Exhibit
99.2
FOR
RELEASE: Friday, February 9, 2007
Charter
Initiates Refinancing and Expansion of its Senior Secured Credit Facilities
and
a New Second Lien Term Loan
ST.
LOUIS
- Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR) announced today that it has engaged
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC, and Citigroup
Global Markets Inc. to arrange and syndicate a refinancing and expansion of
the
existing $6.850 billion senior secured credit facilities of its subsidiary,
Charter Communications Operating, LLC. The proposed transaction includes new
$8.050 billion Senior Secured Credit Facilities, consisting of a $1.500 billion
Revolving Credit Facility, a $1.000 billion New Term Facility, a $5.000 billion
Refinancing Term Loan and a $550 million Second Lien Term Loan, (collectively,
the “Transaction”).
Charter
expects to use a portion of the additional proceeds from the Transaction to
redeem up to $550 million floating rate notes due 2010 issued by CCO Holdings,
LLC and up to $187 million 8.625% senior notes due 2009 issued by Charter
Communications Holdings, LLC, in addition to other general corporate
purposes.
As
proposed, Charter will benefit from extended debt maturities and improved
liquidity. Subject to market conditions, Charter expects that the Transaction
would be completed within the next few weeks.
About
Charter Communications
Charter
Communications, Inc. is a leading broadband communications company and the
third-largest publicly traded cable operator in the United States. Charter
provides a full range of advanced broadband services, including advanced Charter
Digital® video entertainment programming, Charter High-Speed™ Internet access
service, and Charter Telephone™ services. Charter Business™ similarly provides
scalable, tailored and cost-effective broadband communications solutions to
business organizations, such as business-to-business Internet access, data
networking, video and music entertainment services and business telephone.
Charter's advertising sales and production services are sold under the Charter
Media® brand. More information about Charter can be found at
www.charter.com.
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Contact:
Mary
Jo
Moehle
314/543-2397
Cautionary
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:
This
release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A
of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and Section 21E
of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), regarding,
among other things, our plans, strategies and prospects, both business and
financial. Charter will not undertake to revise forward-looking projections
to
reflect events after this date. Although we believe that our plans, intentions
and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements
are reasonable, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or realize these
plans, intentions or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently
subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many of the forward-looking
statements contained in this release may be identified by the use of
forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "should,"
"planned," "will," "may," "intend," "estimated," "aim," "on track," "target,"
"opportunity" and "potential," among others. Important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements we
make
in this release are set forth in reports or documents that we file from time
to
time with the SEC, and include, but are not limited to:
| · |
the
availability, in general, of funds to meet interest payment obligations
under our debt and to fund our operations and necessary capital
expenditures, either through cash flows from operating activities,
further
borrowings or other sources and, in particular, our ability to be able
to
provide under the applicable debt instruments such funds (by dividend,
investment or otherwise) to the applicable obligor of such
debt;
|
| · |
our
ability to comply with all covenants in our indentures and credit
facilities, any violation of which could trigger a default of our other
obligations under cross-default provisions;
|
| · |
our
ability to pay or refinance debt prior to or when it becomes due and/or
to
take advantage of market opportunities and market windows to refinance
that debt through new issuances, exchange offers or otherwise, including
restructuring our balance sheet and leverage
position;
|
| · |
competition
from other video programming distributors, including incumbent telephone
companies, direct broadcast satellite operators, Wi-Fi broadband providers
and DSL providers;
|
| · |
unforeseen
difficulties we may encounter in our continued introduction of our
telephone services such as our ability to meet heightened customer
expectations for the reliability of voice services compared to other
services we provide and our ability to meet heightened demand for
installations and customer service;
|
| · |
our
ability to sustain and grow revenues and cash flows from operating
activities by offering video, high-speed Internet, telephone and other
services and to maintain and grow a stable customer base, particularly
in
the face of increasingly aggressive competition from other service
providers;
|
| · |
our
ability to obtain programming at reasonable prices or to pass programming
cost increases on to our customers;
|
| · |
general
business conditions, economic uncertainty or slowdown;
and
|
| · |
the
effects of governmental regulation, including but not limited to local
franchise authorities, on our business.
|
All
forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf
are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. We
are
under no duty or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements
after the date of this release.
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