Operating Segments Operating Segments (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment [Table Text Block]



	Three Months Ended March 31, 2017									Three Months Ended March 31, 2016
	Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total		Towers		Small Cells		Other			Consolidated Total
Segment site rental revenues	$	716,536	$	140,400				$	856,936	$	702,840	$	96,454				$	799,294
Segment network services and other revenues	149,615		9,391					159,006		125,010		10,080					135,090
Segment revenues	866,151		149,791					1,015,942		827,850		106,534					934,384
Segment site rental cost of operations	209,464		47,246					256,710		204,565		37,483					242,048
Segment network services and other cost of operations	88,936		8,229					97,165		69,989		8,035					78,024
Segment cost of operations^(a)	298,400		55,475					353,875		274,554		45,518					320,072
Segment site rental gross margin	507,072		93,154					600,226		498,275		58,971					557,246
Segment network services and other gross margin	60,679		1,162					61,841		55,021		2,045					57,066
Segment general and administrative expenses ^(a)	23,760		17,689		39,206			80,655		23,599		15,522		36,071			75,192
Segment operating profit	543,991		76,627		(39,206		)	581,412		529,697		45,494		(36,071		)	539,120
Stock-based compensation expense					24,942			24,942						30,705			30,705
Depreciation, amortization and accretion					288,549			288,549						277,875			277,875
Interest expense and amortization of deferred financing costs					134,487			134,487						126,378			126,378
Other income (expenses) to reconcile to income (loss) before income taxes^(b)					9,927			9,927						52,450			52,450
Income (loss) before income taxes								$	123,507								$	51,712
Capital expenditures	$	101,475	$	154,266	$	6,674		$	262,415	$	111,041	$	80,153	$	2,295		$	193,489
Total assets (at period end)	$	18,255,108	$	5,053,536	$	468,198		$	23,776,842	$	18,090,100	$	3,188,474	$	439,677		$	21,718,251

(a)

Segment cost of operations exclude (1) stock-based compensation expense of $4.9 million and $8.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and (2) prepaid lease purchase price adjustments of $5.1 million and $5.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Segment general and administrative expenses exclude stock-based compensation expense of $20.1 million and $22.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively.