Shenandoah Telecommunications Company Reaches 200,000 Wireless Customers and Reports...

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company Reaches 200,000 Wireless Customers and
Reports Higher Net Income in Second Quarter 2008

EDINBURG, Va., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Shenandoah
Telecommunications Company (Shentel) (Nasdaq: SHEN) announced financial and
operating results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2008.
Second Quarter 2008 Highlights
Highlights for the quarter include:
-- PCS net subscriber additions of 6,292 bringing the total retail
wireless customers to 200,397 at June 30, 2008, up 16% from June 30, 2007
-- Net income of $7.3 million, up $1.3 million or 22% from second quarter
2007
-- Operating income of $12.4 million, up $2.6 million or 27% from the
second quarter 2007
-- Total revenues of $39.1 million, up $4.0 million or 12% from second
quarter 2007
-- PCS customer churn of 1.7%, a 15% improvement over the first quarter of
2008
-- EVDO high speed data services are now available to 57% of the
population covered by our PCS network
President and CEO, Christopher E. French commented, "We are very pleased
with our second quarter results. Despite a difficult economic climate, we've
had solid growth in PCS subscribers and revenues, and have accelerated our PCS
network development plans to expand our network footprint and subscriber
access to high-speed data services so that most of our customers will have
access by year-end 2008. We expect these services to be major drivers of
future revenue growth."
Consolidated Results
For the quarter ended June 30, 2008, net income was $7.3 million compared
to $5.9 million in second quarter 2007. The Company's total revenues for
second quarter 2008 were $39.1 million, compared to $35.1 million for the same
quarter in 2007, an increase of 12%. Second quarter operating expenses
increased to $26.8 million in 2008 from $25.4 million in 2007. The increase
in revenues is primarily a result of a larger base of PCS subscribers, while
the increase in operating expenses results from costs associated with
improving and expanding our PCS network. Operating income for the quarter was
$12.4 million, an increase of $2.6 million from second quarter 2007.
For the six month period, net income increased 20% from $10.0 million in
2007 to $12.0 million in 2008. Operating revenues increased 11% to $75.6
million in 2008, principally due to growth in PCS revenues on a larger base of
PCS subscribers. Operating expenses increased $3.4 million, principally due
to increased costs in the PCS operations due to costs of expanded
distribution, efforts to retain customers, expansion of the PCS network and
provisioning of EVDO high speed data capabilities. The 2007 period also
included $2.1 million in costs related to early retirements and severances,
partially offset by $1.1 million in one-time expense reductions relating to
the amendment to the Sprint Nextel management agreement. Operating income
increased 24%, or $4.0 million, to $20.8 million in the 2008 six month period.
PCS Operating Results
The Company continued to experience strong growth in wireless as a Sprint
PCS Affiliate of Sprint Nextel, with wireless customer count at June 30, 2008
at 200,397, a 16% increase from June 30, 2007. The Company's second quarter
churn was 1.7%, compared to 2.0% in first quarter 2008 and 1.7% in second
quarter 2007.
PCS operating income was $10.6 million in the 2008 second quarter, up $2.6
million or 32% from the corresponding 2007 period. Revenue increased $3.8
million, while operating expenses increased $1.2 million. The increase in
revenue resulted from a 19% increase in average retail customers and a $1.2
million increase in Universal Service Fund (USF) fees. The USF fee increase
included $1.0 million not previously recognized but recorded in April when
Sprint Nextel first informed the Company of these additional revenues. The
increase in operating expenses included an additional $1.5 million in costs to
operate the PCS network, principally due to the incremental line, tower rent
and depreciation costs associated with providing EVDO (high speed data)
capability and expanding network coverage, offset by cost decreases in other
line items. The Company added 30 additional cell sites and added EVDO
capability to 93 sites since June of 2007.
PCS operating income for the six months of 2008 totaled $16.4 million, up
$1.2 million from the comparable 2007 period. Operating revenues increased
$6.8 million or 17%, on continued growth in retail PCS subscribers and higher
data usage. Operating expenses increased $5.7 million to $31.9 million.
Handset costs increased $2.1 million as a result of adding new customers,
retaining existing customers, and favorable one-time adjustments recorded in
the first quarter of 2007 related to the amended Sprint Nextel contract. The
EVDO and coverage expansion program resulted in an increase in line costs of
$1.3 million. Selling, general and administrative costs increased $1.8
million, primarily as a result of acquiring 13 Nextel retail stores from
Sprint Nextel in May of 2007 and favorable one-time adjustments recorded in
the first quarter of 2007 related to the amended Sprint Nextel contract.
Telephone Operating Results
Telephone line losses continue to be lower than most wireline carriers.
Telephone had 24,325 access lines at June 30, 2008, a decrease of 211 from the
previous year-end. Operating income of the local telephone operations for
second quarter 2008 was $3.0 million, a decrease of $0.7 million from the
comparable 2007 period. Major changes in 2008 include reductions in access
revenue (down $0.3 million) due to rate changes since 2007 and an increase in
depreciation expense (up $0.4 million) due to accelerated depreciation on
certain fiber-related equipment with a shorter life than originally
anticipated.
Local telephone operations generated operating income of $6.6 million in
the first six months of 2008, up from $5.9 million in 2007. While revenues
were essentially flat, operating expenses declined $0.8 million, as the costs
of early retirements charged to this segment in 2007 ($1.8 million) were
partially offset by increased depreciation charges ($0.8 million) in 2008 for
fiber-related equipment.
Converged Services Operating Results
At June 30, 2008, Converged Services had 35,900 revenue generating units
(i.e., combined video, data and voice users) compared to 32,108 at June 30,
2007. The 12% increase in revenue generating units since June 30, 2007
contributed to a 17% increase in operating revenues to $3.0 million in the
second quarter of 2008. The operating loss for the second quarter of $1.8
million was an improvement of $0.3 million compared to the second quarter of
2007. For the year to date period, the operating loss improved by $0.4
million, from a loss of $3.8 million in 2007 to $3.4 million in 2008.
Other Information
The Company's second quarter 2008 capital expenditures were $10.9 million,
up from $5.3 million in second quarter 2007, and for the six month period,
were $18.7 million compared to $8.8 million in 2007. The increase in capital
expenditures primarily resulted from spending to expand our PCS network
coverage and footprint. The Company expects substantially higher capital
spending in the second half of 2008. Cash and cash equivalents as of June 30,
2008 were $23.0 million, up from $17.2 million at December 31, 2007. The
Company retired $1.1 million of debt during the second quarter, and at June
30, 2008, the debt/equity ratio was 0.12; and debt as a percent of total
assets was 8.6%.
About Shenandoah Telecommunications
Shenandoah Telecommunications Company is a holding company that provides a
broad range of telecommunications services through its operating subsidiaries.
The Company is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol
"SHEN." The Company's operating subsidiaries provide local and long distance
telephone, Internet and data services, cable television, wireless voice and
data services, alarm monitoring, and telecommunications equipment, along with
many other associated solutions in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United
States.
This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to
various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ
materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a
result of unforeseen factors. A discussion of factors that may cause actual
results to differ from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and
expectations is available in the Company filings with the SEC. Those factors
may include changes in general economic conditions, increases in costs,
changes in regulation and other competitive factors.

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets June 30, December 31,
2008 2007

Cash and cash equivalents $23,007 $ 17,245
Other current assets 22,182 23,891
Investments 9,761 9,936

Property, plant and equipment 318,936 300,622
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization 159,966 145,198
Net property, plant and equipment 158,970 155,424

Other assets, net 15,632 15,028
Total assets $229,552 $221,524

Current liabilities, exclusive of current
maturities of long-term debt of $ 4,322 and
$4,248, respectively $18,341 $19,808
Long-term debt, including current maturities 19,801 21,907
Total other liabilities 27,885 28,685
Total shareholders' equity 163,525 151,124
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $229,552 $221,524

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (unaudited)
(In thousands, except per share amounts)

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

Three months ended Six months ended
June 30, June 30,
2008 2007 2008 2007

Revenues $39,137 $35,101 $75,623 $68,149

Cost of goods and services 11,972 11,068 24,510 22,470
Selling, general and administrative 7,038 7,070 14,972 14,544
Depreciation & amortization 7,775 7,225 15,283 14,313
Operating expenses 26,785 25,363 54,765 51,327
Operating income 12,352 9,738 20,858 16,822

Interest expense (346) (472) (680) (979)
Other income, net 371 751 130 1,067
Income before income taxes 12,377 10,017 20,308 16,910

Income tax expense 5,127 4,070 8,266 6,892
Net income $7,250 $5,947 $12,042 $10,018

Net income per share, basic and
diluted 0.31 $0.25 $0.51 $0.43

Teleconference Information:
Thursday, August 7, 2008 11:00 A.M. (ET)
Domestic Dial in number: 1-866-733-4780
International Dial in number: 1-702-696-5033
Pass Code: 56431120
Audio webcast: www.shentel.com

For further information, please contact Adele M. Skolits at 540-984-5161.

SOURCE Shenandoah Telecommunications Company

Adele M. Skolits of Shenandoah Telecommunications Company, +1-540-984-5161