Steven Nielsen
Analyst · KeyBanc
Thanks, Ryan. Now moving to Slide 4 and a review of our third quarter results. As we review our results, please note that in our comments today and in the accompanying slides, we reference certain non-GAAP measures. We refer you to the quarterly report section of our website for a reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to their corresponding GAAP measures. Now for the quarter. Revenue was $1.042 billion, an organic increase of 22.1%. As we deploy gigabit wireline networks, wireless/wireline converged networks and wireless networks, this quarter reflected an increase in demand from 4 of our top 5 customers. Gross margin was 18.4% of revenue and increased 103 basis points compared to Q3 2022. Improved operating performance of 123 basis points in Q2 was partially offset by 20 basis points of higher fuel costs. General and administrative expenses were 7.6% of revenue and all of these factors produced adjusted EBITDA of $114.6 million or 11% of revenue and earnings per share of $1.80 compared to $0.94 in the year ago quarter. Liquidity was ample at $444.3 million, improving sequentially. Now going to Slide 5. Today, major industry participants are constructing or upgrading significant wireline networks across broad sections of the country. These wireline networks are generally designed to provision gigabit network speeds to individual consumers and businesses either directly or wirelessly using 5G technologies. Industry participants have stated their belief that a single high-capacity fiber network can most cost effectively deliver services to both consumers and businesses, enabling multiple revenue streams from a single investment. This view is increasing the appetite for fiber deployments and we believe that the industry effort to deploy high-capacity fiber networks continues to meaningfully broaden the set of opportunities for our industry. Increasing access to high-capacity telecommunications continues to be crucial to society, especially in rural America. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes over $40 billion for the construction of rural communications networks in unserved and underserved areas across the country. This represents an unprecedented level of support. In addition, substantially all states are commencing programs that will provide funding for telecommunications networks even prior to the initiation of funding under the Infrastructure Act. We are providing program management, planning, engineering and design, aerial, underground and wireless construction and fulfillment services for gigabit deployments. These services are being provided across the country in numerous geographic areas to multiple customers. These deployments include networks consisting entirely of wired network elements and converged wireless/wireline multiuse networks. Fiber network deployment opportunities are increasing in rural America as new industry participants respond to emerging societal initiatives. We continue to provide integrated planning, engineering and design, procurement and construction and maintenance services to several industry participants. Macroeconomic conditions, including those impacting the cost of capital may influence the execution of some industry plans. In addition, the market for labor remains tight in many regions around the country, automotive and equipment supply chains remain challenged, particularly for the large truck chassis required for specialty equipment. Prices for capital equipment continue to increase. It remains to be seen how long these conditions may persist. Looking ahead, these factors will increase the likelihood that demand could fluctuate amongst customers. These fluctuations may result in a wider range of potential outcomes moving into next year. Within this context, we remain confident that our scale and financial strength position us well to deliver valuable service to our customers. Moving to Slide 6. During the quarter, organic revenue increased 22.1%. Our top 5 customers combined produced 66.5% of revenue, increasing 27.4% organically. Demand increased from 4 of our top 5 customers. All other customers increased 13.3% organically. AT&T was our largest customer at 24.8% of total revenue or $258.2 million. AT&T grew 29.4% organically. This was our seventh consecutive quarter of organic growth with AT&T. Lumen was our second largest customer at 13.7% of revenue or $142.9 million. Lumen grew organically 64.5%, excluding from both periods, operations sold to Brightspeed. This was our third consecutive quarter of organic growth with Lumen. Revenue from Comcast was $108.8 million or 10.4% of revenue. Comcast was Dycom's third largest customer. Verizon was our fourth largest customer at $94.9 million or 9.1% of revenue. Verizon grew 1.7% organically. And finally, revenue from Frontier was $88.9 million or 8.5% of revenue. Frontier grew 115.4% organically. This is the second consecutive quarter where our top 5 customers grew organically in excess of 25% and the 15th consecutive quarter where all of our other customers in aggregate, excluding the top 5 customers, have grown organically. Of note, fiber construction revenue from electric utilities was $82.4 million in the quarter and increased organically 53.6% year-over-year. We have extended our geographic reach and expanded our program management and network planning services. In fact, over the last several years, we believe we have meaningfully increased the long-term value of our maintenance and operations business, a trend which we believe will parallel our deployment of gigabit wireline direct and wireless/wireline converged networks as those deployments dramatically increase the amount of outside plant network that must be extended and maintained. Now going to Slide 7. Backlog at the end of the third quarter was $6.116 billion versus $6.028 billion at the end of the July 2022 quarter, an increase of $88 million. Of this backlog, approximately $3.276 billion is expected to be completed in the next 12 months. Backlog activity during the third quarter reflects solid performance as we booked new work and renewed existing work. We continue to anticipate substantial future opportunities across a broad array of our customers. During the quarter, we received from Lumen construction and maintenance agreements in Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Florida. For AT&T, a utility line locating agreement in Florida. From Charter, construction and maintenance agreements in Texas, Michigan, Ohio, New York and Florida. For Windstream a construction agreement in Georgia. And various rural fiber construction agreements in Oregon, Wisconsin and Missouri. Headcount was 15,167. Now, I will turn the call over to Drew for his financial review and outlook.