Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Leases

v3.19.3
Leases
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Leases [Abstract]  
Leases Leases

In February 2016 and subsequently, the FASB issued new guidance which revises the accounting for leases (“ASC 842”). Under the new guidance, entities that lease assets are required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet related to the rights and obligations created by those leases regardless of whether they are classified as finance or operating leases. In addition, new disclosures are required to meet the objective of enabling users of the financial statements to better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2019 and elected the optional transition method that allowed for a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2019 are presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods.

The Company elected certain of the available transition practical expedients, including those that permit it to not reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) the lease classification for any expired or
existing leases, and (3) any initial direct costs for any existing leases as of the effective date. The Company did not elect the hindsight practical expedient, which permits entities to use hindsight in determining the lease term and assessing impairment. The most significant impact of the new guidance was the recognition of right-of-use ("ROU") assets and lease liabilities for operating leases. In addition, the Company elected the practical expedient to account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component and will not recognize ROU assets or lease liabilities for short-term leases, which are those leases with a term of twelve months or less at the lease commencement date.

The Company recognized $107 million of ROU assets, $28 million of short-term operating lease liabilities and $79 million of long-term operating lease liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet upon the adoption of the new standard.

In 2016 and 2017, GCI Holdings sold certain tower sites and entered into a master lease agreement in which it leased back space on those tower sites. At the time, GCI Holdings determined that it was precluded from applying sales-leaseback accounting. Upon adoption of ASC 842, GCI Holdings considered whether this transaction would have resulted in a completed sale-leaseback transaction and concluded that the transaction did not meet the criteria and should continue to be accounted for in the same manner as previously determined.

The Company has entered into finance lease agreements with satellite providers for transponder capacity to transmit voice and data traffic in rural Alaska. The Company is also party to finance lease agreements for an office building and certain retail store locations. The Company also leases office space, land for towers and communication facilities, satellite transponders, fiber capacity, and equipment. These leases are classified as operating leases. Operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future lease payments using our incremental borrowing rate at the commencement date of the lease. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company amended its lease agreement with a satellite provider that resulted in a $22.5 million reduction to the finance lease liability and a $16.0 million reduction to fixed assets, resulting in a gain of $6.5 million that is included in Other, net on the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
 
Our leases have remaining lease terms of less than one year to 31 years, some of which may include the option to extend for up to 40 years, and some of which include options to terminate the leases within 18 years.

The components of lease cost during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were as follows:
 
 
Three months ended
 
Nine months ended
 
 
September 30, 2019
 
September 30, 2019
 
 
amounts in thousands
Operating lease cost (1)
 
$
12,806

 
33,515

 
 
 
 
 
Finance lease cost
 
 
 
 
Depreciation of leased assets
 
$
722

 
4,321

Interest on lease liabilities
 
91

 
908

Total finance lease cost
 
$
813

 
5,229

(1) Included within operating lease costs were short-term lease costs and variable lease costs, which were not material to the financial statements.

For the three months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded depreciation expense on finance leases (previously referred to as capital leases) and operating lease expense of $2.2 million and $13.3 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded depreciation expense on finance leases (previously referred to as capital leases) and operating lease expense of $5.0 million and $30.1 million, respectively.

The remaining weighted-average lease term and the weighted average discount rate were as follows:
 
 
Nine months ended
 
 
September 30, 2019
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years):
 
 
Finance leases
 
3.6

Operating leases
 
4.9

Weighted-average discount rate:
 
 
Finance leases
 
5.1
%
Operating leases
 
5.0
%


Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:
 
 
September 30,
 
 
2019
 
 
amounts in thousands
Operating leases:
 
 
Operating lease ROU assets, net (1)
 
$
132,769

 
 
 
Current operating lease liabilities (2)
 
$
40,638

Operating lease liabilities (3)
 
88,931

Total operating lease liabilities
 
$
129,569

 
 
 
Finance Leases:
 
 
Property and equipment, at cost
 
$
18,102

Accumulated depreciation
 
(4,574
)
Property and equipment, net
 
$
13,528

 
 
 
Current obligations under finance leases (4)
 
$
4,894

Obligations under finance leases
 
8,614

Total finance lease liabilities
 
$
13,508

(1) Operating lease ROU assets, net are included within the other assets, net line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
(2) Current operating lease liabilities are included within the other current liabilities line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
(3) Operating lease liabilities are included within the other liabilities line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
(4) Current obligations under finance leases are included within the other current liabilities line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows:
 
 
Nine months ended
 
 
September 30, 2019
 
 
amounts in thousands
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
 
 
Operating cash flows from operating leases
 
$
33,710

Operating cash flows from finance leases
 
$
983

Financing cash flows from finance leases
 
$
6,405

ROU assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations
 
 
Operating leases
 
$
39,178

Finance leases
 
$



Future lease payments under finance leases, operating leases and tower obligations with initial terms of one year or more at September 30, 2019 consisted of the following:
 
Finance Leases
 
Operating Leases
 
Tower Obligations
 
amounts in thousands
Remainder of 2019
$
1,373

 
12,059

 
1,932

2020
5,491

 
44,512

 
7,797

2021
4,076

 
35,435

 
7,953

2022
1,973

 
21,683

 
8,112

2023
678

 
14,552

 
8,274

Thereafter
1,734

 
23,185

 
142,825

Total lease payments
15,325

 
151,426

 
176,893

Less: imputed interest
(1,817
)
 
(21,857
)
 
(85,247
)
Total lease liabilities
$
13,508

 
129,569

 
91,646


Leases Leases

In February 2016 and subsequently, the FASB issued new guidance which revises the accounting for leases (“ASC 842”). Under the new guidance, entities that lease assets are required to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet related to the rights and obligations created by those leases regardless of whether they are classified as finance or operating leases. In addition, new disclosures are required to meet the objective of enabling users of the financial statements to better understand the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2019 and elected the optional transition method that allowed for a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2019 are presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods.

The Company elected certain of the available transition practical expedients, including those that permit it to not reassess (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) the lease classification for any expired or
existing leases, and (3) any initial direct costs for any existing leases as of the effective date. The Company did not elect the hindsight practical expedient, which permits entities to use hindsight in determining the lease term and assessing impairment. The most significant impact of the new guidance was the recognition of right-of-use ("ROU") assets and lease liabilities for operating leases. In addition, the Company elected the practical expedient to account for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component and will not recognize ROU assets or lease liabilities for short-term leases, which are those leases with a term of twelve months or less at the lease commencement date.

The Company recognized $107 million of ROU assets, $28 million of short-term operating lease liabilities and $79 million of long-term operating lease liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet upon the adoption of the new standard.

In 2016 and 2017, GCI Holdings sold certain tower sites and entered into a master lease agreement in which it leased back space on those tower sites. At the time, GCI Holdings determined that it was precluded from applying sales-leaseback accounting. Upon adoption of ASC 842, GCI Holdings considered whether this transaction would have resulted in a completed sale-leaseback transaction and concluded that the transaction did not meet the criteria and should continue to be accounted for in the same manner as previously determined.

The Company has entered into finance lease agreements with satellite providers for transponder capacity to transmit voice and data traffic in rural Alaska. The Company is also party to finance lease agreements for an office building and certain retail store locations. The Company also leases office space, land for towers and communication facilities, satellite transponders, fiber capacity, and equipment. These leases are classified as operating leases. Operating lease ROU assets and operating lease liabilities are recognized based on the present value of the future lease payments using our incremental borrowing rate at the commencement date of the lease. During the nine months ended September 30, 2019, the Company amended its lease agreement with a satellite provider that resulted in a $22.5 million reduction to the finance lease liability and a $16.0 million reduction to fixed assets, resulting in a gain of $6.5 million that is included in Other, net on the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
 
Our leases have remaining lease terms of less than one year to 31 years, some of which may include the option to extend for up to 40 years, and some of which include options to terminate the leases within 18 years.

The components of lease cost during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 were as follows:
 
 
Three months ended
 
Nine months ended
 
 
September 30, 2019
 
September 30, 2019
 
 
amounts in thousands
Operating lease cost (1)
 
$
12,806

 
33,515

 
 
 
 
 
Finance lease cost
 
 
 
 
Depreciation of leased assets
 
$
722

 
4,321

Interest on lease liabilities
 
91

 
908

Total finance lease cost
 
$
813

 
5,229

(1) Included within operating lease costs were short-term lease costs and variable lease costs, which were not material to the financial statements.

For the three months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded depreciation expense on finance leases (previously referred to as capital leases) and operating lease expense of $2.2 million and $13.3 million, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded depreciation expense on finance leases (previously referred to as capital leases) and operating lease expense of $5.0 million and $30.1 million, respectively.

The remaining weighted-average lease term and the weighted average discount rate were as follows:
 
 
Nine months ended
 
 
September 30, 2019
Weighted-average remaining lease term (years):
 
 
Finance leases
 
3.6

Operating leases
 
4.9

Weighted-average discount rate:
 
 
Finance leases
 
5.1
%
Operating leases
 
5.0
%


Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:
 
 
September 30,
 
 
2019
 
 
amounts in thousands
Operating leases:
 
 
Operating lease ROU assets, net (1)
 
$
132,769

 
 
 
Current operating lease liabilities (2)
 
$
40,638

Operating lease liabilities (3)
 
88,931

Total operating lease liabilities
 
$
129,569

 
 
 
Finance Leases:
 
 
Property and equipment, at cost
 
$
18,102

Accumulated depreciation
 
(4,574
)
Property and equipment, net
 
$
13,528

 
 
 
Current obligations under finance leases (4)
 
$
4,894

Obligations under finance leases
 
8,614

Total finance lease liabilities
 
$
13,508

(1) Operating lease ROU assets, net are included within the other assets, net line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
(2) Current operating lease liabilities are included within the other current liabilities line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
(3) Operating lease liabilities are included within the other liabilities line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
(4) Current obligations under finance leases are included within the other current liabilities line item in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Supplemental cash flow information related to leases was as follows:
 
 
Nine months ended
 
 
September 30, 2019
 
 
amounts in thousands
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
 
 
Operating cash flows from operating leases
 
$
33,710

Operating cash flows from finance leases
 
$
983

Financing cash flows from finance leases
 
$
6,405

ROU assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations
 
 
Operating leases
 
$
39,178

Finance leases
 
$



Future lease payments under finance leases, operating leases and tower obligations with initial terms of one year or more at September 30, 2019 consisted of the following:
 
Finance Leases
 
Operating Leases
 
Tower Obligations
 
amounts in thousands
Remainder of 2019
$
1,373

 
12,059

 
1,932

2020
5,491

 
44,512

 
7,797

2021
4,076

 
35,435

 
7,953

2022
1,973

 
21,683

 
8,112

2023
678

 
14,552

 
8,274

Thereafter
1,734

 
23,185

 
142,825

Total lease payments
15,325

 
151,426

 
176,893

Less: imputed interest
(1,817
)
 
(21,857
)
 
(85,247
)
Total lease liabilities
$
13,508

 
129,569

 
91,646