DENVER (Feb. 4, 2003) Frontier Airlines, Inc. (Nasdaq: FRNT)
today reported a fiscal third quarter 2003 net loss of $6.2 million, or $0.21
per common share, compared with net income of $909,000, or $0.03 per diluted
common share, for the airlines fiscal third quarter last year. Year over
year fiscal third quarter comparisons are impacted by the events of the 9/11
terrorist attacks. The airlines fiscal third quarter 2003 included a special
charge of $1.1 million, net of taxes, for the early extinguishment of debt related
to the debt retirement of an Airbus A319 sold and leased back to the Company.
Excluding this special item, the airlines fiscal third quarter 2003 net
loss totaled $5.1 million, or $0.17 per common share, compared to a $1.4 million
net loss for the same period last year; excluding $3.8 million, pretax, received
from the Air Transportation Safety and Stabilization Act; a $918,000 write down,
net of taxes, for the carrying value of spare parts that support the Companys
Boeing 737-200A aircraft; and, an $886,000 credit to the Companys income
tax expense.
Chief Executive Officers Comments
Frontier President and CEO Jeff Potter said, We are disappointed with
our fiscal third quarter results, and clearly Frontier continues to operate
in an environment of diminished demand resulting from a sustained economic downturn,
global uncertainties and an unstable and extremely competitive industry environment.
The bright spot in our performance can once again be found in our unit cost
reductions. Those results, combined with a relatively strong travel period over
the holiday season, enabled us to operate profitably during the month of December,
keeping in mind that one of the busiest days associated with the Thanksgiving
travel period fell in the month of December 2002. Looking forward, in light
of the difficult revenue environment coupled with high fuel costs, both of which
are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, we now anticipate reporting
a fiscal fourth quarter 2003 loss in the range as our fiscal third quarter loss.
Operating and Financial Highlights
The airlines traffic, as measured by revenue passenger miles (RPMs), grew
at a rate of 71.2 percent during fiscal third quarter 2003, while capacity growth,
as measured by available seat miles (ASMs), increased by 50.9 percent, from
the same time last year. As a result, the airlines load factor was 59.5
percent for its fiscal third quarter, an increase of 7.1 load factor points
compared to last years load factor of 52.4 percent during the same time
period. During fiscal third quarter 2003, the airlines breakeven load
factor increased 9.3 load factor points from 54.3 percent to 63.6 percent.
The airlines cost per available seat mile (CASM) for the quarter decreased
11.3 percent to 8.28 cents from 9.34 cents for the same quarter last year. CASM
excluding fuel decreased 16.2 percent to 6.84 cents from the same period last
year when CASM excluding fuel was 8.17 cents. The airline reported aircraft
utilization of 9.5 hours during its fiscal third quarter 2003, a 22.2 percent
increase from 7.8 hours during the same period last year.
Chief Financial Officer Paul Tate said, We initiated a fuel hedging program
in late November 2002, which allowed us to reduce fuel expenses in the month
of December 2002, on a pretax basis, by $68,067. We also have entered into derivative
contracts covering approximately 15 percent of our jet fuel requirements through
May 2003 at an average price of $0.77 per gallon.
The Company accounts for the derivative contracts entered into as trading contracts
under FAS133, and therefore records any settlements received or paid as an adjustment
to the cost of fuel. Changes in the fair value of the contracts attributable
to future prices are recorded as nonoperating income. As a result, the fiscal
third quarter 2003 results include an unrealized hedge gain of $237,933 in nonoperating
income. There were no fuel hedges in effect earlier in the fiscal third quarter
2003 or in the fiscal third quarter 2002.
For the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2002, the airlines average cost of fuel
was $0.97 per gallon, including taxes, into-plane flowage fees. On average,
taxes, into-plane fees and flowage fees are approximately $0.15 per gallon.
The airline reported revenues of $120.3 million during its fiscal third quarter
2003, a 29.9 percent increase over the same period last year, when the airline
reported revenue of $92.6 million. Passenger revenue per passenger mile (yield)
for the airlines third fiscal quarter 2003 decreased 23.6 percent to 12.93
cents from 16.93 cents for the same period last year. Passenger revenue per
available seat mile (RASM) for the quarter decreased 13.4 percent to 7.69 cents
from 8.88 cents for the same period last year. The airlines average fare
during its fiscal third quarter 2003 was $111, a 17.2 percent decrease from
its fiscal third quarter 2002, when the average fare was $134.
Business Developments During the Quarter Included:
Received conditional approval from the Air Transportation Stabilization
Board (ATSB) for a $63 million federal loan guarantee of a $70 million commercial
loan facility;
Signed a purchase and long-term services agreement with LiveTV to install
satellite-receiving equipment that will bring DIRECTV AIRBORNE- satellite
programming to every Airbus seatback by the end of February 2003;
Accepted delivery of four 132-seat Airbus A319 aircraft;
Launched inaugural international service to Cancun and Mazatlan, Mexico;
Inaugurated service to Fort Myers, Fla., Oklahoma City, Okla., and Tucson,
Ariz., and discontinued service to Boston, Mass.;
Inaugurated Frontier JetExpress service, operated by Mesa Airlines, Inc.,
to Oakland, Calif., and discontinued service to St. Louis, Mo.;
Increased the percentage of Internet-related flown revenue generated
from the airlines Web site to 36.5 percent of the airlines total
revenue, and increased the percentage of Internet-related flown revenue generated
from all Internet sites to 50.4 percent of the airlines total revenue;
Enrolled approximately 53,000 new members in EarlyReturns, bringing
the total number of members of the airlines frequent flyer program to
over 469,000.
Liquidity
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments available for operations and
investing activities on Dec. 31, 2002 totaled $31.5 million. The airline reported
working capital of $1.3 million as of Dec. 31, 2002, compared to working capital
of $5.4 million on Sept. 30, 2002.
Frontiers Chief Financial Officer Paul Tate noted, During our fiscal
third quarter, cash use included $5.3 million for aircraft pre delivery deposits
and $5.0 million to begin the installation of hardware associated with our new
DIRECTV programming. We have taken several actions designed to improve our liquidity.
We received conditional approval during our fiscal third quarter from the Air
Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB) for a $63 million federal loan guarantee
of a $70 million commercial loan facility. Subject to satisfaction of the conditions
imposed by the ATSB and obtaining the necessary internal approvals, we expect
to close on this transaction during the Companys fiscal fourth quarter
2003. In addition, during our fiscal third quarter, we completed the sale/leaseback
of one Airbus A319 aircraft, which resulted in proceeds of $5.3 million, net
of debt repayment and early extinguishment costs. We are also working with a
third party to complete an assignment of our March 2003 Airbus A319 delivery.
Both aircraft would be leased to the Company under a five-year operating lease.
We are hopeful that this transaction will be completed during our fiscal fourth
quarter, resulting in the return of our pre delivery deposit payments of approximately
$7.1 million.
Potter concluded, Unfortunately, our fiscal third quarter financial results
do not reflect the hard work and magnificent efforts of our employees, who reached
several milestones during the quarter, including opening four new domestic markets,
including one JetExpress market; inaugurating our first international flights;
and implementing our new DIRECTV service. More importantly, those accomplishments
were achieved while posting double-digit unit cost reductions. While we continue
to be tested in the area of stimulating demand and improving unit revenue, I
am confident that the Frontier team, which has faced its share of past challenges,
will work very hard to overcome these current economic difficulties, and that
the unique esprit de corps of our 3,100 aviation professionals will keep our
customers returning to Frontier.
Senior leadership will host a conference call to discuss the airlines
quarterly earnings on Feb. 5, 2003 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. The
call is available via the World Wide Web on the airlines Web site at www.frontierairlines.com
or using the following URL: http://www.vcall.com/EventPage.asp?ID=82604.
About Frontier
Denver-based Frontier Airlines employs approximately 3,100 aviation professionals
and is the second largest jet service carrier at Denver International Airport.
Frontier and its regional jet partner Frontier JetExpress offer service to 39
cities. Frontiers fleet consists of 37 aircraft, which feature a single-class
configuration. In 1999, 2000 and 2001, Frontier's maintenance and engineering
department received the Federal Aviation Administration's highest award, the
Diamond Certificate of Excellence, in recognition of 100 percent of its maintenance
and engineering employees completing advanced aircraft maintenance training
programs. In April 2002, Entrepreneur ranked Frontier one of two "Best
Low-Fare Airlines. Frontier provides capacity information and other operating
statistics on its Web site, which may be viewed at www.frontierairlines.com.
Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Frontier notes that this press release contains forward-looking statements and
that certain information contained in this press release involves risks and
uncertainties that could result in actual results differing materially from
expected results. These statements include, but are not limited to, projections
for the current quarter, the ability to complete the March 2003 delivery assignment,
and the intention of Frontier to improve its liquidity through the ATSB guaranteed
loan. Forward-looking statements represent the Companys expectations and
beliefs concerning future events, based on information available to the Company
as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements are inherently
subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which cannot be predicted with accuracy
and some of which might not even be anticipated. Some of the factors that could
significantly impact the forward-looking statements in this press release include,
but are not limited to: the uncertainty of spring break and other bookings and
increased business travel spending; capacity and pricing actions of directly
competing airlines; uncertainties related to the bankruptcy of United Airlines;
general industry capacity and pricing decisions; the inability to satisfy all
conditions of the ATSB guaranteed loan; additional incidents, including a potential
war with Iraq, that could cause the public to question the safety and/or efficiency
of air travel industry consolidation; the stability of the U.S. economy; uncertainties
regarding aviation fuel prices; and operational disruptions as a result of bad
weather. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that may arise
after the date of this press release. Additional information regarding these
and other factors may be contained in the Companys SEC filings, including
without limitation, the Companys 10-Q for its fiscal second quarter ended
Sept. 30, 2002 and the Companys 10-K for its fiscal year ended March 31,
2002.
|
FRONTIER AIRLINES, INC. SELECTED BALANCE SHEET DATA
(In Thousands)
(unaudited)
|
| |
Dec. 31,
|
|
2002
|
2001
|
| Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments |
$31,502 |
$91,835 |
| Current assets |
$147,930 |
$176,585 |
| Total assets |
$523,605 |
$387,527 |
| Current liabilities |
$146,647 |
$132,895 |
| Long-term debt |
$180,955 |
$67,667 |
| Total liabilities |
$364,257 |
$222,701 |
| Stockholders' equity |
$159,348 |
$164,826 |
| Working capital |
$1,283 |
$43,690 |
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