Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) today reported financial results for the September 2012 quarter. Key points include:
- Delta’s net income, excluding special items1, for the September 2012 quarter was $768 million, or $0.90 per diluted share.
- Delta’s September 2012 quarter GAAP net income was $1.0 billion, or $1.23 per diluted share, including mark-to-market gains on open fuel hedges and other special items.
- Delta’s unit revenues were up 3 percent for the quarter and the company has produced a unit revenue premium to the industry for eighteen consecutive months.
- Results included $174 million in profit sharing expense, for a total of $309 million year to date, in recognition of Delta employees’ efforts toward the company’s financial targets. In addition, Delta people have received $67 million in Shared Rewards in 2012 for hitting the company’s operational and customer service targets.
- Delta ended the September 2012 quarter with $5.1 billion in unrestricted liquidity and adjusted net debt of $11.9 billion.
“Delta’s strong September quarter results combined with industry-leading operations and customer service reflect an improved industry structure and our consistent investment in the business; we will continue on this path as we progress into 2013,” said Richard Anderson, Delta’s chief executive officer. “With a more stable financial foundation, we have moved our focus beyond short-term profit gains to positioning ourselves for long-term margin expansion, sustained profitability and shareholder returns. I want to thank Delta employees worldwide for their dedication and determination as we continue the hard work of building a better airline.”
Revenue Environment
Delta’s operating revenue grew $107 million, or 1 percent, on 1.5 percent lower capacity in the September 2012 quarter compared to the September 2011 quarter. Load factor for the quarter increased 0.3 points year over year to 86.4 percent.
- Passenger revenue increased 1 percent, or $124 million, compared to the prior year period. Passenger unit revenue (PRASM) increased 3 percent, driven by a 3 percent improvement in yield.
- Cargo revenue decreased 5 percent, or $14 million, with lower cargo yields partially offset by higher volumes.
- Other revenue decreased $3 million as lower third-party maintenance revenues were partially offset by higher codeshare revenue.
Comparisons of revenue-related statistics are as follows:
| Increase (Decrease) | |||||||
| 3Q12 versus 3Q11 | |||||||
| Passenger Revenue | 3Q12 ($M) | Change
YOY |
?? Unit
Revenue |
Yield | Capacity | ||
| Domestic | $ ? ? 3,690 | 4% | 3% | 4% | 1% | ||
| Atlantic | 1,751 | (2)% | 3% | 2% | (5)% | ||
| Pacific | 1,108 | 5% | 6% | 3% | (1)% | ||
| Latin America | 468 | 3% | -% | (3)% | 3% | ||
| Total mainline | 7,017 | 2% | 3% | 3% | (1)% | ||
| Regional | 1,675 | (2)% | 6% | 6% | (8)% | ||
| Consolidated | $ ? ? 8,692 | 1% | 3% | 3% | (2)% | ||
“Our solid revenue performance reflects the benefits of capacity discipline, strong operational performance and the investments we have made in our products and service,” said Ed Bastian, Delta’s president. “We expect our revenue performance to benefit from our continued capacity discipline and further corporate travel gains and we are forecasting our October unit revenues to increase 4 ? 5% year over year.”
Fuel
Excluding mark-to-market adjustments, Delta’s average fuel price2 was $3.14 per gallon for the September quarter, which includes 3 cents per gallon in settled losses from its fuel hedging program. On a GAAP basis, which includes $440 million of mark-to-market gains on out of period hedges, the company’s average fuel price was $2.71 per gallon.
During the September quarter, jet fuel production began at Delta’s wholly-owned Trainer Refinery and the company expects the plant to be fully operational in the December quarter. For the December quarter, Delta expects Trainer’s production to generate a contribution of breakeven to $25 million.
Non-Fuel Cost Performance
Consolidated unit cost (CASM3), excluding fuel expense, profit sharing and special items, was 5.6 percent higher in the September 2012 quarter on a year-over-year basis, driven by the impact of capacity reductions, higher maintenance expense, wage increases and service investments. GAAP consolidated CASM decreased 2 percent primarily due to mark-to-market gains on open fuel hedges.
“With consistent investment in the business, our non-fuel costs have grown in the past few quarters and we expect that trend to continue into the first half of next year,” said Paul Jacobson, Delta’s chief financial officer. “However, we are in the process of implementing a $1 billion program of structural initiatives that we anticipate will generate significant savings in the second half of 2013, while maintaining the high quality product, network and operation we have built.”
Cash Flow and Liquidity
As of September 30, 2012, Delta had $5.1 billion in unrestricted liquidity, including $3.2 billion in cash and short-term investments and $1.9 billion in undrawn revolving credit facilities.
Operating cash flow during the September 2012 quarter was $545 million, driven by the company’s profitability, which was offset by the normal seasonal decline in advance ticket sales. Free cash flow for the September 2012 quarter was $120 million.
Capital expenditures during the quarter were $425 million, including $275 million for fleet, including advance payments for 737-900ERs, induction costs for MD-90s and interior modifications to Delta’s international fleet.
During the September quarter, Delta paid $270 million in net debt maturities and capital lease obligations. At September 30, the company’s adjusted net debt was $11.9 billion, a reduction of $5 billion since the end of 2009.
Subsequent to the end of the quarter, Delta refinanced $1.7 billion in debt and undrawn revolving credit facilities secured by the company’s Pacific routes and slots. As a result of this transaction, the company has maintained its revolving credit capacity and lowered the interest rate. Delta expects the transaction will generate more than $30 million in annual interest expense savings.
December 2012 Quarter Guidance
Delta’s projections for the December 2012 quarter are below.
| ?4Q 2012 Forecast | |
| Average fuel price, including taxes and settled hedges | $ 3.15 – $3.20 |
| Operating margin | 4 – 6% |
| Capital expenditures | $450 – 550 million |
| Total liquidity at end of period | $ 5.2 billion |
| 4Q 2012 Forecast
(compared to 4Q 2011) |
|
| Consolidated unit costs ? excluding fuel expense and profit sharing | Up 5 – 7% |
| System capacity | Down 1 ? 3% |
| ???? Domestic | Down 1 ? 3% |
| ???? International | Down 2 ? 4% |
Special Items
Delta recorded special items totaling a $279 million gain in the September 2012 quarter, including:
- a $440 million gain on mark-to-market adjustments on fuel hedges settling in future periods;
- a $39 million gain associated with the exchange of slots at New York-LaGuardia and Washington-Reagan National;
- a $12 million loss on extinguishment of debt;
- a $66 million charge for severance and related costs; and
- a $122 million charge for facilities, fleet and other, including charges resulting from the closure of Comair.
Delta recorded special items totaling a $216 million charge in the September 2011 quarter, primarily related to mark to market adjustments for open fuel hedges.
Other Matters
Included with this press release are Delta’s unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three and nine months ended Sept. 30, 2012 and 2011; a statistical summary for those periods; selected balance sheet data as of Sept. 30, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2011; and a reconciliation of certain non-GAAP financial measures.