Q4 2021 Uniti Group Inc Earnings Call

February 25, 2022

Yeah.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, please standby. Your conference call will begin momentarily. Once again, ladies and gentlemen, please stay on the line.

[music].

Welcome to Uniti Group's fourth-quarter 2021 conference call. My name is Kevin and I'll be your operator for today a webcast of this call will be available on the company's website at www.uniti.com beginning February 25th 2022 and remain available for 14 days. At this time all participants are in a listen-only mode.

Participants on the call will have the opportunity to ask questions following the company's prepared remarks. The company would like to remind you that today's remarks include forward-looking statements and actual results could differ materially from those projected in these statements. The factors that could cause actual results to differ are discussed in the company's filings with the SEC. The company's remarks this morning will reference slides posted on its website and you are encouraged to refer to those during this call.

During this call discussion.

Discussions during this call [inaudible] measures that were not prepared now, but they were not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures can be found in the company's current report on Form 8-K data today. I would now like to turn the call over to Uniti Group's Chief Executive Officer, Kenny Gunderman. Please go ahead, Mr. Gunderman.

Carlos mentioned measures that were not prepared now, but they were not prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures can be found in the company's current report on form 8-K data today I would now like to turn the call over to Uniti group's Chief Executive Officer, Kenny Gunderman. Please go ahead Mr. Gunderman.

Thank you.

Good morning, everyone and thank you for joining.

Starting on slide three. 2021 was a terrific year for Uniti.

At a time when fiber has never been more valuable, our national fiber network of 128,000 route miles is one of the largest and most robust networks in the country today.

We added nearly 6,000 route miles of new fiber in 2021, and our networks are intentionally constructed with high strand fiber in order to capitalize on highly accretive lease up opportunities.

As proof, we just completed our third consecutive quarter of a million dollars in MRR of new consolidated bookings.

Consolidated bookings of $3.5 million for full-year 2021 represent a 40% increase year over year.

In 2021, the lease-up opportunity sold within Uniti fiber alone are expected to generate $20 million of annual revenue when fully installed at almost 50% increase from the prior year.

We've achieved this growth all while our capital intensity continues to decline and our net leverage at year-end was at its lowest level since mid 2017.

The trends going into 2022 are equally exciting.

We're the third largest independent fiber operator in the country with an intentional focus on wholesale.

Approximately 90% of all business generated today, including lease up is wholesale in nature.

The demand for our portfolio of small cells connected buildings macro towers and homes passed is driven by the need for more investment by our customers and 5G networks 10 gig upgrades fiber to the home fiber backhaul and small cells.

These investments provide Uniti with a unique opportunity to expand our networks with anchor economics.

Setting the foundation for even more future lease up.

As evidenced on slide four, Uniti is tracking well on these shared infrastructure economics.

As a reminder, we believe that a healthy mix of anchor and lease up bookings represents the most effective way to drive profitable economics.

Uniti acquires or builds new fiber largely for our wireless customers with long term anchor cash flow yields in the mid to high single digits.

We then successfully adding additional tenants with very high margins and minimal CAPEX, resulting in a cumulative cash flow yield today of approximately 19%, an almost threefold increase from the anchor yield and all within the past five years.

Slide five illustrates an important part of our healthy business mix.

As I mentioned earlier, we had our third consecutive quarter of consolidated bookings of approximately $1 million, an 80% increase from the fourth quarter of 2020.

The amount of new bookings itself, however, is only part of our positive story.

We continue to show a gradually growing mix of new bookings that are lease up in nature there.

This focus on a good balance of wholesale, non-wholesale and anchor lease up is intentional on our part and has resulted in outsized margin enhancement in AFFO growth and we expect this focus to continue.

This business mix results in predictable cash flow with 0.2% monthly churn and average remaining contract term of nine years, and a business, which is relatively immune to swings in the economy, which was evidenced by our largely uninterrupted progress during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Turning to Uniti Fiber.

Sales bookings in the fourth quarter were .8 million of MRR an increase of over 50% from the fourth quarter of 2020, and our third consecutive quarter of bookings at this level.

In fact, wireless bookings alone in 2021 increased over threefold from the prior year driven by the strong demand we continue to see from carriers.

In terms of mix, 60% of our bookings during the quarter came from lease up of major wireless anchor builds.

December was a record-setting month for enterprise bookings in one of the highest months on record for consolidated new bookings, all while offering lit services and only approximately 20 metro markets.

However, we own and have access to metro fiber and nearly 300 markets, which represent represents terrific capital and margin efficient growth potential.

Given the proven success of our anchor lease-up strategy. We're actively prioritizing these metro markets for expansion in both 2022 and beyond.

We view these not only organic growth opportunities, but also markets that could facilitate acquisitions outside our traditional southeast footprint to accelerate growth in these fallow metro markets.

Turning to slide six.

At Uniti leasing, we continue to actively market over 3 million strand miles of fiber, making us one of the largest players in the wholesale fiber market.

Our national, our non-wireless carrier customers such as the fan group at National MSOS continue to be active as they expand their cloud-based services.

For example, we recently announced two sizable long term dark fiber or your agreements with an international carrier and leading infrastructure provider.

These two deals alone utilize almost 3,500 route miles of our existing metro and long haul fiber network.

At a total contract value of over $60 million and represent approximately $3 million of annualized revenue.

As I mentioned last quarter, although we report unity fiber in leasing separately.

Both businesses are marketed to our customers as one consolidated fiber business.

An increasing number of customers and network solutions are a mix of unity leasing and unity fiber networks.

And we fully expect and encouraged that trend to continue.

With that, I'll now turn the call over to Paul.

Thank you, Kenny and good morning, everyone.

I'd like to begin this morning by providing a review of our fourth quarter and full-year 2021 performance followed by an overview of our 2022 outlook for each of our business units and on a consolidated basis.

As Kenny mentioned, 2021 was a very strong year for Uniti.

The trends within our industry have never been better and we continue to successfully execute on our strategy of leasing up our existing fiber network with high margin recurring revenue opportunities while at the same time pursuing attractive new Greenfield builds. All of this is reflected in our 2022 guidance that I will cover in more detail in just a bit.

Finally, I will provide commentary on our current balance sheet and capital structure.

Please turn to slide seven and I'll start with comments on our fourth quarter.

We reported consolidated revenues of $293 million consolidated adjusted EBITDA of $231 million.

AFFO attributed to common shares of $114 million and AFFO per diluted common share of 44 cents.

Net income attributable to common shares for the fourth quarter was approximately $36 million or 15 cents per diluted share.

At Uniti leasing, we reported segment revenues of $211 million and adjusted EBITDA of $206 million.

Up 9% and 8% respectively from the prior year.

Accordingly, Uniti leasing achieved an adjusted EBITA margin of 98% for the quarter.

Cheap and adjusted EBITA margin of 98% for the quarter.

The year over year growth reflects the dark fiber argue contracts we acquired from Windstream. The straight-line rent recognition under the Windstream malaise and GCI investments subsequent to our settlement agreement. The impact of the ever stream transaction annual lease escalators and a onetime noncash adjustment in the amount of $8 million during the quarter.

Related to the straight-line revenue associated with the dark fiber [IRU] contracts and other assets, we acquired from Windstream, that's part of our settlement agreement.

Excluding the impact of the straight line revenue adjustment revenue and adjusted EBITDA grew approximately 5% and 4% percent respectively for the period.

Turning to slide eight.

Our growth capital investment program continues to perform within our expectations and yield positive results for Uniti.

As a reminder, our tenant has invested approximately $1 billion of tenant capital improvements in our network over the past six years.

Uniti continues to invest its own capital and long term value accretive fiber largely focused on highly valuable last-mile fiber, including fiber and commercial parks and fiber to the home.

Collectively, these investments have resulted in 12,500 route miles of newly constructed fiber and 21% of the legacy copper network being overbuilt with fiber.

Both of these numbers continue to gradually increase each quarter and we expect they will increase materially over the coming years.

During the fourth quarter Uniti leasing deployed approximately $71 million towards growth capital investment initiatives with almost all of the investments relating to the Windstream GCI program.

These GCI investments added around 1,900 route miles of fiber to Uniti's own network across several different markets.

As of December 31st, Uniti has invested over $300 million of capital to date under the GCI program with Windstream, adding around 8,100 route miles and 308,000 strand miles of fiber to our network.

As a reminder, these investments will be added to the master leases at an 8% initial yield at the one year anniversary of Uniti making such investment. They are subject to a .5% annual escalator and result in nearly 100% margin.

The investments we have made to date will ultimately generate approximately $25 million of annualized cash rent.

At Uniti Fiber, we turned over 185 lit backhaul dark fiber and small cell sites for our wireless carriers across our southeast footprint during the fourth quarter.

These installs added annualized revenues of approximately $1.6 million. For the full year of 2021, we installed 830 lit backhaul dark fiber and small cell site, adding over $5 million of annualized revenue.

We currently have around 1,600 lit backhaul dark fiber and small cell sites remaining in our backlog.

That we expect to deploy within the next few years. This wireless backlog represents an incremental $13.5 million of annualized revenue.

At Uniti Fiber, we reported revenues of $82 million during the quarter, while core recurring revenues were once again in line with our expectations, core nonrecurring revenue was slightly below expectations due to the timing of early termination fee.

Adjusted EBITDA for the fourth quarter was $32 million.

Representing margin of 39%.

For the full year 2021, adjusted EBITDA margin was 40% of 390 basis point improvement from 2020.

Uniti Fiber net success based CAPEX was $34 million in the fourth quarter. We also incurred $2 million of maintenance CAPEX or about 2% of revenues.

Please turn to slide nine and I will now cover our 2022 guidance.

Our 2022 outlook excludes future acquisitions, capital market transactions and future transaction-related and other costs, not specifically mentioned herein.

Actual results could differ materially from these forward looking statements.

Our full year outlook for 2022 includes the following for each segment.

Beginning with unity leasing, we expect revenues and adjusted EBITDA to be $819 million and $797 million, respectively at the midpoint, representing adjusted EBITDA margins of approximately 97%.

Revenue and adjusted EBITDA each include $14 million of cash rent associated with the GCI investments and $26 million related to the straight-line rent associated with the Windstream Master lease and GCI investments.

We expect to deploy $275 million of success based capex at the midpoint of our guidance of which $250 million relates to estimated windstream GCI investments.

Most of the markets, where we are making GCI investments are similar to our own tier two, tier three markets, providing Windstream with substantial growth opportunities over time.

Turning to slide 10, we expect unity fiber to contribute $308 million of revenues at the midpoint and adjusted EBITDA of $118 million for full year 2022, when adjusting for the ever stream transaction that occurred in May 2021, the year over year revenue and adjusted EBITDA growth is 6% and 5% respectively.

5% respectively.

This strong growth reflects our continued efforts to pursue and execute on lease up that leverages, our existing debt southeast fiber footprint.

Although the majority of our revenue at unity fiber as recurring and fairly predictable in nature, I do you want to call out that our nonrecurring revenues such as equipment sales and installs onetime fiber sales and [ETLs] can be lumpy due to the mix of our bookings activity and the timing of delivery.

Net success based Capex for Uniti Fiber this year is expected to be $120 million at the midpoint of our guidance a 12% decrease from levels in 2021.

Turning to slide 11. For 2022, we expect full year AFFO to range between $1.71 and $1.78 per diluted common share with a midpoint of $1.75 per diluted share a 4% increase from 2021. On a consolidated basis, we expect revenues to be $1.1 billion.

per diluted common share with a midpoint of $1.75 per diluted share a 4% increase from 2021. On a consolidated basis, we expect revenues to be $1.1 billion.

And adjusted EBITDA to be $890 million at the midpoint.

Our guidance contemplates consolidated interest expense for the full year of approximately $388 million corporate SG&A, excluding amounts allocated to our business segments is expected to be approximately $33 million, including $8 million of stock-based compensation expense.

We expect weighted average diluted common shares outstanding for full-year 2022 to be around 265 million shares.

As a reminder, guidance ranges for key components of our outlook are included in the appendix to our presentation.

Turning now to our capital structure.

Through the successful debt refinancing we executed in 2021, we have significantly improved our financial flexibility lowered our borrowing cost substantially with over $25 million in expected annual interest cost savings and extended our debt maturities by several years.

We continue to monitor capital markets and expect to be opportunistic as it relates to taking advantage of attractive opportunities to further improve our cost of capital.

At year end, we had approximately $420 million of combined unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and undrawn revolver capacity.

Our leverage ratio stood at 5.55 times based on net debt to last quarter annualized EBITDA, which as Kenny mentioned earlier, is the lowest it has been since mid-2017.

Yesterday, our board declared a dividend of 15 cents per share to stockholders of record on April one payable April 15th.

We expect dividends attributable to our capital stock for the 2022 tax year to be approximately $178 million, including the dividend paid in January and the one declared yesterday. This represents our estimate of 90% of our taxable income this year, excluding capital gains and is currently the maximum amount we can distribute under our debt agreements. With that, I'll now turn the call back over to Kenny.

under our debt agreements. With that, I'll now turn the call back over to Kenny.

Thanks, Paul. Please turn to slide 12.

Over the past few months, we've gotten many questions about the disclosure Windstream made regarding the renewal of Uniti's views.

First column shows the assumptions windstream used in their disclosure and their estimated renewal rent.

In short the assumptions and methodology used in their analysis, neither reflect fair market value, which is required under the MLA nor is the analysis consistent without professional appraisers' estimated fair market value in 2020.

Windstream is incorrectly using an undiscovered residual value to compute the current value at the time of renewal as well as incorrectly estimating the value of the CLEC assets by basing that value on a fiber strand miles basis, rather than using route miles.

The CLEC fiber rights unity received as part of the settlement agreement were not utilized by Windstream and therefore has a de minimis effect on the value of the network when removed for purposes of calculating the rent.

The second column on the slide shows that if we were to correct for these two inaccurate assumptions, while keeping all of Windstream other assumptions unchanged.

The implied annual rent would increase to approximately $600 million.

To be clear, the MLA state that the renewal rent must be calculated consistently with the methods used in the 2020 appraisal report.

Which [as a] side was largely consistent with the 2015 appraisal.

The third column represents the estimated 2030 rent calculated by the big four appraiser in 2020.

This call them not only applies to methodology correctly.

But it also makes more reasonable assumptions regarding other inputs.

In our view this reflects conservative assumptions around the GCI program and the annual growth in the value of those investments.

In fact, as the last column illustrates if you assume Windstream utilizes the entire $1.75 billion of GCI and a slightly higher growth rate in the value of the investment.

The implied annual rent is over $800 million.

While we do not pretend to know the precise renewal rent eight years from today, we are confident based on the independent appraisal reports we've received.

The clear language in the MLAs in the favorable trends in our industry that the rent will be a step function higher than what windstream is claiming.

Turning to M&A.

We continue to spend time with our board evaluating our ability to separate our assets in a tax and value efficient manner.

Based upon that work, we're now confident we could separate our Windstream and non-Windstream businesses in a tax-efficient manner.

While we're not suggesting that we will definitively pursue this separation, we do believe the enhanced optionality provides unity multiple avenues for value-accretive M&A with our highly valuable assets.

Our current strategic discussions not only reinforced to us that these themes are still true.

But we are confident that a transformative value accretive transaction for Uniti is possible.

As I mentioned at the outset as we close the books on an outstanding 2021, we're looking forward to the prospects for 2022.

The trends in the communications infrastructure space have never been better and we remain uniquely positioned to benefit from them.

With that operator, we're now ready to take questions.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you have a question or a comment at this time, please press the star then the one key on your touchtone telephone. If your question has been answered or you wish to move yourself from the queue please press the pound key. Our first question comes from Phil Cusick with JPMorgan.

Hey, guys. Thanks.

Sorry.

A couple if I can. First, let me follow up Kenny on your comments, just a second ago, the transformative value accretive transaction.

Any evolution on on either discussions with things like that or smaller deals that you can use to create more value in the meantime?

Hey, Phil. Yes.

We've definitely been prioritizing the larger transformative type transactions.

Transformative type.

In our more recent dialogue. More recent meaning the past six months or so.

Recent meeting the past six months or so.

And so.

So I would say that we continue to advance those discussions.

In a material way.

And probably should leave it at that but I think we're we remain confident in our messaging regarding the value-accretive nature of those opportunities.

Is there a. There's never a perfect timeline, but is there something in your mind in terms of timing it listen if we don't get this done in the next.

There's never a perfect timeline, but is there something in your mind in terms of timing it listen if we don't get this done in the next.

Two four quarters that maybe it's time to move on and get back to doing smaller deals that that drive value in the meantime.

Yes. Great question, Phil. We think about that. We talked about it a lot. I think the.

From our perspective, our core business has never been better.

Our balance sheets never been better. Liquidity has never been better.

So all of those things give us the ability to be patient.

But we also recognize our shareholders have always valued M&A is an important part of our strategy.

And so including larger opportunities as well as smaller ones, bolt ons. And so we do want to get back to that. We think we're really good at it. We think we've got a great platform for it. So there is a there is a limited timeline, but with all that said I think.

Including larger opportunities as well as smaller ones bolt ons and so we do want to get back to that we think we're really good at it we think we've got a great platform for it. So there is a there is a limited timeline, but with all that said I think.

That patience right now is important for shareholders because that's the critical ingredient for us to unlock value.

Okay, and then on the business you mentioned the consolidated new sales bookings were I think 80% of our 4Q '20. Can you dive into the timeline from book to Bill and netted against churn, does that imply an eventual acceleration in revenue?

I'll let Paul comment on this too.

Phil, but I certainly we certainly think so. I mean, we're working through the sprint churn in our business today.

And we didn't see a lot of that in 2021, but we're going to see some of it. Probably the bulk of that actually in 2022.

See some of it.

Really the bulk of that actually in 2022.

So that masks some of the organic growth this year.

This year.

I think beyond that you're going to see an acceleration.

And also, we really haven't seen dish ramping up from a revenue perspective, yet. We're not forecasting much of that for this year.

So those two things together.

You're going to start to see more of that in the coming quarters and beyond 2022, but Paul jump in if you have anything to add.

No, I think that's right, Kenny I think.

We are seeing an acceleration in our enterprise.

Business in particular as a result of the increased bookings activity. So while that's a smaller piece of the pie and as Mike said and kind of masked by the larger the larger wireless.

The increased bookings activity so while that's a smaller piece of the pie and as Mike said and kind of masked by the larger the larger wireless.

Puts and takes that are going on and I definitely agree that that acceleration, it's something we do expect to see as we go forward.

Thanks, guys. Paul, see you Monday.

We'll see you then. Thanks, Phil.

Our next question comes from Frank Louthan with Raymond James.

Great. Thank you. So if you are not looking to make the separation why do the work? Have you been approached by some entities that would that might want to acquire some of the assets?

And then separately could you comment on your confidence that Windstream has all of the supply chain needs that they have that they need locked up to complete their part of the GCI program for the year? Thank you.

Separately could you comment on your confidence that Windstream has all of the supply chain needs that they have that they need locked up U T. Complete there. They are part of the GCI program for the year. Thank you.

Hey, Frank. Yes, on your first question look I think we.

First of all, we like the commercial arrangement that we have with Windstream. We think it's an attractive MLA for our shareholders. It's very cash accretive and allows us to pay a dividend service the debt and grow our business invest in our business but.

But we just don't think the public markets value are currently valuing it nearly at the level of the intrinsic value that we see. And there's a lot of reasons for that and there's been a

Well documented history over the past several years that have attributed to that.

But we think the private markets, probably put a higher value on it than the public markets.

And we think there's a conglomerate discount applied to our overall business because of our tenants and their perceived health. And so I think as a result of that and as a result of the fact that we think there is interest among the private market, especially in

Fiber to the home these days.

We see options that allow us to monetize parts of our business in a value creative way.

Accretive way.

And so preparing, doing the groundwork.

Preparing doing the groundwork.

To make sure that options like that can be done tax efficiently.

Us confidence in pursuing those options.

So that's really the gist.

Short version on why we're we're looking at it and it also.

[noise] dovetails, Frank with some of the valuation methodology and we've talked about in the past in terms of trying to highlight the different value parts of our business.

Just wanting shareholders to have as much information as we can give them an understanding that there are some paths forward there.

So we're not definitively, saying, we will or won't.

Pursue those pads, but want to make sure they're on their own People's dashboards.

With respect to your second question, we don't have.

Don't have a lot we can share there we are hopeful that.

Windstream will be able to deploy that.

Full amount of the GCI as you can tell from guidance, we're forecasting the full amount.

Last year it came in a little short I think.

$230 million versus the $2 50 so.

It could be $2 25 to $2 50.

But we're certainly hopeful that that we're able to deploy the full amount.

And did it come in short because of supply chain issues or was it or what was the reason for that.

I'd say a variety of things Frank I wouldn't I wouldn't rank any one thing too to Haile.

We don't have perfect visibility into.

The decisions that windstream is making about where to deploy there.

Capital.

The other non unity markets. So just I don't have a lot of visibility into that but but we have daily weekly monthly sessions with their team on deploying this capital and based upon what we see in the funnel.

And have good visibility on we're pretty confident about the $2 25 to $2 50 range for this year.

Alright, great. Thank you very much.

Our next question comes from David Barden with Bank of America.

Hey, guys, Hey, Kevin Thanks.

Thanks for taking.

Taking the questions.

Thanks for slide 12 I want.

To ask a couple questions around that.

Could I mean.

Obviously, you've been stated for a long time that there's.

You are open to options large and small for extracting value for shareholders.

One particular path.

You know seemed to emerge.

Late last year with the possibility of that.

A three way kind of sale combination.

Your stock went to 15 in recognition of the fact that the shareholders like that idea.

And now it's kind of faded and with this presentation of kind of your perspective, which seems to be miles away.

From the Windstream perspective is it fair to say that.

This conversation is over with.

Or is there a process and you guys are going back and forth.

Yes, David I won't confirm or deny any.

Any rumors from from last year, obviously, I think as I said in our prepared remarks.

Our our strategic conversations.

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I think they are developing.

Very nicely, we're optimistic about opportunities on our dashboard.

So.

In terms of negotiating value or or or or.

Dueling disclosures, we'd rather not get into that publicly we preferred not to do that.

Our disclosure today is really a result of.

Disclosure made by our tenants last year and in us getting a lot of questions about it.

In us feeling the duty to our shareholders and frankly requested by a lot of shareholders to make this disclosure. So I don't want to with all respect to the question, which is a good one I don't want to get too much into a back and forth.

Okay.

My second question would be maybe either for you or Paul.

Which is you've got some relatively high coupon paper out there you guys had a pretty successful financing.

October .

Are you at all concerned that as you kind of think about the uncertainty that this.

This conversation creates impacts your ability to optimize the balance sheet and come to market with say.

Five year paper, knowing that in November 2027, you two guys have to come up with your own values in and go into arbitration and figure. This out is is this something that we should be thinking about and how do you think about it.

Yeah I'll start on that one day, and then Paul can actually comment on.

The more near term opportunities I am not worried about it I think I think that.

Our.

Disclosure is important it's important for us to get our perspective out there.

The reaction that we've gotten.

And from investors is that they tend to understand it get it.

And I think it's important to have have proof validation support for our.

Point of view, which we do.

And I think.

Theres a lot of time between now and the 2027% 28 timeline that you mentioned and that's ample.

<unk> for us to show the evidence of our of our disclosure so I'm not worried about not worried about it and I think Paul if you want to comment on.

Capital markets near term.

Yes sure.

Totally agree with your comments there.

We remain confident in our and our ability to access the capital markets.

And to continue to optimize the balance sheet.

In a way that's.

That's optimal for the business in terms of short term I think it's just what I said in my comments, we're going to.

Very much continue to be opportunistic we did a lot of of work in 2021 to optimize the balance sheet push out maturities.

And lower our cost of capital and we're going to continue to be opportunistic to do so.

Even further the markets are a bit volatile at the moment. So timing is got to be right and the economics is got to be right.

That high coupon paper that you are you mentioned, David in your cost and your question but.

When the opportunity is right, we're confident in our ability to.

To continue to transact and.

Continue to optimize our balance sheet.

Great and then I guess my last question on that just as the relationship between.

Winning unit has evolved from just kind of a tenant lessor relationship to now this kind of.

Circular relationship with the GCI investments and then building the lease as it is.

The working relationship with Windstream.

Mood.

In light of kind of the higher level boardroom type of drama.

David I think the day to day working relationship is constructive.

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We have very large complicated MLA with.

Verizon AT&T T mobile dish, Google Amazon and so.

The complexity in the circular nature of our.

Relationship with MLP with Windstream is front and center, just because of the size of it and the relative value to our overall company but.

But the complexity of it and the circular nature is not dissimilar from a lot of the other large mlps that we have and frankly that is true of a lot of other infrastructure companies and their MLA relationships. So we're very accustomed to the day to day bump and grind with our tenants there's always issues on the on the dashboard to deal with.

And I think.

Back to some of the earlier questions about the GCI deployment I mean this is a it's a unique program.

It was first deployed in for a full year last year and I think it went great.

We almost topped out on the maximum amount of the of the deployment I think that.

We're very happy with the nature of the investments that are being made.

We think windstream is making good decisions there and obviously we've got some.

Approval rights.

For the most part we're relying upon their decision, making which we think is very positive and we're very supportive so clearly things to work through but.

Day to day, I think is working and working well and we're looking forward to accelerating that into 2022.

Super well. Thank you both I appreciate it.

Thanks, David.

Our next question comes from Greg Williams from Cowen.

Great. Thanks for taking my questions.

Kenny you mentioned C.

Disparity between public and private multiples and you've heard that.

So in the past, but more recently, we're hearing mixed messages.

Specifically yesterday digital bridge was mentioning that private multiples could in fact be competing in some areas of common trap.

Wondering if you're kind of seeing the same thing.

Next question just on your services business, you said you'd be moving up the stack for more lit services and just wondering if you.

What that might be and the go to market strategy and the success and the products that you have in mind.

Yes, I'll start Greg with your second question really what we're referring to there.

When I made the comments about lit services in about 20 markets and expanding that.

We were currently offering enterprise services in about 20 markets and these are relatively simple straightforward services, we do a little bit of a white glove managed services, but for the most part its internet Ethernet.

Boy, you know very straightforward.

Outside the outside the office type services.

And and.

But it's critical to our lease up strategy. This is the business that is growing 10, 15, 20% a year and it's really driving very high margin low capex returns to the business. It's what we're overlaying on our wireless anchor bills. So we're offering that in about 20 markets, but with with us.

Owning metro fiber in 300 markets around the country, a lot of them tier two and tier three markets and many of them are geographically contiguous to our southeastern footprint expanding out into Arkansas, and Texas, Oklahoma et cetera, we think.

Theres, just a lot of opportunity there to grow that enterprise business in a capital efficient and margin efficient fashion. So it's really not.

Adding services, so much but it's expanding that enterprise lease up into new markets into new markets and keeping the product suite pretty pretty straightforward and simple.

With respect to your first question I didn't hear marks.

Comments yesterday, I'll listen to them at some point, but.

Look I think that the private market multiples ebb and flow and it's not necessarily a reflection of of interest from parties I think it's really more a commentary on quality of assets.

In the in the in the deals that we've seen more recently that the higher quality assets are still commanding those higher multiples.

Higher quality, meaning.

Parties that own their networks that debt that have a large percentage of revenue, that's that's contractual and predictable.

And a large percentage of revenue that's on net I think those types of businesses whether they'd be.

Commercial wholesale fiber or fiber to the home I think those are those businesses are still commanding high multiples, but.

The fact that that that those multiples ebb and flow across quality of assets. I think is a reflection of the fact that many of these new funds that have entered the infrastructure space over the past two or three years four years have just become smarter buyers.

We've done diligence on assets and they've.

In some cases, they've actually had the had to have the opportunity to own some of these assets and just become more familiar with the operating complexity and therefore are putting a premium on higher quality assets versus versus versus lower quality. So.

I think it's just a reflection of the industry getting smarter, but I don't think that changes our view on the quality of our assets and the value of our assets as they might be that in the private market.

Got it thank you.

And ladies and gentlemen, if you have a question or a comment at this time. Please press. The Star then the one key on your Touchtone telephone.

Our next question comes from Michael Rollins with Citi.

Thanks, and good morning, just wanted to go back to the discussion on page 12 again on the slides regarding the leasing relationship with Windstream. It seems like over the last few months each side had a counterpoint for each other's points.

In their discussion and as you've engaged with investors as you were describing earlier on the call.

And and people are taking independent look at the situation are there certain aspects of the information or the disclosures.

Youre finding that there is investors are gravitating to just to help understand what the forward implications are.

And then the second question is just looking at the slide there's a large range of annual cash rent numbers.

And.

Should investors expect that base case somewhere.

In between the bookends of the slide.

Or is there a certain level of conviction.

That you wanted to describe from <unk> perspective, as to where the rest will end up versus the exit rate in 2030 that youll establish thanks.

Yes, Michael let me start with the second question.

Kind of a range to try to anchor people too.

One of those columns. If you will I think let me reiterate what I've said in my prepared remarks, we're not pretending to know with with a great deal of precision with renewal rent will be in 10 years, because that would be hypocritical of us to say, it's going to be a fair market value analysis, and it's going to be dependent upon.

What what the industry in the <unk>.

The quality of these assets will be at that time, but based upon the trends that we're seeing based upon the analysis that we've done and based upon the analysis that was done by the professional appraiser back in 2020, we do think that third column is a good place to anchor around.

That that analysis by the way was done.

Back in 2020 before any of the recent disclosures made by by Windstream or unity. So it pre dates all of the all of the current back and forth point and counterpoint.

I think that gives it a little more credibility.

In my view.

So.

And so when we when we go in and scrutinize that analysis and refresh on that analysis, we definitely see assumptions in there that we think are too conservative like we pointed out.

The one on the GCI program, but there are others in there that you could debate and speculate how much of the copper is going to depreciate for example, and how much of the CLEC will depreciate or be decommissioned and so forth. So there are lots of different.

<unk>.

Important points to two two debate, but I think that's a good column to kind of anchor around especially given that analysis was done by a professional appraiser and it was done before some of the recent back and forth.

And look I think on your first question, Michael I'd, rather not get into I think your point about the point counterpoint I agree and it will probably that'll probably continue we wish it wouldn't we'd rather.

Move on.

But.

Probably probably will continue with that said in our conversations with investors.

Our refresh on the analysis from 2020, and frankly 2015.

We're very confident that what we're disclosing here is accurate and reflects and certainly reflects our view and our view of what's going to happen in 10 years.

If I could just trailing one other quick question on the balance sheet.

I think the press release noted that our net debt leverage.

Was it 555.

Press release, and just curious where you are relative to the opportunity to.

Get through those covenants that is limited.

Dividend payments.

And if there's any new perspectives to share on that front.

Yeah.

Yeah. Michael This is Paul I'll take I'll take that one.

So the 555 times that I mentioned in my comments is a last quarter annualized number our debt covenants are based.

Around a trailing 12 month.

Number and that number for most for the year end was five eight.

Eight eight times.

And so and that covenant level of $5 seven five times I'll remind you. So we are <unk>.

Making progress towards hitting that reversion covenant and I think we expect to continue to.

To do so I'm not going to put out.

A comment on.

<unk>.

<unk>, we think we are we would hit and prediction on when we would hit that reversion covenant, but we are as you can see by our our last quarter and the leverage for that quarter.

<unk>, we are making progress towards that.

Version Covenant.

So stay tuned.

Thanks.

Our next question comes from Simon Flannery of Morgan Stanley .

Great. Thank.

Thank you good morning, Ken.

Kenny.

We are moving forward now with the infrastructure Act implementation a lot of money out there I know you are not directly looking to build residential fiber you obviously have a play through windstream, but.

It'd be great to think about what are the opportunities you see for unity from some of these projects that are going to get funded and also on the other side.

Should we think about the impact on supply of and pricing of fibre and other components and also of construction labor.

Yeah, Simon good questions I'm going to let Paul take the supply chain question, but on your first question about the infrastructure Bill and the funding coming.

Youre right were not going to be receiving any of that directly but we're very happy with that.

Funding itself, it's just a continuation of both federal and state invest.

Investments in the space and a recognition that the country is woefully underpenetrated from a broadband perspective, especially in the more rural areas.

And to that point, that's the opportunity for us I mean, our network.

You see the math, we've got network in 45 ish states.

And a lot of that network is in more.

Suburban rural areas and I'm, not just talking about the ILEC network, that's fiber fiber to the home or copper to the home that's leased exclusively to Windstream I'm really talking about our own fiber.

But we have rights to and.

We own outright it's really.

A lot of it.

In a lot of these more suburban and rural areas and so the recipients of that infrastructure funding.

Our building in these areas and they are building they are spending those dollars largely to build the fiber to the home or are there are they are building.

That last mile connection and they need that middle mile and that backhaul from those more.

Rural and suburban areas to get back to the core and that's the opportunity for us where theres a lot of an increasing amount of wholesale opportunities that we're seeing.

From existing customers, but from customers, who haven't used as much of that.

Backhaul as they have in the past and so I can't put a number on it I wouldn't say, there's any material effect in 2022 for sure but in terms of the customer type conversations that we're having in field feel very optimistic about that and very pleased with the with the with the federal subsidy.

Paul you want to.

Yes sure.

Yes.

Simon I'll take your second question about supply.

I think we've seen this movie before we.

Four.

Previous.

Stimulus or other government.

Funding.

Sort of booms, we've we've definitely seen.

Fiber supply become become an issue for <unk>.

For different providers and so that's something.

We anticipate and something we've been working very hard to make sure that we stay on top of and so we've been talking with.

Working with our suppliers and we remain confident in our agreement with our suppliers that will continue to have.

Interrupted supply.

Fiber as we go forward.

Yes, I think it does it.

Just the supply chain issues and inflation in general I think are definitely affecting the price of some of the inputs into into fiber construction, including fiber cable so.

We are seeing.

Body else in our industry I imagine.

A bit of a tick up in the cost of some of those inputs, including fiber fiber cable, but again I think we worked hard with our with our suppliers to make sure that we are.

Maintain a competitive price we understand what that price is going to be throughout the year and that we got.

Got commitments to maintain the supply we need to continue to deliver for our customers.

Great. Thanks, a lot.

Sorry, I was muted I was talking to myself the whole time. Our next question comes from Bora Lee with RBC capital markets.

Hi, Thanks for taking the questions.

I think relatively quick ones I guess following up on.

Simon's question about inflation.

Can you talk about if you're seeing much in the way its library of labor inflation and if there are any issues with labor availability and then I'll have a follow up.

Yes sure. Thank you for the question.

So I'm going to my responses I think you were talking about labor in terms of the construction labor primarily that we use to deploy our networks, which is largely yeah, okay, which is largely a contractor.

<unk> workforce so we.

We have actually.

It worked really hard to make sure that we maintain.

Consistent labor rates in that and we have not to date really seen.

Any major material impact to labor rates or to the supply of labor for construction.

So a few things I think our team has done a really good job of having a relationship with our key contractors.

Are we.

We provide a lot of work where a large.

Customer for those contractors, particularly in the southeast as you know.

We've got a competitive pool of contractors that.

Continue to be interested in working with us on.

Are providing us with competitive right. So we really haven't seen a tick up at all to date.

With regard to the labor input to our construction and something that we're going to continue to work hard to.

To monitor and stay on top of it.

Great and then.

And then can you also remind us how we should be thinking about your capital allocation priorities, and particularly dividends versus M&A win win.

When dividends scale become a possibility.

Yes.

Yes, I'll take that one I think nothing new to say there, we our board evaluates the dividend each quarter evaluating capital allocation.

Each each quarter.

We think.

And I've said this many times as a management team we try to create as many good options for our board as we can and I think we're in a place where we've got several good options, including.

Deploying capital in an M&A, we've been we've been we've proven to be good at that we've got really good growth organic growth potential.

<unk> intentionally been bringing capital intensity down, but the reality is we could ratchet that up and I feel highly confident if we were to ratchet. It up there would be really good growth associated with it profitable growth.

And then thirdly, yes, there's the opportunity to raise the dividend so I think as.

Paul mentioned the Covenant reversion date is approaching and so before then it's really just more theoretical in terms of discussion, but as that date.

Approaches.

There'll be a more substantive discussion about that and probably a higher priority on our list, but that'll be up to the board when the top comps.

Great. Thank you.

And I'm not showing any further questions at this time I would like to turn the call, but any for any closing remarks.

Thank you. We appreciate your interest in Unity group and look forward to updating you further on future calls. Thank you for joining us today.

Ladies and gentlemen, this does conclude today's presentation. You may now disconnect and have a wonderful day.

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And one other comment.

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Please go ahead.

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