Attached files

file filename
8-K - 8-K - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.alk8-k4252014earningsrelea.htm
EX-99.1 - FIRST QUARTER 2014 EARNINGS RELEASE - ALASKA AIR GROUP, INC.ex9914252014earningsrelease.htm


Exhibit 99.2
Investor Update - April 25, 2014

References in this update to “Air Group,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Alaska Air Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise specified.

This update includes forecasted operational and financial information for our mainline and consolidated operations. Our disclosure of operating cost per available seat mile, excluding fuel and other items, provides us (and may provide investors) with the ability to measure and monitor our performance without these items. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is total operating expenses per available seat mile. However, due to the large fluctuations in fuel prices, we are unable to predict total operating expenses for any future period with any degree of certainty. In addition, we believe the disclosure of fuel expense on an economic basis is useful to investors in evaluating our ongoing operational performance. Please see the cautionary statement under “Forward-Looking Information.”

We are providing information about estimated fuel prices and our hedging program. Management believes it is useful to compare results between periods on an “economic basis.” Economic fuel expense is defined as the raw or “into-plane” fuel cost less any cash we receive from hedge counterparties for hedges that settle during the period, offset by the recognition of premiums originally paid for those hedges that settle during the period. Economic fuel expense more closely approximates the net cash outflow associated with purchasing fuel for our operation.


Forward-Looking Information
This update contains forward-looking statements subject to the safe harbor protection provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual outcomes to be materially different from those indicated by any forward-looking statements. For a comprehensive discussion of potential risk factors, see Item 1A of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. Some of these risks include general economic conditions, increases in operating costs including fuel, competition, labor costs and relations, our indebtedness, inability to meet cost reduction goals, seasonal fluctuations in our financial results, an aircraft accident, and changes in laws and regulations. All of the forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by reference to the risk factors discussed therein. We operate in a continually changing business environment, and new risk factors emerge from time to time. Management cannot predict such new risk factors, nor can it assess the impact, if any, of such new risk factors on our business or events described in any forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date of this report to conform them to actual results. Over time, our actual results, performance or achievements will likely differ from the anticipated results, performance or achievements that are expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements, and such differences might be significant and materially adverse.

 




ALASKA AIRLINES - MAINLINE
Forecast Information
 
Forecast
Q2 2014
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Forecast
Full Year 2014
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Prior Guidance
March 14, 2014
Capacity (ASMs in millions)
8,025 - 8,075
 
~ 4%
 
32,000 - 32,500
 
~ 6%
 
31,750 - 32,250
Cost per ASM excluding fuel and special items (cents)
7.46¢ - 7.51¢
 
~ 2%
 
7.53¢ - 7.58¢
 
~ flat
 
7.57¢ - 7.62¢
Fuel gallons (000,000)
101
 
~ 1%
 
403
 
~ 2.5%
 
400
Economic fuel cost per gallon(a)
$3.26
 
~ (0.5)%
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
(a) 
Our economic fuel cost per gallon estimate for the second quarter includes the following per-gallon assumptions:  crude oil cost - $2.43 ($102 per barrel), refining margin - 58 cents, cost of settled hedges - 6 cents, with the remaining difference due to taxes and other into-plane costs. Because of volatility of fuel prices, we do not give full-year economic fuel estimates.

Changes in Advance Booked Load Factors (percentage of ASMs that are sold)(a) 
 
April
 
May
 
June
Point Change Y-O-Y
flat
 
+0.5 pts
 
flat
Prior Guidance Mar. 14, 2014 - Point Change Y-O-Y
+0.5 pts
 
+0.5 pts
 
N/A
(a) 
Percentage point change compared to the same point in time last year.


AIR GROUP - CONSOLIDATED
Forecast Information
 
Forecast
Q2 2014
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Forecast
Full Year 2014
 
Change
Y-O-Y
 
Prior Guidance
March 14, 2014
Capacity (ASMs in millions)
8,925 - 8,975
 
~ 4.5%
 
35,600 - 36,100
 
~ 6.5%
 
35,500 - 36,000
Cost per ASM excluding fuel and special items (cents)
8.41¢ - 8.46¢
 
~ 1.5%
 
8.43¢ - 8.48¢
 
~ flat
 
8.47¢ - 8.52¢
Fuel gallons (000,000)
116
 
~ 2.5%
 
465
 
~ 4%
 
465
Economic fuel cost per gallon(a)
$3.26
 
~ (0.5)%
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
 
(a) 
(a) 
Please see note(a) in Mainline.

Changes in Advance Booked Load Factors (percentage of ASMs that are sold)(a) 
 
April
 
May
 
June
Point Change Y-O-Y
flat
 
+0.5 pts
 
flat
Prior Guidance Mar. 14, 2014 - Point Change Y-O-Y
+0.5 pts
 
+0.5 pts
 
N/A
(a) 
Percentage point change compared to the same point in time last year.

Nonoperating Income
We expect that our consolidated nonoperating income will be approximately $1 million in the second quarter of 2014.




AIR GROUP - CONSOLIDATED (continued)
Capital Expenditures(a) 
Total expected capital expenditures are as follows (in millions): 
 
2014
 
2015
 
2016
 
2017
Aircraft and aircraft purchase deposits - firm
$
290

 
$
335

 
$
270

 
$
330

Replacement options expected to be exercised
10

 
75

 
60

 

Other flight equipment
125

 
35

 
35

 
25

Other property and equipment
105

 
80

 
75

 
75

Total property and equipment additions
$
530

 
$
525

 
$
440

 
$
430

Other aircraft and aircraft deposits, if exercised(b)
$
25

 
$
195

 
$
250

 
$
300

(a) 
Preliminary estimate, subject to change.
(b) 
Alaska has options to acquire 62 737 aircraft with deliveries from 2016 through 2024. Horizon has options to acquire 7 Q400 aircraft with deliveries from 2015 through 2018.

Projected Fleet Count(a) 
 
Actual Fleet Count
 
Expected Fleet Activity(b)
Aircraft
Dec 31, 2013
 
Mar 31, 2014
 
Remaining2014
 
Dec 31, 2014
 
2015 Changes
 
Dec 31, 2015
737 Freighters & Combis
6

 
6

 

 
6

 

 
6

737 Passenger Aircraft
125

 
127

 
1

 
128

 
1

 
129

Total Mainline Fleet
131

 
133

 
1

 
134

 
1

 
135

Q400
51

 
51

 

 
51

 

 
51

Total
182

 
184

 
1

 
185

 
1

 
186

(a) 
The expected fleet counts at December 31, 2014 and 2015 are subject to change.
(b) 
Expected fleet activity includes aircraft deliveries, net of planned retirements and lease returns.

Future Fuel Hedge Positions(a) 
We use both call options on crude oil futures and swap instruments on LA Jet refining margins to hedge against price volatility of future jet fuel consumption. We have refining margin swaps in place for approximately 50% of our second quarter of 2014 estimated jet fuel purchases at an average price of 57 cents cents per gallon. Our crude oil positions are as follows:
 
Approximate % of Expected Fuel Requirements
 
Weighted-Average Crude Oil Price per Barrel
 
Average Premium Cost per Barrel
Second Quarter 2014
50
%
 
$103
 
$8
Third Quarter 2014
50
%
 
$104
 
$7
Fourth Quarter 2014
40
%
 
$104
 
$7
   Full Year 2014
47
%
 
$104
 
$8
First Quarter 2015
30
%
 
$104
 
$6
Second Quarter 2015
22
%
 
$103
 
$6
Third Quarter 2015
17
%
 
$106
 
$5
Fourth Quarter 2015
11
%
 
$106
 
$5
Full Year 2015
20
%
 
$104
 
$6
First Quarter 2016
6
%
 
$105
 
$4
Full Year 2016
1
%
 
$105
 
$4
(a)
All of our future oil positions are call options, which are designed to effectively cap the cost of the crude oil component of our jet fuel purchases. With call options, we benefit from a decline in crude oil prices, as there is no cash outlay other than the premiums we pay to enter into the contracts.






AIR GROUP - CONSOLIDATED (continued)

Fuel Price Sensitivity
The following table depicts a forward-looking sensitivity of our full year 2014 economic fuel price per gallon given actual economic costs incurred to date, our current crude oil and refining margin positions, and a range of possible future crude oil and refining margin prices:
 
 
 
Crude Price per Barrel
 
 
 
 
 
$
70

 
$
80

 
$
90

 
$
100

 
$
110

 
$
120

Refining Margin
(cents per Gallon)
40

 
$
2.60

 
$
2.78

 
$
2.96

 
$
3.13

 
$
3.27

 
$
3.37

50

 
$
2.66

 
$
2.84

 
$
3.02

 
$
3.19

 
$
3.33

 
$
3.43

60

 
$
2.73

 
$
2.91

 
$
3.09

 
$
3.25

 
$
3.40

 
$
3.50

70

 
$
2.79

 
$
2.97

 
$
3.15

 
$
3.32

 
$
3.46

 
$
3.56

80

 
$
2.85

 
$
3.03

 
$
3.21

 
$
3.38

 
$
3.53

 
$
3.62

90

 
$
2.92

 
$
3.10

 
$
3.28

 
$
3.45

 
$
3.59

 
$
3.69



AAG Annual Cash Distributions
Based on improved cash flow from operations, lower debt levels and higher pension funded status, an increasing portion of capital has shifted toward shareholders.