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10-K 1 cci10-k123117.htm 10-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017

or

For the transition period from to

Commission File Number 001-16441

CROWN CASTLE INTERNATIONAL CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

(713) 570-3000

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: NONE.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes x No o

Indicated by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes o No x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Website, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files). Yes x No o

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a small reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definitions of a "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer x Accelerated filer o Non-accelerated filer o (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company o Emerging growth company o

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act o

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No x

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $36.5 billion as of June 30, 2017, the last business day of the registrant's most recently completed second fiscal quarter, based on the New York Stock Exchange closing price on that day of $100.18 per share.

Applicable Only to Corporate Registrants

As of February 21, 2018, there were 406,906,992 shares of common stock outstanding.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

The information required to be furnished pursuant to Part III of this Form 10-K will be set forth in, and incorporated by reference from, the registrant's definitive proxy statement for the annual meeting of stockholders ("2018 Proxy Statement"), which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission not later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.

CROWN CASTLE INTERNATIONAL CORP.

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Cautionary Language Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements that are based on our management's expectations as of the filing date of this report with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Statements that are not historical facts are hereby identified as forward-looking statements. In addition, words such as "estimate," "anticipate," "project," "plan," "intend," "believe," "expect," "likely," "predicted," "positioned" and any variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements include plans, projections and estimates contained in "Item 1. Business," "Item 3. Legal Proceedings," "Item 7. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" ("MD&A"), and "Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk" herein. Such forward-looking statements include (1) expectations regarding anticipated growth in the wireless industry, carriers' investments in their networks, tenant additions, customer consolidation or ownership changes, and demand for our communications infrastructure (as defined below), (2) expectations regarding non-renewals of tenant contracts, (3) availability and adequacy of cash flows and liquidity for, or plans regarding, future discretionary investments, including capital expenditures, (4) potential benefits of our discretionary investments, including acquisitions, (5) anticipated growth in our financial results, including future revenues, Adjusted EBITDA, segment site rental gross margin, segment network services and other gross margin, segment operating profit and operating cash flows, (6) expectations regarding our capital structure and the credit markets, our availability and cost of capital, and our ability to service our debt and comply with debt covenants and the plans for and the benefits of any future refinancings, (7) expectations related to remaining qualified as a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), and the advantages, benefits or impact of, or opportunities created by, our REIT status and the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Tax Reform Act"), (8) the realization and utilization of

our net operating loss carryforwards ("NOLs"), and (9) our dividend policy, and the timing, amount, growth or tax characterization of any dividends.

Such forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including prevailing market conditions, risk factors described under "Item 1A. Risk Factors" herein and other factors. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected.

Interpretation

As used herein, the term "including," and any variation thereof, means "including without limitation." The use of the word "or" herein is not exclusive. Unless this Form 10-K indicates otherwise or the context otherwise requires, the terms, "we," "our," "our company," "the company" or "us" as used in this Form 10-K refer to Crown Castle International Corp. and its predecessor (organized in 1995), as applicable, each a Delaware corporation (together, "CCIC"), and their subsidiaries. Additionally, unless the context suggests otherwise, references to "U.S." are to the United States of America and Puerto Rico, collectively.

PART I