Verizon Reports Revenue Up 1% at $34.3B Year-on-Year

4Q 2018 highlights
Consolidated:
47 cents in earnings per share (EPS), compared with $4.56 in 4Q 2017; adjusted EPS (non-GAAP), excluding special items, of $1.12, compared with 86 cents in 4Q 2017.

Wireless:
1.2 million retail postpaid net additions, including 653,000 phone net additions and 873,000 postpaid smartphone net additions.

Retail postpaid churn of 1.08 percent, and retail postpaid phone churn of 0.82 percent.

Service revenue growth of 1.9 percent year over year, excluding the impact of the revenue recognition standard adopted on Jan. 1, 2018.

Total revenue growth of 2.1 percent year over year, excluding the impact of the revenue recognition standard, to $24.3 billion.

Wireline:
54,000 Fios Internet net additions; Fios total revenue growth of 2.9 percent year over year.

2018 highlights
Consolidated:
Full year EPS of $3.76, compared with $7.36 in 2017; adjusted EPS (non-GAAP), excluding special items, of $4.71, compared with 2017 adjusted EPS of $3.74.

Full-year 2018 operating cash flow of $34.3 billion, an increase of $10 billion year over year.

Unsecured debt is lower by $5.2 billion and total net debt is lower by $4.7 billion from year-end 2017.

NEW YORK –- Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) closed 2018 with fourth-quarter results highlighted by strong growth and retention at Verizon Wireless, increased cash flow and momentum leading into the 5G era.

"Verizon finished 2018 by delivering solid financial and operational performance, as evidenced by our strong wireless service revenue and earnings growth," said CEO Hans Vestberg. "2018 was a remarkable year full of 5G firsts, including being first in the world to commercially deploy 5G with our 5G Home product. As we head into 2019 and the 5G era, we're beginning a period of transformational change. We are laser focused on delivering customers a best-in-class and game-changing experience on our networks."

For fourth-quarter 2018, Verizon reported EPS of 47 cents, compared with $4.56 in fourth-quarter 2017. On an adjusted basis (non-GAAP), fourth-quarter 2018 EPS, excluding special items, was $1.12, compared with adjusted EPS of 86 cents in fourth-quarter 2017. Verizon’s fourth-quarter 2018 EPS included a 9 cent impact due to the effects of accounting changes for revenue recognition.

Fourth-quarter 2018 adjusted EPS included a net pre-tax loss from special items of about $4.9 billion, which consisted of a previously announced goodwill impairment for Verizon Media of $4.6 billion, acquisition and integration charges of $189 million, and severance and annual mark-to-market for pension and OPEB (other post-employment benefits) charges of $165 million. Adjusted EPS also included a deferred tax benefit of $2.1 billion related to an internal reorganization.

For full-year 2018, Verizon reported $3.76 in EPS, compared with $7.36 in full-year 2017. On an adjusted basis (non-GAAP), 2018 EPS was $4.71, compared with 2017 EPS of $3.74.

Consolidated results
Total consolidated operating revenues in fourth-quarter 2018 were $34.3 billion, up 1.0 percent from fourth-quarter 2017. Full-year 2018 consolidated operating revenues were $130.9 billion, up 3.8 percent year over year. Excluding the impact of the revenue recognition standard, fourth-quarter 2018 consolidated operating revenues were $34.1 billion, an increase of 0.5 percent year over year.

Cash flow from operations totaled $34.3 billion in 2018, an increase of $10 billion year over year. This increase was driven by strong operating results, tax reform benefits, reduced impacts from the wireless device payment plan model, and lower discretionary pension and benefit contributions.

Full-year 2018 capital expenditures totaled $16.7 billion. In 2018, Verizon made $9.8 billion in cash dividend payments to shareholders. The company’s unsecured debt decreased by $5.2 billion and its total net debt decreased by $4.7 billion during 2018.

Verizon is on track to deliver against its goal to achieve $10 billion in cumulative cash savings by 2021. This initiative includes zero-based budgeting and has yielded approximately $2.3 billion of cumulative cash savings by year-end 2018, of which a majority has been derived from capital efficiencies.

For fourth-quarter 2018, Verizon Media revenues were $2.1 billion, down 5.8 percent year over year. Revenue trends were up sequentially from third-quarter 2018 due to seasonal advertising spending.

In the telematics business, total Verizon Connect revenues, excluding the impact of the revenue recognition standard, were $242 million in fourth-quarter 2018. IoT (Internet of Things) fourth-quarter revenues, including Verizon Connect, increased approximately 9.5 percent year over year, excluding the impact of the revenue recognition standard.

Net income was $2.1 billion in fourth-quarter 2018. EBITDA (non-GAAP, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) totaled approximately $6.9 billion. Consolidated operating income margin was 1.9 percent. Consolidated EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 20.2 percent in fourth-quarter 2018, compared with 25.4 percent in fourth-quarter 2017. Adjusted EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) in fourth-quarter 2018 was 33.8 percent. Excluding the impact of the revenue recognition standard, adjusted EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 32.2 percent.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ)