Altice USA's 2024 Q4 Earnings Call: Contradictions in Broadband Strategy, Mobile Growth, and EBITDA Outlook

These are the key contradictions discussed in Altice USA's latest 2024Q4 earnings call, specifically including: Broadband Competition and Strategy, Mobile Growth and Strategy, AI Integration and Capabilities, Fiber Overbuild Strategy, and EBITDA Stabilization Expectations:



Broadband Subscriber Trends and Networks:
- Optimum achieved 57,000 fiber net additions in Q4 2024, marking a 22% increase year-over-year.
- The growth in fiber migrations and mobile line net additions contributed significantly to this performance, with the latter seeing a 40,000 line net addition, the highest in five years.
- This success is attributed to ongoing network enhancements, strategic customer retention strategies, and innovative go-to-market approaches.

Revenue and Financial Performance:
- Altice USA's total revenue for 2024 was $9 billion, declining 3.1% year-over-year.
- Mobile service revenue grew by 52%, news and advertising by 8.6%, and business services grew by 0.3%.
- The decline in residential revenue was mitigated by growth in non-residential segments, with free cash flow growing by 23% year-over-year to $149 million.

Video Strategy and Churn Management:
- Optimum improved its video attachment rate by 200 basis points quarter-over-quarter in Q4, with 20% of new customers opting for video at sign-up.
- The company's video cost inflation per subscriber declined to 4%, down from historical averages of 6% to 8%.
- The shift towards customer-centric programming choices and enhanced offerings contributed to these positive trends.

Capital Expenditure and Network Expansion:
- Capital expenditures for 2024 were $1.4 billion, representing a 16% improvement year-over-year.
- The company plans to maintain a moderate capital spend of approximately $1.3 billion in 2025, focusing on network growth and efficiency.
- The strategy includes expanding fiber passings and enhancing HFC network capabilities, ensuring sustainable capital efficiency.