SBA Communications Corporation Reports First Quarter 2023 Results; Updates Full Year 2023 Outlook; and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

BOCA RATON, Fla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SBA Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: SBAC) (“SBA” or the “Company”) today reported results for the quarter ended March 31, 2023.

Highlights of the first quarter include:

• Net income of $100.6 million or $0.92 per share
• AFFO per share of $3.13
• Site leasing revenue of $617.3 million, representing a 10.3% growth over the prior year period
• Increased full year outlook for site leasing revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and AFFO

In addition, the Company announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.85 per share of the Company’s Class A Common Stock. The distribution is payable June 21, 2023 to the shareholders of record at the close of business on May 26, 2023.

“We are off to a good start to 2023 and as a result are increasing our full year outlook for most key metrics,” commented Jeffrey A. Stoops, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We produced solid growth in Adjusted EBITDA and AFFO per share while operationally executing at a very high level. The material number of towers we added to our portfolio in 2022 are performing ahead of plan. We are experiencing continued solid demand in substantially all of our markets. All of our US wireless carrier customers remain actively engaged in building out their 5G networks. Due to that customer activity, our services personnel are staying very busy. Internationally, growth in the first quarter remained strong, driven by organic lease-up, CPI-based escalators and portfolio growth. Domestically and internationally, much additional 5G network deployment from our customers is expected on our assets. Our balance sheet remains very strong, and our net debt/Adjusted EBITDA leverage ratio is near multi-year lows, and we have no refinancing obligations until October of 2024. Our cash flows continue to grow, providing multiple opportunities for the creation of additional shareholder value. We materially increased our cash dividend while maintaining a cash dividend / AFFO per share ratio of only 27%. We believe the future is very bright, and we are excited to support our customers in the advancement of wireless networks across all of our markets.”

Operating Results

The table below details select financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and comparisons to the prior year period.

															% Change
															excluding
		Q1 2023			Q1 2022			$ Change				% Change			FX (1)
Consolidated		($ in millions, except per share amounts)
Site leasing revenue		$	617.3		$	559.4		$	57.9				10.3%			10.8%
Site development revenue			58.2			60.3			(2.1	)			(3.5%)			(3.5%)
Tower cash flow (1)			491.0			445.3			45.7				10.3%			10.6%
Net income			100.6			188.3			(87.7	)			(46.6%)			(37.3%)
Earnings per share – diluted			0.92			1.72			(0.80	)			(46.5%)			(37.1%)
Adjusted EBITDA (1)			459.3			423.8			35.5				8.4%			8.7%
AFFO (1)			341.7			324.3			17.4				5.4%			5.6%
AFFO per share (1)			3.13			2.96			0.17				5.7%			5.7%

(1)

See the reconciliations and other disclosures under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” later in this press release.

Total revenues in the first quarter of 2023 were $675.5 million compared to $619.8 million in the prior year period, an increase of 9.0%. Site leasing revenue in the first quarter of 2023 of $617.3 million was comprised of domestic site leasing revenue of $454.8 million and international site leasing revenue of $162.4 million. Domestic cash site leasing revenue in the first quarter of 2023 was $447.4 million compared to $423.5 million in the prior year period, an increase of 5.6%. International cash site leasing revenue in the first quarter of 2023 was $163.0 million compared to $127.9 million in the prior year period, an increase of 27.4%, or 29.4% on a constant currency basis. Site development revenues in the first quarter of 2023 were $58.2 million compared to $60.3 million in the prior year period, a decrease of 3.5%.

Site leasing operating profit in the first quarter of 2023 was $497.2 million, an increase of 9.9% over the prior year period. Site leasing contributed 97.2% of the Company’s total operating profit in the first quarter of 2023. Domestic site leasing segment operating profit in the first quarter of 2023 was $385.1 million, an increase of 4.9% over the prior year period. International site leasing segment operating profit in the first quarter of 2023 was $112.1 million, an increase of 31.7% from the prior year period.

Tower Cash Flow in the first quarter of 2023 of $491.0 million was comprised of Domestic Tower Cash Flow of $377.1 million and International Tower Cash Flow of $113.9 million. Domestic Tower Cash Flow in the first quarter of 2023 increased 5.2% over the prior year period and International Tower Cash Flow increased 31.1% over the prior year period, or increased 33.0% on a constant currency basis. Tower Cash Flow Margin was 80.4% in the first quarter of 2023, as compared to 80.8% for the prior year period.

Net income in the first quarter of 2023 was $100.6 million, or $0.92 per share, and included a $27.4 million gain, net of taxes, on the currency-related remeasurement of U.S. dollar denominated intercompany loans with foreign subsidiaries. Net income in the first quarter of 2022 was $188.3 million, or $1.72 per share, and included a $72.9 million gain, net of taxes, on the currency-related remeasurement of U.S. dollar denominated intercompany loans with foreign subsidiaries.

Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2023 was $459.3 million, an 8.4% increase over the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA Margin in the first quarter of 2023 was 68.7% compared to 69.3% in the prior year period.

Net Cash Interest Expense in the first quarter of 2023 was $98.4 million compared to $79.8 million in the prior year period, an increase of 23.3%.

AFFO in the first quarter of 2023 was $341.7 million, a 5.4% increase over the prior year period. AFFO per share in the first quarter of 2023 was $3.13, a 5.7% increase over the prior year period.

Investing Activities

During the first quarter of 2023, SBA acquired 14 communication sites for total cash consideration of $8.6 million. SBA also built 52 towers during the first quarter of 2023. As of March 31, 2023, SBA owned or operated 39,362 communication sites, 17,418 of which are located in the United States and its territories and 21,944 of which are located internationally. In addition, the Company spent $11.6 million to purchase land and easements and to extend lease terms. Total cash capital expenditures for the first quarter of 2023 were $69.1 million, consisting of $11.8 million of non-discretionary cash capital expenditures (tower maintenance and general corporate) and $57.3 million of discretionary cash capital expenditures (new tower builds, tower augmentations, acquisitions, and purchasing land and easements).

Subsequent to the first quarter of 2023, the Company purchased or is under contract to purchase 66 communication sites for an aggregate consideration of $63.7 million in cash. The Company anticipates that these acquisitions will be consummated by the end of the fourth quarter of 2023.

Financing Activities and Liquidity

SBA ended the first quarter of 2023 with $12.9 billion of total debt, $9.9 billion of total secured debt, $191.3 million of cash and cash equivalents, short-term restricted cash, and short-term investments, and $12.7 billion of Net Debt. SBA’s Net Debt and Net Secured Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDA Leverage Ratios were 6.9x and 5.3x, respectively.

As of the date of this press release, the Company had $595.0 million outstanding under its $1.5 billion Revolving Credit Facility.

The Company did not repurchase any shares of its Class A common stock during the first quarter of 2023. As of the date of this filing, the Company has $504.7 million of authorization remaining under its approved repurchase plan.

In the first quarter of 2023, the Company declared and paid a cash dividend of $93.9 million.

Outlook

The Company is updating its full year 2023 Outlook for anticipated results. The Outlook provided is based on a number of assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable at the time of this press release. Information regarding potential risks that could cause the actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements is set forth below and in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Company’s full year 2023 Outlook assumes the acquisitions of only those communication sites under contract and anticipated to close at the time of this press release. The Company may spend additional capital in 2023 on acquiring revenue producing assets not yet identified or under contract, the impact of which is not reflected in the 2023 guidance. The Outlook also does not contemplate any additional repurchases of the Company’s stock or new debt financings during 2023, although the Company may ultimately spend capital to repurchase additional stock or issue new debt during the remainder of the year.

The Company’s Outlook assumes an average foreign currency exchange rate of 5.10 Brazilian Reais to 1.0 U.S. Dollar, 1.35 Canadian Dollars to 1.0 U.S. Dollar, 2,330 Tanzanian shillings to 1.0 U.S. Dollar, and 18.20 South African Rand to 1.0 U.S. Dollar throughout the last three quarters of 2023.

											Change from
								Change from			February 21, 2023
								February 21, 2023			Outlook
(in millions, except per share amounts)		Full Year 2023						Outlook (7)			Excluding FX
Site leasing revenue (1)		$	2,481.0	to	$	2,501.0		$	12.0		$	5.0
Site development revenue		$	205.0	to	$	225.0		$	—		$	—
Total revenues		$	2,686.0	to	$	2,726.0		$	12.0		$	5.0
Tower Cash Flow (2)		$	1,978.0	to	$	1,998.0		$	7.0		$	2.0
Adjusted EBITDA (2)		$	1,855.0	to	$	1,875.0		$	10.0		$	5.0
Net cash interest expense (3)		$	378.0	to	$	383.0		$	1.0		$	1.0
Non-discretionary cash capital expenditures (4)		$	54.0	to	$	64.0		$	1.0		$	1.0
AFFO (2)		$	1,374.0	to	$	1,414.0		$	8.0		$	3.0
AFFO per share (2) (5)		$	12.55	to	$	12.91		$	0.08		$	0.03
Discretionary cash capital expenditures (6)		$	330.0	to	$	350.0		$	47.0		$	47.0

(1)		The Company’s Outlook for site leasing revenue includes revenue associated with pass through reimbursable expenses.
(2)		See the reconciliation of this non-GAAP financial measure presented below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”
(3)		Net cash interest expense is defined as interest expense less interest income. Net cash interest expense does not include amortization of deferred financing fees or non-cash interest expense.
(4)		Consists of tower maintenance and general corporate capital expenditures.
(5)		Outlook for AFFO per share is calculated by dividing the Company’s outlook for AFFO by an assumed weighted average number of diluted common shares of 109.5 million. Outlook does not include the impact of any potential future repurchases of the Company’s stock during 2023.
(6)		Consists of new tower builds, tower augmentations, communication site acquisitions and ground lease purchases. Does not include expenditures for acquisitions of revenue producing assets not under contract at the date of this press release.
(7)		Changes from prior outlook are measured based on the midpoint of outlook ranges provided.

Conference Call Information

SBA Communications Corporation will host a conference call on Monday, May 1, 2023 at 5:00 PM (EDT) to discuss the quarterly results. The call may be accessed as follows:

When:	Monday, May 1, 2023 at 5:00 PM (EDT)
Dial-in Number:	(877) 692-8955
Access Code:	1432720
Conference Name:	SBA First quarter 2023 results
Replay Available:	May 2, 2023 at 12:00 AM to May 15, 2023 at 12:00 AM (TZ: Eastern)
Replay Number:	(866) 207-1041 – Access Code: 6182707
Internet Access:	www.sbasite.com

Information Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and our earnings call include forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company’s expectations or beliefs regarding (i) customer activity and demand for the Company’s wireless communications infrastructure, both domestically and internationally, (ii) continued development and capital deployment by domestic carriers on their 5G networks, (iii) the level of 5G deployment that remains to be done on the Company’s towers, domestically and internationally, (iv) continued growth of the Company’s cash flows and the drivers of that growth, (v) the Company’s outlook for financial and operational performance in 2023, the assumptions it made and the drivers contributing to its updated full year guidance, (vi) the timing of closing for currently pending acquisitions, (vii) the Company’s tower portfolio growth and positioning for future growth, (viii) foreign exchange rates and their impact on the Company’s financial and operational guidance and the Company’s updated 2023 Outlook.

The Company wishes to caution readers that these forward-looking statements may be affected by the risks and uncertainties in the Company’s business as well as other important factors may have affected and could in the future affect the Company’s actual results and could cause the Company’s actual results for subsequent periods to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of the Company. With respect to the Company’s expectations regarding all of these statements, including its financial and operational guidance, such risk factors include, but are not limited to: (1) the impact of recent macro-economic conditions, including increasing interest rates, inflation and financial market volatility on (a) the ability and willingness of wireless service providers to maintain or increase their capital expenditures, (b) the Company’s business and results of operations, and on foreign currency exchange rates and (c) consumer demand for wireless services, (2) the economic climate for the wireless communications industry in general and the wireless communications infrastructure providers in particular in the United States, Brazil, South Africa, Tanzania, and in other international markets; (3) the Company’s ability to accurately identify and manage any risks associated with its acquired sites, to effectively integrate such sites into its business and to achieve the anticipated financial results; (4) the Company’s ability to secure and retain as many site leasing tenants as planned at anticipated lease rates; (5) the Company’s ability to manage expenses and cash capital expenditures at anticipated levels; (6) the impact of continued consolidation among wireless service providers in the U.S. and internationally, on the Company’s leasing revenue and the ability of Dish to compete as a nationwide carrier; (7) the Company’s ability to successfully manage the risks associated with international operations, including risks associated with foreign currency exchange rates; (8) the Company’s ability to secure and deliver anticipated services business at contemplated margins; (9) the Company’s ability to acquire land underneath towers on terms that are accretive; (10) the Company’s ability to obtain future financing at commercially reasonable rates or at all; (11) the Company’s ability to achieve the new builds targets included in its anticipated annual portfolio growth goals, which will depend, among other things, on obtaining zoning and regulatory approvals, availability of labor and supplies, and other factors beyond the Company’s control that could affect the Company’s ability to build additional towers in 2023; and (12) the Company’s ability to meet its total portfolio growth, which will depend, in addition to the new build risks, on the Company’s ability to identify and acquire sites at prices and upon terms that will provide accretive portfolio growth, competition from third parties for such acquisitions and our ability to negotiate the terms of, and acquire, these potential tower portfolios on terms that meet our internal return criteria.

With respect to its expectations regarding the ability to close pending acquisitions, these factors also include satisfactorily completing due diligence, the amount and quality of due diligence that the Company is able to complete prior to closing of any acquisition, the ability to receive required regulatory approval, the ability and willingness of each party to fulfill their respective closing conditions and their contractual obligations and the availability of cash on hand or borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Facility to fund the consideration, its ability to accurately anticipate the future performance of the acquired towers and any challenges or costs associated with the integration of such towers. With respect to the repurchases under the Company’s stock repurchase program, the amount of shares repurchased, if any, and the timing of such repurchases will depend on, among other things, the trading price of the Company’s common stock, which may be positively or negatively impacted by the repurchase program, market and business conditions, the availability of stock, the Company’s financial performance or determinations following the date of this announcement in order to use the Company’s funds for other purposes. Furthermore, the Company’s forward-looking statements and its 2023 outlook assumes that the Company continues to qualify for treatment as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that the Company’s business is currently operated in a manner that complies with the REIT rules and that it will be able to continue to comply with and conduct its business in accordance with such rules. In addition, these forward-looking statements and the information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosures contained in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the Company’s most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliation of each of these non-GAAP financial measures and the other Regulation G information is presented below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures.”

This press release will be available on our website at www.sbasite.com.

About SBA Communications Corporation

SBA Communications Corporation is a leading independent owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure including towers, buildings, rooftops, distributed antenna systems (DAS) and small cells. With a portfolio of more than 39,000 communications sites in 16 markets throughout the Americas, Africa and the Philippines, SBA is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol SBAC. Our organization is part of the S&P 500 and is one of the top Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) by market capitalization. For more information, please visit: www.sbasite.com.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(unaudited) (in thousands, except per share amounts)
		For the three months
		ended March 31,
		2023				2022
Revenues:
Site leasing		$	617,268			$	559,432
Site development			58,248				60,338
Total revenues			675,516				619,770
Operating expenses:
Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation, accretion,
and amortization shown below):
Cost of site leasing			120,119				107,155
Cost of site development			44,185				45,773
Selling, general, and administrative expenses (1)			72,209				62,124
Acquisition and new business initiatives related
adjustments and expenses			6,057				5,104
Asset impairment and decommission costs			26,390				8,512
Depreciation, accretion, and amortization			182,415				174,323
Total operating expenses			451,375				402,991
Operating income			224,141				216,779
Other income (expense):
Interest income			2,816				2,502
Interest expense			(101,226	)			(82,252	)
Non-cash interest expense			(14,239	)			(11,526	)
Amortization of deferred financing fees			(4,988	)			(4,881	)
Other income, net			37,558				108,161
Total other (expense) income, net			(80,079	)			12,004
Income before income taxes			144,062				228,783
Provision for income taxes			(43,508	)			(40,477	)
Net income			100,554				188,306
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			663				317
Net income attributable to SBA Communications
Corporation		$	101,217			$	188,623
Net income per common share attributable to SBA
Communications Corporation:
Basic		$	0.94			$	1.75
Diluted		$	0.93			$	1.72
Weighted-average number of common shares
Basic			108,132				108,086
Diluted			109,271				109,544

(1)

Includes non-cash compensation of $25,529 and $24,116 for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except par values)
		March 31,				December 31,
		2023				2022
ASSETS		(unaudited)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$	152,772			$	143,708
Restricted cash			36,615				41,959
Accounts receivable, net			183,134				184,368
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings on uncompleted contracts			58,815				79,549
Prepaid expenses and other current assets			40,214				33,149
Total current assets			471,550				482,733
Property and equipment, net			2,709,784				2,713,727
Intangible assets, net			2,693,883				2,776,472
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net			2,376,609				2,381,955
Acquired and other right-of-use assets, net			1,518,648				1,507,781
Other assets			771,251				722,373
Total assets		$	10,541,725			$	10,585,041
LIABILITIES, REDEEMABLE NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS,
AND SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Current Liabilities:
Accounts payable		$	53,553			$	51,427
Accrued expenses			92,797				101,484
Current maturities of long-term debt			24,000				24,000
Deferred revenue			145,399				154,553
Accrued interest			28,215				54,173
Current lease liabilities			270,308				262,365
Other current liabilities			24,511				48,762
Total current liabilities			638,783				696,764
Long-term liabilities:
Long-term debt, net			12,797,828				12,844,162
Long-term lease liabilities			2,033,167				2,040,628
Other long-term liabilities			302,721				248,067
Total long-term liabilities			15,133,716				15,132,857
Redeemable noncontrolling interests			38,184				31,735
Shareholders’ deficit:
Preferred stock – par value $0.01, 30,000 shares authorized, no shares issued or outstanding			—				—
Common stock – Class A, par value $0.01, 400,000 shares authorized, 108,326 shares and
107,997 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022,
respectively			1,083				1,080
Additional paid-in capital			2,800,046				2,795,176
Accumulated deficit			(7,473,913	)			(7,482,061	)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net			(596,174	)			(590,510	)
Total shareholders’ deficit			(5,268,958	)			(5,276,315	)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and shareholders’ deficit		$	10,541,725			$	10,585,041

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(unaudited) (in thousands)
		For the three months
		ended March 31,
		2023				2022
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income		$	100,554			$	188,306
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, accretion, and amortization			182,415				174,323
Gain on remeasurement of U.S. denominated intercompany loans			(41,932	)			(109,644	)
Non-cash compensation expense			26,206				24,747
Non-cash asset impairment and decommission costs			26,421				8,366
Deferred and non-cash income tax provision			36,320				34,262
Other non-cash items reflected in the Statements of Operations			23,883				16,896
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions:
Accounts receivable and costs and estimated earnings in excess of
billings on uncompleted contracts, net			9,103				(9,812	)
Prepaid expenses and other assets			(4,235	)			(2,201	)
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net			37,452				33,682
Accounts payable and accrued expenses			(8,904	)			(7,002	)
Accrued interest			(25,958	)			(25,384	)
Long-term lease liabilities			(34,475	)			(31,038	)
Other liabilities			(15,878	)			(3,019	)
Net cash provided by operating activities			310,972				292,482
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Acquisitions			(19,929	)			(215,181	)
Capital expenditures			(49,135	)			(38,008	)
Other investing activities			(77,697	)			(2,692	)
Net cash used in investing activities			(146,761	)			(255,881	)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Net (repayments) borrowings under Revolving Credit Facility			(45,000	)			330,000
Repurchase and retirement of common stock			—				(431,667	)
Payment of dividends on common stock			(93,933	)			(76,873	)
Proceeds from employee stock purchase/stock option plans			11,942				10,836
Payments related to taxes on net settlement of stock options and restricted stock units			(26,658	)			(9,228	)
Other financing activities			(7,079	)			25,182
Net cash used in financing activities			(160,728	)			(151,750	)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash			416				15,961
NET CHANGE IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND RESTRICTED CASH			3,899				(99,188	)
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, AND RESTRICTED CASH:
Beginning of period			189,283				435,626
End of period		$	193,182			$	336,438

Contacts

Mark DeRussy, CFA

Capital Markets

561-226-9531

Lynne Hopkins

Media Relations

561-226-9431

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