UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
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FORM 11-K
ANNUAL REPORT
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Pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003
Commission File Number l-8610
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A. Full title of the plan and the address of the plan,
if different from that of the issuer named below:
The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
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B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the
plan and the address of its principal executive office:
SBC COMMUNICATIONS INC.
175 E. Houston, San Antonio, Texas 78205
The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
Financial Statements, Supplemental Schedules and Exhibit
Table of Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm..................................................1
Financial Statements:
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2003 and 2002 ....................2
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits for the
Year Ended December 31, 2003 .....................................................................3
Notes to Financial Statements .......................................................................4
Supplemental Schedules:
Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) ......................................8
Schedule H, Line 4j - Schedule of Reportable Transactions ...........................................9
Exhibit:
23 - Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
7
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
SBC Communications Inc. and
Plan Administrator for The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of The Southern New England Telephone Company Tax
Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan as of December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the related statement of changes in net assets available for
benefits for the year ended December 31, 2003. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our
responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) auditing
standards generally accepted in the United States of America. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a
test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement
presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for
benefits of the Plan at December 31, 2003 and 2002, and the changes in its net assets available for benefits for the year ended
December 31, 2003, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the financial statements taken as a whole. The accompanying
supplemental schedules of assets (held at end of year) as of December 31, 2003, and reportable transactions for the year then ended,
are presented for purposes of additional analysis and are not a required part of the financial statements but are supplementary
information required by the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974. These supplemental schedules are the responsibility of the Plan's management. The supplemental
schedules have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in our audits of the financial statements and, in our opinion, are
fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole.
San Antonio, Texas /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
June 21, 2004
The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
(Dollars in Thousands)
December 31
2003 2002
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Assets
Investment in common stock of SBC Communications Inc., at fair value $ 9,244 $ 10,334
Cash equivalents 120 128
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Net assets available for benefits $ 9,364 $ 10,462
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See accompanying notes.
The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
Year Ended December 31, 2003
(Dollars in Thousands)
Additions:
Dividend income $ 504
Interest income 4
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Total additions 508
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Deductions:
Net depreciation of SBC Communications Inc. common shares 450
Distributions to participants 1,156
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Total deductions 1,606
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Net decrease (1,098)
Net assets available for benefits, beginning of year 10,462
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Net assets available for benefits, end of year $ 9,364
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See accompanying notes.
The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
December 31, 2003 and 2002
(Dollars in Thousands)
1. Plan Description
The Southern New England Telephone Company Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan (the Plan) was established by The Southern New
England Telephone Company (SNET) under the provisions of the Tax Reduction Act of 1975 as amended by the Tax Reform Acts of 1976 and
1986, to provide shares of the sponsor company's common stock to eligible employees. SNET is a wholly owned subsidiary of SBC
Communications Inc. (SBC).
The following description of the Plan provides only general information. The Plan text and prospectus include complete descriptions
of Plan provisions. The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA).
The Plan permitted an employer to claim a credit against its federal income tax liability if an amount equivalent to the credit
claimed was applied to the purchase of its common shares to be held in trust for the benefit of employees. Contributions to the Plan
were based upon amounts allowed by law, and were allocated to eligible employees based upon a ratio of employee compensation to total
compensation.
The Tax Reform Act of 1986 repealed the income tax credit on employee stock ownership plan contributions for compensation paid or
accrued after December 31, 1986. No contributions were made to the Plan beginning with the 1987 plan year. Employees with a balance
in the Plan on December 31, 1986 are eligible for participation in the Plan and continue to maintain a balance in the Plan.
Employees who did not have a balance in the Plan at that time are not eligible to participate.
Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, SBC has the right under the Plan to terminate the Plan at any time subject to the
provisions of ERISA. In the event that the Plan is terminated, subject to the conditions set forth by ERISA, the Plan provides that
the net assets be distributed to participants in amounts equal to their respective interests in such assets.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
The fair value of SBC common stock is determined on the basis of the closing price per share on the valuation date as reported at the
official close of the New York Stock Exchange. Temporary cash investments are valued at cost, which approximates fair value.
Purchases and sales of securities are reflected as of the trade date. Dividend income is recognized on the ex-dividend date.
Interest earned on investments is recognized on the accrual basis.
The Plan provides for investments in investment securities, which in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate,
credit, and overall market volatility risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is
reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such change could
materially affect the amounts reported in the statements of net assets available for benefits and participant account balances.
All administrative expenses of the Plan are paid by SBC.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires
management to make estimates that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results
could differ from those estimates.
3. Allocations and Distributions to Participants
The Plan maintains an account for each participant. Distribution of the shares allocated to a participant's account is generally
made to a participant after termination of employment but no later than April of the plan year following the plan year in which the
participant attains age 70 1/2, or to a beneficiary as soon as practicable after the participant's death. For each distribution, the
participant or beneficiary may elect to receive stock or cash, but if no election is made, the distribution will be made in cash.
All quarterly dividends for a year earned on shares in participants' accounts are held in an interest-bearing account until paid to
participants on an annual basis in November of each year. Effective January 1, 2002, the Plan was amended to allow participants the
option to reinvest dividends on SBC common stock held in their accounts. Reinvested dividends are used to purchase SBC common
stock. Interest earned on the dividends is allocated to participant accounts as cash and paid to the participant or beneficiary at
distribution of the account.
4. Tax Status
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a determination letter on March 26, 2004, stating that the Plan and related trust are
designed in accordance with applicable sections of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). The Plan has been amended since the
determination letter was received. The Plan Administrator believes that the Plan is currently designed and is operating in
compliance with the applicable requirements of the IRC.
5. Reconciliation Between Financial Statements and Form 5500
The following is a reconciliation of net assets available for benefits per the financial statements to the Form 5500 as of
December 31:
2003 2002
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Net assets available for benefits per the financial statements $ 9,364 $ 10,462
Less: Distributions payable to participants (41) (120)
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Net assets available for benefits per the Form 5500 $ 9,323 $ 10,342
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The following is a reconciliation of benefits paid to participants per the financial statements to the Form 5500 for the year ended
December 31, 2003:
Distributions to participants per the financial statements $ 1,156
Add: distributions payable to participants at December 31, 2003 41
Less: distributions payable to participants at December 31, 2002 (120)
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Distributions to participants per the Form 5500 $ 1,077
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Distributions payable to participants are recorded on the Form 5500 for benefit claims that have been processed and approved for
payment prior to December 31, but not yet paid as of that date.
The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
EIN: 06-0542646 Plan No.: 003
December 31, 2003
(Dollars in Thousands)
Name of Issue, Borrower, Lessor or Description of Current
Similar Party Investment Cost Value
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* SBC Communications Inc. Common
Stock 354,584 shares $ 3,335 $ 9,244
* Mellon Trust of New England,
National Association Pooled Temporary cash investment
Employee Funds Daily Liquidity 120 120
Fund
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$ 3,455 $ 9,364
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* Party-in-Interest.
The Southern New England Telephone Company
Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
Schedule H, Line 4j - Schedule of Reportable Transactions
EIN: 06-0542646 Plan No.: 003
Year Ended December 31, 2003
(Dollars in Thousands)
Current Value
of Asset on
Transaction Net Gain
Identity of Description of Purchase Price Selling Cost of Date (Loss)
Party Involved Asset Price Asset
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Category (iii) - Series of Transactions in Excess of 5
Percent of Plan Assets
*SBC SBC
Communications Inc. Communications Inc.
common stock $ 31 $ - $ 31 $ 31 $ -
*SBC SBC
Communications Inc. Communications Inc.
common stock - 526 205 526 321
*Mellon Trust of New England, Pooled Employee Funds Daily
National Association Liquidity Fund 1,388 - 1,388 1,388 -
*Mellon Trust of New England, Pooled Employee Funds Daily
National Association Liquidity Fund - 1,396 1,396 1,396 -
* All transactions were purchased and sold on the market.
There were no Category (i), (ii) or (iv) reportable transactions during the year ended December 31, 2003.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Plan Administrator for the Plan has duly caused this annual
report to be signed by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
The Southern New England Telephone Company Tax
Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan
By SNET Telecommunications Corporation, Plan
Administrator for the Foregoing Plan
By /s/ Michele Macauda
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Michele Macauda
President and Chief Executive
Officer
Date: June 23, 2004
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit identified below, Exhibit 23 is filed herein as an exhibit hereto.
Exhibit
Number
23 Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
EX 23
Form 11-K for 2003
File No. 1-8610
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-99359) pertaining to The Southern New
England Telephone Company Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan of our report dated June 21, 2004, with respect to the financial
statements and supplemental schedules of The Southern New England Telephone Company Tax Reduction Act Stock Ownership Plan included
in this Annual Report (Form 11-K) for the year ended December 31, 2003.
/s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP
San Antonio, Texas
June 21, 2004