Bell Aliant reports fourth quarter 2009 results and announces expanded fibre to the home service coverage with 2010 financial guidance
- Cost reductions improve 2009 EBITDA margin 1.5 percentage points over
2008
- Distributable cash reaches $773 million in 2009; expected to remain
strong at $750 million - $790 million in 2010
- FibreOP(TM) Internet and HDTV services on 100 per cent fibre optic
network to pass 140,000 homes by year end 2010
- 2010 Distributions expected to continue at $2.90 per unit
- Unitholder vote regarding January 2011 conversion to corporate
structure planned for June 2010
HALIFAX, Feb. 3 2010 -- Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund
(Bell Aliant or the Fund) (TSX: BA.UN) today reported the Fund's and Bell
Aliant Regional Communications Holdings, LP's (Bell Aliant Holdings LP)
fourth quarter 2009 financial results, and announced plans to expand its
fibre to the home coverage as part of its 2010 financial guidance.
"Our 2009 results demonstrate that our strategy is working. Our EBITDA
margins improved over 2008 performance despite growing competitive activity,
because of action we took to reset our cost structure and grow our broadband
business," said Karen Sheriff, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our
distributable cash generation was very strong, our service metrics continued
to improve, and with our launch of our FibreOP(TM) fibre to the home service
we are providing an unparalleled Internet and HDTV experience for our
customers in those markets."
Bell Aliant Holdings LP's fourth quarter financial highlights
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(In millions Q4 Q4 Percentage YTD YTD Percentage
of dollars) 2009 2008 Change 2009 2008 Change
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Operating
Revenue $786 $803 (2.2%) $3,174 $3,246 (2.2%)
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EBITDA 366 366 0.0% 1,466 1,450 1.1%
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Capital
Expenditures 121 167 (27.5%) 465 527 (11.8%)
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Distributable
Cash 183 146 24.8% 773 716 8.1%
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Operating revenues were down 2.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2009
compared to the fourth quarter of 2008, primarily as a result of declines in
local and long distance revenues associated with lower network access
services (NAS), offset by increases in Internet and Information Technology
(IT) revenues.
Despite the revenue declines, restructuring programs and ongoing cost
containment initiatives reduced operating expenses by $18 million from the
same quarter in 2008, maintaining EBITDA at $366 million, consistent with the
fourth quarter of 2008. For the full year 2009, EBITDA improved $16 million
or 1.1 per cent over 2008 performance with operating expenses down $88
million from the year before.
Local service and long distance revenue declined $15 million (4.1 per
cent) and $9 million (8.6 per cent), respectively, in the fourth quarter of
2009 compared to the same quarter in 2008. NAS declined 5.0 per cent from a
year earlier, as a result of increased competitive activity and the effects
of a slower economy throughout 2009.
NAS declines in total were relatively stable in the fourth quarter of
2009 compared to the third quarter. Residential NAS declines were
approximately 6,000 higher than the same quarter in 2008 with more
residential customers having a competitive telephony offering than a year
earlier. Business NAS declines were approximately 4,000 lower than those
incurred in the fourth quarter of 2008 when business shutdowns and the
completion of the federal election reduced NAS for that period.
Internet revenue grew by $7 million or 7.2 per cent in the fourth quarter
of 2009 compared to the same period in 2008, with the number of high-speed
Internet customers 7.0 per cent higher than a year ago and strong growth in
Bell Aliant TV subscribers in 2009.
IT revenue increased $8 million or 14.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of
2009, driven by higher IT equipment sales than the same quarter a year ago.
Other revenues declined $8 million or 14.9 per cent from the same quarter in
2008, mainly as a result of lower product sales and rentals.
Capital expenditures in the fourth quarter of 2009 were $121 million,
down $46 million from the same quarter a year ago. This reflects a
streamlined 2009 capital program and the completion of the Bell Mobility
backhaul project which began in the fourth quarter of 2008. Capital intensity
for the fourth quarter of 2009 was 15.4 per cent, bringing 2009's annual
capital intensity to 14.6 per cent.
Distributable cash increased $36 million (24.8 per cent) in the fourth
quarter of 2009 from the same period in 2008, mainly as a result of the lower
capital program. Year over year, distributable cash increased $57 million
(8.1 per cent) due to better operating performance and a lower capital
program, which were offset slightly by declines in cash from discontinued
operations.
The Fund reported distributions to unitholders of $92 million or $0.725
per unit for the quarter ended December 31, 2009.
2010 Guidance
"I am thrilled to announce that in 2010 we will more than double our 2009
spending on fibre technology to pass 140,000 homes with fibre to the home by
the end of this year," said Sheriff. "With this investment we are
accelerating and leveraging our natural assets of aerial footprint and low
density geography to invest for the future. We expect to continue to gain
efficiencies in our capital program, and this, in combination with the
completion of a significant capital project in 2009, will allow us to advance
our fibre network this year without increasing our overall capital spending
from 2009 levels."
Specific communities scheduled to receive the fibre to the home services
in 2010 are expected to be announced by mid year.
Bell Aliant's financial guidance for 2010 is as follows:
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2010 Guidance
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Operating Revenues $3,050 million - $3,150 million
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Capital Intensity 14 per cent - 15 per cent
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Distributable Cash $750 million - $790 million
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Operating Revenues
Consolidated operating revenues are expected to be between $3,050 million
and $3,150 million in 2010, down from $3,174 million in 2009. Growth in
Internet, TV and IT revenues is expected to mitigate declines in local and
long distance arising from continued growth in competitive overlap and
substitution by other technologies.
Capital Intensity
Capital expenditures are expected to be between 14 per cent and 15 per
cent of operating revenues in 2010 with strategic priority given to growing
broadband. Increased spending in fibre to the home technology is expected to
be offset by reductions resulting from a number of factors including: the
completion of the Bell Mobility HSPA Backhaul project in 2009, productivity
and cost containment initiatives, and a continued focus on prioritizing
spending according to strategic objectives.
Distributable Cash and Distributions
Distributable cash is expected to remain between $750 million and $790
million, as improved operating performance achieved through restructuring and
on-going productivity initiatives is expected to mitigate overall revenue
declines. The distribution to unitholders per unit is expected to remain
unchanged at $0.2417 per month or $2.90 per year for 2010.
Conversion to a Corporate Structure
Bell Aliant expects to recommend to Fund unitholders a tax-deferred
transaction to convert from an income trust structure to a corporate
structure effective on or by January 1, 2011. Details about the conversion
terms and process and the anticipated dividend policy going forward are being
developed and are expected to be released in May 2010 with a unitholder vote
on conversion to a corporate structure expected to take place at Bell
Aliant's 2010 Annual General Meeting, scheduled for June 16, 2010.
"Our objective is to deliver a sustainable high payout dividend to
shareholders following January 1, 2011 when we become subject to taxation",
said Ms. Sheriff. "With the introduction of taxes and the expected conversion
still almost a year away, there are a number of factors influencing our
outlook. Another quarter of competitive and economic experience will help us
as we shape our future dividend policy."
Although a reduction to the current distribution is expected, as Bell
Aliant has said in the past, it is important to note that for taxable retail
investors, dividends paid by a corporation are taxed at lower rates than the
distributions paid by Bell Aliant as an income trust. As such, under a
corporate structure, the dividend tax credit mechanism can be expected to
mitigate, to a large part, the after-tax effect of a lower dividend for those
investors.
Supplementary Financial Information
More information on the Fund's and Bell Aliant Holdings LP's fourth
quarter 2009 results can be found in Bell Aliant's fourth quarter 2009
supplementary information package and Bell Aliant Holdings LP's fourth
quarter 2009 management's discussion and analysis, available at
www.bellaliant.ca/investors.
Analyst conference call
A conference call with the financial community is scheduled for
Wednesday, February 3, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern). The dial-in numbers are
(866) 226-1792 or (416) 340-2216 for Toronto area participants. Media are
invited to attend in a listen-only mode. The title of the call is "Bell
Aliant Fourth Quarter 2009 Financial Results and 2010 Guidance." A replay of
the session can be heard until February 17, 2010. To access the replay, dial
(800) 408-3053 or (416) 695-5800 and enter the passcode 2226878#.
A live audio webcast of the conference call can be accessed on
www.bellaliant.ca under the Investor Relations section. A
replay of the
conference call will be available on the website for one year.
Notes
The information contained in this news release is unaudited.
(1) Bell Aliant derives virtually all of its income from its indirect
ownership in Bell Aliant Holdings LP. Bell Aliant Holdings LP's results
combine the results of Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited
Partnership (Bell Aliant LP), Télébec, Limited Partnership (Télébec) and
NorthernTel, Limited Partnership (NorthernTel).
(2) On February 1, 2008, Bell Aliant Holdings LP completed the
acquisition of the assets and operations of Kenora Municipal Telephone System
(KMTS). Bell Aliant Holdings LP's financial results and subscriber metrics
include KMTS data from that date onward.
(3) Percentage changes quoted in this release related to dollar values
are based on amounts rounded to the nearest hundred-thousand, consistent with
disclosure in the Fund's supplementary information package and Bell Aliant
Holdings LP's management's discussion and analysis for the fourth quarter of
2009. Dollar values quoted in this release are rounded to the nearest million
unless otherwise stated.
(4) Bell Aliant Holdings LP defines EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, as
operating revenue less expenses (earnings) before interest, income taxes,
depreciation and amortization expense, net benefit plans cost, and
restructuring and other charges. For a reconciliation of EBITDA to the most
closely comparable GAAP measure, please refer to Bell Aliant Holdings LP's
management's discussion and analysis for the fourth quarter of 2009.
(5) Bell Aliant defines capital intensity as capital expenditures as a
percentage of operating revenue.
(6) Bell Aliant defines distributable cash, a non-GAAP measure, as cash
from operating activities of continuing and discontinued operations of Bell
Aliant Holdings LP and of the Fund, plus operating items funded through cash
reserves or borrowings, such as working capital, pension deficit funding,
restructuring and other charges and cash capital taxes in excess of
normalized levels, plus amounts for current income tax provisions plus other
elements of working capital changes that do not affect cash flow, less
capital expenditures. For a reconciliation of distributable cash to the most
closely comparable GAAP measure, please refer to Bell Aliant Holdings LP's
management's discussion and analysis for the fourth quarter of 2009.
Forward-looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning
anticipated future events, results, circumstances or expectations, in
particular as described in the "2010 Guidance" and "Conversion to a Corporate
Structure" sections of this news release. Unless otherwise indicated, such
forward-looking statements describe management's expectations at February 3,
2010. These statements are based on management's beliefs regarding future
events, many of which, by their nature are inherently uncertain and beyond
management's control. These statements are not guarantees of future
performance and are subject to assumptions which may prove to be inaccurate
and numerous risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict.
Assumptions
Several assumptions were made in the preparation of Bell Aliant's 2010
financial guidance and in making forward-looking statements in this news
release, such as economic assumptions, market assumptions, and financial
assumptions. The material factors and assumptions used to develop this
forward-looking information include:
a) Economic Assumptions
- The Canadian economy will gradually return to a period of growth after
contracting in 2009, with real GDP growth expected to be in the range
of 2 to 3 per cent after declining by an estimated 2 per cent in 2009,
consistent with recent estimates from the Conference Board of Canada
and the Bank of Canada;
- Inflation rates will increase modestly as the consumer price index is
expected to rise in the range of 1.7 to 2.2 per cent for 2010; and
- Interest rates will also increase modestly, as represented by:
- Banker's acceptances and other short-term borrowing rates increasing
from current levels of less than 0.5 per cent to a level of
approximately 1.5 to 2.0 per cent;
- Government of Canada 2 to 10-year bond yields increasing from
current levels of approximately 1.3 to 3.4 per cent to rates of
approximately 2.3 to 4.1 per cent; and
- Credit spreads on bonds for corporate issuers like Bell Aliant LP
remaining approximately the same as current levels.
b) Market Assumptions
- Households passed with a competitive cable telephony offering will
increase at approximately the same pace as Bell Aliant has experienced
in recent quarters;
- Bell Aliant will increase the number of households passed in its
territory with Internet service and increase the penetration rate for
its high-speed Internet and TV services;
- Competitive and service substitution losses in local and long-distance
services will increase slightly from those experienced in 2009;
- Internet revenue growth will be lower than 2009 given slowing growth in
high-speed penetration rates and accelerating losses of dial-up
Internet revenues, offset by higher average revenues per customer and
strong growth in revenue from TV services;
- Data revenue will decline at a similar rate as 2009 due to price
pressures, competitive losses and settlement rate declines; and
- IT revenue will grow modestly from 2009 levels as the economy returns
to positive growth.
c) Financial Assumptions
- Operating revenue will decline from the 2009 level of $3,174 million to
be in the range of $3,050 million to $3,150 million;
- Capital intensity will be in the range of 14.0 to 15.0 per cent of
operating revenue, compared to 14.6 per cent in 2009;
- Distributable cash will also be in approximately the same range as 2009
at $750 million to $790 million, compared to $773 million in 2009;
- Pension deficit funding for 2010 will be in the range of $80 to
$110 million, compared to $74 million in 2009. This range is based on
potential discount rates for plan obligations at December 31, 2009, and
applies existing legislated federal pension funding rules. These
estimates may be significantly impacted by contemplated new solvency
funding rules as announced by the federal Finance Minister on October
27, 2009, however Bell Aliant currently has no clarity on how the new
rules, if implemented, could affect 2010 deficit funding requirements.
Current service cost funding, which was $69 million in 2009, is
expected to be approximately the same in 2010.
- Taxable income is expected to be subject to blended federal and
provincial corporate income tax rates of 29 per cent in 2011, dropping
to 27 per cent by 2013; and
- Dividends paid by Bell Aliant are expected to qualify as eligible
dividends entitling Canadian resident individuals who receive them to
the enhanced dividend gross-up and tax credit mechanism that ensures
that corporate income distributed as interest or dividends is subject
to the same combined corporate and individual tax burden.
Bell Aliant encourages investors to review the risk factors section
below, and related disclosures, for a discussion of the various factors that
could cause actual results to differ from what is currently expected.
Risk Factors
There are many factors that could cause results or events to differ
materially from current expectations. The most significant factors that Bell
Aliant has identified that may affect Bell Aliant's results or events in 2010
include but are not limited to: increasing competition; management's ability
to achieve strategies and plans, including management of our cost structure;
general economic conditions; reliance on systems; changing technology;
required operating and capital expenditures, including asset life cycle
management; demand for our services; the relationship with BCE and Bell
Canada and the allocation of business opportunities; pension plan funding;
changing regulations; dependence on key suppliers; liquidity and financing
risk; leverage and restrictive covenants; BCE's governance rights; reliance
on key personnel and labour relations, including the requirement for
effective business continuity planning; legal contingencies and changes in
laws, including laws pertaining to privacy and security of customer
information; the Fund's reliance on distributions from Bell Aliant Holdings
LP; foreign exchange rates; changing tax rates and changing taxation rules
for income trusts. For a detailed discussion of these risk factors and how
they could impact our results, please refer to the "Risk management" sections
of the Fund's and Bell Aliant Holdings LP's 2008 annual Management's
discussion and analysis (MD&A), as updated by their 2009 quarterly MD&As, as
well as the "Risk Factors" sections of their 2008 Annual Information Forms.
These documents are available at www.bellaliant.ca and www.sedar.com.
Should any factor impact Bell Aliant in an unexpected manner, or should
assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, the
actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events
predicted. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release
are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance
that the results or developments anticipated by Bell Aliant will be realized
or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected
consequences for Bell Aliant.
Except as may be required by Canadian securities laws, Bell Aliant
disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statement even if new information becomes available, as a
result of future events or for any other reason. Readers should not place
undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's
current expectations and plans relating to fiscal 2010. Readers are cautioned
that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.
About Bell Aliant
Bell Aliant (TSX: BA.UN) is one of North America's largest regional
communications providers and an Official Supporter of the Vancouver 2010
Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Through its operating entities it serves
customers in six Canadian provinces with innovative information,
communication and technology services including voice, data, Internet, video
and value-added business solutions. Through its xwave offices, Bell Aliant
also provides IT professional services and advanced technology solutions.
Bell Aliant's employees are committed to deliver the highest quality of
customer service, choice and convenience.
%SEDAR: 00023938EF
For further information: Media Relations: Alyson Queen, (866) 696-6700,
alyson.queen@bellaliant.ca; Investor Relations: Zeda
Redden, (877) 487-5726,
zeda.redden@bellaliant.ca
SOURCE Bell Aliant