American Tower(US:AMT)2026-02-24 14:30Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - For the full year 2025, attributable AFFO per share as adjusted grew by 8%, with over 13% growth in Q4 [3] - Consolidated property revenue increased approximately 4% year-over-year, with about 5% growth when excluding non-cash straight line and FX impacts [13] - Adjusted EBITDA grew approximately 5% year-over-year, with a 7% increase when excluding non-cash net straight line and FX impacts [13][20] - The company ended 2025 with a leverage ratio of 4.9x, back within the target range of 3-5x [14] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The data center business experienced approximately 14% revenue growth, driven by strong demand for hybrid and multi-cloud deployments [13][19] - Organic Tenant Billings Growth for 2026 is expected to be approximately 1%, with a 4% growth excluding DISH churn [15] - In the U.S. and Canada, Organic Tenant Billings Growth is anticipated to be approximately 0.5%, or 4.5% when excluding DISH churn [16] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - In the U.S., carriers are transitioning from initial 5G coverage to capacity-oriented activities, with expectations of mid-single-digit organic growth in the U.S. portfolio [5] - Internationally, organic tenant billings growth is expected to be approximately 8.5% in Africa and APAC, with colocation and amendment growth of about 7% [16] - In Europe, organic tenant billings growth is projected at approximately 4%, with significant new build activity anticipated [16][81] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to drive durable revenue growth, focusing on mobile data consumption, 5G adoption, and AI applications [4] - Capital allocation will prioritize developed markets, with significant investments in tower markets and CoreSite [11][25] - The company is pursuing operational efficiency through cost management initiatives, targeting 200-300 basis points of cash EBITDA margin expansion by 2030 [10][20] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed confidence in the long-term growth potential driven by mobile data consumption and interconnection-rich data centers [26] - The company is optimistic about the prospects of a healthier customer base following DISH's default, which is expected to enhance future growth [6] - Management noted that while 2026 may see higher churn, they anticipate an acceleration in organic growth starting in 2027 [18] Other Important Information - The company repurchased approximately $365 million of common stock in 2025, the largest buyback since 2017, and continued repurchases in 2026 [14][25] - The company is involved in ongoing litigation with DISH to recover lease obligations, which could provide upside to future financials [44] Q&A Session Summary Question: Can you provide more color on the pacing of activity from carriers? - Management noted steady activity levels with a higher incidence of new colocations and a healthy amendment pipeline, expecting the majority of new leasing to come from amendments [29][33] Question: What is the amount owed by DISH? - Management indicated that DISH represents about 4% of U.S. revenue, approximately $200 million annually, and they plan to pursue litigation to recover this amount [44] Question: How should we think about M&A opportunities? - Management stated they are evaluating M&A opportunities but noted a disconnect between private and public multiples, which has kept them on the sidelines [47][48] Question: Can you elaborate on the cost reduction program? - Management highlighted ongoing cost management efforts and the addition of a COO to enhance efficiency, aiming for continued margin expansion [78] Question: What are the expectations for property growth in Europe? - Management expressed confidence in strong opportunities in Europe, particularly in Germany and Spain, with a record number of new builds expected [81]