NII Holdings Inc.

10700 Parkridge Blvd., Suite 600

Year founded: 1996

Industry: telecommunications

Post 200 Category: Top 125 Companies

Revenue: $1.28 Billion

Net Income/Loss: $57.29 Million

Earnings per share: $0.79

Dividend: n/a

Stockholder equity: $421.95 Million

Auditor: PriceWaterhouse Coopers

Stock: NIHD

Assets: $1.49 Billion

Market capitalization: $3.81 Billion

52-week high: 61.47 3/18/2005

52-week low: 31.25 5/17/2004

Chaiman and CEO: Steven M. Shindler

President and COO: Lo van Gemert

Employees: 4247

Local employees: 120

Description: NII Holdings of Reston sells wireless phone service in Latin America. It has 1.7 million subscribers in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Peru. It used to be the Latin American unit of Nextel Communications Inc., and it filed for bankruptcy reorganization in 2002. Nextel now owns 17.9 percent of the company.

Developments: NII Holdings, formerly Nextel International Inc., is reaping the benefits of a growing cellular phone industry in Latin America. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in part because of economic instability in the region, but it has regained its footing, adding high-paying business subscribers at a rapid clip over the past two years. Now, with nearly one-third of the population in NII's service region subscribing to mobile phone service, cell phones are becoming a mainstream consumer product. "The wireless market in Latin America is crossing the 30 percent [penetration] threshold," and it's projected to grow even more rapidly over the next four to five years, said Tim Perrott, a spokesman for the company. Economies in that region have stabilized, business investment is increasing, and in most areas Nextel is one of two or three mobile phone providers, so it has little competition, he said. Having shed $2 billion in debt in bankruptcy, NII is profitable. Its 2004 revenue totaled $1.3 billion, with a profit of $57.3 million. As with Nextel in the United States, the walkie-talkie feature on NII's phones is particularly popular and allows the company to charge a premium for subscribers who want to use that service. Last year, the company started offering the service internationally, so Nextel and NII customers could connect seamlessly across both networks, a move that is popular among multinational businesses with offices around North America. Now, the company is investing to increase its customer base in countries where it already operates. It plans to bid on additional airwaves in Mexico, for example, to boost its coverage area. But it is also considering expanding into Chile by purchasing smaller companies that have radio wave licenses, Perrott said.

Executive Compensation
CEO: Steven M. Shindler
Total Cash: $1,001,000.00
Total Compensation: $9,575,052.00

President and COO: Lo van Gemert
Total Cash: $617,234.00
Total Compensation: $6,570,818.00

CFO: Byron R. Siliezar
Total Cash: $544,194.00
Total Compensation: $4,835,220.00

President, Nextel Cono Sur : Jose Felipe
Total Cash: $508,511.00
Total Compensation: $3,908,977.00

General Counsel: Robert J. Gilker
Total Cash: $515,994.00
Total Compensation: $3,419,040.00