EX-99.1 2 ex99.htm SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRESS RELEASE ex99.htm

Exhibit 99.1
NEWS RELEASE

For further information, please contact Adele M. Skolits at 540-984-5161.

Teleconference Information:
Wednesday, July 29, 2009  9:00 A. M. (ET)
Domestic Dial in number: 1-888-430-8694
International Dial in number: 1-719-325-2250
Audio webcast:  www.shentel.com

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
REPORTS SECOND QUARTER 2009 FINANCIAL RESULTS

EDINBURG, VA, (July 28, 2009) – Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) (NASDAQ: SHEN) announces financial and operating results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2009.

Second Quarter 2009 Highlights

Highlights for the quarter include:
 
·  
Revenue of $40.1 million, an increase of 11% from second quarter 2008
 
·  
PCS net subscriber additions of 3,013 bringing the total retail wireless customers to 216,067 at June 30, 2009, up 8% from June 30, 2008
 
·  
EVDO high speed data services are now available to 94% of the population covered by our PCS network
 
·  
Net income from continuing operations of $6.8 million, down 15% from second quarter 2008
 
·  
PCS customer churn of 2.07%, in comparison to the 1.74% for the second quarter of 2008
 
President and CEO, Christopher E. French commented, “Our continuing operations delivered solid performance in the second quarter of 2009, despite a difficult economic

 
 

 
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 environment and increases in operating expenses due to cable system upgrades and PCS and fiber network expansion.  We believe these improvements in our networks will position us to lead the industry when economic conditions improve.  We completed the upgrade of the cable network we acquired in Alleghany County, Virginia, and we continued to make outstanding progress with the integration of EVDO into our PCS network, improvements in PCS network coverage, and the upgrade of the cable networks we acquired in West Virginia."

Consolidated Second Quarter Results

For the quarter ended June 30, 2009, net income from continuing operations was $6.8 million compared to $8.0 million in second quarter 2008.  The Company’s total revenues for second quarter 2009 were $40.1 million, compared to $36.3 million for the same quarter in 2008, an increase of 11%.  Second quarter operating expenses increased to $28.5 million in 2009 from $22.7 million in 2008.  The increase in revenues is primarily a result of an increase in average PCS subscribers of 9%, increases in the average billing per PCS subscriber and the revenues of the newly acquired cable operations.  Operating revenues for 2008 included $1.0 million for a non-recurring pass-through of certain universal service fund fees received from Sprint Nextel.  The increase in operating expenses results from costs associated with the new cable operations, improvements and expansion of our PCS and fiber optic networks, and associated depreciation.

Consolidated Six Months Results

For the six months ended June 30, 2009, net income from continuing operations was $13.0 million compared to $13.4 million in the comparable 2008 period.  Operating income for the six months was $23.6 million, up from $23.1 million in the first half of 2008. The Company’s total revenues for the 2009 six months were $80.2 million, compared to $69.9 million for the same period in 2008, an increase of 15%.  Operating expenses increased to $56.6 million in the first half of 2009 from $46.8 million in the prior period.  The increase in revenues

 
 

 
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is primarily a result of an increase in average PCS subscribers of 10%, increases in the average billing per PCS subscriber and the revenues of the newly acquired cable operations.  Operating revenues for 2008 included $1.0 million for a non-recurring pass-through of certain universal service fund fees received from Sprint Nextel.  The increase in operating expenses results from costs associated with the new cable operations, improvements and expansion of our PCS and fiber optic networks, and associated depreciation.

Wireless Segment Operating Results

The Company continued to experience growth in wireless as a Sprint PCS Affiliate of Sprint Nextel.  Our wireless customer count was 216,067 at June 30, 2009, an 8% increase from June 30, 2008, while first quarter churn was 2.07%, compared to 1.74% in second quarter 2008 and 2.15% in first quarter 2009.

Wireless segment operating income was $11.2 million in the 2009 second quarter, essentially unchanged from the corresponding 2008 period.  Both revenues and operating expenses increased by $1.7 million  The increase in revenue resulted from a 9% increase in average PCS customers and an increase in the average PCS rates billed per customer.  The 2008 revenue included $1.0 million for a non-recurring pass-through of certain universal service fund fees received from Sprint Nextel.  The increase in operating expenses included an additional $1.3 million in costs to operate the PCS network related to additional cell sites and EVDO capabilities.  The Company added 13 cell sites and 41 EVDO sites during the quarter.  The Company now has 278 EVDO sites covering 94% of covered POPs.

Wireline Operating Results

Telephone access line losses continued at a very low rate.  Telephone had 24,046 access lines at June 30, 2009, a decrease of 163 from December 31, 2008.  Operating income of the wireline operations for second quarter 2009 was $2.8 million, a decrease of $0.6 million from the

 
 

 
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comparable 2008 period.  Revenues were down by $0.1 million primarily as a result of a short term increase in facilities lease revenues in early 2008.  Expenses increased by $0.5 million primarily as a result of additional depreciation expense and operating costs associated with enhancements to the network.

Cable TV Operating Results

The Company had 25,260 cable customers at June 30, 2009, up approximately 17,000 from June 30, 2008, related to the purchase of assets and subscribers in West Virginia and Alleghany County, Virginia on December 1, 2008.  Operating losses in the cable segment increased by $1.2 million to a loss of $1.4 million for the second quarter of 2009 over the same quarter in 2008.  The acquisition resulted in an increase of revenues in the cable segment of $2.5 million and an increase in expenses of $3.7 million.  The Company completed upgrades to the network acquired in Alleghany County, Virginia, during the second quarter of 2009.

Other Information

The Company’s second quarter 2009 capital expenditures were $16.4 million, up from $10.9 million in second quarter 2008.  The increase in capital expenditures primarily resulted from upgrades to the acquired cable networks and spending to expand our PCS network coverage and footprint.  The Company expects capital spending to remain elevated for the next several quarters with the ongoing upgrades of the acquired cable assets and continued enhancements to the PCS network.  Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2009 were $13.3 million, up from $5.2 million at December 31, 2008.  The Company voluntarily repaid $11.0 million of its delayed draw term loan and made scheduled repayments against other facilities of $1.1 million during the second quarter.  At June 30, 2009, the debt/equity ratio was 0.18; and debt as a percent of total assets was 12%.  The amount available to the Company through its delayed draw

 
 

 
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term loan facility was $37.3 million as of June 30, 2009.  The Company can draw against this facility through December 31, 2009.

About Shenandoah Telecommunications

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company is a holding company that provides a broad range of telecommunications services through its operating subsidiaries. The Company is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol “SHEN.”  The Company’s operating subsidiaries provide local and long distance telephone, Internet and data services, cable television, wireless voice and data services, alarm monitoring, and telecommunications equipment, along with many other associated solutions in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States.



This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties.  The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of unforeseen factors.  A discussion of factors that may cause actual results to differ from management’s projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations is available in the Company filings with the SEC.  Those factors may include changes in general economic conditions, increases in costs, changes in regulation and other competitive factors.

 
 

 
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SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (unaudited)
(In thousands)

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
           
   
June 30,
   
December 31,
 
   
2009
   
2008
 
             
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 13,266     $ 5,240  
Other current assets
    36,841       67,181  
Investments
    8,406       8,388  
                 
Property, plant and equipment
    357,395       328,172  
 Less accumulated depreciation and amortization
    166,284       151,695  
Net property, plant and equipment
    191,111       176,477  
                 
Other assets, net
    8,941       9,551  
   Total assets
  $ 258,565     $ 266,837  
                 
Current liabilities, exclusive of current maturities of long-term debt of $5,703 and $4,399, respectively
  $ 23,493     $ 19,986  
Long-term debt, including current maturities
    30,179       41,359  
Total other liabilities
    35,289       39,180  
Total shareholders' equity
    169,604       166,312  
   Total liabilities and shareholders' equity
  $ 258,565     $ 266,837  
                 

 
 

 
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SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)
 
 
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
           
   
Three months ended
   
Six months ended
 
   
June 30,
   
June 30,
 
   
2009
   
2008
   
2009
   
2008
 
                         
Revenues
  $ 40,140     $ 36,309     $ 80,241     $ 69,896  
                                 
Cost of goods and services
    13,044       10,017       25,749       20,682  
Selling, general and administrative
    7,348       6,255       14,878       13,328  
Depreciation & amortization
    8,111       6,459       15,965       12,820  
Operating expenses
    28,503       22,731       56,592       46,830  
Operating income
    11,637       13,578       23,649       23,066  
                                 
Interest expense
    (405 )     (346 )     (935 )     (680 )
Other income (expense), net
    411       369       (49 )     125  
Income from continuing operations before income taxes
    11,643       13,601       22,665       22,511  
                                 
Income tax expense
    4,828       5,596       9,693       9,106  
  Net income from continuing operations
  $ 6,815     $ 8,005     $ 12,972     $ 13,405  
Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes
    (75 )     (820 )     (10,445 )     (1,493 )
Net income
  $ 6,740     $ 7,185     $ 2,527     $ 11,912  
                                 
Basic and diluted income (loss) per share:
                               
Net income from continuing operations
  $ 0.29     $ 0.34     $ 0.55     $ 0.57  
Loss from discontinued operations
    -       (0.03 )     (0.44 )     (0.06 )
Net income
  $ 0.29     $ 0.31     $ 0.11     $ 0.51  

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