e10vq
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
FORM 10-Q
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(Mark One)
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þ
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QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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For the quarterly period ended
June 30, 2008
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OR
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o
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TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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For the transition period from
to
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Commission File
Number: 0-29752
Leap Wireless International,
Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as
specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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33-0811062
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(State or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation or organization)
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(I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)
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10307 Pacific Center Court, San Diego, CA
(Address of principal executive
offices)
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92121
(Zip Code)
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(858) 882-6000
(Registrants telephone
number, including area code)
Not Applicable
(Former name, former address and
former fiscal year, if changed since last report)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has
filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has
been subject to such filing requirements for the past
90 days. Yes þ No o
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large
accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated
filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of
large accelerated filer, accelerated
filer and smaller reporting company in Rule
12b-2 of the
Exchange Act. (Check one):
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Large
accelerated
filer þ
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Accelerated
filer o
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Non-accelerated
filer o
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Smaller
reporting
company o
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(Do not check if a smaller
reporting company)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company
(as defined in
Rule 12b-2
of the Exchange
Act). Yes o No þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all
documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12,
13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to
the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a
court. Yes þ No o
The number of shares of registrants common stock
outstanding on August 1, 2008 was 69,209,326.
LEAP
WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
QUARTERLY
REPORT ON
FORM 10-Q
For the Quarter Ended June 30, 2008
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
PART I
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
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Item 1.
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Financial
Statements.
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LEAP
WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In thousands, except share amounts)
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June 30,
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December 31,
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2008
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2007
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(Unaudited)
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Assets
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Cash and cash equivalents
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$
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646,165
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$
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433,337
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Short-term investments
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288,202
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179,233
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Restricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments
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4,474
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15,550
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Inventories
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100,609
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65,208
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Other current assets
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49,739
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38,099
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Total current assets
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1,089,189
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731,427
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Property and equipment, net
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1,541,923
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1,316,657
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Wireless licenses
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1,880,383
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1,866,353
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Goodwill
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432,731
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425,782
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Other intangible assets, net
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36,133
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46,102
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Other assets
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76,211
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46,677
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Total assets
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$
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5,056,570
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$
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4,432,998
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Liabilities and Stockholders Equity
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Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
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$
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289,989
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$
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225,735
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Current maturities of long-term debt
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12,000
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10,500
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Other current liabilities
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127,246
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114,808
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Total current liabilities
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429,235
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351,043
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Long-term debt
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2,573,136
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2,033,902
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Deferred tax liabilities
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204,293
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182,835
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Other long-term liabilities
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93,450
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90,172
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Total liabilities
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3,300,114
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2,657,952
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Minority interests
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53,412
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50,724
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Commitments and contingencies (Note 8)
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Stockholders equity:
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Preferred stock authorized 10,000,000 shares;
$.0001 par value, no shares issued and outstanding
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Common stock authorized 160,000,000 shares;
$.0001 par value, 69,210,929 and 68,674,435 shares
issued and outstanding at June 30, 2008 and
December 31, 2007, respectively
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7
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7
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Additional paid-in capital
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1,832,068
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1,808,689
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Accumulated deficit
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(119,912
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)
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(75,699
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Accumulated other comprehensive loss
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(9,119
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)
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(8,675
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)
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Total stockholders equity
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1,703,044
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1,724,322
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Total liabilities and stockholders equity
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$
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5,056,570
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$
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4,432,998
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See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements.
1
LEAP
WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(Unaudited and in thousands, except per share data)
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Three Months Ended
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Six Months Ended
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June 30,
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June 30,
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2008
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2007
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2008
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2007
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Revenues:
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Service revenues
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$
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417,143
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$
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347,253
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$
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816,072
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$
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668,944
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Equipment revenues
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57,715
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50,661
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127,170
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122,395
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Total revenues
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474,858
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397,914
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943,242
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791,339
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Operating expenses:
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Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)
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(118,857
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)
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(90,559
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)
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(230,027
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)
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(180,999
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)
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Cost of equipment
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(105,127
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)
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(90,818
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)
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(219,348
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)
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(213,483
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)
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Selling and marketing
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(74,276
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)
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(47,011
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)
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(132,376
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)
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(95,780
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)
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General and administrative
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(77,233
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)
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(66,407
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)
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(153,140
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(131,641
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Depreciation and amortization
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(86,167
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)
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(72,415
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)
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(168,806
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)
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(141,215
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)
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Total operating expenses
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(461,660
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)
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(367,210
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)
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(903,697
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)
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(763,118
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Gain on sale or disposal of assets
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1,252
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961
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940
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Operating income
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14,450
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30,704
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40,506
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29,161
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Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries
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(1,865
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)
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673
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(2,688
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)
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2,252
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Equity in net loss of investee
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(295
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)
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(1,357
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)
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Interest income
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2,586
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7,134
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7,367
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12,419
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Interest expense
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(30,401
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)
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(27,090
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)
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(63,758
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(53,586
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Other expense, net
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(307
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)
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(4,343
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)
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(637
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)
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Income (loss) before income taxes
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(15,832
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)
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11,421
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(24,273
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)
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(10,391
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)
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Income tax expense
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(10,237
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)
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(1,783
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)
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(19,940
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)
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(4,195
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)
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Net income (loss)
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$
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(26,069
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)
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$
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9,638
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$
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(44,213
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)
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$
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(14,586
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)
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Earnings (loss) per share:
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Basic
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$
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(0.38
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)
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$
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0.14
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$
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(0.65
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)
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$
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(0.22
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)
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Diluted
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$
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(0.38
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)
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$
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0.14
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$
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(0.65
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)
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$
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(0.22
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)
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Shares used in per share calculations:
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Basic
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67,991
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67,124
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67,963
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66,998
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Diluted
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67,991
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68,800
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67,963
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66,998
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See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements.
2
LEAP
WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
CONDENSED
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(Unaudited and in thousands)
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Six Months Ended
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June 30,
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2008
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2007
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Operating activities:
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Net cash provided by operating activities
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$
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181,590
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$
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108,795
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Investing activities:
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Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired
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(31,322
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)
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Purchases of property and equipment
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(338,287
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)
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(239,413
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)
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Change in prepayments for purchases of property and equipment
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(5,644
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)
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11,187
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Purchases of and deposits for wireless licenses and spectrum
clearing costs
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(72,713
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)
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(2,361
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)
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Return of deposit for wireless licenses
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70,000
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Proceeds from sale of wireless licenses and operating assets
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9,500
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Purchases of investments
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(297,784
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)
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(380,743
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)
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Sales and maturities of investments
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186,446
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91,360
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Purchase of minority interest
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(4,706
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)
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Purchase of membership units
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(1,033
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)
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(13,182
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)
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Changes in restricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term
investments, net
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|
(1,309
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)
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|
834
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|
|
|
|
|
|
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Net cash used in investing activities
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|
|
(491,646
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)
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|
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(527,524
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)
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|
|
|
|
|
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|
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Financing activities:
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|
|
|
|
|
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Proceeds from long-term debt
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535,750
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|
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|
370,480
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Principal payments on capital lease obligations
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|
|
(7,969
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)
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|
|
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Repayment of long-term debt
|
|
|
(5,000
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)
|
|
|
(4,500
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)
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Payment of debt issuance costs
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|
|
(6,443
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)
|
|
|
(1,319
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)
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Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net
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|
|
6,546
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|
|
|
7,588
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
522,884
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|
|
|
372,249
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
212,828
|
|
|
|
(46,480
|
)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
|
|
|
433,337
|
|
|
|
372,812
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
|
|
$
|
646,165
|
|
|
$
|
326,332
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supplementary disclosure of cash flow information:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash paid for interest
|
|
$
|
89,568
|
|
|
$
|
72,295
|
|
Cash paid for income taxes
|
|
$
|
1,906
|
|
|
$
|
341
|
|
See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial
statements.
3
LEAP
WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
NOTES TO
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
Leap Wireless International, Inc. (Leap), a Delaware
corporation, together with its subsidiaries, is a wireless
communications carrier that offers digital wireless service in
the United States of America under the
Cricket®
brand. Cricket service offers customers unlimited wireless
service for a flat monthly rate without requiring a fixed-term
contract or a credit check. Leap conducts operations through its
subsidiaries and has no independent operations or sources of
income other than through dividends, if any, from its
subsidiaries. Cricket service is offered by Cricket
Communications, Inc. (Cricket), a wholly owned
subsidiary of Leap, and is also offered in Oregon by LCW
Wireless Operations, LLC (LCW Operations), a wholly
owned subsidiary of LCW Wireless, LLC (LCW Wireless)
and a designated entity under Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) regulations. Cricket owns an indirect 73.3%
non-controlling interest in LCW Operations through a 73.3%
non-controlling interest in LCW Wireless. Cricket also owns an
82.5% non-controlling interest in Denali Spectrum, LLC
(Denali), which purchased a wireless license in the
FCCs auction for Advanced Wireless Services
(AWS) licenses (Auction #66),
covering the upper mid-west portion of the United States, as a
designated entity through its wholly owned subsidiary, Denali
Spectrum License, LLC (Denali License). Leap,
Cricket and their subsidiaries, including LCW Wireless and
Denali, are collectively referred to herein as the
Company.
The Company operates in a single operating segment as a wireless
communications carrier that offers digital wireless service in
the United States of America.
|
|
Note 2.
|
Basis of
Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies
|
Basis
of Presentation
The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial
statements have been prepared without audit, in accordance with
the instructions to
Form 10-Q
and therefore do not include all information and footnotes
required by accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America for a complete set of financial
statements. In the opinion of management, the unaudited
financial information for the interim periods presented reflects
all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the
Companys results for the periods presented, with such
adjustments consisting only of normal recurring adjustments.
Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America require management to make estimates and assumptions
that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the
disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities and the reported
amounts of revenues and expenses. By their nature, estimates are
subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. Actual results
could differ from managements estimates and operating
results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of
operating results for an entire fiscal year.
The condensed consolidated financial statements include the
accounts of Leap and its wholly owned subsidiaries as well as
the accounts of LCW Wireless and Denali and their wholly owned
subsidiaries. The Company consolidates its interests in LCW
Wireless and Denali in accordance with Financial Accounting
Standards Board (FASB) Interpretation No.
(FIN) 46(R), Consolidation of Variable
Interest Entities, because these entities are variable
interest entities and the Company will absorb a majority of
their expected losses. All significant intercompany accounts and
transactions have been eliminated in the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
Revenues
Crickets business revenues principally arise from the sale
of wireless services, handsets and accessories. Wireless
services are generally provided on a month-to-month basis. In
general, new and reactivating customers are required to pay for
their service in advance and customers who activated their
service prior to May 2006 pay in arrears. The Company does not
require any of its customers to sign fixed-term service
commitments or submit to a credit check. These terms generally
appeal to less affluent customers who are considered more likely
to terminate service for inability to pay than wireless
customers in general. Consequently, the Company has concluded
that
4
collectibility of its revenues is not reasonably assured until
payment has been received. Accordingly, service revenues are
recognized only after services have been rendered and payment
has been received.
When the Company activates a new customer, it frequently sells
that customer a handset and the first month of service in a
bundled transaction. Under the provisions of Emerging Issues
Task Force (EITF) Issue
No. 00-21,
Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables,
(EITF 00-21)
the sale of a handset along with a month of wireless service
constitutes a multiple element arrangement. Under
EITF 00-21,
once a company has determined the fair value of the elements in
the sales transaction, the total consideration received from the
customer must be allocated among those elements on a relative
fair value basis. Applying
EITF 00-21
to these transactions results in the Company recognizing the
total consideration received, less one month of wireless service
revenue (at the customers stated rate plan), as equipment
revenue.
Equipment revenues and related costs from the sale of handsets
are recognized when service is activated by customers. Revenues
and related costs from the sale of accessories are recognized at
the point of sale. The costs of handsets and accessories sold
are recorded in cost of equipment. In addition to handsets that
the Company sells directly to its customers at Cricket-owned
stores, the Company also sells handsets to third-party dealers.
These dealers then sell the handsets to the ultimate Cricket
customer, and that customer also receives the first month of
service in a bundled transaction (identical to the sale made at
a Cricket-owned store). Sales of handsets to third-party dealers
are recognized as equipment revenues only when service is
activated by customers, since the level of price reductions
ultimately available to such dealers is not reliably estimable
until the handsets are sold by such dealers to customers. Thus,
handsets sold to third-party dealers are recorded as consigned
inventory and deferred equipment revenue until they are sold to,
and service is activated by, customers.
Through a third-party provider, the Companys customers may
elect to participate in an extended handset warranty/insurance
program. The Company recognizes revenue on replacement handsets
sold to its customers under the program when the customer
purchases a replacement handset.
Sales incentives offered without charge to customers and
volume-based incentives paid to the Companys third-party
dealers are recognized as a reduction of revenue and as a
liability when the related service or equipment revenue is
recognized. Customers have limited rights to return handsets and
accessories based on time
and/or
usage; customer returns of handsets and accessories have
historically been negligible.
Amounts billed by the Company in advance of customers
wireless service periods are not reflected in accounts
receivable or deferred revenue since collectibility of such
amounts is not reasonably assured. Deferred revenue consists
primarily of cash received from customers in advance of their
service period and deferred equipment revenue related to
handsets and accessories sold to third-party dealers.
Costs
and Expenses
The Companys costs and expenses include:
Cost of Service. The major components of cost
of service are: charges from other communications companies for
long distance, roaming and content download services provided to
the Companys customers; charges from other communications
companies for their transport and termination of calls
originated by the Companys customers and destined for
customers of other networks; and expenses for tower and network
facility rent, engineering operations, field technicians and
utility and maintenance charges, and salary and overhead charges
associated with these functions.
Cost of Equipment. Cost of equipment primarily
includes the cost of handsets and accessories purchased from
third-party vendors and resold to the Companys customers
in connection with its services, as well as the lower of cost or
market write-downs associated with excess and damaged handsets
and accessories.
Selling and Marketing. Selling and marketing
expenses primarily include advertising expenses, promotional and
public relations costs associated with acquiring new customers,
store operating costs (such as retail associates salaries
and rent), and overhead charges associated with selling and
marketing functions.
General and Administrative. General and
administrative expenses primarily include call center and other
customer care program costs and salary, overhead and outside
consulting costs associated with the Companys customer
care, billing, information technology, finance, human resources,
accounting, legal and executive functions.
5
Cash
and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a
maturity at the time of purchase of three months or less to be
cash equivalents. The Company invests its cash with major
financial institutions in money market funds, short-term
U.S. Treasury securities, obligations of
U.S. government agencies and other securities such as
prime-rated short-term commercial paper and investment grade
corporate fixed-income securities. The Company has not
experienced any significant losses on its cash and cash
equivalents.
Short-Term
Investments
Short-term investments generally consist of highly liquid,
fixed-income investments with an original maturity at the time
of purchase of greater than three months. Such investments
consist of commercial paper, obligations of the
U.S. government, investment grade fixed-income securities
guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and asset-backed
commercial paper.
Investments are classified as available-for-sale and stated at
fair value. The net unrealized gains or losses on
available-for-sale securities are reported as a component of
comprehensive income (loss). The specific identification method
is used to compute the realized gains and losses on investments.
Investments are periodically reviewed for impairment. If the
carrying value of an investment exceeds its fair value and the
decline in value is determined to be other-than-temporary, an
impairment loss is recognized for the difference. See
Note 5 for a discussion regarding the Companys
impairment losses recognized on its short-term investments.
Fair
Value of Financial Instruments
In January 2008, with respect to valuing its financial assets
and liabilities, the Company adopted the provisions of Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS)
No. 157, Fair Value Measurements
(SFAS 157), which defines fair value for
accounting purposes, establishes a framework for measuring fair
value and expands disclosure requirements regarding fair value
measurements. Fair value is defined as an exit price, which is
the price that would be received upon sale of an asset or paid
upon transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between
market participants at the measurement date. The degree of
judgment utilized in measuring the fair value of assets and
liabilities generally correlates to the level of pricing
observability. Financial assets and liabilities with readily
available, actively quoted prices or for which fair value can be
measured from actively quoted prices in active markets generally
have more pricing observability and require less judgment in
measuring fair value. Conversely, financial assets and
liabilities that are rarely traded or not quoted have less
pricing observability and are generally measured at fair value
using valuation models that require more judgment. These
valuation techniques involve some level of management estimation
and judgment, the degree of which is dependent on the price
transparency of the asset, liability or market and the nature of
the asset or liability. The Company has categorized its
financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a
three-level hierarchy in accordance with SFAS 157. See
Note 5 for a further discussion regarding the
Companys measurement of financial assets and liabilities
at fair value.
Property
and Equipment
Property and equipment are initially recorded at cost. Additions
and improvements are capitalized, while expenditures that do not
enhance the asset or extend its useful life are charged to
operating expenses as incurred. Depreciation is applied using
the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the
assets once the assets are placed in service.
6
The following table summarizes the depreciable lives for
property and equipment (in years):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Depreciable
|
|
|
|
Life
|
|
|
Network equipment:
|
|
|
|
|
Switches
|
|
|
10
|
|
Switch power equipment
|
|
|
15
|
|
Cell site equipment, and site acquisitions and improvements
|
|
|
7
|
|
Towers
|
|
|
15
|
|
Antennae
|
|
|
5
|
|
Computer hardware and software
|
|
|
3-5
|
|
Furniture, fixtures, retail and office equipment
|
|
|
3-7
|
|
The Companys network construction expenditures are
recorded as
construction-in-progress
until the network or other asset is placed in service, at which
time the asset is transferred to the appropriate property or
equipment category. The Company capitalizes salaries and related
costs of engineering and technical operations employees as
components of
construction-in-progress
during the construction period to the extent time and expense
are contributed to the construction effort. The Company also
capitalizes certain telecommunications and other related costs
as
construction-in-progress
during the construction period to the extent they are
incremental and directly related to the network under
construction. In addition, interest is capitalized on the
carrying values of both wireless licenses and equipment during
the construction period and is depreciated over an estimated
useful life of ten years. During the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008, the Company capitalized interest of
$13.1 million and $26.1 million, respectively, to
property and equipment. During the three and six months ended
June 30, 2007, the Company capitalized interest of
$11.2 million and $21.9 million, respectively, to
property and equipment.
Property and equipment to be disposed of by sale is not
depreciated and is carried at the lower of carrying value or
fair value less costs to sell. As of June 30, 2008 and
December 31, 2007, there was no property or equipment
classified as assets held for sale.
Wireless
Licenses
The Company and LCW Wireless operate broadband Personal
Communications Services (PCS) and AWS networks under
PCS and AWS wireless licenses granted by the FCC that are
specific to a particular geographic area on spectrum that has
been allocated by the FCC for such services. In addition,
through its participation in Auction #66 in December 2006,
Denali License acquired an AWS wireless license. Wireless
licenses are initially recorded at cost and are not amortized.
Although FCC licenses are issued with a stated term (ten years
in the case of PCS licenses and fifteen years in the case of AWS
licenses), wireless licenses are considered to be
indefinite-lived intangible assets because the Company expects
its subsidiaries and joint ventures to provide wireless service
using the relevant licenses for the foreseeable future, PCS and
AWS licenses are routinely renewed for a nominal fee and
management has determined that no legal, regulatory,
contractual, competitive, economic or other factors currently
exist that limit the useful life of the Companys or its
consolidated joint ventures PCS and AWS licenses. On a
quarterly basis, the Company evaluates the remaining useful life
of its indefinite lived wireless licenses to determine whether
events and circumstances, such as any legal, regulatory,
contractual, competitive, economic or other factors, continue to
support an indefinite useful life. If a wireless license is
subsequently determined to have a finite useful life, the
Company tests the wireless license for impairment in accordance
with SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible
Assets, (SFAS 142). The wireless license
would then be amortized prospectively over its estimated
remaining useful life. In addition to its quarterly evaluation
of the indefinite useful lives of its wireless licenses, the
Company also tests its wireless licenses for impairment in
accordance with SFAS 142 on an annual basis. As of
June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the carrying
value of the Companys and its consolidated joint
ventures wireless licenses was $1.9 billion. Wireless
licenses to be disposed of by sale are carried at the lower of
carrying value or fair value less costs to sell. As of
June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, there were no
wireless licenses classified as assets held for sale.
Portions of the AWS spectrum that the Company and Denali License
purchased in Auction #66 are currently used by
U.S. federal government
and/or
incumbent commercial licensees. FCC rules require winning
bidders to
7
avoid interfering with these existing users or to clear the
incumbent users from the spectrum through specified relocation
procedures. The Companys and Denali Licenses
spectrum clearing costs are capitalized to wireless licenses as
incurred. During the three and six months ended June 30,
2008, the Company and Denali License incurred approximately
$1.8 million and $2.7 million, respectively, in
spectrum clearing costs. During the three and six months ended
June 30, 2007, the Company and Denali License incurred
approximately $0.4 million and $0.5 million,
respectively, in spectrum clearing costs.
Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities
The Company has entered into interest rate swap agreements with
respect to $355 million of its debt. These interest rate
swap agreements effectively fix the London Interbank Offered
Rate (LIBOR) interest rate on $150 million of
indebtedness at 8.3% and $105 million of indebtedness at
7.3% through June 2009 and $100 million of indebtedness at
8.0% through September 2010. The swap agreements were in a
liability position as of June 30, 2008 and
December 31, 2007 and had a fair value of $7.8 million
and $7.2 million, respectively. The Company enters into
these derivative contracts to manage its exposure to interest
rate changes by achieving a desired proportion of fixed rate
versus variable rate debt. In an interest rate swap, the Company
agrees to exchange with a counterparty the difference between a
variable interest rate and either a fixed or another variable
interest rate, multiplied by a notional principal amount. The
Company does not use derivative instruments for trading or other
speculative purposes.
The Company records all derivatives in other assets or other
liabilities on its condensed consolidated balance sheets at
their fair values. If the derivative is designated as a cash
flow hedge and the hedging relationship qualifies for hedge
accounting, the effective portion of the change in fair value of
the derivative is recorded in other comprehensive income (loss)
and is recorded as interest expense when the hedged debt affects
interest expense. The ineffective portion of the change in fair
value of the derivative qualifying for hedge accounting and
changes in the fair values of derivative instruments not
qualifying for hedge accounting are recognized in interest
expense in the period of the change.
At inception of the hedge and quarterly thereafter, the Company
performs a quantitative and qualitative assessment to determine
whether changes in the fair values or cash flows of the
derivatives are deemed highly effective in offsetting changes in
the fair values or cash flows of the hedged items. If at any
time subsequent to the inception of the hedge, the correlation
assessment indicates that the derivative is no longer highly
effective as a hedge, the Company discontinues hedge accounting
and recognizes all subsequent derivative gains and losses in
results of operations.
As a result of the amendment to the Companys senior
secured credit agreement (Credit Agreement) on
June 18, 2008, which among other things introduced a LIBOR
floor of 3.0% per annum, as more fully described in Note 6,
the Company de-designated its existing interest rate swap
agreements as cash flow hedges and discontinued its hedge
accounting for these interest rate swaps. The loss accumulated
in other comprehensive income (loss) on the date the Company
discontinued its hedge accounting totaled $8.7 million. The
Company will amortize this loss to interest expense, using the
swaplet method, over the remaining term of the respective
interest rate swap agreements. In addition, subsequent changes
in the fair value of the interest rate swaps will be recorded to
interest expense.
Investments
in Other Entities
The Company uses the equity method to account for investments in
common stock of corporations in which it has a voting interest
of between 20% and 50% or in which the Company otherwise has the
ability to exercise significant influence, and in limited
liability companies that maintain specific ownership accounts in
which it has more than a minor but not greater than a 50%
ownership interest. Under the equity method, the investment is
originally recorded at cost and is adjusted to recognize the
Companys share of net earnings or losses of the investee.
During the three and six months ended June 30, 2008, the
Companys share of its equity method investee losses was
$0.3 million and $1.4 million, respectively. No such
amounts were recorded during the three and six months ended
June 30, 2007 as the Company did not have any equity method
investments during those periods.
8
The Company regularly monitors and evaluates the realizable
value of its investments. When assessing an investment for an
other-than-temporary decline in value, the Company considers
such factors as, among other things, the performance of the
investee in relation to its business plan, the investees
revenue and cost trends, liquidity and cash position, market
acceptance of the investees products or services, any
significant news that has been released regarding the investee
and the outlook for the overall industry in which the investee
operates. If events and circumstances indicate that a decline in
the value of these assets has occurred and is
other-than-temporary, the Company records a reduction to the
carrying value of its investment and a corresponding charge to
the consolidated statements of operations.
Concentrations
The Company generally relies on one key vendor for billing
services, one key vendor for handset logistics and one key
vendor for its mobile broadband device. Loss or disruption of
these services could adversely affect the Companys
business.
The Company does not have a national network, and it must pay
fees to other carriers who provide the Company with roaming
services. Currently, the Company has roaming agreements with
several other carriers which allow its customers to roam on such
carriers networks. If it were unable to cost-effectively
provide roaming services to customers, the Companys
competitive position and business prospects could be adversely
affected.
Share-Based
Compensation
The Company accounts for share-based awards exchanged for
employee services in accordance with SFAS No. 123(R),
Share-Based Payment (SFAS 123(R)).
Under SFAS 123(R), share-based compensation expense is
measured at the grant date, based on the estimated fair value of
the award, and is recognized as expense, net of estimated
forfeitures, over the employees requisite service period.
Total share-based compensation expense related to all of the
Companys share-based awards for the three and six months
ended June 30, 2008 and 2007 was allocated to the condensed
consolidated statements of operations as follows (in thousands,
except per share data):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
|
|
|
Six Months
|
|
|
|
Ended June 30,
|
|
|
Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Cost of service
|
|
$
|
614
|
|
|
$
|
466
|
|
|
$
|
1,517
|
|
|
$
|
1,145
|
|
Selling and marketing expenses
|
|
|
1,179
|
|
|
|
560
|
|
|
|
2,534
|
|
|
|
1,561
|
|
General and administrative expenses
|
|
|
5,541
|
|
|
|
4,869
|
|
|
|
12,985
|
|
|
|
11,933
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share-based compensation expense
|
|
$
|
7,334
|
|
|
$
|
5,895
|
|
|
$
|
17,036
|
|
|
$
|
14,639
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Share-based compensation expense per share:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Basic
|
|
$
|
0.11
|
|
|
$
|
0.09
|
|
|
$
|
0.25
|
|
|
$
|
0.22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Diluted
|
|
$
|
0.11
|
|
|
$
|
0.09
|
|
|
$
|
0.25
|
|
|
$
|
0.22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income
Taxes
The computation of the Companys annual effective tax rate
includes a forecast of the Companys estimated
ordinary income (loss), which is its annual income
(loss) from continuing operations before tax, excluding unusual
or infrequently occurring (or discrete) items. Significant
management judgment is required in projecting the Companys
ordinary income (loss). The Companys projected ordinary
income tax expense for the full year 2008, which excludes the
effect of unusual or infrequently occurring (or discrete) items,
consists primarily of the deferred tax effect of the
amortization of wireless licenses and goodwill for income tax
purposes. Because the Companys projected 2008 income tax
expense is a relatively fixed amount, a small change in the
ordinary income (loss) projection can produce a significant
variance in the effective tax rate, and therefore it is
difficult to make a reliable estimate of the annual effective
tax rate. As a result and in accordance with paragraph 82
of FIN 18, Accounting for Income Taxes in Interim
Periods an interpretation of APB Opinion
No. 28 (FIN 18), the
9
Company has computed its provision for income taxes for the
three and six months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007 by
applying the actual effective tax rate to the year-to-date
income.
The Company calculates income taxes in each of the jurisdictions
in which it operates. This process involves calculating the
actual current tax expense and any deferred income tax expense
resulting from temporary differences arising from differing
treatments of items for tax and accounting purposes. These
temporary differences result in deferred tax assets and
liabilities. Deferred tax assets are also established for the
expected future tax benefits to be derived from net operating
loss carryforwards, capital loss carryforwards and income tax
credits.
The Company must then periodically assess the likelihood that
its deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable
income, which assessment requires significant judgment. To the
extent the Company believes it is more likely than not that its
deferred tax assets will not be recovered, it must establish a
valuation allowance. As part of this periodic assessment for the
three and six months ended June 30, 2008, the Company
weighed the positive and negative factors with respect to this
determination and, at this time, except with respect to the
realization of a $2.5 million Texas Margins Tax credit,
does not believe there is sufficient positive evidence and
sustained operating earnings to support a conclusion that it is
more likely than not that all or a portion of its deferred tax
assets will be realized. The Company will continue to closely
monitor the positive and negative factors to determine whether
its valuation allowance should be released. Deferred tax
liabilities associated with wireless licenses, tax goodwill and
investments in certain joint ventures cannot be considered a
source of taxable income to support the realization of deferred
tax assets because these deferred tax liabilities will not
reverse until some indefinite future period.
At such time as the Company determines that it is more likely
than not that all or a portion of the deferred tax assets are
realizable, the valuation allowance will be reduced. Pursuant to
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Statement of Position
No. 90-7,
Financial Reporting by Entities in Reorganization under
the Bankruptcy Code
(SOP 90-7),
up to $218.5 million in future decreases in the valuation
allowance established in fresh-start reporting will be accounted
for as a reduction of goodwill rather than as a reduction of
income tax expense if the valuation allowance decrease occurs
prior to January 1, 2009, the effective date of
SFAS No. 141 (revised 2007), Business
Combinations (SFAS 141(R)). Effective
January 1, 2009, SFAS 141(R) provides that any
reduction in the valuation allowance established in fresh-start
reporting be accounted for as a reduction to income tax expense.
In January 2007, the Company adopted the provisions of
FIN 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income
Taxes an interpretation of FASB Statement
No. 109 (FIN 48). At the date of
adoption, during 2007 and during the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008, the Companys unrecognized income tax
benefits and uncertain tax positions were not material. Interest
and penalties related to uncertain tax positions are recognized
by the Company as a component of income tax expense but were
immaterial on the date of adoption, during 2007 and during the
three and six months ended June 30, 2008. All of the
Companys tax years from 1998 to 2007 remain open to
examination by federal and state taxing authorities.
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
Comprehensive income (loss) consisted of the following (in
thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months
|
|
|
Six Months
|
|
|
|
Ended June 30,
|
|
|
Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
(26,069
|
)
|
|
$
|
9,638
|
|
|
$
|
(44,213
|
)
|
|
$
|
(14,586
|
)
|
Other comprehensive income (loss):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments, net of tax
|
|
|
715
|
|
|
|
16
|
|
|
|
806
|
|
|
|
(11
|
)
|
Unrealized gains (losses) on interest rate swaps
|
|
|
5,642
|
|
|
|
130
|
|
|
|
(1,250
|
)
|
|
|
(1,064
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comprehensive income (loss)
|
|
$
|
(19,712
|
)
|
|
$
|
9,784
|
|
|
$
|
(44,657
|
)
|
|
$
|
(15,661
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10
Components of accumulated other comprehensive loss consist of
the following (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Net unrealized holding losses on investments, net of tax
|
|
$
|
(651
|
)
|
|
$
|
(1,457
|
)
|
Unrealized losses on interest rate swaps
|
|
|
(8,468
|
)
|
|
|
(7,218
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
|
|
$
|
(9,119
|
)
|
|
$
|
(8,675
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS 141(R), which
expands the definition of a business and a business combination,
requires the fair value of the purchase price of an acquisition
(including the issuance of equity securities) to be determined
on the acquisition date and requires that all assets,
liabilities, contingent consideration, contingencies and
in-process research and development costs of an acquired
business be recorded at fair value at the acquisition date. In
addition, SFAS 141(R) requires that acquisition costs
generally be expensed as incurred, requires that restructuring
costs generally be expensed in periods subsequent to the
acquisition date and requires certain changes in accounting for
deferred tax asset valuation allowances and acquired income tax
uncertainties after the measurement period to impact income tax
expense. The Company will be required to adopt SFAS 141(R)
on January 1, 2009. The Company is currently evaluating
what impact SFAS 141(R) will have on its consolidated
financial statements; however, since the Company has significant
deferred tax assets recorded through fresh-start reporting for
which full valuation allowances were recorded as of its
emergence from bankruptcy, this standard could materially affect
the Companys results of operations if changes in the
valuation allowances occur once it adopts the standard.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160,
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial
Statements, an Amendment of ARB No. 51
(SFAS 160), which changes the accounting and
reporting for minority interests such that minority interests
will be recharacterized as noncontrolling interests and will be
required to be reported as a component of equity. In addition,
SFAS 160 requires that purchases or sales of equity
interests that do not result in a change in control be accounted
for as equity transactions and, upon a loss of control, requires
the interest sold, as well as any interest retained, be recorded
at fair value with any gain or loss recognized in earnings. The
Company will be required to adopt SFAS 160 on
January 1, 2009. The Company is currently evaluating what
impact SFAS 160 will have on its consolidated financial
statements.
In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161,
Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities (SFAS 161), which is intended
to help investors better understand how derivative instruments
and hedging activities affect an entitys financial
position, financial performance and cash flows through enhanced
disclosure requirements. The enhanced disclosures include, for
example, a tabular summary of the fair values of derivative
instruments and their gains and losses, disclosure of derivative
features that are credit-risk-related to provide more
information regarding an entitys liquidity and
cross-referencing within footnotes to make it easier to locate
important information about derivative instruments. The Company
will be required to adopt SFAS 161 on January 1, 2009.
The Company is currently evaluating what impact SFAS 161
will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In May 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 162, The
Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
(SFAS 162), which identifies the sources of
accounting principles and the framework for selecting principles
used in the preparation of financial statements of
nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles in the United States
(GAAP). SFAS 162 emphasizes that an
organizations management and not its auditors has the
responsibility to follow GAAP and categorizes sources of
accounting principles that are generally accepted in descending
order of authority. The Company will be required to adopt
SFAS 162 within 60 days following the Securities and
Exchange Commissions (SEC) approval of the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board amendments to AU
Section 411, The Meaning of Present Fairly in
Conformity With Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
SFAS 162 will not have an impact on the Companys
consolidated financial statements.
11
|
|
Note 3.
|
Supplementary
Balance Sheet Information (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Other current assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts receivable, net(1)
|
|
$
|
20,431
|
|
|
$
|
21,158
|
|
Prepaid expenses
|
|
|
28,349
|
|
|
|
16,076
|
|
Other
|
|
|
959
|
|
|
|
865
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
49,739
|
|
|
$
|
38,099
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Property and equipment, net(2):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Network equipment
|
|
$
|
1,717,189
|
|
|
$
|
1,421,648
|
|
Computer equipment and other
|
|
|
204,673
|
|
|
|
184,224
|
|
Construction-in-progress
|
|
|
379,351
|
|
|
|
341,742
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,301,213
|
|
|
|
1,947,614
|
|
Accumulated depreciation
|
|
|
(759,290
|
)
|
|
|
(630,957
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
1,541,923
|
|
|
$
|
1,316,657
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trade accounts payable
|
|
$
|
173,752
|
|
|
$
|
109,781
|
|
Accrued payroll and related benefits
|
|
|
41,450
|
|
|
|
41,048
|
|
Other accrued liabilities
|
|
|
74,787
|
|
|
|
74,906
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
289,989
|
|
|
$
|
225,735
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other current liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deferred service revenue(3)
|
|
$
|
52,035
|
|
|
$
|
45,387
|
|
Deferred equipment revenue(4)
|
|
|
15,270
|
|
|
|
14,615
|
|
Accrued sales, telecommunications, property and other taxes
payable
|
|
|
26,414
|
|
|
|
20,903
|
|
Accrued interest
|
|
|
18,186
|
|
|
|
18,508
|
|
Other
|
|
|
15,341
|
|
|
|
15,395
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
127,246
|
|
|
$
|
114,808
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Accounts receivable consists primarily of amounts billed to
third-party dealers for handsets and accessories. |
|
(2) |
|
As of June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007,
approximately $52.9 million and $49.5 million,
respectively, of gross assets were held by the Company under
capital lease arrangements. Accumulated amortization relating to
these assets totaled $9.6 million and $5.6 million as
of June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. |
|
(3) |
|
Deferred service revenue consists primarily of cash received
from customers in advance of their service period. |
|
(4) |
|
Deferred equipment revenue relates to handsets and accessories
sold to third-party dealers. |
|
|
Note 4.
|
Basic and
Diluted Earnings (Loss) Per Share
|
Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net
income (loss) by the weighted-average number of common shares
outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is
computed by dividing net income by the sum of the
weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the
period and the weighted-average number of dilutive common share
equivalents outstanding during the period, using the treasury
stock method and the if-converted method, where applicable.
Dilutive common share equivalents are comprised of stock
options, restricted stock awards, employee stock purchase
rights, warrants and convertible senior notes.
12
The Company incurred losses for the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008 and for the six months ended June 30,
2007; therefore, 8.2 million common share equivalents were
excluded in computing diluted earnings (loss) per share for each
of the three and six months ended June 30, 2008, and
4.8 million common share equivalents were excluded in
computing diluted earnings (loss) per share for the six months
ended June 30, 2007. For the three months ended
June 30, 2007, the number of common share equivalents not
included in the computation of diluted earnings per share,
because the effect of their inclusion would have been
antidilutive, totaled 0.6 million.
|
|
Note 5.
|
Fair
Value of Financial Instruments
|
The Company has categorized its financial assets and liabilities
measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy in
accordance with SFAS 157. Financial assets and liabilities
measured at fair value using quoted prices in active markets for
identical assets or liabilities are generally categorized as
Level 1 assets and liabilities, financial assets and
liabilities measured at fair value using observable market-based
inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market
data for similar assets or liabilities are generally categorized
as Level 2 assets and liabilities and financial assets and
liabilities measured at fair value using unobservable inputs
that cannot be corroborated by market data are generally
categorized as Level 3 assets and liabilities. The lowest
level input that is significant to the fair value measurement of
a financial asset or liability is used to categorize the asset
or liability and reflects the judgment of management. Financial
assets and liabilities presented at fair value in the
Companys condensed consolidated balance sheets are
generally categorized as follows:
|
|
|
Level 1
|
|
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities. The Company does not have Level 1 assets or
liabilities as of June 30, 2008.
|
Level 2
|
|
Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted
prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in
markets that are not active or other inputs that are observable
or can be corroborated by observable market data for
substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. The
Companys Level 2 assets and liabilities include its cash
equivalents, its short-term investments in obligations of the
U.S. government and investment grade fixed-income securities
that are guaranteed by U.S. government agencies, a majority
of its short-term investments in commercial paper and its
interest rate swaps.
|
Level 3
|
|
Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market
activity and that are significant to the fair value of the
assets or liabilities. Such assets and liabilities may have
values determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow
methodologies, or similar techniques, and include instruments
for which the determination of fair value requires significant
management judgment or estimation. The Companys Level 3
assets include certain of its short-term investments in
asset-backed commercial paper.
|
The following table sets forth by level within the fair value
hierarchy the Companys financial assets and liabilities
that were recorded at fair value as of June 30, 2008. As
required by SFAS 157, financial assets and liabilities are
classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input
that is significant to the fair value measurement. Thus, a
Level 3 fair value measurement may include inputs that are
observable (Levels 1 and 2) and unobservable
(Level 3). The Companys assessment of the
significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement
requires judgment and may affect the valuation of financial
assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value
hierarchy levels.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At Fair Value as of June 30, 2008
|
|
|
|
Level 1
|
|
|
Level 2
|
|
|
Level 3
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
(In thousands)
|
|
|
Assets:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
213,162
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
213,162
|
|
Short-term investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
279,870
|
|
|
|
9,933
|
|
|
|
289,803
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
493,032
|
|
|
$
|
9,933
|
|
|
$
|
502,965
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest rate swaps
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
7,802
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
7,802
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
7,802
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
7,802
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
The following table provides a summary of the changes in the
fair value of the Companys Level 3 assets
(in thousands).
|
|
|
|
|
Beginning balance, December 31, 2007
|
|
$
|
16,200
|
|
Total gains (losses) (realized/unrealized):
|
|
|
|
|
Included in earnings
|
|
$
|
(4,925
|
)
|
Included in other comprehensive income (loss)
|
|
|
933
|
|
Purchases, issuances and settlements
|
|
|
(2,275
|
)
|
Transfers in (out) of Level 3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ending balance, June 30, 2008
|
|
$
|
9,933
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The realized losses included in earnings in the table above are
presented in other expense, net in the condensed consolidated
statements of operations and relate to assets still held by the
Company as of June 30, 2008.
Cash
Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
The fair value of the Companys cash equivalents,
short-term investments in obligations of the
U.S. government and investment grade fixed-income
securities that are guaranteed by U.S. government agencies
and a majority of its short-term investments in commercial paper
is determined using observable market-based inputs for similar
assets, primarily yield curves and time to maturity factors, and
therefore such investments are considered to be Level 2
items. The fair value of certain of the Companys
investments in asset-backed commercial paper is determined using
primarily unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by
market data, primarily ABX and monoline indices and a valuation
model that considers a liquidity factor that is subjective in
nature, and therefore such investments are considered to be
Level 3 items.
Through its non-controlled consolidated subsidiary Denali, the
Company held investments in asset-backed commercial paper for
which the fair value was determined using the Level 3
inputs described above. These investments were purchased as
highly rated investment grade securities. These securities,
which are collateralized, in part, by residential mortgages,
have declined in value since December 31, 2007. As a
result, during the six months ended June 30, 2008, the
Company recognized an other-than-temporary impairment loss of
approximately $4.9 million related to these investments in
asset-backed commercial paper to bring the net carrying value of
such investments to $9.9 million and to bring the
cumulative other-than-temporary impairment loss recognized to
approximately $10.4 million as of June 30, 2008. In
July 2008, Denali received a $4.3 million cash settlement
for one of its investments in asset-backed commercial paper.
This security had a par value of $9.3 million and a book
value of $4.5 million as of June 30, 2008. As a
result, the carrying value and par value of the remaining
investment in asset-backed commercial paper was
$5.4 million and $10.0 million, respectively, as of
June 30, 2008. Future volatility and uncertainty in the
financial markets could result in additional losses.
Interest
Rate Swaps
As more fully described in Note 2, the Companys
interest rate swaps effectively fix the LIBOR interest rate
(subject to the LIBOR floor of 3.0% per annum, as more fully
described in Note 6) on a portion of its floating rate
debt. The fair value of the Companys interest rate swaps
is primarily determined using LIBOR spreads, which are
significant observable inputs that can be corroborated, and
therefore such swaps are considered to be Level 2 items.
SFAS 157 states that the fair value measurement of a
liability must reflect the nonperformance risk of the entity.
Therefore, the impact of the Companys creditworthiness has
been considered in the fair value measurement of the interest
rate swaps.
Long-Term
Debt
The Company continues to report its long-term debt obligations
at amortized cost; however, for disclosure purposes, the Company
is required to measure the fair value of outstanding debt on a
recurring basis. The fair value of the Companys
outstanding long-term debt is determined using quoted prices in
active markets and was
14
$2,458 million as of June 30, 2008. The carrying
values of LCW Operations term loans approximate their fair
values due to the floating rates of interest on such loans.
Long-term debt as of June 30, 2008 and December 31,
2007 was comprised of the following (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
December 31,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Term loans under senior secured credit facilities
|
|
$
|
921,500
|
|
|
$
|
926,500
|
|
Unamortized deferred lender fees
|
|
|
(5,064
|
)
|
|
|
(1,898
|
)
|
Senior notes
|
|
|
1,400,000
|
|
|
|
1,100,000
|
|
Unamortized premium on $350 million senior notes due 2014
|
|
|
18,700
|
|
|
|
19,800
|
|
Convertible senior notes
|
|
|
250,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,585,136
|
|
|
|
2,044,402
|
|
Current maturities of long-term debt
|
|
|
(12,000
|
)
|
|
|
(10,500
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
2,573,136
|
|
|
$
|
2,033,902
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Senior
Secured Credit Facilities
Cricket
Communications
The senior secured credit facility under the Companys
Credit Agreement consists of a six-year $895.5 million term
loan and a $200 million revolving credit facility. As of
June 30, 2008, the outstanding indebtedness under the term
loan was $882.0 million. Outstanding borrowings under the
term loan must be repaid in 22 quarterly payments of
$2.25 million each (which commenced on March 31,
2007) followed by four quarterly payments of
$211.5 million (which commence on September 30, 2012).
On June 18, 2008, the Company amended the Credit Agreement,
among other things, to:
|
|
|
|
|
increase the size of the permitted unsecured debt basket under
the Credit Agreement from $1.2 billion to
$1.65 billion plus $1.00 for every $1.00 of cash proceeds
from the issuance of new common equity by Leap, up to
$200 million in the aggregate;
|
|
|
|
increase the add-back to consolidated earnings before interest,
taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) for
operating losses in new markets from $75 million to
$100 million, and extend the period in which such add-back
applies until December 31, 2011. For purposes of
calculating the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio under
the Credit Agreement, an additional $125 million in new
market operating losses can be added back to consolidated EBITDA
through December 31, 2009;
|
|
|
|
exclude up to $125 million of capital expenditures made in
connection with the expansion of network coverage, capability
and capacity in markets in existence as of December 31,
2007 from the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio
calculation through December 31, 2009;
|
|
|
|
increase the baskets under the Credit Agreement for capital
lease and purchase money security interests from
$150 million to $250 million;
|
|
|
|
increase the baskets under the Credit Agreement for letters of
credit from $15 million to $30 million;
|
|
|
|
exclude qualified preferred stock from the definition of
indebtedness under the Credit Agreement and make certain other
amendments to facilitate the issuance by Leap of qualified
preferred stock;
|
|
|
|
establish that, if Cricket enters into an incremental facility
for term loans or a revolving credit facility with an effective
interest rate or weighted average yield (taking into account
factors such as any interest rate floor, call protection,
original issue discount and lender fees) that is higher than the
then-existing interest rate for the existing term loans or
revolving credit facility, as applicable, under the Credit
Agreement, then the
|
15
|
|
|
|
|
interest rate for the existing term loans or revolving credit
facility, as applicable, shall be increased to match the
effective interest rate or weighted average yield of such
incremental facility;
|
|
|
|
|
|
cap any new incremental facilities under the Credit Agreement at
$400 million in the aggregate;
|
|
|
|
increase the applicable rate spread on the term loans and
revolving credit facility under the Credit Agreement by
50 basis points, and set a floor on the LIBOR under the
Credit Agreement of 3.0% per annum; and
|
|
|
|
include a prepayment (or repayment) premium on the term loans of
2.0% on any principal amount prepaid (or repaid) prior to the
first anniversary of the date of the amendment and 1.0% on any
principal amount prepaid (or repaid) on or after the first
anniversary but prior to the second anniversary of the date of
amendment (other than prepayments in respect of extraordinary
receipts).
|
In connection with the execution of the Credit Agreement
amendment, the Company paid a fee equal to 50 basis points
on the aggregate principal amount of the commitments and loans
of each lender that executed the amendment.
Under the Credit Agreement, as amended, the term loan bears
interest at LIBOR plus 3.50% (subject to the LIBOR floor of 3.0%
per annum) or the bank base rate plus 2.50%, as selected by
Cricket. These interest rates represent an increase of
50 basis points from the rates applicable to the term loan
immediately prior to the amendment.
At June 30, 2008, the effective interest rate on the term
loan was 7.3%, including the effect of interest rate swaps, as
more fully described in Note 2. The terms of the Credit
Agreement require the Company to enter into interest rate swap
agreements in a sufficient amount so that at least 50% of the
Companys outstanding indebtedness for borrowed money bears
interest at a fixed rate. The Company was in compliance with
this requirement as of June 30, 2008.
Outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility, to
the extent that there are any borrowings, are due in June 2011.
As of June 30, 2008, the revolving credit facility was
undrawn; however, approximately $3.9 million of letters of
credit were issued under the Credit Agreement and were
considered as usage of the revolving credit facility, as more
fully described in Note 8. The commitment of the lenders
under the revolving credit facility may be reduced in the event
mandatory prepayments are required under the Credit Agreement.
The commitment fee on the revolving credit facility is payable
quarterly at a rate of between 0.25% and 0.50% per annum,
depending on the Companys consolidated senior secured
leverage ratio, and the rate is currently 0.25%. As of
June 30, 2008, borrowings under the revolving credit
facility would have accrued interest at LIBOR plus 3.25%
(subject to the LIBOR floor of 3.0% per annum), or the bank base
rate plus 2.25%, as selected by Cricket.
The facilities under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Leap
and all of its direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries (other
than Cricket, which is the primary obligor, and LCW Wireless and
Denali and their respective subsidiaries) and are secured by
substantially all of the present and future personal property
and real property owned by Leap, Cricket and such direct and
indirect domestic subsidiaries. Under the Credit Agreement, the
Company is subject to certain limitations, including limitations
on its ability to: incur additional debt or sell assets, with
restrictions on the use of proceeds; make certain investments
and acquisitions; grant liens; pay dividends; and make certain
other restricted payments. In addition, the Company will be
required to pay down the facilities under certain circumstances
if it issues debt, sells assets or property, receives certain
extraordinary receipts or generates excess cash flow (as defined
in the Credit Agreement). The Company is also subject to a
financial covenant with respect to a maximum consolidated senior
secured leverage ratio and, if a revolving credit loan or
uncollateralized letter of credit is outstanding or requested,
with respect to a minimum consolidated interest coverage ratio,
a maximum consolidated leverage ratio and a minimum consolidated
fixed charge coverage ratio. In addition to investments in the
Denali joint venture, the Credit Agreement allows the Company to
invest up to $85 million in LCW Wireless and its
subsidiaries and up to $150 million plus an amount equal to
an available cash flow basket in other joint ventures, and
allows the Company to provide limited guarantees for the benefit
of Denali, LCW Wireless and other joint ventures. The Company
was in compliance with these covenants as of June 30, 2008.
The Credit Agreement also prohibits the occurrence of a change
of control, which includes the acquisition of beneficial
ownership of 35% or more of Leaps equity securities, a
change in a majority of the members of Leaps
16
board of directors that is not approved by the board and the
occurrence of a change of control under any of the
Companys other credit instruments.
Affiliates of Highland Capital Management, L.P. (an affiliate of
James D. Dondero, a former director of Leap) participated in the
syndication of the term loan in an amount equal to
$222.9 million. Additionally, Highland Capital Management
continues to hold a $40 million commitment under the
$200 million revolving credit facility.
LCW
Operations
LCW Operations has a senior secured credit agreement consisting
of two term loans for $40 million in the aggregate. The
loans bear interest at LIBOR plus the applicable margin ranging
from 2.7% to 6.3%. At June 30, 2008, the effective interest
rate on the term loans was 7.1%, and the outstanding
indebtedness was $39.5 million. LCW Operations has entered
into an interest rate cap agreement which effectively caps the
three month LIBOR interest rate at 7.0% on $20 million of
its outstanding borrowings through October 2011. The obligations
under the loans are guaranteed by LCW Wireless and LCW Wireless
License, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of LCW Operations) and
are non-recourse to Leap, Cricket and their other subsidiaries.
Outstanding borrowings under the term loans must be repaid in
varying quarterly installments, which commenced in June 2008,
with an aggregate final payment of $24.5 million due in
June 2011. Under the senior secured credit agreement, LCW
Operations and the guarantors are subject to certain
limitations, including limitations on their ability to: incur
additional debt or sell assets, with restrictions on the use of
proceeds; make certain investments and acquisitions; grant
liens; pay dividends; and make certain other restricted
payments. In addition, LCW Operations will be required to pay
down the facilities under certain circumstances if it or the
guarantors issue debt, sell assets or generate excess cash flow.
The senior secured credit agreement requires that LCW Operations
and the guarantors comply with financial covenants related to
EBITDA, gross additions of subscribers, minimum cash and cash
equivalents and maximum capital expenditures, among other
things. LCW Operations was in compliance with these covenants as
of June 30, 2008.
Senior
Notes
Senior
Notes Due 2014
In 2006, Cricket issued $750 million of 9.375% unsecured
senior notes due 2014 in a private placement to institutional
buyers, which were exchanged in 2007 for identical notes that
had been registered with the SEC. In June 2007, Cricket issued
an additional $350 million of 9.375% unsecured senior notes
due 2014 in a private placement to institutional buyers at an
issue price of 106% of the principal amount, which were
exchanged in June 2008 for identical notes that had been
registered with the SEC. These notes are all treated as a single
class and have identical terms. The $21 million premium the
Company received in connection with the issuance of the second
tranche of notes has been recorded in long-term debt in the
condensed consolidated financial statements and is being
amortized as a reduction to interest expense over the term of
the notes. At June 30, 2008, the effective interest rate on
the $350 million of senior notes was 8.7%, which includes
the effect of the premium amortization and excludes the effect
of the additional interest that has been accrued in connection
with the delay in the exchange of the notes, as more fully
described below.
The notes bear interest at the rate of 9.375% per year, payable
semi-annually in cash in arrears, which interest payments
commenced in May 2007. The notes are guaranteed on an unsecured
senior basis by Leap and each of its existing and future
domestic subsidiaries (other than Cricket, which is the issuer
of the notes, and LCW Wireless and Denali and their respective
subsidiaries) that guarantee indebtedness for money borrowed of
Leap, Cricket or any subsidiary guarantor. The notes and the
guarantees are Leaps, Crickets and the
guarantors general senior unsecured obligations and rank
equally in right of payment with all of Leaps,
Crickets and the guarantors existing and future
unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness. The notes and the
guarantees are effectively junior to Leaps, Crickets
and the guarantors existing and future secured
obligations, including those under the Credit Agreement, to the
extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations, as
well as to future liabilities of Leaps and Crickets
subsidiaries that are not guarantors, and of LCW Wireless and
Denali and their respective subsidiaries. In addition, the notes
and the guarantees are senior in right of payment to any of
Leaps, Crickets and the guarantors future
subordinated indebtedness.
17
Prior to November 1, 2009, Cricket may redeem up to 35% of
the aggregate principal amount of the notes at a redemption
price of 109.375% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued
and unpaid interest and additional interest, if any, thereon to
the redemption date, from the net cash proceeds of specified
equity offerings. Prior to November 1, 2010, Cricket may
redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price
equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the
applicable premium and any accrued and unpaid interest, if any,
thereon to the redemption date. The applicable premium is
calculated as the greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal
amount of such notes and (ii) the excess of (a) the
present value at such date of redemption of (1) the
redemption price of such notes at November 1, 2010 plus
(2) all remaining required interest payments due on such
notes through November 1, 2010 (excluding accrued but
unpaid interest to the date of redemption), computed using a
discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis
points, over (b) the principal amount of such notes. The
notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time on or
after November 1, 2010, at a redemption price of 104.688%
and 102.344% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed during
the twelve months ending October 31, 2011 and 2012,
respectively, or at 100% of the principal amount if redeemed
during the twelve months ending October 31, 2013 or
thereafter, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to
the redemption date.
If a change of control occurs (which includes the
acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of
Leaps equity securities, a sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a
change in a majority of the members of Leaps board of
directors that is not approved by the board), each holder of the
notes may require Cricket to repurchase all of such
holders notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the
principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest,
if any, thereon to the repurchase date.
In connection with the private placement of the
$350 million of additional senior notes, the Company
entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial
purchasers of the notes in which the Company agreed to file a
registration statement with the SEC to permit the holders to
exchange or resell the notes. The Company was required to use
reasonable best efforts to file such registration statement
within 150 days after the issuance of the notes, have the
registration statement declared effective within 270 days
after the issuance of the notes and then consummate any exchange
offer within 30 business days after the effective date of the
registration statement. In the event that the registration
statement was not filed or declared effective or the exchange
offer was not consummated within these deadlines, the agreement
provided that additional interest would accrue on the principal
amount of the notes at a rate of 0.50% per annum during the
90-day
period immediately following the first to occur of these events
and would increase by 0.50% per annum at the end of each
subsequent
90-day
period until all such defaults were cured, but in no event would
the penalty rate exceed 1.50% per annum. There were no other
alternative settlement methods and, other than the 1.50% per
annum maximum penalty rate, the agreement contained no limit on
the maximum potential amount of penalty interest that could be
paid in the event the Company did not meet the registration
statement filing requirements. Due to the Companys
restatement of its historical consolidated financial results
during the fourth quarter of 2007, the Company was unable to
file the registration statement within 150 days after
issuance of the notes. The Company filed the registration
statement on March 28, 2008, which was declared effective
on May 19, 2008, and consummated the exchange offer on
June 20, 2008. Due to the delay in filing the registration
statement and having it declared effective, the Company paid
approximately $1.3 million of additional interest on
May 1, 2008 and has accrued the remaining additional
interest expense payable of approximately $0.3 million as
of June 30, 2008.
Convertible
Senior Notes Due 2014
On June 25, 2008, Leap issued $250 million of
unsecured convertible senior notes due 2014 in a private
placement to institutional buyers. The notes bear interest at
the rate of 4.50% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in
arrears commencing in January 2009. The notes are Leaps
general unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of
payment with all of Leaps existing and future senior
unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to all
indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the notes.
The notes are structurally subordinated to the existing and
future claims of Leaps subsidiaries creditors,
including under the Credit Agreement and the senior notes
described above and below. The notes are effectively junior to
all of Leaps existing and future secured obligations,
including those under the Credit Agreement, to the extent of the
value of the assets securing such obligations.
18
Holders may convert their notes into shares of Leap common stock
at any time on or prior to the third scheduled trading day prior
to the maturity date of the notes, July 15, 2014. If, at
the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of
Leaps common stock is less than or equal to approximately
$93.21 per share, the notes will be convertible into
10.7290 shares of Leap common stock per $1,000 principal
amount of the notes (referred to as the base conversion
rate), subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of
certain events. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable
stock price of Leaps common stock exceeds approximately
$93.21 per share, the conversion rate will be determined
pursuant to a formula based on the base conversion rate and an
incremental share factor of 8.3150 shares per $1,000
principal amount of the notes, subject to adjustment.
Leap may be required to repurchase all outstanding notes in cash
at a repurchase price of 100% of the principal amount of the
notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the
repurchase date if (1) any person acquires beneficial
ownership, directly or indirectly, of shares of Leaps
capital stock that would entitle the person to exercise 50% or
more of the total voting power of all of Leaps capital
stock entitled to vote in the election of directors,
(2) Leap (i) merges or consolidates with or into any
other person, another person merges with or into Leap, or Leap
conveys, sells, transfers or leases all or substantially all of
its assets to another person or (ii) engages in any
recapitalization, reclassification or other transaction in which
all or substantially all of Leaps common stock is
exchanged for or converted into cash, securities or other
property, in each case subject to limitations and excluding in
the case of (1) and (2) any merger or consolidation where at
least 90% of the consideration consists of shares of common
stock traded on NYSE, ASE or NASDAQ, (3) a majority of the
members of Leaps board of directors ceases to consist of
individuals who were directors on the date of original issuance
of the notes or whose election or nomination for election was
previously approved by the board of directors, (4) Leap is
liquidated or dissolved or holders of common stock approve any
plan or proposal for its liquidation or dissolution or
(5) shares of Leaps common stock are not listed for
trading on any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global
Market or the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any of their
respective successors). Leap may not redeem the notes at its
option.
In connection with the private placement of the convertible
senior notes, the Company entered into a registration rights
agreement with the initial purchasers of the notes in which the
Company agreed, under certain circumstances, to use commercially
reasonable efforts to cause a shelf registration statement
covering the resale of the notes and the common stock issuable
upon conversion of the notes to be declared effective by the SEC
and to pay additional interest if such registration obligations
are not performed. In the event that the Company does not comply
with such obligations, the agreement provides that additional
interest will accrue on the principal amount of the notes at a
rate of 0.25% per annum during the
90-day
period immediately following a registration default and will
increase to 0.50% per annum beginning on the
91st day
of the registration default until all such defaults have been
cured. There are no other alternative settlement methods and,
other than the 0.50% per annum maximum penalty rate, the
agreement contains no limit on the maximum potential amount of
penalty interest that could be paid in the event the Company
does not meet the registration statement filing requirements.
However, the Companys obligation to file, have declared
effective or maintain the effectiveness of a shelf registration
statement (and pay additional interest) is suspended to the
extent and during the periods that the notes are eligible to be
transferred without registration under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the Securities Act) by a person
who is not an affiliate of the Company (and has not been an
affiliate for the 90 days preceding such transfer) pursuant
to Rule 144 under the Securities Act without any volume or
manner of sale restrictions. The Company did not issue any of
the convertible senior notes to any of its affiliates. As a
result, the Company currently expects that prior to the time by
which the Company would be required to file and have declared
effective a shelf registration statement covering the resale of
the convertible senior notes that the notes will be eligible to
be transferred without registration pursuant to Rule 144
without any volume or manner of sale restrictions. Accordingly,
the Company does not believe that the payment of additional
interest is probable, and therefore no related liability has
been recorded in the condensed consolidated financial statements.
Senior
Notes Due 2015
On June 25, 2008, Cricket issued $300 million of 10.0%
unsecured senior notes due 2015 in a private placement to
institutional buyers. The notes bear interest at the rate of
10.0% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears
commencing in January 2009. The notes are guaranteed on an
unsecured senior basis by Leap and
19
each of its existing and future domestic subsidiaries (other
than Cricket, which is the issuer of the notes, and LCW Wireless
and Denali and their respective subsidiaries) that guarantee
indebtedness for money borrowed of Leap, Cricket or any
subsidiary guarantor. The notes and the guarantees are
Leaps, Crickets and the guarantors general
senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of
payment with all of Leaps, Crickets and the
guarantors existing and future unsubordinated unsecured
indebtedness. The notes and the guarantees are effectively
junior to Leaps, Crickets and the guarantors
existing and future secured obligations, including those under
the Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the assets
securing such obligations, as well as to future liabilities of
Leaps and Crickets subsidiaries that are not
guarantors, and of LCW Wireless and Denali and their respective
subsidiaries. In addition, the notes and the guarantees are
senior in right of payment to any of Leaps, Crickets
and the guarantors future subordinated indebtedness.
Prior to July 15, 2011, Cricket may redeem up to 35% of the
aggregate principal amount of the notes at a redemption price of
110.0% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid
interest and additional interest, if any, thereon to the
redemption date, from the net cash proceeds of specified equity
offerings. Prior to July 15, 2012, Cricket may redeem the
notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100%
of the principal amount thereof plus the applicable premium and
any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the
redemption date. The applicable premium is calculated as the
greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of such notes
and (ii) the excess of (a) the present value at such
date of redemption of (1) the redemption price of such
notes at July 15, 2012 plus (2) all remaining required
interest payments due on such notes through July 15, 2012
(excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the date of
redemption), computed using a discount rate equal to the
Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, over (b) the
principal amount of such notes. The notes may be redeemed, in
whole or in part, at any time on or after July 15, 2012, at
a redemption price of 105.0% and 102.5% of the principal amount
thereof if redeemed during the twelve months ending
July 15, 2012 and 2013, respectively, or at 100% of the
principal amount if redeemed during the twelve months ending
July 15, 2014 or thereafter, plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date.
If a change of control occurs (which includes the
acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of
Leaps equity securities, a sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a
change in a majority of the members of Leaps board of
directors that is not approved by the board), each holder of the
notes may require Cricket to repurchase all of such
holders notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the
principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest,
if any, thereon to the repurchase date.
In connection with the private placement of these senior notes,
the Company entered into a registration rights agreement with
the initial purchasers of the notes in which the Company agreed,
under certain circumstances, to use its reasonable best efforts
to offer registered notes in exchange for the notes or to cause
a shelf registration statement covering the resale of the notes
to be declared effective by the SEC and to pay additional
interest if such registration obligations are not performed. In
the event that the Company does not comply with such
obligations, the agreement provides that additional interest
will accrue on the principal amount of the notes at a rate of
0.50% per annum during the
90-day
period immediately following a registration default and will
increase by 0.50% per annum at the end of each subsequent
90-day
period until all such defaults are cured, but in no event will
the penalty rate exceed 1.50% per annum. There are no other
alternative settlement methods and, other than the 1.50% per
annum maximum penalty rate, the agreement contains no limit on
the maximum potential amount of penalty interest that could be
paid in the event the Company does not meet these requirements.
However, the Companys obligation to file, have declared
effective or maintain the effectiveness of a registration
statement for an exchange offer or a shelf registration
statement (and pay additional interest) is only triggered to the
extent that the notes are not eligible to be transferred without
registration under the Securities Act by a person who is not an
affiliate of the Company (and has not been an affiliate for the
90 days preceding such transfer) pursuant to Rule 144
under the Securities Act without any volume or manner of sale
restrictions. The Company did not issue any of the senior notes
to any of its affiliates. As a result, the Company currently
expects that prior to the time by which the Company would be
required to file and have declared effective a registration
statement for an exchange offer or a shelf registration
statement covering the senior notes that the notes will be
eligible to be transferred without registration pursuant to
Rule 144 without any volume or manner of sale restrictions.
Accordingly, the Company does not believe that the payment of
additional interest is probable, and therefore no related
liability has been recorded in the condensed consolidated
financial statements.
20
|
|
Note 7.
|
Significant
Acquisitions and Dispositions
|
On April 1, 2008, the Company completed the purchase of
Hargray Communications Groups wireless subsidiary, Hargray
Wireless, LLC (Hargray Wireless), for approximately
$31.8 million, including acquisition-related costs of
$0.6 million. Hargray Wireless owns a 15 MHz wireless
license covering approximately 0.8 million potential
customers and operates a wireless business in Georgia and South
Carolina, which complements the Companys existing market
in Charleston, South Carolina. On April 3, 2008, Hargray
Wireless became a guarantor under the Credit Agreement and the
indenture governing Crickets senior notes due 2014.
Hargray Wireless is also a guarantor under the indenture
governing Crickets senior notes due 2015.
The Company has not presented pro forma financial information
reflecting the effects of the business combination because the
effects of such are not material. During the three months ended
June 30, 2008, the Company valued the assets and
liabilities it acquired in the acquisition of Hargray Wireless.
The acquisition was accounted for under the purchase method of
accounting whereby the net tangible and intangible assets
acquired and liabilities assumed were recorded at their fair
values at the date of acquisition. The allocation of the
purchase price to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed
based on their estimated fair values was as follows (in
thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Value
|
|
|
Total purchase price
|
|
$
|
31,780
|
|
Tangible net assets acquired
|
|
$
|
7,277
|
|
Finite-lived intangible assets acquired
|
|
|
7,512
|
|
Indefinite-lived intangible assets acquired
|
|
|
10,042
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
6,949
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets acquired
|
|
$
|
31,780
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The purchase price exceeds the fair market value of the net
identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired due to the
Companys expectation of strategic and financial benefits
associated with a larger customer base and expanded network
coverage area.
Finite-lived intangible assets include amounts recognized for
the fair value of customer relationships. The customer
relationships will be amortized on an accelerated basis over a
useful life of up to four years. Indefinite-lived intangible
assets include amounts recognized for the fair value of a
wireless license. Consistent with the Companys policy
regarding the useful lives of its wireless licenses, the
wireless license acquired has an indefinite useful life.
In addition, on May 22, 2008, the Company completed its
exchange of certain disaggregated spectrum with Sprint Nextel.
An aggregate of 20 MHz of disaggregated spectrum under
certain of the Companys existing PCS licenses in
Tennessee, Georgia and Arkansas was exchanged for an aggregate
of 30 MHz of disaggregated and partitioned spectrum in New
Jersey and Mississippi owned by Sprint Nextel. The fair value of
the assets exchanged was approximately $8.1 million, and
the Company recognized a non-monetary gain of approximately
$1.3 million upon the closing of the transaction.
|
|
Note 8.
|
Commitments
and Contingencies
|
Patent
Litigation
On June 14, 2006, the Company sued MetroPCS Communications,
Inc. (MetroPCS) in the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, for
infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,813,497 entitled
Method for Providing Wireless Communication Services and
Network and System for Delivering Same. The Companys
complaint seeks damages and an injunction against continued
infringement. On August 3, 2006, MetroPCS (i) answered
the complaint, (ii) raised a number of affirmative
defenses, and (iii) together with certain related entities
(referred to, collectively with MetroPCS, as the MetroPCS
entities), counterclaimed against Leap, Cricket, numerous
Cricket subsidiaries, Denali License, and current and former
employees of Leap and Cricket, including the Companys
chief executive officer, S. Douglas Hutcheson. MetroPCS has
since amended its complaint and Denali License has been
dismissed, without prejudice, as a counterclaim defendant. The
21
countersuit now alleges claims for breach of contract,
misappropriation, conversion and disclosure of trade secrets,
fraud, misappropriation of confidential information and breach
of confidential relationship, relating to information allegedly
provided by MetroPCS to such employees, including prior to their
employment by Leap, and asks the court to award attorneys fees
and damages (including punitive damages), impose an injunction
enjoining the Company from participating in any auctions or
sales of wireless spectrum, impose a constructive trust on the
Companys business and assets for the benefit of the
MetroPCS entities, transfer the Companys business and
assets to MetroPCS, and declare that the MetroPCS entities have
not infringed U.S. Patent No. 6,813,497 and that such
patent is invalid. MetroPCSs claims allege that the
Company and the other counterclaim defendants improperly
obtained, used and disclosed trade secrets and confidential
information of the MetroPCS entities and breached
confidentiality agreements with the MetroPCS entities. On
September 22, 2006, Royal Street Communications, LLC
(Royal Street), an entity affiliated with MetroPCS,
filed an action in the United States District Court for the
Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division, seeking a
declaratory judgment that the Companys U.S. Patent
No. 6,813,497 (the same patent that is the subject of the
Companys infringement action against MetroPCS) is invalid
and is not being infringed by Royal Street or its PCS systems.
Upon the Companys request, the court has transferred the
Royal Street case to the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Texas due to the affiliation between
MetroPCS and Royal Street. On February 25, 2008, the
Company filed an answer to the Royal Street complaint, together
with counterclaims for patent infringement, and the Royal Street
matter was consolidated with the MetroPCS case on May 16,
2008. A claim construction hearing on U.S. Patent
No. 6,813,497 has been scheduled in the consolidated cases
for October 2008. The Company intends to vigorously defend
against the counterclaims filed by the MetroPCS entities and the
action brought by Royal Street. Due to the complex nature of the
legal and factual issues involved, however, the outcome of these
matters is not presently determinable. If the MetroPCS entities
were to prevail in these matters, it could have a material
adverse effect on the Companys business, financial
condition and results of operations.
On August 17, 2006, the Company was served with a complaint
filed by certain MetroPCS entities, along with another
affiliate, MetroPCS California, LLC, in the Superior Court of
the State of California, which names Leap, Cricket, certain of
its subsidiaries, and certain current and former employees of
Leap and Cricket, including Mr. Hutcheson, as defendants.
In response to demurrers by the Company and by the court, two of
the plaintiffs twice amended their complaint, dropped the other
plaintiffs and have filed a third amended complaint. In the
current complaint, the plaintiffs allege statutory unfair
competition, statutory misappropriation of trade secrets, breach
of contract, intentional interference with contract, and
intentional interference with prospective economic advantage,
seek preliminary and permanent injunction, and ask the court to
award damages (including punitive damages), attorneys fees, and
restitution. The Company filed a demurrer to the third amended
complaint. On October 25, 2007, pursuant to a stipulation
between the parties, the court entered a stay of the litigation
for a period of 90 days. On January 28, 2008, the
court ordered that the stay remain in effect for a further
120 days, or until May 27, 2008. The court has since
ordered that the case proceed and denied the Companys
demurrer to the third amended complaint. The Company intends to
vigorously defend against these claims. Due to the complex
nature of the legal and factual issues involved, however, the
outcome of this matter is not presently determinable. If the
MetroPCS entities were to prevail in this action, it could have
a material adverse effect on the Companys business,
financial condition and results of operations.
On June 6, 2007, the Company was sued by Minerva Industries,
Inc. (Minerva), in the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, for
infringement of U.S. Patent No. 6,681,120 entitled Mobile
Entertainment and Communication Device. Minerva alleged
that certain handsets sold by the Company infringe a patent
relating to mobile entertainment features, and the complaint
sought damages (including enhanced damages), an injunction and
attorneys fees. The Company filed an answer to the
complaint and counterclaims of invalidity on January 7, 2008. On
January 21, 2008, Minerva filed another suit against the Company
in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
Texas, Marshall Division, for infringement of its newly issued
U.S. Patent No. 7,321,738 entitled Mobile
Entertainment and Communication Device. On April 15, 2008,
at Minervas request, the cases were dismissed without
prejudice.
On June 7, 2007, the Company was sued by Barry W. Thomas
(Thomas) in the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, for infringement
of U.S. Patent No. 4,777,354 entitled System for
Controlling the Supply of Utility Services to Consumers.
Thomas alleged that certain handsets sold by the
22
Company infringe a patent relating to actuator cards for
controlling the supply of a utility service, and the complaint
sought damages (including enhanced damages) and attorneys
fees. The Company and other co-defendants filed a motion to stay
the litigation pending the determination of similar litigation
in the United States District Court for the Western District of
North Carolina. On February 28, 2008, the District Court
issued its claim construction ruling, adopting all of the
interpretations offered by the defendants in that action. This
matter has since been settled, and on June 1, 2008, the
court issued an order dismissing the case with prejudice.
On October 15, 2007, Leap was sued by Visual Interactive
Phone Concepts, Inc. (Visual Interactive), in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of
California for infringement of U.S. Patent
No. 5,724,092 entitled Videophone Mailbox Interactive
Facility System and Method of Processing Information and
U.S. Patent No. 5,606,361 entitled Videophone
Mailbox Interactive Facility System and Method of Processing
Information. Visual Interactive alleged that Leap
infringed these patents relating to interactive videophone
systems, and the complaint sought an accounting for damages
under 35 U.S.C. § 284, an injunction and
attorneys fees. The Company filed its answer to the
complaint on December 13, 2007, and on the same day,
Cricket filed a complaint against Visual Interactive in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of
California seeking a declaration by the court that the patents
alleged against the Company are neither valid nor infringed by
it. Visual Interactive agreed to dismiss its complaint against
Leap and filed an amended complaint against Cricket, and Cricket
filed its answer to this amended complaint on January 23,
2008. This matter has since been settled.
On December 10, 2007, the Company was sued by Freedom
Wireless, Inc. (Freedom Wireless), in the United
States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas,
Marshall Division, for infringement of U.S. Patent
No. 5,722,067 entitled Security Cellular
Telecommunications System, U.S. Patent
No. 6,157,823 entitled Security Cellular
Telecommunications System, and U.S. Patent
No. 6,236,851 entitled Prepaid Security Cellular
Telecommunications System. Freedom Wireless alleges that
its patents claim a novel cellular system that enables
subscribers of prepaid services to both place and receive
cellular calls without dialing access codes or using modified
telephones. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages,
increased damages under 35 U.S.C. § 284 together
with interest, costs and attorneys fees, and an
injunction. On February 15, 2008, the Company filed a
motion to sever and stay the proceedings against Cricket or,
alternatively, to transfer the case to the United States
District Court for the Northern District of California. The
court subsequently denied the Companys motion and trial on
this matter is scheduled to begin on January 5, 2009. The
Company intends to vigorously defend against this matter. Due to
the complex nature of the legal and factual issues involved,
however, the outcome of this matter is not presently
determinable.
On February 4, 2008, the Company and certain other wireless
carriers were sued by Electronic Data Systems Corporation
(EDS) in the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, for infringement
of U.S. Patent No. 7,156,300 entitled System and
Method for Dispensing a Receipt Reflecting Prepaid Phone
Services and a U.S. Patent No. 7,255,268
entitled System for Purchase of Prepaid Telephone
Services. EDS alleges that the sale and marketing by the
Company of prepaid wireless cellular telephone services
infringes these patents, and the complaint seeks an injunction
against further infringement, damages (including enhanced
damages) and attorneys fees. The Company intends to
vigorously defend against this matter. Due to the complex nature
of the legal and factual issues involved, however, the outcome
of this lawsuit is not presently determinable.
American
Wireless Group
On December 31, 2002, several members of American Wireless
Group, LLC (AWG) filed a lawsuit against various
officers and directors of Leap in the Circuit Court of the First
Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, referred to
herein as the Whittington Lawsuit. Leap purchased certain FCC
wireless licenses from AWG and paid for those licenses with
shares of Leap stock. The complaint alleges that Leap failed to
disclose to AWG material facts regarding a dispute between Leap
and a third party relating to that partys claim that it
was entitled to an increase in the purchase price for certain
wireless licenses it sold to Leap. In their complaint,
plaintiffs seek rescission
and/or
damages according to proof at trial of not less than the
aggregate amount paid for the Leap stock (alleged in the
complaint to have a value of approximately $57.8 million in
June 2001 at the closing of the license sale transaction), plus
interest, punitive or exemplary damages in the amount of not
less than three times compensatory damages, and costs and
expenses. Plaintiffs contend that the named defendants are the
23
controlling group that was responsible for Leaps alleged
failure to disclose the material facts regarding the third party
dispute and the risk that the shares held by the plaintiffs
might be diluted if the third party was successful with respect
to its claim. The defendants in the Whittington Lawsuit filed a
motion to compel arbitration or, in the alternative, to dismiss
the Whittington Lawsuit. The motion noted that plaintiffs, as
members of AWG, agreed to arbitrate disputes pursuant to the
license purchase agreement, that they failed to plead facts that
show that they are entitled to relief, that Leap made adequate
disclosure of the relevant facts regarding the third party
dispute and that any failure to disclose such information did
not cause any damage to the plaintiffs. The court denied
defendants motion and the defendants appealed the denial
of the motion to the Mississippi Supreme Court. On
November 15, 2007, the Mississippi Supreme Court issued an
opinion denying the appeal and remanded the action to the trial
court. The defendants filed an answer to the complaint on
May 2, 2008.
In a related action to the action described above, in June 2003,
AWG filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial
District of Hinds County, Mississippi (AWG Lawsuit)
against the same individual defendants named in the Whittington
Lawsuit. The complaint generally sets forth the same claims made
by the plaintiffs in the Whittington Lawsuit. In its complaint,
plaintiff seeks rescission
and/or
damages according to proof at trial of not less than the
aggregate amount paid for the Leap stock (alleged in the
complaint to have a value of approximately $57.8 million in
June 2001 at the closing of the license sale transaction), plus
interest, punitive or exemplary damages in the amount of not
less than three times compensatory damages, and costs and
expenses. Defendants filed a motion to compel arbitration or, in
the alternative, to dismiss the AWG Lawsuit, making arguments
similar to those made in their motion to dismiss the Whittington
Lawsuit. AWG has since agreed to arbitrate this lawsuit and a
hearing on the arbitration has been scheduled for
November 2008.
Although Leap is not a defendant in either the Whittington or
AWG Lawsuits, several of the defendants have indemnification
agreements with the Company. Management believes that the
defendants liability, if any, from the AWG and Whittington
Lawsuits and any further indemnity claims of the defendants
against Leap is not presently determinable.
Securities
Litigation
Two shareholder derivative lawsuits were filed in the California
Superior Court for the County of San Diego in November 2007
and January 2008 purporting to assert claims on behalf of Leap
against certain of its current and former directors and
officers, and naming Leap as a nominal defendant. In February
2008, the plaintiff in one of these lawsuits voluntarily
dismissed his action and filed a derivative complaint in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of
California. On April 21, 2008, the plaintiff in the
remaining state derivative lawsuit filed an amended complaint.
The complaints in the federal and state derivative actions
assert various claims, including alleged breaches of fiduciary
duty, gross mismanagement, waste of corporate assets, unjust
enrichment and violation of California Corporations Code
section 25402, and violation of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (the Exchange Act) based on Leaps
November 9, 2007 announcement that it would restate certain
of its financial statements, as well as claims based on the
September 2007 unsolicited merger proposal from MetroPCS, and
sales of Leap common stock by certain of the defendants between
December 2004 and June 2007. The derivative complaints seek
judicial determination that the claims may be asserted
derivatively on behalf of Leap as well as unspecified damages,
equitable
and/or
injunctive relief, imposition of a constructive trust,
disgorgement, and attorneys fees and costs. Leap and the
individual defendants each filed motions to dismiss the federal
lawsuit, which are set for hearing on September 4 , 2008. Leap
filed a motion to stay the state lawsuit pending resolution of
the federal lawsuit, which is set for hearing on
September 19, 2008. Leap and the individual defendants each
filed demurrers to the state lawsuit, which are set for hearing
on October 3, 2008. Due to the complex nature of the legal
and factual issues involved, however, the outcome of these
matters is not presently determinable.
The Company and certain of its current and former officers and
directors and its independent registered public accounting firm,
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, have been named as defendants in one
remaining, consolidated securities class action lawsuit filed in
the United States District Court for the Southern District of
California. The original securities class action lawsuits that
were filed between November 2007 and February 2008 have either
been voluntarily dismissed or consolidated. The appointed lead
plaintiff filed a consolidated complaint on July 7, 2008
purportedly on behalf of investors who purchased Leap common
stock between August 3, 2006 and November 9, 2007. The
consolidated complaint alleges that the defendants violated
Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and
24
Rule 10b-5,
and further alleges that the individual defendants violated
Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act. The consolidated
complaint alleges false and misleading statements about the
Companys internal controls, the Companys business
and the Companys financial results. The claims are based
primarily on Leaps November 9, 2007 announcement that
it would restate certain of its financial statements and
Leaps August 7, 2007 second quarter 2007 earnings
release. The class action lawsuit seeks, among other relief, a
determination that the alleged claims may be asserted on a
class-wide
basis and unspecified damages and attorneys fees and
costs. A motion for the court to reconsider its appointment of
lead plaintiff is set for hearing on August 15, 2008.
Defendants responsive pleadings to the consolidated
complaint are due August 21, 2008. The Company intends to
vigorously defend against these lawsuits. Due to the complex
nature of the legal and factual issues involved, however, the
outcome of these matters is not presently determinable.
If the plaintiffs were to prevail in these matters, the Company
could be required to pay substantial damages or settlement
costs, which could materially adversely affect its business,
financial condition and results of operations.
Other
Litigation
In addition to the matters described above, the Company is often
involved in certain other claims, including disputes alleging
intellectual property infringement, which arise in the ordinary
course of business and seek monetary damages and other relief.
Based upon information currently available to the Company, none
of these other claims is expected to have a material adverse
effect on the Companys business, financial condition or
results of operations.
Spectrum
Clearing Obligations
Portions of the AWS spectrum that was auctioned in
Auction #66 are currently used by U.S. government
and/or
incumbent commercial licensees. FCC rules require winning
bidders to avoid interfering with these existing users or to
clear the incumbent users from the spectrum through specified
relocation procedures. To facilitate the clearing of this
spectrum, the FCC adopted a transition and cost-sharing plan
whereby incumbent non-governmental users may be reimbursed for
costs they incur in relocating from the spectrum by AWS
licensees benefiting from the relocation. In addition, this plan
requires the AWS licensees and the applicable incumbent
non-governmental user to negotiate for a period of two or three
years (depending on the type of incumbent user and whether the
user is a commercial or non-commercial licensee), triggered from
the time that an AWS licensee notifies the incumbent user that
it desires the incumbent to relocate. If no agreement is reached
during this period of time, the FCC rules provide that an AWS
licensee may force the incumbent non-governmental user to
relocate at the licensees expense. The FCC rules also
provide that a portion of the proceeds raised in
Auction #66 will be used to reimburse the costs of
governmental users relocating from the AWS spectrum. However,
some such users may delay relocation for an extended and
undetermined period of time. The Company is continuing to
evaluate its spectrum clearing obligations and the potential
costs that may be incurred could be material.
FCC
Hurricane Katrina Order
The FCC regulates the licensing, construction, modification,
operation, ownership, sale and interconnection of wireless
communications systems, as do some state and local regulatory
agencies. In 2007, FCC released an order implementing certain
recommendations of an independent panel reviewing the impact of
Hurricane Katrina on communications networks, which requires
wireless carriers to provide emergency
back-up
power sources for their equipment and facilities, including
24 hours of emergency power for mobile switch offices and
up to eight hours for cell site locations. The order was
expected to become effective sometime in 2008. However, on
February 28, 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia Circuit stayed the effective date of
the order pending resolution of a petition for review of the
FCCs rules. In order for the Company to comply with the
requirements of the order, it would likely need to purchase
additional equipment, obtain additional state and local permits,
authorizations and approvals and incur additional operating
expenses. The Company is currently evaluating its compliance
with this order should it become effective and the potential
costs that may be incurred to achieve compliance could be
material.
25
System
Equipment Purchase Agreements
In June 2007, the Company entered into certain system equipment
purchase agreements, which generally have a term of three years.
In the agreements, the Company agreed to purchase
and/or
license wireless communications systems, products and services
designed to be AWS functional at a current estimated cost to the
Company of approximately $266 million, which commitments
are subject, in part, to the necessary clearance of spectrum in
the markets to be built. Under the terms of the agreements, the
Company is entitled to certain pricing discounts, credits and
incentives, which credits and incentives are subject to the
Companys achievement of its purchase commitments, and to
certain technical training for the Companys personnel. If
the purchase commitment levels per the agreements are not
achieved, the Company may be required to refund any previous
credits and incentives it applied to historical purchases.
Outstanding
Letters of Credit and Surety Bonds
As of June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the Company
had approximately $9.2 million and $4.6 million,
respectively, of letters of credit outstanding, which were
collateralized by restricted cash, related to contractual
commitments under certain of its administrative facility leases
and surety bond programs and its workers compensation
insurance program. As of June 30, 2008 and
December 31, 2007, approximately $3.9 million and
$2.0 million, respectively, of these letters of credit were
issued pursuant to the Credit Agreement and were considered as
usage for purposes of determining availability under the
revolving credit facility.
As of June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007, the Company
had approximately $4.4 million and $2.1 million,
respectively, of surety bonds outstanding to guarantee the
Companys performance with respect to certain of its
contractual obligations.
|
|
Note 9.
|
Guarantor
Financial Information
|
Of the $1,400 million of senior notes issued by Cricket
(the Issuing Subsidiary), $1,100 million are
due in 2014 and $300 million are due in 2015. The notes are
jointly and severally guaranteed on a full and unconditional
basis by Leap (the Guarantor Parent Company) and
certain of its direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries,
including Crickets subsidiaries that hold real property
interests or wireless licenses (collectively, the
Guarantor Subsidiaries).
The indentures governing these notes limit, among other things,
Leaps, Crickets and the Guarantor Subsidiaries
ability to: incur additional debt; create liens or other
encumbrances; place limitations on distributions from restricted
subsidiaries; pay dividends; make investments; prepay
subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments;
issue or sell capital stock of restricted subsidiaries; issue
guarantees; sell assets; enter into transactions with its
affiliates; and make acquisitions or merge or consolidate with
another entity.
Condensed consolidating financial information of the Guarantor
Parent Company, the Issuing Subsidiary, the Guarantor
Subsidiaries, non-Guarantor Subsidiaries and total consolidated
Leap and subsidiaries as of June 30, 2008 and
December 31, 2007 and for the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008 and 2007 is presented below. The equity
method of accounting is used to account for ownership interests
in subsidiaries, where applicable.
26
Condensed
Consolidating Balance Sheet as of June 30, 2008 (unaudited
and in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
20
|
|
|
$
|
610,551
|
|
|
$
|
134
|
|
|
$
|
35,460
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
646,165
|
|
Short-term investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
278,269
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,933
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
288,202
|
|
Restricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments
|
|
|
1,603
|
|
|
|
2,831
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,474
|
|
Inventories
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
99,197
|
|
|
|
457
|
|
|
|
955
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100,609
|
|
Other current assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,671
|
|
|
|
2,509
|
|
|
|
1,559
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
49,739
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
1,623
|
|
|
|
1,036,519
|
|
|
|
3,100
|
|
|
|
47,947
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,089,189
|
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
1,385,336
|
|
|
|
13,110
|
|
|
|
147,875
|
|
|
|
(4,408
|
)
|
|
|
1,541,923
|
|
Investments in and advances to affiliates and consolidated
subsidiaries
|
|
|
1,950,416
|
|
|
|
1,925,179
|
|
|
|
113,627
|
|
|
|
10,118
|
|
|
|
(3,999,340
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Wireless licenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,533
|
|
|
|
1,533,615
|
|
|
|
328,235
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,880,383
|
|
Assets held for sale
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
428,499
|
|
|
|
4,232
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
432,731
|
|
Other intangible assets, net
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29,216
|
|
|
|
6,895
|
|
|
|
22
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
36,133
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
8,888
|
|
|
|
65,187
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,136
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,211
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
1,960,937
|
|
|
$
|
4,888,469
|
|
|
$
|
1,674,579
|
|
|
$
|
536,333
|
|
|
$
|
(4,003,748
|
)
|
|
$
|
5,056,570
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Stockholders Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
$
|
359
|
|
|
$
|
259,983
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
29,647
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
289,989
|
|
Current maturities of long-term debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,000
|
|
Intercompany payables
|
|
|
7,534
|
|
|
|
366,649
|
|
|
|
11,537
|
|
|
|
7,909
|
|
|
|
(393,629
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Other current liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
122,066
|
|
|
|
1,498
|
|
|
|
3,682
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
127,246
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
7,893
|
|
|
|
757,698
|
|
|
|
13,035
|
|
|
|
44,238
|
|
|
|
(393,629
|
)
|
|
|
429,235
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
250,000
|
|
|
|
2,286,636
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
392,453
|
|
|
|
(355,953
|
)
|
|
|
2,573,136
|
|
Deferred tax liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23,930
|
|
|
|
180,363
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
204,293
|
|
Other long-term liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
89,437
|
|
|
|
859
|
|
|
|
3,154
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
93,450
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
257,893
|
|
|
|
3,157,701
|
|
|
|
194,257
|
|
|
|
439,845
|
|
|
|
(749,582
|
)
|
|
|
3,300,114
|
|
Minority interests
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
23,256
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,156
|
|
|
|
53,412
|
|
Membership units subject to repurchase
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39,813
|
|
|
|
(39,813
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
1,703,044
|
|
|
|
1,707,512
|
|
|
|
1,480,322
|
|
|
|
56,675
|
|
|
|
(3,244,509
|
)
|
|
|
1,703,044
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders equity
|
|
$
|
1,960,937
|
|
|
$
|
4,888,469
|
|
|
$
|
1,674,579
|
|
|
$
|
536,333
|
|
|
$
|
(4,003,748
|
)
|
|
$
|
5,056,570
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27
Condensed
Consolidating Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2007 (in
thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents
|
|
$
|
62
|
|
|
$
|
399,153
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
34,122
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
433,337
|
|
Short-term investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
163,258
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,975
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
179,233
|
|
Restricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments
|
|
|
7,671
|
|
|
|
7,504
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
375
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,550
|
|
Inventories
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
64,583
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
625
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
65,208
|
|
Other current assets
|
|
|
102
|
|
|
|
37,201
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
796
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
38,099
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current assets
|
|
|
7,835
|
|
|
|
671,699
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
51,893
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
731,427
|
|
Property and equipment, net
|
|
|
30
|
|
|
|
1,254,856
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
66,901
|
|
|
|
(5,130
|
)
|
|
|
1,316,657
|
|
Investments in and advances to affiliates and consolidated
subsidiaries
|
|
|
1,728,602
|
|
|
|
1,903,009
|
|
|
|
173,922
|
|
|
|
5,325
|
|
|
|
(3,810,858
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Wireless licenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,533
|
|
|
|
1,519,638
|
|
|
|
328,182
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,866,353
|
|
Goodwill
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
425,782
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
425,782
|
|
Other intangible assets, net
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,948
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
154
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46,102
|
|
Deposits for wireless licenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other assets
|
|
|
41
|
|
|
|
44,464
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
46,677
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total assets
|
|
$
|
1,736,508
|
|
|
$
|
4,364,291
|
|
|
$
|
1,693,560
|
|
|
$
|
454,627
|
|
|
$
|
(3,815,988
|
)
|
|
$
|
4,432,998
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liabilities and Stockholders Equity
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
|
|
$
|
6,459
|
|
|
$
|
210,707
|
|
|
$
|
7
|
|
|
$
|
8,562
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
225,735
|
|
Current maturities of long-term debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10,500
|
|
Intercompany payables
|
|
|
5,727
|
|
|
|
179,248
|
|
|
|
726
|
|
|
|
2,986
|
|
|
|
(188,687
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Other current liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
112,626
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,182
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
114,808
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total current liabilities
|
|
|
12,186
|
|
|
|
511,581
|
|
|
|
733
|
|
|
|
15,230
|
|
|
|
(188,687
|
)
|
|
|
351,043
|
|
Long-term debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,995,402
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
311,052
|
|
|
|
(272,552
|
)
|
|
|
2,033,902
|
|
Deferred tax liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,606
|
|
|
|
163,229
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
182,835
|
|
Other long-term liabilities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
88,570
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,602
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
90,172
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities
|
|
|
12,186
|
|
|
|
2,615,159
|
|
|
|
163,962
|
|
|
|
327,884
|
|
|
|
(461,239
|
)
|
|
|
2,657,952
|
|
Minority interests
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20,530
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,194
|
|
|
|
50,724
|
|
Membership units subject to repurchase
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
37,879
|
|
|
|
(37,879
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
Stockholders equity
|
|
|
1,724,322
|
|
|
|
1,728,602
|
|
|
|
1,529,598
|
|
|
|
88,864
|
|
|
|
(3,347,064
|
)
|
|
|
1,724,322
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total liabilities and stockholders equity
|
|
$
|
1,736,508
|
|
|
$
|
4,364,291
|
|
|
$
|
1,693,560
|
|
|
$
|
454,627
|
|
|
$
|
(3,815,988
|
)
|
|
$
|
4,432,998
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28
Condensed
Consolidating Statement of Operations for the Three Months Ended
June 30, 2008 (unaudited and in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service revenues
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
399,335
|
|
|
$
|
5,304
|
|
|
$
|
12,523
|
|
|
$
|
(19
|
)
|
|
$
|
417,143
|
|
Equipment revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
56,547
|
|
|
|
172
|
|
|
|
996
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
57,715
|
|
Other revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17,761
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(17,761
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
455,882
|
|
|
|
23,237
|
|
|
|
13,519
|
|
|
|
(17,780
|
)
|
|
|
474,858
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(124,970
|
)
|
|
|
(2,879
|
)
|
|
|
(8,679
|
)
|
|
|
17,671
|
|
|
|
(118,857
|
)
|
Cost of equipment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(101,779
|
)
|
|
|
(1,046
|
)
|
|
|
(2,302
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(105,127
|
)
|
Selling and marketing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(69,917
|
)
|
|
|
(366
|
)
|
|
|
(3,993
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(74,276
|
)
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
(1,422
|
)
|
|
|
(68,521
|
)
|
|
|
(827
|
)
|
|
|
(6,572
|
)
|
|
|
109
|
|
|
|
(77,233
|
)
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(8
|
)
|
|
|
(83,192
|
)
|
|
|
(875
|
)
|
|
|
(2,092
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(86,167
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
(1,430
|
)
|
|
|
(448,379
|
)
|
|
|
(5,993
|
)
|
|
|
(23,638
|
)
|
|
|
17,780
|
|
|
|
(461,660
|
)
|
Gain (loss) on sale or disposal of assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(22
|
)
|
|
|
1,274
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,252
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
|
|
(1,430
|
)
|
|
|
7,481
|
|
|
|
18,518
|
|
|
|
(10,119
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14,450
|
|
Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,730
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(135
|
)
|
|
|
(1,865
|
)
|
Equity in net loss of consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
(25,134
|
)
|
|
|
(4,749
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29,883
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity in net loss of investee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(295
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(295
|
)
|
Interest income
|
|
|
409
|
|
|
|
13,525
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
58
|
|
|
|
(11,406
|
)
|
|
|
2,586
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(206
|
)
|
|
|
(35,236
|
)
|
|
|
(1
|
)
|
|
|
(8,411
|
)
|
|
|
13,453
|
|
|
|
(30,401
|
)
|
Other income (expense), net
|
|
|
292
|
|
|
|
(599
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(307
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes
|
|
|
(26,069
|
)
|
|
|
(21,603
|
)
|
|
|
18,517
|
|
|
|
(18,472
|
)
|
|
|
31,795
|
|
|
|
(15,832
|
)
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3,534
|
)
|
|
|
(6,703
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(10,237
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
(26,069
|
)
|
|
$
|
(25,137
|
)
|
|
$
|
11,814
|
|
|
$
|
(18,472
|
)
|
|
$
|
31,795
|
|
|
$
|
(26,069
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29
Condensed
Consolidating Statement of Operations for the Six Months Ended
June 30, 2008 (unaudited and in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service revenues
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
786,233
|
|
|
$
|
5,304
|
|
|
$
|
24,554
|
|
|
$
|
(19
|
)
|
|
$
|
816,072
|
|
Equipment revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
124,897
|
|
|
|
172
|
|
|
|
2,101
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
127,170
|
|
Other revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,932
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(34,932
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
911,130
|
|
|
|
40,408
|
|
|
|
26,655
|
|
|
|
(34,951
|
)
|
|
|
943,242
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(247,929
|
)
|
|
|
(2,879
|
)
|
|
|
(13,963
|
)
|
|
|
34,744
|
|
|
|
(230,027
|
)
|
Cost of equipment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(213,190
|
)
|
|
|
(1,046
|
)
|
|
|
(5,112
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(219,348
|
)
|
Selling and marketing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(125,331
|
)
|
|
|
(366
|
)
|
|
|
(6,679
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(132,376
|
)
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
(2,821
|
)
|
|
|
(139,707
|
)
|
|
|
(1,074
|
)
|
|
|
(9,745
|
)
|
|
|
207
|
|
|
|
(153,140
|
)
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(19
|
)
|
|
|
(163,675
|
)
|
|
|
(875
|
)
|
|
|
(4,237
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(168,806
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
(2,840
|
)
|
|
|
(889,832
|
)
|
|
|
(6,240
|
)
|
|
|
(39,736
|
)
|
|
|
34,951
|
|
|
|
(903,697
|
)
|
Gain (loss) on sale or disposal of assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(313
|
)
|
|
|
1,274
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
961
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
|
|
(2,840
|
)
|
|
|
20,985
|
|
|
|
35,442
|
|
|
|
(13,081
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
40,506
|
|
Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,726
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
38
|
|
|
|
(2,688
|
)
|
Equity in net loss of consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
(41,950
|
)
|
|
|
(5,457
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
47,407
|
|
|
|
|
|
Equity in net loss of investee
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,357
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,357
|
)
|
Interest income
|
|
|
416
|
|
|
|
27,768
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,156
|
|
|
|
(21,973
|
)
|
|
|
7,367
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(206
|
)
|
|
|
(69,685
|
)
|
|
|
(1
|
)
|
|
|
(16,561
|
)
|
|
|
22,695
|
|
|
|
(63,758
|
)
|
Other income (expense), net
|
|
|
367
|
|
|
|
(4,710
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,343
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes
|
|
|
(44,213
|
)
|
|
|
(35,182
|
)
|
|
|
35,441
|
|
|
|
(28,486
|
)
|
|
|
48,167
|
|
|
|
(24,273
|
)
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(6,771
|
)
|
|
|
(13,169
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(19,940
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
(44,213
|
)
|
|
$
|
(41,953
|
)
|
|
$
|
22,272
|
|
|
$
|
(28,486
|
)
|
|
$
|
48,167
|
|
|
$
|
(44,213
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30
Condensed
Consolidating Statement of Operations for the Three Months Ended
June 30, 2007 (unaudited and in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service revenues
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
303,719
|
|
|
$
|
35,280
|
|
|
$
|
8,254
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
347,253
|
|
Equipment revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
59,978
|
|
|
|
3,108
|
|
|
|
1,280
|
|
|
|
(13,705
|
)
|
|
|
50,661
|
|
Other revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
13,593
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,606
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
363,710
|
|
|
|
51,981
|
|
|
|
9,534
|
|
|
|
(27,311
|
)
|
|
|
397,914
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(87,749
|
)
|
|
|
(12,809
|
)
|
|
|
(3,594
|
)
|
|
|
13,593
|
|
|
|
(90,559
|
)
|
Cost of equipment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(89,546
|
)
|
|
|
(11,595
|
)
|
|
|
(3,382
|
)
|
|
|
13,705
|
|
|
|
(90,818
|
)
|
Selling and marketing
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(37,970
|
)
|
|
|
(6,805
|
)
|
|
|
(2,236
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(47,011
|
)
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
(492
|
)
|
|
|
(55,084
|
)
|
|
|
(9,178
|
)
|
|
|
(1,666
|
)
|
|
|
13
|
|
|
|
(66,407
|
)
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(23
|
)
|
|
|
(64,259
|
)
|
|
|
(5,984
|
)
|
|
|
(2,149
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(72,415
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
(515
|
)
|
|
|
(334,608
|
)
|
|
|
(46,371
|
)
|
|
|
(13,027
|
)
|
|
|
27,311
|
|
|
|
(367,210
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
|
|
(515
|
)
|
|
|
29,102
|
|
|
|
5,610
|
|
|
|
(3,493
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
30,704
|
|
Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(369
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,042
|
|
|
|
673
|
|
Equity in net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
10,143
|
|
|
|
(20,006
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,863
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
10
|
|
|
|
24,575
|
|
|
|
174
|
|
|
|
203
|
|
|
|
(17,828
|
)
|
|
|
7,134
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(26,696
|
)
|
|
|
(9,247
|
)
|
|
|
(8,387
|
)
|
|
|
17,240
|
|
|
|
(27,090
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Income (loss) before income taxes
|
|
|
9,638
|
|
|
|
6,606
|
|
|
|
(3,463
|
)
|
|
|
(11,677
|
)
|
|
|
10,317
|
|
|
|
11,421
|
|
Income tax (expense) benefit
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,537
|
|
|
|
(5,320
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,783
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net income (loss)
|
|
$
|
9,638
|
|
|
$
|
10,143
|
|
|
$
|
(8,783
|
)
|
|
$
|
(11,677
|
)
|
|
$
|
10,317
|
|
|
$
|
9,638
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
31
Condensed
Consolidating Statement of Operations for the Six Months Ended
June 30, 2007 (unaudited and in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service revenues
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
591,664
|
|
|
$
|
63,466
|
|
|
$
|
13,814
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
668,944
|
|
Equipment revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
139,425
|
|
|
|
7,620
|
|
|
|
2,776
|
|
|
|
(27,426
|
)
|
|
|
122,395
|
|
Other revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
|
26,621
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(26,647
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
731,115
|
|
|
|
97,707
|
|
|
|
16,590
|
|
|
|
(54,073
|
)
|
|
|
791,339
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(175,798
|
)
|
|
|
(25,155
|
)
|
|
|
(6,667
|
)
|
|
|
26,621
|
|
|
|
(180,999
|
)
|
Cost of equipment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(210,173
|
)
|
|
|
(22,492
|
)
|
|
|
(8,244
|
)
|
|
|
27,426
|
|
|
|
(213,483
|
)
|
Selling and marketing
|
|
|
(8
|
)
|
|
|
(77,732
|
)
|
|
|
(13,402
|
)
|
|
|
(4,638
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(95,780
|
)
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
(813
|
)
|
|
|
(110,113
|
)
|
|
|
(17,892
|
)
|
|
|
(2,849
|
)
|
|
|
26
|
|
|
|
(131,641
|
)
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
(23
|
)
|
|
|
(125,146
|
)
|
|
|
(11,990
|
)
|
|
|
(4,056
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(141,215
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
(844
|
)
|
|
|
(698,962
|
)
|
|
|
(90,931
|
)
|
|
|
(26,454
|
)
|
|
|
54,073
|
|
|
|
(763,118
|
)
|
Net gain (loss) on sale of wireless licenses and disposal of
operating assets
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(311
|
)
|
|
|
1,251
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
940
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income (loss)
|
|
|
(844
|
)
|
|
|
31,842
|
|
|
|
8,027
|
|
|
|
(9,864
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
29,161
|
|
Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(549
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,801
|
|
|
|
2,252
|
|
Equity in net loss of consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
|
(13,762
|
)
|
|
|
(44,803
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
58,565
|
|
|
|
|
|
Interest income
|
|
|
20
|
|
|
|
45,754
|
|
|
|
350
|
|
|
|
579
|
|
|
|
(34,284
|
)
|
|
|
12,419
|
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(52,106
|
)
|
|
|
(17,578
|
)
|
|
|
(17,598
|
)
|
|
|
33,696
|
|
|
|
(53,586
|
)
|
Other expense, net
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(625
|
)
|
|
|
(12
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(637
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Loss before income taxes
|
|
|
(14,586
|
)
|
|
|
(20,487
|
)
|
|
|
(9,213
|
)
|
|
|
(26,883
|
)
|
|
|
60,778
|
|
|
|
(10,391
|
)
|
Income tax (expense) benefit
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,725
|
|
|
|
(10,920
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,195
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net loss
|
|
$
|
(14,586
|
)
|
|
$
|
(13,762
|
)
|
|
$
|
(20,133
|
)
|
|
$
|
(26,883
|
)
|
|
$
|
60,778
|
|
|
$
|
(14,586
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
32
Condensed
Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended
June 30, 2008 (unaudited and in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by operating activities
|
|
$
|
1,007
|
|
|
$
|
158,494
|
|
|
$
|
6,366
|
|
|
$
|
15,723
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
181,590
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Acquisition of business, net of cash acquired
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(31,322
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(31,322
|
)
|
Purchases of and changes in prepayments for property and
equipment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(261,831
|
)
|
|
|
(3,572
|
)
|
|
|
(78,528
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(343,931
|
)
|
Return of deposits for wireless licenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
70,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
70,000
|
|
Purchases of and deposits for wireless licenses and spectrum
clearing costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(70,000
|
)
|
|
|
(2,660
|
)
|
|
|
(53
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(72,713
|
)
|
Purchases of investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(297,784
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(297,784
|
)
|
Sales and maturities of investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
184,729
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,717
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
186,446
|
|
Investments in and advances to affiliates and consolidated
subsidiaries
|
|
|
(6,546
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6,546
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchase of membership units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,033
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,033
|
)
|
Other
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,654
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
345
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,309
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities
|
|
|
(6,546
|
)
|
|
|
(408,895
|
)
|
|
|
(6,232
|
)
|
|
|
(76,519
|
)
|
|
|
6,546
|
|
|
|
(491,646
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from long-term debt
|
|
|
242,500
|
|
|
|
535,750
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
62,634
|
|
|
|
(305,134
|
)
|
|
|
535,750
|
|
Issuance of related party debt
|
|
|
(242,500
|
)
|
|
|
(62,634
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
305,134
|
|
|
|
|
|
Principal payments on capital lease obligations
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(7,969
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(7,969
|
)
|
Repayment of long-term debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,500
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(500
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(5,000
|
)
|
Payment of debt issuance costs
|
|
|
(1,049
|
)
|
|
|
(5,394
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(6,443
|
)
|
Capital contributions, net
|
|
|
6,546
|
|
|
|
6,546
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(6,546
|
)
|
|
|
6,546
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
5,497
|
|
|
|
461,799
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
62,134
|
|
|
|
(6,546
|
)
|
|
|
522,884
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
(42
|
)
|
|
|
211,398
|
|
|
|
134
|
|
|
|
1,338
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
212,828
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
|
|
|
62
|
|
|
|
399,153
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34,122
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
433,337
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
|
|
$
|
20
|
|
|
$
|
610,551
|
|
|
$
|
134
|
|
|
$
|
35,460
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
646,165
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
33
Condensed
Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows for the Six Months Ended
June 30, 2007 (unaudited and in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Consolidating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
and
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Parent
|
|
|
Issuing
|
|
|
Guarantor
|
|
|
Non-Guarantor
|
|
|
Eliminating
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Company
|
|
|
Subsidiary
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Subsidiaries
|
|
|
Adjustments
|
|
|
Consolidated
|
|
|
Operating activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
|
|
$
|
(1,159
|
)
|
|
$
|
134,143
|
|
|
$
|
(4,514
|
)
|
|
$
|
(19,675
|
)
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
108,795
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Investing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Purchases of and changes in prepayments for property and
equipment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(208,425
|
)
|
|
|
(7,770
|
)
|
|
|
(12,031
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(228,226
|
)
|
Purchases of and deposits for wireless licenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(890
|
)
|
|
|
(1,663
|
)
|
|
|
192
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2,361
|
)
|
Proceeds from sale of wireless licenses
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,500
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9,500
|
|
Purchases of investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(380,743
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(380,743
|
)
|
Sales and maturities of investments
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
91,360
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
91,360
|
|
Investments in and advances to affiliates and consolidated
subsidiaries
|
|
|
(7,588
|
)
|
|
|
(4,706
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,588
|
|
|
|
(4,706
|
)
|
Purchase of membership units
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,182
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(13,182
|
)
|
Other
|
|
|
980
|
|
|
|
(2
|
)
|
|
|
(144
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
834
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash used in investing activities
|
|
|
(6,608
|
)
|
|
|
(516,588
|
)
|
|
|
(77
|
)
|
|
|
(11,839
|
)
|
|
|
7,588
|
|
|
|
(527,524
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Financing activities:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Proceeds from long-term debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
370,480
|
|
|
|
15,000
|
|
|
|
4,000
|
|
|
|
(19,000
|
)
|
|
|
370,480
|
|
Issuance of related party debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(19,000
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Repayment of long-term debt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,500
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4,500
|
)
|
Payment of debt issuance costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,310
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(9
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,319
|
)
|
Capital contributions, net
|
|
|
7,588
|
|
|
|
7,588
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(7,588
|
)
|
|
|
7,588
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net cash provided by financing activities
|
|
|
7,588
|
|
|
|
353,258
|
|
|
|
15,000
|
|
|
|
3,991
|
|
|
|
(7,588
|
)
|
|
|
372,249
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents
|
|
|
(179
|
)
|
|
|
(29,187
|
)
|
|
|
10,409
|
|
|
|
(27,523
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(46,480
|
)
|
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period
|
|
|
206
|
|
|
|
316,398
|
|
|
|
12,842
|
|
|
|
43,366
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
372,812
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period
|
|
$
|
27
|
|
|
$
|
287,211
|
|
|
$
|
23,251
|
|
|
$
|
15,843
|
|
|
$
|
|
|
|
$
|
326,332
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
34
|
|
Item 2.
|
Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations.
|
As used in this report, unless the context suggests
otherwise, the terms we, our,
ours, and us refer to Leap Wireless
International, Inc., or Leap, and its subsidiaries, including
Cricket Communications, Inc., or Cricket. Leap, Cricket and
their subsidiaries are sometimes collectively referred to herein
as the Company. Unless otherwise specified,
information relating to population and potential customers, or
POPs, is based on 2008 population estimates provided by Claritas
Inc.
The following information should be read in conjunction with the
unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes
thereto included in Item 1 of this Quarterly Report and the
audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and
Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations included in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, on February 29,
2008.
Cautionary
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Except for the historical information contained herein, this
report contains forward-looking statements within
the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. Such statements reflect managements current forecast
of certain aspects of our future. You can identify most
forward-looking statements by forward-looking words such as
believe, think, may,
could, will, estimate,
continue, anticipate,
intend, seek, plan,
expect, should, would and
similar expressions in this report. Such statements are based on
currently available operating, financial and competitive
information and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and
assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those anticipated in or implied by our forward-looking
statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include,
among other things:
|
|
|
|
|
our ability to attract and retain customers in an extremely
competitive marketplace;
|
|
|
|
changes in economic conditions, including interest rates,
consumer credit conditions, unemployment and other
macro-economic factors that could adversely affect the demand
for the services we provide;
|
|
|
|
the impact of competitors initiatives;
|
|
|
|
our ability to successfully implement product offerings and
execute effectively on our planned coverage expansion, launches
of markets we acquired in the Federal Communications
Commissions, or FCCs, auction for Advanced Wireless
Services, or Auction #66, expansion of our mobile broadband
product offering and other strategic activities;
|
|
|
|
our ability to obtain roaming services from other carriers at
cost-effective rates;
|
|
|
|
our ability to maintain effective internal control over
financial reporting;
|
|
|
|
delays in our market expansion plans, including delays resulting
from any difficulties in funding such expansion through our
existing cash, cash generated from operations or additional
capital, or delays by existing U.S. government and other
private sector wireless operations in clearing the Advanced
Wireless Services, or AWS, spectrum, some of which users are
permitted to continue using the spectrum for several years;
|
|
|
|
our ability to attract, motivate and retain an experienced
workforce;
|
|
|
|
our ability to comply with the covenants in our senior secured
credit facilities, indentures and any future credit agreement,
indenture or similar instrument;
|
|
|
|
failure of our network or information technology systems to
perform according to expectations; and
|
|
|
|
other factors detailed in Part II
Item 1A. Risk Factors below.
|
All forward-looking statements in this report should be
considered in the context of these risk factors. We undertake no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the
forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this
report may not occur and actual results could differ materially
from those anticipated or implied in
35
the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, users of this
report are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements.
Overview
Company
Overview
We are a wireless communications carrier that offers digital
wireless service in the U.S. under the
Cricket®
brand. Our Cricket service offers customers unlimited wireless
service for a flat monthly rate without requiring a fixed-term
contract or a credit check. Cricket service is offered by
Cricket, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leap, and is also offered
in Oregon by LCW Wireless Operations, LLC, or LCW Operations, a
designated entity under FCC regulations. Cricket owns an
indirect 73.3% non-controlling interest in LCW Operations
through a 73.3% non-controlling interest in LCW Wireless, LLC,
or LCW Wireless. Cricket also owns an 82.5% non-controlling
interest in Denali Spectrum, LLC, or Denali, which purchased a
wireless license in Auction #66 covering the upper mid-west
portion of the U.S. as a designated entity through its
wholly owned subsidiary, Denali Spectrum License, LLC, or Denali
License. We consolidate our interests in LCW Wireless and Denali
in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board
Interpretation No., or FIN, 46(R), Consolidation of
Variable Interest Entities, because these entities are
variable interest entities and we will absorb a majority of
their expected losses.
At June 30, 2008, Cricket service was offered in
29 states and had approximately 3.3 million customers.
As of June 30, 2008, we, LCW Wireless License, LLC, or LCW
License (a wholly owned subsidiary of LCW Operations), and
Denali License owned wireless licenses covering an aggregate of
approximately 186 million POPs (adjusted to eliminate
duplication from overlapping licenses). The combined network
footprint in our operating markets covered approximately
61.7 million POPs as of June 30, 2008, which includes
incremental POPs attributed to ongoing footprint expansion in
existing markets. The licenses we and Denali License purchased
in Auction #66, together with the existing licenses we own,
provide 20 MHz of coverage and the opportunity to offer
enhanced data services in almost all markets in which we
currently operate or are building out, assuming Denali License
were to make available to us certain of its spectrum.
We plan to expand our network footprint by launching our Cricket
service in additional new markets and increasing and enhancing
coverage in our existing markets. We and Denali License expect
to cover up to approximately 36 million additional POPs by
the middle of 2009 and up to approximately 50 million
additional POPs by the end of 2010 (in each case measured on a
cumulative basis beginning January 2008). As part of these
expansion plans, during the six months ended June 30,
2008, we launched our first Auction #66 markets in Oklahoma
City, southern Texas, Las Vegas and St. Louis, covering
approximately 8 million additional POPs, and we and Denali
License are currently building out and preparing additional
Auction #66 markets that we intend to launch this year and
through 2010. We also plan to continue to expand and enhance our
network coverage and capacity in many of our existing markets,
allowing us to offer our customers an improved service area. In
addition to these expansion plans, we estimate that we and
Denali License hold licenses in other markets that include up to
approximately 35 million additional POPs that are suitable
for Cricket service, and we and Denali License may develop some
of the licenses covering these additional POPs through
partnerships with others.
Portions of the AWS spectrum that was auctioned in
Auction #66 are currently used by U.S. federal
government
and/or
incumbent commercial licensees. Several federal government
agencies have cleared or developed plans to clear spectrum
covered by licenses we and Denali License purchased in
Auction #66 or have indicated that we and Denali License
can operate on the spectrum without interfering with the
agencies current uses. As a result, we do not expect
spectrum clearing issues to impact our near-term market
launches. In other markets, we continue to work with various
federal agencies to ensure that the agencies either relocate
their spectrum use to alternative frequencies or confirm that we
can operate on the spectrum without interfering with their
current uses. If our efforts with these agencies are not
successful, their continued use of the spectrum could delay the
launch of certain markets.
Our Cricket rate plans are based on providing unlimited wireless
services to customers, and the value of unlimited wireless
services is the foundation of our business. Our most popular
rate plan combines unlimited local and U.S. long distance
service from any Cricket service area with unlimited use of
multiple calling features and messaging services. Our premium
rate plans offer these same services but are bundled with
specified roaming
36
minutes in the continental U.S. or unlimited mobile web
access and directory assistance. In addition, we offer basic
service plans that allow customers to make unlimited calls
within their Cricket service area and receive unlimited calls
from any area, combined with unlimited messaging and unlimited
U.S. long distance service options. We have also launched a
weekly rate plan, Cricket By Week, and a flexible payment
option, BridgePay, which give our customers greater flexibility
in the use and payment of wireless service and which we believe
will help us to improve customer retention. In September 2007,
we introduced our first unlimited mobile broadband offering,
Cricket Wireless Internet Service, into select markets, allowing
customers to access the internet through their laptops for one
low, flat rate with no long-term commitments or credit checks.
As of June 30, 2008, our Cricket Wireless Internet Service
was available to approximately 23 million covered POPs, and
we expect to further expand the availability of this product
offering to cover approximately 60 million POPs by the end
of 2008. We also have a per-minute prepaid service,
Jump®
Mobile, which brings Crickets attractive value proposition
to customers who prefer to actively control their wireless usage
and to allow us to better target the urban youth market. We
expect to continue to broaden our voice and data product and
service offerings in 2008 and beyond.
Our customer activity is influenced by seasonal effects related
to traditional retail selling periods and other factors that
arise from our target customer base. Based on historical
results, we generally expect new sales activity to be highest in
the first and fourth quarters, and customer turnover, or churn,
to be highest in the third quarter and lowest in the first
quarter. However, sales activity and churn can be strongly
affected by the launch of new markets, promotional activity and
competitive actions, which have the ability to reduce or
outweigh certain seasonal effects. From time to time, we offer
programs to help promote customer activity for our wireless
services. For example, during the second quarter of 2008 we
increased our use of a program which allowed existing customers
to activate an additional line of voice service on a
previously-activated Cricket handset not currently in service.
Customers accepting this offer received a free month of service
on the additional line of service and did not pay an activation
fee. We believe that this kind of program and other promotions
provide important long-term benefits to us by extending the
period of time over which customers use our handsets and
wireless services.
We believe that our business model is scalable and can be
expanded successfully into adjacent and new markets because we
offer a differentiated service and an attractive value
proposition to our customers at costs significantly lower than
most of our competitors. We continue to seek additional
opportunities to enhance our current market clusters and expand
into new geographic markets by participating in FCC spectrum
auctions, acquiring spectrum and related assets from third
parties, participating in new partnerships or joint ventures
and/or
acquiring other wireless communications companies or
complementary businesses. We also expect to continue to look for
opportunities to optimize the value of our spectrum portfolio.
Because some of the licenses that we and Denali License hold
include large regional areas covering both rural and
metropolitan communities, we and Denali License may sell some of
this spectrum or pursue the deployment of alternative products
or services in portions of this spectrum.
Our principal sources of liquidity are our existing unrestricted
cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and cash
generated from operations. From time to time, we may also
generate additional liquidity through capital markets
transactions or by selling assets that are not material to or
are not required for our ongoing business operations. See
Liquidity and Capital Resources below.
Among the most significant factors affecting our financial
condition and performance from period to period are our new
market expansions and growth in customers, the impacts of which
are reflected in our revenues and operating expenses. Throughout
2006, 2007 and the six months ended June 30, 2008, we and
our joint ventures continued expanding existing market
footprints and expanded into 29 new markets, increasing the
number of potential customers covered by our networks from
approximately 48.0 million covered POPs as of
December 31, 2006, to approximately 53.2 million
covered POPs as of December 31, 2007 and to approximately
61.7 million covered POPs as of June 30, 2008. This
network expansion, together with organic customer growth in our
existing markets, has resulted in substantial additions of new
customers, as our total end-of-period customers increased from
2.23 million customers as of December 31, 2006, to
2.86 million customers as of December 31, 2007 and to
3.31 million customers as of June 30, 2008. In
addition, our total revenues have increased from
$1.17 billion for fiscal 2006 to $1.63 billion for
fiscal 2007, and from $791.3 million for the six months
ended June 30, 2007 to $943.2 million for the six
months ended June 30, 2008. During these periods, we also
37
introduced several higher-priced, higher-value service plans
which have helped increase average revenue per user per month
over time, as customer acceptance of the higher-priced plans has
been favorable.
As our business activities have expanded, our operating expenses
have also grown, including increases in cost of service
reflecting: the increase in customers and the broader variety of
products and services provided to such customers; increased
depreciation expense related to our expanded networks; and
increased selling and marketing expenses and general and
administrative expenses generally attributable to expansion into
new markets, selling and marketing to a broader potential
customer base, and expenses required to support the
administration of our growing business. In particular, total
operating expenses increased from $1.17 billion for fiscal
2006 to $1.57 billion for fiscal 2007, and from
$763.1 million for the six months ended June 30, 2007
to $903.7 million for the six months ended June 30,
2008. We also incurred substantial additional indebtedness to
finance the costs of our business expansion and acquisitions of
additional wireless licenses in 2006, 2007 and during the first
six months of 2008. As a result, our interest expense has
increased from $61.3 million for fiscal 2006 to
$121.2 million for fiscal 2007, and from $53.6 million
for the six months ended June 30, 2007 to
$63.8 million for the six months ended June 30, 2008.
Also, in September 2007, we changed our tax accounting method
for amortizing wireless licenses, contributing substantially to
our income tax expense of $37.4 million for the year ended
December 31, 2007 as compared to $9.3 million for the
year ended December 31, 2006, and to our income tax expense
of $19.9 million for the six months ended June 30,
2008 as compared to $4.2 million for the six months ended
June 30, 2007.
Primarily as a result of the factors described above, our net
loss of $24.4 million for fiscal 2006 increased to
$75.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2007,
and our net loss of $14.6 million for the six months ended
June 30, 2007 increased to $44.2 million for the six
months ended June 30, 2008. We believe, however, that the
significant initial costs associated with building out and
launching new markets and further expanding our existing
business will provide substantial future benefits as the new
markets we have launched continue to develop, our existing
markets mature and we continue to add subscribers and additional
revenues.
We expect that we will continue to build out and launch new
markets and pursue other strategic expansion activities for the
next several years. We intend to be disciplined as we pursue
these expansion efforts and to remain focused on our position as
a low-cost leader in wireless telecommunications. We expect to
achieve increased revenues and incur higher operating expenses
as our existing business grows and as we build out and after we
launch service in new markets. Large-scale construction projects
for the build-out of our new markets will require significant
capital expenditures and may suffer cost overruns. Any such
significant capital expenditures or increased operating expenses
will decrease operating income before depreciation and
amortization, or OIBDA, and free cash flow for the periods in
which we incur such costs. However, we are willing to incur such
expenditures because we expect our expansion activities will be
beneficial to our business and create additional value for our
stockholders.
38
Results
of Operations
Operating
Items
The following tables summarize operating data for our
consolidated operations for the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008 and 2007 (in thousands, except percentages):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
% of 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
% of 2007
|
|
|
Change from
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service
|
|
|
Prior Year
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
Dollars
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service revenues
|
|
$
|
417,143
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
347,253
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
69,890
|
|
|
|
20.1
|
%
|
Equipment revenues
|
|
|
57,715
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,661
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7,054
|
|
|
|
13.9
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues
|
|
|
474,858
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
397,914
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
76,944
|
|
|
|
19.3
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of service
|
|
|
118,857
|
|
|
|
28.5
|
%
|
|
|
90,559
|
|
|
|
26.1
|
%
|
|
|
28,298
|
|
|
|
31.2
|
%
|
Cost of equipment
|
|
|
105,127
|
|
|
|
25.2
|
%
|
|
|
90,818
|
|
|
|
26.2
|
%
|
|
|
14,309
|
|
|
|
15.8
|
%
|
Selling and marketing
|
|
|
74,276
|
|
|
|
17.8
|
%
|
|
|
47,011
|
|
|
|
13.5
|
%
|
|
|
27,265
|
|
|
|
58.0
|
%
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
77,233
|
|
|
|
18.5
|
%
|
|
|
66,407
|
|
|
|
19.1
|
%
|
|
|
10,826
|
|
|
|
16.3
|
%
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
86,167
|
|
|
|
20.7
|
%
|
|
|
72,415
|
|
|
|
20.9
|
%
|
|
|
13,752
|
|
|
|
19.0
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
461,660
|
|
|
|
110.7
|
%
|
|
|
367,210
|
|
|
|
105.7
|
%
|
|
|
94,450
|
|
|
|
25.7
|
%
|
Gain on sale or disposal of assets
|
|
|
1,252
|
|
|
|
0.3
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.0
|
%
|
|
|
1,252
|
|
|
|
100.0
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income
|
|
$
|
14,450
|
|
|
|
3.5
|
%
|
|
$
|
30,704
|
|
|
|
8.8
|
%
|
|
$
|
(16,254
|
)
|
|
|
(52.9
|
)%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
% of 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
% of 2007
|
|
|
Change from
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service
|
|
|
Prior Year
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Revenues
|
|
|
Dollars
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
Revenues:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Service revenues
|
|
$
|
816,072
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
668,944
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
$
|
147,128
|
|
|
|
22.0
|
%
|
Equipment revenues
|
|
|
127,170
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
122,395
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,775
|
|
|
|
3.9
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total revenues
|
|
|
943,242
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
791,339
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
151,903
|
|
|
|
19.2
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating expenses:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost of service
|
|
|
230,027
|
|
|
|
28.2
|
%
|
|
|
180,999
|
|
|
|
27.1
|
%
|
|
|
49,028
|
|
|
|
27.1
|
%
|
Cost of equipment
|
|
|
219,348
|
|
|
|
26.9
|
%
|
|
|
213,483
|
|
|
|
31.9
|
%
|
|
|
5,865
|
|
|
|
2.7
|
%
|
Selling and marketing
|
|
|
132,376
|
|
|
|
16.2
|
%
|
|
|
95,780
|
|
|
|
14.3
|
%
|
|
|
36,596
|
|
|
|
38.2
|
%
|
General and administrative
|
|
|
153,140
|
|
|
|
18.8
|
%
|
|
|
131,641
|
|
|
|
19.7
|
%
|
|
|
21,499
|
|
|
|
16.3
|
%
|
Depreciation and amortization
|
|
|
168,806
|
|
|
|
20.7
|
%
|
|
|
141,215
|
|
|
|
21.1
|
%
|
|
|
27,591
|
|
|
|
19.5
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total operating expenses
|
|
|
903,697
|
|
|
|
110.7
|
%
|
|
|
763,118
|
|
|
|
114.1
|
%
|
|
|
140,579
|
|
|
|
18.4
|
%
|
Gain on sale or disposal of assets
|
|
|
961
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
%
|
|
|
940
|
|
|
|
0.1
|
%
|
|
|
21
|
|
|
|
2.2
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Operating income
|
|
$
|
40,506
|
|
|
|
5.0
|
%
|
|
$
|
29,161
|
|
|
|
4.4
|
%
|
|
$
|
11,345
|
|
|
|
38.9
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
39
The following tables summarize customer activity for the three
and six months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007. For purposes
of measuring customer activity and calculating our performance
metrics, we consider each active line for our voice service or
mobile broadband service to constitute a customer:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change
|
|
For the Three Months Ended June 30:
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
Gross customer additions
|
|
|
542,005
|
|
|
|
462,434
|
|
|
|
79,571
|
|
|
|
17.2
|
%
|
Net customer additions(1)
|
|
|
171,171
|
|
|
|
126,791
|
|
|
|
44,380
|
|
|
|
35.0
|
%
|
Weighted-average number of customers
|
|
|
3,162,028
|
|
|
|
2,586,900
|
|
|
|
575,128
|
|
|
|
22.2
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Change
|
|
For the Six Months Ended June 30:
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Amount
|
|
|
Percent
|
|
|
Gross customer additions
|
|
|
1,092,525
|
|
|
|
1,027,489
|
|
|
|
65,036
|
|
|
|
6.3
|
%
|
Net customer additions(1)
|
|
|
401,233
|
|
|
|
445,137
|
|
|
|
(43,904
|
)
|
|
|
(9.9
|
)%
|
Weighted average number of customers
|
|
|
3,059,252
|
|
|
|
2,490,030
|
|
|
|
569,222
|
|
|
|
22.9
|
%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As of June 30:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total customers
|
|
|
3,305,251
|
|
|
|
2,674,963
|
|
|
|
630,288
|
|
|
|
23.6
|
%
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Net customer additions for the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008 reflect the operations of Cricket markets and
exclude customers in Hargray Wireless markets we acquired on
April 1, 2008 in South Carolina and Georgia. We are
currently upgrading the Hargray Wireless network we acquired in
South Carolina and Georgia. Until we have completed the upgrades
and introduced Cricket service in these markets, our net
customer additions will not include customers in the Hargray
Wireless markets. |
Three
and Six Months Ended June 30, 2008 Compared to Three and
Six Months Ended June 30, 2007
Service
Revenues
Service revenues increased $69.9 million, or 20.1%, for the
three months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. This increase resulted
from a 22.2% increase in average total customers due to new
market launches and existing market customer growth and was
offset by a 1.7% decline in average monthly revenues per
customer. Average monthly revenues per customer reflected
customer acceptance of new rate plans offered during the quarter
and greater customer deactivations and reactivations during the
quarter as compared to the corresponding period of the prior
year.
Service revenues increased $147.1 million, or 22.0%, for
the six months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. This increase resulted
from a 22.9% increase in average total customers due to new
market launches and existing market customer growth and a 0.7%
decline in average monthly revenues per customer. Average
monthly revenues per customer reflected customer acceptance of
new rate plans offered during the first six months of 2008 and
greater customer deactivations and reactivations during the
first six months of 2008 as compared to the corresponding period
of the prior year.
Equipment
Revenues
Equipment revenues increased $7.1 million, or 13.9%, for
the three months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. This increase was
primarily due to an increase of 12% in handset sales volume.
Equipment revenues increased $4.8 million, or 3.9%, for the
six months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. An increase of 6% in
handset sales volume was partially offset by a reduction in the
average revenue per handset sold primarily due to the volume of
sales of our new low-cost handset that was launched in February
2008.
40
Cost of
Service
Cost of service increased $28.3 million, or 31.2%, for the
three months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. As a percentage of
service revenues, cost of service increased to 28.5% from 26.1%
in the prior year period. Network infrastructure costs increased
by 4% as a percentage of service revenues primarily due to costs
associated with new market launches and EvDO-related network
costs. In addition, during the three months ended June 30,
2007, we negotiated amendments to agreements that reduced our
liability for the removal of equipment on certain cell sites at
the end of the lease term, which resulted in a net gain of
$6.1 million and which resulted in lower network
infrastructure costs during that period. The increase in network
infrastructure costs in the second quarter of 2008 was partially
offset by a 1.6% decrease in variable product costs as a
percentage of service revenues due to an improved product cost
structure and a shift in customer usage of certain value-added
services to
lower-cost
products that yield higher margins.
Cost of service increased $49.0 million, or 27.1%, for the
six months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. As a percentage of
service revenues, cost of service increased to 28.2% from 27.1%
in the prior year period. Network infrastructure costs increased
by 1.9% as a percentage of service revenues primarily due to
costs associated with new market launches and EvDO-related
network costs. In addition, during the six months ended
June 30, 2007, we negotiated amendments to agreements that
reduced our liability for the removal of equipment on certain
cell sites at the end of the lease term, which resulted in a net
gain of $6.1 million and which resulted in lower network
infrastructure costs during that period. The increase in network
infrastructure costs in the first six months of 2008 was
partially offset by a 0.8% decrease in variable product costs as
a percentage of service revenues due to an improved product cost
structure and a shift in customer usage of certain value-added
services to
lower-cost
products that yield higher margins.
Cost of
Equipment
Cost of equipment increased $14.3 million, or 15.8%, for
the three months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. An increase of 12% in
handset sales volume and an increase in handset
replacement-related costs were partially offset by a reduction
in the average cost per handset sold primarily due to the volume
of sales of our new low-cost handset that was launched in
February 2008.
Cost of equipment increased $5.9 million, or 2.7%, for the
six months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the
corresponding period of the prior year. An increase of 6% in
handset sales volume and an increase in handset
replacement-related costs were partially offset by a reduction
in the average cost per handset sold primarily due to the volume
of sales of our new low-cost handset that was launched in
February 2008.
Selling
and Marketing Expenses
Selling and marketing expenses increased $27.3 million, or
58.0%, for the three months ended June 30, 2008 compared to
the corresponding period of the prior year. As a percentage of
service revenues, such expenses increased to 17.8% from 13.5% in
the prior year period. This percentage increase was largely
attributed to a 2.1% increase in media and advertising costs as
a percentage of service revenues reflecting a greater number of
new market launches in the current year period and the
advertising costs associated with those launches. In addition,
there was a 2.1% increase in store and staffing costs as a
percentage of service revenues due to the launch of new markets
and incremental distribution to support our footprint expansion
effort in select existing markets.
Selling and marketing expenses increased $36.6 million, or
38.2%, for the six months ended June 30, 2008 compared to
the corresponding period of the prior year. As a percentage of
service revenues, such expenses increased to 16.2% from 14.3% in
the prior year period. This percentage increase was largely
attributed to a 1.0% increase in store and staffing costs as a
percentage of service revenues due to the launch of new markets
and incremental distribution to support our footprint expansion
effort in select existing markets. In addition, there was a 0.8%
increase in media and advertising costs as a percentage of
service revenues reflecting a greater number of new market
launches in the current year period and the advertising costs
associated with those launches.
41
General
and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses increased
$10.8 million, or 16.3%, for the three months ended
June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding period of the
prior year. As a percentage of service revenues, such expenses
decreased to 18.5% from 19.1% in the prior year period due to
the increase in service revenues and consequent benefits of
scale.
General and administrative expenses increased
$21.5 million, or 16.3%, for the six months ended
June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding period of the
prior year. As a percentage of service revenues, such expenses
decreased to 18.8% from 19.7% in the prior year period due to
the increase in service revenues and consequent benefits of
scale.
Depreciation
and Amortization
Depreciation and amortization expense increased
$13.8 million, or 19.0%, for the three months ended
June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding period of the
prior year. The increase in depreciation and amortization
expense was due primarily to an increase in property, plant and
equipment in connection with the build-out and launch of our new
markets throughout 2007 and during the first six months of 2008
and the improvement and expansion of our existing markets. Such
expenses decreased slightly as a percentage of service revenues
compared to the corresponding period of the prior year.
Depreciation and amortization expense increased
$27.6 million, or 19.5%, for the six months ended
June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding period of the
prior year. The increase in depreciation and amortization
expense was due primarily to an increase in property, plant and
equipment in connection with the build-out and launch of our new
markets throughout 2007 and during the first six months of 2008
and the improvement and expansion of our existing markets. Such
expenses decreased slightly as a percentage of service revenues
compared to the corresponding period of the prior year.
Non-Operating
Items
The following tables summarize non-operating data for our
consolidated operations for the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008 and 2007 (in thousands):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Change
|
|
|
Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
$
|
(1,865
|
)
|
|
$
|
673
|
|
|
$
|
(2,538
|
)
|
Equity in net loss of investee
|
|
|
(295
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(295
|
)
|
Interest income
|
|
|
2,586
|
|
|
|
7,134
|
|
|
|
(4,548
|
)
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(30,401
|
)
|
|
|
(27,090
|
)
|
|
|
(3,311
|
)
|
Other expense, net
|
|
|
(307
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(307
|
)
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
(10,237
|
)
|
|
|
(1,783
|
)
|
|
|
(8,454
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Six Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Change
|
|
|
Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries
|
|
$
|
(2,688
|
)
|
|
$
|
2,252
|
|
|
$
|
(4,940
|
)
|
Equity in net loss of investee
|
|
|
(1,357
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1,357
|
)
|
Interest income
|
|
|
7,367
|
|
|
|
12,419
|
|
|
|
(5,052
|
)
|
Interest expense
|
|
|
(63,758
|
)
|
|
|
(53,586
|
)
|
|
|
(10,172
|
)
|
Other expense, net
|
|
|
(4,343
|
)
|
|
|
(637
|
)
|
|
|
(3,706
|
)
|
Income tax expense
|
|
|
(19,940
|
)
|
|
|
(4,195
|
)
|
|
|
(15,745
|
)
|
42
Three
and Six Months Ended June 30, 2008 Compared to Three and
Six Months Ended June 30, 2007
Minority
Interests in Consolidated Subsidiaries
Minority interests in consolidated subsidiaries primarily
reflects the share of net earnings or losses allocated to the
other members of certain consolidated entities, as well as
accretion expense associated with certain members put
options.
Equity in
Net Loss of Investee
Equity in net loss of investee reflects our share of losses in a
regional wireless service provider, in which we previously made
investments.
Interest
Income
Interest income decreased $4.5 million during the three
months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding
period of the prior year. This decrease was primarily attributed
to a change in our investment policy (and therefore a resulting
change in the mix of our investment portfolio), and a decline in
interest rates from the corresponding period of the prior year.
Currently, a large percentage of our portfolio consists of
lower-yielding fixed income securities that are guaranteed by
U.S. government agencies whereas a large percentage of our
portfolio previously consisted of higher-yielding corporate
securities.
Interest income decreased $5.1 million during the six
months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding
period of the prior year. This decrease was primarily attributed
to a change in our investment policy (and therefore a resulting
change in the mix of our investment portfolio), and a decline in
interest rates from the corresponding period of the prior year.
Currently, a large percentage of our portfolio consists of
lower-yielding fixed income securities that are guaranteed by
U.S. government agencies whereas a large percentage of our
portfolio previously consisted of higher-yielding corporate
securities.
Interest
Expense
Interest expense increased $3.3 million during the three
months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding
period of the prior year. The increase in interest expense
resulted primarily from our issuance of $350 million of
senior notes in June 2007. We capitalized $13.1 million of
interest during the three months ended June 30, 2008
compared to $11.2 million during the corresponding period
of the prior year. We capitalize interest costs associated with
our wireless licenses and property and equipment during the
build-out of new markets. The amount of such capitalized
interest depends on the carrying values of the licenses and
property and equipment involved in those markets and the
duration of the build-out. We expect capitalized interest to
continue to be significant during the build-out of our planned
new markets during the remainder of 2008 and beyond. See
Liquidity and Capital Resources below.
Interest expense increased $10.2 million during the six
months ended June 30, 2008 compared to the corresponding
period of the prior year. The increase in interest expense
resulted primarily from our issuance of $350 million of
senior notes in June 2007. We capitalized $26.1 million of
interest during the six months ended June 30, 2008 compared
to $21.9 million during the corresponding period of the
prior year. We capitalize interest costs associated with our
wireless licenses and property and equipment during the
build-out of new markets. The amount of such capitalized
interest depends on the carrying values of the licenses and
property and equipment involved in those markets and the
duration of the build-out. We expect capitalized interest to
continue to be significant during the build-out of our planned
new markets during the remainder of 2008 and beyond. See
Liquidity and Capital Resources below.
Other
Expense, Net
Other expense, net primarily consisted of an impairment charge
to reduce the carrying value of certain investments in
asset-backed commercial paper, as more fully described in
Note 5 to our condensed consolidated financial statements
included in Part I Item 1. Financial
Statements of this report.
43
Income
Tax Expense
The computation of our annual effective tax rate includes a
forecast of our estimated ordinary income (loss),
which is our annual income (loss) from continuing operations
before tax, excluding unusual or infrequently occurring (or
discrete) items. Significant management judgment is required in
projecting our ordinary income (loss). Our projected ordinary
income tax expense for the full year 2008, which excludes the
effect of unusual or infrequently occurring (or discrete) items,
consists primarily of the deferred tax effect of the
amortization of wireless licenses and tax goodwill for income
tax purposes. Because our projected 2008 income tax expense is a
relatively fixed amount, a small change in the ordinary income
(loss) projection can produce a significant variance in the
effective tax rate and therefore it is difficult to make a
reliable estimate of the annual effective tax rate. As a result,
and in accordance with paragraph 82 of FIN 18,
Accounting for Income Taxes in Interim Periods
an interpretation of APB Opinion No. 28, we have
calculated our provision for income taxes for the three and six
months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007 based on the actual
effective tax rate by applying the actual effective tax rate to
the year-to-date income.
During the three and six months ended June 30, 2008, we
recorded income tax expense of $10.2 million and
$19.9 million, respectively, compared to income tax expense
of $1.8 million and $4.2 million for the three and six
months ended June 30, 2007, respectively. The increase in
income tax expense related primarily to our change in August
2007 in our tax accounting method for amortizing wireless
licenses. The new method generally allows us to accelerate our
tax amortization of wireless licenses, thereby increasing our
net operating loss carryforwards. These net operating loss
carryforwards can be used to offset future taxable income and
reduce the amount of cash required to settle future tax
liabilities. At the same time, the new method increases our
income tax expense as a result of the deferred tax effect of
accelerating wireless license amortization.
We expect that we will recognize income tax expense for the full
year 2008 despite the fact that we have recorded a full
valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets. This is because
of the deferred tax effect of the amortization of wireless
licenses and tax basis goodwill for income tax purposes. We do
not expect to release any fresh-start related valuation
allowance from 2008 ordinary income.
We record deferred tax assets and liabilities arising from
differing treatments of items for tax and accounting purposes.
Deferred tax assets are also established for the expected future
tax benefits to be derived from net operating loss
carryforwards, capital loss carryforwards and income tax
credits. We then periodically assess the likelihood that our
deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable
income. This assessment requires significant judgment. To the
extent we believe it is more likely than not that our deferred
tax assets will not be recovered, we must establish a valuation
allowance. As part of this periodic assessment, we have weighed
the positive and negative factors with respect to this
determination and, at this time, except with respect to the
realization of a $2.5 million Texas Margins Tax credit, we
do not believe there is sufficient positive evidence and
sustained operating earnings to support a conclusion that it is
more likely than not that all or a portion of our deferred tax
assets will be realized. We will continue to closely monitor the
positive and negative factors to determine whether our valuation
allowance should be released.
Pursuant to American Institute of Certified Public
Accountants Statement of Position
No. 90-7,
Financial Reporting by Entities in Reorganization under
the Bankruptcy Code, the tax benefits of deferred tax
assets recorded in fresh-start reporting will be recorded as a
reduction of goodwill if the benefits are recognized in the
financial statements prior to January 1, 2009. These tax
benefits will not reduce income tax expense for GAAP purposes,
although such assets, when recognized as a deduction for tax
return purposes, may reduce U.S. federal and certain state
taxable income, if any, and may therefore reduce income taxes
payable. Effective for years beginning after December 15,
2008, Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, or SFAS,
No. 141 (revised 2007), Business Combinations,
or SFAS 141(R), provides that any tax benefit related to
deferred tax assets recorded in fresh-start reporting be
accounted for as a reduction to income tax expense. During the
year ended December 31, 2005, approximately
$25.1 million of fresh-start related net deferred tax
assets were utilized, and therefore we recorded a corresponding
reduction to goodwill. No such net deferred tax assets were
utilized during 2006 and 2007. As of June 30, 2008, the
balance of fresh-start related net deferred tax assets was
$218.5 million, which was subject to a full valuation
allowance.
44
Performance
Measures
In managing our business and assessing our financial
performance, management supplements the information provided by
financial statement measures with several customer-focused
performance metrics that are widely used in the
telecommunications industry. These metrics include average
revenue per user per month, or ARPU, which measures service
revenue per customer; cost per gross customer addition, or CPGA,
which measures the average cost of acquiring a new customer;
cash costs per user per month, or CCU, which measures the
non-selling cash cost of operating our business on a per
customer basis; and churn, which measures turnover in our
customer base. CPGA and CCU are non-GAAP financial measures. A
non-GAAP financial measure, within the meaning of Item 10
of
Regulation S-K
promulgated by the SEC, is a numerical measure of a
companys financial performance or cash flows that
(a) excludes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that
have the effect of excluding amounts, which are included in the
most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the
condensed consolidated balance sheets, condensed consolidated
statements of operations or condensed consolidated statements of
cash flows; or (b) includes amounts, or is subject to
adjustments that have the effect of including amounts, which are
excluded from the most directly comparable measure so calculated
and presented. See Reconciliation of
Non-GAAP Financial Measures below for a
reconciliation of CPGA and CCU to the most directly comparable
GAAP financial measures.
ARPU is service revenue divided by the weighted-average number
of customers, divided by the number of months during the period
being measured. Management uses ARPU to identify average revenue
per customer, to track changes in average customer revenues over
time, to help evaluate how changes in our business, including
changes in our service offerings and fees, affect average
revenue per customer, and to forecast future service revenue. In
addition, ARPU provides management with a useful measure to
compare our subscriber revenue to that of other wireless
communications providers. We do not recognize service revenue
until payment has been received and services have been provided
to the customer. In addition, customers are generally
disconnected from service approximately 30 days after
failing to pay a monthly bill. Therefore, because our
calculation of weighted-average number of customers includes
customers who have not paid their last bill and have yet to
disconnect service, ARPU may appear lower during periods in
which we have significant disconnect activity. We believe
investors use ARPU primarily as a tool to track changes in our
average revenue per customer and to compare our per customer
service revenues to those of other wireless communications
providers. Other companies may calculate this measure
differently.
CPGA is selling and marketing costs (excluding applicable
share-based compensation expense included in selling and
marketing expense), and equipment subsidy (generally defined as
cost of equipment less equipment revenue), less the net loss on
equipment transactions unrelated to initial customer
acquisition, divided by the total number of gross new customer
additions during the period being measured. The net loss on
equipment transactions unrelated to initial customer acquisition
includes the revenues and costs associated with the sale of
handsets to existing customers as well as costs associated with
handset replacements and repairs (other than warranty costs
which are the responsibility of the handset manufacturers). We
deduct customers who do not pay their first monthly bill from
our gross customer additions, which tends to increase CPGA
because we incur the costs associated with this customer without
receiving the benefit of a gross customer addition. Management
uses CPGA to measure the efficiency of our customer acquisition
efforts, to track changes in our average cost of acquiring new
subscribers over time, and to help evaluate how changes in our
sales and distribution strategies affect the cost-efficiency of
our customer acquisition efforts. In addition, CPGA provides
management with a useful measure to compare our per customer
acquisition costs with those of other wireless communications
providers. We believe investors use CPGA primarily as a tool to
track changes in our average cost of acquiring new customers and
to compare our per customer acquisition costs to those of other
wireless communications providers. Other companies may calculate
this measure differently.
CCU is cost of service and general and administrative costs
(excluding applicable share-based compensation expense included
in cost of service and general and administrative expense) plus
net loss on equipment transactions unrelated to initial customer
acquisition (which includes the gain or loss on the sale of
handsets to existing customers and costs associated with handset
replacements and repairs (other than warranty costs which are
the responsibility of the handset manufacturers)), divided by
the weighted-average number of customers, divided by the number
of months during the period being measured. CCU does not include
any depreciation and amortization
45
expense. Management uses CCU as a tool to evaluate the
non-selling cash expenses associated with ongoing business
operations on a per customer basis, to track changes in these
non-selling cash costs over time, and to help evaluate how
changes in our business operations affect non-selling cash costs
per customer. In addition, CCU provides management with a useful
measure to compare our non-selling cash costs per customer with
those of other wireless communications providers. We believe
investors use CCU primarily as a tool to track changes in our
non-selling cash costs over time and to compare our non-selling
cash costs to those of other wireless communications providers.
Other companies may calculate this measure differently.
Churn, which measures customer turnover, is calculated as the
net number of customers that disconnect from our service divided
by the weighted-average number of customers divided by the
number of months during the period being measured. Customers who
do not pay their first monthly bill are deducted from our gross
customer additions in the month in which they are disconnected;
as a result, these customers are not included in churn. In
addition, customers are generally disconnected from service
approximately 30 days after failing to pay a monthly bill.
Beginning during the quarter ended June 30, 2007,
pay-in-advance
customers who ask to terminate their service are disconnected
when their paid service period ends, whereas previously these
customers were generally disconnected on the date of their
request to terminate service. Management uses churn to measure
our retention of customers, to measure changes in customer
retention over time, and to help evaluate how changes in our
business affect customer retention. In addition, churn provides
management with a useful measure to compare our customer
turnover activity to that of other wireless communications
providers. We believe investors use churn primarily as a tool to
track changes in our customer retention over time and to compare
our customer retention to that of other wireless communications
providers. Other companies may calculate this measure
differently.
The following table shows metric information for the three
months ended June 30, 2008 and 2007:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
ARPU
|
|
$
|
43.97
|
|
|
$
|
44.75
|
|
CPGA
|
|
$
|
205
|
|
|
$
|
182
|
|
CCU
|
|
$
|
21.01
|
|
|
$
|
19.87
|
|
Churn(1)
|
|
|
3.8
|
%
|
|
|
4.3
|
%
|
|
|
(1) |
Churn for the three months ended June 30, 2008 reflects the
operations of Cricket markets for the period and excludes
customers in Hargray Wireless markets we acquired on
April 1, 2008 in South Carolina and Georgia. We are
currently upgrading the Hargray Wireless networks we acquired in
South Carolina and Georgia. Until we have completed the upgrades
and introduced Cricket service in these markets, our churn
metrics will not include customers in the Hargray Wireless
markets.
|
Reconciliation
of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We utilize certain financial measures, as described above, that
are widely used in the industry but that are not calculated
based on GAAP. Certain of these financial measures are
considered non-GAAP financial measures within the
meaning of Item 10 of
Regulation S-K
promulgated by the SEC.
46
CPGA The following table reconciles total costs used
in the calculation of CPGA to selling and marketing expense,
which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP
financial measure to CPGA (in thousands, except gross customer
additions and CPGA):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended June 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Selling and marketing expense
|
|
$
|
74,276
|
|
|
$
|
47,011
|
|
Less share-based compensation expense included in selling and
marketing expense
|
|
|
(1,179
|
)
|
|
|
(560
|
)
|
Plus cost of equipment
|
|
|
105,127
|
|
|
|
90,818
|
|
Less equipment revenue
|
|
|
(57,715
|
)
|
|
|
(50,661
|
)
|
Less net loss on equipment transactions unrelated to initial
customer acquisition
|
|
|
(9,389
|
)
|
|
|
(2,591
|
)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total costs used in the calculation of CPGA
|
|
$
|
111,120
|
|
|
$
|
84,017
|
|
Gross customer additions
|
|
|
542,005
|
|
|
|
462,434
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CPGA
|
|
$
|
205
|
|
|
$
|
182
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CCU The following table reconciles total costs used
in the calculation of CCU to cost of service, which we consider
to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to CCU
(in thousands, except weighted-average number of customers and
CCU):
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Three Months Ended
|
|
|
|
June 30,
|
|
|
|
2008
|
|
|
2007
|
|
|
Cost of service
|
|
$
|
118,857
|
|
|
$
|
90,559
|
|
Plus general and administrative expense
|
|
|
77,233
|
|
|
|
66,407
|
|
Less share-based compensation expense included in cost of
service and general and administrative expense
|
|
|
(6,155
|
)
|
|
|
(5,335
|
)
|
Plus net loss on equipment transactions unrelated to initial
customer acquisition
|
|
|
9,389
|
|
|
|
2,591
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total costs used in the calculation of CCU
|
|
$
|
199,324
|
|
|
$
|
154,222
|
|
Weighted-average number of customers
|
|
|
3,162,028
|
|
|
|
2,586,900
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CCU
|
|
$
|
21.01
|
|
|
$
|
19.87
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Liquidity
and Capital Resources
Overview
Our principal sources of liquidity are our existing unrestricted
cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and cash
generated from operations. We had a total of $934.4 million
in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term
investments as of June 30, 2008. We generated
$181.6 million of net cash from operating activities during
the six months ended June 30, 2008, and we expect that cash
from operations will continue to be a significant and increasing
source of liquidity as our markets mature and our business
continues to grow. In addition, we generated $522.9 million
of net cash from financing activities during the six months
ended June 30, 2008, which included proceeds from our
issuance of senior notes and convertible senior notes in June
2008. From time to time, we may generate additional liquidity
through future capital markets transactions or by selling assets
that are not material to or are not required for our ongoing
business operations. We believe that our existing unrestricted
cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, together with
cash generated from operations, are sufficient to meet the
operating and capital requirements for our current business
operations and for the expansion of our business as described
below.
47
Our business expansion efforts include our plans to expand our
network footprint by launching our Cricket service in additional
new markets and increasing and enhancing coverage in our
existing markets. We and Denali License expect to cover up to
approximately 36 million additional POPs by the middle of
2009 and up to approximately 50 million additional POPs by
the end of 2010 (in each case measured on a cumulative basis
beginning January 2008). As part of these expansion plans,
during the six months ended June 30, 2008, we launched new
Auction #66 markets in Oklahoma City, southern Texas, Las
Vegas and St. Louis, covering approximately eight million
additional POPs, and we and Denali License are currently
building out and preparing additional Auction #66 markets
that we intend to launch this year and through 2010. The launch
of additional Auction #66 markets requires the expenditure
of significant funds to complete the associated construction and
fund the initial operating costs. Aggregate capital expenditures
for the build-out of new markets through their first full year
of operation after commercial launch are currently anticipated
to be approximately $25.00 per covered POP, excluding
capitalized interest. If U.S. federal government incumbent
licensees do not relocate their spectrum use to alternative
frequencies or confirm that we can operate on the spectrum
without interfering with their current uses, their continued use
of the spectrum covered by licenses we and Denali License
purchased in Auction #66 could delay the launch of certain
markets.
In addition to these new market launches, we plan to continue to
expand and enhance our network coverage and capacity in many of
our existing markets, allowing us to offer our customers an
improved service area. As part of the first phase of this
program, we planned to deploy approximately 600 new cell sites
in our existing markets during 2007 and 2008, and this phase of
expansion is substantially complete. Looking ahead, in the
second phase of this network enhancement, we plan to deploy up
to an additional 600 cell sites in our existing markets by the
end of 2010.
Our current business expansion efforts also include our plans to
expand the availability of our mobile broadband product
offering, Cricket Wireless Internet Service, which we introduced
into select markets in September 2007. As of June 30, 2008,
our Cricket Wireless Internet Service was available to
approximately 23 million covered POPs, and we expect to
further expand the availability of this product offering to
cover approximately 60 million POPs by the end of 2008.
We may also pursue other strategic activities to build our
business, which could include (without limitation) the
acquisition of additional spectrum through FCC auctions or
private transactions, entering into partnerships with others to
launch and operate additional markets, or the acquisition of
other wireless communications companies or complementary
businesses. If we were to pursue any of these activities at a
significant level in addition to our current business expansion
efforts, we would likely need to raise additional funding or
re-direct capital otherwise available for our current business
expansion efforts. Any additional capital that we raise could
consist of debt
and/or
equity financing from the public
and/or
private capital markets. The amount, nature and timing of any
additional financing will depend on our operating performance,
the amount, nature and timing of our anticipated capital
requirements for such strategic activities, our ability to incur
additional indebtedness under our senior secured credit
agreement, or Credit Agreement, and the indentures governing our
senior notes, and overall market conditions.
Our total outstanding indebtedness under our Credit Agreement
was $882.0 million as of June 30, 2008. Outstanding
term loan borrowings under our Credit Agreement must be repaid
in 22 quarterly payments of $2.25 million each (which
commenced on March 31, 2007) followed by four
quarterly payments of $211.5 million (which commence on
September 30, 2012). The term loan under our Credit
Agreement bears interest at the London Interbank Offered Rate,
or LIBOR, plus 3.5% (subject to a LIBOR floor of 3.0% per annum)
or the bank base rate plus 2.5%, as selected by us. In addition
to our Credit Agreement, we also had $1,650 million in
unsecured senior indebtedness outstanding as of June 30,
2008, which included $1,100 million of senior notes due
2014, $250 million of convertible senior notes due 2014 and
$300 million of senior notes due 2015.
The Credit Agreement and the indentures governing Crickets
senior notes contain covenants that restrict the ability of
Leap, Cricket and the subsidiary guarantors to take certain
actions, including incurring additional indebtedness beyond
specified thresholds. In addition, under certain circumstances
we are required to use some or all of the proceeds we receive
from incurring indebtedness beyond defined levels to pay down
outstanding borrowings under our Credit Agreement. Our Credit
Agreement also contains financial covenants with respect to a
maximum consolidated senior secured leverage ratio and, if a
revolving credit loan or uncollateralized letter of
48
credit is outstanding or requested, with respect to a minimum
consolidated interest coverage ratio, a maximum consolidated
leverage ratio and a minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage
ratio. The Credit Agreement includes a $200 million
revolving credit facility, which was undrawn as of June 30,
2008. Based upon our existing levels of indebtedness, and
depending on our results of operations and the scope and pace of
our current business expansion efforts and other strategic
activities we may pursue, our consolidated leverage ratio could
restrict our ability to borrow under the revolving credit
facility or undertake additional debt financing for one or more
quarters. In addition, our business expansion efforts and other
strategic activities we may pursue could, depending on their
scope and pace relative to our results of operations, decrease
our consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio, which could
prevent us from borrowing under the revolving credit facility
for one or more quarters. We do not intend, however, to pursue
business expansion efforts or other strategic activities that
would prevent or restrict us from borrowing under the revolving
credit facility unless we believe we have sufficient liquidity
to support the operating and capital requirements for our
business and any such business expansion efforts or other
strategic activities without drawing on the revolving credit
facility.
Although our significant outstanding indebtedness results in
certain risks to our business that could materially affect our
financial condition and performance, we believe that these risks
are manageable and that we are taking appropriate actions to
monitor and address them. For example, in connection with our
financial planning process and capital raising activities, we
seek to maintain an appropriate balance between our debt and
equity capitalization and we review our business plans and
forecasts to monitor our ability to service our debt and to
comply with the financial covenants and debt incurrence and
other covenants in our Credit Agreement and indentures governing
Crickets senior notes. In addition, as the new markets
that we have launched over the past few years continue to
develop and our existing markets mature, we expect that
increased cash flows from such new and existing markets will
ultimately result in improvements in our leverage ratio and
other ratios underlying our financial covenants, although
certain ratios may be adversely affected in the interim, as
described above. Our $1,650 million of senior notes and
convertible senior notes bear interest at a fixed rate and we
have entered into interest rate swap agreements covering
$355 million of outstanding debt under our term loan, which
help to mitigate our exposure to interest rate fluctuations. Due
to the fixed rate on our senior notes and convertible senior
notes and our interest rate swaps, approximately 78.1% of our
total indebtedness accrues interest at a fixed rate. In light of
the actions described above, our expected cash flows from
operations, and our ability to reduce our investments in
business expansion efforts or other strategic activities or to
slow the pace of such plans as necessary to match our capital
requirements to our available liquidity, management believes
that it has the ability to effectively manage our levels of
indebtedness and address the risks to our business and financial
condition related to our indebtedness.
Cash
Flows
Operating
Activities
Net cash provided by operating activities was
$181.6 million during the six months ended June 30,
2008 compared to $108.8 million during the six months ended
June 30, 2007. This increase was primarily attributable to
increased operating income and changes in working capital.
Investing
Activities
Net cash used in investing activities was $491.6 million
during the six months ended June 30, 2008, which included
the effects of the following transactions:
|
|
|
|
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we purchased
Hargray Communications Groups wireless subsidiary, Hargray
Wireless, LLC, or Hargray Wireless, for approximately
$31.8 million.
|
|
|
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we made
investment purchases of $297.8 million, offset by sales or
maturities of investments of $186.4 million.
|
|
|
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we and our
consolidated joint ventures purchased $338.3 million of
property and equipment for the build-out of our new markets and
the expansion and improvement of our existing markets.
|
49
|
|
|
|
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we deposited
$70.0 million with the FCC in connection with our
participation in Auction #73, all of which was returned to
us in April 2008.
|
Financing
Activities
Net cash provided by financing activities was
$522.9 million during the six months ended June 30,
2008, which included the effects of the following transactions:
|
|
|
|
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we issued
$300 million of unsecured senior notes, which resulted in
net proceeds of $293.3 million, and $250 million of
convertible senior notes, which resulted in net proceeds of
$242.5 million. These note issuances were offset by
payments of $4.5 million on our $895.5 million senior
secured term loan and a payment of $0.5 million on LCW
Operations $40 million senior secured term loans.
These note issuances were further offset by the payment of
$6.4 million in debt issuance costs.
|
|
|
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, made payments of
$8.0 million on our capital lease obligations.
|
|
|
|
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we issued common
stock upon the exercise of stock options held by our employees,
resulting in aggregate net proceeds of $6.5 million.
|
Senior
Secured Credit Facilities
Cricket
Communications
The senior secured credit facility under the Credit Agreement
consists of a six-year $895.5 million term loan and a
$200 million revolving credit facility. As of June 30,
2008, the outstanding indebtedness under the term loan was
$882.0 million. Outstanding borrowings under the term loan
must be repaid in 22 quarterly payments of $2.25 million
each (which commenced on March 31, 2007) followed by
four quarterly payments of $211.5 million (which commence
on September 30, 2012).
On June 18, 2008, we amended the Credit Agreement, among
other things, to:
|
|
|
|
|
increase the size of the permitted unsecured debt basket under
the Credit Agreement from $1.2 billion to
$1.65 billion plus $1.00 for every $1.00 of cash proceeds
from the issuance of new common equity by Leap, up to
$200 million in the aggregate;
|
|
|
|
increase the add-back to consolidated earnings before interest,
taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, for operating
losses in new markets from $75 million to
$100 million, and extend the period in which such add-back
applies until December 31, 2011. For purposes of
calculating the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio under
the Credit Agreement, an additional $125 million in new
market operating losses can be added back to consolidated EBITDA
through December 31, 2009;
|
|
|
|
exclude up to $125 million of capital expenditures made in
connection with the expansion of network coverage, capability
and capacity in markets in existence as of December 31,
2007 from the consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio
calculation through December 31, 2009;
|
|
|
|
increase the baskets under the Credit Agreement for capital
lease and purchase money security interests from
$150 million to $250 million;
|
|
|
|
increase the baskets under the Credit Agreement for letters of
credit from $15 million to $30 million;
|
|
|
|
exclude qualified preferred stock from the definition of
indebtedness under the Credit Agreement and make certain other
amendments to facilitate the issuance by Leap of qualified
preferred stock;
|
|
|
|
establish that, if Cricket enters into an incremental facility
for term loans or a revolving credit facility with an effective
interest rate or weighted average yield (taking into account
factors such as any interest rate floor, call protection,
original issue discount and lender fees) that is higher than the
then-existing interest rate for the existing term loans or
revolving credit facility, as applicable, under the Credit
Agreement, then the interest rate for the existing term loans or
revolving credit facility, as applicable, shall be increased to
match the effective interest rate or weighted average yield of
such incremental facility;
|
50
|
|
|
|
|
cap any new incremental facilities under the Credit Agreement at
$400 million in the aggregate;
|
|
|
|
increase the applicable rate spread on the term loans and
revolving credit facility under the Credit Agreement by
50 basis points, and set a floor on the LIBOR under the
Credit Agreement of 3.0% per annum; and
|
|
|
|
include a prepayment (or repayment) premium on the term loans of
2.0% on any principal amount prepaid (or repaid) prior to the
first anniversary of the date of the amendment and 1.0% on any
principal amount prepaid (or repaid) on or after the first
anniversary but prior to the second anniversary of the date of
amendment (other than prepayments in respect of extraordinary
receipts).
|
In connection with the execution of the Credit Agreement
amendment, we paid a fee equal to 50 basis points on the
aggregate principal amount of the commitments and loans of each
lender that executed the amendment.
Under the Credit Agreement, as amended, the term loan bears
interest at LIBOR plus 3.50% (subject to the LIBOR floor of 3.0%
per annum) or the bank base rate plus 2.50%, as selected by
Cricket. These interest rates represent an increase of
50 basis points from the rates applicable to the term loan
immediately prior to the amendment.
At June 30, 2008, the effective interest rate on the term
loan was 7.3%, including the effect of interest rate swaps. The
terms of the Credit Agreement require us to enter into interest
rate swap agreements in a sufficient amount so that at least 50%
of our outstanding indebtedness for borrowed money bears
interest at a fixed rate. We were in compliance with this
requirement as of June 30, 2008. We have entered into
interest rate swap agreements with respect to $355 million
of our debt. These interest rate swap agreements effectively fix
the LIBOR interest rate on $150 million of indebtedness at
8.3% and $105 million of indebtedness at 7.3% through June
2009 and $100 million of indebtedness at 8.0% through
September 2010. The fair value of the swap agreements as of
June 30, 2008 and December 31, 2007 were liabilities
of $7.8 million and $7.2 million, respectively, which
were recorded in other liabilities in the condensed consolidated
balance sheets.
Outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility, to
the extent that there are any borrowings, are due in June 2011.
As of June 30, 2008, the revolving credit facility was
undrawn; however, approximately $3.9 million of letters of
credit were issued under the Credit Agreement and were
considered as usage of the revolving credit facility, as more
fully described in Note 8 to our condensed consolidated
financial statements in Part I
Item 1. Financial Statements included in this report.
The commitment of the lenders under the revolving credit
facility may be reduced in the event mandatory prepayments are
required under the Credit Agreement. The commitment fee on the
revolving credit facility is payable quarterly at a rate of
between 0.25% and 0.50% per annum, depending on our consolidated
senior secured leverage ratio, and the rate is currently 0.25%.
As of June 30, 2008, borrowings under the revolving credit
facility would have accrued interest at LIBOR plus 3.25%
(subject to the LIBOR floor of 3.0% per annum) or the bank base
rate plus 2.25%, as selected by Cricket.
The facilities under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Leap
and all of its direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries (other
than Cricket, which is the primary obligor, and LCW Wireless and
Denali and their respective subsidiaries) and are secured by
substantially all of the present and future personal property
and real property owned by Leap, Cricket and such direct and
indirect domestic subsidiaries. Under the Credit Agreement, we
are subject to certain limitations, including limitations on our
ability to: incur additional debt or sell assets, with
restrictions on the use of proceeds; make certain investments
and acquisitions; grant liens; pay dividends; and make certain
other restricted payments. In addition, we will be required to
pay down the facilities under certain circumstances if we issue
debt, sell assets or property, receive certain extraordinary
receipts or generate excess cash flow (as defined in the Credit
Agreement). We are also subject to a financial covenant with
respect to a maximum consolidated senior secured leverage ratio
and, if a revolving credit loan or uncollateralized letter of
credit is outstanding or requested, with respect to a minimum
consolidated interest coverage ratio, a maximum consolidated
leverage ratio and a minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage
ratio. In addition to investments in the Denali joint venture,
the Credit Agreement allows us to invest up to $85 million
in LCW Wireless and our subsidiaries and up to $150 million
plus an amount equal to an available cash flow basket in other
joint ventures, and allows us to provide limited guarantees for
the benefit of Denali, LCW Wireless and other joint ventures. We
were in compliance with these covenants as of June 30, 2008.
51
Based upon our existing levels of indebtedness, and depending on
our results of operations and the scope and pace of our current
business expansion efforts and other strategic activities we may
pursue, our consolidated leverage ratio could restrict our
ability to borrow under the revolving credit facility or
undertake additional debt financing for one or more quarters. In
addition, our business expansion efforts and other strategic
activities we may pursue could, depending on their scope and
pace relative to our results of operations, decrease our
consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio, which could prevent us
from borrowing under the revolving credit facility for one or
more quarters. We do not intend, however, to pursue business
expansion efforts or other strategic activities that would
prevent or restrict us from borrowing under the revolving credit
facility unless we believe we have sufficient liquidity to
support the operating and capital requirements for our business
and any such business expansion efforts or other strategic
activities without drawing on the revolving credit facility.
The Credit Agreement also prohibits the occurrence of a change
of control, which includes the acquisition of beneficial
ownership of 35% or more of Leaps equity securities, a
change in a majority of the members of Leaps board of
directors that is not approved by the board and the occurrence
of a change of control under any of our other credit
instruments.
Affiliates of Highland Capital Management, L.P. (an affiliate of
James D. Dondero, a former director of Leap) participated in the
syndication of the term loan in an amount equal to
$222.9 million. Additionally, Highland Capital Management
continues to hold a $40 million commitment under the
$200 million revolving credit facility.
LCW
Operations
LCW Operations has a senior secured credit agreement consisting
of two term loans for $40 million in the aggregate. The
loans bear interest at LIBOR plus the applicable margin ranging
from 2.7% to 6.3%. At June 30, 2008, the effective interest
rate on the term loans was 7.1%, and the outstanding
indebtedness was $39.5 million. LCW Operations has entered
into an interest rate cap agreement which effectively caps the
three month LIBOR interest rate at 7.0% on $20 million of
its outstanding borrowings through October 2011. The obligations
under the loans are guaranteed by LCW Wireless and LCW Wireless
License, LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of LCW Operations), and
are non-recourse to Leap, Cricket and their other subsidiaries.
Outstanding borrowings under the term loans must be repaid in
varying quarterly installments, which commenced in June 2008,
with an aggregate final payment of $24.5 million due in
June 2011. Under the senior secured credit agreement, LCW
Operations and the guarantors are subject to certain
limitations, including limitations on their ability to: incur
additional debt or sell assets, with restrictions on the use of
proceeds; make certain investments and acquisitions; grant
liens; pay dividends; and make certain other restricted
payments. In addition, LCW Operations will be required to pay
down the facilities under certain circumstances if it or the
guarantors issue debt, sell assets or generate excess cash flow.
The senior secured credit agreement requires that LCW Operations
and the guarantors comply with financial covenants related to
EBITDA, gross additions of subscribers, minimum cash and cash
equivalents and maximum capital expenditures, among other
things. LCW Operations was in compliance with these covenants as
of June 30, 2008.
Senior
Notes
Senior
Notes Due 2014
In 2006, Cricket issued $750 million of 9.375% unsecured
senior notes due 2014 in a private placement to institutional
buyers, which were exchanged in 2007 for identical notes that
had been registered with the SEC. In June 2007, Cricket issued
an additional $350 million of 9.375% unsecured senior notes
due 2014 in a private placement to institutional buyers at an
issue price of 106% of the principal amount, which were
exchanged in June 2008 for identical notes that had been
registered with the SEC. These notes are all treated as a single
class and have identical terms. The $21 million premium we
received in connection with the issuance of the second tranche
of notes has been recorded in long-term debt in the condensed
consolidated financial statements and is being amortized as a
reduction to interest expense over the term of the notes. At
June 30, 2008, the effective interest rate on the
$350 million of senior notes was 8.7%, which includes the
effect of the premium amortization and excludes the effect of
the additional interest that has been accrued in connection with
the delay in the exchange of the notes, as more fully described
below.
52
The notes bear interest at the rate of 9.375% per year, payable
semi-annually in cash in arrears, which interest payments
commenced in May 2007. The notes are guaranteed on an unsecured
senior basis by Leap and each of its existing and future
domestic subsidiaries (other than Cricket, which is the issuer
of the notes, and LCW Wireless and Denali and their respective
subsidiaries) that guarantee indebtedness for money borrowed of
Leap, Cricket or any subsidiary guarantor. The notes and the
guarantees are Leaps, Crickets and the
guarantors general senior unsecured obligations and rank
equally in right of payment with all of Leaps,
Crickets and the guarantors existing and future
unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness. The notes and the
guarantees are effectively junior to Leaps, Crickets
and the guarantors existing and future secured
obligations, including those under the Credit Agreement, to the
extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations, as
well as to future liabilities of Leaps and Crickets
subsidiaries that are not guarantors, and of LCW Wireless and
Denali and their respective subsidiaries. In addition, the notes
and the guarantees are senior in right of payment to any of
Leaps, Crickets and the guarantors future
subordinated indebtedness.
Prior to November 1, 2009, Cricket may redeem up to 35% of
the aggregate principal amount of the notes at a redemption
price of 109.375% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued
and unpaid interest and additional interest, if any, thereon to
the redemption date, from the net cash proceeds of specified
equity offerings. Prior to November 1, 2010, Cricket may
redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price
equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the
applicable premium and any accrued and unpaid interest, if any,
thereon to the redemption date. The applicable premium is
calculated as the greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal
amount of such notes and (ii) the excess of (a) the
present value at such date of redemption of (1) the
redemption price of such notes at November 1, 2010 plus
(2) all remaining required interest payments due on such
notes through November 1, 2010 (excluding accrued but
unpaid interest to the date of redemption), computed using a
discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis
points, over (b) the principal amount of such notes. The
notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time on or
after November 1, 2010, at a redemption price of 104.688%
and 102.344% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed during
the twelve months ending October 31, 2011 and 2012,
respectively, or at 100% of the principal amount if redeemed
during the twelve months ending October 31, 2013 or
thereafter, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to
the redemption date.
If a change of control occurs (which includes the
acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of
Leaps equity securities, a sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a
change in a majority of the members of Leaps board of
directors that is not approved by the board), each holder of the
notes may require Cricket to repurchase all of such
holders notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the
principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest,
if any, thereon to the repurchase date.
The indenture governing the notes limits, among other things,
our ability to: incur additional debt; create liens or other
encumbrances; place limitations on distributions from restricted
subsidiaries; pay dividends; make investments; prepay
subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments;
issue or sell capital stock of restricted subsidiaries; issue
guarantees; sell assets; enter into transactions with our
affiliates; and make acquisitions or merge or consolidate with
another entity.
In connection with the private placement of the
$350 million of additional senior notes, we entered into a
registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the
notes in which we agreed to file a registration statement with
the SEC to permit the holders to exchange or resell the notes.
We were required to use reasonable best efforts to file such
registration statement within 150 days after the issuance
of the notes, have the registration statement declared effective
within 270 days after the issuance of the notes and then
consummate any exchange offer within 30 business days after the
effective date of the registration statement. In the event that
the registration statement was not filed or declared effective
or the exchange offer was not consummated within these
deadlines, the agreement provided that additional interest would
accrue on the principal amount of the notes at a rate of 0.50%
per annum during the
90-day
period immediately following the first to occur of these events
and would increase by 0.50% per annum at the end of each
subsequent
90-day
period until all such defaults were cured, but in no event would
the penalty rate exceed 1.50% per annum. There were no other
alternative settlement methods and, other than the 1.50% per
annum maximum penalty rate, the agreement contained no limit on
the maximum potential amount of penalty interest that could be
paid in the event we did not meet the registration statement
filing requirements. Due to the restatement of our historical
consolidated financial results during the fourth quarter of
2007, we were unable to file the registration statement within
150 days after issuance of the notes. We filed the
registration statement on
53
March 28, 2008, which was declared effective on
May 19, 2008, and consummated the exchange offer on
June 20, 2008. Due to the delay in filing the registration
statement and having it declared effective, we paid
approximately $1.3 million of additional interest on
May 1, 2008 and have accrued the remaining additional
interest expense payable of approximately $0.3 million as
of June 30, 2008.
Convertible
Senior Notes Due 2014
On June 25, 2008, Leap issued $250 million of
unsecured convertible senior notes due 2014 in a private
placement to institutional buyers. The notes bear interest at
the rate of 4.50% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in
arrears commencing in January 2009. The notes are Leaps
general unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of
payment with all of Leaps existing and future senior
unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to all
indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the notes.
The notes are structurally subordinated to the existing and
future claims of Leaps subsidiaries creditors,
including under the Credit Agreement and the senior notes
described above and below. The notes are effectively junior to
all of Leaps existing and future secured obligations,
including under the Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value
of the assets securing such obligations.
Holders may convert their notes into shares of Leap common stock
at any time on or prior to the third scheduled trading day prior
to the maturity date of the notes, July 15, 2014. If, at
the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of
Leaps common stock is less than or equal to approximately
$93.21 per share, the notes will be convertible into
10.7290 shares of Leap common stock per $1,000 principal
amount of the notes (referred to as the base conversion
rate), subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of
certain events. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable
stock price of Leaps common stock exceeds approximately
$93.21 per share, the conversion rate will be determined
pursuant to a formula based on the base conversion rate and an
incremental share factor of 8.3150 shares per $1,000
principal amount of the notes, subject to adjustment.
Leap may be required to repurchase all outstanding notes in cash
at a repurchase price of 100% of the principal amount of the
notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the
repurchase date if (1) any person acquires beneficial
ownership, directly or indirectly, of shares of Leaps
capital stock that would entitle the person to exercise 50% or
more of the total voting power of all of Leaps capital
stock entitled to vote in the election of directors,
(2) Leap (i) merges or consolidates with or into any
other person, another person merges with or into Leap, or Leap
conveys, sells, transfers or leases all or substantially all of
its assets to another person or (ii) engages in any
recapitalization, reclassification or other transaction in which
all or substantially all of Leaps common stock is
exchanged for or converted into cash, securities or other
property, in each case subject to limitations and excluding in
the case of (1) and (2) any merger or consolidation where at
least 90% of the consideration consists of shares of common
stock traded on NYSE, ASE or NASDAQ, (3) a majority of the
members of Leaps board of directors ceases to consist of
individuals who were directors on the date of original issuance
of the notes or whose election or nomination for election was
previously approved by the board of directors, (4) Leap is
liquidated or dissolved or holders of common stock approve any
plan or proposal for its liquidation or dissolution or
(5) shares of Leaps common stock are not listed for
trading on any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global
Market or the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any of their
respective successors). Leap may not redeem the notes at its
option.
In connection with the private placement of the convertible
senior notes, we entered into a registration rights agreement
with the initial purchasers of the notes in which we agreed,
under certain circumstances, to use commercially reasonable
efforts to cause a shelf registration statement covering the
resale of the notes and the common stock issuable upon
conversion of the notes to be declared effective by the SEC and
to pay additional interest if such registration obligations are
not performed. In the event that we do not comply with the
registration requirements, the agreement provides that
additional interest will accrue on the principal amount of the
notes at a rate of 0.25% per annum during the
90-day
period immediately following a registration default and will
increase to 0.50% per annum beginning on the
91st day
of the registration default until all such defaults have been
cured. There are no other alternative settlement methods and,
other than the 0.50% per annum maximum penalty rate, the
agreement contains no limit on the maximum potential amount of
penalty interest that could be paid in the event we do not meet
the registration statement filing requirements. However, our
obligation to file, have declared effective or maintain the
effectiveness of a shelf registration statement (and pay
additional interest) is suspended to the extent and during the
periods that the notes are eligible to be transferred without
registration under the Securities Act of
54
1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, by a person who is not
an affiliate of ours (and has not been an affiliate for the
90 days preceding such transfer) pursuant to Rule 144
under the Securities Act without any volume or manner of sale
restrictions. We did not issue any of the convertible senior
notes to any of our affiliates. As a result, we currently expect
that prior to the time by which we would be required to file and
have declared effective a shelf registration statement covering
the resale of the convertible senior notes that the notes will
be eligible to be transferred without registration pursuant to
Rule 144 without any volume or manner of sale restrictions.
Accordingly, we do not believe that the payment of additional
interest is probable and, therefore, no related liability has
been recorded in the condensed consolidated financial statements.
Senior
Notes Due 2015
On June 25, 2008, Cricket issued $300 million of 10.0%
unsecured senior notes due 2015 in a private placement to
institutional buyers. The notes bear interest at the rate of
10.0% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears
commencing in January 2009. The notes are guaranteed on an
unsecured senior basis by Leap and each of its existing and
future domestic subsidiaries (other than Cricket, which is the
issuer of the notes, and LCW Wireless and Denali and their
respective subsidiaries) that guarantee indebtedness for money
borrowed of Leap, Cricket or any subsidiary guarantor. The notes
and the guarantees are Leaps, Crickets and the
guarantors general senior unsecured obligations and rank
equally in right of payment with all of Leaps,
Crickets and the guarantors existing and future
unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness. The notes and the
guarantees are effectively junior to Leaps, Crickets
and the guarantors existing and future secured
obligations, including those under the Credit Agreement, to the
extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations, as
well as to future liabilities of Leaps and Crickets
subsidiaries that are not guarantors, and of LCW Wireless and
Denali and their respective subsidiaries. In addition, the notes
and the guarantees are senior in right of payment to any of
Leaps, Crickets and the guarantors future
subordinated indebtedness.
Prior to July 15, 2011, Cricket may redeem up to 35% of the
aggregate principal amount of the notes at a redemption price of
110.0% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid
interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date, from the net
cash proceeds of specified equity offerings. Prior to
July 15, 2012, Cricket may redeem the notes, in whole or in
part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal
amount thereof plus the applicable premium and any accrued and
unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date. The
applicable premium is calculated as the greater of (i) 1.0%
of the principal amount of such notes and (ii) the excess
of (a) the present value at such date of redemption of
(1) the redemption price of such notes at July 15,
2012 plus (2) all remaining required interest payments due
on such notes through July 15, 2012 (excluding accrued but
unpaid interest to the date of redemption), computed using a
discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis
points, over (b) the principal amount of such notes. The
notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time on or
after July 15, 2012, at a redemption price of 105.0% and
102.5% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed during the
twelve months ending July 15, 2012 and 2013, respectively,
or at 100% of the principal amount if redeemed during the twelve
months ending July 15, 2014 or thereafter, plus accrued and
unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date.
If a change of control occurs (which includes the
acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of
Leaps equity securities, a sale of all or substantially
all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a
change in a majority of the members of Leaps board of
directors that is not approved by the board), each holder of the
notes may require Cricket to repurchase all of such
holders notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the
principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest,
if any, thereon to the repurchase date.
The indenture governing the notes limits, among other things,
our ability to: incur additional debt; create liens or other
encumbrances; place limitations on distributions from restricted
subsidiaries; pay dividends; make investments; prepay
subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments;
issue or sell capital stock of restricted subsidiaries; issue
guarantees; sell assets; enter into transactions with our
affiliates; and make acquisitions or merge or consolidate with
another entity.
In connection with the private placement of these senior notes,
we entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial
purchasers of the notes in which we agreed, under certain
circumstances, to use reasonable best efforts to offer
registered notes in exchange for the notes or to cause a shelf
registration statement covering the resale
55
of the notes to be declared effective by the SEC and to pay
additional interest if such registration obligations are not
performed. In the event that we do not comply with such
obligations, the agreement provides that additional interest
will accrue on the principal amount of the notes at a rate of
0.50% per annum during the
90-day
period immediately following a registration default and will
increase by 0.50% per annum at the end of each subsequent
90-day
period until all such defaults are cured, but in no event will
the penalty rate exceed 1.50% per annum. There are no other
alternative settlement methods and, other than the 1.50% per
annum maximum penalty rate, the agreement contains no limit on
the maximum potential amount of penalty interest that could be
paid in the event we do not meet these requirements. However,
our obligation to file, have declared effective or maintain the
effectiveness of a registration statement for an exchange offer
or a shelf registration statement (and pay additional interest)
is only triggered to the extent that the notes are not eligible
to be transferred without registration under the Securities Act
by a person who is not an affiliate of ours (and has not been an
affiliate for the 90 days preceding such transfer) pursuant
to Rule 144 under the Securities Act without any volume or
manner of sale restrictions. We did not issue any of the senior
notes to any of its affiliates. As a result, we currently expect
that prior to the time by which we would be required to file and
have declared effective a registration statement for an exchange
offer or a shelf registration statement covering the senior
notes that the notes will be eligible to be transferred without
registration pursuant to Rule 144 without any volume or
manner of sale restrictions. Accordingly, we do not believe that
the payment of additional interest is probable and, therefore,
no related liability has been recorded in the condensed
consolidated financial statements.
Fair
Value of Financial Instruments
As more fully described in Notes 2 and 5 to our condensed
consolidated financial statements included in
Part I Item 1. Financial
Statements of this report, we adopted the provisions of
SFAS No. 157, Fair Value Measurements, or
SFAS 157, during the first quarter with respect to our
financial assets and liabilities. SFAS 157 defines fair
value as an exit price, which is the price that would be
received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an
orderly transaction between market participants at the
measurement date. The degree of judgment utilized in measuring
the fair value of assets and liabilities generally correlates to
the level of pricing observability. Financial assets and
liabilities with readily available active quoted prices or for
which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices in
active markets generally have more pricing observability and
less judgment utilized in measuring fair value. Conversely,
financial assets and liabilities rarely traded or not quoted
have less pricing observability and are generally measured at
fair value using valuation models that require more judgment.
These valuation techniques involve some level of management
estimation and judgment, the degree of which is dependent on the
price transparency or market for the asset or liability and the
complexity of the asset or liability.
We have categorized our financial assets and liabilities
measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy in
accordance with SFAS 157. Financial assets and liabilities
that use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or
liabilities are generally categorized as Level 1 assets and
liabilities, financial assets and liabilities that use
observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are
corroborated by market data for similar assets or liabilities
are generally categorized as Level 2 assets and liabilities
and financial assets and liabilities that use unobservable
inputs that cannot be corroborated by market data are generally
categorized as Level 3 assets and liabilities. Such Level 3
assets and liabilities have values determined using pricing
models for which the determination of fair value requires
judgment and estimation. As of June 30, 2008,
$9.9 million of our financial assets required fair value to
be measured using Level 3 inputs.
Generally, our results of operations are not significantly
impacted by our assets and liabilities accounted for at fair
value due to the nature of each asset and liability. However, as
of June 30, 2008, through our non-controlled consolidated
subsidiary Denali, we held investments in asset-backed
commercial paper, which were purchased as highly rated
investment grade securities. These securities, which are
collateralized, in part, by residential mortgages, have declined
in value since December 31, 2007. As a result, during the
six months ended June 30, 2008, we recognized an
other-than-temporary impairment loss of approximately
$4.9 million related to these investments in asset-backed
commercial paper to bring the net carrying value of such
investments to $9.9 million as of June 30, 2008 and to
bring the cumulative other-than-temporary impairment loss
recognized to approximately $10.4 million as of
June 30, 2008. In July 2008, Denali received a
$4.3 million cash settlement for one of its investments in
asset-backed commercial paper. This security had a par value of
$9.3 million and a book value of $4.5 million as of
June 30, 2008. As a result, the carrying value and par
value of the remaining investment in asset-backed commercial
paper was $5.4 million and $10.0 million,
respectively, as
56
of June 30, 2008. Future volatility and uncertainty in the
financial markets could result in additional losses and
difficulty in monetizing these investments.
As a result of the amendment to our Credit Agreement, which
among other things introduced a LIBOR floor of 3.0% per annum,
as more fully described above, we de-designated our existing
interest rate swap agreements as cash flow hedges and
discontinued our hedge accounting for these interest rate swaps.
The loss accumulated in other comprehensive income (loss) on the
date we discontinued our hedge accounting totaled
$8.7 million. We will amortize this loss to interest
expense over the remaining term of the respective interest rate
swap agreements. In addition, subsequent changes in the fair
value of the interest rate swaps will be recorded to interest
expense We continue to report our long-term debt obligations at
amortized cost and disclose the fair value of such obligations.
There was no transition adjustment as a result of our adoption
of SFAS 157 given our historical practice of measuring and
reporting our short-term investments and interest rate swaps at
fair value.
System
Equipment Purchase Agreements
In June 2007, we entered into certain system equipment purchase
agreements which generally have a term of three years. In these
agreements, we agreed to purchase
and/or
license wireless communications systems, products and services
designed to be AWS functional at a current estimated cost to us
of approximately $266 million, which commitments are
subject, in part, to the necessary clearance of spectrum in the
markets to be built. Under the terms of the agreements, we are
entitled to certain pricing discounts, credits and incentives,
which discounts, credits and incentives are subject to our
achievement of our purchase commitments, and to certain
technical training for our personnel. If the purchase commitment
levels per the agreements are not achieved, we may be required
to refund previous credits and incentives we applied to
historical purchases.
Capital
Expenditures and Other Asset Acquisitions and
Dispositions
Capital
Expenditures
As part of our current business expansion efforts, we and Denali
License expect to cover up to approximately 36 million
additional POPs by the middle of 2009 and up to approximately
50 million additional POPs by the end of 2010 (in each case
measured on a cumulative basis beginning January 2008) (see
below, under Auction #66 Properties and
Build-Out Plans). Aggregate capital expenditures for
build-out of new markets through their first full year of
operation after commercial launch are currently anticipated to
be approximately $25.00 per covered POP, excluding
capitalized interest. Ongoing capital expenditures to support
the growth and development of our markets after their first year
of commercial operation are expected to be in the mid-teens as a
percentage of annual service revenue, excluding costs of any
significant expansion in our existing markets.
During the six months ended June 30, 2008, we and our
consolidated joint ventures made approximately
$338.3 million in capital expenditures. These capital
expenditures were primarily for: (i) the build-out of new
markets, including related capitalized interest,
(ii) expansion and improvement of our and their existing
wireless networks, and (iii) expenditures for EvDO
technology.
Auction
#66 Properties and Build-Out Plans
In December 2006, we completed the purchase of 99 wireless
licenses in Auction #66 covering 124.9 million POPs
(adjusted to eliminate duplication among certain overlapping
Auction #66 licenses) for an aggregate purchase price of
$710.2 million. In April 2007, Denali License completed the
purchase of one wireless license in Auction #66 covering
59.9 million POPs (which includes markets covering
5.8 million POPs which overlap with certain licenses we
purchased in Auction #66) for a net purchase price of
$274.1 million. We and Denali License expect to cover up to
approximately 36 million additional POPs by the middle of
2009 and up to approximately 50 million additional POPs by
the end of 2010 (in each case measured on a cumulative basis
beginning January 2008). As part of these expansion plans,
during the six months ended June 30, 2008, we launched our
first Auction #66 markets in Oklahoma City, southern Texas,
Las Vegas and St. Louis, covering approximately eight
million additional POPs, and we and Denali License are currently
building out and preparing additional Auction #66 markets
that we intend to launch this year and through 2010. If
U.S. federal government incumbent licensees do not relocate
their spectrum use to alternative frequencies or confirm that we
can operate on the
57
spectrum without interfering with their current uses, their
continued use of the spectrum covered by licenses we and Denali
License purchased in Auction #66 could delay the launch of
certain markets. The licenses we and Denali License purchased in
Auction #66, together with the licenses we currently own,
provide 20 MHz coverage and the opportunity to offer
enhanced data services in almost all markets that we currently
operate or are building out, assuming Denali License were to
make available to us certain of its spectrum.
Other
Acquisitions and Dispositions
On April 1, 2008, we completed the purchase of Hargray
Wireless, for approximately $31.8 million, including
acquisition related costs of $0.6 million. Hargray Wireless
owns a 15 MHz wireless license covering approximately
0.8 million POPs and operates a wireless business in
Georgia and South Carolina, which complements our existing
market in Charleston, South Carolina. On April 3, 2008,
Hargray Wireless became a guarantor under our Credit Agreement
and the indenture governing Crickets senior notes due
2014. Hargray Wireless is also a guarantor under the indenture
governing Crickets senior notes due 2015.
In addition, on May 22, 2008, we completed our exchange of
certain disaggregated spectrum with Sprint Nextel. An aggregate
of 20 MHz of disaggregated spectrum under certain of our
existing PCS licenses in Tennessee, Georgia and Arkansas was
exchanged for an aggregate of 30 MHz of disaggregated and
partitioned spectrum in New Jersey and Mississippi owned by
Sprint Nextel. The fair value of the assets exchanged was
approximately $8.1 million and we recognized a nonmonetary
gain of approximately $1.3 million upon the closing of the
transaction.
Off-Balance
Sheet Arrangements
We do not have and have not had any material off-balance sheet
arrangements.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS 141(R), which
expands the definition of a business and a business combination,
requires the fair value of the purchase price of an acquisition
including the issuance of equity securities to be determined on
the acquisition date, requires that all assets, liabilities,
contingent consideration, contingencies and in-process research
and development costs of an acquired business be recorded at
fair value at the acquisition date, requires that acquisition
costs generally be expensed as incurred, requires that
restructuring costs generally be expensed in periods subsequent
to the acquisition date, and requires changes in accounting for
deferred tax asset valuation allowances and acquired income tax
uncertainties after the measurement period to impact income tax
expense. We will be required to adopt SFAS 141(R) on
January 1, 2009. We are currently evaluating what impact
SFAS 141(R) will have on our consolidated financial
statements; however, since we have significant deferred tax
assets recorded through fresh-start reporting for which full
valuation allowances were recorded at the date of our emergence
from bankruptcy, this standard could materially affect our
results of operations if changes in the valuation allowances
occur once we adopt the standard.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160,
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial
Statements, an Amendment of ARB No. 51, or
SFAS 160, which changes the accounting and reporting for
minority interests such that minority interests will be
recharacterized as noncontrolling interests and will be required
to be reported as a component of equity, and requires that
purchases or sales of equity interests that do not result in a
change in control be accounted for as equity transactions and,
upon a loss of control, requires the interest sold, as well as
any interest retained, to be recorded at fair value with any
gain or loss recognized in earnings. We will be required to
adopt SFAS 160 on January 1, 2009. We are currently
evaluating what impact SFAS 160 will have on our
consolidated financial statements.
In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161,
Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging
Activities, or SFAS 161, which is intended to help
investors better understand how derivative instruments and
hedging activities affect an entitys financial position,
financial performance and cash flows through enhanced disclosure
requirements. The enhanced disclosures include, for example, a
tabular summary of the fair values of derivative instruments and
their gains and losses, disclosure of derivative features that
are credit-risk-related to provide more information regarding an
entitys liquidity and cross-referencing within footnotes
to make it easier for financial statement users to locate
important information about derivative instruments. We will be
required to adopt
58
SFAS 161 on January 1, 2009. We are currently
evaluating what impact SFAS 161 will have on our
consolidated financial statements.
In May 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 162, The
Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or
SFAS 162, which identifies the sources of accounting
principles and the framework for selecting principles used in
the preparation of financial statements of nongovernmental
entities that are presented in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP.
SFAS 162 emphasizes that an organizations management
and not its auditors has the responsibility to follow GAAP and
categorizes sources of accounting principles that are generally
accepted in descending order of authority. We will be required
to adopt SFAS 162 within 60 days following the
SECs approval of the Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board amendments to AU Section 411, The Meaning of
Present Fairly in Conformity With Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles. SFAS 162 will not have an impact on our
consolidated financial statements.
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Item 3.
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Quantitative
and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
|
Interest Rate Risk. The terms of our Credit
Agreement require us to enter into interest rate swap agreements
in a sufficient amount so that at least 50% of our total
outstanding indebtedness for borrowed money bears interest at a
fixed rate. As of June 30, 2008, approximately 78.1% of our
indebtedness for borrowed money accrued interest at a fixed
rate. The fixed rate debt consisted of $1,100 million of
senior notes due 2014 which bear interest at a fixed rate of
9.375% per year, $250 million of convertible senior notes
due 2014 which bear interest at a fixed rate of 4.50% per year
and $300 million of senior notes due 2015 which bear
interest at a fixed rate of 10.0% per year. In addition,
$355 million of the $882.0 million in outstanding
floating rate debt under our Credit Agreement as of
June 30, 2008 was covered by interest rate swap agreements.
As of June 30, 2008, we had interest rate swap agreements
with respect to $355 million of our debt which effectively
fixed the LIBOR interest rate on $150 million of
indebtedness at 8.3% and $105 million of indebtedness at
7.3% through June 2009 and which effectively fixed the LIBOR
interest rate on $100 million of additional indebtedness at
8.0% through September 2010. In addition to the outstanding
floating rate debt under our Credit Agreement, LCW Operations
had $39.5 million in outstanding floating rate debt as of
June 30, 2008, consisting of two term loans. In 2007, LCW
Operations entered into an interest rate cap agreement which
effectively caps the three month LIBOR interest rate at 7.0% on
$20 million of its outstanding borrowings.
As of June 30, 2008, net of the effect of these interest
rate swap agreements, our outstanding floating rate indebtedness
totaled approximately $566.5 million. The primary base
interest rate is three month LIBOR plus an applicable margin.
Assuming the outstanding balance on our floating rate
indebtedness remains constant over a year, a 100 basis
point increase in the interest rate would decrease pre-tax
income, or increase pre-tax loss, and cash flow, net of the
effect of the interest rate swap agreements, by approximately
$5.7 million.
Hedging Policy. Our policy is to maintain
interest rate hedges to the extent that we believe them to be
fiscally prudent, and as required by our credit agreements. We
do not engage in any hedging activities for speculative purposes.
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Item 4.
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Controls
and Procedures.
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(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and
Procedures
We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed
to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our
Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and
reported within the time periods specified by the SEC and that
such information is accumulated and communicated to management,
including our chief executive officer, or CEO, and chief
financial officer, or CFO, as appropriate, to allow for timely
decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and
evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management
recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well
designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of
achieving the desired control objectives, and management is
required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit
relationship of possible controls and procedures.
Management, with participation by our CEO and CFO, has designed
our disclosure controls and procedures to provide reasonable
assurance of achieving desired objectives. As required by SEC
Rule 13a-15(b),
in connection with filing this Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q,
management conducted an evaluation, with the participation of
our
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CEO and our CFO, of the effectiveness of the design and
operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such
term is defined under
Rule 13a-15(e)
promulgated under the Exchange Act, as of June 30, 2008,
the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that
evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that the material weakness
that existed in our internal control over financial reporting as
of December 31, 2007 existed as of June 30, 2008. As a
result of this material weakness, our CEO and CFO concluded that
our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at the
reasonable assurance level as of June 30, 2008.
In light of the material weakness referred to above, we
performed additional analyses and procedures in order to
conclude that our condensed consolidated financial statements
included in this Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
are fairly presented, in all material respects, in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles in the United
States of America.
The material weakness we previously identified in our internal
control over financial reporting was as follows: There were
deficiencies in our internal controls over the existence,
completeness and accuracy of revenues, cost of revenues and
deferred revenues. Specifically, the design of controls over the
preparation and review of the account reconciliations and
analysis of revenues, cost of revenues and deferred revenues did
not detect the errors in revenues, cost of revenues and deferred
revenues. A contributing factor was the ineffective operation of
our user acceptance testing (i.e., ineffective testing) of
changes made to our revenue and billing systems in connection
with the introduction or modification of service offerings. This
material weakness resulted in the accounting errors which caused
us to restate our consolidated financial statements as of and
for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2005 (including
interim periods therein), for the period from August 1,
2004 to December 31, 2004 and for the period from
January 1, 2004 to July 31, 2004, and our condensed
consolidated financial statements as of and for the quarterly
periods ended June 30, 2007 and March 31, 2007. In
addition, this material weakness resulted in an adjustment
recorded in the three months ended December 31, 2007, which
we determined was not material to our previously reported 2006
annual or 2007 interim periods. The material weakness described
above could result in a misstatement of revenues, cost of
revenues and deferred revenues that would result in a material
misstatement to our interim or annual consolidated financial
statements that would not be prevented or detected on a timely
basis.
(b) Managements Remediation Initiatives
We are in the process of actively addressing and remediating the
material weakness in internal control over financial reporting
described above. Elements of our remediation plan can only be
accomplished over time. We have taken and are taking the
following actions to remediate the material weakness described
above:
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During the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2007, we
performed a detailed review of our billing and revenue systems,
and processes for recording revenue. We also began and continue
to implement stronger account reconciliations and analyses
surrounding our revenue recording processes which are designed
to detect any material errors in the completeness and accuracy
of the underlying data.
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We are designing and intend to implement automated enhancements
to our billing and revenue systems to reduce the need for manual
processes and estimates and thereby streamline the processes for
ensuring revenue is recorded only when payment is received and
services are provided.
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We intend to further improve our user acceptance testing related
to system changes by ensuring the user acceptance testing
encompasses a complete population of scenarios of possible
customer activity.
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We have hired and intend to hire additional personnel with the
appropriate skills, training and experience in the areas of
revenue accounting and assurance. We have conducted and will
conduct further training of our accounting and finance personnel
with respect to our significant accounting policies and
procedures.
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Management has developed and presented to the Audit Committee a
plan and timetable for the implementation of the remediation
measures described above (to the extent not already
implemented), and the Committee is monitoring such
implementation. We believe that the actions described above will
remediate the material weakness we have identified and
strengthen our internal control over financial reporting. As we
improve our internal control over financial reporting and
implement remediation measures, we may determine to supplement
or modify the remediation measures described above.
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(c) Changes in Internal Control over Financial
Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial
reporting during our fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2008
that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to
materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
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Item 4T.
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Controls
and Procedures.
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Not applicable.
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PART II
OTHER
INFORMATION
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Item 1.
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Legal
Proceedings.
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We are involved in certain legal proceedings that are described
in our Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the SEC on
February 29, 2008. There have been no material developments
in the status of those legal proceedings during the six months
ended June 30, 2008, except as described below.
Patent
Litigation
On June 14, 2006, we sued MetroPCS Communications, Inc., or
MetroPCS, in the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Texas, Marshall Division, for infringement of
U.S. Patent No. 6,813,497 entitled Method for
Providing Wireless Communication Services and Network and System
for Delivering Same. Our complaint seeks damages and an
injunction against continued infringement. On August 3,
2006, MetroPCS (i) answered the complaint, (ii) raised
a number of affirmative defenses, and (iii) together with
certain related entities (referred to, collectively with
MetroPCS, as the MetroPCS entities), counterclaimed
against Leap, Cricket, numerous Cricket subsidiaries, Denali
License, and current and former employees of Leap and Cricket,
including our CEO, S. Douglas Hutcheson. MetroPCS has since
amended its complaint and Denali License has been dismissed,
without prejudice, as a counterclaim defendant. The countersuit
now alleges claims for breach of contract, misappropriation,
conversion and disclosure of trade secrets, fraud,
misappropriation of confidential information and breach of
confidential relationship, relating to information allegedly
provided by MetroPCS to such employees, including prior to their
employment by Leap, and asks the court to award attorneys fees
and damages (including punitive damages), impose an injunction
enjoining us from participating in any auctions or sales of
wireless spectrum, impose a constructive trust on our business
and assets for the benefit of the MetroPCS entities, transfer
our business and assets to MetroPCS, and declare that the
MetroPCS entities have not infringed U.S. Patent
No. 6,813,497 and that such patent is invalid.
MetroPCSs claims allege that we and the other counterclaim
defendants improperly obtained, used and disclosed trade secrets
and confidential information of the MetroPCS entities and
breached confidentiality agreements with the MetroPCS entities.
On September 22, 2006, Royal Street Communications, LLC, or
Royal Street, an entity affiliated with MetroPCS, filed an
action in the United States District Court for the Middle
District of Florida, Tampa Division, seeking a declaratory
judgment that our U.S. Patent No. 6,813,497 (the same
patent that is the subject of our infringement action against
MetroPCS) is invalid and is not being infringed by Royal Street
or its PCS systems. Upon our request, the court has transferred
the Royal Street case to the United States District Court for
the Eastern District of Texas due to the affiliation between
MetroPCS and Royal Street. On February 25, 2008, we filed
an answer to the Royal Street complaint, together with
counterclaims for patent infringement, and the Royal Street
matter was consolidated with the MetroPCS case on May 16,
2008. A claim construction hearing on U.S. Patent
No. 6,813,497 has been scheduled in the consolidated cases
for October 2008. We intend to vigorously defend against the
counterclaims filed by the MetroPCS entities and the action
brought by Royal Street. Due to the complex nature of the legal
and factual issues involved, however, the outcome of these
matters is not presently determinable. If the MetroPCS entities
were to prevail in these matters, it could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
On August 17, 2006, we were served with a complaint filed
by certain MetroPCS entities, along with another affiliate,
MetroPCS California, LLC, in the Superior Court of the State of
California, which names Leap, Cricket, certain of its
subsidiaries, and certain current and former employees of Leap
and Cricket, including Mr. Hutcheson, as defendants. In
response to demurrers by us and by the court, two of the
plaintiffs twice amended their complaint, dropped the other
plaintiffs and have filed a third amended complaint. In the
current complaint, the plaintiffs allege statutory unfair
competition, statutory misappropriation of trade secrets, breach
of contract, intentional interference with contract, and
intentional interference with prospective economic advantage,
seek preliminary and permanent injunction, and ask the court to
award damages (including punitive damages), attorneys fees, and
restitution. We filed a demurrer to the third amended complaint.
On October 25, 2007, pursuant to a stipulation between the
parties, the court entered a stay of the litigation for a period
of 90 days. On January 28, 2008, the court ordered
that the stay remain in effect for a further 120 days, or
until May 27, 2008. The court has since ordered that the
case proceed and denied our demurrer to the third amended
complaint. We intend to vigorously defend agaisnt these claims.
Due to
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the complex nature of the legal and factual issues involved,
however, the outcome of this matter is not presently
determinable. If the MetroPCS entities were to prevail in this
action, it could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
On June 6, 2007, we were sued by Minerva Industries, Inc., or
Minerva, in the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Texas, Marshall Division, for infringement of U.S.
Patent No. 6,681,120 entitled Mobile Entertainment and
Communication Device. Minerva alleged that certain
handsets sold by us infringe a patent relating to mobile
entertainment features, and the complaint sought damages
(including enhanced damages), an injunction and attorneys
fees. We filed an answer to the complaint and counterclaims of
invalidity on January 7, 2008. On January 21, 2008, Minerva
filed another suit against us in the United States District
Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, for
infringement of its newly issued U.S. Patent No. 7,321,738
entitled Mobile Entertainment and Communication
Device. On April 15, 2008, at Minervas request, the
cases were dismissed without prejudice.
On June 7, 2007, we were sued by Barry W. Thomas, or
Thomas, in the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Texas, Marshall Division, for infringement of
U.S. Patent No. 4,777,354 entitled System for
Controlling the Supply of Utility Services to Consumers.
Thomas alleged that certain handsets sold by us infringe a
patent relating to actuator cards for controlling the supply of
a utility service, and the complaint sought damages (including
enhanced damages) and attorneys fees. We and other
co-defendants filed a motion to stay the litigation pending the
determination of similar litigation in the United States
District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. On
February 28, 2008, the District Court issued its claim
construction ruling, adopting all of the interpretations offered
by the defendants in that action. This matter has since been
settled, and on June 1, 2008, the court issued an order
dismissing the case with prejudice.
On October 15, 2007, Leap was sued by Visual Interactive
Phone Concepts, Inc., or Visual Interactive, in the United
States District Court for the Southern District of California
for infringement of U.S. Patent No. 5,724,092 entitled
Videophone Mailbox Interactive Facility System and Method
of Processing Information and U.S. Patent
No. 5,606,361 entitled Videophone Mailbox Interactive
Facility System and Method of Processing Information.
Visual Interactive alleged that Leap infringed these patents
relating to interactive videophone systems, and the complaint
sought an accounting for damages under 35 U.S.C.
§ 284, an injunction and attorneys fees. We
filed our answer to the complaint on December 13, 2007, and
on the same day, Cricket filed a complaint against Visual
Interactive in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of California seeking a declaration by the court that
the patents alleged against us are neither valid nor infringed
by us. Visual Interactive agreed to dismiss its complaint
against Leap and filed an amended complaint against Cricket, and
Cricket filed its answer to this amended complaint on
January 23, 2008. This matter has since been settled.
On December 10, 2007, we were sued by Freedom Wireless,
Inc., or Freedom Wireless, in the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, for
infringement of U.S. Patent No. 5,722,067 entitled
Security Cellular Telecommunications System,
U.S. Patent No. 6,157,823 entitled Security
Cellular Telecommunications System, and U.S. Patent
No. 6,236,851 entitled Prepaid Security Cellular
Telecommunications System. Freedom Wireless alleges that
its patents claim a novel cellular system that enables
subscribers of prepaid services to both place and receive
cellular calls without dialing access codes or using modified
telephones. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages,
increased damages under 35 U.S.C. § 284 together
with interest, costs and attorneys fees, and an
injunction. On February 15, 2008, we filed a motion to
sever and stay the proceedings against Cricket or,
alternatively, to transfer the case to the United States
District Court for the Northern District of California. The
court subsequently denied our motion and trial on this matter is
scheduled to begin on January 5, 2009. We intend to
vigorously defend against this matter. Due to the complex nature
of the legal and factual issues involved, however, the outcome
of this matter is not presently determinable.
On February 4, 2008, we and certain other wireless carriers
were sued by Electronic Data Systems Corporation, or EDS, in the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas,
Marshall Division, for infringement of U.S. Patent
No. 7,156,300 entitled System and Method for
Dispensing of a Receipt Reflecting Prepaid Phone Services
and U.S. Patent No. 7,255,268 entitled System
for Purchase of Prepaid Telephone Services. EDS alleges
that the sale and marketing by us of prepaid wireless cellular
telephone services infringes
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these patents, and the complaint seeks an injunction against
further infringement, damages (including enhanced damages) and
attorneys fees. We intend to vigorously defend against
this matter. Due to the complex nature of the legal and factual
issues involved, however, the outcome of this lawsuit is not
presently determinable.
American
Wireless Group
On December 31, 2002, several members of American Wireless
Group, LLC, or AWG, filed a lawsuit against various officers and
directors of Leap in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial
District of Hinds County, Mississippi, referred to herein as the
Whittington Lawsuit. Leap purchased certain FCC wireless
licenses from AWG and paid for those licenses with shares of
Leap stock. The complaint alleges that Leap failed to disclose
to AWG material facts regarding a dispute between Leap and a
third party relating to that partys claim that it was
entitled to an increase in the purchase price for certain
wireless licenses it sold to Leap. In their complaint,
plaintiffs seek rescission
and/or
damages according to proof at trial of not less than the
aggregate amount paid for the Leap stock (alleged in the
complaint to have a value of approximately $57.8 million in
June 2001 at the closing of the license sale transaction), plus
interest, punitive or exemplary damages in the amount of not
less than three times compensatory damages, and costs and
expenses. Plaintiffs contend that the named defendants are the
controlling group that was responsible for Leaps alleged
failure to disclose the material facts regarding the third party
dispute and the risk that the shares held by the plaintiffs
might be diluted if the third party was successful with respect
to its claim. The defendants in the Whittington Lawsuit filed a
motion to compel arbitration or, in the alternative, to dismiss
the Whittington Lawsuit. The motion noted that plaintiffs, as
members of AWG, agreed to arbitrate disputes pursuant to the
license purchase agreement, that they failed to plead facts that
show that they are entitled to relief, that Leap made adequate
disclosure of the relevant facts regarding the third party
dispute and that any failure to disclose such information did
not cause any damage to the plaintiffs. The court denied
defendants motion and the defendants appealed the denial
of the motion to the Mississippi Supreme Court. On
November 15, 2007, the Mississippi Supreme Court issued an
opinion denying the appeal and remanded the action to the trial
court. The defendants filed an answer to the complaint on
May 2, 2008.
In a related action to the action described above, in June 2003,
AWG filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial
District of Hinds County, Mississippi, referred to herein as the
AWG Lawsuit, against the same individual defendants named in the
Whittington Lawsuit. The complaint generally sets forth the same
claims made by the plaintiffs in the Whittington Lawsuit. In its
complaint, plaintiff seeks rescission
and/or
damages according to proof at trial of not less than the
aggregate amount paid for the Leap stock (alleged in the
complaint to have a value of approximately $57.8 million in
June 2001 at the closing of the license sale transaction), plus
interest, punitive or exemplary damages in the amount of not
less than three times compensatory damages, and costs and
expenses. Defendants filed a motion to compel arbitration or, in
the alternative, to dismiss the AWG Lawsuit, making arguments
similar to those made in their motion to dismiss the Whittington
Lawsuit. AWG has since agreed to arbitrate this lawsuit and a
hearing on the arbitration has been scheduled for
November 2008.
Although Leap is not a defendant in either the Whittington or
AWG Lawsuits, several of the defendants have indemnification
agreements with us. Management believes that the
defendants liability, if any, from the AWG and Whittington
Lawsuits and any further indemnity claims of the defendants
against Leap is not presently determinable.
Securities
Litigation
Two shareholder derivative lawsuits were filed in the California
Superior Court for the County of San Diego in November 2007
and January 2008 purporting to assert claims on behalf of Leap
against certain of its current and former directors and
officers, and naming Leap as a nominal defendant. In February
2008, the plaintiff in one of these lawsuits voluntarily
dismissed his action and filed a derivative complaint in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of
California. On April 21, 2008, the plaintiff in the
remaining state derivative lawsuit filed an amended complaint.
The complaints in the federal and state derivative actions
assert various claims, including alleged breaches of fiduciary
duty, gross mismanagement, waste of corporate assets, unjust
enrichment, violation of California Corporations Code
section 25402, and violation of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, or the Exchange Act, based on Leaps
November 9, 2007 announcement that it would restate certain
of its financial statements, as well as claims based on the
September 2007 unsolicited merger proposal from MetroPCS, and
sales of Leap common stock by certain of the defendants between
December 2004 and June 2007. The derivative complaints seek
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judicial determination that the claims may be asserted
derivatively on behalf of Leap as well as unspecified damages,
equitable
and/or
injunctive relief, imposition of a constructive trust,
disgorgement, and attorneys fees and costs. Leap and the
individual defendants each filed motions to dismiss the federal
lawsuit, which are set for hearing on September 4, 2008.
Leap filed a motion to stay the state lawsuit pending resolution
of the federal lawsuit, which is set for hearing on
September 19, 2008. Leap and the individual defendants each
filed demurrers to the state lawsuit, which are set for hearing
on October 3, 2008. Due to the complex nature of the legal
and factual issues involved, however, the outcome of these
matters is not presently determinable.
We and certain of our current and former officers and directors,
and our independent registered public accounting firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, have been named as defendants in one
remaining, consolidated securities class action lawsuit filed in
the United States District Court for the Southern District of
California. The original securities class lawsuits that were
filed between November 2007 and February 2008 have either been
voluntarily dismissed or consolidated. The appointed lead
plaintiff filed a consolidated complaint on July 7, 2008
purportedly on behalf of investors who purchased Leap common
stock between August 3, 2006 and November 9, 2007. The
consolidated complaint alleges that all defendants violated
Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and
Rule 10b-5,
and further alleges that the individual defendants violated
Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act. The consolidated
complaint alleges false and misleading statements about our
internal controls, our business and our financial results. The
claims are based primarily on Leaps November 9, 2007
announcement that it would restate certain of its financial
statements and Leaps August 7, 2007 second quarter
2007 earnings release. The class action lawsuit seeks, among
other relief, a determination that the alleged claims may be
asserted on a
class-wide
basis and unspecified damages and attorneys fees and
costs. A motion for the court to reconsider its appointment of
lead plaintiff is set for hearing on August 15, 2008.
Defendants responsive pleadings to the consolidated
complaint are due August 21, 2008. We intend to vigorously
defend against these lawsuits. Due to the complex nature of the
legal and factual issues involved, however, the outcome of these
matters is not presently determinable.
If the plaintiffs were to prevail in these matters, we could be
required to pay substantial damages or settlement costs, which
could materially adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
Other
Litigation
In addition to the matters described above, we are often
involved in certain other claims, including disputes alleging
intellectual property infringement, which arise in the ordinary
course of business and seek monetary damages and other relief.
Based upon information currently available to us, none of these
other claims is expected to have a material adverse effect on
our business, financial condition or results of operations.
There have been no material changes to the Risk Factors
described under Item 1A. Risk Factors in our
Annual Report on
Form 10-K
for the year ended December 31, 2007 filed with the SEC on
February 29, 2008, other than changes to:
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the Risk Factor below entitled Our Significant
Indebtedness Could Adversely Affect Our Financial Health and
Prevent Us From Fulfilling Our Obligations, which has been
updated to reflect the issuance of senior notes and convertible
senior notes in June 2008;
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the Risk Factor below entitled Despite Current
Indebtedness Levels, We May Incur Substantially More
Indebtedness. This Could Further Increase the Risks Associated
with Our Leverage, which has been updated to reflect the
issuance of senior notes and convertible senior notes in June
2008;
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the Risk Factor below entitled We May Be Unable to
Refinance Our Indebtedness, which has been updated to
reflect the issuance of senior notes and convertible senior
notes in June 2008;
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the Risk Factor below entitled Covenants in Our Credit
Agreement and Indentures and Other Credit Agreements or
Indentures That We May Enter Into in the Future May Limit Our
Ability To Operate Our Business, which has been updated to
reflect the issuance of senior notes and convertible senior
notes in June 2008;
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the Risk Factor below entitled The Loss of Key Personnel
and Difficulty Attracting and Retaining Qualified Personnel
Could Harm Our Business, which has been updated to reflect
changes to our senior management team; and
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the Risk Factor below entitled If Call Volume or Wireless
Broadband Usage Exceeds Our Expectations, Our Costs of Providing
Service Could Increase, Which Could Have a Material Adverse
Effect on Our Competitive Position, which has been updated
to reflect risks related to usage of Cricket Wireless Internet
Service, our mobile broadband service offering.
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Risks
Related to Our Business and Industry
We Have
Experienced Net Losses, and We May Not Be Profitable in the
Future.
We experienced net losses of $26.1 million and
$44.2 million for the three and six months ended
June 30, 2008, $75.9 million for the year ended
December 31, 2007 and $24.4 million for the year ended
December 31, 2006. We may not generate profits in the
future on a consistent basis, or at all. Our strategic
objectives depend, in part, on our ability to build out and
launch networks associated with newly acquired FCC licenses,
including the licenses that we and Denali License acquired in
Auction #66, and we will experience higher operating
expenses as we build out and after we launch our service in
these new markets. If we fail to achieve consistent
profitability, that failure could have a negative effect on our
financial condition.
We May
Not Be Successful in Increasing Our Customer Base Which Would
Negatively Affect Our Business Plans and Financial
Outlook.
Our growth on a
quarter-by-quarter
basis has varied substantially in the past. We believe that this
uneven growth generally reflects seasonal trends in customer
activity, promotional activity, competition in the wireless
telecommunications market, our pace of new market launches, and
varying national economic conditions. Our current business plans
assume that we will increase our customer base over time,
providing us with increased economies of scale. If we are unable
to attract and retain a growing customer base, our current
business plans and financial outlook may be harmed.
Our
Business Could Be Adversely Affected By General Economic
Conditions; If We Experience Low Rates of Customer Acquisition
or High Rates of Customer Turnover, Our Ability to Become
Profitable Will Decrease.
Our business could be adversely affected in a number of ways by
general economic conditions, including interest rates, consumer
credit conditions, unemployment and other macro-economic
factors. Because we do not require customers to sign fixed-term
contracts or pass a credit check, our service is available to a
broader customer base than that served by many other wireless
providers. As a result, during economic downturns or during
periods of high gasoline prices, we may have greater difficulty
in gaining new customers within this base for our services and
some of our existing customers may be more likely to terminate
service due to an inability to pay than the average industry
customer. Recent disruptions in the sub-prime mortgage market
may also affect our ability to gain new customers or the ability
of our existing customers to pay for their service. In addition,
our rate of customer acquisition and customer turnover may be
affected by other factors, including the size of our calling
areas, network performance and reliability issues, our handset
or service offerings (including the ability of customers to
cost-effectively roam onto other wireless networks), customer
care concerns, phone number portability, higher deactivation
rates among less-tenured customers we gained as a result of our
new market launches, and other competitive factors. We have also
experienced an increasing trend of current customers upgrading
their handset by buying a new phone, activating a new line of
service, and letting their existing service lapse, which trend
has resulted in a higher churn rate as these customers are
counted as having disconnected service but have actually been
retained. Although we have implemented programs to attract new
customers and address customer turnover, these programs may not
be successful. A high rate of customer turnover or low rate of
new customer acquisition would reduce revenues and increase the
total marketing expenditures required to attract the minimum
number of customers required to sustain our business plan which,
in turn, could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
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We Have
Made Significant Investment, and Will Continue to Invest, in
Joint Ventures That We Do Not Control.
We own a 73.3% non-controlling interest in LCW Wireless, which
was awarded a wireless license for the Portland, Oregon market
in Auction #58 and to which we contributed, among other
things, two wireless licenses in Eugene and Salem, Oregon and
related operating assets. We also own an 82.5% non-controlling
interest in Denali, an entity which participated in
Auction #66. LCW Wireless and Denali acquired their
wireless licenses as very small business designated
entities under FCC regulations. Our participation in these joint
ventures is structured as a non-controlling interest in order to
comply with FCC rules and regulations. We have agreements with
our joint venture partners in LCW Wireless and Denali, and we
plan to have similar agreements in connection with any future
designated entity joint venture arrangements we may enter into,
which are intended to allow us to actively participate to a
limited extent in the development of the business through the
joint venture. However, these agreements do not provide us with
control over the business strategy, financial goals, build-out
plans or other operational aspects of any such joint venture.
The FCCs rules restrict our ability to acquire controlling
interests in such entities during the period that such entities
must maintain their eligibility as a designated entity, as
defined by the FCC. The entities or persons that control the
joint ventures may have interests and goals that are
inconsistent or different from ours which could result in the
joint venture taking actions that negatively impact our business
or financial condition. In addition, if any of the other members
of a joint venture files for bankruptcy or otherwise fails to
perform its obligations or does not manage the joint venture
effectively, we may lose our equity investment in, and any
present or future opportunity to acquire the assets (including
wireless licenses) of, such entity.
The FCC has implemented further rule changes aimed at addressing
alleged abuses of its designated entity program. While we do not
believe that these recent rule changes materially affect our
current joint ventures with LCW Wireless and Denali, the scope
and applicability of these rule changes to such current
designated entity structures remain in flux, and the changes
remain subject to administrative and judicial review. In
addition, we cannot predict how further rule changes or
increased regulatory scrutiny by the FCC with respect to
designated entity rules or structures will affect our current or
future business ventures with designated entities or our
participation with such entities in future FCC spectrum auctions.
We Face
Increasing Competition Which Could Have a Material Adverse
Effect on Demand for the Cricket Service.
The telecommunications industry is very competitive. In general,
we compete with national facilities- based wireless providers
and their prepaid affiliates or brands, local and regional
carriers, non-facilities-based mobile virtual network operators,
or MVNOs, voice-over-internet-protocol, or VoIP, service
providers and traditional landline service providers, including
telephone and cable companies.
Many of these competitors often have greater name and brand
recognition, access to greater amounts of capital and
established relationships with a larger base of current and
potential customers. Because of their size and bargaining power,
our larger competitors may be able to purchase equipment,
supplies and services at lower prices than we can. In addition,
some of our competitors are able to offer their customers
roaming services at lower rates. As consolidation in the
industry creates even larger competitors, any purchasing
advantages our competitors have, as well as their bargaining
power as wholesale providers of roaming services, may increase.
For example, in connection with the offering of our nationwide
roaming service, we have encountered problems with certain large
wireless carriers in negotiating terms for roaming arrangements
that we believe are reasonable, and we believe that
consolidation has contributed significantly to such
carriers control over the terms and conditions of
wholesale roaming services.
These competitors may also offer potential customers more
features and options in their service plans than those currently
provided by Cricket, as well as new technologies
and/or
alternative delivery plans.
Some of our competitors offer rate plans substantially similar
to Crickets service plans or products that customers may
perceive to be similar to Crickets service plans in
markets in which we offer wireless service. For example,
AT&T, Sprint Nextel,
T-Mobile and
Verizon Wireless have each begun to offer flat-rate unlimited
service offerings, and Sprint Nextel offers a flat-rate
unlimited service offering under its Boost Unlimited brand,
which is very similar to the Cricket service. These service
offerings may present additional strong competition in our
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markets. The competitive pressures of the wireless
telecommunications market have also caused other carriers to
offer service plans with unlimited service offerings or large
bundles of minutes of use at low prices, which are competing
with the predictable and unlimited Cricket calling plans. Some
competitors also offer prepaid wireless plans that are being
advertised heavily to demographic segments in our current
markets and in markets in which we may expand that are strongly
represented in Crickets customer base. For example,
T-Mobile has
introduced a FlexPay plan which permits customers to pay in
advance for its post-pay plans and avoid overage charges, and an
internet-based service upgrade which permits wireless customers
to make unlimited local and long-distance calls from their home
phone in place of a traditional landline phone service. These
competitive offerings could adversely affect our ability to
maintain our pricing and increase or maintain our market
penetration and may have a material adverse effect on our
financial results.
We may also face additional competition from new entrants in the
wireless marketplace, many of whom may have significantly more
resources than we do. The FCC is pursuing policies designed to
increase the number of wireless licenses and spectrum available
for the provision of wireless voice and data services in each of
our markets. For example, the FCC has adopted rules that allow
the partitioning, disaggregation or leasing of PCS and other
wireless licenses, and continues to allocate and auction
additional spectrum that can be used for wireless services,
which may increase the number of our competitors. The FCC has
also in recent years allowed satellite operators to use portions
of their spectrum for ancillary terrestrial use, and also
permitted the offering of broadband services over power lines.
In addition, the auction and licensing of new spectrum,
including the 700 MHz band licenses recently auctioned by
the FCC, may result in new competitors
and/or allow
existing competitors to acquire additional spectrum, which could
allow them to offer services that we may not technologically or
cost effectively be able to offer with the licenses we hold or
to which we have access.
Our ability to remain competitive will depend, in part, on our
ability to anticipate and respond to various competitive factors
and to keep our costs low.
Recent
Disruptions in the Financial Markets Could Affect Our Ability to
Obtain Debt or Equity Financing On Reasonable Terms (or At All),
and Have Other Adverse Effects On Us.
We may wish to raise additional capital to finance strategic
activities that we may pursue at a significant level in addition
to our current business expansion efforts, and our ability to
raise debt or equity capital in the public or private markets
could be impaired by various factors. For example,
U.S. credit markets have recently experienced significant
dislocations and liquidity disruptions which have caused the
spreads on prospective debt financings to widen considerably.
These circumstances have materially impacted liquidity in the
debt markets, making financing terms for borrowers less
attractive, and in certain cases have resulted in the
unavailability of certain types of debt financing. Continued
uncertainty in the credit markets may negatively impact our
ability to access additional debt financing or to refinance
existing indebtedness on favorable terms (or at all). These
events in the credit markets have also had an adverse effect on
other financial markets in the U.S., which may make it more
difficult or costly for us to raise capital through the issuance
of common stock, preferred stock or other equity securities. If
we require additional capital to fund any strategic activities
we may pursue in addition to our current business expansion
efforts and were unable to obtain such capital on terms that we
found acceptable or at all, we would likely reduce our
investments in such strategic activities or re-direct capital
otherwise available for our business expansion efforts. Any of
these risks could impair our ability to fund our operations or
limit our ability to expand our business, which could have a
material adverse effect on our financial results. In addition,
we maintain investments in commercial paper and other short-term
investments. Volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets
has resulted in losses from a decline in the value of those
investments, and may result in additional losses and difficulty
in monetizing those investments in the future.
We May Be
Unable to Obtain the Roaming Services We Need From Other
Carriers to Remain Competitive.
We believe that our customers prefer that we offer roaming
services that allow them to make calls automatically when they
are outside of their Cricket service area. Many of our
competitors have regional or national networks which enable them
to offer automatic roaming services to their subscribers at a
lower cost than we can offer. We do not have a national network,
and we must pay fees to other carriers who provide roaming
services
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to us. We currently have roaming agreements with several other
carriers which allow our customers to roam on those
carriers networks. However, these roaming agreements
generally cover voice but not data services and some of these
agreements may be terminated on relatively short notice. In
addition, we believe that the rates charged to us by some of
these carriers are higher than the rates they charge to certain
other roaming partners.
The FCC has adopted a report and order clarifying that
commercial mobile radio service providers are required to
provide automatic roaming for voice and SMS text messaging
services on just, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The
FCC order, however, does not address roaming for data services
nor does it provide or mandate any specific mechanism for
determining the reasonableness of roaming rates for voice
services, and so our ability to obtain roaming services from
other carriers at attractive rates remains uncertain. In
addition, the FCC order indicates that a host carrier is not
required to provide roaming services to another carrier in areas
in which that other carrier holds wireless licenses or usage
rights that could be used to provide wireless services. Because
we and Denali License hold a significant number of spectrum
licenses for markets in which service has not yet been launched,
we believe that this in-market roaming restriction
could significantly and adversely affect our ability to receive
roaming services in areas where we hold licenses. We and other
wireless carriers have filed petitions with the FCC, asking that
the agency reconsider this in-market exception to its roaming
order. However, we can provide no assurances as to whether the
FCC will reconsider this exception or the timeframe in which it
might do so.
In light of the current FCC order, we cannot provide assurances
that we will be able to continue to provide roaming services for
our customers across the nation or that we will be able to
provide such services on a cost-effective basis. We may be
unable to enter into or maintain roaming arrangements for voice
services at reasonable rates, including in areas in which we
hold wireless licenses or have usage rights but have not yet
constructed wireless facilities, and we may be unable to secure
roaming arrangements for our data services. Our inability to
obtain these roaming services on a cost-effective basis may
limit our ability to compete effectively for wireless customers,
which may increase our churn and decrease our revenues, which
could materially adversely affect our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
We Have
Restated Our Prior Consolidated Financial Statements, Which Has
Led to Additional Risks and Uncertainties, Including Shareholder
Litigation.
As discussed in Note 2 to our consolidated financial
statements included in Part II
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K,
as amended, for the year ended December 31, 2006, filed
with the SEC on December 26, 2007, we have restated our
consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended
December 31, 2006 and 2005 (including interim periods
therein), for the period from August 1, 2004 to
December 31, 2004, and for the period from January 1,
2004 to July 31, 2004. In addition, we have restated our
condensed consolidated financial statements as of and for the
quarterly periods ended June 30, 2007 and March 31,
2007. The determination to restate these consolidated financial
statements and quarterly condensed consolidated financial
statements was made by Leaps Audit Committee upon
managements recommendation following the identification of
errors related to (i) the timing of recognition of certain
service revenues prior to or subsequent to the period in which
they were earned, (ii) the recognition of service revenues
for certain customers that voluntarily disconnected service,
(iii) the classification of certain components of service
revenues, equipment revenues and operating expenses and
(iv) the determination of a tax valuation allowance during
the second quarter of 2007.
As a result of these events, we became subject to a number of
additional risks and uncertainties, including substantial
unanticipated costs for accounting and legal fees in connection
with or related to the restatement. In particular, two
shareholder derivative actions have been filed that are
currently pending, and we are party to a consolidated securities
class action lawsuit. The plaintiffs in these lawsuits may make
additional claims, expand existing claims
and/or
expand the time periods covered by the complaints. Other
plaintiffs may bring additional actions with other claims, based
on the restatement. We have incurred and may incur substantial
additional defense costs with respect to these claims,
regardless of their outcome. Likewise, these claims might cause
a diversion of our managements time and attention. If we
do not prevail in any such actions, we could be required to pay
substantial damages or settlement costs, which could materially
adversely affect our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
69
Our
Business and Stock Price May Be Adversely Affected If Our
Internal Controls Are Not Effective.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires
companies to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of their
internal control over financial reporting. To comply with this
statute, we are required to document and test our internal
control over financial reporting; our management is required to
assess and issue a report concerning our internal control over
financial reporting; and our independent registered public
accounting firm is required to report on the effectiveness of
our internal control over financial reporting.
As described in Part I Item 4.
Controls and Procedures of this report, our CEO and CFO
concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were not
effective at the reasonable assurance level as of June 30,
2008. The material weakness we identified in our internal
control over financial reporting related to the design of
controls over the preparation and review of the account
reconciliations and analysis of revenues, cost of revenue and
deferred revenues, and ineffective testing of changes made to
our revenue and billing systems in connection with the
introduction or modification of service offerings.
We have taken and are taking actions to remediate this material
weakness. In addition, management has developed and presented to
the Audit Committee a plan and timetable for the implementation
of remediation measures (to the extent not already implemented),
and the committee intends to monitor such implementation. We
believe that these actions will remediate the control
deficiencies we have identified and strengthen our internal
control over financial reporting.
We previously reported that certain material weaknesses in our
internal control over financial reporting existed at various
times during the period from September 30, 2004 through
December 31, 2007. These material weaknesses included
excessive turnover and inadequate staffing levels in our
accounting, financial reporting and tax departments, weaknesses
in the preparation of our income tax provision, and weaknesses
in our application of lease-related accounting principles,
fresh-start reporting oversight, and account reconciliation
procedures.
Although we believe we are taking appropriate actions to
remediate the control deficiencies we have identified and to
strengthen our internal control over financial reporting, we
cannot assure you that we will not discover other material
weaknesses in the future. The existence of one or more material
weaknesses could result in errors in our financial statements,
and substantial costs and resources may be required to rectify
these or other internal control deficiencies. If we cannot
produce reliable financial reports, investors could lose
confidence in our reported financial information, the market
price of Leaps common stock could decline significantly,
we may be unable to obtain additional financing to operate and
expand our business, and our business and financial condition
could be harmed.
Our
Primary Business Strategy May Not Succeed in the Long
Term.
A major element of our business strategy is to offer consumers
service plans that allow unlimited calls from within a Cricket
calling area for a flat monthly rate without entering into a
fixed-term contract or passing a credit check. However, unlike
national wireless carriers, we do not currently provide
ubiquitous coverage across the U.S. or all major
metropolitan centers, and instead have a smaller network
footprint covering only the principal population centers of our
various markets. This strategy may not prove to be successful in
the long term. Some companies that have offered this type of
service in the past have been unsuccessful. From time to time,
we also evaluate our service offerings and the demands of our
target customers and may modify, change, adjust or discontinue
our service offerings or offer new services. We cannot assure
you that these service offerings will be successful or prove to
be profitable.
We Expect
to Incur Substantial Costs in Connection With the Build-Out of
Our New Markets, and Any Delays or Cost Increases in the
Build-Out of Our New Markets Could Adversely Affect Our
Business.
Our ability to achieve our strategic objectives will depend in
part on the successful, timely and cost-effective build-out of
the networks associated with newly acquired FCC licenses,
including the licenses that we and Denali License acquired in
Auction #66 and any licenses that we may acquire from third
parties. Large-scale construction projects for the build-out of
our new markets will require significant capital expenditures
and may suffer cost overruns. In addition, we expect to incur
higher operating expenses as our existing business grows and as
we build
70
out and after we launch service in new markets. Any such
significant capital expenditures or increased operating
expenses, including in connection with the build-out and launch
of markets for the licenses that we and Denali License acquired
in Auction #66, would decrease OIBDA and free cash flow for
the periods in which we incur such costs. Our aggregate capital
expenditures for the build-out of new markets through their
first full year of operation following commercial launch are
currently anticipated to be approximately $25.00 per covered
POP, excluding capitalized interest. In addition, our aggregate
investment in cumulative OIBDA loss in new markets through
adjusted OIBDA break-even is currently expected to be
approximately $6.00 per covered POP, and our investment in
OIBDA loss in a single new market through adjusted OIBDA
break-even is currently expected to be approximately $7.00 per
covered POP. We also expect to incur approximately
$6 million per quarter through the end of 2008 of
EvDO-related fixed costs associated with Cricket Wireless
Internet Service, our mobile broadband product offering. If we
are unable to fund the build-out of these new markets with our
existing cash and our cash generated from operations, we may be
required to raise additional equity capital or incur further
indebtedness, which we cannot guarantee would be available to us
on acceptable terms, or at all. In addition, the build-out of
the networks may be delayed or adversely affected by a variety
of factors, uncertainties and contingencies, such as natural
disasters, difficulties in obtaining zoning permits or other
regulatory approvals, our relationships with our joint venture
partners, and the timely performance by third parties of their
contractual obligations to construct portions of the networks.
Portions of the AWS spectrum that was auctioned in
Auction #66 are currently used by U.S. federal
government
and/or
incumbent commercial licensees. FCC rules require winning
bidders to avoid interfering with these existing users or to
clear the incumbent users from the spectrum through specified
relocation procedures. We and Denali License considered the
estimated cost and time-frame required to clear the spectrum
that we and Denali License purchased in Auction #66 while
placing bids in the auction. However, the actual cost of
clearing the spectrum may exceed our estimated costs.
Furthermore, delays in the provision of federal funds to
relocate government users, or difficulties in negotiating with
incumbent government and commercial licensees, may extend the
date by which the auctioned spectrum can be cleared of existing
operations, and thus may also delay the date on which we can
launch commercial services using such licensed spectrum. In
addition, certain existing government operations have been using
the spectrum for classified purposes. As a result, although the
government has agreed to clear that spectrum to allow AWS
licensees to utilize their spectrum in the affected areas, the
government has only provided limited information to licensees
about these classified uses, which has created additional
uncertainty about the time at which such spectrum would be
available for commercial use.
With respect to our Auction #66 markets, several federal
government agencies have cleared or developed plans to clear
spectrum covered by licenses we and Denali License purchased in
Auction #66 or have indicated that we and Denali License
can operate on the spectrum without interfering with the
agencies current uses. While we do not expect spectrum
clearing issues to impact our near-term market launches, we
continue to work with various federal agencies in other markets
to ensure that they either relocate their spectrum use to
alternative frequencies or confirm that we can operate on the
spectrum without interfering with their current uses. If our
efforts with these agencies are not successful, their continued
use of the spectrum could delay our launch of certain markets.
In addition, to the extent that we or Denali License are
operating on AWS spectrum and a federal government agency
believes that our planned or ongoing operations interfere with
its current uses, we may be required to immediately cease using
the spectrum in that particular market for a period of time
until the interference is resolved. Any temporary or extended
shutdown of one of our or Denali Licenses wireless
networks in a launched market could materially and adversely
affect our competitive position and results of operations.
Any failure to complete the build-out of our new markets on
budget or on time could delay the implementation of our
clustering and strategic expansion strategies, and could have a
material adverse effect on our business, results of operations
and financial condition.
If We Are
Unable to Manage Our Planned Growth, Our Operations Could Be
Adversely Impacted.
We have experienced substantial growth in a relatively short
period of time, and we expect to continue to experience growth
in the future in our existing and new markets. The management of
such growth will require, among other things, continued
development of our financial and management controls and
management information systems, stringent control of costs and
handset inventories, diligent management of our network
71
infrastructure and its growth, increased spending associated
with marketing activities and acquisition of new customers, the
ability to attract and retain qualified management personnel and
the training of new personnel. In addition, continued growth
will eventually require the expansion of our billing, customer
care and sales systems and platforms, which will require
additional capital expenditures and may divert the time and
attention of management personnel who oversee any such
expansion. Furthermore, the implementation of any such systems
or platforms, including the transition to such systems or
platforms from our existing infrastructure, could result in
unpredictable technological or other difficulties. Failure to
successfully manage our expected growth and development, to
enhance our processes and management systems or to timely and
adequately resolve any such difficulties could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
Our
Significant Indebtedness Could Adversely Affect Our Financial
Health and Prevent Us From Fulfilling Our Obligations.
We have now and will continue to have a significant amount of
indebtedness. As of June 30, 2008, our total outstanding
indebtedness was $2,585.1 million, including
$882.0 million of indebtedness under our Credit Agreement
and $1,650 million in unsecured senior indebtedness, which
comprised $1,100 million of senior notes due 2014,
$250 million of convertible senior notes due 2014 and
$300 million of senior notes due 2015. We also had a
$200 million undrawn revolving credit facility (which forms
part of our senior secured credit facility). However,
approximately $3.9 million of letters of credit were issued
under our Credit Agreement as of June 30, 2008 and were
considered as usage of the revolving credit facility.
Indebtedness under our Credit Agreement bears interest at a
variable rate, but we have entered into interest rate swap
agreements with respect to $355 million of our
indebtedness. In addition, looking forward we may raise
additional capital to finance strategic activities that we may
pursue at a significant level in addition to our current
business expansion efforts, which could consist of debt
financing from the public
and/or
private capital markets.
Our significant indebtedness could have material consequences.
For example, it could:
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make it more difficult for us to satisfy our debt obligations;
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increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and
industry conditions;
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impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future
for working capital needs, capital expenditures, building out
our network, acquisitions, strategic activities and general
corporate purposes;
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require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flows
from operations to the payment of principal and interest on our
indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash
flows to fund working capital needs, capital expenditures,
acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;
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limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes
in our business and the industry in which we operate;
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place us at a disadvantage compared to our competitors that have
less indebtedness; and
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expose us to higher interest expense in the event of increases
in interest rates because indebtedness under our senior secured
credit facility bears interest at a variable rate.
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Based upon our existing levels of indebtedness, and depending on
our results of operations and the scope and pace of our current
business expansion efforts and other strategic activities we may
pursue, our consolidated leverage ratio could restrict our
ability to borrow under the revolving credit facility or
undertake additional debt financing for one or more quarters. In
addition, our business expansion efforts and other strategic
activities we may pursue could, depending on their scope and
pace relative to our results of operations, decrease our
consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio, which could prevent us
from borrowing under the revolving credit facility for one or
more quarters. Any of these risks could impair our ability to
fund our operations or limit our ability to expand our business,
which could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
72
Despite
Current Indebtedness Levels, We May Incur Substantially More
Indebtedness. This Could Further Increase the Risks Associated
With Our Leverage.
We may incur additional indebtedness in the future, as market
conditions permit, to enable us to take advantage of strategic
activities we may pursue at a significant level in addition to
our current business expansion efforts. The terms of the
indentures governing Crickets senior notes permit us,
subject to specified limitations, to incur additional
indebtedness, including secured indebtedness. In addition, our
Credit Agreement permits us to incur additional indebtedness
under various financial ratio tests. The indenture governing
Leaps convertible senior notes does not limit our ability
to incur debt.
If new indebtedness is added to our current levels of
indebtedness, the related risks that we now face could
intensify. Furthermore, the subsequent build-out of the networks
covered by the licenses we acquired in Auction #66 may
significantly reduce our free cash flow, increasing the risk
that we may not be able to service our indebtedness.
To
Service Our Indebtedness and Fund Our Working Capital and
Capital Expenditures, We Will Require a Significant Amount of
Cash. Our Ability to Generate Cash Depends on Many Factors
Beyond Our Control.
Our ability to make payments on our indebtedness will depend
upon our future operating performance and on our ability to
generate cash flow in the future, which are subject to general
economic, financial, competitive, legislative, regulatory and
other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you
that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from
operations, or that future borrowings, including borrowings
under our revolving credit facility, will be available to us in
an amount sufficient to enable us to pay our indebtedness or to
fund our other liquidity needs, or at all. If the cash flow from
our operating activities is insufficient, we may take actions,
such as delaying or reducing capital expenditures (including
expenditures to build out our wireless licenses), attempting to
restructure or refinance our indebtedness prior to maturity,
selling assets or operations or seeking additional equity
capital. Any or all of these actions may be insufficient to
allow us to service our debt obligations. Further, we may be
unable to take any of these actions on commercially reasonable
terms, or at all.
We May Be
Unable to Refinance Our Indebtedness.
We may need to refinance all or a portion of our indebtedness
before maturity. We cannot assure you that we will be able to
refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable
terms, or at all, including indebtedness under our Credit
Agreement or the indentures governing our senior notes and
convertible senior notes. There can be no assurance that we will
be able to obtain sufficient funds to enable us to repay or
refinance our debt obligations on commercially reasonable terms,
or at all.
Covenants
in Our Credit Agreement and Indentures and Other Credit
Agreements or Indentures That We May Enter Into in the Future
May Limit Our Ability To Operate Our Business.
Our Credit Agreement and the indentures governing Crickets
senior notes contain covenants that restrict the ability of
Leap, Cricket and the subsidiary guarantors to make
distributions or other payments to our investors or creditors
until we satisfy certain financial tests or other criteria. In
addition, these indentures and our Credit Agreement include
covenants restricting, among other things, the ability of Leap,
Cricket and their restricted subsidiaries to:
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incur additional indebtedness;
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create liens or other encumbrances;
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place limitations on distributions from restricted subsidiaries;
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pay dividends, make investments, prepay subordinated
indebtedness or make other restricted payments;
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issue or sell capital stock of restricted subsidiaries;
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issue guarantees;
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sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our
assets;
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enter into transactions with affiliates; and
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make acquisitions or merge or consolidate with another entity.
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Under our Credit Agreement, we must also comply with, among
other things, financial covenants with respect to a maximum
consolidated senior secured leverage ratio and, if a revolving
credit loan or uncollateralized letter of credit is outstanding
or requested, with respect to a minimum consolidated interest
coverage ratio, a maximum consolidated leverage ratio and a
minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio. The Credit
Agreement includes a $200 million revolving credit
facility, which was undrawn as of June 30, 2008. Based upon
our existing levels of indebtedness, and depending on our
results of operations and the scope and pace of our current
business expansion efforts and other strategic activities we may
pursue, our consolidated leverage ratio could restrict our
ability to borrow under the revolving credit facility or
undertake additional debt financing for one or more quarters. In
addition, our business expansion efforts and other strategic
activities we may pursue could, depending on their scope and
pace relative to our results of operations, decrease our
consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio, which could prevent us
from borrowing under the revolving credit facility for one or
more quarters. We do not intend, however, to pursue business
expansion efforts or other strategic activities that would
prevent or restrict us from borrowing under the revolving credit
facility unless we believe we have sufficient liquidity to
support the operating and capital requirements for our business
and any such business expansion efforts or other strategic
activities without drawing on the revolving credit facility.
The restrictions in our Credit Agreement and the indentures
governing Crickets senior notes could limit our ability to
make borrowings, obtain debt financing, repurchase stock,
refinance or pay principal or interest on our outstanding
indebtedness, complete acquisitions for cash or debt or react to
changes in our operating environment. Any credit agreement or
indenture that we may enter into in the future may have similar
restrictions.
Our Credit Agreement also prohibits the occurrence of a change
of control, which includes the acquisition of beneficial
ownership of 35% or more of Leaps equity securities, a
change in a majority of the members of Leaps board of
directors that is not approved by the board and the occurrence
of a change of control under any of our other credit
instruments. In addition, under the indentures governing our
senior notes and convertible senior notes, if certain
change of control events occur, each holder of notes
may require us to repurchase all of such holders notes at
a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of senior
notes, or 100% of the principal amount of convertible senior
notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
If we default under our Credit Agreement or under any of the
indentures governing our senior notes or convertible senior
notes because of a covenant breach or otherwise, all outstanding
amounts thereunder could become immediately due and payable. Our
failure to timely file our Quarterly Report on
Form 10-Q
for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2007 constituted
a default under our Credit Agreement and the indenture governing
Crickets senior notes due 2014, and the restatement of
certain of our historical consolidated financial information (as
described in Note 2 to our consolidated financial
statements included in Part II
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
of our Annual Report on
Form 10-K,
as amended, for the year ended December 31, 2006, filed
with the SEC on December 26, 2007) may have
constituted a default under our Credit Agreement. Although we
were able to obtain limited waivers under our Credit Agreement
with respect to these events, we cannot assure you that we will
be able to obtain a waiver in the future should a default occur.
We cannot assure you that we would have sufficient funds to
repay all of the outstanding amounts under our Credit Agreement
or the indentures governing our senior notes and convertible
senior notes, and any acceleration of amounts due would have a
material adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition.
Rises in
Interest Rates Could Adversely Affect Our Financial
Condition.
An increase in prevailing interest rates would have an immediate
effect on the interest rates charged on our variable rate debt,
which rise and fall upon changes in interest rates. As of
June 30, 2008, approximately 21.9% of our debt was variable
rate debt, after considering the effect of our interest rate
swap agreements. If prevailing interest rates or other factors
result in higher interest rates on our variable rate debt, the
increased interest expense would adversely affect our cash flow
and our ability to service our debt.
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A Large
Portion of Our Assets Consists of Goodwill and Other Intangible
Assets.
As of June 30, 2008, 46.5% of our assets consisted of
goodwill and other intangibles, including wireless licenses. The
value of our assets, and in particular, our intangible assets,
will depend on market conditions, the availability of buyers and
similar factors. By their nature, our intangible assets may not
have a readily ascertainable market value or may not be saleable
or, if saleable, there may be substantial delays in their
liquidation. For example, prior FCC approval is required in
order for us to sell, or for any remedies to be exercised by our
lenders with respect to, our wireless licenses, and obtaining
such approval could result in significant delays and reduce the
proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition of our
wireless licenses.
The
Wireless Industry is Experiencing Rapid Technological Change,
and We May Lose Customers If We Fail to Keep Up With These
Changes.
The wireless communications industry is experiencing significant
technological change, as evidenced by the ongoing improvements
in the capacity and quality of digital technology, the
development and commercial acceptance of wireless data services,
shorter development cycles for new products and enhancements and
changes in end-user requirements and preferences. In the future,
competitors may seek to provide competing wireless
telecommunications service through the use of developing
technologies such as Wi-Fi, WiMax, and VoIP. The cost of
implementing or competing against future technological
innovations may be prohibitive to us, and we may lose customers
if we fail to keep up with these changes.
For example, we have expended a substantial amount of capital to
upgrade our network with EvDO technology to offer advanced data
services. However, if such upgrades, technologies or services do
not become commercially acceptable, our revenues and competitive
position could be materially and adversely affected. We cannot
assure you that there will be widespread demand for advanced
data services or that this demand will develop at a level that
will allow us to earn a reasonable return on our investment.
In addition, CDMA2000 infrastructure networks could become less
popular in the future, which could raise the cost to us of
equipment and handsets that use that technology relative to the
cost of handsets and equipment that utilize other technologies.
The Loss
of Key Personnel and Difficulty Attracting and Retaining
Qualified Personnel Could Harm Our Business.
We believe our success depends heavily on the contributions of
our employees and on attracting, motivating and retaining our
officers and other management and technical personnel. We do
not, however, generally provide employment contracts to our
employees. If we are unable to attract and retain the qualified
employees that we need, our business may be harmed.
We have experienced higher than normal employee turnover in the
past, in part because of our bankruptcy, including turnover of
individuals at the most senior management levels. In addition,
our business is managed by a small number of key executive
officers, including our CEO, S. Douglas Hutcheson. In September
2007, Amin Khalifa resigned as our executive vice president and
CFO, and the board of directors appointed Mr. Hutcheson to
serve as acting CFO as we searched for a successor to
Mr. Khalifa. We announced the appointment of Walter Z.
Berger as our executive vice president and CFO in June 2008. In
February 2008, Grant Burton, who had served as chief accounting
officer and controller since June 2005 assumed a new role as
vice president, financial systems and processes. Jeffrey E.
Nachbor, who recently joined the company as our senior vice
president, financial operations, was appointed as our chief
accounting officer in May 2008. As a result, several members of
our senior management, including those responsible for our
finance and accounting functions, have either been hired or
appointed to new positions over a relatively short period of
time, and it may take time to fully integrate these individuals
into their new roles. The loss of key individuals in the future
may have a material adverse impact on our ability to effectively
manage and operate our business. In addition, we may have
difficulty attracting and retaining key personnel in future
periods, particularly if we were to experience poor operating or
financial performance.
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Risks
Associated With Wireless Handsets Could Pose Product Liability,
Health and Safety Risks That Could Adversely Affect Our
Business.
We do not manufacture handsets or other equipment sold by us and
generally rely on our suppliers to provide us with safe
equipment. Our suppliers are required by applicable law to
manufacture their handsets to meet certain governmentally
imposed safety criteria. However, even if the handsets we sell
meet the regulatory safety criteria, we could be held liable
with the equipment manufacturers and suppliers for any harm
caused by products we sell if such products are later found to
have design or manufacturing defects. We generally have
indemnification agreements with the manufacturers who supply us
with handsets to protect us from direct losses associated with
product liability, but we cannot guarantee that we will be fully
protected against all losses associated with a product that is
found to be defective.
Media reports have suggested that the use of wireless handsets
may be linked to various health concerns, including cancer, and
may interfere with various electronic medical devices, including
hearing aids and pacemakers. Certain class action lawsuits have
been filed in the industry claiming damages for alleged health
problems arising from the use of wireless handsets. In addition,
interest groups have requested that the FCC investigate claims
that wireless technologies pose health concerns and cause
interference with airbags, hearing aids and other medical
devices. The media has also reported incidents of handset
battery malfunction, including reports of batteries that have
overheated. Malfunctions have caused at least one major handset
manufacturer to recall certain batteries used in its handsets,
including batteries in a handset sold by Cricket and other
wireless providers.
Concerns over radio frequency emissions and defective products
may discourage the use of wireless handsets, which could
decrease demand for our services. Concerns over possible safety
risks could decrease the demand for our services. For example,
in the beginning of 2008, a technical defect was discovered in
one of our manufacturers handsets which appeared to
prevent a portion of 911 calls from being heard by the operator.
After learning of the defect, we instructed our retail locations
to temporarily cease selling the handsets, notified our
customers of the matter and directed them to bring their
handsets into our retail locations to receive correcting
software. If one or more Cricket customers were harmed by a
defective product provided to us by a manufacturer and
subsequently sold in connection with our services, our ability
to add and maintain customers for Cricket service could be
materially adversely affected by negative public reactions.
There also are some safety risks associated with the use of
wireless handsets while driving. Concerns over these safety
risks and the effect of any legislation that has been and may be
adopted in response to these risks could limit our ability to
sell our wireless service.
We Rely
Heavily on Third Parties to Provide Specialized Services; a
Failure by Such Parties to Provide the Agreed Upon Services
Could Materially Adversely Affect Our Business, Results of
Operations and Financial Condition.
We depend heavily on suppliers and contractors with specialized
expertise in order for us to efficiently operate our business.
In the past, our suppliers, contractors and third-party
retailers have not always performed at the levels we expect or
at the levels required by their contracts. If key suppliers,
contractors or third-party retailers fail to comply with their
contracts, fail to meet our performance expectations or refuse
or are unable to supply us in the future, our business could be
severely disrupted. Generally, there are multiple sources for
the types of products we purchase. However, some suppliers,
including software suppliers, are the exclusive sources of their
specific products. In addition, we are currently utilizing one
supplier for the wireless devices used by customers to access
our mobile broadband service. Because of the costs and time lags
that can be associated with transitioning from one supplier to
another, our business could be substantially disrupted if we
were required to replace the products or services of one or more
major suppliers with products or services from another source,
especially if the replacement became necessary on short notice.
Any such disruption could have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
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System
Failures Could Result in Higher Churn, Reduced Revenue and
Increased Costs, and Could Harm Our Reputation.
Our technical infrastructure (including our network
infrastructure and ancillary functions supporting our network
such as service activation, billing and customer care) is
vulnerable to damage or interruption from technology failures,
power loss, floods, windstorms, fires, human error, terrorism,
intentional wrongdoing, or similar events. Unanticipated
problems at our facilities, system failures, hardware or
software failures, computer viruses or hacker attacks could
affect the quality of our services and cause network service
interruptions. In addition, we are in the process of upgrading
some of our internal network systems, and we cannot assure you
that we will not experience delays or interruptions while we
transition our data and existing systems onto our new systems.
Any failure in or interruption of systems that we or third
parties maintain to support ancillary functions, such as
billing, customer care and financial reporting, could materially
impact our ability to timely and accurately record, process and
report information important to our business. If any of the
above events were to occur, we could experience higher churn,
reduced revenues and increased costs, any of which could harm
our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our
business.
To accommodate expected growth in our business, management has
been considering replacing our customer billing and activation
system, which we license from a third party. The vendor who
licenses the software to us and provides certain billing
services to us has a contract with us through 2010. The vendor
has developed a new billing product and has introduced that
product in a limited number of markets operated by another
wireless carrier. The vendor was working to adapt the new
billing product for our use, but we are now unlikely to use this
product because the vendor has announced that it intends to exit
the billing business. The vendor is currently exploring
alternative exit strategies, including selling its business to a
third party. If the vendor or its successor does not provide us
with an improved billing system in the future, we might choose
to terminate our contract for convenience and purchase billing
services from a different vendor if we believed it was necessary
to do so to meet the requirements of our business. In such an
event, we may owe substantial termination fees.
We May
Not Be Successful in Protecting and Enforcing Our Intellectual
Property Rights.
We rely on a combination of patent, service mark, trademark, and
trade secret laws and contractual restrictions to establish and
protect our proprietary rights, all of which only offer limited
protection. We endeavor to enter into agreements with our
employees and contractors and agreements with parties with whom
we do business in order to limit access to and disclosure of our
proprietary information. Despite our efforts, the steps we have
taken to protect our intellectual property may not prevent the
misappropriation of our proprietary rights. Moreover, others may
independently develop processes and technologies that are
competitive to ours. The enforcement of our intellectual
property rights may depend on any legal actions that we
undertake against such infringers being successful, but we
cannot be sure that any such actions will be successful, even
when our rights have been infringed.
We cannot assure you that our pending, or any future, patent
applications will be granted, that any existing or future
patents will not be challenged, invalidated or circumvented,
that any existing or future patents will be enforceable, or that
the rights granted under any patent that may issue will provide
competitive advantages to us. For example, see
Part II Item 1. Legal
Proceedings of this report for a description of our patent
litigation with MetroPCS and other affiliated entities. We
intend to vigorously defend against the matters brought by the
MetroPCS entities. Due to the complex nature of the legal and
factual issues involved, however, the outcome of these matters
is not presently determinable. If the MetroPCS entities were to
prevail in any of these matters, it could have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results
of operations.
In addition to these outstanding matters, we cannot assure you
that any trademark or service mark registrations will be issued
with respect to pending or future applications or that any
registered trademarks or service marks will be enforceable or
provide adequate protection of our brands. Our inability to
secure trademark or service mark protection with respect to our
brands could have a material adverse effect on our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
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We and
Our Suppliers May Be Subject to Claims of Infringement Regarding
Telecommunications Technologies That Are Protected By Patents
and Other Intellectual Property Rights.
Telecommunications technologies are protected by a wide array of
patents and other intellectual property rights. As a result,
third parties may assert infringement claims against us or our
suppliers from time to time based on our or their general
business operations, the equipment, software or services that we
or they use or provide, or the specific operation of our
wireless networks. For example, see
Part II Item 1. Legal
Proceedings of this report for a description of certain
patent infringement lawsuits that have been brought against us.
We generally have indemnification agreements with the
manufacturers, licensors and suppliers who provide us with the
equipment, software and technology that we use in our business
to protect us against possible infringement claims, but we
cannot guarantee that we will be fully protected against all
losses associated with infringement claims. Our suppliers may be
subject to infringement claims that could prevent or make it
more expensive for them to supply us with the products and
services we require to run our business. For example, we
purchase certain CDMA handsets that incorporate EvDO chipsets
manufactured by Qualcomm Incorporated, or Qualcomm, which are
the subject of patent infringement actions brought by Broadcom
Corporation in separate proceedings before the United States
International Trade Commission, or ITC, and the United States
District Court for the Central District of California. Both the
ITC and District Court have issued orders in their proceedings
that prevent or limit Qualcomms ability, subject to
various conditions and timelines, to sell, import or support the
infringing chips, and restrict third parties from importing the
handsets that incorporate the chips. Although these orders are
currently on appeal and the ITC order is stayed as to certain
third parties (including most of our handset suppliers), these
patent infringement actions could have the effect of slowing or
limiting our ability to introduce and offer EvDO handsets and
devices to our customers. Moreover, we may be subject to claims
that products, software and services provided by different
vendors which we combine to offer our services may infringe the
rights of third parties, and we may not have any indemnification
from our vendors for these claims. Whether or not an
infringement claim against us or a supplier was valid or
successful, it could adversely affect our business by diverting
management attention, involving us in costly and time-consuming
litigation, requiring us to enter into royalty or licensing
agreements (which may not be available on acceptable terms, or
at all) or requiring us to redesign our business operations or
systems to avoid claims of infringement. In addition,
infringement claims against our suppliers could also require us
to purchase products and services at higher prices or from
different suppliers and could adversely affect our business by
delaying our ability to offer certain products and services to
our customers.
Regulation
by Government Agencies May Increase Our Costs of Providing
Service or Require Us to Change Our Services.
The FCC regulates the licensing, construction, modification,
operation, ownership, sale and interconnection of wireless
communications systems, as do some state and local regulatory
agencies. We cannot assure you that the FCC or any state or
local agencies having jurisdiction over our business will not
adopt regulations or take other enforcement or other actions
that would adversely affect our business, impose new costs or
require changes in current or planned operations. For example,
in 2007 the FCC released an order implementing certain
recommendations of an independent panel reviewing the impact of
Hurricane Katrina on communications networks, which requires
that wireless carriers provide emergency
back-up
power sources for their equipment and facilities, including up
to 24 hours of emergency power for mobile switch offices
and up to eight hours for cell site locations. In order for us
to comply with the new requirements should they become
effective, we may need to purchase additional equipment, obtain
additional state and local permits, authorizations and approvals
or incur additional operating expenses, and such costs could be
material. In addition, state regulatory agencies are
increasingly focused on the quality of service and support that
wireless carriers provide to their customers and several
agencies have proposed or enacted new and potentially burdensome
regulations in this area.
In addition, we cannot assure you that the Communications Act of
1934, as amended, or the Communications Act, from which the FCC
obtains its authority, will not be further amended in a manner
that could be adverse to us. The FCC recently implemented rule
changes and sought comment on further rule changes focused on
addressing alleged abuses of its designated entity program,
which gives certain categories of small businesses preferential
treatment in FCC spectrum auctions based on size. In that
proceeding, the FCC has re-affirmed its goals of ensuring that
only legitimate small businesses benefit from the program, and
that such small businesses are not controlled or
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manipulated by larger wireless carriers or other investors that
do not meet the small business qualification tests. We cannot
predict the degree to which rule changes or increased regulatory
scrutiny that may follow from this proceeding will affect our
current or future business ventures or our participation in
future FCC spectrum auctions.
Under existing law, no more than 20% of an FCC licensees
capital stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, or voted by
non-U.S. citizens
or their representatives, by a foreign government or its
representatives or by a foreign corporation. If an FCC licensee
is controlled by another entity (as is the case with Leaps
ownership and control of subsidiaries that hold FCC licenses),
up to 25% of that entitys capital stock may be owned or
voted by
non-U.S. citizens
or their representatives, by a foreign government or its
representatives or by a foreign corporation. Foreign ownership
above the 25% holding company level may be allowed if the FCC
finds such higher levels consistent with the public interest.
The FCC has ruled that higher levels of foreign ownership, even
up to 100%, are presumptively consistent with the public
interest with respect to investors from certain nations. If our
foreign ownership were to exceed the permitted level, the FCC
could revoke our wireless licenses, which would have a material
adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results
of operations. Although we could seek a declaratory ruling from
the FCC allowing the foreign ownership or could take other
actions to reduce our foreign ownership percentage in order to
avoid the loss of our licenses, we cannot assure you that we
would be able to obtain such a ruling or that any other actions
we may take would be successful.
Our operations are subject to various other regulations,
including those regulations promulgated by the Federal Trade
Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration, the
Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration and state and local regulatory agencies
and legislative bodies. Adverse decisions or regulations of
these regulatory bodies could negatively impact our operations
and costs of doing business. Because of our smaller size,
governmental regulations and orders can significantly increase
our costs and affect our competitive position compared to other
larger telecommunications providers. We are unable to predict
the scope, pace or financial impact of regulations and other
policy changes that could be adopted by the various governmental
entities that oversee portions of our business.
If Call
Volume or Wireless Broadband Usage Exceeds Our Expectations, Our
Costs of Providing Service Could Increase, Which Could Have a
Material Adverse Effect on Our Competitive Position.
Cricket customers generally use their handsets for voice calls
for an average of approximately 1,500 minutes per month, and
some markets experience substantially higher call volumes. Our
Cricket service plans bundle certain features, long distance and
unlimited service in Cricket calling areas for a fixed monthly
fee to more effectively compete with other telecommunications
providers. In September 2007, we introduced our first unlimited
mobile broadband offering, Cricket Wireless Internet Service,
into select markets. As of June 30, 2008, our Cricket
Wireless Internet Service was available to approximately
23 million covered POPs, and we expect to further expand
the availability of this product offering to cover approximately
60 million POPs by the end of 2008. If customers exceed
expected usage for our voice or mobile broadband services, we
could face capacity problems and our costs of providing the
services could increase. Although we own less spectrum in many
of our markets than our competitors, we seek to design our
network to accommodate our expected high rates of usage of voice
and mobile broadband services, and we consistently assess and
try to implement technological improvements to increase the
efficiency of our wireless spectrum. However, if future wireless
use by Cricket customers exceeds the capacity of our network,
service quality may suffer. We may be forced to raise the price
of our voice or mobile broadband services to reduce volume or
otherwise limit the number of new customers, or incur
substantial capital expenditures to improve network capacity or
quality.
We May Be
Unable to Acquire Additional Spectrum in the Future at a
Reasonable Cost or on a Timely Basis.
Because we offer unlimited calling services for a fixed fee, our
customers average minutes of use per month is
substantially above U.S. averages. In addition, early
customer usage of our recently-introduced Cricket Wireless
Internet Service has been significant. We intend to meet demand
for our wireless services by utilizing spectrally efficient
technologies. Despite our recent spectrum purchases, there may
come a point where we need to acquire additional spectrum in
order to maintain an acceptable grade of service or provide new
services to meet increasing customer demands. We also intend to
acquire additional spectrum in order to enter new strategic
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markets. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to
acquire additional spectrum at auction or in the after-market at
a reasonable cost or that additional spectrum would be made
available by the FCC on a timely basis. If such additional
spectrum is not available to us when required or at a reasonable
cost, our results of operations could be adversely affected.
Our
Wireless Licenses are Subject to Renewal and May Be Revoked in
the Event that We Violate Applicable Laws.
Our existing wireless licenses are subject to renewal upon the
expiration of the
10-year or
15-year
period for which they are granted, which renewal period
commenced for some of our PCS wireless licenses in 2006. The FCC
will award a renewal expectancy to a wireless licensee that
timely files a renewal application, has provided substantial
service during its past license term and has substantially
complied with applicable FCC rules and policies and the
Communications Act. The FCC has routinely renewed wireless
licenses in the past. However, the Communications Act provides
that licenses may be revoked for cause and license renewal
applications denied if the FCC determines that a renewal would
not serve the public interest. FCC rules provide that
applications competing with a license renewal application may be
considered in comparative hearings, and establish the
qualifications for competing applications and the standards to
be applied in hearings. We cannot assure you that the FCC will
renew our wireless licenses upon their expiration.
Future
Declines in the Fair Value of Our Wireless Licenses Could Result
in Future Impairment Charges.
As of June 30, 2008, the carrying value of our wireless
licenses and those of Denali License and LCW License was
approximately $1.9 billion. During the years ended
December 31, 2007, 2006 and 2005, we recorded impairment
charges of $1.0 million, $7.9 million and
$12.0 million, respectively.
The market values of wireless licenses have varied dramatically
over the last several years, and may vary significantly in the
future. In particular, valuation swings could occur if:
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consolidation in the wireless industry allows or requires
carriers to sell significant portions of their wireless spectrum
holdings;
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a sudden large sale of spectrum by one or more wireless
providers occurs; or
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market prices decline as a result of the sale prices in FCC
auctions.
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In addition, the price of wireless licenses could decline as a
result of the FCCs pursuit of policies designed to
increase the number of wireless licenses available in each of
our markets. For example, during the past two years, the FCC
auctioned additional spectrum in the 1700 MHz to
2100 MHz band in Auction #66 and the 700 MHz band
in Auction #73, and has announced that it intends to
auction additional spectrum in the 2.5 GHz band. If the
market value of wireless licenses were to decline significantly,
the value of our wireless licenses could be subject to non-cash
impairment charges.
We assess potential impairments to our indefinite-lived
intangible assets, including wireless licenses, annually and
when there is evidence that events or changes in circumstances
indicate that an impairment condition may exist. We conduct our
annual tests for impairment of our wireless licenses during the
third quarter of each year. Estimates of the fair value of our
wireless licenses are based primarily on available market
prices, including successful bid prices in FCC auctions and
selling prices observed in wireless license transactions,
pricing trends among historical wireless license transactions,
our spectrum holdings within a given market relative to other
carriers holdings and qualitative demographic and economic
information concerning the areas that comprise our markets. A
significant impairment loss could have a material adverse effect
on our operating income and on the carrying value of our
wireless licenses on our balance sheet.
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Declines
in Our Operating Performance Could Ultimately Result in an
Impairment of Our
Indefinite-Lived
Assets, Including Goodwill, or Our Long-Lived Assets, Including
Property and Equipment.
We assess potential impairments to our long-lived assets,
including property and equipment and certain intangible assets,
when there is evidence that events or changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. We
assess potential impairments to indefinite-lived intangible
assets, including goodwill and wireless licenses, annually and
when there is evidence that events or changes in circumstances
indicate that an impairment condition may exist. If we do not
achieve our planned operating results, this may ultimately
result in a non-cash impairment charge related to our long-lived
and/or our
indefinite-lived intangible assets. A significant impairment
loss could have a material adverse effect on our operating
results and on the carrying value of our goodwill or wireless
licenses
and/or our
long-lived assets on our balance sheet.
We May
Incur Higher Than Anticipated Intercarrier Compensation
Costs.
When our customers use our service to call customers of other
carriers, we are required under the current intercarrier
compensation scheme to pay the carrier that serves the called
party. Similarly, when a customer of another carrier calls one
of our customers, that carrier is required to pay us. While in
most cases we have been successful in negotiating agreements
with other carriers that impose reasonable reciprocal
compensation arrangements, some carriers have claimed a right to
unilaterally impose what we believe to be unreasonably high
charges on us. The FCC is actively considering possible
regulatory approaches to address this situation but we cannot
assure you that the FCC rulings will be beneficial to us. An
adverse ruling or FCC inaction could result in carriers
successfully collecting higher intercarrier fees from us, which
could adversely affect our business.
The FCC also is considering making various significant changes
to the intercarrier compensation scheme to which we are subject.
We cannot predict with any certainty the likely outcome of this
FCC proceeding. Some of the alternatives that are under active
consideration by the FCC could severely increase the
interconnection costs we pay. If we are unable to
cost-effectively provide our products and services to customers,
our competitive position and business prospects could be
materially adversely affected.
If We
Experience High Rates of Credit Card, Subscription or Dealer
Fraud, Our Ability to Generate Cash Flow Will
Decrease.
Our operating costs can increase substantially as a result of
customer credit card, subscription or dealer fraud. We have
implemented a number of strategies and processes to detect and
prevent efforts to defraud us, and we believe that our efforts
have substantially reduced the types of fraud we have
identified. However, if our strategies are not successful in
detecting and controlling fraud in the future, the resulting
loss of revenue or increased expenses could have a material
adverse impact on our financial condition and results of
operations.
Risks
Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock
Our Stock
Price May Be Volatile, and You May Lose All or Some of Your
Investment.
The trading prices of the securities of telecommunications
companies have been highly volatile. Accordingly, the trading
price of Leap common stock has been, and is likely to be,
subject to wide fluctuations. Factors affecting the trading
price of Leap common stock may include, among other things:
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variations in our operating results or those of our competitors;
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announcements of technological innovations, new services or
service enhancements, strategic alliances or significant
agreements by us or by our competitors;
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entry of new competitors into our markets;
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significant developments with respect to our intellectual
property, securities or related litigation;
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the announcements and bidding of auctions for new spectrum;
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recruitment or departure of key personnel;
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changes in the estimates of our operating results or changes in
recommendations by any securities analysts that elect to follow
Leap common stock;
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any default under our Credit Agreement or any of the indentures
governing our senior notes and convertible senior notes because
of a covenant breach or otherwise; and
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market conditions in our industry and the economy as a whole.
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We May
Elect To Raise Additional Equity Capital Which May Dilute
Existing Stockholders.
We may raise additional capital to finance strategic activities
that we may pursue at a significant level in addition to our
current business expansion efforts, which could consist of debt
and/or
equity financing from the public
and/or
private capital markets. To the extent that we elect to raise
equity capital, this financing may not be available in
sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us and may be
dilutive to existing stockholders. In addition, these sales
could reduce the trading price of Leaps common stock and
impede our ability to raise future capital.
Your
Ownership Interest in Leap Will Be Diluted Upon Issuance of
Shares We Have Reserved for Future Issuances, and Future
Issuances or Sales of Such Shares May Adversely Affect The
Market Price of Leaps Common Stock.
As of August 1, 2008, 69,209,326 shares of Leaps
common stock were issued and outstanding, and 6,930,674
additional shares of Leap common stock were reserved for
issuance, including 5,621,897 shares reserved for issuance
upon exercise of awards granted or available for grant under
Leaps 2004 Stock Option, Restricted Stock and Deferred
Stock Unit Plan, as amended, 708,777 shares reserved for
issuance under Leaps Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and
600,000 shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of
outstanding warrants.
Leap has also reserved up to 4,761,000 shares of its common
stock for issuance upon conversion of its $250 million in
aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due 2014.
Holders may convert their notes into shares of Leap common stock
at any time on or prior to the third scheduled trading day prior
to the maturity date of the notes, July 15, 2014. If, at
the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of
Leaps common stock is less than or equal to approximately
$93.21 per share, the notes will be convertible into
10.7290 shares of Leap common stock per $1,000 principal
amount of the notes (referred to as the base conversion
rate), subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of
certain events. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable
stock price of Leaps common stock exceeds approximately
$93.21 per share, the conversion rate will be determined
pursuant to a formula based on the base conversion rate and an
incremental share factor of 8.3150 shares per $1,000
principal amount of the notes, subject to adjustment. At an
applicable stock price of approximately $93.21 per share, the
number of shares of common stock issuable upon full conversion
of the convertible senior notes would be 2,682,250 shares.
Upon the occurrence of a make-whole fundamental
change of Leap under the indenture, under certain
circumstances the maximum number of shares of common stock
issuable upon full conversion of the convertible senior notes
would be 4,761,000 shares.
In addition, Leap has reserved five percent of its outstanding
shares, which represented 3,460,466 shares of common stock
as of August 1, 2008, for potential issuance to CSM
Wireless, LLC, or CSM, on the exercise of CSMs option to
put its entire equity interest in LCW Wireless to Cricket. Under
the amended and restated limited liability company agreement
with CSM and WLPCS Management, LLC, or WLPCS, the purchase price
for CSMs equity interest is calculated on a pro rata basis
using either the appraised value of LCW Wireless or a multiple
of Leaps enterprise value divided by its adjusted EBITDA
and applied to LCW Wireless adjusted EBITDA to impute an
enterprise value and equity value for LCW Wireless. Cricket may
satisfy the put price either in cash or in Leaps common
stock, or a combination thereof, as determined by Cricket in its
discretion. However, the covenants in our Credit Agreement do
not permit Cricket to satisfy any substantial portion of its put
obligations to CSM in cash. If Cricket elects to satisfy its put
obligations to CSM with Leap common stock, the obligations of
the parties are conditioned upon the block of Leaps common
stock issuable to CSM not constituting more than five percent of
Leaps outstanding common stock at the time of issuance.
Dilution of the outstanding number of shares of Leaps
common stock could adversely affect prevailing market prices for
Leaps common stock.
82
We have agreed to prepare and file a resale shelf registration
statement for any shares of Leap common stock issued to CSM in
connection with the put, and to use our reasonable efforts to
cause such registration statement to be declared effective by
the SEC. In addition, we have registered all shares of common
stock that we may issue under our stock option, restricted stock
and deferred stock unit plan and under our employee stock
purchase plan. When we issue shares under these stock plans,
they can be freely sold in the public market. If any of
Leaps stockholders cause a large number of securities to
be sold in the public market, these sales could reduce the
trading price of Leaps common stock. These sales also
could impede our ability to raise future capital.
Our
Directors and Affiliated Entities Have Substantial Influence
over Our Affairs, and Our Ownership Is Highly Concentrated.
Sales of a Significant Number of Shares by Large Stockholders
May Adversely Affect the Market Price of Leaps Common
Stock.
Our directors and entities affiliated with them beneficially
owned in the aggregate approximately 23.0% of Leaps common
stock as of August 1, 2008. Moreover, our four largest
stockholders and entities affiliated with them beneficially
owned in the aggregate approximately 59.3% of Leap common stock
as of August 1, 2008. These stockholders have the ability
to exert substantial influence over all matters requiring
approval by our stockholders. These stockholders will be able to
influence the election and removal of directors and any merger,
consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of Leaps
assets and other matters. This concentration of ownership could
have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in
control or impeding a merger or consolidation, takeover or other
business combination.
Our resale shelf registration statement, as amended, registers
for resale 11,755,806 shares of Leaps common stock
held by entities affiliated with one of our directors, or
approximately 17.0% of Leaps outstanding common stock as
of August 1, 2008. We are unable to predict the potential
effect that sales into the market of any material portion of
such shares, or any of the other shares held by our other large
stockholders and entities affiliated with them, may have on the
then-prevailing market price of Leap common stock. If any of
Leaps stockholders cause a large number of securities to
be sold in the public market, these sales could reduce the
trading price of Leap common stock. These sales could also
impede our ability to raise future capital.
Provisions
in Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws or Delaware Law, and Provisions in Our Credit Agreement
and Indenture, Might Discourage, Delay or Prevent a Change in
Control of Our Company or Changes in Our Management and,
Therefore, Depress The Trading Price of Our Common
Stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws
contain provisions that could depress the trading price of Leap
common stock by acting to discourage, delay or prevent a change
in control of our company or changes in our management that our
stockholders may deem advantageous. These provisions:
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require super-majority voting to amend some provisions in our
amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws;
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authorize the issuance of blank check preferred
stock that our board of directors could issue to increase the
number of outstanding shares to discourage a takeover attempt;
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prohibit stockholder action by written consent, and require that
all stockholder actions be taken at a meeting of our
stockholders;
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provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to
make, alter or repeal our bylaws; and
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establish advance notice requirements for nominations for
elections to our board or for proposing matters that can be
acted upon by stockholders at stockholder meetings.
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We are also subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, which generally prohibits a Delaware
corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business
combinations with any interested stockholder for a
period of three years following the date on which the
stockholder became an interested stockholder and
which may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of
our company.
83
In addition, our Credit Agreement also prohibits the occurrence
of a change of control and, under the indentures governing our
senior notes and convertible senior notes, if certain
change of control events occur, each holder of notes
may require us to repurchase all of such holders notes at
a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of senior
notes, or 100% of the principal amount of convertible senior
notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. See
Part I Item 2. Managements
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations Liquidity and Capital Resources of
this report.
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Item 2.
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Unregistered
Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.
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On June 25, 2008, we completed the closing of the sale of
$250 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured 4.50%
unsecured convertible senior notes due 2014. The issuance of
these notes generated net proceeds of $242.5 million, after
the payment of $7.5 million of discount to the initial
purchasers of the notes and prior to the payment of expenses
relating to the offering. These notes and the shares of
Leaps common stock issuable upon conversion of the notes
have not been registered under the Securities Act. These notes
were issued by Leap in a private placement to institutional
buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act
pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of June 25, 2008,
between Leap and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee. The
information contained in our Current Report on
Form 8-K
filed with the SEC on June 30, 2008 is hereby incorporated
by reference in this report.
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Item 3.
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Defaults
Upon Senior Securities.
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None.
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Item 4.
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Submission
of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.
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Our Annual Meeting of Stockholders was held on May 29,
2008. At the meeting, the following two proposals were
considered:
The first proposal was to elect five directors to hold office
until the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until their
successors have been elected and qualified, and each candidate
received the following number of votes:
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For
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Withheld
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John D. Harkey, Jr.
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52,714,883
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5,705,089
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S. Douglas Hutcheson
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56,108,520
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2,311,452
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Robert V. LaPenta
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52,942,028
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5,477,944
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Mark H. Rachesky, M.D.
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50,157,897
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8,262,075
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Michael B. Targoff
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45,564,211
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12,855,761
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All of the foregoing candidates were elected.
The second proposal was to ratify the selection of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as Leaps independent registered
public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2008. This proposal received the following
number of votes:
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For
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Against
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Abstentions
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58,231,635
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57,958
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2,618
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The foregoing proposal was approved.
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Item 5.
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Other
Information.
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None.
84
Index to Exhibits:
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Exhibit
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Number
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Description of Exhibit
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4.1(1)
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Indenture, dated as of June 25, 2008, between Leap Wireless
International and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee.
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4.2(1)
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Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 25, 2008,
between Leap Wireless International, Inc. and Goldman,
Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated, as representatives of the Initial Purchasers.
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4.3(1)
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Form of 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes of Leap Wireless
International, Inc. due 2014 (attached as Exhibit A to the
Indenture filed as Exhibit 4.1 hereto).
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4.4(2)
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Indenture, dated as of June 25, 2008, between Cricket
Communications, Inc., the Guarantors and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.,
as trustee.
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4.5(2)
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Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 25, 2008,
between Cricket Communications, Inc., the Guarantors and
Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan Stanley &
Co. Incorporated, as representatives of the Initial Purchasers.
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4.6(2)
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Form of 10% Senior Note of Cricket Communications, Inc. due
2015 (attached as Exhibit A to the Indenture filed as
Exhibit 4.4 hereto).
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10.1*
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Amendment No. 3 to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement,
dated June 18, 2008, by and among Cricket Communications,
Inc., Leap Wireless International, Inc., the lenders party
thereto and Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent.
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10.2*
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Consent dated June 18, 2008, by Leap Wireless
International, Inc. and the subsidiary guarantors party thereto.
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10.3*#
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Employment Offer Letter dated April 7, 2008, between
Cricket Communications, Inc. and Jeffrey C. Nachbor.
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10.4*#
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Employment Offer Letter dated June 2, 2008, between Cricket
Communications, Inc. and Walter Z. Berger.
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10.5*#
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Stock Option Grant Notice and Non-Qualified Stock Option
Agreement, effective as of June 23, 2008, between Leap
Wireless International, Inc. and Walter Z. Berger.
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10.6*#
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Restricted Stock Award Grant Notice and Restricted Stock Award
Agreement, effective as of June 23, 2008, between Leap
Wireless International, Inc. and Walter Z. Berger.
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10.7*#
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Form of Stock Option Grant Notice and Non-Qualified Stock Option
Agreement (Revised May 2008).
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10.8*#
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Form of Restricted Stock Award Grant Notice and Restricted Stock
Award Agreement (Revised May 2008).
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31.1*
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
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31.2*
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Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to
Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
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32**
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Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial
Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act
of 2002.
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(1) |
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Filed as an exhibit to Leaps Current Report on
Form 8-K,
dated June 25, 2008, filed with the SEC on June 30,
2008, and incorporated herein by reference. |
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(2) |
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Filed as an exhibit to Leaps Current Report on
Form 8-K,
dated June 25, 2008, filed with the SEC on June 30,
2008, and incorporated herein by reference. |
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* |
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Filed herewith. |
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** |
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This certification is being furnished solely to accompany this
quarterly report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, and is
not being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is not to be
incorporated by reference into any filing of Leap Wireless
International, Inc., whether made before or after the date
hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such
filing. |
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# |
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Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement in which
one or more executive officers or directors participates. |
85
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this Quarterly Report to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly
authorized.
Date: August 6, 2008
LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
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By:
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/s/ S.
Douglas Hutcheson
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S. Douglas Hutcheson
Chief Executive Officer and President
Date: August 6, 2008
Walter Z. Berger
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
86