LAMAR ADVERTISING CONEW

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table presents certain items in the Consolidated Statements of Income as a percentage of net revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

Year ended December 31, 2023 compared to Year ended December 31, 2022

Net revenues increased $78.8 million or 3.9% to $2.11 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $2.03 billion for the same period in 2022. This increase was attributable to an increase in billboard net revenues of $63.8 million, an increase in transit net revenues of $12.8 million and an increase in logo net revenues of $2.2 million over the prior year.

Net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2023, as compared to acquisition-adjusted net revenues for the comparable period in 2022, increased $43.4 million, or 2.1%. This increase was attributable to an increase of $28.4 million in billboard net revenues, an increase of $12.8 million in transit net revenues and an increase of $2.2 million in logo net revenues. See “Reconciliations” below.

Total operating expenses, exclusive of depreciation and amortization and gain on disposition of assets, increased $27.2 million, or 2.4% to $1.15 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $1.12 billion in the same period in 2022. The $27.2 million increase over the prior year is primarily comprised of an increase in total direct, general and administrative and corporate expenses (excluding stock-based compensation and transaction expenses) of $31.4 million primarily related to the operations of our outdoor advertising assets, partially offset by a $3.8 million decrease in transaction expenses related to acquisitions and the write-off of deferred offering costs.

Depreciation and amortization expense decreased $56.0 million to $293.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $349.4 million for the same period in 2022. The decrease is primarily due to the revision in the cost estimate included in the calculation of asset retirement obligations during 2022.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recognized a gain on disposition of assets of $5.5 million as compared to a gain on disposition of assets of $15.7 million for the same period in 2022. The gain on disposition of assets for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily resulted from transactions related to the sale of billboard locations and displays. The gain on disposition of assets for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily resulted from a gain of $12.6 million from a contingent payment received in connection with the Company's 2018 sale of Puerto Rico assets.

Due to the above factors, operating income increased $97.4 million to $675.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $578.0 million for the same period in 2022.

Interest expense increased $47.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $174.5 million as compared to $127.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in interest expense is related to the increase in interest rates on the Accounts Receivable Securitization Program and senior credit facility.

Equity in earnings of investee was $3.7 million and $4.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

The increase in operating income, partially offset by the increase in interest expense over the comparable period in 2022, resulted in a $50.5 million increase in net income before income taxes.

The Company recorded income tax expense of $9.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to income tax expense of $17.5 million for the same period in 2022. The $17.5 million tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2022 includes an expense of $15.2 million for the reduction of Puerto Rico deferred tax assets. The $9.8 million equates to an effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2023 of approximately 1.9%, which differs from the federal statutory rate primarily due to our qualification for taxation as a REIT and adjustments for foreign items.

As a result of the above factors, the Company recognized net income for the year ended December 31, 2023 of $496.8 million, as compared to net income of $438.6 million for the same period in 2022.

Reconciliations:

Because acquisitions occurring after December 31, 2021 have contributed to our net revenue results for the periods presented, we provide 2022 acquisition-adjusted net revenue, which adjusts our 2022 net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 by adding to or subtracting from it the net revenue generated by the acquired or divested assets prior to our acquisition or divestiture of these assets for the same time frame that those assets were owned in the year ended December 31, 2023.

Reconciliations of 2022 reported net revenue to 2022 acquisition-adjusted net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2022 as well as a comparison of 2022 acquisition-adjusted net revenue to 2023 reported net revenue for the year ended December 31, 2023, are provided below:

Reconciliation and Comparison of Reported Net Revenue to Acquisition-Adjusted Net Revenue

Key Performance Indicators

Net Income/Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased 5.1% to $985.7 million. The increase in adjusted EBITDA was primarily attributable to the increase in our gross margin (net revenue less direct advertising expense, exclusive of depreciation and amortization and capitalized contract fulfillment costs, net) of $49.6 million, and was partially offset by an increase in general and administrative and corporate expenses of $1.9 million, excluding the impact of stock-based compensation expense and transaction expenses.

Net Income/FFO/AFFO

FFO for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $767.9 million as compared to FFO of $757.0 million for the same period in 2022. AFFO for the year ended December 31, 2023 increased 1.7% to $762.3 million as compared to $749.7 million for the same period in 2022. The increase in AFFO was primarily attributable to the increase in our gross margin (net revenue less direct advertising expense, exclusive of depreciation and amortization and capitalized contract fulfillment costs, net) and a decrease in current tax expense of $6.8 million, partially offset by an increase in interest expense of $47.0 million and an increase in total general and administrative and corporate expenses (excluding the effect of stock-based compensation expense and transaction expenses).