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WOW! REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL YEAR 2024 RESULTS

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WideOpenWest (WOW) reported mixed financial results for Q4 and full-year 2024. Total Revenue decreased 9.6% to $152.6M in Q4 and 8.1% to $630.9M for the full year. Despite revenue declines, the company showed improved profitability with Adjusted EBITDA increasing 3.5% to $73.7M in Q4 and 4.7% to $288.4M for the year.

The company faced challenges with subscriber losses, reporting a decrease of 10,200 HSD RGUs in Q4, partly due to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. However, WOW! made progress in its Greenfield markets, passing 31,500 new homes and achieving a 16.6% penetration rate. The company's simplified pricing strategy contributed to year-over-year ARPU growth.

Notable developments include a new Priority Credit Agreement with $200M in new borrowings and an ongoing evaluation of an unsolicited acquisition proposal from DigitalBridge Investments and Crestview entities received in May 2024.

WideOpenWest (WOW) ha riportato risultati finanziari misti per il quarto trimestre e l'intero anno 2024. Il fatturato totale è diminuito del 9,6% a 152,6 milioni di dollari nel quarto trimestre e dell'8,1% a 630,9 milioni di dollari per l'intero anno. Nonostante il calo dei ricavi, l'azienda ha mostrato un miglioramento della redditività con un EBITDA rettificato che è aumentato del 3,5% a 73,7 milioni di dollari nel quarto trimestre e del 4,7% a 288,4 milioni di dollari per l'anno.

L'azienda ha affrontato sfide con le perdite di abbonati, riportando una diminuzione di 10.200 RGUs HSD nel quarto trimestre, in parte a causa degli uragani Helene e Milton. Tuttavia, WOW! ha fatto progressi nei suoi mercati Greenfield, raggiungendo 31.500 nuove abitazioni e ottenendo un tasso di penetrazione del 16,6%. La strategia di pricing semplificata dell'azienda ha contribuito alla crescita dell'ARPU rispetto all'anno precedente.

Sviluppi notevoli includono un nuovo Accordo di Credito Prioritario con 200 milioni di dollari in nuovi prestiti e una valutazione in corso di una proposta di acquisizione non richiesta da parte di DigitalBridge Investments e entità Crestview ricevuta a maggio 2024.

WideOpenWest (WOW) reportó resultados financieros mixtos para el cuarto trimestre y el año completo 2024. Los ingresos totales disminuyeron un 9.6% a 152.6 millones de dólares en el cuarto trimestre y un 8.1% a 630.9 millones de dólares para el año completo. A pesar de la disminución de ingresos, la empresa mostró una rentabilidad mejorada con un EBITDA ajustado que aumentó un 3.5% a 73.7 millones de dólares en el cuarto trimestre y un 4.7% a 288.4 millones de dólares para el año.

La empresa enfrentó desafíos con la pérdida de suscriptores, reportando una disminución de 10,200 RGUs HSD en el cuarto trimestre, en parte debido a los huracanes Helene y Milton. Sin embargo, WOW! avanzó en sus mercados Greenfield, alcanzando 31,500 nuevos hogares y logrando una tasa de penetración del 16.6%. La estrategia de precios simplificada de la empresa contribuyó al crecimiento del ARPU interanual.

Desarrollos notables incluyen un nuevo Acuerdo de Crédito Prioritario con 200 millones de dólares en nuevos préstamos y una evaluación en curso de una propuesta de adquisición no solicitada de DigitalBridge Investments y entidades de Crestview recibida en mayo de 2024.

WideOpenWest (WOW)는 2024년 4분기 및 전체 연도에 대한 혼합된 재무 결과를 보고했습니다. 총 수익은 4분기에 9.6% 감소하여 1억 5,260만 달러, 전체 연도에는 8.1% 감소하여 6억 3,090만 달러에 달했습니다. 수익 감소에도 불구하고, 회사는 조정된 EBITDA가 4분기에 3.5% 증가하여 7,370만 달러, 연간 4.7% 증가하여 2억 8,840만 달러에 도달하는 등 수익성이 개선되었습니다.

회사는 구독자 손실 문제에 직면했으며, 4분기에 10,200개의 HSD RGU가 감소했다고 보고했습니다. 이는 부분적으로 허리케인 헬렌과 밀턴 때문입니다. 그러나 WOW!는 그린필드 시장에서 31,500개의 새로운 주택을 통과하며 16.6%의 침투율을 달성하는 등의 진전을 이루었습니다. 회사의 단순화된 가격 전략은 연간 ARPU 성장에 기여했습니다.

주목할 만한 개발 사항으로는 2억 달러의 새로운 차입금이 포함된 새로운 우선 신용 계약과 2024년 5월에 받은 DigitalBridge Investments 및 Crestview 엔티티의 비공식 인수 제안에 대한 지속적인 평가가 있습니다.

WideOpenWest (WOW) a rapporté des résultats financiers mitigés pour le quatrième trimestre et l'année entière 2024. Le chiffre d'affaires total a diminué de 9,6 % pour atteindre 152,6 millions de dollars au quatrième trimestre et de 8,1 % pour atteindre 630,9 millions de dollars pour l'année complète. Malgré la baisse des revenus, l'entreprise a montré une rentabilité améliorée avec un EBITDA ajusté en hausse de 3,5 % à 73,7 millions de dollars au quatrième trimestre et de 4,7 % à 288,4 millions de dollars pour l'année.

L'entreprise a rencontré des défis avec des pertes d'abonnés, signalant une diminution de 10 200 RGUs HSD au quatrième trimestre, en partie en raison des ouragans Helene et Milton. Cependant, WOW! a progressé sur ses marchés Greenfield, atteignant 31 500 nouveaux foyers et réalisant un taux de pénétration de 16,6 %. La stratégie de tarification simplifiée de l'entreprise a contribué à la croissance de l'ARPU d'une année sur l'autre.

Parmi les développements notables, on trouve un nouvel accord de crédit prioritaire avec 200 millions de dollars de nouveaux emprunts et une évaluation en cours d'une proposition d'acquisition non sollicitée de DigitalBridge Investments et des entités Crestview reçue en mai 2024.

WideOpenWest (WOW) hat gemischte Finanzergebnisse für das vierte Quartal und das gesamte Jahr 2024 berichtet. Der Gesamtumsatz sank im vierten Quartal um 9,6% auf 152,6 Millionen Dollar und um 8,1% auf 630,9 Millionen Dollar für das gesamte Jahr. Trotz des Rückgangs der Einnahmen zeigte das Unternehmen eine verbesserte Rentabilität, da das bereinigte EBITDA im vierten Quartal um 3,5% auf 73,7 Millionen Dollar und im Jahresvergleich um 4,7% auf 288,4 Millionen Dollar stieg.

Das Unternehmen sah sich Herausforderungen durch Abonnentenverluste gegenüber und meldete im vierten Quartal einen Rückgang von 10.200 HSD RGUs, teilweise aufgrund der Hurrikane Helene und Milton. Dennoch machte WOW! Fortschritte in seinen Greenfield-Märkten, indem es 31.500 neue Haushalte erreichte und eine Penetrationsrate von 16,6% erzielte. Die vereinfachte Preisstrategie des Unternehmens trug zum jährlichen Wachstum des ARPU bei.

Bemerkenswerte Entwicklungen umfassen eine neue Prioritätskreditvereinbarung mit 200 Millionen Dollar an neuen Darlehen und eine laufende Bewertung eines unaufgeforderten Übernahmeangebots von DigitalBridge Investments und Crestview-Einheiten, das im Mai 2024 eingegangen ist.

Positive
  • Adjusted EBITDA increased 4.7% YoY to $288.4M for full-year 2024
  • Greenfield markets achieved 16.6% penetration rate with 31,500 new homes passed
  • ARPU growth driven by simplified pricing strategy
  • Secured new Priority Credit Agreement with $200M in new borrowings
Negative
  • Total Revenue declined 9.6% YoY to $152.6M in Q4 2024
  • Net Loss of $10.6M in Q4 and $58.8M for full-year 2024
  • Lost 10,200 HSD RGUs in Q4 2024
  • Total subscriber base decreased by 25,400 compared to December 2023

Insights

WOW!'s Q4 and full-year 2024 results reveal a complex financial picture with diverging metrics. While revenues declined across all categories—total revenue down 9.6% for Q4 and 8.1% for the full year—the company demonstrated notable improvements in profitability metrics. The Adjusted EBITDA increased 3.5% to $73.7 million in Q4 and 4.7% to $288.4 million for the full year, with margins expanding significantly to 48.3% and 45.7%, respectively.

The subscriber metrics tell a concerning story with net loss of 10,200 HSD RGUs in Q4 (including 5,400 from hurricane impacts) and a year-over-year decline of 19,700 total HSD RGUs. This subscriber erosion is a fundamental challenge despite management's efforts to highlight ARPU growth from their pricing strategy.

The balance sheet shows $1.01 billion in long-term debt against just $38.8 million in cash, though the net leverage ratio of 3.5x appears manageable given the EBITDA improvements. The new Priority Credit Agreement provides additional liquidity but at higher interest rates (SOFR plus 7.00% for first out term loans).

The strategic focus on Greenfield markets shows some promise with penetration rates reaching 16.6%, though the company paused expansion in Q3 2024 pending additional financing. The unsolicited acquisition proposal from DigitalBridge and Crestview represents a potential catalyst, though the evaluation remains ongoing with no concrete developments reported.

WOW!'s operational results reveal a challenging transition in their business model. The company is strategically pivoting away from traditional video services toward high-speed data, evidenced by the significant reduction in programming expenses ($35.4 million decrease) corresponding with declining Video RGUs. This shift aligns with broader industry trends, but the 19,700 lost HSD RGUs year-over-year indicates difficulties in executing this transition effectively.

The Greenfield fiber expansion strategy shows initial traction with 16.6% penetration rates, outperforming the Edge-out projects in mature markets that achieved 30-40% penetration. However, the construction pause in Q3 2024 raises questions about the sustainability of this expansion without consistent investment.

WOW!'s reduced capital expenditures ($215.8 million, down 19.7% year-over-year) might improve short-term cash flow but could impact competitive positioning in a fiber-intensive marketplace. The core capital expenditure ratio of 20.8% of revenue suggests they're maintaining essential infrastructure investment.

The hurricane impact (5,400 lost subscribers) underscores geographical vulnerability in their southeastern footprint. Their network efficiency claims (passing nearly 2 million locations) contrast with their actual subscriber base of just 478,700, indicating substantial untapped potential but also highlighting challenges in customer acquisition and retention despite network availability.

Penetration Rates increased in 2024 to 16.6% in Greenfield Markets

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., March 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WideOpenWest, Inc. ("WOW!" or the "Company") (NYSE: WOW), one of the nation's leading broadband providers, with an efficient, high-performing network that passes nearly 2.0 million residential, business and wholesale consumers, today announced financial and operating results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024.

Financial Highlights (1)

  • Fourth quarter Total Revenue of $152.6 million, a decrease of $16.2 million, or 9.6%, compared to the fourth quarter of 2023
  • Full year Total Revenue of $630.9 million, a decrease of $55.8 million, or 8.1%, compared to the corresponding period of 2023
  • Fourth quarter HSD Revenue totaled $104.9 million, a decrease of $3.8 million, or 3.5% compared to fourth quarter of 2023
  • Full year HSD Revenue totaled $423.6 million, a decrease of $6.8 million, or 1.6%, compared to the corresponding period of 2023
  • Net Loss was $10.6 million and $58.8 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024
  • Net loss of 10,200 HSD RGUs for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, including 5,400 related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
  • Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA was $73.7 million, an increase of $2.5 million, or 3.5% compared to the fourth quarter of 2023
  • Full year Adjusted EBITDA was $288.4 million, an increase of $13.0 million, or 4.7% compared to the corresponding period of 2023
  • Passed approximately 31,500 new homes in Greenfield markets and increased penetration rates to 16.6% for the year ended December 31, 2024

"I am pleased with the progress we made in 2024, especially in our Greenfield markets where we passed an additional 31,500 new homes and increased our penetration rate to 16.6%," said Teresa Elder, WOW!'s CEO. "We continue to see the success of our simplified pricing strategy which contributed to year-over-year ARPU growth, reinforcing our commitment to our strategy."

"Our fourth quarter results reflect continued momentum in our Greenfield fiber expansion markets and strong cost management," said John Rego, WOW!'s CFO. "We saw 4.7% year-over-year growth in our Adjusted EBITDA, as we drove efficiencies in our business and re-accelerated our investments in new markets."

Revenue
Total Revenue was $152.6 million and $630.9 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, down $16.2 million and $55.8 million as compared to the corresponding periods in 2023.

Total Subscription Revenue for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024 was $140.3 million and $581.8 million, down $15.2 million, or 9.8%, and $53.8 million, or 8.5%, as compared to the corresponding periods in 2023. The decrease was the result of a $49.6 million shift in service offering mix primarily driven by the reduction in Video and HSD RGUs, and a $25.5 million decrease in volume across all services. The decrease was partially offset by a $21.3 million increase in average revenue per unit ("ARPU"), inclusive of $2.5 million of revenue credits issued for Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and rate increases issued for Video services and, to a lesser extent, HSD services, during 2024.  ARPU is calculated as subscription revenue for each of the HSD, Video and Telephony services divided by the average total RGUs for each service category for the respective period.

(1) Refer to "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" "Unaudited Reconciliations of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures," and "Subscriber Information" in this Press Release for definitions and information related to Adjusted EBITDA and reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to the closest comparable GAAP measures and why our management thinks it is beneficial to present such non-GAAP measures.

Other Business Services Revenue totaled $4.8 million and $19.6 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, down $0.5 million, or 9.4%, and $1.4 million, or 6.7%, as compared to the corresponding periods in 2023. The decrease in each period was primarily due to decreases in data center revenue.

Other Revenue totaled $7.5 million and $29.5 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, down $0.5 million, or 6.3%, and $0.6 million, or 2.0%, compared to the corresponding periods in 2023.  The decrease in each period is primarily due to decreases in shopping, line assurance, and advertising, partially offset by increases in streaming partner revenue.

Costs and Expenses
Operating Expenses (excluding Depreciation and Amortization) totaled $62.1 million and $256.8 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, down $9.6 million, or 13.4%, and $44.2 million, or 14.7%, compared to the corresponding periods in 2023. The decreases are primarily driven by reduction in direct operating expenses, specifically programming expenses of $35.4 million, which aligns with the reduction in Video RGUs between periods, increases in capitalizable activity, as well as decreases in bad debt expenses, call center costs, and stock compensation, partially offset by increases in compensation related expenses.  We expect the reduction in Video RGUs and associated decrease in programming expenses to continue as our customer base shifts towards HSD only.

Selling, General, and Administrative totaled $42.9 million and $155.0 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024, up $9.1 million, or 26.9%, and down $45.4 million, or 22.7%, compared to the corresponding periods in 2023. The decrease in the full year period is primarily attributable to a $43.5 decrease in the patent litigation expense net of a $3.8 refund from an indemnification claim related to this matter, in addition to decrease in  marketing expenses and stock compensation.  The decreases are partially offset by increases in legal and professional fees primarily related to the negotiation and execution of our Priority Credit Agreement in the fourth quarter of 2024, which primarily drove the increase in the fourth quarter compared to the prior year period.  The Company also received $1.5 million of business interruption proceeds in the fourth quarter of 2024 related to the hurricane damage in the third and fourth quarters which are recorded as an offset to selling, general and administrative expenses.

Net Loss
Net Loss for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024 was $10.6 million and $58.8 million, compared to $43.5 million and $287.7 million for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023. The net profit margin was (6.9)% and (9.3)% for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to a net profit margin of (25.8)% and (41.9)% for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023.

Adjusted EBITDA
Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024 was $73.7 million and $288.4 million, an increase of $2.5 million and an increase of  $13.0 million, compared to the corresponding periods in 2023. Adjusted EBITDA Margin was 48.3% and 45.7% for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to 42.2% and 40.1% for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2023.

Subscribers
WOW! reported Total Subscribers of 478,700 as of December 31, 2024, a decrease of 25,400 compared to December 31, 2023, down 11,800 compared to September 30, 2024. HSD RGUs totaled 470,400 as of December 31, 2024, a decrease of 19,700 compared to December 31, 2023, down 10,200 compared to September 30, 2024.

Market Expansion
Market Expansion projects passed an additional 11,600 homes for the quarter ended December 31, 2024, including 9,300 additional homes in Greenfield markets and 2,300 additional homes in Edge-out projects. As of December 31, 2024, Greenfield initiatives passed a total of 61,900  homes and 10,300 subscribers, representing a 16.6% penetration rate.

At December 31, 2024, the 2024 Edge-out projects passed 8,300 new homes and 3,300 subscribers, representing a 39.8% penetration rate. The 2023 Edge-out projects passed 18,500 new homes and 5,700 subscribers, which represents 30.8% penetration. The 2022 Edge-out projects passed 2,900 new homes and 900 subscribers, which represents 31.0% penetration.

Capital Expenditures
Capital Expenditures totaled $215.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, representing a $53.1 million, or 19.7%, decrease compared to the year ended December 31, 2023.  The decrease is primarily related to decreases in line extensions as the Company paused market expansion construction during the third quarter of 2024 pending the additional liquidity provided by our Priority Credit Agreement. Core Capital Expenditures, or total capital expenditures excluding expansion capital expenditures, equated to 20.8% of Total Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Liquidity and Leverage
During the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company entered into a new Priority Credit Agreement which refinanced our prior indebtedness and included $200.0 million in new borrowings.  Borrowings under our Priority Credit Agreement consists of three tranches: (i) a first out term loan, which bears interest at SOFR plus 7.00%, (ii) a second out term loan, which bears interest at SOFR plus 3.00%, and (iii) a revolving credit facility which bears interest at SOFR plus 2.75%.

As of December 31, 2024, the total outstanding amount of long-term debt and finance lease obligations was $1,017.4 million, and cash and cash equivalents were $38.8 million. Total Net Leverage as of December 31, 2024 was 3.5x on a LTM Adjusted EBITDA basis and undrawn revolver capacity totaled $150.7 million.

Acquisition Proposal Update
On May 2, 2024, the WOW! Board of Directors received an unsolicited non-binding preliminary acquisition proposal from DigitalBridge Investments, LLC and various Crestview entities. A special committee of independent directors has been formed to evaluate the Proposal. The Special Committee has retained Centerview Partners and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as its financial and legal advisors. The work of the Special Committee is ongoing. WOW! does not undertake any obligation to make any further public comment or disclosure on matters related to the proposal or related matters unless and until WOW! determines that additional disclosure is appropriate or required by law.

First Quarter 2025 Guidance 



Q1 2025

HSD Revenue


$102.0 - $104.0

Total Revenue


$147.0 - $149.0

Adjusted EBITDA


$72.0 - $74.0




HSD net additions


(6,000 - 4,500)

Webcast
WOW! will host a webcast on Friday, March 14, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern to discuss the operating and financial results contained in this press release. The conference call and webcast will be broadcast live on the Company's investor relations website at ir.wowway.com. Those parties interested in participating can use the information as follows:

Call Date:

Friday, March 14, 2025


Call Time:

8:00 a.m. Eastern


Dial In:

(800) 715-9871


International:

(646) 307-1963


Conf. ID:

2688718





A webcast version of the call will be available on the Company's investor relations website.

 

WIDEOPENWEST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(unaudited)




December 31, 


December 31, 



2024


2023



(in millions, except share data)

Assets







Current assets







Cash and cash equivalents


$

38.8


$

23.4

Accounts receivable—trade, net of allowance for credit losses of $3.3 and $6.7, respectively



32.0



38.8

Accounts receivable—other



2.1



9.5

Prepaid expenses and other



38.9



38.5

 Total current assets



111.8



110.2

Right-of-use lease assets—operating



19.3



20.1

Property, plant and equipment, net



831.2



830.4

Franchise operating rights



278.3



278.3

Goodwill



225.1



225.1

Intangible assets subject to amortization, net



0.6



1.0

Other non-current assets



46.2



49.6

 Total assets


$

1,512.5


$

1,514.7

Liabilities and stockholders' equity







Current liabilities







Accounts payable—trade


$

42.2


$

59.5

Accrued interest



19.8



1.6

Current portion of long-term lease liability—operating



4.6



4.3

Accrued liabilities and other



72.8



60.0

Current portion of long-term debt and finance lease obligations



20.0



18.8

Current portion of unearned service revenue



23.8



25.4

 Total current liabilities



183.2



169.6

Long-term debt and finance lease obligations, net of debt issuance costs —less current portion



997.4



915.7

Long-term lease liability—operating



16.9



18.0

Deferred income taxes, net



91.0



125.7

Other non-current liabilities



15.2



27.5

 Total liabilities



1,303.7



1,256.5

Commitments and contingencies







Stockholders' equity:







Preferred stock, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding





Common stock, $0.01 par value, 700,000,000 shares authorized; 100,219,835 and 98,594,629 issued as

of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively; 84,810,418 and 83,557,786 outstanding as

of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively



1.0



1.0

Additional paid-in capital



402.9



391.8

Retained earnings (accumulated deficit)



(38.5)



20.3

Treasury stock at cost, 15,409,417 and 15,036,843 shares as of December 31, 2024 and

December 31, 2023, respectively



(156.6)



(154.9)

 Total stockholders' equity



208.8



258.2

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity


$

1,512.5


$

1,514.7

               

WIDEOPENWEST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS FOR THE THREE MONTHS AND YEAR ENDED

(unaudited)
















Three months ended


Year ended



December 31, 


December 31, 



2024


2023


2024


2023



(in millions, except for share data)

Revenue:













HSD


$

104.9


$

108.7


$

423.6


$

430.4

Video



25.6



35.0



116.2



157.6

Telephony



9.8



11.8



42.0



47.6

Total subscription services revenue



140.3



155.5



581.8



635.6

Other business services



4.8



5.3



19.6



21.0

Other



7.5



8.0



29.5



30.1

Total revenue



152.6



168.8



630.9



686.7














Costs and expenses:













Operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)



62.1



71.7



256.8



301.0

Selling, general and administrative



42.9



33.8



155.0



200.4

Depreciation and amortization



52.3



51.9



212.6



193.5

Impairment losses on intangibles





47.0





306.8




157.3



204.4



624.4



1,001.7

Income (loss) from operations



(4.7)



(35.6)



6.5



(315.0)

Other income (expense):













Interest expense



(18.2)



(20.0)



(88.6)



(71.1)

Loss on early extinguishment of debt



(1.0)





(1.0)



Other income, net



0.1



0.4



1.0



2.3

Loss from operations before provision for income tax



(23.8)



(55.2)



(82.1)



(383.8)

Income tax benefit



13.2



11.7



23.3



96.1

Net loss


$

(10.6)


$

(43.5)


$

(58.8)


$

(287.7)














Basic and diluted loss per common share













      Basic


$

(0.13)


$

(0.54)


$

(0.72)


$

(3.53)

      Diluted


$

(0.13)


$

(0.54)


$

(0.72)


$

(3.53)

Weighted-average common shares outstanding













      Basic



82,090,840



80,999,350



81,859,903



81,595,766

      Diluted



82,090,840



80,999,350



81,859,903



81,595,766

 

WIDEOPENWEST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(unaudited)










Year ended



December 31, 



2024


2023



(in millions)

Cash flows from operating activities:







Net loss


$

(58.8)


$

(287.7)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:







 Depreciation and amortization



210.0



193.1

 Deferred income taxes



(34.7)



(99.6)

 Provision for credit losses



9.5



12.7

 Loss on sale of assets, net





0.3

 Loss (gain) on sale of operating assets, net



2.6



0.4

 Amortization of debt issuance costs and discount



2.4



1.7

 Change in fair value of derivative instruments



2.9



 Loss on debt extinguishment



1.0



 Impairment losses on intangibles





306.8

 Non-cash compensation



11.1



16.8

 Other non-cash items



(0.3)



(0.2)

 Changes in operating assets and liabilities:





 Receivables and other operating assets



7.7



(15.0)

 Payables and accruals



10.3



5.8

Net cash provided by operating activities


$

163.7


$

135.1

Cash flows from investing activities:







 Capital expenditures


$

(215.8)


$

(268.9)

 Other investing activities



0.2



0.1

Net cash used in investing activities


$

(215.6)


$

(268.8)

Cash flows from financing activities:







 Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt


$

244.0


$

202.0

 Payments on long-term debt and finance lease obligations



(169.0)



(29.6)

 Reimbursement of finance lease payments



1.7



 Payments of debt issuance costs



(7.9)



 Purchase of shares



(1.5)



(46.3)

Net cash provided by financing activities


$

67.3


$

126.1

Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents



15.4



(7.6)

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period



23.4



31.0

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period


$

38.8


$

23.4

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:







 Cash paid during the periods for interest, net


$

68.0


$

67.5

 Cash received during the periods for interest rate swap


$

3.3


$

 Cash paid during the periods for income taxes


$

8.4


$

10.9

 Cash received during the periods for refunds of income taxes


$

0.6


$

5.0

 Insurance proceeds received for business interruption


$

1.5


$

 Indemnification proceeds received for patent litigation


$

3.8


$

Non-cash investing and financing activities:







 Excise tax payable


$

0.2


$

1.5

 Paid in kind debt fees


$

8.0


$

 Capital expenditures within accounts payable and accruals


$

29.3


$

42.6

About WOW! Internet, TV & Phone
WOW! is one of the nation's leading broadband providers, with an efficient and high-performing network that passes nearly 2 million residential, business and wholesale consumers. WOW! provides services in 19 markets, primarily in the Midwest and Southeast, including Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, including the new all-fiber networks in Central Florida, Hernando County, Florida and Greenville County, South Carolina. With an expansive portfolio of advanced services, including high-speed Internet services, cable TV, home phone, mobile phone, business data, voice, and cloud services, the company is dedicated to providing outstanding service at affordable prices. WOW! also serves as a leader in exceptional human resources practices, having been recognized 11 times by the National Association for Business Resources as a Best & Brightest Company to Work For in the Nation, winning the award for the last seven consecutive years and making the 2024 Top 101 National Winners list. Visit wowway.com for more information.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release that are not historical facts contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  These forward-looking statements represent our goals, beliefs, plans and expectations about our prospects for the future and other future events. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical fact and can be identified by terms such as "may," "intend," "might," "will," "should," "could," "would," "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "plan," "project," "predict," "potential," or the negative of these terms. Although these forward-looking statements reflect our good-faith belief and reasonable judgment based on current information, these statements are qualified by important factors, many of which are beyond our control that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors and other risks that could cause our actual results to differ materially include all matters relating to the acquisition proposal (including any response by the Company to such proposal, any further actions that may be taken by Crestview, DigitalBridge or any third party, any transaction that may result from the proposal or otherwise, the possibility that no transaction may result from the proposal or any impact on our business or operations as a result of the proposal), the effects of adverse weather events, including recent hurricanes in the southeastern U.S., and the other matters set forth in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Annual Report filed on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and other reports subsequently filed with the SEC. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this report are made as of the date hereof or the date specified herein, based on information available to us as of such date. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company has included certain non-GAAP financial measures in this release, including Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin. These terms, as defined herein, are not intended to be considered in isolation, as a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America ("GAAP"). These terms may vary from the use of similar terms by other companies in our industry due to different methods of calculation and therefore are not necessarily comparable.

We believe that these non-GAAP measures enhance an investor's understanding of our financial performance. We believe that these non-GAAP measures are useful financial metrics to assess our operating performance from period to period by excluding certain items that we believe are not representative of our core business. We believe that these non-GAAP measures provide investors with useful information for assessing the comparability between periods of our ability to generate cash from operations sufficient to pay taxes, to service debt and to undertake Capital Expenditures. We use these non-GAAP measures for business planning purposes and in measuring our performance relative to that of our competitors. We believe these non-GAAP measures are measures commonly used by investors to evaluate our performance and that of our competitors.

Adjusted EBITDA eliminates the impact of expenses that do not relate to overall business performance and is defined by WOW! as net income (loss) before interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization (including impairments), impairment losses on intangibles and goodwill, write-off of any asset, loss on early extinguishment of debt, integration and restructuring expenses and all non-cash charges and expenses (including stock compensation expense) and certain other income and expenses. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to net income (loss), operating income or any other performance measures derived in accordance with GAAP as measures of operating performance, operating cash flows or liquidity.

Refer to "Reconciliations of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures" and the accompanying tables below for a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Net Income and Adjusted EBITDA margin to Net Profit margin which are the most directly comparable corresponding GAAP financial measures.

Subscriber Information
The Company uses the terms defined below throughout this release.

Homes passed are reported as the number of serviceable addresses, such as single residence homes, apartments and condominium units, and businesses passed by our broadband network and listed in our database.

We deliver multiple services to our customers, as such we report Total Subscribers as the number of Subscribers who receive at least one of our HSD, Video or Telephony services, without regard to which or how many services they subscribe. We define each of the individual HSD Subscribers, Video Subscribers and Telephony Subscribers as a Revenue Generating Unit ("RGU").

While we take appropriate steps to ensure subscriber information is presented on a consistent and accurate basis at any given balance sheet date, we periodically review our policies in light of the variability we may encounter across our different markets due to the nature and pricing of products and services and billing systems. Accordingly, we may from time to time make appropriate adjustments to our subscriber information based on such reviews.

 

WIDEOPENWEST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Reconciliations of GAAP Measures to Non-GAAP Measures
(unaudited)


The following table provides a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin to Net (Loss) Income and Net Profit Margin for the periods presented:




Three months ended


Year ended



December 31, 


December 31, 



2024


2023


2024


2023



(in millions)

Net loss


$

(10.6)


$

(43.5)


$

(58.8)


$

(287.7)

Net Profit Margin



(6.9) %



(25.8) %



(9.3) %



(41.9) %














 Plus: Depreciation and amortization



52.3



51.9



212.6



193.5

 Impairment losses on intangibles





47.0





306.8

 Interest expense



18.2



20.0



88.6



71.1

 Loss on early extinguishment of debt



1.0





1.0



 Non-recurring professional fees, M&A integration and restructuring expense



25.3



4.9



62.0



27.8

 Patent litigation settlement



(2.0)





(3.8)



45.4

 Non-cash stock compensation



2.8



2.9



11.1



16.8

 Other income, net



(0.1)



(0.3)



(1.0)



(2.2)

 Income tax benefit



(13.2)



(11.7)



(23.3)



(96.1)

Adjusted EBITDA


$

73.7


$

71.2


$

288.4


$

275.4

Adjusted EBITDA Margin



48.3 %



42.2 %



45.7 %



40.1 %

 

WIDEOPENWEST, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
Capital Expenditures and Subscriber Information
(unaudited)


The following table provides additional information regarding our Capital Expenditures for the periods presented:
















Three months ended


Year ended



December 31, 


December 31, 



2024


2023


2024


2023



(in millions)

Support capital and other


$

23.3


$

14.7


$

49.9


$

52.9

Customer premise equipment



16.8



17.4



71.2



65.7

Scalable infrastructure



5.9



35.4



64.1



80.1

Line extensions



5.7



13.1



30.6



70.2

Total


$

51.7


$

80.6


$

215.8


$

268.9

Capital expenditures included in total related to:













 Greenfields


$

3.9


$

33.8


$

63.7


$

105.0

 Business services


$

3.0


$

3.6


$

13.5


$

14.0

 Edge-outs


$

2.5


$

3.4


$

7.4


$

13.4

 

The following table provides an unaudited summary of our continuing operations subscriber information:














Dec. 31,


Mar. 31,


Jun. 30,


Sep. 30,


Dec. 31,



2023


2024


2024


2024


2024

Homes Passed


1,932,200


1,948,500


1,956,700


1,952,200


1,962,100

Total Subscribers


504,100


500,700


495,200


490,500


478,700

HSD RGUs


490,100


489,700


485,000


480,600


470,400

Video RGUs


90,800


79,300


71,600


66,300


60,600

Telephony RGUs


79,500


77,700


75,700


73,700


71,600

Total RGUs


660,400


646,700


632,300


620,600


602,600

Additional Information Available on Website:

The information in this press release should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and footnotes contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, which will be posted on our investor relations website at ir.wowway.com, when it is filed with the SEC. A slide presentation to accompany the conference call and a trending schedule containing historical customer and financial data will also be available on our website.

Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wow-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024-results-302401487.html

SOURCE WideOpenWest, Inc.

FAQ

What were WOW's Q4 2024 financial results?

WOW reported Q4 2024 revenue of $152.6M (down 9.6% YoY) and Adjusted EBITDA of $73.7M (up 3.5% YoY), with a net loss of $10.6M.

How many new homes did WOW pass in Greenfield markets during 2024?

WOW passed 31,500 new homes in Greenfield markets during 2024, achieving a 16.6% penetration rate.

What was the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on WOW's subscriber base?

Hurricanes Helene and Milton contributed to the loss of 5,400 HSD RGUs out of the total 10,200 HSD RGUs lost in Q4 2024.

What is the status of the acquisition proposal for WOW?

A special committee is evaluating an unsolicited acquisition proposal from DigitalBridge and Crestview received in May 2024, with Centerview Partners and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz as advisors.
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