DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND RELATED MATTERS

The Company and Related Matters

Altice USA, Inc. ("Altice USA" or the "Company") was incorporated in Delaware on September 14, 2015. Prior to the distribution discussed below, Altice USA was majority-owned by Altice N.V., a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootshcap) under Dutch law. Since the completion of the Altice N.V. distribution discussed below, the Company is no longer majority-owned by Altice N.V. Altice N.V. changed its name to Altice Europe N.V. ("Altice Europe") upon completion of the distribution discussed below.

The Company provides broadband communications and video services in the United States and markets its services under two brands: Optimum, in the New York metropolitan area, and Suddenlink, principally in markets in the south-central United States. It delivers broadband, pay television, telephony services, proprietary content and advertising services to residential and business customers. As these brands are managed on a consolidated basis, the Company classifies its operations in one segment.

Altice Europe, through a subsidiary, acquired Cequel Corporation ("Cequel" or "Suddenlink") on December 21, 2015 ("Cequel Acquisition") and Cequel was contributed to Altice USA on June 9, 2016. Altice USA had no operations of its own other than the issuance of debt prior to the contribution of Cequel on June 9, 2016 by Altice Europe. The results of operations of Cequel for the year ended December 31, 2016 have been included in the results of operations of Altice USA for the same period, as Cequel was under common control with Altice USA.

Altice USA acquired Cablevision Systems Corporation ("Cablevision" or "Optimum") on June 21, 2016 (see discussion below) and the results of operations of Cablevision are included with the results of operations of Cequel since the date of acquisition.

The accompanying combined consolidated financial statements ("consolidated financial statements") include the accounts of the Company and all subsidiaries in which the Company has a controlling interest and gives effect to the ATS Acquisition and the i24 Acquisition discussed below. All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements also reflect the retrospective adoption of Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers and ASU No. 2017‑07 Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715). See Note 4 for further details of the impact on the Company's historical financial statements.

Acquisition of Cablevision Systems Corporation

On June 21, 2016 (the "Cablevision Acquisition Date"), pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated as of September 16, 2015, by and among Cablevision, Altice Europe, Neptune Merger Sub Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Altice Europe ("Merger Sub"), Merger Sub merged with and into Cablevision, with Cablevision surviving the merger (the "Cablevision Acquisition").

In connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, each outstanding share of the Cablevision NY Group Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("CNYG Class A Shares"), and Cablevision NY Group Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share ("CNYG Class B Shares", and together with the CNYG Class A Shares, the "Shares"), and together with the Cablevision NY Group Class A common stock, the "Shares" other than Shares owned by Cablevision, Altice Europe or any of their respective wholly-owned subsidiaries, in each case not held on behalf of third parties in a fiduciary capacity, received $34.90 in cash without interest, less applicable tax withholdings (the "Cablevision Acquisition Consideration").

Pursuant to an agreement, dated December 21, 2015, by and among CVC 2 B.V., CIE Management IX Limited, for and on behalf of the limited partnerships BC European Capital IX-1 through 11 and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, certain affiliates of BCP and CPPIB (the "Co-Investors") funded approximately $1,000,000 toward the payment of the aggregate Per Share Cablevision Acquisition Consideration, and indirectly acquired approximately 30% of the Shares of Cablevision.

Also in connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, outstanding equity-based awards granted under Cablevision’s equity plans were cancelled and converted into cash based upon the $34.90 per Share Cablevision Acquisition Consideration in accordance with the original terms of the awards. The total consideration for the outstanding CNYG Class A Shares, the outstanding CNYG Class B Shares, and the equity-based awards amounted to $9,958,323.

In connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, in October 2015, Neptune Finco Corp. ("Finco"), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Altice Europe formed to complete the financing described herein and the merger with CSC Holdings, LLC ("CSC Holdings"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cablevision, borrowed an aggregate principal amount of $3,800,000 under a term loan facility (the "Term Credit Facility") and entered into revolving loan commitments in an aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 (the "Revolving Credit Facility" and, together with the Term Credit Facility, the "Credit Facilities").

Finco also issued $1,800,000 aggregate principal amount of 10.125% senior notes due 2023 (the "2023 Notes"), $2,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 10.875% senior notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes"), and $1,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.625% senior guaranteed notes due 2025 (the "2025 Guaranteed Notes") (collectively the "Cablevision Acquisition Notes").

On June 21, 2016, immediately following the Cablevision Acquisition, Finco merged with and into CSC Holdings, with CSC Holdings surviving the merger (the "CSC Holdings Merger"), and the Cablevision Acquisition Notes and the Credit Facilities became obligations of CSC Holdings.

On June 21, 2016, in connection with the Cablevision Acquisition, the Company issued notes payable to affiliates and related parties aggregating $1,750,000, of which $875,000 bore interest at 10.75% and $875,000 bore interest at 11%. See Note 11 for a discussion regarding the conversion of these notes payable to shares of the Company's common stock prior to the consummation of the IPO.

The Cablevision Acquisition was accounted for as a business combination in accordance with ASC Topic 805. Accordingly, the Company stepped up 100% of the assets and liabilities assumed to their fair value at the Cablevision Acquisition Date. See Note 5 for further details.

Acquisition of Altice Technical Services US Corp

Altice Technical Services US Corp. ("ATS") was formed to provide network construction and maintenance services and commercial and residential installations, disconnections, and maintenance. During the second quarter of 2017, a substantial portion of the Company's technical workforce at Cablevision either accepted employment with ATS or became employees of ATS and ATS commenced operations and began to perform services for the Company. A substantial portion of the Cequel technical workforce became employees of ATS in December 2017. Additionally, in the second quarter of 2017, the Company entered into an Independent Contractor Agreement with ATS that governed the terms of the services provided to the Company and entered into a Transition Services Agreement for the use of the Company's resources to provide various overhead functions to ATS, including accounting, legal and human resources and for the use of certain facilities, vehicles and technician tools during a transitional period. The Transition Services Agreement required ATS to reimburse the Company for its cost to provide such services.

In January 2018, the Company acquired 70% of the equity interests in ATS for $1.00 (the "ATS Acquisition") and the Company became the owner of 100% of the equity interests in ATS in March 2018. ATS was previously owned by Altice Europe and a member of ATS's management through a holding company. As the acquisition is a combination of businesses under common control, the Company combined the results of operations and related assets and liabilities of ATS for all periods since its formation. See Note 4 for the impact of the ATS Acquisition on the Company's consolidated balance sheet and statement of operations as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017. In connection with the ATS Acquisition, the Company recorded goodwill of $23,101, representing the amount previously transferred to ATS.

Acquisition of i24NEWS

In April 2018, Altice Europe transferred its ownership of i24 US and i24 Europe ("i24NEWS"), Altice Europe's 24/7 international news and current affairs channels to the Company for minimal consideration (the "i24 Acquisition"). As the acquisition was a combination of businesses under common control, the Company combined the results of operations and related assets and liabilities of i24NEWS as of April 1, 2018. Operating results for periods prior to April 1, 2018 and the balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 have not been revised to reflect the i24 Acquisition as the impact was deemed immaterial.

Initial Public Offering

In June 2017, the Company completed its initial public offering ("IPO") of 71,724,139 shares of its Class A common stock (12,068,966 shares sold by the Company and 59,655,173 shares sold by existing stockholders) at a price to the public of $30.00 per share, including the underwriters full exercise of their option to purchase 7,781,110 shares to cover overallotments. At the date of the IPO, Altice Europe owned approximately 70.2% of the Company's issued and outstanding common stock, which represented approximately 98.2% of the voting power of the Company's outstanding common stock. The Company’s Class A common stock began trading on June 22, 2017, on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ATUS".

In connection with the sale of its Class A common stock, the Company received proceeds of approximately $362,069, before deducting the underwriting discount and expenses directly related to the issuance of the securities of $12,998. The Company did not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders. In July 2017, the Company used approximately $350,120 of the proceeds to fund the redemption of $315,779 principal amount of 10.875% senior notes that mature in 2025 issued by CSC Holdings, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and the related call premium of approximately $34,341.

The following organizational transactions were consummated prior to the IPO:


•	the Company amended and restated its certificate of incorporation to, among other things, provide for Class A common stock, Class B common stock and Class C common stock;


•	BC Partners LLP ("BCP") and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (‘‘CPPIB and together with BCP, the‘‘Co-Investors’’) and Uppernext S.C.S.p. ("Uppernext"), an entity controlled by Mr. Patrick Drahi (founder and controlling stockholder of Altice Europe), exchanged their indirect ownership interest in the Company for shares of the Company’s common stock;


•	Neptune Management LP (‘‘Management LP’’) redeemed its Class B units for shares of the Company’s common stock that it received from the redemption of its Class B units in Neptune Holding US LP;


•	the Company converted $525,000 aggregate principal amount of notes issued by the Company to the Co-Investors (together with accrued and unpaid interest and applicable premium) into shares of the Company’s common stock at the IPO price (see Note 11 for further details);


•	$1,225,000 aggregate principal amount of notes issued by the Company to a subsidiary of Altice Europe (together with accrued and unpaid interest and applicable premium) was transferred to CVC 3 B.V., an indirect subsidiary of Altice Europe ("CVC 3") and then the Company converted such notes into shares of the Company’s common stock at the IPO price (see Note 11 for further details);


•	the Co-Investors, Neptune Holding US LP, A4 S.A. (an entity controlled by the family of Mr. Drahi), and former Class B unitholders of Management LP (including Uppernext) exchanged shares of the Company’s common stock for new shares of the Company’s Class A common stock; and


•	CVC 3 and A4 S.A. exchanged shares of the Company’s common stock for new shares of the Company’s Class B common stock.

Altice Europe Distribution

On June 8, 2018, Altice Europe distributed substantially all of its equity interest in the Company through a distribution in kind to holders of Altice Europe's common shares A and common shares B (the “Distribution”). The Distribution took place by way of a special distribution in kind by Altice Europe of its 67.2% interest in the Company to Altice Europe shareholders. Each shareholder of Altice Europe on May 23, 2018, the Distribution record date, received 0.4163 shares of the Company's common stock for every share held by such shareholder in Altice Europe. Between May 24, 2018 and June 4, 2018, each Altice Europe shareholder was given the opportunity to elect the percentage of shares of the Company's Class A common stock and shares of the Company's Class B common stock such shareholder would receive in the Distribution, whereby the number of shares of the Company's Class B common stock to be distributed was subject to a cap of 50% of the total shares of the Company's common stock being distributed (the “Class B Cap”). Because the Class B Cap had been exceeded, the shares of the Company's Class B common stock delivered to Altice Europe’s shareholders of record who elected to receive them were subject to proration, and such shareholders received shares of the Company's Class A common stock.

Immediately following the Distribution, there were 489,384,523 shares of Altice USA Class A common stock and 247,684,443 shares of Altice USA Class B common stock outstanding.

Prior to Altice Europe's announcement of the Distribution, the Board of Directors of Altice USA, acting through its independent directors, approved the payment of a $2.035 dividend to all shareholders of record on May 22, 2018. The payment of the dividend, aggregating $1,499,935, was made on June 6, 2018, and was funded with cash at CSC Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cablevision, from financings completed in January 2018, and cash generated from operations at Cequel. In connection with the payment of the dividend, the Company recorded a decrease in retained earnings of $536,224, representing the cumulative earnings through the payment date, and a decrease in paid in capital of $963,711.

In connection with the Distribution, the Management Advisory and Consulting Services Agreement with Altice Europe which provided certain consulting, advisory and other services was terminated. See Note 16 for further details.

In addition, the Board of Directors of Altice USA also authorized a share repurchase program of $2.0 billion, effective June 8, 2018. Under the repurchase program, shares of Altice USA Class A common stock may be purchased from time to time in the open market and may include trading plans entered into with one or more brokerage firms in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Size and timing of these purchases will be determined based on market conditions and other factors.

From inception through December 31, 2018, the Company repurchased an aggregate of 28,028,680 shares for a total purchase price of approximately $500,000. These acquired shares were retired and the cost for these shares was recorded in paid in capital in the Company's consolidated balance sheet. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had approximately $1,500,000 of availability remaining under its stock repurchase program and had 709,040,286 combined Class A and Class B shares outstanding.