CenturyLink Q4 Results Miss Estimates

(RTTNews) - CenturyLink, Inc. (CTL) reported net income for the fourth quarter of $188 million or $0.33 per share, compared to $239 million or $0.41 per share for the year-ago quarter.

Excluding items, adjusted net income for fourth quarter was $340 million or $0.60 per share, compared to $396 million or $0.68 per share in the prior year quarter.

Operating revenues for fourth quarter fell to $4.44 billion from $4.54 billion a year earlier.

Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected the company to earn $0.63 per share on revenue of $4.47 billion for the fourth quarter. Analyst' estimates typically exclude special items.

Looking forward to the first quarter, the company forecasts operating revenues of $4.45 billion to $4.50 billion and adjusted earnings of $0.56 to $0.61 per share. Analysts currently expect the company to earn $0.63 per share on revenue of $4.49 billion for the first quarter.

For the full year 2015, the company forecasts operating revenues of $17.9 billion to $18.1 billion and adjusted earnings of $2.50 to $2.70 per share. Analysts currently expect the company to earn $2.51 per share on revenue of $18.00 billion for the full year 2015.