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http://ir.charter.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=112298&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2042901

 

First quarter revenues of $2.4 billion grew 7.3%1 as compared to the prior-year period, driven by residential revenue growth of 6.7% and commercial revenue growth of 14.8%.

 

First quarter Adjusted EBITDA2 grew by 4.2% year-over-year. Excluding first quarter Comcast transactions transition costs of $21 million, Adjusted EBITDA grew by 7.0% year-over-year.

 

Capital expenditures totaled $351 million in the first quarter of 2015, compared to $539 million during the first quarter of 2014.

Residential customer relationships increased by 86,000 during the first quarter, versus 112,000 during the first quarter of 2014. For the twelve months ending March 31, 2015, residential customer relationships grew by 4.5%, or 254,000.

 

Residential primary service units ("PSUs") increased by 160,000 during the first quarter versus a gain of 206,000 in the prior-year period.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/22/us-timewarnercable-m-a-altice-exclusive-idUSKBN0O71NR20150522

 

I am certainly not the most knowledgeable person on Altice, but it seems to me that any offer they make for TWC is going to have a very significant stock component.  Given the amount of leverage at Altice, it seems to me that their may be some question as to the value of that currency.  Recall that there were similar questions about the value of the CHTR stock as currency in the previous bid.

 

It seems to me that CHTR should be in a stronger place to make a bid for TWC, especially if CHTR-Brighthouse is effectively making the bid for TWC.  While we don't know the revised terms, the CHTR-Brighthouse deal was deleveraging for CHTR due to the fact that the Newhouse family (very smartly) wanted to keep significant equity in the merged entity.

 

Obviously, I am speculating a fair amount here, but I would be curious to hear how others are thinking about this situation.

 

Also, for a good laugh, I recommend the following CHTR short thesis:

 

https://sumzero.com/headlines/telecom/CHTR/269-short-this-overvalued-unfocused-levered-cable-operator-on-an-aquisition-spree 

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-25/charter-said-to-near-deal-for-time-warner-cable-at-195-a-share

 

Looks like charter might get it. It'll be interesting to see what kind of synergies they think they can get...

 

Apparently: 195/share, 100 in cash. Brighthouse to be merged into Newco, EV over 80bn.

 

Update: More details coming in. Breakup fee of 2bn, TWC shareholders can elect to take up to 115 in cash, and LBRDA will buy 5bn of CHTR stock at current price to help fund deal.

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Hard to see LBRDA being able to come-up with the $5bn without help from Liberty Ventures or a very significant rights offering. Maybe the article didn't include other Malone entities that will help out with the $5bn? Thoughts?

 

That's the question. I don't think they'll have any trouble raising the money, but how will be the interesting part. I'd love a rights offering at a nice discount like last time. Ted and Todd at Berkshire are certainly paying attention.

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Guest wellmont

Hard to see LBRDA being able to come-up with the $5bn without help from Liberty Ventures or a very significant rights offering. Maybe the article didn't include other Malone entities that will help out with the $5bn? Thoughts?

 

they have been talking to private equity. so I suspect there will be new investors. malone will want to make sure he keeps control. they might sell some non voting shares here. but even malone will give up some control if it means more dollars in his pocket down the road.

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Hard to see LBRDA being able to come-up with the $5bn without help from Liberty Ventures or a very significant rights offering. Maybe the article didn't include other Malone entities that will help out with the $5bn? Thoughts?

 

they have been talking to private equity. so I suspect there will be new investors. malone will want to make sure he keeps control. they might sell some non voting shares here. but even malone will give up some control if it means more dollars in his pocket down the road.

 

They don't even need to sell shares. Lever up and coinvest with Ventures for $1b to $2b into a pool with a 3rd party putting up the remainder.

 

Lots of ways this can go down but I trust they will do it in a way fair to shareholders. I don't think we are going to see a massive share raise to a 3rd party.

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The question of synergies is at hand now.

 

Seems like Charter's SG&A% before Malone took over was averaging 20% of revenue and now they are at ~6%. TWC SG&A% is hovering around 20%. If Malone can achieve the same cost then he is looking to pick up at least $3.2 billion. With the economies of scale he should have more bargaining power vs the content providers.

 

That's quite of bit of market cap value he will create if you assign it a 15x multiple for a monopoly with utility-like pricing power.

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9.1x EBITDA for TWC. Not quite as high as Altice's Suddenlink deal at 9.8x. Comcast's deal with TWC was 8.3x

 

Indeed. They're projecting 8.3x after synergies, and they've telegraphed that their 800m model for synergies is very conservative, so I'm expecting more. Could end up being under 8x ultimately...

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