Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) ("Charter”) announced today
that it has asked its long-standing financial advisor, Lazard LLC, to
initiate discussions with the Company’s bondholders about financial
alternatives to improve the Company’s balance sheet.
"We believe engaging in discussions with our bondholders, aimed at
improving our capital structure and enhancing our financial flexibility,
is in the Company’s and our customers’ best interests,” said Neil Smit,
President and Chief Executive Officer. "In the third quarter 2008,
revenues increased 7.3%, and net customer additions increased more than
50% year over year. Our objective in these discussions is to improve our
balance sheet, which will better position Charter for the future, while
we continue to focus on delivering quality service to our customers and
growing our business.”
Charter noted that its cash on hand and cash equivalents as of December
10, 2008, was in excess of $900 million, which is available to pay
operating costs and expenses.
About Charter Communications
Charter Communications, Inc. is a leading broadband communications
company and the third-largest publicly traded cable operator in the
United States. Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband
services, including advanced Charter Digital Cable(R) video
entertainment programming, Charter High-Speed(R) Internet access, and
Charter Telephone(R). Charter Business(TM) similarly provides scalable,
tailored, and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to
business organizations, such as business-to-business Internet access,
data networking, video and music entertainment services, and business
telephone. Charter's advertising sales and production services are sold
under the Charter Media(R) brand. More information about Charter can be
found at www.charter.com.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, regarding, among
other things, our plans, strategies and prospects, both business and
financial. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and
expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking
statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or
realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking
statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and
assumptions including, without limitation, the factors described under
"Risk Factors" from time to time in our filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Many of the forward-looking statements
contained in this release may be identified by the use of
forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate,"
"should," "plans," "will," "may," "intend," "estimated," "aim," "on
track," "target," "opportunity" and "potential," among others. Important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the
forward-looking statements we make in this release are set forth in
other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the SEC,
including our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed in 2008 and our most
recent annual report on Form 10-K and include, but are not limited to:
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the availability and access, in general, of funds to meet interest
payment obligations under our debt and to fund our operations and
necessary capital expenditures, either through cash on hand, cash
flows from operating activities, further borrowings or other sources
and, in particular, our ability to fund debt obligations (by dividend,
investment or otherwise) to the applicable obligor of such debt;
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our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and credit
facilities, any violation of which, if not cured in a timely manner,
could trigger a default of our other obligations under cross-default
provisions;
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our ability to repay debt prior to or when it becomes due and/or
successfully access the capital or credit markets to refinance that
debt through new issuances, exchange offers or otherwise, including
restructuring our balance sheet and leverage position, especially
given recent volatility and disruption in the capital and credit
markets;
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the impact of competition from other distributors, including incumbent
telephone companies, direct broadcast satellite operators, wireless
broadband providers, and digital subscriber line ("DSL") providers;
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difficulties in growing, further introducing, and operating our
telephone services, while adequately meeting customer expectations for
the reliability of voice services;
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our ability to adequately meet demand for installations and customer
service;
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our ability to sustain and grow revenues and cash flows from operating
activities by offering video, high-speed Internet, telephone and other
services, and to maintain and grow our customer base, particularly in
the face of increasingly aggressive competition;
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our ability to obtain programming at reasonable prices or to
adequately raise prices to offset the effects of higher programming
costs;
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the outcome of our discussions with our bondholders;
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general business conditions, economic uncertainty or downturn,
including the recent volatility and disruption in the capital and
credit markets and the significant downturn in the housing sector and
overall economy; and
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the effects of governmental regulation on our business.
All forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting
on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this
cautionary statement. We are under no duty or obligation to update any
of the forward-looking statements after the date of this release.