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CenturyLink Reports Strong Second Quarter 2014 Results
[August 07, 2014]

CenturyLink Reports Strong Second Quarter 2014 Results


(ENP Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ENP Newswire - 07 August 2014 Release date- 06082014 - MONROE -CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) today reported strong operating revenues, operating cash flow and free cash flow for second quarter 2014.



'CenturyLink second quarter results reflect strong demand for our high-bandwidth data services and cloud and hosting solutions, solid consumer demand for Prism TV service and our continued mitigation of legacy revenue declines,' said Glen F. Post III, chief executive officer and president. 'Total operating revenues increased slightly year-over-year and exceeded our revenue guidance for the quarter. Cash flows for the quarter were also strong, primarily due to solid revenue performance and continued focus by our employees on containing costs.

'Our reliable, secure solutions that meet both network and hosting needs remain a strong driver of increasing demand from business customers. We continue to experience success with our managed service solutions, as well as multi-site MPLS[3] sales. Our development of advanced cloud infrastructure technology significantly strengthens our capabilities to meet the growing demand for highly automated cloud and managed services, and we have further expanded our hosting footprint with the opening of the new Minneapolis - St Paul data center. Additionally, the expansion of symmetrical 1 gigabit service to 16 cities, announced yesterday, will enhance our capability to provide higher broadband speeds and an enhanced service experience to both residential and business customers.


'Overall, we are pleased with our second quarter results, which reflect our continued progress toward revenue stability. We had a strong funnel of sales opportunities entering the third quarter and we are looking forward to continuing to execute on our strategic priorities to create value for shareholders,' Post concluded.

Second Quarter 2014 Highlights Achieved core revenues of $4.10 billion in second quarter, a 0.2% year-over-year decline, compared with a 1.6% year-over-year decline in second quarter 2013; Strategic revenues[4] grew 5.1% from the second quarter a year-ago.

Generated free cash flow of $677 million, excluding special items and integration-related capital expenditures.

Experienced continued strength in sales of high bandwidth data services to business customers.

Added nearly 16,000 CenturyLink PrismTM TV customers during second quarter, ending the period with approximately 215,000 customers in service.

Ended the quarter with more than 6 million high-speed Internet customers, a decrease of approximately 2,100 in second quarter 2014 due to typical seasonality.

Purchased and retired an additional 4.5 million shares of CenturyLink common stock for $160 million during second quarter 2014, of which 1.2 million shares were under the $1 billion follow-on program.

Consolidated Financial Results Operating revenues for second quarter 2014 increased to $4.54 billion from $4.53 billion in second quarter 2013 driven by higher strategic and data integration revenues. The increase in strategic revenues was primarily due to increased business customer demand for high-bandwidth data services and hosting solutions, along with the year-over-year growth in high-speed Internet and CenturyLink PrismTM TV customers. This increase was partially offset by lower legacy services revenues, primarily due to the impact of access line losses and lower access revenues.

Operating expenses, excluding special items, increased to $3.82 billion from $3.79 billion in second quarter 2013. The year-over-year increase was primarily driven by higher customer premise equipment (CPE) sales costs, expenses related to the growth of PrismTM TV and a higher Universal Service Fund (USF) contribution factor, which were partially offset by lower depreciation and amortization expenses.

Operating cash flow (as defined in our attached supplemental schedules), excluding special items, decreased to $1.81 billion from $1.86 billion in second quarter 2013. For second quarter 2014, CenturyLink achieved an operating cash flow margin, excluding special items, of 39.9% versus 41.1% in second quarter 2013. These decreases were primarily driven by the result of lower legacy revenues and the expense increases described above.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Share (Adjusted Diluted EPS) Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS exclude the after-tax impact of special items, the non-cash after-tax impact of the amortization of intangible assets related to acquisitions since mid-2009, and the non-cash after-tax impact to interest expense of the assignment of fair value to the outstanding debt assumed in connection with those acquisitions.

Excluding the items outlined above, CenturyLink's Adjusted Net Income for second quarter 2014 was $408 million compared to Adjusted Net Income of $417 million in second quarter 2013. Second quarter 2014 Adjusted Diluted EPS was $0.72 compared to $0.69 in the year-ago period. See the attached schedules for additional information.

GAAP Results Under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), net income for second quarter 2014 was $193 million compared to $269 million for second quarter 2013, and diluted earnings per share for second quarter 2014 was $0.34 compared to $0.44 for second quarter 2013.

Details regarding the Company's special items for the three months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 are provided in the accompanying financial schedules.

Segment Financial Results[5] Consumer The Consumer segment achieved year-over-year revenue growth driven by increased high-speed Internet and CenturyLink PrismTM TV customers and price increases on certain products.

Strategic revenues were $709 million in the quarter, an 8.6% increase over second quarter 2013.

Generated $1.50 billion in total revenues, slightly higher than second quarter 2013, reflecting strong growth in strategic services partially offset by the continued decline in legacy services.

Added nearly 16,000 CenturyLink PrismTM TV customers during second quarter 2014, increasing penetration of the more than 2.1 million addressable homes to approximately 10%.

Business The Business segment achieved its fourth consecutive quarter of year-over-year core revenue growth driven by continued demand for high-bandwidth data services and solid sales momentum.

Strategic revenues were $663 million in the quarter, a 7.8% increase over second quarter 2013, driven by strength in high-bandwidth offerings such as MPLS and Ethernet services.

Generated $1.56 billion in total revenues, an increase of 2.6% from second quarter 2013, as growth in high-bandwidth offerings and data integration revenues offset lower legacy services revenues. Data integration revenues were $20 million higher in second quarter 2014 compared to second quarter 2013.

Achieved segment margin of 37.9%, which declined from 40.2% a year-ago. This decrease was primarily due to higher costs related to business revenue growth such as CPE, facility and sales and marketing, along with the decline in legacy revenues.

Continued strong sales momentum in second quarter with solid sales funnel entering third quarter and continued success in sales of Managed Office and Managed Enterprise solutions.

Wholesale The Wholesale segment ended the quarter with more than 19,700 fiber-connected towers, an increase of 18% from second quarter 2013.

Strategic revenues were $568 million in the quarter, down slightly from second quarter 2013, as increases in wireless carrier bandwidth demand and Ethernet sales were offset by declines in low-speed data revenue.

Generated $866 million in total revenues, a decrease of 4.8% from second quarter 2013, reflecting the continued decline in low-speed data revenues and in legacy revenues, primarily driven by lower long distance and switched access minutes of use, along with access rate reductions from implementation of the CAF Order[6].

Completed approximately 500 fiber builds in second quarter 2014; lowered the annual estimate for fiber builds to between 2,000 to 2,500 for full-year 2014 due to continued customer decisions to defer certain sites into 2015.

Hosting The Hosting segment grew managed hosting (including cloud) and colocation revenues as cross-selling initiatives continue to strengthen sales opportunities.

Operating revenues were $358 million in the quarter, a 3.2% increase from second quarter 2013.

Managed hosting revenues[7] were $148 million, representing a 9.6% increase from second quarter 2013, and colocation[7] revenues were $158 million, a 1.9% increase over the same period a year ago.

Expenses increased $10 million from second quarter 2013 primarily due to higher employee costs.

Opened a data center in Minneapolis, Minnesota offering colocation, cloud and managed hosting services connected to CenturyLink's IP backbone and global data center footprint.

Guidance - Third Quarter 2014 The Company expects third quarter 2014 revenues and operating cash flow to decrease compared to second quarter 2014 primarily due to the continued decline of legacy revenues and increased operating expenses related to the normal seasonality of outside plant maintenance and utility costs.

Third Quarter 2014 (excl. special items) Operating Revenues $4.47 to $4.52 billion Core Revenues $4.06 to $4.11 billion Operating Cash Flow $1.72 to $1.77 billion Adjusted Diluted EPS $0.58 to $0.63 All 2014 guidance figures and 2014 outlook statements included in this release (i) speak as of August 6, 2014 only, (ii) exclude the impact of any share repurchases made after June 30, 2014 and (iii) exclude the effects of special items, future changes in regulation or accounting rules, integration expenses associated with our recent acquisitions, any changes in operating or capital plans or other unforeseen events or circumstances that impact our financial performance, and any future mergers, acquisitions, divestitures or other similar business transactions. See 'Forward Looking Statements' below. For additional information on how we define certain of the terms used above, see the attached schedules.

Investor Call As previously announced, CenturyLink's management will host a conference call at 4:00 p.m. Central Time today, August 6, 2014. Interested parties can access the call by dialing 866-835-8905. The call will be accessible for replay through August 14, 2014, by dialing 888-266-2081 and entering the access code 1640411. Investors can also listen to CenturyLink's earnings conference call and webcast replay by accessing the Investor Relations portion of the Company's website at www.centurylink.com through August 28, 2014. Financial, statistical and other information related to the call will also be posted to our website.

Reconciliation to GAAP This release includes certain non-GAAP financial measures, including but not limited to operating cash flow, free cash flow, core revenues, Adjusted Net Income and adjustments to GAAP measures to exclude the effect of special items. In addition to providing key metrics for management to evaluate the Company's performance, we believe these measurements assist investors in their understanding of period-to-period operating performance and in identifying historical and prospective trends. Reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures to the most comparable GAAP measures are included in the attached financial schedules. Reconciliation of additional non-GAAP financial measures that may be discussed during the earnings call described above will be available in the Investor Relations portion of the Company's website at www.centurylink.com. Investors are urged to consider these non-GAAP measures in addition to, and not in substitution for, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

About CenturyLink CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States and is recognized as a leader in the network services market by technology industry analyst firms. The Company is a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions for enterprise customers. CenturyLink provides data, voice and managed services in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers for businesses and consumers. The company also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLink PrismTM TV and DIRECTV brands. Headquartered in Monroe, La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America's largest corporations. For more information, visit www.centurylink.com.

Forward Looking Statements Certain non-historical statements made in this release and future oral or written statements or press releases by us or our management are intended to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations only, and are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied by us if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the timing, success and overall effects of competition from a wide variety of competitive providers; the risks inherent in rapid technological change, including product displacement; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry, including the outcome of regulatory or judicial proceedings relating to intercarrier compensation, access charges, universal service, broadband deployment, data protection and net neutrality; our ability to effectively adjust to changes in the communications industry, and changes in our markets, product mix and network caused by our recent acquisitions; our ability to successfully integrate recently-acquired operations into our incumbent operations, including the possibility that the anticipated benefits from our recent acquisitions cannot be fully realized in a timely manner or at all; our ability to effectively manage our expansion opportunities, including retaining and hiring key personnel; possible changes in the demand for, or pricing of, our products and services, including our ability to effectively respond to increased demand for high-speed broadband service; our ability to successfully introduce new product or service offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis; the adverse impact on our business and network from possible equipment failures, security breaches or similar attacks on our network; our ability to successfully negotiate collective bargaining agreements on reasonable terms without work stoppages; our ability to use net operating loss carryovers of Qwest in projected amounts; our continued access to credit markets on favorable terms; our ability to collect our receivables from financially troubled communications companies; our ability to maintain favorable relations with our key business partners, suppliers, vendors, landlords and financial institutions; any adverse developments in legal or regulatory proceedings involving us; changes in our operating plans, corporate strategies, dividend payment plans or other capital allocation plans, including those caused by changes in our cash requirements, capital expenditure needs, debt obligations, pension funding requirements, cash flows, or financial position, or other similar changes; the effects of adverse weather; other risks referenced from time to time in our filings with the SEC; and the effects of more general factors such as changes in interest rates, in tax laws, in accounting policies or practices, in operating, medical, pension or administrative costs, in general market, labor or economic conditions, or in legislation, regulation or public policy. These and other uncertainties related to our business and our recent acquisitions are described in greater detail in Item 1A of our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2014, as updated and supplemented by our subsequent SEC reports. You should be aware that new factors may emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to identify all such factors nor can we predict the impact of each such factor on the business or the extent to which any one or more factors may cause actual results to differ from those reflected in any forward-looking statements. You are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are inherently speculative and speak only as of the date made. We undertake no obligation to update any of our forward-looking statements for any reason.

[1] Core revenues defined as Strategic revenues plus Legacy revenues (excludes Data Integration and Other revenues), as described further in the attached schedules [2] See attachments for non-GAAP reconciliations [3] Multi-protocol Label Switching [4] All references to Strategic and Legacy revenues herein reflect certain adjustments described in the attached schedules [5] All references to segment data herein reflect certain adjustments described in the attached schedules [6] Federal Communications Commission's Connect America and Intercarrier Compensation Reform Order (the CAF Order) adopted on October 27, 2011 [7] Hosting revenue by product category was restated in 1Q14 to allocate cross-connect revenue with the associated colocation or managed service CenturyLink, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2014 AND 2013 (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions, except per share amounts; shares in thousands) Three months ended June 30, 2014 Three months ended June 30, 2013 As reported Less special items As adjusted excluding special items (Non-GAAP) As reported Less special items As adjusted excluding special items (Non-GAAP) Increase (decrease) as reported Increase (decrease) excluding special items OPERATING REVENUES* Strategic $ 2,298 2,298 2,186 2,186 5.1% 5.1% Legacy 1,803 1,803 1,923 1,923 (6.2%) (6.2%) Data integration 187 187 167 167 12.0% 12.0% Other 253 253 249 249 1.6% 1.6% 4,541 - 4,541 4,525 - 4,525 0.4% 0.4% OPERATING EXPENSES Cost of services and products 1,962 6 (1) 1,956 1,873 4 (4) 1,869 4.8% 4.7% Selling, general and administrative 831 59 (1) 772 814 16 (4) 798 2.1% (3.3%) Depreciation and amortization 1,093 1,093 1,123 1,123 (2.7%) (2.7%) 3,886 65 3,821 3,810 20 3,790 2.0% 0.8% OPERATING INCOME 655 (65) 720 715 (20) 735 (8.4%) (2.0%) OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) Interest expense (325) (325) (325) (325) 0.0% 0.0% Other (expense) income (7) (14) (2) 7 4 - 4 (275.0%) 75.0% Income tax expense (130) 25 (3) (155) (125) 40 (5) (165) 4.0% (6.1%) NET INCOME $ 193 (54) 247 269 20 249 (28.3%) (0.8%) BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE $ 0.34 (0.10) 0.43 0.45 0.03 0.41 (24.4%) 4.9% DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE $ 0.34 (0.09) 0.43 0.44 0.03 0.41 (22.7%) 4.9% AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING Basic 567,915 567,915 604,302 604,302 (6.0%) (6.0%) Diluted 569,032 569,032 605,602 605,602 (6.0%) (6.0%) DIVIDENDS PER COMMON SHARE $ 0.540 0.540 0.540 0.540 0.0% 0.0% SPECIAL ITEMS (1) - Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($33 million), integration and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($14 million) and the impairment of two office buildings ($18 million).

(2) - Impairment of a non-operating investment ($14 million).

(3) - Income tax benefit of Item (1).

(4) - Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($4 million), integration, severance and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($11 million), integration, severance, and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Savvis ($4 million) and an accounting adjustment ($1 million).

(5) - Income tax benefit of Item (4) and a favorable federal income tax settlement ($33 million).

During 2013, we reallocated the discounts on our bundled services (local, long distance, and broadband) to the component products and services. The net effect of the bundled services reallocation was a reclassification of certain revenues from legacy services to strategic services. Also in 2013, we reallocated our CLEC revenues into their component products and services. The net effect of this CLEC reallocation was a reclassification of certain revenues from strategic services to legacy services. The 2013 information presented here has been restated to reflect these reclassifications.

CenturyLink, Inc.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2014 AND 2013 (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions, except per share amounts; shares in thousands) Six months ended June 30, 2014 Six months ended June 30, 2013 As reported Less special items As adjusted excluding special items (Non-GAAP) As reported Less special items As adjusted excluding special items (Non-GAAP) Increase(decrease) as reported Increase(decrease)excluding special items OPERATING REVENUES* Strategic $ 4,579 4,579 4,350 4,350 5.3% 5.3% Legacy 3,632 3,632 3,875 3,875 (6.3%) (6.3%) Data integration 361 361 307 307 17.6% 17.6% Other 507 507 506 506 0.2% 0.2% 9,079 - 9,079 9,038 - 9,038 0.5% 0.5% OPERATING EXPENSES Cost of services and products 3,897 10 (1) 3,887 3,669 6 (4) 3,663 6.2% 6.1% Selling, general and administrative 1,674 83 (1) 1,591 1,632 48 (4) 1,584 2.6% 0.4% Depreciation and amortization 2,200 2,200 2,240 2,240 (1.8%) (1.8%) 7,771 93 7,678 7,541 54 7,487 3.0% 2.6% OPERATING INCOME 1,308 (93) 1,401 1,497 (54) 1,551 (12.6%) (9.7%) OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE) Interest expense (656) (656) (641) (641) 2.3% 2.3% Other (expense) income 2 (14) (2) 16 43 37 (5) 6 (95.3%) 166.7% Income tax expense (258) 36 (3) (294) (332) 32 (6) (364) (22.3%) (19.2%) NET INCOME $ 396 (71) 467 567 15 552 (30.2%) (15.4%) BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE $ 0.69 (0.12) 0.82 0.93 0.02 0.90 (25.8%) (8.9%) DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE $ 0.69 (0.12) 0.82 0.92 0.02 0.90 (25.0%) (8.9%) AVERAGE SHARES OUTSTANDING Basic 571,225 571,225 611,862 611,862 (6.6%) (6.6%) Diluted 572,244 572,244 613,338 613,338 (6.7%) (6.7%) DIVIDENDS PER COMMON SHARE $ 1.08 1.08 1.08 1.08 0.0% 0.0% SPECIAL ITEMS (1) - Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($52 million), integration and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($25 million) and the impairment of two office buildings ($18 million), less the offsetting impact of a litigation settlement in the amount of $2 million.

(2) - Impairment of a non-operating investment ($14 million).

(3) - Income tax benefit of Item (1).

(4) - Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($11 million), integration, severance and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($18 million), integration, severance, and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Savvis ($7 million) and an accounting adjustment ($18 million).

(5) - Gain on the sale of a non-operating investment ($32 million) and settlements of other non-operating issues ($5 million).

(6) - Income tax expense of Items (4) and (5) and a favorable federal income tax settlement ($33 million).

During 2013, we reallocated the discounts on our bundled services (local, long distance, and broadband) to the component products and services. The net effect of the bundled services reallocation was a reclassification of certain revenues from legacy services to strategic services. Also in 2013, we reallocated our CLEC revenues into their component products and services. The net effect of this CLEC reallocation was a reclassification of certain revenues from strategic services to legacy services. The 2013 information presented here has been restated to reflect these reclassifications.

CenturyLink, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS JUNE 30, 2014 AND DECEMBER 31, 2013 (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions) June 30, December 31, 2014 2013 ASSETS CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 181 168 Other current assets 3,417 3,739 Total current assets 3,598 3,907 NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT Property, plant and equipment 35,404 34,307 Accumulated depreciation (16,969) (15,661) Net property, plant and equipment 18,435 18,646 GOODWILL AND OTHER ASSETS Goodwill 20,674 20,674 Other, net 7,907 8,560 Total goodwill and other assets 28,581 29,234 TOTAL ASSETS $ 50,614 51,787 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES Current maturities of long-term debt $ 1,188 785 Other current liabilities 3,255 3,624 Total current liabilities 4,443 4,409 LONG-TERM DEBT 19,771 20,181 DEFERRED CREDITS AND OTHER LIABILITIES 9,802 10,006 STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY 16,598 17,191 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 50,614 51,787 CenturyLink, Inc.

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2014 AND 2013 (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions) Six Months Six Months ended ended June 30, 2014 June 30, 2013 OPERATING ACTIVITIES Net income $ 396 567 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization 2,200 2,240 Impairment of assets 32 - Deferred income taxes 208 307 Provision for uncollectible accounts 63 65 Gain on sale of intangible assets - (32) Changes in current assets and current liabilities, net (364) (99) Retirement benefits (102) (220) Changes in other noncurrent assets and liabilities 66 48 Other, net 10 (20) Net cash provided by operating activities 2,509 2,856 INVESTING ACTIVITIES Payments for property, plant and equipment and capitalized software (1,401) (1,410) Proceeds from sale of intangible assets or property - 75 Other, net (18) 23 Net cash used in investing activities (1,419) (1,312) FINANCING ACTIVITIES Net proceeds from issuance of long-term debt - 1,740 Payments of long-term debt (121) (1,018) Net borrowings (payments) on credit facility 120 (775) Dividends paid (616) (661) Net proceeds from issuance of common stock 32 40 Repurchases of common stock (493) (867) Other, net 1 - Net cash used in financing activities (1,077) (1,541) Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 13 3 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 168 211 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 181 214 CenturyLink, Inc.

SELECTED SEGMENT FINANCIAL INFORMATION THREE MONTHS AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2014 AND 2013 (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions) Three months ended June 30, * Six months ended June 30, * 2014 2013** 2014 2013** Total segment revenues $ 4,288 4,276 $ 8,572 8,532 Total segment expenses 2,118 2,041 4,217 3,969 Total segment income $ 2,170 2,235 $ 4,355 4,563 Total segment income margin (segment income divided by segment revenues) 50.6% 52.3% 50.8% 53.5% Consumer Revenues Strategic services $ 709 653 $ 1,411 1,298 Legacy services 790 840 1,596 1,704 Data integration 1 1 2 3 $ 1,500 1,494 $ 3,009 3,005 Expenses Direct $ 478 458 $ 944 894 Allocated 121 116 238 229 $ 599 574 $ 1,182 1,123 Segment income $ 901 920 $ 1,827 1,882 Segment income margin 60.1% 61.6% 60.7% 62.6% Business Revenues Strategic services $ 663 615 $ 1,318 1,229 Legacy services 715 744 1,446 1,497 Data integration 186 166 359 304 $ 1,564 1,525 $ 3,123 3,030 Expenses Direct $ 866 804 $ 1,720 1,557 Allocated 106 108 218 212 $ 972 912 $ 1,938 1,769 Segment income $ 592 613 $ 1,185 1,261 Segment income margin 37.9% 40.2% 37.9% 41.6% Wholesale Revenues Strategic services $ 568 571 $ 1,138 1,142 Legacy services 298 339 590 674 $ 866 910 $ 1,728 1,816 Expenses Direct $ 46 50 $ 87 80 Allocated 237 251 472 495 $ 283 301 $ 559 575 Segment income $ 583 609 $ 1,169 1,241 Segment income margin 67.3% 66.9% 67.7% 68.3% Hosting Revenues Strategic services $ 358 347 $ 712 681 $ 358 347 $ 712 681 Expenses Direct $ 226 215 $ 464 424 Allocated 38 39 74 78 $ 264 254 $ 538 502 Segment income $ 94 93 $ 174 179 Segment income margin 26.3% 26.8% 24.4% 26.3% * During the first quarter of 2014, we adopted several changes with respect to the assignment of certain expenses to our segments. We have restated the previously reported segment results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 to conform to the current presentation. The nature of the most significant changes and the related effect on segment expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013 are as follows: - The method for allocating certain shared costs of consumer sales and care, including bad debt expense and credit card fees, was revised, which resulted in an increase in consumer segment expenses of $22 million and $42 million with a corresponding decrease in business segment expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, respectively; and - Hosting segment expenses have been conformed to the reporting of our other segments' expenses. Specifically, our integration efforts and centralization of certain administrative functions reached the point where it has become more practical to discontinue including certain finance, information technology, legal and human resources expenses in the hosting segment, which resulted in a decrease of $21 million and $39 million in hosting segment expenses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2013, respectively.

During 2013, we reallocated the discounts on our bundled services (local, long distance, and broadband) to the component products and services. The net effect of the bundled services reallocation was a reclassification of certain revenues from legacy services to strategic services. Also in 2013, we reallocated our CLEC revenues into their component products and services. The net effect of this CLEC reallocation was a reclassification of certain revenues from strategic services to legacy services. The 2013 information presented here has been restated to reflect these reclassifications.

See our SEC reports for further information.

CenturyLink, Inc.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions) Three months ended June 30, 2014 Three months ended June 30, 2013 As adjusted As adjusted Less excluding Less excluding As special special As special special reported items items reported items items Operating cash flow and cash flow margin Operating income $ 655 (65) (1) 720 715 (20) (2) 735 Add: Depreciation and amortization 1,093 - 1,093 1,123 - 1,123 Operating cash flow $ 1,748 (65) 1,813 1,838 (20) 1,858 Revenues $ 4,541 - 4,541 4,525 - 4,525 Operating income margin (operating income divided by revenues) 14.4% 15.9% 15.8% 16.2% Operating cash flow margin (operating cash flow divided by revenues) 38.5% 39.9% 40.6% 41.1% Free cash flow Operating cash flow $ 1,813 1,858 Less: Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds (13) (38) Less: Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized (407) (382) Less: Capital expenditures (3) (723) (739) Add: Other income 7 4 Free cash flow (4) $ 677 703 SPECIAL ITEMS (1) - Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($33 million), integration and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($14 million) and the impairment of two office buildings ($18 million).

(2) - Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($4 million), integration, severance and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($11 million), integration, severance, and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Savvis ($4 million) and an accounting adjustment ($1 million).

(3) - Excludes $8 million in second quarter 2014 and $8 million in second quarter 2013 of capital expenditures related to the integration of Embarq, Qwest and Savvis.

(4) - Excludes special items identified in items (1) and (2).

CenturyLink, Inc.

RECONCILIATION OF NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions) Six months ended June 30, 2014 Six months ended June 30, 2013 As adjusted As adjusted Less excluding Less excluding As special special As special special reported items items reported items items Operating cash flow and cash flow margin Operating income $ 1,308 (93) (1) 1,401 1,497 (54) (2) 1,551 Add: Depreciation and amortization 2,200 - 2,200 2,240 - 2,240 Operating cash flow $ 3,508 (93) 3,601 3,737 (54) 3,791 Revenues $ 9,079 - 9,079 9,038 - 9,038 Operating income margin (operating income divided by revenues) 14.4% 15.4% 16.6% 17.2% Operating cash flow margin (operating cash flow divided by revenues) 38.6% 39.7% 41.3% 41.9% Free cash flow Operating cash flow $ 3,601 3,791 Less: Cash paid for income taxes, net of refunds (23) (46) Less: Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized (672) (647) Less: Capital expenditures (3) (1,385) (1,395) Add: Other income 16 6 Free cash flow (4) $ 1,537 1,709 SPECIAL ITEMS (1) - Includes severance costs associated with recent headcount reductions ($52 million), integration and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($25 million) and the impairment of two office buildings ($18 million), less the offsetting impact of a litigation settlement in the amount of $2 million.

(2) - Includes severance costs associated with reduction in force initiatives ($11 million), integration, severance and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Qwest ($18 million), integration, severance, and retention costs associated with our acquisition of Savvis ($7 million) and an accounting adjustment ($18 million).

(3) - Excludes $16 million in second quarter 2014 and $15 million in second quarter 2013 of capital expenditures related to the integration of Embarq, Qwest and Savvis.

(4) - Excludes special items identified in items (1) and (2).

CenturyLink, Inc.

OPERATING METRICS (UNAUDITED) (In thousands) As of As of As of June 30, 2014 March 31, 2014 June 30, 2013 Broadband subscribers 6,055 6,057 5,909 Access lines 12,707 12,882 13,331 CenturyLink, Inc.

SUPPLEMENTAL NON-GAAP INFORMATION - ADJUSTED DILUTED EPS THREE MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2014 AND 2013 AND SIX MONTHS ENDED JUNE 30, 2014 AND 2013 (UNAUDITED) (Dollars in millions, except per share amounts) Three months ended Six months ended June 30, 2014 June 30, 2013 June 30, 2014 June 30, 2013 (excluding (excluding (excluding (excluding special items) special items) special items) special items) Net income * $ 247 249 467 552 Add back: Amortization of customer base intangibles: Qwest 216 230 435 464 Embarq 30 34 59 68 Savvis 16 15 31 30 Amortization of trademark intangibles: Qwest 5 11 11 23 Savvis - 2 5 4 Amortization of fair value adjustment of long-term debt: Embarq 2 1 3 2 Qwest (12) (17) (24) (34) Subtotal 257 276 520 557 Tax effect of above items (96) (108) (198) (217) Net adjustment, after taxes 161 168 322 340 Net income, as adjusted for above items $ 408 417 789 892 Weighted average diluted shares outstanding 569.0 605.6 572.2 613.3 Diluted EPS (excluding special items) $ 0.43 0.41 0.82 0.90 Adjusted diluted EPS as adjusted for the above-listed purchase accounting intangible and interest amortizations (excluding special items) $ 0.72 0.69 1.38 1.46 The above schedule presents adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share (both excluding special items) by adding back to net income and diluted earnings per share certain non-cash expense items that arise as a result of the application of business combination accounting rules to our recent acquisitions. Such presentation is not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles but management believes the presentation is useful to analysts and investors to understand the impacts of growing our business through acquisitions.

*See preceding schedules for a summary description of special items.

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