Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Resources
  • Investor Relations
  • Journalists
  • Webcasts
  • Français
  • my CNW 
    • Login
    • Register
  • Client Login
  • Sign Up
  • Send a Release
Return to PR Newswire homepage
  • News
  • Products
  • Contact
Search
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.

News Releases

view all
    Advanced Search
    • News in Focus
        • Browse News Releases

        • All News Releases
        • All Public Company
        • News Releases Overview

        • Multimedia Gallery

        • All Multimedia
        • All Photos
        • All Videos
        • Multimedia Gallery Overview

        • Trending Topics

        • All Trending Topics
    • Business
        • Auto & Transportation

        • Aerospace, Defense
        • Air Freight
        • Airlines & Aviation
        • Automotive
        • Maritime & Shipbuilding
        • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
        • Supply Chain/Logistics
        • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
        • Travel
        • Trucking and Road Transportation
        • Auto & Transportation Overview

        • View All Auto & Transportation

        • Business Technology

        • Blockchain
        • Broadcast Tech
        • Computer & Electronics
        • Computer Hardware
        • Computer Software
        • Data Analytics
        • Electronic Commerce
        • Electronic Components
        • Electronic Design Automation
        • Financial Technology
        • High Tech Security
        • Internet Technology
        • Nanotechnology
        • Networks
        • Peripherals
        • Semiconductors
        • Business Technology Overview

        • View All Business Technology

        • Entertain­ment & Media

        • Advertising
        • Art
        • Books
        • Entertainment
        • Film and Motion Picture
        • Magazines
        • Music
        • Publishing & Information Services
        • Radio & Podcast
        • Television
        • Entertainment & Media Overview

        • View All Entertain­ment & Media

        • Financial Services & Investing

        • Accounting News & Issues
        • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
        • Banking & Financial Services
        • Bankruptcy
        • Bond & Stock Ratings
        • Conference Call Announcements
        • Contracts
        • Cryptocurrency
        • Dividends
        • Earnings
        • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
        • Financing Agreements
        • Insurance
        • Investments Opinions
        • Joint Ventures
        • Mutual Funds
        • Private Placement
        • Real Estate
        • Restructuring & Recapitalization
        • Sales Reports
        • Shareholder Activism
        • Shareholder Meetings
        • Stock Offering
        • Stock Split
        • Venture Capital
        • Financial Services & Investing Overview

        • View All Financial Services & Investing

        • General Business

        • Awards
        • Commercial Real Estate
        • Corporate Expansion
        • Earnings
        • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
        • Human Resource & Workforce Management
        • Licensing
        • New Products & Services
        • Obituaries
        • Outsourcing Businesses
        • Personnel Announcements
        • Real Estate Transactions
        • Residential Real Estate
        • Small Business Services
        • Socially Responsible Investing
        • Surveys, Polls and Research
        • Trade Show News
        • General Business Overview

        • View All General Business

    • Science & Tech
        • Consumer Technology

        • Artificial Intelligence
        • Blockchain
        • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
        • Computer Electronics
        • Computer Hardware
        • Computer Software
        • Consumer Electronics
        • Cryptocurrency
        • Data Analytics
        • Electronic Commerce
        • Electronic Gaming
        • Financial Technology
        • Mobile Entertainment
        • Multimedia & Internet
        • Peripherals
        • Social Media
        • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
        • Supply Chain/Logistics
        • Wireless Communications
        • Consumer Technology Overview

        • View All Consumer Technology

        • Energy & Natural Resources

        • Alternative Energies
        • Chemical
        • Electrical Utilities
        • Gas
        • General Manufacturing
        • Mining
        • Mining & Metals
        • Oil & Energy
        • Oil and Gas Discoveries
        • Utilities
        • Water Utilities
        • Energy & Natural Resources Overview

        • View All Energy & Natural Resources

        • Environ­ment

        • Conservation & Recycling
        • Environmental Issues
        • Environmental Policy
        • Environmental Products & Services
        • Green Technology
        • Natural Disasters
        • Environment Overview

        • View All Environ­ment

        • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

        • Aerospace & Defense
        • Agriculture
        • Chemical
        • Construction & Building
        • General Manufacturing
        • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
        • Machinery
        • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
        • Mining
        • Mining & Metals
        • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
        • Precious Metals
        • Textiles
        • Tobacco
        • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing Overview

        • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

        • Telecomm­unications

        • Carriers and Services
        • Mobile Entertainment
        • Networks
        • Peripherals
        • Telecommunications Equipment
        • Telecommunications Industry
        • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
        • Wireless Communications
        • Telecommunications Overview

        • View All Telecomm­unications

    • Lifestyle & Health
        • Consumer Products & Retail

        • Animals & Pets
        • Beers, Wines and Spirits
        • Beverages
        • Bridal Services
        • Cannabis
        • Cosmetics and Personal Care
        • Fashion
        • Food & Beverages
        • Furniture and Furnishings
        • Home Improvement
        • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
        • Household Products
        • Jewelry
        • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
        • Office Products
        • Organic Food
        • Product Recalls
        • Restaurants
        • Retail
        • Supermarkets
        • Toys
        • Consumer Products & Retail Overview

        • View All Consumer Products & Retail

        • Entertain­ment & Media

        • Advertising
        • Art
        • Books
        • Entertainment
        • Film and Motion Picture
        • Magazines
        • Music
        • Publishing & Information Services
        • Radio & Podcast
        • Television
        • Entertainment & Media Overview

        • View All Entertain­ment & Media

        • Health

        • Biometrics
        • Biotechnology
        • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
        • Dentistry
        • FDA Approval
        • Fitness/Wellness
        • Health Care & Hospitals
        • Health Insurance
        • Infection Control
        • International Medical Approval
        • Medical Equipment
        • Medical Pharmaceuticals
        • Mental Health
        • Pharmaceuticals
        • Supplementary Medicine
        • Health Overview

        • View All Health

        • Sports

        • General Sports
        • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
        • Sporting Events
        • Sports Equipment & Accessories
        • Sports Overview

        • View All Sports

        • Travel

        • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
        • Gambling & Casinos
        • Hotels and Resorts
        • Leisure & Tourism
        • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
        • Passenger Aviation
        • Travel Industry
        • Travel Overview

        • View All Travel

    • Policy & Public Interest
        • Policy & Public Interest

        • Advocacy Group Opinion
        • Animal Welfare
        • Canadian Federal Government
        • Canadian Municipal Government
        • Canadian Provincial Government
        • Corporate Social Responsibility
        • Domestic Policy
        • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
        • Education
        • Environmental
        • European Government
        • FDA Approval
        • Federal and State Legislation
        • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
        • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
        • Homeland Security
        • Labor & Union
        • Legal Issues
        • Natural Disasters
        • Not For Profit
        • Patent Law
        • Public Safety
        • Trade Policy
        • Policy & Public Interest Overview

        • View All Policy & Public Interest

    • People & Culture
        • People & Culture

        • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
        • African American
        • Asian American
        • Children
        • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
        • Hispanic
        • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
        • Men's Interest
        • People with Disabilities
        • Religion
        • Senior Citizens
        • Veterans
        • Women
        • People & Culture Overview

        • View All People & Culture

    • Advanced Search
    • Explore Our Platform
    • Plan Campaigns
    • Create with AI
    • Distribute Press Releases
    • Report Results
    • Amplify Content
    • IR
    • All Products
    • Become a Client
    • Request a Demo
    • Editorial Bureaus
    • Partnerships
    • General Enquiries
    • Media
    • Worldwide Offices
    • Hamburger menu
    • Cision Canada
    • Send a Release
    • FR
      • Phone

      • 877-269-7890 from 8 AM - 10 PM ET

      • ALL CONTACT INFO
      • Contact Cision

        877-269-7890
        from 8 AM - 10 PM ET

    • Searching for your content...

      No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.

      News Releases

      view all
      Close menu
    • News
    • Products
    • Contact
      • Send a Release
      • Sign Up
      • Resources
      • Investor Relations
      • Journalists
      • Webcasts
      • my CNW
      • GDPR
      • 3 News in Focus
      • 5 Business
      • 5 Science & Tech
      • 5 Lifestyle & Health
      • 1 Policy & Public Interest
      • 1 People & Culture
      • Send a Release
      • Sign Up
      • Resources
      • Investor Relations
      • Journalists
      • Webcasts
      • my CNW
      • GDPR
      • Explore Our Platform
      • Plan Campaigns
      • Create with AI
      • Distribute Press Releases
      • Report Results
      • Amplify Content
      • IR
      • All Products
      • Send a Release
      • Sign Up
      • Resources
      • Investor Relations
      • Journalists
      • Webcasts
      • my CNW
      • GDPR
      • Become a Client
      • Request a Demo
      • Editorial Bureaus
      • Partnerships
      • General Enquiries
      • Media
      • Worldwide Offices
      • General Enquiries
      • Send a Release
      • Sign Up
      • Resources
      • Investor Relations
      • Journalists
      • Webcasts
      • my CNW
      • GDPR
      Close submenu (News in Focus) News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery
      • Trending Topics
      Close submenu (Business) Business
      • Auto & Transportation
      • Business Technology
      • Entertain­ment & Media
      • Financial Services & Investing
      • General Business
      Close submenu (Science & Tech) Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology
      • Energy & Natural Resources
      • Environ­ment
      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
      • Telecomm­unications
      Close submenu (Lifestyle & Health) Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail
      • Entertain­ment & Media
      • Health
      • Sports
      • Travel
      Close submenu (Policy & Public Interest) Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest
      Close submenu (People & Culture) People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      Rogers Communications Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2017 Results; Announces 2018 Financial Guidance


      News provided by

      Rogers Communications Canada Inc. - English

      Jan 25, 2018, 07:00 ET

      Share this article

      Share this article


      • Excellent financial and subscriber performance in full-year 2017, largely driven by Wireless
        • Wireless service revenue growth of 7% and AOP growth of 8% - the highest since 2009
        • Wireless postpaid net additions of 354,000 and churn of 1.20% - the best results since 2010

      • Strong financial performance in the fourth quarter 2017
        • Total service revenue growth of 4% and adjusted operating profit (AOP) growth of 6%
        • Wireless service revenue growth of 7% and AOP growth of 9%; AOP margin up 60 basis points
          • Postpaid net additions of 72,000 and churn of 1.48%
        • Cable revenue growth of 2% and AOP growth of 3%; AOP margin up 80 basis points
          • Internet revenue growth of 9% and net additions of 17,000

      • 2018 guidance reflects accelerated growth in adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow
        • Growth in revenue of 3% to 5%, adjusted EBITDA of 5% to 7%, and free cash flow of 3% to 5%; capex of $2.65 to $2.85 billion, focused on network investments

      TORONTO, Jan. 25, 2018 /CNW/ - Rogers Communications Inc. today announced its unaudited financial and operating results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2017.

      Consolidated Financial Highlights





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of Canadian dollars, except per share
      amounts, unaudited)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg








      Total revenue

      3,632

      3,510

      3

      14,143

      13,702

      3

      Total service revenue 1

      3,430

      3,306

      4

      13,560

      13,027

      4

      Adjusted operating profit 2

      1,340

      1,259

      6

      5,379

      5,092

      6

      Net income (loss)

      419

      (9)

      n/m

      1,711

      835

      105

      Adjusted net income 2

      455

      382

      19

      1,821

      1,481

      23








      Basic earnings (loss) per share

      $0.81

      ($0.02)

      n/m

      $3.32

      $1.62

      105

      Adjusted basic earnings per share 2

      $0.88

      $0.74

      19

      $3.54

      $2.88

      23








      Cash provided by operating activities

      1,142

      1,053

      8

      3,938

      3,957

      —

      Free cash flow 2

      244

      392

      (38)

      1,746

      1,705

      2


      n/m - not meaningful

      1  As defined. See "Key Performance Indicators".

      2 As defined. See "Non-GAAP Measures". These measures should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies.

      "We delivered excellent results in 2017, with the best financial and subscriber performance in many years," said Joe Natale, President and CEO. "We also reported strong financial results in the fourth quarter, including growth in revenue, adjusted operating profit and margins. Our 2018 guidance reflects accelerated growth in profit and free cash flow along with well-timed, strategic investments in our networks. We enter 2018 bullish about the growth in our core business and with a clear plan focused on enhancing our customers' experience and capturing cost efficiencies to drive sustainable growth."

      Key Financial Highlights

      Higher revenue
      Revenue increased 3% this quarter, largely driven by Wireless service revenue growth of 7% as a result of subscriber growth and a greater number of subscribers on higher-rate plans from our various brands, including Rogers Share Everything plans.

      Cable revenue increased 2% this quarter due to continued strong Internet revenue growth of 9%.

      Media revenue decreased 4% this quarter primarily as a result of lower revenue from the Toronto Blue Jays, primarily due to the postseason success in 2016, and lower publishing-related revenue due to the strategic shift to digital media announced last year, partially offset by higher Sportsnet revenue and increased sales at Today's Shopping Choice (TSC).

      Higher adjusted operating profit and margins
      Adjusted operating profit increased 6% this quarter, primarily as a result of Wireless adjusted operating profit growth of 9% due to the strong flow-through of service revenue growth described above and various cost efficiencies.

      Cable adjusted operating profit increased 3% this quarter as a result of strong Internet revenue growth, the ongoing product mix shift to higher-margin Internet services, and various cost efficiencies.

      Media adjusted operating profit decreased 20% this quarter primarily as a result of lower revenue from the Toronto Blue Jays, as discussed above, and lower publishing-related revenue due to the strategic shift to digital media announced late last year, partially offset by higher Sportsnet revenue.

      Our adjusted operating profit margin increased to 36.9% this quarter, an expansion of 100 basis points. This increase was primarily driven by Wireless, with a 60 basis point expansion to 43.2%, and Cable, with an 80 basis point expansion to 51.5%.

      Higher net income and adjusted net income
      Net income increased this quarter as a result of losses incurred last year related to the discontinuation of the development of our legacy IPTV product and higher adjusted operating profit. Adjusted net income increased 19% this quarter primarily due to higher adjusted operating profit and lower depreciation and amortization.

      Substantial free cash flow affords financial flexibility
      This quarter, we continued to generate substantial cash flow from operating activities and free cash flow of $1,142 million and $244 million, respectively. Free cash flow decreased as a result of greater capital expenditures this quarter compared to last year.

      We ended the fourth quarter with a debt leverage ratio (adjusted net debt / adjusted operating profit) of 2.8, which improved from a ratio of 3.0 as at the end of the same period last year. See "Managing our Liquidity and Financial Resources" for more information.

      Our solid financial results enabled us to continue to make investments in our network and still return substantial dividends to shareholders. We paid $247 million in dividends this quarter.

      Achieved 2017 Guidance

      The following table outlines guidance ranges that we had previously provided and our actual results and achievements for the selected full-year 2017 financial metrics.






      (In millions of dollars, except percentages)

      2016

      Actual

      2017

      Guidance Ranges

      2017

      Actual

      Achievement









      Consolidated Guidance 1









      Revenue

      13,702

      Increase of 3%

      to

      5%

      14,143

      3.2%

      √


      Adjusted operating profit 2

      5,092

      Increase of 5%

      to

      6%

      5,379

      5.6%

      √


      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net 3

      2,352

      2,350

      to

      2,450

      2,436

      n/m

      √


      Free cash flow 2

      1,705

      Increase of 2%

      to

      4%

      1,746

      2.4%

      √









      1

      The table outlines guidance ranges for selected full-year 2017 consolidated financial metrics provided in our January 26, 2017 earnings release and subsequently updated on October 19, 2017. Guidance ranges presented as percentages reflect percentage increases over 2016 actual results.

      2

      Adjusted operating profit and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures and should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about these measures, including how we calculate them.

      3

      Includes additions to property, plant and equipment net of proceeds on disposition, but does not include expenditures for spectrum licences.

      2018 Outlook

      For the full-year 2018, we expect steady growth in revenue and adjusted EBITDA to drive higher free cash flow, despite higher net additions to property, plant and equipment. In 2018, we expect to have the financial flexibility to maintain our network advantages, to further reduce debt, and to continue to return cash to shareholders.

      Effective January 1, 2018, the Company will commence using adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (adjusted EBITDA) as the key measure of profit for the purpose of assessing performance for each segment and to make decisions about the allocation of resources. As such, we plan to introduce adjusted EBITDA as a new non-GAAP measure in our financial reports commencing January 1, 2018. This measure will replace our existing adjusted operating profit non-GAAP measure. We believe adjusted EBITDA better reflects segment and consolidated profitability. The difference between adjusted operating profit and adjusted EBITDA is that adjusted EBITDA will include stock-based compensation expense. We also believe that our decision-making processes will not be significantly affected through the use of adjusted EBITDA. Additionally, use of this measure will change our current definition of free cash flow. For detailed reconciliations, please see "Non-GAAP Measures".




      (In millions of dollars, except percentages)

      2017

      Actuals

      2018 Guidance Ranges based on
      a comparable basis prior to the
      adoption of IFRS 15 1






      Consolidated Guidance






      Revenue

      14,143

      Increase of 3%

       to

      5%


      Adjusted EBITDA 2

      5,318

      Increase of 5%

       to

      7%


      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net 3

      2,436

      2,650

       to

      2,850


      Free cash flow 2

      1,685

      Increase of 3%

       to

      5%







      1

      Guidance ranges presented as percentages reflect percentage increases over full-year 2017 results. 2018 amounts for purposes of assessing our performance against guidance will be calculated consistently with revenue recognition accounting policies prior to adopting IFRS 15, Revenue from contracts with customers.

      2

      Effective January 1, 2018, free cash flow will be calculated using adjusted EBITDA as a result of our adoption of this profit measure instead of adjusted operating profit. Free cash flow presented above reflects this change. The difference between adjusted EBITDA and adjusted operating profit is that adjusted EBITDA will include stock-based compensation expense. Adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures and should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about these measures, including how we calculate them

      3

      Includes additions to property, plant and equipment net of proceeds on disposition, but does not include expenditures for spectrum licences.

      The above table outlines guidance ranges for selected full-year 2018 consolidated financial metrics. These ranges take into consideration our current outlook and our 2017 results and are not expected to be impacted by the adoption of IFRS 15 on January 1, 2018. The purpose of the financial outlook is to assist investors, shareholders, and others in understanding certain financial metrics relating to expected 2018 financial results for evaluating the performance of our business. This information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Information about our guidance, including the various assumptions underlying it, is forward-looking and should be read in conjunction with "About Forward-Looking Information" (including the material assumptions listed under the heading "Key assumptions underlying our 2018 guidance") and the related disclosure and information about various economic, competitive, and regulatory assumptions, factors, and risks that may cause our actual future financial and operating results to differ from what we currently expect.

      We provide annual guidance ranges on a consolidated full-year basis that are consistent with annual full-year Board of Directors-approved plans. Any updates to our full-year financial guidance over the course of the year would only be made to the consolidated guidance ranges that appear above.

      About Rogers

      Rogers is a leading diversified Canadian communications and media company that's working to deliver a great experience to our customers every day. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet, information technology, and telephony services to consumers and businesses. Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, sports, televised and online shopping, magazines, and digital media. Our shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).

      Quarterly Investment Community Teleconference

      Our fourth quarter 2017 results teleconference with the investment community will be held on:

      • January 25, 2018
      • 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time
      • webcast available at investors.rogers.com
      • media are welcome to participate on a listen-only basis

      A rebroadcast will be available at investors.rogers.com for at least two weeks following the teleconference. Additionally, investors should note that from time to time, Rogers' management presents at brokerage-sponsored investor conferences. Most often, but not always, these conferences are webcast by the hosting brokerage firm, and when they are webcast, links are made available on Rogers' website at investors.rogers.com.

      For More Information

      You can find more information relating to us on our website (investors.rogers.com), on SEDAR (sedar.com), and on EDGAR (sec.gov), or you can e-mail us at investor.relations@rci.rogers.com. Information on or connected to these and any other websites referenced in this earnings release is not part of, or incorporated into, this earnings release.

      You can also go to investors.rogers.com for information about our governance practices, corporate social responsibility reporting, a glossary of communications and media industry terms, and additional information about our business.

      About this Earnings Release

      This earnings release contains important information about our business and our performance for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017, as well as forward-looking information about future periods. This earnings release should be used as preparation for reading our forthcoming Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) and Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2017, which we intend to file with securities regulators in Canada and the US in the coming weeks. These statements will be made available on the investors.rogers.com, sedar.com, and sec.gov websites or mailed upon request.

      The financial information contained in this earnings release is prepared using International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board. This earnings release should be read in conjunction with our 2016 Annual MD&A, our 2016 Audited Consolidated Financial Statements, our 2017 First, Second, and Third Quarter MD&A and Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, and our other recent filings with Canadian and US securities regulatory authorities, which are available on SEDAR at sedar.com or EDGAR at sec.gov, respectively.

      All dollar amounts are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated and are unaudited. All percentage changes are calculated using the rounded numbers as they appear in the tables. Information is current as at January 25, 2018 and was approved by our Board of Directors (Board). This earnings release includes forward-looking statements and assumptions. See "About Forward-Looking Information" for more information.

      We, us, our, Rogers, Rogers Communications, and the Company refer to Rogers Communications Inc. and its subsidiaries. RCI refers to the legal entity Rogers Communications Inc., not including its subsidiaries. Rogers also holds interests in various investments and ventures.

      In this earnings release, this quarter, the quarter, or the fourth quarter refer to the three months ended December 31, 2017, the first quarter refers to the three months ended March 31, 2017, the second quarter refers to the three months ended June 30, 2017, the third quarter refers to the three months ended September 30, 2017, and year to date or full-year refer to the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. All results commentary is compared to the equivalent periods in 2016 or as at December 31, 2016, as applicable, unless otherwise indicated.

      Reporting Segments
      We report our results of operations in four reporting segments. Each segment and the nature of its business is as follows:



      Segment

      Principal activities

      Wireless

      Wireless telecommunications operations for Canadian consumers and businesses.

      Cable

      Cable telecommunications operations, including Internet, television, and telephony (phone) services for Canadian consumers and businesses.

      Business Solutions

      Network connectivity through our fibre network and data centre assets to support a range of voice, data, networking, hosting, and cloud-based services for the enterprise, public sector, and carrier wholesale markets.

      Media

      A diversified portfolio of media properties, including sports media and entertainment, television and radio broadcasting, specialty channels, multi-platform shopping, digital media, and publishing.

      Wireless, Cable, and Business Solutions are operated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (RCCI), and certain of our other wholly-owned subsidiaries. Media is operated by our wholly-owned subsidiary, Rogers Media Inc., and its subsidiaries.

      We intend to redefine our reporting segments effective January 1, 2018 as a result of technological evolution and the increased overlap between the various product offerings within our Cable and Business Solutions reporting segments, as well as how we allocate resources amongst, and the general management of, our reporting segments. Effective January 1, 2018, the results of our existing Cable segment, Business Solutions segment, and our Smart Home Monitoring products will be presented within a redefined Cable segment. Financial results related to our Smart Home Monitoring product are currently reported within Corporate items and intercompany eliminations. We will retrospectively amend our 2017 comparative segment results in 2018 to account for this redefinition.

      Summary of Consolidated Financial Results





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except margins and per share
      amounts)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg








      Revenue








      Wireless

      2,189

      2,058

      6

      8,343

      7,916

      5


      Cable

      871

      858

      2

      3,466

      3,449

      —


      Business Solutions

      99

      96

      3

      387

      384

      1


      Media

      526

      550

      (4)

      2,153

      2,146

      —


      Corporate items and intercompany eliminations

      (53)

      (52)

      2

      (206)

      (193)

      7

      Revenue

      3,632

      3,510

      3

      14,143

      13,702

      3

      Total service revenue 1

      3,430

      3,306

      4

      13,560

      13,027

      4





      Adjusted operating profit





      Wireless

      860

      792

      9

      3,561

      3,285

      8


      Cable

      449

      435

      3

      1,709

      1,674

      2


      Business Solutions

      32

      30

      7

      128

      123

      4


      Media

      39

      49

      (20)

      139

      169

      (18)


      Corporate items and intercompany eliminations

      (40)

      (47)

      (15)

      (158)

      (159)

      (1)

      Adjusted operating profit 2

      1,340

      1,259

      6

      5,379

      5,092

      6





      Adjusted operating profit margin 2

      36.9%

      35.9%

      1.0 pts

      38.0%

      37.2%

      0.8 pts





      Net income (loss)

      419

      (9)

      n/m

      1,711

      835

      105

      Basic earnings (loss) per share

      $0.81

      ($0.02)

      n/m

      $3.32

      $1.62

      105

      Diluted earnings (loss) per share

      $0.81

      ($0.04)

      n/m

      $3.31

      $1.62

      104





      Adjusted net income 2

      455

      382

      19

      1,821

      1,481

      23

      Adjusted basic earnings per share 2

      $0.88

      $0.74

      19

      $3.54

      $2.88

      23

      Adjusted diluted earnings per share 2

      $0.88

      $0.74

      19

      $3.52

      $2.86

      23





      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net

      841

      604

      39

      2,436

      2,352

      4

      Cash provided by operating activities

      1,142

      1,053

      8

      3,938

      3,957

      —

      Free cash flow 2

      244

      392

      (38)

      1,746

      1,705

      2



      1

      As defined. See "Key Performance Indicators".

      2

      Adjusted operating profit, adjusted operating profit margin, adjusted net income, adjusted basic and diluted earnings per share, and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures and should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about these measures, including how we calculate them.

      Results of our Reporting Segments

      WIRELESS

      Wireless Financial Results





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except margins)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Revenue





      Service revenue

      1,990

      1,858

      7

      7,775

      7,258

      7


      Equipment revenue

      199

      200

      (1)

      568

      658

      (14)

      Revenue

      2,189

      2,058

      6

      8,343

      7,916

      5





      Operating expenses





      Cost of equipment

      648

      584

      11

      2,033

      1,947

      4


      Other operating expenses                                          

      681

      682

      —

      2,749

      2,684

      2

      Operating expenses

      1,329

      1,266

      5

      4,782

      4,631

      3





      Adjusted operating profit

      860

      792

      9

      3,561

      3,285

      8





      Adjusted operating profit margin as a % of service revenue

      43.2%

      42.6%

      0.6 pts

      45.8%

      45.3%

      0.5 pts

      Additions to property, plant and equipment

      269

      153

      76

      806

      702

      15

      Wireless Subscriber Results 1





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In thousands, except churn, postpaid ARPA, and
      blended ARPU)

      2017

      2016

      Chg

      2017

      2016

      Chg






      Postpaid 2





      Gross additions

      456

      436

      20

      1,599

      1,521

      78


      Net additions

      72

      93

      (21)

      354

      286

      68


      Total postpaid subscribers 3                                           

      8,704

      8,557

      147

      8,704

      8,557

      147


      Churn (monthly)

      1.48%

      1.35%

      0.13 pts

      1.20%

      1.23%

      (0.03 pts)


      ARPA (monthly)

      $126.54

      $119.90

      $6.64

      $124.75

      $117.37

      $7.38

      Prepaid





      Gross additions

      165

      172

      (7)

      782

      761

      21


      Net (losses) additions

      (8)

      38

      (46)

      61

      111

      (50)


      Total prepaid subscribers 3

      1,778

      1,717

      61

      1,778

      1,717

      61


      Churn (monthly)

      3.22%

      2.62%

      0.60 pts

      3.48%

      3.32%

      0.16 pts

      Blended ARPU (monthly) 2

      $63.46

      $60.72

      $2.74

      $62.31

      $60.42

      $1.89



      1

      Subscriber counts, subscriber churn, postpaid ARPA, and blended ARPU are key performance indicators. See "Key Performance Indicators".

      2

      Effective October 1, 2017, and on a prospective basis, we reduced our Wireless postpaid subscriber base by 207,000 subscribers to remove a low-ARPU public services customer that is in the process of migrating to another service provider. We believe adjusting our base for a customer of this size that migrates off our network provides a more meaningful reflection of the underlying organic performance of our Wireless business.

      3

      As at end of period.

      Service revenue

      The 7% increase in service revenue this quarter was a result of:

      • higher blended ARPU, primarily as a result of the increased mix of subscribers on higher-rate plans from our various brands, which includes the customer-friendly Rogers Share Everything plans, and increased data usage. Our higher-rate plans typically generate higher ARPU, may allow users to pool and manage their data usage across multiple devices, and provide access to some of our other offerings, such as Roam Like Home, Fido Roam, Rogers NHL LIVE, Fido Data Bytes, and Spotify; and
      • larger postpaid and prepaid subscriber bases.

      The 6% increase in postpaid ARPA this quarter was primarily a result of the continued adoption of Rogers Share Everything plans and the increasing number of lines per customer account. Customers on Share Everything plans have increasingly utilized the advantages of premium offerings and access their shareable plans with multiple devices on the same account.

      The 5% increase in blended ARPU this quarter was a result of the increased service revenue, as discussed above, and the adjustment to our postpaid subscriber base pertaining to the migration of a public services customer.

      The increase in postpaid churn this quarter was primarily a result of heightened competitive intensity, particularly during the holiday season.

      Equipment revenue
      The 1% decrease in equipment revenue this quarter was a result of:

      • larger average investments in higher-blended-ARPU-generating customers who purchased devices under term contracts, in part due to the heightened competitive intensity this quarter; partially offset by
      • a 7% increase in device upgrades by existing subscribers; and
      • higher postpaid gross additions.

      Operating expenses

      Cost of equipment

      The 11% increase in the cost of equipment this quarter was a result of:

      • a continued shift in the product mix of device sales towards higher-cost smartphones as more devices launched and we continue to invest in higher-blended-ARPU-generating customers;
      • the increase in device upgrades by existing subscribers as discussed above; and
      • higher postpaid gross additions.

      Other operating expenses

      Other operating expenses were stable this quarter as a result of:

      • various cost efficiencies and productivity initiatives; offset by
      • higher costs related to increased revenue, as discussed above.

      Adjusted operating profit
      The 9% increase in adjusted operating profit this quarter was a result of the strong flow-through of service revenue growth discussed above.

      CABLE

      Cable Financial Results





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except margins)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Revenue





      Internet

      413

      378

      9

      1,606

      1,495

      7


      Television

      372

      386

      (4)

      1,501

      1,562

      (4)


      Phone

      84

      93

      (10)

      353

      386

      (9)


      Service revenue

      869

      857

      1

      3,460

      3,443

      —


      Equipment revenue                       

      2

      1

      100

      6

      6

      —

      Revenue

      871

      858

      2

      3,466

      3,449

      —





      Operating expenses





      Cost of equipment

      —

      1

      n/m

      2

      3

      (33)


      Other operating expenses

      422

      422

      —

      1,755

      1,772

      (1)

      Operating expenses

      422

      423

      —

      1,757

      1,775

      (1)





      Adjusted operating profit

      449

      435

      3

      1,709

      1,674

      2





      Adjusted operating profit margin

      51.5%

      50.7%

      0.8 pts

      49.3%

      48.5%

      0.8 pts

      Additions to property, plant and equipment

      379

      284

      33

      1,172

      1,085

      8

      Cable Subscriber Results 1





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In thousands)

      2017

      2016

      Chg

      2017

      2016

      Chg





      Internet





      Net additions

      17

      30

      (13)

      85

      97

      (12)


      Total Internet subscribers 2

      2,230

      2,145

      85

      2,230

      2,145

      85

      Television





      Net losses

      (13)

      (13)

      —

      (80)

      (76)

      (4)


      Total Television subscribers 2

      1,740

      1,820

      (80)

      1,740

      1,820

      (80)

      Phone





      Net additions

      9

      4

      5

      14

      4

      10


      Total Phone subscribers 2

      1,108

      1,094

      14

      1,108

      1,094

      14





      Cable homes passed 2

      4,307

      4,241

      66

      4,307

      4,241

      66

      Total service units 3





      Net additions

      13

      21

      (8)

      19

      25

      (6)


      Total service units 2

      5,078

      5,059

      19

      5,078

      5,059

      19


      1

      Subscriber counts are key performance indicators. See "Key Performance Indicators".

      2

      As at end of period.

      3

      Includes Internet, Television, and Phone subscribers.

      Revenue
      The 2% increase in revenue this quarter was a result of:

      • the movement of Internet customers to higher speed and usage tiers; and
      • the impact of service pricing changes; partially offset by
      • a lower subscriber base for our Television products.

      Internet revenue
      The 9% increase in Internet revenue this quarter was a result of:

      • general movement of customers to higher speed and usage tiers of our Internet offerings, with 54% of our residential Internet base on plans of 100 megabits per second or higher (2016 - 46%);
      • a larger Internet subscriber base; and
      • the impact of Internet service pricing changes; partially offset by
      • more promotional pricing provided to subscribers.

      Television revenue
      The 4% decrease in Television revenue this quarter was a result of:

      • the decline in Television subscribers over the past year; partially offset by
      • the impact of Television service pricing changes, net of discounts.

      Phone revenue
      The 10% decrease in Phone revenue this quarter was a result of the impact of pricing.

      Operating expenses
      Operating expenses were stable this quarter as a result of:

      • various cost efficiencies and productivity initiatives; offset by
      • higher costs related to increased revenue, as discussed above.

      Adjusted operating profit
      The 3% increase in adjusted operating profit this quarter was a result of the revenue changes discussed above.

      BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

      Business Solutions Financial Results





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except margins)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Revenue





      Next generation

      84

      77

      9

      322

      307

      5


      Legacy

      14

      17

      (18)

      58

      71

      (18)


      Service revenue

      98

      94

      4

      380

      378

      1


      Equipment revenue                          

      1

      2

      (50)

      7

      6

      17

      Revenue

      99

      96

      3

      387

      384

      1





      Operating expenses

      67

      66

      2

      259

      261

      (1)





      Adjusted operating profit

      32

      30

      7

      128

      123

      4





      Adjusted operating profit margin

      32.3%

      31.3%

      1.0 pts

      33.1%

      32.0%

      1.1 pts

      Additions to property, plant and equipment

      40

      37

      8

      131

      146

      (10)

      Revenue
      The 4% increase in service revenue this quarter was a result of the increase in higher-margin, next generation on-net and near-net IP-based services revenue, partially offset by the continued decline in our legacy and off-net voice business.

      We expect legacy service revenue will continue to decrease as we focus on migrating customers to more advanced, cost-effective IP-based services and solutions. Next generation services, which include our data centre operations, represented 86% of service revenue in the quarter (2016 - 82%).

      Operating expenses
      Operating expenses this quarter were in line with fourth quarter operating expenses of 2016.

      Adjusted operating profit
      The 7% increase in adjusted operating profit this quarter was a result of the revenue and expense changes discussed above.

      MEDIA

      Media Financial Results





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except margins)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Revenue

      526

      550

      (4)

      2,153

      2,146

      —

      Operating expenses

      487

      501

      (3)

      2,014

      1,977

      2





      Adjusted operating profit

      39

      49

      (20)

      139

      169

      (18)





      Adjusted operating profit margin

      7.4%

      8.9%

      (1.5 pts)

      6.5%

      7.9%

      (1.4 pts)

      Additions to property, plant and equipment

      39

      19

      105

      83

      62

      34

      Revenue
      The 4% decrease in revenue this quarter was a result of:

      • lower revenue at the Toronto Blue Jays due to the postseason in 2016; and
      • lower publishing-related revenue as a result of the strategic shift to digital media announced last year; partially offset by
      • higher Sportsnet revenue; and
      • higher TSC merchandise sales.

      Operating expenses
      The 3% decrease in operating expenses this quarter was a result of:

      • lower publishing-related costs as a result of the strategic shift described above; and
      • lower Toronto Blue Jays costs due to costs associated with the 2016 postseason; partially offset by
      • higher TSC merchandise costs.

      Adjusted operating profit
      The 20% decrease in adjusted operating profit this quarter was a result of the revenue and expense changes discussed above.

      ADDITIONS TO PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT, NET





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except capital intensity)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Additions to property, plant and equipment





      Wireless

      269

      153

      76

      806

      702

      15


      Cable

      379

      284

      33

      1,172

      1,085

      8


      Business Solutions                                              

      40

      37

      8

      131

      146

      (10)


      Media

      39

      19

      105

      83

      62

      34


      Corporate

      114

      111

      3

      318

      357

      (11)





      Total additions to property, plant and equipment 1

      841

      604

      39

      2,510

      2,352

      7

      Proceeds from disposition of property, plant and
      equipment

      —

      —

      n/m

      (74)

      —

      n/m





      Total additions to property, plant and equipment, net

      841

      604

      39

      2,436

      2,352

      4





      Capital intensity 2

      23.2%

      17.2%

      6.0 pts

      17.2%

      17.2%

      — pts



      1

      Additions to property, plant and equipment do not include expenditures for spectrum licences.

      2

      As defined. See "Key Performance Indicators".

      Wireless
      The increase in additions to property, plant and equipment in Wireless this quarter was a result of investments made to upgrade our wireless network to continue delivering worry-free, reliable performance for our customers. We are augmenting our existing LTE network with 4.5G technology investments that are also designed to migrate to a 5G environment. This quarter, we began upgrading our radio infrastructure and made investments to activate the AWS-1 spectrum licence acquired earlier in 2017.

      Cable
      The increase in additions to property, plant and equipment in Cable this quarter was a result of higher investments in network and information technology infrastructure, partially related to our forthcoming Ignite TV product (previously referred to as the X1 IP-based video platform), and to enhance the quality of our cable network. This quarter, we began upgrading our hybrid fibre-coaxial infrastructure with additional fibre deployments and further DOCSIS technology enhancements. These deployments and enhancements will lower the number of homes passed per node and incorporate the latest technologies to help deliver more bandwidth and an even more reliable customer experience.

      Business Solutions
      The increase in additions to property, plant and equipment in Business Solutions this quarter was a result of higher investments in network infrastructure.

      Media
      The increase in additions to property, plant and equipment this quarter reflect higher investments in our broadcast infrastructure and the Rogers Centre.

      Corporate
      The increase in additions to property, plant and equipment in Corporate this quarter was a result of higher investments in premise improvements.

      Capital intensity
      Capital intensity increased this quarter as a result of higher net additions to property, plant and equipment as discussed above, partially offset by higher total revenue.

      Review of Consolidated Performance

      This section discusses our consolidated net income and other income and expenses that do not form part of the segment discussions above.





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Adjusted operating profit 1

      1,340

      1,259

      6

      5,379

      5,092

      6

      Deduct (add):





      Stock-based compensation

      14

      16

      (13)

      61

      61

      —


      Depreciation and amortization

      531

      555

      (4)

      2,142

      2,276

      (6)


      Gain on disposition of property, plant
      and equipment

      —

      —

      n/m

      (49)

      —

      n/m


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      31

      518

      (94)

      152

      644

      (76)


      Finance costs

      184

      188

      (2)

      746

      761

      (2)


      Other expense (income)

      3

      (4)

      n/m

      (19)

      191

      n/m


      Income tax expense (recovery)

      158

      (5)

      n/m

      635

      324

      96





      Net income (loss)

      419

      (9)

      n/m

      1,711

      835

      105



      1

      Adjusted operating profit is a non-GAAP measure and should not be considered a substitute or alternative for GAAP measures. It is not a defined term under IFRS and does not have a standard meaning, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about this measure, including how we calculate it.

      Stock-based compensation
      Our stock-based compensation, which includes stock options (with stock appreciation rights), restricted share units, and deferred share units, is generally driven by:

      • the vesting of stock options and share units; and
      • changes in the market price of RCI Class B shares; offset by
      • the impact of certain equity derivative instruments designed to hedge a portion of the stock price appreciation risk for our stock-based compensation programs. See "Financial Risk Management" for more information about equity derivatives.




      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Impact of vesting

      13

      19

      61

      70

      Impact of change in price

      2

      (22)

      74

      24

      Equity derivatives, net of interest receipt

      (1)

      19

      (74)

      (33)




      Total stock-based compensation

      14

      16

      61

      61

      Depreciation and amortization





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Depreciation

      518

      538

      (4)

      2,087

      2,183

      (4)

      Amortization

      13

      17

      (24)

      55

      93

      (41)





      Total depreciation and amortization

      531

      555

      (4)

      2,142

      2,276

      (6)

      Total depreciation and amortization decreased this quarter primarily as a result of certain assets becoming fully amortized.

      Restructuring, acquisition and other
      This quarter, we incurred $31 million (2016 - $518 million) in restructuring, acquisition and other expenses. The costs this quarter were primarily a result of severance costs associated with the targeted restructuring of our employee base and certain contract termination costs. In 2016, these costs were primarily a result of the $484 million charge for asset impairment and related onerous contracts related to our legacy IPTV product. In 2017, this charge has been reported within restructuring, acquisition and other compared to a separate classification as impairment of assets and related onerous contract charges reported in 2016.

      Finance costs





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Interest on borrowings 1

      184

      185

      (1)

      740

      758

      (2)

      Interest on post-employment benefits liability

      3

      2

      50

      12

      9

      33

      Loss (gain) on foreign exchange

      8

      32

      (75)

      (107)

      13

      n/m

      Change in fair value of derivatives

      (10)

      (34)

      (71)

      99

      (16)

      n/m

      Capitalized interest

      (5)

      (3)

      67

      (18)

      (18)

      —

      Other

      4

      6

      (33)

      20

      15

      33





      Total finance costs

      184

      188

      (2)

      746

      761

      (2)



      1 Interest on borrowings includes interest on short-term borrowings and on long-term debt.

      Interest on borrowings
      Interest on borrowings decreased this quarter as a result of a marginally lower weighted average cost of financing on a lower average debt balance. See "Managing our Liquidity and Financial Resources" and "Financial Condition" for more information about our debt and related finance costs.

      Income tax expense (recovery)





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except tax rates)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Statutory income tax rate

      26.7%

      26.6%

      26.7%

      26.6%

      Income (loss) before income tax expense (recovery)

      577

      (14)

      2,346

      1,159

      Computed income tax expense (recovery)

      154

      (4)

      626

      308

      Increase (decrease) in income tax expense resulting from:




      Non-(taxable) deductible stock-based compensation

      —

      (2)

      9

      5


      Non-deductible portion of equity losses

      2

      2

      —

      18


      Non-deductible loss on available-for-sale investments

      —

      —

      7

      —


      Income tax adjustment, legislative tax change

      2

      —

      2

      3


      Non-taxable portion of capital gain

      —

      —

      (10)

      (7)


      Other items

      —

      (1)

      1

      (3)




      Total income tax expense (recovery)

      158

      (5)

      635

      324




      Effective income tax rate

      27.4%

      35.7%

      27.1%

      28.0%

      Cash income taxes paid

      76

      81

      475

      295

      The effective income tax rate for the quarter was higher than the statutory tax rate primarily as a result of non-deductible equity losses recognized on certain of our investments and an increase in income tax expense as a result of a legislative tax change.

      Cash income taxes paid decreased this quarter as a result of the timing of installment payments.

      Net income (loss)





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except per share amounts)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg






      Net income (loss)

      419

      (9)

      n/m

      1,711

      835

      105

      Basic earnings (loss) per share

      $0.81

      ($0.02)

      n/m

      $3.32

      $1.62

      105

      Diluted earnings (loss) per share

      $0.81

      ($0.04)

      n/m

      $3.31

      $1.62

      104

      Adjusted net income
      We calculate adjusted net income from adjusted operating profit as follows:





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except per share amounts)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Adjusted operating profit 1

      1,340

      1,259

      6

      5,379

      5,092

      6

      Deduct:





      Depreciation and amortization

      531

      555

      (4)

      2,142

      2,276

      (6)


      Finance costs

      184

      188

      (2)

      746

      761

      (2)


      Other expense (income) 2

      3

      (4)

      n/m

      1

      40

      (98)


      Income tax expense 3

      167

      138

      21

      669

      534

      25





      Adjusted net income 1

      455

      382

      19

      1,821

      1,481

      23





      Adjusted basic earnings per share 1

      $0.88

      $0.74

      19

      $3.54

      $2.88

      23

      Adjusted diluted earnings per share 1

      $0.88

      $0.74

      19

      $3.52

      $2.86

      23



      1

      Adjusted operating profit, adjusted net income, and adjusted basic and diluted earnings per share are non-GAAP measures and should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about these measures, including how we calculate them.

      2

      Other income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 excludes a $20 million provision reversal on the wind down of shomi. Other expense for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016 excludes an $11 million net loss on divestitures pertaining to investments and a $140 million loss on the wind down of our shomi joint venture.

      3

      Income tax expense excludes an $11 million recovery (2016 - $143 million recovery) for the quarter and a $36 million recovery (2016 - $213 million recovery) for the year to date related to the income tax impact for adjusted items. Income tax expense also excludes expenses as a result of legislative tax changes of $2 million (2016 - nil) for the quarter and $2 million (2016 - $3 million) for the year to date.

      Managing our Liquidity and Financial Resources

      Operating, investing, and financing activities





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Cash provided by operating activities before changes in non-





      cash working capital items, income taxes paid, and interest paid

      1,358

      1,276

      5,302

      4,994


      Change in non-cash operating working capital items

      (15)

      (18)

      (154)

      14

      Cash provided by operating activities before income taxes paid
      and interest paid

      1,343

      1,258

      5,148

      5,008


      Income taxes paid

      (76)

      (81)

      (475)

      (295)


      Interest paid

      (125)

      (124)

      (735)

      (756)




      Cash provided by operating activities

      1,142

      1,053

      3,938

      3,957




      Investing activities:




      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net

      (841)

      (604)

      (2,436)

      (2,352)


      Additions to program rights

      (21)

      (3)

      (59)

      (46)


      Changes in non-cash working capital related to property,
      plant and equipment and intangible assets

      101

      44

      109

      (103)


      Acquisitions and other strategic transactions, net of cash acquired

      —

      —

      (184)

      —


      Other

      21

      49

      (60)

      45




      Cash used in investing activities

      (740)

      (514)

      (2,630)

      (2,456)




      Financing activities:




      Net (repayment of) proceeds received on short-term borrowings

      (163)

      (250)

      858

      —


      Net repayment of long-term debt

      (3)

      (57)

      (1,034)

      (538)


      Net proceeds (payments) on settlement of debt derivatives
      and forward contracts

      40

      (28)

      (79)

      (45)


      Transaction costs incurred

      —

      (17)

      —

      (17)


      Dividends paid

      (247)

      (247)

      (988)

      (988)


      Other

      —

      —

      —

      5




      Cash used in financing activities

      (373)

      (599)

      (1,243)

      (1,583)




      Change in cash and cash equivalents

      29

      (60)

      65

      (82)

      (Bank advances) cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

      (35)

      (11)

      (71)

      11




      Bank advances, end of period

      (6)

      (71)

      (6)

      (71)

      Operating activities
      The 8% increase in cash provided by operating activities this quarter was primarily a result of higher net income.

      Investing activities
      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net

      We spent $841 million this quarter on net additions to property, plant and equipment, before changes in non-cash working capital items, which was higher than the same period in 2016. See "Additions to Property, Plant and Equipment, net" for more information.

      Financing activities
      During the quarter, we repaid net amounts of $126 million (2016 - $335 million) on our short-term borrowings, long-term debt, and related derivatives. See "Financial Risk Management" for more information on the cash flows relating to our derivative instruments.

      Short-term borrowings
      Our short-term borrowings consist of amounts outstanding under our accounts receivable securitization program and under our US dollar-denominated commercial paper (US CP) program. Below is a summary of our short-term borrowings as at December 31, 2017 and 2016.





      As at
      December 31

      As at
      December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016



      Accounts receivable securitization program

      650

      800

      US commercial paper program

      935

      —



      Total short-term borrowings

      1,585

      800

      Below is a summary of the activity relating to our short-term borrowings for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.





      Three months ended
      December 31, 2017

      Twelve months ended
      December 31, 2017


      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)






      Proceeds received from accounts receivable securitization



      —



      530

      Repayment of accounts receivable securitization



      (390)



      (680)

      Net repayment of accounts receivable securitization



      (390)



      (150)








      Proceeds received from US commercial paper

      2,142

      1.2750

      2,731

      8,267

      1.2958

      10,712

      Repayment of US commercial paper

      (1,958)

      1.2789

      (2,504)

      (7,530)

      1.2887

      (9,704)

      Net proceeds received from US commercial paper



      227



      1,008







      Net (repayment of) proceeds received on short-term
      borrowings



      (163)



      858









      Three months ended
      December 31, 2016

      Twelve months ended
      December 31, 2016


      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)







      Proceeds received from accounts receivable securitization



      —



      295

      Repayment of accounts receivable securitization



      (250)



      (295)

      Net repayment of accounts receivable securitization



      (250)



      —







      Net repayment of short-term borrowings



      (250)



      —

      In March 2017, we entered into a US CP program that allowed us to issue up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of US$1 billion. In December 2017, we increased the maximum aggregate principal amount allowed under our US CP program to US$1.5 billion. Funds can be borrowed under this program with terms to maturity ranging from 1 to 397 days, subject to ongoing market conditions. Any issuances made under the US CP program will be issued at a discount. See "Financial Condition" for more information.

      Concurrent with our US CP issuances, we entered into debt derivatives to hedge the foreign currency risk associated with the principal and interest components of the borrowings under the US CP program. See "Financial Risk Management" for more information.

      Long-term debt
      Our long-term debt consists of amounts outstanding under our bank credit facilities and letter of credit facilities and the senior notes and debentures we have issued. Below is a summary of the activity relating to our long-term debt for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.





      Three months ended
      December 31, 2017

      Twelve months ended
      December 31, 2017

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)







      Credit facility borrowings (Cdn$)



      —



      1,730

      Credit facility borrowings (US$)

      100

      1.25

      125

      960

      1.32

      1,269

      Total credit facility borrowings



      125



      2,999





      Credit facility repayments (Cdn$)



      —



      (1,830)

      Credit facility repayments (US$)

      (100)

      1.28

      (128)

      (1,110)

      1.31

      (1,453)

      Total credit facility repayments



      (128)



      (3,283)





      Net repayments under credit facilities



      (3)



      (284)





      Senior note repayments (Cdn$)



      —



      (750)





      Net repayment of long-term debt



      (3)



      (1,034)







      Three months ended
      December 31, 2016

      Twelve months ended
      December 31, 2016

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      Notional

      Exchange

      Notional

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)

      (US$)

      rate

      (Cdn$)





      Credit facility borrowings (Cdn$)



      325



      1,140

      Credit facility borrowings (US$)

      303

      1.31

      398

      2,188

      1.31

      2,877

      Total credit facility borrowings



      723



      4,017





      Credit facility repayments (Cdn$)



      (225)



      (1,540)

      Credit facility repayments (US$)

      (914)

      1.34

      (1,226)

      (2,038)

      1.32

      (2,686)

      Total credit facility repayments



      (1,451)



      (4,226)





      Net repayments under credit facilities



      (728)



      (209)





      Senior note issuances (US$)

      500

      1.34

      671

      500

      1.34

      671

      Senior note repayments (Cdn$)



      —



      (1,000)





      Net issuance (repayment) of senior notes



      671



      (329)





      Net repayment of long-term debt



      (57)



      (538)





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Long-term debt net of transaction costs, beginning of

      period

      14,402

      15,927

      16,080

      16,870

      Net repayment of long-term debt

      (3)

      (57)

      (1,034)

      (538)

      Loss (gain) on foreign exchange

      46

      224

      (608)

      (245)

      Deferred transaction costs incurred

      —

      (17)

      (3)

      (12)

      Amortization of deferred transaction costs

      3

      3

      13

      5




      Long-term debt net of transaction costs, end of period

      14,448

      16,080

      14,448

      16,080

      Certain funds were borrowed under our revolving and non-revolving credit facilities in US dollars to take advantage of a favourable interest rate spread; we have entered into debt derivatives related to these borrowings to convert all the interest and principal payment obligations to Canadian dollars. See "Financial Risk Management" for more information.

      Dividends
      Below is a summary of the dividends we declared and paid on our outstanding Class A Voting and Class B Non-Voting shares in 2017 and 2016.






      Declaration date

      Record date

      Payment date

      Dividend per

      share (dollars)

      Dividends paid

      (in millions of dollars)





      January 26, 2017

      March 13, 2017

      April 3, 2017

      0.48

      247

      April 18, 2017

      June 12, 2017

      July 4, 2017

      0.48

      247

      August 17, 2017

      September 15, 2017

      October 3, 2017

      0.48

      247

      October 19, 2017

      December 11, 2017

      January 2, 2018

      0.48

      247





      January 27, 2016

      March 13, 2016

      April 1, 2016

      0.48

      247

      April 18, 2016

      June 12, 2016

      July 4, 2016

      0.48

      247

      August 11, 2016

      September 11, 2016

      October 3, 2016

      0.48

      247

      October 20, 2016

      December 12, 2016

      January 3, 2017

      0.48

      247

      Free cash flow





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Adjusted operating profit 1

      1,340

      1,259

      6

      5,379

      5,092

      6

      Deduct:





      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net 2

      841

      604

      39

      2,436

      2,352

      4


      Interest on borrowings, net of capitalized interest

      179

      182

      (2)

      722

      740

      (2)


      Cash income taxes 3

      76

      81

      (6)

      475

      295

      61





      Free cash flow 1

      244

      392

      (38)

      1,746

      1,705

      2



      1

      Adjusted operating profit and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures and should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about these measures, including how we calculate them.

      2

      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net do not include expenditures for spectrum licences.

      3

      Cash income taxes are net of refunds received.

      The 38% decrease in free cash flow this quarter was a result of higher net additions to property, plant and equipment, partially offset by higher adjusted operating profit.

      Financial Condition

      Below is a summary of our total available liquidity under our bank credit facilities, letters of credit facilities, and short-term borrowings.







      As at December 31, 2017

      Total available

      Drawn

      Letters of credit

      US CP program

      Net available

      (In millions of dollars)





      Bank credit facilities:





      Revolving

      3,200

      —

      9

      935

      2,256


      Outstanding letters of credit

      87

      —

      87

      —

      —


      Bank advances

      —

      6

      —

      —

      (6)

      Total bank credit facilities

      3,287

      6

      96

      935

      2,250

      Accounts receivable securitization

      1,050

      650

      —

      —

      400





      Total

      4,337

      656

      96

      935

      2,650







      As at December 31, 2016


      Total available

      Drawn

      Letters of credit

      Net available

      (In millions of dollars)






      Bank credit facilities:





      Revolving


      2,500

      —

      9

      2,491


      Non-revolving


      301

      301

      —

      —


      Outstanding letters of credit


      59

      —

      59

      —


      Bank advances


      —

      71

      —

      (71)

      Total bank credit facilities


      2,860

      372

      68

      2,420

      Accounts receivable securitization


      1,050

      800

      —

      250





      Total


      3,910

      1,172

      68

      2,670

      In addition to the sources of available liquidity noted above, we held $1,465 million of marketable securities in publicly-traded companies as at December 31, 2017 (December 31, 2016 - $1,047 million).

      Weighted average cost of borrowings
      Our borrowings had a weighted average cost of 4.70% as at December 31, 2017 (December 31, 2016 - 4.72%) and a weighted average term to maturity of 9.9 years (December 31, 2016 - 10.6 years).

      Below is a summary of the credit ratings on RCI's outstanding senior notes and debentures (long-term) and US CP (short-term) as at December 31, 2017.





      Issuance

      Standard & Poor's

      Moody's

      Fitch

      Corporate credit issuer default rating 1

      BBB+ with a stable outlook

      Baa1 with a stable outlook

      BBB+ with a stable outlook

      Senior unsecured debt 1

      BBB+ with a stable outlook

      Baa1 with a stable outlook

      BBB+ with a stable outlook

      US commercial paper 1

      A-2

      P-2

      N/A 2

      1

      Unchanged in the quarter.

      2

      We did not seek a rating from Fitch for our short-term obligations in 2017.

      Financial Risk Management

      This section should be read in conjunction with "Financial Risk Management" in our 2016 Annual MD&A. We use derivative instruments to manage financial risks related to our business activities. We only use derivatives to manage risk and not for speculative purposes. We also manage our exposure to both fixed and fluctuating interest rates and had fixed the interest rate on 89.5% of our outstanding debt, including short-term borrowings, as at December 31, 2017 (December 31, 2016 - 91.2%).

      Debt derivatives

      We use cross-currency interest exchange agreements (debt derivatives) to manage risks from fluctuations in foreign exchange rates associated with our US dollar-denominated senior notes and debentures, credit facility borrowings, and US CP borrowings. We designate the debt derivatives related to our senior notes and debentures as hedges for accounting purposes against the foreign exchange risk associated with specific debt instruments. Debt derivatives related to our credit facility and US CP borrowings have not been designated as hedges for accounting purposes.

      Below is a summary of the debt derivatives we entered into and settled related to our credit facility borrowings and US CP program during the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.





      Three months ended
      December 31, 2017

      Twelve months ended
      December 31, 2017

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

       (US$)

      Exchange rate

      Notional
      (Cdn$)

      Notional

      (US$)

      Exchange

      rate

      Notional

      (Cdn$)





      Credit facilities





      Debt derivatives entered                   

      100

      1.25

      125

      1,610

      1.32

      2,126


      Debt derivatives settled

      100

      1.25

      125

      1,760

      1.32

      2,327






      Net cash received (paid)



      4



      (17)





      Commercial paper program





      Debt derivatives entered

      2,140

      1.28

      2,732

      8,266

      1.30

      10,711


      Debt derivatives settled

      1,955

      1.28

      2,500

      7,521

      1.29

      9,692






      Net cash received (paid)



      36



      (62)







      Three months ended
      December 31, 2016

      Twelve months ended
      December 31, 2016

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

       (US$)

      Exchange rate

      Notional (Cdn$)

      Notional

      (US$)

      Exchange

      rate

      Notional

      (Cdn$)





      Credit facilities





      Debt derivatives entered

      1,947

      1.33

      2,583

      8,683

      1.31

      11,360


      Debt derivatives settled

      2,558

      1.32

      3,385

      8,533

      1.31

      11,159






      Net cash received



      25



      8

      As at December 31, 2017, we had nil and US$746 million of debt derivatives outstanding relating to our credit facility borrowings and US CP program (December 31, 2016 - US$150 million and nil), respectively.

      Senior notes
      During this quarter, we did not enter into or settle any debt derivatives related to senior notes.

      Bond forwards
      During this quarter, we did not enter into or settle any bond forwards.

      On November 4, 2016, we exercised a $500 million notional bond forward due January 4, 2017 in relation to the issuance of the US$500 million senior notes due 2026 and paid $53 million to settle the derivative. The amount paid represents the fair value of the bond forward at the time of settlement and will be reclassified into finance costs from the hedging reserve using the effective interest rate method over the life of the US$500 million senior notes due 2026.

      Expenditure derivatives

      Below is a summary of the expenditure derivatives we entered into and settled during the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.





      Three months ended December 31, 2017

      Twelve months ended December 31, 2017

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

      (US$)

      Exchange rate

      Notional
      (Cdn$)

      Notional

      (US$)

      Exchange

      rate

      Notional

      (Cdn$)





      Expenditure derivatives entered

      —

      —

      —

      840

      1.27

      1,070

      Expenditure derivatives settled

      225

      1.33

      300

      930

      1.33

      1,240





      Three months ended December 31, 2016

      Twelve months ended December 31, 2016

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

      (US$)

      Exchange rate

      Notional
      (Cdn$)

      Notional

      (US$)

      Exchange

      rate

      Notional

      (Cdn$)






      Expenditure derivatives entered

      240

      1.32

      316

      990

      1.33

      1,318

      Expenditure derivatives settled

      210

      1.21

      255

      840

      1.22

      1,025

      As at December 31, 2017, we had US$1,200 million of expenditure derivatives outstanding (December 31, 2016 - US$1,290 million) with terms to maturity ranging from January 2018 to December 2019 (December 31, 2016 - January 2017 to December 2018), at an average rate of $1.28/US$ (December 31, 2016 - $1.32/US$).

      See "Mark-to-market value" for more information about our expenditure derivatives.

      Equity derivatives
      As at December 31, 2017, we had equity derivatives outstanding for 5.4 million (December 31, 2016 - 5.4 million) RCI Class B shares with a weighted average price of $51.44 (December 31, 2016 - $50.30).

      We did not enter into or settle any equity derivatives during the quarter. We have executed extension agreements for the remaining equity derivative contracts under substantially the same terms and conditions with revised expiry dates to April 2018 (from April 2017).

      See "Mark-to-market value" for more information about our equity derivatives.

      Mark-to-market value

      We record our derivatives using an estimated credit-adjusted, mark-to-market valuation, calculated in accordance with IFRS.




      As at December 31, 2017

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

      amount

      (US$)

      Exchange

      rate

      Notional

      amount

      (Cdn$)

      Fair value

      (Cdn$)

      Debt derivatives accounted for as cash flow hedges:




      As assets

      5,200

      1.0401

      5,409

      1,301


      As liabilities                                         

      1,500

      1.3388

      2,008

      (149)

      Short-term debt derivatives not accounted for as hedges:




      As liabilities

      746

      1.2869

      960

      (23)

      Net mark-to-market debt derivative asset




      1,129

      Bond forwards accounted for as cash flow hedges:





      As liabilities

      —

      —

      900

      (64)

      Expenditure derivatives accounted for as cash flow hedges:




      As assets

      240

      1.2239

      294

      5


      As liabilities

      960

      1.2953

      1,243

      (44)

      Net mark-to-market expenditure derivative liability




      (39)

      Equity derivatives not accounted for as hedges:




      As assets

      —

      —

      276

      68




      Net mark-to-market asset




      1,094




      As at December 31, 2016

      (In millions of dollars, except exchange rates)

      Notional

      amount

      (US$)

      Exchange

      rate

      Notional

      amount

      (Cdn$)

      Fair value

      (Cdn$)

      Debt derivatives accounted for as cash flow hedges:




      As assets

      5,200

      1.0401

      5,409

      1,751


      As liabilities

      1,500

      1.3388

      2,008

      (68)

      Short-term debt derivatives not accounted for as hedges:




      As liabilities

      150

      1.3407

      201

      —

      Net mark-to-market debt derivative asset




      1,683

      Bond forwards accounted for as cash flow hedges:




      As liabilities

      —

      —

      900

      (51)

      Expenditure derivatives accounted for as cash flow hedges:




      As assets

      990

      1.2967

      1,284

      40


      As liabilities

      300

      1.4129

      424

      (21)

      Net mark-to-market expenditure derivative asset




      19

      Equity derivatives not accounted for as hedges:




      As assets

      —

      —

      270

      8




      Net mark-to-market asset




      1,659

      Adjusted net debt and debt leverage ratio

      We use adjusted net debt and debt leverage ratio to conduct valuation-related analysis and make capital structure-related decisions. Adjusted net debt includes long-term debt, net debt derivative assets or liabilities, short-term borrowings, and cash and cash equivalents or bank advances.





      As at
      December 31

      As at

      December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except ratios)

      2017

      2016



      Long-term debt 1

      14,555

      16,197

      Net debt derivative assets valued without any adjustment for credit risk 2

      (1,146)

      (1,740)

      Short-term borrowings

      1,585

      800

      Bank advances

      6

      71



      Adjusted net debt 3

      15,000

      15,328



      Debt leverage ratio 3,4

      2.8

      3.0



      1 

      Includes current and long-term portion of long-term debt before deferred transaction costs and discounts. See "Reconciliation of adjusted net debt" in the section "Non-GAAP Measures" for the calculation of this amount.

      2 

      For purposes of calculating adjusted net debt and debt leverage ratio, we believe including debt derivatives valued without adjustment for credit risk is commonly used to evaluate debt leverage and for market valuation and transactional purposes.

      3 

      Adjusted net debt and debt leverage ratio are non-GAAP measures and should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about these measures, including how we calculate them.

      4 

      Debt leverage ratio is measured using adjusted operating profit for the last twelve consecutive months.

      In addition, we held $1,465 million of marketable securities in publicly-traded companies as at December 31, 2017 (December 31, 2016 - $1,047 million).

      Our adjusted net debt decreased by $328 million from December 31, 2016 primarily as a result of a decrease in our outstanding long-term debt, partially offset by an increase in our short-term borrowings and reduction in the fair value of our net debt derivative asset.

      Outstanding common shares





      As at
      December 31

      As at

      December 31


      2017

      2016



      Common shares outstanding 1



      Class A Voting

      112,407,192

      112,411,992


      Class B Non-Voting

      402,403,433

      402,396,133



      Total common shares

      514,810,625

      514,808,125



      Options to purchase Class B Non-Voting shares



      Outstanding options

      2,637,890

      3,732,524


      Outstanding options exercisable

      924,562

      1,770,784

      1 

      Holders of our Class B Non-Voting shares are entitled to receive notice of and to attend shareholder meetings; however, they are not entitled to vote at these meetings except as required by law or stipulated by stock exchanges. If an offer is made to purchase outstanding Class A Voting shares, there is no requirement under applicable law or our constating documents that an offer be made for the outstanding Class B Non-Voting shares, and there is no other protection available to shareholders under our constating documents. If an offer is made to purchase both classes of shares, the offer for the Class A Voting shares may be made on different terms than the offer for the Class B Non-Voting shares.

      Key Performance Indicators

      We measure the success of our strategy using a number of key performance indicators that are defined and discussed in our 2016 Annual MD&A and this earnings release. We believe these key performance indicators allow us to appropriately measure our performance against our operating strategy as well as against the results of our peers and competitors. The following key performance indicators are not measurements in accordance with IFRS and should not be considered an alternative to net income or any other measure of performance under IFRS. They include:

      • Subscriber counts;
      • Subscriber churn (churn);
      • Postpaid average revenue per account (ARPA);
      • Blended average revenue per user (ARPU);
      • Capital intensity; and
      • Total service revenue.

      Non-GAAP Measures

      We use the following non-GAAP measures. These are reviewed regularly by management and our Board in assessing our performance and making decisions regarding the ongoing operations of our business and its ability to generate cash flows. Some or all of these measures may also be used by investors, lending institutions, and credit rating agencies as indicators of our operating performance, of our ability to incur and service debt, and as measurements to value companies in the telecommunications sector. These are not recognized measures under GAAP and do not have standard meanings under IFRS, so may not be reliable ways to compare us to other companies.

      Effective January 1, 2018, we will commence using adjusted EBITDA as the key measure of profit for the purpose of assessing performance for each segment and to make decisions about the allocation of resources. As such, we plan to introduce adjusted EBITDA as a new non-GAAP measures in our financial reports commencing January 1, 2018. This measure will replace our existing adjusted operating profit non-GAAP measure. We believe adjusted EBITDA more fully reflects segment and consolidated profitability. The difference between adjusted operating profit and adjusted EBITDA is that adjusted EBITDA will include stock-based compensation expense. We also believe that our decision-making processes will not be significantly affected through the use of adjusted EBITDA. Additionally, use of this measure will change our current definition of free cash flow.


      Non-GAAP measure


       Why we use it


      How we calculate it

      Most
      comparable
      IFRS financial
      measure

      Adjusted

      operating profit

      Adjusted

      operating profit

      margin

      • To evaluate the performance of our businesses, and when making decisions about the ongoing operations of the business and our ability to generate cash flows.
      • We believe that certain investors and analysts use adjusted operating profit to measure our ability to service debt and to meet other payment obligations.
      • We also use it as one component in determining short-term incentive compensation for all management employees.

      Adjusted operating profit:

      Net income

      add (deduct)

      income tax expense (recovery); other expense (income); finance costs; restructuring, acquisition and other; loss (gain) on disposition of property, plant and equipment; depreciation and amortization; and stock-based compensation.

      Adjusted operating profit margin:

      Adjusted operating profit

      divided by

      revenue (service revenue for Wireless).

      Net income

      Adjusted net

      income

      Adjusted basic

      and diluted

      earnings per

      share

      • To assess the performance of our businesses before the effects of the noted items, because they affect the comparability of our financial results and could potentially distort the analysis of trends in business performance. Excluding these items does not imply that they are non-recurring.

      Adjusted net income:

      Net income

      add (deduct)

      stock-based compensation; restructuring, acquisition and other; loss (recovery) on sale or wind down of investments; loss (gain) on disposition of property, plant and equipment; (gain) on acquisitions; loss on non-controlling interest purchase obligations; loss on repayment of long-term debt; and income tax adjustments on these items, including adjustments as a result of legislative changes.

      Adjusted basic and diluted earnings per share:

      Adjusted net income

      divided by

      basic and diluted weighted average shares outstanding.

      Net income

      Basic and

      diluted

      earnings per

      share

      Free cash flow

      • To show how much cash we have available to repay debt and reinvest in our company, which is an important indicator of our financial strength and performance.
      • We believe that some investors and analysts use free cash flow to value a business and its underlying assets.

       

      Adjusted operating profit

      deduct

      additions to property, plant and equipment net of proceeds on disposition; interest on borrowings net of capitalized interest; and cash income taxes.

      Cash provided

      by operating

      activities

      Adjusted net

      debt

      • To conduct valuation-related analysis and make decisions about capital structure.
      • We believe this helps investors and analysts analyze our enterprise and equity value and assess our leverage.

      Total long-term debt

      add (deduct)

      current portion of long-term debt; deferred transaction costs and discounts; net debt derivative (assets) liabilities; credit risk adjustment related to net debt derivatives; bank advances (cash and cash equivalents); and short-term borrowings.

      Long-term

      debt

      Adjusted net

      debt / adjusted

      operating profit (debt leverage ratio)

      • To conduct valuation-related analysis and make decisions about capital structure.
      • We believe this helps investors and analysts analyze our enterprise and equity value and assess our leverage

      Adjusted net debt (defined above)

      divided by

      12-month trailing adjusted operating profit (defined above).

      Long-term debt

      divided by net

      income

      Reconciliation of adjusted operating profit





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Net income (loss)

      419

      (9)

      1,711

      835

      Add (deduct):




      Income tax expense (recovery)

      158

      (5)

      635

      324


      Other expense (income)

      3

      (4)

      (19)

      191


      Finance costs

      184

      188

      746

      761


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      31

      518

      152

      644


      Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment

      —

      —

      (49)

      —


      Depreciation and amortization

      531

      555

      2,142

      2,276


      Stock-based compensation

      14

      16

      61

      61




      Adjusted operating profit

      1,340

      1,259

      5,379

      5,092

      Reconciliation of adjusted operating profit margin





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except percentages)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Adjusted operating profit margin:




      Adjusted operating profit

      1,340

      1,259

      5,379

      5,092


      Divided by: total revenue

      3,632

      3,510

      14,143

      13,702




      Adjusted operating profit margin

      36.9%

      35.9%

      38.0%

      37.2%

      Reconciliation of adjusted net income





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Net income (loss)

      419

      (9)

      1,711

      835

      Add (deduct):




      Stock-based compensation

      14

      16

      61

      61


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      31

      518

      152

      644


      Net loss on divestitures pertaining to investments

      —

      —

      —

      11


      (Recovery) loss on wind down of shomi

      —

      —

      (20)

      140


      Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment

      —

      —

      (49)

      —


      Income tax impact of above items

      (11)

      (143)

      (36)

      (213)


      Income tax adjustment, legislative tax change

      2

      —

      2

      3




      Adjusted net income

      455

      382

      1,821

      1,481

      Reconciliation of adjusted earnings per share




      (In millions of dollars, except per share amounts; number of
      shares outstanding in millions)

      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016






      Adjusted basic earnings per share:






      Adjusted net income

      455

      382

      1,821

      1,481


      Divided by:





      Weighted average number of shares outstanding

      515

      515

      515

      515





      Adjusted basic earnings per share

      $0.88

      $0.74

      $3.54

      $2.88





      Adjusted diluted earnings per share:





      Adjusted net income

      455

      382

      1,821

      1,481


      Divided by:




      Diluted weighted average number of shares outstanding

      517

      517

      517

      517




      Adjusted diluted earnings per share

      $0.88

      $0.74

      $3.52

      $2.86

      Reconciliation of free cash flow





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Cash provided by operating activities

      1,142

      1,053

      3,938

      3,957

      Add (deduct):




      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net

      (841)

      (604)

      (2,436)

      (2,352)


      Interest on borrowings, net of capitalized interest

      (179)

      (182)

      (722)

      (740)


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      31

      518

      152

      644


      Impairment of assets and related onerous contract charges

      —

      (484)

      —

      (484)


      Interest paid

      125

      124

      735

      756


      Change in non-cash operating working capital items

      15

      18

      154

      (14)


      Other adjustments

      (49)

      (51)

      (75)

      (62)




      Free cash flow

      244

      392

      1,746

      1,705

      Reconciliation of adjusted net debt and debt leverage ratio





      As at
      December 31

      As at

      December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016



      Current portion of long-term debt

      1,756

      750

      Long-term debt

      12,692

      15,330

      Deferred transaction costs and discounts

      107

      117


      14,555

      16,197

      Add (deduct):



      Net debt derivative assets

      (1,129)

      (1,683)


      Credit risk adjustment related to net debt derivative assets

      (17)

      (57)


      Short-term borrowings

      1,585

      800


      Bank advances

      6

      71



      Adjusted net debt

      15,000

      15,328





      As at
      December 31

      As at

      December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except ratios)

      2017

      2016



      Debt leverage ratio



      Adjusted net debt

      15,000

      15,328


      Divided by: trailing 12-month adjusted operating profit

      5,379

      5,092



      Debt leverage ratio

      2.8

      3.0

      Reconciliation of EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA (with respect to "2018 Outlook")




      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg




      Net income

      1,711

      835

      105

      Add:




      Income tax expense

      635

      324

      96


      Finance costs

      746

      761

      (2)


      Depreciation and amortization

      2,142

      2,276

      (6)




      EBITDA

      5,234

      4,196

      25

      Add (deduct):




      Other (income) expense

      (19)

      191

      n/m


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      152

      644

      (76)


      Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment

      (49)

      —

      n/m




      Adjusted EBITDA

      5,318

      5,031

      6


      Add:





      Stock-based compensation                                  

      61

      61

      —




      Adjusted operating profit

      5,379

      5,092

      6

      Reconciliation of free cash flow (with respect to "2018 Outlook")




      Twelve months ended December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016

      % Chg





      Free cash flow as reported

      1,746

      1,705

      2

      Less: Stock-based compensation

      61

      61

      —




      Free cash flow calculated with adjusted EBITDA

      1,685

      1,644

      2


      Other Information
      Consolidated financial results - quarterly summary
      Below is a summary of our consolidated results for the past eight quarters.






      2017


      2016

      (In millions of dollars, except per share amounts)

      Q4

      Q3

      Q2

      Q1


      Q4

      Q3

      Q2

      Q1

      Revenue







      Wireless

      2,189

      2,138

      2,048

      1,968


      2,058

      2,037

      1,931

      1,890


      Cable

      871

      870

      870

      855


      858

      865

      870

      856


      Business Solutions

      99

      97

      96

      95


      96

      95

      97

      96


      Media

      526

      516

      637

      474


      550

      533

      615

      448


      Corporate items and intercompany eliminations

      (53)

      (40)

      (59)

      (54)


      (52)

      (38)

      (58)

      (45)

      Total revenue

      3,632

      3,581

      3,592

      3,338


      3,510

      3,492

      3,455

      3,245

      Total service revenue 1

      3,430

      3,450

      3,466

      3,214


      3,306

      3,328

      3,308

      3,085







      Adjusted operating profit (loss)







      Wireless

      860

      964

      924

      813


      792

      884

      846

      763


      Cable

      449

      440

      428

      392


      435

      431

      415

      393


      Business Solutions

      32

      33

      32

      31


      30

      31

      31

      31


      Media

      39

      65

      63

      (28)


      49

      79

      90

      (49)


      Corporate items and intercompany eliminations

      (40)

      (39)

      (37)

      (42)


      (47)

      (40)

      (35)

      (37)

      Adjusted operating profit 2

      1,340

      1,463

      1,410

      1,166


      1,259

      1,385

      1,347

      1,101

      Deduct (add):







      Stock-based compensation

      14

      15

      19

      13


      16

      18

      15

      12


      Depreciation and amortization

      531

      531

      535

      545


      555

      575

      572

      574


      Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment

      —

      —

      (49)

      —


      —

      —

      —

      —


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      31

      59

      34

      28


      518

      55

      27

      44


      Finance costs

      184

      183

      189

      190


      188

      188

      189

      196


      Other expense (income)

      3

      20

      (31)

      (11)


      (4)

      220

      9

      (34)

      Net income (loss) before income tax expense (recovery)

      577

      655

      713

      401


      (14)

      329

      535

      309


      Income tax expense (recovery)

      158

      188

      182

      107


      (5)

      109

      141

      79

      Net income (loss)

      419

      467

      531

      294


      (9)

      220

      394

      230







      Earnings (loss) per share:







      Basic

      $0.81

      $0.91

      $1.03

      $0.57


      ($0.02)

      $0.43

      $0.77

      $0.45


      Diluted

      $0.81

      $0.91

      $1.03

      $0.57


      ($0.04)

      $0.43

      $0.76

      $0.44







      Net income (loss)

      419

      467

      531

      294


      (9)

      220

      394

      230

      Add (deduct):







      Stock-based compensation

      14

      15

      19

      13


      16

      18

      15

      12


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      31

      59

      34

      28


      518

      55

      27

      44


      (Recovery) loss on wind down of shomi

      —

      —

      (20)

      —


      —

      140

      —

      —


      Net loss (gain) on divestitures pertaining to investments

      —

      —

      —

      —


      —

      50

      —

      (39)


      Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment

      —

      —

      (49)

      —


      —

      —

      —

      —


      Income tax impact of above items

      (11)

      (18)

      (1)

      (6)


      (143)

      (56)

      (9)

      (5)


      Income tax adjustment, legislative tax change

      2

      —

      —

      —


      —

      —

      —

      3

      Adjusted net income 2

      455

      523

      514

      329


      382

      427

      427

      245







      Adjusted earnings per share 2:







      Basic

      $0.88

      $1.02

      $1.00

      $0.64


      $0.74

      $0.83

      $0.83

      $0.48


      Diluted

      $0.88

      $1.01

      $1.00

      $0.64


      $0.74

      $0.83

      $0.83

      $0.47







      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net

      841

      658

      451

      486


      604

      549

      647

      552

      Cash provided by operating activities

      1,142

      1,377

      823

      596


      1,053

      1,185

      1,121

      598

      Free cash flow 2

      244

      538

      626

      338


      392

      598

      495

      220

      1 

      As defined. See "Key Performance Indicators".

      2 

      Adjusted operating profit, adjusted net income, adjusted basic and diluted earnings per share, and free cash flow are non-GAAP measures and should not be considered substitutes or alternatives for GAAP measures. These are not defined terms under IFRS and do not have standard meanings, so may not be a reliable way to compare us to other companies. See "Non-GAAP Measures" for information about these measures, including how we calculate them.

      Supplementary Information

      Rogers Communications Inc.
      Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
      (In millions of dollars, except for per share amounts, unaudited)





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31


      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016




      Revenue

      3,632

      3,510

      14,143

      13,702




      Operating expenses:




      Operating costs

      2,306

      2,267

      8,825

      8,671


      Depreciation and amortization

      531

      555

      2,142

      2,276


      Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment

      —

      —

      (49)

      —


      Restructuring, acquisition and other

      31

      518

      152

      644

      Finance costs

      184

      188

      746

      761

      Other expense (income)

      3

      (4)

      (19)

      191




      Income (loss) before income tax expense (recovery)

      577

      (14)

      2,346

      1,159

      Income tax expense (recovery)

      158

      (5)

      635

      324




      Net income (loss) for the period

      419

      (9)

      1,711

      835




      Earnings (loss) per share:




      Basic

      $0.81

      ($0.02)

      $3.32

      $1.62


      Diluted

      $0.81

      ($0.04)

      $3.31

      $1.62

      Rogers Communications Inc.
      Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Financial Position
      (In millions of dollars, unaudited)





      As at
      December 31

      As at
      December 31


      2017

      2016



      Assets


      Current assets:



      Accounts receivable

      2,041

      1,949


      Inventories

      313

      315


      Other current assets

      197

      215


      Current portion of derivative instruments

      421

      91

      Total current assets

      2,972

      2,570



      Property, plant and equipment

      11,143

      10,749

      Intangible assets

      7,244

      7,130

      Investments

      2,561

      2,174

      Derivative instruments

      953

      1,708

      Other long-term assets

      82

      98

      Deferred tax assets

      3

      8

      Goodwill

      3,905

      3,905



      Total assets

      28,863

      28,342



      Liabilities and shareholders' equity


      Current liabilities:



      Bank advances

      6

      71


      Short-term borrowings

      1,585

      800


      Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

      2,931

      2,783


      Income tax payable

      62

      186


      Current portion of provisions

      4

      134


      Unearned revenue

      346

      367


      Current portion of long-term debt

      1,756

      750


      Current portion of derivative instruments

      133

      22

      Total current liabilities

      6,823

      5,113



      Provisions

      35

      33

      Long-term debt

      12,692

      15,330

      Derivative instruments

      147

      118

      Other long-term liabilities

      613

      562

      Deferred tax liabilities

      2,206

      1,917

      Total liabilities

      22,516

      23,073



      Shareholders' equity

      6,347

      5,269



      Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

      28,863

      28,342

      Rogers Communications Inc.
      Interim Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
      (In millions of dollars, unaudited)





      Three months ended December 31

      Twelve months ended December 31


      2017

      2016

      2017

      2016

      Operating activities:




      Net income (loss) for the period

      419

      (9)

      1,711

      835


      Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:









      Depreciation and amortization

      531

      555

      2,142

      2,276



      Program rights amortization

      15

      17

      64

      71



      Finance costs

      184

      188

      746

      761



      Income tax expense (recovery)

      158

      (5)

      635

      324



      Stock-based compensation

      14

      16

      61

      61



      Post-employment benefits contributions, net of expense

      28

      28

      4

      (3)



      Net loss on divestitures pertaining to investments

      —

      —

      —

      11



      Gain on disposition of property, plant and equipment

      —

      —

      (49)

      —



      (Recovery) loss on wind down of shomi

      —

      —

      (20)

      140



      Impairment of assets and related onerous contract charges                       

      —

      484

      —

      484



      Other

      9

      2

      8

      34


      Cash provided by operating activities before changes in non-cash working
      capital items, income taxes paid, and interest paid

      1,358

      1,276

      5,302

      4,994


      Change in non-cash operating working capital items

      (15)

      (18)

      (154)

      14


      Cash provided by operating activities before income taxes paid and interest

      paid

      1,343

      1,258

      5,148

      5,008


      Income taxes paid

      (76)

      (81)

      (475)

      (295)


      Interest paid

      (125)

      (124)

      (735)

      (756)




      Cash provided by operating activities

      1,142

      1,053

      3,938

      3,957




      Investing activities:




      Additions to property, plant and equipment, net

      (841)

      (604)

      (2,436)

      (2,352)


      Additions to program rights

      (21)

      (3)

      (59)

      (46)


      Changes in non-cash working capital related to property, plant and equipment
      and intangible assets

      101

      44

      109

      (103)


      Acquisitions and other strategic transactions, net of cash acquired

      —

      —

      (184)

      —


      Other

      21

      49

      (60)

      45




      Cash used in investing activities

      (740)

      (514)

      (2,630)

      (2,456)




      Financing activities:




      Net (repayment of) proceeds received on short-term borrowings

      (163)

      (250)

      858

      —


      Net repayment of long-term debt

      (3)

      (57)

      (1,034)

      (538)


      Net proceeds (payments) on settlement of debt derivatives and forward contracts

      40

      (28)

      (79)

      (45)


      Transaction costs incurred

      —

      (17)

      —

      (17)


      Dividends paid

      (247)

      (247)

      (988)

      (988)


      Other

      —

      —

      —

      5




      Cash used in financing activities

      (373)

      (599)

      (1,243)

      (1,583)




      Change in cash and cash equivalents

      29

      (60)

      65

      (82)

      (Bank advances) cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

      (35)

      (11)

      (71)

      11




      Bank advances, end of period

      (6)

      (71)

      (6)

      (71)

      Investments





      As at
      December 31

      As at

      December 31

      (In millions of dollars)

      2017

      2016



      Investments in:



      Publicly traded companies

      1,465

      1,047


      Private companies

      167

      169

      Investments, available-for-sale

      1,632

      1,216

      Investments, associates and joint ventures

      929

      958



      Total investments

      2,561

      2,174

      Long-Term Debt












      Principal

      amount

      Interest

      rate

      As at
      December 31

      As at
      December 31

      (In millions of dollars, except interest rates)

      Due date


      2017

      2016








      Bank credit facilities




      Floating

      —

      100

      Bank credit facilities


      US

      revolving

      Floating

      —

      201

      Senior notes

      2017


      250

      Floating

      —

      250

      Senior notes

      2017


      500

      3.000%

      —

      500

      Senior notes

      2018

      US

      1,400

      6.800%

      1,756

      1,880

      Senior notes

      2019


      400

      2.800%

      400

      400

      Senior notes

      2019


      500

      5.380%

      500

      500

      Senior notes

      2020


      900

      4.700%

      900

      900

      Senior notes

      2021


      1,450

      5.340%

      1,450

      1,450

      Senior notes

      2022


      600

      4.000%

      600

      600

      Senior notes

      2023

      US

      500

      3.000%

      627

      671

      Senior notes

      2023

      US

      850

      4.100%

      1,066

      1,141

      Senior notes

      2024


      600

      4.000%

      600

      600

      Senior notes

      2025

      US

      700

      3.625%

      878

      940

      Senior notes

      2026

      US

      500

      2.900%

      627

      671

      Senior debentures 1

      2032

      US

      200

      8.750%

      251

      269

      Senior notes

      2038

      US

      350

      7.500%

      439

      470

      Senior notes

      2039


      500

      6.680%

      500

      500

      Senior notes

      2040


      800

      6.110%

      800

      800

      Senior notes

      2041


      400

      6.560%

      400

      400

      Senior notes

      2043

      US

      500

      4.500%

      627

      671

      Senior notes

      2043

      US

      650

      5.450%

      816

      873

      Senior notes

      2044

      US

      1,050

      5.000%

      1,318

      1,410






      14,555

      16,197

      Deferred transaction costs and discounts





      (107)

      (117)

      Less current portion





      (1,756)

      (750)








      Total long-term debt





      12,692

      15,330

      1 Senior debentures originally issued by Rogers Cable Inc. which are unsecured obligations of RCI and for which RCCI was an unsecured guarantor as at December 31, 2017 and 2016.

      About Forward-Looking Information

      This earnings release includes "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking information"), and assumptions about, among other things, our business, operations, and financial performance and condition approved by our management on the date of this earnings release. This forward-looking information and these assumptions include, but are not limited to, statements about our objectives and strategies to achieve those objectives, and about our beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates, or intentions.

      Forward-looking information:

      • typically includes words like could, expect, may, anticipate, assume, believe, intend, estimate, plan, project, guidance, outlook, target, and similar expressions, although not all forward-looking information includes them;
      • includes conclusions, forecasts, and projections that are based on our current objectives and strategies and on estimates, expectations, assumptions, and other factors, most of which are confidential and proprietary and that we believe to have been reasonable at the time they were applied but may prove to be incorrect; and
      • was approved by our management on the date of this earnings release.

      Our forward-looking information includes forecasts and projections related to the following items, some of which are non-GAAP measures (see "Non-GAAP Measures"), among others:

      • revenue;
      • adjusted operating profit;
      • additions to property, plant and equipment, net;
      • cash income tax payments;
      • free cash flow;
      • dividend payments;
      • the growth of new products and services;
      • expected growth in subscribers and the services to which they subscribe;
      • the cost of acquiring and retaining subscribers and deployment of new services;
      • continued cost reductions and efficiency improvements; and
      • all other statements that are not historical facts.

      Specific forward-looking information included or incorporated in this document includes, but is not limited to, our information and statements under "2018 Outlook" relating to our 2018 consolidated guidance on revenue, adjusted EBITDA, additions to property, plant and equipment, net, and free cash flow. All other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements.

      We base our conclusions, forecasts, and projections on the following factors, among others:

      • general economic and industry growth rates;
      • currency exchange rates and interest rates;
      • product pricing levels and competitive intensity;
      • subscriber growth;
      • pricing, usage, and churn rates;
      • changes in government regulation;
      • technology deployment;
      • availability of devices;
      • timing of new product launches;
      • content and equipment costs;
      • the integration of acquisitions; and
      • industry structure and stability.

      Except as otherwise indicated, this earnings release and our forward-looking information do not reflect the potential impact of any non-recurring or other special items or of any dispositions, monetizations, mergers, acquisitions, other business combinations, or other transactions that may be considered or announced or may occur after the date on which the statement containing the forward-looking information is made.

      Risks and uncertainties

      Actual events and results can be substantially different from what is expressed or implied by forward-looking information as a result of risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, including, but not limited to:

      • regulatory changes;
      • technological changes;
      • economic conditions;
      • unanticipated changes in content or equipment costs;
      • changing conditions in the entertainment, information, and communications industries;
      • the integration of acquisitions;
      • litigation and tax matters;
      • the level of competitive intensity;
      • the emergence of new opportunities; and
      • new interpretations and new accounting standards from accounting standards bodies.

      These factors can also affect our objectives, strategies, and intentions. Many of these factors are beyond our control or our current expectations or knowledge. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties, or other factors materialize, our objectives, strategies, or intentions change, or any other factors or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, our actual results and our plans could vary significantly from what we currently foresee.

      Accordingly, we warn investors to exercise caution when considering statements containing forward-looking information and caution them that it would be unreasonable to rely on such statements as creating legal rights regarding our future results or plans. We are under no obligation (and we expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter any statements containing forward-looking information or the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. All of the forward-looking information in this earnings release is qualified by the cautionary statements herein.

      Key assumptions underlying our 2018 guidance

      Our 2018 guidance ranges under "2018 Outlook" are based on many assumptions including, but not limited to, the following material assumptions for the full-year 2018:

      • continued intense competition in all segments in which we operate, consistent with our experience during the full-year 2017;
      • a substantial portion of our US dollar-denominated expenditures for 2018 is hedged at an average exchange rate of $1.30/US$;
      • key interest rates remain relatively stable throughout 2018;
      • no significant additional legal or regulatory developments, shifts in economic conditions, or macro changes in the competitive environment affecting our business activities. We note that regulatory decisions expected during 2018 could materially alter underlying assumptions around our 2018 Wireless, Cable, and/or Media results in the current and future years, the impacts of which are currently unknown and not factored into our guidance;
      • Wireless customers continue to adopt, and upgrade to, higher-value smartphones at similar rates in 2018 compared to 2017 and a similar proportion of customers remain on term contracts;
      • overall wireless market penetration in Canada grows in 2018 at a similar rate as in 2017;
      • our relative market share in Wireless and Cable is not negatively impacted by changing competitive dynamics;
      • continued subscriber growth in Wireless and Cable Internet; a decline in Cable Television subscribers; and a relatively stable Phone subscriber base;
      • Ignite TV launches in 2018;
      • in Media, continued growth in sports and declines in our traditional media businesses, including our print publishing offerings; and
      • with respect to the increase in net additions to property, plant and equipment:
      • we continue to invest appropriately to ensure we have competitive wireless and cable networks through (i) building a 4.5G to 5G wireless network and (ii) upgrading our hybrid fibre-coaxial network to lower the number of homes passed per node, utilize the latest technologies, and deliver an even more reliable customer experience; and
      • we continue to make expenditures related to the launch of Ignite TV in 2018.

      Before making an investment decision

      Before making any investment decisions and for a detailed discussion of the risks, uncertainties, and environment associated with our business, fully review the sections in our 2016 Annual MD&A entitled "Regulation in Our Industry" and "Governance and Risk Management", as well as our various other filings with Canadian and US securities regulators, which can be found at sedar.com and sec.gov, respectively. Information on or connected to our website is not part of or incorporated into this earnings release.

      SOURCE Rogers Communications Canada Inc. - English

      Investment community contact: Amy Schwalm, 416.704.9057, amy.schwalm@rci.rogers.com; Media contact: Terrie Tweddle, 647.501.8346, terrie.tweddle@rci.rogers.com

      Modal title

      Organization Profile

      Rogers Communications Canada Inc. - English

      Contact PR Newswire

      • 866-245-2317
        from 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM ET
      • Become a Client
      • Request a Demo
      • Editorial Bureaus
      • Partnerships
      • General Enquiries
      • Media

      Products

      • Explore Our Platform
      • Plan Campaigns
      • Create with AI
      • Distribute Press Releases
      • Report Results
      • Amplify Content
      • Investor Relations

      About

      • About PR Newswire
      • About Cision
      • Careers
      • APAC
      • APAC - Simplified Chinese
      • APAC - Traditional Chinese
      • Brazil
      • Canada
      • Czech
      • Denmark
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Israel
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • Mexico
      • Middle East
      • Middle East - Arabic
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Russia
      • Slovakia
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • United States
      • Vietnam

      My Services

      • All News Releases
      • Platform Login
      • Privacy Policy

      Do not sell or share my personal information:

      • Submit via Privacy@cision.com 
      • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

      Contact Cision

      Products

      About

      My Services
      • All News Releases
      • Platform
      • Next Gen Communications Cloud
      • Cision Communications Cloud
      • my CNW
      877-269-7890
      from 8 AM - 10 PM ET
      • Terms of Use
      • Information Security Policy
      • Site Map
      • Cookie Settings
      • Accessibility Statement
      Copyright © 2026 CNW Group Ltd. All Rights Reserved. A Cision company.