Adjusted EBITDA in the third quarter of 2024 was $472.6 million, a 2.0% decrease from the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA Margin in the third quarter of 2024 was 70.9% compared to 71.4% in the prior year period.
Net Cash Interest Expense in the third quarter of 2024 was $88.7 million compared to $94.1 million in the prior year period, a decrease of 5.7%.
AFFO in the third quarter of 2024 was $358.3 million, a 1.6% decrease from the prior year period. AFFO per share in the third quarter of 2024 was $3.32, a 0.6% decrease from the prior year period, or a 1.8% increase on a constant currency basis.
Investing Activities
During the third quarter of 2024, SBA acquired 51 communication sites for total cash consideration of $194.1 million. SBA also built 147 towers during the third quarter of 2024. As of September 30, 2024, SBA owned or operated 39,762 communication sites, 17,477 of which are located in the United States and its territories and 22,285 of which are located internationally. In addition, the Company spent $12.9 million to purchase land and easements and to extend lease terms. Total cash capital expenditures for the third quarter of 2024 were $272.1 million, consisting of $14.3 million of non-discretionary cash capital expenditures (tower maintenance and general corporate) and $257.8 million of discretionary cash capital expenditures (new tower builds, tower augmentations, acquisitions, and purchasing land and easements).
Subsequent to the third quarter of 2024, in addition to the sites under contract with Millicom, the Company purchased or is under contract to purchase 45 communication sites for an aggregate consideration of $16.3 million in cash that it expects to close by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
Financing Activities and Liquidity
SBA ended the third quarter of 2024 with $12.4 billion of total debt, $9.4 billion of total secured debt, $263.6 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 6.4x and 4.8x, respectively.
During the third quarter of 2024, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, SBA Senior Finance II, executed and priced an amendment to its Senior Credit Agreement to (1) reduce the stated rate of interest of the Initial Term Loans from, at SBA Senior Finance II’s election, the Base Rate plus 100 basis points or Term SOFR plus 200 basis points to, at SBA Senior Finance II’s election, the Base Rate plus 75 basis points or Term SOFR plus 175 basis points, and (2) amend certain other terms and conditions under the Senior Credit Agreement. This transaction was closed on October 2, 2024.
During the third quarter of 2024, the Company, through an existing trust, executed and priced $1.45 billion of 4.831% Secured Tower Revenue Securities Series 2024-1C which have an anticipated repayment date of October 9, 2029 and a final maturity date of October 8, 2054 (the “2024-1C Tower Securities”) and $620.0 million of 4.654% Secured Tower Revenue Securities Series 2024-2C which have an anticipated repayment date of October 8, 2027 and a final maturity date of October 8, 2054 (the “2024-2C Tower Securities”). The Tower Securities were issued on October 11, 2024. The aggregate $2.07 billion of 2024-1C Tower Securities and 2024-2C Tower Securities have a blended effective interest rate of 4.778% and a weighted average life through the anticipated repayment date of 4.4 years. Net proceeds from this offering were used to repay the aggregate principal amount of the 2014-2C Tower Securities ($620.0 million) and the remaining proceeds will be used to repay the aggregate principal amount of the 2019-1C Tower Securities ($1.165 billion), the 2019-1R Tower Securities ($61.4 million), and for general corporate purposes.
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