Lumen Technologies, Inc.
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ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Business Overview
We are a leading digital networking services company, empowering enterprise businesses to fuel growth in a multi-cloud, AI-first marketplace by connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. We are unleashing the world's digital potential by providing a broad array of integrated products and services to our customers. As of December 31, 2025, we had two segments, comprised of our Business segment, serving domestic and global customers, and our Mass Markets segment, serving domestic customers. We operate one of the world’s most interconnected communications networks. Our platform empowers our customers to swiftly adjust digital programs to meet immediate demands, create efficiencies, accelerate market access, and reduce costs, which allows our customers to rapidly evolve their IT programs to address dynamic changes. Our specific products and services are detailed below under the heading “Products and Services.”
On May 21, 2025, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell our Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home business in 11 states (the "Territory") to AT&T. On February 2, 2026, we completed our sale of our Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home business in the Territory ("Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home business") to AT&T in exchange for gross cash proceeds of $5.75 billion, subject to post-closing adjustments (the "Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home divestiture").
Our Brands
We conduct our operations under the following brands:
•Lumen: Our flagship brand for serving the enterprise and wholesale markets, including our PCF network architecture, Lumen Digital products, and our priority services including Edge, Network-as-a-Service and cybersecurity;
•CenturyLink: Our long-standing brand for providing primarily mass-marketed copper-based communications services, which we manage for cash flow; and
•Black Lotus Labs: Our cyberthreat research and intelligence arm.
Prior to our Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home divestiture, we operated our fiber-based broadband services to residential and small business customers under Quantum Fiber.
Our Network
With approximately 163,000 fiber on-net buildings and over 340,000 route miles of fiber optic cable globally as of December 31, 2025, we are among the largest providers of communications services to domestic and global enterprise customers. Our terrestrial fiber optic long-haul network throughout North America and Asia Pacific connects to metropolitan fiber networks that we operate.
Acquisitions and Divestitures
Since being incorporated in Louisiana in 1968, we have grown principally through acquisitions, increasing our focus on providing more modern technology and communications services to our customers. Key acquisitions include:
•acquired Embarq Corporation in 2009;
•acquired Qwest Communications International Inc. in 2011; and
•acquired Level 3 Communications, Inc. in 2017.
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Over the past few years we have also made strategic divestitures to position ourselves to grow as a leading digital network services company that delivers ubiquitous, universal connectivity to enterprises. Key divestitures include:
•divested Latin American business and a portion of our incumbent local exchange carrier ("ILEC") business primarily conducted in 20 states in 2022;
•divested our Europe, the Middle East and Africa ("EMEA") business in 2023; and
•Subsequent event — February 2, 2026: divested our Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home business in the Territory to AT&T.
See Note 2 — Divestitures in Item 8 for additional information on these transactions.
We continue to evaluate the possibility of acquiring or divesting assets in exchange for cash, securities or other properties, and at any given time may be engaged in discussions or negotiations regarding such possibilities. We generally do not announce our acquisitions or divestitures until we have entered into a preliminary or definitive agreement.
Strategy
Our strategic goal is to be the trusted provider of network services and to digitally connect people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. To attain this goal, we strive to, among other things:
•deliver best in class physical infrastructure to meet network, transport, data, and computing needs;
•optimize and innovate the way locations, data centers, and clouds connect;
•limit, detect, and mitigate network and data security vulnerabilities;
•expand our product offerings and strengthen our digital self-service ordering platforms;
•create a more adaptive and integrated network;
•continue to monetize our network-related assets, principally through the sale of PCF solutions;
•expand our network capacity through our artificial intelligence ("AI") backbone initiative;
•manage our non-core business for cash flow; and
•strengthen our financial position and performance through our modernization and simplification initiatives, resulting in lower costs and debt reduction.
Our Stakeholders
We believe that regular communications with our stakeholders is a vital component of Lumen's success. Our "North Star" strategy focuses on the operating principles of teamwork, trust, and transparency and infuses clarity into the communications we have with all of our stakeholders, including our investors, employees, customers, vendors, partners, and our local communities.
Employees and Human Capital Resources
To drive growth and success, we’ve strengthened our senior leadership team, modernized our business, and energized our culture. We strive to attract, develop, and retain a workforce that is inspired by strong leadership, engaged in meaningful work, and motivated by career growth opportunities. Our goal is to foster a culture where teamwork, trust, and transparency empower thriving employees to achieve both individual and collective success. We aim to attract broad talent to develop innovative ideas that transform industries worldwide.
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As of December 31, 2025, we employed approximately 24,000 employees globally, including approximately 3,400 outside the U.S.
Attracting, Developing and Retaining Talent
We view talent as a key differentiator and a leading indicator of performance. Our goal is to hire and retain top talent, provide exceptional opportunities for career growth, and uphold fair, transparent hiring practices. To achieve this, we’ve implemented a rigorous hiring process supported by competency-based success profiles and ongoing career development programs. These initiatives empower employees to pursue their professional goals while strengthening engagement and retention.
We invest in broad-based development through:
•skills-building programs and on-demand learning options;
•tuition reimbursement;
•tailored internship and mentoring programs; and
•a suite of leadership development courses.
We also prioritize internal mobility and career visibility and advancement opportunities through enhanced communication platforms and a robust learning ecosystem. We support this culture of growth through a robust learning ecosystem, offering approximately 160,000 courses within our learning management system, including around 8,000 Lumen-specific courses, ensuring employees have the tools to grow and succeed. As we build the backbone for the AI economy, we are committed to making AI learning accessible for all employees through high-quality resources. Our AI Literacy program equips our employees with foundational knowledge of AI, its applications, and its ethical considerations. Developing strong leaders who can drive our company forward remains a top priority.
We gauge the efficacy of our programs, identify opportunities for improvement, and pursue solutions through tracking and analyzing data in a variety of ways, including conducting annual talent reviews and measuring our progress toward goals specified in our talent programs.
Positive Corporate Culture
At Lumen, our goal is to transform our business and deliver value to colleagues, customers, partners, and shareholders. Our employees are the foundation of Lumen's success, and we believe that fostering a winning culture built on diverse skills, perspectives, and experiences, is essential to attracting and retaining engaged talent. We are driving transformation from the ground up by promoting teamwork, trust, and transparency. Our focus remains on recruiting and retaining top talent based on individual merit, creating a respectful and inclusive workplace, and inspiring pride in our shared purpose to unleash the world's digital potential. Guided by our Code of Conduct, we strive to uphold the highest standards of integrity and comply fully with all applicable laws and regulations.
Health and Wellness
At Lumen, our focus is the health, safety, and well-being of our employees, partners, and communities. We continually invest in programs and training to exceed industry safety standards and create an environment where people can thrive. Our programs include:
•industry-leading safety initiatives that set a high benchmark for performance;
•comprehensive benefits supporting physical, mental, and emotional health;
•wellness programs designed to boost engagement, satisfaction, and retention; and
•progressive benefits tailored to the unique needs of employees and their families.
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We regularly evaluate and enhance our offerings to ensure they meet evolving needs. By prioritizing well-being, we strengthen our culture, improve job satisfaction, and support recruiting and retention — helping every employee reach their full potential.
Labor Relations
As of December 31, 2025, approximately 20% of our U.S. workforce was represented by a union, either the Communications Workers of America or the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. A small number of our overseas employees are represented by unions or other representative bodies. We respect employees’ rights to organize and work collaboratively with unions, and we strive to maintain collaborative, constructive relationships with the unions, councils and associations that represent our workers. We encourage employees to collaborate directly with their supervisors whenever possible to resolve workplace concerns promptly and effectively.
Customer Success
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Financial statements
data from SEC XBRL filings. Values are as-reported; restatements supersede originals. Values reported in .
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) provides an overview of our financial performance, liquidity, and the business environment in which we operate. This discussion is intended to help readers understand our results and key factors influencing our operations. The MD&A should be read together with our audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in Item 8. All references to “Notes” in this section refer to the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8.
This section includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. For a discussion of these risks, see “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” immediately prior to Item 1 and “Risk Factors” in Item 1A.
The MD&A generally discusses results for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, including year-over-year comparisons between these periods. For discussions of 2023 results and comparisons between 2024 and 2023 that are not in this document, refer to “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Item 7 of Part II of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024. We reclassified certain prior period amounts to conform to the current period presentation, including the recategorization of our Business revenue by product category and sales channel in our segment reporting for 2024 and 2023.
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OVERVIEW
We are a leading digital networking services company, empowering enterprise businesses to fuel growth in a multi-cloud, AI-first marketplace by connecting people, data, and applications quickly, securely, and effortlessly. We operate in a rapidly evolving landscape with growing demand for secure, high-speed connectivity. Our strategy focuses on growing and transforming our network and business to deliver next-generation solutions that meet these needs and build the backbone of the AI economy.
Reporting Segments
Our reporting segments are currently organized by customer focus.
•Business segment: Serves enterprise and wholesale customers through five distinct sales channels: Large Enterprise, Mid-Market Enterprise, Public Sector, Wholesale, and International and Other. Revenue is reported under four product categories: Grow, Nurture, Harvest, and Other.
•Mass Markets segment: Serves residential and small business customers. Revenue is reported under three product categories: Fiber Broadband, Other Broadband, and Voice and Other.
From time to time, we may change the categorization of our products and services. For additional information see Note 16 — Segment Information and Note 4 — Revenue Recognition in Item 8.
As of December 31, 2025, we served 2.4 million broadband subscribers under our Mass Markets segment. Our methodology for counting broadband subscribers may be different than the methodologies used by other companies.
2026 Divestiture
On May 21, 2025, we entered into a definitive agreement to sell our Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home business in the Territory to AT&T (the "Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home divestiture"). On February 2, 2026, we completed the Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home divestiture in exchange for pre-tax cash proceeds of $5.75 billion, subject to post-closing adjustments. In connection with the sale, we have entered into a transition services agreement under which we will provide to AT&T various support services and certain long-term agreements under which we and AT&T will provide to each other various network and other commercial services.
Current Business Environment and Macroeconomic Factors
The macroeconomic environment in which we operate remains dynamic and continues to affect our business. Key factors that have impacted us and our customers include:
•Revenue mix: Shifts in technology and economic conditions have driven us to continuously review our strategy and as such, we expect to see continued reduction in legacy voice, broadband, and other legacy services, while fueling growth in our strategic products.
•Inflationary pressures and build costs: Rising costs for labor, materials, and energy have increased operating expenses and capital expenditures, particularly to support our continued PCF buildout and other network transformations.
•Supply constraints: Shortages of critical components and other materials have slowed certain network expansion efforts.
•Customer behavior: Certain customers have delayed purchasing decisions, which has occasionally impacted sales cycles.
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To date, we do not believe these factors have materially impacted our financial performance or position. However, ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, tariffs, inflation, and supply constraints could increase costs, reduce revenues, delay network expansion, or disrupt service delivery, which could materially impact our results. If these conditions persist, our projected cash flows and market capitalization could decline. For further information relating to these matters, see “— Trends Impacting Our Operations” below and "Risk Factors" in Item 1A.
We are actively managing these challenges through disciplined capital allocation, cost optimization, and strategic investments in network infrastructure. We believe these actions position us to navigate current macroeconomic conditions while pursuing long-term growth opportunities.
We expect continued demand for high-capacity, low-latency connectivity solutions, supported by enterprise digital transformation and government broadband programs. While macroeconomic uncertainty and competitive pressures present risks, we believe our transformation initiatives position us to deliver long-term value.
Trends Impacting Our Operations
Our operations are shaped by evolving technology, customer expectations, and market dynamics. Key trends that impact us, and will continue to impact us, include:
•Automation and digital innovation: Growing demand for automated experiences and advanced technologies like AI and multi-cloud platforms requires ongoing investment in technology and infrastructure to enhance service quality and reduce costs.
•Legacy decline and margin pressure: Legacy wireline services continue to shrink, while newer offerings often deliver lower margins — especially those involving third-party connectivity — necessitating cost optimization and pricing discipline.
•Globalization and network expansion amid cost pressures: Distributed business models drive demand for high-capacity, low-latency networks. We are expanding our network capacity to capture growth, while managing vendor cost increases and dis-synergies from recent divestitures.
•Monetizing network assets with execution risk: We aim to generate revenue through custom connectivity solutions, including PCF, by leveraging excess conduit and fiber assets. These opportunities can be significant but depend on market demand, regulatory conditions, and timely execution.
These and other developments and trends impacting our operations are discussed in "Risk Factors" in Item 1A and elsewhere throughout MD&A.
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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
In this section, we discuss our overall results of operations and highlight special items that are not included in "SEGMENT RESULTS", which covers the performance of our two reporting segments in more detail.
Operating Revenue
The following table summarizes our consolidated operating revenue by segment and sales channels within the Business segment as described in Note 4 — Revenue Recognition in Item 8:
| Years Ended December 31, | 2025 vs 2024 % Change | 2024 vs 2023 % Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business Segment: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large Enterprise | $ | 2,979 | 3,039 | 3,171 | (2) | % | (4) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Mid-Market Enterprise | 1,973 | 2,212 | 2,490 | (11) | % | (11) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Public Sector | 1,904 | 1,856 | 1,791 | 3 | % | 4 | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Wholesale | 2,714 | 2,886 | 3,152 | (6) | % | (8) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International and Other | 325 | 373 | 982 | (13) | % | (62) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Business Segment Revenue | 9,895 | 10,366 | 11,586 | (5) | % | (11) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Mass Markets Segment Revenue | 2,507 | 2,742 | 2,971 | (9) | % | (8) | % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total operating revenue | $ | 12,402 | 13,108 | 14,557 | (5) | % | (10) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
Operating revenue decreased $706 million in 2025 compared to 2024. See our segment results below for information on the drivers of revenue.
Operating revenue decreased $1.4 billion in 2024 compared to 2023, primarily due to $547 million from the sale of the EMEA business and the sale of select CDN contracts in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Operating Expenses
The following table summarizes our operating expenses; however, these expense categories may not be comparable to those of other companies:
| Years Ended December 31, | % Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Cost of services and products (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) | $ | 6,638 | 6,703 | (1) | % | |||||||||||
| Selling, general and administrative | 3,199 | 2,972 | 8 | % | ||||||||||||
Net loss on sale of businesses | — | 17 | nm | |||||||||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 2,749 | 2,956 | (7) | % | ||||||||||||
| Goodwill impairment | 628 | — | nm | |||||||||||||
| Total operating expenses | $ | 13,214 | 12,648 | 4 | % | |||||||||||
_______________________________________________________________________________
nm Percentages greater than 200% and comparisons between positive and negative values or to/from zero values are considered not meaningful.
Cost of Services and Products (exclusive of depreciation and amortization)
Cost of services and products (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) decreased $65 million in 2025 compared to 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease of $114 million in equipment and maintenance expense;
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•an offsetting increase of $26 million in professional fees; and
•an offsetting increase of $17 million in employee-related expenses.
Selling, General and Administrative
Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $227 million in 2025 compared to 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
•an increase of $72 million in hardware and software expenses;
•an increase of $56 million in employee-related expenses;
•an increase of $49 million in fees related to our voluntary relinquishment of FCC Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (“RDOF”) funding in the second quarter of 2025; and
•an increase of $40 million related to a loss on the sale of operating assets in the first half of 2025 and recognition in the first quarter of 2024 of a deferred gain on the sale of select CDN contracts.
Net Loss on Sale of Businesses
For a discussion of the net loss on the sale of businesses that we recognized for 2025 and 2024, see Note 2 — Divestitures in Item 8.
Depreciation and Amortization
The following table provides detail of our depreciation and amortization expense:
| Years Ended December 31, | % Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Depreciation | $ | 1,746 | 1,890 | (8) | % | |||||||||||
| Amortization | 1,003 | 1,066 | (6) | % | ||||||||||||
| Total depreciation and amortization | $ | 2,749 | 2,956 | (7) | % | |||||||||||
Depreciation decreased $144 million in 2025 compared to 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease of $104 million due to the discontinuation of the depreciation of the tangible assets of our Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home business held for sale during the second quarter of 2025;
•a decrease of $18 million from accelerated depreciation of CDN assets in 2024; and
•a decrease of $8 million due to decommissioned assets.
Amortization decreased $63 million in 2025 compared to 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease of $45 million from accelerated amortization of software assets in 2024; and
•a decrease of $24 million associated with a net reduction in amortizable assets.
Further analysis of our segment operating expenses by segment is provided below in "Segment Results."
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Goodwill Impairments
We are required to perform impairment tests related to our goodwill annually, which we perform as of October 31, or sooner if an indicator of impairment occurs. The classification of our Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home business as held for sale, as described in Note 2 — Divestitures in Item 8, was considered an event or change in circumstance which required an assessment of our goodwill for impairment as of April 30, 2025.
As of April 30, 2025, we had three reporting units for goodwill impairment testing, which are (i) Mass Markets, (ii) North America Business ("NA Business") and (iii) Asia Pacific ("APAC") region. When we performed our impairment tests during the second quarter of 2025, we concluded that the estimated fair value of our Mass Markets reporting unit was less than our carrying value of equity for this unit as of our testing date. As a result, we recorded non-cash, non-tax-deductible goodwill impairment charges aggregating to $628 million in the second quarter of 2025.
For a discussion of the goodwill impairment we recognized in 2025, see Note 3 — Goodwill and Intangible Assets in Item 8.
Other Consolidated Results
The following tables summarize our total other expense, net and income tax expense:
| Years Ended December 31, | % Change | |||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | |||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | ||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | $ | (1,284) | (1,372) | (6) | % | |||||||||||
| Net (loss) gain on early retirement of debt | (740) | 348 | nm | |||||||||||||
| Other income, net | 120 | 334 | (64) | % | ||||||||||||
| Total other expense, net | $ | (1,904) | (690) | 176 | % | |||||||||||
| Income tax benefit | $ | (977) | (175) | nm | ||||||||||||
_______________________________________________________________________________
nm Percentages greater than 200% and comparisons between positive and negative values or to/from zero values are considered not meaningful.
Interest Expense
Interest expense decreased $88 million in 2025 compared to 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease in average outstanding long-term debt of $1.0 billion; and
•a decrease in average interest rate from 7.50% to 7.12%.
Net (Loss) Gain on Early Retirement of Debt
For a discussion of the debt transactions that resulted in the net (loss) gain on debt that we recognized in 2025 and 2024, see Note 7 — Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities in Item 8.
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Other Income, Net
Other income, net reflects certain items not directly related to our core operations, including:
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | ||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||
| Pension and post-retirement net periodic expense | $ | (184) | (152) | ||||||||
| Foreign currency gain (loss) | 14 | (25) | |||||||||
| Gain on sale of investment | — | 205 | |||||||||
| Loss on investment in limited partnership | — | (10) | |||||||||
| Transition and separation services | 156 | 157 | |||||||||
| Interest income | 75 | 119 | |||||||||
| Other | 59 | 40 | |||||||||
| Other income, net | $ | 120 | 334 | ||||||||
Income Tax Expense
For 2025 and 2024, our effective income tax rate was 36.0% and 76.1%, respectively. The effective tax rate for 2025 includes a $333 million favorable impact driven by statute of limitations releases on uncertain tax positions previously disclosed and for 2024 includes a $135 million favorable impact of the exclusion of cancellation of debt income under Section 108 of the Internal Revenue Code in 2024.
For additional information, see Note 15 — Income Taxes in Item 8 and "CRITICAL ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES — Income Taxes" below.
SEGMENT RESULTS
In this section we provide a reconciliation of segment revenue to total operating revenue and discuss the performance of our two reporting segments. Our segment performance measurement is segment adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA").
Results in this section include results of our EMEA business prior to its sale on November 1, 2023:
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | |||||||||||||||||
| Operating revenue: | |||||||||||||||||
| Business | $ | 9,895 | 10,366 | 11,586 | |||||||||||||
| Mass Markets | 2,507 | 2,742 | 2,971 | ||||||||||||||
| Total operating revenue | $ | 12,402 | 13,108 | 14,557 | |||||||||||||
For additional information on our product and services categories and our reportable segments, see Note 4 — Revenue Recognition and Note 16 — Segment Information in Item 8.
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Business Segment
| Years Ended December 31, | Percent Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2025 vs 2024 | 2024 vs 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Business Segment Product Categories: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grow | $ | 4,595 | 4,376 | 4,491 | 5 | % | (3) | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nurture | 2,501 | 2,959 | 3,487 | (15) | % | (15) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Harvest | 2,064 | 2,275 | 2,683 | (9) | % | (15) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Other | 735 | 756 | 925 | (3) | % | (18) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total Business Segment Revenue | 9,895 | 10,366 | 11,586 | (5) | % | (11) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Expenses: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total expense | 5,372 | 5,749 | 6,329 | (7) | % | (9) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total adjusted EBITDA | $ | 4,523 | 4,617 | 5,257 | (2) | % | (12) | % | ||||||||||||||||||
Business Segment Revenue
Business segment revenue decreased $471 million in 2025 compared to 2024. Business segment revenue decreased $1.2 billion in 2024 compared to 2023 driven by a $547 million decrease from the sale of the EMEA business and the sale of select CDN contracts in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Business Segment Product Categories
For 2025 compared to 2024, and for 2024 compared to 2023, the following were the primary drivers within each product category:
•Grow increased $219 million in 2025. This was primarily as a result of:
◦an increase of $112 million in revenue from dark fiber and conduit; and
◦an increase of $74 million from growth in IP services.
•Grow decreased $115 million in 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
◦a decrease of $272 million from the sale of the divested business in 2023;
◦a decrease of $42 million in revenue from wavelength services;
◦an offsetting increase of $112 million in revenue from dark fiber and conduit; and
◦an offsetting increase of $107 million from growth in IP services.
•Nurture decreased $458 million in 2025. This was primarily as a result of:
◦a decrease of $344 million principally attributable to declines in traditional VPN services; and
◦a decrease of $116 million from declines in Ethernet services.
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•Nurture decreased $528 million in 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
◦a decrease of $88 million from the sale of the divested business in 2023;
◦a decrease of $314 million principally attributable to declines in traditional VPN services; and
◦a decrease of $117 million from declines in Ethernet services.
•Harvest decreased $211 million in 2025. This was primarily as a result of:
◦a decrease of $162 million principally attributable to declines in legacy voice services;
◦a decrease of $67 million from declines in other legacy products and services; and
◦an offsetting increase of $17 million in private line revenue attributable primarily to temporary rate increases.
•Harvest decreased $408 million in 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
◦a decrease of $70 million from the sale of the divested business in 2023; and
◦a decrease of $252 million from declines in legacy voice services and private line services.
•Other decreased $21 million in 2025. This was primarily as a result of:
◦a decrease of $11 million in SAP solutions consulting services; and
◦a decrease of $7 million in equipment sales revenue.
•Other decreased $169 million in 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
◦a decrease of $93 million from the sale of select CDN contracts in 2023; and
◦a decrease of $29 million in equipment sales revenue.
Business Segment Expense
Business segment expense decreased $377 million in 2025 compared to 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease of $277 million in overall network expense; and
•a decrease of $86 million in employee-related costs due to lower headcount.
Business segment expense decreased $580 million in 2024 compared to 2023. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease of $209 million from the sale of the EMEA business and select CDN contracts in 2023;
•a decrease of $166 million in overall network expense; and
•a decrease of $138 million in employee-related costs.
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Business Segment Adjusted EBITDA
As a percentage of revenue, Business segment adjusted EBITDA was:
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
Segment adjusted EBITDA as a percent of segment revenue | 46 | % | 45 | % | 45 | % | |||||||||||
Mass Markets Segment
| Years Ended December 31, | Percent Change | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2025 vs 2024 | 2024 vs 2023 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Dollars in millions) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mass Markets Product Categories: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fiber Broadband | $ | 883 | 735 | 637 | 20 | % | 15 | % | ||||||||||||||||||
| Other Broadband | 950 | 1,168 | 1,394 | (19) | % | (16) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Voice and Other | 674 | 839 | 940 | (20) | % | (11) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total Mass Markets Segment Revenue | 2,507 | 2,742 | 2,971 | (9) | % | (8) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Expenses: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total expense | 1,111 | 1,246 | 1,415 | (11) | % | (12) | % | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total adjusted EBITDA | $ | 1,396 | 1,496 | 1,556 | (7) | % | (4) | % | ||||||||||||||||||
Mass Markets Segment Revenue
Mass Markets segment revenue decreased $235 million in 2025 compared to 2024 and decreased by $229 million in 2024 compared to 2023.
Mass Markets Product Categories
For 2025 compared to 2024, and for 2024 compared to 2023, the following were the primary drivers within each product category:
•Fiber Broadband increased $148 million in 2025 and increased $98 million in 2024. This was primarily as a result of growth in fiber customers, primarily driven by our increase in enabled locations from our Quantum Fiber buildout, prior to our divestiture of Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home, as discussed further in Note 2 — Divestitures in Item 8.
•Other Broadband decreased $218 million in 2025 and decreased $226 million in 2024. This was primarily as a result of fewer customers for lower speed copper-based broadband services.
•Voice and Other decreased $165 million in 2025 and decreased $101 million in 2024. This was primarily as a result of continued loss of copper-based voice customers. 2025 additionally decreased $46 million due to the voluntary relinquishment of our funding received under the FCC's RDOF in the second quarter of 2025. See the Liquidity and Capital Resources—Federal Broadband Support Programs in this Part II Item 7 for more information.
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Mass Markets Segment Expense
Mass Markets segment expense decreased $135 million in 2025 compared to 2024. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease of $62 million in employee-related costs due to lower headcount;
•a decrease of $20 million in overall network expense;
•a decrease of $18 million in marketing and advertising expense; and
•a decrease of $15 million decrease in professional fees.
Mass Markets segment expense decreased $169 million in 2024 compared to 2023. This was primarily as a result of:
•a decrease of $60 million in employee-related costs;
•a decrease of $36 million in other network related costs;
•a decrease of $33 million in professional fees; and
•a decrease of $10 million decrease in overall network expenses.
Mass Markets Segment Adjusted EBITDA
As a percentage of revenue, Mass Markets segment adjusted EBITDA was:
| Years Ended December 31, | |||||||||||||||||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |||||||||||||||
Segment adjusted EBITDA as a percent of segment revenue | 56 | % | 55 | % | 52 | % | |||||||||||
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Overview of Sources and Uses of Cash
As a holding company, we rely on cash flows and capital resources from our subsidiaries to meet our parent-level liquidity needs. Access to subsidiary cash may be limited by debt terms, tax considerations, legal restrictions or other limitations; see "— Debt Instruments and Financing Arrangements" below and Note 7 — Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities in Item 8.
Our primary source of liquidity is cash from operating activities. We also use our revolving credit facilities as a source of liquidity for operating activities and our other cash requirements. In addition, our recently completed Mass Markets Fiber-to-the-Home divestiture, which closed February 2, 2026, has generated significant cash proceeds subsequent to December 31, 2025, which have been primarily used to pay down debt as described below, but will also reduce our base of income-generating assets that generate our recurring cash from operating activities. Key uses of cash include operating expenses, capital expenditures, debt service, income taxes, share repurchases, pension contributions, and other benefit payments.
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Key balances as of December 31, 2025 included:
•Cash and cash equivalents: $1.0 billion
•Revolving credit availability: $722 million
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Next expected filings
- ~2026-07-30 10-Q expected by 2026-08-07 (in 45 days)
- ~2026-10-29 10-Q expected by 2026-11-06 (in 136 days)
- ~2027-02-19 10-K expected by 2027-02-25 (in 249 days)
- ~2027-05-04 10-Q expected by 2027-05-12 (in 323 days)
Predicted from historical filing cadence; not an SEC commitment.
Recent SEC filings
- 2026-05-27 8-K Officer/Director Change; Bylaws/Articles Amended; Shareholder Vote Results; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-05-27 S-8 Employee Benefit Plan Registration
- 2026-05-21 8-K Material Agreement Entered; Material Financial Obligation; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-05-20 8-K Other Events; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-05-20 8-K Other Events; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-05-14 8-K Material Agreement Entered; Material Financial Obligation; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-05-07 8-K Other Events; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-05-05 10-Q Quarterly Report
- 2026-05-05 8-K Earnings Release; Regulation FD Disclosure; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-04-30 8-K Material Agreement Entered; Material Financial Obligation; Other Events; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-04-20 8-K Other Events; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-04-17 8-K Officer/Director Change
- 2026-04-16 8-K Material Agreement Entered; Material Financial Obligation; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-04-16 8-K Other Events; Financial Statements and Exhibits
- 2026-04-06 DEF 14A Proxy Statement