ALTICE USA, INC., 10-Q filed on 11/7/2018
Quarterly Report
v3.10.0.1
Document and Entity Information - shares
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Nov. 02, 2018
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]    
Entity Registrant Name Altice USA, Inc.  
Entity Central Index Key 0001702780  
Current Fiscal Year End Date --12-31  
Entity Filer Category Non-accelerated Filer  
Document Fiscal Year Focus 2018  
Document Fiscal Period Focus Q3  
Document Type 10-Q  
Amendment Flag false  
Document Period End Date Sep. 30, 2018  
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding   715,100,411
v3.10.0.1
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Current Assets:    
Cash and cash equivalents $ 486,208 $ 329,848
Restricted cash 253 252
Accounts receivable, trade (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $13,259 and $13,420) 436,550 370,765
Prepaid expenses and other current assets 167,836 130,425
Amounts due from affiliates 18,387 19,764
Derivative contracts 3,269 52,545
Total current assets 1,112,503 903,599
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $3,708,770 and $2,599,579 5,760,479 6,023,826
Investment securities pledged as collateral 1,521,045 1,720,357
Derivative contracts 31,510 0
Other assets 97,537 57,904
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization 4,400,996 5,066,454
Indefinite-lived cable television franchises 13,020,081 13,020,081
Goodwill 8,012,416 8,019,861
Total assets 33,956,567 34,812,082
Current Liabilities:    
Accounts payable 883,408 795,128
Interest 321,327 397,422
Employee related costs 123,387 147,727
Other accrued expenses 329,122 411,988
Amounts due to affiliates 23,424 10,998
Deferred revenue 131,133 111,197
Liabilities under derivative contracts 0 52,545
Credit facility debt 57,650 42,650
Senior notes and debentures 531,206 507,744
Capital lease obligations 4,147 9,539
Notes payable 71,873 33,424
Total current liabilities 2,476,677 2,520,362
Defined benefit plan obligations 84,755 103,163
Other liabilities 169,473 144,289
Deferred tax liability 4,809,745 4,769,286
Liabilities under derivative contracts 153,850 187,406
Collateralized indebtedness 1,400,398 1,349,474
Credit facility debt 6,163,843 4,600,873
Senior notes and debentures 14,824,532 15,352,688
Capital lease obligations 17,304 12,441
Notes payable 5,218 32,478
Deficit investment in affiliates 0 3,579
Total liabilities 30,105,795 29,076,039
Commitments and contingencies (Note 15)
Redeemable equity 179,799 231,290
Stockholders' Equity:    
Preferred Stock, $.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, no shares issued and outstanding 0 0
Paid-in capital 3,618,709 4,665,229
Retained earnings 38,744 840,636
Total stockholders' equity before accumulated other comprehensive Income and non-controlling interest 3,664,691 5,513,236
Accumulated other comprehensive loss (2,291) (10,022)
Total stockholders' equity 3,662,400 5,503,214
Noncontrolling interest 8,573 1,539
Total stockholders' equity 3,670,973 5,504,753
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity 33,956,567 34,812,082
Common Class A    
Stockholders' Equity:    
Common stock 5,107 2,470
Common Class B [Member]    
Stockholders' Equity:    
Common stock 2,131 4,901
Common Class C    
Stockholders' Equity:    
Common stock 0 0
Customer relationships    
Current Assets:    
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization 3,991,289 4,561,863
Trade names    
Current Assets:    
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization 388,835 478,509
Amortizable intangible assets    
Current Assets:    
Amortizable intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization $ 20,872 $ 26,082
v3.10.0.1
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Current Assets:    
Accounts receivable, trade allowance for doubtful accounts $ 13,259 $ 13,420
Property, plant and equipment, accumulated depreciation 3,393,628 2,599,579
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization $ 2,674,615 $ 2,008,573
Stockholders' Equity:    
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share) $ 0.01 $ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized (in shares) 100,000,000 100,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued (in shares) 0 0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding (in shares) 0 0
Common Class A    
Stockholders' Equity:    
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) $ 0.01 $ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) 4,000,000,000 4,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares) 510,702,726 246,982,292
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest 510,702,726  
Common Class B [Member]    
Stockholders' Equity:    
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) $ 0.01 $ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) 1,000,000,000 1,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares) 490,086,674 490,086,674
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest 213,146,331 490,086,674
Common Class C    
Stockholders' Equity:    
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) $ 0.01 $ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) 4,000,000,000 4,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares) 0 0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest 0 0
Customer relationships    
Current Assets:    
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization $ 1,979,595 $ 1,409,021
Trade names    
Current Assets:    
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization 678,248 588,574
Amortizable intangible assets    
Current Assets:    
Amortizable intangible assets, accumulated amortization $ 16,772 $ 10,978
v3.10.0.1
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS - USD ($)
shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]        
Revenue (including revenue from affiliates of $545, $426, $1,397 and $820, respectively) (See Note 14) $ 2,417,801 $ 2,322,521 $ 7,111,668 $ 6,947,142
Operating expenses:        
Programming and other direct costs (including charges from affiliates of $1,671, $1,196, $6,690 and $3,026, respectively) (See Note 14) 790,533 755,101 2,373,021 2,272,147
Other operating expenses (including charges from affiliates of $905, $8,302, $15,154 and $24,266, respectively) (See Note 14) 569,070 570,111 1,727,842 1,769,477
Restructuring and other expense 16,587 53,448 29,865 142,765
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) 536,053 823,286 1,827,285 2,138,800
Total operating expenses 1,912,243 2,201,946 5,958,013 6,323,189
Operating income 505,558 120,575 1,153,655 623,953
Other income (expense):        
Interest expense (including $90,405 related to affiliates and related parties in 2017) (See Note 9) (389,594) (379,066) (1,157,395) (1,232,730)
Interest income 1,427 961 9,843 1,373
Gain (loss) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net 111,684 (18,900) (182,031) 169,888
Gain (loss) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net (111,684)   199,312  
Gain (loss) on derivative contracts, net (79,628) (16,763) 130,883 (154,270)
Gain (loss) on interest rate swap contracts (19,554) 1,051 (64,405) 12,539
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs (including $513,723 related to affiliates and related parties in 2017) (See Note 9) 0 (38,858) (41,616) (600,240)
Other expense, net (186) (2,984) (12,473) (9,019)
Total other income (expense) (375,851) (454,559) (1,317,194) (1,812,459)
Income (loss) before income taxes 129,707 (333,984) (163,539) (1,188,506)
Income tax benefit (expense) (95,968) 141,550 (29,675) 439,945
Net income (loss) 33,739 (192,434) (193,214) (748,561)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests     (1,039) (737)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest (1,186) (135) (1,039) (737)
Net income (loss) attributable to Altice USA, Inc. stockholders $ 32,553 $ (192,569) $ (194,253) $ (749,298)
Earnings Per Share, Basic $ 0.04 $ (0.26) $ (0.26) $ (1.10)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic 732,963 737,069 735,685 682,234
Earnings Per Share, Diluted $ 0.04 $ (0.26) $ (0.26) $ (1.10)
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted 732,963 737,069 735,685 682,234
v3.10.0.1
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS (Parenthetical) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]        
Revenue from affiliates $ 545 $ 426 $ 1,397 $ 820
Programming and other direct costs from affiliates 1,671 1,196 6,690 3,026
Other operating expenses, net 905 8,302 15,154 24,266
Interest expense to related parties and affiliates 0 0 0 (90,405)
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs (including $513,723 related to affiliates and related parties in 2017) (See Note 9) 0 (38,858) (41,616) (600,240)
Related Party Transaction, Loss on Extinguishment of Debt of Deferred Financing Costs $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 513,723
v3.10.0.1
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Net loss $ 33,739 $ (192,434) $ (193,214) $ (748,561)
Defined benefit pension plans:        
Unrecognized actuarial gain (loss) 9,602 (4,056) 13,794 (8,389)
Applicable income taxes 2,592 (1,622) 3,723 (3,356)
Unrecognized gain (loss) arising during period, net of income taxes 7,010 (2,434) 10,071 (5,033)
Settlement loss included in other expense, net 65 1,014 929 1,403
Applicable income taxes (18) (406) (252) (561)
Settlement loss included in other expense, net, net of income taxes 47 608 677 842
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Gain (Loss), before Reclassification and Tax 437 0 1,351 0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Tax (27) 0 (365) 0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax 410 0 986 0
Other comprehensive gain (loss) 7,467 (1,826) 11,734 (6,108)
Comprehensive income (loss) 41,206 (194,260) (181,480) (754,669)
Comprehensive income attributable to noncontrolling interests (1,186) (135) (1,039) (737)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Altice USA, Inc. stockholders 40,020 (194,395) (182,519) (755,406)
Customer Relationships [Member]        
Defined benefit pension plans:        
Settlement loss included in other expense, net 0 0 0 (3,195)
Applicable income taxes 0 0 0 1,278
Settlement loss included in other expense, net, net of income taxes $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ (1,917)
v3.10.0.1
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - 9 months ended Sep. 30, 2018 - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Total
Total Stockholders' Equity
Paid-in Capital
Retained Earnings
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Non-controlling Interest
Common Class A
Common Stock
Common Class B [Member]
Common Stock
ATS Acquisition
ATS Acquisition
Total Stockholders' Equity
ATS Acquisition
Paid-in Capital
ATS Acquisition
Retained Earnings
Dividends $ (1,499,935) $ (1,499,935) $ (963,711) $ (536,224)                
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock 240,799 240,799 240,666 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ (133) $ 0        
Acquisitionofi24 14,369 14,369 (61,049) (73,578) (1,840)              
Beginning balance (As Reported) at Dec. 31, 2017 5,495,840 5,494,301 4,642,128 854,824 (10,022) 1,539 2,470 4,901        
Beginning balance (Restatement Adjustment)                 $ (3,753) $ (3,753) $ 23,101 $ (26,854)
Beginning balance (Restatement Adjustment, Impact of ASC 606) 12,666 12,666   12,666                
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2017 5,504,753 5,503,214 4,665,229 840,636 (10,022) 1,539 2,470 4,901        
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]                        
Net loss attributable to stockholders (194,253) (194,253)   (194,253)                
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests 1,039         1,039            
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests 5,995         5,995            
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, for Net Gain (Loss) Due to Settlements, Net of Tax 10,748                      
Pension liability adjustments, net of income taxes 11,734                      
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax 986                      
Share-based compensation expense 46,176 46,176 46,176                  
Redeemable equity vested (72,924) (72,924) (72,924)                  
Other changes to equity (859) (859) (859) 0                
Adoption of ASU No. 2018-02       2,163 (2,163)              
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2018 3,670,973 3,662,400 3,618,709 $ 38,744 $ (2,291) $ 8,573 5,107 2,131        
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]                        
Class B Shares Exchanged fro Class A 0           $ 2,770 $ (2,770)        
Redeemable Equity Vested $ 124,415 $ 124,415 $ 124,415                  
v3.10.0.1
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:    
Net loss $ (193,214) $ (748,561)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by operating activities:    
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) 1,827,285 2,138,800
Equity in net loss of affiliates 10,849 5,697
Loss (gain) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net 182,031 (169,888)
Loss (gain) on derivative contracts, net (130,883) 154,270
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs 41,616 600,240
Amortization of deferred financing costs and discounts (premiums) on indebtedness 60,526 18,517
Settlement loss included in other expense, net 929 1,403
Share-based compensation expense 46,176 40,932
Deferred income taxes 14,399 (470,841)
Provision for doubtful accounts 50,643 54,501
Change in assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisitions and dispositions:    
Accounts receivable, trade (111,446) (45,493)
Other receivables (138) (5,520)
Prepaid expenses and other assets (41,890) (816)
Amounts due from and due to affiliates 7,203 (40,355)
Accounts payable 85,497 53,433
Accrued liabilities (198,196) (303,717)
Deferred revenue 56,326 9,382
Liabilities related to interest rate swap contracts 62,549 (9,552)
Net cash provided by operating activities 1,770,262 1,282,432
Cash flows from investing activities:    
Capital expenditures (832,824) (718,919)
Payments for acquisitions, net of cash acquired (10,753) (43,608)
Sale of affiliate interests (3,537) 0
Payments for Derivative Instrument, Investing Activities 0 (24,039)
Proceeds related to sale of equipment, including costs of disposal 7,802 3,398
Increase in other investments (2,500) (4,800)
Additions to other intangible assets (584) (1,700)
Net cash used in investing activities (842,396) (789,668)
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Proceeds from credit facility debt, net of discounts 2,217,500 5,602,425
Repayment of credit facility debt (635,738) (3,684,668)
Issuance of senior notes and debentures 2,050,000 0
Redemption of senior notes, including premiums and fees (2,623,756) (1,729,400)
Proceeds from collateralized indebtedness, net 516,513 662,724
Net Cash Receipt Payment on Collateralized Indebtedness Settlement (516,513) (654,989)
Payments of Dividends (1,499,935) (919,317)
Proceeds from notes payable 15,955 24,649
Repayments of Notes Payable (14,089)  
Principal payments on capital lease obligations (8,581) (11,518)
Cash Payments for the Repurchase of Common Shares (226,803) 0
Additions to deferred financing costs (21,570) (9,486)
Other (859) 0
Payment for Contingent Consideration Liability, Financing Activities (30,000) 0
Proceeds from Partnership Contribution 5,995  
Proceeds from Contributed Capital   50,800
Proceeds from Issuance Initial Public Offering 0 348,460
Net cash used in financing activities (771,881) (320,320)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 155,985 172,444
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash and Cash Equivalents 376 0
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease) 156,361 172,444
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year 330,100 503,093
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period 486,461 $ 675,537
Non-controlling Interest    
Cash flows from financing activities:    
Proceeds from Partnership Contribution $ 5,995  
v3.10.0.1
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND RELATED MATTERS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND RELATED MATTERS
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND RELATED MATTERS
The Company and Related Matters
Altice USA, Inc. ("Altice USA" or the "Company") was incorporated in Delaware on September 14, 2015. Prior to the Altice N.V. distribution discussed below, Altice USA was majority-owned by Altice N.V., a public company with limited liability (naamloze vennootshcap) under Dutch law. Since the completion of the Altice N.V. distribution discussed below, the Company is no longer majority-owned by Altice N.V. Altice N.V. changed its name to Altice Europe N.V. ("Altice Europe") upon completion of the distribution.
The Company provides broadband communications and video services in the United States. It delivers broadband, pay television, telephony services, proprietary content and advertising services to residential and business customers.
Altice N.V., through a subsidiary, acquired Cequel Corporation ("Cequel" or "Suddenlink") on December 21, 2015 (the "Cequel Acquisition") and Cequel was contributed to Altice USA on June 9, 2016. Altice USA acquired Cablevision Systems Corporation ("Cablevision" or "Optimum") on June 21, 2016 (the "Cablevision Acquisition").
The Company classifies its operations into two reportable segments: Cablevision, which operates in the New York metropolitan area, and Cequel, which principally operates in markets in the south-central United States.
The accompanying condensed combined consolidated financial statements ("condensed consolidated financial statements") include the accounts of the Company and all subsidiaries in which the Company has a controlling interest and gives effect to the ATS Acquisition and the i24 Acquisition discussed below on a combined basis. All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
The accompanying condensed consolidated operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 reflect the retrospective adoption of Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers and ASU No. 2017-07 Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715). See Note 3 for further details of the impact on the Company's historical financial statements.
In June 2017, the Company completed its initial public offering ("IPO") of 71,724,139 shares of its Class A common stock. The Company’s Class A common stock began trading on June 22, 2017, on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ATUS".
Acquisition of Altice Technical Services US Corp
ATS was formed in 2017 to provide network construction and maintenance services and commercial and residential installations, disconnections, and maintenance. During the second quarter of 2017, a substantial portion of the Company's technical workforce at the Cablevision segment either accepted employment with ATS or became employees of ATS and ATS commenced operations and began to perform services for the Company. A substantial portion of the Cequel segment technical workforce became employees of ATS in December 2017.
In January 2018, the Company acquired 70% of the equity interests in Altice Technical Services US Corp. ("ATS") for $1.00 (the "ATS Acquisition") and the Company became the owner of 100% of the equity interests in ATS in March 2018. ATS was previously owned by Altice N.V. and a member of ATS's management through a holding company. As the acquisition was a combination of businesses under common control, the Company combined the results of operations and related assets and liabilities of ATS for all periods since its formation. See Note 3 for the impact of the ATS Acquisition on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 and on the Company's statement of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017.
Acquisition of i24NEWS
In April 2018, Altice N.V. transferred its ownership of i24 US and i24 Europe ("i24NEWS"), Altice N.V.'s 24/7 international news and current affairs channels to the Company for minimal consideration (the "i24 Acquisition"). As the acquisition was a combination of businesses under common control, the Company combined the results of operations and related assets and liabilities of i24NEWS as of April 1, 2018. Operating results for periods prior to April 1, 2018 and the balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 have not been revised to reflect the i24 Acquisition as the impact was deemed immaterial.
Altice N.V. Distribution
On June 8, 2018, Altice N.V. distributed substantially all of its equity interest in the Company through a distribution in kind to holders of Altice N.V.'s common shares A and common shares B (the “Distribution”). The Distribution took place by way of a special distribution in kind by Altice N.V. of its 67.2% interest in the Company to Altice N.V. shareholders. Each shareholder of Altice N.V. on May 23, 2018, the Distribution record date, received 0.4163 shares of the Company's common stock for every share held by such shareholder in Altice N.V. Between May 24, 2018 and June 4, 2018, each Altice N.V. shareholder was given the opportunity to elect the percentage of shares of the Company's Class A common stock and shares of the Company's Class B common stock such shareholder would receive in the Distribution, whereby the number of shares of the Company's Class B common stock to be distributed was subject to a cap of 50% of the total shares of the Company's common stock being distributed (the “Class B Cap”). Because the Class B Cap had been exceeded, the shares of the Company's Class B common stock delivered to Altice N.V.’s shareholders of record who elected to receive them were subject to proration, and such shareholders received shares of the Company's Class A common stock.
Immediately following the Distribution, there were 489,384,523 shares of Altice USA Class A common stock and 247,684,443 shares of Altice USA Class B common stock outstanding.
Prior to Altice N.V.'s announcement of the Distribution, the Board of Directors of Altice USA, acting through its independent directors, approved the payment of a $2.035 dividend to all shareholders of record on May 22, 2018. The payment of the dividend, aggregating $1,499,935, was made on June 6, 2018, and was funded with cash at CSC Holdings LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cablevision, from financings completed in January 2018, and cash generated from operations at Cequel. In connection with the payment of the dividend, the Company recorded a decrease in retained earnings of $536,224, representing the cumulative earnings through the payment date, and a decrease in paid in capital of $963,711.
In connection with the Distribution, the Management Advisory and Consulting Services Agreement with Altice N.V. which provided certain consulting, advisory and other services was terminated. Compensation under the terms of the agreement was an annual fee of $30,000 paid by the Company.
In addition, the Board of Directors of Altice USA also authorized a share repurchase program of $2.0 billion, effective June 8, 2018. Under the repurchase program, shares of Altice USA Class A common stock may be purchased from time to time in the open market and may include trading plans entered into with one or more brokerage firms in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Size and timing of these purchases will be determined based on market conditions and other factors.  
From inception through September 30, 2018, the Company repurchased an aggregate of 13,219,909 shares for a total purchase price of approximately $240,799.  These acquired shares were retired and the cost for these shares was recorded in paid in capital in the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet.  As of September 30, 2018, the Company had approximately $1,759,201 of availability remaining under its stock repurchase program and had 723,849,057 combined Class A and Class B shares outstanding.
v3.10.0.1
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X for interim financial information.  Accordingly, these financial statements do not include all the information and notes required for complete annual financial statements.
The interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and the Company's financial statements and notes thereto included on Form 8-K filed on May 21, 2018.
The financial statements presented in this report are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, such financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the periods presented.
The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that might be expected for future interim periods or for the full year ending December 31, 2018.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The primary provision of ASU No. 2018-02 allows for the reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. ASU No. 2018-02 also requires certain disclosures about stranded tax effects. ASU No. 2018-02 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted and will be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is recognized. The Company elected to adopt ASU No. 2018-02 during the first quarter of 2018. The adoption resulted in the reclassification of stranded tax amounts of $2,163 associated with net unrecognized losses from the Company's pension plans from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718). ASU No. 2017-09 provides clarity and guidance on which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. ASU No. 2017-09 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715). ASU No. 2017-07 requires that an employer disaggregate the service cost component from the other components of net benefit cost. It also provides guidance on how to present the service cost component and the other components of net benefit cost in the income statement and what component of net benefit cost is eligible for capitalization. ASU No. 2017‑07 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and was applied retrospectively. As a result of the adoption, the Company reclassified the non-service cost components of the Company's pension expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 from other operating expenses to other income (expense), net. The Company elected to apply the practical expedient which allowed it to reclassify amounts disclosed previously in the benefits plan note as the basis for applying retrospective presentation for comparative periods, as the Company determined it was impracticable to disaggregate the cost components for amounts capitalized and amortized in those periods. See Note 3 for information on the impact of the adoption of ASU No. 2017-07.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805), Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which amends Topic 805 to interpret the definition of a business by adding guidance to assist in evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The Company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In December 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-20, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, in order to clarify the Codification and to correct any unintended application of the guidance. The amendments in this update affected the guidance in ASC 606. ASC 606 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 on a full retrospective basis, which required the Company to reflect the impact of the updated guidance for all periods presented. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. See Note 3 for information on the impact of the adoption of ASC 606.
In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which requires that the statement of cash flows disclose the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents. Restricted cash should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-18 provides specific guidance on the presentation of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-18 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and was applied retrospectively for all periods presented.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments which clarifies how entities should classify certain cash receipts and cash payments on the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-15 also clarifies how the predominance principle should be applied when cash receipts and cash payments have aspects of more than one class of cash flows. The Company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10), Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.  ASU No. 2016-01 modifies how entities measure certain equity investments and also modifies the recognition of changes in the fair value of financial liabilities measured under the fair value option. Entities will be required to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income. For financial liabilities measured using the fair value option, entities will be required to record changes in fair value caused by a change in instrument-specific credit risk (own credit risk) separately in other comprehensive income. ASU No. 2016-01 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606"), requiring an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. ASC 606 replaced most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP (See Note 3).
Recently Issued But Not Yet Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, which amends ASC 715 to clarify certain disclosure requirements related to defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans. ASU 2018-14 becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2022, although early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-14 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
Also in August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract, which requires upfront implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement (or hosting arrangement) that is a service contract to be amortized to hosting expense over the term of the arrangement, beginning when the module or component of the hosting arrangement is ready for its intended use. ASU No. 2018-14 becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2020, although early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU No. 2018-15 will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350). ASU No. 2017-04 simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by removing the second step of the two‑step impairment test. The amendment requires an entity to perform its annual, or interim goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary. ASU No. 2017-04 becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2020 with early adoption permitted and will be applied prospectively.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which increases transparency and comparability by recognizing a lessee’s rights and obligations resulting from leases by recording them on the balance sheet as lease assets and lease liabilities. The new guidance becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. Although the Company has not yet completed its evaluation of the guidance, or quantified its impact, the Company believes the most significant impact will be the recognition of right of use assets and liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet. The Company expects its lease obligations designated as operating leases will be reported on the consolidated balance sheets upon adoption. The Company is also evaluating other potential lease arrangements of the business, including arrangements that have been previously disclosed as a contractual commitment. The Company is currently in the process of collecting and validating lease data and implementing a software solution. In addition, the Company is assessing practical expedients and policy elections offered by the standard, and is evaluating its processes and internal controls to meet the accounting, reporting and disclosure requirements.
Reclassifications
Certain reclassifications have been made to the 2017 financial statements to conform to the 2018 presentation.
v3.10.0.1
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]  
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION
Adoption of ASC 606 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers
On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the guidance pursuant to ASC 606. The Company elected to apply the guidance on a full retrospective basis, which required the Company to reflect the impact of the updated guidance for all periods presented. The adoption of the guidance resulted in the deferral of certain installation revenue, the deferral of certain commission expenses, and a reduction of revenue due to the reclassification of certain third party giveaways and incentives from operating expense. Additionally, the Company made changes in the composition of revenue resulting from the allocation of value related to bundled services sold to residential customers at a discount.
Installation Services Revenue
Pursuant to ASC 606, the Company's installation services revenue is deferred and recognized over the benefit period. For residential customers, the benefit period is less than one year. For business and wholesale customers, the benefit period is the contract term. Prior to the adoption of ASC 606, the Company recognized installation services revenue for residential and small and medium-sized business ("SMB") customers when installations were completed. As a result of the deferral of installation services revenue for residential and SMB customers, the Company recognized contract liabilities of $6,978 and recorded a cumulative effect adjustment of $5,093 (net of tax of $1,885) to retained earnings. The accounting for installation services revenue related to business and wholesale customers has not changed.
Commission Expenses
Pursuant to ASC 606, the Company defers commission expenses related to obtaining a contract with a customer when the expected period of benefit is greater than one year and amortizes these costs over the average contract term. For commission expenses related to customer contracts with a term of one year or less, the Company is utilizing the practical expedient and is recognizing the costs when incurred.  Prior to the adoption of ASC 606, the Company recognized commission expenses related to the sale of its services when incurred. As a result of the change in the timing of recognition of these commission expenses, the Company recognized contract assets of $24,329 and recorded a cumulative effect adjustment of $17,759 (net of tax of $6,570) to retained earnings.
Third Party Product Giveaways and Incentives
When the Company acts as the agent in providing certain product giveaways or incentives, revenue is recorded net of the costs of the giveaways and incentives. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, costs of $4,094 and $13,490, respectively for the giveaways and incentives recorded in other operating expense have been reclassified to revenue.
Bundled Services
The Company provides bundled services at a discounted rate to its customers. Under ASC 606, revenue should be allocated to separate performance obligations within a bundled offering based on the relative stand-alone selling price of each service within the bundle. In connection with the adoption of ASC 606, the Company revised the amounts allocated to each performance obligation within its bundled offerings which reduced previously reported revenue for telephony services and increased previously reported revenue allocated to pay television and broadband services.
Adoption of ASU No. 2017-07 - Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715)
On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the guidance pursuant to ASU No. 2017‑07. ASU No. 2017‑07 requires that an employer disaggregate the service cost component from the other components of net benefit cost. In connection with the adoption of ASU No. 2017‑07, the Company retroactively reclassified certain pension costs from other operating expenses to other income (expense), net. The adoption of ASU No. 2017-07 had no impact on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet.
Acquisition of ATS
As discussed in Note 1, the Company completed the ATS Acquisition in the first quarter of 2018. ATS was previously owned by Altice N.V. and a member of ATS's management through a holding company. As the acquisition is a combination of businesses under common control, the Company combined the results of operations and related assets and liabilities of ATS for all periods since the formation of ATS, including goodwill of $23,101, representing the amount previously transferred to ATS.
The following table summarizes the impact of adopting ASC 606 and the impact of the ATS Acquisition on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet: 
 
December 31, 2017
 
As Reported
 
Impact of ASC 606
 
Impact of ATS Acquisition
 
As Adjusted
Cash and cash equivalents
$
273,329

 
$

 
$
56,519

 
$
329,848

Other current assets
580,231

 
14,068

 
(20,548
)
 
573,751

Property, plant and equipment, net
6,063,829

 

 
(40,003
)
 
6,023,826

Goodwill
7,996,760

 

 
23,101

 
8,019,861

Other assets, long-term
19,861,076

 
10,261

 
(6,541
)
 
19,864,796

Total assets
$
34,775,225

 
$
24,329

 
$
12,528

 
$
34,812,082

Current liabilities
$
2,492,983

 
$
6,978

 
$
20,401

 
$
2,520,362

Deferred tax liability, long-term
4,775,115

 
4,685

 
(10,514
)
 
4,769,286

Liabilities, long-term
21,779,997

 

 
6,394

 
21,786,391

Total liabilities
29,048,095

 
11,663

 
16,281

 
29,076,039

Redeemable equity
231,290

 

 

 
231,290

Paid-in capital
4,642,128

 

 
23,101

 
4,665,229

Retained earnings
854,824

 
12,666

 
(26,854
)
 
840,636

Total stockholders' equity
5,495,840

 
12,666

 
(3,753
)
 
5,504,753

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
$
34,775,225

 
$
24,329

 
$
12,528

 
$
34,812,082

The following table summarizes the impact of adopting ASC 606 and ASU No. 2017-07 and the impact of the ATS Acquisition on the Company's condensed consolidated statements of operations:
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
As Reported
 
Impact of ASC 606
 
Impact of ASU No. 2017-07
 
Impact of ATS Acquisition
 
As Adjusted
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
1,054,392

 
$
15,807

 
$

 
$
(253
)
 
$
1,069,946

Broadband
646,094

 
12,372

 

 
(188
)
 
658,278

Telephony
204,753

 
(32,155
)
 

 
(119
)
 
172,479

Business services and wholesale
324,760

 
(118
)
 

 

 
324,642

Advertising
89,292

 

 

 

 
89,292

Other
7,884

 

 

 

 
7,884

Total revenue
2,327,175

 
(4,094
)
 

 
(560
)
 
2,322,521

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Programming and other direct costs
755,101

 

 

 

 
755,101

Other operating expenses
560,497

 
(4,094
)
 
(2,921
)
 
16,629

 
570,111

Restructuring and other expense
53,448

 

 

 

 
53,448

Depreciation and amortization
823,265

 

 

 
21

 
823,286

Operating income
134,864

 

 
2,921

 
(17,210
)
 
120,575

Other expense, net
(451,638
)
 

 
(2,921
)
 

 
(454,559
)
Loss before income taxes
(316,774
)
 

 

 
(17,210
)
 
(333,984
)
Income tax benefit
134,688

 

 

 
6,862

 
141,550

Net loss
$
(182,086
)
 
$

 
$

 
$
(10,348
)
 
$
(192,434
)


 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
As Reported
 
Impact of ASC 606
 
Impact of ASU No. 2017-07
 
Impact of ATS Acquisition
 
As Adjusted
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
3,185,610

 
$
39,630

 
$

 
$
(253
)
 
$
3,224,987

Broadband
1,887,279

 
39,725

 

 
(188
)
 
1,926,816

Telephony
624,077

 
(92,257
)
 

 
(119
)
 
531,701

Business services and wholesale
968,291

 
(588
)
 

 

 
967,703

Advertising
270,154

 

 

 

 
270,154

Other
25,781

 

 

 

 
25,781

Total revenue
6,961,192

 
(13,490
)
 

 
(560
)
 
6,947,142

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Programming and other direct costs
2,272,147

 

 

 

 
2,272,147

Other operating expenses
1,767,624

 
(13,490
)
 
(9,852
)
 
25,195

 
1,769,477

Restructuring and other expense
142,765

 

 

 

 
142,765

Depreciation and amortization
2,138,776

 

 

 
24

 
2,138,800

Operating income
639,880

 

 
9,852

 
(25,779
)
 
623,953

Other expense, net
(1,802,608
)
 

 
(9,852
)
 
1

 
(1,812,459
)
Loss before income taxes
(1,162,728
)
 

 

 
(25,778
)
 
(1,188,506
)
Income tax benefit
429,664

 

 

 
10,281

 
439,945

Net loss
$
(733,064
)
 
$

 
$

 
$
(15,497
)
 
$
(748,561
)
v3.10.0.1
NET LOSS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO STOCKHOLDERS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]  
NET LOSS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO STOCKHOLDERS
NET INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO STOCKHOLDERS
Basic net income (loss) per common share attributable to Altice USA stockholders is computed by dividing net income (loss) attributable to Altice USA stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period.  Diluted income per common share attributable to Altice USA stockholders reflects the dilutive effects of stock options. For such awards that are performance based, the diluted effect is reflected upon the achievement of the performance criteria. Diluted net loss per common share attributable to Altice USA excludes the effects of common stock equivalents as they are anti-dilutive.
Anti-dilutive shares (options whose exercise price exceeds the average market price of the Company's common stock during the period) totaling approximately 5,841,000 shares, have been excluded from diluted weighted average shares outstanding when calculating diluted net income per share attributable to Altice USA stockholders for the three months ended September 30, 2018. In addition, approximately 73,000 performance based options for the three months ended September 30, 2018, issued pursuant to the Company's employee stock plan have also been excluded from the diluted weighted average shares outstanding as the performance criteria on these awards had not yet been satisfied for the respective period.
The weighted average number of shares used to compute basic and diluted net loss per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 reflect the retroactive impact of certain organizational transactions that occurred prior to the Company's IPO.
v3.10.0.1
REVENUE AND CONTRACT ASSETS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
REVENUE AND CONTRACT ASSETS
REVENUE AND CONTRACT ASSETS
Revenue Recognition
Residential Services
The Company derives revenue through monthly charges to residential customers of its pay television, broadband, and telephony services, including installation services. In addition, the Company derives revenue from digital video recorder ("DVR"), video-on-demand ("VOD"), pay-per-view, home shopping commissions and equipment fees which are reflected in "Residential pay TV" revenues. The Company recognizes pay television, broadband, and telephony revenues as the services are provided to a customer on a monthly basis. Revenue from the sale of bundled services at a discounted rate is allocated to each product based on the standalone selling price of each performance obligation within the bundled offer. The relative standalone selling price requires judgment and is typically determined based on the current prices at which the separate services are sold by the Company. Installation revenue for the Company's residential services is deferred and recognized over the benefit period, which is estimated to be less than one year. The estimated benefit period takes into account both quantitative and qualitative factors including the significance of average installation fees to total recurring revenue per customer.
The Company is assessed non-income related taxes by governmental authorities, including franchising authorities (generally under multi-year agreements), and collects such taxes from its customers.  In instances where the tax is being assessed directly on the Company, amounts paid to the governmental authorities are recorded as programming and other direct costs and amounts received from the customers are recorded as revenue. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 the amount of franchise fees and certain other taxes and fees included as a component of revenue aggregated $63,703 and $190,895, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 the amount of franchise fees and certain other taxes and fees included as a component of revenue aggregated $64,254 and $194,045, respectively.
Business and Wholesale Services
The Company derives revenue from the sale of products and services to both large enterprise and SMB customers, including broadband, telephony, networking, and pay television services reflected in "Business services and wholesale" revenues. The Company's business services also include Ethernet, data transport, and IP-based virtual private networks. The Company also provides managed services to businesses, including hosted telephony services (cloud based SIP-based private branch exchange), managed Wi-Fi, managed desktop and server backup and managed collaboration services including audio and web conferencing. The Company also offers fiber-to-the-tower services to wireless carriers for cell tower backhaul and enable wireline communications service providers to connect to customers that their own networks do not reach. The Company recognizes revenues for these services as the services are provided to a customer on a monthly basis.
Substantially all of our SMB customers are billed monthly and large enterprise customers are billed in accordance with the terms of their contracts which is typically also on a monthly basis. Contracts with large enterprise customers typically range from three to five years. Installation revenue related to our large enterprise customers is deferred and recognized over the average contract term. Installation revenue related to SMB customers is deferred and recognized over the benefit period, which is less than a year. The estimated benefit period for SMB customers takes into account both quantitative and qualitative factors including the significance of average installation fees to total recurring revenue per customer.
Advertising
As part of the agreements under which the Company acquires pay television programming, the Company typically receives an allocation of scheduled advertising time during such programming into which the Company's cable systems can insert commercials. In several of the markets in which the Company operates, it has entered into agreements commonly referred to as interconnects with other cable operators to jointly sell local advertising. In some of these markets, the Company represents the advertising sales efforts of other cable operators; in other markets, other cable operators represent the Company. Advertising revenues are recognized when commercials are aired. Arrangements in which the Company controls the sale of advertising and acts as the principal to the transaction, the Company recognizes revenue earned from the advertising customer on a gross basis and the amount remitted to the distributor as an operating expense. Arrangements in which the Company does not control the sale of advertising and acts as an agent to the transaction, the Company recognizes revenue net of any fee remitted to the distributor.
The Company's advanced advertising businesses provide data-driven, audience-based advertising solutions using advanced analytics tools that provide granular measurement of consumer groups, accurate hyper-local ratings and other insights into target audience behavior not available through traditional sample-based measurement services. Revenue earned from the Company's advanced advertising businesses are recognized when services are provided.
Other
Revenues derived from other sources are recognized when services are provided or events occur.
Contract Assets
Incremental costs incurred in obtaining a contract with a customer are deferred and recorded as a contract asset if the period of benefit is expected to be greater than one year. Sales commissions for enterprise and certain SMB customers are deferred and amortized over the average contract term. For sales commission expenses related to residential and SMB customers with a term of one year or less, the Company is utilizing the practical expedient and is recognizing the costs when incurred.  Cost of fulfilling a contract with a customer are deferred and recorded as a contract asset if they generate or enhance resources of the Company that will be used in satisfying future performance obligations and are expected to be recovered. Installation costs related to residential and SMB customers that are not capitalized as part of the initial deployment of new customer premise equipment are expensed as incurred pursuant to industry-specific guidance.
The following table provides information about contracts assets and contract liabilities related to contracts with customers:
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017,
as adjusted
Contract assets (a)
$
25,806

 
$
24,329

Deferred revenue (b)
173,956

 
117,679


 

(a)
Contract assets include primarily sales commissions for enterprise customers that are deferred and amortized over the average contract term.
(b)
Deferred revenue represents payments received from customers for services that have yet to be provided and installation revenue which is deferred and recognized over the benefit period. The majority of the Company's deferred revenue represents payments for services for up to one month in advance from residential and SMB customers which is realized within the following month as services are performed.
A significant portion of our revenue is derived from residential and SMB customer contracts which are month-to month. As such, the amount of revenue related to unsatisfied performance obligations is not necessarily indicative of the future revenue to be recognized from our existing customer base. Contracts with enterprise and wholesale customers generally range from three to five years, and services may only be terminated in accordance with the contractual terms.
v3.10.0.1
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]  
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
The Company considers the balance of its investment in funds that substantially hold securities that mature within three months or less from the date the fund purchases these securities to be cash equivalents.  The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents either approximates fair value due to the short-term maturity of these instruments or are at fair value.
The Company's non-cash investing and financing activities and other supplemental data were as follows:
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities:
 
 
 
Continuing Operations:
 
 
 
Conversion of notes payable to affiliates and related parties of $1,750,000 (together with accrued and unpaid interest and applicable premium) to common stock (See Note 9)
$

 
$
2,264,252

Property and equipment accrued but unpaid
166,800

 
84,847

Notes payable issued to vendor for the purchase of equipment
49,780

 
25,879

Capital lease obligations
8,162

 

Leasehold improvements paid by landlord
350

 
3,998

Deferred financing costs accrued but unpaid
1,006

 

Contingent consideration for acquisitions
6,733

 
30,000

Receivable related to the sale of an investment
11,954

 

Unsettled purchases of shares of Altice USA, Inc. Class A common stock, pursuant to a share repurchase program
13,996

 

Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
Cash interest paid
1,174,154

 
1,481,363

Income taxes paid, net
12,148

 
26,396

 
The Company’s previously reported statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2017 reflected distributions to stockholders of $79,617 in cash flows from operating activities. These distributions should have been reflected in cash flows from financing activities.
v3.10.0.1
RESTRUCTURING COSTS AND OTHER EXPENSE
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]  
RESTRUCTURING COSTS AND OTHER EXPENSE
RESTRUCTURING COSTS AND OTHER EXPENSE
Restructuring
Beginning in the first quarter of 2016, the Company commenced restructuring initiatives that were intended to simplify the Company's organizational structure.
The following table summarizes the activity for these initiatives during 2018:
 
 
 
Severance and Other Employee Related Costs
 
Facility Realignment and Other Costs
 
Total
Accrual balance at December 31, 2017
$
113,474

 
$
9,626

 
$
123,100

Restructuring charges
4,182

 
3,334

 
7,516

Payments and other
(65,692
)
 
(5,853
)
 
(71,545
)
Accrual balance at June 30, 2018
51,964

 
7,107

 
59,071

Restructuring charges
5,841

 
8,826

 
14,667

Payments and other
(24,991
)
 
(2,613
)
 
(27,604
)
Accrual balance at September 30, 2018
$
32,814

 
$
13,320

 
$
46,134


The Company recorded restructuring charges of $52,081 and $141,078 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 relating to these restructuring initiatives.
Cumulative costs to date relating to these initiatives amounted to $327,521 and $71,162 for our Cablevision and Cequel segments, respectively.
Transaction Costs
The Company incurred transaction costs of $1,920 and $7,682 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 relating to the Distribution discussed in Note 1 and $1,367 and $1,687 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 related to the acquisition of a business.
v3.10.0.1
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
INTANGIBLE ASSETS
The following table summarizes information relating to the Company's acquired amortizable intangible assets: 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
 
 
Gross Carrying Amount
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Net Carrying Amount
 
Gross Carrying Amount
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Net Carrying Amount
 
Estimated Useful Lives
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Customer relationships
$
5,970,884

 
$
(1,979,595
)
 
$
3,991,289

 
$
5,970,884

 
$
(1,409,021
)
 
$
4,561,863

 
8 to 18 years
Trade names
1,067,083

 
(678,248
)
 
388,835

 
1,067,083

 
(588,574
)
 
478,509

 
2 to 5 years
Other amortizable intangibles
37,644

 
(16,772
)
 
20,872

 
37,060

 
(10,978
)
 
26,082

 
1 to 15 years
 
$
7,075,611

 
$
(2,674,615
)
 
$
4,400,996

 
$
7,075,027

 
$
(2,008,573
)
 
$
5,066,454

 
 
Amortization expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 aggregated $208,172 and $666,041, respectively, and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 aggregated $426,419 and $981,657, respectively.
The following table summarizes information relating to the Company's acquired indefinite-lived intangible assets:
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
Cable television franchises
$
8,113,575

 
$
4,906,506

 
$
13,020,081

 
$
8,113,575

 
$
4,906,506

 
$
13,020,081

Goodwill
5,873,716

 
2,138,700

 
8,012,416

 
5,866,120

 
2,153,741

 
8,019,861

Total
$
13,987,291

 
$
7,045,206

 
$
21,032,497

 
$
13,979,695

 
$
7,060,247

 
$
21,039,942


The carrying amount of goodwill is presented below:
Gross goodwill as of December 31, 2017, as reported
$
7,996,760

ATS goodwill included in Cablevision segment (See Note 3 for further details)
23,101

Gross goodwill as of December 31, 2017, as adjusted
8,019,861

Goodwill recorded in Cablevision segment in connection with an acquisition during the third quarter of 2018
7,608

Adjustment to Cablevision segment purchase accounting relating to business acquired in fourth quarter of 2017
(12
)
Reclassification of Cequel segment goodwill to property, plant and equipment
(15,041
)
Net goodwill as of September 30, 2018
$
8,012,416

v3.10.0.1
DEBT
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
DEBT
DEBT
The following table provides details of the Company's outstanding credit facility debt:
 
 
 
 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
Maturity Date
 
Interest Rate
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
CSC Holdings Restricted Group:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revolving Credit Facility (b)
$20,000 on October 9, 2020, remaining balance on November 30, 2021
 
5.40
%
 
$
575,000

 
$
554,908

 
$
450,000

 
$
425,488

Term Loan Facility
July 17, 2025
 
4.41
%
 
2,962,500

 
2,946,318

 
2,985,000

 
2,967,818

Incremental Term Loan Facility
January 25, 2026
 
4.66
%
 
1,496,250

 
1,478,995

 

 

Cequel:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revolving Credit Facility (c)
$65,000 on November 30, 2021, and remaining balance on April 5, 2023
 
%
 

 

 

 

Term Loan Facility
July 28, 2025
 
4.49
%
 
1,249,188

 
1,241,272

 
1,258,675

 
1,250,217

 
 
 
 
 
$
6,282,938

 
6,221,493

 
$
4,693,675

 
4,643,523

Less: Current portion
 
 
 
57,650

 
 
 
42,650

Long-term debt
 
 
 
$
6,163,843

 
 
 
$
4,600,873


(a)
The carrying amount is net of the unamortized deferred financing costs and/or discounts/premiums.
(b)
At September 30, 2018, $139,929 of the revolving credit facility was restricted for certain letters of credit issued on behalf of the Company and $1,585,071 of the facility was undrawn and available, subject to covenant limitations.
(c)
At September 30, 2018, $7,636 of the revolving credit facility was restricted for certain letters of credit issued on behalf of the Company and $342,364 of the facility was undrawn and available, subject to covenant limitations.
In January 2018, CSC Holdings borrowed $150,000 under its revolving credit facility and entered into a new $1,500,000 incremental term loan facility (the "Incremental Term Loan") under its existing credit facilities agreement. The Incremental Term Loan was priced at 99.5% and will mature on January 25, 2026. The Incremental Term Loan is comprised of eurodollar borrowings or alternate base rate borrowings, and bears interest at a rate per annum equal to the adjusted LIBO rate or the alternate base rate, as applicable, plus the applicable margin, where the applicable margin is (i) with respect to any alternate base rate loan, 1.50% per annum and (ii) with respect to any eurodollar loan, 2.50% per annum.
The Company made a voluntary repayment of $600,000 under the CSC Holdings revolving credit facility in January 2018.
On March 22, 2018, Altice US Finance I Corporation, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into a Fourth Amendment to the Cequel Credit Agreement (Extension Amendment), by and among the borrower, the Revolving Consent Lenders (as defined in the Fourth Amendment) and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent for the lenders (the “Fourth Amendment”).  The Fourth Amendment amends and supplements the Borrower’s credit agreement, dated as of June 12, 2015, as amended by the first amendment (refinancing amendment), dated as of October 25, 2016, the second amendment (extension amendment), dated as of December 9, 2016, and the third amendment (incremental loan assumption agreement and refinancing amendment), dated as of March 15, 2017, as so amended and as may be further amended, restated, modified or supplemented from time to time and as further amended by the Fourth Amendment among, inter alios, the borrower, the lenders party thereto and the administrative agent.
The Fourth Amendment extends the maturity date of the revolving loans and/or commitments of the Revolving Consent Lenders to April 5, 2023. The Fourth Amendment and the extended maturity date will not apply to the revolving loans and/or commitments of revolving lenders under the Cequel Credit Agreement that are not Revolving Consent Lenders.
In July 2018, the Company borrowed $575,000 under the CSC Holdings revolving credit facility agreement and used a portion of the proceeds to repay the $500,000 principal amount of senior notes due July 15, 2018.
As of September 30, 2018, the Company was in compliance with all of its financial covenants under the CSC Holdings credit facilities agreement and the Cequel credit facilities agreement.
Senior Guaranteed Notes, Senior Secured Notes and Senior Notes and Debentures
The following table summarizes the Company's senior guaranteed notes, senior secured notes and senior notes and debentures:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Date Issued
 
Maturity Date
 
Interest Rate
 
 
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
CSC Holdings Senior Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
February 6, 1998
 
February 15, 2018
 
7.875
%
(b)
(f)
(o)
$

 
$

 
$
300,000

 
$
301,184

July 21, 1998
 
July 15, 2018
 
7.625
%
(b)
(f)
(q)

 

 
500,000

 
507,744

February 12, 2009
 
February 15, 2019
 
8.625
%
(c)
(f)
 
526,000

 
531,206

 
526,000

 
541,165

November 15, 2011
 
November 15, 2021
 
6.750
%
(c)
(f)
 
1,000,000

 
966,913

 
1,000,000

 
960,146

May 23, 2014
 
June 1, 2024
 
5.250
%
(c)
(f)
 
750,000

 
668,918

 
750,000

 
660,601

October 9, 2015
 
January 15, 2023
 
10.125
%
(e)
 
 
1,800,000

 
1,780,504

 
1,800,000

 
1,777,914

October 9, 2015
 
October 15, 2025
 
10.875
%
(e)
 
 
1,684,221

 
1,662,507

 
1,684,221

 
1,661,135

CSC Holdings Senior Guaranteed Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
October 9, 2015

October 15, 2025

6.625
%
(e)


1,000,000


987,707


1,000,000


986,717

September 23, 2016

April 15, 2027

5.500
%
(g)


1,310,000


1,304,816


1,310,000


1,304,468

January 29, 2018

February 1, 2028

5.375
%
(n)


1,000,000


991,896





Cablevision Senior Notes (k):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
April 15, 2010

April 15, 2018

7.750
%
(c)
(f)
(o)




750,000


754,035

April 15, 2010

April 15, 2020

8.000
%
(c)
(f)
 
500,000


494,445


500,000


492,009

September 27, 2012

September 15, 2022

5.875
%
(c)
(f)
 
649,024


582,236


649,024


572,071

Cequel and Cequel Capital Senior Notes (l):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oct. 25, 2012 Dec. 28, 2012
 
September 15, 2020
 
6.375
%
(d)
(m)
 

 

 
1,050,000

 
1,027,493

May 16, 2013 Sept. 9, 2014
 
December 15, 2021
 
5.125
%
(d)
 
 
1,250,000

 
1,157,405

 
1,250,000

 
1,138,870

June 12, 2015
 
July 15, 2025
 
7.750
%
(i)
 
 
620,000

 
605,540

 
620,000

 
604,374

April 5, 2018

April 1, 2028

7.500
%
(p)


1,050,000


1,048,222





Altice US Finance I Corporation Senior Secured Notes (l):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
June 12, 2015
 
July 15, 2023
 
5.375
%
(h)
 
 
1,100,000

 
1,084,542

 
1,100,000

 
1,082,482

April 26, 2016
 
May 15, 2026
 
5.500
%
(j)
 
 
1,500,000

 
1,488,881

 
1,500,000

 
1,488,024

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
15,739,245

 
15,355,738

 
$
16,289,245

 
15,860,432

Less: current portion
 
 
531,206

 
 
 
507,744

Long-term debt
 
 
$
14,824,532

 
 
 
$
15,352,688

 
(a)
The carrying amount is net of the unamortized deferred financing costs and/or discounts/premiums.
(b)
The debentures are not redeemable by CSC Holdings prior to maturity.
(c)
Notes are redeemable at any time at a specified "make-whole" price plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.
(d)
The Company may redeem some or more of all the notes at the redemption price set forth in the relevant indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(e)
The Company may redeem some or all of the 2023 Notes at any time on or after January 15, 2019, and some or all of the 2025 Notes and 2025 Guaranteed Notes at any time on or after October 15, 2020, at the redemption prices set forth in the relevant indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.  The Company may also redeem up to 40% of each series of the notes using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before October 15, 2018, at a redemption price equal to 110.125% for the 2023 Notes, 110.875% for the 2025 Notes and 106.625% for the 2025 Guaranteed Notes, in each case plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, at any time prior to January 15, 2019, CSC Holdings may redeem some or all of the 2023 Notes, and at any time prior to October 15, 2020, the Company may redeem some or all of the 2025 Notes and the 2025 Guaranteed Notes, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus a “make whole” premium specified in the relevant indenture plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(f)
The carrying value of the notes was adjusted to reflect their fair value on the date of the Cablevision Acquisition (aggregate reduction of $52,788 at the date of the acquisition).
(g)
The 2027 Guaranteed Notes are redeemable at any time on or after April 15, 2022 at the redemption prices set forth in the indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.  In addition, up to 40% may be redeemed for each series of the 2027 Guaranteed Notes using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before October 15, 2019, at a redemption price equal to 105.500%, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(h)
Some or all of these notes may be redeemed at any time on or after July 15, 2018, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
(i)
Some or all of these notes may be redeemed at any time on or after July 15, 2020, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
(j)
Some or all of these notes may be redeemed at any time on or after May 15, 2021, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Up to 40% of the notes may be redeemed using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before May 15, 2019, at a redemption price equal to 105.500%.
(k)
The issuers of these notes have no ability to service interest or principal on the notes, other than through any dividends or distributions received from CSC Holdings. CSC Holdings is restricted, in certain circumstances, from paying dividends or distributions to the issuers by the terms of the CSC Holdings credit facilities agreement.
(l)
The issuers of these notes have no ability to service interest or principal on the notes, other than through any contributions/distributions from Cequel Communications, LLC (an indirect subsidiary of Cequel and the parent of Altice US Finance I). Cequel Communications, LLC is restricted in certain circumstances, from paying dividends or distributions to the issuers by the terms of the Cequel credit facilities agreement.
(m)
These notes were repaid in April 2018 with the proceeds from the issuance of new senior notes.
(n)
The 2028 Guaranteed Notes are redeemable at any time on or after February 1, 2023 at the redemption prices set forth in the indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.  In addition, up to 40% of the original aggregate principal amount of the notes may be redeemed using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before February 1, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 105.375%, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(o)
These notes were repaid in February 2018 with the proceeds from the 2028 Guaranteed Notes (defined below) and with the proceeds from the Incremental Term Loan.
(p)
The 2028 Senior Notes are redeemable at any time prior to April 1, 2023 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the applicable premium plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Up to 40% of the original aggregate principal amount of the 2028 Senior Notes may be redeemed using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before April 1, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 107.50% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, the 2028 Senior Notes are redeemable at any time on or after April 1, 2023 at the redemption prices set forth in indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(q)
These notes were repaid in July 2018 with borrowings under CSC Holdings revolving credit facility agreement.
In January 2018, CSC Holdings issued $1,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.375% senior guaranteed notes due February 1, 2028 (the "2028 Guaranteed Notes"). The 2028 Guaranteed Notes are senior unsecured obligations and rank pari passu in right of payment with all of the existing and future senior indebtedness, including the existing senior notes and the CVC Credit Facilities and rank senior in right of payment to all of existing and future subordinated indebtedness.
The proceeds from the 2028 Guaranteed Notes, together with proceeds from the Incremental Term Loan (discussed above), borrowings under the CVC revolving credit facility and cash on hand, were used in February 2018 to repay $300,000 principal amount of CSC Holdings' senior notes due in February 2018 and $750,000 principal amount of Cablevision senior notes due in April 2018 and a portion was used to fund the dividend of $1,499,935 to the Company's stockholders immediately prior to and in connection with the Distribution discussed in Note 1. In connection with the redemption of Cablevision senior notes, the Company paid a call premium of approximately $7,019, which was recorded as a loss on extinguishment of debt and also recorded a write-off of the unamortized premium of $2,314.
In April 2018, Cequel Communications Holdings I, LLC and Cequel Capital Corporation each an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, issued $1,050,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.50% senior notes due April 1, 2028 (the "2028 Senior Notes"). The proceeds of these notes were used in April 2018 to redeem the $1,050,000 aggregate principal amount 6 3/8% senior notes due September 15, 2020. In connection with the redemption of these notes, the Company paid a call premium of approximately $16,737, which was recorded as a loss on extinguishment of debt and also recorded a write-off of deferred financings costs aggregating $20,173.
The indentures under which the senior notes and debentures were issued contain various covenants.  The Company was in compliance with all of its financial covenants under these indentures as of September 30, 2018.
Notes Payable to Affiliates and Related Parties
On June 21, 2016, in connection with the Cablevision acquisition, the Company issued notes payable to affiliates and related parties aggregating $1,750,000, of which $875,000 bore interest at 10.75% and matured on December 20, 2023 and $875,000 bore interest at 11% and matured on December 20, 2024.
In connection with the Company's IPO in June 2017, the Company converted the notes payable to affiliates and related parties (together with accrued and unpaid interest of $529 and applicable premium of $513,723) into shares of the Company’s common stock at the IPO price. The premium was recorded as a loss on extinguishment of debt on the Company's statement of operations in the second quarter of 2017. In connection with the conversion of the notes, the Company recorded a credit to paid in capital of $2,264,252 in the second quarter of 2017.
For the nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recognized $90,405 of interest expense related to these notes prior to their conversion.
Summary of Debt Maturities
The future maturities of debt payable by the Company under its various debt obligations outstanding as of September 30, 2018, including notes payable, collateralized indebtedness (see Note 10), and capital leases, are as follows:
Years Ending December 31,
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
2018
$
30,678

 
$
6,446

 
$
37,124

2019
598,210

 
43,999

 
642,209

2020
550,396

 
12,720

 
563,116

2021
3,083,892

 
1,262,729

 
4,346,621

2022
697,147

 
12,739

 
709,886

Thereafter
11,815,174

 
5,466,230

 
17,281,404

v3.10.0.1
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS AND COLLATERALIZED INDEBTEDNESS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS AND COLLATERALIZED INDEBTEDNESS
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS AND COLLATERALIZED INDEBTEDNESS
Prepaid Forward Contracts
The Company has entered into various transactions to limit the exposure against equity price risk on its shares of Comcast Corporation ("Comcast") common stock.  The Company has monetized all of its stock holdings in Comcast through the execution of prepaid forward contracts, collateralized by an equivalent amount of the respective underlying stock.  At maturity, the contracts provide for the option to deliver cash or shares of Comcast stock with a value determined by reference to the applicable stock price at maturity.  These contracts, at maturity, are expected to offset declines in the fair value of these securities below the hedge price per share while allowing the Company to retain upside appreciation from the hedge price per share to the relevant cap price.  
The Company received cash proceeds upon execution of the prepaid forward contracts discussed above which has been reflected as collateralized indebtedness in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.  In addition, the Company separately accounts for the equity derivative component of the prepaid forward contracts.  These equity derivatives have not been designated as hedges for accounting purposes.  Therefore, the net fair values of the equity derivatives have been reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets as an asset or liability and the net increases or decreases in the fair value of the equity derivative component of the prepaid forward contracts are included in gain (loss) on derivative contracts in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.
All of the Company's monetization transactions are obligations of its wholly-owned subsidiaries that are not part of the Restricted Group; however, CSC Holdings has provided guarantees of the subsidiaries' ongoing contract payment expense obligations and potential payments that could be due as a result of an early termination event (as defined in the agreements).  If any one of these contracts were terminated prior to its scheduled maturity date, the Company would be obligated to repay the fair value of the collateralized indebtedness less the sum of the fair values of the underlying stock and equity collar, calculated at the termination date.  As of September 30, 2018, the Company did not have an early termination shortfall relating to any of these contracts.
The Company monitors the financial institutions that are counterparties to its equity derivative contracts.  All of the counterparties to such transactions carry investment grade credit ratings as of September 30, 2018.
Interest Rate Swap Contracts
In May 2018, the Company entered into two interest rate swap contracts that mature in April 2019 whereby one contract converts the interest rate on $2,970,000 of the CSC Holdings Term Loan Facility from a one-month LIBO rate to a three-month LIBO rate minus 0.226% and the second contract converts the interest rate on $1,496,250 of the CSC Holdings Incremental Term Loan from a one-month LIBO rate to a three-month LIBO rate minus 0.226%. The objective of these swaps is to potentially pay a lower interest rate than what the Company can elect under the terms of the CSC Holdings credit facilities agreement.
In April 2018, the Company entered into an interest rate swap contract that matures in May 2019 which converts the interest rate on $1,255,513 of the Cequel Term Loan B from a one-month LIBO rate to a three-month LIBO rate minus 0.225%. The objective of this swap is to potentially pay a lower interest rate than what the Company can elect under the terms of the Cequel credit facilities agreement.
In June 2016, the Company entered into two fixed to floating interest rate swap contracts that mature in May 2026. One fixed to floating interest rate swap is converting $750,000 from a fixed rate of 1.6655% to a six-month LIBO rate and a second tranche of $750,000 from a fixed rate of 1.68% to a six-month LIBO rate. The objective of these swaps is to adjust the proportion of total debt that is subject to fixed and variable interest rates.
These swap contracts were not designated as hedges for accounting purposes. Accordingly, the changes in the fair value of these interest rate swap contracts are recorded through the statements of operations.
The Company does not hold or issue derivative instruments for trading or speculative purposes.
The following represents the location of the assets and liabilities associated with the Company's derivative instruments within the condensed consolidated balance sheets:
 
 
 
 
Asset Derivatives
 
Liability Derivatives
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
 
Balance Sheet
Location
 
Fair Value at September 30, 2018
 
Fair Value at December 31, 2017
 
Fair Value at September 30, 2018
 
Fair Value at December 31, 2017
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest rate swap contracts
 
Derivative contracts, current
 
$
3,269

 
$

 
$

 
$

Prepaid forward contracts
 
Derivative contracts, current
 

 
52,545

 

 
(52,545
)
Prepaid forward contracts
 
Derivative contracts, long-term
 
31,510

 

 
(10,131
)
 
(109,504
)
Interest rate swap contracts
 
Liabilities under derivative contracts, long-term
 

 

 
(143,719
)
 
(77,902
)
 
 
 
 
$
34,779

 
$
52,545

 
$
(153,850
)
 
$
(239,951
)

Gains (losses) from the Company's derivative contracts related to the Comcast common stock for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 of $(79,628) and $130,883, respectively, are reflected in gain (loss) on derivative contracts, net in the Company's condensed consolidated statement of operations.
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded a gain (loss) on investments of $111,684 and $(199,312), respectively, representing the net increase (decrease) in the fair values of the investment securities pledged as collateral. 
For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded a loss on interest rate swap contracts of $19,554 and $64,405, respectively.
Settlements of Collateralized Indebtedness
The following table summarizes the settlement of the Company's collateralized indebtedness relating to Comcast shares that were settled by delivering cash equal to the collateralized loan value, net of the value of the related equity derivative contracts during the nine months ended September 30, 2018: 
Number of shares
16,139,868

Collateralized indebtedness settled
$
(516,537
)
Derivatives contracts settled
24

 
(516,513
)
Proceeds from new monetization contracts
516,513

Net cash proceeds
$


The cash to settle the collateralized indebtedness was obtained from the proceeds of new monetization contracts covering an equivalent number of Comcast shares.  The terms of the new contracts allow the Company to retain upside participation in Comcast shares up to each respective contract's upside appreciation limit with downside exposure limited to the respective hedge price.
v3.10.0.1
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT
The fair value hierarchy is based on inputs to valuation techniques that are used to measure fair value that are either observable or unobservable.  Observable inputs reflect assumptions market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability based on market data obtained from independent sources while unobservable inputs reflect a reporting entity's pricing based upon their own market assumptions.  The fair value hierarchy consists of the following three levels:
Level I - Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.
Level II - Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable.
Level III - Instruments whose significant value drivers are unobservable.
The following table presents for each of these hierarchy levels, the Company's financial assets and financial liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
 
Fair Value
Hierarchy
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Money market funds
Level I
 
$
296,123

 
$
5,949

Investment securities pledged as collateral
Level I
 
1,521,045

 
1,720,357

Prepaid forward contracts
Level II
 
31,510

 
52,545

Interest rate swap contracts
Level II
 
3,269

 

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
Prepaid forward contracts
Level II
 
10,131

 
162,049

Interest rate swap contracts
Level II
 
143,719

 
77,902

Contingent consideration related to 2017 and 2018 acquisitions
Level III
 
6,733

 
32,233


The Company's cash equivalents, investment securities and investment securities pledged as collateral are classified within Level I of the fair value hierarchy because they are valued using quoted market prices.
The Company's derivative contracts and liabilities under derivative contracts on the Company's balance sheets are valued using market-based inputs to valuation models.  These valuation models require a variety of inputs, including contractual terms, market prices, yield curves, and measures of volatility.  When appropriate, valuations are adjusted for various factors such as liquidity, bid/offer spreads and credit risk considerations.  Such adjustments are generally based on available market evidence.  Since model inputs can generally be verified and do not involve significant management judgment, the Company has concluded that these instruments should be classified within Level II of the fair value hierarchy.
The fair value of the contingent consideration as of September 30, 2018 related to the acquisitions in the third quarter of 2018 and fourth quarter of 2017 amounted to approximately $4,500 and $2,233, respectively. The estimated amount recorded as of September 30, 2018 is 100% of the contractual amount related to the acquisition in the third quarter 2018 and 51% of the contractual amount related to the acquisition in the fourth quarter 2017. The fair value of the consideration was estimated based on a probability assessment of attaining the targets as of September 30, 2018.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate fair value of each class of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate:
Credit Facility Debt, Collateralized Indebtedness, Senior Notes and Debentures, Senior Secured Notes, Senior Guaranteed Notes, and Notes Payable
The fair values of each of the Company's debt instruments are based on quoted market prices for the same or similar issues or on the current rates offered to the Company for instruments of the same remaining maturities. The fair value of notes payable is based primarily on the present value of the remaining payments discounted at the borrowing cost.
The carrying values, estimated fair values, and classification under the fair value hierarchy of the Company's financial instruments, excluding those that are carried at fair value in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets, are summarized as follows:
 
 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
Fair Value
Hierarchy
 
Carrying
Amount (a)
 
Estimated
Fair Value
 
Carrying
Amount (a)
 
Estimated
Fair Value
CSC Holdings debt instruments:
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Credit facility debt
Level II
 
$
4,980,221

 
$
5,033,750

 
$
3,393,306

 
$
3,435,000

Collateralized indebtedness
Level II
 
1,400,398

 
1,352,771

 
1,349,474

 
1,305,932

Senior guaranteed notes
Level II
 
3,284,419

 
3,293,125

 
2,291,185

 
2,420,000

Senior notes and debentures
Level II
 
5,610,048

 
6,245,760

 
6,409,889

 
7,221,846

Notes payable
Level II
 
42,810

 
42,653

 
56,956

 
55,289

Cablevision senior notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Senior notes and debentures
Level II
 
1,076,681

 
1,189,098

 
1,818,115

 
1,931,239

Cequel debt instruments:
 
 


 


 


 


Cequel credit facility debt
Level II
 
1,241,272

 
1,249,188

 
1,250,217

 
1,258,675

Senior secured notes
Level II
 
2,573,423

 
2,604,930

 
2,570,506

 
2,658,930

Senior notes
Level II
 
2,811,167

 
3,013,615

 
2,770,737

 
2,983,615

Notes payable
Level II
 
34,281

 
34,281

 
8,946

 
8,946

 
 
 
$
23,054,720

 
$
24,059,171

 
$
21,919,331

 
$
23,279,472

 
(a)
Amounts are net of unamortized deferred financing costs, premiums and discounts.
The fair value estimates related to the Company's debt instruments presented above are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant market information and information about the financial instrument.  These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgments and therefore cannot be determined with precision.  Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates.
Fair Value of Non-financial Assets and Liabilities
The Company’s non-financial assets such as cable-television franchises, property, plant, and equipment, other intangible assets and cost-method investments, are not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, however, they are subject to fair value adjustments whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of these assets may not be recoverable. No material impairments were recorded during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.
v3.10.0.1
INCOME TAXES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES
INCOME TAXES
In general, the Company is required to use an estimated annual effective tax rate ("AETR") to measure the income tax expense or benefit recognized on a year to date basis in an interim period. In addition, certain items included in income tax expense as well as the tax impact of certain items included in pretax income must be treated as discrete items. The income tax expense or benefit associated with these discrete items is fully recognized in the interim period in which the items occur.
The Company recorded income tax expense of $95,968 and $29,675 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively. Included in the income tax expense for each period was tax expense of $49,052 as a result of the revaluation of the Company's deferred tax liability in connection with tax law changes in the State of New Jersey. Absent this item, the effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2018 would have been 36%. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the tax benefit was more than offset by the $49,052 expense recorded in the period. The tax expense was calculated based upon the actual effective tax rate for the year-to-date period. The Company determined this to represent the best estimate of the annual effective tax rate in light of the magnitude of the expected income and the significant permanent differences.
Pursuant to the enactment of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act ("Tax Reform"), effective on January 1, 2018, the corporate federal income tax rate was reduced to 21% from 35%. The Company is subject to Tax Reform’s limitation on interest deductibility which is based on a limit calculated without regard to depreciation or amortization through 2021. The resulting interest deduction that is deferred can be carried forward indefinitely. Nevertheless, as is the case with any future deductible temporary difference, management will continue to evaluate realizability to determine whether a valuation allowance is required as a result of these limitations. Therefore a valuation allowance may need to be recorded in the future subject to the relative levels of future interest expense versus taxable income.
The Company recorded income tax benefit of $141,550 and $439,945 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, reflecting the AETR of approximately 42% and 37%, respectively.
As of September 30, 2018, the Company's federal net operating losses (“NOLs”) were approximately $2,419,000. The utilization of certain pre-merger NOLs of Cablevision and Cequel are limited pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 382. The Company does not expect such limitations to impact the ability to utilize the NOLs prior to their expiration.
v3.10.0.1
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION
Certain employees of the Company and its affiliates received awards of units in a carry unit plan of Neptune Management LP, an entity which has an ownership interest in the Company. The awards generally vest as follows: 50% on the second anniversary of June 21, 2016 for Cablevision employees or December 21, 2015 for Cequel employees ("Base Date"), 25% on the third anniversary of the Base Date, and 25% on the fourth anniversary of the Base Date.  Neptune Holding US GP LLC, the general partner of Neptune Management LP, has the right to repurchase (or to assign to an affiliate, including the Company, the right to repurchase) vested awards held by employees for sixty days following their termination.  For performance-based awards under the plan, vesting occurs upon achievement or satisfaction of a specified performance condition. The Company considered the probability of achieving the established performance targets in determining the share-based compensation with respect to these awards at the end of each reporting period.
Beginning on the fourth anniversary of the Base Date, the holders of carry units have an annual opportunity (a sixty day period determined by the administrator of the plan) to sell their units back to Neptune Holding US GP LLC (or affiliate, including the Company, designated by Neptune Holding US GP LLC). Accordingly, the carry units are presented as temporary equity on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. Adjustments to fair value at each reporting period are recorded in paid-in capital.
The right of Neptune Holding US GP LLC to assign to an affiliate, including the Company, the right to repurchase an employee’s vested units during the sixty-day period following termination, or to satisfy its obligation to repurchase an employee’s vested units during annual 60 day periods following the fourth anniversary of the Base Date, may be exercised by Neptune Holding US GP LLC in its discretion at the time a repurchase right or obligation arises. The carry unit plan requires the purchase price payable to the employee or former employee, as the case may be, to be paid in cash, a promissory note (with a term of not more than 3 years and bearing interest at the long-term applicable federal rate under Section 1274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code) or combination thereof, in each case as determined by Neptune Holding US GP LLC in its discretion at the time of the repurchase. Neptune Holding US GP LLC expects that vested units will be redeemed for shares of the Company's Class A common stock upon vesting.
The following table summarizes activity relating to carry units:
 
Number of Time
Vesting Awards
 
Number of Performance
Based Vesting Awards
 
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Balance, December 31, 2017
168,550,001

 
10,000,000

 
$
0.71

Vested
(48,337,500
)
 

 
0.37

Forfeited
(15,500,001
)
 

 
0.56

Balance, September 30, 2018
104,712,500

 
10,000,000

 
1.01


The weighted average fair value per unit was $2.28 and $2.50 as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recognized an expense of $7,510 and $33,004 related to the push down of share-based compensation expense related to the carry unit plan. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recognized an expense of $15,005 and $40,932 related to the push down of share-based compensation related to the carry unit plan.
Stock Option Plan
The following table summarizes activity related to employee stock options for the nine months ended September 30, 2018:
 
Shares Under Option
 
Weighted Average
Exercise
Price Per Share
 
Weighted Average Remaining
Contractual Term
(in years)
 
 
 
Time
Vesting
 
Performance
Based Vesting
 
 
 
Aggregate Intrinsic
Value (a)
Balance at December 31, 2017
5,110,747

 

 
$
17.45

 
9.97

 
$
8,944

Granted
2,332,540

 
95,953

 
17.76

 
 
 
 
Forfeited
(496,491
)
 
(22,314
)
 
17.76

 
 
 
 
Balance at September 30, 2018
6,946,796

 
73,639

 
17.51

 
9.43

 
4,417

Options exercisable at September 30, 2018

 

 

 

 

 
(a)
The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price and the closing price of the Company's Class A common stock at the respective date.
The Company recognized share based compensation expense related to employee stock options for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 of $4,817 and $13,172, respectively.
The following weighted-average assumptions were used to calculate the fair values of stock option awards granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2018:
Risk-free interest rate
 
2.77%
Expected life (in years)
 
6.48
Dividend yield
 
—%
Volatility
 
35.23%
Grant date fair value
 
$7.12
v3.10.0.1
AFFILIATE AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
AFFILIATE AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
AFFILIATE AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Equity Method Investments
In April 2018, Altice N.V. transferred its ownership of i24 US and i24 Europe ('i24NEWS"), Altice N.V.'s 24/7 international news and current affairs channels to the Company for minimal consideration (the "i24NEWS Acquisition"). As the acquisition was a combination of businesses under common control, the Company combined the results of operations and related assets and liabilities of i24NEWS as of April 1, 2018. Operating results for periods prior to April 1, 2018 and the balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 have not been revised to reflect the combination of i24NEWS as the impact was deemed immaterial.
The Company's equity in the net losses of i24NEWS prior to April 1, 2018 of $1,130 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and $541 and $3,126 for three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 were recorded using the equity method and reflected in other expense, net in the Company's statements of operations. The Company's investment in i24NEWS as of December 31, 2017 of $930 is included in investment in affiliates on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet.
In April 2018, the Company redeemed a 24% interest in Newsday LLC ("Newsday") and recognized a gain of $13,298, reflected in gain (loss) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net in the Company's statements of operations. For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company recorded equity in the net loss of Newsday of $9,719. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, the Company recorded equity in net loss of Newsday of $1,034 and $2,571, respectively, reflected in other expense, net in the Company's statements of operations. The Company's deficit investment in Newsday as of December 31, 2017 of $3,579 is included in deficit investment in affiliates on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheets.
Affiliate and Related Party Transactions
Altice USA is controlled by Patrick Drahi who is also the controlling stockholder of Altice Europe (formerly Altice N.V.) and its subsidiaries.
As the transactions discussed below were conducted between entities under common control by Mr. Drahi and equity method investees, amounts charged for certain services may not have represented amounts that might have been received or incurred if the transactions were based upon arm's length negotiations.
The following table summarizes the revenue and charges related to services provided to or received from subsidiaries of Altice Europe and Newsday:
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Revenue
$
545

 
$
426

 
$
1,397

 
$
820

Operating expenses:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Programming and other direct costs
(1,671
)
 
(1,196
)
 
(6,690
)
 
$
(3,026
)
Other operating expenses, net
(905
)
 
(8,302
)
 
(15,154
)
 
(24,266
)
Operating expenses, net
(2,576
)
 
(9,498
)
 
(21,844
)
 
(27,292
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest expense (a)

 

 

 
(90,405
)
Other income, net

 

 
149

 

Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs

 

 

 
(513,723
)
Net charges
$
(2,031
)
 
$
(9,072
)
 
$
(20,298
)
 
$
(630,600
)
Capital expenditures
$
3,945

 
$
3,549

 
$
6,679

 
$
12,914


(a)
In connection with the Company's IPO in June 2017, the Company converted the notes payable to affiliates and related parties into shares of the Company’s common stock at the IPO price.
Revenue
The Company recognized revenue primarily in connection with the sale of advertising to Newsday.
Programming and other direct costs
Programming and other direct costs include costs incurred by the Company for the transport and termination of voice and data services provided by a subsidiary of Altice Europe.
Other operating expenses
A subsidiary of Altice Europe provided certain executive services, as well as consulting, advisory and other services, including, prior to the IPO, CEO, CFO and COO services, to the Company. Compensation under the terms of the agreement was an annual fee of $30,000 to be paid by the Company. Fees associated with this agreement recorded by the Company amounted to approximately $13,250 for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and $7,500 and $22,500 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively. As of June 20, 2017, the CEO, CFO and COO became employees of the Company and the agreement was assigned to Altice Europe. by a subsidiary of Altice Europe. This agreement was terminated upon the completion of the Distribution discussed in Note 1.
Other operating expenses also include charges for services provided by other subsidiaries of Altice Europe aggregating $905 and $1,904 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and $802 and $1,766 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, net of credits of $76 and $917 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, for transition services provided to Newsday.
Capital Expenditures
Capital expenditures include $3,945 and $6,679 for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and $3,549 and $12,914, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively, for equipment purchases and software development services provided by subsidiaries of Altice Europe.
Aggregate amounts that were due from and due to related parties are summarized below:
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Due from:
 
 
 
Altice US Finance S.A. (a)
$
13,100

 
$
12,951

Newsday (b)
541

 
2,713

Altice Management Americas (b)
1,271

 
33

Altice Dominican Republic (b)
2,551

 

i24 News (b)

 
4,036

Other Altice Europe subsidiaries (b)
924

 
31

 
$
18,387

 
$
19,764

Due to:
 
 
 
Altice Europe (c)
$
13,250

 
$

Newsday (b)
32

 
33

Altice Labs S.A. (d)
1,463

 
7,354

Other Altice Europe subsidiaries (d)
8,679

 
3,611

 
$
23,424

 
$
10,998

 
(a)
Represents interest on senior notes paid by the Company on behalf of the affiliate.
(b)
Represents amounts paid by the Company on behalf of the respective related party, and for Newsday the net amounts due from the related party also include charges for certain transition services provided.
(c)
Represents amounts due to Altice Europe pursuant to the agreement discussed above.
(d)
Represents amounts due to affiliates for the purchase of equipment and advertising services, as well as reimbursement for payments made on our behalf.
v3.10.0.1
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Legal Matters
Following expiration of the affiliation agreements for carriage of certain Fox broadcast stations and cable networks on October 16, 2010, News Corporation terminated delivery of the programming feeds to Cablevision, and as a result, those stations and networks were unavailable on Cablevision's cable television systems. On October 30, 2010, Cablevision and Fox reached an agreement on new affiliation agreements for these stations and networks, and carriage was restored. Several purported class action lawsuits alleging breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and consumer fraud and seeking unspecified compensatory damages, punitive damages and attorneys' fees were subsequently filed on behalf of Cablevision's customers seeking recovery for the lack of Fox programming. Those lawsuits were consolidated in an action before the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and a consolidated complaint was filed in that court on February 22, 2011. On March 28, 2012, in ruling on Cablevision's motion to dismiss, the Court dismissed all of plaintiffs’ claims, except for breach of contract.  On March 30, 2014, the Court granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification. The parties have entered into a settlement agreement, which was granted final approval by the Court on May 17, 2018. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had an estimated liability associated with a potential settlement totaling $6,000. The amount ultimately paid in connection with the proposed settlement could exceed the amount recorded.
In October 2015, the New York Attorney General began an investigation into whether the major Internet Service Providers in New York State deliver advertised Internet speeds. The Company is cooperating with this investigation and is currently in discussions with the New York Attorney General about resolving the investigation as to the Company, which resolution may involve operational and or financial components. While the Company is unable to predict the outcome of the investigation or these discussions, at this time it does not expect that the outcome will have a material adverse effect on its operations, financial conditions or cash flows.
The Company receives notices from third parties and, in some cases, is named as a defendant in certain lawsuits claiming infringement of various patents relating to various aspects of the Company's businesses.  In certain of these cases other industry participants are also defendants.  In certain of these cases the Company expects that any potential liability would be the responsibility of the Company's equipment vendors pursuant to applicable contractual indemnification provisions.  In the event that the Company is found to infringe on any patent rights, the Company may be subject to substantial damages and/or an injunction that could require the Company or its vendors to modify certain products and services the Company offers to its subscribers, as well as enter into royalty or license agreements with respect to the patents at issue. The Company believes that the claims are without merit, but is unable to predict the outcome of these matters or reasonably estimate a range of possible loss.
In addition to the matters discussed above, the Company is party to various lawsuits, disputes and investigations, some of which may involve claims for substantial damages, fines or penalties.  Although the outcome of these other matters cannot be predicted and the impact of the final resolution of these other matters on the Company's results of operations in a particular subsequent reporting period is not known, management does not believe that the resolution of these other lawsuits will have a material adverse effect on the financial position of the Company or the ability of the Company to meet its financial obligations as they become due.
v3.10.0.1
SEGMENT INFORMATION
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
SEGMENT INFORMATION
SEGMENT INFORMATION
The Company classifies its operations into two reportable segments: Cablevision and Cequel. The Company's reportable segments are strategic business units that are managed separately.  The Company evaluates segment performance based on several factors, of which the primary financial measure is business segment Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure.  The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) excluding income taxes, income (loss) from discontinued operations, non-operating other income or expenses, loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs, gain (loss) on interest rate swap contracts, gain (loss) on derivative contracts, gain (loss) on investments, interest expense (including cash interest expense), interest income, depreciation and amortization (including impairments), share-based compensation expense or benefit, restructuring expense or credits and transaction expenses.  The Company has presented the components that reconcile Adjusted EBITDA to operating income, an accepted GAAP measure:
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2018
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
Operating income (loss)
$
340,455

 
$
165,103

 
$
505,558

 
$
(3,103
)
 
$
123,678

 
$
120,575

Share-based compensation
9,038

 
3,289

 
12,327

 
11,555

 
3,450

 
15,005

Restructuring and other expense
14,122

 
2,465

 
16,587

 
35,364

 
18,084

 
53,448

Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)
378,549

 
157,504

 
536,053

 
656,122

 
167,164

 
823,286

Adjusted EBITDA
$
742,164

 
$
328,361

 
$
1,070,525

 
$
699,938

 
$
312,376

 
$
1,012,314


 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018
 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
Operating income
$
714,413

 
$
439,242

 
$
1,153,655

 
$
228,740

 
$
395,213

 
$
623,953

Share-based compensation
35,567

 
10,609

 
46,176

 
28,597

 
12,335

 
40,932

Restructuring and other expense
25,720

 
4,145

 
29,865

 
105,182

 
37,583

 
142,765

Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)
1,337,051

 
490,234

 
1,827,285

 
1,641,501

 
497,299

 
2,138,800

Adjusted EBITDA
$
2,112,751

 
$
944,230

 
$
3,056,981

 
$
2,004,020

 
$
942,430

 
$
2,946,450

A reconciliation of reportable segment amounts to the Company's condensed consolidated balances are as follows:
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Operating income for reportable segments
$
505,558

 
$
120,575

 
$
1,153,655

 
$
623,953

Items excluded from operating income:
 
 

 
 
 
 
Interest expense
(389,594
)
 
(379,066
)
 
(1,157,395
)
 
(1,232,730
)
Interest income
1,427

 
961

 
9,843

 
1,373

Gain (loss) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net
111,684

 
(18,900
)
 
(182,031
)
 
169,888

Gain (loss) on derivative contracts, net
(79,628
)
 
(16,763
)
 
130,883

 
(154,270
)
Gain (loss) on interest rate swap contracts
(19,554
)
 
1,051

 
(64,405
)
 
12,539

Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs

 
(38,858
)
 
(41,616
)
 
(600,240
)
Other expense, net
(186
)
 
(2,984
)
 
(12,473
)
 
(9,019
)
Income (loss) before income taxes
$
129,707

 
$
(333,984
)
 
$
(163,539
)
 
$
(1,188,506
)

The following tables present the composition of revenue by reportable segment:
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2018
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
783,252

 
$
271,415

 
$

 
$
1,054,667

 
$
798,583

 
$
271,363

 
$

 
$
1,069,946

Broadband
457,709

 
272,198

 

 
729,907

 
416,972

 
241,306

 

 
658,278

Telephony
130,494

 
30,857

 

 
161,351

 
140,830

 
31,649

 

 
172,479

Business services and wholesale
242,305

 
101,888

 

 
344,193

 
230,200

 
94,442

 

 
324,642

Advertising
105,719

 
18,107

 
(760
)
 
123,066

 
72,316

 
17,456

 
(480
)
 
89,292

Other
2,209

 
2,408

 

 
4,617

 
2,458

 
5,426

 

 
7,884

Total Revenue
$
1,721,688

 
$
696,873

 
$
(760
)
 
$
2,417,801

 
$
1,661,359

 
$
661,642

 
$
(480
)
 
$
2,322,521

 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018
 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
2,313,229

 
$
809,550

 
$

 
$
3,122,779

 
$
2,397,233

 
$
827,754

 
$

 
$
3,224,987

Broadband
1,347,486

 
796,244

 

 
2,143,730

 
1,218,504

 
708,312

 

 
1,926,816

Telephony
399,714

 
91,174

 

 
490,888

 
432,710

 
98,991

 

 
531,701

Business services and wholesale
713,240

 
301,431

 

 
1,014,671

 
689,708

 
277,995

 

 
967,703

Advertising
276,343

 
53,541

 
(9,338
)
 
320,546

 
216,250

 
54,384

 
(480
)
 
270,154

Other
8,697

 
10,357

 

 
19,054

 
8,467

 
17,314

 

 
25,781

Total Revenue
$
5,058,709

 
$
2,062,297

 
$
(9,338
)
 
$
7,111,668

 
$
4,962,872

 
$
1,984,750

 
$
(480
)
 
$
6,947,142


 
(a)     Reflects revenue recognized by Cablevision from the sale of services to Cequel.
Capital expenditures (cash basis) by reportable segment are presented below:
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Cablevision
$
217,326

 
$
180,287

 
$
554,483

 
$
505,852

Cequel
117,201

 
75,042

 
278,341

 
213,067

 
$
334,527

 
$
255,329

 
$
832,824

 
$
718,919


Primarily all revenues and assets of the Company's reportable segments are attributed to or located in the United States.
Total assets by segment are not provided as such amounts are not regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision makers for purposes of decision making regarding resource allocations.
v3.10.0.1
SUBSEQUENT EVENT
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Subsequent Events [Abstract]  
SUBSEQUENT EVENT
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Revolver Repayment
On October 15, 2018, CSC Holdings made a voluntary repayment under its revolving credit facility of $125,000.
Incremental CSC Holdings Term Loan Facility
In October 2018, in connection with its intention to combine the Cequel and Cablevision businesses under a single credit silo, the Company commenced an exchange of senior and senior secured notes (see below) and successfully entered into a new $1,275,000 7-year senior secured term loan maturing January 2026 (the “Senior Secured Term Loan B”), providing for the refinancing of the entire principal amount of loans under Cequel’s existing Term Loan Facility and other transaction costs related to the credit silo combination. The new Senior Secured Term Loan B will have a margin of 2.25% over LIBOR and was issued with an original issue discount of 25 basis points.
Senior Notes Exchange
On October 2, 2018, Cequel, Cequel Capital and Altice US Finance I Corporation (the "Issuers"), commenced offers to exchange (the "Exchange Offers") any and all outstanding senior notes and senior secured notes issued by them (the "Original Notes") for up to $5,520,000 aggregate principal amount of new notes (the "New Notes") and, in the case of the 5.375% secured notes due 2023 and 5.500% secured notes due 2026, cash. These New Notes will be automatically converted into new CSC Holdings notes upon satisfaction (or waiver) of certain conditions set forth in the Exchange Offers.
Additionally, in connection with the Exchange Offers, the Issuers solicited consents to amend each of the Original Notes, except the 5.125% Notes due 2021, and the indentures governing such notes. The proposed amendments, which require the consent of a majority in outstanding aggregate principal amount of each series of relevant Original Notes, respectively, will eliminate or waive substantially all of the restrictive covenants, eliminate certain events of default, and modify or eliminate certain other provisions. Each of the Exchange Offers is subject to the condition that there have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn a majority of the outstanding aggregate principal amount of each of the 5.375% Secured Notes due 2023 and 5.500% Secured Notes due 2026 (the “Minimum Tender Condition”).
Eligible holders who validly tendered and did not validly withdraw Original Notes on October 16, 2018 (the "Early Tender Time") received for each $1,000 principal amount of Original Notes tendered and accepted by the applicable Issuer, $1,000 principal amount of New Notes, plus, in the case of the 5.375% secured notes due 2023 and 5.500% secured notes due 2026, at least $2.50 in cash. Eligible holders who didn't validly tender Original Notes after the Early Tender Time, but prior to October 30, 2018 received for each $1,000 principal amount of Original Notes tendered and accepted by the applicable Issuer, $950 principal amount of New Notes.
In connection with the Early Tender Time described above, the Issuers exchanged $1,232,328 aggregate principal amount of the 5.125% Senior Notes due 2021, $610,698 aggregate principal amount of the 7.750% Senior Notes due 2025, $1,045,443 aggregate principal amount of the 7.500% Senior Notes due 2028, $1,095,493 aggregate principal amount of the 5.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 and $1,495,642 aggregate principal amount of the 5.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2026. 
For the period subsequent to the Early Tender Time through October 30, 2018, the Issuers exchanged $8,786 aggregate principal amount of the 5.125% Senior Notes due 2021, $7,562 aggregate principal amount of the 7.750% Senior Notes due 2025, $439 aggregate principal amount of the 7.500% Senior Notes due 2028, $350 aggregate principal amount of the 5.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 and $3,309 aggregate principal amount of the 5.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2026.
The principal amount of the unexchanged Original Notes include $8,886 aggregate principal amount of the 5.125% Senior Notes due 2021, $1,740 aggregate principal amount of the 7.750% Senior Notes due 2025, $4,118 aggregate principal amount of the 7.500% Senior Notes due 2028, $4,157 aggregate principal amount of the 5.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023 and $1,049 aggregate principal amount of the 5.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2026.
Deferred financing costs and unamortized discounts related to the Cequel term loan, senior notes and secured senior notes aggregated $143,326 at September 30, 2018. The Company is evaluating whether the term loan refinancing and the exchange of notes is deemed an extinguishment of debt and whether any of these costs will be written off in the fourth quarter of 2018.
v3.10.0.1
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Recently Issued But Not Yet Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The primary provision of ASU No. 2018-02 allows for the reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. ASU No. 2018-02 also requires certain disclosures about stranded tax effects. ASU No. 2018-02 is effective for the Company on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted and will be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is recognized. The Company elected to adopt ASU No. 2018-02 during the first quarter of 2018. The adoption resulted in the reclassification of stranded tax amounts of $2,163 associated with net unrecognized losses from the Company's pension plans from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718). ASU No. 2017-09 provides clarity and guidance on which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. ASU No. 2017-09 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715). ASU No. 2017-07 requires that an employer disaggregate the service cost component from the other components of net benefit cost. It also provides guidance on how to present the service cost component and the other components of net benefit cost in the income statement and what component of net benefit cost is eligible for capitalization. ASU No. 2017‑07 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and was applied retrospectively. As a result of the adoption, the Company reclassified the non-service cost components of the Company's pension expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 from other operating expenses to other income (expense), net. The Company elected to apply the practical expedient which allowed it to reclassify amounts disclosed previously in the benefits plan note as the basis for applying retrospective presentation for comparative periods, as the Company determined it was impracticable to disaggregate the cost components for amounts capitalized and amortized in those periods. See Note 3 for information on the impact of the adoption of ASU No. 2017-07.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805), Clarifying the Definition of a Business, which amends Topic 805 to interpret the definition of a business by adding guidance to assist in evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The Company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In December 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-20, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, in order to clarify the Codification and to correct any unintended application of the guidance. The amendments in this update affected the guidance in ASC 606. ASC 606 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 on a full retrospective basis, which required the Company to reflect the impact of the updated guidance for all periods presented. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. See Note 3 for information on the impact of the adoption of ASC 606.
In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which requires that the statement of cash flows disclose the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents. Restricted cash should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-18 provides specific guidance on the presentation of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-18 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and was applied retrospectively for all periods presented.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments which clarifies how entities should classify certain cash receipts and cash payments on the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-15 also clarifies how the predominance principle should be applied when cash receipts and cash payments have aspects of more than one class of cash flows. The Company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10), Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.  ASU No. 2016-01 modifies how entities measure certain equity investments and also modifies the recognition of changes in the fair value of financial liabilities measured under the fair value option. Entities will be required to measure equity investments that do not result in consolidation and are not accounted for under the equity method at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income. For financial liabilities measured using the fair value option, entities will be required to record changes in fair value caused by a change in instrument-specific credit risk (own credit risk) separately in other comprehensive income. ASU No. 2016-01 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2018 and it had no impact to the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.
In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("ASC 606"), requiring an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. ASC 606 replaced most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP (See Note 3).
Recently Issued But Not Yet Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, which amends ASC 715 to clarify certain disclosure requirements related to defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans. ASU 2018-14 becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2022, although early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-14 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
Also in August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract, which requires upfront implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement (or hosting arrangement) that is a service contract to be amortized to hosting expense over the term of the arrangement, beginning when the module or component of the hosting arrangement is ready for its intended use. ASU No. 2018-14 becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2020, although early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU No. 2018-15 will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350). ASU No. 2017-04 simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by removing the second step of the two‑step impairment test. The amendment requires an entity to perform its annual, or interim goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary. ASU No. 2017-04 becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2020 with early adoption permitted and will be applied prospectively.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which increases transparency and comparability by recognizing a lessee’s rights and obligations resulting from leases by recording them on the balance sheet as lease assets and lease liabilities. The new guidance becomes effective for the Company on January 1, 2019. Although the Company has not yet completed its evaluation of the guidance, or quantified its impact, the Company believes the most significant impact will be the recognition of right of use assets and liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet. The Company expects its lease obligations designated as operating leases will be reported on the consolidated balance sheets upon adoption. The Company is also evaluating other potential lease arrangements of the business, including arrangements that have been previously disclosed as a contractual commitment. The Company is currently in the process of collecting and validating lease data and implementing a software solution. In addition, the Company is assessing practical expedients and policy elections offered by the standard, and is evaluating its processes and internal controls to meet the accounting, reporting and disclosure requirements.
v3.10.0.1
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]  
Schedule of New Accounting Pronouncements
The following table summarizes the impact of adopting ASC 606 and the impact of the ATS Acquisition on the Company's condensed consolidated balance sheet: 
 
December 31, 2017
 
As Reported
 
Impact of ASC 606
 
Impact of ATS Acquisition
 
As Adjusted
Cash and cash equivalents
$
273,329

 
$

 
$
56,519

 
$
329,848

Other current assets
580,231

 
14,068

 
(20,548
)
 
573,751

Property, plant and equipment, net
6,063,829

 

 
(40,003
)
 
6,023,826

Goodwill
7,996,760

 

 
23,101

 
8,019,861

Other assets, long-term
19,861,076

 
10,261

 
(6,541
)
 
19,864,796

Total assets
$
34,775,225

 
$
24,329

 
$
12,528

 
$
34,812,082

Current liabilities
$
2,492,983

 
$
6,978

 
$
20,401

 
$
2,520,362

Deferred tax liability, long-term
4,775,115

 
4,685

 
(10,514
)
 
4,769,286

Liabilities, long-term
21,779,997

 

 
6,394

 
21,786,391

Total liabilities
29,048,095

 
11,663

 
16,281

 
29,076,039

Redeemable equity
231,290

 

 

 
231,290

Paid-in capital
4,642,128

 

 
23,101

 
4,665,229

Retained earnings
854,824

 
12,666

 
(26,854
)
 
840,636

Total stockholders' equity
5,495,840

 
12,666

 
(3,753
)
 
5,504,753

Total liabilities and stockholders' equity
$
34,775,225

 
$
24,329

 
$
12,528

 
$
34,812,082

The following table summarizes the impact of adopting ASC 606 and ASU No. 2017-07 and the impact of the ATS Acquisition on the Company's condensed consolidated statements of operations:
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
As Reported
 
Impact of ASC 606
 
Impact of ASU No. 2017-07
 
Impact of ATS Acquisition
 
As Adjusted
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
1,054,392

 
$
15,807

 
$

 
$
(253
)
 
$
1,069,946

Broadband
646,094

 
12,372

 

 
(188
)
 
658,278

Telephony
204,753

 
(32,155
)
 

 
(119
)
 
172,479

Business services and wholesale
324,760

 
(118
)
 

 

 
324,642

Advertising
89,292

 

 

 

 
89,292

Other
7,884

 

 

 

 
7,884

Total revenue
2,327,175

 
(4,094
)
 

 
(560
)
 
2,322,521

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Programming and other direct costs
755,101

 

 

 

 
755,101

Other operating expenses
560,497

 
(4,094
)
 
(2,921
)
 
16,629

 
570,111

Restructuring and other expense
53,448

 

 

 

 
53,448

Depreciation and amortization
823,265

 

 

 
21

 
823,286

Operating income
134,864

 

 
2,921

 
(17,210
)
 
120,575

Other expense, net
(451,638
)
 

 
(2,921
)
 

 
(454,559
)
Loss before income taxes
(316,774
)
 

 

 
(17,210
)
 
(333,984
)
Income tax benefit
134,688

 

 

 
6,862

 
141,550

Net loss
$
(182,086
)
 
$

 
$

 
$
(10,348
)
 
$
(192,434
)


 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
As Reported
 
Impact of ASC 606
 
Impact of ASU No. 2017-07
 
Impact of ATS Acquisition
 
As Adjusted
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
3,185,610

 
$
39,630

 
$

 
$
(253
)
 
$
3,224,987

Broadband
1,887,279

 
39,725

 

 
(188
)
 
1,926,816

Telephony
624,077

 
(92,257
)
 

 
(119
)
 
531,701

Business services and wholesale
968,291

 
(588
)
 

 

 
967,703

Advertising
270,154

 

 

 

 
270,154

Other
25,781

 

 

 

 
25,781

Total revenue
6,961,192

 
(13,490
)
 

 
(560
)
 
6,947,142

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Programming and other direct costs
2,272,147

 

 

 

 
2,272,147

Other operating expenses
1,767,624

 
(13,490
)
 
(9,852
)
 
25,195

 
1,769,477

Restructuring and other expense
142,765

 

 

 

 
142,765

Depreciation and amortization
2,138,776

 

 

 
24

 
2,138,800

Operating income
639,880

 

 
9,852

 
(25,779
)
 
623,953

Other expense, net
(1,802,608
)
 

 
(9,852
)
 
1

 
(1,812,459
)
Loss before income taxes
(1,162,728
)
 

 

 
(25,778
)
 
(1,188,506
)
Income tax benefit
429,664

 

 

 
10,281

 
439,945

Net loss
$
(733,064
)
 
$

 
$

 
$
(15,497
)
 
$
(748,561
)
v3.10.0.1
REVENUE AND CONTRACT ASSETS (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]  
Receivables, Contracts Assets and Contract Liabilities Related To Contracts With Customers
The following table provides information about contracts assets and contract liabilities related to contracts with customers:
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017,
as adjusted
Contract assets (a)
$
25,806

 
$
24,329

Deferred revenue (b)
173,956

 
117,679


 

(a)
Contract assets include primarily sales commissions for enterprise customers that are deferred and amortized over the average contract term.
(b)
Deferred revenue represents payments received from customers for services that have yet to be provided and installation revenue which is deferred and recognized over the benefit period. The majority of the Company's deferred revenue represents payments for services for up to one month in advance from residential and SMB customers which is realized within the following month as services are performed.
v3.10.0.1
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]  
Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities and Other Supplemental Data
The Company's non-cash investing and financing activities and other supplemental data were as follows:
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
Non-Cash Investing and Financing Activities:
 
 
 
Continuing Operations:
 
 
 
Conversion of notes payable to affiliates and related parties of $1,750,000 (together with accrued and unpaid interest and applicable premium) to common stock (See Note 9)
$

 
$
2,264,252

Property and equipment accrued but unpaid
166,800

 
84,847

Notes payable issued to vendor for the purchase of equipment
49,780

 
25,879

Capital lease obligations
8,162

 

Leasehold improvements paid by landlord
350

 
3,998

Deferred financing costs accrued but unpaid
1,006

 

Contingent consideration for acquisitions
6,733

 
30,000

Receivable related to the sale of an investment
11,954

 

Unsettled purchases of shares of Altice USA, Inc. Class A common stock, pursuant to a share repurchase program
13,996

 

Supplemental Data:
 
 
 
Cash interest paid
1,174,154

 
1,481,363

Income taxes paid, net
12,148

 
26,396

 
v3.10.0.1
RESTRUCTURING COSTS AND OTHER EXPENSE (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]  
Restructuring Cost Activity
The following table summarizes the activity for these initiatives during 2018:
 
 
 
Severance and Other Employee Related Costs
 
Facility Realignment and Other Costs
 
Total
Accrual balance at December 31, 2017
$
113,474

 
$
9,626

 
$
123,100

Restructuring charges
4,182

 
3,334

 
7,516

Payments and other
(65,692
)
 
(5,853
)
 
(71,545
)
Accrual balance at June 30, 2018
51,964

 
7,107

 
59,071

Restructuring charges
5,841

 
8,826

 
14,667

Payments and other
(24,991
)
 
(2,613
)
 
(27,604
)
Accrual balance at September 30, 2018
$
32,814

 
$
13,320

 
$
46,134

v3.10.0.1
INTANGIBLE ASSETS (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets by Major Class
The following table summarizes information relating to the Company's acquired amortizable intangible assets: 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
 
 
Gross Carrying Amount
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Net Carrying Amount
 
Gross Carrying Amount
 
Accumulated Amortization
 
Net Carrying Amount
 
Estimated Useful Lives
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Customer relationships
$
5,970,884

 
$
(1,979,595
)
 
$
3,991,289

 
$
5,970,884

 
$
(1,409,021
)
 
$
4,561,863

 
8 to 18 years
Trade names
1,067,083

 
(678,248
)
 
388,835

 
1,067,083

 
(588,574
)
 
478,509

 
2 to 5 years
Other amortizable intangibles
37,644

 
(16,772
)
 
20,872

 
37,060

 
(10,978
)
 
26,082

 
1 to 15 years
 
$
7,075,611

 
$
(2,674,615
)
 
$
4,400,996

 
$
7,075,027

 
$
(2,008,573
)
 
$
5,066,454

 
 
Schedule of Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets
The following table summarizes information relating to the Company's acquired indefinite-lived intangible assets:
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
Cable television franchises
$
8,113,575

 
$
4,906,506

 
$
13,020,081

 
$
8,113,575

 
$
4,906,506

 
$
13,020,081

Goodwill
5,873,716

 
2,138,700

 
8,012,416

 
5,866,120

 
2,153,741

 
8,019,861

Total
$
13,987,291

 
$
7,045,206

 
$
21,032,497

 
$
13,979,695

 
$
7,060,247

 
$
21,039,942

Schedule of Goodwill
The carrying amount of goodwill is presented below:
Gross goodwill as of December 31, 2017, as reported
$
7,996,760

ATS goodwill included in Cablevision segment (See Note 3 for further details)
23,101

Gross goodwill as of December 31, 2017, as adjusted
8,019,861

Goodwill recorded in Cablevision segment in connection with an acquisition during the third quarter of 2018
7,608

Adjustment to Cablevision segment purchase accounting relating to business acquired in fourth quarter of 2017
(12
)
Reclassification of Cequel segment goodwill to property, plant and equipment
(15,041
)
Net goodwill as of September 30, 2018
$
8,012,416

v3.10.0.1
DEBT (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Line of Credit Facilities
The following table provides details of the Company's outstanding credit facility debt:
 
 
 
 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
Maturity Date
 
Interest Rate
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
CSC Holdings Restricted Group:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revolving Credit Facility (b)
$20,000 on October 9, 2020, remaining balance on November 30, 2021
 
5.40
%
 
$
575,000

 
$
554,908

 
$
450,000

 
$
425,488

Term Loan Facility
July 17, 2025
 
4.41
%
 
2,962,500

 
2,946,318

 
2,985,000

 
2,967,818

Incremental Term Loan Facility
January 25, 2026
 
4.66
%
 
1,496,250

 
1,478,995

 

 

Cequel:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Revolving Credit Facility (c)
$65,000 on November 30, 2021, and remaining balance on April 5, 2023
 
%
 

 

 

 

Term Loan Facility
July 28, 2025
 
4.49
%
 
1,249,188

 
1,241,272

 
1,258,675

 
1,250,217

 
 
 
 
 
$
6,282,938

 
6,221,493

 
$
4,693,675

 
4,643,523

Less: Current portion
 
 
 
57,650

 
 
 
42,650

Long-term debt
 
 
 
$
6,163,843

 
 
 
$
4,600,873


(a)
The carrying amount is net of the unamortized deferred financing costs and/or discounts/premiums.
(b)
At September 30, 2018, $139,929 of the revolving credit facility was restricted for certain letters of credit issued on behalf of the Company and $1,585,071 of the facility was undrawn and available, subject to covenant limitations.
(c)
At September 30, 2018, $7,636 of the revolving credit facility was restricted for certain letters of credit issued on behalf of the Company and $342,364 of the facility was undrawn and available, subject to covenant limitations.
Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments
The following table summarizes the Company's senior guaranteed notes, senior secured notes and senior notes and debentures:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Date Issued
 
Maturity Date
 
Interest Rate
 
 
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
 
Principal Amount
 
Carrying Amount (a)
CSC Holdings Senior Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
February 6, 1998
 
February 15, 2018
 
7.875
%
(b)
(f)
(o)
$

 
$

 
$
300,000

 
$
301,184

July 21, 1998
 
July 15, 2018
 
7.625
%
(b)
(f)
(q)

 

 
500,000

 
507,744

February 12, 2009
 
February 15, 2019
 
8.625
%
(c)
(f)
 
526,000

 
531,206

 
526,000

 
541,165

November 15, 2011
 
November 15, 2021
 
6.750
%
(c)
(f)
 
1,000,000

 
966,913

 
1,000,000

 
960,146

May 23, 2014
 
June 1, 2024
 
5.250
%
(c)
(f)
 
750,000

 
668,918

 
750,000

 
660,601

October 9, 2015
 
January 15, 2023
 
10.125
%
(e)
 
 
1,800,000

 
1,780,504

 
1,800,000

 
1,777,914

October 9, 2015
 
October 15, 2025
 
10.875
%
(e)
 
 
1,684,221

 
1,662,507

 
1,684,221

 
1,661,135

CSC Holdings Senior Guaranteed Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
October 9, 2015

October 15, 2025

6.625
%
(e)


1,000,000


987,707


1,000,000


986,717

September 23, 2016

April 15, 2027

5.500
%
(g)


1,310,000


1,304,816


1,310,000


1,304,468

January 29, 2018

February 1, 2028

5.375
%
(n)


1,000,000


991,896





Cablevision Senior Notes (k):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
April 15, 2010

April 15, 2018

7.750
%
(c)
(f)
(o)




750,000


754,035

April 15, 2010

April 15, 2020

8.000
%
(c)
(f)
 
500,000


494,445


500,000


492,009

September 27, 2012

September 15, 2022

5.875
%
(c)
(f)
 
649,024


582,236


649,024


572,071

Cequel and Cequel Capital Senior Notes (l):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Oct. 25, 2012 Dec. 28, 2012
 
September 15, 2020
 
6.375
%
(d)
(m)
 

 

 
1,050,000

 
1,027,493

May 16, 2013 Sept. 9, 2014
 
December 15, 2021
 
5.125
%
(d)
 
 
1,250,000

 
1,157,405

 
1,250,000

 
1,138,870

June 12, 2015
 
July 15, 2025
 
7.750
%
(i)
 
 
620,000

 
605,540

 
620,000

 
604,374

April 5, 2018

April 1, 2028

7.500
%
(p)


1,050,000


1,048,222





Altice US Finance I Corporation Senior Secured Notes (l):
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
June 12, 2015
 
July 15, 2023
 
5.375
%
(h)
 
 
1,100,000

 
1,084,542

 
1,100,000

 
1,082,482

April 26, 2016
 
May 15, 2026
 
5.500
%
(j)
 
 
1,500,000

 
1,488,881

 
1,500,000

 
1,488,024

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
15,739,245

 
15,355,738

 
$
16,289,245

 
15,860,432

Less: current portion
 
 
531,206

 
 
 
507,744

Long-term debt
 
 
$
14,824,532

 
 
 
$
15,352,688

 
(a)
The carrying amount is net of the unamortized deferred financing costs and/or discounts/premiums.
(b)
The debentures are not redeemable by CSC Holdings prior to maturity.
(c)
Notes are redeemable at any time at a specified "make-whole" price plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.
(d)
The Company may redeem some or more of all the notes at the redemption price set forth in the relevant indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(e)
The Company may redeem some or all of the 2023 Notes at any time on or after January 15, 2019, and some or all of the 2025 Notes and 2025 Guaranteed Notes at any time on or after October 15, 2020, at the redemption prices set forth in the relevant indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.  The Company may also redeem up to 40% of each series of the notes using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before October 15, 2018, at a redemption price equal to 110.125% for the 2023 Notes, 110.875% for the 2025 Notes and 106.625% for the 2025 Guaranteed Notes, in each case plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, at any time prior to January 15, 2019, CSC Holdings may redeem some or all of the 2023 Notes, and at any time prior to October 15, 2020, the Company may redeem some or all of the 2025 Notes and the 2025 Guaranteed Notes, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus a “make whole” premium specified in the relevant indenture plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(f)
The carrying value of the notes was adjusted to reflect their fair value on the date of the Cablevision Acquisition (aggregate reduction of $52,788 at the date of the acquisition).
(g)
The 2027 Guaranteed Notes are redeemable at any time on or after April 15, 2022 at the redemption prices set forth in the indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.  In addition, up to 40% may be redeemed for each series of the 2027 Guaranteed Notes using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before October 15, 2019, at a redemption price equal to 105.500%, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(h)
Some or all of these notes may be redeemed at any time on or after July 15, 2018, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
(i)
Some or all of these notes may be redeemed at any time on or after July 15, 2020, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.
(j)
Some or all of these notes may be redeemed at any time on or after May 15, 2021, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Up to 40% of the notes may be redeemed using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before May 15, 2019, at a redemption price equal to 105.500%.
(k)
The issuers of these notes have no ability to service interest or principal on the notes, other than through any dividends or distributions received from CSC Holdings. CSC Holdings is restricted, in certain circumstances, from paying dividends or distributions to the issuers by the terms of the CSC Holdings credit facilities agreement.
(l)
The issuers of these notes have no ability to service interest or principal on the notes, other than through any contributions/distributions from Cequel Communications, LLC (an indirect subsidiary of Cequel and the parent of Altice US Finance I). Cequel Communications, LLC is restricted in certain circumstances, from paying dividends or distributions to the issuers by the terms of the Cequel credit facilities agreement.
(m)
These notes were repaid in April 2018 with the proceeds from the issuance of new senior notes.
(n)
The 2028 Guaranteed Notes are redeemable at any time on or after February 1, 2023 at the redemption prices set forth in the indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.  In addition, up to 40% of the original aggregate principal amount of the notes may be redeemed using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before February 1, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 105.375%, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(o)
These notes were repaid in February 2018 with the proceeds from the 2028 Guaranteed Notes (defined below) and with the proceeds from the Incremental Term Loan.
(p)
The 2028 Senior Notes are redeemable at any time prior to April 1, 2023 at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus the applicable premium plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Up to 40% of the original aggregate principal amount of the 2028 Senior Notes may be redeemed using the proceeds of certain equity offerings before April 1, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 107.50% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, the 2028 Senior Notes are redeemable at any time on or after April 1, 2023 at the redemption prices set forth in indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest.
(q)
These notes were repaid in July 2018 with borrowings under CSC Holdings revolving credit facility agreement.
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt
The future maturities of debt payable by the Company under its various debt obligations outstanding as of September 30, 2018, including notes payable, collateralized indebtedness (see Note 10), and capital leases, are as follows:
Years Ending December 31,
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
2018
$
30,678

 
$
6,446

 
$
37,124

2019
598,210

 
43,999

 
642,209

2020
550,396

 
12,720

 
563,116

2021
3,083,892

 
1,262,729

 
4,346,621

2022
697,147

 
12,739

 
709,886

Thereafter
11,815,174

 
5,466,230

 
17,281,404

v3.10.0.1
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS AND COLLATERALIZED INDEBTEDNESS (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Settlement of Collateralized Indebtedness [Table Text Block]
The following table summarizes the settlement of the Company's collateralized indebtedness relating to Comcast shares that were settled by delivering cash equal to the collateralized loan value, net of the value of the related equity derivative contracts during the nine months ended September 30, 2018: 
Number of shares
16,139,868

Collateralized indebtedness settled
$
(516,537
)
Derivatives contracts settled
24

 
(516,513
)
Proceeds from new monetization contracts
516,513

Net cash proceeds
$

Location of Assets and Liabilities Associated With Derivative Instruments Within the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
The following represents the location of the assets and liabilities associated with the Company's derivative instruments within the condensed consolidated balance sheets:
 
 
 
 
Asset Derivatives
 
Liability Derivatives
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
 
Balance Sheet
Location
 
Fair Value at September 30, 2018
 
Fair Value at December 31, 2017
 
Fair Value at September 30, 2018
 
Fair Value at December 31, 2017
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest rate swap contracts
 
Derivative contracts, current
 
$
3,269

 
$

 
$

 
$

Prepaid forward contracts
 
Derivative contracts, current
 

 
52,545

 

 
(52,545
)
Prepaid forward contracts
 
Derivative contracts, long-term
 
31,510

 

 
(10,131
)
 
(109,504
)
Interest rate swap contracts
 
Liabilities under derivative contracts, long-term
 

 

 
(143,719
)
 
(77,902
)
 
 
 
 
$
34,779

 
$
52,545

 
$
(153,850
)
 
$
(239,951
)
v3.10.0.1
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis
The following table presents for each of these hierarchy levels, the Company's financial assets and financial liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis:
 
Fair Value
Hierarchy
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Money market funds
Level I
 
$
296,123

 
$
5,949

Investment securities pledged as collateral
Level I
 
1,521,045

 
1,720,357

Prepaid forward contracts
Level II
 
31,510

 
52,545

Interest rate swap contracts
Level II
 
3,269

 

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
Prepaid forward contracts
Level II
 
10,131

 
162,049

Interest rate swap contracts
Level II
 
143,719

 
77,902

Contingent consideration related to 2017 and 2018 acquisitions
Level III
 
6,733

 
32,233

Schedule of Carrying Values and Estimated Fair Values of Debt Instruments
 
 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
 
Fair Value
Hierarchy
 
Carrying
Amount (a)
 
Estimated
Fair Value
 
Carrying
Amount (a)
 
Estimated
Fair Value
CSC Holdings debt instruments:
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Credit facility debt
Level II
 
$
4,980,221

 
$
5,033,750

 
$
3,393,306

 
$
3,435,000

Collateralized indebtedness
Level II
 
1,400,398

 
1,352,771

 
1,349,474

 
1,305,932

Senior guaranteed notes
Level II
 
3,284,419

 
3,293,125

 
2,291,185

 
2,420,000

Senior notes and debentures
Level II
 
5,610,048

 
6,245,760

 
6,409,889

 
7,221,846

Notes payable
Level II
 
42,810

 
42,653

 
56,956

 
55,289

Cablevision senior notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Senior notes and debentures
Level II
 
1,076,681

 
1,189,098

 
1,818,115

 
1,931,239

Cequel debt instruments:
 
 


 


 


 


Cequel credit facility debt
Level II
 
1,241,272

 
1,249,188

 
1,250,217

 
1,258,675

Senior secured notes
Level II
 
2,573,423

 
2,604,930

 
2,570,506

 
2,658,930

Senior notes
Level II
 
2,811,167

 
3,013,615

 
2,770,737

 
2,983,615

Notes payable
Level II
 
34,281

 
34,281

 
8,946

 
8,946

 
 
 
$
23,054,720

 
$
24,059,171

 
$
21,919,331

 
$
23,279,472

 
(a)
Amounts are net of unamortized deferred financing costs, premiums and discounts.
v3.10.0.1
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Activity for Shares
The following table summarizes activity relating to carry units:
 
Number of Time
Vesting Awards
 
Number of Performance
Based Vesting Awards
 
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Balance, December 31, 2017
168,550,001

 
10,000,000

 
$
0.71

Vested
(48,337,500
)
 

 
0.37

Forfeited
(15,500,001
)
 

 
0.56

Balance, September 30, 2018
104,712,500

 
10,000,000

 
1.01

Stock Option Activity
The following table summarizes activity related to employee stock options for the nine months ended September 30, 2018:
 
Shares Under Option
 
Weighted Average
Exercise
Price Per Share
 
Weighted Average Remaining
Contractual Term
(in years)
 
 
 
Time
Vesting
 
Performance
Based Vesting
 
 
 
Aggregate Intrinsic
Value (a)
Balance at December 31, 2017
5,110,747

 

 
$
17.45

 
9.97

 
$
8,944

Granted
2,332,540

 
95,953

 
17.76

 
 
 
 
Forfeited
(496,491
)
 
(22,314
)
 
17.76

 
 
 
 
Balance at September 30, 2018
6,946,796

 
73,639

 
17.51

 
9.43

 
4,417

Options exercisable at September 30, 2018

 

 

 

 

 
(a)
The aggregate intrinsic value is calculated as the difference between the exercise price and the closing price of the Company's Class A common stock at the respective date.
Aggregate Assumptions Used to Calculated the Fair Values of Stock Options
The following weighted-average assumptions were used to calculate the fair values of stock option awards granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2018:
Risk-free interest rate
 
2.77%
Expected life (in years)
 
6.48
Dividend yield
 
—%
Volatility
 
35.23%
Grant date fair value
 
$7.12
v3.10.0.1
RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]  
Summary of related party transactions
Aggregate amounts that were due from and due to related parties are summarized below:
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Due from:
 
 
 
Altice US Finance S.A. (a)
$
13,100

 
$
12,951

Newsday (b)
541

 
2,713

Altice Management Americas (b)
1,271

 
33

Altice Dominican Republic (b)
2,551

 

i24 News (b)

 
4,036

Other Altice Europe subsidiaries (b)
924

 
31

 
$
18,387

 
$
19,764

Due to:
 
 
 
Altice Europe (c)
$
13,250

 
$

Newsday (b)
32

 
33

Altice Labs S.A. (d)
1,463

 
7,354

Other Altice Europe subsidiaries (d)
8,679

 
3,611

 
$
23,424

 
$
10,998

 
(a)
Represents interest on senior notes paid by the Company on behalf of the affiliate.
(b)
Represents amounts paid by the Company on behalf of the respective related party, and for Newsday the net amounts due from the related party also include charges for certain transition services provided.
(c)
Represents amounts due to
The following table summarizes the revenue and charges related to services provided to or received from subsidiaries of Altice Europe and Newsday:
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Revenue
$
545

 
$
426

 
$
1,397

 
$
820

Operating expenses:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Programming and other direct costs
(1,671
)
 
(1,196
)
 
(6,690
)
 
$
(3,026
)
Other operating expenses, net
(905
)
 
(8,302
)
 
(15,154
)
 
(24,266
)
Operating expenses, net
(2,576
)
 
(9,498
)
 
(21,844
)
 
(27,292
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest expense (a)

 

 

 
(90,405
)
Other income, net

 

 
149

 

Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs

 

 

 
(513,723
)
Net charges
$
(2,031
)
 
$
(9,072
)
 
$
(20,298
)
 
$
(630,600
)
Capital expenditures
$
3,945

 
$
3,549

 
$
6,679

 
$
12,914


(a)
In connection with the Company's IPO in June 2017, the Company converted the notes payable to affiliates and related parties into shares of the Company’s common stock at the IPO price.
v3.10.0.1
SEGMENT INFORMATION (Tables)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Schedule of Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Operating Income (Loss)
The Company has presented the components that reconcile Adjusted EBITDA to operating income, an accepted GAAP measure:
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2018
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Total
Operating income (loss)
$
340,455

 
$
165,103

 
$
505,558

 
$
(3,103
)
 
$
123,678

 
$
120,575

Share-based compensation
9,038

 
3,289

 
12,327

 
11,555

 
3,450

 
15,005

Restructuring and other expense
14,122

 
2,465

 
16,587

 
35,364

 
18,084

 
53,448

Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)
378,549

 
157,504

 
536,053

 
656,122

 
167,164

 
823,286

Adjusted EBITDA
$
742,164

 
$
328,361

 
$
1,070,525

 
$
699,938

 
$
312,376

 
$
1,012,314

Reconciliation of Reportable Segment Amounts to Cablevision's and CSC Holdings' Consolidated Balances
A reconciliation of reportable segment amounts to the Company's condensed consolidated balances are as follows:
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Operating income for reportable segments
$
505,558

 
$
120,575

 
$
1,153,655

 
$
623,953

Items excluded from operating income:
 
 

 
 
 
 
Interest expense
(389,594
)
 
(379,066
)
 
(1,157,395
)
 
(1,232,730
)
Interest income
1,427

 
961

 
9,843

 
1,373

Gain (loss) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net
111,684

 
(18,900
)
 
(182,031
)
 
169,888

Gain (loss) on derivative contracts, net
(79,628
)
 
(16,763
)
 
130,883

 
(154,270
)
Gain (loss) on interest rate swap contracts
(19,554
)
 
1,051

 
(64,405
)
 
12,539

Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs

 
(38,858
)
 
(41,616
)
 
(600,240
)
Other expense, net
(186
)
 
(2,984
)
 
(12,473
)
 
(9,019
)
Income (loss) before income taxes
$
129,707

 
$
(333,984
)
 
$
(163,539
)
 
$
(1,188,506
)
Schedule of Revenue by Products and Services and Segments
The following tables present the composition of revenue by reportable segment:
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2018
 
Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
783,252

 
$
271,415

 
$

 
$
1,054,667

 
$
798,583

 
$
271,363

 
$

 
$
1,069,946

Broadband
457,709

 
272,198

 

 
729,907

 
416,972

 
241,306

 

 
658,278

Telephony
130,494

 
30,857

 

 
161,351

 
140,830

 
31,649

 

 
172,479

Business services and wholesale
242,305

 
101,888

 

 
344,193

 
230,200

 
94,442

 

 
324,642

Advertising
105,719

 
18,107

 
(760
)
 
123,066

 
72,316

 
17,456

 
(480
)
 
89,292

Other
2,209

 
2,408

 

 
4,617

 
2,458

 
5,426

 

 
7,884

Total Revenue
$
1,721,688

 
$
696,873

 
$
(760
)
 
$
2,417,801

 
$
1,661,359

 
$
661,642

 
$
(480
)
 
$
2,322,521

 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018
 
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
 
Cablevision
 
Cequel
 
Eliminations (a)
 
Total
Residential:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pay TV
$
2,313,229

 
$
809,550

 
$

 
$
3,122,779

 
$
2,397,233

 
$
827,754

 
$

 
$
3,224,987

Broadband
1,347,486

 
796,244

 

 
2,143,730

 
1,218,504

 
708,312

 

 
1,926,816

Telephony
399,714

 
91,174

 

 
490,888

 
432,710

 
98,991

 

 
531,701

Business services and wholesale
713,240

 
301,431

 

 
1,014,671

 
689,708

 
277,995

 

 
967,703

Advertising
276,343

 
53,541

 
(9,338
)
 
320,546

 
216,250

 
54,384

 
(480
)
 
270,154

Other
8,697

 
10,357

 

 
19,054

 
8,467

 
17,314

 

 
25,781

Total Revenue
$
5,058,709

 
$
2,062,297

 
$
(9,338
)
 
$
7,111,668

 
$
4,962,872

 
$
1,984,750

 
$
(480
)
 
$
6,947,142


 
(a)     Reflects revenue recognized by Cablevision from the sale of services to Cequel.
Capital Expenditures by Reportable Segment
Capital expenditures (cash basis) by reportable segment are presented below:
 
Three Months Ended September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Cablevision
$
217,326

 
$
180,287

 
$
554,483

 
$
505,852

Cequel
117,201

 
75,042

 
278,341

 
213,067

 
$
334,527

 
$
255,329

 
$
832,824

 
$
718,919

v3.10.0.1
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND RELATED MATTERS (Details)
1 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Jun. 08, 2018
USD ($)
shares
May 24, 2018
USD ($)
May 23, 2018
USD ($)
Jan. 08, 2018
USD ($)
Jan. 31, 2018
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2018
USD ($)
segment
shares
Sep. 30, 2018
USD ($)
segment
shares
Dec. 31, 2017
shares
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount             $ 1,759,201,000  
Number of reportable business segments | segment           2 2  
Dividends   $ (2.035)   $ (1,499,935,000)     $ (1,499,935,000)  
Stock repurchase program authorized amount           $ 2,000,000,000    
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock | shares             13,219,909  
Dividends, Paid-in-kind $ 0.672              
Dividends Payable, Date of Record     $ 0.4163          
Shares, Outstanding | shares             723,849,057  
Common Class A                
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest | shares 489,384,523           510,702,726  
Common Class B [Member]                
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest | shares           247,684,443 213,146,331 490,086,674
Fees for Executive Services | Affiliates                
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Related party transaction, annual fee             $ 30,000,000  
ATS Acquisition                
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Entities under common control, percentage of voting interst acquired         70.00%      
Entities under common control, consideration transferred         $ 1.00      
Total Stockholders' Equity                
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Dividends             (1,499,935,000)  
Paid-in Capital                
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Dividends             (963,711,000)  
Retained Earnings                
Description Of Business [Line Items]                
Dividends             $ (536,224,000)  
v3.10.0.1
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Jun. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Retained Earnings      
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]      
Adoption of ASU No. 2018-02 $ 2,163   $ 2,163
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss      
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]      
Adoption of ASU No. 2018-02   $ (2,163) $ (2,163)
v3.10.0.1
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Jan. 01, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]            
Contract liability   $ 173,956   $ 173,956   $ 117,679
Other operating expenses   569,070 $ 570,111 1,727,842 $ 1,769,477  
Contract asset   25,806   25,806   24,329
Goodwill   $ 8,012,416   $ 8,012,416   8,019,861
Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment            
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]            
Contract liability           6,978
Other operating expenses     (4,094)   (13,490)  
Contract asset           24,329
Goodwill           0
ATS Acquisition | Restatement Adjustment            
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]            
Other operating expenses     $ 16,629   $ 25,195  
Goodwill           $ 23,101
Installation Services | Impact of ASC 606            
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]            
Cumulative effect on retained earnings, net of tax $ 5,093          
Cumulative effect on retained earnings, tax 1,885          
Commissions | Impact of ASC 606            
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]            
Cumulative effect on retained earnings, net of tax 17,759          
Cumulative effect on retained earnings, tax $ 6,570          
v3.10.0.1
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION - Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]    
Cash and cash equivalents $ 486,208 $ 329,848
Other current assets   573,751
Property, plant and equipment, net 5,760,479 6,023,826
Goodwill 8,012,416 8,019,861
Other assets, long-term   19,864,796
Total assets 33,956,567 34,812,082
Current liabilities 2,476,677 2,520,362
Deferred tax liability 4,809,745 4,769,286
Liabilities, long-term   21,786,391
Total liabilities 30,105,795 29,076,039
Redeemable equity 179,799 231,290
Paid-in capital 3,618,709 4,665,229
Retained earnings 38,744 840,636
Total stockholders' equity 3,670,973 5,504,753
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 33,956,567 34,812,082
As Reported    
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]    
Cash and cash equivalents   273,329
Other current assets   580,231
Property, plant and equipment, net   6,063,829
Goodwill   7,996,760
Other assets, long-term   19,861,076
Total assets   34,775,225
Current liabilities   2,492,983
Deferred tax liability   4,775,115
Liabilities, long-term   21,779,997
Total liabilities   29,048,095
Redeemable equity   231,290
Paid-in capital   4,642,128
Retained earnings   854,824
Total stockholders' equity   5,495,840
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity   34,775,225
Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment    
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]    
Cash and cash equivalents   0
Other current assets   14,068
Property, plant and equipment, net   0
Goodwill   0
Other assets, long-term   10,261
Total assets   24,329
Current liabilities   6,978
Deferred tax liability   4,685
Liabilities, long-term   0
Total liabilities   11,663
Redeemable equity   0
Paid-in capital   0
Retained earnings   12,666
Total stockholders' equity   12,666
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity   24,329
ATS Acquisition | Restatement Adjustment    
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]    
Cash and cash equivalents   56,519
Other current assets   (20,548)
Property, plant and equipment, net   (40,003)
Goodwill   23,101
Other assets, long-term   (6,541)
Total assets   12,528
Current liabilities   20,401
Deferred tax liability   (10,514)
Liabilities, long-term   6,394
Total liabilities   16,281
Redeemable equity   0
Paid-in capital   23,101
Retained earnings   (26,854)
Total stockholders' equity   (3,753)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity   $ 12,528
v3.10.0.1
CHANGE IN ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ATS ACQUISITION - Income Statement (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Nonoperating Income (Expense) $ (375,851) $ (454,559) $ (1,317,194) $ (1,812,459)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest 129,707 (333,984) (163,539) (1,188,506)
Revenue 2,417,801 2,322,521 7,111,668 6,947,142
Programming and other direct costs 790,533 755,101 2,373,021 2,272,147
Other operating expenses 569,070 570,111 1,727,842 1,769,477
Restructuring and other expense 16,587 53,448 29,865 142,765
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) 536,053 823,286 1,827,285 2,138,800
Operating income 505,558 120,575 1,153,655 623,953
Income tax benefit (expense) (95,968) 141,550 (29,675) 439,945
Net income (loss) $ 33,739 (192,434) $ (193,214) (748,561)
As Reported        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Nonoperating Income (Expense)   (451,638)   (1,802,608)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest   (316,774)   (1,162,728)
Revenue   2,327,175   6,961,192
Programming and other direct costs   755,101   2,272,147
Other operating expenses   560,497   1,767,624
Restructuring and other expense   53,448   142,765
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)   823,265   2,138,776
Operating income   134,864   639,880
Income tax benefit (expense)   134,688   429,664
Net income (loss)   (182,086)   (733,064)
Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest   0    
Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Nonoperating Income (Expense)   0   0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest       0
Revenue   (4,094)   (13,490)
Programming and other direct costs   0   0
Other operating expenses   (4,094)   (13,490)
Restructuring and other expense   0   0
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments)   0   0
Operating income   0   0
Income tax benefit (expense)   0   0
Net income (loss)   0   0
Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Nonoperating Income (Expense)   (2,921)   (9,852)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest   0   0
Revenue   0   0
Programming and other direct costs   0   0
Other operating expenses   (2,921)   (9,852)
Restructuring and other expense   0   0
Operating income   2,921   9,852
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization, Including Asset Impairment Charges   0   0
Income tax benefit (expense)   0   0
Net income (loss)   0   0
Pay TV        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   1,069,946   3,224,987
Pay TV | As Reported        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   1,054,392   3,185,610
Pay TV | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   15,807   39,630
Pay TV | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
Broadband        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   658,278   1,926,816
Broadband | As Reported        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   646,094   1,887,279
Broadband | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   12,372   39,725
Broadband | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
Telephony        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   172,479   531,701
Telephony | As Reported        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   204,753   624,077
Telephony | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   (32,155)   (92,257)
Telephony | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
Business services and wholesale        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   324,642   967,703
Business services and wholesale | As Reported        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   324,760   968,291
Business services and wholesale | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   (118)   (588)
Business services and wholesale | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
Advertising        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   89,292   270,154
Advertising | As Reported        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   89,292   270,154
Advertising | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
Advertising | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
Other        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   7,884   25,781
Other | As Reported        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   7,884   25,781
Other | Impact of ASC 606 | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
Other | Accounting Standards Update 2017-07 [Member] | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
ATS Acquisition | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Nonoperating Income (Expense)   0   1
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest   (17,210)   (25,778)
Revenue   (560)   (560)
Programming and other direct costs   0   0
Other operating expenses   16,629   25,195
Restructuring and other expense   0   0
Operating income   (17,210)   (25,779)
Depreciation, Depletion And Amortization, Including Asset Impairment Charges   21   24
Income tax benefit (expense)   6,862   10,281
Net income (loss)   (10,348)   (15,497)
ATS Acquisition | Pay TV | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   (253)   (253)
ATS Acquisition | Broadband | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   (188)   (188)
ATS Acquisition | Telephony | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   (119)   (119)
ATS Acquisition | Business services and wholesale | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
ATS Acquisition | Advertising | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   0   0
ATS Acquisition | Other | Restatement Adjustment        
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]        
Revenue   $ 0   $ 0
v3.10.0.1
NET LOSS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO STOCKHOLDERS Dilutive shares (Details)
3 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
shares
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]  
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount 5,841,000
Incremental Common Shares Attributable To Restricted Stock Awards 73,000
v3.10.0.1
REVENUE AND CONTRACT ASSETS - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]        
Franchise fees and other taxes and fees $ 63,703 $ 64,254 $ 190,895 $ 194,045
Minimum        
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]        
Contract term     3 years  
Maximum        
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]        
Contract term     5 years  
v3.10.0.1
REVENUE AND CONTRACT ASSETS - Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]    
Contract assets $ 25,806 $ 24,329
Deferred revenue $ 173,956 $ 117,679
v3.10.0.1
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Supplemental Cash Flow Elements [Abstract]      
Payments of Dividends $ 79,617 $ 1,499,935 $ 919,317
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Amount   0 2,264,252
Continuing Operations:      
Property and equipment accrued but unpaid   166,800 84,847
Notes payable issued to vendor for the purchase of equipment   49,780 25,879
Capital lease obligations   8,162 0
Leasehold improvements paid by landlord   350 3,998
Repurchase of shares that were not settled   13,996  
Supplemental Data:      
Cash interest paid   1,174,154 1,481,363
Income taxes paid, net   $ 12,148 $ 26,396
v3.10.0.1
RESTRUCTURING COSTS AND OTHER EXPENSE (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Jun. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Jun. 30, 2017
Jun. 30, 2018
Jun. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2017
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]              
Accrual, beginning balance $ 59,071       $ 123,100    
Restructuring charges 14,667   $ 52,081   7,516   $ 141,078
Payments and other (27,604)       (71,545)    
Accrual, ending balance 46,134 $ 59,071     59,071    
Transaction costs   1,920   $ 1,367 7,682 $ 1,687  
Severance and Other Employee Related Costs              
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]              
Accrual, beginning balance 51,964       113,474    
Restructuring charges 5,841       4,182    
Payments and other (24,991)       (65,692)    
Accrual, ending balance 32,814 51,964     51,964    
Facility Realignment and Other Costs              
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]              
Accrual, beginning balance 7,107       9,626    
Restructuring charges 8,826       3,334    
Payments and other (2,613)       (5,853)    
Accrual, ending balance 13,320 7,107     7,107    
Cablevision              
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]              
Cumulative restructuring costs $ 327,521            
Cequel              
Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]              
Cumulative restructuring costs   $ 71,162     $ 71,162    
v3.10.0.1
INTANGIBLE ASSETS - Summary of Acquired Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Jun. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Gross Carrying Amount $ 7,075,611     $ 7,075,611   $ 7,075,027
Accumulated Amortization (2,674,615)     (2,674,615)   (2,008,573)
Net Carrying Amount 4,400,996     4,400,996   5,066,454
Amortization of Intangible Assets 208,172 $ 426,419   666,041 $ 981,657  
Customer relationships            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Gross Carrying Amount 5,970,884     5,970,884   5,970,884
Accumulated Amortization (1,979,595)     (1,979,595)   (1,409,021)
Net Carrying Amount 3,991,289     3,991,289   4,561,863
Trade names            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Gross Carrying Amount 1,067,083     1,067,083   1,067,083
Accumulated Amortization (678,248)     (678,248)   (588,574)
Net Carrying Amount 388,835     388,835   478,509
Other amortizable intangible assets            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Gross Carrying Amount 37,644     37,644   37,060
Accumulated Amortization (16,772)     (16,772)   (10,978)
Net Carrying Amount $ 20,872     $ 20,872   $ 26,082
Minimum | Customer relationships            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life     8 years      
Minimum | Trade names            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life     2 years      
Minimum | Other amortizable intangible assets            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life     1 year      
Maximum | Customer relationships            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life     18 years      
Maximum | Trade names            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life     5 years      
Maximum | Other amortizable intangible assets            
Acquired Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]            
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life     15 years      
v3.10.0.1
INTANGIBLE ASSETS - Summary of Acquired Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Acquired Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]          
Amortization of Intangible Assets $ 208,172 $ 426,419 $ 666,041 $ 981,657  
Cable television franchises 13,020,081   13,020,081   $ 13,020,081
Goodwill 8,012,416   8,012,416   8,019,861
Total 21,032,497   21,032,497   21,039,942
Cablevision          
Acquired Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]          
Cable television franchises 8,113,575   8,113,575   8,113,575
Goodwill 5,873,716   5,873,716   5,866,120
Total 13,987,291   13,987,291   13,979,695
Cequel          
Acquired Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]          
Cable television franchises 4,906,506   4,906,506   4,906,506
Goodwill 2,138,700   2,138,700   2,153,741
Total $ 7,045,206   $ 7,045,206   $ 7,060,247
v3.10.0.1
INTANGIBLE ASSETS - Goodwill (Details)
$ in Thousands
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Goodwill [Line Items]  
Goodwill, Acquired During Period $ 7,608
Goodwill [Roll Forward]  
Goodwill, beginning balance 8,019,861
Adjustments to purchase accounting relating to Cablevision Acquisition (12)
Goodwill, ending balance 8,012,416
As Reported  
Goodwill [Roll Forward]  
Goodwill, beginning balance 7,996,760
ATS Acquisition | Restatement Adjustment  
Goodwill [Roll Forward]  
Goodwill, beginning balance 23,101
Suddenlink [Member]  
Goodwill [Roll Forward]  
Adjustments to purchase accounting relating to Cablevision Acquisition $ (15,041)
v3.10.0.1
DEBT - Credit Facilities Outstanding (Details) - USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2018
Jan. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Principal Amount $ 6,282,938,000   $ 4,693,675,000
Credit facility, Carrying Value 6,221,493,000   4,643,523,000
Less: Current portion 57,650,000   42,650,000
Credit facility, noncurrent $ 6,163,843,000   4,600,873,000
CSC Holdings Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Stated interest rate 5.40%    
Principal Amount $ 575,000,000   450,000,000
Credit facility, Carrying Value 554,908,000   425,488,000
Letters of credit outstanding 139,929,000    
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity $ 1,585,071,000    
CSC Holdings Term Loan Facility | Term Loan      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Stated interest rate 4.41%    
Principal Amount $ 2,962,500,000 $ 1,500,000,000 2,985,000,000
Credit facility, Carrying Value $ 2,946,318,000   2,967,818,000
CSC Holdings Incremental Term Loan Facility | Term Loan      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Stated interest rate 4.66%    
Principal Amount $ 1,496,250,000   0
Credit facility, Carrying Value $ 1,478,995,000   0
Cequel Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Stated interest rate 0.00%    
Principal Amount $ 0   0
Credit facility, Carrying Value 0   0
Letters of credit outstanding 7,636,000    
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity $ 342,364,000    
Cequel Term Loan Facility | Term Loan      
Debt Instrument [Line Items]      
Stated interest rate 4.49%    
Principal Amount $ 1,249,188,000   1,258,675,000
Credit facility, Carrying Value $ 1,241,272,000   $ 1,250,217,000
v3.10.0.1
DEBT - Credit Facilities Narrative (Details) - USD ($)
1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2018
Jan. 31, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Proceeds from credit facility debt, net of discounts     $ 2,217,500,000 $ 5,602,425,000  
Principal Amount     6,282,938,000   $ 4,693,675,000
Repayment of credit facility debt     635,738,000 3,684,668,000  
Repayments of Senior Debt     2,623,756,000 $ 1,729,400,000  
CSC Holdings Revolving Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Proceeds from credit facility debt, net of discounts $ 575,000,000 $ 150,000,000      
Principal Amount     575,000,000   450,000,000
Repayment of credit facility debt   600,000,000      
CSC Holdings Term Loan Facility | Term Loan          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Principal Amount   $ 1,500,000,000 2,962,500,000   2,985,000,000
Debt issued percentage of par   99.50%      
CSC Holdings Term Loan Facility | Term Loan | Base Rate          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
basis spread on variable rate   1.50%      
CSC Holdings Term Loan Facility | Term Loan | Eurodollar          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
basis spread on variable rate   2.50%      
Senior Notes          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Principal Amount     15,739,245,000   16,289,245,000
Senior Notes | CSC Holdings 7.625% Notes due July 15, 2018 [Member]          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]          
Principal Amount     $ 0   $ 500,000,000
Repayments of Senior Debt $ 500,000,000        
v3.10.0.1
DEBT - Senior Guaranteed Notes and Senior Notes and Debentures (Details) - USD ($)
1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Jun. 21, 2016
Apr. 30, 2018
Feb. 28, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Principal Amount       $ 6,282,938,000 $ 4,693,675,000
Carrying Amount       15,355,738,000 15,860,432,000
Less: current portion       531,206,000 507,744,000
Long-term debt       14,824,532,000 15,352,688,000
Senior Notes          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Principal Amount       $ 15,739,245,000 16,289,245,000
Senior Notes | 7.875% Notes due February 15, 2018          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       7.875%  
Principal Amount       $ 0 300,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 0 301,184,000
Senior Notes | CSC Holdings 7.625% Notes due July 15, 2018 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       7.625%  
Principal Amount       $ 0 500,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 0 507,744,000
Senior Notes | 8.625% Notes due February 15, 2019          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       8.625%  
Principal Amount       $ 526,000,000 526,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 531,206,000 541,165,000
Senior Notes | 6.75% Notes due November 15, 2021          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       6.75%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,000,000,000 1,000,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 966,913,000 960,146,000
Senior Notes | 5.25% Notes due June 1, 2024          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       5.25%  
Principal Amount       $ 750,000,000 750,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 668,918,000 660,601,000
Senior Notes | 10.125% Notes due January 15, 2023          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       10.125%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,800,000,000 1,800,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 1,780,504,000 1,777,914,000
Senior Notes | Senior Notes due in 2025          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       100.00%  
Senior Notes | 10.875% Notes due October 15, 2025          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       10.875%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,684,221,000 1,684,221,000
Carrying Amount       $ 1,662,507,000 1,661,135,000
Senior Notes | 6.625% Notes due October 15, 2025          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       6.625%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,000,000,000 1,000,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 987,707,000 986,717,000
Senior Notes | 5.5% Notes due April 15, 2027          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       5.50%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,310,000,000 1,310,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 1,304,816,000 1,304,468,000
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       105.50%  
Senior Notes | 5.375% Notes Due February 1, 2028          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       5.375%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,000,000,000 0
Carrying Amount       $ 991,896,000 0
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       105.375%  
Senior Notes | 7.75% Notes due April 15, 2018          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       7.75%  
Principal Amount       $ 0 750,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 0 754,035,000
Extinguishment of debt     $ 7,019,000    
Senior Notes | 8.0% Notes due April 15, 2020          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       8.00%  
Principal Amount       $ 500,000,000 500,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 494,445,000 492,009,000
Senior Notes | 5.875% Notes due September 15, 2022          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       5.875%  
Principal Amount       $ 649,024,000 649,024,000
Carrying Amount       $ 582,236,000 572,071,000
Senior Notes | Cequel and Cequel Capital 6.375% Senior Notes due September 15, 2020 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       6.375%  
Principal Amount       $ 0 1,050,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 0 1,027,493,000
Extinguishment of debt   $ 16,737,000      
Senior Notes | Cequel and Cequel Capital 5.125% Senior Notes due December 15, 2021 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       5.125%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,250,000,000 1,250,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 1,157,405,000 1,138,870,000
Senior Notes | Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.75% Senior Notes due July 15, 2025 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       7.75%  
Principal Amount       $ 620,000,000 620,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 605,540,000 604,374,000
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage of Principal Amount Redeemed       40.00%  
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       107.75%  
Senior Notes | Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.5% Senior Notes due April 1, 2028 [Member] [Domain]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       7.50%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,050,000,000 0
Carrying Amount       $ 1,048,222,000 0
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage of Principal Amount Redeemed       40.00%  
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       107.50%  
Senior Notes | Altice US Finance I Corporation Senior Secured Notes 5.375% Senior Notes due July 15, 2023 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       5.375%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,100,000,000 1,100,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 1,084,542,000 1,082,482,000
Senior Notes | Cequel and Cequel Capital 5.5% Senior Notes due May 15, 2026 [Member]          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Interest Rate       5.50%  
Principal Amount       $ 1,500,000,000 1,500,000,000
Carrying Amount       $ 1,488,881,000 $ 1,488,024,000
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage of Principal Amount Redeemed       40.00%  
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       105.50%  
Cablevision | Senior Notes | CSC Holdings Senior Notes          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage of Principal Amount Redeemed       40.00%  
Adjustment to fair value $ 52,788,000        
Cablevision | Senior Notes | 10.125% Notes due January 15, 2023          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       110.125%  
Cablevision | Senior Notes | 10.875% Notes due October 15, 2025          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       110.875%  
Cablevision | Senior Notes | 6.625% Notes due October 15, 2025          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage       106.625%  
v3.10.0.1
DEBT - Senior Guaranteed Notes and Senior Notes and Debentures Narrative (Details) - USD ($)
1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
May 24, 2018
Jan. 08, 2018
Apr. 30, 2018
Feb. 28, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Principal Amount         $ 6,282,938,000 $ 4,693,675,000
Dividends $ 2.035 $ 1,499,935,000     1,499,935,000  
Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Principal Amount         $ 15,739,245,000 16,289,245,000
Senior Notes | Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.5% Senior Notes due April 1, 2028 [Member] [Domain]            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage of Principal Amount Redeemed         40.00%  
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage         107.50%  
Principal Amount         $ 1,050,000,000 0
Interest Rate         7.50%  
Senior Notes | 5.375% Notes Due February 1, 2028            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage         105.375%  
Principal Amount         $ 1,000,000,000 0
Interest Rate         5.375%  
Senior Notes | 7.875% Notes due February 15, 2018            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Principal Amount         $ 0 300,000,000
Interest Rate         7.875%  
Senior Notes | 7.75% Notes due April 15, 2018            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Principal Amount         $ 0 750,000,000
Interest Rate         7.75%  
Extinguishment of debt       $ 7,019,000    
Write Off Of Deferred Debt Issuance Cots and Unamortized Discount       $ 2,314,000    
Senior Notes | Cequel and Cequel Capital 6.375% Senior Notes due September 15, 2020 [Member]            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]            
Principal Amount         $ 0 $ 1,050,000,000
Interest Rate         6.375%  
Extinguishment of debt     $ 16,737,000      
Write Off Of Deferred Debt Issuance Cots and Unamortized Discount     $ 20,173,000      
v3.10.0.1
DEBT - Notes Payable to Affiliates and Related Perties (Details) - USD ($)
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Jun. 21, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Principal Amount   $ 6,282,938,000   $ 4,693,675,000  
Senior Notes          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Principal Amount   $ 15,739,245,000   16,289,245,000  
Cablevision | Affiliates | Notes payable          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Principal Amount         $ 1,750,000,000
Interest payable         529,000
Debt premium         513,723,000
Interest expense     $ 90,405,000    
Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.5% Senior Notes due April 1, 2028 [Member] [Domain] | Senior Notes          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Debt Instrument, Redemption Price, Percentage   107.50%      
Principal Amount   $ 1,050,000,000   $ 0  
Stated interest rate   7.50%      
Notes Payable at 10.75% | Cablevision | Affiliates | Notes payable          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Principal Amount         $ 875,000,000
Stated interest rate         10.75%
Notes Payable at 11% | Cablevision | Affiliates | Notes payable          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Principal Amount         $ 875,000,000
Stated interest rate         11.00%
Organizational Transactions Prior to IPO          
Debt Instrument [Line Items]          
Stock issued $ 2,264,252,000        
v3.10.0.1
DEBT - Summary of Debt Maturities (Details)
$ in Thousands
Sep. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]  
2018 $ 37,124
2020 642,209
2021 563,116
2022 4,346,621
2021 709,886
Thereafter 17,281,404
Cablevision  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]  
2018 30,678
2020 598,210
2021 550,396
2022 3,083,892
2021 697,147
Thereafter 11,815,174
Cequel Corp. [Member]  
Debt Instrument [Line Items]  
2018 6,446
2020 43,999
2021 12,720
2022 1,262,729
2021 12,739
Thereafter $ 5,466,230
v3.10.0.1
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS AND COLLATERALIZED INDEBTEDNESS - Location of Assets and Liabilities Within the Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Apr. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]        
Number Of Shares Monetized 16,139,868      
Derivative Instruments, Fair Value [Abstract]        
Collateralized Indebtedness Settled $ (516,537)      
Payments for (Proceeds from) Derivative Instrument, Financing Activities (24)      
Derivative Contracts Settled 0      
Net Cash Receipt Payment on Collateralized Indebtedness Settlement (516,513) $ (654,989)    
Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt 516,513 $ 662,724    
Not Designated as Hedging Instruments        
Derivative Instruments, Fair Value [Abstract]        
Asset Derivatives 34,779     $ 52,545
Liability Derivatives (153,850)     (239,951)
Interest Rate Swap, Conversion, Incremental Term Loan Facility [Member] [Domain] [Domain] | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments        
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]        
Derivative, fixed interest rate     0.226%  
Prepaid forward contracts | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments | Current derivative contracts        
Derivative Instruments, Fair Value [Abstract]        
Asset Derivatives 0     52,545
Liability Derivatives 0     (52,545)
Prepaid forward contracts | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments | Long-term derivative contracts        
Derivative Instruments, Fair Value [Abstract]        
Asset Derivatives 31,510     0
Liability Derivatives (10,131)     (109,504)
Interest Rate Swap | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments | Current derivative contracts        
Derivative Instruments, Fair Value [Abstract]        
Asset Derivatives 3,269     0
Interest Rate Swap | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments | Long-term liabilities under derivative contracts        
Derivative Instruments, Fair Value [Abstract]        
Liability Derivatives $ (143,719)     $ (77,902)
v3.10.0.1
DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS AND COLLATERALIZED INDEBTEDNESS - Narrative (Details)
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Sep. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Apr. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Jun. 30, 2016
USD ($)
instrument
Derivative [Line Items]          
Gain (loss) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net $ 111,684,000   $ (199,312,000)    
Interest Rate Swap, Conversion, Term Loan Facility [Member] [Domain] | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Derivative notional amount       $ 2,970,000,000  
Interest Rate Swap, Conversion, Incremental Term Loan Facility [Member] [Domain] [Domain] | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Derivative notional amount       $ 1,496,250  
Derivative, fixed interest rate       0.226%  
Interest Rate Swap, Conversion, Term Loan Facility Cequel [Member] [Domain] [Domain] | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Derivative notional amount       $ 1,255,513,000  
Derivative, fixed interest rate       0.225%  
Interest Rate Swap          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Amount of gain (loss) recognized   $ (19,554,000) (64,405,000)    
Interest Rate Swap | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Number of derivative instruments held | instrument         2
Interest Rate Swap, Conversion, Tranche One | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Derivative notional amount         $ 750,000,000
Derivative, fixed interest rate         1.6655%
Interest Rate Swap, Conversion, Tranche Two | Not Designated as Hedging Instruments          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Derivative notional amount         $ 750,000,000
Derivative, fixed interest rate         1.68%
Prepaid forward contracts          
Derivative [Line Items]          
Amount of gain (loss) recognized $ (79,628,000)   $ 130,883,000    
v3.10.0.1
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT - Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Details) - Fair Value Measured on a Recurring Basis - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Level III    
Liabilities:    
Contingent consideration related to 2017 and 2018 acquisitions $ 6,733 $ 32,233
Prepaid forward contracts | Level II    
Assets:    
Derivative asset 31,510 52,545
Liabilities:    
Derivative liability 10,131 162,049
Interest rate swap contracts | Level II    
Assets:    
Derivative asset 3,269 0
Liabilities:    
Derivative liability 143,719 77,902
Investment securities pledged as collateral | Level I    
Assets:    
Investment securities 1,521,045 1,720,357
Money market funds | Level I    
Assets:    
Cash and cash equivalents $ 296,123 $ 5,949
v3.10.0.1
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT - Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Carrying Amount    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value $ 23,054,720 $ 21,919,331
Estimated Fair Value    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 24,059,171 23,279,472
CSC Holdings | Credit facility debt | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 4,980,221 3,393,306
CSC Holdings | Credit facility debt | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 5,033,750 3,435,000
CSC Holdings | Collateralized indebtedness | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 1,400,398 1,349,474
CSC Holdings | Collateralized indebtedness | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 1,352,771 1,305,932
CSC Holdings | Senior guaranteed notes | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 3,284,419 2,291,185
CSC Holdings | Senior guaranteed notes | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 3,293,125 2,420,000
CSC Holdings | Senior notes and debentures | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 5,610,048 6,409,889
CSC Holdings | Senior notes and debentures | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 6,245,760 7,221,846
CSC Holdings | Notes payable | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 42,810 56,956
CSC Holdings | Notes payable | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 42,653 55,289
Cablevision | Senior notes and debentures | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 1,076,681 1,818,115
Cablevision | Senior notes and debentures | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 1,189,098 1,931,239
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Credit facility debt | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 1,241,272 1,250,217
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Credit facility debt | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 1,249,188 1,258,675
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Senior notes and debentures | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 2,811,167 2,770,737
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Senior notes and debentures | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 3,013,615 2,983,615
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Notes payable | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 34,281 8,946
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Notes payable | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 34,281 8,946
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Senior secured notes | Carrying Amount | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value 2,573,423 2,570,506
Cequel Corp. [Member] | Senior secured notes | Estimated Fair Value | Level II    
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]    
Debt, fair value $ 2,604,930 $ 2,658,930
v3.10.0.1
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT - Narrative (Details)
$ in Thousands
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
USD ($)
Fourth Quarter Acquisitions, 2017  
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]  
Contingent consideration related to 2017 and 2018 acquisitions $ 2,233
Contingent consideration, percent of contractual amount of acquisitions recognized 51.00%
Third Quarter Acquisitions, 2018 [Member]  
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]  
Contingent consideration related to 2017 and 2018 acquisitions $ 4,500
Contingent consideration, percent of contractual amount of acquisitions recognized 100.00%
v3.10.0.1
INCOME TAXES (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]        
Income tax expense (benefit) $ 95,968 $ (141,550) $ 29,675 $ (439,945)
Change in Tax Law     49,052  
Effective tax rate (percent)   42.00%   37.00%
Federal        
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]        
Operating loss carryforwards $ 2,419,000   $ 2,419,000  
v3.10.0.1
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)
$ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Jun. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Carry Unit Awards [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Repurchase period following termination     60 days      
Repurchase period following fourth anniversary       60 days    
Carry unit plan, written promissory note period       3 years    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement, Weighted Average Fair Value Per Unit $ 2.28     $ 2.28   $ 2.50
Employee and Non-employee Share-based Compensation Expense $ 7,510 $ 15,005   $ 33,004 $ 40,932  
Carry Unit Awards [Member] | Second Anniversary            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Award vesting percentage       50.00%    
Carry Unit Awards [Member] | Third Anniversary            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Award vesting percentage       25.00%    
Carry Unit Awards [Member] | Fourth Anniversary            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Award vesting percentage       25.00%    
Employee Stock Option [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Employee and Non-employee Share-based Compensation Expense $ 4,817     $ 13,172    
v3.10.0.1
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION - Carrying Unit Award Activity (Details) - $ / shares
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Carry Unit Awards [Member]    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value $ 0.37  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement, Weighted Average Fair Value Per Unit 2.28 $ 2.50
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value [Abstract]    
Balance at beginning of period, weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share) 0.71  
Forfeited weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share) 0.56  
Balance at End of period, weighted average grant date fair value (in dollars per share) $ 1.01  
Time Vesting Awards    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period (48,337,500)  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number of Shares [Roll Forward]    
Beginning balance (in shares) 168,550,001  
Forfeited (in shares) (15,500,001)  
Ending balance (in shares) 104,712,500  
Performance Based Vesting Awards    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 0  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Number of Shares [Roll Forward]    
Beginning balance (in shares) 10,000,000  
Forfeited (in shares) 0  
Ending balance (in shares) 10,000,000  
v3.10.0.1
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION - Stock Option Activity (Details) - USD ($)
$ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share:          
Beginning balance, weighted average exercise price per share (in dollars per share     $ 17.45    
Granted, weighted average exercise price per share (in dollars per share)     17.76    
Forfeited, weighted average exercise price per share (in dollars per share     17.76    
Ending balance, weighted average exercise price per share (in dollars per share $ 17.51   17.51   $ 17.45
Options exercisable, weighted average exercise price per share (in dollars per share) $ 0.00   $ 0.00    
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term (in years)     9 years 5 months 6 days   9 years 11 months 19 days
Aggregate Intrinsic Value $ 4,417   $ 4,417   $ 8,944
Carry Unit Awards [Member]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Employee and Non-employee Share-based Compensation Expense 7,510 $ 15,005 33,004 $ 40,932  
Employee Stock Option [Member]          
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]          
Employee and Non-employee Share-based Compensation Expense $ 4,817   $ 13,172    
Time Vesting          
Shares Under Option (in shares):          
Outstanding balance, beginning of period (in shares)     5,110,747    
Granted (in shares)     2,332,540    
Forfeited (in shares)     (496,491)    
Outstanding balance, end of period (in shares) 6,946,796   6,946,796   5,110,747
Options exercisable (in shares) 0   0    
Performance Based Vesting          
Shares Under Option (in shares):          
Outstanding balance, beginning of period (in shares)     0    
Granted (in shares)     95,953    
Forfeited (in shares)     (22,314)    
Outstanding balance, end of period (in shares) 73,639   73,639   0
Options exercisable (in shares) 0   0    
v3.10.0.1
SHARE BASED COMPENSATION - Stock Options Valuation Assumptions (Details)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
$ / shares
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]  
Risk-free interest rate 2.77%
Expected life (in years) 6 years 5 months 22 days
Dividend yield 0.00%
Volatility 35.23%
Grant date fair value (in dollars per share) $ 7.12
v3.10.0.1
AFFILIATE AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS - Narrative (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Equity in net income (loss) from investment in related party     $ (10,849) $ (5,697)  
Related party expense $ 2,031 $ 9,072 20,298 630,600  
Payments to Acquire Other Investments     2,500 4,800  
Fees for Executive Services | Affiliates          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Related party transaction, annual fee 30,000   30,000    
Related party expense   7,500 13,250 22,500  
Equipment and Software Development Costs [Member] | Affiliates          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Payments to Acquire Other Investments 3,945 3,549 6,679 12,914  
I24News and Altice NV 24/7          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Investment in affiliates and related parties         $ 930
Equity in net income (loss) from investment in related party   541 1,130 3,126  
Newsday          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Investment in affiliates and related parties         $ 3,579
Equity in net income (loss) from investment in related party   1,034 9,719 2,571  
Gainonsaleofequityinvestment     13,298    
Other Operating Income (Expense) [Member] | Transition Services [Member] | Affiliates          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Related Party Transaction, Other Expenses from Transactions with Related Party $ 905 802 $ 1,904 1,766  
Related Party Transaction, Other Revenues from Transactions with Related Party   $ 76   $ 917  
v3.10.0.1
AFFILIATE AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS - Revenue and Related Charges (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Related Party Transactions [Abstract]        
Revenue $ 545 $ 426 $ 1,397 $ 820
Operating expenses:        
Programming and other direct costs (1,671) (1,196) (6,690) (3,026)
Other operating expenses, net (905) (8,302) (15,154) (24,266)
Operating expenses, net (2,576) (9,498) (21,844) (27,292)
Related Party Transaction, Loss on Extinguishment of Debt of Deferred Financing Costs 0 0 0 (513,723)
Interest expense 0 0 0 (90,405)
RelatedPartyTransaction,MiscExpense 0   149  
Net charges (2,031) (9,072) (20,298) (630,600)
Capital expenditures $ 3,945 $ 3,549 $ 6,679 $ 12,914
v3.10.0.1
AFFILIATE AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS - Amounts Due From and Due to Related Parties (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Dec. 31, 2017
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Payments to Acquire Other Investments     $ 2,500 $ 4,800  
Affiliates          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due from related parties and affiliates $ 18,387   18,387   $ 19,764
Due to related parties and affiliates 23,424   23,424   10,998
Affiliates | Altice Dominican Republic [Member]          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due from related parties and affiliates 2,551   2,551   0
Affiliates | Altice US Finance S.A.          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due from related parties and affiliates 13,100   13,100   12,951
Affiliates | Newsday          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due from related parties and affiliates 541   541   2,713
Due to related parties and affiliates 32   32   33
Affiliates | Altice Management Americas          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due from related parties and affiliates 1,271   1,271   33
Affiliates | I24          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due from related parties and affiliates 0   0   4,036
Affiliates | Altice Labs S.A.          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due to related parties and affiliates 1,463   1,463   7,354
Affiliates | Other Altice N.V. subsidiaries          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due from related parties and affiliates 924   924   31
Due to related parties and affiliates 8,679   8,679   3,611
Affiliates | Altice Management International          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Due to related parties and affiliates 13,250   13,250   $ 0
Equipment and Software Development Costs [Member] | Affiliates          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Payments to Acquire Other Investments 3,945 $ 3,549 6,679 12,914  
Other Operating Income (Expense) [Member] | Transition Services [Member] | Affiliates          
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]          
Related Party Transaction, Other Expenses from Transactions with Related Party $ 905 802 $ 1,904 1,766  
Related Party Transaction, Other Revenues from Transactions with Related Party   $ 76   $ 917  
v3.10.0.1
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details)
$ in Thousands
Dec. 31, 2017
USD ($)
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Estimated litigation liability $ 6,000
v3.10.0.1
SEGMENT INFORMATION - Narrative (Details) - segment
6 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Segment Reporting [Abstract]    
Number of reportable business segments 2 2
v3.10.0.1
SEGMENT INFORMATION - Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to Operating Income (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Operating Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes [Abstract]        
Operating income $ 505,558 $ 120,575 $ 1,153,655 $ 623,953
Share-based compensation expense 12,327 15,005 46,176 40,932
Restructuring and other expense 16,587 53,448 29,865 142,765
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) 536,053 823,286 1,827,285 2,138,800
Adjusted EBITDA 1,070,525 1,012,314 3,056,981 2,946,450
Cablevision        
Operating Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes [Abstract]        
Operating income 340,455 (3,103) 714,413 228,740
Share-based compensation expense 9,038 11,555 35,567 28,597
Restructuring and other expense 14,122 35,364 25,720 105,182
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) 378,549 656,122 1,337,051 1,641,501
Adjusted EBITDA 742,164 699,938 2,112,751 2,004,020
Cequel Corp. [Member]        
Operating Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes [Abstract]        
Operating income 165,103 123,678 439,242 395,213
Share-based compensation expense 3,289 3,450 10,609 12,335
Restructuring and other expense 2,465 18,084 4,145 37,583
Depreciation and amortization (including impairments) 157,504 167,164 490,234 497,299
Adjusted EBITDA $ 328,361 $ 312,376 $ 944,230 $ 942,430
v3.10.0.1
SEGMENT INFORMATION - Reconciliation of Reportable Segments to Consolidated Balances (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting [Abstract]        
Operating income for reportable segments $ 505,558 $ 120,575 $ 1,153,655 $ 623,953
Items excluded from operating income:        
Interest expense (389,594) (379,066) (1,157,395) (1,232,730)
Interest income 1,427 961 9,843 1,373
Gain (loss) on investments and sale of affiliate interests, net 111,684 (18,900) (182,031) 169,888
Gain (loss) on derivative contracts, net (79,628) (16,763) 130,883 (154,270)
Gain (loss) on interest rate swap contracts (19,554) 1,051 (64,405) 12,539
Loss on extinguishment of debt and write-off of deferred financing costs (including $513,723 related to affiliates and related parties in 2017) (See Note 9) 0 (38,858) (41,616) (600,240)
Other expense, net (186) (2,984) (12,473) (9,019)
Income (loss) before income taxes $ 129,707 $ (333,984) $ (163,539) $ (1,188,506)
v3.10.0.1
SEGMENT INFORMATION - Summary of Revenue by Segment (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues $ 2,417,801 $ 2,322,521 $ 7,111,668 $ 6,947,142
Pay TV        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 1,054,667 1,069,946 3,122,779 3,224,987
Broadband        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 729,907 658,278 2,143,730 1,926,816
Telephony        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 161,351 172,479 490,888 531,701
Business services and wholesale        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 344,193 324,642 1,014,671 967,703
Advertising        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 123,066 89,292 320,546 270,154
Other        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 4,617 7,884 19,054 25,781
Operating Segments | Cablevision        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 1,721,688 1,661,359 5,058,709 4,962,872
Operating Segments | Cablevision | Pay TV        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 783,252 798,583 2,313,229 2,397,233
Operating Segments | Cablevision | Broadband        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 457,709 416,972 1,347,486 1,218,504
Operating Segments | Cablevision | Telephony        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 130,494 140,830 399,714 432,710
Operating Segments | Cablevision | Business services and wholesale        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 242,305 230,200 713,240 689,708
Operating Segments | Cablevision | Advertising        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 105,719 72,316 276,343 216,250
Operating Segments | Cablevision | Other        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 2,209 2,458 8,697 8,467
Operating Segments | Cequel Corp. [Member]        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 696,873 661,642 2,062,297 1,984,750
Operating Segments | Cequel Corp. [Member] | Pay TV        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 271,415 271,363 809,550 827,754
Operating Segments | Cequel Corp. [Member] | Broadband        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 272,198 241,306 796,244 708,312
Operating Segments | Cequel Corp. [Member] | Telephony        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 30,857 31,649 91,174 98,991
Operating Segments | Cequel Corp. [Member] | Business services and wholesale        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 101,888 94,442 301,431 277,995
Operating Segments | Cequel Corp. [Member] | Advertising        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 18,107 17,456 53,541 54,384
Operating Segments | Cequel Corp. [Member] | Other        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 2,408 5,426 10,357 17,314
Eliminations        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues (760) (480) (9,338) (480)
Eliminations | Pay TV        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 0 0 0 0
Eliminations | Broadband        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 0 0 0 0
Eliminations | Telephony        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 0 0 0 0
Eliminations | Business services and wholesale        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues 0 0 0 0
Eliminations | Advertising        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues (760) (480) (9,338) (480)
Eliminations | Other        
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]        
Revenues $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
v3.10.0.1
SEGMENT INFORMATION - Capital Expenditures by Reportable Segment (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Thousands
3 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting Information, Capital Expenditures [Abstract]        
Capital expenditures $ 334,527 $ 255,329 $ 832,824 $ 718,919
Cablevision        
Segment Reporting Information, Capital Expenditures [Abstract]        
Capital expenditures 217,326 180,287 554,483 505,852
Cequel Corp. [Member]        
Segment Reporting Information, Capital Expenditures [Abstract]        
Capital expenditures $ 117,201 $ 75,042 $ 278,341 $ 213,067
v3.10.0.1
SUBSEQUENT EVENT (Details) - USD ($)
1 Months Ended 9 Months Ended
Oct. 15, 2018
Apr. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2018
Sep. 30, 2017
Oct. 16, 2018
Oct. 02, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Repayments of Senior Debt     $ 635,738,000 $ 3,684,668,000      
Debt face amount     6,282,938,000       $ 4,693,675,000
Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     15,739,245,000       16,289,245,000
Cequel and Cequel Capital 5.5% Senior Notes due May 15, 2026 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     $ 1,500,000,000       1,500,000,000
Stated interest rate     5.50%        
Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.75% Senior Notes due July 15, 2025 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     $ 620,000,000       620,000,000
Stated interest rate     7.75%        
Cequel and Cequel Capital 5.125% Senior Notes due December 15, 2021 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     $ 1,250,000,000       1,250,000,000
Stated interest rate     5.125%        
CSC Holdings 7.625% Notes due July 15, 2018 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     $ 0       500,000,000
Stated interest rate     7.625%        
Cequel and Cequel Capital 6.375% Senior Notes due September 15, 2020 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     $ 0       1,050,000,000
Stated interest rate     6.375%        
Extinguishment of debt   $ 16,737,000          
Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.5% Senior Notes due April 1, 2028 [Member] [Domain] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     $ 1,050,000,000       0
Stated interest rate     7.50%        
Altice US Finance I Corporation Senior Secured Notes 5.375% Senior Notes due July 15, 2023 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount     $ 1,100,000,000       $ 1,100,000,000
Stated interest rate     5.375%        
Subsequent Event              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Repayments of Senior Debt $ 125,000,000            
Maximum amount of senior notes exchanged           $ 5,520,000,000  
Par value of senior notes         $ 1,000    
Cash Consideration for Senior Notes Exchanged         2.50    
Discounted Par Value After Early Tender         950    
Deferred Financing Costs Netted Against Debt     $ 143,326,000        
Subsequent Event | Cequel and Cequel Capital 5.5% Senior Notes due May 15, 2026 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Amount of Notes Early Tendered         1,495,642,000    
Amount of Notes Tendered After Early Tender         3,309,000    
Unexchanged Original Notes         1,049,000    
Subsequent Event | Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.75% Senior Notes due July 15, 2025 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Amount of Notes Early Tendered         610,698,000    
Amount of Notes Tendered After Early Tender         7,562,000    
Unexchanged Original Notes         1,740,000    
Subsequent Event | CSC Holdings Senior Secured Incremental Term Loan B Facility [Member] | Term Loan              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Debt face amount $ 1,275,000,000            
Subsequent Event | Cequel and Cequel Capital 5.125% Senior Notes due December 15, 2021 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Amount of Notes Early Tendered         1,232,328,000    
Amount of Notes Tendered After Early Tender         8,786,000    
Unexchanged Original Notes         8,886,000    
Subsequent Event | Cequel and Cequel Capital 7.5% Senior Notes due April 1, 2028 [Member] [Domain] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Amount of Notes Early Tendered         1,045,443,000    
Amount of Notes Tendered After Early Tender         439,000    
Unexchanged Original Notes         4,118,000    
Subsequent Event | Altice US Finance I Corporation Senior Secured Notes 5.375% Senior Notes due July 15, 2023 [Member] | Senior Notes              
Subsequent Event [Line Items]              
Amount of Notes Early Tendered         1,095,493,000    
Amount of Notes Tendered After Early Tender         350,000    
Unexchanged Original Notes         $ 4,157,000    
v3.10.0.1
Label Element Value
Parent [Member]  
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTax $ 986,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, for Net Gain (Loss) Due to Settlements, Net of Tax atus_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentfromAOCIPensionandOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansforNetGainLossDuetoSettlementsNetofTax 10,748,000
AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]  
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTransactionAndTranslationAdjustmentNetOfTax 986,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, for Net Gain (Loss) Due to Settlements, Net of Tax atus_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentfromAOCIPensionandOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansforNetGainLossDuetoSettlementsNetofTax $ 10,748,000