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Lumen Technologies, Inc.: Q4 FY2025 earnings call

What management said about Q4 FY2025, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 11 new, 2 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue fell 9% in fourth quarter: Fourth-quarter revenue was $3.041 billion, against $3.329 billion a year earlier. Full-year revenue was $12.402 billion, against $13.108 billion in 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA at high end: Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA excluding Special Items was $767 million, against $1.052 billion. Full-year figure was $3.360 billion, which management said landed at the high end of guidance. Source
  • Enterprise grow revenue rose 52%: Management said NA Enterprise grow revenue rose 52% in Q4 and surpassed the nurture and harvest segments. The product table shows Grow at $1,172 million, flat against $1,177 million. Source
  • Additional $2.5 billion in PCF contracts: The company signed an additional $2.5 billion in Private Connectivity Fabric contracts and grew its NaaS customer base. PCF sales reached nearly $13 billion, and NaaS customers grew 29%. Source
  • Cost reduction target exceeded: Management said it exceeded its cost reduction target and ended the year with over $400 million in run-rate savings. Source
  • AT&T sale closed, debt reduced: The $5.75 billion AT&T transaction closed, reducing total debt by over $4.8 billion and net leverage by a full turn to below 4x. Annual interest expense is down nearly 45% against 2025 levels. Source
  • Fourth-quarter capital expenditures rose: Capital expenditures were $1.644 billion in Q4, against $915 million a year earlier, and $4.367 billion for the full year, against $3.231 billion. Source

“The combination of a solid fourth quarter and the close of the AT&T transaction marks a defining moment for Lumen and strengthens our foundation for growth,”

Lumen CEO Kate Johnson

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Adjusted EBITDA, excluding Special Items Sourcefull year 2026$3.1 to $3.3 billionNew
Free Cash Flow Sourcefull year 2026$1.2 to $1.4 billionNew
Net cash interest Sourcefull year 2026$650 to $750 millionNew
Capital expenditures Sourcefull year 2026$3.2 to $3.4 billionNew
Cash income taxes (refunded) paid Sourcefull year 2026($350) to ($450) millionNew
Net cash provided by operating activities Sourcefull year 20264,400 (low) and 4,800 (high), $ in millionsNew
Income tax expense (GAAP reconciling component) Sourcefull year 2026200 (low) and 45 (high), $ in millionsNew
Total other expense, net (GAAP reconciling component) Sourcefull year 20261,300 (low) and 1,100 (high), $ in millionsNew
Depreciation and amortization expense Sourcefull year 20262,800 (low) and 2,600 (high), $ in millionsNew
Stock-based compensation expense Sourcefull year 2026120 (low) and 100 (high), $ in millionsNew
Run-rate cost savings Sourceexiting 2026$700 millionNew
Run-rate cost savings Sourceexiting 2027$1 billionKept
Cash tax refund from recent tax legislation Sourcefirst half 2026$400 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Full-year 2026 financial guidance was issued with the fourth-quarter release, in the ranges listed under guidance. Source
  • New: The sale of the Mass Markets fiber-to-the-home business in 11 states to AT&T closed, after being pending in the third-quarter release. Source
  • Guidance kept: The $400 million refund amount is unchanged. The third-quarter release assumed receipt in 2025; the fourth-quarter release expects it in the first half of 2026.

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue fell 9% in fourth quarter: Fourth-quarter revenue was $3.041 billion, against $3.329 billion a year earlier. Full-year revenue was $12.402 billion, against $13.108 billion in 2024. Source
  • Fourth-quarter reported net loss: Reported net loss was $2 million in the fourth quarter, against net income of $85 million a year earlier. Reported diluted EPS was $0.00; excluding Special Items it was $0.23. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA at high end: Fourth-quarter Adjusted EBITDA excluding Special Items was $767 million, against $1.052 billion. Full-year figure was $3.360 billion, which management said landed at the high end of guidance. Source
  • Full-year net loss and per-share loss: Full-year reported net loss was $1.739 billion, or $(1.75) per diluted share, against $(55) million in 2024. Excluding Special Items, diluted loss per share was $(0.13). Source

Segments and regions

  • Enterprise grow revenue rose 52%: Management said NA Enterprise grow revenue rose 52% in Q4 and surpassed the nurture and harvest segments. The product table shows Grow at $1,172 million, flat against $1,177 million. Source
  • Public Sector grew for the year: Public Sector revenue was $457 million in Q4, down 18%. Large Enterprise fell 1% to $758 million and Mid-Market fell 11% to $472 million. Public Sector rose 3% for the full year. Source
  • Wholesale and international declined: Wholesale revenue was $661 million in Q4, down 8%, and $2.714 billion for the year, down 6%. International and Other was $77 million in Q4, down 16%. Source
  • Mass Markets revenue fell 8%: Mass Markets segment revenue was $616 million in Q4, down from $669 million, and $2.507 billion for the full year, down 9% from $2.742 billion. Source

“We’re emerging as a simpler, more focused enterprise company with a stronger balance sheet and greater flexibility to invest in our strategy to modernize the physical network”

Lumen CEO Kate Johnson

Products and customers

  • Nurture and harvest revenue fell: Nurture revenue was $590 million in Q4, down 16%, and Harvest was $479 million, down 17%. Full-year Nurture fell 15% and Harvest fell 9%. Source
  • Mass Markets total subscribers declined: Total Mass Markets broadband subscribers were 2,381 thousand at fourth-quarter end, against 2,417 thousand in the third quarter and 2,546 thousand a year earlier. Source
  • Fiber subscribers rose, copper fell: Fiber broadband subscribers reached 1,222 thousand, up from 1,190 thousand in the third quarter. Other copper-based subscribers fell to 1,159 thousand from 1,227 thousand. Source

Demand and the order book

  • Additional $2.5 billion in PCF contracts: The company signed an additional $2.5 billion in Private Connectivity Fabric contracts and grew its NaaS customer base. PCF sales reached nearly $13 billion, and NaaS customers grew 29%. Source
  • PCF deal value above $10 billion: In October 2025, the company signed $1 billion of new PCF deals, which the third-quarter release put at total PCF deal value of $10 billion or more.
  • Demand tied to AI and multi-cloud: Management said the PCF and NaaS results reflect demand for on-demand, programmable network services in the AI and multi-cloud environment. Source

“This is how we create value for our customers and shareholders.”

Lumen CEO Kate Johnson

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Cost reduction target exceeded: Management said it exceeded its cost reduction target and ended the year with over $400 million in run-rate savings. Source
  • Cost of services and products: Cost of services and products was $1.627 billion in Q4, against $1.706 billion, and $6.638 billion for the full year, against $6.703 billion. Source
  • Selling, general and administrative expense: SG&A was $940 million in Q4, against $711 million a year earlier, and $3.199 billion for the full year, against $2.972 billion. Source
  • Special Items affecting Adjusted EBITDA: Special Items affecting Adjusted EBITDA totalled $280 million in Q4 and $747 million for the year, against $132 million and $494 million in 2024. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA margin excluding Special Items: Adjusted EBITDA margin excluding Special Items was 25.2% in Q4, against 31.6%, and 27.1% for the full year, against 30.1%. Source

Capital, cash and debt

  • AT&T sale closed, debt reduced: The $5.75 billion AT&T transaction closed, reducing total debt by over $4.8 billion and net leverage by a full turn to below 4x. Annual interest expense is down nearly 45% against 2025 levels. Source
  • Fourth-quarter capital expenditures rose: Capital expenditures were $1.644 billion in Q4, against $915 million a year earlier, and $4.367 billion for the full year, against $3.231 billion. Source
  • Fourth-quarter free cash flow negative: Free cash flow excluding cash Special Items was $(765) million in Q4, against $(174) million. Reported free cash flow was $(1.082) billion. Source
  • Full-year free cash flow $1.041 billion: Full-year free cash flow excluding cash Special Items was $1.041 billion, against $1.386 billion. Reported net cash from operating activities was $4.738 billion. Source
  • Year-end cash balance: Cash and cash equivalents were $1.003 billion at Dec. 31, 2025, against $1.889 billion a year earlier. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Capex reduced by over $1 billion: Management said the AT&T transaction reduced capital expenditure by over $1 billion, giving more flexibility to invest in network modernization and growth. Source
  • Transaction and separation costs: Transaction and separation costs were $166 million in Q4 and $353 million for the full year, against $50 million and $282 million a year earlier, per the Special Items table. Source
  • Modernization and simplification costs: Modernization and simplification costs were $109 million in Q4 and $273 million for the full year, against none in 2024. They fund network, product, IT and workforce work. Source

Coming up, as management said on 3 February 2026

  • Tax refund expected first half 2026: Management expects a $400 million refund from recent tax legislation in the first half of 2026, which the release says could be delayed by a government shutdown. Source
  • Cost savings target exiting 2027: The company is targeting $1 billion in run-rate cost savings exiting 2027, supporting its plan to modernize the network for AI. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Mass Markets total broadband subscribers Source2,381 thousand (4Q25); 2,417 thousand (3Q25); 2,546 thousand (4Q24)
Fiber broadband subscribers Source1,222 thousand (4Q25); 1,190 thousand (3Q25); 1,077 thousand (4Q24)
Capital expenditure Source$1.644 billion (Q4 2025); $4.367 billion (full year 2025)

Earlier plans management reported on

  • On track: Management said the company is on track for $700 million of cost savings exiting 2026 and is targeting $1 billion exiting 2027. Source
  • Met: The third-quarter release targeted the consumer fiber sale for early 2026. The fourth-quarter release reports the transaction closed.
  • Met: Management said full-year Adjusted EBITDA landed at the high end of the guidance range it had given. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.