GTE FLORIDA INC
10-Q, 1997-08-14
TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS (NO RADIOTELEPHONE)
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<PAGE>   1
                                 UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 10-Q

[X] Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
    Act of 1934

For the period ended                               June 30, 1997
                                       or
[ ] Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
    Exchange Act of 1934

For the transition period from                          to

Commission File Number                                1-3090

                            GTE FLORIDA INCORPORATED
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

            FLORIDA                                     59-0397520
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF           (I.R.S. EMPLOYER IDENTIFICATION NO.)
INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)

600 Hidden Ridge, HQE04B12 - Irving, Texas                 75038
 (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)               (ZIP CODE)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code     972-718-5600


        (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed
                              since last report)









   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
                                            --------         --------

   The Company had 23,400,000 shares of $25 par value common stock outstanding
at July 31, 1997. The Company's common stock is 100% owned by GTE Corporation.



<PAGE>   2

PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries 
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                     Three Months Ended                    Six Months Ended
                                                          June 30,                             June 30,
                                              --------------------------------     --------------------------------
                                                  1997               1996              1997               1996
                                              -------------      -------------     -------------     --------------
                                                                     (Thousands of Dollars)
<S>                                           <C>                <C>               <C>               <C>           
REVENUES AND SALES
  Local services                              $     177,007      $     160,615     $     350,994     $      325,723
  Network access services                           141,306            124,391           258,956            255,763
  Toll services                                      15,996             18,556            33,184             37,160
  Other services and sales                           80,903             80,946           128,049            123,823
                                              -------------      -------------     -------------     --------------
    Total revenues and sales                        415,212            384,508           771,183            742,469
                                              -------------      -------------     -------------     --------------

OPERATING COSTS AND EXPENSES
  Cost of services and sales                        140,911            137,070           272,035            274,129
  Selling, general and administrative                64,784             54,388           123,737            100,427
  Depreciation and amortization                      95,510             91,208           184,129            165,918
                                              -------------      -------------     -------------     --------------
    Total operating costs and expenses              301,205            282,666           579,901            540,474
                                              -------------      -------------     -------------     --------------
OPERATING INCOME                                    114,007            101,842           191,282            201,995

OTHER EXPENSES
  Interest - net                                     15,002             15,107            30,740             30,478
  Other - net                                           441                 --               441                 --
                                              -------------      -------------     -------------     --------------
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES                           98,564             86,735           160,101            171,517
  Income taxes                                       39,027             33,223            63,258             65,420
                                              -------------      -------------     -------------     --------------
NET INCOME                                    $      59,537      $      53,512     $      96,843     $      106,097
                                              =============      =============     =============     ==============

</TABLE>



Per share data is omitted since the Company's common stock is 100% owned by GTE
Corporation (GTE).

See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements



                                       1
<PAGE>   3

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

(Dollars in Millions)

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   Three Months Ended                     Six Months Ended
                                                        June 30,                              June 30,
                                            --------------------------------      ---------------------------------
                                                 1997              1996               1997               1996
                                            -------------      -------------      -------------      --------------

<S>                                         <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>           
         Net income                         $        59.5      $        53.5      $        96.8      $        106.1
</TABLE>

Net income grew by 11% or $6 during the three months ended June 30, 1997,
compared to the same period in 1996. The second quarter increase is primarily
due to growth in revenues from local and network access services partially
offset by lower toll service revenues and higher operating costs and expenses.
Year- to-date net income is 9% or $9.3 below the first six months of 1996 due
to higher operating costs and slightly lower revenues experienced during the
first quarter of 1997.

REVENUES AND SALES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   Three Months Ended                     Six Months Ended
                                                        June 30,                              June 30,
                                            ---------------------------------     ---------------------------------
                                                 1997              1996               1997               1996
                                            --------------     -------------      -------------      ------------- 

<S>                                         <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>
         Local services                     $        177.0     $       160.6      $       351.0      $       325.7
         Network access services                     141.3             124.4              259.0              255.8
         Toll services                                16.0              18.6               33.2               37.2
         Other services and sales                     80.9              80.9              128.0              123.8
                                            --------------     -------------      -------------      ------------- 
           Total revenues and sales         $        415.2     $       384.5      $       771.2      $       742.5

</TABLE>

Total revenues and sales increased 8% or $30.7 during the second quarter of
1997 and 4% or $28.7 for the six months ended June 30,1997, compared to the
same periods in 1996.

Local service revenues increased 10% or $16.4 and 8% or $25.3 for the three and
six months ended June 30, 1997, respectively, compared to the same periods in
1996, primarily due to access line growth and demand for custom calling 
features and other enhanced services. The number of access lines grew by 6%
during the three and six month periods, which resulted in additional revenues
of $5.9 and $9.4, respectively. Revenues from SmartCall(R) and CLASS services
grew by $5.3 and $13.3 for the three and six month periods, driven by demand
for custom calling features such as Caller ID and automatic call return/redial.
Revenues from CentraNet(R) and digital services, such as Integrated Services
Digital Network (ISDN) and Digital Channel Services (DCS), contributed a
combined $5 and $9.3 for the three and six month periods of 1997. The
year-to-date increase is partially offset by a favorable settlement from a
previous rate case, which increased revenues in the first quarter of 1996 by
$9.5.

Network access service revenues increased 14% or $16.9 and 1% or $3.2 for the
three and six months ended June 30, 1997, respectively, compared to the same
periods in 1996. Minutes of use increased 9% in both periods of 1997, which
generated additional revenues of $8 in the second quarter and $15.7
year-to-date. Special access revenues grew by $3.8 and $7.7 for the three and
six month periods, respectively, due to customer demand for increased bandwidth
services. In addition, revenues associated with access fees charged to cellular
service providers increased by $3.4 and $1.6. The year-to-date increase is
offset by a $22.3 decline in revenues from the unfavorable impact of the
sharing provisions of the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) 1996 price
cap.


                                       2
<PAGE>   4

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

Toll service revenues decreased 14% and 11% for the three and six months ended
June 30, 1997, compared to the same periods in 1996. These decreases, totaling
$2.6 and $4, respectively, are primarily due to lower toll volumes resulting
from intraLATA (local access transport area) toll competition, including 10XXX
and 1+ presubscription.

Other services and sales revenues remained essentially unchanged in the second
quarter of 1997, compared to the same period in 1996. Year-to-date revenues are
3% or $4.2 higher than the first six months of 1996 primarily due to a $3.5
increase in wireless activation commissions and related accessory sales, $3.4
growth in radio paging and voice messaging service revenues, and $1 from higher
directory advertising revenues. A favorable billing and collection contract
rate negotiation contributed $2.4 to the increase. The year-to-date growth is
partially offset by a $7.2 decline from telephone sales and service revenues
caused by lower single-line rent revenues and equipment sales.

OPERATING COSTS AND EXPENSES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    Three Months Ended                     Six Months Ended
                                                         June 30,                              June 30,
                                            ----------------------------------      -------------------------------
                                                 1997                1995               1997              1996
                                            --------------      --------------      -------------     -------------
<S>                                         <C>                 <C>                 <C>               <C>  
  Cost of services and sales                $        140.9      $        137.1      $       272.0     $       274.1
  Selling, general and administrative                 64.8                54.4              123.8             100.5
  Depreciation and amortization                       95.5                91.2              184.1             165.9
                                            --------------      --------------      -------------     -------------
  Total operating costs and expenses        $        301.2      $        282.7      $       579.9     $       540.5
 
</TABLE>

Total operating costs and expenses increased 7% or $18.5 in the second quarter
of 1997 and 7% or $39.4 year-to-date, compared to the same periods in 1996. The
increase is primarily due to higher selling and marketing costs of $5.3 and
$8.8 for the three and six month periods, respectively, which stimulated
additional revenues through customer demand for products such as Caller ID and
automatic call return/redial. Depreciation expense increased by $4.3 and $18.2
for the three and six month periods, as a result of additions to plant balances
and prospective rate changes reflecting revised salvage values. Cost of
services and sales increased by $3.8 and decreased by $2.1 for the three and
six month periods, respectively, due to a $4.4 increase in labor costs and
public telephone commissions in the second quarter and $5.1 year-to-date. These
increases were offset by lower right-to-use fees of $3.9 and $8.2 during the
three and six month periods, respectively.

 OTHER EXPENSES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                   Three Months Ended                     Six Months Ended
                                                        June 30,                              June 30,
                                            --------------------------------      -------------------------------- 
                                                 1997              1996               1997               1996
                                            -------------      -------------      -------------      ------------- 
<S>                                         <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>          
         Income taxes                       $        39.0      $        33.2      $        63.3      $        65.4

</TABLE>

Income taxes increased 17% or $5.8 in the second quarter of 1997 and decreased
3% or $2.1 during the first six months of the year compared to the same periods
in 1996. These increases are primarily due to corresponding increases and
decreases in pre-tax income.

CAPITAL RESOURCES AND LIQUIDITY

Management believes that the Company has adequate internal and external
resources available to meet ongoing operating requirements for construction of
new plant, modernization of facilities and payment of dividends. The


                                       3
<PAGE>   5

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

Company generally funds its construction program from operations, although
external financing is available. Short-term financings can be obtained through
borrowings from the Company's parent, GTE, or GTE Funding Incorporated (GTE
Funding), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. GTE Funding provides
short-term financing and investment vehicles and cash management services for
the Company and six other of GTE's domestic telephone operating subsidiaries.
On July 1, 1996, the Company began participating with other affiliates in a
$1,500 syndicated line of credit.

The Company's primary source of funds during the first six months of 1997 was
cash from operations of $404.5 compared to $267.4 for the same period in 1996.
The year-to-year increase in cash from operations primarily reflects a decrease
in the Company's working capital requirements, partially offset by a slight
decline in results from operations.

The Company's capital expenditures during the first six months of 1997 were
$166.8 compared to $115.4 for the same period in 1996. The 1997 expenditures
reflect the Company's continued access line growth and modernization of current
facilities to support new products and expanded services. The Company
anticipates capital expenditures to increase during the remainder of 1997
compared to 1996, reflecting the Company's continued expansion of existing
networks and upgrades associated with the support of expanded services and
compliance with the local number portability requirements of the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 (the Telecommunications Act).

Cash used in financing activities was $216.2 during the first six months of
1997 compared to $144.7 for the same period in 1996. This included dividend
payments of $138.5 in the first half of 1997 compared to $100.1 for the same
period in 1996. In May 1997, the Company paid $1.2 in premiums on the
retirement of $103.9 of long-term debt and preferred stock redeemed prior to
stated maturity. Short-term financing, including the net change in affiliate
notes, increased $27.4 for the first six months of 1997, compared to an
increase of $26.4 for the same period in 1996.

OTHER MATTERS

Federal Regulatory Developments

In July 1997, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (Eighth Circuit)
issued an opinion and order vacating significant portions of the FCC's rules
purporting to implement the local competition provisions of the
Telecommunications Act. The Company's parent, GTE, together with other
incumbent local-exchange carriers (ILECs) and a number of state commissions,
had challenged various portions of the FCC rules.

In its opinion, the Eighth Circuit ruled that the FCC had no jurisdiction to
promulgate rules setting the prices at which ILECs must make available to
competitors unbundled network elements and services for resale. In addition,
the Eighth Circuit made a number of other rulings favorable to GTE, including
that the FCC's rule allowing requesting carriers to pick and choose among
individual provisions of other interconnection agreements, rather than to adopt
the terms and conditions of a single agreement in its entirety, was unlawful;
that the FCC does not have the authority to review interconnection agreements
approved by state commissions or to enforce the terms of such agreements; that
the FCC rule requiring ILECs to provide interconnection and unbundled network
elements (UNEs) at levels of quality that are superior to those levels at which
the ILECs provide them to themselves was unlawful; and that it is the
requesting carriers, not the ILECs, that must combine UNEs.

On the other hand, the Eighth Circuit rejected certain arguments advanced by
GTE. For example, it ruled that a requesting carrier may gain access to all of
the UNEs that, when combined by the requesting carrier, are sufficient to 


                                       4
<PAGE>   6

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

enable the requesting carrier to provide a finished service, and it upheld most
of the standards applied by the FCC in determining which network elements an
ILEC must make available.

The time for parties to seek rehearing before the Eighth Circuit has not yet
expired. In addition, the FCC has announced that it intends to seek Supreme
Court review of the Eighth Circuit's ruling.

In May 1997, the FCC issued orders on universal service and access charge
reform. GTE Midwest Incorporated, a separate subsidiary of GTE and affiliate of
the Company, has filed petitions for review of each of these orders in Federal
Court, and GTE is currently assessing the effect of these orders.

In its order on access charge reform, the FCC revised the price cap plan for    
regulating ILECs by requiring price cap local-exchange carriers (LECs) to
increase their productivity factor to 6.5% retroactive to July 1996. The order
also eliminated the sharing requirements of the price cap rules. In June 1997,
in accordance with the order, the Company submitted its 1997 annual price cap
filing. The 1997 interstate access filing resulted in an annual price reduction
of $69, effective July 1, 1997. Prior to this order, the Company had submitted
a rate change filing in May 1997, as the Company's access rates were priced
significantly below the FCC's maximum price. This rate change filing resulted
in an annual price increase of $20 effective June 3, 1997. Overall, the net
effect of these access filings resulted in an annual price reduction of $49.

In accordance with the Telecommunications Act, the Company is continuing to
negotiate with requesting carriers over the terms of interconnection, UNEs and
resale rates. In some cases, the parties have been unable to agree within the
statutory period for negotiation and have gone to arbitration before various
state regulatory commissions. Since January 1997, state commission decisions
determining the prices and terms of unresolved issues have been released in
Florida. Subsequent decisions are expected to be issued throughout 1997.

State Regulatory Developments

The Florida Public Service Commission (FPSC) issued its decision in the
Company's arbitration with AT&T and MCI on January 17, 1997, and with Sprint on
February 26, 1997, to determine interconnection, resale, and unbundling terms
and conditions. The discount rate for the Company's resold services was set at
13.04%. On January 31, 1997, the Company filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District
Court challenging portions of the FPSC's arbitration determinations. On May 8,
1997, the case was dismissed without prejudice to refiling because approval of
an arbitrated agreement had not been received from the FPSC. The Company
refiled its complaints against MCI and Sprint on June 3 and June 24, 1997,
respectively.

On July 6, 1997, MCI filed a complaint with the FPSC, claiming that the
Company's intrastate switched access rates are too high and thus
anti-competitive MCI requested the FPSC to order the Company to make access
charge reductions as necessary, alleging that the Company's access revenues in
Florida exceed its costs by $130. The complaint also alleges that the Company
is subsidizing its toll and discretionary services operations with access
revenues, but it does not claim the Company has violated any cross-subsidy
prohibitions. The Company filed a motion to dismiss MCI's complaint on July 29,
1997, arguing that only the legislature, and not the FPSC, has the authority to
reduce access charges under current law and that access charges have
intentionally been set at levels to subsidize below-cost basic residential
service in Florida.


                                       5
<PAGE>   7
GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)

Other Developments

On July 1, 1997, a tentative settlement was reached with the plaintiff's
counsel in the class action lawsuit involving disputes over amounts billed for
rental telephones. An order was issued conditionally certifying the class,
preliminarily approving the settlement, preliminarily enjoining all other
actions affecting the class, approving the class notice, and establishing a
fairness hearing for November 26, 1997. The class notice was included in
residential bills in August. Although a similar class action has been enjoined
by the court, the plaintiff in the second case has advised the Company of his
objection to the proposed settlement, has requested to intervene in the first
litigation, and has demanded review of the discovery provided by the Company in
that case. Management believes that the Company has adequately provided for
these disputes in its financial statements for the three and six month periods
ended June 30, 1997.

In May 1997, the Company's parent, GTE, announced initiatives to become a
leading national provider of telecommunications service, including the
acquisition of BBN Corporation, a leading provider of end-to-end Internet
solutions. In addition, GTE announced a strategic alliance with Cisco Systems,
Inc. to jointly develop enhanced data and Internet services for customers; and,
the purchase of a national, state-of-the-art fiber-optic network from Qwest
Communications.




























                                       6
<PAGE>   8

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               June 30,             December 31,
                                                                                 1997                   1996
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
                                                                                   (Thousands of Dollars)
                                 ASSETS
<S>                                                                       <C>                    <C>               
Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents                                               $           21,787     $              365
  Receivables, less allowances of $26,363 and $33,486                                305,975                339,578
  Notes receivable from affiliates                                                 1,347,985                  2,227
  Inventories and supplies                                                            30,568                 22,350
  Other                                                                               25,515                  4,793
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
    Total current assets                                                           1,731,830                369,313
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
Property, plant and equipment, at cost                                             4,222,729              4,088,813
  Accumulated depreciation                                                        (2,371,885)            (2,211,691)
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
    Total property, plant and equipment, net                                       1,850,844              1,877,122
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
Employee benefit plans and other assets                                              164,682                152,458
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
Total assets                                                              $        3,747,356     $        2,398,893
                                                                          ==================     ==================

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current liabilities:
  Short-term obligations, including current maturities                    $        1,374,123     $          140,710
  Notes payable to affiliates                                                         60,019                 37,990
  Accounts payable                                                                   183,039                103,470
  Taxes payable                                                                       38,894                 10,614
  Accrued interest                                                                    11,974                  8,960
  Accrued payroll costs                                                               35,604                 40,520
  Dividends payable                                                                   37,748                 59,004
  Deferred tax liabilities                                                             7,865                  4,845
  Other                                                                              100,592                 84,284
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
    Total current liabilities                                                      1,849,858                490,397
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------

  Long-term debt                                                                     821,040                766,096
  Deferred income taxes                                                              157,817                181,882
  Employee benefit plans                                                             193,408                175,675
  Other liabilities                                                                    6,953                  6,501
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
    Total liabilities                                                              3,029,076              1,620,551
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
Shareholders' equity:
  Preferred stock                                                                     21,195                 60,096
  Common stock (23,400,000 shares issued)                                            585,000                585,000
  Additional paid-in capital                                                          50,289                 50,289
  Retained earnings                                                                   61,796                 82,957
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
    Total shareholders' equity                                                       718,280                778,342
                                                                          ------------------     ------------------
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity                                $        3,747,356     $        2,398,893
                                                                          ==================     ==================

</TABLE>


See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. 


                                       7
<PAGE>   9

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      Six Months Ended
                                                                                          June 30,
                                                                              ---------------------------------
                                                                                   1997               1996
                                                                              ---------------    --------------
                                                                                   (Thousands of Dollars)
<S>                                                                           <C>                <C>           
OPERATIONS
  Net income                                                                  $        96,843    $      106,097
  Adjustments to reconcile net income
  to net cash from operations:
    Depreciation and amortization                                                     184,129           165,918
    Deferred income taxes                                                             (17,167)           11,894
    Provision for uncollectible accounts                                               16,496            18,916
    Changes in current assets and current liabilities                                 112,649           (41,852)
    Other - net                                                                        11,521             6,427
                                                                              ---------------    --------------
    Net cash from operations                                                          404,471           267,400
                                                                              ---------------    --------------

INVESTING
  Capital expenditures                                                               (166,841)         (115,430)
                                                                              ---------------    --------------
    Cash used in investing                                                           (166,841)         (115,430)
                                                                              ---------------    --------------

FINANCING
  Long-term debt and preferred stock retired, including premiums paid
    on early retirement                                                              (105,186)          (71,058)
  Dividends                                                                          (138,466)         (100,055)
  Increase in short-term obligations, excluding current maturities                  1,353,400                --
  Net change in affiliate notes                                                    (1,325,956)           26,405
                                                                              ---------------    --------------
    Net cash used in financing                                                       (216,208)         (144,708)
                                                                              ---------------    -------------- 
Increase in cash and cash equivalents                                                  21,422             7,262

Cash and cash equivalents:
  Beginning of period                                                                     365             3,066
                                                                              ===============    ==============
  End of period                                                               $        21,787    $       10,328
                                                                              ===============    ==============

</TABLE>









See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.


                                       8

<PAGE>   10

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


(1)  The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included
     herein have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and
     regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information
     and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements
     prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles have
     been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. However,
     in the opinion of management of the Company, the condensed consolidated
     financial statements include all adjustments, which consist only of normal
     recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly the financial information
     for such periods. These condensed consolidated financial statements should
     be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto
     included in the Company's 1996 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(2)  Long-term debt as of June 30, 1997 includes $100 million of commercial
     paper which the Company anticipates refinancing during the second half of
     1997.

(3)  Reclassifications of prior year data have been made, where
     appropriate, to conform to the 1997 presentation.















                                       9

<PAGE>   11

GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 6. Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K.

   (a) Exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K.

      (12) Statement re: Calculation of the Consolidated Ratio of Earnings to
           Fixed Charges

      (27) Financial Data Schedule 

   (b) The Company filed no reports on Form 8-K during the second quarter of
       1997.








                                      10
<PAGE>   12

                                 SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                                             GTE Florida Incorporated
                                      ----------------------------------------
                                                   (Registrant)

Date:    August 13, 1997                      William M. Edwards, III
      --------------------            ----------------------------------------
                                              William M. Edwards, III
                                            Vice President - Controller
                                           (Principal Accounting Officer)











                                      11

<PAGE>   13

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

     EXHIBIT
      NUMBER                                                     DESCRIPTION
- -------------------        -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        <S>                <C>
        12                 Statement re: Calculation of the Consolidated Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

        27                 Financial Data Schedule

</TABLE>






<PAGE>   1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 12


GTE Florida Incorporated and Subsidiaries

STATEMENT OF THE CONSOLIDATED RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
(Thousands of Dollars)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     Six Months Ended       Six Months Ended
                                                                      June 30, 1997         June 30, 1997(a)
                                                                   ---------------------   --------------------

<S>                                                                <C>                     <C> 
Net earnings available for fixed charges:
  Income from continuing operations                                $             96,843    $            96,843
  Add - Income taxes                                                             63,258                 63,258
        - Fixed charges                                                          37,651                 54,364
                                                                   ---------------------   --------------------
Adjusted earnings                                                  $            197,752    $           214,465
                                                                   =====================   ====================

Fixed charges:
  Interest expense                                                 $             32,767    $            49,480
  Portion of rent expense
      representing interest                                                       4,884                  4,884
                                                                   ---------------------   --------------------
Adjusted fixed charges                                             $             37,651    $            54,364
                                                                   =====================   ====================

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES                                                 5.25                   3.94

</TABLE>





(a) Results for the six months ended June 30, 1997 include $16.7 million of
    interest expense associated with commercial paper issued by the Company's
    wholly-owned subsidiary, GTE Funding Incorporated (GTE Funding), on behalf
    of GTE's other domestic telephone operating subsidiaries. This interest is
    refunded to the Company through interest income on affiliate notes between
    GTE Funding and the domestic telephone operating subsidiaries. GTE Funding
    provides short-term financing and investment vehicles and cash management
    services for the Company and six other of GTE's domestic telephone
    operating subsidiaries.


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<CASH>                                          21,787
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  332,338
<ALLOWANCES>                                    26,363
<INVENTORY>                                     30,568
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                             1,731,830
<PP&E>                                       4,222,729
<DEPRECIATION>                               2,371,885
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               3,747,356
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                        1,849,858
<BONDS>                                        821,040
                                0
                                     21,195
<COMMON>                                       585,000
<OTHER-SE>                                     112,085
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 3,747,356
<SALES>                                        771,183
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               771,183
<CGS>                                          272,035
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  579,901
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                   441
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              30,740
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                160,101
<INCOME-TAX>                                    63,258
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             96,843
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    96,843
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.00
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.00
        

</TABLE>


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