# AMERICAN TOWER CORP /MA/ (AMT) FY 2024 MD&A Verbatim Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis from AMERICAN TOWER CORP /MA/'s 10-K for fiscal year 2024. SEC filing source: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1053507/000105350725000025/amt-20241231.htm Accession: 0001053507-25-000025 Filing date: 2025-02-25 Report date: 2024-12-31 Extracted from a later financial-section MD&A body after the formal Item 7 span was a short reference. Confidence: high Company profile: /company/AMT/ All MD&A years: /company/AMT/mda/ Previous year: /company/AMT/mda/fy2023/ (FY 2023) Next year: /company/AMT/mda/fy2025/ (FY 2025) Management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations are based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, as well as related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We evaluate our policies and estimates on an ongoing basis. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We have reviewed our policies and estimates to determine our critical accounting policies for the year ended December 31, 2024. We have identified the following policies as critical to an understanding of our results of operations and financial condition. This is not a comprehensive list of our accounting policies. See note 1 to our consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report for a summary of our significant accounting policies. In many cases, the accounting treatment of a particular transaction is specifically dictated by GAAP, with no need for management’s judgment in its application. There are also areas in which management’s judgment in selecting any available alternative would not produce a materially different result. •Assets Held for Sale—We consider long-lived assets to be “held for sale” upon satisfaction of the following criteria: (a) management commits to a plan to sell an asset (or group of assets), (b) the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such assets, (c) an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to sell the asset have been initiated, (d) the sale of the asset is probable and transfer of the asset is expected to be completed within one year, (e) the asset is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value and (f) actions required to complete the plan indicate that it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. Typically, these criteria are all met when the relevant assets are under contract, significant non-refundable deposits have been made by the potential buyer, the assets are immediately available for transfer and there are no contingencies related to the sale that may prevent the transaction from closing. Assets classified as held for sale are reported at the lesser of the carrying value, or estimated fair value, less estimated costs to sell and are not depreciated. We reassess the fair value less costs to sell of assets held for sale in each reporting period in which they are classified as held for sale. Gains (losses) on held for sale assets are recorded in Other operating income in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. •Discontinued Operations—We classify the results of operations related to a disposal of assets and liabilities (“the disposal group”) in discontinued operations in the consolidated statements of operations if all of the following criteria are met: (a) the operations and cash flows of the disposal group can be clearly distinguished from the rest of the Company, (b) the disposal group meets the criteria to be classified as held for sale (as described above) or has been sold or disposed of by other means and (c) the disposal represents a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on our operations and financial results. The results of operations classified as discontinued operations are reported in Loss from discontinued operations, net of taxes in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented. Historical financial information included in the notes to the consolidated financial statements is adjusted to reflect the classification of results of operations as discontinued operations. •Accounting for Long-Lived Assets—Change in Useful Lives: We finalized our review of the estimated useful lives of our tower assets during the first quarter of 2024. We now have over 20 years of operating history, and determined that we should modify our current estimates for asset lives based on our historical operating experience. We previously depreciated our towers on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the term of the underlying ground lease (including renewal options) taking into account residual value or the estimated useful life of the tower, which we had historically 55 Table of Contents estimated to be 20 years. We determined that the estimated useful life of our tower assets is 30 years, before taking into account residual value. Depreciation expense is recorded using the straight-line method over the assets’ estimated useful lives. Additionally, certain of our intangible assets are amortized on a similar basis to our tower assets, as the estimated useful lives of such intangible assets correlate to the useful life of the towers. The acquired network location intangibles represent the value of the incremental revenue growth that could potentially be obtained from leasing the excess capacity on acquired tower communications infrastructure. The acquired tenant-related intangibles typically represent the value of tenant contracts and relationships in place at the time of an acquisition or similar transaction, including assumptions regarding estimated renewals. Amortization expense for intangible assets is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of each of the intangible assets. The useful lives of our intangible assets are estimated based on the period over which the intangible asset is expected to benefit us. We accounted for the changes in the useful lives as a change in accounting estimate under ASC 250 Accounting Changes and Error Corrections, which were recorded prospectively beginning on January 1, 2024. On January 1, 2024, we began depreciating our towers and related intangible assets on a straight-line basis over the remaining estimated useful life of the tower, taking into account the extended useful life and residual value. The extension of the asset lives (i) resulted in an approximately $515 million increase in the right of use asset, as additional renewal options may be included, with an offsetting adjustment made to increase the related operating lease liability and (ii) resulted in an estimated $730 million ($649 million after tax, or an increase of $1.39 per diluted share) decrease in depreciation and amortization expense for the year ended December 31, 2024. •Impairment of Assets—Assets Subject to Depreciation and Amortization: We review long-lived assets for impairment at least annually or whenever events, changes in circumstances or other indicators or evidence indicate that the carrying amount of our assets may not be recoverable. We review our tower portfolio, network location intangible and right-of-use assets for indicators of impairment at the lowest level of identifiable cash flows, typically at an individual tower basis. Possible indicators include a tower not having current tenant leases or having expenses in excess of revenues. A cash flow modeling approach is utilized to assess recoverability and incorporates, among other items, the tower location, the tower location demographics, the timing of additions of new tenants, lease rates and estimated length of tenancy and ongoing cash requirements. We review our tenant-related intangible assets on a tenant by tenant basis for indicators of impairment, such as high levels of turnover or attrition, non-renewal of a significant number of contracts or the cancellation or termination of a relationship. We assess recoverability by determining whether the carrying amount of the tenant-related intangible assets will be recovered primarily through projected undiscounted future cash flows. If the sum of the estimated undiscounted future cash flows of our long-lived assets is less than the carrying amount of the assets, an impairment loss may be recognized. Key assumptions included in the undiscounted cash flows are future revenue projections, estimates of ongoing tenancies and operating margins. An impairment loss would be based on the fair value of the asset, which is based on an estimate of discounted future cash flows to be provided from the asset. We record any related impairment charge in the period in which we identify such impairment. •Impairment of Assets—Goodwill: We review goodwill for impairment at least annually (as of December 31) or whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Goodwill is recorded in the applicable segment and assessed for impairment at the reporting unit level. We employ a discounted cash flow analysis when testing goodwill for impairment. The key assumptions utilized in the discounted cash flow analysis include current operating performance, terminal revenue growth rate, management’s expectations of future operating results and cash requirements, the current weighted average cost of capital and an expected tax rate. We compare the fair value of the reporting unit, as calculated under an income approach using future discounted cash flows, to the carrying amount of the applicable reporting unit. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, an impairment loss would be recognized for the amount of the excess. The loss recognized is limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the results of our annual goodwill impairment test indicated that the carrying amount of our Spain reporting unit exceeded its estimated fair value, as calculated under an income approach using future discounted cash flows. As a result, we recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $80.0 million. The key assumptions utilized in the discounted cash flow analysis include current operating performance, terminal revenue growth rate, management’s expectations of future operating results and cash requirements, the current weighted average cost of capital and an expected tax rate. The reduction in the fair value of the Spain reporting unit was due to an increase in the weighted average cost of capital. The goodwill impairment charge in Spain was recorded in Goodwill impairment in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. 56 Table of Contents During the year ended December 31, 2024, no potential goodwill impairment was identified as the fair value of each of our reporting units was in excess of its carrying amount. •Revenue Recognition: Our revenue is derived from leasing the right to use our communications sites, the land on which the sites are located, the land underlying our customers’ sites and the space in our data center facilities (the “lease component”) and from the reimbursement of costs incurred in operating the communications sites and data center facilities and supporting the customers’ equipment as well as other services and contractual rights (the “non-lease component”). Most of our revenue is derived from leasing arrangements and is accounted for as lease revenue unless the timing and pattern of revenue recognition of the non-lease component differs from the lease component. If the timing and pattern of the non-lease component revenue recognition differs from that of the lease component, we separately determine the stand-alone selling prices and pattern of revenue recognition for each performance obligation. Our revenue from leasing arrangements, including fixed escalation clauses present in non-cancellable lease arrangements, is reported on a straight-line basis over the term of the respective leases when collectibility is probable. Escalation clauses tied to a consumer price index or other inflation-based indices, and other incentives present in lease agreements with our tenants, are excluded from the straight-line calculation. Total property straight-line revenues for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 were $277.6 million, $465.4 million and $508.5 million, respectively. Amounts billed upfront in connection with the execution of lease agreements are initially deferred and reflected in Unearned revenue in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and recognized as revenue over the terms of the applicable lease arrangements. Amounts billed or received for services prior to being earned are deferred and reflected in Unearned revenue in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets until the criteria for recognition have been met. Periodically, we provide lease incentives to our tenants. If incentives are present in our leases, they are evaluated to determine proper treatment and, to the extent present, are recorded in Other current assets and Other non-current assets in the consolidated balance sheets and amortized on a straight line basis over the corresponding lease term as a non-cash reduction to revenue. We derive the largest portion of our revenues, corresponding trade receivables and the related deferred rent asset from a small number of customers in the telecommunications industry, with 60% of our revenues derived from four customers. In addition, we have concentrations of credit risk in certain geographic areas. We mitigate the concentrations of credit risk with respect to trade receivables and the related deferred rent assets by actively monitoring the creditworthiness of our customers. In recognizing customer revenue we assess the collectibility of both the amounts billed and the portion recognized on a straight-line basis. This assessment takes customer credit risk and business and industry conditions into consideration to ultimately determine the collectibility of the amounts billed. To the extent the amounts, based on management’s estimates, may not be collectible, recognition is deferred until such point as the uncertainty is resolved. Any amounts that were previously recognized as revenue and are subsequently determined to present a risk of collection are reserved as bad debt expense. Accounts receivable are reported net of allowances for doubtful accounts related to estimated losses resulting from a customer’s inability to make required payments and allowances for amounts invoiced whose collectibility is not reasonably assured. •Rent Expense and Lease Accounting: Many of the leases underlying our tower sites and data centers have fixed rent escalations, which provide for periodic increases in the amount of ground rent payable over time. In addition, certain of our tenant leases require us to exercise available renewal options pursuant to the underlying ground lease if the tenant exercises its renewal option. Our calculation of the lease liability includes the term of the underlying ground lease plus all periods, if any, for which failure to renew the lease imposes an economic penalty to us such that renewal appears to be reasonably assured. We recognize a right-of-use lease asset and lease liability for operating and finance leases. The right-of-use asset is measured as the sum of the lease liability, prepaid or accrued lease payments, any initial direct costs incurred and any other applicable amounts. The calculation of the lease liability requires us to make certain assumptions for each lease, including lease term and discount rate implicit in each lease, which could significantly impact the gross lease obligation, the duration and the present value of the lease liability. When calculating the lease term, we consider the renewal, cancellation and termination rights available to us and the lessor. We determine the discount rate by calculating the incremental borrowing rate on a collateralized basis at the commencement of a lease or upon a change in the lease term. •Income Taxes: Accounting for income taxes requires us to estimate the timing and impact of amounts recorded in our financial statements that may be recognized differently for tax purposes. To the extent that the timing of amounts recognized for financial reporting purposes differs from the timing of recognition for tax reporting purposes, deferred tax assets or liabilities are required to be recorded. We measure deferred tax assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences and carryforwards are 57 Table of Contents expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities as a result of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. We do not expect to pay federal income taxes on our REIT taxable income. We periodically review our deferred tax assets, and we record a valuation allowance if, based on the available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Management assesses the available positive and negative evidence to estimate if sufficient future taxable income will be generated to use the existing deferred tax assets. Valuation allowances would be reversed as a reduction to the provision for income taxes, if related deferred tax assets are deemed realizable based on changes in facts and circumstances relevant to the assets’ recoverability. We recognize the benefit of uncertain tax positions when, in management’s judgment, it is more likely than not that positions we have taken in our tax returns will be sustained upon examination, which are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement. We adjust our tax liabilities when our judgment changes as a result of the evaluation of new information or information not previously available. Due to the complexity of some of these uncertainties, the ultimate resolution may result in a payment that is materially different from our current estimate of the tax liabilities. These differences will be reflected as increases or decreases to income tax expense in the period in which additional information is available or the position is ultimately settled under audit. Accounting Standards Update For a discussion of recent accounting standards updates, see note 1 to our consolidated financial statements included in this Annual Report.