AFFO in the fourth quarter of 2023 was $365.7 million, a 7.3% increase over the prior year period. AFFO per share in the fourth quarter of 2023 was $3.37, an 8.0% increase over the prior year period.
Investing Activities
During the fourth quarter of 2023, SBA acquired 23 communication sites for total cash consideration of $21.3 million. SBA also built 138 towers during the fourth quarter of 2023. As of December 31, 2023, SBA owned or operated 39,618 communication sites, 17,487 of which are located in the United States and its territories and 22,131 of which are located internationally. In addition, the Company spent $17.4 million to purchase land and easements and to extend lease terms. Total cash capital expenditures for the fourth quarter of 2023 were $99.8 million, consisting of $14.9 million of non-discretionary cash capital expenditures (tower maintenance and general corporate) and $84.9 million of discretionary cash capital expenditures (new tower builds, tower augmentations, acquisitions, and purchasing land and easements).
Subsequent to the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company purchased or is under contract to purchase 281 communication sites for an aggregate consideration of $87.8 million in cash. The Company anticipates that these acquisitions will be consummated by the end of the third quarter of 2024.
Financing Activities and Liquidity
SBA ended the fourth quarter of 2023 with $12.4 billion of total debt, $9.4 billion of total secured debt, $247.7 million of cash and cash equivalents, short-term restricted cash, and short-term investments, and $12.1 billion of Net Debt. SBA’s Net Debt and Net Secured Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDA Leverage Ratios were 6.3x and 4.8x, respectively.
On January 25, 2024, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, SBA Senior Finance II LLC, under its amended and restated Senior Credit Agreement, issued a new $2.3 billion senior secured Term Loan B (the “2024 Term Loan”) maturing January 25, 2031. The 2024 Term Loan accrues interest, at SBA Senior Finance II’s election, at either the Base Rate plus 100 basis points or at Term SOFR plus 200 basis points. The interest rate swap on a portion of the 2018 Term Loan B will remain in effect until expiration on March 31, 2025. Inclusive of the interest rate swap, the current average blended rate on the new Term Loan B is 2.85%. The 2024 Term Loan was issued at 99.75% of par value. The proceeds from the 2024 Term Loan were used to retire the Company’s 2018 Term Loan and to pay related fees and expenses.
The Company also amended its Revolving Credit Facility to (1) increase the total commitments under the Facility from $1.5 billion to $1.75 billion, (2) extend the maturity date of the Facility to January 25, 2029, and (3) amend certain other terms and conditions under the Senior Credit Agreement. Amounts borrowed under the Revolving Credit Facility accrue interest, at SBA Senior Finance II’s election, at either (1) the Eurodollar Rate or Term SOFR plus a margin that ranges from 112.5 basis points to 150.0 basis points or (2) the Base Rate plus a margin that ranges from 12.5 basis points to 50.0 basis points, in each case based on the ratio of Consolidated Net Debt to Annualized Borrower EBITDA, calculated in accordance with the Senior Credit Agreement. In addition, SBA Senior Finance II is required to pay a commitment fee of between 0.15% and 0.25% per annum on the amount of unused commitment.
On February 23, 2024 the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, SBA Senior Finance II LLC, further increased the total commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility from $1.75 billion to $2.00 billion.
During the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, SBA Senior Finance II, entered into a forward-starting interest rate swap agreement which will swap $1.0 billion of notional value accruing interest at 1-month Term SOFR for a fixed rate of 3.830%. The swap has an effective start date of March 31, 2025 (coinciding with the expiration date of the current 0.050%, $1.95 billion notional value swap) and a maturity date of April 11, 2028.
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