REUTERS: AT&T Inc said on Wednesday it would sell its wireless and wireline operations in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands to Liberty Latin America Ltd for US$1.95 billion, as the second-largest U.S. wireless carrier cuts its huge debt pile.
The deal comes as the company faces calls from activist investor Elliott Management to end its acquisition spree and focus on improving its business."This transaction is a result of our ongoing strategic review of our balance sheet and assets to identify opportunities for monetization," Chief Financial Officer John Stephens said in a statement.
Reuters had reported in July that AT&T was exploring a sale for its Puerto Rico assets for US$3 billion to cut the debt it took on to purchase Time Warner Inc for US$85 billion last year.The company has already sold its stake in streaming service Hulu for US$1.43 billion and WarnerMedia's Manhattan offices at Hudson Yards for about US$2.2 billion.Liberty Latin America will support its FirstNet program in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AT&T said.
AT&T expects the deal to close in the next nine months subject to review by the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission.AT&T also said shareholders should expect buybacks in the fourth quarter as it aims at balancing its debt and profit.
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