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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549


FORM 10-Q

     
(Mark One)
þ
  QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
  SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2005

or

     
o
  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
  SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                     to                     

Commission file number: 000-27927

(CHARTER LOGO)

Charter Communications, Inc.


(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
     
Delaware   43-1857213
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)   (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

12405 Powerscourt Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63131


(Address of principal executive offices including zip code)

(314) 965-0555


(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. YES þ NO o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). YES þ NO o

Number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2005: 304,763,192
Number of shares of Class B common stock outstanding as of March 31, 2005: 50,000

 
 

 


(CHARTER LOGO)

Charter Communications, Inc.
Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Period ended March 31, 2005

Table of Contents

             
        Page
  FINANCIAL INFORMATION        
 
           
  Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm     4  
 
           
  Financial Statements - Charter Communications, Inc. and Subsidiaries        
  Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004     5  
  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three months ended March 31, 2005 and 2004     6  
  Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended March 31, 2005 and 2004     7  
  Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements     8  
 
           
  Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations     28  
 
           
  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk     46  
 
           
  Controls and Procedures     46  
 
           
PART II. OTHER INFORMATION        
 
           
  Legal Proceedings     47  
 
           
  Exhibits     50  
 
           
SIGNATURES     51  
 
           
EXHIBIT INDEX     52  
 Employment Agreement - Michael J. Lovett
 Letter Re: Unaudited Interim Financial Statements
 Certification of Interim Chief Executive Officer
 Certification of Interim Chief Financial Officer
 906 Certification of Interim Chief Executive Officer
 906 Certification of Interim Chief Financial Officer

This quarterly report on Form 10-Q is for the three months ended March 31, 2005. The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) allows us to “incorporate by reference” information that we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you directly to those documents. Information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this quarterly report. In addition, information that we file with the SEC in the future will automatically update and supersede information contained in this quarterly report. In this quarterly report, “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Charter Communications, Inc., Charter Communications Holding Company, LLC and their subsidiaries.

 


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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This quarterly report includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), regarding, among other things, our plans, strategies and prospects, both business and financial including, without limitation, the forward-looking statements set forth in the “Results of Operations” and “Liquidity and Capital Resources” sections under Part I, Item 2. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this quarterly report. Although we believe that our plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or realize these plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions including, without limitation, the factors described under “Certain Trends and Uncertainties” under Part I, Item 2. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this quarterly report. Many of the forward-looking statements contained in this quarterly report may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “should,” “planned,” “will,” “may,” “intend,” “estimated” and “potential,” among others. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we make in this quarterly report are set forth in this quarterly report and in other reports or documents that we file from time to time with the SEC, and include, but are not limited to:

  •   the availability of funds to meet interest payment obligations under our debt and to fund our operations and necessary capital expenditures, either through cash flows from operating activities, further borrowings or other sources;
 
  •   our ability to sustain and grow revenues and cash flows from operating activities by offering video, high-speed data, telephony and other services and to maintain a stable customer base, particularly in the face of increasingly aggressive competition from other service providers;
 
  •   our ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and credit facilities, any violation of which would result in a violation of the applicable facility or indenture and could trigger a default of other obligations under cross-default provisions;
 
  •   our ability to pay or refinance debt as it becomes due;
 
  •   reaching (and then implementing) a final approved settlement with respect to the putative class action, the unconsolidated state action, and derivative shareholders litigation against us on the terms of the stipulations of settlement;
 
  •   our ability to obtain programming at reasonable prices or to pass programming cost increases on to our customers;
 
  •   general business conditions, economic uncertainty or slowdown; and
 
  •   the effects of governmental regulation, including but not limited to local franchise taxing authorities, on our business.

All forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. We are under no duty or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this quarterly report.

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PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION.

Item 1. Financial Statements.

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

The Board of Directors
Charter Communications, Inc.:

We have reviewed the accompanying interim condensed consolidated balance sheet of Charter Communications, Inc. and subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of March 31, 2005, and the related condensed consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2005 and 2004. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management.

We conducted our reviews in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters. It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole. Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.

Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to the accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements referred to above for them to be in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

We have previously audited, in accordance with standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2004, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in shareholders’ equity (deficit), and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 1, 2005, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements. In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2004, is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.

/s/ KPMG LLP

St. Louis, Missouri
May 2, 2005

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT SHARE DATA)
                 
    March 31,     December 31,  
    2005     2004  
    (Unaudited)          
ASSETS
               
CURRENT ASSETS:
               
Cash and cash equivalents
  $ 32     $ 650  
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts of $12 and $15, respectively
    139       190  
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
    85       82  
 
           
Total current assets
    256       922  
 
           
 
               
INVESTMENT IN CABLE PROPERTIES:
               
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $5,689 and $5,311, respectively
    6,120       6,289  
Franchises
    9,846       9,878  
 
           
Total investment in cable properties, net
    15,966       16,167  
 
           
 
               
OTHER NONCURRENT ASSETS
    572       584  
 
           
 
               
Total assets
  $ 16,794     $ 17,673  
 
           
 
               
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
               
CURRENT LIABILITIES:
               
Accounts payable and accrued expenses
  $ 1,256     $ 1,217  
 
           
Total current liabilities
    1,256       1,217  
 
           
 
               
LONG-TERM DEBT
    18,929       19,464  
 
           
DEFERRED MANAGEMENT FEES – RELATED PARTY
    14       14  
 
           
OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES
    635       681  
 
           
MINORITY INTEREST
    656       648  
 
           
PREFERRED STOCK – REDEEMABLE; $.001 par value; 1 million shares authorized; 545,259 shares issued and outstanding
    55       55  
 
           
 
               
SHAREHOLDERS’ DEFICIT:
               
Class A Common stock; $.001 par value; 1.75 billion shares authorized; 304,763,192 and 305,203,770 shares issued and outstanding, respectively
           
Class B Common stock; $.001 par value; 750 million shares authorized; 50,000 shares issued and outstanding
           
Preferred stock; $.001 par value; 250 million shares authorized; no non-redeemable shares issued and outstanding
           
Additional paid-in capital
    4,798       4,794  
Accumulated deficit
    (9,549 )     (9,196 )
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
          (4 )
 
           
 
               
Total shareholders’ deficit
    (4,751 )     (4,406 )
 
           
 
               
Total liabilities and shareholders’ deficit
  $ 16,794     $ 17,673  
 
           

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(DOLLARS IN MILLIONS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE DATA)
Unaudited
                 
    Three Months Ended March 31,  
    2005     2004  
REVENUES
  $ 1,271     $ 1,214  
 
           
 
               
COSTS AND EXPENSES:
               
Operating (excluding depreciation and amortization)
    559       512  
Selling, general and administrative
    237       239  
Depreciation and amortization
    381       370  
Asset impairment charges
    31        
(Gain) loss on sale of fixed assets, net
    4       (106 )
Option compensation expense, net
    4       14  
Special charges, net
    4       10  
 
           
 
               
 
    1,220       1,039  
 
           
 
               
Income from operations
    51       175  
 
           
 
               
OTHER INCOME AND EXPENSES:
               
Interest expense, net
    (420 )     (393 )
Gain (loss) on derivative instruments and hedging activities, net
    27       (7 )
Loss on debt to equity conversions
          (8 )
Gain on extinguishment of debt
    7        
Other, net
    1       (2 )
 
           
 
               
 
    (385 )     (410 )
 
           
 
               
Loss before minority interest and income taxes
    (334 )     (235 )
 
               
MINORITY INTEREST
    (3 )     (4 )
 
           
 
               
Loss before income taxes
    (337 )     (239 )
 
               
INCOME TAX EXPENSE
    (15 )     (54 )
 
           
 
               
Net loss
    (352 )     (293 )
 
               
Dividends on preferred stock – redeemable
    (1 )     (1 )
 
           
 
               
Net loss applicable to common stock
  $ (353 )   $ (294 )
 
           
 
               
LOSS PER COMMON SHARE, basic and diluted
  $ (1.16 )   $ (1.00 )
 
           
 
               
Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted
    303,308,880       295,106,077  
 
           

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(DOLLARS IN MILLIONS)
Unaudited
                 
    Three Months Ended March 31,  
    2005     2004  
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
               
Net loss
  $ (352 )   $ (293 )
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash flows from operating activities:
               
Minority interest
    3       4  
Depreciation and amortization
    381       370  
Asset impairment charges
    31        
Option compensation expense, net
    4       10  
Noncash interest expense
    49       93  
(Gain) loss on derivative instruments and hedging activities, net
    (27 )     7  
(Gain) loss on sale of assets, net
    4       (106 )
Loss on debt to equity conversions
          8  
Gain on extinguishment of debt
    (11 )      
Deferred income taxes
    13       53  
Other, net
    (1 )     2  
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from dispositions:
               
Accounts receivable
    45       22  
Prepaid expenses and other assets
    (4 )     (7 )
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other
    18       (48 )
 
           
 
               
Net cash flows from operating activities
    153       115  
 
           
 
               
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
               
Purchases of property, plant and equipment
    (211 )     (190 )
Change in accrued expenses related to capital expenditures
    14       (6 )
Proceeds from sale of assets
    6       725  
Purchases of investments
    (2 )     (3 )
 
           
 
               
Net cash flows from investing activities
    (193 )     526  
 
           
 
               
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
               
Borrowings of long-term debt
    200       165  
Repayments of long-term debt
    (775 )     (779 )
Payments for debt issuance costs
    (3 )     (1 )
 
           
 
               
Net cash flows from financing activities
    (578 )     (615 )
 
           
 
               
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
    (618 )     26  
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, beginning of period
    650       127  
 
           
 
               
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, end of period
  $ 32     $ 153  
 
           
 
               
CASH PAID FOR INTEREST
  $ 249     $ 229  
 
           
 
               
NONCASH TRANSACTIONS:
               
Issuance of debt by Charter Communications Operating, LLC
  $ 271     $  
 
           
Retirement of Charter Communications Holdings, LLC debt
  $ (284 )   $  
 
           
Debt exchanged for Charter Class A common stock
  $     $ 10  
 
           

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these condensed consolidated financial statements.

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
(dollars in millions, except per share amounts and where indicated)

1. Organization and Basis of Presentation

Charter Communications, Inc. (“Charter”) is a holding company whose principal assets at March 31, 2005 are the 47% controlling common equity interest in Charter Communications Holding Company, LLC (“Charter Holdco”) and “mirror” notes which are payable by Charter Holdco to Charter and have the same principal amount and terms as those of Charter’s convertible senior notes. Charter Holdco is the sole owner of Charter Communications Holdings, LLC (“Charter Holdings”). The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Charter, Charter Holdco, Charter Holdings and all of their wholly owned subsidiaries where the underlying operations reside, collectively referred to herein as the “Company.” Charter consolidates Charter Holdco on the basis of voting control. Charter Holdco’s limited liability company agreement provides that so long as Charter’s Class B common stock retains its special voting rights, Charter will maintain a 100% voting interest in Charter Holdco. Voting control gives Charter full authority and control over the operations of Charter Holdco. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions among consolidated entities have been eliminated. The Company is a broadband communications company operating in the United States. The Company offers its customers traditional cable video programming (analog and digital video) as well as high-speed data services and, in some areas, advanced broadband services such as high definition television, video on demand and telephony. The Company sells its cable video programming, high-speed data and advanced broadband services on a subscription basis. The Company also sells local advertising on satellite-delivered networks.

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures typically included in Charter’s Annual Report on Form 10-K have been condensed or omitted for this quarterly report. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and are subject to review by regulatory authorities. However, in the opinion of management, such financial statements include all adjustments, which consist of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Areas involving significant judgments and estimates include capitalization of labor and overhead costs; depreciation and amortization costs; impairments of property, plant and equipment, franchises and goodwill, income taxes and contingencies. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassifications

Certain 2004 amounts have been reclassified to conform with the 2005 presentation.

2. Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company incurred net loss applicable to common stock of $353 million and $294 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively. The Company’s net cash flows from operating activities were $153 million and $115 million for the three months ended March 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively.

The Company has a significant level of debt. The Company’s long-term financing as of March 31, 2005 consists of $5.1 billion of credit facility debt, $12.9 billion accreted value of high-yield notes and $957 million accreted value of convertible senior notes. For the remainder of 2005, $23 million of the Company’s debt matures, and in 2006, an additional $152 million of the Company’s debt matures. In 2007 and beyond, significant additional amounts will become due under the Company’s remaining long-term debt obligations.

The Company has historically required significant cash to fund debt service costs, capital expenditures and ongoing operations. Historically, the Company has funded these requirements through cash flows from operating activities,

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
(dollars in millions, except per share amounts and where indicated)

borrowings under its credit facilities, sales of assets, issuances of debt and equity securities and from cash on hand. However, the mix of funding sources changes from period to period. For the three months ended March 31, 2005, the Company generated $153 million of net cash flows from operating activities, after paying cash interest of $249 million. In addition, the Company used approximately $211 million for purchases of property, plant and equipment. Finally, the Company had net cash flows used in financing activities of $578 million, which included, among other things, approximately $628 million in repayment of borrowings under the Company’s revolving credit facility through a series of transactions in February 2005. This repayment was the primary reason cash on hand decreased by $618 million to $32 million at March 31, 2005.

The Company expects that cash on hand, cash flows from operating activities and the amounts available under its credit facilities will be adequate to meet its cash needs in 2005. Cash flows from operating activities and amounts available under the Company’s credit facilities may not be sufficient to fund the Company’s operations and satisfy its principal repayment obligations that come due in 2006 and, the Company believes, will not be sufficient to fund its operations and satisfy such repayment obligations thereafter.

It is likely that the Company will require additional funding to repay debt maturing after 2006. The Company is working with its financial advisors to address such funding requirements. However, there can be no assurance that such funding will be available to the Company. Although Mr. Allen and his affiliates have purchased equity from the Company in the past, Mr. Allen and his affiliates are not obligated to purchase equity from, contribute to or loan funds to the Company in the future.

Credit Facilities and Covenants

The Company’s ability to operate depends upon, among other things, its continued access to capital, including credit under the Charter Communications Operating, LLC (“Charter Operating”) credit facilities. These credit facilities, along with the Company’s indentures, contain certain restrictive covenants, some of which require the Company to maintain specified financial ratios and meet financial tests and to provide audited financial statements with an unqualified opinion from the Company’s independent auditors. As of March 31, 2005, the Company was in compliance with the covenants under its indentures and credit facilities and the Company expects to remain in compliance with those covenants for the next twelve months. As of March 31, 2005, the Company had borrowing availability under the credit facilities of $1.2 billion, none of which was restricted due to covenants. Continued access to the Company’s credit facilities is subject to the Company remaining in compliance with the covenants of these credit facilities, including covenants tied to the Company’s operating performance. If the Company’s operating performance results in non-compliance with these covenants, or if any of certain other events of non-compliance under these credit facilities or indentures governing the Company’s debt occurs, funding under the credit facilities may not be available and defaults on some or potentially all of the Company’s debt obligations could occur. An event of default under the covenants governing any of the Company’s debt instruments could result in the acceleration of its payment obligations under that debt and, under certain circumstances, in cross-defaults under its other debt obligations, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations.

The Charter Operating credit facilities required the Company to redeem the CC V Holdings, LLC notes as a result of the Charter Holdings leverage ratio becoming less than 8.75 to 1.0. In satisfaction of this requirement, in March 2005, CC V Holdings, LLC redeemed all of its outstanding notes, at 103.958% of principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption. The total cost of the redemption including accrued and unpaid interest was approximately $122 million. The Company funded the redemption with borrowings under the Charter Operating credit facilities.

Specific Limitations

Charter’s ability to make interest payments on its convertible senior notes, and, in 2006 and 2009, to repay the outstanding principal of its convertible senior notes of $122 million and $863 million, respectively, will depend on its ability to raise additional capital and/or on receipt of payments or distributions from Charter Holdco or its

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
(dollars in millions, except per share amounts and where indicated)

subsidiaries, including CCH II, LLC (“CCH II”), CCO Holdings, LLC (“CCO Holdings”) and Charter Operating. During the three months ended March 31, 2005, Charter Holdings distributed $60 million to Charter Holdco. As of March 31, 2005, Charter Holdco was owed $161 million in intercompany loans from its subsidiaries, which amount was available to pay interest and principal on Charter’s convertible senior notes. In addition, Charter has $145 million of governmental securities pledged as security for the first six interest payments on Charter’s 5.875% convertible senior notes.

Distributions by Charter’s subsidiaries to a parent company (including Charter and Charter Holdco) for payment of principal on Charter’s convertible senior notes, however, are restricted by the indentures governing the CCH II notes, CCO Holdings notes, and Charter Operating notes, unless under their respective indentures there is no default and a specified leverage ratio test is met at the time of such event.

The indentures governing the Charter Holdings notes permit Charter Holdings to make distributions to Charter Holdco for payment of interest or principal on the convertible senior notes, only if, after giving effect to the distribution, Charter Holdings can incur additional debt under the leverage ratio of 8.75 to 1.0, there is no default under Charter Holdings’ indentures and other specified tests are met. For the quarter ended March 31, 2005, there was no default under Charter Holdings’ indentures and other specified tests were met. However, Charter Holdings did not meet the leverage ratio of 8.75 to 1.0 based on March 31, 2005 financial results. As a result, distributions from Charter Holdings to Charter or Charter Holdco are currently restricted and will continue to be restricted until that test is met. During this restriction period, the indentures governing the Charter Holdings notes permit Charter Holdings and its subsidiaries to make specified investments in Charter Holdco or Charter, up to an amount determined by a formula, as long as there is no default under the indentures.

The Company was required to register for resale by April 21, 2005 its 5.875% convertible senior notes due 2009, issued in November 2004. Since these convertible notes were not registered by that date, the Company is incurring liquidated damages, at a rate from 0.25% per annum of the accreted principal amount of the convertible notes. The rate will increase to 0.50% from and after July 20, 2005 if the notes have not been registered by that date. The liquidated damages will be payable by Charter in cash so long as the convertible notes remain unregistered, but not to exceed a maximum period of two years from the original issuance date. In addition, Charter was required to register by April 1, 2005 150 million shares of its Class A common stock that Charter expects to lend to Citigroup Global Markets Limited pursuant to a share lending agreement. Because this registration statement was not declared effective by such date, the Company is incurring liquidated damages from April 2, 2005 until the effective date of the registration statement. These liquidated damages can be paid in cash or additional principal on a monthly basis. These liquidated damages accrue as incurred at a rate of 0.25% per month of the accreted principal amount of the convertible notes for the first 60 days of the default and 0.50% per month of the accreted principal amount of the convertible notes thereafter (or 0.375% and 0.75% per month respectively, if in lieu of paying such liquidated damages in cash, the Company elects to pay such damages by adding to the outstanding principal amount of the notes). In April 2005, the first liquidated damage payment was made in cash. Such amounts will accrue so long as the convertible notes remain unregistered, but not to exceed a maximum period of two years from the original issuance date.

3. Sale of Assets

As of March 31, 2005, the Company has concluded that two pending cable asset sales, representing approximately 28,000 customers, are probable of closing within the next twelve months thus meeting the criteria for assets held for sale under Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 144, Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets. As such the assets were written down to fair value less estimated costs to sell resulting in asset impairment charges in the first quarter of 2005 of approximately $31 million. At March 31, 2005 assets held for sale included in investment in cable properties are approximately $33 million.

In March 2004, the Company closed the sale of certain cable systems in Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia to Atlantic Broadband Finance, LLC. The Company closed the sale of an additional cable system in New York to Atlantic Broadband Finance, LLC in April 2004. These transactions resulted in a $104 million pretax gain recorded as a gain on sale of assets in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Subject to

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
(dollars in millions, except per share amounts and where indicated)

post-closing contractual adjustments, the total net proceeds from the sale of all of these systems were approximately $733 million. The proceeds were used to repay a portion of amounts outstanding under the Company’s credit facilities.

4. Franchises and Goodwill

Franchise rights represent the value attributed to agreements with local authorities that allow access to homes in cable service areas acquired through the purchase of cable systems. Management estimates the fair value of franchise rights at the date of acquisition and determines if the franchise has a finite life or an indefinite-life as defined by SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. Franchises that qualify for indefinite-life treatment under SFAS No. 142 are tested for impairment annually based on valuations, or more frequently as warranted by events or changes in circumstances. Franchises are aggregated into essentially inseparable asset groups to conduct the valuations. The asset groups generally represent geographic clustering of the Company’s cable systems into groups by which such systems are managed. Management believes such grouping represents the highest and best use of those assets.

The Company’s valuations, which are based on the present value of projected after tax cash flows, result in a value of property, plant and equipment, franchises, customer relationships and its total entity value. The value of goodwill is the difference between the total entity value and amounts assigned to the other assets.

Franchises, for valuation purposes, are defined as the future economic benefits of the right to solicit and service potential customers (customer marketing rights), and the right to deploy and market new services such as interactivity and telephony to the potential customers (service marketing rights). Fair value is determined based on estimated discounted future cash flows using assumptions consistent with internal forecasts. The franchise after-tax cash flow is calculated as the after-tax cash flow generated by the potential customers obtained and the new services added to those customers in future periods. The sum of the present value of the franchises’ after-tax cash flow in years 1 through 10 and the continuing value of the after-tax cash flow beyond year 10 yields the fair value of the franchise.

The Company follows the guidance of EITF Issue 02-17, Recognition of Customer Relationship Intangible Assets Acquired in a Business Combination, in valuing customer relationships. Customer relationships, for valuation purposes, represent the value of the business relationship with existing customers and are calculated by projecting future after-tax cash flows from these customers including the right to deploy and market additional services such as interactivity and telephony to these customers. The present value of these after-tax cash flows yield the fair value of the customer relationships. Substantially all acquisitions occurred prior to January 1, 2002. The Company did not record any value associated with the customer relationship intangibles related to those acquisitions. For acquisitions subsequent to January 1, 2002 the Company did assign a value to the customer relationship intangible, which is amortized over its estimated useful life.

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CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(UNAUDITED)
(dollars in millions, except per share amounts and where indicated)

As of March 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004, indefinite-lived and finite-lived intangible assets are presented in the following table:

                                                 
    March 31, 2005     December 31, 2004  
    Gross             Net     Gross             Net  
    Carrying     Accumulated     Carrying     Carrying     Accumulated     Carrying  
    Amount     Amortization     Amount     Amount     Amortization     Amount  
Indefinite-lived intangible assets:
                                               
Franchises with indefinite lives
  $ 9,814     $     $ 9,814     $ 9,845     $     $ 9,845  
Goodwill
    52             52       52             52  
 
                                   
 
                                               
 
  $ 9,866     $     $ 9,866     $ 9,897     $     $ 9,897  
 
                                   
 
                                               
Finite-lived intangible assets:
                                               
Franchises with finite lives
  $ 37     $ 5     $ 32     $ 37     $ 4     $ 33  
 
                                   

Franchises with indefinite lives decreased $31 million as a result of the asset impairment charges recorded related to two pending cable asset sales (see Note 3). Franchise amortization expense for each of the three months ended March 31, 2005 and 2004 was $1 million, which represents the amortization relating to franchises that did not qualify for indefinite-life treatment under SFAS No. 142, including costs associated with franchise renewals. The Company expects that amortization expense on franchise assets will be approximately $3 million annually for each of the next five years. Actual amortization expense in future periods could differ from these estimates as a result of new intangible asset acquisitions or divestitures, changes in useful lives and other relevant factors.

5. Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses

Accounts payable and accrued expenses consist of the following as of March 31, 2005 and December 31, 2004:

<
                 
    March 31,     December 31,  
    2005     2004  
Accounts payable - trade
  $ 74     $ 148  
Accrued capital expenditures
    80       65