SBA Communications Corporation Reports First Quarter 2026 Results; Updates Full Year 2026 Outlook; and Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

SBA Communications Corporation (NASDAQ:SBAC) ("SBA" or the "Company") today reported results for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.

Highlights of the first quarter include:

• Net income attributable to SBA of $184.8 million or $1.74 per share
• Industry-leading AFFO per share of $3.03
• Increased full year 2026 outlook across all key metrics
• Company-wide Tower Cash Flow margin of approximately 80%

In addition, the Company announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $1.25 per share of the Company's Class A Common Stock. The distribution is payable June 17, 2026 to the shareholders of record at the close of business on May 22, 2026.

"We had a solid start to 2026, with positive first quarter financial and operating results," commented Brendan Cavanagh, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Carrier activity remained steady globally, as our customers continued to focus on expanding and densifying their networks, as well as upgrading sites with new spectrum bands and technologies. In addition, our domestic leasing backlogs increased during the quarter. These favorable results and positive movement in foreign exchange rates have allowed us to increase our full year outlook for each of our key financial metrics from the levels we provided in late February. During the quarter, we also continued to invest in expanding our portfolio through new tower builds across our markets, with increasing production particularly under our Central America build to suit agreement with Millicom International. We anticipate seeing this production grow steadily throughout 2026. Our balance sheet also remains strong as we ended the quarter with net debt to Adjusted EBITDA of 6.6x, in the middle of our target range of 6.0x to 7.0x, notwithstanding the full removal of all EchoStar revenue from our reported results as of the beginning of the year. Our solid operating results and strong balance sheet have allowed us to continue growing our dividend at the highest pace in the industry. Our declared second quarter dividend still only represents approximately 41% of AFFO in our 2026 outlook, leaving us with significant capital available for additional investment into the business. Our company continues to perform well, and we are excited about the rest of 2026."

Operating Results

The table below details select financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and comparisons to the prior year period.

The table below details select financial results by segment for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and comparisons to the prior year period.

The table below details key margins for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and comparisons to the prior year period.

Investing Activities

During the first quarter of 2026, SBA acquired 10 communication sites, as well as the rights to land underneath approximately 3,900 communication sites in Guatemala, for total cash consideration of $133.0 million. SBA also built 80 towers during the first quarter of 2026. As of March 31, 2026, SBA owned or operated 46,358 communication sites, 17,378 of which are located in the United States and its territories and 28,980 of which are located internationally. In addition, the Company spent $10.4 million to purchase land and easements and to extend lease terms. Total cash capital expenditures for the first quarter of 2026 were $191.9 million, consisting of $12.7 million of non-discretionary cash capital expenditures (tower maintenance and general corporate) and $179.2 million of discretionary cash capital expenditures (new tower builds, tower augmentations, acquisitions, and purchasing land and easements).

As of the date of this press release, the Company, subsequent to quarter end, purchased or is under contract to purchase 56 communication sites for an aggregate consideration of $36.9 million in cash, which it expects to close by the end of the third quarter of 2026.

Financing Activities and Liquidity

SBA ended the first quarter of 2026 with $13.0 billion of total debt, $10.0 billion of total secured debt, $0.4 billion of cash and cash equivalents, short-term restricted cash, and short-term investments, and $12.6 billion of Net Debt. SBA's Net Debt and Net Secured Debt to Annualized Adjusted EBITDA Leverage Ratios were 6.6x and 5.0x, respectively.

On January 9, 2026, the Company, using borrowings from the Revolving Credit Facility, repaid the aggregate principal amount of the 2020-1C Tower Securities ($750.0 million).

As of the date of this press release, the Company had $1.1 billion outstanding under its $2.0 billion Revolving Credit Facility.

As of the date of this press release, the Company had $1.1 billion of authorization remaining under its stock repurchase plan.

In the first quarter of 2026, the Company declared and paid a cash dividend of $135.2 million.

Outlook

The Company is updating its full year 2026 Outlook for anticipated results. The 2026 Outlook provided is based on a number of assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable at the time of this press release. Information regarding potential risks that could cause the actual results to differ from these forward-looking statements is set forth below and in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Company's full year 2026 Outlook assumes the acquisitions of only those communication sites under contract which are expected to close in 2026 at the time of this press release. The Company may spend additional capital in 2026 on acquiring revenue producing assets not yet identified or under contract, the impact of which is not reflected in the 2026 Outlook. The 2026 Outlook also does not contemplate any additional repurchases of the Company's stock or new debt financings during 2026 (other than the refinancing of the 2021-1C Tower Securities as discussed below), although the Company may ultimately spend capital to repurchase stock or issue new debt during the remainder of the year.

The Company's 2026 Outlook assumes an average foreign currency exchange rate of 5.05 Brazilian Reais to 1.0 U.S. Dollar, 2,560 Tanzanian Shillings to 1.0 U.S. Dollar, and 16.40 South African Rand to 1.0 U.S. Dollar throughout the last three quarters of 2026.

Bridge of 2025 Total Site Leasing Revenue to 2026 Outlook

The table below presents a bridge of the Company's 2025 Site Leasing Revenue to the Company's 2026 Outlook for 2026 Site Leasing Revenue by reportable segment.

Conference Call Information

SBA Communications Corporation will host a conference call on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM (EDT) to discuss the quarterly results. The call may be accessed as follows:

When: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 at 5:00 PM (EDT)

Dial-in Number: (202) 735-3323

Access Code: 7690149

Conference Name: SBA First quarter 2026 results

Replay Available: April 30, 2026 at 12:01 AM to May 29, 2026 at 12:00 AM (TZ: Eastern)

Replay Number: (833) 370-9994

Internet Access: www.sbasite.com

Information Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and the Company's earnings call include forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the Company's expectations or beliefs regarding (i) its outlook for financial and operational performance in 2026, the assumptions it made and the drivers contributing to its full year 2026 Outlook, (ii) the drivers of growth for wireless antennae in the U.S. and in each of our international markets, the ability of the Company to capitalize on such growth and the impact on the Company's future financial and operational outlook, (iii) the ability to execute its growth strategies and the impacts to its financial performance, (iv) the timing of closing for currently pending acquisitions, (v) tower portfolio growth and its long-term growth potential, including the drivers of its organic growth, (vi) its capital allocation policy, including the use of capital for portfolio growth, share repurchases, and dividends, (vii) the strength of its balance sheet and ability to generate significant free cash flow, (viii) its customers' ongoing network investments and new spectrum and future auctions, (ix) domestic and international churn in 2026 and future years, (x) its potential investment grade bond issuance and the benefits of being an investment grade issuer, (xi) mobile edge as a revenue driver, (xii) its leading position in Central America, and (xiii) backlogs and carrier activity for the remainder of 2026.

The Company wishes to caution readers that these forward-looking statements may be affected by the risks and uncertainties in the Company's business as well as other important factors that may have affected and could in the future affect the Company's actual results and could cause the Company's actual results for subsequent periods to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of the Company. With respect to the Company's expectations regarding all of these statements, including its financial and operational guidance, such risk factors include, but are not limited to: (1) the impact of macro-economic conditions, including high interest rates, unemployment rates, tariffs, inflation, consumer confidence and financial market volatility on (a) the ability and willingness of wireless service providers to maintain or increase their capital expenditures, (b) the Company's business and results of operations, and on foreign currency exchange rates and (c) consumer discretionary income and demand for wireless services, (2) the Company's ability to recognize anticipated revenues, tower cash flows and other anticipated benefits from its acquisitions, (3) the economic climate for the wireless communications industry in general and the wireless communications infrastructure providers in the United States and in the Company's other international markets; (4) the Company's ability to accurately identify and manage any risks associated with its acquired sites, to effectively integrate such sites into its business and to achieve the anticipated financial results; (5) the Company's ability to secure and retain as many site leasing tenants as planned at anticipated lease rates; (6) the Company's ability to manage expenses and cash capital expenditures at anticipated levels; (7) the impact of continued consolidation among wireless service providers in the U.S. and internationally, on the Company's leasing revenue, including churn; (8) the Company's ability to successfully manage the risks associated with international operations, including risks associated with foreign currency exchange rates; (9) the Company's ability to secure and deliver anticipated services business at contemplated margins; (10) the Company's ability to acquire land underneath towers on terms that are accretive; (11) the Company's ability to obtain future financing at commercially reasonable rates or at all; (12) the Company's ability to achieve the new builds targets included in its anticipated annual portfolio growth goals, which will depend, among other things, on obtaining zoning and regulatory approvals, availability and cost of labor and supplies, and other factors beyond the Company's control that could affect the Company's ability to build additional towers in 2026; (13) whether technology upgrades, spectrum auctions, consumer demand for fixed wireless and other developments will drive demand in the US and in the Company's other international markets for wireless services, wireless antennas and towers as anticipated; (14) the ability of our customers to perform under their financial and contractual obligations; and (15) the Company's ability to meet its total portfolio growth, which will depend, in addition to the new build risks, on the Company's ability to identify and acquire sites at prices and upon terms that will provide accretive portfolio growth, competition from third parties for such acquisitions and our ability to negotiate the terms of, and acquire, these potential tower portfolios on terms that meet our internal return criteria.

With respect to its expectations regarding the ability to close, and realize the benefits of, pending acquisitions, these factors also include each party satisfactorily completing due diligence, the ability to receive required regulatory approval, the ability and willingness of each party to fulfill their respective closing conditions and their contractual obligations and, with respect to the Company's acquisitions, the amount and quality of due diligence that the Company is able to complete prior to closing of any acquisition and the availability of cash on hand or borrowing capacity under the Revolving Credit Facility to fund the consideration, its ability to accurately anticipate the future performance of the acquired towers and any challenges or costs associated with the integration of such towers. With respect to the repurchases under the Company's stock repurchase program, the amount of shares repurchased, if any, and the timing of such repurchases will depend on, among other things, the trading price of the Company's common stock, which may be positively or negatively impacted by the repurchase program, market and business conditions, the availability of stock, the Company's financial performance or determinations following the date of this announcement in order to use the Company's funds for other purposes. Furthermore, the Company's forward-looking statements and its 2026 outlook assumes that the Company continues to qualify for treatment as a REIT for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that the Company's business is currently operated in a manner that complies with the REIT rules and that it will be able to continue to comply with and conduct its business in accordance with such rules. In addition, these forward-looking statements and the information in this press release is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosures contained in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including the Company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K.

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliation of each of these non-GAAP financial measures and the other Regulation G information is presented below under "Non-GAAP Financial Measures."

This press release will be available on our website at www.sbasite.com.

About SBA Communications Corporation

SBA Communications Corporation is a leading independent owner and operator of wireless communications infrastructure including towers, buildings, rooftops, distributed antenna systems (DAS) and small cells. With a portfolio of more than 46,000 communications sites throughout the Americas and in Africa, SBA is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol SBAC. Our organization is part of the S&P 500 and one of the top Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) by market capitalization. For more information, please visit: www.sbasite.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The press release contains non-GAAP financial measures including (i) Cash Site Leasing Revenue, Tower Cash Flow, and Tower Cash Flow Margin; (ii) Adjusted EBITDA, Annualized Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin; (iii) Funds from Operations ("FFO"), Adjusted Funds from Operations ("AFFO"), and AFFO per share; (iv) Net Debt, Net Secured Debt, Leverage Ratio, and Secured Leverage Ratio (collectively, our "Non-GAAP Debt Measures"); and (v) certain financial metrics after eliminating the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates (collectively, our "Constant Currency Measures").

We have included these non-GAAP financial measures because we believe that they provide investors additional tools in understanding our financial performance and condition.

Specifically, we believe that:

(1) Cash Site Leasing Revenue and Tower Cash Flow are useful indicators of the performance of our site leasing operations;

(2) Adjusted EBITDA is useful to investors or other interested parties in evaluating our financial performance. Adjusted EBITDA is the primary measure used by management (1) to evaluate the economic productivity of our operations and (2) for purposes of making decisions about allocating resources to, and assessing the performance of, our operations. Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA helps investors or other interested parties meaningfully evaluate and compare the results of our operations (1) from period to period and (2) to our competitors, by excluding the impact of our capital structure (primarily interest charges from our outstanding debt) and asset base (primarily depreciation, amortization and accretion) from our financial results. Management also believes Adjusted EBITDA is frequently used by investors or other interested parties in the evaluation of REITs. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA is similar to the measure of current financial performance generally used in our debt covenant calculations. Adjusted EBITDA should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance;

(3) FFO, AFFO and AFFO per share, which are metrics used by our public company peers in the communication site industry, provide investors useful indicators of the financial performance of our business and permit investors an additional tool to evaluate the performance of our business against those of our two principal competitors. FFO, AFFO, and AFFO per share are also used to address questions we receive from analysts and investors who routinely assess our operating performance on the basis of these performance measures, which are considered industry standards. We believe that FFO helps investors or other interested parties meaningfully evaluate financial performance by excluding the impact of our asset base (primarily depreciation, amortization and accretion and asset impairment and decommission costs). We believe that AFFO and AFFO per share help investors or other interested parties meaningfully evaluate our financial performance as they include (1) the impact of our capital structure (primarily interest expense on our outstanding debt) and (2) sustaining capital expenditures and exclude the impact of (1) our asset base (primarily depreciation, amortization and accretion and asset impairment and decommission costs) and (2) certain non-cash items, including straight-lined revenues and expenses related to fixed escalations and rent free periods and the non-cash portion of our reported tax provision. GAAP requires rental revenues and expenses related to leases that contain specified rental increases over the life of the lease to be recognized evenly over the life of the lease. In accordance with GAAP, if payment terms call for fixed escalations, or rent free periods, the revenue or expense is recognized on a straight-lined basis over the fixed, non-cancelable term of the contract. We only use AFFO as a performance measure. AFFO should be considered only as a supplement to net income computed in accordance with GAAP as a measure of our performance and should not be considered as an alternative to cash flows from operations or as residual cash flow available for discretionary investment. We believe our definition of FFO is consistent with how that term is defined by the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts ("NAREIT") and that our definition and use of AFFO and AFFO per share is consistent with those reported by the other communication site companies;

(4) Our Non-GAAP Debt Measures provide investors a more complete understanding of our net debt and leverage position as they include the full principal amount of our debt which will be due at maturity and, to the extent that such measures are calculated on Net Debt are net of our cash and cash equivalents, short-term restricted cash, and short-term investments; and

(5) Our Constant Currency Measures provide management and investors the ability to evaluate the performance of the business without the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations.

In addition, Tower Cash Flow, Adjusted EBITDA, and our Non-GAAP Debt Measures are components of the calculations used by our lenders to determine compliance with certain covenants under our Senior Credit Agreement and indentures relating to our 2020 Senior Notes and 2021 Senior Notes. These non-GAAP financial measures are not intended to be an alternative to any of the financial measures provided in our results of operations or our balance sheet as determined in accordance with GAAP.

Financial Metrics after Eliminating the Impact of Changes In Foreign Currency Exchange Rates

We eliminate the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates for each of the financial metrics listed in the table below by dividing the current period's financial results by the average monthly exchange rates of the prior year period, and by eliminating the impact of the remeasurement of our intercompany loans. The table below provides the reconciliation of the reported year-over-year change of each of such measures to the change after eliminating the impact of changes in foreign currency exchange rates to such measure.

Cash Site Leasing Revenue, Tower Cash Flow, and Tower Cash Flow Margin

The table below sets forth the reconciliation of Cash Site Leasing Revenue and Tower Cash Flow to their most comparable GAAP measurement and Tower Cash Flow Margin, which is calculated by dividing Tower Cash Flow by Cash Site Leasing Revenue.

Forecasted Tower Cash Flow for Full Year 2026

The table below sets forth the reconciliation of forecasted Tower Cash Flow set forth in the Outlook section to its most comparable GAAP measurement for the full year 2026:

Adjusted EBITDA, Annualized Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

The table below sets forth the reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to its most comparable GAAP measurement.

Forecasted Adjusted EBITDA for Full Year 2026

The table below sets forth the reconciliation of the forecasted Adjusted EBITDA set forth in the Outlook section to its most comparable GAAP measurement for the full year 2026:

Funds from Operations ("FFO"), Adjusted Funds from Operations ("AFFO"), and AFFO per share

The tables below set forth the reconciliations of FFO, AFFO, and AFFO per share to their most comparable GAAP measurement.

Forecasted AFFO for the Full Year 2026

The tables below set forth the reconciliations of the forecasted AFFO and AFFO per share set forth in the Outlook section to their most comparable GAAP measurements for the full year 2026: