American Tower CEO Reveals Strategic Focus on Emerging Markets Shift – Exclusive Q&A Highlights from Bank of America Conference

Boston, Massachusetts – American Tower Corporation’s CEO, Steven Vondran, recently participated in Bank of America’s 2024 Media, Communications, and Entertainment Conference call on September 5, 2024. During the call, Vondran discussed various aspects of the company’s operations and strategic priorities.

Vondran highlighted the focus on maximizing organic growth across the enterprise, emphasizing sales and cost controls as near-term priorities for American Tower. The company is taking steps to save costs, particularly in SG&A, and is looking at all expense line items globally to ensure efficiency.

One of the key topics of discussion was American Tower’s approach to emerging markets and the challenges faced in those regions. The company has recognized the financial risks associated with operating in certain markets, particularly due to factors like carrier consolidation and currency exchange rates.

Furthermore, the discussion touched on the company’s focus on strengthening the balance sheet and achieving its target leverage range. Vondran emphasized the importance of maintaining financial flexibility to pursue opportunities for growth, whether through M&A, stock buybacks, dividend increases, or internal CapEx programs.

The conversation also delved into the topic of CoreSite data center business and its role within American Tower’s overall strategy. Vondran highlighted the importance of CoreSite as an interconnection hub, particularly in the context of emerging technologies like AI and edge computing.

Overall, the conference call provided insights into American Tower’s strategic outlook, financial goals, and approach to navigating the evolving landscape of the telecommunications and technology industries. Vondran’s comments underscored the company’s commitment to long-term value creation for its shareholders through prudent decision-making and strategic investments.