Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN) is a global networking company that operates one of the world's most interconnected communications networks. It provides a wide range of integrated products and services to enterprise, wholesale, and residential customers, focusing on high-speed, secure data transmission and connectivity solutions. The company leverages its extensive fiber optic network to deliver advanced technologies such as edge computing, cybersecurity, and broadband services.
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Business Segment - Offers networking and communication solutions to enterprise, wholesale, and public sector customers, including services like private connectivity, managed security, and cloud-based applications.
- Large Enterprise - Provides tailored solutions for large-scale businesses and carriers in North America.
- Mid-Market Enterprise - Serves medium-sized businesses through direct and indirect channels.
- Public Sector - Delivers services to government entities and educational institutions.
- Wholesale - Supplies communication services to other telecom providers.
- International and Other - Caters to multinational enterprises and global carriers.
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Mass Markets Segment - Delivers broadband and voice services to residential and small business customers.
- Fiber Broadband - Provides high-speed internet using fiber-based infrastructure.
- Other Broadband - Offers lower-speed internet through copper-based networks.
- Voice and Other - Includes local and long-distance voice services and professional support.
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Grow Products - Focuses on emerging technologies such as edge computing, IP services, managed security, and unified communications.
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Nurture Products - Includes mature offerings like Ethernet and VPN services, supporting business connectivity needs.
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Harvest Products - Manages legacy services like traditional voice and private line services for cash flow optimization.
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Other Services - Encompasses equipment sales, professional services, and ancillary solutions to complement core offerings.
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| Name | Position | External Roles | Short Bio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Andrea Genschaw Executive | Chief Accounting Officer and Controller | Andrea Genschaw has served as the Chief Accounting Officer and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer) at Lumen Technologies since at least August 4, 2023. She has also held the role of Senior Vice President, Controller but does not serve on any board or committee at LUMN. | ||
Ashley Haynes-Gaspar Executive | Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer | Ashley Haynes-Gaspar has served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer at Lumen Technologies since January 2024, where she oversees the company's revenue strategy. Previously, she served as Executive Vice President, Customer Experience Officer, Wholesale & International from January 2023 to January 2024. | ||
Chris D. Stansbury Executive | Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer | Chris D. Stansbury has served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at LUMN since April 2022, overseeing financial planning, accounting, tax, treasury, investor relations, procurement and supply chain management, and the global real estate portfolio. He did not hold any board or committee memberships at LUMN. | ||
David Ward Executive | Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Product Officer | David Ward is the Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Product Officer at Lumen Technologies since August 2024. Previously, he served as Chief Technology Officer from February 2024 to August 2024. | ||
Kate Johnson Executive | President and Chief Executive Officer | Board Member at United Parcel Service (UPS); Committees: Nominating and Corporate Governance, Risk Committees | Kate Johnson has been serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Lumen Technologies since November 2022. She brings extensive leadership experience from previous roles at Microsoft, GE Digital, Oracle, and Red Hat, driving digital transformation and business growth. | View Report → |
Chris Capossela Board | Independent Director | Corporate Board Member; Non-profit Board Member | Chris Capossela serves as an Independent Director at Lumen Technologies, having joined the board on October 29, 2024. Previously, he held executive roles at Microsoft for over 30 years, including serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. | |
Diankha Linear Board | Board of Directors | Diankha Linear is an experienced leader in technology, logistics, and legal sectors with over 20 years of diverse roles, including serving as President & CEO of Community, Inc. (2021-2024). She brought her extensive background to Lumen when she was appointed to the Board of Directors, effective February 21, 2024. | ||
Hal Stanley Jones Board | Independent Director | Board Member at Playa Hotels and Resorts (since 2013) | Hal Stanley Jones is an independent director at Lumen Technologies since 2020, serving as Chair of the Audit Committee and as a member of the Risk and Security Committee. Previously, he served as CFO at Graham Holdings from 2009 to 2017 and held senior roles at The Washington Post Company. | |
Jim Fowler Board | Independent Director | Jim Fowler has been serving as an Independent Director at LUMN since August 7, 2023. He contributes as a member of the Audit and Risk and Security Committees and brings over 25 years of leadership experience from previous roles at AT&T, Accenture, General Electric, and Nationwide. | ||
Kevin P. Chilton Board | Independent Director | President, Chilton & Associates, LLC | Kevin P. Chilton has served as an independent director at Lumen Technologies since 2017, while contributing as a member of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Risk and Security Committee. His background spans extensive expertise in cybersecurity, risk management, and military leadership. | |
Laurie Siegel Board | Independent Director | Founder and Principal at LAS Advisory Services; Senior Advisor at G100; Director at FactSet Research Systems, Inc. | Laurie Siegel has served as an independent director at Lumen since 2009 and has chaired the Human Resources and Compensation Committee, contributing her extensive expertise in human capital and executive compensation. | |
Martha Helena Bejar Board | Independent Director | Senior Partner/Advisor at DaGrosa Capital Partners LLC; Chair of Nominations and Governance Committee at Commvault Systems; Chair of Nominating and Governance Committee at Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc.; Chair of Nominating/Governance and Compensation Committees at Quadient SA | Martha Helena Bejar has been an independent director at Lumen Technologies since 2016, serving as Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and as a member of the Human Resources and Compensation Committee. She brings extensive experience from senior roles, including her current position as Senior Partner/Advisor at DaGrosa Capital Partners LLC. | |
Peter C. Brown Board | Director | Chairman, Grassmere Partners, LLC (2009–Present) ; Member of Audit and Finance Committees, EPR Properties (2010–Present) ; Chairman of the Audit Committee and Member of Compensation and Nominating Committees, Cineverse Corporation (Dates not specified) | Peter C. Brown has served as an independent director at Lumen Technologies since 2009, contributing on the Audit and Risk and Security Committees, and is set to retire from the board at the 2025 annual meeting. | |
Quincy L. Allen Board | Independent Director | Director at ABM Industries, Inc.; Director at Office Depot | Quincy L. Allen is an independent director at Lumen Technologies since February 25, 2021 with over 35 years of leadership experience in the technology services industry. He has contributed his expertise through committee roles at Lumen and prior leadership positions at companies like IBM, Unisys, and Xerox. | |
Steven T. Terry Clontz Board | Director | Corporate Advisor at ST Telemedia (2018–Present); Board Director of Armor (USA); Chair of the Executive Committee of UMobile (Malaysia) | Steven T. Terry Clontz has been serving as an independent director at Lumen Technologies since 2017, where he participates in the Human Resources and Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. He is a seasoned technology leader with extensive experience in telecommunications, having held leadership roles at companies such as StarHub and ST Telemedia. | |
T. Michael Glenn Board | Chairman of the Board | Director and Chair of Compensation Committee at Pentair PLC | T. Michael Glenn has served as the non-executive Chairman of the Board at LUMN since May 2020 and has been a Director since 2017. |
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Given the 10% YoY increase in Grow revenue, can you provide more detail on the mix between new customer wins versus legacy customer upgrades, and how sustainable you expect this growth to be under increasing competitive pressure?
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With the recent disconnects in legacy services showing an over 8% improvement in terms of absolute dollar disconnects, what is the timeline for additional disconnections, and how might these impact margins as more legacy products are phased out?
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You mentioned that CapEx was $791 million with volatile quarter-by-quarter timing; can you break down the cadence of future CapEx spends and how they align with your planned network expansions and PCF initiatives?
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As your digital platform begins disrupting traditional revenue streams, what steps are you taking to ensure that margin expansion is maintained, especially given the potential for cannibalization of revenue between the Nurture and Harvest categories versus digital services?
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Regarding the $3.5 billion PCF pipeline, can you clarify the expected conversion timeline and the mix between hyperscaler versus enterprise deals, considering the complexity in designing new routes for the network?
Research analysts who have asked questions during Lumen Technologies earnings calls.
Batya Levi
UBS
4 questions for LUMN
Frank Louthan
Raymond James
4 questions for LUMN
Michael Rollins
Citigroup
4 questions for LUMN
Gregory Williams
TD Cowen
3 questions for LUMN
James Schneider
Goldman Sachs
3 questions for LUMN
Jonathan Chaplin
New Street Research
3 questions for LUMN
Nicholas Del Deo
MoffettNathanson
3 questions for LUMN
Sebastiano Petti
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
3 questions for LUMN
David Barden
Bank of America
2 questions for LUMN
Eric Luebchow
Wells Fargo
2 questions for LUMN
Greg Williams
TD Cowen
1 question for LUMN
Nick Del Deo
MoffettNathanson LLC
1 question for LUMN
Samuel McHugh
BNP Paribas
1 question for LUMN
Recent press releases and 8-K filings for LUMN.
- Lumen Technologies successfully repriced Level 3 Financing, Inc.'s $2.4 billion credit facilities at Term SOFR + 3.25%, representing a 100 basis point reduction that is expected to result in $24 million in annual interest expense savings.
- Level 3 also raised an additional $425 million of its 7.000% First Lien Notes due 2034 to redeem $373 million of its 10.750% First Lien Notes due 2030, which extends maturities by more than three years and reduces annual interest expense by an additional $10 million.
- These capital structure enhancements provide greater financial freedom to accelerate Lumen's investment in digital networking services for the AI economy.
- Lumen Technologies successfully repriced $2.4 billion in credit facilities, achieving a 100 basis point reduction in interest rates, which is expected to save $24 million in annual interest expenses.
- The company also issued $425 million in new 7.000% First Lien Notes due 2034 to redeem $373 million of 10.750% First Lien Notes due 2030, extending maturities by over three years and saving an additional $10 million annually in interest expenses.
- These capital structure enhancements provide greater financial flexibility to accelerate Lumen's investment in digital networking services for the AI economy.
- Lumen Technologies has achieved free cash flow health and projects EBITDA growth in 2026, with a goal to restore business segment revenue growth by 2028 and total Lumen revenue growth by 2029.
- The company executed the largest out-of-court debt restructuring in history, reducing debt from over $18 billion to $13 billion and halving interest expense, partly due to the sale of its consumer fiber business which also frees up $1 billion annually in CapEx.
- Lumen is repositioning as a "trusted network for AI" and a "technology infrastructure company," leveraging its fiber network to deliver ubiquitous, universal connectivity for the AI economy and multi-cloud environments.
- Its strategy includes building out the physical network, developing a digital platform for network-as-a-service, and fostering a connected ecosystem with partners to offer high-bandwidth, low-latency solutions and integrated services.
- Lumen Technologies is undertaking a multi-billion-dollar network expansion to add 34 million new intercity fiber miles by 2028, aiming for a total of 47 million miles to support growing AI workloads.
- In 2025, the company has already deployed over 2.2 million new fiber miles and is working on 176 amplifier sites to boost signal strength and capacity.
- This expansion utilizes next-generation fiber optic cable from Corning Incorporated, which effectively doubles fiber capacity within existing conduits.
- Despite recent stock gains, Wall Street analysts have a mixed outlook, with an average price target suggesting potential downside from current stock prices and a consensus "Hold" brokerage rating.
- Lumen Technologies expects to achieve EBITDA growth in 2026, with the business segment returning to revenue growth in 2028 and the total company in 2029. The company anticipates expanding its margin by approximately 20% to reach the mid-thirties over the next four to five years.
- Following the AT&T transaction, Lumen expects its leverage to be under 4 and projects a 50% reduction in CapEx intensity, decreasing from approximately $4 billion to $2 billion annually, partly due to a $1 billion per year reduction from the AT&T transaction.
- Lumen's new Network-as-a-Service (NAS) platform has garnered more than 1,000 customers since its General Availability in 2024 and is the fastest-growing part of its revenue portfolio. The company plans to expand NAS availability off-net in Q4, increasing its potential sales reach from 100,000 buildings to over 10 million.
- Lumen Technologies is undergoing a transformation from a legacy telecom infrastructure provider to a digital networking platform for AI infrastructure, focusing on Network-as-a-Service (NAS).
- The company projects EBITDA growth in 2026, with the business segment returning to revenue growth in 2028, and total company revenue growth in 2029.
- Lumen has stabilized its balance sheet and cash flow, with the AT&T transaction expected to bring leverage under 4 and reduce annual capital expenditure by approximately $1 billion.
- The new NAS platform has garnered over 1,000 customers since its general availability in 2024, and Lumen plans to expand its fabric port availability off-net from 100,000 buildings to over 10 million in Q4.
- Lumen Technologies is transforming into a digital networking platform, focusing on Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) for enterprise customers, having secured over 1,000 NaaS customers and $9 billion in hyperscaler deals.
- The company projects EBITDA growth in 2026, with the business segment returning to revenue growth in 2028 and the total company in 2029.
- Following the AT&T transaction, Lumen expects leverage to be under 4 and annual CapEx intensity to be reduced by 50%, from approximately $4 billion to $2 billion. Margins are also anticipated to expand by about 20% to the mid-thirties over the next four to five years.
- Lumen's competitive advantages include its extensive physical fiber infrastructure, estimated to cost $150 billion to replicate, and its unique digital NaaS platform, which will expand its addressable market from 100,000 to over 10 million buildings with off-net fabric ports in Q4.
- Lumen Technologies is undergoing a strategic transformation, with its Network-as-a-Service (NAS) platform attracting over 1,000 customers and becoming its fastest-growing revenue segment.
- The company projects EBITDA growth in 2026, with the business segment returning to revenue growth in 2028, and the total company achieving revenue growth in 2029.
- Lumen expects to reduce its capital expenditure from approximately $4 billion to $2 billion, partly due to the AT&T transaction and the completion of current PCF deals, while also targeting $350 million in savings by the end of 2025 through modernization efforts.
- Post-AT&T transaction, Lumen anticipates its leverage to be under 4, supported by cash from existing deals, providing financial optionality for future investments.
- The company plans to significantly expand the reach of its NAS platform in Q4, making it available to over 10 million off-net buildings compared to the current 100,000 on-net buildings.
- Lumen Technologies projects EBITDA inflection in 2026 and a return to revenue growth for its business segment by 2028, with total Lumen revenue growth expected in early 2029. The company aims for $1 billion in annual run-rate cost efficiency by 2027.
- The pending AT&T transaction is expected to significantly improve Lumen's financial profile by reducing capital intensity by about half and cutting annual interest expense by approximately $700 million, leading to deleveraging from high fours to high threes post-close.
- Lumen has secured $9 billion in Private Cloud Fiber (PCF) deals, with $3 billion still in the pipeline from an initial $12 billion potential, leveraging its network's speed for AI-driven demand.
- The "grow" segment, including Network as a Service (NaaS), now constitutes nearly 50% of sales, up from 30%. NaaS adoption has exceeded 1,000 customers and demonstrates a 25% to 50% reduction in churn.
- Lumen Technologies' wholly-owned subsidiary, Level 3 Financing, Inc., closed an offering of $2.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 6.875% First Lien Notes due 2033 on June 30, 2025.
- The proceeds from this offering were used to redeem existing higher-interest debt, including $924.522 million of 10.500% Senior Secured Notes due 2030, $667.711 million of 10.500% First Lien Notes due 2029, and partially $166.565 million of 11.000% First Lien Notes due 2029.
- This transaction is part of Lumen's financial strategy to strengthen its capital structure, extend maturities, and reduce its overall cost of capital, aiming for meaningful interest expense savings and enhanced financial flexibility to invest in AI-era infrastructure growth.