Higher Expenses Weigh On JetBlue’s Q3’16 Results, Even As Unit Revenues Improve
JetBlue (NYSE:JBLU) released its September 2016 financial results on 25th October 2016, missing the consensus estimate for earnings slightly, while beating that for revenues. However, its stock price was seen trading approximately 5% below the pre-earnings levels, owing to the 3% y-o-y increase in its operating expenses and the impact of hurricane Matthew that hit Florida.
JetBlue’s Stock Price Post-Earnings
This, in turn, caused the company’s margins to deteriorate slightly and net income to stagnate. However, JetBlue’s revenues came in stronger than expected due to the moderation in capacity and the continued success of its premium Mint service.
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JetBlue cut its capacity from the highs of 14.1% in Q1’16 and 11.1% in Q2’16, to 6.3% in Q3’16. The capacity reduction, in addition to improvement in yields, led to an arrest in the falling unit revenues of the carrier. The company reported Latin America, Colombia, and Dominican Republic to be the drivers of strength seen in PRASM in the quarter. The Mint program continued to outshine normal service.
However, the growth in the top line failed to trickle down to earnings, as JetBlue incurred heavy expenses on salaries (8% y-o-y due to a revised labor agreement) and maintenance (15.9% y-o-y due to earlier than expected parts replacement). The decline in fuel prices was not enough to offset the aforementioned costs, causing margins to shrink. Having said that, the company remains positive about meeting its full year 2016 unit cost guidance of 0%-1.5%.
Going Forward
As we mentioned in one of our earlier articles, JetBlue was the first U.S. carrier to launch flights to Mexico and Cuba. As a result, the carrier had the first mover advantage and attracted more traffic on the said route, accretive to its top line. Later in the year, the company will be launching flights to three new cities in Cuba. Further, the company made a minority equity investment in JetSuite, a private jet operator, providing private jet-like amenities at commercial ticket prices. The investment in JetSuite can be seen as a potential game changer due to its growing popularity for short haul air travel.
In terms of unit revenues, the management expects PRASM to continue the downward descent, worsened by the Christmas holiday falling on a Sunday (expected impact of -3 percentage points) and the impact of hurricane Matthew. The hurricane is also expected to impact the unit costs in the fourth quarter adversely, which are projected to be up 4.5%-6.5%. Further, the airline has revised its profit sharing program, effective 1st of January, and has proposed a 8% increase in salaries across the board for its employees. The two together could significantly boost the company’s costs.
Have more questions about JetBlue Corporation (NYSE:JBLU)? See the links below:
- Why Has Trefis Revised Its Price Estimate For JetBlue To $18 Per Share?
- Capacity Growth Fuels JetBlue’s Q2’16 Revenues, Slightly Offset By Declining PRASM
- JetBlue’s Q2’16 Earnings Preview: Capacity Expansion And Mint Services To Drive Results
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- Rapid Capacity Growth And Lower Fuel Costs Drive JetBlue’s 1Q’16 Results
- How Has JetBlue Utilized Its Cash Flows Over The Last Three Years?
- How Has JetBlue’s Revenue And EBITDA Grown Over The Last Five Years?
- What Will Drive JetBlue’s Revenue And EBITDA In The Next Five Years?
- How Would JetBlue’s Equity Value Be Impacted If Crude Oil Prices Reach $100 Per Barrel By 2018?
- How Much Value Will JetBlue’s International Operations Contribute To Its Revenue By 2020?
- How Will JetBlue’s Equity Value Be Impacted If Crude Oil Prices Average At $50 Per Barrel In 2018?
- Capacity Expansions And Fuel Cost Savings Drive JetBlue’s Earnings in 2015
- How Did The Oil Slump Impact JetBlue’s Operating Margins In 2015?
- What Is JetBlue’s Fundamental Value Based On 2016 Expected Numbers?
- How Has JetBlue’s Revenue And EBITDA Composition Changed Over The Last Five Years?
- What Is JetBlue’s Revenue And EBITDA Breakdown?
Notes:
1) The purpose of these analyses is to help readers focus on a few important things. We hope such lean communication sparks thinking, and encourages readers to comment and ask questions on the comment section, or email content@trefis.com
2) Figures mentioned are approximate values to help our readers remember the key concepts more intuitively. For precise figures, please refer to our complete analysis for JetBlue Corporation
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