Note 6 - Property, Plant and Equipment

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Notes to Financial Statements

Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure [Text Block]

6. PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

	As of December 31,
	2019			2018
Cable distribution systems	$	1,779,964		$	1,421,820
Customer premise equipment		266,190			220,571
Other equipment and fixtures		444,799			406,011
Buildings and improvements		113,331			100,625
Capitalized software		99,988			94,801
Construction in progress		93,352			69,163
Land		13,361			11,946
ROU assets		10,187			-
Property, plant and equipment, gross		2,821,172			2,324,937
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(1,619,901	)		(1,476,958	)
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	1,201,271		$	847,979

The Company’s industry is capital intensive, and a significant portion of the Company’s resources are spent on capital activities associated with extending, rebuilding and upgrading its network. For the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, cash paid for property, plant and equipment was $257.8 million, $215.8 million and $175.2 million, respectively.

Depreciation and amortization expense for property, plant and equipment was $197.5 million, $186.0 million and $173.6 million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

In 2017, the Company sold a portion of its previous headquarters property for $10.1 million in gross proceeds and recognized a related gain of $6.6 million. The remaining portion of the property’s carrying value of $4.6 million was included within other noncurrent assets in the consolidated balance sheet as assets held for sale at December 31, 2018. In January 2019, the remaining portion was sold for $6.3 million in gross proceeds and the Company recognized a related gain of $1.6 million.