Verizon Sees Continued Growth in Wireless Despite Economy

Despite the general economic climate, Verizon Communications’ reported strong sales for its wireless services along with continued growth for its FiOS and strategic business initiatives. Verizon’s total operating revenues grew 11.6 percent to $26.6 billion, compared with the first quarter 2008, as the company added revenues from its acquisition of Alltel Corporation in early January 2009. On a pro forma basis (determined by consolidating the operating results of Verizon and the former Alltel as though the acquisition had occurred on Jan. 1, 2008), revenue growth was 3.3 percent. EPS came it at 58 cents in the first quarter 2009, up 1.8 percent from 57 cents per share in the first quarter 2008. On an adjusted basis (non-GAAP), first-quarter 2009 earnings were 63 cents per share, up 3.3 percent from first-quarter 2008 earnings of 61 cents per share.

“In this challenging economic environment, we remain focused on delivering value to customers and on returning cash to our shareowners, with an attractive dividend. Verizon is in a unique position. We are tapping into new market opportunities in wireless, broadband, video and global enterprise, and we already have the assets and capabilities to sustain our cash flows and grow total shareholder returns,” stated Verizon Chairman and CEO Ivan Seidenberg.

Some highlights from Q1:

Wireless

Wireless retail (non-wholesale) gross customer additions (excluding customers acquired in the Alltel acquisition) were strong, up 32.5 percent over the prior year. On a pro forma basis, retail gross
customer additions were up 4.3 percent.
Verizon Wireless had 86.6 million customers at the end of the quarter, an increase of 28.8 percent year over year. This includes 13.2 million net total customer additions, after conforming adjustments,
from the Alltel acquisition.
Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless company in the U.S. in terms of total customers and revenues.
Verizon Wireless added 1.3 million net retail customers (excluding customers acquired in the Alltel acquisition) for a total of 84.1 million retail customers.
Verizon Wireless had industry-leading retail post-paid churn of 1.14 percent; total churn was an industry-leading 1.47 percent.
Revenues totaled $15.1 billion, up 29.6 percent year over year and up 9.0 percent on a pro forma basis. Service revenues were $13.1 billion, up 28.9 percent year over year and up 10.5 percent on a pro forma basis, with continued growing demand for data services.
Data revenue was $3.6 billion in the first quarter 2009, up 56.2 percent,
or 36.8 percent on a pro forma basis, from the first quarter 2008. Service ARPU decreased 0.3 percent from the similar period a year ago, to $50.74. Total data
ARPU grew by 20.8 percent to $14.16. On a pro forma basis, service ARPU increased 1.1 percent, and total data ARPU increased 25.2 percent.
During the quarter, Verizon Wireless customers sent or received an average of 1.4 billion text messages each day, totaling more than 127 billion text messages in the first quarter. Customers also sent nearly 2.1 billion picture/video messages and completed 48.6 million music and video downloads during the quarter.

Wireline

Wireline’s total first-quarter operating revenues were $11.6 billion, a decline of 3.8 percent compared with the first quarter 2008. A 0.7 percent increase in mass market revenues was offset by declines in global enterprise, global wholesale and other services. Wireline total operating expenses were $10.9 billion, a decline of 1.0 percent compared with the first quarter 2008.

Verizon added 299,000 net new FiOS TV customers. The company had 2.2 million FiOS TV customers, an increase of 83.8 percent compared with the first quarter 2008.
FiOS TV sales penetration (sales as a percentage of potential customers) increased to 22.9 percent, compared with 18.7 percent in the first quarter 2008. FiOS TV service was available for sale to 9.7 million premises by end of the quarter.
Verizon added a record 298,000 net new FiOS Internet customers. The company had nearly 2.8 million FiOS Internet customers, an increase of 55.5 percent compared with the first quarter 2008.
FiOS Internet sales penetration increased to 26.8 percent, compared with 23.0 percent in the first quarter 2008. FiOS Internet was available for sale to 10.4 million premises by the end of the quarter.
Broadband and video revenues from consumer customers in wireline mass markets totaled $1.3 billion in the first quarter 2009 — representing year-over-year quarterly growth of 36.3 percent.
Revenue growth from broadband and video services drove consumer ARPU to $69.97 in the first quarter 2009, a 13.7 percent increase compared with the first quarter 2008.
Sales of strategic business services — such as IP, managed services, Ethernet and security solutions — generated $1.5 billion in revenue in the quarter, up 7.5 percent from the first quarter 2008.
There were 8.9 million total broadband connections in the first quarter, a net increase of 252,000 over the fourth quarter 2008 and 7.8 percent year over year. This includes a decrease of 46,000 DSL-based Verizon High Speed Internet connections, which was more than offset by the increase in FiOS Internet customers.