10-Q/A
Table of Contents

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 10-Q/A

Amendment No. 1

 

 

(Mark One)

x QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2013

OR

 

¨ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission File Number: 001-34865

 

 

Leap Wireless International, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   33-0811062

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

5887 Copley Drive, San Diego, CA   92111
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)

(858) 882-6000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

 

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

 

Large accelerated filer   ¨    Accelerated filer   x
Non-accelerated filer   ¨  (Do not check if a smaller reporting company)    Smaller reporting company   ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨    No  x

The number of shares outstanding of the registrant’s common stock on April 22, 2013 was 79,045,864.

 

 

 


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Explanatory Note

Overview

Leap Wireless International, Inc. (the “Company”), is filing this Amendment No. 1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A (this “Amendment”) to restate and amend the Company’s previously issued unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related financial information for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 previously included in its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2013 (the “Original Form 10-Q”), which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 2, 2013 (the “Original Filing Date”). This Amendment amends and restates the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in “Part I – Item 1. Financial Statements” for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, as well as related disclosures in “Part I – Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Part I – Item 4. Controls and Procedures,” “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Part II – Item 6. Exhibits.”

Background to the Restatements

On October 20, 2013, the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company concluded, in consultation with management and after discussion with the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP), that, due to a classification error in the Company’s presentation of certain capital expenditures in the consolidated statements of cash flows, related supplementary cash flow disclosures and guarantor footnotes, the consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 and the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, June 30, 2013 and 2012, and September 30, 2012 should no longer be relied upon.

As described further in Note 2 to the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included in “Part I – Item 1. Financial Statements” of this Amendment, the classification error related to certain purchases of property and equipment that were unpaid at each of the balance sheet dates (but that were scheduled to be settled in cash soon thereafter), which were incorrectly reflected as cash outflows from investing activities and cash inflows from operating activities.

Effects of Restatements

The following table illustrates the impact of the restatements on the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 (unaudited, in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31, 2013     Three Months Ended March 31, 2012  
     As Previously
Reported
    Adjustment     As Restated     As Previously
Reported
    Adjustment     As Restated  

Operating Activities

            

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 25,557      $ 2,463      $ 28,020      $ 35,357      $ 22,387      $ 57,744   

Investing Activities

            

Purchases of property and equipment

   $ (26,362   $ (2,463   $ (28,825   $ (146,314   $ (17,970   $ (164,284

Change in prepayments for purchases of property and equipment

     —          —          —          (1,940     (4,417     (6,357

Net cash used in investing activities

     (7,427     (2,463     (9,890     (23,417     (22,387     (45,804

The resulting restatements have no impact on the total end-of-period cash and cash equivalents reported on the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, on the related condensed consolidated balance sheets or condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income, or on adjusted OIBDA (as defined herein) for any of the affected periods. The classification error was identified by management in connection with the preparation of the Company’s third quarter 2013 financial statements.


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The Company has amended and restated in its entirety each Item of the Original Form 10-Q that required a change to reflect this restatement and to include certain additional information, namely: “Part I – Item 1. Financial Statements,” “Part I – Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Part I – Item 4. Controls and Procedures,” “Part II – Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Part II – Item 6. Exhibits.”

Pursuant to Rule 12b-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, this Amendment contains only the items and exhibits to the Original Form 10-Q that are being amended and restated, and unaffected items and exhibits are not included herein. Except as stated above, the financial statements and other disclosures in the Original Form 10-Q are unchanged. In particular, this Amendment has not been updated to reflect any events that have occurred after the Original Form 10-Q was filed or to modify or update disclosures affected by other subsequent events. Accordingly, forward-looking statements included in this Amendment represent management’s views as of the Original Filing Date and should not be assumed to be accurate as of any date thereafter. This Amendment should be read in conjunction with the Original Form 10-Q and the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission made subsequent to the Original Filing Date, together with any amendments to those filings.

“Part II – Item 6. Exhibits” of this Amendment has been amended to include currently dated certifications from the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, as required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.


Table of Contents

LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q/A

(Amendment No. 1)

For the Quarter Ended March 31, 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION   

Item 1.

  Financial Statements      1   

Item 2.

  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations      27   

Item 4.

  Controls and Procedures      46   
PART II - OTHER INFORMATION   

Item 1A.

  Risk Factors      47   

Item 6.

  Exhibits      66   


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PART I

FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

Item 1. Financial Statements

LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except share amounts)

 

     March 31,
2013
    December 31,
2012
 
     (Unaudited)        

Assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 526,734      $ 515,550   

Short-term investments

     140,404        159,426   

Inventories

     102,028        121,601   

Deferred charges

     60,947        60,963   

Other current assets

     149,173        139,242   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     979,286        996,782   

Property and equipment, net

     1,628,827        1,762,090   

Wireless licenses

     2,090,654        1,947,333   

Assets held for sale (Note 9)

     —          136,222   

Goodwill

     31,886        31,886   

Intangible assets, net

     21,429        24,663   

Other assets

     80,548        68,284   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 4,832,630      $ 4,967,260   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

    

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

   $ 287,862      $ 396,110   

Current maturities of long-term debt

     4,000        4,000   

Other current liabilities

     289,469        216,880   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     581,331        616,990   

Long-term debt, net

     3,299,593        3,298,463   

Deferred tax liabilities

     397,429        385,111   

Other long-term liabilities

     166,828        169,047   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     4,445,181        4,469,611   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Redeemable non-controlling interests

     63,519        64,517   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Commitments and contingencies (Note 13)

    

Stockholders’ equity:

    

Preferred stock - authorized 10,000,000 shares, $.0001 par value; no shares issued and outstanding

     —          —     

Common stock - authorized 160,000,000 shares, $.0001 par value; 79,054,530 and 79,194,750 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively

     8        8   

Additional paid-in capital

     2,182,912        2,182,503   

Accumulated deficit

     (1,858,301     (1,748,694

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (689     (685
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total stockholders’ equity

     323,930        433,132   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 4,832,630      $ 4,967,260   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited and in thousands, except per share data)

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  

Revenues:

    

Service revenues

   $ 684,622      $ 773,998   

Equipment revenues

     105,236        51,621   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     789,858        825,619   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

    

Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)

     250,858        261,311   

Cost of equipment

     258,968        247,847   

Selling and marketing

     78,838        95,554   

General and administrative

     82,225        89,699   

Depreciation and amortization

     152,573        146,543   

Impairments and other charges (Note 7)

     735        —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     824,197        840,954   

Gain (loss) on sale, exchange or disposal of assets, net

     4,988        (468
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (29,351     (15,803

Equity in net income (loss) of investees, net

     (1,158     193   

Interest income

     47        29   

Interest expense

     (64,725     (67,042
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss before income taxes

     (95,187     (82,623

Income tax expense

     (14,420     (11,711
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

     (109,607     (94,334

Accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests and distributions, net of tax

     (1,705     (4,105
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss attributable to common stockholders

   $ (111,312   $ (98,439
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss per share attributable to common stockholders:

    

Basic

   $ (1.43   $ (1.28
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Diluted

   $ (1.43   $ (1.28
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shares used in per share calculations:

    

Basic

     77,714        77,025   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Diluted

     77,714        77,025   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive loss:

    

Net loss

   $ (109,607   $ (94,334

Net unrealized holding gains (losses) on investments and other

     (3     2   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive loss

   $ (109,610   $ (94,332
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited and in thousands)

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  
     (As Restated, See Note 2)  

Operating activities:

  

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 28,020      $ 57,744   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investing activities:

    

Purchases of property and equipment

     (28,825     (164,284

Change in prepayments for purchases of property and equipment

     —          (6,357

Purchases of wireless licenses and spectrum clearing costs

     (335     (976

Proceeds from sales of wireless licenses and operating assets, net

     321        855   

Purchases of investments

     (65,767     (77,149

Sales and maturities of investments

     84,716        202,107   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

     (9,890     (45,804
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Financing activities:

    

Repayment of long-term debt

     (1,000     —     

Payment of debt issuance costs

     (552     —     

Payments made to joint venture partners

     (3,750     (255

Other

     (1,644     (1,010
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

     (6,946     (1,265
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

     11,184        10,675   

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     515,550        345,243   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 526,734      $ 355,918   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Supplementary disclosure of cash flow information:

    

Cash paid for interest

   $ (11,209   $ (21,372

Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing activities

    

Acquisition of property and equipment

   $ 23,584      $ 78,230   

Net wireless licenses received in exchange transaction

   $ 6,809      $ —     

See accompanying notes to condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Note 1. The Company

Leap Wireless International, Inc. (“Leap”), a Delaware corporation, together with its subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures, is a wireless communications carrier that offers digital wireless services in the United States under the “Cricket®” brand. Cricket service offerings provide customers with unlimited nationwide wireless services for a flat rate without requiring a fixed-term contract or a credit check. The Company’s primary service is Cricket Wireless, which offers customers unlimited nationwide voice and data services for a flat monthly rate. Leap conducts operations through its subsidiaries and has no independent operations or sources of income other than through interest income and dividends, if any, from its subsidiaries.

Cricket service is offered by Cricket Communications, Inc. (“Cricket”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap. Cricket service is also offered in South Texas by STX Wireless Operations, LLC (“STX Operations”), which Cricket controls through a 75.75% membership interest in STX Wireless, LLC (“STX Wireless”), the parent company of STX Operations. For more information regarding this joint venture, see “Note 9. Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions.”

Leap, Cricket and their subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures are collectively referred to herein as the “Company.”

Note 2. Restatement of Previously Reported Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

The Company has restated its unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 due to a classification error related to the presentation of certain capital expenditures and operating cash flows.

The classification error related to certain purchases of property and equipment that were unpaid at each of the balance sheet dates (but that were scheduled to be settled in cash soon thereafter), which were incorrectly reflected as cash outflows from investing activities and cash inflows from operating activities. This classification error resulted in a misstatement of net cash provided by operating activities and net cash used in investing activities, as follows (unaudited, in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31, 2013     Three Months Ended March 31, 2012  
     As Previously
Reported
    Adjustment     As Restated     As Previously
Reported
    Adjustment     As Restated  

Operating Activities

            

Net cash provided by operating activities

   $ 25,557      $ 2,463      $ 28,020      $ 35,357      $ 22,387      $ 57,744   

Investing Activities

            

Purchases of property and equipment

   $ (26,362   $ (2,463   $ (28,825   $ (146,314   $ (17,970   $ (164,284

Change in prepayments for purchases of property and equipment

     —          —          —          (1,940     (4,417     (6,357

Net cash used in investing activities

     (7,427     (2,463     (9,890     (23,417     (22,387     (45,804

The Company has also reflected these corrections as applicable in its condensed consolidated financial statements and also in the condensed consolidating statements of cash flows presented in “Note 14. Guarantor Financial Information.”

The resulting restatement has no impact on the total end-of-period cash and cash equivalents reported on the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows or on the related condensed consolidated balance sheets or condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income for any of the affected periods.

Note 3. Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared without audit in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q, and therefore do not include all information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for a complete set of financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2012. In the opinion of management, the unaudited financial information for the interim periods presented reflects all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s results for the periods presented, with such adjustments consisting only of normal recurring adjustments. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. By their nature, estimates are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. Actual results could differ from management’s estimates and operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of operating results for an entire fiscal year.

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the operating results and financial position of Leap and its wholly-owned subsidiaries as well as the operating results and financial position of STX Wireless and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company consolidates STX Wireless in accordance with the authoritative guidance for consolidations based on the voting interest model. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the condensed consolidated financial statements.

Segment and Geographic Data

The Company operates in a single operating segment and a single reporting unit as a wireless communications carrier that offers digital wireless services in the United States. As of and for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, all of the Company’s revenues and long-lived assets related to operations in the United States.

Revenues

The Company’s business revenues principally arise from the sale of wireless services, devices (handsets and broadband modems) and accessories. Wireless services are provided primarily on a month-to-month basis. The Company’s customers are required to pay for their service in advance and the Company does not require customers to sign fixed-term contracts or pass a credit check. Service revenues are recognized only after payment has been received and services have been rendered.

When the Company activates service for a new customer, it often sells that customer a device along with a period of service. In accordance with the authoritative guidance for revenue arrangements with multiple deliverables, the sale of a device along with service constitutes a multiple element arrangement. Under this guidance, once a company has determined the best estimate of selling price of the elements in the sales transaction, the total consideration received from the customer must be allocated among those elements on a relative selling price basis. Applying the guidance to these transactions results in the Company recognizing the total consideration received, less amounts allocated to the wireless service period (generally the customer’s monthly service plan), as equipment revenue.

Amounts allocated to equipment revenues and related costs from the sale of devices are recognized when service is activated by new customers. Revenues and related costs from the sale of devices and accessories to existing customers are recognized at the point of sale. The costs of devices and accessories sold are recorded in cost of equipment. In addition to devices that the Company sells directly to its customers at Cricket-owned stores, the Company sells devices to third-party dealers, including nationwide retailers. These dealers then sell the devices to the ultimate Cricket customer, similar to the sale made at a Cricket-owned store. Sales of devices to third-party dealers are recognized as equipment revenues only when service is activated by customers, since the level of price reductions and commissions ultimately available to such dealers is not reliably estimable until the devices are sold by such dealers to customers. Thus, revenues from devices sold to third-party dealers are recorded as deferred equipment revenue and the related costs of the devices are recorded as deferred charges upon shipment of the devices by the Company. The deferred charges are recognized as equipment costs when the related equipment revenue is recognized, which occurs when service is activated by the customer.

Through a third-party provider, the Company’s customers may elect to participate in an extended warranty program for devices they purchase. The Company recognizes revenue on replacement devices sold to its customers under the program when the customer purchases the device.

The Company participates in the federal government’s Lifeline program and is designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier in certain states in which it provides wireless services. Under this program, the Company offers discounted wireless services to qualified customers and generally receives reimbursement for a portion of the subsidized services. The Company recognizes revenue under this program only after amounts eligible for reimbursement have been determined and services have been rendered.

Sales incentives offered to customers and commissions and sales incentives offered to the Company’s third-party dealers are recognized as a reduction of revenue when the related service or equipment revenue is recognized. Customers have limited rights to return devices and accessories based on time and/or usage, and customer returns of devices and accessories have historically been insignificant.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Amounts billed by the Company in advance of customers’ wireless service periods are not reflected in accounts receivable or deferred revenue since collectability of such amounts is not reasonably assured. Deferred revenue consists primarily of cash received from customers in advance of their service period and deferred equipment revenue related to devices sold to third-party dealers, including nationwide retailers.

Universal Service Fund, E-911 and other telecommunications-related regulatory fees are assessed by various federal and state governmental agencies in connection with the services that the Company provides to its customers. The service plans the Company currently offers are “all-inclusive” of telecommunications and regulatory fees, in that the Company does not separately bill and collect amounts owed and remitted to government agencies from its customers. For the Company’s legacy service plans, which are not “all-inclusive,” the Company separately bills and collects from its customers amounts owed and remitted to government agencies. Regulatory fees and telecommunications taxes separately billed and collected from the Company’s customers are recorded in service revenues. Amounts owed to government agencies are recorded in cost of service. During the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, the total amount of regulatory fees and telecommunications taxes separately billed and collected from customers and recorded in service revenues was $0.9 million and $4.1 million, respectively. Sales, use and excise taxes for all service plans are reported on a net basis.

Restricted Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

The Company has set aside certain amounts of cash, cash equivalents and short term investments to satisfy certain contractual obligations. Restricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments are included in either other current assets or other assets, depending on the nature of the underlying contractual obligation. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had $1.0 million and $11.1 million of restricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments included in other current assets and other assets, respectively. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had $0.7 million and $11.4 million of restricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments included in other current assets and other assets, respectively.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2012, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2012-02, “Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment” (“ASU 2012-02”). ASU 2012-02 simplifies the requirements for testing for indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill and permits an entity to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative fair value test. This new guidance became effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2013 and did not have a material impact on the Company or its condensed consolidated financial statements.

In February 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-02, “Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income” (“ASU 2013-02”). ASU 2013-02 requires companies to present information about significant items reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or as a separate disclosure in the notes to the financial statements. This new guidance became effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2013 and did not have a material impact on the Company or its condensed consolidated financial statements.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Note 4. Supplementary Balance Sheet Information (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2013
    December 31,
2012
 

Other current assets:

    

Accounts receivable, net of allowances for bad debt of $0.8 million and $1.3
million, respectively (1)

   $ 85,192      $ 86,467   

Prepaid expenses

     47,172        40,237   

Other

     16,809        12,538   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
   $ 149,173      $ 139,242   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Property and equipment, net(2):

    

Network equipment

   $ 3,344,060      $ 3,348,122   

Computer hardware and software

     542,126        526,348   

Construction-in-progress

     52,741        54,945   

Other

     107,393        109,400   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     4,046,320        4,038,815   

Accumulated depreciation

     (2,417,493     (2,276,725
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
   $ 1,628,827      $ 1,762,090   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Intangible assets, net:

    

Customer relationships

   $ 50,435      $ 50,435   

Trademarks

     37,000        37,000   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     87,435        87,435   

Accumulated amortization of customer relationships

     (43,102     (40,528

Accumulated amortization of trademarks

     (22,904     (22,244
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
   $ 21,429      $ 24,663   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities:

    

Trade accounts payable

   $ 176,740      $ 143,931   

Accrued payroll and related benefits

     50,073        67,539   

Other accrued liabilities

     61,049        184,640   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
   $ 287,862      $ 396,110   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other current liabilities:

    

Deferred service revenue(3)

   $ 101,396      $ 100,276   

Deferred equipment revenue(4)

     37,829        36,471   

Accrued sales, telecommunications, property and other taxes payable

     17,599        4,267   

Accrued interest

     94,384        44,653   

Other

     38,261        31,213   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
   $ 289,469      $ 216,880   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1) Accounts receivable, net, consists primarily of (i) amounts billed to third-party dealers for devices and accessories, (ii) amounts due from the Company’s third-party logistics provider for devices sold from the Company to the provider, (iii) amounts due from the federal government in connection with the Lifeline program, and (iv) amounts due from service providers related to interconnect and roaming agreements.
(2) As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, $46.2 million and $45.8 million of assets were held by the Company under capital lease arrangements, respectively. Accumulated amortization relating to these assets totaled $24.2 million and $22.9 million as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.
(3) Deferred service revenue consists primarily of cash received from customers in advance of their service period.
(4) Deferred equipment revenue relates to devices sold to third-party dealers and nationwide retailers which have not yet been purchased and activated by customers.

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Note 5. Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The authoritative guidance for fair value measurements defines fair value for accounting purposes, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and provides disclosure requirements regarding fair value measurements. The guidance defines fair value as an exit price, which is the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid upon the transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The degree of judgment utilized in measuring the fair value of assets and liabilities generally correlates to the level of pricing observability. Assets and liabilities with readily available, actively quoted prices or for which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices in active markets generally have more pricing observability and require less judgment in measuring fair value. Conversely, assets and liabilities that are rarely traded or not quoted have less pricing observability and are generally measured at fair value using valuation models that require more judgment. These valuation techniques involve some level of management estimation and judgment, the degree of which is dependent on the price transparency of the asset, liability or market and the nature of the asset or liability.

The Company has categorized its assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy in accordance with the authoritative guidance for fair value measurements. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities are generally categorized as Level 1; assets and liabilities measured at fair value using observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data for similar assets or liabilities are generally categorized as Level 2; and assets and liabilities measured at fair value using unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by market data are generally categorized as Level 3. Assets and liabilities presented at fair value in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets are generally categorized as follows:

 

  Level 1:   Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. The Company did not have any Level 1 assets or liabilities as of March 31, 2013 or December 31, 2012.
  Level 2:   Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices in markets that are not active or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities. The Company’s Level 2 assets as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 included its cash equivalents, its short-term investments in obligations of the U.S. government and government agencies and its short-term investments in commercial paper.
  Level 3:   Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities. Such assets and liabilities may have values determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques, and include instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment or estimation. The Company did not have any Level 3 assets or liabilities as of March 31, 2013 or December 31, 2012.

The following tables set forth by level within the fair value hierarchy the Company’s assets and liabilities that were recorded at fair value as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (in thousands). As required by the guidance for fair value measurements, financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Thus, assets and liabilities categorized as Level 3 may be measured at fair value using inputs that are observable (Levels 1 and 2) and unobservable (Level 3). Management’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, which may affect the valuation of assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels.

 

     At Fair Value as of March 31, 2013  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets:

        

Money market funds

   $ —         $ 12,235       $ —         $ 12,235   

Commercial paper

     —           79,081         —           79,081   

U.S. government or government agency securities

     —           148,912         —           148,912   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ —         $ 240,228       $ —         $ 240,228   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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     At Fair Value as of December 31, 2012  
     Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets:

        

Money market funds

   $ —         $ 126,617       $ —         $ 126,617   

Commercial paper

     —           82,346         —           82,346   

U.S. government or government agency securities

     —           135,861         —           135,861   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ —         $ 344,824       $ —         $ 344,824   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Assets in the tables above are reported on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as components of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, other current assets and other assets.

Unrealized gains (losses) are presented in accumulated other comprehensive loss within stockholders’ equity in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Realized gains (losses) are presented in other income (expense), net in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, all of the Company’s short-term investments were debt securities with contractual maturities of less than one year and were classified as available-for-sale. The fair value of the Company’s cash equivalents, short-term investments in obligations of the U.S. government and government agencies and its short-term investments in commercial paper is determined using observable market-based inputs for similar assets, which primarily include yield curves and time-to-maturity factors. Such investments are therefore considered to be Level 2 items.

Available-for-sale securities were comprised as follows as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (in thousands):

 

     As of March 31, 2013  
     Cost      Fair Value  

Money market funds

   $ 12,235       $ 12,235   

Commercial paper

     79,081         79,081   

U.S. government or government agency securities

     148,904         148,912   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 240,220       $ 240,228   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
     As of December 31, 2012  
     Cost      Fair Value  

Money market funds

   $ 126,617       $ 126,617   

Commercial paper

     82,345         82,346   

U.S. government or government agency securities

     135,848         135,861   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 
   $ 344,810       $ 344,824   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Long-Term Debt

The Company reports its long-term debt obligations at amortized cost; however, the Company is required to disclose the fair value of outstanding debt at each reporting date. The fair value of the Company’s outstanding long-term debt is determined primarily by using quoted prices in active markets and was $3,395.7 million and $3,421.5 million as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively. The Company’s debt was considered to be a Level 1 item for disclosure purposes.

Assets Measured at Fair Value on a Nonrecurring Basis

As of March 31, 2013, there were no non-financial assets that were measured and recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. As of December 31, 2012, non-financial assets with a carrying value of $13.6 million accumulated in construction-in-

progress had been reduced to a fair value of zero, resulting in an impairment charge of $13.6 million. There were no other non-financial assets that were measured and recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis.

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Note 6. Long-Term Debt, Net

Long-term debt, net as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 was comprised of the following (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2013
    December 31,
2012
 

Convertible senior notes due 2014 (1)

   $ 250,000      $ 250,000   

Senior secured notes due 2016 (2)

     1,100,000        1,100,000   

Unamortized discount on $1,100 million senior secured notes due 2016 (2)

     (22,230     (23,767

Term loans under Credit Agreement (2)

     399,000        400,000   

Unamortized discount on term loans under Credit Agreement (2)

     (3,764     (3,892

Unsecured senior notes due 2020

     1,600,000        1,600,000   

Unamortized discount on $1,600 million unsecured senior notes due 2020

     (19,413     (19,878
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     3,303,593        3,302,463   

Current maturities of long-term debt

     (4,000     (4,000
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
   $ 3,299,593      $ 3,298,463   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1) Subsequent to the quarter ended March 31, 2013, the Company purchased $1.8 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 in a cash tender offer.
(2) Subsequent to the quarter ended March 31, 2013, the Company borrowed an additional $1,425 million in aggregate principal amount of term loans under the Credit Agreement and issued a notice of redemption to redeem all of the 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016 in accordance with the indenture governing the notes. Approximately $1,185 million of the proceeds of the term loans were used to fund the redemption price (including accrued interest) and discharge the indenture governing the 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016.

Credit Agreement

On October 10, 2012, Cricket entered into a credit agreement (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”) with respect to a $400 million senior secured B term loan facility, which was fully drawn in October 2012 and matures in October 2019. B term loan borrowings under the Credit Agreement must be repaid in 27 quarterly installments of $1.0 million each, which commenced on March 31, 2013, followed by a final installment of $373.0 million at maturity.

On March 8, 2013, Cricket amended the Credit Agreement to provide for an incremental $1,425 million senior secured C term loan facility, which was fully drawn on April 15, 2013 and matures in March 2020. C term loan borrowings under the Credit Agreement must be repaid in 26 quarterly installments of $3.6 million each, commencing on September 30, 2013, followed by a final installment of $1,332.4 million at maturity. Approximately $1,185 million of the net proceeds from the C term loan facility were used to fund the redemption of all of Cricket’s $1,100 million of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016 (including accrued interest), as more fully described below. Remaining net proceeds may be used for general corporate purposes.

Outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus 3.50% (subject to a LIBOR floor of 1.25% per annum) or at the bank base rate plus 2.50% (subject to a base rate floor of 2.25% per annum), as selected by Cricket. At March 31, 2013, the weighted average effective interest rate on outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement was 4.80%.

Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Leap and each of its existing and future wholly owned domestic subsidiaries (other than Cricket, which is the borrower) that guarantees any indebtedness of Leap, Cricket or any subsidiary guarantor or that constitutes a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (subject to certain exceptions).

 

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Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are effectively senior to all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ existing and future unsecured indebtedness (including Cricket’s $1,600 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes and, in the case of Leap, Leap’s $248.2 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes), as well as to all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ obligations under any permitted junior lien debt that may be incurred in the future, in each case to the extent of the value of the collateral securing the obligations under the Credit Agreement.

Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are secured on a first-priority basis, equally and ratably with any future parity lien debt that Leap, Cricket or the guarantors may incur, by liens on substantially all of the present and future personal property of Leap, Cricket and the guarantors, except for certain excluded assets and subject to permitted liens (including liens on the collateral securing any future permitted priority debt). Under the Credit Agreement, Leap, Cricket and the guarantors are permitted to incur liens securing indebtedness for borrowed money in an aggregate principal amount outstanding (including the aggregate principal amount outstanding under the Credit Agreement) of up to the greater of $1,750 million and 3.5 times Leap’s consolidated cash flow (excluding the consolidated cash flow of Cricket Music Holdco, LLC (“Cricket Music”) (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cricket that holds certain hardware, software and intellectual property relating to Cricket’s Muve Music® service)) for the prior four fiscal quarters.

Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are effectively junior to all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ obligations under any permitted priority debt that may be incurred in the future (up to the lesser of 0.30 times Leap’s consolidated cash flow (excluding the consolidated cash flow of STX Wireless and Cricket Music) for the prior four fiscal quarters and $300 million in aggregate principal amount outstanding), to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such permitted priority debt, as well as to existing and future liabilities of Leap’s and Cricket’s subsidiaries that are not guarantors (including STX Wireless and Cricket Music and their respective subsidiaries). In addition, borrowings under the Credit Agreement are senior in right of payment to any of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ future subordinated indebtedness.

Cricket has the right to prepay borrowings under the Credit Agreement, in whole or in part, at any time without premium or penalty, except that prepayments of B term loans in connection with a repricing transaction occurring on or prior to October 10, 2013 are subject to a prepayment premium of 1.00% of the principal amount of the borrowings so prepaid and prepayments of C term loans in connection with a repricing transaction occurring on or prior to March 8, 2014 are subject to a prepayment premium of 1.00% of the principal amount of the borrowings so prepaid.

Under the Credit Agreement, Leap and its restricted subsidiaries are subject to certain limitations, including limitations on their ability to: incur additional debt or sell assets, make certain investments, grant liens and pay dividends and make certain other restricted payments. In addition, Cricket will be required to pay down the facility under certain circumstances if Leap and its restricted subsidiaries issue debt, sell assets or property, receive certain extraordinary receipts or generate excess cash flow (as defined in the Credit Agreement).

The Credit Agreement also provides for an event of default upon the occurrence of a change of control, which includes the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of Leap’s equity securities (other than a transaction where immediately after such transaction Leap will be a wholly owned subsidiary of a person of which no person or group is the beneficial owner of 35% or more of such person’s voting stock), a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a change in a majority of the members of Leap’s board of directors that is not approved by the board. If the indebtedness under the Credit Agreement was accelerated prior to maturity as a result of such change of control, this would give rise to an event of default under the indentures governing the Company’s senior notes and convertible notes.

Senior Notes

Discharge of Indenture and Loss on Extinguishment of Debt

On April 15, 2013, in connection with the borrowing of C term loans under the Credit Agreement, Cricket issued a notice of redemption to redeem all of its $1,100 million of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016 in accordance with the optional redemption provisions governing the notes at a redemption price of 103.875% of the principal amount of outstanding notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date of May 15, 2013. Also on April 15, 2013, Cricket deposited approximately $1,185 million with the trustee for the notes to fund the redemption price (including accrued interest) and the indenture governing the notes was satisfied and discharged in accordance with its terms. As a result of this redemption, the Company estimates that it will incur a loss on extinguishment of debt of approximately $70 million, which will be recorded in the second quarter of 2013.

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Convertible Senior Notes Due 2014

In June 2008, Leap issued $250 million of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 in a private placement to institutional buyers. The notes bear interest at the rate of 4.50% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears, which interest payments commenced in January 2009. The notes are Leap’s general unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of Leap’s existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to all indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the notes. The notes are structurally subordinated to the existing and future claims of Leap’s subsidiaries’ creditors, including under the Credit Agreement and the senior notes described below. The notes are effectively junior to all of Leap’s existing and future secured obligations, including those under the Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations.

Holders may convert their notes into shares of Leap common stock at any time on or prior to the third scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date of the notes, July 15, 2014. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of Leap common stock is less than or equal to approximately $93.21 per share, the notes will be convertible into 10.7290 shares of Leap common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the notes (referred to as the “base conversion rate”), subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of Leap common stock exceeds approximately $93.21 per share, the conversion rate will be determined pursuant to a formula based on the base conversion rate and an incremental share factor of 8.3150 shares per $1,000 principal amount of the notes, subject to adjustment.

Leap may be required to repurchase all outstanding notes in cash at a repurchase price of 100% of the principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the repurchase date if (1) any person acquires beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of shares of Leap’s capital stock that would entitle the person to exercise 50% or more of the total voting power of all of Leap’s capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors, (2) Leap (i) merges or consolidates with or into any other person, another person merges with or into Leap, or Leap conveys, sells, transfers or leases all or substantially all of its assets to another person or (ii) engages in any recapitalization, reclassification or other transaction in which all or substantially all of Leap common stock is exchanged for or converted into cash, securities or other property, in each case subject to limitations and excluding in the case of (1) and (2) any merger or consolidation where at least 90% of the consideration consists of shares of common stock traded on NYSE, ASE or NASDAQ, (3) a majority of the members of Leap’s board of directors ceases to consist of individuals who were directors on the date of original issuance of the notes or whose election or nomination for election was previously approved by the board of directors, (4) Leap is liquidated or dissolved or holders of common stock approve any plan or proposal for its liquidation or dissolution or (5) shares of Leap common stock are not listed for trading on any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any of their respective successors). Leap may not redeem the notes at its option.

On March 26, 2013, Leap launched a tender offer to purchase, for cash, any and all of its $250 million of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 at a purchase price of $1,005 per $1,000 principal amount of notes tendered plus accrued interest. On April 23, 2013, the Company purchased $1.8 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 pursuant to the tender offer. The Company may from time to time seek to purchase outstanding 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 through open-market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such purchases, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, the Company’s liquidity requirements and other factors.

Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2020

In November 2010, Cricket issued $1,200 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2020 in a private placement to institutional buyers at an issue price of 98.323% of the principal amount, which were exchanged in January 2011 for identical notes that had been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The $20.1 million discount to the net proceeds the Company received in connection with the issuance of the notes has been recorded in long-term debt, net in the condensed consolidated financial statements and is being accreted as an increase to interest expense over the term of the notes. In May 2011, Cricket issued an additional $400 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2020 in a private placement to institutional buyers at an issue price of 99.193% of the principal amount, which were exchanged in November 2011 for identical notes that had been registered with the SEC. The $3.2 million discount to the net proceeds the Company received in connection with the issuance of the additional notes was recorded in long-term debt, net in the condensed consolidated financial statements and is being accreted as an increase to interest expense over the term of the notes. At March 31, 2013, the effective interest rates on the initial $1,200 million tranche and the additional $400 million tranche of the notes were 7.86% and 7.80%, respectively, both of which include the effect of the discount accretion.

The notes bear interest at the rate of 7.75% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears, which interest payments commenced in April 2011. The notes are guaranteed on an unsecured senior basis by Leap and each of its existing and future

 

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NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

domestic subsidiaries (other than Cricket, which is the issuer of the notes) that guarantees indebtedness of Leap, Cricket or any subsidiary guarantor. The notes and the guarantees are Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ general senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ existing and future unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness. The notes and the guarantees are effectively junior to Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ existing and future secured obligations, including those under the Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations, as well as to existing and future liabilities of Leap’s and Cricket’s subsidiaries that are not guarantors (including STX Wireless and Cricket Music and their respective subsidiaries). In addition, the notes and the guarantees are senior in right of payment to any of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ future subordinated indebtedness.

Prior to October 15, 2013, Cricket may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes at a redemption price of 107.750% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date, from the net cash proceeds of specified equity offerings. Prior to October 15, 2015, Cricket may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the applicable premium and any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date. The applicable premium is calculated as the greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of such notes and (ii) the excess of (a) the present value at such date of redemption of (1) the redemption price of such notes at October 15, 2015 plus (2) all remaining required interest payments due on such notes through October 15, 2015 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the date of redemption), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, over (b) the principal amount of such notes. The notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time on or after October 15, 2015, at a redemption price of 103.875%, 102.583% and 101.292% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed during the twelve months beginning on October 15, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, or at 100% of the principal amount if redeemed during the twelve months beginning on October 15, 2018 or thereafter, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date.

If a “change of control” occurs (which includes the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of Leap’s equity securities (other than a transaction where immediately after such transaction Leap will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of a person of which no person or group is the beneficial owner of 35% or more of such person’s voting stock), a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a change in a majority of the members of Leap’s board of directors that is not approved by the board), each holder of the notes may require Cricket to repurchase all of such holder’s notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the repurchase date.

Note 7. Impairments and Other Charges

In the third quarter of 2012, the Company developed a plan to reduce administrative and corporate support costs through a reduction in personnel. As a result, the Company recorded a liability of $14.8 million representing severance expense and related costs to implement the plan.

In the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company further developed its plan to also include reductions in previously planned network expansion activities and capital expenditures. In connection with the reduction in network expansion activities, the Company recognized restructuring charges of $11.0 million, primarily related to lease exit costs associated with cellular sites that were no longer being developed or utilized. In the first quarter of 2013, the Company recognized additional restructuring charges of $0.7 million.

During 2011, the Company recognized $23.9 million of post-acquisition charges associated with the integration of certain operating assets in South Texas.

The following table provides a rollforward of those amounts recorded as liabilities within the consolidated balance sheets:

 

     December 31,
2012
     Accruals      Payments     March 31, 2013  

Post-acquisition charges

   $ 14,726       $ —         $ (726   $ 14,000   

Severance

     9,877         —           (5,313     4,564   

Restructuring activities

     10,393         735         (4,656     6,472   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total amounts to be settled in cash

   $ 34,996       $ 735       $ (10,695   $ 25,036   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Note 8. Basic and Diluted Earnings (Loss) Per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to common stockholders by the sum of the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period and the weighted-average number of dilutive common share equivalents outstanding during the period, using the treasury stock method and the if-converted method, where applicable. Dilutive common share equivalents are comprised of stock options, restricted stock awards, deferred stock units, employee stock purchase rights and convertible senior notes. Since the Company incurred losses for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, 7.6 million and 8.7 million common share equivalents were excluded in the computation of diluted loss per share for those periods, respectively.

Note 9. Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions

On March 25, 2013, the Company completed an intra-market license exchange with a subsidiary of T-Mobile USA, Inc.
(“T-Mobile”) and Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless (“Verizon Wireless”) involving various markets in Philadelphia, Wilmington and Atlantic City. The licenses involved in the exchange had a carrying value of $136.2 million and the Company recognized a gain of $6.8 million in connection with the transaction.

Note 10. Arrangement with Joint Venture

Cricket service is offered in South Texas by STX Operations, which Cricket controls through a 75.75% membership interest in STX Wireless, the parent company of STX Operations. The joint venture was created in October 2010 through the contribution by the Company and various entities doing business as Pocket Communications (“Pocket”) of substantially all of their respective wireless spectrum and operating assets in the South Texas region. In exchange for such contributions, Cricket received a 75.75% controlling membership interest in STX Wireless and Pocket received a 24.25% non-controlling membership interest. Additionally, in connection with the transaction, the Company made payments to Pocket of $40.7 million in cash.

Cricket controls and manages the joint venture under the terms of the amended and restated limited liability company agreement (the “STX LLC Agreement”). Under the STX LLC Agreement, Pocket has the right to put, and the Company has the right to call, all of Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless, which rights are generally exercisable on or after April 1, 2014. In addition, in the event of a change of control of Leap, Pocket is obligated to sell to the Company all of its membership interests in STX Wireless. The purchase price for Pocket’s membership interests would be equal to 24.25% of the product of Leap’s enterprise value-to-revenue multiple for the four most recently completed fiscal quarters multiplied by the total revenues of STX Wireless and its subsidiaries over that same period, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. In the event optional cash distributions are made to the members of STX Wireless pursuant to the STX LLC Agreement, the purchase price is reduced by the total amount of such distributions made to Pocket plus an amount equal to an 8.0% per annum return on each such distribution from the date it was made. The purchase price is payable in either cash, Leap common stock or a combination thereof, as determined by Cricket in its discretion (provided that, if permitted by Cricket’s debt instruments, at least $25 million of the purchase price must be paid in cash). The Company has the right to deduct from or set off against the purchase price certain distributions made to Pocket, as well as any obligations owed to the Company by Pocket. Under the STX LLC Agreement, Cricket is permitted to purchase Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless over multiple closings in the event that the block of shares of Leap common stock issuable to Pocket at the closing of the purchase would be greater than 9.9% of the total number of shares of Leap common stock then issued and outstanding.

To the extent the redemption price for Pocket’s non-controlling membership interest varies from the value of Pocket’s net interest in STX Wireless at any period (after the attribution of profits or losses), the value of such interest is accreted to the redemption price for such interest with a corresponding adjustment to additional paid-in capital. For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and for the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company recorded a net accretion expense of $0.5 million and a net accretion benefit of $0.7 million, respectively, to bring the carrying value of Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless to its estimated redemption value.

In accordance with the STX LLC Agreement, STX Wireless made pro-rata tax distributions of $8.8 million and $2.8 million to Cricket and Pocket, respectively, in connection with their estimated tax liabilities resulting from STX Wireless’ earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2013. No tax distributions were made during the three months ended March 31, 2012. The Company recorded the tax distribution to Pocket as an adjustment to additional paid-in-capital in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and as a component of accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests and distributions, net of tax, in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The distributions made to Cricket were eliminated in consolidation.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

On July 12, 2012, STX Wireless made an optional pro-rata cash distribution of $50.7 million and $16.2 million to Cricket and Pocket, respectively. Subsequent to the quarter end, on April 26, 2013, STX Wireless made a further optional pro-rata cash distribution of $18.9 million and $6.1 million to Cricket and Pocket, respectively. Under the STX LLC Agreement, optional distributions to Pocket (plus an annual return, as discussed above), are deducted from the purchase price payable to Pocket in the event of a put, call or mandatory buyout following a change of control of Leap.

At the closing of the formation of the joint venture, STX Wireless entered into a loan and security agreement with Pocket pursuant to which, commencing in April 2012, STX Wireless agreed to make quarterly limited-recourse loans to Pocket out of excess cash in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $30 million, which loans are secured by Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless. As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, Pocket had $9.2 million and $8.3 million in aggregate principal amount of outstanding borrowings under the loan and security agreement, respectively. Borrowings under the loan and security agreement bear interest at 8.0% per annum, compounded annually, and will mature on the earlier of October 2020 and the date on which Pocket ceases to hold any membership interests in STX Wireless. Cricket has the right to set off all outstanding principal and interest under this loan and security agreement against the payment of the purchase price for Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless in the event of a put, call or mandatory buyout following a change of control of Leap. Accordingly, outstanding borrowings and accrued interest under the loan and security agreement have been recorded as a deduction from the purchase price payable to Pocket as discussed above in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and as a component of accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests and distributions, net of tax, in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The offset of the outstanding borrowings and accrued interest against the purchase price for Pocket’s membership interest, coupled with the accretion benefit recorded to adjust the redemption value of Pocket’s net interest in STX Wireless, brought the carrying value of Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless to an estimated redemption value of $63.5 million and $64.5 million as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

As described in Note 3, the Company consolidates its controlling membership interest in STX Wireless in accordance with the authoritative guidance for consolidations based on the voting interest model. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements.

The following table provides a summary of the changes in value of the Company’s redeemable non-controlling interests (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  

Beginning balance, January 1

   $ 64,517      $ 95,910   

Accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests, before tax

     475        4,105   

Loans made to joint venture partner

     (982     —     

Other

     (491     (255
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Ending balance, March 31

   $ 63,519      $ 99,760   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Note 11. Unrestricted Subsidiaries

In July 2011, the Company’s board of directors designated Cricket Music and Cricket Music’s wholly-owned subsidiary Muve USA, LLC (“Muve USA”) as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries” under the indentures governing Cricket’s senior notes. Cricket Music, Muve USA and their subsidiaries are also designated as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries” under the Credit Agreement. Muve USA holds certain hardware, software and intellectual property relating to Cricket’s Muve Music service. The financial position and results of operations of Cricket Music and Muve USA are included in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements included in this report. Together with STX Wireless, Cricket Music and Muve USA and their subsidiaries are presented as “Non-Guarantors” within the Company’s condensed consolidating financial statements included in Note 14.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

As required by the Credit Agreement and the indenture governing Cricket’s senior notes, the Company is presenting the aggregate carrying amount and classification of the components of the financial position as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 and results of operations of Cricket Music and Muve USA for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 in the following tables separately (in thousands):

 

     March 31,
2013
    December 31,
2012
 

Assets

    

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ —        $ 1   

Other current assets

     913        —     

Property and equipment, net

     3,813        4,937   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 4,726      $ 4,938   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and stockholders’ equity

  

Other current liabilities

   $ 464      $ 5   

Other long-term liabilities

     457        —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Stockholders’ equity

     3,805        4,933   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 4,726      $ 4,938   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2013     2012  

Revenues

   $ —        $ —     

Operating expenses

    

Depreciation and amortization

     1,124        1,124   

Other

     8        4   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     1,132        1,128   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (1,132     (1,128
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (1,132   $ (1,128
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Note 12. Income Taxes

The computation of the Company’s annual effective tax rate includes a forecast of the Company’s estimated “ordinary” income (loss), which is its annual income (loss) from continuing operations before tax, excluding unusual or infrequently occurring (discrete) items. Significant management judgment is required in projecting the Company’s ordinary income (loss). The Company’s projected ordinary income tax expense for the full year 2013 consists primarily of the deferred tax effect of the Company’s investments in joint ventures that are in a deferred tax liability position and the amortization of wireless licenses for income tax purposes. Because the Company’s projected 2013 income tax expense is a relatively fixed amount, a small change in the ordinary income (loss) projection can produce a significant variance in the effective tax rate, therefore making it difficult to determine a reliable estimate of the annual effective tax rate. As a result, and in accordance with the authoritative guidance for accounting for income taxes in interim periods, the Company has computed its provision for income taxes as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 based upon the actual effective tax rate for those periods.

The Company periodically assesses the likelihood that its deferred tax assets will be recoverable from future taxable income. To the extent the Company believes it is more likely than not that its deferred tax assets will not be recovered, it must establish a valuation allowance. As part of this periodic assessment for the three months ended March 31, 2013, the Company weighed the positive and negative factors and, at this time, does not believe there is sufficient positive evidence to support a conclusion that it is more likely than not that all or a portion of its deferred tax assets will be realized, except with respect to the realization of a $1.9 million Texas Margins Tax (“TMT”) credit. Accordingly, at March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, the Company recorded a valuation allowance offsetting substantially all of its deferred tax assets. Deferred tax liabilities associated with wireless licenses and investments in certain joint ventures cannot be considered a source of taxable income to support the realization of deferred tax assets because these deferred tax liabilities will not reverse until some indefinite future period when these assets are either sold or impaired for book purposes.

The Company has substantial federal and state net operating losses (“NOLs”) for income tax purposes. Subject to certain requirements, the Company may “carry forward” its federal NOLs for up to 20 years to offset future taxable income and reduce its income tax liability. For state income tax purposes, the NOL carryforward period ranges from five to 20 years. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had federal and state NOLs of approximately $2.7 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively, which begin to expire in 2022 for federal income tax purposes and of which $69.8 million will expire at the end of 2013 for state

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

income tax purposes. While these NOL carryforwards have a potential to be used to offset future ordinary taxable income and reduce future cash tax liabilities by approximately $1.1 billion, the Company’s ability to utilize these NOLs will depend upon the availability of future taxable income during the carryforward period and, as such, there is no assurance the Company will be able to realize such tax savings.

The Company’s ability to utilize NOLs could be further limited if it were to experience an “ownership change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code and similar state provisions. In general terms, an ownership change can occur whenever there is a cumulative shift in the ownership of a company by more than 50 percentage points by one or more “5% stockholders” within a three-year period. The occurrence of such a change generally limits the amount of NOL carryforwards a company could utilize in a given year to the aggregate fair market value of the company’s common stock immediately prior to the ownership change, multiplied by the long-term tax-exempt interest rate in effect for the month of the ownership change.

The determination of whether an ownership change has occurred for purposes of Section 382 is complex and requires significant judgment. The occurrence of such an ownership change would accelerate cash tax payments the Company would be required to make and likely result in a substantial portion of its NOLs expiring before the Company could fully utilize them.

On August 30, 2011, the Company’s board of directors adopted a Tax Benefit Preservation Plan to help deter acquisitions of Leap common stock that could result in an ownership change under Section 382 and thus help preserve the Company’s ability to use its NOL carryforwards. The Tax Benefit Preservation Plan was approved by the Company’s stockholders in May 2012. The Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is designed to deter acquisitions of Leap common stock that would result in a stockholder owning 4.99% or more of Leap common stock (as calculated under Section 382), or any existing holder of 4.99% or more of Leap common stock acquiring additional shares, by substantially diluting the ownership interest of any such stockholder unless the stockholder obtains an exemption from the Company’s board of directors.

The Company’s unrecognized income tax benefits and uncertain tax positions, as well as any associated interest and penalties, are recorded through income tax expense; however, such amounts have not been significant in any period.

Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies

From time to time, the Company is involved in a variety of legal proceedings, including lawsuits, claims, investigations and other proceedings concerning intellectual property, commercial disputes, business practices and other matters. Due in part to the expansion and development of its business operations, the Company has become subject to an increased number of these proceedings, including disputes alleging intellectual property infringement. These matters may seek monetary damages and other relief.

The Company believes that any damage amounts alleged by plaintiffs in matters that may arise are not necessarily meaningful indicators of its potential liability. The Company determines whether it should accrue an estimated loss for a contingency in a particular legal proceeding by assessing whether a loss is deemed probable and whether the amount can be reasonably estimated. The Company reassesses its views on estimated losses on a quarterly basis to reflect the impact of any developments in the matters in which it is involved.

Legal proceedings are inherently unpredictable, and the matters in which the Company is involved often present complex legal and factual issues. The Company vigorously pursues defenses in legal proceedings and engages in discussions where possible to resolve these matters on favorable terms. The Company’s policy is to recognize legal costs as incurred. It is possible, however, that the Company’s business, financial condition and results of operations in future periods could be materially adversely affected by increased litigation expense, significant settlement costs and/or unfavorable damage awards.

Indemnification Agreements

From time to time, the Company enters into indemnification agreements with certain parties in the ordinary course of business, including agreements with manufacturers, licensors and suppliers who provide it with equipment, software and technology that it uses in its business, as well as with purchasers of assets, lenders, lessors and other vendors. Indemnification agreements are generally entered into in commercial and other transactions in an attempt to allocate potential risk of loss.

iPhone Purchase Commitment

In May 2012, the Company entered into a three-year iPhone purchase commitment with Apple. The commitment began upon the Company’s launch of sales of the iPhone in June 2012. Based on its current handset purchase and sales mix and current

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

iPhone device pricing, the Company estimates that the commitment would require it to purchase approximately $800 million of iPhones, with annual commitments during the three-year period that increase moderately in the second and third years. The Company projects that the minimum number of iPhones that it is required to purchase from Apple over the term of the commitment would represent 10% or less of the total number of handsets it expects to sell to new and upgrading customers over the period of the commitment and for approximately one year thereafter. The actual amount the Company spends and the number of devices it purchases over the term of the commitment will depend on many factors, including customer acceptance and availability of current and future versions of the device, future costs for the device, the success of the Company’s marketing and advertising efforts, customer demand for devices offered by other manufacturers and other factors.

At its current purchase rate, the Company would purchase approximately one-half of its first-year minimum purchase commitment through June 2013, although the actual amount of the Company’s purchases will depend on the factors described above. At its current purchase rate, the Company’s iPhone purchases for the first year would be approximately $100 million below its first-year minimum purchase commitment; for the second year, approximately $150 million below its second-year minimum purchase commitment; and for the third year, approximately $200 million below its third-year minimum purchase commitment. The Company believes, however, that it will be able to increase its current iPhone sales rate and purchase and sell the total required number of devices over the three-year period of the commitment and for a subsequent one-year inventory sell-through period. The Company is pursuing a number of programs to expand sales volume, including exploring expanded device leasing and financing programs and working with Apple to increase the Company’s advertising and promotional programs to increase awareness of the Company’s iPhone offering. In addition, if Apple introduces an AWS-compatible version of the iPhone in the future, the Company will be able to sell the device in additional markets covering approximately 40% of its covered POPs. The Company may also seek to amend the requirements under, or extend the term of, the purchase commitment, although the Company’s current capital and liquidity projections do not assume that such a modification will occur.

Wholesale Agreement

In August 2010, the Company entered into a wholesale agreement with an affiliate of Sprint Nextel which the Company uses to offer Cricket services in nationwide retailers outside of its current network footprint. The initial term of the wholesale agreement runs until December 31, 2015, and automatically renews for successive one-year periods unless either party provides 180-day advance notice to the other. Under the agreement, the Company pays Sprint a specified amount per month for each subscriber activated on its network, subject to periodic market-based adjustments. The Company has agreed, among other things, to purchase a minimum of $300 million of wholesale services over the initial five-year term of the agreement with the following annual minimum purchase commitments: $20 million in 2011; $75 million in 2012; $80 million in 2013; $75 million in 2014; and $50 million in 2015. The Company entered into an amendment to the wholesale agreement in February 2013 to enable the Company to purchase 4G LTE services. In addition, under the amendment, the Company can credit up to $162 million of revenue it provides Sprint under other existing commercial arrangements against the minimum purchase commitment. Any wholesale revenue provided to Sprint in a given year above the minimum purchase commitment for that particular year is credited to the next succeeding year. However, to the extent the Company’s revenues were to fall beneath the applicable commitment amount for any given year, excess revenues from a subsequent year could not be carried back to offset such shortfall.

The Company’s obligation to provide the minimum purchase amount for any calendar year is subject to Sprint’s compliance with specified covenants in the wholesale agreement. Based upon a review of information provided to the Company by Sprint, the Company informed Sprint that certain of those covenants had not been met in 2012 and that, as a result, the Company was not subject to the minimum purchase commitment for 2012. Sprint disputed that assertion. In February 2013, the parties resolved this matter.

In addition, in the event Leap is involved in a change-of-control transaction with another facilities-based wireless carrier with annual revenues of at least $500 million in the fiscal year preceding the date of the change of control agreement (other than MetroPCS Communications, Inc. (“MetroPCS”)), either the Company (or the Company’s successor in interest) or Sprint may terminate the wholesale agreement within 60 days following the closing of such a transaction. In connection with any such termination, the Company (or its successor in interest) would be required to pay to Sprint a specified percentage of the remaining aggregate minimum purchase commitment, with the percentage to be paid depending on the year in which the change of control agreement was entered into, being 20% for any such agreement entered into in 2013 and 10% for any such agreement entered into in 2014 or 2015.

In the event that Leap is involved in a change-of-control transaction with MetroPCS during the term of the wholesale agreement, then the agreement would continue in full force and effect, subject to certain revisions, including, without limitation, an increase to the total minimum purchase commitment to $350 million, taking into account any revenue contributed by Cricket prior to the date thereof. In the event Sprint is involved in a change-of-control transaction, the agreement would bind Sprint’s successor-in-interest.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Note 14. Guarantor Financial Information

At March 31, 2013, the $2,700 million of senior notes issued by Cricket (the “Issuing Subsidiary”) were comprised of $1,100 million of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016 and $1,600 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2020. The senior secured notes were, and the unsecured senior notes are, jointly and severally guaranteed on a full and unconditional basis by Leap (the “Guarantor Parent Company”) and Cricket License Company, LLC, a 100%-owned subsidiary of Cricket (the “Guarantor Subsidiary”).

The indenture governing the unsecured senior notes limits, among other things, the Guarantor Parent Company’s, Cricket’s and the Guarantor Subsidiary’s ability to: incur additional debt; create liens or other encumbrances; place limitations on distributions from restricted subsidiaries; pay dividends; make investments; prepay subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments; issue or sell capital stock of restricted subsidiaries; issue guarantees; sell assets; enter into transactions with affiliates; and make acquisitions or merge or consolidate with another entity.

Condensed consolidating financial information of the Guarantor Parent Company, the Issuing Subsidiary, the Guarantor Subsidiary, Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries (STX Wireless, Cricket Music and their respective subsidiaries) and total consolidated Leap and subsidiaries as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 and for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 is presented below. The equity method of accounting is used to account for ownership interests in subsidiaries, where applicable.

Cricket formerly owned an 85% non-controlling membership interest in Savary Island Wireless, LLC (“Savary Island”), which held wireless spectrum in the upper Midwest portion of the U.S. and which leased a portion of that spectrum to Cricket. The remaining 15% controlling interest was held by Ring Island Wireless, LLC (“Ring Island”). In May 2012, Ring Island exercised its right to put its entire controlling membership interest in Savary Island to Cricket, and in October 2012, Cricket acquired Ring Island’s 15% controlling interest for $5.3 million in cash. In December 2012, Savary Island and its subsidiaries were merged with and into Cricket, with Cricket as the surviving entity. As a result of these transactions, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of these entities have been consolidated into the Issuing Subsidiary. All prior period consolidating financial statements have been revised to reflect this reorganization.

In connection with the restatement of the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows, the Company has restated its unaudited condensed consolidating statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 due to a classification error related to the presentation of certain capital expenditures and operating cash flows (see Note 2). The classification error related to certain purchases of property and equipment that were unpaid at each of the balance sheet dates (but that were scheduled to be settled in cash soon thereafter), which were incorrectly reflected as cash outflows from investing activities and cash inflows from operating activities. This classification error resulted in a misstatement of net cash provided by operating activities and net cash used in investing activities. The classification error has been reflected in the condensed consolidating statements of cash flows for the Issuing Subsidiary and Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries as follows:

Condensed consolidating statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2013:

 

    Issuing Subsidiary – Increased net cash provided by operating activities by $1.8 million with a corresponding increase in net cash used in investing activities for the same amount.

 

    Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries – Increased net cash provided by operating activities by $0.7 million with a corresponding increase in net cash used in investing activities for the same amount.

Condensed consolidating statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2012:

 

    Issuing Subsidiary – Increased net cash provided by operating activities by $23.0 million with a corresponding increase in net cash used in investing activities for the same amount.

 

    Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries – Decreased net cash provided by operating activities by $0.6 million with a corresponding decrease in net cash used in investing activities for the same amount.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

In addition, certain revisions have been made to certain intercompany balances in the condensed consolidating statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2012 presented below to more appropriately reflect the substance of the underlying transactions or related settlement terms. These revisions had no impact on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012 or the consolidated statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The revisions had the following impacts to the condensed consolidating statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2012:

 

  Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries - Increased net cash provided by operating activities by $5.5 million, with a corresponding increase to net cash used in investing activities for the same amount.

 

  Issuing Subsidiary - Decreased net cash provided by operating activities by $5.5 million, with a corresponding decrease to net cash used in investing activities for the same amount.

The Company assessed the materiality of the revisions noted above and concluded that they were not material to any of the Company’s previously issued financial statements.

 

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LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2013 (unaudited and in thousands):

 

     Guarantor
Parent
Company
     Issuing
Subsidiary
     Guarantor
Subsidiary
     Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
     Consolidating
and
Eliminating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Assets

  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 14       $ 448,581       $ —         $ 78,139       $ —        $ 526,734   

Short-term investments

     —           140,404         —           —           —          140,404   

Inventories

     —           98,279         —           3,749         —          102,028   

Deferred charges

     —           60,941         —           6         —          60,947   

Advances to affiliates and consolidated subsidiaries

     5,119         23,036         24,827         —           (52,982     —     

Other current assets

     635         137,877         —           10,691         (30     149,173   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     5,768         909,118         24,827         92,585         (53,012     979,286   

Property and equipment, net

     —           1,567,332         —           61,495         —          1,628,827   

Investments in and advances to affiliates and consolidated subsidiaries

     636,118         2,315,746         —           —           (2,951,864     —     

Wireless licenses

     —           —           2,025,742         64,912         —          2,090,654   

Assets held for sale

     —           —           —           —           —          —     

Goodwill

     —           11,222         —           20,664         —          31,886   

Intangible assets, net

     —           14,095         —           7,334         —          21,429   

Other assets

     3,550         64,312         —           12,686         —          80,548   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 645,436       $ 4,881,825       $ 2,050,569       $ 259,676       $ (3,004,876   $ 4,832,630   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

  

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

   $ 27       $ 280,645       $ —         $ 7,190       $ —        $ 287,862   

Current maturities of long-term debt

     —           4,000         —           —           —          4,000   

Intercompany payables

     —           29,946         —           23,036         (52,982     —     

Other current liabilities

     2,445         269,452         48         17,554         (30     289,469   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     2,472         584,043         48         47,780         (53,012     581,331   

Long-term debt, net

     250,000         3,049,593         —           —           —          3,299,593   

Deferred tax liabilities

     —           397,429         —           —           —          397,429   

Long-term intercompany payables

     69,034         242,500         —           36,531         (348,065     —     

Other long-term liabilities

     —           151,123         —           15,705         —          166,828   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     321,506         4,424,688         48         100,016         (401,077     4,445,181   

Redeemable non-controlling interests

     —           63,519         —           —           —          63,519   

Stockholders’ equity

     323,930         393,618         2,050,521         159,660         (2,603,799     323,930   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 645,436       $ 4,881,825       $ 2,050,569       $ 259,676       $ (3,004,876   $ 4,832,630   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2012 (in thousands):

 

     Guarantor
Parent
Company
     Issuing
Subsidiary
     Guarantor
Subsidiary
     Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
     Consolidating
and
Eliminating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Assets

  

Cash and cash equivalents

   $ 69       $ 449,668       $ —         $ 65,813       $ —        $ 515,550   

Short-term investments

     —           159,426         —           —           —          159,426   

Inventories

     —           118,149         —           3,452         —          121,601   

Deferred charges

     —           60,933         —           30         —          60,963   

Advances to affiliates and consolidated subsidiaries

     11,182         23,592         49,407         —           (84,181     —     

Other current assets

     707         129,346         —           13,519         (4,330     139,242   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current assets

     11,958         941,114         49,407         82,814         (88,511     996,782   

Property and equipment, net

     —           1,694,365         —           67,725         —          1,762,090   

Investments in and advances to affiliates and consolidated subsidiaries

     739,072         2,327,953         —           —           (3,067,025     —     

Wireless licenses

     —           —           1,882,421         64,912         —          1,947,333   

Assets held for sale

     —           —           136,222         —           —          136,222   

Goodwill

     —           11,222         —           20,664         —          31,886   

Intangible assets, net

     —           14,756         —           9,907         —          24,663   

Other assets

     3,938         54,852         —           9,494         —          68,284   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total assets

   $ 754,968       $ 5,044,262       $ 2,068,050       $ 255,516       $ (3,155,536   $ 4,967,260   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity

  

Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

   $ 40       $ 389,951       $ —         $ 6,119       $ —        $ 396,110   

Current maturities of long-term debt

     —           4,000         —           —           —          4,000   

Intercompany payables

     —           60,589         —           23,592         (84,181     —     

Other current liabilities

     5,247         202,740         —           13,223         (4,330     216,880   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total current liabilities

     5,287         657,280         —           42,934         (88,511     616,990   

Long-term debt, net

     250,000         3,048,463         —           —           —          3,298,463   

Deferred tax liabilities

     —           385,111         —           —           —          385,111   

Long-term intercompany payables

     66,549         242,500         —           32,562         (341,611     —     

Other long-term liabilities

     —           149,819         —           19,228         —          169,047   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     321,836         4,483,173         —           94,724         (430,122     4,469,611   

Redeemable non-controlling interests

     —           64,517         —           —           —          64,517   

Stockholders’ equity

     433,132         496,572         2,068,050         160,792         (2,725,414     433,132   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity

   $ 754,968       $ 5,044,262       $ 2,068,050       $ 255,516       $ (3,155,536   $ 4,967,260   
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

22


Table of Contents

LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 (unaudited and in thousands):

 

     Guarantor
Parent
Company
    Issuing
Subsidiary
    Guarantor
Subsidiary
     Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Consolidating
and
Eliminating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Revenues:

             

Service revenues

   $ —        $ 602,037      $ —         $ 82,570      $ 15      $ 684,622   

Equipment revenues

     —          89,340        —           15,896        —          105,236   

Other revenues

     —          4,149        25,490         89        (29,728     —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     —          695,526        25,490         98,555        (29,713     789,858   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

             

Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)

     —          255,844        —           20,578        (25,564     250,858   

Cost of equipment

     —          224,043        —           34,925        —          258,968   

Selling and marketing

     —          68,309        —           10,529        —          78,838   

General and administrative

     2,607        71,680        191         11,896        (4,149     82,225   

Depreciation and amortization

     —          143,974        —           8,599        —          152,573   

Impairments and other charges

     —          186        —           549        —          735   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     2,607        764,036        191         87,076        (29,713     824,197   

Gain (loss) on sale, exchange or disposal of assets, net

     —          (1,703     6,752         (61     —          4,988   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

     (2,607     (70,213     32,051         11,418        —          (29,351

Equity in net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries

     (111,569     43,469        —           —          68,100        —     

Equity in net loss of investees, net

     —          (1,158     —           —          —          (1,158

Interest income

     6,063        46        —           —          (6,062     47   

Interest expense

     (3,199     (67,588     —           —          6,062        (64,725
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

     (111,312     (95,444     32,051         11,418        68,100        (95,187

Income tax expense

     —          (14,420     —           —          —          (14,420
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

     (111,312     (109,864     32,051         11,418        68,100        (109,607

Accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests and distributions, net of tax

     —          (1,705     —           —          —          (1,705
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders

   $ (111,312   $ (111,569   $ 32,051       $ 11,418      $ 68,100      $ (111,312
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss):

             

Net income (loss)

     (111,312     (109,864     32,051         11,418        68,100        (109,607

Net unrealized holding gains on investments and other

     (3     (3     —           —          3        (3
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ (111,315   $ (109,867   $ 32,051       $ 11,418      $ 68,103      $ (109,610
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

23


Table of Contents

LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2012 (unaudited and in thousands):

 

     Guarantor
Parent
Company
    Issuing
Subsidiary
    Guarantor
Subsidiary
     Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
     Consolidating
and
Eliminating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Revenues:

              

Service revenues

   $ —        $ 685,710      $ —         $ 88,272       $ 16      $ 773,998   

Equipment revenues

     —          45,250        —           6,371         —          51,621   

Other revenues

     —          3,965        29,689         —           (33,654     —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

     —          734,925        29,689         94,643         (33,638     825,619   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

              

Cost of service (exclusive of items shown separately below)

     —          266,874        —           24,110         (29,673     261,311   

Cost of equipment

     —          219,348        —           28,499         —          247,847   

Selling and marketing

     —          85,033        —           10,521         —          95,554   

General and administrative

     2,737        78,574        190         12,163         (3,965     89,699   

Depreciation and amortization

     —          130,183        —           16,360         —          146,543   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     2,737        780,012        190         91,653         (33,638     840,954   

Gain (loss) on sale, exchange or disposal of assets, net

     —          (1,391     —           923         —          (468
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income (loss)

     (2,737     (46,478     29,499         3,913         —          (15,803

Equity in net income (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries

     (98,586     33,414        —           —           65,172        —     

Equity in net income of investees, net

     —          193        —           —           —          193   

Interest income

     6,063        26        —           2         (6,062     29   

Interest expense

     (3,179     (69,925     —           —           6,062        (67,042
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes

     (98,439     (82,770     29,499         3,915         65,172        (82,623

Income tax expense

     —          (11,711     —           —           —          (11,711
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss)

     (98,439     (94,481     29,499         3,915         65,172        (94,334

Accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests and distributions, net of tax

     —          (4,105     —           —           —          (4,105
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders

   $ (98,439   $ (98,586   $ 29,499       $ 3,915       $ 65,172      $ (98,439
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss):

              

Net income (loss)

     (98,439     (94,481     29,499         3,915         65,172        (94,334

Net unrealized holding gains on investments and other

     2        2        —           —           (2     2   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

   $ (98,437   $ (94,479   $ 29,499       $ 3,915       $ 65,170      $ (94,332
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

24


Table of Contents

LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 (unaudited and in thousands, as restated):

 

     Guarantor
Parent
Company
    Issuing
Subsidiary
    Guarantor
Subsidiary
     Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Consolidating
and
Eliminating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Operating activities:

             

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

   $ (55   $ 2,503      $ —         $ 25,572      $ —        $ 28,020   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investing activities:

             

Purchases of and change in prepayments for purchases of property and equipment

     —          (28,822     —           (1,006     1,003        (28,825

Purchases of wireless licenses and spectrum clearing costs

     —          (335     —           —          —          (335

Proceeds from sales of wireless licenses and operating assets

     —          1,015        —           309        (1,003     321   

Purchases of investments

     —          (65,767     —           —          —          (65,767

Sales and maturities of investments

     —          84,716        —           —          —          84,716   

Payments received from joint venture

     —          8,799        —           —          (8,799     —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities

     —          (394     —           (697     (8,799     (9,890
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Financing activities:

             

Repayment of long-term debt

     —          (1,000     —           —          —          (1,000

Payment of debt issuance costs

     —          (552     —           —          —          (552

Payments made to joint venture partners

     —          —          —           (12,549     8,799        (3,750

Other

     —          (1,644     —           —          —          (1,644
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

     —          (3,196     —           (12,549     8,799        (6,946
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     (55     (1,087     —           12,326        —          11,184   

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     69        449,668        —           65,813        —          515,550   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 14      $ 448,581      $ —         $ 78,139      $ —        $ 526,734   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

25


Table of Contents

LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (UNAUDITED)

 

Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2012 (unaudited and in thousands, as restated):

 

     Guarantor
Parent
Company
    Issuing
Subsidiary
    Guarantor
Subsidiary
     Non-Guarantor
Subsidiaries
    Consolidating
and
Eliminating
Adjustments
    Consolidated  

Operating activities:

             

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

   $ (24   $ 38,806      $ —         $ 18,962      $ —        $ 57,744   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Investing activities:

             

Purchases of and change in prepayments for purchases of property and equipment

     —          (163,024     —           (13,721     6,104        (170,641

Purchases of wireless licenses and spectrum clearing costs

     —          (976     —           —          —          (976

Proceeds from sales of wireless licenses and operating assets

     —          451        —           6,508        (6,104     855   

Purchases of investments

     —          (77,149     —           —          —          (77,149

Sales and maturities of investments

     —          202,107        —           —          —          202,107   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in investing activities

     —          (38,591     —           (7,213     —          (45,804
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Financing activities:

             

Payments made to joint venture partners

     —          (255     —           —          —          (255

Other

     —          (1,010     —           —          —          (1,010
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash used in financing activities

     —          (1,265     —           —          —          (1,265
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents

     (24     (1,050     —           11,749        —          10,675   

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

     91        270,056        —           75,096        —          345,243   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

   $ 67      $ 269,006      $ —         $ 86,845      $ —        $ 355,918   
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

26


Table of Contents

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

As used in this report, unless the context suggests otherwise, the terms “we,” “our,” “ours,” “us,” and the “Company” refer to Leap Wireless International, Inc., or Leap, and its subsidiaries and consolidated joint ventures, including Cricket Communications, Inc., or Cricket. Unless otherwise specified, information relating to population and potential customers, or POPs, is based on 2013 population estimates provided by Claritas Inc., a market research company.

The following information should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in Part I— Item 1 of this report and the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto and Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in our Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, on October 28, 2013.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for the historical information contained herein, this report contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements reflect management’s current forecast of certain aspects of our future. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by forward-looking words such as “believe,” “think,” “may,” “could,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “seek,” “plan,” “project,” “expect,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions in this report. Such statements are based on currently available operating, financial and competitive information and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in or implied by our forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among other things:

 

    our ability to attract and retain customers in an extremely competitive marketplace;

 

    our ability to successfully implement product and service plan offerings and execute effectively on our strategic activities;

 

    the impact of competitors’ initiatives and our ability to anticipate and respond to such initiatives;

 

    changes in economic conditions, including interest rates, consumer credit conditions, consumer debt levels, consumer confidence, unemployment rates, energy and transportation costs and other macro-economic factors that could adversely affect demand for the services we provide;

 

    our ability to meet significant purchase commitments under agreements we have entered into;

 

    our ability to refinance our indebtedness under, and comply with the covenants in, any credit agreement, indenture or similar instrument governing our existing indebtedness or any future indebtedness;

 

    future customer usage of our wireless services, which could exceed our expectations, and our ability to manage or increase network capacity to meet increasing customer demand, in particular demand for data services;

 

    our ability to offer customers cost-effective 4G Long Term Evolution network technology, or LTE, services;

 

    our ability to obtain and maintain 3G and 4G roaming and wholesale services from other carriers at cost-effective rates;

 

    our ability to acquire or obtain access to additional spectrum in the future at a reasonable cost or on a timely basis;

 

    failure of our network or information technology systems to perform according to expectations and risks associated with the ongoing operation and maintenance of those systems, including our customer billing system;

 

    our ability to attract, integrate, motivate and retain an experienced workforce, including members of senior management;

 

    our ability to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting; and

 

    other factors detailed in “Part II - Item 1A. Risk Factors” below.

All forward-looking statements in this report should be considered in the context of these risk factors. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the filing date of this report, and we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In light of these risks and uncertainties, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this report may not occur and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, users of this report are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements.

 

27


Table of Contents

Overview

Restatement of Previously Reported Condensed Consolidated Financial Information

This “Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” has been amended and restated to give effect to the restatement of our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 due to a classification error related to the presentation of certain capital expenditures and operating cash flows. Specifically, we have reflected these corrections in the discussions of net cash provided by operating activities, net cash used in investing activities and capital expenditures in the sections below entitled “Liquidity and Capital Resources — Overview,” “Liquidity and Capital Resources — Cash Flows” and “Liquidity and Capital Resources — Capital Expenditures, Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions — Capital Expenditures.” See Note 2 to the condensed consolidated financial statements in “Part I — Item 1. Financial Statements” of this report for additional information.

Company Overview

We are a wireless communications carrier that offers digital wireless services in the U.S. under the “Cricket®” brand. Our Cricket service offerings provide customers with unlimited nationwide wireless services for a flat rate without requiring a fixed-term contract or a credit check.

Cricket service is offered by Cricket, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leap. Cricket service is also offered in South Texas by STX Wireless Operations, LLC, or STX Operations, which Cricket controls through a 75.75% membership interest in STX Wireless, LLC, or STX Wireless, the parent company of STX Operations. For more information regarding this joint venture, see “Liquidity and Capital Resources - STX Wireless Joint Venture” below.

As of March 31, 2013, Cricket service was offered in 48 states and the District of Columbia across an extended area covering approximately 292 million POPs. As of March 31, 2013, we had approximately 5.2 million customers, and we owned wireless licenses covering an aggregate of approximately 136.7 million POPs (adjusted to eliminate duplication from overlapping licenses). The combined network footprint in our operating markets covered approximately 96.2 million POPs as of March 31, 2013. The licenses we own provide an average of 23 MHz of spectrum capacity in our operating markets.

In addition to our Cricket network footprint, we have entered into roaming relationships with other wireless carriers that enable us to offer Cricket customers nationwide voice and data roaming services over an extended service area. We recently entered into an agreement with a national carrier for 4G LTE roaming services. In addition, we have also entered into a wholesale agreement, which we use to offer Cricket services in nationwide retailers outside of our current network footprint, and we recently amended that agreement to enable our customers to receive 4G LTE services. These arrangements have enabled us to offer enhanced Cricket products and services, strengthen our retail presence in our existing markets and expand our distribution nationwide. Since originally introducing products in nationwide retailers in September 2011, we have determined to focus our efforts on those retailers that we believe provide the most attractive opportunities for our business. As a result, we reduced our total presence in the nationwide retail channel from approximately 13,000 locations at June 30, 2012 to approximately 5,000 locations at March 31, 2013.

Our business strategy includes our efforts to improve the experience we provide customers so that they choose to remain a Cricket customer for a longer period. As part of these efforts, we are improving our device activation process, the quality of our device portfolio, and the in-store and call center experience we provide for our customers. We are also focused on continually updating our product and service offerings to better meet the needs of current customers and to attract and retain new ones. Product and service offerings we have introduced in recent years include our Muve Music® unlimited music download service, the Lifeline service offerings we have introduced in a number of states, and the third-party device leasing program we introduced in our markets to help customers manage the cost of purchasing a handset. We are also focused on pursuing disciplined investment initiatives and remaining focused on our position as a low-cost provider of wireless telecommunications. We have increased pricing on our devices in an effort to better manage device subsidies and promote the addition of longer-tenured customers. In addition, we have streamlined and reduced our number of dealer locations to attempt to further increase sales activity for more productive locations. We also continue to enhance our network to allow us to provide customers with high-quality service. We are exploring cost-effective ways to deliver LTE services to additional customers in our network footprint, including by deploying facilities-based coverage and by entering into partnerships or joint ventures with other carriers. We have covered approximately 21 million POPs with next-generation LTE network technology and may cover up to an additional approximately 10 million POPs in 2013.

 

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The wireless telecommunications industry is very competitive. In general, we compete with national facilities-based wireless providers and their prepaid affiliates or brands, local and regional carriers, non-facilities-based mobile virtual network operators (or MVNOs), voice-over-internet-protocol (or VoIP) service providers, traditional landline service providers, cable companies and mobile satellite service providers. The evolving competitive landscape negatively impacted our financial and operating results in recent years and we have experienced net customer losses in each of the four most recent quarters. Our ability to remain competitive will depend, in part, on our ability to anticipate and respond to various competitive factors and to keep our costs low. During the third quarter of 2012, we increased pricing on our devices in an effort to better manage our device subsidy and promote the addition of longer-tenured customers, although such changes have also had the effect of decreasing gross customer additions. We also introduced new pricing plans for our service offerings, which included new features such as visual voicemail on certain smartphones, enhanced international calling plans, and supplemental data packages, and we enhanced our Muve Music® service, which is now offered for no additional cost in service plans for our Android-based smartphones. In addition, through a third party we have introduced a device leasing program in our markets to help customers manage the cost of purchasing handsets, and we plan to expand the availability and type of handset financing programs we offer in 2013. The extent to which these initiatives and others we may introduce will positively impact our future financial and operational results will depend upon our continued efforts to enhance the productivity of our distribution channels, continued customer acceptance of our product and service offerings, and our ability to retain these customers. The evolving competitive landscape may result in more competitive pricing, slower growth, higher costs and increased customer turnover. Any of these results or actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our customer activity is influenced by seasonal effects related to traditional retail selling periods and other factors that arise in connection with our target customer base. Based on historical results, we generally expect new sales activity to be highest in the first and fourth quarters, although during 2012 we experienced our lowest customer activity during the fourth quarter due, in part, to pricing changes we introduced in the third quarter which reduced the amount of subsidy we provide on devices. Based on historical results, we also generally expect churn to be highest in the third quarter and lowest in the first quarter. Sales activity and churn, however, can be strongly affected by other factors, including changes in service plan pricing, device availability, economic conditions, high unemployment (particularly in the lower-income segment of our customer base) and competitive actions, any of which may either offset or magnify certain seasonal effects. Customer activity can also be strongly affected by promotional and retention efforts that we undertake. For example, from time to time, we lower the price on select smartphones for customers who activate a new line of service and then transfer phone numbers previously used with other carriers. This type of promotion is intended to drive significant, new customer activity for our smartphone handsets and their accompanying higher-priced service plans. We also frequently offer existing customers the opportunity to activate an additional line of voice service on a previously activated Cricket device not currently in service. Customers accepting this offer receive a free first month of service on the additional line of service after paying an activation fee. We also utilize retention programs to encourage existing customers whose service may have been suspended for failure to timely pay to continue service with us for a reduced or free amount. The design, size and duration of our promotional and retention programs vary over time in response to changing market conditions. We believe that our promotional and retention efforts, including those efforts described above, have generally provided and continue to provide important long-term benefits to us, including by helping us attract new customers for our wireless services or by extending the period of time over which customers use our services, thus allowing us to obtain additional revenue from handsets we have already sold. The success of any of these activities depends upon many factors, including the costs that we incur to attract or retain customers and the length of time these customers continue to use our services. Sales activity that would otherwise have been expected based on seasonal trends can also be negatively impacted by factors such as the billing system disruptions we experienced in 2011, promotional and retention efforts not performing as expected at various times in 2012, device quality issues, and the inventory shortages for or unavailability of certain of our strongest-selling devices we have experienced at various times.

Our principal sources of liquidity are our existing unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and cash generated from operations. See “—Liquidity and Capital Resources” below.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our discussion and analysis of our results of operations and liquidity and capital resources are based on our condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP. These principles require us to make estimates and judgments that affect our reported amounts of assets and liabilities, our disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities and our reported amounts of revenues and expenses. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates and judgments, including those related to revenue recognition and the valuation of deferred tax assets, long-lived assets and indefinite-lived intangible assets. We base our estimates on historical and anticipated results and trends and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, including assumptions as to future events. These estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of

 

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assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. By their nature, estimates are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. Actual results may differ from our estimates. Since the filing of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 on February 25, 2013, there have been no significant changes to our critical accounting policies and estimates.

 

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Results of Operations

Operating Items

The following table summarizes operating data for our condensed consolidated operations for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands, except percentages):

 

    Three Months Ended March 31,  
          % of 2013           % of 2012        
          Service           Service     Change  
    2013     Revenues     2012     Revenues     Dollars     Percent  

Revenues:

           

Service revenues

  $ 684,622        $ 773,998        $ (89,376     (11.5 )% 

Equipment revenues

    105,236          51,621          53,615        103.9
 

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

    789,858          825,619          (35,761     (4.3 )% 
 

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses:

           

Cost of service

    250,858        36.6     261,311        33.8     (10,453     (4.0 )% 

Cost of equipment

    258,968        37.8     247,847        32.0     11,121        4.5

Selling and marketing

    78,838        11.5     95,554        12.3     (16,716     (17.5 )% 

General and administrative

    82,225        12.0     89,699        11.6     (7,474     (8.3 )% 

Depreciation and amortization

    152,573        22.3     146,543        18.9     6,030        4.1

Impairments and other charges

    735        0.1     —          —       735        *   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

    824,197        120.4     840,954        108.7     (16,757     (2.0 )% 

Gain (loss) on sale, exchange or disposal of assets, net

    4,988        0.7     (468     (0.1 )%      5,456        *   
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating loss

  $ (29,351     (4.3 )%    $ (15,803     (2.0 )%    $ (13,548     85.7
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

* Percentage change is not meaningful.

The following table summarizes customer activity for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012:

 

                  Change  

For the Three Months Ended March 31, (1)

   2013     2012      Amount     Percent  

Gross customer additions

     473,881        859,547         (385,666     (44.9 )% 

Net customer additions (losses)

     (93,037     258,060         (351,097     *   

Weighted-average number of customers

     5,213,605        6,025,427         (811,822     (13.5 )% 

As of March 31,

         

Total customers

     5,203,747        6,192,073         (988,326     (16.0 )% 

 

* Percentage change is not meaningful.
(1) We recognize a gross customer addition for each Cricket Wireless, Cricket Broadband and Cricket PAYGo line of service activated by a customer.

 

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Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2012

Gross Customer Additions

Gross customer additions for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were 473,881 compared to 859,547 for the corresponding period of the prior year. The 44.9% decrease in the number of gross customer additions was primarily attributable to higher pricing on our entry-level smartphones, continued de-emphasis of our Cricket Broadband service, our narrowed focus on offering our products in fewer nationwide retail locations and the discontinuation of our daily PAYGo product.

Net Customer Additions (Losses)

Net customer losses for the three months ended March 31, 2013 were 93,037 compared to net customer additions of 258,060 for the corresponding period of the prior year. The change was primarily due to the decrease in gross customer additions discussed above and slightly higher churn levels.

Service Revenues

Service revenues decreased $89.4 million, or 11.5%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. This decrease resulted from a 13.5% decrease in the weighted-average number of customers, partially offset by a 2.7% increase in ARPU.

Equipment Revenues

Equipment revenues increased $53.6 million, or 103.9%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. This increase resulted primarily from a 197.5% increase in average revenue per device sold due to uptake of our higher-priced devices, partially offset by a 31.5% decrease in the number of devices sold to new and upgrading customers.

Cost of Service

Cost of service decreased $10.5 million, or 4.0%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. As a percentage of service revenues, such expenses increased to 36.6% from 33.8% in the prior year period. The increase in cost of service as a percentage of service revenues resulted primarily from a 13.5% decrease in the weighted-average number of customers.

Cost of Equipment

Cost of equipment increased $11.1 million, or 4.5%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. This increase was primarily due to increased uptake of our higher-priced devices, partially offset by a decrease in the number of devices sold to new and upgrading customers discussed above.

Selling and Marketing Expenses

Selling and marketing expenses decreased $16.7 million, or 17.5%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. As a percentage of service revenues, such expenses decreased to 11.5% from 12.3% in the prior year period. These decreases were largely attributable to our cost management initiatives.

General and Administrative Expenses

General and administrative expenses decreased $7.5 million, or 8.3%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year, primarily due to continued benefits from our cost management initiatives. As a percentage of service revenues, such expenses slightly increased to 12.0% from 11.6% in the prior year period, primarily due to the decrease in service revenues discussed above.

 

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Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense increased $6.0 million, or 4.1%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. The increase in depreciation and amortization expense was due primarily to network upgrades which related, in part, to our deployment of next-generation LTE technology.

Impairments and Other Charges

During the three months ended March 31, 2013, we incurred $0.7 million in restructuring charges related to lease exit costs associated with cellular sites that were no longer being developed or utilized and administrative facilities that were no longer being used.

Gain (Loss) on Sale, Exchange or Disposal of Assets, Net

During the three months ended March 31, 2013, we recognized a gain of $6.8 million in connection with the exchange of various spectrum with a subsidiary of T-Mobile USA, Inc., or T-Mobile, and Cellco Partnership dba Verizon Wireless, or Verizon Wireless. For more information regarding this transaction, see the discussion below under “Liquidity and Capital Resources - Capital Expenditures, Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions.” This gain was partially offset by a loss of $1.8 million relating to the disposal of certain property and equipment. During the three months ended March 31, 2012, we recognized a loss of $0.5 million from the disposal of certain property and equipment.

Non-Operating Items

The following table summarizes non-operating data for our condensed consolidated operations for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012     Change  

Equity in net income (loss) of investees, net

   $ (1,158   $ 193      $ (1,351

Interest income

     47        29        18   

Interest expense

     (64,725     (67,042     2,317   

Income tax expense

     (14,420     (11,711     (2,709

Three Months Ended March 31, 2013 Compared to Three Months Ended March 31, 2012

Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Investees, Net

Equity in net income (loss) of investees, net reflects our share of net income or losses of regional wireless service providers in which we hold investments.

Interest Expense

Interest expense decreased $2.3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. The decrease in interest expense primarily resulted from the refinancing in October 2012 of our $300 million in aggregate principal amount of 10% senior notes due 2015 with the $400 million senior secured B term loan facility under the credit agreement we entered into in October 2012, as amended, or the Credit Agreement, which bears interest at a lower rate.

Income Tax Expense

During the three months ended March 31, 2013, we recorded income tax expense of $14.4 million compared to $11.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2012. The $2.7 million increase was primarily due to a nonrecurring $2.6 million tax expense associated with the tax deferral of the gain associated with the exchange of various spectrum with T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, offset in part by a net reduction in deferred tax liabilities associated with our joint ventures.

Unrestricted Subsidiaries

In July 2011, Leap’s board of directors designated Cricket Music Holdco, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cricket, or Cricket Music) and Cricket Music’s wholly-owned subsidiary Muve USA, LLC, or Muve USA, as “Unrestricted Subsidiaries” under the indentures governing our senior notes. Cricket Music, Muve USA and their subsidiaries are also designated as

 

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“Unrestricted Subsidiaries” under the Credit Agreement. Cricket Music and Muve USA hold certain hardware, software and intellectual property relating to our Muve Music service. During the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, Cricket Music and Muve USA had no operations or revenues. Therefore, the most significant components of the financial position and results of operations of our unrestricted subsidiaries were property and equipment and depreciation expense. As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, property and equipment of our unrestricted subsidiaries was $3.8 million and $4.9 million, respectively. As of March 31, 2013, our unrestricted subsidiaries also had $0.9 million, $0.5 million and $0.5 million of current assets, current liabilities and long-term liabilities, respectively. For each of the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, depreciation expense of our unrestricted subsidiaries was $1.1 million, resulting in a net loss $1.1 million.

Customer Recognition and Disconnect Policies

We recognize a new customer as a gross addition in the month that he or she activates a Cricket service. We recognize a gross customer addition for each Cricket Wireless, Cricket Broadband and Cricket PAYGo line of service activated.

For our Cricket Wireless and Cricket Broadband services, the customer must pay his or her service amount by the payment due date or his or her service will be suspended. These customers, however, may elect to purchase our BridgePay service, which entitles them to an additional seven days of service. When service is suspended, the customer is generally not able to make or receive calls or access the internet. Any call attempted by a suspended customer is routed directly to our customer service center in order to arrange payment. If a new customer does not pay all amounts due on the first bill he or she receives after initial activation within 30 days of the due date, the account is disconnected and deducted from gross customer additions during the month in which the customer’s service was discontinued. If a customer has made payment on the first bill received after initial activation and in a subsequent month does not pay all amounts due within 30 days of the due date, the account is disconnected and counted as churn. For Cricket Wireless customers who have elected to use BridgePay to receive an additional seven days of service, those customers must still pay all amounts otherwise due on their account within 30 days of the original due date or their account will also be disconnected and counted as churn. Pay-in-advance customers who ask to terminate their service are disconnected when their paid service period ends.

Customers for our Cricket PAYGo service generally have 60 days from the date they activated their account, were charged a daily or monthly access fee for service or last “topped-up” their account (whichever is later) to do so again, or they will have their account suspended for a subsequent 60-day period before being disconnected.

Customer turnover, frequently referred to as churn, is an important business metric in the telecommunications industry because it can have significant financial effects. Because we do not require customers to sign fixed-term contracts or pass a credit check, our service is available to a broad customer base and, as a result, some of our customers may be more likely to have their service terminated due to an inability to pay.

Performance Measures

In managing our business and assessing our financial performance, management supplements the information provided by financial statement measures with several customer-focused performance metrics that are widely used in the telecommunications industry. These metrics include ARPU, which measures average service revenue per customer; CPGA, which measures the average cost of acquiring a new customer; cash costs per user per month, or CCU, which measures the non-selling cash cost of operating our business on a per customer basis; churn, which measures turnover in our customer base; and adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization, or OIBDA, which measures operating performance. ARPU, CPGA, CCU and adjusted OIBDA are non-GAAP financial measures. A non-GAAP financial measure, within the meaning of Item 10 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC, is a numerical measure of a company’s financial performance or cash flows that (a) excludes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of excluding amounts, which are included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of comprehensive income or consolidated statements of cash flows; or (b) includes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of including amounts, which are excluded from the most directly comparable measure so calculated and presented. See “Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for a reconciliation of ARPU, CPGA, CCU and adjusted OIBDA to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

ARPU is service revenues, less pass-through regulatory fees and telecommunications taxes, divided by the weighted-average number of customers, divided by the number of months during the period being measured. Management uses ARPU to identify average revenue per customer, to track changes in average customer revenues over time, to help evaluate how changes in our business, including changes in our service offerings, affect average revenue per customer, and to forecast future service revenue. In addition, ARPU provides management with a useful measure to compare our subscriber revenue to that of other wireless communications providers. Our customers are generally disconnected from service after a specified period following

 

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their failure to either pay a monthly bill or replenish, or “top-up,” their account. Because our calculation of weighted-average number of customers includes customers who are not currently paying for service but who have not yet been disconnected from service because they have not paid their last bill or have not replenished their account, ARPU may appear lower during periods in which we have significant disconnect activity. We believe investors use ARPU primarily as a tool to track changes in our average revenue per customer and to compare our per customer service revenues to those of other wireless communications providers. Other companies may calculate this measure differently.

CPGA is selling and marketing costs (excluding applicable share-based compensation expense or benefit included in selling and marketing expense), and equipment subsidy (generally defined as cost of equipment less equipment revenue), less the net loss on equipment transactions and third-party commissions unrelated to customer acquisition, divided by the total number of gross new customer additions during the period being measured. The net loss on equipment transactions unrelated to customer acquisition includes the revenues and costs associated with the sale of wireless devices to existing customers as well as costs associated with device replacements and repairs (other than warranty costs, which are the responsibility of the device manufacturers). Third-party commissions unrelated to customer acquisition are commissions paid to third parties for certain activities related to the continuing service of customers. We deduct customers who do not pay the first bill they receive following initial activation from our gross customer additions in the month in which they are disconnected, which tends to increase CPGA because we incur the costs associated with a new customer without receiving the benefit of a gross customer addition. Management uses CPGA to measure the efficiency of our customer acquisition efforts, to track changes in our average cost of acquiring new subscribers over time, and to help evaluate how changes in our sales and distribution strategies affect the cost-efficiency of our customer acquisition efforts. In addition, CPGA provides management with a useful measure to compare our per customer acquisition costs with those of other wireless communications providers. We believe investors use CPGA primarily as a tool to track changes in our average cost of acquiring new customers and to compare our per customer acquisition costs to those of other wireless communications providers. Other companies may calculate this measure differently.

CCU is cost of service and general and administrative costs (excluding applicable share-based compensation expense or benefit included in cost of service and general and administrative expense) plus net loss on equipment transactions and third-party commissions unrelated to customer acquisition (which includes the gain or loss on the sale of devices to existing customers, costs associated with device replacements and repairs (other than warranty costs which are the responsibility of the device manufacturers) and commissions paid to third parties for certain activities related to the continuing service of customers), less pass-through regulatory fees and telecommunications taxes, divided by the weighted-average number of customers, divided by the number of months during the period being measured. CCU does not include any depreciation and amortization expense. Management uses CCU as a tool to evaluate the non-selling cash expenses associated with ongoing business operations on a per customer basis, to track changes in these non-selling cash costs over time, and to help evaluate how changes in our business operations affect non-selling cash costs per customer. In addition, CCU provides management with a useful measure to compare our non-selling cash costs per customer with those of other wireless communications providers. We believe investors use CCU primarily as a tool to track changes in our non-selling cash costs over time and to compare our non-selling cash costs to those of other wireless communications providers. Other companies may calculate this measure differently.

Churn, which measures customer turnover, is calculated as the net number of customers that disconnect from our service divided by the weighted-average number of customers divided by the number of months during the period being measured. Customers who do not pay the first bill they receive following initial activation are deducted from our gross customer additions in the month in which they are disconnected; as a result, these customers are not included in churn. Customers of our Cricket Wireless and Cricket Broadband service are generally disconnected from service approximately 30 days after failing to pay a monthly bill, and pay-in-advance customers who ask to terminate their service are disconnected when their paid service period ends. Cricket PAYGo customers generally have 60 days from the date they activated their account, were charged a daily or monthly access fee for service or last “topped-up” their account (whichever is later) to do so again, or they will have their account suspended for a subsequent 60-day period before being disconnected. Management uses churn to measure our retention of customers, to measure changes in customer retention over time, and to help evaluate how changes in our business affect customer retention. In addition, churn provides management with a useful measure to compare our customer turnover activity to that of other wireless communications providers. We believe investors use churn primarily as a tool to track changes in our customer retention over time and to compare our customer retention to that of other wireless communications providers. Other companies may calculate this measure differently.

Adjusted OIBDA is a non-GAAP financial measure defined as operating income (loss) before depreciation and amortization, adjusted to exclude the effects of: (gain)/loss on sale, exchange or disposal of assets, net; impairments and other charges; and share-based compensation expense or benefit. Adjusted OIBDA should not be construed as an alternative to operating income (loss) or net income (loss) as determined in accordance with GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as determined in accordance with GAAP or as a measure of liquidity.

 

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In a capital-intensive industry such as wireless telecommunications, management believes that adjusted OIBDA, and the associated percentage margin calculations, are meaningful measures of our operating performance. We use adjusted OIBDA as a supplemental performance measure because management believes it facilitates comparisons of our operating performance from period to period and comparisons of our operating performance to that of other companies by backing out potential differences caused by the age and book depreciation of fixed assets (affecting relative depreciation expenses) as well as the items described above for which additional adjustments were made. While depreciation and amortization are considered operating costs under GAAP, these expenses primarily represent the non-cash current period allocation of costs associated with long-lived assets acquired or constructed in prior periods. Because adjusted OIBDA facilitates internal comparisons of our historical operating performance, management also uses this metric for business planning purposes and to measure our performance relative to that of our competitors. In addition, we believe that adjusted OIBDA and similar measures are widely used by investors, financial analysts and credit rating agencies as measures of our financial performance over time and to compare our financial performance with that of other companies in our industry.

Adjusted OIBDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations include:

 

    it does not reflect capital expenditures;

 

    although it does not include depreciation and amortization, the assets being depreciated and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future and adjusted OIBDA does not reflect cash requirements for such replacements;

 

    it does not reflect costs associated with share-based awards exchanged for employee services;

 

    it does not reflect the interest expense necessary to service interest or principal payments on indebtedness;

 

    it does not reflect expenses incurred for the payment of income taxes and other taxes; and

 

    other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate this measure differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.

Management understands these limitations and considers adjusted OIBDA as a financial performance measure that supplements but does not replace the information provided to management by our GAAP results.

The following table shows metric information for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 (unaudited; adjusted OIBDA in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  

ARPU

   $ 43.72      $ 42.59   

CPGA

   $ 317      $ 228   

CCU

   $ 26.36      $ 24.55   

Churn

     3.6     3.3

Adjusted OIBDA

   $ 121,083      $ 130,514   

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

We utilize certain financial measures, as described above, that are widely used in the telecommunications industry but that are not calculated based on GAAP. Certain of these financial measures are considered “non-GAAP” financial measures within the meaning of Item 10 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC.

 

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ARPU - The following table reconciles total service revenues used in the calculation of ARPU to service revenues, which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to ARPU (unaudited; in thousands, except weighted-average number of customers and ARPU):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  

Service revenues

   $ 684,622      $ 773,998   

Less pass-through regulatory fees and telecommunications taxes

     (855     (4,137
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total service revenues used in the calculation of ARPU

     683,767        769,861   

Weighted-average number of customers

     5,213,605        6,025,427   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

ARPU

   $ 43.72      $ 42.59   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CPGA - The following table reconciles total costs used in the calculation of CPGA to selling and marketing expense, which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to CPGA (unaudited; in thousands, except gross customer additions and CPGA):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  

Selling and marketing expense

   $ 78,838      $ 95,554   

Less share-based compensation expense included in selling and marketing expense

     (111     (23

Plus cost of equipment

     258,968        247,847   

Less equipment revenue

     (105,236     (51,621

Less net loss on equipment transactions and third-party commissions unrelated to customer acquisition

     (82,072     (96,097
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total costs used in the calculation of CPGA

   $ 150,387      $ 195,660   

Gross customer additions

     473,881        859,547   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CPGA

   $ 317      $ 228   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CCU - The following table reconciles total costs used in the calculation of CCU to cost of service, which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to CCU (unaudited; in thousands, except weighted-average number of customers and CCU):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  

Cost of service

   $ 250,858      $ 261,311   

Plus general and administrative expense

     82,225        89,699   

Less share-based compensation (expense) benefit included in cost of service and general and administrative expense

     (2,003     717   

Plus net loss on equipment transactions and third-party commissions unrelated to customer acquisition

     82,072        96,097   

Less pass-through regulatory fees and telecommunications taxes

     (855     (4,137
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total costs used in the calculation of CCU

   $ 412,297      $ 443,687   

Weighted-average number of customers

     5,213,605        6,025,427   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

CCU

   $ 26.36      $ 24.55   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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Adjusted OIBDA - The following table reconciles adjusted OIBDA to operating income (loss), which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to adjusted OIBDA (unaudited; in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
     2013     2012  

Operating loss

   $ (29,351   $ (15,803

Plus depreciation and amortization

     152,573        146,543   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

OIBDA

   $ 123,222      $ 130,740   

Plus (gain) loss on sale, exchange or disposal of assets, net

     (4,988     468   

Plus impairments and other charges

     735        —     

Plus share-based compensation expense (benefit)

     2,114        (694
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted OIBDA

   $ 121,083      $ 130,514   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

Our principal sources of liquidity are our existing unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments and cash generated from operations. From time to time we may generate additional liquidity through credit or capital markets transactions and asset sales. We had a total of $667.1 million in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as of March 31, 2013. We generated $28.0 million (as restated) of net cash from operating activities during the three months ended March 31, 2013 and expect cash generated from operations to continue to be a significant source of liquidity. We believe that our existing unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and short term investments, together with cash generated from operations, provide us with sufficient liquidity to meet the operating and capital requirements for our current business operations and current investment initiatives.

Our current investment initiatives include the ongoing maintenance and development of our network and other business assets to allow us to continue to provide customers with high-quality service. In addition, we are exploring cost-effective ways to deliver LTE services to customers in our network footprint. We have deployed LTE across approximately 21 million POPs in our network footprint and may launch the service to up to an additional approximately 10 million POPs in 2013. In addition, we may enter into partnerships or joint ventures with others to supplement our facilities-based LTE network coverage. We intend to be disciplined as we consider investment initiatives and to remain focused on our position as a low-cost provider of wireless telecommunications services. Total capital expenditures for 2013 are expected to be between $250 million and $300 million. For additional information regarding our projected capital expenditures for the next several years, see the discussion below under “— Capital Expenditures, Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions.”

In recent years, we have entered into agreements with significant purchase commitments, including an agreement with Apple to purchase an estimated $800 million of iPhone devices between June 2012 and June 2015 and an agreement with Sprint to purchase a minimum of $205 million of services between 2013 and 2015. Additional information regarding our purchase agreements with Apple and Sprint and other significant contracts and commitments we have entered into is set forth below under “— Capital Expenditures, Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions.”

We determine our future capital and operating requirements and liquidity based upon our current and projected financial and operating performance, the scope of our investment initiatives and the extent of our contractual commitments. There are a number of risks and uncertainties (including those set forth in “Part II - Item 1A. Risk Factors” of this report) that could cause our financial and operating results and capital or liquidity requirements to differ materially from our projections. If our future financial and operating performance is materially less favorable than our current projections, or if our capital requirements materially increase, we will likely be required to generate additional capital resources. In such an event, we would seek to increase our liquidity through a number of actions, including selling assets, including spectrum not currently utilized in our business operations or other business assets; delaying or reducing operating and capital expenditures; or pursuing other capital or credit markets activities.

We had $3,303.6 million in senior indebtedness outstanding as of March 31, 2013, which was comprised of $250 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014, $1,100 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016, $1,600 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.75% senior notes due 2020 and $399 million in aggregate principal amount of term loan borrowings outstanding under our Credit Agreement that mature in 2019.

 

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Subsequent to the quarter ended March 31, 2013, we borrowed an additional $1,425 million in aggregate principal amount of term loans under the Credit Agreement, issued a notice of redemption to redeem all of the 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016, discharged the indenture governing the 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016 and purchased $1.8 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 in a cash tender offer, as more fully described below. We may from time to time seek to purchase outstanding 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 through open-market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such purchases, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, our liquidity requirements and other factors.

Although our significant outstanding indebtedness results in risks to our business that could materially affect our financial condition and performance, we believe that these risks are manageable and that we are taking appropriate actions to monitor and address them. For example, in connection with our financial planning process and capital raising activities, we regularly review our business plans and forecasts to monitor our ability to service our debt and to assess our capacity to incur additional debt under our Credit Agreement and the indenture governing Cricket’s senior notes. In addition, because borrowings under our Credit Agreement bear interest at a floating rate, we review changes and trends in interest rates to evaluate possible hedging activities we could implement. We also regularly monitor the capital and credit markets for opportunities to refinance our existing indebtedness on favorable terms and extend the maturities of such indebtedness. As a result of the actions described above, and our expected cash generated from operations and other sources of liquidity, we believe we have the ability to effectively manage our levels of indebtedness and address risks to our business and financial condition related to our indebtedness.

Cash Flows (as restated)

Operating Activities

Net cash provided by operating activities decreased $29.7 million, or 51.5%, for the three months ended March 31, 2013 compared to the corresponding period of the prior year. This decrease was primarily attributable to the increase in our operating loss and changes in working capital.

Investing Activities

Net cash used in investing activities was $9.9 million during the three months ended March 31, 2013, which included the effects of the following transactions:

 

    We purchased $28.8 million of property and equipment for the ongoing maintenance and development of our network and other business assets.

 

    We made investment purchases of $65.8 million, offset by sales or maturities of investments of $84.7 million.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities was $6.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013, which included the effects of the following transactions:

 

    We made $3.8 million in distributions and loans to our joint venture partners.

 

    We repaid $1.0 million of the $400 million senior secured B term loans under our Credit Agreement.

 

    We made $1.6 million of capital lease payments.

Credit Agreement

On October 10, 2012, Cricket entered into the Credit Agreement with respect to a $400 million senior secured B term loan facility, which was fully drawn in October 2012 and matures in October 2019. B term loan borrowings under the Credit Agreement must be repaid in 27 quarterly installments of $1.0 million each, which commenced on March 31, 2013, followed by a final installment of $373.0 million at maturity.

On March 8, 2013, Cricket amended the Credit Agreement to provide for an incremental $1,425 million senior secured C term loan facility, which was fully drawn on April 15, 2013 and matures in March 2020. C term loan borrowings under the Credit Agreement must be repaid in 26 quarterly installments of $3.6 million each, commencing on September 30, 2013, followed by a final installment of $1,332.4 million at maturity. Approximately $1,185 million of the net proceeds from the C term loan facility were used to fund the redemption of all of Cricket’s $1,100 million of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016 (including accrued interest), as more fully described below. Remaining net proceeds may be used for general corporate purposes.

 

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Outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, plus 3.50% (subject to a LIBOR floor of 1.25% per annum) or at the bank base rate plus 2.50% (subject to a base rate floor of 2.25% per annum), as selected by Cricket. At March 31, 2013, the weighted average effective interest rate on outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement was 4.80%.

Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Leap and each of its existing and future wholly owned domestic subsidiaries (other than Cricket, which is the borrower) that guarantees any indebtedness of Leap, Cricket or any subsidiary guarantor or that constitutes a “significant subsidiary” as defined in Regulation S-X under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (subject to certain exceptions).

Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are effectively senior to all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ existing and future unsecured indebtedness (including Cricket’s $1,600 million aggregate principal amount of senior notes and, in the case of Leap, Leap’s $248.2 million aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes), as well as to all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ obligations under any permitted junior lien debt that may be incurred in the future, in each case to the extent of the value of the collateral securing the obligations under the Credit Agreement.

Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are secured on a first-priority basis, equally and ratably with any future parity lien debt that Leap, Cricket or the guarantors may incur, by liens on substantially all of the present and future personal property of Leap, Cricket and the guarantors, except for certain excluded assets and subject to permitted liens (including liens on the collateral securing any future permitted priority debt). Under the Credit Agreement, Leap, Cricket and the guarantors are permitted to incur liens securing indebtedness for borrowed money in an aggregate principal amount outstanding (including the aggregate principal amount outstanding under the Credit Agreement) of up to the greater of $1,750 million and 3.5 times Leap’s consolidated cash flow (excluding the consolidated cash flow of Cricket Music) for the prior four fiscal quarters.

Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are effectively junior to all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ obligations under any permitted priority debt that may be incurred in the future (up to the lesser of 0.30 times Leap’s consolidated cash flow (excluding the consolidated cash flow of STX Wireless and Cricket Music) for the prior four fiscal quarters and $300 million in aggregate principal amount outstanding), to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such permitted priority debt, as well as to existing and future liabilities of Leap’s and Cricket’s subsidiaries that are not guarantors (including STX Wireless and Cricket Music and their respective subsidiaries). In addition, borrowings under the Credit Agreement are senior in right of payment to any of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ future subordinated indebtedness.

Cricket has the right to prepay borrowings under the Credit Agreement, in whole or in part, at any time without premium or penalty, except that prepayments of B term loans in connection with a repricing transaction occurring on or prior to October 10, 2013 are subject to a prepayment premium of 1.00% of the principal amount of the borrowings so prepaid and prepayments of C term loans in connection with a repricing transaction occurring on or prior to March 8, 2014 are subject to a prepayment premium of 1.00% of the principal amount of the borrowings so prepaid.

Under the Credit Agreement, Leap and its restricted subsidiaries are subject to certain limitations, including limitations on their ability to: incur additional debt or sell assets, make certain investments, grant liens and pay dividends and make certain other restricted payments. In addition, Cricket will be required to pay down the facility under certain circumstances if Leap and its restricted subsidiaries issue debt, sell assets or property, receive certain extraordinary receipts or generate excess cash flow (as defined in the Credit Agreement).

The Credit Agreement also provides for an event of default upon the occurrence of a change of control, which includes the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of Leap’s equity securities (other than a transaction where immediately after such transaction Leap will be a wholly owned subsidiary of a person of which no person or group is the beneficial owner of 35% or more of such person’s voting stock), a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a change in a majority of the members of Leap’s board of directors that is not approved by the board. If the indebtedness under the Credit Agreement was accelerated prior to maturity as a result of such change of control, this would give rise to an event of default under the indentures governing our senior notes and convertible notes.

 

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Senior Notes

Discharge of Indenture and Loss on Extinguishment of Debt

On April 15, 2013, in connection with Cricket’s borrowing of C term loans under the Credit Agreement, Cricket issued a notice of redemption to redeem all of its $1,100 million of 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016 in accordance with the optional redemption provisions governing the notes at a redemption price of 103.875% of the principal amount of outstanding notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date of May 15, 2013. Also on April 15, 2013, Cricket deposited approximately $1,185 million with the trustee for the notes to fund the redemption price (including accrued interest) and the indenture governing the notes was satisfied and discharged in accordance with its terms. As a result of this redemption, we estimate that we will incur a loss on extinguishment of debt of approximately $70 million, which will be recorded in the second quarter of 2013.

Convertible Senior Notes Due 2014

In June 2008, Leap issued $250 million of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 in a private placement to institutional buyers. The notes bear interest at the rate of 4.50% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears, which interest payments commenced in January 2009. The notes are Leap’s general unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of Leap’s existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness and senior in right of payment to all indebtedness that is contractually subordinated to the notes. The notes are structurally subordinated to the existing and future claims of Leap’s subsidiaries’ creditors, including under the Credit Agreement and the unsecured senior notes described below. The notes are effectively junior to all of Leap’s existing and future secured obligations, including those under the Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations.

Holders may convert their notes into shares of Leap common stock at any time on or prior to the third scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date of the notes, July 15, 2014. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of Leap common stock is less than or equal to approximately $93.21 per share, the notes will be convertible into 10.7290 shares of Leap common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the notes (referred to as the “base conversion rate”), subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of Leap common stock exceeds approximately $93.21 per share, the conversion rate will be determined pursuant to a formula based on the base conversion rate and an incremental share factor of 8.3150 shares per $1,000 principal amount of the notes, subject to adjustment.

Leap may be required to repurchase all outstanding notes in cash at a repurchase price of 100% of the principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the repurchase date if (1) any person acquires beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of shares of Leap’s capital stock that would entitle the person to exercise 50% or more of the total voting power of all of Leap’s capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors, (2) Leap (i) merges or consolidates with or into any other person, another person merges with or into Leap, or Leap conveys, sells, transfers or leases all or substantially all of its assets to another person or (ii) engages in any recapitalization, reclassification or other transaction in which all or substantially all of Leap common stock is exchanged for or converted into cash, securities or other property, in each case subject to limitations and excluding in the case of (1) and (2) any merger or consolidation where at least 90% of the consideration consists of shares of common stock traded on NYSE, ASE or NASDAQ, (3) a majority of the members of Leap’s board of directors ceases to consist of individuals who were directors on the date of original issuance of the notes or whose election or nomination for election was previously approved by the board of directors, (4) Leap is liquidated or dissolved or holders of common stock approve any plan or proposal for its liquidation or dissolution or (5) shares of Leap common stock are not listed for trading on any of the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ Global Market or the NASDAQ Global Select Market (or any of their respective successors). Leap may not redeem the notes at its option.

On March 26, 2013, Leap launched a tender offer to purchase, for cash, any and all of its $250 million of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 at a purchase price of $1,005 per $1,000 principal amount of notes tendered plus accrued interest. On April 23, 2013, we purchased $1.8 million in aggregate principal amount of unsecured convertible senior notes due 2014 pursuant to the tender offer. We may from time to time seek to purchase outstanding 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 through open-market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. Such purchases, if any, will depend on prevailing market conditions, our liquidity requirements and other factors.

Unsecured Senior Notes Due 2020

In November 2010, Cricket issued $1,200 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2020 in a private placement to institutional buyers at an issue price of 98.323% of the principal amount, which were exchanged in January 2011 for identical notes that had been registered with the SEC. The $20.1 million discount to the net proceeds we received in connection with the issuance of the

 

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notes has been recorded in long-term debt, net in the condensed consolidated financial statements and is being accreted as an increase to interest expense over the term of the notes. In May 2011, Cricket issued an additional $400 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2020 in a private placement to institutional buyers at an issue price of 99.193% of the principal amount, which were exchanged in November 2011 for identical notes that had been registered with the SEC. The $3.2 million discount to the net proceeds we received in connection with the issuance of the additional notes was recorded in long-term debt, net in the condensed consolidated financial statements and is being accreted as an increase to interest expense over the term of the notes. At March 31, 2013, the effective interest rates on the initial $1,200 million tranche and the additional $400 million tranche of the notes were 7.86% and 7.80%, respectively, both of which include the effect of the discount accretion.

The notes bear interest at the rate of 7.75% per year, payable semi-annually in cash in arrears, which interest payments commenced in April 2011. The notes are guaranteed on an unsecured senior basis by Leap and each of its existing and future domestic subsidiaries (other than Cricket, which is the issuer of the notes) that guarantees indebtedness of Leap, Cricket or any subsidiary guarantor. The notes and the guarantees are Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ general senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ existing and future unsubordinated unsecured indebtedness. The notes and the guarantees are effectively junior to Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ existing and future secured obligations, including those under the Credit Agreement, to the extent of the value of the assets securing such obligations, as well as to existing and future liabilities of Leap’s and Cricket’s subsidiaries that are not guarantors (including STX Wireless and Cricket Music and their respective subsidiaries). In addition, the notes and the guarantees are senior in right of payment to any of Leap’s, Cricket’s and the guarantors’ future subordinated indebtedness.

Prior to October 15, 2013, Cricket may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes at a redemption price of 107.750% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date, from the net cash proceeds of specified equity offerings. Prior to October 15, 2015, Cricket may redeem the notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the applicable premium and any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date. The applicable premium is calculated as the greater of (i) 1.0% of the principal amount of such notes and (ii) the excess of (a) the present value at such date of redemption of (1) the redemption price of such notes at October 15, 2015 plus (2) all remaining required interest payments due on such notes through October 15, 2015 (excluding accrued but unpaid interest to the date of redemption), computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 50 basis points, over (b) the principal amount of such notes. The notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time on or after October 15, 2015, at a redemption price of 103.875%, 102.583% and 101.292% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed during the twelve months beginning on October 15, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, or at 100% of the principal amount if redeemed during the twelve months beginning on October 15, 2018 or thereafter, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the redemption date.

If a “change of control” occurs (which includes the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of Leap’s equity securities (other than a transaction where immediately after such transaction Leap will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of a person of which no person or group is the beneficial owner of 35% or more of such person’s voting stock), a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a change in a majority of the members of Leap’s board of directors that is not approved by the board), each holder of the notes may require Cricket to repurchase all of such holder’s notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the repurchase date.

The indenture governing the notes limits, among other things, our ability to: incur additional debt; create liens or other encumbrances; place limitations on distributions from restricted subsidiaries; pay dividends; make investments; prepay subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments; issue or sell capital stock of restricted subsidiaries; issue guarantees; sell assets; enter into transactions with our affiliates; and make acquisitions or merge or consolidate with another entity.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Non-Financial Assets

As more fully described in Note 5 to our condensed consolidated financial statements included in “Part I — Item 1. Financial Statements” of this report, we apply the authoritative guidance for fair value measurements to our assets and liabilities. The guidance defines fair value as an exit price, which is the price that would be received upon the sale of an asset or paid upon the transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The degree of judgment utilized in measuring the fair value of assets and liabilities generally correlates to the level of pricing observability. Assets and liabilities with readily available, actively quoted prices or for which fair value can be measured from actively quoted prices in active markets generally have more pricing observability and require less judgment in measuring fair value. Conversely, assets and liabilities that are rarely traded or not quoted have less pricing observability and are generally measured at fair value using valuation models that require more judgment. These valuation techniques involve some level of management estimation and judgment, the degree of which is dependent on the price transparency of the asset, liability or market and the nature of the asset or liability.

 

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We have categorized our assets and liabilities measured at fair value into a three-level hierarchy in accordance with the authoritative guidance for fair value measurements. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities are generally categorized as Level 1; assets and liabilities measured at fair value using observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data for similar assets or liabilities are generally categorized as Level 2; and assets and liabilities measured at fair value using unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by market data are generally categorized as Level 3. Such Level 3 assets and liabilities have values determined using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques, and include instruments for which the determination of fair value requires significant management judgment and estimation. As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, none of our financial assets required fair value to be measured using Level 3 inputs.

Generally, our results of operations are not significantly impacted by our assets and liabilities accounted for at fair value due to the nature of each asset and liability.

We continue to report our long-term debt obligations at amortized cost and disclose the fair value of such obligations.

Capital Expenditures, Significant Acquisitions and Other Transactions

Capital Expenditures

During the three months ended March 31, 2013, we incurred $28.8 million in capital expenditures. These capital expenditures were primarily for the ongoing maintenance and development of our network and other business assets.

Total capital expenditures for 2013 are expected to be between $250 million and $300 million. These capital expenditures are primarily expected to support the ongoing maintenance and development of our network and other business assets, our deployment of LTE network technology and other capital projects.

We are generally targeting annual capital expenditures over the next several years to support the ongoing maintenance and development of our network and other business assets (excluding capital expenditures relating to LTE technology) in the amount of approximately 10% of annual service revenues. The actual amount of capital expenditures we spend in future years for these purposes may vary as a result of numerous factors, including our then-available capital resources and customer usage of our network resources.

We have deployed LTE network technology across approximately 21 million POPs and are exploring cost-effective ways to deliver LTE services to additional customers. We may deploy LTE across up to an additional approximately 10 million POPs in our network footprint in 2013 (with such potential plans included in our projected total capital expenditures for 2013 above). Capital expenditures for the deployment of LTE are currently anticipated to be less than $10 per covered POP. In addition, we have entered into LTE roaming and wholesale arrangements and we may enter into partnerships or joint ventures with other carriers. We intend to be disciplined as we pursue delivery of additional LTE services to our customers and to remain focused on our position as a low-cost provider of wireless telecommunications. The extent to which we pursue additional facilities-based LTE coverage and the actual amount we spend will depend upon multiple factors, including the scope and pace of any deployment activities and the availability of partnerships or joint ventures with others.

Other Transactions

On March 25, 2013, we completed an intra-market license exchange with T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless involving various markets in Philadelphia, Wilmington and Atlantic City. The licenses involved in the exchange had a carrying value of $136.2 million and we recognized a gain of $6.8 million in connection with the transaction.

iPhone Purchase Commitment

In May 2012, we entered into a three-year iPhone purchase commitment with Apple. The commitment began upon our launch of sales of the iPhone in June 2012. Based on our current handset purchase and sales mix and current iPhone device pricing, we estimate that the commitment would require us to purchase approximately $800 million of iPhones, with annual commitments during the three-year period that increase moderately in the second and third years. We project that the minimum number of iPhones that we are required to purchase from Apple over the term of the commitment would represent 10% or less of the total number of handsets we expect to sell to new and upgrading customers over the period of the commitment and for approximately one year thereafter. The actual amount that we spend and the number of devices that we purchase over the term

 

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of the commitment will depend on many factors, including customer acceptance and availability of current and future versions of the device, future costs for the device, the success of our marketing and advertising efforts, customer demand for devices offered by other manufacturers and other factors.

At our current purchase rate, we would purchase approximately one-half of our first-year minimum purchase commitment through June 2013, although the actual amount of our purchases will depend on the factors described above. At our current purchase rate, our iPhone purchases for the first year would be approximately $100 million below our first-year minimum purchase commitment; for the second year, approximately $150 million below our second-year minimum purchase commitment; and for the third year, approximately $200 million below our third-year minimum purchase commitment. We believe, however, that we will be able to increase our current iPhone sales rate and purchase and sell the total required number of devices over the three-year period of the commitment and for a subsequent one-year inventory sell-through period. We are pursuing a number of programs to expand sales volume, including exploring expanded device leasing and financing programs and working with Apple to increase our advertising and promotional programs to increase awareness of our iPhone offering. In addition, if Apple introduces an AWS- compatible version of the iPhone in the future, we will be able to sell the device in additional markets covering approximately 40% of our covered POPs. We may also seek to amend the requirements under, or extend the term of, our purchase commitment, although our current capital and liquidity projections do not assume that such a modification will occur.

Wholesale Agreement

In August 2010, we entered into a wholesale agreement with an affiliate of Sprint Nextel which we use to offer Cricket services in nationwide retailers outside of our current network footprint. The initial term of the wholesale agreement runs until December 31, 2015, and automatically renews for successive one-year periods unless either party provides 180-day advance notice to the other. Under the agreement, we pay Sprint a specified amount per month for each subscriber activated on its network, subject to periodic market-based adjustments. We have agreed, among other things, to purchase a minimum of $300 million of wholesale services over the initial five-year term of the agreement with the following annual minimum purchase commitments: $20 million in 2011; $75 million in 2012; $80 million in 2013; $75 million in 2014; and $50 million in 2015. We entered into an amendment to the wholesale agreement in February 2013 to enable us to purchase 4G LTE services. In addition, under the amendment, we can credit up to $162 million of revenue we provide Sprint under other existing commercial arrangements against the minimum purchase commitment. Any wholesale revenue we provide to Sprint in a given year above the minimum purchase commitment for that particular year is credited to the next succeeding year. However, to the extent our revenues were to fall beneath the applicable commitment amount for any given year, excess revenues from a subsequent year could not be carried back to offset such shortfall.

Our obligation to provide the minimum purchase amount for any calendar year is subject to Sprint’s compliance with specified covenants in the wholesale agreement. Based upon a review of information provided to us by Sprint, we informed Sprint that certain of those covenants had not been met in 2012 and that, as a result, we were not subject to the minimum purchase commitment for that year. Sprint disputed that assertion. In February 2013, the parties resolved this matter.

In addition, in the event we are involved in a change-of-control transaction with another facilities-based wireless carrier with annual revenues of at least $500 million in the fiscal year preceding the date of the change of control agreement (other than MetroPCS Communications, Inc., or MetroPCS), either we (or our successor in interest) or Sprint may terminate the wholesale agreement within 60 days following the closing of such a transaction. In connection with any such termination, we (or our successor in interest) would be required to pay to Sprint a specified percentage of the remaining aggregate minimum purchase commitment, with the percentage to be paid depending on the year in which the change of control agreement was entered into, being 20% for any such agreement entered into in 2013 and 10% for any such agreement entered into in 2014 or 2015.

In the event that we are involved in a change-of-control transaction with MetroPCS during the term of the wholesale agreement, then the agreement would continue in full force and effect, subject to certain revisions, including, without limitation, an increase to the total minimum purchase commitment to $350 million, taking into account any revenue contributed by Cricket prior to the date thereof. In the event Sprint is involved in a change-of-control transaction, the agreement would bind Sprint’s successor-in-interest.

STX Wireless Joint Venture

Cricket service is offered in South Texas by our joint venture STX Operations, which Cricket controls through a 75.75% membership interest in its parent company STX Wireless. The joint venture was created in October 2010 through the contribution by us and various entities doing business as Pocket Communications, or Pocket, of substantially all of our respective wireless spectrum and operating assets in the South Texas region. In exchange for such contributions, Cricket received a 75.75% controlling membership interest in STX Wireless and Pocket received a 24.25% non-controlling membership interest. Additionally, in connection with the transaction, we made payments to Pocket of $40.7 million in cash.

 

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Cricket controls and manages the joint venture under the terms of the amended and restated limited liability company agreement of STX Wireless, or the STX LLC Agreement. Under the STX LLC Agreement, Pocket has the right to put, and we have the right to call, all of Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless, which rights are generally exercisable on or after April 1, 2014. In addition, in the event of a change of control of Leap, Pocket is obligated to sell to us all of its membership interests in STX Wireless. The purchase price for Pocket’s membership interests would be equal to 24.25% of the product of Leap’s enterprise value-to-revenue multiple for the four most recently completed fiscal quarters multiplied by the total revenues of STX Wireless and its subsidiaries over that same period, subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. In the event optional cash distributions are made to the members of STX Wireless pursuant to the STX LLC Agreement, the purchase price is reduced by the total amount of such distributions made to Pocket plus an amount equal to an 8.0% per annum return on each such distribution from the date it was made. The purchase price is payable in either cash, Leap common stock or a combination thereof, as determined by Cricket in its discretion (provided that, if permitted by Cricket’s debt instruments, at least $25 million of the purchase price must be paid in cash). We have the right to deduct from or set off against the purchase price certain distributions made to Pocket, as well as any obligations owed to us by Pocket. Under the STX LLC Agreement, Cricket is permitted to purchase Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless over multiple closings in the event that the block of shares of Leap common stock issuable to Pocket at the closing of the purchase would be greater than 9.9% of the total number of shares of Leap common stock then issued and outstanding.

To the extent the redemption price for Pocket’s non-controlling membership interest varies from the value of Pocket’s net interest in STX Wireless at any period (after the attribution of profits or losses), the value of such interest is accreted to the redemption price for such interest with a corresponding adjustment to additional paid-in capital. For the three months ended March 31, 2013 and for the year ended December 31, 2012, we recorded a net accretion expense of $0.5 million and a net accretion benefit of $0.7 million, respectively, to bring the carrying value of Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless to its estimated redemption value.

In accordance with the STX LLC Agreement, STX Wireless made pro-rata tax distributions of $8.8 million and $2.8 million to Cricket and Pocket, respectively, in connection with their estimated tax liabilities resulting from STX Wireless’ earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2013. No tax distributions were made during the three months ended March 31, 2012. We recorded the tax distribution to Pocket as an adjustment to additional paid-in-capital in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and as a component of accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests and distributions, net of tax, in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The distributions made to Cricket were eliminated in consolidation.

On July 12, 2012, STX Wireless made an optional pro-rata cash distribution of $50.7 million and $16.2 million to Cricket and Pocket, respectively. Subsequent to the quarter end, on April 26, 2013, STX Wireless made a further optional pro-rata cash distribution of $18.9 million and $6.1 million to Cricket and Pocket, respectively. Under the STX LLC Agreement, optional distributions to Pocket (plus an annual return, as discussed above), are deducted from the purchase price payable to Pocket in the event of a put, call or mandatory buyout following a change of control of Leap.

At the closing of the formation of the joint venture, STX Wireless entered into a loan and security agreement with Pocket pursuant to which, commencing in April 2012, STX Wireless agreed to make quarterly limited-recourse loans to Pocket out of excess cash in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $30 million, which loans are secured by Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless. As of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, Pocket had $9.2 million and $8.3 million in aggregate principal amount of outstanding borrowings under the loan and security agreement. Borrowings under the loan and security agreement bear interest at 8.0% per annum, compounded annually, and will mature on the earlier of October 2020 and the date on which Pocket ceases to hold any membership interests in STX Wireless. Cricket has the right to set off all outstanding principal and interest under this loan and security agreement against the payment of the purchase price for Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless in the event of a put, call or mandatory buyout following a change of control of Leap. Accordingly, outstanding borrowings and accrued interest under the loan and security agreement have been recorded as a deduction from the purchase price payable to Pocket as discussed above in the condensed consolidated balance sheets and as a component of accretion of redeemable non-controlling interests and distributions, net of tax, in the condensed consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The offset of the outstanding borrowings and accrued interest against the purchase price for Pocket’s membership interest, coupled with the accretion benefit recorded to adjust the redemption value of Pocket’s net interest in STX Wireless, brought the carrying value of Pocket’s membership interests in STX Wireless to an estimated redemption value of $63.5 million and $64.5 million as of March 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not have and have not had any material off-balance sheet arrangements.

 

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Item 4. Controls and Procedures

(a) Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

We maintain disclosure controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified by the SEC and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our chief executive officer, or CEO, and chief financial officer, or CFO, as appropriate, to allow for timely decisions regarding required disclosure. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives, and management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures.

Management, with participation by our CEO and CFO, has designed our disclosure controls and procedures to provide reasonable assurance of achieving desired objectives. As required by SEC Rule 13a-15(b), in connection with filing the Original Form 10-Q on May 2, 2013, management conducted an evaluation, with the participation of our CEO and CFO, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as such term is defined under Rule 13a-15(e) promulgated under the Exchange Act, as of March 31, 2013, the end of the period covered by this report. Based upon that evaluation, our CEO and CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level as of March 31, 2013.

Subsequent to that evaluation, in connection with the restatement discussed in Note 2 to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in Item 1 of this report and the filing of this Amendment, management, with the participation of our CEO and CFO, re-evaluated the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of March 31, 2013, and our CEO and CFO concluded that, because of the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting described below, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective at the reasonable assurance level as of March 31, 2013.

In connection with the restatement discussed in Note 2 to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in Item 1 of this report, management identified a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness identified was that management failed to design and maintain a process to evaluate the completeness of the amount of capital expenditures that had not been paid in cash at the end of the period. Specifically, management did not design effective controls to properly classify purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable at period end such that the consolidated statements of cash flows only included purchases of property and equipment as investing cash outflows when such amounts had been actually paid during the period. As a result, management has restated its Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting as of December 31, 2012. This material weakness resulted in the restatement of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2012 and 2011 and the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, June 30, 2013 and 2012 and September 30, 2012. Additionally, this material weakness could result in a further misstatement of the aforementioned account balances or disclosures with respect to the consolidated statements of cash flows that would result in a material misstatement to the annual or interim consolidated financial statements that would not be prevented or detected.

(b) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2013 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

(c) Management’s Remediation Initiatives

As of the date of this Amendment, a new control has been designed and implemented. This control includes summarizing and reviewing data from system reporting that has been developed and tested to appropriately identify capital expenditure invoices that remain in trade accounts payable at each balance sheet date and validating that such adjustment is made to the statement of cash flows.

We believe that the action described above will remediate the material weakness we have identified and strengthen our internal control over financial reporting.

 

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PART II

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 1A. Risk Factors

There have been no material changes to the Risk Factors described under “Part I - Item 1A. Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012 filed with the SEC on February 25, 2013 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on October 28, 2013), other than:

 

    Changes to the risk factor below entitled “We Face Significant Competition, Which Could Have a Material Adverse Effect on Demand for Cricket Service,” which has been updated to reflect additional competitive pressures we may face;

 

    Changes to the risk factors below entitled “Our Significant Indebtedness Could Adversely Affect Our Financial Health and Prevent Us from Fulfilling Our Obligations,” “Despite Current Indebtedness Levels, We May Incur Additional Indebtedness. This Could Further Increase the Risks Associated with Our Leverage,” “We May Be Unable to Refinance Our Indebtedness,” and “Covenants in Our Credit Agreement and Indentures or in Credit Agreements or Indentures That We May Enter into in the Future May Limit Our Ability to Operate Our Business,” which have been updated to reflect the following transactions in April 2013: Cricket’s additional borrowings under the Credit Agreement and issuance of a notice of redemption for all of its 7.75% senior secured notes due 2016, and Leap’s purchase of $1.8 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 in a cash tender offer; and

 

    Changes to the risk factor below entitled “Action by Congress or Government Agencies and Regulatory Requirements May Increase Our Costs of Providing Service or Require Us to Change Our Services,” which has been updated to reflect risks related to the use of certain foreign vendors.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We Have Experienced Net Losses, and We May Not Be Profitable in the Future.

We experienced a net loss of $109.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2013 and net losses of $187.3 million, $317.7 million, and $785.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. We may not generate profits in the future on a consistent basis or at all. Our strategic objectives depend on our ability to successfully and cost-effectively operate our markets, on our ability to forecast and respond appropriately to changes in the competitive and economic environment, on the successful enhancement of our distribution channels, and on customer acceptance of our Cricket product and service offerings. If we fail to attract and retain additional customers for our Cricket products and services and fail to achieve consistent profitability in the future, that failure could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.

Our Strategic Plans Require that We Retain and Grow Our Current Customer Base; Our Failure to Do So Would Negatively Affect Our Business Plans and Financial Outlook.

We have recently experienced quarterly net customer losses that decreased our total number of customers, including in each of the four most recent quarters. In addition, our growth has varied substantially in the past. We believe that our recent customer losses and the uneven growth we have experienced generally reflect competition in the wireless telecommunications market, promotional activity, seasonal trends in customer activity and varying national economic conditions. Our current business plans assume that we will increase our customer base over time, providing us with increased economies of scale. Our ability to grow our customer base and to achieve increased customer penetration levels in our markets is subject to a number of risks, including, among other things, increased competition, our inability to manage or increase our network capacity or service offerings to meet increasing customer demand, promotional or retention activities that do not perform as expected, device quality and selection issues, inventory shortages, device pricing, unfavorable economic conditions (which may have a disproportionate negative impact on portions of our customer base), our inability to successfully enhance our distribution channels, billing or other system or service disruptions, adverse changes in the legislative and regulatory environment and other factors that may limit our ability to grow our customer base. Our strategic plans depend heavily upon the efforts of our authorized dealers, distributors and national retail partners, which together constitute the significant majority of our sales and distribution presence. If we are unable to offer customers compelling products and services, we could lose distribution partners. If we continue to lose customers or are unable to attract and retain a growing customer base, that failure could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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The Operation of Our Business Requires a Significant Amount of Cash. Our Ability to Generate Cash Depends on Many Factors Beyond Our Control.

Our business requires that we generate a significant amount of cash flow from operations to fund ongoing liquidity requirements, including payments on our indebtedness. Our ability to generate cash flow from operations is subject to our operational performance and to general competitive, economic, financial, legislative, regulatory and other factors that are beyond our control. We cannot assure you that our business will generate sufficient cash flow from operations to fund our ongoing liquidity needs. If cash flow from operations is insufficient, we may be required to take actions, such as delaying or reducing capital expenditures, attempting to restructure or refinance our indebtedness prior to maturity, reducing operating expenses, selling assets or seeking additional capital. Any or all of these actions may be insufficient to allow us to fund our liquidity needs. Further, we may be unable to take any of these actions on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

We Face Significant Competition, Which Could Have a Material Adverse Effect on Demand for Cricket Service.

The wireless telecommunications industry is very competitive. In general, we compete with national facilities-based wireless providers and their prepaid affiliates or brands, local and regional carriers, non-facilities-based MVNOs, VoIP service providers, traditional landline service providers, cable companies and mobile satellite service providers.

Many of our competitors have greater name and brand recognition, larger spectrum holdings, larger network footprints, access to greater amounts of capital, greater technical, sales, marketing and distribution resources and established relationships with a larger base of current and potential customers. These advantages may allow our competitors to provide service offerings with more extensive features and options than those we currently provide; to offer the latest and most popular devices through exclusive vendor arrangements; to offer lower out-the-door pricing for smartphone devices by locking customers into two-year contracts; to market to broader customer segments and offer service over larger geographic areas than we can; to offer bundled service offerings that include landline phone, television and internet services that we are not able to duplicate; and to purchase equipment, supplies, devices and services at lower prices than we can. As device selection and pricing become increasingly important to customers, any restriction on our ability to offer customers the latest and most popular devices as a result of exclusive dealings between device manufacturers and our larger competitors could put us at a significant competitive disadvantage and make it more difficult for us to attract and retain customers. In addition, further industry consolidation may result in vendors and suppliers devoting an increasing percentage of their time and resources to assisting larger wireless companies. In addition, some of our competitors are able to offer their customers roaming services at lower rates. As consolidation in the industry creates even larger competitors, advantages that our competitors may have, as well as their bargaining power as wholesale providers of roaming services, may increase. For example, in connection with the offering of our nationwide voice and data roaming services, we have encountered problems with certain large wireless carriers in negotiating terms for roaming arrangements that we believe are reasonable, and we believe that consolidation has contributed significantly to some carriers’ control over the terms and conditions of wholesale roaming services.

In addition, national wireless providers have recently entered into a number of strategic transactions that could lead to further competitive pressures. In August 2012, Verizon Wireless acquired significant amounts of spectrum from SpectrumCo, a consortium of cable companies. In October 2012, Softbank agreed to acquire an approximately 70% ownership position in Sprint Nextel, followed in December 2012 by Sprint agreeing to acquire the remaining ownership stake in Clearwire that it did not already own. Dish Network also recently announced a proposal to acquire Sprint. These transactions are subject to regulatory review and approval. In April 2013, Deutsche Telekom and MetroPCS completed the combination of T-Mobile and MetroPCS. These various transactions could further intensify the competitive pressures we face. In particular, the combination of T-Mobile and MetroPCS may result in the new, combined company having a new or significantly increased sales presence in our markets and offering prepaid and other wireless services designed to compete with our Cricket Wireless service offering.

The competitive pressures of the wireless telecommunications industry and the attractive growth prospects in the prepaid segment have caused a number of our competitors (including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile) to offer competitively-priced unlimited prepaid and postpaid service offerings. In addition, a number of carriers have begun to offer bundled service offerings comprised of unlimited voice service and fixed amounts of data that customers can share across all of their wireless devices. We also face additional competition in the prepaid segment from Lifeline service offerings, which are available to consumers at reduced costs (and in some cases at no cost) because carriers offering this service receive a subsidy payment from the federal universal service fund, or USF, program. These Lifeline service offerings are also being provided by new MVNO providers who are utilizing other carriers’ networks.

In addition to our voice offerings, many companies offer other products and services that compete with those we offer. For example, there are numerous music services that compete with our Muve Music service, including the iTunes service offered by Apple, and various streaming services offered by Rhapsody, Pandora, Spotify and others. These various service offerings have presented, and are expected to continue to present, strong competition in markets in which our offerings overlap.

 

 

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We may also face additional competition from new entrants in the wireless marketplace, many of whom may have significantly more resources than we do or who may be able to offer competing wireless services with less capital investment than we require. The Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, is pursuing policies designed to increase the number of wireless licenses and spectrum available for the provision of voice, data and mobile broadband services in each of our markets, as well as policies to increase the level of broadband competition. For example, the FCC has adopted rules that allow the partitioning, disaggregation and leasing of wireless licenses, which may increase the number of our competitors. The FCC announced in March 2010, as part of its National Broadband Plan, the goal of making an additional 500 MHz of spectrum available for broadband use within the next 10 years, of which the FCC stated that 300 MHz should be made available for mobile use within five years. The FCC has also adopted policies to allow satellite operators to use portions of their spectrum for ancillary terrestrial use and recently made further changes intended to facilitate the terrestrial use of this spectrum for voice, data and mobile broadband services. For example, the FCC approved a proposal from Dish Network to convert spectrum currently used for satellite service into spectrum that would support a terrestrial wireless network. The auction and licensing of new spectrum, the re-purposing of other spectrum or the pursuit of policies designed to encourage broadband adoption across wireline and wireless platforms may result in new or existing competitors acquiring additional capacity or offering voice or data services without deploying their own wireless facilities, which could allow them to offer services that we may not be able to offer cost effectively, or at all, with the licenses we hold or to which we have access.

The evolving competitive landscape negatively impacted our financial and operating results in recent years and we have experienced net customer losses in each of the four most recent quarters. Our ability to remain competitive will depend, in part, on our ability to anticipate and respond to various competitive factors and to keep our costs low. During the third quarter of 2012, we increased pricing on our devices in an effort to better manage device subsidies and promote the addition of longer-tenured customers, although such changes have also had the effect of decreasing gross customer additions. We also introduced new pricing plans for our service offerings, which included new features such as visual voicemail on certain smartphones, enhanced international calling plans, and supplemental data packages, and we enhanced our Muve Music service, which is now offered for no additional cost in service plans for our Android-based smartphones. In addition, through a third party we have introduced a device leasing program in our markets to help customers manage the cost of purchasing a handset, and we plan to expand the availability and type of handset financing programs we offer in 2013. The extent to which these initiatives and others we may introduce will positively impact our future financial and operational results will depend upon our continued efforts to enhance the productivity of our distribution channels, continued customer acceptance of our product and service offerings, and our ability to retain these customers. The evolving competitive landscape may result in more competitive pricing, slower growth, higher costs and increased customer turnover. Any of these results or actions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

General Economic Conditions May Adversely Affect Our Business, Financial Performance or Ability to Obtain Debt or Equity Financing on Reasonable Terms or at All.

Our business and financial performance are sensitive to changes in general economic conditions, including changes in interest rates, consumer credit conditions, consumer debt levels, consumer confidence, rates of inflation (or concerns about deflation), unemployment rates, energy costs and other macro-economic factors. Market and economic conditions have been unprecedented and challenging in recent years. Continued concerns about the systemic impact of a long-term downturn, high unemployment, high energy costs, the availability and cost of credit and unstable housing and mortgage markets have contributed to increased market volatility and economic uncertainty. These factors have led to a decrease in spending in recent years by businesses and consumers alike.

Continued market turbulence and weak economic conditions may materially adversely affect our business and financial performance in a number of ways. Because we do not require customers to sign fixed-term contracts or pass a credit check, our service is available to a broad customer base and may be attractive to a market segment that is more vulnerable to weak economic conditions. As a result, during general economic downturns, we may have greater difficulty in gaining new customers within this base for our services and existing customers may be more likely to terminate service due to an inability to pay. For example, high unemployment levels have historically impacted our customer base, especially the lower-income segment of our customer base, by decreasing their discretionary income and affecting their ability to maintain service. Continued weak economic conditions and tight credit conditions may also adversely impact our vendors and dealers, some of which have filed for or may be considering bankruptcy, or may experience cash flow or liquidity problems, any of which could adversely impact our ability to distribute, market or sell our products and services. Sustained difficult, or worsening, general economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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In addition, U.S. credit markets have in recent years experienced significant dislocations and liquidity disruptions. Uncertainty in the credit or capital markets could negatively impact our ability to access additional debt financing or to refinance existing indebtedness in the future on favorable terms or at all. These general economic conditions, combined with intensified competition in the wireless telecommunications industry and other factors, have also adversely affected the trading prices of equity securities of many U.S. companies, including Leap, which could significantly limit our ability to raise additional capital through the issuance of common stock, preferred stock or other equity securities. Any of these risks could impair our ability to fund our operations or limit our ability to expand our business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We Have Entered into Agreements with Significant Purchase Commitments and Cannot Guarantee that We Will Meet These Commitments or Realize the Expected Benefits from These Agreements.

iPhone Purchase Commitment

In May 2012, we entered into a three-year iPhone purchase commitment with Apple. The commitment began upon our launch of sales of the iPhone in June 2012. Based on our current handset purchase and sales mix and current iPhone device pricing, we estimate that the commitment would require us to purchase approximately $800 million of iPhones, with annual commitments during the three-year period that increase moderately in the second and third years. We project that the minimum number of iPhones that we are required to purchase from Apple over the term of the commitment would represent 10% or less of the total number of handsets we expect to sell to new and upgrading customers over the period of the commitment and for approximately one year thereafter. The actual amount that we spend and the number of devices that we purchase over the term of the commitment will depend on many factors, including customer acceptance and availability of current and future versions of the device, future costs for the device, the success of our marketing and advertising efforts, customer demand for devices offered by other manufacturers and other factors.

At our current purchase rate, we would purchase approximately one-half of our first-year minimum purchase commitment through June 2013, although the actual amount of our purchases will depend on the factors described above. At our current purchase rate, our iPhone purchases for the first year would be approximately $100 million below our first-year minimum purchase commitment; for the second year, approximately $150 million below our second-year minimum purchase commitment; and for the third year, approximately $200 million below our third-year minimum purchase commitment. If we were required to meet the annual minimum commitment in any year of the contract term and we were unable to sell such additional devices at the rates and prices we project, such shortfall could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Wholesale Agreement

In August 2010, we entered into a wholesale agreement with an affiliate of Sprint Nextel which we use to offer Cricket services in nationwide retailers outside of our current network footprint. We have agreed, among other things, to purchase a minimum of $300 million of wholesale services over the initial five-year term of the agreement, with the following annual minimum purchase commitments: $20 million in 2011; $75 million in 2012; $80 million in 2013; $75 million in 2014; and $50 million in 2015. We entered into an amendment to the wholesale agreement in February 2013 to enable us to purchase 4G LTE services. In addition, under the amendment, we can credit up to $162 million of revenue we provide Sprint under other existing commercial arrangements against the minimum purchase commitment. Any wholesale revenue we provide to Sprint in a given year above the minimum purchase commitment for that particular year is credited to the next succeeding year. However, to the extent the revenues we provide Sprint were to fall beneath the applicable commitment amount for any given year, excess revenues from a subsequent year could not be carried back to offset such shortfall.

Our obligation to provide the minimum purchase amount for any calendar year is subject to Sprint’s compliance with specified covenants in the wholesale agreement. Based upon a review of information provided to us by Sprint, we informed Sprint that certain of those covenants had not been met in 2012 and that, as a result, we were not subject to the minimum purchase commitment for that year. Sprint disputed that assertion. In February 2013, the parties resolved this matter.

Other Agreements

Other agreements that we have entered into with significant purchase commitments include our agreements with music content providers that require us to purchase certain minimum amounts of content for our Muve Music service. As we continue to expand the size and scope of our business, we may enter into additional agreements with vendors with significant purchase commitments to enable us to offer enhanced products and services or to obtain more favorable overall purchasing terms and conditions.

 

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There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could impact our ability to realize the expected benefits from these arrangements or any new ones we may enter into. We cannot guarantee that customers will accept our products and service offerings at the levels we expect, that prices will not decline to levels below what we have negotiated to pay or that we will be able to satisfy any purchase commitments. We significantly reduced the number of locations in which we offer our products in the nationwide retail channel from approximately 13,000 locations at June 30, 2012 to approximately 5,000 locations at March 31, 2013, which may impact our sales volumes and therefore the amount of services we may purchase under the wholesale agreement. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to renew these agreements or any future agreement on terms that will be acceptable to us. If we are unable to attract new wireless customers and sell our products and services at the levels we expect, our ability to derive benefits from these agreements or any future agreement we enter into could be limited, which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our Significant Indebtedness Could Adversely Affect Our Financial Health and Prevent Us from Fulfilling Our Obligations. We May Be Unable to Refinance Our Indebtedness Prior to Maturity.

We have now and will continue to have a significant amount of indebtedness. As of March 31, 2013, on a pro forma basis after giving effect to the financing transactions described in “Part I - Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Liquidity and Capital Resources” of this report, our total outstanding indebtedness was $3,672.2 million, including $1,824.0 million in aggregate principal amount of outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement, $248.2 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014 and $1,600.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.75% senior notes due 2020.

Our significant indebtedness could have material consequences. For example, it could:

 

    make it more difficult for us to service or refinance our debt obligations;

 

    increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

 

    impair our ability to obtain additional financing in the future for working capital needs, capital expenditures, network build-out and other activities, including acquisitions and general corporate purposes;

 

    require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flows from operations to the payment of principal and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flows to fund working capital needs, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;

 

    limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the industry in which we operate; and

 

    place us at a disadvantage compared to our competitors that have less indebtedness.

Any of these risks could impact our ability to fund our operations or limit our ability to expand our business, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, any significant capital expenditures or increased operating expenses associated with the launch of new product or service offerings or other business investment initiatives will decrease OIBDA and free cash flow for the periods in which we incur such costs, increasing the risk that we may not be able to service our indebtedness.

In addition, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to repay or refinance all or any portion of our indebtedness prior to its maturity. If we are unable to repay or refinance our indebtedness as planned, we will likely be required to take additional actions to generate liquidity such as delaying or reducing capital expenditures, reducing operating expenses, selling assets or seeking additional equity capital. There can be no assurance, however, that we will be able to obtain sufficient funds to enable us to repay or refinance any of our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

Despite Current Indebtedness Levels, We May Incur Additional Indebtedness, Which Could Further Increase the Risks Associated with Our Leverage.

The terms of our Credit Agreement, and the indenture governing Cricket’s senior notes permit us, subject to specified limitations, to incur additional indebtedness, including secured indebtedness. The indenture governing Leap’s convertible senior notes does not limit our ability to incur debt.

We may incur additional indebtedness in the future, as market conditions permit, to enhance our liquidity and to provide us with additional flexibility to pursue business investment initiatives, which could consist of debt financing from the public

 

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and/or private credit or capital markets. If new indebtedness is added to our current levels of indebtedness, the related risks that we now face could intensify. In addition, depending on the timing and extent of any additional indebtedness that we could incur and our then-current consolidated leverage ratio, such additional amounts could potentially result in the issuance of adverse credit ratings affecting us and/or our outstanding indebtedness. Any future adverse credit ratings could make it more difficult or expensive for us to borrow in the future and could affect the trading prices of our senior notes, our convertible senior notes and our common stock.

Covenants in Our Credit Agreement and Indenture or in Credit Agreements or Indentures That We May Enter into in the Future May Limit Our Ability to Operate Our Business.

Our Credit Agreement and the indenture governing Cricket’s senior notes contain covenants that restrict the ability of Leap, Cricket and their restricted subsidiaries to make distributions or other payments to our investors or subordinated creditors unless we satisfy certain financial tests or other criteria. In addition, our Credit Agreement and indenture include covenants restricting, among other things, the ability of Leap, Cricket and their restricted subsidiaries to:

 

    incur additional indebtedness;

 

    create liens or other encumbrances;

 

    place limitations on distributions from restricted subsidiaries;

 

    pay dividends, make investments, prepay subordinated indebtedness or make other restricted payments;

 

    issue or sell capital stock of restricted subsidiaries;

 

    issue guarantees;

 

    sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets;

 

    enter into transactions with affiliates; and

 

    make acquisitions or merge or consolidate with another entity.

The restrictions in our Credit Agreement and the indenture governing Cricket’s senior notes could limit our ability to make borrowings, obtain debt financing, repurchase stock, refinance or pay principal or interest on our outstanding indebtedness, complete acquisitions for cash or debt or react to changes in our operating environment. Any credit agreement or indenture that we may enter into in the future may have similar or more onerous restrictions.

Our Credit Agreement also provides for an event of default upon the occurrence of a change of control, which includes the acquisition of beneficial ownership of 35% or more of Leap’s equity securities (other than a transaction where immediately after such transaction Leap will be a wholly owned subsidiary of a person of which no person or group is the beneficial owner of 35% or more of such person’s voting stock), a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Leap and its restricted subsidiaries and a change in a majority of the members of Leap’s board of directors that is not approved by the board. In addition, under the indentures governing our senior notes and convertible senior notes, if certain “change of control” events occur, each holder of notes may require us to repurchase all of such holder’s notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of senior notes, or 100% of the principal amount of convertible senior notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

If we default under our Credit Agreement or any of the indentures governing our senior notes or convertible senior notes because of a covenant breach or otherwise, all outstanding amounts thereunder could become immediately due and payable. We cannot assure you that we would be able to obtain a waiver should any default occur. Any acceleration of amounts due would have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition, and we cannot assure you that we would have sufficient funds to repay all of the outstanding amounts under our Credit Agreement or the indentures governing our senior notes and convertible senior notes.

 

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If Customer Usage of Our Services Exceeds Our Expectations, Our Costs of Providing Service Could Increase, Which Could Have a Material Adverse Effect on Our Operating Expenses.

Because we offer unlimited voice, data, mobile broadband and music download services for a flat monthly rate, our customers’ average usage of these services per month is significant. We provide these services through our own Cricket network footprint and through roaming and wholesale agreements that we entered into with other carriers.

If customers exceed expected usage for our voice, data, mobile broadband or music download services, we could face capacity problems and our costs of providing the services could increase. Although we own less spectrum in many of our markets than our competitors, we seek to design our network to accommodate our expected high rates of usage for our services, and we continue to assess and seek to implement technological improvements to increase the efficiency of our wireless spectrum. We currently manage our network and users of our smartphones and Cricket Broadband service by limiting throughput speeds if usage exceeds certain thresholds. However, if future wireless use by Cricket customers increases faster than we anticipate and exceeds the then-available capacity of our network, service quality may suffer. In addition, our roaming or wholesale costs may be higher than we anticipate. Depending on the extent of customers’ future use of our network and the roaming and wholesale services we provide, we may be forced to raise the price or alter the service offerings of our wireless or mobile broadband services, further limit data quantities or speeds, otherwise limit the number of new customers for certain services, acquire additional spectrum and/or incur substantial additional capital expenditures to enhance network capacity or quality.

We May Be Unable to Obtain or Maintain the Roaming and Wholesale Services We Need From Other Carriers to Remain Competitive.

Many of our competitors have regional or national networks which enable them to offer automatic roaming services to their subscribers at a lower cost than we can offer. The networks we operate do not, by themselves, provide national coverage and we must pay fees to other carriers who provide roaming and wholesale services to us. We currently rely on roaming agreements with several carriers for the majority of our roaming services and generally on one key carrier for 3G data roaming services. In addition, we recently entered into an agreement with that carrier for 4G data roaming services. We have also entered into a wholesale agreement, which we use to offer Cricket services in nationwide retailers outside of our current network footprint, and we recently amended that agreement to allow us to purchase 4G LTE services. Most of our roaming agreements cover voice but not data services and some of these agreements may be terminated on relatively short notice. In addition, we believe that the rates charged to us by some of these carriers are higher than the rates they charge to certain other roaming partners.

The FCC has adopted rules requiring commercial mobile radio service providers to provide automatic roaming for voice and SMS text messaging services on just, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The FCC has also adopted rules generally requiring carriers to offer data roaming services on commercially reasonable terms. Despite the adoption of these rules, however, we have encountered problems with certain large wireless carriers in negotiating terms for roaming arrangements that we believe are reasonable, and we believe that consolidation has contributed significantly to some carriers’ control over the terms and conditions of wholesale roaming services. In addition, these rules do not provide or mandate any specific mechanism for determining the reasonableness of roaming rates and require that roaming complaints be resolved on a case-by-case basis, based on a non-exclusive list of factors that can be taken into account in determining the reasonableness of particular conduct or rates. Furthermore, the FCC’s data roaming order is subject to a petition for reconsideration at the FCC. In light of the current FCC rules, orders and proceedings, if we were unexpectedly to lose the benefit of one or more key roaming or wholesale agreements, we may be unable to obtain similar replacement agreements and as a result may be unable to continue providing nationwide voice and 3G or 4G data roaming services for our customers or may be unable to provide such services on a cost-effective basis. Our inability to obtain new or replacement roaming services on a cost-effective basis may limit our ability to compete effectively for wireless customers, which may increase our churn and decrease our revenues, which in turn could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The Wireless Industry Is Experiencing Rapid Technological Change; Offering LTE Services Will Require Us to Make Significant Capital Investments and/or Enter Into Partnerships or Joint Ventures with Others.

The wireless communications industry continues to experience significant technological change, as evidenced by the ongoing improvements in the capacity and quality of digital technology, the development and commercial acceptance of wireless data services, shorter development cycles for new products, and enhancements and changes in end-user requirements and preferences. Our continued success will depend, in part, on our ability to anticipate and adapt to technological changes and to offer, on a timely basis, services that meet customer demands.

 

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Competitors have begun providing competing wireless telecommunications services by deploying next-generation Long Term Evolution network technology, commonly referred to as LTE. We have covered approximately 21 million POPs with LTE and are exploring cost-effective ways to deliver LTE services to additional customers, including by deploying facilities-based coverage or by entering into partnerships or joint ventures with other carriers. If we are unable to offer our customers cost-effective LTE services, such failure would have a material adverse effect on our competitive position and our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, the pace and scope at which we offer LTE services could impact us in a number of ways. If we are unable to offer customers LTE services to the extent provided by other wireless carriers, we may have difficulty attracting customers for our wireless products and services, providing customers with attractive handset offerings and procuring cost-effective vendor support for our network infrastructure.

Deployment of LTE through facilities-based coverage requires significant capital investment. Capital expenditures for the deployment of LTE are currently anticipated to be less than $10 per covered POP. The extent to which we pursue additional facilities-based LTE coverage and the actual amount we spend to do so will depend upon multiple factors, including the availability of alternatives such as partnerships or joint ventures with others. In addition, we may have unanticipated or unforeseen costs in connection with the deployment of LTE and the maintenance of our network. If we pursue further facilities-based coverage, we expect that we would likely be required over time to acquire or access additional spectrum or take other actions to enable us to provide LTE at service levels that would meet future customer expectations. We currently own an average of 23 MHz of spectrum capacity in the markets we operate, which generally includes an initial spectrum reserve that we could use to deploy LTE. The national wireless carriers against which we compete generally have greater spectrum capacity than we do in the markets in which we would launch LTE. Because the efficiency of an LTE network and the peak speeds that it can deliver depend upon the amount of contiguous spectrum that is available, competitors who have access to more spectrum than we do are likely to offer faster speeds for their next-generation services and operate those networks more efficiently than we could. As a result, we may be required to take various actions to meet consumer demand, including acquiring additional spectrum, entering into third-party wholesale or roaming arrangements, leasing additional cell sites, spending additional capital to deploy equipment or other actions. We cannot assure you that we would be able to take any of these actions at reasonable costs, on a timely basis or at all.

We recently entered into a nationwide roaming agreement for LTE services. In addition, we have also amended our wholesale agreement to enable us to provide LTE services. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to maintain or renew these arrangements or enter into additional agreements on a cost-effective basis. There are also risks that other wireless carriers on whose networks our customers roam may change their technology to other technologies or pursue standards that are incompatible with ours. If these risks materialize, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected.

We cannot predict which of the many possible future technologies, standards, products or services will be important to maintain our competitive position. The evolutionary path that we have selected or may select in the future for LTE or other technologies may not be demanded by customers or provide the advantages that we expect. If such services are not broadly adopted within the industry or commercially accepted by our customers, our revenues and competitive position could be materially and adversely affected. In addition, the cost of implementing or competing against alternative or future technological innovations may be prohibitive to us, and we may lose customers if we fail to keep up with these changes.

We May Be Unable to Acquire Additional Spectrum in the Future at a Reasonable Cost or on a Timely Basis.

We expect that we will likely be required to acquire or access additional spectrum in the future to satisfy increasing demand for data and mobile broadband services, to maintain an acceptable grade of service and to provide or support new services or technologies to meet increasing customer demands. We cannot assure you that additional spectrum will become available at auction or in the after-market at a reasonable cost, or at all. Furthermore, even if it were to become available, we may not have sufficient capital resources or sufficient capacity under our existing debt instruments to acquire additional spectrum that we may require to meet customer demands and remain competitive. In addition, the FCC may impose conditions on the use of new wireless broadband mobile spectrum, such as heightened build-out requirements or open access requirements, which may make it less attractive or uneconomical for us. If we are unable to acquire or obtain access to additional spectrum in the future to meet customer demands, such inability may materially and adversely affect our competitive position and our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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We Rely Heavily on Third Parties to Provide Specialized Services; a Failure or Inability by Such Parties to Provide the Agreed Upon Products or Services Could Materially Adversely Affect Our Business, Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

We depend heavily on suppliers and contractors with specialized expertise in order for us to efficiently operate our business. Generally, there are multiple sources for the types of products and services we purchase or use. However, we currently rely on one key vendor for billing services, a single vendor to support the platform for our Muve Music service, a single vendor for the operation of our network operations center, a limited number of vendors for voice and data communications transport services and a limited number of vendors for payment processing services. We have also entered into an inventory logistics and supply chain outsourcing arrangement with a third party to manage the planning, purchasing and fulfillment of handsets and other devices. We have also recently entered into new outsourcing agreements to transition various network operations, IT and service desk functions to new vendors.

In the past, our suppliers, contractors and third-party retailers have not always performed at the levels we expect or at the levels required by their contracts. If key suppliers, contractors, service providers or third-party retailers fail to comply with their contracts, fail to meet our performance expectations or refuse or are unable to supply or provide services to us in the future, or if we experience delays, disruptions or service degradation during any transition to a new outsourcing provider or other vendor, our business could be severely disrupted. In addition, the costs and time lags that can be associated with transitioning from one supplier or service provider to another could cause further disruptions if we were required to replace the products or services of one or more major suppliers or service providers with those from another source, especially if the replacement became necessary on short notice. Any such disruptions could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Risks Associated With Wireless Devices Could Pose Product Liability, Health and Safety Risks That Could Adversely Affect Our Business.

We do not manufacture devices or other equipment sold by us and generally rely on our suppliers to provide us with safe equipment. Our suppliers are required by applicable law to manufacture their devices to meet certain governmentally imposed safety criteria. However, even if the devices we sell meet the regulatory safety criteria, we could be held liable with the equipment manufacturers and suppliers for any harm caused by products we sell if such products are later found to have design or manufacturing defects. We generally seek to enter into indemnification agreements with the manufacturers who supply us with devices to protect us from direct losses associated with product liability, but we cannot guarantee that we will be fully protected against all losses associated with a product that is found to be defective.

Media reports have suggested that the use of wireless handsets may be linked to various health concerns, including cancer, and may interfere with various electronic medical devices, including hearing aids and pacemakers. Certain class action lawsuits have been filed in the industry claiming damages for alleged health problems arising from the use of wireless handsets. We are currently a defendant in a matter brought by an individual alleging that one of our wireless handsets caused brain cancer. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research of Cancer has also stated that exposure to wireless handsets may be carcinogenic. In addition, interest groups have requested that the FCC investigate claims that wireless technologies pose health concerns and cause interference with airbags, anti-lock brakes, hearing aids and other medical devices, and the FCC recently indicated that it plans to gather additional data regarding wireless handset emissions. The media has also reported incidents of handset battery malfunction, including reports of batteries that have overheated.

Concerns over possible health and safety risks associated with radio frequency emissions, future determinations that such risks exist or defective products may discourage the use of wireless handsets, which could decrease demand for our services, or result in regulatory restrictions or increased requirements on the location and operation of cell sites, which could increase our operating expenses. If one or more Cricket customers were harmed by a defective product provided to us by a manufacturer and subsequently sold in connection with our services, our ability to add and maintain customers for Cricket service could be materially adversely affected by negative public reactions.

There also are some safety risks associated with the use of wireless devices while operating vehicles or equipment. Concerns over these safety risks and the effect of any legislation, rules or regulations that have been and may be adopted in response to these risks could limit our ability to sell our wireless service.

 

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System Failures, Security Breaches, Business Disruptions and Unauthorized Use or Interference with Our Network or Other Systems Could Result in Higher Churn, Reduced Revenue and Increased Costs, and Could Harm Our Reputation.

Our network and information technology (IT) infrastructure and the infrastructure of our vendors (including systems supporting service activation, billing, point of sale, inventory management, customer care and financial reporting) are vulnerable to damage and disruption from technology failures, power surges or outages, system or equipment failures, natural disasters, fires, human error, hacking and cyber attacks, computer viruses, terrorism, intentional wrongdoing and similar events. In particular, cyber attacks on companies have increased in frequency, scope and potential harm in recent years. Any such failure, damage or disruption could affect the quality of our services, cause network service interruptions and result in material remediation costs, litigation, higher churn, reduced revenue, increased costs and lost market share. Unauthorized access to or use of customer or account information, including credit card or other personal data, could also result in harm to our customers and legal actions against us, and could damage our reputation. In addition, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, fires and other unforeseen natural disasters or events could materially disrupt our business operations or the provision of Cricket service in one or more markets. In the past, our operations in certain markets have been adversely affected by hurricanes and related weather systems. Costs we incur to restore, repair or replace our network or IT infrastructure, as well as costs associated with detecting, monitoring or reducing the incidence of unauthorized use and other security breaches, may be substantial and increase our cost of providing service. Any failure in, damage to or disruption of our or our vendors’ network and IT infrastructure could also materially impact our ability to timely and accurately record, process and report information important to our business. While we maintain insurance coverage for some of the above events, the potential liabilities associated with these events could exceed the insurance coverage we maintain. If any of the above events were to occur, we could experience higher churn, reduced revenues, increased costs and reputational harm, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We Have Upgraded a Number of Significant Business Systems, Including Our Customer Billing System, and Any Unanticipated Difficulties, Delays or Interruptions Could Negatively Impact Our Business.

During recent years, we have upgraded a number of our significant, internal business systems, including implementing a new customer billing system, a new inventory management system and a new point-of-sale system.

The implementation of significant new systems often involves delays and disruptions in connection with the transition to and operation of the new systems. From time to time after the launch of our customer billing system in the second quarter of 2011, we experienced intermittent disruptions with certain aspects of the system, which limited our ability to activate new customers and to provide account services to current customers. We believe that these system issues had the effect of reducing our gross customer additions and increasing churn. Although we believe that we largely identified and remedied the causes of these disruptions, we cannot assure you that we will not experience additional disruptions with our customer billing system in the future. Future significant difficulties in operating our customer billing system or other new systems could materially impact our ability to attract and retain customers or to timely and accurately record, process and report information that is important to our business. If any of the above events were to occur, we could experience decreased gross customer additions, higher churn, reduced revenues and increased costs or could suffer material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting, any of which could harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

In addition, we cannot guarantee that our new systems will improve our business operations, including our ability to manage and control device inventories. We implemented the inventory management system to assist us with the planning, purchasing and fulfillment of handsets and other devices. Prior to entering into this arrangement in early 2010, we experienced inventory shortages from time to time, most notably with certain of our strongest-selling devices, and these shortages had the effect of limiting customer activity. There can be no assurance that this new agreement will improve device inventory management or that we will not experience inventory shortages in the future. Any failure to effectively manage and control our device inventories could adversely affect our ability to gain new customers and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We May Not Be Successful in Protecting and Enforcing Our Intellectual Property Rights.

We rely on a combination of patent, service mark, trademark, and trade secret laws and contractual restrictions to establish and protect our proprietary rights, all of which offer only limited protection. We endeavor to enter into agreements with our employees and contractors and agreements with parties with whom we do business in order to limit access to and disclosure of our proprietary information. Despite our efforts, the steps we have taken to protect our intellectual property may not prevent the misappropriation of our proprietary rights. Moreover, others may independently develop processes and technologies that are

 

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competitive to ours. The enforcement of our intellectual property rights may depend on any legal actions that we undertake against such infringers being successful, but we cannot be sure that any such actions will be successful, even when our rights have been infringed. We cannot assure you that our pending, or any future, patent applications will be granted, that any existing or future patents will not be challenged, invalidated or circumvented, that any existing or future patents will be enforceable, or that the rights granted under any patent that may issue will provide us with any competitive advantages. In addition, we cannot assure you that any trademark or service mark registrations will be issued with respect to pending or future applications or that any registered trademarks or service marks will be enforceable or provide adequate protection of our brands. Our inability to secure trademark or service mark protection with respect to our brands could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We Use Equipment, Software, Technology and Content in the Operation of Our Business, Which May Subject Us to Third-Party Infringement Claims.

The technologies used in the telecommunications industry are protected by and subject to a wide array of patents and other intellectual property rights. As a result, third parties have asserted and may in the future assert infringement claims against us or our suppliers based on our or their general business operations and the equipment, software, technology or other content that we or they use or provide. Due in part to the expansion and development of our business operations, we have become subject to increased amounts of litigation, including disputes alleging patent and other intellectual property infringement relating to the operation of our networks and our sale of handsets and other devices. If plaintiffs in any patent litigation that may be brought against us were to prevail, we could be required to pay substantial damages or settlement costs, and we could be required to alter the way we conduct business to avoid future infringement, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, we rely on third-party intellectual property and digital content to provide certain of our wireless services to customers, including Muve Music, an unlimited music download service we offer that is designed specifically for mobile handsets. The Muve Music service requires us to license music and other intellectual property rights of third parties. We cannot guarantee that these licenses will continue to be available to us on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Our licensing arrangements with these third parties are generally short-term in nature and do not guarantee the continuation or renewal of these arrangements on reasonable terms, if at all. Our inability to continue to offer customers a wide variety of content at reasonable costs to us could limit the success of our Muve Music service. In addition, we could become subject to infringement claims and potential liability for damages or royalties related to music and intellectual property rights of third parties, including as a result of any unauthorized access to the third-party content we have licensed.

We generally seek to enter into indemnification agreements with the manufacturers, licensors and vendors who provide us with the equipment, software and technology that we use in our business to help protect us against possible infringement claims. However, we do not have indemnification arrangements with all of our partners and suppliers. In addition, to the extent that there is an indemnification arrangement in place, depending on the nature and scope of a possible claim, we may not be entitled to seek indemnification under the terms of the agreement. We also cannot guarantee that the financial condition of an indemnifying party would be sufficient to protect us against all losses associated with infringement claims or that we would be fully indemnified against all possible losses associated with a possible claim. In addition, our suppliers may be subject to infringement claims that could prevent or make it more expensive for them to supply us with the products and services we require to run our business, which could have the effect of slowing or limiting our ability to introduce products and services to our customers. Moreover, we may be subject to claims that products, software and services provided by different vendors, which we combine to offer our services may infringe the rights of third parties, and we may not have any indemnification from our vendors for these claims. Whether or not an infringement claim against us or a supplier is valid or successful, it could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations by diverting management attention, involving us in costly and time-consuming litigation, requiring us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements (which may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all) or requiring us to redesign our business operations or systems to avoid claims of infringement. In addition, infringement claims against our suppliers could also require us to purchase products and services at higher prices or from different suppliers and could adversely affect our business by delaying our ability to offer certain products and services to our customers.

Action by Congress or Government Agencies and Regulatory Requirements May Increase Our Costs of Providing Service or Require Us to Change Our Services.

The FCC regulates the licensing, construction, modification, operation, ownership, sale and interconnection of wireless communications systems, as do some state and local regulatory agencies. We cannot assure you that the FCC or any state or local agencies having jurisdiction over our business will not adopt regulations or take other enforcement or other actions that would adversely affect our business, impose new costs or require changes in current or planned operations. In addition, state

 

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regulatory agencies are increasingly focused on the quality of service and support that wireless carriers provide to their customers and several agencies have proposed or enacted new and potentially burdensome regulations in this area. We also cannot assure you that Congress will not amend the Communications Act, from which the FCC obtains its authority, or enact other legislation in a manner that could be adverse to us.

Under existing law, no more than 20% of an FCC licensee’s capital stock may be owned, directly or indirectly, or voted by non-U.S. citizens or their representatives, by a foreign government or its representatives or by a foreign corporation. If an FCC licensee is controlled by another entity (as is the case with Leap’s ownership and control of subsidiaries that hold FCC licenses), up to 25% of that entity’s capital stock may be owned or voted by non-U.S. citizens or their representatives, by a foreign government or its representatives or by a foreign corporation. Foreign ownership above the 25% holding company level may be allowed if the FCC finds such higher levels consistent with the public interest. The FCC has ruled that higher levels of foreign ownership, even up to 100%, are presumptively consistent with the public interest with respect to investors from certain nations. If our foreign ownership were to exceed the permitted level, the FCC could revoke our wireless licenses, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Although we could seek a declaratory ruling from the FCC allowing the foreign ownership or could take other actions to reduce our foreign ownership percentage in order to avoid the loss of our licenses, we cannot assure you that we would be able to obtain such a ruling or that any other actions we may take would be successful.

In addition, legislative or regulatory action could be taken that could limit our ability to use certain foreign vendors to supply us with equipment, materials or other services that we use in our business operations. For example, we previously purchased network equipment from a Chinese company (Huawei), which is currently used to support approximately 20% of our covered POPs. Members of the U.S. Congress and certain regulatory agencies have raised concerns about American companies purchasing equipment and software from Chinese telecommunications companies, including concerns relating to alleged violations of intellectual property rights by Chinese companies and potential security risks posed by U.S. companies purchasing technical equipment and software from Chinese companies. In October 2012, the U.S. House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence issued a report asserting that network equipment manufactured by Chinese telecommunications companies poses a security threat to the United States and recommending the use of other network vendors. The report also recommends that Congress consider adopting legislation to address the purported risk posed by telecommunications companies with nation-state ties. Media outlets have recently reported that Huawei is considering ceasing the sale of network equipment in the United States, although Huawei has disputed those reports and asserts that it intends to continue to grow its U.S. presence. Any legislative or regulatory requirement that restricts us from purchasing or utilizing equipment or software from Huawei or other Chinese or other foreign companies, any determination by such suppliers to cease doing business in the United States, or any determination that we otherwise make that it is advantageous for us to cease doing business with these companies could require changes in our equipment procurement activities and business operations and make it more difficult for us to maintain our network and other assets.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA, prohibits the circumvention of technological measures or access controls employed by or on behalf of copyright owners to protect their copyrighted works. However, under the DMCA, the Copyright Office of the Library of Congress, or the Copyright Office, has the authority to exempt for three-year periods certain circumventing activities that might otherwise be prohibited by the statute. In July 2010, the Copyright Office granted an exemption to the DMCA to allow the circumvention of software locks and other firmware that prohibit a wireless handset from connecting to a wireless network when such circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting the handset to another network. This exemption permitted locked handsets purchased from one wireless carrier to be unlocked and then activated on another carrier’s network. On October 28, 2012, the Copyright Office issued a new exemption under the DMCA, which only permits the circumvention of software locks on handsets purchased before January 26, 2013. In order for locked devices purchased after this date to be connected to another carrier’s network, the customer must obtain the prior carrier’s consent to unlock the device. This new, narrowed exemption, and any further modification of the DMCA copyright exemption, could impact our ability to attract and activate new customers, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We participate in the federal government’s Lifeline program, which provides support from the USF to subsidize discounted telecommunications services for qualified low-income consumers. In order to participate in the Lifeline program in any given state, a carrier must be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier, or ETC, in that state. As of March 31, 2013, Cricket had been designated as an ETC in 28 states and the District of Columbia. In January 2012, the FCC adopted an order regarding the Lifeline program, the stated purpose of which is to streamline the administration of the program and to implement measures to curb perceived waste, fraud and abuse in the program. In addition, various states are considering or enacting rules with similar stated purposes as the FCC order. In connection with the FCC’s order, among other things, we are required to have our Lifeline customers re-certify on an annual basis their eligibility to participate in the program. These requirements could result in the loss of Lifeline customers and associated funding from the USF if these customers fail to meet the FCC’s eligibility standards or fail to respond to requests to re-certify their eligibility. Further, the FCC is developing a National Lifeline

 

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Accountability Database, the primary purpose of which will be to validate the identity of Lifeline customers and prevent Lifeline support from being provided to more than one eligible recipient per household in accordance with FCC regulations. While the timing of the deployment of the database is uncertain, its implementation and use could reduce the number of customers we could enroll in our Lifeline programs and thus reduce the amount of Lifeline funding we receive. In addition, the FCC could pursue enforcement action against us and impose monetary penalties if it were to conclude that we violated any of the Lifeline rules. In addition, future action by Congress, the FCC, or the states in which we have been designated as an ETC could reduce or eliminate the amount of Lifeline funding we receive for providing wireless service to certain qualifying low income customers, which could result in the loss of subscribers and the associated service revenue.

We previously invested in various entities that qualified as “very small business” designated entities under FCC regulations. The FCC’s rules restricted our ability to acquire controlling membership interests in designated entities during the period that such entities were required to maintain their eligibility as a designated entity. The FCC has implemented rules and policies to ensure that only legitimate small businesses benefit from the designated entity program, and that such small businesses are not controlled or manipulated by larger wireless carriers or other investors that do not meet the small business qualification tests. For example, designated entity structures are subject to a requirement that they seek approval for any event that might affect their ongoing eligibility (for example, changes in agreements that the FCC has previously reviewed), annual reporting requirements and a commitment by the FCC to audit each designated entity at least once during the license term. In addition, third parties and the federal government have in the past challenged certain designated entity structures, alleging violations of federal qui tam and other laws and seeking significant monetary damages. If we previously failed to comply with the FCC’s designated entity rules, any such failure could lead to fines, and in extreme cases, license revocation, third-party lawsuits and/or criminal penalties. Federal court litigation surrounding designated entity structures, increased regulatory scrutiny or third party or government lawsuits with respect to our prior investments in designated entities could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We also are subject, or potentially subject, to numerous additional rules and requirements, including universal service obligations; number portability requirements; number pooling rules; rules governing billing, subscriber privacy and customer proprietary network information; roaming obligations; rules that require wireless service providers to configure their networks to facilitate electronic surveillance by law enforcement officials; rate averaging and integration requirements; rules governing spam, telemarketing and truth-in-billing; and rules requiring us to offer equipment and services that are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities, among others. There are also pending proceedings exploring the imposition of various types of nondiscrimination, open access and broadband management obligations on our devices and networks; the prohibition of device exclusivity; the possible re-imposition of bright-line spectrum aggregation requirements; further regulation of special access used for wireless backhaul services; and the effects of the siting of communications towers on migratory birds, among others. Some of these requirements and pending proceedings (of which the foregoing examples are not an exhaustive list) pose technical and operational challenges to which we, and the industry as a whole, have not yet developed clear solutions. These requirements generally are the subject of pending FCC or judicial proceedings, and we are unable to predict how they may affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

In addition, certain states in which we provide service are considering legislation that would require companies selling prepaid wireless services to verify a customer’s identity using government identification. Although we request identification from new customers, we currently do not require them to provide identification in order to initiate service with us, and such a requirement could adversely impact our ability to attract new customers for our services.

Our operations are subject to various other laws and regulations, including those regulations promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, other federal agencies and state and local regulatory agencies and legislative bodies. Adverse decisions or regulations of these regulatory bodies could negatively impact our operations and costs of doing business. Because of our smaller size, legislation or governmental regulations and orders can significantly increase our costs and affect our competitive position compared to other larger telecommunications providers. We are unable to predict the scope, pace or financial impact of regulations and other policy changes that could be adopted by the various governmental entities that oversee portions of our business.

Our Wireless Licenses Are Subject to Renewal and May Be Revoked in the Event That We Violate Applicable Laws.

Our existing wireless licenses are subject to renewal upon the expiration of the 10-year or 15-year period for which they are granted, which renewal period commenced for some of our Personal Communications Services, or PCS, wireless licenses in 2006. The FCC will award renewal expectancy to a wireless licensee that timely files a renewal application, has provided substantial service during its past license term and has substantially complied with applicable FCC rules and policies and the Communications Act. Historically, the FCC has approved our license renewal applications. However, the Communications Act

 

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provides that licenses may be revoked for cause and license renewal applications denied if the FCC determines that a renewal would not serve the public interest. In addition, if we fail to timely file to renew any wireless license, or fail to meet any regulatory requirements for renewal, including construction and substantial service requirements, we could be denied a license renewal. Many of our wireless licenses are subject to interim or final construction requirements and there is no guarantee that the FCC will find our construction, or the construction of prior licensees, sufficient to meet the build-out or renewal requirements. FCC rules provide that applications competing with a license renewal application may be considered in comparative hearings, and establish the qualifications for competing applications and the standards to be applied in hearings. The FCC has pending a rulemaking proceeding to re-evaluate, among other things, its wireless license renewal showings and standards and may in this or other proceedings promulgate changes or additional substantial requirements or conditions to its renewal rules, including revising license build-out requirements. We cannot assure you that the FCC will renew our wireless licenses upon their expiration. If any of our wireless licenses were to be revoked or not renewed upon expiration, we would not be permitted to provide services under that license, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Our recently-purchased 700 MHz A block license in Chicago is subject to a December 13, 2013 interim construction deadline. While we have been engaged in the first stages of development of this license to supplement our existing wireless capacity in this market, we must coordinate with the incumbent broadcaster on DTV Channel 51 in order to commence operations, and we may be delayed in our ultimate ability to construct facilities and operate on this spectrum. We thus expect to seek relief from the FCC from the interim construction benchmark and/or ask the FCC for relief from DTV interference protection requirements. If we are required to seek these types of relief from the FCC, it could delay or impede our ability to expand our service capacity in the Chicago market.

Wireless Licenses Comprise a Significant Portion of our Assets; Future Declines in the Fair Value of Our Licenses Could Result in Impairment Charges.

As of March 31, 2013, the carrying value of our wireless licenses was approximately $2.1 billion. These assets by their nature, however, may not be readily saleable or, if saleable, there may be substantial delays in their liquidation. For example, prior FCC approval is required in order for us to sell, or for any remedies to be exercised by our lenders with respect to, our wireless licenses, and obtaining such approval could result in significant delays and reduce the proceeds obtained from the sale or other disposition of our wireless licenses. In addition, the amount that we could realize upon any sale of our wireless licenses could materially differ from their carrying value. Valuation swings could occur for a variety of reasons relating to supply and demand, including consolidation in the wireless industry that allows or requires carriers to sell significant portions of their spectrum holdings, a sudden, large sale of spectrum by one or more carriers, or a decline in market prices as a result of the sale prices in FCC auctions.

We assess potential impairments to our indefinite-lived intangible assets, including our wireless licenses, annually during the third quarter of each year. We also evaluate on a quarterly basis whether any triggering events or changes in circumstances have occurred subsequent to the annual impairment test that would indicate an impairment condition exists. We estimate the fair value of our wireless licenses primarily on available market prices, including successful bid prices in FCC auctions and selling prices observed in wireless license transactions, pricing trends among historical wireless license transactions, our spectrum holdings within a given market relative to other carriers’ holdings and qualitative demographic and economic information concerning the areas that comprise our markets. During the years ended December 31, 2011 and 2010, we recorded impairment charges of $0.4 million and $0.8 million, respectively, with respect to our wireless licenses. No impairment charges were recorded for the year ended December 31, 2012, with respect to our wireless licenses. A significant impairment loss in any future period could have a material adverse effect on our operating income and on the carrying value of our wireless licenses on our balance sheet.

We Are Subject to Numerous Surcharges, Taxes and Fees from Federal, State and Local Governments, and the Applicability and Amount of These Fees Can Be Uncertain.

We calculate and remit surcharges, taxes and fees to numerous federal, state and local jurisdictions in connection with the services we provide. These fees include federal USF fees and common carrier regulatory fees. In addition, many state and local governments impose various surcharges, taxes and fees on our activities, including with respect to sales of our products and services and to our purchases of telecommunications services from various carriers. In many cases, the applicability and method of calculating these surcharges, taxes and fees may be uncertain, and our calculation, assessment and remittance of these amounts may be contested. In the event that we have incorrectly assessed and remitted amounts that were due, we could be subject to fines and penalties, which could materially impact our financial condition. In addition, although we remit applicable surcharges, taxes and fees that are due with respect to the services we provide, we do not recover these amounts (other than sales taxes) as additional charges from customers subscribing to our “all-inclusive” service plans, which are priced to include telecommunications taxes and certain other fees. In the event that federal, state and/or local municipalities were to significantly increase taxes and regulatory fees on our services or seek to impose new ones, it could have a significant adverse effect on our margins and financial and operational results.

 

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We May Incur Higher Than Anticipated Intercarrier Compensation Costs.

When our customers use our service to call customers of local exchange carriers, we are required under the current intercarrier compensation scheme to pay the carrier that serves the called party, and any intermediary or transit carrier, for the use of their networks. While in most cases we have been successful in negotiating agreements with other carriers that impose reasonable reciprocal compensation arrangements, some local exchange carriers have claimed a right to unilaterally impose what we believe to be unreasonably high charges on us. Some of these carriers have threatened to pursue, have initiated, or may in the future initiate, claims against us to recover these charges, and the outcome of any such claims is uncertain.

The FCC has been considering whether a unified intercarrier compensation regime can or should be established for all traffic exchanged between carriers, including commercial mobile radio services carriers. The FCC has instituted a uniform, national bill-and-keep framework for telecommunications traffic exchanged with a local exchange carrier, which will be phased in under a multi-year transition period. There are also various other pending proceedings in the courts, at the FCC and before state regulatory bodies that may affect intercarrier compensation. New or modified intercarrier compensation rules, federal or state proceedings implementing or interpreting those rules and other judicial or regulatory decisions may increase the charges we are required to pay other carriers for terminating calls or transiting calls over telecommunications networks, increase the costs of, or make it more difficult to negotiate, new agreements with carriers, decrease the amount of revenue we receive for terminating calls from other carriers on our network, or result in significant costs to us for past and future termination charges. Any of these changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

We resell third party long distance services in connection with our offering of unlimited international long distance service. The charges for these services may be subject to change by the terminating or interconnecting carrier, or by the regulatory body having jurisdiction in the applicable foreign country. If the charges are modified, the terminating or interconnecting carrier may attempt to assess such charges retroactively on us or our third party international long distance provider. If such charges are substantial, or we cease providing service to the foreign destination, prospective customers may elect not to use our service and current customers may choose to terminate service. Such events could limit our ability to grow our customer base, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results.

If We Experience High Rates of Credit Card, Subscription or Dealer Fraud, Our Ability to Generate Cash Flow Will Decrease.

Our operating costs could increase substantially as a result of fraud, including customer credit card, subscription or dealer fraud. We have implemented a number of strategies and processes to detect and prevent efforts to defraud us, and we believe that our efforts have substantially reduced the types of fraud we have identified. However, if our strategies are not successful in detecting and controlling fraud, the resulting loss of revenue or increased expenses could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition and results of operations.

The Loss of Key Personnel and Difficulty Attracting, Integrating and Retaining Qualified Personnel Could Harm Our Business.

We believe our success depends heavily on the contributions of our employees and on attracting, motivating and retaining our officers and other management and technical personnel. We do not, however, generally provide employment contracts to our employees. If we are unable to attract and retain the qualified employees that we need, our business may be harmed.

Our business is managed by a small number of key executive officers, including our CEO, S. Douglas Hutcheson. In February 2012, we hired Robert A. Strickland as our executive vice president and chief technical officer. In May 2012, we hired Jerry V. Elliott as our executive vice president and CFO and in November 2012 appointed him as president and chief operating officer. In November 2012, we hired R. Perley McBride as our executive vice president and CFO.

As several members of senior management have been hired recently, it may take time to fully integrate these individuals into their new roles. In addition, if we were to lose the services of key individuals in the future, any such departures could materially and adversely impact how we manage and operate our business. We may also have difficulty attracting and retaining key personnel in future periods, particularly if we were to experience poor operating or financial performance.

 

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Our Ability to Use Our Net Operating Loss Carryforwards to Reduce Future Possible Tax Payments Could Be Negatively Impacted if There Is an “Ownership Change” (as Defined Under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code); Our Tax Benefit Preservation Plan May Not Be Effective to Prevent an Ownership Change.

We have substantial federal and state net operating losses, or NOLs, for income tax purposes. Subject to certain requirements, we may “carry forward” our federal NOLs for up to 20 years to offset future taxable income and reduce our income tax liability. For state income tax purposes, the NOL carryforward period ranges from five to 20 years. During the year ended December 31, 2012, $37.2 million of our state NOLs expired. At March 31, 2013, we had federal and state NOLs of approximately $2.7 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively (which begin to expire in 2022 for federal income tax purposes and of which $69.8 million will expire at the end of 2013 for state income tax purposes). While these NOL carryforwards have a potential to be used to offset future ordinary taxable income and reduce future cash tax liabilities by approximately $1.1 billion, our ability to utilize these NOLs will depend upon the availability of future taxable income during the carryforward period and, as such, there is no assurance we will be able to realize such tax savings.

Our ability to utilize NOLs could be further limited if we were to experience an “ownership change,” as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code and similar state provisions. In general terms, an ownership change can occur whenever there is a cumulative shift in the ownership of a company by more than 50 percentage points by one or more “5% stockholders” within a three-year period. The occurrence of such a change in our ownership would generally limit the amount of NOL carryforwards we could utilize in a given year to the aggregate fair market value of Leap common stock immediately prior to the ownership change, multiplied by the long-term tax-exempt interest rate in effect for the month of the ownership change.

The determination of whether an ownership change has occurred for purposes of Section 382 is complex and requires significant judgment. The occurrence of such an ownership change would accelerate cash tax payments we would be required to make and likely result in a substantial portion of our NOLs expiring before we could fully utilize them. As a result, any restriction on our ability to utilize these NOL carryforwards could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and future cash flows.

On August 30, 2011, our board of directors adopted a Tax Benefit Preservation Plan to help deter acquisitions of Leap common stock that could result in an ownership change under Section 382 and thus help preserve our ability to use our NOL carryforwards. The Tax Benefit Preservation Plan was approved by our stockholders in May 2012. The Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is designed to deter acquisitions of Leap common stock that would result in a stockholder owning 4.99% or more of Leap common stock (as calculated under Section 382), or any existing holder of 4.99% or more of Leap common stock acquiring additional shares, by substantially diluting the ownership interest of any such stockholder unless the stockholder obtains an exemption from our board of directors. Because the number of shares of Leap common stock outstanding at any particular time for purposes of the Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is determined in accordance with Section 382, it may differ from the number of shares that we report as outstanding in our SEC filings.

Although the Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is intended to reduce the likelihood of an adverse ownership change under Section 382, the Tax Benefit Preservation Plan may not prevent such an ownership change from occurring and does not protect against all transactions that could cause an ownership change, such as sales of Leap common stock by certain greater than 5% stockholders or transactions that occurred prior to the adoption of the Tax Benefit Preservation Plan. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that an ownership change under Section 382 will not occur and significantly limit the use of our NOLs.

Our Business and Stock Price May Be Adversely Affected if Our Internal Control Over Financial Reporting is Not Effective.

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires companies to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of their internal control over financial reporting. To comply with this statute, each year we are required to document and test our internal control over financial reporting; our management is required to assess and issue a report concerning our internal control over financial reporting; and our independent registered public accounting firm is required to report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.

Management had previously concluded that we maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2011 and 2012. In connection with the restatement discussed under the heading “Restatement of Previously Reported Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements” in Note 2 to the condensed consolidated financial statements included in “Part I — Item 1. Financial Statements” of this report, management determined that the material weakness described below existed as of each of these dates. Accordingly, management has now concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of those dates and that, as a result, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective from December 31, 2011 through September 30, 2013.

 

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The material weakness we have identified in our internal control over financial reporting was that management failed to design and maintain a process to evaluate the completeness of the amount of capital expenditures that had not been paid in cash at the end of the period. Specifically, management did not design effective controls to properly classify purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable at period end such that the consolidated statements of cash flows only included purchases of property and equipment as investing cash outflows when such amounts had been actually paid during the period.

In addition, in our quarterly and annual reports (as amended) for the periods ended from December 31, 2006 through September 30, 2008, we reported a material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, which related to the design of controls over the preparation and review of the account reconciliations and analysis of revenues, cost of revenues and deferred revenues, and ineffective testing of changes made to our revenue and billing systems in connection with the introduction or modification of service offerings. Moreover, we previously reported that certain material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting existed at various times during the period from September 30, 2004 through September 30, 2006. These material weaknesses included excessive turnover and inadequate staffing levels in our accounting, financial reporting and tax departments, weaknesses in the preparation of our income tax provision, and weaknesses in our application of lease-related accounting principles, fresh-start reporting oversight, and account reconciliation procedures.

Although we believe we are taking and previously took appropriate actions to remediate the control deficiencies we identified and to strengthen our internal control over financial reporting, we cannot assure you that we will not discover other material weaknesses in the future or that no material weakness will result from any difficulties, errors, delays or disruptions while we implement and transition to significant new internal systems, including the recent transition to our new customer billing system. The existence of one or more material weaknesses could result in errors in our financial statements, and substantial costs and resources may be required to rectify these or other internal control deficiencies, and may subject us to risk of litigation, for which we may incur substantial costs regardless of its outcome. If we cannot produce reliable financial reports, investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, the market price of Leap common stock could decline significantly, we may be unable to obtain additional financing to operate and expand our business, and our business and financial condition could be harmed.

Related to Ownership of Leap Common Stock

Our Stock Price May Be Volatile, and You May Lose All or Some of Your Investment.

The trading prices of the securities of telecommunications companies have been highly volatile. Accordingly, the trading price of Leap common stock has been, and is likely to continue to be, subject to wide fluctuations. Factors affecting the trading price of Leap common stock may include, among other things:

 

    variations in our operating results or those of our competitors;

 

    announcements of technological innovations, new services or service enhancements, strategic alliances or significant agreements (including merger, acquisition or other investment agreements) by us or by our competitors;

 

    entry of new competitors into our markets, changes in product and service offerings by us or our competitors, changes in the prices charged for product and service offerings by us or our competitors, or changes or upgrades in the network technologies used by us or our competitors;

 

    the commencement of or significant developments with respect to intellectual property or other litigation;

 

    announcements of and bidding in auctions for new spectrum;

 

    recruitment or departure of key personnel;

 

    changes in the estimates of our operating results or changes in recommendations by any securities analysts that elect to follow Leap common stock, or changes in our credit ratings or those of our competitors;

 

    changes in the levels of our indebtedness;

 

    any default under our Credit Agreement or any of the indentures governing our senior notes or convertible senior notes because of a covenant breach or otherwise;

 

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    rumors or speculation in the marketplace regarding acquisitions or consolidation in our industry, including regarding transactions involving Leap; and

 

    market conditions in our industry and the economy as a whole.

The occurrence of any one or more of these events could significantly impact the trading price of Leap common stock, and you could lose all or some of your investment.

Our Directors and Affiliated Entities Have Substantial Influence over Our Affairs, and Our Ownership Is Highly Concentrated. Sales of a Significant Number of Shares by Large Stockholders May Adversely Affect the Market Price of Leap Common Stock.

Our directors and entities affiliated with them beneficially owned in the aggregate approximately 30% of Leap common stock as of April 22, 2013. Moreover, our five largest stockholders and entities affiliated with them beneficially owned in the aggregate approximately 65% of Leap common stock as of April 22, 2013. These stockholders have the ability to exert substantial influence over all matters requiring approval by our stockholders. These stockholders will be able to influence the election and removal of directors and any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of Leap’s assets and other matters. This concentration of ownership could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control or impeding a merger or consolidation, takeover or other business combination.

Our resale shelf registration statement registers for resale 23,533,869 shares of Leap common stock held by entities affiliated with one of our directors, or approximately 30% of Leap’s outstanding common stock as of April 22, 2013. We have also agreed to register for resale any additional shares of common stock that these entities or their affiliates acquire. We are unable to predict the potential effect that sales into the market of any material portion of such shares, or any of the other shares held by our other large stockholders and entities affiliated with them, may have on the then-prevailing market price of Leap common stock. If any of Leap’s stockholders cause a large number of securities to be sold in the public market, these sales could reduce the trading price of Leap common stock. These sales could also impede our ability to raise future capital.

We Could Elect to Raise Additional Equity Capital, Which Could Dilute Existing Stockholders.

During the second quarter of 2009 we sold 7,000,000 shares of Leap common stock in an underwritten public offering. We could raise additional capital in the future, as market conditions permit, to enhance our liquidity and to provide us with additional flexibility to pursue business investment initiatives. Any additional capital we could raise could be significant and could consist of debt, convertible debt or equity financing from the public and/or private credit or capital markets. To the extent that we were to elect to raise equity capital, this financing may not be available in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us and could be dilutive to existing stockholders. In addition, these sales could reduce the trading price of Leap common stock and impede our ability to raise future capital.

Your Ownership Interest in Leap Will Be Diluted upon Issuance of Shares We Have Reserved for Future Issuances, and Future Issuances or Sales of Such Shares May Adversely Affect the Market Price of Leap Common Stock.

As of April 22, 2013, 79,045,864 shares of Leap common stock were issued and outstanding, and 5,578,596 additional shares of Leap common stock were reserved for issuance, including 3,201,102 shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding stock options and deferred stock units under our 2004 Stock Option, Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Unit Plan, as amended, 1,789,361 shares of common stock available for future issuance under our 2004 Stock Option, Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Unit Plan, 495,350 shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding stock options under our 2009 Employment Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, 53,487 shares of common stock available for future issuance under our 2009 Employment Inducement Equity Incentive Plan, and 39,296 shares available for future issuance under our Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan. On December 19, 2012, our board of directors approved an amendment to the Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan to add 400,000 shares for issuance thereunder, subject to, and contingent upon, the approval of our stockholders, which approval will be requested at our Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held in 2013.

Leap has also reserved up to 4,761,000 shares of its common stock for issuance upon conversion of its $248.2 million in aggregate principal amount of 4.50% convertible senior notes due 2014. Holders may convert their notes into shares of Leap common stock at any time on or prior to the third scheduled trading day prior to the maturity date of the notes, July 15, 2014. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of Leap common stock is less than or equal to approximately $93.21 per share, the notes will be convertible into 10.7290 shares of Leap common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the notes

 

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(referred to as the “base conversion rate”), subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events. If, at the time of conversion, the applicable stock price of Leap common stock exceeds approximately $93.21 per share, the conversion rate will be determined pursuant to a formula based on the base conversion rate and an incremental share factor of 8.3150 shares per $1,000 principal amount of the notes, subject to adjustment. At an applicable stock price of approximately $93.21 per share, the number of shares of common stock issuable upon full conversion of the convertible senior notes would be 2,682,250 shares. Upon the occurrence of a “make-whole fundamental change” of Leap under the indenture, under certain circumstances the maximum number of shares of common stock issuable upon full conversion of the convertible senior notes would be 4,761,000 shares.

In addition, we have registered all shares of common stock that we may issue under our 2004 Stock Option, Restricted Stock and Deferred Stock Unit Plan, under our 2009 Employment Inducement Equity Incentive Plan and under our Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan. When we issue shares under these stock plans, they can be freely sold in the public market after the recipient satisfies any vesting period applicable to the shares. If any of Leap’s stockholders causes a large number of securities to be sold in the public market, these sales could reduce the trading price of Leap common stock. These sales also could impede our ability to raise future capital.

Provisions in Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, under Delaware Law, in Our Credit Agreement and Indentures, or in Our Tax Benefit Preservation Plan Might Discourage, Delay or Prevent a Change in Control of Our Company or Changes in Our Management and, Therefore, Depress the Trading Price of Leap Common Stock.

Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that could depress the trading price of Leap common stock by acting to discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or changes in our management that our stockholders may deem advantageous. These provisions:

 

    require super-majority voting to amend some provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws;

 

    authorize the issuance of “blank check” preferred stock that our board of directors could issue to increase the number of outstanding shares to discourage a takeover attempt;

 

    prohibit stockholder action by written consent, and require that all stockholder actions be taken at a meeting of our stockholders;

 

    provide that the board of directors is expressly authorized to make, alter or repeal our bylaws; and

 

    establish advance notice requirements for nominations for elections to our board or for proposing matters that can be acted upon by stockholders at stockholder meetings.

We are also subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which generally prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any of a broad range of business combinations with any “interested” stockholder for a period of three years following the date on which the stockholder became an “interested” stockholder and which may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company.

In addition, under the indentures governing our senior notes and convertible senior notes, if certain “change of control” events occur, each holder of notes may require us to repurchase all of such holder’s notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of senior notes, or 100% of the principal amount of convertible senior notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, our Credit Agreement provides for an event of default upon the occurrence of a change of control. See “Part I - Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -Liquidity and Capital Resources” of this report.

On August 30, 2011, our board of directors adopted a Tax Benefit Preservation Plan as a measure intended to help deter acquisitions of Leap common stock that could result in an ownership change under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code and thus help preserve our ability to use our NOL carryforwards. The Tax Benefit Preservation Plan was approved by our stockholders in May 2012. The Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is designed to deter acquisitions of Leap common stock that would result in a stockholder owning 4.99% or more of Leap common stock (as calculated under Section 382), or any existing holder of 4.99% or more of Leap common stock acquiring additional shares, by substantially diluting the ownership interest of any such stockholder unless the stockholder obtains an exemption from our board of directors. Because the Tax Benefit Preservation Plan may restrict a stockholder’s ability to acquire Leap common stock, it could discourage a tender offer for Leap common stock or make it more difficult for a third party to acquire a controlling position in our stock without our approval, and the liquidity and market value of Leap common stock may be adversely affected while the Tax Benefit Preservation Plan is in effect.

 

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Item 6. Exhibits.

Index to Exhibits:

 

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Exhibit

Number

 

Description of Exhibit

10.1   Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement and Subsidiaries Guaranty, dated as of March 8, 2013, among Leap Wireless International, Inc., Cricket Communications, Inc., the lenders party thereto and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as Administrative Agent and Parity Lien Representative, and, with respect to certain sections only, Cricket License Company, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of Leap’s Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on March 11, 2013).
10.2*†   Fifth Amendment, effective February 15, 2013, to Private Label PCS Services Agreement between Sprint Spectrum L.P. and Cricket Communications, Inc. dated as of August 2, 2010.
10.3#   Employment Transition Agreement, effective January 1, 2013, between Leap Wireless International, Inc., Cricket Communications, Inc. and Jeffrey E. Nachbor (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8.3 of Leap’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, filed with the SEC on February 25, 2013).
10.4#   Employment Transition Agreement, effective January 1, 2013, between Leap Wireless International, Inc., Cricket Communications, Inc. and Leonard C. Stephens (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 of Leap’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012, filed with the SEC on February 25, 2013).
10.5*#   Form of Performance Share Unit Grant Notice and Performance Share Unit Award Agreement with S. Douglas Hutcheson.
10.6*#   Form of Performance Share Unit Grant Notice and Performance Share Unit Award Agreement.
10.7*#   Form of Performance Cash Award Grant Notice and Performance Cash Award Agreement.
31.1**   Certification of Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2**   Certification of Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32***   Certification of Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
101.INS   XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase document
101.DEF   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase document
101.LAB   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase document
101.PRE   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase document

 

* Previously filed.
** Filed herewith.
*** This certification is being furnished solely to accompany this quarterly report pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1350, and is not being filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is not to be incorporated by reference into any filing of Leap Wireless International, Inc., whether made before or after the date hereof, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.
# Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement in which one or more executive officers or directors participates.
Portions of this exhibit (indicated by asterisks) have been omitted pursuant to a request for confidential treatment pursuant to Rule 24b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused Amendment No. 1 to this Quarterly Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

October 25, 2013

 

LEAP WIRELESS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
By:  

/s/ S. DOUGLAS HUTCHESON

  S. Douglas Hutcheson
  Chief Executive Officer
By:  

/s/ R. PERLEY MCBRIDE

  R. Perley McBride
  Chief Financial Officer

 

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