ($7 million) of benefits paid to participants of our non-qualified pension plans. Post-retirement contributions included benefits paid by company ($191 million) offset by participant contributions $57 million and direct subsidy receipts $5 million. Does not include $13 million of pension expense and $3 million of post-retirement benefit expense that have been treated as special items, as these expenses reflect enhanced pension and post-retirement benefits offered to certain employees that were severed during the three months ended December 31, 2016.
     -
2015 includes net periodic pension benefit income of ($81 million), net periodic post-retirement benefit expense of $162 million, contributions to our pension plan trust of ($100 million) and ($6 million) of benefits paid to participants of our non-qualified pension plans. Post-retirement contributions included benefits paid by company ($181 million) offset by participant contributions $57 million and direct subsidy receipts $8 million.
(6) -
Excludes special items identified in items (1) and (2).

13



CenturyLink, Inc.
REVENUES
(UNAUDITED)
(Dollars in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three months ended
 
Twelve months ended
 
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
Strategic services *
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Business high-bandwidth data services (1)
$
755

 
733

 
2,990

 
2,816

 
Business hosting services (2)
295

 
320

 
1,210

 
1,281

 
Other business strategic services (3)
182

 
166

 
703

 
624

 
Consumer broadband services (4)
666

 
666

 
2,689

 
2,611

 
Other consumer strategic services (5)
118

 
107

 
458

 
421

 
Total strategic services revenues
2,016

 
1,992

 
8,050

 
7,753

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Legacy services *
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Business voice services (6)
579

 
632

 
2,413

 
2,588

 
Business low-bandwidth data services (7)
325

 
381

 
1,382

 
1,594

 
Other business legacy services (8)
279

 
283

 
1,123

 
1,168

 
Consumer voice services (6)
588

 
649

 
2,442

 
2,676

 
Other consumer legacy services (9)
75

 
91

 
312

 
312

 
Total legacy services revenues
1,846

 
2,036

 
7,672

 
8,338

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Data integration
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Business data integration
130

 
140

 
531

 
575

 
  Consumer data integration
1

 

 
2

 
2

 
Total data integration revenues
131

 
140

 
533

 
577

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other revenues
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  High-cost support revenue (10)
170

 
182

 
688

 
732

 
  Other revenue (11)
126

 
126

 
527

 
500

 
Total other revenues
296

 
308

 
1,215

 
1,232

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total revenues
$
4,289

 
4,476

 
17,470

 
17,900

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1
)
Includes MPLS and Ethernet revenue
(2
)
Includes colocation, hosting (including cloud hosting and managed hosting) and hosting area network revenue
(3
)
Includes primarily broadband, VoIP, video and IT services revenue
(4
)
Includes broadband and related services revenue
(5
)
Includes video and other revenue
(6
)
Includes local and long-distance voice revenue
(7
)
Includes private line (including special access) revenue
(8
)
Includes UNEs, public access, switched access and other ancillary revenue
(9
)
Includes other ancillary revenue
(10
)
Includes CAF Phase 1, CAF Phase 2 and federal and state USF support revenue
(11
)
Includes USF surcharges
*

During the second quarter of 2016, we determined that because of declines due to customer migration to other strategic products and services, certain of our business low-bandwidth data services, specifically our private line (including special access) services in our business segment, are more closely aligned with our legacy services than with our strategic services. As a result, we reflect these operating revenues as legacy services, and we have reclassified certain prior period amounts to conform to this change. The revision resulted in a reduction of revenue from strategic services and a corresponding increase in revenue from legacy services of $379 million and $1.586 billion (net of $3 million and $9 million of deferred revenue included in other business legacy services) for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2015, respectively. In addition, our business broadband services remain a strategic service and are included in our other business strategic services.

14



CenturyLink, Inc.
HOSTING REVENUES AND OPERATING METRICS
(UNAUDITED)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three months ended
 
Twelve months ended
 
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hosting Revenue Detail
(In millions)
Colocation (1)
$
154

 
163

 
622

 
626

Managed Hosting / Cloud
120

 
136

 
504

 
570

Hosting Area Network
21

 
21

 
84

 
85

Total Hosting Revenue
295

 
320

 
1,210

 
1,281

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of
 
As of
 
As of
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2016
 
September 30, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
Hosting Data Center Metrics (1)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Number of data centers (2)
 
 
58

 
58

 
59

Sellable square feet, million sq ft
 
 
1.54

 
1.54

 
1.58

Billed square feet, million sq ft
 
 
1.04

 
1.03

 
0.99

Utilization
 
 
67
%
 
67
%
 
63
%
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(1
)
Relates to our data centers, which are currently held for sale.
(2
)
We define a data center as any facility where we market, sell and deliver either colocation services, multi-tenant managed services, or both.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As of
 
As of
 
As of
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2016
 
September 30, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Operating Metrics
 
 
(In thousands)
Broadband subscribers
 
 
5,945

 
5,950

 
6,048

Access lines
 
 
11,090

 
11,231

 
11,748

Prism TV subscribers
 
 
325

 
318

 
285

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Our methodology for counting broadband subscribers, access lines and Prism TV subscribers may not be comparable to those of other companies.


15



CenturyLink, Inc.
 
SUPPLEMENTAL NON-GAAP INFORMATION - ADJUSTED DILUTED EPS
 
THREE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016 AND 2015 AND TWELVE MONTHS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2016 AND 2015
 
(UNAUDITED)
 
(Dollars and shares in millions, except per share amounts)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three months ended
 
Twelve months ended
 
 
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
 
December 31, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Income
$
42

 
338

 
626

 
878

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Less Special Items:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Special items (excluding tax items)
(202
)
(1
)
(15
)
(3
)
(271
)
(5
)
(166
)
(7
)
 
Special income tax items and income tax effect of other special items
77

(2
)
60

(4
)
103

(6
)
115

(8
)
Total impact of special items
(125
)
 
45

 
(168
)
 
(51
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net income, excluding special items
167

 
293

 
794

 
929

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Add back certain items arising from purchase accounting:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of customer base intangibles:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Qwest
179

 
195

 
740

 
799

 
 
Embarq
15

 
20

 
70

 
89

 
 
Savvis
10

 
16

 
56

 
62

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of trademark intangibles

 

 

 
1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Amortization of fair value adjustment of long-term debt:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Embarq

 
2

 
3

 
6

 
 
Qwest
(3
)
 
(6
)
 
(15
)
 
(23
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Subtotal
201

 
227

 
854

 
934

 
Tax effect of items arising from purchasing accounting
(76
)
 
(86
)
 
(323
)
 
(356
)
 
Net adjustment, after taxes
125

 
141

 
531

 
578

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net income, as adjusted for above items
$
292

 
434

 
1,325

 
1,507

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted average diluted shares outstanding
541.2

 
542.5
 
540.7

 
555.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Diluted EPS
(excluding special items)
$
0.31

 
0.54

 
1.47

 
1.67

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Adjusted diluted EPS as adjusted for the above-listed purchase accounting intangible and interest amortizations (excluding special items)
$
0.54

 
0.80

 
2.45

 
2.71

 
 
 
The above non-GAAP schedule presents adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share (both excluding special items) by adding back to net income and diluted earnings per share certain non-cash expense items that arise as a result of the application of business combination accounting rules to our major acquisitions since mid-2009. Such presentation is not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles but management believes the presentation is useful to analysts and investors to understand the impacts of growing our business through acquisitions.
 
(1
)
Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($164 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($2 million), costs associated with a large billing system integration project ($2 million), costs related to our pending acquisition of Level 3 ($52 million), costs associated with our pending sale of the colocation business ($7 million) and the impairment of a building ($11 million) offset by the termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business $36 million.
 
(2
)
Income tax benefit of Items (1).
 
(3
)
Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($9 million) and integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($6 million).
 
(4
)
Income tax benefit of Item (3).
 
(5
)
Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($189 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($10 million), costs associated with a large billing system integration project ($15 million), costs related to our pending acquisition of Level 3 ($52 million), costs associated with our pending sale of the colocation business ($7 million), the impairment of a building ($11 million) less a offsetting gain on the sale of a building $4 million, the termination of depreciation expense related to our pending sale of the colocation business $36 million and the net loss associated with early retirement of debt ($27 million),
 
(6
)
Income tax benefit of Item (5).
 
(7
)
Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($99 million), integration costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($32 million), the impairment of office buildings ($8 million), regulatory fines associated with a 911 system outage ($15 million) and litigation and other adjustments associated with pre-acquisition activities of Qwest and Embarq ($12 million).
 
(8
)
Income tax benefit of Item (7).
 

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